Chapter 32: The Status Quo is Logical

Shockwave pondered on his current situation. More specifically, he was weighing the pros and cons to a question that had come up as a result of combing through hacked information thanks to Penny.

The Relic of Creation was not only being protected by Atlas Academy; it was also the way that the entirety of the kingdom remained afloat. Seizing the artifact had become more than a matter of simple possession.

The way that his logic saw it, there were two primary outcomes that he had to choose from.

The first outcome and the most dangerous one was to seize the relic, which would result in the collapse of Atlas into Mantle. There would not be enough time for either city to evacuate, which would likely result in the death of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions. The rest of the world would see that and put their armed forces on alert as well as whatever active-duty huntsmen were available.

Not only would the death count be catastrophic, but so too would the communication status. Atlas's CCT tower was located at its huntsman academy. It would at the very least suffer catastrophic damage if not be completely destroyed. Once it went down, the remaining three kingdoms would have moments to see all of this before everyone was cut off from each other entirely.

All of that negativity would surely bring massive hordes of Grimm to the crash site where they would pick off whoever survived the impact, of which there would be few, to begin with. It would be a miracle for anyone to survive both the impact and the monsters that would follow suit.

In short, the first outcome was highly dangerous and high-profile, all for the chance to use something that he possessed little information about in the first place. It was too much risk for a reward that had no clear benefits.

The second option was to simply have the artifact remain as it was. Through Penny, Shockwave could learn how to use it, albeit sparsely given that sooner or later, she would be compromised, but he would use that time to discern the true nature of the Relic of Creation and decide its use upon completion of data.

True to form, the former Decepticon also wished for Atlas and Mantle to remain intact as well. Not only would it be a waste of life if both cities were destroyed, but so too would it be wasteful to dispose of this planet's most advanced technology, in spite of it being far more primitive than even Cybertron's post-war technological state.

There was also the fact that he could effectively control the fate of two cities by simply being in this position. Ironwood was the biggest problem in the Kingdom, but as the headmaster of Atlas Academy, he likely possessed intimate knowledge about the Relic of Creation. All it would take was a clear and direct show to ensure that the general understood that any action that went against the Cybertronian-Faunus hybrid would result in severe consequences.

Truly, the loss of a massive population as well as its technology would be unfortunate, but if push came to shove, Shockwave had no qualms about pulling the trigger; it would be illogical, but what would be more illogical was to allow his enemy to chamber rounds into the weapon that was the entire Atlesian military and fire it.

Further musing was interrupted when the scientist halted in his tracks. He had spent the majority of his time in Mantle collaborating with Doctor Polendina. His expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence was a source of much information. The man had a firm grasp on both subjects and spoke about them with such fervor.

But there was something off right now.

Shockwave turned his head left and right slowly. Someone was watching him and they had been for some time. It was not constant surveillance, only during the day, but it was noticeable to him; he simply did not react lest he gives his pursuer the idea that he had actually sighted them. He needed to catch this person by surprise so that he could force information out of them without much resistance.

He stopped, stepped to the edge of the sidewalk, and then began to access his scroll. To a normal passerby, he was merely looking at his device and being courteous enough to not walk while looking at it and not get in the way of traffic, which he was doing. Contact with Amber and Emerald was a consistent affair.

Then, he looked to his left, roughly at his eight o'clock. He made it a point to ensure that he was looking exactly in the direction of his stalker. After all, he wanted to make clear that he had known where they were and that they were not as concealed from him as they would like to believe.

Although he could not make out any outstanding details about the physical profile, he could see that they were small relative to himself, but then again, his organic body was

somewhat on the imposing side, so to his senses, many individuals were smaller than himself. He would have to keep his perspective in mind.

Shockwave then began to search for any cameras within the vicinity, not a difficult task. Even on this single block, there were three which gave him an unobstructed view of the street. First, he triangulated his position relative to the surveillance equipment. Then he began searching for his query. It didn't take him long to see what he quickly identified as another Faunus that happened to be female. It took him a moment to realize that she had ears that were in the shape of a sheep.

