Another peaceful day, slogging through the snow.

"Since we have the time, do you mind if we talked more about your teammates?"

"CRDL?" Grunted Dove through his mask.

"There were other teammates?" Fielded Penny.

"Technically. We weren't an official team, but Russel and I rolled with a couple dudes for a year."

"What happened to them?"

"Honestly, not sure," admitted Dove. "We parted our own ways once we were out of the thick of it, and we never kept in touch afterwards."

"You want to talk about them?"

"Eh. I never got to know them, really. Think their names were Perry and Dudley? Weird pasts, the both of them, but they were in a pinch, and so were we, and when your backs are to each other's, does it really matter what they use to do?"

"You never asked?"

Dove stayed silent for a bit. "Russel did. It soured the team dynamic afterwards. It wasn't long after that everyone split their own ways."

"Oh. Sorry to hear about that." Apologized Penny.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Don't think it was theirs either."

"Understood." The wind gently blew past them. "Dove, what was CRDL like? I've only heard stories."

"Let me guess, they weren't that flattering." Dove chuckled. "Jaune's stories?"

"Indeed." Cheerfully replied Penny. "They were from friend Jaune and were not flattering."

"Wish I could say that he wasn't right. I can't though. I really can't. We were awful to him."

"How so?"

Dove let out a sigh, one which could have belonged to a senior resting on a rocking chair watching the sunset in a retirement home, just years ago. "We treated him like literally garbage. A dog turd. We didn't take him seriously and had him do menial work for us," Dove explained. "Not because it had to be done, but mostly because we could get him to do it."

"How come?"

"Because he had cheated. We were blackmailing him with the fact that he had faked his way into the school. Beacon was pretty prestigious before its fall."

"I know." Droned Penny. "I was there before it fell."

"Right, right. I keep forgetting." Nodded along Dove. "Anyways, we took advantage of it. Not because we felt like we had anything against him or anything, but more like none of us liked his partner, or felt like upholding the rule. You don't get much by reporting a crime, but you can get a lot from blackmail."

"And so, your team decided to blackmail him."

"It actually was just Cardin. We just joined in, cause why not, you know?"

"I understand. Take advantage of the opportunity while it is open. While it may be unethical, it is potentially the most profitable short-term option."

"Exactly!" Chimed Dove. "And what 18-year-old isn't thinking in only short-term profit?"

"Quite a few, but I understand your point." Penny pointed out.

"Fair enough," snorted Dove. "Let's just say that a few of us felt personally insulted by this shmuck trying to be on the same level of us."

"As in all of you?" Corrected Penny.

"Actually, Sky was just having fun messing with him."

"Ah. Makes sense. So why did you all feel threatened by him?"

"It was less threatened, and more like it made our own struggles feel cheap. We weren't the golden children. We had our own problems. They just didn't make as good as stories as Jaune's or any of his buddies."

This confused Penny. Why would their stories be worth less? "How so?"

"I mean, look at them. The child prodigy. The heiress, with money and status. The champion avoiding the spotlight. The hero turning their back on their dubious past. Heck, even Jaune was the hopeless dope in over his head trying to be the hero." Dove seemed deflated. "And then there was us. Number two. A plus one. A shadow of his father. A boy felt as if he was in on charity. Do those sound-like heroes?"

Penny was silent. She knew what the answer was. But she did not want to say it.

"They don't do they." Dove was getting more riled up. He would most likely continue doing so until she answered.

"I guess they do not."

"Yeah. Putting it simply, we hated them. Well, I hated some of them. Cardin had his issues, as did the other two."

"Is this getting too much for you?"

"No. Maybe. Not yet." Sheepishly replied Dove.

"Mind if I ask about some of the issues?"

"Yeah. Not like they're around anymore." Dove deflated.

"Tell me more about Cardin."

"Cardin was Cardin. Honestly not sure how to explain it. His dad had to retire at 24, and his dreams of being a legend were shot."

"How so?"

