Cyan signaled his team to follow him. He knew the Grimm that were taking interest in the subway would not bother them, as they smelled of Grimm. Most of them shied away, as the particular Grimm they smelled like invoked the same sort of awed reverence as gods would in the dumb creatures.

They followed the path into the tunnels, before finding an abandoned – yet recently used – subway station. The few beowolves that remained to feast on some dead humans gave curious, if cautious, stares in their direction.

The five teens followed a trail of destruction and chaos down the tracks. Craters, pit falls, and newly formed skylights were everywhere; but also in a set pattern.

When they reached the end, they found the carnage of battle waiting for them. They climbed out, and Cyan gestured towards a wrecked clothing shop.

"We'll get new clothes in there. After that we'll head to the nearest forest and send baby nevermores with missives to our parents. They did say if we ever had a chance to reintegrate into society we should."

They entered the shop and split up, finding clothing that suited their style and sizes, then going to the changing rooms to change.

Cyan left some pearls Aruthgyaurd had helped him pry from a clam when he was five as payment, hoping the Drake would understand that Cyan felt guilty about stealing.

They left the shop to find a blonde woman fixing the hole in the ground they had crawled through. Knowing that a huntress with such a powerful semblance would need to be avoided until the right time, they stole into an alley and away from prying eyes.

Roughly an hour later, they arrived at the northern most part of Vale, and the Forest of Forever Fall. Cyan called some young Nevermores down from their nests, tied notes to their legs, and sent them on their way to the four elders.

"Okay. Now what?" Mikado asked.

"Fair question. another good question would be how you five know the Language of Grimm."

All five froze in place, then slowly turned towards the calm voice that came from behind them.

The blonde from before stood before them, with a riding crop held loosely – but not too loosely – at her side. Her green eyes pierced them, holding their frozen forms in place.

"We… were taught it by our parents?" Amethyst said uncertainly.

The green eyes narrowed. "Very well. If that's how this is going to be, so be it." With a wave of her crop the light pole they were standing beneath wrapped itself around them. She then pulled out a scroll and dialed a number. When whomever was on the other line picked up, she spoke in hushed tones, but the cat eared Faunus was able to pick up everything, and grunted it to the others in Goliath.

"Hello Glynda. To what do I owe this call?"

"I've found five suspicious teenagers, Ozpin. They've been near Grimm recently; my aura can feel it."

"So they were at ground zero. Do they look like White Fang?"

"…No"

"Then why do they seem suspicious?"

"My aura doesn't normally flare up like this. It's like they are Grimm, but I know that's impossible because they're human. I can sense their auras as well as the Grimm darkness."

"Intriguing. Bring them to me."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I would like to meet these… Grimm children."

"As you wish."

She hung up and slid the scroll into a pocket.

"You five are coming with me."

"I'm thinking… no," Ghost said as the light pole disintegrated into nothing.

"Run!" Kole said as he took the light pole and changed it into a wall.

They sprinted westward, hoping to distance themselves from the Huntress.

"We should split up! Meet back at ground zero at midnight!" Mikado called out. "I'll go north, into the forest."

"Amy and I will head south," Cyan replied.

The twins said nothing as they continued west.

Glynda watched them split up, and knowing she probably wouldn't be able to track a loner in the forest, and that the Twins were getting closer to Beacon anyway, followed after Cyan and Amethyst.

Cyan sensed that she was going after them, so he sidled closer to Amethyst.

"On my signal, we turn and draw our swords."

"What? Why? We couldn't possibly hope to match her!"

"I know, but I'm curious about this Ozpin character. What does he want with us? I have to know."

"Tell you what, you surrender your idiot self, and I'll meet with the boys at the rendezvous and tell them how much of an idiot you are."

"Sounds like a plan," and then he turned and drew his sword.

"Wait, what!" She stopped and looked at him.

"I said go Ammy!" he shouted, loud enough for the huntress to hear.

Understanding his ploy, but still not sure how she felt about it, Amethyst turned and ran off.

Glynda stopped about two yards from Cyan. She raised her riding crop and trapped him in a light pole. Again.

"…Fuck…"

"Language, young man. Now, why did you send your friends off to face me alone?"

"Simple. I knew you wouldn't kill us, but my friends are less trusting of strangers than I am. So I'm gong to find out what you want from us, and if I don't like it, I'll escape and never return. If I do like it, I'll escape and bring my friends back."

"And how do you expect to escape?"

"I'll think of something. I always do."

"Hmm…. Be that as it may, I'm not the one who wants anything with you. My boss wishes to speak with you."

"Then let's go. C'mon, I have an appointment to keep."

She narrowed her eyes, but raised her riding crop again. She put the light back in its place, then gestured to the west.

"After you."

They walked slowly, but surely. Any passerby would have assumed it was a mother and child, probably to Glynda's chagrin. When they arrived at the cliff between Vale and Beacon, Glynda had them turn north toward the nearest airship depot.

Two hours later, a thoroughly impressed Cyan was standing ramrod straight in the office of one Professor Ozpin.

"Hello, young man. What is your name?"

"Cobalt."

"No last name?"

"That is my last name. I do not freely give out my first name, no matter how much I respect a person."

"Understood. In that case, let's get down to business. Why do you, for lack of a better way to describe, feel… like a Grimm? Were you at ground zero?"

"Yes."

"But our huntress team reported no non White Fang on the train. So you are in the White Fang?"

"No. I don't even know what the White Fang is."

At this, Ozpin raised an eyebrow and Glynda gave a sharp intake of breath. Cyan realized that particular piece of information might be to his detriment.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"And yet the White Fang have been in existence longer than that. Hmmm…. Where have you lived all these years?"

"That's none of your business."

"Oh? Outside the kingdoms it is then." Cyan gasped. "Eighteen years old, but doesn't know anything about the biggest terrorist group in the world. That would mean you've been in hiding for most of those eighteen years. Meaning you used to live in Rock Creek outpost, roughly 500 miles from here, which was destroyed fifteen years ago."

"How… could you have possibly known all of that?"

"It's the only destroyed outpost in the past twenty years where not all casualties were accounted for. Four families' ashes were never found, leading me to assume that you were from there. My only question is; how did you survive fifteen years in Grimm infested territory?"

Cyan eyed Glynda. "I don't think she'll be pleased to hear this. I will tell you, and only you. No other can hear of this."

"Glynda, please await me outside."

"But —"

"Glynda. Please."

"… Yes sir."

She stalked out of the room, looking decidedly more pissed than normal.

"Now tell me, Cobalt, how you've lived for this time?"

"I guess I'll start at the attack…"