This is beginning to get old! Maybe I should convince Ozpin to introduce Amber to Taiyang, get him to seduce her and settle down have a couple kids and more importantly not have me hunting her down every other week when she decides to ditch her escort.

Qrow stood at the crossroads trying to figure out which route Amber had taken this time.

She came from the South, according to the guy at the gate she was riding a horse. Qrow had been looking for horse tracks but the news was a couple days old and looking around at the people walking past him this road saw a lot of traffic so even if he found tracks they might not even be for the person she was looking for. Qrow considered taking to the sky but with the road constantly cutting into forested areas it would be easy to miss something as well.

If she kept going North she would have run into one of Ironwoods search parties, the man was ever the pragmatist when had she ever taken the direct route. So that leaves East and West... Qrow looked towards the West it was in the most opposite way she could travel to reach her destination. Not likely that way Amber might dislike the escort's Ironwood tries to arrange for her but when it comes to her work she been never missed being where she needs to be.

Qrow pulled his flask out and took a short drink he grimaced slightly at the warm alcohol whatever he had refilled his flask with tasted great cold but with heat it did not. Turning East Qrow followed the road for a short while until the crowd of other travels thinned down so that he was all but alone. Qrow took to his avian form and picked up the pace the sooner he found Amber the sooner he could get something better to drink.

Qrow flew for several hours covering a fairly large distance many more miles than a person walking or even on horseback would be able to cover in several days, Qrow was beginning to be a bit concerned if Amber had taken this route he should have come across her by now he was considering turning back and following the West road when in the distance he heard a dust explosion followed by a multiple shots the sounded to come from multiple weapon types.

Shit! Qrow pushed his wings hard closing with the ground so that when he got close enough he could easily change his form again. Qrows sharpened avian eyes caught sight of Amber she was using her Maiden powers and fighting multiple opponents Qrow wasn't sure but it looked like there were five people plus Amber.

Landing Qrow pulled out his scroll and hit a button that would alert Ozpin to have reinforcements head to his location immediately. Pushing himself hard Qrow raced to the road he knew that no matter how powerful a maiden was a five on one fight was something he doubted she could win.

Qrow pulled and expanded his weapon he was close enough now to see the fight and he was unsure what to make of it.

Amber was standing to one side protecting a person who was dressed to conceal their features as another person who was also wearing identity conceal clothing was engaged in combat with a with a young man.

"Amber! What's going on?" Qrow shouted while running in. Calling attention to himself he stopped the fight for a moment before with some hidden signal the three people Qrow assumed to be the enemy vanished. Qrow didn't have time to consider what ability was used to cause them to vanish because immediately after the still standing fighter's opponent vanished the unidentified fighter sprinted at Amber.

Qrow was impressed for how tired and confused Amber looked she still was still ready to fight not that her opponent was aiming to fight the unidentified fighter easily dodged past Amber's projectiles and ran past her to the other fighter Amber, Qrow assumed had been protecting. Reaching the other downed fighter the two of them vanished into thin air as well.

"Amber, are you alright? What's going on? Who were those people?" Qrow kept his weapon ready in case either of the groups returned to continue fighting.

"I'm fine, confused and more than a little beaten but I'll live. Your other two questions I have no idea I was attacked by the group of three who fled first and as I thought I was done for the other two appeared out of nowhere, the one I was protecting when you got here fought the black haired lady but was quickly defeated but it bought me time to get my defences back up." Amber looked around the battle had been brief but left the road in shambles holes from explosions marked the terrain and a couple fires were burning away, Amber used a bit of her remaining energy to quickly put out the fires before they became a serious issue.

"If they helped you why did you attack the one?"

"I had just been attacked! Yes, they saved my life but whether they had done it intentionally or for some other purpose I don't know. I defended myself on reflex I'll have you know I'm more than a little bit paranoid having just been attacked and learning that Ozpin and Ironwood were right that someone is actually trying to kill me."

Qrow shock his head. "Okay, I can understand that. It's not safe here I sent out a distress call to Ozpin, if Ironwood still has his flunkies in the area there will be a bullhead here shortly." Qrow had no sooner spoken the words when he heard a Bullhead engine in the distance the ship's engines being pushed to the maximum.

There were three bullheads in total one had landed to pick them up and once they were safely in the air the Pilot called Qrow up front and handed him a headset.

"Qrow, Whats going on Ozpin sent me looking for you, he said you activated the emergency line!" Ironwoods voice filled his head Qrow groaned inwardly he didn't want to deal with the man at least not with the limited alcohol he had at his disposal.

