V2C3

New Arrivals

The airships of the north arrived earlier than Ozpin had expected.

The fleet carrying the students of Atlas had swept down and around along the coast of northern Vale and then head west to avoid the inclement weather that had appeared, causing a delay that nearly doubled the time getting there.

But now they came, up on the horizon in the early morning, the rising sun at their backs. From his viewpoint, it seemed to Ozpin almost a mural. As if the airships were depicted being heralded by the very heavens themselves.

Beacon's headmaster took a sip from his mug, listening to the slow turning cogs above his office click and clang rhythmically and steadily. A soothing white-noise that helped to settle his mind, calming it from the fact that the number of ships was far more than could be expected from a normal escort fleet.

"Ozpin!" Greeted a well-dressed man as he entered the room. He wore a clean-pressed suit of white with a gray undercoat and a red necktie. His right hand was gloved to match his attire, but his left remained bare. He had the countenance of a powerful man in his prime, but the gray-shade in his otherwise jet-black hair betrayed his true age. Most curious of all was a small smooth metal implant, just over his right eye.

All in all, he was clean-pressed military personified.

"General Ironwood." Ozpin replied, rising from his seat and meeting the man in the center of the room for a firm handshake.

"Please, drop the formalities. James will do just fine." The man smiled, though there seemed something wrong with it. Not disingenuous, Ozpin thought, more like strained.

"Will Glynda be joining us?" Ironwood asked, looking around, clearly to make sure he hadn't accidently overlooked her presence.

"She excused herself when she heard you were coming." Beacon's Headmaster said as he returned to his chair behind the desk., folding his hands in front of him upon it.

"I see. Same as ever then." The General gave a single nod, as if confirming the fact into existence. He stepped forward and Ozpin reached for a spare cup, filling it with more of his own tea-blend, and then offering it to Ironwood.

The man accepted the cup, taking it from the Headmaster as Ozpin spoke. "I wasn't expecting you here, James. Shouldn't you be in Atlas? The headmasters don't usually travel with their students during the Vytal festivals."

"Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year." Ironwood weakly deflected, as he poured in a bit of his own special brew from a jacket pocket. "Besides I thought it might be good to catch up, face to face."

"While such a gesture would be nice, I cannot help but feel it a tad… insincere."

The weak and forced smile upon the General's face became a simple line as Beacon's Headmaster gave him a serious look. "Be honest with me, James. Why are you here with this fleet?"

"Why do you ask question you already know the answer to?"

Ozpin sighed, looking down at his mug and running his finger along the rim of the cup. "We are in a time of peace, James. Shows of force like this will only give people the wrong impression."

Ironwood's gaze became steely. "If what Qrow said is true-"

"If what Qrow said is true then we need to handle things tactfully." Ozpin snapped, his voice did not raise but the inflection was clear. "It's the Vytal festival, a time to recognize unity and peace. So perhaps you might consider not frightening the people of this city by transporting hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers and machines of war halfway across the world. And perhaps you might consider what that sort of wide-spread negativity may attract."

Ironwood features were grave, but made no argument. "I'm simply trying to be cautious."

Beacon's Headmaster allowed his furrowed brow to lax as he sat back n his chair. "I know, James. And while I can see the logic of your argument, you mustn't dismiss the emotions associated with it."

The General gave a single understanding nod. "I understand. My men and I will not make a move without your consult and permission. This is your school, your city. But while we're here consider my resources at your disposal." He set the mug down. "Now if you'll excuse me." He finished, turning around and exiting.

Ozpin gave another sigh before turning his chair and looking out the window, watching the Atlas ships hover in the air distantly.

The library of Beacon was cited by many to be one of the best in the world. But then how could it not be? It belonged to one of the four great huntsman schools of one of the four great kingdoms, of course it would be. And while its most productive uses were second to none, its capacity for recreational activities was surprisingly varied.

For instance, playing highly intricate and confusing board games.

One such game was taking place right now, in fact as the four members of XSBR sat across from one another, their game already well underway.

A smile ripped across Ruby's face. "Ha! I got you now Yang!" She slammed her palm down, showing her sister a card. "Flight of the Sixth Legion! My air force gets to fly over your ground forces and attack your capitol directly!" She announced. "And with this, Mistral is no more!"

"Not so fast!" Yang shot back, slamming a card of her own face up on the table. "Murder of the Nevermore! If I roll a five or higher, your fleet's attack reduces by half!"

