Here we are and here we go.

A little kudos to `El Vagabundo Solitario` in this chapter for putting forth an amusing idea. You get a mention.

Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Kegi Springfield

Chapter 79

Two days of negotiations. Two days of frustration.

Ironwood was a good man, a good General, doing his best to protect the people of Atlas and of Vale. Weiss told herself that repeatedly, because if she didn't, she had a feeling she'd have leapt across the table to strangle him already.

Calm, Weiss. Calm. Don't be like father.

"I've told you time and time again, it's not that easy," Ironwood said. "Evidence shows the White Fang have been taking advantage of our dust shipments. A temporary loss of profit is a small price to pay for national – no, global – security."

"I can see that, General, but dust supplies are low in Vale-"

"Let's not pretend your father cares about that."

"He may not, but I do!" Weiss slammed a hand down on the table, freezing a moment later. Oh dear, that wasn't the right way to convince him she was an adult, or one worth listening to. In the background, Winter stiffened, and Weiss felt even worse.

"Forgive me," Ironwood said, ignoring the indiscretion. "You're right, of course. It was rude of me to act like I'm dealing with Jacques. I'm not so heartless that I don't see the problems Vale faces, but by land, air, rail and sea, the White Fang have hit every transport. The only reason the sea route got through was because you, Penny and your friends stopped Torchwick stealing it."

"Y-Yes, I remember." They'd not done well, being bested and driven back by Torchwick and Hentacle. Jaune, no less. Weiss made a mental note to give her partner a slap on the back of the head for that. "But what about my other proposal?"

"Sending the shipments through Mistral first? It's an idea, for sure. The White Fang's presence in Mistral is somewhat lower than Vale or Atlas. It's still dangerous, however. If something goes wrong, we could drag a third Kingdom into this."

"But it would be a way to bypass the White Fang's presence on the Vale-Atlas borders."

"It would be," Ironwood allowed. "I'd hardly think your father would approve of the added cost, though. Not including it being twice the journey-time, he would have to pay customs twice."

"At least the route would be open."

"I haven't agreed to that yet, Weiss."

"What's stopping you?"

Ironwood frowned.

"I don't mean that as an insult," Weiss assured him. "I mean, genuinely, what are your concerns about the proposal? If I knew them, I could look at ways to counteract them. I know you want the dust to reach Vale as well. It's not just good for Atlas' business, but also for the people who need it. You just don't want the White Fang to get a hold of it and make things worse."

Ironwood acknowledge the point with a hum. He was probably used to being pitched ideas and products, and so fully aware of the little sales techniques she was using on him. People were much more likely to accept something if you made it sound like their idea, and the longer she kept the conversation going, the more likely he was to compromise. Sales fatigue, it was called. Wearing someone's complaints down over time. She'd been told some unscrupulous people even provided drinks and kept the talks going, precisely because it would make people need the restroom and compromise sooner to end the conversation. She couldn't do that, but everything else was game.

I must get to Mistral.

"Security is the biggest problem," Ironwood eventually said. "Anything on distance and time is immaterial to me. Though the White Fang presence has been reported as being low in Mistral, there's no telling if that holds true."

"Can you not send someone to investigate?"

"Sending foreign agents into another country is hardly diplomatic. Not to mention, we need everyone here now in case the White Fang try anything."

Weiss leapt on the opportunity. "Then send me."

"Excuse me?"

"Send me to Mistral. I can do the checks. I can even hire specialist security teams to guard the transit points. It wouldn't be an incident because I'm working on behalf of the SDC, too. There wouldn't be any problems."

"Except that, if you'll forgive the suggestion, I'd have no way of interpedently verifying what results you find. Though your honesty has been exemplary so far, I can't make a decision like that on the input of someone who is biased."

"Then you should send Winter with me. There's no doubting her loyalty, and you'd avoid suggestions of military force because it makes sense Winter would look after me if I went to another Kingdom. The White Fang have no love for the Schnee family." Weiss smiled, on a roll now. "In fact, this would be an ideal way of judging White Fang presence. If there are any in the area, they'll not be able to resist the prospect of both Schnee sisters in the same place at once."

Ironwood frowned. "You want me to use one of my own Specialists as bait?"

"As though I'd suggest using my own sister as that," Weiss scoffed. "I'm saying to use me as bait, and Winter as the trap. Along with whatever group you send with us. Any soldiers could pose as my personal guards."

She caught Ironwood's nod before he could stop it. He was thinking about it. It was time to press the advantage, while she still had it.

