From where you sit, on top of Beacon Academy's roof, you can see them coming.
From the giant rising yellow sun in the distance, black silhouettes are on approach. They emit a low, rumbling echo across the lowlight morning sky that woke you up before your alarm could. As they draw closer, your eyes confirm what your ears already told you:
Airships.
Three of them.
You can make out the emblazoned seal of the Kingdom Of Vacuo on their wings that you make out through your binoculars; carrying former students and staff of the now fallen Shade Academy.
The black forms of the giant machines grow larger as they rumble closer to Beacon Academy; it won't be long before they touchdown. Their omnipotent sizes and low roars make the atmosphere heavy, making your nerves tingle.
Thoughts of those aboard make your heart and mind nervous with anticipation.
"We will be welcoming your fellow hunters-in-training to our academy."
Ozpin's declaration set the room abuzz with whispers.
"With Shade Academy now inactive, it's students and instructors will need new institutions to call home in order to continue their training. Vacuo has reached out to other Kingdoms and asked for help. We will be accepting some of them."
The headmaster took a moment to take swig from his mug while his words set in, the continued.
"Tomorrow, when the arrive, I will expect all of you to assist them in settling into our school. Consider this part of your training: to help those who have lost their homes to the Grimm. Learn from the experience... and promise to not let it happen again on your watch."
The massive airships will soon set down. You turn and begin move back for the skylight down to your room.
You'll be helping move the new students move in too. Putting them up in rooms, helping them move their equipment, and then Ozpin will make an announcement formally welcoming them to Beacon, promising them support, assuring them that their not alone.
Considering what they've been through, they're going to need all the support they can get. They must be exhausted, emotional and physically. Some of them even still need medical care from what you've heard.
Good thing you actually slept through the night this time.
It's going be a long day.
Beacon's massive courtyard plaza has been converted into an adhoc landing pad for two of the airbuses. The academy's airship station is used to handing aircraft this size, just not three at once. People who built it probably were counting on it having to handle a refugee crisis.
Your eyes scan the crowd as you walk among the somewhat-organized chaos.
Faces, most your age, show exhaustion. Some with bruises, others are outright limping or have heir arms in makeshift sprints and sleeves. Some are even on crutches. All of them have bags under the eyes. God knows how long they've gone without rest.
Sleep-deprived, disorientated, demoralized...
They work to unload their own equipment from the ships, what they were able to salvage that is. They fight through it, lifting heavy metal crates out of the back of the ships. Or at least some do.
Some of them are just done; slumped against crates and the grounded airships, some just resting in the ground, eyes glazed over, barely registering what was happening.
They look like they just walked out of hell.
The students and staff of Beacon are running about, helping people to their feet, guiding them to the dorms. Some go in the direction of the infirmary.
All the while, you walk among them, looking for one in particular. Ozpin managed to get a hold of a list of everyone on the ship and assigned each of the Vacuo students a "care partner" as he called them.
Unfortunately, that's about all he could get. Not that you'd blame him. Information has a tendency to be scarce when it's most needed, especially in the midst of chaos like this. It's honestly surprising he got as much as he did.
You move among the refugees, asking them if they can put a face to the name you have. Some claim to have seen him:
"I saw him on the ship, then I lost him."
"I was sitting next to him, but I don't know where he went when we touched down."
"He made it?!"
The small bits of intel you pick up have you walking all over the place.
You finally stop with a huff, looking around at the mess of people and equipment and aircraft...
...this is not working.
CLANG!
"OW! SON OF A-!"
The metallic clang and vulgarity have you spinning on your heal. At the back of one of the airbuses, one of Shade Academy's students is on his back, a heavy-looking metal crate pinning him.
You dash over, on him before anyone else can even react. Lifting at the knees, teeth clenched, you manage to get the crate of just enough for him to slide out. He's barely clear before you fingers give out and the thing drops with a bang.
Damn... What's in that thing?!
"Damn..." the rescued student heaves. "That... was heavier... than I thought."
You look him over, seeing the bruise that's materializing, but not seeing anything that appears broken. At least he's not screaming in pain or swearing any more.
"Ah, I'm fine dude. Thanks for that."
You offer to help him move it to wherever he was trying to before it nearly flattened him.
"Sure dude! Thanks!"
The thing's still heavy, but at least it's moving now with the two of you working together. It finally makes it to the pile of the others, stacked haphazardly in the center of the courtyard. You're not sure what the plan after this or how they will get it organized, but you don't really care. You're not touching that thing again.
"Thanks again dude," he says, even offering a smile.
You return it with a grin of your own. With a hop, you set yourself down on top of the crate, watching the students organize.
The Vacuo student copies your move, hoping (a bit more gracefully) on top of the crate and taking a seat, watching the chaos slowly become more controlled.
"Guess you weren't expecting this today, huh?" He mirthlessly laughs.
You don't think anyone was. Those faces sure don't look like they were ready.
"Yeah... just lost our academy... overnight. LITERALLY."
You stay quiet as you watch his face contort, frustration, anger, disbelief all making his face twist. You continue to people watch as he works though it. Saying stuff like "it'll be okay" is probably not the best move right now. Silent company has its virtues.
"But..." he sighs in resignation, anger still slightly holding an edge. "at least you guys were nice enough to take us in. We're glad someone's helping us."
"So..." he scratches the back of his head. "Thanks..."
It'd be better if you could find the student Ozpin tasked you with.
"Who're you looking for?"
Well... guess it's worth one more try. You offer up the name.
"Oh... you found him."
...Is he serious? He smirks and holds out his hand for you to shake.
"Sun Wukong, in the flesh. Nice to meet you."
He doesn't smile again after that.
In fact, most of the trip is silent as you help him carry his things to his new home. The only sound should two make are the occasional shuffling of the four big duffle bags you're carrying along with your feet pounding the steps as you make your way to the second floor from the lobby.
Sun's room turns out to be on the same floor with you, RWBY, JNPR, and CFVY. And it's empty right now. Very empty.
Sun's the only one staying in it right now.
He drops the bags and collapses on the bed with a huff, his upper body sprawled out with his legs dangling over the edge. The three days no doubt have the longest of his life so far. His dull expression directed at the ceiling tells it all.
You carefully set the bags down and take a seat in one of the desk's chairs. Neither of you say anything or move from your respective spots, just taking the time to breath and let yourselves recover, still processing the day's crazy events.
The growing silence in the room gets to you. It's a question that you shouldn't ask. The answer's not gonna be good, but the other empty beds and dressers and desks beg for it: will there be anyone else to fill them?
What happened to the rest of his team?
You see his hand grip the bed sheets and he clenches it into a fist.
"I... don't know..."
He sits up suddenly, head in his hands.
"Scarlet he... he was just going down to raid the cafeteria for snacks. But..."
He's rambling. You must let him. Maybe talking will help.
"Damn it... why'd I tell him to go...?"
You start reach out for his shoulder, but stop, thinking better of it.
