Atonement IV: Part 2

It is important to never forget that which drives us, for if we lose the meaning of purpose then purpose itself becomes hollow.

"Ah, Miss Hill. Thank for you coming to see me. Please, have a seat."

Robyn Hill sat down while her friend and somewhat bodyguard Fiona stood next to her even though there was a chair. "Thank you."

"Your friend, Miss Thyme is welcome to sit as well." Ansem gestured to the empty chair. "There's no reason to be nervous."

"I think your wife would disagree." Robyn replied, noting the scowling visage of Willow Schnee standing next to her husband.

Ansem briefly glanced at his wife, suppressing the urge to sigh. He had long ago decided not to keep secrets, or at least too many secrets and so when he had told her he would be meeting with Robyn Hill and her Happy Huntresses she had insisted on being present. No matter how much time had passed it seemed Willow would always be on guard around Robyn. Fiona fidgeted slightly from the icy glare Willow was giving Robyn before it became a more neutral look, but she could still feel the hostility from the Schnee matriarch.

At the very least, his wife had removed her armor to show they were not looking for a fight.

Not that would mean much to a woman like Willow.

"I assure you; this is going to be civilized meeting." Ansem leaned back in his chair. "Tell me, are you aware that a new council seat is going to be open soon?"

Robyn raised an eyebrow but answered. "Yeah, I heard. Apparently one of the councilors is retiring. The City Manager."

"Yes." Ansem nodded. "Councilman Sleet and Councilwoman Camila along with General Ironwood agree that elections are to be held in next couple of years."

"Let me guess, you heard that I had plans to run for council and invited me here so you could tell me that you have your own plans to run for council." Robyn stated stoically.

To her surprise though, Ansem chuckled and shook his head. "Oh heavens no. I'm busy enough as it is as CEO of the SDC and its subsidiaries. A seat on the council would be enough to drive me partially into an early grave."

Robyn and Fiona glanced at each other for a second before looking back at Ansem. "So why did you call us here?"

"To offer you my support, of course." Ansem said simply.

Robyn stiffened and stuttered her next words. "Su-support?"

This has had been the last thing Robyn had been expecting from this meeting.

"Why would you offer me support?" Robyn asked suspiciously.

"What reason would I not have to offer you support?" Ansem asked back. "Do we not have the same goals of improving life here down in Mantle?"

Robyn could admit that Ansem had done a lot more to help Mantle than anyone in Atlas and while she respected him for that, a lifetime of learning how secretive people are, the agendas of politicians and just in general of how apathetic most Atlesians are to Mantle had left her with a habit of always being suspicious to anyone in power, including Ansem.

"Sorry but I have a habit of being careful about who I trust outside of my close circle of friends." Robyn admitted.

Willow scoffed which Robyn picked up on. "Something to share?"

"You don't like us, Hill. You don't like the fact that people from Atlas are doing more to help Mantle than you have in the last decade down here. You think all Atlesians, especially the elites have some kind of secret agenda and want to use everyone around them for some personal benefit." Willow stated with the infamous 'cold stare' that most Schnees, especially the women were known for. "Including my husband."

Fiona frowned but Robyn simply smiled. "The thought had occurred to me."

"Good because I have some thoughts to share about you." Willow came around and held out her hand. "Feel free to use your Semblance on me if I think I'm hiding something?"

Robyn stared at the hand before slowly grasping it. "Go ahead."

"I think you're a bull-headed and disrespectful excuse of a woman who delights in finding all the little secrets everyone likes to keep hidden, even if they are harmless and brings them out into the light without a second thought so you can be painted as the great hero you have most people in Mantle seeing you as. Someone who will sneak around, use her Semblance and even has a thrill of resorting to questionable methods such as espionage despite being direct defiance to the law she claims to respect." Willow stated and the aura around their hands glowed green, showing Willow was being truthful in her statement. "And I suppose that's what makes you an excellent politician."

Willow Schnee had made it clear on more than one occasion that she disliked Robyn Hill and it stemmed from her using her Lie Detection Semblance on her husband, seemingly trying to catch him in a lie or believing he was hiding something when he stated he was working to raise the quality of life in Mantle. Willow had called her out on her actions and Robyn had tried to justify herself which only made her look worse in the Schnee matriarch's eyes.

