I have a huge announcement.

I have sold out.

At long last, though constant prodding and people asking, I finally set up a Pat reon. Why? Don't know, but people kept asking me about it. I was always hesitant to do this because I was afraid writing would start feeling like a job. After some friends pushed me, I thought, might as well try it. Even if it's just a few dollars, I might be able to buy a cup of coffee to keep me up at night when I write. Also, I could finally compensate people who help Beta these chapters. They spend several hours each chapter reviewing my drafts. I always felt they deserved a little something as thanks.

So if you like my stories and feel like tossing a few bucks my way, it means a lot. If not, that's fine too. This is NOT to guilt anyone. Regardless of what happens, I'm going to continue to write stuff I enjoy. But if you are interested, see the address down below. (This site doesn't like websites.)

P a treon . com (Slash) Darkbetrayer

Thanks to Wishez for agreeing to Beta this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.

"I see… this does sound like a cause for concern." Ozpin mused, leaning back in his chair. Touma sat across from him while Qrow Branwen sat off to the side, sipping at his flask while Touma finished telling Ozpin what had transpired. It was late, and the boy was tired, but the headmaster needed to know, so he marched his way up to the office and got an audience. "And Roman Torchwick contacted you about it?"

"He called me after the conference, but we didn't get a chance to meet up before today." Touma knew this part was genuine. "So I went out to meet with him." That was a lie, but considering how spontaneously he said it, he felt like it would pass.

"Alone?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "No one went with you?"

"No," Touma shook his head, face passive. He was pretty good at keeping a secret and lying when he had to. "I didn't want to bring anyone in case things went wrong. It wouldn't be the first time he's tricked me."

"Kid, you're a pretty good liar, but we all know that's not true." Qrow raised his flask and grinned.

"We'll believe him, as there's no reason for him to lie in a private meeting like this." Ozpin declared, raising a hand to silence the man. Touma gulped and realized the headmaster also saw through his deceit. "I would rather focus on the information he discovered."

"Didn't we already know some people were planning to infiltrate Beacon?" Qrow asked, balancing on the back two legs of his chair as his feet propped on the desk. "After the incident at the CCT?"

"Yes, but now we know when they will strike," Ozpin muttered. "Roman mentioned the most likely time for them to attack would be near the end of the festival. When the tournament draws everyone's attention, most likely."

"Why would this group be after your life?" Touma asked Ozpin. "Aren't you just training students to fight Grimm?"

"Ozpin has a lot of sway over the council, too," Qrow explained instead. "He has enemies just like anyone in power. If they are working with the White Fang, they might be some people who think he's not doing enough to fight injustice."

"I've heard that before," Touma admitted, recalling his time with the White Fang and Sienna. "Change hardly happens overnight, but desperation does that to people."

"Indeed, more often than not, I, too, wish that." Ozpin agreed with a slight nod of his head. "Let's just say there are quite a few people who would love to see me removed from power."

"But the fact is, Roman is being manipulated into doing all these things, the Breach, Dust robberies, the assault on the lab," Touma listed off urgently. "If Vale and Atlas are going after him because of that-..."

"He has a criminal history a hundred miles long before any of this started, kid," Qrow interjected. "Just because he was forced to do a few things recently won't change that. He might avoid the death penalty for the Breach, but other than that…" The man shrugged. "He brought it on himself."

"What it comes down to is we can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped," Ozpin continued. "If Roman decides he doesn't want to come forward and tell us who's threatening him and infiltrating the Vytal festival, there's not much we can do. If we tell James about this, he'll probably want to interrogate you to determine where Roman is. Not that I would let him. He would also suggest this was an elaborate coverup to avoid punishment. Which, if you think about it from an outside perspective, it does seem that way."

Touma was silent for a moment as he thought about it. Ozpin was right. No one would believe Roman Torchwick, master criminal, was being blackmailed into doing all these things.

"Ugh… so you're just going to wait and let it happen?" Touma asked incredulously. "Without looking into it?"

"Who said I wasn't?" Ozpin asked, raising an eyebrow. "James has doubled security. Qrow and multiple other Huntsman are here to assist too. We're watching everything like a hawk. After the attack on the CCT, we can't take any chances. Whatever they are after, we won't let them have it."

For some reason, Touma felt Ozpin knew what these people wanted, and it wasn't him. It's not like he expected the headmaster to tell him anyways. Most people liked to keep him in the dark until the last minute. Who would trust a random high school kid with sensitive information?

"Relax," Qrow told him, shaking his head. "Ozpin has operatives in Vale, and you confirmed what we discovered. The question is who they are. If you want to do anything, have him tell you who they are the next time he contacts you."

"I tried."

"Try again. Keep doing it until he gets tired and accepts it."

"I have a feeling he'll hit me with his cane first."

"I do want to thank you for bringing it to my attention." Ozpin nodded toward Touma. "Every bit of information helps in figuring out what our next step will be." The man gave him a small smile. "I would get some rest if I was you, young man. You and your team have a busy day tomorrow. My apologies, but Sienna Khan was very insistent that she has your team escort her."

"Honestly, with Neo and Accelerator nearby, no one will be able to get to her." Touma chuckled, standing up. "We'll do our best." The boy left the room, and then the atmosphere got noticeably tenser.

"It seems Salem and her forces are getting close to Amber," Ozpin said solemnly to Qrow. "We might have to speed up the transfer process. James says the device is ready."

"But do you have an idea who will get it?" Qrow asked. "Didn't you ask Pyrrha Nikos already, and she declined?"

"I merely discussed it with her, and her hesitancy lies with the fact it might change her," Ozpin sighed, rubbing his brow with one hand. "Yet, she's someone with a strong sense of responsibility. If we explain things to her, she'll accept."

"You're pushing it, Ozpin," Qrow warned, eyes narrowing. "You know what having that power means."

"I don't like it either, but we hardly have a choice. Salem's forces grow stronger every day…"

Deep within the Grimm lands, Salem was sitting at the long dark table, lit by purple lights, looking at the wall. The ornate golden lamp that her Grimm had stolen was resting in front of her. From the spout, a beam of light radiated out against the wall, creating a bright circle. However, the lamp wasn't just lighting up the stone. Inside the ring was a moving picture of Ozpin. The man was sitting at his desk, talking to people Salem couldn't see, looking solemn.

"I don't like it either, but we hardly have a choice. Salem's forces grow stronger every day…"

"Indeed they do, Ozpin." Salem intertwined her fingers together as she observed the entire conversation. "Excellent work Watts."

"I aim to please," Arthur was sitting several places down and gave her a slight bow. "It's a shame Idol Theory only gives a small portion of the relic's power. You can only see what the target is currently doing and only observe one person at a time." While they could hear the other voices, they couldn't see who the people were. Names popped up occasionally during the conversation, so they knew it was Qrow and Touma.

"No, this is more than enough," Salem waved her hand dismissively. Her red eyes flashed dangerously. "Poor, Ozpin. He has no idea his secrets are no longer safe. Soon, all the knowledge needed for the relics will be in my understanding."

"What about Cinder?" Watts asked. "If we give her one of the others, she should be able to achieve her goal of killing the Fall Maiden and stealing the relic more quickly."

"Cinder has proved she's sloppy. Ozpin is already onto her." Salem pointed out sternly. "She must earn the privilege to use one." Her eyes traveled down the table to three other items. The golden crown that belonged to the former king of Vale that Cinder had stolen, the metal staff her Grimm had obtained, and a sword emblazoned with black lines through it, as if it had been shattered and reforged. "I wonder how that fool will feel when he realizes objects from his past incarnations are helping me."

"Items with historical significance tend to work better when using Idol Theory," Arthur agreed. "The magic of Wellen's world, it's astonishing. Based on his memories, spells that cover entire kingdoms, even the world, could be cast if one is strong enough."

"It's a good thing he was foolish in trying to contain the God of Darkness' power then," Salem mused softly. "He could have been a problem. Now, he's a willing pawn."

"Should we let Hazel know he can contact the White Fang in Mistral?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, might as well let him get started. It might be a while because he can earn their trust," Salem agreed. "Their leader, Sienna Khan? I should tell Cinder to kill her if the opportunity arises. It would cause the fighting between the Faunus and Humans to escalate."

"Oh, I can't wait to see her try to explain what will happen during the Vytal festival." Arthur laughed. "I'm sure Ironwood and Atlas will believe her."

"Atlas may have military might, but they have their weaknesses by relying on their toys."

"If you ever volunteer us for something like this again, I'm going to throw you to the next kingdom," Accelerator growled as he, Touma, and Neo headed up to Ozpin's office. The three of them were all wearing suits, like professional security detail. Accelerator tugged at his collar, eyes flashing dangerously.

"It's not like I had a choice," Touma sighed, fixing his tie. "Sienna demanded Jaune and me personally, but JNPR is participating in the tournament, so he couldn't do it. We're the only ones who can, and there's a chance she's up to something."

"Of course, she's up to something." Accelerator rolled his eyes. "She's part of some terrorist organization that suddenly wants to appear in the spotlight. All she's doing is using the Vytal festival to advance her cause. What else could it be?"

To his surprise, Neo smirked and began gesturing at him. Accelerator only recognized some signs and raised an eyebrow before glancing at Touma.

"She's saying…" The boy sighed. He was going to regret translating. "That you're just upset because you wanted to cheer on your girlfriend, and if Sienna pulls attention away from her, Weiss won't get the admiration she deserves." Neo covered her mouth and silently laughed.

"Well damn, look at that. Another person to send to the next kingdom," The albino muttered.

'Romantic Getaway.' Bright pink letters appeared above them.

"The travel would be free. I'd consider that offer." Touma chuckled as they approached the door to the headmaster's office. The boy was about to knock when they heard some raised voices, and he paused.

"...with everything you've done, you can't expect Atlas to trust a terrorist walking freely!"

"We prefer the term, Freedom Fighters, Ironwood." Sienna's amused voice came through, though it was raised to talk over Ironwood. "What I said during the conference was one hundred percent true. You're just upset because I laid out your dirty laundry."

"James, Ms. Khan, please, let us remain civil." Ozpin sounded exasperated. "We all want the same thing."

Touma was going to tap the door, but Neo grabbed his wrist and shook her head.

"No, we won't stand out here and listen to them, no matter how much it amuses you." Neo pouted as Touma knocked.

"Come in," Ozpin called out.

Touma led Accelerator and Neo as they filtered into the room. Ozpin was sitting behind his desk, with James Ironwood standing next to it. Glynda was flanking the other side, and Sienna was sitting in a chair across from the headmaster. Glancing over her shoulder, her lips twitched into a small predatory smile as her amber eyes zoomed in on him.

"Welcome, Mr. Kamijou, Mr. Accelerator, and Ms. Neo." Ozpin greeted warmly. "Thank you for agreeing to escort Ms. Khan around during the Vytal festival."

"Not that we have much choice." Accelerator scoffed.

"Straight shooter. I like him." Sienna laughed. "Though, I am disappointed that the other boy couldn't be here. Not that I have much free time between appearances, I would have loved to continue our conversation where we left off."

"I can drag him up here if it means I can leave." Accelerator offered, and Neo snickered.

"We've already been over this." Ozpin sighed and rubbed his brow. "During the tournament, Ms. Khan has a reserved skybox. You three will be escorting her between there and anywhere else she wishes to go."

"And report anything strange she does," Ironwood added.

"You make it sound like I'm trying to get into trouble," Sienna's voice was light as she casually dismissed the accusations. "I'm here purely as a peaceful representative of the White Fang." Ironwood scoffed. "While Vale might still have problems with discrimination, there have been positive changes. Atlas, on the other hand…" She trailed off as Ironwood fumed.

"You know we have anti-discrimination laws!"

"And I talked about that during the conference," Sienna waved a hand to brush aside his words. "Tell me when you start enforcing them. I suggest putting minimum sentences over maximum sentences so judges can't let people off scot-free as a good place to start. See if that helps with changes."

"Please be civil, both of you," Ozpin warned. "Glynda?"

"Here is a schedule of events." Glynda handed Sienna and Touma a list, each with information on where they would need to go. "I hope you enjoy the festival, Ms. Khan. Of course, as I tell all my students, you represent more than just yourself in front of guests from every kingdom."

"I have no intentions of causing problems," Sienna assured her. "Not until after the festival, at least."

"Then your immunity will be over." Ironwood warned. "I won't hesitate to take you in." He looked over at Accelerator. "I know you're not part of Atlas, but do keep a close eye on her. In case she tries anything against the heir of the SDC." Accelerator's eyes narrowed at those words.

"Violence is only used when needed. Attacking a child who's only participating in a tournament serves no purpose." Sienna rolled her eyes. "My forces will not cause problems while I'm here."

"What about Adam's?" Touma asked, eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "Your rabid dog?"

"He won't try anything either, or else I'll teach him a lesson he won't soon forget as you did. Or did you forget what you did to him?" Sienna grinned. "But if you want, I'm sure I can arrange a meeting between the two of you, assuming they let you go." She gestured to Ozpin and Ironwood almost sarcastically without saying anything else.

"We can discuss that after the tournament," Ozpin stated diplomatically. "Though, if you're interested, would you care to join me in giving an intro speech before the tournament begins? I'm sure that will go a long way to emphasize the message the Vytal Festival is trying to teach. And I'm sure people would love to hear you as well."

"You can't be serious!" Ironwood gasped. "After what she did at the peace conference? She'll just cause a riot!"

"I suppose I could," Sienna considered. "Without much time to prepare a formal speech… No, I can come up with something." Touma had a sneaking suspicion she was only doing this to piss off Ironwood. Based on Neo's amused expression and Accelerator shaking his head, they seemed to be under the same opinion. "Now, if you don't mind. I would like to take a look around before we begin. If this schedule is correct, the festival doesn't start for another couple of hours." She held up the paper Glynda gave her.

"Very well," Ozpin nodded at this and stood up. "Please enjoy your stay, Ms. Khan. I'm sure this will be an enlightening experience for us all."

"Indeed." Sienna stood up and shook the man's hand before turning around to Touma and the others. "Shall we get going? I'm interested in looking around Beacon before we head to the Amity Colosseum. I haven't been inside a Huntsman Academy, and the White Fang deeply respects Huntsman who risk their lives to protect us."

"Very well, you have free reign on campus." Ozpin agreed as Ironwood looked like he was on the brink of exploding from how high his blood pressure had risen. Sienna seemed satisfied with this and turned to leave, her face looking like someone had complimented her on a job well done. Neo immediately followed her, seeming to like the woman who put Ironwood in his place. Or Neo was planning to do something to her if given a chance. Touma was fairly certain that Neo hadn't forgiven Sienna for kidnapping him and making her travel across Vale to save him. Actually, he was one-hundred percent certain.

No one made Neo work without giving her due payment.

"Do you have to antagonize people?" Touma sighed. "It's sort of… obscuring your message that you want to work with us."

"It's just some harmless fun," Sienna smirked. "Ironwood needs to hear this anyway. Just because he pushes it under the rug doesn't mean the problems disappear." Her eyes flickered to Neo and Accelerator. "Well, would you care to introduce me to your team?"

"That's Accelerator and Neo," Touma told her. "Accelerator's from outside the kingdom like I am, Neo's from Vale, and the one who disarmed the bombs from the terrorist attack."

'Along with stealing the Bullhead when you kidnapped him.' Neo generated each word one by one. Sienna's eyes narrowed as Neo grinned at her. It seemed she was indeed still harboring ill feelings toward the woman.

Accelerator clicked his tongue and yawned.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Sienna asked him, and Accelerator rolled his eyes. "Can you at least settle a small argument with Touma and me here?" That caused Accelerator to pause. "How's the discrimination at Beacon between Humans and Faunus?"

Accelerator looked at Touma, whose eyes went wide, and then Neo, who seemed curious to see how he would answer. There were three things he could do. First is, to tell the truth, that there was discrimination. Most of it was done by a small group of bullies, but ever since Touma had swapped with their group leader, only Cardin was still the typical asshole. Of course, he suffered when he tried to swing his dick around against Neo. The second option was to lie and pretend everything was fine. Sienna wasn't stupid, and the woman would see right through his lies or assume that Accelerator was blind and ignored discrimination. The last was to remain silent, but many would take that approach like option two.

"There was… until the damn hero took care of it."

"Damn… Hero?" Sienna looked confused for a moment before Neo pointed to Touma. "Oh, I see. It's good to see you're not all talk."

"I don't stoop to your level." Touma huffed. "You use violence to inspire fear. I use violence as a last resort to stop people from making a big mistake." Accelerator looked away at this, and Neo seemed thoughtful.

"I'm sure you know this already, but we've tried every other way," Sienna pointed out. "This is our last resort."

"Then why could I change three people's minds in a week after Ozpin swapped team leaders around!" Touma countered, annoyed. "Team CRDL, Russell, Dove, and Sky all stopped bullying and actually apologized to those they did. Including Faunus. There was no need for violence there."

"Hmm, color me impressed if that's true." Sienna mused. "Now go on. Go change the minds of those in power who refuse to truly fix discrimination because it's easier to control the masses when you pit them against each other. Tell a group of people all their woes are caused by one group and direct their anger at them. Faunus were just an easy target after the Great War. Changing a few minds is all good, but nothing will change until those running the kingdom are serious about fixing discrimination. Why do you think we have doubts about Ozpin's dedication?."

"She has a point," Accelerator admitted, and Touma gawked at him. "What? It's fucking true. Even back where we're from."

'It's a simple fact.' Neo agreed, signing it with her hands.

"You are all pessimists." Touma groaned.

"Realists." Accelerator corrected him, causing Neo to step over, cross her arms, and nod in agreement. Sienna glanced over her shoulder at the spiky-haired boy and grinned slyly. Did she think she was turning them against him? Was this her plan? Taking a deep breath and deciding not to rise to her taunts, Touma focused on the tour.

