Just to let you all know, I've been drafted into doing an awards ceremony speech for a powerful client of ours on the 20th June. Basically, they had everything sorted but their main speaker has dropped out with two weeks left to go, and they basically just asked if we can do "anything" to help. Considering how much they spend with us, I couldn't afford to say no.

The 20th June is a Thursday, which means there won't be a Headmaster Arc chapter on it. It's in two weeks and I'll remind everyone again next week.

Cover Art: Mystery White Flame

Chapter 14

Centuries of life, death and betrayal prevented him from showing the reaction he might once have. Rather than scream, rant or look to Leonardo with disbelief, Ozpin allowed a moment to collect himself and then smiled.

"I've been well. Better than you, I dare say. How is the eye?"

The smug satisfaction drained from Cinder so fast she must have suffered whiplash. Her lips peeled back, skin crinkling around the scar cut into and through one side of her face. "It's a reminder," she hissed. "A reminder of what I'll do to your protégé when next I see him."

"Oh?" Ozpin strolled toward the table, drew out a chair and sat down. "And what makes you think you'll have any more fortune the second time around? Mr Arc will have improved since then. Perhaps next time he will go a few inches deeper and finish the job."

"I would not treat this as a laughing matter, Ozpin." Cinder slammed both hands down and rose to her feet.

"Believe me when I say I'm not. It's very important for children to learn to finish what they start. I'll have to reprimand Mr Arc for only going halfway with you."

"O-Ozpin…?" Oscar's voice came to him, so soft and afraid that Ozpin's heart ached. "T-That's not Team RWBY. Is it?"

"I'm afraid not. It appears our – my – enemies have found us."

"Oh."

A long silence.

"Am I going to die?"

I, not we. Young as he was and naïve as he could be, Oscar knew his situation well; knew that the only of them who would die if their body was destroyed was he. In that regard, Ozpin had very little to lose in the situation. Time, yes. Position, resources and opportunity, but there were no great downsides to his death here. And such was preferable to capture at any rate.

Ozpin had nothing to lose. He could afford to antagonise his attackers and die with a smile.

Oscar knew that.

"Though I have been through much and sacrificed more, I would like to believe I have no strayed so far from the morals that once guided me," Ozpin said. "As little as it may mean to you, I swear on my honour, both as a Knight and as a King, that I will not abandon you so readily. Even if my death would impact me little, I would not stand aside and allow yours."

"Ozpin…"

"Trust me but a little, Oscar. I ask you this."

There was no response, but Oscar did not attempt to resume control over his body. Ozpin opened his eyes and looked at those at the table. Hazel – a mistake, one of many – Tyrian Callows and Cinder Fall. Three dangerous foes. Behind him, guarding the door, Leonardo Lionheart. One who had once been a friend. Troublesome.

And people said he was untrusting.

"Well, I must say that you've sprung your trap quite nicely," Ozpin said, addressing Cinder once more. "Four people against a fourteen-year-old child. Very impressive. Salem certainly has picked her followers for their genius. And what now?" He spread his small arms. "You've caught me. What comes next? Hoping I'll somehow tell you all my plans? That I shall cower and beg to join you?"

"I would not be so blasé were I you," Cinder growled.

Ozpin chuckled. "And why not? This would hardly be the first time you have killed me, my dear. Remind me again how it went the last time?"

"You-"

"Cinder." Hazel interrupted her with a flat and heavy tone. "Do not allow him to goad you."

"Can't we kill him?" Tyrian cackled. "Oh, oh, let me try. I want to give it a shot."

"You can't," Ozpin said calmly. "No matter how much you try, you shall only fail."

"I'd give it a go anyway! Ha ha. See how you scream when I pluck out your eyes."

"Rather little," Ozpin said. "I've been there once before. It's not quite as drastically painful as one might imagine." His flat tone surprised Tyrian and Ozpin used that to his advantage, standing and walking around the table, walking past Cinder and Tyrian both as if it were he in charge of the situation and not them. "A reunion is all well and good but that's all this really is. Hazel, it's good to see you again. Cinder, you instigated an attack on my school and killed me."

Ozpin sighed dramatically.

"I'm afraid that places you in breach of your contract as a teacher under my employ. I'm going to have to let you go."

Cinder scowled and Tyrian cackled.

Continuing his walk about the room, Ozpin came to a stop before a window and looked out of it, over Haven and the innocent students who had no idea what was going on above them. He turned away, sitting on the windowsill and looking back to the four people out for his head. "Well? Aren't you going to make your demands? Tell me your plans or gloat? Please, by all means, indulge yourselves. I'm not going anywhere."

"Where have you hidden the Relic of Choice?"

Ozpin leaned forward and whispered, "In a vault."

Cinder growled.

"But you see," he said, whispering loudly. "It's not just any vault. No, no, no. It's hidden in a vault that requires the power of the Fall Maiden to open it. Quite ingenious if I do say so myself. And I do. It was a particularly good century in which I made that decision. Even stored some wine in there. It must have aged rather well by now."

"Where is the vault?"

"Up your ass."

Cinder slammed her hands down.

Hazel sighed. "Childish."

"Is that so? I apologise. I appear to be trapped within the body of a child."

"Where is the vault!?" Cinder demanded. "Tell me!"

"I already have. Haven't you heard that old saying?" Ozpin adopted a wise and weathered voice. "The power was within you all along. It's quite literal. All you need to do is bend over, reach between your legs and crawl up your ass and-"

"We could just use the Relic of Knowledge to find out," Leonardo said.

Ozpin's smile fell.

"The vault is beneath the school," Leo continued. "Beneath the statue of the Spirit of Knowledge herself. Find the Spring Maiden and secure her aid, and you'll be able to use it to locate the vault containing the Relic of Choice."

"See Ozpin," Cinder said, laughing. "You're not nearly as clever as you think you are."

"Leonardo," Ozpin said, ignoring Cinder. "I had such faith in you, such trust. Of all the people who might betray me, I'll admit that you were not on the list. Whatever happened to you, old friend?"

"I was approached, old friend. I was approached and shown the truth, and I decided to do the only thing I could do. Survive. That may not be a concern for you, but most of us die when we are killed. Faced with the inevitability of Salem, there was only one choice I could make. I chose to survive. I chose to join the winning side."

"The winning side?" Ozpin asked with a light chuckle. "Interesting that you would count a person who has failed to conquer humanity for nigh on two thousand years as `winning` anything. Salem's greatest achievement to date is failing to destroy humanity, failing to destroy me and now failing to destroy Beacon. On the other hand, I have kept humanity alive for almost two thousand years. I'm sorry to say it, old friend, but it seems to me like you've picked the wrong side in this war."

Leonardo Lionheart crossed his arms. "I've made my choice, Ozpin."

"Yes, you have." Ozpin nodded. "I'm glad to see you sticking to it. It's important to finish what you start, as I'll be telling Me Arc with regard to young Cinder here. So yes, stick to your loyalties and be sure to hold firmly to them, Leonardo." Ozpin smiled at the man. "It will make it easier for the both of us when I kill you."

"Ozpin-?"

"Kill me?" Leonardo laughed. "From where I'm standing, it doesn't look like you'll have much luck with that."

"Well then." Ozpin smiled. "Let us see if my odds improve elsewhere."

He leaned backward.

"STOP HIM!" Cinder howled.

Too late. That was the thing about hired help, Ozpin considered as he crashed through the window and fell from the tower. They were never quite as good or as experienced as the one hiring them. It was why he liked to take care of matters himself, relying only on Qrow and others for scouting, simple tasks or when he absolutely had to.

"Ozpin!" Oscar cried out. "We're gonna die!"

"First lesson, Oscar," he spoke out loud, looking back up to the window as the wind whistled around him. "There's much you can achieve simply by taking control of a situation and acting like you are free to do as you wish. An intelligent foe would have restrained us."

"The falling!? We're falling really fast!"

"Oscar. Falling is in itself not dangerous. It is the landing that you should be more worried about."

Judging from the stream of fourteen-year-old swear words – creative, but somewhat inexperienced – his words had done little to calm the boy. Really, hadn't he asked for a little faith already? There was a reason the first lessons he taught the children was how to have an effective landing strategy.

It would have been somewhat embarrassing if he didn't have one of his own.

Freefalling, Ozpin spun himself in the air so that he was face down, then took a fraction of a second to orient himself. He was falling not toward the ground, but one of the rooftops. Considering that, he cupped his chin and nodded, then curled up into a ball and closed his eyes.

"WHAT KIND OF LANDING STRATEGY IS THIS!?"

"It's called the cannon ball."

"SON OF A BI-"

The roof gave way under them with an almighty crash. Slate and wooden beams cracked under the force of his aura and erupted inward. It slowed his fall more than one might have thought. Without aura, he'd have surely died from it, but the wooden beams that splintered under him brought his velocity down from `terminal` to `inconvenient`.

A nice wooden desk and chair handled the rest, smashed to pieces under his weight as the person who had been sat on it dove to the side, avoiding the fourteen-year-old missile and landing flat on his ass, staring at Ozpin with wide and panicked eyes.

Ozpin nodded back.

"Mr Wukong."

Sun Wukong stared at him. "D-Do I know you?"

"No. Apologies for the desk." Ozpin turned past the rest of the shocked class who, somewhat understandably, weren't sure how to react to airborne tweens, and toward the teacher, stood at the blackboard with an open mouth and bulging eyes. Ozpin raised one hand. "Please, miss, may I be dismissed to use the restroom?"

Silently, uncomprehendingly, the woman nodded.

"Thank you. I'll also need Mr Wukong to help show me where it is." Ozpin stooped to grab the boy's wrist and drag him up. Though he was smaller and weaker, the faunus was just startled and curious enough to rise and follow him. At the door, Ozpin looked back toward the devastated classroom with its new open roof. "Please," he said politely, "Feel free to continue where you left off."

"Are you-?" Oscar choked. "Are you even for real?"

"I told you. Adopt a calm face, speak clearly and act as though everything is normal. You would be surprised how many people it works on."

"No one in there just thought that was normal! NO ONE!"

"So," Sun said, unsure if he should be worried around the insane kid or not. "You gonna explain that one to me? Because I've seen a lot of weird things, but I have to say, that? That was the strangest."

"Really?" Ozpin asked distractedly, moving along with Sun Wukong beside him. "And I could have sworn crazier things like this happened in Beacon on a weekly basis."

"Okay, actually, yeah. You've got a point. So… you are-?"

"Oscar," he said. "Oscar Pine. A pleasure. I'd offer to shake your hand but I'm in something of a quandary right now." Ozpin cocked his head to the side, listening as a door slammed open and footfalls sounded behind him.

Well, it wasn't like he'd expected the enemy to stay still.

"I need your help, Mr Wukong."

"Yeah? With what?"

"How are we going to convince him to trust us over his own headmaster!?" Oscar gasped, trapped in the midst of full panic. "He'll never trust us. There's just no chance!"

Oh, Oscar. Ye of little faith.

"Your headmaster has attempted to molest me."

Oscar choked.

Sun gasped.

"T-That'll never work!"

"Shit," Sun said, breathing out through his nose. "That- wow. I always thought he was a bit off but seriously, you don't expect that. "Assuming you're telling the truth, that is."

"Decide for yourself," Ozpin said. "He is chasing me, a fourteen-year-old child, through the halls of his school. And I just jumped out a window to avoid his advances. Unless you think that is my typical means of descending a flight of stairs."

"No. Well, I mean… probably not."

Ozpin smiled. "He was also accompanied by a rather strange person. Someone called… Cinder Fall."

Sun's eyes grew wide.

"Kid, I think we need to get you to my team. And then out of here."

"Thank you, Mr Wukong. I could not have agreed more."

/-/

"FIND HIM!" Cinder roared.

"Leonardo is looking," Hazel said, calmer than she. "Pacing will do no good. Our faces are known – yours especially – so we can't exactly rush out there in person. Lionheart has sealed off all the exits. Ozpin cannot leave Haven."

The words did little for Cinder, who continued to pace and snarl angrily, furious at not only Ozpin but herself for allowing him to goad and distract her to the point that she'd lost control and allowed him to escape. Foolish. Reckless. It was Jaune's fault somehow. After years of constant success and self-control, one semester with him had torn her plans asunder. Mercury and Emerald, dead. Neo and Torchwick, recruited. Beacon, standing.

Her eye, gone.

"Damn him! Damn him, damn him, damn Jaune Arc!"

"You mean `Ozpin`," Tyrian teased.

Cinder froze. "Y-Yes. I said Ozpin."

"You said Jaune."

"I said no such-"

"We have problems," Hazel said, looking out the window and toward the forest surrounding the academy. "I can see Qrow Branwen approaching the school with three students."

"WHAT!?" Cinder rounded on him.

"I see what I see," Hazel said. "Though I doubt they've seen us."

Cinder was lost for words. "He's sent them to rescue Ozpin. He's predicted me this far? No. Impossible! I won't believe it. Can't believe it!"

"It could be a coincidence," Tyrian pointed out.

"A coincidence? This? It just so happens that when we finally make a move on Ozpin, a team arrives to rescue him? No. Jaune knew. Leonardo wouldn't dare betray us, but Jaune must have figured out the truth. He always was like that, so confident at reading people – just like he read Roman and I." Cinder made for the door, only to pause and spin toward a darker patch of the room. "And you," she hissed. "You could help Leonardo. Could you not?"

Raven Branwen allowed a lazy mile to slip across her features. "I don't recall that being among the terms we agreed upon. I'm here to help you open the vault, not find Ozpin or kill my pesky brother."

Cinder gritted her teeth. The situation was rapidly spiralling out of control. It would only get worse as time went on, and while she was confident in their ability to deal with it, the delay might make matters more complicated. And if Ozpin escaped-? No, that wouldn't do.

"We hired you to open the vault for us. That is what we shall do."

"In the middle of the day?" Hazel asked. "It will cause a riot."

"Ooh. I like the sound of that."

"The time for subtlety has passed. It passed once we failed to destroy Beacon. Right now, the only thing that matters is the Relic of Knowledge. We must know where Ozpin hid the Relic of Choice. Once we have that information, everything else we can do on our own."

Hazel considered the suggestion for a long moment and then nodded. He rose slowly, muscles bulging in his arms and shoulders. "Very well."

/-/

"Remember," Qrow said. "We can't afford to cause a scene here. Haven isn't like Beacon. It's a peaceful school in the middle of lessons. We're here to find Oscar and get out, not start any chaos or cause problems. Got it?"

"Yes, Uncle Qrow." Yang rolled her eyes.

"Good. Act natural and be polite," Qrow said, hands on the large door. "This is a school after all."

He pushed it open.

And stepped into a scene of chaos.

Students ran around the foyer chased by staff, while spectators stood along the walls watching in shock as students formed a barrier around a hallway, preventing the teachers – and importantly, Leonardo Lionheart – from entering. The large man looked furious and on the verge of violence.

Behind those students, others had their scrolls out and were recording, while teachers looked on, unsure what to do in what almost looked to be a siege of the student dorms. Atop a makeshift barricade, Neptune Vasilias stood with his arms crossed.

"We're not giving him up to anyone but the police."

"I am ordering you as your headmaster-"

"With all due respect, headmaster, what he suggests is a criminal offence. We've already called the police and they're on their way. We're not about to give the poor kid over to you when you're the main suspect."

"I DID NOT MOLEST THAT BOY!"

Qrow's mouth fell open. "The fuck-?"

"Then I'm sure the police will find that out and you'll be exonerated, sir. But I'm also fairly sure it wouldn't be the right thing to do to hand him over to you. What do you think, Mrs Greene?" Neptune addressed the question to a nearby woman, who was either the deputy or a highly ranked teacher. She had the `Glynda look` though with brown hair, mousy features and less ball-shaking terror-glaring-eyes.

"Mr Vasilias speaks the truth, sir, even if it's crassly put. I think it would be better for everyone if you left this to us to sort out." She smiled pleasantly. "I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding on Oscar's part, but it wouldn't do for this affair to become any more muddied than it already is."

Leonardo's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

"So," Ruby said. "About that `not causing chaos` thing…"

"Is this the Oscar we're looking for?" Blake asked quietly.

Qrow's hand came up to cover his face. "I can't think of anyone else who could drive a huntsman academy into this kind of madness within the space of a day, so yes."

"Ha." Yang grinned. "He sounds awesome!"

Qrow wasn't sure what Ozpin would think of being called `awesome`. He'd probably get all smug about it. Still, why would Ozpin be saying Leo molested him? Something doesn't add up here. Shaking his head and motioning for the three kids to stay behind, he made his way forward, pushing through the crowd to a shaking headmaster's side and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Leonardo whirled, then stared. His face paled. "Q-Qrow!?"

"Hey. I'm here for Ozpin. What's this about molesting, though? Don't tell me the two of you shared some heartfelt hug and everyone is up in arms."

"No. I mean yes, that's exactly what happened." Leonardo's face ran through a gamut of expressions from horror to embarrassment to rage and then something else, something pinched and nervous. "Y-Yes, we simply had a misunderstanding."

"Yeah? Then you won't mind sorting that out for me, would you? I kinda need to meet with Oz."

"O-Of course." Leonardo swallowed, sweating profusely. His face suddenly brightened up. "Actually, why don't we talk some more in my office? I should probably be out of the way anyway; I'm only making matters worse here. Once this has all calmed down, I'll have Ozpin summoned up and you can be on your way." He smiled graciously. "I'll even offer you a drink from my personal stash."

"Ha. Now you're talking."

As they made to leave, Qrow looked back towards the three girls and nodded once to the barricade. They got the message and approached, chatting with the boy atop, who recognised them immediately and let them through.

They'd find Ozpin quick enough.

/-/

"You incited the students into a revolt? How is this a good idea? How is this better?"

"Because, Oscar, Leonardo cannot afford to act against the students without outing himself, while Cinder, Tyrian and Hazel are but three people. They are powerful, yes, but they are also wanted fugitives and there are several hundred students here."

"Aren't we just putting them at risk?"

"No more risk than they are in with Leonardo at the helm."

He wouldn't normally have involved them, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Leonardo had to go. The Academies were his invention and were intended to aid each generation in growing to a point where they could defend themselves against Salem, with or without him. Beacon had not fallen and that was great, but he could not let Haven fall into the hands of the enemy.

"Listen to me, Oscar. All of these students would die if Leonardo remained. He would poison their minds and quite possibly poison them literally, too. I dread to imagine how many he has sent to their deaths already." He was also responsible for covering for Cinder as a teacher of his, something Ozpin felt he should have realised long ago.

Alas, by the time Cinder Fall turned on them, he was dead.

A knock on the door followed Sun Wukong stepping in again, this time with a large and dopey smile on his face. "Hey Oscar, I've got some people who want to meet you. I know them from Beacon and they're great. You can trust them."

Ozpin was on his feet immediately, suspicion flaring.

It vanished when the three members of Team RWBY entered.

"Wonderful," he breathed. "Truly exceptional timing."

"Wait, so this is Team RWBY? Are we sure this time?"

"Yes, Oscar. I am sure."

"Wow. T-They're so pretty…"

"Down Oscar, Down. Bad Oscar."

Miss Xiao-Long – or Yang, he supposed he should get used to calling her for now; it wouldn't do to reveal that he was an immortal body-hopped in front of so many people – stepped forward with a wide grin. "Hey. So you're Oscar, right? Oscar Pine."

"That is me." Ozpin tried to sound at least a little younger than well over two thousand. And like he didn't recognise them. "Are you the team that has been sent with Qr- Mr Branwen?"

"That's our Uncle." Ruby stepped forward. "I'm Ruby, team leader of Team RWBY. This is Yang and Blake. We're here to get you out of Haven. Or we were, but it looks like things are a little crazy here. People are talking about how the headmaster touched you."

"That true?" Yang asked. "Kinda a dick move if it isn't."

"It is the least of what he has done to trouble me today," Ozpin said. "Where is Qrow? It's imperative I speak to him immediately. The situation is far worse than expected."

"The situation?" Blake glanced to Sun and decided he was trusted enough to say, "You're a spy, right? That's what Qrow told us. You work against Cinder and those kinds of people."

He was what now-? Well, it wasn't a bad excuse as far as excuses went. In fact, it was rather conveniently timed. "That's right," he said. "And I have important information on Cinder Fall that cannot wait. I must speak to Qrow immediately."

The three girls exchanged startled looks and turned toward Ruby.

"He went with Mr Lionheart," she said. "He told us to come find you."

"Then he is in grave danger, Mis- Ruby. Cinder Fall is currently sat in his office, along with two others who attacked Beacon!" Ozpin watched as horror dawned on their faces. "Call him immediately! Warn him to get away from Leonardo!"

/-/

"I'll grab a drink for us both," Leonardo said, unlocking his door. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks."

Qrow pushed the door open and stepped inside. As he did, his scroll rang and he looked down, pulling out his pocket.

He never saw the fireball rushing towards his face.

/-/

"What do you think it happening in there?" Jaune asked.

"Relatively little, I would imagine," Glynda replied, standing a good twelve feet to the side with her arms crossed and an indignant expression on her face. "Haven is not like Beacon; it is far more disciplined and organised. I expect Qrow and Team RWBY are being shown to Ozpin at this very moment, and that they will be back with us within an hour."

Jaune looked over to her. "You think it'll be that easy?"

"I don't see why not. Not every task has to be a difficult one."

That was as far as she was willing to talk. Jaune sighed and scratched his head, recalling Peter's suggestion he try and make up with her on this `romantic rendezvous` of theirs. It was somewhat less romantic given the fact that Team RVNN were all behind them, currently with Nora fawning over Neo's Nevermore while the smaller girl played with its feathers.

Not exactly the best place for an emotional heart-to-heart, but then, where was?

"Are you still angry with me?"

It was a stupid question and Jaune knew it the moment it passed his lips. He wished he could reach out and snatch the words from their air and swallow them again. Glynda glared his way, either upset at the question itself or the suggestion she would answer and cause a scene in front of the students. She was far too professional for that.

"Sorry. Ignore I said that."

"As you wish, headmaster."

Ugh.

"I just…" He bit his lip. "I'm sorry about speaking over you in the infirmary. We should have had that conversation in private."

"We should have," she agreed, finally turning to face him, though with a frown of her own. "I understand that you care for the students – I do, too – but we have to keep a certain distance from them. The headmaster of Beacon Academy is more than just one person, they are an ideal and a symbol. Their reputation is more important than the reality, especially at a time like this where our way of life is in such danger."

"I know that-"

"If you do, then you don't practice it. Look at how you are with Team RWBY and RVNN. Miss Nikos felt she could argue with you in public, while Miss Xiao-Long regularly flirts with you and Blake takes advantage of her position to sneak information out to her team. They do this because they feel relaxed around you."

He winced. "You make that sound like a bad thing."

"It's not a bad thing in a normal teacher. It is in a headmaster. Not only did Miss Nikos believe she could argue with you, but she proved it by not only doing so, but by getting what she wanted. I won't disparage her ideals, Jaune, but she is a student and you are the headmaster. Your word should be law to them, provided your orders are reasonable – and keeping her out of danger was very much that."

Jaune shrunk back a little. He knew what she meant; it was his desire to be popular. To make friends. To be agreeable and nice and make people happy because it was easier to deal with happy people than unhappy people.

"You cannot please everyone, Jaune. Trying will only leave you spread too thin."

