Chapter 57: A RaidTurned Rescue

You appear before your Mistral house, disappointed in your inability to find any clues about whoever the assailant was. You haven't a doubt in your mind that the woman you fought is on another level of danger. She almost reminds you of the complete obsession Aza had when she tried to kill you by blowing herself up. But this is different. Her laugh, her eyes, they're unhinged. There's a part of you that wants to hunt her down right now, seeing this person as Mistral's greatest, immediate threat. But, in the end, there's nothing you can do about it. You COULD use your Semblance to scour the entire city in an attempt to identify the attacker, but if they even bothered to change their clothes at all, you wouldn't be able to recognize them. There's the eyes, but it's also possible that was a result of their Semblance. Yang has that same occurrence, so you can't discount the possibility.

So, you can only leave it on the back burner, at least for now. Tomorrow you'll capture the Maiden and see where things go from there. Perhaps Lionheart might even have some information on this attacker, or Aero could awaken and tell you exactly what happened. Both of them are decent leads, but like most things, they will require patience.

Either way, you have to face your friends that you abandoned in your frustration. You didn't even bother hearing out Oscar... Ozpin... however that works.. But you have to know how Ozpin could possibly be back, and if he has any remaining wisdom for the future. You can't imagine him denying the plan to retrieve the Maiden... or maybe he will. If so, you'll just do it with Neo anyway.

You reach for the door handle and go to turn it, but it doesn't so much as budge.

Locked. Fair enough. Shoulda just swhooped inside from the beginning.

As your perception transcends your body and enters into the home, preparing for a leap you catch a glimpse of what's inside... which isn't much. In the main room, where you left everyone to pout, nobody is there. You leap inside the building, legs only inches away from the table surrounded by couches.

"Everyone sleeping? I wasn't gone that long, was I?"

With your first glance at the kitchen, you spot Qrow washing out a couple glasses – likely from drinks they had during their conversation with Ozpin. He glances over at you, not having a very expressive reaction to your return.

"Cooled off, kid?"

"You could say that," you roll your shoulder and leisurely start to approach. "But you know I always end up getting into trouble."

"I hope that's a joke," he says, turning off the water and grabbing a towel to dry his hands. "We have enough trouble on our hands.

"When do I ever joke, Qrow?" You say with a coy smile.

"Mmm..." Qrow doesn't return your light hearted demeanour. "Well, you missed the party," he leaves the kitchen, meeting and passing you at the halfway mark to take a seat on the couch. "And I don't feel like explaining everything to you."

"I mean, you didn't do it before, right?" You say before stepping onto the couch, instantly in a comfy seating position. "What's the difference now?"

"You're back," Oscar says, emerging from one of the bathrooms.

"You're..." You squint your eyes and let your voice linger a little, showing your uncertainty of who you're exactly addressing.

"Oscar, right now. I... assume you want to talk with Ozpin?"

"If you're alright with that."

"I'm used to it by now," Oscar closes his eyes, voluntarily relinquishing control to Ozpin. A faint glow covers his body as the transition happens, making it clear to you and Qrow that Ozpin is here.

"Hello again, (Y/N)," Ozpin's warm smile is instantly familiar to you. "I'm sorry that my return had caused as much stress as it did."

"No, it's... it's not your fault. Just... I'm not used to people coming back to life," you half heartedly chuckle. "Or... is this coming back to life? What exactly happened to you?"

"Yes, it's not something that one should typically accept; nor do I expect them to. It's... quite a long and tedious tale, but the shortest explanation of it is, I'm cursed," he says while taking a seat on the couch opposite Qrow. "Cursed by the Gods to stop Salem, and I will continue to return in other people's bodies until that goal is complete."

You stare at him for a moment, blinking a few times. "Wait, so you weren't kidding," you briefly look to Qrow for confirmation. "The Gods are real... like, you've interacted with them?"

Ozpin contemplates his words for a moment. "It's complicated, (Y/N)."

"How complicated could it be? So, if they're real, and you've seen them, and they have the power to make you reincarnate – that's the right term for it, yeah?"

"If you wish to call it that, and... again, it's complicated."

"Then if Gods really do exist and can interact with us, why haven't they just stopped Salem? Why force you to do it?"

Ozpin has a downtrodden smirk for a moment as he stares emptily at the chair you're sitting on. "I wish I knew myself."

"And why you specifically? Did you know Salem or something?"

That question pulls Ozpin right back to the present. "Once more, it's complicated. All that matters is assuring that Salem does not get her hands on any of the Relics."

It's abundantly clear to both yourself and Qrow that Ozpin is purposely avoiding this topic, which practically confirms he has some ties with Salem at some point in his life. But, you respect that privacy; and you can't necessarily disagree with the statement he's made. You just have to stop Salem. Nothing else matters. But...

"Hey, can I ask one more question?"

"You can ask as many as you wish," Ozpin nods.

"You aren't, like... the reason Salem is doing all this, right?"

Once again, Ozpin takes a moment to choose his words carefully. "No," his voice is quick, precise. "She chose her own path."

"Hm," you smirk then clap. "Welp, I'm satisfied. At least for now, cause I'm kinda tired. You're gonna be all ready for tomorrow, right?" You hop to your feet.

"We're not quite finished, kid," Qrow waves his hand for you to sit down. "You stormed off and missed some important info. Haven't even talked with Oz about your plan."

"Oh, yeah," you take a seat once more. "Wait, are you against it too!?" You somewhat whine, annoyed.

"My thoughts are... different. But I'd like to hear your reasoning for attacking Raven's encampment with only three people."

"Ah, right, everyone's getting on my butt for that. Well, that's the thing," you lean forward, resting one arm on your leg. "It's hopefully not going to be a fight. We go there, I teleport the Maiden far from the camp where Qrow and Neo will be waiting, then we'll either convince her to come with us or... we'll knock her out and drag her back here." You clap your hands to emphasize your point.

"And you believe the three of you will be enough to do that? What if her clan follows?"

"For one, yeah, I think so. We know Maidens can be beaten, and I'm a lot stronger now than I was back in Beacon. Neo too. Plus, if her clan comes then we can deal with them. Neo handles the randoms, I'll fight the Maiden, and Qrow," you turn your head more to him. "You can probably take care of Raven, right? At least keep her distracted?"

"I doubt there would be a winner between the two of us without any intervention, yeah," he keeps relaxed on the couch. "But numbers matter here, kid. It's not just Raven and a Maiden. Her clan may not be as strong as us, but there are a lot of them. That can be a problem..."

"And you plan to teleport back?" Ozpin inquires.

"Yeah, and that's another reason why I don't want more of us. Teleporting long distances already takes up a lot of Aura. Three people in, four out, with a break inbetween to make sure I have the Aura. If there's six or more, I don't know if I can make that jump, and we'll be stuck."

"And," Ozpin continues to push further. "What happens if you cannot win?"

"Psssh, have some faith in us, Ozpin!"

"It's proper to plan out any and all outcomes."

"Ah, that's fair," you mumble. "Well, Neo's pretty good at remaining undetected. If things do go belly side up, we'll just leave and Neo will stay behind to keep track of them. If they end up moving camp, she'll make sure we know exactly where they go!" You squint at the two adults, a wide smile on you. "Don't think I haven't thought this through."

"I see," Ozpin nods. "As I thought, there was more to it than simply being arrogant. Very well, I agree with your plan."

"Wai- what?- really? I woulda thought you'd think like Lionheart."

"Perhaps in different circumstances, but not anymore. Speaking of Leo, no matter what outcome this mission, you will tell Lionheart that you decided to follow his advice."

"What?" You blurt out, flabbergasted. "Why? He's a headmaster. Your friend. They're all on our side. Right?"

"Not this time," Qrow cuts in. "In case Oz was ever... not around, all headmasters were given instructions to follow. None of which Leo has followed through with."

"And that makes him untrustworthy, at least for now," Ozpin concurs.

"So, you think he's working for Salem?" You ask.

"Perhaps," Ozpin slowly nods, clearly disturbed by the thought of betrayal. "I would rather not think such ill thoughts of my allies, but it is important not to be caught off guard. We simply... can't share all our plans with Leonardo just yet. Not until we're sure."

"Huh... well... you know, if Salem is really so strong and scary, why doesn't she just do all of this by herself?" You direct at Ozpin.

