January 17th

Beacon CCTS Tower

Beacon Academy

City Of Vale

Vale

1:58 PM

"I cannot believe I am saying this," Rose said, slamming a fist down on Ozpin's desk while the man cringed. "But we need at least some special operatives besides James in Vale to handle this situation. Ashlynn Schnee and Dean Carson are, even more so now considering the amount of times we've seen them together or have gotten proof of such, clearly in the same evil vein. Cinder Fall and Roman Torchwick, they call themselves. Do you remember the recording Emmett obtained not too long ago? Something needs to be done and it needs to be done quickly."

"Rose, please calm down." Ozpin said, standing up to his full height which was considerably higher than hers. "I understand that this situation is difficult, but responding directly –"

"I agree with Rose," Cristal gently set a hand to his shoulder. "Something needs to be done. This isn't something that can be handled lightly."

"Of course you think that," Qrow muttered. "You're Atlesian through and through."

"She's not wrong," Glynda sent him a slightly disdainful look. "The situation is suspicious enough as it is."

"So, you of all people you want to use force?" Qrow asked with a slight smirk to Glynda who glared at him in response. "What? Don't get mad at me 'cause I'm right."

"I'm saying that we need to handle this situation," Glynda snapped. "And if that involves using force, then yes, I am supportive of that."

"Is it really the best course of action to bring...to bring more Atlas military personnel in Vale?" Leonardo asked, trying very hard not to fidget. "It sounds dangerous and I don't –"

"Leo, are you or are you not in the Atlas military?" Emmeline asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because you are not, unless of course I am unaware of –"

"I just thought that it would be –" He protested.

"I am the one with the military experience," She almost haughtily reminded him. "And frankly I –"

"Are you trying to use your status against –" He questioned.

"I am merely pointing out a simple –" She snapped.

"Emily!" Cristal sent her a pointed look. "This isn't going to get us anywhere."

She sighed but Emmett sent Leonardo a dark glare.

"There's enough going on without you trying to meddle in Atlas," He eventually said. "If you think that shit's not getting worse then you're –"

"Emmett!" Ozpin cut across his brother in law sharply. "Do mind your language!"

"He –" Emmett protested.

"I am not condoning what he said but you need to express self-control!" Ozpin snapped. "As for you, Leo, please do not make suggestions for Emmeline is to do her job!"

Leonardo nodded in assent though the fear was more than clear in his eyes. Qrow took a long drink from his flask while James crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. Glynda retained her death grip on her crop and glared at everyone and Rose restrained herself from attempting murder on Leo. Emmeline appeared ready to collapse from equal parts of exhaustion and stress and, in response, Emmett took her tightly into his arms and leaned her head onto his shoulder with his calloused hands rubbing her back lovingly. Her long hair was down for once and his fingers quickly made their way into it, gently untangling the small bits that were a mess.

Ozpin sighed heavily, unable to comprehend what his next option was, and he was struggling to deal with the mess of people that he had brought into the fight against Salem. He was worried for his wife, even more so now she was with child. He feared for both her and their baby. Almost in the blink of an eye, the fight was becoming personal for Emmett while Rose had personal demons to fight aside from the ones right in front of her. Leo was nervous about everything and therefore a little shifty. Emmeline had been growing increasingly testy. That was just scratching the surface with the issues that the group was faced with. It almost seemed like internal discord was more difficult than dealing with Salem.

"Emmeline Cecilia Ciel," Emmett whispered, still holding her close and treading through her hair. "This doesn't matter. I've got you and I'm never letting you go. We work together to make things turn out and they have. It's alright."

"It's all just so…so fucking complicated…" Emmeline muttered though she felt some relief at his hands still steadily moving against her back. "So fucking complicated."

"Hey," Emmett said, cupping her face in his hands. "I promised that I love you piece by piece and I still stand by that promise. I always will."

"Emmett –" She started.

He kissed her gently. "It's going to be okay…" He murmured.

"That was very improper, Emmett." She chastised though she was smiling. "Are you even listening?"

"I'm always listening to you, sweetheart, I promise." Emmett said, swiftly kissing her again and she didn't protest. "But it shouldn't matter if we're improper."

"Emmett Schnee!" Emmeline's tone was sharp even though she was nuzzling his neck with her head.

"Hey...listen, I love you and I don't think there's anything wrong with showing it," Emmett brought her as close as possible. "You're my queen and I want everyone to know that I love you. I put you first. Everyone else is second."

"But there's still one thing that we have to take into account…" Emmeline murmured.

"What's that?" Emmett asked in concern. "Emmy?"

"When the first shots are fired…" Emmeline Ciel took in a deep breath before finishing. "Who do you think you can trust?"

January 21st

Haven Academy

City Of Mistral

Mistral

9:21 PM

It was going to be several more days of this, wasn't it? Salem had delayed her leaving until the seventeenth, which had meant that she had only arrived in Mistral three days ago and of course now she was going to be here for as long as the Queen saw fit. Dealing with Lionheart was getting on her last nerve and she was only a few days into it. Yes, she knew that it was important for her to ensure that he stayed allied with herself and Salem, but it was obnoxious how he was only doing this out of fear. Fear of all the things that a person could work for Salem for. It pissed her off and she decided that he wasn't just afraid, he was weak. A reasonably capable huntsman, but not much more than that. He bent to Salem's will out of the fear of her wrath.

