Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of The Rings, the Middle-Earth universe, Shadow of War/Mordor or RWBY.

This work will contain moments of intense violence, dark and dirty humor, and MANY canonical divergences.

The Railway

Belfor wasn't one for machinery.

He wasn't one for tools or weaponry in general despite how often the troops around him had to make use of them. The reason was fairly obvious for all who took even a second to look at him. His immense hands which were equal in size to some small Uruks made working intricate machines nigh impossible for him. It was this reason and this reason alone why he wasn't able to tell if the Uruks he was supervising were doing a good job or not.

He was standing at the bottom of a massive pit which lie in the midst of Mountain Glenn, the ceiling of what had once been an immense cavern having been torn down along with the many buildings that once stood upon it. Along with that the buildings surrounding the pit had been torn down for materials as well, leaving the gaping hole with a ruined surface between it and the rest of the city. And from the edge of that surface crews of Uruks were busy lowering caches of raw materials down into the pit.

Looking away from it, Belfor instead turned his attention to what the main purpose of the day was for. On one wall of the pit sat a massive opening from which spilled tracks, the beginning of the railway which led straight into the heart of Vale. The Storm had just recently finished linking this rail line to one of those in Vale, and had already sent a functional train car from the city to Mountain Glenn. Now all that was left was to prove that the engine could make it back loaded up with raw materials. Once that was confirmed, they could really start supplying their growing army.

Thinking of that army made Belfor turn his misshapen gaze towards the train, where plenty of the Palebloods were working. Ratlug's researchers didn't seem to take kindly to the name, with some exceptions, but the reason behind it was fairly obvious to anyone with functioning eyes.

They were pale... simple as that.

Not like regular pale Uruks either, their skin was said to be lacking Pigmentation by one of the Researchers Belfor had overheard. In fact, those brainier types had been throwing around a word... Albinism? Belfor didn't understand what it meant, but that seemed to be what the Researchers labeled the Pale skin, white hair and red eyes that every single one of the Uruks from this new spawn pit seemed to have.

But to the common Uruks? They were pale-blooded.

Belfor himself couldn't care less for what they were called, he was just glad that whatever condition they were afflicted by made them easy to identify when compared to a regular Storm Soldier in standard white and blue war paint. They were far more fresh than the rest of the Storm, most of them having not been wielding weapons for more than two weeks. So far, whichever Paleblood managed to impress their trainers would get sent in for manual labor almost immediately. Their muscle had been what had been speeding up the Storm's construction projects so far.

Of course, the rest of the Uruks saw this easy identification as a means for harassment, even now Belfor could see that a pair of Storm Soldiers had cornered one of the Palebloods near the train.

"Gotta use ya knees when lifting, laddie!" one called out whilst walking around him

"Yes!" the Paleblood replied while trying to move by with a crate in his grasp, he didn't get far before a shove from behind sent stumbling forward, only just barely kept from collapsing by the first Soldier's steadying grasp.

"Moving too slow, glob!" the other Storm Soldier said while slipping a hand into his pocket "Sure you want this job done by tonight? Or is you screwin' around with us?"

"No no," the Paleblood insisted "Carry good and fast, boss."

"I'd damn well hope so!"

The final yell came from none of the three Uruks, and instead their heads looked up to a large figure standing atop the train car nearby. Hefting some kind of weapon on his shoulder, the Uruk scratched at his disheveled beard before glaring down at them under the rim of his hat "You lot wanna beat on the newblood then have at it on ya own time! My train's supposed to be leaving before this hour passes!" he snarled before pointing to them "And I ain't having either of you pissing on all o that for some damn giggles!"

One Storm Soldier just looked away with a grumble, but the other waved off the demand, "Oh relax Ratanak," he gestured along the train "this was one of the last crates, so a lil' fun here and there shouldn't-"

Ratanak leaped down before him, rising to full height before snarling down at the Soldier before him, "Oh I get it, you's finally thinking ol Ratty's not worth considerin' anymore, eh?"

The Soldier tilted his head in confusion, "Wha-?" his query was cut off by a thick hand wrapping around his helmet and dragging him up to Ratanak's eye-level.

"Think that the ol' bastard's gone senile eh?!" Ratanak accused, eyes twitching as his hat tilted on his head "Thinkin' I ain't worth taking seriously, eh?!"

"Are you daft?!" The soldier shook his head "Of course I ain't thinkin' that!"

Ratanak seethed for approximately three strenuous seconds before the words seemed to register and he dropped the Soldier, "Well then I suppose you should be takin' my words seriously and get this beauty of a machine ready!"

The Soldier looked as if he was going to argue, but the other soldier put a hand on his shoulder to interrupt him. The two shared a look before the other soldier shook his head, the two of them took their leave after that. The Paleblood seemed confused, looking after them for a moment before Ratanak slapped him on the back of the head.

"That means you too, maggot!" Ratanak roared, prompting the Paleblood to pick up the crate again and scurry off. Ratanak watched for a moment before sighing and adjusting his hat so it was secure atop his head once more. During this motion, he took note of the heavy footsteps approaching him and glanced back before grinning at Belfor.

"Ah, Captain!" Ratanak spun towards him whilst shoulder his weapon "Here to witness my beloved machine set off for greatness?!"

Belfor glanced to the train, "I'm supposed to be supervising this entire operation, it would be ridiculous for me not to bear witness to your departure."

"You still callin' it that?" Ratanak chuckled before reaching over and patting him on the shoulder "You's a Captain, lad... Call it leading!"

Belfor narrowed his regular eye at that.

Ratanak was previously known as the Weathered, an Uruk who was known for getting hit harder by age than most would expect. He'd been out of his Spawn Pit for thirty years, but the deeply entrenched wrinkles and graying hair had everyone who saw him convinced he was older. Belfor was actually positive that Ratlug had him beat in age, and nobody was even sure how long the Shaman had been around for. But going off of appearance alone, many of their grunts were convinced that Ratanak was the oldest Uruk in their army.

His position did beget his underlying wisdom, considering he was one of Ratlug's researchers.

While Ratlug was the only Uruk known to walk around with a lab coat, ever since the fall of Vale his researchers had begun wearing white coats to mimic him. They weren't actual lab coats, in fact Ratanak's looked more like a particularly long jacket, but it made them easy to identify, which Belfor was grateful for. The other identifying feature was the oddity of his weapon. As the Uruks who test out and fabricate most of their army's weaponry before streamlining them for the blacksmiths, the Researchers were often seen wielding the oddest weaponry around.

Ratanak's was no different, a club which had the thick head of a wrench on one side. Only, one half of the wrench had the large pick of a pickax welded to it, while the other side was formed into a hammer. The other handle of this multi-faceted club was mottled into a barrel which Belfor was positive fired something, though he'd never seen the old coot use that particular function while working. No, he primarily used his 'weapon' as a tool for working on the train. It made sense, seeing as he was the leading Uruk on studying and implementing Trains and rails.

Its why he was known as Ratanak the Railmaker nowadays, whereas Belfor was still saddled with the title of Flawed.

"Don't pretend as though the rank of Captain is enough for me stand on the same rungs as one." Belfor brushed his hand off before walking by "As long as I'm known as the Flawed then I still have work to do in order to be seen as a true Uruk."

It was why he labeled his job as being that of a supervisor, as he had no actual Uruks under his command. He wished to recruit some from the Storm's ranks, but he just so happened to be preoccupied with orders to overlook projects so often that he could never make the time. Coincidentally, these jobs were never enough to even have him considered for promotion.

Ratanak waved off his concerns before rushing to catch up, "Hey now, that's just them stuffy lads lookin' for targets." he noted before poking one of Belfor's hands "They see one thing they think's they can hold over ya's and try to stick that to you for life!"

Belfor's over-sized eye struggled to turn towards him, "Is this speech supposed to be encouraging?"

"Hey now, I was the same back in my day." Ratanak snickered before pounding himself on the chest with pride "All them other looters runnin with my captain was always tearing apart whatever trinkets they found. But I was always saving, collecting, learning!"

He paused for a moment to massage his chest where he'd just struck before leaning close and smirking, "They all said I was wastin' time with tark stuff, labeled me ol' Nak-Nak the Nutty! But I just needed one big break-!"

"Ratlug," Belfor interrupted as he glanced to the train "you've told me this story before-"

"Yes indeed!" Ratanak laughed "Ah that old bastard was the only cook cookier than this cook, eh? Had me swapping Captains in an instant!"

"I've heard this story already-"

"See?" Ratanak shrugged before jabbing a finger towards him "Only takes one good break for all that potential to come full-circle. And I know for a fact..."

His finger moved up towards Belfor's head, "that any Uruk with an eye for headgear's got some damn fine potential, laddie!"

Belfor unconsciously reached up with one massive hand and curled a finger towards the black beret that was resting atop his head, lightly decorated with old bloodstains.

"I'm not one with an eye for anything apparel-wise except for what doesn't work. This hat here just reminds me of what it took to get my first promotion." After adjusting it, his gaze shot to Ratanak's hat, "So what exactly does that signify? Haven't exactly seen you wear it before."

"Oh, this?" Ratanak took off the hat with his free hand and looked it over for a moment, "Dunno, but ain't it snazzy? some o' Ratlug's boys passed it to me right before we left Vale. Said they was thankin' me for helping with a project for 'em."

"A project?" Belfor paused and looked back to him "Thought you were committed to this train thing, when did you have time for-?"

"You forget I am the one governing most of the trains in Vale as well," Ratanak nodded towards him with a grin "they said that my rails helped them move quite a bit o' supplies they needed for whatever they was cookin' up."

"All that supplies and yet you can't find out why there's inconsistent rations?"Belfor asked

At that, Ratank grimaced, whipping the hat back on and slamming his club against the ground, "Oi now, this old dodger ain't outta tricks yet, you hear me?" he grumbled before his smile returned "I'm this close to figuring it out."

"I'm telling you, it's probably rats." Belfor sighed only to go wide-eyed as Ratanak dragged him close and glared right into his face.

"No no, sonny. That's ya youth betrayin' ya!" Ratanak looked around them with a suspicious snarl "I can tell when something or someone's muckin' with my cargo, and ain't no rats I know that be sneaking like this."

Ever since Ratanak's train had arrived, he'd been adamant that a certain amount of food on board was going missing consistently. It was a small amount, barely even enough for anyone to notice.

But Ratanak had been harping on it ever since he noted the missing cargo. Belfor had tried getting him to focus on making sure the train could make it back to the city with its load and leave specifics like that for after the test run, but it became fairly clear that the Railmaker took some kind of personal affront to his cargo being stolen from, no matter what kind of perpetrator it was.

"Well... then what is it?" Belfor asked, watching as Ratanak grinned.

But then a loud horn sounded from up ahead, and soon Palebloods and several Storm Soldiers were piling on-board. Belfor watched them until Ratanak patted him heavily on the back.

"That's something for me to find out and you... not to worry about!" he said with a hearty laugh as he made for the front of the train.

"But wait, if this really is something like an infiltrator like your suggesting, then I should-"

"Up up up!" Ratanak waved a finger at him "You should relax and enjoy the ride like a regular passenger."

"Passenger?" Belfor narrowed his regular eye

"I on the other hand," Ratanak looked away and tipped his hat down "have got some rats to flush out."

.{{{{{+-+}}}}}.

Before the train had started moving, the figure had made their move. Sneaking amongst the large crates of cargo being loaded on board, they'd managed to evade the view of the numerous Palebloods and Storm Soldiers crawling over the place. Thankfully, they'd concealed their identity in a filthy cloak that had been left out a few days ago. Without it, the figure may have been discovered much earlier, as they did have quite a notable appearance otherwise. And while they did normally enjoy being the center of attention in everything from casual chatter to the midst of battle, this scenario was much different.

So right as the train had begun its journey, the figure slipped into one of the cars and hid amongst the numerous crates of materials. They had watched the materials being readied for today, had overheard the plans that the Storm had for this train, and was ready to use it to sneak their way past the Storm's perimeter into Vale. To this end, the figure held their breath as several Palebloods finished loading cargo and took their leave. They waited until several moments after they were gone to let their breath even out and let the sound of the rails below steady their nerves.

They'd been able to elude capture so far, living quietly off of the forces occupying Mountain Glenn, now it wasn't even an hour until their sneaking and snooping finally paid off.

After some time passed without any more Palebloods or Soldiers wandering in, the figure allowed them-self to relax with their back against a crate before reaching up to massage the area around their right eye.

Even after all the time she'd had to get used it, Yang still couldn't get over how odd the cybernetic eye felt. It didn't hurt, it wasn't uncomfortable, it was just something that she couldn't help noticing. General Ironwood had said that the material surrounding the device wouldn't even irritate her skin, but that didn't change the fact that she just knew that it was different from what was there before. That knowledge culminated in something of a phantom itch around her socket that she couldn't get over in the weeks leading up to today.

That's right, today was the day she returned to the heart of her former captives. The Storm had poisoned her love of combat, had ruined the thrill she used to get when sinking her fists into an opponent. It was a feeling which had kept her from enjoying those last few days at Beacon before the Battle of Vale. It had made her miss out on time she could've easily spent with her teammates, her friends, her sister. And Yang was positive that very feeling was what had kept her from putting her all into the fights she'd been a part of up until now.

That was the only reason she could find for why she's found her performance suffering so blatantly, and ignoring the problem had only exacerbated it.

But ignoring it would be nearly impossible once she was right in the midst of the Storm's foothold of power.

Yang shook her head, reminding herself that that wasn't why she was here.

No, she was here for Qrow. Everyone was convinced he'd been killed, not helped at all by her testimony of what Ratlug had said during the Battle of Vale. But Yang knew that he had to be alive, alive and held captive somewhere in Vale. She'd be damned if she ran off to Atlas with her father, and her suffering abilities would only hinder Ruby, but she felt there was a chance that she could at least help provide him a chance to escape. Qrow was strong, someone who both she and her sister saw as a role model of sorts while growing up. Well, Ruby seemed more mystified by him, but Yang would never claim he was anything other than an amazing huntsman. She was positive that he just needed one little edge to get out of wherever he was being held.

And Yang was confident that she could at least be that.

Her musing was interrupted by the sound of one of the train's doors sliding open. Yang immediately pressed back against the crate and lowered her breathing as footsteps passed.

"That's enough sneakin' around my cargo, maggot."

Yang silently grimaced, she recognized the voice, she'd overheard it numerous times since the train had arrived.

"I can kill's ya slow or quick," Ratanak continued whilst running his gaze over the crates on either side of the train car "I'll let you be choosin' that, eh?"

His gaze locked onto one column of crates that was ever so slightly out of line with the rest. While he would usually chalk it up to incompetence by some other useless glob, he had an eye for packing. It was far too much of an orderly difference in placement, almost as if someone had gone out of their way to move it there in order for a space behind it to be left open. While he could easily believe in some random Paleblood's incompetence, Ratanak wasn't one to believe in organized incompetence.

Yang wasn't sure how he'd figured her out, but all that mattered was that he had. She bit her lip as his footsteps drew closer, they were still more than ten minutes away from Vale. At least, if her memory of the last time she rode this particular line was accurate. Seeing her only solution, Yang reached up behind her as Ratanak hefted his weapon and took one more step towards the crate.

Just as he lifted it up, Yang blasted herself over the crate before reaching back with her other gauntlet and blasting herself right into him. Ratanak's eyes went wide right before Yang slammed into him and both of them stumbled back into the crates behind him. Ratanak shoved her off before starting to rise with a grumble, only for a cloak to get tossed over his head before he could mount a counter attack.

Yang didn't spare him a second glance, instead making for the door he left open only for her eyes to go wide.

He'd left the door on the adjacent car open too, and this one had a group of Palebloods in it who were now staring at Yang.

One tilted his head at the sight of her before grinning, "Tark?"

Yang couldn't slow down at that point, with Ratanak angrily tearing off the cloak behind her and the excited Palebloods in front of her, she could only press forward. Right as she got to the intersection between the two cars, however, she aimed her gauntlets down and blasted herself up right as one of the Palebloods jumped at her. He missed, and probably would've fallen into the wheels below if Ratanak's hand hadn't shot out and caught him beforehand.

"Up!" Ratanak shouted to both him and the rest of the Palebloods as he gestured to the top of the car with his club "Get after her, damn it!"

Standing atop the train car, Yang came to a stop and clenched her hands into fists as she remembered the last time she was in a similar position like this. She'd also suffered a rather crushing loss on a train in this particular tunnel, handed to her by a smug girl named Neo. The shouts of Ratanak and the Palebloods behind her prompted those memories to fade. Turning around, she faced the oncoming Uruks before holding out her arms and gesturing towards herself.

