In Loving Memory of Kevin Conroy, whom I shared a birthday with. For many of us he wasn't just a voice of Batman, he was Batman. May he rest in peace.
Chapter 92: Hospital Visit
The St. Kranken Hospital was the largest and the oldest of the dozen hospitals that the Atlesian capital had, it stood tall amongst the city, not one of the taller buildings but one of the biggest, its bright white colors made it stand out like a beacon among the metropolis.
In the aftermath of the attacks, the hospital, like all the others, had been flooded with injured civilians and soldiers from the devastated towns and military bases. Rooms were now housing four patients instead of two and the various wards had been filled to the brim. Things had managed to calm down in the following days and those who had recovered quickly or had minor injuries were hastily discharged to make room for others who were still pouring in from the rescue operations. Doctors from Vale and Mistral had been flown in to help with surgeries or just tend to any patients who needed it. Even Hunters who had medical experience were being drafted to help and nurses and doctors who had not yet graduated from the medical schools were being permitted to help.
With such a chaotic situation on hand, visitations were understandably rather limited.
"Only four at a time, I'm afraid," A nurse told Ruby and Qrow as she kept glancing down at her charts, her mind clearly elsewhere, "His wife and daughter won't be here until later, so you're free to go in for now. Room 1009, excuse me…" She said, gesturing for them to step aside so that the person behind them could speak with her.
"Okay, thanks!" Ruby told her before she and her uncle walked over to the rest of Team Beacon, who were sitting off to the side in the large waiting room on the fifth floor, the Schnee's personal air cruiser had let them off on the landing pad on the floor but had to fly off so airships filled with supplies could land whenever needed.
The lobby was rather crowded with both human and Faunus guests, waiting to visit family or were waiting intently for news of a loved one or friend currently undergoing operation. Many of the visitors were constantly glancing at the odd assortment that was Team Beacon, it was hard not to stare at the Schnee heiress, her team, Penny the android and a full armored Remnant Knight who were clustered together in a back corner, looking out the window at the snowy skies.
Sharp Strike stood against the wall standing next to N1CK3L, neither of them paid any heed to the staring eyes, the knight was focused on keeping vigil over Heliosia and Amethyst, who both wore hoods over their heads to keep a low profile and thankfully hadn't been recognized yet. When someone had the courage to ask what the Remnant Knight was doing in the hospital, Coco had simply answered that he was part of the team and they were there to visit a friend. No one bothered to probe any further than that.
However, a few curious children had some up to gaze upon the impressive armor and ask if he really was a Remnant Knight and what kind of adventures he had experienced, though he would simply tell them that such things had to be kept secret for now. A few smaller children came up to ask Penny if she really was a robot, which amused the android to no end. She wanted to introduce them to her brother, but felt N1CK3L wasn't ready to deal with children, not yet anyway.
"What's the word?" Sage asked.
"Only a few of us can visit him at a time," Ruby told the group, "Rooms are pretty crowded after the attacks. Not an empty room in the whole building."
"Yeah, apparently they even had to turn conference and therapy rooms into normal patient rooms." Neptune commented.
"Same thing with all hospitals in the city, and all other cities in the kingdoms, the ones that weren't damaged anyway." Coco said.
Weiss and Blake returned to the waiting room, satisfied looks on their faces. They had gone off to meet with the hospital administrator, who had agreed to meet with them when Willow Schnee had called him earlier that morning with the proposition to move some refugees over to the Schnee estate, something that was quite a surprise to the administrator but one he found intriguing.
"There they come. What did he say?" Yang asked the duo.
"He says it's a good idea and he appreciates the offer to help free up some room in the ward downstairs. He says all of the refugees down there have only minor injuries or have already recovered but lost their homes in the attacks, we'll have to personally ask some of them if they'd be willing to go," Weiss said, "However, he told us we'd need to also have to walk down the street to the main shelters, that's where most of the refugees are."
The shelters, huge buildings only a few stories tall and scattered about the city, two of them not too far from the hospital, were normally only used in the event of Grimm attacks or any kind of natural disaster such as an unusually intense blizzard or to give a place for the homeless to stay, but now the shelters were overflowing with refugees from all over the Kingdom. The hospitals had a close relationship with the shelters, helping them with food and medicine and other supplies and according to the administrator they were overwhelmed with all the people who needed shelter and were totally out of room.
"So, we're gonna have to split up," Sun surmised.
Weiss and Blake nodded, "It would be best if we talk to people personally, assure them that we have the best intentions and this isn't just some P.R. stunt." The Cat Faunus said, before quickly adding "No offense."
Weiss smiled, "Relax, it's completely understandable why many people would think that, especially Faunus."
"It would be wise for us to remain here," Sharp Strike said quietly, gesturing to himself and to the Maidens, "We wouldn't want to draw too much attention, after all."
"We can still talk to some of the people here," Heliosia proposed with a hushed voice, "It would be possible for us to pose as servants at the manor, that way we can keep a low profile."
Everyone nodded in agreement, "Okay, so me, Yang, Penny and N1CK3L will go visit Colonel Chamberlain while everyone else talks to the refugees and offer them a place at the manor. Sound good?" Ruby asked.
"Perfectly acceptable. Team SSSN can accompany Blake and I to the shelter while Team CFVY and the others speak to the refugees staying here." Weiss said.
No one had any qualms with the assignments. "Tell the Colonel hello for us, and that we're all hoping he recovers soon." Weiss told her partner.
"We sure will," Yang promised as they left the waiting room and went to the nearest elevator lobby. Ruby, Yang, Penny and N1CK3L got into their own elevator, since they'd be going up while the others would be going to the main floor.
"Coming Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked.
"Nah, I'm heading' to the cafeteria, I didn't get any breakfast and I doubt I'd be much help convincing the refugees that Willow Schnee's giving them a home out of the kindness of his heart. Huh, just saying that makes me feel like I've stepped into an alternate reality," Qrow said, ignoring a glare from Weiss. "Give my best to Jackson and call me if you need anything."
"We sure will!" Ruby agreed before she gave her friends her typical smile and added "Good luck, I hope they'll hear you out."
"We'll try our best." Blake said before she, Weiss and Team SSSNpiled into one elevator while Team CFVY, Sharp Strike and the Maidens followed Qrow into another.
It wasn't long before the quartet arrived at the tenth floor and then made it to the waiting room, where the nurse behind the desk entered a code on her keypad that opened the doorway leading to the ward Colonel Chamberlain was recuperating, allowing the group to enter.
As they walked through the somewhat sterile halls, they couldn't help but notice the various nurses and doctors they passed looked utterly exhausted. Ruby looked at them sympathetically, from what she understood many of them hadn't left the hospital since the crisis began, working around the clock to save patients and sleeping in their offices or lounges. She deeply admired their dedication to saving lives, despite the toll it was taking on them.
"Hey, thanks for all you've done." She told a female doctor who passed them. The doctor glanced back and gave her a smile.
Penny quickly picked up on Ruby's intentions and joined her in thanking every doctor or nurse that they encountered along the way. Some would give thanks while others who looked particularly drained would merely smile and nod.
Yang smiled at her sister and the orange-haired android's kind efforts. Times like these really made the blonde see just how many traits of Summer Rose her little sister had inherited. In particular, that smile matched with the cheerful silver eyes. Yang was always proud to be Ruby's sister and grateful to have someone like her in her life.
Especially whenever they came across someone who looked down due to the death of a patient. Indeed, they also saw holy men walking through the hospital, praying with the wounded for recovery, or giving the dying their last rites. Ruby would thank them for their part too.