Is she acting on her own or is she spying on me under orders? The Cybertronian hybrid's internal processors began to run through some scenarios. There are too many variables and assumptions based on physical appearance that will likely lead me to illogical conclusions.

So Shockwave decided to call out to her despite the action being awkward given the people around. "I know you are there. Do not pretend otherwise, sister. You only make a fool out of yourself by continuing that charade."

Truthfully, he felt nothing for the Faunus, but given their shared species, it seemed logical to use the terms of family and kinship to get her to come out.

It took a good ten seconds for her to reveal her full physical form and approach him, a look of shame and embarrassment etched onto her face.

"Your name." The scientist noted her small stature and felt little need to adjust himself.

The woman grasped her upper right arm with her left hand. "My name is Fiona Thyme. I'm… a member of the Happy Huntresses."

"I am not familiar with the name." Shockwave was confused by the name if anything. "What is the goal of this group?"

Fiona looked him in the eye, but she was clearly uncomfortable doing so, flitting her eyes to the side every so often. "Our group seeks to challenge the current council in Atlas. We want to gain a foothold in the political climate so that we can affect change in Mantle."

"For what purpose?" The former Decepticon maintained a neutral mindset.

The sheep faunus looked at him as if his question was strange. "To help the people of Mantle. It doesn't matter if they're human or Faunus, we're trying to give them all a fair shot at the game of life. Mantle came before Atlas, and despite the politicians saying that both cities are equal in their prosperity, they're not. The economic status of the city says enough, never mind the fact that Faunus are rare in Atlas."

So despite being idealistic, this woman was not blind to the reality of the disparity between the two cities. Her expression also carried a seriousness that overrode her previous nervousness.

"Why have you been following me?" Shockwave decided to return to the present, not wanting to become invested in the struggles of the two cities.

To that question, Fiona regressed back to her timidity. "...curiosity?"

"About what?" He was confused.

She bit her lips before answering. "You looked different than the locals. You're from somewhere else, right?"

"What makes you say that?" Shockwave chose to neither confirm nor deny her question.

Fiona appeared to regain some of her gall. "For one, you're not dressed like we are. The styles don't match. Second, your accent is not from here. You sound like you came from one of the other kingdoms. Third, you feel… different."

Perhaps she was sensing his Cybertronian parts? It was unexpected given that nobody, human or Faunus had given any indication that he appeared anything more than a Faunus with cybernetics to make up for assumed physical injuries and losses.

Shockwave decided to see if perhaps this interaction could be used to his advantage. "You have questions. I can give them to you, but I will require something in exchange."

"What do you have in mind?" Fiona appeared willing to bargain.

He was clear about his wants. "Information."


RWBY - - - Transformers


Fiona really was out of character lately.

For one, she wasn't the stalking type. Not only was it tacky behavior, but it was just plain creepy and unsettling. She knew that she wouldn't want to be trailed like that. It was an unwelcome feeling no matter how she sliced it.

Yet the sheep Faunus had done so without a care in the world. She had likely made a few people wary of her, people that would normally not even give her the time of day. And the reason for this stalking?

A fellow Faunus that may or may not even be worth the time and effort she had put into watching from a distance, at least that's what her logical side told her, but there was a gut instinct telling her that she ought to keep this one in mind. He was more than he seemed and it would feel like she was missing out on an opportunity.

But an opportunity for what?

She couldn't say for certain.

Fiona couldn't back down now. Despite her borderline criminal behavior, he had been willing to meet her halfway, something that she didn't hesitate to take advantage of, not that she thought much of law enforcement and their relationship to the Faunus. They might not show it blatantly, but there were some subtleties.

So now they found themselves within a familiar location: Doctor Polendina's pharmacy. The man was reputed to be kind and giving to all who came through his doors. None of the Happy Huntresses had personally been to the place or had ever met the man behind the name, but one look around the place and a brief but friendly introduction to the owner told the sheep faunus that she was in good hands here.