"Not only would it allow you to get a better idea of what's going on in Mistral, it would also bring much-needed dust to Vale and even get Jacques off your back. Don't think of it as agreeing to a new route. This is just you considering it. No decision has to be made until Winter returns with a full report, but in the meantime, all the businesspeople complaining to you will be silenced, because they'll all be waiting to see what happens."

It was a guess that Ironwood was being bothered by people other than her father, but not a wild one. Those with interests outside of Atlas were bound to be upset at the lockdown, and when businesses were upset, they made sure everyone knew about it.

"The idea has some merit," Ironwood grumbled. "You realise that if I agree to this, I make no promises. I may wait to see the results of the investigation and then still reject it."

"That's fine." Weiss smiled. "All I'm asking is the chance to prove it to you."

"Hmph. I've given you the chance to change my mind and you've already done more on that than anyone else for the last month and a half. Are you sure I can't convince you to work for me? I pay well. And at the very least, I'm less a bastard than your father."

Weiss giggled. "Maybe after I'm done being a huntress. Is that a yes? Do you agree?"

Ironwood sighed. "Against my better judgement…"

"Thank you." It was hard to hold in a cheer. Weiss wanted to leap up, laugh at the top of her lungs and maybe even hug him – then run to Winter and do the same. She blamed Ruby for that. It was somehow all her fault. Instead, Weiss smiled demurely and bowed her head. "If you'll excuse me, I'd best talk to my father. I take it you will be sending Winter with me."

"I'd trust no one else. Winter, pick out a team to act as Weiss' bodyguards. See them equipped with gear befitting mercenaries, if you will."

Winter nodded. "I have a team in mind, sir. They know how to be discrete." She stepped to the door but paused to look back a moment later. "Weiss, we shall leave tomorrow morning. Please see yourself ready and by the main docks by ten."

"Of course."

Weiss excused herself a moment after Winter left, offering some final thanks to Ironwood and stepping out with Emerald. As her retainer, Emerald had been privy to each meeting, much to Winter's chagrin. The two didn't seem to like one another for some reason.

"That was well done," Emerald said. "Now to see if your father will agree."

"Let me worry about that." Weiss drew out her scroll but waited until they were alone in a private office to make the call. She nodded to the door. "Make sure no one is listening?"

Emerald nodded silently and stepped outside.

The scroll continued to ring for a good minute, Jacques as unconcerned with answering as he was with anything else. She waited impatiently, knowing he'd not let it burn out. Eventually, with a click, the call answered, her father's dismissive tones coming through. "Weiss."

"Father," she greeted.

"I trust there is a purpose in your interrupting me. I am in a meeting."

The way he said it made it made it clear there had better be. Weiss nodded, keeping her face calm so that no one could read her. "Yes, father. I was calling to update you on the embargo situation."

"No results?"

"Actually, I think I might have gotten through to him."

Jacques' expression was worth it all. His eyes widened, and for a second she thought his mouth might fall open before he caught himself. "Oh? That is a surprise. Do tell."

A surprise, huh? Yeah, she could imagine it was. He'd given her the task convinced she would fail it. Little more than a way to rein in her ego and control her. He might have been upset she'd found a way around it, but she doubted it. Jacques didn't take chances. If she failed, her ego would be dampened. If she succeeded, he would earn from her success.

"General Ironwood is unwilling to allow transit directly from Atlas to Vale, but I've managed to convince him to consider loosening restrictions on Atlas to Mistral, provided a threat assessment is made on the White Fang presence there. Obviously, there would be no restrictions after on Mistral – Vale transit."

"Hm. A round trip? That would cost."

"We could offset some of those with the dust we'd already be selling to Mistral. Haven, specifically. If we take the Vale dust on the same route, we could even pool security and transit costs into one package."

"True. What of this threat assessment. It seems to me a stalling action from Ironwood. What are the chances of that working in our favour?"

Weiss bit her lip. "Left on its own, not good." Her father's face darkened. "But I've worked a caveat into the agreement. Ironwood can't send troops into another Kingdom like that, so I offered to stand in as a decoy." Not quite the truth, but close enough. "Given the embargo, no one will think twice of the SDC sending a party to establish a new warehouse in the area. I offered to be the SDC's representative, with Ironwood hiding soldiers and analysts as hired guards."

"Interesting. Anyone we would know?"

