"Weiss!" - Regular Speech

'Dolt!' - Thoughts

-{Sis!}- Radio/Scroll communications.

Epilogue

Later

Headmaster Ozpin's Office, Beacon Academy

-{Ozpin.}- The man on the screen said shortly. He had short, neatly trimmed white hair, pale blue eyes and an air of arrogance about him. His pure white suit was well tailored and made of the finest of materials.

"Schwarz." Ozpin inclined his head at the image of one of the most powerful men on the planet. Schwarz Schnee. Business Tycoon. Ruthless, heartless and utterly convinced of human superiority over the Faunus race and his own superiority over ever other human on Remnant.

-{Do tell just what you thought you were up to?}- Schwarz asked dryly, -{Over a hundred AK-130s, a Spider Assault Droid, numerous rare and near extinct plants, not to mention the damage to the facility's doors…I will have an explanation, Ozpin. And it had better be a good one.}-

"The Blumenkranz flower. Nightweed. Hexenritter. Dreamrose. Cat's Eye. Wolfstar Moss." Ozpin listed, "Do any of these plants sound familiar?"

-{Rare plants that were in my greenhouse.}- Schwarz stated, -{I fail to see where this is going.}-

"First…is this channel secure?" Ozpin asked seriously.

-{It is.}- Schwarz confirmed.

"Very well. The existence of those plants is against the Treaty of Vytal." Ozpin replied, "Your greenhouse was Sanctioned under the Black Protocols and my Hunters only destroyed those plants which were illegal to posses."

A crack appeared in Schwarz's visage. -{You destroyed over a million lien in droids and equipment for a bunch of plants?}-

"They were key ingredients to various Black-level poisons and poison gasses." Ozpin replied, "Your daughter's team leader was almost assassinated using one such poison."

-{And she betrayed the family to tell you of the greenhouse.}- the man was finally showing a distinct emotion…anger. -{I will have Weiss back on the next Airship-}-

"No you will not." Ozpin interrupted, "You signed the form that removed your legal guardianship from your daughter. You cannot command her anymore than you can command me."

This earned Ozpin a raised eyebrow. -{I could buy your school for pocket change Ozpin. Do not get cocky with me.}- he warned.

"As I am the sole owner of Beacon that is impossible." Ozpin smirked as a shocked expression came over Schwarz, "As of this morning, the Council of Vale has transferred all rights of ownership and power of the purse back to the sitting headmaster of Beacon Academy…me, in other words."

-{What did you do?!}- Schwarz asked angrily.

"I merely mused aloud that it surely wasn't a coincidence that two areas that had been refurbished or built by Council contractors had a secret tunnel connecting them." Ozpin drawled, "Why, one might go so far as to say that it looked as if they intended to use it to invade my school. They were very…amendable…after I started wondering how the Vale Hunter Corps would take it if they discovered that the Council intended to usurp Beacon from its owners."

-{I can imagine.}- Schwarz ground out.

"Returning to Miss Rose, she has been cured of the poison, but is still under bed rest orders." the coffee-addict continued, "Initially, you were one of the suspects in being the one who ordered the poisoning of Miss Rose, but it has been proven, via security footage from your facility, that the plant in question was stolen without your knowledge, so in that part, you are innocent."

-{Obviously.}- the Head of the SDC snorted, -{This Ruby Rose is a nobody, no one of importance whatsoever. It would be a waste of resources to order her killed.}-

Restraining his anger, Ozpin continued, "However, as you have been proven to be guilty on multiple counts of violating the Treaty of Vytal, as well as programming droids to attack Hunters, you are still in a lot of trouble."

-{HAH! I would like to see you try.}- Schwarz sneered.

"Did I neglect to mention we have samples of each flower, photographic evidence of where they were stored, as well as an information download from your facility…the entire database?" Ozpin remarked smoothly, "One might call it irrefutable evidence when presented with the testimonies of two Senior Hunters. If this goes to court, you will not just lose a lot of lien…you will lose power, prestige and honour, all of which you and I both know are harder to regain than money. The Schnee Family would be ruined for the next two generations."

Schwarz stared at Ozpin in deathly silence for a moment, his face paler than usual. -{What do you want?}- He finally said.

