Monster King- Thank you!

Kootranova1- How sweet thank you! I did think about going back through the story and improving the quality on some chapters...but that will wait until after the end

Seriouslazy- I'll have to think about STRQ fanfiction. It'd be weird.

Lil- Could we ask for a better mentor?

Guest- Well yes Adam is pretty lucky

Guest 2- Truth.

Ren, tired of driving, was happy to let someone take over, but this change made him a little nervous, "Is Neo old enough to drive?"

Roman ruffled his little sister's hair, "She's the best getaway driver you can hope for."

Neo smiled broadly under the praise.

Jaune, finally gathered courage to ask, nervously shifted his weight, "Anyways, just what are we smuggling?"

Ruby glanced at the back of the large van where several crates rested. She exchanged a look with Roman, he'd let her decide if she would be honest with their team.

"I didn't ask." Ruby wrapped her arms about herself.

A truthful answer, but if you knew your chemical formulas it was poison, cyanide.

Jaune furrowed his brows, "I probably don't want to know anyways."

Nora screamed as she looked out the window, "Farmhouse!"

The last few nights it had been drizzling so they had opted to sleep in the van. Even if they could only be in a barn overnight, it would be a luxury. Nora practically panted in relief.

Neo shimmered into her orange hair green eyed illusion as she pulled the van over to a stop. When they stood outside of the vehicle, Roman frowned, "Neo, can you keep that up all night?"

Ruby unfastened her hood and draped it across the smaller girl's shoulders. "Here."

Everyone stared at Red, who was suddenly a little less red.

Jaune, "Craterface, you just look wrong without it."

Ozpin made a soft gasp, That belonged to her mother.

Roman, I'd prefer to hear my girlfriend's history from her. He had to admit she looked strangely incomplete with the cloak.

Ozpin chuckled, Fair. You know I had my reluctance about you two, I am pleased to admit I was wrong. Of the ages I have been alive, I've only felt this feeling once before.

Ozpin's deep loss simmered through Roman, an image of Salem flickered in his mind's eye. The young man internally, Oh Ozpin.

Ruby knocked on the door and a boy opened it. His hair was black, freckles dusted his cheeks, and large eyes were hazel.

Nora squealed about how adorable he was.

"Hi I'm Rose Br- My friends and I were hoping for a roof over our head."

Nora edged in, "Maybe a hot meal?"

Ruby hissed, "Nora." A woman had appeared behind the boy. Ruby continued, "We'd be happy to work."

The woman saw the 6 of them, "You huntsmen?" Her gaze lingered on Roman, and it made him uncomfortable.

Jaune offered, "In training, we're on our way to Haven."

The woman raised her brows high, "You're a bunch of kids."

The boy grinned, "Are any of you good with machines?"

Ruby bounced her toes.

Roman, "Rose is and I'm passable."

Ozpin, City boy, you're going to learn a few things.

The woman's eyes narrowed at Roman, but she then gave the group a gentle smile, "My name is Em, and in the morning I have some chores for you." Em graciously let them inside and told them they should move around the furniture in the living room so they could lay out later.

Ren was helping Em in the kitchen. The ninja frowned, "Perhaps one of us can hunt for some meat tomorrow to replace your stock."

Jaune offered, "I'm pretty good with traps, I can."

The boy, "There are wild boars in the forest, you'll need to hunt."

Neo in the red hood waved her hand.

Jaune, "then Neo and I can go."

Ruby nervously shifted her weight under the boy's unflinching stare at her, "Um what's your name?"

"Oscar!" He blushed heavily looking at Ruby. "Your eyes are really pretty."

Ozpin grumbled, I will murder him.

Roman, whoa whoa Ozzie. Red can handle herself with a boy younger than Neo.

Ozpin, what just happened?

Roman, Whatever it is don't blame it on my hormones.

Ozpin remained silent as he tried to sort through his reaction.

Oscar, "Mr. Torchwick?"

Roman rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry I tuned out."

