June 3rd

Beacon Academy Library

Beacon Academy

City Of Vale

Vale

Downtown

12:13 PM

Caitlin Ironwood-Goodwitch looked at Yang before groaning. "There's going to be a dance? Are you fucking kidding me? I finish towards the top of my class during my first two semesters at university, and this is the thanks I get? A fucking -"

"Oh, come on!" Yang laughed at her expression while the older girl was adjusting her glasses and finally rested her head on the table in her arms. "It's not the end of the world. It's not like I just told you have six months to live. I know you don't like -"

"I don't like loud noises, I don't like large groups of people, and I…" Glaring at Ivy, Caitlin sighed. "I'm going to feel like a fucking hypocrite if I go to this thing."

"Why?" Yang asked, completely confused. "What's hypocritical about it?"

Ivy sat down on her the table top and began to manipulate her hair with her semblance with a smirk towards her sister. "Go on," She prompted. "Tell them."

Taking out her scroll and pulling up a photograph from a few years prior, Caitlin narrowed her eyes at Yang before showing it to her. In the image that Samara had taken, Caitlin was plastering posters up on the walls of what appeared to be an Atlesian high school that read things to the effect of "cancel the prom" and "you all have better things to do with your life than getting fucked or wasted."

"I was seventeen, because I had a late birthday and I was in Year Eleven. Ivy, Sam, Jake, Lily, and I were known for being in the most rigours classes and excelling though we were also known for being 'the freaks'. Most of the people we had classes with were from other kingdoms because their parents were diplomats or something along those lines but the Atlesians were some of the snobbiest, bitchiest, and, in my opinion, stupidest people I've ever had the misfortune of coming across."

Yang started cracking up laughing. "That's incredible."

Caitlin scowled. "It didn't help any of us that there were astigmatisms attached to us, and there were definitely a few people who pulled the whole 'Oh, the General's daughter' shit on all of us, and believe me, that's what led to Emmett exchanging some fairly nasty things with the administration. Followed by that, after all of us got fed up with the people we were surrounded by, came things like this."

Yang giggled. "You look adorable in that, you know the black leather pants and combat boots with the tight grey top and red leather jacket and your glasses. The cable knit beanie is cute too, though I've never seen you without a feather in your hair for a long time."

"My glasses, as cute as they are, aren't a fashion choice," Caitlin told her with a smirk. "As much as I love them, I legitimately need them to see."

Ivy snorted. "That's an understatement. You can't see three feet in front of you without them."

Ruby craned over to look at the image herself. "So, other than the obvious," She started. "What exactly is that?"

Caitlin sighed heavily. "Okay," She said. "So, Sam, Ivy, and I were in a fit of passion against people and it was my idea to, and I quote, 'spite them as if it's our job.' The obvious place to start was prom: something Sam and I had been vehemently against for years and incredibly vocal about while also being something Ivy was indifferent to. I tried to get permission from admin to have this be a movement, but I was sharply told no. Now, when it comes to something I want to do badly enough, that is all it takes to make me want to do it even more. So we made these posters and hung them everywhere. Long story short, we all got called in to the main office a week later and they called our parents. Since Emmett's 'just an Atlas Academy professor' they started with Sam and Lily's -"

"Who started with us and why?" Sam asked as she playfully pulled Caitlin's hair out of its bun, causing her to yelp in surprise before turning to glare at her while Sam ruffled her hair. "Seriously, what are you -"

"Year Eleven for me and Ives and Year Ten for you and Lily: the Cancel The Prom campaign," Caitlin informed her.

Sam giggled as she looked at the photograph. "Oh, yeah, I remember that. Hey, are we going to -"

"And break everyone's hearts?" Caitlin asked her with mock horror. "Never, never in a million years would I do such a thing!"

Sam laughed before sitting down next to her. "So, you were saying."

