Okay, so, luckily my visit to the doctors has suggested there is nothing wrong with my lungs – rather I have damaged the muscles across my shoulder, chest and back. There's a huge swelling on one side of my neck which, while not dangerous, is an absolute bitch to deal with. The slightest movement has me wincing and my neck is constantly stiff and begging me to crack it.

The moment I do, agony. But if I don't, it's that dull ache all day where your neck feels stiff. Sleeping last night was horrible too since I kept waking up every few hours and couldn't find a comfortable position. Yay. Tired and cranky today as a result, but still more pleased it's a muscle injury than something important.

All in all, it's a better thing that it could have been.

Cover Art: Mystery White Flame

Chapter 19

"My infirmary is not a prison."

Jaune held his hands up defensively, warding away the rather large needle being wobbled in front of his face. From experience, he knew it would quickly be jabbed and Tsune wasn't picky on where she stuck it. Given her current mood, an eyeball seemed likely.

"Tsune, please-"

"It may sometimes seem like one. I may have kept the odd student longer than strictly necessary-"

"Wait, what was that last bit?"

"It is a place of pain-"

"Healing."

"Healing," Tsune amended, clicking her fingers as though she'd just recalled the concept. "It is not a prison and I am not a warden, nor will I abide bed squatters!" She jabbed her needle toward Cinder and Sienna who were taking up two of the six beds in Beacon's infirmary. One of the others was occupied by a rather ill-looking faunus student who was doing his best to shrink and hide under the covers, probably afraid Tsune would lose control of her patience and use the needle on him.

Smart kid.

"Are you angry because I've asked you to look after criminals, or because your capability to torture students has been reduced by a third?"

"Yes! No!" Tsune shook her head, ears twitching violently. "It's nothing to do with that."

"Despite your request for a bigger infirmary."

"For the safety of the students!"

"With restraints…"

"Some of them thrash around and try to escape, harming themselves further."

Jaune stared.

"Anyway, that's not the point." Tsune coughed and looked away, red in the face. "The point is, I want them out. Now that you're back, you can take them off my hands. I already have a limited supply of anaesthesia and Cinder is digging through all of it."

That, at least, was a good reason to move her. Jaune nodded. "We need to have a room set up for her that she can't escape from. Can you wait a day or two?"

"If it's to get rid of her, then yes, sure." Tsune looked at him side-on, tail wagging slightly. "If it comes to escaping, have you considered amputating her legs?"

"No…"

"Have you considered letting me amputate her legs?"

"That was implied in the `no` I just gave you."

"Will you consider-"

"No! Damn it, I have enough I'm accused of without adding war crimes to the list. And don't start on how it can't be a war crime without an official war – it's close enough. I already have faunus across the Kingdoms calling me a monster."

"Well you did kill Sienna," Tsune pointed out.

"SHE'S RIGHT THERE!"

"Yes." Tsune's eyes narrowed. "Squatting in a bed."

"At least she's actually injured. I think she took a hit to her lungs. Will she be okay?"

"Oh, she's fine. Woke up a few hours ago."

"She did? Why isn't she awake now?"

"Well, I pinned her down and forcefully anaesthetised her obviously." She paused to notice the absolutely horrified look he was giving her. "That wasn't the plan? I mean, you gave me Cinder Fall and told me to keep her knocked out no matter what, then you have me Sienna Khan with no real explanation. What was I supposed to do?"

Jaune dragged a hand down his face.

"Is that not what you wanted?"

/-/

"Roman."

"Boss."

"Give me some good news."

Roman raised an eyebrow but indulged him. "Atlas has begun proceedings to remove the trade embargo on Beacon."

Jaune blinked. "That is good news. Wow."

"But-"

"There's always a but."

"It looks like our faunus relations are down, and down hard."

That was to be expected. While the White Fang was a terrorist organisation, their word was still heard across Remnant and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, most people were taking the news he'd ambushed and killed Sienna as fact. Huntsmen were supposed to attack and defeat criminals after all.

"How bad is it?"

