Weird Pre-Chapter Author's Note:

Last time, the site screwed up posting the chapter. It was "up" under my profile, but unavailable to readers. This week seems to be doing the same thing. No response to support emails, and I have no idea what the problem is. Make sure you read 52 first if you missed it thanks to the technical problems.


"We'll know soon enough, but I'm just gonna throw this out there- if you're not going, I'm not going, either."

Roman looked up from his seated position on the edge of the bed. Kali was leaning with her back against the door of the dormitory, her arms folded across her chest and ears flattened. Despite her show of solidarity, the notion only made Roman feel worse, and he let out a noise not unlike a deflating balloon.

"Kal… don't go there. We've been busting our assess all year, and you deserve a vacation, even if I can't go. Please?"

"No," Kali insisted as she shook her head. "It won't be nearly as much fun without you, and I'm not about to get drunk on the beach while you're suffering."

"I echo that sentiment," Bartholomew offered from his place reclining in bed, his eyes trained upon a thick history textbook. "Personally, I'm not sure I truly want to go to begin with, if I'm being honest, but being without one or two of our team would sour the deal to the point where I would be out."

"I'm going, regardless of who else is coming along," Adam said simply.

The other three members of Team OKRA looked over at their companion with puzzled expressions. Adam was stepping forward and swinging his crimson sword, Wilt, in practiced arcs before he reached a certain point upon the floor. Once the pattern was complete, he returned to his starting position and began his advances again, practicing with near mechanical precision.

"…really?" Bartholomew asked as he arched a brow. "You never really struck me as the 'party on the beach' type. I was expecting you to simply follow the crowd, in either direction."

"Not really my style," Adam denied as he made another sweeping cut through the air. "Not anymore, anyway. I've got nowhere else to go. The only other option would be remaining at Beacon and taking extra classes throughout the summer, and as much as the headmaster would like such a thing… I think I've started to actually like you people, a little."

Kali's ears perked up as she gave the other faunus a toothy grin.

"Aw! That was like… almost a compliment!"

"Adam's heart grew three sizes that day," Roman joked as he flopped backward onto the mattress, his hands behind his head. "Unfortunately, we'd still need a microscope to see it."

"…fuck you, Roman," Adam spat as he gave his friend a dirty look.

"Nah, I'm good," Roman cooed.

"Children," Bartholomew chided as he licked a fingertip and turned the page of his book. "Fight nicely. This is hardly the time to increase the tension already in the room."

"You've got that right," Roman agreed before blowing his fringe of bright orange hair out of his eyes. "I hate this. I hate this more than anything else that's gone on this year. Do you know how nice it would be to just get away from it all, for a few weeks? I know I don't have it the worst out of everyone here, but… come on. Weekends have been hell for me. I need a break so bad…"

"And we'll make sure you get it," Kali reassured as she slinked onto the bed and sat beside Roman. "Or… well, Team STRQ will. They should be back soon, right? I mean, it shouldn't be that hard to convince Professor Ozpin to help us out. They've done so much for him."

"Again- with the exception of going against his orders not to inform us of what's truly going on," Bartholomew reminded. "I do believe he already knows, but if he brings us up now… they may be gone quite a while."

As if on cue, a series of hard knocks rang out against the door of the OKRA dorm room.

"…or not long at all," Adam suggested as he turned to face the entrance and sheathed his sword. "Time to learn our fate."

"Could you not make it sound so damned dramatic?" Roman asked as Kali rose from her spot on the bed and made her way back to the door.

"Whatever we're about to find out, just… keep in mind that if Professor Ozpin can't help us, we're not done yet," Kali said insistently as she grabbed the handle of the door. "It's just one option exhausted, not the end of the line."

As Kali opened the door expecting to find Team STRQ behind it, her ears perked straight up and she blinked in surprise. Instead of the group of four that the faunus had expected to be waiting for her, she saw only one person- and one that she didn't immediately recognize. Slowly, as though her brain was operating on a delay, realization hit her, and her mouth pulled into a tight line.

"…who the fuck is that?" Roman asked as he sat up, looking incredibly confused.

"…someone I wasn't expecting to see again," Kali answered as her ears flattened back once again. "Hi."

In the doorway stood a tall, shabby looking woman wearing a black sleeveless tee and jeans with rips along the thighs and one knee. She wore fingerless black gloves and a chained belt, along with a matching, silver-chained necklace. Her skin was an olive tone, sharply contrasting her bright blue eyes. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, with chin-length bangs hanging on either side in front. Poking up from within the strands were two tawny feline ears. The left one had a chunk missing from it, while the right was pierced with three thick golden rings.

"…hi," the woman said, her unease obvious in her tone. "I… guess I found the right dorm. Can I come in…?"

Kali heaved a sigh before stepping to the side and allowing the other faunus into the room.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure. Just don't try anything."

"I'm not stupid enough to start shit in a room of four hunters," the woman grumbled as she stepped inside, only to find all three of the boys staring at her. "You must be Kali's team."

"Indeed we are," Bartholomew answered. "And you are… is it… Sandra Rainart?"

"Sasha," the faunus corrected as she rubbed at her arm. "How did you…?"

"The news, after the robbery," Bartholomew answered simply. "My apologies for getting your name incorrect. Though, I suppose such an apology is contingent upon why you're here."

"Damn," Roman commented with a raised brow. "Good memory, man. I almost forgot that robbery even happened."

"I wish I could, too," Sasha added as she moved to stand away from the group. "Listen, Kali, I… took your advice, after I got out of jail."

"…you spoke to Professor Ozpin?" Kali asked, her ears finally returning to their neutral state. "And what did he tell you?"

"Well…" Sasha began as she raised her eyes to meet Kali's piercing yellows, "he told me… almost exactly what you told me. That I was wasting my life on crime, and that I could be so much more. He was so kind, and so… forgiving that I ended up telling him just about everything, and… and I realized that he was right. You were right. I came here to apologize. It's been days since I spoke to him, but I just couldn't bring myself to come here until I felt too guilty to resist."

"You're not alone in that feeling," Adam chimed in as he slowly approached the woman, earning her attention immediately. "Professor Ozpin was there for me as well, after I… did some things I wasn't incredibly proud of. Things that I thought I needed to do, at the time. In truth, I still believe that my actions were justified, even now, but… he offered me a place at this school, when I had nothing. He gave me a new life."

Sasha nodded slowly, her expression one of nerves and misery.

"…he's doing the same for me. I'm starting here in the next fall semester, and he's waiving my tuition for the first year."

"That's Oz, alright," Roman said with a confident nod. "He'll bend just about any rule for those he considers worthy."

"And that's why he's going to come through for you," Kali said with a pointed look at Roman, before turning her attention back to Sasha. "So, you're giving it all up. The life of crime?"

"I am," Sasha replied with a curt nod. "It seems insane to me to just trust this man, but… I am. I'm going to try."

"…then you'll have us at your back, as Year Two students," Kali said simply as she returned to sit beside Roman upon the bed. "We'll help you learn the ropes."

"What?" Sasha asked incredulously. "But…"

"But nothing," Kali denied. "You want to take this seriously? Then I'll put in the effort to help you along, and my team backs me up. Right?"

"Right," Roman agreed. Adam merely nodded, as Bartholomew closed his book and sat up upon the bed.

"Indeed. Miss Rainart, we'll endeavor to make your transition into becoming a huntress as smooth as possible, so long as you remain committed. From the tale Kali spun to us of your attempted robbery, it does sound like you showcased a fair bit of skill with a firearm. That's a start."

"I don't deserve your kindness," Sasha pointed out. "But… thank you."

"It's not all roses," Kali warned. "That offer is conditional."

Sasha let out a weary sigh, her damaged ear flicking in annoyance.

"…of course it is. I won't steal anything from Beacon or anywhere else, a-"

"No, not that," Kali interrupted. "It's conditional on you giving us some information about your brother, and the rest of your former crew."

Sasha's face grew pale, and she folded her arms across her chest in a defensive posture.

"Hazel? I… I can't tell you much. I haven't heard from him in months. He won't answer his scroll, and he… he just left me a cryptic text, and then went silent. Why do you want to know about him?"

"Because he manhandled two of my friends, and I had to tangle with him personally," Kali explained with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean you haven't heard from him? What was the 'cryptic text' you got?"

Sasha blew out a breath and pulled her scroll out from her pants pocket, before pushing back one of her bangs with a nervous hand as she began to read.

"…Sasha- I have to disappear for a while. If you have any information on our getaway driver's whereabouts, I need it immediately. Don't come looking for me, and don't contact me with anything else. I'll be getting rid of this scroll in one week's time. I have an employer now, and when I'm sure it's safe, I'll come get you and introduce you to her. -H."

"How… odd," Bartholomew observed. "And you have no idea what any of this means? Who is this getaway driver…?"

"Leonardo Lionheart," Sasha answered without hesitation. "I gave Hazel what I knew, since Leo contacted me after I got out of jail. He never replied. The other member of our crew, Tyrian Callows, went missing after his transfer convoy was ambushed by grimm a few months back. He's presumed dead, but no body was found. That's all I know about any of them, I swear."

"Nothing particularly helpful," Kali muttered.

"…but there is one silver lining," Adam interjected. "It seems that, at least for now, none of them have an interest in you, and Tyrian is likely dead. Cutting all ties with the past makes it much easier to adopt a new life. A new identity, even."

"…maybe," Sasha agreed. "But it still doesn't feel great. I'm not on good terms with my folks, and Hazel was my only real lifeline. If this huntress idea falls through, I… I've got nothing else."

"Then we make sure it doesn't fall through," Kali said simply as she cast her eyes to the open door as Qrow walked toward the frame. "Hey, guys!"

"Hey!" Qrow answered with a weary look.

"We're back!" Summer called as she strode into the room just behind the young man. She raised a brow at Sasha as Raven and Taiyang followed her inside. "And you are…?"

"Long, long story that we've only gotten a piece of, so far," Roman answered for her. "First… well?"

"…well," Qrow began, before exchanging an uneasy look with Raven. "Professor Ozpin didn't solve the situation with your dad… but he did set up an opportunity to do so."

Roman sat up with a groan, before rubbing at the top of his head.

"…why do I already hate the sound of this…"

Qrow grimaced, before stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Because from here on, it's up to you. You've got one shot at this, this weekend, and if it falls through… we're kinda screwed."


Author's Note:

On the week of 11/30, the thrilling conclusion to the "will Roman get to go to the beach party?" arc!

Also, I am now running a Discord server aimed at fanfiction authors and fan artists! If you write or draw for RWBY or any other fandom, feel free to join up. I'm aiming to build a support network, connect people for commissions, and just generally create a cool place to hang out. Even if you don't create fanworks, you're welcome to join up to connect with writers/artists and just chill together. The link is in my profile!

-RD