Cinder didn't bend, at least, that's what she told herself. It was an exchange. A business deal between her and Salem. Salem trained her and taught her how to use her pre existing powers and would, eventually, ensure that she obtained even greater power while Cinder in turn gave her loyalty. That was a simple price to pay. She chose to forget that reason she was involved with Salem in the first place was because she didn't want to die. She also chose to forget that she was sometimes afraid of Salem and that the last thing she wanted was to unleash the full wrath of the Queen. Cinder declared herself to be strong, a natural born leader who deserved power in spite of being brushed aside by people for years.

She was going to have to go and have her talk with Lionheart for the day soon enough. She was currently staying in one of the dorms of Haven Academy under the guise of a temporary exchange student in her fourth and last year from Beacon Academy in Vale. Her grey contacts and sleekly pulled back black hair had been working wonders. Everyone assumed that she was who she claimed to be. No one suspected that she was the missing and/or dead Atlesian woman by the name of Ashlynn Schnee. Even Lionheart didn't know who she was, or at least who she had been born as. It was finally setting in that she was no longer that woman, and it felt good. She was a powerful woman of prodigious skill, not a weak woman who had a sob story past. Making her way to begin her meeting, she kept her gaze focused straight away and avoided engaging anyone. She wasn't going to risk any 'slip ups' as Salem had put it.

"Come in," Lionheart said as she slowly began to open the door. As soon as it was closed behind her, she moved towards his desk and analyzed him for a minute as Salem had taught her to. Fear was all she could see.

"Have you asked Ozpin and the others to give up on finding Schnee?" She asked, her face not betraying who that she was talking about herself.

"I have suggested it…" Lionheart quaked slightly as her eyes flared. "But the Ciels and Emmett will not stand down. Even Glynda -"

"What was it that the Queen sent me here for you to do on her orders?" Cinder demanded though he didn't answer. "Well?"

He flinched. "I understand...and I know that she isn't pleased -"

"You're right," She confirmed. "Salem isn't pleased at all."

"Why is it that you aren't afraid of using her name?" Lionheart asked, glancing around nervously.

Cinder laughed in a dry way similar to Salem's. "Oh Leonardo, don't you understand. Fear isn't getting you anywhere. You're paralyzed."

He bit his lip. "I am -"

"A coward, " Cinder responded simply. "A coward because you did not choose to join our side and supply us with information out of any solid reasoning. You did so out of fear."

"I...I…" He stuttered.

"Stop them from investigating further," Cinder snapped. "Salem ordered it and you and I both know that she does not take it well when a servant doesn't do their job."

"What about Ozpin?" He asked nervously.

"Ozpin? You're joking, right?" Cinder laughed again, almost finding amusement in the situation. "What is about Ozpin that is so special? He's never going to win."

"What if he does?" Another flash of fear crossed his face and the seer in the corner got up.

"Coward," Salem declared through the seer. "Cinder is most certainly right in that regard."

"Your Grace -" He started.

"Save it," Salem snapped. "Ozpin is not going to win. Oh, he can try but that doesn't mean that he'll succeed. I have defeated him before and I will have no difficulty doing it again."

"He has...powerful allies…" Lionheart choked out, fear petrifying him as the seer moved closer. "He's got some of the most skilled huntsman and huntresses on his side. He has General Ciel, Emmett Schnee, Glynda Goodwitch, and it wouldn't shock me -"

"Have you ever even seen them fight?" Salem asked.

"At the Vytal Festival...if Ozpin was to bring in Team JGED's other members…especially James Ironwood, they'd be -"

"Shut up!" Salem snapped once again, her anger starting to show through. "You could name any talented fighter and I would tell you the same thing. Mankind can fight, but they will burn."

"Your Grace -" Lionheart tried again.

"She's right, Leonardo," Cinder told him, a false sense of pity glinting in her eyes. "You need to influence them and, more importantly, supply us with information."

The seer moved closer to Lionheart and, as he shrunk back in fear, extended its tentacles more and more threateningly. Dissipating the threat of choking at the last second, Salem scoffed at him once again for his cowardice before relinquishing her connexions. Cinder glared at the man one last time for good measure before she turned quickly on her heel and left the room. It really just wasn't her day, was it? Dealing with a man so petrified by fear was bad enough, but the fact that part of her was screaming about how wrong it was what she was doing was even worse. After all, if it was getting her what she wanted, what she deserved, how bad was it in the end?

Don't the ends justify the means?

