The conversation proved informative for the two DJs.
Robyn was quite willing to go off on everything that was wrong with Ironwood's handling of Mantle.
Her chief complaints being that it wasn't getting supplies it needed to repair its wall, or anything else, and jobs were dwindling because of the lack of dust shipping.
That and the council were "bullheaded elitists" apparently.
Wally hated politics and was really only interested in so far as it was hurting people.
Shine had a flair for politics, even if she didn't usually indulge it, and followed Robyn pretty well.
"Well, you have some valid points," she said. "I've studied politics quite a bit myself, not really interested in going into it though. Too frustrating and you always have to watch what you say."
"I'm not really worried about that," Robyn said.
"I don't expect you'll get very far then," Shine said.
"Excuse me?" Robyn said. "You think lying is better?"
"No, but after listening to you complain for the past hour, I've decided that it's very unlikely those 'elitists' you mentioned will want to work with you," Shine shrugged. "And if they won't, there's not much you can do. You're one person, one vote. The thing is, in politics, you have to be able to make friends, and allies. The people's anger might get you so far...but it can't do everything. I get the feeling you have a big mouth--perhaps a big heart also, if you're serious about all this, but you don't seem to have much diplomacy."
"You don't really know me," Robyn said. "You think I can't be diplomatic?"
"Tricky and diplomatic are not the same thing," Shine said. "But perhaps you can turn it on for the public, still, it won't last forever if that's all it is. The same pattern would occur."
"I don't think compromising is the way to go," Robyn said. "Those council members are bending over backwards for Ironwood, and he holds two seats!"
"Again, that's messed up," Shine said. "And whoever allowed it should have seen this coming. Anytime you give someone more power than other people on a board, you're asking for it to become tyrannical...still, even so, I've met General Ironwood myself. He's not all bad."
"No, but he's foolish," Robyn said. "And what is his deal with all this? I bet he's never told you either."
"I actually have a good idea," Shine said. "And I think he's wrong...but even so, his motives are to protect Atlas, and, in his mind, Mantle as well. I wonder if you could say the same about yours. Do you care about Atlas at all?"
Some of the other huntresses who'd come along as some kind of guard, sniffed contemptuously.
Robyn seemed to consider her answer carefully. "I don't want to hurt Atlas, but, they have plenty of power already, and money. Mantle is always the bottom priority. They need an advocate."
"Which is noble," Shine said. "And I get it...but you simply can't hope to influence people whose interests lie in Atlas, if they think all you care about is Mantle. Will it help both sides to do what you want? That is the question."
"I think so," Robyn said. "I think it helps everyone if people hate Atlas less."
"I wonder if the council would have that idea based on your professed disdain of them?" Shine said.
Robyn frowned.
"What do you guys do to help Mantle?" Wally was bored. "Like, a lot of people here are suffering, do you alleviate it?"
"In our way, when we can," Robyn looked grave. "We can't even scratch the surface like this, we have no power. We try to get Mantle supplies...whatever way we can."
"I see," Shine said. "And, that way is legal?"
"Usually," Robyn said.
"Usually?" Wally repeated.
"Some laws are stupid," Robyn said. "Wrong. Why should we follow those laws?"
"Is the law something you just get to discard when it's convenient for you?" Shine asked.
"If the circumstances justify it, I think," Robyn said.
"And who decides if they justify it? You?" Shine said. "Do you really think you're unbiased?"
"So you wouldn't steal if it meant someone wouldn't starve to death?" Robyn began to get heated.
"I don't know if I would," Shine said. "I tend to trust for my needs to be provided for by God, I've never been in that position so far. I think there's usually another way. Two wrongs do not make a right. Perhaps it's not a monstrosity, yet any time you steal, you are not giving someone what they deserve, only depriving someone else of what was rightfully theirs because you judge they didn't need it."
"They don't need it," Robyn said. "You've seen how nice it is up on Atlas? They aren't hurting for money or food."
"Not yet," Shine said. "Enough sabotaging of their resources however, and they will be. And less equipped to survive it than people who are used to it. It's not exactly their fault if they have wealth...but you would be at fault for stealing it from them. Being wealthy is not a crime in of itself, and you cannot charge people as guilty just because they have something you want."
Robyn frowned. "That is not what this is about. It's not for me, it's for the people who need it."
"Call it what you like, Robyn, but it's your judgement call, so it is for you," Shine said. "And you encourage everyone who follows you to treat other people's property like it's their own. You don't see how that could backfire in the long run?"
