And we're back. This story is almost done, so thank you to everyone who has stuck it out with me this far. I do want to call out a review left by a user called " XXxxxadisxxxXX " after I posted the last chapter. They thought that the shift in Cardin's point of view to sudden and was therefore unbelievable. My answer is, you're right. In retrospect, I should have spent more time working through his character change, showing how his interactions with his peers would cause him to be influenced. It was a mistake, and I attribute it to my lack of experience writing before. This was my first story, and I hope to learn from it as I continue to write more. If you guys want, after the last chapter (which will be the next one) I can post my thoughts on what I would change/improve if I were to write this story again. I'll also answer any questions you guys leave for me in the reviews, be they about the choices I made or what headcanon I came up with but didn't write about in the story itself. But that's only if you guys are interested.

Sorry about the rant, here's the story. Please enjoy.

The opening fight the next day was one that would be remembered throughout the rest of the tournament; Team Coffeecake's Coco and Fox versus Team Crimson's Mercury and Emerald. Mercury and Emerald's opening gambit was the same as they had planned before the last minute substitution of Fox, with the duo disappearing into the long grass before Mercury distracting the two with close quarters combat. However, Fox's presence changed the tempo of the fight. Instead of Mercury being able to go back and forth against two slower opponents, he had to spend more time fending off the blind bladesman, who could actually match the kick boxer's speed. With Mercury unable to provide a sufficient distraction, Coco was able to bat aside Emerald's sickle's and keep the fight out of the forest. If Coco and Fox's opponents were normal Hunters in training, the duo would have a more than fair chance at taking the win. Alas, these two could fight toe to toe with a fully trained huntress and maiden to boot.

Emerald ended up abandoning the forest, closing in and engaging Fox. She used the full length of her chains to keep his attention on her. All in all, a close fight between the two of them, especially as Emerald's illusionary semblance practically rolled off of Fox's empty eyes. The other fight, on the other hand, was a completely one sided affair. When it came down to it, Coco's weighted briefcase was a poor weapon against the son of Marcus Black. And once the fashionista had bitten the dust, it was merely a matter of time until Fox was simply overwhelmed by the two stronger opponents.

The crowds were roaring their approval at the senseless combat, and the various professionals and faculty in attendance were quick to offer their appreciation for the victor's tactics and the defeated participants' refusal to surrender the favorable terrain to their opponents. However, the most surprising thing was the rest of team CFVYC's lack of support. In fact, they weren't even there at all.

… … … … … … …

If it weren't so important he remain quiet, Cardin would have many complaints he would be voicing at the moment. Firstly would be his current role in the plan. Yes, the original idea of catching Carran in the act, trying to steal the Soulplate, was his. He was rather proud of having connected the dots, figuring out the evil scheme. He just didn't really like what he was doing for it. Here he was, one of the strongest first years, on the strongest second year team in Beacon, wielding one of the most powerful weapons from the Great War, standing in a closed locker.

Waiting.

Standing and waiting.

Brothers, he cursed to himself, next time Yatsuhashi can be the living mannequin. It had to have been at least an hour since they had shut him in this blasted thing. Couldn't his step-father be a little more prompt in his evilness?

Eventually, Cardin was able to hear the school's locker room door opening, followed by the sound of several people trying to move quickly between the benches towards him. He was fairly certain he could make out the sound of Steel's approach simply from the number of things the oafish man kicked on his way over.

"Silence," Carran's voice hissed, "You imbeciles could wake the dead." Cardin could almost hear the shake of Carran's head. The arms dealer was the first to arrive at the locker holding Cardin's armor. "At least make sure we aren't disturbed." After a minute, the door to the locker swung open, Carran's master code still valid for the device. Cardin was now able to see the man unhindered. The once composed and arrogant look the man used to parade about was now spoiled by obvious signs of the man's desperation. The once immaculate suit showing wrinkles, hair out of place and eyes rimmed with the faint bloodshot look of a man who wasn't slept well in a not inconsiderate amount of time. However, now the eyes were alight with an almost manic glee upon seeing his quarry. Cardin had to suppress the bubble of laughter that welled up in his throat when Carran heard a voice coming from the doorway behind him.

… … … … … … …

"What do we have here?" Yatsuhashi's deep voice reverberated through the locker room. Immediately, the five trespassers whirled about to face the giant student occupying the door. Yatsuhashi was quick to identify the goons as Steel's teammates. The team had put up quite the poor showing, being eliminated in the first round by a single girl from Atlas in green.

"Do you know who you're speaking to, boy?" Carran snarled, trying to sound in control while shifting behind his muscle. "I am a council member, and may do what I please!"

"Does that go so far as to let you steal from huntsmen?" Yatsu replied, stepping into the room. Steel tried to circle to Yatsu's flank, but when a large orange blade was lowered in his direction, decided to hold his ground.