Fiona was scowling now at Willow for her rather blunt statement to Robyn who simply smiled and withdrew her hand. "Fair enough."

"Not quite." Willow stepped back to her husband. "I don't like the idea of supporting you for a seat on the council, unlike my husband. However, I have found that among the number of candidates looking to run for the open seat…You're not the worst."

Robyn raised an eyebrow, wondering what Willow meant by that before Ansem reached into his desk and pulled out a folded poster that he then handed to her.

Robyn unfolded the post and saw the contents. "Jacques Gele is trying to run for councilor? I thought he was pretty much banished from Atlas."

"Yes, there are some in Atlas who are not happy with the direction I have the SDC in, specifically in helping Mantle or promoting equality for the Faunus here in Atlas." Ansem replied.

Fiona shifted a bit at the mention of her fellow Faunus.

"When my father-in-law, Nicholas Schnee proposed a test for Jacques and I for the position of his successor, we both used very different methods to show our skills. I negotiated with the tribes in Vacuo because before and after the company was built, Vacuo was already being strip mined by the other kingdoms for its resources. I showed my intentions by bring them a steady supply of ice brought in from Solitas where we had plenty of that in abundance and slowly earned their trust." Ansem slowly explained. "Nicholas believed the Schnee Dust Company was the first step in bring the world together out of the tragedies of the Great War. With this simple trade, we not only could continue looking for Dust but with the promise of water, food and other resources to rebuild their hand, Vacuo was at least willing to show trust to outsiders with the hopes of their land being healed. Jacques' methods on the other hands were more brutal in nature, cutting the cost of safety equipment, removing health benefits, replacing safety inspectors with people of a more questionable morality, and forcing the workers to endure long shifts in their work which exposed them to the danger of raw Dust."

Robyn didn't need to be told all of this, but she knew from history of how Jacques earned his fortunes during his brief tenure in the Schnee Dust Company.

"When his horrible practices were exposed to the public, Nicholas fired him immediately and began a systematic purge of everyone who worked with Jacques, was bribed by him or who supported him." Ansem continued. "And you know how people in Atlas react to scandals."

"They cut off all contact with the people in the middle of those scandals." Robyn clarified. "That's why he had to leave, or he'd end up on the street. Still, he somehow managed to become the head of the Diamond Dust Company, a smaller Dust company that has its main base of operations Sanus. Guess he still had some friends down in Vale."

"Or he charmed his way in like he tried to do with me and my father." Willow scoffed. "And likely he still has some friends here in Atlas who are against my husband's idea of running things."

Robyn glanced at the pair and then the poster before putting it on the desk. "So, you support me when elections start, and I keep Jacques from winning that seat on the council. What then?"

"Do you really have to wonder what happens if you win? I continue my job as CEO while you take your place as councilwoman and hopefully, we all learn to get along." Ansem said simply. "You may have a chance of winning on your own, Miss Hill but your habit of antagonizing everyone in Atlas, including General Ironwood will make you difficult work with and trust."

"I am not working to gain the trust of anyone in Atlas. They've ignored Mantle ever since Atlas became the new capital of this kingdom and neglected the livelihood of everyone here." Robyn scowled. "If I gain a seat on the council, I would be quick to remind them not to ignore Mantle any longer."

"Miss Hill, if you take the council seat and focus only on Mantle which is only one half of the kingdom, you are no different from the people in Atlas you accuse neglecting." Ansem retorted.

Robyn narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"

"When sitting on the council, you must focus on the entire kingdom which means both Atlas and Mantle. Simply trying to focus on Mantle will alienate your fellow councilors and continue the division between both halves of the same kingdom." Ansem softly explained.

Robyn said nothing for a moment before she stood up. "I'll consider what you have told me, Ansem. In the meantime, I have do have some brushing up on my own politics."

"You know where to find us." Ansem simply said, allowing Robyn and Fiona to leave.

Willow scoffed once the pair had left the office. "The absolute nerve of that woman. If that's the best candidate against Jacques…You sure you wouldn't consider running."

