August '68 was a great month for Patch. Ghira's return was celebrated by the whole archipelago.
The man who arrived as ambassador of Menagerie had quickly become a symbol for the faunus community of the independent islands and in the fight for faunus rights across the world.
The agreement for the purchase of non-regenerable Dust crystals in the archipelago with Vale and the island of Arcadia had come at just the right time, Schnee Industries announcing the end of any and all trade towards Patch.
And Sanctuary Academy once again had broken enrollment records.
It was an incredible achievement...
but it also meant an ever increasing workload for the beloved and popular Headmistress.
Sanctuary Academy
11:30 a.m., August 19, Year 68 post-Great War.
Countdown to the start of the school year:
2 weeks, 2 days
Sanctuary Academy, one of the first academies after Beacon to include more than just huntsmen training, stood proudly in the Koa neighborhood, welcoming students from the island's three cities.
Not that week exactly, as the only students at the center were those who were competing or training during the summer. All the work that remained at Sanctuary for the new school year was administrative… Glynda's sad specialty.
Mountains of documents piled up around the office, the side tables she had brought overflowing and some bending inwards from the sheer weight of the paper. Being the Headmistress of an Academy turned out to be much more difficult than her former teammate and boss made it seem, every little part depending on her supervision to function properly.
And yet, Glynda wouldn't trade it for anything. Being able to carry on his teachings and keeping his legacy alive made it all worth it.
Taking a break, Glynda stretched slowly in her chair. Thinking about Beacon always managed to slow her down for a few minutes, distracting her enough to make her write his name in one of her student's files.
Ozpin
Her best friend and confidant. But for the vast majority of Vale... a traitor.
That fate brought them together in Beacon, with two exchange students in the form of James Ironwood and Theodore Alyaqut, was no accident. Team GOJT didn't reach the popularity of STRQ, but they weren't unknown in the early days of Grimm hunting as a profession either. Neither was Beacon at the time, the headmaster behind the founding having left the academy in a sorry state.
But with Theodore returning with his family to Vacuo and completing his education there, and James deciding to join the Atlas army to follow his parents, the duty of Beacon's restoration fell to Ozpin and her. Countless sleepless nights working, trying to make the Vale King's dream of an academy open to all come true. Ozpin's lifelong legacy… The legacy of a man who had turned Beacon into the academy of dreams... stained with blood and tarnished beyond repair by the actions of the impostor taking over his body...
It still managed to stir her stomach to this day. No matter how much she tried to explain that Ozpin wasn't in control of his body, no matter how much evidence she had collected to prove that the infinite man was real. It all meant nothing to the people.
Ozma remained a legend toRemnant, and Ozpin died a psychopath in the eyes of the world he loved so dearly, razing the capital of Vale to the ground.
Few would be able to carry on after this, but Glynda had made a promise to herself. She would not let Ozpin's dream die with him. Dedicating herself to the education of a kingdom with as much potential as Patch had brought joy and purpose back into her life.
That and making sure that the youngsters who took the path of the hunt didn't have to leave their homes behind to pursue their education.
"Ghira Belladonna has arrived on campus, Headmistress Goodwitch." Kam Rojada, Glynda's faithful secretary, announced to his boss through the private channel… Which couldn't have come at a better time, she desperately needed to get out of this office.
Knowing the academy inside and out, Glynda calculated that it would take Ghira seven minutes to get to her office. It was easy to make such calculations when you were the one who had personally designed the Academy. Thinking back to the first time she came to Patch after receiving the offer to lead its educational programs seems almost amusing now. Of course back then, the state of Patch's school system made her almost quit right then and there.
A lot of people thought it was because Glynda came from Beacon... but the sad reality is that the rural academy where she attended elementary school could compete with the first Patch Academy.
A single building in the middle of the top hill of the island, with a training field and practice arena drawn on the ground. It had been an embarrassment; the rest of Patch was on the same technological, industrial and service quality level as Old Vale.
It was just... as if no one had ever tried to do anything decent with the academy.
From the way that the decrepit old man who called himself Headmaster described the situation to Glynda, it was obvious why Summer and Tai had decided to leave Patch. It became immediately apparent that none of the so-called 'teachers' had any formal huntsmen training. Most of them didn't even had a background in teaching at all.
For a place believed to be 'protected by RedHeaven's blessing', that the best they could offer as an academy was a ramshackle building with no proper equipment or teachers with hunting experience shocked Glynda. She was certain that if it weren't for the ambient aura emitting from the volcano, Patch would have ended up being reabsorbed by Vale or Mistral long ago.
Theodore once offered her a position in Shade as an alternative, but Glynda did not give up. If Ozpin could rebuild Beacon, she could build Sanctuary too.
'I didn't rebuild Beacon to gain fame or power in Vale;
I did it so I could continue to believe in our world.
That's what will make the difference,
Glynda,
hope for a better tomorrow.'
Ozpin's words still echoed in her mind, a constant reminder that kept Glynda going ever since Beacon fell.
A year obeying a useless man with no knowledge of Grimm or the work of a Huntsman. A year that Glynda used to set her dreams in motion, thousands of Scroll calls and pacts behind the backs of Patch's headmaster being the bricks that would serve as the foundation for the greatest project of her life.
Having convinced team STRQ to finish their training under her, she managed to show the council that she was able to not only get results, but surpass their expectations. With the fame of team STRQ rising rapidly, Glynda proposed a project to build a new academy. One that could stand on equal terms with Atlas, Shade, Haven and even Beacon in its prime. With her skill in teaching a new generation of huntsmen proven and plans for the academy itself and the required building materials already planned for, there was little the council could do but accept.
It was fortuitous that Patch was one of the few locations on Remnant with an active volcano that allowed for the extraction of Dust on an industrial level. In-Dust-ries as the locals liked to call it. And the one in charge of building and expanding the archipelago, the leader of the Torchwick clan, was more than happy to build Glynda her academy.
With the council of Elders on her side, her work speaking for itself and the logistics prepared, the civilian council had no choice but to green light the construction. The countless hours of planning had finally paid off.
Seven months later and thanks to an almost miraculous combination of several factors, the new Patch Huntsman Academy was finished:
- Financial relief thanks to a deal with Vale who was more than happy to get rid of much of Beacons left over supplies and teaching material; and Menagerie, after Glynda convinced the Faunus council that her Academy would host the main headquarters of the Faunus rights platform, the White Fang.
- The call for students thanks to STRQ's fame all over Remnant.
- The unexpected and almost miraculous one-year-contract Oobleck managed to acquire with the Schnee Group to supply the Academy with Dust.
Many had called Glynda bold for designing her Academy based on Beacon's original plans, but it's not like her detractors were going to keep her awake at night. This academy was the continuation of Ozpin's dream, a new symbol of peace and hope for a fractured world.
"And what are we going to call it?" Peter Port asked the day before the inauguration, standing in front of the main building with his fellow teachers. "We need a powerful name; one that makes it clear to the world that Patch has arrived to make a difference."
"A name that gets attention, one that makes it clear that our students will shine like no others." Ghira Belladonna, Menagerie representative and defense attorney specializing in racial conflicts, continued the point of his coworker, his eyes on the coat of arms engraved above the main gates.
A sword piercing the dawn... the symbolism may have been a bit more violent than he would have liked, but the visual impact it exerted was undeniable.