"I found Amber, she's alright now, I'm not entirely sure what the whole story is and neither is she. I found her while she was engaged in a fight. According to her she was attacked by three people and had lost but before the attackers could do whatever they had planned to her two other people showed up to defend her. When I showed up Amber was defending one of her rescuers and whoever her attackers chose to flee at that point."

"My soldier's said they only picked up the two of you what happened to the people who saved Amber?"

"Honestly not sure after the attackers fled the other two vanished as well, they were covered in clothing to conceal their identities, hell I couldn't even tell you their gender for how wrapped up they were." Qrow leaned back in his seat and turned to look at Amber she was laid down on the floor of the bullhead with a medic examining her. "Whoever they were they saved her that's clear but they also didn't want anyone to know who they were either."

"The pilot will take you and Amber to Beacon, hopefully, this time she will listen to Ozpin."

With that the headset Qrow wore went quiet, he took it off and moved back into the passenger compartment to have a drink and keep an eye on Amber.

"WE HAD HER! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? WHO WERE THOSE PEOPLE?" Cinder raged everything had gone as planned each step was flawlessly and meticulously planned, a moment longer and she would have stolen the Fall Maidens powers.

Emerald and Mercury stood away from their enraged leader, neither knew how to react they were accustomed to Cinder subtle threats which both knew she could follow through on but seeing her anger first hand scared both of them. They watched Cinder rage for several long minutes until finally, she gained control of her rage.

"Emerald, Mercury I have someone I need to go see, I want the two of you to back in Vale, keep Torchwick working, our plans haven't changed." Cinder spun preparing to leave knowing that they knew their orders.

"Um, what about the White Fang? Are we just giving up on them?" Mercury asked, The White Fang was not essential but it would be a great asset and with everything, they still needed to do not having the Fang would force them to take a great deal of personal risk.

"Adam Taurus made it clear that he and his forces cannot be bought, with this setback I don't have the power to intimidate him either. Once I return though I feel that Mr. Taurus will have a change of heart on participating in our plans."

Emerald and Mercury watched Cinder leave neither knew where she was going but they had their orders to follow.

Cinder's rage burned right below the surface it was being suppressed only so that she could think, to plan. Salem is not going to forgive this. She doesn't forgive anything and with what I promised to do for her this failure...no setback that is all this was was a setback. I have news for her too, those two new people who interfered she never told me about them when I was preparing my plans maybe learning she has more enemies will save me from her wrath. Cinder walked in silence, time was short and she had much to do.

Two sets of eyes watched Cinder leave neither made a move or a sound, after Cinder was far out of sight they looked at each other for a moment before disappearing again.

Jaune yawned sleepily as he walked into the kitchen of his family household he had been her for the better part of a month and today was his last day home, Jaune looked around and found that same as every other day he had been home the only person who had reached the kitchen before him was his father. Jaune moved to the stove and turned it on pulling out multiple pans and items Jaune began cooking breakfast. After a few moments, Jaune had a skillet filled with pancakes that he watched cook making sure not to let any burn, on another burner Jaune had eggs frying and further down he had a pan sizzling away filled with bacon.

After making sure that the current batch of pancakes still had a few more minutes before being done Jaune moved to start setting the table after making sure all placements were down Jaune move back to the stove to take the latest batch of pancakes off and add more batter. Sliding away again he added juices and milk to the table and a couple different kinds of syrup.

Jaune made up a plate for his father and placed it in front of the man who was reading an article on his scroll while mindlessly sipping his coffee, Nicholas only seemed to snap out of his morning routine when the food was placed in front of him. Jaune didn't wait for a thank you, he knew his father wouldn't offer one but he would wear a pleased smile to show his appreciation. Jaune made another plate up and handed it to his mother as she stepped into the room, he watched her blink in confusion as she sat down to begin her meal.

Jaune repeated this as his sisters gradually made their way to the kitchen the smell of breakfast pulling them awake. Jaune knew the exact order each would enter the kitchen which chair they would sit at who would talk to who Jaune loved this moment it was a perfect moment in time. Jaune had practiced this day to perfection over his many lives in the beginning when he started visiting his family before Beacon the relationships he had with his siblings were strained and it took many lifetimes to truly understand their feelings about his decision and many more lifetimes to find the right way to convince them of what he was doing was what he wanted with his life.

When he did it perfect the first time his mother had been the one to prepare this breakfast Jaune had watched her do it many times after that he wasn't sure why he decided to become the cook but at some point he felt that he wanted to, ever since then Jaune had cooked and had become better and better at this moment now even if the motions were entirely mechanical he looked over his happy family as they smiled and joked Jaune would feel all the worries he had disappearred for a short while.

Once everyone had their fill Jaune began the work of clearing the table which was quickly put to a stop as his mother and several of his sisters quickly took the job from him and chased him out of the kitchen. Jaune was used to this and made his way out the front entrance of his home he moved to a spot he liked to sit and he watched the sun rise over the trees and sat contentedly.

After the sun had fully risen above the trees surrounding his home Jaune heard a booted foot scrape against the ground Jaune recognized the familiar sound of how his father walked but was unsure about his presence normally the first person to visit him after the morning meal was his youngest sister wanting to play one last game before he left.

"Jaune could I speak with you for a moment, preferably away from the house?"

"Sure thing dad." Jaune quickly got to his feet and brushing off the dirt from his pants he followed his father along a trail beyond the house. "What did you want to speak to me about? If you are going to try talking me out of this my mind is already set." Jaune was unsure about this encounter with his father the man had always been a little strange to him but Jaune assumed that was because his father was used to dealing with an army of girls and not sure how to handle a son.

"No nothing like that, I know your mind has been set and I doubt I could convince you not to at least not without having to physically restrain you. I just want to ask you a question and give you something before you leave." Nicholas led them off the trail and headed deeper into the brush.

Jaune had never been this way before and was not sure where his father was taking him. "Well while we head to wherever we're going what's the question?"

"I was just wondering if you knew what your Semblance was?"

"No, I haven't, though I have been told by a couple people that I have a very large Aura compared to others. My Semblance might just be that I can take more hits that someone else. Guess whoever was handing out Semblances that day took one look at me and just expected me to get beat up." Jaune joked trying to deflect the question. Nicholas had never in any of Jaune's lives ever asked about Semblances.

"Having a large Aura isn't a bad thing, why I would consider it a blessing, if that's all you have, to many Semblances, can cause the person unintentional pain and problems in their lives."

Jaune wasn't sure but it sounded like his father had stressed the ending of his response but he didn't have time to consider it as Jaune walked into his father's back as he had stopped moving. "Hey! Give me a little heads up next time you just stop moving." Jaune looked around his father and into an overgrown clearing that had a dilapidated hut sitting in the middle of it. "What is this place?"

"This is your mother and mines original house before we started having children. After your oldest sister was born and your second oldest was on the way I began building the house you grew up in. I haven't actually been back here in gods, twenty-some years."

Jaune watched as his father gave the small hut an almost whimsical look before moving towards it. "If you haven't been here for so long what could possibly be out here that you would want to give me?" Jaune followed his father towards the hut.

"Crocea Mors the weapon you use wasn't always the shape you knew it as your Grandfather was not a large man and when his father gave him the sword it was a much larger two-handed blade that your grandfather could not wield. With his father's blessing, he had the blade melted down and crafted into the sword and shield that he would use and eventually pass on to me. There was some material left over after the Crocea Mors you know and use it wasn't much and I feel ashamed that I forgot about it for so long but it was made into a pendant that showed the heritage of the weapon." As Nicholas spoke he had moved into the hut moving carefully to not upset the rickety structure. Nicholas disappeared into one of the few tiny rooms in the hut and emerged a moment later holding a small wooden box which he handed to Jaune.

Jaune took the box gingerly much like the hut it felt quite fragile to hold. Jaune gingerly opened the lid and inside the box was a pendant that looked like a miniature version of the Crocea Mors he knew but resting atop the shield was a much large sword one he did not recognize but from what his father had told him he guessed it to be the what the original Crocea Mors looked like. Jaune pulled it the pendant out of the box and stared at it the craftsmanship was amazing he couldn't find a single flaw.

"I haven't thought about this pendant in a long time I guess learning you modified Crocea Mors reminded me of it. Anyways we should be heading back your sisters will want to say their last goodbyes before you leave." Nicholas spoke as he started making his way back out fo the clearing.

Jaune eyed the pendant for another moment, he considered wearing it for a moment but instead placed it in his pocket for the time being. I have changed Crocea Mors hundreds of times and this is the first time he has ever bothered to remember this pendant? What changed that triggered this I wonder?

Yang followed Ruby through Vale's shopping district, she had made the excuse for them to separate a few blocks back saying she was going to meet up with a couple friends to catch a movie. Yang had laughed at using the exact same excuse from her other life she had ditched Ruby almost exactly the same way last time to go to Juniors club.

Following Ruby had been easy after splitting up, Ruby had window shopped a few weapons stores being the enthusiast she was, after drooling over other weapons for awhile she had worked up an appetite and headed to a bakery and had come out holding a cookie the size of a dinner plate. Finally, after a few more stops Yang watched Ruby walk into the dust shop that she knew was set to be robbed, now all she had to do was sit back and wait.

Yang had only been waiting for a couple minutes when a group of men walked up that she recognized as some of Junior's henchmen. Yang glanced around trying to spot Torchwick, Jaune had told her he was always there but if he was Yang couldn't see the man. The group of thugs proceeded into the store and moments later came running out chased by her sister holding Cresent Rose. After a brief exchange, Ruby had easily handled the goons that had tried to attack her.

Yang still could not find Torchwick anywhere. Jaune couldn't have been wrong...could he? I mean he's even said it himself he's not normally here for this event as it turns out the same every time, but then how does Ruby always end up going to Beacon?

Yang watched as police showed up and a very stern looking Glynda Goodwitch appearing as well. Yang decided to bail getting caught by Glynda would just make Ozpin suspicious of her and by extension Jaune again and she didn't want to risk that she would have to trust that Ruby will do something to get her into Beacon still, either way, she will know by tomorrow.

Yang pulled out her Scroll and quickly dialed to Jaune, he should be in Vale or at least close by now as Initiation was tomorrow.

"Hello?" Jaunes voice came through the scroll he had accepted the call as voice only something he seemed to prefer.

"Jaune, there had been a change Torchwick wasn't at the robbery it was just a group of Junior's thugs."

"What do you mean he wasn't there? He's never not been there." Jaune's voice held a trace of concern.

"I don't know what to say I watched the entire thing he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe you were wrong? You even said it yourself you don't deal with this event much maybe there are times where he doesn't show up." Yang knew that argument was pretty weak but she couldn't think of a reason why Roman would be absent.

After a long pause which Yang started to think the call had been dropped Jaune's voice came through again. "Things are changing, something has happened and I don't know what it is. I can understand Taiyang and Crow changing, being different with me, I have been around them long enough to elicit that change but first my father acting oddly this morning and now Torchwick not being where he should." Jaune spoke slowly more to himself than to Yang on the other end of the call.

"So what does that mean for us? If changes are happening that we don't have any direct interaction with does that mean your Semblance screwed up when it brought me back and messed with events?"

"I'm not sure but I guess with you coming back being out of the norm already who says that it wouldn't have other effects on how events transpired." Jaune rubbed his forehead. Nothing is ever simple or straightforward, is it? Maybe this is a result of something I did unintentionally? Qrow went on fewer missions than I expected he would maybe having him be nearby has had some effect on criminal activity and forced Roman to be less public? "I'll be landing soon, nothing we can do about this right now either Ruby gets into Beacon or she doesn't we can't really do anything at this point. If she's on the Bullhead tomorrow with us great, if not we will have to manage without her, but right now I have to find a place to spend the night, call me later if you hear any news."

"Alright, take care of yourself Jaune." Yang ended the call and came to a stop she was unsure what to do, Jaune sounded confused on the call, too many things were happening he couldn't explain and Yang feared that he might start stressing too hard about inconsistencies again and that would not be good for either of them.

"Roman, what's this I hear another failed robbery what does that make seven no eight I believe in this month alone." Mercury paced behind the red haired man taunting him with his failures.

"Oh, I'm sorry, would you like to try your hand at these robberies be my guest! I would love to see you deal with a robbery when every god damned aspiring hunter and huntress is in town waiting for their little hero school to start." Roman rolled his eyes, he didn't know where Cinder was and without her here personally he wasn't going to take any shit from some pretty boy wanna-be assassin who claim's to have killed his own father. Roman knew Marcus Black and this shit stain of a kid could only have a chance if Marcus was already half dead.

"Pretty sure I could at least do a better job than you how much dust have you even managed to bring in these last few months anyways?" Mercury was getting fed up with Roman.

"Well, lets see I have intercepted three S.D.C shipments in the last two months alone yielding more dust than if I managed to successfully rob ever store that sold dust in Vale five times over!" Roman stared down the kid smugly figuring that was the end of the conversation.

"We haven't heard you have been hitting big shipments, Cinder won't want the extra attention your just lucky she's not here right now!"

"I'm Lucky, HA, your lucky she didn't show up before your little falling out with your pops or you would have just been a greasy smear on a wall, your not first pick, BOY, your second string at best a best and thinking that your more important than anyone else can make you less important really quick." Roman seethed he was tired of this and wanted to goad brat into a fight and could see that he had struck a cord as Mercury sent a kick his way.

Roman fired Melodic Cudgel with it planted firmly on the ground the head of the cane slammed into Mercury's face staggering him, Roman grabbed his weapon out of the air and taking it in both hand's smashed it across Mercury's face sending him to the floor. Roman watched Mercury push off the ground trying to get back to his feet but Roman was right beside him and in a golf club swing hit Mercury in the face a third time, this time Mercury didn't try to get up his Aura was gone and he was unconscious, Roman spit on the waste of flesh before returning back to his wall planning his next move.

"You know he might be second string as you said but I doubt Cinder would appreciate what you just did!" Emerald had watched the entire exchange and even smiled when Mercury had been so easily defeated.

"Well Cinder isn't here, and if she was I doubt she would care too much about him. You and I are assets, both of us bring something to the table that she need's I'm not exactly sure what she needs from you but she treats you better than him so she still needed you for something, me I'm an asset because I get things done and can overlook the little things focus on the big picture I might not know what that picture is but I know my neck is on the line if I fuck this up so I'm trying really hard not too." Roman responded off hand, he wouldn't admit it to anyone but he liked Emerald they had a very similar background and she was still young and full of stupid ideas and opinions that he himself once had. Time would temper her and one day if she could keep herself alive Emerald would probably run a successful criminal organization some day.

"Mercury wasn't wrong, three S.D.C shipments going missing in such a short time will get two much attention on Vale." Emerald stated she knew they needed the dust but they also needed to keep a low profile still.

"That's why the shipments I stole were not coming to Vale, it's also why there not here yet. I feel there is going to be a great deal of Atlas interest in Mistrel for awhile." Roman said smugly, he had been doing this for a long time and knew how to evade authorities.

"Where the hell is Cinder anyways? The three of you left on your little job with the promise to me at least of a larger workforce to get some of your bigger projects going and you actually came back with fewer people than what you left with." Roman asked with his back turned.

Emerald, as much as she didn't like Roman knew him to not be stupid and the way he manhandled Mercury just now had been more than intimidating. "We had a... complication, Cinder sent us back here to keep an eye on things."

Roman turned, staring at Emerald. "That wasn't my question!"

"We, uh, we don't know where she went she just told us to keep working and she would be back after visiting someone, someone who could maybe fix our complication." Emerald didn't want to betray Cinder but she also didn't want to piss off Torchwick, without Cinder around the man was not keen on taking anyone else's orders, Emerald suspected if Cinder was gone long enough Roman Torchwick might be gone even with Mercury and her were keeping tabs on the man.

"Well that's just fabulous I'm stuck here babysitting and the person who's footing the bill is out visiting, gods it's like being married." Roman sighed and turned to a corner. "Neo, I have a job for you."

Neo hoped off a crate she had been sitting on watching the entire event from Mercury's beating too Emerald admitting she didn't know where Cinder was. She moved to stand beside Roman and stared at him with a quizzical look and a lopsided grin.

"Give this to Junior." Roman handed Neo a small enveloped. "Then I need to head to Vacuo and oversee the next theft."

Neo looked at the envelope it was too thin to be a payoff but she didn't really care she nodded once and turned to leave smiling at all the fun she was going to have in Vacuo.

What Amber is alive, who were those two masked people, Cinders going to see Salem, Jaune got some cool new necklace, Roman wasn't at the robbery what will happen to Ruby now and most important did Qrow ever get something better to drink than what he had in his flask?

Well, that was a fun chapter to write my favorite part was Roman beating the shit out of Mercury probably next to Adam Taurus my least favorite character in RWBY currently.

Alright, where to start.

First off since I know people will be concerned about the two characters that saved Amber and I'll give you a couple answers here.

1)They are not Yang and Jaune. I stated early on that Jaune didn't know when or where Amber was attacked and he has no way to find out.

2)They are not OC either. I don't like using OC so they are characters that are already in the world.

That being said I'm sure more than a few of you will guess their identities pretty quickly either through luck or the few hints I've been dropping occasionally.

Anyways next chapter will be getting into the meat of the initiation, not just the teasing build up I did this time.

I actually have the initiation mostly done I was originally going to work this into the previous chapter and the start of the initiation but the more I wrote the more I felt that this deserved to be its own chapter.

Anyways hope you guys like this chapter and hope you people out there dislike Mercury as much as I do.