Chapter 15- A cold start, elections and small surprises (start of Atlas arc)
Volume 7- 'No hope, No path; The future is written of doom. Sacrifices will made, the truth is a dreary place. The day you waited for won't come, victory will escape your grasp and ALL HOPE IS SHATTERED. '
Note: Elements from RWBY's Volume 7 are included here but only small things. The weapon idea for Chloe was AxleBoost's suggestion.
After members of the Black talons' Vacuo branch scattered to avoid the authorities or what they had that was close to 'police' in Vacuo from Shade, Ruby and friends got a lift on one of the ships to head over to Atlas next.
Their next chance to push the 'tide' rested with Ironwood and Qrow needed to be in good form to face him without Oscar or Ozpin's help.
Atlas was a large metropolitan city in the Kingdom of Atlas, sitting atop a floating island on the city of Mantle. The city is extremely advanced, with tower skyscrapers of all sizes being visible at a distance, all seemingly with a blue colour scheme to it. Atlas is seen having viewing platforms that allow them to look down onto the ground below, and Atlas Academy is situated at the centre of the city.
Maria Calavera arrived in Atlas to speak with Ironwood before heading down to Mantle to get her eyes checked out.
Maria is an elderly woman with dark skin and long silver hair, which she wears in a single braid down her back. She is of small stature and appears to be hunched over, requiring the use of a walking stick.
She wears a full-length dress in the traditional Tabasco style, consisting of a dark blue top with full sleeves and skirt comprised of alternating light and dark blue layers. In addition to her dress, she wears thick brown gloves and a heavy blue cloak trimmed at the edges with a pattern of white, hollow triangles on a light blue background. A similar white and blue trim is around the neck of the cloak. The cloak is secured to her shoulders with ornate white pauldrons.
Maria's eyes were slashed out by Tock (a past associate of Salem), and she requires goggle-like prosthetic eyes to see. The prosthesis is dark grey with cyan coloured lenses, each of which is equipped with a set of adjustable shutters capable of mimicking natural expressions. Four rectangular cyan lights create a partial ring on the outer bottom edge of the eyes, while a single cyan nodule on the top outer edge overlaps slightly with each lens. Two small antennae protrude vertically from the upper left side of the prosthesis. On the upper right is a port that allows for the attachment of a wireless receiver, allowing Maria to directly receive data from equipment.
Additionally, Maria carries a walking stick comprised of a natural wooden shaft terminating in a smooth, narrow section and metal foot with a purple band around its middle. Her walking stick is topped by an ornate blue skull connected by means of a thick metal band with a purple ring at its centre. On the front of the connecting band is a large, blunt protrusion located directly below the skull's mouth.
Ironwood's stubble had fully grown into a beard, and his black, with some silver and grey areas hair was dishevelled. He still had solid black eyebrows and a strip of silver metal above his right eyebrow, a neurotransmitter that helps him operate the robotic parts of his body now wearing a dark-blue collared shirt and red tie, along with a white coat with blue and red accents, a white vest over the collared shirt, with two dark-blue belts, one across his chest, the other around his waist and blue pants and boots.
"General, how are you holding up?" Maria asked.
"Never better. When I'm ready to end the embargo, Remnant will be in unity again" He stated.
"And what of the protection of the surviving silver-eyed warriors?" Maria questioned.
"We'll do our best to grant them safety as well" Ironwood responded quickly.
Maria was perplexed by his fast responses.
"And Pietro?" she raised an eyebrow.
"He's here but it's best if you wait for him in Mantle"
They stared at each other for a moment.
"Ok, well if you need me you know where to find me" Maria reminded him as she began to leave.
-Meanwhile-
Snechta returned to the Mistral underground for an update with Miss Malachite.
"Any good news regarding Vale?" he asked.
"Why yes. My daughters sent a message regarding Junior being nominated as leader of the vale branch. Not a lot of criminals are left in Vale because of the Huntsmen base there. However, a lot of us here along with a few huntsmen have joined the Mistral branch because of Ash, Tyrian and Merlot" she reported.
"Good work" Snechta gave her a tip for her services.
As he left the bar, he sent a message to Ash: 'Get the huntsmen who have joined to convince civilians to join the cause'.
His next destination was Atlas.
-Meanwhile-
Akira had signed up to join the election beside Jacques, Ironwood, Robyn and Ivy (another candidate) to get a seat on the council.
His campaign was to convince human and Faunus citizens to join the Black Talons.
Robyn Hill's posters around Mantle had the words 'Protect Mantle' in bold, white writing as part of her campaign.
Robyn is a young woman with tanned skin and violet eyes. Her light-blond hair is tied in a ponytail. She has a beauty mark under her right eye and another one on the left side under her mouth.
Robyn wears predominantly green coloured clothes. Her olive scarf is adorned with a bird brooch.
She wields her weapon, a crossbow, on her left arm. The crossbow can expand into a bird wing-like shield.
Ironwood's embargo meant the public viewed him highly in a negative light since the 'fall of Beacon'.
Akira was up first to make a speech.
"A vote for me means I'll be able to convince the council to listen to the woes of everyone in Mantle give what this Embargo has inflicted on them. As a new candidate and faunus, you may wonder why I'm campaigning at all? My hope is that the citizens both Faunus and Human will get their jobs back and better security. That is why I'm not only a candidate, but a representative of the Black Talons and I hope that every huntsmen group around Remnant can join our cause to better the world" Akira announced.
The Ace-Ops which were a team of specialist huntmen comprised of Clover Ebi, Vine, Elm, Harriet and Marrow (Marrow was a Faunus, but he was still the 'joke' guy to the rest of them) were on duty in Mantle when the speech happened.
Next was Jacques.
"In light of the embargo, I've had to shut down all nonessential SDC operations. If I'm elected Councilman, I've made it no secret I will be opposing General Ironwood and his senseless embargo that is crippling all of Atlas. It is my belief that these measures are not only reckless, but criminal.
Although I am rivals to everyone in the elections, I do offer my support to the Black Talons in their cause and extend a hand in funding them personally to help citizens in Mantle AND Atlas.
If elected to office, I will make the changes necessary to fix what Ironwood has broken. Before I go, I propose a question before the vote:
Can you trust anyone else to stop Ironwood? Will Robyn Hill be able to get your jobs back?" Jacques offered.
He did his speech outside the Schnee manor and hurried inside while ignoring reporters' questions when he was done.
Riots began to break out in Mantle as Akira regrouped with Neo to watch the polls.
-About two days later-
Riots had been contained along with the grimm as it was now voting day.
"I understand people's anger, but I advise people don't show it in the streets but in the polls" Robyn advised on the Atlas broadcast news station.
People went to the polls: Jacques had 33% while Robyn had 45% and Akira was drawn at 45%.
There were rumours about a 'proposed protector of Mantle' in the background of these elections.
Everyone else waited as the percentages for each candidate went up.
-At the same time-
Watts was now somewhere in the city (in Atlas) when he overheard someone mention a 'core' recovered from the Amity Arena from Beacon.
Venturing into the lab area, he caught Pietro, one of the technological geniuses working on a new model: a template of a new body for his daughter.
Pietro was an elderly man with dark skin and short, balding white hair wearing a green cap with oval-shaped glasses, a red vest over a cream shirt with a pink bowtie, dark mustard pants and leather boots which matched his cap and red-brown belt.
On the table was a picture of Pietro with other scientists including a young Watts.
When Pietro left in his advanced white and green with yellow accents spider leg wheelchair-like contraption, Watts smiled and got to work 'enhancing' it with his skills as a scientist….
- Watts planned to use Penny to target the military since most of the dust had been taken by Salem with magic (by making adjustments to her new template)
Ruby and company arrived in Atlas 2 hours before the voting was over.
They landed in Atlas Academy, where they were greeted by Team FNKI with all its members.
Ilia was not very comfortable being back in Atlas and decided to stay on the ship for a while.
FNKI's full roster was Flynt (leader), Neon, Kobalt and Ivori.
Flynt wears a black jacket with white trimmings over his untucked white shirt and vest. He keeps the loose tie around his collar, and his dress pants and shoes. He also wears a silver ring with a blue gem on his right index finger.