"I don't know the who, exactly. I don't think Ironwood has decided yet," Weiss lied. Mentioning her sister's name was a good way to end the conversation. Jacques would find out, but only once it was too late. "But having myself there would let me influence the results. At the very least, I can act as verification that Ironwood gave the project true consideration. If he tries to falsify the results…"

"You can prove otherwise. A well-thought out plan. The costs of transit will be high, but it is better than nothing, and the customers in Vale are desperate. We may be able to negotiate more favourable contracts as a result." Trust him to see opportunity in the misery of others. "You offered to travel to Mistral, however. I do not recall giving you such permission."

And here came the crux of the issue. Weiss tried to keep her face calm.

"I had to say something, father. In all truth, it's the last thing I want. I'd prefer it if someone else could be sent, but I know you're busy. How about Whitley?"

"Whitley is currently managing the fallout of his… incident. It would not be seen well for him if he effectively fled the country."

"Someone else, then?" Weiss asked. "I'd rather be here in Atlas, to be honest. Atlas is where all the influence is."

Jacques' eyes sharpened. She saw his brain work through the clues. Weiss' actions in framing Whitley at the ball, her surreptitious meetings with Ironwood, the desire to stat in Atlas. She had plans. She was making waves. Or so Jacques must feel.

Competition against her brother was fine, expected even, but it would not be good for her attention to reach too far, lest she focus it on his position. Ambition was good but had to be tempered.

And what better way than to remove her from the game for a little while?

"This proposal is your personal project, Weiss. I believe it would be best if you saw it through to the end."

"I-I see." Weiss managed to look disappointed, though only just.

"Do not fret, my daughter. I'm actually rather proud of you. See this to fruition, and I won't leave you unrewarded. You've already proven yourself beyond both your brother and your sister. It wouldn't do for this deal to fall through because we sent anyone but our best."

"I understand, father." She bowed her head to the screen. "I'll make you proud."

The call ended on his saccharine smile.

Weiss' appeared a second later.

"Too easy."

/-/

It had been decided that Ren would be the one to report back to Sienna. The others were too obvious, too well-known. Or at least Blake and Ilia were. Sun was just too incapable of being subtle. He was currently arguing that because they were infiltrating the White Fang fanatics and trying to take them down, their team – identified as RBIS – should be known as Team Rabies.

Ilia and Blake were less than enthused with the idea.

Ren was just happy to leave them to it. Menagerie was a difficult place to live in as a human – even if the simple fact he was here seemed enough to convince everyone he couldn't be a human. He liked to think he'd taken inspiration from Jaune on that front.

Sneaking into Sienna's compound wasn't all that difficult. He wore a White Fang mask like everyone else did, and the sides between the moderates and the fanatics weren't so dramatic that any one side dressed differently than the other.

Of course, not everyone was so inattentive, as Ren found out when a dark-skinned arm wrapped around his throat from behind.

"A rat should be cautious creeping around the tiger's territory."

"Sienna?"

"So casual an address." The woman chuckled and pushed him away. She was dressed as she was earlier, but looked a little more amused, a little more relaxed. Her arms were crossed, her head tilted to the side as she looked him up and down. "We didn't give you that mask. I assume you were able to infiltrate their faction."

"We did. I was sent to inform you."

"You were sent? I judged you as the leader."

"I am," Ren admitted. "Though I'm not above listening to the suggestions of my team."

"Hm." Sienna stepped toward and then past him. Her eyes traced his form up and down, and then around as she stalked the circumference of him. Ren remained still in the centre, not entirely sure what she was doing, but knowing it best to let it happen. "You don't flinch in the face of a predator, do you?"

What did that have to do with anything? Was she talking about the Grimm?

"Running away doesn't accomplish anything. I didn't learn to fight so I could hide away."

"Hah. Well said." Sienna's hand flicked against his shoulder. "Where were you when we first started out? You could have had a place here."

"Mistral, I think. Before my village was wiped out."

"We are all of us robbed of a home here."

Ren wasn't sure what to say to that. He did what he always did in such situations; hum, and hope the other person took it as a meaningful response. "Hmm."

"I see you understand."

"I do," Ren lied.

Sienna nodded, satisfied, and came to a pause in front of him. Her demeanour changed, the humour fading away as she adopted a stern, commanding expression. "Report. What do the Albain brothers plan?"

"They're planning an attack on Haven." Ren told everything he could, from the date of the scheduled attack, to how they would be getting there and everything else he could. Sienna listened in stony silence, waiting for him to finish. "We agreed to go with them, though obviously we plan to sabotage them from within."

