Headmaster Theodore's office looked a lot like Leo's, not very reassuringly, except that instead of tea and books everywhere, there were weapons and casts of slain grimm along the hallway and on the walls.

They only saw that once Qrow had banged on the door and yelled: "Theo, get your tail out here!" Enough for him to open the door.

No one except Ozpin knew exactly what to expect, even Winter had only seen the guy from a distance when visiting in the past with Ironwood, she'd not been in the loop then.

Theodore was probably the oddest mismatch of style, taste, and presentation you could imagine, even for Vacuo.

He wasn't a tall man, but he was bulky enough, he had a narrow, tan face that made him look like he should be a farmer...undercut quite literally by a scar running down one cheek. Big brown eyes but with dark circles under them that made him look less friendly.

He had a man-braid down his back that reminded them a little too much of Tyrian, and there was a key around his neck, just like the ones for the vaults at the other kingdoms.

[Theodore Rhodes Design by Julianna Gardner and yours truly.]

His outfit made your eyes hurt, no one in Vacuo had the most developed sense of fashion as it was, but he had dark blue plaid lining on his jacket and pants, combat boots in a color that didn't really fit that, and a toolbelt that might have had his weapons in it.

On the desk behind him, which had nothing on it other than this and some coffee, was a plaque that said "There's no place like home."

"Oka--ay," Wally had a feeling this was going to be...interesting.

This was confirmed when Theodore punched Qrow in the face first thing.

Winter got out of the way just before he could hit her while he fell back from the impact, but she put her hand on her sword.

"Qrow!" Theodore said. "You've got a lot of nerve showing up here. What's with the hospital's worth of wet drips that you all deposited on my doorstep?!"

"Theo..." Qrow rubbed his jaw.

"And you," Theo pointedly at Winter, who looked at him like he'd spat at her instead. "What? James was busy? Sent his favorite lapdog instead? The nerve of showing up here uninvited with all these people--"

"Theo," Qrow interrupted again.

"What?" Theo said roughly.

"It's not like that," Qrow said.

"Do you mean to tell me you really don't know why we're here?" Winter finally got a word in edgewise.

"Oh, I know why you're here, sister," Theo drew back to his desk and tapped on it, then took a sip of coffee. "Atlas can't handle its Mantle problem anymore, so it sent it to me. Figures the riffraff belongs together, eh? Well I'm not bailing out their a---s just because they're too busy being rich and domineering to do it themselves."

"That's not what this is about," Robyn spoke up.

"Yeah," Oscar said.

"Who the h--- are you?" Theo glanced at them.

"Robyn Hill," Robyn raised her hand cheerfully.

"Oscar Pine," Oscar said.

"And why the h--- are you here, and who are these stiffs?" Theo glanced at Shine and Wally.

Wally pointed at himself like "who me?"

"I'm sorry but I am the opposite of a stiff, " Shine said.

"Yeah that one's a real live wire," Robyn said coyly.

"And I'm not sti--that is, I'm alive," Wally said.

"Did I ask?" Theo asked.

"Well, we didn't ask you to dub us either," Shine said. "Name's Shine Likstar, by the way. A pleasure to meet you...Theodore what?"

"Rhodes," Theodore replied curtly.

"Wally West," Wally waved slowly.

"Theo," Qrow said. "Atlas has fallen. It's not just Mantle out there...the entire kingdom is evacuated."

Theo glanced at him oddly. "Wait...really?"

"Yes," Winter said coldly.

"Where's Jimmy?" Theo said immediately.

"He'd be dead if it were up to me," Qrow said. "But I heard he's around here, tied up."

"The huntresses will be more than happy to keep him so," Robyn said. "I said not to manhandle him, but I can only hope Joanna will actually live by that...the point is he's not active."

"One could say he's been relieved of his duties," Winter said.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Theo said. "So...you really just dumped all of Atlas into Vacuo?"

"Not all of it," Qrow said.

"A third of it more like," Shine said. "Plus or minus a sixth perhaps, since we didn't exactly get to measure as we went."

"Lovely," Theo said. "A third of Atlas...here...it's like the Great War all over again."

"I fail to see the similarity," Winter said.