It wasn't long before they arrived at Colonel Chamberlain's room, a guard was on duty, as per military protocol, but he had been told about their arrival beforehand and gave them a nod as he stood and opened the door for them, to which they silently nodded their thanks.
They entered the room, which Chamberlain shared with another military officer, one who was sound asleep. Chamberlain was sitting up in his bed, reading a novel but turned when he heard the door open. He smiled and gestured for them to come forward.
"Hello there, it's wonderful to see you all. I was quite surprised when I heard who was paying me a visit." He said as he put his book down on his lap, his lower body covered by a thermal blanket.
"We've wanted to see you ever since we heard about your injury," Penny told him, stepping up and taking his right hand into hers, "I owe you my life, Colonel, and I wish we could have been there to help you."
He smiled at the android, "From what I hear you all did magnificent jobs protecting Vacuo. If you and N1CK3L weren't the pride of all Atlesian robotics before, you certainly are now. Speaking of which, it's good to see you, too N1CK3L. I trust you two are getting along?"
"Swimmingly, sir!" Penny reported.
"But we have not been submerged in water." N1CK3L commented before quickly picking up, "Ah, another metaphor. And yes, sir, I do find the company of Penny to be most pleasant."
"That's good, you'll need her to show you the ropes, so to speak, but I trust she'll have help with that," He said, eyeing Yang and Ruby.
"We'll do our best, sir. How are you doing?" Yang asked as the sisters stood between his bed and the window.
"Well, I'm still alive, which is more than can be said for some of the troops under my command," He said, his voice failing to hide the grief he felt for them, "At least no one can say I didn't try."
"I am somewhat curious, Colonel, as to why you are not in one of the military hospitals." N1CK3L pointed out.
"They're busy as it is with soldiers far braver than me with injuries much worse than this," Chamberlain said as he whipped off the blanket covering his legs, showing off a shining, silver robotic leg that had replaced his original limb.
Ruby winced a little, glancing at Yang, who leaned down to inspect the prosthetic. "Good craftsmanship. Same company that made mine, I bet!" She remarked, flexing her own robotic appendage.
"General Ironwood took your word and had Dr. Kimball do the operation. He's a very busy man at the moment, and will be for at least the next month. He does good work." Chamberlain said as he moved his leg up, making an arch with it. "Still getting used to it, it will be a while before I can run again."
"Don't sweat it, it doesn't take long to get the hang of it," Yang assured him, "I mean it'll feel weird but you get used to it eventually. I took to it pretty fast, but maybe that's because I knew there were people counting on me. Can you walk on it okay?"
"I'm walking just fine," Chamberlain said as he sat up, grunting a bit as he was still a little stiff from lying in the bed. "I hope I can adapt half as well as you did, Yang."
"Oh, I think you can. Any neat tricks hidden inside?"
Chamberlain smirked, "Hidden compartment for a revolver and a retractable knife in the toes, for the next time I find myself in unpleasant company. Though that might not be for a while, both my wife and General Ironwood are demanding I remain on medical leave for another month, at least. I'll be discharged and allowed to go home this evening."
"That's great! Your family must be really happy about that." Ruby said.
The colonel nodded and smiled, "They are, it'll be hard getting out of my wife or daughter's sights ever again. Who can blame them? I was lucky to survive my encounter with that…thing."
The mood in the room darkened considerably. Ruby looked out at the gloomy sky and the falling snow, looking down at a roof of a lower part of the hospital, she could see some more holy men, performing some kind of ritual with a small bonfire, one man was spinning something around above his head. She recognized the little ceremony from her studies as some kind of healing prayer ritual, but didn't know much about it, but she hoped it worked.
"I still can't believe that the Chimera survived the Battle of Haven," Ruby said, grimacing as she remembered Cardin, and how he sacrificed himself so she could escape from the monster Giger had created. Her fists clenched tight. "I thought for sure it was killed when Cinder's base was destroyed. That Cardin would be the last person it would ever hurt."
"How I wish that was the case, Ruby." Chamberlain said.
"Sir, is what General Ironwood told us true? That Chimera is possessed by Norvik the Hunter?" Penny asked.
Chamberlain looked at them all and glanced over at his roommate to make sure he was still asleep before he solemnly nodded, "Yes. I don't know what kind of black magic Salem used to transfer his soul into that monstrosity, but he lives on inside it."
"And he was responsible for that massacre at that abandoned mine in the Vacuo deserts, right? The one you discovered?" Yang asked.
Again, Chamberlain nodded, "It was not a pretty sight. I couldn't sleep for a week after hearing the audio on those scrolls and files we found, knowing what those poor Faunus went through. At least it helped us turn the White Fang against Taurus."
"We'll avenge them," Yang swore, "We've taken on Grimm way bigger than that Chimera."
"But you haven't fought Grimm with a human mind," Chamberlain pointed out, "Especially not a mind as insane and diseased as Norvik Vannicutt's."
"Sir," Penny spoke up, "During our mission into the enemy's Haven base, Norvik the Hunter briefly attempted to hold me hostage, but luckily he had no idea who or what I was, so he wasn't hard to overpower, but I bore witness to Headmaster Ozpin shooting him, freeing the souls of his previous victims. After that I became curious and tried to study him, but many files about him are restricted."
"No surprise there, it's not a story the councils would like getting out," Chamberlain said, "But from what the General has told me, you'll be going up against Salem's forces in due time, so there's a good chance Norvik will be among them. You'll need to know as much about your enemy as you can, and luckily I was granted access to files on him after I investigated that massacre site. One was even an interview with him from a time when he was apprehended by Vale police, though it didn't take long for him to escape custody."
"What do you know about him?" Ruby asked, intrigued.
"He was the youngest son of a Huntsman who was once quite renowned, Jakob Vannicutt." Chamberlain began.
"Wait, I think I recognize that name," Ruby said, as she thought hard, "I once read this really old book about Great Huntsmen and Huntresses back in the library at Signal Academy, I think I saw his name there!"
"Leave it to Ruby to know that." Yang said with a chuckle.
Chamberlain nodded, "Most of this comes from the interview I read. Norvik and his brother Irving were left alone with their father after their mother died of cancer. Jakob Vannicutt was determined to have his sons follow in his footsteps, to make the Vannicutt name synonymous with Huntsmen. However, the public didn't know that behind closed doors, Jakob was an abusive father, and his determination to make the Vannicutt name great was an obsession.
"He forced them to train every day after school, every break would be nonstop sparring and killing Grimm. But Norvik wasn't very strong, he was a poor fighter and was often beaten by his brother in sparring matches. In fact he claimed his only advantage was that Grimm seemed to have some strange aversion to him." Chamberlain explained.
"Really? Why?" Penny inquired.
The colonel shrugged, "Who knows? Maybe he just wasn't afraid of them like everyone else was. Because of this, however, Norvik didn't really see them as any different from any other animal, but he still killed them under his father's orders.
Chamberlain's face darkened and he let out a heavy sigh, "One night the training went too far. They were out deep in the woods somewhere in Vale and when night fell, Jakob locked his sons out of the cabin they were staying in. This was a test, he wanted his sons to become as strong as he felt they should be and used Irving's fear to attract the Grimm. The boys did their best to fight, and Irving did everything to protect Norvik, getting badly wounded in the process. By the time Jakob decided to intervene, it was too late, Irving's aura broke and he died from the wounds."
"He got his own son killed?!" Ruby said, appalled.
"I'm afraid so," Chamberlain confirmed, "All because he wanted his sons to live up to his legacy."
"Tell me that bastard didn't get away with it." Yang said.
