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Chapter 115

"You told them the truth?"

Jaune wasn't entirely surprised to find Summer waiting outside Ozpin's office ready to shadow him. He'd half expected her to force her way inside, what with the emotional bombshell Oscar's appearance must have dropped on her. Jaune nodded briefly, but tilted his head to the side, subtly telling suggesting they get some distance from the elevator.

"I told them some truth," he explained in a quiet voice. Beacon was alive and busy, but that only helped conceal the light conversation of two people walking side by side. "They know I've misled Salem into believing my allegiance lies with her. They don't know anything about the future, my power or Cinder."

"And me…?"

"They don't know about you."

"Good." Summer rubbed her hands together and looked around nervously. "I've never done anything against Ozpin and Qrow before. Even lying to them this much is nerve-wracking. What if I'm making the wrong decision?"

"Are you?"

"No! I won't let Ruby and Yang… Right. I get it." Closing her eyes, she sighed briefly. "Fine. So I'm not making the wrong decision, but still, it's not easy to pretend I don't know anything. Ozpin was asking all kinds of questions when I picked him up and I could barely hear any of them. All I could see was that he was Oscar, you were right, and that it means he really did throw my children's' lives away."

It must have been hard to find out someone you'd trusted for so long couldn't be. Ruby had been much the same in trusting Ozpin blindly – why not? He'd gotten her into Beacon early, worked with her mom and always seemed to know what to do to save the world. For someone with such a simple dream of heroism as her, Ozpin might have seemed like the kindly wizard in some fairy tale, leading the adventurers on the path to glory.

Life wasn't so simple. Ozpin might have been a wizard and he might have been good intentioned – he certainly was on the side of good – but in real life, not everyone made it out alive. In real life, victory was bought in blood. Just like it had been Pyrrha's, that moment where he first lost any real confidence in the man. He'd thought it unfair at first; that he was judging Ozpin for a choice Pyrrha made.

What choice had there really been? Become the Fall Maiden and risk your life or say no and someone else must become her, someone less capable and more likely to be murdered. There hadn't been a choice at all.

"What now…?" Summer asked in a whisper.

"Now, I follow up on what Salem told us. I'm still not sure I believe this end of the world thing. It could be a ruse – or it could be something she genuinely believes but is wrong about. It wouldn't be the first time Salem made a mistake and doomed an entire civilisation."

"More ruin diving. Now of all times? I'm having a breakdown, Jaune."

"I – we – have to know." He stopped, considered. "You could come with me."

"What!?"

It sounded a crazy idea considering he'd done everything on his own thus far, but the idea grew on him, nonetheless. "You're involved. You know my secret. You might spot something I'd miss. Plus, Ozpin and Qrow would be a lot less nervous about how far I'm going if you were with me."

Summer balked. "They're doubting you!? Do they think you'd join Salem?"

"They didn't say it." He was quick to defend them. "I'm putting words in their mouth. It's just, well, I know how Ozpin's brain works sometimes. I don't think Qrow would doubt me, but if Ozpin started to – paranoid as he is – then he might make Qrow start to think it as well."

"How paranoid is old Ozpin?"

"As paranoid as anyone betrayed as many times as he's been. Anyone who's been through as much as him is going to be mentally unsound, if not completely insane."

Ozpin hadn't shown any sign of that, amazingly. He would eventually, though. Maybe not this life or even the next hundred, but how long could an `immortal` truly live for before they'd seen everything, experienced everything, and no longer cared for the world. There had to be a limit to what the mind could process. If Salem's warning of Remnant turning into a dust barren rock was true, his madness would surely come then.

If it's true. Any doubt I have for Ozpin should be magnified a hundredfold for something she says.

That was why he had to find the truth. Why they, if Summer agreed, had to find it. Though what Salem thought would be evidence enough to prove it to them, he had no idea. Books, tomes and murals weren't going to do it. People made up folklore and superstition all the time. There were ancient tribes who worshipped the sun. Believing the world's life energy consisted of dust was just as farfetched.

Believable, though. Or at least understandable at the time. It wasn't hard to imagine a time before science and education where someone might dig up a glowing crystal from beneath the ground, discover its, what must have at the time seemed magical, properties and declared it `blood of the planet` or something similar. Beliefs had been born around stranger things.

"Well?" he asked. "Do you want to come?"

"I do." Summer turned to face him. "I want to. The question is whether I'll be able to."

"It shouldn't be hard to convince Ozpin. We'll say I'm planning to contact Salem and that I need to look like I'm sneaking out of Vale to do it. You shadowing me would sell the image of Ozpin mistrusting me to any of Salem's spies that happen to be in the area. If we phrase it like that, Ozpin will probably agree. He trusts you to stay loyal to him." He saw her flinch. "And you are, Summer. Being loyal to Ozpin doesn't mean never questioning his decisions. Ozpin wants the end of Salem. So do we. You really think he'll care if we work around his exact orders to the same goal?"

"No. I guess not. With how he acted at the end, it's clear he believes results matter more than means." Her smile was weak, but it was there. "We should be the same."

"Yes." He clapped her shoulder. "And I never said Ozpin enjoyed what happened. I'm sure if we could give him a world where he could win without sacrificing anyone, he'd grasp it with tears in his eyes and never let go."

"Y-Yeah. Let's do that."

/-/

"Having a spy on the inside. That's new." Qrow mused out loud, leaning against the back wall and wondering whether he should sit. His legs felt like they weren't sure how to act. His knees wanted to shake but wouldn't. His head was spinning. "Risky, but I mean, it's a good thing." Even he wasn't sure. "Isn't it?"

"Perhaps." Ozpin sat with his elbows on the desk, fingers before his face. "Only time will tell."

"You're worried about something."

"I'm always worried about something, Qrow. You'll need to be more specific."

"Jaune. You're afraid he'll turn traitor. He won't." Qrow stepped forward, waving a hand before him. "He might be mysterious as all hell and we both know he's keeping secrets, but one thing that ain't a secret is how much he cares for the kids here. Not just his, but Yang and Ruby too. And those he's trained." It wasn't hard to see how involved Jaune had become with his students. "If any of them got stuck on a mission, you know he'd rush out there to help them personally."

"He is a good man," Ozpin agreed. "But good men can be swayed."

"I don't buy it. I trust him."

"As do I, Qrow. I trust Mr Ashari will make the best decisions and with the good of the students and his daughter in mind, but do you know what else I trust? I trust that Salem, after thousands of years of practice, has mastered the art of manipulation. I trust that she has turned good men like Lionheart to her cause. I trust that if anyone on Remnant can change a man's mind, it would be her."

Qrow huffed angrily. "That's it, then? He might go rogue so he's a traitor already?"

"I only said I was worried, Qrow, not that I'd made my mind up. Please restrain your temper - I'm aware Mr Ashari is a friend of yours and I'm not accusing him of anything other than being well-intentioned."

Qrow ran a hand through his hair and looked away. Defensiveness around his friends was a common problem born from that stick up for yourself or be crushed attitude the Branwen tribe instilled in a child. Back then, you had to stick with those you trusted, or you'd be eaten alive.

"Having someone on the inside will be valuable and it's something I've considered in the past. Ultimately, I've never dared try it. Whomever I might send would have to commit unspeakable deeds and face the worst Remnant has to offer. I couldn't willingly send someone into that kind of nightmare, let alone expect them to come out unchanged."

There were stories about that among police, weren't there? Of undercover officers having to do terrible things and cross lines they'd never wanted to come close to in order to keep their cover. Those people inevitably came out changed, but there were also those who turned and came to love what they were pretending to be. Those that went rogue. That was usually for drugs, money, sex or whatever else, though. Not world-ending insanity.

"He can handle it. I have faith in him."

"If he can, we've struck a blow against Salem today. If he can't, we may have allowed a man to make a decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life." Ozpin let the issue go with a lingering, "Let's hope this decision doesn't come back to haunt us either."

/-/

"Dad!"

Emerald didn't care who saw her crash into her father's chest. Her team had long since given up on thinking it embarrassing, while Weiss and Whitley didn't care, and Nora and Ren seemed to think it appropriate. Anyone else didn't matter in the slightest. There were a few muffled laughs and whispered insults that went ignored. Insults from people you didn't care about were worthless after all. Words on the air.

"You're getting bigger every time I see you."

"I haven't grown an inch…"

"It's a parent thing," he said, rubbing her hair. "You'll understand when you have children of your own." The excuse worked as it always did because she wouldn't ever argue when he called himself her parent. "How have you been? I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately."

"It's fine. Will you be here for school holidays?"

"If I'm not, I'll take you wherever I'm going," he promised. "We'll spend the holidays together one way or another."

Good. They were only two weeks off school, but she intended to spend all fourteen days with him. Whether that was in their home or wandering the wilderness didn't really matter. It'd be just like old days if that were the case. Except for the fact Vernal would be tagging along. Stupid Vernal ruining everything.

A char scraped across the floor. Blake stood up and left without a word of explanation to her teammates or anyone else there. Emerald knew the reason even if the others didn't. Her eyes narrowed but a light tap on her head by Jaune's finger told her to stop. Why he kept wanting to not call her out, she had no idea.

"I'll go after her," Weiss said. "She's probably just in a mood."

"I'm sure she is," Dad said kindly. "Nice to see you again, Weiss. So, how are you three doing on Emerald's team? Is she being nice to you?"

"Eh. She's not bad." Yang's lack of absolute praise earned a fierce glare. "No longer trading barbs with Jaune 2.0. That's a nice change."

Jaune 2.0 looked a little annoyed by his nickname. He'd be going back to his own family during the holidays since he hadn't technically run away from home like he had the first time. I should do something about that tattoo of his. Mom would kill us if she found out, and Jade and Hazel would rat us out the second they noticed it.

It was strange thinking of this boy as `we` and `himself` like that. Sadly, there wasn't much he could do. Given his similarities of face and name, he wasn't sure he'd be welcome in the Arc home. There had been family beyond Nicholas Arc, but from what he remembered his father saying, they weren't on good terms. If Nicholas thought him from that side of the family, he might not want him near his current one. And to be honest, that was probably for the best. He wasn't sure how he'd handle his family treating him like a stranger. It would be too easy to mess up and call them be one of their usual nicknames.

"I'm glad to hear she's making friends. How about your training, Yang, Sun? Keeping up with it?"

"Of course. Miss Blonde Kick Ass is still in business."

"I do what I can," Sun said slyly. "When I'm not busy carrying Yang's dead weight in two on two fights."

"You what now? Ha. Last time I remember, it was me who carried you!"

"Then your head isn't screwed on right, dear partner, because I remember you getting stuck in Whitley's revolver tornado thing and needing me to pull your ass out the fire."

"And I remember you getting your ass kicked by that girl with the multicoloured hair."

"Hey, she's tough as old nails!"

"If you two are done flirting…" Jaune teased.

"Me and Yang?" Sun laughed. "Nah. I'm still saving myself for Emerald."

Bold of him to say it in front of her. Even bolder for her to say it in front of him. Jaune laughed it off, idly watching his little girl roll her eyes. He wondered if Emerald didn't take it seriously or not. Sun seemed to be going for the slow approach, which he appreciated. Em wasn't the kind of girl who'd be won over by a pretty face and forward attitude.

"I'll wish you luck then."

"Don't need it. Besides, didn't a certain fortune teller tell me I'd end up with her?"

He knew what Sun was referring to, but not whom. He'd said Sun would end up with Blake, hadn't he? That was unlikely to happen now because aside from sitting and eating lunch together, they didn't appear to interact much. Does he think I meant Emerald? I said it would be someone who wouldn't return his feelings initially but who would grow to love him…

Oh. Oh, that made sense.