"Because her greatest weapon is doubt," Ozpin stands up from the couch and slowly paces around the middle table. "If she openly attacked any school, showed that she could manipulate the Grimm, then the entire world, despite our differences, would have a clear and common enemy. Salem cannot win if we're all united against her. So, she uses agents to sabotage, persuade, and corrupt others to do her bidding so that we all turn on one another," he stops in front of you, giving you his undivided attention. "That's why unity is so important."

"Then why not just tell the world that Salem exists?"

"And the panic that would bring? You think of that?" Qrow chips in.

"And there's no concrete proof that she exists," Ozpin adds. "The Headmasters, and certain people like Qrow and Glynda, know of her existence and have seen what chaos she can create. But the rest of the world? Atlas is already in a fragile state after Beacon fell, Vacuo... handles things its own way. And Mistral thrives on doubt and corruption. Perhaps before Beacon fell, but now... now will not have the impact you wish it to."

"Well, that's a weird way to see it. If she attacks, we'd panic anyway, right? Some super strong Queen of the Grimm thing coming out of nowhere. But we'd rally together and fight. But if you just tell everyone, would it really end up being such a panic? To announce an enemy that we all have to beat? And that's if people believed us anyway," you lean back against the couch and start hypothesising. "I guess you're right about the world right now... but still, I feel like it'd be better knowing, right? Ignorance doesn't really help anyone. But I guess telling everyone about an invisible enemy could be seen as manipulative - a ploy of some kind. Whereas if she actually attacked us it would be an obvious target." You end up shaking your head. "Yeah, but if you have all the Headmasters and Huntsmen on your side, does it matter?"

"It's a sensitive subject," Ozpin sighs. "And while it may be worth discussing, it won't help the current situation. Salem has people here and wants the relic. That's our top priority."

"I... eh, fair enough, again, I guess," you say before taking a moment to stretch. "So do we have to take the Relic somewhere else? Or should we just make sure Salem can't get it? Cause," you finish your stretch, shaking up a bit. "If we just make Raven hide away with the Maiden, nothing is really lost. Salem can't get the relic."

"It's an idea," Qrow says. "But we're not too fond of leaving it up to chance. If Raven disappears with the Maiden and is later caught by Salem again, we'll have no idea where she is or how to stop her. And with Leo not being a team player," the elder grunts, leaning back in his seat and staring at the ceiling.

"It's better if we have full control over the situation," Ozpin finishes.

"So, what, we're gonna take the Relic? Take a hardy stroll with it?" You almost chuckle. "Isn't that a little more dangerous? Like, yeah, we're all tough, but isn't locking it in some magical vault a lot better?"

"Not when we can't trust the man guarding over it," Ozpin quickly responds.

"Then... why not get someone else to do it?"

"Finding another trustworthy person and letting them in on everything isn't something we have time for right now," Qrow answers. "And if Salem gets her hands on the Spring Maiden, it won't matter. She can then simply open the vault whenever she wishes."

"Wait, so don't they already have one of the relics anyway? The one from Beacon?"

"No," Ozpin shakes his head.

"What? Why not? Is the Fall Maiden not the one for that vault?"

"She is... but I hid away that Relic away some time ago. Which is why you have to trust that us taking the Relic from here won't compromise it."

"Wait, you hid it? Where? When? How?"

"Some time ago. I promise you, it will not be compromised."

"But you can't tell me where it is?"

"It's best to keep you ignorant of its location for now. Just trust that..." Ozpin takes a moment to find the proper words. "It's protected by a most trusted associate."

"Huh... well, you've been at this for longer than I have so I'll trust you. So, Ozpin, don't worry," you get to your feet and start walking towards your bedroom. "We won't let Salem take Mistral. Not while I'm around." You reach the door, opening it and looking back at the two. "Night Qrow. Night da-" You stop, eyes shifting to the man younger than you. "Dat... headma- whatever, good night," you rapidly enter your room and close the door.

You violently rub your head in embarrassment.

Dad? Say dad to someone who's younger than Ruby? What was I thinking? Think you stupid Slater sucker. He just...

You stop assaulting your own head and lean back against the door, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath.

It was like talking to Ozpin again... and I called him dad all the time. Gah, come on, control your stupid sentimental baloney. Ozpin. Oscar. Ozpin. Oscar. Ozpin. Oscar.

You open your eyes and immediately notice a young woman sleeping in your bed.

"Ruby... Oh, great, now I'm gonna call Ozpin Ruby. Then I'll be calling Ruby dad, and Oscar honey," you raise a finger each time you say a title. "Or sweetie," you put up another finger. "Do we even use pet names? Oh god, have I unconsciously?" Your face contorts from the self-loathing. "Oh, right, Little Red. Does that count? Ew, I said that before we were dating. I had a pet name for a not girlfriend. Gaaaaah," you return to the self cringe.

Thankfully, that feeling is replaced when you stare at her, very clearly sleeping with the heavy breaths. A little, almost mousy sound passes from her lips that dances through your ears. It's an instant calming effect.

"She's cute sometimes."

You shake your head and slowly, quietly, approach the bed so you don't wake her. As you get closer, you notice in the corner of the room, her weapon and messily thrown aside clothes – aside from the hood that's neatly hung on the bathroom door. You raise a brow and tippy toe over to them. You kneel down and place your hand on it, feeling a heavy dampness.

"Ew," you quickly pull your hand back.

She was sweating... training...

You stand back up and peer over at her.

I know you're trying to catch up, Ruby... but you're not quite there yet. Maybe you can tag along for this weirdo in the city, once I find out what's going on with them.

You quickly undress yourself down to the underwear, setting all your belongings aside and get into the bed. You leave a bit of space between you and Ruby at first, resting with your hands on your chest and eyes on the ceiling. But Ruby's soft, sleepy moans won't allow you to ignore her. You carefully scooch over a bit, putting your bodies right beside each other so you can arc your arm over her head, your hand resting by her neck. You gently drag your fingers along her neck and shoulder, feeling the warm skin. As if automatically, she adjusts herself so that her arm lays across your chest and her head cuddles under your armpit.

Little gross, but she won't know any better.

You have a lot of things to do – be it the problems here in Mistral, the new information on Ozpin, on Lionheart, the Maidens, the Relic, there's just so much to worry about at this point. It's almost too much to handle, but it's something you're going to have to deal with regardless. Tomorrow, you'll pay Aero a visit to assure he's okay and get any information you can, perhaps pursue any new leads, and then lastly leave for Raven's camp.

Hopefully you can get something of value done.

And thinking like that makes you think of Dylan – getting things done. He was always the one to care about efficiency.

"I hope you're okay, Dylan."

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The young Faunus' eyes slowly start to open and his mind begins to race. All the information suddenly rushes to the surface and he quickly sits up, swiftly recognizing the uncomfortable situation he's in. He looks down at his arm, seeing a makeshift cast to keep it in the proper place. At this point, his arm feels normal thanks to the natural healing from a strong aura .

"Good to see you up," Aza remarks, garnering her brother's attention.

The woman is staring at a makeshift fire, the crackling now coming to Dylan's senses. They're in a forest, tucked away with beds and cover fabricated from sticks, rocks and all the resources that come with them.

Despite her acknowledging Dylan's consciousness, she doesn't look away from the fire. It's like her attention is entirely engulfed in it, as if the fire itself is all that occupies her mind and soul right now.

"Adam killed her like it was nothing... I would have burned everyone there and the whole base to the ground if you weren't there... if her...body wasn't there." Her quiet rage is evident to the young listener.

"I... I'm sorry. Sienna was..." He notices the fire flare for a moment. An easy and recognizable signal of Aza's feelings. "So," Dylan starts picking the cast apart to free his arm. "Adam controls the White Fang?"

"Mm," is all the girl can respond with. "I failed to protect her. If I didn't leave her side... if I didn't fight you in the hall..."

"Now isn't the time to blame yourself," Dylan instantly cuts in, finally ridding his arm of the remaining protective equipment. He stretches it out, twisting and flexing his fingers to assure everything is properly healed. "It all ties back to Adam, and that's all. He's the one who has to pay."

"And pay he will," her voice is cold, but the fire burns ever brighter. "The moment I find him-"

"I might know where he's going," Dylan gets to his feet. "Menagerie... The Belladonna residence."

"Mm... Ghira. He'd be the only other person who could rally the White Fang and other Faunus against Adam... maybe."

"Yeah. And they have evidence of Adam's plans. Something that would tarnish his reputation in the Faunus' eye."

"Mm... Brother," her eyes dart to Dylan for a moment, but return to the flame. "I'm sorry. I thought Adam was doing the right thing for such a long time... but with Sienna... I..." The fire starts to sputter, dimming immensely. "I helped destroy Beacon. I allowed Adam to follow whoever that woman was... and I didn't think anything of it."

The fire widely changes states, from large, full flames to meager ones. Dylan takes note of that, and knows to let his sister finish.

"I'm a fool," the flames finally die out completely as Aza's head goes limp and eyes close.

"Yes, you are. I warned you not to follow him," Dylan walks towards his sister and kneels down beside her. "But I was the same... and it took someone important for me to realise my mistake. We are siblings... we think the same."

Dylan rests his arm around her sister, pulling her close for some companionship. Thankfully, he can't see her momentary smile.

"You know what's right and wrong. Beacon isn't gone – it can be rebuilt. Adam... Adam's still alive, and as long as he is, he's ruining the reputation of the Faunus and of the White Fang. He's a threat to all Faunus. For yourself, and for Sienna," Dylan shifts in front of her and holds out his hand, grazing it against Aza's. "Come with me. It's been a long time since the Brine siblings last fought together."

Aza finally lifts her head, allowing her younger brother to see her bright smile.

"You grew up, little brother. A lot," she takes his hand and gets up to her feet. "Okay."

"How long has it been since I arrived?"

"A day and a half. I kept us hidden and moving. They were looking for us."

"Then we don't have much time," Dylan conjures a water platform below he and his sister, lifting them into the air. "We had found evidence of Adam's schemes. I planned on taking it to Sienna while Ghira informed the Faunus on Menagerie."

The platform zooms over the trees and towards the direction of Menagerie.

"That will just bring Adam's forces down on him."

"And that's why we're going back there. You can also attest to Sienna being murdered."

"So what're you trying to do with this? Rally the Faunus for what?"

"Adam wants to attack Haven, destroy it just like they did with Beacon."

Aza grits her teeth. "That bastard... I can't let him keep doing this."

"If the White Fang – the Faunus are involved in another school's destruction, the world will go to war with us."

"You... care about the world?"

"Everyone, yeah. I don't want innocent people to die. It was idiotic of me to focus on just one group... There's bigger threats to our people, be them other Faunus or humans."

"This... has to do with Slater?"

"Slater..." Dylan thinks back for a moment while they reach the waterfront, briskly speeding over the deep blue waters. "He's my best friend. I know he's still be fighting for this too. We have to do whatever we can to help with what the world has become, wherever we are. It's what Huntsmen do."

"A Huntsman... hmm," Aza takes a seat on the platform and contemplates for now, not saying another word.

What am I, then? When you... you're so far ahead of me.

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Though not a busy day, you do have a short but important schedule of things you have to get done. The first, most important, and technically last thing you need to do today is find out about the Maiden hiding out with Raven. Next, is checking in on the student, Aero, that you found the day prior. Last, and the thing that's taking up most of the day, is training with the group.

It's what you're doing right now, but it's somewhat easy to daydream whilst doing it. You're not dodging lightning, you're not pushing your limits and growing as a fighter. If anything, right now, you and Neo are just pseudo teachers with Ozpin being the main tutor.

Presently, you're having a sparring match with Ruby. Well, a sparring match is one way to describe it. You and Ruby are on the balcony, taking up one half of the makeshift arena while Neo and Oscar are taking the other.

Ruby is doing her best, throwing very sloppy punches and weak calf kicks to get to you, but it's all for naught. Ruby is a fast fighter... when using her scythe. That clearly hasn't translated to her hand-to-hand combat prowess. That makes it very easy for you to go on autopilot against Ruby.

"You aren't even trying to hit me!" She complains while grunting with each flimsy punch.

"Do you WANT me to hit you?"

"I wanna dodge it!"

"But you won't."

"You don't know tha-" She's cut off when you do a solid yet restrained hook to her cheek.

She stumbles a few steps, of course she's not actually hurt thanks to her protective Aura. Even though you should know that, seeing Ruby get hit, even by you, flips a switch.

"Oh, crap, are you okay?" You start to make your way to her side.

Ruby turns towards you, her silver eyes beaming through the separation of her fingers. It's not a look you want to get from your girlfriend.

"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAA" Ruby pushes off her foot and throws a punch, which you do duck under.

"There you go," you smile, trying to lighten her mood so she doesn't end up killing you. "You actually pushed off the right foot and put your whole body into it."

Your encouragement falls on deaf ears as Ruby continues her motivated assault on you... which doesn't really end up working but you, and the spectators, can appreciate the effort. If anything, each attack has become more obvious with very round punches that are accompanied by her yelling.

"You should really just be breathing when attacking rather than yelling," you point out, bobbing through her punches and knocking back her few kicks with your own feet. "It's an explosive hit. Be more precise."

"I'll show you precise!"

"I... good?"

You sturdily block her wild swing with your forearm, then grab hold of hers. You almost comically slowly swing a left hook that Ruby just watches, unsure if this is a trick or... you're just being mean. Ruby mimics your move, blocking with her forearm then grabbing hold of it.

"Hey, see, you got the form down. Now wanna try with me going faster?"

"Are you gonna hit me?"

"Are you gonna block it?"

The young girl viciously squints at your response.

Jaune and Nora smile when observing your training session. Not just because of its base entertainment value, or even getting some outsider lessons from you, who's completely blown past them as a fighter; but seeing you and Ruby have a very friendly spar, you laughing, it reminds them of Beacon... and it reminds them of the few times Ruby talked about you during their travels.

Ruby's a very open person, a very happy person, someone who has a natural draw to her. She would make sure to tell happy stories during the campfires as everyone was beginning to fall asleep. Sometimes reading out to everyone a book that she always kept close by. But there were times where she'd let some of her deeper feelings slip. Sometimes it would be worrying about her sister, Weiss and Blake. Once it was a brief thought about Penny, but that subject relates to a lost teammate, so it was not dwelled on much. And occasionally, it would be about you.

This situation; you being back with everyone. It's all she's wanted since they set off on their journey. That alone brings joy to the members of RNJR.

And then, there was Neo and Oscar. Unlike you, who was sparingly striking back and trying to teach at the same time, Neo is outright fighting Oscar. Not all out, of course. She has no intention of killing the boy, but her training regimen is not nearly as gentle as yours. Though more forgiving than if she was training Ruby.

While Oscar has made immense strides, especially since he was never a fighter at the start, he's still making sloppy mistakes that Neo capitalises on. Though, it's not to exploit him or make him feel worse. She is still in the mindset of making this person better, so her repeated poking at his obvious flaws is meant as a lesson. Something Ozpin will reinforce inside his mind.

Neo effortlessly dodges every punch Oscar throws, despite them being rather focused and precise. Still, they're far too slow for Neo to consider them a threat. The young girl barely even moves much, save for stepping back as Oscar moves forward. All slight movements of each body part. A tilt of the head, a shift of the hip, a raise of a leg, a slight turn of the shoulder – it's all that's required to avoid his attacks. Thinking of a plan, Oscar throws a right hook, which Neo leans forward to avoid, he then shifts his body the other way to throw a sweeping left side kick. Seeing this, Neo starts leaning back to do a backflip, but as she arches her back, she kicks up one of her feet right behind Oscar's kneecap. It locks his leg against her foot, sweeping him into her momentum and lifting him off the ground. Neo uses her other leg to secure his body so it doesn't go astray and eventually does a clean backflip while Oscar circles over Neo and lands facedown on the ground.

"Eesh," Jaune comments from the side.

"She's using your movements against you."

"I know that," Oscar huffs, coming off as rather annoyed while getting back on his feet.

"At least you're engaging your Aura. That could have broken your nose."

"Thanks for the confidence," he murmurs.

"Mind if I have a go?"

Oscar's eyes glow brightly for a moment and his entire demeanour changes.

"Very good, Ms. Neo. I appreciate you taking my advice while training him."

Neo shrugs in response, being rather impartial to the whole thing.

"I would appreciate it if you assisted me in my activity."

Neo nods, changing her routine. While Oscar needs help with basic training, Ozpin requires general practice. This body is new and currently unfit for his normal fighting style. So, Neo uses a lot more movement against Ozpin. He's experienced, he won't make simple mistakes, he just needs to train his body.

