The train rocked back and forth, the wilderness of Anima passed them by. Ruby was a bit sad not to explore it properly but they were in a hurry. Had James any ships left after Beacon they would have used one of those. The cabin she was in was first class, while James hadn't been able to give them a ship he had handed Qrow a very heavy purse. The fine red lacquered wood and expensive upholstery was wasted on Ruby as she got up from the window and sat down on the bed of the cabin. She reached out and placed a hand on the forehead of the reason for their hurry.

Ozpin was still fevered, his ashen air was half burned away and they had a plaster on half of his head. Qrow and James had pulled him from the basement of Beacon alive if only just barely. Field dressings were only so useful and with Vale destroyed the hospitals were just about useless. They had stolen a small fortune of medical supplies and raced for Anima. She pulled down the blanket slightly and checked over the bandages that covered his middle. They seemed fine so far, the worst of the bleeding had waned a few days ago but Oz remained unconscious. His fever and laboured breathing remained a constant worry.

Qrow and Ruby had to get Jaune, Ren and Nora's help. James had to get back to trying to clean up the mess that was Beacon and fall back to Atlas. They couldn't manage all nearly two meters of Ozpin alone and it worked out because JNR wanted to continue their education. Ruby sighed and pulled the blanket back up. "You better make it till Mistral or I'm going to be really cross with you."

"He will." Qrow walked it and sat in the chair by the window.

She thought he looked tired, he had Oz's cane clipped to his belt. They had been going non stop since she woke up till they hit the first train back in Vale but it didn't seem like her uncle would sleep until Ozpin was safe in a hospital. "How can you be so sure?" Ruby asked as she grabbed a cloth and started to clean the sweat from Oz's brow.

"Oz is stubborn, he's too fond of his current incarnation to leave it without a fight."

"Ah right, that reincarnation thing. It would be a shame." Ruby said, she'd have to be a fool not to notice how handsome he was. That and they'd have no way of knowing where he'd end up, keeping him alive was the best option.

"It's a shame James didn't have any ships left."

"Well we are almost there."

Jaune leaned in the doorway. "So how are we getting him to a hospital?" He had his arms crossed over his chest, as far as he was concerned it was Ozpin's fault Pyrrha was dead. He was only really helping because Qrow had paid for all their travel needs so far.

"Once we get closer I'll call the paramedics to come get him."

"We should let General Ironwood know that we got to Mistral safe too." Ruby said. "He seemed like he was really beating himself up over not being able to take Ozpin to Atlas."

"Yeah, I'd rather avoid him skinning me alive for not keeping him in the loop."

The announcer chimed about them. "ETA Mistral grand station one hour. CCT signal is restored."

"Great, I'll go make sure Nora and Ren are packed up and ready to go." Jaune turned on his heel and walked out sliding door slamming shut behind him.

Ruby scowled. "He's had a rotten attitude."

"He did lose the only decent fighter on his team." Qrow pulled out his Scroll.

"Really uncle? That's a bit much."

"Hey I watched their Amity fights, they were a mess." He punched in the number for the Mistral emergency hospital wing.

Ruby kept quiet as he explained the situation, she couldn't help but watch Oz. She wondered how he'd escaped, albeit mostly dead. The only reason he was alive was because of Qrow's quick thinking… and a lot of thief but to be fair General Ironwood had been right there with them. Ripping open drawers, finding medicines, needles. He'd been the one to shoot Ozpin up with adrenaline when he almost died on them. One could totally argue it was sanctioned mass stealing of medical supplies. Her dad had even come over from Patch and helped get them to a train. Ruby's shoulders dropped, Yang had stayed with him.

"Hey James."

Ruby's gaze snapped to her uncle as he spoke into his Scroll.

"Hey hey slow down James. We're good, Ozpin is still stable… Yes we've been giving him lots of fluids... Yes I think he's still got infections running rampant. Look we are an hour out from Mistral. I felt you should know." Qrow huffed as James spoke in rapid fire in his ear. "Look-eh, yeah fine. See you then." Qrow hung up.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked, it had been fast.

"James is going to meet us in a few days, we've a lot to talk about that it would be stupid to do so over the air." Qrow put his Scroll away and looked out the window.

"Right radio stuff." Ruby picked at the edge of a bracer. "Why again?"

Qrow rolled his eyes. "Don't they teach you anything at school?"

"I like weapon engineering not domestic engineering!" Ruby huffed puffing her chest out.

The red eyed man sighed. "CCT enables internet and Scroll calls. All Scrolls though have a radio antenna in them. About that big." He made a centimeter distance with his thumb and forefinger. "The signals can be picked up by anyone on that frequency. So having sensitive information over those air waves-."

"A dumb ass idea. So James wants to come because you're worried about someone hacking Scroll calls."

"Given the black queen on all James' ships. Yeah we are assuming nothing that goes through the CCT is safe."

"So James is going to come and meet us because the only other options are telegrams which are even less secure. HAM radios which again is really dumb, or letters and uh Grimm."

"Exactly, if Beacon provided anything is that we haven't been paranoid enough." Qrow got up and started to pack up all their medical equipment.

The scene they made when they arrived at Mistral station very late was enough for Ruby to hide inside her hood. She couldn't stand all the staring but at least it was over quickly. Jaune, Ren and Nora all had their bags shouldered.

"So should we just go on ahead?" Ren asked. "I'd love a bed that's not moving right about now."

"Yeah head on up to Haven, I called Leo ten minutes ago so he should be expecting you. I'm going to catch up with the paramedics." Qrow said as he jogged after them. Ruby lingered close to Qrow as they followed the paramedics to the hospital. He filled them in on what had happened. Ruby hugged herself as they walked out. "I hate hospitals." So clean and sterile, quiet save for people in distress. If she had a choice in how she died it wouldn't be in a hospital.

