Okay, so our medical concerns are over for now and we're back to normal length chapters. Hurrah!

Also, although there may be no explicit mentions in this chapter to what happened in the interlude, that does not mean those things aren't happening. The chapter was intended to show what is going on elsewhere, out of sight. Jaune obviously has no idea it's taking place.

Some of those events (Atlas especially) aren't "out in the open" yet. The White Fang discovered it due to spies, but Atlas is obviously clamping down on the information, so don't expect Jaune to realise what's going on just yet.

There is still a troll in the reviews imitating other people. Ignore it.

Cover Art: Jack Wayne

Chapter 34

There was an odd camaraderie that could only come from trying to beat someone up. It wasn't something he really understood and, if he were being honest, it wasn't something he'd ever felt before joining Beacon, but whether it was a fight with Pyrrha, Yang, Cardin or even Qrow, you couldn't hate a guy after a good fight. Maybe it was the adrenaline wearing off, all the anger slipping away. Whatever the case, Jaune wrapped an arm around Qrow's shoulder, all vestiges of their feud, for now, absent.

"Breaking a dust round to throw it in my eyes," he laughed. "That's genius. I thought there wouldn't be any with this being indoors."

"Hey, I learned from the best," Qrow taunted. "Or the best at fighting dirty."

"Don't knock it if it works. I still won."

"You hid a gun on you."

"You didn't?"

"Well," Qrow coughed. "Didn't think to. Got one in my weapon. But I'll mix it up next time. Didn't much like having someone steal and use it against me." He shot Jaune a raised eyebrow. "How did you know how to fight with it, anyway?"

"Met someone before who had a similar weapon," Jaune deflected, not without some honesty. "He fought a little like you, except the one time I got his weapon off him, he knocked me out with a punch to the jaw."

Future Qrow had been brutal Qrow, after all. Summer's death had made him a vicious fighter.

Past Qrow, happy Qrow, laughed, "I want to meet him!"

"If you're lucky, you never will."

Ozpin cleared his throat, approaching with a smile. It looked honest for once, the immortal wizard clearly pleased to see Jaune and his right-hand-man getting along. "A good show from both of you. I'm impressed, though I dare say some of the students are a little put-off by the violent nature of the spar."

"Eh, this is nothing," Qrow said. "You should see what the kids in this asshole's gym get up to."

"I have." Ozpin's smile grew. "The next generation of huntsmen looks promising indeed. Regardless, Glynda will make sure they understand this is the reality of huntsman on huntsman combat. I daresay movies, cartoons and tournaments between children have given them misleading expectations."

To be fair to the kids, they'd grown up in a time of relative peace. Jaune had too, though he hadn't realised it until much later. He'd been born after the faunus wars, lived a good life in Ansel and come to Vale at the height of its prosperity, which was probably in part due to Ozpin, and at the same time a reason why the man let his guard down and was surprised by Cinder. Sure, the White Fang existed – and did so now as well – but they'd been a distant problem for him as a child. No one here, student or teachers, knew just how difficult things were going to get in the future. In a way, maybe his being attacked in Atlas would help warn them.

Not that he'd ever thank Tyrian and Hazel for starting that.

"Do you mind if we have our little chat?" Ozpin asked. "You both seem in good enough spirits for it."

Ah, the recruitment pitch. He'd almost forgotten. Jaune was about to say yes, but noticed Summer approaching with her family, along with Emerald.

"Mind if I handle Emerald first? I don't want her involved with this."

"Of course."

It was a lie, of course. Emerald knew enough and would have to know more. Ozpin might believe in secrets, and he might be right in some cases – but one thing he hadn't appreciated, nor Ruby and her team, was Ozpin misleading them as to the danger they were walking into. They'd been willing to fight the good fight, but the secrets Ozpin tried to keep could have gotten them all killed numerous times. He wouldn't do the same with Emerald. She was young, but he trusted her to be mature and to listen.

"That was a good fight," Summer said. "And I'm glad to see the two of you getting along."

"If I knew a fight was all it would take, I'd have gotten you both drunk and locked you in a closet weeks ago," Tai added.

"Jaune won!" Yang yelled happily.

Qrow glowered. "Oi!"

"Uncle Qrow lost!"

"That's it," Qrow growled, lunging for Yang. "Come here, you."

