The drinking hadn't stopped at the official end of the ball, of course. The older students already knew the usual designated hall monitor, professor Port, would pass everything off as 'youthful rambunctiousness' or 'high spirits'. With Goodwitch literally camped out in front of the unofficial distillery, people mostly relied on what could be smuggled in the Friday and Saturday prior.
The first years, for the most part, were far more sober but no less excited. No one was able to sleep with half the student dorm partying. Some, like three out of four members of team Cardinal, tried to integrate themselves with the upper years in hopes of scoring free booze. Somehow, Yang had managed to talk Pyrrha into the same.
Ruby, Jaune, Nora and a long-suffering Ren were playing Super Mega Death Brawl III. The youngest in the bunch turned out to be freakishly good at the game. They also had an enormous supply of junk food, which meant they'd be up all night.
As a consequence, Blake and Weiss had barricaded themselves into their own dorm room and practically banished half their team to Ren and Nora's until the sugar died down. Sun had stuck around for a bit, but eventually left the two girls to themselves when his bestest of buds Neptune sent a message about a thermos flask filled with what had to be some sort of drugged coffee they'd 'discovered' while 'innocently exploring'. While Sun was something of a teetotaller surprisingly enough, he did take his duties as team leader seriously enough to keep an eye on his crew while they were chugging gods knew what.
Eventually, late into the night or early into the morning, Weiss found herself nudging her partner with a frown on her face: "Blake, am I crazy or weren't there supposed to be air ships in the sky above us?"
The bleary-eyed Faunus yawned like a cat and squinted up at the sky: "You're right. They're gone."
The two exchanged a glance. Something was afoot.
The mood was tense by the time the flotilla reached Vale. Luckily, in the dead of night, the dirty half dozen VTOLs with large shipping containers strapped to transport harnesses beneath them were essentially invisible to the naked eye. Atlas' air fleet, less so, but aside from a few Beacon students and some of Vale's perpetual night owls, no one was really looking. And if they were, aside from a Faunus and her pet human, no one really thought too much of it. Worst case, they'd gone to bombard a Grimm migration headed towards the kingdom, presumably.
No, the real reason for the tense mood was that aside from Qrow, the small gang of criminals had no heavy hitters that could be considered combat-ready in a pinch. Qrow himself being more loyal to Vale and, evidently, Beacon than anyone else present in turn made Qrow antsy. Winter, being perceptive enough to read the room, definitely knew shenanigans were afoot, which soured her countenance. The Atlas military, ever adept at keeping an eye on their officers, were starting to get nervous. Nervous Atlesians led to even more nervous criminals.
As for Riven herself? By the time the first Bullhead touched down on Beacon's small airport, she'd lost enough blood to be well and truly out of it.
Matters were further complicated by the fact that the CCT tower had been attacked just that night. While the security footage strongly suggested that it had been one of Salem's agents, the subsequent report from Winter about 'Vale' already being present in Mountain Glenn made the General suspicious of the headmaster. Ozpin, in turn, found himself re-examining his relationship with what, up until recently, he'd thought 'his man in Atlas'. A quiet military operation without his knowledge was not something he found himself particularly fond of.
It was right into this hive of suspicion that the Red Axe gang, still haphazardly dressed as Valean police, began to escort still armed members of the White Fang.
"I'm sure Qrow's report will answer all questions", Ozpin pre-empted Ironwood's immediate reaction. Said man, more machine than human at times, clenched the fist of his cybernetic half and remained silent for now. It was almost uncanny how his semblance seemed to quench every emotion except rage. Perhaps there was something to the 'killer robot' trope, Ozpin mused.
With two very sober students staring at the assembly as if their world had collapsed from above, unseen by all, the last two airship's landed. One contained Winter, the other Qrow and his team. Where the former immediately strode to her superior to report, the latter spent a few moments giving directions to the officers, who soon bore one of their own on a stretcher made of belts and rifles double-time towards Beacon proper. A second stretcher followed with, of all people, Roman Torchwick atop it. Though, the way his stomach was already looking red through the compresses, the master thief would not be making any daring escapes in the near future.
Ozpin, who assumed Qrow knew what he was doing, saw no reason to stop the proceedings. He did, however, note the very familiar blade resting by said police officer's side. Almost as familiar was the Fire Dust-infused katana that his agent presented with a lopsided smirk. Qrow looked exceptionally content with himself.
"Why are the terrorists armed?" Ironwood stated in the creepy, almost emotionless murder-bot voice he got when his semblance took hold.
"Because we conscripted and deputized them on the fly, Jimmy-boy", Qrow answered. "We had some pretty Grimm times. I don't know how you people do it up in Atlas, but down here, when it comes to Grimm, everybody sticks together. Even cops and scumbags."
"Still, there's no reason not to disarm them now", Winter interjected.
"I mean, we could do that", Qrow said in a tone that indicated that he thought that a terrible idea.
Ozpin, meanwhile, waved to one of the 'officers', who trotted over promptly.
"Notify the White Fang that we won't be asking any questions tonight. They'll be receiving a warm meal in the courtyard and are to be sent on their way tomorrow. Have your men mingle and tell me if you can dig up any names about who else was involved in the Dust robberies when you've tucked them in and sung them their lullabies." Ozpin's orders were quiet, but crisp and clear enough that the Atlesians could hear them as well.
"Is such a subtle approach truly necessary. We could just arrest the lot of them. We have the positioning and the numbers", Winter tried to push for something more concrete once more.
Ozpin shook his head slightly and raised a hand before Ironwood could voice his support. The General closed his mouth robotically.
"Their leadership has been thoroughly decapitated. By rewarding them for successfully fighting alongside humans, I hope that enough of them carry a positive message from this encounter to those cells of their organization that are still fighting. This will strengthen the position of those who disagree with Sienna Khan's 'new path', whereas arresting and martyring them will further radicalize the rest."
"You already martyred Adam Taurus." Kind of James to point that out.
"That was inevitable, but by being gracious in victory, we take a lot of that away again", Ozpin explained in a patient voice. "For every terrorist that holds Taurus' memory high there will be another who points out that we could have killed the lot of them, but instead we treated them with the sort of civility we'd extend to soldiers of other human kingdoms in the same circumstances."
Ironwood took a moment to process this, before giving a crisp nod: "You are going to use your connection to the Belladonnas to play this up politically and manipulate public sentiment in Menagerie to be pro-Valean."
"Astute as ever, James", Ozpin smiled. "In time, I hope to extend that sentiment to be 'pro-human', but I suspect that might take a bit more work and a bit more time."
Qrow stopped drinking to play bad cop: "Told your bimbo we had a plan, Irondick. Now, how about you tell us about your big plan with how your fleet was crashing our op?"
Winter's murderous scowl made up for the General's utter lack of expression.
"In private. Your office, perhaps, Headmaster?" Ironwood droned out.
Meanwhile, Blake kept her scroll trained on the happenings in the courtyard. Under Weiss' skeptical eye, she sent her recording to her father. The Belladonnas would find a first-hand account of what had happened. And, when the two young students slipped out of their dorm to skulk about the courtyard, with Blake later chancing the mess hall, a second video detailing the treatment of the quasi-detained Faunus at the hands of what they still assumed were Valean armed forces.
There was a lot to spy on and a lot to do. Blake found this very fortunate, because the last thing she wanted to do was have time to think about her ex-boyfriend's weapon being brought in like a trophy. For once, running away from problems was turning out to be productive, at least.
"...so as you can see, the offer the Valean council made me was too good to pass up. I am not the only one tired of your secrecy and your deals behind deals, Ozpin", James finished explaining in the headmaster's office.
The old wizard meanwhile looked like he was barely listening. Instead, he was fingering a small box on his desk with a hefty dent in the lid, seemingly made from the inside. Eventually, Ozpin set it aside and steepled his fingers, his mien cloudy and troubled.
"James, I have been as open as I possibly can be. Anything I have not disclosed has either been entirely a matter of Valean internal politics or deeply personal. And in the latter category, you know I've been fairly forthcoming. You even have one of my daughters in Atlas", a small deception, as Winter was in the room still. He did not have to fake sounding tired at least. Not this early in the morning.
"Personally, I want to know when the V.P.D. got rocket launchers in their arsenal", Winter grumbled.
"If it were up to me, they'd all have their aura unlocked and be armed to the teeth, rather than such be buried behind regulations and red tape", Ozpin remarked dryly to that. "Bureaucracy aside, we value independence in Vale. Huntsmen who enlist in the police may use their personal weapon instead of those from the arsenal."
"You value independence, Ozpin", Ironwood pointed out. "But only so long as the general course of Vale stays along the path you wish it to. The council chafes against Beacon essentially providing the nation's military and being an exception to every rule. And rightfully so."
"And they can chafe until I'm dead and gone", the headmaster countered sharply! "I know full-well what these greedy little pencil pushers would do, if they were the biggest fish in the pond. I won't have it, James! They'll set us back decades, if not centuries, if you give them a military to subjugate the populace with."
"The military of Atlas exists to defend the kingdoms from the Grimm", Ironwood said.
"The problem there, old friend, is that even you are starting to say 'kingdoms' instead of 'kingdom'. I've been down this road before. For all our sake, James, please! Re-examine your priorities! Absolute safety is an impossible goal."
Ironwood took a deep breath. His machine mind disagreed, but also suggested that the reason Ozpin may believe differently was that he was holding something back from him. Thus, that metallic hand of his reached down to pluck the small box from Ozpin's fingers. He opened it, only to find its contents swiftly headed straight for his throat! It was all he could do to get his aura up in time and pinch the shard of black metal between two fingers, slowly moving it away from the rest of his body.
Winter had had her sword out in an instant, but seemed unsure how to act, as if the general's calm, non-hostile behaviour went counter to what her instincts told her was an attack.
Qrow, meanwhile, squinted at the piece of metal and turned away, muttering something that sounded remarkably like "Oh boy…"
After examining the glowing green runes on the sliver of steel in his grasp, Ironwood focused on Beacon's headmaster once more: "Are you absolutely certain you have been telling me everything?"
Ozpin glanced to Winter, then to the general and arched an eyebrow. The gesture alone made Ironwood's confidante feel as if there was something going on she should have been privy to, as the general's most trusted subordinate. The oldest of Jacques Schnee's children found herself both intrigued and somewhat put-off.
"I think this time, I am going to insist. We've established we're mired in politics. It might be best to have a second for the head of every academy. It will keep us all...honest."
Ironwood had him there. Ozpin sighed and pushed two buttons on his desk: "I find myself forced to agree, even if I would be more comfortable with the other three selecting the fourth's second."
"They won't go for it. But we could exchange them. It would serve the same purpose."
On the monitors, Headmasters Lionheart of Haven Academy and Theodore of Shade appeared.
"Gentlemen", Ozpin began. "We would like to discuss a change of procedure..."
At this point, Winter wondered what the hell she was getting into.
In the infirmary, Tsune delighted in being able to jam aura-boosters into Riven's body. Revenge was sweet. It was just a shame the other Faunus was unconscious for it; and given the woman's violent tendencies, the last thing she was going to do was give her adrenaline. Ah well, a needle here, a needle there. It was the small things that made life oh so wonderful.
Roman Torchwick was another affair entirely. She didn't quite know what had happened, but going by the injury, Riven had not been the source of it. Never mind he'd been brought in by some surly looking 'cops' that her instincts told her were anything but. Scarface, especially, looked so damn familiar. She'd definitely seen that one on the news and not as an officer. Ah well, she'd hear the scuttlebutt in the staff room later. For now, time to operate.
Without anaesthetic, of course. Tsune worked best when she was happy; and other people weren't.
The arrival of the White Fang had not gone unnoticed by the team from Haven. Cinder's fury had been bright and short-lived. It was more than obvious the operation was a bust. With the lights on in the headmaster's office, going for the Maiden now was out of the question as well. Still, the operation was not necessarily a failure. Cinder could still work with this.
"Pack your bags", Salem's witch ordered her two minions: "We're compromised. Emerald, I need you to head to the docks. Let a harbour guard believe we slipped on to an early ship out of Vale. Once the warrants come through, I want them to think us long gone."
Emerald frowned at first, but nodded once it became clear that she would not have to leave Cinder's side for long.
"Mercury and I will be securing a safe house. Oh, and Emerald? Get us some hair dye and tanning lotion on the way back. We aren't done here. This is just a set-back."
"What about that cunt, Neo?" The young assassin asked.
Cinder's expression turned her beauty into something monstrous and ugly.
Somewhere in Vale, in a small cafe that a canny pick had unlocked, a small assassin sat and stared at her scroll with mismatched eyes. She'd been waiting through two tubs of ice cream already.
Finally, she found herself typing something quite unseemly for a young lady of her talents and stature:
'Roman, r u ok? im worried'
FIN BOOK I
AN: And thus ends book one. I will be taking the time over new years and maybe some of January to plot for the next arc of the story. I've found I write better and faster when I'm following an outline.
As you can see, canon is now somewhat off the rails. People still have their goals, of course, but the playing field has changed considerably. I hope it was an enjoyable ride so far and wish everyone a happy new year!