"It was our thing you know? Just... staying up late, doing dumb stuff. Guy stuff..."
He pinches the bridge of his nose, his mind trying to work through it all for the... who knows the number of times he's tried to recount that night?
"After the blast I... I don't know how long I was out..."
Wait... Blast? As in an explosion?
He sighs again. "Forget it. No else believes me-"
No. You tell him want to hear.
Your words make him sit up, and for the first time in his dead eyes, you seem a glimmer of what looks like hope.
"...seriously?"
Is it that shocking to him?
"Everyone... EVERYONE else just said I was crazy or... confused..."
...just what the hell did he see to get people thinking that?
"After I asked Scarlet to go raid the cafeteria for any leftovers, we were starting up a round of BS. Then..."
...then?
"That was when the blast happened. And it WAS AN EXPLOSION." The forceful emphasis he puts on it makes it pretty clear he's had to defend that position before.
"I heard the blast, felt the heat, then passed out."
That's pretty specific. You carefully push him for more details, asking what happened next.
"That's..." he looks down in disappointment in himself. "All I remember. Next thing I woke up to was being hauled away in a bullhead."
Your heads running wild right now. An explosion... at least according to this guy. You wonder if anyone else has seen this.
"There were some others..." Sun's voice is getting bitter again. "But they all say we're just crazy. They don't-"
"Sun?"
A female voice makes you turn around. You've never seen her before. Must be another on of the Shade Academy students. Sun doesn't look to happy to see her.
"What do you want?" He grumbles.
The girl standing in the doorway flinches at his tone, taking a step back, then holding her ground. "I just... wanted to check on you."
She's looks genuinely sad. Sun just looks away.
"I'm fine..."
Your gaze alternates from the girl's face to Sun's. Neither say anything, so you try to push Sun again, asking more about what he remembered that night.
"Sun!" The girl's voice makes your head jerk around. "You've got to stop saying that stuff!"
I KNOW WHAT I SAW!"
The anger in her face fades and her sympathetic look is back. "Sun... a lot of people are confused... it doesn't mean that-"
"I didn't just get knocked out!" He shouts. "AND I DIDN'T RUN EITHER!"
The outburst makes you recoil. Sitting so close to him suddenly doesn't seem like such a smart move.
"Sun," The girl tiredly tired again, reaching a hand towards him. "Just-"
Your own hand stops her short. You've bothered Sun enough for info, and you're probably not going to get anything else out of him by now. The best thing to do now is just let him get some rest.
"Whatever..." is all he says, flopping down on the bed, arms folded behind his head.
Gesturing to the door, the girl softly sighs in defeat and plods out with you closing the door behind you.
You bite your tongue and suppress your irritation, trying not to think about what more you could have learned had this girl not interrupted you.
Dew Gayl turns out to be her name; another student from Shade Academy. And if her tired sigh and pinching the bridge of her nose is any hint, she's not too happy with Sun.
"Why does he keep doing this..."
She doesn't believe him? About the explosion? Her violet eyes open are look to you with a sad, tired look in them.
"I'm not saying he's lying... at least not on purpose..." You wait patiently, letting her gather her thoughts.
"He's just tired... confused. He..." her eyes turn downcast. "He's the only one of his team that survived."
Sun seemed to pretty sure of what he saw.
"His room was right above where the Grimm busted through. Almost nobody else survived from that area." She explains. "I think he feels... guilty about it. So..."
So she thinks he made this story up?
"Not on purpose!" She quickly retorts, looking slightly angry. "Everything happened so fast! There was a lot of confusion! And he... maybe it's him trying to cope or he thinks he saw something. But... he can't just spread a story like that..."
She's clearly takes no pleasure in this. It isn't just exhaustion from the past day making her shoulders slouch.
"He's...tired. Not thinking straight."
Beyond the dirt marring her face and hair and worn and torn clothes, you can imagine what she looks like normally. She's beautiful, you can imagine, radiant even.
But just like with Sun, you can see what the loss of their school has done to them. A terrible loss behind them, and no idea what lies ahead.
She is right. Everyone's tired, confused, upset... Nobody is a paragon for accurate information right now. Sun could be wrong.
"Dew!" A familiar voice makes you both look down the hall. Panting as she runs up, the newcomer doubles over, catching her breath as rests her hands on her knees.
"Ruby!" Dew voice perks up slightly. She even smiles a little. "Any luck?"
"Yeah!" The smaller girl affirms while fumbling with a piece of paper. "I wrote it down this time." Her hands victoriously holds up a piece of paper while the rest of her hunches over gasping for breath. "S..sorry about that."
Dew shakes her head patiently with a smile. "It's alright, everything's... chaotic..." Her smile falters. Ruby's eyes narrow as she reads it. "U-Um... this way..." she points, walking down the hall. You and Dew follow.
"It's right... here." She settles on a door... that happens to be right next to her own. "Oh cool! We're neighbors!"
Her silver eyes are beaming as she looks up at Dew. "Guess you won't have any trouble finding me from now on! If you ever need anything just come over!"
Ruby must've been assigned to help out Dew like you with Sun. She's a little too... eager, but she is sincere.
"Thanks Ruby... that really helps." Her tired, but relieved smile shows she means it. The buddy system Ozpin came up with is clearly needed and appreciated by the Shade Academy students.
"M-Maybe... we can be friends too?" The small girl is nervous as she puts forward her offer, her silver eyes looking hopeful.
Ruby's earnest, hopeful plea makes the other girl's eyes widen and face blush like yours did when you first met.
She recovers with a chuckle and a smile. "Of course Ruby." An impish grin and a giggle are her reward from the girl in the red hood.
Nice to know you're not the only who reacted like that first time meeting Ruby Rose.
"GAH!" Ruby reacts to your sudden presence with a rather comical spasm. "WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!"
Did she seriously just notice you now?
Lisa Lavender had a face that no one in Vale did not know. And that left her with few places to go when privacy was desired.
The Grand Diamond Hotel was one of the few, and the best honestly. It certainly some of the better drinks and views at least.
The hotel's "Bayview 180" restaurant was never busy for lunch; most of its guests preferred to explore the city's pedestrian-friendly downtown for a taste of local cuisine, leaving its restaurant staff to enjoy a break and better prepare for dinner when their clients would fill its tables.
It was the perfect for Lisa Lavender to enjoy a drink alone at the restaurant's bar and enjoy the view of the namesake one-eighty degree view of view of Vale Bay.
"Miss Lavender..."
And to meet her contact. The anchorwoman swiveled on her bar seat to face him.
"Mortimer," she greeted with a nod.
The man she'd been waiting to see: Mortimer. Just Mortimer. She'd yet to get a last name out of him.
"Eddie," the mouse Faunus waved to the bartender as he took a seat. The young man, spiffily dressed in a dark green vest as if he were part of the restaurant's motif giddily grinned and stepped lively to meet what Lisa could safely assume was a regular customer.
"The usual Mister J?"
"I'd appreciate it," the older man politely accepted.
