Ozpin waited outside Beacon for Ruby and Ironwood's return for nearly twenty minutes. On a concerned whim, he sent Glynda to retrieve security recordings from the CCT tower's entrance.

"Ozpin," Glynda announced her return, "You're going to want to see this."

Not five minutes later the headmaster stormed down the halls of the Atlas flagship. His face was calm. His eyes were furious. He held one hand behind his back politely while the other held his cane in a white-knuckled grip. He swept aside the androids guarding the general's door without breaking stride and burst into the man's office. "James, what the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Ironwood sighed and stood from behind his desk. "I am doing what I must for Remnant. Just like any of us do."

"And how do you plan to explain to the council your decision to arrest a fifteen-year-old girl?" Ozpin questioned.

"It would not be the first time we have done things none of the councils ever learned about," Ironwood pointed out.

"We made those decisions as a group," Ozpin reminded him. "I told you I would not defend you if you did this."

"Ms. Rose is dangerous, Ozpin!" the general argued.

"Not to us!" the headmaster countered.

"Yes, to us!" Ironwood shouted. "Take into account everything that happened just this night! Ms. Rose attends a dance in her combat gear, as though she were expecting something to happen. The Grimm were hidden under a fog. How were the Grimm snuck in? Why would there even be fog machines in a traditional ballroom dance? Ms. Rose's team made that decision, and they had unprecedented access to the hall for the entire weekend leading to the event. And to top it all off, Ruby knocked me aside so that our Maiden Thief could make her escape!"

Ozpin calmly met and challenged the general's gaze. "Tell me James, how could the large creature that blocked door possibly hide under only a single foot of an artificially placed cloud of water vapor? How could Ms. Rose's team have snuck the creatures into the dance while Glynda kept a close supervision over the entire affair? In fact, Glynda assures me Ruby herself made no decisions regarding the dance. It was left entirely to Ms. Xiao Long and Ms. Schnee."

"Then just how did the Grimm get into the dance?" Ironwood challenged. "There's a lot we don't know, but we do know they cannot just appear out of thin air!"

"You're still thinking with the assumption the creatures that attacked the dance were Grimm," Ozpin explained.

Ironwood scoffed. "What else could they possibly be!?"

"They're called the heartless."

Both the headmaster and the general spun, surprise clear on their face at Ruby's appearance in the room.

"And while 'out of thin air' is a bit of a broad description for how they appear, it's not exactly wrong," the young Keyblade wielder continued before they could react.

Ozpin was the first to compose himself, but Ironwood was the first to speak. "Just how did you get out of your cell!?"

"There's not a door on Remnant I can't open," Ruby explained casually.

"But the guards-"

"Were robots," Ruby cut him off, "so I didn't feel bad about fighting them."

"With what?" Ironwood looked a high-tech weapons case beside him. "We locked your sword behind state-of-the-art Dust shielding-"

FLASH

"Sounds fancy," Ruby shrugged, resting the freshly summoned Crescent Rose on her shoulder, "but it'll take more than you're capable of to separate my weapon from me."

Ironwood quickly opened the case to see it was, in fact, empty.

"So…" Ruby's turned to Ozpin, "the two of you work together?"

"We do," Ozpin admitted. "Although arresting you was James's action alone. I did not condone it, and in fact came here to argue for you. Which I now see was unnecessary. Although that makes me wonder why you entered this office? Why not just leave after breaking free?"

Ruby explained. "I… was still trying to find a door out, or at least an out-of-the-way window. Then I heard the two of you arguing," Ruby explained. "Thought I'd peek my head in and… assess. Because I still agree that we need to have a conversation. Things are escalating in ways I can't ignore, and I don't know if I can fight it alone."

"Good," Ozpin seemed relieved. "I was afraid that this," He gestured to the ship around them to indicate Ruby's arrest, "would damage our rapport."

"You're fine, for now," Ruby assured the headmaster. She turned her attention back to the general with a glare, "you are not."

"Ms. Rose," Ozpin gently took control of the room, "perhaps you should return to your team for the night. I'm sure they're terribly worried. We will reconvene in the morning. Before mission selection, and after we've all had time to cool our heads."

Ruby crossed her arms, "so he's still going to be there?"

"I don't expect you to forgive him even if I were to ask," Ozpin empathized, "but he is a valued associate and, present situation aside, a good friend."

Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"People are allowed to make mistakes, Ruby," Ozpin defended.

Ruby's sigh was a combination of concession and exhaustion. "I'm not stepping foot on this ship again."

"Of course not. My office, bright and early," Ozpin announced.

"I'll be there," Ruby nodded.

"Ruby!" Yang immediately threw her arms around her sister the second the young leader stepped into RWBY dorm. "You were gone for so long, where were you, are you okay!?"

"I had an… encounter," Ruby explained carefully. "Ozpin let me go to rest, but he wants to see me in the morning to debrief."

"What kind of encounter?" Weiss wondered.

"I… probably shouldn't say, at least until after the headmaster's report tomorrow," Ruby dodged.

Weiss frowned, but didn't push. "Well, after you had me check the students and vanish, I did a head count and injury check. Everyone was accounted for and the worst injury was the first girl who was attacked sprained her ankle when she first fell over."

"Good. Thank you, Weiss. I assume you passed that report on to the nurse?" Ruby followed her due diligence.

"Of course!" Weiss smiled proudly.

Ruby finally examined her team, noting all of them were dressed in their nightclothes. "I assume the shower is open?"

"Go ahead," Blake nodded.

Ruby slipped into the bathroom. Yang watched her other teammates out of the corner of her eye and, when she saw a moment, snuck into the bathroom after her sister. Thankfully Ruby was still mostly dressed when Yang shuffled beside her.

The blonde asked carefully, "what are you going to tell Ozpin?"

"Nothing more than he needs to know," Ruby answered. "I may have to elaborate on some of my magic. And probably talk about darkness and the heartless. In exchange, he'll tell me some secrets of his own that impact the larger fight brewing. Hopefully, it will be enough that he won't press for more."

"Jeez…" Yang shook her head. "That moment when you realize the existence of magic isn't the biggest, most dangerous secret you know, and that there's stuff way worse."

"Yeah…" Ruby nodded.

Yang blinked as something Ruby brought up processed in her head. "Wait, Ozpin has secrets of his own?"

"I think Remnant has natural magic after all, Dust aside," Ruby elaborated. "Whatever its nature, the headmaster's little secret society seems to know, and they're keeping it all quiet from the public. It's not as powerful as raw darkness, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to understand it."

"Secret society?" Yang backed away. "You're throwin' a lot of stuff at me I don't think I'm ready for. I'm just gunna hit the hay. Good luck tomorrow."

"Thank you, Yang," the redhead smiled.

The morning sun painted Ozpin's office a brilliant orange hue. Ozpin sat at his desk flanked on either side by Glynda Goodwitch and James Ironwood. The two of which were currently engaged in yet another argument.

"Letting her go was a mistake," Ironwood iterated for perhaps the hundredth time.

"It sounds to me like you couldn't hold her no matter how hard you tried, regardless of whether it was smart. Which it wasn't," Glynda returned.

"Peace, both of you!" Ozpin raised his voice. "Glynda, I understand your desire to protect a student, but please try not to incite?" The blonde teacher nodded reluctantly. "James, if you are correct then it is likely she will not arrive here. But if she does, would that finally convince you give her chance?"

Ironwood's face was hard set as he thought over this. "If she shows up, I will entrust things to your discretion. But I seriously doubt she will show."

As if on cue the elevator dinged and opened, and out walked none other than Ruby Rose herself. Ironwood was genuinely surprised at her arrival, enough so to step back and stay silent. The young wielder stopped a few feet from the desk. "Well… I'm here."

"Indeed," Ozpin picked up the torch. "We are waiting for one more, but I suppose we can at least deal with a few pleasantries before he arrives. He's not exactly one for being 'pleasant' anyways."

"Right," Ruby turned to the one face in this situation that was already new to her. "Professor Goodwitch?"

"Glynda is fine," the professor assured, "especially if we are going to be working together on something so heavy."

"The same goes for me," Ozpin spoke up. "When we are alone, especially discussing the topics we're here for today, there is no need for formalities."

"Does that mean you'll start calling me 'Ruby'?" the young girl wondered.

"If you are comfortable with it," Glynda nodded.

"You may be far younger than any of us, but if I'm correct, your skills alone make you our equal," Ozpin explained. "And so, we will treat you as such."

"Good to know," Ruby nodded.

The elevator dinged again, signaling the arrival of Ozpin's missing man. Ruby turned to look. A familiar gruff face and set of scruffy clothes met her eye, and she was even more shocked than when she saw her combat teacher. "Uncle Qrow?"

"Hey kiddo," Qrow answered with a smile.

"I don't… you're a part of all this?" Ruby questioned.

"Yup," Qrow nodded. "Speaking of, I want to apologize. I'm the last person with the right to dig into your secrets, especially if you keep them for good reason. I'm sorry I always pressed so hard. I was just… worried about my niece."

"I'm sorry too. I wanted to tell you," Ruby confessed. "Dad and Yang, too, we all did. But it wasn't really our choice not to say…"

"Your Masters from 'very far away', right?" Qrow deduced.

"Yeah," Ruby nodded.

"Well, at least we're here now, and I finally get to hear the whole story!" He ruffled her hair as he walked back and leaned on Ozpin's desk.

Ruby fixed her hair quickly with a nervous chuckle. "About that…"

"Uh oh," Qrow could tell he overreached immediately. Ironwood narrowed his eyes, but kept silent.

Ruby took a deep breath. While trying to come up with convincing lies the night before, she realized something. She realized that perhaps the best course of action wasn't to lie, but to be upfront about what she couldn't tell them. So that's what she did now.

"I did come her to share some of the things I know," Ruby assured them. "But… there are things I still can't tell you. Stuff that may be related, but not… relevant to what's going on. I don't even know if I'm actually allowed to share what I came here to share. But my back's against a wall and I need the help…"

"Then perhaps we should go to your masters, and ask them our questions?" Ironwood couldn't help but speak up.

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the general. She still didn't forgive him for his blind jumping into false conclusions.

But if Ozpin still trusts him, I may as well give him a chance. Even if he weren't here for this, someone would tell him what I say.

Ruby sighed and shook her head, "Even if you could, it's not their choice either. Not really. It's more like… a law. A law we were all sworn to live by. A law with very good reasons behind it. Please understand that I'm putting a lot on the line by telling you what I'm willing to say here today. And if you ask me something I absolutely cannot answer, no force in The World is going to make me change my mind. If those restrictions aren't okay with you, then tell me now so I can just leave."

Ozpin leaned forward thoughtfully. "It's difficult. I can't truly say I understand without the very knowledge you're unwilling to share. However, I can respect that you have strong ideals which you hold yourself to. In that regard, I will honor your restrictions. Do the rest of you?"

Qrow shrugged. "As long as we learn enough to deal with this situation, I'm game for whatever."

"It sounds more like an ultimatum if you ask me," Glynda noted. "Nevertheless, I accept."

"James?" Ozpin turned.

Ironwood appeared to visually struggle to get the words out. "I… did say I would entrust things to your discretion, Oz."

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the light… so where do we start?"

"I'm the one who invited you to this circle," Ozpin spoke up. "And I'm the one who asked for your secrets. As a show of trust, I shall begin. After, we will ask our questions of you and honor your limits should we reach them."

Ruby nodded.

"Now that all of the pretenses are out of the way, tell me," Ozpin opened, "What do you know of Remnant's fairy tales?"

"Less than I probably should," Ruby admitted.

"Well, many fairy tales have a kernel of truth hidden deep within," Ozpin continued unaffected. "Stories that are handed down, prettied up by oral traditioned and twisted by mistranslation, until a Story becomes nothing more than a beautiful shadow of its former Truth. One such Story lays at the heart of the secrets we keep. The powers we protect. The Story of the Seasons…"

Ozpin began telling the fairy tale itself. Ruby came to understand it as an ultimately simple story. A lonely old man was visited by four colorful young women. Each woman provides a gift commonly associated with the season they respectively represent. After these gifts warm the old man's heart, he reveals himself to be a wizard and grants the women the power to continue spreading their happiness to the world.

"…Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. The four Maidens of the Seasons." Ozpin concluded.

"Maiden?" the word was familiar to Ruby. "She said something about that…"

"So, you caught that much, huh?" Qrow smirked. "We don't exactly know how much is true, if some old codger is really responsible for their power. The truth, is that woven into Remnant's history are stories of young women who can control the elements. Not with semblances or Dust, but with raw will. Actual magic. The Maidens. Which I'm sure sounds less impressive to you than when I was told all this."

"I think I get it, though…" Ruby told him. "The Maiden powers aren't just rare. There's only four people who hold them at any given time in history."

"That's right," Qrow nodded. "Always four, and always young women. Or older women who got the power when they were young."

"'Got' their power?" Ruby asked.

Goodwitch took over the explanation next. "When a Maiden dies, the power leaves them and merges with the next candidate. Only young women, those who can be considered 'maidens' themselves if you will, can inherit the power. We also know that the last person in one's thoughts is first in line for inheritance."

"That's about all we know," Qrow remarked dryly. "If their last thoughts don't fulfill the highly specific requirements of 'young female person', then for all we can figure the power goes to someone completely random, anywhere across the world. Then our job gets a lot harder…"

"You protect the Maidens?" Ruby guessed.

Ozpin took back control to clarify, "They are more than capable on their own, usually. It's more accurate to say we protect their identities. It's not uncommon for the slain's last thoughts to be of their slayer. Not everyone who managed to get ahold of Maiden powers were heroes. Our predecessors decided long ago to remove them from the public eye."

One word from this description caught Ruby's attention. "Usually?"

"We will get to that," Ozpin assured. "What we have told you amounts to how the Maiden magic works. So tell us… how does your magic work?"

"Right," Ruby thought carefully on how to answer. "My power isn't too unlike a semblance, depending on how you think about it. It comes from within me, and I use a reserve of 'magic power' to cast my spells. My reserve can run dry, but it also recharges itself. Usually within a minute or two."

"Useful information, but not quite what I was looking for," Ozpin confessed.

"Where does it come from?" Glynda elaborated, "and how did you come to wield it?"

"Well… it comes from within," Ruby repeated, not sure how else to put it. "It wasn't some external power that entered me and made me capable. It's natural to me."

Ironwood stepped forward, his interest piqued. "Are you saying anyone can learn your magic?"

"Well, no, not exactly…" Ruby clarified. She rubbed the back of her neck as she tried to recall her ever-more-distant studies. "You have to have the…" How did Master Aqua put it? "'Potential'? Even then, one should really start when they're young."

"So, your teacher saw this 'potential' within you," Ozpin concluded, "and then began your training?"

"Pretty much," Ruby nodded. "I didn't start seriously training until about three years ago."

"I have a question," Qrow piped up next. "What exactly is the deal with your weapon?"

Glynda seemed to agree with the question. "Up until now, I assumed it to be the source of your magic. You use it as a conduit for your casting, after all. You can command it to teleport as well as transform it into a flying vehicle. If not the source, surly it must be tied to your magic somehow?"

Ruby took a deep breath and held her hand out in front of her. In a flash of red light, she was holding Crescent Rose. "The same 'potential' that allows me to use magic also allows me the use of this weapon. I am its chosen wielder, a Crescent Rose is my Keyblade, forged from my own light."

Ozpin stared at the weapon with new admiration. "It's a living force that chose you to be its master? This 'Keyblade'?"

"Could this living force be made to change its mind?" Ironwood asked. "Or, to put it another way… could someone steal your power?"

Ruby shook her head. "My Keyblade is tied to me by powers far stronger than anything I could ever cast. It's… complicated and a little confusing, but it is both a living force that chose me and a product of my own light."

"An offspring of sorts," Ozpin theorized. "The greater 'Light' gave you the potential, but you own light is what gave that potential form."

"Um… yeah," Ruby nodded, surprised. "That's… pretty much it exactly."

"Fascinating…" Ozpin's mental presence seemed to grow distant as his more curious nature took over. "So what happens when you 'store' it…? Does it truly shrink down and stay on your person…? Or is its physical shape dismantled and its essence returned to your 'light'…? Only to be drawn back out at a mental command and re-formed in an instant…?"

A riding crop smacking Ozpin's desk shocked the man back to attention, and he looked up to see Goodwitch glaring at him. "Focus?"

"Right," the headmaster nodded. "Apologies, Glynda."

Ruby smiled. A small return of personality amid an otherwise stiff and clinical discussion did wonders to relieve the tension that had grown in the room. She leaned a little toward Ozpin and told him, "the second one, by the way."

"Truly fascinating," Ozpin smiled. "I can't help but wonder where such a power originated. Are you aware?"

Ruby frowned. I can't go into the Keyblade's origins without talking about Kingdom Hearts and the existence of other Worlds… "This is where I have to refuse answering."

Ozpin pushed a smile through regardless. "Unfortunate. But understood."

"Then let's try a simpler question," Glynda took over. "Is yours the only Keyblade, or are there others?"

"There are others," Ruby nodded. "My spells were part of my training, but they aren't why I was trained."

"You were trained because of your Keyblade?" Ironwood picked up. "By other users?"

"Wielders," Ruby corrected. "There's more I'm willing to say, but not about the Keyblade."

"One last question then, you should be able to answer," Qrow spoke up. "You say a 'Light' chooses Keyblade wielders. But is it possible for one to have this power, and still use it for evil?"

Ruby's gaze fell to the floor. "Unfortunately. And while wielders all have access to the same magic, that magic isn't restricted to wielders."

Ozpin stood and held his hands behind his back. "Ruby, I thank you for what you have shared. One of the main concerns of this brotherhood was if your power could be used against us. I think I speak for all of us when I say you have assuaged our fears. While it is still possible that one like you could threaten us, your power will always be your own. And forgive me for assuming, but it is your taught duty to fight such threats regardless, is it not?"

"It is," Ruby nodded.

Ozpin smiled. "I told you that this accord would be one of give and take, of information shared both ways. While I certainly have more questions, particularly about these 'heartless' you mentioned last night, you've already given us quite a lot. More than we anticipated. I think it's our turn to even the balance. We have something to show you… something that will help explain just what we know of our shared enemy."

"The vault?" Qrow tossed the question Ozpin's way.

The headmaster returned his agent's stare. "Precisely."

The group piled into the elevator and Ozpin used a key to access a hidden destination for the elevator car. The ominously described 'vault'. When they stepped out, far below the ground level of the academy, Ruby was treated to the sight on dark stone walls reaching high out of range of the lights on the walls. They continued down the long hall up to the far end. Machines, computers, and other gadgetry created a strong contrast to the almost fairy tale visual that the preceding walk provided. And lying within one of the machines was a young woman, with light-brown skin and cropped brown hair.

Before any question could be asked, Ruby felt something. She stepped forward and held her hand against the glass separating her from the girl. It didn't take Ruby much longer to realize what she was sensing. A heart's connection, between this girl and someone else. Someone far away. A connection so painfully forced that Ruby could almost see it without even needing a Dive. She tried to trace the connection, but soon felt such overwhelming darkness her hand jumped away from the glass.

"What happened to her…?" Ruby asked, empathy thick on her voice.

"This is our Fall Maiden," Ozpin explained. "Or rather she was, before someone tried to steal her power."

"I shoulda been faster…" Qrow lamented. "My job in this brotherhood is kind of half-groundman, half-liaison. Every few years, I check in with whichever Maidens we know about, and spend most of my time looking for any we don't. I had just finished meeting Amber here and was on my way when I saw something in the distance. Most people would've chalked it up to a freak storm. I knew better."

"It was a Maiden's fight. Amber's," Ruby nodded.

"By the time I reached the battle I was too late," Qrow continued. "Amber was on the ground with some woman standing over her. I pushed the thief away, but she managed to escape having already taken half of Fall's power."

"Half a Maiden's power…" Ruby recalled what Ironwood had said the night before. "The woman I've been fighting. Her fire comes from Fall's power?"

"And now Amber's condition is tenuous at best," Ozpin sighed. "James has provided this technology that allows us to keep her alive. But we don't know how to return her power. And if Amber does pass, it's likely her remaining power will seek out it's missing half."

"Could you heal her?" Glynda asked Ruby. "I know you have a healing spell."

Ruby frowned. "'Cure'. It's meant for battle healing. It doesn't really do much against sickness or… anything more complex than a broken bone. If that. I don't think it will help here."

"Makes sense," Qrow sighed. "Even a broken bone's nothing like having half your Aura torn away from you."

"Aura?" something clicked in Ruby's mind. "A Maiden's power is tied to their Aura?"

Qrow raised an eyebrow. "Well, yeah. Everything is, isn't it? Is yours not? The way you described it-"

Ozpin held up a hand to cut Qrow off. "Ruby, what are you thinking?"

Ruby looked past Ozpin once again. "Uncle Qrow, when you pushed back the thief, was she wearing something that looked like an armored glove?"

"Yeah, actually…" Qrow nodded, "How did you know?"

"When I first fought her, under Vale's freeway… she tried to use that device to steal my magic. She implied it was Atlas tech, used somehow in Aura transfer," Ruby explained.

All eyes turned to the general. Qrow spoke up, "Looks like you need to sweep your R&D for leaks and moles."

"So it would seem…" Ironwood looked eager to dole out the necessary punishments.

"Well, I think we all learned a lot today," Qrow smiled. "The only question I have left is, what are you going to do, kiddo?"

"I… kinda figured this partnership would continue," Ruby told them. "At least until 'our shared enemy' is dealt with."

"We have information now," Ironwood pointed out. "You think we can't beat her on our own now that we know what to expect?" The blatant show of continued distrust in the Keyblade wielder wasn't missed by anyone in the room.

"James!" Ozpin scolded.

"With all due respect," Ruby followed up with a tone that sounded like Ironwood wasn't due any respect, "you have no idea what to expect. That's kind of why I tackled you last night, by the way. Not to help her escape, but to save you. That single blast could have killed you."

"How strong could she be with a new, unfamiliar power?" Ironwood shook his head.

"Strong enough that I can't beat her on my own! It's kind of why I agreed to this!?" Ruby reminded him. "If you're so scared of what I can do that you would try and arrest me, then you should be terrified of what she's capable of right now. I'm terrified."

"You think I'm scared of you?" Ironwood scowled.

"If you weren't, why would you be trying to stop me!?" Ruby pointed out.

"THIS IS QUITE ENOUGH!"

Every muscle in the room stopped moving at the sound of Glynda's shout. The professor composed herself before continuing, "it is clear that Ruby has more to tell us before we truly understand our foe. However," she glared between Ruby and Ironwood, "perhaps it is best for these meetings to be held in smaller doses?"

"Team RWBY does still have to select a first-year mission," Ozpin helpfully agreed. "We are all working together. All of us," the headmaster glared at the general. "But we are still a secret collective, and I'm afraid you must continue your duties as a student, Ms. Rose."

"Yeah, that's probably smart…" Ruby gave Ironwood one last glare before turning to leave the vault.

Ironwood immediately returned to his flagship. He entered his office to find Penny already waiting for him. "Good, you're here."

"Good morning, general," Penny greeted formally. "I hear that Ruby is working with you now? Does this mean my task is at an end?"

"No. In fact, your task is more important than ever," Ironwood told her.

Penny held back a flinch. "I don't understand."

"Ruby is still keeping secrets from us," Ironwood explained. "She told us to our faces there are things she 'couldn't' tell us. I don't know how Ozpin can just accept that, but I won't. Even if she isn't a threat, others with her same powers could be. Can you focus on trying to get information of where she trained, or who she trained with?"

Penny was quiet for a moment. "I suppose I could try."

"Good. I don't believe we had an opportunity to review footage from the dance," Ironwood gestured to his desk.

Penny stepped forward and placed her hand on the desk. The computer inside synced with Penny's recordings and began to display all she saw and heard the night before.

At least, it was supposed to.

"Penny, why is there a blank spot in your records?" Ironwood asked.

"I'm sorry?" Penny asked, trying to keep panic from her voice.

"You're speaking with Ms. Rose, but you suddenly leave. Then the timecode jumps ahead nearly twenty minutes," the general pointed out.

The timecode! Drat! "I had an error I needed to self-repair, and I didn't see Ruby for the rest of the night," she invented quickly. "I thought it would save you time if I… deleted unnecessary footage."

Ironwood groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Penny, I appreciate the thought… but anything could be important. Especially when it comes to Ms. Rose. I would rather sit through hours of staring at walls than risk missing some key detail. How do I access your hard memory?"

"I believe it is locked behind a priority encryption for my own safety," Penny explained.

"Then I'll have to contact Dr. Polendina. Hopefully, he's not too busy…" Ironwood stood and left the office.

Relief washed over Penny, but that relief was short lived. She was never happier that her lie-detecting hiccups were deactivated, but she only had until her father responded to Ironwood before her lie was discovered. She had to come up with another plan to protect her friend.