Reclaiming in Black
Chapter 7: More family in town
AN: So I just skilled chapter 13 in Reclamer, as honestly, you can read it yourself if you want to.
Rose lets loose a piteous groan as the alert tone of her scroll receiving a message goes off. Next to her, bare form half covered by her white sheets lay Glynda. Unlike Ruby she snaps awake with barely a complaint, instantly coming alert. Making the choice to capitalize on her current situation Rose promptly shuffles closer, engaging Glynda in a long, smoldering kiss.
"Good morning!" Rose says brightly, her cheeks slightly flushed from her impromptu wake up call. Glynda gives her an odd half smile.
"Good morning, Rose." Glynda says, moving away from Rose then indulging herself in a yawn and luxurious back-arching stretch, allowing the sheets to slide off her slowly.
Rose doesn't find it in her to complain about the break of physical contact.
"It certainly is now." Rose mumbles, a little stunned by Glynda's casual display of sensual beauty. Glynda doesn't miss a beat when she hears that, allowing her half smile to turn into a full one.
"Flattery will get you everywhere, Rose." Glynda purrs and Rose blinks in slight astonishment.
"Someone's feeling a little playful." Glynda's eyes glimmer with amusement and Rose feels a certain satisfaction build in her chest. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem much less… intense this morning." Rose hedges, trailing her fingertips along Glynda's bare form.
Glynda shrugs lightly. "You were right about needing some form of relief; I can't tell you how long it's been since I was this relaxed." Rose smiles at that; it's genuine but with a hint of smugness edging around the quirk of her lips.
"Glad to be of service, mistress." Rose says huskily, planting a soft kiss on Glynda's collarbone. After a few languid kisses it becomes apparent that Glynda is no mood to stop her, unfortunately her previously forgotten scroll alerts her again. With a mix between a groan and a sigh she relents, reaching over and grabbing the offending object.
Two new messages.
She opens the first, shivering a little when she feels Glynda full form press up behind her, intimate warmth molding across her back.
"Ozpin, Qrow and my dad are back." Rose informs Glynda, who makes an affirmative sound. "They're waiting in your office for us." Glynda makes a noncommittal humming noise. "Should we join them?"
"It's a very comfortable office." Glynda says offhand as she bites lightly along Rose's bare shoulder, eliciting a pleasurable sigh from her bed-mate.
"Very comfortable." Rose says agreeably as Glynda continues her ministrations.
"I'm sure they can get some rest while they wait." Glynda says softly, hands gliding up and down Rose's side.
"Plenty of places to relax. They have your couch, your chair, your desk…"
"You found those comfortable?"
"I don't really remember; I think all the nakedness made everything a little fuzzy." Rose admits, breath coming a little short, but still having the state of mind to try and open her second message.
"Ah." Glynda exclaims, sounding very pleased. Before she has the opportunity to say anything Rose looks at her massage, then tilts her head back and laughs throatily. Glynda peeks over to see what elicited such a reaction.
The scroll is displaying an image of her office. Qrow is standing slightly hunched in the background, his face a picture of mirth, visibly laughing. The source of his amusement is obvious as a horrified looking Tai-Yang lifts Rose's discarded corset and battle skirt, evidently having left both items of clothing behind last night. Apparently Ozpin captured the moment perfectly, and then decided to send it to Rose.
"Oh dear." Glynda mutters, her cheeks a little flushed in embarrassment.
"I have to show Yang later. This is priceless." Rose says, still chuckling and wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Are you certain it is appropriate for one of my students to know the… particulars of last night?" Glynda asks sharply. Rose waves her off.
"Sorry, Glynda, but as soon as she realizes that I didn't come back to the dorm last night she'll put two and two together. She's definitely smarter than she looks." Glynda doesn't look particularly pleased at that revelation. "And the cat was out of the bag the very second Tai-Yang Xiao Long found my clothes in your office."
Glynda sighs in resignation at that very true statement. "That man is irrepressible." She mutters. "How do you plan to deal with him this early in the morning?"
Rose gives her a salacious grin. "I don't." She says as she pulls Glynda into a scorching kiss, nipping at her lip and then deepening the kiss with tongue at Glynda's involuntary gasp.
Needless to say they weren't leaving any time soon.
"I didn't really think it through, did I?" Rose sighs, looking at the clothes she had available to her. Glynda, being a tad shorter but having a much larger bust didn't have anything that would fit the young ravenette. The only thing she had available was... unique. It was a long, black shirt with Glynda's name stamped on the back; her old tournament gear and the only thing that Rose had to wear.
At least she had remembered to grab her underwear before she had used her semblance to tear through the school with Glynda in her arms, intent on getting to the bedroom. Even if she had been seen, she would have been nothing more than an indiscernible blur and some rose petals; no chance of her being peeked on by some errant student. But now...
She could use her semblance again, so yes, she wouldn't be seen in transit. Unfortunately she had only two places with clothes for her at the moment. Her old dorm, which would likely have Yang, Blake, Weiss and little Rose in it. Or Glynda's office, which currently has her uncle, her father and Ozpin in it.
On the one hand she had no doubt that Yang would tease her mercilessly, perhaps Blake as well. Ruby and Weiss would no doubt blush up a storm and not say a word. On the other she had her father, who would also tease her once he had calmed down. Qrow, who judging by his reaction has already been filled in on her identity, already seems to find the situation more than a little amusing. And Ozpin, whose flagrant eccentricity made his possible reactions rather hard to pin down.
Then again... whilst showing up with Glynda's name stamped on her back would no doubt send Yang into hysterics, her father would probably short circuit.
Some choices are definitely easier than others.
"Good morning!" Rose says chirpily, flinging open Glynda's office doors and skipping in gaily. Qrow barely takes in her outfit before he is barking in laughter. His mirth only increases when Tai-Yang spit takes his coffee. Unfortunately, this surprised reaction was paired with his own humoured snort and the two actions combined to form a rather unattractive choking reaction. Tai-Yang sputters and hacks, Qrow laughs uproariously, both trying to regain composure. Ozpin merely lifts one delicate brow, eyes glittering with his own amusement.
"Good morning to you as well, Ms. Rose."
"Mm, you have no idea." Rose says amiably, peering around the office. Ozpin snorts quietly.
"I might have an inkling." He says dryly. Rose's face is a picture of innocence.
"I seem to have misplaced my clothes." She says idly, still gazing around the room. Tai-Yang has evidently recovered because he stands up straight, hefting her 'misplaced' items. He clears his throat loudly.
"And what were you doing, young lady?" Tai-Yang says in his best disapproving fatherly tones. Rose shrugs lightly.
"I was having blisteringly hot, sweaty lesbian sex with Glynda." She says unashamedly, snatching her clothes clothes out of her fathers now slack grip. Tai-Yang works his jaw, trying to come up with something to say to his daughters rather blunt statement. Qrow chuckles again, shaking his head at her boldness.
"Ah yes... Glynda." Ozpin begins. "Where would she be?" He questions.
"Taking a quick shower. I'll be back in a few, just need to suit up." Rose says quickly, zipping away. Qrow plonks himself down in a chair, looking between his two friends.
"She's... different." He says, amusement plain in his voice.
"My poor, sweet, innocent little Ruby." Tai-Yang moans into his hands, falling boneless onto Glynda's recliner. "What on Remnant could have done that to her?" He despairs. Qrow lifts a single eyebrow.
"She obviously grew into her Xiao Long genes."
"I resent that statement."
"Oh please. Isn't she on a team with her sister?" Qrow asks Ozpin.
"She is." He says with a small nod.
"It was a lost cause from the start." Qrow tells Tai-Yang.
"Why would that be?"
"Yang is even worse than you were at her age." Tai-Yang freezes.
"I refuse to believe Yang has even kissed a boy." He denies vehemently.
"You're probably right." Qrow agrees and Tai-Yang sighs in relief. "All those girls, though..." He trails off.
"Girls?" Tai-Yang echoes incredulously. "Are you telling me Yang is into women and I didn't even notice?"
"That girl is gayer than the day is long, Tai. I honestly don't know how you haven't picked up on that."
"Well when she didn't bring any boys over I just assumed she wasn't interested in that sort of thing yet." Tai-Yang says weakly.
"But she brought over a few girls?"
"Yang has always had a lot of friends."
"What exactly did Yang do when she had her... friends over?" Qrow asks, with a hint of a smile.
Tai-Yang shrugs. "Well... they'd just hang out. You know, make food, watch movies, swim, play video-games, sometimes they'd go up to her room and listen... to... music..." Tai-Yang trails off slowly, blanching. "Oh dust."
"For someone as good with women as you are you can be a real idiot sometimes, Tai." Qrow says humorously.
"Excuse me for not thinking that my daughter has been hooking up with women in my home without me noticing." Tai-Yang says with a grimace.
"Your father never noticed." Ozpin interjects helpfully. Tai-Yang groans.
"I obviously gave her too much of the Xiao Long genes. The blonde hair, the build, the charm, the love of women, the sneakiness." Tai-Yang mopes.
"So the whole lady-love is a Xiao Long thing?" Rose asks curiously as she walks into the room, changed into her regular clothes.
"Definitely. We Xiao Long's have a long, storied history as wooers of the fairer sex." Tai-Yang says proudly, then deflates. "Not that my kids should ever have sex before marriage." Tai-Yang says with stern disapproval, looking Rose in the eye. She snorts.
"Sorry dad, I've already tried to live in a nunnery. They just don't have the stamina to keep up, though."
"I know what you mean." Tai-Yang says with an agreeable nod and a far off look in his eyes. Rose blinks a little.
"I was kidding, but wow, good for you pops, disturbing as that is."
"I've never seen a seventy year old woman quite as angry..." Qrow says with a laugh and wistful air.
"I don't even want to know." Rose says with a grimace. "Anyhow, Glynda should be here any moment now."
"Indeed." Goodwitch's even tone enters the room a moment before her.
"Speak of the devil." Rose says lightly.
"Good morning, Glynda." Ozpin says politely. Whilst Tai-Yang joins Glynda and Ozpin in some basic pleasantries Rose approaches Qrow.
"Hey Uncle." Rose says happily, finally greeting her old mentor. Qrow smiles widely when he walks up to Rose.
"Hey squirt. You got old."
"I am most definitely not old." Rose disagrees.
"I think ageing eight years in less than a month counts as getting old."
"I aged eight years the normal way, thank you very much. I just thought I'd pay your punk-ass a visit, show you who's the better hunter before you got too old." Rose says glibly.
"You did not just call me a punk." Qrow says incredulously.
"You're right; you are a little old to be a punk." Rose says nonchalantly.
"I am most certainly not a punk, nor am I old! I'm still in my prime!"
"It's okay, I'll take it easy on you, on account of your advanced age." Qrow grumbles something very uncomplimentary under his breath at Rose after she says that. She laughs and wraps him up in a hug. "Missed you, you crazy bastard." Qrow laughs lightly in response, returning the hug.
Some time passes as everyone gets settled, a few more good mornings and some light jibes at Rose and Glynda. Soon enough they are all sitting down, picking at a small selection of snacks and drinks. Ozpin clears his throat.
"I think it's high time we got things underway." Ozpin states, getting universal affirmatives from the people around him. He turns to Rose. "Why don't you start from the beginning." He suggests. Rose leans back in her chair, looking pensive.
"It all starts a few weeks from now..." Rose begins, spinning the tale of her life; of her future, from it's inception.
The story she plans to rewrite with her own hand, with the help of the people around her.
The life she plans to lead.
The destinies of the people she hopes to change.
A war she hopes to end before it begins.
A nation she strives to save.
A Remnant she hopes to reclaim.
Tai-Yang lets out an explosive breath, slumping boneless in his chair. He takes a moment to look at Rose, really look, and notices just how weary his girl is. Her story is harrowing to even contemplate; to have lived it? Tai-Yang is horrified at the very thought.
He'd heard stories of war growing up; his father had fought in the last faunus war. Tai-Yang had idolised his father as a hero growing up, tales of his dear old dad's brave acts rattling around his skull. Funny how those same stories, tales of the sacrifice of his comrades and the darkness he'd seen were so much more poignant now. So much more real, because his daughter had that same tired, haunted look of someone who had seen and done too much to remain unscathed.
He can feel the his own weariness seeping into his bones and can't help but feel that this empty echo of his daughters burden is already far, far too much.
"Where were we, Rose?" Tai-Yang says lowly, the unspoken plea that he had done something in his voice. Rose sighs, trailing a hand through her silky raven and crimson tinged locks.
"Dead." She says plainly.
Qrow swears under his breath, mimicking Rose's tussling of his own hair. "How? I mean, we aren't exactly pushovers. It'd take some pretty serious heat to knock us all off."
"Sabotage; poison specifically." Rose says tiredly.
Glynda purses her lips. "Do you have any details of how this occurred?"
Rose nods. "The perps are two of Cinder's lieutenants; Mercury Selth and Emerald Harron. Dangerous, clever and very, very loyal. Both are extremely talented hunters-in-training that work primarily as a duo. They are being apprenticed personally by Fall. They kidnap some of the kitchen staff's family, holding them hostage and threatening their lives unless they poison the end of year feast." Rose pauses, a deep sadness in her eyes, before she shakes her head violently. "It was a nightmare. More than half the students died. The only survivor on staff was Dr. Ooblek, but he suffered severe trauma."
Tai-Yang curses ferociously, white-hot rage burning through him at the callousness of such tactics. Qrow is silent, features utterly stony and grim. Glynda is literally shaking with repressed anger at the thought of so many students losing their lives.
Ozpin looks apocalyptic. Rose can see the tell-tale signs of his semblance activating subconsciously; shadowy tendrils spreading out from his iris, turning his eyes a haunting, eerie black. His white-knuckle grip on his cane is another indication of his anger. But nothing is more indicative of his rage than the ferocious snarling set of his mouth, his teeth bared in a primal expression of fury.
"They dare to hurt my students?" Ozpin's voice echoes around the room, sharp and cold, akin to a blade being drawn from it's scabbard. "To commit murder on such a scale is unforgivable."
Rose nods solemnly. "Cinder is the worst kind of monster. Her attack on Beacon is one of the least of her crimes."
Ozpin stands violently, turning swiftly to face the window. Rose watches him as he tries to calm himself. The odd wavering, ethereal creeping of the shadows in the room halt and recede as he regains control of himself. She snaps her head to stare at Qrow when she hears the distinct sound of a lighter. In a blur she crosses the room, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth and tossing it out the window. He looks briefly startled, then glares at the silver eyed woman in front of him.
"Why did you feel the need to throw my last cig out the window, Rose?" Qrow asks acidly.
"Those things will kill you." She says sharply. Qrow snorts.
"Spare me."
A loud smack is heard around the room as Rose slaps him firmly across the face. "No, you arsehole, those things do kill you." She snarls at him.
Qrow looks shocked. "I thought you said I was poisoned!"
Rose frowns. "Yes, you do it yourself, you stupid, stupid man. Why would you be at the end of year feast? You work at Signal! No, you're already in hospital by then. Lung cancer, incurable. You didn't even make it to my graduation." Rose says bitterly.
"Fuck." Qrow spits out, horror written across his features. "Are you serious?"
"As your fucking grave, uncle."
"That… that is a shitty way to die." Tai-Yang interjects, frowning at Qrow. "I mean honestly, Qrow the Hewer, killed by a herb?" His eyes turn sharp. "No more smoking for you, my friend. And we're taking you to the hospital to get your lungs checked out."
Qrow groans, but nods. "Yeah, yeah. I hear you."
Rose smiles sweetly at him, bearing more than a few of her teeth in the process. "If I see you so much as look at a pack I'll give you a firsthand demonstration of some of the tricks Yang taught me during the war."
Qrow returns her smile uneasily, lifting his hands in supplication. "No complaints here. Contrary to what seems to be popular opinion I do like living."
"The way you used to fight I find that hard to believe." Glynda says dryly.
"What is that meant to mean, Glynda dearest?" Qrow asks with a lifted eyebrow.
"Running in a straight line at the enemy with your weapon primed isn't the height of strategy." She replies evenly.
Qrow grimaces. "I got better." He points an accusing finger at Tai-Yang. "He hasn't."
Tai-Yang snorts derisively at him. "I think you're forgetting that is literally what I am suited for."
"A gigantic force-hammer doesn't leave much room for interpretation, I'll give you that." Qrow admits with a chuckle.
"I'll have you know Malwr is a very versatile weapon." Tai-Yang says snootily.
"It's effectively an explosion on a stick, Tai."
"You know nothing."
"I remember he once tried to use it to hammer some nails." Glynda says nostalgically. "That dorm was never the same."
"Well, it was an improvement." Tai-Yang hedges and Glynda rolls her eyes at him.
"After we built three quarters of the barracks from the ground up, I expected nothing less." Glynda comments drolly.
"You and Nora have a lot in common, I see." Rose laughs.
Tai-Yang looks at her curiously. "Nora?"
"Ah, Nora Valkyrie is one a member of team JNPR and is in the same year group as your daughters." Glynda informs him.
"She also uses a fuck-off huge hammer-grenade launcher combo." Rose says with a chuckle. "It's so easy to forget that with aura physical strength doesn't always equate to huge muscles. That girl is preposterously strong."
Tai-Yang grins. "You'll have to introduce me, I've been itching to pass on some of my moves." Rose gives him a beaming smile.
"She'd love that, I imagine." Rose exclaims happily, Glynda groans.
"Between the two of you I'd be surprised if Beacon is still standing at the end of the year."
Ozpin turns to face the rest of the group, his calm demeanor returned. Rose can still see the signs of his anger though. She had not seen the man angry more than a few times but she knew what to look for. After the initial outburst, Ozpin's rage was like his semblance. Dark, cold, grudging and lethal.
"Tai-Yang, I am offering you the position of head of security. You will be provided with senior students as junior officers working their community hours. You will be tasked with the safety of students and staff for the foreseeable future." Ozpin says seriously, his offer sounding much more like a command than an option. Not that Tai-Yang even thought of refusing.
"Done." Tai-Yang agrees near instantly.
Ozpin looks at him levely. "I can't guarantee the pay will be satisfactory."
Tai-Yang snorts, looking at Ozpin incredulously. "I volunteer, don't worry. This is war Ozpin; or it could be if we fuck up. I don't need the money. Use it to get us supplies when we need it."
Ozpin nods, giving him a small thankful smile before spinning on his heel to face Qrow and Rose. "Rose, I understand that you wish to fill the role as instructor of the combat classes?"
Rose shoots Glynda an uneasy glance. "Yes, but we thought it best if I take some time to... settle in, I guess."
Ozpin shakes his head. "I understand why you would think so, but I believe you will be fine."
Rose sizes him up, trying to assess his level of honesty. "I'm not going to sugar coat it, I'm fresh from a war Ozpin. Are you sure it's a good idea for me to teach?"
Ozpin looks grim. "That is exactly why I want you. No one will be able to impart lessons on combat like someone that lived war. Make no mistake, Rose, I expect nothing but the best from you. You will do what you must to ready our students for the possibility of full-scale war."
Rose closes her eyes, considering his words. "I accept." She says simply.
"Good." Ozpin turns to face Qrow. "Now Qrow, I have two offers for you, your choice. One, you assist Rose as a combat instructor,"
"I don't know how I feel about being an assistant." Qrow grumbles.
"or you become the very first professor on stealth, subterfuge and espionage at Beacon." Ozpin continues, ignoring Qrow's interruption.
Qrow looks like christmas has come early. "Are you kidding? I've been pushing to have that class accepted for years! What's changed?"
"Everything." Ozpin says seriously, turning to face the window overlooking his school once more. "Everything has changed."
Tai-Yang and Rose are walking through the bustling halls of Beacon, chatting amiably. The meeting earlier had broken up, as most everyone needed time to come to terms with Rose's story. In Ozpin's case, he was to start reviewing some of the important details Rose had written up.
Or they were until there was an explosion of glass, wood and plaster, accompanied with a plume of red dust smoke and a body was flung from a room not far in front of them.
With reflexes honed by years of battle Rose blurred forward, reaching the sight of the incident within an instant. She swung her head around, taking in every important detail, eye open for the enemy. A small, indistinct figure within the smoke catches her attention. She ignores the singed, moaning body of Cardin Winchester behind her. He is obviously not in any real danger if he can still complain so much.
"Woof!"
"Bad dog! Very bad dog!" A panicked voice within the room calls out. Rose steps inside the mess cautiously, her boots crushing the glass underfoot. "No, no, no! How did you even do that, little one?" Rose walks through the smoke and is confronted by a very odd scene.
Velvet Scarletina, Beacon's resident rabbit faunus and shy girl looked distraught. She was lifting a small, sooty animal at face level and scolding it. Or at least she was trying. The small dog, Rose realizes (with growing apprehension), is barking happily and doing its level best to lick the girl's face.
"What in the world happened here?" Rose asks, getting a startled 'eep' from the girl, her momentary surprise allowing the soot-stained beast to wriggle free. In a series of short, boisterous bounds it runs straight at Rose. It stops just short of her, sniffing the air experimentally. Obviously pleased with whatever it's little nose discovered, it yaps excitedly, running speedy circles around Rose. She sighs, squatting down and looking at the dog with exasperation.
"I should have known. Hello Zwei."
"Yip, woof!" Her demented little pet replies eloquently. With a long suffering sigh, accompanied by a grin, she picks the dog up and cuddles it to her chest. Zwei looks exceptionally pleased by this turn of events.
"Ah... h-hello miss." Velvet says, looking between the dog and Rose. "Is he yo-yours?" She stammers.
"Yup." Rose replies, popping the p. "Where'd you find the little rascal?"
Velvet shuffles her feet, gazing anxiously at the destruction around her but answers anyway. "In the v-v-vents."
Rose looks at her dog with a raised brow, getting a puppy eye look of pure innocence. "What in the world were you doing in the vents?" She gets the equivalent of a nonchalant doggy shrug. Rose blinks at her dog slowly. "Sometimes I almost think you understand me."
"Woof."
"..." Rose shakes her head. "Anyyyway" She trails, looking at Velvet. "What happened here?"
"Ah may-maybe we-e should get a pr-professor." Velvet mumbles.
"I am a professor, as of about an hour ago." Rose replies confidently. "Professor Rose, combat instructor."
Velvet perks up at the identity of the woman in front of her. "Well, I w-was just get-getting some dust." She begins in a rush.
Rose lifts a hand. "It's alright, accidents happen, take your time, calm."
Velvet breathes in and out, steadying herself visibly. "I was getting some dust for my spellcasting tutorial this afternoon." She says much more confidently. "I have had Zwei with me ever since I found him earlier this morning."
"Thank you for looking after him, by the way." Rose says warmly, getting a light blush from the bashful faunus.
"N-no problem, professor!" Velvet exclaims.
"You said something about dust?" Rose prompts her again. Velvet nods.
"I had two jars of red in my hands w-when Cardin walked in."
"Mr. Winchester?" Rose asks specifically. Velvet nods once more.
"Yes, he came in an-and... said some things." Velvet says, looking at her feet, her faunus ears drooping.
"I am well aware of Mr. Winchester's... opinions." Rose says with a frown. "You don't need to worry about that. I think your ears are gorgeous."
Velvet blushes furiously at Rose's compliment, unused to hearing such things outside of her team and a select few family members. "Th-thank you." She squeaks. Clearing her throat, Velvet continues, smiling slightly now. "He tried to take the dust from me."
Rose lifts her visible eyebrow. "He tried to take your belongings by force?"
"Yes, but he ended up knocking it out of my hands. Zwei wasn't very happy with him."
"He dropped red dust on my dog?"
"W-well he knocked it out of my hands... s-so yes."
Rose frowns at that admission. "Carry on."
"Um, then he t-t-tried to pull my ears for being so clumsy." Velvet admits, worrying her lip with her teeth. "Then Zwei got really upset. The next thing I know he's jumping at Cardin, th-then he catches fire and explodes!" She exclaims loudly, her panic creeping back in.
"He does that sometimes." Rose professes with a slight grin.
Velvet looks at Rose incredulously. "Why? How?"
"Why? He obviously didn't like what Cardin was doing. How? Dust infused kibbles and aura infusions."
"... You put your dog on steroids?"
Rose pouts at Velvet. "I was a little girl!"
Velvet looks at Rose askance before shaking her head to clear it, her large ears flopping wildly. "Th-that's what happ-happened Professor Rose."
Rose hums thoughtfully. "Well I can hardly blame you for Cardin's actions, or those of Zwei." She looks at her little beast, ignoring the downright smug air it is exuding. "You've done nothing wrong, Ms..?"
"Ah! Sorry, my name is Velvet, Velvet Scarletina."
"You've done nothing wrong, Ms. Scarletina. Cardin is a fool for accosting you when you were handling such a volatile substance. Am I correct in assuming that there is more dust on the premises?"
Velvet nods, pointing to some metal drums in the far corner of the room. "One hundred kilos of Red, White, Blue and Yellow."
Rose's eyes widen at the vast quantities of propellant. "Is he insane?" She yells, causing Velvet to flinch. "If that had gone off everything in a hundreds of metres would be ashes." Velvet pales as she realizes just how close to a real disaster she had come to. "I am going to deal with this right now." Rose stalks out of debris.
Her father is standing next to Cardin, who is propped up on a pillar with a bottle of water in his hands. She signals her dad to step aside and take note of the conversation.
"Mr. Winchester!" Rose barks, getting the large bully's attention. "When handling red dust, what precautions must be taken?"
Cardin looks at her in confusion. "What?"
"When handling red dust, what precautions must be taken?" She repeats slowly.
"Red dust is a highly volatile form of nature's wrath and so must be contained and handled with the utmost care to prevent possible ignition." Cardin replies dutifully, with the air of someone who learnt such an answer by wrote. "Who are you?" He demands.
"Rouge Rose, Beacon's new combat instructor." Rose replies, ignoring the gathering crowd around them as people move out of their classes to come look at the source of noise and destruction. A few are poking their heads out of nearby windows. "You answer is correct, Mr. Winchester, which leaves me with the question of why you did not follow said instructions."
Cardin frowns. "I don't know what that filthy beas-"
Rose punts a piece of plaster at his forehead, causing him to grab it and yelp. "I don't tolerate racism, Mr. Winchester." She says icily.
"What the fuck?" He yells in shock. "You can't just kick shit at me!"
Rose scoffs. "This is a warrior school, Mr. Winchester. I could throw you off the Beacon Cliffs without so much as filing a piece of paperwork. Why do you think you and your little gang have not been taken up on your bullying? Students are expected to be able to stand up for themselves, or at the very least report abuse to the proper authorities. On the other side of that coin, anything less than crippling physical assault is tolerated from your teachers. If I feel it teaches you a lesson, I will 'kick shit at you' all day and I would be well within my rights. Now, what on earth gave you the notion to try and take two jars of red from Ms. Scarletina by force?"
Cardin sneers at Rose. "You can't prove anything."
Rose takes a moment to punt another piece of plaster at him, nailing him right in the nose. "Don't. Test. Me." She bites out with narrowed eyes. "There are cameras everywhere in this school. If I have to spend my time to gather evidence you can bet that your punishment will be nothing less than severe."
Cardin growls before throwing his hands into the air, splattering small amounts of that had come from his nose. "Fine! So I tried to take the dust, so what? If that b-girl didn't drop it nothing would have happened. And if that little shit of a dog didn't attack me and explode I wouldn't be hurt!"
"Mr. Winchester, you are responsible for that explosion. If you hadn't accosted Ms. Scarletina, my dog would not have been covered in dust in the first place. If you had not then attempted to pull her ears, my dog would not have attacked you. But that is not the whole reason I am here. No, I am here because you singlehandedly almost killed dozens of people." Cardin frowns in confusion. "In that very same room sits four hundred kilos of dust, Mr. Winchester. You are lucky that when you knocked the red from Ms. Scarletina's hands that they didn't go up! You could have been responsible for possibly over a hundred people's deaths today, Mr. Winchester!" Rose roars, her face a rictus of fury. All around her students are gasping, paling or looking murderous.
Cardin face pales as he realizes the magnitude of his mistake. "I didn't think-" He is struck by a piece of wood on the cheek by a massively pissed Rose.
"I know you didn't think, Mr. Winchester. Your actions today are so incredibly stupid and irresponsible that I don't even have an idea of how to punish you. Luckily for me, the new head of security on staff has been taking notes of this entire event."
Tai-Yang waves cheerily, a contrast to his blazing red eyes, which are much more honest in their portrayal of his emotions. "My name is Tai-Yang Xiao Long, and I'll be looking after you kiddies for the foreseeable future. Now, if you would come with me Mr. Winchester, I do believe Ms. Goodwitch will help us deal with situation. Rose, if you could bring Ms. Scarletina with you?"
"Of course." Rose turns and fetches a very nervous looking Velvet.
"Let's go." Tai-Yang says, dragging a reluctant Cardin by the crook of his elbow. He is obviously doing his best to resist, but despite his strength, Tai-Yang is by far more powerful. He looks at Cardin from the corner of his eye. "If you don't stop that, I am going to carry you over my shoulder like an invalid. And don't think I can't, boy, I've been swinging Deathstalkers around by the tail since I twenty years old."
There isn't much more struggling after that.
A few minutes of silence pass as a grim looking Tai-Yang and Rose accompany their two charges to Glynda's office. Zwei is snoozing gently in Rose's arms.
Some brief knocking and they enter Glynda's office, where they find her sitting at her desk, marking reports with a cup of tea in her hands.
"How can I help you, Tai-Yang, Rose, Mr. Winchester, Ms. Scarletina?" Glynda asks levelly. Tai-Yang opens his scroll and recites the entire event.
Glynda's grip on her teacup tightens during the explanation. Towards the end she turns to Cardin robotically, the teacup shattering in her hand.
Velvet yelps.
Cardin whimpers.
Rose damn near purrs in satisfaction.
"I get the feeling you really don't like that boy." Tai-Yang comments with no small trace of amusement in his voice as he watches the full grown woman next to him skip down the hall.
"Fuck no." Rose agrees readily. "I hope he chokes on the sharp end of a boarbatusk, the traitorous bastard."
"Ah." Tai-Yang says in realization, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Well, there goes the last of my sympathy."
Rose snorts. "The only reason that sapient turd is still walking is because he hasn't actually done anything yet. At this point I don't doubt he only intends to hunt Grimm."
"I wish them the best."
"The Grimm or his team?"
"Both."
Rose chuckles, pulling her father down a side passage toward team RWBY's dorm. Tai-Yang smiles lightly at Rose's childish action, stumbling after her as she excitedly pulls him down the hall.
He's happy to see the war didn't change everything about her.
"Here we are!" Rose exclaims, slamming open the team RWBY door.
"AH!" Weiss screams shrilly in surprise, nearly falling out of her chair at the noise. "Rose you neanderthal, don't you know how to open a door?!" She barks.
"I'm a terrible influence, I'm afraid." Tai-Yang comments with a chuckle.
"DAD!"
"Pops!"
Ruby and Yang yell their greetings respectively, scrambling and crashing into their father in their embraces.
"Sup' brats?" Tai-Yang laughs, ruffling Ruby's hair. Yang disengages and punches him in the shoulder.
"Who you calling a brat, pops?"
"You, you violent little brat." He says with a pout, rubbing his shoulder dramatically.
"Don't be such a wimp, I know you aura-shielded that."
"I'm hurt emotionally."
"Suck it up, Xiao-Long." Yang teases.
"This is why Ruby is my favorite." Tai-Yang says as Ruby disengages from her enthusiastic hug.
"Oh please, Ruby is everyone's favorite." Yang says, rolling her eyes.
"It's true, we are adorable." Rose says sagely, Ruby nods in agreement.
"She isn't my favorite." Weiss interjects. Rose grins at her.
"Give it a few years."
Ruby fist pumps in pre-emptive victory. "She does love me!" She exclaims.
Rose catches her by the hoody before she can glomp Weiss. "I don't think you're at the tackle hug stage, yet, little Rose." Rose catches Tai-Yang's flinch at the nickname at through the corner of her eye.
"Do you ever get to that stage?" Blake wonders, climbing out from her bunk.
"That's my little secret." Rose smiles cheerily.
"The answer to that question is no." Weiss comments, standing smoothly out of her chair.
"Anyway, guys, this is our dad." Yang gestures to Tai-Yang. "Tai-Yang Xiao-Long. Dad, these are my teammates. My partner, Blake Belladonna," A small wave and a smile. "and Ruby's partner, Weiss Schnee. That over there's Obsidian Vulcain, our fifth." From the briefing, Tai recognises that name, and the glare he was fixing the boy in the room with his daughters, evaporated.
"Hi." He says, a small tilt of his head.
"How do you do, Mr. Xiao-Long."
"Fine thank you, Ms. Schnee. Yourself?"
"No complaints... at the moment." She gives a pointed look toward Yang and Ruby.
"So polite! She'll be a good influence on you, Ru!" Tai-Yang says with a smile. Rose laughs.
"No, she doesn't stand a chance. She's already being corrupted. It's inevitable."
Weiss looks well and truly horrified at the thought.
"Ah, my condolences, Ms. Schnee." Tai-Yang says solemnly. Blake laughs softly at the byplay. Rose catches this and grins at her.
"So, dad, why are you here?" Ruby questions.
"Well you're amazingly talented, one of a kind father,"
"So humble." Yang praises sarcastically, clapping slowly. Tai-Yang ignores her completely
"was just offered the job as head of security for Beacon." He says with a beaming grin.
"Head of security? I didn't even know we had security." Blake comments, Rose notes that it is accompanied with her trademark raised brow.
Classic.
"Well we do now! Now I don't have to worry about everyone dying while I am out saving the world!" Rose says happily.
Ruby chokes on her sentence, looking up at Rose in shock.
"Who would try to kill us at school?"
"The Grimm, gangsters, traitors, assassins, Cinder, her lieutenants, the White Fang, Roman Torchwick, Neo Politan..." Rose lists easily, flicking the names off with her fingers.
"Ok, we get it, people want us dead!" Ruby exclaims, shaking her arms in panic. Rose stops and considers Ruby for a second before pulling the smaller girl into a hug.
"Don't worry about them little Rose." She squeezes her comfortingly. "Except for the Grimm, worry about them." Ruby laughs lightly, but still looks a little unsure. Rose stands tall and gives everyone in the room a smile. "Really, don't worry. You guys will definitely be able to handle anything they throw at you."
"What do you mean, sis?" Yang asks curiously.
"I mean that as your Combat Instructor, I'll make sure you're ready for anything." Rose says smugly. Weiss groans, burying her face into her hands.
"Ruby, your family is flocking to Beacon in droves." She comments.
"I know, isn't it awesome?" Ruby chirps.
"No." Weiss states emphatically.
"I take offence to that." Tai-Yang remarks lightly.
"Me too." Yang agrees.
"Technically I am family." Rose says offhand.
"I'm also not feeling the love." Qrow says with a pout, walking into the room with a sparkling clean Zwei.
"There's more of- wait, what is that?" Weiss questions softly, at the sight of a softly snoring puppy.
"Is that a dog?" Blake hisses, leaping a top Ruby's bunk. Rose is hit with a distinct feeling of deja-vu.
"What in the world possessed you to bring a tiny, slobbering, shedding," Each word from the irate heiress is accompanied by a stomp of her foot until she reaches Zwei. When she does she opens her mouth to continue her tirade but Zwei's eyes crack open. With an excited yip her licks her nose. "bundle of joy and aren't you just the cutest thing? Yes you are! Yes. you. are!" Weiss gushes, plucking Zwei from Qrow's hands.
Blake, Ruby and Yang watch in slack jawed amazement as Weiss absolutely fawns over Zwei, unable to compute her actions with her usual demeanor.
'Definitely deja-vu.' Rose thinks, amusement at the situation causing mirth to bubble in her chest. "Ah, love at first sight." She muses absently.
As Obsidian walks over, Zwei looks, and whimpers, stepped away from himn, making Blake move over by him.
Tai-Yang chuckles at his daughter's strange sense of humor. As he looks around the room, he takes in the dynamic of team RWBY.
He likes what he sees.
The beginning of a real team.
A real family.
He couldn't be prouder of his two little girls; and the not so little one, too.
AN: Poor Obsidian. His secret is coming out in spades. And Zwei doesn't like him.