The Commercial District has plenty to offer, if that wasn't obvious enough. All those places are great spots to hang out with friends - hell, if it wasn't for Jeanne, I wouldn't have known about that arcade packed with lots of mini-games. That was actually pretty fun.

But today I'm walking down the main avenue with Levi, enjoying a simple vanilla ice cream while she savors her tri-colored one. She's wearing that same baggy turtleneck sweater again, which has become something of a signature look for her in Vale. It suits her better than I expected.

Levi's already started her piloting classes, at least for the theory part. Being the first week, it's just introductory stuff, so they let her go early. That's what she told me. When she messaged asking to hang out, I didn't see any reason to turn down the offer. Besides, I've missed our casual walks from back in Kuo Kuana.

We eventually find an empty concrete bench and quickly claim spots on opposite ends.

"By the way, did you manage to get a part-time job?" I ask, genuinely curious about how she's settled in so far.

Levi's ears perk up as she turns to me, her eyes bright with excitement. "Yep! Landed a position as a clerk assistant! And get this - employees get a store discount, so I've already calculated how much I can save on groceries if I plan my shopping right."

"That's neat. With these city prices, that definitely helps." I let out a small laugh. "It was a shock seeing them sell fruits by unit here, not by weight like back in Kuo Kuana."

"Oh gods, don't even get me started!" Levi rolls her eyes dramatically. "I did some math and a single apple here costs as much as a kilogram back home. My budget needed some serious adjusting after that awful discovery."

"Only bright side is that all those snacks and drinks are pretty cheap." I take another bite of my ice cream. Though that doesn't apply to my special Gamer store, their prices are ridiculous, but the taste is out of this world, so I guess it's somewhat understandable.

Just a little bit.

Levi puffs her cheeks in that familiar way of hers. "But that's junk food. I can't build a proper diet around convenience store snacks. Pilot training requires staying fit, you know!"

"You're eating sweets though..."

"Hey!" She slaps my arm playfully, her face flushing. "You're the one who insisted on buying me ice cream! Don't try to pin this on me."

I just chuckle, shaking my head. "Then I'll nobly sacrifice myself for your well-being and eat your ice cream so you stay cute and fit for your pilot's license."

"Not a chance." She clutches her ice cream protectively, but then pauses, her ears twitching. "Wait... did you call me cute?"

I blink and look at her. "Yeah? You are cute." I answer honestly, surprising myself with how naturally the words come out. Now that I think about it, this outfit suits her much better than those shorts and sleeveless shirts she wore back in Menagerie. More... like her. Somehow Levi-like?

No wait, that sounds dumb.

My friend adjusts her curly hair, trying to hide a pleased smile but failing miserably at it. "Thanks, Ma'iq."

I shrug as we finish our ice cream, eventually crunching down the sweet cones in comfortable silence. Some things haven't changed since Menagerie. No complaints about that either.

However, my friend's ears perk up with renewed energy.

"Oh! I almost forgot to tell you more about the academy," she says, turning to face me completely. "The place is huge! Like, way bigger than I imagined from the brochures. They've got this massive hangar with all sorts of aircraft - from small personal ships to actual cargo vessels!"

I can't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Found your favorite spot already?"

"Actually..." She taps her chin thoughtfully. "The simulation room might be my favorite. They have these super advanced simulators. They are from Atlas. The instructor said we'll start using them next year tho"

"Sounds expensive." I comment, thinking about other things as a comparison.

Levi nods vigorously. "It is! But get this - the tuition covers all the practical training. And they even have evening slots for extra practice." Her eyes sparkle with a glint of determination. "I'm definitely signing up for those once we start the hands-on portion."

"Going all in, huh?" She really planned this whole thing out.

"Of course! Mom and Dad didn't save up all that money just for me to slack off." Her expression softens at the mention of her parents. "Speaking of which... Dad sent me a message yesterday. They're both doing well back home."

I nod, not quite sure what to say. It's still a sore spot that I never got to meet her parents before everything went to shit. Hell, I didn't even get to say a proper goodbye to anyone. That part really sucked.

"You know," Levi continues, her voice taking on a playful tone, "they are really curious about you. Mom, especially she says she needs to thank the mysterious fishing teacher who helped her daughter catch those huge snappers. That day's dinner was amazing."