"Mr. J?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow. Her interest had piqued. This was the first time she'd heard anything that could be related to a last name of the enigma of a Faunus.
Though if he didn't want her to know it, he didn't show it on his face. No panic, no anger, just a wry smile as he turned to her and explained.
"Kids and their nicknames," he dismissed with a grin, as if the two of them shared some private knowledge and opinion about this new generation of Remnant. Maybe he just didn't care about the slip; if it was a slip.
The young bartender placed a glass of whiskey down on the table and Mortimer picked it up, raising it for a toast.
"To your safe journey home," he proposed. She smiled and accepted, clinking her wine class with his whiskey. "Vacuo is more dangerous than usual these days it seems," he added as he sipped his drink.
Her polite, rehearsed smile faltered as she thought about what she'd seen over the last twenty-four hours. It was enough to make her look forward more to the drinks that her contact and the information she hoped to coax out of him.
"I'm surprised your boss let you go," he said with a grin.
"It was his idea," she answered, the memories of the last twenty four making her take a longer drink of her red wine. ""Story of the century!" ... Right... for twelve minutes..."
She drinks again.
The mouse Faunus looks at her thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again. "Is that really strong enough for you?"
Her half-lidded, irritated eyes shifted to him for a moment, then the whiskey in his hand. Before he could react she snatched it from his grasp and took a swig, then loudly exhaled.
Mortimer actually looked surprised from her action. "I suppose that answers my question."
"Twelve minutes... that's how long I was allowed to talk about the worst Grimm attack to date. Twelve... damn... minutes..."
"That's all the time the Vale government allowed you to speak on the matter I take it?"
"And not a second more," the VNN anchorwoman confirmed as she took another generous sip of Mortimer's whiskey. A second glass of the same drink set down on the bar with a soft "clink" from the ice.
Eddie the bartender offered the mouse Faunus a smile before stepping away again.
"What's the point of even letting me say anything if the Ministry just going to censor most of it?"
"Enough so people know the danger, but not so they generate enough fear collectively to bring Grimm down on the city."
"Yeah..." the woman answered. "I know. It's to protect us. Keep us dumb and happy less we destroy what little stability we have."
Mortimer finally got to enjoy a sip of the whiskey before moving the conversation to what he really wanted.
"So what were some things they didn't let you report?"
"Mostly the personal stories: students and teachers that survived, personal accounts of rescue workers, you know: the truth."
The anchorwoman's mouth twitched, turning downward for just a moment, as she finished the sentence. As brief as it was, Mortimer's eye caught it.
He knew it meant it was something she thought was big. Big enough to cause problems if revealed.
For the five years he had watched her primetime report on VNN, he'd always seen what most missed. Her facial expressions had always told him more than what her average viewer heard. Her eye looking away when she lied, fingers dancing on the maple wood news desk when she didn't tell the entire story of a report, her mouth twitching when she held back but didn't want to (and most likely was ordered to), were the biggest ones the Guild's spymaster had become familiar with. Since turning her into an asset, they were the tells he used when debriefing her, using them as strings to pull when he wanted information.
So pull he did.
"I can listen." Always subtly giving of course.
"Do I get to know why?" The woman turned her head to face him. The slight smile and lowered eyelids let the map mouse Faunus know she was starting to get drunk.
Good. She'll be sloppy. If his past interactions with her were anything to go on.
"Don't pretend to be concerned Mortimer," the girl mirthlessly chuckled. "What's your interest in this?"
Mortimer had to strain to keep his pleasant smile in place. Apparently the woman wasn't quite drunk enough to completely let her guard down. Already she was starting to try and squeeze for info on what he did, as she did every time. Mortimer had almost forgotten how he hated reporters.
"This have anything to do with that new "Grimm Studies Institute?" Her grin widened conspiratorially.
The Faunus said nothing, simply smiling and letting the human woman think she was going to get something out of him.
"C'mon Mortimer," she chuckled, swinging the whiskey in her hand, the ice clinking as it gently bounced against the sides of the glass. "That four billion lien grant from Altus, Schnee Dust scientists and engineers... and nobody knows anything."
This was the problem with working with news-types: they asked too many questions.
"Since there's no press contact, I tried calling the Vale's Ministry of Information. The told me to contact the Altus Military. Then they sent me to Schnee Dust, they sent me back to the ministry."
Her smile dropped. "Aside from a pricey phone bill, I've got nothing to show for all my work."
The mental image of Lisa Lavender on phone grinding her teeth and looking angry with every transfer of her made Mortimer want to smirk. He settled for his political-like smile.
"That's why you have me. I'm your best source for information on the latest studies and projects GSI is doing."
"And just what do a bunch of science nerds want with sad stories?" She growled. "I'm getting real tired of not knowing just what you people do in that pretty glass palace of yours. You think you can just buy me off with some tech demo of new military toys?!"
Mortimer exhaled through his nose. Her anger wasn't directed at him, he knew. The tragedies she'd seen at Shade Academy could be credited for her frustration.
Nonetheless, her tone was starting to irritate him.
"Perhaps this arrangement isn't to your liking?"
Her reaction was immediate. The scowl practically dropped off her face.
"What?"
"If trust is so elusive Lisa, then it's for the best that this ends." He set his glass down on the counter and scooted his barstool back for added theatrics.
"Mortimer, wait!"
The mouse Faunus did as he was asked but turned with an stoney expression, warning her to make it worth his time.
"The kids... they were saying something about an explosion."
"...explosions." This wasn't impressing Mortimer. "Those do typically happen at battle Lisa."
"Before the fight! Some of the students were saying that an explosion happened before Grimm attacked."
"Before the Grimm attacked..."
Now he was getting interested. Perhaps his own bad mood could be lifted after all.
With Sun and Dew getting some well deserved rest in their new beds, you and Ruby are left to yourselves.
"Haaaaa..." And from the sound of Ruby's sigh, it's a badly needed break.
You haven't seen such a sad gaze on her face since meeting her. But what she's looking at certainly justifies it. The make-shift refugee camp outside is being packed up, most of the students being safely housed within Beacon's walls, but the heavy atmosphere is still lingering. Not mention the physical toll the day has taken on everyone.
Hopefully the can strawberry juice you offer her will perk her up.
"Thanks," she says, taking it from your hands. At least it makes her smile.
You take a seat next to her, cracking open your own can of coffee. Black. You need it after today.
"You have to feel really bad for them," Ruby laments, looking out the window at the few Shade students who remain in the courtyard. "Losing their academy like that..."
She looks away, her eyes lowering and fixing their gaze on the can in her hand. "I can't imagine what that would be like..."
You stare ahead, taking a swig of your coffee. Sun's story is swirling around in your head. An explosion... BEFORE the Grimm attacked. At least according to him...
Then Dew, insisting it's just fatigue and trauma, producing phantoms that aren't there...
Who do you believe?
You turn to the girl sitting beside you, wondering if she heard any of the same stories.
"Explosions?" She asks quizzically.
