The Overshadowed City

Welcome back everyone, it's been awhile since we've visited this story. So let's see if I've still got the mojo working in the world of Remnant. On to the story!

Volume 7 Begins

The kingdom of Atlas, said to be possibly the greatest kingdom in all of Remnant, lived up to its name as far as outside appearances went. The city itself was hovering on a massive landscape the size of an island that was suspended in the air by an unimaginably large amount of gravity dust and held to the land by massive chains the size and length of small skyscrapers. It was a beautiful and powerful scene if one tried their hardest not to notice the massive air fleet deployed in an incredibly aggressive looking defensive formation. Several large cruisers with elongated bodies and engines that speared out on both sides like the plumage of a bird hovered just in front of the city while countless T-shaped airships buzzed around them like bees around a hive.

Wayne and Aegis Ursario were at a loss for words as they, Qrow, Oscar, Maria Calavera and the collective teams of RWBY and JNR stared out from their stolen airship in confusion until Ruby Rose voiced the thought on everyone's mind. "What's going on?" She asked.

"I wish I knew," said Qrow from his position in the co-pilot's seat.

"But we have the lamp," said Jaune as he stepped forward, "and we made it all the way here. If we land, maybe we could get some answers."

"I'm not sure that'd be the best idea," said Weiss as she leaned forward to get a better view out of the cockpit window, "Our forces have never been deployed this aggressively before, at least not that I've ever seen. If we land in this stolen ship we could just as easily be arrested and then we won't be able to get anywhere near Ironwood. And I might get taken back to my father." It was barely audible, but Wayne's knuckles cracked as he balled one of his hands into a fist at the thought. He remembered the two short, unpleasant interactions he'd had with the former heiress's brother and he was certain her father would be worse.

"So do we have any other ideas?" Questioned Blake, who was still wearing Wayne's spare coat after losing hers in the final fight against Adam Taurus.

"I could, yes, Winter might be able to help," said Weiss as she pulled out her scroll, "put a little bit of distance between the fleet and us for the time being."

"I don't need to be told twice on that account," commented Maria from the pilot's chair as she steered the ship down towards a number of lights beneath the floating Kingdom. It was the city that lived in the shadow of Atlas, Mantle. How appropriate that description was became obvious as they flew into the city and observed the stark contrast between the two. Where Atlas seemed to be bright and shining, Mantle was dank, darker and gave off a depressing aura.

Even from the airship it was obvious the city streets were not entirely clean and the people were all in various states of cleanliness, mostly on the more dirty side. A type of smog also seemed to hang in the air with the brightest illumination coming from towering screens on the sides of the tallest buildings in the city. A message was being relayed over and over again on the screens: a broadcast of General Ironwood. "He looks so, tired," noted Yang with a somber tone.

"What in the world's happened to you James," said Qrow as he observed the beard that had grown on his old friend's face and the disheveled appearance of his hair.

"This is all wrong," said Weiss as the ship's radio crackled to life with the operator on the other end directing them to docking bay Omega twelve. She sounded a bit more impatient as this was the second time she'd contacted their ship.

"We're running short on time here," urged Maria as she steered the craft around the city.

"Well it'd probably be best if the Atlas military didn't find us in a stolen ship," said Aegis.

"All in favor of ditching this thing and escaping into the city?" Said Yang.

"You'll get two votes from me," said Qrow, "we need to buy ourselves some time and getting lost in the city is a good way to do it."

"Any reason we can't still try to contact Winter afterwards?" Questioned Wayne.

"We shouldn't have to run," said Weiss as she stepped towards the cockpit, "I'm certain my sister can straighten everything out once we talk to her and then get us to Ironwood."

"I'm not so sure about that," said Blake as she pointed out the side of the window. Another one of the large screens was playing a broadcast, of Winter. She was making an announcement about interfering with Atlas forces being a punishable offense, and she didn't look too friendly about it either.

