Dead End.

Team RWBY, LSBL, Qrow, Oscar and Maria are seen standing outside of the gates to the Atlesian Military base on the island off the coast of Argus.

Yang puts her hands on the bars of the gate to speak to the guards "Come on! You didn't even hear us out!".

Nubuck Guard 1 "Our orders are clear: The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!".

Nubuck Guard 2 "Please!".

Nubuck Guard 1 "Have a good day!".

Yang tried to reason with them "But-".

Both Nubuck Guards "A good day!".

"Hey, if you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironwood-" Qrow began but was interrupted.

Both Nubuck Guards "General Ironwood!".

Qrow fought the urge to sigh "Yeah, General Ironwood, then fine. But look, we have Weiss Schnee and Bernadetta von Varley with us and we're trying to get them home safely".

Weiss and Bernadetta looks at each other with reluctance upon hearing Qrow say that. The two guards look to each other before turning their attention back to the group "Approach!".

Weiss shares a look with Bernadetta, who just sighs at what they need to do. Both girls then walks up to the gate and the two guards step up and bend down to inspect them.

After a moment, both guards stand straight back up "Very well!".

Guard Nubuck 2 "You may speak with our commanding officer!".

Guard Nubuck 1 "We will fetch her at once!".

The two guards turn around in sync, and chant "Hup hup hup" and "Atlas Atlas Atlas" as they run to get their superior.

"They were... kind of-" Blake began.

"Super weird? Uh, yeah" Ruby finished for her.

"And I thought Atlas' soldiers were supposed to be more elegant" Severa said.

Maria strokes her chin "Hmm...".

"What's wrong?" Oscar asked.

"Well, I... may know this commanding officer..." Maria answered.

"That's good, isn't it? If she's your friend, then maybe she'd be more willing to help us" Ruby said.

"I wouldn't exactly call us... friends" Maria said.

"Acquaintances?" Weiss asked.

Maria "Not quite".

"Colleagues?" Blake asked.

Maria "Warmer".

"Enemies?" Yang asked.

Maria smiled "That's the one!".

"Wait, what?" Oscar asked.

"Oh, yes. I come through here about once every ten years to get my eyes checked up in Atlas. You bring outside cashews on one flight, and suddenly you're placed on the additional screening list for life!" Maria explained sounding annoyed.

Qrow gave her a look of disbelief "You've gotta be kidding me...".

"Now, now, let's not give up hope yet. Maybe she's dead!" Maria said a little to hopeful.

Suddenly, the gates open up quickly, and the two guards return.

Guard 1 "Introducing!".

Guard 2 "Special operative!".

Both Nubuck Guards "Caroline Cordovin!".

Footsteps can be heard approaching before everyone looks down to see a short-statured elderly woman around Maria's age wearing the standard Atlesian officer uniform.

Cordovin steps forward and glares at Maria "Witch".

Maria glares back "She-devil".

"Hm. I've seen you've chosen larger contraband to smuggle this time" Cordovin said as she eyes the group.

Maria smirked "Oh, Cordo. You know they say time changes people, but I see you've still got that stick right up your-".

Ruby quickly interrupts her "H-hello! Miss, uh, Cordovin. My name is Ruby Rose, and I was wondering if you would hear us out about-".

"I've already heard what your other little friends had to say, Miss Rose" Cordovin said as she looks behind Ruby, noticing the others standing a little ways away behind the group "What are you doing back here?! I thought I told you to leave!".

Nora tries to charge forward, only to be held back by Ren and Jaune "And I told you we wouldn't rest until you let us through!".

Ren nervously smiles and waving "Nice to see you again as well!".

"You civilians are clearly incapable of comprehending the importance of our mission here in Argus. So allow me to say this slowly, with smaller words: This base, that relay tower, the very safety of Argus are all gifts from the glorious Kingdom of Atlas! And it is my duty to uphold them, as only I have the wit and tenacity for such a task" Cordovin said with an annoying amount of pride.

Guard Nubuck 1 "Such wit!".

Guard Nubuck 2 "Such tenacity!".

"Or maybe Atlas just wanted to get you as far from the kingdom as possible" Maria said simply.

Cordovin growls "You're just like the rest of these Argus ingrates! This city wouldn't even be here if it weren't for our Atlesian ancestors, and what do we get in return? The entire world is ready to put a knife to our throats!".

"Please, we know your kingdom had nothing to do with the Fall of Beacon. We were there" Ruby said.

Weiss steps up "No one's happy about the Atlas borders or embargo, but I know General Ironwood is just worried. It's why we need to talk to-".

Cordovin quickly stops her "The General is no coward! Atlas is strong. If all the kingdoms plan to make us their enemy, then so be it! Atlas will prevail!".

Both Nubuck Guards "Atlas will prevail!".

Yang looked unimpressed "Do you guys seriously have to do that?".

"Yeah, I thought this was a base, not a circus" Severa said.

Lucina finally spoke up "Look we are not here to start trouble, we just want to get our friends home safely".

Cordovin sighs "If Miss Schnee and Miss von Varley has truly come to their senses and wishes to return to their families, then, of course, the Atlas military will escort the, home. But the kingdom will not be responsible for their friends of... questionable characters".

She glances at Blake and Lyre specifically upon saying her last statement, causing both Faunus to look away.

Severa glares at her "Questionable characters!?".

Weiss spoke in a equally hostile tone "What's that supposed to mean?".

"It means we're done here" Cordovin said and the gates to the base are shown closing quickly, leaving the group outside once again.

"Oh yeah? Well, your face looks... like a big dumb boot!" Nora yelled.

Jaune deadpans "Way to show her, Nora...".