Your phone buzzes, interrupting your conversation. You pull it part-way out of your pocket just enough to see the text message illuminating the screen.
"RTB." Return to base.
Mortimer.
With the excuse of GSI ordering you back to the city for "army business," you leave Ruby sitting by herself as you leave for the academy's air hub. You don't hear it under her breath as you leave, but your question has left her pondering.
"...explosions..."
Mortimer and his car are waiting for you when the airship from Beacon Academy lands at the port of Vale City.
His expression looks normal, but memories from your parting the other day remain in your head. Has he calmed down now? Or is he just masking his frustrations?
Without a word, he waits for you to approach, then opens the door and lowers himself into the driver's seat. The moment you shut the passenger's door, the car accelerates down the street towards GSI.
"How are the Shade students working out?"
At least his tone is calmer than yesterday. When thinking of an answer, Sun's story about the explosions of course sticks out immediately in your mind.
"Sun?" Mortimer asks, interest in his voice. You tell him the story you heard: Sun being the only survivor of his team; the explosions that he claims he heard; and then the argument that ensued with Dew. Explosions that no one else seemed-
Why is he looking at you like that?
Deep in the bowels of the GSI, the dark conference room you sit in with Mortimer and General Ironwood is near pitch black, save for the projected video illuminating the room. All eyes are affixed on bird's eye view of the now abandoned Shade Academy and the noticeably few Grimm that are roaming its battle scarred grounds.
"We have a rare opportunity gentlemen."
The observation from one of the Guild's councilmen, hidden in shadow, is too loud for the small room, making you wince as his distorted voice booms. You're willing to put up with it considering what this meeting entails.
"With such few Grimm now present, we can manage to insert a team to gather intelligence and slip out with minimal risk."
"And how are we sure this was the White Fang?" The interruption of Ironwood's voice silences the fast-paced conversation. He gestures to the screen. "We don't have any solid information about a possible terrorist attack."
He turns to you. "Just the words of students who have been through a traumatizing affair."
You don't like the tone of his voice or the look on his face, like he's questioning if you really know what you're doing. Perhaps he'd care to rationalize how a traumatized student could remember such detail?
"Under battle stress, a soldier or a hunter can have their perception clouded. Sometimes they even have hallucinations."
Sun's argument with Dew replays in your head. Her saying he was imagining things, him saying he wasn't...
"This must have been a remarkable hallucination, considering multiple people saw same thing."
Ironwood's eyes narrow at Mortimer. "I'm sorry?"
"This Sun Wukong's account matches up with multiple sources from others who were at the academy. My source inside VNN came up with the same story several five times: first the explosion, then the Grimm attacked."
The Atlasian general's eye are narrowing, clearly curious. "...and this VNN reporter is...?" Ironwood is pining for a name.
"Very good at their job."
And Mortimer isn't going to play along it looks like.
"Regardless," Ironwood sighs in defeat, massaging the bridge of his nose, "two sources are not enough to convincingly-"
"Three."
The distorted voice of the director makes both you and Ironwood look up in surprise.
"Three?" Ironwood repeats. You were about to ask that yourself.
"We have an additional on-site source of intelligence. And is very accurate," the center shadow explains. "Wit the corroborating intelligence from the reporter and this Sun Wukong, we can assess with high confidence that this explosion did happen. And we need to find out what."
Ironwood doesn't look please.
"Yes... sir." But he complying; albeit grudgingly.
"General," one of the other shadows speaks. From its profile, you remember it to be the one Mortimer suspects of being Atlus's Field Marshall. "You were asking for an opportunity for a field test. Consider this to be it."
You see his narrowed eyes widen and that frown start to lift.
"Yes sir."
As the three of you leave the conference room, you're curious as to what "field test" the board was referring to.
"The triplets," Ironwood answers with a smile.
Is that supposed to mean something to you?
"You know... your team," he answers with a smile.
Your team?
He only smiles as he leads you and Mortimer to the elevator, to his personal lab here at GSI complete with his own research team provided to him by the Guild, and finally to a closed steel door.
"Your team," he repeats.
The large panels of the doors rise as if playing along with Ironwood's presentation. As they reveal what's behind it, your eyes widen in shock at the large stature of three... familiar...
It's the Reapers! And from the looks of them: improved!
"We've rebuilt them," Ironwood explains with a smile, clearly pleased with your enthusiasm. "We saved the battle data from the old models and plugged into the upgraded ones."
You huge grin drops a bit, thinking back to your last time fighting with the robotic allies... and how one turned enemy.
"Hopefully, this time, we'll have fewer... loyalty issues." Mortimer seems to have read your thoughts.
"We've learned from the failures of the last test Mortimer, I assure you."
He looks up at machines he's built with pride. You don't notice it, but his eyes shift to you once more, smirking at your giddiness at the sight of the newly reborn robots.
"These machines will eventually become the new soldiers of the battlefield. Growing pains will happen of course, but soon they will be the normal."
"For a future battlefield without lives lost," Mortimer remarks. Ironwood looks at him with eyes widened in surprise. They then narrow as he smiles slightly.
"I shouldn't be surprised I suppose," he relents. "You've read my proposal to the Atlus Council."
"I also read their response," Mortimer adds. "Not a favorable one if I recall."
Ironwood's expression sours. He's remembering when you DNA imagine to be a rather humiliating rejection at the hands of the Altus Council.
"They didn't appreciate my vision, no," Ironwood admits. "But hopefully their minds will change when the application is tested."
"These are tests that no one will ever see General," Mortimer reminds the human as he lights up a cigarette. You try to guess Ironwood's flash of a nose scrunch is from Mortimer's comment or the cigarette he starts.
"I was referring to the test data," Ironwood clarifies with a flat voice. He looks up at his machines.
"But as for this battle," he says. "Rest assure: no one will see us coming."
Mortimer puffed a a plume of smoke towards the dusk sky.
"Make sure Ozpin is clear on that."
Ruby watched her dangling legs kicked in their own; a habit that she often did when she sat in her top bunk while lost in thought.
Her conversation with the boy she liked to refer to as Team RWBY's plus one, (although she'd only had the chance to use that lame catchphrase once), was on her mind.
Explosions...
His inquiry did more than make her a little curious. He'd run off before she could push him for details, but the inquiry from Beacon's part-time student had set her curiosity off. When she'd tried to ask Dew about it, the girl had responded with anger and frustration, scaring Ruby off from any further questioning.
Retreating to her room in defeat, whispering through the hall had reached her ears.
"Did you see it?"
"Sun swears that he saw it!"
"That fire was from a Grimm. Trust me."
Piecing together the scattered conversations, the implication was a frightful one.
Shade Academy had been attacked... by something else? ...Something besides the Grimm?
The narrative didn't seem to be a settled one. The ones who didn't, like Dew, firmly insisted it was all hearsay. The ones who did only whispered in secret.
He sure seemed to.
When he'd talked to her, he didn't look at her. He'd just stared straight ahead, eyes narrowed in concentration. It was like part of him wasn't there.