"Yeah no offense or anything Weiss," said Qrow, "But that's not looking like the best idea right now."

"Look something is clearly wrong here," said Weiss, "but if we can just talk to my sister-."

"I'm not even sure talking to Ironwood is the best idea right now," retorted Qrow, "Not until we find out what's going on in Mantle."

"Wayne, say something," urged Weiss, hoping he'd have some kind of counter to this. The half bear Faunus mulled it over for a few moments before speaking.

"I think that whatever we wind up doing we should at least ditch the stolen ship first," he said, "that way we can avoid possibly being arrested. Once we're clear I vote on trying to contact Winter and seeing if she can explain some of this. Any objections with that plan?"

"You'll get no argument from me," said Calavera, "because I know someone who can help us with both." The radio crackled to life one more time as the operator attempted to demand they land at the correct docking bay before being quickly shut off by the old woman. "Take a hint already lady."

Maria then proceeded to pilot the airship down to a fairly discrete landing area where everyone filed out and followed the ex-huntress's lead through one of the city's many allies and out onto the main sidewalk. Everyone tried to look as casual as possible while their eyes roamed up and down the street, taking in the sight of a large presence of soldiers and surveillance drones, small floating robots with security cameras for heads. "Is this the normal amount of soldiers for the city?" Asked Jaune.

"Not as far as I know, or knew," replied Weiss. It was about this time that one of the surveillance drones started tailing Yang before hitting her with a camera flash, causing the startled huntress to kick the little robot out into the street where it was summarily run over by a speeding truck.

"I think we should probably pick up the pace a bit," commented Yang as she noticed most everyone staring at what she'd just done, save for Aegis who gave her a thumbs up.

"You'd do well to remember that the kingdom had just lost the Great War when Atlas came in and gave them a symbol of a brighter future," said Maria, "and it doesn't get much brighter than a city up in the clouds."

"Unless you're the ones looking up at it all the time," commented Nora upon seeing a work truck pass by with numerous dirty miners in the back.

"This whole city just seems awful," said Blake somberly.

"Well if you don't like it then go out in the tundra," said a drunk individual wearing a grey coat and glasses as they stumbled off of some stairs, "there's plenty of space there."

"Sorry I didn't mean it quite like-," Blake started to apologize before being interrupted.

"Atlas is the greatest kingdom in all of Remnant," slurred the drunkard.

"I don't recall anyone asking y-," Aegis started to say before Blake stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"We can't cause a scene right now," she whispered, trying to remind him of the current situation they were in.

"The embargo may be causing something of a rough patch," admitted another drunk man in a purple beanie, "but it'll all blow over soon."

"Well we wouldn't even have one if not for the other kingdoms throwing our help back in our faces," said the glasses wearing drunk, "I say they can all go and rot if this is the way they're gonna be."

"And again I apologize," said Blake until Wayne put a hand on her shoulder.

"Forget it Blake, there's no point in arguing with drunkards," said the former Beacon student as he urged everyone else to start walking again, "they probably won't even remember this conversation in the morning."

"Yeah walk away, you couldn't appreciate it anyway you stupid Faunus," slurred the drunk man, causing Aegis to instantly wheel and advance on the man. Until he noticed a black glyph on the ground which sent the surprised drunkard flying into a nearby dumpster.

"Huh," was the resounding word out of everyone's mouth as they turned to see Weiss standing with Myrtenaster out.

"What, it was worth it," quipped the former heiress as they all hurried around the corner to avoid the two Atlas security robots who were checking out the scene.

"Never thought I'd say this, but nice one Weiss," complimented Aegis.

"Thanks, never thought I'd hear a compliment from you," replied the former heiress with a smirk as they turned another corner and arrived at what looked like a type of pharmacy with a green medical cross hanging over the door. A cheerful Faunus girl came out waving her prosthetic hand as a voice called after her to avoid heavy lifting.

