I'd like to point out that, somehow, after reading this chapter through, a story about 20th Century tanks and vehicles coming to RWBY becomes a bit serious. Like, I didn't expect this to be other than just sort of a crack-fic.

After a rather eventful time during combat class, Team RWBY was finished with the last class for the day and was free for the rest of the day.

Yang stretched her limbs after being so stiff from watching others fight during combat class. "Aaahhhhh~ Finally! I seriously think we need to get Miss Goodwitch someone to settle down with. She doesn't know when to let us have some fun once in a while."

To many of her friends, it was a weak complaint, especially to Blake, who responded with her usual sarcastic tone. "Yang, you tried to ask her out on a date by bringing out a bouquet of flowers and a candy ring. I think she wouldn't take that well as a joke."

"Heh, I'd do it again." Yang proudly declared.

The group laughed before Weiss brought up another concerning subject. "Besides Yang's lack of respect for the professors as our activity, I'll head to the library and pick up some of the books we need for our World History presentation. If any of you are free, you're welcome to join me."

Blake raised her hand, the others wanting to rest up since it was getting late. "I'll go, I have some… catching up to do."

The subtle pause made Weiss assume Blake was omitting why she wanted to go to the library with her. "You're not actually going to help me with our presentation, are you?" Surprisingly, instead of getting a wordful from Weiss, she simply sighed. "Well it is understandable since it's you we're talking about, is it that new story you keep reading?"

"…Huh?"

They were all caught off-guard.

"What?" Weiss asked, confused as to why everyone was giving her a strange look of awe.

"Weiss, you're not this accepting of anything regarding us not wanting to do any academic work," Blake answered.

"Hey! I'll have you know, I can be quite a dependable friend. I can give some exceptions, as the headmaster said, we need our rest."

"Sure…"

"Oh don't be so surprised. Anyways, if you're going to spend time at the library reading another story, then at least help out once you're done. What's the new thing you're reading? I swear I always see you with a book in hand."

Blake at first wasn't sure how to go along with Weiss' attitude. Was it because they were getting praised left and right? Was Weiss just excited about something and that had somehow improved her mood?

She wasn't sure, but she might as well comply with how Weiss was acting.

"Well, if you really want to know… It's a story about a mage who is discriminated against, along with many others in his nation. He escaped, rebelled and fought but was forced to flee to an ancient mountain where he found a crystal that transported him somewhere foreign. He realized that everyone else there was the same as him but everyone was oblivious to their lineage. I'm only a volume in and it's pretty interesting, I'm at the part where he's conflicted about his place in the world now that mages, even if they didn't know, are now the world's protectors but also has issues he didn't think would be possible, like the exact same discrimination but in a different way."

"Sounds exactly like something you would read," Weiss comments as they walked. A few seconds later she suddenly backtracked on her statement. "Wait, no! I didn't mean it like that! It's a fantasy with real-world problems as its core lesson… not that Faunus aren't allowed to read anything about discrimination. In fact, I think it's spectacular that you're interested!"

Surprised at this, Blake simply chuckled. "Pft… Weiss, I know who you are now. You don't need to act like it's offensive to me, I know you don't mean it or that I would take it differently."

A large stomach growl from the blonde of the team made them snap out of the conversation. "Hey, can this sappy stuff be for later? I'm hungry for dinner!" Yang complained, she wasn't taking part in the fights due to her escapades with Glynda but she was still exhausted from sitting through all of her lessons.

Weiss shrugged. "I guess some dinner before heading to the library is for the better, sister did say studying with an empty stomach is hardly a sufficient way to learn-"

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

The repeating monotone snippets of a high-pitched noise interrupted Weiss.

"Is that your ringtone?"

Weiss slowly reached into her pockets and got out her scroll, with a few notifications present, she tapped the display. "Uh-huh… it's a message." The rest of Team RWBY saw her taps becoming more erratic as she scrolled, she texted back, waiting for a message before another beep was heard.

Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was slightly agape as she read the message over and over again, unable to comprehend the words. A look of shock and disbelief was etched on her face, and her brows furrowed in confusion and fear. "No… I need to go!"

"Wait, Weiss!" Ruby yelled, a sense of déjà vu to the whole teammates running away and leaving with no explanation as to why.

"What's up with her?" Yang asked, seeing Weiss run towards the end of the building, leaving through one of the exits of the school grounds.

