"Slowly but surely, the pieces are moving into place." - Violet Rose

They remained like that for a long time, Violet and Pyrrha, embracing each other on the pavement, blood trickling down her body and him continuing to whisper sweet words to her.

After a while, Blake spoke up, "There's someone coming this way, let's go. Both of you, up."

"She's asleep," Violet said, "There's a place nearby I had Glaston prepare in advance. Let's take her there."

Blake stayed silent as Violet got up and he carried Pyrrha in his arms.

"So, did they manage to tow the mech? I know it's heavy but I told them to bring two pickups and the thing had emergency towing wheels on it, and storage unit 12 wasn't that far away. We should move it elsewhere later of cours-" His voice dropped off when he noticed how her one good hand was going white from grasping Gambol Shroud so hard.

A few minutes passed in silence as they walked to the shelter, which turned out to be an abandoned garage with a bed, some food, and medical supplies tossed in. As he set Pyrrha down and turned away, he found Blake's blade pointed at his throat.

Her expression was blank, "You're disgusting, no better than Adam."

"I suppose I am. I'm also what this world needs. My turn in hell will come, rest assured."

"You used that power on me, didn't you? That time in the alley. You asked me any question that came to mind."

"That I did," he confessed.

"How do I know you don't use it every day to manipulate us?"

"I can only use it once on a person. And only a few times a day."

She didn't move her blade one bit, "I have no reason to believe you."

"I didn't know who Adam was when talking with you. And I asked plenty of risky questions to people, I made compromises for information before your very eyes. I wouldn't need to do any of that if my semblance didn't have limitations."

"And you never told me what your semblance was. You never even told your family."

"Because they wouldn't trust me after that, like you're doing right now."

"Did you use it on them? Or on anyone else close to you?"

"I only used it on you. I already suspected you of being part of the Fang, but I needed to confirm it."

"That's too much power for one person. Especially someone as ambitious as you."

"It could have been used for far worse things than interrogating criminals. What you're really angry about is Pyrrha, and I get it. But she would have had to learn this on her own one day. This was the most painless way. She'll be fine in a few days, you'll see."

She put down her blade, but the glare did not go away.

Violet sat down next to Pyrrha's sleeping form, finding a towel and cleaning as much of the blood from her body as he could. It wouldn't be enough. One could never get it all out, and she'd panic and cry again when she woke up.

He thought of all that had happened today. Of how they humiliated the White Fang, decimated their numbers, and got them swarmed by police. Of how he received a mountain of intelligence about the Fang from Weiss, about how he obtained a backdoor into Beacon and will soon be able to watch Ozpin's every move without him knowing. And of course, how he'd inoculated Pyrrha, made her into someone ready to right the world as he willed it. She could eventually bring entire legions to their knees, and they were going to save the world with her power and his will.

Zero looked down at the recovered remains of the Paladin. Apart from the damaged weapons & joints, and the missing cockpit, the rest of it seemed to only suffer surface damage. His and Ruby's team took it down with surgical accuracy, as expected of them.

There was something about the machine that seemed to demand admiration, even as it took the form of a sprawled out broken mess in a dim and cramped warehouse. It wasn't just a large and novel weapons system. No, it felt like the future of warfare, the start of a new era. A system that carried the firepower of an entire artillery battery with terrifying mobility and endurance.

And that's without even mentioning the intimidation factor. He heard of how ordinary tanks used to cause men to rout in the past. This would surpass that phenomenon by orders of magnitude.

His musings were cut shot as Glaston entered the room, "Zero, we've found an engineer from the Knights, just as you requested. He was previously doing maintenance on our bullhead. Marrow's bringing him in a couple of minutes. I hope he proves sufficient. "Also, the White Fang envoy seemed none the wiser to our actions. He claims his main contacts were cut suddenly, and he needs time to figure things out."

"Very well." Zero looked around to double check that they were alone, "While we're here, I wanted to ask for a status report. Membership numbers and critical equipment count. I haven't spent much time at the ghetto base, you see."

Glaston hesitantly looked at him, before sighing, "I can tell. We estimate that we have around 250 members, plus or minus ~50. Another hundred or so locals are very cooperative but we've yet to onboard them properly due to lack of equipment. We're mostly missing rifles and ammunition, you see."

Zero stared at him through his mask for an uncomfortable duration, "And pray tell, why is it that you don't know the first thing about our own forces? I distinctly recall placing you in charge of administration, and you eagerly accepting the role."

"With all due respect, you've given me an impossible task. Most of the locals are still distrustful of us, especially now that we're shifting police attention to their homes. The cops have gotten their act together and have started conducting patrols in the ghetto. We simply can't establish permanent bases with any kind of scale out there, and that's not even mentioning how we must be crawling with spies by now!" By the end of his speech, he was he was slightly out of breath.

Zero took a few moments for contemplation before answering, "We've reached that stage by now, I suppose. Brazen stunts aren't going to cut it anymore. From now on, law enforcement in the ghetto area will become our number one priority until we have the people's trust."

"I want every streetlight to be decorated with the corpses of gangsters, drug dealers, loan sharks, and other evildoers. At the same time, start concentrating inventory and member gatherings. As for any spies present, I will handle the matter myself."

"That's is all well and good, Zero, but surely you're aware that this will attract the enemy's attention. Even if all their agents are miraculously dealt with, they will surely attempt an assault on the settlement again."

"It is bound to happen eventually. That's why we have to be ready for it when the time comes. Besides, I have a couple tricks up my sleeve," he smiled behind his mask.

Before Glaston could question him further, the sound of a door opening shifted their attention. They saw Marrow enter, bringing another man with him. He looked at the Paladin in amazement, then at Zero, before standing at attention.

"Thank you," Zero said, "You may leave now."

Marrow nodded before doing as ordered. The man he brought over approached Zero. It was a tall fellow sporting a messy haircut in his late 20's, "The name's Hawk. Used to be a mechanic in the Vale army and a helicopter pilot. Quit last month to join the Black Knights."

"I see. That must have been quite a difficult step, Hawk. What compelled you to join the cause?"

The man scoffed, "If you're hoping for a self-righteous spiel about justice and equality, I'm afraid I can't deliver. I'm here for adventure."

"Hawk," Glaston said, "please behave."

"I barely got to take potshots at Grimm when I was in the army, Atlas simply doesn't like to rely on us. Makes me wonder why the army's even around-"

"You're certainly honest," Zero began, "but you could stand to watch your tongue as well. As long as you're willing to follow orders I promise there will be a lot of fighting ahead. We fight often, and win always."

"How bold a statement," Hawk said, a mocking smile on him, "A force of nature, I heard the people say. I look forward to seeing how far you'll get."

Glaston elbowed him, "If you're done yapping, Zero wants you to tell us how salvageable this is," He pointed at the collapsed paladin.

Hawk gawked at the machine, approaching it and circling around it a few times, occasionally getting close to study some detail. After a few minutes of inspection, he turned to Zero, "The damage to the weapons can be repaired easily enough, and there's still plenty of ammo left inside. We'll have the machine guns and artillery tubes off this thing and working in no time."

"And the rest of the robot?"

"We could pass the information on it to other nations. Maybe get some minor support in return."

"I'm afraid we have a misunderstanding," Zero said, "I'm asking you how much it would take to get that robot working?"

"Mech," Hawk corrected, "But goodness, the whole cockpit is gone. Getting it rebuilt would take a while even if we knew what we were doing, but it's impossible without the software to control it. That sort of stuff requires hundreds of people and months, if not years of work to make from scratch. And I imagine Atlas is keeping it under tight wraps."

"It just so happens that I have an expansive intelligence network that could obtain what you desire. This 'Paladin' would make not just for an excellent combat boost, but also a powerful propaganda symbol when unveiled. I want it working."

Hawk's eyes widened, before walking up to Zero to offer a handshake, his face holding a genuine smile this time.

Zero accepted the handshake, "I will provide you with all the resources that you require for this task. In the meantime, there is another issue I want addressed."

"Oh? You're quite the demanding man, Zero."

"I figured you'd be bored waiting for all the parts to arrive, so I have a more immediate task that needs attention. We're critically short on small arms."

