Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or its characters. Support the official release.

A/N: I haven't been active for a lot of work-related issues and the fact that I am moving soon. But once it's all settled I will get back to work on my other stories. For now, though, I am just venting from the finale. Didn't quite like it, and I know some people will defend it, others will hate it. Me though, this is just my own little version with some tweaks. I don't claim to be better than RT or worse than them, this is just my own little thought experiment.

The Void

"No there's not enough time to heal me. She can't get the staff and the power." She reached for his hand, Jaune felt helpless as his aura glowed in his hands. "There is one thing you can do." She reached for his sword. Jaune recoiled in horror from what she was suggesting. Death. It reminded him of Pyrrha, her sacrifice, losing her hurt more than anything.

"No." He shook his head.

"Please let me make this choice." She pleaded, her voice weak. Jaune looked in the background as Weiss fought on valiantly. He then looked to the abyss, where his other friends had fallen, likely to never be seen again. Penny kept smiling at him, and Jaune felt tears flow forth as his mind raced. He looked down at his sheathed blade then back at Penny. Then his mind went back to her, Pyrrha. He had failed her, couldn't save her. He was weak back then. He let out a scream as he punched the ground next to her. Penny was silent as she watched Jaune wrestle with his turmoil. Jaune breathed and then his hand left the handle of his sword much to Penny's confusion. Then Penny gasped as Jaune picked her up in his arms.

"No." He gritted through his teeth, his semblance boosting her aura. "No more." He said calmly, looking at Cinder from the corner of his eyes with venom.

"Jaune! You have to-" Penny was cut off, as Jaune began running full speed to the portal.

"YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE. NOW I AM GOING TO MAKE MINE. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE DYING IN FRONT OF ME. SO MUCH DEATH AND FOR WHAT?! I say no." Jaune let out a yell, as he felt fire scorching his back, but he kept running. "No one else. Not one more. You have to live Penny, you have to. For your father, for Ruby, for yourself. You shouldn't have to make the sacrifice to die." Jaune screamed out in pain, ignoring Penny's pleas as he knew Cinder would be coming for him. He kept pushing himself, pumping his semblance to its max. At the very least he could stop her bleeding and fix her body to an adequate state.

But when he looked at the portal, he knew that he couldn't make it. "I am not letting her take anymore. Not ever again." He then let out a mighty roar, as he tossed Penny through the portal. Denying Cinder one of her prizes. He then turned around unsheathing his blade, ready to face her with Weiss. And it was odd, he knew he should be terrified. That his death could come any moment, but he felt at peace. He smiled tiredly. I finally did it Pyrrha…

Atlas

Her aura shattered as she hit the hard ground, and she looked up at Ironwood. He looked remorseful, tired but resolved to carry with what he thought best. "Well General, do you worst. It's already done with, Atlas and Mantle are evacuated. They did what you couldn't, what you were unwilling to do." Winter spat at her commanding officer.

"Unwilling? You think I was unwilling. All I wanted to do was save what I could!" Ironwood yelled, his massive gun charging up its sickly green energy. "Everything I ever did was to protect everyone! And for what?! Everyone turned on me! Even you!" His finger lingered on the trigger.

"You threatened to destroy Mantle to get what you wanted!" Winter shouted back, gasping for breath.

"NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF THEY HAD JUST WORKED WITH ME. I GAVE THEM EVERYTHING, AND THEY STILL LIED TO ME!" Ironwood stomped the floor, creating a small crater. And Winter winced, as much as she hated to admit it. He was right, Weiss and her friends had deceived them, keeping crucial information that could have changed the plan. "And up until they betrayed me, I forgave them more times than I should've. I even forgave you. But it seems, in the end, I am alone as I've always been." His gun lowered, as his expression became sadder.

"You never looked for any alternatives. It was your way or no other way. What else were they supposed to do?" Winter argued.

"I am not unreasonable. But they lost my trust, went behind my back even. How could I work with them if they just kept doing what they wished without regard to anything? Do you honestly think anything your sister is in the right completely?" Ironwood growled out.

"LOOK AT YOURSELF!" Winter yelled. "I looked up to you for so long. I thought you were stronger, but you left yourself vulnerable. And I only wish I spoke up sooner, and stopped you from all this. My sister may not be perfect but she is doing her damnedest, and she didn't give up. You don't have to either, why are you even still doing this? Atlas and Mantle are empty now, there's no more point to defending a city that's empty." Winter pleaded with him.

Ironwood paused, as his finger left the trigger. "They said I couldn't be trusted when they never trusted me to begin with. Even if I wanted to abandon Atlas, the damage is done. I have nothing left…" Ironwood said somberly, but his finger didn't return to the trigger, he was quiet. "I killed your father in a fit of rage, I don't even know who I am anymore." He said with a sad laugh. Winter blinked at the revelation, and a part of her hated to admit that she didn't mind the news, but somewhere deep in her, she felt an odd feeling wondering what would've happened if her father was still alive. Could he have changed, but then she looked at Ironwood, silent as a statue, his face still wet from the lone tear. A man that had taken her under his wing, and arguably had been more of a father to her than her dad. Winter slowly got up, Ironwood twitched as she stood up from the ground. But she didn't pick up her blades.

"James…" She said softly. "It's not too late. Atlas is more than a flying city, it's people still need you." She slowly approached him, he took three steps back.

"I am… so tired of this war Winter. A war we can't even win, she will just keep coming and coming." The gun dropped by his side. "Ozpin lied and is gone. Atlas is falling, what more can be done?" Winter closed the gap, and then she hugged him.

"I know it's been rough. Clover, the council, but there are people out there that still need help. You don't have to be alone anymore. Just please, come with me." She said looking him in the eyes. Ironwood paused as he looked down at his gun, a soft click could be heard as he discarded it, only taking one pistol from it.

"They won't forgive me. And I am not even sure if they should." He croaked out.

"You know what they say. We may have lost this fight, but as long as we're still willing to fight. There's a way, the people of atlas and mantle were saved against all odds. So maybe even if we can't destroy her, we will find some way. We just need to keep moving forward." She let go of him.

The Void

The fighting continued, and Jaune was taking the brunt of Cinder's wrath. She was furious at being denied her prize. Weiss lept in front of Jaune at the last moment, and she smirked as the heiress fell into the void. Only to be surprised as a booming sound sounded out, and she screamed as her Grimm arm was shot off.

She glared in annoyance as Ironwood appeared alongside Winter Schnee. Then she began to cackle insanely. "Well, if it isn't the General. I was wondering when I would see you again, but it doesn't matter, I've still won. Checkmate." She grinned, only for Ironwood to keep shooting at her. She dodged the bullets, as Winter Schnee looked around. Cinder could only laugh in delight when she saw the confusion and anxiety on the soldier's face.

Still clutching the staff, and now having to hold the lamp on the staff, Cinder wasn't too worried. She could keep fighting, it was only a matter of time. But then a mighty roar shook the abyss, and Cinder gulped. Salem had returned, and she knew at that moment, that if she didn't cut her losses, it was very likely Salem would punish her. Looking down at the staff, she grinned as an insidious idea came to mind, and as it glowed, she made one final push, creating an explosion as she flew away, while in Atlas, Watts burned.

Jaune was exhausted and his armor was singed, his blade broken. But he had made it, he had survived. But he felt weary, despite his best efforts he had seen his friends fall to what was likely their imminent demise. And yet, he felt an odd calm. He had done it, he had finally made it up to Pyrrha. He felt at peace and promptly fell forward, only for Ironwood to catch him. Jaune didn't have the strength to talk to the disgraced general, as he was carried over the man's shoulder. His consciousness slowly passing out, as he watched the platforms fade into nothing, only wondering if it was truly the last they had seen of team rwby.

A/N: And that's my crappy rewrite of the finale. So yeah, if it made you cringe. Fair enough. If you liked it for some bizarre reason, uh thanks. But yeah just needed to get it out of my system. I will return to the other stories once I finish moving. And yes I do admit it's stupid and cheesy for Ironwood to be hugged. But can you blame me? The dude needs a hug after everything he went through. Granted he's not completely innocent, but still. Until next time, Stenv out.

PS: I know I probably could have included more Penny POV. But I felt like Ironwood and Jaune were done the dirtiest in the finale.