"What makes you think I want anything?" the Headmaster asked archly.

-{Cut the act, Ozpin.}- Schwarz snapped, -{This is entrapment, blackmail by any other turn of phrase. You would not be telling me this if you did not want something in exchange for the evidence going away, so what do you want?}-

"Going away? Oh no." Ozpin shook his head with a smirk, "It's just not going to be used. It will be put in an area where only my trusted agents can access it. Should I die by means unnatural, it shall be retrieved and disseminated to the media. One can never have enough insurance. But yes, as it happens, I have something I wish for you to do."

-{Out with it already!}- the man on the screen snapped.

"Very well." Ozpin leaned in close to the camera pickup, "You will leave my school, and ESPECIALLY Team RWBY, alone. You will not attempt any power plays, you will not interfere in Dust shipments and you will not as much as attempt to call your youngest daughter. Should you attempt anything, even if it is something as minor as delaying a food shipment, I have an agent on Mantle that can and will punish you suitably, which will be your only warning. Should it happen again, the evidence will be released and you will regret playing games with me. Am I understood?"

-{Yes.}- Schwarz bit out.

"Just to prove a point, look in your top desk drawer." Ozpin told him with a slight smirk gracing his face.

Looking nonplussed, Schwarz opened the drawer and took something out…a picture. Looking at it made them man turn white in shock.

-{Y-You…how did…this is impossible!}- The man blustered.

"According to my agent, you have a poor sleeping posture." Ozpin observed as he regarded a copy of the picture Schwarz was holding in his trembling hands on his Scroll. It was of Schwarz Schnee lying on his black, snoring his head off…in his bedroom, located in the centre of the Schnee Family's seat of power, the previously thought to be impenetrable White Castle.

"My agent can, has and will get to you, regardless of where you are and who you surround yourself with." Ozpin stated mercilessly, "Abide by our agreement and you have nothing to fear. Good day."

He closed the screen and leaned back with a sigh. The things he has to do in order to keep the Creatures of Grimm at bay. Dirty politics.

"What a tautology." he sighed.

With the Council neutered, Schwarz collared and King's Rook in place, things were finally starting to look up. Ruby Rose was well on the road to recovery and the bonds between her team were stronger than ever.

Ozpin had been furious to discover that the White Fang, ordered by Torchwick no doubt, had dared to send assassins into his school yet again. Killers wandering around in a school full of children under his protection.

It was a good thing that Miss Xiao Long had thought to mobilise Team JNPR, otherwise Ruby Rose might very well be dead at this moment. Miss Nikos' Polarity Semblance had saved the day.

His thoughts turned to Weiss Schnee. She was a strong girl, but that was merely the outer layer of her persona. A mask to fool the world. In reality, she was afraid of failure, afraid of letting anyone close. She had endured the loss of many people she cared for and had been betrayed by those she had trusted. To top it off, her father had criticised everything she did.

She had hidden it from her team, but Schwarz Schnee had called Weiss regularly to tear a strip off her verbally for all of her perceived failures. Ozpin suspected he had worms inside the systems of Beacon that tracked Weiss and reported her progress to him, which he would have to take care of at some point. For now, she had her friends to help her.

As to the other members of Team RWBY…he was certain that Miss Xiao Long was hurting from this. The bond between the Xiao Long/Rose sisters was a strong one and what hurt one of them hurt the other.

Blake Belladonna was likely horrified that her former comrades had stooped to being henchmen of a criminal, to being assassins who had tried to kill her friend. It was probably a good thing she hadn't arrived in time to fight the White Fang assassins; Ozpin did trust Blake, but would she have hesitated before attacking her former colleagues? That was something even he didn't know.

Still, it was good that the incident was finished, at least for the moment, Ozpin mused. With the Vytal Festival Tournament not far off, Team RWBY would need the peace and quiet in order to prepare for it. Thankfully, Ruby would recover in time for the Tournament. Peach had been taken aback by the speed with which Ruby's Aura had started regenerating, as well as how fast her internal injuries were being healed.

Those who had recovered from the Mistilteinn poison in the past had received an increase to their Aura, to the point where they stood far above their peers. Ozpin suspected that it was an intentional effect of the Váli serum, a last apology from Miriam Strauss for what she had done to them, even after her death.

'It will not be long now before I am forced to Castle King's Rook.' the grey-haired man mused. He was reluctant to do so, as King's Rook was a very good agent. It was she who had informed him of Penny, the AK-200 series, not to mention the Paladin Armoured Suits. Still, now that Ruby Rose was at Beacon and under threat of harm, it was the best time to call King's Rook in.

Even so, he hesitated.

'No…not yet.' Ozpin decided, 'Schwarz will likely try something. King's Rook needs to be in place to show him he's being watched. Once that has happened, I'll call her in.'

When King's Rook had taken up that name, she had abandoned her old name, until such a time that Ozpin ordered her to commence Castling. When that happened, she would resume her old name…and repay the debt she owed Summer Rose.

Finishing his coffee, Ozpin set out to get a refill. He would need it so he could deal with the paperwork that returning all of the authority of Beacon to its rightful place.

RWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBY

Later

Torchwick's Quarters, White Fang Base

Roman was having a really bad couple of days. First he found out that his precious poison, which he had gone to so much trouble to have made, had failed to kill Red. Then he discovered that the assassination team he had sent to finish off the girl had failed too.

Just to be the cherry on top of the bad luck sundae, some weird masked bitch had come in and kicked his and Neo's asses without even breaking a sweat.

Oh but that wasn't all; now his boss had discovered what he had done and was about to ream him out.

He sat in front of the screen while Cinder Fall stared at him from it with those burning eyes while her hand absently created and snuffed out a flame repeatedly.

-{Roman…you disappoint me.}- She said finally, -{Remind me what your orders were?}-

"I was to prepare the White Fang and gather Dust." Roman recited with a scowl.

-{Exactly.}- Cinder said silkily, -{Did I tell you to tip our hand regarding the poisons? Regarding the secret tunnel I manipulated the Council of Vale to secretly install into Beacon? No, I did not.}-

Torchwick gritted his teeth. "That girl -Red- is dangerous. She could ruin the entire plan! Not to mention her team!"

-{Did I ask you to think?}- the woman snuffed out the flame once again before continuing, -{No, I didn't. Don't think, obey!}-

'That goddamn refrain again…!' Torchwick thought angrily.

"Understood." he ground out.

-{Be happy that you are still of some use to me, Roman.}- Cinder told him, -{Because of that little fact, your life is spared. Prove yourself useful and your stay of execution will be indefinite. Fail me in such a way again and you sign your death warrant.}-

As the screen went blank, Roman scowled and cursed for five minutes straight. He should have known better than to get involved with that woman, but she did pay a good whack of lien for his services.

'Still, do I really have to work with these…animals?' Roman sneered to himself, 'I hate Faunus! Gah, this is so irritating. Concentrate, Roman. If things go well, you'll be well on the road to easy street.'

There again, with Red still alive, there was no guarantee about the plan going down as planned. Just what was it about the little brat that had him so concerned about her? His instincts recognised someone that was dangerous.

When he had first met her at that Dust shop, the only exceptional thing he had seen about her was the size of that damn scythe. How she carried it, even with Aura enhanced strength, was beyond him. Her taking down Junior Xiong's boys…not entirely unexpected. They were bullyboys and weaklings, nothing more.

Her tenacity had been exceptional, but Cinder had handled her AND Glynda Goodwitch quite handily, despite some of those sniper rifle rounds coming a bit too close for comfort.

When next he saw her, at the docks, she had stood above him on that damn wharf building, red cloak flapping dramatically like some kinda superhero. She interrupted him when he had been fighting Kitty Cat and Monkey Boy, which had allowed them to get away, so he had blasted her with Melodic Cudgel.

THEN that weird girl showed up and wrecked his plans. She beat the White Fang troops he had had with him, trashed the Bullheads and made a general nuisance of herself…all with ten floating blades that could be used as a freaking laser of some kind. He had been lucky to get away with what little Dust he had stuffed into a spare Bullhead.

It had been then that he had realised exactly why Red was so dangerous. She was a strong Huntress, yes, but her ability to bring people together was her most dangerous aspect. She would be trouble in the future, no questions.

Now that he had failed twice and had both Cinder and that psycho masked woman on his case, he couldn't risk going after the little brat.

"Some days, it just isn't worth the effort to get outta bed." Roman sighed as he poured himself a brandy to calm his nerves.

Infirmary, Beacon Academy

Ruby woke up slowly, her head still muzzy from sleeping so long. She cracked open an eyelid and saw she was still in the infirmary. Levering herself into a sitting position, she saw her team, plus Jaune and Pyrrha, sleeping on the various beds in the room.

'I could have died last night.' Ruby thought in a mix of shock and wonderment.

It was true. If Weiss, Yang, Blake and Pyrrha hadn't stepped in, she would be dead. In her head, Ruby had known that there was a very good chance she would end up dead like her mother, lost on a distant battlefield, but she had never thought that other sentient creatures could be the cause of her downfall.

The reality check that this incident had provided her was really quite profound. She was working her way through it when Yang, in the next bed over, groaned and woke up.

"Yang?" Ruby asked hoarsely.

"Ruby!" Yang leapt to her feet, strode over to her bed and hugged her.

"Gehk!" Ruby choked, "Yang…air!"

"Sorry." the blonde apologised as she drew back, "How're you doing?"

"I feel…better." the scythe wielder replied in surprise, "I'm not as tired as I was yesterday and my arms don't feel like overcooked noodles."

"That's good." Yang smiled in relief, "While you were out like a light, Doctor Peach came in earlier and ran some tests on you. Apparently, you're regaining your strength faster than she anticipated. She said that you might be fixed up by the end of the week."

"Cool!" Ruby grinned, "I wanna get out of here and start training again."

"Uh-uh, no way." Yang crossed her arms in determination, "Only when Doctor Peach gives you the go ahead. Not a millisecond before then."

"Yaaaannnggg!" Ruby whined with a pout.

"I just want you to be fully well before you go out swinging your scythe, sis." Yang said softly, "I almost lost you twice in the last three days…I don't think I could take it if you had an accident because you weren't a hundred percent, you know?"

Looking into Yang's worried lavender orbs, Ruby saw fear in them. Not fear for herself, fear for Ruby. Fear that Yang would never be able to talk to her, tease her, tell her she loved Ruby Rose ever again.

"OK, Yang." the younger girl sighed, "But you have to tell my sweetheart why she's not getting exercised!"

Yang just rolled her eyes. Her sister was seriously weird about her weapon.

Once everyone else was up, Ruby thanked Pyrrha profusely for saving her life.

"It's nothing to praise." the Amazon denied with an embarrassed expression on her face, "We are comrades and friends, right? Therefore, it's only natural that I save you if I see you in danger. You would do the same for me."

"Of course!" Ruby sated eagerly, "But it's still something that I'm grateful for! If you guys ever need me to fix or upgrade your weapons, just come see me, OK?"

"Sure thing." Jaune grinned, "Nice to see you better, Crater Face."

"Thanks a bunch, Vomit Boy." Ruby shot back.

Once everyone left except her team, Ruby looked at her friends and felt happy. Despite everything she had been through in the last few days, she felt closer than ever to her team. Weiss, Blake and Yang had been as close to her as her condition had allowed them to be, and they had saved her life again just last night.

"I love you guys." she said with a smile, cueing blushes on Blake and Weiss.

"D-Dolt! What's with that?!" the SDC Heiress spluttered.

"She's just being honest, Princess." Yang grinned and thumped the other girl on the back happily.

"You oaf!" Weiss groaned as she recovered from the impact to her back.

Blake was just quiet. She wasn't used to displays or words of affection, being more accustomed to words of scorn and hurled rocks. It felt…nice.

"Awww…looks like Blakey likes being complimented!" Yang teased, "What's up? Cat got your tongue?"

"I will get you for that, Yang." Blake said with narrowed eyes.

"Meow! Kitty has claws." Yang teased.

As Yang teased her friends, Ruby sat back and smiled. She was alive, recovering and safe.

Life was good.

RWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBY

End of Book 1: Poison Promise.

Next Book: Book 2: Flame of Atonement

RWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBYRWBY