Chapter 15: An Invitation
"What exactly do you plan on doing with those?" Jacques asked, earning a smirk from Arthur, who stared at his scroll. He flicked it closed, letting it drop into his sleeve.
"I believe I told you before, that wasn't part of our agreement. You have your coveted council seat, Jacques. What will your first action be?" he questioned, earning a laugh from the man.
"What else? I plan to put James Ironwood in his place. I've already started making plans for that. Tonight is going to be interesting, to say the least. I would love it if you stuck around, alas, with you being dead that won't work for us, will it?"
Arthur shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Besides, I have work to do down in Mantle. Given that Ironwood is now tracking my colleague, I have to ensure he isn't captured. There is also another loose end I have to take care of, a migraine that's been following me for a few years now."
"Hm… I see," the white-haired man said, finishing the last of his whiskey. He poured some more into his glass, the amber liquid glowing softly in the firelight. "Whatever the case may be, Atlas is going to change. The first thing that I am going to do is open our borders, but first, I wish to understand just what Ironwood is planning. I'm sure with those codes you'll be able to dig into his files."
"Perhaps, but quite honestly, what he is doing doesn't interest me. What I want is far more important than any secrets he is hiding. Slowing down his little project out in the tundra, now that is something I look forward to." he said, chuckling. "He thought he was safe, but he didn't realize he had enemies far closer to him than he thought he did."
"Perhaps if he had been open with his friends and trusted allies, he wouldn't be in the pickle he is now. His time as a rabid dictator will soon come to a close. It's time to bring democracy back to Atlas, and ensure it continues toward a path of Greatness."
Arthur chuckled, as he slowly headed toward the door. "You do that, Jacques. Just try to focus on important things instead of recouping the money you've lost. It won't do you any good in the near future. Good day,"
He gulped down his whiskey, wondering what the man meant by that message. He shook his head, glancing away from the window, noticing Whitley had entered the room. He lowered his gaze, clearing his throat. "Father, I wish to inform you that your requested preparations have been completed. The Dining Hall has been prepared and the Chefs are working on making dishes for the feast."
"Excellent. Now, make sure your mother doesn't leave her room, would you? The last thing I need is her making an appearance at this important event."
Whitley's mood soured at the mention of his mother, but he nodded nonetheless. "I'll make sure she doesn't leave, Father."
He left the room shortly after, leaving his father to his own devices. He swiveled on his chair, staring at his computer, a smirk on his face. "And now, to get started on the invitation. Consider this your last hurrah, James. My hand is on the lever, and after this banquet, you'll hang for your crimes against Atlas."
xxx
"You know something, diary? Almost dying fucking sucks. I don't think I've ever experienced such fear as I did last night. Having Tyrian's tail wrapping around my neck, seeing the darkness in my vision… that was horrible. I think that's the closest I've been.
Being blown off of the Prydwen and breaking some bones does not compare to that. Having to face off against the damn Apathy doesn't compare to that. I'm glad I hadn't drank anything, because I might as well have pissed my pants."
Neo let out a sigh, staring at the cursor on her scroll, rereading what she had just typed. She swallowed the lump in her throat, her hand moving toward it. She rubbed her neck for a few seconds, taking several long deep breaths, to calm herself.
"Despite me almost dying, my thoughts were on my friends. I couldn't stop looking at Levi, seeing how helpless he was as he tried to help me. I couldn't stop thinking about Weiss, and how hurt she'd be once she found out. In some twisted thoughts, I imagined Ruby laughing at me since I attempted to kill her once.
I've grown so attached to all of them now. They're always there for me, and imagining them without me. It hurt… it hurt so much worse than any stab wound or gunshot. But imagining Levi without me… seeing another one of his partners brutally die. I couldn't do anything, I clawed at his tail, I flailed around, nothing. I felt so helpless.
I am never going to let that happen to me again. I have to get stronger, I need to hone my Semblance and get control over my aura. That bastard managed to take me down. Me! I fought against Cinder, the fucking Fall Maiden, and made it out okay, but he emptied his gun into my body and that's it? I was weak, I was careless. I can't ever let that happen again…EVER!"
She heard a knock on her door, causing her to shoot up to her feet. She saved her entry, rapidly pocketing her scroll. She moved toward the door, drying her tears, hoping it wasn't the General doing another check up. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her best friend and partner on the other side of the door. He turned to her, giving her a small wave.
"Hey, Neo."
She leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly. He stumbled a bit as he caught her, struggling for a moment before finding his balance. "Whoa there, jeez! Give me a warning before you hug me like this! You might not weigh a lot but I don't want to break my neck!"
She glared at him, somehow managing to hold on to him and flick his nose. He glared at her, causing her to jump back down to the floor, giving him a sheepish look. She rubbed her arm in embarrassment, looking back at him with an apologetic look in her eyes. He shook his head, holding back the urge to sigh.
"It's fine, Neo. But we need to talk, it's serious."
Her peppy smile dropped, shoulders slumping. She gestured for him to come in, thankful that the rest of Team RWBY was out for the time being. She sat down on Weiss's bed, the one she had been using for the time being while she recovered. He sat across from her, resting his elbows on his thighs as he looked at her. "Listen, someone hacked into Mantle's mainframe and stole footage of Penny. Footage of her fights, and spliced it with footage of Tyrian killing those innocent people. I need to see that scroll you have for a moment."
"The black one?" she signed. He gave her a nod, sitting up a bit.
"I know that Policeman said it was fairly easy to hack into surveillance cameras, but what was done last night was far more intricate. I just want to look at the OS, my gut is telling me that the one who made it is the one who's doing that."
Neo shrugged, reaching into her pocket for the black scroll, handing it to him. Levi opened it, heading toward the Settings. He looked through them for a moment, finding nothing of interest. It looked like a normal scroll, but the second it was plugged into something, the program activated. It was as if it was lying dormant, waiting for the chance to infect a network.
"This thing is interesting… On the surface it looks like a normal scroll, but I think it's running an emulator. It emulates the scroll's home screen and basic functions, but it isn't the actual sOS. It seems to be running more than just a custom firmware too, it's as if this thing was built from the ground up as its own system."
"Do you think it's running some sort of dual boot system? Piccolo's computer had one of those when I hacked it." Neo's scroll said, causing him to look up at her.
"A dual boot system, of course! Why didn't I think of that? If this thing is running a Scroll emulator, it might also be running another boot. One that kicks on automatically when it's plugged into a vulnerable network." he said, heading to the power settings. "You've never shut this thing down, right? You always charge it?"
Neo nodded her head. She watched with curiosity as he shut the device off. He waited for a moment before turning it back on. Just as he suspected, the usual S logo was missing and was replaced with a prompt. Run sOS or Run QueenOS. He tapped on QueenOS, causing the device to black out. When it started, the home screen was vastly different, so much so that it didn't even have any of the usual apps the device normally carried.
"Now let's see if we can find something of interest," he muttered, searching through the available apps. They were in some language he didn't understand, but he did find a Network Icon. Upon clicking it, he noticed several signals. Every single Scroll Signal linked up to Atlas's CCT was present, along with Atlas Central Command's Mainframe. Not only did it show those, but Mantle's Mainframe came up as well.
Tapping Mantle Mainframe, it went into a submenu, showing him several networks. The Police Network, the Surveillance Network, as well as the Internet Network for the entire city. It was divided into sectors, each of Mantle's 16 separate sectors was labeled. He had access to the Power Grid, Outerwall Defenses, Road Barriers, the Sewage System, and several others. The only thing he didn't have access to was Mantle's Heating Grid, as it ran on Atlas Code.
