"Play the message again," Yang requested. She was currently sitting in the Bullhead flying all the way out to Mistral. Across from her, going out on a mission with her sister for the first time since they were still students, was Ruby.

It had been four weeks since the Grimm's Breath outbreak at New Beacon. The count of symptomatic infections came to fifty-two when the Faunus quarantine went into effect. There hadn't been a new case since.

The first deaths were a week past: Sun's teammates. More continued after that: Arslan, Bolin, and Nadir of Team ABRN; and the entirety of Team BRNZ. The death count was up to ten and guaranteed to rise without some kind of cure.

That's when they got the message.

Ruby tapped her Scroll and replayed the transmission they had received just hours ago.

"This is Professor Ozpin, reaching out to anyone who can read this. The White Fang have developed and released a biological weapon they've dubbed Grimm's Breath. It only affects humans, but transmits between Faunus as well. It debilitates within a week and kills in three. But we have found a cure for it. I and a small group of Huntsmen have retaken and are held up in the campus of Haven Academy in Mistral. It's currently impossible for us to send this message without the White Fang receiving it as well. They will be coming for us. We can hold them off for a time, but will need extraction. If anyone is available, the fate of humanity is at stake."

"Normally I'd question how the hell we're getting a voicemail from a dead man," Yang remarked, "but I think the possibility of a cure is worth risking a trap."

Ruby said nothing. She was lost in a trance, polishing the bolt to Crescent Rose. This had been normal for Ruby since first building the weapon twelve years ago. But the expression was different from back then. Then, it was one full of optimism and life. This one was a mixed bag of things. Her face was cold but oddly calm.

The cynicism she'd learned from war had been a constant expression since Yang had found her in Vacuo. If you were looking, you could see evidence of the vengeful rage she had masked and restrained. On occasion, that rage could be seen seeping through, though she had yet to fully release that built up pressure. But now, cleaning her weapon, she seemed more at peace. The simple task of weapon maintenance and upkeep was keeping her in an almost zen place.

It was so… Ruby. Past the anger and the angst, Yang saw a glimpse of the Ruby she knew before her coma. She wanted nothing more than for this moment to last.

Ruby's hand stopped polishing. Her trance broke as she registered what Yang had said to her a moment before. "Yeah… Yeah… Yang, this might be our chance."

"Chance for what?" her sister asked, already knowing the answer.

"The White Fang got the message, too. If this is legitimate, they'll have sent forces here, too. Adam might be leading them personally. And if it's a trap, he may be here waiting for us." Ruby leaned forward to look her sister in the eyes. "We may be able to end this here and now."

Yang was silent a moment as she mulled the possibilities over in her head.

Yang leaned forward to match her sister. "We don't know what the situation might be. This might be real. It might not. He might be here. He might not. If he is, though, we need to be on the same page about this." She reached forward and grasped her sister's hand. "We need to focus on the goal. Adam is a target of opportunity. If we can get him, we put him in the ground. But if this cure is legit, that needs to be our focus. Our people need that more. If it isn't, we're needed alive to find one that is. If it's a fight we can't win, we get the hell out."

Ruby's face displayed a range of emotions. Her eyes lowered in disappointment. Her brow furrowed in anger. Her lips sneered in frustration. Her features softened in thought. Her eyes closed in acceptance. She breathed out her feelings and refocused on the job at hand.

"You're right," she finally stated. "Thank you, Yang."

The airship set down in the hills overlooking Haven, letting the two Huntresses hop out before returning to the air.

Haven had been hit hard by the war. Beacon was caught by surprise. The battle was short lived and swiftly won. Haven had caught wind of the attack by the time the White Fang arrived. They had time to prepare. They made the invaders work for their victory. Whereas Shade Academy in Vacuo was intact enough for the White Fang to repurpose, Haven was still the remains of a battlefield. It was shelled, raided, and all but torn to the ground.

It was also being descended upon by White Fang troops. Gunshots could be heard from far off. Ruby and Yang had already come across Faunus bodies on their way down the hill. They were caught in traps, had been attacked from behind, and bore bullet wounds from high caliber rounds. The Huntsmen held up here had planned for this. They set traps, had men in wait in the wooded hills, and snipers from afar.

By the time the Huntresses reached the school, they'd passed close to a hundred bodies. They sighted a last few, a squad of six, hunkered behind a collapsed tree. There were a few more bodies still with blown away skulls: other squadmates who'd tried to advance on the sniper keeping them pinned.

Ruby & Yang readied their weapons to assist in the fight when, suddenly, the tree the soldiers were using as cover levitated into the air above them. Stepping forward from behind the log was an older blonde woman carrying a wand: Glynda Goodwitch.