"Come on then, boys!" she called out before getting ready "You want to dance, don't you?"

At that the gleeful looking Palebloods rushed her with various tools, swords and clubs; but Ratanak stood back and watched as the first of them reached her.

Ducking under a crowbar, Yang reared back and blasted him in the chest. To her surprise, the blast immediately tore along his chest and sent a spray of blood and skin in the air as he stumbled back towards the rest of the Palebloods. They paused as he fell to one knee before them, all of them watching with rising excitement as he rubbed his free hand along the black blood which seeped from his wound.

Staring at the blood for a moment, he looked up to her with a wide smile, "Makin' Marks!"

With those words the rest of the Palebloods raced towards Yang with an eager war cry, lunging for her even as she began blasting them away one after another. Slipping out of the way of one sword preceded another flash of blood as she blasted one Paleblood's knee out, using the recoil to spin around and smash her elbow into another's jaw sending a spray of blood and teeth into the air.

They didn't have Auras, not a single one of the Palebloods she beat down had a single flare of Aura to protect them from her attacks. Their pale appearances made the growing number of black wounds on their bodies more apparent the longer she fought, but none of it seemed to damper the joy the Palebloods had as they fought.

Yang had to flick her hands to get the blood off of her gauntlets, using the time to backpedal as the last of the Paleblood's swung a large shovel at her over and over again. On his last swing she spun under his weapon before slamming her fist into his gut and blasting a hole into him which had him stumbling back with a wide grin before doubling over.

Ratanak looked over the downed Palebloods before looking to Yang and smirking, "So this is what I get to work with?" he questioned before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a scroll "Figures."

Pressing a single button on the scroll, a loud horn sounded from the front of the train.

Several cars ahead, Belfor lifted his head at the sound of the horn. He narrowed his regular eye in caution, Ratanak hadn't informed him that they'd be blowing the horn during this test. Wasn't it just supposed to be signal for when they were beginning and ending the ride? He moved to get up from his seat, only for the door ahead to open up as the two Storm Soldiers from earlier quickly made their way across the car. One of them held out a hand to halt Belfor as he passed.

"No need to move." he said as they continued along "Sounds like one o them Palebloods got screwy with the cargo."

They left for the next car, with Belfor watching them skeptically. However, he soon sat himself back down and closed his regular eye with a grumble.

Back atop the train cars, the horn had Yang looking behind her towards the front of the train. Pounding footsteps made her head snap back fast enough to leap back as Ratanak brought down his club, the pick stabbing straight into the roof of the train. He lunged forward to keep up with her, tearing his weapon out of the train and swinging it back around only for Yang to lean out of the way and jab forward. She blasted him once in the face, his aura soaking it up as she went in for a follow up, but right before her other gauntlet could discharge he snatched hold of it with his free hand and dragged her forward before cracking his head against her's and kicking her back.

Yang caught herself, looking up with a glare as Ratanak reached up towards what she could definitively say was the most baffling thing about him.

Roman Torchwick's bowler hat, which rested atop his head.

She'd been sneaking around Mountain Glenn for a while, and had been witness to the entire setup for the train's return to Vale. But throughout all of that time, she could not for the life of her figure out why this one old Uruk was wearing the criminal's signature bowler hat. It was something that distracted her every time her attention was brought to it.

Thankfully, Ratanak didn't seem to notice her moment of hesitant confusion, as his eyes were looking at something past her. Yang briefly glanced behind her towards the front of the train, cursing once she spotted two Storm Soldiers racing along the train cars towards them. She darted backwards as Ratanak took the opportunity to swing at her. She heard the sound of gunfire, immediately aiming her gauntlets down to blast herself over Ratanak and out of the way of the Storm Soldier's rounds. Ratanak himself had to stumble out of the way of the bullets, almost losing his balance off the side of the train before spinning and digging the pick of his club into the roof of the train to halt himself mid-fall.

He gave a sigh as he held onto his hat with his free hand and cast his glare towards Yang, who was now busy with the two Storm Soldiers.

Diving under a hail of bullets, Yang stepped past one's barrel and blasted him back. Before she could continue her attack, the other leaped in with his rifle changing to a sword. She crossed her gauntlets to deflect the incoming strike, sliding backwards only to throw herself back further once she noticed Ratanak out of the corner of her eye. His club slammed into the roof of the train where she once stood, but he yanked it back over his shoulder as the two Storm Soldiers readied their rifles behind him.

Her eyes darted between him and the soldiers several times before she figured that as long as she kept Ratanak between her and the soldiers then they wouldn't be able to get a good lock on her. As long as that was the case...

Yang readied herself as the club came towards her, leaping into his swing as her hair flared up with her semblance. Two blasts to the chest turned his momentum around, changing his charge into a stumble as she reared back and lunged for his head. But before her next strike could land, the pick of his club hooked onto her other gauntlet as Ratanak caught his footing. Using her own momentum against her, he dragged her close while slipping out of the way as he sent her stumbling into sight of the Storm Soldiers who opened fire immediately.

Seeing no other option, she opened fire at the same time as they did, dust rounds colliding mid air and kicking up a large cloud which Yang flew out of to blast one soldier backwards. The other one leaned out of the way of her strike before ramming the butt of his gun in her side and shifting his rifle to its sword form. She leaned out of the way of his blade before catching his wrist and sinking her knee into his gut.

The two soldiers recovered at the same time and leaped towards her simultaneously with their swords. Catching both attacks with her Ember Celica, Yang struggled to hold both of their swords at the same time. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ratanak flipping his club around.

But right at that moment, they finally emerged from the mouth of the tunnel out into the midst of Vale.

The sight of the city around her caused Yang to grimace before cocking back one of her gauntlets and firing, using the recoil to blast herself out of the way of both the swords which embedded themselves into the roof of the train. Catching her footing, she looked up at Ratanak right as he fired something from the base of his club which she swerved out of the way of.

The Railway spike pierced the roof of the train beside her, followed by several more which Ratanak fired at her as she blasted herself off the train. Yang sailed from the train towards the rooftop of a nearby building, catching herself with a heavy breath as her eyes darted towards the train which was now traveling away.

"And stay off o' my damn rails ya rotten shrahk!" Ratanak roared out to her as the train vanished behind several buildings.

Standing tall, Yang let the adrenaline of battle fade as she stood and turned her attention to the city laid out before her. Despite the fact that the Battle for Vale was over a month ago, the city still looked like a warzone. No, even more than that. With the sound of the train fading away in the distance, Yang recognized that the sounds of gunfire and Uruk yells were still coming from nearby. There was smoke coming from a fire in the distance, and several small airships were patrolling the skies. Keeping an eye on the nearest one, Yang made her way to the corner of the building she'd landed on.

Looking over the edge, she was stunned by the sight of two large groups of Paleloods beating the absolute hell out of each other in the street below. Small arms and crude weaponry were being swung and fired every which way, and without Aura the street was soon covered in blood splatter. Yang found herself transfixed on the fight for a moment before the sound of an engine brought her attention to a truck barreling down the road. The back of the truck was packed full of Storm Soldiers shoving each other and chatting.

As soon as the Palebloods noticed the incoming truck, they all moved to clear the street so the truck could pass. As soon as it was gone, they proceeded to resume beating each other to a paste with glee.

The confusion over what exactly was happening faded away as several large billboard screens flickered at once, causing Yang to look up as Ratlug appeared on them.

He adjusted whatever camera he was using to film himself before pulling a piece of paper from a nearby desk and reading it with boredom evident in his tone.

"Here we got a notice that any of you filth training around the Water Treatment Plant have to keep a good two block distance between you and the quarantined areas." he muttered before smiling wide and leaning towards the camera "The boys we got watching over that place are just itching to put rounds in something, I don't think anyone'd be able to scold em if they see ya as easy pickings, got it?"

The announcement ended, with Ratlug disappearing only for the image to be replaced by words in a language she couldn't understand. Yang couldn't care much for the warning or what the words could possibly mean, the only thing the announcement had managed to do was remind her of why she'd made her way into this hellhole in the first place.

Turning away from the street, Yang's gaze went up to Beacon on the cliff in the distance. Somewhere in that towering citadel was her Uncle, she just knew it. And even if Qrow wasn't in there, she had a few ideas of certain Uruks who knew exactly where he might be.

Unknown Location

Emerald looked behind her towards Salem's dark castle, sighing for a moment before Mercury nudged her and gestured towards the Bullhead they were making their way towards.

"I just don't like the idea of leaving her there." Emerald folded her arms, only for Mercury to shrug.

"Hey, I'm not much for these guys either, but orders are orders." He said as he slipped his hands into his pockets.

The helipad was built right into the side of the mountain which the castle stood upon, waiting for them were Watts and Tyrian. They were going to be supporting them in their mission of tracking down the Spring Maiden in Mistral, at least until Cinder had recovered enough to lead them on her own again. Emerald had been hoping to be with Cinder throughout the entirety of her recovery, but Salem wasn't exactly someone she could refuse.

She couldn't even vent to Mercury about how uncomfortable she was suddenly being put under the command of Watts and Tyrian, as he still insisted on being difficult to talk to. But it wasn't all bad, they weren't alone in this.

They still had-

"Ah there ain't nothing to worry about, lassie!" the humored voice came from behind Emerald, and she had no chance to evade before an arm wrapped around both her and Mercury's backs and dragged them to Skak's sides.

"It's fun to mix things up now and then, rolling with a new crew helps ya appreciate where ya fit!" He laughed before raising Blood-Axe with the arm that was around Emerald "Ain't that right, pal?"

Though Emerald winced at the proximity of the Axe, Mercury just rolled his eyes, "Oh that's easy for you to say, I don't think we've spent a single moment at this place where you're apart from Ishga, even with Salem questioning him you're always there."

Skak shook his head before releasing them, "Ah, gimme some credit, lad! True, me and Ish are practically prepackaged together, been a good long while since we've ever been this far apart. But you forget that me n' him had to leave behind our boys the day we hooked up with you lot."

"The Blood-Brothers?" Emerald's head hung "You don't seem to worry about them much."

"Because I trust them to take care of each other even without me there to lead." Skak raised Blood-Axe and patted the side of the skull "Ah, Blood-Axe and I had some wild times with each and every one of those boys!"

"Phrasing." Mercury pointed out before looking back to the ship "Think Cinder's gonna be just as dismissive while we're gone?"

"Dismissive?" Skak quirked his head in confusion only for Emerald to push past him to point to Mercury.

"You don't know she'd even consider that!" She insisted

"Really?" Mercury turned back to the ship with a smirk now on his lips "Come on, Em."

Before she could retort, Skak patted her on the head, "Hey now, it's all fine, Girlie! Most of our Superiors ain't ever really cared for us, either. And that ain't ever held us back!"

His smile turned into a confused frown once she turned her glare on him, "What?"

Mercury's smirked only widened as he folded his arms, "Okay, I give. This might actually be more fun than I thought initially."

For this venture, Ishga would not be joining them either. Unlike Skak, Salem apparently found him to be a much deeper well of information. She had called upon Skak several times over the previous days, but Emerald always noticed that his chats with the Dark Lady of the castle were always extremely short compared to how long Ishga would be gone. Emerald had been hoping to get some details on these meetings from Cinder, as she hadn't left Salem's side once even during those conversations.

Namely, what the hell was up with Skak and that damn Axe.

Throughout the entirety of their stay at the castle, Skak hadn't parted with it once. He ate with it, wandered around casually with it, and she was pretty sure she found him sleeping in several corners of the building whilst cuddling the thing like a deadly teddy bear. He claimed that Blood-Axe was talking, and wouldn't hesitate to answer whenever it did. Emerald was sure he was out of his mind, but Mercury just couldn't help jokingly offering the idea that Skak was legitimately conversing with some unseen force possessing the thing.

Emerald found herself growing more annoyed with Blood-Axe than Skak as time went on, as it seemed to have a rash opinion on literally everything if Skak was to be believed. Through Skak, Blood-Axe's complaints over how bored it apparently was were made apparent to everyone. It complained constantly about when the next action would be, how thirsty it was, and how meager Emerald's abilities were whenever they were training.

Honestly, if Skak didn't keep it on him at all times Emerald would've tossed the damn thing out of a window days ago.

Of course, it wasn't just Skak and Mercury making Blood-Axe's annoying presence even more unbearable.

"Ah, they finally arrive!"

Emerald looked up to see Tyrian lounging atop the Bullhead with a giddy expression plastered on his face. He clapped his hands at their arrival, which prompted Watts to poke his head out of the ship. His gaze narrowed immediately upon noting them, and he strode towards them with a frown.

"What took you so long?" he demanded as he met them beside the ship

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Mercury shrugged "Considering we don't have to worry about interruptions from Grimm, did we really need all this time to prep for a trip to Mistral? I mean, Adam and that Hazel guy left days ago."

Watts shook his head and looked back to the ship, "Considering some of the leads our informant has on the Spring Maiden, I found it pertinent that we be readied appropriately in case our hunt ran into some... complications."

That made Emerald look to the ship suspiciously, "What kind of complications?"

"Oh nothing to worry such young acolytes such as yourself!" Tyrian noted before leaping down from the Ship and catching himself by balancing on his tail "Only know that some routes are more complicated than others."

"Complicated just means bloodier," Skak waved it off before nodding to his weapon "and bloodier just means funner!"

"More fun." Watts corrected him with a scowl even as Tyrian slipped by.

'"Oh I couldn't agree more!" Tyrian nodded before pouting "which is why the knowledge that many of the Huntsmen in Mistral have already been slain brings dual amounts of joy and sadness. Joy for the fewer out there who could oppose the All-Mother's will, yet sadness that I was denied the chance to spill them myself!"

Skak looked to Blood-Axe for a moment before looking back to them, "Blood-Axe is wondering whatcha mean about them huntsmen being slain?"

"Our Informant was in a position where he could set them up with less than survivable conditions, and that is all you need to know." Watts sated before looking away "Besides the obvious benefit it should make our venture far less dangerous and-"

"Here's hoping some dumb bandits try shootin' us down!" Skak raised Blood-Axe with glee whilst walking towards the ship

"Oh, isn't the thought tantalizing?!" Tyrian immediately started snickering "Just thinking of the looks on their faces when they find their catch biting back!"

"Ha!" Skak waved Blood-Axe around whilst pointing to him "He says he could cut through the lot of 'em before any o' you could even bleed one!"

"Ohohoh!" Tyrian rubbed his chin with interest whilst following him on-board "Is that truly a gauntlet he wishes to throw down?"

The rest could only stand and watch as the two continued that back and forth all the way onto the ship, with Watts pinching the bridge of his nose the moment they were out of sight.

"Ugh, I miss the days when I only had two imbeciles to work with." he shook his head before glaring back at Emerald and Mercury "And yet Cinder manages to increase that number with every failure... and the ones she finds seem to get worst with each addition."

"Oh relax, Doc." Mercury strolled by with a shrug "We're all still just getting along. Isn't that what pals should do?"

"If you think I'm gonna stand here and let you imply that that lunatic is my 'pal' then you're crazier than he is." Emerald stated

"Probably the loudest Bodyguards I've ever had the displeasure of working with." Watts sighed as he walked by, much to Emerald's frustration.

"Hey! We aren't just bodyguards, we're supposed to help-"

"Ah, and they come with jokes apparently." Watts shook his head before passing Mercury and boarding the ship. When Mercury looked back to shoot her a shit-eating grin, she silently fumed as she moved to board the ship as well.

While Tyrian's excessive laughter and disgusting appreciation for Skak's clear mental instability was infuriating, Emerald found that Watts was far more tolerable when he wasn't trash-talking them constantly. In comparison to Tyrian, he kept his tone low and concise. Even then, he constantly referred to them as nothing more than Cinder's tag-alongs, which wasn't necessarily untrue but that didn't exactly make him pointing it out feel any less demeaning.

At the very least, he seemed even more done with the whole Blood-Axe shtick than she was, something that Emerald appreciated immensely.

.{{{{{+-+}}}}}.

Ishga watched as the ship took off, arms folded as he watched it start to fade into the distance.

"Have they gone?"

Taking a moment to stand straight, Ishga looked away from the window and turned his gaze back to the large dark room he was standing in. It was devoid of many furnishings save for a table with two chairs on either side of it. On the other side of the table, the chair was occupied by Salem, who was partially bathed in the red light bleeding in through the single window.

