"Honestly, I would say your story was more or less coherent right up until the end there." Ciel looked over her two teammates with a careful glance. "I can believe that you stopped a bank robbery, but I can't figure out what would possess you to keep it silent. It would be a big help for your reputation, and it would probably go a long way to keeping Professor Schnee off your backs."

Emerald just gave a blasé shrug. "Because that's not why we did it. And... hell, I don't know, maybe I kinda like everyone assuming we're still gutter trash. Keep expectations low so we can shock the hell out of them when it really counts."

"Still! You have done something incredibly good, and I believe that calls for some manner of celebration." Penny clapped excitedly, bouncing up and down. "Surely we can manage some kind of party?"

Neo sighed softly, and already Ciel could feel the rejection coming. "A party is sorta the same thing as getting recognition from the cops or the administration. Look, we did something good just because we wanted to, and I know that all I really care about is having that for my own private enjoyment. Nothing more, nothing less." She paused for a moment as that easy smile of hers began to return. "Still... I guess if you wanted to treat us to dinner 'just because'... I wouldn't say no to that."

"Huzzah!" Penny cried, resuming her excited bouncing.


True to their word, Emerald and Neopolitan never claimed responsibility for their heroics. The news could only report that a pair of students from Beacon had been the ones to take down the would-be robbers. Ozpin and the other professors asked around a few times, but the girls never came forward, and Ciel and Penny didn't have the heart to reveal the truth. Not even when two of the boys from Team CRDL said that they were the ones who saved the day. Their teammates would just laugh in private about how pathetic it was.

Ciel was having a great deal of trouble understanding at first, but finally she felt like she was beginning to see. Em and Neo were private people who had no interest in the public eye. They had switched sides with relative ease because they weren't really bad or good at heart. They were just chaotic. They did as they pleased, and everyone else could just go to hell. She respected that, and she would keep their secret willingly so long as it made them happy.

Aside from that bit of insanity, things had entered something of a lull. Classes during the week, studying and relaxing on the weekend. They all continued getting to know one another. Even if Emerald insisted she was a one-woman kind of girl, it was pretty clear that she and Penny had really bonded during their trip to the club. Needless to say, RWBY weren't the only ones who could spread the love.

Speaking of which, things reached their natural conclusion when CPNE found themselves on a date with RWBY. But rather than the obvious pairings, things were a bit more complicated than that. Ruby had a lot of things that she wanted to talk about with Penny. Neo showed incredible interest in burying the hatchet with Yang, and Emerald willingly tagged along to help with translation. And that left Ciel to be wooed by both Weiss and Blake. For someone who was completely unused to attention, having two beautiful, intelligent women giving her this much focus was a little overwhelming.

"So, have you been adjusting to Beacon alright? My sister isn't giving you too much trouble, is she?"

Ciel laughed bashfully, rubbing at her neck and looking down at her meal which was going more or less uneaten. "I think we finally reached an understanding with Winter after we ah... caught her and Professor Goodwitch being... close. Which is to say we never talk about it, she respects us, and we don't give her too much trouble. It's a tenuous relationship, but we're making it work."

Blake laughed brightly, tucking a few strands of hair back behind her ear. "Yes, I remember my first proper meeting with Winter was... more than a little terrifying. But once you get to know her, she can be quite an engaging person."

"I doubt it will come as much of a surprise that Em and Neo don't get along with her as well as Penny and I do. But overall she's been a marvelous advisor." She glanced around the table at the others with a wistful smile. "And how are things going with your super secret project that I definitely know nothing about?" While there was supposedly an announcement in the works from various leaders around Remnant, there were plenty of students around Beacon who had already heard at least a little bit about what was going on with the girls in RWBY. After all, quite a few of them had seen for themselves when Ruby was suddenly given the powers of the Fall Maiden. And given that Ciel and her team had a good relationship with them, it didn't take long to hear about Ozpin's master plan.

"Quiet, thankfully," Weiss said with a rather tired exhalation. There was a week or so where all four of them were getting run ragged by their mentors. "So long as the current Maidens are doing their thing, we just have to focus on being totally normal students. Still... I guess we're all kinda nervous, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Y'know, there's a chance that something bad could happen to one of them, and we'd only find out when another one of us suddenly becomes a powerful demigoddess."

Blake nodded in agreement. "Besides, I'd like a chance to be around them for fun instead of training. They have so much to teach us beyond simply how to be a good Maiden."

Once she had managed to chew through a bite of her food, Ciel gave a sympathetic click of her tongue. "I don't envy any of you. Just studying to be a huntress is already a lot to deal with." The unspoken part of this was that Ciel found herself rather intimidated by the other team. They were not merely over-achievers, they were on some other level far beyond that. You could tell just by looking at them, they were going to save the world, without question.

And yet still they seemed almost charmed by her nonetheless. It was baffling. Weiss smiled cheekily at Blake before glancing back at her. "Honestly, I think it's just that we all share the same character flaw. I don't even know what to call it. I won't be happy until everything is okay, which is probably impossible, so... I'm constantly going at a hundred percent, twenty four seven."

"Oh my god, right?" Her teammate gently bumped shoulders with her, chuckling softly. "Remember when I was trying to deal with all that White Fang stuff myself? And you guys had to force me to stop for two seconds? Ugh, it's like a disease."

Something about their reaction struck Ciel as particularly powerful. It hadn't occurred to her before this point that her friends' heroic tendencies would have such major drawbacks. "...so how do you deal with it?"

"The same way we did back then. We watch out for one another, and we keep it honest. If you have to do something dumb, don't do it alone." Blake had just begun a very sage nod when she caught herself, as if only just processing what she'd said. "Oh my goodness, listen to me! Lecturing you like we're not in the same year... Obviously if you find yourself on another path in life, you should follow it. The only thing we can do is... is give our best."

Ciel couldn't help but laugh softly at her sudden fumbling. "No need to feel embarrassed. You've given me a great deal to think about."


After parting ways with each other in the hallway, Ciel and her team strolled back into their dorm. She yawned into the back of her hand and gave a little stretch. "Strange, how much can happen in a year."

Emerald scoffed as she made her way to her dresser, presumably looking for something to change into. "More like what can happen in a... jeez, a week? A day? Things get crazy around here."

"Still, it is nice to take an evening and enjoy the moments of peace and quiet when they emerge," Penny added cheerfully.

Despite the light attitude of the moment, Ciel still found her mind whirling away. She hadn't even realized she had spaced out yet again until Neopolitan moved in front of her and waved a hand in her face. "You still with us, captain?"

"Ah. I've simply been thinking more on the matter of the bank heist and your desire to keep things quiet." She cleared her throat softly and looked at the other three for a moment. "I believe I finally understand. I realized that I have no interest in being like Ruby and her team. To be so constantly in the spotlight would be... exhausting. I have more in common with you all than I initially realized. And... I'm grateful to be your leader. I am legitimately looking forward to stirring up some chaos in the shadows with you." That had been difficult to get out, but Ciel felt good to have finally said it.

Foolishly, she assumed that would be the end of the matter and turned to locate her pajamas, only to be tackled by a hug from Penny before being subsequently dogpiled by Neopolitan and Emerald. Penny and Neo each pecked her on the cheek while Em ruffled her hair affectionately. "Jeez, nerd, any more of that and you might actually get a tear out of this withered husk of a soul," she added with a low chuckle. "Now get changed so we can watch a movie and snuggle."