"I see." A chair squeaked around the room and a male voice broke the silence. There was a thick sound as a something clicked together. "Well, that was the administration. The Headmaster will be coming down here to personally check in on your sister. Seems that Mr. Winchester is on suspension until he completes a Faunus Sensitivity Training Course. I'm sorry this happened, Mr. Branwen, especially on your first day here."

"S-sure…" Qrow sounded so sad. It was rare to say that something broke her heart, but being twins, the feelings were amplified. "Is she gonna' be okay?"

"Yes," the man's sporadic voice quipped. "She should be waking up any moment. You two are very lucky that Miss Rose and Mr. Xiao Long arrived when they did."

"Ah, it was nothing! You know how she is!" It was a voice Raven didn't recognize – definitely not the girl's. She recalled the fearful look in her eyes. Had that been real? Had she really looked at her that way or had that been her imagination? She had so many things she needed to ask that girl. "Always has to play hero!"

"Yes, well," the man mulled over his thoughts. "I know I said that it would be nice to have one day where I don't see either of you in my office, but that includes bringing other students, as well."

"Hey," the other voice said confidently. "What if I just like listening to your lectures?"

"Ugh," the man stood up and headed to the door. "Xiao Long, you pretty much live here. I'm going out for a smoke. Keep an eye on things 'til I get back."

"Haha, you got it!"

"Th-thanks," Qrow said quietly. "I didn't know what was going to happen."

"Don't sweat it," Xiao Long said assuringly. "Summer's got a giant soft spot for Faunus…"

"She… does?"

"Ooooh, yeah," the words bounced as he chuckled through them. "You guys are super lucky though. She's been on this weird kick the last five years. Came home one night and all she wanted to study was birds. What are the chances you guys are Avens? She totally gushed when she found out. Like, I mean the most obnoxious squealing I've ever heard."

"Oh, uh… right…" So girl in white was called Summer… and she liked birds?

They're so pretty… Words in an unfamiliar voice echoed through her mind. Now that she thought about it, there had been someone in the past that had been fairly interested in her. That person had made her feel strange, in an indescribable way that made her lose the confidence she would have normally had. Raven's hand trailed to the back of her head and she grimaced at the state of her feathers. That person had loved her feathers and had become a secondary reason for why she kept them… but they were damaged now. Would that person still think the same?

"Oh, you're awake!" Crap, she'd been caught and it was by Xiao Long. Sighing, she sat up and faced them.

"You're extremely loud…"

"Ah, right!" He was a tall, muscular blonde with short scraggly hair and sun-tanned skin. If she had to guess, he spent a lot of time outdoors. "Sorry about that. Guess I'm just kinda' still amped up."

"How long was I out?"

"It's been a couple hours," Qrow drew closer to her, dragging the chair behind him.

"The girl with silver eyes," Raven rubbed at her sinuses.

"Silver eyes?" Qrow frowned in response. He didn't seem to know what she was talking to about, so she looked at Xiao Long.

"…Where is she? I need to ask what she," Xiao Long waited patiently for her to finish her words. "Did to me…"

"Did to you?" Qrow put a hand on hers, propped up some pillows behind her, and pushed her back into them. "Rae, you passed out. She didn't do anything to you. She asked Xiao Long to bring you here and went to the administration." Her hand trembled in frustration and she resisted.

"No, not that!" Raven hissed as she leaned forward. "Before that! Whatever she did, everything went cold and the world was distorted! I've never heard of a Faunus with that kind of power before! What species is she?"

"She doesn't have powers," Xiao Long spoke calmly before he narrowed his eyes at her. "She's as human as they come. Don't confuse her for one of you Darkforge Bearers… She's far too pure for that."

"You got a problem with our kind, Golden Boy," Qrow frowned at him. "Awfully quick to drop the hero act there."

"No," the boy in question closed his eyes to clear his thoughts before replying. "I just don't see any sense in focusing on obsolete methods. We have a much better way of fighting than wasting our efforts on training Darkforge Bearers."

"Wow, that's actually… kinda' racist for someone who just helped us out."

"Don't get me wrong," Xiao Long offered and motioned to the swords lined up against the wall. "If you were given the choice to fight an Inhuman with a wooden stick or your swords, which would you pick? A regular piece of untreated wood? Or a silver blade capable of absorbing Lightforge Essence?"

"I think that's pretty obvious," Qrow stared him down.

"It's the same concept," Xiao Long held his hand out as he explained. "You wouldn't fight fire with fire, so why fight Darkforge with Darkforge when you have people like us? That's what they should really be focusing on."

"People like… you?" Could they be what she was looking for?... No, this was too easy. They were too readily accessible… But the weapon was still in development.

Development could mean training if it were a living thing. A pit opened in her stomach and she suddenly felt sicker… Maybe she should have taken the girl with her back then. She could have hidden her or something – made it work somehow.

"I take it you two are Lightforge Bearers, then."

"Nope!" A cheerful voice erased the tension in the room as the girl in white sauntered into the room with a darkly dressed man close behind. She slid behind Xiao Long and draped her arms over his shoulders. "Tai, be nice! Not everyone can be immune to Darkforge. Don't act like it makes you better. All that means is that Inhumans," she danced two fingers up his shoulder to his neck and walked them up to the top of his head. "Won't waste time turning you! They'll just jump straight to the 'Killing You' part!" She spun around him excitedly and roped an arm around him, painting an imaginary vision with her free arm. "Yaaaaay, equality! Doesn't it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?!"

"… Sarcasm doesn't suit you…"

"Stop being a jerk," Summer leered at him exhaustedly. "And I'll stop being an ass."

"Uh… kay?" He squeaked out, shrinking under her cold stare.

"Now be a good boy," she said in a hushed voice that somehow made Raven uncomfortable. It seemed flirtatious, but somehow disingenuous.

"How's that possible?" Qrow interrupted whatever they had going on. "Every human is born with Forge! It doesn't matter if it's Light or Dark, but all living things have it!"

"Not all humans, Qrow…" Raven rubbed her temple as she tried to recall what she remembered. "There's a very rare human condition where they are born without it. It almost never happens, but their bodies aren't capable of harnessing Lightforge…" Raven met her eyes. "And without Lightforge, Darkforge can't infect them."

"So… he can't become an Inhuman?"

"Yeah!" Tai grinned proudly and puffed his chest out. "What they should be trying to do is make more units like me! That's why we Xiao Longs are superior in every way!"

"Xiao Long, as in the Xiao Long Monastery?" Raven observed him cautiously. Shit, now she remembered what Summer had told her back then. This could be a problem.

"Looks like you've heard of us!"

"Uh, Rae," Qrow looked back and forth between them. "Clue me in?"

"The Xiao Longs," Raven sighed exhaustedly and recited as if she were reading from a text book. "A religious order within the Puritans. Their practices are a bit different, but they are ultimately still the same when it comes to their views. There was a struggle within the Puritans when the Schnee approached them. The Xiao Longs took an interest in the Schnee's way of combating The Originator's Coven and took up residency within Vale to monitor them, but I didn't think they'd actually have one of their followers masquerading as a student."

"I'll inherit the Monastery in a few years," Tai smiled coyly. "But I'm not interested in politics in the slightest. I'm more interested in getting rid of the problem at its source and being next to Summer is the fastest way there."

"Ugh," Summer groaned in response. "You know, you have way too much confidence in me."

"You're the only one in this building who knows what The Originator looks like, Summer," Tai frowned and Summer jarred at the mention of his name. She seemed genuinely afraid when he was brought up, but she buried her expression behind a false smile… Again, Raven felt uncomfortable watching her mask her emotions. It somehow felt painful to watch. "I don't know why, but he let you live and he didn't even try to turn you."

"Tai…" Her voice was numb and he silenced himself at her tone. The two looked at each other, communicating something wordlessly.

"Well, since the two of you seem to be done, I'd like to introduce myself now!" The taller man stepped forward. He was very youthful looking and had strangely colored eyes that reminded her summer colors. "I am Signal's headmaster, Oscar Pine. I'd like to apologize for today's incident and assure you that it won't happen again. We do not promote intolerant behavior at this academy and appropriate actions have been taken. I hope this incident does not ruin your time with us." Well, that was an understatement, if anything.

"Headmaster, it was more than just a single student…" Summer crossed her arms and spoke bluntly.

"The others were following Winchester's lead," the blonde pointed out. "Cut down the leader and the rest of them scatter like rats. Nothing remedies a situation like removing someone from power and showing him just how faithful his lackeys really are. He deserves at least a little bit of mercy, y'know."

"Mercy is dangerous, Tai. Not everyone deserves a second chance…" Summer spoke darkly from within her hood. "And Winchester isn't the type to just take it and lay down."

"If it comes to that, then I'll take care of it. I'll just put the fear of God into him."

"Hah!" Summer laughed and ruffled his hair. "I love when you use sayings that don't match your beliefs!... No one's afraid of you, Tai. They just don't want to deal with the consequences."

"Can you let me have my moment?" He glared at her in response. "You're such a mean partner!" Summer looked away guiltily and he tilted his head. "What?"

"Ahem," Oscar cleared his throat to get the twins' attention while Tai tried to pry whatever it was out of her. "Miss Rose and I took the liberty of moving your things to the dormitory you will be sharing with your team. Your weapons and armor also arrived this morning and are in your lockers, which your team leader will give you your access information."

"Team?" Raven wasn't sure if she was ready to meet anyone else yet. Everything was already overwhelming her. "Leader?"

"Yes," Oscar nodded. "Unfortunately, you missed orientation, so I'll cover that now! Signal assigns students into four-man groups comprised of two pairs of partners who share living quarters. Partners are generally assigned and teams built during Intermediary years and carry on through the rest of your career within this institution. However, seeing as the two of you are late-comers, I have placed you with another pair of individuals that do not have a team."

"Summer and I have been partners since the beginning!" Giving up on whatever she was hiding, Tai grinned. "It's a good thing too! She's a handful."

"Um… Tai," the white clad girl interrupted him nervously. "Can I talk to you outside?"

"Oh, you've certainly danced around this subject, Miss Rose," the headmaster gave her a mischievous look. "Before we left home this morning, I informed you that your partnership had been officially dissolved."

"Excuse me, what?!" Tai shrieked in betrayal and Summer recoiled.

"To be fair," Summer stepped back and spoke sheepishly. "I tried to tell you when we were moving our stuff in, but you were so excited to be back and wouldn't stop talking, and all that stuff happened and…" Done with the excuses, Tai raised his hand to silence her and cast a scrutinizing look at the twins.

"So which one is it?!" He glared back and forth between them and the headmaster. "I assume that's why we were sent as the greeting party, so which one of them did you assign to her?!"

"Tai…" Summer put a hand on his shoulder and try to calm him.

"And why aren't you just as upset as I am?!" He gave her a devastated look. "Did you even try to say no? He's always trying to get in between us!"

"He's my appointed guardian, Tai," Summer tried to reason with him. "He took me in so I didn't wind up with them!"

"But you're still allowed to say no!" Tai looked back at the headmaster. "Our teammates always quit! What sense does this make? They're just gonna' get freaked out and leave and then you'll stick us back together, so what's the point in this! I don't understand!"

"Tai, it's not that serious," Summer frowned. "We're still on the same team, in the same room. This just means that we'll get experience working with others."

"But why now!" He continued his tantrum and Summer gritted her teeth.

"Because I requested it!" Surprised by the uncharacteristically loud volume of her voice, Tai stumbled back in disbelief.

"Wa-you… what?..." He tried to make sense of what she was saying, but he just couldn't accept it. "…no… No! This is a terrible idea. You can't just leave me for some-."

"Some what?!" Qrow jumped up in defense and the blonde leered at him.

"I really hoped it wouldn't come to this," Summer groaned as she pressed a hand to her forehead. Silver shimmered for within her hood and Raven recalled how they had first met in the dream. Her eyes glowed brightly and the world around them froze, changing to the black and white realm she so vividly remembered. It was different this time though. Instead of remaining frozen, it seemed like everything was rewinding around them. "I can't be doing this all the time, but he's so damn stubborn!... Huh?"

"Can you…" Eyes still alight, she tilted her head curiously at Raven and approached her. After a moment, she sat down on the bed in front of her and observed her, then she smirked. "You're still aware, aren't you?" Frozen where she was, Raven mentally screamed an answer, but it didn't come out. "I can see your eyes moving. You've been… imbued somehow?" She lifted her hand slowly and Raven's eyes drifted toward it in alarm. "I won't hurt you."

Fingers brushing faintly against her skin, Raven felt life breathe back into her body and she let out the breath that had been frozen within her. She watched as the world around her reversed its own actions and ultimately came to a stop, where it froze again just before the entire discussion had taken a turn for the worst. When it ended, Raven's eyes landed on the girl in front of her as her thumb brushed across the knuckles of Raven's hand.

"What is this?" Raven narrowed her eyes at her and pulled her hand away. "What did you do? Who are you?"

"Hmm, who am I, indeed," she offered her a smirk. "Summer Rose."

"Summer." Even though she'd heard it a few times, the name felt strange crossing her lips. She'd never said it before, nor had they really introduced themselves. "Don't play around. You know what I mean."

"So serious! I must be making you uncomfortable. I remember you wanted something from me earlier." Her voice was amused and her hands travelled toward her hood and she drew it back, revealing her face for the first time and Raven's breath caught. "Does this help?"

"…" The aven sat there at a loss for words. Memories of a person from long ago came flooding back to her like some kind of unhappy reunion and it felt like she was being punched in the gut. Summer's hair was dark with tips that flared red at the ends and styled so that the sides were tied back in a partial braid on either side that came together in a tight bun. In the front, she had brushed her bangs over to the right. Overall, she had a look that was somehow both simple and ornamental at the same time.

"Ah!" The light in her eyes started to dim, leaving behind orbs that were truly metallic in nature. Even without the light, they were still a pure, yet somehow hollow silver. Maybe that was what was so haunting about this girl. Like some kind of emotional chameleon, her emotions didn't match the expression she was wearing. Anyone else might have been fooled, but Raven had always known to look into a person's eyes first. After all, she'd often been told as a child that a person's eyes were the window to their soul… Did that mean Summer was soulless?

"Looks like we're out of time!" Slowly, the world began to regain color. Movement was gradually restored and sounds started to form around them, until she was left still looking into the mercury pools in front of her.

"Uuuuh, Rae?" It was her brother's voice. "You might wanna' close your mouth. Wouldn't wanna' catch a bug in there, would you?"

"Heh heh," Summer covered her mouth in a laugh and Raven burned brightly in embarrassment. "Don't stare too hard, Little Birdie." The pale girl winked at her and stood up.

As her feet touched the ground, Raven noticed something like a rush came over the strange girl and she jarred. Catching herself on the bed, Summer seemed anything but the whimsical girl she had just portrayed herself as. Had whatever she had done been that taxing on her?

Whoa. Careful," Tai rushed to help her up. "You feeling okay?"

"Y-yeah… Just dizzy is all. I stayed up late packing last night."

"You always wait 'til last minute," he sighed as he shook his head. She could really be a nightmare sometimes. "Well, anything I can do to help, partner?"

"Er, yeah," Summer looked away in shame. "Let's back to the room... and maybe talk for a minute?… I have a couple things to talk to you about…" She mumbled the last half under her breath. "And I'm sure the headmaster needs to talk to them about orientation."

"Right you are, as usual, Miss Rose." The headmaster beamed at her. "Be sure to rest. You look unwell."

"Yeah, just overdid it a little today! I'll be fine!"

"You seem to be doing that a lot quite recently." He didn't seem convinced in the least bit. "You're sure?"

"Don't worry, sir!" Tai grinned, giving him a thumb up with her free arm. "I'll keep an eye on her! What are partners for? Let's get you to the room. Oscar can show them the way while he's giving them his boring speech."

"Tai, how many times do I have to tell you that we're supposed to call him Headmaster at school?!" Summer scolded him as he scooped her up bridal style and headed toward the door. As they headed out, Summer looked back and winked at Raven one last time, mouthing the word 'Later!'

A shiver ran through Raven at the nickname and Qrow lifted an eyebrow in question, so she avoided looking at him. She didn't have answers to the questions she was sure he had, and she didn't have time to pile them on top of her own. After seeing what Summer was capable of, could she really human?

Humans simply just didn't have power like that. That was more on the level of The Faithful – the religious humans blessed by divine beings. It would make sense, seeing as Xiao Long was a monk, but he did not seem to be aware of happened. Actually, it was only Summer and herself that were, so what did that mean? Was it Forge of some kind?

No… This did not adhere to the laws of Forge. Skilled Lightforge users could create platforms or glyphs. They could apply to weapons like they would a poison and even use it to generate a light source, but it could not be made into a weapon. Darkforge, on the other hand, was something tangible, with true purpose.

Darkforge Bearers, as the humans of old called them, had the power to alter perception, strengthen themselves, and reshape their surroundings to do their bidding, but not like this. Time was not something tangible that could be touched or physically manipulated… so how was it that it bent to her will, not once, but twice today? It wasn't possible by any means… and that meant that Summer was not an enemy she wanted to have. What if she was the trump card her father had mentioned?

"They're an interesting pair, aren't they?" The headmaster looked at them expectantly.

"Uh, yeah..." That was the understatement of the year, by Raven's account.

"Not sure I like Golden Boy," Qrow grumbled, more to himself than anything. "He kinda' seems like a dick."

"Haha," Oscar chuckled to himself. "It kind of comes with the territory. He's the sole heir to his family's school. They actually teach hand-to-hand to our students. I'm very grateful for their cooperation when it comes to training our students."

"He's an heir?" Qrow frowned, likely comparing him to Raven.

"Yes!... Let's see, I'm sure that two of you have already assumed, but you will be sharing a room with the two of them."

" Yeah," Qrow sighed. "Just my luck. On the bright side, it looks like we're together, huh, Rae?... Rae?"

"You assigned Rose as my partner, correct?" There was no way she completely altered everything that happened just by walking out of the room sooner.

"Oh, did she get a chance to talk to you already?"

"Uh, yeah," Raven decided it wasn't entirely untrue. "Right before I passed out. I just wasn't sure if I'd heard right."

"Seriously?" Qrow scoffed. "Unbelievable! My day just keeps getting better. Now I'm stuck with the Shining Racist!"

"Can I ask why they were split up?" It struck her as odd that they would be separated after all that time together. Before she'd reversed time, she'd caught the headmaster's explanation of how partnerships were determined.

"Ah, well," he shifted uneasily. "I felt that as your team leader, it would be appropriate for her familiarize herself with your special circumstances. I wanted her to be able to prepare for anything that could possibly arise from some of our less than accepting students. She was quite taken with you, but I do wonder what it was that caught her interest, don't you?" If he was baiting her for an answer, she didn't have one. "No matter, I think this team will have an interesting dynamic once all the kinks have been worked out! I look forward to all of your future achievements! Now, let's get you two settled! Do you feel well enough to walk, Miss Branwen?"

"Yes," she nodded. Actually, she felt fantastic, minus the soreness in the back of her head… but maybe it was because of Summer's presence. That was kind of a terrifying thought. As soon as the adrenaline wore off, she'd probably be miserable.

Following him out of the medical wing, they found themselves winding through several hallways. The entire academy was endlessly large and it would be easy to get lost, especially if their classes were all over the place. Thankfully, he explained that teams were placed in all core classes together. It was only when it got into specialized classes that things changed, so for the most part, their partners would be able to guide them around.

If they got lost, he recommended that Summer was very well-versed in the academy's architecture, having grown up there. Ugh, architecture. Raven was sure Qrow would have a field day talking to her about that. A thought crossed her mind to ask the headmaster more about her, but maybe it would be better to talk to the source directly. Maybe she could do it under the guise of a guided tour? Typical girls were all about female bonding, right?

"Sir," Raven pulled herself from her thoughts. "I was wondering about Rose and Xiao Long. Are they considered special cases?"

"How do you mean?"

"Rose explained earlier that Xiao Long is immune to Darkforge," Raven recalled. "And right before that, he hinted that they were similar… Do they have Forge Deficiency? If so, why are they enrolled to be out on the field?"

"Ah, you heard that," the headmaster shifted uneasily again. "It's correct that they both have the deficiency, yes. However, it benefits them more than it hurts them. There are only two kinds of humans in this world that have the deficiency, while maintaining the capability to handle themselves in a fight-"

"I thought it was only the Puritans, that could still fight," Qrow cut in. While he might not have been the most knowledgeable when it came to details on the Puritans, he at least knew that.

"The Puritans are not the only Faithful out there, Mr. Branwen," Headmaster Pine nodded in agreement. "Mr. Xiao Long belongs to the Xiao Long Monks, who ally themselves with the Circle of Fayth. Unfortunately, bias comes with the territory of being among the The Faythful, regardless of the order they follow. Still, I assure you that his ill-manner comes from his protectiveness over Miss Rose and not from a place of malice. I'm sure that you can understand that sentiment, Mr. Branwen, when it comes to your own sister."

"They're siblings?"

"Raised together off and on, but not by blood," Pine answered simply. "The Xiao Longs took her in as an orphan several years ago. Another family took her in, but it was decided to place her under my care. While I'd love to tell you more, I believe that is her business to make known if and when she feels comfortable. There are those who would take advantage of her."

"I see… Then," Raven took a breath and steeled herself. "I'd like to ask one last question about her. Well, it's a bit more general than that, but it does apply to her."

"Go on."

"I... are silver eyes common in humans?"

"As I said before," he smiled coyly. "Miss Rose is a bit of a special case, but I assure you she is completely human."

"So it's rare," Raven deduced.

"If you are asking for numbers, there are no statistics for comparison," he stated. "But I do know that it is a trait unique to the Rose bloodline, dating all the way back to the first known ancestor. It was said that Roses were recognized by their eyes and a unique otherworldly aura."

Otherworldly?... She felt her skin prickle beneath her clothing as she recalled the strange realm, frozen in time.

"But legends are only that," the headmaster chuckled. "There are just as many truths as lies in legends. They may have had silver eyes, but there is nothing otherworldly about them. They laugh, cry, and bleed just like any other man or woman… Though I suppose having deficiency may have been enough to be considered otherworldly back then."

No, Raven knew that it had to be true and she was the only one that knew. Summer was no human, nor was she one of the Faythful. Maybe this was what her dreams of silver were trying to tell her… and this was the path she would choose to follow.

"I've looked everywhere for silver-eyed individuals," he sighed. "It would certainly mean that she has relatives out there, whether or not they know she exists." Wait…

"You said…" Raven swallowed hard and her mouth went dry. "Every silver-eyed person is a Rose?" Her nerves started getting the better of her and she tried to smooth her hair back, but she winced in pain as she crossed the tender area.

"Are you sure that you're alright, Miss Branwen?"

"Y-yeah," she waved it off. "Just fine."

"You've got to be kidding me!" The yell was muffled as they drew closer to the door to their room. A few other students were standing out in the hall with concerned looks. "This is unacceptable! I refuse!"

"Just because you don't like it, doesn't change that it's happening!" That was Summer's voice. Wow, Raven didn't realize she could actually yell. She seemed way too withdrawn for that, even if she had her cheeky moments earlier. "God, why are you so stubborn! Now, you're just being a pain! Quit with the rich boy routine! Not all of us get everything we want out of life, Tai! Do you really think this is the kind of life I wanted?!"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Well, I wouldn't be dealing with you being a giant insecure ass baby." Now she was just taking shots at him. "That's for damn sure!"

"I can get over the twins," he growled. "But seriously?! Her?! Of all people, a vulture like her?!"

"Oh, don't even…" There was a moment of silence followed by stomping toward the door. "Don't walk away from me."

"I can't even deal with you right now!" The door swung open and Tai stormed out of the room, looking back in anger. "You might pander to them, but I won't! You won't get any closer to the Faunus with her than you would with me. If anything, it'll be even worse!..."

"Where are you going?" Her brow creased and they stared each other down.

"Out," he stormed off, flipping her the bird. "Don't wait for me!"

"Fine," Summer called from the room. "Leave! I won't miss you!" As he turned, he saw the twins and his eyes widened as he looked away in shame and passed them. Grumbling to herself, Summer caught some of the students staring at her and glared at them.

"What?! Not entertaining enough for you?!" Not wanting to get caught up in the aftermath, the crowd scattered and left the two very surprised twins.

Holy shit, she had a temper when she was pissed. Raven actually almost felt bad for the blonde… almost… On a note to herself, she'd keep in mind that Summer might actually have a worse temper than she did… but that would remain to be seen.

"All things considered," Pine's voice interrupted the mood with a cheery demeanor. "I think that went quite well!"

"Could've gone a lot better…" Summer sighed in frustration.

"Could have gone a lot worse!" Oh yeah, he was definitely a glass half full kind of guy.

"I guess you're right," she rubbed her arms uneasily. "Sorry, if he was rude. It's my fault. I shouldn't have sprung so much on him last minute."

"I've been called worse than a vulture," Raven stated flatly. "He'll have to try harder to hurt my feelings."

"As if you had any," Qrow rolled his eyes and she squinted at him with a venomous look.

"Vulture?" Summer tilted her head in confusion and mentally replayed the argument in her head. "Oh, he wasn't talking about you!"

"He mentioned you wanting to get closer to Faunus," Raven gave her an unconvinced look. "You don't have to lie for him. I'll live."

"No, I swear," Summer pleaded with her – something that was polar opposite to the girl she had seen so far. "You and the girl he's talking about have nothing to do with each other."

"So you accepted her offer?" Oscar raised his brows in interest.

"No, yes… I don't know," Summer pressed her fingers to her sinuses and tried to clear her mind. "There's so much going on right now. I'm not thinking clearly. I told her yes, but she's giving me 'til the end of the week to think it over. She knows I'm not sure, but it does get me in a position that better serves my purposes."

"If it's information that you want-"

"It's revenge that I want, Oscar," she dropped her hand and gave him a fierce look. "And being patient is too slow! I need some kind of result! Even a small victory, it's a victory."

"You can still get results," he followed her into the room and she sat on her bed. "You have time."

"Do I?" There was tension in the air and he gave her a solemn look. "What would Mom do? Maybe that's what I should do."

"I would say not to compare yourself to her and to decide what Summer will do, rather than her what her mother would do."

"Would?"

"Haha, yes," he smirked mischievously and say beside. "But then again, that is exactly what your mother would have done. She was a very free and selfish woman who always did as she pleased. She was not someone driven by anger and simply chased her own happiness, and that is what she wished for you." He placed a hand on her shoulder and she finally looked at him. "Do not so readily cage yourself. There is no escape once they lock you away this time."

"…She's not like them though," Summer said sadly. "She deserves freedom too… It would be the right decision, if I wanted to leave a mark… If I wanted to be remembered…"

"Do you?"

"… I don't know. It's not like we've ever appeared in history books before," she gave him a strangely empty look. "Are we supposed to be?" He looked into her eyes and found a girl desperate for an answer.

"Your life is yours to decide what to do with," he smiled gently. "I will not force you to live in the shadows, but once you step into the light, you will need friends… and every action has its own consequence. Are you ready for the world? Or better yet, is the world ready for you?"

"…No… At least, not yet," she sat up and gave him an adamant look. "But I will be."

"Good," he gave her a firm pat on the shoulders and stood up. He headed toward the door and gave her one last look. "Those that follow Roses are destined to do great things, Summer. You will affect many people in your life, but you should take some time to make allies first. Prepare – don't rush. Make memories and live without regrets. Time is on your side – use it."

The headmaster disappeared beyond the door, closing it behind him, leaving a silence in the room. Raven wondered to herself if she should say something, but she didn't know exactly what. There had been something very deep in that conversation and it seemed that there was something that weighed very heavily on her partner's mind.

"Look, I'm really sorry about that," Summer broke the silence with an apology. "I swear it's not normally this bad. I've just had a lot going on that started way before you guys even got here and Tai just doesn't like change or being caught off guard. It, like, messes up his routine. Doesn't excuse him for being an ass, but it just kinda'… makes him… hard to deal with…"

"Is he… on the spectrum?" Qrow hesitated.

"No," Summer rubbed her head uncomfortably. "Blame it on how he was raised. They're super schedule oriented. You know, I actually really like summer vacation because I don't have adhere to his schedule. We literally have every day mapped out on a chart and I think that's a small part of why no one sticks with us long… But I mean, if you make it into the actual Corps, you'll have to be super schedule-oriented anyway, so why not get a head start? Hehehehe, I mean, right?"

"Wait, so you don't even like it, but you're defending it?" Qrow stared at her speechlessly. "Wow, you're a lost cause."

"No, I just don't actually care that much!" Summer crossed her arms and looked away. "Look, I'm tired of losing teammates because they can't work with us. I thought if we split up but stayed on the same team, it would just barely bring us out of our comfort zones enough to work with new people, still be around each other, and not have an Us versus You Two dynamic like every other team we form… Excuse me for trying to think ahead!" Raven tilted her head when her brother spoke. He was bright red and at a loss for words.

"Well… we should probably get you guys squared away," Summer changed subjects and held out a hand. "In case you guys didn't catch it already, I'm Summer Rose!"

"Q-Qrow," he was the first to take her hand and Raven cocked her head at his unusual stutter. "Branwen! Qrow Branwen!"

"Haha, good to meet you, Qrow," Summer winked at him and he felt like an arrow had just shot him straight through the heart. Turning her attention to his female counterpart, Summer held her hand out to her as well, but Raven only stared at it.

"Rae, it's just a formality," he urged, giving her a subtle push and she grumbled in response.

"Raven," she shook Summer's hand, vaguely noticing just how easily they fit together. It was actually kind of a pleasant feeling. Her hands were pretty soft though… Were these the hands of someone destined to fight the Nobles? There was no way.

"That's perfect!" There was that smile again. It was so Cheshire-like that Raven could hardly tell what was actually going on behind the metaphorical mask. "It suits you."

They're so pretty… Why was it that every exchange they had was met with these words echoing through her mind? Could the flow of time have been disrupted around her that badly… and she was the only one who could hear?... And what had she meant before when she said that Raven had been imbued? Imbued with what? Now, more than ever, she wanted to talk to her about it, but it just seemed like a really bad time for it.

Summer told them that she was going to get their class schedules, but they pretty much had the two beds that were clear – girls on the left, guys on the right. The twins set their things on their respective beds and finally took in their surroundings. The room wasn't too small, but it wasn't enormous either. As she tried to start putting her things down, Raven felt a presence come up on her and turned around.

"Rae," Qrow put a firm hand on her shoulder. "…I think I'm already in love…"

….Seriously?!