March 20, 2022

"That is unusual," Ruby replied to an agent from the Royal Valeanian Intelligence and Signalling Service as he briefed her on evidence collected from the Schnee Atlas Mansion fire and the attack on the palace early in the morning. "The attacker of the palace was not a faunus at all, and he was not carrying anything related to the White Fang."

"That isn't even the weirdest part," the agent continued as he showed her a case file in a folder. "We found that the name he used was fake. He wasn't John Bernstein. He was Georg Reuter, and he was an Atlesian citizen." He pointed out his employment history. "It says here he was employed by the SDC as a low-level manager until December of 2021. The reason for his leaving was that his employment was terminated by your friend Weiss as part of an internal investigation she led into mistreatment of workers. Thing is, he was in Vale when the Atlas fire occurred, so he couldn't have set it."

"Maybe he was in contact with someone else who plotted against Weiss," Ruby theorized, the puzzle pieces now coming together as her concern for her closest friend's well-being grew. "Have you interviewed her yet?"

"We are planning to interview her tomorrow when she comes back from Atlas," the agent replied as he packed up the folder. "Once she steps off her private plane, we'll bring her in."

"Excellent," Ruby replied. "Well, I gotta get ready for today's events. I have some meetings today, and then I gotta go to the firehouse for an 8-hour from 10 tonight to 6 tomorrow." She then got up from her chair and pushed it in. "Keep me and Delwyn informed."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the agent replied.

At their apartment, Yang and George enjoyed their day off from work. As George read through a civil service letter at a table, Yang ate a piece of toast. "When's the Fire Patrolman's test?"

"According to the letter," George replied to her. "It's on June 4, a Saturday. This is only the second test they've done ever since they reopened the Fire Patrol." He had signed up to become a fire patrolman, which involved responding to fires and any other emergencies that may involve major loss of property and providing property salvage, cleanup, and assistance with fire suppression. It had been shuttered controversially in 2015, but was reopened in 2021. The VCFP had suffered great loss of life in the August 23rd attacks, losing 26 patrolmen, including 15 who had been re-hired in 2021 that had previously worked before 2015. "I can't wait to finally leave my old job and do something I know I'll enjoy."

"I'm glad, honey," Yang replied as she placed an arm around his shoulder. Then, she retracted the arm as she felt something in her abdominal region. "Ugh... That's weird..."

"What is it?" George looked worried, considering the two were first-time parents.

"It's another contraction," Yang replied as they began. She had gotten used to minor "practice" contractions by now, eight and a half months into her pregnancy. "It's probably nothing." By now, Yang had mostly stopped showing up to fire calls to begin the process of childbirth, and would be allowed to skip out on her requirements for March, April, and May. In fact, today was her last day at work at the recruitment office. "I can't wait to see him."

"Same here," George replied. "Same here." The two then rested their heads against each other.

In an interrogation room, Weiss sat down with two RVISS agents. There, she would answer questions about what she knew about the plot against her, as well as those suspected of being involved in the plot. As Weiss waited in a metal chair in the dark and desolate room, the two agents stepped in and introduced themselves. "Hello, my name is Agent Smithers." Weiss then shook his hand. "This is my partner, Agent Bradley." Weiss shook his hand as well. "We need to ask you about some people that may be involved in a plot on your life."

"I have a feeling the name Georg Reuter will come up," Weiss immediately replied with.

"It will," Agent Smithers, a man with graying brown hair, replied. "Speaking of Mister Reuter, what exactly made you terminate his employment?"

"Well," Weiss replied, sighing as she prepared to make a long statement. "Mister Reuter was employed by the SDC from 1988 to 2021, 33 years. He was named the manager of the Union Hill Mining Site in 2002, near the walls of the city of Apamea towards the south. When he became manager, he began doing some questionable things for discipline of workers, about I'd estimate 75% of which at any given time were faunus."

"Can you give a specific example?"

"In 2012," Weiss began. "There was a strike at the site. Now, before I get any deeper, many of the workers live on-site in workers' barracks with their families. So anyways, workers go on strike, and instead of going to the proper law enforcement authorities to keep the peace and negotiating with the strikers, he decides to use his own private security to brutally put the strike down. 32 miners are killed, and he decides to take further action by branding the leaders of the strike and their families. He also brands two infiltrators into the camp that assisted with the strike."

"Branding? Like that of Adam Taurus?" Agent Smithers was curious.

"Indeed," Weiss confirmed. "Adam was one of the infiltrators, and got branded. Georg ordered them to be kept alive and then returned to the White Fang as a warning. My father tried to get him fired, but he faced massive resistance. The only thing they let him do was move him to the financial side of the company in 2013, so he wouldn't run a mine anymore. When I took over, I was keen to do what my father could not. I took action, risking my own job to fire him and many others who tarnished the Schnee name. The backlash I am facing was why my father never went this far, especially with his then young children. At my age, I have little to lose but myself, or, at least, I thought I did before they tried targeting Ruby."

"How did Mister Reuter react to his firing?"

"He was not happy, of course. He vowed that I would come to regret my decision. I guess that when he said that, he meant that he would try to kill me."

March 21, 2022

At the Patch First Aid Squad, Ruby and Qrow were visiting the station, going over a new set of hydraulic rescue tools that the squad had ordered. Ruby wanted to take notes of it for Weiss, who was considering the set Patch had bought for Rescue 201, since its current set had been a lease from another department in another city. "You guys liking this set so far?"

"Yeah," Qrow replied as he pulled the tray carrying the diesel engine powering the tools out from the rescue. "It's much smoother than our old Y-Draulic Systems set, and it eats up a lot less fuel. Let me tell you, for the future, Rescue Solutions' new Vision 2020 set is the way to go."