"She is only willing to take me and Weiss... But I don't want us to go home alone" Bernadetta said.

Weiss looked down "I don't...".

"Weiss, Bernie. I told you we wouldn't leave your side for a second. We'll find a way to Atlas. Together" Ruby said as she places a hand on Bernadetta and Weiss' shoulders.

"Yeah, if that old hag is going to be stubborn, we'll just have to be more stubborn" Lyre declared.

Weiss and Bernadetta smiles and nods back at their friends. Qrow starts to walk away.

"So... where are we going now?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, what's the plan?" Nora asked.

Qrow stops and speaks in bitter tone "The plan? The plan just got shut on our face three times over. I'm going for a drink".

"Is getting drunk the answer to all your problems!?" Severa said, being more than fed up with her father's drinking habits.

Ruby runs over to her uncle "Uncle Qrow, I really think we should try and come up with something... together."

Qrow walks away before she could finish. Severa glares after him, having a real father and daughter bond with him seems to grow more and more slim by the day.

"What's his problem? It's not your fault we can't go on" Jaune said.

If he's gonna be a jerk then we'll just come up with something without him. I mean, we've got Ozpin with us! He usually knows what to do" Nora said.

Upon hearing this, Oscar looks down sadly, and the others exchange troubled looks.

Ren noticed this "What is it?".

Lucina grabbed her arm as Severa spoke "Umm yeah... about that...".


Back at Saphron's home, Jaune punches the wall, leaving a very large crack in it. The others had recently explained the truth about Ozpin and Salem... though making sure not to mention Lucina's relation to it as there was no telling how that would effect them.

"Jaune!" Ruby said, unhappy with what he did.

"Everything we did was for nothing!" Jaune said angrily.

"That's not true" Blake tried to argue.

"Really? Cuz it sure does sound like it" Nora said in an angry tone of her own.

"I, um..." Blake began but couldn't find the words.

"If Salem can't be killed, then how are we supposed to win this?" Ren asked, despite being calmer than his teammates, it was clear he was just as upset as they were.

Everyone remains silent. Making it clear they had no idea how to defeat Salem.

"Wow... Great plan everyone!" Jaune said sarcastically.

"All this time... we were fighting a war we could never win... did anything matter? All our pain, loss and sacrifices it was all pointless" Bernadetta said, looking ready to cry.

"Bernie..." Yang said as she reached for Bernadetta's shoulder to comfort her.

Bernadetta smacks her hand away "No! This changes everything! How do we win against someone who can't be killed!?".

"Look, none of this is great, we know. But we're not the bad guys here" Oscar said.

"Are we sure about that?" Jaune asked in an unnervingly hostile tone.

Oscar looked confused and worried "What?".

"He's in your head, isn't he? Did you already know about this?" Jaune asked as he angrily walks towards Oscar.

"He didn't know any of it!" Weiss said, worried of what Jaune might to.

Lucina quickly stands between Jaune and Oscar "Jaune stop!".

"How much longer can we even trust him?!" Jaune asked as his anger grew to the point that Lucina had to physically hold him back.

"Jaune!" Yang said.

"How do we even know it's really him?! What if we have been talking to that liar this whole time?!" Jaune yelled.

"Oscar can be trusted Jaune! More so than me!" Lucina said.

"Why would you say that?" Jaune asked, some of his anger being replaced with confusion.

"Lucina! Shut up!" Severa said urgently.

But Lucina could not hold it in anymore "Salem is my grandmother!".

The whole room fell silent. Everyone, minus Team RWBY Oscar and Severa looked at Lucina in shock.

Jaune took a few steps back looking horrified "What...? You... you are related to that monster?".

Lucina looks around realizing before she panics and runs out.

"Lucina! Wait! Come back!" Ruby yelled as she tried to run after Lucina, but by the time she got outside, Lucina was already gone.

Jaune was silent for a moment, unsure how to process this new revelation... On one side, Lucina is his friend so he knows he should trust her... But she is the granddaughter of the monster responsible for all their grief... He goes upstairs, a door can be heard opening and slamming shut.

"Is he... gonna be okay?".

Nora throws her arms in the air in an angry manner "I don't know!"

She gets up and leaves.

"I think it would be best if we had some time to ourselves" Ren said as he leaves and heads upstairs as well.

The rest remain in the living room.

"Maybe we could all use some space" Blake suggested.

"What about Lucina? I don't think space is what she needs right now" Lyre said, despite what she heard, she did not want her partner and friend to run of on her own.

"You're right, you and I will look for her... I think Bernie needs something else" Severa said as she looks at her partner who had began sobbing.

Yang gently pulled Bernadetta in to a hug, allowing her small girlfriend to cry in to her chest "I got her, find Lucina".

"Thank you" Severa said as she and Lyre leaves to find Lucina.

Ruby looks down, clenching her fists. Once again she had failed to help the girl she loves... what kind of useless girlfriend is she? Lucina was always there for her when Ruby needed her... but when Lucina needs help, Ruby can't even provide comfort...


As for Lucina, she was sitting near the water, not to far from the city. She felt cold... lost... and hopeless. All her life she believed she had everything figured out. She would grow strong, become a huntress and protect the world... But Beacon has fallen, their enemy has been revealed to be immortal... and worse of all, Lucina now knows she is related to Salem and now her friends have likely lost all trust in her and for good reasons... turns out she didn't know anything... her life had been one big lie... and now she had no idea what to do.

She looks at her reflection And noticed her face and hair was ghostly white and her eyes were red... like Salem. She quickly punches her reflection before she broke down crying... She has no idea what to do... Or who she even is anymore... Everything... was just dark.

.

Tell me what you think.