Taiyang Xiao Long let out a sigh of content as the warm shower water cascaded down into his hair, leaving it a sodden mop that hung tightly around his forehead. The boy worked his fingers through his golden locks, reviewing the events of the day in his mind. His entire body ached after his confrontation with Hazel, and he couldn't help but feel that somehow, the stressful chain of events would continue before the night was over.

With a heavy sigh, he grabbed for his pouf and squeezed out a generous amount of bodywash onto the tool before beginning to scrub at his chest and armpits. Just as he raised his left arm over his head and brought the washing implement beneath it, an odd, sizzling noise cut through the sound of the water on the floor of the shower. Taiyang turned his head just in time to watch Professor Ozpin sprint out of a wide portal and crash into him from behind, pinning him to the shower wall and causing both men to slip.

"What the fuck!?" Taiyang yelled as he fumbled the pouf and scrambled to try to grab onto the shower railing. The cold stone of the relic pressed directly against his rear, causing the boy to shriek.

"Mr. Xiao Long! My apologies, I… Maria, no, don't ru-!"

The warning came far too late as Maria flew through the portal and into Professor Ozpin, both adults getting absolutely soaked as the headmaster fell atop Taiyang. A moment later, Qrow and Raven appeared within the space as the portal closed behind them, both looking confused and then embarrassed as they were sprayed with water from the flailing bodies trying to untangle themselves.

"Get off of me! What the hell is going on!?"

"Maria, open the shower door! We need to get out o-"

"You shower at night? What the hell, man!?"

"I'm trying, Oz, but there's no room!"

Raven reached out and slid back the glass door of the shower as frantic pounding rang out against the bathroom door.

"Tai!? Are you alright in there!?"

"He's fine!" Raven called back as she and Qrow stepped out of the shower.

"…Raven? When did y-… oh," Summer lilted from the other side of the door. "I'll leave you two alone!"

"No it isn't…!" Raven began to protest, only to sigh heavily as Maria finally made her way out of the shower, her cloak a shade darker and dripping water all over the floor.

"Sorry, Xiao Long," the woman offered as she looked over her shoulder at the frosted glass. "Not our intention at all."

"Very much not," Professor Ozpin added as he walked out over the edge of the tub, leaving the boy behind within the confines of the shower.

Taiyang finally got to his feet and covered his crotch as best he could with the pouf, while sticking his head out from behind the glass panel. His face was bright red as he looked over the sodden party of four.

"I… what… what? How… get out of the bathroom!"

Raven coughed hard into her hand as she kept her other arm around her brother, looking utterly miserable. Taiyang's attention immediately fell upon her, and the seared flesh upon her arm. He could barely see the burns on her face behind her curtain of hair, but he could tell that the situation wasn't good.

"Raven…? Raven, what happened!?"

"I…" Raven began, only to wobble slightly on her feet.

"Not now," Professor Ozpin interrupted. "We need to get her to the infirmary immediately. Towel off and bring Summer with you. No one else. All will be explained there."

Taiyang merely nodded and watched as the group opened the bathroom door and began to file out. He heaved an enormous sigh as he slid the shower door closed once again and picked up his fallen pouf.

"…going to pretend that that never happened," the boy muttered to himself. "At least today can't get worse…"

Taiyang's face fell as Qrow continued speaking, and he rubbed at his chin and the stubble upon it in silence. His and Summer's faces were very pale, and neither of the pair had said anything for the last several minutes. The two sat beside each other on the bed of one of the unoccupied rooms of the university infirmary, while Qrow and Professor Ozpin sat in chairs across from them. Maria had her back up against the door to prevent unwanted intrusion, and her arms were folded across her chest as she watched the quartet from behind her skull half-mask.

"…and… yeah, I guess that's about it," Qrow finished with a shrug and a shake of his head. "Raven and I… this whole semester, we've been eyeing you up to see if you were a threat, and I've been trying to talk her down from following our orders. We weren't sent here to be students. We were sent here to kill the headmaster, and anyone else who might threaten the clan. The Watchers are still out there, but Arowana's gone, and the relic is in our hands, now. At least there's that. I'm… sorry, guys."