"Oh really?" Theo went to one wall where a map of Remnant hung. "Well, allow me to educate you then, Schnee, right? I hate the Schnees, can't believe one of them showed up here."

"Bad time to tell him there's three of 'em?" Wally hissed at Shine.

"4 counting the one you brought," Shine replied.

"Yikes."

"This is us," Theo very condescendingly pointed to Vacuo. "And this is the part of Vacuo that Atlas decided to try to carpetbag before the great war," he pointed to most of it. "And this is where we kicked their a---s to."

He pointed out of the kingdom. "Along with Mistral and every other group of entitled frickers. So, if you think we want you all back again, you're just as delusional as they were. And thanks for the Dust embargo by the way, really helped us deal with the grimm that've been popping up everywhere since Beacon...even before then."

"Well, it wasn't her decision," Robyn tried to help, as usual not really knowing how to do so effectively. "It was Ironwood's."

"Yes, but I don't see him here," Theo said. "I'm guessing it was your decision to bring everyone here."

Winter swallowed. "I didn't exactly come up with the idea, but there wasn't a better option."

"Sure," Theo said. "If you ask me, Atlas should have just left itself to die like any failed settlement, Vacuo would never presume to ask anyone else to bail us out, and no one would anyway, so tell me, why should I help you?"

He scowled at her over the coffee cup.

Somehow, even with that get up and accessories, he was still kind of intimidating.

"Theo," Qrow finally found his voice again. "You're not serious. These people have
nowhere else to go, you're not going to help them?"

"Gee Qrow, maybe if you'd been in touch at all in the last several months, I'd have been prepared to undertake such an insane project," Theo said. He picked up his scroll. "Or shown up a few days in advance at least. You see this? It's called the send button."

Winter almost choked on a laugh of pure nerves.

"Deja vu..." Wally muttered, grinning uncomfortably.

"We didn't have time to warn you," Robyn said. "We would have but the Tower got shut down by these psychos--"

"I'm sorry, who are you and why do I care about your excuses?" Theo cut her off.

"Hey, pal, I was--almost a council woman," Robyn said. "I'm a leader in Mantle."

"You have my sympathies then," Theo said distastefully. "But it doesn't change a thing. I can't take these people. You should get out of Vacuo."

"And what, become nomads?" Qrow said.

"Yes, so many others have," Theo said. "It's what happens."

"But they don't have the supplies to do that," Oscar spoke up. "There wasn't time for it...if you send us out into the desert, these people who are used to the snow, they're going to die."

"Not my problem," Theo said.

Qrow had about reached his limit of bad news and disappointment...and now he just froze.

Winter looked at him and then at Theo, not sure what to say...this was making her angry, but railing at the man seemed likely to provoke him, not overawe him...

Given a few minutes, she might have lost it anyway, but she was not given that because Shine, with a look at Wally, stepped forward.

"We're not entirely without a back up plan, Theo," she said. "We've been in contact with Glynda Goodwitch and some allies at Haven also. With some cooperation, we could arrange more transfers between kingdoms, but there's not enough transportation for it yet. They'd have to send some, or we'd have to use Vacuo's. But if you want to request some more man power and dust, perhaps something could be arranged, as compensation for your kindness to the refugees in letting them stay here for a week or two while we work this out."

"Kindness?" Theo said. "A week or two? Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, girl?"

"I believe you are getting ahead of yourself if you think that kicking them all out will not possibly reflect poorly on you," Shine said. "I'm aware Vacuo is rather independent, but even you can't survive without the aid of the other two kingdoms, and unless Atlas will cooperate with all of you. If there's any chance to rebuild it, they'll need to hang on that long. Sharing the burden between the other kingdoms and territories is the only way."

"Oh sure," Theo said. "I know what happens, they'll promise help but it won't come."

"Perhaps if it was up to the council, you'd be right," Shine didn't even bat an eyelash. "But we have a contact in the new and reformed White Fang whose daughter was among the people leaving Atlas, and he will be happy to help the Faunus who were uprooted relocate, and the humans too. They need more help in Mistral also. As for Vale, they're recently been liberated of that giant grimm that was taking up space there and I have it on authority that they're already seeing a vast improvement in getting the city of Beacon Academy back. Everyone will want to be establishing more contact with the other kingdoms and we have so graciously brought you the new owner of the Schnee Dust Company, who can contact their outposts in the other kingdoms. Vacuo has a rare chance here to outdo Atlas at its own game. This is the time to make nice with the other kingdoms and offer your support to getting these refugees where they need to go, and getting the dust supplies to them. You're the kingdom that's most intact. Why stop at being independent when you could be dominant?"

Silence.

"You think we want to be dominant?" Theo said.

"You'd rather Mistral become the dominant world power?" Shine played that card expertly as if she was doing the Great War Game that the kids liked.

Theo snorted. "Who are you? Why are you an authority on this?"

"Because I do my homework," Shine said. "Play your cards right and even Menagerie would be willing to work with you. They aren't much, but they're too small to be a huge target, could take a few Faunus I suppose."

"I never heard that Vale was doing any better," Theo returned to doubt. 

"Have you heard from them at all?" Shine asked. "But if you need proof..." she reached into her bag and pulled out a letter, to Qrow's astonishment.

Theo took it and opened it. "This is Glynda's handwriting..."

"I have another from the leader of the White Fang," Shine took it out and handed it to him.

Theo read that one also.

Then he chuckled dryly. "Glynda hasn't lost her sharp tongue...'If James is the arrogant'-- can't say that in front of kids--'he usually is, and they end up coming to you for help, then'...etc....yeah that's her all right."

Qrow turned to give Shine a look of pure bewilderment.

Winter was giving her almost the same look.

Robyn was grinning, of all things.

Oscar was the only one not surprised, he was just relieved.

Theo shook his head.

"All right," he put the letter away. "Well played, girl...Likstar was it? You all can camp out here till we get something arranged to send you to anywhere that'll take you, but that's it. Don't expect any babying from us...and I want Dust shipped here as recompense for it."

"We can take that up with the new manager," Shine said, easily enough.

"Most of us here don't live in fancy houses," Theo added. "Just tents and makeshift shacks, few hotels for guests. The school's half empty these days with so many huntsmen off in other kingdoms trying to help the ongoing crisis. Your party can shack up here if you want, for a week or two tops. Then I want you gone. I ain't no nursery.  We have a few spots for visiting students, but you'll have to pitch tents for the rest, I can loan you some of the school's mission supplies but you'd have to rent the rest yourselves. Don't expect babying. You'll do your own patrols, if the huntsmen want to help you out, that's their call, I won't be assigning any guards to you. You look out for yourself here same as the rest of us or you don't survive. And don't expect me to care or apologize for any rough treatment you get from the civilians, they aren't partial to Atlas and I don't blame 'em. I want Jimmy locked up here if he's demoted, I don't trust him to prowl around this kingdom on his own or with his army. Oh, and it goes without saying that any military operation you start goes through me first."

"If you are not offering protection, why should it?" Winter spoke up.

"Because you're here as guests," Theo said. "Or it's illegal immigrants...take your pick."

Silence.

"That clear for everyone?" Theo said. "Now, I assume Qrow and I need to catch up, so why don't the rest of you get the heck out of my office and throw your rear ends into whatever crevices you can find around here and start contacting your people in Vale to come get you. Dismissed."

"Seriously?" Robyn couldn't believe this was how little he wanted to talk about this.

"Out," Theo pointed.

Robyn tossed her hair. "Fine...let's go, kiddo," she nodded at Oscar.

"Thanks for the cooperation," Shine said.

She winked at Qrow and Winter and she and Wally left, with him grinning a mile wide.

"Don't let the door hit you, Schnee," Theo added.

Winter frowned. "Sir, I think I should be here for whatever this is, I represent Atlas right now, for better or worse."

"That's cute and all, but I could not possibly care less," Theo said. "Out."

"She's the new Winter Maiden, Theo," Qrow said.

Pause.

Theo sat down in his chair and put his feet up on the desk, looking exasperated. "Great!...terrific...that's just what I needed to hear..."

"Wait...did someone tell you that?" Winter looked at Qrow in surprise.

"I saw you fly," Qrow said. "I'm not that tired from jail."