"I'm sorry to say that he did, for a time," Chamberlain told the group, "He told police and detectives that it was a tragic accident, that his dead son had insisted on fighting the Grimm alone. They bought it because of his reputation, no one really questioned it. But Norvik knew the truth, that his father had practically sent them to death because of his deranged ambition to make them 'worthy' as his sons. Norvik couldn't stand all the sympathy the Hunter community was giving his father. He wanted to show the world what a monster his father was, but he knew not many would believe him and that trying to reveal the truth would only bring him pain. So he formed a plan to murder his father and avenge Irving."
"What happened?" Ruby asked, clearly invested in the outcome.
"According to Norvik, he waited for year, when they returned to the woods to train some more. He knew his father had a bad alcohol problem, so one night, when Jakob got more than a little intoxicated, he insulted and cursed his father before running off into the wilderness. Jakob gave chase, and Norvik used his father's drunken fury, as well as his own anger and grief for his dead brother to lure the Grimm to them. When Jakob finally noticed the beasts were surrounding them, he tried to fight them off, but Norvik attacked his father from behind with a large hunting knife, stabbing him in the back numerous times, twisting the blade deep, destroying his father's aura.
"Badly wounded and aura shattered, Jakob Vannicutt was easy prey for the Grimm, who ignored Norvik as always, and ripped Jakob to shreds, leaving no trace of the stab wounds. During this interview, Norvik claimed he saw someone watching the scene unfold, a beautiful woman with pale skin. At the time the interviewers thought he was hallucinating, but…"
"We know better." Ruby said gravely.
"So Salem helped Norvik kill his asshole dad?" Yang asked, "How did she notice him?"
Chamberlain shrugged, "His hate for his father, I suppose, or maybe she sensed evil within him. Who knows? Norvik came forth with the truth about his brother's death and claimed that Jakob had tried to kill him in a drunken rage when the Grimm attacked. We didn't know the truth about Jakob Vannicutt's demise until Norvik's interview during his brief custody, but either way, Vannicutt's reputation was ruined."
"Totally had it coming too," Ruby commented, "What kind of person would do that to his own kids?"
"A terrible one, Ruby. One who never deserved to have children." Chamberlain said, "Afterwards Norvik spent most of his life in obscurity, living with relatives and choosing not to become a Huntsman. However, that taste for blood never left him. It turned into a temptation that grew within him until he gave in and murdered a young waitress one night. At first he only killed civilians, but one day he heard about a newly graduated Huntsman taking on a pack of Beowolves in the nearby woods. He rushed into the woods, snuck up on the young Huntsman and killed him. He began targeting Hunters, especially young ones still in-training, until he was apprehended by a taskforce from the Vale police.
"After he escaped, Ozpin and his team chased him down but…well, your headmaster was the only one who survived. Everyone thought the lunatic was dead when Ozpin threw him off that bridge and into the river, even though his body was never found."
"But he did live, thanks to Salem," Ruby voiced darkly, "She kept him locked up for decades and planned to move his soul into Jaune's body. That's what Professor Ozpin told us. When we put the kibosh on that plan, she put him inside the Chimera instead."
"Combining two vicious monsters into something even worse." Yang added.
"I don't understand why Norvik would target Hunters," Penny spoke up, "He got his revenge on his father, why would he want to kill other people?"
Chamberlain looked out the window at the gray sky that was showering the city with fresh snow. "Well, I actually talked to Professor Ozpin about it while I was recovering from my injuries from that White Fang affair. As far as we can tell, Norvik couldn't let go of the pain, of the hate. He hated Hunters because of his father, and wanted to keep on killing. I think the loss of his brother left a hole inside of him, and he can never kill enough people or inflict enough pain to fill it. Maybe he's just angry that he was born into this world at all, and wants everyone else to suffer for it."
Yang shuddered as she took that into consideration, she glanced at Ruby and for a fleeting moment she feared the possibility that losing her sister could turn her into something similar. She prayed that would never come to pass, and she doubted it would simply because of what Ruby, and by extension the people around them, were capable of.
Ruby looked at the Colonel, her silver eyes matching her serious expression, "Colonel Chamberlain, sir, I swear to you if we ever face off against Norvik, we'll put an end to his evil once and for all."
"Hell yeah," Agreed Yang, "And we'll get even for Ozpin and his team, you and your troops, and those poor Faunus in the desert."
Chamberlain nodded, "Styles, Riley…all those Faunus killed because they doubted Taurus. Kids, promise me you'll be careful. From what Ironwood has told me, you're going to be involved in a very serious mission soon. The world needs young heroes like you, so do your best, stay safe, and…" He grinned, "Kick Salem's ass."
Ruby, Yang and Penny all grinned back. "Will do!" Penny said, giving him a salute, which he returned.
The sister's briefly exchanged a look, both knowing they'd like to tell their father how grateful they were he was nothing like Norvik's dad.
N1CK3L considered what Chamberlain had told them, "This Norvik sounds like a very fierce opponent. It would be unwise to directly confront him, perhaps with your advice, we could formulate a way of eliminating him." He said to the Colonel.
Chamberlain nodded, "I've already been interviewed and given all the details I observed about Norvik's Chimera form, you should be able to access the file easily, N1CK3L. Whatever you do, don't underestimate him, inside of that body he's probably a bigger threat than he ever was before. So don't hold back. Right now, I'd like you kids to fill me in on what happened in Vacuo, I'm still in the dark a bit when it comes to what went down over there. Is it true you defeated a Sphinx?"
Ruby and Yang shared a smile, "Okay, Colonel, sit back, cause it's gonna be a long story."
On the first floor of St. Kraken's was a general ward for the refugees with only minor injuries or recovering from wounds such as broken arms or legs or noses. Despite that it still wasn't a pretty sight, as many of the refugees, mostly Faunus, were absolutely miserable.
Team CFVY, Heliosia and Amethyst stood at the main entrance of the ward, looking out at the huge room, walls lined with cotts and floors with sleeping mats for those with no injuries. Sharp Strike was staying back, using his stealth skills to stick to the shadows so as not to attract any unnecessary attention.
He was not the only Knight looking over them, as the Order had quickly dispatched some of the Winter Templars to keep a watch over them at a distance. Heliosia had no doubt there were probably at least a dozen or so Knights covering the building inside and out, and probably the street, just to be safe and it wasn't likely any of them, save for Sharp Strike, would ever be spotted.
"There's so many of them…" Velvet said, her voice failing to hide the effect the room was having on her.
"The shelters are a little crowded, plus many of them refuse to leave their injured loved ones." Said a doctor who had shown them in.
"I can't blame them for that, after what they've been through and lost, many of them would be desperate to stick together." Heliosia commented, looking over at a young Lemur Faunus boy cuddling against his mother, who had a bandage around her head. The boy was clutching a toy rabbit to his chest, probably all he had left after their home was destroyed. The sight made the Maiden's heart ache.
"It might not be that hard to convince them to come with us." Amethyst remarked.
"Perhaps, but we are offering them a place to stay at the Schnee estate," Fox pointed out, "Not even the humans here have any reason to trust the Schnees."
"Right, this won't be an easy sell, especially if they get wind of what Crawford did," Coco voiced, thinking it over, "We're just gonna have to do our best to convince them Schnee's had one hell of a change of heart and convince them they'll be treated well at the mansion."
"Good luck with that. It's wonderful if Mr. Schnee is genuine in his efforts to help the refugees, but there's a lot of bad blood between people like this and men of power like him. Just do what you can." The doctor said before he walked off to check in on more of his patients.
Coco looked to her team and the Maidens before saying "Well, let's do our best and try to tear down some social barriers."
"I'd like to try going first," Heliosia suggested.
"Sorry, but after you calmed down the crowd in Vacuo, someone's bound to recognize you. Just keep that hood up and let us do the talking." Coco told her, giving her a sympathetic look.