Nora snickered that Roman was a space cadet.

"Oh that's okay, I was wondering since you're older than everyone else are you an official Huntsman, um watching out for them?"

Roman saw out of the corner of his eye the boy's aunt take what she probably thought was a discreet photo of him.

Ozpin, Does she know who you are?

Roman, She's guessing.

Ren placed a large pot on the table and exchanged glances with the group dad. Ren frowned and brushed his hand on Nora's hammer. The Viking caught the message...they may have a fight on their hands. Still the soft spoken man gave no other indication of this, "Dinner's ready."

Em, smiled slyly at Roman and followed up with bowls, "serve yourselves."

XXX

They hadn't spoken freely in the farmhouse, but the team [well maybe not Jaune] knew they had to take shifts sleeping. Ren had just woken Roman up. It was the middle of the night and he grabbed himself a drink of water. He came back into the living room, everyone on his team sprawled or snuggled in a variety of groups. While Ruby had pouted that Roman didn't cozy up to her, they both didn't want to deal with Auntie Em's assumptions about the age difference. Neo had taken full advantage of the situation and cuddled Red.

Ozpin, Where is our sister?

The smallest member of their team was nowhere to be seen, until he glanced outside to see the striking pink hair in the moonlight.

Roman pinched the bridge of his nose, he hoped it wasn't going to be one of those nights. He took Long Memory and strolled outside.

Closer he could see she was making small illusions in the palm of her hand. Their parents clamping their hands over her mouth. Illusioned tiny Neo's stomach distorted.

"Not the most disturbed image I've seen you make."

The illusion shattered into tiny glass dissipating pieces. Her fingers now moved, -Ozpin?-

Roman, I think she has a question for you. With the glow of his eyes Roman's shoulder settled into his more gentlemanly posture.

"Yes Neopolitan?" He smiled fondly.

She frowned, -Are you my brother too?-

The wizard had the urge to hug her to him. "I am rather fond of you and I do adopt my host's feelings for others." Ozpin caught her gaze at the farm house, "Ah well when it comes to Miss Red, and not to mention as Roman and I become one soul-" Neo's tiny fists grabbed him by the shirt.

Roman and Ozpin simultaneously OH SHIT!

Roman seized control and Neo instantly saw that her brother was in charge and she released him. Nervously smoothing back his hair, "So yeah umm Ozpin and I on the uncontrollable path of a soul merge."

She just blinked at him What The Fuck intoned in her features. Her jaw clenched, she was pissed. The only person she could take it out on would be the person she cared about most. She grabbed Long memory and she looked mad enough to smack him with it. Instead she threw it across the yard and tackled her brother in a hug. They held each other like this countless times. As runaways in Atlas to prevent the cold from sinking in too deeply. After rough days in the criminal underworld they held onto each other to communicate something they could not articulate.

Even in our darkest nights we do not make it to dawn alone.

She pulled away and wiped his tears before tapping her finger to his nose. She pressed her hand to her chest and the moved her fingers -Two brothers.-

She knew her family debatably got larger, but certainly more dysfunctional. Which was on par with her life so far.

She skipped back into the farm house, not before kicking the cane still on the grass.

Roman picked up his weapon, "How did she become so loving?"

Ozpin sniffling, I believe she learned from you.

XXX

The next day Roman had left Ruby and Oscar excitedly chattering over a battery in the tractor. With Ozpin's help he was fixing the bathroom sink.

Ozpin flustered, I can't believe you left her with him. He was flirting with her!

Roman rolled his eyes, oh please he is 14, he wouldn't know how to flirt with a lady.

Ozpin, And what were you doing at 14?

Roman just finished a job for Marcus Black in Atlas. Brought a dozen huntsmen out into the open for the Assassin. The boy wondered if Mercury was going to become an orphan and would that be a bad thing?

Marcus flashed him a confident yet deranged grin, "Hey young'in find a perch and enjoy the show."

