AN: Yes, it's really here. The sequel some of you may or may not have been keeping a vague eye out for. This follows directly from the events of 'A Change of Heart'. If you have not read that fic first, there are literally no words that can describe how utterly baffled you will be. It's less than 10k words, so please, give it a read!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. It's all Rooster Teeth's.

James Ironwood cut an imposing figure as he strode through his flagship, steps echoing down the corridors as his men snapped to attention wherever he passed.

He greeted them all with curt nods as he made his way to the prisoner hold – where his quarry was currently residing.

He found him in the same cell they'd kept him in the entire time. Somehow, the man had found a means to carve a rather spectacular game of noughts and crosses into the wall, that…

The General stared. "How… how the hell did you do that?"

"Hmm?" the prisoner looked up, "Oh, that. You'd be surprised what you can carve into with aura and a coat button."

"That's not what I meant," General Ironwood growled, "How did you manage to have a game of noughts and crosses where both sides won, diagonally? That is not possible with nine tiles!"

"Anything's possible with a little imagination and a whole lot of style, Jimmy!" the prisoner leaned back in his seat, "So, what brings the General of this… remarkably… impressive military to the humble door of little old me?"

"I need to talk to you."

"The list of things you need is longer than this ship," the man replied, "A clue, a body made of less than seventy-percent metal, a sense of humour, a better decorator… seriously, what's with all the grey?"

"I tried making it all white at first, but nobody was able to see Specialist Schnee whenever she boarded," Ironwood admitted.

"Would be a shame to lose that view," his opposite agreed, "But enough about interior decorating. You came here to talk to me, and, as you would expect, Jimmy, I know exactly what you want to talk to me about."

"Oh?" Ironwood frowned.

"That old moron Ozpin decided to play with fire and let her off her leash," the man smirked, "Now you've seen what happens when she's let loose, and it scares you. You would like nothing better than for that leash to be firmly re-attached, wouldn't you? And so, you came to the one person who's ever held it. You need to know how to get her back under control, before she pulls everything out from under your feet. You need me."

He clasped his arms behind his head. "Am I right, General?"

Ironwood clenched his teeth. "As much as I hate to say it, you are. That girl is destabilizing everything I've worked for. I need her under control."

"But you can't fight her conventionally," the man commented, "Or the public would roast you alive and our hungry little friends outside the walls would get an awful lot hungrier. You need to fight fire with fire, don't you? You need to be able to play her at her own game. And there are only two people alive who can do that, one of them opened the door to her cage in the first place, the other one is sitting right in front of you. However… you want to know what I need?"

He leaned forward. "I need to know what's in it for me."

"Freedom," Ironwood gritted out, "And the resources of the Atlas military to support your efforts."

"Tempting," the man drawled, "But I'm going to have to make an addition."

"An addition?" the General's eyes narrowed, "What do you want?"

"Well, Jim-Jams," Roman Torchwick leaned forward, eyes gleaming, "I'm going to need my hat back."

This was not, however, the only meeting that was being held several hundred meters above sea level that day.

"Are you all right?" Professor Ozpin, the instantly-identifiable headmaster of Beacon Academy asked in concern.

I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE JUST DANCED OVER MY GRAVE

Came the scribbled reply.

WHICH IS ODD, AS I WAS FAIRLY SURE DEATH WAS ONLY FOR THE REST OF YOU MORTALS

"Quite," Ozpin agreed, "Now then, back to the topic at hand. I'm sure you're curious about why I've asked for you to come."

NOPE

Ozpin blinked. "Not even a little bit?"

NOT REALLY

Neo admitted silently.

BUT I WAS WILLING TO AT LEAST GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO IMPRESS ME

"You are very gracious," Ozpin chuckled, "Tell me… what do you know of fairy tales?"

I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A GOOD START ON THE WHOLE 'IMPRESSING ME' THING

"Very well, I will skip to my point. Are you aware of the tale of the Four Maidens?" Ozpin asked directly.

Neo's eyes lit up.

OH YEAH, THAT ONE WAS ALWAYS MY FAVOURITE

Ozpin smiled. 'So even she was once an innocent child.'

FOUR GIRLS HARASS AN OLD MAN SO MUCH THAT HE LITERALLY GAVE THEM SUPERPOWERS TO GO AWAY

Ozpin's smile twitched. 'Or perhaps not'.

I CAN ONLY DREAM OF ACHIEVING THAT LEVEL OF ANNOYINGNESS

"That is… an interesting interpretation," Ozpin said after a moment. "What would you do if I told you the story was true?"

I'D GO OUT AND FIND AN OLD MAN

Came the instant reply.

"I'm afraid that's not quite how the power works," the headmaster shook his head, "You see, there truly are four maidens in this world, who share an inherited power, that does not require dust. Each Maiden corresponds to a different season, and the power is passed from Maiden to Maiden, always choosing a young girl to be it's wielder. What do you know of our recent escapees?"

I KNOW THAT YOUR PRISON SYSTEM WAS WOEFULLY UNPREPARED TO HANDLE A GIRL WHO COULD CREATE ILLUSIONS

Ozpin blinked. "I was under the impression it was you who could make illusions?"

NO, WE RETCONNED THAT

"Ah, say no more. Well, suffice to say, those three are at least a major part in a conspiracy that seeks to claim the Maiden's power for themselves. They have already attacked one of the Maidens and left them in a critical condition. I am part of an organisation that works in the shadows to protect the Maidens. Do you understand now, why I have asked you here?"

YES

Neo nodded.

YOU SAID THAT THE MAIDENS ARE ALWAYS YOUNG AND FEMALE, RIGHT

"Yes,"

AND THAT EACH MAIDEN CORRESPONDS TO A SEASON

"That is correct,"

SO YOU CALLED ME HERE BECAUSE YOU WANT MY HELP

"Indeed,"

TO PROTECT YANG XIAO LONG

"Ye-what?"

THE MAIDEN OF SALT

Neo finished, looking grave.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "I think... you may be using the wrong definition of the word 'season'. But you did get the spirit of the request, at least. You have been surprisingly useful in overcoming this group so far – will you and your organisation assist us once again?"

Neo stroked her chin.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME

"I can arrange for Miss Xiao Long and her entire extended family to be locked in a room with you for several hours."

DEAL

'I would tell you I'm sorry, Qrow,' Ozpin internally mused, 'But then I recall all the times you have thrown up on my carpet, and find that I struggle to get the words out. A shame.'

"So… the plan is still going ahead, right?" Mercury ventured.

"Yes," Cinder replied, "We need to make some changes, but the plan will still proceed. All we need for now is to get Emerald into the crowd so she can affect the matches."

"How will we do that?" Emerald asked.

"With a disguise, of course."

"...I thought Neo was the one who did the disguises," Mercury asked hesitantly.

"Do not mention that name to me!" Cinder snapped, "I am perfectly capable of handling the disguises. I have already arranged for a disguise for Emerald."

"You have?" Emerald queried.

"Indeed," Cinder said smugly, "Observe!" She pulled several items from her bag.

"It's… it's perfect," Emerald said in awe, "Nobody will ever suspect me."

Mercury stared. "It's a fake moustache."

"Hohohoho!" Cinder chuckled evilly, "That's where you are wrong, Mercury. It is not simply a fake moustache."

She then pulled out another set of three items.

"A sombrero and a pair of maracas," Mercury listed off, voice as robotic as his lower limbs.

"Indeed! Emerald, you are no longer Emerald, but... Esmeralda, Emerald's Foreign Cousin!"

"It's genius!" Emerald applauded sincerely.

"Now it makes so much sense," Mercury stated, 'Why Neo was the one in charge of disguises, that is.'

"Now then," Cinder declared, "If that is settled... let us plan further! The maiden's power will be ours… and I will have my arch enemy's colourful head adorned upon my spiky heel!"

She began cackling madly.

'Well, that settles it. Neo actually broke something permanently in her,' Mercury thought in concern, 'Now, I have really, REALLY got to find a way out of this group.'

With impressive effort, he managed to maintain a straight face as Emerald joined in with her master's loud cackling.

'I wonder if Neo is recruiting? She recruits annoying people, right? I can be annoying. I wonder if the Brown, White and Pink fang have better disability benefits than Cinder's Organisation That Has Stopped Being Secretly Evil And Is Now Openly Evil,' he paused his train of thought, 'You know... I probably should have realised something was up when she insisted on that name change.'

And so, many people began to make plans. The beleaguered General, faced with a threat beyond his ability to manage, planned to make a deal with an existence he did not truly understand. The wily headmaster, pleased with the success of his pet project, planned to involve her further in the matters that determined the security of the world. The plotter, driven to raging madness, planned her revenge on all who wronged her. The one sane underling, seeing the depth of her madness, planned to leave, and seek refuge with his former enemies.

And the one at the midst of it all? The one around whom all of these events had circulated around? The heroine of our story?

She planned to do what she always did: Piss people off, and have a whale of a time doing it.