Winter had forgotten that part...

Come to think of it, it wasn't that smart to show that off in front of so many people when they knew Tyrian was already here...hopefully he wouldn't hear of it any time soon.

"So James got his choice after all?" Theo said, pulling out a knife and running it under his fingernails. "Not surprised. Figured it for certain after seeing him put so much effort into promoting her."

Had everyone but Winter known this from the start? She frowned...worst fears confirmed about how early the General had probably selected her for this...it made one think.

"Turns out it was a bit of a surprise after all," Qrow said. "Fria finally bit the dust, not sure how..."

"That blasted machine probably," Theo said.

Winter was surprised. "What? You knew about that?"

"Knew about it? He offered to give me one," Theo said. "Probably Leo too, before he bit it...But I said up yours. The old fashioned way works just fine and I'm not tampering around with some crazy machine that might not even work. Figures he'd cut out the element of chance, though, soon as he could. So are you Fria or yourself then?"

"I...didn't..." Winter felt ill. And it wasn't just the heat.

"It's not Fria," Qrow crossed his arms. "I can guarantee you that."

"So what happened?" Theo asked.

"Fria died of natural causes...one could say," Winter said. "Or the shock of the portal itself...No one killed her, at least not to my knowledge...but I didn't see it. I was a little preoccupied at the time."

"Doing what?" Theo asked.

"If you must know, fighting General Ironwood," Winter said.

"You fought Jimmy?" Qrow, of course, didn't know this; in fact, no one on the ship had known it.

"He got loose early somehow," Winter said slowly. "I had to stall for time...I didn't kill him. The portal closed before anyone could think to go back for him, but Miss Likstar fortunately found him and escaped in time."

"Fortunately, huh?" Theo said. "Gee, Qrow weren't you around at the time?"

"No, I had no idea any of this went down till now," Qrow said. "I thought he just got dragged along as prisoner because everyone was feeling too noble to leave him there."

"Figures that would happen," Theo said. "Gods forbid that anything make my day."

Winter snapped.

"Listen, you half cocked, patchwork thug," she slammed her sword into his desk, making him jerk his feet down. "The General served Atlas faithfully for years, and regrettably crumbled under the pressure of leadership. His demotion is a tragedy, not a good omen, and I understand he used to be your friend, so try keeping a more respectful tone in the future."

"Friends is putting it a little strongly," Theo said. "What's wrong with you, girl? Can't stand to hear anything bad about that tyrant in sheep's clothing?"

"I said enough," Winter's eyes flashed blue light without her realizing it.

Theo glanced at her then at Qrow.

"Well, whatever," he sat back and let it drop. "The point is, you're the Maiden for better or worse, and also, I take it, currently in command of Atlas? I might have known they'd put a woman in charge at the very end."

Winter's mouth dropped open.

"Not that Glynda isn't pretty terrifying," Theo said, amused, "But she's a bit older and more experienced, you on the other hand, barely out of the academy, shouldn't even be second in command. James really was desperate for loyal followers I take it...but now you're our problem too. How lovely. I suppose you'll been expecting us to keep you safe...Unfortunately it's worse for us if you aren't, you'll have to stick close to the school, there's no kind of organized military here like you'd think of it, just huntsmen, they'll do their jobs, but that's about it. You'll have to be smart, if that's not too much of a stretch for you to grasp. We have our own problems to worry about without yours too...Where's the Staff by the way? Don't tell me you left it there."

"Good question, where is it?" Qrow said.

Winter wished everyone else had not left then.

"It's...gone," she said.

"Gone?" They both said.

"Cinder Fall took it and the lamp, with her," Winter said.

"And you didn't stop it?" Theo said.

"I attempted to stop it, but the portal was disappearing and we had no choice but to run," Winter said.

"She was right in front of you?" Theo said. "And that's...un-fricking- believable...!"

He threw his hands up. "Well great going at doing your job! Maidens have one job, and you didn't make it one day...the h--- is Atlas' issue with just sticking to the simple rules."

"There's probably more to the story than that," Qrow didn't buy for a second that Winter would have let Cinder just fly off with the relics after that incident with the hospital.

"People were falling," Winter said. "Some of them in our team, it was a highly unusual situation."