"NO! No, no, noooo~" Yang trailed off as Qrow got her in a headlock and started to mess up her hair. The rest of them ignored her panicked shrieking, along with Ruby's giggles. Jaune sent a quick nod Emerald's way, indicating that she should stay where she was for now.

To Summer, he said, "Ozpin wants to have a talk with me. Boring stuff that I don't really want Emerald to be stuck in. Do you mind looking after her for a little longer? It shouldn't be long." Jaune looked to Ozpin.

"An hour at most," the headmaster promised.

"Oh, that's fine." Summer nodded. "Actually, would it be okay if we showed Emerald the library, Ozpin? I was telling her about it before the fight and she wanted to see it."

Ozpin smiled, "Not at all. Why not give her the full tour, in fact?"

"Is that okay, Emerald?" Jaune asked.

"Hm!" Emerald nodded quickly. Her eyes lit up, probably at the thought of so many books and what she could get up to. She followed Summer, Yang and Ruby as they were led away, Taiyang staying behind to clap both Jaune and Qrow on the shoulder before leaving.

"Emerald certainly seems to enjoy her books," Ozpin said.

"She likes to read." Jaune knelt to pick up and sheathe his sword. He accepted his gun back from Qrow, stored it away and looked forlornly at the spent flashbang. He'd have to get another, which wasn't as easy as it sounded in a place like Vale. "Always has, ever since I adopted her. Of course, I had to teach her to read first."

"You really would have made a good teacher."

"I think teaching one child is different from thirty or so. Besides, I had help. Winter did a lot to help Emerald learn to read, and to come out of her shell." Even if it was only for Emerald to feel confident enough to glare at and complain about Winter herself.

"The Schnee princess?" Qrow asked with a laugh. "Wouldn't have thought she had it in her."

"Winter is deeper than she seems," Jaune said, a little defensively.

"Hey man, I meant nothing by it."

Jaune let it go. In the future, Qrow and Winter had some kind of… not relationship going on. It never had been one as far as he could see, but there had been some definite tension the first time they met, which was pretty creepy now that he thought about it. Qrow was his age, which made him a good ten years older than Winter. Jaune doubted Winter was interested in romance at all, let alone with someone their age.

"Why don't we retire to my office?" Ozpin suggested, idly looking around the assembled students, all of which were close enough to overhear if they wanted to. "We shouldn't talk about business here, and I imagine the students are going to be rowdy once Glynda is finished with them."

"Lead the way."

/-/

Ozpin's office was the same as ever, the great desk sat in the centre of a room flanked by windows looking out over Beacon, the great wheels ticking behind him. Pyrrha had died in this office, or would in time, if nothing changed. It was strange therefore, that Jaune did not hate the place. In the end, it was just a room.

Ozpin had taken the seat behind the desk as usual, while Qrow went to lean against a window, with no regard for the glass or perilous drop – not that either would have bothered him. There were a few other seats available, one of which Jaune took, settling down awkwardly, resisting the urge to turn the chair back to front, so that it would act as a shield. It would have made him look even more paranoid than he already was.

"Thank you for agreeing to join us today, Jaune," Ozpin said, offering a genuine smile and a grateful nod. "I know it was short notice, but the students really will benefit from a wake-up call. The recent Vytal Festival was certainly one for Atlas."

"You said you wanted to talk about that."

Ozpin nodded but did not speak for a moment. He shuffled some papers, took a sip of coffee, looked to the door. It was doubtful he was waiting for anyone, so he was probably trying to steel himself or prepare the words in his head. He was not a man who trusted easily, Ozpin. He had reason to be like that, at least with some people, but talking to another like this was not easy for him.

He might have spared the man that but couldn't. Not without giving too much away.

Jaune knew Ozpin more than most, though it felt arrogant to say it. He and the immortal had never been close, he being one of the main people to have doubts as to his trustworthiness – doubts which Ruby had so often quashed, even up until the point of her death. Even so, with Ozpin in this time keeping as many secrets as he did students, it still probably made him the second most informed person on Remnant, the first being Salem herself.

It came as no surprise then, that Ozpin would want to recruit him. It came as no surprise that Ozpin would want to hedge his bets too, keep secrets and not give everything away.

"Tell me, Jaune, do you know why Tyrian Callows and Hazel Rainart attacked you in Atlas?"

