Once things had gotten quiet again and she had a chance, Blake slipped out of the academy in the middle of the night. She'd done it several times before, and a change in the security around the school hadn't made it any harder. Unlike the times before, Blake felt at ease leaving. There were no giant monsters on the horizon. To her knowledge, she was safe in Vale.
She only left the academy that night because there were things that she needed to do— things which she couldn't allow herself to hesitate on.
And that was why, for the third time, Blake found herself standing outside of Junior's bar. It was raining hard, the same way that it had the first time that she'd gone in. It was about the only thing that the evening had in common with that first time she'd gone to Junior's. She wasn't hurt. She wasn't looking for a place to stay.
She just needed to get answers on something.
When she stepped in, the dance floor was packed and music was playing loudly over the speakers. It was something with heavy drums and bass that hurt her ears almost immediately. Blake tried not to concentrate on that, beelining for the bar. She had to brush past people on the way there.
Sure enough, the man that she was looking for was already there, wrapped up in a conversation with a man in a white coat and vibrant orange hair. Blake slipped into her seat, ignored the others, and waited.
Within minutes, Junior was there to speak to her, the red haired man having gone to make himself busy somewhere else.
"What are you doing here this time?" Junior asked, looking down at her disapprovingly before he turned away from her. He didn't bother to ask her for what she wanted to drink, already pouring her a glass of water and sliding it across the counter with a cherry floating on top of the ice.
Underneath it, was a folded napkin.
Blake knew how to recognize a signal.
"I needed to come in and ask you about what we talked about last time." Blake started. She held her head up high and tried to listen around her. There were conversations going on that she wasn't able to make out over the music. They didn't seem to matter.
Junior nodded, and seemed pleased when Blake removed the cherry from her glass and popped it into her mouth. Blake lifted the glass up and slid out the napkin before setting the glass down on a proper coaster.
"I wanted to ask you something." Junior decided to derail as Blake unfolded the napkin. In thick black ink and relatively neat handwriting was a message, comprising of a single word.
Outside.
Blake raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" She set the napkin face-down.
"Do you know anything about that grimm that's gone now?"
Blake cocked her head to the side. "You're asking about that?" She even smiled, almost confident.
"You're from the academy?" Junior responded calmly. "I figured that you might have known something."
Blake hesitated for just a moment. "I might know something but-" She glanced around the room to make sure that they weren't being listened in on. "I don't know that I'm allowed to say."
Junior nodded and turned. "I think I'm on break." Subtly, he made a hand gesture, five fingers outstretched. Five minutes.
"Right."
Blake watched Junior leave, and waited the five minutes, sipping from her glass. It didn't take her much to realize that Junior had made her a drink to make her look like she belonged there. Just made up enough to pass off as alcoholic.
All of a sudden, Blake was reconsidering what she was actually getting involved in. Junior had been helpful in the past, but there was still something distinctly shady about him. Not bad shady, but shady nonetheless.
And yet, she was fairly certain that she could trust him. He hadn't led her astray yet.
When the right amount of time passed, Blake allowed herself to go out and meet Junior in the back.
He was standing next to a dumpster behind the bar, quiet and alone. He hadn't even bothered to put on a coat, since there was a little canopy created by a fire escape that had been tarped over up above. Probably put together so that people would be able to come out and take their breaks without trouble.
Blake checked over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed and tucked herself in beside Junior. "You had information?"
"I did." Junior sighs. "I have a friend in the city that's been trying to get out of the White Fang."
Blake blinked. "I can't say that I've heard about that." She stared forward, eyes darting to the entrance of the alleyway every few seconds.
"The guy's a small fry in the grand scheme of things." Junior explained, reaching into one of the pockets in his vest. "Point is, he's trying to get out, and— " He frowned and shrugged, awkwardly.
"And the Fang kills its defectors." Blake finished for Junior. "So they're going to be showing up around here soon."
"Might be." Junior shrugged again, looking out through the cracks in the buildings to watch the streets. "If you're really on the run from them, keep a low profile. My friend's trying to make a run for Vacuo, but-" The man's frown got worse. "Might not be enough."