Heliosia nodded, a little disappointed but she saw Coco's point.
Coco went ahead of the others, putting on a pleasant smile as she removed her sunglasses and addressed the room, "Morning, everyone!" She began, announcing her presence, "I'm Coco Adell, leader of Team CFVY and a friend of Weiss Schnee, I'm currently staying in Schnee Manor, and while I understand that for many of you, the name Schnee isn't exactly one you associate with kindness or charity, but Mr. Schnee has seen the error of his ways. His daughters proposed the idea of giving many refugees shelter in their mansion and he agreed! He's even willing to hire anyone who is willing to work."
"It's a good deal," Yatsuhashi said, "You get to live in a mansion until this crisis subsides and your home towns are rebuilt."
"I know it sounds hard to believe, but I'm a Faunus, and the Schnee's are treating me just fine and have set me up in a very nice room. I can assure you they'll extend the same kindness to all of you!" Velvet said with a peppy tone.
There was a small silence, broken up by a few murmurs as many of the injured people, Faunus and humans alike, just stared at them as if they were insane
"You're hilarious." Deadpanned a bald man with a Bull's nose.
"No they aren't," Said a blonde Tenrec Faunus with very spiky hair, "Go and play this sick prank somewhere else."
"Look, I know how it sounds, but this isn't a prank," Coco assured them, "The Schnees are opening up their doors to refugee families. Trust me, you don't want to turn this offer down."
"We'd be crazy to accept it!" Said the Tenrec Faunus.
"Yeah," Said a human man, "They don't just treat the Faunus like dirt, they act like anyone who isn't a millionaire is subhuman!"
"In the past, they probably were as arrogant and discriminatory as you say, but that is now behind them. They are trying to change for the better." Yatsuhashi told the crowd.
"Maybe they have a point," Said the Lemur Faunus as she sat up, "Remember that news story from last year about Schnee helping to take down slave traffickers and free a lot of Faunus? Maybe they're sincere."
"Of course we are!" Amethyst spoke up, quickly realizing she was drawing attention to herself, she added, "I'm a servant in the manor, and while it might be a little hard to have so many people there, Mr. Klein, the head servant, is more than happy to help however many people he can and take on additional staff members."
Heliosia smiled at the younger Maiden, as Velvet stepped forward to address the refugees and explained how both Weiss and Winter defied the military to prevent a disaster in Haven and how their father considered them traitors to the Kingdom, and how he felt so ashamed when he learned the truth.
"Look, I understand your skepticism, I really do. A year ago if someone were to tell me Willow Schnee was willing to take in Faunus refugees into his home, I'd have thought it was some sort of joke. But I was invited into their home, along with two other Faunus that are part of our unit! His daughters are very different, they've learned from the mistakes their family has made and I'm happy to count Weiss Schnee as my friend. They've helped him change his ways and now he wants to make up for the past by helping those in need, like all of you" She told them, "He's trying to set old wrongs right, so at the very least you should give him a chance."
"And if any of the servants give any of you a hard time, they'll have to answer to us." Fox put in.
"Uh, will there really be enough room for all of us?" Asked a Lama Faunus with long ears and wooly hair.
"The place is probably two or three times the size of whatever little villages most of you came from, there's room to spare." Coco assured him.
"If you kids are as sincere as I think you are, then we'd like to go," Said a male Cat Faunus, with large amber feline eyes, sitting next to his wife's bed, she was also a Cat Faunus and was recovering from a damaged feline ear, their two young children looked up in surprise, "Our home is gone and I need to support my family. Even if it's just some servants' quarters, it's better than staying here or in a crowded shelter."
"Please, sign me and my son up," Said the Lemur Faunus, her tail wrapping protectively around her dozing child, "I'll do anything I can to keep him safe, I'll do whatever work they assign me as long as they can give us somewhere to call home for the time being."
"Of course, just tell me your names," Heliosia said as she took out her scroll.
Slowly but surely, more of the refugees began to warm up to the idea, not the entire room, but many of those with families felt it would be the best option under the circumstances. Losing one's home was an awful thing that no one should ever experience, it'd be madness to turn down such a generous offer, even if it was from someone with a sordid history.
"Will we be safe there?" Asked the Lama Faunus after he told Coco the names of his family.
"Trust me, the place is practically a fortress." She assured him with a confident grin.
Amethyst took the name of an older human woman and her family, who were now homeless like the others. Glancing over she saw that the flowers gifted to her on her nightstand were dying from age, so with a smile and the use of her Maiden powers, Amethyst said "Let me fix that for you."
She touched the dying bouquet and managed to spring back to life, as if by magic. She was content to let them believe she just had some kind of green thumb for a Semblance.
"Ah, I wish I had a Semblance like that," Said the old woman.
"Mom was a gardener," Said her daughter, "Perhaps we could get jobs in the Schnee's gardens?"
"I'm sure they'd like the help," Amethyst said before adding "Hang in there, I promise you guys, things will get better."
"Well, after what we've all been through, I hope they don't get any worse." The old woman replied with a smile.
In Salem's throne room, the Mistress of Grimm gazed down upon Hui, Ilia and a select few other members of the dwindling Red Fang, all of them Fusion Faunus and they were all dressed in dark red cloaks to disguise themselves and keep warm. Cinder, Anastasia and Thorn stood off to the side, watching with interest but the last of the three disciples was still flexing and testing out her new mechanical limb that replaced the arm she lost to Sharp Strike. She had finished explaining to them what she had learned from Maximilius about Crawford's actions leading to Adam becoming the man they all knew. The Son of Salem stood to the side, standing on guard for his 'mother', so still one couldn't tell if he was even breathing.
"I demand justice," Hui said through gritted teeth, "We have been loyal in our service to you, Mistress, you gave us purpose after we lost Adam, you have blessed us with new abilities to raise us above those race traitors. Please, allow us the opportunity to kill these monsters."
Despite her resentment of the larger Faunus and her secret loyalty to Blake, Ilia couldn't help but agree, if Salem could help them kill the bastards who approved that massacre, being part of both the White Fang and Red Fang would be worth it.
"They will pay the price for their sins, I assure you they will die, I have already formed a plan," She told them.
"What will you have us do, Master?" Cinder asked.
"I will explain in due time, but let us just say that I have a plan to eliminate Odinson for his failure, kill Mr. Crawford and his underlings for their heinous actions, and will strike a heavy blow to our enemies." Salem explained, "But for now we must focus. They will soon go public with the truth, and we must take advantage of it. Red Fang, I am going to teleport you into the Atlesian capital, you must blend in with the refugee crowds and help spread the discord that will no doubt come from this revelation."
"Ah, you wish to divide Atlas in its weakened state, a clever plan, Master." Said Anastasia.
Salem smiled, not overly impressed with her protege's sycophancy. She looked at the Red Fang and said "Atlas is wounded, but a wounded foe is still dangerous. We must break them and divide the population, undermine the Schnees and set fire to the cooling racial tension."
"And potentially increase the Red Fang's numbers!" Hui spoke up.
Salem nodded "Possibly. Now do not disappoint me. Once you arrive, use your scrolls to locate the shelters and do your best to spread unrest and dissension."
She rose from her throne and used her powers to open up a portal, which led into a snow-covered alleyway somewhere in the Atlesian capitals.
'That explains the cloaks,' Ilia thought to herself before she followed Hui and the others towards the portal. She stopped and gave a brief glance back at Cinder, who nodded, as if to wish her luck.
That did not escape Salem's notice. She closed the portal behind the small group of Red Fang agents and looked at Cinder.
"Ah, making new friends, are we?"
Cinder nodded, giving nothing away, "Ilia proved herself to be a valuable asset during the Vacuo mission, spying on and infiltrating the Academy. Emerald and I have found her company to be pleasant."
