"Come in, everyone."

Ozpin stood behind his desk, looking tired. Team RWBY stepped in and made a line as he turned to address them.

"Beacon has been asked to send out a team of hunters in response to a recent series of grimm attacks. I believe this particular task is one your team is uniquely suited to handle, though I would understand if you wish to decline."

"There's nothing this team can't handle."

Ozpin managed a small grin at Yang's quip, but there wasn't much mirth in it. With a gesture, a screen appeared in the air, showing a map of the countryside and highlighting a location far to the south of Vale.

"A Schnee dust mine is threatened by grimm that have seemingly learned how to evade the existing security measures, and have made several hit-and-run attacks before retreating into the wilderness. Complicating matters are agitators believed to be members of the White Fang, who are claiming the breaches of security are the result of negligence on the part of the management. They're stirring up unrest among the mainly-fauna workforce and calling for…action to be taken."

Standing together, Blake and Weiss both resisted the urge to glance in the other's direction.

"The terrain is treacherous and the location isolated." Ozpin continued. "When the matter was first brought to my attention, I received the distinct impression that the company was prepared to respond to the situation with an excessive amount of force in light of the White Fang's suspected involvement."

"You spoke with my father?"

Weiss' posture was far less confident than it was a moment before.

"Yes, and I argued that sending a group of hunters would not aggravate the situation as a military response might. Thankfully the Council agreed with my assessment of the situation, over the objections of Mr. Schnee. I felt that you four girls would be best suited to handle this issue, given your team's diverse…backgrounds."

"I'll do it." Weiss took a step forwards, feet coming together and snapping to attention. "It's my responsibility as the company heiress, and as a huntress."

"You mean, we'll do it."

Ruby leaned forwards to quirk a brow at her teammate without leaving the line, and Weiss took a slow half-step backwards.

"Oh. Right."

Yang grunted in agreement, and Blake just nodded.

"We'll do it!" Ruby pumped a fist into the air.

"Then I wish you all luck, and be careful. It will be dangerous enough defending the site from a siege of grimm without any of the factions involved in this situation destabilizing things any further."

After team RWBY had left his office, Ozpin took his seat and brushed away the reports hovering in the air behind his desk. It really was a strange twist of fate that had arranged for the heiress of the Schnee dust company and a former member of the White Fang to come to Beacon at almost exactly the same time.

Manipulating events to get them on the same team had been a risk; there were so many things that could have gone wrong as a result. But seeing the two of them coming together…it opened new possibilities for reducing tension between humans and fauna that he would have once thought to be impossible, even in his most optimistic moments.


Team RWBY hitched a ride to the mine on a Schnee airship making a supply run. While Yang shared her impatience at the ship's slow pace, Ruby was more worried about the way Weiss and Blake were acting. Those two weren't exactly chatty, but now they were actually avoiding each other.

It made for awkwardness when the team had to gather to review the mission materials. Sitting next to Weiss, it was obvious to Ruby that Weiss and Blake were trying to not even look at each other.

"Oh come on!"

All three girls jumped at Ruby's shout.

"What is wrong with you two? We're finally on a mission, just like real hunters!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not looking forwards to seeing another Schnee operation up close."

"I'd say I resent that…If I wasn't thinking the same thing." Blake looked straight at Weiss for the first time that day, and Weiss met her gaze with an attempt at a smile. "I was caught in the middle of a worker's protest at a facility I toured several years ago. My handlers weren't fast enough to get me out before I got a glimpse of how the security forces responded. Believe me, I will be happy to shut the mine down at the slightest sign of corruption among the management."

Ruby relaxed slightly when she saw Blake's expression soften.

"So what's the plan?" Yang slapped a map down to the table as the spoke, a little louder than necessary. The distraction seemed to work, bringing the girls back to focus on the present.

"Well, I'll be interviewing the department heads, of course."

"Then how about I go with you to talk to the employees, while Yang and Blake can-"

"You won't be able to." Weiss cut her leader off. "My father implemented some very strict rules when he took over the company. There are a lot of things that employees aren't allowed to talk about or share with people outside the company. I can't change that."

"And I have to talk to the workers alone." Blake added. "They won't speak openly with humans around."

"Then I guess that leaves us to check the security and maybe hunt some grimm." Yang gave her sister a reassuring pat on the shoulder. This would be Ruby's first official mission for Beacon and it was going to be a doozy, she could tell.

"Oh, Sure." Weiss rolled her eyes. "Take the easy job."