"Oh Willow, if I did that I would barely any if at all time in my life for you and our children." Ansem chuckled sadly. "And putting me on a council seat…What could I have possibly done to deserve such animosity from you?"

Willow rolled her eyes but smiled. "At the very least, I could tell them you were making this kingdom a better place even more as a councilman. They would understand and you could make sure James was not working Winter too hard."

"You know he doesn't do that." Ansem said as he stood up and wrapped one arm around his wife's shoulder.

"I know and if he ever did…" Willow's smile turned malevolent as her eyes flashed a very cold sense of dread. "The council would have two more seats open very quickly."

Ansem chuckled quietly, knowing it was better not to argue with his wife on such matters.

Not if he wanted to live a healthy life.

Xxx

"General Ironwood, sir? You asked to see me."

Ironwood looked up from his desk, having been reading the latest report, and smiled to see one of his most trusted officers at the door. "Ah, Winter come in."

Winter entered and immediately closed the door. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing at the moment. I've been reviewing the training of the Ace-Ops. Tell me, Winter do you know of your father's theories regarding the evolution of Semblances? Specifically, his Limit Break theory?" Ironwood put the report on his desk.

Winter raised an eyebrow but quickly answered. "Yes, he's spoken of it to me at times. He believes that if one's Semblance evolves enough it can reach a point where it becomes something entirely new, breaking past any limits previously thought possible and would allow for multiple abilities instead of just one. We know Semblances do evolve with the proper training but my father believes no one has pushed it to the kind of level where it becomes something else."

"What do you think of it?" Ironwood asked.

"Well…" Winter cleared her throat. "There are some possibilities to it, I admit. The idea of pushing past the boundary of any Semblance and evolving into something much different…I know better than anyone how with the best training how a Semblance can evolve. But my father's Limit Break theory pushes from what is proven of Semblances into, well science fiction. At least in my opinion but my father has never been one to be deterred."

"On that we can agreed." Ironwood nodded. "I've reviewed the latest in his tests regarding Harriet Bree and Elm Elderne in the use of their Semblances. The first tests with Harriet were her racing around the entire kingdom from the outside, monitoring her speed and the time it took to go all around. So far, the results are positive as Harriet's speed seems to have slightly increased. In the first test, she ran around Mantle in eight minutes and thirty times before she was tired out.

"The latest tests shows she's managed to lower that time to about half but the time limit was also cut in half. So Harriet might have managed to reach new records with her speed Semblance but her overall endurance was halved by the increased speed."

That was positive as the training showed Harriet's managed to increase her speed.

"As for Elm, she recently managed to use her Root Semblance to walk up the wall, across the ceiling and finally back down. It took a great deal of focus on her end, which admittedly she is not used to. At the very least, your father's method is helping to install a kind of discipline that those two might need but so far nothing to suggest his Limit Break theory is true." Ironwood continued, handing the report to Winter. "He just sent me the proposal for upgrading these tests."

Winter took the report and looked it over.

Limit Break Theory

Report 4

Miss Harriet's Speed Semblance has shown a slight increase, suggesting that the continued use of her Semblance in these tests have caused her to move even faster. Atlas records have stated that Miss Harriet's Semblance has been compared to other speed Semblances across Remnant and hers is stated to be the highest in record. While the increase of her speed is remarkable, her stamina is used up even faster, suggesting that the faster she travels, the more her Aura and stamina is used up.

So we have a limit to both speed and stamina.

Now that we have established a limit, I now must come with creative methods to see how her Semblance can react under certain circumstances. I have noted the increased of electricity emitted by her Semblance through continuous use. The electricity flashes around her eyes when her Semblance activates and she leaves a trail of electricity in her wake, especially at high speed. I suspect her Semblance is synchronized with her bio-electric field which would explain the electricity being expelled from her body.

Through careful study, I have submitted my next test of this Semblance to General Ironwood for approval.

Winter read over what her father's next test for Harriet would be before looking at Ironwood. "And you are considering this?"

"If only so I can be sure that your father's theory has merit." Ironwood answered. "It would cement my own decision."