"Worse outside than in. Just about everyone in Beacon already knows Khan is alive; plenty of people have seen her in the infirmary, or saw you carrying her off the Bullhead. Then there's confirmation being spread by Team RVNN. They think you arrested her, but they know she's alive and in care. Far as I can tell, even the angriest faunus in Beacon think we're in the right."

"But not those outside of Beacon."

"No. They don't know what to think and don't have any proof. Doesn't help that human supremacists are coming out praising us and putting you up as a symbol. Doesn't matter if it's real or not, people are starting to associate you with human supremacism."

"Shit." An ugly feeling rose in his gut. The mere idea of hating someone for their heritage burned within him. He had students who were faunus, students he genuinely cared for. "Any way I can cut that off at the bud?"

"Luckily, yes. Condemn it and do something to prove you're pro-faunus. Actions speak louder than words, especially the words of racist idiots." Roman checked his scroll. "I took the liberty of arranging an interview with Lisa Lavender for you tomorrow. Good chance to address the issue and offer your take."

Arranged an interview without asking him. Jaune grimaced but didn't argue. It wasn't exactly Roman's job to look after his image, but he needed it and Roman was right to do so. "I'll dress up. Is she coming here?"

"Yep. Figured you'd want to show her and the cameras Sienna Khan."

"Good idea." Jaune's lips tugged into a smile. "Can't wait to see Adam try and spin that one. Anything else?"

"Not much. Other than the new counsellor having, like, twenty kids wanting to see her."

"I didn't realise our students were so traumatised."

"Traumatised. Sure. Why not? Twenty male students. Can't say I blame them. You sure know how to pick your staff, kid. Wow." Roman laughed as Jaune covered his face with one hand. "On other news, the old-brat is looking for you."

"Old-brat? Ozpin?"

"Yeah. He's been trying to corner you all day. You or Goodbitch. I think he wants to get moving – ergo, it's time for the two of you to spring some magic and convince him to stay. Might want to sort that out sooner than later."

"Yeah." Ozpin deserved it, and they couldn't take the time to delay with everything else going on. "I guess I'll go find Glynda and we can start planning it now. We'll talk with him this afternoon. I'm a little surprised he hasn't been able to find me, though. I've not been hiding."

"Heh. I think he's a little distracted."

/-/

How did it know!?

Ozpin stared through Oscar's eyes at the small dog currently sat in his lap. He pushed his consciousness to the fore, taking over Oscar's body. Immediately, the corgi went stiff and began to growl, teeth bared.

He fled back.

The dog chuffed and settled down again.

"He likes you," Yang said. "Maybe. Some of the time."

"H-He's a cute dog," Oscar said bashfully, stroking Zwei but with his eyes repeatedly straying to something far more visually appealing, namely the long and toned legs of the exotic blonde stood before him.

He winced suddenly, gripping his skull.

"You okay?" Ruby asked from her bed.

"Y-Yeah. Just a headache."

"And there's more where that came from," Ozpin threatened. "Eyes off the underage girls."

"B-But I'm underage as well. It's okay."

"It most certainly isn't."

Oscar grumbled under his breath and ignored the incessant voice in the back of his head. It wasn't his fault he was a young boy surrounded by three of the most beautiful and exotic girls he'd ever seen. That was all Ozpin. He'd been perfectly happy shovelling manure, thank you very much. The only reason he was in control now was because Ozpin had reached his tether on being – in his words – babied by Team RWBY.

He didn't see the problem himself.

His head stung. "Ow! I didn't say anything!"

"We both know what you were thinking."

Okay, maybe. Still not his fault. Team RWBY were friendly – and not touchy friendly, he quickly added in his own head, warding off more pain. He felt Ozpin withdraw the punishment. Friendly-friendly. Normal friendly. As in, really nice girls who genuinely cared for everyone around them. Considering he'd grown up on a farmstead, he hadn't had many friends as it was, let alone female friends. It was both nice and a little bit embarrassing to have them hovering over him.

