17

 Chapter 17: V2C4: Investigation Initiation

A/N: Merry Christmas to all!

Volume 2 OP: "PEACE SIGN" by Jonathan Young

Pyrrha Nikos sighed as she made her way out of Professor Port's class. It was only the first day of the new semester and she was already getting headaches from Professor Port's endless tangents. She would never complain, of course, and the professor's stories were more-or-less all true (Pyrrha had fact-checked a few of them one day) but it didn't make it any less tiring.

Making matters worse was that her winter break had been… interesting, to say the least. Nora and Ren had stayed at Beacon, stating that they really didn't have anywhere else to go, and Pyrrha had also stayed since her family was all the way in Mistral. The surprising part was that Jaune also stayed despite his family living in Vale. The others had tried to get him to go be with his family but he insisted on staying, saying that he wanted to spend time with his team.

With all of that free time on their hands, one of the things Jaune requested was that they spent more time training. It seemed that what happened with Ruby, Blake, and Shirou at the docks made him even more serious about correcting his lack of skill. Their sparring sessions, which had once been fairly casual affairs, were now intense and often went on for several hours until Jaune's Aura finally broke. Pyrrha certainly applauded his dedication and the effort wasn't wasted. The level he was currently at was a lot greater than what he had been previously.

Along with the increased time spent together training also came an increased time spent doing other things together. Whenever they weren't sparring or going over combat theory, they spent time talking about all kinds of things. She learned about his seven sisters and his family's insane dedication to the board game Peril; he learned about her parents and the strict regimens she had to follow pretty much since birth. She learned the story behind Crocea Mors and his grandfather; he learned about the embarrassing incident that lead to her awakening her Semblance.

While all of that had been enjoyable, things had turned somewhat sour just two days prior. After they had finished training for the day and Jaune was laying spread out the floor, he had made the comment that their meeting must have been destiny given how well everything had worked out stating that if Pyrrha hadn't come to Beacon that year, he would have died in the Emerald Forest. While the comment was said in a positive manner, it had instantly destroyed her good mood and it took a concentrated effort to not let Jaune see anything.

Had meeting Jaune been Pyrrha's destiny? She liked Jaune for a lot of reasons and one of them had been how completely normal he was. He was a good person and he had potential but, as far as she could tell, there was nothing special about him. Not like the rest of their team who were hiding something or Team RWBY who were all varying levels of special (mostly in the high ends of "very") or Shirou who was so obviously special that she honestly felt sorry for him. No, Jaune was just a fairly normal guy and that sense of normalcy was something Pyrrha desperately needed.

But what if Jaune was right? What if meeting him was destiny? What if he was just some part in a bigger scheme to make her even more special? What if this sense of normalcy was being granted to her just to make some later event hurt that much more? So many questions raced through Pyrrha's head that it was almost making her dizzy. If meeting Jaune was indeed destiny, that just brought up the one question Pyrrha had been asking herself for years now:

Did she have any control over her life?

Pyrrha had almost always felt that she was destined to become a great Huntress and save the world. While her skills certainly came about from countless hours of hard work, they also came from a large amount of natural talent. Then there was the fact that her Semblance was an incredibly powerful one that could be used to do a lot of good. She had always willingly charged toward this destiny with no real complaints since she felt it was her duty to help people but, as she got older, she couldn't help but wonder if that desire was also destiny.

Did all of the potential good she could do come at the cost of her personal freedom?

Once the idea occurred to her, it never left. Even as she kept marching onward towards her destiny, she wondered if she even had a choice in the matter. That's one of the reasons she enjoyed Jaune's company so much and why she had singled him out as her partner literally the moment she first saw him back during the initiation speech. Someone so completely normal who had complete control of their life was such an attractive concept to Pyrrha that she couldn't help but be drawn to it and, thus, to someone who fit that description.

Even if meeting Jaune had been destiny, Pyrrha didn't regret it. She didn't regret anything she did that led her to her ultimate destiny. All she did was hope that, whatever her destiny was, it didn't result in Jaune getting hurt.