"Any suggestions, Headmistress?" Bartholomew Oobleck, the Academy's head of history and second in command, asked Glynda who had stood back from the group, her eyes on the statue adorning the main fountain.
A bold and provocative statue, as some had described it. Dedicated to the man who inspired her to believe in Remnant. "Ozpin wanted Beacon to light the way into the future, guiding us to a new path of peace. This academy..." Glynda clenched her right fist, guiding it to her heart. "This academy will not be just another beacon; this academy will be the sanctuary for those who refuse to accept that we have failed... a sanctuary for those who still believe in a brighter tomorrow."
Silence fell among the four, pondering the headmistress's words. "Sanctuary." Glynda announced, the other three nodding in agreement.
A name to continue the legacy on her shoulders.
Memories of that celebratory evening always managed to put a smile on Glynda's lips. And even after fifteen years as a headmistress, she still felt like that rookie. Moreover, being the first to get drunk on campus didn't help with feeling more mature.
Patch's academy had been bringing huntsmen of the highest level to all corners of the world, their achievements and results elevating the academy's status to something almost mythological. A legend among the common people, surpassing Beacon as a symbol of peace.
Maybe none of her graduates had the nice hunting license issued by Atlas, but no one in their right mind would or had ever dared to refuse the services of Patch's students.
Year after year, the results spoke for themselves.
"Glynda?" Three knocks on the door brought the headmistress back to reality, groaning as she stood up after hours going through documents.
It was hard to keep her decorum after seeing Ghira again. The capture of her old friend and his young daughter had been a blow to all of them. Glynda had spent many nights going over possible leads, working directly with STRQ to find their friend. Still, there was no reason to lose her composure … or so she told herself. "My god, I can't believe you're here... I'm sorry I didn't come to see you sooner, I really am. I was on my way back from a meeting at Shade Academy last night when James called me-" Glynda began to apologize in advance, opening the door by pushing aside the papers that had partially blocked it.
Ghira simply scooped the smaller woman into a hug, her explanation dying on her lips as she returned the embrace. And if there were some tears during their reunion? Well, no one would need to know about that little detail.
'Some things never change' Ghira thought to himself. "You have nothing to worry about, I've been on the island for two days and I've already had every reporter on Patch looking for statements on my return. You're the first person outside my family I've decided to see... I'm glad that everything is still the same around here." Ghira smiled pointing to the mountains of paperwork. "You need a little help, don't you?"
"Not yours, Ghira... you've been through-"
"Please, Glynda." The panther faunus whispered, his gaze sinking to the floor. "I know what I've been through, I've had a lot of time to reflect. Until now I thought... we could save the good name of the White Fang. Sienna's around, isn't she? I'm told she's the replacement Menagerie sent after my kidnapping."
Glynda nodded, reaching back for a moment to grab her Scroll. "Miss Khan took the office next to yours, even though Menagerie insisted she should use the official embassy. It's been a pleasure to work with her, I just wish it could have been under better circumstances... Before we go, I need to ask one thing. How is Blake doing?"
The faunus smiled as he heard Glynda ask about his daughter, moving into the office so that she could close the door. "Her and Kali have spent the night at her parents' house, they have been ecstatic to see Blake again. I think... I think she is much stronger than I expected. There is still much fear and mistrust in her eyes but she has responded well to meeting her grandparents. Once the psychiatrist had a chance to speak with her, I plan to have her meet with Yang and Ruby again. As I heard, the two have been asking to see her non stop since they reunited on the airfield. And if everything goes well, I might consider signing her up for the new school year."
Of course, Glynda wasn't planning to deny her old friend's wishes, having no doubt that he and Kali knew what was best for their daughter. But as a teacher she couldn't help but worry. "Don't you think it's a little early?"
"Maybe? I don't know. Adam has scarred my little girl inside and out, but isolating her from her home, from her people? That can't be good. Kali has said that maybe we could move to Menagerie if Blake needs a little change of scenery... but as much as it pains me, she and Blake belong here. They were born here and moving to Menagerie would only hurt them. I love my homeland dearly, but I want my daughter to grow up in a place far away from the strife of the faunus."
"I know Kali said it for you, but I would recommend not stopping by Menagerie right now..." Glynda whispered as the two walked down the halls, all the administrative wing employees taking a second to greet the faunus. "The situation is... very complicated."
Ghira swallowed slowly as he continued to appreciate the concerns of his co-workers, following Glynda until they both reached the section of the building dedicated to the Menagerie embassy.
Ghira sighed in relief as he entered his old office, everything as he remembered it. It seemed like yesterday when he left this office, confident that the Vale trial would be a quick one. A simple case of unfounded accusations.
Eighteen months of torture. A year and a half that Cho had taken from him and his family.
The faunus ran his hand through his folders, opening and viewing most of the pending cases, doubting that many of them were still open. And how many more were to come…
"You were confident that we would come back, right?" Ghira continued to whisper, sitting back in his armchair and noticing all the empty space on the seat. "I'd love to be able to say that I never gave up hope either..."
Resting a hand on the panther faunus's shoulder, Glynda squeezed slightly as she opened the blinds with her telekinetic semblance. "While your rescue operation was public, James and I sent many of my best senior students and many of his best soldiers to gather intelligence and fight White Fang terrorist cells all over Remnant. When Sienna joined Sanctuary to take your place, her absolute priority was about differentiating Cho's organization with the righteous and peaceful motives of your White Fang. It was at that time that Qrow took charge of your rescue, convincing James to lead the operation in private."
Picking up the framed photo on his desk, Ghira couldn't help but tear up at the memory of Blake's birth. "I know, Qrow told me... Tell me one thing, Glynda. Have there been disturbances here? Have Patch's faunus... suffered because of me?"
"Don't you dare think like that." The continuous office door opened, the Menagerie ambassador attending to the sounds from the other room after finishing her call.
Sienna Khan, daughter of the leader of the faunus council. Ghira had only had the pleasure of working with her on a few occasions before, but his experience with her had been satisfactory to say the least. A dedicated and excellent young woman with a great future as a lawyer.
The bengal tiger faunus smiled as she closed the door behind her and approached her predecessor with a hesitant step. "Ghira, it's a pleasure to see you safe and sound. I am-"
If one thing was clear to Ghira, it was that the young woman did not deserve the pressure his disappearance had generated. That was something no one deserved. "I remember you, young lady, no need to introduce yourself. I couldn't have asked for a better replacement, I hope you were comfortable with the chaos I left you with."
"To be called a young lady at the age of thirty-five... you're too much of a gentleman, Ghira. I'm glad to see that Cho couldn't get to you... I can't say the same for the spirit of the other faunus. Ghira, the situation for the faunus has..." The tiger bit her lip, looking away. "I know you just got back, but we'll need all your years of experience to get us out of this. The damage Cho's actions have caused to the Faunus community is incalculable, I think...I think she may have destroyed decades of progress." Sienna kept her head lowered, waiting for Ghira to say something.
But what could he say? He had spent nearly eighteen months tortured by Cho, enduring her provocations and taunts. And even in death, Cho was still haunting him. "How bad is it, Sienna?"
Glynda stepped back slightly, letting Sienna take the center of the room. As much as she blindly supported the two, her presence and contribution in these matters would be of little help, the headmistress lamented. "... Mistral... informed Menagerie a few weeks before STRQ killed Cho that they were going to reinforce their terrorist group control laws and were going to start investigating all faunus associations and population centers in the kingdom."
