A/N: Update 5. At last, we see the truth.


Scribbles

-flowers-

Storms, in Glynda's experience, tended to come in slowly. Vale's climate meant that she could see the slow building of clouds from miles away, the horizon darkening slowly until nothing but blackish-grey figures loomed overhead. It was easy to tell when every thunderclap and every torrential rainfall would hit- so, it was always easy to plan for the weather.

So, sudden storms tended to knock her off her feet. And what a storm this was, personified in a single figure sitting in the corner of a seedy bar in the depths of Mantle. Glynda had followed the figure from Atlas Academy all the way to the lower-income, icy district where she found herself, drawing her hood over her head and remaining in the shadows in order to approach the storm that was going to flip her life on its head.

She didn't know why she followed. She could've just blamed what she saw on a trick of the light, or her memory playing games with her. Yet, amidst the festivities of the final rounds of the Vytal Festival Tournament, she couldn't shake off the feeling that she needed to follow that silhouette from her memories. And so, she ended up there, alone in Mantle's darkness.

Thankfully, she didn't need to engage. Even at a distance, James' silvery, messy scrawl was easy to read on Walter Brown's wrist, the laid-back man not wearing gloves for the first time in Glynda's memory.

She breathed out a small sigh at the sight. So, Walter really is in Atlas, she thought, curious. But he seemed to hate it all those years- why would he be here?

From where she stood, leaning against the wall with a pint of beer in hand to avoid suspicion, the glow from James' Aura-mark was clear as day to her. Nothing seemed to be amiss until she saw Walter's dining partner slide a thick envelope across the table, clearly packed with Lien. Walter's eyes lit up, and he pulled his right hand away from the handle of his tankard to count the contents of the envelope.

And, in that brief moment, she saw bluish-silver writing on Walter's right hand. She could barely make it out- so, as stealthily as she could, she slipped just a little closer, squinting to read what was written.

And when she did, and she heard the next words slip past Walter's lips, the pieces finally began to connect.

"He should've died years ago. That explosion should've finished him off, but here we are."

His partner commented dryly, "We're paying you well. He's gained too much power. His Knights are destroying our business here."

"Maybe your gangs should be better equipped to take care of androids."

"Maybe your dumb ass should've been better able to take out one measly scientist and his research assistant twenty years ago."

She was numb, eyes locking onto what was on Walter's right palm, exposed to her for the first time. 'Someone's still in there.'

She knew those words.

Glynda didn't know how she made it back to the professors' wing in Atlas Academy, but she did. When she finally came to her senses, however, she thought back, long and hard, on everything that had happened over the last twenty-odd years, ever since James' accident.

'Accident'. God, I should've seen it.

There had been attacks on Atlesian military headquarters for years. James had always mentioned them in passing- after all, local crime rings had been trying to leave their organization in disarray for far longer than James had been a part of their ranks. She had never even given a thought that Walter might have ever had a part to play in all of it.

But how did he do it?

James couldn't mark people twice… could he?

She said nothing to James, wanting to parse everything together on her own for at least a little while. There was too much going on, and James was incredibly busy- working as the newly-appointed headmaster of Atlas Academy, as well as the General of the Atlesian Military, had that effect on people.

Still, her burning questions plagued her all the way through the final rounds of that year's Vytal Festival Tournament. Luckily, her students came out victorious, adding yet another mark to the tally in her favour. She was winning her little competition with James by a landslide.

"A delivery for you," James stated wearily from her door.

Distantly, she replied, "Is that all you can say?"

"Your students won again. I get it," James mumbled, closing the door of her temporary quarters in Atlas behind her. "Here you go, little Miss Beacon."

She turned to face him, only to be met by a small bouquet. She started back, taking a moment to examine the flowers held up to her. "Honeysuckle and rose. Interesting combination."

He rolled his eyes. "Take your prize."

"Don't you have work to do? And this is hardly the practical prize."

The man had already pulled off his gloves and jacket, neatly draping them over the nearest chair. "Are you really going to rub your victory in?"

Glynda reached forward on impulse, grabbing his prosthetic hand despite his clear confusion. She usually didn't reach out for him, after all. Yet, if her suspicions were right and Walter truly was to blame for the incident all those years ago…

She was going to report to Ozpin the next day. And then, after her students were safe and sound, she was going to find Walter Brown, and she was going to get her answers.

"Glynda, what's wrong?" James asked, placing the bouquet down onto the small kitchen table. "Are you-"

She said nothing, simply wrapping her arms around his neck and looking into the face of the man she had given her life to all those years ago. I protected you a lot back then. I won't let you down now.