"And here's the cafeteria," Touma told her, pushing the large double doors open. It was one of their last stops after the dorms, training rooms, and classrooms. There really wasn't much to see, as besides learning to fight Grimm, it was still just a school. The woman still examined everything, which was normal for a new person and their curiosity. Though Touma knew better. He hoped she didn't find what she was looking for.

"I can tell," Sienna rolled her eyes as she looked around.

Touring Beacon and learning the layout may have benefitted her in case Sienna needed a quick escape, but that wasn't the real reason she wanted the tour. She doubted Ozpin's true intentions and what Jaune and Touma let slip, so she wanted to observe the students. Determine if Faunus were being separated or bullied by humans here. As she stood there, eyes traveling over the tables, many of the students looked up in surprise. She was well known now after the conference, even with those who ignored politics. The ratio between humans and Faunus was low, but the Faunus didn't seem to be shunned to the side. They were sitting with humans side by side as equals. That was something. Then her eyes fell on a familiar cat Faunus, ears hidden by a bow.

'Blake. So you really did attend Beacon.' There had been some rumors with Adam's group, but this was her first actual proof. Blake was glaring at her, with good reason, if someone asked her. That girl didn't support the White Fang becoming more violent. Part of Sienna wanted to rub in her position, mostly to get back at her mother, but decided against it. As the High Leader, it was her job to set an example…

"Why is that animal terrorist here!?"

Her head turned so fast toward the source of those words there was a crack. Standing up and pointing at her was Cardin Winchester. Several people gasped at the audacity of the boy's action. Everyone knew he was racist, but to call it out on the High Leader? He was either brave or incredibly stupid. Based on the way the three guys next to him looked away and seemed to shrink down in embarrassment, it was the latter.

"Damn it, Cardin…" Touma facepalmed.

"Oh, this should be good." For a brief moment, Accelerator was glad Touma volunteered them to chaperone so they could witness this. Neo bounced up and down excitedly next to him.

"Who are you?" Sienna growled, stepping forward, keeping her eyes leveled with Cardin's. Everyone in the cafeteria was watching the exchange with varying degrees of excitement, fear, and anger. "Actually, never mind, I don't care about that. I do care about why you think you can talk to me like that."

The air around here was shimmering with barely concealed rage. She had a bit of a temper, instead of letting the insult go by some insignificant human. Maybe it was a pride thing that the leader of the White Fang couldn't ignore racism when shoved directly in her face. Whatever the reason was, Touma couldn't shake the feeling someone was about to leave in a body bag.

And it wasn't going to be Sienna.

"I'll talk any way I want to a terrorist who goes attacking people!" Cardin puffed out his chest. It looked like he thought he was in the right. Weirdly enough, he sort of was. Sienna was technically a terrorist while also being responsible for the death and destruction of various people and places. His message got muddled when he kept opening his mouth and spouting racist remarks. "So why don't you go crawl back into a hole and leave humans alone? You belong in a zoo."

A vein throbbed in Sienna's head.

"You have a lot of nerve to say that to me, boy." Sienna's grin flashed as her hand moved to her hip.

"No!" Blake yelled, but she was too slow, and a cry of pain drowned out her shout of protest.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Cardin collapsed to the ground, his hands between his legs before falling silent and forming the fetal position. In Sienna's hand was a metal spiked chain that had been hidden under the hem of her outfit. There was no way the leader of the White Fang would go anywhere where Atlas troops were stationed without a weapon to protect herself, and years of practice allowed her to draw and use it within a split second. A large brute of a boy who only seemed to rely on physical brawn and a big mouth could never have reacted in time.

"You seem to have too much testosterone." Sienna leaned over him. "Even with you being racist and stupid, I'll be the bigger person and help you with your problem."

"You go, girl!" Yang cheered from next to Blake. Touma glanced at his Faunus friend, whose face was still stunned. Though, she wasn't as frightened as she first appeared before Sienna acted. No doubt Blake thought Sienna would go a lot farther, ending Cardin's life. To that woman, the death of a racist wasn't a loss for anyone. But Blake forgot that Sienna wasn't as bloodthirsty as Adam to negate her intelligence.

Killing a Beacon student like that would ruin everything she's worked towards.

Interestingly enough, none of the other students were trying to help Cardin out. Sure, they were probably stunned like Blake was, but many were smiling and fist-bumping at each other. Even Cardin's teammates looked down at their leader without showing signs of wanting to help. Sure, it looked painful, but he brought it on himself.

"MS. KHAN! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

Well, one person wouldn't overlook such a flagrant violation of the rules.

"Ah, Glynda," Sienna smiled, turning around. "We were just finishing up the tour of the school."

"Did you just attack a student?!" Glynda marched up angrily.

There was a moment of silence as Sienna debated what to say in her regards. Even if Cardin insulted her, violence like that was probably against school rules. Not that most students cared. Accelerator and Yang would smack down people who annoyed them. Still, admitting it outright would cause some diplomatic issues. It didn't seem Glynda saw her do it, though, just the current positions.

"I can't recall," Sienna replied. "Did he do something to provoke me?" Several students snickered.

"You'll be lucky just to be forcefully ejected from the Vytal-...!" Glynda fumed furiously, her face dark red.

"Professor! Wait! She didn't do anything!"

The cafeteria went quiet as everyone turned to Coco, who stood up to get Glynda's attention.

"Ms. Adel?" The professor asked, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Cardin shouted out some racist rants toward her, and she was walking over to confront him," Coco admitted truthfully, then she started to make up her own narrative. "He suddenly realized his big mouth was going to get him into trouble, and he was trying to run when he tripped and fell, hitting himself on the bench between the legs."

"Is this true?" Glynda asked, looking around.

What happened next was an incredible display of teamwork and commodity.

"Sure was!" Yang yelled, giving her a thumbs up. "It was hilarious!" Blake and Ruby were nodding next to her. After Yang spoke up to support Coco's lies, many other students shouted out and 'confirmed' that story was true.

"Ms. Schnee?" Glynda asked, knowing the rest of Weiss' team was known to stretch the truth. "Tell me, is that what happened?" Weiss looked up and saw Accelerator give her a slight nod from behind the professor, before her eyes focused on Sienna, who was looking at her passively. She could get Sienna in trouble for assaulting a student with a single word. Sienna probably would get away with just a slap on the wrist, but any peace talks would be disrupted. It was Cardin, though, and Weiss hated that pompous jerk.

"I don't know," Weiss held up a newspaper. "I was reading when it all happened." Ruby snorted next to her and covered her mouth. Weiss had been the one who was watching the exchange, the closest out of all of them.

Sienna was also surprised at the answer, but Accelerator grinned at her. Glynda frowned and looked around before settling on the one group who might tell her what really happened. Cardin was still on the floor and was unable to talk.

"You three." Glynda pointed to Russel, Sky, and Dove. "Tell me what happened." The three looked at each other for help, but the professor was having none of this. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"It's…" Russel glanced past Glynda to see Velvet looking at Coco nervously. Coco, meanwhile, was looking at Russel with a superior and challenging expression, daring him to tell the truth. The thing was, Russell didn't want to tell the truth. He and the rest of Team CRDL had told Cardin the racist shit needed to stop, but all that led to was Cardin taking his anger out on them. It was about time he learned his lesson. "...exactly as they said. He fell."

"I see…" Glynda didn't believe them, but if every student in the cafeteria was saying this, she could hardly go against that. It would have been different if she had seen the events that transpired personally. "Very well, come with me. Mr. Winchester. We'll take you to the nurse. Tsune has been complaining she hasn't had many patients."

Accelerator almost felt a twinge of pity for the boy as Glynda lifted him up with her Semblance and carried him out of the cafeteria. As soon as the door closed, the cafeteria erupted in cheers.

"That was awesome!" Nora cheered, waving to Sienna.

"He finally got what he had coming!"

"Maybe he'll learn a lesson!"

"So his racist and bullying antics aren't just limited to me," Sienna huffed. "No wonder Ozpin was upset about what I said. It's true his staff don't do much to prevent discrimination."

"More like we're supposed to handle it ourselves." Coco walked up to her. "Only reason I didn't kick his ass was because Velvet asked me not to." She pointed toward the bunny Faunus, who was talking to Russel.

"Why did you lie?" Velvet asked him softly.

"No matter how many times we tell him to stop, he won't knock it off." Russell explained. "The consequences of his actions are just catching up to him." Velvet smiled at that.

"Can we go now?" Touma nearly begged from behind Sienna. "Or are you going to start demonstrating whip use for everyone?" Neo covered her mouth and silently laughed.

"No, I'm done," Sienna confirmed, giving a short diplomatic wave before addressing the onlookers. "Remember students of Beacon. Treat others with respect because if you don't, you'll never know when they will rise against you when you push them too far."

Even her advice to others sounded like a threat to the unlucky boy's ears, and he stiffened automatically. When Sienna turned around and started to make her way to the door, relief flooded through him. This could have ended so much worse than it did. As much as Cardin was an asshole, being struck in the family jewels was one of the worst things imaginable. Touma had been there, more times than he would like to remember. There were probably a lot more times he couldn't remember too.

"Did you have to do that!?" The boy cried out the moment they were far enough away from the cafeteria.

"No, I could have done worse," Sienna admitted. "Should I have? You've become quite bloodthirsty since we last met."

"You should have," Accelerator informed her. "I slammed him through a wall, and he still hasn't learned to shut up." Neo made a few stabbing gestures followed by a kick.

"Don't encourage her!" Touma shouted at them. "Seriously, both of you know better!" The two stared at him, instantly sobered up, and the boy looked away, worried he said too much.

"Should I have taken it?" Sienna asked him, still walking forward without turning around to face Touma. "Should I have let him insult me to my face, disrespect the proud heritage of Faunus? Let him think there are no consequences for his actions? If I had walked away, would Beacon have punished him for his words? Would the other students have risen up together like that? People tend to jump on the winning side, and it was obvious which one that was."

"Do you think you changed his opinion about Faunus?" Touma asked incredulously. "Cardin's not going to suddenly think that because you knocked him down, you're his equal. If anything, it's going to reinforce his opinion that Faunus are violent animals. I keep telling you. Violence isn't the answer to what you want to achieve!"

"Hypocrite," Accelerator muttered.

"He will learn to stop insulting Faunus outright," Sienna stated. "He will realize that if he continues his way of thinking, we will strike back. We won't be easy targets for his bullying. If Faunus children aren't afraid to go out and play due to bullies, they can be themselves and no longer fear humans. Humans will fear us instead if they insist on treating us as inferiors."

"All you're doing with that is forcing him to be smarter about it," Touma insisted. "Cardin's not stupid… I know some of the stuff he's done for his team when we swapped. That fear you speak of? All that's going to do is make him more selective of who he bullies, those that can't defend themselves, and he'll work behind the scenes still, voting against equality and making it harder for Faunus. Do you want to make a change? Understand why he hates Faunus and work from there."

'You're probably wasting your time. The guy's a blockhead, ' Neo signed.

"You expect me to talk to every person who hates Faunus, find out why they hate us for just existing, and then try to change their mind?" Sienna finally turned around and stared at him incredulously. "From our earlier conversations, I figured you were just optimistic but had some intelligence. Now I see you're just naive." She shook her head. "Seriously, you really are just a child."

"Neo, stay here with Accelerator and guard her." Touma ordered, turning around. The girl grabbed his shirt by reflex, preventing him from going. "No, I'm not going to abandon my job, but I'm going to check on Cardin and see if he will tell me why he hates Faunus. I'll prove to you that anyone can change!"

"I really don't care if he changes or not," Sienna admitted, crossing her arms, but the boy had already left. "What a weird human."

"Tell me about it." Accelerator snorted. "I'm not like him, though. I know how life works and the shit that happens." Neo stood next to him and pointed to herself as she nodded in agreement.

"Why not convince him of that?" Sienna asked them. "Ozpin told me a bit about you, along with what my organization came up with. Former criminal with illusion powers who probably saved my life at the conference with her disarming skills." Neo puffed out her chest proudly. "And the other whose power seems unmatched. There were a few clips of the Breach I saw, not that I approved of an insane measure such as that. Ozpin said you were smart and had some history. So why not make him see reason?"

Accelerator snorted, and Neo rolled her eyes.

"Let me tell you something," Accelerator looked directly at her with a bored expression. "It's the same warning I give everyone who faces that damn hero. It's obvious to all of us you want to use him as a fake Dragon Faunus, whatever. Not my business. But since it's obvious you two will never see eye to eye, this is the warning. You won't win. The moment you and him exchange blows seriously, you've lost."

"How sure are you about that?" Sienna hissed. Fighting Atlas and other anti-Faunus organizations for years caused her to learn a lot of skills. She was strong and also very prideful. Saying she would lose was a challenge to her. A part of her remembered Adam's expression and words after he faced the boy, though, telling her to kill Touma immediately.

"Because if I can't beat him, what makes you think you can?"

Sienna covered her face with an arm as the wind whipped around the boy in front of her. The vortex was pushing her back from sheer force alone. Out of nowhere, it stopped, as quickly as it began. Accelerator shook his head and turned to continue walking.

"Wait!" Curiously aroused, Sienna couldn't help herself. "Want to see if that's true?"

"No, not at all."

If anyone couldn't care less about something like this, it was that albino. Neo, on the other hand, raised her hand excitedly. She was up for it because it sounded like it could be fun.

"Can you cover us with your illusion so we can spy on them?" Sienna asked.

Neo snorted, waved her hand dismissively, and then gave her a thumbs-up.

In the medical wing of Beacon, Touma peeked into the nurse's office. He had already had the pleasure of being a patient there a few times. So had Accelerator. They didn't agree on much, but coming back here to be at the mercy of Tsune wasn't something either of them wanted to happen. It didn't appear the woman was there right now. The only bed occupied was the one Cardin was lying in, holding an ice pack under the sheets.

Pushing the door all the way open, the boy stepped in.

"What the fuck do you want?" Cardin demanded, noticing him entering.

"I came to check on you," Touma explained, trying to stay calm. "Because Sienna did that under my-..."

"I don't want to hear it!" The injured boy snapped. "You and the other animal lovers just encourage the White Fang. Goodwitch told me everyone said I tripped instead of being attacked. No wonder those animals think they can get away with everything."

"Did you ever stop to think it's your attitude that makes people turn against you?" Touma asked back. "That your bullying and racism are what people are tired of?"

"Who asked you?" Cardin growled. "What's wrong with showing animals and weaklings their place?"

"Just like how Sienna showed you yours?"

Cardin was stunned to silence for a moment before trying to get up. His face contorted with pain as he was forced back down onto the bed. No matter how angry he was, being whipped in the balls with a metal chain wasn't something that could be brushed off. Aura was the only reason he was still conscious. Instead, eyes narrowed at Touma as anger and hatred radiated from the boy.

"She got a cowardly blow in," Cardin spat out, flinching as he moved the ice pack. "I'd destroy her in a fair fight! Don't try to play dumb. You saw it."

"Don't pretend you didn't deserve it either," Touma sat down in a chair and crossed his arms. "You literally called out to the High Leader of the White Fang and insulted her? What did you think was going to happen? Sienna admitting you were superior to her? She's perfectly okay with using violence to prove her point. There was no other way that confrontation would end, idiot."

"Someone has to stand up to those violent dogs! If you just let them run wild, they only get worse when they think there are no consequences! I don't see why people can't understand that!"

"Why do you hate Faunus so much?" Touma asked, finding the moment he wanted. "Remember, I've led your team before during the switch week. The rest of them don't hate Faunus, they just followed your lead, but now they see that wasn't a smart thing to do. They changed and are actually more popular now. So why won't you?! What the hell happened that makes you treat them so badly?"

"You don't care," Cardin scoffed, looking away. "This is some ploy of yours to show others, hey look. I got the big bad Cardin to change. Trying to impress a couple of girls? If I could stand up, I would be kicking your ass right now."

"But you can't, so why not just tell me?" This was probably the only opportunity he would get to figure out why Cardin hated Faunus so passionately. It seemed to be more than just basic bullying. "I'm the only one at Beacon who actually wants to know. If I can't change your mind about them, maybe you can change my mind. Seeing your point of view would help me understand." That was impossible, but Touma was willing to say anything right now.

His words had some effect it seemed, as Cardin was staring at him with suspicion, over pure anger.

"The Karabel Bombing," Cardin told him. "That's why."

"Er… I didn't grow up in Vale…" Touma rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "So I don't really know a lot of events that took place."

"Then go fucking look it up!" Cardin snapped.

"But that doesn't explain why you are so impacted by it." Touma countered simply, trying not to show his frustration. "It's a bombing, so I can guess what happened…"

"I was a kid enjoying a rally with friends," Finally, the truth was coming out. Though it seemed to only be to get Touma to leave Cardin alone more than anything else. "When an explosion rocked the stage. Several people were killed, and a piece of the wooden stage severed my friend's leg clean off. You know what that shit does to a kid?"

Cardin almost appeared satisfied as Touma's eyes widened.

"Yeah, so fuck the White Fang." The bedridden boy laid back against his pillow. "I wanted to become a Huntsman to teach those animals that there is justice in this world. That they can't go and attack innocent people just to spread a message. I'll fight Grimm too, but I will focus on terrorists." His eyes flashed in anger. "So no, I'm never going to believe Faunus are equal to people. And if you're really a 'dragon Faunus' instead of it being part of your weird ass Semblance, you better never approach me again. Go back to your freak team."

"Sure…" That confession was a little more than Touma expected to hear. He had hoped it might have just been bullying by Faunus, but deep down, he knew that was a pipe dream. At least Cardin wasn't planning to genocide Faunus as revenge for his friend. That said something about his character at the very least. "Thanks for telling me. I'll see if I can get Sienna to apologize… I doubt she will, though. She's too prideful."

"Fuck off," Cardin told him again.

Touma walked out, a weight pressing down on him as he contemplated what was just revealed. Sienna needed to hear this. If what Cardin said was true, and it seemed real based on his emotions, then this was exactly what Touma and Blake had been telling Sienna and Adam. Hatred and violence only breeds more hatred and violence. Sienna attacking people was only hurting her cause, not helping it. Violence should only be the last resort. Touma was guilty of using it, he could admit that to himself, but he never would allow himself to take that final step to take someone's life.

Everywhere he went, it felt like someone was there telling him that killing was the only option or that the person he was fighting would only stop if they were dead. He refused, always.

Any dream of being normal would be washed away in that blood if he didn't.

The thoughts of everyone he had fought always remained in his mind about how he had been able to change their mind. It could almost always be done. Why did so many people call him naive?

The hallway outside the nurse's office was empty as the door slammed shut behind him.

"Come on out, Neo. It's over." When the air shimmered to reveal the multicolored girl, Touma sighed heavily. It wasn't like he could detect Neo's illusions. There was a feeling now when she watched him, and the boy learned to trust his instincts. Behind his stalker, Sienna was leaning against a wall, her arms crossed, while Accelerator seemed to have his Scroll out with earphones plugged in."So you were listening?"

"She wanted to follow you, and you are technically my guard duty," Sienna explained, looking at him with a bored look. "I take it you found out the reason he hates us?"

"Yeah, he finally spilled it." Taking a deep breath, Touma looked her directly in the eyes. "What's The Karabel Bombing incident?"

The tiger lady looked a little unnerved for the first time as she averted her eyes.

"Ah… Eh hem… Well, that explains it."

"What happened?" Touma could have looked it up on his Scroll, but Sienna's knowledge would be better than any generic article he found online. The woman didn't answer him, so his tone grew more impatient. "What happened?"

"It's not important."

"Bullshit." Sienna had been turning to leave, so Touma intercepted her. Accelerator looked up from his position, even with music blaring in his ears. Neo was looking up between them eagerly, wanting the juicy gossip. "You know what it is and why Cardin is the way he is. Spill it."

"It's not going to change anything," Sienna sighed and rolled her eyes. "It happened years ago."

"And it's still haunting him because one of his friends was injured during the bombing when he was a kid." Touma pushed, his teeth grinding at her attitude. "Wait… you're not telling me because it really was the White Fang's fault."

Amber eyes flashed as Sienna glared at him.

"A human councilman in Vale was holding a rally there," The woman relented at last. "He was someone with high charisma who was beloved by the public. Behind the scenes, though, he used his wealth to run underground fight rings, mostly with Faunus that his people kidnapped. Forcing them to fight to the death."

"What?!" Touma gaped at her. "Then why didn't you… go to the press or the police… or someone?"

"You haven't been paying attention, have you?" Sienna spat out. "You sound just like Ghira, the old High Leader. He preached nonviolence and tried to talk things out. That damn near got him killed multiple times. If it weren't for Adam and me, he would have died before retirement. Of course, we tried to report him, idiot. The press either refused to run the stories or outright kicked us out. Police wouldn't do anything, no matter how much proof we presented. He was a councilman with sway."

The grin forming on her face was anything but cheery.

"So we took matters into our own hands. Too many lives were at risk. A cell group snuck in the night before and rigged an explosive beneath the stage. During the performance, it was set off. It was one of the first acts of violence we did outside of defending ourselves from being shot at. We proved to the world at that point, no one who threatened Faunus were safe. Even government officials could be targets. It was just…" Sienna looked remorseful for a moment. "They underestimated the power of that Dust Bomb. Part of the crowd was caught in the blast. Though, it did make the impact bigger. It was the start of major change-..."

"That further led to your path to violence," Touma interjected. "Don't you see, the White Fang created Cardin? Your actions are the reason he discriminates against Faunus."

"Oh please, don't even try that," Sienna scoffed. "Racists will always find a reason to discriminate. If it weren't that, it would be another. I do feel a loss for those that died, we had zero intention of involving them, but they were supporting an evil man directly responsible for countless deaths of Faunus. It was thanks to their sacrifice that people began to fear us. Stores stopped refusing our kind just for not being human. People wouldn't attack us in the street. Our lives were improving."

"Only on the surface," Touma countered, as anger welled up within him at her words. Innocent people's deaths were mere 'sacrifices?' "You're not putting out the embers and one day, it's going to consume you and everything you've previously worked for." His hand made a fist at his side. "I promised Ozpin we would watch over you while in Beacon, but after that… I'm going to make you realize you're wrong."

Touma could hardly believe what he was hearing. Was she trying to justify the actions that led to multiple people's deaths?

"Come up with a better alternative and I'll at least listen to a 'dragon' Faunus." Sienna laughed, causing Touma to walk ahead of her, refusing to look the woman in the face. She turned toward Accelerator and Neo. "Got anything to say?"

"Hit ten thousand deaths and we'll talk." Accelerator put his earbud back in. "You at least strike back against mostly the people who deserve it."

'Lightweight.' Neo texted and then raced after Touma.

Sienna wasn't sure what to make of Touma's teammates.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Pyrrha asked, stepping into the headmaster's office. Her eyes darted around to see Ironwood, Glynda, and Qrow also inside. "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize I was interrupting."

"You aren't interrupting anything, Miss Nikos." Glynda assured her warmly. "We called you here."

"Please, have a seat." Ozpin gestured to the empty chair. "I wanted to see how you were doing. The last time we talked privately, a lot was dropped on you." Pyrrha's curious expression suddenly seemed fixed. Her hand gripped her skirt slightly by reflex, almost unnoticeable. "Relax, Pyrrha. We aren't here to force you. All we are wondering is if you thought any more about it."

"It's a big decision," The girl admitted. "But why me? Surely there are other candidates that would be better suited for the position? I'm sure they are bet-"

"There isn't," Ironwood cut Pyrrha off. "The one to inherit the gift needs to be someone with true character—an individual with a sense of duty and responsibility, along with the ability to defend themselves. Ozpin might not have mentioned that there are forces who would covet this power for themselves. Whoever received it will need to be able to defend themselves."

"No, he did." Pyrrha nodded slowly, her face passive. "I still don't think I'm the right person for this position, though."

"Are you worried about how it will change you?" Qrow asked. "When Oz told you about it the first time, I could tell that it affected you."

"Yes." That one word that the champion girl replied with was barely above a whisper.

"I know it's a big decision," Ozpin leaned forward in his chair. "One that should not be taken lightly. If we had any other option available to us at this time, we would be taking it. I understand how difficult this is. We're repeating ourselves, but we will respect your decision. As of now, we need to prepare for the worst-case scenario if she passes on."

"I thought you had her in stasis?" Pyrrha sat up straight, worried she understood wrong.

"We do," Ironwood assured her, calming her down ever so slightly. "She is stable. However, this is only a temporary measure, and over time, Amber will grow weaker. If we do not transfer her powers to someone, when she dies, that power will go to the attacker. Whoever injured her is powerful, but with the maiden's power? She will be a threat to all of the kingdoms."

"Miss Nikos… Pyrrha…" Glynda said softly. "I know it sounds like we're trying to guilt you into this, but we're not. We simply need you to understand the gravity of the situation. I've been watching all our students for suitable candidates for a while and you have what we're looking for. Because you can rationalize and understand why this needs to happen."

"But how can I just accept it?" Pyrrha asked, her words becoming stronger. Lately, she began to realize that if she remained silent, let people talk over her, or refused to tell others how she really felt, she wouldn't get anywhere. No one else could speak for her. "How can I just take this power that would change me? In an instant, it would be like my destiny would be achieved. At- at the cost of who I am. My family, friends, Jaune… I wouldn't be the same anymore! A completely different person! A stranger!"

The girl didn't mean to raise her voice and quickly slumped back in her seat.

"It wouldn't happen overnight," Ozpin stated. "I've seen it a few times myself. It's slow, much like how a child changes as they grow older. Your souls merge together. It's something you wouldn't even notice."

"I…" Pyrrha gulped. After their last conversation, Pyrrha mentioned she didn't think she was ready then either, but all Ozpin asked was for her to think about it. It seemed like they were running out of options and needed her, but they didn't want to come right out and say it. "I came to Beacon to become a Huntress, to help people…"

"And you will still be able to," Ironwood interjected. "Just in a different way. Your power is what will protect all of Remnant."

"James," Ozpin warned, his eyes flashing. "There will be some… restrictions if you decide to inherit this power. One of which would limit your ability to travel freely."

"Then… what about missions with my team… being a Huntress?" Pyrrha asked, feeling a cold chill down her neck. It was like they were planning to keep her locked up and away from others. She'd be no better than a prisoner.

"You'll be able to go with them occasionally, but most likely monitored." Ozpin eventually came out and said what she feared. "I'm sorry. It's the reality of the world we live in."

"I… don't think I can do it." Pyrrha's hand shook, and she grabbed it with her other. "It's too much responsibility, and I don't think I can give up who I am to do so."

Ozpin took a deep breath as Qrow and Glynda shared a sympathetic look. Ironwood was the only one who didn't take it lightly.

"Miss Nikos," His demeanor became sharper. "I ask you to consider this a little longer, and we can discuss this after the Vytal Festival. I'm sure you'll see reason."

"Jimmy, she made up her mind," Qrow interjected. "It's not going to change after a tournament."

"You know as well as I do that this decision is bigger than all of us!" Ironwood retorted. "Think of all the implications! If Amber is attacked-..."

"James, enough!" Glynda snapped. "This isn't something to be discussed in front of students." She turned to Pyrrha. "Miss Nikos, go ahead. We'll figure something else up. Of course, anything we tell you is top secret and is not to be shared. Understand?"

"I understand," Pyrrha confirmed with a short nod. "If an emergency pops up and there's no other choice…" Her voice trailed off as she obviously didn't want to do it. At the same time, Pyrrha was the type of person to do what she had to do, even if she didn't like it. It was due to one person that she found the strength to say no this time. The source of her recent happiness and someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

The blond boy's smiling face was always in the back of her mind.

"We aren't forcing you to do this, kid." Qrow raised a hand. "Why don't you run off back to your team? Let the adults figure out a Plan B."

Pyrrha gave the man a small smile, turned, and quickly left before she gave in to temptation.

"Her resolve was wavering, Qrow." Ironwood spun around to the drunk. "We could have convinced her. Are you all forgetting what this means to us?"

"All that would have done is made her resent us and eventually run like Amber did," Qrow sighed. "It has to be her choice and from the sound of it, she has too much waiting for her to return. You're asking a kid to shoulder the weight of the world on her shoulders. What did you think was going to happen? Isn't that Atlas' job?"

Glynda's lips twitched upwards.

"Qrow is right, James." Ozpin agreed, looking between the men. "We have some time, assuming we can put a stop to whatever Salem's forces are planning for the end of the Vytal festival."

"Worse case scenario, we can have Penny do it." Ironwood frowned in thought. "Her progress has been rather… astonishing. Spending all that time in the company of that girl, Last Order, has done wonders for her development. Dr. Polendina was onto something that allowing her around other students would stimulate her growth."

"Do you think she can actually receive the maiden power?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow.

"We can only try." Ironwood shrugged. "If we can, we don't have to force anyone else to shoulder the responsibility."

"There you go, see you can come up with other options besides manipulating a teenager!" Qrow laughed, taking a deep swig from his flask.

Ozpin looked at both of the men and then toward Glynda. He rested his head and his propped arms and began to think.

Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.

Wishez: I had to be brought out of retirement for this, but hey, maybe I can make some money now. If any of you read the beta comments, please appreciate me more… it can get lonely.