I can't help but snort at that. "Mysterious? Really?"

"Well, what else could I tell them?" She gives me a wry smile. "That my friend who taught me fishing just disappeared one day without warning? Parents tend to worry about stuff like that."

However, I furrow my brows when hearing that.

It isn't funny.

Something she notices as she winces slightly. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"Nah, it's fine." I wave off her apology. "Though I am curious what exactly you told them about me."

Levi's ears twitch again as she thinks. "Just the basics. That you were a cool guy who taught me how to fish, amazing cook, and..." she trails off.

"And?" I prompt, raising an eyebrow.

"And that you were a bit dumb." She finishes with a giggle, making me roll my eyes. "But they wanted to meet you."

I look away for a bit. "Thanks, I guess. Although they don't know about the whole kidnapping thing, right?"

"They didn't need to know all the details." Levi shrugs. "Besides, Mom would've just worried more, and Dad might've tried to organize some kind of search party or something equally dramatic."

"They sound... nice." I manage, trying to imagine what kind of parents would raise someone like Levi.

"They are." She smiles fondly. "Maybe someday you'll get to meet them properly. You know, without any unexpected interruptions this time, and don't forget to bring those rice rolls with fish inside!"

I let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah, maybe."

It will probably be a long while since I go back to Menagerie, but at least there is a place to go back to now.

That's… That's actually good to know.

After that, we stand up and start walking in the opposite direction from where we came, falling into an easy conversation about other random topics, like comparing the weather, the city, or food.

Eventually, we reach a different part of the Commercial District, wandering past various shops until we stop in front of what I assume is her workplace. A medium-sized building, with plenty of halls stocked with food. That's when Levi checks her scroll and lets out a small sigh.

"My shift starts in twenty minutes," she says, tucking her scroll away in her pocket.

I nod, already taking a step back. "Better not be late on your first week."

Before I can properly say goodbye, Levi steps forward and plants a quick kiss on my cheek. "Thanks for today, Ma'iq. It was fun."

I watch her disappear into the store, shaking my head with a pleased smile. Even with everything that's happened, some things haven't changed.

It feels... good. Normal, almost.

With no particular destination in mind, I start walking again, letting my feet carry me wherever. Sometimes it's nice to just wander, take in the city without worrying about-

My scroll buzzes against my hip, interrupting my thoughts.

I stop my walk to check and it's a message from Neo.

'Come home. Need you for something.'

Well, speaking of home... I still need to find my own place. I've spotted some promising apartments, but they all need one thing in common: money. Even with all my savings, it wasn't enough to fully buy a place.

That means I need to get more money.

And I know exactly how and where to get it.

Fast and easy.

I move to the road, and with a thought, my motorcycle materializes from my inventory. The familiar weight of the machine beneath me brings a grin to my face as I rev the engine.

The residential district isn't far, and with Vale's traffic, it shouldn't take long to reach Neo's apartment.

The wind whips past my ears as I weave through the streets, the buildings gradually changing from commercial storefronts to residential complexes after crossing the highway. Soon enough,

I pull up to Neo's neighborhood, the familiar architecture of her apartment building looming ahead. After passing through the main entrance and climbing the stairs, I reach her door and pull out the spare keys she gave me.

As soon as I step inside, my nose twitches at a strange but strong scent. Not unpleasant, just... unexpected. My curiosity piqued, I follow the smell to its source.

The mystery solves itself when I find Neo lounging on the couch in her pink underwear, casually smoking from a colorful hookah. Perfect timing - she puffs out a green smoke ring before flashing me one of her signature grins.

"You wanted to smoke together?" I ask, taking in the scene.

She nods enthusiastically, patting the spot next to her while offering the mouthpiece with her other hand.

I let out a sigh. Just a smoking invitation - I shouldn't be surprised by something this simple from Neo. And hell, I've got plenty of time before my club shift starts.

Why not?

I settle next to her, and she immediately latches onto my arm, pressing close before handing me the mouthpiece. Taking a deep pull, I'm pleasantly surprised. The taste is smooth, with a slight numbing effect that leaves my mouth tingling. There's definitely mint mixed in there, adding a cool kick to whatever else is in this blend.

Taking another drag, I let the smoke fill my lungs before slowly releasing. Neo watches with amusement as my attempts at making shapes just result in formless clouds. She pokes my side and takes the mouthpiece back.

