Chapter 22: Pressing Matters
(A few minutes later)
Steele, Diamond and Ross barely had any time to ponder on their conversation with Sigbjorn when they received a request on their scrolls to come to visit Ozpin's Office.
"Oooooh, somebody's in trouble!" Diamond cooed while looking at Steele. He was not going to miss this chance to tease the most stuck-up and proper teammate. Then the realisation dawned on him: "I don't know why I said that. I'm also in trouble. Shit."
"Well, if he's using the high priority tag, it must be important. I'd rather not keep him waiting."
"I still don't trust him. He seems too... schemey," scowled Ross. He was an easygoing and carefree lad. He disliked the secrets and games that Ozpin was so fond of. Everything was a riddle or a lesson. Sometimes, simple words seemed like they had strategic connotations. It drove him nuts.
"He's always schemey," Diamond said with a sigh. "But you gotta see where he's coming from. Headmaster of Beacon is a pretty influential position; he's essentially fostering the next generation of Hunters and heroes, and he's got authority over the current ones. That gives him some influence."
"Heroes or not, his real influence is his networks," Steele said. "Every other Headmaster seems to listen to him and act upon his advice. The man's a confidant of Ironwood. The General probably keeps secrets from his own mother and yet, he just agreed to hand over our training to the good Headmaster."
"Point is, we can't just ignore him," chimed Diamond's scroll.
"AAAAAAAAH! Scrolley has gained sentience!" Diamond yelped. He realised what was happening and cleared his throat."Nice to see the hospital let you use a computer, Sigbjorn."
"They gave me back my Scroll because I told them I wanted to play video games."
They all then heard the starting chimes of Pac-Man emanating from the Scroll.
"Of course," Steele muttered.
The camera ahead of them swayed from side to side as if shaking its head.
"It's a ruse. I'm going to use your microphone and camera to listen in on the meeting; they won't discharge me until 15 minutes from now."
"Got it, Chief," Diamond responded.
"Don't go snooping around his browser history though," Ross said with a smirk.
"Oh, don't worry, Ross. We all know whose browser history contains what," Diamond shot back.
As the doors slid shut, Ross simply grinned and said, "Well, you're not wrong."
They found themselves once again in the elevator as it climbed steadily to Ozpin's office. Ross stared outside at Beacon. His foot struck the floor and fingers tapped the side of his leg as if he was drumming a solo. It had only been a few minutes since the discussion about Silver and he was already apprehensive. Silver had betrayed them. That made him angry, but beneath that sourness was bitter grief. He knew why Silver was acting like this.
Perhaps worse, he understood.
He blames us.
From his peripheral vision, Ross caught Diamond staring directly at him.
"What?"
Diamond continued staring at him for a few moments.
"It's clear as day that you're worried," he finally said. "It's Silver, isn't it?"
Ross' tapping stopped. His gaze sank to the floor.
"You're worried about going after him."
Ross clenched his fists.
"Look, I just don't know whether it's okay for us to do that or not," he said, voicing his thoughts out loud.
"What?! Of course it is!" Steele said.
"We haven't decided what to do yet," Diamond said slowly but firmly. "I don't really know why Ozpin wants to speak to us, but I've got a good hunch that it's going to be about Silver. In case that's what it is, what do we say? My vote is, we just tell him whatever we discussed. We didn't come to any conclusions about what to do with Silver yet."
"Why?" Steele asked. "We know he's coming after us. Why not go after him, too?"
Diamond crossed his arms. "You tell me. Do you really want to do that?"
Ross and Diamond noticed Steele's eyes widen before he forced his gaze downward. He shoved his hands into his pockets and furrowed his brow.
"I know it hurts that he's turned on us. If it's any comfort, it's not just you. It's all of us. So it might hurt to have this conversation, but-"
He sighed before pressing on. "We need to. Because this intel-gathering is going to come to an end sooner or later, and we're going to come up with a plan of action. What we plan on doing with Silver is going to be at the core of that, and we all need to be on the same page."
Ross nodded his head in agreement. "You're right."
"Okay, sounds fair," said Sigbjorn.
"Steele?" Diamond questioned after a brief period of silence.
The only response he received was from the elevator as it arrived at its destination. The doors slid open and, of course, they were greeted with a nod from Professor Ozpin. His elbows rested on his desk, his hands steepled in front of his face. His smile wasn't visible.
"Yo, Professor," said Ross.
"Good evening, children. I notice that Sigbjorn isn't present."
"Yeah, he's in the infirmary."
"Well, that should sort itself out. I figure he is listening to this conversation."
"He doesn't even know how righ-" Diamond's Scroll said before stopping midway. "Shit. I'm still on speaker, aren't I?"
"Very well. I have no qualms. Now, to more serious matters."
Ozpin tapped his table twice. Video footage of the clashes that took place in Emerald Forest appeared on hologram screens.
"We both know why you're here."
He paused one of the screens and enlarged it enough so that the figure in the bandana and shades holding a marksman rifle was visible.
"How did Silver get in Emerald Forest in the first place?" Steele asked.
"We would have detected him if there had been aerial transport. We think him and the White Fang carried out this infiltration on foot. There's evidence of temporary camps being set up."
"It's a long journey. And a difficult one, too. That forest is filled with Grimm, isn't it?" Ross asked.
"Correct. By the descriptions of Ms Xiao Long and Ms Schnee, they found some White Fang being eaten by Grimm and found a hard drive on one of them."
"Were they high-rankers?" Steele asked. Ross looked to the hologram screen, at the design on the masks of the soldiers. "Yep, at least one of them was," he said.
Steele responded, "Then there might be something useful on this thing after all."
"We're not sure yet, and I hope you'll share the information on the drive once you crack the encryption on yours, Mr Phoenix."
How the hell did he know about my copy? thought Sigbjorn.
"Alright, I'll do that. And if it's information you want, we've come up with a few things," Sigbjorn said.
"By all means, go ahead."
"One condition: you wait for us," Steele interrupted before anyone else could speak. "Silver is our responsibility. I don't care with whom he's involved, you can do what you want with them. But we will handle him. Not you or some other Hunters or some military death squad."
"Mr Snow, he might have been your close ally, even friend, but I can't let one of the most dangerous men in Remnant possibly elude capture because you were too emotional."
Steele exhaled audibly. Ozpin had found his mark, but Sigbjorn was ready to back up his teammate.
"The way I see it, you don't have a choice. I'm decrypting that drive, and I'll crack it faster than any spook you have. That information is something we both need, and unfortunately for you, if I choose not to share it, then you're out of luck. The only difference is, we go with your permission and make sure that the casualties all lie on the opposing side, or we end up bashing some Atlas heads in the process, and still end up going after Silver."
"I can understand if you feel responsible. But I won't allow it. The risk to yourselves and others is too great; we don't have a full picture of what we're dealing with, but from what we've already seen, it isn't good. Even if I did approve of this, the Council wouldn't: I'd probably be outvoted by everyone else."
The whole team mentally prepared counters for a full-scale rebuttal.
But Ozpin's next words were surprising: "Let's compromise. I'll let you have jurisdiction over this matter if and only if one of my Beacon teams accompanies you."
Steele opened his mouth to argue, then realised that this was a better arrangement. But it wasn't one he felt comfortable with.
"You want to put another team at risk?!"
"Not a risk so much as... a re-inclusion, of sorts."
One holo-screen flickered. Team RWBY's profile appeared.
"After all, this entire incident involved a kidnapping attempt of Weiss Schnee, a Beacon student. One of your friends, if I'm correct. As Headmaster, Beacon's interests in this are legitimate: we need to know exactly how they got past our traps and punish those responsible for this incident. Such measures should get at least the simple majority vote on the council.
But that is secondary. Both in capability and spirit, Team RWBY is one of the best we have on campus. You will benefit greatly from their assistance."
The young Hunters looked at each other before opening up their chats.
Sigbjorn: I don't like this one bit.
Steele: Neither do I, but it's either this or confrontation with Atlas. And wherever else Silver may be.
Ross: I don't want to fight anyone if we don't have to, guys. They're just soldiers doing their jobs.
Diamond: I agree. I'm not even sure we could get away with that.
Sigbjorn: Steele, is this our best way out of this?
Steele: For the time being, yes.
Sigbjorn: Then let's go for it. I trust your instincts.
Ross turned to the Professor. "Professor. They'll have to know. Everything."
Diamond inhaled sharply upon hearing this. "That can't- That can't happen."
"He's right," Steele said.
Ozpin remained silent. They just observed his face, looking for anything that gave them a hint as to what he might be thinking.
