(Chapter 15)

The Saturday morning sunrays shone through the large windows of Ozpin's office at Beacon Academy. He sat in silence, a cup of cocoa sitting comfortably close on his desk as he scanned over various documents, waiting for the arrival of the Atlesian General. A short while later, during an indulging draw from his mug of liquid delight, the elevator pinged, signifying the arrival of his guest.

The doors parted ways to reveal James adjusting his tie as he stepped forwards. Ozpin rose from his desk and met his fellow headmaster in the center of his clockwork office.

"Oz, it's been far too long." The two men shook hands with respect.

"Indeed it has my old friend, I hope you're well?" The two withdrew their hands, and made their way to the white-haired man's desk, sitting on either side of it.

"I am, and I hope the same for you. Though, for once, the flight itself wasn't actually all that terrible." Ozpin raised a brow at his ally's comment, knowing how the man felt about travelling via bullhead and not his flagship.

"Oh? And do tell; why is that?" The man was about to answer when a faint tapping at the window was heard. They both turned to see a familiar red-eyed black bird sitting on the windowsill. The two men shared a look, before Ozpin grabbed a remote and pressed a button, causing the window the crow was sitting outside of to open, allowing it into the room. It flew around the upper parts of the room, before diving behind a pillar, and not a moment after it did, Qrow appeared walking from the other side of the pillar.

"You two are having a get together and didn't invite me. What gives?" The man reached for his flask before taking a long draw from it. The two headmasters were genuinely surprised at their comrade's presence, since the man rarely spent time inside the walls of Vale, or any kingdom for that manner. James stood from his seat to address him.

"Qrow, it's good to see you." A nod of respect was given from the general to the former Signal Academy professor, who raised his flask in acknowledgement of the man's greeting as he returned it.

"You too Jimmy." The general let out a sigh at the nickname but sat back down all the same. The drunkard slowly strode towards the table, before taking a seat next to the general across from the white-haired man, who gave him a nod before addressing him.

"Qrow, I'm glad to see you're well, but we weren't expecting you to be back yet. What brought you back inside the walls?" The red-eyed man capped his flask as he leaned back in the chair comfortably as he responded.

"Well, I needed to take a breather after being so deep in enemy territory. I was going to head to Mistral instead to go meet with my sister, but I haven't seen the girls in a while and decided to drop by to pay them a little visit instead." Say whatever you might about Qrow Branwen, but no one could deny that he loved his family, despite how disjoined it was.

Ozpin nodded to his ally as did James, and with his presence out of the way, James voiced a question.

"So, since you're going to be taking some time off, anything to report?" The scythe user took a swig from his flask before responding to the disciplined man next to him.

"Large groups of Grimm located outside the walls, ancient Grimm here and there, and a few undocumented species of the damn things. Managed to get some pictures of those for you and the other headmasters, as well as behavior and some of their abilities. And something else, but it can wait." Both of the headmasters nodded in appreciation for the man's thoroughness, and this time, it was Ozpin who spoke.

"Before you leave to go see Ms. Rose and Ms. Xiao-Long, do let me upload the information from your scroll to our servers Qrow. What you've discovered could save someone's life down the road." The red-eyed man nodded as he drank from his flask before he retrieved his scroll and tossed it to the white-haired man sitting across from him.

After starting the download of data from Qrow's scroll, Ozpin poured another mug of cocoa for himself and offered one to James. As the spectacled man sat down in his seat, he grew a ghost of a smirk before he addressed the general.

"Taking a bit of a detour towards more pleasant conversation; how has Jaune been doing at your Academy?" Hearing these words, James moved his mug away from his mouth as he began to answer his longtime friend.

"Before I begin, I need to thank you Oz." A raised eyebrow and a slow sip from his mug signaled for the Atlesian general to elaborate as to why.

"The amount of raw potential in that boy is incredible. At the beginning of the semester he came to Atlas with no training, no weapon, and no path. Now?" The general smiled as he thought about the motivation his student had before continuing.

"Now he is one of the top performers among the first years. Not to mention he has the makings of a brilliant tactician and strategist in addition to being a natural leader." He let loose a smirk before he took a large draw from his mug of cocoa and recounted the events of the midterm to headmaster of Beacon.

"During my academy's midterm, a fierce blizzard blanketed the area outside Mantle on the final day. At the absolute last moments of the exam, he and his squad mates arrived at the edge of the city no worse for wear." Ozpin laced his fingers together as he fixed James with an inquisitive stare before he asked a question.

"Squad mates?"

"Ah, it's something we're experimenting on with the first years. I'll explain the system to you later." At this, the white-haired man nodded, and Qrow decided to speak up.

"It sounds like he just barely passed the exam." At this, James chuckled as he continued to speak.

"True. He and his squad did take almost every single second that was given to pass the exam. However, him and his squad retrieved and led every single student that was scattered out in the tundra back home." At this, Ozpin recoiled slightly and began to smile in thought of the young man, before Qrow asked a question.

"Hey uh, who's this Jaune kid you two are talking about?" Ozpin pushed up his glasses before he answered his former student.

"Jaune was the young blonde that you gave a rather sincere speech to about character a few months ago." The drunkard snapped his fingers as he recalled who they were talking about. Seeing that the red-eyed man was now aware of who the student was, James continued.

"Not only that, but his academic grades have improved significantly from when he first began, as did his practical grades, and recently I was informed that he's been engaging in training during his free time with some of my Ace Ops. He seems to have a good relationship with his teammates and the other members of his squad." The general leaned back in his seat slightly as he grew a fond smile as he described a rather recent event.

"The day after the students completed their midterms, I was on my way to my office, when I see all the first years congregated in the dorm commons. Spirits were high, and students from different teams and squads were all mingling together. And I suspect that Jaune and his friends had a hand to play in creating that atmosphere."

The two men looked to the general with surprise written on their face as the disciplined man looked proud while he talked about the blonde teen. Ozpin's however changed to one of content as he saw the positive effect that Jaune was having both on the general and those around him.

"I'm glad to hear that he's in an environment that's allowing him to become the man I knew he can be. Now, as much as I'd love to leave business at the door, let's talk security." A sigh from the red-eyed man drew their attention to him as he spoke.

"That's another thing that brought me back. The queen has pawns. I don't have any positive info on who they are, but the people she's surrounded herself with are clever, with the power and influence to match."

Qrow's comment was met with nods from the other two men and Ozpin sent a message to Glynda so that she would come participate in their discussion about the forces they were fighting.

A pair of cerulean blue eyes fluttered open as Jaune began to wake. Vision blurry, he brought a hand up to rub his eyes and noticed a weight on him. As his sight cleared up, he looked to the wall near the door and saw that the clock read 10:07, before he looked down and what he saw drew a silent, furious blush.

During his slumber, Penny had turned around so that she sat in his lap and was laying on him with her head on his shoulder and arms around his neck. He could tell that she knew he was awake as she pulled her head back from his shoulder to look at him.

"Good morning Partner!" Her cheerful voice vanquished the rest of his grogginess as the two sat facing each other on the chair.

"G-Good morning Penny…" The response earned another smile from the girl. The two sat in silence for a moment, before the ginger haired girl decided to speak up.

"So Jaune, did you like the movie?" The boy she was sitting on chuckled, embarrassed as he responded.

"Well…I uh, I wasn't paying too much attention to the movie…" The girl pouted innocently before images of her sitting in the blonde's lap with him running his hands through her hair played in her mind, causing the girl to blush and color her cheeks the same as her partner's.

Slowly the ginger removed herself from his lap before standing off to the side so that he could rise from his seat. Stretching as he stood the two looked at each other with their blushes still faintly present and smiled to each other.

"So, what do you want to do today Penny?" The girl seemed to think about the question, and while she did, Jaune was deciding on whether he should bring both of his weapons with him into town, before settling on only bringing his revolver and leaving his sword and shield in his room. As he finished putting on his holster, he turned to face his partner again who spoke quietly, having decided on what they should do first.

"How about we start with breakfast?" The boy looked confused though no less enthusiastic as he replied to his partner.

"That sounds great, but why do you want to start with that?" The girl smiled as she tilted her head to the side lightly and answered him.

"I might not need to eat, but you do Jaune." The blonde's stomach rumbled at that moment causing him to rub the back of his head sheepishly. As they moved towards the door to their room, the blonde suddenly stopped before back to his partner with a happy expression.

"I think I have a great idea Penny. Since you don't need to eat but I do, why don't I tell you what things taste like from now on?" The girl's eyes widened before she nodded and followed after him with an excited look on her face.

'He's always thinking of others.' The ginger thought to herself as they made their way out of the hotel and to the streets of Vale. After a bit of idle chat and walking, the two found themselves in front of a café that Jaune had heard of during his time in Vale, but never had a chance to try for himself.

It was a two-story building, with indoor seating on both levels, and outdoor seating on the second floor. It looked rather plain all things considered, but still seemed to exude a homey feeling. The two shared a look, before they both smiled and made their way inside.

After deciding to take a seat outside on the second floor, the two reviewed the menu, with Penny asking questions about the things she saw on it, and Jaune giving a laugh here and there at some of the things she was asking about. Eventually the waiter came back to take their orders, with Jaune having ordered a cinnamon roll and a sweet cream coffee, and Penny ordering a dessert that Jaune never heard of called a flan.

After a few minutes of enjoying the ambiance of the café and making some playful small talk, their orders arrived, and as Jaune began to eat, Penny watched him with a waiting smile. A few moments after he began to speak.

"So, what should I describe first?" The girl pointed to his pastry and he nodded as he tried to put into words the taste of his dessert.

"So, it's really sweet. It's warm and fluffy, though, they can get kinda messy if you don't hold them a certain way or if you eat them fresh, but that's part of the experience. Oh! And the center is really gooey." The ginger android nodded excitedly as he she then pointed towards his cup of coffee. The blonde teen smiled before he took a sip and enjoyed the taste before he began to explain.

"So, coffee by itself is typically pretty bitter. Most people drink it for the energy that comes from the caffeine, but some do like to drink it by itself. A lot of people add sugar and cream to make it taste better, but there are a few types of coffee that are meant to, and should be, drank without anything added."

He took an indulgent sip of his coffee before he continued speaking to his partner. "This one's really mellow. It goes down smooth, the bitterness is really subtle, and it's just tasty." The girl across from him excitedly pushed her chosen dessert towards her partner, who after observing it for moment, took the first bite.

Penny was practically bouncing in her seat as Jaune looked to be in thought before he began to speak.

"So, it's really creamy, and sweet. Besides the caramel topping, the rest is kinda hard to put into words besides saying it tastes good." The girl sitting across from him looked confused as she voiced her question.

"Why is it hard to put into words Partner?" The blonde took another spoon of the ginger's chosen dessert before trying to elaborate.

"Well its like, there's a vanilla taste, and a caramel taste, and a very faint egg taste. It's really smooth too, and cold." Penny nodded to her partner as she regained her smile as Jaune finished off the rest of the flan. The two were about to prepare to leave when movement from the corner of their eyes drew their attention.

Turning to glance at whoever was approaching them, the two were greeted with the sight of an ever-stoic Blake, and in tow behind her, the blonde faunus that had almost ran into them the day before.

"Mind if we join you." Blake's question came out in an even tone, but she didn't wait for an answer, opting to take a seat at the table made for four across from Jaune while the monkey faunus took the other empty seat.

The waiter returned to take the order of the two who'd joined Jaune and Penny, before leaving to attend to other patrons. A tension hung in the air between Jaune and Blake, which didn't go unnoticed by the other two sitting at the table.

After a few moments, Blake decided to cut straight to the chase.

"How do you know so much about me?" The blonde sat back in his chair as he gave a pause before he spoke, making sure to answer carefully.

"Well, I sorta guessed you were a faunus around the time our teams were getting close to know each other better. I saw your bow twitch once or twice and figured you were probably hiding your faunus features." The girl studied him for a moment before she sighed, seemingly accepting the answer.

The waiter returned with the orders of the two faunus teens, as well as a refill for Jaune, who gave the man an appreciative nod. After taking a sip of her tea, Blake decided to continue her questioning.

"And what about everything else you seem to know?" As she finished her sentence, her eyes narrowed as she focused solely on the blonde across from her.

"Well, when I was given the boot, I looked into all of you. I thought your last name sounded familiar when I first met you, but I didn't really think too much about it. But after I did some research, I found out why." An answer that didn't reveal too much, or anything really, but was meant to deflect the attention.

The black-haired girl looked to her side and noticed the intensely curious look that her companion was giving her. She sighed as she took another sip, before beginning to speak to the blonde faunus.

"Sun, are you familiar with the White Fang?" Her companion responded quickly.

"Of course. I don't think there's a faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid holier than thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want. Bunch of freaks if you ask me." From the side Jaune took a sip as he saw the brief look of regret and slight irritation flash across Blake's face.

"I was…once a member of the White Fang." Sun's eyes widened as he coughed on his drink before speaking again.

"Wait a minute! YOU were a member of the White Fang?" The girl looked off to the side as she responded to her fellow faunus.

"That's right. I was a member for most of my life actually, you could almost say I was born into it." At this point Jaune decided to tune them out, having received a significant history lesson on the White Fang from his partner the day before. A few minutes went by before Blake began to cap her monologue.

"So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence, and instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a huntress. So, here I am, a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow."

Sun was silent, before he decided to ask her a question.

"So, have you told your friends any of this?" Her only response was to close her eyes, but her answer was clear.

A few more minutes of silence followed, before Sun coughed and decided to switch subjects, extending his hand towards the two he'd yet to formally introduce himself to.

"By the way, my name's Sun, Sun Wukong." His hand was met by his fellow blonde who returned the greeting.

"I'm Jaune, no last name. And this is my best friend, Penny." The girl mentioned gave an electrifying grin as she spoke to the monkey faunus.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" She shook hands with Sun as well, before the teen decided to ask another question, gesturing towards Blake and Jaune.

"So…how do you two know each other." Immediate, he discovered that was an awkward subject to discuss as the two looked at each other and a fraction of the tension from earlier returned. Neither of them spoke for a moment before Blake decided to start.

"Jaune used to attend Beacon with me." She looked guilty, something Sun picked up on before asking a question.

"I'm sensing a 'but' in there somewhere." At this point, Jaune decided to take the reins of the explanation.

"Long story short, I never received training before I went to Beacon. I forged my transcripts, got accepted, barely passed initiation, and a few weeks later, my secret came out. Blake and the rest of our group decided to rat me out, and I was expelled. Got disowned too." Having finished with his explanation, the teen took an indulgent sip of his refilled coffee as he waited for a response from the teen.

"…That's it?" The question surprised Jaune a bit, and completely threw off Blake. The two teens looked at Sun for a moment, before he decided to give his own opinion.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, you probably shouldn't have done what you did, but I have no right to judge you. I broke the law just to get here when I stowed away on that ship. Hell, I'm from Vacuo, what you did is pretty tame compared to what counts as common crime back home." Jaune just chuckled as he gave a grateful nod to the teen. At this point, Blake decided to speak her mind.

"But he could have put his team in danger, not to mention himself." Sun brought his cup to his face with this tail and finished off the rest of his drink before he spoke again.

"Could have, would have; who cares? To me, what matters is intent." He looked to the blonde before he continued speaking to Blake. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy, at all. Plus, he didn't hurt anyone. And his old team sounds like they were perfectly capable. The world needs more people who are willing to fight for what's right, and if he wants to put his life on the line to do it, he should have that choice."

As he finished, the faunus was met with a beaming smile from the ginger android and even a small one from his fellow blonde.

A sigh of resignation came from the cat faunus as she thought about what her companion said, and eventually, Sun asked another question.

"So, what's the plan now?" The girl put a hand to her chin in thought as she responded.

"I still don't think the White Fang is behind these robberies. They've never needed that much dust before." At this, Jaune and Penny both looked confused, and the blonde decided to voice a question of his own.

"What robberies?" The two faunus looked at him before Blake answered him.

"Dust shops throughout Vale have been getting robbed, and there was one constant across every robbery; that the only thing stolen was the dust. They never took the money." The two students of Atlas looked to each other and began to think before Sun spoke up.

"What if they did need all that dust? I mean, the only way to prove that they didn't do it, would be to go to the place where they would most likely go to if they were to do it, and not find them there, right?" The girl furrowed her brow in frustration as she responded to her companion.

"The only thing is, I have no idea where that would be." Sun adopted a thinking look as he continued the conversation.

"Well…while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of dust coming in from Atlas."

"How huge?"

"Huge. Big Schnee Company Freighter."

"You're sure?" The monkey faunus didn't have to say anything, but the firm look he had let her know all she needed.

Blake stood up from her seat, prompting Sun to get up as well. They shared a nod before the black-haired girl pulled out some lien cards and laid them on the table.

"That should cover our drinks." She said nothing else and turned to leave as Sun followed her, giving Jaune and Penny a friendly wave as he did so.

The waiter returned, and took the lien cards from the table, and Jaune paid for the rest of breakfast. Leaving a significant tip, the two exited the café, and as they were walking down the sidewalk, Jaune spoke.

"We've got to tell General Ironwood. I should probably let Whitley know about this too." Penny nodded in agreement with his statement, but Jaune remembered that the General was supposed to be meeting with Ozpin at the moment. Seeing the look of thought on the face of her partner, Penny decided to grab his attention.

"What's wrong Partner?" The blonde faced the android girl before he explained his hesitation.

"The General's supposed to be in a meeting right now, and nothing we have is really concrete, just a bunch of speculation. But I know a way we can get some information about everything that's been going on."

"And how is that Jaune?" The blonde began to lead her somewhere as he answered.

"We need to go to a certain nightclub in town."

(A/N)

Hey guys, sorry this chapter took three weeks to come out.

To give an explanation, I just needed to take brief respite from only writing. Busting out multiple four thousand word minimum chapters is a tall order, and basically means that I'm not gaming or doing anything else besides work, online classes, and writing. And if I'm being honest, I really wanted some time to game with my pals.

Don't worry, still ain't giving up on this story, and I know that updates are kinda wacky with me, cause chapters can either take up a lot of time, or get done in two days. All depends on motivation and my schedule.

I think I will make a discord server so that if anyone want to pop in while I'm writing or gaming, they can chill with me as well. I'll probably put it in the next chapter if I decide to go through with it, I'm indecisive.

Anyways, stay safe and healthy!

B.J.H.