It's time for another chapter of A False Rose. Thanks everyone for the follows and the odd review, it really brings my spirits up and motivates me to write more of this.

Chapter Three: "Top o' the Morning - Hello Ozpin"

After the run-in with Raven, slumber came easy for her after removing Summer's gravestone, and without any sort of weird dreams involving said dead person. The encounter brought out many emotions to the outside world, most of them being hatred - Particularly from Yang and Qrow - directed at the runaway bandit.

"How the hell does she dare to call her a fake?! She can't be possibly serious! It's total bull! With all the things she knows there's no way that's possible, and that's with partial amnesia!" Voiced Qrow back then.

Unfortunately for that argument to stand, Summer wouldn't have been stupid enough to have a journal filled with every little thing about her life in her scroll, sorry Qrow. She thought.

"And the coward thought that fighting her was going to end well. Looks like Mom isn't the only one who forgot things, even Dad told me about how Mom wiped the floor with Raven back at Beacon. She only went easy on Raven this time because she didn't have a weapon, and even then it was probably this close to being one hell of an ass-whooping" Opined Yang last night, arms crossed.

Another thing the encounter brought out was exhaustion, mostly mental above everything else. Despite being one of the goals she had in mind by supplanting Summer, after yesterday's events seducing Taiyang was the last thing on her mind. She bid goodnight to Summer's girls and rushed in for a shower and a change of clothes. Thankfully, Tai had kept all of Summer's clothing untouched for her to wear in the closet. So finding appropriate sleeping garments wasn't an issue. After that, she plopped down onto the bed with all the grace of a beheaded Ursa Major and sleep came almost immediately, along with Tai's strong arms wrapping around her for comfort.

The next morning she awoke to her being the filling of a human sandwich, with the halves of bread being Ruby - Who insisted in sleeping with them that night out of fear everything was a great, vivid dream. But a dream nonetheless - and Tai. Glancing at the alarm clock the time was 5:23 A.M - The perfect time for her to wake up - so she groggily got out of bed, carried Ruby back to her room and bed, and went downstairs to the kitchen to make herself a morning brew. With Qrow passed out in the living couch she couldn't make an Atlesian Black (Which Summer hated with a passion because it's basically pure, sour coffee) like she would've normally done to get her 'wake cup' without arousing suspicion due to the concoction's distinctive smell and Summer's pre-established opinions on the blend. So she settled with a pseudo-Mochaccino recipe she recalled reading about in Summer's scroll as she started thinking about activities for the rest of the day.

Too sweet for my taste, but not bad. Your taste in coffee wasn't completely bogus, Summer. She thought as she sipped the sweet blend and glanced at the kitchen clock, which now read 5:47 A.M. Might as well get started on breakfast. Summer's observations on her family say that most of them awoke at seven on weekdays, with Tai rousing up at nine. But that hunk probably changed that habit after she went missing.

After evaluating the situation and surveying the fridge, she put on an apron and got to work on a breakfast for five people. That day apple hot cakes and wholly natural pear juice were in the menu, along with a side serving of homemade chocolate chip cookies so Summer's debt with Ruby would be finally settled after twelve years. Everything was done in a swift and express manner, thanks to her semblance-enhanced cooking skills which she acquired after taking the place of a notorious Mistrali chef about six years ago. Though fun, keeping the façade of a civilian is pretty hard with your aura unlocked, so she only lasted ten months as the chef before seeking for a new identity.

After a few dozen minutes of cooking, she heard three pairs of hurried steps coming down the stairs before a fourth pair joined the three and stopped just outside the kitchen. The gaped breaths given pretty much tipped her off who it was. Turning around, she saw all of Summer Rose's family plus Qrow Branwen looking at her wide-eyed. Ruby's jaw hung ridiculously low, Yang rubbed her eyes compulsively as if trying to rub away any eye grime, Tai's expression was unreadable save for the raised eyebrows, all while Qrow's face sported a small smile. She glanced at the kitchen clock, which read 6:34 A.M. She hummed in thought.

"Hmmm... You're all up and early, earlier than I ever recall you all being. Except for you, Slits. You were usually up earlier than me" Silence permeated the room soon after, so she rolled her eyes. "Come on, family! Breakfast is just about done, take a seat!"

The family rushed to the dining table, except for Tai who remained at the doorsill before flicking a light switch on and then joining the rest of the gang on the table.

"How were you cooking when it's this dark?" Asked Tai, befuddled, yet still a little grouchy from his sleep.

Crap, I didn't remove the Faunus night vision from when I was the Deputy Headmistress of Haven.

