Turncoat

Haven Academy:

Leonardo always took a small pleasure from being able to lecture. He supposed that if one wished, he could see it as his desire to control a room subconsciously influencing what he found enjoyable, but the truth was he simply enjoyed teaching. Allowing the next generation of Huntsmen to learn was perhaps the best he could offer them- he certainly was no fighter, so he was content to train future Huntsmen here while he could. As such, he felt proud knowing that he could usually memorize the faces of his students. A good teacher tried to get to know the students, to help with their problems.

(Really, Leo mused sometimes, he became a Huntsman just so he could retire and become a teacher)

But the student who had arrived late one Friday, wearing a white blouse with a green cape, was a new addition. He would normally have brushed this off as just a new transfer student, but the end of the semester was nearing. She at least wasn't slacking off or being a hindrance to the class, just quietly observing. Perhaps just a Huntress who was observing some of her peers? She did look above student age from what he could see.

Leo returned to his lecture, reciting the notes on possible methods of Aura transferring that were being worked on in the future. He noted at one point that one of the windows was open- perhaps he had left it open purposefully, but he could have sworn that he felt a gust of wind before the wind opened. About ten minutes from the end of the lecture, his train of thought and summation points about how ultimately, Aura transfers were medically impossible, were cut short by a rude flapping sound. A pitch-black crow dove right through the window, landing by the new student and perching on her shoulder. Leo was about to cough pointedly and continue when, as she pulled some bread crumbs out of a pocket for the crow, the girl's eyes shone for a second with a short blaze of fire.

That killed Leo's thought process entirely. He blanched for a moment, tempted to scream at the Maiden for her recklessness in displaying the powers outside of a life or death situation. But he caught himself, hopefully before he caught the attention of another student here with amber eyes. Leo was many things, hopefully he would never be a hypocrite. He sighed quietly.

"Class dismissed, have a good weekend." Leo spoke plainly and packed his items while the students dispersed, filling the room with chatter about their upcoming weekends. The room cleared quickly, leaving the Huntress, Leonardo and the crow on her shoulder.

"Come with me to my office," he said formally as he walked by her. The girl pushed some hair behind her ears as she strolled after him. Leo's senses perked up as scent filled his nose, of leaves in the autumn, a crisp night saturated with rain from early in the day, and frost rising through the soil. Lionheart hadn't met a Maiden in years, so he forgot how they seemed to almost radiate power subconsciously. Huntsmen did this too, but on a much smaller level. Leo could feel it from the crow, which had its head tilted at Leo as they walked down the narrow hallway into his office. Leo glanced back once again into his previously spacious office, now significantly more cramped these days. The office was large, semi-circular in shape and awash with the colours of autumn. From the leaf green square throw rugs scattered about the floor to the same coloured cushions on the vanished wooden furniture. To either side of the entryway stood bookcases that hugged the wall from floor to ceiling.

To the right sat a small tea table and chairs for guests, to the left was a couch, and arching windows lined the entire outer wall of the office, painting the interior with amber-yellow rectangles of mid-afternoon light. Whatever space that wasn't set aside for a small mug of coffee or a half-eaten plate of food had been occupied by stacks of documents. Loose leaf papers and manila folders of an administrative nature were stacked in haphazard columns by the desk or shelved in what spare space the bookcases offered, along with other memos pertaining to the council meetings and their agendas.

Leo locked the door after him, breathing a little easier. He heard a whoosh behind him, and he turned to see Qrow sitting on his desk, sharing a high five with the young Maiden. The two chuckled, as if in on a humorous joke.

"Qrow," Leo began. He could already feel a headache. "Must you be so… yourself?"

"What can I say Leo?" Qrow's typical cocky smirk that had stolen the hearts of many a young woman who watched STRQ's quadruple-domination of the Vytal Festival was present and accounted for. "We're talking about me, you should expect to be disappointed when I let you down."

"I suppose I didn't expect you to enable a Maiden to use her powers in a public classroom. I assumed that as a spymaster you knew about a little thing called tact." Leonardo snapped back. He stopped, took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I know no one was hurt, but we need to value secrecy Qrow."

"I know Leo." Qrow got off the table, offering his hand to Leo. "Alright, I'm sorry. No harm no foul anyway, right?"

"I suppose." They shook hands before Leo moved to his desk, observing the young woman who had moved to a pillar. "And you must be the Fall Maiden. A pleasure to make your acquaintance…" he trailed off.

"Amber. Amber Aestivum," she replied smoothly, flashing him a smile. Leo almost jumped a little as a small spark jumped from her palm to his. "Your school is quite lovely."

"Thank you. We're not as advanced as Beacon in some areas, but I hope that we try." Leo took a seat at his desk, eyes meeting the Maiden. She was carrying herself with that energy that every Maiden seemed to carry, something that made them seem just a little… different. More than just the power that they radiated, Maidens were like a strip of white in a kaleidoscope of colors on a painting; on the surface just another part of the scenery. He could see it in her eyes when Amber looked away and her eyes glazed for a brief second. Some Maidens had more trouble sorting through the remnants of past lives that they inherited- some only received fragments of memories, a scent on the wind or a feeling of a lover's kiss on their hand- while others could receive entire personalities and memories. From the way Amber's hand shook a little as she felt at one of the many bookcases Leo had in his office, a part of him mused that one such memory had reared its head. She closed her eyes, forcibly exhaled, and her hand stopped shaking.

