RWBY: Lost and Forgotten
Chapter 41
Chrome
"Come on! You didn't even hear us out!" Yang shouted as she banged the gate with her fist.
"Our orders are clear: The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" one of the guards stated.
"Please!" the other said.
"Have a good day!"
"But-"
"A good day!" the two guards boomed in unison.
"Hey, if you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironwood-"
"General Ironwood!" the two guards corrected Qrow.
"Yeah, General Ironwood, then fine. But look, we have Weiss Schnee with us and we're trying to get her home safely." Qrow finished.
Weiss looked down with reluctance upon hearing Qrow say that. The two guards look to each other before turning their attention back to us.
"Approach!"
Weiss glanced at me but I just just shrugged in reply. Weiss then walked up to the gate and the two guards step up and bend down to inspect her. After a moment, both guards stand straight back up.
"Very well!" the two said in unison.
"You may speak with our commanding officer!"
"We will fetch her at once!"
The two guards turn around in sync, and chant "Hup hup hup" and "Atlas Atlas Atlas" as they run to get their superior.
"They were... kind of-"
"Super weird?" Ruby finished for Blake. "Uh, yeah."
"Seriously." I rubbed the back of my head. "If all of Atlas' military is like this, I might want to stay behind..."
"Hmm..."
"What's wrong?" Oscar asked Maria.
"Well, I... may know this commanding officer..."
"That's good, isn't it? If she's your friend, then maybe she'd be more willing to help us." Ruby said.
"I wouldn't exactly call us... 'friends'."
"Acquaintances?" Weiss asked.
"Not quite."
"Colleagues?" Blake suggested.
"Warmer."
"Enemies?" Yang asked.
"That's the one!" Maria said.
"Great..." I rubbed my forehead.
"Oh, yes. I come through here about once every ten years to get my eyes checked up in Atlas. You bring outside cashews on one flight, and suddenly you're placed on the additional screening list for life!" Maria explained.
"You've gotta be kidding me..."
"Now, now, let's not give up hope yet. Maybe she's dead!" Maria said.
Suddenly, the gates open up quickly, and the two guards return.
"Introducing!"
"Special operative!"
"Caroline Cordovin!" the two guards said in unison.
A short lady, around Maria's age if I had to guess, approached. "I was expecting her to be a bit taller..."
Once she and Maria locked eyes, she approached her. "Witch."
"She-devil." Maria responded.
"Hm. I've seen you've chosen larger contraband to smuggle this time." Cordovin said.
"Oh, Cordo. You know they say time changes people, but I see you've still got that stick right up your-"
"H-hello!" Ruby said quickly to cut Maria off. "Miss, uh, Cordovin. My name is Ruby Rose, and I was wondering if you would hear us out about-"
"I've already heard what your other little friends had to say, Miss Rose." she looked to Jaune, Nora and Ren. "What are you doing back here?! I thought I told you to leave!"
"And I told you we wouldn't rest until you let us through!" Nora shouted back as she tried to charge forward, only to be held back by her teammates.
"Nice to see you again as well!" Ren shouted.
"You civilians are clearly incapable of comprehending the importance of our mission here in Argus." Cordo said. "So allow me to say this slowly, with smaller words: This base, that relay tower, the very safety of Argus are all gifts from the glorious Kingdom of Atlas! And it is my duty to uphold them, as only I have the wit and tenacity for such a task."
"Such wit!" the first guard said.
"Such tenacity!" the second added.
"Or maybe Atlas just wanted to get you as far from the kingdom as possible." Maria told her.
"You're just like the rest of these Argus ingrates!" Cordo growled. "This city wouldn't even be here if it weren't for our Atlesian ancestors, and what do we get in return? The entire world is ready to put a knife to our throats!"
"Please, we know your kingdom had nothing to do with the Fall of Beacon. We were there." Ruby said.
"No one's happy about the Atlas borders or embargo, but I know General Ironwood is just worried. It's why we need to talk to-"
"The General is no coward!" Cordo cut Weiss off. "Atlas is strong. If all the kingdoms plan to make us their enemy, then so be it! Atlas will prevail!"
"Atlas will prevail!" the two guards said in sync.
"Could you two just stop?" I asked, rubbing my forehead.
"If Miss Schnee has truly come to her senses and wishes to return to her family, then, of course, the Atlas military will escort her home." Cordo said. "But the kingdom will not be responsible for her 'friends' of... questionable character." Cordo looked at me and Blake as she said that.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss growled.
"It means we're done here." Cordo turned back and walked inside the base.
"Oh yeah? Well, your face looks... like a big dumb boot!" Nora shouted.
"Way to show her, Nora..." Jaune deadpanned.
"I don't..."
"Weiss. I told you we wouldn't leave your side for a second." Ruby reasurred her. "We'll find a way to Atlas. Together."
"So... where are we going now?" I asked.
"Yeah, what's the plan?"
"The plan?" Qrow asked bitterly. "The plan just got shut on our face three times over. I'm going for a drink."
"Uncle Qrow, I really think we should try and come up with something..." Qrow walked away from Ruby before she could finish. "...together."
"What's his problem? It's not your fault we can't go on." Jaune said.
"If he's gonna be a jerk then we'll just come up with something without him. I mean, we've got Ozpin with us! He usually knows what to do." Nora said.
"Yeah!" I snapped my fingers. "Oz you got any ideas?" I turned to Oscar.
Oscar just looked down.
"What is it?"
"We...should probably talk somewhere else." Yang told us.
Back at Saphron's house, Yang and the others told me, Jaune, Nora and Ren about Ozpin's past. How he had a relationship with Salem. How he had a family with her. And how she was immortal.
"Are you fu-?!" my anger boiled over, as a growl replaced the word I was about to say. I paced around the room, my arms crossed.
Letting out a yell, Jaune punched the wall.
"Jaune!" Ruby shouted.
"Everything we did was for nothing!" Jaune yelled.
"That's not true." Blake said softly.
"Really?" I yelled. "Really?!" I kept pacing as I let out a quick, anger-filled chuckle. "How are we supposed to win against this?!"
"I, um..."
"He's right." Ren agreed with me.
Everyone was silent. "Wow... Great plan everyone!" Jaune said with extreme sarcasm.
"Look, none of this is great, we know. But we're not the bad guys here." Oscar said.
"Are we sure about that?" Jaune's tone was hostile.
"What?"
"He's in your head, isn't he? Did you already know about this?" Jaune stormed over to Oscar.
"He didn't know any of it!" Weiss told him.
Jaune grabbed Oscar's shirt and pushed him into the wall. "How much longer can we even trust him?!"
"Jaune!" Yang yelled.
"How do we even know it's really him?! What if we have been talking to that liar this whole time?!" Jaune shouted.
"Jaune!" Ruby glared at Jaune, who glares back at her. He looks back over to Oscar, who is cowering in fear. Jaune let go of Oscar before heading upstairs, a door slamming a few seconds later.
"Is he... gonna be okay?" Yang asked.
"I don't know!" Nora got up and left.
"I think it would be best if we had some time to ourselves." Ren headed upstairs as well.
"Would you quit pacing?" I stopped in my tracks and looked to Weiss. I hadn't even realized I was pacing this whole time.
Clenching my fists, I headed for the front door. "I'm getting some air." I told the others before opening the door and stepping outside.
"Chro-" Yang wasn't able to finish as I slammed the door behind me.
Putting my hands in my pockets, I began heading down the street. How are we supposed to defeat Salem if she can't be killed? "Damnit!"
End of chapter 41