Even worse than he feared. Ghira didn't know what to do. It was as if sixty years of progress after the Great War were vanishing before his eyes. Even after all these months as Cho's captive, he still couldn't understand why she would cause so much harm to her own kind. "Every time I saw her enter my cell, I couldn't help but think of my warnings to Menagerie. The council has caused this, as much as they don't want to- …what is the council's position?"
"They are trying to stay away from Cho and the White Fang, but Vale and Mistral have too many critical voices against ou- ... against Menagerie."
"Sienna, why did you cut that 'our'?"
"Because Menagerie has failed the faunus, Ghira! A government for all faunus, for all to feel recognized... has become just the opposite. Cho may have died, but she still won. More and more Faunus turn against humans, and more and more humans turn against Faunus. Humanity distrusts us again, blames us for their problems. An innocent generation will now have to live through the hate we tried so hard to extinguish... Honestly, I'm thinking of quitting..."
"We can't quit now."
Cho's death, so recent and yet so distant in his memory. The fight against her would not end even with her death, as she told Tai in her last breath. "Cho... Cho had planned to die that night. I've been watching her lust for power and conviction grow with each new step... all to die in a pointless fight. What motive could she have to take Blake and me out of her secret base and take us to Vacuo, to some sawmill in the middle nowhere? These moves by Mistral and Vale, Cho must have expected them."
"Somehow she did, and was ready to fight them head on... with the help of a Maiden, or by becoming one." Glynda and Sienna shuddered at the thought. A ruthless woman like Cho having the power of a maiden on her side would have been an absolute nightmare. "Cho wanted some kind of information from Qrow, one that only he could have."
"The nine months with Ozma." Glynda knew it couldn't have been anything else; the only topic that Qrow had never shared with anyone, not even his personal therapist.
"Prior to the battle, Cho handed me a strip of paper with a question for Qrow. If things got out of hand, my job was to read it out loud... and judging by Qrow's reaction, Cho knew what she was doing."
Discreetly, as if he feared someone spying on them, Ghira laid a dirty strip of paper on his desk, offering it to Glynda to read. "A fake Vault in Beacon?... That's impossible, I was in the Beacon Vault and got the original plans so I could build Sanctuary. There was no possible space for a second Vault!"
"I don't want to push Qrow, he also didn't seem to know what Cho was talking about. But she was looking for something very specific, and we can't give up now... knowing that Rufus and Cho's son Adam are out there." Sienna and Glynda lifted their heads, watching as Ghira rose from his seat. "If we quit now, we abandon every faunus that wishes for a peaceful life. Menagerie has failed me, but we don't have to fail our own. Humanity and Faunus have the same origin, and I will fight to the end to remind both sides of this. Sienna, I know that you are now Menagerie's ambassador-"
"Did you not hear me? I wanted to quit. I studied hard so I could become a lawyer and help the White Fang. But now that name is stained with blood, with your blood, with the blood of all the innocent humans who died in Vale's courts. The faunus have no leader, no one to look up to or to follow in the hopes of a better tomorrow... So if you are going to ask me to join you, be sure that I will do it. I don't care what name we use, all I care about is helping our people. I just want all human and faunus children to be able to live in a world without differences, without fear or hate."
"I'm glad to hear that. Will you stay here at Patch?"
Sienna looked out the window, her eyes lost in the horizon. "I'd like to, I'd love to, but you're already here. If we want to do this right, we have to cover Patch, Vacuo and Menagerie. I'll take care of Menagerie, try to join Wingdar's academy and convince headmistress Terra to start a co-socialization program with humans... This island has taught me that Menagerie needs to be much more open with humans, a nation for faunus should not be ONLY for faunus."
"Then..." Glynda took a step to her side, finally finding the part where she could intervene. "Allow me to help. I know Terra personally and I think I could convince her to collaborate with the Arc clan in some way. I'm sure Julius Arc would be pleased to help us. That old man has spent so much time studying faunus customs and traditions when they started migrating en masse to Patch, he would no doubt be more than willing-"
Your world needs a great defender~
Your worlds in the way of harm~
You want a romantic life; a fairytale that's full of charm~
"C'mon… Excuse me for a second-" Glynda apologized walking away from the table and taking her Scroll. "Yes? What?! And why didn't they call? Okay, I'm going to see them. Remind them to not touch... anything. I'm not joking." Sighing deeply, Glynda brought both hands to her forehead, rubbing her temples.
Ghira raised his eyebrow in amusement, knowing full well who would create such a reaction in Glynda. "Am I mistaken or have unexpected visitors arrived? Dare I say... STRQ-scented visitors?"
"We've been talking about Qrow so much that we ended up summoning him, he's in my office with Tai and Ruby demanding to see me... Sienna, Ghira, I'm sorry I have to leave, but I have too many important papers to leave them on their own for more than a minute."
Sienna and Ghira looked at each other, the two of them sharing an amused smile. The panther faunus walked up to her, first grabbing her by the shoulder... and as soon as Glynda's guard was down, pulling her against him in an embrace. "We're going to set everything up over here, so if you have time later stop by, we could grab a bite to eat... I hope the workers' cafeteria is still as good as I remember"
"Idiot, I would never let them do anything to your beautiful cafeteria." Responding to the hug, Glynda wiped away a sneaky tear, composing herself much quicker than the first time. "Having you here again is a miracle made true, Ghira. I know you will ignore me, but please take it easy. Rest a few more days, I can take care of most things for you."
"I don't doubt it… I'm glad to be back, Glynda."
"And I'm glad you're here." The headmistress whispered, closing the door behind her. She stood there for a few moments, happy that her old friend was back safe and sound, memories of Ozpin coming back into her head...
For four seconds, before she took off towards her office in a hurry.
(Exactly five minutes and four seconds after the call)
By the time Glynda arrived at her office, Tai was making paper cranes with documents to entertain Ruby, while Qrow had poured himself a glass of the drinks she hid in her personal cupboard. "Don't you know... don't you know to call before coming? I am a very busy woman at this time of year; I can't run an academy and attend to your nonsense whenever you please."
All three turned to her, Ruby's smile so innocent and precious that Glynda had to concentrate to stay angry. "Hello Miss Gywit, I've got a surprise for you!"
Tai smiled as he set Ruby on the floor, who ran to the headmistress and hopped up and down. "You didn't need to run for us, Glynda."
"Are you exhausted after running so little? Your years perched on your throne have taken their toll, eh Goodwitch?" Qrow joked as he finished his glass in one gulp, standing up next to Tai and between the two of them pulling Glynda out of the office. "It'll be safer here-"
"Safe? Fu- eh, fun you, Qrow, nothing is safe with you guys." Glynda bite her tongue, chastising herself for almost saying a swear word in front of a minor. "And you Miss 'I'm going with Yang to her math class'... you think I'm going to believe that you don't know how to pronounce my last name? I've seen you read the academy anthem, don't try to play games with me!" Ruby feigned ignorance by sticking her tongue out to the side, a gesture Summer had made sure to pass on to her two
daughters.
Once again, Summer's shadow continued to haunt Glynda wherever she went. "Kam says it was an emergency, what's going on?"
