The following is a non-profit, fan-made work of fiction. RWBY and Iron Man are the respective trademarked properties of Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC and Marvel Entertainment, LLC. Please support their respective franchises and releases. This means I own jack, so don't sue me, it's all for fun. (And practice, I just wanna be a better writer.)

The Invincible Whitley Schnee

Chapter 17: Silver Lining

August 30th, 2008 KC

Globe Academy Training Facility

Arena A

Mantle, Solitas

11:30 AM

Typically, Globe Academy was closed on the weekends. With no dorms of its own, much of its student body returned to their homes to wait for the coming school week. The same cannot be said for its training facilities, which remain open for both students and visiting professional Hunters. It was a pragmatic choice, as huntsmen and huntresses must maintain healthy bodies and keep their skills refined, given their profession.

And what physically fit warrior can resist a facility that houses an arena, gym, track, and an indoor swimming pool all in one?

Flynt Coal and Neon Katt certainly could, as they would have preferred spending their weekends at home. Flynt had wanted to spend his time practicing his trumpet playing, while Neon wanted to go scout out clubs for potential party nights. Of course, they wanted to spend time with their families as well. Instead, they're spending it at their old school training for the Vytal Festival.

Both hunters-in-training now stood in the center of the arena where they spent much of their formative years training. Dressed in the same ugly grey sweats they wore during each sparring match.

"All right, Flynt, Neon, please take your positions at the opposite ends of the arena."

The only difference between this moment and their prior experiences was the fact that their coach and referee was one Marrow Amin.

"Come on, we paid for blood!"

And then there was the audience that consisted of Whitley Schnee and the Stane siblings, Ezekiel and Whitney.

"Zeke, please, settle down... we didn't pay for anything either..." Whitney told her excited brother.

"Also, they're just sparring, it's not life-or-death." Whitley told his friend.

"I know. But I've always wanted say that and this seemed like the best moment." Zeke admitted with a shrug. He shouted into the air, "Does anybody agree with me?"

"I thought it was the perfect moment!" Neon shouted from the arena.

"Thank you, Neon! See, she gets it!" Zeke said with a proud smile.

"Zeke, please..." Whitney shook her head, exasperated at her brother's antics.

"Excuse me, but may I please ask the audience to keep their comments to themselves. This is a sparring match, not Valean Ninja Warrior!" Marrow proclaimed to the three spectators, whom promptly quieted down.

The older specialist turned his attention back onto his two protégés- which they'd vehemently deny- and looked them both straight in the eye.

"As I was saying earlier, please, take your positions and prepare yourselves."

Flynt and Neon shared an uncertain look, before their convictions took hold and they shook hands. With a respectful nod, they promise to give it their all during this spar. Turning their backs to each other, they made their way over to their respective positions, with Flynt heading right and Neon taking left. Now standing on the edge of the arena's borders, the two teens readied themselves for combat.

Flynt brought up Argent Blare, placed Dust crystals into its chambers, and lifted the mouthpiece up to his lips. The trumpeter stood tall, ready to blow his diaphragm into a destructive soundwave of Dust.

Neon brought out her nun-chucks, Nyan Glow, and gripped them in her hands. Her rollerblades, which she thankfully had been allowed to wear, were secured tightly on her feet. She crouched into a starting position, much like a runner.

Seeing that the two students were ready, Marrow brought up a whistle and declared. "On the count of three, I blow this whistle and the match begins!"

"One..." Flynt scrunched his eyebrows into a fierce gaze.

"Two..." Neon let out a confident smirk.

"Thr-"

"Enough with the grandstanding and just say 'fight'!" Zeke called out, prompting harsh reprimands from his sister and friend.

Marrow let out an irritable growl, annoyed by the boy's sudden outburst, and petulantly spoke, "Oh, whatever!"

The specialist blew into the whistle, its metallic shriek piercing the air. Unsurprisingly, every teenager present winced at shrill noise, their teeth grinding as they covered their ears with their hands. Marrow ceased his whistling and stared at the teenagers, took a moment to relish in their pain, and finally looked upon the two combatants.

"Well, what are you two waiting for? Go nuts!" He ordered before retreating from the arena.

Without another word, Neon rolled into action, activating her semblance. The girl's speed increased and she became a ribbon of many colors, a rainbow gliding along the arena's bland wooden flooring. Flynt moved and ran into the center of the arena. Neon saw this and moved in on him, flinging her nun-chucks as she activated the liquid Dust within them. Noticing her sudden change in direction, Flynt jumped back and aimed his trumpet at the advancing cat girl.

The young man blew his trumpet, blaring out a fiery vortex right at her!

