88

Chapter 88:

It was the work of just a minute or so for Jaune to call Pyrrha and Weiss, informing them that Ozpin wanted to speak with them, as well as Team RYNB. After that, it was several moments of tense waiting, while everyone made their way to Glynda's suite in the faculty quarters. In the meantime, Ozpin departed briefly, promising he would be back by the time the others arrived, or maybe just a little bit after.

All the while, Ruby remained in the guest room with Amber, the two of them talking in low voices, though an occasional giggle or laugh could be heard. Whatever it was they were talking about, it seemed that they were enjoying their conversation immensely.

A few minutes later, Weiss and Pyrrha arrived. The two of them were tense, not all that surprising, given it was Glynda's room that they'd been called to. Generally, one was only ever summoned into the presence of the Deputy Headmistress when something about their behavior needed to be called into account. However, they relaxed, seeing Jaune sitting on one of the couches in the living room, looking quite comfortable and at ease. Meanwhile, Glynda bustled about the kitchen, actually going through the trouble of putting together a lunch for her guests.

The idea of Glynda cooking was strange enough to the students. Seeing her in action was even more disconcerting, as Glynda used her Semblance freely to help with preparation, her telekinesis moving containers, ingredients, and utensils, allowing her to perform several tasks simultaneously. It reminded them of a scene from a certain fantasy cartoon…though the scene in question had involved mops and buckets of water. Of course, they knew better than to worry about Glynda flooding the kitchen.

Yang arrived only a couple minutes after Weiss and Pyrrha, with Ren and Nora on her heels. Blake was the last to arrive, having once again been ensconced in the library, when she'd received the call for them to report to Glynda's quarters.

"Wow, pretty swanky place here, Professor," said Yang, surveying Glynda's domain.

"Thank you for saying so," said Glynda, actually smiling at the compliment, the mere action unsettling Yang even more than any stern reprimand might have.

"Where's Ruby?" asked Pyrrha, concerned. "I thought she was here."

"She is here," said Glynda, using her telekinesis to deliver a pair of trays to the coffee table in the living room. One tray was set with a coffee service, the other for tea. The students were free to decide which they preferred. "At present, she is talking with a guest of mine. That will be a part of this conversation as well."

"Is she all right?" asked Weiss, looking pointedly at Jaune.

"Most certainly in good health," agreed Glynda. "I believe we have Mr. Arc to thank for that."

Jaune blushed, averting his eyes as the others laughed.

They chatted amongst themselves for a bit, while sipping from their cups. After a few more minutes, Ruby emerged from the guest room.

"Does Amber require anything?" asked Glynda, looking up at Ruby.

"She's resting," said Ruby. "I guess I tired her out by talking so much."

"It's the most activity she's had since waking up," said Glynda. "Hopefully that will help settle her for a while. I may have to call upon you again, Ms. Rose, seeing as Amber seems to enjoy talking with you so much."

Ruby blushed, hearing Jaune chuckle, but noticing that the rest of her friends were now there...and staring at her with expressions of curiosity and confusion. "Um..."

"We're going to tell them everything," said Jaune. "Goodwitch and Ozpin gave their permission."

"Oh..." said Ruby.

"Who were you talking to?" asked Yang.

"A friend I just made," said Ruby, smiling. "I guess we get to explain that now. But it's probably best to start at the beginning."

"What are we waiting for then?" asked Weiss.

"Ozpin," said Glynda plainly. "He was to be present for this as well, though he has yet to return from...wherever it is that he has gone."

They waited a few more minutes, before Ruby sensed Ozpin's approach...along with company, someone she wasn't surprised to sense in his presence, given the circumstances. She was already getting up to answer the door, before Ozpin knocked on it.

"Thank you all for waiting," said Ozpin, entering the room...with Kyo behind him.

"What's he doing here?" asked Yang harshly.

"Ozpin-dono invited me," said Kyo cheerfully, completely unbothered by the anger being directed at him by most of the other people in the room.

Ruby sighed. "You weren't kidding, were you?"

"Yes, they are rather upset with me," said Kyo. "I suppose I deserve that."

"You deliberately put your own sister's life at risk, against a real enemy, just so she could learn a technique," Weiss pointed out.

"I don't deny that," said Kyo. "Sasame and I also abandoned her on the edge of Sanus to travel on her own across well over several-hundred miles' worth of hostile, Grimm-infested terrain with nary a second thought. And that's to say nothing of the things we allowed her to experience, back in Leng. So this is hardly an unusual practice for us."

"It is how I came to Vale," added Ruby sheepishly.

"Yes, but you actively stopped us from helping her," Pyrrha pointed out.

"I apologize for disrupting the team dynamic," said Kyo, rubbing the back of his head in that familiar gesture of his. "However, Ruby-chan has always been so very passionate about learning the Raikoken. Assessing the situation, I determined that this would be the best possible opportunity for that, so...I...well..." He chuckled. "I suppose I just wanted to indulge her in that respect. She is my sister after all, and I do tend to want to dote on her."

"Kyo-nii..." whined Ruby, blushing, which only prompted Kyo to laugh and fondly ruffle her hair.

That's his idea of doting on her? thought Yang incredulously.

And, from the way Ruby's reacting, it really seems like the kind of thing he would spoil her with, Pyrrha thought.

In unison, everyone found themselves having the exact same thought. These siblings are weird.

"In any case, Kyo knows enough about the particulars of this situation that he is qualified to be present," said Ozpin. "I invited James as well. However, he has other matters to attend to, with the Vytal Festival coming up, and couldn't spare the time, though he did send his approval."

I wasn't expecting that, thought Glynda, as she continued to work in the kitchen.

Ironwood's fixation on security bordered on paranoia at times. He had balked at the idea of letting Ruby in on the most basic aspects of this situation. Sure, after the exceptional performance of RASP and RYNB on their missions, he had begun to show more faith in them, but it still felt like an exceptional leap for him to be willing to entrust the members of both teams with the full story. Perhaps Amber's recovery and the death of Cinder changed his mind in that respect, thought Glynda.

