54

Chapter 54:

The students of Beacon Academy milled about. Being between classes, many were walking about the campus courtyards, or heading for the docks. However, they all found their eyes drawn upwards, as a trio of massive shadows glided by overhead.

Three enormous airships soared through the sky above, the sunlight seeming to be absorbed by their slate-gray hulls. The elongated, tapering shape of their central fuselage mounted blocky engines to either side, near the rear, with long, with tapering maneuvering vanes extending out behind them, almost like spines, or the feathers of a pair of wings. Majestic and graceful, they soared over the skies above Beacon like a trio of gigantic hawks. Their movements perfectly coordinated, they banked around and down, descending towards the air-docks that rested on the edge of the cliffs, their maneuvering vanes closing in towards each other, lifting clear so that the massive airships' landing struts could make unimpeded contact with the ground.

Once all three airships had landed, ramps descended from their hulls, white-uniformed personnel disembarking, most of them hoisting bags or packs, heading along the path between the curving lines of the colonnade, and making their way towards Beacon and its guest dormitories.

Watching the landing from the window set into the wall of his office, high up in Beacon tower, Ozpin frowned, finding it a daunting sight. The ships were technological marvels, capable of ferrying their cargoes and passengers between and across entire continents, able to remain aloft for weeks at a time, virtually indefinitely with the aid of midair refueling. Furthermore, they each possessed enough onboard weaponry to reduce a significant portion of Beacon, or Vale for that matter, to rubble with a single barrage. Despite what their owner intended, Ozpin found the presence of such aircraft in his Academy's airspace to be less than reassuring.

"James never can seem to do anything without making it a show of strength," observed Glynda gravely, also looking out the window, from the front side of Ozpin's desk.

"I'm sure he feels he's doing what's best," said Ozpin with a sigh.

"And that's exactly the problem," mumbled Glynda, a sentiment that Ozpin agreed with strongly.

They continued to watch, waiting for the inevitable. A few moments later, it came, the tone of the elevator arriving, and the doors sliding open. Turning, Ozpin couldn't keep a warm smile from appearing on his face. However...agitating...the manner of his arrival had been, there was no denying that it was good to lay eyes on an old friend.

"James, it's good to see you again," said Ozpin.

"Likewise, Oz," said General James Ironwood, striding confidently out of the elevator, walking right through the center of Ozpin's office.

Ironwood cut an impressive figure, tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and a solid torso, supported by powerful legs. All of that was somewhat hidden by his uniform, a white overcoat, over a gray undercoat and black sweater, the red of his tie barely visible beneath the collar of his overcoat. Crisp, white pants were tucked into silver boots, and a white glove covered his right hand. The most unusual feature Ironwood sported was the strip of gray metal, which hovered just above his right eyebrow. His close-cropped hair was mostly black, with streaks of white in his sideburns. Piercing eyes of dark-blue looked out from above chiseled cheeks.

All told, Ironwood was a man who looked as though he'd been hewn from stone, carved like a sculpture of some heroic ideal. That appearance lent him many stony qualities: strength, solidity, and rigidity. At the moment, his expression was composed and disciplined, but with a slight smile of his own, a single ray of warmth extending out from within that chilly exterior.

That warmth only grew as Ironwood's gaze switched from Ozpin to Glynda, his smile growing even warmer, even a touch affectionate. "It's lovely to see you again, Glynda."

"James," said Glynda, her terse greeting a sharp contrast to Ironwood's more heartfelt one.

If he was hurt by her brusque response, Ironwood didn't show it, his smile lingering for a few more seconds, before his gaze returned to Ozpin, who was currently in the process of pouring a mug of coffee for him. "I'm happy to welcome you to Beacon," he said, handing over the mug.

Ironwood accepted, reaching inside his jacket and withdrawing a flask. Unscrewing the lid, he added some of the contents to his coffee, before taking a long sip from the mug. Once he lowered it, Ironwood's expression changed, becoming more serious. "While I enjoy the pleasantries, I feel that we should get down to brass tacks, Oz. You know why I'm here."

"Yes, well, while it's unusual for an Academy Headmaster to accompany his students abroad, I imagine that it's only natural that you wish to encourage them, and see their performance personally," said Ozpin, giving Ironwood his most disarming smile.

"Oz..." Ironwood's voice lowered, becoming a warning growl. "That's not why I'm here, and you know it."

"I'm also aware that travel between Kingdoms has been more dangerous, lately," Ozpin continued. "But, even so, an escort of this magnitude is rather...excessive, don't you think?"

"That's not why they are here, and you know it," said Ironwood, his eyes narrowing.

"Even so, that is the reasoning I prefer to adopt," said Ozpin, his own smile fading. "The Vytal Festival is meant to celebrate peace between the four Kingdoms, James. Bringing in a small fleet of your warships just gives everyone the wrong idea."

"It's not for show, Ozpin," said Ironwood. "You know what's going on. Right now, more than ever, we need to stand strong, to show our enemies that we will not be cowed by their actions."

