"I still can't believe Sassler took you off, all things considered," Karissa frowned when she, Spencer, and Glynda stepped into the teacher's lounge of Atlas Academy. "I'm happy about it, of course, it just seems out of character for her."

"I have a good reason," Glynda said, pulling her coat tighter around herself. "Why the hell is it so cold in here?"

"Heat gets turned off when we're not in session," Spencer told her, flipping on the lights which hummed to life. "Should have warned you, but it should come back on at some point today since we need to start preparing for the Festival."

"And now I see why Emmett didn't come," Karissa remarked with a teasing look to her husband. "For someone that grew up in the capital and knows its winter, he really hates the cold."

"He's a pansy," Spencer said, shrugging and then wrapping an arm loosely around her. "Emily's always had her hands full with him."

He paused for a moment and sighed, looking around the room. It was unusually bright, it seemed, and it was colder than the rest of the Academy. Glynda seemed lost in thought, and Karissa had tiredly leaned her head on her husband's shoulder. Things were still for several minutes until a rap was heard at the door, which Spencer promptly opened.

"We have a pre-paid delivery," The man said, glancing at his scroll. "Emmett Schnee paid for a pool table and had it sent here."

Spencer gestured grandly to the room. "Bring it in."

Glynda raised an eyebrow upon two burly men carrying in a remarkably polished pool table. They were followed by another man, who was carrying the sticks and balls. Karissa sent her husband an amused look, and he smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. It was only a matter of minutes before everything was set up and the deliverers left with a sharp slam of the door.

"You two were serious when you joked about getting one?" Glynda shook her head. "Does James know about this?"

Spencer looked suddenly guilty. "Well…" He started with a nervous chuckle. "I'll plead the fifth on that."

"You're not in a court of law, that doesn't apply," Karissa murmured. "Although I'm sure you can blame Emmett and it won't be your problem anymore."

Spencer considered that. "Well, he did order it…"

"You two are impossible," Glynda remarked, lightly running a hand over the polished wood of the table. "Where do you suspect he got this from?"

"No idea," Karissa said, looking rather amused. "I'm not sure it matters, either."

"Because it's a miracle he managed to get one in here?" Spencer teasingly suggested. "Or is it because you think he and I are absolutely terrible at pool?"

"Both," Karissa replied with a faint smile. "I've seen the two of you play before, and it stuns me every time that neither of you accidently take the other's eye out."

"I'd believe that," Glynda said, glancing to him with a smirk. "Considering that Emmett has also been known to lose his shoes and keys multiple times in a day."

"He is surprisingly scatterbrained," Spencer agreed with a shrug. "Although, in fairness, he's also quick on his feet and good at keeping attention when he's lecturing."

"Sounds about right," Karissa said, pausing upon seeing the price tag that was still attached to the table. "I sure hope he has a good explanation for why he spent two grand on a pool table, because I can already guarantee that Emmeline's going to be pissed."

"That may be an understatement," Spencer warned her. "Or he'll find a way to convince her not to be angry with him for very long."

Glynda sent him a slightly concerned look. "Do we want to know what that means?"

"Eh," Spencer said dismissively. "She's always had a hard time being angry with him, even when she wants to be. It's kind of funny to see, to be honest."

"And believe me, we've seen it," Karissa added. "Now...let's see if I can best my husband at pool."

The prosecutor and the general met the even gaze of the man before them, though they did not know he was the shadow emperor. There was a palpable tension in the air, and the prosecutor would later realize that it had been a dangerous game they had engaged in. The shadow emperor, as they knew him, was persuasive and seated in immense personal wealth. While his identity as that mastermind remained concealed from them, they did not need it to know that he needed to be handled carefully. Mind games were his forte, and this was the first of what would prove to be many battles of wits. Oh, it was dangerous, for sure, but it was necessary. He was guilty of several high crimes and the evidence she had proved it. The fact that she was the man's sister in law was part of why the general had asked her to come. As intended, it threw the shadow emperor off guard and gave them a slight upper hand although, as she tried to explain to him that he had been subpoenaed by the Council to bear witness to his company's malpractice, he was determined, to the bitter end, to avoid receiving that news. It would be such a set back, after all.

"Jacques," Cristal Schnee said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to be blunt with you, since that seems to be the only way to effectively get your attention. You are to appear before the senate on the thirtieth of January or you will face charges of contempt. Have I made myself clear?"

He took on an appearance that betrayed his attempts to seem detached and calm.

"I see," He said, grudgingly taking the papers from her. "The Council really doesn't have better things to do with it's time than attempt to publicly humiliate business leaders, do they?"

Cristal narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe you have a say in that, now do you?"

"I don't have the experience you have as an independent contractor for the Council, but I understand politics well enough," Jacques matched her venomous stare with almost enough ice to freeze over her glasses. "You are a skilled prosecutor, Cristal, I will give you that much credit. Your firm wouldn't have chosen you to deliver this information if they didn't think you could scare me. It's a pity I don't fear you."

"It's a pity your equivocation doesn't sneak past anyone," Cristal scathingly replied. "You may not be all bad, Jacques, but the absence of evil does not make you a saint."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what is that supposed to mean? It seems ironic, considering that Alissa has blood on her hands. Linena Scarlatina's, If I'm not mistaken."

"Alice had nothing to do with what happened to Scarlatina," James interjected, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "That was discovered to be the work of the White Fang."

"Well, you can't expect her to take responsibility, can you?" Jacques laughed dryly. "She covers her tracks well but she must have had something to do with it. No one reacts to the death of a personal enemy with as much upset as her unless they regret the hand the my had in it."

James shook his head. "She's probably dealing with some form of survivor's guilt. I've seen it before, and Alice still suffers PTSD from the accident that cost her eye."

Jacques snorted. "Which she always blamed Scarlatina for — that and the end of her military career. I can still hardly believe she's being reinstated."

"Arguably, she shouldn't have been removed in the first place," James reminded him. "There was at least some level of bribery involved, as we -"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure there was," Jacques said, glancing at his scroll. "But I'm afraid we'll have to handle this another time, as I have a flight to Vacuo in two hours that I can't afford to miss."

Cristal and James shared a notably skeptical look.

"What are you doing there?" Cristal finally said. "And is this an attempt to avoid making an appearance before the Council because, if you prove to be a flight risk -"

"It's a single-day trip," He informed her with surprising sincerity. "I have some things I need to attend to there, and it may very well prove helpful to you and your colleagues."

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."

"I never asked you to," He replied, shoving his scroll into his computer bag. "You're quick-minded, Cristal, do not let that go to waste on something frivolous."

He started out of the room swiftly but paused in the doorway.

"Klein will show the two of you out," He said, then disappearing down the hall.

Cristal glanced back to James, looking rather tense, but he shook his head and she knew better than to press the matter and let her personal feelings towards her brother-in-law cloud her judgement in a matter so grave.

"Oh, great!" Emmett Schnee exclaimed with the giddy excitement of a child. His eldest sister and her wife, as a result, looked mixed between amusement and confusion. "Thanks, Spencer!"

He turned off his scroll with a charismatic smirk and slipped it into his pocket.

"I feel compelled to ask," His sister started slowly, fidgeting with her glasses. "What did you do?"

"I finally managed to get a pool table for the teacher's lounge," Emmett said smugly. "It just got delivered."

Alice started laughing almost hysterically and all but fell over into her wife.

"That," She wheezed. "Is incredible."

Cate sent her brother a semi-sharp look but then shook her head. "I have to agree with Al," She said as she steadied her wife. "That is incredible, especially considering that I'd be willing to bet that you didn't forewarn James about it."

Emmett shrugged. "He knows we've wanted one for a long time."

"Despite the fact that neither you nor Spencer know a damn thing about any sport that isn't running or horse racing," Cate replied with a smirk. "You two are odd, aren't you."

Alice glanced to her pointedly. "Sorry, honey, but your whole damn family is insane," She said, squeezing her affectionately. "I wouldn't say it's a bad thing, but it's true."

"Does your wife know anything about this is the real question, though," Cate said, crossing her arms. "Or did you forewarn her?"

"Emmy knows," Emmett said cheerfully. "She thought it was ridiculous, but she didn't object either."

"And that probably is because she knew you were going to do it regardless," She rolled her eyes. "You're a hot mess, you know that?"

"Are any of us not?" He countered. "Chrissy can be just as bad and you have a bit of drinking problem -"

"That is not true!" She protested although it occurred to her that the full glass of wine on the counter next to her didn't help. "You're full of shit on that one!"

