Lie Ren stood motionless before the window of the dormitory room, looking out over the central campus of Beacon Academy… or what should have been the central campus. Where there was once a grand fountain, there were only fragmented remains with a semi-organized pile of stone stacked neatly beside it, glowing faintly under the fading moonlight. Several academic buildings were still missing pieces, and even the 'repaired' ones had evidence of battle damage and burns across their fronts. The patched together and half-mended clusters of once familiar halls and landmarks gave the entire place a surreal feeling of being somewhat alien, and very much a warzone. Mounted guns had been erected beside all exits, and scattered ash was still visible upon the wind. So early in the morning, the outside courtyard was entirely devoid of life, and Ren suspected it would still feel much the same even in the later hours.

"Eugh… Ren…?"

The boy looked over his shoulder at the source of the whisper, only to find Nora rising slowly from bed while holding a hand to her forehead.

"Easy," Ren warned in a calm voice as he turned to sit upon the windowsill. "It's not yet dawn. Go back to sleep."

"…I will if you do," Nora grumbled as she swung her legs over the side of the mattress.

The teens stared at each other for a moment before Ren shook his head in defeat. Nora slipped off the bed and began to approach, her bare feet sinking into the carpet with each step. Ren scooted to one side to afford her some room as she looked out the window, her expression just as grim as his had been mere minutes before.

"…this feels… wrong."

"I know," Ren agreed as he looked over his shoulder briefly, and then returned his eyes to the carpet. "It may be our old room, but… so much is missing. This no longer feels like a school…"

"…it doesn't feel like home, either," Nora added.

Ren could only silently nod. It wasn't long before Nora turned and sat beside him, running her hands through her hair in a nervous gesture.

"…think Ruby's up?"

"I know Ruby's up," Ren confirmed as he clasped his hands together. "We've been texting for the last hour. I'm not sure about Sage and Oscar, though."

"I don't like that she's sleeping alone," Nora admitted with a sorrowful look. "She's… not okay right now."

"Is anyone?" Ren asked. "Are you?"

"…is it wrong that I want to punch Oscar in the face?" Nora asked. "Not Oscar, but… that's pretty much how it would go. You know what I mean."

"I'm surprised that you would stop there," Ren replied softly. "But please, hold it in. We're going to get to the bottom of things today."

"Yeah. Supposedly," Nora said with a roll of her eyes. "Assuming Ozpin doesn't catch on to what we're planning. Do you really think Sage can keep him distracted long enough to let us and Ruby speak to Goodwitch alone?"

"I do not know," Ren admitted. "But we need to try. Would you like me to invite Ruby over here?"

"Please?" Nora requested. "I think that would be best for all of us. Even better if we can convince her to sleep here from now on…"

"We can try," Ren confirmed as he pulled out his scroll and began to tap away at the screen. "I think she'll come around. Even with things being as stressful as they have been since Haven, we're all still together. That's a good sign."

"Yeah…" Nora said wistfully as a knock came at the door. A moment later, an exhausted looking Ruby Rose stepped inside and offered her companions a weak smile.

"…any dessert?" Ren asked immediately as he gently rested a hand upon the gun at his side.

"None for me, thanks," Ruby replied immediately. "Thanks for checking, though."

"You came alone. We have to," Nora reminded as Ren removed his hand from the firearm. "Especially here, where it would be all too easy to slip in unnoticed and pretend to be someone else…"

"Yeah, I hear you," Ruby agreed with a sigh as she moved to sit upon Nora's bed. "You two couldn't sleep, either?"

"I would be shocked if Oscar and Sage did," Ren offered.

"…Sage probably did. I tried texting him, too, and he didn't reply," Ruby said with a frown.

Ren and Nora exchanged a look, before the redhead narrowed her eyes.

"And that doesn't worry you?"

"Nora…" Ren said with a tone of warning. "We can't afford to be constantly paranoid about everything. They're most likely both asleep. Oscar is still very young, and not a huntsman. He can't run on only a few hours like we can."

"Or Sage is asleep, and Ozpin snuck out," Ruby considered.

"Or he did something to Sage," Nora added.

Ren let out a ragged sigh and shook his head.

"…we can't be doing this every night. Let's come up with a solution now, or simply accept that we need to trust Sage and Oscar to handle themselves through the night."

The girls said nothing for a moment, before Ruby gave Ren a tired look.

"…we could always drag a fifth bed in here from across the hall, and all sleep together. I doubt anyone would really care about the rules, at this point…"

"I'm all for it," Nora agreed. "No one's gonna check, we're all… well, we're mostly adults, now, and these are hardly even dorms anymore. Like two thirds of the building is empty. Probably more."

"Guys… can I ask you something serious?" Ruby said quietly.

"Of course," Ren replied. "You can ask us anything, and we will answer honestly."

Ruby looked up at the boy as she idly swung her legs back and forth over the edge of the bed.

"…do you think… we're actually gonna make it out of this alive? That we really have a chance?"

Nora said nothing, and instead looked over at Ren. He held her gaze for a moment before looking over to Ruby and giving her a nod. He spoke in a low voice as he made his way back over to the window and looked out over campus, his brows furrowed.

"…we will make it through this. Even if we don't have a chance, we have each other. That's never failed us before…"

Sun shivered in the chilly wind that filtered through the open side panel of the helicopter. The biting cold of the air had slowly started to wear away at his nerves despite the warmth provided by his aura, and after a nearly 20 minute ride, he reached down and finally began to button up his Atlas Academy dress shirt.

"Finally," Weiss snarked as she did a final check on her weaponized heels. "I wasn't kidding, Sun. Solitas is freezing. You'll catch your death if you don't at least cover up, given how you grew up in Vacuo."

"Yeah, I'm getting that impression," the boy admitted as he pulled on the matching jacket for his uniform. "At least I'm not wearing a belly shirt."

"I'm fine," Ilia insisted with a harsh glare. The girl had unusually dark circles beneath her eyes, and her skin seemed oddly ashen and pale. "I've been here before. Spent some time in Solitas when…"

"Yeah. You okay?" Yang asked as she remained seated, her arms folded.

"…no," Ilia said flatly as she spared a glance out the window. Snow drifts swirled through the air as the helicopter continued to cut through the sky. "I… I don't know if I can do this. I really don't."

"We told you it's okay if you can't," Sun said sympathetically. "I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue if you have to fly b-"

"No," Ilia denied. "I have to do this. We're reclaiming this dust for a worthy cause. The worthiest cause. I watched the footage from Beacon with Corsac last night. We need to get this done. It's for something bigger than me, him, or any of us. We're fighting for Remnant, now."

The sound of the frantically spinning helicopter blades filled the otherwise silent seating area, until Weiss let out a weary sigh.

"…thank you, Ilia. You're… a hero for even trying to do this with us. Your past is more than made up for."

"…hey, Weiss?"

Weiss looked up at the faunus girl, bracing herself for some sort of rebuke.

"You, too. I mean it."

Weiss smiled wide at the compliment, and was surprised to see Ilia return the gesture, though with a far more subdued expression.

"…thank you…"

"There they are," Yang called out as she gripped the overhead railing and leaned out the window, her mass of hair whipping wildly in the breeze.

Far below on the snowy plain was a collection of people, standing just before a massive complex of three cavernous entrances into a snow-capped mountainside. The gigantic gates were blocked off by wooden beams, with CAUTION tape wrapped around them. Abandoned mine carts and tracks that ended beneath snow heaps extended outward from the entrances, and various tools were scattered about, frozen into the ground itself.

Ilia shut her eyes tightly as the helicopter began its descent, and she began to shiver.

"Oh, gods…"

"Hey," Sun said softly as he laid a hand upon her shoulder. "We've got you. If it gets to be too much, we'll figure something out."

A second, colder hand rested upon Ilia's other shoulder, and she opened her eyes to find Weiss offering the same comfort.

"It's okay to be upset. We'll find a way to make this work."

"Y-yeah," Ilia stammered as the helicopter finally landed, blowing fluffy snow all around itself as the rotary blades spun down. "Let's… let's just get out there and get this done."

"I hear that," Yang affirmed as she leapt from the helicopter to the ground, her combat boots scattering snow in a small plume. "C'mon down."

Ilia sucked in a breath and jumped after the blonde, only for Yang to scoop her into a tight hug almost immediately.

"…and don't think I'm ignoring you. Just getting my head in the game."

"…yeah," Ilia agreed as she returned the squeeze with a desperate grip. "Thanks. All of you."

"It's what we're here for," Sun reminded as he and Weiss hopped out of the helicopter. "Just stay close, and let us know if you need anything."

Ilia nodded as she broke away from Yang, and then headed toward their assembled colleagues. The Ace Ops stood in their usual uniforms, alongside Jaune, who offered Ilia a small wave. The blinding sun reflecting off the snow leant the pufferfish carcass of uneven spikes atop his head an almost glowing quality, drawing more attention to the eldritch nightmare that was his hair. Beside him was another man that Ilia almost didn't recognize at first, though realization dawned on her as she curiously studied his face.

"…Corsac…?"

The other faunus nodded, his bushy fox tail swaying gently in the wind behind him. He wore a set of crimson, monk-style robes tied off with a bright yellow sash. The robes failed to cover the right side of his chest, instead giving off a view of a black breastplate embossed with golden leaf-shaped accents, to match the shoulder pad and gauntlets he wore as additional armor. The man's pants were a made from the same material as his robe, and atop his head was a golden circlet with a pair of metallic fox ears swept back, giving his head a silhouette much like that of his fallen brother.

"…Amitola," Corsac said calmly. "It is good to see you with us. After last night, I was worried you might not come…"

"Yeah. Me, too…" Ilia agreed as she and her companions assembled in a line before the others.

"Well," Clover began as he pulled out his scroll and began to project a hologram, "now that everyone is here, let's talk strategy."

The hologram began to slowly rotate in midair, before expanding into a bright blue, glowing map of the surrounding area. The mountain took up a sizeable portion of the projection, with three colored paths leading from the entrances at the foot of the natural landmark extended down into the earth beneath it. The red line was the first to end, while the orange was next, and then the yellow led straight into a large chamber far beneath the ground. A blinking question mark manifested within the chamber, as well as at the ends of the paths that had been cut short within the display.

"The objective for today is simple," Clover began as he looked out at the assembled fighters. "Three paths into the mines beneath the mountains… but two of them have never been fully mapped. We believe that all three lead to this same central chamber here," the man emphasized as he pointed at the glowing question mark, "but we can't be entirely sure, without asking Jacques Schnee for his records. As I'm sure you can imagine… that isn't exactly an option without raising heavy suspicion."

"…because we're technically stealing the dust that's likely down there, aren't we?" Weiss asked as she folded her arms.

"…is that a problem?" Clover asked, looking tense.

"Not a problem," Weiss answered with an impish grin. "It's a perk."

Clover smirked and gave the girl a nod.

"Your sister said much the same thing. As I'm sure you can imagine, we'll be splitting into three teams, which have already been determined, and exploring the three mine shafts all at once. 10 people gives us two teams of three, and one team of four. Shaft 35 is in yellow, and the path is mapped. 36, the orange one, is the next in line for difficulty, and is about two thirds of the way mapped out. 37, the red path… as you can see, it's largely an unknown. 37 will be the team of four."

Ilia sucked in a tense breath as she shifted her weight to one side, only for Yang to wrap her arm around the smaller girl's shoulder.

"35- Yellow- will have Marrow on point, leading Jaune and Corsac."

Marrow gave Weiss an apologetic look immediately after receiving the news, which the girl met with a subtle frown. Clover watched the exchange with an unreadable expression, before moving his finger to the next mine shaft.

"36- Orange- will be led by Harriet, with Weiss and Yang providing backup."

"Oh, thank the gods," Ilia muttered as she heaved a sigh of relief.

"…you're happy that we're going down the most dangerous path?" Sun asked curiously.

"I don't care about that," Ilia explained as she moved to stand next to the faunus boy. "I'm happy that I got placed with you."

"All team placements were intentional," Clover confirmed as he and Elm moved closer to the pair. "I'm well aware of your personal connection to this place, and I wanted to give you as much support and familiarity as possible."

"Thank you," Ilia offered with a nervous look. "Seriously."

"Clover knows what he's doing," Elm added with a wide smile. "We'll keep you safe. Physically, and otherwise."

"Right," Clover agreed as he addressed the group at large. "That being said… these tunnels have been abandoned for nearly a decade at this point, after a massive collapse. You may well run into a dead end… and you may well meet resistance in the form of grimm, or even people looking to turn a quick profit. There are other entrances along the sides of the mountain that aren't boarded up, and some tunnels on the far side are actively in use. Stay frosty, and be prepared for a fight, just in case. We've had at least one report of a geist sighting in the area."

"Pff, a geist," Harriet said with a roll of her eyes. "Nothing we can't handle… but don't be stupid. Remember, we're dealing with dust- potentially explosive dust. Don't fire any shots unless you know damned well what you're aiming at. Team 36, on me."

Weiss and Yang moved to follow the older woman, only for Marrow to extend a fist as they passed. Yang gave him a bump immediately, while Weiss gave the man a bemused look.

"Good luck, Weiss. Come find me after we get out of here?"

Weiss arched a brow, before daintily balling a fist and touching it to Marrow's.

"…perhaps I will."

Marrow grinned in response, before pulling his fist back and drawing his assault rifle from the holster on his lower back. His voice adopted an uncharacteristically serious tone as he began to walk.

"Alright, 35. Form up, and let's head out."

Jaune flashed Sun a pair of pointed fingers with his thumbs as before turning and moving to follow Marrow and Corsac toward the second mine shaft.

"…I think… Jaune just ruined finger guns for me," Ilia commented as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"…yeah. Yeah, I don't think I'll ever do 'em again," Sun agreed. "Well… Clover, are we ready?"

"You tell me," the man answered as he drew his broadswords and snapped them together at the hilt. "I'll take point. Elm, rear guard. Sun and Ilia, in the middle."

"Yes, Sir," Sun acknowledged as he began to follow the older man toward the gaping hole in the side of the mountain. Unable to stop himself, he looked down at Ilia, only to find her shivering once again. "You cold…?"

"…no," Ilia said softly. "Just… everything. I'll do my best, but just seeing the entrance…"

Sun bit his lower lip, a question burning at the tip of his tongue. He made a noise of frustration before lowering his voice and running a hand through his hair.

"…it wasn't… this shaft, was it…?"

Ilia swallowed hard as she looked up at the large "37" painted into the steel above the boarded entranceway.

"…no. It was… my parents were in 38…"

Sun's face paled as he watched Clover slice cleanly through the boards barring their path forward before kicking some of the rotten wood away. Suddenly, he found himself shivering right alongside Ilia, and he had no idea what else to say.

Author's Note:

Next time- into the mines we go. Get ready for a lot of action and interaction. It'll be both fun… and anything but.

-RD