With practiced ease, she takes a deep pull and forms a perfect ring of smoke, then quickly follows it with another that passes right through the first one.

I roll my eyes. "Show-off."

She silently laughs and shifts position, turning to face me properly. Her hands start to move in weird gestures and patterns, and then she points at her mouth… is she explaining to me how to do it?

'YEP!'

Apparently, I'm getting a smoking tutorial whether I want it or not.

Following her instructions, I try again. Shape my mouth into an 'O', quick tap with my tongue, gentle exhale... and I manage to produce something that might charitably be called a deformed oval.

Neo claps sarcastically before taking another pull and demonstrating again. This time, she creates three perfect rings in rapid succession.

"You're enjoying this way too much," I mutter, but I can't help grinning, much to my surprise. The smoking effects are starting to kick in, leaving me pleasantly relaxed as I sink deeper into the couch.

We pass the next hour like this - trading the mouthpiece back and forth, Neo teaching me smoke tricks, me failing spectacularly at most of them.

It's... fun, a different kind of fun. Another kind of moment that makes me forget about all the other shit going on.

Eventually, I managed to create something resembling an actual smoke ring. Neo's enthusiastic clapping seems only slightly mocking this time.

After another while lazing around, my ears perk up as I remember what I wanted to discuss before coming here. "Hey, I need to get my hands on some extra money," I say casually, not mentioning it's for an apartment. No need to get into specifics.

Neo pauses mid-puff, tapping her chin thoughtfully before her face splits into that familiar mischievous grin. She moves her hand with a flourish and points up.

Where her answer materializes.

'I know just the right place!'

She bounces off the couch and disappears into her room, leaving me to sprawl across the now-empty space. The hookah's effects are still lingering, clouding my mind slightly, but it fades quickly. Soon enough, my senses snap back to their usual sharpness.

Neo emerges in her usual outfit - parasol in hand and that dangerous glint in her eyes.

We head down to my bike, and she hops on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist as we tear through Vale's streets toward the seedier parts of the Residential District. Not quite the slums, but definitely heading that direction.

Once we arrive, Neo dismounts and stretches dramatically, like she's preparing for a show. I store the bike in my inventory and switch to Pugilist class, brass knuckles materializing around my fingers.

Better than my other class, otherwise this would turn to straight up murder.

"Any plan?" I turn to Neo.

She responds with a silent giggle before charging forward and drop-kicking the door clean off its hinges, surprising me at first, but I follow right behind her, a dark chuckle escaping my throat. Sometimes the direct approach really is best.

The moment we burst in, chaos erupts. Some guy lounging on a couch barely has time to reach for his gun before Neo's boot connects with his jaw, sending teeth flying. Two more rush in from a side room when I meet them halfway, brass knuckles crushing one's nose while the other gets a swift uppercut that lifts him clean off his feet.

Neo practically dances through the room as expected from this girl. A thug swings a bat at her head, but she merely ducks under it gracefully and responds with a spinning kick that cracks his ribs. Another tries to grab her from behind, but she uses his momentum to flip him over her shoulder, slamming him through a coffee table.

Her parasol opens to deflect a spray of bullets before she closes the distance and introduces the shooter's face to her knee and a cracking world of pain.

I'm keeping pace on my end, weaving through clumsy attacks like they're moving in slow motion. However, one guy actually manages to clip my shoulder with a knife, but obviously my aura causes his weapon to bounce off and I reward his effort by seizing his arm and driving my fist into his elbow. The crack that follows is extremely satisfying too.

"You're dead, you fucking animals!" someone shouts from the stairwell. Neo and I share a look before she cartwheels past me, using my shoulder as a springboard to launch herself at the new arrivals, and three dumbasses tumble down the stairs in her wake.

We clear the second floor just as fast as the first. These idiots bunch up in the hallway, making it easy to take them down in groups. Neo sweeps legs while I focus on faces and throats. The brass knuckles leave nasty dents in their bodies, after all.

By the third floor, word's gotten around. They've had time to organize, set up a proper defense. Fat lot of good it does them.

"Get the big guy!" someone yells as I enter a room. A mountain of muscle charges me, probably thinking his size matters. I duck under his wild swing and drive my fist into the side of his stomach. As he doubles over, Neo vaults over my back and plants both feet in his face.

The boss's guards are marginally better trained, but they still fall just as easily. One actually manages to block Neo's first kick - she rewards him with three more in rapid succession before he can blink. The last one tries to be clever, feinting with a knife before pulling a gun. I catch his gun hand, crush his wrist, and introduce his face to the wall. Repeatedly, cracking the wall in the process.

It's almost disappointing how quickly it ends. Neo seems to share my thoughts, playfully kicking one of the unconscious bodies as we make our way to what we assume is their boss' room.

The woman inside reaches for something under her desk - probably another gun - but I'm already there, hand around her throat. One firm squeeze, and it's what it takes to knock her out cold.

I survey the room full of groaning, or unconscious bodies, rolling my shoulders. "Well, that was a decent warm-up."

Neo silently laughs, twirling her parasol as she starts searching for valuables. She hasn't even broken a sweat. Her hair and clothes are still perfectly in place despite the whole mayhem we caused.

We start searching the makeshift office, quickly finding a safe. Neo prances over to the unconscious woman and yanks a necklace from her neck - a key, of course, and she tosses it my way.

I grab it and quickly unlock it.

Inside the safe, I grin as its contents are revealed to me: stacks of lien, white bricks, and various other valuables. All of it goes straight into my inventory.

But only one message stands out from the other notifications.

And that's just the cash. The other stuff I grabbed has to be worth something, too. And all of that for less than an hour. I say it was a pretty effective use of my free time.

So I dust off my clothes, watching as my brass knuckles dematerialize into sparks of light. "I'm heading outside."

Neo nods, her semblance shimmering to form words above her head.

'Going to check something first. Wait for me, kitten.'

I don't bother asking what she wants to check - with Neo. It's better not to know sometimes. The building is quiet now, save for the occasional groan from our handiwork. Fresh air sounds good since just now I notice that this place stinks.

Stepping outside, I stretch my arms above my head, enjoying the cool evening breeze. My bike materializes with a thought, and I settle onto the familiar leather seat, summoning a cold Pepsi from my inventory.

The carbonation hits just right as I take a long, satisfying and refreshing sip-

I choke mid-swallow, sputtering as the notification catches me completely off guard. Some of the drink even goes up my nose, making my ears flatten in annoyance and furiously rub my nose as to calm myself and recover.

'Status'

Ma'iq Rakhan

Race–Feline Faunus

Age 18

Class: The pugilist

Level–18 (27%)

Mentor – (Neopolitan)

Apprentice– Jeanne d'Arc

HP – 890/890 [70 regen per minute]

MP – 2300/2300 [350 regen per minute]

SP – 3111/3360 [270 regen per minute]

STR–72

END–61

DEX–71

INT–46

WIS–42

CHA– 50

LCK–10

Status:

[The Big One protects yes, yes!]

BLOCKED [Ȳ̶̨̼ỏ̪͔͍ͯ͜͞ú̴̷͔̦̥͍̊͞ ̴̘̲̤̮̠ͦͣͣ̕̕͟c̷͍̩̭͚͔̯̩̓͒ͭ̈́̿̕a̢̡̛̻̭̝̗̗ͥ̉ͬ̀͗̌҉n̸̡̡̡͔͖̺͇̭̯̊̄ͧ͑̍́'̱̗̼̞̱͉̃̾ͬ͂́̃̈͟͜͟t̨̨̨̠͓̗̩̙̙͆̏̅̑̀̅ͮ ̬̙̳̬͖͎́͗ͧ͊̾͗͊͢͜ḛ̷̡̹̟͙̖͍̒̊̈́͌ͥ͞ŝ̴̸̶͍̺̹́̇̓̉͜c̺̀̆́̄ͩͪ͘ͅa̸͚̭̪̔̌̈́p͎͙͆̐e̞▒ (PERMANENT)

Apprenticeship: 25% of exp gained from apprentice actions.

Mentorship: 25% exp increase

I can clearly see significant gains across the board. Definitely because I have been stacking up levels for other jobs, so all of that finally paid off.

However, something's not adding up - why did I level up now? Beating up people doesn't give me experience after all.

Then it hits me, Jeanne. My apprentice must be out there killing Grimm again. And with Neo being marked as my mentor now, the bonus from mentorship would multiply any experience gained...