Salem nodded, as if to give her approval, before she glanced at Thorn, "And how's your new arm?"
"Still need to train," Thorn answered, "I need to be in perfect synch with this tech next time we get a shot at those Maidens. I owe that Summer Maiden for what she did to me."
"Then by all means, go and resume your combat training, my dear."
Thorn nodded and left. Cinder and Anastasia were soon to follow, but the Fall Maiden couldn't help but notice the disappointed look on Anastasia's face that she hadn't been addressed like the other two. Cinder made note of it, believing that Anastasia's feelings of neglect were something she could exploit in the future…
Salem watched them go and then leaned back in her chair, pondering what Maximilius had reported. Maximilius knew there was a traitor among Salem's forces, but she didn't know who exactly, as she had missed that meeting and it had been agreed to keep the informant's identity top secret so as to protect them. This was why Salem had elected not to inform them about the Maiden's location, for she knew that if said informant found out, they would warn the Guardians of Remnant and the Knights and the element of surprise and the Maidens would once again be lost.
So she would keep those cards close to her chest for the time being, not playing them until the time was right and the spy could't warn Ozpin, Ironwood and the rest. Salem couldn't risk it, not with everything in such a delicate state. She needed to bide her time until the scrolls were deciphered, until the Relics were at her disposal. She had waited for centuries, she had learned patience, so she could wait a little longer.
Not too far away from St. Kraken's Hospital, Weiss, Blake, SSSN had arrived at the nearest of the city's shelters, and while it wasn't as crowded as expected, it still had more people than usual. Human and Faunus refugees from the various towns and villages devastated by the attacks sat on couches, chairs or even on the floor. The shelter's various volunteers walked about, offering food and blankets to their guests to help keep warm due to the cold outside.
It was a large building, but utterly dwarfed by almost the entire rest of the city. Currently they were in the main room, full of refugees but there were others in the sleeping quarters, which was filled with beds and the floor almost entirely covered with cots and sleeping mats. The kitchen was constantly being worked in by volunteer chefs, making food for the unfortunate victims of the attacks.
Weiss had just finished explaining her proposal to Mother Hubbard, a dark skinned, heavy set Dog Faunus and Mother Superior in one of the churches of the devastated villages; she had essentially been elected as the leader of the various refugees. The woman in charge of the shelter was all too happy to agree to the Schnee's plan, but told the young Hunters that since many of the refugees had little reason to trust the family, they'd have to convince Mother Hubbard first.
"After everything these people have been through, and due to all my family has done to people like them in the past, we would like to give them a place to stay until the crisis is over. Giving them jobs, a new home, making amends…that's all we want to accomplish. We have no ulterior motive." Weiss assured the Dog Faunus.
"I assure you this is for real. No tricks, no slimy P.R. stunts, the Schnees are changing for the better and want to help people like us." Blake told the older Faunus, who placed her chin in her hand as she considered the offer.
"I can tell you girls are sincere, and I believe that if Mr. Schnee wants to redeem himself and his family's name then he deserves a chance, but it won't be easy to convince some of these people. They and their ancestors have been lorded over by the Schnees and other rich folks for generations, old wounds like that aren't healed easily." Mother Hubbard told them.
"No kidding, I don't think any of us missed the looks some of them have been giving Weiss." Sage commented, glancing over at the various refugees, many of whom had been glaring daggers as Weiss Schnee, though many of the younger refugees looked excited to see two members of Team RWBY and all of Team SSSN there, as their heroics had not gone unnoticed by the public, though their parents kept them from bothering the six.
"I accept that, and I have no doubt that many would rather stay here than live in the manor, but we could at least offer them a chance." Weiss voiced.
"And with Sun and me vouching for them, they might be more easily persuaded," Blake said, "It won't be easy, but it's worth a shot."
"And if anyone tries to start something, they'll answer to us." Sun stated firmly, cracking his knuckles.
"Not to you, boy, to me." Mother Hubbard asserted, with a slight grin and an expression that made the Hunters-in-training believe a scolding from her would be far worse than whatever they'd be able to do to any troublemakers.
"Let's hope it won't come to that," Voiced Neptune, "These people have been through enough as it is, don't want to make things worse for them."
Weiss nodded at him with a slight smile and said "Well, Mother Hubbard, will you do the honor of introducing me?"
"Of course, dear." She said, gesturing to them to follow her.
At the main entrance of the shelter, two cloaked figures walked inside, doing their best to lay low as they tried to blend in with the crowd. Ilia and Hui kept their hoods drooped over their heads, trying not to be recognized just on the off chance any former White Fang members spotted them or just in case someone recognized them from a wanted poster.
"How long do you think it will be until they announce it?" Ilia asked the larger Faunus, noticing that the main television in the primary room was showing the news.
"Salem didn't seem to think it would take long, so we wait." Hui told her as he scanned the crowd of humans and Faunus, bundled up in warm clothes, children of both races were mingling, trying to find some sort of distraction from the dark situation they found themselves in. The children were playing games together, chasing after one another, laughing… Ilia smiled at the sight, but Hui grimaced.
"They'll learn one day. They may laugh and play now, but soon they'll learn that our natures make us incompatible." Hui muttered. Ilia looked at him, and knew he truly believed the rhetoric Adam had installed in him, Hui had made his mind up years ago and would probably die believing that humanity and Faunus-kind were destined to fight until one of them were driven into extinction.
She couldn't help but wonder just how many people still thought like that.
She looked around to scan the main room when a voice caught her attention, "Excuse me everyone! We have an announcement to make!" Bellowed Mother Hubbard, who stood on a chair that Scarlet had fetched for her. Hubbard's voice was now a booming yell that made everyone stop what they were doing and look up at her, even people who were in other rooms peered through doorways, curious as to what the ruckus was about.
"Thank you. Now, we've all been through a lot in the past week or so. We've all lost our homes and our possessions, some of us were unfortunate enough to lose people we loved. Nobody should ever have to suffer through that, but here we are, and it's no secret that while we're thankful to have a roof over our head, it's no secret this isn't exactly home sweet home. I have just been approached by some young people who have an alternative to present to families affected by these disasters, but it is up to you to decide if you will accept this generous offer. Miss Schnee, Miss Belladonna?" Mother Hubbard said, getting off the stool and gesturing for Weiss to take her place.
Some of the crowd, human and Faunus alike, hissed and booed at the heiress as she got up, but they stopped as Blake stood up on another chair that Scarlet moved into place alongside the first one. Many of them knew of Blake's role in the downfall of Adam Taurus, as well as he family's history of striving for Faunus equality, so there weren't many Faunus who would pick a fight with her.
Hui was one of the few.
"That pet bitch…" Hui snarled quietly as he tried to move forward, only for Ilia to hold him back.
"Are you crazy?" She seethed at him, "Do you want to expose us? Not to mention she's got some of their friends with her and we're utterly surrounded by people who probably have no love for Adam Taurus loyalists."
Hui snarled softly as he considered their options before he slowly nodded, "You're right. We'll just have to wait for another chance to kill those two. Thank you for stopping me."
Ilia nodded at him, mentally sighing in relief. It was great to see Blake again, but this couldn't be a more awkward coincidence. She wondered how they could pull this mission off without exposing herself as a spy, being found out by the refugees, or causing an actual riot.
"Thank you, I know many of you despise my family, maybe even me. And you would not be wrong to feel that way, but when I went to Beacon to become a Huntress I ended up on a team with a Faunus, though I did not know it at the time. When I discovered who she really was I was initially uncertain how I really felt, as she had lied to us for some time, but I came to understand why she would. I have seen the error of my ways, as has my father, though many of you might not believe that.I have learned that there are many things in my family's past to be ashamed of, many sins and a lot of wrongs that need to be set right, and I hope you will give us the chance to redeem ourselves." Weiss told the gathered crowds of people.