Turning back to her sister and Yang, Caitlin smirked a little before continuing. "The administration called Emmett first and he had been playing pool with Spencer because it was their planning and they were done with actual work. Emmett was surprised that they were calling him because Sam had never done anything to get herself into trouble before and they said, 'Mister Schnee, we need you to come down because your daughter is here with Caitlin and Ivory Ironwood and Emmett came down and was incredibly irritable - especially when he found out what Sam was in for - and he had a row with several administrators before slipping them a little bit of lien to get all of us out of trouble. I'm pretty sure that -"

"Glynda and James never found out," Sam finished though she started laughing. "But I wouldn't be surprised if -"

"Salutations, Yang Xiao Long!" A girl with short, curly orange hair, a pink bow, and green eyes said as she joined them. "And Ruby Rose! I thought I might be able to find you here! If I may ask, who are your companions?"

Caitlin raised an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

"Penny Polendina," The girl declared with a smile. "I'm competing in the Vytal Festival with my team from Atlas Academy." Turning to Caitlin and Ivy who exchanged a look before glancing at Sam who faintly nodded, Penny smiled. "Who are you three?"

Ivy smiled though Caitlin felt her stomach tying into knots. "Ivy Ironwood -"

"Oh!" Penny exclaimed in surprise. "You two are General Ironwood's daughters?"

Caitlin adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Yeah…hey."

"Uh, Caitlin, Ivy," Sam said nervously. "Don't we have that...uh...thing to go to? I thought that...that… oh yes, Professor…Professor Goodwitch wants to speak with us! About uh...that thing with Cardin."

Caitlin and Ivy stood up almost immediately. "We'll..." Ivy started awkwardly. "We'll talk later!"

Penny nodded excitedly before waving. "Of course!"

June 5th

Beacon Academy

Transport Station

City Of Vale

Vale

Downtown

3:29 PM

James sighed as he looked from Ivy to Sam and then to Lysithea, all of whom were sharing a look of concern while Emmett kept a hand on his eldest daughter's shoulder. "Sam," James finally started. "My first question is how in the hell you managed to get the security clearance required to get in here because there's no way you could have obtained that legally."

Sam looked at Emmett nervously, but he nodded to tell her that she could tell the truth.

"Well," She said, shifting awkwardly. "I didn't use my security clearance because I don't have one. I used my scroll."

"That's the problem," James told her. "Because your scroll shouldn't have that clearance on it."

Laughing nervously, Sam pulled out her scroll. "Well, maybe you should ask my dad about that."

James looked at Emmett in surprise while he smirked. "Emmett, you have got to be…does Emmeline…" James shook his head and sighed upon her stepping into the room.

"What's going on?" Emmeline started, glancing hesitantly towards Emmett, Sam, and Lysithea.

"I'm pretty sure Emmett put his security credentials into Sam's scroll," James told her. "Not that I –"

"Emmett, that was ridiculously irresponsible, giving that to Sam," Emmeline sent her husband a sharp look. "And it could cost you your license as a huntsman if it ever got out. Really, you put in some of your security credentials so she could –"

"It was just so she could easily get into the house once we updated the security system," Emmett told her, putting his hands up in surrender. "I didn't realize how much information it gave her access to. Regardless, we've already told her everything about the group, and -"

"Oh, so like an android with aura by the name of Penny?" Ivy put in, refusing to be subtle and crossing her arms as anger bubbled up in her. "Because -"

"How in the hell do you know about that?" James asked her, genuinely shocked though the look on Sam's face was an answer in and of itself. "Of course."

Emmett glared. "What? So now you're going to arrest me and my daughter -"

"No," James told him with finality, causing Emmett to breathe a sigh of relief. "But you're all going to have to answer some questions in regards to the topic."

Emmett shrugged. "As long as none of us get arrested, I don't really care."

Emmeline elbowed him sharply. "I still cannot believe that you did something that irresponsible."