Father and uncle shared a complicit look, each kneeling beside Ruby. "I know Ruby gave you a lot of trouble last year with her constant running away from class to go with Yang, Glynda, so today we bring the solution to all your problems!" The drunken Huntsman explained, while opening his Scroll and showing a map of the floor to his niece.
Tai massaged Ruby's shoulders, encouraging her to do some quick stretches in his best sports trainer impression. "You do it as we have practiced, okay my little flower? Try not to bump into anyone this time." Tai encouraged his daughter, tying her hair in a ponytail to minimize problems.
Ruby nodded determinedly, placing herself at a starting line that Glynda was sure wasn't there a moment ago. And she clearly would not have painted such a thing with Dust.
Preparing herself like a professional runner, Ruby let the bubbling sensation inside her take over her whole being and turned into a cloud of rose petals. A cloud that, before Glynda's astonishment ,and Tai and Qrow's proud gaze, flew off at full speed through the corridors taking with it carpets, curtains, banners and any fabric not particularly attached to a surface.
"That's a..." Glynda looked still blinking angrily at the two adults, both nodding extremely proudly.
"A semblance at her age, I should have expected it from you. Yang probably unlocked hers early too, just never had anything to fuel it enough to activate. Just to make sure, you're planning to pick up everything your baby girl is leaving on the ground, aren't you?" Glynda saked still in complete shock, the screams of terror and surprise from her workers echoing throughout the building as the halo faunus continued her run.
"Yep." Tai and Qrow replied at the same time, popping the P.
A particularly high-pitched scream that almost certainly came from Oobleck made Glynda pause, memories of everything Yang had mistakenly set on fire flashing before her eyes. This time with Ruby replacing her older sister in Glynda's nightmares.
Finishing her run, Ruby appeared on the opposite side of the aisle jumping and reforming in mid-air, falling into the arms of her father, who was waiting for her ready at the starting line. "Dad, Uncle Qrow! I did it!" Ruby shouted proudly, raising her hands high enough for Glynda to see that the little halo faunus was bringing with her some kind of clothes. Cloths that the headmistress immediately recognized as the different flags that marked the divisions on campus. "And I haven't bumped into anyone!" Ruby declared even more proudly, looking up like a Huntsman who had destroyed a Nevermore hive. "Did you see that, Miss Gywit? I'm super-fast! You're..." Ruby tilted her head, struggling to read Glynda's expression. "Are you happy? I'm a big girl now and I have a semblance!"
"What do you think, Goodwitch? Do you concede now that we're dealing with a prodigy?" Qrow pocked the headmistress, hitting her with his elbow.
Glynda adjusted her glasses, trying to ignore the chaos behind here that seemed to follow everyone from team STRQ. Why she ever thought their daughters would be any different was a mystery. "You… you want to move her up a grade, don't you?" Glynda couldn't help but smile proudly, stroking the little girl's crimson hair. "And yes, Ruby, I'm very pleased."
Tai nodded resolutely. "According to Sanctuary's rules, students under the age of six with awakened aura and semblance must take introductory combat classes alongside the youngest group available. And relax, the petals fade away in about ten minutes, maybe thirty... "
"Ruby was already attending half of Yang's classes, and if she also attended Port's classes officially we think it would be best to simply move her up a year. You can't deny that Ruby belongs there Goodwitch; you've seen her classwork." Qrow continued the argument, Glynda noting as the two adults discreetly high-fived each other.
'These two idiots have memorized one of Raven's speeches ... Or Raven forced them to.' Adjusting her glasses again, the headmistress stared at the wolf, who was smiling innocently. "It's highly irregular to allow something like this... but Ruby is a highly irregular case. I'll talk it over with Port and send you my decision tonight."
Unable to contain the excitement, Qrow and Tai high-fived each other again, Ruby shouting and demanding to join the high-five. "I don't want to sound rude but where are Summer and Raven? Normally they're the ones who take care of Ruby and Yang's education."
"Rae, Summ and Yang are at Pietro's pharmacy to repair Summer's eye- And before you say anything, Summer bet 30 lien that her new eye was bulletproof." Qrow explained as Tai and Ruby nodded solemnly, the ridiculous story no doubt more accurate than most people would expect. "But don't worry about me, I was just leaving. I know James has a meeting and as his right-hand man-
"You're on leave." Tai coughed dryly, glancing sideways at his brother-in-law.
"Am I, Tai? What would Jamey do without his right hand? Rely on Clover? Over his dead body." After planting a kiss on Ruby's forehead, which the little girl complained about because of the smell of alcohol, Qrow headed for the door. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to the roof. I can't afford to be late or they might not let me in-"
"Why are you going to the roof?" Ruby asked, tilting her head in confusion. The three adults looked at each other, desperately searching for an excuse to cover up Qrow's gross cluelessness. "You're going to go parkouring?"
Qrow quickly nodded, feeling saved by the bell. "Yes, that's exactly it! I'm in the mood for a little thrill, you know pup? This cast started bothering me yesterday-"
"They put it on yesterday."
"Exactly. And your uncle needs to stretch his... legs and run up to Sanctuary tower over the rooftops! I'll see you for lunch, okay? I still remember the promise to take you and Yang to Azure Basin for a hike in the dunes."
And before Tai could remind him why that was a bad idea, Qrow ran off. "What a weirdo Uncle Qrow is." Ruby laughed innocently, not knowing how right she was. With a double sigh, Tai offered to help pick up the mess Ruby had made while the little girl amused herself by playing with a math exercise Glynda had picked out and put on her computer. "Miss Gywit, it says here that Mr. Klein is waiting in the lobby," Ruby said turning the computer screen and pointing to Carly's notification "Who's Klein?"
"Klein... Klein... Klein... that name sounds familiar..." Stroking the imaginary beard that Raven and Summer ordered him to shave off years ago… he loved that beard. Tai leaned over the couch to read how the name was spelled, and maybe find gossip on Glynda's computer. "I think it must be the butler for the Koks, you remember the white haired kids that-"
"PRETTY GIRL?!" Ruby screamed at the top of her lungs, rose petals flying around as she jumped up in excitement. Before Tai could even confirm it, Ruby had already flown off, transforming mid jump and racing out of the office, all the papers Glynda spent hours organizing flying in the air.
The headmistress turned to Tai, the blonde Huntsman simply shrugging at the accusatory and angry look. "Where's the lobby?" Ruby asked, coming back to the office, the papers that had flown out after her being pushed back into the room.
"It's the large room at the entrance of the building, my little flower. Where your Uncle Qrow has placed the third flag-" Without letting her father finish the sentence, Ruby had already set off on her stormy way down to the first floor of the building. "Hehehehe... First Yang and now Ruby... how quickly children get used to their semblance, right? You could say… that they s-embrace their new powers." The blonde Huntsman joked. Glynda just kept staring at the man, already wishing this day was over.
Without acknowledging his sorry excuse for humor, Glynda swung her Crop around the room, pulling the papers she needed for her meeting with Klein out of the air. With one last scaling look, she slammed the door close, making the last few papers that survived Ruby's rampage fall to the floor.
Left alone in the office, Tai could only groan as he started to pick up the documents around him.
Patch's Huntsmen academy, Sanctuary.
Even Weiss, who had lived in seclusion all her life, had heard about the legendary Academy on the secluded Island. Winter used to tell her and Whitley about it, promising them that one day, they would be able to attend here. Back then, it seemed like a fantasy, used to go against their father when he would rage about Patch in front of his children…
But they were truly here, just like Winter promised.
Pushing the doors to the lobby open, Weiss slowly entered the academy. It was in these halls that some of the best huntsmen and huntresses in the world started their journey. Heroes that stood against even the strongest of Grimm without fear. And now she was starting to walk that path herself.
Weiss wanted to be a Huntress like that more than anything. Someone who would protect people without fear, shielding them from the darkness. The first time Winter stood between her and her father as she held her crying brother in her arms she knew she wanted to be like that.
Her every free moment since then was spent learning anything she could about Grimm and how to fight them. Winter herself was learning all about Grimm and how to fight, but when Weiss was old enough, her father suddenly forbade her from touching anything related to the huntsman profession.
But Klein had managed to smuggle more than one book on the subject into her bedroom over the years. Winter meanwhile would sneak her rapier into her own room and would spend evenings where Jaques was away to introduce her to the basics of swordplay. All the while telling her that one day, their family sword would be hers to wield.
And while Myrtenaster might still be too heavy to use properly, Weiss was confident that her knowledge of Dust and the Grimm would be enough to get her into the introductory Hunting course.
"No need to be nervous, Miss Weiss." Klein gripped the white-haired girl's shoulder, trying to calm her down gently. "You heard Miss Winter, Headmistress Goodwitch is reasonable and will see your potential as a future huntress."
She knew Klein was right, but part of her couldn't help but doubt. She kept hearing her father, raging and raving about the idiocy and incompetence of Patch and its people. Telling her that she was no better when she failed one of her assignments. Telling her that she would never be better if she kept following her sister's example.
That was the last time her father spoke to her, Winter finding her crying in her room that same evening. Only a day later her sister received Ironwood's message and they fled the mansion before Jacques returned home. She still feared what would have happened if they didn't escape when they did.
Noticing his young charge tensing up, Klein kneeled down in front of her. "Come now, young miss. There's no need to fear. Look around you, we are standing in the famous Sanctuary Academy. Just like your sister said you would one day. Stand proud Weiss, I know you are going to do wonderful here."
Unable to help herself, Weiss put her arms around Kleins neck, squeezing the butler tightly. Letting go without a word, she looked around. The glory of Sanctuary loomed before her, the pristine, polished corridors filled with light and warmth thanks to the gigantic glass windows that decorated the outer walls. Dozens of employees strode the ground floor , conversations and discussions of the utmost importance were held in every corner of the building.
This... this was what Weiss expected from such a renowned place.
The cold, harsh reality was very different. The ground floor was the spitting image of chaos.
Papers covered the entire floor, dozens of employees trying to pick them up without much success, carpets and curtains blown down as if a storm had swept through the building.
Everywhere Weiss looked, she could see people run around in a frenzy. "Has anyone seen my hat? I need my hat!" A pitiful voice cried out in desperation.
"My coffee, my thermos! How am I going to survive a day's work without coffee?" Another person cried out, their voice filled with soul crushing desperation.
"I have been sorting these admissions for one week. Alphabetically! My life is ruined!" Another voice cried out angrily, accompanied with a dramatic sound of a chair being thrown against the wall. "I curse you, STRQ!"
Klein, standing in the middle of the lobby, could only shuckle. As the former head butler of the Schnee mansion, he was well acquainted with the chaos unfolding around him. Though looking down, he could practically see Weiss' image of the famous academy breaking into a million pieces.
Taking the young girl by the hand, he moved them to the side and away from the worst of the ruckus. Their plan was to blend in with other people to make sure Weiss would not be recognised, no matter how unlikely that may be. But with the lobby in such a state they didn't need to bother.
No one had even looked at them so far.
Picking Weiss up, Klein navigated through the frantic people towards the receptionist desk. "Good morning." The butler tried to get the receptionist's attention without much success. The poor man was more concerned with finding his glasses amidst the clutter around him then paying attention to his surroundings. "Good morning mister ... Kam." Klein repeated, this time adding the name the flipped nameplate showed. "We have an appointment with headmistress Glynda Goodwitch."
Finally noticing the butler after hearing Glynda's name mentioned, Kam quickly stood up to offer his hand. "Sorry for the inconvenience, we just... we just got attacked by the wildest creature known to man: a STRQ child. May the brothers protect us if they decide to have another one."
Weiss and Klein cocked their heads in confusion as Kam typed on his keyboard. "Yeah, Miss Goodwitch has received the notification and she will be here shortly. Sit... wherever you like, just try to avoid any documents that seem important."
Putting Weiss down again, the two made their way back to the corner that seemed the least chaotic, Klein setting his young charge down on the one chair that miraculously survived whatever happened here. "Would you like me to talk to Glynda, Miss Weiss?" He asked, kneeling in front of her to fix her dress and hair. The poor thing looked ready to bolt any second.
Trying desperately to calm down, Weiss sat there while Klein kept adjusting her clothes, despite everything being as tidy as it was when they left this morning. But the familiar pulling of cloth and a gentle hand in her hair did help. Taking a deep breath, Weiss gently pushed the butler's hands away. She was grateful that he was here, but she couldn't help but feel embarrassed about needing Kleins help so much. Steeling herself, she opened her mouth to-
"PRETTY GIRL?!"
The scream came from the stairs, startling Weiss. All pretence of courage vanished as she jumped out of her seat to hide behind her butler from whatever demon was about to descend.
The scream was quickly followed by more, this time from different people as they cried out in surprise and anger. Before they knew it, a red blur of petals came into the lobby, making a round across the entire room before coming straight for them.
Just before it collided with them, the red storm of chaos slowed down and turned into a young girl. Black red hair and wolf ears surrounding a brilliant and innocent smile. A stark contrast to the destruction behind her. Weiss could only stare as the little girl kept running towards her, red cloak and wolf tail swaying back and forth as she moved.
When the little girl finally reached them, she stopped suddenly. Her bright smile vanished and she started clutching her skirt, all the energy replaced by nervousness and uncertainty. A shiver ran through her as she started looking away, clearly unsure how to proceed.
Weiss understood exactly what that felt like. When you weren't sure about yourself or what to do and were paralyzed by indecision and fear. Stepping out front behind Klein, Weiss slowly approached the younger girl. Now that she got a better look, she recognised her immediately.
"I remember you, you were in the hangar where we landed the other night." Weiss said softly, which didn't stop the girl from being startled by her. "My name is Weiss," The white-haired girl offered her hand slowly, pushing the rose petals between the two of them aside with her foot in a futile attempt to calm her own nerves.
"Pretty girl~" Was all the faunus replied, making Weiss' eyes widen in surprise.
"Pretty... girl?" Weiss asked slowly. While it was true that many people had praised her looks during gatherings she was forced to attend, none have ever affected her like this. Holding a hand to her chest, she could feel her cheeks getting warm as the strange girl kept looking at her. A familiar feeling enveloped her, one she had only ever felt around her siblings and Klein before
"Y-your hair shone under the moon, it was s-so pretty." The faunus explained, stuttering, her eyes still locked on Weiss's hair. "Pretty girl." The little girl giggled to herself, her shoulders slowly relaxing.
"My name isn't 'Pretty girl'." Weiss explained, placing both hands on her waist. "My name is Weiss, Weiss Sch-...Koks." Weiss explained, correcting herself mid sentence. Remembering Ironwoods explanation about their name and the need for secrecy.