"Ah, it's wonderful to see you again my old friend," said Maria as she and the rest of the group squeezed into what they assumed was the office. It had numerous shelves lined with books on both robotics and medical procedure with a large desk taking up the back wall that was covered in papers. A dark-skinned man with grey hair and a beard poked his head out from behind them as he adjusted his glasses.

"Oh yes welcome," said the man, "have we met somewhere before?"

"I'd say this is off to a fantastic start," said Ren sarcastically.

"I get my cyber-optic implants adjusted by you," said Maria, "about every ten years or so."

"Ah Maria!" said the man as recognition appeared in his eyes as his 'chair' moved out from behind his desk, propelled by four mechanical legs, "Yes with the optical implants, and ten years has it been that long already?" The man proceeded to lead Miss Calavera by her hand over to a kind of doctor's table as everyone got a better look at his attire. He wore simple brown pants and shoes with a white button-up shirt and a red vest. He also wore a yellow hat that covered most of his grey hair.

"Yes I do seem to age like a fine wine," said Maria, "would've made it out here sooner but I ran into these youngsters. I thought they might need a little guidance on fighting Sphinxes so I hung around for a bit."

"Did they really?" Questioned the man as he helped her onto the doctor's table.

"As it turned out no," replied Maria, "they had far more complicated issues to deal with."

"And still do, thank you very much," commented Aegis as Qrow stepped forward.

"This is great and all but who is this exactly?" Questioned the veteran huntsman.

"Ah and here I was hoping I wouldn't need to introduce one of the finest minds in all of Atlas," said Maria.

"One of its finest minds works in a place like this?" Questioned Yang as one of the tiles fell out of the decrepit ceiling, almost as if on cue.

"He prefers to keep a low profile," explained Maria, "which now that I think about it is something none of you know anything about."

"Hey it's not always our fault when something blows up," quipped Wayne.

"Well whatever the case, you can call me Pietro," said the man with the best he could do for a bow in his chair.

"He's also got a fine heart too," added Maria, "which is why he volunteers at this pharmacy from time to time when he's not busy building Atlas's future up in the clouds alongside Ironwood."

"Ah it gets stuffy up there," said Pietro with a dismissive wave, "while I'm down here I get a chance to help out the locals and have a bit of fun. I got some shoes I'm currently working on that make ya dance, anyone wanna try 'em on."

"Yeeeeeesss!" Nora practically squealed before being reeled in a bit by Yang.

"Before we get to the dancing shoes," said Yang, "we kinda need help getting into contact with Ironwood. We were heading to Atlas to try and talk to him but-."

"What's been happening here in the city?" Questioned Blake. Pietro sighed at this question before letting out a couple of coughs.

"Beacon's fall took a toll on James just like it did the rest of us," he explained, "I don't know what exactly he saw while he was there, but he came back a changed man."

"He saw his own mechs being hacked and turning their weapons on everyone else," said Wayne, "whatever confidence he had in Atlas's military was probably shaken and now he's, well-."

"Scared," offered Qrow. Pietro had a different thought on the matter.

"It's more like he's become paranoid," he said, "knowing that someone's out there who can completely dismantle Atlas security code and make us look like traitors or buffoons, not to mention the implications. To my knowledge the only one who could do something like that is either a genius or one of our own."

"Or both," added Aegis, "wouldn't be the first time someone betrayed their kingdom recently."

"And that's exactly what the General and I are afraid of," said Pietro as everyone let this new knowledge sink in.

"I guess this means Atlas isn't quite the safe haven we hoped for," said Ren.

"But we can't just leave, not after everything it took just to get up here," said Oscar.

"What's the council think of all this?" Asked Weiss as she stepped forward. "And do you know what Winter Schnee's views are on this situation?"

"The council's so frightened by recent events right now that they'll agree to just about anything James wants them to do," replied Pietro, "I mean there are some who-wait a moment. You're Weiss Schnee aren't you young lady?" Before Weiss could answer back, Yang stepped forward with a mechanical finger held up.

