A/N: Volume 3 of LTV is a thing now? Wow, it's been a long time. Thanks for sticking with me, and thanks you for your patience. It's taken me a little longer to get this chapter finished. As of right now, I do have another pressing writing project I was commissioned to finish by Christmas, but my plan it to upload every 3 to 4 weeks on this story.
Love you guys bunches, hope you had a good summer, and hope you enjoy picking up where we left off!
Everything was a hazy gray color. Her eyes refused to open, only giving her the vague sense that she was in a room that was lit well enough for her to see gray instead of pitch black. Even when she focused, she couldn't distinguish any sounds. A few times, she was under the perception that she was being moved, but otherwise felt nothing, except exhaustion. She couldn't even tell herself whether she was truly conscious or was in a halfway between state trying to overcome sleep paralysis.
That was, until the pain started. At first a dull throb but growing increasingly intense and hot inside her right thigh. Trying to move it did nothing though as the pain increased, so did her ability to focus. Eventually she was able to force her eyes open. She was surrounded by medical equipment, the finest the Atlesean Military could over and her leg was propped up in traction. The IV sticking out of her arm was low, which she deduced was the reason she was conscious and in pain. In a short time, a nurse had come to switch out the bags.
"Argus?" Blake asked groggily.
"Atlas," The nurse assured her.
Blake smiled weakly. Somehow, Jaune had pulled it off and they were, for the most part, safe. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep as the nurse switched the IV bags out for some more of that sweet painkiller.
Blake had been the first off the airship, a medical team waiting in the docking bay to transport her to the infirmary. After she had been off-loaded, Winter knew the only safe thing to do was to escort them all to Ironwood right away.
"What do we do?" Ren asked, always thinking ahead.
"I don't know yet. I'm not sure what all we should tell Ironwood," Ruby replied, deliberately remaining vague. The guards on the elevator wore helmets that obscured their faces, but they no doubt were looking and listening for any information.
Yang put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I think we should be as willing to share as he is, but when it's all said and done, we'll follow your lead."
The others nodded in assent.
As the elevator doors opened, they were ushered through the lobby and into an antechamber.
"I swear, if the Council calls yet another emergency session, I'm…" he stopped when he saw them, equally surprised at their presence as they were by his appearance. This man looked nothing like the general they remembered from the Vytal festival. This man was bearded, tired and haggardly; the look of confidence in his eyes had been replaced with fear and desperation, and he had an expression of a soldier who had been jaded by months of combat. While his appearance was no surprise to Winter, the others, particularly Qrow were taken aback.
Even more shocking was the ginger haired girl that appeared behind them. The members of JNPR and RWBY froze, only able to stare in disbelief.
Unable to process the emotion, Ruby recoiled away from her, blinking back tears and mentally assuring herself that this couldn't be real, or this couldn't be the same person. She finally worked up the courage to say her name.
"Penny?"
The girl's eyes glowed with recognition. "Ruby!" In a speed that could only rival Ruby herself, Penny launched herself in what was supposed to be a hug but ended up being more like a tackle.
Tears flowed freely as she embraced her friend, though Penny looked confused.
"I thought you would be happy to see me again? I haven't upset you, have I?" The unique timbre and cadence in her voice bringing back a flood of memories for the kids from Beacon.
"No, no, Penny," Ruby assured her. "These are happy tears."
"Oh…I'm happy to see you, too."
"Penny, I doubt she wants to stay on the floor," Ironwood said with uncharacteristic patience.
"Sorry! Let me help you up!" She enthusiastically pulled herself and Ruby up using the boosters in her feet."
"Looks like you got some upgrades," Ruby said as Penny released her grip and resumed her place by the general's side.
"I…I don't understand," Jaune said aloud. "How?"
"We were able to recover her motherboard and hard drive from the Amity Arena when it was returned to Atlas," Ironwood explained, "But I think we have more pressing matters. You can catch up with your friends later." He shot a knowing look at Qrow who nodded in agreement.
Ironwood's office was at the highest point in Atlas, overseeing the entirety of the floating city through retractable windows on three of the walls. As the teams took in the view, stepped away from the group to take her place behind Ironwood's desk opposite Penny. The guards were dismissed, giving them some privacy.
