image [https://i.imgur.com/5uZU4A0.png]
"Team SSTO, welcome to the Blue Room."
I took my seat as Ironwood introduced the rest of those in the room, although judging from the looks on SSTO’s faces, they were unnecessary. Likewise, the introductions of SSTO appeared just as unneeded. But politeness was rarely a bad thing, and allowing things to be as formal and professional as possible would probably help to compartmentalize the magnitude of the secret they were about to be let in on. That particular Atlesian cultural norm did occasionally have its uses.
“Before you sit down, I'll need you to keep an open mind about the information you are about to be given." Ironwood began, using the exact same words as he had when he recruited me. "And of course, as this information is so far beyond black level classified, to share it without prior consent or permission will be considered treason. Is that understood?"
“Yes sir!” The Stormies replied as one, saluting crisply.
“Very good, take your seats.”
I watched the scene unfold before me from my own seat, a neutral expression plastered on my face. It was mirrored across everyone else on our side, save of course Bianca, who wore a relaxed smile. We were all curious to see just how Ironwood would reveal the existence of Salem to the students before us (and not just because we all had money on it).
“What do you know about the classification of the Grimm?”
Ah. That’s probably the easiest way. I thought with a slight nod. Eases them into it, and doesn’t just drop the big truth bomb right out of the gate like he did with me. And he can even clue the Stormies in on the existence of the Abominations too.
And hadn’t that been a horrifying thing to discover. The Grimm immediately below Salem in the Grimm totem pole, and what I assume Kevin the Wyvern counts as. Whilst the Association did not recognise their existence, preferring instead to just classify them as high-end Tyrant-class Grimm, the Inner Circle Sanctuary was very aware that they were real. I had only been informed about two of the four Abominations that the Inner Circle were aware of. Those being The Juggernaut and The Wendigo. Whilst the former didn’t really arouse much feeling, the latter very much did. Firstly because it was an Abomination that was practically next door…and secondly because it clued me in on what Draco Stirling’s ultimate fate had likely ended up being.
“The Grimm are typically classified as one of five levels.” Predictably, it was Winter that eventually answered. “Runts are the lowest level, freshly spawned. They are usually not an issue unless in huge numbers, and are typically what trainee Huntsfolk train against before going to one of the Four Main Academies. Following that is the Standard Grimm, and true to their name they make up the bulk of the Grimm population. After Standards are the Alphas, who often lead most of the bigger Grimm packs.”
“Elders come next.” Tortuga took over the explanation. “They tend to be solitary, or travel with other Elder Grimm. What makes them dangerous is that they have gained a measure of intelligence, and are less animalistic than their lesser cousins. They are capable of patience, and a modicum of strategic thought. The upside is that they are fairly rare, with the Huntsfolk Association estimating that only one in every twenty Alpha’s will ever last long enough to become an Elder.”
Sirius then finished the explanation. “Tyrants come next, and are at the top of the pyramid. Only the most skilled Huntsfolk Teams can deal with them with any degree of certainty, as a result only those veteran teams judged skilled enough are even allowed to take missions involving them. Thankfully, they are even rarer than Elders, with there only being about a hundred or so confirmed Tyrant Class Grimm across Remnant at any given time. According to Association estimates, of course.”
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As correct as they could get given the information they have access to. I smiled, A textbook answer. Textbook, but wrong.
“I am afraid that you are incorrect, Miss Schnee.” Headmaster Greymoon replied as he toyed at his beard. “There are in fact seven levels to the classification of Grimm, although the top two tiers are kept secret from the general public. We call the sixth level ‘Abominations’, and they are to Tyrants what a Tyrant-Class is to a Standard-Class Grimm.”
It was to their credit that the surprise mixed with horror on the Stormies' faces only lasted a few seconds before giving way for their emotionless masks to settle back into place. After about half a minute of silence, it was Sirius Oracion that spoke first with an almost hesitant quip. “...I’m not certain that I want to know what the seventh tier involves.”
“Well I’ve got some good news and some truly terrible news on that front.” It was Ironwood that replied now, taking control of the conversation once again. “The good news is that there is only one seventh tier Grimm. The truly terrible news is She is their Queen.”
Winter blinked, and her face went blank. “With due respect sir,...you’ve got to be shitting us. It sounds like something from a damn children’s story. The Queen of the Grimm, lurking in the shadows to slaughter humanity and the Faunus!..you all have to understand how difficult it is for myself and my team to believe this.”
“You aren’t saying anything we ourselves haven’t said ourselves, Miss Schnee.” I helpfully chimed in at this point. “But unfortunately, General Ironwood is almost certainly severely understating things. Her name is Salem, and she is very real.”
Winter slumped back into her seat. “...I see. My apologies for my language, Professor.”
I waved it off with a grin. “If your language is the only thing we need to worry about today, Miss Schnee, I shall consider us lucky.”
“Good. Because I do have a question that now cannot wait and I’m not in the mood to be polite.” Winter turned her gaze to Ironwood, and even stood up from her seat so as to be more face-to-face with the General. “Given you’ve been having us running unusual missions these past few years, missions that you’ve given us personally no less…is it safe to assume you’ve been shaping our careers so far? Grooming us so we’d be the perfect fucking operatives for this…shadow crusade?”
Ironwood and Greymoon shared a look, and after a few moments of silent conversation, it was the General that answered. “...You were our first choice, I will admit. We had the need for a team of operatives, and rather than just give you missions for no rhyme or reason, the General and I decided that bringing you into The Blue Room with full disclosure was a better option. Yes, it is true that we nudged your careers in a direction beneficial to us and our needs…but given our situation, we didn’t have many other options. You were not the only team we tested in this manner, but you are the only one that has been so successful so regularly. And given the stakes we are playing for, we couldn’t afford to ‘be nice’ about our tactics. I would offer my apologies, but they would be entirely superficial and I’d much rather be brutally honest and say that in the same circumstances I’d do exactly as I have done once again.”
Winter went quiet before she nodded once, and gestured for her team to follow her towards the exit of the room. “I appreciate the honesty, sir. Please excuse us. We need a moment to discuss things privately.”
Ironwood smiled, and strode over to where the wall panel opened out into the corridor, and pressed a button, allowing for the Stormies to leave. “Just knock on the wall when you’re ready to come back in.”
It was a long ten minutes as we waited for them to return. True, we made small talk (and settled up our bets), but mostly our time was spent staring at the monitoring screens and glancing over the information they were displaying. Protests in the Pellan Cities, fires in the City of Vacuo, the reopening of Domremy’s port in Vale, increased Grimm activity near Crossed in Solitas, elections in the Kingdom of Mistral.
And then came a trio of firm knocks. When the panel opened to reveal a quartet of serious faces, there was another moment of silence before Winter spoke.
“We’re in.”
----------------------------------------
We didn’t share everything with the Stormies. It wouldn’t be fair on them to just drop them straight into the Shadow War and uproot their entire worldview all in one day. But over the next few hours, we disclosed the pertinent facts:
Salem existed. The Inner Circle Sanctuary was formed to fight her. Ozpin was the nominal leader of the group. The Maidens were a thing. There were more secrets that were being kept from them.
By the time we left the Blue Room, it was quite obvious that SSTO was not entirely in a good place. So I put my Professor face back on, and handed Winter 1000Ⱡ
“Go have a Blackrock Burger on me.” I told them. “Get your heads sorted out. Brothers know I needed to break out the tequila after I was told.”
“...Aren’t you a teetotaler, Professor?” Tortuga asked hesitantly.
“I had just learned that the Grimm had a Queen ruling over them and that I’d been recruited to fight her.” I snarked. In reality, the tequila had been due to being brought into Ozpin’s Inner Circle, even if I’d never met or interacted with the man. It was one of the things I had intended to avoid when I had first arrived in Remnant…but then things happened and I’d made friends with Ironwood and come to genuinely consider Atlas to be home and come to care for my students and got a daughter and...everything else. “I think I deserved a damn drink.”
“Can we-” Sirius started with a slight grin, before I cut him off.
You’re all old enough to drink if you so choose, and that is all I will say on the matter.”
As they walked away, I fought back a smile as Winter and Tortuga's words drifted into my ears....
“I think it is high time we took a page out of my mother’s book.”
“Which is?”
“Life’s a bitch, that’s why there’s vodka.”