"So uh… how does this work?" Blake held a pair of dust crystals that sparked internally. "I'm not particularly well-versed in reviving someone. I don't even think this is all that necessary…"

Yang swayed her head as she affixed an unconscious Ruby into a better position. "Blake, Ruby has sugar in her blood and chocolate chips in her brain, we need this procedure ASAP."

Without warning, Ruby shot up in a daze. "Oh my Gods'!"

"Ruby!" Everyone exclaimed, seeing their unconscious leader wake up after a few minutes.

"I know we're all happy for Ruby but does anyone even think that it's odd for a 15-year-old to get a heart attack just from hearing that the tanks have an aura? Probably a semblance if they discover it too?" Weiss pointed out.

Ruby, still shaken from receiving a heart attack and fainting soon after, heard what Weiss said. Thus in a natural response… she did it again.

*THUD!*

Yang face-palmed before staring incredulously at Weiss. "Why'd you say that, Weiss? Now we really have to use the dust to wake her up."

"Ugh, just pour some water over her face and get this over with. I want to learn about the upgrades before we move on and probably get the planes her drunk uncle left with my bedridden sister."

Penny caught their attention with a little wave. "Pardon me, according to my assessment, friend Ruby can be woken up with some simple stimuli like pinching. Would you like me to-"

Yang didn't listen. "Welp, you heard Snow White, awaken her, Blake!"

"Huh? Oh, alright… uh… clear?!"

With some resistance on her part, Blake rubbed the two crystals together which was not actually needed but it fit what they were trying to do… waking up Ruby at a shocking time.

"Wahhhhh!" Ruby squeals, feeling a small shock that woke her up the instant it interacted with her skin. "Huhauhauaaahua…"

Yang looked into her silver eyes while seeing the wakened leader opening her eyes. "You awake, Rubes? Don't faint again or we'll have to bring out the old ice bucket trick from when we were kids."

"Ah, no! I-I won't!" Ruby stutters, relaxing for a few minutes before standing up and facing Penny. "Ehem… what kind of upgrades did you all get? Penny, if you don't mind?"

Penny's eyes glowed, literally, at her friend asking her for an explanation. "Friend Ruby, the general has sent you a message with a document. I could always tell you everything myself!"

"Just a generalization, I'm not in the mood to read three hundred pages… yet. I think I still have stars flying over my head…"

Penny gave a small salute. "Al-right! I will aid in this endeavour and help you understand what has been unchanged in a few weeks. Due to the later arrival of Maus, we could not assess him and create upgrades in time but we will do it next time if you ask, Ruby."

"Thanks, Penny! Oh, I really wish we could get more upgrades but I did ask you all to make them able to watch us during the festival."

"You're welcome, bestest friend Ruby! A general upgrade that everyone has is aura capabilities and dust ammunition to be integrated into their arsenal. More important is the addition of non-lethal ammunition in their machine guns in the form of rubber bullets. Due to the mystery of how they managed to reload and use ammunition, the engineers just experimented by placing ammunition inside the tanks. We tried dust ammunition as a test."

"Let me guess, it worked the first time?" Yang remarked.

"Nope, friend Yang! Tiger's 88mm gun almost got ruined by the force! There are some top-secret experiments with gunpowder and dust, which resulted in the 88mm gun almost getting destroyed if not for the fact it wasn't held down, if it were in a turret, it would surely just destroy itself from the recoil. Otherwise, placing ammunition in the racks and inside the tank was okay for them to reload."

Ruby gave a brief gaze over the tanks lined up watching the conversation. "Uhuh… but I don't see anything different in Tiger, Penny. You said his gun almost got wrecked."

"It was a replica Ruby, the engineers have been trying to create their own version of Tiger's gun, they are still having trouble reverse engineering it without tearing Tiger apart but they have steady progress."

Weiss took the news as a big surprise. "Wait… the Atlas military will have tracked armoured vehicles in the army now?"

Blake nodded at Weiss' statement. "That sounds like it." She pauses before looking over at Penny. "Penny, isn't this something that constitutes a top secret?"

Penny had messed up, she covered it up in the most Penny of ways. "Oh… uh… no?" *hic* "...Anyways! Initially, the engineers wanted to lighten the tanks by adding plates of gravity-infused metal but that would make it volatile since a single spark could potentially destroy the tanks."

Ruby was getting excited, she had looked through the tanks the first time and she had a guess about the solution of using the gravity-infused plates. "Since I don't see anything related to that outside… it's probably on the inside right?"

"Correct! Since your tanks are heavily armoured, the protection it provides is sufficient enough for the highly reactive plates to be stored inside. Nothing short of a really powerful gun would be able to even come close to reaching the gravity-infused plate. The generator is seated by gutting seats on the driver's side and the tanks could try manipulating the force they experience. Sadly, this won't make them fly since the generator is weak and the dust used is minimal."

"I also noticed these." Ruby ran up to the tanks and poked an apparatus either placed where the vision ports would be for the tanks. "Are these what I think they are?" She asked with palpable glee.

Penny simply smiled. "Nachtjäger, it's what you describe as mounting infrared night-vision in her documents of military equipment."

Blake was amazed but was pressed to ask why it was in German. "Why not just call it tanks with night vision?"

"Duh, cuz Nachtjäger sounds waaaaaaayyyy cooler than just night vision capable units." The rest of the team reacted accordingly, Blake didn't mind the name, Yang was doing a thumbs-up motion and Weiss groaned at Ruby's childish behaviour. "Oh, don't blame me for wanting it to be cool sounding, I'm the one who listened to all this stuff and with some cross-referencing from the post-war tanks, I managed to reinvent revolutionizing technology."

"That's my sis!" Yang proudly proclaimed.

"Why can't you be this studious when it comes to classes?" Weiss asks about the disparity between sleeping Ruby and super-motivated Ruby within schoolwork and weapons development.

Ruby gave a little huff, questioning why Weiss even needed to ask her if she'd prefer studying weapons. "If you asked me whether I would like to listen to Professor Port's lessons than research some alien tech from another dimension, then you know what I would choose. We have limited ways we could 'see' in the dark by using lasers and stuff but this one is like being a Faunus… not entirely but still!"

Ruby repeated her findings during her spare time of conversing with the tanks who knew a lot about themselves and facts on earth where their time period lined up.

It was fun realizing that Remnant has more advanced tech on certain parts like robotics and hover technology and Earth was more on the ways to kill more people. It was a grim difference but both had their benefits.

Penny continued. "As Ruby said, all of the tanks we transferred to Atlas now have night vision. Finally, we will move on to the three core changes. Tiger, Iosif and Sherman have major modifications to their frame, and you would know why."

"The train… Tiger and Iosif's undercarriage has been completely mauled by the end of that."

"That is true. For Sherman, he received a bigger cannon but because the gun had to be created first and then fitted, the engineers didn't have enough time to make a bigger turret."

Sherman confirmed it in the background, a clear disdain still present. "Yep, so they just bootlegged it and made a hole in the back…"

"As for Tiger and Iosif, most of the time allocated was dedicated to them. Their bottom halves have been rebuilt to handle better stresses by using metals that are better at resisting shocks and are flexible enough when receiving excessive force. We had to modify their engines but with some references to post-war tanks, we fixed many engine problems by copying or updating their builds."

Tiger was very much appreciative of his new undercarriage. "In short we can finally do those team attacks you planned without wrecking the drive, honestly the German army during my development would've really liked the gravity dust and better alloys in making our transmission not die from the weight. In all honesty, the way Remant's mechs can jump and fall without their joints and legs falling apart is amazing compared to ours."

Penny finalized her rehearsed sets of explanations. "That is all the upgrades we could do in such a short time, rebuilding the hulls to employ mecha shifts and additional weapons would've taken more time away. It was hard for the team back in Atlas to recreate entire unknown areas in technology. That is all for Presentation Set #41!"

Ruby gave the tanks each a small hug, despite the metallic chill, she could really start enjoying having her friends back in her pockets. It was only weeks but it felt like forever, especially for someone who had few friends, to begin with.

"Mhhhhhmmm… I miss you guys, it's not the same without you all bickering about your country's superiority to one another early in the morning."

"Hey, Weiss does that too y'know?" Yang joked, poking fun at the already fed-up Weiss.

"I do not!"

It only further encouraged Yang to tease her. "Heh, you have no idea how many times you talked about how much better Atlas is in certain aspects."

"...I'm not even going to argue with you anymore, Ruby. So now that we're done here, can we go to the hospital so we can get more of your friends?"

""More?"" The tanks all said, surprised at the addition of more vehicles in their absence. It was a surprise but they knew it'd eventually happen, the question was who was next.

Weiss answered the group's question. "Yes, Ruby has gotten herself two more vehicles, specifically planes, Veltro and Sagittario, I think? Her uncle slurred most of it like the intoxicated oaf he is but I can handle drunken people trying to speak."

Hearing the names, the German felt a disturbance within his mind. "Oh no… not them." Tiger had flashbacks, who would've thought that PTSD even affected the vehicles… that or the crew that once piloted him suffered much of the same disorder.

"Tiger, do you really hate them that much?"

"Ruby, I've told you many times before… the Italians are never to be trusted! They have betrayed us twice during the entire two world wars we have fought! At least with the Soviets, I know they are bastards-

"Oi." Iosif eyed(?) Tiger in contempt.

"-but as for the Italians, we don't even know when they are friends or enemies! I'd rather fight in Russia like some of my brothers after what I've seen in the North Africa campaign. It was horrendous, you'd think they're purposefully surrendering to the British!"

"I concur!" Centurion declares, catching Team RWBY off-guard.

Yang asked, "Hold up, I know Britain is like the enemy of Italy but why would you agree, Centurion?"

"Even if I'd not fought in the Great War, they have done a downright disastrous front in world war one! Ramming straight into a fortified enemy while in the mountains during trench warfare is one of the most idiotic moves in history!"

"Weren't you the ones who orchestrated the catastrophic Gallipoli landings-" Tiger's point was cut off by the loud exclamation of denial.

"Preposterous! That doesn't alter the reality that they were not savvy allies!"

As Yang got her answer, she couldn't help but give some pity. "Huh, I sorta feel bad for them now that both the Allies and Axis are talking down on the Italians. Shouldn't we meet them first before we start talking bad about them?"

Ruby nodded at her sister's opinion. "Yeah, we should probably head to the hospital now. Oh, I almost forgot, why are you here Penny?"

Penny answers in her chipper tone. "Father sent me here, he was the one who gave your tanks aura! It was relatively simple for him since they all have their own souls. So there's no pushback from the council because it's not breaking any ethical restrictions!"

Everyone looked at the non-revealed robot's way of speaking. Weiss was especially connecting more details in the way Penny was acting so differently from a normal person. "...Somehow I feel like Penny is getting weirder and weirder, her dad gave them aura? Ethical restrictions? He hasn't tried making a robot have aura now did he-"

"Nope! Absolutely not!" Ruby practically screamed to stop Weiss before grabbing the heiress by the wrist and in a show of unexpected strength, started dragging her away. "Hahaha… we're going to go now, Penny! Good luck in the festival while I drag Weiss out from here again!"

"So you are dragging me on purpose- Ack!"

"Goodbye, friends!" Penny waved goodbye as the rest of the team followed, the tanks shrinking in size as they got carried by Yang and Blake since Ruby decided to prioritize keeping Penny's secret of being a robot rather than stop and retrieve her tanks.

Typical for Ruby these days.

In the white-washed room of a hospital, Winter was suffering, both physically, and mentally, maybe even transcending towards a spiritual level of suffering… because what kind of fate would be so cruel to subject her to an Italian talking about the glory days.

"-and that's when Julius Caeser uttered the phrase 'Veni, vidi, vici', a victory so swift that these words echoed many times over in history! Now we will move on to the next-"

"Sagittario, please… no more…" Winter groaned, she might have lost a few years of her life span, no it wasn't just the venom inside her body.

"...Do you not like our history?" Veltro asked.

Somehow when Winter looked at the windows of the aeroplane, she swore she could see tears in them. Was she hallucinating? Is she considering an inanimate object to have shown emotion? Winter would see puppy dog eyes in a plane… which was probably the venom just making her thoughts fuzzy.

Her voice softened to confusion before reassuring them as much as possible. "What? …No! Your history is very impressive and all but I would rather that I can get some…" Winter tried not to look at them like they were acting cutesy and all that, she curses herself as she finally asked, "...Silence?"

The two planes stood still, to Winter, could see them slowly accepting her words. "Ah… Signora doesn't like us, it's fine we will leave you alone."

"No, I didn't say anything of the sort!" Winter denies it, she was trying to ask politely but both planes took it the wrong way.

Veltro further exacerbated Winter's guilt. "If you wish for us to stop talking, then we will stay forever silent, never to for our stories to be told."

Winter bit her lip and sighed soon after. "...Haaaaa …fine continue."

The wonders of gaslighting.

Before the two started continuing their tale, the door was opened to the sound of clamour. Relief came to Winter as soon as she heard the door's hinges squeaking slightly as she finally had an excuse not to listen to tons of history.

"Sister, I've missed you!" Weiss moved closer, retaining her etiquette but clearly showing her love for her sister.

Winter was more grateful than ever that Weiss had arrived, probably because the planes were going to get taken away. As much as Winter wanted to learn, she had her limits while being supported by hospital equipment.

"Weiss!" She notices the surprised look on team RWBY. "…I mean …sister dearest, what do you require of me? I do not recall having been called for a sudden visit."

Like clockwork, Yang gave a smirk at the slip-up of the specialist breaking her character. "Looks like Ice Queen can't hold back, even I felt lots of love leaking through that. Excited to see Weiss ey? C'mon Snow White, we'll leave you to your sister bonding."

Weiss was secretly happy but she needed to save face for Winter's own good. "No need Yang, we're just here for a short high before we head back to the dorms." She turns back to her sister. "The reason for the sudden visit was that Ruby's uncle stole your scroll and informed us of a pair of Italians."

""Ciao!"" The two planes announced and everyone from Earth looked at them in either suspicion or neutrality, there was no in-between.

Tiger decided to break the ice. "Let's get this over with, Hallo my Italian friends. I am aware of our… history but since you two are planes and not those excuses of a tank while in Africa, then I guess I can stomach the thought."

"Ah, German! We agree!" Sagittario agreed, with his relative's similar sentiment.

"...You're not just agreeing with me because I'm German, right?"

Veltro answered this time. "Nope! Unfortunately, we soldiers in the field are pretty aware of the complete incompetency of high command. Do you think we'd just be not aware of the problems that led to a bunch of horrible losses?"

"Huh, maybe you aren't so bad after all."

"Anyways, we were just talking about the Roman Empire!"

"Aaaannd there it goes… what's with the Italians and obsession over the Roman Empire? I know that's a whole fad in itself but the Empire has been gone for so long."

Ruby wanted to get another heart attack as soon as she saw the miniature planes, with a bated breath she walked closer to the pair, not even minding the concerned looks of the others in the room.

Ruby started rubbing the frame and with suspicious wording, she started describing them in ways that surprised everyone. "Ooooo~ you both look so much better than the drawing I made! You look so… sexy."

"Ruby! Where did you learn that word?!" Yang was horrified, Ruby wasn't one to say anything obscene but at this moment, the red reaper had thrown out all stops in practically touching the planes all over while drooling.

"Well, she is surrounded by you…" Blake adds.

"You're the one reading that smut of yours all the time." Yang snapped back.

Ruby had stars in her eyes, picking up the planes while the Italians stayed silent. "Those curves, your wings, the guns…" She describes, further horrifying everyone in the room. "Can I ride you in your cockpit?"

"Phrasing, Rubes!" Yang screamed bloody murder at her innocent sister not being so innocent after all.

"I didn't see much and all I saw were pictures… but seeing planes in person is amazing! We're getting you some fuel and violating Vale airspace when we get back! I don't care if the general stops me, I won't let him stop me from flying a plane!"

Winter gave a big scoff, which hurt more than usual because of her illness. "Ahem. Yang, please control your little sister before she begins the process of being court-martialed."

"You heard Ice Queen, let's get you back to the dorms!" Yang was going to give Ruby a big interrogation, she didn't know Ruby could say those things with a straight face.

"Okaaaaay." Ruby rolled her eyes, she wasn't even sure why Yang was making a big fuss over it, she was just being descriptive of her weapons. "...Since you're all here now, I'd like for you all to meet someone when we get back to Patch for the weekend. You might already know her but because you are all part of me, I want to let her meet you all in person. Is that okay?"

All the vehicles answered. ""Of course, Ruby.""

"...Thank you."