Ozpin shook his head. "James, shows of force are counterproductive in this setting." He turned to stare out the window, looking at the ships resting on his docks. "In Atlas, perhaps, a sight like this might be reassuring. No doubt your people are accustomed to the sight of your military vessels on their skyline. But Vale is not so acclimated. Imagine what the people are thinking, seeing the ships of a foreign military occupying their skies, looking down on them."

"You know what's at stake," growled Ironwood.

"I do," said Ozpin, turning back towards Ironwood. "Glynda knows. Certain individuals know. But the people do not. They will look up and see your ships, James, and they will wonder, just what such a display of strength is for...and it's all too likely that they will come to the wrong conclusion. If that happens, then, rather than reassuring people, your vessels shall become a source of unease...and you know we cannot afford that."

Ironwood sighed. "I knew we wouldn't see eye to eye on this," he said. "But I hoped you would trust me more than this, Oz."

"It would help if you behaved in a more trustworthy manner," retorted Glynda.

Ironwood's gaze flicked to her for a second, before returning to Ozpin. "Besides, if we are talking about questionable judgment, then I wonder how certain people would feel about your choice of students."

Pulling out his scroll, Ironwood set it down onto the desk. There was a flicker of light that spread across the surface of the desk, before a holographic screen flickered into being, hovering directly over it. The screen showcased a recording of a recent incident, the fight at the docks, involving RASP and RYNB fighting against the White Fang. It showed the image of a girl all too familiar to Ozpin and Glynda, a girl in a black kimono, with a red cloak and red armor over her shoulders and hips, wielding a pair of crimson blades. The recording was from multiple angles, showing her duel against Adam Taurus.

"I fail to see what you are implying, James," said Ozpin, barely even looking at the recording, "save that I should feel somewhat disturbed that you are apparently spying on my students."

"When your students involve one of mine in activities of questionable legality, I'm practically obligated to investigate," Ironwood rejoined. "Imagine my surprise at realizing that you have admitted one of them into our school."

"I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that, James," said Ozpin. "Ms. Rose is a natural-born citizen of Vale."

"Don't play coy with me, Oz," growled Ironwood. "To the average observer, that wind and lightning might just be assumed to be Dust. But I can tell otherwise. There's no mistaking those methods and techniques. She's one of them! You've gone and inducted a Mibu into Beacon. It doesn't matter where she was born. It's clear that she's been educated and trained by them."

"I would prefer it if you didn't refer to the Mibu Clan as some sort of hostile Other," said Ozpin, slumping down into his seat. "They are not some unnatural existence."

"I'm sure that the Council doesn't feel that way," said Ironwood.

"I'm sure we agree that the Council could stand to be more mature about past matters," said Ozpin, "instead of simply pretending that an entire Kingdom's worth of people does not exist, in order to protect their pride."

"Is that what this is about, Oz?" asked Ironwood. "Are you trying to force the Kingdoms to acknowledge the Mibu's existence."

"No," replied Ozpin. "Granted, that is something they will have to do, sooner or later. But this..." He gestured to the footage of Ruby, which had now transitioned to one of the viral recordings of her match against Pyrrha. "...is a girl who desperately wished to become a Huntress. Her father, unreasonably, denied her the chance to do so, so she turned elsewhere to obtain the training she needed. It was mere chance that she was adopted by the Mibu, and raised by them. It is more than fortuitous that their training proved to make her an exceptional fighter for her age."

"And yet, it doesn't change the fact that her presence is as much of a threat as what you perceive my ships to be," countered Ironwood.

"They are hardly equivocal," said Ozpin. "Besides, the Mibu have no interest in interfering with our affairs. Ms. Rose was trained by them, true. But she does not represent them in any meaningful fashion. She is fully committed to becoming the best Huntress she can be."

"The Mibu aren't the real threat, I'll admit," said Ironwood. "But you know she's a threat all the same. If it becomes known where she comes from, and who trained her, your position will become extremely tenuous, Oz."

"That is a risk I choose to take," said Ozpin. "It is more than worthwhile to be able to have someone with Ms. Rose's level of skill and ability here."

"It could cost you your position," replied Ironwood. "If the Council loses faith in you, as the Headmaster of Beacon, they could demand you step down, then appoint someone more sympathetic to their views in your place. Then where will that girl be?"

"In a difficult position, I'll admit," said Ozpin. "But the Council would not be so rash as to demand my resignation over a single student."

"They will, if she continues to cause disturbances, like the one at the docks," said Ironwood.

"And yet, she was there to fight against the White Fang, while they were trying to steal the commercial products of your own Kingdom, no less," Ozpin pointed out. "Because of that, a major Dust-theft was averted, and well over two-dozen members of the White Fang were taken into custody. Even the property damage caused by the battle was relatively minor, compared to the loss that would have been incurred, had the White Fang been permitted to go about their business, unimpeded."