Ruby saw Weiss' look, no one could ignore a friend's distress, all of them had experienced it already. "Dunno but I'm not letting anyone in our team deal with problems on their own, we're following her."

Even when they were trying to get an answer out of her, they couldn't shake her out of a deathly look. One that they would respect by just following her, soon they had to board a bullhead back to Vale. All the while, all of them noticed Weiss' composed nature fall apart into one of worry and fidgeting.

During their run to wherever Weiss was heading, they could see her frantically looking back at her phone, something was off and that was clear to them. It was a worrying sight for someone who they were used to being calm.

After what felt like forever to Weiss, she had finally reached their destination, it was nearby from the centre of all Bullhead stations and when the rest of Team RWBY stopped to see where Weiss was headed, Ruby was first to notice the massive place they were headed towards.

"The hospital?" She asked herself before seeing Weiss running as quickly as she could.

Ruby took it upon herself to speed up and reach to her side, during that moment she saw Weiss slowly accepting something troubling, now was a much better time to get an explanation.

"Wait up Weiss! What's happening?"

"I-I-It's my sister!" Weiss answered with an uncontrollable stutter.

"Weiss…"

Ruby couldn't interrupt any longer, it was as getting late after classes and the sun was starting to set, yet it was still easily seen that Weiss had glossy eyes reflecting the light of the waning sun.

The sterile white lobby was with much activity, the hospital was engaged with many nurses going around going on their normal day. With purpose, Weiss walked to the receptionist and after a short conversation, she headed towards the elevator.

Many of her friends arrived with her and she impatiently tapped her heels while looking at the display of the floors slowly ticking upward like a clock ready to strike midnight.

Weiss walked out as soon as the doors opened, she raced to a room at the far end of the halls. She stopped in front of a door, and with a heavy sigh, her hand rests on the latch and opened it.

"Hello, Weiss. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important." A woman, much older looking and similar to Weiss was laying on the bed, her torso was seated up while she was lazily looking toward the entrance.

"Winter!" Weiss yelled.

When everyone got inside and shut the door, they couldn't help but notice the severe condition. To all of them, it had been the first they had seen Wess' family. Weiss' eyes dragged over every detail.

Winter's skin, already pale, was nearly the colour of ash. It was obvious from all the sweat piling up her brows that something had happened, her breath was steady but within a single sentence from before, Weiss could've sworn she heard Winter weakly breathing.

Her eyelids were drooping hard and sunken like she hadn't received any sleep, Winter herself didn't seem to notice that when trying to look okay. "You're so pale… you look like you haven't eaten for days! What happened? I-I missed you so much. I was looking forward to just spending time with you… but not like this."

"As you can see, I am doing okay enough to talk, so how's Beacon treating you?" Winter managed to speak a coherent sentence despite her pain reaching more and more towards the agonizing feeling of searing needles.

Weiss didn't like how Winter looked but she answered anyway. "Well… I am at the top of my grade aside from a few ranks down in combat class, our team did have scuffles with some criminals and terrorist organizations but I'm performing excellently."

It took a few seconds for Winter to respond back as if her mind was elsewhere during those few moments when a blank sound came to the conversation.

"...Mhm, I've heard… about it in the news, it came as… quite a shock to me when… General Ironwood was the one who had awarded the title of Specialist to a 16-year-old. Although… that wasn't what I was asking for." Winter struggled to speak.

"What?"

Winter gestures to Team RWBY. "I'm asking if you have gotten friends and by the looks of it, you have plenty. I've gotten enough information from the General that you're also friends with the tanks he brought in. I'm happy to see you enjoying school."

Weiss went to her sister's side before grasping her arm and holding onto her hand. Expecting a cold surface, she was mortified to realize it was burning to the touch. "Your hand… it's so hot!"

Hot meant the body was adjusting to something happening to the inside, whatever happened likely made Winter raise her inner temperature to the likes of burning coal. Weiss wanted to ask more but was interrupted.

"Sheesh, can we have something other than drama for a day?"

They haven't heard this voice for a long time and they wished they were wrong about who said someone during those tense moments. When they all slowly turned their heads to the end of the room, they saw two people they weren't expecting to see ever again.

Two people sitting on the edge, nonchalant in their posture - one was with a bowler hat loosely dropped over his eyes while on a chair while another with pink and brown hair kept herself busy with a game on her scroll.

"Ta-dah! Your friendly neighbourhood criminal is here." He uttered before removing his bowler hat from his face and wearing it properly.

""Torchwick?!""

The loud exclaims of his name were getting old and he voiced this annoyance. "Quiet down will you? We're in a hospital for Gods' sake, why does everyone shout my name like that as if I'm a comic book villain?" A giggle escaped from Neo, who was still focused on playing her game. "Oh, don't laugh with them."

""Neo?!""

Torchwick rolled his eyes. "Alright, so you girls really don't know how to behave-"

Everyone went into their combat stances, deploying their weapons and going low for an attack, disregarding that they were currently inside an enclosed space and that it could affect the entire hospital.

"Eat this!" Ruby yelled, rearing her hand backwards as Torchwick recognizes the move.,

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! I know what you're trying to do and I don't think the human skeleton can survive being crushed by steel or that the public would appreciate you demolishing the hospital - so before we fight a useless battle, just talk to Big G."

Ruby was still wary of his presence but asked who he was referring to. "Big G?"

"It's your boss, Little Red… and mine - but not entirely."

"What game are you playing, Torchwick?" Yang put her fist up and was ready for a fight to break out. Although Torchwick and Neo didn't mind the provocation despite their previous status as enemies.

"I'm not playing a game, Blondie… Neo is." They all narrowed their eyes further at the duo sitting at the edge of the room. "Okay, since you're not believing my words, maybe it would be better if you just look at me for a second. Do you really think I, of all people, would be in this hospital with burnt edges of clothing and cuts all over my coat?"

Once they took a closer look, all of what Trochwick said was true, his clothes were full of holes and slashes. The entirety of the edge of his coat was burnt on one side while Neo had much of the same kinds of damage, their whites were tainted with black and all could start to smell the lingering scent of gunpowder among the two.

Feeling their suspicions still staying, Torchwick pointed to Winter who was still suffering on the bed. "Ice Queen, will you tell the brats that I'm not an enemy?"

"Winter, it can't be true?" Weiss asked, her rapier still pointed but with her grip loosened.

Winter gave a tiny nod. "As much as I despise working with a notorious criminal-"

"Pardoned." Torchwick squeezed in.

"-Torchwick is now officially working under Ironwood but due to technicalities, Torchwick only follows Ozpin's words."

Ruby looked surprised, the headmaster of all people was the one to get a notorious criminal as a work buddy. "Ozpin did?"

Torchwick gave a sly smile."Yes, Red. The criminal you fought is now the 'good guy', so if you have any questions please direct it to my manager, I'm not in the mood to comply with the wishes of a child."

The group still held their weapons but Weiss decided to turn back to her ailing sister. "Winter, I need to know what happened."

At that moment, Torchwick was the one to answer her question. "Snow White, there are many things I don't typically do, so just this once, I am going to tell you what happened, out of the goodness of my heart and not because I am contractually obliged to."

"Spit it out before we decide to punch your lights out." Yang threatened.

"Glad to see someone is excited! Don't get too attached to the idea though. As for Snow White, Ice Queen has been stung by a filthy animal's stinger, one with a venomous property."

"Stung?" She repeated before asking her sister. "Who were you stung by, Winter?"

"Weiss, it's classified-"

"I'm not accepting that."

"Weiss."

"No, if you won't tell… then I'll ask Ironwood himself."

"I know you're worried but I've had worse."

Weiss had a suspicion ever since Torchwick revealed she was stung by venom. She didn't know for sure the extent of the damage but she had a way to test.

"…Move your leg."

"Weiss, I am completely fine."

"Just do it."

"...I don't remember teaching you to speak in that tone."

"I'm taking off the covers… I would say you're not going to stop me but… you can't do anything about it can you?"

When Winter didn't try to protest, Weiss did as she told, removing the white covers to reveal a massive laceration that oozed purple. It was a deep cut, enough to let them see muscle tissue.

Winter's left leg was swollen where the injury was made and the remains of the surrounding skin were puffed up and red, almost like it could be popped. Veins appear to be bulging and turning black in some areas as Winter suddenly groaned.

"You're not fine! So I was right, you've been paralyzed. So that's why you were seated up, they're trying to slow down the venom." With no response heard, Weiss turned from the injury back at her sister only to see her with a discomforted look while her eyes were closed shut. "Winter?" she asked again, more worry seeping through her words.

"Ah, looks like the exhaustion got to her," Torchwick mentions.

"Exhaustion? Wouldn't standard procedure for the hospital to use her Aura? That would take care of any exhaustion."

"That's the problem, Snow White. The animal that stung her had a semblance that messed that up, even Neo had a hard time dealing with him."

"Him? Disrupting Aura?" Weiss went into a frenzy of recalling everything she had learned over the years. A name popped up, one that was the perfect fit for every piece of information mentioned. "…You don't mean …Tyrian Callows?"

Torchwick looked genuinely surprised. "Wow, colour me impressed, didn't expect a snobby brat to get the right idea, how'd you figure that out?"

"He's a serial killer, he'd obviously be infamous, maybe not as much now. Decades ago, he was known to pop up throughout the kingdoms but mainly focused on Mistral. He had a target, mainly huntsmen and huntresses, whether a student or a professional. A scorpion faunus that was known to torture his victims by injecting them with poison and offering an anti-venom and making the victims fight. He'd trick them into winning just to see their faces when the anti-venom was fake and actually worsened the pain… this was only known when one of his victims survived long enough to tell the story."

"Huh, this is why bookworms are either insufferable or smart. It's usually both but I admit you're correct. That nut job almost got to all of us if not for Neo using her semblance. No offence to all crazy people, Neo is my only other crazy person here."

"I thought you weren't supposed to tell anything to us, on the count of it being classified." Blake points out.

"Ah." Torchwick realized before shrugging. "Well, it's not like I follow the rules anyway."

"Why are you here?" Ruby kept questioning.

"Gosh, Red. Didn't your parents tell you to listen when the adults are speaking?" At the rudeness of his tone, everyone had a reinvigorated scowl. "Use that stare on someone else, I might not be Grimm but I can feel how much you hate me." Torchwick checks his scroll before trying to get some more rest by covering his eyes with his hat. "...He's arriving soon, so expect me to not care what you have to say for a few minutes."

They all look at each other, they weren't getting attacked and Torchwick wasn't actively fighting, they decided to give him a chance, on the count of Winter reassuring them a while ago.

Minutes passed and all the while Weiss was still watching over her elder sister. Soon enough, a knock came on the door. Ruby was the one to answer.

"Uh… come in!" Ruby heard the door click and two familiar faces enter. "Headmaster. General Ironwood. So, I uh… have a lot of questions and I can't even decide which one should I ask."

The look from Weiss that was given to Ironwood made him sigh. "I knew we had to somehow tackle this issue, there is a lot going on, especially with a new problem. Sadly, we cannot tell."

"Cannot tell?!" Weiss stood up with rage. "My sister is dying in front of you! How can you be so damn irresponsible as to not even tell us!"

The reaction shocked the others, how could someone change so much in a single day? "Weiss, calm down-" Ruby tried to comfort her.

"No! I'm done trying to act patient, she's clearly not okay so why are you not even taking her health seriously?! Why can't you even tell us why she's going through this?! Why is a serial killer here in Vale, then my sister is on the receiving end of his venom!"

Ironwood had a guilty look. "I understand your feelings, we didn't expect anything like this to happen to her. We cannot reveal anything… It's just that when we do tell you what we're doing behind the scenes, there is a likely chance that you'll all intervene with or without permission. Clearly from you asking who stung Specialist Schnee, you were already set to head out and hunt him down yourself."

Weiss winced, was that really just the reason? But Ironwood had a point, she would've run out of the hospital if it weren't for the fact that she had enough sense in her to not go after a serial killer without help.

Ruby grabbed Weiss' hand and rested it near her chest. "Come on Weiss, your sister is still here, isn't she? You can't assume the worst based on now, she might get better."

Ozpin confirmed. "Your leader is right, Miss Schnee. Fortunately, we have several ways to make an anti-venom. You have someone to thank for that."

""Someone?"" They all asked.

Ozpin merely nudged his hand over to the pardoned criminal lazily sleeping peacefully while the conversation was ongoing.

"...Torchwick did?" Weiss was in disbelief. How could someone they had fought suddenly be the saviour of her sister?

Ozpin nodded. "He successfully retrieved venom by employing Miss Politan's semblance to trick the assailant into injecting nothing but his coat, leading to his venom seeping out and spilling to the floor. After reinforcements arrived, they simply took the venom to the ground and are working hard to make a cure."

It was like a massive weight was taken from her back, she breathe a sigh of relief but couldn't help but be concerned. "So, she's going to be okay?"

"Your sister is stable, the hospital she is in can house her needs for a while. Ironwood immediately gave the order as the no.1 consideration upon learning of your sister's status. He's one to be emphatic, I'd say he's just having trouble showing it in public."

"Oz…" Ironwood complained.

"For now, you all must head back and rest, much like your sister. We wouldn't want to bother her for now since she's recovering. You'll find that Torchwick will be happy to follow you, especially now that he has broken part of our agreement."

"Wait what?" Ruby had an automatic response. "What do you mean to follow us?"

"He's going to his very first class. I'm sure Glynda can offer her space for now since it's a week too early."

"Wait… he is the one teaching us?!"

"Of course," Ozpin answered with full confidence and seriousness.

"B-b-but he's a criminal!"

Torchwick woke from his slumber, maybe as instinct at this point just to annoy Ruby. "Pardoned. Little Red, this is why I hate your type so much. Why do you act like you're the good that runs the world? Just because I'm a criminal doesn't mean you have to be the 'good guy'."

"You take from people and you steal!"

"That's the same thing." He pointed out.

"You hurt so many people!"

"And you don't?"

"…"

"Next you're going to tell me that I destroy property but don't you do that too? You say we do things because we're bad but then you stop and look at what you do, it's just the same story written in a different language, Red. Your tanks, I recall them all being part of a horrific event but why do you accept them and not me?"

"Well, they didn't know any better when they weren't conscious." Ruby justified.

"Hah, but I heard they take after their crews. I read the reports, Red. Americans with their western expansion, slaughtering and taking lands away from the natives and ironically calling themselves a beacon of democracy while enslaving and repressing others. The British, the largest empire that ruled over a vast territory where they exercise their authority, often with harsh degrees. The Soviets who did more harm to their own population and wiped out villages with their delusional programs. The Germans that turned radical after their loss and started hunting down other races. Aren't they bad as well? Aren't they the ones who influenced your tank friends? Why are they considered heroes but I'm too much for you? Red, the world isn't just one game where there are black and white pieces, it's always a game of greys - working for their own twisted desires, much like everyone in this room. There are those willing to do 'evil' for a good that nobody wants."

The room went silent, Ozpin broke that silence in the form of a small chuckle. "It's nice to see a blossoming educator, Professor Torchwick. You will do well as a teacher, the only thing left to be unofficially part of Beacon staff is to be at the receiving end of one of Glynda's rages."

"You're seriously making Torchwick teach us?" Yang protested, pointing an accusatory finger at the perpetrator.

"There are benefits and risks but every decision I make has that. Get some rest, girls. The competition isn't that far from today and I hope you're all going to give a stellar performance."

So far, it was an incomplete explanation. The day would grow long and tired and with Winter not waking up, they had little option but to follow Ozpin's recommendation and headed back to the dorms.

When they left, Torchwick followed but in the guise of the many disguises provided by Neo who also had her own set of people to act out so as to not stand out in public. Weiss was still worried but Ruby kept her company throughout the day.

The consequences still lay unknown to the team but the forever-shifting landscape of the war between Salem and Ozpin was everchanging, their problems would still lay ahead but as of now, they were made to adhere to a single challenge.

The Vytal Festival Tournament.

I'd just like to point out something before this chapter ends. This is not the same timeline as RWBY anymore, there are many things that have changed that are completely different and the characters within this timeline have also changed based on that. Jacques and Raven might be a laughable comparison for any odd viewer but this is in the eyes of a Yang that has never gotten saved by Raven since they had arrested both Torchwick and Neo, meaning Neo never would have fought Yang and Yang would've never been saved by Raven and as a consequence, Yang would never speculate or start to see Raven as who she is in the original timeline, so her feelings hadn't changed yet. All she knows is that Raven left her and remained that. In her eyes, a mother who left her (Yang) is the same as a father that practically abuses their children (Weiss). Both are awful and both are equally capable of leaving a scar on Weiss and Yang, they're just suffering in different ways and they cope by trying to help one another. I mean this in the most respectful way possible.