Thankfully, the two of them had been given the kindness of privacy. There was a lounge in the back where the two of them could speak to each other and likely not be overheard, although they probably weren't about to reveal secrets of much importance to each other, at least that was the hope.

Fiona was the type to always see green grass on the other side, but even she couldn't deny that she had landed herself in a sticky situation, a fact that her teammate had drilled down on. Ultimately, it ended with the sheep faunus wanting to investigate on her own and not implicate anyone else if push came to shove, a decision that had proved to be correct.

Now she just had to navigate this conversation and maybe the worst thing that would happen was she would have to sacrifice some time and information. It wasn't like she could provide that much, to begin with. The Happy Huntresses weren't exactly in a position where they had to conceal information or resources. In fact, they had a ways to go before anything like that came to pass. Still, a bit of caution never hurt anyone.

"What did you want to discuss?" Fiona prompted her question. "I'll do the best that I can to answer any questions you have."

She figured she'd answer his questions first before she got to her own.

The man named Shael Watson looked her dead in the eye. "Tell me about Mantle. I have done some research about the city as well as Atlas, but research and a few days of travel can only tell me certain things. Tell me about city life from the perspective of a native."

"I can tell you about Mantle and life here, but that could take a while." The white-haired woman rubbed the back of her neck. "I'll try to shorten it the best I can."

The sheep Faunus gathered her thoughts, then thought about the best non-biased information that she could give out first.

"Well, it's a remnant, no pun intended, of the Kingdom of Mantle. Officially, The Kingdom of Atlas and the Kingdom of Mantle are the same, the former succeeding the latter. In reality, Atlas is attempting to distance itself from Mantle, a representation of past failures that happened before and during the Great War."

Anyone with half a brain could figure that one out after looking at the behavior of the general population of both cities.

"But Atlas can't erase Mantle completely because like it or not, Atlas depends on Mantle for manpower in the mines, resources from ground zero, and its economy to produce the best of the best for the elite up in the clouds. In short, Mantle exists to serve the needs and wants of Atlas."

Emotional as it sounded, it was true and most of the working-class citizens of the once-glorious city could attest to that.

"The Happy Huntresses are trying to gain a foothold in the political realm in order to affect greater change in Mantle. Atlas wants to brush us off and pretend we don't exist, but they forget that without Mantle, Atlas wouldn't exist."

Watson didn't move. "The relationship is symbiotic, to put it simply."

"Correct," Fiona affirmed. "Albeit very poisoned."

Very few things got her blood boiling; she was a naturally cheerful person, but even she couldn't ignore the unfairness of the situation that existed between the two cities. Her four years at Atlas Academy along with the rest of her friends was fun, no doubt about that, but it also exposed her to the reality of the difference in the standard of living as well as the quality of life. If she were born Atlesian, she would be singing a very different tune, no doubt.

The Faunus woman took a moment to regard her fellow Faunus, who seemed to be in deep thought about what she had just said. His overall demeanor was less cold and in its place was something far more inscrutable.

Watson asked another question. "And what will the Happy Huntresses do assuming that your bid for a seat on the Council of Atlas is successful?"

"We'll start a conversation, force people to see that we need to help each other out." Fiona's face was set into a hardened expression. "We're all trying to survive the onslaught of the Grimm. We'll have a better chance of that if we get through it together."

The larger man's eyes narrowed slightly. "Can you convince all parties to put aside grievances and unite against a common enemy? Do you believe that you have an understanding of all sides?"

"No, I won't pretend what everyone else sees, but there's more at stake than our own personal discomforts, our wants, and needs, even our own lives." Fiona understood that people were selfish, but she knew they could be better.

Watson's next question threw her for a loop. "Why do top Atlas Academy graduates want to get involved in politics and the future of the kingdom?"

"How did you know?" She couldn't contain her surprise.

Although she and her friends weren't secretive about their time in training, that fact was usually only known to those within the community. To be a part of the elite was to become part of perhaps the most exclusive fraternity in all of Remnant.

"I am a huntsman myself." His utter stillness was somewhat unsettling. "I went through Huntsman Candidate School."

Now that was also surprising. "HCS? They've got a high attrition rate. You must be a real badass."

"You may think of me as such." Watson seemed uninterested. "In any case, I believe I have what I came for."

He rose from his seat, left a neat stack of lien on the table, and without so much as a farewell, began to make for the exit.

Fiona stood up abruptly. "Wait, that's it? No more questions? I thought you would want more than that."

"Do not follow me." He didn't look at her, only stopped in his tracks. "We will not speak again."

She felt like protesting, but something told her that what she wanted wouldn't matter in this instance. She could only stare at his retreating form, perplexed as to the sudden cutoff in their otherwise normal conversation.

The sheep Faunus went to retrieve some lien from her own pocket when she noticed that he had left enough for two, so she decided to tip. She would feel like a mooch if she didn't at least try to contribute a little bit.

Once that was done, she was left to meander through the streets, wondering if there was perhaps a hidden test or meaning behind what had just happened.

Or maybe I was boring? That thought left a bad taste in Fiona's mouth. I know that I'm no Robyn, but I can't be that bad… right?

Her scroll began to ring and she answered it.

It was Robyn.

"What's up?"

"You busy?"

"Nah, I just got done what I needed to do. What's going on?"

"Meet me at my place. I need to talk to you."

It sounded important.

Fiona regarded her scroll time. "I'll be there in… twenty minutes."

"Alright, I'll be around."

"Alright, bye."

Confused or not, life had to go on.


Transformers - - - RWBY


Penny's hands returned to her sides, her processors filled with questions about what was about to happen.

Once she had sealed herself within the vault, she had lost her connection to her master. It unnerved her at first, but then she focused all of her efforts. All that mattered was the accomplishment of her objective. Even if she had lost the connection with her lord and master, she could still deliver to him what he needed.

The synthetic took a look around herself, her senses taking in the barren but beautiful landscape surrounding her. There was not a soul to be seen but herself. There was no wildlife, no Grimm, just hills and moderately lengthy grass for as far as the eye could see.

If she had to guess what this place was, it was a dimension between dimensions, or perhaps another plane of existence. Regardless, it was wholly separate from Remnant. The fact that all known methods of remote communication weren't functioning at least made both ideas plausible if nothing else.

Turning her head, Penny saw something in the near distance. It was a single statue or shrine of stone and at its center, there was a golden staff with a large aqua-blue crystal acting as the point. Curiously, she walked forward, mindful of any potential traps. As far as she could see, there were none.

Once she was half a meter away from the staff, she reached a hand out to gently brush against the object. Nothing unusual happened when she performed this action. Emerald eyes looked around to see nothing out of the ordinary in her surroundings. Feeling brave enough, she grasped the staff with one hand and pulled it from the stone.

Only then did it react. A blue mist began to spring to life from its tip, rising into the air to begin forming a distinct shape, that of a man, but with blue skin. He wore no clothes, only wear a pair of chains crossing his chest with what appeared to be a vial at the center. His wrists were bound in gauntlets also sporting chains. Gold decorative pieces lined his arms and legs as well. Overall, it was a strange look.

He easily dwarfed Penny in size, but that didn't bother her. She steeled herself to see what would become of this encounter.

The mystic-looking male took a moment to stretch out his limbs, although such an action seemed to be redundant for one that did not appear to have a true physical form, only the appearance of one. It was… illogical.

The ginger-haired girl simply regarded him with a sort of awe. This went against all things that made sense according to Atlesian common knowledge and science as well as her knowledge of all things Cybertronian.

"Salutations!" Penny stood up straight, waving one of her hands. "Who might you be?"

The blue giant noticed her, his expression changing into a smile. "Well, hello there! I take it you've come to engage my creative wiles! It has been a little while. Please do me the honor of making it a worthwhile project. Floating cities are no fun. Oh, my name is Ambrosius, forgive my rudeness!"

"I'm Penny!" She could only meet his enthusiasm with her own. "It's very nice to meet you!"