"I – I'm sorry…"

Her expression softened. "I am sorry as well," she said. "I have been somewhat unprofessional myself, particularly around Torchwick. I don't mean you any ill or insult here, Jaune. Understand that. I am offering you my advice. While it is inspiring to see how close you are to your students, there has to be an upper limit. At the end of the day, you are the headmaster. You are the ultimate authority in Beacon."

The final three words went unsaid, but he heard them.

Act like it.

"I get it. I think. I guess I've been so eager to not rock the boat that I'd become something of a pushover." First the Schnee ball, now this. "I'll try and do better. And I'll know when to step back and let you handle something in future."

"Thank you. I'm not saying you were wrong to mediate on Miss Nikos' problem-"

"Just wrong to air our disagreements in front of the students," he finished. "Because it makes us seem fallible and human, when we need to be beyond that."

"Exactly." Glynda smiled once more for him and his heart soared. "I'm glad you understand. I'd been wondering how to have this talk with you an-"

"Um. Miss Goodwitch. Mr Arc?"

Glynda sighed. "What is it, Miss Scarlatina?"

"Haven… It's… It's kind of on fire."

What?

Jaune and Glynda spun, jaws dropping open as they noticed the plume of dark smoke rising up from the academy. While it was not on fire per se, the smoke certainly suggested there was a fire somewhere, and that the roof might soon catch light.

How had they not noticed-?

Oh, right.

Damn it, Peter!

Jaune's scroll went off angrily. He dragged it out, thumbing the accept call and not even seeing who it was until Yang's face appeared on the other end, eyes wide and pale, dicing for cover as what looked like fire rushed around behind her.

"Ya- Miss Xiao-"

"HELP US ALREADYYY!"

The call ended a second later.

Jaune's stomach dropped.

Pyrrha smiled. "Oh. Does this mean we get some combat?"

Pyrrha is thirsty for action.

Honestly feels a little cheaty to end last chapter on the cliff-hanger of an attack and end this one on the same – sorry about that. It's just how the cookie crumbles, what with Team RWBY and Qrow needing to get ambushed as well.

But hey, Ozpin managed to start a Haven Civil War. Go him.

Omake:

Summer Rose loved her team; she really did.

It was just that sometimes she had to love them from a distance, otherwise she'd go mad. Sometimes she just had to love them while spending time with other people – saner people – and eating ice-cream and whining about all the stupid thing her team – which she loved – had gotten up to.

"I really do love them," Summer said, as she often had to with Glynda. "It's just… just…"

"What is it this time? Don't tell me Raven has given birth to eggs."

"No." Summer shuddered. "They're actually better at the whole bird thing. Sort of. They've learned to fly."

"Is that a good thing?"

"No. No it's not. But at least they're not goading one another into seeing who can learn first, then splatting all over the floor every ten seconds. They've actually calmed down a bit. It's just… ugh. I decided to ask Raven out a week back, just to spend some time together in Vale. Girl time, you know?"

Glynda rolled her eyes. "I am aware of the phenomenon known as `girl time`, yes."

"Well… we're banned from my favourite restaurant."

One eyebrow came up. "Why?"

"Raven."

"That much goes without saying. I was hoping for something a little more specific."

"Well…"

/-/

"I'll handle the bill," Raven said, surprising her.

"Really? You don't have to. I can go half with you."

"There's no need." Raven stood with a rare smile. "You invited me out and paid for our fare here. It's only right I cover this. I'll not be long." Her piece said, Raven made her way to the counter, while Summer watched for a few seconds, shrugged and then went outside.

A long scream came from within.

Oh, my lord, Summer thought. I left Raven on her own! Summer only just managed to turn for the door when Raven came out, a wad of cash in hand. Summer stared at it, then Raven, then her sword, bared and – thankfully – not bloodstained.

"W-What happened!?"

"I handled the bill."

"When you say `handled` you mean `paid`. Right?"

Raven blinked at her. "Pay…?"

/-/

"I can't believe she robbed them. And in the middle of the day!"

"I can," Glynda said. "Doesn't she come from some kind of bandit tribe? I'd expect they stole everything they ever owned."

"That's not the worst of it. Raven's been living here for over a year now. How many times has she gone shopping in town? How many times has she ordered takeout, bought some clothes or come back with dust supplies for her weapons?"

Glynda considered the question. "Quite a lot, I would imagine."

"Yeah. And how many of those do you imagine she paid for?"

"Ah." Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose. "That would explain why everyone refuses to deliver takeout to the school. I wondered why I had to travel into Vale to get my kebab. Do I even want to ask what happened to the delivery person?"

"No, but I imagine there are a lot of people who do!"

Summer groaned into her hands, mumbling how much of an idiot she was. Glynda patted her head, not sure Summer was the problem at all, or why she felt she had to herd the bunch of wild dogs that made up her team.

"They come from a different culture, Summer. Some degree of difficulty is to be expected."

"Oh, I know. I got plenty of that difficulty already. Like how Qrow would set up traps outside our door for the first few weeks because he expected an ambush. Do you know how many times I was left hanging upside down in a snare trap while going to the toilet?" Summer growled. "Don't even get me started on the time when Raven decided the best way to get out of not doing her homework was to try and kill another student and take theirs."

"I take it you put a stop to that."

"Of course. Then got summoned to meet Ozpin later because Raven had decided the next best option was to try and kill him." Summer cupped her face in both hands. "And she was just sitting there unapologetic. Said something stupid like `if there were no teachers, there would be no one to mark the homework`."

"Hm. She's not wrong…"

"And then there was the time Qrow liked that girl from 2-B."

"The one who slapped him?"

"Yeah. He got her some jewellery."

"I'm thinking there's more to it than that."

"Course there is. It was her teammate's jewellery, that he stole from her and gave to the girl he fancied." Summer considered it a miracle he hadn't gotten more than a slap, though given that was a huntress slapping him, it would have been called a decapitating strike by most people. "They're idiots, Glynda. Absolute idiots!"

"And Taiyang?"

"Hopelessly in love and useless!" she howled. "I feel like I'm the only sane person on my whole team!"

And yet here you are screaming and shaking your fist at the ceiling, Glynda thought.

"I'm sure things will get better," she said instead. "You just need to give them time and have some patience. An inhuman degree of patience, I admit, but I'll always be there if you want to have a chat or some ice-cream."

Summer sniffed. "Thanks, Glynda. You're the best."

"Yes." She adjusted her glasses. "Yes, I am. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Yeah. Your teammate asked Raven out."

Glynda sighed. "Is he alive?"

"For now, I guess. She told him she would consider it if he was strong enough to best her in combat."

"He challenged her to a duel, didn't he?"

Summer nodded.

"Hah." Glynda sighed. "I'll prepare a first aid kit. How did Taiyang take it?"

"Already in the infirmary," Summer replied. "He challenged Raven first, shouting about how he'd prove his love for her."

"And you didn't intervene?"

"No." Summer crossed her arms and pouted. "Why should I? Stupid idiot wants to be all in love with her, he can be all in love with her. Why should I care? I don't care! If you think I do, you're wrong. Dead wrong."

"Hmhm. I believe you," Glynda lied.

"Glad someone does. Stupid Taiyang. Stupid pretty eyes." Summer grumbled and staggered to her feet. "Well, I guess I better go back to the nut house and make sure they've not managed to burn our room down or something. If you don't hear from me again, assume I lost my patience and killed them all."

"Will do." She smiled. "Good luck."

"Thanks. I've a feeling I'll need it."

Summer strode from the common room and into the hall, on the way to her room. Glynda remained behind, packing away the ice-cream into the fridge and taping a little not proclaiming it as hers and threatening instant death on anyone who touched it. As she closed the freezer door, she heard a sudden twang from the corridor, followed by a shriek.

Leaning across to look through the doorway, she saw Summer Rose suspended from a rope hanging from the ceiling in front of her door, furiously trying to push up her skirt as it threatened to fall down and expose her underwear. She was swinging to and thro, spinning in place.

Summer did not look pleased.

"QROOOOOOOOW!"

Next Chapter: 13th June

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