A Personal Favor

Chapter 7

-Ironwood-

Face set in stone, Ironwood walked down the halls of the maximum-security area of the Atlas Huntsman Penitentiary and Investigation Bureau based in the bowels of the Atlesian Military compound. Every soldier he passed quickly snapped a salute and got out of his way, none wanting to truly gain his attention the moment they saw his cold and furious expression. Getting to the cell block, Ironwood approached the waiting Specialist Winter Schnee "Report." His order was clear and sharp as the woman snapped to attention, saluting him as she held a stack of files tucked under her arm "We have Atlas Academy students Marrow Amin in interrogation rooms one and two, Atlas academy prep students Lucius Malfoy, Basque Gran, and Patrice Choir are in interrogation rooms three, four, and five."

"Amin?" Ironwood frowned as he took the files, flipping through them, "The report I received stated that he was the intended target while another Prep Academy student was the unintended victim. Why is he in the Interrogation cells?"

"Order of Captain Frank Archer." Specialist Schnee's distaste over both the man and the order was limited to a slight crinkling of her brow "He refused to elaborate on the reason behind such orders, but I believe it to be caused by Marrow Amin's…tail."

"I'll have a word with the captain." Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose "For now I needed to speak to Amin anyway to get his report on the incident so I'll speak to him first and then have him release should there be no issue. For now, are there anything other matters that I need to be made aware of?"

"Lucius Malfoy has a broken nose and is demanding to be released immediately." Specialist Schnee reported instantly "And Ivanov is the one who broke it while subduing his pupil."

Nodding, Ironwood handed back the files apart from Amin's "Understood. Specialist Ebi will be coming shortly, bringing a Huntress by the name of Robyn Hill." Assuming she wasn't being particularly stubborn today "Tap on the window when they arrive, I won't be interviewing Prep Student Malfoy until she arrives." Specialist Schnee nodded, clearly confused, but accepted his orders with a sharp salute as Ironwood entered Amin's waiting room.

"Is Ciel alright?!" the second he entered the soundproof room, the Atlesian student was on his feet, eyes wide with worry for the girl who'd taken a bullet.

"She's fine." Ironwood assured the young man with a nod "Ciel Soleil has been moved to the medical wing along with Jaune Arc. The medical officers reported that they wish to have him on hand in case his apparent healing semblance is necessary again, but they've stated she is currently stable and merely being kept under observation for caution's sake." At those words, Amin collapsed into his chair with a sigh of relief "You aren't questioning being brought down here?" Ironwood raised an eyebrow as he opened the boy's file for the report, noting the young man's interesting semblance.

"I overheard that one Captain ordering me brought down when the MP's arrived for Malfoy." Amin shrugged, seemingly uncaring "The School is mostly free of that kind of attitude among the faculty, or they at least keep it to themselves, but I'm aware of how many of the officers in the Military still carry the more…'traditional' attitudes." Said attitude was likely why this young man hadn't been brought to his attention.

"I see." Ironwood nodded, "Well I read the reports and watched the footage that the Urban Combat Facility cameras had but I need your report. Once I have that you can go." As Amin spoke, Ironwood was both recording and writing down notes on the report, looking for any discrepancies from the footage or details that were left out.

"After Jaune's semblance activated and pushed the bullet out I moved in to help check vital signs, not wanting to interrupt what was happening before when I saw that his semblance was healing her. Once the MP's and facility staff arrived, we were all loaded into some vehicles to come to the main facility where the captain ordered me brought here." Amin finished up, having gone over both the incident and the altercation that led to them being at the Urban Combat facility.

"Thank you." Ironwood nodded, rising up as he gestured for Amin to come "You can return to the Atlas Dorms or go check on Miss Soleil in the medical wing. If we have any further questions about the incident, then you'll receive notice on your Academy Scroll."

"Understood General Ironwood." Amin nodded, giving him a respectful salute before heading out, no sign of Specialist Ebi having arrived yet. Handing Amin's file back to Specialist Schnee, Ironwood took Ivanov's, flipping through it as he approached the second interrogation room.

-Clover-

It was only years of experience and his naturally chipper attitude that was keeping Clover from rolling his eyes at the Happy Huntresses, more specifically at the massive and irritable Joanna Greenleaf "Alright, we're at the cells. So again," the woman grit her teeth as she loomed over him in an attempt to be intimidating "why…are…we…here?"

"And I've told you, the General requested you be here in relation to a crime that was committed. I have yet to be made aware of any details despite what you may or may not believe." Clover shook his head as the General exited an interrogation room, a pale and serious faced student inside.

"Ironwood, why'd you call us up here when I could be helping people down in Mantle?" Robyn Hill stepped forward, demanding an answer and showing no care for military decorum.