She'd seen him like that before... When JNPR had come home and they celebrated with breakfast. While Nora excitedly embellished their adventure, he'd had that faraway look-
"You in there sis?" Yang's voice managed to cut through her heavy thoughts. Grey irises met wide, curious purple ones. Ruby pulled her head up from being hung with her deep thoughts to her team.
"Did you guys... hear anything... strange?"
Her eyes turned to the open window, gazing at the wider world outside as her thoughts turned contemplative again.
"Strange?" Yang repeated, eyes narrowing.
"Like what?" The question was enough to make Blake put her book down and give the budding conversation her full attention.
"You mean besides how they all just lost their academy?" Weiss asked with hint of sarcasm.
Two looks of mild curiosity and one of mild annoyance from made her hesitate. Rumors were what they were: rumors. And she didn't really want to get everyone worked over something that wasn't true (as Dawn non-to-gently insisted). But in light of their promise, her promise to Blake, to help her find out if the White Fang were planning something.
An explosion at Shade Academy sure sounded like something they would do from the way Team RWBY's resident Faunus had explained it.
She sadly looked to Blake, knowing how much pain it would bring her.
At least she's willing to share that pain with us now.
It was enough for the girl to screw up her courage, and tell her team what she'd heard.
"There are some people hear who think there might have been more than the Grimm attacking Shade Academy. Something about... an explosion?"
The words, despite how meek they sounded, were enough to get a reaction. Weiss and Yang looked confused, whereas Blake's face immediately paled.
"You heard it too..." She replied weakly. Ruby's eyes widened, her head peeking up. So they'd heard the rumors as well.
Yang grimaced. "You think...?
Blake's head hung in defeat, her fists trying to support it.
"I heard a couple of people," she sounded like she was trying to hold back tears. "I thought it was just them, but... I couldn't stop wondering..."
"Wait," Weiss demanded, holding a hand up. "So you really think the White Fang attacked a Hunter Academy? Why would that do that?"
"Because they see them as the enemy too!" Blake cried. "Torchwick made that plenty clear that night! He called Faunus huntsmen and huntresses traitors!"
Her head fell further, being caught by her opening hand, taking a shaky breath. Ruby's face fell. What little peace of mind Blake had was now shattered.
"Easy Blake..." Yang consoled, her hand giving the girl's shoulder a gentle squeeze, then moving to caress her back. "We don't know for sure."
"But shouldn't we probably let the Headmaster know what we heard?" Weiss interjected. "Just in case?"
"Meaning me..." Ruby grumbled as she uncharacteristically trudged down the hallway, arms hanging limp as she dreaded the meeting with Ozpin to come.
"Someone should tell Ozpin," she imitated her prissy partner with an appropriately mocking voice.
She was already bad enough with people; going in front of the school's headmaster was a whole different level. True he'd been nice enough during their first encounter, but now?
Her finger hesitated before pressing the elevator's call button. With a soft, slow push, the button lit up, and the digital number above the door began to descend.
7... 6... 5...
She watched with a grim look as the elevator drew closer. Feeling her anxiety kick in with a rising heart rate.
Thump, thump, thump
That wasn't her heart.
The sound came from the ground floor below her. Looking down over the ornate railing, she zeroed in on its source.
Beacon Academy's resident part-timer was back. And his steps were rather... forceful. She was much more used to his quiet movements, like he'd demonstrated earlier when he'd walked up on her and Dew. He had a way of softly and silently moving about the Academy, always with relaxed, quiet feel.
Now those steps forcefully echoed as he moved down the hall; rather impressive considering it was carpet he was walking across.
Though it was just for a moment, her eyes caught a glimpse of his face just before he passed her field of vision. His face was stone-like; a slight frown where she was used either a neutral expression of a slight smile. But what made her eyes widen were his: serious and resolute.
"What's up with him?" She mumbled to herself.
She started off seeing him earlier as troubled earlier in the day, conflicted, and now he looked...
The 'ding!' from the elevator let her know it was time to face Ozpin. The coming talk with the Headmaster at the front of her mind, his face lingering at the back...
"Uuuuu... I hope this elevator is slow..."
Ruby had never been to the Headmaster's office before. It's high ceiling and massive machinations played fairly well into her imaginative view of an all powerful academy Headmaster.
"Ruby..."
Her name echoed about the high chamber.
"Hey... Professor Ozpin..." she nervously greeted the man sitting behind his desk. The back of her head felt the brunt of her nervous habit as her fingers half-scratched, half-fiddled with her hair.
"To what do I owe this visit?"
"Well... sir..." she started. "It's about... the students from Shade."
"Oh? Do they seem to be getting along with everyone?"
"Oh, yeah! Totally!" The girl's frantically waving arms put a smile on the old man's face. "It's actually that... well... we've been hearing... weird stories from them."
The smile dropped from Ozpin's face as his eyes narrowed in curiosity. "...go on..."
"Some of them have been saying they saw... explosions? Before the Grimm attacked..." the girl answered meekly.
There's a moment of silence. Moment it feels like it's going on forever to the girl with the red cloak. The man across the desk from her looked to be deep in thought.
"I see..." he replied, his eyes lowered in thought. Then they rise to meet her grey ones. "And what do you think about it, Miss Rose?"
"W-Well... it seems like someone maybe should check it out... you know... just in case?"
Another moment of silence. Ruby was starting to wish she'd used the bathroom before she came up.
"I'll keep that thought in Ruby," he finally answered. And this with a smile too. That feeling put butterflies in Ruby's stomach. Good ones.
"Thank you for telling me about this Ruby."
"Sure thing Professor!" So overflowing with confidence, Ruby marched towards the exit, shoulders back and head held high, she nearly ran smack into someone.
Turned out to be two someones. One being Glynda Goodwitch, the other a very tall, important-looking, somewhat scary looking someone. Wearing a military uniform.
"Uhh..." and there went all that confidence. "Sorry..." she apologized.
The man just smiled as he looked down at her, hands clasped behind his back. " It's... Ruby, correct?"
Before she could answer, Ozpin did. "General Ironwood, good to see you again."
"Please," the man held a hand up in light protest as he stepped around Ruby. "It's James, Oz."
Ruby quickly stepped into the elevator car the man had just stepped out of before the doors closed and pressed the button to have it return her to the second floor where her room and teammates waited for her.
"So," Ozpin began addressing his new guest. "What is this about?"
The answer given, the sound of the general saying his name, made her head jerk around just as the elevator door closed and dropped her back down to the school below.
Earlier...
The drive to the city's skyport gives you two much needed time to talk alone. God knows there's plenty to say.
"What do you think of the Board's third source?"
Mortimer's question wasn't one of the ones you were expecting. What brought that up?
"Don't you find it interesting how quickly they decided to believe this information? Or to approve this mission?"
The question does make you think...
The Guild is an agency that deals in secrets and lies, but for one that's a big as this: believing terrorists struck Shade Academy along with the rest of the Grimm when all the evidence looks contrary, aside from the rumors of a few traumatized students...
