CHAPTER 19: DEATH COMES KNOCKING

Remnant, System Unknown

Kingdom of Atlas, Mantle

Polendina Labs

June 7th, 57 AGW

Pietro had much more to look forward to these days.

Working for the Atlesian Military, while rewarding in its own right, was also somber at the same time. The simple reality was that no matter what he contributed to his most important client, it was ultimately going to be used to support conflict. The scientist understood the necessity of violence, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He could only pray that his work would never have to be used much or at all.

Fortunately, it was not all doom and gloom. After all, Mister Stark had given him something to work on in his spare time. A.I. research was a very niche topic within the scientific community of Atlas. At best, there were simple programs that were capable of a specific task and nothing more. There were no personalities and no features that could emulate sentience and self-awareness. That was simply too advanced for most to comprehend let alone replicate in electronic form.

JARVIS had been left in Pietro's hands and for the entirety of that stay, the two of them had been having interesting conversations about the nature of Mankind and the Faunus, what it meant to be living, technology, anything and everything. It helped that the A.I. was able to keep pace and easily outdo him in terms of comprehending complex information and knowledge that would have them tilting their heads in utter confusion.

Most of their conversations were conducted without much of a goal or an endgame. They merely conversed in order to share and exchange perspectives on any given subject. Not only had they done this, the two of them reached understandings and compromises, both of which were surprising but very welcome to the scientist. This ability to adapt and change was the mark of a truly sentient being. No longer was he simply speaking to a program; he was speaking with a genuine self-aware being.

Granted, it took him a while to acknowledge that he was speaking to an A.I. It was strange to converse with someone who didn't have a corporeal form to speak of, simply a voice that echoed in a room, like a ghost only man-made.

That did beg an interesting question: if they could mimic human intelligence with such accuracy, what was to stop them from developing a body and placing an A.I. within it? Why not create something just as lifelike as a naturally-born person?

While ambitious, it didn't seem like such an impossibility as it once did. Pietro and Tony had already done most of the hard work. What they needed to do was simply to record the humanoid shape across a wide spectrum, then program that same movement into a similarly-shaped vessel.

One step at a time, Pietro had to remind himself. Big goals were good to have, but the journey and all the steps included with it were just as important. Major progress couldn't be achieved otherwise.

JARVIS had been quiet for the better part of the morning, but then decided to launch into a topic. "Doctor, what is your opinion on the tensions between Mankind and the Faunus?"

Although they had briefly delved into the history between, they had not discussed anything that wasn't historical or factual.

"My opinion on the relationship between our two races?" Pietro sighed, taking a moment to consider his stance. "Well, I can't say that I hold any animosity towards the Faunus. The way I see it, there's always a good example and a bad example for both our species. To judge the species based on the actions of abhorrent individuals would be a disservice."
JARVIS waited a moment before asking another question. "Does that mentality come from your work of providing prosthetics to others?"
"No, I decided on that stance long before I became a professional." Pietro said in turn. "The pharmaceutical is simply a way to project what I believe."

Another pause, then a third inquiry. "Where did you acquire this viewpoint?"

"Believe it or not, it was during the last vestiges of the Faunus Revolution." Pietro grimaced at those memories. "Although I was very young, I have clear memories of that conflict."

And they had shaped much of what he had come to believe and develop as a working adult.

The scientist sighed softly. "Although the revolution didn't last nearly as long as the Great War, it lasted long enough that families were destroyed. When that happens, grudges are often held onto for life."

"...was your opinion of the faunus different then, doctor?"

"...yes. I'll admit that I was born in a rather racist household. I had a kind family, but when it came to the Faunus, my parents couldn't see them as anything other than sub-human, lesser citizens, and they passed that on to me."

Pietro honestly did have fond memories of his childhood, but at the same time he could recall the subtle and overt ways his upbringing had programmed him to think and feel a certain way about Mankind's counterpart race.

"All of that changed when I was a teenager. The Faunus Revolution was over, there were steps being taken to mend bridges, but I was just there, carrying the hatred that my parents had and I never questioned them before because they had always done right by me. They supported whatever I did, gave me skills that I still use to this day, and we had a functional healthy relationship."

And truthfully, he still did love that part of his upbringing. He could still smile thinking about those times.

"What caused you to change your perspective?"

For Pietro, that was an easy answer. "I was in high school and there were plenty of kids who were my friends and shared a similar mindset of hating the Faunus like I did. One day, they called me up, told me they were doing something fun, so I went along. As it turns out… they were beating on this faunus boy. Kicking, punching, throwing things at him, anything was fair game. The moment I saw that… I just… froze.

"Why him? What did this kid do? Are these guys physically wailing on this guy because he was a faunus? Because he was born with something that was out of his control?"

JARVIS seemed confused. "Did you not say that you were once a racist? That statement and what you are saying now are contradictory."

"While I was racist against faunus, I've always been someone who would rather talk before resorting to violence." Pietro elaborated on his words. "I just can't stand violence for no reason. I can understand self-defense, but not what I was seeing. These kids who I considered friends were beating up another faunus kid for no reason other than the fact that he was a faunus… and that's when I started to question the hatred I had in me."

Pietro felt his breath stagger a bit. He never liked talking about any of this. It was painful, not to mention shameful. Most people saw him as a kind and generous man who would help anyone regardless of race, background, or any superficial characteristic, but the motivation behind his compassion was far from pure.

"To tell the truth, those faunus at our school were a lot more mature than my human friends ever were. They took physical and verbal abuse on a regular basis, yet they still showed up and never once raised a hand or a voice at us. In fact, they were trying to meet us halfway, but nobody actually listened to them… until I stepped up, albeit reluctantly.

"And when I did that, I learned some real hard truths. The faunus, although they had ultimately won the revolution, they suffered just like we did. They lost people in battle and many scars could be seen in their families. They showed pictures of their families, limbs missing and faces disfigured, scars from battle.

"It became clear that whatever I was feeling wasn't real. I had no logical reason to hate the faunus, but I'd been taught to. I needed to know why that was the case, so I confronted my family about it. I asked them why we had to hate the faunus? They couldn't even give me a straight answer. No matter how I prodded at them, poked holes in their reasoning, or ignored their baseless statements, they refused to see reason.

"Eventually, I just cut myself off from them. I had to because I couldn't keep living my life hating the faunus and that's how I've been ever since. I haven't spoken to my folks in years and I might never speak to them again."

Pietro wished he could reconcile with them, but age often hardened a person's views on life and he saw no sign of his parents changing their way of looking at the faunus, even after all of this time.

"Is that what is referred to as a moral evolution?" JARVIS asked.

The scientist chuckled at the term. "No, but if this story teaches you anything, it's that everyone can change. It's just a matter of deciding whether or not you want to change."

"I believe I understand your meaning." JARVIS intoned. "In that case, I hope to always strive to evolve my perception of any individual that I assess."

Iron Man - - - RWBY

Kingdom of Mistral

Kali considered herself to be the type to always see the positive sides of all things and all people whenever possible. Growing up, she had been taught that kindness was something to be treasured and protected because the world, more often than not, remembered pain more than it did compassion.

And if the relationship between the Faunus and Mankind was any indication, there was truth to those words, but not without good reason. Even with the Faunus Rights Revolution in the past, there were still those that held onto grudges. No doubt everyone involved in the conflict had lost family and friends. It was understandable why the hurt would lash out in turn. The cat faunus couldn't say that she wouldn't do the same.

But she was one of the lucky ones, having friends that she could have fun with, a family that loved her and taught her how to love the world and everything in it. Joining the White Fang was simply one way for her to get out into the wider world and express her desires to see two sides come together as one. She wouldn't pretend that being a member wasn't hard some days, but she kept coming back because she believed.

One day, Kali hoped to see everyone in the world be able to live their lives without being divided by a superficial reason like being born a certain race. She wished for a family one day and she wanted her future child or children to be able to live in a better world than the one she now lived in.

Speaking of family, the cat faunus regarded Ghira, her current boyfriend, with an amused look. Despite the man being something of a stoic, he shared just as much kindness in his heart as she did. He might not smile much and he certainly could do to lighten up a bit, but his actions and his words told her that he shared an immense desire to bring everyone together. In her eyes, he was a good man.

And he was also a wonderful boyfriend. She certainly enjoyed spending time with him. It was equal parts her getting him to express himself more and him teaching things about the White Fang among other things. It made her wonder what their future might look like.

Marriage?

Children?

Kali could certainly imagine it in her mind and when she realized that it wasn't hard to picture it, she felt herself grow closer to him. Whatever the future held for the two of them, she couldn't imagine a future where they wouldn't turn out okay. Ghira wasn't the type that gave up; he had a stubborn streak and although it could be a bit much at times, she ultimately considered it a good trait.

And today was just one of those days for the two of them to just relax and talk about things. They often got into lengthy conversations about all sorts of things. Everything from their daily lives to more in-depth topics about the current state of the world.

"Kali… what do you think about Tony Stark?" Ghira asked her out of the blue.

The question made her raise an eyebrow. "What do I think about him? That's a broad question. I could say a lot about him, but I think you're looking for something a little more specific."

"Apologies. That was poor wording. Let me rephrase the question." Ghira took a moment, then tried again. "In regards to Tony's place in the world as a weapons developer, what do you make of him?"

Kali had a feeling she knew what he really wanted to get at. "You mean, his connections with the more questionable people of this world? Like Jacque Schnee?"

"That among other connections." Ghira nodded in agreement. "On one hand, I trust Tony greatly. His ego aside, he's a decent individual. He judges people by the content of their character at all times."

Kali smirked. "I can definitely see that. If you believe in the news outlets, his escapades with women of all sorts is… interesting."

"I won't pretend that I agree with that lifestyle, but I'm not one to stop people from making their own choices." He laughed lightly. "And I have him to thank for meeting you. It seems that even with his flaws, he can do good by his friends."

She smiled at his lighthearted face. "I'm glad that he got us together as well. I ought to thank him as well."

"You might not get that chance for a while." Ghira said. "You know how he is: busy with one thing or another. I can't imagine that we're his number one friend considering what I know about him."

Kali shrugged. "I'll find a way to thank him. I think it's only right. We wouldn't be together if not for him."

"We'll do it together." Ghira didn't hesitate to agree. "Although we'll have to think carefully about how to show our appreciation. His tastes can be quite unusual, but we won't know until we try."

Kali took a sip of her tea. "We'll find a way. It's important that we never forget those who do right by us."

It was actually quite amazing how much the two of them could agree on most things or if they couldn't agree, they could agree to disagree. Even better yet, the two of them had enough life experience to be sure of each other, thus minimizing conflict if not outright eliminating it.

So she wondered if perhaps it was a good time to bring up a more serious conversation.

"I wanted to ask you something." Kali set down her cup. "Do you imagine things going all the way for us? Family? Children?"

Although she asked the question without hesitation, a part of her was worried about his response. She might have these thoughts, but she hadn't discussed anything of the sort with him so she had no idea on his stance.

Ghira looked surprised, but not overly so. "I'm not sure if now's a good time. With all the work I do for the White Fang and other personal business, I'm not sure I'd be able to dedicate the time."

"You seem perfectly able to manage your time based on what I've seen." Kali complimented him. "If anything, I'd say you're too good at it."

Ghira looked sheepish. "It's only because I've had to do it for most of my life; that's why it looks so easy, but it's really not, even after all this time."

"But you're not opposed to it." Kali pressed him further. "Having a family, that is."

Ghira didn't hesitate. "Not at all. In fact, I really do want a family and I'll be honest: that thought has crossed my mind a few times while we've been dating."

So he was of a like mind like her.

Good to know.

"Is that proposal?" Kali couldn't suppress the grin that now adorned her face. "It sounded awfully close to one."

Ghira, despite looking caught off guard, was able to speak. "Not right now, but in the future? There's a good chance."

"How much of a good chance?" She was having fun with this.

And he did his best to keep up. "If what we have right now is anything to go by, a very high chance, I would say."

This was honestly the most flustered she had ever seen him and even though she desired to see how far she could take it, she didn't want to push too far. She had asked her question and he had answered to her great satisfaction.

"No pressure on you. I do want a little more time for just the two of us before we think about ultra-serious stuff." Kali became less playful and more thoughtful. "Besides, the White Fang needs us right now. We should do what we can before we become more selfish."

Ghira clasped his hands in front of him. "On that, we concur. Let's do our part."

She certainly did love to have some fun. It was practically in her DNA to be lively because that's just how she grew up. She couldn't imagine herself

But also just as important was how she contributed to her community and reached out to as many people as she could. A life lived only for herself wasn't worth that much, but a life with friends and family and good deeds done was a life well-lived.

Kali didn't consider herself to be a particularly selfish individual, but if there was one wish she wanted granted, it was true peace between Man and Faunus. It was asking for a lot, no question there.

But she dared to hope that it was possible.

RWBY - - - Iron Man

Kingdom of Atlas

Jacques had respect for Stark, no questions there, but that respect didn't extend to all aspects of the weapons developer.

For one thing, his entire public face was so utterly scandalous. These days, it wasn't surprising for the media outlets, big or small, legitimate or tabloid, to pick up something from his behavior in public and speculate on what it might mean. Anything from announcements under Stark Industries to the various photos of him with various women of all kinds.

Truthfully, the elite of Atlas had shifted their overall opinion on the hotshot CEO overall. They looked down on him, calling him a disgrace to the upper echelons of society. It was an unavoidable topic when it came to charity events, balls, and other high-profile events that the wealthy, prestigious, and influential took part in within the kingdom.

Jacque wouldn't deny that he had these feelings as well, but unlike most of the elite in Atlas, he had a relationship to maintain with Stark. For all of his disregard for upper-class manners, Stark was very good at what he did. As things were now, various defense contractors across the world were scrambling to come up with counters to Stark Industries tech with very little success.

For the most part, the SDC CEO had little interest in small fry. The facts remained that his partnership with Stark was beneficial to him. By being the power that fueled the most devastating weapons field to the militaries of the world, he held tremendous power and influence. If he had to put up with some unsavory behavior in order to ensure that the legacy of the company was lasting, he would gladly do so.

Still, it didn't make it any less difficult when it came to the minute details regarding their deal. While Stark still had all the trappings of a businessman who knew the ins and outs of the business, his choice of verbiage was another one of his less than desirable qualities. What made it even more insufferable was that the man was fully aware that he was breaking all sorts of etiquette and he simply didn't care for them. He believed himself above such rules and broke them at his leisure.

The arrogance. Jacque couldn't think of anything else. Let's hope this time is more tolerable.

` All biases aside, there was plenty of work to be done between the two men and both of them had things they wanted to accomplish as well. Mutually beneficial as the Schnee-Stark relationship was, they were both still looking for the best outcome for their respective sides. There was nothing wrong with that. It just meant that they were going to be testing the waters with each other.

In other words, it was business as usual.

Jacque tightened his tie and entered the room. Predictably, his business counterpart was already hard at work on his scroll, no doubt doing some review for the meeting that was about to begin.

"And the snowman of the hour graces me with his glowing presence." Stark looked up and displayed a small smirk. "Wow, you look like you could use a day off."

Jacque elected to ignore the idle chatter. "Mister Stark, we have much to discuss today. What exactly did you want to talk about?"

"Yeesh, all work, no play, real downer, man." The fellow CEO appeared to not really be affected by the brush off. "On to business, then. I never did ask, but what exactly is the breakdown of each container of dust?"

Jacque raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question, but still answered to the best of his knowledge. "A typical barrel of refined dust from the SDC is broken down roughly like this: sixty percent usually goes to fuel for vehicles, private, commercial, and government. Another ten percent is dedicated to fuel for aircraft and other means of flying. Contractors usually have at least ten percent for weapons development. Five percent is dedicated usually to road work within the kingdoms, another five percent goes to research and development labs scattered across the world. The remaining ten percent is divided amongst various commercial products, liquids, and other various products."

These could only be considered rough approximations and at any time depending on demand in the world, the percentages could be shifted relatively quickly.

"Why so little for military spending?" Stark asked another question. "Given the nature of Grimm and the state of the world, I would think more would be dedicated towards R&D for better ways to fight Grimm."

Jacque leaned into his seat. "That would be the most logical assumption if not for the inclusion of huntsmen. Militaries around the world, while capable of fighting Grimm if necessary, aren't tailored to do so like huntsmen are. As I understand it, a competent huntsman is capable of doing the job of dozens of regular troops, maybe even hundreds."

"I get that, do more with less, basically." Stark looked very focused now. "The problem is what comes after the Grimm. Once they're gone, huntsmen and huntresses will either die out or be repurposed. Our entire clientele will be shifted."

Jacque narrowed his eyes slightly. This conversation seemed more than a little premature especially considering Remnant as it was now. Personally, the SDC CEO saw little chance of the conflict between Mankind and the Grimm ending anytime soon, at least not in his lifetime. Regardless, it wasn't in his interest nor that of the company that the conflict should cease. It would throw everything into a panic.

"So it would. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make."

"Both of us are in the business of keeping the people of Remnant alive. Whether that be from each other or the Grimm, that doesn't matter. The fact is that the militaries of the world have been downsized considerably since the time of the Great Wars and we're not prepared for another war."

"And who are we most likely to go to war with?"

"The Grimm first obviously, but what happens after that? Wars aren't just going to stop because the monsters are gone and let's not forget that war isn't a matter of if, but when. It will happen and the victors are the ones that prepare for it. Those that prepare for it will be the most likely winners and the winners will lead the world post-war."

Jacque leaned in. "You mean to prepare for that eventuality."

"I mean to be one still alive, kicking, and thriving." Stark spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "In every era of history, there has always been a leading nation of power and wealth and military might. They grow, rise up, become the best, then gradually decline, then the cycle repeats with a new nation or some seat of power."

The Schnee patriarch wasn't unaware of this trend. He knew it quite well because it related to the overall economics of the world. War was a nation's most costly expense bar none and a post-war economy often dictated the overall wealth that a nation would possess years into its future.

"What does this mean for us?" Jacque threw the million-lien question.

Stark smirked. "What else? We start planning now for the fate that the world has in store for us. There's no sense in not preparing for it, not when the signs of an incoming war are already visible."

"And how do you benefit from cluing me in on your plan?" Jacque found this conversation worthwhile, but he still wasn't without his suspicions.

Stark placed his hands in his pockets. "Dust is what powers all things in the world. Whoever controls the most amount will see the world through its darkest times. Consider it as me ingratiating myself for mutual survival."

"And what's to stop me from selling directly to huntsmen?"

"Like I said, we don't have enough of those guys. They're good, but they're not THAT good. Plus, once the Grimm are gone, they won't be needed anymore. Your best clientele will come from governments, who do the military spending, which, need I remind you, is worth hundreds of millions if not billions of lien."

Jacque could understand the mentality. In truth, huntsmen and huntresses were little more than public figureheads for the fight against the Grimm. As it was, the number of huntsmen available to fight Grimm were barely enough to keep the abominations at bay let alone wipe them out completely. Where they failed, militaries picked up the slack.

But Stark still had a lot of work to do in order to surpass current contractors. He was still a newcomer in the contractor space and he still had to establish himself for at least several more years before he truly became a household name.

However much the SDC head did enjoy the profits from his little gamble in choosing to stake on Stark Industries, he wasn't all in yet. He needed more results first.

Still, with Stark as his partner, he couldn't say that his business life was boring, which was worth something, he supposed.

Iron Man - - - RWBY

Tony didn't trust Ozpin. The man's refusal to be direct and divulge the really important information about the Grimm was becoming a serious problem. Regardless, it told the genius enough to start making his own preparations. Whatever the headmaster of Beacon Academy was involved in, it was going to cause a major event.

That's why Tony had been shoring up support with his allies, even downplaying his more playful and sarcastic side. He wasn't sure what was in store for the world in the next decade or so, but he knew that he didn't want to be on the losing side, that was for sure. With no way to get back to Earth, he had to start looking at his current surroundings and figure out what might aid him in his endeavor to reign at the top.

Some might see what he was doing as evil or morally unjustifiable, but he knew enough from Earth history to know that in the end, no matter if the world was at war or not, the fact remains that opportunists existed at all times. He wouldn't claim that his line of work was clean, far from it, but at least his weapons served a purpose. Either they would kill the Grimm or deter nations from doing anything beyond forgiveness regarding each other. Regardless, it was profitable and he was keeping the peace.

With all the work he was doing to lay the groundwork for him to position Stark Industries as the premiere weapons developer in the world, Tony had less time to do his usual things, such as drinking, partying it up, and sleeping with women. That and his personal relationships had kind of been left on the backburner.

Basically, anyone that the young man could consider a decent talking buddy had not been spoken to for a good while and now that he was thinking about them, maybe he ought to try contacting one of them and seeing if they might be willing to lend him an ear so he talk about stuff for no reason.

Tony fished for his scroll and scrolled through his list of contacts. He stopped at Penny's name.

A little late to be calling her, but whatever. Tony made his choice.

Three rings sounded, which was unusual considering that the gingerhead usually answered on the first ring and less commonly the second.

Then the line answered.

"Tony Stark, correct?"

Tony frowned. "Who's this?"

"This is Penny's father, Christian Collodi. Penny talks a lot about you."

Something wasn't right.

"...what's going on with Penny?" Tony steading his breathing.

"...two weeks ago, she was diagnosed with lymphoma. I'm currently with her at Vale Central Hospital."

…what?

"What's her prognosis?"

"She's… in the fourth stage."

…what the fuck?

How did this happen?

Wasn't she perfectly healthy the last time he saw her a month ago?

Tony banished those thoughts from his mind. "How long does she have?"

Silence on the other end.

"How long?!"

So that last part, it's actually derived from an experience I had in regards to people important in my life. I thought about making a more dramatic scenario, but then I realized it wouldn't feel genuine, so a more personal touch felt called for. Although thinking about those moments can still hurt, I've at least accepted them for what they are.

I'm sure many of you were wondering about the fate of Penny. A couple of you already have an inkling in your minds as to what happens next. Stick around to see if you're proven right.

Thoughts? Feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks for reading and I hope you're all doing the best that you can.

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."

Norman Cousins