He was fishing for answers. Trying to see how much he knew, how much he could keep secret and how little to give away. More than that, Ozpin wanted to know if he knew about the existence of Salem. The question was how much to give him. Too little and Ozpin might begin to suspect he was a traitor to Salem and a danger himself. Too much and Ozpin might think him an inevitable risk.

"I know someone told them to find me," he said carefully, watching Qrow from the corner of one eye. While Ozpin had over a thousand years to learn to control himself, Qrow did not. The man's arms were crossed but his hands tightened, his air of feigned indifference a little too forced. "I know it's someone dangerous, but I couldn't say who exactly."

"You've never seen them?"

"I don't know." Maybe he could give Ozpin a hint. "I saw them with someone else, a man with a moustache." He noticed how Ozpin tensed, and then immediately relaxed, leaning back. "I'm not sure if that was the leader or not."

"Do you know why they are after you?"

"I think it's because I interfered with a plan of theirs," Jaune said, pretending not to see how Qrow leaned forward a little. "It was back in the Specialists, when I worked for Ironwood. We were sent in to clear out a facility and he was inside, rummaging through the wreckage. I stopped him. Or, well, I didn't stop him, but I bought time for the explosives to be set up, ruining whatever he was looking for. Although…"

"Yes?"

"It might have been before that, too," he said. He knew it was, of course. "I didn't know it at first, didn't know it until after I met you."

"Oh?"

"Summer."

Ozpin nodded. "Ah, I see. I recall that you didn't know who she was at first."

"Just an injured huntress," Jaune confirmed, this time completely honest. "Even if I'd known her, I don't think I'd have recognised her. Deathly pale and on the edge…" Jaune paused as Qrow's breathing became heavier.

"Sorry," the man said, looking away.

"All is well, Qrow," Ozpin interrupted. "Summer is fine."

"Yeah, I just…"

"No, I get it." Jaune nodded to the huntsman. "If it was someone I knew, I'd feel the same way. Anyway, I didn't know who she was at the time and didn't find out until Atlas. Coincidentally, that was before the attack, and before Tyrian as good as said he was the one who put her in that position."

"Two instances of your interference," Ozpin noted. "And this was before the attack on Atlas?"

"Yes. I also cut off Tyrian's tail."

Qrow snorted. "Nice one."

"What was Tyrian looking for in Atlas? The barest details, I won't ask you to break confidentiality with James."

"It's fine." He knew Ironwood would tell Ozpin if the headmaster asked, so he might as well save him the trouble. "It was research from Merlot, the same guy involved in the fall of Mountain Glenn. He was looking to merge machine and Grimm or augment them with cybernetics. Maybe even control them via computers. I don't know all the details. It doesn't really matter since whatever it was, it failed. The Grimm could barely mover under the weight of the machines, and they were all as violent as usual. Tyrian was there though, looking for something."

"You never saw him again?"

"Not until the attack. Our team cleared out the rest of Merlot's facilities, but he never made a repeat appearance. Either way, looks like whatever he was after, we destroyed it. Enough to piss him off and make him attack Atlas. That's all I know, but Emerald and I quit Atlas soon after. I didn't want to put more pressure on Ironwood."

It was all true, but also only a half-truth at best. The important part was that he stuck to whatever he said. By offering some ignorance, he could invite Ozpin to fill in the gaps, and from there act like he owed the headmaster.

They'd never be able to work together properly, that was inevitable. Ozpin didn't trust people enough to let them close, and if Jaune was being fair, he didn't trust Ozpin in pretty much the same way. A distant co-operation was all they'd ever be able to achieve, but it was better than nothing. It was Ozpin's means he hated, not his motives. Stopping Salem was important, but it was important there be something left of humanity afterwards.

And the Gods?

They could fuck off. Or stay fucked off.

"It seems there is a little more I can fill you in on," Ozpin said slowly. "But first I must ask, do you intend to stay in Vale? Is this to be where you finally settle?"

"It is. Vale has everything I need."

Beacon, his friends, the future.

"Though I might still travel every now and then, like I did this week gone. Not in the immediate future, though. Maybe next year." He shot Qrow a grin. "I need to give Qrow time to forget he swore to never babysit my students again."

"Not. Happening."

Ozpin chuckled and took a sip of coffee. He was relaxed, relieved. "That is good."

"Who are these people that are after me, then?" Jaune asked, leaning forward. "It's obvious you know something, or at least who they are. I'd appreciate a couple of answers."