Jaune and Nora find this a little more fascinating while watching these two fight, as it's a lot more technical and fluid than the other sections of today's training. Neo and Ozpin are in a sort of dance, always moving but never clashing against one another.

You and Ruby, however, are playing more of a game.

"You ever heard of patty cake?" You ask, her fists clapping against your palms.

You can feel the intensity of each punch fading, meaning she's almost out of juice. However, her tight fists turn into open hands.

The young girl stops moving, instead panting while clapping her hands, then patting yours. The small gesture makes both of you laugh, signalling for a little break.

"Guess you heard of a patty break though."

"Booo," Nora calls out from the side.

Ruby falls onto her back, spreading eagle and allowing her body to rest. You walk to her side and take a seat beside her. While still recovering, she smiles and drags her hand towards you, resting the back of her hand on the side of your thigh.

"You're tiring yourself out. It's not much different than when fighting with Crescent Rose."

"I know. This would be a lot easier if you let me use my Semblance."

"And what happens when you're out of Aura and don't have your scythe?"

"Ah, well," her tired voice huffs. "I'll let my knight in...dark shadow save me..." She stretches that last part trying to make it sound good.

"That doesn't sound as complimentary as you think," you shake your head, amused.

"It's the thought that counts."

"True. But what happens when I'm not there?"

"You always say you can be anywhere in the world when you want to."

"Doesn't mean I know exactly WHEN and WHERE to be," you retort.

"You'll figure it out."

"Or you could improve your hand-to-hand?"

"No," Ruby's voice goes stressed as she turns toward you, her forehead now resting against your knee. "No, I think I'll just let you handle it."

"Your faith in me is astounding."

"As long as you know."

"Heh," you snicker and look over at Ozpin and Neo, who have just finished up with Oscar on the ground, on his back. At this point, you don't actually know if that's Ozpin or Oscar. Your bet is on Oscar, as Ozpin would likely not be in such a vulnerable position.

"All good over there?"

"Really... tired," you get as a response. The tone reveals it's certainly Oscar. "I just don't get... how this is so exhausting."

"Your body isn't used to this kind of training. I can imagine the switch up between you and Ozpin doesn't allow for the gradual learning your body needs." Ren finally chimes in after meditating quietly the whole time. "Besides, generating a defensive Aura on your own requires intense concentration."

"Wonderful," Oscar raises his heavy, tired body to its feet.

Neo also gets out of the way, taking a neat position on the outer railing away from everyone.

"Don't worry about it. It'll become natural soon enough," you offer encouragement.

"Then you can work on discovering your Semblance," Ren continues.

"Semblance?"

"You know," Nora skirts to his side, grabbing under his armpit and lifting the poor boy to his feet. "Like your very own super power! Everybody's got one. It's just a matter of finding it and mastering it. Electricity makes me stronger, Ruby moves super fast, (Y/N) can teleport, Ren can mask emotions and Jaune can... uh..." The enthusiasm in her voice teeters off at the subject.

Jaune looks away and rubs the back of his neck. "I... can't do anything..."

"Don't worry," Ruby shouts, though her voice is projecting into your leg instead of to the group. "Jaune is just like you, Oscar. He hasn't found his Semblance yet, but we know he will. And we know you will too. We'll just work together and figure it out."

"Are you trying to be inspirational while in this position?" You whisper.

"Is it working?" She quietly replies.

You check how Oscar and Jaune are looking, one definitely having more hope than the other.

"Hey, I wouldn't worry about it too much," you add on. "Remember, I didn't unlock my Semblance till after I arrived at Beacon, and I was training with tons of different Huntsman across Remnant for years."

"A common philosophy is that a warrior's Semblance is a part of who they are," Ren inquisitively points out. "Some say your personality and character define your Semblance, while some claim it's the other way around. Of course, others see no connection at all."

Nora pats Oscar on the back, keeping the mood high. "It's hard to know when you KNOW sometimes. Ren's Semblance was unlocked during intense stress," Nora gestures to her friend.

"I got mine during intense training," Ruby pitches in.

"I almost blew up" you say with such nonchalance.

"You... okay... what about you?" Oscar looks to Nora.

"Oh, struck by lightning, didn't die. Craaaaaaazy Thursday," she says as if it wasn't a big deal.

Jaune sighs, looking down at the ground. "I just don't understand what's wrong with me," as he speaks, Oscar's eyes flicker to indicate a change in personality. "I train, I meditate... but..."

"Don't worry, Mr. Arc," Ozpin cuts in. "Your journey is far from over. And the same can be said for... all of you," he takes note of the students close to him, you and Ruby on the ground furthest away, and even Neo on her own. "Unlocking your Semblance isn't the end. It can still grow and evolve; provided you put in the work. Who knows what could happen."

"It's true," you shout out, getting everyone's attention. "I've managed to practice enough to teleport without bringing else with me," you step both you and Ruby close to the group and start to stand up.

"Whyyyy," Ruby moans, shivering at the weird feeling.

"But I know there could be more. Teleporting someone else without teleporting myself... that's the goal. So," you look at everyone with a confident smile. "I'm still training too. We're all equal here. Remember that Jaune, Oscar," you gaze at the two.

"Yeah," Jaune nods.

"He appreciates it," Ozpin reassures. "How about we return to training? (Y/N), let me help you with your Semblance issue. Ruby, you can train with Neo."

Neo glances at the young girl with a devious smirk while Ruby has the dark clouds of torture hover her head.

While the two groups part, Jaune, having just spoken about his Semblance, sits beside Ren and takes the same stance. Nora, having nothing else to do, does the same.

"Alright... walk me through it again, Ren."

"Of course."

You and Ozpin take a small spot near the corner, as this practice doesn't need much room.

"So, walk me through exactly how you're doing this. Your Semblance is quite unique, after all."

Well," you lean against the railing. "As I said, I want to make sure I can control my teleportation better. I've already managed to isolate my own body from someone else's, letting me teleport on my own. It's just," you make a flipping motion with your hands. "Reversing that is annoying."

"Your soul, your Aura is tied to your body. I can imagine focusing just on yourself is much easier than the other. Do you have to fuel them with your Aura?"

"I don't think so," you shake your head. "I've never felt... well," you look to the sky. "Everyone always says it feels weird. Maybe that's because my Aura is mixing with theirs? I have no idea."

"Very well. Please," Ozpin puts his hand on your arm, just under your elbow. "Teleport us. Just across the way."

Without a word, look to the other side of the balcony, past where Ruby and Neo are fighting, and step to the area.

"Hm..."

"If you say it feels weird-"

"No, but I wish to know how that felt for you?" Ozpin takes his hand off you and puts both of them behind his back.

"I... uh... I guess it feels normal?"

"I see. Now, how do you feel when you do it? Does it feel like you're pulling someone along with you?"

"I... uh..." You rub the back of your head. "I don't know. It's not a feeling I can explain. It's... I guess? Like whisking someone away with me or something?"

"Then instead of feeling like you're taking someone with you, try to push them forward. Put them ahead of you."

You put your hand on his shoulder and step both of you across the way.

"Damn... It's just hard. Cutting off the other person took time, but cutting off myself while leaving enough there to teleport them..."

You step again, taking Ozpin with you.

"Damn it."

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Knowing you need your Aura to be fully restored by the time your operation happens, you decide to put your training on hold for now. It's a little odd for you, as you're a very training and improvement-focused individual, but it has to be done sometimes.

Right now you need to look into the event that transpired the last night, and that means visiting the hospital you left the student at. You appear in a burst of shadows, surprising everyone around the room and resulting in remarks ranging from genuine surprise, amusement and disdain. Disdain certainly comes from the few people who recognize you. That still comes as a slight shock. You didn't expect so many people to be able to identify you from just looks thanks to the Tawny incident.

But that's irrelevant for now. You need to know what Aero's condition is. So, you approach the counter to speak with who you assume is a nurse.

"Hi there," you start politely. "I'm here to check in on a patient. I dropped him off here last night."

The woman, who's had her eyes on you since your arrival, waits a moment before answering. Judging by her facial expression, you don't know if she's not sure how to answer or trying to figure out a way to avoid answering.

"We have a line, sir," she finally replies.

"I don't need medical attention myself. I'm just asking how someone else is doing."

"Mm..." She squints a little bit. "Are you related to the patient?"

"No. Like I said, I dropped them off last night. I'm just wondering if he's recovered yet or not. I want to ask him about the person who attacked him."