"He badly dislocated his knee saving his teammate. Never could run again. Could still walk, but you know, its just not the same." Dove stared off at the horizon. "Sometimes Cardin would tell me that he wished his dad had died then. His dad would have achieved the legend status he wanted, and Cardin wouldn't be under the pressure to do it for him. That's the difference between dying in combat and coming home injured. Die in combat, and you're immortalized as this combat hero, a soldier who fought to his last. Come home, and its just all the things you could've been. And that's what Cardin and his father lived with."

"Did you ever meet him?"

"No. Met his mom though." Explained Dove. "Cardin and I never made up. Never had the chance. He was defending the fort-city he came from, and I stayed on the outskirts. Russel received an invitation to visit. It didn't say anything against me, but maybe he hadn't moved on. Might have. It had been six years by that point. I could never tell, nor will I ever."

"What happened?"

"Gevatter. First time any of us heard of it. Cardin died in combat like a hero, taking the thing out with his explosive mace, like a moron running at it with a caber. Dad died a few days after, either from sadness, or from a sense of relief that the Winchesters were going to be remembered as heroes."

"Were they?"

"Last time I was there, the fort was still standing, so maybe. I'd like to think it is."

Penny still wanted to know. "What did his mother say when you met her?"

"She was cold. Emotionally absent. His personal maid was much fonder of us. She also was personally touched that his personal friends had come to visit, even if it was too late. Never told her what had happened between us, don't see a reason to. She was happy that he had people who cared about him. She was a nice lady."

"She sounds like she cared."

"Yep." Dove slogged through the snow. "Not to speak ill of the dead, but I think she was probably his actual mother."

"How come?"

"She was his wet nurse, and essentially took care of him from diaper to death." Dove grunted as he started climbing a slope. "That, and the rumor that his mother was barren."

"Just a rumor?" Penny was skeptic. This was not the first time Dove did not tell her everything. "I feel as if there is more that you are basing this off of."

"He never talked about his mom. Always about his dad and his maid. He didn't really like her, and I don't think she liked him either. His mother, that is."

"Ah. Understandable."

"Probably also why he felt like he was just a re-do. He probably knew. But it wasn't like he could just say he was the illegitimate child of a lord and his faunus maid. Had to sell the story." Then Dove hummed, "But all of this could just be hearsay. Who really knows?"

"Who knows." Echoed Penny. "And Sky?"

"Sky was Cardin's cousin. First or second, never could keep track. He was just glad to be there." Dove chuckled. "He always was optimistic. He never expected to make it this far, and being on the same team as Cardin Winchester, the next in line for the Winchester family? That was incredible for him. He was always happy to have even made it."

"He was what kept the team together, was he not?"

"Yeah. Cardin and Russel were partners, and Sky and I were partners, officially. In truth, Russel and I hung out the most, while Sky was Cardin's plus one. Was always so chipper, even if he wasn't the brightest or the strongest." Dove took a drink from his canteen. "I miss him sometimes, even nowadays."

"Just had that contagious optimism?"

"Yep. Just could get a crowd feeling the same way." Dove stopped. "Now that I think of it, that might have been his semblance." Dove continued forward. "Whatever, maybe. Doesn't really matter now."

Two out of three. Time to round it off. "And Russel?"

"Russel was from the ghetto. Slums, whatever. Had a couple bad run-ins with gangs, so he had a personal reason not to like certain peoples, if you get what I mean." Dove massaged his shoulder. "Dodgy language aside, he really had grit, even if he was a bit of a runt. Wiry, tough, but ultimately, a rat is going to be treated like a rat. So that's how he was treated. Part of him always felt like he wasn't supposed to be there and that he wasn't good enough."

"Sounds like your team had a lot of doubts. Troubles."

"I guess so." Dove chuckled. "Always the bridesmaid, never the brides. So be it."

Penny felt concern. She could almost hear the tears in his voice. "Do you need to take a break now?"

"No. I'm okay." He had slowed down. "I just normally don't think about it. Easier that way."

"Sincerest apologies."

"What agreement did we have way back?"

"It was only a few weeks ago. And I simply forgot." She had not. She simply felt as if she needed to say it, and that her concern for him should be expressed.

"I got a real faulty AI, didn't I."

"It would appear so."