As she wrote something down, the pagers went off inside the station for both Patch First Aid and Signal Fire, as well as a new fire company that had been recently formed on Patch Island, for a possible structure fire. Qrow said to Ruby as he began to get his gear on, "You got gear with you?" The air horns on top of the station began to sound for their cycle of five blasts for a fire call, their sound almost deafening.

"I carry mine in my car," Ruby replied as she ran out of the station to grab it. As she ran out, she noticed Raven's captain's car in the parking lot as well, yet it was not moving despite the call. After putting her boots on, she ran over and looked inside to see what was going on. As she looked into the back seat, she realized what was going on and held back her laughter as she knocked on the rear window. "Hey, Raven!"

Tom turned around and rolled the window down, saying, "Hey, Ruby! We'll be out shortly!" He had his shirt around his neck, while Raven was in fact topless.

"We have one of these things called a fire call, and we kinda need you two to go to it." Ruby then put her coat and helmet on as Tom zipped his pants up and stepped out, putting his shirt on as two cars sped into the parking lot and a third person rode in on a bike. Three people ran out of the two cars, wondering what was going on with Tom and Ruby.

As Raven got out to adjust herself and put her bra and shirt back on, she said, "Qrow told you to ride?"

"Yeah," Ruby replied. "I'll just grab a spare medium mask on the truck. I haven't worn a mask-mounted regulator SCBA before, so there's a first."

"Ain't that much different," Raven replied as she finished her clothes and hopped back in the captain's car. "I'll see you guys later. Tom, when this is over, we'll finish that at my house." She then sped off, lights and sirens on as she went to the call.

Ruby then ran in to the station to get on the rescue as Tom ran in to get his gear on. Qrow, who was waiting for them, yelled, "Hurry up, Tom!" As Tom finished putting his gear on, he ran to the rescue and managed to make the last seat aboard.

On the way to the call, as the rescue pulled out of the station, Tom tried to explain to Ruby as the two got their packs on in the walk-in section in the back, "Look, things just kinda hap-"

"Ap ap ap ap," Ruby silenced him with a finger to his mouth.

"It's not a fetish thing or any-"

"Shhhh," Ruby continued. "I'm gonna bask in this glorious moment, Tom, because now I got you and Raven by the balls."

"So do I," Qrow replied as he finished putting his SCBA on. "Raven's never gonna live this down from me especially. For the next 10 or so years, I got my sister by the metaphorical balls on this." He then reached into the pocket on his coat and grabbed a mint. "Tom, mint?"

"Ugh, no thank you," Tom replied.

"Rosepetal?" Qrow referred to Ruby by her childhood nickname.

"Don't mind if I do," Ruby replied as she took the mint, feeling joyous.

March 22, 2022

Oscar was at the Beacon Fire Company firehouse today, filling in an application to join in the rec room as Ozpin watched. Though he was not a member of the company, he was well-liked by its volunteers. Oscar, being almost 19, would be considered a "drop-in" student, dropping in in what would be the second semester of his first year at Beacon. He had managed to adjust well to classes so far, even though he was not yet placed on a team. The arrangement made for him was that he would be added to a team when the new year started.

As he finished, he handed it to a student firefighter and said, "When's the next meeting for Beacon Fire?"

"This Thursday," he replied. "You're free to attend as an observer, Oscar. We'll probably vote on you either next week for the week after that once the background check comes in."

Ozpin then said to Oscar, "You'll make a fine addition here, Oscar." He then turned to the student firefighter. "I certainly can vouch for him if need be."

"Thank you, Headmaster Ozpin." The student firefighter than got up from the table they sat at. "Well, I gotta go to a class. Good luck, Oscar."

"Thank you," Oscar replied as he waved. As he and Ozpin also headed for the door, he said to him, "You know, I think I'll really enjoy my time here."

"I'm glad," Ozpin replied. "With my planning, the transition once the time comes won't be as much of a hassle as it was for me."

"Fucking hell," Penny said to herself as she and her boyfriend Ross looked at a set of deployment papers. "Of course they come now." The papers ordered Penny to ship out with the Hunting Corps to Menagerie from April 21 to July 20. "At least it isn't a full year."

Ross was concerned. "Penny, you know how dangerous it is out there, right?"

"I know," she replied as she hugged him. "Look, Ross, I'll be fine. Word from the grapevine says Jaune, Ren, and Sun also got deployment papers for the same deployment today as well. I'll be with huntsmen and huntresses who I know will look out for me, and I will look out for them." As they heard both of their pagers go off, they looked to each other and then ran out of their apartment. "We'll talk later!"

Several minutes later, Penny and Ross both hopped aboard Truck 201 as it rolled to a Code 99 (working structure fire) in Excellence Fire Company 7's first-due. Both barely had time to put their gear on, and they continued to button and zip their coats up as the truck rolled out of the station. In the back were them, Whitley Marino-Schnee, Elsa Schnee, 2nd Lt. Hans Schnee, Theresa, 7th Lt. Mike Avery, and a brand new probationary firefighter that was 20 and had been sworn in last week. Up front was 2nd Cpt. Dafydd Ap Llewelyn and a paid firefighter who drove, for a crew of 10, 9 interior. As the crew in the back got ready and listened in to the operations radio frequencies, Hans relayed to the new probie, "You're to stay together with any other exteriors on scene, got it? They'll probably need all the help they can get with throwing ladders and outside ventilation on the first floor!"

Penny then said to Whitley, who sat across from her, "Remind me when we get back to talk to your sister. I gotta tell her about a hunting deployment I just found out about that's coming up in April!"

"On it," Whitley replied as he gave a thumbs-up. "And good luck, Penny!"