I lean back on my bike, thinking it through. Makes sense, I guess. Jeanne's probably on some training expedition with her team, maybe even a supervised hunt. That would explain the sudden boost in experience. Still feels weird getting stronger because someone else is fighting, but I'm not about to complain about free levels.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of Neo's boots on the pavement. She's sauntering out of the building, parasol twirling dramatically on her shoulder like she's the star of her own show. Her usual smug smirk has grown into a full grin as she stops in front of me and gives an exaggerated theatrical bow, complete with flourishing hand gestures.

I roll my eyes but can't help smirking back. Maybe I should stop questioning good things when they happen. Besides, with the cash I just scored, I can finally boost some of my other jobs to more useful levels. That lock-picking skill definitely needs work.

Neo hops onto the bike behind me with her usual grace, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Where to?" I ask, feeling her lean against my back.

'To fence and see how much all of that is worth, kitten.'

Her semblance displays in shimmering pink letters in front of me.

'I know just the person who won't ask questions.'

I fire up the engine, letting it rumble to life beneath us. Neo taps my shoulder and points left, so I pull out onto the street and follow her directions. Time to see just how good tonight's haul really is - though judging by the weight in my inventory, I'm in for a pretty decent payday.

---

People really like their basement because that's the place where we went. The dim lighting barely illuminates the concrete walls, with only a few strategically placed lamps creating pools of yellow light. The fence doesn't seem bothered by the dramatic atmosphere - he's an older man, probably in his sixties, with deep wrinkles on his face.

He makes no attempt to hide his appearance, which either means he's well-protected or doesn't consider us threats. Probably both, given how casually treats this whole thing.

I materialize everything we looted onto the metal table; the items appearing in a small flash of light. Small jewelry, the white 'bricks', small electronics, and various other valuables create a decent pile. The fence pulls out some kind of specialized monocle - looks expensive, probably designed specifically for appraising goods. He examines each item with meticulous care, turning them over in his hands, occasionally making small "hmm" sounds that could mean anything.

The process drags on, and I find myself fighting the urge to fidget. My tail twitches occasionally, betraying my impatience. Neo, on the other hand, looks perfectly at ease, twirling her parasol as she leans against a wall. She's clearly done this many times before.

Finally, after what feels like hours of watching him peer through that odd-looking monocle, the older man scribbles something on a slip of paper. And then he slides it across the table toward me.

Yet, before my fingers can even brush the paper, Neo swoops in, snatching it. Her mismatched eyes scan the numbers, and she gives a firm nod before handing it back to the guy.

I raise an eyebrow but keep my mouth shut. Neo knows what she's doing, probably, so better to leave her to do everything. Though, I can ask her later.

The man disappears into a back room, his footsteps echoing against the room. The sound of metal scraping against metal suggests a safe being opened. When he returns, he's carrying a black duffle bag, which he hands Neo with a respectful nod.

She quickly turns and presents the bag to me.

But not before helping herself to a substantial stack of Lien which she playfully stashes on her breast pocket.

'My part, kitten.'

I can't help but chuckle, shaking my head. Should've known she wouldn't do this out of the kindness of her heart.

Still, fair is fair. And I already have the cash all for myself.

The duffle bag vanishes into my inventory with a familiar thought.

Even after Neo's sizable cut, that's still a hell of a lot of money. More than enough to secure that apartment I've been eyeing in the better part of town, with plenty left over for furniture and whatever else I might need.

Neo catches my eye and winks.

I just shrug in response.

Nonetheless, I should go sign that contract and finally get my own place and enjoy some privacy.

---

Bonus scene: Jeannedice?

-Jeanne d'Arc-

Jeanne adjusted her armor straps one last time before stepping into the combat arena. Her heart was racing, she couldn;t help herself to be nervous with so many eyes on her. Although from what she knew, combat class was different from real fights. Here, she could actually try stuff without worrying about becoming Grimm food. But she could still get punched in the face, which would suck but was preferable than being eaten alive.

From the stands, she could hear Yang's enthusiastic cheering and Pyrrha's more reserved but equally supportive encouragement. Blake was... somewhere in the audience, probably. She hadn't quite figured that girl out. She was just strange and silent most of the time.

Across the arena, her opponent, Cardin Winchester, towered over her, his mace resting casually on his shoulder. That confident smirk on his face made it clear he thought this would be an easy win, and that was actually infuriating.

"Begin!" Professor Goodwitch's voice cut through the murmuring crowd as the light went off.

Cardin didn't waste any time, charging straight at her with his mace raised high. It was exactly what Jeanne had expected - all power, no subtlety. She planted her feet firmly and raised her shield, falling into the defensive stance that had been drilled into her through countless practice sessions.

The first impact of his mace against her shield sent vibrations up her arm, but she held firm. Cardin's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected her to stay standing it seemed. She deflected his next few strikes, letting his own momentum work against him while conserving her energy.

Frustration flickered across his face as he backed away, switching to a two-handed grip on his weapon. The mace extended with a mechanical whir as he activated its alternate form.

Wait for it... wait for it...

He charged again, but this time Jeanne was ready. As he committed to a wide swing, she saw her opening. The edge of her shield slammed up under his arm, followed immediately by a kick to his knee. Using the momentum, she spun and brought her shield around hard into his face.

*Clang!*

The crowd erupted in cheers. Jeanne couldn't help but smile, silently thanking Ma'iq once again for all those bruising lessons about timing and opportunity… what would he think now?

No, no focus girl!

But when she looked back at Cardin, her smile faltered slightly. He was rubbing his chin, a grimace turning into something else entirely. The cocky smirk was gone, replaced by narrowed eyes as his expression turned dead serious.

Jeanne narrowed her eyes and brought her shield back up, sword held close and ready to counter. She wasn't about to let him catch her off guard.

This time, when Cardin charged, his mace collapsed back to its shorter form. Jeanne braced for impact, but too late she realized it was a feint. Instead of swinging, he slammed his entire body against her shield. The unexpected force pushed her back, throwing off her balance. She tried to counter with her sword, but Cardin was faster - his mace struck her hand hard, making her yelp in pain as her weapon clattered to the floor.

Before she could recover, his hand clamped around her wrist. One sharp yank was all it took to pull her off balance. She stumbled forward, right into his rising knee. The impact drove the air from her lungs, and she collapsed to her knees, clutching her stomach as she gasped for air.

When she managed to look up, she found the head of his mace inches from her face.

"Match!" Professor Goodwitch called out, the lights coming back to life. "Winner: Cardin Winchester."

Cardin lowered his weapon, resting it casually on his shoulder as Professor Goodwitch approached them both.

"Both of you showed good technique. Mr. Winchester, excellent adaptation when your initial strategy proved ineffective. However, you left yourself open several times early in the match. Miss d'Arc, your defensive work was impressive, but you became too reliant on your shield. Remember to maintain offensive pressure as well."

As Jeanne's breathing started to return to normal, a hand appeared in front of her face. She looked up in surprise to find Cardin offering to help her up.

"Didn't think I'd see Dawnguard combat school outside the old families," he said as he pulled her to her feet, his voice carrying an unexpected note of… respect?

"What?" Jeanne blinked in confusion.

"The Dawnguard combat school, pre-Great War era." He rested his mace on his shoulder, studying her with newfound interest. "Only a handful of noble houses still preserve those traditions. That defensive stance of yours? Stalwart form, and the counter that followed only solidified it."

"Oh... uh..." Jeanne felt her palms start to sweat. She had no idea what he was talking about. She just practiced those movements with Ma'iq, and he only read an old book he got from a library!

But something told her she shouldn't admit that.

"We should spar again sometime," Cardin said with a decisive nod. "Been a while since I've faced someone who followed the old traditions."

"Sure?" She managed to say, albeit weakly.

With that said, Cardin rejoined his teammates who all were congratulating him on his victory.

Jeanne made her way back to her own team. Yang immediately threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Look who went toe-to-toe with the big guy!" Yang squeezed her shoulder. "Though we need to train you in hand-to-hand combat to avoid being kneed like that!"

"We just need to work on maintaining pressure when you have the advantage." Pyrrha added warmly.

Jeanne managed a small smile, though her stomach still ached. She hadn't completely embarrassed herself, at least.

But now she had a new worry - what exactly had she accidentally stumbled into with this 'Dawnguard' combat school?

And how did Ma'iq even get a hold of those techniques?