"A good huntress relies on all five senses, not just vision..." She drifted off before finishing the excuse. "Also I wanted to keep this a surprise for as long as possible"

Tai was apparently too tired to argue, so he hummed and nodded in agreement before taking a mini nap on his chair. She took the chance to start serving the food, drinks, and a few cups of coffee for the adults. Tai and Qrow got the same blend she drank earlier. Once the serving was done, she sat down on the table. Tai at her right, who quickly reached to hold her hand, and Ruby at her left. Yang was right in front while Qrow was to the right of Tai. The meal began with no words other than a 'Bon Appetit'. But as soon as people started eating and the energy returning, the kitchen was a bit more lively.

"Good god, this is great, Shortstack. I don't remember your cooking being this good" Commented Qrow as he finished up the coffee and started sipping from the pear juice. "And this doesn't taste like juice from the store"

"Things you learn by living in Mistral. I also worked with this famous chef before she disappeared as a body guard. She paid me by being her apprentice" She replied before taking a piece of pancake into her mouth, chewing and swallowing it. "Also, I made the juice. You all like it?"

"It could use some more sugar..." Muttered Ruby.

"How about you ignore that, Mom? Rubes' been a sucker for sweets since ever and has some of the wildest sugar rushes you'll ever see" Cut in Yang.

"Heh, like mother, like daughter. Don't you agree, Qrow?" Asked Tai, and the drunken crow smirked at the chance of rubbing something in Summer's face.

Uh-oh. I've been locked as a target for a tease. She thought wide-eyed.

"Girls, you know that Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon's a good friend of the family, right?" The girls nodded at Qrow's question. "Well, Ozpin's office has a mountain of exposed cogs and clockwork parts. Wanna know why it looks like that?"

The girls grinned at the prospect of hearing it, and she covered her face in shame and groaned. Though it was just an act, Summer's journal didn't mention this and she was curious.

"Because your mother wrecked the office during Spring break with a jackhammer on a sugar rush!"

Everyone else laughed at Qrow's jab while her head hit the table with a loud THUD. But it was also taking everything in her power to not laugh at it as well.

Oh my god... Summer, what the hell?

"Great... I had forgotten about that, thanks a lot, Slits!" She pouted in frustration.

"Hey, Tai gave me the chance, I just took it" He defended himself with his hand up in surrender.

She gave a playful glare at Tai, who simply smirked in response.

"Sooo~! What's happening today? Ruby and I got classes and all that jazz, which means Dad's going to work too" Asked Yang, seemingly interested in her schedule for the day.

Tai's a teacher, huh? Ooooh~ I'm getting all kinds of ideas already. She thought to herself, discreetly rubbing her thighs together.

Despite her clearly getting the message in Yang's words, she needed to make the question for the sake of authenticity. After all, Summer Rose wasn't the most attentive person.

"Wait, you're going to work, right? What have you been doing for a living since I left?"

"Oh, that. Qrow and I became teachers at Signal" He leaned in closer and whispered. "Though if it wasn't for Ozpin, Qrow wouldn't have a job no more. He has more leaves of absence than time on the school"

"Hey! I heard that! You've never been the most discreet guy, Tai" Complained Qrow.

"But can you blame me for speaking the truth?" He asked coyly.

"You rat..."

She giggled at what was going on before piping up again. "Okay, you three are going to be busy until the evening. So I guess it's up to Slits and I to paint the town, just like old times!"

"Hey, don't get too excited. We still gotta meet the Oz" He reminded.

Oh right. Another person I've got to convince that I'm Summer Rose, guess the family isn't enough.

"Oh, right. I forgot. Guess I could use the Beacon forge and make my new weapon. Sun's Light will always be in my heart, but I need something to defend myself when push comes to shove, or when Raven shows up again" She said to which Qrow nodded.

"Guess that'd be a good idea. With Raven's paranoia and insanity having reached whole new levels it wouldn't hurt to be prepared, Shortstack"

Before any more words could be exchanged, the kitchen timer made a resounding DING!.

"Aaaaand I have to get that. Be right back" She excused herself as she stood up from her seat in the table.

"What's that, Mommy?" Asked Ruby before putting a big portion of pancake on her mouth.

"Well... Let's just say it's... Something I owe to a certain young lady" She said as she winked and walked to the oven. Retrieving the protective gloves from the door handle, turning it off, before finally getting the steaming hot tray of cookies from it.

She then grabbed four cookies from the batch and presented two and two to Ruby and Yang.

"Okay. With this? Our debt is settled" She said in a regal way, eliciting chuckles from Qrow and Tai. However, Ruby herself was wide-eyed, with tears threatening to come out from her eyes at any second.

"You... You... You remembered?!" She sputtered.

A small smile crept up her factions. "It's one of the first things I remembered when my memories started trickling back, Petal"

And with that, the floodgates opened and Ruby was fast (but not semblance-fast) to snatch the cookies from her hands, stuff them in her mouth, and hug her as tight as possible.

