Another World Again

"Blake you sly cat, having a secret rendezvous with Rio in the wee hours of the morning. I underestimated you."

Predictably, a lilac eyed blonde girl's all too telling grin was what they saw upon returning to the room.

Indeed; Yang was already up and wake.

On a side note, Ruby was also forcing herself out of bed, as difficult a time as she was having based on the extremely drowsy expression still on her face.

Regardless, Blake rolled her eyes, "Yes, that's definitely what I was doing, because I just couldn't help myself," the girl said, clear sarcasm emanating from her voice.

Rio awkwardly chuckled before addressing Yang.

"Good morning Miss Yang, Ruby. I'm sorry if we caused you concern. I hope you two slept well?"

Ruby made an unintelligible noise in response, but Yang answered in kind.

"Yep, I feel all rested. I was having a good dream dream though…"

"Oh, what about?"

Rio, only trying for polite conversation, asked such a thing before his mind caught up with him. 

This was a mistake.

Yang immediately made him eat his words.

"Oh, that's kind of a no-go, Rio, asking a girl something like that. What if I was dreaming about you? I would be embarrassed," Yang brought up, grinning, not looking embarrassed in the slightest.

Rio's smile faltered.

"R-Right. How inconsiderate of me."

"Don't worry about it. I woke up just when it took a turn anyway."

Rio blinked.

What?

"...More importantly, " Blake interrupted with a cough. "Where's Weiss?"

Just as she said, Rio noticed that Weiss was not in her bed, but a noise to his right gave him a hint as to where she might be. Behind a closed door, water could be heard running, along with a light that signified it's use.

"Muah? Weiss... is in the shower... I can get her if you want me to…?"

Ruby finally woke up properly and yawned, raising her hands up in the air in a deep stretch. When some of her stomach was revealed in the action, Rio suddenly found the adjacent wall's posters very interesting, something that the two other girls did not miss, judging by Yang's smirk and Blake's wry smile.

Nonetheless, upon answering Rio, Ruby actually stood up from her bed and began heading towards the bathroom door, not even realizing the repercussions of what she was about to do.

Thus, Rio hurriedly put a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"T-That won't be necessary Miss Ruby. Let her take her time."

"Oh, okay. Hm?"

Ruby seemed content with the suggestion, however made a small sound of confusion. "...Rio, why do you smell so good?"

"…Pardon?"

Rio didn't know how to react to such a question as he just stood there shock-still.

Actually, he wasn't the only one.

But he was even more confused when Blake suddenly turned away, the faintest of red coloring her cheeks. No, before that, there was a more concerning reaction.

"Does he really?"

Yes, because Yang proceeded to latch onto the boy's shoulders and shamelessly take a whiff of the boy's aroma from behind.

"...Woah, you do smell good. Is this your cologne Rio?"

"I-Is that so…? And no, um, this is…"

Rio looked slightly flustered, not only at the line of questioning, but the fact that two attractive girls in sleepwear were closely smelling his fresh-out-of-exercise form.

Now, he didn't know why he suddenly turned to Blake for assistance, but unfortunately, for some reason, she still wouldn't meet his eyes. Though, he heard her mutter, "(E-Even though I was planning not to say anything...)"

Rio didn't really know what she meant by that, but either way, he was on his own. And because he didn't see any harm in it, Rio responded with the truth. 

"That is, I was training, so…"

It was an awkward topic, so Rio really hoped he didn't have to directly say that it was his sweat. He knew that much would be improper to tell someone of the opposite sex.

Thankfully, his words were enough, as Ruby and Yang just blinked at him with inscrutable expressions.

No, wait, why did Yang's turn appraising all of a sudden?

"Wow Rio, that's... kind of dangerous. You better be careful or you'll get snatched up quick…"

Rio's mind reasonably went blank at that, but fortunately, he was saved from replying by a door suddenly opening.

And to Rio's rising horror, it was not the door leading out into the hallway. 

"Ah~, that felt good. Alright, the shower's read...y...?"

Surprised expressions formed all around as Weiss had opened the bathroom door wearing nothing but a towel concealing her modest figure. That said, it was immediately noticed when her words, ones that had been drowning in content, suddenly died just as quickly, gaze falling on one person in particular.

Of course, that was far as Rio mentally processed before he hastily spun around, making a beeline for the door.

The other door.

"Y-You know what? I think I'll just let you girls get all dressed first. I-I'll be outs—"

"R-Rio?!"

The boy winced but kept moving.

"Ugh, I-I didn't see you in here so it slipped my mind that you might—" Weiss' words, dripping with both embarrassment and mortification, were silenced completely as Rio swiftly shut the door behind him.

And then, silence.

And yet, even though he had escaped, he just continued to stand there next to the door, holding his breath. 

It after five whole seconds that he finally closed his eyes and released a tired sigh.

Let's just hope... Ozpin can secure my room sooner rather than later. 

As Rio thought this, he heard the distinctive footfalls of heels echoing through the hallway. That being said, he wasn't too surprised to see the older blonde woman with glasses making her way towards him.

Though, her brows were quick to furrow.

"…Mr. Amakawa? Why are you… oh. Again…?" Whether she found the expression on Rio's face familiar, or even just the situation as a whole, Glynda Goodwitch couldn't prevent the exasperation from leaking out into her voice.

"Er, yes, something occurred again, unfortunately," Rio acknowledged with an awkward bob to his head. "...Ah, Miss Glynda, by any chance, the preparations for that other room—"

"Are not yet completed."

"...Right," Rio breathed out, tiredly.

A beat passed, before Glynda raised one eyebrow. 

"In my experience, Mr. Amakawa, when male students are roomed with girls, questions of reassignment aren't usually the first thing to leave their mouths."

Well, most people don't have two lives worth of memories in their heads, one having died at the adult age of twenty...

Of course, Rio couldn't say any of that, so he just chuckled awkwardly. "Um. Anyway, back to the original topic, perhaps it would be better if I receive some kind of punishment this time? From Miss Glynda? It, um, might help relieve Miss Wei—... the girl's worries."

"..."

All Glynda did was stare at him.

Then.

"...Mr. Amakawa, am I understanding that you want me to give you a detention, but only for someone else's peace of mind?" The teacher didn't call him strange, but it was definitely written all over her face.

When white haired boy said nothing, only giving a hesitant little smile in response, as if to say it couldn't be helped, Glynda didn't even try to hide her long sigh.

She was likely even thinking Rio's... propensity... to seek out punishment was maybe even more tiring than dealing with actual troublemakers.

"…Very well," Glynda eventually said, smoothing her features. "Please come to my office before class tomorrow. But for now, just make sure you and Team RWBY get to classes on time, hm?"

"Yes, Miss Glynda, I'll be there without fail."

Her office...

For a moment, Rio was pleasantly reminded of the days in which he and Professor Celia would drink tea and chat in her cluttered study. A smile graced his lips, and he wanted to chuckle at just how odd it was imagining the taciturn blonde in her place.

Nonetheless, with a hint of that nostalgia lingering, the boy nodded at the teacher, and with their conversation over, was prepared to see the woman walk off... where he would likely remain standing awkwardly in the hallway until the others were done.

However.

"Mr. Amakawa. There is one more matter."

"Ah, yes?" Rio met her eyes once again.

With an expression that was the oddest mix between scolding and bemused, Glynda spoke. "...Is there a reason you see no problem in addressing your teacher, someone far older than you, by their first name?"

Rio blinked. 

Moreover, it was because a part of him was confused. 

"Oh? I thought for sure Miss Glynda was in her twenties... Ah, but please, forgive my disrespect until now. It won't happen again, Miss Goodwitch."

Rio summarily dipped his head.

Really, he was getting too comfortable.

Perhaps I was doing it again? Overlapping this person with Celia?

"..."

Glynda, on the other hand, was at a loss at how to reply. 

After all, with the kind of casualness that sounded conversational, to be told such a thing, and by someone who Ozpin had confirmed was no older than sixteen...

Glynda looked at Rio. 

Really looked at him. 

Face now neutral, but fielding her stare with one of his own, except one slightly shifting to perplexity, it was an expression devoid of childish naivety.

His posture, too, was hardly in need of correction.

It was proper, almost refined.

Why, for a while now, Glynda had the feeling she was talking to, not an impressionable teenager still trying to find their path in life, but a full-fledged adult who had seen everything life had to offer, both the good and the bad.

So, that's what made her next question leave her mouth on impulse.

"Mr. Amakawa, just how long have you…"

—Lived in this life of yours...?

That's what Glynda wanted to say but, as if the words had caught up to her brain, she stopped herself.

Then, she shook her head. 

Yes; whether or not Rio was just like him…

"...Miss Goodwitch?"

"No, please forget it. I'll leave you to be getting ready."

Ignoring the still very confused white haired youth, Glynda's heels clacked along the ground as she walked away. "Oh, that's right..." But, as if remembering something at the last moment, she stopped abruptly, looking at him over her shoulder.

And, there was the slightest curve to those lips of hers.

"You may keep addressing me as you have, Mr. Rio. I'll let it slide since you thought I was in my twenties."

Then the smile vanished, and just like that, the blonde teacher walked off, not even giving him time to react, much less piece together how exactly he was supposed to take what just happened. 

Rio just continued to stand there, brain whirring.

Of course, that was when, without warning, the door beside him opened.

"..."

All four girls came out, and they were all properly dressed, much to immediate Rio's relief. However, they were all looking at him with mollified expressions, faces even the slightest bit flushed.

He thought that this was about what nearly happened with Weiss, but it wasn't just her who was staring at him like that.

"Damn Rio. I can't let my guard down around you at all, huh?"

"I've never once heard her say something like that..."

Then Yang and then Blake muttered something like that, and Rio's smile cramped.

It seemed… the girls had overheard that entire conversation.

Rio coughed lightly into his fist. "I-It appears you all are ready to go. My apologies, I'll just be a minute."

Taking the opportunity for what it was, the boy quickly shuffled past them, opening the door and heading to his bedding where his uniform was located.

Curious, Rio noticed that it was simply a white vest, a black coat with the academy embroidery, and a similarly matching tie. There were no dress pants, but he assumed that the black ones he was currently wearing would suffice.

Rio pulled his shirt over his head.

The girls, who began patiently waiting for him but not looking straight at him, caught this in their periphery and flinched the tiniest bit. 

"You know... for such a slender guy, he's surprisingly got it all there," Yang was quick to comment without any shame whatsoever, and not even trying to hide the fact she was staring. 

The others very faintly blushed, even Blake, as much as she tried to be subtle about her own furtive glances.

Weiss, actually, behaved in similar way. 

Right... boys have larger backs than girls, she thought, her gaze drifting far too many times to simply write it off as academic curiosity. 

But.

Even that was just to distract themselves from that one other thing they noticed immediately, but couldn't find it in them to just carelessly point out.

Even then, it did cause them to frown in restless silence. 

There, too...

Yes, Ruby was plenty embarrassed herself looking at the bare back of someone who wasn't her uncle or father, but even those feelings were put on back burner when she saw what lay past the boy's lean muscle.

Again, scars.

But even an larger amount of them. 

Rio had said that his parents had passed away, and while Ruby assumed that meant he certainly hadn't had it easy, much like her own family, this wasn't the kind of thing she imagined.

For them to be so many, and for some of their width to nearly cover the entire surface area of his skin...

"..."

Ruby swallowed, her stomach churning a bit.

Such discomfort was mirrored by all of them.

"Is something wrong?" Before they knew it, Rio had finished and was now standing in front of them, dressed sharply in the Beacon Academy uniform. And yet, they didn't focus on that, not when the white haired boy looked completely relaxed.

No, as usual, that polite little, normal smile of his was perfectly in place. 

It said absolutely nothing about the violence he wore underneath his clothes.

It was jarring, unrealistically so. 

Rio's smile faltered a bit. "L-Ladies?"

"O-Oh, i-it's nothing. We're all good to go. Onward!"

Snapping out of it, but socially awkward as always, Ruby pointed down the hall and began walking, the others having no choice but to follow after her. Yang matched Ruby's pace, which left Blake and Weiss walking on either side of Rio, the white-haired heiress on the left, and the black-haired faunas on the right.

Rio eventually decided to say something, if only to fill in the silence. "...It seems I might have to rely on you girls a bit, if only for a little while. I still don't know my way around. Sorry in advance for the trouble."

From the side, Weiss huffed. 

"You make it sound like you're asking for something unreasonable. You're new. So something like that is obvious. "

"Yeah, don't mind it." Blake muttered from his right, bow noticeably twitching in response.

Rio saw this, before smiling faintly.

"I see. Then, thank you for the help."