"Because of your semblance." Ironwood was either used to her attitude or just had a much better poker face than Clover expected as he took three files from Winter to hand over to Robyn "Prep Academy student Lucius Malfoy attempted to commit murder of Atlas Academy Marrow Amin, over the nature of Mr. Amin's Faunus heritage. Malfoy wasn't used to the recoil of the firearm he'd brought in, one disguised as a paint ball gun, and it hit another prep academy student in the gut, her aura down as per the Urban Combat Facility regulations." The files Clover was able to get a glance in showed the information for all three.

"The girl… is she?" the smallest of the Happy Huntresses, May Marigold, started ringing her hands nervously.

"Alive and stable." Ironwood assured as Clover felt relieved "One of the young lady's friends discovered a healing semblance in the heat of the moment and went with her to the medical facilities to make everything healed correctly. For now, I want you hear because of your semblance. It is truth detection is it not?"

"It is." Robyn gave the general a wary look.

"I'd rather not take any chances or give the Malfoy family any room to buy this boy's freedom to give him another chance to kill the students under my care." Ironwood's expression grew cold "I'd assumed you would be more than willing to aide me in this, despite your known distaste for Atlas, the military, and all those affiliated."

"I have to hold their hand while they speak Ironwood." Robyn frowned but seemed less antagonistic than she'd been when she entered "If he knows he's not going to willing do so, and wouldn't lying about it invalidate any evidence gained?"

"I will state that your semblance is a diagnostic ability, one I intended to have used while doing the standard incident questioning. He's been demanding a medic and as your semblance does diagnose lies from truth it is technically not a falsehood and therefore would not invalidate any evidence." Ironwood shrugged calmly while Robyn had a displeased expression.

"Quite the Politician's loophole." the Self Proclaimed 'Guardian of Mantle' seemed reluctant even if he could tell she was about to agree.

"I have to deal with politicians on a daily basis. Whether fortunate or unfortunate I've started picking up how they think. And despite what you seem to believe about me I do care about those under my authority, whether they be of Atlas, or of Mantle." Clover and Winter both gave the antagonistic Greenleaf a look at the woman's derisive snort.

"Very well. Let's go talk to the kid." Robyn handed the files back to Ironwood as the two entered Malfoy's interrogation room, Clover and the others listening in through the room's intercom and microphones.

"It's 'bout 'ime!" Malfoy slurred through his broken nose "I demanded a medic 'ours ago! Do you not know 'ho I am!?"

"You've been down here for scarcely over an hour Mr. Malfoy." Ironwood kept his voice 'sounding' friendly to the kid, but Clover could hear his exasperation after years of working with the man "This is Robyn Hill, she's a huntress with a diagnostic semblance I called in to look over you while I handle the standard after incident questions. All she has to do is hold your hand while you talk."

"'ine." Malfoy sneered at Ironwood before giving what the kid likely thought was a 'subtle' leer to the admittedly attractive Robyn as he took her hand, the two limbs glowing with a faint lilac light.

"Lucius Malfoy, the footage sent in showed you screaming about how Amin was, and I quote, a 'filthy faunus fuck' before you discharged a legitimate firearm that was disguised as a paintball gun."

"You 'ave no proof." Malfoy sneered through his busted-up nose "And I had no idea that the gun was real." The hands remain Lilac "Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that Faunus scum Amin tried getting that one. I bet he was intending to kill everyone down there." Again, the hands remain lilac.

Ironwood's expression was cold as he pushed a button on his scroll, the chair Malfoy was sitting on activating restraints to keep the boy from moving his arms and legs "Lucius Malfoy, if you lie to me again you will be taken straight to a cell. What Miss Hill's semblance diagnosis is honesty. I'm well aware that you've lied about not knowing the gun was fake, and that you lied when you tried framing your intended victim. This is your one chance to speak to me honestly for the record."

"'et me go!" Lucius Malfoy ignored the general as he struggled "Do 'ou know 'ho I am?! My father 'ill hear about this!"

"You had your chance. Lucius Malfoy, as of this moment you are under arrest pending court martial. Should you be found guilty you will be shipped off to the Aeonar." Robyn and the Happy Huntresses all looked surprised at that declaration.

"Y-you can't!" Malfoy paled "I…I'm 'ot a soldier! My 'ather will-!"

"You are enrolled in an Atlesian Academy to train huntsmen." Ironwood thundered as Malfoy closed his mouth with a whimper "Added to that you are a trained combatant with unlocked aura. The laws are very clear for those who fit those criteria. You have attempted to commit murder, and you have lied about it. You shall be tried, you shall be punished, and your father's money won't save you." Clover nodded in satisfaction as Ironwood and Robyn left the room with the still protesting Malfoy, moving to ask the remaining three still in their interrogation rooms if they had any prior knowledge of Malfoy's plan.

AN: The Aeonar will be explained later so don't worry about that please.