"Sir?"

"Your father proposed a test for my own Semblance." Ironwood explained, making Winter's eyes go wide. "He believes he's found a method of honing my Semblance so that it might do more than grant me hyper-focus."

"He wishes to test you as well?" Winter questioned, having not expected her father doing something like this. "Have you considered?"

"After I've made sure that Atlas will be able to function in my short absence." Ironwood answered. "If Harriet's next test doesn't yield any significant results I will cancel my own test along with the others. As much as I am interested in seeing any possible results, I don't like the idea of every member in the military, myself included being tested for this 'Limit Break'."

Winter nodded. "Of course, sir."

"In the meantime, I have looked into candidates to temporarily take over for me if I accept." Ironwood tapped his scroll which projected an image of the candidates Ironwood had in mind. "For the Academy, I would have picked you, Winter but I want you as an observer if Harriet's test is a success and I take mine."

"Understood, sir." Winter answered.

"So, for taking over the Academy, I have picked Lieutenant Colonel Olive Harper." Ironwood enlarged the screen of the candidate for temporary position of running Atlas Academy.

Olive appeared to be young woman with short black hair, olive eyes, and has a light brown complexion skin. She wore a standard Atlas military uniform except she wore a sleeveless collar top with black arm warmers.

"I believe she would be able to effectively look after the students." Ironwood continued.

"She is a fine officer, sir." Winter agreed. "And who would be in charge of the military?"

"Commander Cutler Becket."

Winter paused at the name of the second candidate.

As a member of the Atlas Military herself, Winter had met Cutler Becket on several occasions. He had enlisted into the military but did not attend Atlas Academy, however that changed very little as despite Ironwood's methods of combining the Huntsmen and the military of Atlas into one it was allowed to enlist in the military without attending the academy. Becket had risen through the ranks, showing great intelligence and unbelievable tactical skills in his work.

However, he was also ruthless.

Winter knew that Becket had enforced an almost 'take no prisoners' policy when it came to dealing with pirates, criminals and bandits. Often he would see to it that in any operations involving these kinds of lawbreakers, the majority of them would be labelled 'killed in action' while only a handful were left to be interrogated. He was also ambitious, wanting to expand Atlas' power beyond the four Kingdoms, having opted many times for further exploration of the ocean to find new islands and possible even a new continent on the other side of the world. Ironwood would indulge him by allowing brief missions of mapping out the ocean, if only to locate new resources for Atlas and to keep a better eye out for possible threats.

While different from Ironwood, they both agreed that there needed to be a strong military force around to protect the people and scare off the evil doers. Winter knew though, that Becket did many favors for the elite class of Atlas, asking no questions in return since the man had spoken with her father on many occasions.

Ironwood noticed Winter's contemplation. "You do not approve of Becket, do you?"

Winter cleared her throat. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Ironwood nodded. "Granted."

"I admit that some of Commander Becket's latest dealings disturbs me. He managed to establish over fifty outposts and bases around and through Solitas for defending Atlas but the way he does almost makes me believe he's secretly planning to usurp your position." Winter stated.

To her surprise, Ironwood smiled. "I know he is ambitious and I wouldn't be surprised if he was looking for a way to replace me. However, Becket has cleared the routes between us and Mistral of piracy, allowing us to continue our trade that has lasted for nearly over a century now. However, his dedication in making Atlas the superpower of Remnant is what's allowing to ensure no threat crosses our borders. And the majority of the outposts are manned solely by machines but they are enough we'll have an early warning if there is any trouble.

"As for Becket, I've seen his kind before and I have been keeping a close eye on him. While he has his ambitions he's not stupid enough to try and overthrow me when he is temporarily in command of the military branch. And of course, since Harper will be in charge of overseeing the academy, he won't be able to do anything without her watching him."

Winter considered his explanation before nodding. "Understood, sir."

She looked out the window behind the General and saw an Atlas airship approaching with the clear intent of landing and immediately recognized it as Cutler's ship, the Endeavor.

Xxx

"So glad you could make it."