"I can imagine." Ozpin sighed. "I shall tell you… it's why I invited you here, but it is… a difficult story to tell. Not emotionally, but intellectually. Many who heard this might call me a fool, if not insane. I can assure you I am neither. What I'm about to tell you may seem unbelievable at first. It will shock you, possibly even frighten you, but I believe you need to know exactly what it is you've stepped into, however unwittingly. More than that, I believe we can help one another. I certainly hope we can."

"I'll keep an open mind."

"I hope so, Mr Ashari. Tell me, have you heard of someone called… Salem?"

/-/

"Salem?" Emerald asked, safe and sound in their home once more. "But we already knew about her, you told me who she is. What she is. Did he tell you more?"

Jaune shook his head. "No, nothing more. It's everything we already knew, but the important part is that Ozpin knows we know, so that's at least one problem dealt with. I've agreed to work with him against her."

"You're joining them…?"

"Not officially, no. More like… we're pooling resources. I'm like Lionheart."

"Who?"

"Ah, you've not met him. Never mind. Hm, think of me and Junior," he said instead. "We work together and we have the same long-term goals, but we're not sharing all our secrets with him. It's like the difference between Junior and me, and you and me."

Emerald thought she got it. Junior was trusted to be loyal and to work with, but he wasn't trusted enough to know everything, not like she did. She knew exactly who was after him, what she was and what – in rough terms – their long-term plans were. At least as far as Jaune had them. That meant Ozpin was an ally for now, but not a close one. There were still secrets between them.

Between us, she thought, grouping herself into the equation.

"Do we need to find out what those secrets are?"

"Honestly… not really. I know most of what I need to know about Ozpin."

"Then why are we working with him?"

"Legitimacy, and also to keep him from working against us. The enemy of our enemy is our friend, so Ozpin is on our side. It's just that I'd prefer to fight beside him, not under his command. But if we get attacked by Hazel and Tyrian again in public, I'd rather have Qrow, Summer and Taiyang on my side."

Emerald nodded, accepting the explanation easily. It made sense to her as kids on the streets had often teamed up when it was convenient, or when something threatened them. She never had, always too weak and small to be worth sharing food with. She hadn't been able to pull her own weight in such groups.

Here, she was a little better, though she still didn't do as much as Jaune did.

"Is there something I can do to help?"

"Hm?" Jaune looked her way, smiled and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about it, Em. I've got most of it handled. I need to look over that book we got and try to decipher it. There isn't really much else to do in the meantime, or much you can help with."

"Will there be? In the future, I mean?"

"Sure."

He didn't mean it. Emerald pouted and looked away, grumbling to herself. Even if she knew she didn't have to be `useful` in order to make him keep her around, she still wanted to be. Helping on his trips was fine, as was putting up with creepy women, but there had to be something she could do now to be of use.

"How was the Beacon library?"

Emerald's eyes lit up. "Amazing! There were so many books, and the tables… and the balconies! Summer took me to the top floor and we read while looking down on the students. She even convinced the librarian to let me take a book away." She held it up so he could see. "It was also pretty. We walked between the cafeteria and the library and there's this huge garden."

"Sitting next to the training fields? With the forest in the distance and the CCT above it all."

"Yeah…"

Had Jaune seen it? She didn't think so. He'd been too busy with Qrow and Ozpin.

How did he know what Beacon looked like?

"Beacon's a great place," he said, almost whimsically. "I guess Summer can return the book once you're done with it. Or I can give it to Glynda or Ozpin if they come by the ASH Gym. Did you say thank you to Summer?"

"Yes," Emerald lied instantly.

"Good girl."

Emerald hid her pout and made a mental note to thank Summer the next time she saw her. It would be the only way to get rid of the sense of disappointment which washed over her. "Yang was talking to me about Beacon," she said, changing the subject. "She was asking if I wanted to go to Beacon with her and if we'd be on the same team."

Jaune stilled with his back to her.

"Beacon is kind of cool," she said, not really noticing. "I was thinking-"

"You're not going to Beacon." The sharp tone cut through her thoughts, rooting her feet to the floor. Jaune didn't raise his voice to her, never had and didn't now, but the way he said it, the clipped, sudden words… It was as close to it as she'd ever been.

Emerald bit her lip nervously. "I…"

"You're not attending Beacon," he said again, head tilted to the side, not looking at her.

The clock on the wall ticked away.

