A/N: So, last couple of chapters we finally met the other main OC of this fic that I've been building up, Nickel Polendina. So, is Nickel OP? Yes. He's a Gigantic War Machine wielding one of the most ridiculous Canon Semblances, of course he's OP. So this fic does have an OP OC, I guess I should just crucify myself?

I don't own RWBY, that goes to Rooster Teeth, with its conception to the late Monty Oum.

"So General, I have two pieces of good news, and one hopping mass of bad news. How would you like your day ruined?"

James Ironwood sighed as he left the Gala. The bullhead had apparently not returned to the Schnee Estate, in favor of landing in the Atlas Medical Facility, so he had to go buy state ordered limo, not unlike Dr. Glass. He preferred driving himself and hated roads, so he was rather irked waiting for his ride to arrive at the Schnee entrance. At least nobody tried attacking the Schnee Gala. Maybe the White Fang knew that while some of the most important people were present, some of Remnant's most dangerous fighters were also present. Terrorists had extreme goals, but they were rarely stupid.

But instead of being relieved, James now had to deal with the outcome of the night's other main event, the Destruction of Pandora. Yes. That's what he'll call it: because "Aura-Robot-Going-Apeshit" didn't seem professional enough for the reports to the council.

When it was heard that the situation at Pandora was a major one, with Ciel's report, Ironwood immediately told Dr. Glass. He told no one else, because who knows what Winter or Wagner would do: something rash and un-needed. Dr. Glass took his limo and headed to the Atlas campus to pick up the evacuated soldier and relieve panic: they didn't need Grimm being attracted to THE SCHOOL.

If Dr. Glass was delightful company, his departure would have been met with suspicion. However, since Wagner was more relieved to see him go than suspicious, James did not need to explain anything to anyone.

However, this was going to be on the news tomorrow… and the Schnees will bite at his head for allowing the heiress of the SDC into that mess.

"Listen, James, I get you're deep in thought… how about I give you the bad and then improve it with the good!"

General Ironwood jerked himself out of his recollection and returned to his professional demeanor, "please, Dr. Glass, inform me in the way you wish."

"If that was the case, I would forego the bad news, but since that's not what you meant…" the bespectacled man audibly sighed from the scroll, "the Nickel unit has flown the coop. The kill switch doesn't work. The way the signal is working, it's very possible he used Nikos's polarity to manipulate his interior wiring, and basically dislodge the necessary receptors for said kill switch. Also, he dislodged his tracker. We cannot find him, and we cannot remotely stop him, AND we have no idea what he wants to do."

General Ironwood let out a frustrated sigh. "If it's any consolation, James," Pluto said, with an odd amount of sincerity, "I'll take the blame for his… behavior. I always underestimated teenage angst."

"You work in a school full of young adults, Pluto…."

"So do you, but hey, let's put that behind us briefly as I give you the GOOD news!" A grin came up on Pluto's face. "So, the more conventional good news, our team succeeded in pushing back the Grimm and making sure that no large amounts infiltrated the facility. With some repairs, my labs should be back in action and ready to be used! Also, the scientists have calmed down, and are now sleeping soundly in our dormitories, probably ignoring the fact that there has definitely been young people 'activity' on those beds!"

"Pluto, now is not the time…"

"AND! The second good news!" Pluto interrupted, clearly not caring for James's visual annoyance, "I have a guest! In aura-cancelling handcuffs! Say hi to the General Emerald!"

The screen flipped and showcased a displeased, tan, green haired girl in a lab coat. James recognized her from the Vytal festival, from that team from Haven. The one with the crippled team-mate… wait… what was she doing here?

"Why do you have her in cuffs?" James asked.

"Impersonating Atlas personnel is a crime right?" Pluto asked that as a question more so as a statement, James nodded.

"Good!" Pluto reaffirmed, "however, I've been doing some snooping around the Vytal disaster, and SHE!" he repointed the camera to the clearly annoyed girl, "might have some information on our enemies. Heck! She might point us to how all those Atlas soldiers got hacked!"

General Ironwood nodded. "Also!" his scroll blared with Dr. Glass's voice, "I did an aura scan… her semblance makes people see what she wants them to see. Perception manipulation, nasty stuff… might explain that blonde girl's… excuse for crippling her team-mate."

James heard the audible scowl from the girl sitting across from Pluto in the limo. The General couldn't help but smirk, it was nice when Pluto was annoying someone other than him: or some powerful individual he would have to deal with later.

"Where are you taking her?" James asked.

"Well, to the Detention Facility of course! Interrogation rooms! Holding cells! I tell you, it's like a Vacuosi resort but with that concrete, freedom-limiting Atlas flair! You're going to love it Emerald!"

The girl's silence was audible; her hatred apparent.

"Do you want me to pick you up and take you there with me?"

"No need," James reaffirmed, "my ride should be here soon. I'll meet you there."

"Good, signing-"

"Wait!" A thought crossed the General's mind, "any news on Dr. Polendina?"

Pluto's face turned grim. "I don't know, there has been no news, and he wasn't in the party of evacuated scientists… so I am not too hopeful."

General Ironwood nodded, "I'llsend a search party ASAP."

"You do that."

The air in the limousine was thick when Emerald's captor hung up on the General.

Emerald had been thinking of her ways out, but she couldn't find any. The aura-cancelling cuffs (these things existed?) prevented her from using her semblance, and Pluto's weapon was still drawn, pointing at her. All she could was scowl and prevent Dr. Glass from feeling any satisfaction by giving in to his annoying questions and jeers.

She'll find a way out. She always does.

But even afterwards, what was there for her? Mercury was dead, and while part of her hated his guts he was the only "normal" person she had worked with throughout this whole ordeal. Cinder was missing, even though she felt if she disobeyed the crazy lady even in absence Cinder would kill her without a thought. She didn't even know the nature of their Atlesian contact, as he or she communicated with them through anonymous channels hidden from Atlesian surveillance.

She was on her own.

And for the first time in a while, she didn't know what should be the next move.

Flynt felt numb. There was no pain, no relief, no feelings of warmth: just numbness. His consciousness had awoken before his body, and his memories flooded back in a non-sequential piece-meal form: conversing with Nickel, leaving the Gala, discovering that Penny had a copy of his aura, getting slammed around the corridor, playing random jazz numbers, firing Gusto with as much force as he could muster… and it not doing a thing. Flynt felt himself groan, but he didn't hear it. His face was the first thing that started to tingle back to life. He felt his lips move, and his eyelids heavily shift.

Feeling started to creep along Flynt's body. He felt the fact that he was breathing, as his lungs undulated from beneath his ribs. His hands were clenched into fists, which he loosened and moved his fingers. His lower body came last, with his knees starting to shuffle.

"Ohmigosh Flynt! Are you okay? Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Neon's voice confirmed that his hearing was back. Flynt groggily lifted his eyelids to see his partner's eyes staring directly into his… at a distance that was uncomfortably close. "Hey Neon!" Flynt barely managed to whisper.

Neon launched herself at her leader, picking him up and grasping him into a strong hug that further strengthened the feeling he had in his body… then a sharp pain on his back.

"Ahg!" Flynt whelped louder than he expected. Neon immediately dropped him onto the bed and started an indiscernible ramble that could be assumed to be an apology.

"It's fine, it's fine… oh, fuck! What the hell…" the stinging soreness started to permeate throughout the back of his torso, all Flynt could do was curse and groan as his partner looked on concerned.

"Well," Neon said, softer than she usually spoke, "I'm really glad you're okay." She knelt down and kissed Flynt on the forehead. She returned to her seat beside him and pressed a button. A lady in a medical uniform arrived, wielding a clipboard. "Is he awake?" She asked, surprise permeating through her voice. Neon vigorously nodded and Flynt let out a grunt. "Well," the medic continued, jotting down some notes on said clipboard, "it's a good thing that… robot was there!"

"Nickel!" Flynt almost shot up until a searing pain of his spine returned him back to the ground. The thought of that robot seemed to send shivers down his broken spine.

"Negative, friend!" Suddenly, from an adjacent bed, Penny rose from the sheets, her televised smile seeming even wider in spite of it being the same face, "I helped with your recovery! Since you and I have the same aura, I was able to lend you some of mine to speed up your healing! How cool is that!"

Flynt paused, trying to absorb all the information. He was grateful, but he had a question… "Uh… how did you?..."

"With this device!" Penny pulled out something shaped like a standard gun, yet tubing wound through it, and it seemed to have two separate barrels pointed in two separate directions. "Dr. Glass gave it to me to 'test it out!' He calls it a leech gun, you connect this to yourself!" she pulled a tube from one of the barrels and connected it to her body, "then you shoot the person who's aura you want to steal! This technology has very little effect on me, since, as a robot, my soul is accustomed to accepting a different aura. But on a human, there could be some dangerous results!" She said all of this as if she was giving a lecture, "however, since yours and mine aura are one in the same, I simply had you leech my aura, and voila! Healing accelerated!" She pointed to the ceiling as if making a dramatic pose.

Flynt was speechless… every time he turned around there was some wacky aura invention his professor made… He couldn't complain though. "Penny, thank you."

Neon then asked, "how long were you hiding in that bed?"

"Before you came in, directly after I convinced this nurse to test this baby out!"

"And why didn't you say anything when Flynt woke up?"

"Because I wanted you two to have your moment. I know how much he cares about you."

"Awwww!" Neon then purred a little as she rubbed her hand on Flynt's forehead, "that's soooo sweet!"

Flynt sighed, damn robots sharing his aura. How was he supposed to act cool…. Wait a minute.

"Hey Penny, you're using less slang."

"Affirmitive. I don't need to act cool when I already know I have y'alls approval!"

"Penny," Neon stated, "you are becoming my favorite girlfriend right now the way you make me feel emotions!"

"Hug?" Penny asked, extending her arms in a welcoming position.

Neon then pounced the robot. Flynt adjusted his bed upright so he could witness the odd display of faunus and machine in a massive grip of emotion. He chuckled lightly, even though his back was horribly sore. He turned to the nurse, "is it possible I can get some pain medication."

"You certainly can," nodded the nurse, as she turned to the affectionate display.

"Now, er… 'Penny,' can you please leave the bed. You don't even need it!"

Weiss paced back and forth in the waiting room. She and Ciel waited patiently for news on Flynt's recovery. Since Neon was on Flynt's team, she was granted priority visitation during his weakened state. Penny, on the other hand, simply confused the staff enough that she just sort of slipped by, claiming there was a way for her to speed up his recovery. Weiss had stopped asking questions a while ago: they just gave her a headache.

As Weiss paced, Ciel was typing a multitude of things on her scroll. Weiss could only gather she was making a report. Winter did many things when she first started as an Atlas specialist, and filing mission reports was practically all of them. Ciel's gaze was intense as she swiped, typed, and flipped her scroll around. It was like when Ruby was playing some stupid game instead of taking notes… Weiss snickered at the memory.

She then remembered what Emerald made her see… What would she do if Ruby was in trouble and she couldn't help her…

What if she was in danger right now?

Weiss couldn't let such thoughts plague her, if she should be worrying about anyone, it should be Flynt. Ruby can take care of herself, while Flynt was dramatically injured.

"So… uh… that Penny robot: she has Flynt's aura, correct?" Ciel asked out of the blue.

Weiss snapped her attention to the Atlas graduate, "uh, yes… that, kinda confused me earlier as well… Explains all the weird slang."

"And calling me Ciel-baby."

"What!?" Weiss exclaimed, laughter echoing through her exclamation. Even Ciel failed to stifle a giggle, ruining her stoic demeanor. "And… this, Nickel unit has the aura of Pyrrha Nikos."

"Yes," Weiss said, finding that fact a little less humorous. While the idea that Flynt's aura was cloned and placed on a robot body seemed wrong, Flynt was alive. Pyrrha being dead, yet some remnant of her aura grafted onto a robot just seemed unnatural, like, technical necromancy.

"Do you… know who's aura the original Penny's was?"

Weiss bowed her head, "no, I don't."

Ciel sighed, "you know, every time I asked something about Penny's life- I wasn't interested but I was trying to be polite- she would give me some brief description of something, then hiccup."

Weiss remembered when Penny was hiccupping a lot when she and Ruby ran into her near the CCT.

"I thought it an odd coincidence, but…" Ciel started to look, worried, "whenever my partner tried to lie to me, she would hiccup, just like that. And now that I know Penny's true origins, all those stories she told me were lies."

Weiss started to understand where Ciel was getting at… "what… where's your partner?"

"She died of an illness… Dr. Glass took her to see if she could cure her… I guess that wasn't what he did."

Silence encroached on the waiting room. Ciel suddenly bowed her head, the hands holding her scroll started to shake.

"We were never close… for partners we were never close. Never close enough for me to NOTICE how similar those two were. How much she was easily distracted. How… how she just wanted a friend…. Pomme just wanted a friend but I was just her leader… and she just wanted a friend…"

Ciel started shaking violently, "and I failed TWICE at protecting her. A good leader never lets her team die! Not on her watch!"

Weiss knelt down, making her eyes level with the sitting Ciel. When it came to comforting people, Weiss was about as good at that as Jaune was at flirting. She was terrible, she didn't know if she could comfort anyone. However, Ruby wasn't here. She had to do it.

"We can't… change the mistakes we've made… we can only move forward and learn from them."

Weiss thought that was something Winter told her once when she upset her father for the umpteenth time. Hopefully it worked here.

Ciel wasn't crying, it was as if her professional demeanor refused tears. Yet her body's shaky spasms told Weiss all she needed to know. She knew what tearless grief looked like. It took Beacon to allow herself to cry.

"Yes," Ciel shakily responded, "yes, you are right. It's just… When you realize it…" She stood up, shook her head, took a long and deep breath, and returned to a rigid pose. "Dr. Glass will be joining us shortly, he just has to…. drop someone off?" Weiss rose from the ground also with an inquisitive look. Ciel shrugged her shoulders. "General Ironwood will be accompanying his 'guest.' He sends his best wishes towards Flynt's recovery. Apparently, news of Pandora hasn't gone out yet… but, considering the scientists are back in town…"

"It will be a media catastrophe." Weiss finished.

"Exactly, we best get our stories straight for tomorrow."

Weiss nodded, and then looked more intently into Ciel's eyes. Ciel nodded, as if saying I'll be okay.

A nurse walked into the room, "Flynt has awoken. He would like to see you two."

General Ironwood asked the short scientist, "why do you insist you're the one to interrogate her?!"

"Listen James, you're intimidating to most people, but to criminals and people who disrespect authority, you're just some metal prick puffing his chest and threatening further iterations of the silent treatment. Trust me, you're a great leader, but as an interrogator, you SUCK!" Dr. Glass responded. Both men stood in the main office of the detention center. The Warden was off sleeping, because it was late at night, giving the two men all the privacy they needed to discuss their new prisoner.

Security cameras were focused in on her in her spacious cell. There was a bed, a table, and a toilet. It was the size of an average studio apartment, and one would be considered lucky to be kept there… if it weren't for the 24 hour personal surveillance.

"Listen, James, she's our enemy, but she's not THE enemy. She's a pawn, and I've seen types like her, her loyalty is to whoever keeps her alive and fed." Pluto pointed to the monitor. "Give her the night to think about her responses, then we question her tomorrow. We get info, and maybe a new ally."

"After all of what you told me she's done, that she single handedly sabotaged the Vytal festival and attracted Grimm to Vale…"

"Oh yes, she deserves to be punished. Yet she was used for her semblance, once her role has been used, she'll be tossed aside by our enemies. If we can scoop her up, and maybe convince her we're a lesser of two evils, then maybe she'll cooperate and give us the info we need." Pluto reasoned. "But we can only do that if we act nice to her, give her a nights rest. Interrogate her when she's ready."

General Ironwood said, "fine! But surveillance remains!"

"Oh, no doubt! We'll have the automated guards tend to her, don't need her tricking some of the dopier employees here." Pluto nodded, "now, if you excuse me, I have some angst-ridden teenagers to talk to."

General Ironwood sighed, "don't tell them too much, Pluto!"

"Trust me, if I told them everything I've done, well… yeah I am not telling them everything I've done."

Weiss stood in the center of the room facing Flynt. On one side of his bed was a sitting and visibly tired Neon, and to the other side was an energized and excited Penny. Ciel leaned back into the corner simply observing, however Weiss noticed an odd glance at the robot from the Atlas graduate.

"Flynt, I hope you have a good explanation why you didn't call for backup!" Weiss started to chastise. She couldn't help it, it's how she expressed worry.

Flynt sighed, "Because you were busy doin' your jobs, and I had to do mine."

"You were almost killed! Flynt! You could have at least retreated and regrouped!"

"And drew that thing to y'all and risked your lives and the scientists. No dice. Besides, I'm alive."

Weiss heaved a heavy sigh, "dolts! Why am I always working with dolts!" She huffed, and marched over towards the recumbent Flynt. She bent down, her face mere inches away from Flynt's and she stated, "don't try to play the hero again Flynt. A friend of mine took on a challenge she couldn't win and DIED, and I would hate for the same to happen to you. Promise me you will be less reckless?" Her eyes raged in an oddly friendly fury.

Flynt smiled, "all right. I learned my lesson, I won't play hero again."

Weiss felt herself smile, "good." She removed her face from Flynt's before their closeness got awkward, and walked back over to the center of the room.

"Do you have any idea what Nickel intends to do?" Ciel asked, trying to steer the conversation towards the inevitable follow-up mission. Weiss had to admire the woman's sense of command.

"He didn't explain anything, just that he wants… to protect humanity, but not in the way that 'it was intended:' Something about shutting down 'the Ozpins, the Ironwoods, the Glasses' who keep people in the dark about stuff." Flynt shrugged, "all ominous and vague. He might not even have a plan as he just has an ideology or something."

"Plan-less ideologues, those are dangerous." Ciel muttered, "Weiss, we have ascertained that these robotic creatures tend to inherit personality traits from the person their aura was based on, anything we need to know about Pyrrha?"

"Well…" Weiss was deep in thought, what did she know about Pyrrha. "Well, her taste in men was questionable." Neon laughed a bit at that, "She is… was… determined. She never gave up. She strived for nothing less than perfection, and as much as she hated the recognition her skills gave her, she reveled in her own sense of pride and accomplishment. People only think she's humble because she hated other people's attention… except for that one guy."

Ciel nodded, "so… basically there is no reasoning with Nickel, is there?"

"Probably not."

"Well shit," Flynt interjected, "listen, Weiss remember when you, like, just now told me not to be the hero?"

Weiss nodded, "Well," Flynt continued, "Nickel told me one thing before he… uh… sent me back to y'all." Flynt audibly gulped, "He said that anyone who tries to stand in his way will die. He will not show mercy twice."

"Of course he wouldn't," Penny said, surprisingly, "my systems previously had to work with him, at least the base A.I. He's a soldier, a soldier designed to kill threats, no questions once someone is confirmed a threat. He may have spared Flynt because he saw an opportunity to lessen the casualties, or simply to lessen the amount of 'threats' he would have to deal with."

"So… what you're saying is…" Neon said, worry clearly evident, "anyone who goes after him, he will try to kill."

"Probably," Penny said, her face transforming into a blue, pensive frown.

"Well," Ciel said, her voice carrying through the room, "it's not like you four will be placed on this mission. You are all still huntsmen in training… and Penny. Even I probably won't be even placed on this mission; we would have to call in the best of the best huntsmen Atlas has to take this thing down. This matter is now out of our hands."

They all stood in silence, "I just want to help," murmured Penny. Weiss couldn't help but agree. If Ruby were here, if Blake were here, and if Yang were here, they would team up and hunt down this metal monstrosity. Whether death awaited at the end was uncertain, but together, with her team, she would be confident she could take him down. They were that strong together.

But her team was scattered in the wind, and all she had was a crippled Flynt, a downgraded Penny, an admittedly unaffected yet still annoying Neon, and Ciel, whom she really just met. She couldn't rely on them like she could her team.

Maybe Ciel was right, and maybe she should be less hypocritical, considering her chastisement of Flynt. She was just Weiss Schnee, she was out of her depth at the Battle of Beacon, she could easily be out of her depth here.

"Well, here I am, let the grilling begin!"

Everyone turned to face as Dr. Glass entered the room, his usual sneering smile replaced with a grave frown. "But first, let me ask Flynt something. Dr. Polendina?"

Flynt sighed, "he's gone, Doc."

"FUCK!" Dr. Glass roared suddenly, causing everyone, including the bedridden Flynt, to jump. "God damn old fool, just couldn't wait to get his FUCKING KID! And I let it happen OUM DAMMIT!" Dr. Glass's mutterings punctuated by vulgar outbursts made everyone uncomfortable. After raving like that for 30 seconds, the scientist heaved a sigh and said, "I'll mourn later, now I need to brief you five."

Ciel was about to say something until Dr. Glass aggressively raised a finger and said, "Ap Ap Ap! Nope! No questions! I'll explain, and anything I don't explain you'll just have to deal with it!" There was an anger in his voice… maybe it wasn't a good idea to inform him on Dr. Polendina at the beginning.

"Yes, your partner was the original Penny's aura, Ciel. No, we didn't kill her, she was going to die anyway, we just… sped it up by taking her aura from her. Damn most regrettable moment of my life, but it was an opportunity for the robot projects. DON'T INTERRUPT!" He roared as Ciel was about to say something.

"As for Nickel, we acquired Pyrrha's aura after that stupid Ozpin used my technology to perform a procedure that I didn't sanction. The context of which isn't important. It went wrong, and Pyrrha's aura was fragmented. When the machine returned to Atlas, salvaged before the Grimm returned, I found the fragment, and grew it. We decided to test it on the Nickel unit…. The result, this fucking mess."

"That's all you need to know, and all you're going to get. Now! Here's the funny thing." Dr. Glass raised his hands in the air, "thanks to Ciel and her info, we know that troops from Mistral, possibly Vacuo, AND the White Fang are coming to Atlesian borders, and the last thing we need is horrible press for this murder-bot of ours to start chaos, so we need to send a team out ASAP! And guess what, you people are the quickest we can send out! Isn't that great!"

"Shouldn't you send out more qualified…" Ciel started stating quickly, hoping to get her say in from the raving lunatic.

"We WOULD, if they weren't already spread out trying to scope out enemy troops, escorting convoys for the CCT, and a bunch of them abandoning us after the Assault of Vale, and since General Ironwood won't let me leak this 'incident' to the public, we can't use freelance huntsmen to track down Nickel, so that leaves you four!"

"Four?"

"Flynt's injured, he can't join you."

"But isn't Penny?..."

"Penny can act as Support while you trek the wilderness, and can actively avoid confrontation with Nickel."

"So…"

"Yes," Dr. Glass, getting into a mock professional stance, "Ciel Soleil, Weiss Schnee, Penny Prime, and Neon Katt. You are now forming the temporary team of…. Cupcake! Led by Ciel Soleil."

"Cupcake?"

"CWPK, yes, don't ask for anything more clever. Now, if you excuse me, I haven't slept in ages. I'm going home, so should all of you. I'll message you four to give you a more… detailed briefing…"

Dr. Glass left as quickly as he arrived.

Weiss suddenly realized just how fatigued she was. She went to a party, then navigated a lab, then worried about her friend for a while, and then just got hit with a flurry of rushed exposition from a mourning madman. Weiss actually trudged herself to the hospital bed adjacent to Flynt's, plopped down, and slept.

"Good idea!" Weiss heard Neon say as she heard something plop down next to her in the bed. Weiss was so tired she didn't even mind.

Ciel sighed, "I'm going home… I guess I'll see you all tomorrow for our mission."

As Ciel left, Penny stood watch over her new friends.

A/N: Yup! Team CWPK (Cupcake), I mean… I could find a cooler name for them if I tried… but Cupcake came first and it was too hilarious to pass up!

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