They were also a little older than him, something that both added to their comfort around him and their exoticness. Seventeen-year-old girls were on the cusp of womanhood and he couldn't help but notice that.

"I swear to the God of Darkness, Oscar, I will end you."

"I can't help it! I'm fourteen!"

If there was one thing Ozpin could take comfort in, it was the fact that none of the girls thought of him in the way he did of them. Yang grinned and ruffled his hair, treating him like a little brother. Even Ruby was like that, hovering between big sister and surrogate-mother in terms of looking after him.

"Probably an unconscious desire to not be the youngest sibling for once. She's going to milk that."

As for Blake, well… she didn't seem to really care at all. Oscar had been greeted with the same indifference as the dog currently sleeping in his lap, and the girl in question was on her bed with a book in hand, ignoring everything to do with him.

"Don't take it personally. If you wore a white mask, she'd be all over you. Probably not in the way you want, but you'd definitely have her attention." Ozpin hummed. "Ask them if we can meet with Jaune already."

"Would I be able to see the headmaster yet?"

"When he calls," Ruby said. "You need to be patient."

He looked down, wanting nothing more than to point out he was patient – it was Ozpin who wasn't.

"I know he wants to meet with you," Yang added. "We were sent to get you out of Haven, after all. It's just that he's got Cinder Fall prisoner and you heard about what happened with Sienna Khan and the White Fang."

"I told him-" Blake began

"We know, Blake!" Yang, Ruby and even Ozpin said, the last within Oscar's mind. "Anyway," Yang continued, "He's probably up to his eyeballs in stuff right now. It's not that he's blowing you off or anything, he just needs to pick what he works on."

"Hm. I suppose that is fair…"

"What will I be doing in the meantime?" Oscar asked. "I don't really know what I'm meant to do."

"Wait?" Yang offered it with a shrug. "But if you're bored you could always play some videogames with us. Or watch us spar." She glanced at the window. "Hot day, though. Might get a bit sweaty."

Oscar opened his mouth.

"YOU WILL PLAY THE VIDEOGAMES!"

"V-Videogames," he croaked. "I-I wouldn't want you all to get uncomfortable." No matter how much his mind was providing him those images, each of which Ozpin rewarded with a lance of pain directly into the back of his skull.

"Ah. You're such a sweetie." Yang plopped down next to him and gave him a one-armed hug. Oscar's face was brought perilously close to one of her rather large breasts.

"Oscaaar!"

Ignoring the screams of the man in his head, Oscar pitifully lost every match of the fighting game against both Yang and Ruby. Most of that was because he was too distracted by them to concentrate, then too distracted by the mental punishments Ozpin dropped on his head. It got worse when Yang won against Ruby, cheered and bounced up and down – and oh, did she bounce – and Oscar's eyes lingered too long.

It was getting to the point that he was concerned he might pass out. From the pain, obviously, not the sexy. Luckily – or unluckily, depending on the perspective – he was saved by a knock on the door. Seeing that neither Ruby or Yang were going to do anything about it, Blake sighed, stood and padded over to open it.

There was a boy in the doorway. Tall and broad with a square face and reddish-orange hair.

"Cardin," Blake said. "Is there a problem?"

"Nah. Miss Goodwitch asked me to collect Oscar Pine and bring him to her and the headmaster."

"Oh, thank the heavens!"

"Aww…"

He gave Zwei back to Ruby and stood to follow the large boy, picking up his jacket on the way. The door closed behind them. The rather large and intimidating boy led him down various corridors that Oscar had never in his life seen but somehow felt he knew. Ozpin could have guided him with just as much ease, most likely. They went outside and then around the school building, skirting the outer wall until they reached a brick-coloured, brick-decorated metal-battleship.

"The headmaster's new office is in here, along with some of the new dorms. Kinda jealous about that myself. How cool must it be to sleep in something like this?"

"It does look cool," Oscar said, looking around excitedly.

