Minutes of silence passed that felt like hours. Leon was 'guided' by Krystal with Garnet at her side with the other members of the White Fang guarding the rear. Soon they arrived at a snow covered building. Krystal pushed a button and a large door opens. Inside were more members of the White Fang performing various tasks.

Krystal closed the door after everyone enters. "This way."

She lead Leon by the hand with Garnet close behind. They travel down a hall way, make a few turns, before ended up in another room. There was a table with seats, a bed, a dresser, and another door leading some where else. Leon had tied his hair back with his bandanna. He scanned the room with his aura wave.

"I will help you to your seat," Garnet stated.

"No need," Leon replied. He walked over to a seat and sat down.

Krystal smiled. "That is amazing." She sat across from him. "How did you do that?"

Leon smiled. "Secret. One secret deserves another. Why did you bring me here?"

Krystal's smile faded. "What do you mean? I've been searching for you. Years I've spent searching."

"I see. I had no idea."

"I'm so sorry that it took so long to find you Silver. I promise I did-"

"Leon."

"I'm sorry?"

"My name is Leon now."

Krystal blinks. "I...don't understand."

"Sis...I didn't like who I was back then. On that day our parents threw me into the ocean, Silver died. When I was saved by Alani's parents, Leon Wildfang was born."

Krystal shook her head. "You are Silver. You will always be Silver. Changing your name can't change that."

Leon scowled. "Oh really? I will always be a shy, quiet, push over that lacks any confidence?"

"No that isn't what I meant," Krystal pleaded.

"Because that was who Silver was," Leon stated. "A weakling."

"It may have seemed that way because you are blind," Krystal spoke. "That is understandable. That is why I want to take care of you."

"I don't need to be taken care of."

"Yes you do."

"The fact that I got into a Huntsmen school says other wise."

"...he does have a point," Garnet interjected.

Krystal rubbed her temples. "Yes...fair point."

Leon sighed. "Look...I am glad to hear you again Sis...but I know what I want to do with my life. I will be a Huntsman."

"Brother...you can't be a Huntsman."

"Why not?"

Awkward silence.

"Brother...you are blind."

Leon laughed. "Really? I had no idea. That news hits me in my blind spot." A smug smile curved on his face.

Garnet rubbed her forehead. "This isn't a joke."

"I know," Leon replied.

"Then start taking this seriously," Garnet barked. "Your sister has spent years trying to find you. She even joined the White Fang to use their resources just to find you to bring you home."

Leon sighed. "...that is disappointing."

Krystal blinked. "What?"

"You wasted part of your life for someone who is dead," Leon stated. "...well...figuratively dead. You could have done more with your life. You could have found a job, started a business of sorts, heck you could have been a Huntress yourself. That is a disappointment."

Krystal's fist tightened. "It wasn't just for that. The White Fang are truly working toward something wonderful."

"You really think that?" Leon asked. "They are getting more and more violent."

"Just talking isn't working," Krystal retorted. "It has gotten us no where."

"You'd be surprised what talking can do. After all, look at where we are now. You have learned about how I feel and why I am going back to Chloe."

"No...no you belong with the Faunus."

"Sis, I choose where I belong. That would be with Chloe. Who should be here any minute with the others."

Garnet chuckled. "We have that planned...and you are taking a big risk putting all your chips into the middle."

Leon turned his head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say you are missing two diamonds to make a full house."

"Card references...interesting but I have faith. Chloe, Alani, Niklaus, and Rhomson will be here. And I will be walking out of here with them."

Krystal trembled. "...I have searched for you...why...why are you so determined staying with the enemy?"

Leon leaned forward. "Because it is the placed where I want to be."

Silence filled the room. It was broken by a loud bang.

"What was that?" asked Garnet.

Leon smiled. "And there is my ride."

Meanwhile at the garage entrance, Alani burst through the wall with oar in hand. The White Fang quickly turn toward the source.

Alani smiled. "Good day. I believe you have a friend of mine."

They scatter to gather their weapons. Alani flexed her arms and glowed. Her oar split down the middle and parted with a curve. She swung forward and released. The large boomerang soared toward the White Fang members and knocked them all to the ground. It flew back and Alani catches it.

"Where is he?" asked Alani.

Through the commotion, Chloe entered the building...yet she wasn't able to be seen. Completely invisible, she quietly moved into the base. Garnet emerged from a hallway with a weapon in hand. A naginata with a hollow tube running along the back of the blade with a clip sticking out at the base of the blade. Chloe saw that and sneakily moved toward the hall.

"You are very brave to bust through like that," Garnet spoke.

The boomerang shifts back into an oar. Alani smirked. "I'm quite confident in my ability."

Garnet chuckled. "I can see that."

Both stared as the tension rose. Both rushed each other and their weapons clashed. Alani swung horizontally and Garnet swung down. Garnet spun her weapon as Alani jumped back. Rushed back toward her with another clash of their weapons.

Meanwhile, Chloe quietly made her way through the base while invisible. Following the hallway, she listened carefully for any sign of Leon. She spotted a door opened a crack.

"...so I can't convince you to stay?" asked a voice she didn't recognized. A young woman's voice.

"No," Leon's voice came through the crack.

Chloe gasped. She peaked through the crack and spotted Leon sitting at a table with Krystal. Who is that?

"I know where I belong," Leon continued. Chloe shook her ankle. Leon's ear twitched. He scratched it.

"...please...reconsider," Krystal pleaded. "I missed you Brother."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Brother?!"

Leon and Krystal turned toward the door. Chloe uncloaked herself and stepped in.

"Hi Chloe," Leon greeted her.

"This is your sister that you told me about?" asked Chloe.

Leon nodded. "Yup."

Krystal blinked. "How did you get this far into the base?"

"Alani can be very distracting," Chloe replied.

"What about Rhomson and Niklaus?" asked Leon. "Are they covering our exit?"

Chloe's scowled. "No. They left."

Leon blinked. "Left? Are you serious?"

"Yes Leon. They both did."

"...just...wow...I'm...at a loss for words."

A loud clash rang through the base.

"I think we need to stop that fight before they tear the base apart," Krystal stated. "After which, we can talk."

WwwwwwW

Rhomson and Niklaus drove through the ice plane.

"How much farther?" Rhomson asked.

"No idea," Niklaus replied. "Hopefully we are getting closer."

"I hope so. I want to get back home."

"That makes two of us. We know that we are getting closer to Chloe's old home. That will be a milestone."

Rhomson scoffed. "To think that beast had her so firmly under his thumb."

"One day she will hopefully realize her mistake Brother."

"...what if she doesn't Bro? Maybe we should have tried harder?"

Niklaus shook his head. "It wasn't just her. Alani was pretty far gone too. Those two are going to try and rescue him. Honestly, I think he will show his true colors and captured them."

"Do you think we should have waited to see if that happened?"

"We can report this to the Atlas school, and tell about the base."

"Great idea Bro."

Both spotted some trees up ahead. Vehicles burst forth and surrounded the transporter Niklaus drove. He stopped. Each of the people that appeared had on the Atlas school uniform.

"Atlas personal?" asked Niklaus.

Two stood out above the others. One was Ironwood himself. The other, a middle aged woman with brown graying hair with blue eyes dressed in a lab attire. Both approached the vehicle.

"You two must be the brothers Rhomson and Niklaus Vermillion," Ironwood stated.

Niklaus nodded. "That is right. I am relieved that you have found us."

"How did you know where to look?" asked Rhomson.

"Professor Ozpin," the woman replied.

"Of course," said Niklaus. "His intuition is as sharp as ever."

"Now, where are my niece and her boyfriend?" asked the woman.

"As well as the fifth member of your party," Ironwood added.

Rhomson blinked. "Niece?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. Chloe Sharp. I am her aunt, Aera."

"Well the two idiots went after the traitor," Rhomson replied.

Ironwood glared. "Traitor?"

Niklaus nodded. "Yes. It turns out that Leon was a spy for the White Fang. They have a base near by. Despite this information, Chloe and Alani went to go rescue him."

"Both are stupid for thinking that was a good idea," said Rhomson.

"...morons," Aera spat.

"What?" asked Niklaus.

