A/N: I was really unhappy with the first chapter, so I rewrote it.
"Qrow Branwen," Ironwood said. His arms were crossed as he slowly and confidently strode over to Atlas' newest arrivals, trying to look displeased and failing. He did, however, look slightly sad. "I thought you were headed to Mystral?" He questioned.
"Compromised." Qrow bluntly said. Ironwood's expression failed to change upon hearing this, almost as if he'd expected the news.
"And what of Ozpin?" The General stiffly asked.
"He's not in charge anymore." Qrow gruffly said, his voice dripping with malice. This is the news that seemed to surprise Ironwood. "She is." Qrow seemed to beam with pride as he pointed to RWBY's leader, who was currently speaking with her team about something or another.
"You cannot be serious!" Ironwood said with a sneer. "She is a child, Qrow! A child!"
"A child who just took out a Leviathan with her eyes and has more honesty in one cell than Oz has ever had in who knows how many bodies!" Qrow quietly shot back, careful to ensure the teen hunters didn't hear him.
"I take it he told you something you didn't want to hear?" Ironwood asked. To say he was annoyed would be putting it lightly. Qrow nodded.
"Something like that," he grumbled. He slowly leaned in, getting close enough to ensure only he and the general could hear the conversation. "Salem can't be killed." He whispered. He pulled back, soaking in the man's shocked expression. "Oz doesn't have a plan. He never did."
"What do we do now?" Ironwood asked. His voice conveyed the same brokenness that Qrow had felt just days prior.
"Follow the kid's lead," Qrow said, "She's good, Jimmy. Even better than the last silver-eyed warrior we had on our side." Ironwood turn his nose up, and sighed, letting his head drop and turn to his right. His eyes never left the floor.
"You and the others can stay in the bunker for now," he bluntly said, ignoring Qrow's demand for the most part. "See what you can find on Salem in Oz's old journals. You and the child's scrolls should get you in. We have more important things to worry about than a petty power struggle. Don't let this be our downfall." He pointed a warning finger at the birdman and marched back off to God knows where.
"He was in a hurry," Yang scoffed as she slowly approached. "What'd you tell him?"
"Caught him up to speed, put in my write-in candidate for Oz's permanent replacement." Qrow said with a smug grin, "He didn't seem to like that second one."
"Yeah, Atlas people really don't like the idea of Rubes being in charge of anything," she said. He didn't ask how she knew that was his preferred replacement for Ozpin, as it was kinda obvious. "He'll come around to it. They always do." She patted her uncle on the shoulder and walked back over to her team, a proud grin stuck on her face as she wrapped an arm around her sister, helping the spent silver-eyed warrior walk. Maria assured them that the bouts of exhaustion after using her eyes was going to pass eventually, lessening each time.
[Shift]
Ruby was almost asleep on her feet by the time they arrived at the bunker. Yang kept having to wake her, because the girl kept trying to sleepwalk into walls on the way there. Ruby insisted that she was fine, despite being physically incapable of keeping her eyes open and staying awake.
The bunker's exterior was disguised as an old, rundown factory in the industrial district of Atlas. The door was made out of an old sewer entrance. It had a worn concrete arch above a brick layer and a thick, metal door that couldn't be opened unless you either had a key, or your scroll was allowed access by Ironwood himself. Rusty, metal railings led the way down the stairs and to the door. Behind the first door was an identically thick metal door, and a floor covered in a metal grate.
Immediately upon opening the second door, the group was greeted by the sight of a nice, ornate railing of a marble balcony, with four large, metal pillars holding it up. On the side of the balcony opposite the door was two nice leather recliners and an even nicer inn table between them.
Between the two sections of the balcony was a metal staircase that curved to match the curve of the wall and balcony. The floor below looked like a war room, with computer stations lining several of the walls.
In the center of the room was a table with a map of Remnant on it, surrounded by six black leather desk chairs. Directly at the bottom of the stairs was a doorway, leading off to the bedrooms and marked as such.
Directly opposite that was a nearly identical doorway, telling them the supply room and kitchen was that way. The blue tinted window behind the balcony casted a light on the wall that the impression that they were underwater, despite not actually being so.
On the wall opposite of the balcony, there was a set of a couple steps, leading to a large, concrete doorway. Behind that doorway was a large library, reminiscent of Beacon's library. It had nice, hardwood floors, brick walls and concrete pillars that stretched to the ceiling. Between the pillars and the wall were waist high bookshelves with various swords and weapons on racks atop them. In the center of the room was a pair of large, wooden tables four seats around each and a lamp in the center.
The left and right side walls each had large, concrete arches with arched bookshelves made to fit perfectly inside each one. The top shelf of each bookshelf acted as a large display case, with armor and weapons of legendary hunters and generals being displayed proudly in such shelves.
On the wall opposite the entrance was another large archway, this time leading to a room that's only inhabitant was a large telescope. Two more door ways flanked that one arch, with signs that indicated they lead to the same places as the first pair of doors they saw.
They paid no mind to Yang as she swiftly carried Ruby off to bed, the blonde having become tired of having to lead the exhausted girl away from walls and ledges a long time ago.
"Whoa." Was all Jaune could manage to say. This place was huge and beautiful.
"Oz has these bunkers all over the place," Qrow said. "Each is like a treasure trove of knowledge. I'm sure we can find something that could help us kill Salem in here."
[Shift]
The members of teams WBY and JNR spent their night helping Qrow, Maria and Oscar comb through the bunker's library, while Ruby slept peacefully in one of the bedrooms. In their opinion; it was a well deserved rest; she had done so much the day before, and it was a miracle she had been able to stay on her feet as long as she had. On top of all that, Ruby kept having to be the voice of reason among the group, to lead them all to victory over Salem. To make sure they could save the world. It was a greater responsibility than any her age should ever have to carry. But Ruby was doing better than Qrow, who was easily twice her age and a hundred times more experienced. Ruby was the definition of grace under pressure.
Even if this was all just a suicide mission: They wasn't anyone they'd rather lead them to their deaths, because as long as Ruby was their leader, she wouldn't let them go down without a fight.