"They would need something pretty substantial to support it, wouldn't they?"
You're guessing he has something in mind.
"The intelligence came from the aboard itself."
That's... odd.
Mortimer raises an eyebrow, shifting his gaze to you but not turning his head away from the road. "And why's that?"
Well... doesn't the job of intelligence gathering fall to Mortimer and his network?
"Let me ask you..." You feel one of his mind challenges coming on. "Who do you think the Board is?"
The Guild's Board of Directors is the leadership of the organization and its greats mystery. Always hidden in shadow, their faces are never revealed. Forget their names.
What has been long rumored among the ranks of the Guild however is that the five mystery men (one of them you strongly suspect a woman) are high up in the governments of the four kingdoms.
"Yes. And at least two of them are councilmen of the kingdoms."
That makes your head jerk. It was obvious with the one of them was on the council; you think in particular of the one that had usually kept Ironwood in-line. Considering it had to be a member of the Board who had brought the Atlesian general into the Guild, it had to be a member of Atlus's governing body. And the only one who could be over Ironwood was the one in command of that kingdom's military: Atlus's Field Marshal.
But a second?
"Vacuo," Mortimer answers.
Vacuo? Why-
"Where did that third source come from?" Mortimer asks you again. "Like you said: for a mission to be approved of by the Board so quickly, they'd have to be very confident in the source of intelligence. What would be more reliable to them than themselves?"
...and who would have better access to information than one of the leaders of Vacuo?
"Precisely," the mouse Faunus smirks, pleased with your deduction. "Their connections as leaders of the kingdoms is how many of our networks were founded. Sources of information, sympathetic soldiers and hunters, we are the sum of our parts."
And all of them coming from the members of the Board.
"Our Board didn't always have four members," Mortimer continues. "This fifth one came on only recently."
And the Guild has not had many missions to the Vacuo region, at least you've seen.
"We haven't," Mortimer confirms. "Little has drawn our attention to the region in the past, but that's been changing. And if I'm right, this councilman and his sources are the lead-in we need in the Kingdom of Vacuo and the surrounding regions."
It's a theory that sure makes sense in your head. But still... surely Mortimer would have more to go on than a theory... wouldn't he?
He just grins at you.
It's times like these that remind you how irritating being the protege of the Guild's spymaster can be. He always knows something, question is: is he willing to share?
Still, the theory makes you head run wild. Does this mean that Shade really was attacked by terrorists?
"That councilman saw something."
And now you need to see what it was.
Now...
"Leave of absense?" Ozpin repeated.
"For three days," his guest confirmed. "Considering you have a whole new group of students to accommodate, he probably won't be missed I imagine."
From across folded hands propped up bus elbows on his desk, Ozpin carefully regarded the guest, and his answer, thoughtfully. The blond woman standing at his side glowered with suspicion.
"And just what is it for again, General?" Goodwitch asked, though her tone indicated she did not expect a real answer.
"It's military business Glynda." Ironwood lived up to the expectation, solidifying her glare.
"Should I assume it has to do with Shade Academy?" Ozpin asked.
Ironwood's face was that of a sphinx, unwilling to confirm or deny. Goodwitch's on the other hand was perfectly clear, the number of wrinkles near her eyes increasing as they narrowed from her rising irritation.
Ozpin sighed, his hands collapsing to the desk.
"James," the headmaster started as he swiveled his chair and stood up. "For all the years we've known each other, I would hope you trust me a little more."
"I'm sorry?" Ironwood responded, his smile dropping.
"Just why is it you require him for whatever it is your planning?" Goodwitch demanded as she forward. "You have an entire military at your command James, so why is it that you need him?"
Ironwood huffed, exasperated, as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Glynda we've been over this. I can share the information that we gather, but I can't give you specifics about how he does what he does."
"Who exactly is 'we'?" Glynda pushed, her irritation unabated. "Altus Academy, or the military? If he's just going to be another one of your operatives, why not just train him at your school?"
The belief by Ozpin and Glynda that GSI and its part-time student with Beacon were both instruments of the Kingdom of Atlus was a misconception Ironwood had no problem perpetuating. It was believable, considering his background, and it kept prying eyes away from the true masters of the two.
He turned his gaze from, looking out the window towards the campus below.
"That... was my plan..." Ironwood admitted with narrowed eyes and hint of disapproval in jams voice. "But my superiors saw fit that he be trained here, with the Grimm Studies Institute."
He turned his gaze back to her. "And now we need him for something. Just a couple of days."
"I honestly can't believe you agreed to this!" She pointed accusingly at Ozpin, then turning back to Ironwood. "We can't just have him citing and going whenever you want him to!"
Her scowl deepened. "Or if he even comes back at al-!"
"GLYNDA," Ozpin's booming voice silenced her.
For a moment, the booming mechanics of the giant clockwork overhead were the only sounds made, the humans standing in silence, trying to assess what the other was thinking.
"I have to admit," Ozpin broke the silence. "When I agreed to this Hunter-Spy initiative of yours, I was confused."
"How so?" The general asked.
"For starters," the headmaster answered. "Why Beacon? Why not a student at your own academy? I had thought this was just an expansion of your "Specials" program."
"It was... originally supposed to be," he explained, albeit falsely. "But it was rejected by the council. They were unwilling to use our own soldiers for this project."
Ozpin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. There were few in Altus who could deny Altus Academy's Headmaster. And with that kingdom's affinity for technology, it made it more than a little curious as to why they would want to in the first place.
"But they seemed to have no qualms doing so with this... Grimm Studies Institute. Through them they're willing to let you experiment with this project?"
"Precisely," Ironwood answered. "GSI has a certain... vision that allowed me the opportunity to experiment with my initiative."
Since arriving on Vale's shores, the GSI, had done little to showcase its work besides a few press releases about big name researchers coming to work for the, and touting themselves as a great "international cooperation to combat the threat of the Grimm." One of his students was connected, along with James. Now they were both involved with taking back Shade Academy it seemed.
Once things had settled down, he would need to take a closer, proper look at this place.
"Imagine it!" Ironwood urged, his hand gestures reinforcing the urgency. "What if we no longer had to send our students into battle, or anyone for that matter!"
Despite his occasional spats with the general, Ozpin had no doubt that his passion for saving lives was sincere. It was one of many things they had in common.
"No more burying soldiers, or huntsmen or huntresses! If I can prove it on this battlefield-"
"Then we might be out of jobs soon?"
Ironwood was bordering on incredulous before he saw the smirk on Ozpin's face.
"I am still skeptical, but make no mistake James: nothing would make me happier."
Goodwitch sighed, sensing the decision had been made.
"..so then?" Ironwood began hopefully. Ozpin finished with a nod.
"Three days it is."
The moment the elevator door had opened she immediately made a beeline for her destination, zooming right past her own room.
She walked fast; fast as she could and slower than she so desperately wanted. Goodwitch's scolding from the last time she'd used her semblance for speed in doors kept her from trying it again. So she was reduced to fast-walking; as fast as her short legs would carry her.
She eventually made it to the door she wanted. She had enough courtesy to knock twice, but not enough to wait for an answer, opening the door and calling his name.
Crouched down on the middle of the floor with his back to her, he turned around at hearing his name and the opening door. He greeted her with a fleeting smile, then returned to...
"You're... packing..." she voiced her thoughts aloud.
He was packing... he was packing a bag.
He acknowledged her statement of the obvious with a teasing, lopsided smirk and a raised eyebrow, adding that he would be gone for a couple days. The revelation set her brain into overdrive.
She'd been right! Something was up! There was no way it was all coincidence!
"Where are you going?" She asked, desperately hoping to hear anything besides the answer that was in her head.
He looked at her with an apologetic expression, telling her that he couldn't really say. He's wasn't allowed.
He doesn't have to...
Ruby Rose was not as much of an airhead as Weiss declared, Yang gently teased, and everyone else thought. She could read a situation when she saw enough of the pieces.
Had she heard anything about explosions...
Leaving without a word, coming back with that look on his face...
That guy in the uniform in he headmaster's office, saying his name...
And now he was packing...
He was going there. He was going to Shade Academy.
Her stomach felt uneasy because-
"Who's going with you?" She asked. She'd hoped her team would be the one to look into this, for Blake's sake of nothing else. But who would be? CFVY, SKYY... please not CRDL.
He explains that he's not.
"...what?"
He tells her that he's going alone; says it like it's nothing as he continues to pack, his eyes shifting into that serious look.
He's... going by himself...
She knew it. She knew it before he said. But the sound of hearing him say it out loud made her her heart sink.
He'd be going by himself. Where so many huntsmen and huntresses-in-training had just retreated, run, from, he'd be going alone.
Again... it's happening again...
The sound of him saying her name and a confused look in his face didn't register though to her brain.
It was undeniable: something had had happened at Shade Academy. He knew it. And he was going to check it out... alone.
Whatever had destroyed Shade Academy and had sent dozens of huntsmen and huntresses in training, alone with their fully-fledged hunting instructors, retreating for their lives, he was going to face alone.
She dashed from the room, ignoring him calling her name.
"Three days it is." The words from his fellow Headmaster put a smile on Ironwood's face.
"Thank you Oz," he sincerely acknowledged. Having what he came for, the General turned to leave.
"I trust," Ozpin's voice stopped the man. "That you'll tell me what you'll find, James."
"If there's an active threat to our academies," the General turned, looking the man dead in the eye. "You'll be the first to know."
Ozpin nodded appreciatively. Again, Ironwood made his way for the elevator.
Before he could press the call button, the doors opened and a flash of red tore through, nearly knocking him over. Coming to a stop, the blur focused into the form of a distraught looking girl.
"Professor Ozpin!"
Looking completely unfazed, the Headmaster simply smiled.
"Miss Rose... welcome back..."
"Ruby!" Professor Goodwitch admonished the girl the moment she'd skidded to a halt. "What have I told you about using your semblance in the school?!"
The young student's breath caught and she blanched for a moment, but just a moment before turning to the man she'd originally barreled through the school to see.
"Professor Ozpin's, I need to talk to you! About... um..."
"Yes? About?" The smile remained as an eyebrow rose in curiosity.
The name she spoke in answer made his smile drop. Behind Ruby, Ironwood stiffened.
Both men shared a glance. Ironwood's face went pale at the sound of the name. Ruby didn't seem to catch on to the change in atmosphere.
"Is something... wrong with him?" Ozpin simply inquired.
"Well sir," she began. "I think he might be going to Shade Academy..."
"And why would that be of interest to you, Miss Rose?"
The general's stern inquiry made the girl turn around to face him. The narrowed eyes and grim-looking frown she was the target of unnerved her.
Brave as she was, Ruby Rose never really had the stomach for confrontation. When it came to battling Grimm, no problem. Facing down a group of dust store robbers, piece of cake for her and her scythe. But when it came to personal spats with words, she never quite had the nerve.
And when faced with a man that was a couple feet taller, broad shouldered, and wearing a military uniform, few could.
But something made Ruby Rose, despite her slightly shaking legs and constructing throat, stand her ground this time.
"Because... he's my friend."
The room went silent. Nobody responded.
"That's... got to sound... so... lame..." the girl silently cringed at herself. But at least they didn't say anything yet, thereby giving her a chance to continue. She gave herself a chance to take a breath, holding her own despite the incredible weight of tension crushing her.
"And... if he is... I think he shouldn't go alone..."
Everyone was quiet as the adults in the room processed what the girl had told them.
"Miss Rose," Ozpin broke the silence again. "What makes you think he's going anywhere at all? And to Shade Academy of all places?"
"Well... I just saw him packing and earlier, and before that he was asking me if I'd... heard anything suspicious when we were helping the students from Shade move in."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "Suspicious?"
"Oz," Ironwood interrupted. "This isn't appro-"
"Like... explosions?" Ruby finished.
Ironwood pursed lips, hiding clenched teeth was all the cue Ozpin needed to see to know his (and apparently Ruby Rose's) hunch was correct.
"I see..." the Headmaster replied. "I appreciate you bringing this to my attention Miss Rose; thank you."
Thought grateful for the praise, the girl lingered amount. "Um, you're... welcome Professor. But... what about-"
"I assure you," the headmaster replied with a smile, already guessing her question. "Your friend will not be sent into anything he can't handle. Certainly not alone."
The words satisfied Ruby; at least to enough to make her smile, nod, and turn to leave.
"And Ruby..." the Headmaster added.
"Yes, sir?" The girl replied, quickly turning around to face the man.
"Let's... keep this between us for now."
The stern expressions on Ozpin, Goodwitch, and the general's faces left little room for discussion. The girl nodded simply before stepping into the elevator.
The moment the doors closed, a breath she'd been holding exploded out of her lungs.
"BWAAAAAAA!"
Ruby finally dropped to her knees, comically heaving for air as her constitution finally broke down from the emotional trauma she'd just put herself through.
"So I think it's safe to say it is Shade Academy?"
Ironwood could hear the smirk in Glynda Goodwitch's voice before he even turned around. And irritating as it was in the face of such an attitude, he was determined to maintain the professionalism expected of an Atlesian military officer.
"Based off of what?" He simply responded stoically.
Glynda groaned, turning away in irritation. Ironwood suppressed a smirk at the sight.
"James," Ozpin broke in. "I think it's clear to everyone what's happening."
Ironwood groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose before recovering to face his Valean counterpart.
"It does not change what needs to be done Oz. More than ever, you should see the importance of it."
"I do James," the other man replied, holding his hand up in attempt to placate the general's growing irritation. "That's exactly why I want to propose a joint operation."
"A... joint operation?" Ironwood repeated.
Ozpin's eyes narrowed as he looked across his folded hands at the Atlesian General. "Is there something wrong with that?"