"Winter took an incredible risk coming to get you," Ironwood said as he sat, "But she assured me you had information concerning both the relics and Arthur Watts."
"We do," Ruby assured him, taking the lead as the de facto spokesperson of the group.
"I apologize for being so difficult to reach, but surely you understand, with tightened security…you can never be too careful."
"We told you we were coming," Qrow said with narrowed eyes as he leaned against a wall to look extra rebellious. "I sent a letter from Mistral weeks ago."
"Paper mail?" Ironwood raised an eyebrow. "It's probably still in some container in Argus…"
"…which is a matter I fully intend to discuss with you further when you are available," Winter interjected.
"At any rate, I'm glad you're here and I'm glad you're safe, though I'd like to not make a habit of bailing kids out of military prisons because they managed to hijack our only secure communication lines." He gave a sharp glance at Jaune who smiled nervously.
"We're glad we were able to make the necessary arrangements and thank you for sending Winter to get us," Ruby said. "We were able to get the relic of knowledge from the vault in Mistral. We weren't sure what else to do, but we're sure it will be safe here." She removed the lamp and held it up for Ironwood to see.
"And the Spring Maiden?"
"My mom took off," Yang said folding her arms. "As soon as the vault was open, she flew off to who knows where."
This bit of information was new and the general furrowed his brow as he looked to Qrow for confirmation that his sister was, in fact, the Spring Maiden. "Did you know?" he asked.
"I found out when she tried to kill me," the huntsman offered.
"So, we have one maiden working for the enemy and one in the wind," he shook his head disappointed.
"What about the Winter Maiden?" Ruby asked.
"She's…secure," Ironwood said vaguely.
"What Ironwood means is she's on our side and is being cared for," Qrow added, his eyes unable to meet Winter's as he spoke. "She's no spring chicken, but she is willing to help us any way she can."
"We may not have a lot going for us, but we at least have one of the maidens and two of the relics…and a plan to stop Salem for good."
"And Oscar!" Nora said, finally speaking up for the first time.
The general's focus shifted for the first time to the farm boy. He stood from behind his desk and approached Oscar, towering over him with a scowl, but his gaze softened. Somehow, Ironwood knew exactly who he was.
"Ozpin?"
Oscar shrugged. "Kinda. He and I share a body now, I guess."
"Then we have hope," Ironwood said with all sincerity. He looked to Oscar but was clearly speaking to Ozpin. "Let me tell you my plan and we can work together to ensure to put her down for good."
Oscar inhaled deeply, unable to find words. Not wanting to crush his spirit, he sighed. "I…I can't make him come out. Ozpin won't talk to me or through me."
The concern on Ironwood's face was immediate. He looked to Qrow, but Qrow nodded at Ruby.
She thought carefully before speaking. As much as she wanted to play it safe, Ironwood was laying everything out on the table and she felt it was only right to do the same. Even if he reacted badly, he deserved to know the truth. Yang was right: keeping secrets wasn't going to help anyone.
"We found out some things about him, we asked the spirit inside the lamp. Ozpin didn't want us finding out too much but we used it relic to find out the truth behind both him and Salem."
"And?"
"Long story short, we found out Salem can't be killed and Ozpin has gone into hiding since."
The truth hit him like a ton of bricks. He stepped back. "She can't…can't be killed?"
"She was cursed to be immortal by the gods."
"But Ozpin told us…it was our mission. For years…" it was too much to process. He returned to his desk and sat, burying his head in his hands, further disheveling his hair.
"I know it's hard and scary to hear, but you have to believe us," Ruby assured him. "The gods also tasked Ozpin with defeating Salem and unifying humanity, which means that it must be possible. Perhaps not death, but her defeat in some way is something that Ozpin can do…and we can still help him accomplish that goal."
"If he comes back," Yang muttered under her breath.
It was a sentiment shared by the group, some with more contempt than others. The general sighed. "If we are all that is left standing between Salem and Remnant, then we have to do everything in our power to put a dent in her plans. I need time to rethink my plan and you need time to rest. I'll have Penny show you to the academy quarters and we'll convene as soon as I have a strategy that I think will work."
"Sounds like a plan," Qrow said, standing upright.
"Now, on the matter of Arthur Watts…"
"He's alive and he works for Salem," Yang said. "Blake told us that Weiss told her."
Ironwood looked to Winter to confirm it was all true. "I thought your sister was missing."
"My sister is currently a political prisoner of the White Fang," Winter said coldly. "She ascertained information and passed it on to Blake Belladonna during a chance encounter they had in Mistral."
"During the attack on Haven?"
Winter nodded. "I can fill you in on the details if you'd like.
"I'll need a full debrief of both you and Blake as soon as she's out of the infirmary." He turned back to Yang and Ruby. "While our huntsman academy is very different, we most certainly understand the importance of a team's bond. I can assure you, Blake is in the best care we have to offer and you will be able to visit with her as soon as she's been seen by medical professionals."
"Thank you, general." Ruby said with all sincerity.
Yang said nothing but nodded.
"Penny, if you would please show the children to their quarters. Qrow, I'd like a word with you in private."
"Forgive me for asking but what's going to happen to me?" a voice piped up.
How she'd managed to go unnoticed for this long could only be attributed to her height. The elderly woman finally hobbled forward, angrily tapping the sides of her goggles trying to get them to focus.
"Who is this?"
"A legacy huntsman, if you'd believe it," Qrow said, almost smiling. "But she's just a travelling companion of ours. We met when the train derailed on our way to Argus."
"And she knows?"
Ruby shrugged innocently. "She was there when we activated the relic. She's in the know now, but I promise she's not going to be a problem."
"Look, I never intended to find out about the secret magical war for the fate of the world," Maria admitted, "I'm just an old woman looking to get my eyes fixed. Every few years I have to fly up to Mantle to get them calibrated. If someone could just fly me down to the old city, I'll be out of your hair."
"We'll see to it," Winter promised, nodding to one of the nearby guards who ushered Maria away after saying a short goodbye and a promise to keep in touch from the kids.
"And Penny, if you could show the students from Beacon their accommodations."
With a flurry of excitement, Penny practically floated to them, grabbing Ruby by the hands and leading them back down the HQ tower and to the dormitories. "We have so much to catch up on! I cannot wait to show you all the amazing facilities Atlas Academy has to offer, and since I live in the dormitories as well, we'll be able to see each other every day, it'll be just as if we were school mates!" Her sincerity was warming even Qrow managed to crack a smile as she led the members of JNPR, RWBY and Oscar away.
Once they were gone and the room was quiet, Ironwood turned his attention to Qrow.
"Now, why don't you tell me exactly what happened in Mistral?"
"Just in Mistral or everything between Mistral and here, because…these kids, James…"
"I know." James assured him. "But the boy, the relic, Lionheart, your sister, a trainwreck, Argus, and apparently the Schnee Dust Company heiress a hostage of the White Fang? I need to know everything."
Qrow thought back to the month he spent following Ruby and the remaining members of JNPR through the forests of Mistral. He wasn't even sure where to start.
Atlas has initially built the Argus Limited as a magnet train, using dust to supercool the track. It only took a few months to realize it was cost prohibitive to maintain such a track on such icy and grim infested terrain, so mile by mile, the track was replaced by traditional rails, albeit still had engines that could pull at 150mph even through snow. The initial planned travel time from Mistral to Argus dropped from a mere 5-hour ride to a 10-hour ride. Weiss and Adam used the time to sleep and plan once they got into the city.
"I think we should do what we initially did in Mistral: find a small and obscure hotel and use it as a base of operation while we get everything we need," Weiss said as she took notes.
As Adam watched her jot her thoughts down, it was the first time he'd gotten to see a sample of her handwriting and it was every bit as graceful as she was. Elegant cursive in perfectly straight rows even without the guide of lined paper detailed out her list of goals to accomplish while in Mistral.
Find an affordable hotel/bend and breakfast to use as a base of operation
Keep a low profile until we are certain the White Fang is looking elsewhere
Find ways to change Adam's appearance (eyes and hair)
Buy newer and nicer clothes to better blend in with the people of Argus
Purchase burner scrolls to keep in contact
Find a way to contact Winter without alerting the Atlas Military or Dad
Collect as many cases of faunus abuse from SDC HR (preferably ones with medical bills attached)
Make contact with Lisa Lavender
Get passage to Atlas (preferably independent of the military)
Fake IDs?
"You realize some of those are tall orders, even if we had infinite money," Adam noted.
"I know," Weiss replied, "But I have thoughts on how to do most of the legal stuff. The fake ID's and burner scrolls might be a little harder to do."
"The burner phones are going to be an easier task than keeping a low profile here. Both of our faces are sure to attract a lot of attention. You're easily recognized as a Schnee and…" he pointed to his scar. "People are going to ask questions if we don't have a story or a way to cover it up.
Weiss waved her hand dismissively, "With the military base so close by, prosthetics and eye patches are commonplace. I'm sure we can have one made out of the same material as your mask: something that looks opaque but you can still see through it. If we get the right kind it'll cover the entirety of your scar."
"We're on a limited budget, we can't just spend money like we have a bottomless supply."
"Housing is a priority," Weiss said, "but after that, I think blending in is the most important thing. Which is also why I think we should dye your hair."
"Why? What color?" He didn't like the idea of dying his hair. He was already a bit off-put by the idea of having to hide who he was. He'd been telling his followers for years to be proud of who they were, to embrace being the 'monsters' they had been made out to be, and now, he was no better than Blake covering her ears. It was shameful.
"Black. It'll help your horns blend in." She noticed the displeased look on his face. "Hey, I know that might sound weird, but this isn't the time to let your scruples get in the way of a mission. We can't have the Atlesean Military, the Argus police, or the White Fang recognize you. What if Cinder or another of Salem's goons showed up here? We have to play it safe, and right now, that means laying low…and concealing your horns."
Adam snorted, conceding her point. "Fine."
She gripped his hand in hers. "You trust me?"
"I do," he replied. "Which is why I'm agreeing to it." He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. She responded with a brief kiss before she continued down the list with her plans.
Immediately after getting off the platform at the station in Argus, they made their way through the streets to the cheapest parts of town. Argus was a high income/high cost of living city and while it had nothing resembling the ghettos of Mistral, there were distinctly lower income areas where they knew they could find affordable accomodations.
Where Mistral was Adam's territory and he took the lead in navigating and making purchases, Argus was Weiss'. She'd visited frequently with her father and was familiar enough to know her way around without needing to ask for directions or seek out a city map. Argus was an easier city overall; it was smaller, on flat land, meaning no long hills or staircases to traverse, plus it had ample public transportation in the form of trolleys that were easily affordable and fully extant within the city limits.
Their first stop was a strip mall in the "affordable" side of town where they were able to purchase scrolls with prepaid cards instead of having to show ID and set up a plan. A nearby hotel which both cost less and was nicer than the inn in Mistral was their next stop. They secured a room, but were too early for check in. Needing to burn a few hours, Weiss suggested they get their clothes buying in next.
"We can, but we have to watch the money," Adam insisted as they snagged a seat on the trolley. "We can't spend it all on clothes and then not be able to afford multiple nights at the hotel."
"I've actually already thought of that," Weiss said with a smile. "Hopefully this will be a one stop shop and we will still have time to get your hair dyed as well."
"Why do I feel like you're trying to give me a makeover?" Adam asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I wouldn't call it a make-over," Weiss countered. "You're handsome enough, I would think of this as more of a disguise."
"Hearing you talk makes me feel like a dress-up doll."
"This is the first time in almost two years I'm going to get to go shopping in my favorite district and I am in dire need of some retail therapy. Forgive me if I'm a little excited it about it."
"Well, at least one of us is having fun," Adam said.
"I'm just trying to stay positive." Her face became serious, "I know we're still in danger, but we have a plan, and we're acting on it and so far, things are going well. If we just stay cautious and stick to the plan, we'll have something to show for it here in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, there's nothing wrong with enjoying the small things we're able to experience."
"I doubt I'll enjoy the experience…but I think I'll enjoy who I experience them with."
"Oh, you're smooth."
Adam smiled despite himself.
The smile immediately dissipated as soon as they got off the trolley in front of a high-end dress shop. He could just tell by looking at the basic font of the shop's name Engel that this was an overpriced, bespoke kind of boutique he would have burned down out of spite had it been in Mistral during his heyday in the White Fang.
"Are you serious?" he asked.
"What?"