Well, it wasn't like Sun didn't have a chance. As much as Emerald didn't look interested in boys or girls, he was still among the select few she tolerated. That had to count for something. Jaune stamped down on the little bit of protectiveness he felt, trusting both Emerald and Sun, if it ever came to that. Frankly, it would be less awkward than Emerald developing feelings for Jaune 2.0. That'd just be weird.

"Are you staying in Vale, dad?"

"Soon," he promised. "I've got a little archaeology project to deal with. It's in Vale," he assured her, "And I'll be back within a few days. Then, I'm planning to stay until after the school holidays, so we'll do something fun. Got any ideas?"

"Book store and food."

He rolled his eyes. "I meant special ideas. I'll take you out shopping every day if you want to – and eating out saves me having to cook. I meant is there anything special you want to do?"

"Sacrifice Vernal to the dark gods?"

"Ahah." Jaune laughed nervously. "How about I just surprise you? How about the rest of you?" he asked casually. "Any plans?"

"Weiss and I will be returning to Atlas to spend time with the family," Whitley said, idly trying to slide over to sit next to Emerald. He was glowering Sun's way. "With the White Fang dealt with, we're free to go back. You should come visit Winter."

And bring Emerald with him, Whitley didn't say. Cute attempt.

"I'll think about it, but any visits to Winter will probably be during term time so we can spend some time alone together, not with you all to distract us." Feeling sorry for him, he added, "But you're welcome to bunk at our place if you come back to Vale a day or two early. I'm sure Em would appreciate being saved from Vernal."

"Yes!" Emerald jumped on it. "Please come."

Whitley's face flushed red. Jaune hoped it was from her eagerness to have him over and not some unfortunate and hormonal wordplay. "A-Ah, of course. I'd love to."

"Rubes and I are taking Zwei to dog training." Yang boasted. "We're gonna teach him tricks and how to socialise with other dogs. Dad says we have to since we unlocked his aura," she added bashfully.

"Wait." Sun rounded on her. "You can unlock a dog's aura?"

"Apparently."

"How could you ever know to do that?"

"Didn't. Did it anyway."

"But aura requires concentration and training to push to the right spot – it's why we have to be trained to use it. How could a dog have any concept of how to use aura?"

"Zwei's smart."

"This goes a little past smart, Yang!"

"Yeah well, that's why he needs to be trained. Dad says he's bored in the house. This is mental stimulation or something. I'm kinda hoping to train Ruby while I'm at it. Loads of other people our age with pets she can step out her comfort zone to make friends with."

"Sneaky," Jaune commented. "I like it."

He looked to Nora and Ren, but they confirmed they'd be staying at Beacon. It wasn't unexpected given that Ozpin still thought Nora the Spring Maiden, but he had to ask to not look suspicious. Of course, Ozpin had died as far as they were all concerned. Glynda was the new headmistress and carrying on his work.

"Mr Ashari." Glynda's indignant tone had him and the students craning their necks. "I know I'm not seeing you here disturbing students when lessons resume in five minutes' time."

He smiled back. "Alright. You know I'm not."

Yang tittered.

"To your lessons, students," the new headmistress urged. "I'm sure you can chat more at the end of the day. I need to have a few words with Mr Ashari."

"Uh-oh. What did you do this time?" Yang teased.

"Miss Xiao-Long, a teacher asking to have words with someone does not always denote punishment – though I can see why you might think so with your record."

"Burn!" Sun cheered. He held a palm up to Glynda who pointedly did not high-five him. "Eh. It was worth a shot. See you later, Mr Ashari. Come on, Em. If you still want to hold onto someone, I'm here."

"Idiot."

