Hello everybody, with the end of finals coming to the horizon I celebrate by pumping this out. Now I can enjoy that sweet, sweet free time. Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Tell No Tales

Jay thumbed through the massive textbook in her arms. Her eyes glossed over each page without actually reading it. Complicated diagrams and scores of paragraphs littered every page, ranging from aura algorithms to regeneration techniques. Her head pounded from trying to decipher it all.

"You stare at it any harder and your eyeballs are gonna pop out," a voice said in front of her. Jay snapped her attention to the elderly man sitting in the desk in front of her. A chiding grin was hiding underneath his bushy grey beard. He wore a deep green sweater vest over a half tucked-in dress shirt. His tie loosely hung around his neck, striped with the same color as his sweater.

"I can't help it professor. Half of this stuff looks like it'll give me an aneurysm. Then again, what am I supposed to expect from a class called Advanced Aura Applications?" Jay replied. The professor laughed and leaned back into his leather chair, sliding his hands behind his bald head. Jay returned the smile. It was the first day of school and she already liked Professor Pine. His laid-back attitude and joking remarks managed to keep her attention better than most other professors.

"Welcome to Beacon, kid. This is just the introductory material. If you don't tear your hair out by the end of the semester, consider yourself lucky," he said. Jay's grin widened. She reached out and rubbed the top of Professor's Pine head as she made a high-pitched squeaking noise.

"Is that what happened to you?" she teased. Professor Pine answered with a smile of his own.

"Trust me, kid, when you get to be my age you'll hold onto whatever hair you have left," he said. Jay pulled her hand away and pointed at his beard.

"If I don't, is it going to slide down my face like yours?" she asked. Professor Pine laughed and slapped his knee, rattling his own desk with his animated motions. He calmed himself down and ran his fingers through the coarse hair covering his jaw. A sigh left his lips.

"Jay, you remind me a little too much of myself back in my younger days. I can already tell you're going to be one of my problem students," he joked. Jay shrugged with a roll of her eyes, her grin never leaving.

"Can't you have a little bit more faith in me? It's only my first day. I can change," she said.

"I've no doubt about that. You are the leader of Team Jetbead after all. If you haven't matured now, you better do it quick. You've got big, scary responsibilities now," he said in an ominous tone while wiggling his fingers. Jay frowned for a brief second. The memories of what happened during her initiation came flooding back. The attack, the drugging, it all left a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. One that refused to go away no matter how much she tried to force it down.

Professor Pine furrowed his brow and leaned forward in his chair. Only then, did Jay realize the troubled expression written on her face was plain as day.

"Something the matter, Jay?" he asked with concern. Jay coughed into her fist and brushed it against the lapels of her uniform.

"I-It's nothing, Professor. Just first day jitters," Jay said. Her grin barely held together as she bowed to Professor Pine before exiting the class. She could feel the professor's gaze boring into the back of her skull, but thankfully he stayed silent as she closed the door behind her.

Out in the halls, Spriggan was leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed. The concerned look on her face mirrored Pine's own.

"Something's wrong. I can tell," Spriggan said. Jay gave her a half-hearted shrug. She turned away from her friend and crossed her arms.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked. Spriggan approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She gave it a light squeeze, hoping to provide some comfort. Jay's downcast expression didn't change. She couldn't stop herself from rewinding the whole fight over and over again, hoping to gleam some rhyme or reason behind the attacks. Each time she came up with nothing.

Jay turned just enough so that her eyes met Spriggan's. Her voice falling to a whisper as she spoke, "It's still bothering me. We were attacked, Sprig, and we don't even know who's responsible. I feel like I'm already failing as a leader."

"Don't blame yourself, Jay. It wasn't your fault. Neither of us expected to be attacked like that in the middle of Beacon grounds," Spriggan said. Despite her attempts, Jay's frown didn't falter. Spriggan placed her free hand on Jay's other shoulder and turned her so that they were face to face, "It's not your fault. We're both okay. So we can both try to figure out how to solve this."

Jay took a deep breath and lowered her eyes to the floor. She gave a slow nod, "You're right...you're right. We should tell somebody. It won't do us any good if we're the only ones who know about it."

"You should tell Professor Ozpin. If anyone can get to the bottom of this, it's him," Spriggan suggested. Jay looked up and gave a single, hesitant nod.

"I-I'll go see him right now. If I'm lucky, I'm just blowing this whole thing out of proportion and everything will be fine," Jay said. Spriggan smiled and let got of Jay's shoulders.

"And if you're not?" she asked. Jay stared at her before she cracked a half-hearted smile.

"You're doomtalking again, Sprig. Might wanna look into that," she said. Spriggan stared at Jay for a moment until she broke the silence with an airy laugh. Jay's smile widened and she gave Spriggan a quick farewell before turning in the other direction. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried. A part of her didn't even want to entertain the possibility of the attack being more than what she thought it was.

Jay made her way back through Beacon's main building where the headmaster's office was located. Most of the students had filtered out of its lavish halls, leaving them barren. Weaving through corridor after corridor, she arrived at the campus' main lobby and ascended a flight of stairs. A few of Beacon's professors passed her by as she walked, giving her a polite nod or a short greeting.

Out of habit, Jay tucked her hands into her uniform jacket's pockets. She wasn't wearing the usual golden armor that hid her prosthetic, instead opting for the uniform's long sleeve and a black glove to keep it concealed.

Eventually she reached a set of double doors, an elevator leading to Ozpin's office. Jay wringed her hands. She had never talked to Ozpin in person before. If the way he addressed the new students was anything to go by, she was afraid he was going to be rather callous about her concerns if he even bothered to listen to her at all. She reached out to the call button, taking a deep sigh to calm her nerves.

"Looking for someone?"

She froze on the spot, her finger stopping just short of the button. She hesitantly looked over her shoulder, catching sight of a tall man in dark green clothing with grey hair and small, circular glasses. In one hand was a mug with a thin trail of steam leaving its contents and in the other he held a cane which he tapped against the floor.

"Uh…y-you…actually," Jay sputtered out. If Ozpin was surprised, he didn't show it. Instead, he raised his cane and pressed the bottom end against the button Jay was reaching for. A soft ding echoed from the panel and the twin doors slid open in a smooth motion.

"Well you found me," he said, stepping inside the elevator. He turned to face Jay, tapping the floor next to him expectantly. Jay took cautious steps inside, the elevator doors sliding shut behind her. A feeling of weightlessness overcame her as the elevator began its ascent up to Ozpin's office. She took her spot next to Ozpin and awkwardly shifted in her place.

Her tense stance was a complete opposite to the man next to her. Her entire perception of him was shaken to say the least. The Ozpin she saw at the welcoming ceremony was cold and blunt. But now, he was relaxed and at peace, almost aloof. An aura of calm seemed to radiate around him, putting her own tension at ease.

The elevator soon slowed to a stop, jolting Jay to her senses. The doors opened to a grand circular room. At the far end was a bare bones desk and chair. Behind it was a window overlooking the entrance to the academy.

Ozpin was the first to step out, the only sound in the room coming from his cane rapping against the floor. Jay followed with small steps. She couldn't stop herself from turning in a slow circle, taking in all the finer details of Ozpin's office. She looked up at the transparent window above them. An intricate combination of cogs and machinery moved with every passing second like the gears of a clock.

"So to what do I owe the pleasure, Jay? " Ozpin asked as he sat down in his chair. Jay snapped to attention, taken a little off guard by Ozpin using her name so casually. She walked towards the front of his desk, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Well…Ozpin, sir. It's about the initiation. When I was walking around with my partner, trying to get to the temple, we were um…attacked," Jay started, rubbing the back of her neck. Ozpin leaned forward, tenting his fingers together as he listened to Jay's story, "It wasn't Grimm, I know that. It was a girl, I think. Black cloak, white mask. She drugged my partner with some dart and tried to kill me. I fought back, but she ended up drugging me too. Next thing I know, the other half of my team is carrying me away."

Jay took a deep breath and looked Ozpin in the eye, her voice turning solemn, "I just wanted to know, was that part of the initiation? Because after everything that happened, I'm not so sure."

Ozpin stayed silent, his face never wavering from its neutral expression. The long pause was finally ended with a short hum as Ozpin took a sip from his mug.

"I see. During your initiation, I explicitly stated to your professors that we would not interfere under any circumstances," Ozpin said. Jay gave a slow nod, the unfortunate truth dawning in her mind.

"I get it. So that means that whoever was out there…"

"Was not a member of Beacon's faculty, yes. A troubling thought, but not one that can't be put to rest. In the interest of securing Beacon grounds, I'll send a few professors to look for any signs of our guest. Don't worry, Jay. We'll get to the bottom of this," Ozpin said in a warm, gentle tone. Jay gave him a relieved smile and nodded.

"Thank you, Professor Ozpin. I appreciate you lending me an ear. I just wanted to make sure my team was safe from…whoever that was," Jay said. Ozpin rose from his chair and circled around his desk.

"A noble goal. Keep having the interests of others in your heart and you'll make a fine huntress," he said. Jay stood up straighter, practically beaming at Ozpin's praise. Her eyes fell to the floor as her smile grew a little wider.

"Thank you, Headmaster. I'll try not to let you down," she said. Ozpin reached out and took Jay's left arm with a gentle hand. Jay furrowed her brow as he turned her gloved hand over and pulled it off, revealing her mechanical hand. Jay flexed her silicone fingers. The servos in her hand whined with the small motion.

"This is was a turning point in your life, wasn't it?" Ozpin asked her. Jay gulped and replied with a curt nod. Ozpin pinched the cuff of her sleeve and rolled it up, exposing more and more of Jay's arm. The shape of the prosthetic was modeled with layers of plating that looked similar to human muscle, giving it an aesthetically organic look. The sweeping contours and smooth dermal layers were cold to the touch, but Ozpin didn't pull away, "Modern medicine certainly is a marvel."

"Yeah...it was," Jay agreed with a subdued tone. Ozpin pulled her sleeve back down and placed the glove back in Jay's metal palm.

"Regardless of your injuries, you've come this far. Strength of will often surpasses any measure of raw power. Keep that in mind when it seems as if the world is against you," Ozpin said. Jay closed her fingers around the glove and let it fall to her side. Her prosthetic was a constant reminder of what would happen without the Huntsmen. It was her source of motivation, her promise to never abandon people to fate.

Jay gave Ozpin a polite bow and turned on her heel to enter the elevator. Once the elevator doors slid closed, Jay shut her eyes, nodding to herself in satisfaction.

Everything was in Ozpin's hands now. She did her job. All that was left was for Ozpin to do his. She had faith that the headmaster would handle any problems that came from investigating this mysterious woman prowling Beacon grounds. She was only one person after all. There was no way she would be able to escape the vigilance of experienced Huntsmen all by herself

...

Hecate raced through the Emerald Forest's foliage, her heart pounding a mile a minute. She had spent the better part of an hour moving from place to place. She silently cursed her luck. She was expecting resistance from the local Grimm population, but she wasn't counting on the sudden appearance of full-fledged Huntsmen.

The scowl on her face grew wider as she realized she was about to run into another group of Huntsmen. She planted her back against a tree, trying to stay as motionless as possible.

"Ah, good show, Professor Pine. Why, a blow like that was enough to rattle even me!" a man bellowed. Hecate peeked around the tree to see a portly man laughing jauntily as he leaned an odd blunderbuss with an axe blade on his shoulder. In front of him, an elderly professor with a bald head and a bushy grey beard pried his mace off the massive corpse of a Deathstalker. His thin frame was all too familiar.

"A compliment from the illustrious Professor Port? And here I thought my good fortune had peaked when I started teaching here," Pine joked as he joined the stout teacher. Port twirled his moustache with a thick finger and took a step closer to the Grimm's remains.

"A shame that the Grimm dissolve so quickly. What wonders the students could learn if they managed to dissect one of these beasts," Port said. Pine lightly laughed and tapped the Deathstalker's rapidly decomposing outer shell. Both of them seemed too preoccupied with their conversation to notice Hecate moving from tree to tree, staying just outside their peripheral vision.

"Speaking of which, we should really wrap this up. We're losing daylight and I still have papers to grade," Pine said with a hint of impatience. Port laughed and removed his blunderbuss from his shoulder, hefting its weight in both arms.

"Now, now, Pine. Searching for prey is an invigorating experience. Why, it reminds me of the time I hunted a white Beowolf during my excursions to Mistral. Legend has it that a white Beowolf could tear a man in two with a single swipe of its claws," Port droned. Hecate leaned against the trunk of another tree, her frown growing deeper. They really were looking for her.

"I should have killed them when I had the chance. Damn it!" Hecate cursed under her breath. She bit her tongue as Port suddenly looked in her direction. The professor took a few steps towards her, leveling his rifle at the tree she was behind.

"A subtle sound, but not one to escape my notice. Come on out, beast, so that you may meet your dignified end!" Port taunted. Hecate gritted her teeth. Her hands fell on her twin swords, pulling them a few inches out of their sheaths.

Pine suddenly put a hand on Port's shoulder, "C'mon, Port. We shouldn't waste our time with this Grimm. We've searched this place over and over and we haven't found a single clue about this intruder. Besides, after your heart to heart with the Schnee girl, you deserve a cup of coffee. My treat, eh?"

Hecate kept still, stopping herself from even breathing. A pregnant silence filled the air as she waited for Port's reply. Finally, Port laughed and Hecate heard him strap his blunderbuss on his back.

"Very well! We shouldn't keep Ozpin waiting, after all. Shall we move on, Conifer?" Port asked. Professor Pine nodded and held a hand out to the expansive space opposite of Hecate.

"After you, Port. Having you take point would help me breathe easier. I'll cover the rear," Pine said. Port gave him a quick thumbs up and headed deeper into the forests with Pine in tow. Just before he disappeared into the foliage, Pine looked back and made eye contact with Hecate. He gave her a quick nod. Hecate returned the gesture.

Once he was gone, she ran as fast as she could, ducking under low hanging branches and climbing up steep hills. She listened intently for any sign of Huntsmen amidst the gentle whispers of the trees. Hearing nothing, she slowed her pace to a stop. She sighed in relief and crossed her arms.

"Professor Pine…I should have known," she said. A hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Hecate acted on pure reflex, pulling her sword free and thrusting it forward as she was turned around to face her attacker.

A dull metallic ringing echoed in the forest. Hecate's sword was knocked upwards and out of her hand, landing a few feet away.

"A bit jumpy, hm? I suppose I should commend you for your vigilance at the very least," Pine said, his mace still held in the air after parrying Hecate's attack. Hecate glared at him and went to retrieve her sword, sliding it back into its sheath.

"What the hell is going on? Why are there so many Huntsmen out here looking for me?" she demanded. Pine looked off to the side, appearing somewhat disappointed.

"Possibly because you didn't practice any sense of discretion. I was afraid of this. Now I have to stick my neck out and risk detection. The rest of the council won't be happy if that happens," Pine said. Hecate scoffed. She knew how vital Pine's work was. Being both a Macabre Councilman and a Professor at Beacon, he was in a precarious position.

"I don't think it matters at this point, considering I already have half of Beacon's staff looking for me," Hecate argued. Pine either didn't hear her or didn't care as he looked off in the distance.

"We can still salvage this. The forest is big and most of the professors already think this is a waste of time. I'm just stoking the fires as best as I can. There's no reason to resort to rash action. Especially considering that this is all because of one new student," Pine said. Hecate scoffed, turning her back to him.

"Seems to me that rash action is the only way to accomplish anything here," she shot back.

"If it's your death you wish to accomplish, by all means" Pine replied in a cool tone. He walked up beside her and grabbed her forearm, yanking it upwards and revealing the dart mechanism strapped to her wrist.

"Don't forget. Rash action is responsible for what happened to Pepper. She's lost every bit of what she used to be. Now she's little better than a husk," he said. Hecate wrenched her arm free. Her eyes burned with fury behind her mask.

"Don't bring her into this," she growled. Pine hefted his mace against his shoulder and shrugged with a resigned sigh.

"You're right, of course. I apologize. I'm merely trying to make a point," Pine said. He looked away from her, but he could still sense the scowl written plainly on her face.

Pine slipped his scroll out of his pocket and checked the time. The sun was setting and it wouldn't be long until the forest was obscured by total darkness.

"Given the time of day, I'd bet the odds are in your favor. You'd best take advantage. I'll hand in my report to Ozpin; tell him we didn't find a sign of the supposed intruder," Pine said. Hecate nodded and began walking away until Pine grabbed her by the shoulder, "Hecate, I'd advise for you to stay away from Beacon for the time being."

Hecate sighed and placed a hand over her mask. She much preferred working alone, but she would be lying if she said she felt confident enough to risk walking further into the lion's den.

"It's fine. I have other ideas in mind," she said. Pine watched her for a moment. Hecate refused to make eye contact with him. Neither of them said a word until Pine released his hand from her shoulder and took a step back.

"I suppose the Council was right in sending you here. I'll keep them off your back for as long as I can, but don't take your time," he said. He walked away from Hecate with relaxed steps. Hecate crossed her arms and turned away from him. Just before he left earshot, she called out to him.

"Pine?"

He turned around to face her. Hecate came up to him and pressed a finger against his chest.

"I'm going to need a few extra men. And I want all the intel you have on this new student and their team," she said. Pine raised a brow. He grabbed Hecate's hand and pushed it away. A man in his position could provide both with no problem. Nobody would think twice about a professor accessing the personal information of his students.

"I'll do what I can," Pine said. Hecate gave a firm nod and Pine heard the rapid bristling of grass before he was left to the forest's silence.

He waited for a while longer then headed back towards the academy. It was a funny thing. Pine had been a Huntsman long before he ever became a double agent for the Macabre. But as the years went by, he began to realize how pointless this feud was. Both factions wanted the same thing, yet both wanted the other dead.

To Pine, neither side was entirely in the right. The Huntsmen were too comfortable where they were and the Macabre were too bloodthirsty for their own good. On their own, he was afraid that Humanity's situation would never improve. That's why he continued to play both sides. He hoped that someday, he could broker a truce between the two factions. If the Huntsmen and the Macabre could join forces, Humanity could finally spread outward and exterminate the Grimm once and for all.

All he wanted was peace, no matter who provided it. Huntsmen or Macabre, it didn't matter to him. The ends justified the means. He only hoped that he would live long enough to see his efforts come to fruition.

...

Ozpin's fingers moved in a methodical, even pace across his keyboard. He stopped for a brief moment to drink from his mug. The first day of school could be intimidating, but from the looks of his new students, they were adjusting well to their new life.

He looked over the class roster once more. Many teams proved to be promising and others were well on their way to becoming the star pupils of their class. Despite a setback concerning leadership in a particular team, the day had been a rousing success.

The elevator door to his office chimed and slid open. A senior professor walked out with his glassy eyes aimed towards him. Ozpin returned the look, peering at Professor Conifer Pine over the rim of his glasses.

"Professor. I assume you're here to report your findings in the Emerald Forest?" he said. Pine stopped at the front of his desk and bowed in respect.

"I am, Headmaster. We fanned out in groups of two starting from the south and moving in a wide sweep across the forest. Aside from the local Grimm resistance, we found no evidence suggesting there was an intruder during initiation," he said. Ozpin hummed in acknowledgement. He expected as much. Someone skilled enough to combat the Grimm and drug two Huntresses in training would be smart enough to cover their tracks. Whoever their uninvited guest was, they were certainly no ordinary person.

Ozpin took another long drink from his cup. As much as he wanted to pursue the trail, other things required his attention. Plus, there was little else to go on. All he had was one girl's testimony, hardly substantial evidence to push the matter further. He shut his eyes and released the smallest of sighs, his face softening for a brief moment.

"I appreciate your efforts, Professor. I've taken enough of your time. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening. One should enjoy these small moments of respite wherever we find them," he said. The corners of Pine's lips tugged upwards as he laughed.

"I'm already a dusty old relic, Headmaster. Retirement is just around the corner. I want to put in one hundred percent effort while I'm still here," he replied. Ozpin propped his elbows against the table, tenting his fingers together. Conifer had been teaching in Beacon for years. He had devoted his life to the education and training of future Huntsmen. There was no greater honor than that in Ozpin's eyes. He respected the man, through and through.

"You've been invaluable to the Huntsmen, Conifer. Not just to us but to your students as well. They all look to you in admiration. There's not a doubt in mind, that you've made an impact on all of them," Ozpin praised. Pine swallowed the lump in his throat, throwing the headmaster a wry smile. While Ozpin's words were kind, he didn't draw any comfort from them. He didn't shirk his responsibilities as a teacher; it was one of the few things he took seriously. But his pride as a teacher was hollow considering he was using his position to actively hurt the Huntsmen out of his responsibility to the Macabre.

"Thank you, Ozpin. My students mean a lot to me. So much so that I'm going to march straight to my office and finish up my lesson plans for tomorrow," he said, eager to draw their conversation to a close before Ozpin said anything else that would send daggers into his heart. He turned back and headed into the elevator, punching in the button to the classroom wing of the Academy.

The trip to his office was longer than he'd like. A few teachers were still in their classrooms finishing up their reports and grading whatever practice assignments they had given during the day. By the time he reached his classroom, the halls were washed with the glowing moonlight pouring in from outside. His classroom was on par with others in size, designed like an amphitheater with his desk standing in front of elevated sections where the students were seated. Behind his desk was a single wooden door that led to his private office.

Pine headed inside and sat down in front of his computer. He opened the class roster with one hand while he fished his scroll out of his pocket with the other. Thumbing the wireless connection on his scroll he waited patiently as it linked to his computer.

Connection established.

Synchronizing class roster file.

Pine sighed and typed in a few more commands. The keys clacking along in absolute silence.

Download criteria enabled…

24 Beacon Teams omitted from download…

Team 'Jetbead' (JTAD) file downloading…

Download complete

Pine cut the connection to his scroll and sent the file to a unmarked number in his contacts. A lethargic feeling rose in his chest. He reached behind his monitor and switched the display off, dropping him in absolute darkness. He leaned back into his chair and shut his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jay. Please don't judge me too harshly. I only want what's best for Remnant. Even if it means...sacrificing...a few people for now," Pine said. A wave of exhaustion overwhelmed him. He could finish his lesson plans later. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to just rest. He wanted to push the feelings of guilt festering in his chest.

Before he knew it, he fell into a light sleep, a permanent frown etched on his face.

...

Hecate stared down at the scroll in her hand. The new message icon blinked at the corner of the screen. The bright light coming from the scroll lit up her mask, making it the only visible thing in the otherwise dim room.

She looked up from the screen at the six cloaked men in front of her. She made a brief nod and started walking towards them, raising her voice loud enough for all of them to hear.

"As of now, you are all under my command. You will not defer to any judgement except my own and my word is law. Am I clear?" she started. Several murmurs of affirmation followed her question. In one smooth motion, Hecate opened the file on her scroll and held it up in front of them. Four pictures were displayed on the small screen. Each one belonged to a member of Team JTAD.

"These four know we exist and they have taken actions against us already. It is our responsibility to ensure it doesn't happen again," she said. She lowered her scroll and dropped it into a pocket in the inside of her cloak. She looked at each person under her command before continuing.

"The Huntsmen have taken everything from you. They've taken everything from me. They say they are the protectors of peace while they leave hundreds to the Grimm's mercy every day. Innocent men and women died because of their selfish actions. Entire villages have been razed because of their behavior. It's time we fought back. The Huntsmen will answer for their crimes," she said. Everyone gave their cheers of determination, a few raising their swords high into the air. Hecate crossed her arms. The hollering and calls for blood rang through her ears and sent shivers down her spine. This was the raw, destructive ferocity of the Macabre. This was the iron will that allowed them to stand toe to toe with the best fighters in Remnant.

Every person in the Macabre had a stake in their fight. Whether it was for peace, personal revenge, or saving innocent people, they were all more than willing to give their lives for the promise of a better future. If that meant exterminating the Huntsmen, then so be it. Innocent lives were riding on their shoulders and Hecate would rather die than let them become victims.