"Sorry to disappoint, but military connections don't give me that kind of leeway. I can't smuggle things that well-"

"I expected as much. Atlas is strict when it comes to such things. We've also had limited success in that area, so I believe it is time we looked to alternatives. Like producing the weapons ourselves."

Glaston shot him a skeptical look, but Hawk answered right away, "Sure. The White Fang makes their own guns as well. Really, anyone with a good understanding of engineering and firearms should be able to design a semi-auto, but I'll need more men to scale production. And that's all assuming we can get a lathe to rifle the barrels, but that's regulated tighter than the dust imports…"

"I'll have one delivered to you in two days. As for additional men, you can have that once you present me with a working prototype. Are those terms acceptable?"

He smiled, "You're an ambitious one, Zero. As long as I get to ride one of your fancier machines into battle, the mech or the bullhead, I'm good."

"You're overstepping your bounds, repair man," Glaston began.

"Then we have an agreement," Zero said, "You are dismissed. Glaston, I want the paladin covered up and transported out of here tonight. We're still too close to the crime scene. I have other business to attend to at the moment, so I leave the task to you."

Violet opened the door to the shelter where they were staying the night. His meeting took longer than intended, but he was still back before the sun had arisen.

Once inside, he saw Blake waiting by the bedside and reading a book. She rose quickly after he entered.

"How is she?" Violet asked.

"Still sleeping," Blake said with a bitter tone.

"I see. I brought her some new clothes to change," he said. Blake did not respond. An awkward silence threatened to consume them.

"Ruby texted me," he said, "She said they're taking the airship to Beacon soon."

"So can I go now?"

"Sure, but I'd rather we stick together. Someone might still recognize us out there. I'll wake Pyrrha up, and we'll be on our way."

Blake walked out of the room without acknowledging his words. Violet sighed, before going to the bed where his partner was. He stood there, watching her blissful sleep in silence. It pained him to disturb her from such peace. He felt like he could stay like this forever. But no, he was not the sort to wallow in the present. He should get it over with as soon as possible.

When he worked up the courage, he lightly tugged on Pyrrha's arm. She awoke with a panicked gasp, causing Violet to embrace her, "It's alright. It's all passed. You're done."

Pyrrha's expression went from shocked to sad as memories of last night came back to her. Her eyes darted frantically before settling on the faded red of her sleeves. She reached out to touch them, but Violet gently halted her hand, "Sorry for letting you sleep with those hideous stains. I didn't want to disturb you, and I couldn't in good conscience undress you while you were asleep."

Despite her distress, Pyrrha couldn't help but blush at his words, "I see…"

"I grabbed some spares while you were sleeping," he pointed to a neatly folded pile of clothing next to them, "I trust they'll do until we get back to Beacon."

She looked at him in disbelief, "We're returning to Beacon? Just like that?"

"Just like that," Violet said in a flat voice.

"And we… We pretend that nothing happened?"

"We pretend that nothing happened."

"But something did happen! I ki-"

"You saved Vale from a monster. And you drove off many of his prospective recruits. They won't bloody their hands because of your heroic actions. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Maybe… Maybe you are right," She clenched her hands, "But I didn't do it for the right reasons! I was fueled by hate when I-" She threatened to burst into sobs, but Violet hugged her again.

"It wasn't hatred. It was righteous fury. You could never hate someone, Pyrrha."

"Then tell me, why do I feel so guilty about it? Will I always feel like that?"

"The first time is always the hardest. It is hard for me too, but that's a burden we all have to shoulder." A bold-faced lie. He felt disgust the first time he did it, yes, but soon he found his purpose. His ends that justified all means.

He eventually broke the embrace and looked her sternly in the eyes, "You were granted a great power, and you have a duty to protect those without power. Never forget that."

"A duty. Me?"

"Yes. You were chosen to wield it. You could say this is your destiny. But don't worry, I'll help you through this. Every step of the way."

For the first time in a while, she gave a small smile, "I'll try my best."

"I know you can do it," He gave her a peck on the cheek, "Now go get dressed. I'll be waiting outside."

They departed just as the first morning light began to appear. The trip was as quiet as the city, the mood between the three of them too awkward for any kind of conversation. Pyrrha was anxious the whole time- holding onto Violet's arm and looking over herself as if someone would spot her guilt and jump her at any moment.

Before long they boarded an airship and made it to Beacon. They were walking through its hallways when he finally broke the silence.

"We'll have a meeting of the two teams when we arrive. Ruby insisted over text on some kind of debrief. You know, talk through what happened and what we could have done better?"

When Pyrrha said nothing, he continued, "What I'm trying to say is, don't worry about that. In fact, don't mention it at all. We're just going to have a friendly conversation about combat performance. So relax, you did your part amazingly."

She merely nodded, though when he gave her another kiss on the cheek, he noted a lightening in her demeanor. They arrived to find their dorm deserted, Blake finding her room empty as well.

"They must be having breakfast," he told Pyrrha, "Rest up. I'll be back in no time, I have some unrelated business at the CCT."

Pyrrha mumbled a goodbye before retreating to her room. He turned back, ready to infiltrate the CCT and get that virus he's been waiting on implanted. It should be trivial with his semblance.

He hadn't made it past the corner before he noticed Blake following behind him. Turning around, he spoke, "Planning on shadowing me again, Blake? You're as impossible as I am."

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To the CCT, as I'm sure you already know."

"What for?"

Violet rolled his eyes, "Why must you always assume it's some devious ploy? I'm just… contacting my dad. Signal to Patch is spotty under the best of circumstances, and with the latest comms restrictions, courtesy of us, I need to go up there myself."

"Talking with your parents… telling them what exactly?" her voice steadily became more hostile, though barely above a whisper, "That you picked up another vulnerable girl? Seduced her to follow your every whim with a little kiss?"

A mild panic overtook Violet when realization set in, "That's not at all what I'm doing-"

"Then what are you doing?" She got uncomfortably close to his face, scowling all the while.

"I have no long-term romantic intentions towards-"

"Don't tell me. You're stringing her along? That's even worse, you know that? Well don't let me interrupt you," she spat, "Just don't expect me to play along with your cruel games. I'm calling off our relationship."

Violet was confused, "I thought you said it wasn't real anyway. So what's the big deal?"

Blake looked at him in disbelief, though she said nothing before storming off.

He watched as she disappeared down the hallway, not sure what exactly happened. "Is this what Qrow meant when he complained about women?" he muttered to himself.

"Terminal 3 is free right now," the receptionist lady said, "You wish to communicate with Patch, right?"

"That's correct," said Violet, forcing a friendly smile, "I want a video call with an address in Patch. But also," Violet activated his semblance, before lowering his voice and slipping a device, "I want you to discreetly carry this USB drive upstairs and input it into an admin computer. After the upload is finished, remove it and dispose of it. Then return here like nothing happened."

"Of course," said the lady before nonchalantly accepting the drive and walking away from her post. Violet was thankful the place was almost empty at this hour. Still, he might seem suspicious on cameras. It didn't matter, he will soon have the means to corrupt the footage surrounding this whole week. Nobody should be able to find out he had a hand in it. He just needed to act natural to avoid being remembered by staff. So he went down to the terminals to contact his dad, as per his stated goal.

A minute later he was met with the face of a tired Taiyang, holding up his scroll in bed.

"Hello, father."

"Hey," he muttered, before composing himself, "Hold on, father? Don't tell me you think you're too cool to call me dad?"

Violet gave a lighthearted chuckle, "I'm sorry, dad. It's been a while."

"You don't say. The only one that called in these past 3 months was Ruby. The rest of you totally forgot all about me," he said with mock hurt.

"Well, we've been busy."

"So I've heard. Ruby told me you found someone," he gave a teasing smirk.

Must she follow him everywhere? He sighed, "Well, about that. As of…" he checked a wall clock, "…10 minutes ago I am officially a free man."

"Ah! I knew you wouldn't just call old pops out of the blue. Heartbroken, are you?"

"Not really. To be honest I think I'm more confused than anything. I'm not sure what prompted her, and I think she still likes me. But… recently she seems to get angry at whatever I seem to do. I tried cheering my team member up and she lost it."

"Ah, and is this team member by any chance female?" Violet said nothing, and Tai's face lit up in recognition, "When it comes to these sorts of things, girls can be as vindictive as guys tend to be clueless."

"Don't worry, I'll handle it somehow."

"I'm sorry I can't help you more. Just try to talk things through, will you?"

Violet sighed, "I'll keep it in mind."

Tai smiled, "So how are you doing otherwise? Ruby told me a lot, but I'd like to hear it from you. Beacon can be a lot, even for those that haven't suddenly skipped a year."

"It's been… very exciting. I'm not sure how much more I can say."

"I know you're a good student, but try to have some fun as well. Qrow and I used to get into trouble daily, and it was the best time of our lives."

"Fun? Don't worry about me, dad, I'm having plenty of fun here. And I'm sure trouble will find me eventually." He heard a ping on his scroll from Ruby, "I think I should be going now."

"So soon?"

"I'll see you later dad, semester break isn't that far away."

"But you only just called. I get lonely too, you know? It's not fair-" He didn't get to finish as Violet cut the feed with an innocent smile, before sinking in his seat in exhaustion. What the hell was he doing here? Chatting about love with Tai of all people, and on barely any sleep. He yawned before resolving to get that dumb meeting with Ruby and company finished so he could sleep in for the rest of the day.

He was unsure of the reception he'd receive when he opened the door to the RWBY dorms. He braced himself for the worst, so he was pleasantly surprised to find the mood muted, if not slightly positive.

Most of the people present were seated on the floor. Ruby waved at him, while Yang shot him a faint smile. Weiss was covered in bandages on her face and body, with Ren looking them over next to her. Nora was cheerful as ever, trying to talk to Pyrrha who seemed a little out of it, but otherwise fine.

"Um, hey guys," he began.

"Hey Vio!" said Nora, "You guys finally back? Come on in! We've been waiting for you all so we can begin."

"Huh? You're… quite cheerful."

"Well we did win," said Ren, "I had my doubts at first, but you weren't bluffing. You and Blake seemed to know what you were doing." he looked around, "Where is she anyways?"

"I'm right here," Blake said from behind Violet, pushing him through the doorway before stepping inside herself, "And I wouldn't quite call it a full victory."

"I mean, Weiss did get hurt pretty badly," Yang said, "But we beat both the lieutenant and that Adam freak."

"Did we? We got lucky and Adam chose to retreat, that's all. He was still strong enough to stand his ground. He merely went back to the base to fight off the police that was hunting his comrades."

"Well you're just determined to sour the mood today, aren't you?" Violet said.

Weiss looked between the two of them a few times, "Are… you two doing alright?"

"What do you think?" Blake answered.

"What she said. Can we not do this right now?"

Many looks were exchanged across the room, the atmosphere growing ever more tense before Ruby intervened, "Okay guys, sit down, and let's get started!" She pulled out a massive paper spreadsheet with all sorts of notes scribbled across it.

"What's that supposed to be?" Weiss asked.

"It's a complete timeline of yesterday's events! We're going to note every member's actions at all times, including those of the police, the White Fang, and the Black Knights. I thought we should fill it out and then-"

Yang groaned, "Can't we just talk it out like this? I thought we were supposed to be celebrating or something."

"We also have classes in an hour," added Weiss before gasping, "Oh no, how am I supposed to show up in class like this? I couldn't even bring myself to enter the cafeteria this morning. What if they ask me what happened?"

"So?" Yang said, "Just don't go. We're all tired, so let's just kick back and relax for today."

Despite the situation, Weiss was in disbelief, "You want us… to skip school?"

"That's right, princess. We're gonna skip school and get wasted instead," She said with a wild grin as she pulled out a bottle of Champagne from her backpack.

All semblance of order was lost at that point, with people shouting over each other, Blake trying to take away the bottle and throw it away, while Nora attempted to take it for herself.

"Calm down Nora, there's enough for everyone."

"We're not doing this, Yang," Blake said, "Do you have any idea of how much trouble we'd be in if we're found out?"

"Oh, so now you care about the rules? Besides, that's half the fun of it."

"Weren't you going to give Nora a joyride, though? You can't do that while drunk."

"Did it this morning. You should have seen it, it was awesome!" She punched the bottle open, sending the cap into Blake and spilling some of it on the floor.

"Nora, there's plastic cups in my backpack. You'll all get to try it."

"How refined of you," Weiss said.

"I'll get to try it too?" Ruby asked.

"No," Yang said.

"Oh? Hypocrite much?" Blake teased.

"She's 15 for goodness sake, I'm not getting her drunk. Besides, there's a history of alcoholism in the family and I'm not risking it."

"I can definitely see that," Blake moved to grab the bottle again, but Violet grabbed her by the wrist.

"It's fine. Just because you're determined to ruin my day, it doesn't mean you have to do it for everyone else," he grabbed a cup from Yang before returning to his spot.

Yang and Nora gleefully distributed the drink to every member bar Blake and Ruby. He figured they must have planned it out this morning if it was in Yang's backpack.

"I can't believe you all," Blake said, "Utterly unserious…"

"Well, we're about as serious as we were last night," Weiss said.

"Huh? What's wrong Weissy?" Ruby said.

"What's wrong? You're asking me what's wrong?" She slammed a fist on the ground, her eyes red, "I almost died, and no one is taking anything seriously! Had we not gotten immensely lucky you'd be searching for my corpse in Vale's dumpsters right about now. And not just me, Blake, Pyrrha, and you Ruby were all in immense danger. Where is your sense of self-preservation? Are all of you so eager to kill yourselves?"

"Well, I do admit my plans tend to err on the side of optimism," Violet said.

"Recklessness," she corrected.

"However you wish to put it. But we had plenty of contingencies, and even though Blake was found out, the rest of you were still disguised. Pyrrha used that advantage to help Blake and you escape, and she called the police afterward. Ruby called for assistance and helped you out later. And you-"

"And I acted irrationally, I know. I attacked the Fang immediately without thinking. And I didn't even get their leaders."

Violet sighed, "I wasn't going to lead with that. You did alright for your first time, from what I heard you caused a lot of panic there. If your intention was to be a martyr, it would have been a reasonably fine performance."

"But I was supposed to be the cool-headed one!" Weiss screamed, "So why did I have to be the one to mess up?"

Pyrrha approached Weiss, sitting down next to her, "You didn't mess up. It's never easy to do things for the first time, and what might be second nature for one is difficult for another," she looked at Violet, "Weiss, you have a lot of admirable characteristics. A lesser huntress would have lost herself after that. Yet you pulled Ruby together and helped her figure out a plan of action."

"I guess that's true… But I was also too rough with Ruby. I practically took out my frustrations on her," Ruby squirmed a little.

"So?" Blake spoke, "A leader has a duty to their followers, a responsibility to give them directions. They can't just back out of it."

"And in exchange," Violet continued, "A subordinate should follow those directions without question. They put their lives on the knowledge that their leader knows better at the moment, and they do not argue."

"Exactly. I would put my life on the line if Violet ordered it. He knows what to do on the field… despite his character defects." Violet rolled his eyes in irritation, even though he was glad he finally understood their mutual standing.

"As for Ruby," she continued, "She has yet to prove herself fully, but she's done an admirable job so far."

Ruby gave a sheepish smile, "I guess that's expected. Vio's always been strategic like that. He knows everyone's limits."

"Everyone's but his own, that is!" Yang added, a little tipsy already.

"That's right Weiss," Pyrrha spoke, "Vio got hurt at initiation because he was so eager to help me fight an alpha."

It was his turn to be embarrassed, "I was fine, you just overreacted to some scratches."

"Like hell they were scratches," Yang said, "Don't try to bullshit your way out of this, tough guy."

Pyrrha giggled, before taking finally a sip of the champagne. Just as he thought the situation was defused, Weiss decided to open a new can of worms, "By the way, what were the Black Knights doing there anyways? It seemed quite… out of the blue."

Violet almost spat his drink out and Blake didn't look much better.

"Well they certainly weren't chasing after us," Violet said, "And I believe Blake saw more of them," He smiled at her, enjoying how uncomfortable she got.

"Well… I don't know. I think they just took the mech thing we defeated and ran."

"Stealing our kills, hmph," Nora scoffed.

"Bottom feeding roaches," Weiss added.

"Surely they aided the white fang, right?" Pyrrha said, "That's what those terrorists tend to do?"

"I doubt it," Blake said, "My impression is that they're rivals more than partners. Like two companies, competing for recruits and such."

"And how would you know that?" Weiss asked her.

"Well… you did give us a massive intel report on their activities yesterday." Violet said, "We read through it this morning, and that's the conclusion we got from it."

"Okay, fanboy," Yang said, "We get that you drool at the mere mention of their name, just don't do anything dumb like contact them. By the way… you didn't try that, did you?" he could detect the slightest anxiety in her voice.

"It would have been a real miracle to do it without Blake or Pyrrha noticing. So calm down, alright. You act like I'm totally irresponsible. My life is one thing, but working with them would endanger more than just me," he put a hand on his heart, "You know I don't take such risks lightly."

"Yeah…" she deflated, "Sorry for doubting you, Vio. It's just…"

"Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing Yang."

"Yeah. I'm sure you also know what you're doing for the Vytal dance now that Blake has ditched you."

He groaned, feeling a migraine approaching, and he briefly wondered if threatening suicide again would get her to shut up.

"Oh Gods," Weiss exclaimed, "What am I going to do for the dance? I can't show up like this. And there's a good chance Winter might come too," she sank her head into her arms.

"We'll… figure something out, okay?" Ruby said, before adding, "Wait, Blake did what?"

"It's… been kinda obvious, Ruby," Ren said.

"Whaaat!?"

Violet gulped down the rest of his drink, before standing up, "Yeah well don't let me stop you from gossiping. I'm going to get some rest."

He returned to his dorm and laid in bed, but sleep refused to come to him. He had so many thoughts swirling in his mind. Thoughts on their teammates, on their next moves with the Black Knights, and the White Fang's possible suspicions regarding him. But the most pressing thoughts were those around what he could find out now, namely through his newly implanted virus.

He was curious, and slightly anxious to know what Oz and his staff were doing. Thinking on it, Ozpin really was an enigma. He officially holds a seat at the council of Vale and controls one of the most prestigious institutions on Remnant, and yet there is barely any information about him online. It was like he just appeared out of the ether one day as headmaster of Beacon.

So he got out of bed, turned on his laptop, and accessed the Beacon local network. When asked for the password, he used the phrase he got from his contact. Typing 'Salem' on the textbox and pressing enter, he was suddenly greeted with an endless expanse of options.

He had everything. Databases, cameras, Beacon's blueprints, and so on. He could even control various physical systems like alarms, lights, elevators, doors, automated defenses, and even the rocket-launched weapon lockers. He briefly thought of how he could take advantage of that when in the event of taking over Beacon.

He could send away the weapons of those students who expressed anti-Black Knight sentiments. Hell, if they started tracking the political leanings of the student body in the wake of his actions, they might have just handed him the contacts to all his most promising recruits. Well, there's only one way to find out.

He opened the student database, scrolling through hundreds of entries until he found his own name. A slight anxiety threatened to overtake him before he resolved to open his entry.

Student: Violet Rose

Age: 16 (year 1)

Grades: Combat (A); Grimm Studies (A); History (B); Biology (A); Attendance

Personality profile:

- Driven, Utilitarian, Stoic. Expressed anti-government sentiment (see: special notes)

Special notes:

- 4 months ago: Accepted into Beacon one year in advance due to display of exemplary skill while stopping a high-profile dust robbery.

- 12 days ago: Student expressed sympathies for the Black Knights terrorist organization. No concrete evidence of membership, but review of attendance record suggests possible involvement in their activities. Staff alerted to pay special attention to him, and a request to monitor internet activity has been approved. Discussion underway on issuing a low priority huntsman mission to investigate his activities.

"Well, fuck," was all Violet could say.

AN: And here he thought he could just appear with a unique scythe as Zero.

Also Lelouch confirmed better gentleman than Oghi. Still mad at him after all these years…

I find it so wacky how despite having a contemporary to mildly futuristic world RWBY also has these incredibly archaic communication towers. Like, has no one figured out orbital mechanics and put a couple satellites up there? Maybe Lelouch should look into that once he's got everything sorted out…

And again I have to apologize for being late on my updates. I finished some university exams so I should have a free 4-6 weeks to dedicate to writing.