Chapter Text
Ruby and the others had just returned to the city, the airship landing on the outskirts of the city. Winter had allowed the group to use two airships hoping to get the drop on the Crown, by reaching their base before any of the members could flee. Clearly, that hadn’t worked out as they had hoped.
The Ace-Ops, along with Teams FNKI, NDGO, and ABRN, had stayed behind at the Crown base, with the other airship, to set up sensors around the area, that would alert them if anyone returned.
Everyone jumped out of the airship and made their way into the city, heading for Shade Academy, which towered over all the other buildings.
Ruby could see the refugee camps to the left, even though they had landed some distance away from them, as Ruby was still getting swarmed by people, especially with refugees, who still wanted to talk and take photos with her. Whether it was for patrol, heading out on a mission, or just spending time with friends, it could be inconvenient especially near the camps.
She had started to get used to the attention and was even trying to have a little fun with it. Which was surprising for Ruby, since in the past, she wouldn’t have wanted any of it. But if it keeps everyone’s spirits up, she was happy to do anything that can help, so why not enjoy it too?
Ruby and her team hadn’t even had a chance to go shopping for new clothes yet, but they’d need to soon. Their current outfits were great for the cold of Solitas, but far too hot for the desert, Ruby had already cut the sleeves off her top and folded down her gloves too. Both Yang and Blake had removed their coats, with Yang also taking off the bottom part of her pants, so it looked like she was wearing shorts now. Weiss was the only one who hadn’t made any changes yet.
As the group made their way through the maze-like streets toward Shade, Qrow led the way with Team RWBY close behind. Coco and Sun’s teams flanked them on either side, while Ren, Nora, and Emerald followed from the rear. They moved in this formation to reduce the chance of anyone stopping Ruby and holding up the group plus there was the murmuring, low at first, but growing steadily louder.
“Can you believe that Schnee, showing her face here?!” came a voice from somewhere to Ruby’s right.
“Look at her, walking around like she owns the place. Just like her father,” another person spat.
Ruby couldn’t see who was speaking in the crowded streets, but she could hear the venom in their voices.
Weiss's stride never faltered as she lifted her chin a little higher as she kept on walking like it didn’t bother her, but Ruby and the others knew differently.
“My brother died in those Schnee Dust mines, while that family lived in luxury,” came a third voice. This one from a woman with calloused hands, who deliberately stepped into their path before moving away with a glare of disgust.
Beside Ruby, she felt Yang tense. The blonde’s fists had begun to clench.
“The SDC destroyed my hometown,” an older man called out, his weathered face twisted with years of accumulated rage. “And now she’s here playing hero? What a joke!”
“Did you hear what happened to that guy?” someone else said.
“The one who took the fall for her? Didn’t he get chased out into the desert?”
“The rumour I heard was the Schnees had him silenced” came a reply “Wouldn’t put it past them either.”
Ruby glanced at Weiss, whose composed mask was beginning to show tiny cracks, a slight tremor in her hands, her breathing slow and deliberate. But she kept walking, head held high, even as the whispers followed them like a poisonous wake.
“The SDC didn’t even help after Beacon fell,” a refugee shouted, “too busy thinking about themselves to worry about anyone else!”
“My people suffered in those mines for generations,” growled a Faunus woman, her dog ears flat against her head. “While she went to fancy schools and parties.”
Blake’s own ears twitched at that. Her golden eyes flashed with anger as she stepped slightly closer to Weiss.
“How can someone like Ruby Rose stand being around her?” someone muttered.
“The Schnees are rich, probably bought her loyalty.”
“Or they have something on her.”
“Convenient how her sister ended up with those Maiden powers, isn’t it?” a drunken man called out, “makes it easier to stay on top.”
That last comment struck hard. Weiss stumbled slightly, her careful composure cracking for just a moment before she forced herself to keep walking.
Ruby’s silver eyes blazed. She opened her mouth, fury rising, she wasn’t going to let them badmouth her friend like that but before she could say anything, she was stopped by Weiss.
“It’s not worth it, Ruby.” Her tone was steady, but Ruby could hear the strain beneath it, Weiss was trying to stay calm.
Yang placed a hand on Ruby’s shoulder, guiding her forward. Ruby could feel the heat radiating from her sister’s arm, a warning that Yang was close to igniting.