"Right." Blake couldn't help the way that her ears strained against her bow and flattened back against her head. "Thanks, Junior."
Junior gave her a searching look, apparently looking for something in her that she didn't know. "You know that making friends with informants isn't smart."
"Yeah." Blake looked down at the ground. "I know. But neither is joining and running from the White Fang. My chances aren't great either way."
"Just keep your head down and your nose clean. Beacon will take care of you, they always do." Junior turned to face her directly, stepping out from under the little canopy. In one fluid motion, he offered her something. Another napkin which had been folded in half.
Blake reached out and took it, pocketing it.
"If you need me, or if you think something's happened, call me. It's probably for the better if you don't make a habit of hanging around nightclubs." Junior frowned. "Or at least not around this one."
Blake nodded. "Thanks." With that she took the first few steps away from Junior and tried her best to ignore how uneasy the whole conversation had left her. A part of her wanted to go back and ask whether or not Junior would give the name of his friend. Blake figured that she could have gone and found out who he was and what he was doing.
Instead, she was going back to her dorm. It was for the better if she did.
Everyone had decided to go out for the night, which left Yang to her own devices. Ruby was off with Team JNPR for some reason, Weiss had wanted some time to herself in the library, and Blake had gone somewhere without much explanation. Not that she would have given it if she wanted to.
It gave Yang an opening to do her own thing and try and look into some things which were bothering her. Namely, the conversation that she'd gotten locked into with her family after the briefing.
She had questions, and she was going to get some answers.
Regardless of what everyone else thought.
Yang gave herself one last look in the mirror. Fully prepared for battle, Ember Celica equipped, and ready for a fight.
Armed and ready.
Just like she needed to be.
Just in case.
The last thing she did was allow it to linger before leaving the dorm and leaving Beacon entirely. Walking out to Vale unnoticed was relatively easy, even if she spent a little time eye rolling at a wolf whistle directed in her way. Pigs.
When she got to the gates, nobody was there. Which Yang could be glad for. The fewer people asking her questions, the better.
Yang checked over her shoulder and could have sworn that she'd seen Blake's form going in the opposite direction. She didn't intend on prying. Besides, she needed her space. Blake probably did too.
She took a deep breath before stepping out into the forest and beginning her walk. Once she had some extra space between her and the city, she could speed things up and get up into the trees. It'd be easier to find what she was looking for that way.
Yang got a suitable distance away that she was out of eyeshot and broke into a sprint, carrying herself further and further into the woods.
Yang didn't have to run long- at the least, it didn't feel like she needed to. Her main concern was making sure that she was going to be able to do things without being interrupted. She couldn't trust that nobody was going to be watching her, or following her, or anything else. Yang had a mission, and being stopped was the absolute last thing that she wanted.
At around the fourth marker that she passed, Yang slowed to a stop and shivered. She cast a glance around the forest that surrounded her. It was dark still, the trees casting shadows all over the path below. It was dark and cold.
If she was out for too long, then the others were probably going to come after her. While the chance of her being noticed while everyone was already out was low, it was only going to get smaller. She didn't want for her teammates to get angry at her in the same way that they had at Blake when she'd run off into the forest with no explanation.
Yang shook the thought and continued on her way out.
It would be a lot easier if she actually knew where she was going other than into the forest. A thought crossed her mind and Yang braced herself, flaying her hands out to her sides and letting Ember Celica deploy. She threw them back again and the guns fired, launching her up into the treetops.
Yang landed there and held onto a branch, looking out into the forest in front of her. Off in the distance, there was the rise of a pillar of smoke. It was either going to be someone camping, or something natural. Yang had her doubts about the latter, so she took a breath and started to take her journey, further and further.
In a way, it almost reminded her of something which she'd done before, when she'd taken her little sister in a wagon and tried to wander out in search of her mother once before. This time Ruby was still at Beacon, but Yang was going to come back.
This time, she could actually fight back if she needed to. She didn't have to hope her uncle or father would show up to save her.
