AN: To clear up any confusion, NO, the redhead killed last chapter was NOT Pyrrha. I was just trying to make the now dead Spring Maiden differentiated from Vernal. Thus, one of Raven's bondee bandits was a redhead and one cursed a lot.

To Be Relentless

Chapter 14

-Ironwood-

Looking up as the elevator dinged, Ironwood put on his best smile, wanting to put the young men being brought up at ease. "You called for us sir?" Ivanov snapped a professional salute alongside Amin.

"Yes." Ironwood nodded, turning and gesturing for the two to follow him along with Winter who'd brought them. "Tell me boys, what do you know of the Elite Military branches that are available for you to join after your graduation?"

"I know that along with the Huntsman License that comes with Graduation, there's the option of enlisting in the regular military forces, or being recruited for an advanced branch." Amin begins, taking a moment to breathe as Ivanov picked up the explanation.

"The specialist are special task operatives." Ivanov continued "Taking tasks and following only the orders of you yourself General Ironwood Sir."

"That is correct." Ironwood nodded as they entered the specialist training room "And I'm offering the both of you the chance to start getting extra training. You two are the best of your year at the Academy and I plan to personally cultivate this."

"You…want to bring us into the Ace ops?" Amin looked around at the different members of the elite Atlesian Team watching them from various points in the hard light training room.

"Yes and no." Ironwood rolled his neck, cracking the joints as the two boys look confused "Amin, your semblance is one that would work well with the Ace Ops unit." Ironwood clarifies "Should you accept, you'd become Harriet's partner." Ironwood nodded to his speedster "The Ace ops are designed around teamwork and if there's a set partnership, it's because their combat skill sets, their semblances, or both are complimentary." Ironwood gestured to Elm and Vine as an example "Your freezing ability and her speed would make a good combination."

"Yet I'm not going to be part of the Ace Ops." Ivanov sounded displeased but Ironwood wasn't sure if that was more at not being part of the elite team or at Amin getting in, the animosity Ivanov felt towards Amin due to the actions of the elder sibling not unknown.

"Your offer is to be a Solo Operative Specialist." Ironwood didn't bat an eye at the young man's displeasure "Your semblance is incredibly powerful. If properly utilized it might be one of the most powerful, and dangerous, ones in all of Atlas. Capable of both incredible offense and even possessing rescue work viability by stopping dangerous snowstorms and blizzards from overrunning Atlesian villages." Ironwood noted he had Ivanov's attention now "But the cost of that price is that you cannot go all out when working with others."

"That…is admittedly true." Ivanov relented, the ability to store up power to make blizzards being a powerful one but one that would harm anyone else in the vicinity.

"So, you'll be trained to be able to fight on your own. Capable of using your semblance in a limited capacity along with marital skill when joining other solo Specialists or the Ace Ops for missions while primarily handling lone missions."

"What of my trainees." Amin frowned, "I don't want to just abandon them."

"It would benefit Gran and Choir as well." Ivanov grunted, tapping his finger rapidly at his side while eyeing the training equipment, clearly wanting to get started.

"They will be permitted to join you during some of these training sessions." Ironwood assured, he'd be a fool to squander Amin's pupils. Ivanov's two remaining students showed potential too if they got changed their attitudes.

"Then I accept." Amin nodded, trying to look serious and poised…whilst his tail wagged up a rapid storm.

"As do I." Ivanov rolled his eyes at the sight of Amin's tail, the Faunus realizing what was happening and grasping his tail to make it stop.

"Then let's get started." Ironwood nodded to Winter who summoned some glowing white Grimm "Show me what you two can do."

-Jaune-

"And there we go." The medics finished disengaging the apparatus Jaune's arm has been in for the last day since he woke up "You're free to go. Do try hold of on showing back up again for anything besides lessons though."

"I'll do my best doc." Jaune gave a sheepish grin, glad that they hadn't gotten frustrated by his endless medical questions as he tried to use his time in that hospital bed to learn more for his ambition to become a combat medic.

"Try not to have too much fun." The medic smirked at him, much to Jaune's confusion as he walked to the door, Ironwood's briefcase in his good unbandaged hand. Just outside though, Jaune found himself face to face with Ciel who's face lit up when she saw him.

"Jaune!" she wrapped her arms around him, face pressed into his chest as he blushed. He didn't have long to try and process the warm embrace, or the fluttering in his gut, before Ciel let out a small 'eep' as she quickly let him go, her own cheeks darkened "I'm sorry! Did that hurt?"

"No, it's fine." Jaune assured her, lifting up his bandaged right arm "It's just my arm that got injured. And the medics said I should be able to take the bandages off after dinner."

"At least there's that." Ciel perked up before noting the briefcase "What's that?"

"You…you heard about Doctor Watts?" Jaune saw Ciel's exrpression drop as she nodded "He made these for me." Jaune squeezed the handle "I…haven't opened it yet."

"Do you want to be alone for it?" Ciel asked softly as she glanced at the metallic case.

"No." Jaune gave Ciel a shaky but firm grin "I think I'd like the company."

-Saffron Arc-

Humming to herself as she cooked, Saffron looked up with a smile as her wife entered the house, "Hey hun." She smiled cheerily "Anything interesting in the mail?"

"A notice from the office of General Ironwood." Terra frowned in confusion as she held it up "Why would anything from there be addressed to you?"

"I think Jaune put me as his emergency contact with the school." Saffron frowned, vaguely remembering hearing something about the General being in charge of the academies in Atlas "Think it's some sort of document about Jaune's schooling?"

"Maybe." Terra pecked hr cheek, taking the spoon to oversee cooking while Saffron opened the letter.

"To Misses Saffron Cotta-Arc," she read aloud for Terra to hear "this letter is to inform you that your brother was…HOSPITALIZED?!" the pot of soup fell to the floor with a crash as Terra rushed over to look at the letter with her, the two having to quickly find their place in the letter again after it fell from Saffron's stunned and limp fingers "While offering crucial aide in repelling a large scale Grimm incursion-"

"He what?!" Terra's jaw was hanging "Jaune's still in the prep academy! He shouldn't have been anywhere near an incursion!" Saffron was in full agreement with her wife, hackles raised "He sustained injuries that have resulted in treatment. This letter is also to furthermore provide notice of a ceremony commending Prep Academy Student Arc's commendable Valor in the coming days. Signed, the Office of General James Ironwood."

"Not even a notice about how Jaune's doing right now?!" Terra seethed, "Oooooh, I have half a mind to call that high and mighty General and give him a piece of my…Saff, what are you doing?"

"Calling the office of General Ironwood to give him a piece of my mind." Saffron, unlike her wife, had more than half a mind on the matter, the letter thankfully including a contact number should any further questions on the matter be necessary.

"Hello, you've reached the office of General Ironwood." A stiffly polite secretary greeted her call as Terra listened in "May I have your name as well as how I may help you today?"

"My name is Saffron Cotta-Arc and I'm calling about a letter I just received regarding my brother." Saffron seethed, her rage palpable.

The secretary gulped under her glare before typing something into her computer "I see the General has it noted for you to be patched through to him should you call about the matter, transferring the call now." During the brief period she was on hold for the transfer, Saffron's rage cooled somewhat from the confusion at such an order being on standby, given how dismissive and clinical the letter had been.

Hearing a click, Saffron focused back to see a stern man with dark hair come onto her scroll screen "I was wondering if you'd end up calling." The General nodded to her, "I assume this is about the letter received? I apologize, but one of my clerks wrote up a standard letter and sent it out without me overseeing it first. It was only when I checked the letter after the fact that I became aware of the situation."

"Why bother looking into it afterwards at all?" Terra frowned in confusion, it seemed an odd thing for a High Ranking General to specifically check into if it was his clerk's duty and no complaints had come in yet.

"Mrs. Cotta-Arc, your brother was crucial to stopping a Grimm Incursion into Atlas." General Ironwood spoke seriously, "He, along with his Mentor, used their Semblances to halt the horde from a safe distance so heavy artillery could do what it was designed to." Ironwood's tone was very serious "He saved countless lives and I will not disrespect that. His injuries came from him overclocking his aura, pushing himself even after he could have stopped due to his determination to save Atlesian lives. I ensured that he receive the best Medical care that the Military could offer him and am arranging a medal to commend the service he and his mentor have provided. I could arrange for you and the rest of his family to fly out for the ceremony if you so wish."

"I…we will discuss it and get back to you?" Saffron said hesitantly, sharing a bewildered glance with Terra while the General nodded and the call ended.

"I'll call home." Saffron looked to Terra before they glanced at the spilled pot of soup.

"…And I'll order a Pizza."

-Alexander Arc-

Frowning to himself, Alexander poured over book after book in the family Archives, looking for anything that might give a clue about what was going on with Neo. "Knowledge…" Alexander frowned as he worked to translate the coded journal of one his ancestors who had been around during the founding of the precursors to the academies, the four locations having long history of training warriors. "Secret knowledge." He corrected with a hum "Buried, or maybe hidden, beneath Haven."

"Dad!" hearing the voice of one of his daughters, Alexander put the journal away, not wanting to draw his children into this mess if he could help it. Looking up, he saw Hestia enter the library "I just got a call from Saffron…Jaune's getting an award from Atlas." Alexander felt a mix of pride in his son and frustration at how this would only make the stubborn boy even more difficult to coax away from the Huntsman life. "He…he also got hurt using his semblance to help stop a Grimm incursion…but he's fine now!" the last part was added on hastily but exasperation had already overcome pride as his current reigning emotion. "We've been invited to go to the award ceremony."

"I…you should go." Alexander had to force the words out even if he knew it was necessary "I doubt he would want me there for this. Take your sisters though." An award ceremony in a populated area would be safe enough anyway. Not to mention Roman and Neo still needed his help.

"Are you sure Dad?" Hestia looked surprised, knowing how often he liked to keep his children where he could look over them. Saffron moving to Argus had not been a 'quiet' discussion in the household.

"I'm sure Hestia." He nodded, watching his daughter leave before sending Roman a message, to find out if Miss Malachite knew about anything hidden underneath Haven.