The cafeteria at Beacon was alive with the usual chatter of students enjoying their lunch, but today there was an unusual buzz in the air. News of Professor Onyx Thorn's demonstration had spread quickly, and everyone seemed to be eager to discuss what they had witnessed earlier. As the doors to the cafeteria swung open, Onyx walked in, his usual calm and composed demeanor making him stand out even more in the crowded space.
To his surprise, he found himself walking toward Team RWBY and Team JNPR, who were sitting together at a large table, laughing and joking with one another. Hemera was perched happily on Onyx's shoulder, her bright silver eyes wide with curiosity, her little hands grasping at the collar of his coat.
Ruby looked up first, her face lighting up with a huge grin when she saw Onyx approaching. "Professor Thorn! You totally rocked it earlier today!" she exclaimed, waving him over. The rest of the group looked up as well, and their smiles widened when they saw Onyx and Hemera.
"Hey, Prof! Over here!" Yang called out, scooting over to make room for him.
Onyx nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and made his way to their table, sitting down next to Ruby. Hemera immediately climbed onto his lap, making herself comfortable as Onyx gently stroked her hair.
"Thanks for the warm welcome," Onyx said, his voice smooth and casual. "I thought I'd join you all for lunch. Looks like everyone's been talking about the demonstration."
As he settled into his seat, the rest of Team RWBY and Team JNPR greeted him enthusiastically. Ren gave him a nod of acknowledgment, while Nora waved excitedly.
"Professor Thorn," Jaune said, raising an eyebrow as he took a bite of his sandwich. "That was insane! I didn't know our new professor could do... well, that."
Onyx glanced at Jaune and shrugged lightly. "Call me Onyx," he replied, his tone easygoing. "I'm off duty right now."
Jaune blinked, looking a little confused. "Wait, really?" he asked, his voice rising in disbelief.
Onyx's eyes sparkled with amusement, and he chuckled softly. "Yes. I'm not teaching right now. Besides..." He looked around at everyone, his gaze lingering on Ruby for a moment before he continued. "... we're friends, aren't we?"
The entire table fell silent for a brief moment, the shock settling in. Ruby's eyes widened in surprise, while the others exchanged glances. They were all used to addressing professors by their titles, and hearing Onyx casually refer to them as friends was unexpected, especially given his mysterious nature.
"We're... friends?" Yang repeated, leaning forward with a playful smirk. "Wait a second, does that mean you're going to keep treating us like a group of students, or are you actually going to... hang out with us?"
"Why not?" Onyx replied, his voice warm but playful. "I'm not all about formalities. Besides, you all seem pretty interesting to me."
"Well, if that's the case," Jaune said with a grin, his confusion fading into a more relaxed expression, "you're definitely going to fit in around here, Onyx."
Nora, ever the enthusiastic one, beamed at him. "Does that mean you're going to be joining our group in the future? Because I'm all for hanging out with someone as cool as you!"
Onyx smiles as he looked at the group, appreciating their easy acceptance. "I'll think about it," he replied, then gently nudged Hemera, who was now reaching for the food on the table with curious eyes. "Just as long as Hemera doesn't eat all your food first."
The group laughed, and for the first time, Onyx felt a sense of warmth in the company of these students-students who now saw him not just as a professor, but as someone who was a part of their team. Someone they could trust, and maybe even call a friend.
As they talked, the shadows around Onyx seemed to stir. A small form emerged from the darkness at his feet. A tiny Beowolf pup, with sleek black fur and glowing amethyst eyes, trotted out from the shadows. It looked up at the group with a playful bounce, wagging its tail eagerly.
"Wuffles!" Hemera squealed in delight as the little creature bounded toward her. She crouched down, and the Beowolf pup nuzzled her affectionately, its tail wagging excitedly.
The group froze, staring in surprise at the Grimm creature now happily interacting with Hemera.
Ruby's eyes widened, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that... a Beowolf?"
"Yep," Onyx replied casually, watching as Wuffles happily spun around Hemera. "It's a side effect of my Semblance. Wuffles here is one of those."
Jaune blinked, still processing. "Wait, that's one of the Grimm you... summon?"
"Yeah, but not just any Grimm," Onyx said with a slight grin. "Wuffles was the first Grimm I ever killed, and now he's bound to me. It's just part of my Semblance."
Nora leaned forward, her expression filled with fascination. "So, you don't just summon Grimm to fight. You made a... pet out of one?"
"Exactly," Onyx said, shrugging. "I've bonded with him. He's not a normal Grimm anymore."
Weiss furrowed her brow, staring at Wuffles in disbelief. "This... is a Grimm? And it's... friendly?"
"Yep," Onyx confirmed with a nod. "I can control the Grimm I've killed, and Wuffles was the first."