Yang followed after the pillar all night, and come morning she allowed herself to finally rest and take a moment to breathe. There was a small stream, so Yang flopped down on its bank and gave herself a chance to rest, even if it only took half an hour at most. Every minute that she waited, there was a chance that her destination would evaporate out of possibility.
The moment that she was ready, Yang got back up, and started moving again. The smoke disappeared, and so Yang began to work based on memory instead. She used her weapons to move her through the forest as fast as she could, running and launching herself from tree to tree.
Close to three in the afternoon, Yang skidded to a stop, able to see wooden walls in the distance.
She'd found it.
Yang took a deep breath and stood up tall. She steeled herself, and forced herself to walk on towards the gates.
When she reached them, she stopped just outside of them.
Behind them, there was only empty space.
That felt... wrong. Yang stepped inside only to find the marks of dead grass where things had once sat. Aside from dead grass were the scattered debris of relocation, and a fire pit which was still probably warm. Like it had been simply left to burn out instead of someone going through the trouble to extinguish the flames.
She hadn't gotten there fast enough.
She'd failed.
Yang couldn't help but to break down there and cry because she'd been so close that it had been actually tangible.
Nobody came for her. Nothing came for her.
When it was time for her to leave, she only could collect herself and take the walk back to Beacon. When she arrived, the others were there, looking worried. When her teammates asked her where she'd been, Yang couldn't quite bring herself to answer.
They wouldn't understand.
Watts approached Haven Academy, feeling mostly prepared for whatever was going to come and also thoroughly unconcerned with any of it. His job was to try and ensure that Cinder and Emerald would have a place as students while they went out looking for more potential teammates to bring along with them.
The academy was waiting for him, and when Watts went in he found that he was already on the schedule for a meeting with headmaster Lionheart. It could have been worse, he supposed as he walked up to Leonardo's office. Having a meeting scheduled was far better than sitting around and waiting.
When Watts got to the door, it was closed and he could hear Lionheart talking to someone on the other side. It didn't sound like they were in the same room, more like they were speaking over a transmission. Listening along, Watts was able to deduce some things. It was news out of Vale, that much was clear. Apparently some of the problems they'd been seeing there had gone away to some degree.
Namely, a giant grimm.
He waited patiently, and when the call ended, Watts only rapped his knuckles against the door. "Leonardo." Watts announced his presence through the door. "Are you ready to meet?"
"Ah!" Lionheart said, rushing to the door and opening it. Watts immediately noted that Lionheart looked a little bit panicked. "Arthur. You're here."
"I am." Arthur said, taking the lead to go in himself without invitation. He was on Lionheart's schedule, so he couldn't have been less concerned in a lot of ways. If he'd wanted to, he oculd have even come in while Lionheart was taking the call. "You and I needed to speak."
"Ah, yes, of course." Lionheart closed the door and hurried over to the desk. "Tea?"
"Black if you have it." Watts ordered. It had been far too long since he'd last had a good cup of tea. "I'm sorry for how... impromptu this meeting is."
"It's of no concern." Lionheart replied, already setting up the little stove that he kept behind his desk. "It's not as though my schedule was particularly full."
"Regardless." Watts rolled his eyes. He didn't actually care for what was going on with Lionheart's schedule. He only cared that Cinder would be taken care of. She had the power of the Fall Maiden now— it was only fitting that she was watched. "I have a favor that I need to ask for you, and that this is treated as a discreet matter."
"Discreet?" Lionheart asked, his eyes widening for a moment. "Is there a particular reason for this?"
"Of course." Watts rolled his eyes again. Always with the stupid questions. "But I need to know that I have your word that you won't make this difficult for me." Watts gave Lionheart a look that should have been enough to intimidate him into listening along with what was needed of him. Lionheart swallowed nervously and nodded, sitting up straight.
"What is it?"
Watts sighed, accepting the cup of tea that was offered to him. "I was on an assignment recently, and I had a bit of a run-in with a few young hunters." Watts stared back up across at Lionheart. "One of which is one of your former students."
"Are you here to request re-entry?" Lionheart got up and walked to an old wooden cabinet that had been set in the corner of the room. Watts leaned back and watched as he began to hunt through files. "Did the student have a name?"
"Cinder Fall." Watts responded. "The girl is quite good, and I think that it would be... beneficial to see to it that she's enrolled along with the other students she's found as an... impromptu team of sorts."
Lionheart nodded, but his eyes flicked away from Watts nervously. Like the man was afraid of the direction in which their conversation was going. "How much are you going to tell me?"
"In truth," Watts stood up tall. "I can't tell you much for the moment. Just that your academy would be loathe to reject them. I'm sure that Atlas or even Beacon would happily accept them. If not there, then there is always Shade I suppose. Should they become desperate." He sipped his tea, setting it down on Lionheart's desk and leaning in. "But I think it would be wise to keep the two of them closer to home if possible. I'm sure you understand."
"Oh, yes, of course." Lionheart turned away from Watts, and Watts watched as the sheets of paper which were no doubt enrolment forms were set down onto the table between the two of them. Four sheets, probably just in case there were going to be any extras needed. Watts certainly didn't see himself having a problem with that particular detail. "Should I expect anything else?"
"Only expect to be hearing from me soon, Leonardo." Watts said, standing up and folding the four sheets of paper. They fit nicely in his pocket, and Watts was sure that it would only be a matter of time before he was returning to Lionheart in person for yet another meeting. "You are rather important to my plans."
Lionheart nodded, but there was something on his face that Watts couldn't quite make out. Slowly, he began to speak. "This has nothing to do with your work as a specialist, does it?"
Watts rolled his eyes. "I don't see how that's your concern. I've come to you in a time of need, and you'll find that helping me would make your life much easier."
Lionheart nodded. "I understand." He took a breath though. "This girl that you're asking for me to admit again... Cinder Fall."
"That is the one." Watts answered. "What about her?"
"How have you found her? And with someone else?"
"What do you mean?"
Lionheart took a breath. "Miss Fall left Haven rather... unexpectedly. She simply disappeared from the dorms and stopped attending classes. She had teammates that weren't able to offer any reason for why she would leave. All of her professors said that she was promising, but..." Lieonheart looked away from Watts, his brow furrowed. "There is simply too much that we don't understand. And I am concerned that her being able to attend Haven again with a new team would raise... questions. And without answers that I could give, I have to be concerned."
Watts rolled his eyes. "I am simply asking that the paperwork is legitimate so that she and her teammates can go to Beacon without any incident."
Lionheart's eyes flicked away again. "Why Beacon? I thought that you said you wanted Haven because it was close to home?"
"I want for me to be able to keep an eye on them." Watts rolled his eyes. "And since the General is in Vale at the moment, I'll be going soon."
Lionheart's eyes widened in something akin to understanding. "This is some sort of parole, isn't it?"
"Trust me to take care of the parts that I need to take care of, Lionheart." Watts rolled his eyes. "After all, I'm sure that the General wouldn't want to know that you were interfering in our business, wouldn't he? You know how terribly uptight he can be."
Lionheart nodded, but his eyes stayed glued onto the floor in front of him. "Of course, Arthur. Whatever you say."
"Thank you." Watts sighed and turned, heading for the door. This was something that he could only maintain for so long, but if Lionheart was going to follow along on false assumptions, then Watts was content to use that. "You'll be hearing from me soon."
"Of course."
And with that Watts let the door close behind him and rolled his eyes. It wasn't a long walk to get him out of Haven Academy and into the city. When he finally reached the house, it was already full of people who all seemed to be rather interested in making food. Hazel was at the stove, with Cinder and Emerald sitting by and talking. Tyrian was sitting there too, but looked rather twitchy, and not in a good way.
Watts rolled his eyes at the way that all four of them stared at him. "What are you doing?"
"Nice of you to finally join us." Cinder remarked, sitting up tall with her hands resting on the counter in front of her. "Where have you been?"
"May I ask who put you in charge?" Watts retorted, removing the packet of paperwork from his folder. "I was off making sure that certain things could be in place for what is to come in the near future. Which means making sure that you two have a way into Beacon without causing incident."
Hazel picked his head up, frowning a little bit and looking straight ahead, his eyes focused on something outside the building. "You went to the academy?"