She hesitated to break the silence. It felt like a pressure pushing down on her shoulders and chest, making it difficult to breathe. She didn't dare make a noise lest she anger him.

"Do you understand?" he snapped.

"Y-Yes!"

His shoulders relaxed. "Good girl." He didn't look her way, but she had the feeling he was pleased, even relieved. "I have to read through that tome we found in the ruin. I'll cook us some dinner later. And some chocolate cake. Your favourite."

"O-Okay," she stammered. "I… I'll just read?"

"Yeah…" Jaune stood there for a moment, like he meant to say more, before he shook his head and made his way to the door leading down into the basement. He never looked back and closed the door softly behind him.

The moment he was gone, Emerald sagged. Her breath came out in a rush, her body sinking as she leaned back against the kitchen counter. What had that been? Why had he reacted like that? She licked her lips nervously and shuffled over to pour herself some juice. Her hands shook just a little.

In her pocket, her scroll lay, the last message on it from Yang, asking if she was going to come to Beacon when they were older or not, accompanied by a smiley face icon. She wouldn't be getting a reply today, and maybe not for a while. Emerald didn't feel confident enough to broach the topic again.

Even so, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

/-/

The hefty tome wasn't giving him as much as he'd have liked. The pages still thrummed with some kind of power, something he could feel but not place. It didn't seem to be any one page, nor the covers, but something that permeated through the whole thing. He tried flicking through it, placing both hands on it, opening it to a random page and more.

Nothing.

The language was beyond him, too. Ozpin could probably read it, but if the wizard hadn't looked for this in the original timeline, then chances were he wouldn't be happy to see it now. Ozpin guarded his secrets carefully. This, being connected to the ancient times, was surely one of them. Little other way to explain how or why the moon was full in the images inside.

So, this was before the… I guess it was the `fall`. The time when the Gods left Remnant.

Ozpin spoke of the Gods as if they were known entities, something you just accepted. To him, they probably were, but to Jaune and the others the idea of deities was outright bizarre. Sure, you referenced them occasionally and there were some devout people, but the majority of folk on Remnant didn't actually believe there was anything out there. To hear that there had been two Gods, and that they would literally interact and talk with their followers, was crazy. To see proof of it in creations like the Relics? Even crazier.

Understanding this book, though?

Impossible.

"Damn it." He closed the cover and sighed. There were pictures, but only occasionally. Most of the book was text in a language he couldn't decipher. "It's got to be a clue. It has to be something close. Oobleck? No, if I can sense this, then Ozpin surely can. Only other person who could read it would be Salem."

Or Jinn…

"Knowledge…" Jaune bit his lip. Technically, he knew how to summon her, second-hand information from Ruby mostly, and at a point where it was too late to be any use in the original timeline, but here and now there were still two questions available. Maybe even three. "It would be better if I used them, if only to stop other people doing so…"

The question was what to use them on, and how he'd convince Raven to open the vault for him. Assuming he only had two questions, using one to get the book deciphered might be a waste. Jinn wouldn't be able to do it for him because that wasn't a question. She could recite it, and maybe he could record the answer, but that might not provide any understanding.

And weren't there more important questions?

How to stop Salem was a bust, he technically knew the answer already. Why Salem was after him was equally doomed, since she might just be curious or playing it safe. How to use the other Relics? That wasn't a bad idea. If he could gather the means to use each, then it would be one of Ozpin's biggest advantages taken away. But if he did that, then he might as well gather them, and at that point he put a big target on the back of his neck.

Not to mention if all four were brought together and Salem was still alive, he might as well be ushering in the apocalypse. Remnant had lived for millennia without the Gods. After leaving them to this, they didn't deserve to come back.

Either way, it was food for thought. An excursion to use the Relic of Knowledge might work out.

As if summoned by such thoughts, a red and black portal swirled into life behind him. Jaune took the chance to push the book away and turn around, facing Raven as she stepped out. She looked around warily, but relaxed when she realised where she was.

"The basement? Is this where you plan to lock me up and have your devious way with me?"

"I pity any man who tries to `have his way` with you."

"Ha." Raven laughed. "You know all the right things to say."

Jaune checked his scroll. To be fair, it was getting on to the afternoon, and there was no ASH Gym today. Not that Raven would have let him escape if he tried. "It's a little early to start drinking. Did you miss me that much?"

"You can believe that if you wish, I'll let you." She kicked back and sat atop a trunk. Her grin reminded him of Yang. "There's nothing wrong with having high ambitions."

"Or a high estimation of yourself?"

"Silly Jaune, I'm being modest."

"Yeah, right." Jaune stood and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "So, are you going to tell me why you sent Vernal here? I don't believe for a second it was just a whim."

Raven's smirk grew. "How is she doing?"

"Best in class, but then you'd expect that. It's not exactly fair on everyone else."

"Boo-hoo. Life isn't fair. It'll be a lesson best learned early for them."

Jaune sighed. While he didn't disagree, it still didn't answer his question. "But why send her? I'd have thought she'd be more use in the tribe."

"I think you're overestimating Vernal's value. Or underestimating the tribe. Things are good at the moment and we don't necessarily need more fighters. Call it an investment if you like. She gets stronger, I don't have to feed or train her, and if she picks up a few of your tricks, then she'll only come back stronger."

It made some sense…

"Is that the only reason?"

"If I had some deep, ulterior motive, I'd not trust it to someone else," she said offhandedly. "I'm more of a hands-on kind of woman. Vernal was being a pain, figuratively and literally, and you – for all that you might deny it – have a place in the tribe."

"Since when?"

"Well, you did train her."

"I sparred with her for a week or two, Raven. That's hardly me taking her on as a student."

"To a young woman, such attention means something. To a member of the Branwen tribe, you `own` what you claim. Vernal claimed you as her mentor, so your little vanishing act was an insult to her pride."

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "You helped me with that vanishing act," he pointed out.

"Eh." Raven shrugged. "I never claimed to be a good role model. I hope that revelation doesn't shock you too badly."

Hardly. Raven hadn't been much use in the original timeline, though she had saved Yang the one time, and opened the vault for them, defeating Cinder in the process. Or delaying her. Honestly, with how he'd thought of her back then, he was surprised he didn't hate her now. It couldn't just be because it hadn't happened yet, because he liked Yang, and Raven had still left her behind.

Maybe it was just because she was the only person as jaded as him, the only one he could talk to about not trusting Ozpin, and not have it be reported straight back to him. She was dangerous, and as Taiyang had warned him, she couldn't really be trusted to hang around when things got difficult.

But if he never expected that, then he wouldn't be hurt.

"Do you have any family?" Raven suddenly asked.

"What?"

She shrugged. "It's a question."

"I know that…" Jaune stared at her, confused by how she looked away and rolled her shoulders like she didn't care for the question she'd just asked. "I'm just… It's pretty random. What brought this on?"

"Idle curiosity? Making a conversation?" She shrugged again. "I don't know. Just figured you know everything there is to know about me, and I don't know anything about you."

"Since… when have you cared to?"

"Don't make a meal of it, Jaune," she snapped, annoyed. "I was just asking. I know your name isn't Ashari."

Her, Junior and Emerald were the only ones who did. "It's not, but they're sort of my family. It was a tribe in Vacuo that picked me up and formally adopted me, so the name fits. As for family…" How much to say? "Well, my family is a long way away." Both in time and distance. "They're not really around anymore."

"No brothers?"

He laughed. "Seven sisters, actually. But no, no brothers. This feels a little awkward…"

"It's just small talk."

"I guess…" He wasn't sure why Raven was suddenly so interested in small talk, she hadn't been before. "I'd ask you, but I know about Qrow. And the rest…"

Raven didn't look bothered. "I imagine Taiyang told you."

"Yeah."

"Did he warn you to stay away from me? For your own good?"

"He did…"

"Ha…" Raven's laugh was short and bitter. "Suppose I can't blame him. So, you going to take his advice? I'm sure Ozpin would protect you from the big, bad Raven if you asked him to. If you sold your soul to him."

"Actually, I'm already working with Ozpin…"

Raven's mouth fell open. "WHAT!?" She stood suddenly, hand reaching to her hip. "You idiot, I-"

"Only officially, Raven. I'm not… you know I don't trust him. It's an alliance of convenience, nothing more. I was just telling you so you don't learn about it later and overreact." He grinned and nodded to her half-drawn weapon. "Like this."

The sword slammed back down with a click. "Could have said that sooner."

"And miss this little display? It's not every day I get to see you so flustered. And don't worry about Tai. His advice wasn't to not spend time with you, it was to not fall in love with you."

Raven snorted. "Fall in love? You and me?" She laughed. "Nice to see Qrow's imagination still runs wild." She relaxed, and he noticed it was the first time she'd really relaxed since she had appeared in the basement. Before, she'd seemed on edge. Curiously so. He'd have asked why, but if it was something related to the tribe, or events on her end, then she'd tell him if she wanted to. That she hadn't was proof she wouldn't.

"It's pretty musty in here," he said casually. "Want to crash in the living room and get some drinks?"

"About time you took the hint."

/-/

Winter stepped out of the Bullhead and onto the grass. The convoy had been cast aside, upturned entirely with its wreckage smoking. After the assault, each had been detonated. The dust was gone, stolen. It was a scene she'd seen time and time again working as head of the SDC's security detail, but never had she seen an attack like this.

"Ma'am," a soldier whispered. "We've… We've found the bodies."

Bodies. Not survivors. Winter's eyes closed, her breath coming out in a harsh sigh. "Show me."

"Yes, ma'am."

He led her away from the convoys, purposefully away – far beyond what might have been reasonable for those who fell in combat. Several of her men and women stood ahead in a rough semi-circle, looking down on something.

When Winter arrived, she cringed. "Those monsters…"

Dead bodies. At least thirty. Twenty were armed SDC guards, but ten were not. Simple employees, drivers and administrative agents. They would have been unarmed and, from their uniforms alone, were clearly designated as non-combatants. The White Fang had never killed them before, recognising this.

Now, they were all arrayed in a line, all laid face-down, all with their hands tied behind their backs, their heads bloodied.

"They were brought here as prisoners and made to kneel," Delta said. "All in a line, all next to one another. Then…" He trailed off, not that Winter needed him to fill in the details.

"They were executed."

"Yes…" He closed his eyes. "It's a clear message, Winter. A specific message."

"Eye for an eye, blood for blood. This is the White Fang's response. They must have spies in the military. How else could they have known about Ghira?"

"It gets worse, I'm afraid."

"How?" Winter snapped, whirling on him. "How does this get worse?"

Delta gestured to a post driven into the ground nearby, that she'd missed due to the horrifying sight before her. Determined, Winter stepped over the bodies and towards it, ignoring the bloodstained grass underfoot. On the post, the flag of the White Fang blew, but there was something else below it, something that had wrapped and coiled around the wooden post. Black cloth of some kind. Winter unravelled it.

It was another flag, one that had gotten tangled. Its black fabric was plain, but there was an outlined symbol in white in the centre, something like several flames curling up from a central circle, perhaps a stylised flower of some kind.

"It's the emblem of the Belladonna clan," Delta explained. "Current rulers of Menagerie, old leaders of the White Fang and… Ghira Belladonna's family."

Winter cursed.

"The message is clear, then. The Belladonna's response to Atlas' actions. They've aligned themselves with the White Fang. Does this mean Menagerie will join them? If they do…"

"It might be the second coming of the faunus wars."

And it would happen on their doorstep, dragging her family into it. Winter bit her lip. This was beyond her ability to contain, beyond her expertise. Ironwood was bogged down, the Council digging its heels and her father – for all his faults – doing what he could. She was running out of people to call on, of options to take.

There was only one person she could think of who might have some advice for her now.

"Collect the bodies," she instructed her men. "Gather them carefully. We cannot save them, but we will not leave them here for the carrion. They will be returned to their families. I… I have a call to make."

Hopefully, Jaune would have some ideas.

Jaune, Jaune, Jaune. Sigh. So, we skipped the actual meat of the meeting between Jaune and Ozpin. Just assume he was, as Jaune said to Emerald, given the bare bones basics of Salem, pretty much the same content Jaune and RWBY received in the show about her from Volumes 4-5, except lacking the detail that Ozpin is an immortal soul parasite.

I didn't want to have them go over "revelations" that you already all know, not for possibly 2-3k words.

Poor Emerald, and finally friends enough with Yang to be chatting by text. They grow up so fast! Meanwhile, Raven is trying to dig. She's hardly going to confront Jaune without trying to figure it out herself, or he can just lie and she'd never know better.

At the same time, Atlas is… well, Atlas is not going great for all of Jaune's attempts to come to the past and help. Not great at all.

Fair warning, we have another time skip coming up soonish.

Next Chapter: 24th November

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur