77

Chapter 77: New Beginnings

Atlassian Flagship

Slash, slash, block. Parry, slash, jump back. Jump, flip and twist, slash-

Clang!

"Ah!"

Penny's head shot up at the hiss of pain, followed by the clang of metal hitting the ground. A combat knife made of blue and black steel skidded across the ground between her and the robot she had locked blades with. Quickly decapitating the robot, she spun around towards the noise. Green eyes shot wide, blades rattling as they shifted in the air-

"All right, Penny, Ciel! That's enough for today."

Penny froze mid-motion, her blades pulling back to her with a thought. She straightened out of her running pose, looking towards the voice in surprise. Just a few feet in front of her, Ceil sat on the ground, glancing between her and the training bot that had just disarmed her, breathing heavily.

Ironwood strode across the training room towards them, looking at the destruction surrounding the pair. Training bots lay strewn about in various states of dismemberment, their red optics either blank or narrowed down to pinpricks.

Penny retracted her blades, then offered her hand to Ceil to help her up with a smile. Ceil blinked her for a moment, glancing between the hand and her eyes, before hesitantly taking it. Penny pulled her to her feet with no effort, making Ceil give a small yelp of surprise. She quickly pulled her hand away, giving Penny an awkward nod before collecting her knife, missing how the android's smile lessened.

After taking in the carnage the two had produced, Ironwood nodded to himself. "An impressive display, for the both of you."

Penny beamed at the praise. Ceil looked surprised for a moment before gaining a satisfied smile of her own, standing up straighter.

"However…"

Their smiles faded with a blink.

Ironwood looked curiously between the two. "While you both fight impressively on your own, you don't seem to use much teamwork while fighting together. Is there a reason for that?"

Ciel's eyes shot wide, looking towards Penny. There was something in her eyes that Penny didn't recognize, subtle but clear, at least to the android. When she didn't say anything, Penny decided to answer honestly. "We've only been partners for a few weeks, sir. We are… still learning about each other."

Ironwood looked intently between the two, and Penny thought she saw Ciel's throat tighten briefly. After a moment, the General merely nodded. "Understandable. Keep at it, and before long you two will be able to read each other like the back of your hand."

Penny nodded in understanding, Ceil doing the same a moment later, a little slower. "We won't let you down, sir," Penny said brightly, snapping a salute.

Ironwood returned the smile. "I know. Now, Penny, I need a favor of you."

Penny blinked, tilting her head. "Sir?"

"I have something I need to discuss with Ms. Amitola. Could you collect her and bring her to my quarters for me?"

Penny smiled again, perking up at the mention of Ilia. "Of course, sir!"

Ironwood's smile grew at her enthusiasm. "Thank you, Penny. She should still be down in the brig helping process the White Fang." He then turned towards Ciel. "Ms. Soleil?"

Ciel straightened her back, holding her head high. "Sir?"

He held his arm out towards a nearby hallway. "Could you walk with me for a bit? There is something I'd like to discuss with you."

Ciel's jerked a little in surprise, but she soon nodded. "O-Of course, sir." Glancing one more time Penny's way, Ciel followed Ironwood out of the room.

Penny watched them go for a moment, then turned to leave down a different hallway.

She followed the winding paths with practiced ease, nodding to the various Atlas crew she passed. Along the way, she found the looks Ceil kept giving her rising to the forefront of her mind. It was a change in mannerisms Penny had not expected from the girl.

When they had first met, Ceil had seemed content to… not ignore Penny, really. More like just acknowledge her and little more. It was clear that she viewed her assignment as Penny's partner as just that: an assignment. An order she intended to follow to the letter, and nothing more.

That changed as of one week prior, after the initial meeting with Ozpin and Roman Torchwick. Ever since, Ceil had simultaneously grown more engaging with Penny and more distant. She was more willing to converse at times, but also seemed to grow uncomfortable the longer they were together.

That it was at that meeting Ceil learned of Penny's synthetic nature was not lost on her.

Penny let out a sigh as she ventured further down into the bowels of the airship. While the architecture and lighting did not change, there was a shift in mood as she entered the brig proper. The number of standing guards increased as she entered the main chamber, lining the walls between the cells marked by blue forcefields.

When she didn't see Ilia immediately, Penny walked up to the nearest guard. "Officer, do you know where I can find Ilia Amitola?"

Though she couldn't see the man's face through his helmet, the guard's tone suggested respect as he pointed across the chamber, down a side hallway. "She's speaking with a prisoner in D-block, ma'am."

Penny nodded in thanks. As she followed the guard's directions, she peered into the cells she passed. A plethora of Faunus occupied every cell, some still wearing their White Fang uniforms as opposed to the spare clothes they'd been given. All were of varying ages and types. Most seemed content to ignore everything around them, though those with animal ears and tails had their moods displayed more openly. Several glared at her as she passed, with others huddled into corners or on cots hiding their faces as their shoulders shook.

Penny frowned as she ventured further, seeing more of the same. Even a week after the battle, she still didn't know how to feel about the captured White Fang. They had been enemies, had tried to hurt and kill her first-ever friends… but they had done so while following another's orders. Like any good soldier would. Did that absolve them of any guilt? Weren't they supposed to do what they were told?

She didn't know. She'd never thought about it before.

Penny was nearing the end of the hallway, scooting around a supply cart of blankets and cleaning supplies pushed up against the wall, when she heard a familiar voice from within one of the cells.

"Do you understand why you're being held here now?"

Penny's head perked up at the sound of Ilia's voice.

"I… yes, but… please," the voice of a young boy whimpered. "I didn't mean to betray the Chief, I just… I thought…"

"That everything Adam said was right?" responded Ilia's voice, soft and understanding. "And it was the only way to make things better?"

Penny paused in her approach, her expression turning curious as she listened.

"Yes! I… I…" The boy's voice faded into soft sobs.

"Hey…" There was a shifting of fabric, Penny visualizing Ilia sitting beside the boy on the bed. "You won't get any judgment from me. I thought the same thing until I had the truth shoved in my face."

The boy sniffled for a minute, then brokenly asked, "What… what do I do?"

"Just answer their questions honestly. Chief Ghira and Kali are working for everyone to be judged fairly, but you have to meet them halfway."

"I… okay…"

"Is there anyone we can call for you? Family… a neighbor, maybe?"

"...no… they… they're all gone…"

"... okay. Do… do you need anything?"

"A… Another blanket would be nice."

Penny blinked, her head whipping back towards the cart she'd passed. Her feet were already moving once her eyes locked onto the stack of blankets. She picked up the first one she saw, walking back just as she heard Ilia's response.

"I'll see what I can…" She looked up when Penny knocked on the door frame. Her blue eyes shot wide. "Penny?"

Penny offered her a subdued smile, looking over the scene. Ilia sat on the small cot against the far wall, her arm wrapped around a lanky boy with cropped black hair and pale skin, his face hidden against her shoulder. "I… overheard," Penny said lamely, gesturing to the blanket draped over her arm.

Ilia's brows rose, her mouth parting, before giving a small smile. She whispered something into the boy's ear, gently unwrapping her arm from his shoulders. She walked to the doorway, eyes darting towards where the forcefield controls were on Penny's side of the wall. Understanding, Penny hit the control, the forcefield between them fizzing out. Ilia took the blanket with a thankful look.

"General Ironwood wants to speak with you," Penny whispered.

Ilia's eyes widened. She pulled her lips to a fine line, giving a stiff nod. Then she turned around, moving to wrap the blanket around the boy's shoulders.

As Ilia fiddled with the blanket, the boy looked over her shoulders, meeting Penny's eyes, revealing the scales patterned across his face, surrounding brown eyes with oversized pupils. Penny met his gaze curiously.

"Miss Kali will be down later today to help the guards ask people questions," Ilia said softly to the boy. "Whatever she asks you, answer her honestly, okay? She really does want to help."

The boy nodded slowly. "Okay." He hesitated, before quietly adding, "Thank you… for talking."

Ilia flashed him a small smile. "You're very welcome."

Penny waited by the door while Ilia said her goodbyes. Once she'd exited the cell, Penny reactivated the forcefield, watching through it as the boy huddled in the corner of the bed, hiding his head under the blanket.

"Let's go," Ilia murmured, before starting quickly down the hall.