"Now then, let us begin," said Ozpin. "What is your favorite fairy tale...?"

"I hope you know what you're doing, Whitley," growled Jacques Schnee, looking intently over his desk at his son.

Jacques was the very image of a respectable businessman. His grayish-white hair was slicked back over his head, combed to perfection, while the bushy mustache beneath his nose was likewise flawlessly groomed. Combined with the pristine white, double-breasted jacket he wore over his light-blue shirt and gray tie; his appearance spoke of perfection and control. He was a man who exercised control over even the most minuscule details of his life, as well as the lives of those who lived beneath him, including his own children...or that was how he would have preferred it.

Two of his three children had caused him no shortage of grief, though, despite his best efforts. Winter had gone to Atlas Academy, and become enamored with the military life, deciding to serve under Ironwood as a Specialist, rather than properly assume her mantle as first in line to inherit the SDC. When he realized that Winter would not conform to the role that he had set out for her, Jacques had disinherited her, and moved on to his next daughter.

Weiss had proven a disappointment as well. True, her ability as a singer, combined with her delicate, refined appearance had served to win her a strong following, back when she'd still been performing. In that respect, she would have been an admirable support for Winter, serving to polish the Schnee Family's public image to a fine luster.

However, Weiss had never really grasped the nuances of running the SDC to his satisfaction, and her occasional bouts of willfulness led to him doubting that he could mold her properly. The fact that she had outright defied him by going to Beacon Academy, in another Kingdom entirely, only served to cement that impression. On top of that, she went on to besmirch the name of the Schnees and the SDC by attending a formal event with a faunus, despite the clever reason she had given for it. No, to Jacques' mind, Weiss was not suited to take over the SDC, and it was only a matter of time before she gave him all the reason he needed to strip her of the title, and bestow it on his third child, the only one he had found truly worthy of the position.

That third child stood before him now. Whitely Schnee; the youngest, and only, son of the Schnee family; shared his sisters' attributes in many ways, having the same pale complexion, pale-blue eyes, and white hair. His build was thin and slender, fit, but not particularly athletic. His hair was cut much shorter than his sisters, his bangs combed to the left of his head, and a small cowlick sprouting from the top. Like Jacques, his clothing was immaculate, consisting of a short-sleeved white shirt, with the sleeves fastened just above his elbows. All of that was beneath a light-blue vest, accented with a black tie. Navy-blue trousers and black dress-shoes completed the ensemble.

Whitely stood, his position relaxed, yet also respectful, arms folded behind his back as he smiled at his father across the desk.

"Of course, Father," said Whitely, his voice smooth, almost oily. "I assure you that the Vytal Festival will afford us with ample opportunities to secure my...position."

"Weiss managed to squeak through the last test I gave her," said Jacques. "She will give up the game soon enough. There is no need for you to go to Vale. I will handle matters."

"Come now, Father," said Whitley. "If I do not do some 'handling' of my own, how could anyone say that I properly earned my place as your heir? Please, leave Weiss to me. Besides, it is for the best that we not leave any ill feelings behind."

"I hope you're not going soft on your sister," growled Jacques.

Whitley chuckled, his smirking smile widening. "Hardly, Father. I'm just thinking further ahead. You know just how much of a sore loser Weiss is." After all, you're the one who raised her to be like that, he added silently, though he kept that particular thought to himself. After all, that was a trait that Jacques had fostered in all his children, mainly because he himself held "loss" of any kind to be an unacceptable outcome. "Better that she be...convinced...to give up her position willingly, than be left thinking she was cheated out of it."

"Who cares what she thinks?" growled Jacques. "At this point, I'm prepared to cut that ungrateful brat loose."

"As I said, I'm just thinking further ahead," explained Whitley. "If Weiss believes she was cheated out of the inheritance, she will oppose it, fight it. Yes, that would do next to nothing to change your mind. However, it would make things inconvenient, damaging even, depending on how she chooses to fight it. I believe that, even if she isn't a suitable heir, she remains a potential asset. Isn't it better to keep such assets close and available, rather than cause ourselves greater inconvenience down the road?"

"You have a point," conceded Jacques.

It was that far-sighted shrewdness that had convinced Jacques that Whitley was his ideal heir. Rather than the boorish, violent tendencies of his sisters, Whitley was possessed of a refined, analytical mind, and a willingness to think his way out of problems, rather than try to hack and slash past them. Whitley was always thinking ahead, always weighing costs and benefits, and always leaving the dirty work to others. That was proper for someone who would, one day, be leading the most powerful company in Remnant.

"Besides," added Whitley, "the Vytal Festival is a fine opportunity for us. There will be numerous events that I can use to build relations with potential investors. After your last...shall we say...interaction...with Vale, I'm afraid quite a few feathers were ruffled. It is for the best if someone from the family is on hand to soothe them. On top of that, it will afford me more opportunities to work on Weiss."

"It might afford you opportunities to find a suitable companion for yourself," added Jacques.

"Perhaps," said Whitley. "Though that is a secondary concern at present. Please be patient, Father. I am sure that I will furnish you with a suitable heir in due time."

"The daughter of Soleil is in Vale right now," Jacques pointed out. "Being a specialist is useless for the purposes of leading the company. But having one for your wife, to say nothing of having an additional tie to the military, would not be a bad thing at all."

"I will keep that in mind," said Whitley, though he'd already crossed Ciel Soleil off the list of candidates some time ago. After all, the son of the Elric Family had apparently caught her eye, so he thought his chances slim, not that he had ever made any attempts a courting her. There were other things to consider, when selecting a potential wife, not that he was in any hurry to.

"I look forward to your results, Whitley," said Jacques. "You are the only member of this family who seems to truly understand the importance of our position."

"Of course, Father," said Whitley. "I shall not disappoint you."

"You are free to go then," said Jacques, nodding towards the door.

"Thank you, Father," said Whitley, turning on his heel and walking casually out the door, shutting it behind him.

As he made his way through the pristine, white-marble halls of the Schnee manor, Whitley's scroll rang in his pocket. Taking it out, his smile widened as he saw the contact listed. Bringing it up to his ear, he answered it. "It's good to hear from you. Did you manage to come through?"

He listened to the response. "An Ursa Major? Excellent! I take it that it's already been secured in the usual location...Good. I'll be right down."

Tucking his scroll away, Whitley made his way down into the manor's basement. Much of the basement served as nothing more than storage space, or space for the myriad pieces of machinery that served the manor above. However, the basement was also a space where his family had set up to handle more...discreet...matters.

Whitley's walk took him to a pair of heavy, armored doors. Forged from the finest steel alloys, they could handle a sustained artillery barrage without breaking, just the sort of barrier they needed, should the things on the other side of that door become...unmanageable. Stepping to the keypad, Whitley keyed in his code to the door, before shifting to bring his eye up to the scanner mounted above the pad, allowing it to scan his retina to confirm his identity.

That taken care of, the doors slid apart from one another, the heavy metal groaning. Whitley stepped through the doors, which slid back closed behind him. The groaning sound of the doors did little to stifle the snarls, growls, and roars of the room's primary occupant.

"Quite a fine specimen," said Whitley, lips pulling back to show a faint grin.

"Nothing but the best for you, Young Master," said the disheveled Huntsman, rubbing his hands together greedily.

Before Whitley was the massive form of an Ursa Major, the monstrous, powerfully-built Grimm dwarfing him several times over. At the sight of the human appearing before it, the creature shifted its weight, lunging forward, jaws wide open. To his credit, Whitley didn't so much as flinch as the Ursa's jaws closed with a loud snap, mere inches away from his face. The beast had been restrained, advanced alloy chains holding its limbs, which had been broken to keep it from exerting its full strength.

Capturing Grimm alive was an exceedingly difficult task, even for veteran Huntsmen. It went beyond the danger the Grimm themselves presented, should the measures taken to restrain them fail. Captive Grimm had a tendency to die unexpectedly, sometimes for no apparent reason. Capturing one, and then hobbling it to this extent, was an even more impressive feat, one that Whitley had only ever seen this Huntsman, who was mainly known by the moniker, "The Grimm Wrangler," perform. This particular man had a skill for capturing Grimm alive, and in a variety of states that suited the needs of his clients.

In this case, Whitley wanted Grimm that were restrained almost completely, in a state where they could easily be finished off. Smiling at the sight of this impressive windfall, he held out his right hand.

The Huntsman passed Whitley a large-bore pistol, the most powerful gun of its kind, capable of firing much more powerful Dust-cartridges than most handguns. Taking the gun in his left hand, Whitley lined it up with the center of the Ursa's head, right between its glowing, angry, red eyes. He waited a second as the beast thrashed against its chains to make sure the shot was properly lined up, then pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gunshot was terrific. The kick of the gravity-round that Whitley had just fired was capable of breaking the arm of an average man. As it was, the recoil was enough to send him stumbling back several steps to slam his shoulders into the door, his arm swinging up to point the gun at the ceiling, before he recovered and lowered it.

Still, his shot had hit its mark, and the Ursa Major slumped against its restraints, a significant portion of its head missing. A few seconds later, the dead Grimm dissolved.

Whitley grunted, massaging his left forearm. "Unpleasant as always," he said.

"Perhaps if you trained more, Young Master," suggested the Huntsman, carefully prying the gun from Whitley's hand, Whitley grunting in pain as he did so.

"The pain is actually important, believe it or not," said Whitley, holding up his arm and examining it. "I will be fine in a few hours. The bone is not displaced."

"True," agreed the Huntsman.

Whitley smiled at the man, before reaching into his pocket with his uninjured right hand, and pulling out his scroll. He tapped the screen a few times, utilizing the necessary applications. "Your payment has been routed to your account, as per our agreement...along with a nice bonus for the impressive specimen you managed to secure. You have my gratitude."

"Your generosity is greatly appreciated," said the Huntsman, bowing to Whitley. "I shall try to outdo my success with the next one."

"I am sure that you will," replied Whitley.

The Huntsman took his leave through a small side-door, leaving Whitley alone in the room.

"Now then..." said Whitley, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. Then, he turned towards the open floor, where the Ursa had once been, and extended his right hand.

With a flicker of blue-white light, a Glyph appeared on the floor, a quartet of swords arranged with their tips pointing outwards. The light of the Glyph intensified to almost blinding levels, before vanishing in a flash. When the light subsided, the glowing blue and white figure of a massive Ursa Major stood before Whitley, looking at him, before slowly bowing its head in submission.

"Excellent," said Whitley, dismissing the Summon, before examining his left arm again.

Whitley Schnee had never liked pain. Even when it came to maintaining his physical fitness, he only worked out hard enough to keep his body slim and healthy, the bare minimum necessary. He'd never liked the prospect of combat, never enjoyed the idea of employing a weapon. He had certainly never entertained the notion of becoming a Huntsman. Such things were not for him, something he knew his sisters looked down on him for.

Perhaps this was overkill. After all, as the prospective heir to the SDC, with the favor of his father, Whitley had access to untold resources. He could afford to hire the best combatants to serve as his security, arrange for the finest technology to guard him. He could easily keep himself safe and happy from the likes of the White Fang without having to so much as lift a finger.

And yet, Whitley knew that it wasn't enough. Multiple members of the SDC's Board of Directors employed similar security measures. But they had been abducted by the White Fang and executed, in spite of those measures. Security could fail, be subverted, or plain overpowered. The unexpected was always possible. Life had taught Whitley an important lesson. One could never have too many cards in their hand, and Whitley had invested a great deal of time, and his personal funds, into placing as many cards into his hand as he could.