Blake took over, "Most of you have at least heard of us, so I hope you will know as Hunters-in-training, we have dedicated ourselves not just to destroying Grimm, but to protecting people like you. I am a Faunus, but I am also part of a team with a Schnee. If we can put aside old prejudices to work together, I know you can too. The Schnee family has decided to open up their mansion and allow families affected by the disaster to stay there until the crisis is over and your towns can be rebuilt. They are also willing to employ you, so you can afford new homes in the future."
The crowd burst into a chorus of murmurs and whispers. Some looked cautiously hopeful, while others looked outraged.
"Why should we trust you?" Asked a male Mongoose Faunus, "The Schnees have been stepping on us and low-class humans for generations! What guarantee can you give anyone here that this isn't just some charity scam to make your family look good while getting some cheap labor out of it?"
Some of the crowd members echoed his sentiments.
"Yeah," Said a human man, "My parents worked themselves to the bones for years in a Schnee factory, they and a bunch of people got laid off because automation was cheaper, no severance pay, no 'thanks for your service', nothing. How can any of us trust you?"
"Because they recognize how wrong their family was in the past," Neptune spoke up, "They're looking back on their own behavior in shame and are striving to make things better."
"Yeah, and how can you expect them to change if you won't even give them the chance?" Scarlet chimed in.
Sun moved forward and said, "They're letting Faunus like Blake and me stay at the manor. Not in some servant house, actually inside big fancy guest rooms. If they really as racist as they used to be, would they even let us get our feet in the door?"
Hui and Ilia had joined in the crowd, blending in with the various refugees. Hui got in close to a few Faunus and whispered to them, "Nothing they can do can undo what they've done to us in the past."
"Hey, yeah!" Said one of the Faunus, "You can't undo what your family did in the past. Slavery, segregation, you really think you can make up for that?"
"We're trying. We can't wipe away the past, but we can do our best to change the future," Weiss told the crowd. "My father was shaken out of his ignorance and arrogance, and he's been trying to make up for his past sins by helping free Faunus slaves from traffickers and the S.D.C. has hired more Faunus in the past year than our company has in the past century. Believe me, he's changed, because he wouldn't have even entertained the idea a year ago. He probably would have had a heart attack had I suggested it, but now he's opening up his home to people like you, victims of a catastrophe who need help more than ever. We Schnees truly want to change for the better?"
Blake surveyed the crowd before calmly telling them, "Please, will you let them help you?"
Ilia looked around, wondering how many would take up the offer, while Hui smirked to himself. "No Faunus in their right mind would accept help from humans as treacherous as the Schnee." He whispered to the Beaver Faunus next to him,
"Speak for yourself, man," Said the Faunus, who then walked forwards, "Please, my family will go."
Hui stared at the man, dumbstruck, before a woman's voice said 'Aw what the hell? Guess we always wanted to see how you guys live, why not?"
Ilia smiled over a dozen other refugees, both human and Faunus, volunteered and asked to be admitted into the mansion.
"Okay, okay, hold us! Tell us the family name and how many of you there are so we can write it down." Sage said as he took out his scroll.
"Thank you," Weiss said to them as she hopped down off the chair, "Thank you for giving us a chance. I promise none of you will regret it. My father knows the awful things our family and our company has done to people like you, and those responsible for certain crimes are going to be held responsible for it."
"So, Schnee Manor will be your home, you will be part of a group that will shock a lot of people and will change Atlas for the better. Just please respect their rules." Blake implored them.
"Yeah, and try not to mess up the place too much." Sun joked.
Hui and Ilia moved towards the wall-wounded tv and the Fusion Faunus whispered "Dividing Atlas might not be as easy as we thought."
"Patience," Hui told her, "They'll broadcast the truth about those slave mines soon and when they do, all of these Faunus will turn on Schnee and her pets."
Ilia glanced over at Blake, wishing there was some way she could warn her without blowing her cover, or sabotaging the Schnee's charitable efforts.
Qrow sat on a bench in the large cafeteria pit on the first floor of St. Kraken's. It was situated just behind the main lobby, with escalators and a staircase leading down to the pit, which was packed with visitors or doctors and nurses on break. Trash cans were practically overflowing with empty coffee cups and it didn't take a sharp eye to notice that all of the hospital staff looked exhausted. A mounted screen on the wall showed the ever droning news broadcasts, still going over the fallout from the attacks and debating over the trade embargo.
'I just know that's gonna bite us in the ass.' Qrow thought.
Upon finishing his kimchi toast and eggs, Qrow walked over to place his tray to the rack when a familiar sound entered his ears. A playful little ditty, one made with the clicking of a tongue. Qrow instantly recognized and turned to a corner where the tune was coming from, seeing that a man wearing an unusual combination of a doctor's jacket and a rancher's hat and boots was laying against the wall in a booth seat.
Qrow smirked and slowly approached the man and without warning whipped out Reaper in its sword form and pointed it at the man's chest, but the man, just as fast, drew out a pair of twin revolvers, aiming them right at Qrow's head and chest. Those who saw the sudden exchange whipped around, eyes wide. It wasn't unusual for Hunters to bring their weapons into hospitals, in fact it was welcome just in case of a crisis, but actually taking them out was highly unusual.
There was a tense moment of silence as the man turned his head up, steely blue eyes peering out from under the brim of the hat, a sly smile forming under his well-groomed mustache. Qrow returned the grin and the two men put away their weapons.
"Been a long time, Doc. Thought an old timer like you would have settled down by now." Qrow said as he sat down across from the older man.
"'Bout five years, Branwen. And don't 'old timer' me! I'm only a couple years older than you. You know what they say about old men in the profession where men die young." Doc replied as he shook Qrow's hand.
"Good to see you're still doing your part, I take it you were somewhere in the Kingdom when all hell broke loose?" Qrow asked.
Doc nodded, "Was in Mantle City, having my usual fun between patients and wiping out Grimm when a bunch of those monsters, some robots and some pretty girl attacked the city. Did my best, shot down as many Grimm and treated as many wounded as I could."
Qrow raised an eyebrow, "I heard about a girl being involved in the attacks. You see her?"
Doc shook his head, "Nope, people mentioned her but I only treated some wounded Hunters and cops who claimed she drained their aura and rendered 'em useless in battle. Nasty piece of work, probably a friend of that Cinder Fall you're after."
"You know anything?" Qrow inquired.
"I try my best to keep my nose out of big messes," Doc said, "But it was impossible not to hear about Cinder Fall, Pyrrha Nikos and your niece after the Vytal disaster. How's Taiyang and his kids? Been hearing a lot about those girls."
Qrow smiled, "Taiyang's doing okay for himself, he's taken up a job at Beacon and helping kids out with combat lessons. The girls are here, upstairs visiting a friend who got injured in the attacks. Last time you saw them was at Summer's funeral."
Doc nodded, "Yep. It's a tragedy that Summer isn't here to see them, but Ruby and Yang have grown into fine young women from what I've seen, ones who get into as much trouble as they can."
Qrow smirked, "You have no idea."
"Little Ruby caused quite the stir when she froze that Wyvern up on Ozpin's tower. We always knew she'd inherit Summer's gift." Doc told his old friend, taking out a flask.
Qrow nodded, smiling as he knew Summer would be proud of who Ruby had become, and took out his own flask. He looked at Doc's flask and chuckled, "You still have it after all these years?"