"I beg to differ," Alice said, an arm still tightly around her wife. "Although I will give you credit for being much better than I am. Your superpower seems to be the ability to get just drunk enough to relax but not enough to feel it the next day."

Cate glared. She knew Alice had meant it teasingly but what she didn't know was how right she was. They both thought they were teasing, and they had no idea what lay beneath the surface.

"That's not helping!" She finally got out. "Are you trying to make me look bad?"

"Oh, I was only kidding," Alice said, kissing her cheek. "You're fine, darling, and you know it."

"As fine as I'll ever be," She said softly.

Alice sighed, having a feeling what she was implying. "Later."

"Hm…" Emmett said, drawing them from their thoughts. "Turns out Karissa beat Spencer in their first game. I have to say, I'm not surprised."

Cate laughed. "I'd love to see your wife beat you at it."

"That wouldn't even be fair," Emmett replied. "Emmy's always been far more coordinated than me."

"Would that explain the odd burn mark on our kitchen floor from that time you burnt yourself on a hot spoon after you tried - and failed miserably - to flambe?" Alice suggested, gesturing to the spot. "Because I think it does, if I'm remembering things right."

Emmett scowled. "Okay, now you're just being mean."

"How is being honest mean?" Alice shrugged. "Really, Emmett, I'm just honest."

"Fine, then," He amended. "You're being unfair."

"How is the truth unfair?" Alice smoothly responded, much to his chagrin. "I can do this all night, Emmett."

"I don't want to suffer through that," Cate told her. "So please don't start it now. I'd like to be able to get some sleep, after whatever the hell went on today."

"Well, I'm sure that dealing with some of the people you have to is absolute hell," Alice sighed. "Thank God I won't have that problem, at least to the same extent."

"You're terrifying, you know that?" Emmett eyed her for a moment but then waved his hand dismissively. "Damn it, you're trying to scare me, aren't you?"

Alice hesitated but managed a faint smirk. "That's right," She said. "And I, for one, think it's working."

Elizabeth dropped her scroll almost as soon as she finished reading the memo Sassler had sent her.

"What is it?" Emmeline asked, eyeing her worriedly. "I can't imagine that's good."

Elizabeth took in a deep breath to calm herself although her voice still wavered. "She has overstepped her bounds," Elizabeth finally managed. "Annabella seems to think the quickest way to put an end to all of this is to declare a national emergency."

Emmeline's lip curled at the thought. "Sassler wants to direct the military to handle the situation with the White Fang?"

"Not just them," Elizabeth replied darkly. "The Belladonnas too. Believe me, Emmeline, I hate those people and have no trust for them, but I cannot condone this. Remember all of the spying and scheming this kingdom did within itself during the Great War? We may have one of the cleaner records when it comes to human rights, but we're flawed as hell and this…"

"Is a hint at a grab for power," Emmeline finished. "Hmmph. If Annabella thinks this will help her legacy, she's dead wrong."

"And it would take months at least for the legislature to overturn it if she does," Elizabeth glared at her scroll and then sent a short message to the Atlesian President advising against the notion. "Fucking hell," She muttered. "She certainly isn't acting like she leads the freest nation."

"The freest nation and the greatest kingdom," Emmeline said heavily. "So we say, at any rate."

"She can't possibly think this is the right choice…" Elizabeth tapped her nails against her desk in thought. "Unless it isn't her idea in the first place. I have to wonder if…"

"If you're suggesting Ronnie has something to do with this, I have to disagree," Emmeline tiredly shook her head. "No, he's too cunning for that. Annabella had been unhinging since what happened last year with the assassination attempt. This fits...however disturbing it may be."

"In that case, let me repeat myself," Elizabeth said bitterly. "Fucking hell."

"Regardless, I want to know what she's thinking," Emmeline said, crossing her arms and starting to pace. "She's got a brilliant mind even if she's become paranoid. Figuring out what she actually has to gain here could help us persuade her otherwise."

Elizabeth snorted. "That should be obvious. She thinks she's at risk and wants to appear strong after a turbulent year."

"To put it mildly," Emmeline swore under her breath. "Eliza," She said calmly. "With the Vytal Festival looming on the horizon, this seems to be a terrible plan."

"I'm not denying that," Elizabeth said, pushing her scroll to the side. "I am just saying that I'm not shocked by her actions."

"Actions which are legally questionable at best," Emmeline reminded her. "What could she possibly stand to gain in this?"

"No idea," Elizabeth said, beginning to flip through files. "Perhaps power, although it's been almost two hundred years since Atlas last…"

Emmeline sighed. "I don't think we're headed for another civil war."

"I certainly hope not," Elizabeth said, probing her forehead. "It'd be a nightmare if we ended up there."

"Well, hopefully Sassler will listen to you, all things considered," Emmeline glanced to her scroll as it began to ring. "I have to take this, sorry."

Elizabeth nodded shortly and heard only a few words of what Emmeline was saying to her teenage daughter. Yet she was not focused on her work. She was distracted at best and her thoughts were swirling around her. It was almost painful.

"Where are we going?" Elizabeth murmured to herself, tapping her hand against her desk in thought. "Even with a new president being elected in November…"

"Sassler's immensely popular," Emmeline said, muting her scroll for a moment. "The things she says, whether or not she's the president, will carry weight."

"That's exactly what concerns me," Elizabeth replied. "If this is what she thinks she can do with her power, if this is what she think is right, then power really has changed her. I hate to say it, but this has come to all of us as a blindside...and all I can hope for is that it doesn't end poorly for us all."

Emmeline fell silent but nodded shortly before returning to speaking with her seemingly pissed teenage daughter.

"Ugh!" Yang exclaimed. "Why do I keep dying?"

"Because you suck at Super Mario?" Sapphire suggested, winking. "It's okay, Yang. There's nothing wrong with being Princess Peach."

Qrow rolled his eyes. "I thought we'd decided on no trash talk."

"I'm not trash talking anyone," Sapphire said innocently. "I speaketh only the truth. I am the master at this, and I will -"

She cursed upon falling off the cliff and into the lava just before the goal, which Qrow swooped up perfectly.

"Seems you got distracted," He noted with a grin. "I guess I win."

"You…" Sapphire sent him a dark look. "You did that on purpose!"

"Did I?" He said, imitating her feigned innocence. "I thought I was just reminding my niece to be nice."

"Good one!" Ruby smacked his hand in a high five. "Ooo...uncle Qrow, can we play Mortal Kombat now?"

"No!" Tai exclaimed, dropping the bags of groceries he had been carrying when he stepped into the room. "Are you out of your mind? Ruby Rose, you are way too young to be playing a video game like that!"

Ruby pouted. "But I've played it with uncle Qrow before."

"Yeah," Yang chimed in. "And it's not that violent."

Tai sent her a sharp look. "Yang, you have said that about Call of Duty, Skyrim, and Halo. Don't even try."

She muttered something under her breath and it was probably a good thing he couldn't make out what it was.

"Anyways," Tai said, regaining himself. "I was thinking that we could all go and see a family-friendly movie tomorrow night."

Sapphire groaned. "But I like blood and gore!"

"What the hell have you been watching?" He asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "That one about the murderous clowns, or -"

"Come on, I'm an adult," Sapphire moaned. "I don't want to be lame."

"Sure," Tai said, shrugging. "I'll remind you of that the next time you tell me we have to get rid of the television set because a demon is hiding in it."

Sapphire immediately tensed and glanced around awkwardly.

"That…" She said, laughing uncomfortably. "That had been a joke. I'm not stupid."

"Right," Qrow remarked. "It was a joke that you wanted the house exorcised, I see."

Sapphire scowled. "It was for good reason, and -"

"Hey, hey now," Tai said calmly. "None of us doubt your claims to be fearless. Let's just move on, and, remember, you have to spend actual time with your cousins tomorrow that doesn't involve breaking things or skirting the law."

"That was one time," Sapphire tersely reminded him. "I stole a car one time to go joyriding!"

"Here's some advice," Qrow whispered to Yang and Ruby, who perked up attentively. "Don't act like her, and really don't do stupid, reckless things for the sake of a gag."

Ruby nodded. "Okay!"

Yang grinned and saluted him as if he were a sergent. "Yes, sir!"

He was lucky she didn't try anything that evening beyond sneaking sweets upstairs after dark.