OoOoOoO

Emiya Shirou sighed as he leaned back in his seat. He was currently sitting in Team RWBY's dorm room with the team in question sitting on the bottom beds. It was actually his first time seeing their room and it was simultaneously exactly like what he expected and nothing like what he expected. The entire room was an eclectic mishmash of interests and styles that somehow managed to blend together with the only normal spot being the corner desk by which he sat. The idea to turn the single beds into bunk beds was certainly ingenious but the way they were held up (Ruby's with awkwardly tied rope anchored to the ceiling while Yang's was perched precariously atop a pile of poorly placed books) made him want to be nowhere near them. The fact that all four of them willing slept on or under them for half a year now was both amazing and disturbing.

"So, if I understood what Ruby was telling me correctly, you girls are trying to figure out what Roman and the White Fang are up to and you want my help," Shirou said plainly.

"That about sums it up," Blake said with a nod.

Shirou nodded back, "Very well. Do you have a plan?"

"Wait, you're agreeing just like that?" Weiss asked as she straightened up in surprise. "I expected you to argue that we shouldn't be risking ourselves like this."

"The idea is a bit reckless, I'll admit, but I think I see the reasoning behind it," Shirou began as he started to slip into what he privately called his Tohsaka mode. "Blake used to be a member of the White Fang and thus probably understands them better than most anyone else." Blake nodded in confirmation. "Ruby has encountered Roman multiple times and thus has an idea as to what he's like." Ruby smiled and flashed him a thumbs up. "I do as well, of course, and I also have a general knowledge if his history as a criminal. It also makes perfect sense given both Ruby's stated reason for becoming a Huntress and Blake's past. If those two are going to be investigating this then it's only natural that their partners— and older sister— get roped into it."

"You've got that right," Yang said with a cheeky grin.

"You know, when you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense," Weiss said with a contemplative look.

"He has a way of doing that," Blake commented.

"So, how are you girls planning on doing this?" Shirou asked, bringing the conversation back on topic.

"I've got a friend in the shady part of town that I can hit up. He's pretty minor but he knows basically everything that goes on in Vale," Yang said as she leaned back against the headboard and crossed her legs, her arms crossed behind her head.

Blake shot her partner an annoyed glare as she was forced to scoot further toward the edge but the blonde just responded with a playful wink. "There are White Fang rallies all the time. If I can find one and sneak in, I might be able to find out more about what the White Fang is planning."

Weiss spoke up next, "The fact that the Dust shipment that night was unguarded doesn't make sense. While it's not standard operating procedure, I know my father and there's no way he'd let such a large shipment be left vulnerable given all of the robberies lately. I plan on going to the Cross Continental Transit tower and looking into the matter."

"Couldn't you just call them from your Scroll?" Blake asked with a tilt of her head

"I could but, given the sensitive nature of the documents I'll be requesting, I want the transmission to be as secure as possible."

"I don't really have anything I could do so I'll just go with Weiss since I really want to see the CCT tower up close," Ruby said as she began idly kicking her legs.

"I don't think that'd be a good idea. You don't have the clearance to sit in on the conversation so you'd just be sitting in the lobby while I talked for however long it took," Weiss said, trying her best to look appreciative of the offer.

"Ah, it's okay. I'll feel bad if I do nothing. Maybe I'll give Dad a call while we're there just to say that I did."

"In that case, I'll go with Yang if she'll have me. I also have no contacts in Vale and trying to infiltrate a White Fang rally while not being a Faunus is a risky proposition," Shirou said.

"Hey, the more the merrier! Looks like you'll get to go on a joyride on my bike after all."

"Great!" Ruby exclaimed as she stood up and thrust a fist into the air. "So, when are we doing this?"

"The bar my friend runs doesn't open until after seven so I've got some time to kill. Shirou and I can hit him up tonight," Yang said.

"Oh, you're going to that bar you trashed a bit before school started?" Ruby asked.

"The one and only," Yang said with a smug grin.

"Why do I feel like I'm in for a long night?" Shirou asked himself as he was overcome by a wave of nameless dread.

"Eh, don't worry about it. It'll be fine! He learned his lesson the first time."

"That does not fill me with confidence."

"Moving on," Weiss interjected, "I can go right now, after I get out of my uniform."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Ruby said with a smile.

"White Fang rallies are usually held at night but it'll take me a while to find the exact time and place. It'd be best if I leave now," Blake said before slowly standing up and stretching.

"Perfect! Now that we've got a plan, Operation Investigate Roman and the White Fang is a go!" Ruby said, excitement radiating off of her body.

"Name's a bit on the nose, don't ya think, sis?" Yang said as she rolled off the bed and stood next to her partner, placing her elbow on her shoulder and half-leaning against her.