"Are you a police officer or Huntsman?"

Normally this would be an easy lie, but considering the facility they would no doubt ask for a Huntsman's licence, and being caught in a lie would immediately close off any opportunity for you.

"I'm a Huntsman-in-training."

"So no," she bluntly states.

"Yes," you try to keep a happy tone despite her attitude.

"I'm sorry, we can't disclose information about a patient."

"Even if that information will help me stop people from getting hurt?"

"Anyone could say that, sir. We can't give away information to strangers."

"Right... well, good day," you say, turning around.

You head for one of the doors, thinking of different avenues to take. Maybe you could get permission from Headmaster Lionheart? Maybe Qrow would be able to get permission? Or there's always the tried and true means of finding him yourself by just teleporting in.

These ideas grind to a halt when you reach the door to the room, where a nurse is holding the door open for you. She's gesturing you to pass by, but the look on her face tells you she wants to discuss something. You walk past her and she follows, waiting for the door to close behind her.

"You're that guy who brought the student in, right?"

"Yeah. And..." You stare at her face for a moment, recalling her from the last time you were here. "You're the nurse who took him away."

"I am. And you're not gonna get anything asking those people. But I can help you."

"And...why?"

"Because that student died and we have no idea how."

"He's dead?" You whisper in surprise. "But he barely had any injuries."

"That was my thought," she keeps her head forward, guiding you through the halls to the outside of the building. "But his Aura wasn't recovering. It was actually dwindling and depleting all night. He..." The woman stops for a moment as she finds the words. "It was like... he lost his soul. That's what they always say, right? That your Aura is tied to your soul?" When finishing, she catches back up. "And we only tried to help him. No external or internal injuries, and by the time we could get an Aura specialist in, he was gone."

You reach the exit of the hospital, which she opens up and follows you out. "I don't know how it happened, but you said he was attacked, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then that means someone did something to him. And you're going after that person, right?"

"Of course."

"Then I'm telling you all this with confidence. If we can't stop this after the fact, we need to stop it before it happens. I was talking to some of the other nurses and they mentioned hearing about other cases similar to this."

"So this isn't the first time someone has lost all their Aura like this?"

"No, it isn't."

"And the police, other Huntsmen, they aren't doing anything?"

"I... I don't know," she says with defeat. "But you... you want to do something about it!" She perks up, getting unintentionally loud. "Do you... do you live around here?"

"You have your scroll?"

Without a word, she grabs her scroll and hands it to you. You begin typing in your address and scroll number. "I'm staying here for now, and this is my number. You find out anything, let me know. I'll try and stop this before anyone else gets hurt."

"Thank you," she smiles, taking her scroll back. "I... you know, I always wanted to be a Huntsman. Helping people, stopping crime... but I'm not very confrontational. I'm even shaking just doing this," she flicks her hands.

"It's not all it's cut out to be. Besides," you put your hands in your pockets and sigh. "I'm not even a real Huntsman. Still in training."

"Well, you're doing more than any of the real Huntsmen around here, and that's all that matters to me. You're name... is (Y/N) Slater, right?" She says with a tone that you can't pinpoint. Either hesitation or contained excitement.

"Yeah... you know me?"

"I've heard about you. I really do hope you stop this. I can see... you like to help."

You stare her in the eyes for a moment, unsure how exactly to respond to that.

"I'd like to think so," you end up going with. "And... well, you're directly helping too now. Maybe that can scratch your itch."

"Heh, maybe. I have to get back to work. Please, if you do end up stopping all of this before I find anything out, let me know. It would mean a lot to me."

"Of course. What's your name?"

"Joy," she smiles.

"Right, Joy. Take care," you give her a final smile before leaping back to your home.

The nurse remains in place for a moment, exhaling. "I'm helping now."

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Despite a few hours passing, what Joy told you hasn't completely left your mind. The team is finishing the clean up, which you thankfully didn't have to do cause you cooked. So, you sit on the couch, staring across the room while tapping your fingers. You've already changed into your battle gear, with your sword at your side.

Drained the Aura from him... is that what I saw? Is it even possible? A semblance, maybe. But even still...

"You okay?" Ruby comes to your side and sits down.

"Huh, yeah," you nod and smile at her. "No problems. Just thinking. And no, that doesn't come hard to me."

"I wasn't gonna say that," she pouts. "I just wanted to come over and see how you were doing. The food was super good, by the way."

"And that's as flattering now as it was the nine other time you told me."

"Rounding it to ten seemed like a good idea," she giggles.

"Maybe you're just trying to get out of cooking duty. Which might not be a bad thing. I remember your breakfa-"

"How could you!" She puts a hand on her chest, signalling her deep hurting. "I compliment your cooking, and you just put mine down."

"We're just speaking truths here."

"Then accept my truth," Ruby lays against you, closing her eyes and relaxing. "I'm resting on you."

"Oh no, the truth is too much. How can I ever go back?" You dramatically perform.

"The truth sets you free."

"Yet I'm stuck."

"It comes and goes."

"Convenient."

"Very."

You both remain quiet for a moment, content with how that conversation went. But Ruby pushes it on, looking up at you while you're back in thought.

"You're gonna be careful, right?"

You look back at her, now noticing the serious nature of her question. "Yeah, I'm going to be careful. It's why Qrow and Neo are coming. It'll all go quick and easy."

"You're confident?"

"Definitely," you rest your hand on her head and lightly scratch it in a relaxing manner. "Don't worry about it. I got everything under control."

Ruby reluctantly relaxes and just embraces the situation, resting her head back against your shoulder.

Under control... with that maniac on the loose. And Harrier being around... Vani... who even knows where Cinder could be. I wonder if this is what being a Huntsman is like. Wonder if this is on Qrow's mind all the time...

You look past Ruby and spot Oscar, who's helping the others with the dishes as they chat and tell jokes amongst themselves.

Wonder how much is on Ozpin's.

To break the thought, Qrow opens the door and lets out a short groan. "Hey kid, you ready?"

You switch your gaze to him and nod.

"Neo!"

The girl seemingly appears out of nowhere beside you on the couch, giving you a small scare.

"Gods... were you there the whole time or just... do that?"

Neo coyly shrugs.

"Well, lets get going," you lightly push Ruby off your shoulder so she won't just fall over when you move.

"Uncle Qrow, (Y/N)... Neo," Ruby gazes at each of you. "Please be careful."

"Relax kiddo," Qrow reaffirms. "If all goes well, it won't devolve into an all out brawl. Now come on, we'll walk and chat on the way," he instructs while heading for the main door.

"Chat? About what?" You and Neo follow the Huntsman.

You flick your hand, attracting your blade to you before you exit the house and close the door behind you, leaving the others alone.

Ruby stares at the door for a bit, then drops her face to a melancholic expression.

"Are you okay?" Oscar asks, carefully approaching from around the couch.

Ruby quickly gathers her face, putting back that happy expression she tries to have.

"Yeah! Did you all finish the dishes? Need any help?"

"No, no, we're okay. I... just saw... I mean... we don't know each other that well but..." Oscar fumbles his words, wanting to be helpful to this girl who's clearly not in the mood she's trying to show.

That attempt is swept away when his eyes shine briefly and Ozpin takes over.

"Ms. Rose, I can assure you that the three of them will be just fine."

"Oh, professor. I...I know."

"I understand your worry, I do. Maiden's are not ones to be trifled with. I should know," he says with a cheeky smile. "In truth, I don't believe I would've condoned this mission if he went by himself. (Y/N) has a tendency of... enacting on his ideas without thinking broadly of the consequences."

"Ha..." Ruby can't help but let that out. "Yeah..."

It's something that's noble but also very short-sighted, which is a worry on Ozpin's part. He can only imagine how Beacon may have gone if you had though your actions through. You went after the Dragon, and not only did you fail to stop it but you used all your power. If you hadn't done such an action and simply fought on Beacon's grounds with all your strength, who knows how that could've turned out.

It's the same issue Ozpin always had with Harrier.

It's why, despite you finding it perhaps overbearing, is the most important thing he can be for you. A logical voice to hold you back from going off the rail without thinking everything through and exploring safer options.

"If it was just him, I would not have allowed him to go," Ozpin presses forward. "But Qrow has always been a valuable friend, and rather sharp when it comes to reconnaissance. He'll know what to do, and when to pull out. And that Neo girl. I understand you two have a rather hostile history, but I've seen the way she shadows (Y/N). She cares for his safety."