Doc looked at the flask, which had an emblem of six crossed revolvers on it, he smiled, "What can I say? Always had a soft spot for sweet little Summer. Couldn't bear to throw it away now that she's gone."
Qrow nodded, knowing exactly how he felt. Doc sighed and said "I'm sorry about Raven. I heard what happened at Haven, but probably not the whole story."
Qrow's face hardened as he thought back to Raven's actions at Haven, thinking about what Cinder had said about his failure to get to Amber in time. "She died to save me." He said.
"Gods, I'm sorry to hear that." Doc said.
"She was just starting to come around to Yang. They had a lot of unresolved issues, but I think they would have patched things up if I hadn't gotten my ass handed to me by Cinder. Maybe I should have died that night." Qrow mused bitterly.
"Hey, cut that shit out," Doc reprimanded, "We both know Raven wouldn't have made a play like that unless she was absolutely sure of it. She had a funny way of showing it, but she loved you Qrow. Loved you enough to sacrifice her life for yours."
Qrow smiled, "You always know just what to say, Doc."
"Why is everyone always left bemused by my wisdom?" Doc wondered with a grin.
"Maybe it's because you're such a hard drinker you put me to shame." Qrow shot back with a smirk.
"And proud of it. If you want another go at a contest, there's a damn fine bar a couple blocks away where we could spend some time at this evening." Doc offered.
Qrow laughed, "Forget it! I'm not going up against you again! Besides, you need to stay at least somewhat sober since you've probably got patients that need you."
Doc nodded, "That I do. And I'm glad to see you know better than to challenge me again."
Qrow laughed again before asking "So, how'd you end up here?"
"The capital was being flooded with wounded refugees with life-threatening injuries. Everyone with a medical degree that wasn't tied down in another city was flown out here to help. Let's just say I've treated more sucking chest wounds and performed more amputations in the past week than I have in the last decade."
Qrow nodded gravely, "Rough break."
Doc gave a small smile, "But I've also saved more lives than I bothered to keep track of. That's gotta count for something, right?"
"Damn right it does." Qrow assured him before asking "Those extra arms still working?"
Doc smirked as a group of six spindly robotic arms emerged from within his coat, "Six Shooter has had some upgrades over the years, pretty useful at shooting Grimm and performing an operation."
"I'll bet," Qrow said with a nod, "Speaking of performing, how's Kate?"
Qrow quickly regretted asking when he saw Doc wince. It was subtle, but it was there.
"Kate and I are…no longer together."
"Shit, I'm sorry." Qrow apologized.
"No harm in you wonderin'. She got tired of moving all over the world, wanted to settle down, wanted me to hang up my guns. I couldn't do that. I'm as much of a Huntsman as I am a doctor and personally I just can't see myself settling down anywhere."
"Medical college was probably the last place where you were really tied down, huh?" Qrow noted.
"Yep," Doc said casually, "But it worked out. She still talks to me over the scroll every now and then, she's found herself a good man, settled down in some town in Mistral and is working as a singer in a fancy restaurant. Probably better off without me dragging her along on my adventures."
"Shame," Qrow said, "You two were such a good couple, Summer'd be so upset if she were here. And it sucks I never got to make a move. The only thing as beautiful as her voice is her A plus as-
"Finish that sentence and I'll make you one of my patients." Doc threatened.
Qrow stared at him, not looking away. Both men cracked wide grins and began laughing heartily.
"It seems you've made a friend." Said Heliosia as she, Amethyst, Sharp Strike and Team CFVY approached them.
"You done already? Kids, this is Dr. Wayne Eastwood, an old friend of mine, his team was a couple years ahead of Team STRQ back in our Beacon days." Qrow introduced.
Eastwood stood up and removed his hat, holding it to his chest as he gave a dramatic bow, "A pleasure to meet you all, I've heard talk about Team Beacon ever since the whole drama with the White Fang last year. Team CFVY, I presume?"
"Got it in one." Coco confirmed as they joined them, sitting down on the booth that hugged the wall or the opposing chairs. The group introduced themselves to the mustached man, with Sharp Strike being the last to name himself.
"And a real Remnant Knight, I always knew you were real, hell I think I got a glimpse of one of your Order once or twice. It's an honor to meet one." Doc said to Sharp Strike as he sat down across from Qrow and next to Coco.
"I go by Sharp Strike, doctor. You are both a Huntsman and a doctor?" The Knight Errant asked.
"That's right. Ever since I was a boy I wanted to save lives so I decided to go about it both ways. Saving them from Grimm and saving them from disease and injury, especially if the injury was caused by a Grimm. Took a while and an obscene amount of studying, but it's worth it just to help people." Eastwood told them.
"Sounds like it, I thought studying in a Hunter Academy was tough, I can't imagine how many tests and research papers you had to do to get a degree." Velvet mentioned.
"Yeah, you'd have to be crazy to do both. No offense." The bronze-skinned Huntsman quickly added.
"None taken, since I am quite mad." Eastwood said with a wink.
Amethyst laughed while Heliosia smiled, before something on the wall-mounted t.v. caught their attention.
"We have just received a report from the Vale News Network, Councilman Henry has refused to comment on the current whereabouts of the Maidens. The Summer Maiden, now identified as a girl named Heliosia Ainea, alias Adara Aenia, had revealed herself to pacify an emotional crowd outside of Shade Academy in Vacuo City, shortly after the battle ended," Said a pale newsman known as Chester Cobalt, as it briefly showed blurry screenshots from scrolls from Vacuo, depicting Heliosia calming the crowds with her display of power, "She has not been seen since and we have no word on the other Maidens, though there are unsubstantiated rumors that the Winter Maiden was slain during the attacks on Atlas, however no one from the Atlesian Council will confirm or deny this when asked."
"If these Maidens are so powerful, why are they hiding? They should show themselves and help the people affected by these disasters," Said a dark skinned woman, who acted as a news commentator.
"No arguments there," Said another commentator, a heavy set man with gray hair, "Until the Fall of Beacon we all believed they were just an old fable, but now that we know they're real, they continue to hide. Why? Some people in our Kingdom have lost everything they own, many have lost their entire families! Where are they when we need them?"
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with you, but you're right!" Said the dark skinned woman, "It's no secret that there's something the Councils aren't telling us. They must have known about the Remnant Knights for years, but why did they keep to the shadows for who knows how long while ordinary people suffered?"
"Well," Cobalt spoke up, "I personally think they proved themselves very capable of defending us, just look at the footage from Vacuo and the scenes from that massive ship, identified as the Indomitable Bastion, that defended Hephaestus City. No doubt we owe them a great debt for saving so many lives."
"But why did they choose to hide in the first place? Why make themselves into mythical figures?" Asked the woman, "What exactly are they hiding?"
"I think it's obvious they have some relationship with the Maidens, the footage from Vacuo makes them appear quite dedicated to the Summer Maiden. Perhaps they're personal guards?" Said the large man.
"Don't pay any attention to them," Yatsuhashi said to the Maidens, who quickly snapped their heads away from the screen to look at their friends.
Glancing up at the screen and then to Heliosia and Amethyst, Eastwood couldn't help but give a small, knowing smile before quietly adding, "He's right, ignore those jackasses," The others looked at him, surprised. "I'm no fool, kids. I notice how you were staring and how you flinched when they mentioned the name Heliosia and I couldn't help but notice the faces this girl was making," He gestured at Amethyst and gave them a bow as he added "I am honored to be in the presence of the Seasonal Maidens."
"Please don't oust us," Heliosia pleaded.
"Indeed, they are trying to keep low profiles." Sharp Strike said, his voice stern.
"Relax, if anyone in this hospital is trustworthy, he is." Qrow assured them.
"Can we trust you not to blow our cover?" Amethyst asked him, her tone even more serious than Sharp Strike's.
"My lips are sealed, you don't have to worry about me telling anyone. I've been sworn to secrecy over more deathbed confessions than I'd like to count. Whatever reason you have for hiding is obviously a very serious one, so no one will hear a peep out of me about this. Just ignore those assholes on the screen." He told them, shooting them a grin.
Yatsuhashi nodded, "Yes, those pundits don't know enough about the situation to judge either you. If they knew what we're up against, what is hunting you, then they'd understand."
"He's right," Agreed Fox, "Trust me, my dad always said that no matter what their political ideology is, news people love drama and starting shit. They rarely know what they're talking about, and even if they do know something they're never accurate."
"Well said," Coco voiced, "Trust me, my mom has had to deal with the paparazzi for a couple decades now, they're almost as bad as the Grimm at times."
Velvet and Amethyst giggled while Heliosia let out a small chuckle, "I suppose you're right, we shouldn't pay them any attention, though I still wish we could do more." The Summer Maiden said, thinking back on the crowds in Vacuo, who were trying to worship her.
"I know how you feel," Velvet said, "I suppose that the desire to do more and help people is a part reason a lot of us wanted to become Hunters. One of the reasons I want to be a Huntress is to prove the naysayers wrong, and I guess you two can sympathize."
"Totally," Amethyst commented with a smile, "I wish we could do more to help people, but right now that'd be painting a huge target on our backs."
"Indeed, but we would be there to protect you, no matter what." Sharp Strike stated reassuringly.
Heliosia smiled at him, "I have no doubt of that, my noble protector."
Sharp Strike slowly nodded and looked away, Heliosia couldn't help but wonder if he was blushing under that visor. Then she began to wonder what his face looked like, and she began to blush herself and then grimaced at the teasing smirk on Amethyst's face. The Summer Maiden shot the Spring Maiden a look that said 'not a word'.
Amethyst only grinned.
Velvet's ears suddenly twitched as she leaned over to look past Heliosia at the screen, "I think they're talking about what happened this morning."
Everyone looked over at the screen as Chester Cobalt announced, "We've just got word from Chelsea Cobalt, reporting live from the Council Citadel, we'll switch over to her."
The screen then changed to show an attractive human woman with blonde hair standing amongst a crowd of reporters standing inside the main lobby of the Council Citadel. "Thanks Chester, a short while ago Councilman Slate called for a special announcement from the Council and the Schnee Dust Company. No word on what, but it sounded very important. Wait, there's some of the council members now."
The camera panned over to show Willow Schnee, Maximilius, Slate and Camilla, flanked by some bodyguards and other officials. Voices chimed out asking a variety of questions, but because everyone talked over one another the questions were unintelligible.
Maximilius stood up behind the podium and made a signal for everyone to quiet down. "Thank you all for coming today. Today we have accomplished something very significant, something that could not have been done without Willow Schnee or the young members of Team Beacon. I will allow Mr. Schnee to explain it to you."
"They're announcing it," Blake whispered to Weiss as they saw Willow take the center stage while Maximilius stood aside, "This could get ugly."
"Talk about bad timing, you want to get out of here, just in case?" Scarlet asked the heiress quietly.
Weiss shook her head, "They deserve to know the truth." She answered as her father began to speak.
"Thank you, Councilwoman. I would like to take time to note that to many people of Atlas, human and Faunus alike, my family's name has, for legitimate reasons, been synonymous with greed and oppression. For years I didn't care about that, but last year something happened to my daughters that opened my eyes to the way I had been acting, what my company had been doing. I have been trying to sponge away the filth of my family and companies old sins, I have hired many Faunus, I have helped to disrupt the slave trade…but there's been something bothering me ever since the fall of the old White Fang and the death of its leader, Adam Taurus."
Hui, now closer to Blake and Weiss than Ilia liked, stepped forward, wanting to know what the Schnee patriarch was about to say. Ilia herself couldn't help but be curious.
"Some of you may know this, but months ago my daughter and the rest of Team Beacon came into conflict with Taurus, some of them were his prisoners. While there he removed his mask and showed them that his face was branded with the emblem of my family's company. He claimed that he, his family and many other Faunus were enslaved by my company and forced to mine in the dangerous Mt. Ausz. After the mines went dry, the slaves were slaughtered, Taurus was the only one to escape and survive. This is no secret, it was in the news for weeks after his death, but it remained to be seen if he spoke the truth, there was nothing left at Mt. Ausz after all and our investigations showed nothing, as it happened shortly before I inherited my position."
He went onto explain about the message Anni Guzen had left him, and the evidence she had managed to conceal that revealed the truth behind the massacre.
"The proof provided by the late Anni Guzen was all we needed to discover the perpetrators behind these heinous acts. Men that worked for my family for decades, most prominent among them was a man I considered to be my friend. Alan Crawford, Kenzo Uji and Hamilton Nordstrom are the only surviving board members who were involved in the massacre, the ones who approved it and oversaw it being carried out."
The press were in an uproar, shouting frantic questions or voicing their own outrage or confusion. The crowd in the shelter broke out into a furious series of angry conversations and questions, making Weiss and Blake feel very uncomfortable.
Sage nudged Sun and gestured to some of the refugees who were giving Weiss death glares behind her back. Sun nodded and whispered to his team "If anyone tries anything, you three get her out of here, me and Blake will try to calm them down."
His team silently nodded, keeping their eyes carefully on the crowd as Weiss did her best to stand firm despite the incredibly awkward and tense situation she suddenly found herself in.
On the screen, Willow continued, "Please, please let me explain. I assure you, I was just as outraged. As of this morning, Alan Crawford and the other two have been apprehended and are currently being held in captivity by General Ironwood. There they will remain until the crisis subsides and then they will be put on trial for their appalling crimes and I promise you that their victims will have justice."
As Schnee's announcement was broadcast, Coco knew they had to take action. "This could torpedo the charity plan. Velvet and Fox, I want you to go back to that ward and fill those refugees in, try to keep them from changing their minds. Yatsu and me will go down to that shelter to help Weiss and the others just in case a riot breaks out."
Velvet and Fox didn't waste any time and quickly left their seats and hurried up the stairs.
"We'll come with you, we can't just sit here and do nothing." Heliosia said, "Sharp Strike too, perhaps a Remnant Knight will make any potential rioters think twice."
"I agree," Sharp Strike said, standing up with the Maidens, "We can't let this undermine what the Schnees are trying to accomplish."
"Let's go. I'll text Ruby and let her and the others know what's going on." Said Qrow, just as he saw Doc Eastwood standing up.
"Mind if I tag along? I think my guns will be enough to discourage anyone from trying to harm any of you or your friends." He said.
"Aren't you a doctor? 'Do no harm' and all that?" Amethyst pointed out.
"That only applies to killing, my dear. I'm good enough with my guns to disarm and I know human and Faunus biology well enough to know how to shoot a target non-fatally, if need be. Besides, I'm on break and I need to do something with myself other than sit around and reminisce." Eastwood said.
Coco looked at Qrow as if to silently ask what he thought and the dusty Huntsman grinned as he sent Ruby the message, "We can trust this guy, kids. Let's move."
They didn't bother to argue, and so followed Coco and Sharp Strike took charge and led the small group out of the hospital and out into the snowy city.
Sorry if this chapter was a little rough, wanted to get it out earlier to make the gaps between chapters less insane. Hope you liked Norvick's backstory, it's been one Relentless Crusader and I have been cooking up for quite some time. I hope you also enjoyed Eastwood, as he's a little more recent in the grand scheme of my plans, so he won't have much of a major role, but I hope you'll enjoy what I give him.
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