Chapter 67

When you made it back to the mansion you had been staying at with the others, riding Neo's shoulder all the way so she could easily keep you hidden with her semblance, you found yourself audience to...what could have probably passed as a stereotypical disappointed parent catching a child sneaking in late scene.

"And what time do you call this?" Weiss looked at you with a frown from where she sat on the couch facing the front door, in amongst Nora and Yang. Ruby sat off to the side in one of the armchairs polishing Crescent Rose, which- or whom as fa as Ruby was concerned, had a glinting green edge along the blade and reinforcing the long handle of the weapon.

But before anything else could happen, the bodacious blonde beside her jumped to her feet, "You!" she pointed at Neo and shouted in shock.

"Oh no, not her!" Ruby yelped, flipping backwards over the armchair and using it as a shield.

"..Huh," Nora blinked, "This is that Neopolitan chick right? I knew you said she was small, but huh, she's even smaller than me and Weissy."

Neo merely smiled smugly at them all, tossing a little teasing wave at the girls and cocked her hip to the side, uncaringly of the tension rising in the room.

Neo could have slapped them all around at the same time back in Beacon, but now, with her training and the magic you had gifted her? No contest. So yeah, you got why she wasn't bothered at all. If Qrow or Ozpin were down here right now, it may have been different though.

"Really, seriously? Her?" Weiss lightly palmed her face, "Where the heck did you even meet her?"

"At Beacon, she was on Cinder-cunts team." you replied easily, hopping off of Neo's shoulder and casually walking into the mansion while the short two toned haired girl closed the door.

"That Mint girl?" Weiss asked after a moments thought and studying the short woman, getting a nod from you.

"Either way, she was helping them out with the shit they pulled at Beacon!" Xiao Long stated, "She's totally with them!"

You rolled your eyes, "Yeah she did help them out," you agreed, "But her and Roman got forced into helping them, it was either that or get killed themselves."

"Are you sure?" Ruby peeked her head over the armchair, "I mean, I want to believe you but she and Roman were kinda all in about killing me, even if some of what Roman said back then makes more sense now."

Neo's eyes snapped towards Ruby, before going to you and jerking her head at the girl.

"I'm sure, trust me, I've known Neo a while now," you replied, "But on that subject. Do you know what happened to Roman in the end?"

"Well, you've not led us astray before, so if you say she's alright then I'll believe you Cobalt," she smiled brightly at you, before sobering almost a split moment later, an uncomfortable looking flashing across her face, "...And Roman. When we were on General Ironwood's ship, he was giving me this speech about how he as going to survive and then this huge Griffon landed behind him...and...ate him before he could..react." she trailed off.

You felt sorrow, despair and horror swarm up within Neo and looked back to see her jerking her head to the side and tilting Roman's hat over her eyes to hide them.

"What's with her?" Xiao Long frowned.

Well, it wasn't really your story to tell, but honest, best to get it out of the way, like ripping off a band-aid, "Roman raised her," you replied bluntly, and watched as all their eyes widened, "Yeah, he used to be a huntsman until that whole Mountain Glenn thing. He barely escaped with his life and managed to save Neo here who's family got killed by grimm. He gave up being a huntsman after that and basically decided to do his best to stick it to the council of Vale who got so many killed."

"...Oh.." Xiao Long blinked, lowering her arms from where they had been raised to get ready for a fight.

You turned to Neo and were about to see about comforting her, but a voice speaking up behind you stopped you in your tracks, "Cobalt I wonder if before we get to greetings and getting to know one another, if you could lend me your ear for a bit," Ozpin in Oscar's body said as he stepped out of the kitchen, his hands clasped atop his cane, "This may be quite abrupt and insensitive of me when your friend is dealing with some terrible news...but this is quite important and there is no time to waste."

"Sure," you agreed, but before you followed after him you looked to Weiss, "Can you help Neo get settled in and well, stop any fights?"

Weiss rolled her eyes but gave you an exasperated smile nonetheless, "Yes, I'll do that, no go on, what Professor Ozpin wants to talk about is as important as he says." she replied.

Huh, so everyone else already knew.

Well, you walked over to join Ozpin in the kitchen. Just as he was about to enter it though, he paused at entrance and looked back, his eyes landing on your ice cream themed companion, "Miss Neopolitan, it may not be my place to speak here, but I'm terribly sorry for your loss," he said gently, "I remember Roman fondly for the sly and theatrical boy he was once was a student of mine at Beacon, and for the time he served, he was an exemplary huntsman, and I cannot at all fault him for the choices he made."

Neo looked up wide eyed at him and the man in a boys body gave her a light smile before entering the kitchen with you.

...What you learned within the kitchen, of the most likely betrayal by Leo Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven Academy, was just the finger twisting in the wound you needed to top the night out, really it was.

At least though, it made you happier that you chose to return instead of running off with Neo alone. Things were looking even worse now.