He sat motionless for a few moments, not knowing what to say. He finally looked up, meeting eyes with Neo, a firm look on his face. "Whoever created this Operating System must have been from Atlas. There is no way someone created a system like this, a system that can get into any one of Mantle's subsectors."
"Cinder never told me who she got that scroll from. She hardly ever pulled it out, she used it a few times. To issue bogus Requests at Beacon Academy, and make sure the stronger Teams were gone by the time the Vytal Festival came around. She gave it to me and I gave it to Roman, that's how we were able to take over the Atlas Airfleet." Neo said, looking away from her friend. "I should have asked more questions."
"It's a good thing you didn't. Neo, you can't ask Cinder too many things, she'll wonder why it is you are prying into her. It'll make her distrust you, and the last thing we need is for her to lose trust in you. Now of all times, is when you should be as loyal to her as you can be."
"Ha! Loyal? Me, to Cinder? You wish… the only thing Loyal about me is that if I get the chance, I'll make it easier for you to stab her. I'll do what I must but you won't catch me kissing her ass." her scroll said. She had a look of annoyance on her face, arms crossed across her chest.
"It's a bitter pill to swallow, Trivia, but you'll have to do it," he said. She blew a raspberry at him, signing a few swears with her hand before looking away. He sighed, kneeling down in front of her, forcing her to look at him. "I know you don't like that, but we don't have a choice… Ironwood is… he's beginning to lose touch with reality."
She blinked a few times, gesturing for him to continue. "He issued an order to arrest Robyn Hill. Right now, Blake and Yang are out there trying to track her down. We don't know where Tyrian is, Project Amity is stalled and Penny was deactivated for the time being. Mantle wants her dead for what she did, and it's up to us to figure out not only who doctored that footage, but how they were able to spread it so far into Atlas.
On top of all of that, Jacques Schnee now sits on the Council. He'll open the borders and end the embargo, putting us all in a weak position. We don't know when Salem will arrive, all we know is that she is coming. We need to do something, anything… to make sure the people here don't end up a fucking stains on the ground."
Neo placed a hand over his own, giving it a squeeze. He looked up at her, seeing the comforting smile on her face. She swept the hair out of his eyes, tapping his nose with her fingertip. She leaned back, a mischievous wink on her face. He couldn't help but laugh, sighing audibly.
"You really believe we'll be fine?"
She nodded.
"How can you be so sure?"
Neo reached for her scroll, typing something out before showing it to him. "When you've got nothing left, you've got nothing left to lose. But we haven't gotten to that point yet. Ironwood has everything to lose. He knows that, and we know that. Salem won't win."
"We aren't sure about that… she can't…" he paused, glancing at the window. "I think we should tell him. I trust Ruby and her judgment, but holding something like that from him? Trust is a two-way street,"
"Do you actually believe he'll take it well? Look at everything he's done since yesterday. More soldiers have been deployed in the last week than in a whole year. I don't think he'd react well if we told him."
"Told me what?"
The pair jumped to their feet, staring at the door. General Ironwood was standing there, hands folded behind his back. Levi let out a laugh, rubbing his neck. "Oh uh… Hi, General."
"Mr. Athan, I was expecting you to assist with the search."
"Oh I am but… I wanted to speak with Trivia for a bit, see if we could pool together our knowledge about last night. We were walking around when we heard that woman's scream. We thought maybe that's where Tyrian was hiding, in the Factory District."
Ironwood looked at Neo, who gave him a vigorous nod. "I see… have you recalled anything?"
"I'm afraid not. We fought him in an alleyway after I made the initial call to the MPD, I went after him. We were all over the place so… yeah."
"A shame… It was a traumatic experience for the both of you, so I understand if mentally, you've blocked part of what happened. Now, what were you discussing, about telling me something?"
"Yes, we were discussing the topic of me helping with the search. With my Semblance, it's easy for me to blend in. I might be able to listen into conversations, listen to rumors. I wanted to start near the Opera House. Given that DiCappriccio was in league with Ivy Brown, it wouldn't be past them to hire Tyrian to do their dirty work." her scroll said. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, a pensive look on his face.
"You do bring up an excellent point, Miss Brunswick. Your unique abilities could provide a lot of promising results. Have you adequately recovered?"
She gave the man a nod. "As best as I could, really. All I needed was time for my aura to return and heal all the physical injuries. Alas, I'll have to carry my emotional ones with me."
Ironwood cracked a smile, recomposing himself just as fast. He withdrew a scroll from his sleeve, quickly typing something on it. "Well then, if you feel up to it, then I'll give you a personal mission. Head down into Mantle and gather information. Use any means available to you."
Neo's scroll beeped softly, causing her to look down at it. She saw the icon and tapped on it, seeing her license had changed. It had gone from Class A to Class Unrestricted. She looked up at him in shock. "Yes, you must be curious as to why. Ozpin once trusted you to gather information for him, did he not? Well, now I trust you to do the same for me. You'll have access to our clean-up crew… if you need it, of course."
Levi looked at Neo for a moment, who just smiled. She bowed her head, arms extended outward. She flicked her hat back onto her head, tipping it back slightly. Within seconds her body shattered into a million pieces, causing Ironwood to jump a bit in surprise. The miqo'te faunus sighed, shaking her head.
"Always one for the dramatic. She never changes," he said, holding back a laugh.
"Ahem. Now then, there is something else. It was thanks to you and Miss Schnee's hard efforts that we had information on Ivy Brown. While we were not able to identify the killer until your run-in with Tyrian, you were able to uncover quite a lot. My team of investigators finished the job, but now we have another investigation on our hands, at least for the public. We can't let them know about Tyrian, at least not until we've captured him."
"Don't worry, General Ironwood. I know things are tense, but we'll all work hard to make sure he doesn't slip away. He's taken the lives of many innocents, more so than what Ivy has done. She killed to cover her tracks, and he killed for pleasure. Neither is lesser than the other, but Tyrian's reasons sicken me. Scourge like that needs to be dealt with, immediately." he replied.
"Well said, you took the words right out of my mouth. But dealing with things like that isn't the duty of a lowly Private. You, your teammates, and Team ORNJ have been promoted to Specialist, due to all of your hard work with Amity. But I have an offer for you, since you showed interest." the man paused, a small smile appearing on his face. "Effective immediately, you are being promoted, alongside Weiss Schnee, to Special Operative. Your hard work solving this case deserves merit. You will begin your training with Special Operative Schnee in a week."
"S-Special Operative… me?" he asked, eyes wide with shock. "I… General, I'm not sure if I can accept."
"Of course you can, you've more than earned it. People in your position would have to go through hundreds of hours of training and tests. Normally, I wouldn't even consider you, but fighting off two homicidal maniacs and surviving, well… that's more than enough for me."
"I… I accept your offer, sir. It'll be an honor to work for you in such a capacity," Levi said, a genuine smile on his face.
"Good, I've gone ahead and updated your license, as I have with Miss Brunswick and Miss Schnee. You'll begin by receiving pilot training. Continue honing your skills and unlocking the true potential of your Semblance. We'll need every skill you can offer for when Salem finally arrives,"
"Yes sir. I'll continue training as hard as I can," he said, saluting the man. Ironwood nodded, turning toward the door.
