Interlude - Ozpin

I sat in the small grove, deep in the forest. Here, it almost felt like we were merely secluded, far from civilisation rather than bein sealed away from it.

In my lap lay Salem, stripped of whatever the Pools of Darkness had done to her, her closed eyes rubbed raw and her cheeks stained with blood.

Her throat was covered in fading bruises and her white dress torn to shreds.

Shaking my head I forced the evidence of her attempted suicides out of existence and picked her up, carrying her the cottage that was forming under the tree.

Removing the damage from my clothes I placed Salem on the bed and walked over to the kitchen.

My magic came easily to me here, stocking the kitchen with delicacies that I had enjoyed over thousands of years, but I simply reached for some eggs and got to work.

My Salem was under there, somewhere. With the darkness no longer smothering that spark, I would find it, and one day brings back the Salem that I once knew.

As the plate of pancakes took shape, I heard Salem awaken.

Her soft sobs wrenched my heart as I carried the plate to her.

Cradling her head, I ran my hand through hair, moving quickly to keep her hands away from her eyes and throat.

Interlude - Salem

What have I done?

I don't deserve to live.

Why can't I die?

Why Ozma?

Why?

Why didn't you kill me?

Interlude - Ironwood

I sat in the situation room staring at the squabbling members of the Atleisan Military.

"They have no idea do they?"

"Sir?"

I turned to Winter.

"What do you mean?"

I motioned to the tacticians and strategists desperately going over the intelligence reports.

"Any Grimm that die in Mantle won't be replaced. All of these people have built their lives around being the last line against the Grimm and they all know that it's going to end in their lifetimes. And they don't know what to do."

"Really?"

"Well, I guess that some of these idiots still don't quite believe it, and won't until the Grimm attacks become less common. But the smart ones know it and they don't know what to do."

She turned to look at me, "And you sir?"

"I'm old already and I have enough money in the bank. I suppose I could just retire, catch up with my nephew. I don't think he knows I exist."

"You have family?"

"A younger sister. My parents were hunters, and they died young. I joined the military to make sure she could become an architect like she wanted. I think she lives in Vale now, she met her husband there."

Winter stared at me in shock.

"So, what are your plans."

She shook her head, "I… I suppose I don't know myself. I think I want to talk to Weiss first."

I nodded, "Yeah, a bad time to be a rookie Hunter, I suppose. She as going to go to Beacon in a few weeks, wasn't she?"

"Yes. I think I want to know what she will do now."

A younger soldier hurried into the room, "General Ironwood sir!"

"At ease, Private. What is it?"

"The Council, sir, they want to see you."

"Understood."

I walked out of the room and down the hallway, Winter following close behind.

As I entered the auditorium, I looked up at the councillors.

"General Ironwood, we understand that you have had contact with the individuals that assisted on the attack against the Grimm Queen."

I stared at them, "Which ones?"

"Do not be obtuse Ironwood. The individuals that protected our fleets."

"You mean the people who basically humoured us?"

One of the councillors slammed his hand down on the table, "I don't know where your new attitude came from, but it is not appreciated. What do you know of these individuals."

"Well, I suppose I only really know one of them. Jon is the male one. We… don't really know what he is. Ozpin told us that he was capable of Magic like he was, but he was far more powerful than anything else Ozpin knew of."

"Magic."

"Yeah, like the Maidens. Ozpin, or whatever his name was that life, made them but it took a lot out of him. Jon is apparently stronger than Ozpin ever was."

"And what can be done about him?"

I laughed, "Really, that is what this is about? Jon is humouring us. I didn't believe it when he said that he could deal with the Grimm by himself if he wanted to, but I can tell when I'm wrong."

"We have te greatest army on Remnant!"

"And it means jack shit. He isn't from Remnant, and even if he was it wouldn't matter. He could lay waste to our entire world on a whim. I know very little about him. He seemed far more interested in talking to Ozpin than any of the rest of us, but I can tell you that we don't register as threats to him. At all. Saw him turn the Grim Reaper from a crazy blind bat back to a killing machine in her prime because she could teach people something."

"Ironwood!"

"What's all this about anyways."

One of the councillors sighed, "This… Jon, has been sighted in Kuo Kana."

Interlude - Jaques Schnee

The last thing I saw was a pair of pale white eyes.

I felt a tap on my chest and then…

Interlude - Ghira Belladonna

"I'll be back in a few days to take her back to Beacon if she still wants to go."

I stared at the strange man fly off, and then turned back to my family. Blake was sobbing into Kali's chest

Next to us stood three strange girls.

"So."

The youngest one, dressed in red and black seemed to fidget, staring at the strange scroll-like device that… Jon gave me.

"So, you would have been my daughter's teammates, would you?"

"I guess so."

The Schnee…. Weiss's scroll suddenly started ringing.

I nodded and she opened it up, "Winter?"

"Weiss, Jaques has just died, the Board wants you back in Atlas as soon as possible. A Bullhead has been sent to Vale to pick you up."

Weiss winced, "Well…. I'm not in Vale."

"Where are you!"

"In Menagerie?"

"WHAT!"

I walked over to the young woman, "They were brought here by a strange man…. He called himself Jon, along with my daughter. Did you say that Jaques Schnee is dead?"

"Yes, we need Weiss back immediately."

And here I thought that the end of the Grimm was going to be the best thing I heard of this year!

I nodded, smiling. "Re-route the Bullhead here, I suppose."