Neon was a young girl with a light complexion with green eyes and moderate red-orange hair in two buns with light blue streaks in her bangs with a cat tail covered with pink fur that becomes lighter toward the tip wearing a white cow bell collar around her neck, a white cat-themed cropped jacket, with cat ears on the hood, that covers a light blue cropped top with dark blue straps connecting to her shorts, imitating a halter top, blue shorts with two yellow star designs on her left thigh, and another layer beneath that in the form of pale blue stockings, white fingerless gloves on each hand (as a part of her jacket) and new, white roller blades.
Her two buttons are now fixed on her jacket over her right breast. She now wears blue shorts with two yellow star designs on her left thigh, and another layer beneath that in the form of pale blue stockings. Neon also wears white fingerless gloves on each hand. It is shown in the concept art that these gloves are a part of her jacket.
Kobalt is a tall man with dark blue eyes, fair skin and long dark blue hair styled into low pigtails. He wears a light blue shirt and blue-grey jeans under a matching vest and legging armor set, respectively. He has two large french navy shoulder pauldrons with yellow highlights, a partial duster attached to his right hip and covering his right upper leg. He has navy gloves with ultramarine and yellow accents and calf-length dark blue boots. His gloves are asymetrical, with the left being longer and covered by a forearm-length gauntlet
Ivori is a slim man with a taller-than average height. He has light brown skin, light brown eyes and short, straight grey hair. He wears black glasses with yellow lenses, a white suit with beige and wheat accents and knee-high beige boots with gold accents. The suit jacket has a very low collar and he wears no shirt underneath, so his chest is exposed. The sleeves of the suit jacket also seem to be detached from the shoulders, showing skin underneath. He also wears a gold or yellow choker around his throat. He keeps his weapon - a hybrid between a whip and a pendulum, - attached to his right hip.
"It's good to see you all again" Neon said, cheerfully.
"These are our other teammates Kobalt and Ivori. We can show you around before taking you to the general" Flynt offered.
They headed inside through the Main hall which had dark blue walls and corridors.
Situated just outside the Main Hall was the Docking Bay features three landing pads. A flight of stairs leads from the pad level to the main entrance of the Hall.
They were then shown some of dorms.
All the dorms at Atlas appeared to be co-ed dorms, with males and females having slept in the same room. This allowed all members of a team to share the same living area, regardless of differing genders. The beds are four bunk beds built into the wall with a ladder in the middle allowing access to the upper two beds.
A few halls down was the Briefing room.
The Briefing Room was where Atlesian Huntsmen receive their mission assignments. The room had a podium and rows of seats arranged in a semi-circle around a table of CCT terminals and Atlas Huntsmen job boards along the walls and a screen for detailing mission information behind the podium.
Then there was the training room.
The Training Room is a giant empty square room with a light blue grid on the floor. The grid can generate and stack numerous blocks to create walls, platforms and cover. The room appears to be able to create several different layouts using these blocks allowing versatility in training for different scenarios. The blocks can be destroyed from heavy impact by a weapon or semblance, however the room appears to not have a limit on how many blocks it can generate or replace. Up high at the end of the room is an observation deck allowing staff, other students or Huntsmen to watch ongoing training sessions.
"Maybe someday we can practise with you guys?" Flynt offered.
"That would be GREAT!" Nora cried.
"Now then, we'll need to get you some new outfits" Neon pointed out, playfully.
Ruby looked down at her outfit and chuckled nervously.
"Yeah we're not exactly dressed properly for Atlas right now" Weiss admitted with a small smile.
They were led to an area with different clothes.
30 minutes later, they came out with new outfits and were led to Ironwood's office.
Ruby has a new outfit that is similar to her Post-Timeskip outfit, keeping her waist cincher worn over a pale blouse, with her chest no longer exposed and her red cape no longer torn. She wears a short, dark red skirt that is split at the side with a small brown belted strap across the gap. Underneath the skirt is a pair of red shorts. On her arms, she wears black bracers with brown belts around the wrist as well as black fingerless gloves. Around her waist, she now has a brown belt with several bullets and a buckle of her emblem on it. She wears thigh-high steel-toe boots with brown belts around the thighs and no laces. Her hair has also become spikier.
Weiss' hair is now braided and she has grown out her bangs that frames her face more closely and she gains a new outfit; a pale blue and white v-neck top, above which she wears a vivid blue shrug with a raised collar, puffy sleeves and the Schnee emblem on the left sleeve. On her arms are a pair of long dark blue gloves. For her bottoms, she wears a long white tulle skirt that splits in the front. Over her skirt, she wears a light blue, high-waisted article that matches the skirt's cut. Around her waist are three white belts with a medium-sized pouch attached to the lowest belt. She wears long, pale blue wedge-heel boots with white frills coming out from the top at the front.
In addition, she wears a pair of matching ruby earring that matches her icicle-shaped tiara with a diamond-shaped ruby in the centre.
Blake cuts her hair to be just above her shoulders and receives a new outfit. She wears a black, collared catsuit with a zipper on the chest and thigh-high black boots with zippers on the fronts and two kneecaps. Her long, white tailcoat has dark grey detailing on the chest, sleeves, sides and collar. It has a narrow grey belt around the collar and a wide white belt loosely secured around her waist through the coat's belt loops. The belt around her waist has a white pouch attached. The tails of the coat end in points, and the inside lining is vivid purple. The front zipper of the coat is upside down and extends to the very bottom of the coat, and there are additional zippers along the sleeves. Around each wrist, she wears a black belted wristband, and she appears to have something gray strapped to her back like a backpack.
Yang obtains an entirely new outfit consisting of khaki coveralls, the gold zipper of which is unzipped just below the breast to reveal a white low-cut shirt. Around each thigh of the coveralls is a gold zipper that allows for the pants leg to be detached, as well as a belted strap that connects to the leg. The right leg is unzipped but still strapped to the coveralls. Over top the coveralls, she wears a baggy, black crop jacket with fur trim around the neck and black-and-orange straps along the sleeves. Around her waist is a black-and-orange belt with black-and-yellow folded fabric on the sides and a golden buckle of her emblem. She wears tall black boots with black laces. Around her left thigh is a wide black belt with a pouch attached. For accessories, she has resumed wearing her orange scarf around her neck and her purple scarf around her right leg, like she did with her original battle outfit.
Ren was now in a sleeveless turtleneck dark green top, black half of a jacket/arm guard combination on his right arm with a dagger attached it, a single detached long black finglerless glove on his left arm, and black leather boots. He wears a ponytail similar in Volume 1-3 except his hair is now braided.
Jaune was wearing a high collar black shirt under a re-modified pure white chest plate that covers a bit more of his upper abdomen and similarly-coloured bracers. Both the chest plate and the bracers are trimmed with gold. He retains his gloves and sash except he now wears dark navy jeans and dark brown boots. His hair is cut short and is slightly spiky.
Nora now wore a pink vest with white collared shirt over a black short dress. She also has long detached sleeves with black fingerless gloves, white stockings and black boots. In addition, she wears matching metal bands with her emblem. She also cut her hair to its length in Volumes 1-3.
Qrow retained his torn cape except he now wore a new outfit: a dark grey collar shirt with a black vest and white dressy ascot, dark grey dress pants and black dress shoes.
Inside Ironwood's office, was himself and Winter.
Ironwood's office is circular room featuring dark blue metallic walls and windows which can fade to become opaque.
In the centre of the room is a holographic projection table which is hidden under the floor when not in use.
"I'm….glad to see you again but how did you get past the airships?" Ironwood wondered, curiously.
"We had help from Vacuo" Ruby said, quickly.
"Um…Ironwood, Atlas is the last target. Can we share something in private?" Qrow requested.
"Winter knows about the relics, maidens and Salem along with the Ace-Ops led by Clover. So, go right ahead" Ironwood revealed, casually.
"Basically, we lost the relic of knowledge, destruction AND Oscar. We were hoping you'd help us turn the tide and find a way to rescue him while also keeping everyone safe from her group" Ruby explained.
"I see…well I might be able to offer assistance" Ironwood began.
Just then, a red and black portal appeared and out came Raven.
"Children, Qrow. I have some….distressing news. Salem now has the relic of Choice" Raven said, gravely.
"So… if she gets the staff…" Ruby began with wide eyes.
"She's be able to achieve her goal to separate Humanity and more…." Ironwood finished.
He thought for a moment.
"Ruby…I'd like you to meet someone who might be able to help regarding your eyes" he stated.
"I wish you good luck on your…'war'" Raven stated before returning through the portal.
He led the group in an airship and down to Mantle where Maria was waiting.
"Maria, this is Ruby and her friends. She needs your help" Ironwood requested.
"You're…the grim Reaper" Qrow realised.
Maria gave a weary smile.
"I based my scythe off your weapon. You were my inspiration…Where did you go?" Qrow asked.
"I…decided to help the world through a codename but…after losing my eyes, I felt like I couldn't do enough and made my title fade into legend"
She then examined Ruby's face.
"Girl, what colour are your eyes?" Maria asked.
"Um…Silver" Ruby replied.
"What do you know about them?"
"Well I have frozen a giant Wyvern into stone at the Fall of Beacon and got help in Vacuo to communicate with my mom. Oh, and something about Silver-Eyed people being legendary warriors…." Ruby trailed off.
"Hmmm…I see that's some progress but um much like you, I didn't know a lot about them either and had my dad to teach me. Even he didn't have all the answers. But what he told me makes sense, given what I've seen" Maria stated.
Maria led Ruby to a private room just as other costumers of Pietro began to visit the pharmacy as well.
"Was he a Huntsman too?" Ruby asked.
"It wasn't really an official title back in his day. I only knew him as an old soldier and an excellent teacher. I never attended one of those fancy academies of yours, but I scored higher on the license exam than any other Huntsman or Huntress that day" Maria replied.
"You must've been proud" Ruby said with a gentle smile.
"Heh, he would've scolded me for showing off. He'd never been able to find much information about our abilities. Just legends of warriors whose eyes shone like mirrors, reflecting the light of the world onto darkness. He found so little, in fact, that it made him cautious. How could such powerful bloodlines be so rare? Unless something was actively seeking to destroy them" Maria shared.
"Salem..." Ruby said, darkly.
"I tried to keep my powers a secret, but as you know, it wasn't enough. I owe my life to my training, and my Semblance. At the end of the day, those are still your most powerful tools" Maria advised.
"What is your Semblance?" Ruby asked.
Her new teacher gestured to the pen on the desk.
Ruby threw it and Maria caught it before it could hit her face.
"Preflexes"! A silly name I came up with. Hard to explain, but I can sense everything better than most and react to attacks almost before they happen. Combine that with my training and secret ability to turn Grimm to stone, or blind them, or vaporize them. (clears throat) And that's how you become the Grimm Reaper!" Maria explained with a smile.
"So, how do I laser beam monsters with my eyeballs?" Ruby asked, excitedly.
She was whacked on the head by Maria's cane.
"First, you stop thinking like that! I want you to think of all the times you've triggered your powers. What did those moments have in common?" Maria inquired.
"I... was scared and stressed. Is it emotional? Like unlocking a Semblance?" Ruby recalled while rubbing her head.
"It's emotional but more focused than that. Think, what is it you wanted?" Maria encouraged.
Ruby clenched her hands.
"I wanted to protect my friends" she admitted, softly.
"Precisely! It is the desire to preserve life which fuels the light inside you. And to make no mistake, it is light. Preservation is an extension of creation, or, at the very least, an enemy of destruction" Maria explained.
"Okay, where do we start?" Ruby asked.
"Well, not here. The light will only work in the presence of Grimm. Meaning the only practice, you'll get will be a trial by fire. But what you can do is focus on creating a state of mind that you can tap into when you need it. Don't think about your light as a means of destroying evil, but as a way to protect the people of Remnant" Maria added.
"But, that can't be right. You said the light only reacts to Grimm, but... I used it during our battle at Haven. It reacted to Cinder" Ruby pointed out.
"Interesting... Perhaps there was something that you just weren't seeing?" Maria suggested.
Ruby sighed.
"Yeah" she agreed, sorrowfully.
"In the meantime, you practise finding that state of mind needed to tap into your power when you desire it. It will further your training from what the others gave you" Maria stated.
"Ruby, you're needed" Qrow called.
She and Maria went back out to the main floor of the pharmacy.
Pietro had returned to the pharmacy during their talk.
"Ah you're Team RWBY. My daughter told me all about you" Pietro said with excitement.
"So, team RWBY and friends… This is Pietro, one of Atlas' finest scientists" Ironwood stated.
"Um… I'll let you all get acquainted and then have the Ace-Ops bring you back to Atlas. There's still matters to discuss about the election as well" He added.
On the news, as the countdown to the end of the votes came to an end there was an announcement.
Robyn Hill won.
She appeared on screen.
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity to help the citizens of Mantle and Atlas. Together, we will create a better future with assistance from the Black Talons if you'll let me" she began.
Akira was now beside her.
"Yes, I'd like that" He said with a polite smile.
They shook hands and then Robyn had to go meet with other council members.
-In the Schnee Manor-
Jacques was enraged.
Whitely watched from the gap from his office door as his dad threw one of his wine glasses at the wall in frustration.
"All the gamble on winning the vote gone! Now the business will be naught!" He yelled.
Then he got a message on his scroll from Henry: 'All is not lost, Jacques. I have a …'associate' to help with spying on your daughter'.
Weiss is back? But why…. He thought.
"Whitely, I need you to meet with Robyn and Akira. See if you can strike a deal with them. I'm going to see if I can convince Ironwood to stop this embargo" Jacques stated.
"Yes, Father" Whitley replied, obediently.
-Meanwhile-
Rina Yuki, Raven Ebony and Henry were working around the clock to recruit people in Atlas for The Black Talons.
Henry's 'associate' was in Mantle spying on Team RWBY and company.
Her name was Gry, she had blue eyes and blonde-caramel hair wearing a mix of pale pink, yellow, blue and white winter dress, stockings (not Christmas stockings) and shoes reflecting the colours of dawn.
Her semblance was a dance-based shockwave called 'Caramel wave'.
It was when she was spying on them that she witnessed the group return to Atlas to discuss the next matter: The Winter maiden.
She followed in secret and made sure the information was passed on to Henry.
Back in Ironwood's office, He looked out the window in reflection before facing everyone.
"Now that you're better acquainted with Maria and Pietro, we can continue our discussion. You must be wondering about the Winter maiden…well she's safe here in the academy" Ironwood explained, calmly.
"We know you've gone through a lot since the fall of Beacon and…we were hoping that allowing you licenses might help when it comes to saving people officially" Winter added.
"But…I'll…show the vault if it helps with reassure" Ironwood finished.
Ruby stared at Ironwood.
"Sir…is there something you're not telling us?" she asked.
"Um…we do have a project to help Mantle but its…not finished yet. Pietro is helping us with it" Ironwood explained.
"I see…well…when it's done, could you at least tell us what it is?" Ruby requested.
"It's…better if we show you" Ironwood hesitated.
He led the way to the entrance to the vault: In one of the halls via the school's elevator system.
The elevator leads down to a long metal platform with glowing cyan lines forming a rectangular pattern on its surface. Closest to the elevator, the platform is a narrow walkway, and it widens into a proper platform at the end.
Alongside the platform are large, pale blue, crystalline structures attached to floating metal blocks. On the edges of the main area of the platform are four white pedestals decorated with marble columns, and atop each pedestal is a bowl containing blue flame.
Across from the pedestal is a tall, pale blue, crystalline structure with a small white platform. On this white platform is a golden door with a rectangular pattern on its surface. This door is at a higher elevation than the main metal platform, and there is a considerable gap of open air between the metal platform and the door.
Long white planks levitate in circles around the chamber at various different heights.
Beyond the golden door was the staff of creation.
"The Relic is safe down here as it generates a constant seminally limitless energy source to keep Atlas afloat. Although we….do keep dust reserves for emergencies only" Ironwood stated.
"Good to know, general" a different voice stated.
The elevator had gone back up as Gry ran while Watts managed to turn off the cameras in order for her to hide.
She quickly sent the information to Henry who then past it to Watts and Tyrian.
He smiled.
"Good work, crew. Henry, your associate was brilliant. How's the Atlas recruitment going?" he asked.
"It's going well. Do we need a big distract for Mantle now?" Henry asked
"See if your cousin can convince Robyn to openly support the Black Talons more alongside Jacques. It will help the media influence. Then we can do the distraction" Watts replied.
The uniforms for the Atlas and Mantle branch and Vale were completed:
A green, black and grey uniform with owl patterns and different varieties of owl as a mask for Vale (minus the snow owl) and a white, silver and black uniform with snow bunting and snow owl patterns with a snow bunting or snowy owl mask for Atlas and Mantle.
Ginger and Olive with help from the other kingdom designers were finally finished thanks to the SDC's funding.
The uniforms for the Atlas/Mantle Branch could be distributed.
Junior was going to be tasked with sharing the uniforms for the Vale branch.
Whitley arranged to meet with Robyn and Akira at the Schnee Mansion.
"Regarding your new title, Councilwoman Hill and Akira…I was wondering if we could make a deal to help each other. You both want to help Mantle and Atlas and so do I. As Heir to the Schnee Dust Company, I wish to help in any way I can with your…endeavours" he proposed.
"I see. I'm aware that there's…rumours of a protector planned" Robyn replied in intrigue.
Akira pondered in thought.
"That is interesting. I accept your deal. We'll need help gaining more supporters in both Atlas and Mantle if you're both willing to spread the word there and outside Solitas" He suggested.
"From what I can recall the tundras and Snowbound Forest is beyond our kingdom" Whitley stated.
"We shall take your terms. I would like to know why Ironwood isn't doing more to ensure people in Mantle are protected" Robyn admitted.
"Don't worry…My father will take care of that" Whitley pointed out.
"I'll leave him to it. A pleasure doing business with you both" Akira said, politely.
When he left the manor, he sent a message to Neo: 'I have convinced the Schnee Heir to support us. Is everything close to ready in Mantle?'
Neo's reply was: 'Just about ready. Ask Nuri and Nova if they're in position'.
Akira smiled as he sent messages to his comrades.
-Meanwhile-
Jacques arrived at Atlas Academy to have a long talk with Ironwood.
When they were talking in their office, Winter showed Ruby and company where the winter Maiden was held.
She was kept in the Atlas Medical Facility connected to the school.
The hospital has hallways with rooms and an open area with computers
Fria was kept in an isolated room so she can't see anyone else and risk her Maiden Powers being transferred to them. Atlesian Knights were stationed in front of her door.
Her name was Fria, one of her relatives was the trophy wife and someone with an outfit based on violas or Viola tricolor.
Fria is a thin, elderly woman with short, spiky white hair and dark blue eyes. She wears a green and white hospital outfit with a silver bracelet in her right wrist.
"You see…I'm the only one allowed to see her" Winter admitted.
"Then you're…" Weiss began.
"Yes, but I have made it my own and it's my choice. It…It will be ok" Winter reassured her younger sister.
Ruby sighed.
"As we have faced losses in both Haven and Vacuo regarding you-know-who…I've learnt that even…leaders must make sacrifices…I just…hope this is the right one for your sake" Ruby remarked, solemnly.
"I promise you all, once we reveal our protector 'project' Mantle will be better protected for everyone's sakes and then hopefully the embargo will be finished" Winter asserted.
-A short while later-
Sneachta arrived in Atlas on a ship with the logo of Merlot Industries.
Akira, after being alerted of his arrival, came out to greet him.
"Are you the Atlas and Mantle representative for the Black Talons?" Sneachta asked.
"Yep, we're almost ready for the distraction to be put in place and the uniforms for this kingdom are complete and have been distributed" Akira reported.
"Great news. And what of Watts and Tyrian?" the armoured man pressed on.
"They're in position. Tyrian is going to create fear in Atlas and Watts will take care of Mantle" Akira stated.
Sneachta smiled.
"Let's watch the show" he remarked.
Akira sent a short message to Neo, knowing that soon the prize that Tyrian had originally been asked to bring to Salem was someone they had to…convince.
-To be continued-
Triva: Gry= Dawn in Norwegian. Allusion is the girls from 'Caramelldansen'.
The fun part starts in the next chapter.
Grace, out!