"But we both know the Council is unlikely to see it that way," said Ironwood. "If you are too soft to remove that girl from your school, then, at the very least, you need to see to it that she is properly monitored, if only to keep her from causing another incident."

"I have taken all necessary precautions, James," said Ozpin firmly. "There is no need for extra surveillance of my own students, thank you very much."

"I feel differently," Ironwood growled. "Particularly since she got one of my own students wrapped up in this absurdity."

"From what I understand, Ms. Polendina volunteered to join them in their efforts," said Ozpin. "If you truly take issue with that, then you should be discussing it with her."

"Oh, I have," said Ironwood, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I've impressed on her that she is not to have anymore dealings with that Mibu girl."

"Now that seems excessive, James," said Ozpin.

"It's necessary!" Ironwood snapped.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Glynda, glaring at both the arguing men, having grown tired of their continued back and forth. "This is getting us nowhere. James, if you're going to be here, then we need to set some ground rules."

Ironwood and Ozpin both looked at Glynda expectantly.

"First and foremost, you are not to interfere with Ms. Rose in any fashion," said Glynda.

"But-" Ironwood began to protest.

"No," said Glynda, her tone brooking no argument. "This is not up for debate. Regardless of your feelings about the Mibu, or her association with them, Ms. Rose's status as a student of Beacon is not for you to question. We will handle our own affairs. Likewise, how you handle your students is your own affair. However, while they are guests at our Academy, they shall be beholden to our rules. Is that understood?"

Ironwood stared at her for a moment, before letting out a slow breath. "Fine..."

Glynda rapped her riding crop against the palm of her head. "Likewise, having such an overt foreign military presence over the skies of Beacon and Vale is unacceptable."

"That's-!" Ironwood began to protest.

"However," interjected Glynda, cutting him off, "if you are truly unwilling to send them home, then I suppose we shall have no choice but to allow it."

"Thank you," said Ironwood, a relieved smile appearing on his face.

"Glynda..." Ozpin began.

"But," Glynda interjected again, "they shall be kept outside Kingdom airspace. You may assign them to border-patrol duties, if you so wish. We can always use more thinning out of the Grimm presence outside our walls, especially to the southeast."

"That is acceptable," said Ironwood.

"Good," said Glynda firmly. "Then this argument is over. Now, if we could move on to discussing more productive matters..."

"Of course," said Ironwood, while Ozpin gave Glynda a grateful look.

Ruby's eyes flickered back and forth, looking over the cards in her hand, before going to the board in front of her, and the plastic pieces set up across its surface. "So...uh...what now?"

"Well, first you choose what actions you want to take," explained Jaune, from where he sat beside her. "You can lay down a card, you can choose to move some of your forces, or you can launch an attack."

"Oh..." said Ruby, her eyes once again flickering across the board. "What should I-?"

"Well, Yang's pretty vulnerable in this position," Jaune pointed out.

"Hey!" protested Ruby's sister, glaring at Jaune from across the table.

"Your other threatened territories are pretty solid, so you shouldn't have to worry too much about any attacks from the others, next turn," continued Jaune, ignoring Yang's protest. "You've spent the last few turns building up your forces, might as well use them."

"All right..." said Ruby. "I guess I'll attack then."

"I won't forgive you for this," growled Yang, continuing to glare at Jaune.

"I suggest you play this," said Jaune, pointing to one of the cards in Ruby's hand. "Yang's got a card facedown, so it's probably a trap-card. This'll be a good precaution."

"But I thought I could attack or play a card," Ruby pointed out. "I can do both?"

"It's an action-card," Jaune explained, "which means it can be used to support the particular action you're taking; in this case, attacking."

"Oh..." said Ruby, laying down the card and beginning her attack.

A few brief minutes of squabbling later, and Yang slumped back in her seat, moaning at the considerable loss of territory she'd suffered to Ruby's invading forces. "No fair...You shouldn't be able to help her like that, Jaune."

"It was your idea to pick a game that Ruby's never played before," Jaune replied. "I'm just showing her the ropes."

It was an excuse that no one, not even Ruby, bought. Given that Jaune was laying out suggestions for every course of action she took, it was more like Jaune was just playing through Ruby. However, since she was winning, complaining about it was the furthest thing from Ruby's mind, particularly because she'd have no idea about what to do otherwise.

And it was fun seeing Yang growl in frustration, when she had been the one to drag Ruby into this game. After seeing how lost Ruby had looked at the beginning-phase of the game, Jaune had volunteered to assist her, and now they were dominating the board...for now. It seemed that Jaune had some fairly decent experience, playing Remnant: The Game, with his sisters. On top of that, he was a surprisingly astute tactician and strategist. He seemed to have a good idea of the best move to make in any situation, and certain decisions that hadn't seemed like a good idea, earlier on, turned out to be exceptionally wise, sometimes several rounds later.

"Nora!" exclaimed Yang, turning to the girl in question, whose turn was next. "Help me! We've got to stop them!"

"Okay! Sure!" replied Nora, as cheerfully whimsical as ever. "What should I do?"

"You should attack them here!" Yang pointed to one of Ruby's territories, which bordered Nora's own. "You've got Atlesian Air Fleet, which will let you circumvent their fixed defenses."

"Yeah, but we laid down an anti-air defense two rounds ago," Jaune replied with a grin. "Besides..." He pointed to one of the territories that Yang had bordering Nora's. "...this spot is way more vulnerable. She depleted her defense to try that surprise attack against us, last round. Now it's yours for the taking."

"Ooooh!" cooed Nora, her eyes going to the territory in question, the prospect of an easy victory more enticing than Yang's talk of an alliance.

"Cheater!" snapped Yang, pointing accusingly across the table at Jaune.

"Just advising Nora of her options," replied Jaune, giving Yang a smug smirk. "You're the one who wanted to openly collude with her. You shouldn't be so reckless with your forces."

A few minutes later, Yang was slumped and moaning, while Nora was practically beaming at her own success, with Yang's territory even more depleted than before. Nora's attack had triggered Yang's trap-card, which she played desperately. However, in the end, it wasn't able to make up the difference.

With an irritated growl, Yang took her turn, clearly trying to bolster her flagging defenses, before she turned to their fourth (or fifth) player, eyes shimmering with her desperate plea. "Blake...partner...we're besties, right? You'll stand with me."

Blake glanced down at the board, then back up at Yang...then back down at the board again...then back to Yang. Her lips curled up in a sly smirk. "I don't know, Yang. Knowing you, you'll probably go after me next."

"Of course I won't!" Yang countered, her desperation growing. "I never betray my allies."

"That's what you said...right before you went after Ruby, three rounds ago," Blake pointed out.

"Y-yeah, but there were special circumstances..."

"Besides," Blake continued, her eyes going down on the board, eyeing a particular territory of Yang's, "that spot looks like a tasty and tempting target."

"Blake..." Yang whimpered, her voice quavering.

Another quick few minutes later, and Yang was once again slumped and moaning. "This game sucks," she grumbled.

"Weren't you saying you'd totally kick all our butts, when we first started?" asked Ruby.

"But you all ganged up on me!" Yang countered. "This is bullying!"

The sounds of bickering drifted through the library, washing over the other members of RASP and RYNB, who were sat at an adjacent table. Ren and Pyrrha were both reading books, while Weiss was going over something in one of her textbooks, the three of them frequently glancing up at their friends, and the game they were playing. Both Ren and Pyrrha couldn't keep soft chuckles and giggles from escaping at the sight of their friends' antics. Weiss, in contrast, appeared to be of two minds; occasionally looking up with an irritated scowl; at other times, fighting, and failing, to keep an amused smirk from her face, particularly at Yang's increasingly numerous exclamations of consternation.

One might have thought they would be more annoyed at the boisterous game being played in a place where people were generally expected to be quiet. However, they had selected a section of the library away from most of the other people. It being a late-Saturday afternoon, the library was lightly-occupied as it was, with most other students out enjoying the first day of their weekend. The members of the two teams had wrapped up their training for the day, and had decided to spend the afternoon together, with Yang suggesting the game. So far, despite the fair amount of noise they'd been making, there had been no protest, neither from other students nor the library staff.

In particular, Ren was enjoying the show, mainly because Blake was participating with a surprising degree of enthusiasm. It seemed that; between revealing her secrets to the group, and getting the unofficial (if conditional) support of Professor Ozpin; a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and several of the barriers she had placed between herself and her teammates and friends had come down. For a little bit, Ren had worried that she might be distracted by the conundrum of the White Fang, and a desire to continue their investigations. But he suspected that Ozpin's willingness to consider supporting their actions, as well as whatever advice he had given her, was helping her cope with whatever anxiety she might have been feeling over the matter.

Right as the game switched to Ruby again, a familiar figure stepped past a bookshelf.

"Yo," greeted Sun Wukong, wearing his trademark playful grin, and raising a hand in greeting. "What's shakin'?"

"Hey, Sun," said Ruby, looking up at him with a welcoming smile.

Yang, who'd still been slumped over her side of the board, lifted her head to throw a scowl Sun's way. "And where have you been, Bucko?" she asked. "I seem to remember you making yourself scarce, before we got back to Beacon."

"Yeah, well...since I got in a little early..." Sun's grin turned sheepish, and he rubbed the back of his head. "...I wasn't actually...at Beacon yet. So I sorta figured that they'd just overlook me, if I wasn't, you know, there." His grin turned triumphant. "And I was right!"

"So you left the rest of us high and dry…with detention?" asked Nora, a slight growl.

"Uhhhh..." Sun didn't seem to have much of a response to that.

"It's fine," said Blake, glancing up from their game.

"Yeah, he was a big help," added Ruby.

"Aww...thanks," said Sun, blushing from Blake and Ruby's support (but mostly Blake's). "Well, it's too bad that the bad guys' top people got away, but we still made a dent."

"That much is true," agreed Ren.

"So now you're officially here for the exchange?"asked Pyrrha.

"That's right," replied Sun. "And I'm not alone."

Indeed he wasn't. Everyone had been a bit occupied by Sun, so they had overlooked the other boy with him. The young man in question was a handsome specimen, with a head of spiky, light-blue hair that leaned to the right of his head in a slightly windswept look. It nicely complimented his tanned skin and dark-blue eyes. He wore a white dress-shirt underneath a red jacket, with a wide, upturned, black collar. Below that, he wore a set of gray jeans, with black pads strapped to the outside of his thighs. His hands were covered by black, fingerless gloves. In addition to that, the top of his head was adorned by a set of goggles, with gray frames and yellow lenses.

Upon Sun calling attention to him, the boy smiled, then grinned. Those watching swore that they could see a sharp gleam of light from his perfect, white teeth, accompanied by an audible "ping".

"Yo," he said. "I'm Neptune. Nice to meet you."

"Hey," said Jaune, giving Neptune a friendly wave.

Neptune's eyes drifted amongst them before coming to rest on Weiss, who had been looking at him with a surprising degree of intensity. "I don't think I caught your name, Snow Angel," he said, flashing her another gleaming grin.

Much to everyone's shock and surprise, Weiss' response was to giggle shyly, and blush, before replying. "It's Weiss."

The rest of the group traded incredulous glances, having a hard time imagining Weiss responding in such a manner. "Did that just happen?" Jaune asked Ruby in a whisper.

"I think so," said Ruby at the same volume, pinching herself to make sure. "Maybe she's not a total ice queen after all."

Neptune looked around, taking in the group, and the game that four (five) of them had been playing. "I thought libraries were supposed to be quiet," he added.

"Dude, quit being such a nerd," teased Sun.

"Ah...Intellectual," Neptune quickly corrected, glaring at his friend.

"So, this guy on your team?" asked Yang, looking over Neptune with a critical eye.

"Yep, this is my partner on Team Sun," said Sun.

"Team Sun?" Blake's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, S-S-S-N," said Sun, sounding out the letters. "It's a gang of the four baddest dudes to ever grace the halls of Haven."

"Sure," said Blake, a healthy dose of skepticism and amusement in her voice, which Sun didn't seem to mind.

"That sounds confusing," said Nora. "How do you know if people are talking about your team or you?"

"Yeah," agreed Ruby, sharing a look with Jaune. "I mean, can you imagine if I was on a team and it was named 'Team Ruby'? How weird would that be?"

"Like that would happen," scoffed Weiss.

"Where is the rest of your team?" asked Pyrrha, looking between the two boys.

Sun and Neptune shrugged. "They're back at Haven," explained Sun.

"Sage and Scarlet weren't really all that interested in the exchange," added Neptune. "They'll join us for the festival, so we can fight in the tournament."

"I didn't even know you could split your team like that," mused Ren.

"It happens," said Sun. "Sage and Scarlet have some special courses they're taking that they don't want to drop. But Neptune and I didn't have any commitments, so we decided to come see what Beacon was like."

"Like what you see so far?" asked Ruby.

"Oh yeah," said Sun, though everybody noticed his eyes seemed to drift to Blake, as he spoke. Meanwhile, Neptune was looking at Weiss again.

"Well, you're welcome to join us," said Jaune, gesturing to the group.

"Sure, hanging out for a while could be fun," said Neptune, glancing down and seeing Yang's predicament. "Looks like you're in a bit of a tight spot there. Maybe I could give you some pointers."

"I'm game," said Yang, scooting over and allowing Neptune to pull up a chair to sit next to her. "Anything to turn the tables on these jerks."

"Ha!" barked Nora, giving Yang a fierce grin. "I'd like to see you come back from this." She gestured to the layout of the board, with Yang's forces being at a serious disadvantage.

A couple hours later, Nora's good cheer was nowhere to be seen as she slouched back to the dorms, along with the rest of the group. With Neptune's guidance, Yang had actually managed to turn her situation around, effectively countering both Blake and Nora, though Jaune/Ruby remained formidable opponents. As a result, before long, Blake and Nora had been forced off the board entirely, with the entire thing boiling down to a two-way match, with Jaune and Ruby vying against Yang and Neptune, the two boys guiding their partners into a match that led into a protracted stalemate...which had ultimately led to them declaring a draw, on account of time.

By that point, Sun and Neptune had thoroughly integrated into the fabric of the group, becoming fast friends with everyone. What was truly amazing was that they couldn't help but notice that Weiss kept looking at Neptune with admiring eyes, every time he implemented a cunning strategy. Likewise, Blake's taciturn behavior was surprisingly tempered by a number of blushes and giggles, often triggered by Sun's remarks and behavior.

By the time they called off the game, it was nearly time for dinner. So the group had headed back to the dorm rooms to put away the game and their books. They split up from Sun and Neptune, who were being housed at the visitor dorms, promising to meet back up at the dining hall.

Still laughing and chatting, RASP and RYNB emerged from their rooms to head down the hallway towards the dining hall. However, they found their way partially blocked by a trio of unknown individuals, who were heading down the hall in the opposite direction. They were dressed in school uniforms. But the black jacket and pants, in the boy's case; and dark-gray, checkered skirts, for the girls; were clearly not Beacon uniforms.

"Hey there," said Yang, grinning and raising a hand in greeting as the two groups approached each other. "You guys must be here for the festival."

"That's right," purred the apparent leader of the trio, a young woman with wavy, black hair, and orange eyes. "We were just looking for our rooms."

"Those uniforms..." Weiss' eyes narrowed slightly. "You three are from Haven, right?"

"That's right," replied the other girl, sporting dark skin, red eyes, and mint-green hair. She flashed them a friendly smile.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that the dormitories for the visiting students aren't here," said Ren politely.

"You're looking for the building just east of here," added Pyrrha helpfully.

"Thanks," said the gray-haired boy, giving them a grin.

"We must have gotten turned around," added the young woman.

"No problem," said Yang, returning the boy's grin.

"Since you're here for the exchange, we'll probably be seeing quite a bit of each other," added Weiss.

"Yes," agreed the black-haired young woman. "I hope that we get the chance to become better acquainted."

"Might as well start now," said Nora. "I'm Nora. Nice to meet you."

"And I am Cinder," replied the young woman, giving Nora a small smile. She gestured to the girl at her left. "This is Emerald." Then she gestured to the boy. "And this is Mercury."

"Ooh! Where's your fourth member?" asked Nora, glancing around.

"She's...somewhere," said Emerald, her eyebrows twitching. "She's got a tendency to wander off on her own. Don't worry. You'll see her at some point. So, what are the rest of your names?"

The others went around, sharing their names with the newly-arrived trio of Haven students...with one notable exception. Jaune felt a slight tug on his left sleeve, and glanced over to see Ruby. At the sight of her, he suddenly felt a flare of worry.

Ruby was smiling. But, as much time as he'd spent around her, Jaune knew enough to realize that her expression was strained. What was more, her complexion was a good bit paler than it normally was. On top of that, he swore he could see a faint gleam of the overhead lights off her forehead. Ruby had broken out in a sweat. She was gripping the sleeve of Jaune's hoody with all the strength of her deceptively delicate-looking fingers, her knuckles turning white from clenching so hard. Jaune opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but was cut off by Cinder, who had noticed that Ruby hadn't spoken yet.

"And what is your name?" she inquired, looking right at Ruby.

Ruby's lips pulled back in a grin. It looked incredibly cheerful, but Jaune could tell that Ruby was putting on a front. "R-Ruby," she said. "It's nice to meet you."

Cinder let out a soft hum. "Likewise," she said. "I so very look forward to getting to know you better."

"S-sure," said Ruby. She wasn't showing it visibly, but Jaune could feel her tremors through the hand that gripped his sleeve.

She's terrified, Jaune realized. Why?

"Well then, I guess we'll be on our way," said Cinder, nodding to the group. If she noticed anything odd about Ruby's behavior, she didn't comment on it.

RASP and RYNB split, allowing the trio of visiting students to pass between them, and continue down the hall, where they would find an exit that would allow them to reach the dormitory for visiting students.

"Well...they were nice," said Pyrrha, after a moment's pause.

"Yeah," agreed Nora. "I bet we'll become good friends."

"Ruby?" Jaune looked worriedly at his partner. Her tremors had only become more pronounced, which told him that she had been making a concerted effort to put on a normal front before their visitors.

"You okay, Sis?" asked Yang, noticing Ruby's apparent discomfort.

Ruby hesitated, then flashed them a grin. "Y-yeah," she stammered, somewhat unconvincingly. "Y-...You guys should go on ahead. I just realized that I forgot something back in the room. I'll catch up soon."

"Are you sure you're all right?" asked Pyrrha, her own worry rising at Ruby's unusual behavior.

"I'm great," said Ruby. "I'll be right behind you."

Despite her words, Jaune noticed it appeared to take an unusual act of will for Ruby to release her hold on his sleeve. Once she did, she took a couple steps, then vanished in a flurry of red petals. They barely even saw the door to RASP's room open, before it had shut again.

"What was that all about?" asked Weiss, her tone hovering somewhere between concerned and irate.

Despite their concern, the group decided to press on. Only Jaune hesitated a little longer, his worried gaze lingering on the door of RASP's room. Ruby...

"So...that little one is the one that Adam was talking about," mused Cinder, Mercury and Emerald following slightly behind her as she walked.

"Hard to believe a little tyke like that could beat Taurus, of all people," commented Mercury. "She looked afraid of her own shadow."

"Yeah," agreed Emerald. "I've never seen a case of social anxiety that bad before. Are you sure that's the girl Adam was talking about?"

Cinder paused and turned, her orange eyes shining from within, the luminance sending a terrified twitch down Emerald's spine. "Are you...questioning me?" asked Cinder, a faint growl of anger melding with the silky purr of her normal speaking voice.

"N-no, Ma'am," said Emerald, averting her gaze quickly.

"That's what I thought," said Cinder, turning her eyes forward once more. "I do have to admit, her behavior was a bit...odd. But people have different faces, on and off the battlefield. She strikes me as the sort who is much more comfortable in a combat situation than a social one."

"Makes sense then," said Mercury. "Out of that whole group, she's the only one who was carrying her weapon."

"I feel that I would very much like to get to know her better," mused Cinder, gently stroking her chin. "If someone like her was able to best Adam Taurus, then there is definitely more to her than meets the eye."

Immediately after slamming the door shut behind her, Ruby quickly made her way to her destination...the bathroom. Once inside, she slammed that door closed as well. From there, she barely made the necessary pair of staggering steps to reach the toilet, before her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto her knees. It was a work of sheer will to retain her control, until she could lift the lid and seat. Only then, with her face hovering over the bowl, did Ruby let go.

For the next few minutes, she heaved the contents of her stomach into the toilet, her roiling bowels sending spasm after spasm through her body. Tears streamed out of her eyes, and Ruby had to fight to keep from simply collapsing. She threw up until her stomach had nothing left to give. And, even then, she continued to gag and retch for several minutes afterward. It was the work of several more minutes to get enough control that she felt safe pulling her face away from the toilet. Even then, the most she could manage was sagging down, scooting over to the wall by the toilet. There, she hugged her knees to her chest, continuing to tremble.

That woman... Ruby thought, her vision going blurry from her tears. What is she?

Outwardly, Cinder had been unquestionably human. But outward appearances could be deceiving. Once Ruby's other senses had brushed across Cinder, they told a different story entirely. Oh, Cinder had a human Aura all right. But Ruby had also sensed a sickening corruption, the presence of something dark and unnatural. That corruption stitched into place the tattered energies of something else, something Ruby was more than a little familiar with. It was something that had once been whole and beautiful, but now torn asunder. The thing forcibly bound to Cinder's soul reeked of atrocity. And then, there had been the hunger...

What did she do? Ruby wondered, her stomach roiling again at the memory of her senses brushing against that sickeningly mutilated soul. How could she do that to another person?

It had taken every ounce of Ruby's will, all the discipline her training had imparted, to keep from screaming at what she had felt. If she had slipped just a little, she would have broken down into a gibbering mess, right there in the hallway. But her experience told her that this Cinder was the last person she could afford to show weakness in front of. That aching hunger...Ruby was certain that it would swallow her up at the slightest sign of vulnerability.

There was only one thing Ruby knew for certain. Whoever Cinder was...she was unquestionably evil. No one with even an ounce of good in their soul would so willingly consent to performing whatever act of violation she had been required to perform to result in the twisted state her soul currently existed in. What was worse...Ruby recognized that energy, the power that Cinder had torn from someone else, and then forcibly bound to her own Aura.

Questions raced through her mind. However, there was one in particular that stood out. What should I do? Now that she had sensed something so dark and disfigured, there was no way that Ruby could stand idly by and leave it be. There was no way someone who had done...whatever it was that Cinder had done...would come to Beacon with good intentions. But Ruby was at a loss for what to do about it. Her friends wouldn't believe her, even though she'd already both told and shown them some unbelievable things. Incredible feats of Aura were one thing; but stories of magic, fairy tales...

Perhaps she needed to confront Cinder herself. However, Ruby found herself balking at that. The thought of facing the twisted thing that lurked within Cinder's skin was one of the most daunting thoughts she had ever considered. Sure, in terms of overall threat, Cinder would be nothing, compared to the likes of her older brother. But the sheer wrongness of it made her hesitate all the same. And, of course, if no one else had an idea of the context, how would it look if Ruby started a fight with a visiting student out of the blue?

But she had to do something. Ruby pursed her lips, trying to figure out what course of action she could take. If only there was someone she could just talk to about this, someone she could trust to listen to her, and be discreet about what she said.

She inhaled sharply, an idea appearing in her head. Maybe there was someone she could talk to. Professor Ozpin! At first blush, it seemed silly to run to Beacon's Headmaster, especially about the outlandish topic she needed to speak about. However, there was also a strange feasibility to it. Ozpin had always shown himself to be surprisingly tolerant and open-minded. After all, he was the one who had welcomed Ruby to Beacon in the first place, because of what she had learned from the Mibu, rather than in spite of it. It was him who had expressed a sort of backhanded approval of the actions RASP and RYNB had taken against the White Fang at the docks. On top of all that. If there was anyone at Beacon positioned to do something with the information suddenly found herself in possession of, it would be him.

Ruby just prayed that he would believe her.

Of course, she couldn't just rush straight to Ozpin's office with the stench of vomit on her breath and tear-tracks down her face. So Ruby took a moment to rinse out her mouth, quickly brush her teeth and wash her face, before making a dash for Beacon Tower. She barely managed to slow herself down to a walk before entering the lobby. It took considerable willpower to keep herself composed for the brief walk across the lobby, around the central pillar that stretched upward, and to the elevator.

The doors closed, and an electronic voice chimed over the speakers. "Please state your destination."

"Professor Ozpin's office, please," said Ruby.

"Please submit your scroll for identification," ordered the voice. Ruby held up her scroll to the panel beside the door. There was a beep, as its signal was received and processed by the AI governing the elevator. "Please state your business," requested the AI.

Ruby swallowed, wondering how she ought to frame this. "I...It's...It's a matter of security."

"Please hold," instructed the electronic receptionist. Now the content of Ruby's request was likely being sent straight to Ozpin. She could only hope he would accept it. Finally, the voice spoke again. "Your request has been accepted." With that, there was a faint jolt, and the elevator began to ascend upwards.

It was a tense minute Ruby spent waiting for the elevator to reach its destination. As she waited, she was assailed by doubts and worries. What if Ozpin didn't believe her? What if he laughed off her report? Worse, what if he dismissed it as nothing more than a child's fantasies, and began to question her fitness to attend Beacon? The more Ruby thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and the more unwise this course of action became to her mind. She wondered if she ought to back out. But that seemed even sillier, especially now, after she had already gone through the trouble of coming to the tower, and was already on her way up to Ozpin's office.

Hearing the tone that announced the elevator's arrival, Ruby sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes. As the doors slid open, she let that breath out, doing her best to let all her excess anxiety flow out, along with the air in her lungs. She had moderate success. Her hands still trembled from a bad case of nerves, as much a residual effect of what she had encountered in the hallway of her dorm as it was worries about what she was going to be faced with.

"Ms. Rose...?" Ozpin looked up from some paperwork he'd apparently been going over, before she had arrived. Looking at her, his eyes immediately narrowed, and Ruby got the impression that he was able to tell something was amiss, without her even needing to say anything. "Please, come and take a seat." He gestured to the chair set in front of his desk.

Ruby nodded, and stepped out of the elevator, the sound of her sandals scuffing against the hard floor of the office sounding strangely loud. Above and below, she saw slowly turning gears, while behind Ozpin, she saw Vale's skyline, illuminated by the light of the setting sun.

As Ruby settled into the seat, Ozpin clasped his hands together in front of his face, resting his elbows against the surface of the desk. "Well now, Ms. Rose, this is unexpected. What brings you here, today?" Taking in her appearance, Ozpin found himself noting that she was looking unusually pale. "Are you all right?"

"I...I'm okay," said Ruby, after a moment's pause. She took a deep breath, then let it out again. "Professor...there's...I don't know how to put this...and you might not believe me...but there's someone...someone very dangerous at Beacon now."

Ozpin raised a curious eyebrow. "I'm curious what you mean by that. After all, given that this is a school for Huntsmen and Huntresses, being 'dangerous' is practically a requirement for entry."

Ruby swallowed. "Someone evil then," she amended.

"And what makes you say this?" asked Ozpin.

Ruby swallowed. "I...It's...It's difficult to explain," she said, looking down at her knees. "It means telling you something that you aren't likely to believe." And telling you at least part of a secret I shouldn't be sharing with anyone.

"And yet, you seem to think that telling me is important, nonetheless," noted Ozpin. "If you are worried about my skepticism, why did you still come to speak to me of this...person?"

"Well, I figured you were the one best to talk to about this," said Ruby. "I know you're open-minded. And...well...we did promise to come to you, if we were planning anything. This is serious, and I feel you need to know about it."

"So then, what is it you wish to say?" asked Ozpin. "Please speak frankly, Ms. Rose. At the very least, I can withhold judgment until I hear the entirety of what you have to say."

"All right," said Ruby, taking yet another deep breath. "You see-"

Ruby was cut off by the ringing of her scroll from her pocket. Frowning, Ruby fished out the device, expecting either Yang, Weiss, or Jaune calling, wanting to know where she was. However, to her surprise, she saw that Ashley was calling. It wasn't exactly unprecedented, but Ruby was usually the one who called Ashley to chat. It seemed odd to her. "Um...Sorry," she said, giving Ozpin an apologetic look. "Just a moment."

Answering the scroll, Ruby brought it to her ear. "Ashley, sorry, but now's really not a good time and-"

"Ruby!" Ashley's voice was soft, almost a whisper, yet with a note of urgency that Ruby could pick up easily, a faint warble that suggested more than a little panic. "Ruby, please...I...I don't know who else to call."

Ruby's eyes widened. She couldn't remember hearing Ashley sound like this…ever. She sounded desperate. "Ashley? What's wrong."

She heard sniffles and sobs of the line for a few seconds. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Ruby. I should have told you. But I was scared."

Ruby shot to her feet, knocking over her chair. "Ashley, talk to me! What's going on?"

"It's...I..." Another shuddering sob came over the line. "The White Fang...They're going to kill me!"