"All I hear is excuses," Theo said. "You have to adapt or you won't survive as hunstmen, you Atlas people think you have to make everything your way, the world doesn't work like that. The world is tough and you have to be tough, not expecting it to bow in submission to your whims..."

Winter opened her mouth and then shut it...she couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't just sound like she was taking this personally, and that would be fatal.

(Her military training was kicking in, actually in Vacuo her taking it personally might have done her some good in their estimation.)

"There's more bad news," Qrow said. "Salem already has people here, infiltrating it...or did you know that?"

Theo looked up, with a grim look. "I'm not that surprised to hear it...but nothing unusual has been going on..."

"You want to check out any ships that landed in the last two days," Qrow said. "See if anyone with a scorpion tail or grey hair has been seen getting off one."

"Uh huh..." Theo said. "Any other surprises I should know about?"

Pause.

"About the only thing that would make this better is me breaking a leg," Theo said. "Don't stand too close to me, Qrow...in fact, unless you have any more reports, get the frick outta my office...Although if you want to join me, I could seriously use a drink after everything I just heard."

Winter was only too happy to leave his office, but she paused at this.

Qrow hesitated.

"Maybe later," he said. "I have to...make sure what's left of team JNPR isn't getting into it with Shade."

"Whoever that is," Theodore said. 

Winter left the room.

Qrow followed a moment later, looking perturbed.

"Well, that went well!" Winter exploded. "Of all the--is he always like that?"

"Yeah," Qrow said. "More or less...that might have been the most serious I've seen him actually...we are so screwed." He rubbed his forehead.

"On the subject of your sister...how long has she been the Spring Maiden? And why did the General not know about it?" Winter demanded.

"Ice Queen, I was today years old when I found that out!" Qrow said tersely. "My sister isn't a big sharer and she double crossed us in Haven, I can't even tell you if she was the Maiden then or if she took the power from the kid who was with her at the time...I can't put anything past her, but I know that Likstar sure as heck knows, and isn't saying anything. And also is apparently conspiring with her, and Goodwitch behind our backs, and even the White Fang. How any of this happened without anyone seeming to know except apparently Oscar is beyond
me."

"Clearly, it must be what they did that one day they snuck out of the school," Winter was no fool. "But how did they accomplish this in one day? I can't...and Glynda wrote them a letter? Glynda? Two strangers...unless they already knew her."

"I have no idea," Qrow said. "And of course they won't answer if I ask. I'm sick of this!" He kicked the wall angrily. "I swear I don't even know why I'm here anymore..." he muttered.

Winter pressed her mouth in a thin line. "There must be some reason for this...it's almost if they anticipated this would..." she flashed back to Shine's rant/lecture to her at the Party at the mansion...was it really just two days ago?

Oh...no...

"Yeah, it's as if they knew this was coming," Qrow didn't even have to have that memory to think the same thing. "Just like they knew all that stuff that happened before...but will they open their d--- months to warn us? No. Just go behind our backs and do things."

"Well, we should probably hear them out before we assume that's exactly what happened," Winter said.

"Since when do you trust them?" Qrow said.

"I don't exactly..." Winter felt almost as if she were lying about that, and she wondered why. "But they just resolved that situation in there somehow in less than 5 minutes, and giving them the third degree afterward would seem ludicrous...I suppose the only thing to do is organize the refugees and try to settle who's going to be at Shade and who will have to make other arrangements."

"Good luck with that," Qrow said. "I'm tapping out."

"What? Why?" Winter said.

"Because I'm done here, I did the information drop with Theo, and that's the end of my job," Qrow said tersely. "I don't do camping...That's Robyn's thing."

"It's true she'd be useful but your team is not going to just listen to us," Winter said. "Hadn't you better fill them in?"

"Nothing Oscar can't do," Qrow said.

"Are you really not going to take any responsibility here?" Winter was incredulous.

"Hey, I'm not in charge, all right?" Qrow got more angry than she'd have expected just for that remark alone. "And things haven't exactly gone the best when I have been anyway, the kids do fine on their own and there's nothing more to be done anyway. There's probably grimm that need killing more than anything else. Might as well go somewhere I can't jinx anything."

