A/N: So * insert more generic excuses about my real life *

Now that I gave you that, here's some brass tacks. I'm having a bit of trouble writing Guilty Rose right now. Not just because of life, and definitely not because of lack of motivation. In fact I have more motivation to write than normal because of an ass hat guest reviewer.

WHICH REMINDS ME! If you don't like my story, don't read it. If you like it, but have criticisms. Present them in a constructive and respectful way and be prepared to discuss them with me.

Anyway, back to why the late updates. I'm having trouble because most of these chapters are a lot less planned than the first volume. Thus I am storyboarding a lot of them from scratch.

Anyway, onto info about this chapter's content. I made some tweaks to the future plot, I'll explain why in the post notes.

Also, get it out of your systems now. Ha HA Team CMEN. It's still pronounced CRIMSON!

That's all for this A/N, on to the chapter.

I do not own RWBY or RT.

Guilty Rose Chapter 40

"I must admit that I am rather shocked that you did not act on this information on your own."

Team RWBY and CMEN both stood before Ozpin in his office. They had just informed him of Ilia and her situation. They had also given him a working plan involving using Blake's inside knowledge of the White Fang and their irrational hate for Rose.

"Though I must admit I am pleased you came to me first, that plan would have been problematic to say the least."

The girls all shrugged before Yang spoke up.

"Infiltrating terrorist organizations isn't an elective offered, so there's bound to be a few flaws in our plans."

Emerald and Neo turned their head and snorted, calling Ozpin's attention to them. The two quickly found the floor and ceiling very interesting.

"While we could discuss flaws in the established curriculum, we have more pressing matters."

"Then you can help us?"

Ozpin looked at Rose for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"I should be advising you to leave this in my hands. But quite frankly, all I can do is pass this information on to the Vale Police Department."

The whole group paled at that. There was no way that regular police officers could handle this, not without casualties on both sides.

"Which is why I'll be calling Summer, Raven, and Glynda up here instead. This is a delicate matter that will require their expertise and I also cannot dictate what my staff does in their off time."

The group let out a collective sigh before Rose spoke up.

"Could we still be involved? We know we're still in training-"

"Yes, Rose, you and your friends will still be involved. While I have full confidence in my staff, they will need your help. All of you know far more about these matters than anyone else here at Beacon Academy. Your assistance will all but be required."

The group looked at each other and held a small celebration while Ozpin sent a message to his aforementioned professors.

….

Qrow groaned for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour.

He had agreed to accompany the tribe on this job. Which was fine, he thought they were capable enough fighters.

What he didn't know and agree to was the fact that almost no one in the tribe was truly equipped to fight grimm. Thus, he told them how to shoot grimm, which should have been a ten minute ordeal.

The lesson was now encroaching on its second hour with almost no progress.

"Stop aiming at the fucking target! I told you, almost all grimm do not act like humans when aimed at. They don't care that you have a gun, they are going to keep moving the same way regardless. Hence, you need to lead your fucking target!"

"Whaddya mean 'lead the target'? Why can't I just shot at the damn thing like I always do?"

"Because you're wasting bullets! And grimm fight with numbers, so every shot counts!"

"Yeah, I know, I've killed the beasts before!"

Qrow facepalmed and sighed. This was supposed to have been a quick lesson before they went to deal with whatever the problem was. But no, he forgot how thickheaded the tribesmen could be.

"Look, you just need to aim where the target is going to be. It's that simple. Oum, even children understand this better than you!"

Vernal couldn't help but snicker at the former tribesman's frustration. Unfortunately for her, he heard her and rounded on her. Vernal paled slightly as Qrow put a finger in her face.

"Oh, don't think you're exempt from any of this. Just because Raven taught you some of what she knows, doesn't mean I trust you to hold your own. Not after this lot can't do something fucking trivial."

Vernal nodded and took her place at the firing range. She did admit silently that she liked be ordered around like that.

Vernal quickly adjusted to the moving target in front of her. And while she scored no bullseyes, her marks were all towards the center of the target. This made her smirk back at Qrow.

"Well, at least you aren't a fucking idiot."

Vernal frowned at that, which made Qrow roll his eyes.

"What? Do want a kewpie doll? You actually paid attention when you were taught how to use a gun, congratulation."

Vernal pouted at that.

"You could at least not be such an ass about it."

"Not being an ass, went out the window an hour and a half ago. I almost wish I hadn't stopped drinking now."

Vernal couldn't help but slump at that. He wasn't wrong, this had gone on far longer than it should have. And if they didn't leave soon, they'd be setting up camp in the dark. This whole process needed to get sped up, and she needed to get back on Qrow's good side. She'd be damned if her planned after mission celebration would be ruined before the mission started.

Then an idea struck Vernal.

She sashayed up to Qrow and put the best sultry look on her face as she could manage.

"Well, what do I get if I get these idiots to shape up?"

Qrow quirked an eyebrow at this.

"A pat on the head? What do you want?"

Vernal smirked, the plan was working already.

"How 'bout a kiss if I get them to shape up in ten minutes?"

Qrow balked in disbelief, there was no way Vernal was going to fix anything in ten minutes.

"Fine. We can have our own little make out session, if you can get these fuckers to shoot properly."

Vernal grinned victoriously, this was far to easy for her. She turned around, cupped her hands around her mouth, and inhaled a lung full of air.

"Anyone who can't hit the targets in ten minutes, doesn't get paid!"

Qrow could only gawk as he watch complete morons transform into decent marksmen instantaneously.

"So, do you wanna make out now, or later?"

….

"Rose, sweetie, I think we need to have a conversation about not getting involved with international terrorist groups before you've completed your training as a huntress."

That was the first sentence out of Summer's mouth when she heard the complete situation the girls found themselves in. She was both proud that her girls were trying to step up, but even more concerned that they were trying to jump the gun.

"I know mom, but that's why I told everyone that we needed to ask you for help."

Summer couldn't help but sigh. Her daughter had made the correct decision in that regard.

"Yeah Sum, at least she didn't pull your stunt back in Beacon."

Summer spun on her wife and glared.

"Hey, we didn't have time to go ask for help. Also, as I remember, I was saving your ass."

"You were literally in Ozpin's office when I called you."

"Details."

Raven scoffed at the woman and looked back at her youngest daughter's group, who all looked thoroughly confused. She just shook her head.

"Story for another time."

Yang was the first to recover.

"You know, all the stuff we've gone through this semester and I still feel like my parents had a more interesting time in Beacon."

Glynda facepalmed at that and shook her head.

"Trust me Miss Xiao Long, as the one who got dragged on those misadventures, interesting is not how I'd describe it."

Summer recoiled, looking highly offended.

"You never complained at the time!"

Glynda just gave the faunus a deadpan stare.

"I was screaming and crying. Every. Time."

Summer deflated that and seemed to begin recounting the times to see if that statement was accurate.

"Well, in my defense, we were cleaning up my team's messes, not mine."

Glynda's glare didn't let up however. Weiss also pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Is this really the family I'm going to marry into?"

The heiress briefly blushed before stamping down the thoughts of marrying Rose. She had already made a binder for that, she didn't need to worry about it at this very instant.

"Can we please go back to the situation at hand? Lives are literally in the balance here!"

Everyone straightened up when Weiss called out. Summer and Raven both sheepishly scratched the back of their heads.

"Right. We need to come up with a plan. One that doesn't use any of us as distractions."

Weiss huffed and crossed her arms. Rose put a hand on her shoulder.

"It wasn't a bad plan, Weiss."

"No one else seems to have liked it."

"That's because no one wants to admit it might be our best option."

When Summer heard this, she recoiled.

"How can you say that Rose? There are plenty better options that don't put you or anyone else at risk."

Rose looked squarely in her mother's eyes.

"No, there are options that are safer for us, but not options that have a better chance of working."

The older rose opened her mouth to say something, but Rose cut her off.

"Mom, I know all of you like to ignore who I was before Beacon… But who I was made me very good in situations like this. When you have a target in the middle of a crowd or building full of people. The best option on getting to them undiscovered is to cause a distraction big enough to get everyone's attention."

Summer seemed to want argue that, but Raven put a hand on her shoulder.

"She's right, besides, we aren't actually putting anyone at risk with Neo and Emerald's semblances."

Summer pouted at that.

"I know, I just don't want to use my daughter to bait psychotic terrorists away."

"You're not using me. I'm the one who said we should help Ilia, so I'm going to help in whatever way I can."

Summer turned to her wife again, but Raven just held up her hands defensively.

"Don't look at me, she inherited that from you."

Summer, very maturely, stuck her tongue out at the woman. She turned back to the teens and sighed in resignation.

"Well since we're keeping that part of the plan, let's make the rest of the plan. Do we know where she is staying?"

There was a nervous silence that made Summer sweat drop.

"Please tell me you girls didn't plan to just hit White Fang rally after rally until you found her at one."

The teens answered with more silence.

"Really girls?"

Summer let out a growling sigh.

"Now that's ridiculous. I mean, it's bad enough you're planning on using Rose as bait, but you seriously didn't even set something up with this girl?"

Rose's eyes widened, which Summer noticed.

"You did set up something, that's a relief."

Rose hung her head and sheepishly fidgeted.

"Not exactly… In all this rush to organize a rescue mission… I forgot that Ilia gave me her scroll number."

Rose had a full body grimace when she heard half a dozen palm meeting faces.

"I completely forgot that this all started because Rose scored at the club the other night."

"Yeah, I guess we all got caught up in the moment."

Summer groaned loud enough that it called all attention to her.

"I should throttle the lot of you. So here's the new plan. Rose, call this girl, get her to meet you somewhere, and then we get her to follow us back here."

Around of nods showed a unanimous vote of approval for the new plan.

"Thank Oum, you didn't barge off with your original plan. It'd probably end up going downhill by you guys having some massive brawl with stolen Atlas tech down the highways of Vale."

Raven stared at Glynda in disbelief.

"That's really specific and outlandish."

Glynda just deadpanned back.

"After knowing these eight for as long as I have, I've come to understand that you should always imagine the worst, most unlikely scenario, and plan for it to happen."

Summer sweatdropped at that.

"They're not that bad, are they?"

"Much like Raven said, they are your daughters."

"Point taken. Anyway, let's move on with the new plan. Rose, tell everyone when you've made contact. We'll finalize our plan then."

….

Ilia sat on her bed, staring at her scroll. She honestly didn't know what else to do. Then she read the message again.

'Hey it's Rose, I was wondering if we could meet up to talk about that date some more.'

"What do I do?"

That was the question she kept asking herself.

"I can't just text her 'sorry, I'm going to have to renege on that date because, funny thing, my boss wants you dead'!"

Ilia barked a tragic laugh and flopped onto her back.

"Why couldn't you just be some random hot chick? Or even a stone cold bitch? Either would have been better."

That was true. If she was some random girl, Ilia wouldn't even be having this dilemma. If she was a stone cold bitch, Ilia probably wouldn't have as much reservation in being told to kill her.

But sadly, neither was the case. Rose was the Guilty Rose, and she was an adorable sweet girl.

Ilia slapped a hand to her face and dragged it down. The faunus then gazed over at her nightstand, where she had the picture of Rose propped up.

"I should hate you, if half of what Adam says is true."

She had heard that Rose was a traitor to her kind, who'd murder faunus for humans. She had heard that she was no better than a rabid animal.

But she was starting to think none of that was true. She was already beginning to doubt Adam when Sienna Khan renounced the White Fang and the joined up with the Belladonnas to create a new faunus activist group. The only reason she stayed was because Adam had called for her before she made a decision.

Now though, she knew he was either lying or stretching the truth. But, she was already trapped. If she tried to leave the Fang now, she'd be hunted down by Adam.

"Maybe I could tell her I need help. If she's still alive being in the same city as Adam, she has to be doing something right."

That idea appealed to her at the moment, so she mustered the courage to type a message. But the courage quickly ran out half through, as she once again ran into the dilemma of what to tell her.

She quickly deleted the message and began typing a new, redacted version of her situation. Again, it didn't make it to completion.

"Maybe I should just say yes, and then figure out what to say later?"

She mulled that idea over for a moment before a chime from her scroll interrupted her thoughts.

'You can say no, if you don't want to.'

Ilia gawked at the device for a moment. Suddenly another message popped up.

'She doesn't mean that, she wants you to say yes!'

There was a brief pause before another message popped up.

'I mean, I want you to say yes...'

Ilia couldn't help but snort at that, one of Rose's alleged girlfriends must have taken her scroll.

….

Yang felt a chill go up her spine and shivered violently. Weiss looked at the blonde with a measure of concern.

"What's wrong with you?"

Yang rid herself of the last tremor before answering.

"I think someone thought I was banging Rose, again."

Weiss cringed at that.

"You're her sister, how could anyone consider that?"

Yang shrugged.

"There are some sick motherfuckers out there."

….

Ilia finally sighed, she wanted to say yes, to tell Rose, and whoever else was using her scroll, that she'd love to meet up.

But she couldn't.

She also couldn't lie to this girl.

Thus she began to type out a new message.

'Rose, and whoever else is there, that's not a good idea. In fact it would be a terrible thing if I ever saw you again.'

Ilia nodded, it was concise and didn't reveal anything. Also, if she asked why, Ilia could lie and say she wasn't herself that night. Another message came through before long.

'Is it because you're in the White Fang?'

Ilia's heart stopped.

She knew.

The Guilty Rose knew she was apart of the group that was actively hunting her.

She couldn't imagine a worse scenario.

Ilia the got another message.

'I know that whatever jobs Adam Taurus gave you have put your life in danger. I want to help.'

Ilia found herself proven wrong. She figured she might as well come clean.

'He ordered me to steal the blueprints of Amity Arena. And to kill you.'

There, she had done it. She had chased away the only person that could help her out of this situation.

'I understand. But I can still help you.'

Ilia read the message twice, not believing it the first time.

'How? Why?'

'I want to bring you here to Beacon Academy because I know you don't have a choice. I know that Adam is dangerous and deranged.'

Ilia blinked at that response. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that this was the infamous Guilty Rose.

The fucking Face of Death herself!

The girl she was supposed to kill.

The girl she now couldn't kill, even though her life depended on it.

The girl whose waiting arms she couldn't race to.

Ilia chewed her lip so hard her aura reacted as she typed her next message.

'I can't. If I don't at least attempt these jobs, Adam may just storm Beacon outright. A lot of people will get hurt, will die, if that happens. At least this way, only I am at risk.'

There was a long, uncomfortable pause followed that message. A pause that made Ilia nearly break through her aura with her chewing.

'There's going to be a big dance in two weeks' time. You can come do your missions then.'

She knew, she also figured it would be her best chance. But Ilia couldn't go through with these missions.

'I know about the dance, but why would tell me that?'

'Adam won't come after you if "failed" your missions.'

Ilia stared at her scroll once again. It was simple and brilliant, with only one flaw.

'I think that's a great idea, but Adam has been odd the last few days. He's making it clear that he wants the missions done as soon as possible, but he also said he is willing to wait so that they're done right the first time.'

There was another pause, much shorter than the last one, but the next message chilled her to the bone.

'Leave that to me and my friends.'

A/N: Whoo, that's done.

So before I go into the recap, I want to explain myself first.

So, here's why the White Fang rally was changed again. I kinda forgot two things. One, Rose had Ilia's number. Two, Rose was getting professional help. Both these facts meant anther tweak. It's not a major tweak, but enough to note.

Recap Time!

Ozpin talking about their plan. This is honestly how I'd imagine him reacting if RWBY came clean and asked for help in season two of canon. Like, he'd support them to take down the White Fang by making sure they'd have all the backup he could spare. I mean he basically did that in canon already.

Vernal and Qrow… that was pure literature candy. I wanted to do more of the new storyline. Just to confess this, I based this scene loosely on a similar scene from the movie Priest.

Finalizing the rescue plan. Yeah, that was a big scene. First, I redid how the rescue would play out into something more realistic ( Yes, I know I changed it back, but I had to make the attempt.) I also redefined Summer a bit, I added more to her than just the super mom and momma bear personas. I wanted show her goofier and impulsive side. She's human, she can't just be 2 dimensional. Other than that, I expanded Glynda's backstory a bit, made her a bit like JNPR and Neptune. Dragged into other people's messes.

Ilia and Rose messaging. I really didn't know how else that could have played out. Thus, I don't have much to comment on here now. Other than the Poke at Enabler fics. That was just because I'm an ass.

End of Recap Time!

So, next chapter will begin the Rally infiltration. It should be fairly interesting as I have a few ideas on how things should play out.

If you have any suggestions, let me know, I'll always listen and give you a response.

Well, this is the wrap. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

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