Chapter 11

When Pyrrha entered Ozpin's office, she was surprised to see that it had changed slightly, with a large screen set up on one side. Ozpin moved to his desk and tapped a few keys, with the screen turning on as it displayed the word "calling" across it. A mans face appeared a few moments later.

"Ozpin, right on schedule. Is this the one we talked about?"

"Indeed." He gestured towards Pyrrha. "Pyrrha Nikos, this is General James Ironwood."

"No, it's not." The words slipped from her lips before she could think any further on it, but the gut reaction had been strong. She didn't know who the man was, but it certainly wasn't the general she had known. "That's not the general."

Ozpin looked to the screen, a slightly cocksure expression on his face as the man scowled. A hand patted the man on the shoulder from offscreen, and he stood up and left. "Thank you, Clover." The real General Ironwood said as he took the man's place. "I'll take over from here."

"Satisfied James?"

The general frowned at the camera. "She could have looked up my face in advance, I'm not exactly an unknown figure."

"Did Atlas Intelligence find anything to suggest such on her searches?"

"No…" He was begrudging to admit it, but Pyrrha didn't care, picking up what had just been suggested.

"Wait, you looked through my search history!?"

Ozpin did at least have the politeness to look sheepish even while the General gave no sign of shame. "What you told me was a lot to believe. I believe you- I do." He cut off her reactive insisting that it was the truth. "But I couldn't trust such things on word alone, and neither could the General. We needed to do some digging and verify what we could."

"And verify we have." Ironwood's tone had an even stronger scowl than the one he wore on his face. "Are we ready to begin this meeting?"

"Not quite, we're still waiting for- ah, Glynda, welcome."

Glynda Goodwitch walked into the office with an expression unreadable, but certainly not happy. "First year teams have been given direction to their rooms, I've pulled in Bart to help field any questions so I could make some time for this." She turned to the lone student in the room. Pyrrha expected some kind of beratement about the extra work that had clearly been forced upon her, but was surprised when Glynda's expression softened and she put two reassuring hands on Pyrrha's shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I- what? Yeah, I'm okay."

"Ozpin has informed me of what you told him. What you experienced. It's okay if you're not comfortable, we can talk later."

Pyrrha looked away, uncomfortable with the sudden gentleness that she'd failed to prepare for. "I'm okay, I can do this. Whatever… this is."

Ozpin pulled out his tablet and began to display several different items on the screen. "We're here to discuss all that you've told us, and what we've been able to verify. Then, what will our next move be. First and foremost, is Amber."

Several pictures appeared, some looking like random wilderness, but a few were pictures of a person. Amber, just as Pyrrha had seen her in the tube. Only one picture had her in the machine, the rest seemed to be a mix of stock profile pictures and post attack, before she was sealed.

"Qrow managed to rescue Amber from this area before she was killed in an attack by three assailants. From what we know from Pyrrha's future, Amber showed no signs of recovery."

"Expected." The general added, looking through a few reports of his own. "But if Pyrrha's words are true, then at least the machine will keep her stable. Will we still be going ahead with her transfer?"

"We shall." He turned to Pyrrha to clear up her confusion. "Amber was planned to be moved to the Beacon sub-level vault under the escort of Specialist Winter Schnee. This decision had been made shortly before you came to me with your story." He turned back to the screen. "Beacon still presents the least security risk, particularly in light of the Winter Maiden's current health concerns. It will also give us the best chance for predicting our opponents moves. Speaking of…" He began to tap several keys. "Thanks to Pyrrha's testimony, we have managed to identify the assailants and confirm them with Qrow Branwen's eyewitness account. These are our targets."

A single tap on his tablet, and Cinder was once again before her. Pyrrha gasped, her breathing becoming sharp and her heart rate skyrocketing. She was back in the tower as it burned, as those golden eyes stared down at her with murderous intent. Pyrrha didn't even realise she had stepped back until she felt Miss Goodwitch's arm on her back.

"S-Sorry, I-… yes, that's her." Pyrrha forced herself to look back, embracing the hate that gave her strength enough to conquer her fear. "That's Cinder Fall."

The picture was a standard educational front facing profile, but those eyes seemed to stare right into her soul. Miss Goodwitch kept her hand on Pyrrha's back in support. Once it seemed she'd calmed down enough, Ozpin continued.

"The Maiden's power is currently split between Amber and this Cinder Fall. Even shared, this power makes her strong enough to be a considerable threat to even fully trained Huntsman and Huntresses. We know her next target will be Beacon itself, to take the rest of the Maiden powers and likely the…" He hesitated as he looked at Pyrrha. "The relic."

She blinked. "What's a relic?"

"I'll have to inform you of a great deal Miss Nikos. But for now, consider it to be an object of great power."