James sighed and turned to Sam, who nervously began to trail her fingers through her dark waves. "How many people know about this?" He asked. "Sam -"

"Me, Ivy, Caitlin, and Lily," Sam said after a moment of hesitation. "And whoever else is involved in the project for real. But we also know -"

"That's better than I expected," James muttered, pacing. "If it's just the four of you and Emmett, then I suppose -"

"James!" Glynda snapped as she came into the room, followed by Caitlin. "I've got more than a few questions for you -"

"And my wife, apparently," James added, looking to Emmett who was restraining himself from laughing. "Look, I can explain -"

"Then you damn right better," Glynda said, crossing her arms with her crop in hand. "Because I -"

"I pushed back against the project more than once," James assured her, his voice tired, and she sighed. "We all did, but the Department Of Scientific Advancement And Ethical Oversight overruled us as well as the Department Of Justice, the Department Of Local And National Law Enforcement, and the Department Of Foreign Affairs And Military Action. Anemone Jansen and Crystal Watson-Winchester in particular were very much for the project and specifically for the making of the -"

"Android with an aura?" Glynda suggested dryly. "That's completely unethical -"

"I know that, and I expressed the view that there was no need for the creation of an android with an aura but -"

"She's competing in the Vytal Festival as a student from Atlas Academy, isn't she?" Glynda demanded while they all looked at her nervously. "Ozpin doesn't know about this, does he?"

James sighed. "Of course he doesn't know. Do you honestly think that, after how reluctant he was to use Atlas technology to sustain Amber, he would approve? Hell, even Cristal doesn't know and she really ought to, considering that -"

"I get it," Glynda sighed. "I'm not happy about it, but I understand it."

Though he knew that she was upset, James moved over towards her and pulled her into him, his hands resting over her cape.

"Glynda," He said gently. "I would have told you if it weren't classified, I really would have. But no one besides the people in this room can hear about this because of that. I'm not reporting this...but this has to stay quiet."

"I know," Glynda admitted quietly. "But that doesn't negate the fact that it's wrong."

"I agree," James told her before looking at the girls. "But I can't change it. Speaking of which, how much do you three know?"

Caitlin, Ivy, and Sam exchanged a look before Caitlin sighed. "Well, we know about the maidens, Salem, and Ozpin being the man with -"

James looked at them incredulously. "You all know about that -"

Glancing towards Emmeline before running his fingers through his long, white waves with one hand and taking hers tightly in his with the other, Emmett tried to collect his thoughts as he cut across him.

"Nevermind that," He said. "They already know and were going to regardless. With the android, though, James, do you think a line has been crossed, ethically?"

"Yes," He told him severely. "Which was why I tried to have the project closed."

"Fuck Jansen and Watson-Winchester," Emmett said bitterly. "Maybe if they had just listened to the security council this wouldn't be the literal hell that it is."

Ivy looked to both Glynda and James before sighing.

"Can we all go now?" She begged. "Since we're not in trouble?"

Glynda nodded but sent her a sharp look. "We're not discussing this any further."

Ivy glanced at her nails before shrugging. "Eh, that's not really much of an issue. You know, considering that if something goes wrong -"

"Such as…" Glynda questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Ivy, apart from the obvious which would her being discovered as an android, what could -"

"Well, she's competing in the tournament, isn't she?" Ivy said and James nodded. "Well then if Penny gets destroyed or -"

"The chances of that happening are incredibly low," Emmett said, almost laughing. "Ivy, we're talking about something designed in Atlas. I'm pretty sure that, sentient or not, that Penny will fine."

"I have to agree," Emmeline put in tiredly. "It's not going to become an issue."

"I hope so," Caitlin said, muttering as she crossed her arms and her gaze traveled to her feet. "Oh, and that's the least of my current….social concerns."

James looked at her in surprise. "Would that have anything to do with the campaign that you, Ivy, and Sam and Lily ran during Year Eleven?"

Lysithea groaned in frustration. "Sam and I were in Year Ten!"

"So what?" Ivy said, before punching the younger girl in the arm. "That doesn't change anything."

James sighed. "Caitlin -"

"It'll make me a fucking hypocrite!" She exclaimed, then sighing heavily. "And it seems like all of this is heading to one conclusion…all of this has begun because of that damn spark and, given what we know…I believe we may have already lost all hope and chances for peace."

June 13th

City of Atlas

Atlas

Downtown

8:24 PM

"Cristal Schnee?" Senator Jameson Sleet took a step back in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

She stared at him for a moment in disbelief and then caught a brief glimpse of herself in the window glass at the other side of the senator's spacious office.

"Forty-five years," Cristal finally said, not meeting his gaze for a moment, tapping her fingers against the bookshelf near the door. "You have had all forty-five years of my life to tell me the truth and you never have. Hell, you may not even admit to it now…dad."