His frown hardened. "Weiss, we can't afford anything in here. We have a very limited supply of Lien."
"First, we have to blend in with a certain standard of living and clothes bought at a thrift store in Mistral isn't going to cut it. Second, I trust the shop owner here to respect our privacy and third, we might not have to pay for anything if I can get what I want. All you need to do is stay quiet and act like you're a bodyguard. Can you do that?"
Adam sighed. "I can." After being in charge of waves of people, being at the directional mercy of this petite and dainty woman was a bit of a challenge, but he knew he had to play along.
And play along he did, opening the door for Weiss as she entered the dress shop and standing with his arms folded behind his back behind her, always staying a few steps behind and looking around as if assessing the room every few minutes.
Weiss put on her best distressed face and approached the counter. "Is Odette here? I need Odette."
"Odette is always here," came a voice from the back room. A tall, thin woman with a figure only achievable with surgeries emerged from the back, her face lighting up immediately. "Weiss Schnee! How lovely to see you back in Argus!" She came around the counter and dramatically took Weiss' hands in her own before kissing her on the cheek. "I heard you were convalescing in Atlas after all that nasty business at huntress school. How are you? I am loving this hair!" She shamelessly ran her fingers through Weiss' shorter locks.
"I'm better. I actually was travelling abroad and I'm on my way back home," she lied, flicking her hair from side to side. "You like it? I got it done by one of the stylists at Papillion Noir, Nessa. She's amazing, isn't she?"
"I would never have guessed a short cut would look good with your face structure but it really makes you look modern and more mature." Odette drew Weiss' arms apart to look her over. "My dear, what is this travesty you are wearing?"
Weiss scoffed. "You would not believe what happened to us on the way up here. I was travelling on the train to Mistral and the idiots at curbside check loaded my luggage to the whole wrong train. It's probably on the east coast by now. All my things are gone; my clothes, my scroll, my wallet, and we didn't realize it until we were getting off the platform in Mistral. We hardly had any cash and had to buy clothes at a thrift store. Luckily our hotel and tickets here were already paid for, but we're not supposed to get our bags for another three days!"
"How simply disastrous," Odette said, feigning concern and indignation, "We must fix 'this situation' right away," she said pointing to Weiss' resale ensemble. "I don't have as good of a selection as normal, but with the trade restrictions, this season was bound to be limited. Let me pull some things for you and you can browse as you need. "She looked at Adam who was trying to balance acting like he was one of Weiss' employees and trying to use his hoodie to conceal half his face. "And the gentleman with you?"
"This is my bodyguard, Adam," Weiss said. "He's been my head of security while I was…convalescing."
"I see…If you need, I can recommend some men's tailor's nearby if his luggage has also been relocated." She snapped her fingers and the two girls behind the counter immediately set to work.
"Yes, please," Weiss said with enthusiasm.
"Head to the dressing room, and I'll bring you some options,"
Weiss headed to the back with enthusiasm. The dressing rooms were a lavish semi-circle of stalls that opened up into a sitting room with cushy chairs and multiple mirrors. The pair were offered champagne while they waited which perplexed Adam, but they both graciously accepted.
In just a short time, one of the employees brought back an armful of dresses for Weiss to try on, hanging them on the hook outside the door. "Miss Elgel has taken the liberty of contacting our sister store and is sending over a few suits for your head-of-security. She also wanted me to let you know that we can have everything you like tailored by end of day if necessary."
"Thank you. I take it my daddy's card is still on file, right?"
Three hours and far too many dresses later, they emerged from the boutique with a new wardrobe and a custom order for Adam's eye patch, which would be ready by the end of the week. Overhead, three ships were headed to Atlas: one containing her sister and her team, another, invisible to the naked eye crossed into Atlesean airspace with only two passengers: both female, their destination and intentions unknown. The third could hardly be called a ship, though it carried a team as intent on making it to Atlas as RWBY and JNPR were, though for very different purposes. The flying grimm contained unspeakable monsters as well as their queen with disastrous plans for Atlas.
Things were being set in motion that would either lead Atlas to triumph or complete ruin, and everyone knew it: Ironwood, Weiss, Winter, Penny, Artis, Adam and even Salem herself. All eyes were on Atlas and it was about to become a battleground.
It was just a matter of time.