"Is it official then?" Ironwood asked. "Is she to be brought into the fold? Told everything?"

"She will. Miss Nikos has done us a tremendous service by bringing this information to us. She has been honest with us even at the risk of appearing… outlandish. We will reapy her honesty with our own."

"Another time." Glynda cut in, her hands moving from the girls back to her shoulders, protectively. "This is enough to take in for her as it is."

"Indeed." Ozpin tapped at his tablet and new pictures appeared, focusing on Cinder, Emerald, Mercury, and someone else. "The three individuals that have been named by Miss Nikos match the records in Haven Academy's system. The fourth, one who goes by Mint, appears to fit the description of a known accomplice of Roman Torchwick. We know her as Neo."

Another picture appeared, this one from a security camera that had captured a profile picture of Neo. Easy to do, as she stood posing side by side with Roman himself.

"As she is already known to us in Vale, it appears she has taken on a disguise for her Haven records."

"How is she operating in Vale and Mistral?" The general asked, voicing the question that they were all thinking. "There must be a record of her class attendance if she is meant to be a student."

"There are digital records of her attending several different classes, however she is listed as something of a hypochondriac in her medical files and has numerous absentees. Likely to explain how she can continue to act in league with Roman Torchwick. She has been notably absent from several of his recent criminal actions and putting in an appearance in person at the academy instead. From Miss Nikos' accounts, Team RWBY did not encounter this woman in person until after many students had already begun travelling for the Vytal Festival."

"Cinder Fall." Glynda cut in, though did not remove herself from Pyrrha's side. "At the recent dust store heist foiled by Miss Ruby Rose, where Roman Torchwick escaped, she was there. Her face was in shadow and I couldn't get a clear picture, but I'm sure it was her."

Ozpin nodded. "It tracks with what I've been able to uncover. School records are average across the board, however there are personal comments from the combat instructors that her abilities are highly commendable. She has also been absent from classes recently citing 'a family members medical emergency'."

"Arrogance." The general snarled. The allusion to Amber was not subtle, but without digging in as they had they wouldn't have been able to uncover it. "So currently she is in Vale, with her team still in Mistral. Where can we find her?"

"Most likely she is walking the streets as a civilian or coordinating with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. This level of cooperation is troubling, but our actionable leads are few."

"What about the warehouse, the recruitment rally where the mech was stored?" Pyrrha could see the faint embarrassed bristle on the General's face as she mentioned the Paladin. It was undoubtedly a sore spot to know a prized piece of machinery had been taken from under him, and worse still used to attack an ally.

"I've contacted VPD to perform a sweep of the area, however it's currently believed to be abandoned. The White Fang likely did not occupy the warehouse long before or after the event." Ozpin turned back to the general. "Speaking of, your latest Paladin prototype, is there any further details about how it could have been stolen?"

"I've had the inventory confirmed, nothing has been taken." He refused to say the word 'yet', even if they all thought it. "I'm increasing security measures and having a team review the White Fang's best opportunity. Should they try, we'll catch them in the act."

"There was more than one at Mountain Glenn, and the attack on Beacon, this will go deeper than a single heist."

"Agreed. In the meantime, how do we strike at Cinder Fall? If we have her face being monitored, we can pick her up from the street."

"On what charges?"

"On the destruction of Vale!" Pyrrha knew it sounded insane as she said it, but it had felt like a stupid question to ask. "We know what she's going to do, so we have to stop her!"

Ozpin paused, folding away the tablet as he looked at her gently. "I understand Pyrrha. But we can't prove any of that. If we arrest her, we will need to charge her or release her, and without any evidence we couldn't even choose a crime to charge her with. If we act, and she escapes, then she'll disappear. And all your knowledge will go to waste."

"So we just wait? Wait and see when she attacks!?" Pyrrha was shaking now, hyperventilating in Miss Goodwitch's arms. "We can't just leave her be, we know what she's going to do! I-"

Her breath caught, and Glynda pulled her back, kneeling down in front to look her in the eye. "Pyrrha, look at me! Focus on your breathing, deep breaths." She took in exaggerated breaths of her own, breathing out slowly as she tried to centre Pyrrha.

The girl tried, limbs shaking with adrenaline as she tried to slow her breathing, mimicking her teacher as best as she could. It took well over a minute, and for Pyrrha it felt like an eternity, but eventually she managed to steady herself.

"Ok… I'm okay." She gave Miss Goodwitch a short sharp nod to prove her point, though the teachers frown continued as she stood and turned to the others. "We're done for today. Pyrrha needs a break."

"It's fine, I can continue-"

"No, you can't. There's plenty of time Pyrrha, we'll pick this up another day."