"Hey, I don't see you coming up with a better name!" Ruby replied, sticking her tongue out at her older sister for good measure.

"The name's fine," Weiss said as she also rose from the bed. "We should get ready so that we can head out as soon as possible."

Team RWBY all turned to look at Shirou, who was still sitting in the chair and watching the proceedings with an amused smile. The seconds ticked by in silence before Shirou realized what was going on and jumped to his feet, his face burning slightly. "Oh! Right! I should leave so you girls can get ready! I should… probably also go get ready."

"Meet me at the port at six!" Yang shouted as Shirou left the room.

Once safely inside his own room, Shirou pulled out his Scroll and sent a message to Ozpin explaining what was about to happen. He'd already gotten pretty much chewed out for not keeping him informed once and he didn't really want to do it again. A few minutes later, the response came in the form of an acknowledgement and instructions to just let events play out.

With his job done, Shirou turned his attention to what constituted his wardrobe. He had noticed Team RWBY buying new outfits the other day so maybe it was time he try on something new as well.

OoOoOoO

The Cross Continental Transmit System was, simply put, a marvel of modern engineering. Consisting of four central towers— one in each kingdom— and countless smaller ones, Atlas' gift to the world as recompense for the Great War allowed for wireless communication between kingdoms to be possible. This advancement, in turn, not only allowed for countless other advances in technology but also helped to usher in a new era of peace as, for the first time, the people of each kingdom were allowed to see the others for themselves and see them as people rather than faceless masses.

The massive importance of the CCT Tower to technology and society was all but lost on Ruby Rose as she approached it with her partner. "Woooow! I forget how big the Transmit tower looks up close!" she said as she looked up to try and see the tower's peak. Vale's CCT Tower was easily the tallest structure in the entire kingdom, being nearly two hundred fifty meters in height.

"You should see the one in Atlas!" Weiss said as they walked along, her boots clacking against the snow-cleared walkway.

"That was the first one, right?" Ruby asked, looking over to her partner.

"Correct."

Seeing as how this was their first time out on the town in a while, Ruby and Weiss (along with Blake and Yang) elected to wear the new outfits they had purchased over winter break. Ruby was wearing a long-sleeve, light gray shirt with black belted cuffs near the ends of the sleeves. Over top of the gray shirt was a black pinafore with two vertical lines of red stitching that resembled the lacing on a corset. Along with that was a red skirt with a large black print of a stylized rose on the side and matching black tulle underneath as well as black stockings and boots. Her ever-present red cloak was there as well; the hood having been wrapped around her neck like a scarf.

Weiss, meanwhile, was wearing a white, double-breasted jacket with black piping, cuffs and buttons over a white, pleated full skirt with black lace trim. Her thigh-high boots were also white with black heels while her stockings were black and lace-topped.

"Atlas developed the Cross Continental Transmit System to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the Great War," Weiss continued.

"It's really cool that you know all this, Weiss," Ruby said in admiration of her partner.

"It's only natural," Weiss said as she positively preened under the praise. "As a Schnee, it's my responsibility to be knowledgeable of every major scientific advancement that can affect the Company."

"Ooooooh, I should get a picture!" Ruby said as she reached for her Scroll. Between her haste and her new outfit, however, she misjudged how far she had to pull out the device and the result was it slipping from her fingers and bouncing across the ground to land near someone's feet.

"Oh!" a familiar voice as Ruby turned to look where her Scroll had fallen. "You dropped this."

"Penny‽"

"Salutations, friend Ruby! Weiss!" Penny said with a jaunty wave as she approached the duo and handed Ruby back her Scroll. Funnily enough, despite the overall drop in temperature, Penny's outfit was the exact same as it had been when they last saw her two months ago.

"Oh my gods, where have you been? We haven't seen you since that night at the docks!"

"It's a long story. Ruby, there's something I need to tell you but not here. Can we go somewhere private?"

"Sure! What about inside the Tower?"

"No, not there. There are cameras everywhere and I really shouldn't be telling you this."

"Wow, this is a really big secret. Sure, I don't mind. What about you, Weiss?" Ruby asked as she turned to her partner who had been silently watching the scene with interest.

"Weiss can come too, if she wants. Friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other."

"My call can wait. I'm interested to see what all of this is about."

"Sen-sational!" Penny said before she gestured for the other two girls to follow her and started walking off.

"Hey, Penny, you wouldn't happen to know anything about what the White Fang are up to in Vale or anything about the guy we fought, would you? That guy's name is Roman Torchwick," Ruby asked.

Penny hummed in thought for a moment, "I wish I could help you, Ruby, but I don't know anything about those men."

"Well, what happened to you that night? We were all together and then you just disappeared!"

"My father picked me up. I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture out too far but… You have to understand, my father loves me very much; he just worries a lot."

Weiss hummed and nodded, "I certainly know what it's like to have a controlling father."

Ruby nodded as well, "I wouldn't really say my dad's controlling but he certainly worries a lot. He nearly had a heart attack when I showed him Crescent Rose." The three girls had a shared chuckle before Ruby continued. "But why not let us know you were okay?"

Penny looked away guiltily, "I... was asked not to talk to you. Or Weiss. Or Blake. Or Yang. Or Shirou. Anybody, really."

"Your father must have been quite upset to go that far," Weiss commented, looking away uncomfortably.

"It wasn't my father, actually—"

Whatever Penny was going to say was cut off as the trio heard an amplified voice coming from nearby. They rounded the corner to see good-sized crowd in various states of bundled up standing before a large, grey platform which was flanked by a few guards. On the platform in the back were six humanoid robots that the trio recognized as the Atlesian Knight 130 series of security robots. The six robots, three on each side, stood guard in front of large, metal storage containers bearing the emblem of Atlas; a spear going up through a shield and surrounded by a circle.

Roughly in the center of the platform was a hologram of General James Ironwood who was currently giving a probably pre-recorded speech. "The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years and they have done a fine job. Wouldn't you agree? Wouldn't you agree?" Ironwood paused as the crowd started to clap politely and the robots gave a jerky bow. "But… the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation, and 'fine'…" The doors of the containers started to slowly open. "Well, that's just not good enough, is it? Presenting… the Atlesian Knight-200!"

The doors of the containers fully opened to show off six new robots. Whereas the AK-130 robots had been a metallic grey and blocky, the new AK-200 robots were white and had a much sleeker appearance. They also appeared to be slightly less armored, especially in the stomach, which Ruby thought was an odd decision.

The AK-200 robots kicked over their predecessors to more applause as Ironwood continued. "Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary," The AK-200s flexed to demonstrate the point, "These models will become active later this year but they won't be alone! Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still many situations that will undoubtedly require… a Human touch."

Ruby's curiosity was more than piqued by this point while Weiss was mildly intrigued. Penny, however, seemed a little nervous about something and tried to get the other girls' attention by calling out to them.

"So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company," that immediately grabbed Weiss' attention "are proud to introduce… the Atlesian Paladin!"

The hologram of Ironwood shrank down into the projector and in its place came the image of a giant mech; easily three times the size of Ironwood. The color was impossible to tell as the hologram made everything a blueish-white but the mecha was bipedal in design and a bit on the bulky side. Its arms were little more than two massive guns and the entire thing looked to be heavily armored. Needless to say, Ruby was instantly in love.

"Now, we couldn't have him here for you today," Ironwood's disembodied voice continued, "but these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!"

"Weiss, why didn't you tell me about this thing‽" Ruby complained to her partner.

"I didn't know about it. While I am the heiress, I'm not an official employee so there's still a lot of things I don't know."

"Ruby? Weiss? Maybe we should go somewhere else," Penny said, clearly concerned about something. Over by the platform, one of the guards caught sight of the trio and pointed them out while another one radioed in. Seeing this, Penny turned and made to run but Ruby was already ahead of her. Wrapping one arm around the redhead's shoulders and the other behind her knees, Ruby picked Penny up in a bridal carry and took off running with her Semblance, Weiss skating along not a half-step behind her. Penny weighed far more than she seemed to, however, and the unexpected weight nearly caused her to faceplant into the ground but the weight had been drastically reduced almost as soon as it was noticed. Looking down, Ruby saw purple glyphs forming under her feet as she ran so she gave her partner a thankful smile which Weiss returned with a somewhat strained one of her own.

As the trio zipped down an alleyway, Ruby spied a turn up ahead. Even with Weiss' glyphs stopping them from leaving tracks in the snow, they'd need to do something fancy if they wanted to escape and be given a moment of peace thanks to the trail of rose petals she was leaving because of her Semblance. While making sharp turns with her Semblance was impossible at her current level, an idea quickly formed in Ruby's mind.

Not wanting to shout instructions in case they were overheard and knowing that Weiss was already focusing on her, Ruby quickly gestured to the left with her head. Thankfully, Weiss seemed to pick up on Ruby's plan in an instant as a series of glyphs shot out ahead of her and twisted to form a corner ramp. Deactivating her Semblance, Ruby twisted herself until she was perpendicular to her course and slid along the glyph ramp as though she was skateboarding. The sensation of having gravity change its orientation to keep her planted when she took the sharpest part of the curve was a bit unsettling but she managed to keep her balance.

After successfully taking the corner, Ruby let her momentum carry her along for as long as it was worth it before putting Penny down and running normally down another alley.

"That was sensational!" Penny said excitedly once everyone came to a stop. "You and Weiss work excellently together!"

"Well, we are partners. Besides, Weiss is the one who did most of the work," Ruby said almost dismissively as she rubbed at her slightly sore arms. Looking over at Weiss, the heiress' breathing was a bit heavier than normal but she was otherwise fine.

"Nonsense. Your initiative is what got us here. I just followed your lead," Weiss said. The two partners smiled appreciatively at each other for a moment before Penny clearing her throat brought them out of it.

"So, what is it you wanted to tell us, Penny?" Ruby asked, unsure as to why she could feel her face heating up.

Penny looked around for a moment and listened intently. When it seemed like no one was headed their way, she sighed before turning around to face away from them. "Ruby, Weiss, I'm… not a real girl," she said almost sullenly.

Ruby glanced over at Weiss just to see that the heiress looked as confused as she felt. "What do you mean?"

"Most girls are born but I was made. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura." Penny turned around to face her friends, fear and apprehension clear in her eyes even as she surrendered herself to their judgment. "I'm not real…"

Ruby and Weiss stared in shock for a moment as the enormity of this reveal washed over them. The ability to essentially create life, to create an artificial body and grant it a soul, sounded more like magic than science and yet proof of the contrary was standing before them. Even though she looked fully Human, there was no denying that the feats of strength she had displayed on the docks that night were well beyond what a Human was capable of, even one strengthened by Aura. It also explained the discrepancy between her build and her weight.

Shaking off the shock, Ruby stepped forward and took one of Penny's hands in her own. "Of course you are. You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?" She said, looking intently into the other girl's eyes.

Weiss nodded in agreement, "Regardless of what you are, you're still our friend."

"I don't… um…" Penny looked back and forth between Ruby and Weiss, clearly at a loss for words. "You two are… taking this extraordinarily well."

"I'll admit that this fact is somewhat difficult to wrap my head around since the number of implications are staggering but it doesn't change the fundamental fact that you're you," Weiss said plainly.

"Weiss is right," Ruby said with a nod. "Even if you are a robot, you've still got a heart and soul!"

Penny looked like she was about to break down in tears as she looked between the two girls. Unable to contain her emotions, Penny pulled them into a near bone-crushing bear hug that lifted them off of their feet. "You're the best friends anyone could have!" she said as she rocked them back and forth.

"I can see why your father would want to protect such a delicate flower!" Ruby said with a groan in a rare display of sarcasm. For her part, Weiss wasn't certain if she was about to cry from the pain or the pride she was feeling. Thankfully, Penny was cognizant enough to let them go before things got too bad. As it was, they were already seeing spots.

"Oh, he's very sweet! My father's the one that built me! I'm sure you would love him!"

"What company does your father work for?" Weiss asked once staying conscious no longer required a force of will.

"He doesn't work for any company. He has some assistants but he mostly built me by himself."

"He worked on his own‽ He must be one of the wealthiest men in Atlas if he managed to fund your creation out-of-pocket!"

"Oh, he didn't pay for everything himself. He was backed by the military. That's why Mr. Ironwood helped!"

"The General‽" Ruby exclaimed. "Wait… Is that why those soldiers were after you?"

Penny nodded enthusiastically, "They like to protect me, too!"

"Are you saying that those random soldiers know your secret?" Weiss asked with an incredulous tilt of her head.

"Oh, no, they don't know anything about that. They just know that I'm important and need to be protected."

"They don't think you can protect yourself?" Ruby said with a scoff.

"They're not sure if I'm ready yet…" Penny trailed off for a moment as she appeared deep in thought. "One day, it will be my job to save the world but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what it's like in the rest of the world and test myself in the Tournament."