"I know, right?" Cardin laughed. "My girlfriend's old team has a room here. I got to see inside it once, though there wasn't much time to enjoy it. Mostly her teammates giving me the nth degree on exactly what they'll do with my body if I hurt her. At least until Velvet realised and rescued me. Chewed Coco out for that, too. Was fun."

"Velvet is the rabbit faunus?" Oscar recalled.

"Yeah." The boy's eyes narrowed. "You don't have a problem with faunus, do you?"

"No! Of course not."

"Good." The smile was back. "Keep it that way. Lot of fuckwits out there who'll try and convince you otherwise. No one likes a fuckwit, Oscar. No one."

"His father is one of the worst offenders," Ozpin whispered. "He despises the faunus and stymies all attempts to bring equality laws into power. He poisons those around him with his dogma, including his own son."

"He doesn't `look` poisoned."

"Love is an antidote to any poison." The wise words hung in the air. Of course, Ozpin couldn't leave it there. "Or sex is, anyway."

Oscar tripped.

Cardin caught him. "Watch your step. Whole ship is technically on its side, so the wall is the floor and the floor is one of the walls. Kinda makes the place uneven. You get used to it."

"T-Thanks."

"No problem. I heard from Velvet what you did in Haven. Sounds like you went through some hard times. You handled yourself well, though." Cardin ruffled his hair. "You ever need some help, come find me and my team. Welp. Looks like we're here."

Oscar looked ahead to see a tall and mature blonde woman with piercing green eyes, smooth skin and a stern complexion. He'd seen her at Haven of course, but that had been in the midst of fearing for his life. It hadn't been the best of times to pay attention to people, but he did so now.

"Taken," Ozpin remarked. "But I at least feel more comfortable with you ogling her. Just don't in front of Jaune, please. I have enough on my plate as it is."

"I wasn't doing that!"

"Sure you weren't." They watched Glynda send Cardin away and Ozpin said. "Mind if I take control?"

"Sure." Oscar let himself fade back.

"Glynda," Ozpin said, standing a little taller and with a much better posture. Children slouched, whether they knew it or not. Ozpin stood tall and proud, one hand behind his back and the other hovering in the air, wishing it had either a cane or a mug of coffee. Left with nothing, he waved it uselessly. "It's good to see you again – and not in the middle of a chaotic battle."

"Yes." The woman's lips quirked just the slightest. "You certainly gave us a warm welcome in Haven."

"Not my intent. Then again, getting murdered wasn't my intent either. Let's just say it's been a challenging year." Ozpin chuckled along with his old friend. "You've done well with Beacon in my absence, all things considered. The debacle with James not so much."

"It's being even out. Jaune is putting out overtures and it doesn't look bad."

"Hm. I'm sure the arrest of Sienna Khan has helped there." Ozpin nodded to the door. "Is our esteemed new headmaster waiting for me?"

"He is."

For any normal person being brought into the headmaster's office, there would have been a sense of anxiety, of politeness, of quiet that dulled the senses. At the very least, the awkwardness of having someone like Glynda stood behind a person as they approached the main desk, Jaune sat behind it, would have left them shaken.

Ozpin strode inside with a smile.

Jaune rose from behind his desk, stepping around it. "Ozpin."

"Mr Arc. No, I suppose it is Jaune now. Congratulations on your appointment."

"You son of a bitch, Ozpin. I can't believe you saddled me with this."

"Are you enjoying the paperwork?"

"No!"

"Now you know what it's like to be in my shoes."

"Ozpin, you never did your own paperwork."

The two stared at one another, then began to laugh. Jaune clapped his hand against Ozpin's and the two shook hands, gripping on tight. "It's good to see you again," Ozpin said honestly. "And you as well, Glynda. A shame to see my tower in ruins, but this isn't so bad an office." He smirked. "I'd love to see James' face when he sees it."

"You're very much alone on that one," Jaune said.

"I imagine I am. I heard you got into a scuffle in Atlas."

"Ahem." Jaune coughed. "That was… pretty immature of me."