For a man named Black, he was an artist who only used red on perfect white snow. He touched his opponents and there would be a faint pop. The next hit drew blood….always.

Roman in awe tossed the man his lien back. Black's face cracked into a grin and mockingly bowed. Half folded over he hissed, "If you want a lesson, land a hit and keep your coin."

Neo earned a lesson.

Ozpin sighed, ah yes I forgot who I was talking to.

Aunt Em approached him and she smiled brightly, "I was wondering how things are going in here?"

Roman pulled himself out of the cabinet and wiped his hands on a cloth. He immediately noticed the door was closed. Her coy smile made him glance at the window.

Ozpin, It may be too small but with my magic-

Roman, You are terrible at planning, probably why you haven't managed to save the world yet. But if you can turn me into a tiger-

Ozpin, No.

Roman, No you can't? Or no- What the?

He was jolted back into the present when Em started to push him towards the counter.

Ozpin, Wow she must be desperate.

Roman, Rude.

"No thank you." He did his best to school his disgust out of his face.

She blinked at him confused. "For some reason Roman Torchwick is traipsing about Mistral with a bunch of teenagers. Yet you haven't been driven up the wall enough to want a little tussle."

Smoothly, "I do appreciate the offer. Unfortunately I've an alliance to maintain. I imagine you've already told your protection about me."

Ozpin, Is it just me or is she awfully crazy to be alone with a known dangerous criminal.

Roman, Just be grateful we fell into this opportunity for Red and I.

Ozpin, Are you trying to create a criminal force? To protect Haven?

Roman, I'm in Mistral and I'm coupled to a Branwen. How can I not organize a crime syndicate?

Em walked out the bathroom, "I had hoped to help you enjoy your last night alive."

Ozpin, I respect the nerve of this woman. She has no idea that you wouldn't murder her and her nephew over this. He moved under the sink quickly to adjust a nob. Ozpin chuckled, That's going to spray in her face now.

Roman, What can I say I can be a petty man.

He walked down into the dining room. Oscar was at the dining room table pouring over a textbook next to Ruby on the other side was Neo with some papers and a pencil. Neo was...calculating angles? Oscar's book looked threateningly advanced.

Ruby pointed to the boy's work "Your integral is wrong here."

The boy nervously chuckled and corrected his math.

Roman interrupted, "Are you doing calculus?"

Ozpin, I'm surprised she wanted to be a huntress. Her understanding of metallurgy would have made her an excellent weapons designer.

Roman tugging at his collar, Is there anything she can't do?

Ozpin sassed, Have decent taste in men?

Roman affectionately, Fuck you old man.

Ozpin, Technically since we share a body...you have.

Roman started coughing.

Ruby gave him a curious look, "Oscar is...trying to do calc." The boy pouted at that. Ruby continued, "I'm showing your sister some geometry."

Underneath the red hood Neo looked positively miserable.

Oscar looked at Roman and then back at Neo, "You're siblings? That's a big age gap."

Red laughed, "I assumed when his parents realized what a pain he was, that it would be best to try again." Ruby looked at the corrected work and nodded to Oscar, "Okay so go back and try to calculate the Yield point for that alloy."

Roman moved behind his girlfriend and rested his hands on her shoulders digging his thumbs lightly into her back. She sighed in appreciation.

"Professor Rose, missed me?"

"Always love." She looked up at him brightly.

Auntie Em spat her water out.

Ozpin, HAH look at the boy! He appears stricken!

Roman, I still don't understand your dislike for Oscar.

Ozpin internally shrugged, I got a feeling from the boy, like I dodged a nasty bullet.

I had so many different versions of the Let's meet Oscar chapter.

One idea was Ruby and Neo have a heart to heart and then decide to dye the team's hair black [except Ren] and the neighbors think the Pines are having a family reunion.

Another where it's just Roman giving Oscar bad advice on how to flirt with Ruby... which is all fun and games until Neo stabbed the poor boy.

Ultimately I chose to progress the story