With the Vytal festival done and over, James and his men didn’t exactly have reason to stay in Vale. Or rather, they didn’t have any reasons that they could give to the public.

Though Cinder and company were still on the loose, people would expect the Valean police forces to handle that with the assistance of Huntsmen like Qrow. Atlesian soldiers continuing to patrol the streets now that there wasn’t a festival to protect… Well, the council of Vale hadn’t exactly said as much, but he wasn’t oblivious, and it wasn’t hard to tell that the people wouldn’t take kindly to their presence much longer. Allowing him to stay would reflect poorly on the council in the eyes of the public.

Public opinion was a fickle thing, and while he wouldn’t let his decisions be commanded by it, it was something that he had to take into account with every action.

It was as he was filling out some paperwork to officialize the whole withdrawal back to Atlas that he was interrupted by a man he’d much rather avoid.

Two knocks.

Not on the door, but rather on the one window in this room. Knowing quite well who of all people would knock on his window instead of just requesting an audience with him like a normal person, he was reluctant to acknowledge the fact that he had heard it. It might be considered… or rather, it was definitely petty, but after everything he’d had to deal with during his stay in Vale, he thought… no, he hoped that he had earned the right to a reprieve from the local alcoholic.

Two more taps against the glass.

With a sigh, he put his paperwork away, taking his time with it before eventually, sluggishly, opening the window and letting the impatient bird inside. The bird promptly turned into a man before his eyes, one who was glaring at him.

“Why, exactly, did you deem it necessary to contact me like this?” he asked before the drunkard could complain.

“Hmmm, why would I do this…” Qrow put on a pretentious thinking pose. “Maybe it was just to piss you off? That seems in character, doesn’t it? Maybe I just wanted to get your panties in a twist.”

James’ deadpan stare was enough to make him drop it.

“Fine, you bastard. I know you heard me the first time, by the way!” He pointed at James accusingly. “But I came this way because I got some information that probably needs to be kept hush hush.”

James raised a brow. “And you couldn’t just have everyone meet you in Ozpin’s office like usual? Unless…” his eyes narrowed.

“Unless Oz is the one we’re keeping it from.” The man took a swig from his flask, his discomfort with that point obvious on his face.

“And why would we do that?” It wasn’t as if he was immediately opposed to the idea. He made it known quite often that he didn’t approve of every decision that Ozpin ever made, and the man had a tendency to be… controlling. It had worked on him for a while, back when he’d first been brought into the fold, but there were only so many times you could pull the “I’m a wizened old wizard, so I know better than you young whippersnappers” card before it started to get old. If Oz could keep secrets, why couldn’t they?

The odd part was that Qrow, perhaps the second most loyal to Ozpin behind only Glynda herself, was the one to suggest keeping something from him. As far as James could recall, this was the first time he’d seen it happen.

“You know why. And that’s why I’m here talking to you.” Another swig from the flask before he returned it to his hip. “I went and talked to the kid.”

“Which kid? I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but we happen to be at a school right now. There are lots of children.”

Qrow rolled his eyes. “Second Thoughts. Are you really gonna turn this into a song and dance routine?”

As he suspected then. It would be quite hypocritical of him to deny Second Thoughts his personhood while he touted Penny as a person himself, but he could never be sure of the thoughts of others.

“Is this about what was said at the last meeting, then?” James really hoped that Qrow wasn’t about to espouse the benefits of making a criminal the next Fall Maiden.

“It is,” Qrow nodded. “I got him to tell me who the Spring Maiden is.”

“Really?” Second had been a lot more forthcoming with information lately, but this was a welcome surprise! “Who is it then? Will we be able to open the vault?” But perhaps most importantly, “Why is this the moment you choose to defy Ozpin’s orders?”

The last question brought a frown to Qrow’s face. “Because this one doesn’t make sense. Why say no to using the questions? At a bare minimum, it’s obvious that Salem is trying to make some big moves and information on that sort of thing would be good for us. But beyond that…” He hesitated for a moment. “Back when Oobleck first got brought into things, just after Second Thoughts was unlocked, there was a bit of an argument. Things got kind of heated. Oz told the two of us that we could settle the trust issues between us using the Relic. Said we would hunt down the Spring Maiden to get it and everything. If he’s willing to say all of that, why is it that when we have a lead, he suddenly decides to say no?”

“He agreed to that?” James was shocked. Beyond the sudden change in attitude on the subject of the Relic of Knowledge, the fact that he had offered it at all was… surprising, to say the least.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“I thought it was odd too, but I suppose at the time I just wrote it off as him making a genuine effort to patch up relationships…”

And Qrow, ever loyal to Ozpin, had left it at that, hoping that the situation had resolved itself. But still…

Had Ozpin brought up the Relic because he thought that he had to? With how much information Second Thoughts has, perhaps he thought that the semblance might steal the loyalty of those he trusts out from under him. Offering more than he normally would in an attempt to keep them trusting him…

But that was just speculation. It wouldn’t be rational to act as if his idle thoughts were fact. More pressingly…

“You still haven’t told me who it is.” James frowned. Qrow had probably been putting it off for a reason…

“Yeah… about that…” Qrow grimaced. “According to Second, it’s my bitch sister. Getting her to cooperate will be a bitch and a half. He said she might be open to a bribe…?” He trailed off at the end, clearly suggesting that the bribe would be his responsibility. Which James supposed was fair. He likely had much more to work with than Qrow, given his positions in Atlas.

“Raven Branwen?” He asked to confirm. “If I recall correctly… she is the leader of a bandit tribe.”

Ozpin brought her up occasionally, but it had always seemed more like idle wishing that she would return than any real expectation that it would happen, so James had stopped paying attention to reports on failed attempts to re-recruit her.

“That would be her.” Qrow agreed morosely.

“...isn’t your sister past the age required to become a maiden?” He was fairly certain that was the case, but as the cogs started turning in his head, he found himself hoping that he was wrong.

Qrow seemed to pick up on his line of thought, hesitating before answering “...yes.”

“I see. So let me see if I have this straight. Your sister, a woman who you have known all your life, a woman who you visit semi-regularly with recruitment pitches…” Qrow seemed to shrink back with every word. “...has been the Spring Maiden for years, and we are only just now finding out because Second Thoughts decided to inform us of that?”

“Well… when you put it like that…”

James took a deep breath, hoping that his semblance would let him stay cool and collected.

“I see. Well, Qrow, that is good to know. Thank you for sharing that information with me. I have some things that I need to take care of with more immediacy than that situation, so please get in contact with me once you’ve located the tribe’s current whereabouts and we can figure out where to go from there.”

“Uhhh… right. Seeya, Jimmy.” The coward quickly turned back into his avian form and flew out of the window as fast as he could.

Sometimes he wondered what Ozpin had seen in that man and his sister. Because whatever it was, he was certain it was gone now.

----------------------------------------

So, I’m almost afraid to ask, but what was the deal with your warning everyone to not accept offers from strange old men? Jaune asked his semblance as team JNPR cleaned up the mess that had been made of their room from the celebration. The coward had retreated back into his head once the possibility of having to do some work had come up.

Is that not just good advice? I know your family has some strange life advice they gave you, but surely you heard “Don’t take candy from strangers” or something along those lines. You never know who’s out to get you.

Isn’t that normally advice given to small children to keep them away from predatory old men? Jaune sighed as he tied a garbage bag closed.

Yes. And?

…and we’re huntsmen and huntresses? I don’t think we really have to be worried about that sort of thing anymore.

Just because you don’t have to worry about being taken away in an unmarked white van doesn’t mean that there aren’t dangers still out there.

Riiiight. How about you give me an actual answer this time?

Fine. It’s related to the thing I was saying we should use Neo for.

Ah. You said that Ozpin wanted Pyrrha for it, didn’t you? I’m not sure that I would consider Ozpin to be a predatory old man, though…

Pyrrha accepting the offer is what leads to her death in quite a few timelines.

Jaune paused in his cleaning, very much distracted by that line of thought.

…Does Ozpin know that it would kill her?

He doesn’t know that it would kill her, no, but I suppose at the same time I don’t know that it would either. Perhaps in this timeline things would work out just fine. But everyone who knows what’s being offered knows that there are risks involved. That’s why I suggested Neo. Nobody besides Roman and I would particularly care about something bad happening to her, so I thought that offering her up would be something they might consider. I don’t get why her being a criminal is such a big deal. They want Raven back, and she’s a criminal…

Who?

You’ll meet her soon enough. Probably. Maybe don’t mention her name until then though…

Is this like a Penny and Sun situation?

Not… quite. Look, my point is, Ozpin will probably try to dress it up as some great responsibility or whatever, and tell whoever he ends up offering to that it’s for a worthy cause. It’s not a guarantee that the recipient would die, but it’s a very real possibility.

Jaune forced himself to get back to work, not wanting his team to worry about him.

Then… what if we didn’t give him the opportunity to?

What do you mean?

Well, this thing that he’s trying to offer up, you know where it is, right?

Jaune. Are you suggesting what I think you are?

I’m not suggesting anything! I’m just… spitballing ideas… You can’t just tell me this stuff and expect me to sit around and do nothing while my friends are at stake!

I’m not saying you should! I was just a bit surprised. You realize they won’t be very happy with us if we do that though, right?

I’d rather that they be mad at us than put my friends in danger.

Huh. Not bad, kid. Well in that case, here’s what we can do…