"In your defence, you are a teenager still. You've done well enough." Ozpin took a seat, frowning a little at how big the height difference was when Jaune sat down on his own. The body he occupied was a little vertically challenged.

"How has Team RWBY been treating you?"

"Well." He chose his words carefully, choosing not to say what he really thought. Bossy and overbearing as they'd been, it had been done in good faith. He had to remember that. "They've looked after me as best they can. A little frustrating that they think me a child, but I can't exactly blame them for that."

"Glad to hear you're getting on with them," Jaune said, laughing nervously.

A little too nervously.

"Yes, well." Ozpin ignored it. "I suppose that co-operation between us will be key once I and they leave Beacon to collect the Relics."

"Yeah. About that…"

Ozpin raised a single eyebrow.

"The thing is… We were… That's to say Glynda and I… and Qrow, really. We were talking about it… your plan, I mean. It's not bad per se, it's just… well, we were thinking a few minor amendments. If that's not too rude to suggest…"

"What kind of amendments?"

"All of it," Glynda said with a sigh. "Allow me to be frank, Ozpin. It is a stupid plan."

"Hm." He frowned.

"GLYNDA!" Jaune cried. "I was trying to say it better than that!"

"Jaune, let's not waste his or our time. Ozpin isn't a child despite what he may look like. He is older than both of us combined. As immature as he may act, I should remind you that it is an act. He avoided paperwork because he was sick of it, not because he was an idiot."

Ozpin couldn't help but laugh. "You try doing the same paperwork for six hundred years and see how it wears on you. And yes, I'd rather you be frank about this. I'm certainly used to it where Glynda is involved. Why do you think I made her my Deputy? It's because I needed someone unafraid to speak her mind."

"I always thought it was because she was the only logical option out of a band of idiots," Jaune said.

"Well, that's true as well…" He waved a hand. "I'm not convinced my plan is flawed."

Convince me, he didn't say.

"Your goal is to travel and collect all the Relics to defeat Salem," Glynda said. "That's not a bad plan given what you knew at the time – which is that Beacon had fallen. Without Beacon Academy, Vale would be unable to defend itself, necessitating a swift response lest Salem press the advantage and conquer the Kingdom. However, Beacon has not fallen. It continues and will soon be back at full strength."

"That does not make my intent all less applicable. The Relics can still be used against Salem."

"Yeah, but they know that as well," Jaune said. "I mean, Cinder, Hazel and Tyrian were there waiting for you, so they've obviously figured out what you're after."

Ozpin frowned. "That is true. Leonardo's betrayal was unexpected."

"Whatever the case, they know. They know what you are, whose body you're in and what your goals are. And we already know Cinder was told to take the Fall Maiden's powers so she could get access to the Relic hidden in Vale. The one only you know the location of. Don't tell us," he added, even if Ozpin had made no motion to. "It's best kept secret."

"Indeed. I agree that my identity has been compromised. That is why I need Team RWBY."

"About that. Team RWBY are great and all but they're three people right now. Weiss is stuck in Atlas. I also can't let them go out on what honestly sounds like a suicide mission. You're asking for you, Qrow and three students to go face some of the most dangerous people on Remnant. And for what? To find and collect items that Salem wants, that she has no idea as to the location of, but will know once you take them? You're basically collecting them for her at that point. She doesn't have to find them, just you."

"That's a risk I've considered," Ozpin said. "I'm not an idiot. Though this body is currently weak, I can take control of it and use my training. It will grow stronger."

"Of that I don't doubt," Glynda said. "But why not grow it stronger before you set out on this quest of yours? Why not let Team RWBY grow stronger as well? If you think they are capable now, ask yourself how capable they will be in three or four years' time. And yourself as well."

Hm. Interesting. "You're suggesting I delay this task?"

"Yes. If it were of imminent importance, your original plan would be for the best, but we now have the Fall Maiden back with us. Cinder Fall has been captured."

They paused to consider that for a moment, Jaune smiling blissfully, Glynda smirking and Ozpin feeling his own sense of satisfaction at vengeance fulfilled.

