5. Ozpin finished organizing the papers on his desk into a neat pile off to the side, and out of the way. 4. He's heard the news; all of Vale has at this point thanks to the technological revolution Atlas brought to the world after the Great War. 3. There were time when he wished they hadn't as it made keeping things under control, and under wraps much harder with the near instantaneous flow of information. 2. The day had been going so well, too; it was sunnier than it had been all week, he woke with a spring in his step, his coffee was perfect. Shiro had probably gone home the previous night, and missed the radio broadcast, and he wasn't much of a television watcher. However, today was a new day, it was morning, and all anyone was talking about was Gardenfell. 1. The doors to Ozpin's office were thrown open as an exasperated Shiro stormed in. "OZ!"

"Shiro, I kno-"

"An entire village, Oz!" Shiro made his way to Ozpin's desk; he was clearly out of breath from running through the school all the way to see Oz. "Gone! Just like that!" and Shiro snapped his fingers. Oz sat back in his chair, and brought his hands together interlocking his fingers together. This would, once again, be a tricky situation.

"Yes, I've read the reports."

"We have to do something!" While Ozpin admired Shiro's willingness to help others there were times he was afraid that it was more of a 'need' to help others; a dangerous trait.

"What would you have me do, Shiro? I'm not exactly in a position to-"

"We have huntsman!" Shiro gestured around them, "This school's been around long enough to produce some quality huntsman. If we send them with backup of the Neuanfang then surely they-"

"You want to send in our own students, previous or current, against a threat we still know too little about?"

"Bu-…" Shiro was trying to search for a comeback.

"'But' nothing. The loss of Gardenfell was a great tragedy, I can see that very clearly, but we shouldn't just jump at the opportunity for retaliation against a foe we still are trying to understand. Attacking the unknown is a surefire road to disaster." Shiro was obviously disheartened, but didn't look like he was going to press the issue further. "Rest assured, though, I do have people looking into the mimic, and the worst case scenarios."

"You mean if it's working with Salem?" There was a long pause.

"That would be a worst case scenario, yes."

"Still, though, couldn't we still use the Neuanfang to at least let the people know we're here for them?"

Ozpin gave a sigh, "Unfortunately, I don't think your message of security will be well received. The Neuanfang would need to travel to Vale's eastern most villages; some who still hold grudges for my decision while king to allow the Mistral citizens to keep the lands they settled. It would most likely only agitate them, and with the increased Grimm activity in the area because of Gardenfell agitating the citizens is the last thing we need to do."

"Right…" Shiro had calmed down now, and caught his breath. While a little disheartened he seemed contempt. "Sorry, Oz, about barging in here."

"Gardenfell was a sudden incident to all of us; it's more than reasonable that emotions would be running high. Remember, I didn't say I'm leaving the mimic Grimm alone, just that I want more than no information on her before I do make a move."

"Ri-…" Shiro abruptly cut himself off, and his face became one of shock. Ozpin raised an eyebrow.

"Shiro?"

"Her?" Shiro said quietly, "Whoever said the mimic was a female?" Shit! Compensate!

"You told me it looked female, remember?"

Shiro slowly shook his head, "It had a feminine build, yeah, but that isn't mentioned anywhere in the reports." A skeptical expression started taking over Shiro's face.

"VNN had a shot of it on Gardenfell's walls, Shiro, it was clear to see."

"The picture quality was terrible, and there was too much smoke to get a clear visual." Shiro took a step back. "And, if that was the case why did you say I told you when your real reason was the TV report?"

"I misspoke."

"Misspoke?!" Shiro looked offended, "In all my years of knowing you, Oz, you've never misspoken a word in your life. Everything is calculated…" He trailed off as his mind was more than likely thinking of something.

"Shiro, listen to m-"

"You know it." The conversation halted.

"That's preposterous how would I-"

"The dust mines," he wasn't really talking to Oz anymore, but more thinking out loud. "You were there that day while still the king, and the soldiers said Vacuo had the mimic fighting alongside them." He looked back to Ozpin with further skepticism. "You knew about it since back then?"

"Look-"

"Answer me!" Shiro slammed his hands down on Ozpin's desk causing Oz to jump a little. There was a dangerous look in Shiro's eye; a look that could snap in a moment. After a few moments of silence Ozpin answered.

"Yes, I knew about the mimic Grimm when I met her in Vacuo." Shiro's body visibly tensed up. "However, at the time-"

"At the time?!" Shiro's outburst cut off Ozpin. "There is no 'at the time' when it comes to the creatures of Grimm! Damned if it was helping Vacuo! Is that why? So it could win the war?"

"No, I left it alone because its involvement, I felt, was only a footnote in what won the war."

"A footnote!? That 'footnote' took on a battalion of trained soldiers! That 'footnote' singlehandedly beat my former squad mate while he was wearing a Squire-45 battle-suit! That 'footnote' just wiped an entire village off the map in a single afternoon! That's not a fucking footnote, Oz!"

"Yes, I realize that now, but even you must understand; after the battle there was so much death, and destruction. If I had turned on the mimic then that would have only lost more good soldiers their lives. Soldiers who, at the time, were cheering for the mimic on her front."

"You let the mimic slide because of some delusional nut jobs from Vacuo?"

"They weren't 'nut jobs'."

"They were fighting alongside a Grimm!"

"There's more to it than that."

"What could be 'more to it'? It's a Grimm! A Grimm that hates the members of my former squad, and is doing everything it can to get at me including teaming up with Salem! How could you just let a threat like that go?"

"I've told you already-"

"You've told me bullshit!" Shiro abruptly lifted himself from the desk, and began briskly walking towards the door.

"Shiro! Where are you going?"

"To clean up your mistake! I'm sorry, but you'll have to find a substitute for my classes."

"Shiro!" It was too late, though, as Shiro had already slammed the door shut on his way out. Ozpin cursed to himself in his head. He currently had very limited authority with the council breathing down his neck. Ozpin also knew Shiro would be able to convince the Neuanfang to go after the mimic. He bit his lip in frustration at his slip-up earlier as he felt that something terrible was now set in motion that could potentially rival Gardenfell.