“But” Ruby started, “we can’t just let them say things like this.”
“We know it’s not right,” Blake said gently, though there was an edge to her voice. “But starting a fight wouldn’t help either.”
Ruby knew this too, it wasn’t the first time this had happened and when they had stood up for Weiss, it only made things worse as those people had just got angrier. One person in the refugee’s camp had pulled out a weapon to fight them. Luckily Robyn and the Happy huntresses were nearby to calm things down that time. So now all they can do was to keep on walking.
The group was walking through the shopping area of the city, getting closer to Shade. The crowd letting them through, many of the shopkeepers and customers were still waving at Ruby, while others gave Weiss cold looks. A mother pulled her child closer, whispering something that made the little girl stare at Weiss with wide, fearful eyes.
“Hey, did you hear what those merchants from outside the city have been talking about lately?” a nearby shop owner said to his neighbour, his voice cutting through the hostility with a different kind of concern.
“Yeah, it’s crazy,” the neighbour replied. “What do you think it means?”
“No idea,” the shop owner said. “But it can’t be a sign of anything good.”
“You don’t think…”
Ruby turned her head, glancing at the two shopkeepers as they passed, wondering what they were talking about, but she was pushed forward towards Shade by the others.
Winter sat with her head in her hands, staring in frustration at the screen in the middle of the table with Oscar, Theodore and Rumpole.
“Are you sure there’s nothing you can do?” she asked the other screen, where Pietro’s face was displayed.
“I’m afraid so,” Pietro replied, apologetically, “I’ve tried everything I can think of, but nothing seems to be working,” he added, his tone laced with confusion.
Winter frowned at the symbol glowing on the screen, a symbol she had never seen or heard of before.
She turned to Oscar, “are you sure Ozpin hasn’t seen this symbol before?”
Oscar shook his head. “Oz said he’s never seen it.”
“Shouldn’t there be something that helps with this?” Theodore asked.
Winter lifted her head to look at the headmaster and shook her head. “There isn’t, which is very odd.” She tapped a finger against her chin, trying to figure out why a section of the Nexus Core was inaccessible.
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” said Rumpole, seated beside Theodore, “but shouldn’t council members be able to access the Nexus Core fully?”
“Yes,” Winter confirmed from her seat at the table. “Depending on how sensitive the subject is, the system may require a specific number of council members to unlock it.”
Theodore nodded as he stood and walked over to the nearby window. “Vacuo is the only kingdom with a full council,” he said, “and yet, we can’t get access to the information being blocked by that symbol.”
Winter sighed. “The system should tell us what’s needed to gain access,” she said, staring again at the symbol. “But when this happens, we get nothing.”
Winter glanced over at Theodore, who was pacing. None of this made any sense.
“I had Coco check the Nexus Core in Mistral, when her team was last there.” Winter informed the room.
“And?” Theodore asked, standing near a window with his hands on his hips.
Winter shrugged “Same as us, this thing,” waving her hand at the symbol, “just kept coming up.”
“What information are you looking for that brings this symbol up?” Oscar asked, studying the screen closely.
Winter pinched the bridge of her nose, “all kinds of items, it all feels so random.”
Pietro jumped in, “it’s blocking details on some huntsmen missions, Grimm movements, weather details, villages and so many mundane things that I don’t really understand why anyone would bother.” Pietro finished scratching the side of his head.
Winter nodded, “there is even a number of SDC files caught up in this, which is surprising”
“Why would that be surprising?” Rumpole asked
Winter sighed, “I honestly don’t believe the HE would let any files in the SDC be out of his reach.” Winter really didn’t want to be thinking about him, when she has more important things to worry about.
Theodore, who was looking up at the ceiling, “could this mundane stuff be to hide some more important information?”
“But what?” Oscar asked, from his seat.
“Can we send people to investigate any of the blocked information that should be still trackable?” Rumpole asked, looking at Theodore and Winter.
“We have,” Winter answered, “but it's a matter of personnel, with most of our intelligence group going rogue, we are stuck.” Winter rubbed her temple.
“Didn’t that happen ages ago?” Theodore asked.
Winter sighed “Yes, Ironwood wasn’t happy about it”
“Getting back to the issue at hand,” Rumpole said, looking at the group “When were the Nexus Cores made?” Rumpole asked.
“Nearly forty years ago,” Oscar answered, looking concerned. “They were developed during a time when Oz was going through a reincarnation.” He looked around at the others. “It was a surprise to him when he found out about them.”
Theodore stopped pacing. “I assume Ozpin approved of them?”
Oscar nodded. “He thought the Nexus Cores were a great idea, but he didn’t know anything about this.”
Winter rubbed her temples. “Then how did this happen?”
“Unfortunately, anyone involved with the Nexus Core has long passed on,” Pietro removed his hat to wipe the top of his head with a handkerchief, “I had just started out as a lab assistant myself. So, I wasn’t in the know with any of it.” Pietro added from the screen.
Theodore stopped mid pace and turned around, “Do we know who came up with the Nexus Cores?” he asked.
“Doctor Graham Reis,” Pietro informed the headmaster, “the same man who headed the team that invented the Cross Continental Transmit System.”
Winter remembered learning about Doctor Reis from her tutor, “he was a very well-respected scientist.”
“Indeed,” Pietro replied excitedly, “he was someone I had looked up to and inspired me to become a scientist.” Everyone in the room smiled at hearing Pietro telling them about his hero.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Winter turned to Pietro, “I know you’re extremely busy right now but please keep working on it and keep us updated if you have a breakthrough.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said before ending the call.
Winter closed the screen displaying the symbol, then called, “Enter.”
Winter watched as Qrow opened the door and Weiss and her friends entered the room.
“Welcome back, everyone,” Theodore said with a smile as he stood there watching everyone enter the room, though he didn’t get much of a reply. After everything that had happened with Jaune, Winter wasn’t surprised. Still, Theodore wasn’t the type to back down from a decision.
“How did your mission go?” Winter asked as Qrow took a seat.
Qrow sighed. “We found the place, and someone had been there at some point in time” he informed them, “but it’s abandoned now.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Theodore said, and Winter silently agreed. “We should ask our guests if they forgot to tell us anything.”
The headmaster turned to Rumpole, who gave a short nod. “Very well. I’ll go have a quick chat with them.”
Rumpole turned and left the room.
Winter looked at Qrow. “Were there any signs that The Crown had been there?”
“There were a lot of Grimm,” Coco said, arms crossed, “does that count?”
“And some odd bits of furniture too,” Sun added from his seat.
“That wouldn’t guarantee it was a Crown base,” Ruby said. “Could it have been some other group that got chased out by the Grimm?”
“It's unlikely it would be a group of nomads” Theodore replied, meeting Ruby’s eyes, “from Vacuo at least.”
“Why’s that?” Yang asked from beside Ruby.
“Because most Vacuan avoid entering cave systems.” His tone had turned serious, “unless they had no other choice.”
“It could have been a group from outside the kingdom,” Winter added, “but that would upset many people in Vacuo.”
Ruby looked clearly confused.
Qrow placed a hand on her shoulder. “It has a lot to do with Vacuo’s history with the other kingdoms.”
Theodore nodded as he returned to his chair. “The people here avoid exploring cave systems. If someone were to discover a new dust deposit, they’d fear the other kingdoms might try to steal it from them.”
Winter looked away, she saw Weiss had done the same with discomfort flashing across her face.
“Most caves and old mines are infested with Grimm. Even Huntsmen try to avoid entering them,” Theodore added.
“That’s why,” Qrow said, “if anyone was using the place, it’s almost certainly The Crown.”
“It’s not the first time they’ve used an old dust mine,” Coco added, leaning back in her chair.
Ruby looked around. “So, what can we do now?”
Theodore glanced at each person in the room. “We continue gathering intelligence. Do everything possible to track down The Crown and stop them.”
“Agreed,” Winter said. “Hopefully Rumpole can get more information from the prisoners.”
Just then, the doors burst open. A black-haired man sprinted into the room.
“Ma’am!” he shouted, snapping a quick salute.
Winter shot to her feet, shocked that he rushed in so quickly, it wasn’t like him, “What’s going on, Evan?!”
“It’s the Crown prisoners,” he said, still holding his salute, “They’re dead.”