"Yes, they've just taken off now in fact." he said whilst approaching the table.

"Good... good." Salem said as she turned back to the table, raising a hand into the air beside her right before letting a finger twitch. The moment the small movement happened, a hiss of pain filled the air.

Taking the other seat, Ishga looked down to the person lying upon that table: Cinder.

Her nails dug into the cloth below as she trembled, holding back the agonized scream which only days ago tore from her mouth with ferocity. Salem held a serene expression as another one of her finger's twitched. In response, the black masses currently extending from Cinder's stumps writhed. Ishga could see it under her skin, hints of the black fluid coursing through her wounds and fusing to veins here and there, only a hint as to what was going on deeper within.

Ishga had found that Salem was fairly adept at Multi-tasking, as she continuously conducted her questioning of him and her treatment of Cinder at the same time. He'd been there, answering her questions whilst that mysterious black mass ate away at Cinder's stumps and burrowed its way inside. She'd occasionally pause to whisper words of encouragement to Cinder before returning to her questioning, all while that eerie air that Ishga couldn't quite put his finger on filled the room around her.

It was only yesterday that he finally recognized what it was.

"Tell me, Ishga..."

Her voice tore his attention away from Cinder, and he locked his gaze to those glowing red eyes once more.

"Have you been comfortable in my abode so far?" she asked "Its not often that I get visitors for so long."

"It's been... nice." Ishga found himself clenching a hand at his side "Compared to our previous living conditions, you could even say this is luxurious."

"Back when you were at the tower, right?" Salem questioned whilst twitching yet another finger, and having Cinder writhe on the table as a section of the black mass fused to her skin right before their eyes "Tell me, in spite of the decor... do you miss those you previously worked for?"

Ishga shook his head, "The Garrison put themselves in that situation of theirs and our Master didn't do anything to stop them." he looked away "As far as I'm concerned this is an over-all improvement."

"Ishga... look at me when we speak."

Following her command, he turned his gaze back on Salem, who smiled once they locked gazes once again.

"That's better," she said "My question was more referring to those Uruks directly under your command."

"The Blood-Brothers were Skak's soldiers not mine." he grumbled whilst crossing his arms across his chest "They only listened to me because he did, I never took soldiers of my own after..."

"After he killed your elder, correct?"

Ishga nodded quietly.

He hadn't prepared for how these Questionings had turned out. On the first day it had gone as expected, with her requesting everything he knew about the Storm and its various high-ranking leaders. But as the days wound on, Ishga found himself coerced to reveal details far more... personal. He couldn't understand why, and Salem never gave him a reason. All he knew was that suddenly she was asking for his life story, his opinions on other Uruks, and even seemingly trivial things like what he liked to eat and how he prepared his weapons.

It was all very... very disconcerting to him, yet he wasn't willing to refuse her and so he continued fulfilling her requests. Cinder didn't seem too unnerved by the change in direction of the questioning, but then again she spent most of the time writhing in agony so he wasn't even sure if she heard them. She rarely seemed to speak to him between sessions, but now they were the only two other people in the Castle besides Salem and the occasional Grimm wandering the halls.

"Hold on a moment." Salem said before leaning down and place her free hand atop Cinder's trembling head and rubbing it gently.

Her smile dissappeared, and she continued for a moment whilst staring down at Cinder, who tried and failed not to flinch with pain as the black mass dug further into her flesh and rooted itself in new places.

"You're letting it overtake you," Salem stated softly whilst lifting Cinder's head and cradling it under her palm "are you really going to let that happen?"

Biting her lip so hard it bled, Cinder shook her head ferociously before it twisted back as Salem flicked another finger.

"Come now... you're stronger than this." Salem whispered as Cinder gripped the edges of the table "You know it... and I know it."

Though her breathing hitched several times, Cinder's head rested back against the table and her shaking hands released the cloth beneath her. Salem sat straight and stared at her for some time before flicking another finger and turning her attention back to Ishga, who had been staring the entire time.

"Fascinated?" Salem asked, her smile returning upon seeing Ishga nod fervently "I was too, at one point. But now its as simple as breathing, barely requiring a thought."

"D-Do you actually breathe?" Ishga found himself asking before sitting back.

"Is that really the only question you wish to ask of me?" she asked with a lowered gaze

"I... wasn't aware that I could ask questions." he admitted

"Please, I wouldn't want you thinking that I wouldn't offer anything in return for your efforts." She tilted her head before her smile faded away "Just know that some questions you'll find are more easily answered than others."

Meaning he'd have to pick his question carefully if he wanted an answer.

"Okay, well... my previous masters all seemed to use us to reach some kind of goal." Ishga began "They weren't always obvious about it, and some weren't even chasing their own goals."

"Intriguing stories, each and every one of them." Salem noted

"I know that you're aiming to undermine the Academies and whatnot, but... what is the main goal here?" Ishga gestured to Cinder then towards the window "All these underlings... the Grimm, us... If we manage to curb the Storm's advance and get these maidens of yours, what exactly is the goal, then?"

Salem hummed as her eyes closed momentarily, her other hand lowering and the blackish mass connected to Cinder's flesh halted its advance. Feeling the pain subside, Cinder's breathing evened out as her gaze turned to Salem as well. When she finally opened her eyes and focused them on Ishga again, she raised a hand and brought it over her heart.

"I suppose I could simplify it to wanting to lay claim to the world, though not in the same manner as your Shaman friend." Salem said before folding her hands on the table and tiling her head to the side, "Many millennia ago, I set this world on a different path... and now forces conspire to return the natural order I worked so hard to undo."

Looking over to Cinder, she smiled again before tightening her hands together again and prompting the black mass to resume its horrific integration with Cinder's form.

"So instead of a conquest of war, I suppose you could call this a conquest of fondness."

"...Fondness?"

Turning her smile back on Ishga, Salem nodded, "To allow the people of Remnant to govern themselves would be a waste I'm not willing to allow. With the maidens and the power they unlock, I could solve all this land's problems overnight. A long time ago someone agreed with me over this, but our ideals for what to do afterwards differed greatly."

"O-Ozpin," Cinder growled through the pain.

"His desire to return to how things had been so long ago clashed with my acceptance of the new world we live in and the potential it has to surpass what once was. And so we've played a sort've game for the past few millennia seeing who's idea of the future will surpass the other."

Ishga raised an eyebrow, "And in order for one of you to win, you need all four maidens?"

"In order for me to win, I will." Salem nodded before placing a hand on Cinder's shoulder and rubbing it "Young Cinder here has been granted an ability to house the powers of all four of them within one body, through her I shall be able to obtain the power I need to finally put this matter to rest."

Cinder flinched at her touch, only to relax slowly. She hardened her expression and nodded to Salem's words, gritting her teeth as the black lumps of matter attached to her knees began to solidify into shapes more reminiscent of actual limbs.

"I will!" Cinder said through clenched teeth as her new flesh bent and contorted "I have to, in order to..."

"Shhh," Salem hushed her "focus now, you'll have your power in time. But right now, the only power that can end this pain is your own."

There it was again, that eerie feeling which radiated off of her that made Ishga narrow his gaze and take a deep breath. It was something he wasn't used to seeing anywhere else. It wasn't Skak's eagerness or the blood-thirst of most of his fellow Uruks. It wasn't Adam's restrained spite or Cinder's passionate hunger, not Watts' condescension, Hazel's submission or even Tyrian's madness.

It was... comforting

Salem radiated understanding and patience that didn't mesh with her appearance at all. Unlike the clear condescension he saw in numerous Uruks whenever they feigned worry for their underlings, Ishga couldn't tell whether Salem's worry for Cinder was genuine or just a means to an end. It was a far cry from what he was used to from his previous masters, yet not something he was completely unfamiliar with.

He'd seen this odd dichotomy in one individual before; it scared him then and did so now as well.

"Believe me, Ishga."

Salem's words brought him back to the present moment, and he steadied his expression as she looked back to him.

"If this Stormbringer of yours manages to interfere too greatly with this game Oz and I have been playing, he will become far more of a threat to this land than you could ever imagine."

Greenpine Farms

Oscar twiddled his thumbs whilst staring down at the floor. He kept his head down even as his aunt paced back and forth in front of him. She was angry, he could tell that from the way she walked alone, not having to look up to the intense frown she had etched into her features. He didn't blame her, he knew what it looked like from her position, knew this wasn't just something they could ignore anymore.

Finally, she paused and glared at him, "Explain... Now." she ordered sternly, prompting Oscar to hang his head even lower.

He hadn't been able to hide it any longer, several days of his nightmares growing excruciatingly more horrific had led to more than his poor sleep schedule. He might've been able to excuse how little he was eating due to anxiety over what happened at Beacon, but the waking visions had bled too deeply into his daily life too be ignored. It culminated in a panic attack he suffered right in front of her while they were working the fields, the tilled soil around replaced by a hellish vision of a city marked with bloodshed and warfare as Pale entities massacred each other left and right.

He'd fought at first, but soon the flesh wall had returned, filling even the streets with its ungodly mass. Somehow, its ability to fill the city had been more horrifying than the endless maze they'd started out on. He'd tried to squeeze his eyes shut and ignore the vision, even as he was cornered in an alley with the flesh approaching quickly, even as the nagging hints of his Aunt's voice called out to him.

He'd awoken in their living room, and one look at his Aunt sitting in the chair across from him told him that the jig was up. She wanted answers, and wouldn't accept anything that wouldn't explain his declining condition. Oscar had no other option than to come clean, and so he did.

He spoke of the visions he had, of how his nights were plagued with horrifying dreams of being pursued through the ruined halls of Beacon by some nightmarish wall of flesh. He spoke of how he figured it was just the terrible result of sneaking around to watch those Broadcasts coming from Beacon, only for the reality to prove far worst. He spoke of the scattered voice which called his name, of the moment he finally escaped that endless maze only to find the desecrated image of Vale waiting for him. How his nightmares were occurring even when he was awake, going about his day. And how the wall of flesh had been catching up to him more and more as time went on.

As he expected, the moment he finished relaying this information to her, his Aunt immediately told him to start packing up. She'd make a few calls to the nearest town and she could have them at an inn closer to a clinic by nightfall. Oscar didn't even have it in him to argue, the idea that he could withstand the visions on his own seemed far too unlikely for him to even consider. He wasn't sure what kind of medical help could aid him, but he was willing to try anything at that point.

Looking into the mirror above his sink, Oscar took in his gaunt appearance in somewhat of a trance. It was almost shocking what these nightmares had done to him in such a short time. But he wasn't shocked, he felt numb. His body moved on autopilot to pack up his things for the trip. It was just as he was zipping up his bag that he flinched violently as the screams began.

That scattered voice called his name again desperately, but he tightened his hands before finishing up with his bag and slipping it on.

"Oscar!" it bellowed as he made for the door, only for his hand to pause as it continued "It's coming!"

That made Oscar freeze, as that disjointed voice had never said anything other than his name up until now. Did this sudden change mean something? Or was it merely yet another result of his deluded mind deteriorating further?

Whatever the case, Oscar took hold of the door again only for his head to unconsciously turn towards the window.

"Run Oscar!" the scattered voice cried over itself, its own words mixing together in a painful cacophony "It's coming for you!"

He didn't know why, but the sudden compulsion to look out of his window brought him towards it, a shaking hand steadying him against its frame as he cast his gaze outside, only for it to widen immediately.

The wall of flesh was here, covering the forest beyond his home in its approach. If this was yet another vision, it was far more tangible than all the others were. And even with the knowledge that he could no longer trust his own thoughts, Oscar knew deep down that he couldn't let the wall reach his home, his aunt. The voice screamed that it was here for him, that it sought him out across the land. Hoping beyond hope that it was true, he stumbled his way out of his room and towards a larger window that he proceeded to pull open.

The clatter of the window was noticed by his aunt, "Oscar?" she called from downstairs "Are you ready?"

Oscar didn't respond, the fear and the screaming voice urging him to climb out of his window onto the roof before sliding down it to the ground. Even though he only fell one story, his weakened state led him to stumble forward and collapse in a heap. The voice roared in his ears for him to rise, and his eyes snapped up to see the wall of flesh passing over the fields before his home.

Struggling to his feet, he raised his arms over his head and broke for the woods on the other side of the farm, calling out to the wall of flesh loudly. He called until some of the frantic eyes protruding from the flesh locked onto him, its advance towards his home changing as it instead lurched towards him with silent grasping limbs. Once he was sure he had its attention, he broke into a run through the brush just as the sound of his Aunt yelling for him reached him.

As he passed through the woods, he hoped beyond hope that by the time his Aunt sought him out that the wall of flesh would ignore her and continue after him. The voice encouraged him onward, but his limbs aches from the poor diet and lack of sleep. Despite the growing pain from overexerting himself, he pushed onward, unwilling to look back and unwilling to stop. As he ran, the woods around him faded back to the gray halls of Beacon, its maze-like infrastructure practically assembling itself around him.

Slamming against one wall after overshooting a turn, Oscar spun around as he saw the flesh wall approaching from the path he was just about to take. Even though he found a hall that was clear, the moment he ran for it he slammed into something. The impact sent him flying onto his back, his eyes snapping open just to see the flesh wall falling upon him. He covered himself desperately as his vision darkened, only for the feeling of the fleshy mass to never come.

His heart was pounding in his ears, overshadowing the voice. Only after several seconds of lying there cowering did he realize that it was calling out for him to get up quickly. He was confused, wondering where the flesh wall had gone as his panicked eyes opened to see a pair of feet standing before him. He wasn't in Beacon's ruined walls, he was surrounded by the woods. Standing right before him was a figure in a robe who looked down at him with a face made of faces. Oscar's eyes widened upon seeing the various mouths and noses looking down upon him, not even recognizing the smile underneath them until the figure reached down and yanked him up by his shirt.

"Well now..." Pugrish cooed while looking him over "I'll admit this is... surprising."

Despite his words, he looked the near manic boy over with no small amount of amusement.

"W-Who?" Oscar could only stammer out so much before Pugrish released him, with him collapsing the moment his feet hit the ground and scurrying back "W-what are you?!"

Pugrish snapped his finger at that, "A fine question... shall we discuss it?"

"Oscar?"

Hearing his aunt's voice, Oscar looked to the woods behind him to see the ray of a flashlight passing through the bramble. He barely even got a chance to respond before something latched around his ankle and he was dragged off deeper into the woods.

Schnee Manor

Gripping Myrtenaster tightly, Weiss spun in place before whipping it skywards and prompting a glyph to appear before her. Maintaining her stance, she twisted Myrtenaster as the Glyph spun faster and faster. Standing in the midst of the garden, two SDC security personnel watched from besides the entrance with stiff expressions as Weiss practiced.

"You see this? I've got everything from the symbols to the structure of the Glyph down pat." Weiss called behind her without taking her eyes off the glyph.

Several feet behind her, Ciel paced whilst tapping away furiously at the screen projected from her wristwatch, "Noted, please proceed with the attempt, Ma'am."

Taking a deep breath, Weiss closed her eyes and concentrated on the form of the glyph. It fluctuated slightly, with the shape alternating several times before Weiss gasped and it faded away. Ciel was quick to walk over whilst ringing up several documents on her screen.

"An improvement in consistency Ma'am." she noted before raising her other hand only to hesitate. Weiss steadied her breath and glanced back to Ciel with a raised eyebrow, watching her for a moment as she cleared throat and awkwardly patted her on the back.

"G-Good job." Ciel said whilst refusing to meet Weiss's gaze.

If there was one saving grace into the shaky friendship that she and Ciel had been working to cultivate over the past few days, it was that they were both equally inept at it. Weiss had never been on the same level of casual interaction as her teammates, and Ciel was relying heavily on what she'd learned second-hand from Penny. Somehow, the realization that she wasn't the only one out of their element with this made Weiss feel better. She smiled at Ciel's comment, and was pleased to receive a stiff smile back.

"Really? Is that truly begetting congratulations?"

And just like that, Weiss's smile melted away as she glanced to the other spectator she had. Whitley was seated in a reclined chair nearby with an umbrella shielding him from the light of the garden. He'd mostly kept to reading a book throughout her training, but of course the moment he saw a chance to interject he pounced upon it with aplomb.

With the book lowered and his fingers drumming along it, he glanced to Ciel, "Shouldn't such appreciation be reserved for actually reaching the goal she set out for?"

Ciel looked down to the screen on her wristwatch, "Given how far we've come since beginning, positive reinforcement would go far to facilitate further growth, Mr. Schnee."