"I simply pulled some strings." He set the sheets of paper down on the counter between Emerald and Cinder. "And you two have work to do now. Each of you need to fill your own enrollment slips, and when you finally find people to fill out the rest of your team, you'll do the same for them. Are we at an understanding?"
Cinder glared at him and reached out for the first form, looked down at it for just a second, and then her frown deepened, deeply unamaused. "Why are you making me go back there?"
"I'm not." Watts rolled his eyes. "I am merely providing an alibi and getting you into Beacon."
Emerald took one of the sheets for herself and paused, a look of something akin to panic flitting across her her face. "You're... entering us into one of the academies?"
"I thought that was already clear."
Emerald nodded. "Will we be able to do classes, and all of that?" She jerked her head up and focused her gaze on Watts' face. "Or is this just in name?"
"You'll be playing along like exchange students. That means classes while also having a more full run of Vale itself. So you can do your jobs while getting into the places where I need you to be."
"Where we need them to be." Hazel spoke up, his voice hard and obviously annoyed. "You aren't in charge here either."
"None of us are in charge but our dear goddess." Tyrian spoke up, squirming a little bit in his seat. Sitting in one place for so long was probably getting under his skin, Watts expected, not that he actually cared. "If this is what she wants for us to do, then we must do it."
"Precisely." Watts growled at the two girls. "Now do your homework. Salem knows that you're going to have to get used to doing it soon if you're going to play along well enough." He shrugged, thinking hard. "While you two are in Beacon, I'll be making contact with an old friend. Hazel-"
Hazel picked his head up, obvious frown on his face. "You know that you're going to need to stay away from Beacon. "
"I'm aware."
Cinder and Emerald exchanged a look before both of them focused in on Hazel, both obviously confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"What it means is I'll stay at a distance." Hazel answered. "You don't need to know anything else."
Watts let out a laugh. "You know that the two of them are smart enough they'll be able to figure out some names on a wall, Hazel." He took a seat finally and caught his first good look of Hazel's hands. The man was standing there, gripping a spoon too tightly, to the point where it looked like the wooden handle would crack. "It would be better to just tell them. "
Hazel didn't respond, his eyes downturned and a frown obvious on his face. "It's better not to open up old wounds."
"And yet you're already bleeding at the cracks, Hazel." Watts knew that going after the topic of the maiden was a low blow. It was a bit much, but he needed to make sure that Hazel was still going to be working with the rest of them. "What's another loss of family?"
"You... don't have a family?" Emerald asked, but it sounded more like there was something that she wanted to have clarified. Almost like the girl thought that she had found a type of kindred spirit. "You're from Vale?"
"I was. Briefly." Hazel stressed. "And this isn't any of either of your business. If you're so desperate to know, you can put the story together for yourselves."
Watts rolled his eyes, but that would have to do. "You two should be focusing on your paperwork first. And do remember that you're on a timeline and you may need to find more help anyhow. After all-" Watts made a point to gesture to the two spare sheets of paper. "You'll need a full team. And that means that you'll need to be able to fill out the leftover slots."
Cinder paused, and Emerald did the same. Cinder spoke up. "Emerald, do you know anyone?"
"No." Emerald answered. "I don't. I've been on my own for too long, and making friends isn't easy when you're where I was or doing things like I was."
"You two have work to do, then." Watts rolled his eyes. "I recommend taking a look around the underworld of Mistral. It's a wealth of capable fighters, and now that we're in the main city finding people of the right age should be easy enough."
He hesitated, catching Hazel's eyes and seeing a sort of message in his eyes. Hazel spoke up. "You may find that by looking in the right places you could find the underground tournament circuit."
"That's a good way to find murderers." Emerald said, looking away from the rest of them. "Is that what we really want?"
"I shouldn't have to remind you of what's happened in the last few days, girl." Watts answered. "They are nothing unlike what you are. They simply do it for the sake of profits. If anything, they're better than you."
The look of pure shock that flashed over Emerald's expression was difficult to miss. Watts smirked, because it was how he knew that he'd hit home.
Which was just what he needed.