"But four or lower and the Nevermore turns on you!" Ruby reminded. "Now roll!"

Pyrrha glanced over at XSBR's table. She was happy Yang had finally made some progress with her team. She wasn't going to lie, it seemed pretty touch-and-go for a bit. But now?

"SIX! The Nevermore murder wipes through the Sixth Fleet of Atlas and…" Yang rolled a different dice. "Crit success! My antiaircraft rips through the remains! Your attack force is no more!"

Ruby fell back in her chair, hands at the back of her head as she shook it. "Nonononono! My fleet! My beautiful fleet!"

The red-head smiled. Things were going good, she could tell. She glanced over to Ren who kept nudging Nora awake as he continued his attempts to tutor the ditzy girl. Pyrrha looked over to Jaune's book suspiciously, he'd been on that page for close to twenty minutes… She reached over and grabbed it, revealing a comic book behind. Pyrrha gave a look of mild disappointment and the boy sheepishly put the comic down, picking up the actual book and furrowing his brows as he made sense of it. Pyrrha picked up the comic Jaune had lain down. Oh! She hadn't yet read this month's X-Ray Ray.

Yang leaned back in her chair, satisfied by a job well done as Ruby sulked. She then turned to Weiss, a look of confusion clear as day on the heiress' face as she tried to make sense of her hand. "You alright there Weiss?

"I…" She then sighed, putting her hand face-down. "I have no idea what's going on or what to do."

XSBR's leader put down her own hand, walking over till she was behind Weiss. "Hey, this is a pretty good draw! You could really do something with these."

Weiss looked skeptically to her. "How's that?"

"Well…" Yang started point to one card. "'Sandstorm' would be a pretty good way to stop the ground forces I got coming your way. Especially since Vacuo forces are immune to environmental hazards." She said motioning to the board. "'Resourceful Raider' will let you pick up part of Ruby's fleet that I just annihilated and make it your own. And that'll give you, wow, a whole lot of buffer against anyone trying to invade."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning you'll have more time for your factories to produce dust, which you can then use to power the Vacuo war-machine."

"And that means…?"

"In three turns time you'll have an attack and defense so strong that none of us will stand a chance." Ruby muttered dejectedly.

"Hahaha!" Weiss aid, standing up with elated glee. "I will soon end you all! Bow down to your almighty ruler! Weiss Schnee! The Empress of Remnant! Muwahahaha!"

"Trap activated." Yang said, playing the card from her hand. "'Faunus Uprising' Make a save of five or higher or lose your turn and half your resources by the multiplier failed."

"Uh wha-" Weiss began until Yang shoved a die in her face. The heiress took it and rolled. The three looked.

1

"Oh, critical failure." Yang said 'tsk'ing all the while. "Lose your turn and lose military force down to an eighth of its original strength."

Weiss sat down, before mimicking Ruby, shaking her head as she whined. "Nonononono! Why do bad things happen to good people!" Weiss then turned to Ruby. "Is she always this bad?"

"I tried to warn you! She's way too good at this! I've never won against her." Ruby wined. "Yang gets so cutthroat when she plays, she even made our Dad cry once!"

"Bah! He's too sensitive." Yang said, picking up the rest of her own cards. "Anyways, now that Vacuo and Atlas are in shambles time for Val-" The leader of XSBR stopped as she looked towards Blake.

The faunus girl caught Yang's gaze from her peripherals. "Huh? Sorry what? Is it my turn already?"

"Yeah, I just whooped Atlas and Vacuo and you're next."

"Oh, alright." Blake said, looking to her cards. "Just give me a second."

Yang got a concerned look on her face as Weiss and Ruby continued to sulk over their fallen forces. "Blake? You okay?"

Blake didn't meet her gaze and Yang was about to inquire further when a rather boisterous voice interceded.

"Hey hey hey!" Sun said, striding in with Neptune. "What's shaking… Blake… Yang… Ruby… and…" he paused looking at Weiss who just returned his unsure look with a quizzical one. 'Ice Queen!"

Weiss looked thoroughly insulted while Yang and Ruby had to catch themselves before they burst out laughing. "That's not my name, you stowaway!"

"I like to think of it as me and the ship going the same way."

"You committed a felony just so you wouldn't be late for school!"

"Hey, c'mon! That's gotta be a misdemeanor at best!" Sun shot back.

"Though maybe all those bananas you ate could be considered for grand larceny." Neptune quipped.

"Whose side are you on?" Sun asked as his tail whipped around in a frenzy.

"C'mon man, you know me better than to take your side against such… charming ladies." Neptune replied, looking directly at Weiss and sending a small tint of red across Weiss' pale skin.

Jaune, only a single table over, saw Weiss giggle as she looked towards the blue-haired pretty-boy and clenched his fist. Pyrrha saw this but said nothing as the two of them continued to eavesdrop and Ren continued to try and rouse Nora from slumber.

Sun meanwhile beamed down on Blake, but the faunus-girl suddenly got up. "I… I'm sorry I need to go…" she said before walking off quickly. Sun frowned as she hurried off and XSBR all looked at one another and after Blake with varying degrees of confusion.

As Blake walked the halls alone, she thought back to when she first entered the academy,

"Ms. Belladonna ,was it?" Ozpin asked.

"Yes sir." She answered curtly.

"The resume you've given is quite… remarkable." The headmaster said, putting his scroll down. "With transcripts like these, I must confess I'm unsure as to why you still wish to take the entrance exam. Would you kindly explain?"

"If I can't pass the exam, then it means that I'm not meant to be here." Blake replied. "It's just something… I need to do."

Ozpin peered over his glasses at her, seeming to take in the full measure of the girl before him. "Usually it is through the lesser schools of the Huntsman that they get in here, elsewise they take the exam to prove their worth to the school." He said. '"Is that what you're doing? Proving your worth?"

She said nothing.

"And if so, to whom?"

Again, silence.

Ozpin picked up his scroll again. "Do you know of the White Fang?"

Blake stiffened but remained silent.

"What am I saying? Of course you do, they're the terrorist organization. The ones saying they speak for the Faunus, what do you make of them?"

"They…" Blake sighed. "They were peaceful, once. But, when things weren't changing fast enough, they lost their way and turned to violence for more… immediate results.

Ozpin nodded his assent. "Did you know their activity is on the decline in Vale these past few months?"

Nothing.

"Oh yes, yes indeed." Ozpin said, clicking through his scroll and turning around showing Blake a map of Vale, indicators flagged all along the east coast of the continent. "It seems something has been disrupting their activities for the past year or so all the way from here, he said before zooming out showing the trail lead back to a fish-shaped island. "To Menagerie."

Blake eyed him, but her face was unchanged.

"You see, these strikes, they've been quick and precise. Reports have suggested it was a one-man operation in each case." Ozpin went on. "A few cells exposed, arrests made, nothing big, no. But there've been a lot of them, as if someone was making it their mission to root out the White Fang. What do you think of the mindset of such a person?"

Silence.

"Perhaps they too, like you, are trying to prove something? To themselves? To others?" The headmaster asked, looking to the bow atop Blake's head. "Even when it means going against…" he paused clearing his throat. "one's own kind?"

"Respectfully, Professor." Blake said, interrupting for the first time. "Is there something you're trying to ask of me?"

"Why?' Ozpin asked in return. "Is there something you'd like to say?"

Blake closed her eyes this time, somehow becoming more expressionless than ever before.

After a few moments, Ozpin sighed. "Very well. Your exam will be scheduled no earlier than four days' time. We will contact you through your scroll about the details." The headmaster motioned to the door and Blake took the cue to leave. "Oh, one last thing, Ms. Belladonna. The leader of the White Fang, do you happen to know his name?" Blake paused in the doorway, giving Ozpin a plain, emotionless expression. "Please, excuse me. Of course you wouldn't. Forgive me."

Blake said nothing, simply turning and leaving.

Blake arrived in XSBR's room, pulling up her legs and resting her chin on them, deep in thought.

Though she didn't get too deep as the rest of her team came into the room only a few minutes later.

Well, Yang and Weiss anyways, Ruby came behind a few seconds later, holding the board game in a jumbled mishmash of cards, tiles, and figurines. "Hey Yang, Weiss, thanks for helping me clean up before you ran off after Blake!" she grumbled before walking over to her desk and setting it down, meticulously taking apart the mess and putting everything in its right place.

"Okay Blake, what's up, what's eating you?" Yang asked, crossing her arms. Weiss was at her side, doing the same but saying nothing.

"You've been distracted the last few days, Blake." Her leader pointed out. "You're barely with us during training or studying. Something's on your mind, what is it?"

The faunus girl didn't meet her gaze, just turning to look out the window.

Yang sighed, sitting down next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Blake, is this about the White Fang?"

XSBR's leader felt the muscles in her shoulder give a small twinge at the mention of the name, but still Blake was silent.

"You shouldn't keep this to yourself, you know." Weiss said, stepping in Blake's line of sight. "You're on a team and when teammates can't trust each other, it'll only lead to trouble."

The faunus girl actually leveled an eye to Weiss.

"Being on this team is teaching us all a little something, I think." The heiress went on. "Like how I should treat… others… around me better. Especially those different than me."

Blake actually turned her head.

"And something you're learning to do, is trust again." She said, stepping closer and taking one of Blake's hands. "So trust us with what's bothering you, Blake? What's on your mind?"

Yang and Ruby were equally parts astonished and impressed, though Ruby wore it more clearly on her face. Yang for her part was also proud of Weiss, for trying, even this small gesture spoke volumes of her progress.

Blake stood up from the bed. "I'm… I'm really worried, you guys."

"Yes, we can gather that." Weiss said a bit too snarkily, earning a whack upside the head from Yang.

Clearly not enough progress.

Blake didn't seem to notice as she looked out the window and spoke, as if addressing someone standing right outside of it. "They're still out there you guys. You know they never found Roman's remains right? He could still be planning something with them against Vale." She paced, walking in circles around the room. "Even if he's not, the White Fang could have sent someone to take his place, or more troops, or better weapons or… or…"

Yang put her hand in its previous position, stopping Blake in her tracks. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up there Blake. Getting this worked up about it is going to help nothing and no one."

"Well then, it seems obvious what we must do." Weiss said a-matter-o-factly. "We have to inv

"INVESTIGATE!" Ruby shouted, her chair falling over with her sudden movement. "We'll find out what happened, find the White Fang, if they're involved, and put a stop to whatever dastardly deeds they're up to!"

"…yes, more or less." Weiss muttered.

Yang put a hand to her chin. "We'd have to be careful. Ozpin and the other teachers know about how we were involved with the White Fang heist last semester. I doubt they'll be pleased if they catch wind that we're doing things they've expressly told us not to do."

Ruby's face fell like a rock and even Weiss' mouth sagged at the corners.

"But… if it's for a friend's peace of mind, then I think it's worth the risk." She finished, as the three younger girl's faces all turned into a beaming smile, and a pair of smaller, satisfied smiles.

"Okay, great! Sound good!" She then ran over to the doorway. "But before you guys start the plans, hold that thought. I just finished counting the deck and we're missing some cards. Be right back!" She said running off.

She had barely turned the second corner when she ran face first into something, but she felt something quickly latch onto her wrist, and Ruby's fall to the ground stopped.

XSBR's youngest member senses focused once more and she saw what was grabbing her.

It was the lean, toned arm of a young man. He was pale, but well-built with gray eyes and hair, in a partially slicked back and unkempt look. A charming grin was on his features as he righted her to a standing position.

A small blush briefly appear on the young girl's face, from both embarrassment and, if only partially, due to the company she now had.

"Don't mention it." He said simply, the same smile on his features.

Ruby then noticed that they were not alone, in fact, there were at least a dozen people here besides.

"Almost had quite the spill there." Came another voice. Ruby turned to see a girl with brown-ish skin and dark-red eyes. Her hair was a light, mint-green with a straight fringe and bangs as well as two long locks on each side in the back.

She also currently wore a bemused half-smile on her face.

"Yeah, I… I'm sorry I should have watched where I was going."

"What is it? What happened?" Came a feminine voice. A fair-skinned woman with ashen-black hair that fell slightly over her left eye. Her bright amber eyes is what caught Ruby's attention the most as she stepped up to the three of them. The gaze also kept Ruby from speaking as if mesmerized by the woman's gaze. "Well?"

"Oh, it's nothing ma'am." The young man said, turning to her. "Just had a little run in, no harm done."

Ruby recognized the colors and uniforms after a few moments. "Oh, you guys are from Haven, aren't you?"

"We are." The woman replied, crossing her arms. "I was just showing the students around the campus."

Ruby puzzled on that. "Even the dormitories? For other schools?"

"Just being through." She replied evenly, turning her back on the young girl. "Come along now students! It's time to move on." With that the group walked on leaving her behind.

Ruby watched the go with some interest. When they left her line of sight, Ruby shrugged to herself. "They seem nice enough, I guess."

Done, please review.