She shockingly looked very similar to how she did nine years ago at Beacon. Her face hadn't aged a day. Her hair had clearly gone some time since being attended to, but was still sporting her same signature curls and bun. She swapped into hiking boots, but still wore the skirt, stockings, blouse, and cape. All were showing some wear and tears, but defiantly stood out as a priority of grace, even on the battlefield.

The squad of Faunus soldiers didn't get the time to question their opponent's attire. Goodwitch dropped the log on top of them. Three were crushed to death as it landed on their heads and ribcages. One was paralyzed when it dropped on his legs and lower spine. Two narrowly avoided the log. They didn't last long. Glynda used her wand to launch a solid Dust crystal through each of their chests, killing them instantly.

As the professional Huntress summoned the unactivated crystals back to her to stow for later, she failed to notice the pinned Faunus raising his gun. He started to pull the trigger when a shot went off and his skull exploded.

Glynda glanced over to the slumping corpse. She then looked over her shoulder to the building entrance she had emerged from.

"Thank you, Tai!" she called out.

Yang's eyes widened.

"Tai?" she spoke out loud.

Goodwitch heard her and spun in her direction, summoning her crystals back into the air, ready to fire.

"Glynda! Wait!" a male voice cried out.

From behind Glynda, approached the sniper. He wore the pants of a ghillie suit and a light khaki colored shirt. He had shaggy golden hair and a full beard. Both were starting to grey in his age.

His eyes got misty when he said, "Girls?"

"Dad!" Yang called out as she sprinted to her father. He dropped his rifle as he held his arms open to catch his daughter. She threw himself into his arms and he held her.

"I didn't know you were still alive," she said to him.

"I thought you were dead," he said to her.

Glynda had put her Dust away and lowered her defenses as soon as she recognized her former students. Now she was standing by, making sure not to interrupt the reunion. She reached to her belt and drew her Scroll to make a call.

Yang and Tai finally broke their embrace when he noticed his other daughter still stood a distance back.

Ruby was frozen.

"Ruby," he said to her as he slowly started to walk over.

Her face told a tale of a thousand emotions.

"Ruby, it's me."

The chief among those was guilt.

"It's okay, sweetie. It's okay."

Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"I'm here."

He dropped down to a knee in front of her. He placed his arms on her shoulders.

"Let it out."

She dropped Crescent Rose.

"Daddy?"

The tears flowed. Ruby fell into her father's arms and returned his embrace. Tai said nothing as he let her cry out everything she was feeling. She'd needed to be the soldier; the leader, for nine years. Right now, she just needed to be his daughter.

"I assumed," she admitted through the tears. "I didn't even try. I just assumed."

"Shh, shh," he consoled her. "You didn't do anything wrong. What matters is we found each other again. And I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you, Daddy."

"I know, Ruby. I know."

Yang had done her best to let them have their moment, but it became too much. She couldn't hold back anymore. She joined the hug.

For the first time in a long time, Tai got to see his daughters; Yang got to feel the love of family; Ruby got to stop being a soldier.

"Glynda!" a scratchy voice called out. "What's going on! You said you needed me?" Another older Huntsman emerged from the old Haven building.

This one was lankier than Tai. His hair was longer and darker, but his beard was trimmed far more closely along his jawline. He held a sense of style similar to Glynda: slacks, white button down with sleeves rolled up, grey vest, nicer boots. He too wore a tattered cape in a dark red color. He one-hand carried a long scythe.

When he saw Tai and the two visitors, his jaw dropped.

"Holy shit," he cursed, not knowing what else to say.

The Xiao Long family heard their cool uncle and turned to him.

"Hey, Qrow," Tai called out, "look who found us."

The reunion was allowed for a few minutes more, but then it was back to work. After the all clear was given, the Huntresses joined their enders inside Haven's main hall. From there, they each went to work. Qrow returned outside to monitor for more White Fang squads. Ruby set to making calls to their airship, as well as New Beacon to report. Yang helped her father pack up whatever gear they could save. Glynda left the room to fetch Professor Ozpin.

When she returned, she was attended by someone significantly younger than expected. He couldn't have been older than 22. His hair was black and his eyes hazel. He dressed like a farmhand, not like a professor and certainly not like a soldier. Yet, in one hand he carried Ozpin's cane. In the other, he held a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist.

Yang and Ruby both dropped what they were doing to analyze the new face.

"Miss Rose. Miss Xiao Long. It is good to see you." The boy said to them.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked.

"And how do you know who we are?" Yang followed.

The boy chuckled. "Well, the full answer to that is a bit complicated and would take more time to explain than we have to spare right now. The short version is that, through a rather confusing cycle of reincarnation and merging of souls, I am the man you knew as Professor Ozpin. But my name is Oscar Pine."

"You sent the message?" Yang guessed.

"Yes," he answered, "Though I do apologize for the minor deception when I used Ozpin's name. I knew no one would care as much if 'Oscar Pine' was sending the SOS."

Ruby was still suspicious. "Dad? Can you vouch for this?"

Tai nodded his head. "It took a lot for me to believe it, too. He showed up to my door with a drunk Qrow in tow. But he's telling you the truth.

"What about the cure for the plague afflicting our people: The Grimm's Breath?" Ruby asked.

Oscar raised the case in his hand. "Secured in here. If you can get us out of here and me to a lab, I can synthesize more. Can you do that?"

Ruby held eye contact with Oscar as she raised her Scroll to her ear. "Give me a landing zone."

The Huntsmen packed lightly. Qrow spotted more White Fang landing craft coming their way. They opted to sacrifice some of their equipment rather than to risk casualties in another fight. The Bullhead picked them up right in the middle of the old campus. They were lifting off the ground by the time the White Fang troops were unloading from their transports. A clean operation.

With all seated and on their way back to New Beacon, Yang finally got the opportunity to ask the questions she'd been wondering about since she was told 'there isn't enough time to explain.'

"So Oscar, I'm still confused about the reincarnation thing. If Ozpin died at Beacon, then shouldn't you be like, ten years old?"

Qrow looked over to Tai with a smirk. "Here we go."

Oscar chuckled at that. "It's not reincarnation per say. I- that is, Oscar Pine was thirteen when Professor Ozpin was killed at Beacon. He suddenly… popped into my head one day."

"So then who am I talking to, right now? Oscar or Ozpin?" Yang asked, honestly more confused.

"The best way I can explain is both, but mostly Oscar. I have all of Ozpin's knowledge, memories, and skills, but I am still very much me. At first, Ozpin was a voice in my head, like another consciousness. But we slowly merged into each other until we were one. I'm a little different than I was before. I carry the wisdom of a hundred lifetimes and a new craving for hot chocolate, but I am still Oscar Pine. I have not been replaced in my own body. Though that was a worry of mine for a solid two years."

"Wait. Stop. Hold on," Yang said. "That's what was in Ozpin's mug?"

Glynda started the laugh at this one, everyone else joining in after.

"What can you tell me about Grimm's Breath?" Ruby interrupted.

Oscar's expression turned serious. "It's the end product after years of experimenting to develop the ultimate biological weapon to ensure Faunus superiority in this world, as well as something of a pet project of Adam Taurus. I suspect you've learned most of what there is to tell about the disease itself. It is based on the enzyme that defines the Grimm. We learned about it approximately one year ago and have spent the time since developing a counter-agent against it. It took so long because we had to keep updating it as the White Fang perfected it further. But I've finally gotten it, though about a month too late it seems. Tell me, how many have died so far?"

"Ten," Ruby answered. "Another forty-two are still symptomatic. Most of, if not all of our Faunus are also infected."

"Quarantined from the human population, I assume?"

"Yes."

"Unfortunate, but understandable. Necessary, even. I can cure all of them. But I will warn you about your symptomatic people: there is a point of no return with this. Two weeks after symptoms, my cure will have no effect. Nothing can be done after that point. I'm sorry."

Yang's memory flashed with the faces of everyone she knew who exceeded that time frame: team NDGO and the non-Faunus members of teams FNKI and CFVY were among them.

"Forgive me for asking, but it's important," Oscar continued. "What are you doing with the bodies?"

"We're burning them," Ruby answered.

"Good. The pathogen does not die with the host. You've seen the body's begin to resemble Grimm. If given the chance, that is what they become."

"I've seen before," Yang confirmed. "Months ago, in Vacuo. It's a scary thing, seeing that done to-"

The Bullhead suddenly lurched.

"Something hit us!" their pilot shouted from the cockpit. "We're being dragged down by something!"

Scraping could be heard outside. Claws jabbed through the walls. Outside the window, humanoid creatures as black as night were latched onto the ships, wings.

"It's them!" Qrow called out. "The Demons!"

"Losing visibility!" the pilot shouted again.

Black fog rose up, indicating the Grimm horde on the ground below them.

An engine exploded. That ground came rapidly closer.

"Brace yourselves!"

To Be Continued...

Design Ideas:

Tai Yang= The End with hair

Qrow= MGS1 Ocelot without the coat