Neon saw the coming attack and promptly steered herself to the right, narrowly dodging the flaming vortex. She quickly skidded to a halt and stared at her friend.

"Wow, Flynt, I knew you could be a blowhard when you wanted to, but I didn't you were full of hot air!" She cheerfully taunted, sticking her tongue out.

Flynt rolled his eyes, used to Neon's trash-talk. When one had a partner like her, it was wise to grow thick skin. Her taunts had no effect on him.

He smirked and aimed his trumpet at her, switching from Fire to Ice, and blew again!

From the mouth of the trumpet an icy, arctic blast flew out, a flurry of snow trailing behind it. Neon wasted no time and rollerbladed away. The icy vortex impacted on the spot previously occupied by the girl, a pillar of ice rising there. As the student hunters fought, the members of their miniscule audience discussed the action.

"That was a pretty cool move by Neon. Don't you think so, Whitley?" Zeke asked the Schnee heir.

The white-haired genius replied, "Honestly, I don't know. I'm not much of a fighter, so I don't think I have the right words to say."

"That's understandable. What's your opinion on the match, sis?" The wheelchair-bound teen addressed his sister. "I mean, you were training to be a Huntress."

Whitley raised an eyebrow at that bit of information. He didn't know Whitney had been training to be a huntress. From what Obadiah had told him and his sisters, the girl was training to be a gymnast. To hear this news was shocking, considering that she was once quite talkative and outgoing. He supposed that she didn't want to make a big deal about it.

As to why she would stop with her training, the Schnee wondered if her mother's death was the catalyst.

He listened as Whitney spoke up, "Well, I don't know remember much about strategy, but if I were to pick a winner for this match, it would have to be Flynt."

"Oh, really, and why's that?" Zeke asked, wanting her to elaborate.

"Well, first, he's not falling for Neon's taunts, showing he's keeping a cool head. He's making sure to keep some distance between him and her while she uses her semblance. Plus, it wasn't the best idea for Neon to use her semblance at the start. From what I remember, speed-type semblances typically drain Aura faster, meaning there's a good chance she'll waste much of it in a few minutes..." She stopped when she saw the weird looks the boys were giving her.

"Uh... well, they're doing fine. But they've exposed a lot of flaws with their strategies and fighting styles." She calmly spoke before returning her gaze onto the dueling students. "Which we're about to see soon."

Whitley and Zeke followed suit and resumed watching the match.

As he followed the continuing combat, Whitley started taking notes on the fighters. It was his hope that by watching his two bodyguards fight each other, he can devise new strategies to use against Blizzard during their inevitable rematch. So far, neither Neon nor Flynt had been able to land a hit on the other, as the cat girl was skating literal circles around the trumpeter. She had the advantage right now, but he suspected that Whitney's prediction was about to become true.

As for Flynt, he couldn't help but wonder why he would stand his ground rather than switch positions. And that wasn't the first thing he noticed. The trumpeter seemed to be aiming his weapon at his opponent only when she stops to taunt him. The Schnee heir couldn't help but wonder what was going through the boy's head right now.

This is getting old. Flynt thought as he watched the rainbow wall surrounding him.

He was down to one Dust chamber now, and he barely had the time to load more into Argent Blare. He checked his last loaded chamber and saw that it was full of Wind Dust. Wind Dust had incredible stopping power, but Neon was going too fast for him to get a bead on her. There was a also the fact that she hasn't used her weapon yet, meaning she was waiting for him to run out of Dust before she can strike.

Good plan, Neon. He mentally applauded his teammate. Nice to see you paid attention in Strategy class. But I'm on to you now, so don't expect me to let my guard down.

And that doesn't mean I'm gonna keep standing here. Flynt quickly sprinted away from his prior position, hoping to bait the cat girl into attacking him.

He had no set destination in mind, he was simply running. Neon saw his sudden movement and took this as her moment to strike. She turned and set herself on a path toward him, Nyan Glow's Dust bars activated and ready for the attack. In a second, she was right on top of him. She leapt high into the air, her right hand lifted over her head, ready for the hit.

What she didn't expect was for her partner to leap out of the way!

Stunned, Neon braced herself and rolled onto the ground. Now in a crouched position, she saw her partner lying on his rear a few feet away from him, trumpet at the ready. With a smirk, Flynt blew his final round of Dust. A violent, spiraling gale erupted from out of the horn, heading straight for her.

Her green eyes widened in shock and she cursed, "Shit..."

The wind rammed right into her with all the force of a hurricane, hurtling her into the air!

For the few seconds she was airborne, Neon Katt wondered just how she'd let Flynt get one over her. She had the advantage from the get-go, had the perfect strategy to wear him out, and yet he was able to send her flying through the air. Her thoughts were cut short when she landed roughly on the ground, her aura shattered and her pride bruised slightly. She also might have a bruised behind, but she'd rather keep that to herself.

"Match over! Winner: Flynt Coal!" Marrow called out, fully playing up his role as referee.

Upon hearing the match being called, Neon laid down on her back, disappointed and slightly delirious. She heard the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching her. Lifting her head, she saw Flynt walking toward her, concern visible in his eyes. The moment he was next to her, the young man leaned in and offered a hand.

"You all right, Neon?" He inquired. "Is anything broken?"

"No... Well, maybe except for my dignity." She replied, taking his hand.

The cat girl rose with the aid of her friend, albeit slowly and somewhat stiff in the joints. That blast took more out her than she thought. She looked up and beheld the large monitor hanging above the arena. To her immense displeasure, she saw that the match had lasted only eleven minutes with her aura dangerously in the red. If this had been real, she'd likely be dead in minutes without her aura protecting her.

She can only dread as to what Marrow was going to say about her loss.

"That was the worst fight I ever saw." Marrow told the two Atlas students.

Neon winced at the man's blunt words. When he had asked to speak with her and Flynt in private, she had been expecting some criticism. But Marrow came out fully swinging with his critiques, not even trying to hide just how disappointed he was. The look in his typically friendly eyes weren't that of the friendly, adorkable man they've come to know. No, this was the serious and professional huntsman.

She frowned as Marrow gave her a look that was equal parts displeased and unimpressed. Flynt noticed her downfallen demeanor and promptly came to his friend's defense.

"Look, Neon was doing the best she could, and I think-"

Marrow cut him off with a stern glance. "You think I was talking about only Neon?"

Surprised, the trumpeter incredibly asked. "Excuse me?"

"I have no excuses to give and I doubt you have any for that disappointing performance." Marrow said without skipping a beat. "When I read your transcripts, I was excited to see what the two best students this year's crop of freshmen had to offer. I was expecting an impressive fighting display tempered by refined strategic minds. All I got was a typical combat school brawl. I don't know what you two have been doing, but ever since your teammates... Oh..."

Marrow ceased his rant when he realized the line he was about to cross. The topic of their suspended teammates was still a sore subject.

Dialing down his harsh rhetoric, Marrow adopted a more controlled tone. "What I meant to say was that you two have stagnated. If you don't believe me, then listen to what I have to say."

The specialist looked at Flynt. "All you did was stand in the middle of the arena, waiting for Neon to give you an opening to attack. If you wanted one, then you should have made it yourself. And standing still is not a position any fighter would choose. In a real fight, Flynt, your opponent is not going to be as courteous as Neon. And they'll use whatever advantage they have to take you out, quickly and mercilessly."

He pointed the finger at Neon next. "And speaking of advantages, you had one, Neon. The minute the match started, you went full out using your semblance. That speed gave you an opportunity to end the fight quickly, but you chose to draw it out instead. So tell me, why didn't you end it then and there?"

The girl stared at the specialist like a deer caught in headlights, whatever argument she was about to give dying in her throat. She shared a nervous glance with Flynt, who was just as speechless as her. Seconds passed before her courage returned and she spoke quickly.

"I didn't want to hurt Flynt."

In response to her answer, Marrow shook his head in disappointment. It was a feeling he had been getting all too familiar with. He took a deep breath and explained with a calm tone.

"Neon, you and Flynt are training to become Hunters. You both have Aura. Someone gets a scratch or a black eye, we just roll with it, it's part of the job. Just because you're friends doesn't mean you have to go easy on each other. In fact, you're hurting yourselves by not hurting each other."

The teens stared weirdly at the specialist, who realized what he had just said. "Okay, that last part would have sounded really bad without context. But my point stands. If you two don't stop holding back on each other during these practice spars, you're only setting yourselves up to die later on."

Flynt and Neon had wanted to argue the man's criticisms, but found that they couldn't; because Marrow was right and they knew it. Ever since Kobalt and Ivori were suspended, they ceased taking the time to refine their skills. They had failed to adapt to their surroundings, adjust their strategies accordingly, or learn any new fighting techniques. Instead, they reverted to habits they thought were drilled out of them in combat school. To put it simply, they have stagnated.

"You're right, Marrow." Flynt spoke first. "As much as we try to deny it, the fact is that life is neither fair nor considerate to what we want."