"For now, take a breather. You've gone through a lot in a short period of time, but don't slack off either," he said, taking his leave. Levi lowered his arm, a frown replacing the smile he had before. He reached into his pocket for the black scroll, looking at the files on it for a moment.
"Great… now I'm even guiltier." he thought to himself. He shook his head, grasping the scroll tightly in his hand. "No, now that I'm a Special Operative, I'll have more access around here. I'll be able to snoop around. My freedom has expanded."
He glanced over his shoulder, stepping toward the window, staring out into Atlas. His ears drooped, tail falling behind him, almost touching the floor. "Yet despite that, I don't feel good about it."
The silver-haired man moved his tail around, holding it a few inches below his face. He tapped the tip of it with his finger, a holographic image of his mother appearing before him. He stared at it, staring deeply into her eyes. "Oh, mom… you have no idea how much I need you right now. Your guidance, your advice… your hugs."
"Stop the self-pity party. You have to stop feeling sorry for yourself and do what's right. No more kid stuff." he told himself, slapping his cheeks. He swiveled on his foot, walking like he had purpose. "Gotta start working, and I'll start by figuring out who hacked Mantle's mainframe and took that footage of Penny. I owe her that much."
He only hoped he could solve this case before something happened. He wasn't going to let anything stop him, not anymore.
Location: Atlas Academy's Vault
Oscar's eyes darted around the vast yet empty room. The only light source was a path of hard-light crystals, which lined the way forward. In the distance was a hard-light stairway, leading up to a massive golden door. He craned his neck, struggling the top of it, which blended into the hard stone all around it. The cavern was massive and ran deep into Atlas. The people on the surface had no idea something like this even existed beneath their feet. It was surreal, like something straight out of a fairytale.
"It's right behind that door," Ironwood said, breaking the silence. The olive-haired boy looked back at him, realization dawned on him.
"The Staff of Creation."
He nodded, brushing past him. "I had hoped bringing you down here might jog some memories. After all, it was your idea to use the staff to lift Atlas off the ground."
"Huh? But I thought Gravity Dust kept Atlas afloat."
"Eh, that's the public story," the general said, smiling. "The staff provides a constant seemingly limitless source of energy. Oz once speculated it could take us as high as we wanted. To… tell you the truth, that served as inspiration for Project Amity. Get a communication tower up in the sky, higher than any Grimm can survive, so we never lose contact with each other again."
They came to a stop by the stairs, looking up the winding path toward the doorway. Oscar held tightly onto The Long Memory, squeezing it as he looked at the worn General. "You aren't using the staff to raise Amity, are you?"
"Unfortunately, the staff can only be used for one purpose at a time. It can create anything we wish, at any volume and quantity. But since it is keeping Atlas aloft, it cannot be used for anything else. We're going to have to launch Amity the old-fashioned way, Dust and all."
Oscar nodded, his gaze shifting back toward the golden door. He licked his lips, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "It… feels strange, knowing that a part of me helped come up with all of this."
"You'll get used to it. Eventually, you won't even know who's who anymore."
The young man looked away, that choking feeling returning again. He closed his eyes, imagining his friends, his family. A certain wolf faunus filled his mind, her bright smile and cute laugh overtaking his thoughts. He shook his head, the dejected look returning to his face.
"Right."
The General frowned, noticing the boy's shift in attitude. He placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up. He gave him a nod, beginning to walk back toward the elevator. "We didn't always see eye to eye, but… I wish I could ask Ozpin what he thought of all this."
"Well, I can tell you what I think. The path you are heading down, where you are the only one with the answers, where the only thing you think is right no matter the cost. It's not going to take you anywhere good."
His words shook the General, causing him to walk ahead. He had a stern look on his face, as he looked up to the hard-light torches all around them. "We have to stop Salem. Nothing matters anymore."
"Some things matter more, I think."
Ironwood swiveled on his heel, turning to face the young man. He was looking at his cane, a longing look in his eye. He spun it around, placing it hard on the ground, standing just as Ozpin once had. "Keeping our humanity, it's what makes us different from her."
Silence hung over them. Ironwood stepped up in front of the screen, typing something into it. From above, the elevator began descending. He pondered Oscar's words, staring off into the distance, toward the large abyss that opened up, leading back down to Mantle. "Sometimes I worry that's her greatest advantage. Without humanity, does she still feel fear? Does she ever hesitate? When Salem hit Beacon, even with all of my ships, all of my soldiers… I was no match for her. I've never felt so helpless… like I can't do a single damned thing."
He clenched his fist tightly. "Not only did she get into the CCT, one of Atlas's proudest accomplishments, but she demolished Beacon Academy. She overtook the Airfleet, brought down my ships, destroyed my drones, hurt thousands, and killed even more. The days after the fall, the hauntingly empty streets of Vale, the destroyed spire of Beacon Tower… I can see them in my sleep. I think back to all my planning, all the simulations, everything, every piece of code, every order, every weapon, and I arrive at nothing. There was nothing we could have done… not one thing."
He stared up at the panel before him, almost seeing the Queen piece flashing. He slammed his fist onto it, the panel beeping loudly. "The way she told me she was there."
"It's okay to be afraid, James. But you must not let that fear control you." Oscar said, earning a serious look from the man.
"I am not going to end up with Lionheart. Oscar, do you believe in me?" he questioned. Oscar pondered his question for a moment, before stepping forward onto the elevator platform.
"I do believe in you, but not only you. I think the best thing you can do is sit down and talk to the people you are most afraid of," he replied, looking up at the man. "You aren't heartless, you haven't lost your humanity. You are just a hero, forced to become the villain for the greater good. The first step to overcoming your fears is to face them head-on."
Ironwood let out a laugh, giving the boy a pat on the shoulder. "Now you are starting to sound like him."
Location: Atlas Academy
"Since you are going to be trained to be a Special Operative, the General found it imperative that you learn the ins and outs of the Atlas Military. It is a great honor to hold this title, never forget that." Winter said, earning a nod from Levi. "It is a shame that my sister couldn't be present for this, I'll have to make sure she learns all of this as well."
"Right, she wanted to be here but… she's had a lot on her mind, with the election going on and what happened to me and Trivia," Levi said, a frown on his face. "Trivia has been a bit… out of it, and I don't blame her."
"Neither do I, you faced off against a dangerous felon. Be that as it may, you now have a responsibility to Atlas and its Armed Forces. Try not to let these things happen. The General wishes for you to learn how to pilot military ships. I told him that you weren't ready for that so he insisted. Thankfully, we have simulators for that sort of thing,"
"Does that mean I get to pilot the Prydwen II?" he asked, a hopeful look on his face. Winter kept her composure, shaking her head.
"You'll have to pass a lot more tests if you wish to even touch the Prydwen's controls," she said, the young man deflating a bit. "You'll get there."
She stopped in front of a door, pulling her scroll out. She held it against the panel, the door beeping three times. She gestured for him to step forward, following after him. They remained quiet as they walked, entering another room. They stopped in front of a large window, which overlooked a large area. His ears twitched, causing him to look back at Winter.
"Um… forgive me for asking, but where are we?"
"Just watch."
Within seconds, the room started filling up. One by one, young men and women dressed in Cadet Uniforms poured into the room. All of them got into single file lines, facing the front. Levi noticed several officers standing on a stage, along with General Ironwood himself, who had a firm look as he eyed everyone in the room. He looked around for a moment, seeing another man standing in front of the Cadets.
"That's Sargent Washington, he's a descendant of one of the 55 men who signed Mantle's Declaration of Independence, back when Mistral had full control of Solitas."
"Oh wow, that's so cool," he said, watching closely. He was a tall man, standing over 6 feet in height. His head was completely shaved, the light glistening on it. He was dressed in an outfit similar to Ironwood's, but his had several medals over the left breast. He kept his arms folded behind his back, briefly looking at Ironwood, who gave him a nod.
"I put in an order to the Kingdom to send me a shitload of badasses and pillage-hungry murder machines, but instead all I got was you cock-clowns and a side order of fuck-nuggets! I can tell at a glance that 50% of you are cocksuckers, and the other 50% are cocksuckers who have never been told to believe in themselves. I will shove my boot so far and fast up your assholes it'll trigger a geological event.
You all reek of poverty and animal abuse. Every breath you take is a stunning endorsement of abortion. You shit-stains are a collective masterpiece of failure. You cock-gobble and circle-jerk each other to exhaustion every night. You signed up to get pounded by the Creatures of Grimm and then cried like sissies when you realized they don't actually have dicks!
Your sensitive pussies cried so many tears you could row away on a river of douche-canoes! You glitter-toed, cock-wrangling fairy tinkle-bag puff of fuck-nuggets are gonna get your collective anal cavities stretched so far apart, you'll feel like you are being double-fisted by an Alpha Beringel!
I will reorganize the failure that is all your lives. I WILL FUCK START YOUR SOUL! I'll make you rock-chomping thundercunts scream harder than your mothers, after her fourth failed coat-hanger abortion. I'll cut off your shriveled-up balls, put them where your eyes should be! Put a sombrero on your head, and beat you like a pinata. Hell, I'll make you shit so many bricks you'll put Vacuo out of business. But fear not! Because in Four Years, I'll turn all you cock-monarchs into fuck masters, of galactic destruction!"
Levi closed his mouth after a few moments, processing what he had heard. He cleared his throat, turning back to Winter. "Um… I have questions."
"Yes, that's what I thought when I first went through that. I had to work my way up, unlike you and your friends. I was once one of those cadets down there. Sargent Washington can sound a little rough but he means well. He does that for show, break them down and building them back up. It's meant to teach discipline, as well as make everyone look weak. No matter how much training you have, you won't be able to survive every encounter. You need to start at zero, work your way up, build strong bonds with your teammates, and maybe, just maybe, you'll make it out alive."
"Man… Atlas Academy is a lot rougher than I thought it would be," Levi stated, placing his hands behind his back. "You brought me here for a reason, didn't you?"
"That's right, much like Clover, all Special Operatives will eventually take command of their own Team. The Cadets that are accessed here will be processed and given the chance to proceed. Those that don't pass will go home. From the remaining candidates, you'll choose a subordinate." Winter said, earning a nod from the young man.
"I see… that's not what I was expecting. Does that mean General Ironwood wants every Special Operative to have a Right-Hand Man… or well, Woman, in your case?" he questioned, earning a chuckle from Winter.
"Something like that. We are going to face a lot of rough-patches in the coming days, no thanks to my father and whatever he is planning. We must be ready for the eventuality that is Salem. That is why we wanted you to see this, so that you can start thinking about who you'll pick." she said, swiveling on her foot. "Of course, we do have another candidate lined up for you."
"Oh?"
"She's a little… finicky, you'll see what I mean when you meet."
xxx
The sliding door opened, allowing Winter and Levi to step into the darkened room. It was the same size as a standard dorm, only the bunk beds had been removed. A small bed was tucked to the corner of the room, the comforter half hanging from the floor, a myriad of plush toys all over it. There were shelves filled to the brim with video games and figurines, all in pristine condition. On the right side of the room was a large supercomputer, with several blinking lights. It took him a second to realize it was built entirely out of PS3 Consoles. He did a double take for a moment, briefly wondering how that was possible.
The front of the room was the brightest part. Three large holo-screens kept the room aglow, hundreds of lines of code moving through them at breakneck speed. There was a decently sized desk at the front, where the owner of the room currently sat, toiling away as if nothing was happening. Winter cleared her throat, causing them to stop typing.
"For the last time, Winter, I am not going to join the Ace-Ops, no matter how important the General deems me." a snooty voice said. Levi wasn't expecting this person to be a woman.
"Yes, I understand that Miss Silverstein, but I'm afraid the General is the one that makes the rules. If you want to keep being a part of the Atlas Military as well as have home and board in Atlas Academy, you have to do what he says."
"Bro, I take my missions every month and don't complain. Just last week, I helped Sonata process all of that data for the case she was assigned to. Hoo, if you could see the shit her daddy was hiding, it's disgusting."
"Be that as it may, the General requires your assistance. I have brought someone with me whom I'd like you to meet." the white-haired woman said. The chair swiveled around, the young woman behind it leaning back in it.
She seemed to be around Levi's age, perhaps a year younger than him. She had long, silver-colored hair tied up into a ponytail. Her hair ribbon was glowing brightly, visible hard-light octagons forming the pattern of a winking wolf. She wore a sleeveless tank-top, with a black sports bra underneath, her navel left exposed. She wore a pair of matching black shorts with blue accents. She wore a belt around her waist, which had a glowing scroll attached to it, the device blinking every so often. Her silver eyes scanned the young man in front of her, making him gasp.
"Wait… her eyes are silver!"
"Yes, which is why the General sees her as such a powerful asset. As you know, Mr. Athan, not a lot of Silver-Eyed warriors exist. Miss Silverstein here, was located in a village north of here, near the northern reaches of Solitas. It was close to the technologically advanced city of Eden, where Eden Academy is located. While she didn't want to be a part of the Military, she did apply for Eden for another reason."
"That being?" he asked.
"I wanted free access to technology, dude. I've been tinkering with computers since I could piss by myself. Thought it would be cool to start building PCs and the like, and then Eden was attacked by Grimm. During that, a close friend of mine died, I got pissed and badda-bing, badda-boom, pulverized it with my special eyes. Been a prisoner of General Ironwood ever since," she said, crossing her arms in disdain.
"You are not a prisoner of the General, Estelle, I don't understand why-"
"Up-up-up! I told you before, do not call me Estelle. That name is gross and ugly, you can call me Stella or by my username, Star Wolf. Now, I am currently busy programming the Star-Link terminal that is going into Amity Tower, so if you could kindly piss off, I'd appreciate it." Stella said, swiveling back around in her seat. Winter sighed.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Mr. Athan here has recently been named Special Operative,"
"Whoop-de-doo, what do you want, a medal?" she asked, her fingers flying over her keyboard.
"No, but you are going to be working for him, if he chooses you, of course," she said. A loud pop filled the room, causing Stella to turn around. She was chewing on a wad of bubblegum, evident by how her jaw moved as she rolled it around.
"You want me to work with him? He looks like a kid."
"I happen to be an adult, thank you very much. I'm probably older than you," he said.
"I'm 24, kid, no way in hell you are older than me," she said, making him frown. "Knew it. I'm not working with a kid, Winter. Tell the General to leave me out of his business. I'm already helping Doctor P. with Amity Tower, what more does he want?"
"He wants you to cooperate. You, more than anyone else in Atlas Academy, know what is coming. We need everyone who can fight to do so. Your skills are useful to our operations, much more so than anyone else's. Please, just consider this offer?"
"Nah."
"Stubborn little…"
"Forget it, Winter. What's the point in forcing her to work? She clearly seems bothered by it," Levi said with a shrug. "I'd like to work with someone who is willing, not a grown-ass woman with the attitude of a child. Besides, she's probably scared, it's why she doesn't leave her dorm."
"Scared? I ain't scared, kid. I just find it annoying when people bother me. I'm a solitary person." she said.
"Won't be saying that when Salem finds you. You know what she does to Silver-Eyed folks like you and me?" he asked, causing her to shake her head. "She kidnaps us, tortures us, and blinds us. I'm sure you've heard of the Grimm Reaper… well, she is one of Salem's victims. Her silver eyes were slashed out of her face. My people, the miqo'tes, were completely eradicated by Salem, to the point where only a few of us remain, all because Silver Eyes are dominant traits among us. Now, imagine what she'd do to you?"
Stella remained silent, focusing on her gum. Winter stepped further into the room, hand on her hip as she addressed her. "He has a point, you know. His mother has seen firsthand what Salem can do. So please, just cooperate with us."
She sighed, nodding. "Fine, fine… I'll cooperate and work with you. But I am not taking orders from the General."
"Oh you won't, you'll be taking orders from Levi here, he'll be the middleman," Winter said with a smirk as she gestured for Levi to follow. "Come along, we have a few other things to do."
"Bye, Stella. I look forward to working with you."
"Yeah sure, whatever," she said, pausing for a moment. "Hey wait, what's your favorite video game series?"
"Pocket Monster Collection? Why do you ask?" he said, earning a smirk from the girl. She reached into her jacket pocket, tossing him something which he caught. A piece of bubblegum, something he hadn't chewed in years.
"Hm… working for you might not be all that bad. Catch you around, kid. Ah, and don't worry about contact information, I've already added myself to your scroll-list." she said, giving him a wave. He reached into his pocket for his scroll, seeing a new contact in his list. Instead of seeing her face, all he saw was her logo, a winking silver wolf.
"Huh… okay then."
He left the room with Winter, wondering just what the future had in store for him.
Location: Pietro's Lab, Atlas Academy
"What do you think, do you think this OS could have been used to hack into Mantle's systems?" Levi asked, earning a frown from Pietro.
"I'm not sure, but it certainly has the capabilities. The custom firmware this thing is running seems to be an early version of AtlasOS, but only a select few had access to that operating system. Its designer was killed in that Schnee Dust Mine seven years ago."
"If you don't mind my asking, who was it that designed AtlasOS?" Weiss questioned. Pietro turned to face her, adjusting his glasses.
"It was a joint effort from several of my former colleagues. The chief designer was a man named Arthur Watts. He was a technical genius, capable of programming damn near anything. He was among the few selected by General Ironwood for the Penny Project. We worked together to bring my baby girl to life." he said, glancing away from her. "I could tell he was hurt by the General's decision, as it meant his own ideas had been rejected. But he never voiced any of his concerns. We toiled away until we developed the Aura Transfer system. Shortly after that, he was assigned to SDC Mine 2, in order to upgrade the equipment and update the software and well…"
"The mine exploded," Ruby said, tapping her chin in thought. "It rules him out then… Could there be anyone else? A former colleague who potentially sold this OS to someone?"
"I don't think so. There's no point in selling this operating system, after all, new versions were coming out every week or so, all of them fixing something new. Currently, we're on AtlasOS 16, Codenamed Alcius. It currently oversees every operation within Atlas, beginning with the CCT and spreading down into each sector. It provides security across the board, controls all of the management plants as well as anything else you can imagine."
"Hm… does that include Schnee Dust Company World HQ?" Weiss interjected lips pressed into a thin line. "My Father had to have access to at least some of the codes for Atlas's network, much more than the heating grid."
Pietro headed to his computer, typing a series of inputs into it. He gestured for them to come, showing them the screen. It showed a virtual map of Atlas, with Atlas Academy being at the top. Every single sector was colored a different shade of blue, all except for one. "This here is the Schnee Dust Company sector. Jacques Schnee requested a special version of AtlasOS that he could access. In order to improve operations for the SDC. It allows him to control the shipping drones, cargo ships, dish out orders to subordinates, and connects to the World Bank as well as Atlas Central Command, so they can monitor all of his movements and approve shipping orders."
"There's no possible way this OS could have been derived from that then. Operating Systems are usually upscaled versions of previous ones. But if Jacques were to sell this, whoever bought it wouldn't have access to anything." Levi said, shaking his head. "It's as Pietro has said, someone took a prior version of AtlasOS and modified it for their use."
"Indeed… and judging by the firmware version, it seems to be running AtlasOS 11. That Operating System was the one Atlas was using when Beacon Academy was attacked," he replied.
"And after the attack on Beacon, The General went crazy, sending techs all over Remnant to update everything. Even now, he's sent people to Vacuo and Haven to ensure the CCT's OS is running accordingly. It's an incredibly fragile network that anyone with the right nohow can easily cripple. Perhaps that's why he's so desperate to launch Amity so that something like Beacon doesn't happen again."
"All of this technological mambo jumbo is giving me a serious headache!" Maria snapped, slamming her fist on the desk. "Back in my day, we used to plug Televisions into the outlet, and if we didn't get a signal, we'd shove a coat hanger into the coaxial connector. Now we gotta worry about WiFi and digital signals, bah! It's all a waste of time!"
"Doctor, she's waking up," the voice of Sora called out, causing them to turn around. They all crowded around Penny, who was in the process of waking up. She slowly opened her eyes, stretching her limbs out, a yawn leaving her lips.
"All systems check out, aura running at one hundred percent. Combat operations nominal. Good morning everyone," she said, a bright smile on her face. Ruby shortened the distance with her semblance, hugging her tightly.
"Oh Penny, I'm so glad that you're awake!"
"As am I, Ruby. I… I'm sorry about what happened at the party. My orders were to ensure the safety of those present, and I failed them."
"You didn't fail anyone, Penny. You were set up, set up by a powerful evil person who wants to make you look bad. But you have nothing to be scared of, because we're here, and we believe in you." Weiss said, sharing a hug with the girl.
"Your friends have been here for most of the day, sweetheart. They've been worried about you, I'm so happy that you've met such wonderful people." Pietro said, a look of pride on his face.
"So am I… they're everything I hold dear," she said with a smile. Levi chuckled, standing next to the girl, a smile on his face.
"You know, you seem a lot more mature now."
"Oh! That's because my father updated my programming. He has taken all of my previous interactions with my dearest friends, ran them through an AI, and converted them into new values. I understand so many things now!" she said, frowning after a second. "Yet despite that, SafeSearch is still on."
Levi, Weiss, and Ruby shared a laugh, Penny's pout making them laugh even harder. Pietro rubbed his neck, partially embarrassed. "Sorry baby girl, you aren't old enough to have SafeSearch off."
"You know, Doctor, it might be counterintuitive to keep it on. Penny fights the Creatures of Grimm, she's seen people being killed and more. I think she's earned that privilege, don't you think?" Sora asked, earning a sigh from the man.
"Behave yourself for a week and I'll see about turning it off."
Penny clapped her hands happily, an eager look on her face. Levi held his hand out, the pair sharing a low-five. Suddenly, a series of beeps filled the room, causing everyone to look around. For a moment, they thought someone had sounded the emergency alarm. But soon they realized it had been their scrolls. Weiss had been the first to pull hers out, seeing a message she only saw during emergencies.
"This is an Atlas Special Announcement."
The screen cut out for a moment, being replaced by a video feed live from Schnee Manor. It was none other than Jacques Schnee. The man had a smug look on his face as he sat behind his desk, staring straight into the camera.
"Citizens of Atlas, as you know, my name is Jacques Schnee. Thanks to your kind votes and hard work, I am now a part of the Atlas Council. I am, of course, going to keep my word. Effective immediately, all Nonessential Schnee Dust Company services previously terminated have been reinstated. Workers are free to return to their jobs and their wages will be raised by 2000 lien an hour.
I will begin a draft for a new order to finally bring an end to General James Ironwood's senseless Embargo and Closure of Borders. I ask that you have a bit of patience, things don't happen overnight. But rest assured, I am keeping to my promises.
And speaking of General Ironwood, I have a very important announcement. My first act as Councilman is to invite the rest of the Atlas Council for a special meeting at Schnee Manor. Members of Atlas High Society are welcome to come as well. The Ace Operatives as well as the Atlas Specialists and Special Operatives are cordially invited as well. Why, I am even opening an invite to the Protector of Mantle, if she's interested.
You must all be asking yourselves, why am I making this open invite? Ah, that's quite simple. That's because I'll be hosting a most lavish feast to honor the Council. And the main event shall be a thorough explanation of General Ironwood's many crimes against the Kingdom of Atlas. I invite him personally, to defend his seats on our Council, so he can tell us, in great detail, what his wicked schemes are all about.
I hope you look forward to it. The party is in two days at 7:00 PM. I hope to see you there."
The broadcast ended, throwing the room into silence. For several moments, no one said a thing, not knowing exactly what to say. Weiss put away her scroll, pinching her eyes, a look of annoyance on her face.
"Fantastic, his first order of business is to directly press the attack on General Ironwood. Out of all the damn things he could have done, this one takes the cake."
"I gotta say, Weiss, your father certainly has a flair for the dramatic. I bet you he's been giddy about doing this for a long time." Levi said, taking a few steps forward. "Hm… yes, finally, the chess pieces are aligned! Now I have the chance to hoist Ironwood up by his own petard. Ñeh~ God what a prick."
"Bahaha." Weiss quickly covered her lips, shoulders shaking. "I know I shouldn't laugh, but that was a spot-on imitation of him."
"At least you see the humor in the situation, kids. But you should prepare yourselves. It's clear this man intends to attack the General from every angle. You can't let him win." Maria advised, earning a nod from Sora.
"Tread carefully. You may all be Huntsmen and Huntresses, but often, the strongest enemies are those who control the board. Don't let him do that." he said, glancing over at Penny. "I'll say the same thing to you, Penny. He's probably going to insult you and berate you and make negative comments toward you. Just know that you are a beautiful and kind girl who is doing her damnedest to save as many people as she can. His words can't hurt you."
"Okay! I shall take your words to heart, Sora! I won't let Mr. Schnee insult me!" she said, giving him a salute. "We should meet up with General Ironwood, everyone. It's likely he'll want us all together for when we have to head out."
She grabbed Ruby and Weiss's hands, pulling them along. "Come on! We can paint our nails, style our hair and talk about boys!"
"Wah! Penny, what's the point of painting our nails? All of us wear gloves! And the party is two days from now!" the former heiress asked, but her cries fell on deaf ears. Levi shook his head, holding back a laugh as he watched them go.
"I'm so happy to see her acting like that. Penny looks beautiful with a smile on her face, not a frown," he said, glancing at Pietro. "You have a wonderful daughter, sir, we won't let that bastard, Jacques, do anything to her."
"I know, I'm glad she's made friends with so many good people. I still remember her first days, and how robotic she acted… now, she's nearly indistinguishable from a regular human," he said, sniffling a bit. He shook his head, clearing his throat. "Go on, I'll keep analyzing that scroll and see if that OS was the one used in Mantle."
"Understood," he replied, heading out of the lab.
Location: Midtown, Mantle
"So… you had a run-in with Tyrian?" Cinder asked, glancing over her shoulder at Neo. She was leaning against the door frame, giving the woman a nod. She let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "I always hated that man. Far too unpredictable for my tastes. You shouldn't have risked your life like that."
"As if I had a choice." her scroll said.
"You did, you need to stop playing the act of a Huntress and think about our plans. The only reason I tolerate you is because you are my ticket into Atlas Academy. Do not think you are above my directives, Girl. I can easily end your existence."
Cinder turned around, only to have a pistol aimed at her forehead. She quirked a brow, looking directly into Neo's eyes. She noticed they were both brown, something that rarely happened. She had seen them alternate, but they were never a solid color.
"It's hilarious that you think you can defeat me with a shot to the head. I welcome you to try, but you'll be dead before you can pull the trigger again," she said. Neo held her aim, making the woman sigh. She brushed the pistol out of her face, walking past the woman. "Look, we can stand here pointing weapons at each other all we want. What we need to do is figure out our next move. It's clear that Tyrian is here, and judging by Jacques Schnee's victory, Arthur is here as well."
Neo tilted her head, holstering her pistol, exchanging it for her scroll. "Arthur? Who's Arthur?"
"No one of importance, Girl. Just know that he's a very dangerous man, especially if he had the right motivation and enough technology surrounding him. A real pain in the ass if you ask me." she replied, glancing out the window, and up at Atlas. "Now then, we need a change of pace, if we plan to invade Atlas Academy, we can't do it from Mantle."
"Don't worry about that, I've already made arrangements. I was able to find us a vacant condo apartment near Atlas's Central Park. It has a good view of the city as well as a good view of Atlas Academy. Thankfully, I've been trusted by General Ironwood, the fool doesn't know I'm playing him for a fiddle," Neo's scroll said, a smirk on her face.
"Hm… you might be more gifted than you let on, Neo. What else do you have for me? Anything of interest happened to you? Or were you laid up on a hospital bed after nearly dying?" Cinder asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.
The look on Neo's face told Cinder she wasn't at all amused. Regardless of that, she flicked her scroll at the woman, who easily caught it. She opened it, reading the message that had been sent not long ago. "An invitation?"
Neo nodded, placing her hand beneath her chin. She had a devilish look on her face, eye closed in a wink. Cinder looked back at the scroll, reading the contents of the invite. "You have been cordially invited to Schnee Manor, where General James Ironwood shall defend his Council Seats. The banquet begins at 7 PM in two days. Atlas Specialists and Special Operatives have been personally invited as well, signed Councilman Jacques Schnee…"
She tossed the scroll back to Neo, who easily caught it. "How droll… that man hasn't been a Councilman for more than 12 hours and already he's being an ass. Whatever. If he can knock Ironwood down a peg or two, well that makes invading Atlas Academy that much better. What about the lamp, do you know who has it?"
"Yes, it's being kept by a 15-year-old boy named Oscar Pine. Apparently, he's the next Ozpin, so he's been given special treatment, above all of us."
Cinder turned around, her eye glowing bright orange. "WHAT? What did you just say? That boy, the one I saw at the Academy, that's the new Ozpin?"
Neo nodded, a fearful look on her face. She let out a growl, a ball of fire forming in the palm of her hand. She closed her hand, extinguishing the flames. "Salem told me that Ozpin would take years to reincarnate… She lied to me."
"Yeah… that seems to be a hidden talent among thieves. None of you have any honor as it is, why be truthful?"
The mute woman ducked to the right, avoiding the flaming ball of glass that sailed past her head. It shattered against the brick wall, singing the wallpaper. She turned to Cinder, pointing to the singe mark, anger on her face. "Oh stop acting like a child, you damned mime. That's what you get for your sassy little quips."
"Mmm… I'm gonna murder this bitch." Neo thought to herself, hand shaking in anger. She took a deep breath, calming herself down. She shifted her gaze back to Cinder, who had been muttering things under her breath. She hastily typed something on her scroll, holding the device out. "It doesn't matter if Salem lied to you or not. What's important now is to get our hands on that damned lamp, before they seal it in the vault. I have yet to find where they are keeping the Winter Maiden, and even with all my freedoms, there are still places restricted to me."
"What use is a Huntress license if you can't do shit with it?" Cinder questioned, sighing audibly. She turned to face the mute woman, placing a hand on her hip. "Alright, I've come up with an idea. We need information, and in order to get it, we need someone to get access to Atlas's Network. I'm sure Arthur has gotten in already, but we can't rely on him, besides, we don't know where he is. You still have that black scroll, correct?"
Neo gave her a nod. "Good, head to that gaudy banquet, sneak into Jacques Schnee's private computer and plug it in. Once you get access to the Network, you return to me. Bonus points if you can get SDC access codes. It'll be a joy to have so much Dust at our fingertips, hehe."
"What do you need Dust for?"
Cinder chuckled, holding her flaming hand outward. "To fight, of course. If we intend to locate the Winter Maiden, we're going to need enough firepower to tear a hole inside Atlas Academy. Once I clear the way, you go in, kill the old broad, and take her powers. Then, we'll combine our powers, find the vault and take the Staff."
She stepped back toward the fireplace, throwing the fireball into it. It roared to life, filling the room with crackling firelight. "Afterward, we'll find that lamp, and wait for Salem's arrival. Who knows? If she's feeling generous, she might spare Atlas and its people. But after our failure at Haven, I don't think she'll feel generous."
Neo adopted a pensive look, her body glowing a bright pink. Cinder let out a growl as she took the form of Ruby Rose. She looked at Cinder, gesturing to herself. "Yes, we'll team up to kill Ruby."
She turned away from her, staring deeply into the flames. A question cut through Neo's thoughts, and before she knew it, she had typed it into her scroll, hitting 'speak' with zero hesitation. "So… if you want the Relic of Knowledge and the Relic of Creation, and you have the powers of the Fall Maiden and want the others… Why do you want to return to Salem?"
"I want to return to Salem because she's the only one who showed me kindness. There hasn't been a single person in my life who has treated me like I existed." Cinder replied, looking at her reflection in the glass sword she had forged. "Believe it or not, I was once a happy girl, once upon a time. I lost my parents and was taken to an orphanage. From there, my life was an absolute hell… I was forced to do menial labor for a woman calling herself my stepmother. The only thing she ever gave me was pain, not the love I so desired."
She turned to Neo, a small smile on her face as she crushed the blade in her grasp. "And so, I did what I had to do. I serve no one, no one but myself."
"And yet you want to return to the side of a woman who doesn't give a rat's ass about you. Your sense of self-worth is in shambles, darling. No person trades an abusive relationship for another. That love that Salem might've given you, that is not real love."
"Oh and how would you know about that? The only love you were ever given was from a criminal."
"Perhaps, but that criminal taught me a lot of core values. Values that I carry with me. Serve whoever you want to serve, at the end of the day, there is one thing that I want. And I will get it." she said, holding her hand out. Cinder nodded, clasping it with her own.
"Indeed. The death of Ruby Rose… and we shall get it, don't you fret, my mute friend," she said, earning a grin from Neo.
"Yeah right… Why would I murder my friend when I can set you up for failure? Gods, I can't wait to run you through with Hush, you hypocrite."
Location: Atlas Academy Dorms
"Only my Father could turn a hostile takeover into a fluffy PR move," Weiss dejectedly said, shaking her head as she held the invitation card in her hand. Two days had passed, and it was the day of the banquet. Things had moved swiftly for them, as they each prepared for what was coming ahead.
Ruby had called an emergency meeting between them, along with Oscar and Jaune. Alto, Nora, and Ren had been invited as well, but they decided to head to the training room. Levi himself had returned from his second day of Special Operative training. The General had been motivated by Jacques's invitation and pushed his training up. Alongside his Semblance training and piloting course, he had been very busy. Despite that, a part of him actually looked forward to the banquet.
"On the news, he said he just wanted to break bread and hash things out. Maybe it won't be so bad?" Ruby said, trying to sound optimistic. "We do want the General to start opening up to these people, right?"
"Yes, but on his terms. Ironwood's going to be locked in a room at his rival's own dinner party. I know Jacques says he's happy to moderate, but all that really means is he'll be controlling the conversation." Oscar said, clenching his fist tightly.
"Given Jacques's track record, I don't think this will turn out great." Jaune quipped, leaning back against his chair.
"The General won't be completely defenseless. Winter, Penny, and Clover have been invited as well. I'm certain they'll provide sufficient backup to the General." Blake said, trying to sound hopeful.
"I still can't believe he won. Robyn was supposed to be the people's champion. She outclassed even that vile snake of a woman, Ivy Brown." Weiss said, a hand on her forehead. "There are just too many coincidences."
"You think your dad might be in league with Salem?" Yang asked, tilting her head slightly. Weiss glanced down at her, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm not sure, but all I know is that my Father would do anything to win."
"Then that's our ticket in," Ruby said, jumping to her feet. She tugged on her cloak, hands on her hips. "It's time to do what they do in those cheesy spy dramas."
"Meaning what exactly…?"
"Oh come on, Snowflake, you can't be this dense," Levi said, standing beside Ruby. "What she means is, we should skulk around your house. Look through every nook and cranny, lift up his mattress, look in his desk drawer, and find the mustache comb he used to beat Robyn in the election."
"Mustache comb?" Oscar queried, only for Jaune to shake his head at him.
"No one knows your father better than you, Weiss. And out of everyone here tonight, I'd say you are the only one who could snoop around the house and not be questioned," she said, glancing around the room at her friends. "If Jacques Schnee is up to something, I think we should know about it."
The former heiress thought about it for a second, a look of determination on her face. "Alright then, I'll do my best."
"Atta girl!" Levi said cheerfully. He tugged on his jacket, swiveling on his foot as he headed toward the exit. "As for me, I gotta head to the flower shop."
"For what?" Yang asked.
"Flowers, clearly," Blake added, earning a scoff from the blonde.
"Hurr durr, obviously. What I meant to ask is, what do you need flowers for?"
"What kind of man would I be if I went to Schnee Manor without purchasing a bouquet of roses for the lady of the house?" he said, ears folded back. "I wish to be an extraordinary gentleman after all, not a lowly louse like the Atlas Elite claim a faunus like me is. Besides, Willow deserves something positive in her life, not more alcohol."
Weiss frowned at the mention of her mother's name. Just like that, she wasn't looking forward to this banquet.
xxx
It wasn't long after the sun had set that everyone got into their transport. Jacques Schnee had paid for very fancy limousines to bring all of his Atlas Academy guests to his home. Schnee Manor was abuzz with activity. From News reporters and choppers to members of Atlas High Society. Everyone was dressed in fancy outfits as if they were heading to a gala. Levi found himself staring at the large fountain in front of the manor, as he did when he had first been there. Despite all the people around them, it was still just as cold as he remembered. He held his bouquet of white roses in his grasp, arranged in a very fancy way, and with a lavish ribbon.