Finally, Whitley opened the door and exited the room, heading back the way he came, making for his room, where he could recuperate. Even though his left hand and arm were throbbing in pain, Whitley smiled. I think I'm going to enjoy this trip to Vale.

"This is...just unbelievable," said Weiss, as Ozpin wrapped up his explanation about the Maidens, and their power. "You're saying that magic is real, and that the Maidens of the fairy tale are real...and one of them is behind that door?" She gestured to the door to the guest room.

"Yes," said Ozpin plainly.

"It's...a lot to take in," said Ren softly.

"Believe me, it gets weirder," said Ruby, grimacing slightly.

"There's more!" gasped Nora, her eyes going wide.

"Yep," said Ruby, giving Ozpin a sidelong look, which prompted him the chuckle.

Their discussion had migrated to Glynda's dining room table, which had enough seating for all of them. Glynda had wasted no time setting out lunch, having proved to be quite the able chef, even when cooking for such a large number.

"So what else is there?" asked Blake.

"Well...you know the Wizard from the story?" said Ruby.

"Yes," said Pyrrha, her eyes widening.

"He's sitting right there," said Ruby, gesturing to Ozpin.

Ozpin smirked and raised his hand. "Hello again."

Jaws dropped around the table.

"You've got to be lying," said Yang.

"Well...I am no stranger to such deceptions," said Ozpin. "But this is no deception."

"So you can do magic too?" gasped Nora, her eyes going even wider.

"Not so much," admitted Ozpin with a sigh. "Many ages ago, generations past, I shared the bulk of my power with four young women, who had rekindled my faith in humanity. Since then, my magic has been virtually nonexistent."

"Uh...just how long ago was this?" asked Jaune.

"I no longer have an exact count," said Ozpin. "A few centuries at least."

"Wow..." deadpanned Yang. "How old are you, 'cause I'd swear you don't look a day past your two-hundred."

Ozpin laughed at her jest. "It's very kind of you to say so, Ms. Xiao Long. The truth is, I am both older and younger than you think. You see, long ago, I was...cursed."

"Cursed?" asked Ruby, canting her head. This was new to her. It hadn't occurred to her to question Ozpin's age.

"Yes, Ms. Rose," said Ozpin, looking to her. "You can sense my Aura. No doubt you have noticed its...unusual nature."

Ruby swallowed, nodding. "It's...like...multiplied."

"Huh?" grunted Weiss.

"He has more than one Aura," explained Ruby. "They're all different. But they're all him too. It's weird to describe. It's like layers all sandwiched and pressed together, until they're all one thing. But you can still see the layers...sort of."

"Probably as apt a description as one can provide," said Kyo.

Ozpin nodded. "The nature of my curse forces me to live through multiple lives. When I die, I am reincarnated within the body of a likeminded soul. Over time, that soul assimilates with my own, and the souls of all those that have come before me."

Ozpin stared sadly at the table. "This body once belonged to a young man, with no aspirations of becoming a Huntsman. I appeared within him one day. From there, he was forced onto a path to becoming a Huntsman. Gradually, our souls merged, he and me becoming one, his identity being...subsumed...into mine. I have been through this...many times."

"That's..." Ruby didn't know what to say. She could scarcely imagine such an experience. Presumably, the man who Ozpin had been...before he became Ozpin...had dreams and aspirations of his own. However, his entire life had been derailed, and even his identity becoming another one of the layers of souls that made up Ozpin's soul. It was a terrible fate, one that neither Ozpin, nor the one he was reincarnated into, could avert.

"Who would do something like that?" gasped Blake, horrified. "What kind of monster would put such a terrible curse on you?"

Ozpin's smile became bitter. "Not a monster...but a god."

"God...?" whispered Ruby, feeling faint.

Ozpin sighed. "It is best to go back to the beginning. There are many legends and tales in the world of Remnant. Some of them have a grain of truth to them. And, as you have learned from the story about the Maidens, some of them are truth. This particular legend is one of the oldest, and known only to a few.

"Long ago, there were two brothers, gods. The eldest was the God of Light and Creation. The younger was the God of Darkness and Destruction. For a long time, the two of them were in conflict. What the elder brother created, the younger would destroy. The elder brother created life. The younger brother created death. Across the ages, they competed, the younger brother trying to outdo the things his elder brother created by creating things to destroy them. As the pinnacle of that effort, the God of Darkness created a twisted perversion of life; monsters, beasts that existed solely to destroy and kill all that lived."

"The Creatures of Grimm," said Ruby, her eyes widening.

Ozpin nodded. "This continued for a long time. Finally, the God of Light came to the conclusion that their conflict would prove to be fruitless, possibly ending in their mutual destruction. To prevent that, he proposed a cessation to the conflict. As a means of forging peace between them, he proposed that they collaborate on one final creation. The God of Darkness agreed.

"So the two brothers pooled their power and breathed life into something new. The God of Light granted this new creation with his gifts of Creation and Knowledge. The God of Darkness bestowed it with the gifts of Choice and Destruction. The result of this collaboration was a lifeform never before seen in the world...humanity.

"Content with their creation, the brothers withdrew from the world, but not before leaving behind some traces of themselves. They left four Relics, artifacts imbued with the very essence of the gifts they had bestowed upon humanity: Creation, Knowledge, Choice, and Destruction."

"I'm guessing the Relics are the important part," said Ren.

Ozpin nodded. "They are powerful magical artifacts. If they fell into the wrong hands, they could wreak untold destruction, and throw the world into chaos."

"Are the bad guys trying to find them then?" asked Jaune. "If that's the case, I guess we should be trying to find them first."

"If these Relics are so important, why are they even bothering with the Maidens?" asked Blake. "Where do they fit into all of this?"

"In answer to Mr. Arc's question, we know where the Relics are. Unfortunately, so do our enemies...in a general sense.

"In answer to Ms. Belladonna's question, the Maidens are important, because they are the keys to the Relics."

"What do you mean?" asked Weiss.

"The Relics are here," said Ruby softly, "at Beacon...aren't they?" She paused, her forehead creasing as she thought it through. "No! That's not right! There are four Academies! That means..."

"Correct, Ms. Rose," said Ozpin, giving her an approving look. "One of the Relics is hidden within each Academy. They are each stored in a secret place, within a special chamber. And the keys to those chambers are..."

"The Maidens," finished Pyrrha. "So Cinder wasn't just after the Fall Maiden's power for its own sake, but because it's the key to accessing the Relic, probably the one right here, at Beacon!"

"Well, I believe that Cinder Fall's actions were born of a considerable lust for power, first and foremost," said Ozpin, sighing. "But yes, the enemy's longterm goals are to acquire the Relics themselves."

"You say enemy like they're still out there," said Weiss suspiciously. "Does that mean that Cinder...was working for someone else?"

"Yes," said Ozpin, his expression darkening. "Her name...is Salem. The truth is...we know little about her."

Across the table, Kyo raised a single eyebrow, though the gesture went unnoticed by everyone at the table, save Ozpin.

Ozpin continued. "Long ago, I was cursed by the gods for failing to stop her. As such, I have fought Salem across the centuries, me trying to put an end to her destructive ways, while she tries to tear down everything that humanity has built."

Kyo was no longer smiling, though, again, the change in his expression was unnoticed by everyone except Ozpin.

"So...that means that, even with Cinder gone...it's not over," said Ruby.

Ozpin nodded. "Cinder Fall has been brought down, her plan ruined. However, so long as Salem is still active, she will come again. She will find new pawns, make new plans, and continue her work. Even now, some of her pieces are still in place. The virus that Cinder planted in Vale's CCT remains, and we are waiting for Ironwood's expert from Atlas to arrive and remove it. Even though the White Fang encampment in Mountain Glenn was destroyed, and everything that they invested in their planned attack was lost, the overall disposition of the White Fang remains in question."

"According to Ilia, it was limited to the Vale Branch," said Blake. "Sienna Khan sent her in order to spy on Adam and learn what he was up to."

"Assuming you can trust her words," commented Glynda.

Blake bristled at that, but Ozpin held up a hand, forestalling her angry response.

"Considering that Ms. Amitola was the one who provided the critical information on the planned attack and smuggled our teams past her own forces' perimeter in order to stop it, I believe she was speaking in earnest. However, the question remains of just how much of a threat the Vale Branch presents. Adam Taurus is still at large, after all."

Blake settled and nodded slowly, silently dreading the fact that they had no idea where Adam had gone. Not even Ilia knew what had happened to him, only that he had been taken by someone called Jester.

"In any case, it remains to be seen whether or not one of Salem's other agents will attempt to pick up where Cinder Fall left off," continued Ozpin. "So...even though the immediate threat has been dealt with, it is for the best to keep from assuming that all is well. We must remain on our guard. Normally, I would rather that you be able to return to your lives as normal students. But you have become an integral part of this, not entirely through your own actions. You have earned the right to know the truth. But that also means that you now bear some of the responsibility for seeing this battle through."

"We understand," said Ruby, her friends all nodding.

"Thank you," said Ozpin. "For the time being, you can rest easy though. Whatever new plans Salem's agents concoct, it will be some time before they can get around to putting them into action, possibly even as far as into the next school year."

"We should be so lucky," groused Yang, with a sour look on her face.

"What about her?" asked Weiss, gesturing to the door.

"At this point, Amber's only real concern should be her own recuperation," said Ozpin. "She will need substantial physical therapy to regain her old strength, which will take both time and effort."

"Well...we have a healer in the party now," said Nora, gesturing to Jaune. "Why don't we just sic him on her and make her all better?"

"It doesn't work that way," said Ruby. "The healing arts treat actual damage and injuries. But Amber's problem is atrophy. Not even Jaune's abilities can replace lost muscle mass."

"Well, that's too bad," said Yang.

"It's fine, so long as she's okay," said Ruby. "I'm just glad she's getting better."

"It can't have been easy for her," noted Ren, "being stuck in a coma, with no idea if she would ever wake up again."

Ruby nodded, feeling tears build up behind her eyes at the thought of it.

Ozpin frowned. "Truth be told, before Ms. Rose killed Cinder Fall, we were considering...drastic measures to rectify the situation. Sadly, they would not have resulted in any good outcomes for Amber. So it is a great relief that she has regained her power, and is on the road to recovery."

"What kind of measures?" asked Pyrrha, only to flinch when Ozpin looked pointedly at her.

"Truth be told...we were planning to transfer Amber's Aura to a new host," said Ozpin. "Not even I can remove her magic, as I am currently. Allowing her to die would most likely simply have sent her magic to Cinder Fall, completing her power. So our course of desperation would be to transfer what Amber's powers were attached to, her Aura, into a viable candidate. We called this our Guardian Plan."

Ruby looked back and forth between Ozpin and Pyrrha. "Pyrrha was your candidate, wasn't she?"

"She was," agreed Ozpin.

Pyrrha gasped, turning pale. "I...I..."

"I won't lie to you, Ms. Nikos," said Ozpin gravely. "We are well aware that this plan was morally and ethically dubious, even more-so because we could not be sure of the outcome, and what it would do to you. However, we had no intention of forcing it upon you.

"Had we gone forward with it, I would have called you up, and explained what I have just told all of you, and offered you the choice to accept this responsibility or not. Had you chosen not to, we would not have discouraged you."

"Disgusting," growled Weiss, glaring at Ozpin.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Nora, looking at Weiss in confusion.

Weiss wasn't the only one glaring at Ozpin. Ren and Blake were giving him dark looks as well. Yang's own eyes were narrowed dangerously.

"You say you'd give her a choice, but you'd really just be manipulating her," said Weiss. "You know exactly what to say to Pyrrha. Just by phrasing it as a responsibility, you make it sound like her turning this plan down would be her shirking her responsibilities, which would just add extra pressure on her to go through with it."

Ozpin said nothing, appearing to accept Weiss' accusations without protest.

"As he said, we were desperate," said Glynda. "Fortunately, with Amber now on the mend, that is no longer an issue."

"Maybe so," said Weiss. "But don't expect us to forget that anytime soon."

"I cannot hold that against you," said Ozpin. "Desperation often takes us down ways that are darker than what we would normally condone. You have every right to resent me for it. Above all else, I am glad that it did not come to that."

"Weiss...it's over," said Ruby, reaching across to her teammate, gently patting Weiss' hand. "Let's just move on."

Weiss glared at Ozpin for a few more seconds, before exhaling loudly. "Fine," she grumbled.

"Speaking of moving on...what now?" asked Jaune.

"For now, you return to your normal lives as students," said Ozpin. "I will not say that you may not be asked to take on special missions in the future. But, for now, set worries about Salem and her plans aside, and enjoy your time at Beacon. Thanks to you, the Vytal Festival is under less risk of being the target of attack."

"Of course, please do keep your eyes and ears open," said Glynda. "If you see or hear anything that raises your suspicions, bring it to us, and we shall look into the matter."

"Roger," said Nora, saluting playfully.

"Now that that has all been addressed, you are dismissed," said Ozpin.

The students and Kyo got up from their seats. However, Ruby lingered behind for a moment, looking plaintively at Ozpin and Glynda. "Um...about Amber...would it be possible for me to see her again?"

Ozpin and Glynda both smiled at Ruby. "Of course," said Ozpin. "I suspect that you and Amber shall become good friends. I am certain that that will be an aid to her recovery."

"Thank you," said Ruby, bowing her head to the teachers, before leaving.

Ozpin and Glynda watched her go. "Truly a remarkable child," said Glynda softly.

"And she's only just getting started," added Ozpin.

"What happened?" growled Adam, staring at the empty space, where the White Fang encampment he'd left behind had once been.

Returning from the training he'd been forced by Jester to undergo, Adam had expected the encampment to be empty, of course. But he'd also expected to return, and see Vale still reeling from the effects of the breach. He'd expected to see clouds of smoke rising from the center of the Kingdom, buildings in ruins, families mourning fallen loved ones, and countless people howling for the Council and Ozpin to take responsibility for their failures. He had expected to see the streets stained with blood.

Backtracking to the White Fang base, it had become apparent why. The train was gone. A short journey down the tunnel showed it buried beneath a pile of rubble, dropped down on it from the mountain above.

"Looks like things went south," observed Jester, his bells tinkling as he glanced up at the broken ceiling. "Whoever did this knew their business. That's for sure."

"I knew I shouldn't have left," growled Adam.

"Eh, if you'd been here, as you were, things still wouldn't have worked out," said Jester with a shrug. "Your temper issues would have kept pushing the project back, until it was so far behind schedule that it couldn't be salvaged. I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

"How can you be so blithe about this?" demanded Adam, sweeping his arm to encompass the ruined train. "All our work and planning, all the resources we invested...Ruined! Gone! Wasted!"

"That's what happens sometimes," said Jester indifferently. "I'm used to seeing a plan come to naught. As the old saying goes...If at first you don't succeed, try try again. 'Course, that's a lot easier for me than most people."

"I get the feeling that Cinder does not share that attitude," snarled Adam.

"That's because, in her own way, my Little Sparkler is even more immature than you are," said Jester, grinning and tapping Adam's forehead playfully. "I guess I should check in on her too. In the meantime, you should get back to training. You have more work to do, if you're going to master your new blade."

Adam's gaze went to the weapon that had replaced Wilt and Blush. An enormous, curved sword now hung at his back, secured by leather straps that would allow him to bring it around to his left hip, so that he could draw it like his old blade. Even though it was merely a sword, featuring no transformational capabilities, nor was the sheath a weapon in its own right, it was a weapon that far surpassed his old one. Once mastered, it would make him truly unstoppable on the battlefield. But mastering it was proving a difficult task indeed, even with Jester's unique method of assistance.

"So be it," said Adam, turning and walking away from the ruins of what had once been a grand plan to bring the Kingdom of Vale to its knees.

Jester chuckled. "The boy still needs more tempering." He began to rub his hands together. "Now then...let's go see what's become of Cinder."

Ozpin had returned to his office to see to the myriad tasks required to bring the Vytal Festival together, and make it a success. Fortunately, having Ironwood's people to work with expedited those tasks considerably, given that Atlesians excelled at organization, above almost everything else.

A few moments into his work, Ozpin received notice from below that he had a guest requesting a meeting with him. Ozpin quickly approved the meeting, allowing his visitor to take the elevator up. A moment later, the doors slid open to admit none other than Kyo, who strode out, with his sheathed sword in hand.

"Ah...How can I help you, Kyo?" asked Ozpin.

"Well, I came to speak with you about your little meeting earlier," said Kyo. "I am more than a little disappointed that, despite your assurances that you would tell my sister and her friends 'everything' you continued to hide behind half-truths and lies."

"I am not sure of what you are talking about," said Ozpin.

Kyo moved to stare out the window. "Things like saying that you know 'little' about Salem," he replied. "You know her quite well, don't you? Indeed, this conflict between the two of you is quite personal." Slowly, he turned to regard Ozpin. "Marital spats can be quite severe...and yours is one for the ages."

Ozpin sighed, slumping forward to rest his elbows atop his desk, while cradling his forehead in his hands. "Leave it to the Mibu to figure so much out." Raising his head, he glared back at Kyo with uncharacteristic anger. "Still...your friend, Sasame, told me that the Mibu's history of the world is the history of the world that concerns the Mibu. I did not know that the Mibu were so concerned with my personal affairs."

"Of course your conflict concerns us," said Kyo. "Our history goes back quite a long time...longer than you could possibly realize. The pawns of those two Pretenders have always been of interest to us."

"Pretenders...?" whispered Ozpin.

Kyo chuckled. "You aren't the only one keeping secrets, Ozpin-dono. That said...there is little we can do, under the circumstances."

"What do you mean?" asked Ozpin.

"It's strange isn't it?" asked Kyo. "During the meeting earlier, you spoke of facing Salem's agents, and foiling her plans. But nothing was spoken of dealing with this problem at its source, Salem herself. Of course, it was fortunate that you were not required to explain that, as dealing with Salem permanently would be quite impossible for you...and it would do your allies no good to tell them that."

"And will you tell them that?" asked Ozpin.

"I will not," said Kyo. "Still...I hope that, someday, you find it in yourself to trust my sister with the truth...the whole truth. She is stronger than you give her credit for...which is saying something."

"And what will you do in the meantime?" asked Ozpin.

"Watch over her," said Kyo. "That is the most that we can do. I imagine you find it odd. However much power we Mibu profess to have, and however much of an eyesore we might find Salem to be...we stay our blades."

"Yes, that is odd," agreed Ozpin.

"We have an arrangement of sorts," said Kyo, "not with Salem, mind you, but with one close to her, one who is far more than he pretends to be..."

Blake had settled back in the library for some evening reading, enjoying the last of her two evenings until it was time for class to resume. However, after the discussion of the heavy affairs with Ozpin and Glynda, Blake was finding it hard to keep her mind on her book. Instead, her thoughts continued to wander to everything she had learned over the course of the discussion.

The enormity of it all was daunting. She had joined Beacon to become a Huntress, to escape her past crimes as a member of the White Fang, and, in some way, make up for them. But now, she had just learned of a conflict that spanned millennia, with the fate of everyone hanging in the balance. Now she was a part of that conflict, whether she liked it or not. So were the White Fang.

Her thoughts went to Adam, wondering where he was, then Ilia, and wondering if she was all right. With a sigh, Blake closed her book and leaned back in her seat, staring forlornly at the ceiling. She wasn't sure how much time she spent like that. However, she was eventually startled out of her reverie by the sound of her scroll.

Pulling it out, Blake found her eyes widening as she saw a call from an unknown contact. "Hello?" she asked, bringing it up to her ear. "Who is this?"

"Blake..."

Blake's eyes widened at the sound of the familiar, if slightly distorted, voice coming from her device. "Ilia! You're all right?"

"I didn't realize you were even worried," said Ilia, her tone sour.

"Of course I was," said Blake. "I mean...Kyo told us that someone knocked you out and escaped with you, before he could kill you. But we couldn't be sure you were all right."

"Yes, I'm alive," said Ilia tiredly.

Blake sniffed, and rubbed a tear from under her eye. "I'm glad to hear that."

Ilia was silent for a moment. "You really were worried, weren't you?"

"Yes," said Blake. "Ilia...whatever disagreements we have, whatever might come between us...I still think of you as a friend. No matter what, I would never wish you dead."

Again, Ilia fell silent. "You're too good for me," she said finally.

"That's not true," said Blake. "So...what are you calling about?"

"I...I have a message...for your Headmaster," said Ilia.

"Professor Ozpin...?" Blake's eyes widened, and she sat up a little straighter, her ears going upright beneath her bow.

"I have a message for him, from High Leader Khan," said Ilia.

"What?!" gasped Blake. "Wait! Does that mean-?"

"High Leader Khan is here, in Vale, right now," said Ilia, confirming Blake's suspicions. "After I reported Adam's actions to her, she came in person to put a stop to him. It's a good thing we acted when we did, as she would have been too late. However, reviewing these events have prompted High Leader Khan to reconsider the White Fang's stance.

"At the moment, dealing with the Council is out of the question. They would accept nothing less than our complete surrender. However...it is known that Professor Ozpin holds considerable power, and that he is more...flexible."

Blake thought back to what she had learned earlier, including some of the more dubious actions Ozpin was prepared to carry out for the sake of his secret war with Salem. "You're not wrong."

"Because of that, High Leader Khan wishes to meet with Professor Ozpin, and open negotiations," said Ilia. "And she was hoping that you would be the intermediary, Blake."

Blake's jaw dropped, unable to find the words to describe the situation. This could change everything!

"Jaune...is something wrong?" asked Ruby, looking at her partner and boyfriend, who was seated pensively on his bed.

"N-no!" protested Jaune, his eyes going wide. "Wh-why would you think that?"

"Um...You're not looking me in the eyes, for one thing," observed Ruby, giving him a worried look.

"Th-that's because y-your eyes...are so pretty that they're distracting me," said Jaune nervously.

Ruby would have giggled at the cheesy compliment, if she weren't so worried. "Jaune...please talk to me," she said, moving to sit next to him on his bed.

After they'd finished their meeting with Ozpin, Ruby and Jaune had returned to their dorm room. Despite having just recently woken up from her overexertion, Ruby was still feeling a bit sluggish, and figured a little extra sleep wouldn't be amiss. Jaune had accompanied her. But, almost immediately upon arrival, he'd sat down on the side of his bed and stared at the floor. At first, Ruby had figured he was still mulling over all the secrets they had learned that day. But, after changing into her pajamas in the bathroom, and finding him in the same position upon leaving, she had begun to worry.

Reaching out, Ruby rested her hand over his, only to feel a flinch run up Jaune's body at that contact. "Please," she whispered as plaintively as she could. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No!" exclaimed Jaune, with surprising vehemence. "You didn't do anything wrong, Ruby." He stared at her with wide eyes, before letting out a long, slow breath. "It's...me."

"What about you?" asked Ruby.

"It's just..." Jaune transitioned to staring straight ahead, at the wall over Ruby's bed, where Akaibara rested on its rack. "...I feel...useless."

"Jaune!" gasped Ruby, her eyes going wide. "How could you say that?"

"I...I was taken hostage," said Jaune. "I was in Vale, and got clonked in the back of the head before I even knew what was going on. The next thing I knew, I was tied to a chair, and that witch was using my scroll to bait you out." Tears began to stream down his face. "I was worse than useless...I was a damn liability! I put you in danger!"

"Jaune..." gasped Ruby.

Jaune lowered his head. "I...I guess my family was right about me. I'm not cut out to be a Huntsman after all."

Fury hummed through Ruby's veins. She shot to her feet and moved to stand directly in front of Jaune, prompting him to look up at her in confusion. Then...Ruby slapped him across the face...hard.

"R-Ruby..." whimpered Jaune, massaging the red welt that was blossoming across his cheek.

Next, Ruby planted both hands on his cheeks, and leaned in to kiss him...hard. Ruby put all the passion and energy she could muster into the gesture, forcing her tongue past Jaune's lips and into his mouth, where she began to run it around, along his teeth, and wrestling energetically with his own. Transitioning her hands to his shoulders, Ruby pushed Jaune back down onto the bed, following him down, keeping their lips locked the whole way. On reflex, Jaune's hands went to her torso, before sliding across her back so that he could wrap his arms around her, and pull her closer.

Finally, desperate for air, Ruby pulled back, still glaring daggers at Jaune. "Don't you...ever...say that about yourself...ever! You are not a liability! And you are not useless!"

"B-but..." Jaune began to protest.

"You're not as strong as the rest of us," Ruby admitted readily. "But that's not the same thing as being weak or useless. You're strong, Jaune. You've worked harder than anyone these past few months, even me. We're still stronger than you, because we were that much further ahead when you started. But you're closing the gap, Jaune. You are, and don't ever think otherwise."

"Yes, but..." Jaune began.

Ruby sniffed. "Honestly, I wouldn't even be at Beacon without you. I would have run off the moment I saw Yang, the day of initiation. You're the one who gave me the courage to keep going.

"When we were fighting Adam, the second time, I trusted you to keep Ashley safe. When we were fighting the pirates, you were the one who healed me, so that I could keep going, after Morgan wounded me.

"And, yes, Cinder might have taken you hostage to draw me out. But you did exactly what I needed you to do. You got to a place where you could call the others, and your weapon. Kyo-nii might have kept you from interfering, during the fight, but you're the one who saved me from Mercury at the end. So...no matter what, Jaune, you are not useless. I never want you to think that about yourself."

Ruby lowered herself down, and pressed her lips to his in a gentler, chaster kiss. "I need you, Jaune," she said. "You're the one person I've been able to depend on, more than anything else." She sniffled, and giggled slightly. "That's why I can trust you with my heart."

In the process of Ruby's monologue, Jaune had started to tear up as well. When she finished, he was still shedding tears, but smiling in relief. "Thanks, Ruby," he said.

"You're welcome," said Ruby. "Now, go get cleaned up and changed. This is the last night we're gonna be able to sleep together for a few days, so let's make the most of it while we can."

"Sure thing," said Jaune, getting up to change into his own pajamas.

A few minutes later, Ruby snuggled down in Jaune's arms, humming contentedly in the feeling of having him with her. As he watched her drift off, Jaune pressed his lips to Ruby's forehead. "No matter what, you keep saving me," he said softly, before letting his eyes drift closed as well.

The Man made his way through the halls of his estate. Perhaps it wasn't as sprawling and opulent as the Schnee Manor, but it was an excellent symbol of his status and wealth. He certainly felt it was his due, given the service he had rendered the Kingdom of Vale. Spending his days dealing with the clamoring, needy populace, ever desperate for whatever bone he could throw their way, he felt he was more than owed a place that he could retreat to, where he could enjoy what little time he had to himself.

Sadly, the Man couldn't even lay claim to that, as he frequently had to bring his work home with him. Such was the curse of someone in his position. He wielded incredible power, but said power required a great deal of time and effort to maintain. Sometimes, the Man brought his work home with him. Other times, his work came to him at his home.

Such was the case this evening, when he entered his study to find a file on his desk. Looking at it, the man sighed, and took his seat. Opening the file, he frowned at the picture within.

It was of a girl, fifteen-years-old, with black and red hair...and silver eyes. She was a pretty little thing, to be sure. However, that was only incidental to the Man's interests. Of more interest was the sequence of pictures that followed the image of her face, showing her wielding a slender, straight, double-edged sword. Some pictures showed the blade with arcs of red lightning wreathed around it. Others showed her using a blade of wind to cleave through incredibly strong substances.

Other information accompanied the pictures. Each one came with a caption indicating, "No trace of Dust found, upon examination."

Reaching the end of the file, the Man's eyes narrowed behind the round, circular lenses of his glasses as he read the conclusion drawn by his investigators. "Evidence appears conclusive that the subject, Ruby Rose, does not rely on Dust, but instead utilizes Aura to produce effects that have been confused with the product of Dust-usage. Therefore, the evidence indicates that Ruby Rose, despite being a natural-born citizen of Vale, has in fact been trained by the Mibu Clan.

"Threat level: High.

"Recommended course of action: Immediate termination."

The Man leaned back with a sigh, removing his glasses, and gently massaging the bridge of his nose. "And she seemed like such a promising young thing," he said softly. "A pity."

He pulled out his scroll, dialing a number that would not be found on his contact lists. No record of it would appear on his logs either. After a few rings, the other end was picked up with a near-silent click. No voice answered, but the Man needed no answer. Instead, he began speaking.

"I've read the report. I agree with your assessment. You have authorization to begin. Assemble a preliminary plan for the target's elimination."