"Flynt's right," Neon added, "If we're not careful, there's a good chance we'll wind up dead. And unlike what happened with the train, I doubt Iron Man is gonna save us out of every situation we get ourselves into. We have to be better."

"And that is why we're going to have these spars every weekend." Marrow pointed out. "It's not going to be easy and I can't say that I won't be the best teacher, but I will do everything in my power to make you the best fighters in your class. That's a promise."

The two teenaged warriors smiled at the man's words. For all of his awkwardness and pretensions, one can't deny that Marrow Amin was dedicated. From just the tone of his voice they can tell that he meant each and every word he said. If one of the Ace-Ops thought they were worth wasting a weekend to train, then what was keeping them from being just as dedicated as he was?

"Okay, Marrow, if you're that serious about this training, then we'll try our hardest to meet your expectations." Flynt told the specialist.

Neon, being the confident girl she was, scoffed at her friend's words and boasted. "Forget that, whatever you expect of us, well, we're gonna go beyond them. You mark my words!"

Back in the stands, the trio of Whitley, Whitney, and Zeke sat silently. After Marrow had called the two combatants away for a private discussion, the three teenagers found themselves alone. As time trickled on, the complete lack of noise was starting to erode their collective patience. To alleviate their growing boredom, each teen took to different activities. Whitley took out his scroll, Whitney read a book she had brought, and Zeke started listening to music on his own scroll; the typical things anybody with time to waste would do.

But of all of them, Whitley was the only one who chose to do something productive with the time that was given to him. The youngest Schnee wanted to check on the progress on his new armor, which was currently being worked on by Rhodey. He did this by texting his guardian, all while subtly watching the Stane siblings to ensure they didn't poke their noses into his business. Even so, he was careful in wording his texts.

[How are things coming together?] He asked the older man.

Rhodey sent his response. [The last part is ready. We'll put it together later.]

The genius smiled and replied. [Excellent. It might be a while before I get back.]

[How long do you think?]

Whitley ran a few numbers and gave an answer. [By my guesstimate: 2, maybe 3 hours]

In truth, Whitley had no idea how long it'll be before he returns to the apartment. He hadn't the slightest as to how long Marrow was going to lecture his two presumptive students. And then there was the fact that they haven't eaten lunch yet, which might set his schedule back by an hour or so. And of course, he knew that the Stane siblings wanted to catch up with him and he didn't want to deny them.

As he wondered about the future, another text from Rhodey appeared.

[Guesstimate?]

For some reason, Whitley knew that was going to be Rhodey's takeaway from his prior text.

He quickly answered. [Just something I'm trying out. It's a combination of Guess and Estimate.]

He sent one final text. [I'll be back when I can. Keep everything where it needs to be.]

[Will do. See you then.]

As he started to turn his scroll off, another message came through. He quickly read it.

[Oh. One more thing, I swear. There's something important that I need to ask you.]

Curious as to what his guardian's question was, Whitley quickly replied. [What is it?]

Seconds passed before the man's next text came through.

[Do you want to do something special on your birthday?]

Whatever elation the boy had felt quickly evaporated, replaced by an overwhelming sense of sadness. He knew his birthday had been coming up. He had hoped nobody would bring it up. If there was one day of the year that he hated the most, it would have to be August 29th. He quickly sent his response, which was short and succinct.

[Just finish what you're doing.]

With that final text, he turned his scroll off and pocketed it. While satisfied with the progress being made on the armor, he was now foul mood. Wanting to lighten his mood, He looked over at the Stanes and asked, "So, what's new with the both of you?"

Having heard the question, Whitney closed her book and nudged her brother, who was listening to music with earbuds. Despite his displeasure at having his music interrupted, Zeke took the hint and removed the small devices. He looked over at the Schnee and asked, "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Whitley repeated his question, "What's new?"

"Nothing much, not a lot has happened." Zeke calmly explained. His tone shifted to excitement, "Except I got an Internship with the SDC's research division!"

Whitley smiled at his friend, "Oh, my gods, congratulations!"

"Yeah... Sucks that I have to work for that asshole, Stone. No doubt he's gonna give me trouble about my dad being the CFO, probably say he's the reason I even got it." Zeke added bitterly, a fierce scowl on his face.

Whitley can understand his friend's discontent. He too has had the misfortune of meeting the company's current head of research. The man was a genius, there were no doubts there, but he had the personality of a dumpster fire. In fact, he was quite possibly the most arrogant, conceited, and entitled bastard he had ever met in his life, second only to his father. He's met the man only a few times, but once would have been enough.

"Just don't let him get to you. You earned that internship; all you got to do is prove it to them." The Schnee said encouragingly.