He looked at her, then leaned in closer, a critical look on his face. "You're not a normal human girl."

"I am not!" She saw no reason to hide that fact. "I am the first synthetic lifeform that Remnant has ever seen."

Ambrosius certainly appeared excited. "I would love to meet your creator, but there is something else, something much more alien within you. I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Perhaps you see the influences of my master." Penny opted for a partial truth. "He is not of this world."

If the other-worldly being was surprised by that fact, he didn't show it. "So I see. It's actually very interesting. It's not every day that I get to see the influences of someone that isn't human. This request is no doubt going to be very interesting."

"You are one with the Relic of Creation?" Penny needed specifics. "What does that mean?"

Ambrosius grinned. "It's in the title. I create anything and everything. Of course, I can't promise you'll like the results once it's done, so just know that once the results are in, I won't be listening to complaints of any kind."

"Splendid!" Penny figured it was worth a go. "Then I am in need of your expertise. What can you do with this?"

She held her hand palm-up to allow the projector on it to work. In its place, a purple hologram took its place. It was the schematics needed for a space bridge, the greatest technological marvel in all of Remnant.

The parts and the amount of energon needed to complete it was astronomical and there was no energon substitute nor was there a way to devise synthetic energon. Dust couldn't work out of the atmosphere, so that was no good either.

As illogical as it was to rely on magic or whatever this being was, it was better than doing nothing. At the very least, nothing would be lost.

"Hmmm… yes, I think I see." Ambrosius appeared very intrigued. "This is indeed very interesting. The ability to travel to anywhere in the known universe. Your master seems like a very busy person."

So far so good. Nothing he was saying suggested what she was asking was impossible.

Penny had to be sure. "Can you create it?"

"I most certainly can." Ambrosius seemed very pleased. "Not only is there a great amount of detail but the possibilities are simply endless. The splendors of the known universe? Simply marvelous. When do we begin?"

The girl regarded the spirit as another question came to mind. "Are there any rules or conditions that I should be aware of? It is my understanding that many good things in life do not come without sacrifice."

"And you would be right." The blue man did a bit of a twirl in the air, settling onto his side. "Yes, you've clearly thought this through… or was it your master?"

Penny let the hologram fade. "Both."

"Whatever the case, I'll lay out the rules so that there are no questions." Ambrosius crossed his arms, his expression much less playful than a moment ago. "Only one creation can exist at a time. Two bringing people back from the dead is a big no-no. Three, I can only create, not destroy, hence my purpose."

The second and third weren't surprising, but the first one…

"Please explain the first rule." Penny placed her hands behind her back. "What do you mean only one creation can exist at a time."

Ambrosius looked at her as if she had asked him an obvious question. "Exactly that. I can create whatever it is you wish, but the person who wished a creation from me last? That will cease to exist."

For a moment, nothing about that ruling evoked any reaction from her. She replayed all the words that had been exchanged between them both.

Then she gasped as another revelation came to her. "Atlas floating is because of you?"

"If you're referring to the giant piece of earth that we're currently residing on, technically speaking, then yes." He dropped his seriousness, replaced with clear disinterest. "And quite honestly, I wouldn't miss this creation when I have something much more stimulating to work on."

It seemed that master Shockwave had misunderstood the nature of what kept Atlas hovering in the sky. That was good for the time being; the staff could be removed from its pedestal and the kingdom would remain. However, the ability to create only one item at a time would somewhat limit their capabilities.

Penny filed that thought away for later. "Then I cannot ask you to create the space bridge, not at least until I consult with my master first. He will want to consult with you himself before he makes a decision."

"His influences have made quite the mark on you, I see." Ambrosius's tone seemed more than what his words were. "But if you insist, I'd very much like to talk to him. I'm sure it'll be a most interesting discussion. You know what to do when the time comes."

With that, the ethereal form disappeared, leaving only the girl and the staff.

Green eyes flickered to the vault entrance, then she exited the realm, her mission complete. She activated the door to once again set foot on Atlas.