Ruby and Weiss shared a concerned look before Ruby spoke up, "Penny, what are you talking about? Save the world from what? We're in a time of peace!"

Penny gave the partners a look that was equal parts confused and concerned, "That's not what Mr. Ironwood said…"

"Check down here!" a masculine voice said from the direction they came, startling all three girls.

"You have to get out of here!" Penny urged them.

"You don't have to go with them! We can help you!" Ruby said urgently even as Weiss stepped forward and created a gravity glyph under them.

"It's okay, Ruby. They're not bad people, I just don't want to get you in trouble. Just promise me you won't tell anyone else my secret. Okay?" Penny said, staring intently into Ruby's eyes.

"I promise," Ruby said reluctantly as Weiss wrapped an arm around her waist. Together, the two girls jumped up and bounded off of another glyph before landing on a nearby rooftop.

As Ruby and Weiss watched Penny talk to the soldiers before being led off, Ruby couldn't help but sigh. Something about Penny's situation just didn't feel right to her but she couldn't see anything she could do. She hated the thought of doing nothing when it seemed like one of her friends needed help but it appeared that nothing was all she could do in this situation.

Seeing the turmoil written all over her leader's face, Weiss gently placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder and offered her what she could only hope was a comforting smile. "Let's get back to the Tower. Maybe you can place a call to your father," she offered gently.

Ruby's return smile was weak but sincere, "Yeah, maybe I'll do that. Thanks, Weiss."

OoOoOoO

Ruby let out a quiet "Wow" as she and Weiss entered into Vale's Cross Continent Transmit Tower. While she had been in it a couple of times in the past when her dad needed to call someone, she never got tired of seeing it. The light coming from the edges of the floor cast everything in the circular room in a pale green parlor and the way the central pillar platform rose off the ground and was surrounded by a circle of light made it look like a floating island. The place was relatively empty with only a few other people around but that was to be expected. Aside from the information terminals that lined the central pillar, this room only served to lead to the elevators and other rooms.

Moving past the central pillar, Ruby and Weiss entered the elevator on the far side of the room. "Communications room," Weiss said in a clear voice once the door closed, the computer beeping to acknowledge the command before the elevator started moving. Given how tall the tower was, it took a solid minute for it to reach its destination at the top. As they waited, Ruby looked over to her partner and watch curiously as she visibly steeled herself.

"Expecting a tough talk?" Ruby asked as she continued to study her partner's serious expression.

"Somewhat," Weiss said with a small sigh. "With any luck, I can call headquarters, speak with a secretary, and get everything sorted out."

"Why not call your dad? He's the head of the company, isn't he?" Ruby asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"My father…" Weiss looked off to the side and bit her bottom lip for a moment, "My father and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye on a number of things. He didn't approve of me coming to Beacon."

"I can't say I get it but whatever makes you feel comfortable," Ruby said as she returned her attention to the floor number display.

Weiss let out a small sigh, relieved that it didn't look like Ruby was going to press the issue. While she had opened up more to her young leader more than anyone else in recent memory, her family remained a touchy subject that she didn't want to think too much about. Maybe one day she'd tell her about all of that but certainly not today.

As the door opened with a soft "ding", Ruby and Weiss exited into the Tower's communication room. As would be expected, the room was filled with computer terminals to facilitate transcontinental communications. Not only did they line nearly the entire circumference of the room, there was also a rough three-by-three grid splayed out in the center with each desk containing six computers. Being at the top of the tower, the room was also lined with large windows spanning nearly floor-to-ceiling that gave a spectacular view of the city.

Ruby and Weiss made their way to the reception desk near the front center of the room, a holographic woman appearing behind it as they got close.

"Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit center. How may I help you?" the hologram asked pleasantly.

Weiss gestured towards Ruby so the younger girl spoke first. "I'd like to place a call to Taiyang Xiao Long in Patch, please!"

"Absolutely. Could you please verify your identity?" Ruby took out her Scroll and pulled up her Virtual Identification Card before placing it in a special slot on the desk. "Excellent. If you could head over to Terminal 3, Miss Rose, I'll patch you through."

"Thank you!" Ruby said before giving her partner a reassuring smile and walking off. Weiss waited for a moment for the virtual intelligence to continue.

"Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit center. How may I help you?" the hologram repeated.