"Jinx it? But--" Winter began to argue, but Qrow didn't listen, he just turned around a corner and when she followed he was no longer there...must have turned into a bird and flown away.

Winter angrily slammed her sword into an unfortunate suit of armor that was along this wall and it fell over.

Ignoring it, she stormed away.

Shine, Wally and, Oscar were all waiting in the outer hall with Robyn being on her scroll trying to get her Huntresses to organize.

"What happened?" Oscar asked.

"Nothing of much consequence," Winter said. "We filled him in on the Maiden and other concerns, and Qrow decided to go off and do nothing in particular because apparently that was all there was to accomplish."

"But...don't we still have a lot of work to do," Oscar said.

"I suppose he never lets that stand in his way," Winter said tightly.

This was far from just, and deep down she knew it, but she was too angry to care.

"Qrow is not taking the news about Ruby and Yang well," was Shine's more insightful take on it. "I'm surprised he held out for that long against the urge to just collapse, but I'm worried if he's gone off alone that he will be incautious."

"Want me follow him?" Wally asked.

"Perhaps it would be best if someone did," Shine said. "But you'd be more useful helping the refugees...I'll look for him later if he's gone too long, I guess."

"You wish to trust yourself around him if he's drunk?" Winter was crisp.

"Even if he makes mistakes, Qrow has never been violent or aggressive while drunk," Shine said. "He wouldn't harm me."

"I've fought him drunk before," Winter said.

"And if you thought he was seriously trying to hurt you, you've never seen him actually fight," Shine scoffed openly. "Anyway, he was always drunk before, can't impair his judgement that much."

Oscar looked upward. "He's been trying to quit."

"What?" Winter hadn't known this--as indeed no one really did who wasn't in team RWBY/JNPR, they'd had the tact not to bring it up, or had just not thought it was important to do so.

"Without Ruby and Yang around, I'm worried he may not stick to that," Shine said. "Not that I think alcohol is the worst evil ever...but I don't think it's going to help, not Qrow...it's not just the drinking, it's that he always does it when he wants to shut down from everyone else. But...the girls are kind of the only reason he doesn't just do that period...He was trying so hard in Atlas for them...staying out of trouble with Ironwood, backing up their decisions, and their absence is...I'm worried it's the last straw."

"Like because he's the scarecrow? Or like the camel?" Wally said.

"Wally, that's not funny," Shine said.

"Oh...too soon?" Wally said.

"Okay, it was a little funny, but timed weird," Shine said. "I'm worried about him."

"I didn't know you were so fond of Qrow," Winter surveyed her oddly. 

"You don't know me that well at all, Winter," Shine said primly. "I like him...it just breaks my heart what's happened the last week to the guy...and even before that. I know Ruby and Yang would prefer it if we kept an eye on him also. If and when they get back, I don't intend them to come back to this team in shambles if we can possibly help it."

"Again with that," Oscar said. "I'm worried about Qrow too...and not just me, Ozpin kind of...thinks this doesn't look good."

"He's not the only one who lost things today," Winter said.

"I'm sorry about Weiss, Winter," Shine said.

"I was speaking of everyone," Winter tried hard to shove down the wave of emotion that hit at that. "The refugees...they'll be scared, sad, and panicked also. We have to think of them or the grimm will never stop coming here."

"It's not just Qrow though," Oscar said. "Ren, Nora...everyone is upset. And tired...I just...we really need team RWBY, I really hope you guys are right that they're alive, but...will they ever get back?"

"I think so, Oscar, " Shine said. "We have to have faith."

"You know what they say," Wally said. "Things get worse before they get better, well they can't get much worse than they have for Atlas, so they're bound to look up, just by comparison."

"That's the spirit," Robyn approved. "Anyway, I told the others to start moving people this way, but we really need ole Theo's stamp of approval to get the native huntsmen on board with this."

"Yes," Shine said. "Well, for that, I'm not sure what to do now."

But they didn't have to worry about it, Headmaster Theodore sent out the message within the next 20 minutes, and at least some of the students/huntsmen around Shade jumped into action.

If many of them still ignored the newcomers, it was to be expected. They'd have to deal with it as they came.