Pyrrha couldn't hide the shame she felt, feeling once more as though she had failed to help, and only embarrassed herself in front of the teachers. Ironwood didn't begrudge her though.

"Ozpin and I can continue to discuss some other matters, we'll bring Miss Nikos back another time. But Pyrrha, well done. You've been very brave doing this, and we thank you for all that you have told us."

Sceptical as he may have seemed, Pyrrha was reconsidering her assessment of the General's initial reaction. It seemed that he, like she, simply didn't want to believe it was true. Ozpin thanked her as she left, escorted down the elevator and out by Miss Goodwitch who walked with her.

"If Ozpin or I or anyone else has any more questions, we'll come to you." She assured, letting Pyrrha know she wasn't being left out. "But for now, remember you are a student, and a team leader too."

"I shouldn't be. These teams shouldn't even exist." Team RWBY and JNPR, gone. "I can't do this."

"I think you'll be surprised at what you can accomplish Pyrrha. But nobody expects a leader to be perfect right away, we'll be here to help if you need it." The teacher walked her to the corridor where her room lay, not even the same number as before.

"Thank you, Miss Goodwitch."

Pyrrha had only ever really known her as the stern combat instructor, harsh on laziness and poor homework. But there was a softness, and more prominently a protectiveness to her as Glynda looked down on her. With her farewell complete, Pyrrha left to re-join her team, pausing outside the room and taking a deep breath.

No more team JNPR. Now, it was team PWJR.

She opened the door.

"That's my side of the wardrobe!"

"I don't have any room left on my side, and you have plenty of space left!"

"I'm saving that space for other things! Why do you need so many dresses anyway, they're all the same colour!"

"These are not the same colour, these shades are entirely different! Besides, you're one to talk miss black and red, all of your clothes are in a pile on the floor, the only thing you hang up is your cloak!"

"I have a system for organizing!"

Pyrrha looked from the arguing Weiss and Ruby to Jaune, who was doing his best to sink into his bed while on his scroll. That was apparently not good enough for Weiss, who immediately decided he should join in.

"Jaune! You're my partner, back me up."

"Uh, well…"

"Jaune's my friend!" Ruby cut in, grabbing Jaune's arm possessively. "Jaune, tell bossy boots to stick to her own wardrobe!"

"Uh…"

"Don't tell Jaune what to do! Jaune! Tell her not to tell you what to do!"

"Uh-"

"Stop being so bossy!"

"Stop being such a brat!"

"STOP!" The scream from Pyrrha's lips was as rough for her throat as it was their ears. She couldn't help herself. After all the discussions about Cinder and what was to come this was all so- so-… "Stop being so petty! This doesn't matter!"

Weiss cleared her throat. "I think that the appropriate allocation of space is-"

"No! Stop! Zip!" She put a finger to Weiss' lips, then to Ruby's as she snorted in laughter. "Both of you! Zip it!"

A beat passed as the room sat silent, though the adrenaline still flowed through Pyrrha heavily.

"Weiss, keep to your side of the wardrobe. Ruby, put your clothes away. Then everyone get your gear, we're going to the gym."

"Tonight? Isn't it a little early?" Jaune asked as the two girls diligently did as they were told, though still listening in to the conversation.

Pyrrha sighed, sitting down on the end of the lone free bed. "No. We need to be ready for what's coming. None of us are strong enough."

"Um… 'for what's coming'?"

Pyrrha felt the eyes of her team upon her and felt the clawing at her throat. She couldn't explain to them what Cinder was, they didn't have the knowledge that Ozpin did. "The Grimm. One day, we're all going to face the Grimm in a way we're not prepared for. We need to be strong enough for them, or we'll all die."

Her tone was deadly serious, the imaginations of her team matching the memories of Pyrrha's own. Their deaths, in whatever form they came, would be because they weren't good enough.

Pyrrha wouldn't let that happen.

"Training room, ten minutes."

_/\_TIG_/\_

"So, is that a no to the bunk beds then?"

Yang asked as she looked at the teetering mess that they had made of their bedroom. Their attempt to stack the beds atop one another had led to one falling over and crashing over the support pillar made of books, whilst the other had flopped and broken its slats. Nora had been onboard when the possible room for activities had been brought up, but looking at the result even she was less sure now.

"I don't think it worked."

"My novels…" Blake was whimpering as she caressed her pile of broken literature. "So many original printings, ruined…"

Yang grimaced. Some weren't too bad and looked like they could still be legible, not that she was suicidal enough to say it to Blakes face, but more than one had ripped pages and covers torn away.

"My incense sticks…" Ren held a set of snapped candles as if they were a dying man. "It's okay, I'll save you, you'll be good as new in no time…"

His false promises were no comfort to the sticks as he put them delicately inside of their case and dropped them into the bin, a lone tear running down his cheek as he said farewell.

"Well um… I guess as team leader, I should at least take the blame and have the most broken bed." Yang smiled sheepishly at the glares of two of her teammates. "And since Nora helped me, she can take the second most broken."

"Hey!"

"Agreed." Blake said, looking at one book that had been impaled by Nora's bed in its fall.

"Hey again! Ren, you'll support me, right?" The quiet boys' eyes flicked to the ruins of a once nice tea set, their leaves spilled across the floor and tainted. "Renny?"

Yang scooped up a pile of broken bed pieces and excused herself, giving space away from Nora's heartbreak at the betrayal of her friend. It took her quite some time and more than a few wrong turns before she found the school dumpster and dropped off her garbage. When she was returning, she came across the exhausted form of her sister, slumped against the wall and moaning as she tried to summon the energy to walk.

"How's it going Rubes? Been hitting the gym?"

"Bleeghhh…" Too tired to even talk, Yang knew just what to do to pick up her sisters' energy levels. Many times this had been a mistake, but Yang had confidence that this time it would be okay. Or if not, then it wouldn't be her problem. A few Lien spent at the vending machine later and Ruby was downing a can of soda and buzzing back to life.

"So, how's the team going?"

"Terribly." Ruby let out a burp shamelessly. She'd heard much worse from Yang, who seemed to pride herself on grossing out her sister. "Weiss is so mean. I tried being nice to her and making up, but that didn't go anywhere. So I gave up. But now, she's being meaner than ever!"

Yang sat down by her sisters side. "Well what about your partner huh? She seems nice. And you've got Jaune too."

"Pyrrha's nice but she keeps disappearing for talks with the headmaster, I don't know what's going on with her. And she's so… intense. We were just at the training room, and I've never been worked so hard in my life. And she said we're going to be doing this every day! I can't even survive doing this once! Jaune is… Jaune's okay, but Weiss is just so mean to him. He's a lot quieter now than I thought it would be, I think being partnered with Weiss really took it out of him."

Yang hummed in sympathy, letting Ruby slump onto her shoulder for support.

"Well listen, if things get bad you just need to talk to Pyrrha about it. She's your partner, but she's also the team leader, so you can make it work with her I'm sure."

"Hm, maybe… You're team leader too, how's that going?"

Yang turned to hide her grimace. "It's… going. I never thought I'd ever be a team leader, I don't know what I'm doing in the slightest. At least my team seems okay. Ren and Blake both like their quiet, and Nora likes the excitement like me. We're gonna get on each others nerves sooner or later, but at least it'll be predictable." Yang sighed as she imagined the squabbles to come. "Maybe I should talk to them all first, set some ground rules as a team or-…"

Yang paused as she saw how Ruby had completely drifted off. She must have been so exhausted that even the sugar hit had only powered her back up for a few moments. It was adorable, how she laid slumped with her mouth hanging open, and drool leaking from her mouth.

She snapped a picture and sent it to her dad.

First full day of Beacon successfully complete!

She'd see what her dad said in the morning, it was later than she had realised and whilst she wasn't as bad as Ruby, the initiation had still taken its toll on her. Yang stifled a yawn, then plucked her sister up into her arms. It was far from the first time she'd taken care of her baby sister like this, and even Beacon it seemed wouldn't be the end of it. But that was okay.

She loved her sister with all her heart. Maybe Yang had hoped that Beacon could be a reprieve from some of her big sister duties, but a late night carry to bed wasn't too bad.

_/\_TIG_/\_

Pyrrha opened the door to see Yang holding a slumped Ruby in her arms, snoozing away with a line of drool dribbling off her chin. She matched well with the exhausted forms of Weiss and Jaune, who had both passed out on their beds as soon as they'd gotten back.

"I think you're missing someone." Yang joked, Ruby mumbling something in her sleep that had Pyrrha smiling.

"That's her bed there." She stepped aside for Yang to move in and put her down. "She wanted to go to the toilet on the way back, said she'd meet us at the room."

"Yeah, she didn't make it anywhere close to coming back." Yang smiled at her adorable sister, pausing to take in the sight before she moved to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow Pyrrha, I'll let you all get some rest."

They would need it with how hard Pyrrha had pushed them. But even as she said farewell to Yang and closed the door, Pyrrha's anxiousness hadn't eased. All three of her teammates had worked hard, but Pyrrha was still standing. Her muscles were sore, sweat dripped from her brow, but she was still standing.

I'm not finished.

She dropped to the floor as the others slept, forcing herself to work through another set of push ups. She had to be ready, she had to be strong enough.

No matter what it took.