Doubts

A vast number of ships coated in white stay docked or moved along the airspace of the city of Vale. None of the citizens know of the reason not what event was raised to facilitate a response.

In an airship headed for Beacon was Winter Schnee, sister to Weiss Schnee. She walked with discipline to the outside while keeping a stern gaze affixed to the new Atlesian Knight 200. The latest in design is to be revealed later to the public.

Winter walked along the masses of droids synchronously marching to the center of the Academy. On the outside she was cold and calculating, passersby couldn't help but notice her dignified appearance with an escort in tow.

On the inside though, Winter was thinking differently. 'Where is Weiss? I thought I sent a message to her about my arrival... Did I come off as too demanding? Did I stress her out?! I just want to see her...'

Suddenly and perhaps annoyingly, a loud crash and thud behind her made her stop her walking. The courtyard echoed with surprise and interest from a gathering crowd. Winter already knew who was behind her the moment he uttered words.

"Sup."

Winter whips around, hand on the hilt of her saber as she narrows her eyes on the unkempt-looking drunkard.

He tosses one of the destroyed droids to the ground. "Got your attention now Ice queen?"

"Halt!" she snarked.

"Looks like you found yourself in this town again, guess being a failure didn't count toward your promotion but Jimmy never knew when to give up, did he? You gonna crash and burn again like last time?"

"I won't let you get away with destroying military property, more so when you insult the General like that."

He looks over the destroyed droids and raises his arms in a mock surprise. "Ohhhh I'm sorry I mistook these for an actual threat, like that little operation of yours. Honest mistake."

"I have no time to play your little games, Qrow."

"Jeez, lighten up. You'd think being humbled by a literal refrigerator with a gun sticking out of it would make you Atlas Specialists less arrogant. Would you like me to pull out that stick up your ass or do you need ol Jimmy to keep it in for longer?"

"I don't know what you're trying to get out of this conversation but I've heard enough."

"Oh, I heard something alright. Heard that your General has finally turned his back on Ozpin. He said to not do it again but here is the General again, along with an overcompensating amount of firepower."

"That overcompensating amount of firepower is what Atlas can bring to protect the world. It has done more than you ever did, what else can you do besides drink and vomit all over the floor?"

"Hah, protect us? Like how you valiantly protected yourselves last time when you lost all those men? Do you hear this fellas? Atlas is going to protect us!"

Winter pulled out her saber and pointed it to a still-drunken Qrow. "If you won't hold your tongue then I'll gladly cut it out for you!"

"No thanks Ice Queen, I'm not into BDSM. Maybe Jimmy would like it though, considering how many times he screwed himse-"

Winter rushes forward, her saber directing to a relaxed Qrow who leaned his head to the side. Winter's saber blurs in a flurry of thrusts and cuts but Qrow reads her every move.

Winter cuts overhead to which Qrow taunts with a bow. The saber is met by the cold steel of Qrow's Harbinger behind his back that he parries the saber and swings around up and over before entering a stance.

The bystanders stand with awe and excitement as they saw the two duke it out in a battle. Sparks fly as metal met metal, and the two start to pick up the intensity as Qrow's heavy sword swings for Winter.

Winter ducks and ripostes, her saber meets nothing as Qrow narrowly dodges, he swings his Harbinger over his head. Winter responds to the attack by using her glyphs to quicken her retreat.

A crater forms as Qrow put all of his strength into the attack, Winter dashes back and eyes Qrow, preparing to end the fight in a single attack. She prepares her evermore summons but to her surprise, Qrow began to put his sword back on his back.

"C'mon Schnee, give it your best shot."

Winter's forehead forms a vein as she felt her semblance activate. She began to attack before being stopped.

"Schnee!"

Winter ceases her attack and returns to an about-face. "Sir!"

"What is going on?"

Ironwood checks behind her and sees someone he didn't expect. "Qrow?"

Qrow lays his hands behind his head as he spoke. "Hey, Jimmy. I was attacked unprovoked you can ask the people around here, your Specialist may need more disciplining. I can lend a hand if you want, though wouldn't like it if she saw me."

"Qrow!" Winter tries to deny his claims.

"Specialist Schnee, we'll talk more about this."

"But!"

"Schnee."

She relents. "Yes... Sir."

Ozpin walks along with Glynda and sees the damage. Glynda visibly rubs her temples before getting out her riding crop and flicks her hand. A purple glow radiates as Qrow went up to the group.

Ozpin turns to the crowd gathering. "Everyone! There is much more to see in the Colosseum. Fights are better organized and less impulsive... there. Move on now."

"Qrow, we have much to talk about."

Qrow along with the rest of Ozpin's inner circle goes up the tower to his office. Ironwood and Winter were already inside, with Ironwood visibly angered.

Winter steps up first to voice her issue, "What were you thinking?!"

Ironwood does the same, "If you were one of my men I would have you shot!"

Qrow brings out his flask. "If I were one of your men I'd shoot myself."

Ozpin sighs before sitting behind his desk. "Qrow... What happened to you? You've been out of touch with us for a long time. I thought you were compromised."

Ironwood sees where the conversation was heading and ushers Winter out. "Go, I'll tell you the orders later. Leave us for now."

"I- yes, sir."

Glynda from nearby excuses herself as well. "I'll be on my way, the students are throwing another party in the boy's bathroom."

They all waited for Winter to leave before Qrow responds. They were about to talk about confidential information. It has been their duty to keep the shadow war on Salem as close to themselves as possible.

Qrow responds after seeing Winter leave. "The CCT has been out of range, I couldn't get in contact for a long time. 'She' has more people working for her Oz. Someone in Vale has been working to undermine us."

Ironwood interrupts, "We already know that."

Qrow brings out his scroll. "No, you, only know that. When were you going to tell me? I've been busting my ass over trying to find info for you and you're going to just tell me now that you already knew! Communication is a two-way street pal! You see this? It's the send button!"

A frustrated Qrow pockets his scroll and continues. "And by the way Jimmy, I told you so. We're supposed to be discreet and secretive, protecting the world from the evils that threaten it and all that. The first week of Beacon opening and you already blundered. Meeting behind closed doors? Away from peering eyes? What happened to that? Now tell me, Jimmy, why have you brought your army to Vale again?"

"Qrow, you know that's not my intention."

Qrow scoffs, "Intention? How about communicating what you're thinking instead of leaving it up to us to guess whatever nonsense you're coming up with in that thick skull of yours? Have you replaced your entire head to be cybernetic? I didn't know Atlas could fix the mental condition you have called stupidity."

Ozpin coughs hard as he lifts up his coffee mug. "Qrow that's enough."

Ironwood sighs, "Qrow, I know you don't agree with anything about the military-"

"That's a big understatement bub."

"-But it's for a good reason."

"It's always a good reason for you. Like how you did the same the last time you came here."

Ironwood steps forward with weight to it. "Will you let me finish? There's been a report that our enemy might be closer to us than ever. I found it prudent to take the necessary steps in order not to let Vale get threatened."

A loud slurp gets their momentary attention.

"Oz?" they both question.

"There's been a development about that."

The two settle their eyes on each other before glancing back at Ozpin.

"A friend of mine has made the first move. They captured the perpetrators in question and have taken care of them. The methods they have done after is a mystery."

Ironwood had concern all over his expression. "They? Are we dealing with a third party Oz? Someone else that could be an enemy or friend? When were you going to tell us this?"

"Quite possibly, Never. But now that something else has been happening I found it necessary to tell you. As for your other question, it's none other than team RWBY that worked to capture them."

Qrow clenches his fist. "Where my niece is? The same one? Is that why she's not here?! Oz! I took my place in your circle because I wanted to save the world after you took me in. My niece should be out there eating cookies and drinking milk! Not risking her life the same way as we do! Oz what were you doing the entire time!"

Ironwood expresses the same concern. "You can't keep us in the dark Oz."

"Says you." Qrow quips.

Ironwood ignores Qrow's remark. "May I ask which friend are you talking about?"

"You have been acquainted by it the moment your army stepped foot in Vale."

Ironwood thought hard. There was no one he had met that Opzin knew about. He just arrived only days earlier. 'I don't remember talking to any friend that is a mutual friend of Oz. Unless stepping foot in Vale meant-...No it can't be.'

"What?! That thing dealt with her? Oz you're letting that thing interfere with Vale and Beacon?!"

Ozpin sharpens his tone. "It has a name Ironwood. Hanns is his name and there is something more pressing that we need to address. Recently, have you seen the news of the coup in the White Fang? Headed by a cat Faunus of unknown origin."

"What of it?" Ironwood asks.

"I have been suspecting the White Fang colluding with an agent of Salem but we do not have concrete proof. Well as per our agreement with Hanns he has given us critical information, they did but now they aren't."

Qrow gets impatient. "Oz stop with the riddles and just tell us."

Ozpin crosses his fingers and places his arms on the table. Resting his chin on top of his hands as he explains.

"Okay if you say so. Hanns has defeated one named Cinder, the other half of the Fall maiden. Cinder had under her control the White Fang who has done multiple robberies. Them only stealing dust and not using it right after made me believe they were stockpiling it but for what reason? At the time I had no reason to believe they were working with someone under Salem but the coincidence between the Vytal Festival and team RWBY's timing in heading out from the Academy made me think otherwise."

He takes a sip of coffee. "This leads us to the confrontation between Hanns' group and Cinder. I haven't gotten all the details from the tank itself but the White Fang have somehow been convinced to work for Hanns."

Ironwood stiffens at the mention of the White Fang switching allegiances. "What?! That thing has an army?! Oz you should've called for me, we need to crush a problem before it grows!"

Ozpin blank states. "Ironwood. He has done nothing besides ally himself with us and deal with the grimm and Salem's subordinates. I will not let you do your own way of firing the first shot in a conflict that could be at the level of the Great War."

Ironwood was disturbed by the lack of measures by Ozpin. "Qrow, tell Oz we need to take action."

Qrow rubs his head. "I have to agree but not with your way Jimmy. I'm going to find out myself if this Hanns person is what you tell him to be Oz."

"What?!" Ironwood questions.

"My niece, Ruby. I need to know what she's been going through. I'm not going to respond with bringing an army, I just want to know if she's okay."

Ozpin nodded before gesturing to the elevator. "You can go Qrow. Do what you need to."

The whirrs of the mechanisms within the elevator open, Qrow made his way inside and left the room. He wasn't going to argue more, he wanted to know if his niece was still okay.

After Qrow left, Ironwood turned to Ozpin. "Oz, that thing is dangerous."

"James, that thing has a name, it has a conscious. You of all people should know that ever since your joint project with Polendina has borne fruit. Why are you insisting that Hanns has any bad intentions?"

Knowing he couldn't change the headmaster's opinion. Ironwood follows Qrow's actions and waits for the elevator to come back up.

"I'm going. ...Happy Vytal Festival..."

Ozpin sat alone, with everyone in the room leaving soon after their short meeting. It was getting too out of hand. With Ironwood already disobeying Ozpin's orders not to include Vale in this and Qrow heading for Hanns. Ozpin had a lot on his plate.

He sat on his desk and deeply breathes in the aroma of coffee before bringing it up to his lips and sipping.

"This coffee seems more bitter than usual."