"Tank CRUNCH yu... CRUNCH CRUNCH Tank yu sou much..." She blabbered with her mouth full.

"Come on, Ruby. Don't speak with your mouth full and don't steal your sister's cookies. You're by all means a better me in the making..."

"Nah!" She swallowed the handful of cookies in her mouth. "No! Mommy, I'm my own person, not a better you!"

"Well, that would be true. You're Ruby, not Summer 2.0, my bad!"

"Besides, you can't make better something that's already perfect!" She boldly proclaimed with a smile, and she shook her head.

Ah, this child. She thought in disappointment. It's too sad Summer left her life as early as she did, because Ruby has a long way to go. Might as well give her a few pointers.

"Ruby... Look at me. I want you to listen to this: When it comes to people, there's no such thing as perfection, and I am so less than perfect. Just look at how my mission ended up, and how long it took for me to return..." She solemnly explained before pausing and continuing. "But you, Ruby. You can take the best out of both your father and I, so you can become the best person possible, along with a few more sprinkles of your own touches along the way. I am anything if not a cautionary tale, an example if you want to look at it that way"

"What would you be an example of, honey?" Asked Tai.

I am an example of how to not make decisions. I live like this - Jumping from life to life - because I don't know how to live with my own mistakes. She thought and bit her lip, thinking about her true self.

"I'm... I'm just an example, alright?" She replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Well... You could be an example of how to not eat sweets, for starters" Teased Qrow.

"Slits!"

"Oh, also a example of how to break hips in less than three hours" Added Tai, prompting a blush from her.

As soon as she stared hearing that, Yang rushed to cover Ruby's ears with her hands, much to the younger Rose's annoyance.

"Yaaaaaaang~!"

"DAD?! The hell are you doing?! Ruby's innocence is running at risk by the second with that kind of comments!"

"Uhhh, Tai...? What did you exactly not tell them about me?" She asked in a whisper.

"Well, for obvious reasons I omitted your 'healthy' sex drive. No point in telling that to the girls if you weren't around for me to tease you about it" He replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"Oh, you oaf... And suddenly Yang became the protector of Ruby's innocence instead of you? That's both cute, unnecessary at Ruby's age, and concerning if this keeps up for longer. It's a lost cause from day one, especially if Ruby got a Rose's sexual appetite" She cleared her throat and looked at Yang. "Yang, I'm pretty sure your father has given you and Ruby 'the talk', right?"

"Oh boy. This is gonna be great" Added Qrow with a chuckle and a swig of his flask.

"For me? Yes. I've told dad to hold off on Ruby 'till she's twenty-six, what about it?" She replied while lacing her answer with another question.

She facepalmed. "Yang... I'm going to need you to stop this whole 'innocence crusader' thing right now... And uncover Ruby's ears. It's time to have 'the talk' - Summer Rose style. You might want to finish your food quickly, because you might not be hungry in the... Conventional sense of the word afterward"

"Sweetie, are you sure? That's a talk that takes hours and it's a Monday morning" Worryingly asked Tai.

"Please, if there's something a Rose knows how to do, it's speed things up a notch..." She turned to Ruby. "Now, Petal. For starters: Do you know how you were born?"

"Sure do!" She replied with a spark on her eyes. "The stork dropped me off at the door!"

She glared at Yang with a passion before smacking Tai on the back of his head as quickly when he snickered.

"Well... Ruby... You see, that's not what happened, it all started about nine months before you were born..."

Qrow wouldn't stop snickering in the background as the tale began, and quite honestly? She didn't care. She had a tween to fix.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The time was 8:37 A.M, and Qrow Branwen had officially declared it as 'Laugh-o'-clock'.

The day had definitely started on a great note with Summer's definitely improved cooking, and then this came up. Usually, he would be one-hundred-percent against someone giving his youngest niece 'the talk', after all, Ruby's innocence and naïveté could've definitely be considered one of Remnant's most valuable treasures. But then, the one giving the talk was her mother the Shortstack herself, so suddenly he had no qualms with it.

Summer made no efforts to sugarcoat the truth behind Ruby's conception. While she didn't delve in specifics (Thank Oum for that, it would've been awkward considering his crush on her), the tale was pretty explicit with just the basics, and then there were the things nobody but her and Tai knew up until that dreaded moment...

Like the fact it all happened on the cliff where her gravestone was out of all places. No wonder it was her favorite spot in all of Remnant. Yang was pretty mortified upon hearing it, she never thought her surrogate mother would be into public 'action'.

But no, that wasn't the best part of 'the talk'. Those were just the embarrassing moments.

"Okay... So... How did I end up in your belly? What's with all those weird gestures you're doing?"

The best part was when Ruby somehow missed the point completely, and Summer's loud facepalm just made things all the more worth it.

And then came the questions and the answers.

"Why was Dad stabbing into you?"

"Because it felt heavenly"

"But doesn't stabbing hurt?"

"With a weapon, yes. With that? Only a little at first, then it's very good"

Ruby hummed in agreement before shooting another question.

"Isn't stabbing a crime?"

Shortstack groaned.

"... Ruby, we weren't talking about that kind of stabbing! It's a metaphor!"

There was also:

"So... This semen... It's where Yang and I came from?"

"Yes. It's where all life comes from"

"And... You said that only the fastest get to become babies, right?"

"Yes...? Your point?"

"Then why doesn't Yang have super speed as well?"

And:

"So, the whole period thing. Why do we get all cranky when it happens?"

"It's because of those damning cramps that no-one but us can understand"

"And why does it happen?"

"It's the way our body tells us that we can still have children"

"But why does it hurt? Why do we pee blood?"

That question left Summer pondering for a while.

"Must be foreshadowing"

"For what?"

"... Carrying you in my belly wasn't precisely all smiles and giggles, Little Petal. You kicked like a mule for four months in a row and I nearly died at childbirth. I'll tell you just that"

Eventually, Tai decided to call it quits because there was still quite the day ahead of everyone and the amusement had run thin. Qrow would've liked for this to keep running anyway, but apparently, Tai wanted to spare Summer from any further frustration from Ruby.

Still, he couldn't stop laughing. He knew his niece was a brat and a dork, but this? This is a whole new level of dorkiness, and so he couldn't stop laughing at the whole ordeal.

"BWAHAHAHAHA! OH MY O-"

He would've laughed more, but Summer Rose glared at him in a murderous fashion before plopping back down in a chair across from him, also smacking her forehead in the table as Tai and the girls geared up for another day at Signal Academy.

"Where did I fail as a mother..." She muttered, and he snickered at the very obvious opportunity.

"Well, you kinda pulled a Raven and left, Shortstack" He teased, and she - out of all things - grunted.

"Argh. Don't give me that, you know it wasn't my choice. That mission and all..."

"Hey, I didn't blame you for leaving - Well, seriously at least - I'm just saying this is to be expected when a parent is missing for so long, though I'll admit, they could've turned up a whole of a lot worse"

"Yes... They could be rebels or something..." She theorized, and he just had to shut it down immediately, she didn't deserve to be in the dark.

"No, actually. They could've turned up dead" He bluntly admitted.

"WHA-"

"Calm down, Summer. Lemme explain everything that you've been missing"

And so, he explained everything thing that happened the last twelve years she was missing. Not missing any detail (He could recall, booze had one helluva way to mess with your memory). He laid down the search for her, his and Tai's fall to alcoholism. She definitely didn't react as he expected, he expected her to cry her bowels out, but all she did was look around with a distraught expression, like she was weighing out all the little details which factored in the end result, along with muttering a few curses under her breath. She seemed really composed.

But when he got to the part when Yang took Ruby out to look for Raven and nearly got mauled to death by a Beowolf if it wasn't for him stepping in, she gasped, covered her mouth in shock, closed her eyes tight, and shook her head vehemently.

"No... No... She... I... I should've been there... Damn it" She muttered, constantly fluctuating between barely audible and completely inaudible.

He stood up, got closer to his team leader/school crush and gave her a hug. "Summer... It's not your fault..."

She sniffed and stammered. "Maybe... Maybe it wasn't because of the amnesia, but, but... But when I realize the mess I left behind...? That argument suddenly doesn't make me feel any better"

He forced her head to raise up and made Summer look at him in the eyes. "Did it make you feel better before?"

"Maybe... If just slightly..." She averted her gaze. "I... I don't really know anymore. Being out there in Anima, working doing whatever for anyone who could afford it... I haven't felt regret in a while, but this? This is it, regret. Hate how it gnaws at my guts and makes them hurt so much..."

He hesitated, but he had to ask it. He wasn't just gonna sit there and swallow the pile of lies his nieces did swallow. "Just... I was wondering... What did you exactly do over there in Anima for the last twelve years? The stories you told the girls were without a doubt bogus. Your lip quivered every time you told them"

Summer took a deep breath. "Well, I guess I should come out clean... Ever heard of: 'The White Death'?"

"You're shitting me" He spat out in disbelief. "The White Death? That unknown mercenary that wiped out entire hordes of whatever crossed her path without a set weapon in Anima, working for both sides of the law... Was you?! Ozpin has been trying to hunt her down for the last two years!"

She chuckled dryly and replied cheekily. "Well, for starters: I didn't choose the nickname, it just stuck. I actually went by Willow Rosewood. And second: I'm here now, aren't I? So arrest me if you must, Mr. Branwen"

"Now's not the time for jokes, Summer! You're a wanted criminal! What happened to you?! To your morale?! What happened to the woman who always stood by good side?!"

"... To be fair? I think she died in the ambush" She replied blandly before continuing at his aghast expression. "Look, I tried living within the thin blue line and I did good for quite some time, but then all kinds of things happened - Namely someone tried to get a drop on me, again - and I ended up in a situation where I couldn't keep up unless I started hopping the line like it didn't exist. If it's any consolation? I took more contracts from Mistral's council and Lionheart than everyone else, and fought Grimm and rogue hunters more often than against the law"

"But you still did some high-profile, questionable as hell things, Summer" He snarled and then started counting with his fingers. "You stole prototypes off the Atlas Military, a concept car from one of the SDC's subsidiaries, and Oum knows how much Dust! Jimmy would roast you alive if he found out! And not even Oz'd be able to stop him!" He threw his hands in the air. "You've been a giant generator of headaches!"

"Look, he doesn't have to know, and neither does Ozpi-"

"WHAT?! How can you even suggest I shouldn't tell Ozpin?!"

"BECAUSE YOU'D BE SIGNING MY DEATH SENTENCE!" She snapped loudly, before calming down. "... Look, Qrow. I've been missing for twelve years, with the latter two doing all kinds of questionable and illegal stuff - most of which was directed at Atlas-based targets - and the first thing you want to do is tell the man who could have me extradited to Atlas within the hour! I don't remember specifics, but Ozpin trusted me, but with a time gap like that? I think that trust is long-gone, and him getting the info is probably going to send me down! I don't want to go away again! I want to stay with my family! He could think I'm some kind of double-crossing spy for all he cares! Or maybe even an impostor like Raven does! Anything could be going on in his mind so sending me to rot in an Atlesian jail cell will be less of a burden on his conscience!"

You wouldn't be wrong there. Man's paranoid about you. He sarcastically thought.

"I want to play this safe, Birdbrain! I'll tell Ozpin about it at some point, but it's going to be on my terms, when I've earned back his trust, when I've proven I'm still loyal to the cause, whatever that cause might be, even if it's other than protecting innocents from the Grimm"

"... Wow, you're serious about this" He said plainly.

"What?!" She shrieked.

He rubbed his temples. "Look, uh... I'm just... I'm having a hard time getting this through my head... Besides, now more than ever I want to believe Raven out of all people and say you're an impostor... But I just can't, you're just... Well... Too... Too you for that" He then glanced aside before going back to her eyes. "Only you would call me 'Birdbrain' to get a point across and not to spite me. It's not a creative nickname given my actual name, but the usage is what counts. And you? You use it just like you've always done. Not often, but you can and will use it if things get desperate..."

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed.

"Summer, I know it's definitely you but... You've changed, a lot. That hit in the head definitely fastened some screws in your thick head"

She chuckled at that. "What? You're saying I was completely insane before that mission?"

"Nah, that's now, you're even more insane with some screws in place somehow. But back then? You were pretty close" He replied cheekily, and they both laughed.

"So... Are you going to tell Ozpin?" She warily asked.

He sighed. "No, I'm not. I'm gonna humor you for a bit, Shortstack" He then shot a meaningful look at her "But I'm sure that even if I told Oz about this stuff right now? He'd still be willing to give you a shot"

"Slits, I've been double-crossed more times than I'd like to admit while I was lost in Anima. I'm not taking any chances anymore"

"Wouldn't blame you for it, all of us are familiar with betrayal in some way or another..." He said as his mind started straying away to thoughts of his sister, whom had not only betrayed her husband and hunter team, but also her oath to protect mankind as a huntress, and most importantly, her own brother.

Unbeknownst to the 'S' and the 'Q' of STRQ. The 'T' was listening in the conversation from the top of the stairs, looking completely distraught at the revelations as his daughters were lost in their own sibling's spat.

Wow, I can't believe that I broke character so hugely and Qrow still swallowed it. Maybe he's indeed a birdbrain. She thought to herself as they were in a bullhead headed for Beacon Academy.

After getting dressed in a set of Summer's old combat clothes while still retaining the tattered white cloak (Which she washed yesterday because it reeked of wet grass), her thoughts drifted back to earlier, to the chat with Qrow after miserably failing to give Ruby 'the talk'.

The whole discussion came out from herself, not her interpretation of Summer Rose. Summer had left one hell of a family life behind, and it was now up to her - The woman who thought it would be a oh-so-grand-idea to take her place - to pick up the pieces and fix the family before leaving so Summer Rose could finally die with all loose ends tied up neatly. But now? She definitely felt regret, but not for the reasons she told Qrow. She was now regretting the whole Summer Rose playacting-fixing-her-scores thing. She also blew her cover partially by revealing herself as the dreaded 'White Death' mercenary, she knew Qrow would make a scene about it, but she still didn't expect seeking for his silence to go so smoothly. The birdbrain thing was definitely her own addition to the conversation, not a Summer-ism she was acutely aware of. So what was going on? Was Qrow playing with her mind? Playing all sorts of tricks on her so she could give up and out herself in a peaceful fashion...?

Or did her and Summer Rose had more things in common than originally expected?

She shook her head at that thought and took a glance at the aforementioned drunken huntsman sitting beside her, who was now fiddling with his now-empty flask.

"At long last, I thought that thing had no bottom" She quipped, smirk on her face.

"Good thing I've got my reserve, dealing with Ozpin requires at least being buzzed during the meeting" He replied before smugly pulling out a smaller flask out of his shoe.

She groaned in exasperation. "We really need to have that rematch so you can haul your drunken butt over to AR"

"Try me, Shortie"

That nickname annoyed Summer to no end, so she prompted her left eye to twitch, conveying annoyance.

She used her saccharine voice. "What did you just call me, Slits?"

He went twice as pale and became stiff as a plank. "N-Nothing"

"It better be"

No more words were exchanged until they touched down in Beacon's bullhead landing pads. After retrieving Summer's scroll - Which contained the blueprints for her Summer-styled weapon - she followed Qrow's motions to get down from the aircraft. Upon getting off, she took in the scenery, which was nothing short of breathtaking.

"Memories are made of this..." She muttered as a small smile crept up her face.

Truth to be told? She had never been to Vale - The city, she meant - let alone Beacon Academy. But then here she was, in Remnant's premier huntsman academy posing as one of its most successful alumni.

"Brings back memories, don't it?" Asked Qrow, standing beside her.

"Sure does... I spent the best years of my life here, how could I forget? Well, forget for long, I mean"

"Forget for long indeed, Miss Rose" A calm male voice called out from behind, startling her a little as Qrow gave a long sigh.

When they turned around, they saw no-one else than Headmaster Ozpin along with his Deputy - Glynda Goodwitch. She recognized them from TV - Particularly due to Ozpin's tendency to be accompanied by a coffee mug and his strange cane anywhere he went - but Summer Rose had a more... Closely-knit relationship with the two heads of the Beacon faculty.

Summer apparently had seen Ozpin as a mentor, and Glynda as a close friend and confidante outside of Team STRQ. She had to act the part as well. So she teleported to Glynda in a flash of rose petals and gave her the tightest hug she could muster.

"Glyn... Good to see you again"

Goodwitch looked aghast with her - Or rather Summer's - presence, but that didn't stop her from hugging back in earnest. They actually hugged so tight their Auras had to flare in order to prevent any damage.

"Oh my God... Summer... I... I... I thought..." She stammered.

Good Oum, what'd the student body would think of seeing her like this? She thought.

"I know... I know... I'm here, though. So it didn't happen, 'kay?" She replied, and Goodwitch reciprocated the hug even further at that moment.

While still hugging Glynda, she turned her head over to Ozpin who was - as always - sporting a neutral, completely unreadable expression on his face.

"Professor... Good to see you after all this time"

"Miss Rose, long time no see. How did your mission go?" The way he spoke and those piercing, unnaturally old eyes of his contrasted with the words he spoke. His words posed a question, but his voice tone and gaze demanded an answer. Not to mention that wicked 'Politician Smile' of his.

She looked around, looking for any sort of unwanted, unnecessary prying ears mingling around in the Beacon campus. At that moment, there were very few students wandering about, but when she looked upward a few birds were caught by her eyesight. Namely a few pigeons flying about, two canaries dropping their unwanted feces from a lamppost and...

A goddamned raven with red eyes perched on a tree a few meters out. Enough to be out of sight for most, but not for a paranoid person (And of course she qualifies for such a moniker, after all, she didn't get this far faking her way in life by being oblivious).

Pretty sure that's not a normal raven, and judging from what happened yesterday? I'd bet these silver eyes I'm mimicking that it's Raven Branwen. She thought with a frown before springing a plan in a matter of seconds.

"Professor, as much as I would like to answer right here and now..." Her words trailed and her eyesight drifted off to the tree where the strange raven was perched. "I am being followed. It's not safe to discuss things like that out here... In the open"

His eyes vaguely rolled to his left, as if he would be able to see the tree behind him without turning. But with an audible hum and a nod, he understood the message.

"I can see that... A certain feisty bird has been causing you trouble. Very sound call. We shall discuss this further in my office, Miss Rose. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that you remember the way?" He said calmly and without pressure.

She scratched the back of her head in awkwardness. "See... Professor... That's one of the things I'd like to talk about, I don't... Really remember much"

"And why would that be, Summer?" Asked Glynda with a raised eyebrow.

"I have... I don't know if I should call it partial or selective amnesia, but that's what it is, I guess. I remember bits and pieces, mostly small things, with a few large ones such as who I am, my family, friends, who attacked me, and the like. But I can't remember anything about my mission, the things we're fighting against..." She realized she was rambling too much out in the open. "Aaaaand I better shut up so we can get moving before I end up talking too much in public"

Glynda shook her head with a slight smile, Qrow chuckled behind her, and Ozpin...?

Ozpin didn't even flinch as he took a sip from his mug. But she could swear up to this day that the corners of his mouth tried to curve upward for the smallest glimpse of a nanosecond as he pushed his spectacles inward.

"Once again, a smart decision, albeit one made far too late. Should we get going?"

She shrunk down a little. "Yes... Let's... Lead the way?"

"Let's just get going before Shortstack here has an anxiety attack" Cut in Qrow before striding forward.

"Hey! I don't get those anymore!" She pouted as she went after the drunkard, leaving the (Admittedly Creepy) Headmaster of Beacon and his Deputy behind.

"Really? 'Cause back there it looked like Oz could've killed you with a glare" He snapped back.

"It's been twelve years - TWELVE YEARS since I last had to deal with a gaze like that! Even a Vacuoan Crime Lord is less unnerving than Professor Ozpin's glare!"

They kept going back and forth until they reached his office after a lengthy shouting contest along the way, including the elevator ride.

"... You're just not feeling it, because you're not even looking at him! Not to mention you're drunk!" She argued as the elevator doors opened and they all filed into the office.

"Buzzed, not drunk, Sum" He countered.

"Drunk - Buzzed, same thing! You're out of it!"

Without either of them noticing because of their bickering, Ozpin took a seat on his desk chair, refilled his coffee mug.

"You see, there's a difference there..."

"And you know that as long as your capacity to think is impaired, there's no difference at all?" She added.

"Buzzed: Slightly intoxicated. Drunk: Completely wasted. Equals to: Not the same"

"Pretty sure that argument has as many holes as your cape - How did you even pass Vytalian class again?"

Qrow stretched himself. "Easy: I stole Raven's notes and copied them, switched out a few words, nobody ever noticed a thing"

She remained silent for a moment before muttering... "Touché..."

"Hence why we relieved Professor Greene of his teaching duties at Beacon nearly two decades ago" Ozpin cut in before taking a sip of his mug and putting it down. "But, we're not here to discuss about the mistakes made by our former members of the faculty in the past - We're here to clear up a few things regarding the events that transpired twelve years ago in the wilderness of Mistral" The tip of his cane leaned in her direction. "Events that involved you, Miss Rose"

"Oh yeah... That..." She steeled herself. "As I said before, I don't remember much about the mission itself, but I do remember bits and pieces of the attack that led to my disappearance. I was ambushed in a forest - I don't remember where exactly or what was I even doing, but I do remember who attacked me vividly, one of them at least - I was ambushed by Tyrian Callows with a stinger strike out of nowhere, right at my head"

"Interesting, so the intent wasn't to kill, but to neutralize" Ozpin observed while putting his mug down and directing his complete attention at her. "Anything else you might want to add?"

"His stinger pierced through my Aura, probably giving me a strong concussion and breaking my skull, leaving me to bleed out. That's what I think, I can't exactly recall much with the amnesia"

She goes over the incredibly vague retelling of Summer's attack that she had decided upon so long ago. The gaps allowing for it to grant more questions than answers.

"After that? I woke up at nighttime with my back all bloody, not even remembering my name, relieved of my scroll and Sun's Light, then left to wander the wilderness on my own. Eventually I found a town - or rather the ruins of one called 'Kuroyuri' - where I changed out of my bloodstained clothes with rags I found on the ruins, gained an alias, and kept on a low profile as a simple civilian with aura called 'Willow Rosewood'... Until someone apparently called Hazel Rainart tried to get a drop on me about three years ago, this time to put me down for good"

"So Hazel is seeking revenge for Gretchen, and he's picked the wrong side to fight for... How saddening" Ozpin muttered before shaking his head.

"Then, my muscle memory kicked in, or I regained my combat memories - I'm still not sure which is the actual one - and I managed to fight Hazel back before making a run for it. After that? I went underground and started earning Lien in whatever way I could as an unlicensed huntress... Which leads to my reappearance in Haven a year later. I had become a courier and I was on my way to drop a package for the then-Deputy Headmistress, but she had fled the school and was nowhere to be seen, so the package had to go back to sender... And then about a year and a half ago..."

She pause to regain her breath, and continued.

"I found my scroll at a pawn shop in Shion of all places. I didn't knew why I even had to have it at the moment, it just felt right. Then it took several months to find a technician to bring it back to life and unlock it, and as soon it was up and running again - About ten months ago - I took a trip down memory lane. Regaining most of my memories and then leading Qrow in a wild goose chase so we could rendezvous in Argus... Which leads to now"

Ozpin, Qrow, and Glynda were all paying rapt attention at her story telling, though Qrow was just going through the motions of doing so because he had heard it about thrice already. Ozpin retrieved his mug and took a sip from it.

"Umm. This is a novelty. Looks like she took a change in approach during these last twelve years..." He said quietly before pausing. "From neutralizing my agents to outright eliminating them. Not unexpected - but still a change in approach regardless..." He continued, this time louder. "But before we continue any further Miss Rose; does the name 'Salem' ring any bells to you?"

She took a second to ponder about it. If she connected the whole 'Kill agents' thing to the name and took a chance with that? It was definitely a 'bad' person. The name was said in very concealed spite. Ozpin might be older than her and carry himself like a timeless old wise ass, but his human nature betrays him, his emotions seep out when this whole mess is brought up, and starts to mutter under his breath.

And so, she decided to roll with the theory that 'Salem' was the same person killing Ozpin's agents, and whom had quite possibly had gotten Summer Rose killed. Not that they needed to know about the machinations of her mind.

"I... I don't remember much of the name, but... I feel like... Whenever that name is brought up... I feel like I should stop whomever that's holding it from doing anything... Evil..."

Ozpin smirked at that, and I repeat. Ozpin. Out of all people in Remnant. Smirked.

"Very well... Now, Miss Rose. What is your favorite fairy tale?" The way he carried those words were like someone was dictating her epitaph, but she pushed through it.

The question was odd to say the least. What did fairy tales had to do with this? Thankfully, she knew just the way Summer Rose would answer this kind of strange question.

"Well... It's kind of a hard pick... The Tale of The Brothers and The Girl in The Tower have always been my two favorites. I just can't decide between them"

Ozpin's eyes conveyed a decently hidden surprise before continuing.

"That's an odd answer to say the least... But I am aware that odd is the norm with you, Summer. As this is the same answer you gave me all those years back. Now, sit tight. I think it is time for you to recall the reality of all the fairy tales of Remnant..."

The exposition which followed that sentence? She didn't expect, not in a million fucking years. Ozpin tore her comprehension of reality and Remnant history to the seams, leaving her to pick up the scattered pieces.

She really started to regret playing the role of Summer Rose. Why? Because she now has the Oum-damned Queen of the Grimm on her tail because of her freaking eyes. Apparently.

As Qrow and Summer waved their goodbyes and sauntered toward the elevator, Glynda Goodwitch had a pleasant smile all the way. Summer Rose was back after a twelve-year absence, and couldn't be any happier. Sure, the whole amnesia situation made her have to sit through one of Ozpin's lengthy monologues about how crazy the origins of Remnant and the Grimm actually were, but having to look at Summer Rose's face filled with rapt attention at Ozpin's 'lecture' was worth it.

It reminded her of simpler times...

"Something is... Off with Miss Rose"

And back to to what was the present back then.

"What would that be, Ozpin?" She asked, genuinely interested.

"I can feel her Aura, her very essence. It's the majorly the same as it was all those years ago... But something... Something is lacking. Deep within her core... She is seems to be missing something very important to our cause" His hand rose to his chin, deep in thought with his eyes closed. "Not to mention, something feels - If the term could even be applied to this peculiar situation - Plastic about her..."

"You couldn't quite possibly mean...?" She started to theorize, but Ozpin cut her train of thought quickly.

"I am not sure... Let's keep a close eye on her, make her jump through various hoops and watch closely if she'll slip up... After all, there is a reason why I omitted an explanation on The Story of The Seasons from my lecture, after all"

"Huh... I didn't even notice..." She mused to herself.

"Neither did she, Glynda. Neither did she, but the amnesia theory seems to hold up, though. She indeed appeared to be listening to everything for the first time..." He then opened a drawer in his desk, taking out... "But for now, we must make preparations if we wish to officialize our bid to host the 40th Vytal Festival. The amount of paperwork is tremendous, but I think it is manageable, don't you think so, Glynda?"

Ah-shucks, here we go again. Why do I even bother with this immortal, lazy bastard?

This took undeniably longer than it should've, but that's mainly because a freak storm brought down most of the ADSL wiring on my neighborhood. I'm uploading this through the FF Android app and my mobile data connection sucks ass (Fuck you, Movistar!).

Back to the story, though. Ozpin suspects something, and so, our Summer doppelganger isn't out of the woods just yet. What tests is Ozpin talking about? Who knows! It sure as hell it ain't me...! Who am I kidding. I'm writing this so of course I should know... Damn it.