"Why don't you finish what you were saying about Mantle first," she said, attempting to divert his attention. Instead, the man focused more intensely on Yang's robotic arm as if he recognized it.

"You painted the arm," Pietro said, clearly a little surprised.

"Um, is everything okay Mr. Pietro," asked Ruby as everyone adopted a more nervous stance.

"I should've seen it sooner, you're team RWBY," said the scientist as his memory seemed to return.

"Wait, you know who we are?!" exclaimed Ruby comically, voicing everyone else's surprise at this revelation.

"I do, yes I most certainly do," said Pietro, "honestly I feel like quite the dunce for not recognizing you all sooner. My daughter's told me all about you."

"Your daughter knows us?" Questioned Ruby with a confused look. But those questions would have to wait as an alarm sounded outside for their sector of the city.

"That's trouble," said Jaune as he and the rest of the group rushed outside despite the inventor's protests. Outside the citizens on the streets were in panic as all around people rushed to their homes, into work places or crammed themselves into any hiding spot they could find. The Beacon students recognized the approaching noises of Grimm instantly as they all drew their weapons and took fighting stances, with Wayne donning his helmet in the process.

"I guess the city defenses aren't holding as well as they could be," commented Oscar.

"And that manages not to surprise me at all," added Nora. And it was made even clearer how outmatched the defenses were as an Atlas mech was sent flying down the street corner and into a lamp post. More went flying from the same direction as a remaining squad of retreating droids was quickly taken down in front of them by large, tiger-like Grimm with enormous front fangs, better known as Sabyrs. The snarling Grimm didn't take long to notice them as they formed up and charged down the street towards them.

"Well we didn't come this far to let something like this stop us now," said Ruby as she readied her scythe.

"So let's tear through 'em!" Cheered Aegis as he formed an ice mace and charged in first with Yang. Ren and Nora quickly followed behind them as Ruby provided cover fire down the main street. Blake, Wayne, Weiss and Qrow turned their attention down the side streets as the veteran huntsman and half Faunus tore through the first several with a combination of bullets and several skillful swings of Qrow's scythe. Ren was quick to join them as Weiss used some of her black gravity glyphs to levitate several of the sabyrs in the air, allowing both Wayne and Ren to leap up and cut through them one after the other.

Meanwhile, Aegis was smashing through the Grimm with numerous powerful swings of his ice mace, or in some cases his fist, and sending them hurtling away while Yang covered his back and slammed her gauntleted fist into anyone that her friend happened to miss. Blake provided the occasional bit of cover fire, having to hang back a bit due to there currently being no blade on her main weapon thanks to her final fight against Adam Taurus. It wasn't a huge issue at first until one of the sabyrs managed to leap past Aegis and Yang and lunge straight towards Blake. But just as the two were about to help out their friend, a green laser suddenly shot down from the sky, slicing the saber tooth Grimm horizontally as it fell in half and dissolved into dust.

Even more lasers fired from the sky in a sweeping pattern as the group stopped to witness the spectacle of the sabyrs being split one after the other until none remained and the alarms ceased. The one responsible for this show of force flew upward in front of them, her figure seeming to dance in the moonlight as green jets of flame suspended her in the air before slowly lowering her to the ground. Ruby was able to recognize the supposed stranger instantly, even despite her much longer hair as she gasped out a single name. "Penny."

"Good work darling," said Pietro as he came walking out on his mechanical chair, "why don't you say hello to all your friends." The android girl didn't seem to compute that at first until her eyes fell on the group and an excited expression spread across her face.

"Sal-," she said with a bow, "u-," before getting into a starting position, "TATIONS!" Ruby realized the implications of this too late as her android friend fly straight into her like a speeding car, sending them both flying back several feet.

"Excitable as ever I see," said Wayne as he and the rest of the group put their weapons up.

"And it is a great pleasure to see you all again," said Penny happily as Ruby groaned and rose to her feet with a hand on her head.