The answer to that was obvious to Ironwood, but it needed to stay that way: only to him.
"Hundreds of students barely survived an escape from Shade. You want to send four of your own there?"
"Obviously the Grimm must have dispersed by this point, or else you wouldn't be sending him in alone."
Ironwood stayed quiet, his eyes narrowing and looking away in silent affirmation. When Ozpin's perception wasn't to be admired, it was to be dreaded if you were trying to hide something from him.
"And besides," Ozpin added. "I do need to keep my promise to Miss Rose: not letting him go alone."
Ironwood growled. "You can't be serious."
"James, consider this an opportunity. The end goal is for a military liaison with hunters, yes? Then let's have this be a chance to have a mission where they hunt the Grimm rather than evacuate a mining facility like he did with JNPR."
Ozpin took a sip from his mug. "And yes, I do wish to keep my promise to Ruby because I actually agree with her: I don't like the idea of sending my people out alone."
"Your people?" Ironwood demanded. "He's our liaison, Oz."
"He's still one of my students James. I'm still going to look for him."
"Did we not just have an agreement?" Ironwood demanded. "What changed? That girl finding out?"
"That girl," Ozpin answered. "Caught on to what's happening. If you continue to try and keep her in the dark, she's going to keep digging. Especially, as I've come to see, when it comes to the people she cares for. Better we give her something and control what is known rather than try to shut her out and let her find out her own way, possibly exposing more."
"Besides," he added. "I'm sure you can't get the job done just as well. It's not like some added help would be a bad thing."
Problem was: it had the potential to be just that in so many ways. None of which Ironwood could explain.
He sighed. It was all to clear Oz wasn't going to budge. More so: he was right. It was the best way to handle this now.
"I'll have to clear this with my superiors."
The headmaster simply nodded. "All right then. Thank you James."
"I'll volunteer as their oversight," Goodwitch inserted herself back into the conversation.
"NO." And Ironwood promptly kicked her back out. "This is a military operation. We're in charge. He will act as the lead. THAT'S not negotiable."
Goodwitch frowned.
"Very well," Ozpin agreed.
This was far from what the General had in mind, but it was the best he could do. For now.
If nothing else, Ironwood considered as he turned for the elevator, he got Goodwitch to scowl in defeat. Twice.
"She's sure taking awhile," Yang observed aloud. Laying back on her bunk, hands behind her head for support as she stared up at the ceiling.
"Something must be happening..." Blake surmised, her eyes lost in the distance.
Yang eyed her partner. The Faunus member of their team was probably the most anxious of all. If White Fang could have had something to do with Shade Academy...
The sound of the door opening had all three girls on their feet immediately.
"I'm ba-"
And right in the face of their team leader.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" The blonde gleefully asked, greeting her sister along with her teammates. He grin dropped at seeing the exhaustion on the younger girl's face.
"...You okay?"
The story Ruby told was quite a tale for the three to hear. Blake in particular hung on every word anxiously. And at the end of it, she could only wonder:
"So... what do you think?"
"I... don't know..." she mumbled, looking down. "He's... going there for some reason..."
Her hands clenched into fists. "What I don't know is why he's going alone!"
Her angry tone took Blake and Weiss aback. Neither had ever heard Ruby angry before. Neither had probably even thought her capable of being angry.
"Ruby..." Yang understood perfectly.
"Why..." the smaller girl repeated. The blonde could only pet her younger sister's head in an offer of comfort.
"It does seem quite odd..." Weiss agreed. "And... aggravating... I can't believe the blonde doofus's team got to work with him and Vale's military before we did!"
Yang's face dropped from concern for her sister to a deadpan expression. "Weiss..."
"That's... not what I meant..." Ruby grumbled.
"I know," Weiss answered. "For the record, I agree Ruby: working alone like that is reckless, not to mention stupid. Being part of a team is the proper way to fight Grimm."
Ruby's eyes beamed as a smile bloomed on her face. Was her partner truly starting to change?
"Weiss..."
"And besides..." The Schnee heiress continued. "This could be our chance to start making connections! When we're huntresses, it'll be helpful to have contacts like that! Not to mention the prestige we'd have of working with an organization like his."
She turned to Ruby. "Good move of you to add our name in to go with him in this mission."
Nope, still the calculating businesswoman. The hope in Ruby's eyes shattered along with her smile. "Uuuuu..."
"Besides," Blake added. "If we do go along, we'll be able to know for sure if White Fang did have something to do with this." The anguish in her eyes was slowly starting to give way to determination.
"That's if we do get to go..." Ruby added nervously.
"You did the best you could Ruby," Yang encouraged. "Besides, if it's anybody, it'll probably be us. Weiss is right about that: if Ozpin will send anyone, it'll be the people who're worried enough to ask!"
Ruby smiled, a bit more encouraged than before. "Yeah... you're probably right."
Yang gave an encouraging squeeze to her sister's shoulder.
"I'm sure everything will be fine Ruby. You'll see."
A... joint operation? You just heard Mortimer say that, right?
"You did," he answered.
Through the video feed on your scroll, you can tell he's not happy. It'd be easy enough to blame this on Ironwood for not getting Ozpin to agree, as Mortimer seems to think. But you know the truth:
It's your fault.
Mortimer's face screws up in confusion. "How do you figure that?"
If you had kept your mouth shut and not asked about the explosions-
"You couldn't have known. That girl is smart. Don't forget: she got bumped ahead two years in her studies. That didn't happen by accident."
You have to agree to that. Ruby Rose is intelligent. Her book smarts may leave something to be desired, as you noticed on her last history test grades.
"Besides, what interests me more is her reaction. Ironwood said she was almost... panicking."
Certainly goes in line with what you saw of her when she was in her room.
Those wide eyes, that look... like she was... horrified? Why?
"Explain to me again what happened."
You run through just like it happened: you said you were leaving for a couple days, she asked if you were "going alone," you said yeah, and then she...
Mortimer looks pensive on your screen as he considers what you've told him.
Right after you said you were going alone... this isn't the first time this has happened.
"What do you mean?" Your voiced thoughts get Mortimer's attention.
You recall on when you'd first come to Beacon, Ruby hadn't been too thrilled with you being by yourself. Then when you told them about being deployed with JNPR, the relief she'd shown.
At least he won't be alone... She'd said.
"Hmmm..." Mortimer hums.
What could it all be about?
"I don't know..." Mortimer answers. That's a rare phrase to hear out of his mouth.
"See what you can learn. Take the chance to connect. Get some intelligence out of her. You know: be a spy."
Sure. Kill Grimm, investigate for a possible terrorist attack, keep you identity hidden from you own allies.
Not like you don't have enough to do already.
Dispatch 10: Rumors and Suspicion
A/N: My apologies for the poor consistency and long waits. Last year has not been that kind to me free-time-wise. This year is looking better though, so hopefully I'll have more chapters out quicker.
Appreciate your guys' loyalty and hope you keep reading and reviewing!