Qrow looked over, head tilted, but Amber caught his gaze and shook her head quickly.

"Well then," Leo eventually said as Qrow relaxed, "to what do I owe the pleasure of your company Qrow?"

"We're actually bound for Atlas," Qrow replied, uncapping his flask. "Old Ironwood wants to run some Aura experiments or something and Amber here volunteered." Qrow's lips curled at the mention of the general. "I'm keeping an eye on her, teaching the kid a few things along the way. We were hoping to borrow an airship and just fly over."

"Was Ozpin alright with this?" Leo's eyebrow rose. "I had assumed he would wish to keep a Maiden under lock and key. Also, why wouldn't he or General Ironwood just tell me about this experiment so I could provide you with smooth transport to Atlas?"

The two hesitated. "That's…" Qrow started before trailing off, taking an awkward sip.

"A very funny story…" Amber added sardonically.

Leo looked between the two of them, a headache beginning to form. "Ozpin doesn't know you left, does he?" His tone was flat with displeasure. "And this entire story about Atlas is also a lie, isn't it?" The two flinched at that and Leo just groaned. "Qrow."

"Well, if he didn't before, he probably knows by now!" Amber said with false chipper.

"You did kinda blow down a few walls in your breakout," Qrow muttered.

Amber rolled her eyes and shot a look at Qrow. "The CCT needed a new lobby anyway."

Leo sighed quietly. "You remain a stellar influence around young people Qrow." Leo had no idea beyond Ozpin's infinite patience how Qrow had not yet been fired from Signal.

"In his defence…" Amber wore a catlike smirk for a second, "I've always been kind of an asshole. Also, I kinda kidnapped him?"

"'Go on an adventure Qrow,' you said. 'It'll be lots of fun,' you said. You coulda just told me you were bored and wanted to get out and wander for a few weeks, heck I'd have helped you."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of that." Leo replied drily. "So I would assume that if I get a call from Ozpin soon regarding any potential missing Maidens, I would be best to ignore it?"

"You're a lifesaver Leo." Qrow's sardonic smirk turned genuine for a few seconds before pocketing his drink. "Though, I did want to ask another favour…"

"You need transport?"

"Walking's fun, but slow and hell on our boots. Sides, even if you do lie, Oz is gonna clue in and I'd like to try and shorten the lecture we're bound to get when I bring you back to Vale. So basically yes, if there's any airships that are bound for Vale soon, think you could get us onboard all hush-hush?"

Leo frowned and brought up his terminal. "Most of the airships for the next two weeks are all pre-booked, thanks to the semester finishing up soon. If you want to fly home without arousing suspicion," Leo stopped to glare at Qrow as he presumably began to make some joke about how both of them could indeed fly over the ocean without an airship, "you'll either be sitting around for several weeks or you'll have to venture to another town with an airship and hope for the best."

"Sit around and twiddle our thumbs for two weeks or head to a nearby village? I think this choice makes itself." Amber said.

"Your best bet would be to head down to Shion then. They have an operational airship and frequent flights to ports in Vale." Leo paused. "I'll arrange for some transport to help you get there, but that will take a day or two. I can secure lodgings in the city if that suits?"

"Always wanted to see Haven for myself," Amber mused. "And it's the last I'm probably gonna see of a city for a while I'd wager."

"At least Ironwood isn't overseeing your security. Then you'd be lucky if you weren't put in a prison cell," Qrow muttered. He went for the door. "Alright Leo, thanks for the help. We'll see you around."

"And make sure we get separate rooms! If I have to listen to this birdbrain snore again, I'll take a lightning bolt to someone."

Qrow scoffed. "That's a fancy way of saying you don't want me finding out about your one-night-stands."

Amber rolled her eyes before walking over to Leo's desk. "It was a pleasure to meet you Professor."

Leo put on a grandfatherly smile for Amber when she shook his hand before darting after Qrow. When the door closed the smile melted off as his face went into his hands, a low groan of despair catching in his throat.

With shaking hands, Leo pulled up the security footage for his office and took a picture of Amber before transferring it to his scroll. From there he called up a number and held his breath before it answered.

"Leo. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The smoky voice of a woman haunting his nightmares for the past several months answered, causing a shiver to race down Leo's spine.

"We need to speak, immediately. Bring your… acolytes and meet me in my office."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because the Fall Maiden was just in here and I can tell you exactly where she'll be in three days."

Leo could hear Cinder's breath catch and a small part of him took pleasure at finally flat-footing Salem's agent.

"I'll be there in ten minutes." Leo shuddered at how Cinder's voice almost cracked with raw emotion. Not an emotion of passion or surprise, but hunger. Like a starving man brought to a feast. "Thank you Leonardo. You have truly proven your value. Salem will be pleased." A dull click emanated from the scroll as Cinder hung up.

As the sun began to fall for the night, Leo stood at the window. He'd had to do this before, tipping off Salem's agents on where they could find more troublesome Huntsmen. This was just the first time he had to look one of them in the eyes while he signed their death warrant. But Leo had already crossed the threshold of no return. What was one more body on the pile when you kept dealing with the devil?

There was no point fighting Salem. That was what he told himself every night when he tried to sleep and he heard the voices of the dead Huntsmen.

Aestivum is the taxonomical name for common wheat.

I had the idea a few weeks before the finale that Leo likely sold out Amber and that was how Cinder was able to track her down. So this is that idea getting written.

Hope you like it, comments are love and all that. Have a good one.