He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, catching the look Ruby was giving him, or rather, his flowers. He chuckled, letting her hold them. "You could have just asked,"
"I know, I'm a bit distracted. White roses are so pretty, but I like the red ones a lot more."
"There's something extremely romantic about red roses. Though your opinion might be biased, given red roses is your namesake," he replied, earning an eye-roll from the girl.
"It's… odd being back here, after so long," Weiss mumbled, staring up at the entrance. The tall spires were glowing in the lighting. Every single light in the front courtyard had been turned on, in order for the mansion to look as grand as it was meant to look. She rubbed her arm, looking away for a moment. "It still feels the way it always does."
"Hey, there's no need to worry. We're here with you, Weiss. And if your father tries something, we'll fight him off." Yang said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We've come too far for you to be ripped away from us."
"Yang's right, after everything we've been through, we're not letting some rich douchebag take you away," Blake added. The white-haired woman nodded, hugging her friends tightly.
The next limousine pulled up in front of the house. From within stepped Winter Schnee, followed by General Ironwood and the rest of the Ace-Ops. Qrow and Penny were the last ones out of that limousine. The former looked around, almost like a kid in a candy store, while the latter was aimlessly moving about, nervousness etched on her face. The General turned for a moment, several camera flashes in his line of sight.
"Suppose we should smile for the cameras?"
"Sir, with all due respect, you'd have to pay me." Winter quipped, earning a smile from the man. They stepped toward the entrance, with the others following alongside them. The doors slowly opened, and, much to Levi's surprise, the one who had answered was Whitley.
He had dressed in a fancy suit, though it looked almost indistinguishable from what he had last seen him in. He had a smug look on his face, hands folded before him. "Good evening, everyone."
"Where's Klein?" Weiss asked, causing the boy to look at her. He sighed, leaning back a bit as he glared at her.
"What an interesting way to say "Hello, dear brother, how have you been?" he said, crossing his arms in annoyance. Weiss just gave him a frown, prompting him to speak. "I'm afraid you won't find him here. He was let go. I can't imagine why."
A look of guilt washed over her face, her gaze shifting to the ground. Levi stepped forward, Whitely's smile diminishing when he saw him. "Oh, you've come back, haven't you, Mr. Huntsman?"
"I'm afraid I have, kid. I'm not here to step on any toes. The General has requested me and my teammates to remain on standby. We aren't here to cause trouble." he said, handing him the bouquet of roses. "For your mother, I hope she's doing alright."
Whitley stared at the roses but said nothing as he gestured for them to enter the mansion. He glanced over his shoulder, the smug look returning to his face. "General, exactly how large do you think our dining room table is?"
"I happen to know it's enormous. But most of my guests will be on standby, as Mr. Athan has stated before. Until then, I'm sure they'll be happily celebrating your father's victory." he said. The young man nodded, a smug look on his face as he stepped further into the foyer. He handed the flowers to one of the butlers, who swiftly left toward the stairs.
All around them, guests could be seen interacting with each other. Faunus Butlers were dressed in fancy suits, food platters, and drink trays in their grasp. A band had been set up by the right side of the main stairwell. Though there were some classical instruments, bassists, guitarists and even a drummer were present, filling the foyer with a delectable sound. It added to the ambiance of the estate, but it didn't make them feel any less nervous.
"For those of you joining us in the dining room, please follow me," Whitley said, directing the General down the opposite corridor. Winter paused for a moment, looking back at Levi and Weiss, a firm look on her face.
"Don't go too far, just in case. The two of you were heavily involved with Ivy Brown's case, and given that Tyrian is involved, we may have to tell the Council about your encounters with him," she said, earning a nod from Levi.
"Don't worry, Winter. We'll be here in case we're needed, just… try not to get angry at Father, okay?" Weiss said.
"I can try, but I won't make any promises."
"Wish us luck, will ya?" Clover added, causing Qrow to chuckle dryly.
"Why? They already invited you, didn't they?"
The group disappeared shortly after. Within a few seconds, a Faunus approached them, holding a tray of champagne and wine to them, a smile on his face. "Care for a drink?"
Qrow stared at the glasses, shaking his head. "Nah, I'm all set, thanks."
Ruby gave him a bright smile as he turned to face them, proud that her uncle had decided to quit. He gave them a silent nod, hand behind his neck as he glanced around the place. "I'm gonna… stick to patrolling the grounds."
Marrow frowned at the Faunus waiter that had passed him, his tail drooping as he followed Qrow. "I think I'll join you. I'm not good with high society crowds,"
"Alright then, kids," Harriet said, turning to face Team RWBY and Team ORNJ. "Right, well, don't wander off, don't break anything, and be ready in case the General calls for you."
She gestured for Vine and Elm to follow, the tall woman having relieved one of the waiters of an entire platter of hors d'oeuvres. She had made a bold statement about cleaning the Schnees out of House and Home, and for a moment, Levi felt bad for the Chefs and the Wait Staff. For just a moment. His ear twitched a bit as he caught Yang's giggle.
"Counterpoint! How about we do break things, we do wander off and do everything else?"
"I mean if you wanna pay a million lien for a flower vase, then more power to you, Yang," Alto said, licking her lips as a waiter passed her, a tray of crab cakes in his grasp. "I think I'm gonna follow Elm's example and get my fill!"
"Is this why you decided not to eat lunch, Alto?" Oscar asked, earning a vigorous nod from the wolf faunus. She took hold of his wrist, pulling him toward the nearby refreshment table. Given her background as a cook, she was looking forward to expanding her palette and finally trying some new things.
"Well then, my time has come. I'll be in touch," Weiss said, earning a thumbs-up from Ruby. She took a deep breath, stepping toward the stairwell, only for her brother to block her.
"Dear sister, I was hoping we could use this time to catch up!"
"Oh um…"
"I have to know, why did you go through so much trouble to leave home, just to come crawling back?" he asked, rather loudly. Enough that a few others had heard him, and were now looking in their direction.
"Fantastic, this kid is gonna throw a wrench in this entire plan," Levi mumbled, arms crossed as he looked at his teammates. "Ladies, we're in need of a plan."
Quietly, they began chatting, hoping to come up with something before they lost their chance. Things were, of course, far more challenging than they needed to be. None were prepared for the curveball the night was going to throw them.
A/N: The Speech the Sargent gave is a reference to one of the greatest abridged series that exists. I couldn't avoid not including it lol. Cordially Invited is one of my favorite episodes of the series, mostly because of Weiss having to return home, deal with her brother and see her mother again. Seeing Willow for the first time since she left is a hard thing for her, given how she left and what happened to her afterward. With Weiss leaving, Willow spiraled down into her binge drinking, which of course, upset Whitley even more, and made him hate his sisters because they abandoned him. This family is so broken, thanks to Jacques and his actions, and seeing Weiss taking active steps to fix it in Volume 8 is great. I'm excited to see her meet up with her siblings and her mother in Vacuo, and I want to see her reaction to the death of Jacques, that's gonna be interesting.
Also, I will say, one more chapter. If you know, you know, lol. Again, I am going to be posting two Omake chapters separately from the main fic, so be sure to check those out when they do go up. They take place during Chapters 14 and 15. They were short scenes that were meant to be in the main story but they became so complex that I just made them into their own events. I hope you enjoy them when they go up. Because I am posting so much stuff, I am gonna be taking a little bit of a break. Now that I'm writing Volume 9's events, I gotta do some planning and restructuring, since a lot of things are going to change during Volume 8 so... yeah. That's all I gotta say about that for now. So until next time.