Ironwood and Winter were now standing in the control room overlooking a training room with Ansem, Pietro and Watts while down below Harriet was doing some preliminary stretches. Ansem was waiting patiently while Pietro ran some last-minute calculations along with Watts who threw a small glare at Pietro.

"The purpose of this test is to monitor amount of electricity that is emitted when Miss Bree uses her Semblance. Obviously, the electricity is dispersed into the air as soon as she runs so there is no known negative effects. She will continue running until she reaches the hundred mark." Ansem began. "The purpose of this test is for Miss Bree to run in a circle like before, but it will be a very small circle. We'll see from here if the electricity discharged from will disperse as usual or…perhaps it will have another affect. Are we all ready?"

"I believe so." Pietro nodded.

"Of course, we are." Watts scoffed.

"General?" Ansem looked to Ironwood who gave his approval with a nod.

Ansem pressed the speaker button. "Miss Harriet, you may proceed."

Down below Harriet finished her stretches. "All right, here goes nothing."

She put on leg forward while the other stretched back. Her eyes flashed yellow, showing her Semblance activating and immediately took off, running in a circle in the center of the training room. As expected, she ran too fast for the eye to see but the onlookers could see the discharged electricity from her feet as she ran to the point it resembled a yellow circle.

Pietro looked at the scanners monitoring Harriet's condition. "My word…"

"Is everything all right?" Ironwood asked.

"Yes, for now." Pietro nodded. "Miss Bree's vitals are perfectly normal. But…"

"But what?"

Watts leaned and looked at the scanner. "Her nervous system is showing an increase in activity. She must be absorbing discharged electricity."

Everyone watched as the circle of electricity grew brighter and brighter and as this happened a wind seemed to pick up inside the training room.

"Her speed is generating a vacuum inside the circle…" Pietro's eyes widened. "I think she's creating a literal vortex!"

Bolts of lightning shot out from the circle as tornado seemingly came to life inside the circle as Harriet continued to run which grew even bright as she hit the fiftieth mark. The air vortex she was creating was even discharging bolts of electricity.

"How is she doing all this?" Winter asked, completely surprised.

"Miss Bree produces a lot of friction as she moves at super speed. Her Aura negates the inertia that would tear her body apart at such speed. Friction between the ground and our feet can generate a static charge and if built enough, it's discharged in the form of a static shock. Only she's moving fast enough we can see it." Ansem explained.

Watts rubbed his chin, now becoming interested in this little test as he looked at the scan. "Yes, she is! She's building up a static charge as she runs!"

As Harriet hit the sixtieth mark, the instruments began to beep with red light coming on.

"What is happening?" Ironwood asked.

"She's building up too much electricity. It's affecting the instruments." Pietro replied, activating the Hard-Light shields just in time.

The lights in the training room were dimming now as Harriet hit the seventieth mark with the circling looking to bright to even look at. Everyone could only watch in silent awe, anticipation and slight concern as Harriet absorbed an unrealistic amount of static of electricity that thankfully her Aura was protecting her from or she likely wouldn't have been able to handle it.

It was also good thing that everything was nailed down in the training room as she was now generating so much power, she was creating a magnetic field that would have attracted anything not bolted down to her.

"We're at the hundredth mark!" Pietro called out, covering his eyes from the sheer bright light.

"Miss Bree, you can stop now!" Ansem called out.

Harriet seemingly heard him and she came to a stop, dispersing the air vortex she had created. Her run at left a scorch mark in the ground with static electricity still trailing along the line.

And Harriet Bree was glowing with a massive amount of electricity inside her.

"Hello?" She called out, looking at her hands and saw electricity dancing around her fingers. "I think I-GAH!"

ZAP!

ZAP!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

She held out on hand and to her and everyone else's shock(no pun intended) lightning shot from her hand, hit the ground and walls in front of her, burning deeply into them. Luckily the training rooms were built to withstand a great deal of force so they held out against the lightning Harriet was projecting but left large scorch marks in their wake.

Harriet was frozen with wide eyes as she slowly lifted her hand and held up a smoking finger. "…Did I just shoot freaking lightning from my hands?!"

No one could give a reply in time as soon as she spoke, Harriet's eyes rolled back as she stumbled and then fell right onto the floor.