Then Diamond's eyes widened. "No. You- you didn't-" He chuckled out of nervousness as his mind raced repeatedly to the same conclusion. "You did NOT. Tell. Anyone. Right?"
"I simply took an anticipatory measure. Besides, you already seem to have a connection with team RW-"
"What you did was unethical, unprofessional, and it betrays your nature as a headmaster."
Ozpin couldn't see him, but he knew Sigbjorn was fuming. And why shouldn't he be? Ozpin had violated his trust. He sighed.
"I'm sorry you feel that way. But it was a necessary step. Besides, weren't you going to tell them anyway?"
"On our own terms and our own time, damnit!"
"Rest assured, he's not the only one who feels that way," Steele said, his eyes glinting with silent anger.
Diamond was shocked. He trusted Ozpin. But this one incident could end the friendship between both teams. And he didn't want that; he'd come to trust them.
He didn't say anything. Simply looked away and clenched his fists.
"It... It can't be all bad, right? It just means we need to talk to them," Ross said, trying to make light of the situation.
"I understand your lack of trust," Ozpin said, raising both hands in a sign of peace. "In the early days of your training, you were supposed to trust no one but yourselves, FRST and your commanding officers. And ever since that fateful mission, FRST was gone, and Atlas was unreliable. All you had were yourselves. But that is the mentality of a spy. Not a Hunter. You don't need me to tell you the benefits of working together. A single Hunter can tackle a dozen Grimm on a good day. A team can protect a whole village. But unite many Teams, and you can protect an entire Kingdom."
What the hell would attack an entire Kingdom? All the national armies are bound by peace treaties, and that's not even Hunter jurisdiction! thought Sigbjorn.
"That doesn't matter. You could've asked us and you should've asked us!"
"Only for you to refuse, and compromise another team's security in doing so?"
This was enough to take Sigbjorn aback. Not out of truth or falsity of argument, but out of pensive curiosity.
"Team RWBY was attacked too. Miss Rose was justified in demanding an explanation so that they could coordinate and respond better, don't you think? As Headmaster, I saw no qualms in granting her request. And had it been up to you, her endeavour would be a waste of time, her team would still be endangered, would it not?"
Sigbjorn remained silent.
"My intention was not to breach your trust. It was to give you some chance of building it. I'm going out on a limb allowing you to go after Silver. Let's at least agree to the same terms so that I'm able to help you do so."
"I don't care about your intentions: you did breach our trust. You had your reasons, but that doesn't make it okay for everyone," Sigbjorn said. "You should've at least contacted us then and there." He sighed. "I... I get it, though. It was the logical thing to do."
"Same," echoed the rest.
"So, we agree with the arrangement?"
"Only if Team RWBY does too," Diamond said. "Nobody should be dragged into this mess if they don't want to be."
"They've already accepted, should you be willing to cooperate. I assume that means you're all in agreement?"
SRDS answered in the affirmative and disclosed everything they had discussed in the hospital ward.
"Good work on obtaining these leads," Ozpin said. "If you need any Beacon resources to investigate further, rest assured they will be provided."
"Thanks," Sigbjorn said.
"And might I give you a word of advice?" asked Ozpin.
They nodded. Ozpin's insights were almost always helpful.
"You may think that you are in a position of advantage, having worked with Silver before. That sword is double-edged. He knows you too. I don't need to tell you what that entails, knowing his semblance. Please keep that in mind and be careful."
"Understood," Steele said after pausing a bit.
They turned around and entered the lift.
"Oum, it's one crisis after another isn't it?" muttered Ross.
"Looks like we're speaking to Team RWBY now," Diamond said.
"It's what we were going to do anyway. Now we just have more... things... to..." Ross faltered as Diamond and Steele both began giving him expressionless stares as his first sentence concluded. "Yeah, nevermind. This is a problem."
"I'm waiting for you in the courtyard. Let's talk to them ASAP," said Sigbjorn.
"Yep, we'll be there in five," Diamond said. He sighed, wondering why RWBY had accepted, and how they would respond to him and his team now.
Steele stared at the floor long and hard. He then pulled out and opened his pocket watch. Noting the time, he closed the lid. And opened it. And closed it again. A few times he did this in absent-minded thought. He finally put it back and sighed.
"Diamond, you were right. As much as I hate it, what you said about discussing Silver was true."
He looked his partner in the eye, "We'll do so later."
Diamond nodded gently before they walked out.