"The aura transfer machine has been repaired and is ready to complete what we first started with Miss Nikos. We can remove the power from Cinder entirely. With that gone, Salem will have no hope of collecting the other maidens. She lacks a female underling who could hold it."

"She'll find one," Ozpin said.

"Of course. But that will take time. Time you might use to prepare."

"And you shouldn't use that time to collect the Relics," Jaune said. "Because that actually solves Salem's problem. It's not that she can't use the Relics, it's that she can't open the vaults. If you do that for her, you're just negating the only advantage we have."

Ozpin leaned back, tapping his fingers on one arm, the other brought up to his mouth as he thought over their arguments. Given the recent betrayal by Leonardo, he might have thought this to be another and yet it did not feel it. Glynda and Jaune had their arguments and he would listen to them. It was what he'd hired Glynda for, after all.

The Relic of Knowledge was neutralised, and at Beacon. The Relic of Choice was in Vale and easily accessible to him. That left Destruction and Creation, arguably the most powerful of the Relics – if one didn't consider Knowledge, which was a power of its own but obviously not much of one now with the questions spent.

In a way, they were already halfway done on collecting the Relics, and he hadn't had to move a muscle. In his head, he'd expected that to take a year in itself. He was ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, Salem was behind schedule, having lost Cinder. That was an advantage to be pushed on, but as Jaune and Glynda said, if they collected the Relics then Salem could just take those. There was arguably no need for Cinder or the Maidens once the vaults were open.

Salem wanted the Relics. The only one she could get right now was Knowledge, and because it was out of its vault. If she ever wanted to make an attack, it would be at Beacon. It would have to be at Beacon. The only other option she had was to hope he went and made himself a target by opening vaults and giving her more options.

"You're right."

Jaune blinked. "W-We are?"

"Have a little more confidence, Jaune." Ozpin chuckled. "I am an old man, but I am not omniscient, nor unable to make mistakes. Given the information I had and fearing Salem's hold over the Fall Maiden, I made the best plan I could at the time. But with Cinder now captive and Salem on the back foot, what is `best` has changed. The situation has changed. Collecting the Relics is still important, but there is no rush to begin now. I can take the time to train and better acclimatise to this body, and to let Team RWBY grow into their own."

"Does that mean-?"

"Yes." Ozpin smiled. "I'll not run off to collect the Relics."

"Yes!" Jaune leapt to his feet, cheering like the child he was. Ozpin let him, laughing at the display.

"I'll still have to leave sooner or later, but that can be in a couple of years. It really depends on what Salem achieves. I would feel safer if we could transfer the Fall Maiden's power quickly, though. I don't want to take any risks on her escaping."

"The glass tubes on the aura transfer machine have been replaced," Glynda said. "I believe Miss Fall is heavily sedated, but I don't see why we should care for that. Or her consent. We can do it as soon as this meeting is completed."

"Excellent."

"The only matter left is to decide how Ozpin will stay here," Jaune said.

Ozpin leaned back. "I do not like the sound of that…"

"You've got a couple of options. I'll leave choosing to you."

"Hm. Go on…"

"First choice is that we make everything public. Tell them the truth, announce it and put you back as headmaster-"

"Absolutely not. Truth of my immortality? Good luck proving that without killing me on national television, not to mention the political upheaval the news would cause." He could just see the sides now, some calling him a manipulative monster trying to rule the world and others proclaiming him a God. It sounded far too tiresome. "Second option please."

"The second option is that I take you on as something of an assistant or protégé. Kind of like what you had Blake do for me, but more official and not a detention."

"Hm." Ozpin stroked his chin. "Promising."

"I know, right." Jaune leaned forward. "This way you can pretty much take over Beacon again and be Headmaster. I'd just be the official one. You can handle the organisation, decisions and details while I do the negotiation and-"

"Pass!" Ozpin made an X-shape with his hands. "Pass. Pass. Pass."

"W-What?" Jaune looked hurt. "Why?"

"I just spent thirty-five years running Beacon. And fifty before that, and sixty before that and so on and so on. If you were literally shitting the bed, I would consider taking over, but you're doing just fine and I'm not going to put myself back into that rigmarole anytime soon."

"I warned you," Glynda said to Jaune, smiling. "He's not going to accept work easily."

"You make me sound lazy," Ozpin complained. "As opposed to the hardest-working man who has ever existed on this planet, who finally – finally – has an opportunity to have a little break from the stress of running a school and preparing the next generation of huntsmen. Excuse me if I take hold of it with both hands and fight to the death to protect it. Next. Option."

"Fine." Jaune slouched, realising at last he'd be stuck in the role. Ozpin pitied him, he really did, but there was only so much of the same job he could take. "The third option is that you become a student here. We keep your identity secret, of course, and you enrol as Oscar Pine."

"That is not a bad idea. It would give me plenty of time to train this body up for when I eventually must face Salem. I do not yet know if it has a Semblance. How many will know the truth?"

"The other teachers," Jaune said. "They already know about you."

"That is fine; I trust them all." And it would be helpful if he could break character in front of Bart or Peter if he needed a message passing onto Jaune, or time away. There was no way he was wasting time on homework when both he and Bart knew he'd personally written several of the books used in history class. "I believe this would be the best choice. I will join Beacon's roster of students and use the years until my graduation to train my body to peak performance. Even if I have all my knowledge and expertise, it doesn't make much difference. A paragon of fitness Oscar is not."

"Well excuse me…"

"Great." Jaune marked something down reluctantly. "Are you sure I can't convince you to do a little work on the side to help me out? I have no idea what I'm doing here, Ozpin."

"Nonsense. You're doing a fine job." Ozpin gestured with one hand. "And no. Absolutely not. Besides, with your credentials and excellent scholastic record, you're a natural for the position."

The pout on Jaune's face was worth it, and the smirk on Glynda's.

"One day I'm going to punch Roman in the face for making my records so stupidly over-achieving. What part of `blending in` does he not understand? He's a thief for crying out loud. He's supposed to be subtle."

Was Jaune kidding? This was Roman Torchwick. Subtle was not in his dictionary.

"He needs a team," Glynda said.

"Right." Jaune marked something down and then paused. He looked up, eyes narrowing and lips curling into a smile that was several shades south of comforting. In fact, it was downright evil. "And I think I have just the team in mind for him."

Danger senses honed by centuries of life and death struggle flared to life. Ozpin's eyes narrowed.

"No."

"They're already a member down, and you know them already."

"No," Ozpin repeated. "You cannot be thinking this. They are young women!"

"And you're a man in control of yourself who has no sexual interest in any of them. Besides, plenty of teams are co-ed."

"Oscar is a walking basket of hormones! Is this revenge? Is this because I refused to take my job back?"

"No."

Jaune wouldn't meet his eyes.

"It is!" Ozpin gasped. "I cannot believe – No, you're mad. Any team. Put me on Team CRDL. Team CFVY! They're lacking a member. I like coffee!"

"Building teamwork is important, and weren't you saying how you wanted Team RWBY for your eventual quest against Salem? Wouldn't it be a good idea to build up teamwork and camaraderie now?"

"I'll never survive! They're overbearing, pushy and lovesick. Mostly for you! I'll be driven insane – if not by Oscar's constant perverted thoughts, then by their lovey-dovey talk about their beloved Professor Arc." Not to mention Ruby Rose – Ruby Rose of all people – acting like a demanding older sister. "And the second I join their team they're going to think I'm trying to replace Miss Schnee. It'll be dramatic angst from the very first day."

Jaune laid his hands on the desk, grin nothing short of shit-eating. "I have absolute faith in your ability to persevere, Ozpin."

"They're going to murder me as surely as Cinder Fall ever did. Or drive me to insanity."

"They're lovely girls."

"They're teenagers!"

There was nothing lovely about teenager. Acne-ridden, hormone-driven, angst-peddling, holier-than-thou, world-revolves-around-me, teenagers. And people thought the Grimm were the worst thing to happen to Remnant. Ha!

"And worse, they're teenagers who think that I am the child! They are going to belittle me at every opportunity. They're going to look at me as if I'm the weak link that needs to be protected. Me!" he all but shrieked. "I was a Warrior, a King! I've been a huntsman more time then they've used the bathroom!"

"Team ROBY," Jaune decided. "I guess we can keep pronouncing it ruby. Not like mispronouncing an `O` is any different from doing the same with a `W`, is it?"

"Are you even listening to me? Damn you, Jaune! Damn you!"

"I'll call Miss Rose," Glynda said, moving away with a smirk of her own. "I'm sure she will be thrilled to hear the news. I'll also mention how shy Oscar is, and how he's going to need a kind and helping hand in the coming weeks."

"Is this about the coffee?" Ozpin howled. "Is it about the tax returns? I swear I meant to do them, Glynda, I swear! Don't put me on Team RWBY, I beg of you. Anyone but them. Anywhere but there!"

"I wouldn't complain…"

"You don't get a say, Oscar!"

/-/

Cinder's eyes flickered. Her mind stirred. Bright lights flashed before her; glimpses visible through her lashes. Her body trembled and a jolt of what felt like lightning flashed through her. She felt a sickening lurch as her world spun around her, followed by the intense desire to vomit. It all struck in a matter of seconds, yet it felt like it lasted hours.

W-Where am I? Salem's tower…?

More light flashed before her eyes. Cinder groaned, scrunching her face up to try and hide from it.

Something felt… different. She felt sluggish and tired, foggy in her head and nauseous. The last thing she could remember was a battle, a mission and a sense of euphoria at her long-deserved victory. And then, nothing.

Something sounded before her, a tap-tap-tap that had her face pinching.

I need to open my eyes, she realised. I can't see because my eyes are closed.

She did so, blinking against the spots in her vision. Things came into focus slowly, made harder by the fact she couldn't get a clear image due to the fogginess in her skull. Despite the fact she'd just woken up, she felt tired and sluggish.

Tap – tap – tap.

Again, that noise. Shaking her head, Cinder reached in front of her. Her hand connected with something cool and smooth, tapping against it. Glass? Looking down, the world coming into focus, she realised she was stood before a glass pane of some kind.

Tap – tap – tap.

Her eyes rose. A familiar face sat on the other side. A hated face. It was grinning at her.

"Arc-?" she swore or tried to. It came out as a ragged gasp. Fury roared into her being and she reached out for the Maiden's power, ready to smite him down. Her hands clenched, awaiting the rush of heat and fire.

Nothing came. The moment of silence was deafening.

She tried again, reaching deep within herself and blaming the misfire on her exhaustion. Her aura reserves were low, but the maiden's power didn't rely on such things. It was magic and as old as time itself. A heat that burned within her ever since she'd claimed it.

And yet, it wasn't there. It was missing.

How-?

Her eyes bulged.

The glass pane. The tube. Jaune Arc's smug face. Cinder looked past him, beyond, in time to see a tube much like the one she was in open up, and Glynda Goodwitch help Pyrrha Nikos out. The redhead looked tired but alive. She stumbled slightly before catching herself, nodding and saying something that Cinder couldn't hear. The glass muffled it, but it didn't fully muffle the words that Jaune Arc, her most hated foe, said. They came through quiet but audible.

"Knight takes Queen. Checkmate."

Jaune, you smug-ass bitch. Yep, Cinder has been neutered. They didn't even wait for her to wake up before tossing her in the aura transfer machine. And why not? Might as well cut off that problem at the bud before it can spiral out of control. Even if Cinder escapes now, she's all but spoiled goods to Salem.

Poor Ozpin in this chapter. Jaune gets his own back, though.

"You want to hide as a teenager to avoid paperwork? Fine. You can live as a teenager, too!"

No omake this week as my shoulder pain made this chapter take a lot longer to write than it should have. Omakes will be back next week as usual.

Next Chapter: 25th July

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur