Emerald let out a sigh as she breathed heavily, gasping for air.

Damn that girl runs fast!

Luckily for her she managed to keep up the illusion, just enough to escape her pursuer's sight.

Why can't anything ever be easy?

It was supposed to be simple: check on Tukson, see if the rumors about him leaving were true, and deal with him if they were. At no point did anyone mention that the resident cat-girl would be there. And of course she would chase after her, because why not? At least she managed to outrun her, taking a turn the moment she managed to get out of sight.

Should she keep going with the mission? Tukson was now a good fifteen minutes away now, and he looked to still be in operation; at least from what she saw through the window anyway. It was probably safe to say he wasn't going anywhere.

Emerald decided that she'd save the check for later, as she didn't know if he would be having any other customers for the time being. She wasn't in a big rush anyway, and risking exposure wasn't something she was too keen on.

Whatever, I'll meet up with Mercury and see how his job is going along. Can't be any worse than mine.

.

.

"And there were thirty of them!"

"It was four." Ren clarified as Nora continued, waving her hands about in an excited manner.

"All alphas and covered in blood!"

"One alpha, the rest were small."

"And they all leapt for us! It was a tense battle that lasted for days!"

"It was two minutes."

Mercury smiled, doing his best to hold in his laugh. He thought it would be harder than this, but it seemed like Nora was one for storytelling.

Unlike Emerald who was tasked with checking up on Tukson, Mercury had been told to find more info on V. On it's own it shouldn't have been that hard, just ask him a few general things and spend some time getting in his good graces. Unfortunately V was away however, leaving Mercury to take the more lengthy approach.

Without the target around Mercury took it upon himself to get closer to who he assumed were V's friends... well, more like acquaintances. Still though, he'd seen them watching him almost every chance they got, and it wouldn't hurt to try and create some connections for the time being.

"So what about you? Got any exciting adventures to tell about?" Nora asked as Mercury smirked.

"You got it, question is: which one to choose?"

"Got anything epic? Larger than life? Absolutely wild?" Nora let out as she leaned back, Ren only sighed as he went back to polishing his weapons.

The lounge was pretty sweet all things considered, and made a great place for sharing tales. To be perfectly honest he originally wanted to relax and goof off for a bit, but the other two were already doing that when he arrived. As such Nora started the conversation by asking his name, before jumping off into multiple stories that may -or may not - have happened.

He was about to bullshit his way through when the door opened and a tired looking girl moped her way through.

"Yang, what's up with you?" Nora asked as the blond flopped onto one of the bean bags, her face sinking in the material as it muffled her words.

"Need... sleep..."

"She good?" Mercury asked as Nora shrugged, stepping closer as she poked the young woman's side. Yang only let out a groan as Nora turned back.

"I think she's broken." Nora poked her again. "Yup, she's broken."

"Leave her alone Nora, she's probably tired from setting up the dance for tomorrow." Ren told as Yang flipped over, sinking deeper into the cushion

"So many names... and worst of all Blake decided to skip out on me." Yang whined as Mercury flinched.

Someone's cranky.

People tended to be... less than receptive when cranky. Then again he never really cared before, so why start now?

"So the dance is all covered then?" He asked as Yang gave a weak nod.

"Yeah, it's all good. Wait... who are you again?"

"Mercury."

"Oh, right... I remember now. You were with V right?"

"Yeah."

"Cool." Yang let out again, getting her breathing back on track. She gave him an odd look, before asking another question.

"You two know each other?"

Mercury shook his head. "Not really, just met him here at Beacon. He seemed cool so I showed him some comics."

"Really, cause I mean... you seemed pretty chill with each other." Yang commented as she rolled over on her side.

"Well... he is pretty chill to be with, at least from the time I spent with him. I thought he'd be more... I don't know, emo; with how edgy he looks and all. Then again my partner always hounds me to watch out for people." Mercury said as Yang raised an eyebrow.

"Really, huh, looks can be deceiving I guess. And no offense, but your partner sounds like she has a stick up her ass."

Mercury waved. "None taken, she's always paranoid anyway, I just go with the flow."

"Sounds rough." Yang gave as she looked over to Nora. "So what are you up to?"

"Revealing the greatest tale ever told." Nora responded.

"Cool, so what is it." She asked as Nora cracked her fingers.

"Buckle up sister, I'm about to blow your mind!"

.

.

"What are you doing here!?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I spoke as she lowered her weapon, giving me a slanted look.

"You first." She said as I let myself relax knowing there was nobody else in the room.

"Well I-"

"Vermillion, what's going on? What was that sound?" Came the voice of Winter, followed by the sounds of movement below.

"Come with me." I told as I started back for the stairs. Blake seemed apprehensive, yet she complied and trailed along behind me.

I saw Winter and the others as I started down, all of them looked to have their weapons drawn as we approached.

"Easy, it's just Blake." I called as they set their sights to her.

"Blake?" Winter asked as Qrow squinted.

"Wait, ain't that the girl on squirt's team?" He asked as I nodded.

"Yes."

"What's she doing here?" Winter asked as her eyes narrowed.

I looked to Blake as she shuffled on the spot.

"I was chasing after someone, they were following me." Blake gave as Winter looked over her, probably looking for any signs of lying.

"Really? You just so happened to end up here of all places?"

Blake fidgeted, the whole scenario looked bad for her and it seemed she could tell.

"How did you end up here exactly?" Clover asked with more of a neutral tone. Blake looked to ease up for a bit before she answered.

"I was out at Tukson's Book Trade, and when I left I saw that someone was watching me. I chased them before they disappeared, and I saw a door in the distance. I went inside and saw it was an office, then Vermillion here stepped in."

"Are you saying there's a door to the roof?" Qrow asked as Blake gave a nod. Clover spoke up next.

"Right, so we need to take that into account. Blake was it? Did you get a good look at this person?" He asked as Blake shook her head.

"Nothing, they were dressed in all black. All I know is that they seemed to completely disappear after I lost sight of them."

Clover nodded. "Right, so what about the roof, you see anything odd up there before you came in?"

"No, it was empty when I got there. I thought they might have ran in, so I did too." Blake gave as Winter let her voice be heard.

"Alright, fine, let's suppose you're telling the truth here: this person was spying on you in a book shop?"

"Well... when you put it like that..." Blake mumbled as Winter shook her head.

"Regardless, I'll have to ask that you stick close to us. Until we can fully piece together what happened here you'll need to stay in our sight. We're in the middle of something so we can't have you in the way. Vermillion, take her into that room back there and keep watch over her; I already cleared it. The rest of us will finish scoping out the warehouse." Winter ordered as I motioned Blake along.

She didn't look too happy about that, but what could she do. She must have realized that the best course of action was to follow along. We passed into the room and I shut the door. Blake took a seat on one of the chairs in the back.

"Do you think I'm lying too?" She asked out of nowhere, I sighed as I turned to her.

"No, I know you're not. If anything I'd say you have no reason to lie, you aren't part of the White Fang anymore."

"Is that why you're all here?" She asked as I swore under my breath. I wasn't paying attention to what I said.

No reason to hide all of it anymore. Just a little bit couldn't hurt.

"For the most part. Word is that they were seen moving things around this place, so we were ordered to check it out." I gave as she looked confused.

"By who?"

"The headmaster, he wants to keep an eye on them. The Vytal Festival's coming up, and he doesn't want anything crazy to happen." I gave as she looked to understand.

"So he hasn't given up on catching them?"

"No, he's just being cautious about it... at least I think."

Blake let loose a content breath of relief. "That's good then. So what about the others? Two of them look like Atlas military; at least from what I've seen around the school anyway."

I nodded. "They are, from what I understand Atlas is helping with security."

"Right... so have you found anything yet?" She asked as I shook my head.

"Nothing yet." I gave as the door slammed open.

"You need to see this!" Clover yelled as he looked at me, before turning his face to Blake. "You should come along too!"

Without another word I followed after him with Blake in tow. We sprinted over to another room in the distance, one next to the exit. I learned that it wasn't a room, but a stairway. We rushed down into the depths below, coming to a stop in the large basement. There I was able to see Qrow and Winter looking at something on the ground. They turned back to face us.

"You're here, good. Take a look at these." Qrow gave as I stepped forward, ducking down as I felt my eyes widen.

"Those are Grimm markings!" I let out as he nodded.

Not just any one type too, but several different claw marks across the very pavement. Beowolves, Ursa, heck even Nevermore were mixed into the collage of destruction. The strangest part however was the placement of the markings, they seemed to outline a certain spot. It was like the Grimm stood still and clawed out at the world around them. The center of the space between the markings was clear of any sort of chaos.

"The dust?" I mumbled in confusion as I looked to Winter. She gave a frown, showing she was just as clueless as the rest of us. I looked over to Blake as I posed a question.

"You ever seen anything like this? You've fought with them many times before." I asked as she shook her head.

"No, never before have they had anything capable of something like this. Those are Grimm marking right?"

"They are." I confirmed as her shock showed through her very form.

"What about you V, you were in the group before, seen anything like this?" Qrow asked as Winter did a double take.

"Wait wait wait, He was in the White Fang!?" She asked, giving me a surprised and venomous look.

Qrow patted her shoulder. "Easy there. He wasn't exactly thrilled about it. The headmaster had him infiltrate as a spy to keep tabs on them. He's on our side."

She looked to lessen the look, yet she still held some disgust. She relaxed a bit and focused back on the marks. Winter clearly didn't like what Qrow implied, but she went along with it. Qrow meanwhile gave me a nod, a subtle way of telling me to continue. I returned the gesture as I spoke, glad that he got me out of that potential mess.

"As far as can recall, we never did anything involving Grimm. Closest thing to it was going after a potential dust cashe, even then it was just fighting Grimm. This however points to the idea of them capturing Grimm. It's like they were holding them in a cage. Either that, or some of them managed to burst free from whatever container they used."

"But why, why capture Grimm?" Blake asked as I shook my head.

"I don't know, but if I had to guess: I'd say they want to use them in some sort of raid."

"Really?" Clover asked as I nodded.

"Grimm can work as a great distraction. They always go for those with the strongest negative emotions, so if they're thrown in the mix with one side already prepared for it... well, take a guess at who the target would be." I finished as he looked to think about it.

"So what you're saying is that the terrorists are using Grimm now?" Winter asked as I nodded.

She let out a tired sigh. "Great, and it looks like they've already cleared this place then."

"But why here?" Blake questioned as Clover spoke up.

"Maybe this was only temporary? Like they needed to make a stop before moving somewhere else." He theorized as Blake's look only got worse.

Qrow stood, taking out his flask and having a sip. Screwing the cap back on he snapped his fingers.

"Right, so we've got what we can. Let's head back and let the headmaster know. We need to plan for this." He said as Winter and I stood. Qrow looked over to Blake.

"As for you: keep quiet about this okay? If word gets out that the Fang are using Grimm there'll be more panic than anyone wants to deal with. Got it?"

Blake slowly nodded as apprehension washed over her face. Qrow turned for the stairs.

"Right then, let's get going."

.

.

Ruby followed along as Blossom led her through the settlement. Unlike the city it was much less packed, although not quite as sparse as Mineral had been. Several inhabitants could be seen going about their day, most of which included hauling cargo from the airship.

"Much more comfortable than back in the city isn't it?" Blossom gave as Ruby let loose a quiet 'yes'.

"Oh no need to be so soft spoken, most of the people are too busy to bother listening in on two strangers."

Ruby could understand that, didn't mean she wanted to talk much though. She just wanted to meet with the captain who would provide for her travels, she wasn't in the mood for small chat. That didn't stop Blossom however, who continued to rabble off on the different shops and sights.

Yet Ruby tuned most of it out, replacing any sense of wonder she may have had with a dull apathy. So many people, so lively, and yet she couldn't muster the strength to return the feeling. Maybe it was the corruption in her veins that kept her from such emotions, or maybe that was just an excuse.

Ruby was almost certain of the reason for her foul mood, however it was something she'd have to live with. She killed plenty of innocent people before, so why had this newest venture hit so hard?

Aether certainly wasn't the largest mass murder she directly wrought, nor was it the most damning in terms of consequence. That honor belonged to her work of Atlas, some thousand or so years from now. It hadn't been the largest amount of blood on her hands though -that one belonged to Vacuo - but it had been the turning point; the action that started Salem's path to victory, and one of her most vivid unforgettable regrets.

She had been young back then, so bright eyed and full of life. She wanted to save everyone, but failed to considered the effects that such a desire would have. The whole event had cost them not only the kingdom, but both of the relics as well. It was one of the few moments she decided to never let go, as to never allow a repeat of that situation ever again.

Maybe if she had heeded her own feelings back then, if she had been willing to take a risk and place her trust in her allies, then maybe it wouldn't have gone so horribly wrong.

Laughibly enough she had actually considered that a victory over Salem at one point, feeling that even though the Grimm queen had both relics, they had managed to save most of the civilians. She though they could simply steal the relics back from her; it was so childish now that she looked at it.

It was only when they escaped the void did Ruby and the others realize their failings. Looking back on it she understood that maybe, just maybe if she placed a small bit of trust in the general, then maybe he wouldn't have lost his last bit of remaining sanity. The breaking of his mind had ultimately left them split apart as he took to the extreme, and they spent so long fighting each other that the kingdom as a whole may as well have already lost.

They'd not only sent the general to his death, but the kingdom as well. Atlas: the most technologically advanced kingdom. The one that made strides in communication and weaponry, the one that had managed to survive in such a harsh desolate wasteland; dead and lost to the future.

And it's citizens? Brought along to Vacuo for no other reason than convenience. They needed to get there, to it's harsh desert dunes to find the next relic. So why not bring an entire kingdom of scared and injured civilians to the most inhospitable place Remnant, to a kingdom that values strength above all else?

So many lives had been snuffed out by that choice alone. Yet she tried to justify it to herself as unavoidable, all in a desperate bid to retain some of her own wavering sensibilities.

It didn't work, none of it did, and in the end it cost her everything. And the real kicker: she had no one else to blame but herself.

"Come on, don't tell me you're shy now." Blossom said, shaking Ruby from her self hatred and regret.

She looked up, noticing that she was before a rather plain looking home. Two stories high and with a single door on the front. The place looked like something she might have drawn as a child, yet it looked sturdy.

Both of them walked up to the door, with Blossom giving a solid set of knocks. It took only a few moments before the entrance was opened, and a short older man carrying a cane greeted them.

"My my, is that you Mrs. Blossom? Do come in won't you?" He let out, making way as the two entered.

Ruby took a moment to admire the quaint little abode, feeling a sense of relaxation overcome her. It was softly decorated in pleasant patterns, no outstanding wallpapers or paint of any kind. It gave a sense of peace as she followed Blossom and the man to what looked like the living room. A little couch and several chairs sat against the walls; each with a small table on the sides. There was a single window in the back, allowing the natural sunlight to brighten up the room.

Ruby took a seat next to Blossom as she let herself relax in the couch, with the man taking his place across from them.

"How have you been dear, and who is this new friend of yours?" He asked as Blossom waved with a smile.

"I've been feeling splendid, the tavern's bringing in a nice profit, and I'm able to give the girls a nice pay." Blossom waved to Ruby. "And this here is a friend of mine, Ruby."

"Wonderful to meet you." He gave as Ruby sent a small wave of her own.

"Now then, down to business. Ruby here needs your help with something." Blossom said as the older gentlemen held a curious look.

"Really? What is it this fine lady requires?"

"She is in need of a ship, and a captain to boot. With the other ships so expensive I was in hopes that you would be up for another trip through the skies. So what do you say? Is captain Alcove still up for sailing?" Blossom asked as the elder man's face lit up.

"I'd say the Star-Bringer has one last trip in her, that is if you have the patience to cruise along. What say you?" He questioned as he looked to Ruby, wearing a face of pride she'd not expected from someone like him. Ruby gave a soft smile as she let his excitement and joy infect her own mood.

"I'd be honored, captain."

.

.

"That about covers it for the most part." Qrow finished as Ozpin sat in contemplation.

"And what of the Belladonna girl? Do we have any suspicions of who it was that had been following her around?" Ironwood questioned as Qrow shook his head.

"Nah, nothing at the moment other than the fact that it did happen. I sent a text to one of my contacts in Vale to check around the place, and the most they could find was some scuffed dirt; proving that there was a scuffle. The chase itself was real, but we don't know who it was or why. No identifiable traces were found on the ground, and even the roof was barren of anything that could lead to our mystery target." Qrow explained as Ironwood groaned in discontent.

"So we have nothing." Ironwood sighed. "And we're sure the girl will keep quiet? If she goes public with this there'll be an uproar."

Qrow shook his head. "Positive. From what I could tell, she was more scared than anything. But not in the 'I'm afraid of what'll happen' sort of sense, more of the 'this shouldn't be happening' kind."

Ironwood's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"It was like she never expected something like that to happen, as in at all. It's like she couldn't ever see them using Grimm as a weapon, which is weird because there's always news of them doing crazy things in their attacks. Heck, the most I was wondering about was how they managed to contain the Grimm; especially with how effective they are at fighting. From my previous run-ins with them I can say for certain that they aren't exactly the most skilled in terms of battle experience. The whole group itself is mostly patchwork with some skilled and some not." Qrow told as Ironwood revealed his own thoughts.

"Including what you said almost every source I have back in Atlas is always reporting the same thing. The word around the streets is that the White Fang will start getting more and more violent, and it's safe to say that assumption is prevalent nearly all across Remnant. So why is the idea of such an outlandish move really that surprising to her?"

"For the same reason it was to Vermillion: she was once part of the group." Ozpin spoke up as the others turned to him; Ironwood in particular sending a scrutinizing gaze.

"She was... and you knew this?" Ironwood accused as Ozpin raised his hand, halting the general as he took a calm look.

"I've known since she first applied for Beacon's entrance exam."

"Then why?" Ironwood questioned with a middling tone; although it was easy to tell he was struggling to keep it steady.

"James, as you know I am a man of second chances. As such when I see a young struggling youth trying to work their way out of trouble to a better path in life: I will see to aiding them along the way. While Mrs. Belladonna may have made some... less than desirable choices in the past, if she is willing to abandon them to risk it all for one last shot at life, then who am I to turn that down?" Ozpin explained as Ironwood let out a huff.

"Ozpin, this is the second time you've let someone from the White Fang into Beacon, or perhaps it's the first if she arrived before the boy. I've trusted your judgement for years now, but I can't help but worry you may be taking this too lightly." Ironwood paused as he steadied his gaze.

"If this is your decision then I'll follow along like I always have, but I urge you to take this a bit more seriously. I feel that the increase in White Fang activity, as well as the sudden arrival of two individuals with ties to them is more than mere coincidence." Ironwood told as Ozpin nodded.

"Thank you, I do take this seriously and I understand your concerns. However I ask that you watch yourself as well, I'm not someone to just let anyone into Beacon. Through my observations as well as my vast experience I can tell you with certainty that the two are not our enemy."

Ozpin leaned back. "There is a vast array of other infiltration tactics that the White Fang could have tried if they wanted to invade Beacon; most of which being not only more efficient, but more effective as well. All I ask is that you give the children some time, I'm sure they'll prove their goodwill to you given the chance."

Ironwood nodded as he made his way to the elevator. "Very well, I'll take my leave now as I've got some things I need to take care of. You know how to reach me."

The door dinged as Ozpin gave a final nod. Qrow let out a sigh.

"He's being a bit to paranoid."

"He's just cautious." Ozpin let out as Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"Really, cause he's always freaking out about spies and jumping at every little thing. I don't see why he can't just see the Belladonna girl's act for what it was: a kid trying to play hero."

Ozpin let out a tired breath. "James has had an expansive service, and more than his fair share of experience with espionage; especially considering the politics of Atlas. He's used to identifying and putting a stop to spies and break-ins all the time, so it's only reasonable for him to keep the same habits here."

"And what about the kids? He treats everyone like a threat over even the slightest things." Qrow asked as he leaned against the wall.

"Atlas Academy is known for being interwoven with the military, and most of the graduates go on to join in the armed forces as well. He's used to running the school with a strict outlook. Everyone has their place, their rank, their time to speak, and their time to act. He's simply not used to the way the schools outside of Atlas operate, he doesn't yet understand how lax things are around Beacon." Ozpin explained as Qrow took out his flask.

"So what, we just let him rule over the kids like some sort of king? Let him do whatever he wants?" Qrow questioned as he took a swig. Ozpin shook his head as he sat up straight.

"No, nothing so extreme. What I'm saying is that it'll take some time for him to get used to Beacon's atmosphere. Give him a week or so and he'll start to understand the customs and circumstances surrounding everything. He won't just take charge, both you and I know he's not like that." Qzpin explained as Qrow sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. For all his tight-ass attitude, he usually let's things slide when it comes to the students. Heh, I remember when I paid him a visit with some info on the fall maiden: he was dealing with a rowdy student who showed up late to class. I never understood how he made detention sound so encouraging, like a pep talk before a sports game." Qrow gave as he relaxed a little.

Ozpin held a content smile. "Yes, he has grown quite skilled with his words; something I'm sure some of the students could learn a thing or two about. Regardless, he'll come to learn that the two pose no threats. In the meantime we need to keep an eye on both Vermillion and Mrs. Belladonna whenever they leave the school."

Qrow gave a puzzled look. "Didn't we just talk about why they're not a problem?"

"Yes, but it's not them we're looking for." He said as Qrow's eyes widened.

"The pursuer; you think they'll show up again!"

Ozpin nodded. "Yes, and I don't like the idea of them spying on my students. I want you to keep an eye on both whenever they leave the school grounds, be it through watching from afar or finding a reason to accompany them."

"So what you're saying is that you want me to tag along whenever they go on their little outings? Doesn't that seem a bit... you know, creepy; an old man watching them and all?"

"Qrow, this is suitably one of the least creepy things I've had you do." Ozpin stated as Qrow took a second to think, ultimately giving a nod.

"Fair point."

Author's note

...

Back once again with another laid back chapter, in terms of action anyway.

Winter saw suitably less use for the moment, less banter between her and Qrow. But at least I was able to work in some moments for Clover, but I'm sure you can see how he differs from his cannon counterpart.

Then again, everyone's still stuck in volume 2 so not much is on the way of experience. I had to give Clover his personality based on how he would have acted in Atlas before his main series appearance; and considering how he is in cannon that was easier said than done.

We'll see more of everyone later when things start to ramp up again, for now though I'd say to enjoy the peace while it lasts, who knows what I'll do. (Me, I knows.)

Other than that we had a small moment with future Ruby, just as exciting as you thought it would be, and by exciting I mean watching her beat herself up. She'll be getting to some new things later though, I promise.

Anyway, that's all for this time. Let me know what you think, and see you later.