"Join the club kiddo, let's go see if those friends of yours managed to find Leo." Qrow said he wanted to get out before his Semblance killed someone.

"So… what do we do now?" Ruby asked, she glanced around. On one hand Mistral was amazing, the houses mounted on the mountains. It was dark though so there wasn't much to see even if the night life was much more active then it had been in Vale. Even at the late hour people were out going to clubs or pubs. She saw a group of young adults that appeared to be passing a pipe of peace weed around. She wrinkled her nose at the scent. Still it got quieter as they got on the great elevator that resided between the split mountain. Qrow picked a stone bench in the middle of the circular elevator and the ground was carved and embellished with the depiction of a great of a red maple tree. It's leaves gilded in green, red and gold.

A chilly breeze blew through them, winter was right around the corner. Qrow reached out and Ruby was happy to huddle into his side. "Well I don't know. James has probably launched an investigation now how that woman brought Beacon to its knees. With a little luck he'll have a name for use when he gets here. Then I guess we see what needs doing, maybe Leo can help us find something about her… James will take Ozpin to Atlas. So he'll be in the best of care… Beyond that, not a clue kiddo."

"Are… are we going to talk about what happened at Beacon? We've been so focused on Ozpin that we haven't."

"What did you want to know?"

"How'd I freeze that Grimm?"

"Ah that. You know the story, Silver Eyed Warriors."

"Yeah but I didn't know it was so literal. Why that time, why not all the other times that I've fought Grimm?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was the age of the Grimm, or because of… you know Pyrrha right in front of you."

Tears gathered in her eyes and she hid them against the heels of her palms. Qrow pet her back. "Sorry kiddo, I wish I had been a bit faster."

Ruby shook her head and rubbed her eyes as she sniffled. "You prioritized Ozpin, and she might have just killed you too."

Qrow reached up and pet her head, at a little nudge she curled back into his chest. "I did stab her for you, hopefully she won't be back."

"I really hope so, she was terrifying and Pyrrha… Pyrrha was the best of my year. I've never felt more powerless and useless." Ruby's gut twisted up into knots, her mom had never come back either. She always felt useless when she wondered if her mom was out there somewhere.

"Maybe that's what triggered your eyes. Think about it, if you could just blast Grimm on a whim. Well there'd be a lot more silver eyed warriors in the world."

"Maybe."

The elevator docked at the highest stop and they got off together and climbed up the hill to Haven. Ruby wasn't sure what to make of the courtyard. It wasn't even a third of the size of Beacon and they found JNR waiting there. Looking tired and grumpy, sure there was a way around the main building but they had no idea where they could sleep. Ruby found the style of buildings really odd for such a wet climate. The blue tilted roofs must require a lot of maintenance she mused but the warm rustic wood builds were nice.

"What happened to finding Leo?" Qrow asked his hands in his pockets, hunched over.

"It's locked." Nora said with a huff.

"What?" Qrow blinked.

"Yeah locked, didn't you call him?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah I did. Where is that lion?" He walked up and banged on the door. "Hey Leo! Get your nose out of your books!"

"I really don't think that will work." Jaune grumbled.

"Knowing him he's just lost track of time." Qrow huffed and sat down on a pale banche stone step. "The bigger worry is where is everyone?" Even at this hour there should have been signs of life.

"Yeah that's pretty weird." Nora walked over and sat down beside him.

The door opened and Leo yelped. "Qrow! What are you doing?!"

"Where the heck were you? Qrow jumped up. "I told you that I had three kids for you."

The grey haired lion faunus brushed down his brown coat. "Yes well…"

"And where is everyone?"

"Out hunting. Please come in, let's get you all settled." Leonardo stepped out of the way.

"Woot!" Nora jumped up.

Qrow grumbled as they followed the headmaster into the school. It was eerie how quiet the school was. It was tiny compared to Beacon, they walked through the grand hall and to one of the student buildings.

Leonardo opened up two doors. "For you and your team Qrow."

"I'll stay with you Qrow." Ruby said and pulled her backpack off. She didn't really want to tread on JNR more than she had too.

"Sounds good." Qrow looked down the hall but it was easy to see that no one else had been in this building in ages.

Leo shifted nervously. "Why- why are you here?"

Qrow tossed his backpack on a bed. "Ozpin needed medical attention that we couldn't get anywhere else and I'd take a train through two forests over trying to cross Vacou's deserts."

"He-he's alive that's fantastic!" Leo's grin didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yeah well, we'll see how much he comes around. James will be here in a few days to pick him up and transfer him to Atlas. My hope is that the doctors here can help him make some sort of recovery rather than what we've been doing just keeping him stable."

"Well I will have to visit him. But is that really necessary? For James to come here himself?"

Qrow snorted. "Yeah you couldn't convince him not to if you had a year to try."

Leo fidgeted. "Well you'll have to go find your own dinner."

"Alright alright, we'll get out of your mane and save any real talk for when James gets here." Qrow had so many things he wanted to rip into Leonardo for but they could wait.

"Yes great, excuse me." Leonardo made his way for the exit.

Nora waited till after he had shut the sliding door behind him. "That was weird."

"Yeah." Qrow pursed his lips. "Come on then kids, what do you want for dinner? I know you're tired but there are places close we can visit."

"NOODLES!" Nora clapped her hands together. "Those ones we had on the train weren't very good."

"Noodles it is."

Ruby woke up to find Qrow on his Scroll. "What are you doing?"

"Doctor sent a report on Ozpin. Looks like they have him improving but they are looking forward to giving him over to Atlas."

"Well that's good. What are we going to do today?" Ruby yawned and rolled over into her front, then buried back down into the bedding.