January 22nd

City Of Mantle

United Kingdom Of Atlas

Downtown

7:12 PM

Looking around the city of Mantle, Dean couldn't stop the feelings of deja vu that accompanied being back here for a mission. This time it wasn't clearing out grimm like the mission he had been on with his team had been. This was an investigation into the Schnee Dust Company. He was in the city center this time as well, which was another change of the scenery. It was so different from the city of Atlas. The shift in economic prosperity between the two cities was noticeable and shocking when one thought about it. In spite of the fact that various people had warned him to be careful here, he wasn't afraid. Having been born and raised in the poorest part of the city, he knew all of the things to watch for. Street smarts were not something that he had ever lacked. There were dangerous parts of the city that he had no intention of going to unless absolutely necessary, but it was also where he had grown up. He knew this city like the back of his hand.

What he was starting to learn, though, that made him angry was the fact that the Schnee Dust Company was taking advantage of the situation. He had never been fond of the company because of how wealthy it was in comparison to him and the way people around him as a child talked about the company certainly didn't bring about a positive view. The irony was that, in spite of his dislike of the Schnee family name, he became close friends with Emmett happened by accident. Back when Nicholas was still running the company and it still had ethics, the Schnees had been in the city and Emmett and Dean had run into each other by accident. They were seven years old at the time and spent several days hanging out together. Nicholas was so happy that his youngest was finally making friends that he agreed to bring Emmett into the city so that the boys could spend time together as friends. Furthermore, he brought Dean into the city of Atlas a few times to spend time with Emmett at their house. That changed when Jacques took over when Emmett and Dean were around thirteen. Things took a turn for the worst after that.

Anger towards Jacques was a mutual feeling between Emmett and Dean. For Dean he represented oppression, and for Emmett it was a personal war. The two of them had both viewed the man as a dick but, as the prior stated, for different reasons. Many of Dean's friends had left the city of Mantle once they reached adulthood to take jobs in the Schnee Dust Company because of the hope that they would get a chance at a new life. That didn't happen and a lot of people that he was close to felt like they had been taken advantage, which in fairness they had been. Even his parents thought that it would be a good idea and, shortly after he started at Atlas Academy with Emmett, Glynda, and James, they decided that they would try their luck. Shitty luck, as it happened, befell them and they died in a mining accident that same year.

As for Emmett, seeing what the man did to his sister and niece had been enough to draw his hatred. The marriage between Jacques and Willow had been arranged from the start by Nicholas who thought that Jacques would be a good match for his daughter. That went even further when he decided to pass the company onto him rather than his eldest, which had been his original plan. It took time, but, once Emmett got to be around fourteen, he decided that his dislike of Jacques was justified. At fourteen, Emmett had overheard a nasty fight between his sister and her husband and the moment he heard his sister get slapped was the same in which he felt that he had been proven to be correct. As Winter got older and more independent, Emmett then had to watch her get cut down by her own father for being willing to do what she wanted.

Of course, then there was Cristal. Dean had never cared much for her, considering that she had often been what he would call snotty to him. She had always eyed him suspiciously out of the corner of her eyes, even when she was reading or in the middle of something else. He had felt it to be a game of cat and mouse that he could never win. When she had married Ozpin, which was one of the few things he had gotten out of Emmett since their team disbanded, he hadn't been surprised. There was something about the twenty-nine year old headmaster of Beacon that bothered him, but he supposed that could be his own prejudice towards Cristal. Emmett had always been defensive of his sister, if aware of her shortcomings, but Dean believed he saw her for what she was: a bitter woman looking to put people like him behind bars.

He had been thrilled when he learned that she and Emmett had received next to nothing in their father's will.

Regardless, the family was fucked. Emmett was the last person that Dean blamed for any of it but he couldn't stop himself from feeling an immense anger towards the entire Schnee family as he walked past closed Dust shops that were wasting away or when he saw small children who had lost one or both of their parents to company accidents. It was not something he had thought to prepare himself for when he had taken the mission in his hometown. The wind continued to blow sharply through the streets, pricking at his exposed skin. As it blew, he pulled his hat further down his spiky, burnt orange hair to try and warm himself though it did little. There wasn't much that he was certain about being around here again, but it felt wrong. A sinking feeling filled him through his core and even though he tried to focus on his mission he couldn't. Suddenly stopping to let a small girl pass on his bike, he decided to slow down and take in his surroundings. It wasn't all dreary, though there was plenty of that. Several children were playing together and just seeing their happiness despite the gravity of the place was another call back to his childhood.

Sighing as he continued to walk past apartments and various other buildings squished together in the increasingly narrow streets, he let his mind and his gaze wander. He hadn't spoken to his sister in months and the few times they had spoken had been relatively impersonal. He hated his family, too, just as much as he hated this place. There was nostalgia here but at the same time he didn't want his childhood back. Then he didn't know how to fight. Now that he was older, he felt like he knew what he was doing, and he also felt like he was finally going somewhere. As he walked past the cemetery, he tried not to look very hard into it. He didn't want to think too hard about anything right now and visiting his parents was going to do that. Continuing to walk past the houses just in front of the cemetery, he paused in front of one particular house. It was squashed between a few others and was only one room, but he recognized it. That was his childhood home and it still had the yellow flowers growing in front that he remembered his mother had planted for hope. Not feeling guilty about taking one of them, he placed it gently in his coat pocket. Hope. They were going to need a lot of that hope to carry on.