Whitley took a moment to smirk in subtle glee at the title before casting his gaze upwards, "Really now? I wasn't aware such simple methods of coercion still worked on you, Sister."

Weiss rolled her eyes at that, Ciel hadn't even attempted to shake that habit of hers. Despite their growth as friends, Ciel continued to call her 'Ma'am', and likewise labeled Whitley as Mr. Schnee, something which he took no small amount of blatant pride in. For the majority of their interactions since Ciel's initial visit, Whitley had periodically tagged along to spot new avenues that he and Weiss could battle over. Of course, he said it was just to get familiar with his Dear Sister's new friend, but he and Weiss both new what the real score of his efforts was.

They used to engage in verbal sparring like this all the time as children... and Weiss would be damned if she gave in so simply.

"Why wouldn't it when coming from a friend?" Weiss turned on him whilst lowering the tip of Myrtenaster to the ground "Surely you feel the same when your acquaintances comment on your success?"

The way his eyebrows lowered subtly indicated to her that he caught onto the loaded implications of her question

"I wouldn't know," he shrugged "Even in all the time you've spent away I've never found myself bored and desperate enough to go seeking the approval of companions."

Ah, so he was going for the throat in order to push past her carefully erected defenses, eh? Weiss refused to meet his gaze, keeping a hint of a smile on her face even as she feigned confusion.

"Not being desperate I can get," she admitted "but all I've seen you do since my return is read, relax and tag along behind me as if itching for some kind of interaction."

"All of which satisfies my daily requirement of entertainment I assure you." he answered far too quickly, prompting Weiss to reevaluate her strategy in her head just long enough for him to notice and press on "Unlike some people I don't find getting attacked by Grimm and cleaning up the messes of criminals too... enticing."

And suddenly Weiss had her rallying point, they'd contested this issue several times before she initially left Beacon. Whitley turned in his seat to face her head on, the book beside him practically forgotten at that point. Off to the side Ciel could only watch in confused silence as the unseen battle lines were set in stone before her. Though she may not have realized it, war was being waged right in front of her eyes as the two Schnee siblings organized their hypothetical statements and continued predicting the following moves of the opposing force.

"Honestly Sister, it was crazy then and its still crazy now." Whitley gestured to her "I would think the heiress of our company would be spending her time showing off how ready she is for the corporate behemoth she's soon to control."

"My goals of becoming a Huntress were always to show how ready I was to lead the Schnee name to glory." Weiss nodded, holding up Myrtenaster before her brother could pounce on the opening "What could be a greater indicator for such ambitions than to become a world-renown Huntress? Surely you remember the importance of this weapon? The significance it should have for all of us?"

Whitley reached forward and tapped the tip of Myrtenaster with a shake of his head, "For me? Oh no no. But for the guests who I picture seeing it radiantly shining above our mantle? I've had plenty of plans for those awe-stricken gazes, displaying my knowledge of our ancestors thriving through their culture of primitive savagery. You know, back before we learned how much more power one could wield with a keen mind instead of a keen blade?"

"A weapon is meant to be wielded," Weiss said whilst raising Myrtenaster before her and looking it over "If they wanted a history lesson I'm sure you'd find something less insulting to the family name to present them."

And so the battle raged on, with infantry falling under recurring waves of gunfire as forces pushed back and forth in this battle of Gods. The wind trembled under the pounding of air raids and the tides roared with the clash of cannons. Neither side was willing to give any ground, and the loss of life resulting from this singular conflict rose drastically with each new subject they leaped to.

Of course, to Ciel it just looked like Weiss and Whitley were arguing as usual.

Back before the Fall of Vale, Ciel used to believe that Weiss Schnee was someone above getting into long-winded back and forth discourse like this. Even a certain stint in a local eatery hadn't changed that image of her. It was while she was learning more about friendship with Penny that Ciel started to see past the impassable front that Weiss always seemed to have, and that idea only blossomed during her visits to Schnee Manor. While Ciel couldn't see Whitley as too disruptive since he only ever seemed to keep his interaction to the verbal medium, he was the only one that Ciel had ever seen get Weiss so ready and willing to argue so quickly.

And boy... did these two know how to argue. Ciel checked the time and found that almost ten minutes had passed since they began, and Ciel began weighing the pros and cons of trying to interrupt. They were supposed to be working on Miss Schnee's glyph work, after all. Ciel may not be too good at casual talk, even on her best days. But if there was one thing she could always hold to her name it was combat evaluation, something that Weiss valued greatly as she tried her hardest to maintain her skills even outside of Beacon.

"We could afford hiring the deadliest and most proficient huntsmen for any task we so desire." Whitley stated

"But what about when I can't rely on money or outside aid to accomplish something?" Weiss asked while gesturing with Myrtenaster "What then?"

"Well I can see how little faith you have in yourself if the idea of getting into that position is even possible in your eyes." Whitley tapped a finger to his head "A Schnee prepares for every outcome, dear sister."

Ciel knew that if she didn't step in somehow, they could be at this for another half hour or more. So, making an effort to be as concise as possible, she spoke up.

"Should I reschedule the Summons training for another day, Ma'am?" she asked while hovering a finger over her screen.

"Yes, wouldn't want to slack on such crucial efforts now would we?" Whitley asked with a subtle tilt of the head.

Weiss gritted her teeth despite maintaining her expression. In her haste to counter her brother's forward march she'd forgotten about the neutral party that was Ciel. She hadn't wanted to draw attention to her in case Whitley would utilize it and distract her through collateral damage. However, she'd forgotten to factor in the probability of Ciel drawing attention to herself, a move which Whitley had pounced upon immediately.

No, she could still work with this. Roll with the blow and turn it around.

Turning away, she nodded whilst readying Myrtenaster, "I wouldn't know the first thing about Slacking, you know its not in our blood."

"So how would you know when you're at risk of it?" Whitley countered

Ciel was honestly just glad that they were getting back to what the original goal here was.

"We have gotten to a point where the Glyphs should be stable enough for it." she noted while looking through her logs "We just need that final push in order to actually complete it."

"Why the rush on this, anyway?" Whitley asked before glancing to Ciel "Ever since she started showing up, you've spent the same six hours training with her every day."

"Gotta use my time somehow, right?" Weiss shrugged before closing her eyes and focusing

"Is that truly it?" Whitley asked "Are you sure you aren't just struggling to match Winter's record?"

That made Weiss grunt, but she tried to maintain her focus.

"Record?" Ciel raised an eyebrow

"Oh yes, our Prodigy of a sibling mastered her Summoning faster than any Schnee." Whitley noted with a sigh "She even did so right before leaving for the Academy, just to prove to Father she was capable. Quite a high note to walk out on, I'll admit."

A sharp gasp made Ciel snap to attention just as Weiss's newest glyph faded as well. Logging it quickly, she proceeded to administer another congratulatory pat on the back to her friend.

Weiss looked up to Ciel before smiling again, "It was actually a perfect note to walk out on."

Whitley shrugged, "I'd argue that if it weren't so true. Perhaps someone is aiming to mimic that act, then?"

Weiss rose and folded her arms "Now isn't that a peculiar question."

Sensing the embers of another argument being fanned, Ciel thought quickly. Her eyes darted around for something, anything that could keep the two siblings from engaging in non-violent combat once again. She was stricken with an idea that she was surprised hadn't come to her sooner, it revolved around something she'd been noticing lately.

"Has the manor been getting renovations?" she asked before either of the Schnee siblings could engage the other "I've been noticing more decorations being set up each day."

They both looked to her at that, with Whitley chuckling before picking up his book and reclining once more, "You haven't heard? There's a charity event at the end of the week that our oh so gracious Father put together. Everyone from the Council to the Atlesian Aristocracy will be there seeing firsthand how the SDC plan to support the war effort." he nodded towards Weiss "Dear Sister even gets to sing for them."

"Oh?" Ciel looked to her before going through her logs and her wristwatch screen "I'd heard you were rather excellent in the field of vocals, Ma'am."

"You heard right," Weiss sighed as she lowered Myrtenaster and looked away "and it would go a long way in showing off my recovery."

"But wait," Ciel looked between them " isn't that event being held in the theater located in the west wing of the manor? Why would you need to decorate the whole place for-?"

"The After party will be rather... extensive." Whitley noted "Wouldn't want a single square foot of this place looking less than perfect for our guests would we?"

Weiss subtly rubbed a finger hard along the hilt of Myrtenaster in irritation, "Of course we wouldn't. Can't have people thinking Father's scared despite all the rapid security additions."

"Perhaps its a show of strength, perhaps its a show of good will, or perhaps its just an avenue for more dealings." Whitley offered with a smile as he read his book "Who can tell with Father? It could be all or none and we would be none the wiser.'

"Either way," Ciel turned back to Weiss "I'm sure you'll do great up there... Ma'am."

"Its not the performance I'm worried about." Weiss sighed "Every single time I've ever gone to events like these my Father makes a point to try setting me up with a suitor."

"Suitor?" Ciel raised an eyebrow

"Oh yes," Whitley snickered whilst nodding to Ciel "Just wait until you hear about this particular gag show."

"Its far less funny from where I'm standing, trust me." Weiss stated with a shake of her head as she began pacing "For years now I've always had to pair up with someone for events like these, sons of aristocrats or company owners that my father insists I consider 'Hooking Up' with."

"Hooking up?" Whitley shook his head "What crass terminology you've picked up during your time at Beacon. And you know he only does that because you refuse to seek out a partner on your own. Companies live and die on cycles of inheritance in Atlas, and as Heiress I'm sure you're more than familiar with how this works."

"That very familiarity is why I'm not exactly dying to get ready for my future marriage, Whitley." Weiss pointed to him "I'm not like you, I actually care about picking who I might end up with if that ever comes to pass."

Ciel turned to Whitley, "Do you end up getting set up with dates like that?"

"Of course," Whitley chuckled before nodding to his sister "The difference between me and her is that I for one am fully aware that I hold all the cards in whatever relationship Father wishes for me. We're Schness, Weiss, he wouldn't match us up with anyone that we couldn't bend to our will from the onset."

"Not exactly the characteristics of a relationship I think about from the get-go." Weiss shook her head "I might not be very good at it, but there's a little something called Romance... Chemistry? Do either of these concepts ring a bell?"

"Bah," Whitley waved her off "I'm not one for either of those, really. If I'm going to have to be in a relationship one day then I'm damn well making sure that it works for me and not the other way around."

And just like that... they were right back to it.

Ciel sighed as she folded her arms behind her back and stepped to the side as the two dragged each other into fierce lingual warfare once again. She believed that it was a good effort on her part, but some things just seemed unavoidable. Thankfully, this one didn't last nearly as long as the last argument. That was due in part to the sudden entrance of Weiss's preferred butler: Klein.

"Ah, Miss Schnee?" he called for her as soon as he entered the Garden, briefly nodding to the SDC Security Personnel before making his way over. His voice caused the argument to trail off as both Weiss and Whitley looked to him.

"Another one of your friends has dropped by." he informed her as he came to a stop before them.

Weiss blinked, turning slowly towards him as a smile spread across her features. Before she might not have believed Klein's words, but with how much Ciel's arrival had improved her day to day living she was positively ecstatic to see someone else from-

"He requests for you to go to the Charity event... with him." Klein finished the last part more slowly upon seeing the smile fade from Weiss's face, only to be replaced by a confused frown.

That confusion very quickly melted into skepticism.

"Excuse me?"

Kuo Kuana, Menagerie

When the Leashed Lassie finally docked at Kuo Kuana, Blake felt a wave of relief roll over her that she'd been waiting days for. They hadn't run into anymore Pirates, but the crew had gotten fairly roughed up, not to mention Saya. Against all odds, luck had shone through in the realization that Gundza's haste to cut and run had led him to flub the final strike he'd inflicted upon his hostage. Her sister, who Blake learned later was named Hale, was actually a Doctor who'd been fleeing Sanus with her sister and son. If she had been the one Gundza had taken over instead, there was no way she'd be able to last the rest of the journey. But with sheer luck and her sister's efforts, Saya had been kept in a somewhat stable condition despite the need for additional treatment.

But even then, she was stubbornly persistent. Once Leashed Lassie docked, several members of the Menagerie Guard immediately boarded to aid the passengers in their disembarking. The Captain had managed to give forewarning that they'd need assistance upon their arrival, so in addition to the guard were several medical personnel from the nearby clinics. Standing off to the side, Blake watched two of these medics rush over to Saya. She was being helped along by her sister, who passed her to the medics before walking ahead of them and pleading that they hurry to a proper facility.

Despite the bandages neck wound, Saya waved off her Sister's concern with a weak grin. Before she could even attempt to curtail her sister's worries, her nephew took hold of her hand and began begging her to hurry up and get better.

Watching them make their way into the bustling city of Kuo Kuana, Blake couldn't help but feel a small glimmer of pride in herself for managing to get them here. But she hadn't done it alone.

Right when she began thinking of her unexpected traveling a companion, a casual nudge in the side made her turn to see Sun. He quickly pulled her into a side hug before pointing.

After the encounter with the Black Tide Pirates, one of them had been left beaten and unconscious on the Leashed Lassie. He'd been the one that Gundza had ordered to hold Hale's son hostage for him, the one that Saya had helped wrestle to the ground the moment she saw the opportunity. Once he'd awoken, he turned out to be rather nonchalant about the whole being taken hostage thing, and mostly seemed confused as to why he wasn't already dead. Apparently his name was Lugnor, and trying to get information out of him had become something of a hobby for Blake and Sun along with several of the Lassie's crew.

According to the Captain, Black Tide Pirates hadn't ever ventured as southward as Gundza and Uthug had when they encountered them. Trying to figure out the reason by asking Lugnor turned out to be a moot goal rather quickly. He very clearly and concisely stated how his one motto in life was to follow the orders of the deadliest Uruk near him and question absolutely nothing unless it would blatantly get him killed. Because of this, he rarely listened to anything that wasn't a direct order, and had no idea why they were down there, just that they were ordered to be down there.

Of course, barely anyone could believe his excuses, but over time it became blatantly clear that whether he was telling the truth or not, Lugnor was missing some seriously critical information. He was surprised upon hearing that Vale had been invaded by the Storm, claiming that his Chiefless Captain had suddenly decided they needed a way off the continent and that he followed his lead without hesitation. He didn't even really understand where the Black Tide Pirates had gotten their ships, just that their Captains seemed deadlier than his was. He spent some time working for different Black Tide leaders depending on who he thought was stronger, and just so happened to be working under Uthug and Gundza during the attack.

By the time they'd gotten that much out of him, the Captain of the Leashed Lassie had had enough of his presence on his ship. It was only after getting into contact with Kuo Kuana that he was convinced to hand him over to the Menagerie Guard instead of tying him up and tossing him overboard. And just as promised, Sun pointed to where two members of the Guard were hauling Lugnor off the boat while a third thanked the Captain for his efforts.

"I remember when I used to be the one getting dragged off of ships." Sun chuckled before patting Blake on the shoulder

"I'd hope for different reasons, at least." she responded with a sly little smirk as he took a look of offense

"Hey now! Pirating and being a Stowaway are two completely different crimes, here." he announced before patting himself on the chest "One's a whole lot harder to pull off and saves time and money when traveling, and the other's just being a dick."

Blake rolled her eyes before watching as Lugnor was escorted by. The Uruk looked over the city around him with a dull expression.

"Wow, you hybrids really do got ya'selves a whole island." he said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm as nearby citizens took note of him "Wait a sec, these lot even seen an Uruk yet?"

Neither of the Guards seemed willing to answer his question, and as the crowd around him started muttering louder Lugnor released a low chuckle, "Well then, guess I'mma be gettin' some infamy then. Oi Hybrids, take a good long look over here!"

Though he didn't struggle, the Guards did pick up the pace as Lugnor's yell drew even more attention.

"See this mug over 'ere!" He called out "This one 'ere can appreciate a fine taste in his meals! And your kind been providing that flavoring a plenty! So you have me gratitude, Half-Tarks! Thanks for bein' so damned delicious!"

Blake clenched her hands, but Sun put a hand on her shoulder before she could even begin to consider doing anything. He moved in front of her before waving off the fading yells of Lugnor.

"Ah, forget about him, he's just mad he got caught. Lug's the law's problem now." Sun gestured around them "We're in your home now, Blake! Menagerie! Can't you show even a little bit of excitement?"

Looking around, Blake found her worries driven back by an oddly clawing sense of Nostalgia. He was right, even though some things had changed since she was gone, she was back in Kuo Kuana, a city she'd spent the majority of her childhood at. Stepping away from the ship, Blake took a moment to temper herself. She couldn't get excited just yet, there was something she'd need to get done before she could even hope to truly relax. She knew that, but...