"He had no right to it anyway," Carran sneered, stealing a glance back at the armor. "The Whey estate should have stayed mine, after all the bribes I paid in getting those blasted brats."

"So, you'd stoop so low as to use children in your schemes?" The expression of disgust that bloomed on his face could have curdled milk.

"Children? Hardly. The bitch was to be Steel's play thing and the bastard turned into a dog, loyal to us." Carran sighed heavily. "Sadly, she didn't want to play nice and he couldn't control his bleeding heart."

"And you don't deny breaking in here to steal the armor?"

Carran's scowl deepend. "I don't see how it matters now, you won't be around to tell anyone."

"I don't need to tell anyone." said Yatsu, a smirk rising to his face. He glanced back over his shoulder. "Got it all?"

"Yup," a chipper voice replied, in a british accent. "And I went ahead and sent it to the headmaster, just in case." Velvet stepped around her giant teammate to wave mockingly at the stunned trespassers.

"We can still take you out before help comes!" Steel shouted, shouldering his exceedingly large mace.

"You made three mistakes, coming here." Yatsu replied calmly, sending a nearby bench skidding across the floor with an aura enhanced kick, clearing the space around him. "First, you let me pick where to fight, and let me make room. Secondly, you got caught up monologuing." Yatsu sank into a defensive stance, his legs held wide and blade pointed up.

"And the third?" Carran said, backing up into the suit of armor behind him. He froze as he felt an impossibly large, metal gauntlet grab his shoulder, squeezing so hard he felt his whole collarbone creak under the pressure.

Cardin's voice answered from behind him, slightly muffled through the helm. "You forgot about me."

… … … … … … …

All told, the great final confrontation between son and step-father was rather pathetic. While Carran may have been able to grandstand and threaten from behind a wall of meatshields, once he felt the armored figure behind him latch down on his shoulder, the former tycoon was quick to surrender. Then, it was just a matter of waiting for Ozpin to arrive with a few members of the security staff, and all five were taken away in aura-suppressing cuffs.

Cardin watched the bullhead take off, heading back down toward Vale proper, with a deep feeling of dissatisfaction gnawing at his gut. He had spent how many years of his life held by a mixture of fear and awe of that man, and it was over, just like that?

As if summoned by his thoughts, a voice spoke behind him, "Revenge doesn't quite feel as good as you had hoped, Mister Whey?" Cardin turned to see the headmaster standing beside him. The boy just shrugged and turned back to face the horizon. "I've found that it is often the more influential or personal a criminal is, the more mixed our response is when they are put away."

"You got a lot of experience with that?" Cardin asked, still tracking the bullhead over the green forest seperating school from city. "Putting away criminals?"

Ozpin frowned into his mug before answering, "I wouldn't quite describe the students of this academy as my children, despite how childish they may act sometimes." Cardin could swear he heard the headmaster mutter something about a food fight, but wasn't sure. "But I do care for each one that walks out as a Hunter or Huntress. When one or some succeed, I cheer and celebrate for them. Likewise, when one falls in the line of duty, I grieve and reavow my enmity to the Grimm. However, the ones I regret the most, are when Hunters choose to fight not the monsters at our throats, but their fellow men. Everytime one goes rogue, I ask myself 'Why?' 'How could I have kept them from this?' And, when they are all eventually brought in, like Mister Torchwick, I not only remember what they have done to deserve their incarceration, but more often than not I can remember the child I once taught, before they changed. I wouldn't presume to know what you are feeling, but I can't imagine it's too dissimilar." The silver haired man punctuated his speech with a sip of his beverage. The two stood there, until the aircraft became indistinguishable from the horizon.

Ozpin was the first to turn back to the school, his cane clicking along the cobblestones at his side as he walked away. "By the way, your teammates were eliminated this morning, losing to a team from Haven."

"Headmaster?" Cardin called out, turning around. Ozpin stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Did they fight well?" The headmaster considered for a moment, before nodding his approval. "Then did they really lose?" Cardin asked. If you had asked him later, Cardin would swear up and down that Ozpin did, in fact, drop his mug, laughing on his way back to the school.

Team CFVYC accept their defeat with grace, focusing more on self-improvement rather than anger at their foes. They would take two days off, recovering from the fight, before showing up to watch the solo fights and cheering on their friends and comrades. Spirits high, CFVYC embraced the spirit of the Vytal Festival, planning to spend the rest of it without a care in the world.

It wouldn't last.

Thank you for reading. If you liked the story, please favorite. If you want to keep up with my updates, follow it. But most importantly, please leave me a review with your thoughts. I read every one as I get them, and I genuinely want to make the story better, and your thoughts help a lot. Thanks, and see you next time!