Sleet suddenly looked rather nervous and ran a hand through his mostly grey hair.

"How did you find out?" He eventually said. "I thought Nicholas and Victoria had never –"

"I found it in one of his notebooks," She told him, crossing her arms. "But I suppose it makes sense. I've never looked like my…like Nicholas and –"

"Let me ask you this," He said, feeling more guilty than he ever had. "Were you better off not knowing?"

Cristal shook her head. "I'm a lawyer, Sleet, and I find solace in facts…in the truth."

"I should have figured," He said, sighing heavily. "I'm sorry, Cristal, I can't even begin to imagine how difficult this must be for you."

"I'm not surprised that my mother...well, she and I were never close," She chewed at the inside of her cheek for a moment in thought. "I was more surprised that...that he never told me."

"Nicholas should have told you, yes, and I'm surprised that he didn't, if I'm being honest," Sleet let out a short, dry laugh. "I suppose, though, in his own way, he did."

"It explains why he always…" Cristal cut herself off. "Never mind."

Sleet eyed her for a moment and then awkwardly embraced her for a few seconds.

"Whatever you went through because of him, it was never your fault," He said gently. "And I'm sorry that I put such a burden on you."

June 16th

Beacon Academy

City of Vale

Vale

Downtown

11:18 PM

"Caitlin, I swear, you aren't a hypocrite." Ivy said through the bathroom door. "Now show us the fucking dress!"

"Or I'll come in and tear it off of you!" Sam declared, giggling as the Caitlin opened the door angrily, pushed up her glasses, and stalked out. "Damn..." She started. "You look gorgeous."

The eldest Ironwood-Goodwitch was in a form fitting dress that showed her hourglass figure. There was a feather headband with sequin tassels that hung down past her glasses. The dress itself was a perfect fit for her and was black, yet sparkling and distinctly reminiscent of the 1920s. She was wearing black heeled boots that were three inches high and had silver swirls going up the side while her pale hair was in a low, side ponytail with a sparkling decorative comb placed a little bit above it. Her lipstick was a dark, shimmering purple that worked even against her incredibly pale skin and hair. Sending Sam an irritable look, Caitlin collapsed down on the bed while Ivy laughed and pulled on her own dress, which was a long, indigo coloured dress with a long piece of black velvet wrapped multiple times around the waist. The shoulders were lacy and resembled leaves against her arms while her heels were strappy and open toed. Sam herself was also in her dress, which she had, still unknown to Emmett and Emmeline, 'stolen' from her mother's closet.

"I'm nervous too..." Caitlin admitted quietly, standing up and staring at herself disdainfully in the mirror. "Every day, it seems something else is horribly amiss."

"I know..." Sam said, her stomach tying into knots. "Sorry. I'm just…"

"Hey..." Caitlin said as she pulled Sam into a tight embrace. "It's going to be alright...hopefully."

"At least you're honest," Sam said, the sickening feeling still not leaving. "You tell me the truth even when I don't want to hear it."

"Sorry?" Caitlin said, unsure of how to respond. "I mean, if it's true, it shouldn't matter if someone wants to hear it or -"

Impulsively, Sam shifted the little she needed to in Caitlin's arms to kiss her. Surprised, Caitlin didn't quite know how to respond at first but soon kissed her back and drew Sam closer to her while the younger woman's hands slowly trailed down her back and rested low on her waist. Unlike any of her previous relationships, this was natural. It was also consuming and passionate, her tongue and Sam's fighting for dominance while, for the current moment, the room faded away and it was only the two of them. Her fingers wrapped tightly around Sam's long, thick dark hair and she melted into the feeling of Sam's soft lips against her own though, as she broke the kiss, she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed that she had let her emotions take the lead over her mind.

"Uh...Sam -"

Ivy cleared her throat loudly while Yang and Blake, who both Caitlin and Sam assumed came in some time during their embrace, giggled and played with Ivy's hair. "So...when did the two of you get involved."

Caitlin turned a furious pink. "I...I…"

"We're not...uh...um...involved," Sam said though she looked at Caitlin hesitantly when she said it. "I mean, uh, unless you want to be."

Looking at Sam in surprise, Caitlin nodded hesitantly. "Yes, we're involved."

Throwing her arms around Caitlin and causing her to lose balance and almost fall over, Sam kissed her deeply again. "Really?"

Caitlin nodded, though this time with more force. "Yes."

"Hey, Sam…" Emmett said as he came into the room though he looked at her in surprise and put his scroll away. "Uh...Sam, what's -"

Embarrassed, Sam pulled herself off of Caitlin who trying to hide her face. "Please don't get angry with me."

Emmett gave her another look of surprise before pulling her into a hug and then letting her sit down while he paced.

"Sam," He finally said. "There are no circumstances under which I could get angry with you. So: what is it? Because -"

"Caitlin and I are involved," Sam squeaked and Yang started giggling furiously. "Um, and -"

Emmett started laughing. "You know what?" He said with a smirk. "Emmy and I should have known. Speaking of which…" Emmett turned to Caitlin, adjusting his glasses and winking. "What decade do you think you live in, again?"

She grinned with a sparkly glint in her bright green eyes.

"The 20s, of course," She replied. "It's '21, after all."

June 29th

Beacon Academy CCTS Tower

Beacon Academy

City of Vale

Vale

9:13 PM

"Uh...so are we in trouble?" Ivy asked and Ozpin looked at her sharply.

"No," He said with a heavy sigh. "But, because of what you know, I want you to consider something. First, do you know about what happened to Amber?"

Ivy didn't respond but Caitlin did. "Yeah," She said darkly. "She was attacked by Cinder and part of her powers were stolen. Too bad no one was able to strike the bitch down."

"We don't know for certain if she was attacked by Cinder," Ozpin told her. "But yes, she was attacked, is currently comatose and is barely sustained by Atlas technology, and part of her powers as the fall maiden were stolen."

Caitlin looked at him inquisitively though Glynda, Emmeline, and Emmett felt sick. After exchanging a brief glance with Cristal, her cape fluttered as she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder protectively after pulling out her crop.

"No," Glynda told him, her nails digging into Caitlin's shoulder. "Absolutely not. I'd sooner die than let you do that to either of them."

Emmett nodded, his face in horror. "Not Sam. Not Lily. Not Caitlin. Not Ivy."

Ozpin sighed. "None of you even know what I was going to say."

"Then say it," Emmeline challenged him, her voice taking on a bitter edge. "Say it."

"Caitlin, would you be willing to take on the powers of the fall maiden?" Ozpin said slowly and the girl's eyes widened in shock while she adjusted her glasses. "Caitlin?"

"How?" She asked, fearful of what the process would entail. "I can't kill her, I -"

"Amber would die, yes," Cristal admitted, letting Ozpin pull her a little closer. "But we would transfer her aura to which her powers are bound into you which...which could have unknown effects on you."

"That's completely unethical, not to mention disturbing on so many levels!" Caitlin exclaimed, her bright green eyes blazing. "I can't even -"

"The feeling is mutual," Glynda assured her bitterly while she Emmett and Emmeline looked at Ozpin. "But it's a step of desperation because if Cinder really was the one who attacked her -"

Emmeline scoffed. "Even if she wasn't, whoever stole part of her powers isn't anyone we want with them."

Ozpin looked to Ivy. "Ivy?"

Ivy hesitated, looking at her mother and twin sister before sighing heavily, her voice quivering as she spoke. "I'll do it."

"No!" Glynda snapped, horrified by the prospect. "No! You aren't doing that, Ivy I don't care how noble you think doing so is, I won't risk my own daughter for this! It's selfish, but I can't!"

"Glynda –" Cristal started, still struggling herself to come to terms with the situation.

"Absolutely not!" Glynda told him, her tone indicating that that was final. "It's not happening, and I don't care what I have to do to ensure that. Find another guardian, because it's not going to be either of my girls."

"Or mine," Emmett said, tears and bitterness finally escaping him. "You won't let your girls do it, so why are you asking us?"

"I…I don't know," Ozpin sighed heavily again, sharing a worried look with his wife. "Then I suppose we need to find our guardian."