"Geez, that trip took forever!" Sun exclaimed while stretching and looking around before noticing the distraught expression on her face "Hey, so... you're kinda my only lead on this place. Got any idea where we could go for some grub?"

Blake thought for a moment before nodding, "If a few buildings are still where I remember them, then yes." She turned only to pause and glance back to him, "Actually, this'd be a great time for a tour. I don't know how long we'll be here, so I'd hate for you to get lost."

Sun tilted his head for a moment before smirking, "Oh I get it, get to show off that hometown pride, eh?"

Blake looked away with a sigh as she gestured for him to follow, but despite rolling her eyes, she couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.

And so she showed him around, essentially acting as a tour guide whilst keeping an eye out. The number of Faunus was staggering, crowds on almost every street wherever Sun could see. Blake explained that they'd arrived at a fairly busy time of day, but that Menagerie was renown for its cramped settlements. Jutting out here and there were market stalls, from which they purchased a quick snack of meats on a stick.

They were just finishing up those meals right as they approached the edge of the Shallow Sea.

"What so its like... for fishing or recreational stuff?' Sun asked as he finished wiping at his mouth with a napkin and tossing it into a nearby trash can along with his now meatless stick. They were in the middle of passing through an alley in the less populated portion of the residential district.

"Ah, you're actually closer than I expected." Blake nodded back to him before walking forward, "The Shallow Sea district is for Faunus with aquatic traits."

"Woah woah woah," Sun waved his arms as he came to a stop "you mean like gills and webbed feet? Those kinds of Faunus actually exist?"

"That Vacuan lifestyle of yours is showing Sun." Blake folded her arms.

"Well, I mean its just that I never really spotted any at Vale or Mistral so..."

"That's not surprising if you're more landlocked than others," Blake continued walking "Aquatic Faunus tend to stick to shores. Sometimes out of necessity and sometimes its just more comfy for them. The Shallow Sea is pretty much an entire district of Kuo Kuana that's built with these types of Faunus in mind."

"Cool," Sun folded his arms behind his head and followed after her "so after that you're finally gonna show me where your house is, right?"

He bumped into Blake, who had stopped moving the instant he brought up her home.

"Blake?" he backed up a bit while waiting for a response. When he got nothing, he sighed and lowered his arms.

"Alright... see, I was kinda giving you the benefit of the doubt when you mentioned this whole Tour thing," he began whilst rubbing the back of his neck "But now I'm really getting the feeling you're putting this whole family reunion off."

"I know... I'm just... trying to prepare myself." Blake said while shaking her head "I can't run away from this, I know that. I don't want to run away, but even then the thought of seeing my parents again... Its terrifying."

"Its really that bad?" Sun asked, and when Blake nodded he walked around her "Why? What even happened between you guys?"

Blake looked up to the wall of a nearby building and sighed, "I was stupid, Sun. Stupid and blind and convinced that I wasn't. Adam... he, he made everything seem so clear cut back then. We were fighting for a better future of equality, and my Parents were stifling it by barring the White Fang from fully operating on Menagerie."

"Woah, they were able to do that?"

Nodding, Blake closed her eyes, "Adam convinced me that they were cowards, that they were content with letting the fight for equality peter out and die. So... the last thing I did before leaving was..."

Shaking her head, Blake nodded to herself several times before looking to Sun, "I helped Adam steal so... so much Dust and Weaponry from the Menagerie Guard, Sun. It's what he first used to outfit his sect of the White Fang."

"What?!"

"He said they were wasted on those unwilling to use them and I... I got him around my Family's security, then left with him before anyone even realized what was happening." Blake admitted "I saw reports on the CCT later, the Guard was scrambling to maintain their status as defenders of Menagerie in spite of what happened... I-I didn't have any regrets back then, was fully ready to be labeled a criminal as long as what I was doing was for a good cause."

"But you wouldn't have been able to get into Beacon with a Criminal Record like that, Blake." Sun pointed out before rubbing the back of his head "I could understand people not knowing you were in the Fang, but if the Menagerie Guard were looking for you then-"

"They weren't." Blake stated, interrupting Sun's rambling as he looked to her with confusion "They never once had me identified as the one who orchestrated the thievery, all they knew was that was likely that the Vale Branch had something to do with it."

"But how..." Sun trailed off for a moment as Blake looked to him with hints of moisture forming in the corner of her eyes "Wait... did... did they-"

"I left too close to the time of the theft for it not to be suspicious, Sun. The only way they wouldn't have known is if my Dad pulled some strings." Blake stated as she reached up and rubbed at her eyes before the tears form could form "He covered for me, Sun. There's no other possibility."

Raising her hands, she looked them over before clasping them to her face in shame, "Even after what I did, even after I practically disowned them... my Dad risked everything just to cover up what I did!"

"Blake-"

"I-I never heard about them being called out for it, so nobody must've figured it out. B-But even then, I don't know how I could possibly expect them to forgive me for nearly crippling our Island's only means of Law Enforcement! I remember feeling so sure... s-so damn sure of myself when I was leaving and now, I can barely even-!"

"Blake!"

Her words cut off suddenly as she realized that Sun had taken hold of her shoulders at some point during her explanation.

"Look at me Blake," he ordered before glancing around them to find that the alley was still blissfully empty "I'm not gonna stand here and start talkin' about whether its possible to make up for... well that."

"Because it isn't possible to-"

"But!"he interrupted her with a shake "You won't even be able to if you don't start somewhere, right?"

She went silent at that as Sun's grip loosened.

"Blake, if they really did keep that on the down-low then they must still care about you." Sun patted her on the shoulder "After something like that, I'd bet they'd be ecstatic to have you coming back trying to make up for it. You can start there, and we can work through the other stuff one step at a time, you know?"

Taking several seconds to even out her breathing, Blake nodded. Sun waited several seconds before letting her go and taking a careful step back. Eventually, Blake looked to him before nodding towards the end of the alley. Without words, she resumed leading him out of it and back into the streets beyond.

"Never pictured you for motivational speaking." Blake noted as they made their way deeper into Kuo Kuana's streets.

"Just tellin' it like it is." Sun shrugged before looking around as they drew closer to a section of the city with far more trees and shrubbery than the rest "So considering that they're a bunch of big shots around here, your family must have one hell of a huge house, right?"

Blake nodded before glancing to the side, "We got a little off the path due to that tour, but once we get back to the main street you should see it from..."

Blake trailed off, pausing next to a path between two buildings. Sun followed her gaze down the path and found it leading back towards a crowded courtyard. Given their movements so far and what he'd learned from the tour, Sun was certain that this should take them back in the direction of that big street that they saw once they got off the Leashed Lassie. But that wasn't what Blake was looking at, he could tell.

For within the crowd he could spot the unmistakable uniforms of the White Fang.

The crowd seemed to be forming around them, with the citizens focusing on something that Sun couldn't see from where he was standing.

"I thought the White Fang wasn't allowed to operate around here?" he whispered to Blake.

"Not openly," she said whilst narrowing her gaze and approaching the crowd "not like this. The Branch that functions here is supposed to be Representational only, not-"

"-just to stand there and let them destroy everything you've worked to build?"

Blake froze at that voice, finally hearing it over the muttering of the crowd. Sun approached her carefully, only for Blake to break into a run.

The Courtyard was packed full of Faunus onlookers, many quietly conversing amongst themselves while focusing on what lay before them. The crowd had formed a circle around a small group of White Fang members who all didn't seem to have any apparent weapons save for one girl who kept pacing as she looked over the crowd from behind her mask.

They were situated around a projector that one of them was working on, one which lie in the very center of that circle. And being projected from it was none other than the holographic visage of Adam.

"There is not a single man, woman or child here that hasn't earned their right to live their lives unimpeded by outside forces." he spoke "The passion our ancestors used to fight for their freedom has kept us from being trampled over time and time again. And yet these monsters, warmongers from another world care nothing for it."

He raised a finger and pointed out to the crowd, "They will not restrain themselves like the humans have, will not cover up their malice behind a facade as our other enemies do. Make no mistake that they will come for all of you eventually if they aren't snuffed out with haste."

Sun approached Blake's side, finding her transfixed by Adam's speech, "Is that him?"

Frowning, Blake nodded.

"The White Fang will do everything in its power to ensure that the Faunus are protected from the wrath these creatures bring with them," Adam declared before lowering his hand "but our resources are not limitless. I'm forced to beseech you, my brothers and sisters, to lend your aid in the coming battles so that our own descendants may enjoy even greater freedom. To help us drive off this new menace before they can lay a hand on any other Faunus."

The crowd's mutterings grew, with one man with a fishing rod seemingly unconvinced, "Bah, let the humans fight their own damn battles, its got nothing to do with us."

"B-But those things took one of the Kingdoms!" another woman's voice called out "Who's to say when they'll stop!?"

"I'd rather not hand my life over to a bunch of bloodthirsty militants!" an older man coughed before snarling "Besides, what makes you think any of us could do a thing against an army big enough to do that? We can't win something like that!"

"That's where you're wrong." Adam's voice stifled the rising arguments "You forget the advantages we have over the humans, you forget what our people accomplished even faced with insurmountable odds during the Great War. Frankly, its unfortunate that you underestimate your fellow Faunus in such a manner."

Shaking his head, Adam continued, "And the idea that staying out of the conflict will allow you to ignore it is suicide. Many of you clearly have no idea just what these things are, but I assure you that time is on their side. With every day that passes they conquer more and grow stronger, even now those Pirates have begun attacking ships nearby."

Though gasps and worried whispers rose, Blake found herself immediately raising an eyebrow.

"Didn't we just get back like half an hour ago?" Sun asked, only to watch as she started pushing her way through the crowd.

"The Academies aren't the only ones readying to wage war against this new threat." Adam stated "The White Fang has been gathering allies, readying to face any enemy to the Faunus. I only ask that whoever wishes to do the same step forward and join us, we cannot remain split like this in the face of danger."

"Joinin' up with you would be even more dangerous!" the old man shouted again

"What's the other option?!" a panicked guy retorted "Just let those things tear us apart?!"

"They won't even get the chance if we hit 'em first!" another man called out

"With what?!" A woman shrugged "We aren't an army."

"But with the White Fang, you could be." Adam interjected with a clenched fist "Not just any army, one strong enough to stomp out any threat our people could ever face-"

"Adam!" Blake called out as she pushed through the last of the crowd, her sudden interruption causing many eyes in the crowd to turn on her.

Adam lowered his hand upon noting her presence, but said nothing at first as she stared him down.

Sun made his way through the onlookers to join her, noting the confused conversations going out throughout the crowd.

"Isn't that the Belladonna's Girl?"

"When did she get back here?"

"Think she'll finally shut him up?"

But several of the White Fang members didn't seem so keen on just talking. Several planted themselves between Blake and the projector, with the agitated girl in the mask at the front.

"Stay back, traitor." she grunted, prompting Blake's eyes to widen as she recognized her voice.

Leaning forward to take in the masked girl's appearance more, Blake narrowed her gaze "Ilia?"

Ilia didn't respond with anything other than a growl as she reached for a weapon she had holstered. Though they didn't seem to have weapons at first, the other White Fang members followed her lead by reaching into pockets and into boots.

But before any of them could do anything, Adam spoke up, "That's enough, this isn't supposed to result in a fight."

"No, you just want to convince others to fight for you, right?" Blake asked

"I'm asking them to fight for themselves, Blake, something I thought you could understand." Adam shook his head "You were there, in Vale. You should know what they're looking at if the worst comes to pass."

Blake gritted her teeth, but Sun stepped forward.

"Yeah, we were there pal," he noted before waving a finger at Adam, "And what I seem to recall is you guys making that whole takeover pretty damn easy for those Uruks, right?"

"What made their assault simple was Atlas rerouting the majority of its army to Vacuo and you know it," Adam stated "our presence in Vale wouldn't have effected the outcome."

"How can you even say that?!" Blake shouted

"How can you even try and convince these people that fighting shouldn't be their goal?" Adam demanded "Say what you want about us, Blake, but the Uruks aren't a force you can stop by playing defensively. And now that they have a working Spawn Pit, the idea of weathering their attacks is implausible at best."

Blake was about to continue, when she took note of the confusion spreading amongst the crowd.

"Spawn Pit?"

"What's he talking about?"

"He's lying, right? We could defend against anything."

"Hear that?" Adam asked, prompting her to look back up to him "That confusion stems from a very clear misunderstanding about what exactly their enemy is."

Turning his attention back to the crowd Adam raised a finger "This confusion is a result of the Menagerie Guard blocking off any broadcasts from Beacon and concealing information in an attempt to stifle the people's knowledge of what exactly is happening there."

"What?" ever since the attack by the Black Tide Pirates, Blake had failed to keep up with Ratlug's broadcasts. She didn't want to pull out her scroll to try and confirm Adam's assumptions, at least not in front of the crowd.

"And why, you ask?" Adam turned back to her "Because if these people knew exactly what was coming for them, I wouldn't even have to convince them to join us in stopping it."

To Blake's horror, she could hear words of agreement sounding out from the crowd. Confusion turning to skepticism, which slowly began to evolve into anger before her very eyes.

"That is enough!"

All eyes went to a set of stairs nearby that ran alongside the buildings to a higher street. Descending down those steps was an extremely irate man in a blue coat who was flanked by two similar-looking men in red hoods as well as several members of the Guard. While Sun was impressed by the sheer size of the guy, Blake lowered her head instinctively to hide herself upon recognizing his voice.

The voice of her father... Ghira Belladonna.

"I don't know what you were planning with this stunt, but you'd better be grateful to your colleagues here." Ghira said gruffly whilst gesturing to the hooded men at his sides "If it weren't for Corsac and Fennec here warning me of this endeavor, I might not be leaving you off with a warning."

"The White Fang has certain restrictions to their function here, Taurus." Corsac stepped forward while folding his hands behind his back "If you're actions at Beacon weren't enough of a hindrance to High Leader Khan's efforts already, then this would've been a tipping point if not for our intervention."

"Wait what?" Sun looked between the red-hooded men and the other White Fang members, "They aren't... together?"

"Time is not our ally in this," Adam stated whilst staring the two down "these people need to know the truth, I'm merely giving it to them."

"And I'm giving you this," Ghira nodded to the Twins "you'll be packing up whatever this is and allowing these two to escort you back to your Complex near the Shallow Sea or else the Guard will be escorting you. Unlike you, I'm willing to see this settled without violence, so as long as you cease these public disturbances I'll refrain from having you removed from our city."

Adam didn't respond at first, his expression unchanged as he and Ghira stared each other down. But after several seconds he nodded, "Very well." before looking over to Ilia, he gave her a subtle nod before the projector was deactivated. Once Adam's image was gone Ilia waved a finger in the air.

"We're clearing out!" she called to the other White Fang members, several of which working together to carry the projector as the Twins approached.

"If you'd please follow me." Fennec nodded to the side before leading them through the crowd, which parted around them, and out of the courtyard. Ilia gave one last glance back to Blake before shaking her head and continuing on her way. With the efforts of the Guard, the Crowd began to disperse once they were gone.

"Wait, so they just get to walk off?!" Sun shook his head before looking to Blake, who hadn't spoken up since her father's arrival "Blake, they aren't just going to-"

"Blake?"

Blake flinched, with both her and Sun turning to Ghira. He had just began talking with one of the Guard when he heard her name being spoken, only then did his gaze finally lock with that of his daughter. He gave a quick shake of his head as a smile started to spread across his face.

"It's... you've returned." he turned towards her

"Yeah..." she said stiffly whilst clutching at her own arms "I... guess I have."

It was hard to meet his gaze, and soon enough Blake found her's dropping to the ground below as she struggled to come up with something to say. Before too long, a large hand found its way to her shoulder, making her head snap up to the smiling face of her father.

"You... have no idea how good it is to see you." Ghira said, with Blake staring up at him surprise before her face began tightening up. With her eyes snapping shut, she lunged forward and hugged him, nearly making him stumble as she wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly.

"Y-You too," she managed to get out even though her face was practically buried in his coat "I- god I missed you so much, Dad."

As Sun watched on, he couldn't help but find himself smiling at sight of the reunion. But even then, he found himself still looking away... down the road where the White Fang had just departed.

.{{{{{+-+}}}}}.

"I don't understand why we have to waste our time with stunts like that!" Ilia fumed as she followed behind Corsac and Fennec "If we had just set up at the Complex from the beginning then-"

"Appearance is everything at this time, Sister Ilia." Corsac noted without turning around "A distinction between High Leader Khan and Brother Adam must be made clear until his efforts bear fruit."

"We wouldn't want anyone getting the two mixed up too early." Fennec added "We have a certain image to maintain at the moment."

Ilia nodded, but it didn't remove the scowl from her face. She knew they were right, knew that things on Menagerie weren't like on the mainland. But those facts did nothing to stifle her rage. It was because of her, of course she'd just have to show up right then and there. The moment that Ilia recognized Blake's face she had been ready for a brawl. The crowd didn't seem like they were going to interrupt Adam's message, the Guard hadn't showed up yet, but Blake all on her own nearly prompted Ilia to start slashing preemptively.

It was only Adam's controlled tone that had managed to cause her to hold herself back, it had reminded her what they were trying to do. Several times during Blake's talk with Adam she had nearly lashed out, infuriated by the sheer arrogance on display before her. But each time she stilled her hand, waiting for the moment when the local Branch of the White Fang came to do their part.

And do their part they did, even though she wasn't exactly sure how they'd done it.

Her rage momentarily overwritten by curiosity, Ilia found herself looking towards the Twins. It was the first time she'd actually seen them in person, only hearing their voices second-hand when they spoke with Adam. He always did say that the Menagerie branch was the most capable in manners of persuasion and diplomacy, but that explanation wasn't enough for her. To get the Chieftain to let them stay like that, it had seemed impossible when the plan had first been introduced to her, and the stunt they were supposed to pull didn't make the idea seem any more possible.

Yet she had gone along with it under Adam's orders, and it had succeeded.

She found herself wondering what exactly the talk with the Chieftain had been like, even though she knew better than to think of such things. What mattered is that they were in, under the supervision of the Menagerie Branch but that wouldn't be much of a problem. After all, these two were some of Adam's most trusted informants. They probably knew more of what was going on than Ilia ever would, a thought which gave her an idea.

"Speaking of the High Leader," she said "has Brother Adam managed to get that sorted?"

"Despite how much she denounces his actions, even she would be remiss to discredit an asset such as he." Fennec began

"He's managed to gain an audience with her soon," Corsac continued "I believe we will find results by the end of the week."

Ilia growled, "So its still not known, yet."

"Worry not, Sister." he looked back to her with a smile "I believe its only a matter of time before the White Fang is whole again."

Schnee Manor

Weiss wasn't sure how it had happened, but the atmosphere in the Garden had changed completely in only half an hour. Before she'd been enthusiastically practicing her summoning with a friend, engaging in heart pounding discourse with her Brother, all while letting the overbearing pressure of her Father's demands momentarily leave her thoughts.

Yet now she was sitting at a small table under an umbrella, idly drumming her fingers on it whilst trying to organize her words. Not out of embarrassment or fear, but because she genuinely had no idea what she was supposed to say to the person sitting across from her. As she suspected, the friend from Beacon was also a suitor asking for her to pair with him for the Charity Event. But it was his identity that had her sifting through a mess of confused anger, trying to find away to articulate how terrible of an idea that was.

To both her relief and annoyance, Cardin seemed just as irritated as she was.

Watching from the windows nearby was Ciel, wondering why neither of them had spoken at all since they'd sat down at the table. Enough time had passed for her to start worrying, and so she started worrying.

"It just doesn't make sense," a confused voice at her side brought her attention to Klein, who was also spying on Cardin and Weiss with more blatant concern visible on his features "I've heard enough about the Winchesters to know that Weiss would never even consider letting him into the house before."

"I know, that's what makes it even better!" on the other side of Klein, Whitley was also viewing the proceedings whilst enjoying some coffee "Any guesses on what kind of dirt he has on her? It's gotta be some kind of blackmail situation my poor dear sister's gotten herself into."

"Does it really need to be that bad?" Ciel asked, only for Klein and Whitley to look at her for a moment "What?"

As Whitley snickered to himself, Klein sighed and patted her on the shoulder, "Its nothing dear, its just that even when Weiss was trying her hardest to emulate her father, this whole Suitor business has always been a sticking point for her."

"Because she's far too picky." Whitley sighed

"I always figured it was because she saw it as a distraction from her studies." Klein admitted "Whatever the case, whenever her father would introduce her to one she'd grow bored of them."

"And the few times she tried playing the 'Game' on her own, she ended up with fools who didn't know their place." Whitley took a sip of his coffee before waving his hand in the air "They'd overstep their boundaries, prompting her to retaliate in ways only a proper Schnee could."

"My apologies for not quite understanding," Ciel looked down "the concept of Romantic inclinations and such never seemed beneficial to my career with the Academy."

"God, I'm almost jealous of that kind of blissful ignorance." Whitley leaned a hand into his palm before nodding towards the window "Just try and keep notes on this, will you? Perhaps something will stick."

Back inside the Garden, Weiss found herself impressed with how long Cardin had gone without saying anything. In almost every single one of her memories of him, he was loud and irritable in one way or another. Perhaps it was the presence of the SDC personnel posted near the doors that was keeping him reigned in? He did seem to glance at them every so often when he wasn't silently staring down at the table.

"So... I didn't expect you of all people to show up here." She finally said

Cardin looked up at her before grumbling, "Yeah... Winchester Armaments had a couple contacts in Atlas we got in touch with after that mess at Beacon went down."

Weiss nodded slowly as the conversation shriveled up like a fruit in a salted desert, but before silence could take over once again she leaned forward and narrowed her gaze at him, "I'm sorry, Cardin, but are you serious about this? My Butler said you showed up asking to pair up for the event later this week. I know you and your boys had a thing for gags at other people's expense but-"

"Oh so everything I do has to be some kinda joke then?" he asked before shrugging "Guy can't ask some girl to go out with him somewhere without it being some kinda conspiracy bullshit?"

"Cardin... we hate each other." Weiss stated "I know it and I'm fairly certain you do too. What in all of Remnant could convince you that we'd ever work out?"

"Oh we wouldn't." he admitted as he leaned back in his chair "Nine to ten odds we end up complaining to each other halfway in."

"Exactly, you and your team spent so long building a horrible image of yourselves-"

"Hey, I wouldn't be asking this in any other scenario, okay?" he put one arm on the table to gesture towards her "Wasn't really ready for this absolute circus show you Atlas folk seem to make relationships into."

"Excuse me?"

"This whole prospective couples bullshit you guys have!" he clenched his hand into a fist, "You got any idea how many goddamn Girls my family's tried saddling me with since we got to this frigid wasteland?!"

"Ah, so none of them were big enough fish for you, eh?" Weiss crossed her legs and folded her arms as she looked away "Mr. Winchester just needed to nab himself the highest prize he could, right?"

"Oh don't get a big head, Princess." Cardin pointed to her "I might've fallen for that crap back before Beacon, but now that I know what you're really like I wouldn't even risk thinking about what kinda nightmare marrying you would turn out like."

"So why are you even here, Cardin?!"

"Because somehow you're the least annoying option compared yp the rest of the girls on this floating hunk of rock."

Weiss shook her head, "Excuse me?"

Cardin through his hands up in the air before feigning an effeminate voice, "Oh wow Mr. Winchester, never knew how strong you Southern types could get. A family as rich as yours should have all kinds of experience in battle, right? Maybe you could swing that mace around for me again, show it off a bit more?"

He clamped his hands against his head, "Every other goddamned day!"

"Cardin... you would be the last person I'd imagine getting mad at pandering like that." Weiss gestured towards him "Your ego was one of your most defining traits."

"Back at Beacon maybe, but I'm too pissed to put up with that shit around here." he narrowed his gaze before nodding towards her "And the only person who I could imagine hating this style of things more than me would be you."

"Me?"

"Never in my life could I picture someone as stuck up as you going with how the rest of these people do things." Cardin nodded "You'd probably hate it, see it as beneath you or some crap like that."

Seeing his train of logic, Weiss glared at him in disbelief, "So what, you plan on going together solely to avoid having to commit to anything afterwards? Cardin, I'm positive that there's plenty of girls who would gladly be your arm candy for a night without seeking anything further. You don't have to find someone who actively dislikes you like I do."

"True," he nodded before tapping his fingers together and lowering his voice "but I'd bet you most of them wouldn't be able to help me get out of this place."

Weiss locked up at that, expression going stiff for a moment before she raised an eyebrow, "E-Excuse me?"

"I said I want off of this rock." He leaned forward "And judging from what I know about you, you probably do too."

"I just got out of the hospital a few weeks ago, Cardin." Weiss shook her head, but also lowered her tone as she narrowed her eyes at him "Why would I risk further injury attempting to leave? Leave behind my home, my family?"

"Uh, how about because outrageous stubbornness seems to be a family trait of yours?" Cardin offered before placing both his hands on the table and gesturing towards her "I've seen the way the SDC operates, Weiss, seen how your pops does his work. And just like with that whole Suitor business, I couldn't imagine someone like you subjecting yourself to it long-term. Especially given how damned attached to your teammates you were. Only then did I start catching wind o' rumors that you had to fight to leave for Beacon in the first place. The idea of you trying to do that again isn't exactly hard to picture."

Weiss was at a loss for words, silently fuming over the accusation that Cardin had just leveled at her. Not due to some kind of damaged pride or insult, but because despite his bull-headed nature, he'd somehow managed to guess right. Almost immediately after getting in contact with Ciel, Weiss had been working on a plan to get away from Atlas and to Mistral as quickly as possible. She'd already been subtly having Klein assist in her eventual escape, but having Ciel helping had allowed her to speed up her plan exponentially.

Ciel had far more mobility than even Klein, as her relationship to the SDC was practically non-existent. Convincing her to help hadn't been an easy task, as her loyalty to Atlas was fairly unshakable. Weiss had to carefully explain that they'd be doing the northern kingdom a greater service by helping Mistral, who's military was comparatively lacking even after Atlas's failures in both Vale and Vacuo. Though her words had had an affect on Ciel, Weiss still had to work to convince her new friend to help.

From what Klein told her about Ratlug's broadcasts, it seemed evident to everyone that Mistral would be the Storm's next target after Patch. While Atlas seemed willing to use the time they were afforded to recoup the losses they'd suffered, hints of panic had already started springing up throughout Anima. Weiss had to very carefully explain that if the Storm managed to take Mistral as well, Atlas would have no chance against them even if they did get their military back into fighting form.

After crunching some numbers, Ciel wound up agreeing with Weiss's assessment, though still seemed hesitant with the whole sneaking out part of their plan. Weiss couldn't afford to do it any other way, the SDC's influence in Atlas was far too strong for her to assume she'd be able to make her way out through regular means. And with Ironwood cracking down on who enters and leaves the city, their options of going down to help in Mistral were fairly limited.

So they got to work, with Klein working to get in touch with a Pilot who'd be willing to bend the law for some cash and Ciel memorizing the patrols of Atlesian airships to give them the cleanest window of escape possible. Weiss secretly funded both of those ventures out of her own pocket, knowing that it'd probably be the last time she'd get to throw her money around if their plan went through. It was only after she'd been reminded of what life was like under her father's rule that she'd become desperate to avoid getting used to it. Whether it was finding her teammates or aiding in Mistral's defense against the encroaching Storm, either seemed extremely preferable to resuming her life at Schnee Manor.

Yet despite all of the planning and thought that had gone into this, Weiss suddenly found her escape plan at risk... just because Cardin had somehow managed to work out what she was attempting. Her eyes subtly glanced in the direction of the guards over at the entrance of the garden, knowing that they were essentially her father's eyes and ears around their estate. If Cardin hadn't lowered his voice before bringing the topic up, there was a good chance her plan would've been ruined already.

"That's... an interesting hypothesis..." she began

"One I'm pretty confident in," he countered, his voice rising again which prompted Weiss to hold up a hand to halt him

"Keep it quiet." she practically hissed as she very briefly glanced away. Seeing her reaction, he smirked whilst lowering his tone.

"Eh? Guess it ain't just a hypothesis, right?" he asked lowering his head "I don't know what you're planning... but I want in."

"Cardin, what could possibly motivate you to run away from Atlas?" she asked under her breath

"Have you not been listening to a word I've been saying?" Cardin shook his head "This place is a circus, Weiss. I thought I'd get a front row seat to see the counter-offensive getting set up against those pricks in Vale, but instead my family got all caught up in this Aristocratic bullcrap you guys are peddling. Won't even let me try joining the Academy!"

"Cardin!" Weiss whispered harshly whilst lowering a hand

Getting the picture, he lowered his tone again "I don't care what I got to do to get in on whatever you're planning. I might not be as rich as you Schnees, but I got some weight of my own to throw around."

At that, Weiss bit her lip. While Cardin was undoubtedly one of the more bull-headed people Weiss knew, she couldn't deny that he would be an invaluable addition to their plan. The fact he was able to seek her out like this on his own was proof that he had far more mobility than her and, unlike Ciel, had fingers in the Atlesean Aristocracy to utilize. With him she'd have more bases covered, but that wasn't enough to convince her that she could just welcome him into the fold like that. Even if he threatened to out her to her father, she needed to know more. As a Schnee, no business proposal could be considered acceptable unless she could see it from multiple angles.

"I... just don't understand." She admitted whilst looking him over with confusion "Even with all the annoying peculiarities of Atlas society, its still the safest place on Remnant right now. Why? Why would you willingly walk right back into a conflict like that?"

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Cardin grumbled before jerking a thumb towards himself "A bunch of jackasses invade MY home, get MY team split up, and yet I'm supposed to just sit back, sip some champagne and not do a thing about it? I want my team back, Weiss. They might've been a bunch of prickish idiots, but I was on the fast track to turning them into living goddamn legends. Who cares if we lost that tournament? A few more years and we would've been planting our names in the fucking history books."

Shaking his head, he folded his arms and leaned back, "I want those shits in Vale gone. Apparently the rest of my family could care less, but that was MY turf those assholes are sitting on right now. I ain't getting it back from here, so you see where my little conundrum is?"

Weiss blinked, sitting straight as she tapped a finger against the table in thought. After several seconds she smiled before nodding.

"You know what, Cardin?" she said "I actually do."

Leaning forward, her smile vanished, "So as long as you manage to keep this under wraps, we might be able to solve both of our problems."

The City of Vale

The longer Yang spent in Vale, the more confused she became.

While she may not have been able to keep up with Ratlug's broadcasts whilst hiding out at Mountain Glenn, what she'd caught before then made it seem as though the Storm had converted the captured city into a base of operations. Yet whilst quietly sneaking her way towards Beacon, she found that Vale was anything but.

Roving gangs of Palebloods waged war in the streets, tearing each other apart under the moderation of the Storm's own soldiers. She'd caught sight of them watching the fights from rooftops or the sidelines, only stepping in to break it up if the Palebloods started damaging the nearby buildings too much with small homemade explosives. And while the Soldiers themselves were suited up in combat armor and wielding those gunblades, the Palebloods seemed more like savage looters scrapping together weaponry and fighting each other for resources.

She'd honestly been expecting to see more of the Storm's Soldiers, but besides the occasional patrol or truck full of them heading to a different part of the city, the area seemed overwhelmingly dominated by Palebloods. The Storm Soldiers only seemed to congregate around facilities that were currently in use. Catching a glimpse of the industrial area during her journey, Yang could identify even at a distance that the number of Soldiers over there was far greater. They guarded factories and large kitchens, some of those buildings were even covered by snipers that Yang had to keep wary of when making her way by.

But even then, the number she saw was only a fraction of the forces she'd seen storming Beacon, so she could only assume they were either gathered at the Academy or deployed elsewhere. Either way, the Palebloods were much easier to sneak around than the Storm Soldiers, as most seemed preoccupied keeping an eye out for rival gangs than figures darting over rooftops. Her main problem there were the sparse number of Airships patrolling the skies over Vale, shining down spotlights onto certain Paleblood fights or keeping an eye on certain vehicles driving around.

The saving grace was that their small number meant there were numerous gaps in their surveillance, so as long as Yang was careful not to get too close to the facilities that the Storm Soldiers were guarding she was able to make her way closer to the cliffs of Beacon far faster. As the Academy drew closer, she began to realize just how ominous its towering form was, especially when thinking of what kind of things were going on within its walls.

She knew that the likelihood of her Uncle being held there was high, but found doubt creeping in the closer she got. It didn't seem like the Storm was actively searching for her yet, and that was one of the few advantages she had. Vale was much larger than the shanty town her team had to sneak through back during their infiltration of Hork's tower, so even if the numerous gangs of Palebloods were sent scouring through the buildings she was certain she could find somewhere to lay low.

But she didn't want to waste her advantage, and if it turned out that Qrow was being held somewhere else then getting to him would be twice as hard with the Storm on high alert.

These were only some of the few concerns which plagued her as she found her ticket up the cliff, the Shuttle station.

It was basically a bus stop for Airships that students and staff would use to descend up and down the cliffs of Beacon whenever venturing out into the city. It was actually part of a much larger network of air transportation that ran around the city, but so far the only one that still seemed active was the one right below Beacon. Crouching down on a rooftop across the way, Yang wasn't surprised to find that the Storm Soldiers had the Station on lock-down. Even from where she was she could spot about half a dozen of them patrolling the grounds in pairs of two, she couldn't even guess as to how many were out of her sight.

Yet she could see some of them were busy loading up a ship with large barrels and crates, and if that ship was going where she thought it was going then she needed to be on board before it took off.

Luckily, several of the Patrols seemed distracted by watching a brutal fistfight taking place in the street in front of the station. About four of the soldiers chanting for blood as two Palebloods practically tore each other apart over a small parcel of meat. That was Yang's opening, as there was a whole in their coverage of their area just large enough for her to circle around the buildings. She hadn't spotted any snipers whilst scoping the place out, but she wasn't willing to risk going through the open street, instead going the long route through several back alleys before working her way back towards the station.

Seeing her chance, she slipped out of the alleys and quickly made her way behind a series of unloaded cargo. Just in time as well, as the moment she ducked down a pair of Soldiers rounded the corner of the building and passed by.

"Really not gonna get in on that action up front?" one asked the other "You was always placing bets on the last few fights we saw."

"Bah, they're both clear skinned." the other soldier waved him off "I only place bets on the marked ones, its often fifty-fifty if they're this fresh."

One kicked a bottle out of the way as they made their way by, with it rolling behind a nearby crate and coming to a stop against Yang's boot.

"Well it ain't like there's much else to do around here," the first soldier sighed before glancing up to the cliffs of Beacon above "Bet the globs up there get to see all kinds of wild mystic business."

"Ah, you know the scholars don't show off unless the Stormbringer's around to see their work." the other soldier waved him off "Right now it's probably just as boring as down here, hear that even them Researchers ain't as active as the ones in the industrial district."

Yang glanced up at that, so Ratlug did have people working at Beacon. But there were more in the industrial district? She supposed she should've expected that, but he wouldn't keep his prisoners there too... right?

"This is exactly why we should've asked to do border runs!" the first shouted "I hear that even the runts they got guarding the perimeter of that damn mountain get to enjoy cuttin' down any o' them dark beasts that come wandering by! What do we got? Cargo! That's it!"

"Oh quit your whining," the other soldier grumbled as he came to a stop and looked to his partner "We get to see freshspawns tearing each other apart every other day, and yet you want more? If we had another position we'd miss out on those and things like Khorn's transfer."

The first laughed at that, "Oh wow, we get to see some stuck up sniper ship out with some brain-dead tark, glorious!" he feigned surprise before frowning "We ain't even gonna get to see what they did to that damn thing, just watch the ship pass by! How is that supposed to be a bonus?"

"Okay okay, I'll admit I might've been grasping on that one," the other soldier shrugged "but ya whining's really gratin' on me."

Wait... there was a prisoner transport? Today?!

That hadn't been part of Yang's plan, and if it was coming from Beacon there was a chance that it could be Qrow. Breaking into the place right after he left wouldn't just be a waste, it'd be a complete disaster. And there was still the matter of whether it was Qrow or not. If it was some other captive, Yang didn't know if she'd be able to get them out of the city or help in some significant manner without jeopardizing her own rescue plans.

She needed more information, so much more.

"The Shrahk is Khorn even trying to prove taking care o' this?" the First Soldier griped as he leaned his gun down and scratched at the back of his head "Not like any o the researchers gonna start handing out promotions to suck ups. And what good is a Sniper for Prisoner transfers? They's only good for puttin' down escapees!"

"True, he might actually have it more borin' than either of us." the other soldier looked up into the sky for a moment, "Ain't that the ship they's supposed to be using?"

Yang's head snapped up to see that, yes, an Airship was currently flying away from Beacon over the city. Even if it wasn't Qrow on board, could she really just leave whoever was on it to whatever fate they were heading towards? Internally cursing herself for thinking to what Summer would do in this situation, she found her hands tightening at her sides. She internally repeated her goal, that she was only here for Qrow, there was only so much she could do in this situation, that if she let herself act too brashly then she'd wind up failing both herself and her Uncle.

The Storm Soldiers were unaware of the turmoil their unseen audience was going through, with one even sighing as they watched the airship pass, "Bet the view is probably better."

The other soldier's head snapped towards him with a grimace, "Is this really all you's gonna do tonight?"

Instead of responding, the first soldier frowned, "Oi, ain't that ship tiltin' pretty harsh?"

"What are you-?" his partner turned back and looked up, only for his words to cut out as they watched the entire ship plunge forward before disappearing from their sight over several rooftops. The sound of something crashing in the distance reached them, with the First soldier smiling wide as he hefted his gun.

"Finally!" he lunged forward "some action for-!"

His charge was halted by the other soldier, who yanked him back, "Are you mad? Let the patrols in that area deal with it! We can't just abandon our posts!"

The other Soldier snarled "How can that even matter to you when-!"

The sound of glass shattering nearby had both of them stifling themselves as they whipped their rifles up in the direction of the sudden noise. With little hesitation they began moving towards it, with one bending low only to find the shattered remains of a glass bottle lying at the foot of a wall.

.{{{{{+-+}}}}}.

Several blocks over, past the ruined ship now partially buried into an intersection, Khorn was having a really bad day.

What was supposed to be a simple, if not boring, transfer of a single one of Ratlug's experiments had gone off the rails the moment his charge somehow managed to escape their restraints. The ensuing brawl that had occurred upon the ship had led to it crashing and burning along with Khorn's perfect service record. But despite the mishap, Khorn refused to let this upstart tarnish his career. It attempted to flee into the city, but Khorn had been on them since they emerged from the wreckage. They nearly eluded him twice, but Krosh had run into a brush of luck when his target accidentally ran into a gang of Palebloods.

Now they were cornered, having just limped into a back-alley shop out of sight of the road. Khorn looked down from a nearby rooftop as the Palebloods surrounded the only entrance and exit of the establishment, sighing in relief before calling out.

"This one's flighty, have someone eyeing the exit at all times!" he order whilst kneeling down and sighting the exit in his rifle's scope "I'll take care of it if it attempts to flee, so keep your wits about you and I should be able to drag it back before the patrols finish checking out the crash site."

Several Palebloods looked up to him, but a snarled laugh made them look back towards the ruined shop before them. Standing at the head of the group was a Pale-blood absolutely covered in cuts and burn marks, many of which were still fresh. With a heavy strap covering his missing left eye and his missing arm replaced with a rudimentary sword extending from his stump, one wouldn't expect him to be heading the group of looters.

But raising his sword arm into the air, he roared out an elated, "More Marks wait for us!" as the Palebloods all raced towards the shop.

Though Khorn was focusing his attention down his scope, his ears picked out the sounds of twin blasts from the other side of the large alley. He looked back just as twin rounds sped towards the group of Palebloods and blasted several off their feet. Though the ones at the front hadn't been effected, the rest of the Palebloods turned to the source with confusion. That confusion turned into glee the moment they spotted Yang.

She hated every bit of altruism which led her to where she was standing right at that very moment, but she was already way past the point of no return. From what she heard from the guy with the rifle, and the trail of blood leading straight towards the shop the Palebloods were standing around, she was confident she'd located her escapee. Now all she had to do was fight her way through a dozen Palebloods and a Sniper and-

"I knew it!" a familiar voice called out from behind her "And you almost got us missing out on some fun like this!"

"Don't mean you should always go following ya hunches." Another familiar voice grumbled "But if she really was snooping around our posts, well..."

-And the pair of Storm Soldiers she'd apparently failed to lure off her trail with that little bottle trick. Yeah, just had to fight her way through all of them and get whoever they were hunting out of here before any other Uruks showed up. As the Palebloods charged towards her, Yang cocked her gauntlets while glancing back to the pair of Storm Soldiers as they took aim at her with their rifles.

Rearing back, she fired a round at them just as they started shooting, using the recoil to blast herself right towards the Palebloods. She spun in the air as she sped towards them, readying her other fist, she slammed it into one of them as she barreled right into the center of the crowd. The force of her punch blasted him off his feet and sent him slamming into two more as the others rushed her, with Yang twisting out of the way of several clubs before ramming her fist into one's jaw whilst simultaneously blasting another one in the elbow.

As those two stumbled out of the way, Yang came up and found herself staring down the barrel of a rifle, just barely able to duck out of the way as it fired before blasting the Storm Soldier back. He spun in the air and landed on his feet beside his partner, who had dropped to one knee and taken aim. Yang darted to the side as he opened fire, racing ahead of his gunfire before blasting herself towards him the second his clip ran dry. The other Soldier rushed forward with his own gun shifting into a sword and deflecting her strike before shoving her back with his shoulder. Yang caught herself and slipped back out of the way as he slashed at her, catching sight of the sniper out of the corner of her eyes.

"Ready!" the other Soldier called out as he finished reloading, prompting his partner to leap back towards him just as a Paleblood rushed Yang from the side. His makeshift club shattered on her gauntlets when he tried to strike her with it, with him laughing at the sight of his ruined weapon as he lunged towards her. Catching his arm, Yang swung him in front of her just as the loud snap of the Sniper Rifle sounded out. Almost immediately the Paleblood was torn out of her grasp as he was sent flipping over with a gaping hole in his chest.

Her eyes darted back to the Storm Soldiers just as the kneeling one opened fire again, this time she blasted herself towards him preemptively. Spinning through the gunfire intercepting rounds with Ember Celica, she reared back and slammed a fist into his helmet and launched him back. She glanced back and ducked as the blade of the other soldier passed over her, she swerved back out of the way of his slashes before spinning into one and blasting him back.

It was at that moment that she noted that one Paleblood with the sword arm racing towards her. Unlike the Soldiers, she was able to duck under his blade and blast him in the face with comparative ease. However, as he lurched back from the blow a shimmer of Aura flared to protect him. Yang was momentarily surprised, as he was the first Paleblood to show an Aura even if it was weak. But she wasn't given long to think about it, as the other Storm Soldier lunged at her with his sword.

This time she raised both her gauntlets to deflect the blade before lunging forward and blasting him in the head. She took hold of his wrist before he could stumble back, yanking him back towards her before slamming her gauntlet into the bottom of his jaw and blasting him into the air while tearing his gun out of his hand at the same time. Tossing the gun as several Palebloods raced towards her, Yang cocked back both of her gauntlets and blasted the falling soldier before he even touched the ground. The dual blast shattered his aura and sent him spinning towards the Palebloods, two of which noting his approach and leaping out of the way right before he slammed into the third.

The two Uruks went flying into the side of a nearby dumpster, which caved in upon impact.

Yang looked down to find her hands shaking, but quickly clenched them back into fists before looking up to the Palebloods with a grin as she breathed heavily, "I know that's not enough for you boys, right?"

Several of the Palebloods glanced to each other before snickering, something which Yang joined them in several seconds later before hearing the crack of another sniper round. She immediately leaped forward as the round tore up a chunk of stone behind her, spinning and bringing her foot down on the head of one Paleblood before ducking out of the way of another swinging a knife. Out of the corner of her eye she saw another Paleblood running for the downed soldier's rifle and ducked under the knife before lunging forward and blasting her attacker's jaw off.

To her surprise, the missing jaw didn't seem to slow him down, despite the roar of gargled laughter he released he kept swinging his blade at her. She blocked it with one gauntlet before blasting his elbow out and kicking him back. She raced towards the other Paleblood just as he picked up the rifle and turned on her. Before she could reach him, she heard the crack of the sniper rifle again and blasted herself out of the way as the round instead tore the Rifle-Wielding Paleblood's forearm right off.

Yang was about to lung forwards to take advantage of his state, but another Paleblood charged at her from behind and wrapped his arms under hers whilst yelling out, "Gouge her full o' holes!"

Yang looked forward to see that the now one-armed Paleblood was still training his pilfered rifle on her. Thinking fast, she cocked her gauntlets and blasted herself backwards along with the Paleblood holding her, both of them sailing backwards and slamming against a solid wall. The force was enough to render the Paleblood behind her immobile, his grip on her loosening. Yang immediately charged back towards the gunner, deflecting his wild rounds with her gauntlets before spinning and ramming her elbow into the side of his head. He lost his grip on the gun as he crumpled, with it getting flung into the air before landing in another Uruk's grasp.

Yang heard the sound of the shifting weapon, and looked to the side just as the remaining Storm Soldier trained both of the rifles on her and opened fire. As she darted out of the way of the dual streams of gunfire, the Soldier glanced to the remaining Palebloods.

"Get in there already!" he shouted as he swapped his weapons to their sword forms.

Yang sank her fist into one's gut before having to duck back as the Soldiers assaulted her with a flurry of swinging swords. She leaped back and fired, with the Soldier crossing his blades in front of him to intercept the blast.

Before she could leap at him again, another sword came at her from the side and sliced along the edge of her Aura. Yang turned quickly to deflect the next strike, finding her attacker to be Ole Blade-Arm again. She lunged at him, only for the boot of the Soldier to slam into her side and kick her forwards. She slammed against Ole Blade-Arm who quickly twisted and tossed her away.

Yang slammed into the ground before rolling onto her feet in a crouch, preparing to lunge back at them again when another crack from the sniper prompted her to leap out of the way. The moment she landed, she deflected another strike from Ole Blade-Arm, only for the Soldier to slip in and swipe her legs out from under her. As she fell, Yang managed to cross her gauntlets to deflect the dual strike of his blades which sent her slamming against a nearby wall.

Yang pushed herself back up just as another Paleblood approached while hefting a trash can over his head. Before he could bring it down atop her, a wave of heat exploded from Yang, prompting him to squint right before she leaped forwards and rammed her fist into his shoulder, blasting him off his feet and sending both him and the trash can sailing across the alley.

The soldier spun out of the way of the flying Paleblood before dropping to one knee and firing at Yang as she charged towards him. Ducking under Ole Blade-Arm's swinging sword, she hopped to the side to avoid another sniper round before leaping at the Soldier with her semblance flaring brightly. He crossed his blades, but the incoming blast was enough to force his guard wide open. Though, he slid back out of the way of her next swing, Yang spun past his sword before crouching down and punching her way up his torso.

She would've continued her assault if Ole Blade-Arm hadn't lunged at her from behind, with Yang dodging out of the way before darting to the side and blasting the rest of his aura away. But Ole Blade-Arm wasn't done yet, swinging his arm at her even as he reeled from the attack. Yang ducked under it before blasting him in the gut, this round tearing open his stomach and having him collapsing to his knees as his innards threatened to spill.

Yang turned her attention back to the remaining Storm Soldier, who was just shaking off her last attack when he saw her racing towards him again. He raised one of his guns and opened fire just as she got close, with Yang dodging to the side of the barrel before blasting him in he knee. Though he stumbled, he still manged to swing the sword in his other hand towards her, which Yang spun under before turning and bringing her elbow against the front of his helmet. She continued spinning even as he reeled, her other fist coming around and blasting through the last of his Aura as his head snapped to the side from the impact. He spun away before just barely managing to catch himself, taking several shaky steps before his weapons fell from his hands and he collapsed.

Her semblance cut out, with her eyes snapping up towards that sniper just as he trained his barrel on her. She opened fire first, prompting Khorn to dart away to keep ahead of her blasts. Yang probably would've continued her assault if not for the length of moist rope which was tossed over her neck and used to yank her harshly off her feet. She caught herself, reaching up towards the rope only to freeze as she felt something that didn't feel like any rope she'd ever touched before... it was far too... fleshy.

"More!"

Turning around, Yang's eyes widened as she found that the 'rope' currently wrapped around her throat was leading back to the black blood-smeared hand of Ole Blade-Arm...

The rest of it was hanging out of the gaping wound on his stomach.

Yang fought not to wretch once she realized what exactly he'd wrapped around her, not given the option as he reared back with his Blade-Arm and cackled wildly "Make more Marks, you filth!"