"Like a disease waiting to strike," Sienna purred.

Somewhere, Ren imagined Sun shouting "Team Rabies!"

"Something like that," Ren demurred. "May I ask what you intend to do?"

"I suppose we must do something." Sienna scowled. "I was one of the first to suggest violence where violence was necessary. Peace bred complacency and acceptance of our place in the world. But violence for violence's sake is foolish. It creates us our place, but as monsters. Huntsmen and huntresses hold back the Grimm. They are a threat to both humans and faunus and attacking them serves only the Grimm's purpose." Sienna sneered. "Something Adam forgot."

"Faith in the White Fang is at an all-time low, since they attacked Beacon," Ren pointed out. "If you moved to the defence of Haven, it might work to undo some of that."

"Seeking to manipulate me with honeyed words?"

"It's the truth."

"And no less manipulation for it." Sienna chuckled. "I'll let it go this time. You have quite some nerve. I can respect that. As for what we intend to do, your suggestion matches my own. We cannot allow the fanatics to set the tone for what the White Fang will be. We shall wait for their attack, and then we shall strike – quashing this rebellion for what it is. In the meantime, I shall have the Albain brothers' heads. This… Cult of Adam will be destroyed."

"And Haven?"

"Spared. Left to do what they will. What matters to us is the message. While we attack, it will be your job to capture the Albain brothers before they can flee. If they escape, this will never end. They must be brought to heel."

Ren nodded. Blake would leap at the chance to cut the head off this cult. He'd already caught her mumbling obscenities towards Adam Taurus when she thought no one was listening. Silly Blake. With Ilia and Sun in their team, there was never a moment where someone wasn't paying attention to her.

"They won't escape. You can trust me on that."

"Oddly enough, I do. You carry yourself… differently than the others. Calmer, more self-assured. There is no fear in your gaze, no hesitation. I find that… refreshing." Sienna's smile was coy. "I find you refreshing. Do well here and I might find a more comfortable position for you within our group."

A recruitment pitch? He couldn't say he expected that. "I'll do my best."

"I think you would enjoy working under me, Ren." Sienna ran a hand up his arm. "It could be a… rewarding experience. For the both of us."

There was a tingle between Ren's eyes. He glanced around. Odd. He'd had the strangest feeling that Nora was behind him, glaring daggers into the back of his head. Maybe all this time apart was making him imagine things. There didn't seem to be any danger here. They were on track to stop the radical elements of the White Fang, and Sienna was proving to be a whole lot friendlier than he'd imagined her.

"I'll look forward to that experience," he said, ignoring the mounting feeling of Nora's anger.

Sienna chuckled.

"As will I, Ren. As will I."

/-/

"I'm just saying, if you were a little more forthcoming with information, they might trust you more."

"Whatever do you mean, Oscar? My students trust me implicitly."

"I don't think they do…"

"Nonsense." Ozpin snorted. "As for information, I keep things hidden for a reason. They are not yet ready to learn the truth. Nor, I might add, are you. Have you ever heard of respecting the wisdom of your elders?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Then you should realise there is no one more an `elder` than I. Respect my words. Follow them. Do not question them."

"See, I think that's where you're going wrong," Oscar said, stepping over a log as Qrow pointed it out. "That saying. No one believes it. Sure, everyone might say it, but haven't you noticed that whenever an old person says something, everyone just rolls their eyes?"

"You're a very rude child, Oscar…"

"I'd like to say I'm normal." Except it was hard to claim that now, what with the voice in his head telling him to do things, and the fact he was actually following it. There were names for people who heard voices. Troubled, unwell, insane. Oscar often wondered what names there were for people who heard voices, knew it was a bad idea to listen to them, and then did so anyway.

Stupid?

Moronic?

Suicidal?

Something like that.

Their party was more than a day out from Haven, or so Qrow told them. Sometimes when the hills would rise above the treetops or the forest would fall into a valley below, they could see Mistral in the distance. Haven was close to it, but not a part of the city itself, which meant that even though they could see Mistral, they wouldn't be going there. Their destination was Haven.

Not that any of them knew why, of course. Ozpin's reasoning landed firmly on the "because I said so". It was something that irritated Oscar, and he could tell it was causing problems for the others, too.

But would Ozpin listen? Nooo, of course not. He was the ancient space-wizard-parasite thing. He was just a kid. If Ozpin didn't trust his own students enough to tell them the truth, Oscar didn't hold up much hope that he'd get anything.

Which was a shame, because Oscar really wished he could at least talk with all the people around him without feeling like a social outcast. Some of the girls were really pretty, and that Ruby girl was almost his age.

"And I'm still going to veto that, Oscar. If you so much as try to get into her pants I'll give you a migraine so great your ancestors will feel it."

"Stop listening in on my thoughts, you creepy old man."

"Huh?" Qrow turned towards him. As did everyone else.

"A-Ah. Nothing. Sorry." Oscar waved their attention away, cheeks burning.

"Nice," Ozpin smarmed. "Well played. I'm sure they're impressed with your maturity now."

"Oh, shove it. Will you?" Stupid Ozpin listening in on his every thought, no matter how private. It was probably why no matter how hard he tried, none of them would really talk to him. They'd chat occasionally, and answer any questions he had, but they wouldn't really talk. Not like a proper conversation. Not like they trusted him.

Which made sense, he guessed. Hard to trust him when everything he heard would be relayed back to Ozpin no matter how much he wished otherwise. How could they trust him with sensitive information if he couldn't keep it secret?

"I've already told you that it isn't an issue. There is nothing they know that I would be bothered about. Other than Miss Xiao-Long's arm, of course. I'd rather you stayed away from that."

"Why? It's friendly."

Ozpin sighed. "It is a Grimm, Oscar. It is an enemy of humanity. A mindless entity which-"

"How can it be mindless if it can learn? Yang's taught it things, and Nora even taught it that game the other day. That doesn't make it sound mindless."

"It really doesn't matter. Mindless or not, Grimm are our enemies. Would it make a difference to a victim if the Grimm that slaughtered their family was intelligent? No, it would not. It's best you think them mindless. It makes them easier to kill."

"Might want to not mention that around Yang. She's pretty protective of it."

"Yes. Something that must be watched."

"You're doing the creepy thing again. And the secrets things," Oscar said with a little sigh.

Ozpin wouldn't listen, of course. He never did. This whole arrangement of theirs was remarkable one-sided as it was. Ozpin got to live again, influence the world and ultimately take over his mind and body. Oscar got to walk around and do all the heavy lifting until he no longer had a mind to call his own. Honestly, sometimes he wished he got the Grimm parasite.

Ozpin remained silent on that one.

/-/

"So, this is Haven."

"Looks like it," Yang said, stood beside him. Her long-sleeved coat kept Yin hidden, though she still had to gently bat an eye on a tentacle away when he tried to peek out of her wrist. "Quite it, Yin. I'll show you when it's safe. Don't talk back to me, young man. It's dangerous here."

Jaune smiled and left Yang to it, looking to Ruby and Nora, who were both giggling at Yang. The trek through Mistral had been a long one for sure, but they were finally here. Albeit with three extra pieces of baggage they hadn't really accounted for in the form of Qrow, Ozpin and Oscar. Two and a half pieces, on second thought. Ozpin and Oscar made it complicated.

"What now?" Jaune asked, looking to Oscar and knowing Ozpin would hear. "You wanted us to go to Haven. Well, we're here. Are you going to tell us what comes next? Or maybe what your plan is in the first place?"

"In good time, Mr Arc. First, I need to speak to my old friend, Leonardo."

Yang and Nora grumbled, neither missing the evasion. Jaune couldn't even bring himself to do that. He'd come to expect it.

"And then…?"

"And then we will consider our next destination," Ozpin said calmly. "Qrow, come with me. There's little telling if Leonardo will believe my story without you present. The rest of you should wait here for now. Once I've spoken with the headmaster, we can see about getting you all some temporary accommodation. Try not to wander."

"We're not kids, you know," Yang growled as the two left. Once they were out of sight, she sighed dramatically and slumped down onto a stone bench. There were some students walking around, some of which gave them interested looks. None dared approach. "So, what are the odds he tells us the truth. Do I have twenty to one?"

"More like that's a fool's bet," Nora quipped, sitting down next to her. "Ten million to one at least."

"C-Come on, guys. I'm sure Ozpin has his reasons…"

"Oh yeah, he has his reasons alright, Ruby. His reasons are that he doesn't trust us with the information. And that he doesn't trust me full stop." Yang jerked a thumb at her chest. "Not that it makes much of a difference if he did or not. None of you know what he's planning."

"It's got to be for the best, though. He's the headmaster of Beacon."

"Not anymore he isn't. That'd be Miss Goodwitch by now. Look, Ruby, you can't just implicitly trust everything he says or does because of what he is. He was the headmaster, yes, but he's also apparently immortal, so it's not like he had to work very hard at that."

"But he fought and died to defend Beacon."

"Death doesn't exactly mean much to him. As for defending Beacon, if he knew about all this stuff with Salem and everything, then why was Beacon so poorly defended? You can't say he did a good job defending it. We had Torchwick running wild across the city, White Fang working in broad daylight and Hentacle getting away with whatever he wanted right under Ozpin's nose. No offence, babe."

"None taken?" Jaune half-asked.

"Point is, if he wants me to follow him, I'm going to need more than just his assurance he has our best interests at heart. And no," Yang snapped. "That's not Yin talking or affecting me. He's just sat here trying to sneak eyes out my wrist because he's curious!" The last was growled to her arm as she clamped her other hand down over her wrist. "Stop it!"

Ruby laughed, but it was nervous and didn't quite reach her eyes. Out of all of them, she was the one most in favour of trusting Ozpin, though Jaune wasn't sure why. Trust in authority, perhaps? Was Ruby so idealistic that she saw everyone as being trustworthy? Well, she'd trusted him, and they'd all seen how bad an idea that was.

"We could sneak off right now," Nora said. "No one's watching."

Jaune shook his head. "We'd have to steal a Bullhead and that would be noticed. I can't summon any Grimm here. Apart from the fact everyone would try and kill them – and me – Sapphire might have cut off my access to them. They could just as easily try to capture me as help. Yang's are still loyal since Sapphire didn't realise about her, but they're too small."

"No walking then," Yang said. "You sure you can convince the headmaster here to give us a Bullhead?"

"I think so. According to Uncle Watts, Leonardo Lionheart is terrified of mom and basically a huge coward. He actually works for mom."

"Wait, he actually works for her?" Yang asked.

"Out of fear, but yes."

"As in, he does whatever she says?"

"Yeah."

"Leonardo Lionheart."

"Yes."

"The same person we just left Ozpin and Qrow to go and talk to?"

"Yeah…"

"Ozpin, who Salem despises and wants to kill, and who is currently helpless in the body of an innocent fifteen-year-old boy. And Qrow, who by what you said groped one of your sisters, and then nearly slept with another."

"Yes. Is this going somewhere?"

"It is. So, we want to avoid trouble and definitely avoid anything that might draw your mom's attention on us."

"That would be a good idea, yes."

"And yet you let those two go off to talk to Leonardo Lionheart, confirmed traitor and informant, alone."

"Yea- Oh. Oh…" Jaune's face drained of colour as he caught onto Yang's point. This was going to get back to his mom. This was going to get back to her fast, along with any other members of his family in the surrounding area. Traps, ambushes, and the possibility of all-out war. Worse, the whole point of coming to Leo was to intimidate him into providing a Bullhead, but he contacted Salem first, she'd give different orders. There was no way Leo would go against those. "Oh, crap."

"We should get out now while he have a chance," Yang said.

"We can't." Ruby said. "Weiss promised to meet us here."

"Yeah, her and all of Salem's forces once she realises he's here." Yang nodded in his direction. "You ready for the Battle of Beacon 2.0? Because I'm not. I'm down an arm and still getting used to having Yin replace it, not to mention being a teenage parent."

"But if we go on the run, we'll have to keep running," Nora pointed out. "That means we can't stop for Blake and Ren. It's not like we can swim to the Grimmlands either. We need Bullheads."

"So? Let's steal them. We can fly by Menagerie to pick Ren and Blake up."

"Can you fly a Bullhead?"

"No, but I can ride a motorbike. How hard can it be?"

"I don't want to die…"

"No one is going to die," Jaune said. "And we're not stealing a Bullhead, either. I'll just have to talk with Leo once Ozpin and Qrow are done. Privately. Before he can contact mom or Uncle Watts. I'll convince him to side with us."

Yang relaxed, as did Ruby. "You sure you can manage that?" Yang asked. "Not that I don't trust you, babe, but you're… not exactly the best when it comes to talking to people. Or, you know, being diplomatic at all."

"What? I'm okay."

"No. You stopped us attacking you and Torchwick by threatening to molest Ruby." Yang ignored Ruby's red cheeks and awkward expression. Jaune ignored how Ruby was rubbing her legs together. "Then you managed to convince Adam you were on his side by getting into an all-out brawl with the Atlas military."

"I managed to convince Ozpin I have a Grimm-sense Semblance."

"Yeah, because Ozpin and Qrow basically threw away the possibility of you being Hentacle because it would be really, really dumb for the Prince of the Grimm to literally come to Beacon Academy, the premier school for people who kill Grimm." Yang counted off the points on her fingers, making him sag further with each one. "All I'm saying is that you're not exactly subtle. And that your `diplomacy` has mostly been you brute forcing things and hoping for the best. Or that people believe you because the truth is even more ridiculous."

"She's got a point," Remy said.

"I know, I know," Jaune replied to the both of them. "Trust me. I'll do better this time. I'll be as subtle as needs be. Just have a little faith."

Yang relented with a sigh.

"Well… okay…"

/-/

Leonardo Lionheart slammed into the back wall with a black tentacle wrapped around his throat.

"You will do what I demand or my mother shall hear of it," Jaune hissed, face white as paper, angry lines cutting across his skin towards his bright-red eyes. "Do you understand me, Lionheart?"

"Somehow, I'm not sure this is what your mate had in mind…"

"Eh. Close enough."

Okay, not really, but sneaking away from Qrow and Ozpin took time, and only worked when Yang and Ruby started to distract them. By the time he'd reached Leo's office, it was in time to see him trying to patch a call through the CCT.

And yeah, that could have been to a really nice pizza delivery place in Vacuo that somehow did cross-continental deliveries, but he wasn't about to take any chances. Really, negotiations hadn't so much devolved as never existed in the first place. These were, after all, his first lines on entering the office.

Wow. Was Yang right about him being bad at this…?

"W-W-Why?" Leo choked.

Jaune blinked. "Why will my mother hear of it, or why should you do what I say? I'd have thought those would have been obvious. Am I somehow not recognisable like this? I do have white hair, white skin and red eyes. Would you like a sign saying `progeny of Salem` or something?"

"N-Not that," Leo rasped, eyes rolling back. "W-Why are you choking me?"

"Oh, right." Jaune dropped him.

Leo fell to his knees and gasped for air. His hands clutched his abused neck, massaging it. His eyes were red, and about ready to pop out his skull. Okay, on hindsight, the choking might not have been the best method of introduction. Then again, what did he know? Ruby really seemed to like stuff like that and this was Mistral, home of the creepy comics she liked so much.

Ew. Maybe he shouldn't be waving his tentacles around in front of this guy.

"I would have it said that I have a girlfriend," Jaune said.

Leo looked up. "What?"

"A girlfriend. I have one. Just so you know."

"That's… nice?"

"It is," Jaune agreed.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Just so you know. So that there are no... misunderstandings."

"Um. Okay? Noted?"

"Good." Jaune had the odd sensation the conversation was leaving his control. "Leonardo Lionheart, I am here to demand your obedience. You know who I am. You know what I am capable of. You know what will happen to you if you disobey me."

"I-I do," Leo whimpered. "You'll throw me to Coral!"

"I- Wait, what? No, never mind. Yes. Yes, I will do that thing." Really, mom? Really? "You do not want to test me. Now, stand. Sit back behind your desk so we may talk like adults."

"B-But I was sat behind my desk when you burst through the door an-"

Jaune raised a dangerous eyebrow, thankful again for the fact he couldn't blush when his face was like this. Oh, he could still feel embarrassed – like he did right now – but it didn't show.

"Sitting," Leo said, righting his chair and planting himself down in it.

"Good. Ozpin and Qrow spoke to you earlier," Jaune said. "Tell me what they talked to you about."

"Accommodation mostly. And supplies. They wanted somewhere to stay for a day or two and enough supplies for a journey. They wanted some huntsmen too, but numbers are low ever since the attack on Beacon. There was a lot of negativity here and the Grimm have been picking them off one by one."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Jaune said.

"Huh? But I'm the one who killed them all."

"…"

"Weren't those your orders?"

"Did my mother explicitly instruct it?"

"No, but with the attack on Beacon. I mean, I just assumed…"

By Salem, this man was some kind of psychopath. Or an idiot. Definitely a coward. Probably all three and a whole lot more. On the bright side, he knew his mom wasn't responsible for all the deaths here, but he already knew that since if she wanted people dead, she'd come do it herself.

She was hands-on like that.

"Stop doing that," Jaune said. "And make sure Ozpin and Qrow get whatever they want, but I need you to delay. Take time gathering supplies. Make whatever excuses you must."

"And then we ambush them?"

"No."

"So, I poison them?"

"What? No!"

Leo looked confused. "Then, what do I do?"

"Nothing! You do nothing! For the love of Salem, man, just sit still and don't do anything. Also, if a Weiss Schnee comes here or calls, you're to do whatever you can to encourage her visit. Help her in any way possible."

"Ah, so you can gather all your enemies in one spot. Genius."

"You know what? Yes. That is exactly what I'm doing. Just… wait for further instructions from me and don't do anything. No ambushes. No attacks. No dastardly plans and no bothering Salem, Watts or anyone else. I am the only one you need answer to. Am I understood? Delay on the supplies and keep Ozpin busy. In the meantime, I'm going to need you to gather more supplies, and also a Bullhead and a talented pilot."

"Yes, of course. Anything you wish, just tell me. I'll get it done."

"I'll be in touch, Leo."

Jaune stood and allowed his tentacles to rear up behind him, though out of reach – just in case Leo thought it a proposition. He was already in a relationship, thanks. Luckily, Leo seemed suitably cowed and sat slouched in his chair, sweating profusely.

Satisfied with the results, if not the way they'd been achieved, Jaune nodded and let himself out of the office, transforming back into his human form as he did.

"See?" he said to Remy. "I handled that okay. Cut off a nasty encounter before it could get worse and saved us a pointless fight."

"You know, I think you did." Remy was as surprised as he felt. "Good job."

Nothing could go wrong now.

/-/

Weiss ran a finger over the hilt of Myrtenaster, relieved to have it back at her side once more. The soldiers, unlike her father, had no issue with her being armed. They knew her capability, as did Winter, sat opposite her with eyes closed, catching what sleep she could. Emerald was asleep on the other side of Weiss. Her head had fallen onto Weiss' shoulder several minutes ago.

It was finally time to reunite with her team once more and given that she was acting on her father's instructions, he could not disown her. Not with Whitley's reputation as it was. Now all she needed to do was catch up with her team, rescue Pyrrha and sort out their issues.

Shouldn't be too hard. How much trouble could they have gotten up to without her?

/-/

Blake strapped herself into the seat alongside her team and took a deep breath. She needed it to calm her nerves, and her anger. The ramp closed, engines whirring to life as it powered up. The White Fang – or the fanatics, anyway – were on the march.

"For Adam!"

"Blessed be he!"

"In his name!"

Blake's eyes twitched harder.

Sun leaned forward two seats down and grinned. "For rabies?"

"Shut up, Sun."

/-/

"He's here. I can sense him."

The Beowolf in front of her snuffled curiously at the palm of her hand. Sapphire allowed it, controlling her anger lest she hurt the poor thing. It was just curious, trying to comfort her in its own way.

But she would not be. Not after what that rapscallion did to her.

He would pay for that. He would pay dearly.

/-/

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with S."

"Sky."

"You got it! You next. Go on."

Cinder sighed. "Tyrian, if you don't shut up, I will launch you from this vehicle."

"Aww…"

/-/

Raven scowled and ran a whetstone down the length of her blade. It shouldn't have had to come to this, but it had and there was no going back. Her own flesh and blood had been possessed by Salem, and even now was reuniting with Ozpin.

No doubt they would seek the Relics, and eventually come for her. They might even try to kill her and take the power from her body. Unless they were dealt with first.

Her tent-flap parted, and Vernal stepped through, falling to one knee.

"The Tribe awaits your command, Raven."

"Tell them to prepare. Prepare for a raid."

/-/

Coral giggled as she looked out over the academy before her.

"You can run, but you can't hide. An Arc always gets their nookie."

/-/

Jaune grinned as he caught Yang's eye. She made her excuses and slid over, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and a subtle nudge with her elbow. "So, you managed to sort things out, or should we expect everything to go wrong any minute now?"

"Talk about a lack of faith. I managed to talk Leo down and prevent him getting in touch with Salem. That's pretty much all the variables dealt with. We're going to be absolutely fine."

"Really? I'm impressed. You're not normally so dependable."

Jaune laughed.

"Don't worry. I've got everything under control."

Jaune's plans being about as sound as the ones he makes in Relic. Jaune "Don't worry; it's all under control" Arc reporting for duty. Please ignore the burning everything behind me, along with the hordes of Grimm and the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They're just here for the food. Honest.

At least it's not all Jaune's fault. Some of it is Qrow's.

Next Chapter: 23rd August

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur