After that, a couple days went by of following this plan.
Theo put up a fight about Watts, as expected, and Qrow really probably would have given up--if he didn't have everyone pressuring him to carry the point.
Shine didn't bother to talk to Watts until then. Let him sweat.
Mercury got settled in...sort of.
He told them that he'd decided to stick around after hearing the whole story, because why bother going back after that?
He didn't act particularly enthusiastic about it, but Mercury never acted that enthusiastic about anything. They figured he wasn't going to let on if he was nervous.
Raven remained suspicious, while Emerald and Hazel thought him turning only made sense, and, if anything, they were just relieved it had been so simple.
That maybe should have clued them in that it was a little too easy, but with Salem's forces consisting of only two people at the moment, it was hard to see how much backlash could have happened without them exposing themselves.
Still, Mercury wasn't let in on anything really major for those couple days.
The only big thing on the agenda so far was that little rendezvous with Victoria Kanap that they wanted to set up.
Taiyang, who was still around, got filled in on more by his daughters, but he was kind of still processing what happened.
Somehow, now that things had slowed down, Vacuo didn't feel quite as hostile...not that it still wasn't, in many ways, but there was a softening. With the Grimm attacking much less, and Wally getting some people to help them out more, the mood of the city was a bit different.
Emerald avoided going out, however, not wanting a repeat of the other day. She thought she could take being inside for a while over that.
She hung out with Oscar, who was busy studying and training by turns. It was nice for him to get a break from being in charge.
They all knew they were just waiting, though. The quiet wouldn't last forever.
Penny reported that she hadn't seen the strange cyborg kid around since the other day, and they wondered if he'd gotten caught.
To pass the time, Neo snuck into Theo's office to try to find anything on the people they were suspecting.
While she was poking around that, she found out that the slot for the key to the Vault was under his "No Place Like Home" plaque.
"Isn't that kind of obvious?" Wally said when she told them.
"Maybe that's the idea," Shine said. "No one would think he'd be that obvious. Well...clever."
"It's no good without the key," Qrow said. "How do you plan to get that?"
"Why would we get it?" Shine asked.
"Because if we find the Maiden, it might be important," he said.
"If you mean Theo couldn't get into the Vault without her, don't you think he probably has a backup key?" Shine asked. "I mean, who wouldn't have that, in Vacuo, where anything can get stolen?"
"Why not just steal that?" Raven suggested. "If we could find it."
"Come to think of it, no one has thought of checking his room." Shine said.
"The thing is, he's hardly in it," Raven said. "I'm not sure he sleeps. But if you think it might be important..."
"I doubt he'd hide that much in there," Shine said. "I mean, easiest place for someone to to look for it other than his office. We're looking at this all wrong. Theo can't be that sloppy. He leaves all the time--he has to be going somewhere."
"To find the Summer Maiden?" Qrow guessed.
"Or to find something else," Wally said. "I mean, we know he visits that inventor lady--and that the Maiden goes with him sometimes. But where can she be hiding the rest of the time?"
Shine suddenly slapped her forehead.
"What if the answer is staring us in the face?" she said. "You only see Theo go into his office or a street, leave it, and then he returns to the school later. You've been saying that all week...but I never realized... What if he's not going out of his office?"
"You mean like how you never went out the door of your room in Atlas," Winter said.
"Oh, let it go," Shine said. "The point is, he has the key to the Vault."
"Yeah, but they don't lead anywhere else," Qrow said.
"Well, there was a big hole blasted in the Atlas one," Shine said. "Cinder got out of the Haven one somehow, after you shut it. There can always be more than one way out of a room. Though it kind of defeats the purpose of a Vault if there is. So, is it really that inconceivable that Theo could have used it to leave unnoticed?"
"That would be irresponsible," Winter said. "So I could believe it."
"We'll have to get down there then," Wally said.
"I don't think you'll get that key off him without him knowing it," Qrow said.
"I just adore how negatively you respond to every single suggestion we make," Shine said drolly. "Don't worry about it. Once he's asleep, it'll be no problem for me. I got the scroll, didn't I?"
"And how did you do that again?" Qrow said.
"The same way I got yours," Shine said.
"You don't have--" Qrow reached for his, and Shine pulled it out from behind her and smirked.
Winter smiled faintly.
"Nice," Raven said. "How did you do that?"
"Summoning." Shine tossed the scroll back at a miffed Qrow. "If I've seen something and can remember where it is, I can bring it to me."
"Yeah, I remember you got the tower here," Raven said. "But how is that possible? It's way bigger than a person. I wouldn't be able to portal it."
"Because people have souls and minds," Shine said. "Most of them can't just pop in and out of places without snapping. They need the doorway so that their mind can make sense of what happened and so that it's not too jarring. But an object has no mind to shatter. It's fairly easy, though not perfect, I suppose. I still need coordinates, like I said. But I've seen the key on Theo enough times to be able to grab it easily. The trick would be giving it back before he noticed it was gone. That's why I want to wait till he's asleep."
"I'm starting to grow weary of all these loose ends," Winter said, rubbing her temples. "If we could focus on one objective at a time, that would be nice."
"Why don't you take some time off then?" Shine said.
"That's not what I mean," Winter said. "I've had plenty of time off. I'm completely recovered now."
"You got in a brawl, like, two days ago," Wally said.
"That really wasn't that strenous," Winter said.
Qrow made a scoffing sound.
"Do you have something to say?" Winter glared at him.
"I just thought you were kind of struggling there at the end." Qrow said that just to annoy her, because, in fact, she'd not really been struggling...though she had been very tired after the meeting, due to pushing her Aura that much.
"I was doing no such thing," Winter said. "Speak for yourself."
"Hey, I didn't even break a sweat doing that," Qrow said. "Bunch of pushovers."
"Oh, stop." Raven covered her ears. "Have the decency to do it on your own time."
"I'm not sure what you mean," Winter said primly. "I'm merely saying I am in perfect condition now, and there was no reason to so crassly interrupt me."
"I'm curious if Qrow fights better when he's not drunk," Wally said. "You know, I'd like to see you in a real fight, Qrow. I bet it's like Batman but with a scythe."
"Stop bringing up that guy," Qrow said. "It's just creepy."
"Well, he has a very special place in our hearts," Shine said. "The big, empty cavern-shaped parts of them where bats live."
"That sounds so wrong." Wally started chucking. "I should tell him that to his face though."
"He'd only give you the bat-glare," Shine said in a pseudo dramatic tone, miming a serious glare.
"He might give me the bat-eyebrow raise," Wally replied in turn.
"The bat-smirk if he was especially moved," Shine said.
"Or maybe just the bat-blank stare if he's just done with your crap," Wally said.
"Is this a person they're talking about?" Winter asked.
"Don't ask," Qrow said. "They never explain."
"Batman is one of Wally's oldest friends," Shine explained, as if to spite him. "It's just his code name. His real name is Bruce, but don't tell him I told you that if you ever meet him. People in his world are very superstitious, so dressing up like a bat actually scares them. But he's a huge softy under that grim exterior. He's also the world's greatest detective and the only person who's beaten me in an argument more than once that I can think of, at least using mere words."
"That's his real accomplishment," Wally joked.
Shine pretended to hit him.
"Don't you start," Raven said.
"Is he intelligent then?" Winter asked.
"Oh, very," Shine said.
"And you think Qrow is like this person?" Winter got in her savage jab.
"Well, it's not a perfect comparison," Shine said. "I mean, we've been saying you're kind of like Shayera."
"And who is that?" Raven asked.
"My bird-winged best friend," Wally said. "She's majorly scary. But nice too."
"And this is the one you think Ice Queen is like," Qrow got her back.
"I did say scary," Wally said.
"Well, if she has wings, I'd think you'd compare her to Raven," Winter said.
"No, if anything Raven is closer to Huntress," Shine said. "But not really. Or like if Question was a girl and really emo."
"Really what?" Raven didn't know that term.
"I guess there's no perfect comparison," Wally mused.
"Why bother with these demeaning attempts then?" Winter said.
"I suppose because whenever we're in a strange place, we tend to seek out familiarity," Shine said soberly, "trying to feel more grounded. When you find someone who reminds you slightly of someone you already like, it's comforting. We have to try to understand each other."
That was a better answer than Winter expected.
"Does it shock you that we have human feelings?" Shine asked, reading her expression.
"I suppose it shouldn't..." Winter was a little too honest there.
"I can't imagine why anyone would want to find the same thing if they had a chance to leave it," Raven said bitterly. "If I could, I would."
"And you never will." Shine stood up, checking her scroll for the time. "Because with that attitude, you'd only be shocked and horrified to realize that no world you could ever go to would be any better. If perfect, untainted worlds are out there, we are not sent to them. No one of the sons of man is, I think."
"Why not?" Qrow couldn't resist asking.
"Because we are not perfect," Shine said. "If you sent any of us with our fears and our flaws into a perfect world, we'd bring the imperfection with us. And bring it down. That is a profane thing. And happens enough because of the devil without us adding to it as DJs. If you are not any better than a place, you aren't helping it much by being there."
"Very humble," Raven said.
"It's not to lift ourselves up," Shine said, steadily. "We're not better inherently than you. But we've been changed, through something other than ourselves. As long as we bring that, it's permissible. Though I have heard of those who bring evil into other worlds... You might call it a Dark Walker, if we're a World Walker. That might catch on."
"Sounds like a Star Wars thing," Wally said.
"Yeah," Shine admitted. "It does...but people do love Star Wars."
"How do you know which you are?" Raven was getting bolder with them than before...but perhaps she no longer had much to lose.
"That's actually a good question," Shine said.
Winter and Qrow had thought Raven was about to get in so much trouble for saying that.
"Sometimes it's hard to tell," Shine admitted. "You can't go by what people say about you, because they hate you anyway, good or bad. And you can't necessarily go by if people are happy if you're there--people can be happy for bad reasons. But there are principles to follow, and as long as things are changing while not breaking out of those principles, we can be fairly sure we're not sliding over to the other side."
Winter looked somber. "That sounds like a heavy burden."
"We don't carry it alone." Shine didn't seem too upset. "We have help. But you're not wrong--doing what's right is always a burden on all of us, isn't it? Ah, it's funny when all of you worry about how much we get involved, as if you could possibly worry about it more than we do ourselves."
"I don't worry that much," Wally said. "So far I'm just doing what I'd do at home, other than, you know, stopping a sandstorm and magical powers."
"I think you've reminded me of that every day since it happened," Shine said.
"Hey, have you ever stopped a storm?" Wally said.
"No," Shine said.
"Well, then there you go," Wally said.
Shine rolled her eyes.
"Do all men feel the need to brag like this?" Winter wondered.
"Oh, yeah," Raven said, snippily. "They can't get over themselves."
"And we never hear anything from you about how tough you are and how much you've outsmarted people," Shine said.
Raven looked miffed.
Winter stood up.
"I think I've heard enough squabbling for one day," she said. "I assume that we're adjourned."
"But will you take a break?" Shine said.
"No, I'm going to go see how the camp is doing," Winter said. "I still don't think we should have left Robyn in charge of it all week."
"We were busy," Wally said. "And she's doing fine. Small leadership really is kind of where Robyn shines, you have to admit. She just needs to stay out of politics. I mean, I'd never vote for that lady, but I'd totally let her plan a party with me."
"Charisma, some smarts, but terrible common sense," Shine listed.
Raven sniffed. "I swear, she's just like a female version of you, Qrow."
"I doubt it," Qrow said. "I can't picture anything worse than leading that many people. I had enough responsibility with a team of moody teenagers."
"You're the moodiest one out of them all," Wally said. "But they aren't so bad. I think the kids are kind of getting used to us. I think I really connected with team JNPR while we were networking."
"I'm glad you can all joke about it now," Shine said. "That's progress. Another few weeks and maybe we'll even get to being happy occasionally."
"Don't count on that," Raven said.
"Well, I suppose I should talk to Watts," Shine said. "We've got the green light, right?"
"On the condition that we never let him in on our plans," Qrow said. "Theo said he'd only let him out if we were going to question him."
"That's hilarious coming from him," Wally said.
* * *
[Take me to War--The Crane Wives]
Watts must have wondered what to expect when they finally took him out of his cell.
Especially since Hazel was right there.
Shine figured that Watts would know better than to try to get away from him--and what would he tell Salem that she didn't already know about Hazel?
"Well, this is a surprise," Watts said slyly. "Dear Hazel, you've crossed over?"
Hazel had been told by Shine not to acknowledge him, so he didn't answer... Suited him just fine.
"Well, you certainly have accomplished a lot already," Watts said to Shine, sitting down in the chair across from her.
Shine had thought about what to say but wasn't entirely sure still.
Well, the plan of making Watts do the talking might be best.
She just waited silently.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure? Did Theodore finally crack?" Watts said.
"Tea?" Shine offered.
There was a tray out.
Watts glanced at it.
"You think I'd just take tea from you?"
Shine poured herself a cup and sipped it.
Wow, this really did make you feel superior--no wonder supervillains in movies always did this.
"Sure?" she said.
"I believe we should get to the point," Watts said. "Help me help you, Miss...uh..."
"Likstar," Shine said. "Shine Likstar. Most people call me Shine. You can call me ma'am."
She hated being called that, but she wanted to make Watts squirm.
"I don't know, you seem a little young for that." Watts glanced at Hazel, who said nothing still. "Aren't you a bit green to be doing an interrogation?"
"I thought you said this was a deal." Shine sipped casually.
"Well, yes," Watts said.
"And you told me you could tell me the real reason Theodore isn't showing us the Summer Maiden," Shine said. "Now I'll tell you, I have people on standby who are concerned that this is a bad idea. Prove them wrong, or we're both in trouble. I really don't need another reason for them to question my judgment."
Hazel raised an eyebrow at her behind Watts but still remained silent.
"So why are they really letting you talk to me?" Watts thought he could unsettle her. "I'm sure it can't be that you really think I'll be honest with you. Not after dear James was so...deceived."
Shine didn't answer him. She just stared at him.
"Perhaps they think you can outsmart me?" Watts said.
"I'm hearing a lot of not telling me what you said right now," Shine said. "But if you want to play word games, I have a hundred other things I could be doing right now. I'll let you go back to your amiable companionship in Cell Block Loser until you're in a more cooperative mood."
She started to get up.
"All right, all right, let's not get agitated," Watts said. "I was only asking." He straightened. "Yes, well...Theodore and his secrets... How do I know he's not listening right now?"
Shine held up her scroll.
"Theodore is currently not here," she said, showing him a picture of Theodore outside.
"Impressive," Watts admitted. "If that's to be believed."
"How could it be faked? Now, are we going to stop wasting time?"
"Oh, very well." Watts pouted almost. "You want to know all about old Theo, eh? Well, I can tell you, the reason he's hiding her is not what you think."
"So it's not that he just doesn't know where she is, huh?" Shine said dryly.
"Oh, no," Watts said. "He's known where she is for years... Who do you think has been keeping her in hiding?"
Shine decided to pretend that surprised her. She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"Ah, young love, so dramatic, isn't it?" Watts said. "What people do when they're desperate."
He had no idea, Shine thought.
Aloud, she said, "Are you serious? That's your reason? That's so cheesy. I'm supposed to believe that Theodore betrayed Ozpin because he had a crush?"
"Would it really be that hard? People have betrayed Ozpin for less," Watts said.
"I suppose," Shine said. "So...they're involved... Well, I don't know if that's an ew or an ah for me. How old is she?"
"Well, she can't be a child based on the suspects," Watts said.
"So you don't know who she is?" Shine said. "Useless. Here I thought this was going to be helpful."
"I have a good idea," Watts said. "Someone who's disappeared around here in the last 15 years or so. A certain Vara Sol."
Hazel frowned at Shine.
Shine leaned forward. "Vara Sol?" she repeated. "That means 'summer sun'...appropriate. But if that's the only reason you think it's her, that's not much."
"She used to be an up and coming student at Shade." Watts put his hand to his chin slyly. "Even before Theo was the headmaster. You do know he only became the headmaster about 10 years ago, right?"
Shine hadn't know this. Why hadn't Qrow mentioned it?
The thing is, Qrow had forgotten about it.
Raven and he, who were outside listening to this, exchanged a look, and Raven shoved him in annoyance.
Qrow shoved her back and then motioned at her to shut up.
"But you said Vara vanished longer ago than that," Shine said.
"You're a good listener," Watts said. "And you think Theo immediately knew who the next Maiden was?"
Pause.
Shine analyzed.
Watts had to be telling her this only so that she'd track Vara down herself--or the team would. So he was pretty sure it was her. For some reason.
Theo had addressed the woman as "Var", according to Neo. So that checked out. Qrow had confirmed that there'd been someone named that at Shade once, but not known when she'd disappeared.
But Theo had...looked for her before he became the headmaster...or had he become the headmaster because he'd claimed to have found the Maiden.
Or was there more to it?
"Who was the previous headmaster of this academy?" she asked out loud.
"You don't know that?" Watts said.
"Do you is the better question," Shine said.
"Well, I never met him," Watts said. "I heard the students called him Uncle Henry though."
"Cute," Shine said. "Well, so far, you're not impressing me. This is a lot of supposition. I thought you were supposed to be Salem's best informant."
No one has ever said that, but Watts seemed flattered. "I am," he said. "I'm barely getting started. Why do you think Theodore never exposed the Summer Maiden after he found her? He must be afraid of something."
"Yes, and we probably have you to thank for that," Shine said. "I'm sure you've been this involved in the past. Not this time around, clearly, but did you plant any little threat, I wonder?"
"Oh, I had nothing to do with this," Watts said. "You'd want to look elsewhere."
"How elsewhere?" Shine said.
"Well, if you want to find the Summer Maiden," Watts said, "you had better ask where she's been hiding out, and with whom. James always was fond of his inventions... Vacuo can't hope to compare to Atlas, but who knows if there's some secret here, waiting to transfer the powers to someone that Theo won't have to feel worried about protecting?"
Hazel was surprised that Shine managed to keep a straight face at that.
"What are you talking about?" she said.
"Oh, did I say too much?" Watts said. "Did you think he was just going to allow her to keep the powers?" He shrugged. "Maybe I will take that tea now."
He poured himself some while Shine pondered what he said.
"But he'd kill her," Shine said, "if he used one of those machines."
"You do your homework," Watts said.
"Please." Shine waved her hand dismissively. "Your story isn't believable. He wants to save her, but he wants to kill her? That's pretty dark. Theo doesn't strike me as the type."
"If it would kill her," Watts said casually.
Hazel glanced at Shine like "what is he talking about?"
"We know it would," Shine said. "That's what Aura Transfer machines do."
"And it's Aura transfer that he's after, is it?" Watts said.
"What else?" Shine said. "Don't try to con me, Arthur."
Of course, she knew exactly what he was doing.
"Oh, I'm not, but I think you should be looking at a little more Vacuo history." Watts sipped his tea now. "There's been some scandalous research done in this kingdom, you know... Oh, it's all hearsay, I suppose. But there were rumors at one point that people here actually thought they could transfer magical powers... without Aura."
Hazel made a fist.
"Magical powers," Shine repeated. "Without Aura. How would that be possible?"
"I can't say," Watts said. "It isn't my field. Most of the people in it are long gone, I'm sure. Quacks, you know. There might be one who's managed to evade Ozpin's hounds, though. The name is escaping me..."
"Wasting my time," Shine said. "If you don't have a name, I think this all amounted to very little."
"I might remember it if I got some fresh air," Watts said.
"Know your place," Hazel spoke up.
But she didn't mind--that might work to her advantage... Yeah, this couldn't be the first time Hazel watched an interrogation that didn't involve beating.
"I was promised something in return for this tip," Watts said.
Shine smiled. "True...and I've thought about that. Here's the best deal we could come up with. If you give us valuable info about Salem's plan for Vacuo, and the Summer Maiden, we'll free you--but only by sending you out of Vacuo."
"Out of Vacuo?" Watts said.
"Of course," Shine said. "We're not stupid enough to let you hang around here while we know Salem is going to attack it any time. I mean, you could infiltrate the CCT all over again... But in another kingdom, there's not much danger of that. Of course, we'd let all of them know not to let you on any ship coming back to this kingdom."
"How do you plan to do that without a tower?" Watts asked. "Carrier pigeon?"
"I'm not sure why you need to know that," Shine replied flatly. "I think this is a very generous offer, considering that most of the citizens would like us to hang you. You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people. And I see not a trace of remorse in you."
"Why would I pity them?" Watts said. "Weak fools."
"Weak fools," Shine replied. "Well, the guy who got left to die by Cinder Fall, of all people, because he was too stupid to see it coming, shouldn't be talking."
Watts sat up angrily. "She's a traitorous wench who disobeyed direct orders."
"And knowing that, you still trust her not to just set you on fire?" Shine snapped back, with a sly smirk. "Who's the real fool?"
She had him on that.
Watts couldn't think of a snippy retort.
"So who do I have to thank for being rescued?" he said after a moment. "You?"
"Not I," Shine said. "I'm sure you've guessed already. I know you weren't really unconscious on that whole plane ride."
"Would it be Miss Branwen?" Watts said.
Shine shrugged.
"Well, in that case, as a thank you, allow me to give you a little free tip about that," Watts said. "She might want to check in on her tribe soon."
Oh, he thought he was so clever.
That made Shine a little mad, because she knew he only intended to get Raven killed or caught with that tip off.
She was even more happy they waited to do this till after that incident had come out. Some Divine guidance there.
Outside, Raven clenched her fists, and Qrow had to keep her from bursting into the room and killing Watts right then.
Shine somehow didn't break character, however. She just looked at Hazel questioningly to hide her anger.
"Don't change the subject," Hazel said.
"Perhaps you're not grateful," Watts said, "but you will be later."
I'm sure, Shine thought to herself.
She lifted her chin. "Do you have anything better than that?" she said. "This deal expires very soon."
"I'm surprised you're letting me go so easily," Watts said.
"Perhaps we concluded you're more dangerous if we let you hang around this kingdom long enough to escape," Shine said. "Or maybe it's a trap and you''ll be ambushed on the plane...take your pick. You won't get a better offer either way."
"Not much of an ambush if you warn me about it," Watts said. "But there, you talked me into it. You'll want to look up a certain Aakil Franklin. If anyone can help you, she can."
"And Salem's plan?" Shine prompted.
"Oh, that... Well, all I know is she wants the Relics," Watts said. "And Cinder wants the Maiden. You might want to keep an eye on both of those. A bird in the hand and all that. I'm not sure what the new plan is, since I've been separated from the team. Perhaps old Tyrian is snooping around with that brat Mercury Black. You might try looking for them."
Did he honestly think they hadn't figured that out already? Shine thought. He knew Emerald had defected, and Hazel was literally standing right there.
Either he thought she was stupid, or he was mocking her.
She decided to ignore it either way.
"I'll look into things personally," she said. "If they exist, then we'll think about releasing you. If you've been leading us on, well then...kiss that goodbye. Hazel, if you'd put him back in his cell now. Make sure he didn't grab any technology while he was out."
Watts looked perturbed.
Shine let herself out and let out a long sigh.
"Talking to him is so exhausting," she said.
"Did we learn anything we didn't already know?" Raven asked.
"Most of it we already knew," Shine said. "But we learned one very useful thing."
"Which is?" Qrow said.
"That Watts knew all that also," Shine said, smiling at him. "And that tells us a whole lot more than his lousy tips could. Our advantage here is that he didn't know we already knew, so he didn't think we'd put it together that he's still in kahoots with these people. But, Qrow, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't mention that Theo has only been the headmaster for 10 years."
She motioned for them to follow her.
"What happened?" she said.
Qrow sighed. "I forgot about it. I guess I didn't think it was worth mentioning. He took over after his uncle died."
"Uncle Henry?" Shine said.
"Yeah, kind of," Qrow said. "I think he sort of adopted Theo, really. I'm not sure they were actually related. I never heard much of the story--Theo's not a big sentimental sharer. But Henry raised him, sort of... I mean...as you can see, manners weren't a big priority, but he taught him to fight and got him into Shade. At some point Theo found out about Ozpin, and Henry let him in on it. Always trusted him. We did too, he was never shifty, even if he's an ass. He always got us good info, and he was good at training the younger students, so eventually he became a teacher. Then when Henry just up and died on a mission, we needed to replace him fast. Theo was the natural choice. At least that's what Oz said. At the time I'd only been working for him for 8 or so years, and I'd only been in the inner circle for less time than that. I didn't know that much about Vacuo till later. Theo's not that much older than me."
"So that's why he's the youngest headmaster," Shine said. "And his first assignment was to find the new Maiden, even before Henry passed on, wasn't it? Henry was either too old or didn't want to leave the Relic unguarded, I'm guessing. Like you, Qrow...so he was the other you and Raven."
"Yeah, so things like that--he's good at finding people," Qrow said, "something to do with his Semblance. He's never truly explained it to me--like I said, not a big sharer. That's why it was odd that he never told us who she was. Just that she was safe. Always said the less people who knew who was who, the safer it was."
"And you bought that," Shine said.
"Didn't have much of a choice," Qrow said. "He's like that anyway. It was typical for him."
"And you all really still never see these betrayals coming?" Shine rubbed her forehead. "Okay...I have an idea for what to do next, but we'll need to wait it out again. Make Watts think we're trying to follow his leads. You guys can just do your regular stuff for now. Let's not get caught talking too much here."
She hurried away.
[You hopelessly confused yet? I have a feeling this is going to be hard to follow for everyone who isn't Shine.]