"I need to make a call to Schnee Dust Company World Headquarters in Atlas."

"Absolutely. Could you please verify your identity?" Weiss did the same as Ruby. "Excellent. If you could head over to Terminal 4, Miss Schnee, I'll patch you through."

Thanking the hologram out of habit, Weiss made her way to her assigned terminal, ignoring the other people present. Somewhat regrettably, there was a man on Terminal 5 to her right and Ruby was on Terminal 3 directly across from her which complicated matters slightly but she'd just have to make it work. So long as she didn't openly discuss company secrets, it should be fine.

Weiss took a seat and sighed deeply before starting the call. On the monitor appeared a short-haired brunette working away at her computer, the Schnee family emblem slowly rotating behind her.

"Thank you for calling the Atlas—" the woman, her name tag identified her as Lisa, looked up and let out a surprised sound at the sight of who she was talking to. "Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well."

"No, thank you!" Weiss said with a somewhat forced smile. "I was just wanting to make an inquiry."

"Absolutely! What can I help you with, Miss Schnee?"

"Are you familiar with the attempted robbery of a shipment of Dust from the Schnee Dust Company at Vale's shipping yard about two months ago?"

Lisa hummed in thought for a moment, "I recall hearing about it but I don't know many details other than that the White Fang were involved and they were stopped by a group of students."

"Excellent. I was wondering why the Schnee Dust Company didn't hire any security for such a large shipment given the rash of Dust robberies that had occurred earlier. If you would be so kind as to send the SDC's transaction report for that month, I'd be ever grateful."

"Of course! That certainly is an excellent question. Do you mind telling me what you're looking for?" Lisa asked as she worked away at her computer.

Weiss placed her Scroll into a slot next to her keyboard that connected it to the computer. "Just any discrepancies. I know Father and there's no way he would be that unprepared."

"Well, there you are. Those should be the files you requested." Weiss' Scroll beeped in notification as she removed it from the dock and began glancing over the files to make sure nothing was missing. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Not right now, thank you. I may call back momentarily, however, depending on what I find."

"Of course. I'll be sure to keep my line clear for you for the next hour."

"Thank you very much. Have a great day."

Weiss ended the call and immediately turn her attention back to her Scroll. While transaction reports always made for dry reading, her Father's training made her more than used to such tasks. Nothing seemed out-of-place until she reached the entry regarding payment to an entity listed as Steele Securities Inc. A quick search on her Scroll revealed that, as the name implied, they were a security firm that specialized in guard detail and had a good reputation. With their contact information in hand, Weiss tapped on an icon on the computer screen to call up the VI and placed a call.

"Thank you for calling Steele Securities where your protection is our gain. How may I help you?" The person who answered the call was, interestingly enough, a male Faunus. His dark, scaled skin marked his as some form of reptile but Weiss couldn't guess beyond that.

"Yes, my name is Weiss Schnee, daughter of Jacque Schnee and heiress to the Schnee Dust Company," Weiss said formally as she sent over her proof of identity. "It has come to my attention that, approximately two months ago, your company was hired to protect a large shipment of Dust traveling by ship from Atlas to Vale. However, when that ship arrived, your company was nowhere to be seen nor were they present when said shipment was nearly stolen. I am calling to inquire as to the reason for your company's failure of duty."

The Faunus man blinked in shock for a few moments before recollecting himself, even though his nervousness was still evident in the mild tremor in his voice. "Ah, yes, right. I'm afraid I can't answer that but, if you'll give me a moment, I'll gladly transfer you to someone who can."

"Of course. Take your time."

The image changed to a generic one of the company's logo as Weiss relaxed in her chair slightly. So far, this had been going fairly well but she couldn't help but feel a bit on edge about the whole matter. This wasn't just some class project, after all, she was investigating a potentially serious criminal matter. Not only had she never done anything like this before, business negotiations (which is what her brain was apparently classifying this as) always left her vaguely nervous. Couple that with the fact that she might end up having to deal directly with her father and that made for a very on edge Weiss.

As she sat back in her chair with her eyes closed, Weiss couldn't help but overhear Ruby talking to her father on the other side of the small screen between them. While she couldn't see the other girl and didn't feel like concentrating enough to make out what she was saying, her leader's upbeat, energetic voice was enough to act as a sort of balm for her nerves. She let herself sink into that feeling for a moment but, before she could question it, a beep from her computer snapped her back to reality. She straightened her posture and put on a neutral smile just in time for the screen to change.

"G'day, Miss Schnee. Name's Oliver Steele." The man that appeared on the screen was a very rough looking, middle-aged man with combed back, grey-flecked black hair and goatee. He looked more like someone ready to go out for a five-mile hike than someone running a business but Weiss figured that, in this case, an exception could be made. "Secretary said you had an issue with my company?"

"I wouldn't necessarily call it an issue, I was just curious as to why your men weren't present when we had hired you."

"Well, that'd be because ya didn't. A few days after you blokes hired us, you called back and canceled the contract."

"We did what? Why would we do that?"

"That's what I wanted ta know. The bloke on the phone said that you lot had something else worked out."

"So, we canceled the contract and you didn't issue a refund?"

"What are you talkin' about? We issued a refund right away," the man said, becoming slightly offended.

"If you did, it's not our records," Weiss replied, quickly scanning through them again just to be sure.

"Well, it sure as bloody hell is on ours. Sounds like you've got yourself a clerical error."

"It seems we do. Thank you for your time and I apologize for the inconvenience."

"It's quite alright. Just be sure to keep us in mind next time ya need something protected."

"I'll be sure to do that. Have a good day, Mister Steele."

"You too, Miss Schnee."

Weiss leaned back in her chair and sighed as the call ended. Something strange was going on here but she just couldn't figure out what it was. Who would the SDC cancel their contract with Steele Securities when a replacement hadn't been found? Why wasn't the refund listed in the records if it happened a few days after the purchase and thus within the same month? It just raised too many questions.

Just as Weiss reached out to place another call to the SDC, a voice from her left made her jump slightly. "How's it going, Weiss?" Ruby said as she rounded the desk to her partner's side.

"Oh! Ruby! It's going… well, I suppose. I still have at least one more call to make, though. Are you finished talking with your father?"

"Yep! I told him all about what's been going on and about you and Blake and Shirou and everyone else! Things have been fine in Patch, too. Since you're still busy, I'm just gonna wait outside, okay?"

"Okay. I'll try not to take too long."

"Take your time! We're in no hurry. I'll see you when you get done!"

Weiss watched Ruby as she walked off for a moment before turning her attention back to the computer and placing another call to the SDC.

"Oh, Miss Schnee! I'm glad you called back. Did you find anything?" Lisa asked as soon as the call connected.

"As a matter of fact, I did," Weiss said before going over what she had discovered.

Lisa hummed in thought, "That's certainly suspicious. I was also doing some digging of my own and have the name of the employee who was responsible for hiring security. Going through their records now, I can see where the second call was placed."

"What about the refund?"

"It should have been listed on that file I sent you but let me… No, it's not listed on next month's, either. As far as I can tell, we have no record of the refund."

Weiss was silent for a moment as she mulled the possibilities over in her mind. "Do you think this was planned?"

"Are you suggesting that we have a White Fang mole?"

"It wouldn't be the first time."

Lisa hummed. "It's entirely possible. I feel like we've gone as far with this as we can. It should be brought to your father's attention immediately. Do you want me to patch you through to him?"

Weiss fought back a grimace at the idea and kept her face carefully neutral, "No, I have other matters I need to attend to. If you could pass this information along to him, I'd greatly appreciate it. While you're at it, pass along a bonus request under my recommendation."

"Thank you very much, Miss Schnee!" Lisa said as her face lit up. "I hope you have a pleasant day!"

A/N: So, about those other changes I made that I mentioned in V2C1. The location of the CTT tower is one of them. I find its location in canon to be nonsensical given that it's a public building and Beacon is a private school. Then there's the small town around it that we never see signs of whenever we see a distant shot of Beacon. It also means that Ruby and Weiss freaking teleported in order to arrive at the highway for the Paladin fight. Either that or Blake was running for hours (which has other problems since Yang was right behind them on her motorcycle). Given all of that, I moved the tower to downtown Vale. This, naturally, means that some other small changes had to be made which led to a bit of a headache as I tried to get everything to work.

But hey, I'm pretty sure I got everything to work and make sense and it gave me a chance to do some more minor worldbuilding which is always nice.

Anyway, once again, Merry Christmas to all! I hope you all have a wonderful day (or had a wonderful day, for those reading it after the fact). To those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful day, too! I'll see you all next week!