Emerald gave Jaune one last squeeze and pushed away, walking past an open armed Sun. He laughed and chased after her, flanked by her team, Weiss' and Whitley. Jaune watched them all go, thinking back on when that easy fun and banter had been his. It felt so long ago. He supposed it was now. He'd been in this timeline for around ten years.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked once they were gone.

"Not as such. I've had Summer ask me for a week off work to go on some trip with you."

"It sounds bad when you put it like that."

"I wasn't suggesting extramarital affairs. Goodness." Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sighed into her hand. "I'm prepared to grant her request. Work naturally slows down as we approach the holiday period. Or rather the students stop paying attention. I wanted to make sure she would be coming back in one piece."

"I'm not intending to harm her."

"Obviously. What I'm asking is how dangerous this journey is."

"Oh. Right." He was letting his paranoia over Ozpin's paranoia – which sounded weird even in his head – get the better of him. "It shouldn't be a big risk. Ozpin has told you what I said, hasn't he?"

"He has."

"Then you know I'm not at risk of being attacked by them for now. There might be some Grimm but nothing we can't handle. I don't think we'll be there for long. Day of travel, maybe one or two nights there and then a day to get back."

"You don't want a Bullhead?"

Jaune checked to make sure they were alone before saying, "I'd like to imply I'm not trusted enough for that."

Glynda frowned, understanding. "Are you sure that's wise? You'd be a more valuable agent to her if she believed you to be implicitly trusted by us."

"I've spoken to her." He watched Glynda's expression flicker. Doubt, surprise, intrigue. "One of the things I got was that she respects Ozpin more than you'd think. Same as he does her. They both consider the other to be the biggest threat to them."

"Understandable. They've had millennia to hone their craft. You think it will be suspicious if Ozpin acts as though he's completely oblivious? Don't you think it will be even more so if he immediately figures out you're a traitor?"

"Not immediate. And besides, Ozpin has doubted me in the past. He's paranoid."

"Since when?"

Since forever. "It's not just about fooling Salem." The confession had Glynda raising her head. "Even if I say I'm only feigning working for Salem, there's going to be some suspicion on Ozpin's part. We both know that."

"Hmm." Glynda would neither confirm nor deny it. "Go on."

"I want Summer there as proof I'm on the straight and narrow. Something to make Ozpin feel a little safer trusting me. Last thing I need is for him to really get it in his head I'm joining Salem. Do you think I would with Emerald being within your grasp?"

"No. Not for a moment."

"Exactly. Ozpin, though. He's been betrayed by Lionheart. Killed by him."

"I see your point." Glynda sighed and stepped back. "I'll admit, Ozpin has more right to be suspicious now than before Lionheart's actions. Very well. I'll approve Summer's request for a week off and hire in a substitute."

"Thank you."

"Just be careful. You're trying to trick someone with over a thousand years of experience. Don't get yourself killed for this. We can fight this war without having someone in her inner circle."

"I'll be careful. I have a daughter to come back to."

Glynda stared into his eyes. Whatever she was looking for, she must have found because she nodded once. "Good. For what it's worth, I trust you. I did before you killed Hazel and before you rescued Miss Nikos. It's easy to fake things, but not the amount of pride you took in training your students." Stepping past him, she whispered. "Don't risk yourself unnecessarily."

/-/

Jaune spent the night at Beacon in one of the guest rooms and met with Summer alone in her office for a light breakfast. She arrived with a travelling pack and supplies collected from their new home in the city. It was a shame to think of Ruby and Yang no longer living in Patch, but they seemed to love having a busier place to grow up. It helped they were near Emerald.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Hmhm." Summer looked excited to get out there. "I talked to Tai about it last night. I hope you don't mind."

"Did you tell him everything?"

"Not all of it. Just the parts about you pretending to serve Salem and me tagging along for Ozpin's sake. I'm not sure he'd believe the rest and if he did… well, I'm not sure it would be a good idea. Tai would go straight for Ozpin if he heard what happened to Yang and Ruby."

"He's a good man."

"You don't need to tell me that, dummy. I married him."

"True. True. So, he's okay with you spending a week with me alone in the wilderness?"

Summer rolled her eyes and made a gesture like she wanted to chuck something heavy at his head. Taiyang was probably fine with him, especially since he was engaged and had saved Summer's life in the past. There shouldn't be any real danger on this. Salem wants me to find whatever it is so no one will interfere.

"Have you looked this place up?" Summer asked.

"I have. Surprisingly, it's documented." He came over and showed her his scroll, which he had open to a geological dig report. Summer leaned in to take a look as he went through the pictures. "It was found about ninety years back and mostly looked over."

"Then what are we looking for?"

"This." He flicked to a new image. "This door is sealed, and they couldn't get it open even with explosives. It has magic written all over it. Quite literally," he added, indicating the scripture dotting the stone. "Emerald and I found a few of these on our travels. I know how to open them. Whatever Salem wants me to see must be inside."

"And that is…?"

"No idea. She wouldn't say. Said something about wanting me to see it myself without any bias from her."

Salem knew he wouldn't trust her word and so wanted it clear she wasn't giving any. That worried him because it implied there really was something in there that might shock him. On the other hand, Ozpin hadn't necessarily tried to stop him going out so maybe that was a sign there wasn't anything to see. That or Ozpin didn't remember or realise what was there. Too many possibilities. He had to keep an open head.

Given the choice, I'd side with Ozpin every time. Whatever this is, it better be convincing.

"What if it's the truth?" Summer asked nervously. "What if Salem is right and we are ticking down the time Remnant has left? What do we do then…?"

He had no idea.

"We'll burn that bridge when – if – we get to it. And even if it's true, that doesn't mean her idea of genocide is the right solution. Nothing will change."

"Yes. Even if it's true, we can still fight her."

Salem knew that too and still sent them here. What was hidden in that temple? If she felt confident enough that it would change his mind, then it couldn't be nothing. Jaune's head was pounding. Nothing he could think of would do it. Words could be lies. Scripture could be wrong. Even scientific studies made mistakes every now and then. What could she possibly show him that would change his mind?

I guess we're about to find out.

Maybe that was another benefit of having Summer there. An objective mind to look at whatever they found from another angle. Two heads were better than one, especially when it came to dismissing wild theories.

"We'd best be ready for anything."

"Yes." Summer nodded and moved to her pack. On the way, she picked up her weapon. "Are we expecting Grimm?"

"I received another message from Salem along with the coordinates," he told her. "A warning. Nice of her to give it."

"What did it say?"

"That sometimes doors are made to keep people out and other times to keep people in."

"That's not even subtle," Summer said. "So, there's a big ass Grimm inside? Or a person, but they'd be long dead by now. Unless you think it's another immortal?"

"I doubt that. He or she would pick a side, which means Ozpin or Salem would try and recruit them. Plus, if it were the same magic of the Ashari that they used to become this way, that person could open the door. No, there's something else locked in there. Given the first murals of Grimm attacking the Ashari, I'm willing to bet it's that. They might have sealed away Grimm they couldn't kill with magic."

"And we're unleashing it…"

"We're killing it," Jaune said. "And trust me, if it's too big a threat to deal with, we'll close the door and seal it again. Salem seems to think I could handle it on my own. Technology has come a long way since the time of the Ashari. They might not even have had aura back then."

"Even a Beowolf is an impossible monster to a civilian," Summer said, reciting an old huntsman saying. The smallest Grimm that huntsmen could cut through in their hundreds could still be terrifying creatures to those untrained and unable to defend themselves. "I guess if it gets bad, we can call on Beacon for help. We won't be far away by air travel."

"If we need to." Jaune hefted his own pack and strapped it over his shoulders. Considering he'd only stopped for a single night after the trip to Mistral, there was no packing or unpacking to be done. No rest for the wicked. "You ready?"

"Yep. Let's see what `truth` Salem has to offer."

There we go

Next Chapter: 25th July

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