He stabbed his arm towards her, with Yang sucking in a breath and raising her hand to catch the blade. But her hand was slicked with his blood, his blade slicing along the aura on her hand as it sped towards her. Cocking her other gauntlet, she yanked the blade down between them and used it to cut through the unnervingly resilient length of his own intestine he had wrapped around her. The movement yanked him down directly into her other fist, which blasted a chunk of his head off as Yang immediately yanked the bits of him off of her in a disgusted panic.

"Fuck!" she cursed whilst wiping herself down, "The second I think you guys can't be any more disgusting ya pull some absolutely horrifying shit like this!"

In complete contrast to her disgust, the last remaining two Palebloods had both paused to applaud their fallen brother. Giddy expressions were spread across both of their faces until Khorn dropped down in between the two of them and reloaded his rifle.

"Seems he made his last mark." Khorn growled to them before nodding towards Yang "Succeed where he failed!"

Stifling the leftover feelings of revulsion as best as she could, Yang lunged out of the way as Khorn fired at her. She slipped out of the way of the round and was ready to intercept one of the Palebloods as he lunged at her with an emergency axe, but before he could bring it down a sniper round tore through his shoulder and slammed into Yang's. Her Aura flickered dangerously as the Paleblood stumbled towards her, with Yang managing to blast him away as her eyes snapped back to Khorn. He took aim at her again, only this time Yang blasted herself in a zig-zag formation towards him.

Cursing under his breath, he spun his rifle by the barrel as she lunged towards him. At the very butt of his gun, an intense torch lit up and burned a thick groove into the ground as he spun his weapon. Yang rolled to the side under that torch, before jumping in and blasting him upside the head. The moment her strike landed, he rammed the barrel of his rifle into her stomach and forced her back. She just barely managed to leap away as he fired another round into the ground.

Before she could dart in for another strike, the lid of a trashcan slammed into the side of her head and dazed her as the last Paleblood charged her with a jagged plank of wood. Seeing Khorn recovering from her last attack out of the corner of her eye, she ducked under the jagged wood before catching the Paleblood's wrist and slamming her other fist into his face. The moment he was dazed, she took hold of his leg before hefting him up onto her shoulders and hurling him at Khorn.

The sniper slid under the flying Paleblood whilst spinning the torch of his rifle at Yang, who managed to slide back out of the way of his first swing and catch the butt of his gun on his second. Rearing back with her other fist, she was about to to pull him into a brutal uppercut when she saw his other hand go down to his side.

Right towards the sidearm he had holstered there.

All of a sudden she was raising her gauntlet in front of her as he whipped a pistol towards and fired point blank, the first round clanging against Ember Celica and throwing her arm off balance momentarily. Just as he pulled the trigger again she lunged forward and caught his other wrist before yanking his aim off the mark, the next dust round passing by her head as the two struggled for a moment. Two more rounds just barely missed her before she gritted her teeth and yanked him towards her. Yang sank her knee into his stomach and used the resulting daze to shove him back. He managed to lose hold of his rifle in the scuffle, his Aura flickering as he caught his footing.

However, the moment he looked up he could only see Yang charging towards him wielding his own rifle by the barrel before the butt of his gun slammed into the side of his head. Whatever torch he had built into the thing burst upon impact, sending him flying away into a smoking heap as his Aura finally gave out.

With the smoking remain of the barrel of Khorn's rifle clenched in her hands,Yang leaned down and took hold of her knees to give a heavy breath. Standing up again, Yang's attention finally snapped towards the store they'd been fighting over. As she approached it, a downed Pale Blood was just starting to push himself to his hands and knees. After cracking him in the back of the head with the smoking barrel, Yang tossed it aside and poked her head into the store.

"Hello?" she asked, not initially seeing whoever it was the Storm's goons had been pursuing, by this point she'd already made peace with the fact that she was going to help whether it was her Uncle or not. But when she got no reply initially, and didn't see anything other than trail of blood driblets leading into the back of the store, she narrowed her eyes.

The shelves of this shop had been cleared out, with no indication of what it offered before the Fall. it was as Yang drew closer to the very last of these shelves that she heard signs of life. Or rather, she heard the sound of chains rattling. Swallowing carefully, she peaked past the corner only to gasp at the sight before her.

The bloody trail led to a small figure curled up beside a door that had been chained up, the figure weakly tugging on that chain whilst trying to make themselves as small as possible. The source of the blood became fairly apparent, as the figure had no shoes, letting Yang see a number of cuts they'd probably sustained during their escape. She couldn't make out more of the figure due to how dark the store was, but what she did see painted a fairly miserable picture.

Covered in bruises with a number of tears in their clothing, the figure's other arm was busy clutching something to their chest. As their face was turned away, Yang couldn't see much more than brown hair that looked as if it had been hacked at with a hatchet. She was fairly certain the form was female, but she knew she didn't have the time to be taking this slowly.

"Hey," she approached the figure carefully "I took care of the Uruks outside, but we need to go now if we want even a chance of escaping their friends."

She raised a hand towards the figure, her proximity finally prompting them to look up at her with terrified white eyes.

"There we go," Yang bent down to her, "now we... can..."

Yang's words trailed off as their close proximity brought even more features to her awareness. Disbelief marred her features as she reached down and took hold of the figure's clothes before dragging them to their feet. Now holding the girl up, Yang could see the pink hair... and the umbrella clutched in her hands.

"Neo?" Yang tilted her head in confusion, barely recognizing the short criminal under all the bruises and fear.

Neopolitan just stared up at her with wide eyes, breathing heavily as she shook her head at the sight of her. Up close, Yang could identify what looked an intense scar in the shape of a claw that had been cut into the top of Neo's head through her torn up hair. Of all the people that Yang could expect running into in Vale, she was definitely not one of them. Yang took a moment to shake off her confusion, with the way Neo was glancing around in abject terror she wasn't even sure if she recognized her.

But now wasn't the time for questions, she'd already made her bed and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to sleep in it. So taking hold of Neo's trembling wrist, Yang decided to save the questions for after they were safe. She turned to the wall at the back of the store before cocking back her other arm.

Moments later, two more pairs of Storm Soldiers entered the alleyway, with one of them immediately throwing his hands up in the air upon taking in the sight of the downed Uruks all around.

"Agh, Shrahk I knew it!" He put a hand to his head before his eyes went to the Blade-Armed corpse nearby "Its Spiker's crew, ugh! These lads were supposed to throw down with the Bucklers tomorrow. I had bets on them, damn it!"

As he groaned, another Soldier stepped past him towards the store. He took one look at the massive hole that had been blasted into the back of it before raising a hand up to two more Uruks looking down from the roof above.

"We got some runners!" he called out "Scope it out, will ya?"

As the two figures darted off, the soldier turned away only for a groan nearby to draw his attention to Khorn. Having leaned himself against a wall and taken off his helmet, Khorn uncorked a flask before downing it as the soldier approached him.

"I even gotta ask what happened around here?" the soldier asked

Lowering his flask, Khorn held up the broken barrel of his rifle with his other hand before stating, "Might wanna get in touch with Krosh."

"The Warmonger?" the Soldier tilted his head "Why?"

Khorn tossed the barrel of his rifle away and leaned back before downing the rest of his flask in one go.

"Because," he said once he was finished "his property's making trouble again."

Somewhere...

Oscar didn't know where he was, all he did know was that he was hanging upside down in a seemingly endless void. The screams were near constant in his ears, but he couldn't find the strength to care. His attention was more focused on the only thing he could actually see, the latest addition to the pantheon of nightmares he'd acquired over the previous few days.

This latest monstrosity was a floating cloak, emerging from where its head should've been was instead a lump of faces all gnashing and speaking at once. Even without the screaming in Oscar's ears, there was no way he'd be able to understand all of this nightmare's voices speaking over each other like that. It also had some kind of colorful mist trailing behind it, the shapes which formed inside were nearly hypnotic to the sleep-deprived boy.

The creature leaned towards him and tilted its grotesque head, its numerous faces speaking over each other once more. After Oscar didn't respond for a while, it pulled away and floated away from him. After putting some distance between them, it turned back and stared at him. In that moment, whatever had been holding oscar up broke and dropped him into a heap on the ground.

It was there that he squeezed what felt like grass between his fingers, only to push himself up and find that the grass was as pitch black as the rest of their surroundings. The screams intensified, prompting him to clasp at his ears as his eyes shot up towards the monster. Now he could see it clearly, the shapes in that colorful mist. It was people, all of them swirling around that monster, writhing together like a countless stream of tendrils.

Oscar found himself staring, even as one of those colors snapped free from the rest of the stream. It was only as that flash of color sped towards him that Oscar threw himself back in terror. It slammed into him, causing him to collapse backwards as he clutched at his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut as he writhed, only for the screams to even out. They melted together into a single voice near instantly.

"Can you hear me now, Oscar?" it asked "I need you to breathe."

Oscar's eyes snapped open, finding regular grass below him and the setting above, "W-What?" he stammered

"Finally... I get some words from him." A third voice spoke up.

Looking around, he found that he was lying in the grass of a mountainside forest. Right above him was the singed end of a rope dangling from a tree overhead. And when he looked to the source of the third voice, his breath hitched in fear.

Sitting on a large rock a few yards away from him was a cloaked figure with a mask fashioned out of faces. Despite the clothing covering its visage, Oscar knew from the broadcasts alone that he was looking at an Uruk. Not just any Uruk either... he'd seen the Stormbringer before in several of those broadcasts, he'd never be able to mistake him.

Pugrish had his eyes trained on something in his journal, which he read whilst crouched upon the rock. Drumenvok was lying against the rock, with Oscar's travelling bag resting on the ground beside it.

"Oscar, listen to me." the voice in his head returned "You can't-"

He turned and sped off into the woods with everything he had.

Pugrish didn't look up from his journal, flipping a page before sighing and reaching out.

"This won't work, Oscar!" the voice pleaded with him, much to his dismay.

He didn't know why it was trying to stop him, he'd been pursued by so many nightmares in recent memory that it seemed second nature to run by now. As he scampered down through the woods, he started to realize that he was undoubtedly in the mountains he'd often see in the distance from his home. At a certain angle he might even have been able to see his house from here. But he never got the chance. As he leaped over a fallen log a Dreamer Gate tore open beneath him, with him barely able to avoid tripping in. He fell hard beside the gate, scrambling to his feet as several hands made of ice dust flew out of it and latched onto him.

They dragged him through, and soon he fell back against the grass with a groan, rolling over to see he was right back in front of Pugrish, who gave him a nod before flipping another page in his journal. As the floating hands made of ice shattered around them, Oscar struggled to his knees.

"Quite a... bold attempt," the Shaman noted before reaching behind him and tossing something towards Oscar "maybe try something like this, next time?"

Unprepared for the object, Oscar fumbled with it a bit before getting a hold of what looked like a clockwork style grip. It felt familiar somehow, so much so that it only took him a second of confused examination before he got the rest of the cane to extend from it.

Seeing what Pugrish was setting up, the voice spoke up, "Oscar, don't..."

But Oscar could see that the Shaman had set his weapon aside, and that he seemed fully preoccupied with the book he was reading. So the moment he turned another page, Oscar lunged toward him with the cane swinging towards his head. Pugrish closed his journal and tilted it to the side, with the cane halting immediately upon contact with it. Oscar didn't even have time to be surprised before the edge of the journal slammed down onto the top of his head and dropped him to his knees.

"And feisty too..." Pugrish nodded to himself before sitting back and opening his journal again "...a pity you're not the one I'm here for, child."

"That would probably be me."

Oscar was still clutching his aching head when he registered what had just been said, "What? Who-?"

"Professor Ozpin... former headmaster of Beacon Academy." Pugrish answered "I could feel him... trying to reach you. Followed that pull straight here..."

Lowering his journal, he tilted his head to the side, "And what do I find at the end of that journey? A young boy... barely able to handle a knock on the head."

"I don't understand..." Oscar managed to get out

"He's after me, Oscar. He couldn't get anything out of me while I was partially bound to him, so he's trying to use you as an in-between." the voice in his head spoke up "I... am Professor Ozpin."

Oscar shook his head, "B-but the visions, my nightmares, you aren't real."

That got Pugrish to lower his journal, closing it as he watched Oscar look down at his hands.

"I don't know what he showed you, Oscar. Everything was fuzzy until now. I just need you to work with me if we want to get out of this."

"Get out of what?!" Oscar demanded "W-Why are you in my head? What happened, why is-"

He glanced up to find Pugrish now standing over him, and flinched backwards as the Stormbringer kneeled down and looked him over.

"Odd... I expected some sordid effects from being... linked to the Shackle." he noted whilst looking him over "But... are you by chance... hearing the good professor right now?"

With those eyes staring down at him, Oscar couldn't help but look away, "I-I don't know what I'm hearing."

Though he said that, the Shaman's hands reached down and yanked him close. Oscar leaned away, that horrifying mask drawing far too close for comfort. Pugrish examined him for a moment.

"Ah... I see... it's not like my Shackle at all." Pugrish noted with an appreciative nod "He's binding directly to you... no matrix needed."

Pulling back, the Stormbringer released him before moving back to the rock, "In that case... I can deliver this ultimatum straight to him."

"What's he t-talking about!?" Oscar demanded, only for him to hear the sound of a sigh in his ears

"I'm sorry..."

"What does that-?" Oscar's panicked question was cut off as his aura suddenly surged across his form, casing him to gasp loudly.

Pugrish tilted his head as he watched Oscar pause to take his breath, but leaned forward upon noticing something... extremely different. It wasn't visible to the untrained eye, but Pugrish would never forgive himself if he didn't notice the ways the two auras before him shifted. What was once below now coursed along the surface, having essentially swapped places.

The boy lifted his head up, signs of his former confusion and fear replaced with a tempered expression of caution, "So, I suppose I should be asking why you haven't killed us yet."

Pugrish's grin widened, "Ah... the good Professor reveals himself." he looked him up and down "Quite an... interesting trick you've got there, Ozpin."

Leaning an arm on his knee, Ozpin closed his eyes, "I'm sure it must seem paltry compared to what you've managed to accomplish." he stated "But you haven't answered my question."

"As an avid scholar of Aura... how could I not investigate your odd resistance to my Shackle?" Pugrish tapped a finger against the side of his head "But even more intriguing was what I... discovered during my investigation."

Closing his journal, Pugrish slid it into his cloak before taking hold of Drumenvok, "Not only did I miss the chance to battle with Head of the Academy... but I discover such a wonder concept such as these Maidens of yours."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed at that, but he said nothing as Pugrish approached with the base of Drumenvok dragging along the ground "Considering the one I fought at Beacon... it would seem someone besides yourself is after them."

"I take it you wish to beat them to the punch, then?" Ozpin asked

"Perhaps... I can't really know how much I want something if I'm missing critical knowledge of it." Pugrish kneeled before him and leaned against Drumenvok "I could very well just end you... or lock you up while I seek the answers on my own... But where's the fun in that?"

"So..." Ozpin raised an eyebrow "You intend to let us go? Just like that?"

Pugrish only shrugged before chuckling at him, "I intend to receive a vastly compelling argument if that's how you want this to end, my Good Professor."

AN: Another full chapter so soon? It almost seems like a dream.

Even I'm kinda surprised with how much set up I've needed in order to get us rolling towards the big stuff later on, even over 60,000 words in I feel like I'm barely through the door. Literally everything up until now is still technically groundwork stuff that I thought I'd get through in the previous chapter. Well it didn't take me long to realize that wasn't happening. But after this? I can say with a fair amount of confidence that starting from next chapter onward I can really get into some nitty-gritty stuff.

I also found myself something of a structure I can build these chapters around, at least for now. I'm not gonna get into details since I know most of my readers aren't here for any preaching about story structure, but let's just say that this chapter was far easier to write than the last one. Now like I've stated before, I'm not gonna try setting predictions for how long it'll be until the next one, but I have hope that the gaps between uploads won't be as absolutely massive as they were in the previous volume... probably.

I will go on the record and state that for the time being, the Uruk segments in these Author's Notes sections won't be happening. Not for lack of willingness, mind you, but I always considered them only necessary when certain aspects of Uruk characters got focused on. It'll probably still happen here and there, but it won't be every chapter like how the last volume turned out.

Anyway, hope you enjoy, any and all criticisms positive or negative are welcomed in full so leave a review or comment if you are so inclined to do. Things you enjoyed about it? Things you hated about it? Any ways you feel I could improve? Expectations for the next Chapter? Follow or Favorite at your leisure and I will see you all in the next installment of The Dreamer Gate.

Next Chapter: The Whirlpool