XXXXXX
Chapter 43: Bop and Circus Dance
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In a dimly lit cell full of loathing and hate, Emerald, Mercury and Arthur Watts sat in silence. This situation they were in was entirely Watts' fault. They had come to Mantle for their Queen Salem to find the Winter Maiden and the Relics. Watts had lived here before, and therefore knew his way around the city. Or so he said. It had been uplink after uplink, having gotten locked out of each and every one. Apparently Atlas had upgraded their infrastructure at some point after the Fall of Beacon and had integrated some kind of AI. It was an AI that was overly happy and never stopped being cheerful for some reason. It recognized both Emerald and Mercury from Beacon as exchange students. It had taken some time to scan its database for Arthur Watts before it also recognized him and promptly locked him out of the uplink node.
The next uplink node went about the same way, except this time the AI delivered an electric shock directly to Watts' arse via cattle-prod. The third uplink node was even worse, as several modified Atlesian Knights came to the node, ignored Emerald and Mercury and beat the everliving shit out of Watts with their cold metal hands. The final fourth node, they never reached, having been chased down an alleyway and into a dead-end by what Emerald could tell, was Team MRJJ. Mostly just Rhames Greyblood, but still Team MRJJ.
Team Mirage as they were called, were a Huntsmen team from Vacuo who had graduated with flying colors and then proceeded to take missions without failure all over the world. They had also run into the infernal Team RWBY and Team JNPR and somehow became fast friends. What hadn't been immediately obvious during their prompt beatdown was that Adam Taurus had survived and also joined up with Team MRJJ for some reason. He had been standing somewhat aghast in the background, but had stayed his hand in their beating and capture. Emerald's head spun for a moment, trying to come up with some reason as to why the infamous White Fang leader was hanging out with a bunch of humans and Huntsmen, the only thing she could come up with was that somehow, Rhames had a familial connection with both Qrow Branwen, Yang Xiao-Long, Ruby Rose and Adam Taurus. After several moments of trying to make sense of that amalgamation she came to the realization that Yang's family was fucked up. The last thing she needed right now was for an incredibly strong and angry blonde-haired girl to decide to come after them as well.
The vehicle they were in, they had been inside before. It was known as the 'Monster', a hideous orange-purple-eyebleach monstrosity with a massive engine. Mercury silently kicked himself for not realizing that given the side they were on, they'd be on the receiving end of the funny Huntsmen that had 'saved' them earlier. This time, they rode in the cargo hold in a small metal box. The truck tumbled and rolled haphazardly over the tundra, occasionally catapulting the trio into the air and back onto the cold metal floor.
If the AI within Atlas had been correct, Arthur Watts was a wanted man with several warrants out for his arrest. Emerald and Mercury were accomplices and also wanted for various reasons. They were headed to General Ironwood himself. And then they had a short walk to the execution platform and then an even shorter walk to the chopping block. If everything went they way Emerald was thinking, their heads would be rolling in a few hours. Escape was impossible; her Semblance still wasn't working for some reason and there were no less than seven trained Huntsmen outside of their little box. Mercury had officially given up and Arthur Watts just seemed solemn and distant for some reason, as if he was also trying to figure out why his plan had failed. Watts no longer had his laptop or his briefcase, which both contained vital equipment for their task. He only had his bare hands and a flask of strong bourbon. Well, half of a flask of strong bourbon. Wait, a quarter of a flask of strong bourbon. Oh, I'm sorry, He had an empty flask previously filled with strong bourbon. Watts fell unconscious and continued to contribute to Emerald and Mercury's predicament in the same ways he had done earlier.
X
It had been a perilous journey for the three minions, but soon they were disembarking into a new and fun holding facility for the most-wanted criminals. They were bound and forced into a new, larger holding cell with stasis-fields for bars and left alone. They watched as Team MRJJ and friends left them, presumably to be paid their weight in gold for their capture. Emerald just slumped down on the cold metal bed. Perhaps she should've just been eaten by Grimm:Lock, life would've been easier. She was interrupted by a familiar face, just one she really didn't want to see right now.
"Oh, hey there kiddo. How's it going? Ya know, when Rhames said he'd found some of our old enemies, I was thinking, 'Who? Who's still alive that we would recognize!?", and it's you.", Handsome Jaune gloated from outside their cell.