"But I thought you were," groaned Ruby as she shook the rest of the dizziness from her head, "I mean we all saw you-."

"Die," finished Pietro with a hand on his chin, "In a manner of speaking her previous body did die."

"But it looks like her core programming and memories were still intact," said Aegis, "So you recovered them from Beacon and inputted them into a new and improved android body." This statement was met with quite a few stares from the rest of the group as no one expected technobabble of all things from the half bear Faunus. "What, I understand some of the Sci Fi I watch."

"But he's right," said Penny with a salute, "I'm good as new, better actually and the now official protector of the city!"

"That's my girl," said Pietro, "I always knew a little thing like getting ripped to shreds wouldn't stop you."

"Not one bit," said Penny as she bonked her head, making a clanging noise.

"Is this, strangely wholesome to anyone else?" Questioned Weiss as she continued to watch the scene unfold.

"Trust me, it's not just you," replied Blake with a smile of her own.

"Well it looks like a Penny, walks like a Penny and is definitely talking Like Penny," added Yang.

"And I cannot wait to catch up on everything, there's so much we have to talk about," said Penny as she gripped Ruby's shoulders happily, before another alarm sounded in a different sector of the city. "I guess we'll have to wait." The smile never left her face as she saluted once again and blasted off into the sky, still going on about how they'd catch up later.

"So I can't decide if I know what just happened or if I should ask a million questions," commented Nora.

"Well luckily I have at least a thousand answers," said Pietro as he directed his mech chair back towards the pharmacy, "but let's get inside out of the weather first." Everyone else agreed with a few comments here and there about there never being a dull moment as the group headed back the way they'd come from.

"Honestly I thought things would be a lot rougher than this," said Qrow. Whether it was his semblance or just plain karma, that was the moment Ren and Wayne sensed the presence of someone nearby. It all happened with incredible speed then as Wayne only had time to draw a single one of his weapons while pushing Weiss out of the way before he was entangled by a bola-like weapon and fell to the ground. The rest of the group didn't fare any better as they were immobilized in quick succession by the same bola weapons flying in from multiple angles.

The only other one to get his weapon out and take a fighting stance was Qrow, who was still not fast enough to prevent himself from getting taken down by the weapons. As everyone struggled against the metallic cords binding them, the perpetrators responsible for their current predicament emerged. A group of five individuals all wearing different variations of the Atlas military uniform. "Good work everyone," said the apparent leader, a man with a brown hair in a military style cut, as he twirled a horseshoe on his finger.

"Hey," said Qrow from his position on the ground, "you do realize I'm a certified huntsman right? Maybe you missed it but we just helped save everyone!" The leader didn't answer as he reached down and took Qrow's weapon. The other soldiers followed suit as a few Atlas mechs stepped forward to accept the confiscated weapons.

"I may be a bit behind, is this how they say hello in Atlas these days," said Aegis, "because if that's true you're really gonna love how we say hi where I come from."

"You'd do best not to say anything at all," said one of the soldiers, a large dark-skinned woman as she took Aegis's weapon from his back.

"Then why don't you talk," said Wayne as he managed to work his way up to a kneeling position, "because you'll get no cooperation until you explain what exactly it is that we've done besides fighting off the Grimm?"

"Plenty," said one of the male soldiers, a dog Faunus, as he reached towards Wayne's coat.

"You'd do best to keep your hands away from there," said Wayne, "I won't give you a second warning."

"Heh, and people say Atlesians are arro-GAAAAAAH!" the soldier recoiled as the huntsman in training's semblance flared for a split second, stinging his hand. "You little-."

"What is the meaning of all this," said Pietro as he and Maria approached the scene, "why are the Ace-Ops down here in Mantle?"

"Ace-Ops," said Ruby and a few others, clearly not sure if that name was supposed to be impressive.