There was quiet in the vault.

"Master, I have the Relic as well as some additional information as to how it is used."

"Understood. Stand by for instructions on the delivery of the Relic."

"Lima charlie."

The work of the protector of the world was never finished.


RWBY - - - Transformers


The first one was ready.

It was strange that think that not all that long ago, this was barely visible to the human eye. Now she was a fully-developed human woman, simply waiting to be woken up and exploring the world.

"Amazing." Amber couldn't help but marvel at the sight. "She looks just like Cinder Fall down to every little detail."

Emerald was less impressed. "That's the point. She's a clone of the original. I would hope they look identical, otherwise, we'd be kind of bad at our job."

"So… what should I expect when we pull the plug?" Amber felt some old memories slip in, her senses now on alert. "Is she going to remember anything?"

Emerald shook her head. "No, she won't. She's not a threat to anyone. She doesn't have any memories. She's a clone only in body, not in mind."

"I see." The Fall Maiden relaxed slightly. "So how exactly does this work?"

The illusionist began typing at the nearby terminal. "She'll awaken once we drain the tank and stimulate her senses, at least that's what I understood from the instructions that Shockwave gave us."

"You don't know?"

"This is a first for me too. First time I've worked on something like this. Some would even say it's questionable. I thought you of all people would object."

Amber bit her lips for a moment. "I don't pretend to understand what goes through Shael's mind, but I can trust that he's not doing this for any immoral reasons. He doesn't work like that."

"You're learning not to question. Good." Emerald commented, taking another look at the growth tank. "I'm draining the tank now."

The process took less than a minute. The clear liquid drained into a reservoir below, leaving the feminine form to simply collapse gently, legs splayed out enough to provide stability to the upper body. Once all the liquid was gone, the glass partition slid open.

The clone didn't move for a moment, then she began to flex her hand, and then her upper body. Her head began to move and her eyes opened. Once that happened, she began looking left and right.

She looks so innocent. Amber left her caution aside once she saw those pair of orbs. She really doesn't remember anything.

And then the most unexpected thing happened.

She began to cry.

But not like an emotional adult person might.

It was like a newborn baby.

Amber tensed up. "What's going on? Why she's crying?"

"Don't you remember the instructions?" Emerald sounded thoughtful. "She might be an adult in body, but in mind, she may as well be a baby. Think of the cloning like being born into the world. No experiences, no memories, a clean slate."

The words made sense, but it was still hard to believe that the progenitor of this clone was a murderous scheming woman.

More importantly, the Fall Maiden didn't like it when people cried, no matter the reason. She looked around, quickly found a nearby towel and began to dry the clone's hair, all the while trying to provide some comfort.

Amber did her best to appear non-threatening. "Shhhhhh. It's okay. You're safe, okay? You're going to be fine."

The infant in the body of an adult calmed down, resuming normal breathing.

This was strange.

Amber was comforting the infantized clone of Cinder Fall.

Life was strange like that.

Once the brunette finished cleaning up their newest charge, she paused, unsure about what to do.

Then the clone grabbed her hand and clutched it tight.

It was a warm feeling.


Consider this chapter a lucky one. I have some downtime thanks to a long weekend, but I'm currently in the middle of reclassing and this training is shaping up to be tough, so the next chapter will likely be a wait.

So I rewatched V7 and V8 and no matter how I looked at it, I couldn't find a good purpose for the Happy Huntresses. The only conclusion is that they were supposed to introduce an idea that in typical RWBY fashion, never got explored properly nor established in a way that would lead me to take their characters seriously and invest in them. So... I just figured that I'd give them shade by not giving them a purpose here.

But hey, cloning and Atlas's doom are much more interesting subjects. There's a plan for all of that because there's always a plan with Shockwave. It's only logical.

Thoughts on this chapter? Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated.

Also, a question for y'all reading this: how many of you are hoping, secretly or otherwise, for Shockwave and Amber to get together? This is strictly for my own curiosity.

Thanks for reading.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

H. Jackson Brown Jr.