Aera glared. "Leon wouldn't side with the White Fang."

"We have seen him with a group of White Fang members," Niklaus explained. "On top of that, one hugged him. That is a clear sign of familiarity. Not only that, but he left with them."

Rhomson nodded. "If that isn't a sign he is a traitor, then you people are blind."

"I trust in Ms. Sharp's judgment here," Ironwood stated. "While that is suspicious, that isn't concrete."

"How is it not concrete?" asked Niklaus.

"They could have had a trap in place for you," Ironwood replied. "Told him about the trap, then guided him away."

Aera nodded. "That is most likely the case."

"How can you have such confidence in an animal?" asked Niklaus.

Aera scowled. She reached in and pulled out Niklaus and slammed him into the ground. Rhomson rushed out but was met with the barrel of Ironwood's large handgun.

"What are you doing?!" asked Rhomson. Ironwood made no response, but his eyes shined with his intent: do not move.

Niklaus struggled to throw Aera off, but could not move. "What do you think you doing?!"

"First," Aera spat, "they are called Faunus. Second, you cannot judge what you see on the surface. And third, you two are blinded. I may not like him, but that is because of past events, not because he is a Faunus."

"Then why are you defending him?!" Niklaus asked. His voice carried a venomous tone.

Aera stood up. "Two reasons. One, he saved Chloe's life from the Grimm. Two, because she loves him and he loves her. It is because of this knowledge that I KNOW that Leon wouldn't betray her."

"Then explain what we saw!" Rhomson shouted.

Aera shook her head. "We already have. Now, we are going to this base. And you two are going to tell us which way to go."

WwwwwwW

After convincing Alani to stand down, Garnet and Alani joined Chloe, Leon, and Krystal.

"Brother please help me to understand," Krystal stated. "Why do you refuse to join us? Where you rightfully belong."

Leon shook his head. "Sis, I already told you. Only I can choose where I really belong. I want to stay with Chloe and be a Huntsman."

"Human treat our race so horribly," said Krystal, "and your two teammates left you. How can you want to be on their side after all that?"

"Well I am shocked that Niklaus and Rhomson gave in so easily. They were making some progress in being better...but...sadly have fallen back into their habits. But I do not judge the whole human race based on those two. I mean...look at Adam Taruos. That isn't the kind of guy I want to follow."

Garnet nodded. "That is a fair point. However, he isn't our leader."

"He does have a lot of influence in the White Fang," Alani stated. "His methods are...extreme as well."

"We have to use extreme methods," said Krystal. "Talking hasn't worked."

"That would be thanks to Adam and other extremists in your group," Chloe stated. "I mean look at how far you went to get Leon here."

Krystal glared. "Silver."

"He isn't Silver any more."

"To me, he will always be Silver. Nothing you say will change that."

Leon smiled. "I can't stop you from calling me that."

Chloe blinked. "Leon?"

"But I would like to know how you got Jasper's sister involved in this. After all, she did request our help."

Garnet smiled. "Easy: I am her."

Alani blinked. "Wait what?"

"He doesn't know that I'm in the White Fang."

"Wow...just wow," said Chloe. "You used your own brother to get Leon here...talk about extreme."

Leon nodded. "Chloe is right. All this is extreme. I am going back to Vale with Alani and Chloe."

Krystal hung her head. "...do you hate me...for not saving you...is that it?"

"No," Leon replied.

"Then why Brother?"

"Three reasons: first, I do not agree with how the White Fang operates now. Second, I love Chloe. Finally third, I want to become a Huntsman. Those are the only reasons I need. If you can't respect that...well that is your own fault. You can keep coming after me as many times as you want, but I will keep resisting and continue on the path I have chosen for myself."

Silence. Silence that lasted what seemed like hours shattered by the sounds of an alarm.

"What is going on?!" asked Krystal.

Atlas students bust into the room. Garnet drew her weapon. The students all had their guns pointed at Garnet and Krystal.

Aera strolled into the room. "Chloe," she said warmly.

Chloe smiled. "Auntie."

Chloe ran up and hugged her.

Aera shot a glare at Leon. "Leon."

Leon smiled. "Good to hear you Aera."

"Are you injured?"

"No. Just having a chat with my sister. We were about done anyway."

Ironwood walked in. "I am glad to see you are all safe."

"Who is that?" asked Leon. "I don't recognize his voice."

"General Ironwood," Alani replied. "Headmaster of Atlas Academy."

Leon whistled. "Wow...didn't think we were that important."

"I have been investigating White Fang activity in this area for some time," Ironwood stated. "Professor Ozpin called us about the situation, While we had nothing to point to the White Fang, I had suspicions."

"Well I'm glad for the arrival," said Leon. "But please be nice to them. Krystal is my sister."

Ironwood nodded. "Understood. However, how nice we treat them depends on if they surrender or not."

Garnet stood with weapon ready.

Krystal sat deflated. "...Garnet...drop your weapon."

Garnet looked at Krystal, back toward the Atlas students, then at Ironwood. She sighed and dropped her weapon.

"Thank you," Ironwood stated. "I promise so long as you don't resist, no harm will come to you."

"Whatever," Krystal spoke with no emotion.

Leon sighed. "So I was right. You only joined the White Fang to find me." Krystal nodded. "Pathetic."

He reached out toward Chloe. She gently took his hand. Both headed toward the exit.

"...you're right," Krystal said quietly.

Leon's ear perked up. He stopped which made Chloe halt as well.

Chloe tilted her head. "Leon?"

"I am pathetic...but...I needed to know if you were still alive," Krystal stated. "I needed to see you again...I didn't have a plan to get you to join...I didn't think about the future let alone the future of everyone in my squad...I just thought...you would join."

Leon turned back towards the door. "I suppose since you were dealing with Silver...I can see where you would only think that far. However, I am no longer Silver. I have come to terms with that on my own...and now it's your turn. When you want to talk, ask for me without hiding in an organization."

Leon walked out with Chloe. After a short time, Chloe was the one who stopped. Ahead stood Rhomson and Niklaus. The former teammates shot glares at each other. There was no turning back. No forgiveness for Rhomson and Niklaus for their inactivity. No understanding for Leon and Chloe's side of the story. The team was divided with no hope of reforming.

Epilogue

Ozpin ended the transmission. The mission to recover the students was a success, and even the capture of some White Fang members. However, the ending report solidified what he hoped never came to pass: the disbandment of Team Cerulean.

He rubbed his brow. "Such a shame."

"I agree," a voice stated.

Ozpin gazed toward the source. There stood by the window was a young man with a wolf tail. His long brown hair tied in a pony tail fashion covered part of a the symbol on his red jacket, an arrow head with smooth wave lines in one half, and spiraling lines in the other. His blue eyes shined in the reflection of the window. He wore blue jeans and black boots.

"I'm surprised you agree with me Mr. Kelvin."

"Sir you can call me Red."

"Well you could just call me Oz."

Red chuckled. "Fair point. But I do think it is a shame. After all, those four had potential."

Ozpin nodded. "Agreed."

"But the really good news is that this shouldn't draw any suspicion when you question the Two of Diamonds."

"Yes I feared that she was too far gone into enemy territory. It has been far too long since her last report."

"I suppose then there will be a meeting soon for The Deck?"

Ozpin nodded. "Yes. I do not know how many will arrive though. Plus, I must question Two of Diamonds before the meeting takes place."

"Do you think the White Fang are working for 'her?'"

"I do not know. Hopefully we find out quickly. My apologies. I meant for us to have an actual conversation."

"It's fine sir."

"Oz remember."

"I'll work on it. You had five of your students fall into a trap and a team broken up."

"Perhaps it was doomed for failure from the start."

"Maybe. The best intentions often have the most disastrous results."

Ozpin hung his head. "Indeed...you are right."

Red rubbed the back of his head. "I'll need to give Lazu a call. Need to let her know I'll be here awhile."

"How is your wife doing?"

"Good. Lonely while I'm out, but I get lonely without me too."

Ozpin chuckled. "I see. Well please offer my apologies for your late return home. I need my Ace of Hearts here for a time."

Red nodded. "She'll forgive you. You gave us a wonderful wedding after all."