Zeke's sister smiled and told him, "That's right, Zeke. You didn't spend all those years in college just to have someone like Stone treat you like that. As long as you work hard, there's a chance you'll have his job in a few years."

Ezekiel Stane smiled in appreciation for the kind words of his friend and sister. Ever since the attack that robbed him of his mother and legs, the young man believed that nothing good would happen to him again. Never had been so glad to have been proven wrong. He rubbed the back of head bashfully, basking in their praise.

"Shucks, keep this up and you're going to make me blush." He said. His appreciative smile soon turned teasing when spoke again. "Speaking of blushing, that's not the only thing that's happened. In fact, there's something I learned about Whitney you ought to know."

The girl felt her cheeks heat up upon hearing her brother's words. He wouldn't dare say what she thought he was going to say? Would he?

Whitley was intrigued by what he heard. He leaned in asked, "And what is it, exactly?"

"Don't tell him, Zeke!" She screeched at her brother. "Seriously, don't do it! I'm warning you!"

Her warning fell on deaf ears as Zeke gave the biggest shit-eating grin he can muster.

"My dear sister, you see..."

"No-no-no-no-NO!"

"She's got a crush⁓" Zeke sang.

With a muffled scream, Whitney sank down into her seat, her face redder than the reddest tomato. Whitley looked at the flustered girl in surprise. He hadn't been expecting this bit of news. If he had been the same person months ago, he would have been fuming in jealous rage, considering he once had was he thought was a crush on the Stane girl.

That infatuation, as it turned out, was not born out of love, but from the thought of being with someone from another prominent family. That had mostly been his Father's influence. In the time he spent with Yinsen, the man would often share stories of the love he shared with his wife. Love was not some kind of business contract nor did it demand absolute obedience. No, love was about mutual respect, loyalty, and accepting their partner despite their flaws.

Jacques Schnee didn't know anything about love. The only person he cared about was himself.

As for Whitley. Love was something he couldn't afford. Not after becoming Iron Man.

Besides, who'd ever love someone like me? Especially with all the blood on my hands. The Schnee thought with a frown, looking at his hands.

Not wanting to relive his experiences from the cave, Whitley took a deep breath and pushed all negative thoughts back into his mind. He can't afford to have an episode with the Stanes present. Quickly averting his eyes away from his hands, his gaze returned to Whitney, who had become a blushing and stuttering mess. Such a sight made it clear that the girl was infatuated with someone.

But just who exactly did Whitney have a crush on?

"Hey, you guys!" The teens stopped whatever they were doing and looked to the arena.

Standing in the center of it was Flynt, who was waving at them, in an attempt to get their attention. The trumpet using Huntsman had long since foregone the grey sweats, having changed into a pair of black pants and a light grey sweater, over which he wore a charcoal grey jacket. It was stylish yet casual.

His presence can only mean that he and Neon were finished being lectured by Marrow.

The young man shouted to the three spectators, "Hey, we're going to be leaving soon! How do you all feel about getting some lunch? There's this place I know that's only a few blocks away. What do you say?"

Whitley and Zeke shared a look, both of them wondering if they even had the time for a meal. But before they can think on the matter further, something rather surprising happened. Whitney, who had broken from her flustered state, rose up from her seat and spoke, "Yeah! That'd be great! I'm pretty thirsty- HUNGRY! Hungry is what I meant. I'd like to eat wherever."

The boys watched in stunned silence as the girl fumbled with her words, "But I don't like eat all the time! I mean, obviously I eat every day, because not doing so would be bad! I'm not anorexic or something- uh, I meant, uh, you know... like... whatever..."

The girl put on a very awkward and forced smile, her cheeks dusted with a faint blush. The very clumsy speech, coupled with the girl's blush and demeanour made Whitley cringe. That was just too painful to watch. It only took a moment for the boy to put two and two together.

Whitney has a crush on Flynt? He thought in surprise. When did that happen?

Questions for later. Whitley looked to his bodyguard and yelled, "Yes, we'd love to get something to eat!"

"I heard that, Whitney!" Flynt replied, ignoring his client's words.

Whitley glowered at the older boy's dismissal. Even after two weeks, Flynt has yet to warm up to the boy. Other than the occasional moments of genuine kindness, the huntsman was consistently cold toward him. It was a stark contrast to his partner, who was quite friendly to the genius. The Schnee wondered if he'll ever earn his respect.

"Neon is waiting for us outside! Marrow's getting the car! Let's get moving before they leave without us!"

The trumpeter walked away, moving toward one of the tunnel exits. The three teens promptly collected themselves and made their way out of the stands. Whitney was the first to move, walking toward the exit with a spring in her step and an expectant smile on her face. Whitley stayed behind to help Zeke in to his wheelchair. As they tried to catch up with her, the Schnee quickly asked his friend.

"She's got it really bad for Flynt, doesn't she?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

"I have no idea on what the hell I'm doing."

James Rhodes scratched his head as he looked upon the mess of wires lining the interior chest plate. The metallic skeletal frame was the last piece of the armor's exoskeleton to be worked on. Over the past week, He and Whitley had made good time in building a superior successor to the Mark II. The young genius had learned much while making the last armor and he had been able to shorten the time needed to build another. And how to do without sacrificing quality to save time.

It also helped to have another pair of hands.

It's a good thing I decided to take my vacation earlier. Rhodey thought, knowing how hard it would have been to explain his absence to his employees.

He can trust his staff to keep the store running in his absence, but he knew they get suspicious if he were to leave every single day to do whatever. And so he decided to use his vacation time much earlier than he had planned. He had set aside some time in December to go on a trip to Argus, but helping his young ward took precedence. He chose to spend his time in an underground workshop rather than Starhead resort in Sanus.

Rhodey connected a wire, only to receive a shock to his fingers.

The man jumped up and shouted, "Yeowch!"

"Told you to use gloves, dude!" A certain sentient AI called out.

Rhodey grumbled and stared at the helmet where his unwanted companion was housed. "Yes, you've told me that seven times already, VIC."

"Nine times, actually." The AI corrected the man.

"Not the point, VIC." Rhodey coolly retorted. "Honestly, this would be a lot easier if Whitley was here."

He was really starting to regret forcing the boy to take some time off.

Rhodey has long considered himself to be quite the handyman when he needed to be. He's repaired his TV and Microwave, reworked the wiring in his house, and done work on his car. When he was in the military, he'd often assist in the maintenance of his fighter. But a high-tech fully articulate metal prosthesis built with a complex network of wires, fuel lines, and computer chips? That was beyond his area of expertise.

And they hadn't even started fabricating the armor pieces. And they already had the needed material in the form of an alloy created for the old space program. According to Whitley, the alloy can withstand the extreme coldness of the upper atmosphere. This made it the perfect material to use for the new armor, as it can withstand the current freezing temperature and Blizzard's weapons.

But they have yet to receive the most important piece of the armor.

I should be getting a call from the doc soon. He said it would take close to a week to build the new reactor. Rhodey remembered. And of course that specialized bodysuit Whitley requested.

The retired pilot still had some reservations regarding the bodysuit. It wasn't that he was opposed to Whitley having it. He'd rest a little easier knowing his ward had an extra layer of protection when using the armor. He was worried that Dr. Polendina might realize Iron Man's true identity thanks to the boy's request. Pietro may be getting on in years, and was slightly absentminded, but the man was still as sharp as he was in his youth.

Rhodey knew the doctor was a good man. If it weren't for him, he would have lost the ability to walk. But he didn't know if Polendina would actually help Whitley if he knew the boy was secretly a vigilante. In Mantle, trust was a luxury that many couldn't afford.

"Sooooo... Are ya gonna work on that boot or just keep staring intently at it like you're in some bad soap opera?" VIC inquired. "Seriously, do all you meat bags do this? What? Is your life so boring you have to inject some drama into just about everything ya do?"

Rhodey snapped indignantly at the AI, "No, I was just thinking!"

"Well, can ya at least think like a normal person and not some drama club reject?

Rhodey wanted nothing more than to rip VIC's hard drive out of the helmet. But he was better than that. He will not give into his rage. He's run a business for nearly twenty years, helping a vigilante in fighting crime, and he's been a single parent to his niece. He was not going to let a glorified calculator drive him up a wall.

He tuned out the computer and promptly returned to working on the boot.

As he inspected the wires, his mind returned to Dr. Polendina. He didn't know if the old doctor had already figured everything out or if the doctor will say anything if he had.

The scent of freshly prepared meals wafted through the air, enticing the five teenagers sitting at one of the diner's many tables. Despite the disparate conversations and clinking of silverware on plates, the small restaurant proved to have quite the relaxed atmosphere. Whitley had never eaten at a diner, as his father considered them to be quote, "Plebian Trash". Sitting here now and having finally experiencing it, the boy can honestly say that his old man was full of it. He actually liked it here.

Also, the food is cheap, which was a plus.

"So, have any of you made a decision on your order?" A server asked the teens.

Flynt was the one to answer for them, "Not yet. But we know what we want to drink. My partner would like lemonade. The two blondes would like water. And the brunette... uh, what did you want again, Howard?"

'Howard', as Whitley was being called, told the server. "I'm not really that thirsty. I'd like to figure out what I'd want to eat first."

The server shrugged and wrote their orders down. "All right, I'll be back with your drinks."

The server walked off, leaving the five teens alone to converse amongst themselves.

"So, what did you guys think of the spar?" Neon asked the three teens, genuinely curious to hear their opinions.

She noticed Whitney said nothing, opting instead to focus on her menu. Neon frowned at the girl's rude gesture. She was beginning to suspect that the female Stane didn't like her that much. She first noticed it in the limo, when the girl had regarded with a very suspicious and fearful look in her eyes. She really hoped that Whitney didn't dislike her for being a Faunus. She can accept any reason for having the girl's ire, but not if was for something she was born with.

She shifted her focus from the Stane girl to her brother, who sat beside the table in his wheelchair. She repeated her question, prompting an excited response from him.

"It was awesome!" He said in awe. "I definitely got my money's worth."

"Again, didn't pay for anything." Whitley spoke offhandedly.

"Again, just joking," Zeke retorted. "But seriously, you guys got some skills! I mean, the way you used your speed and how Flynt used his trumpet, it was breathtaking. Though I do have to ask, why do you leave a trail of rainbows when you use your semblance?"

"Dunno," Neon admitted. "It just happens. I really have no control over it."

"Huh," Zeke nodded before turning to Flynt. "But you, Flynt, I gotta say I was really surprised by how powerful your weapon is. How exactly does it work?"

Flynt grinned proudly and confidently crossed his arms. "It's actually really simple. I converted the valves to contain powdered Dust. I simply blow into the aperture, and the soundwaves become an accelerant. Once it reaches a certain high-enough pitch, the dust is ignited and blown out the horn."

While Flynt's speech would have gone over most people's heads, Zeke and Whitley understood it well. As the novice huntsman said, it was a simple trick. Of course, Flynt had questions of his own for the Stane boy.

"I'm actually surprised that you decided to tag along." He told the disabled genius. "When we decided to start this training, we didn't imagine that our first spar would have an audience. I expected... 'Potts' not to show up, but he came anyway. I wasn't expecting you and your sister to come too, Zeke."

Whitley held back a frown, slightly peeved that Flynt referred to him by last name. And it wasn't even his real last name either! He didn't call him 'Howard', too!

And yet he had the decency to call Zeke by his actual name.

Seriously, I can't get a read on this guy. I don't know if he tolerates me or just plain hates my guts. The Schnee thought irritably.

"But it does raise a good question..." Neon piped up, gaining the vigilante's attention.

Staring at him with curious green eyes, the young woman leaned in on the tabletop."

"So, what brought you and friends out here anyway, 'Howard'?" She asked with a teasing smirk. "If you wanted to be my own personal cheerleader; all you had to was ask."

"Well, it was mostly because a friend of mine wanted me out of the house. He said I need to go out and enjoy life more." Whitley explained, in an attempt at spinning a convincing lie.

But it wasn't far from the truth, either.

Whitley had originally planned on spending the day finishing the exoskeleton with Rhodey, but the man forced him to take a break. Apparently, he needed to "enjoy life". He had far too many things to do rather than spending a few hours doing something frivolous. He was also expecting a call from Dr. Polendina.

Still, there was one silver lining...

"But I can't really complain since I'm getting free food out of it." He boasted with a half-smile.

Neon pouted indignantly, "And here I thought it was because you enjoy my company."

"Oh, come now, Neon, you know just how much I crave social interaction." The Schnee jested. "Why, I can honestly I thrive on social activity. Why deny the world the gift of my presence?"

The other teens stared blankly at the young man. Even Whitney, who had her faced buried in her menu, regarded him with a very flat look.

Noticing that all eyes were now on him, Whitley innocently asked. "What?"

"'Crave social interaction?'" Zeke parroted before adding, "This coming from the guy who locked himself away in his mansion for three weeks? I mean I get it, I really do, you had just gone through a traumatic experience, but you were practically a non-entity throughout that time."

"And in the two weeks since we've known you, you've barely held up a conversation for more than five minutes. You barely go out either." Neon concurred. "Am I right, Flynt?"

Flynt shrugged uncaringly and said, "I'm not too torn up about it. As long as he is indoors, he's out of trouble; makes our job easier. Right, Marrow?"

Flynt turned to look at the Specialist, who had taken a seat at the bar. Having heard his name being called, Marrow spun in his seat and regarded his five charges with a befuddled stare. Much to the teen's pleasant surprise, the corporal had a chunk of pancake jammed into his mouth, the maple syrup dripping from his lips.

Swallowing the pancake bit, he quickly wiped his lips and spoke. "Uh... I think both sides have valid arguments and that I should do some research before making an informed opinion."

Whitley flippantly told the man, "Wow. Way to take the middle ground, Marrow."

Marrow replied with an apologetic shrug before returning to his meal.

"I agree with Flynt." Whitney said with a faint blush on her cheeks.

Zeke gave her sister a side glance and thought. Of course, you would.

Whitley grumbled and impudently crossed his arms. "Okay, fine, you have a point. Is there anything else that you wish to comment on?"

A pregnant pause ensued. Ultimately, that silence was aborted when Zeke decided to blurt out.

"Well, isn't your birthday in two days?"

"Wait, it is?!" Neon squawked in surprise.

Even Flynt was surprised as his glasses tilted downward, showing his bewildered dark brown eyes.

The young vigilante's eyes nearly bulged out of his eyes from surprise. Out of all the things his friend could have said, he just had to bring up the one topic he didn't to hear about. The only ways things can get any worse is if Blizzard were to pop out of nowhere and rag-doll him.

But the odds of that happening were slim.

"I'd say that the chances of Gill's next heist succeeding are very slim, sir."

Sitting upon a chair, Zhang Li cocked an eyebrow at his subordinate, Killian. "Oh? And what gave you that impression, Aldrich?"

The blonde man looked over his spreadsheets and replied. "Well, given the fact that Iron Man survived their previous encounter, there is a high probability that the vigilante will learn from his defeat. He no doubt will be spending his time researching his opponent, as well as making improvements to his suit. And given that Hammer has no doubt realized that his bank accounts are being robbed, He'd likely demand that the banks increase their security."

Zhang stroke his chin in contemplation as he processed this information. He motioned his accountant/majordomo to continue.

"And of course, there is the likelihood that the Atlas Police will be on high alert. We may have had the dagger retrieved by one of our moles, but their investigation into the Train sabotage is uncovering much of what we've done. We thought about arranging an 'accident' for our saboteur, but he has long since disappeared. It was almost like he blended into the crowds and vanished."

The crime boss noted with a chuckle, "Heh-heh-he... Well, he's not called the Chameleon for nothing. Don't worry about him; the man's word is as good as the money we paid him. It'd stain his reputation to rat out us to the authorities."

"Regardless, all of these factors paint a rather grim outlook on Gill's next assignment." Killian argued. "I fear that should it fail, everything we have worked for would unravel and we'd have the entire kingdom barging in on us."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Zhang reassuring told the man. "I've a suspicion that Gill won't fail. Call it a hunch, but I'd say that Blizzard will do everything in their power to succeed. Even if it means taking that meddlesome metal menace down with them."

Zhang smirked confidently and clasped his fingers together. A small part of him was livid that he had but a single ring wrapped around one of his fingers, but the thought of having all his enemies suffer humiliating defeats soothed him. Of course, he had long accepted that Blizzard would fail him at some point. The warehouse attack was all the proof he needed. But he needed the bank robber for now.

While Blizzard might think there's a high chance that the next heist will go off without a hitch, but he was prepared for failure.

After all, should the glorified burglar fail, he can always rely on the little 'upgrade' he added to their weapon; specifically, in the pack that powered said weapon.

Still, it'll be a shame to see such a loyal subordinate lose their life in the line of duty. But sacrifices like this were required for victory.

And even it fails to kill Iron Man, he can at least have the satisfaction of knowing that there's one less loose end to take care of.

As the old saying goes, "All clouds have a silver lining".

Okay, so this chapter was meant to be longer, but I recently had to move, which left writing behind schedule. Not to mention I have to look for another job since I can't work in the same area anymore. But as it was stated in the story, all clouds have a silver lining.

The next chapter will be uploaded next month, and I plan on it being 12,000 words.

Oh, and brotherhood has finally assembled the AVENGERS in the recent chapter of Amazing Jaune Arc!

We may still be a long ways away from reaching the point where he travels to Vale, but please be patient. All good things come to those who wait after all.

Also, I saw the Mortal Kombat movie. It's not the greatest movie ever, but at least I was entertained. It was better than the last two movies, but that's not exactly hard to do.

I am excited to see the new Demon Slayer movie, followed by Gundam Hathaway.

Oh, if only Black Widow would come out sooner!

I'm also working on my two new stories, which will hopefully be released sometime in the summer. I'M JUST SO EXCITED!

Anyway, stay tuned for the next chapter of this Story, "Golden Opportunity", which will be released on either May 31st or June 1st.

See you all then!