AN: A little bit of a shorter chapter, but it felt right to end where I did.

I need to give a full warning. The beginning part of this chapter, the one in italics, deals with domestic abuse. I'm writing this out in full because this is probably the most graphic with it I've ever gotten. If you would rather avoid that part, skip ahead to the first line break. Thankfully, it's short.

Chapter 127

"Not this shit again," Qrow grumbled to himself, once again finding himself floating in the air in Aqua's memories.

This time, he could see Aqua sitting down at the breakfast table, eating a bowl of cereal and drinking from a glass of orange juice. Her father was reading the newspaper, and arguing with her mother about something, but Qrow couldn't hear what, possibly because Aqua herself had been trying her best to tune it out.

Aqua reached over to get her glass of juice, but her hand bumped into it by accident, knocking it over and spilling the orange juice all over her father's newspaper.

"God damn it!" her father shouted, standing up angrily. "Why can't you just watch what you're doing?!" His arm became a blur, and Aqua was knocked out of her seat by a backhanded slap to her face.

"Hey!" Qrow shouted, trying to grab Aqua's father by the neck, but fazing right through him.

"Stop it!" Aqua's mother shouted, getting in front of her. "It was an accident!"

"Get out of the way!" her father shouted, starting to remove his belt, to Qrow's horror.

"I won't let you!" Aqua's mom shouted.

"Get out of my way…" her father repeated, and Qrow could see purple clouds radiating off of him.

"No!" Qrow shouted, as Aqua's father raised his belt…

…And swung.

"Come on!" Yang shouted, putting her hand on the bars of the gate to Argus's military base. "You didn't even hear us out!"

As soon as the group approached the base and inquired about getting into Atlas because they had something important to give to Ironwood, the two guards in front of the blonde that frankly, looked too stupid to tie their own shoes, had slammed the gate shut in their faces and refused to listen to them.

"Our orders our clear: the Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" the first guard, whom Yang decided to name Tweedle Dumb, shouted.

"Please!" the second one, Tweedle Dumber as far as Yang was concerned, said.

"Have a good day!"

"But—" Yang tried to say.

"A good day!" the Tweedles shouted in unison.

"Hey, if you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironwood—" Uncle Qrow tried to say before being interrupted.

"General Ironwood!" The twins corrected, adding to Yang's frustration with their mannerisms.

"Yeah, General Ironwood, then fine," Uncle Qrow said. "But look, we have Weiss Schnee with us and we're trying to get her home safely."

Weiss looked at Uncle Qrow like she had been betrayed, and Yang couldn't blame her. After all, part of the plan was for Ironwood to not know Weiss was there, so she wouldn't be brought back to her father. Yang gave him an equally incredulous look before the guards addressed her.

"Approach!" they shouted. Weiss looked uncertainly at Blake, but her partner just shrugged. Weiss groaned, and then stepped forward so the guards could examine her for several seconds.

"Very well!" they shouted in unison.

"You may speak with our commanding officer!" Tweedle Dumber said.

"We will fetch her at once!"

The two of them turned around and ran in sync to grab whoever this commanding officer was.

"They were… kind of…" Blake tried to find nice words.

"Super weird?" Ruby asked. "Uh, yeah."

"Hmm…" Maria hummed, hand on her chin.

"What's wrong?" Oscar asked.

"Well, I…may know this commanding officer…"

"That's good, isn't it?" Ruby asked. "If she's your friend, then maybe she'd be more willing to help us."

"I wouldn't exactly call us… 'friends'."

"Acquaintances?" Weiss asked.

"Not quite."

"Colleagues?" Blake guessed.

"Warmer."

"Enemies?" Yang asked.

"That's the one!" Maria said.

"Wait, what?" Oscar asked.

"Oh, yes. I come through here about once every ten years to get my eyes checked up in Atlas," Maria said. "You bring outside cashews on one flight, and suddenly you're placed on the additional screening list for life!"

"You've gotta be kidding me…" Uncle Qrow said.

"Now, now, let's not give up hope yet," Maria said. "Maybe she's dead!"

"Knowing our luck, I doubt it," Cloud said.

"Introducing! Special operative! Caroline Cordovin!" the Tweedles introduced, and a short old woman approached the gate wearing an Atlas military uniform. The gate opened, allowing the woman to step before them. Cordovin and Maria glared at each other for several seconds.

"Witch," Cordovin said.

"She-devil," Maria countered.

"Oh, great," Riku said, putting his hand on his forehead.

"Hm. I seen you've chosen larger contraband to smuggle this time," Cordovin said.

"Oh, Cordo," Maria said. "You know they say time changes people, but I see you've still got that stick right up your—"

"H-Hello! Miss, uh, Cordovin," Ruby quickly interrupted, Riku diving to put his hand over Maria's mouth. "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," Cordovin interrupted, looking behind Ruby to see Jaune, Nora, and Ren standing farther back than the others. "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, having to be held back from charging at her by Jaune and Ren.

"Nice to see you again as well!" Ren said, trying to defuse the situation.

"You civilians are clearly incapable of comprehending the importance of our mission here in Argus," Cordovin said, making everyone bristle at the sheer unbridled disdain she had for them in her voice. "So allow me to say this slowly, with smaller words: This base, that relay, 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!" Tweedle Dumb shouted in support.

"Such tenacity!" Tweedle Dumber shouted.

"Who the hell are you calling 'civilians'?" Cloud asked, crossing in arms in contempt.

"Maybe Atlas just wanted to get you as far from the kingdom as possible," Maria said, prompting Cordovin to growl angrily.

"You're just like the rest of Argus ingrates!" Cordovin shouted. "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 at out throats!"

"Please, we know your kingdom had nothing to do with the Fall of Beacon," Ruby said. "We were there."

"No one's happy about the Atlas borders or embargo, but I know General Ironwood is just worried," Weiss said. "It's why we need to talk to—"

"The general is no coward!" Cordovin shouted, interrupting her again. "Atlas is strong. If all the kingdoms plan to make us their enemy, then so be it! Atlas will prevail!"

"Atlas will prevail!" The Tweedles shouted in unison.

"Do you guys seriously have to do that?" Yang asked.

"Why are we even bothering to try to talk with this warmongering little goblin?" Cloud muttered, getting an elbow in the stomach from Tifa.

"Of course, since you were so kind as to rescue Miss Schnee from the vile scum that kidnapped her, the Atlas military will be more than happy to escort her back to her family," Cordovin said. A particular word caught Yang's attention.

"What did you say?" Yang asked.

"We would be happy to escort Miss Schnee home," Cordovin said.

"The other part," Yang said, clenching her fists. "The 'vile scum' part."

"Why, I am referring to that criminal, Aqua Branwen, of course," Cordovin said. Yang clenched her fists even tighter, and could feel herself starting to shake. "Few people would be so conniving and wicked as to kidnap a member of the Atlas elite from her own home. I can only hope that you rescuing Miss Schnee means that Branwen no longer draws breath. The world is all the better for her no longer being in it."

Yang's hair ignited, and her vision turned red, she raised her right fist to attack, but a gunshot rang out behind her, impacting the ground next to Cordovin's feet. Yang turned around, and saw her Uncle had drawn his weapon, and fired it at the smug little bitch.

With a roar, he fired his weapon behind him, launching himself forward. The Tweedles quickly drew pistols from inside their coats and fired, Uncle Qrow having to stop to deflect them with his sword.

"Stop him!" Cordovin shouted, stepping back to retreat. "All forces, battle stations!"

"Oh no you don't!" Yang shouted, charging forward, blowing past her uncle and the other soldiers to punch Cordovin in the face.

"Yang!" Ruby shouted. "Stop!"

Cordovin had engaged her Aura before Yang's punch, but the impact still knocked her to the ground.

"How dare you?!" Cordovin shouted. "Do you know who I am?!"

"DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?!" Yang screamed, raising her gauntlet for another attack. Suddenly, a force barreled into her, knocking her to the ground. She started thrashing around, trying to throw whoever it was off of her.

"Yang! Stop it!" Ruby shouted, and Yang realized that her sister was the one who had tackled her.

"Get off me!" Yang shouted. "I'm gonna rip her little head off!"

"This isn't helping!" Ruby yelled. "Stop!"

Ruby suddenly flew off of Yang's back, and Yang looked to see that a gravity dust bola had been thrown at her, trapping her arms to her sides.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted in concern, before she heard a metallic click above her. She looked up and saw an Atlas soldier pointing his rifle directly at her head.

"Stand down," the soldier order. Yang growled angrily.

"Yang, just do it," Ruby said, and Yang quickly realized that their entire group had been surrounded, with the others putting their hands up in surrender.

"Lay on your stomach and put your hands behind your head," the soldier ordered. After a few seconds, Yang complied.

She heard the soldier stand over her, and her hands were wrenched behind her back, a gravity dust bola quickly being secured around her wrists to restrain her.

Looking up, Yang saw Cordovin slowly standing up, rubbing her chin where Yang had punched her.

"You were really so foolish to think you could best the might of Atlas?" Cordovin asked. "You're all under arrest!"

"You guys have airships here, too?" Sora asked, watching as a ship that vaguely resembled a sailboat flew towards the clearing that he, Cinder, Ash, and Sienna were standing in, the ship apparently being piloted by Neo.

"Yeah. They're pretty common here for long-distance travel," Cinder said, approaching the airship. She had purchased a new outfit, which consisted of a black, form-fitting, sleeveless shirt, short black shorts, and black, thigh-high, high-heeled boots. Draped over her left shoulder was a black cape that concealed the stump of her left arm.

"You didn't know that?" Sienna asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at the boy. She was wearing a long, dark green, fur-lined coat.

"I, uh, grew up on a really tiny island," Sora said, drawing on his usual strategy of B.S.-ing his was through avoiding questions about where he came from. "We just got around in boats. Didn't really need anything like that." He rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously, hoping it was enough to make her stop asking questions, like usual.

"Uh-huh," she said, the skeptical look not leaving her face.

"You can just admit you were sheltered, Sora," Cinder said. "We won't judge you." After a few seconds, she added, "Well, Ash and I won't judge you."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Sienna asked, sounding offended.

"You led a terrorist group that attacked those that you judged worthy of being attacked," Cinder said. "You are literally the most judgmental person here."

"Hey, that's different," Sienna said. "He hasn't discriminated against us yet."

"Yet?" Ash asked.

"As far as I'm aware," Sienna clarified. "But I've got my eyes open."

The other three sighed in irritation before the airship doors opened, and Neo hopped out.

She had changed outfits, too, now wearing a button-up white blouse that left her stomach exposed and nice-looking white pants. Both the blouse and the long black coat she wore over it left her shoulders exposed, as well, and she wore white heeled boots with black soles.

"Do I want to know how you got your hands on this?" Cinder asked. "You didn't do anything illegal, did you?"

Neo shook her head. Then she thought about it for a second, and gave a so-so gesture with her hand. Cinder sighed.

"I personally don't really care how she got it," Sienna said. "But in case you forgot, the Atlas border is closed. A Msitralian airship won't get us into the Kingdom. It'll get us into Solitas, but I'd rather not walk the rest of the way."

Neo rolled her eyes, and put one of her hands on the hull of the airship. Shimmering pink light spread from the point of contact throughout the ship. When she was done, the ship looked completely different, more sleek, more metallic. Sora's eyes widened in awe.

"Whoa…" he said. After a few seconds, the illusion shattered, leaving the original airship in its wake. Neo smirked and gave a sassy snap of her fingers. "That was amazing, Neo!" Sora cheered enthusiastically. Neo suddenly blushed at the praise, and kicked the ground with her heel sheepishly.

"I agree," Ash said. "Very impressive."

"Are you going to be able to sustain it?" Cinder asked. "Would it drain your Aura too quickly?"

Neo smirked and gave her a confident thumbs up.

Cinder chuckled. "In that case, we'll leave it up to you to get us into Atlas."

"Can we get a move on?" Sienna asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Alright, alright, let's just—" Cinder said, before Sora suddenly summoned his Kingdom Key and deflected a fireball fired straight at the group.

"What was that?" Sienna said, she, Cinder, and Neo getting their weapons ready and assuming a combat stance alongside Sora.

"I don't know," Cinder said, before the sound of metallic footsteps could be heard.

Out from the forest stepped a woman wearing blue and black armor, and wielding a Keyblade.

"Who is that?" Cinder asked.

"No clue," Sora said.

"There you are…" the armored woman said, her voice sounding suspiciously similar to Ash's. "Finally… found you."

AN: I'm kind of surprised no one mentioned that the events in Argus happened out of order. In canon, after the group met Saphron and Terra, they went to the base, met Cordovin, and then JNR found out Oz's secret, leading to Oscar running away and Jaune coming up with the plan to steal the airship.

Here, Pyrrha showed up while they were still at Saphron's house, leading to the mess with them learning about Oz early, then Oscar ran away, and then Team RWBY went to the base for the first time without Jaune coming up with the airship theft plan. But things were going to get messy since Cordovin wouldn't be able to help herself but talk shit about Aqua, since Atlas thinks Aqua kidnapped Weiss. Since Yang and Qrow haven't been in their right minds since Aqua died, they would lose control, leading to the whole group getting arrested.

So, next time, Cinder and co. with have to deal with the Tainted Will before they can go to Atlas.

I want to remind everyone that this story has a Tv Tropes page!

As always, thank you very much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!