Glynda Goodwitch never realized what an awful sight the headmaster's office was when one was trapped behind the headmaster's desk. She had always thought Ozpin was just being his usual immature self whenever he made any attempt to shirk his responsibilities and vanish before all the paperwork was completed, usually meaning it was up to her to ensure he stayed on task. Now, though, escaping this clockwork cage was all Glynda wanted to do. She wanted to go outside, to see her students and personally confirm that they were all healthy and safe. She knew they weren't, though, and there was nothing she could do about that. Of the 32 hunters in training that had perished in the attack on the coliseum, 14 hailed from Beacon. On top of that, over 60 students had been hospitalized, not all of whom were recovering smoothly. A few had been crippled in one way or another and some of them would be retiring from their careers before they really even started. Then there was the matter Team RWBY.

In all her years, Glynda did not think she would ever regret any decision as much as she did relenting to Professor Ozpin's choice for Ruby Rose to attend Beacon two years early. She hadn't liked the idea in the first place, though for far different reasons than were apparent at the moment. When she had met the cloaked girl she saw the wild, dangerously impulsive nature quite alike to Qrow or Taiyang in their youths. Ozpin saw differently. He saw the kind, nurturing spirit that reminded him so much of the Summer he missed every day. Neither of them considered the girl might have inherited any kind of scheming persona from the fourth member of STRQ. Why would they? Raven had vanished well before Ruby had been born. They didn't even share any blood. Yet, for whatever reason, the two had the same colors. She had never dared to question either the surviving members of STRQ why that was for fear of dredging up old memories they wanted to simply forget.

As for the rest of the team? She could only do so much for those girls. Beacon was coming under scrutiny, James was on a warpath, and there were only so many hours in a day to manage everything, even when Glynda had completely taken sleep out of the equation for the past two days. At least she had come to a new understanding of why her predecessor loved his coffee so much. Not that she didn't have an idea, before this. She was no stranger to long nights on and off campus. Huntresses were trained for that sort of thing. Still, the new weariness that came with the job of temporary headmistress weighed heavily on her mind.

Currently, she was writing letters of apology to the families of those students who fell in battle. She recognized each name off the list. Their fighting styles, their demeanors, some she had taken a greater interest in, some she had faith would have gone on to become virtuous protectors of the people. Every time she signed another apology, it felt like cold iron plunging into her chest and forcing the air from her lungs. She was currently on letter #6. A second year boy by the name Cyprus Scarlet. He employed a morningstar that was hollowed to house elemental dust. Spectacular offensive capabilities, by Glynda had found his defenses lacking during sparring. Maybe, if she had devoted more time to correcting that, her student could have survived. She had to shake herself quickly to oust such a thought. Ozpin once told her the only time for guilt was after there was nothing left to do with the day. She would need to keep that in mind, from now on.

Before Glynda could return to the task at hand, her focus was disrupted by the door opening. While she had no appointments for this time, another teacher dropping by to either check up on her or deliver yet another token of bad news was hardly out of the question. Instead, however, she found the surprisingly confident figure of one of her first years stepping through the threshold. The young Mr. Arc looked considerably older than he had the very last week, his expression tired but driven as he made his way to a seat placed in front of the desk.

"Miss Goodwitch," Jaune greeted respectfully as he settled into his chair.

"Mr. Arc. This is something of a surprise," Glynda responded earnestly. As far as she had been told, the young man had neglected to leave the hospital due to the condition of his teammates. If he was standing before her this afternoon, it must have meant something had changed.

"I came to tell you Pyrrha woke up, this morning."

He certainly wasn't interested in wasting time. Still, the older woman felt a small relief drift through her. One less young life was hanging in the balance. "That's good news. How is she?"

"She's not going to die," Jaune responded bluntly, "But that's where the good news ends. She suffered some brain damage due to the trauma the shot from…" he tensed up, as though all he felt was slowing the processing in his mind, "Crescent Rose caused her. She's still herself. Her speech, though… it's like she can't always find the words."

Glynda's spirit was beginning to drop as quickly as it had risen, "I'm… very sorry to hear that."

The young man shook his head tersely before speaking again, "That's not the worst of it. As soon as the doctors left, she tried to use her semblance to move a paperclip when I wasn't looking. It gave her a migraine so strong she almost passed out."

"That's very unfortunate," the deputy headmistress could hear the hollowness in her own voice. She saw enough of the champion's fighting style to realize how important her magnetism was in a fight. It was very unlikely she would ever win another tournament. It was even uncertain whether she would still be a capable huntress.

"I know what you're thinking, right now. We just lost one of the greatest warriors in a generation to this attack," Jaune leaned forward so his knees supported his elbows, "That's why I'm here."

"Mr. Arc, if you're looking to take vengeance on Miss Rose-"

"I couldn't care less what happens to Ruby, right now," the boy cut in harshly. "All I care about is what happens to Pyrrha. I remember something was weighing on her around the time the finals began. It just so happens her change in attitude lines up perfectly with Professor Ozpin calling her into his office. When I asked Pyrrha what was wrong, all she would say was that she had an opportunity to reach her destiny. I want to know what exactly that entails."

Glynda was at a loss for words. Yet another student was meddling in secret affairs right in front of her. The only difference was he made no effort to hide it. "Mr. Arc, I assure you I have no idea what you could be referring to."

No one would have thought Jaune could muster a glare so sharp. "You think I'd fall for that after everything that's happened? You were Professor Ozpin's right hand. You wouldn't have that position if he didn't trust you."

That lie certainly hadn't worked. "That the headmaster trusted me does not mean a can speak of such things without permission," she responded. "Please, leave this be. For your own sake."

"You think I even care about my own sake, anymore?! Either tell me now or I swear I'll find out on my own!" Jaune had to stop and collect himself before he started yelling at the woman who could kill him with her mind. "Ma'am, my team is never going to be the same. I knew that before either of them woke up. I know Pyrrha isn't going to be at one hundred percent, no matter how hard she tries. If there's anything I can do to give her a better chance, I want to know about it. Please."

It was official. These children were growing up far too quickly. Glynda observed her visitor in silence for a while. When she had witnessed Miss Nikos willingly partner with this lanky boy in the Emerald Forest, she had no idea what the young champion saw in him. Now, though, it was becoming clearer. The deputy headmistress raised a hand to rub her weary eyes. Maybe it was the conviction he was showing. Maybe it was how his desire to learn that which was denied to him reminded her of a certain someone else. Maybe it was the lack of any substantial rest. Regardless, she relented that it was her time to make the decisions.

"Mr. Arc, what is your favorite fairytale?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Again."

Bang!

Clash!

Counter!

"Again."

Bang!

Clash!

Counter!

"Again."

…

"I said, again!"

…

"Again!"

Smash!

"Ya know, anyone watching us right now wouldn't have any problem thinking you really did just up and attack that kid during the finals," Qrow quipped as he eyed what had once been a rack of training weights before his eldest niece made them the outlet for her rage-splosion.

Yang didn't bother to make a retort, instead moving back to the center of the training ring and resetting her stance. "Just come at me again," was all she had to say.

Slumping his shoulders in exasperation, the scythe master brandished his weapon once more, barrel pointed behind him as he readied the shot that would launch him forward. Funny enough, Qrow was not the one who developed this technique, nor did he use it all that much in regular combat. It had been his adorably treacherous little protégé who invented and honed such an unorthodox tactic. That was one of the things Qrow had loved best about training his younger niece. So much time had gone into developing her own style, one that perfectly fit her strengths and weaknesses. That was how one became both a master and an artist.

Bang!

Just as he had, so many times before, the old teacher burst forward in a blur of motion. At the same time, he swung his weapon forward to meet the blonde girl in front of him.

Clash!

Just as she had, so many times before, the young girl raised her right forearm to guard, solidly making contact with the blade before it could harm her.

Counter!

The dance continued as it had before. Yang followed up with a left straight, narrowly dodged by Qrow leaning to his right and leaping backwards to regain a safe distance.

"Again."

"We've been doing this for the last hour. Take a break, kid."

"No! Not until I've got this down," came Yang's stubborn reply as she ran both hands through her hair. Both parties cringed when those golden locks failed to even hit her shoulders when they settled. Yang had loved her hair almost as much as she had loved her sister. Irony was a real bitch, sometimes.

"Got it down?" Qrow repeated incredulously, "You've had this move down since you were fifteen. I remember back when you and Ru… when the two of you would spar until you were both nearly unconscious. You've never had an issue dealing with this technique."

"That's obviously not true, or else it wouldn't just be the two of us here!"

Well, there was the real heart of the issue, right there. The dusty old bird sat down cross-legged on the matt, patting the space beside him. To his relief, Yang gave in and sat down. "So. Are you finally gonna tell me exactly what happened up there?"

What happened up there. The blonde would had given a wry chuckle if she had the capacity to laugh for the last few days. Everyone wanted to know the details of her greatest failure. The military, Goodwitch, her friends, and especially her family. They all wanted to hear from the last person to speak with the mastermind before she made her stage exit, stage in tow. How was she supposed to explain when she didn't really understand, herself? She had to try, at least.

"The first thing she did when I saw her was point her gun at me. Made me answer a dumb question from our childhood. Said it was to make sure I wasn't an illusion or someone in disguise."

"Heh. That's pretty clever…" Qrow remarked before shutting up when he noticed the glare being directed at him.

"Anyway, after I proved I was me she put Crescent Rose away. She didn't turn to face me, though. Whatever she was doing on that computer was too important. She kept talking, explaining Cinder's plan and what she was after, telling me how she would be able to stop it, you get the idea. It dawned on me pretty soon that she knew way more than she should have. When I pressed her about it, she told me she'd known all about this since before Beacon.

"I was mad. Really mad. Here was my little sister, the sweetest brat in the world who I could trust with anything. She'd lied to me, used me, all for some crazy scheme. Some big prize she decided was more important to her than her family and friends. Well, everyone except Penny."

"The Atlas girl she took with her? What was their deal, anyway?"

"From what I could tell? The biggest case of puppy love I'd ever seen. You wouldn't believe how mushy it could get when they were both in a room. I couldn't wait for Dad to see how they acted, together. He would've thrown such a fit at Ruby falling in love for some perky ginger."

"Pretty sure I would've had a problem with it, too. The girl was around Ironwood all the time. I don't think I could stand having Jimmy for an in-law," Qrow actually shuddered as he imagined such a hellish scenario.

"Well, guess she found a better way to give Dad a panic attack. Anyway, we'd started yelling at each other pretty quick. This was different from our other fights, though. The stakes were so high. The insults were so serious. Worst of all she… she brought up the old cabin. She's never done that, before."

The old timer's mind flashed back to the event. It had been one of the most terrifying days of his life. Summer had just died, Tai had effectively shut down, and the girls were lacking in anyone sound enough to truly support them. Qrow had no issue stepping in to babysit, but there was always the matter of synching schedules. When he'd gotten to the house and the last two things he had left to live for were nowhere to be found, he truly wondered if the universe had branded his family as an abomination. Soon after, he decided to hell with the universe. He just barely tracked them down in time. A second later and he would've had to explain to Tai what had happened. Thank god it never came to that.

"It was about then I decided talking wasn't going to solve the problem. We drew on each other and she went for the dash. I was ready for her, I was! I just… When I looked at her, I didn't see that Ruby. There was no blood on her hands, no weird look in her eyes, nothing. I just saw… I saw her how she was when we were little. Wide eyes, curious and excited for all she saw. A branch in her hands shaped like your scythe, because she wanted to prove she was just like you," tears were forming in her eyes, though it was unclear if she'd noticed. "A little beowolf Band-Aid on her knee from when she fell trying to catch squirrels with Zwei. I saw my baby sister and I… I could bring myself to attack her… S-she was just so…" the tears were falling and Qrow wrapped her in a light embrace. Yang merely buried her face into his chest, something she hadn't done since she was a child. "I-I can't really remember much, after that. I think she must've snapped a little when I couldn't put up a fight. Cut my hair to get me mad enough to hit back. I was long gone, though."

"Yang," Qrow began tenuously, "you know this isn't your fault, right? I'm not blaming you for Ruby leaving and neither is your dad."

"But I'm blaming me!" she exclaimed as she pulled away to look at her uncle with bloodshot eyes. "I'm the big sister! It's my job to keep her from making stupid decisions and getting hurt! I failed at that! Now, I need to fix this by bringing her back and to do that I need to get this down!"