Ruby watched Wuffles with a mix of awe and confusion. "I didn't think it was possible for a Grimm to be... so cute."
Jaune chuckled, still amazed. "Yeah, I never thought I'd see a Beowolf acting like a puppy."
Onyx smirked. "Well, you learn something new every day."
As Wuffles continued to happily frolic around Hemera, the little Beowolf pup nipping at her fingers and wagging its tail in excitement, Hemera paused for a moment. Her eyes brightened as she looked up at her father, a mischievous smile spreading across her face.
"Daddy, can you summon Monsieur Pancake?" she asked eagerly.
Onyx glanced at the group, sensing their curiosity. He smiled and nodded, giving a casual shrug. "Sure, kiddo. I can do that."
The others watched intently, knowing Onyx's Semblance allowed him to summon Grimm, but none had yet witnessed the full extent of it. Onyx's eyes narrowed slightly as he focused, and the shadows around him began to shift and writhe, pulling together in a dark, swirling mass at his feet.
The ground trembled just slightly as a massive form emerged from the darkness. The air around them seemed to grow heavier, colder. The shadows receded to reveal an enormous Ursa Major-a towering Grimm, covered in dark fur, with glowing amethyst eyes that burned with an unsettling intensity.
Ruby's voice trembled slightly. "That's... an Ursa. And it's... massive!"
Onyx gave a half-smile, his tone casual. "Yep, that's Monsieur Pancake."
The colossal creature stepped forward, its massive claws scraping the ground, sending dust flying in all directions. Yet, despite its intimidating size, it made no move to attack. Instead, it seemed to calmly survey the group before its glowing eyes fixed on Hemera, who had eagerly skipped toward it with an excited squeal.
"Monsieur Pancake!" Hemera called, practically jumping up and down in delight.
The Ursa lowered its head, almost as if it were bowing to Hemera. She reached up with both hands, lightly patting its enormous snout, and the Grimm responded by giving a low, gentle rumble that could almost be mistaken for a purr.
The group froze, watching in disbelief as Hemera continued to play with the giant Grimm, treating it as though it were just a very large pet. Monsieur Pancake rolled onto its back, exposing its massive belly for scratches, which Hemera gleefully obliged, giggling as she climbed onto its huge, furry stomach.
Nora, eyes wide with excitement, leaned forward. "Wait, you... you summon this thing like it's a giant teddy bear?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe.
Onyx smiled, hands in his pockets, watching as the Ursa obediently rolled onto its side with a contented grunt. "Yeah. I don't just summon them to fight. They're just... part of my Semblance." He gave a small shrug. "Monsieur Pancake's harmless."
Weiss, still slightly cautious but now more intrigued than ever, crossed her arms. "But... it's an Ursa. A Grimm. How are you able to... summon it like this and make it so... docile?"
Onyx met her gaze evenly. "Because I've already defeated it. Grimm I've killed don't fight me anymore." He nodded toward Hemera, who was now sprawled across the Ursa's side, grinning ear to ear. "Monsieur Pancake's harmless-unless I tell him otherwise."
Jaune blinked. "So you can just... summon any Grimm you've beaten?"
"Pretty much," Onyx said. "But I don't unless I need to."
Ruby shook her head in disbelief. "That's... insane."
Nora's eyes were practically sparkling with excitement. "That's so cool! Just imagine all the things we could do with a big guy like that on our team!"
"That's not what I'm going for," Onyx said, smirking. "No giant Grimm army for me, thank you."
Hemera, still perched on Monsieur Pancake's side, looked up at her father with a bright smile. "Daddy, can he stay with us? He's so warm and big!"
Onyx chuckled, watching as Monsieur Pancake seemed to happily nudge Hemera's side with its massive head, almost as though it were asking for more attention. "Sure, kiddo. But only if he promises to be gentle."
The Ursa let out a low sound, rumbling softly, and gave a small nudge to Hemera's hand, as if in agreement.
The group exchanged looks, still trying to wrap their heads around the surreal scene playing out before them. A giant, terrifying Grimm acting like a giant, fuzzy animal that was perfectly tame. It didn't seem possible, yet there it was-Monsieur Pancake, an enormous Ursa, calmly lounging on the ground, responding to Hemera's gentle pats as if it were a house pet.
Ruby broke the silence, her voice filled with awe. "I think... I think Onyx just made a Grimm adorable."
Onyx raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "You just now realized that?"
Weiss, though still unsure, finally gave a nod of approval. "Well... I can't argue with that. He's definitely... different."
The group continued to watch in awe, their skepticism melting away as they saw just how easily Onyx handled the summoning of such a powerful, intimidating creature. There was no hostility, no danger, just the quiet companionship of a powerful Grimm who had become something entirely unexpected-a giant, cuddly protector.