A/N

I'm never really a big fan of doing authors' notes, but here I go! Writing fanfiction hasn't really been on my priority list these past few months I've disappeared. Not only have there been other opportunities for writing outside of this, whenever I'd try to write this chapter my inspiration would feel dead. As you can see, this is a very slow-paced, short chapter. Chapters like these are my least favourite to write. I know this isn't a lot to show after my hiatus, but hopefully the next few chapters will be a bit more upbeat, character and action-driven. Thanks for reading!

For a brief lapse in time I forget about the presence of Ozpin and let myself stare at Qrow. He seems to not have changed much, minus some extra stubble that wasn't there before and a clumsy swagger to his gator. I urgently remember both my manners and my duty.

"On behalf of the Atlas Military I welcome you sirs to our esteemed city." I bow and quote my rehearsed lines. They thankfully come out smoothly, albeit a little hastily.

"Esteemed. Is that what you call yourselves now?" Qrow waltzes passed my bowing form and heads to the limo. I catch a sour smell coming off him that makes my stomach churn with uncomfortable familiarity.

Ozpin walks up and I fear he will give me a crude dismissal like Qrow's, but he pauses in front of me. "You must ignore him. Thank you for your welcome. I won't waste time on introductions, you two are already acquainted, are you not?" He greets.

"Acquainted is a rather loose term, sir." I stand straight and meet Ozpin's narrow eyes with nervousness planted in my chest. "But we are familiar with each other, yes."

"I knew such. I remember all of the greatest and… most interesting Vytal finale fights." Ozpin gives a petite, humorous smile before straightening out his features and walking forwards to follow Qrow.

"We're not even acquainted, Ice Queen?" My muscles constrict at Qrow's words as I trail behind Ozpin. "That's harsh, really. Then again, you were certain we'd never see each other again, is that not correct?"

"Well I didn't mean it in an offensive way if that is what you are thinking. I just had different plans for my life at the Festival that have drastically changed since then. But at the time my future plans didn't cross over with yours by any means from my estimates."

"I see." He nods assuredly. "I mean, I'm sure your estimates didn't include me becoming a higher up alongside one of the most powerful people in Remnant at a young age. And I'm also sure your future plans didn't include becoming Ironwood's lackey."

"Excuse me?" I am naturally taken aback by this comment from the man I was being polite to moments ago. In a matter of milliseconds my surprise has frozen over into a cold anger. I feel my knuckles burn as I grip my sword hilt in hopes to steel myself.

"Qrow, get in the vehicle and don't bother our chaperone." I inwardly question who the chaperone Ozpin is referring to is: me or the limo driver? "Miss," Ozpin is now turned to me, "you should do your best to tamper your frustration. Things can get unnecessarily messy if anger runs amok."

"Of course, sir. I wholeheartedly agree. My apologies for any trouble caused." I glance at the limo to make sure Qrow is in the vehicle and not hearing this exchange. I have a strong dislike for public chastising and humiliations.

"Good." Ozpin nods then approaches our transportation and holds the door open for me.

I walk up to him, still collecting myself after the previous altercation. I'm rather upset at myself about the fact that Ozpin could tell I was mad at all. I need to work on my composure. "Sir, I should be the one holding the doors."

"You'll be doing everything else for us this trip, as I hear. So, let me have this singular moment of chivalry." I smile and thank the man before sliding onto the leather seats inside of the posh limo. I sit beside Qrow, who is already sorting through a box of chocolate truffles. Ozpin sits neatly in the space across from us. The legendary man dismisses the truffle box with a wave when Qrow holds them out in offering.

"Mind if I ask what exactly made you choose these particular chocolates?" Qrow inquires clumsily. He pops another into his mouth, chewing it thoughtfully.

"Well, after affirming you had no allergies, I just picked the ones I and a few advisors preferred."

"I see, I see," he drawls, mouth still filled with chocolate. "I imagine you just bought ones you like-" he swallows- "in hope that if we wouldn't eat as much you could have some free chocolate courtesy of good ol' Jimmy?"

"Jimmy-?"

"The general." Ozpin explains in a very curt manner. I flush, and try my best to bite down my immediate frustration.

"That is an extremely absurd thing to accuse me of." I manage to say after a brief and mortifying moment of silence where I weighed in my mind what words would be best as to not hurt my relationship with the guests.

"I was just teasing you Ice Queen. You should really learn to take things with a grain of sand."

"It's salt, but that still works I suppose," I respond.

"See? Exactly my point." We then proceed to sit in silence, the only noise being the thrum of the city passing by outside the windows. I recall the cue cards I made filled with facts about Atlas and its creation in preparation for when the conversation dies out like this. However, with my confidence near shattered by Qrow's crude dismissal of my introduction at the airport, I know for a near fact that the cards will not go by as well I as had hoped before.

I hear a small 'pop' as Qrow flips open the limo cooler placed in between our leather seats. I feel the cold air brush against my arm as he pulls out one of the bottles of champagne and inspects it. He seems to mutter something about not knowing the brand of champagne, but he appears to shrug it off as he pulls out a frosted glass from the cooler. I am incredibly thankful when I see us pull up to our destination: the Atlasean Military base.

"This vehicle is the one provided for you for your entire trip. For now it will shuttle you both straight to your hotel. If you wish, I can also escort you, but I'd understand if-"

"We don't want our hands to be held the entire trip?" Qrow asks in a preoccupied way that makes my skin crawl.

"I'm sure," I take in a deep breath. "I hope you understand what I am trying to say. I'm trying my best to be the appropriate amounts of hospitable—"

"Thank you for that," Ozpin intercedes. "We must be leaving now. There is no need for you to be here afterwards. I trust the limo driver has the location of our hotel?"

"Yes sir," I pause before speaking in case someone has anything to say the moment I might begin speaking, since that seems to be the case a lot today. Ozpin nods in what seems to be acknowledgment, until after a brief moment of awkward silence I realize it was a nod of dismissal.

"Well, everything should be at your rooms for when you get there, help yourself and enjoy. Feel free to ask me for anything I might have missed in my preparations anytime." Is my send-off for the night as I stumble out of the vehicle.

"Later, Snow Queen." The limo door is slammed shut and the vehicle is immediately speeding down the road again. All my brain can comprehend at the present moment is how much of a terrible impression that was.