Screw It, I'm Going Out to Find It!

Chapter VIII: Making Sides Official

Pyrrha was silently fuming as everything fell apart; she did her best to keep a smile on her face though. Not even seconds ago, they had been informed that a high ranking politician had gone out of their way to meet them due to Ozpin's request. It was also not General Ironwood — no, they had already met him. It was the fleet admiral of the marines. According to their headmaster, this man was in charge of the organization that they were trying to join. What made it so bad? First, Nora was still missing. It wasn't even something they could hide either. The first thing the fleet admiral mentioned when they entered was how the submitted team claimed four members. Second, Pyrrha was currently trying to find a way out of handing over the documentation to the man.

Her fingers gripped onto the pages as she tried to find the most reasonable and polite way to explain how her teammate had put down a name she didn't agree with, and it needed to change. Unfortunately, it was taken that she was embarrassed about Nora's disappearance. Ozpin had assured her that all would be well and the fleet admiral, then introducing himself as Sengoku, began a speech on how many young and promising recruits acted similarly. It was nearly ten minutes in and Pyrrha wanted to find a nice wall to smash her head against as the man was telling her how it was up to her as a leader to guide her team to grow not just as marines but as people too. How could she explain to him that it was simply Nora being Nora? Her team understood, perhaps Ozpin and Goodwitch might if she tried to tell them, but it seemed herculean to convince Sengoku.

And with the thoughts of Nora and chaos, she had been sufficiently distracted enough for the fleet admiral to take the papers from her. Then, with a stamp on the paper, her fate was sealed. Yang had the decency to look apologetic when Pyrrha sent her a look. Weiss' hand on her shoulder was far more comforting though.

With their meeting nearly over, Ozpin entered a nearly chatty nature with Sengoku. "I must say, but I did not expect to see so many — spikes. What is their purpose?"

The long, braided beard on his chin swayed as Sengoku shook his head. "A few years back, we had this damned pest around us. Someone with a zoan fruit is our guess: some sort of black bird. The bastard kept flying around our bases and humiliating us. Imagine how it felt delivering a speech to the masses only to have an insufferable rat with wings drop its feces in your hair. We made sure whoever that rascal is, they feared us too much to try anything again."

"A black bird, you say?" Beacon's headmaster held a knowing look. "Do you think perhaps it was Qrow?"

"It probably was a crow zoan." Sengoku answered. "I don't see how it pinpoints anyone. The only person we have documented with that devil fruit is a low bounty pirate that we have behind bars."

Ozpin shook his head. "I meant Onyx Feather Qrow."

"That bastard!" Sengoku seethed as Ozpin's face flattened. He was still not happy to hear how all of Qrow's adventures went without his knowing. "We already know he has the nagi nagi no mi, and his semblance is bad luck. How would you suggest he could do it?"

"Magic?"

Sengoku sighed, leaning back in the chair provided for him. "I already had the world mocking me; I don't need you to join, Ozpin. Now, if that is all, I really should get going. Politics are tedious as ever, and I would rather not let it fall to pieces. I already heard of Garp blundering just on my way here."

"Then we'll not keep you." Ozpin gestured, letting the fleet admiral leave with his guards. Once they were gone, he picked up the stamped papers and flipped through them. Reaching the last page, he hummed to himself, flipped back to the front, and set them down again. "Team PWNY," Pyrrha had to fight every nerve not to sigh, "We will wait here for Ironwood's subordinates to arrive. Until then, do try and find Miss Valkyrie."