Penny followed behind Ilia, almost having to jog to keep up. As they made their way out of the brig, a few of the prisoners glared at Ilia, a few even growling as they passed. Ilia didn't look at any of them, her shoulders tense until they got to the stairs.

It wasn't until they'd gone up two decks that Penny felt it was okay to speak. "Friend Ilia? Are you… okay?"

Ilia paused partway up the stairwell, her grip on the railing tightening. Penny thought she had misread the Faunus's willingness to talk when Ilia sighed. "Not really," she admitted, taking the stairs at a slower pace.

Penny grimaced as she followed. "I'm… sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

Ilia shook her head. "It's okay. I'm fine, really, it's just…" She sighed as they reached the top deck. "Seeing them all down there… it's hard."

Penny frowned. "Because… they were your allies?"

Ilia looked back at her, narrowing her eyes briefly. She relaxed quickly, shaking her head. "It's… more than that, Penny." She huffed as Penny drew up beside her. "For a lot of us, the White Fang wasn't just a movement or… organization. It was… safety. A place, a people, you could go to that would shield you from a world that was out to get you at every turn. Where you knew you'd be accepted, no matter what. Where you had a purpose, where you knew that you were working towards something great… even if it didn't feel or seem like it all the time."

Penny's eyes darted back and forth as she puzzled over Ilia's words. "But… wasn't that all Taurus's deception?"

Ilia let out a low growl of frustration at the ground. "I know that now. But the people down there? They didn't. Most of them still don't. Or if they do, they're not going to admit it." She huffed out a mirthless laugh. "And then there are the ones that did know and just don't care. The ones that just want to hurt humans."

Penny wasn't sure what to say to that. "But… the ones that don't?"

Ilia stared at the ground for a long moment. She stopped walking next to a large window, showing the Vale countryside far below. She gazed out at Beacon Academy. "... a lot of them are just scared. They got caught up in Adam's speeches and charisma, accepting everything he said at face value. And… I think it's just now hitting them what all they did in his name. That it was wrong… and they are going to have to pay for Adam's vendetta against humans."

A question popped into Penny's head, but she hesitated before voicing it. "Do you know what the General and the Chief are going to do with them? The White Fang, I mean."

To her surprise, Ilia just huffed tiredly. "I know the unrepentant ones are going to jail. The ones that are cooperating?" She shook her head. "I don't know."

Penny bit her lip, something she'd seen Weiss do whenever the heiress was thinking hard. "General Ironwood is a good man," she said with the utmost confidence. "He'll be fair to them."

"... I think I believe that." Ilia's sounded like she'd just surprised herself with that statement. "It's just… how fair can you be after… all this?" She gestured out at the Vale skyline.

Penny struggled for a response, trying to think of something that would make Ilia feel better. "Well… maybe you can ask him when we see him?" she finally managed.

Ilia blinked, looking over to Penny in surprise. Realization lit in her eyes. "Right! He wanted to speak to me." She started back down the hall, Penny automatically falling into step with her. "Do you have any idea what he wanted?"

Penny shook her head. "No. Sorry. He just wanted me to bring you to him."

Ilia hummed in response. "Guess I'll find out."

With a few more turns down identical-looking hallways, they finally reached the General's quarters. Ilia hesitated once they were standing outside the door, but didn't stop Penny when she reached to knock on it.

"Enter," they heard from within. Penny and Ilia shared a confused look. The voice was clearly female.

Penny opened the door, revealing a sparse room with the same white/chrome walls of the rest of the ship. The only furniture to be seen were a few black leather loveseats and armchairs, surrounding a glass-topped coffee table. To their surprise, Ciel sat in one of the armchairs, wringing her hands nervously. She looked up at their entrance, standing quickly.

"Penny! Ms… Ilia." She swallowed nervously. "You're both here. Good! That's… good."

"Ceil?" Penny questioned. "Where is General Ironwood?"

Ciel cleared her throat, eyes darting quickly between the android and the Faunus. She gestured towards a door on the far wall. "Waiting for you right through there. He, um… wanted me to welcome you."

Ilia rose a brow at the girl's nervousness. "What's going on?"

Ciel started wringing her hands again, eyes darting towards the door. "The General will explain everything." Without another word, Ciel darted towards the door and disappeared inside. "Sir? They're here!"

Ilia blinked at the girl's sudden disappearance, sharing a shrug with Penny. The two followed after her, stepping into the room.

The first thing that caught their eye was a massive hologram of a world map taking up what otherwise was a blank wall. General Ironwood stood before it, focusing on the shape of Atlas at the top. And beside him…

"Chief?"

Chief Ghira turned at Ilia's exclamation, smiling widely. "Ilia. Penny. Good to see you both."

Penny looked around the room as Ilia gawked at the Chief. It appeared to be a simple office, with a metallic black desk being the only piece of furniture. Ciel stood next to the desk, chewing nervously on her thumbnail. "Sir...s? Did you require us both?"

Ironwood turned away from the map, a kind look on his face. "Indeed we do, Penny. All three of you, in fact."

Ilia's eyes narrowed suspiciously, looking between the General and the Chief. "For... what? What's this about?"

Ironwood shared a look with Ghira, taking a deep breath. "It's a bit complicated. You see, I had a talk with Ozpin that revealed to me several… complicated things…" The General's face darkened for a moment, before he shook his head, clearing it. "But one thing that we agreed on was that we need to improve relations between the kingdoms. And… Ozpin had a…" the General sighed. "Rather compelling idea. And after last week's conflict… I am forced to agree with its merit."

"And…" Ilia said slowly, eyes darting between the two leaders. "This involves me?"

"If you wish it to," Ghira said. "I could find someone else, but when Ironwood approached me, you were the first person to come to mind."

Ilia blinked, her skin pinking slightly, startling Ciel. "R-Really?" She pinked further when her voice squeaked, clearing her throat as she willed her skin back to its usual hue. "I-I mean… I'm honored, sir. What do you need of me?"

Ghira smiled at her enthusiasm. "Well, before we go any further, I have to ask, Ilia: have you already given thought to what you're going to do once the situation here in Vale is wrapped up?"

Ilia's brow rose in surprise, her eyes widening. "U-Um…" She stuttered. "W-Well...I… thought I'd be helping you with the other White Fang branches." She swallowed nervously. "Otherwise… I guess I'd go back to Menagerie and…" Her mouth worked silently for a moment, before she gave a weak shrug, defeated. "I honestly don't know, sir."

Gira nodded thoughtfully, as if expecting such an answer. "Well, rest assured I would certainly appreciate your help with the other branches." He then shared a look with Ironwood, and both men grinned. "But I think the General and I have come up with another way you can help Faunuskind repair relations with humankind. If you're willing, of course." His gaze then slid to Penny. "And you as well, Miss Polendina."

Ilia started, looking to Penny in surprise. The synthetic girl seemed just as surprised, given the quizzical tilt of her head. "I'm… willing to help however I can, sir," Penny answered after a moment. "Just… how?"

Ghira's smile grew, stepping forward to put a hand on both girls' shoulders. "By showing the world that Vale, Atlas, and Menagerie can work together. Equally."

The girls shared a startled look, at the same time Ciel started massaging her forehead. Ironwood chuckled slightly as he put a hand on the dark-skinned girl's shoulder in sympathy, before saying, "There's just one thing we have to do first."

Vale Headmaster's Office

"This is… everything?"

Roman swallowed thickly as he watched Ozpin's eyes flick across one of many pages from the inches-thick document he held, each word written in Roman's untidy scrawl. The Headmaster's brow was pinched in a way that betrayed disappointment and anger, Goodwitch standing at his shoulder with her own copy of the document, her mouth parted as she flipped through its pages.

Roman shared a glance with Neo, the girl fidgeting nervously with her parasol. "Everything we can remember…"

Ozpin let out an agitated huff, shuffling the papers into an orderly pile as he shook his head. Roman found that he really couldn't blame him. When the Headmaster asked him to list out everything he'd be pardoning the ex-criminal for, he probably didn't expect to get the man's biography.

Most of it was the standard fare, as far as Roman was concerned. Smuggling, larceny, blackmail, the occasional bouts of fraud or kidnapping, tax evasion…

A lot of tax evasion…

But he had a feeling he knew what was catching the Headmaster's eye the most, what was causing his brow to furrow and face to darken the more he read.

The deaths.

Deals gone bad, betrayals of his trust, unfortunate morons who were at the wrong place at the wrong time; Roman hadn't realized just how much blood was on his hands until he started putting it all on paper. He'd killed a lot of people…

...was it bad that he didn't feel all that guilty about it?

…

...eh. Probably.

"So, what happens now?" he said with his arms crossed. Maybe if he ignored the elephant in the room it would go away.

He swallowed hard at Ozpin's harsh look, Goodwitch mirroring him. The Headmaster obviously knew what he was trying to do and was not amused. Letting out a heavy breath, Ozpin shuffled the papers into a neat stack, setting it aside. "We'll cross-reference this information with known records and see if they line up with any existing cold cases. Provide closure if possible." He folded his hands atop the desk, the mask of calm Headmaster back in place despite the fire in his eyes. "You realize that your status as an 'undercover agent' will only cover your crimes committed in the past? Any illegal activity you commit from this point forward will be treated as such." He leaned forward with a deceptively friendly smile. "Especially now that we'll have a good idea of how you operate."

Roman grumbled under his breath, Neo shooting him a worried look. "Yeah, we figured we'd be burned. Eleven years of hard work, up in flames in under a month. Fan-fucking-tastic."

Goodwitch glared at him, likely for his crass language, while Ozpin merely rose a brow. "You regret all you've done to aid your family?"

Roman snorted at the obvious jab. "Regret that I helped them? No. Pissed I've got to deal with the fallout? Beyond belief."

"Do you have no plans for the future? I would have thought a man of your… caliber would have had contingencies in place for having your criminal enterprises removed."

The conman rolled his eyes. "Yeah, tons. Only problem is, they all end with 'and then we keep quiet until it blows over, then start again'. You pretty much made so there won't ever be an 'again'. I got a pretty penny stashed away-"

"Which I suggest you not mention again outside this room…" Ozpin cut in with a severe look.

Roman cleared his throat, before continuing easily. "...like I said, I'll need a new source of income eventually, given that all my previous avenues have been quite thoroughly shot to hell."

Goodwitch scoffed at his sarcastic tone. "You could try doing actual honest work, for once."

Roman gave her an unimpressed look. "Yes, because, among other things, I have such a stunning resume to start handing out."

"Truthfully, Mr. Rose," Ozpin said, his lips quirking upwards. "You have no need for a resume, given that you were never unemployed."

Roman blinked, before letting out a scoff. "Oz, you can push paper around all day to make this undercover story look legit, but come on. I am not a Hunter anymore. I don't want to be a Hunter anymore. Hell, I wasn't even that good of one before I went AWOL."

Ozpin hummed, turning to his computer briefly. "You weren't a terrible one either, Roman, according to your record. You had little issue completing the minimum mission requirements per year, and you had few complaints during your tenure."

"Yeah, because I tagged along with Summer and her team for nearly all of them." Removing his bowler hat for a moment, Roman ran a hand through his hair, letting out an agitated breath. "Look, enough dancing around it. You already got your mind set on something. What do you want from me?"

Ozpin merely rose a brow. "Only for you to follow through on our cover story." He gave Goodwitch an expectant look. For a moment, it looked like the ever-loyal Deputy-Headmistress was going to rebel against the old man, given the grimace she sent him in return. Then, with a disdainful scoff, she pulled from her coat pocket a small rectangle of metal.

Roman groaned. "Oh, you're not joking."

Ozpin took the little bar of metal from Goodwitch, hitting a button on its side. A flat blue hologram appeared out its side. Roman could already make out his picture through its reverse side. The headmaster looked over the hologram for a moment, then up at Roman. "Officially, you are coming off a long-term deep undercover operation to infiltrate a criminal underbelly spanning all four kingdoms. You will be credited, rightfully so, for the prevention of a massive attack on the Capital of Vale, that could have led to the complete destruction of the Kingdom proper. You deemed such a massive threat a reasonable enough situation to break your cover. An action that your commanding officer, myself, has reviewed and accepted. You are to be removed from your undercover status and added back to the active ranks of Vale's Huntsmen, effective immediately."

While Roman's eyes stayed narrowed, his brow rose slightly. It sounded… interesting. With such a story, along with Ozpin and Ironwood's backing, he could believably go back to Hunting. Hell, if they made his actions against Taurus public like it sounded… he might actually come out looking like some kind of... hero.

From Roman Torchwick, Master Criminal, to Roman Rose, Savior of Vale.

There could be no better con.

It did sound… appealing.

"And if I decline?" Roman couldn't help but ask.

Ozpin was silent, weighing the license in his hand. "If you decline… your criminal record will still be expunged. We will keep your part in Taurus and Cinder Fall's operations a secret. And you will be allowed to walk away, free and clear to follow whatever other path you wish." His eyes sharpened, leaning forward to peer over his pince-nez. "However… should you be caught breaking the law again, we will act. And I promise you, Roman…" He placed a hand over the stack of offenses sitting on the desk. "There will be no second chances."

Silence fell over the room as Ozpin's words sank in. Roman thought hard. In theory… he could go right back to what he was doing before meeting Cinder. Pick up and move to another Kingdom, of course, but it was… doable. Ozpin and Ironwood were good, but they couldn't reach everywhere. And Roman knew how to be quiet. He could spend years rebuilding his reputation before either of the world leaders caught wind, become just as, if not more successful than he already was. Being able to use Taurus and Cinder as an example of how useful he could be while also showing what would happen if he was crossed.

Again… appealing.

…

...although… it would make seeing his nieces… problematic.

Though, they had enough family to keep them safe and happy, especially now that Raven was talking to them.

...who would no doubt be pissed beyond belief at him. Not that it would be anything new, but…

Roman was pulled from his thoughts by the feeling of eyes on him. He turned his head to find Neo's mismatched eyes looking up at him. The girl was twisting her parasol in her hands nearly to the breaking point, practically vibrating from stress. The look on her face showed that she was fully aware of how little control she had at the moment, how out of her depth she was.

Roman met her gaze evenly. Then, with a sigh, a small smirk slowly spread over his lips. "Well, with an offer like that…" He turned back to Ozpin. "... how can I refuse?"

The Headmaster smiled in turn. "I'm happy to hear that, Mr. Rose." He pressed his thumb against the hologram until it made a small beep. He then held it out to his deputy with an expectant look. Goodwitch let out a deep huff, her eyes turning skyward, before reluctantly doing the same, the word 'APPROVED' flashing across the screen in bright bold green.

Roman grinned as he took the freshly processed license from Ozpin, looking it over. His own handsome mug smirked back at him. Huh. New picture. Don't remember taking that, but with all the cameras in this place… He was unsurprised to see his real name printed at the top, much as it rankled him. He'd put a lot of thought into 'Torchwick', but there was no helping it. He was about to close the hologram before a bit of text along the bottom caught his eye.

Status: Part-time

What? he thought in confusion, reading further.

Hunter cleared for light-duty due to…

"Mental Strain!?" Roman shouted, looking up from the license, appalled.

Ozpin met him with an even gaze. "It's believable enough, given the length of your 'assignment'. It will lessen your yearly mission quota minimum by half, allowing you time to acclimate once again to the life of a Hunter."

"Yeah, except everyone will think I'm crazy!"

Ozpin's response was looking pointedly at the novel-length document sitting between them. His brow rose expectantly.

Roman met his gaze for a moment, before huffing out a defeated chuckle. "Point taken." He looked at the license again with disdain before stuffing it in his breast pocket. He gave Neo a fake-smirk, the girl looking between him and Ozpin like the two had been conversing in tounges. "Well, kiddo. Looks like we're going legit."

Neo stared back at him with wide eyes, and Roman fought a wince. Her eyes were too shocked and too lost for what should have been good news.

"Which reminds me," Ozpin said, his gaze flicking to Neo momentarily before focusing back on Roman. "There is one more issue we must address before you leave."

Roman let out an exaggerated sigh. "Which would be… boss?"

"It regards your young ward here." The ex-criminals tensed, Neo's posture going ram-rod straight. Ozpin continued like he didn't notice. "She's rather impressively skilled given that I've found no record of a girl of her description at any registered Academy throughout the kingdoms. Would you mind explaining where and how she became such a fighter?"

Neo looked to Roman, her eyes pleading. What for, Roman couldn't quite suss out. "I taught her a few things," he admitted nonchalantly, much to Neo's surprise and distress. "Can't take all the credit. A lot of it she figured out herself through trial and error over the years. I just helped… smooth out a few rough spots. Y'know," He turned a smirk at the mute. "On the rare occasion she stopped glaring and listened to me."

The angry look she was sending his way only proved his point, much to the girl's likely chagrin.

Ozpin just nodded at Roman's words with an easy smile, as if expecting them. "Homeschooled, then." He briefly turned back to his computer, typing quickly with one hand.

Neo and Roman stiffened at the sudden action, sharing a quick look. "Why, uh…. Why are you asking?" Roman asked with feigned nonchalance.

Ozpin looked back to them, intertwining his fingers as he propped his elbows on his desk. "Because Ms. Neo," he said to Neo directly, much to her shock. "Your situation is a bit more complicated than your 'father's'." He smiled when the girl grimaced. "Pardoning Roman is a relatively simple task for me, given that he is an alumnus of my school, and that as he was 'undercover', he has technically committed no crime."

"Yeah, hehe…" Roman chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with a plastered on smile. "Lucky that, huh?"

Ozpin leveled him with an unimpressed look. "Quite." He looked back to Neo. "You, however, are a different matter. Simply put, you don't exist in a legal sense. You have no official training. Roman was never registered to take on a student of his own. Your weapon is unregistered, nor have you been approved to wield one. This… complicates things."

Roman saw Neo's throat bob, the faint shaking of her irises betraying how overwhelmed she was. "So… what does this mean?" he asked for her, making the girl look to him in surprise. "Cuz, sorry Old Man, but pardon or no pardon, I ain't letting you throw her in jail."

Neo's head perked up at his words, her mouth parting slightly. 'What?' he could see her mouth.

Ozpin seemed similarly surprised if his raised brow was any indication. "You would fight for her freedom, against me?"

Roman snorted, shrugging "I've done dumber things."

To his surprise, Ozpin grinned. "That would not surprise me." He tapped some more on his keyboard. "Luckily, that shouldn't be an issue. I believe I've come up with a solution, one that would have future benefits for you, young lady."

Roman and Neo shared a startled, suspicious look. "And, that is?" Roman asked slowly.

Ozpin turned back from his computer and… oh, great, Goodwitch was tapping away at her scroll again. "Roman…" The Headmaster started. "You are officially registered as Neopolotin's father, are you not?"

Roman rolled his eyes. This again… "On paper, yeah."

"Then this is ultimately your decision, as her legal guardian. You see, I'm curious: with all the training that you've already given Miss Neo-"

He was interrupted by the chime of the arriving elevator. Roman and Neo turned in surprise to the opening doors, as a curious Penny, nervous Ilia, and baffled Ciel were led in by a stern-looking Ironwood.

Ozpin grinned as Roman turned back to him, the conman's face gobsmacked as he put the pieces together. He rose an amused brow as Neo looked quickly between them and the approaching group, one step behind.

His next words sent the girl's jaw to the floor.

The Headmaster's grin grew as he asked Roman, "Have you put any thought into furthering her education?"

Betaed by Covert Weapon

A/n: Well been building to this since… basically when Ilia was introduced.

Seriously, for the longest time, Emerald was in this slot, then Ilia showed up and just worked so much better for the story. Don't worry, I've got a plan for her too.

For those curious, the kid that Ilia was helping was a Garter Snake Faunus.

Also, since I know some people are going to ask, no, character changes that are happening in the show currently will not necessarily be reflected here in LiLaL. I have put a lot of work into the story and characters for this little AU, and as much as I value the source material, I'm not going to rethink how characters act here based on how they act in canon future events. Bere in mind that, timeline-wise, this story is still set in Volume 2. The original plot to RWBY has been completely shot to hell in this reality, so things are going to be drastically different from here on out (like they weren't already).

Next time: Team STRQ, (I promise!) with Ruby and Yang learning a bit more about their mother