"…I can only speak for myself," Summer began in a small voice, "but… I understand why the two of you did what you did. I'm not going to hold it against you. Growing up like that sounds like… an absolute nightmare. Right now, I'm most concerned about Raven's injuries."

Taiyang gave Summer a curious look and tilted his head.

"…did you already…" the boy began, before thinking better of it as Summer's expression turned cold and her shoulders stiffened. He trailed off and opted to scratch the back of his head instead. "Never mind."

"Did she what?" Maria asked from her place at the door. "Whatever you were about to ask, it sounds important to me."

"Nothing," Taiyang insisted as he avoided the woman's eyes. "Just… team stuff. I'll ask her later."

"Ask her now," Maria said coldly. "The four of you are no longer in a position to be keeping secrets from us, if you're to remain at this school. Knowledge that the relic even exists is on a need-to-know basis, a-"

"Maria," Professor Ozpin interrupted loudly. "Drop it. They will need time to come to terms with their… unique situation. If they have interpersonal concerns, they can address it behind closed doors. Such is the right of all students at Beacon."

Maria blew a breath out through her nose and shook her head.

"…dangerous and shortsighted. There's a time for catering to feelings, and a time to cast all of that aside and do what's best for everyone."

"Duly noted," Professor Ozpin said as a knock came at the door.

Maria stepped away from the portal as a nurse opened it and stepped inside, carrying a clipboard.

"…Miss Branwen is in stable condition, and able to see visitors. Please, try not to stress her."

"Of course," Professor Ozpin assured with a smile as he rose from his chair and planted his cane into the floor. The man led the procession out of the room and to the one adjacent, where Raven could be seen laying atop the hospital bed inside. He opened the door slowly and made his way to the counterpart of his previous chair, before settling into the cushion and giving Raven a contemplative look. "How are you feeling?"

"…I don't know."

Raven's arm and half of her face was covered in gauze, and an I.V. was hooked up to her unbandaged arm. Her expression was clearly one of pain, and she remained silent as she watched the rest of Team STRQ and Maria file into the room. The older woman once again stood sentinel against the door as her teammates rushed to her bedside, each looking miserable.

"I… Qrow told us everything," Summer said quickly before leaning in and giving her friend a gentle half-hug. "I'm standing with you, no matter what happens next."

"…so am I," Taiyang added as he copied Summer's motions and gave Raven a squeeze. "This isn't going to break Team STRQ. We won't let it."

Raven looked off to the side for a moment and sighed, only to shake her head as she locked her eyes back to Taiyang's.

"…you're both insane," she croaked. "We're… we were assassins."

"And now, you're not," Summer said matter-of-factly. "Now, you're whoever you want to be, and if you want to be with Tai and I, we're more than happy to keep you around."

"…with conditions, apparently," Qrow said coldly as he looked over at the headmaster.

Summer moved out of the way to let Raven see the man sitting with his hands over the head of his cane. Silently, he stood up and unlooped the relic from his belt before holding it out in front of himself. He let his fingers leave the golden ring atop the lamp one by one until it was freely floating in midair before him, earning a gasp from Summer and a confused look from the other students.

"…unfortunately, Qrow is quite correct. I am certain that you all have many questions, and we do need to discuss the terms under which Team STRQ will be allowed to operate within Beacon Academy. You are all already privy to knowledge that is forbidden even to most of my staff… but to begin by making demands of you in a situation as dire as this seems incredibly unfair and insensitive. I'd like to begin by giving you what answers I can. Jinn."

Maria leaned forward and uncrossed her arms, her concern clear in her voice.

"Oz, you're not actually g-"

Professor Ozpin raised his hand for silence as the blue stone within the relic began to glow, and then the entire relic itself increased in size. All color in the world around the group seemed to desaturate slightly as Raven's heart monitor stopped its gentle beeping, and the E.K.G.'s digital readout froze in the middle of a peak.

"Raven!?" Qrow asked as he looked to the monitor, and then to his sister. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Raven replied, following his gaze.

"Worry not, children," a motherly female voice called from seemingly all directions. "Time is merely on hold, for everyone but you."

Summer's eyes widened and her breathing quickened as she watched a giant blue woman emerge from within the lamp, her naked body glowing with ethereal trails of power. Her wrists were bound with golden bracelets, and chains hung from around their bases. Another golden chain was looped around her hips and trailed off to one side, just barely brushing against the ground as she floated inches from the floor. The woman's head nearly touched the ceiling, and one of her dark blue eyebrows arched as she looked down at Summer and brought a curious hand up beneath her chin.

"…it's you? So soon…?"

Summer drew in several more panicked breaths as she backed into the wall.

"P-professor? What is she talking about?" Summer asked as she looked over to the man, who seemed equally confused. "Who is she?"

"I… do not know what she means, but her name is Jinn," the headmaster admitted, only for Jinn to rotate in midair and offer the man a kind smile.

"Ozma," Jinn said softly, seemingly content to ignore the others in the room. "So, it was you who summoned me, then? You managed to free me from Those Above All? How many lives were spent in the attempt…?"

"…four," Professor Ozpin answered with a sigh. "It wasn't easy, but yes- the Relic of Knowledge is now back in my possession. I have no question for you tonight, but I wanted you to know that you've been relocated… and to get a tally."

"My thanks, Ozma," Jinn replied with a smile. "That is quite useful information to have… though surely, you knew that I already knew."

Professor Ozpin chuckled softly and nodded.

"I did. Consider it a… human tendency for courteousness. It's good to see you again."

"…the Relic of Knowledge?" Taiyang asked incredulously. "What… Professor, you promised us answers, but this just raises more questions. What's going on?"

Jinn shifted lazily through the air and floated against the wall perpendicular to Raven's bed as she looked out over the assembled crowd. She spread her arms outward in a welcoming gesture and gave Taiyang a slow nod.

"Indeed, young one. I am Jinn, the spirit of the Relic of Knowledge. I can afford you some information of my choosing without a price, but first," the spirit said as she turned her eyes back toward Ozma. "one question remains. The previous two were used by Arowana- 'where can Ozma's current incarnation be found?' and 'what is my daughter's semblance?' were his choices."

For the first time in their presence, the students watched Professor Ozpin's expression turn to one of shock. The man slowly removed his glasses and put them in the pocket of his shirt as he stared up at Jinn, his voice quiet.

"…no… he used two of your questions for this century? That is… and the clock is another twenty years from resetting…"

"Correct," Jinn agreed with a solemn nod. "Keeping me within his vault was a priority so great that he broke his own oath to his predecessors. I was unable to resist him…"

"Oath?" Qrow asked. "What oath?"

Jinn slowly turned to lock eyes with Qrow, before shaking her head.

"I can only answer a question from the one who summoned me. Ozma- is the boy's question one you would like answered?"

"No," the man quickly denied, before facing Qrow himself. "And it's one that I can answer- your father, your clan, actually, exists primarily to keep the Relic of Knowledge from me. They have been its protectors for the last 200 years, and only with your help was I able to retrieve it."

"Why?" Summer asked. "What does it… what does she do?" she asked while gesturing at Jinn.

"Isn't it obvious?" Raven asked while keeping her eyes upon the spirit. "She answers questions. Any questions… but only three each century. Arowana blew two for himself, and wasted one of them on me…"

"Partially correct," Jinn praised as she folded her arms across her chest. "I know all of what is, and what has been, but not what may be. That power lies with the spirit of the Relic of Choice, though her methods and restrictions are quite different from my own. My restrictions are simple- I can see only physical events and qualities. I have no knowledge of intent, or the hearts of men. If you were to ask me how your mother feels right this moment, I could only tell you her facial expression and make an educated guess. I would not be able to answer with any certainty. However, were you to ask me your blood type, I would know."

"Still, that's… an incredible amount of power, in the right hands," Qrow acknowledged. "Or the wrong ones…"

"Which is why she needs to be with us," Maria added. "Who knows what his next question would have been? The relic needs to stay locked away and hidden from the world. No one should be trusted with such power."

"Some may see it that way, yes," Jinn agreed. "As much as I enjoy your company, Ozma, in the absence of a question, I must take my leave."

"Of course," Professor Ozpin agreed with a nod.

Jinn paused and offered Summer one last curious look, before giving the girl a smile.

"…good luck, little one. I hope you find your way to her."

Without another word, Jinn disappeared into a wispy trail of blue and re-entered the lamp, causing it to shrink back to its original size as it floated into Professor Ozpin's outstretched hand. All color in the room returned to its original vibrancy, and the dull beep of Raven's heart monitor resumed.

"…that is why it was imperative to capitalize on your semblance, Miss Branwen," Professor Ozpin explained. "Keeping Jinn from the world has been one of my primary goals for several lifetimes, now."

"…speaking of," Taiyang cut in, "why did she call you Ozma, and what the hell do you mean you've spent 'several lifetimes' trying to get this lamp back?"

"That… is a very long and complicated answer, Mr. Xiao Long," Professor Ozpin stated wearily as he fastened the relic to his belt once more. "But the short version is that I am an immortal being, and I have lived, and will live many more lives than you could possibly imagine. Ozma was my original name, and one that is known only to those close to me. I have made potentially world-ending mistakes and led armies to world-saving triumphs over the course of millennia and worn many hats to saviors and tyrants alike throughout history. Eventually, I settled into the role of becoming Headmaster of one of the four primary academies in each lifetime and engineering a network to ensure that such a thing keeps happening with each rebirth. With my life experience, I see it as my duty to guide the would-be huntsmen and huntresses that commit themselves to protecting Remnant. If I am going to keep returning to this world, I may as well put forth the effort to keep it safe."

"…oh," Taiyang said simply. "I… alright, after everything I've seen today, I'll believe that. I'm not sure what the hell to say to that, but I'll believe it."

"…yet even with all of that experience, and everything you've seen, you have no idea why Jinn was so focused on me?" Summer asked as she finally peeled herself from the wall. "Or who she wants me to meet…?"

"None," Professor Ozpin admitted. "There are connections and truisms that escape me even now, in this life. I have forgotten more than any of you will ever learn… but I am intrigued to learn the answer to that question. I will help you find it, as the four of you proceed to help me, moving forward."

"Wait, we didn't agree to anything, yet," Qrow pointed out. "And there are still endless questions that need answering, and that's just from me. I'm sure the others have their own."

Raven snorted as she sat up slightly in bed.

"And what are you going to do about it, Qrow? A man- a being like him is telling us that we're working for him, now, and you think three people who are barely adults are going to resist him and his sidekick who just killed countless members of our former clan? We don't have a leg to stand on."

Professor Ozpin frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"…while I'd prefer you not to think of it that way… you're not wrong. I'd like to propose a partnership between myself, Professor Calavera, Professor Goodwitch, and Team STRQ. My requests are full transparency between all parties involved, and your silence regarding any confidential information that you are given… including everything you've seen and heard today. You will be sent on missions deemed too dangerous for other students, and occasionally called for one-on-one training with us. I would also like to offer you free tuition and housing for the remainder of your school experience… and afterward, if you so choose."

Taiyang's eyes widened at the offer, and he quickly looked over to Summer. The girl wore an uncertain expression and turned her head slightly as she held Professor Ozpin's gaze.

"…what happens if we refuse?"

Professor Ozpin sighed, and shook his head.

"…then your paths as huntsmen and huntresses will be brought to a forced end, and your silence will be bought for a price of your choosing. Keeping the Relic of Knowledge away from the public eye and maintaining watch over the other three relics is my current priority, Miss Rose. I would very much appreciate your team's assistance in doing such a thing, but if you are unwilling… arrangements will be made that satisfy my needs, as well as your own."

Summer folded her arms and turned to face the rest of her team, who looked at her expectantly.

"…well, I'm in, but if even one of you refuses… then I'm out, too," she explained. "I won't force any of you into this. I can't. Not just because I literally can't, but because I care about you guys. I wouldn't do that to you, with something this big."

"It sucks that things had to go this way in order to get to this point, but… I'm in, too," Taiyang offered with a shrug. "I don't want that lamp to exist. It's creepy, and it's… no one should have that power. Besides, this gives us a chance to jump ahead a little bit in our careers and experience things no one else at this school can. More practice is always good, right?"

Qrow and Raven exchanged a look as the others waited patiently. The boy was the first to look away as he took Raven's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I'll follow you anywhere. You know that."

"I do," Raven agreed before she narrowed her eyes at Professor Ozpin. "…alright. We're in."

Professor Ozpin nodded slowly.

"…good. Then spend the rest of the night as a team, and get some rest. Raven and Qrow, you are excused from classes this week. All of you will need to meet with us again tomorrow, so we can discuss more details about this arrangement in the presence of Professor Goodwitch. There are… many more things we need to tell you, but we'll get there, in time. I'll send for your team tomorrow night. May you have a speedy recovery, Miss Branwen."

The teens all offered the headmaster a nod. He returned the gesture before heading for the doorway, where Maria stepped aside to let him through.

"…by the way," the woman began as she finally removed her mask and gave Team STRQ a rare smile, "you did good out there, kids. Really good. I foresee the pair of you becoming household names, in the far-off future. Stick to this path, and you'll go far."

Raven allowed herself a genuine smile at the sentiment and was surprised to find that Maria returned it. The woman then left without a word and closed the door behind herself.

Summer let out a long, tense exhale as Team STRQ finally found themselves alone.

"…I was about ready to pee myself when Jinn started focusing on me. I don't know what to make of any of this..."

"I do," Raven offered immediately as her smile turned to a scowl. "They're keeping things from us. Too much of this doesn't add up, and there's clearly more to all of this than they're letting on."

"Ozpin… Ozma did say that he'd tell us more in time," Taiyang offered.

"Yeah, but how much more?" Qrow questioned. "Everything? Whatever's convenient? He has us by the balls."

"He might," Summer agreed, "But I… I trust him, mostly. He is looking out for us."

"He might be," Raven warned. "Tai, what were you going to ask Summer, earlier?"

"Oh," the boy replied as he sat down on the edge of Raven's bed. "Now might not be the best time…"

"Spill," Summer ordered. "The whole 'no more secrets' policy isn't just for us and them, it's within Team STRQ, too. I meant what I said when I said I'm not holding the past against you two, Raven and Qrow, but the honesty starts now, and it's going to stick. Otherwise, I will walk away."

"Then don't take this the wrong way," Taiyang said hesitantly, "but if you… you have 'seen' future-Raven, right? Like… far off in the future?"

"Right," Summer agreed.

"…then why didn't you warn her about her… injuries? Her arm and face? Maybe with knowledge ahead of time, she could have avoided getting hurt?"

Summer unfolded her arms as realization seemed to wash over her all at once. Her face turned very pale as she turned to look at Raven, who was giving her an unreadable expression.

"Because… because in every far-off vision I've had of her, they weren't there…"

"…what?" Raven asked. "You… you told us that your visions come true, with only minor alterations. This isn't minor, in any sense of the word."

"Then maybe they don't," Summer said quietly. "I don't have answers for you, but I can tell you that if I had seen you as you are now, I would have said something. I wouldn't keep something that important from you."

"This is all so incredibly fucked," Qrow grumbled as he moved to sit in a chair across from the bed. I really hope we're making the right decision."

"We are. We have to be," Taiyang insisted as he watched Summer take the seat next to Qrow. "Otherwise, I… I don't know."

"…he said that only people close to him know the name 'Ozma'," Raven said slowly. "Yet Arowana knew it, too. He's on a first name basis with Jinn, despite saying that no one should ever use the lamp… and he knew about Arowana's vault, and the key. How many other things like that are going to pop up without explanation? How much are we going to be told not to question... and how are we supposed to look after ourselves without knowing exactly what we're getting into?"

"…I know a way," Summer offered as she fidgeted with her hands in her lap. "It's not exactly playing by P-… Ozma's rules, but… we do need to look out for ourselves in this situation, as well as the people we care about. I definitely think you're right, Raven. There's more to this than he's letting on, and… I don't think we're going to be told everything we need to know. I say we do what we think is right, and follow our own path through all of this… so long as we can all agree on what that path is."

"Look out for ourselves, huh?" Qrow asked as he gently put a hand atop Summer's. "I have a feeling I know what you're thinking, but say it for the rest of us anyway."

Summer looked over to Qrow and gave him a sad smirk.

"…I think we need to roll the dice, before someone else does it for us."

Roman took a long, enthusiastic pull from his bottle of beer before letting it hang down between his legs in a loose grip as he rested his elbow upon his thigh.

"…this is… not exactly what I expected to hear on a Monday night after coming home, but at least we're all on the same page, now. Ozma, huh? We're dealing with some kind of demigod? I bet the nine of us could take him, if push comes to shove."

"Be serious, Roman," Willow snapped from her place on the couch across from his before taking a swig of her own beer. "This is no time for idle boasting. This is… I don't even know what this is, anymore."

"We are dealing with a demigod," Raven corrected as she looked between her two friends. "The five of you don't know any of this, as far as the rest of the world knows. You cannot let even a hint out that we've told you anything. Our lives could be on the line."

"Yes, you've made that abundantly clear," Bartholomew reassured as he shifted in his seat. "Still, the entire notion of demigods, ancient relics, and guardian spirits… it's fascinating, really. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're in your debt, Raven. As the leader of Team OKRA, I pledge to safeguard this knowledge, and whatever else you share with us, from the rest of Beacon and the world at large."

"Oh, we'll be sharing everything," Qrow offered. "You're deep in the shit with us, and it's only a matter of time before we'll need your help. We're gonna try to slowly and subtly get Ozma to bring you guys in on this, but it's going to take a while. Years, probably, if he'll even bite then."

"And if he doesn't," Adam cut in, "then… I guess we'll just keep supporting you from the sidelines? I'm not about to turn my back on Team STRQ. Not after everything that's gone on this year."

"…you guys are my best friends," Kali said softly, her own drink oddly untouched as she slowly rotated the bottle in her hands, her eyes locked on the cap. "I'm with you. Always. I just… this is a lot."

"It is a lot," Taiyang agreed. "But we'll get through it. We've gotten through everything else that's been thrown at us thus far, and I can safely say that wouldn't be true if we hadn't all met. We were put on this path for a reason, a-"

"Don't," Raven interrupted. The entirety of Willow's penthouse fell silent as the eight others turned to look at Raven, each with conflicted expressions. "Don't bring 'destiny' or 'a path' into this, Tai. We choose our path from here on out, and I'm not about to chalk up anything that happens to some cosmic roulette. We're making our own decisions, and we're going to live with them… whatever that means. Right now, it means bringing you five in on this, despite Ozma insisting that we stay quiet. You guys are my family, now… and family doesn't keep secrets."

"…I wish that were true," Willow replied sadly. "Though… perhaps family can be what you make it. If we're going against the will of an immortal being, I don't see why we can't make our own rules in regards to that, too."

"We can," Roman insisted. "Fuck it- you're all Torchwicks, now. Actually, no, fuck that- maybe I'm a Belladonna. Or an Oobleck. Eh… 'Roman Oobleck' sounds like some kind of S.T.D., so maybe not…"

Bartholomew merely rolled his eyes and shook his head at the suggestion, before holding his bottle outward over the coffee table and leaning forward.

"…to family, then. A family of nine, sworn to protect each other, come what may. A family tired of 'authority' figures, and those who think they know what's best for them. A family that makes its own rules."

Raven leaned forward and touched her bottle to Bartholomew's, only for seven other bottles to join in on the toast immediately. A series of clinks rang out through the room, and for the first time in her life, Raven felt truly at home.

"Turning onto Highway 336 now, all clear."

"Copy that."

Tyrian Callows rolled his eyes as the garbled exchange came through the radio at the front of the police van. He shifted uncomfortably against the straps across his chest and moved the metal brace binding his hands together an inch to the left in an effort to get comfortable.

"Every single turn," the faunus spat as he turned his head back toward the front of the vehicle as far as he could against the straps holding him in place. "Are you that paranoid, officers? I'm just one man."

Tyrian let out a mirthful laugh, filling the void left by the lack of response from the driver and their partner.

"You know, if I wanted to escape, I would have, by now," Tyrian continued as he struggled against his restraints. "It's all a matter o-"

A sudden impact against the side of the van sent it skidding sideways along the road. The vehicle careened into the nearby guardrail and tipped over, only to begin a series of sideways rolls as it thundered down the nearby hill. With a tremendous crash, the van impacted a tree and began to spin out of control as it slid farther into the ravine. Eventually, the vehicle came to a stop on its side as the distinct smell of fire began to fill the area.

"Hey! Hey!" came a call from the front of the cab. "Wake up! Wake u-"

The unmistakable roar of a beowulf interrupted the officer's statement, which was soon replaced by a scream. Tyrian sucked in a pained breath as he began to wriggle against his straps, finding them looser after the crash. He could taste blood and his own hair as he wriggled, and a shooting pain began to his left side. The wall of the cargo hold began to buckle as something crashed against it from the outside, and Tyrian grit his teeth as he managed to wrench his neck free of its restraints.

"Shit! Shit!" the faunus cursed as he began to throw his entire weight into breaking free of the X-shaped bindings across his chest. He watched in horror as a rock-covered fist finally punched a hole through the side of the van that had become his ceiling, only for several sets of black claws with white bone tips to begin tearing the opening wider.

"Stay back! Don't…!" Tyrian called as he watched a beowulf poke its snout into the cargo hold, only for a massive hand to grip its muzzle and shove it aside. A familiar face peered into the cab before its owner dropped down inside with a mighty thud. "Hazel…?"

"Nice to see you, too," the man rumbled over the roar of the fire. He advanced on Tyrian and crouched down, before beginning to rip away Tyrian's bindings. "C'mon. We're getting out of here."

"You won't hear any complaints from me," Tyrian sassed as Hazel gripped him by the brace holding his hands together and lifted the faunus up and over his shoulders. "My hero."

"Shut up," Hazel barked. "We need to get clear of the wreckage before more cops show up. She isn't far."

"She?" Tyrian asked, his voice full of curiosity. "Found yourself a partner in crime to replace Leo, did you? Or is Sasha back at it?"

Hazel didn't acknowledge the faunus' questions as he climbed out of the hole in the van, emerging into a burning forest filled with grimm. Tyrian looked all around from his position slung over Hazel's back, speechless for a moment as he watched the black-furred creatures begin to follow them.

"…Hazel, what the hell is going on? Why are they helping you?"

"Soon," Hazel replied. "Just stay quiet until she asks you something, and be respectful."

Tyrian did as he was told for the duration of Hazel's run through the forest. Minutes passed until the two men reached a clearing, the wreckage of the police van far behind them. Tyrian could barely see a trail of thick smoke over the tops of the trees, until the entire clearing seemed to suddenly darken around him. Hazel finally set the faunus down to stand on his own feet, and Tyrian coughed before turning to face the same direction as Hazel. A pair of blood red eyes cut through the darkness in front of him, and he raised a brow as he watched Salem slowly become visible between the trees.

"…Tyrian Callows," the woman said softly, her voice carrying with it a heavy sense of foreboding. "You interest me, and I have a feeling that once you know who I am, my goals will interest you."

Tyrian looked down at his hands as a black tendril extended from Salem's palm and wrapped itself around the metal brace keeping him bound. The tendril curled several times around the metal before beginning to contract, bending the brace until it snapped clean in half and fell to the forest floor. Tyrian raised his hands in front of his face and checked them over before returning his attention to Salem, who retracted her tendril before folding her hands before herself.

"…well, you certainly have my attention," Tyrian said with a devilish smile. "Who are you, exactly, and what can I do for you?"

"So many things," the woman replied as she took a step closer. "My name is Salem… and I am very interested in bringing you into my little… family. Hazel here has already been of great help to me, and he thought that you would be interested in serving, as well."

Tyrian looked off to the side as more grimm began to fill in the gaps between the darkened trees on all sides. Finally, he looked back to Salem, and took a breath to calm himself.

"…what did you have in mind?"

"I have business in Atlas," Salem said slowly. "Business that could use your… unique expertise. Join me, and I'll give you the opportunity to cause havoc unlike any you have ever seen."

Tyrian's face cracked into a smile. He began to chuckle, softly at first, before he brought a hand up to his face to cover his mouth. Salem watched as over time, the man devolved into a hysterical fit of laughter, his shrieking amusement echoing throughout the forest. Hazel made a noise of irritation as the faunus continued, while Salem remained silent. Eventually, the faunus stopped abruptly, and took a step closer to Salem before offering her a hand.

"I'm listening…"

Author's Note:

So ends Volume 1 of Arboretum, though we're really just getting started. If I haven't mentioned it before, here's the general plan:

-Volume 2 will cover the important parts of the rest of STRQ/OKRA/Willow's first year at Beacon, summer vacation, and the remainder of their time at school beyond that. Expect big time jumps, and a shorter volume than this one. Hopefully. Dear god, please don't let this be 260,000 words again…

-Volume 3 will focus on STRQ/OKRA/Willow's lives after Beacon, Coco Adel's first year at the school and all of the important students in it, and RWBY/JNPR/other characters' lives before their first year at Beacon. Expect a very long, choppy volume that shifts perspectives chapter-by-chapter.

-Volume 4 will be Team RWBY's first year, and when 'canon' begins. I wouldn't be surprised if we hit a million words at this point, and then the story actually begins.

That being said, all of that is a long way off, and Arboretum is going on hiatus for a bit before Volume 2, for many reasons. Quite frankly, I need a break from the story, as I've been updating this weekly (or more…) for almost a full year. Naturally, my idea of 'a break' just means letting this story rest for a bit while working on other stories, because I have no self-control when it comes to writing. I've decided that Volume 2 will begin on Wednesday, August 19th. A bit later than I first thought, but I need time… especially with so many other projects going.

If you're looking for something else to read between now and then, What You Stole Volume 7 will be my ongoing main focus for RWBY stories and receiving weekly/twice-per-week updates until it's over. I've also just started a My Hero Academia story called Enough is Never Enough, which is an Arboretum style AU of the entire series with a particular focus on Bakugo, Tamaki, Kirishima, and Yaoyorozu. That will also get weekly updates, so jump on over there if you want another insanely long, meandering, batshit rework and are a fan of MHA.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has made it this far in Arboretum, and those who plan to stick with it. This year of updates has been absolutely crazy, and the utter insanity of this story is really still in its infancy, compared to what I have planned for Volume 2 and beyond. A huge shoutout to ConstipatedGenius in particular, who has reviewed every single chapter thus far and put up with a ridiculous amount of stupid bullshit across all of my stories. I'm sure I've taken years off their life at this point, and Raven opening a portal to Taiyang's shower probably shaved off at least one more.

With that, I'll leave this story alone for now. Hope to see you all on August 19th!

-RD