The Huntsman of Red V2

Chapter 33 Rose Mercenaries: Arc 4 End

Summer fidgeted in the silence of Ozpin's office. It was such a familiar place, as nothing had changed at all despite the many years that she'd been away from it. Ozpin had a knack for keeping things similar she supposed. Oh, look even the small center table was there, and the windows, the paintings, and everything.

Yes, everything was just peachy.

Well almost everything was peachy.

She was making a pointed effort not to look anywhere above neck level, and that meant shrinking her neck into her shoulders and acting small like a wronged child. Oh, how pitiful...ah. So that's where Ruby gets it from. Something to think about later.

"So, I guess I really failed that last mission hehehe..." she trailed off stiffly from the unamused air. She was trying to lighten the mood and play her situation down somewhat, but it came to no effect. In fact, she only felt worse when Qrow glared at her from across the room with Ozpin for trying to make light of things. She bowed her head and took a sudden interest in her feet, not daring to level her gaze up and hoping that the strands of her hair falling over her face would block out the worry in her eyes. "Sorry," she pursed her lips. "Keeping quiet now, but you both know that I don't like awkward silences. It makes you feel like you did something wrong, or you're that one person in a group of friends who doesn't get the message to shut up, or that you're being annoying and unneeded, and-right. Keeping quiet."

Summer fidgeted, drawing circles on her lap from a relapse of awful middle school memories.

"It's really you, isn't it Summer?" Qrow broke the silence with a wry grin. "You're the only one this socially awkward even as an adult."

"Who else would I be?" Summer pouted, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back into the interrogation chair Ozpin had her seated in before abruptly sitting up and coming to a spluttering realization. "H-Hey! What's that supposed to mean, huh?! I'm not awkward! You're awkward! You! Don't insult people! I thought I taught you better!"

Qrow fell into a deadpan, brow twitching and wrinkles forming over his forehead; however, there was a nostalgic tilt in his lips as he prevented them from inching into a ghost of a smile. "Really? I remember differently. The team followed your lead in combat, but took everything else in stride because you quote 'couldn't trust yourself,' under social stress."

"I-I'm not stressed? Who's stressed, me? Pleeease. As if..." Summer laughed hollowly before slumping back into her seat when she understood that she wasn't fooling anyone. The clinking of metal reminded her of the handcuffs around her wrists and ankles at present, causing her to wince and frown. "Okaaay, maybe I'm just a little bit stressed. Could have fooled me, but I expected a warm welcome after I even offered a prese-I mean person for the cause." Said person was detained in a separate facility to be questioned at a later time by Ozpin, but this was besides the fact. "I thought we were friends," Summer sounded disheartened.

Qrow flinched at the words, and didn't bother hiding the disapproving glower he sent Ozpin's way. It was Ozpin's insistence that had Summer restrained like a criminal.

"Ms. Rose, we are your friends, but do please keep into consideration that this is for everyone's safety including yourself," Ozpin mediated, lest there be any misunderstandings. He stood up and didn't shy away from Qrow's glare, causing Qrow to click his tongue and look away with a grimace. "It's through Qrow's own experience that it's come to my attention that you may not be in full control of your own facilities."

"Ah," Summer let out a timid breath, a pang of guilt and shame subduing her when she saw faint claw marks over Qrow's skin. At Ozpin's words, she had nothing to say to refute them. "I lost control," she admitted. "I-It won't happen again. I'm sure I can control it, and I'll give a warning if I can't."