"I... don't doubt... gahhhhh," Ruby slaps her cheeks. "I don't even know why I still get worried. (Y/N) always ends up in trouble but he also always finds a way, and when he doesn't, we have his back," she says with a surge of confidence. "I've just been worried about him for so long I'm scared whenever he does something dangerous."

"With all respect, Ms. Rose, everything he wants to do is dangerous," he says to lighten the mood.

Ruby ends up letting some humorous air out of her nose at that statement, but doesn't respond with any words.

"If I may," Ozpin continues. "I believe you should simply keep strong to your beliefs."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean your approach to (Y/N). Trust in him, and when he makes a mistake, you're there to ensure he's okay. You cannot, and I can see that you don't want to, steer him away from this path. A person like him... a true warrior, is rare. He will always live to fight. But I can tell he always lives for you, and all the other friends he's made. It's... a very nice change from when he was younger."

"You knew him when he was young?" Ruby interjects.

"Not deeply. I don't believe he remembers the few times I visited his parents. But he's gone through his own trials and tribulations."

"I remember talking about it at Beacon. He... makes me sound like he was always a Huntsman. That he dreamed to be one like his dad."

Ozpin chuckles, but his eyes drift down - heavy hands resting on the cane. "In a manner of speaking. I believe, above all, that when he lost his parents... that dream adopted him."

The eyes of young Oscar flicker again, showing his return. He lets out a few heavy breaths upon his return.

"Whoa..." Oscar rubs his head. "I've never like felt that before."

Ruby waits a moment before responding, internally frustrated that Ozpin ended the conversation there. But, now that Oscar is around, she lightens up.

"What?"

"Just... It was like his feelings spilt and linked into mine. Hey, listen, I'm sorry I wasn't much help. He ended up talking more and-"

"Hey, don't sell yourself short," Ruby smiles. "It was your choice to come and cheer me up, right?"

"Well... yeah."

"Then that's pretty cool," she pats his shoulder. "Hey, do you wanna go grab some new comics with me? I read all mine."

"Uh, yeah! Yeah, of course!"

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Your small group leaves the house and walks down the stone paths of Mistral, going towards the top.

"You're gonna need an idea of where to go, won't you?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess we haven't been there before. So, do you think this Maiden is actually gonna be tough?"

"Probably. From what I've been told, it comes off random. I've heard of a couple Maidens in the past needed a lot of training to harness their power. Your mom was like that. Problem is, this Maiden has already had years to hone her power. To help you imagine, this Maiden would've had well over double the time that Cinder had to practice."

"So she's stronger than Cinder?"

"I'd bet on it. Hard to tell sometimes. It seems that girls who're already familiar with combat pick up on the powers pretty quickly. But obviously they're only scratching the surface. When you fought Cinder back at Beacon, she had just gotten her full Maiden power," Qrow glances at you for the first time on this walk. "If we do fight her again, expect her to have gotten stronger."

"Yeah, well, I've gotten a lot stronger too."

"Heh... mmm," Qrow returns his gaze forward. Confidence is always great. But sometimes it feels like you just won't take into consideration how much stronger she really is. How dangerous this is, what the stakes are. "Anyway," Qrow finally stops walking, bringing you all to a resting place for the local folk in Mistral.

There are a couple benches with a beautiful look upon the continent. Some people are even there now – a young couple enjoying the view, an older man contemplating who knows what.

"If my intel's right, it should be in that direction," he points towards a specific section of the mass forest in sight. "And this is what the camp looks like," Qrow slips out his scroll with the picture he has. "This enough for you?"

"Uh... yeah, I should be able to make it work. It'll just take a bit. I gotta comb through a whole forest."

You close your eyes and allow your Semblance to fly out towards the forest. It's swift, it's fast, and it passes over most of the forest in mere moments. You pass by some soaring birds, notice a vehicle driving so late at night, and even a campfire that is too small to be your target.

It's gotta be somewhere around here. I need an opening of the forest... or maybe they've covered it with foliage?

As your search continues, Qrow and Neo wait patiently. Qrow is more focused on you, while Neo keeps an eye on your surroundings. Mistral isn't exactly the safest place in Remnant, and you're not anonymous. In fact, this is quite usual for her – keeping an eye out for threats. It's what she did with Roman all the time. And like him, she'll bail you out if someone does try to attack.

As she scans, a certain individual catches her eye. A hooded person – something not uncommon in Mistral – who's facing your exact position. She's not looking at Qrow, nor Neo despite the small woman sharply gazing at her. This hooded figure's eyes are locked completely on you.

Defensively, Neo obstructs her line of sight at you, meeting the stalker's gaze. As soon as their eyes meet, Neo's multicoloured orbs switch to white.

The eyes of this person... glowing... conflicting... swirling... angry.

Neo instinctually uses her Semblance to make you all invisible to throw around you, as if you'd all just plopped out of existence. Of course, you're still there and neither you nor Qrow even notices the change.

Neo keeps a defensive posture, despite the initial fear that shook her to her core. The hooded figure lingers for a moment, then turns and leaps away. Neo doesn't remove the illusionary shroud right away, and doesn't plan to until you're gone. Who was that? And what was that look. It was as if a thousand tortured souls tried to enter her eyes.

The woman turns back to you, none the wiser to anything that's just happened. Someone dangerous is after you, which isn't unusual, but this feels different than anything else. Neo was once scared of Raven, but that was a totally different scenario. Raven was out of her league back then, but this... this was something new. You're going to have to know about this.

"Found it," you say aloud.

"Nice job, kid. Find us a spot a few miles out."

"Grab on."

Qrow places a hand on your shoulder, then looks back at Neo who's still on guard.

"What's the matter shrimp? See something?" He calls out.

Neo swiftly turns around and grabs your other hand. This action does not go unnoticed by Qrow.

Without another second, you leap the three of you far from Mistral and into a secluded section of the forest. Upon arrival, your Aura flickers for a brief moment. You open your eyes, take a step forward, and turn to your two companions.

"It's just a bit down there," you point over your shoulder. "So, what's the plan Qrow?"

"It's still a little early. Did you survey the camp?"

"No, I just found it. I can do that now," take a seat and close your eyes.

Neo, like before takes in the area around for any threats. Though... she can't rid herself of that cold inkling that was shot into her by the stranger.

"How's your Aura?"

"Fine. I'll still be able to fight right now... but..."

Like before, you detach yourself from your body and look around the area. Everyone, like normal, is moving a fraction of the pace they normally would.

"There's a lot of them awake."

"There will be every night. Try and look for a girl."

"Look at other girls? You're a bad uncle."

"Huh..." Qrow rolls his eyes, then thinks for a moment. He pats his chest, feeling his recently filled flask. "Sometimes."

Your perception swirls around the camp, looking through any tents for women. The largest one you check is where you find Raven, sitting at a table with some tea and documents.

"Raven's there and... Weiss?" You blurt out in surprise.

Without a doubt, a short distance from Raven's tent, the young Schnee Heiress is locked in a cage with her hands tied up with rope. Her clothes are stained with dirt - uncared for. But her expression isn't hopeless. It's... really good to see Weiss again.

You open your eyes and turn to Qrow. "Weiss is there!"

"The Ice Queen's little sister? Oh, Raven, what're you doing now?"

"We have to save her!"

"Obviously," Qrow retorts. "But not now."

"I..." You want to argue, but instead you sigh.

"After we have the Maiden secured," Qrow makes clear. "If you just take Weiss from the camp, they're going to notice and be on high alert."

"I know..." You grind your teeth. "Damnit, hang on Weiss. We're gonna get you out of there soon."

"Focus now, (Y/N). Any other young girls there?"

You perception lingers on Weiss a little longer.

Weiss...

Knowing you still have a job to do, you continue to scour the camp. All you can find are supplies, be them plundered or not, men... and one tent that only holds one person.

"I found her. One tent, a lone woman. I... am guessing she looks a lot different now."

"Looks like a bandit?"

"Definitely."

"Well, it has to be her then. What's she doing?"

"Reading in her tent."

"Alright then. We'll wait a little longer. (Y/N), you keep an eye on the camp. Wait until the Maiden and Raven have gone to sleep. I don't want any chances of Raven checking up on her and realizing she's gone."

"And you two?"

"We're going to make sure this place is secure. I'll get a fire started. We'll be here for some time."

"You know my perception of time is really slowed down when I do this?" You ask, balancing your focus on your Semblance.

"Well, that's your fault. If I recon the area, Raven will know. It has to be you."

"Wonderful..." You sigh.

Your vision stays on the Maiden for a short bit, then returns to Raven in the tent, and finally Weiss. The thought of her having to stay in there irritates you, but you know it has to be done.

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Harrier Slater will travel his own path, always.

That path is usually isolated, but he secretly finds entertainment in having others with him. Training team VOID was the first time in a long time he'd spent so much time around others. It was almost comforting, and knows he needs to visit them again. If not to check in on their endeavors, then to at least learn what plans Salem has been plotting.

But for now, he has his own goals. The most important was training - something Harrier hasn't done in a long time. But it's for an opponent he's never faced before, and one that this world must be freed from. The other is to focus on what Raven Branwen told him. That fact... how he never knew angers him. How Raven was even able to uncover this information before him... he still needs to confirm it, but Raven actively attempting to take the blade is proof enough in a way. She wouldn't do it unless she genuinely believed. With all other parties gone, his only option is to wait for Ozpin to resurrect.

Thus, on his travels back to Mistral to find VOID, he's found a few other distractions. This latest one was a wild King Taijitu terrorizing a small town. It's a simple matter to dispel any Grimm from the land, which he generally does to any he finds overly dangerous, or pose an immediate threat to those who can't fight them.

After all, in his core, he is a Huntsman.

But as he walks back, a presence lingers in his senses. One he knows well.

"You..." Harrier slowly turns and looks up, finding an old lady sitting on a tree branch. "Paligria... I thought we'd never meet again."

"Oh, you know how an old lady can get."

"I do, and you're not just any old lady. What do you want."

"Cold words for someone who helped you."

"From a certain point of view."

"Augmented Semblances come at a price, young Harrier. You knew that. You chose to act."

"Act without all the information. Information you had."

"A consistency with you Slaters," the wind blows, causing a tree branch to obstruct Harrier's vision of the old woman. "Did you know," she walks out behind another tree behind Harrier, forcing the Huntsman to turn. "I was visited by another Slater?"

"(Y/N)? He found that misguided town?"

"The clues are everywhere for those who look. The Tawny's almost found it, but..." She stops shortly before the intimidating man, though her demeanor is still aloof. "That did not work out well for them."

Harrier doesn't respond for a second, still focused on you meeting with her.

"What did you tell him?"

"What I told you; how to gain more power."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"Because that young lad is going to need it."

"Then tell him and stop wasting my time."

"He will not listen to me anymore. His reaction was indistinguishable from yours... almost. You at least listened to everything I had to say. A curse of being naïve and young. Oh, how I miss it," she sulks.

"And what? You want me to tell him?"

"Oh, no dear. I want you to listen. I want you to know what it will cost him, and what he will gain."

"For what reason?"

"Because you both want to stop Salem, do you not?" She raises her brow and curves her lips. "Protect the world... is that not what Slaters do?"

He's being played. He knows it. Since the first time he saw this old woman, there was nothing regular about her. But she has her reasons, and she's not a fan of Salem.

"Fine. What does it take, and what does it give him."

The old lady's smile widens at the question. "Glad you asked."

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The crackling of a fire keeps the mood calm as three warriors do their duty. Qrow and Neo have more or less relaxed and are just waiting for your go ahead. Qrow would try to stir up conversation but... Neo isn't exactly the greatest conversationalist. Thus, this isn't much different from missions he used to go on by himself. This time he just has people to look at... be that a positive or negative really depends on the moment.

"Get ready," you say seconds before becoming a batch of smoke.

"Couldn't at least let me stand up first," Qrow complains, getting to his feet and taking his weapon out.

Neo, on the other hand, jumps into the trees and disappears.

"Keeping our numbers unknown. Smart girl. Where did he find her?"

You appear a short distance from the fire, hand on the shoulder of a sleeping woman. The woman instantly wakes up from the strange feeling that swirled within her. Immediately recognizing she's not in her tent and a hand is on her, she grabs your arm and rolls, flipping you over her.

You easily recover and land on your feet while she scrambles to hers. She tries to get her bearings of the situation. She's in a forest, a familiar one, meaning she's not too far from camp. She's unarmed, which could be a problem, and there's... you. A face that's unfamiliar but not unheard of.

"This her?"

"Maybe..."

This new voice makes her turn around, spotting and recognizing the older man.

"Qrow," she says through her teeth.

"You're not Spring," he immediately realizes.

"There were no other young women in the camp. Sure it's not just a new haircut? Tan? Different clothes?"

"Maybe. Hey... Are you the Spring Maiden?"

"You're just asking. Really?" You look past her at Qrow, genuinely baffled at the tactic.

And that gives her all she needs to know. At first, she thought you might be here because of Harrier. But no. Qrow is looking for the Maiden, and they've taken her. Now she has to find a way out of here.

"You're not going to find the Spring Maiden. She's not here," Vernal shouts.

"Well, that's not what I've heard," Qrow retorts.

Why isn't she just fighting us? If she's a Maiden, she would have an advantage. Or at least make it obvious where she is so her group can locate us and back her up. Is she really not the Maiden? But nobody else was there. Or maybe she's bluffing?

"Believe what you want, but you haven't caught a Maiden."

"Then where is she?" You shout out.

"I don't know."

"There's no way my sister would lose track of a runaway Maiden," Qrow clearly doubts the proposition.

"She wouldn't tell me if she did."

"I don't believe that," you interject. "While I was scouting, Raven invited you, and only you to her tent to speak of those documents she was mulling over for hours."

Vernal's face tightens. How could you possibly know that? How long have you been spying on them? And how?

"And you were the only one with your own tent. Maybe it's cause you're a woman, but combine my two sights and I'm thinking you're more important than you're letting on."

"Good catch, kid. So, the Maiden?"

"She's not here."

"Or is she right in front of us?"

"She's not," Vernal growls back at you.

You and Qrow eye each other, coming to a mutual understanding that this is going nowhere. So, you take it upon yourself to break though this barrier.

You step beside Vernal, halfway in the air and adjacent to her, turning and slamming the front of your foot into her face. The girl tumbles back, immediately going into battle mode. Though, she's aware of what a futile battle this will be against you and Qrow.

"Kid!" Qrow shouts out, not intending to relay that message with your shared glance.

"I'll give you a choice," you slowly walk towards her, unsheathing your sword. "You're either going to tell me where the Maiden is, fight back as the Maiden, or die."

Vernal digs into her position, silent.

You overexaturatedly sigh, letting your arms go limp and body arch back. "Fine.

Pushing off your dominant foot, you dash across the ground, raising your blade and readying to slash. She tries to avoid it, but you utilize your signature step behind her and attack. Her Aura takes the full brunt of your cut, and she bears the momentum by falling forward. You pivot around her with perfect footwork and knee her in the face, forcing her to fall on her back.

"(Y/N), this isn't-"

"You want an answer, Qrow?" You grab Vernal by the throat and throw her towards a large tree, indenting her into the wood. "Then I'll get you one. Maiden's transfer their power when they die, right? So..." You slowly start walking towards her again, watching her recover and listen to the small conflict. "If she is a Maiden, she won't risk dying and losing that power. Or, if she isn't, she'll tell us where the Maiden is," you turn to him and give a lighthearted shrug. "Simple."

"So you're gonna torture her?!"

"Torture?" You reply, flabbergasted. "No, what? I'm just gonna, you know... get rid of her Aura and then, you know," you step in front of her in the air, front facing this time, and thrust both feet into her face, kicking her through the massive tree and makes a furrow line into the ground. Upon landing you look back to Qrow. "Threaten with extreme prejudice."

You see the tree falling and jump up to it, placing a hand on it and stepping above the grounded, recovering Vernal. Upon reappearing, you position yourself above the tree and jump off it, pushing it down and onto Vernal, pinning her to the ground.

Her short grunt of being crushed reaches out and is absorbed by the dense forest. She puts her hands on the tree and starts to push, but is stopped when you appear right beside her head.

"Gonna go all glowy eye on me yet?"

"I'm NOT the Maiden."

"Then where is the Maiden?"

"I don't know!"

"Gah, that's not what I want to-"

You're actually surprised when, in one push, she launches the large trunk off of her and rolls away, getting distance from you. You keep your attention on the trunk, confounded she managed to do that.

"Huh..."

When the tree lands on the ground, kicking up dirt and rumbling the earth itself, you step right in front of her, instantly slashing upwards, connecting with her jaw and forcing her into the air.

Qrow sighs, putting his sword away as he watches you follow up and knock the girl around the small area. He... understands, to a degree. But he's withholding judgement until she's out of Aura. Still... it's sad that he's seeing such a young kid he helped train suddenly act in such a brutal way. It's not what Huntsmen should be. But, when working against Salem, nobody is a typical Huntsman.

Vernal tumbles across the ground, her Aura flickering.

"You're not even doing anything to fight back? Like, come on. Throw some air at me or something."

"I can't," she coughs, pushing up to get on her hands and knees.

"Then who can?"

"I don't-"

You pull back your foot and thrust it into her stomach, knocking the girl up off the ground to your height.

"And I don't believe you."

You pull your free fist back and connect a powerful hook to her nose, flipping her right back to the ground.

"You're really going to tell me that Raven just let the Maiden run away?"

"She did..."

"And didn't go after her?"

"She..."

"Ooooh," you kneel down beside her and smile. "That's progress. Come on, cough it up before your Aura's all out, or you'll be in REAL trouble. Or," you grab her shirt and lift her up. "Hit me with some fire! Nah, electricity. Mix it up."

You pivot on your foot and throw Vernal over your shoulder, then chase after her at a full sprint. When you're close enough, you flip over her, not acting until that perfect moment when you're right above her. You readjust your tight grip on your weapon before swinging it at a speed almost unparalleled. Her back take the brunt end of this onslaught.

Qrow is momentarily befuddled by the attack, having not seen you engage in such speed before. Neo, still hiding in case an ambush is necessary, smiles. That's the speed she's used to seeing. She does wish she could also inflict some pain, though. It was a favourite hobby of hers.

You keep a keen eye on her Aura, waiting for the moment it finally shatters. You instantly step to her side, sliding your foot across the ground until it's under her chin then lift her up in the air, completely helpless. You spin and position right in front of her, holding your blade in a reverse grip to thrust the tail end into her stomach. The girl is shot away at a breakneck speed towards the tree.

Right before she hits the tree, you step beside it and catch the back of her head so it doesn't cause any serious damage. Right after the satisfying clap of her head hitting your palm, you step right in front of her shove her against the tree and press the edge of your blade against her throat. Qrow lets out a sigh of relief, thinking you may have accidentally killed her.

"Where's the Maiden?" You say in a deeper tone.

Vernal opens one eye, looking at your intense face, barely lit by the moon. Your intense eyes piercing the darkness... it reminds her...

"You're... just like him, aren't you?"

"Who?"

"The one with glasses... Harrier."

Your eyes widen for a moment. "Harrier? How do you know him?" You ask with more aggression.

"He... came by. Asked for Raven."

Qrow catches up with you, standing at your side. "(Y/N), this isn't what's-"

"You're just going to say Harrier showing up at Raven's isn't something we should know about?" You turn to him.

"The important thing is the Maiden."

"I... but Harrier-"

"Not now. She's distracting you," Qrow returns his view to Vernal. "So where is the Maiden?"

It takes you a moment to collect yourself, but you do. You push your blade closer, drawing a little bit of blood.

"The Maiden didn't run away. Do you really expect us to believe Raven would just let a Maiden walk away?"

"How many times to I have to tell you, I'm not the Spring Maiden!" Vernal responds with annoyance.

"Hm... fine," you pull your sword back, spin it into a forward grip in your hand and thrust.

"(Y/N), wait!"

You connect with her skin, pushing it in just enough for her to feel it... and nothing. Qrow is holding back your arm, but not in time to stop you. He's breathing heavily, eyes darting between you and Vernal.

You stare at Vernal, whose eyes are closed as if she's waiting.

"Right," you say in a soft tone. "You're not the Maiden. But what happened to her?" You relieve the sword's pointed edge from her stomach.

Vernal slowly opens her eyes, noting how you still have your sword in hand. She takes a deep breath, controlling her emotions in this tense situation.

"If you lie to me, I will kill you," you make sure to establish.

"I..." Vernal's eyes go back and forth as she comes up with an answer. "She's dead."

"Impossible," Qrow shakes his head. "We would've known-"

"Raven told me she was scared, weak, and so she ran away. By the time Raven caught up to her, she had been killed. I don't know anything more than that." Qrow puts his hands on his hips and turns around as he thinks. You keep your eyes locked on hers, which she returns. "I swear."

There's a small struggle that happens between your eyes, and it ends swiftly.

"Why was Harrier here?"

"Harrier... he was asking about that," she flicks her chin. "Your sword."

"My sword?"

"He asked why Raven wanted to take it. That's all."

With that same small exchange of eye contact, you're satisfied. At least, with her. How Harrier even know about that is beyond you. Was he stalking you? Did you just happen to fight nearby him and didn't notice? The only people who should know that are you, Neo, and Raven.

With your questions answered, you sheathe your blade and take a step back. Vernal exhales, finally having some breathing room – a moment of reprieve. Then you punch her in the face. The girl goes unconscious and body goes limp, falling onto the ground.

"You... didn't have any more questions, right?" You turn to Qrow with hope.

"No... no I didn't. We should get out of here."

"Yeah," you kneel down and grab Vernal's hand. "I'll bring her back to her tent and grab Weiss. Neo," you look to the trees, to which she hops down gracefully. "Wait with Qrow. We're leaving the moment I get back."

You close your eyes and focus back on the camp, leaping back into Vernal's tent with the girl. You quickly, and quietly, lift the girl back onto her bed. She's not that worse for wear, so it should be fine. You take your hands off her and exhale.

She's going to tell Raven, obviously... and the way she answered those questions... I need to talk with Qrow and Ozpin about it. Something isn't right.

Before you go, you grab Weiss' weapon from the corner of Vernal's tent. You noticed it during your time of surveillance. You leap out of the tent and into Weiss' cage, where the heiress is indeed awake. There's a moment when you appear and the both of you just stare at each other. One blink. Two blinks. Weiss wipes her eyes to refresh herself, like you're some sort of lucid dream or hallucination... but you're not gone. You gently place your hand on her arm and leap the two of you out of the cage and back to the rendezvous.

"Kid, you're here. We should-"

"That feeling..." Weiss places a hand on her chest. "This is... you..."

"Yeah, yeah, it's me Weiss."

Your friend's arms swiftly wrap around you as she puts all her weight and passion into the hug... which makes you fall over.. She doesn't care that she's lying on top of you. It's felt like an eternity since she's seen any of her friends, and in such a situation... and when she last saw you... she can't help but hold you close and embrace you tightly.

You return her hug, acknowledging just how much she's probably needed this. Maybe... acknowledging how much you needed this too. Seeing Ruby, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Qrow... and now Weiss too. Your friends... they're all coming back.

"I... we..."

"We can talk more later kid," Qrow insist. "We really should go."

"I know," you nod. "Weiss, can you move on your own."

"Of course," she hurriedly gets off you and brushes herself off, almost out of embarrassment. "Wait, aren't you..." She squints at Neo."

"Don't worry about her," you get on your feet. "Everybody grab on."

Each person grabs a part of you, be it shoulder, arm, or hand. After a moment of focusing, all of you disappear into shadows and return to your home in Mistral.

Hello! Yes, it is I with an author's note. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! The next one I've already written and is being edited. It'll be out soon! There's also a small rewrite for a chapter coming soon. Not the entire thing, but just a certain section. I don't plan on doing this too often, but I feel its very important for the character of... a character. It's just a shift in direction that I want to make clear a little early. At least so it doesn't conflict with the future. There is a lot I would like to rewrite for early Crimson Shadow, but that's just a big pain in the butt and I'd rather focus on future content.

Speaking of, I will be doing one more chapter before focusing a little bit on Limitless. So you're getting this one plus two more chapters before I give the other one some love. Hope the wait isn't too long and I can get Limitless stuff done relatively fast. I do very much enjoy the story so it ends up going fast. If you haven't checked that out and like Dragon Ball, I encourage you to give it a read. Or maybe just as a buffer when I'm not writing this.

Anyway, I do hope you had fun reading and are looking forward to the next chapter! Please leave a review or comment if you have anything to say, as I really do like reading them. I respond to them most times too, unless you're on Fanfiction dot net, then I can't really do that.

Anyway, have a good one everybody! Next chapter will be coming soon!