"Good to see you're doing well doctor," replied the Ace-Ops leader, "In short we got a report of one of our ships making an unauthorized landing, followed by an unauthorized use of weapons by unlicensed huntsmen."

"Oh sorry we were too busy saving lives to fill out any paperwork," quipped Aegis, "you're welcome by the way."

"I'm certain we can work all of this out," urged Pietro.

"They can be the ones to work things out after they get up to Atlas," said the leader as he tossed the relic he'd taken from Ruby to his other hand and went to hang it on his belt.

"Or you can all save yourselves some embarrassment and call your bosses right now," said Wayne. "Unless you like being chewed out by your superiors."

"We weren't the ones breaking the rules here," said another one of the Ace-Ops, a woman with dark and blond hair styled into a type of pointed Mohawk.

"No but you will be the ones explaining why you've got Winter Schnee's sister hog-tied in the middle of the street along with Ironwood's friend Qrow Branwen." That seemed to get their attention.

"Wayne what are you doing?" Questioned the veteran huntsman with clear concern in his voice.

"If Ironwood didn't know we were here before he definitely will now," replied Wayne,"So we might as well make the best of the situation and see if these 'Ace-Ops' are willing to do at least one helpful thing today."

"This kid has to be bluffing," said the larger tan woman, "we followed procedure to the letter."

"Then don't make the call," said Wayne, "but from where I'm sitting it's gonna end with y'all getting chewed out either way at this point." The Ace-Ops leader clearly didn't want to take any of what he said seriously, but seeing the confidence Wayne had in the declaration created just enough doubt that he decided to switch on his communicator anyway.

"Commander Schnee," he said, "We've located the ones from the unauthorized ship and have apprehended the-."

"I can see quite clearly who you've apprehended from the security feed in the area!" Winter said rather forcefully over the comm, making the Ops leader flinch away from the noise as she continued. "And you have exactly ten seconds to take those restraints off of them or you'll be spending the rest of the day cleaning toilets with your tooth brushes!" This clearly caught the man by surprise, but he recovered in the next instant and signaled his squad to begin undoing the bola restraints.

"Told ya so," said Wayne as he concentrated his semblance for a moment, causing his own restraints to short circuit and loosen as he stood up and dusted himself off. Everyone else slowly followed suit as they looked around warily at their captors.

"Commander are you sure-," the Ace Ops leader began to question before being cut off yet again.

"I'm positive," said Winter, "Your new orders are to send them up on the next transport you can find and then return to base for debriefing. Also, no arm restraints, am I clear?!"

"But mam why are we-?" The leader tried to make one final protest.

"Am. I. Clear?" Asked the eldest Schnee sister. The Ops leader sighed and said that yes he did indeed understand before his comm shut off and he put it away. Aegis was trying and failing not to look smug at the moment as Wayne simply stood and waited for someone to speak up.

"We'll be sending you up on the next transport," said the Ace-Ops leader, "but you'll have to leave your weapons with us."

"Well now that you're asking nicely," said Wayne as he pulled out his Crescent Fangs and handed them to the nearest operative after unloading them. "So what is the next transport going out?"

Onboard Police Transport to Atlas

"Well that could've gone a whole lot worse," said Nora as everyone sat shoulder to shoulder in the back of the airship.

"Truthfully this is a bit closer to what I imagined things would turn out like," said Qrow, "though we aren't in restraints so that's still better than expected. But I still don't like you pulling a stunt like that Wayne."

"Well they got the drop on us and I had to think fast," explained Wayne, "either way we were winding up in a transport to Atlas, but at least this way we can skip a visit to the police station."

"I just hope we're not heading into even more trouble by going this route," said Blake.

"I guess we'll find out very shortly," said Aegis as he peered out the window at the approaching city, and their next destination.

And so closes the first chapter of volume 7! Hello again everyone I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of our return to the Adventures of Team WA! As with my other stories, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters to this story. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes finally get a meeting with the man in the high floating castle. 'Til then.