The faunus blinked, tilting her head from side to side, her eyes roaming over Weiss' face as if she was looking for something. "What's wrong? Do I... do I have something on my face?" Weiss asked, rubbing her face to get rid of whatever made the faunus keep staring so intently.
Without a word, the faunus rummaged through the inside pocket of her hood until she found a key ring of sorts, filled with small cards. Ignoring the question, the faunus showed a card to Weiss that read 'sad', with a frowningface beside the word.
"Are you asking... are you trying to ask me if I'm sad?" The faunus nodded quickly, her eyes looking directly into Weiss' this time. "I'm not sad! I'm... I'm nervous. I'm nervous because I want to be a Huntress. And for that I need to convince the headmistress that I'm ready to join the academy." Weiss quickly looked away, uncomfortable by the faunus' intense stare. "And if I was sad, what would it matter to you? I don't even know your name despite repeating mine twice!" Weiss feigned indignation, hoping that would drive the faunus away.
"Yang says we shouldn't feel sad," The girl explained, as if that made sense to Weiss. Picking up her keychain again, the faunus began to search until she found the card that stood for 'Happy'. "Yang said that we should smile whenever we can, so others smile with us."
"Well, I don't want to smile, okay? I don't know who this Yang is but she sure is an idiot." Weiss snorted, puffing out her chest, trying to mask her embarrassment at being read so easily by this little girl. "Now why don't you leave, huh? As I said, I have a very important appointment with the headmistress!" Turning her back on the faunus, Weiss did her best to act confident.
If people younger than her already have a semblance, it would be even harder then she thought to convince Miss Goodwitch that she was ready to start her training.
Silent again, the faunus began to run up the stairs, this time without turning into a storm of petals, thankfully. Weiss looked over her shoulder as the faunus stopped to talk with a blonde-haired, excellently dressed woman halfway up the stairs. "Miss Gywit," The faunus yelled, grabbing Glynda's skirt. "She wants to be a huntress, just like me."
Embarrassed for the third time because of the faunus, Weiss watched as the woman who must have been Goodwitch knelt down to whisper something in the faunus's ear, moving out of her way with a pat on the back.
'It's over,' Weiss thought as she saw Goodwitch's analytical, steady gaze on her.
Moving slowly and steadily despite the chaos around her, Goodwitch held her hand out as she greeted Klein. "Mr. Klein? You must be Weiss' legal guardian."
Klein nodded, returning the handshake Glynda offered. "That is correct, Klein Sieben at your service. As you know, this is Weiss Koks. She and her siblings are my charges after their father was … unable to take care of them anymore." Aware of the official story, Glynda played along."
"A shame, truly. Though I have no doubt that you will make an excellent guardian for Weiss and her siblings." Glynda nodded, turning her back on Klein to kneel in front of Weiss, who had slowly made her way through the rose petals to where both adults stood. "Nice to meet you Weiss, my name is Glynda Goodwitch and I'm the headmistress of Sanctuary."
Still shaken, Weiss quickly grabbed the woman's outstretched hand. After shaking it far too hard, she started introducing herself. " It's an honor, headmistress Goodwitch. I am Weiss Schne- Koks! I am Weiss Koks!" She couldn't even manage a simple greeting. How was she supposed to become a huntress when even the most basic of courtesies gave her trouble? She was going to end up alone and unloved in some-
"How old are you, Weiss?!" Glynda interrupted, worried about the child's clear struggle with the situation.
Blinking in confusion at the question, Weiss pulled back slightly to cross her arms over her chest. "F-five years, Headmistress G…Goodwitch. Does... does that pose a problem? I can a-assure you that my aura has already been activated by my older sister W-Winter, and she has been training me in the basics herself. Also, I have been studying the use of Dust in combat extensively." With a sigh, Glynda pressed her hand to the side of her head. She knew the Schnee heirs would not have come out of their home in the best mental state, but this was even worse than she feared.
Thinking Goodwitch's reaction was about her, Weiss panicked. If she didn't convince the headmistress right now, her dream of becoming a huntress was over.
Winter would be so disappointed. Maybe she would even send her back to Atlas. She could not let that happen!
"N-not only do I have knowledge about mixing and using Dust far ahead of other my age group, I also studied multiple books on both hunter training and Grimm. I also memorized most of the three Grimm encyclopedias by Peter Port, who I believe is a teacher here…"
"Weiss..." Glynda sighed for the third time, bringing her hands up to grab the white-haired girl by the arms. Fearing the worst, Weiss choked back a bitter cry.
'It's all over...' Weiss thought silently, tears warming her cheeks. 'She's going to make me leave... I won't be a Huntress.'
"You don't need to present yourself like this is some kind of job interview. You are still a child Weiss, you do not need to convince me of your worth. It's my job to see the potential of those who wish to join my academy." Glynda explained, using her other hand to slowly stroke the crying girl's head. She never cared much for Jacques before, but she never thought he could do this to his own children.
"All I need to know to let a student choose the Hunting introductory course is if they are sure about it. Tell me, Weiss... are you sure you want to be a Huntress? It's ok to want something else in life, you do not need to do this because your sister does.. You're free to choose your own path."
She stared at the women, shocked by her words. No one outside her sister and Klein ever told her she could choose what she wanted to do in life. And from them, it always felt more like a wish than a fact. But now Glynda Goodwitch, one of the greatest role models for huntsmen in the world, told her the same thing. Could she truly choose what she wanted?
And more importantly, would she still want to be a huntress?
No, while the words of the headmistress may have shaken her to the core, there was no doubt in her mind. No matter what, she wanted this. To become a protector of this world and its people. To be everything her father never had been. No matter what insecurities she has, what worries reared their ugly heads today, that wish never wavered.
Taking a deep breath and rubbing her face to wipe the last few tears away, she gave her answer. "Headmistress Goodwitch, I … I want to be a huntress. More than anything!"
Smiling brightly, Glynda stood up. "Then I welcome you to Sanctuary Weiss Koks. I have no doubt that you will become a-"
"PRETTY GIRL!"
Without warning, a red bluer shot past Glynda, ramming into Weiss full speed. As she fell to the ground, the same wolf faunus rematerialised on top of her, her tail wagging behind her in a frenzy. Stunned by the unsuspected attack, she could only stare at the smiling girl on top of her.
Glynda chuckled, very amused by Ruby's strange fascination with the former Schnee heiress. "Weiss, allow me to introduce Ruby Rose-Xiao Long-Bramwen, the youngest student in Sanctuary Academy's history. You two will be sharing your classes from now on."
Pushing the still smiling girl away, Weiss got up slowly. This ball of chaos was going to be her classmate? Looking around the still half destroyed lobby, she shuddered. Could she really come here with someone like that right beside her? Maybe she should wait a little like Winter said and get used to this new place before starting her training.
Shaking her head, she stood up, face determined. No, this was not how a huntress would think. A huntress would face the threat headon and make sure it was dealt with. Looking down slightly to said threat, she was taken back by her bright silver eyes that seemed to glow along her happy smile.
Shaking her head, again, she turned towards Goodwitch. "This … Ruby, will be in my class? Then I ask permission to be allowed to keep an eye on her. Someone this destructive will need someone to keep an eye on her to make sure something like this" She looked around the lobby for a second. "Doesn't happen again."
Glynda couldn't help but laugh a little. She could see herself in Weiss quite clearly at that moment. All proper and convinced she could tame the chaos that is the STRQ family. She had no doubt that Ruby, and Yang once she met her, would quickly make her realise that this little incident was tame in comparison. But even so, she had no doubt that the girl would make a fine huntress one day.
She just hoped that the sisters wouldn't corrupt her too much.
"That will not be an easy task miss Koks, but I think you will be up to the task. Welcome to Sanctuary."
Sanctuary Tower, Elder council floor
12:45 p.m, August 19, 68 post Great War.
Carrying his lunch in hand, Ironwood grunted as he entered Maria's office. For some reason, the meeting had been moved up by almost two hours, so once again lunch had to wait. To his good fortune, or rather his enjoyment, Sebastian was also carrying a lunch box wrapped in a thin scarf over his knees.
"Not a word, it's Eliza's lunch box. Mine... mine wasn't washed ."
"You won't hear anything from me, except that you have good taste. That's silk, isn't it?" Sebastian rolled his eyes, drawing a laugh from the general. "Enough for today, where is Maria? She's the one who sent the message for us to come early."
Sebastian shrugged, setting the lunch box on Maria's desk and pacing the office. Dozens of photos of STRQ, Ruby and Yang decorated the walls, including a good number of himself, Eliza and their grandfather Grand. The relationship between the two council members was a mystery even to their own families, although Sebastian himself knew more than he should.
"I'd love to know, but the office was empty when I got here... and the electronic lock was disabled. If I had known no one would use them, I could have used that money for something more useful."
"I wouldn't..." James looked away, taking a furtive bite of his lunch. "I put some of the new Hardlight Shield generators inside the locks budget-"
"That's why they were so expensive?! James, for the love of the brothers!"
"Someday you'll thank me. Torchwick got us a reliable buyer and I couldn't pass up the opportunity."
"Why... Why do you trust him so much? I've known him since we were kids, do you know how often he stabbed me in the back or kidnapped me for some of is dumb games? More than you expect, I tell you. And only one of the two is metaphorical." James decided not to ask which one. "He and Neo are... how can I say it without sounding mean? Menacing criminals?"
"Useful, the word you're looking for is useful. Roman saved my life during the battle of Old Vale, so I trust him when he gets a reliable buyer. And Neopolitan is a bit more unpredictable, but she cares about this island almost as much as she cares about Roman. I understand that your experiences with them haven't been the best, but even you can't deny that Roman connections have been a boon to Patch for years now."
While Sebastian hated to admit it, he was right, so the politician simply nodded. He was good at that, even if his mind was full of insults against the 'pumpkin king'. The two of them enjoyed their lunche, James talking lively about new weapon developments while Sebastian pretended to understand what he was saying.
Until one of the lights on the world map behind Maria's chair, lights that neither of them had ever noticed before, began to flicker. Slowly, Ironwood closed the box with half of his lunch in it, getting up to inspect it more closely.
Sebastian joined him, silently waiting for his companion to come to a conclusion. "Why would Maria have a map with so many luminous dots-"
"They're for knowing when there's trouble."
The two top brass of Patch's army turned with a start, finding the elder council member, Maria Calavera, staring at them from the doorway. "Two adults like you, sneaking into an old woman's room... how embarrassing." Maria smiled as she walked to her chair, leaving Ironwood and Sebastian to return to their seats.
"It's not like you're a helpless old lady- AY!" Sebastian groaned in pain, a swift, sharp blow from Maria's trusty cane-scythe leaving his knee sore. "I'm sorry, okay? I was just stating the obvious."
"I guess I've been a little unfair, but I'm sure you did something today to deserve a quick wack. Let that be a lesson to you, Sebs." Maria nodded to herself as she sat back in her chair, giving a quick full spin before leaning back with her elbows on the table. "And now... who will go get the documents from my car?... Any volunteers?" Neither of them said or moved in the slightest, not agreeing to resign themselves to being Maria's errand boy. "I thought so... an old lady's got to do what she's got to do."
Removing one half of her cane, Maria turned to the window. The ancient hunting legend stayed perfectly still... until she suddenly threw her staff through the window like a spear.
Ironwood and Sebastian got up running, watching as the baton and a poor bird fell on Maria's car. The old woman pushed them aside to lean out of the window, climbing up to look out. "Qrowie, get the papers from the glove compartment before you come up here!" The crow quickly covered itself in smoke, Qrow appearing completely defeated on the hood of the car. "While Qrow gets my stuff, I better bring you up to date on the urgency of this meeting."
The three returned to the table, Maria placing her ID card on her computer. The screen came on amidst a specially decorated presentation, with a craftsmanship and attention to detail that could only come from the Xiao Long family.
"Have you had Tai do the work for you?" Sebastian asked, marveling at the details. Sebastian began to wonder if he could manage to get room in the budget to have Tai make something like this for him from time to time.
"Of course not, if I asked him he'd want to participate and he's on leave. I've asked his mother to do it-"
"Hima is a civilian, Maria!" James exclaimed, biting his lip at the council member's irresponsibility. "Sanctuary Tower has qualified professionals for this type of task."
Maria shrugged, slapping Sebastian's hand away. "We're family, I know she wouldn't say anything. And why don't you focus a little more on what it says instead of who did it, gentlemen?"
The two quickly began to read the entire document, both pausing at three words that gave both of them a bad feeling. "Extraction... of Kuroyuri? Maria, what is that supposed to mean?"
Marian nodded, unsurprised by both men's reaction. Rummaging through her drawer, she pulled out two copies of the transcript of the previous night's council meeting. "Unanimous vote last night. After several months of being affected by a deliberate silence with Mistral and exploring possible solutions, our ally Lieutenant Li Ren-''
Sebastian looked at James, who quickly took control of the situation. "You don't need to explain, I've been in contact with Li Ren for nearly a decade. I know that Mistral and Madame Spider in particular have been squeezing the municipal coffers of Kuroyuri for years, forcing them into more and more excessive Grimm cleanups without the necessary resources, and I know that the huntsmen in Kuroyuri and surrounding areas are practically exhausted."
Nodding, Maria continued through her presentation until she came across a map of the region. "Three nights ago, Lieutenant Li Ren used the security code they received from Patch during the alliance treaty decades ago. Apparently a nearby city, Oniyuri, has been ravaged by a specimen of a new type of Grimm."
Not sure he had heard correctly, James rubbed his eyes trying to comprehend the new information. "A new type of Grimm? One specimen? A single Grimm has destroyed an entire city?"
Maria nodded, moving on to the next image, revealing an abomination the likes of which they had never seen before. A sort of hybrid between a horse and a beowolf, much larger and with a protrusion in the shape of a human upper torso growing from its shoulder.
The picture showed the creature attacking a huntsman with a sort of polished stone spear, too finely crafted to be made by a Grimm.
"Lieutenant Li Ren calls it the 'Nuckelavee', we don't even know where it came from. The only thing that matters is that its hunting ground-"
"Hunting ground?!"
Maria could only nod again. These meetings reminded her why she rather be out there, hunting an unknown Grimm like that instead of sitting in a cushy office all day. But the slight pain in her neck was a stark reminder why she couldn't go into the field anymore. "It's not just any Grimm. That... thing... is stalking huntsmen during their battles with other Grimm, waiting for moments of weakness to appear and end both the battle and the huntsmen' lives. Unfortunately, the problems don't end here, there is also confirmation that it's attacking supply caravans and deliberately destroying the cargo, leaving the corpses of the guards and transporters in sight on the roads. The latter is Li Ren's theory but it is worth taking into account: The Nuckelavee is also targeting rural communications towers, disabling them without destroying them to attract repair crews."