"It's better than doing nothing," Robyn said.
Shine was getting tired of this.
"I guess if you think so," she said, tightly. "That's your price to pay...but you know, thieves usually pay double for what they steal, one way or the other."
"You like to preach for someone who's not even from this Kingdom," Robyn folded her arms and looked smug.
"I've met people like you before," Shine stood up. "You say people like me have it easy because we're not on the streets or crammed into some tiny ghetto...but I've been homeless and just a few steps away from poverty most of my life, just thankfully, not quite there. It's hard for many of us to stay afloat...I still find time to give to other people who have even less than I do...if you were to take what I do have, in order to provide for them, and I was to end up in the same boat as all of them because that was all it took to upset the balance of my pocketbook...then you made one more poor person, and helped no one in the long run. You're nothing new, Robyn...even if you mean well. I don't think I'd support you even if I could."
"I guess if that's how you see it," Robyn said. "I'll admit, you've put up a better fight than most of those idiots up top do. At least you tried. It's a shame. Maybe a few more weeks up in Atlas will change your mind."
"My mind is not so easily changed by other people's decisions," Shine said. "I tend to think that I think based on study and personal reasoning, not other people's actions...but to each their own."
Wally was just glad to finally get out of there.
"It was weird that that lady was watching me," he said. "Like the robots aren't bad enough. Though she didn't seem so bad."
"She's the kind of person I wouldn't really have a personal problem with," Shine said. "But I don't think she knows jack about how to manage relationships with her opponents, or successful politics...of course, the situation is probably past repair as long as Salem can keep pulling strings, but there are better ways to do damage control than cause more damage. Something tells me, we'll hear about her soon enough if we keep hanging around the school."
"I don't think we should tell Ironwood about this," Wally said. "Or the others...I mean, I think they'd think we went looking for trouble."
"There's no real reason to mention it, we just talked to them, it's not like we went on a crusade," Shine said wryly.
"I think that was a Robin Hood joke...but I don't get it," Wally said.
"King Richard? Going to the Crusades? At least in the Disney version," Shine said.
"The lion? He's not even in it hardly at all," Wally said.
"True...I can't tell if Robyn is Robin Hood, or the Sheriff of Nottingham, or both. All these parallels are so hard to keep up with."
"At least you have a clue, I don't get most of this stuff, I wasn't really interested in fairy tales before this," Wally said.
* * *
Nothing more happened that day, but the following day, the teams had their weapons ready.
They'd also adjusted their outfits.
[Not like the shows, those were some of the worst redesigns I've ever seen. Especially Jaune's.]
[There's a lot of better ones online, I like this one okay, but there's plenty to choose from...but please, not the blue! And the short/banana hair...ugh...]
Shine and Wally did their fair share of admiring the new weapon features and outfits--well more the first one for Wally.
It was probably the most normal interaction they'd had with the groups so far.
Of course, Blake asked Shine how her sword worked.
"I've never seen a weapon that could be cloaked like that so no one could see it," she said. "That's useful. Is it your semblance?"
"I wouldn't think so," Shine said vaguely. "I can't really explain it."
"Why doesn't that answer surprise me?" Yang said, very crabby.
"For once, I really just can't. All I know is it appears when I need it, and then it's gone." Shine said.
"Perhaps it's a manifestation of your aura," Ren said. "Then it is your semblance."
Shine laughed at him, since he sounded like he thought she was being a bit dense. "If it makes you feel better about it, Ren, sure."
"I really don't like her," Yang muttered as she and Blake walked away.
"I'm not sure the sword thing is really on the list of reasons not to like her," Blake said. "I think the secrecy is higher up. How can she not know what her semblance is if it's that obvious?"
"Yeah, for someone who thinks she's so smart, she's kind of ignorant," Yang agreed. "But Oscar is eating this up."
"You don't think we've been...ignoring him do you?" Blake said.
"How could we? He's literally the next Ozpin, we have to pay attention to him whether we like it or not," Yang scoffed.
Blake wondered if that was really the same thing. She wished she could remember "The Man with Two Souls" better.
"Are your companions joining you for the mission?" Ironwood asked.
He meant the one he was sending them with on the Ace Ops...which definitely had to be a test.
"We didn't really ask," Qrow said. "Are you letting them?"
"They're huntsmen aren't they?" Ironwood had not looked into it, it seemed he was way too busy to think of it, and would have expected Winter to do so anyway.
She had not told him of her little spat with Shine over the whole thing--and had tried to do it on her own...so far nothing.
"Sure," Qrow wasn't about to admit he'd brought non-huntsmen to Atlas...not until he knew what they were and could give a better excuse.
"Then it's not a problem," Ironwood mistook Qrow's lack of assurance for his usual snarkiness, not an actual sign that he didn't know.
While Winter would not be joining them yet, she did inspect them before they left.
"Well, Weiss, this will be a good chance to see how you've improved away from home," she said.
"Sure," Weiss said. "I can't wait to prove myself."
[Imagine if Winter knew she hasn't won a single fight that wasn't against grimm.]
"You know Winter taught her everything she knows," Shine commented to Wally, loud enough for the others to hear her.
"Which explains a lot," Qrow said.
"Hey!" Weiss said. "Are you saying I can't fight?"
"Technically, he didn't say that," Shine said. "He said Winter's tutelage explains a lot, so you're the one who just implied that your sister cannot fight."
Nora snickered.
Yang probably would have if she wasn't too busy making sure she hated Shine.
The others tried not to look amused, Winter scared the crap out of them, and they were too afraid to sass her, but they thought it was hilarious if someone else did.
Even Qrow had to smirk.
Winter shot Shine a deathly glare.
"I didn't," Weiss protested. "That's not what I meant. I thought he was implying--"
"That's enough, Weiss, don't bother to acknowledge such inane remarks," Winter said loftily.
"She doesn't have time for our immature games," Shine said to Wally.
"Oh, I get it," Wally winked 😉.
Winter strode up to Shine purposefully, clearly intent on intimidating her--it didn't seem like it was working.
"Do you have an issue with me, Miss Likstar?" she asked pointedly.
"No. Do you?" Shine replied.
"I would like to know why you're intent on making such disrespectful remarks," Winter said.
"I know that you Atlas people take everything personally," Shine said, "but please believe me when I say I make these remarks to everyone, at least according to the uptight ones, so it's nothing specially for you."
Winter stared at her for a full 3 seconds, trying to figure out what was the most wrong with that sentence.
Qrow again stifled a laugh. He was not going to be swayed by this little twit getting up in Atlas' grill, even if it was funny.
"Did you just call me uptight?" Winter finally asked.
"She can't be the first person to do that." Wally blurted this without the intent to actually be savage--he just didn't think before he said it.
That did it. Ruby and Jaune both smothered laughter also.
Winter shot them a warning look, then frowned at Wally. "It seems the trouble respecting the uniform is ubiquitous among Qrow's acquaintances."
"You can't blame Qrow--we've known him for a short time," Shine said. "You, on the other hand, have known him for years, so if that's an indication of your disposition, I think you're in more trouble than we are."
"Is she trying to get my sister to kill her?" Weiss asked.
"I think so," Blake said.
Winter couldn't find a way out of what Shine just said right off, but finally she said, "I think that's not necessarily a matter of character. Some of us are strong enough to remain unsoiled by proximity with dirt."
"Big talk from a woman who wears all white." Shine shrugged.
"Yeah, I kind of think that's hard to keep clean, you know?" Wally said. "I couldn't wear all white on the job. You should know what dry cleaning costs."
"I was being metaphorical, you insolent little ingrate." Winter was finally losing her cool.
"Name calling?" Shine crossed her arms. "Now who's got the character? My gosh, all I've said is that you know Qrow and you don't have time for immature games, and suddenly I'm an ignorant little ingrate? Who's taller than you, by the way, but whatever. Suddenly I'm getting insulted? Geez, I hope Ironwood doesn't hear you say that."
Winter put a hand on her hilt like she was going to clock Shine right then and there...but then she caught Qrow smirking 😏 and recalled how that went the last time she lost her cool.
Swallowing with difficulty, she lifted her head high.
"I have better things to do, trust me. Well, I will see you all shortly. Don't disappoint me." With a warning look at the rest of Team RWBY. Then she stalked away.
"You're going to be in so much trouble," Weiss said.
"She is so fun," Shine didn't listen. "Did you see the look she gave me? I thought I was going to get decked right then and there."
"You have a weird idea of fun," Pyrrha remarked. "Why are you picking a fight with Winter?"
"I suppose because she needed to break up the monotony of this stupid job," Shine shrugged.
"Stupid?" Weiss said. "She's an Atlas Specialist! She's the second most important person in this kingdom."
"Did I stutter?" Shine shrugged. "I can imagine few jobs more frustrating than that."
"This does not make us friends," Qrow said. "But that was one of the slickest ways I've ever seen anyone get around Winter Schnee. I can't figure what your game is though, even I'm not dumb enough to start it with them in their own domain if I'm going to be stuck here."
"Best time to start it with someone is when they know that you're not worried about what they'll do to you," Shine shrugged.
"Well, I thought you were being really rude," Weiss was not appeased. "She's been very nice to us. And you were messing with her. Winter's not like me all right? She's not willing to put up with people being dumb just because they're on the same team as her."
"I fail to see how she can be on any team then," Shine said. "I guess that why she isn't on one."
Weiss blinked at her. "You shouldn't talk about her like that," she huffed.
"Excuse me? All I did was echo back what you said," Shine said. "If you didn't like how it sounded coming out of someone else's mouth, what does that say about you? Not me."
Weiss gaped at her.
"I guess we're starting this early today," Wally said. "Are we coming with you guys or not?"
"Ironwood said you could, but please, say you're already busy doing something else," Qrow said, very irately.
"Actually we have nothing else to do today," Wally said. "Hey, I'm down to see you guys in action more in person. And those new guys, the Ace Ops, what's their deal?"
"It couldn't hurt to learn more about Atlas," Shine said.
"So much for hoping," Yang muttered.
* * *
Actually the trip to the Dust mines in question seemed like it would be uneventful at first.
The worst of it was the Ace Ops posturing and Marrow bragging while the others ragged on him.
They paid no attention to Shine and Wally, but they did know of Pyrrha.
"I've seen you on TV, kid," Harriet said. "You're good. Not the best, but good. A few more years and you could have our job."
"Uh...thanks," Pyrrha said, uncertainly.
"In fact some of us thought you might move to Atlas," Elm said. "Become one of us."
She looked hopeful.
"I'm still deciding what to do," Pyrrha said.
"So where were you for the last 6 months?" Marrow asked of course the most asked question. "It was all over the news that you died, but I guess people do slip under the radar a lot after a battle like that, still, you were missing that long, what were you, kidnapped by bandits?"
Pyrrha swallowed. "Well, I was...Actually it's classified right now." She glanced at the team.
"Uh yeah," Qrow spoke up. "We're still looking into it, so it's on a need to know basis...sorry."
"We understand," Clover, the leader...and one Shine found most annoying, other than Harriet, nodded. "We know all about that, don't we, team?"
"Sure," They said, though they looked annoyed about it.
"Still, it's the best news I've heard in a while," Vine, the quiet sort, said. "We need all the fighters we can get these days."
Pyrrha felt guilty for the 90th time hearing that.
She wasn't sure this was really what she wanted anymore.
To be a huntress, perhaps...but now that she knew Ozpin had set that up for different reasons than everyone thought, she wondered if being a huntress was emanating what she wanted.
Perhaps, even...that was just the name she'd given to her ideals, not the epitome of them.
She voiced that thought to Shine and Wally once they were off the plane and had ventured into the mines...she was supposed to be with her team and the Ace Ops, but they were hanging back behind the others still.
"You're a thoughtful person," Shine replied. "I don't think the others have even begun to ask themselves what being a huntress actually means if it's based on a lie. It's just a label. Being good is the goal."
"Is this something you've considered before?" Pyrrha said.
"Well, Pyrrha, people in my--home-- love labels," Shine said. "So much so that they've ceased to see anything beyond those labels. It's their whole identity. And if I went up to any one of of them at random and asked what they even think that label is about, and what assumptions they base their view of life on, they couldn't tell me. I wish I did not see so much of that in this team."
"I don't think that's true, not for all of them," Pyrrha glanced at Jaune.
"Not all...but how long before they really start asking what they are even doing?" Shine asked.
[According to the writers, it'll take falling into an upside world for them to ask the most obvious questions most of us ask when we're teenagers...so there's that.]
"The thing is, I never asked either, until Ozpin..." Pyrrha paused. "And now that looks all wrong to me. No offense, but when you brought me back to life, I kind of expected it to be simpler than this."
Wally laughed. "Can we just say things like that now?"
"Sorry, Pyrrha, I'm afraid life is complicated for everyone, whether it's their second--or resumed--try or not," Shine shrugged. "You don't get out of being a human with areas to grow in just because you got a little vacation from it."
"Vacation?" Pyrrha actually laughed. "Is that what we're calling it now?"
"Since it's 'classified' what else can we call it?" Shine asked.
"It's strange how little I care," Pyrrha said. "I really feel like it never happened...I wish I wasn't the only one."
"I like the idea of calling it 'resumed'," Wally said. "Maybe it'll freak people out less. You know she didn't end her life, she just paused it."
"That does sound easier to stomach," Pyrrha admitted. "I think I will call it that...I suppose we'd better walk faster, there's bound to be trouble up ahead...You two know how to fight, right?"
"Please," Shine said. "But we won't be showing off. Not in front those Ace Op jokers. You guys go ahead and kill it."
"But I wanted to show off," Wally said.
"We just talked about this yesterday, they of all people are not the ones I want to see us use our gifts," Shine said.
"Fine," Wally whined. "But we're going to look like sad sacks if we just stand here."
Pyrrha rushed to catch up with her team.
"Finally! What were you talking about back there?" Nora asked.
"Just...this and that," Pyrrha replied. "What is the plan?"
"We're just looking for this dust," Jaune said. "I don't know how much of a plan there's going to be. But grim could show up at any time--"
Some big centipede like things broke out of the ground right then.
[For all the way Yang reacted, these were by far the most normal looking creatures of grimm ever drawn. Guess they thought bugs already look enough like monsters.]
"Are those big bugs?" Wally grimaced.
"Yeah, gross!" Shine made a face. "I hate bugs!"
"I'm not really a fan of alien bugs either, they always lay eggs or something and try to eat your brain!" Wally said.
Team JNPR went to fighting them with gusto.
They weren't really that hard to take down, actually.
Pyrrha got the chance to test her newly modified weapons that were much more up to her old standards, she speared one of the creatures.
It turned into dust.
"Nice," Nora waved.
The two Ace Ops who were watching this, Vine and Elm, didn't appear either concerned or overly impressed with the kids' skills.
Wally and Shine stepped back.
"You're not helping?" Elm asked them.
"We kind of thought it'd be cool to watch you guys in action," Wally said real smoothly.
"Suit yourself," Elm didn't care.
One of the disgusting centipede grim popped out of the ground next to Wally.
Now he wasn't really afraid of bugs, but it startled him and he dashed away like a bat out of hell.
Shine jumped also, and whipped out her sword.
Seeing the sword, the centipede reared up, hissing with its weird feelers.
Pyrrha looked their way, and seeing that they might end up showing their powers after all, she yelled. "That way!" Pointing the opposite direction.
The Ace Ops hadn't noticed the centipede back there yet and turned to follow Pyrrha.
Shine sliced the bug thing across its stomach and it turned into smoke.
She nodded at Pyrrha.
"I could have handled it," Wally said. "But it caught me off guard."
"It's not really that fun," Shine said. "Just feels like killing a cockroach." She shuddered.
No one noticed what happened, and they were able to avoid further incidents as the group went inside and found the dust reserves.
Craziness ensued, but somehow Ruby got the dust chunk.
"I kind of feel like that wasn't worth us all being here," Wally remarked to Shine.
"This is clearly a test," she said. "Let's just hope we passed under the radar."
* * *
Far more interesting to the two of them was what happened after they got out of the caves
Ironwood was there waiting for them, while the Ace Ops were giving Team RWBY the usual hazing/ribbing.
Marrow did ask Shine why she didn't try to show off her skills.
"You worded that poorly," was her response.
Marrow hadn't thought of it that way and looked embarrassed, his tail drooped.
"Ah, he's just being friendly," Elm said. "But seriously, why didn't you help?"
"Why do you have a Russian accent when there's no Russia?" Wally asked.
"Are you sure it's Russian?" Shine mused. [I honestly couldn't tell what it was supposed to be.]
"What are you talking about?" Elm asked.
"Maybe they were scared," Harriet said. "Atlas problems can be a bit much for the farmers."
She must have assumed they were farmers since Oscar had claimed they were friends of his.
"We weren't scared," Wally scoffed. "We were just--" Shine elbowed him.
"What, not in the mood?" Harriet scoffed.
"Yeah, not for your bullcrap," Shine said, firmly. "You have nothing better to do than pick on people on your team? I'd think you lofty elites would be above needing to flex on anyone else. Makes you come off kind of insecure, to be honest."
"Insecure? Me?" Harriet said. "You want to rephrase that, beanpole?"
"Not really," Shine said. "And don't call me that. Unless you're okay with being called shrimp."
"I outta--" Harriet made a fist.
"Okay, that's enough," Clover broke in. "Let's leave the newbie alone, huh Harriet? I guess we had enough help without them."
Luckily they were interrupted by the big moment: Jacques Schnee arriving.
"Why did he fly all the way out here just to talk to James?" Shine asked.
"General," Harriet corrected.
Shine ignored her.
Jacques, from what they could hear, was complaining about Ironwood seizing private property by way of calling it a military investigation.
"I know he's the bad guy here," Wally said. "But isn't he kind of making a good point? Isn't Ironwood basically stealing?"
"No," Harriet said. "It's necessary. We need this right now."
"It belonged to the Schnee Dust Company, it's valuable, and now because there was a scandal, Ironwood gets to claim it's a military site and use the resources that you're taking now for himself," Shine said. "That sounds an awful lot like carefully worded stealing to me. I swear, I don't know who's worse at this, him or the other lady."
"If you mean Robyn Hill, she means well, but she's misguided," Clover said. "Still, better than Schnee. All he cares about is profit."
"That sounds an awful like only caring about getting what you need for your projects," Shine replied.
"What is your problem with us?" Harriet said snippily. "Who died and made you general anyway?"
"Perhaps it's just as well that I'm not a general," Shine said.
That seemed so backwards from the insult Harriet was going for that she just stared at her, unable to come up with a reply.
Pyrrha and Jaune were liking Shine more and more...even if her savageness was making Pyrrha uncomfortable at times--still she felt like the rather snooty Harriet had it coming.
Jaune just felt like someone needed to say it. The Ace Ops were cool and all...but they kind of made him uncomfortable.
Qrow was still stubbornly trying not to find this likable, while team RWBY and Ren and Nora were mostly ignoring it, they didn't think they needed any more drama.
[Good luck with that one.]
Weiss didn't really get her wish, though. Her father noticed she was there.
After a few sharp words between both of them, he threw in a jab about her mother that made the others' blood boil.
"Does he remind you of anyone?" Wally asked Shine.
"Yeah, and you know who," Shine said.
"Still doesn't make Ironwood doing this okay though," Wally said.
"No, I'm finding it hard to root for any of the leadership around here," Shine said. "Too bad we can't nominate Qrow for the job."
"You think he could handle it?" Wally said.
"Well, wiser men than me have said that people who don't want leadership roles are the ones you can most trust to have them," Shine said. "What if we put him and Winter in charge as a sort of tag team democracy?"
"Scary lady? Yeah, I could see her doing a good job," Wally said "But she doesn't have the people skills."
"So Qrow comes in there. And she lowers the boom."
"Huh...yeah that could work," Wally said. "So that's the plan, put them in charge?"
"Sure, why not?" Shine said.
They both started laughing.
"I'm sure that was a joke," Pyrrha said. "But you might offend the Elite forces if you say that in front of them."
"I heard that," Marrow said. "All of it. And I'm offended."
"Well, who would you vote for?" Shine asked.
"It's not really my place to say," Marrow said.
"Oh come off it, we're not citizens, you can't influence us to vote. Just tell us," Shine scoffed.
"I don't really know," Marrow said. "I think that everyone wants to help the problem, but no one agrees on how to do it. I mean, I can see why protecting Mantle would be a priority for people, but on the other hand, without Atlas, there won't be any Mantle also..."
He glanced over his shoulder like he thought the others might still be listening, but they didn't seem to be, too busy watching Jacques.
"So yeah..." he said.
"Well, that's better than what I think the others would say," Shine mused.
"Hey, I'm sure they have thought this," Marrow said. "But again, it's not really our place to participate in this."
"I can tell you Jacques' idea of not letting Ironwood do all this stuff is smarter," Shine said. "And at least he's not stealing stuff, like that Hill woman. But he's also a rat. I guess it depends on whether you think a rat is still a better choice if they're doing the smart thing than a well meaning person who's doing the stupid thing."
"I'm not sure," Marrow said. "Wait, are you into politics or something?"
"I dabble, but I probably know more than the average person," Shine said modestly.
"You've got a big mouth," Qrow noted.
"I have a lot to say," Shine replied. "At least I'm not squawking."
Qrow frowned at her.
Jacques left after getting nowhere with Ironwood, and Winter arrived, purposely in time to miss him.
After that, Ironwood said he had a surprise for all the kids.