"Your friends looked like they were going to drag Nora to the library. I'm going to go start looking into where all of the huntsmen and students are."

"Can I come?"

"Sure."

Ruby gave up the warmth of her bed and they got ready for the day. Breakfast was muesli from a food stall. After-which Ruby raced for the elevator again and this time went straight to the edge. All of Mistral stretched out below her. "Wow." It was so different from Vale, pictures and books didn't do it justice. It was so pristine looking from above, behind them the wind picked up spraying water from the massive waterfall behind the elevator onto her back. As Qrow came up beside her the elevator started to descend. "Nothing like seeing that for the first time."

Ruby loved the lush moss green that peaked out from mountain faces to steep to build on. It juxtaposed the white in a lovely contrast. "Hard to believe it has the second highest crime rate of all the cities. It looks so beautiful from up here."

"Most pretty things have a rotten core."

She glared at him. "That's a rotten thing to say."

"Hey don't hate me because I'm right." Qrow leaned on the banister.

"Huphm. So where are we going?"

"To see Lil' Miss Malachite, she's one of Mistral's top information brokers. Given how barren Haven is I don't trust that Leo has told us the whole truth. She'll help me find the huntsmen."

"Okay~." Ruby wasn't totally sure what an information broker was.

The more they walked down through Mistral the less Ruby liked it. The green she had seen from above steadily vanished into dull greys and browns. The people got more and more questionable. She pulled her hood up and took a couple extra steps to stick closer to Qrow. They came to a bar with a large 'No Faunus' label on the window. Qrow slid the door open and walked in.

"Branwen! It's been too long."

Ruby's head snapped towards the speaker, a blonde woman with a drawling accent. Her hair was in a bob cut and she had pale skin, with lavender eyes and a beauty mark under one. She was a heavy set woman with a white and purple dress.

"Miss Malachite. Sorry had work in other kingdoms." Qrow strode through the bar like he owned the place and sat down at the table across from her. "How's business been?"

"Quite fine, even if the mess at Beacon has hit it hard. Moving product around just got several times more difficult." She purred, her gaze flicked over to Ruby. "Since when are you a babysitter?"

"Miss Malachite this is Ruby Rose, she's my niece and wanted to come with me today." Qrow flicked his fingers and Ruby took the cue, she sat down tentatively beside him.

"It's rude to hide in your hood girl. Didn't your mother ever teach you better?" Miss Malachite said.

Ruby reached up and pulled her hood down, she looked at the table and spoke as soft as a mouse. "No, my mom died."

Qrow watched pity flit over Miss Malachite's features. He pulled out the coin purse that James had given him, it was considerably depleted but it still made a heavy thunk on the table. "I would like to contract your spiders." He pulled the string tie undone.

"I can't imagine why else you'd be here Branwen, unless you missed me?" Her smile was coy.

Qrow chuckled. "Yeah maybe a bit." He slipped a couple fingers into the bag and hooked his fingers through the coins. He dragged it out so the solid gold clicked loudly against his rings and then the table.

Ruby watched as Miss Malachites eyes were glued on the coins. She guessed that what Qrow was showing off was a lot. She hadn't had to handle money much in her life yet.

Qrow started arranging the coins into stacks of ten as he spoke. "I want to know where as many huntsmen as possible are in the kingdom. The bounty boards are full of missions that were taken weeks ago with no updates. I want to know what happened to them, names and locations." The last coin of five stacks he rested a finger on. "Half in advance, half when you have information for me. Proof required."

"Deal Branwen. My spiders will get right on that." She reached out and drew two of the stacks across the table with a long dull scratching sound then plucked five more coins off the middle stack.

Qrow swept the rest back into the pouch. "Pleasure doing business with you. Come on Ruby."

They left and started back the way they had come, quietly Ruby asked. "Uncle, she seemed… is she a criminal?"

"Something like that, I'm sure not all of how she acquires information is legal." Qrow shoved his hands into his pockets.

"How could you work with someone like that?"

"I was a spy for Ozpin Rubs, working with people like that is part of my job."

Ruby frowned. "I don't get it, you're a huntsman. Huntsman don't work with criminals."

Qrow reached up and fluffed her hair. "It's cute that you still believe that. Kiddo most of my tribe are huntsmen, the Branwens are bandits. Huntsmen cast offs."

"But- you're not… I don't get it." She looked up to him.

Qrow dropped his hand and offered his arm, she took with a smile. "Honestly kiddo, I'm fine with that. I never wanted my world to be yours."

Adam walked into the war room of the White Fang with a deep breath. Sienna Khan and several other captains were already there. Their leader was sitting regularly on her throne, her tiger ears flicked towards him. "Welcome Captain Taurus, you've a lot of explaining to do."

Adam sat in his chair at the ebony desk. "And I have a lot to report."

"You can start with why you threw in with this Cinder your latest report mentioned. The loss of Beacon has hit our raids on Dust supplies, weapons even just recruiting hard. The name of the White Fang has been greatly damaged by your actions."

"With all due respect, Cinder was more powerful than any of us were. It was join or be burned alive. Yes it was a calculated risk but I think in the long term we lost fewer faunus by throwing in with her. Even just temporarily. Needless to say I hope we never have to again, she used us like attack dogs." Adam spat.

Sienna nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, that is consistent with the reports from your lieutenants. And Blake?"

"She refused to return, I tried to follow through with your order to kill her if she didn't comply but she escaped with a human friend. As fair as I know she has returned home to Menagerie."

