The Wild Man

As if to add insult to injury about the events at the docks there was an assembly the next day.

Ruby, as ever, was highly excitable.

"Do you think it will be about how they're dealing with the guy that attacked us?"

"That's hardly likely," Weiss scoffed. "For them to call a full assembly means it must be something that involves the entire academy. And that maniac only targeted you. Even if you were invited to attend early by the headmaster, he would hardly call an assembly just to deal with him."

"If I might have your attention," spoke Ozpin from the stage, "but I have an announcement about a new member of staff. Please welcome professor Callows, who will be assisting professor Goodwitch in combat classes. His skills will compliment hers, due his focus on..."

Team RWBY's eyes widened as they saw the man that attacked Ruby at the docks step up behind Ozpin, wearing an outfit Weiss could tell was supposed to be that of a teacher but decades out of date.

Drei was the first to make a verbal response, growling at the stage.

"You said it," Yang told him, even as the crowd of people around them edged away.

"How... how could Ozpin let someone like that without the walls of Beacon? Is he trying to get us killed?"

"You may have a point there Weiss, what with initiation and all." Yangs observation was met with glares.

"I-I'll talk to the headmaster, find out why," Ruby asserted.

"Yeah, I don't think that will accomplish anything," Yang pointed out. "I mean, how often does a headmaster change their decisions based on the input of a student?"

"And finally," Ozpin continued more forcefully, having apparently noticed that not everyone was paying attention, "professor Salem has requested team RWBY drop by her office, to on the basis of their previous encounter with professor Callows. Dismissed." He turned aside slightly. "Can you send in the next year," he asked someone much more quietly, apparently thinking his microphone was turned off.

Weiss sighed. "Come on, lets see what Salem has to say."

[]

Ren and Nora shared a glance as they the hall.

They had heard about what happened with this 'professor Callows' and team RWBY.

If Salem was bringing in allies, they would need to confront her soon.

[]

Salem had to admit there were perks to moving back into civilisation, such as the range of teas she now had access to.

It wasn't as if she could place an order to have any delivered to her tower after all, and the last time she had sent out Tyrian (as Hazel had no interest in anything that didn't affect Ozpin and Watts considered such things beneath him) he had brought back some kind of T-shaped glass tubing, that he insisted lit up.

As such, she was greatly enjoying the cup of tea she was treating herself to when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," she called, placing her cup down gently.

It had been embarrassing when she broke the first tea-cup, having forgotten how much more delicate they were than glasses and how much stronger she was than when she last used one.

It was team RWBY that trailed in, as she had expected.

"I expected you would have concerns about Tyrian serving as a teacher here, after what happened yesterday," she pre-empted their questions, "so I asked you here so I could explain."

"He's a psychopath that attacked my sister!"

"Indeed, but as things are now he understands that he is not permitted to harm her, and there will be immediate consequences for the attempt."

"You aren't even going to try and deny that he is a psychopath?"

Salem shrugged. "It isn't as though I could make any arguments against it. But here is an argument I can make. Would you prefer to have him, a psychopath as you noted, loose to do as he wishes, or would you rather have him under the watchful eye of someone he wil follow the directions of?"

"I would rather have him in prison!"

"That wouldn't work." she paused, seeing their expressions of disbelief and chose to explain. "His semblance has been known to destroy buildings. Trying to place him inside a prison would just result in any other prisoners who survived getting free as well."

"There are restraints for criminal Huntsmen-"

"But they do not negate aura and as long as Tyrian has access to his semblance he is as good as free."

"You mean he can use it to attack from anywhere?"

"Truth be told, I don't believe he comprehends the concept of bodyparts not being weapons."

"There are... other solutions..." the white-haired one commented hesitantly.

"Atlas may have the death sentence, but we aren't in Atlas. And Tyrian has made it clear that he isn't mad enough to entire Atlas with orders to turn himself in."

"So you're trying to tell us that having him as a teacher is the best option?"

"Indeed. And to set any concerns you may retain at ease, I will be overseeing any of your classes with him. There is no way that he will disobey my directions when I am present. Oh, one final thing. I am impressed by how much you appear to have bonded with your... less than entirely human teammate. Drei, you named him as I understand."

"And what of it?" It was the yellow-haired one that stepped forward, moving as though to protect her teammate.

"Nothing. It merely justifies certain plans I had to abandon some time ago. Now, I do believe that you have better things to do than sit about in my office."

Content that the dismissal was clear Salem raised her cup again.

"I don't think-"

There was a cracking sound, and the cups handle broke, allowing the cup to shatter on the table.

"Uh, we'll just be going now... Come on, Yang, Weiss, Drei..."

[]

Tyrian sighed deeply as he sat at the desk provided.

Long ago he had sworn to serve his goddess however she required, only to discover there were things he couldn't help her with.

He had no skill with technology, so she needed to recruit an ally, he couldn't possess the power of the maidens, so she recruited another.

This, while not one of his skills, was something he was capable of.

And as long as he could do it, he would.

"Teaching assistant recruitment form, page 104," he read aloud.

If only she'd needed something killed instead.

[]

Time came for Salem to check on Tyrians progress dealing with her paperwork.

It was the one thing that had soured her return to civilisation, as Grimm had never quite managed to invent paperwork, leaving her free from its evils until now.

And thanks to Tyrians mistakes, she was able to foist it all off on him.

It was almost worth it.

As she stepped out of her office, she paused.

"Is there something I can help you with? Team ANVL, I recall. I do hope nothing happened to your teammate."

"The Nevermore likes flying. We are here for answers."

Salem refused to turn to face them, but allowed her tone to darken, letting the barest sliver of her true self through. "What kind of answers?"

"Our village was destroyed by Grimm-"

"Not under my orders. I have never had plans that require senseless destruction." Of course, sometimes destroying a kingdom or two was the only sensible course of action, but that was generations ago. Or was it ages? It was always hard keeping such unit of time straight.

"It was a rare type of Grimm. A Nuckelavee."

Salem managed not to sigh out loud. What was it with humanity and coming with names that didn't let you know what was being described by them? "Describe it, names aren't always the same."

"A horse and rider."

Salem froze. Thoughts rushed through her mind. Who would be the best choice to deal with this? Tyrian was her go to combat specialist, but he no longer had the option to do what needed to be done. There was one hope...

Slowly she turned to face the youth that had been speaking. "You mean to say one survived?"


AN: and so Salem starts to show her true self. And apologies for the delays (and length of the chapter), the internet issues that delayed my other story getting a chapter continued and there's also been a personal problem. With luck, next chapter, which will reveal more about the nature of this version of Salem, won't take quite as long.