Qrow was painfully empathetic to his niece's situation. So long ago, when Raven had first abandoned the family they had made in STRQ, he spent weeks searching for any sign of her. In that time he'd been consumed by the same fraternal guilt she was now feeling, he missed the earliest highlights of his family's newest member. All those little things that meant nothing until you realized they were more important than anything. When Ruby came to be two years later, he knew better than to waste precious time hunting ghosts. If Raven wanted to be back, she would do so of her own volition.

"Believe me, I know exactly what you're feeling, right now. But, Ruby's made up her mind. Dragging her back by force won't change that. Hell, it might just make her more certain. You're young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Let the old men obsess over the past. I'll get Glynda to pull Ironwood off your backs and you three can start moving forward."

It was a sweet sentiment, really. But two things could always be said about the Xiao Long family. They loved with every fiber of their being and they were too stubborn to forget the past.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Despite the frosty nature of their outward appearances, the Schnee family were very passionate people. They would always prioritize the good of their loved ones over themselves when the situation was most dire, even if it resulted in a loss for the company. Or, at least, that's what Weiss desperately wanted to believe as she sat across from her elder sibling, doing her best to keep from snapping at the surprising lack of helpfulness from one of Ironwood's most trusted officers.

"Look, I understand how bad this looks, but there has to be something you can do," Weiss asserted, on the brink of exasperation with her older sister. The past few days had been taxing and stressful. She had barely survived the warzone Cinder had created, only to learn her team was now in the crosshairs of one of the most powerful men in Atlas. Worse still, she didn't have her leader to fall back on. The heiress suppressed the urge to sigh. How could Ruby hide so much and then leave her to deal with all of this? Didn't she trust her? Weren't they partners?

"I told you, already, this is completely out of my hands," Winter retorted as she pinched the bridge of her nose to ward away the stress. "This is a matter of state security. General Ironwood has made investigation his priority and he won't be talked out of it."

"But you're his direct subordinate! Practically his second in command. If anyone can persuade him to stop this, it's you."

"And who says I want to stop this?"

Weiss couldn't believe the words that had just come out of her sister's mouth, "You can't be serious. You're willing to allow him to come after my friends and I over something we had no part in?!"

"The General has every right to pursue any potential threats to the kingdoms, after what has happened. If a single leak remains unplugged, we may all drown."

"Are you even listening to yourself?! This is a witch-hunt!"

"A witch-hunt, you say? Your friends have more than affiliation with Ruby Rose counting against them. Destruction of public property, vigilantism, conspiracy. Xiao Long is an obvious powder keg who's been seen consorting with criminals in her off time. Belladonna is a White Fang. Nothing more should need to be said. And you…"

"Me?" Weiss had to keep herself from gulping as Winter's gaze narrowed.

"Did you think no one would notice the theft of sensitive information from the SDC? Information which was delivered right into the hands of an enemy of the state. You have no idea the mistakes you've made by throwing in with those degenerates, little sister."

"…Don't."

The elder Schnee quirked an eyebrow at her sibling's threatening drop in tone. "Excuse me?"

"Don't ever call them degenerates. Every one of them has proven themselves more a guardian to the kingdoms than any of your troops. Each of them, including Ruby, have managed to save my life along with countless others on multiple occasions."

"Your friend stole Atlas military property, turned a loyal asset into a traitor, and has now perverted the symbol of peace and unity between the four kingdoms into a tool of destruction," Winter's temper was rising to the point she had to stop and collect herself, before continuing, "I realize Ruby Rose meant a lot to you. Of all people, I can understand how a partner can change one's life. You need to face facts, though. This girl is not who you thought she was. She used you for her own means and the only way to survive this is if you completely disown her."

While friends knew how to build you up, family was always adept in tearing you apart. Even if they weren't aware they were doing it. That was one of the lessons Weiss had learned during her time at Beacon. She had to shut it out before she was pulled back in. She did not want to go back to the person she had been before she met her friends. Nothing was worse than that. "No," she shook her head weakly as she averted her gaze to the table. "Ruby wouldn't do this to me. There has to be something more going on."

Winter looked at her little sister with a mixture of rage and pity. Clearly, she wasn't going to make any headway. "If you can't let her go, there's nothing I can do to help you," she stood up, turning her back and striding away, "You'll have to find someone else to bail you out."

Bail. Heh. The word brought Weiss back to the depressingly simple situation her team had been in just a week ago. Yang was looking at assault charges and she was going to need a good lawyer to get her through the ridiculous circus that trial was going to be. At the time, Weiss was considering whether or not those were desperate enough measures to contact her father and beg for access to his legal division. If anyone could get Yang through that storm, it would've been one of the most powerful figures in Atlas.

Wait.

The heiress, now alone, took out her scroll and brought up the contact screen simply labelled Father. She had no idea why she was hesitating to hit the call button, though. If the possibility of Yang going to jail for assault was desperate enough for her to consider this, all three of them being witch hunted for conspiracy to commit high treason was more than appropriate a circumstance. After taking a moment to breathe deeply, she pressed the command and gingerly put the scroll to her ear.

Ringing…

Ringing…

Ringing…

He couldn't seriously have been playing this game, could he?

Ringing….

"Weiss. I was wondering when you would call."

"…Father. It's… good to hear your voice. I apologize if you tried to contact me, before. The Vale CCT had been compromised by a virus."

"Of course. I hadn't considered the reason I have not spoken with you in months was because the CCT was offline all this time. How foolish of me."

Weiss had to suppress a growl before responding. She knew what she would be getting back into. If this would save her friends, she would carry the weight. "How much do you know about the incident?"

"A terrorist leading the White Fang turned the Amity Coliseum into a weapon and tried to devastate Vale. You and your allies stepped in to stop this; one Ruby Rose, partner to my youngest daughter, having information on the plot no one else was aware of. The stadium was evacuated on the orders of this girl and she used the weapon to destroy the incoming Grimm. However, once the battling was over, this huntress, so closely tied to you, decided to sale off with the prize as opposed to returning it like a good little hero."

"Then you know why I'm calling."

"Indeed. At this point, James is most likely out for blood with the loss of his favorite little science project as well as several thousand of his new drones. With the perpetrator nowhere in sight, he's begun targeting those closest to her, starting with the team who aided her in acts of vigilantism, among other crimes. In other words, you're looking for protection from the military authority in Atlas and I am the only one who can manage that. Hmph. While you've certainly done your best to show how much you don't want me in your life, I have no desire to visit you behind bars, or worse, at a grave marker. I can pull some strings with the military to keep you out of his reach."

"Not just for myself, father. I want Yang and Blake to make it out of this, too."

"You what?!" the Schnee patriarch's furious bark made Weiss hold the phone away from her ear in preparation for the oncoming tirade, "Not only do you demand me to strain my relationship with the military to clean up your mess, but you expect the same actions for your decadent friends?! You think a temperamental savage and a treacherous faunus are worthy of a Schnee's aid?!"

"Speak of either of them in such a manner again and I will hang up," Weiss' voice turned ice cold, "They are innocent and deserve shelter from this attack. If you're not willing to give them the same courtesy, I'll be forced to decline any of your help and stay with them."

A few seconds of tense breathing transmitted over the line before her father managed to seize a tenuous grip on his anger. "I cannot do this without gaining something I want."

"And what is it you want?"

To Weiss' surprise, her father let out a tired sigh. "It's time for you to come home, Weiss. As this last week has proven, Beacon is far from safe. Ozpin himself is nowhere to be found and I cannot keep you protected from across the sea. You have far more enemies than Ironwood, even if you may not notice it. If you return to Atlas and take a position in the company, though…"

Of course it would come down to this. She had to admit, the terms were fairly acceptable. Her father was essentially trading what would most likely be a secure and handsomely paid job under the family company for the lives of herself and those closest to her. No one could argue the generosity in such an arrangement. It was hardly like staying at Beacon was still on the table, anyway. She wasn't sure if any of the combat academies would accept her, at this point. Unfortunately, it also meant she would be forced back into direct contact with her father, giving him a greater opportunity to control her. Could she really continue to resist that for the rest of her life?

Weiss thought back to the trials she had faced over the course of her stay at Beacon. For the first time in her life, she was given the opportunity to apply the training she had endured so long to actually make a difference in the world. For the first time, she fought alongside friends she respected and admired. Could she bear letting that go?

"I'm waiting for your answer, Weiss."