Ironwood jumped, having heard enough. If the Grimm was this dangerous, they needed to do something. "We have to kill it-"
"We can't." Maria cut him off immediately. "Mistral refuses to create a formal mission or even admit the Grimm's existence. I have tried to contact them, but their response is always the same: The Nuckelavee is not real, the attacks are caused by a cell of Salem acolytes."
Sebastian put his hand to his mouth, not wanting to believe this. "It's... its own people are dying-"
"Acceptable casualties." Ironwood whispered, gaze fixed on the image. "As long as the situation is contained to one region, Mistral's army will be able to contain and thoroughly investigate the citizens. Mistral is evacuating the towns that conform to the council, no?" Maria's nod made him clench his fist, unable to believe that Mistral could leave its people behind like that. "Well we can't waste any more time, we have to get them out of there."
"The question is where to bring them..." Sebastian whispered, unlike the two preferring not to look too much at the creature. His training at the academy had not prepared him for something like that. "Patch is already bordering on overcrowding and construction of new apartment blocks is proceeding slowly, and Cousu is rather more crowded than is advisable for such a small island. We can't bring in a whole city without having room for them."
Maria let the politician finish rambling before continuing, pouring herself a cup of tea, "You studied at Beacon, Sebastian. I know you haven't practiced as a huntsman, but you have to know that you can't take your eyes off a Grimm, even if it's a picture."
"Easier said than done..."
Finishing her cup, Maria placed it down and gave him a signal to refill it. "Kuroyuri have been our allies in Mistral for decades, even longer than we have been an independent kingdom. The rest of the council and I have decided to give you one of the uninhabited islands, the one south of Azure Basin, to occupy and rebuild Kuroyuri there."
"That... is insane." Sebastian stifled an exclamation, forcing himself to look at the images of the Nuckelavee lurking in the trees, attacking hunters and houses. "Giving up an entire island just like that..."
"Patch was able to grow thanks to the help of many cities in the past, Kuroyuri chief among them. As payment, Patch gave them one of the 'Keys of the RedHeaven,' as a symbol of friendship. Now, it is time for us to prove our word."
"And what about the RedHeaven effect?" James asked, crossing his arms, a part of him hesitant to even after so many years bring up the subject. "I know the belief that Redheaven blessed Patch is common among the populace, but the three of us know that-"
"I'm here..." Qrow growled, entering without asking permission, earning a scolding look from his boss... which he completely ignored. Taking one of the chairs attached to the wall and sitting down next to Sebastian. "You had to attack me in mid-air, Maria?! You couldn't ask me like a normal person?"
"You were going to do it if I asked you like a normal person, Qrowie?"
Qrow was silent, conceding the battle. "Anyway, here's what you had in the car." The huntsman set a huge briefcase down on the table, which he had somehow managed to carry folded up under his cast. "What were you talking about?"
Ironwood handed him the report, letting him catch up. "As I was saying, Redheaven's ambient aura is what gives the archipelago its... defensive quality. But it doesn't cover the entire island south of Azure Basin. It really... It only covers the half of Azure Basin where we have the mines and the two inhabited islands, City Ruins and the Nameless one are simply unprotected. How does the council propose to extend RedHeaven's aura to the new Kuroyuri?"
"I always knew we were right to choose you to lead our army, Jamey." Maria nodded proudly, pressing a button under her desk. Quickly, the windows closed, metallic shutters going down in front of it and the door. "Redheaven's aura comes from a combination of a dust crystal cluster that lies in the caverns beneath the volcano, the natives originally called it 'makana lani'. The heat from the volcano warms the crystal, and they produce that ambient aura... so we're simply going to excavate some of the volcanic caverns that run beneath Nameless, artificially placing a dust cluster under the island. This will mimic the effect of RedHeaven with no one being able to tell the difference."
"Will it work?" Qrow and James asked at the same time, letting Sebastian enjoy being the knowledgeable one in the conversation for once.
"How do you think we have the Azure Basin protected, james?" Maria smiled without losing the tension of the conversation. "The mining work will take a few weeks, so Grant wants the extraction to take place as early in September as possible. To that end, he has authorized Torchwick to purchase some massive Mistraelian airships, which will arrive here in a week-"
"We can carry out the extraction on the first day of September." James started getting back to his feet, picking up Qrow's briefcase. As he expected, it was filled with aircraft documentation. "Mistral will be distracted by the start of the school year, and if my engineers and I work hard we can get the aircraft ready to cloak."
Quickly realizing an important detail, Sebastian whispered it to Qrow, who also realized it when he mentioned it. "Wait. Mistral isn't going to let us take an entire city without repercussions."
Finally touching on the subject that Maria dreaded, the council member sighed, placing both hands under her chin. "The council has ordered Lieutenant Li Ren... that in exchange for ceding them one of our islands that they were to prepare to destroy the city."
No longer surprised by anything, James sighed, bringing both hands to his forehead in an attempt to relax. "He's ordered them to destroy their own city... their pride and heritage… Just so the Mistral council cannot link the missing persons to our extractions. You know that eventually Mistral will discover the whereabouts of the inhabitants of Kuroyuri, right? "
Maria nodded slowly, eyes on the Nuckelavee. "My hope is that Mistral and Vale's relations will have degenerated enough by that time and we can offer a military alliance treaty to the Vale kingdom, appealing that for nearly 500 years we were part of the same family." Maria sighed knowing how far-fetched her plan was.
"We live in difficult times, James. Pride and history are only good if they ensure you're still alive the next day. Otherwise... they're nothing but a liability. Since this mission is far beyond anything Patch's army has done since its founding, Grant and I thought that one of us should go and lead the extraction at ground level. Sebastian-"
"No."
"Sebastian-"
"Nonono... NO! I'm just an untrained graduate, the biggest thing I killed was a beowolf, and I wasn't very good at it either!"
Sebastian's fear was so latent that they could almost distinguish his heart trying to flee from his chest. "Jamey can't be seen publicly as long as Jacques is looking for him, and Qrow is hurt-"
"SEND CLOVER! HE ALONE CAN TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING! HE'S FOUGHT WORSE, I HAVEN'T!"
"I was already thinking of sending all Special Ops on this mission, Sebs..." Ironwood whispered, grabbing him by the shoulder. "But I agree with Maria. The people of Kuroyuri will be terrified, and they need to see that someone from the top brass is willing to come for them." Sebastian wanted to run far away, but Ironwood's grip was firm. "You have your huntsman's pride, don't you? You have the same standards as me, don't you? Well Sebastian, it's time. There comes a time in the life of every huntsman where one has to face danger without looking back, and this is yours. I'll tell Clover to stay with you-" Ironwood did his best to ignore Qrow retching in the background after hearing Clover's name, but the urge to yell at him was growing. "So please, if you really consider yourself a student of Ozpin, you need to honor his legacy and do this."
For the first time in his life, Sebastian seriously considered running away from Patch and leaving it all behind. Maybe become a monk of Argus, or a miner in South Vacuo... quieter, happier lives...
Lives that were not his own.
"Fuck it, I'll do it."