Chapter 14: Searching
In Vale a bird wheeled into the skies, red eyes scanning the below streets. Just half an hour prior he had been called into a meeting with Ozpin, Goodwitch and Tai about Ruby.
Qrow let the elevator doors open and ambled out. "What did you need me for?" He asked Ozpin. Glynda was standing next to Ozpin's desk and Taiyang was sitting in one of two chairs on the other side of Ozpin's desk.
"Sit down, Qrow." Ozpin offered, yet it was a command. For a moment the man was reminded of those dark brown eyes gleaming in disappointment over the antics of his team. Qrow sat and Ozpin leaned forward, folding his hands. "What we talk about in here stays in here, Qrow, Tai."
The two men nodded. "Of course, Oz." Qrow agreed.
"Good. I have an assignment for you both. As you know, its been revealed that Ruby Rose in without a doubt Red. Recently Yang and her team were at the docks in Vale and have ran into Red. Now I am certain miss Xiao Long is plotting to find her sister." Ozpin took a sip from his mug.
"Yang can't be serious." Tai sighed, seeming resigned.
"I don't doubt it, Tai." Qrow said, reaching for his flask and unscrewing it.
"So why are Qrow and I here?" Tai asked, his foot tapping on the floor betraying the man's apprehension.
"Qrow is here to be our eyes in this operation. He will try and track any activities of Red and Torchwick." Ozpin stated. "Tai, you will be here to try and be our ears to hear whatever miss Xiao Long and her team plan to do."
Tai seemed taken aback. "Oz, I still have to teach at Signal." He protested.
"I understand. Just try and visit on weekends and maybe call Yang every now and again to check on her. I think its likely she'll confess to her father what she is doing." Ozpin stated.
Tai nodded. "Alright. I'll try." He agreed.
"Glynda will be watching over team BSIL from within the school, and I'll keep my eyes and ears peeled on the news... And keep James at bay." Ozpin added the last part with a sigh.
"Oh shit, I forgot about him. When is he due to arrive?" Qrow asked.
"He was supposed to be here at the beginning of the semester, but there was an issue that arose that kept him in Mantle. He'll be here tomorrow morning." Ozpin said. "I think we can end the meeting here. Report back with any information."
Qrow and Tai nodded. Tai headed to the elevator and Qrow cast one more glance to his teammate before transforming and flapping to Ozpin's open window.
He doubted Ruby would just appear before him. Torchwick was many things, but Qrow knew the man was no fool. Thus, Ruby was likely laying low somewhere.
Still, he wanted to keep an eye out on the streets. He remembered there were whispers of a doberman that Torchwick and Ruby had.
He fluttered down to land on the top of a lamppost, and cocked his head as he saw a doberman trot down a street, a woman with green eyes and black hair was walking him on a chain leash.
Not many people use chain now a-days. Qrow mused in his mind, fluttering to the next lamppost to continue watching. The huntsman watched in interest as he saw a flash of green when the woman's eye darted to the side to look at him.
Qrow took flight, wheeling into the sky and following the girl. The dog and she walked to a park, where the girl unclipped the leash and put it in the backpack she had on her back. She withdrew a tennis ball and threw it. The doberman raced after it and Qrow saw for just a moment, its eyes darted upward. Gold met dull crimson before jaws clamped firmly around the ball and trotted back to the woman.
Something about the interaction Qrow just had unnerved him. But he took flight anyways and let a breeze carry him away from the two, keeping a mental note to watch for the two again.
In the meantime, he'd observe others.
"Alright, so we all have our jobs?" Yang asked, shifting her weight anxiously from foot to foot.
Weiss nodded. "I'll go to the CCT tower and ask about files for missing Dust shipments." The heiress stated.
"I'll be going to a White Fang rally." Blake said.
"I'll be checking a contact in the shady side of Vale." Yang punched a fist into her palm.
"And I'll —" Ilia was cut off by a knock.
"Blake, you didn't warn us!" Yang hissed. The faunus girl's gaze narrowed at the door.
"Hello?" A voice made Yang freeze in her tracks.
"Oh no." She whispered, eyes widening in horror. Her teammates gave her curious looks. "My dad is there" she mouthed to them.
"Is this Team Basil's dorm? Or did I get the wrong dorm number?" Blake pushed Yang forward, who dug her heels into the carpet while windmilling her arms in an attempt to stop her leader.
Blake grabbed Yang's arm and put her hand on the doorknob before forcing Yang's hand to open it. "Uh... hey dad! I wasn't expecting you here." Yang greeted. Blake had vanished, quite literally, the moment Yang had been forced to open the door.
"Heya sweetie. How are you doing?" Tai asked, peering over Yang's shoulder. The brawler followed her father's gaze as it swept over Ilia who was playing on her Scroll, Blake was reading, and Weiss was studying a Dust Theory text book as if it was the most interesting thing on Remnant. "Oh, did I come in on a bad time?" He asked.
"Uhhh yes! We're just really tired from... training! Yes, training with team attacks!" Yang said, repressing a nervous laugh.
"Team attacks? Its been ages since I've done those..." Tai's expression became wistful.
"Uh, so can you let us be? We just want to wind down." Yang said.
"Alright. But can I at least see your dorm?" Tai asked.
"You're literally looking into it." Blake deadpanned from her bed.
"I guess. But its been so long since I've been in a dorm!" He replied.
"I... uh..." Yang stuttered. Tai pushed his way inside.
"Oh I'll just be a few minutes." He said.
Yang cast a panicked glance at Blake, who closed her book and stood up as Tai looked around and commented on various things.
"Yang, you're sleeping up there?" He asked.
"Yeah, Weiss was opposing me on it because its "not stable" but I assure you its stable as can be!" Yang said, climbing up onto it and sitting cross legged. Her dad gave a small smile.
"So Beacon going good for you ladies?" He asked.
"Yep!" Yang popped the 'p'.
"But as I understand, you've been doing some things outside of school." Yang grew worried as her father's tone shifted to one he'd use when discussing something serious. "Yang, we've been over this. Please leave it to the huntsmen." He told Yang.
"I'm sorry, Dad." Yang let her head lower a fraction.
"Its alright, sweetie. We'll bring her home. I promise." He said.
Yang nodded.
"I'd better get back to Signal. Work to grade." He stated and cast a final glance around the room. "Be safe, girls." With a click, the door shut.
"Safe?" Yang mouthed to Blake. The team leader held a hand for a moment, apparently straining her ears.
"Its safe. We'd better get going or I'll possibly be late." Blake said.
"Alright, let's get going." Yang punched a fist into her palm.
Neo entered the apartment with Drei on her heels. She signaled to Drei to gain Ruby and Roman's attention, which the doberman did by barking four times.
"Welcome home!" Roman yelled from their room, walking out from it a few moments later. "How was your walk?" He asked.
'Let's wait for Ruby to get here. Something happened today.' Neo said.
"Ohhh boy." Roman sighed, "Ruby!" He yelled "Come here please!"
There was silence for a moment, before Ruby yelled back "COMING!". There was the sound of trudging footsteps, and a sleepy Ruby walked out from her room. "...Yeah?" She asked after yawning.
"Alright Neo, tell us." Roman prompted.
Neo started signing. 'Drei and I were on our usual walk, when a black bird started staring at us. Drei noticed first and alerted me. I think there was something off about that bird. It followed us to the park and watched us when I played fetch with Drei. Maybe it was trained or had one of those fancy iris cameras on it. I was disguised the whole time.' Neo explained.
"Hm. I don't see a reason why Vale authorities would be wasting a resource like an iris cam to follow around you and Drei. Unless Atlas has something to do with it and now they can magically detect if someone has Aura. If that's the case," Roman speculated
"Then that means they detected Drei's Aura." Ruby finished. "And they also detected Neo's. I've done research and its easy to tell an activated Aura from a non activated one for technology. I think a dog with active Aura is kinda suspicious." She added.
"Woo boy, this just keeps getting better and better." Roman sighed, rubbing his temples. "We'll have dinner and then we'll head over to the animal roundup thing." He said. Ruby snickered at him referring to the White Fang recruitment as such, and Neo smiled.