"Our branch there hasn't seen her yet but I will alert them to keep a closer eye on the Belladonna's. Having her return to the fold would help undo some of the damage Beacon has done to our reputation. Many of our brothers and sisters still look to the Belladonna's for guidance." Sienna tapped a finger on her throne. "We also have a problem with supplies beyond Beacon. General Ironwood has closed the borders of Atlas and our Mantle branch isn't equipped to step up it's smuggling operations."

"Do you want me to deploy to Mantle?" Adam asked.

She shook her head. "Not yet, your mask is all over the CCT. You are going underground and working as a huntsmen till things cool down. I trust I need to give no further instruction?"

Adam did a little jump for joy deep inside of his heart. He dipped his head to her. "None at all." He got up and bowed to her again.

"Yes yes, enjoy your time off." Sienna waved him off.

Adam went to his room holding in the skip in his step. He did love working for the White Fang and the betterment of faunus around the world but he was trained first as a huntsmen. Something working as an active member didn't allow him to do was get more personal with people. He had many villages across Anima that he was eager to check in on. His room was simple and spartan.

In no time at all he had his hair dyed black, his horns ground down to be almost level with his skull. He had been wearing bands on them for weeks in preparation for his return to Mistral, so breaking them off and shaving what was left was almost painless. He changed into plain grey trousers tucked into black boots. He wore a dark red shirt with a black trench coat over top. Last but not least he put a heavy leather hat. He left his brand uncovered as he walked out.

It was a nice day, about an hour after noon and a chilly wind kept it from being hot. The White Fang base was located middling to high on the scale of Mistral buildings. So it was a pretty short walk up to a huntsmen bounty board. It was in a little square that had a water lily pond in the middle and several wooden benches. On one facing the board with her hood up was a petite woman. He walked over and sat down before pulling out his own Scroll and linking to the bounty board. It was alarming how so many missions had been taken but seeming left open for weeks. He set his sword down between him and the girl.

Ruby looked over at the beautiful katana. "Wow~, nice katana." She pulled her hood back and leaned in to look at it better. "Is it spring loaded?"

"Yeah, you can tell that by just a look?" Adam had to turn his head so that he could see her with his good eye. Wow cute.

"Yeah I see the seam here." Ruby pointed a seam by the hilt, she yanked her eyes away from the lovely weapon. "Are you going hunting too?"

"Yeah, you?"

Ruby nodded. "I wasn't going to originally but I…" She blushed. "I have no pocket change, I know I could ask my uncle but he's busy and I want to do some hunting." She held out her Scroll to him. "This region of forest is pretty close and I thought if I took it slow I could manage it on my own. I'm just… working up the courage, I haven't fought alone in a long time."

Adam looked over the 'Search and Destroy' bounty, it was close and good money. "If you want company I can tag along. We can split it fifty fifty."

Ruby couldn't help but grin. "Sure that would be great!" They both claimed the bounty together and set off.

"I need to stop by an ammo shop and pick some up first. Is that alright with you?" Adam asked.

"Sure, I'll come along. I haven't seen prices since Beacon fell."

Adam cringed. "They are steep, with Atlas shutting it's borders prices jumped overnight."

"I've heard a bit about it, but I just got here a couple days ago and it was a long trip so I've just been hiding in Haven."

"Where are you from?"

"Patch but I was going to Beacon."

Guilt rolled in Adam's stomach, he wondered if things would have been any better if he had found a way to pull the White Fang out of Vale. He forced a smile. "That's pretty awesome, your parents must be very proud."

Ruby's smile faltered. "My dad is but mom died a long time ago." She shook her head and forced another smile. "Still, once General Ironwood decides what he wants to do here. I'm either going to Atlas to finish my schooling or sticking around to do more bounties I think."

"He's coming here?" Adam almost took his Scroll out to text Sienna then and there.

"Yeah he's coming to get Professor Ozpin, he and my uncle found and saved Ozpin at Beacon. He's only staying in Mistral now because we are waiting for General Ironwood to come and get him to take him to Atlas for better treatment."

So Headmaster Ozpin is alive and in a bad way. Bad enough that General Ironwood is coming to get him personally. Wow. Adam couldn't help but marvel at the little fountain of information the girl turned out to be. Not that the White Fang cared about any of this, they had no bone to pick with Ironwood. He was the one to abolish the practice of indentured servants in Mantle and Atlas. Adam's hand drifted up to his brand, maybe it would be worth mentioning to Sienna just to get some extra guards on the hospital till the General arrived just to make sure nothing happened to Ozpin.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, his brand was really distracting but she was doing her best not to stare.

Adam shook his head and gathered his whits. "It's nothing. It's just a big deal to hear General Ironwood will be here. I've always admired him, he uprooted the practice of indentured servitude in Atlas and Mantle in under a year of coming into office as General. He always seemed like someone who really was for equal rights for everyone, human and faunus alike."

Ruby nodded. "Yeah I like him too. He was nice to me at Beacon."

"You've met him?"

"Yeah twice." Ruby blushed. "I have a habit of finding trouble, but he said I did my job well and showed the instincts of a true huntress."

"Well those are hard to come by. So… do you think you could introduce me?"

Ruby shrugged. "I don't see why not. He's coming by later today after our bounty we could wait for him together. He'll be really busy but I don't see why he couldn't stay an extra minute or two."

"That would be fantastic, even if it's just a minute… I… owe him a lot."

"Was it his law that got you free?" Ruby asked gently.

Adam nodded and pointed at his eye. "I saw him once, after the law was passed and the workhouses emptied. It was only an hour after I got this, he got me proper medical attention. He saw me and stopped what he was doing to see that I was looked after. I mean I'm not much shorter than him but it was like standing beside him was like standing by a giant. Someone who really had the power to change things, someone who did changes things and fast too." The bull faunus blushed, even to his ears he sounded like he was fanboying.

Ruby giggled. "Well that's pretty amazing. I'm not old enough to remember that stuff but I'm sure he'd be happy to see you again."

"I just want to thank him. For a human, he's really something special."

"I noticed that too. He has presence in a room… are you a faunus?"

Adam lifted his hat. "Bull, I shave them because they can get in the way." He waited for the revulsion and shock.

"Aww that's cool, I wish I got to see them. One of my friends was a cat faunus." Ruby sighed looking away as she wondered where Blake had gone.

The bull faunus couldn't help but smile, he had found another jewel among the humans. "Hey I never got your name."

"Ruby Rose, yours?"

"Leon Jensen." He offered his hand, Ruby took it without hesitation and he smiled. "It's nice to meet you Ruby."

"You too Leon." They shook twice before letting go. "Is that the shop?"

Adam looked down the road where she pointed. "Yup. Let's go. I'll buy your ammo."

"You don't have to do that!" Ruby squawked and jogged a couple steps after him.

"I insist come on what's your round?" Adam held the door to the gun shop open for her.

"Point fifty one."

Adam whistled. "Nice. Here I thought it would be point three-oh-eight."

Ruby stuck her tongue. "Not big enough for armoured Grimm." She pulled Crescent Rose off her hip and hugged the sniper rifle to her chest. "Crescent Rose is for big Grimm."

Adam leaned in and studied it, he pointed at it with a finger. "Is that a scythe?!"

"Yay!" Ruby bounced away and transformed the weapon to it's scythe form.

"Wow." Adam walked over to the head of it. "It looks a bit like Qrow Branwen's scythe."

"He's my uncle!"

Adam's jaw connected to the floor. "You're uncle is Qrow fucking Branwen?! He's legendary!"

Ruby nodded vigorously. "Technically he's my sister's uncle but I only have dad, so he decided to help out with raising me. So he's uncle too." She found his gobsmacked expression funny. "Do you want to meet him too?"

"Hell yes!"

"Hey you do your fanboying outside!" The shopkeeper yelled at them.

Ruby blushed and put her scythe away. "So ammo?"

"Right!" Adam zipped over to the wall of different ammo, practically stacked from ceiling to floor and cringed at the prices.

Ruby peered in around his shoulder. Just twelve of her bullets were a silver piece. She gagged. "Just a couple months ago I could get a set of twelve for fifty coppers!"

"That's Atlas' shutting its borders for you." Adam bought twelve of his own rounds and then another twelve for her. His wallet bled two silver pieces.

They sat in a corner of the gun shop, hidden behind the racks displaying all the latest models of firearms. Pulling their empty clips out and started to load the bullets in. Ruby admired how quick he was with his clips of six, his fingers were very practiced. "How long have you been hunting?" She finished her own single clip.

"Including school?"

"Yeah."

"Eight years."

"So you're twenty five."

"Yeah, ready?"

"Yup!"

They walked out down through the switchback streets of Mistral to a bike rental. Ruby balked at the gold piece of a bike for a couple hours cost, but Adam paid for it with a grimace. He mounted up the plain thing, Ruby got on behind him and hugged his middle. She yelped softly as he kicked the bike off and the Dust bike smoothly revved up. She hid her face against his back.

Adam chuckled as he picked a smooth cruising speed. "Don't like bikes?"

Ruby shifted to peer up over his shoulder. "I can do trains, hover ships and boats but I don't like anything else. I'd rather walk."

"Do you get motion sickness?"

"No, but the idea of going several dozen kilometers not under my own power is not fun."

"You can be fast on your own?"

"Between Aura and my Semblance yeah."

Their Scrolls rang in unison and Adam stopped the bike. They both pulled them out and had the same blaring S.O.S on the screen, a village less than five minutes away. Adam took in the village name and kicked the bike off, Ruby screamed and grabbed him. In no time at all they were passing people running into the forest. A giant Grimm made of stone was rampaging through the village smashing houses to bits. "What's that?!"

"Geist! Shoot the Grimm head!" Adam slammed a foot into the ground, banking and decelerating the bike.

Ruby rose-petal-burst to a nearby house and opened fire. The Geist raised a stone arm to shield it's face. It crashed towards her and swung out. Ruby jumped up and landed on it's arm and started to race up it. It threw it's arm straight up sending her flying up into the sky.

Adam jumped up onto a roof and launched himself at the Grimm. It tried to swat him out of the sky, he snapped Wilt partly out of Blush and absorbed the attack on the blade. Ruby landed on the top of the Grimm and brought her scythe down to stab the Grimm head. It moved further down the rock mass and the stone under her feet burst into jagged spikes. She jumped off and landed on a rooftop and opened fire again.

Adam flicked his blade sending the Grimm stumbling back. It wailed down on him, he caught each attack before jumping back and slicing through the air with his Semblance. The stone of the Grimm's body was cleaved in two, white Grimm head and all.

The pieces fell to the ground with several loud thumps. "Wow." Ruby ran off the roof and jumped down. "That was so cool!"

Adam blushed and fixed his hat. "Eh, Geists are pretty easy. I just had to bait it into hitting me."

"Leon!"

Adam turned as a pair of faunus toddlers came racing out of the woods and collided with his legs. "Hey kids, where are your mom and dad?"

"Here Leon, that was quick. Even for you." A greying human in a fine red robe walked out with his wife side him. She was a rabbit faunus with floppy bronze ears.

"I was already out to do a bounty in the area." Adam said and ruffled the bronze hair of the two twins. Their fluffy rabbit ears stood up tall unlike their mothers. "Do you need help moving the pieces?"

"Yes please."

"Leon!" Adam turned just in time to get picked up by another bull faunus and have his ribs compressed in a hug." "Hey Tam, please I need air!"

The dark skinned and full bearded faunus put him down. He was the village smith and was dressed accordingly. "How is that wet stone I gave you working out?"

"Good, it's getting a bit worn down but it's better than the ones I can find in Mistral." Adam brushed his coat down and looked down to find the toddlers still attached to his legs. "You two know I need my legs back."

They pouted and let go. "Can you show us the super cool move you used! We barely saw it!"

"No can do kids. Go on and help with clean up." Adam patted their backs, they pouted but complied.

"Let's get the boulders out of our town then!" Tam clapped his hands together.

Ruby stuck close to Adam and helped, thanks to her Aura she could help lift with him. That didn't stop it from taking the better part of the day to move the bits of stone out of the village. They ended up adding them to a wall that the Grimm had smashed through.

The mayor came and found them as they walked through town. "I'd insist you stay for dinner Leon but my house's kitchen is half crushed but please come back in a week." He offered Adam a coin pouch.

Adam took it and opened it. Twenty gold pieces, he took out ten and handed half to Ruby. "Keep the rest, you'll need it more than I." He offered it back.

"Leon please-."

"I insist, but I will take you up on that dinner in a week." Adam tucked the coin purse into the mayer's belt.

He sighed. "I know better than to fight you on this." They hugged and he said. "See you in a week my friend and bring your lady friend with you."

Ruby blushed a being called a lady. "I'm not very good at parties."

"Nonsense, from your accent I can tell you're from Vale. Don't worry about standing on ceremony, I am sure we can teach you as we go."

She hugged herself. "Okay, thank you sir."

"Think nothing of it. See you both then excuse me."

Ruby and Adam headed off and got back on their bike. The sun was starting to set, casting golden warm light through the forest. This time Adam drove more slowly and Ruby rested her chin on his shoulder. "They seemed nice."

Adam nodded. "I've been friends with the mayor Alfred there for years. I used to work with Ginny his wife. She wanted to retire and we had been keeping that village safe for a long while." He chuckled. "She made me come to their wedding. I don't usually like humans but Alfred's a good sort and has treated Ginny and all the faunus of that village as equals."

"That's always nice to see, I really don't understand how people could treat someone different based on something as silly as a pair of bunny ears or horns. It just seems dumb, physical traits don't define us."

"People fear what is different." Adam said, rage boiled in his chest but he didn't want to scare her off. "Are we going up to Haven?"

Ruby checked her Scroll. "Yeah, Qrow texted saying James will be here in an hour. That's enough time to walk up through the city."

"Sounds good."

They did just that and as they reached the upper level two Atlas ships descended from the clouds. One was clearly a medical vessel and went straight for the hospital, the other was a fine Special Operatives ship. It flew down and vanished from their sight to land in Haven's interior courtyard. "Ooo!" Ruby ran after it.

Adam was forced to follow, though the prospect of meeting General Ironwood and Qrow Branwen was making him nervous. They ran into the courtyard just as Qrow was arriving in it too.

Five people in uniforms of matching colour schemes were waiting at the bottom of the boarding ramp. "YEE! It's the Ace Ops!" Ruby squeal and rose petal burst over only to be snagged out of the air by Qrow.

"Cool it pipsqueak." He lowered his voice. "You're embarrassing me."

"Sorry." Ruby wilted and Qrow put her down. "Oh I brought a new friend!"

Qrow raised a brow, new friends were good. She didn't make many friends, period. "Oh?"

Adam had caught up with her. Qrow Branwen was just as amazing in the flesh as he was in the stories, Harbinger sat heavy on his hip. His voice a smooth raspy warm drawl, those pale red eyes that scanned him up and down. Adam adjusted his hat. "Uh hi. Um, Ruby mentioned you were her uncle and I've just heard so many stories…" Gods even to his ears he sounded silly.

Qrow took pity on the blushing faunus fan boy, he offered his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Adam took it and they shook. "I'm Leon Jensen. I'm uhh, it's nice to meet you too."

Qrow looked at Wilt and Blush. "Nice katana."

Adam chuckled. "Yeah uh Ruby said that too." He looked at the Atlas ship. "Ruby mentioned General Ironwood was going to be here."

Clover Ebi stepped towards them and dipped his head to Qrow. His own inner fanboy he was much better at keeping in check. "He is, just on a call with the hospital. Making sure everything goes smoothly with Ozpin's transfer."

They saw the hospital ship raise back up into the sky and blast towards Atlas. After a moment James walked down the boarding ramp.

Ruby's smile faltered when she saw him. He looked tired, his jaw had a stubble on it and he had changed his clothing to wear to gloves on both hands. His white double breasted tailcoat no longer showed the layers underneath. Even his shirt had been changed for black with a blood red tie.

"Qrow."

Ruby perked up, at least his voice hadn't changed.

Qrow stepped up to the General and they embraced briefly. "Hey Jimmy."

James stepped away. "You did a good job with Ozpin, the doctors think that he will recover. He held on for this long and can only improve at this point." He clenched a fist. "It just killed me not to be able to do more at Beacon."

"Hey that coin purse you gave me sure went a long way. You'd be amazed what you can get when you've got funds to grease a few palms." Qrow smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

James chuckled. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." He gestured to the team behind him. "You know most of my Ace Ops."

"Yup, who's the new kid?" Qrow flicked his head towards a wolf faunus.

At a flick of his fingers Marrow Amin stepped forward. James spoke. "Qrow this is Marrow Amin, Tortuga's replacement."

Qrow and Marrow shook. "That's rough kid."

Marrow smiled meekly. "A promotion I never wanted."

James looked out and smiled at Ruby. "Miss Rose, it's nice to see you again. How are you doing?"

Ruby clapped her hands together and rocked on her feet with a blush. "Very good sir. It was really stressful going for a while there but I've been spending the last couple days just unwinding. Uh this is Leon, he wanted too-."

"I remember you, workhouse seven, bunk forty two. It looks like your eye has healed well, can you use it?"

Adam just about died and went to heaven. General Ironwood remembered him! Him a nothing faunus one out of hundreds that had been saved that day. It was humans like him that helped him see that maybe the two peoples could live together. "Only in black and white sir, but I just make sure to scan everything with my other eye and my brain does the rest." He walked up. "Uh."

James frowned his brow, he was trying to remember the name. Something that started with A. "I'm sorry your name is slipping my mind."

"It's fine, I changed it. It made it harder for people resistant to your new law to track me down. At least on paper." He pointed at the brand. "Needless to say I got the heck out of Mantle after your doctors patched me up."

James offered his hand. "Fair enough, what do you go by now?"

"Leon Jensen." They shook. "It is an honor to meet you again, I just… thank you sir."

James shook his head. "It was just the right thing to do."

"Yeah but you didn't need to help with my medical stuff and you got me on priority list and everything."

"Again, it was just the right thing to do. I'm sorry to cut this short but I have many questions for Leonardo and work to get too."

"Of course, uh." Adam looked at Ruby and pulled his Scroll out. "Can we swap numbers? It was nice to hunt with you."

"Sure!"

Qrow and James looked on with a shared smile as the two youngsters swapped contact information. Qrow looked over at Clover. "So what are you doing here lucky charm?"

"We're being lent to you… bad luck charm."

Qrow's smile faultured. "What-wait, really?"

James nodded. "Your report on the bounty and huntsmen situation is worry. Clover will maintain leadership of the team but they are yours to organize."

Qrow ran a hand through his hair. "Oh okay then~, that's gonna make a lot of things easier."

"Okay see you later." Adam smiled at Ruby who nodded vigorously. "Yup." He looked over to Marrow and lifted his hat up just enough to show his fellow faunus his horns. "Maybe we can work together too."

Marrow grinned. "I'd like that Leon."

"Alright then, I have a great deal to discuss with Leo." James turned on his heel and walked towards the great hall. His Ace Ops were quick to follow as Qrow went with him. He paused as Ruby stayed put and hugged herself. He looked her up and down. "Miss Rose, given your status as the only known Silver Eyed Warrior and the target you placed on your back at Beacon. It would be prudent for you to join us, I assume you know everything said is strictly confidential and not to be repeated to anyone ." Her obvious surprise was cute.

"Yes sir!" She raced up to Qrow's free side.

Qrow reached out and rubbed her back as they walked into the great hall. "You're getting special treatment here kiddo. You really can't say anything about this to anyone, to do so would be treason. It would also be best if you didn't speak up, just watch and learn."

"Okay uncle."

James was grateful that Qrow had chosen to further elaborate on the need for secrecy. They really didn't have any idea of who was bought, what was tapped. Silence was safety in this instance. It was likely she'd take such orders better from her uncle then from him. He reached out and flicked the heavy gilded doors to Leonardo's office open. They banged against the wall and Leo leapt out of his seat sending it flying and he yelped. "James!"

"That's General too you." James growled, watching the cowardly lion shrink in on himself was amusing. "We have a great deal to talk about."

The Ace Ops spread out into the room, taking ownership of the half-circle room. A large desk of mahogany dominated the space of the autumn-colored office. The large Elm and slender Vine sat in the right-hand corner. While Harriet and Marrow moved to stand by the tall bookshelves that flanked the front door.

Ruby thought the space was pretty messy. Ozpin's office had been way tidier, above the back windows she could see a long bookshelf that spanned the wall filled with books, boxes and a couple lamps. There were ladders on either side, while much of the base floor was open with a large rectangular green rug leading from the door to the desk. Qrow pulled her over and gestured for her to sit with Elm and Vine. She blushed as the two Ace Ops studied her.

James stood at military ease. "How about we start with why you went dark for months, only then to have four of Salem's operatives get entry forms to the Vytal festival from your academy."

"There was nothing to check in about before the fall of Beacon, but since that day, Mistral has been in chaos! Vale wasn't the only Kingdom to suffer that night. Everyone was watching. Every house in every Kingdom saw that poor girl ripped to pieces, saw monsters crawling over the city, Atlesian Knights attacking citizens... and then nothing. You could feel the dread in the air. With all that negativity, you can imagine what it was like when the Grimm came for us." Leonardo walked over to a window and looked outside. A power play on his part, just like the Ace Ops taking over his office. "Mistral's territory is the widest reaching in the world, you know, and that makes it infinitely harder to protect. We lost so many great Huntsmen, teachers from this very institution. And it's only gotten worse."

"You think I don't know that?" Ironwood snarled. "My Ace Ops are here to help with the Grimm problem and you have deflected from how they got into the Vytal festival. You reported no breach of your security systems. I really doubt that they could have gotten into this school and it's mainframe without setting something off."

"I don't know James! Everything was quiet!" Leonardo said flustered.

James wanted to call the bullshit, he strode forward and set a hand on the desk. His fingers splayed. "Why Ozpin gave you this school never ceased to baffle me. How someone so incompetent and spineless could safeguard something so important."

Leonardo glared at him. "Yet he did, not all of us think that our military provide the answer to everything."

"My ships at Vale were in response to the increase of population density. Need I remind you that Vale didn't even have walls and look what happened with negativity spiked. Grimm went right through what defenses the city had. If my ships had not been hacked, need I remind you something that clearly happened here for those four to get into the Vytal tournament things would have gone very differently at Vale." James slammed his fist into the desk, cracking it. "Need I remind you that I was right! Her forces were there! Yes they used my ships and knights, but just as many would have died if I had not been there. Because Vale was defenseless either way."

Leonardo had no counter to that. Vale had not been equipped to deal with such a threat, guilt turned over inside of him. How much of it had been his fault? For not telling Ozpin what Salem and Cinder were doing. Had he just told them that Watts was alive many James would have been able to change something about his ships, prevent them from being hacked and the city would still be standing today. It was only the thought that Salem would kill him if he didn't comply, that she still wanted information from him that kept him from spilling his guts to Ironwood. "I don't know General, I can not help you. I don't even know where the Spring Maiden is."

Qrow started. "I-"

James held a hand out and Qrow snapped his jaw shut. "As far as I am concerned Lionheart you are a traitor till proven otherwise." He turned on his heel. "Come we will continue this conversation elsewhere."

Elsewhere turned out to be a small but scenic woods behind the academy. Ruby guessed James' picked the spot because there was no surveillance and they'd see anyone coming long before they got here.

"What have you to report Qrow?" Ironwood asked.

"I have a feeling my sister might have Spring. I was doing some digging before Ozpin recalled me to Beacon. Last anyone saw, including Leo was that she was picked up by the Branwens. I haven't found Raven yet, but I'm considering just swallowing my pride and asking her."

Ironwood nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps that would be best, it would be prudent to move the relic to Atlas. It would help reduce Grimm draw to this city, at least till Haven's huntsmen numbers get back up."

"That is what I was thinking too." Qrow pulled out his Scroll and showed James the bounty board.

James scrolled through it his frown deepening as the list of bounties went on and on. "Just how… how many do you think have died?"

"I've gone through all my friends. Haven't found one. I've got Lil' Miss Malachite looking for details." Qrow's shoulders drooped, his friends always died in the end.

"I hope you paid her well."

"Half up front, showed her the rest. By the way that's where the last of that gold you gave me is going."

"Well you have the Ace Ops to assign to making a great more. You know Anima best so they are under orders to defer to your judgement." James sighed and pinched his nose. "I must get back to Atlas. I have been in talks with the other council members to secure more funding for the military. We lost a great deal at Beacon on just about all fronts."

"Council giving you trouble?"

"Yes, they are reluctant to help people who they think had it coming to them because of their lack of preparation. I already have the backing to restore the naval forces but it's not going to be enough to take back Vale. Beyond that, radio is too easy to intercept and an invasion would need a new CCT tower to function optimally in Vale."

Ruby almost jumped for joy at that idea, invading Vale, taking back Beacon! Making her home kingdom safe again!

"I'm sure you'll think of something James. You always do."

"At this rate I'm going to have to court Jacques." He spat the name. "For funding."

"Fucking snob. And you know he's not going to give you a copper till you lower the embargo."

"And just hand out an invitation to all of Salem's forces. Just come on in, winter will freeze your limbs off. Not to mention how many shipments the White Fang have stolen in the last year alone. Both Dust and weapons."

"Just being truthful James. You might have to pick the lesser evil and step up your security."

"You think I haven't already thought of that?"

"Hey sentient garbage is still garbage."

James sighed, his wish to get people out of the battlefield seemed farther away than ever. "If you can find out how Salem's operatives got into Vytal. I will lower the embargo."

"It's a deal." Qrow smirked. "Even if I was going to figure that out anyway."

James scoffed. "If you can bring the Branwens back to civilization… that is a great many huntsmen we desperately need."

Qrow hummed. "Again, I'll talk to Raven but what bone might I have to throw their way?"

"Licenses for a start. Perhaps Haven if any wish to be teachers."

"That would be a pretty sweet deal." Qrow nodded. "I'll get on it Jimmy."

"Good." James started off back towards his ship.

"Anything you want us to look into sir?" Clover asked.

James shook his head. "This is more Qrow's area of expertise. Just do what he tells you." James turned to Qrow again as he paused at the end of the ramp to his ship. "Take care."

"You too." Qrow dipped his head. "Come on Ops! You're getting a geography lesson!"

Ruby lingered behind as the Ace Ops said their farewells.

"Do you have a question Miss Rose?" James asked.

She looked up to him, he was so tall and partly standing on the ramp. "... I know it's not my place and you've probably been getting this a lot but are you alright sir? You look very tired."

James smiled softly, her voice portrayed how genuine her concern was. "I am, but I will be alright Miss Rose."

Ruby shook her head. "Forgive me for not believing you sir. Qrow and Dad have said that a lot and been flat out lying."

The blue eyed man chuckled. "Alright you have me there, I will attempt to be alright."

"Better." Ruby looked him up and down again. "Well good luck sir."

"To you as well Miss Rose." He hesitated then stepped back down the ramp. He paused a step before her. "Should you wish to continue your education at Atlas, you know you'd be more than welcome."

"I have thought about it sir, but I don't want to abandon my uncle here and I can help with the Grimm."

"I honestly expected nothing else. May I borrow your Scroll?"

Ruby was surprised but pulled it out and unlocked it for him. She watched as he pulled up her contact list and added himself in. He handed it back. "Should you ever find yourself in trouble."

The petite woman clenched her Scroll to her chest. "Thank you sir." She looked at it and then shot off a text. "And should you ever need someone to vent to."

James chuckled. "I may take you up on that." He bowed to her. "Have a good night Miss Rose."

"You too General Ironwood." She watched as he smiled at her again and then turned away. He walked up his ship and recalled the ramp. A moment later she took several steps back as he started the ship and took off up into the sky. The beautiful metal craft gleamed in the setting sun. Ruby sighed mournfully, he really was an amazing person. When she couldn't see the ship anyone she turned back to the school. She needed to find her uncle, she had SO many questions!