"Jaune!"
"Hey, it's Handsome Jaune now, pumpkin. And don't forget about it. I can't believe you just went and got captured like this! You two seemed like capable fighters, but now? Ohhhh Hohohooo… You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?", Jaune mocked.
"We… Well… How can I explain this…", Emerald stammered.
"You don't need to. I'm sure you don't have anything important to say. I think life in prison is an appropriate punishment. And it'll be a really short time for you and Mercury. Watts? Is that his name? He's the one we're interested in. So just sit tight and… watch the world end.", Jaune concluded before walking out of the room.
Mercury and Emerald sighed. They weren't the main focus. It was Watts. It was always Watts.
"At least we aren't dead.", Mercury sighed.
"Yet.", Emerald submitted before lying back down and reconsidering her life choices.
XXXXX
Far downstairs in the lobby of Atlas Academy, Team JNPR and Team RWBY stood ready. Both teams had been given upgraded gear and weapons courtesy of Hyperion. Ruby Rose now a heavily modified Crescent Rose, the scythe now amplified with a plasma arc, enhancing its cutting ability. The rifle capability further enhanced with Hyperion Rail-Gun technology that no longer needed Dust to fire; Dust would only change the element type.
Yang Xiao-Long now had a modified long-range laser cannon integrated into her prosthetic arm and Ember Celica also used Rail-Gun tech to enhance its range and damage output. She fiddled with the laser cannon and accidentally fired a shot into the ceiling of the lobby. "Oops!"
Blake Belladonna held her current weapon, Gambol Shroud, but instead of a ribbon, it now had a graphite-wire that glowed with plasma and cut through steel like butter. It had forgone rail-gun tech and instead simply used high-caliber shells and sabots. Enough firepower to stop a raging Goliath.
Weiss Niveous held her family's sword out, unmodified and the only memory of what she had given up. Myrtenaster, the sword of the Schnees. It would suffice for now, she wasn't about to throw away everything she was before. But now, she was something far greater.
Handsome Jaune stepped back for a moment. He still used the Unforgiven a tried and true ancient gun with anomalous properties. This would work for now. He had found another Bee Shield and grabbed that to further amplify his shots.
Lie Ren held his own Stormflower out. Modified with Hyperion tech to accuracy and sharpness to its integrate blades, it now had a small bayonet on the right-hand gun made from Li Ren's dagger. A reminder of what he could've had and has become.
Nora Valkyrie's hammer had been upgraded for force and feedback resistance. It would now deliver twice as much bludgeoning damage with almost no feedback to the user. It was now as strong as she was and could use lightning dust to fuel a scramjet to even further boost its damage.
Pyrrha Nikos stood proudly in the her new armor made from her old weapons. A reminder of what her family had done. A reminder to forever be selfless. A reminder she forgot a long time ago, when she had met Jaune. Thanatos and Katastrofi had been modified to resemble her old weapons, Her shield still having its reddish plasma glow, but her sword now capable of transforming into a halberd and a high-powered rifle. Hyperion Rail-Gun tech once again. Her rifle shot glowing red incendiary shots amplified by the rail-gun. Her sword glowed with a red plamsa and could cut through steel. All of her gear was designed to amp her Maiden powers and glowed with the appropriate rage. "I am a goddess of War.", Pyrrha thought idly.
As everyone had gotten used to their new weaponry, the Ace Operatives began to go over their strategy for clearing out the Grimm from the abandoned SDC mine. Clover put forth his tactical knowledge and began to show off a group of pairs beginning at the various entrances to the mine itself. He'd paired himself with Qrow for some reason and another one of the Ace Ops with a set from the other two Huntsmen teams. Nora had a question.
"Um... Hey. This is all cool and everything, but why can't we just do what we always do?", Nora pondered loudly.
"And what would that be?", Clover mused.
"Find the Grimm. Then throw Pyrrha at them."
"I'm not sure that's a wise decision..."
"We have Jaune too. He can reverse time or something."
"Still..."
"We're on board for the Pyrrha throwing!", Team RWBY replied in unison.
"I'm not sure this is good idea... I'm not that great...", Pyrrha bemoaned.
"Of course you are! Don't sell yourself short, pumpkin!", Jaune reassured.
"Right, well... Try to stick to the plan. We leave immediately!", Clover announced.
In a few moments, Team RWBYJNPRQ and the Ace Holes were aboard an airship headed towards the frozen tundra below. Little Boy Ozpin had stayed behind with General Ironwood. They still had a few things to discuss. As Ozpin began to relay some very important details to Ironwood, Pennyopolis interrupted with a sponsored announcement.
"General Ironwood! A Huntsmen team from Vacuo has arrived with prisoners. Rhames Greyblood was with them and requested that you come down to the holding cells immediately!", Penny noted in her usually happy tone.
Ironwood sighed. "This is going to have to wait, Oz."
X
Ironwood slowly walked the halls of the Atlas Academy. He watched out of one of the windows as an airship left with the rest of the Huntsmen from Beacon on board. He had been briefed, Team Mirage of Vacuo had brought some criminals in. Two of them were suspects in the Fall of Beacon, last seen with Cinder Fall during the Vytal Festival. The other one was the most wanted man in all of Atlas, Doctor Arthur Watts.
Doctor Arthur Watts was well-known for his crimes in the empire. He was wanted for corporate espionage, insider trading, aiding a terrorist organization, weapons dealing, drug trafficking, illegal plastic surgery and owed over ten million lien in overdue parking tickets.
Ironwood had been told that the Prison Warden had Watts moved into an interrogation cell where he was currently being guarded by the same Huntsmen team that had brought him in. Ironwood was aware of how manipulative Watts could be and hoped that when he got there, the madman hadn't broken out or killed his captors. However, the Mad Prince was also there, so he was also expecting Arthur Watts to be decorating the room in some gory form. He rounded the corner and entered the cell where he beheld a bizarre sight.
Several pigeon Faunus were kicking and punching Arthur Watts repeatedly, Arthur Watts was a mass of bruises with two black eyes and a multitude of other non-fatal injuries. As Ironwood entered, the six Faunus coalesced into one Faunus that sheepishly moved into the corner. The massive man behind Arthur Watts grabbed the prone man and shook him awake with one massive hand. Ironwood stood back, he'd never seen a man this size before. The man in question was almost eight-and-a-half feet tall and weighed over 800 pounds of pure muscle. The man carried a massive morning-star that must've weighed several tons. A huge red beard covered most of his face and a small pair of round glasses sat on his nose. He waved happily to Ironwood.
"General Ironwood. This is my team. Jonk, the incredible bulk. Javelin the infuriating and Minstrel the furious. We're Team Mirage. You already know me.", Rhames mused.
"What... What have you done to Watts?", Ironwood asked.
"He was getting lippy. So we made him shut up.", Minstrel whined.
"Ah... I see. Well, have you learned anything?"
"He screams like a little girl.", Rhames noted.
"Anything useful?", Ironwood reiterated.
"Well, after we broke his hands, which was a complete accident. Jonk doesn't know his own strength, he fessed up that he works for someone called Salem and we're all dead if we don't let him go. The he started getting mouthy and then Rhames smashed his face off the table.", Minstrel relayed, Ironwood noticed the face-shaped dent in the table.
"Then he started laughing like a fool so Javelin started beating him some more. He kept saying we were all doomed, all of us except Rhames for some reason. I got mad and I used my Semblance on him; that's why his face looks like that. Then Jonk tried to stop me and accidentally hit Watts and tossed him across the room like a ragdoll.", Minstrel continued. Ironwood noticed a body-shaped dent in the wall.
"Then Rhames did something with his ring. I don't know what, but Watts shut up immediately. Rhames said something like, 'Those who feed on carrion feed for a fortnight upon those unfaithful to their liege'. And Watts' eyes just got real wide and he shut up. I dunno, man. This is all crazy.", Minstrel concluded.
Ironwood stood back for a moment. Rhames was equally as mad as his father. There were two of them. Oh gods, there were two Mad Kings in his kingdom. He sighed and motioned for the Huntsmen to leave. Now it was time to talk to the infamous Arthur Watts, one on one.
"Arthur Watts. Long time no see. What brings you back to Atlas after all of these years?", Ironwood asked.
"Hah... Heh... Wouldn't you like to know?", Watts spat.
"Yes. I would. I will bring the Mad Prince back in. Maybe you can tell both of us why you're here."
Watts' eyes went wide for a moment before narrowing. "You don't know what you're dealing with, tin man!"
"I have a hunch. Tell me, why are you here?"
"The same reason those meddling kids are here. To find the relics. Do you know which side you're on? There's much more going on here that you think. Who can you trust?"
"Not you. And I'm not sure about them yet. But I know who I'll believe if anything happens."
"You're a fool, James. You always have been. I've seen your reinforcements to the 'network'. I was there, I helped create that! Once I have a chance I'll-"
"You'll do nothing. You'll be locked in here for life. Nobody will ever know you're in here. Only those that brought you in. You'll die of old age in here, I promise.", Ironwood hissed.
"You can't- I deserve a trial!"
"You deserve nothing. By our records... Hm... It would appear that you died during apprehension. The Huntsman named Jonk accidentally crushed your skull. You're legally dead. You don't exist. You're a John Doe locked in prison for all of eternity. You officially don't exist.", Ironwood mused as he deleted Arthur Watts from the database.
"You!"
"I can. And I just did. You're now a madman claiming to be a dead man. Enjoy your stay in Hotel Atlas Prison.", Ironwood noted before walking out of the room.
Team Mirage stood near the door, they'd heard most of the conversation.
"So... Can we kill him now? Jonk 'accidentally' already did, so...", Minstrel inquired.
"No. He's going to stay in custody. Maximum security. You'll be paid for his capture and execution.", Ironwood mused.
"Oh cool! How much?", Jonk asked curiously.
"Five hundred thousand lien. That was his bounty. You as a team will receive it. You will also receive honorary citizenship to Atlas and a public commendation ceremony. Enjoy it.", Ironwood concluded.
Team Mirage did a silent happy-dance as Ironwood left. He was content. Arthur Watts had been a thorn in his side for along time. Now he was nothing, nobody and in prison for the rest of his existence. He slapped the elevator button and began his ascent back to his office where Ozpin awaited.
X
A few hours later, Emerald and Mercury, still in their cells heard the announcement that the Infamous Doctor of Death, Arthur Watts had been captured and executed. He'd had his skull crushed by the descendant of an Ice-Giant named Jonk Amarillo.
"Well, that's that. I guess. You ever see one of those kids who pets the dog too hard? I think it was like that. That Jonk guy seems like a gentle giant. You know, the dude with the Morning-star?", Mercury mused.
"Merc, that Morning-star weighs over four tons. I think it was just like, 'oop, it's time to go' and squish. Like a kid catching a water-balloon. Oopsie, there went his head!", Emerald cackled.
Emerald's solitary induced madness faded as Team Mirage entered into their cell block. She went silent as Jonk entered.
"Uh, Hello! It's Jonk and Javelin here, You're free to go!", Jonk announced as he disabled Em and Merc's cell door.
"Why?", Emerald asked incredulously.
"Uhh... You didn't do anything? Or did you?", Javelin squawked.
"We sure didn't! Let's go Merc!", Emerald announced.
"Uhhh... Um... We helped the White Fang attack Haven and then we also helped Cinder Fall during the Fall of Beacon! We're criminals!", Mercury blurted out, Emerald face-palmed.
"Oh... In that case...", Jonk mused.
"Nah, we don't believe any of that! Haa!", Javelin giggled.
"Yeah, you two just seem like you're trying too hard. Are you homeless? You know, there's a nice little soup kitchen on the south side of Mantle...", Jonk mused.
Emerald and Mercury just walked out of their cell in stupor. They were being let go. Team Mirage didn't believe they had anything to do with... anything. Were they actually that hapless?
"You... Uh... You should dress a bit more... warmly. It's cold up here in Atlas!", Jonk added, taking note of Emerald's outfit.
Emerald sighed heavily and she and Mercury exited the Atlas Prison. This had just gotten even more difficult.
X
An Atlesian Commendation Ceremony. Reserved for Heroes of Atlas. A medal of the highest honor. Team Mirage never saw that coming. Jonk Amarillo wore an insultingly small amulet, which was the same size as everyone else.
"And then I crushed his skull... In like this!", Jonk raged as he squeezed a melon into bits. The crowd roared. Jonk licked bits of crushed melon from his fingers, adding to the untamed brute imagery. In all respects, Jonk was the most sane and the most gentle of Team Mirage, donating to children in need and also volunteering at the Soup Kitchen whenever he could.
Minstrel waved with both hands to the crowd as he was awarded his medal. He made an obscure hand gesture and posed.
Javelin turned into five seperate Javelin clones that accepted one medal. The other Javelins posing and showing off Javelin Prime's medal in some sort of weird dance routine.
Rhames just seethed silently and accepted his medal. His brother and sister were off doing other things. He was accepting a medal for false bravery. He just stood and watched the celebration. 500 thousand lien was a lot of money though, and he soon warmed up and started celebrating the way they usually did. This time with more expensive booze.
Jonk was the Hero this time. An unwilling hero that was pulled into every conversation. A descendant from a Giant? Unspeakable! Armor made from bits of vehicles and anything that fit? Ridiculous! He was asked to show off his strength over and over, bending iron bars into interesting artwork and crushing things with his bare hands. He was naturally strong. They hadn't even seen his Semblance yet, that is when things got scary. They hadn't seen the brute pick up an entire building and squash a horde of Grimm yet. They hadn't seen him throw an airship into the sky. And they definitely didn't see Selene Globus spin up and smash yet. Time would tell. There was still a battle to be fought.
XXXXX
Outside of Mantle and Atlas in the frozen tundra, an abandoned SDC mine contained fearless Grimm that attacked anyone who entered. It also contained several Ace Operatives that had also never seen the powers of a Maiden before. Eyes glowing like small stars and hands blasting bolts of raw energy outwards, Pyrrha floated around the mineshafts blasting Grimm to dust. Clover just stood back and watched in horror and awe alongside Qrow.
"So why don't you fight alongside a team of Huntsmen again?", Clover mused idly as Pyrrha reigned carnage down upon the Grimm.
"Ehh... It's my Semblance. I can't turn it off. I'm just unlucky...", Qrow bemoaned.
"Well, then you have nothing to worry about, Qrow. My Semblance is Luck. Our Semblances will cancel each-other out. You don't have to worry anymore.", Clover reassured.
Ruby Rose and her sister Yang, fired off shots from their new weapons. Pyrrha was handling the Grimm with ease, and they just wanted to feel like they were actually doing something now. Jaune occasionally fired a shot or two off in covering fire, not that it was even needed.
Vine Zeki tumbled through the rafters like a monkey and grabbed a few of the loose Dust crystals before they fell. There wasn't much he could really do. Marrow had his Scroll out and took some interesting photos of their adventure. Harriet just stood by and shook her head. Elm cheered as Pyrrha and Nora used each-other's abilities and fought of the Grimm far more easily than they had thought.
The final battle in the mines came and went with no challenge. A Geist had taken the main chamber and used a massive rock-like body to smash and attack the group. Pyrrha, with her Maiden-Amplified Semblance super-heated the stone, pulling on the iron deposits in the rock itself and held the Grimm in place before launching volley after volley of searing fire at it. It died in agony like everything else eventually would.
"We are gods, Pyrrha. We are as powerful as we have always dreamed of being.", a voice in Pyrrha's head announced. It wasn't wrong. "We barely broke a sweat defeating these pests. What does the future hold for us now?"
"I... I don't know.", Pyrrha uttered to herself.
"The future is what we make of it. We were given this chance. We will take advantage of it. We will rise above it. As it was always meant to be.", the voice stated. Was Amber always like this? Pyrrha couldn't really remember if Ozpin had ever mentioned what Amber was actually like before she was injured. "Burn them all. Burn them ALL!"
"Yes. I will...", Pyrrha agreed, before unleashing the final blow and melting the rock-like Grimm into magma which slowly cooled into an unmoving slab of stone.
"Well, I'd say that's a mission complete! You... Did very well for a team of new Huntsmen...", Clover announced. The mines had been cleared in record time. The Ace Holes barely had time to actually do anything except gawp at the scene.
"They're Grimm, child's play. Where's the real challenge!?", Nora exclaimed.
"I concur. This was a basic test.", Ren noted.
"Umm, guys? Isn't there something else we should be doing?", Ruby mused quietly.
"Yeah! We kicked ass! Another win for Team RWBY!", Yang laughed.
"I honestly think sparring with Adam was more of challenge. He at least put up a fight.", Blake mused distantly.
"Ehh, I guess we did a good job. The Grimm are dead.", Weiss chided.
"Okay, Ace Ops, is this what you do all day? Kill some Grimm? C'mon, we've stopped the White Fang and defended Haven for Pete's sake! Give us some real work.", Handsome Jaune complained.
"Well, this was just a test. To see if you're capable fighters for Atlas. And you are. So you've passed.", Clover stated.
"Look, a half-blind, one-armed, cripple could've done this. A first year Beacon student could've done this. This is just pathetic. Why do they even call you the Ace Operative? More like Ass Operatives, right?", Jaune mocked.
"Jaune Arc! There's a point where it'll tip and there's a point where this battle will break. There's a point where we'll have to bend the knee and there's a point where we won't be able to take it anymore. We have to be ready for anything.", Clover announced.
"Kids, there's a line that we're about to cross where there is no return. We can't afford to burn bridges, especially with the Ace Ops. We can't wait while lives are at stake! Salem; our enemies, are gathering. We're about to face a deadly storm!", Qrow added.
"Can you perform that announcement in song?", Jaune mocked.
"Look, Handsome Jaune, we need you and you may or may not need us. But the Kingdom of Atlas needs you. Please, just let's head back to Atlas and inform General Ironwood of our victory here.", Clover pleaded.
"Okay, great! Yeah, let's just do that. Maybe then we'll get the respect we need. Otherwise, it's time to say goodbye, Clover.", Jaune conceded.
"It's time to say goodbye to the things we loved and the innocence of our youth...", the voice in Pyrrha's head stated sadly.
"There will always be a moment in time. Where's there's no going back. I think we've passed that already...", Pyrrha mused to herself.
XXXXX
Schnee Manor was bustling with activity. Previously, some kind of interloper had interrupted Jacques Schnee's ballroom blitz. The pompous man had held some kind of Election announcement and had invited all of the upperclass to his estate. After the interloper had interrupted him, he'd fled upstairs to the VIP lounge alongside some of his closest allies. Klein had followed him up there with a special 'gift'.
Klein had nearly reached Jacques, but suddenly a drunken party goer knocked over his tray of drinks, the commotion drawing the attention of Jacques himself.
"You! Get out of here with you party favors, Klein! Didn't I fire you? Get lost, but before you do, clean up this mess!", Jacques raged.
Klein did exactly as he was told. He carefully and obviously cleaned up the platter of spilled drinks, he slowly picked up every shattered piece of glass by hand and felt Jacque's rage building. He knew that the man of honor was staring at him and wondering why he was taking so long doing a simple task. One of Klein's several other personalities took over and caused him to sneeze forcefully, once again, spilling the platter of glasses onto the floor.
"You idiot! I should've fired you years ago! You and your ridiculous Semblance! Hurry up and finish what you're doing! The very last thing you'll get to 'clean up' is your own office!", Jacques raged loudly. Klein just shook his head and resumed his job of cleaning up the spilled glasses.
It wasn't going to be much longer, not anymore. Jacques full attention was on the bumbling butler. Only a few more moments... Not much longer... The 'sneeze' was the signal. Klein continued to dutifully clean the carpets and the glasses from the floor.
"Now announcing, from the VIP Booth, Jacques Schnee!", an announcer announced loudly.
Jacques turned for a moment, and now as the time to strike.
As Jacques Schnee turned, several dozen stab wounds appeared on his back out of nowhere. He stumbled and fell.
"Argh! Ack! Argh! Aww! Auuuuughhh!", Jacques gurgled before he fell lifelessly to the floor and creating yet another mess for Klein to clean up. Nobody in the room saw the woman in pure white robes slip out of the Employee Exit. Klein, supposedly in shock also exited out of the same exit.
"Guards! Call the guards! Jacques Schnee has been murdered! Check every guest! Check everyone!", the announcer announced loudly again.
XXX
Outside of the main room, down a hallway concealed by the Employee Exit, a white-skinned and white-robed woman took a bag full of gems, Dust, and Lien from a humble butler.
"Payment received.", the assassin noted.
"I do hope you'll work with me again. It's been quite a while since I've seen the work of the White Death firsthand", Klein noted in perfect Mistrali.
"Oh, so it is you... After all these years... My Shadow. Hello, Darkness my old friend... What've you been up to again?", Alabaster, the White Death, asked.
"Corporate Espionage, my dear. I trained you well, I'm proud of you. Now, continue. Destiny waits for no one. Only we shall bring what is rightfully theirs.", Klein whispered.
"I shall. There are just some issues...", Alabaster trailed off...
"Protect those you love. You are part of fate as much as I am. Also, please do not harm the Schnee Girls. I have spent a lot of time caring for them. They are free spirits and they do not wish us harm. They know nothing of our pact.", Klein noted.
"I shall heed your words.", Alabaster mused. "Farewell, Klein."
With that, Klein the butler of the Schnee Manor departed without a trace. The assassin in the tunnels also disappeared. Nobody knew anything. It was just as fate had intended. As it would always be.
X
Far above, back in Atlas Academy, General Ironwood sat in his office with Ozcar Pin. The mood was tense as Ozzy Ozpin explained his whole motives for doing what he had done over the past several lifetimes. He explained that he had done as he thought was best for the people. He had kept his best cards close at heart and his worst out in the open. He needed James Ironwood to trust him right now, he needed someone who could still help him against what seemed to be an impossible enemy.
"I'm still not quite sure. This is your fault, Oz. You did this.", James noted.
"I am aware. Perhaps if I had made different choices in the past, perhaps tried to work with her ideas, we would not have this problem. However, Salem took my own original death far too hard, perhaps I should've known that she feared the abandonment that my loss would bring. I should have considered. I really should have. But as it stands now, we must collect the rest of the Relics. We must keep them from her at all costs. We must do as we have been training for. Protect the people.", Ozpin announced. Ironwood just nodded.
"I see. I will continued my efforts here. I will make sure that the less than fortunate down on Mantle are protected. I cannot and will not leave my Kingdom undefended, Ozpin. We will need to outsource the best and the brightest Huntsmen and students from around the world for this. We will set them up as 'training' missions. I agree with you, we should not tell the world of Salem's nature. We already have Grimm clawing at our walls as we speak. I will call my banners. I suggest you do the same, call upon those that you have. Those that you know and those that trust you. Our final defense will be at the Academies that you have built.", Ironwood mused.
"I'm glad we're on the same side, James. This must be difficult for you. The Winter Maiden, do you have a compatible heiress? I know that the current Maiden grows weak with age.", Ozpin continued.
"I do. And she is well aware of the situation. I know that she will take this task with pride and honor. She knows what is coming.", Ironwood reassured.
"Good."
"Now, Oz. The Vytal Festival is coming up again. I will leave Atlas in your hands for the time being. I have some very deep-cover agents that will assist you. Their names are Sapphire, Gallium and Ember Plummet. They were discovered shortly after the Fall of Haven, having uncovered the plot to blow it up. Dark Lord Denvers is their current handler.", Ironwood noted.
"Dark Lord Denvers?", Ozpin asked.
"Don't let the name fool you. He is an architect of automatic sunlight-blocking window shades. The same shades that we have installed all over Atlas Academy. They're lightweight and self-cleaning and keep the warmth inside where it belongs. Thus, 'Dark Lord' Denvers.", Ironwood explained.
"Hmm... How will they help me? You are aware that I am currently a preteen boy, right?", Ozpin noted.
"Gallium is very unique, she can conjure an illusion. She will hide your true nature if you need to do any public speaking. It is best that we reveal your presence rather than Salem's. THe people of the world need a face that they can trust.", Ironwood explained.
"Indeed. What about the others?", Ozpin mused.
"Sapphire is a fighter, a boxer with robotic fists. He will be your personal protection. Ember Plummet has control over Ice with his Semblance. He will offer protected as well.", Ironwood noted.
Ozpin simply nodded. The final stand was coming. Ironwood had seen the beast before it swallowed him whole. He would go and make his appearance at the Vytal Festival, announce his plans to everyone and then Ozpin would make his triumphant return. It was a better plan than what had originally been thought. Only time would tell.
XXXXX
Chapter End. A bit different. The Ballad is not ending yet. RWBY has another Volume coming out soon. The Ballad will never end as long as there is RWBY.