"I'll call Qrow and inform him of the changes. We're still doing well. Just make sure we shuffle as quickly as possible so we don't get caught with our pants down."

"…this is already an absolute clusterfuck."

Marrow and Winter both looked at Weiss with shocked expressions as the inter-squad communications came to a halt. The trio was waiting in a side room within the election hall that Jacques had booked after being told that the man was too busy to see them. Only after Marrow's insistence that it was urgent did the attendant assigned to them leave to try to sway the man away from whatever preparations he was making elsewhere in the building.

"You're not wrong," Marrow agreed, his tail swishing and twitching without rhythm as he stood with his arms folded across his chest. "Still didn't expect you to even know that word. You doing alright, given the circumstances?"

"Peachy," Weiss snarked as she continued to pace nervously. "Just, you know, staring down the apocalypse while our teammates play musical chairs due to unforeseen circumstances."

"In all fairness, we should have expected trouble with Hill and her security team," Winter considered as she watched her little sister walking back and forth in the mostly bare room. "The teams could have been made with that in mind. General Ironwood is stretched thin and we're not performing optimally. No one's fault, really, but we could have seen something like this coming when Clover said that Hill had booked her own private security firm instead of just accepting the Aces…"

"Maybe, but I still have faith in him," Marrow insisted. "I'd still follow him into hell before anyone else."

"Isn't that exactly what we're doing?" Weiss asked as she finally came to a stop. "Gods, I'm so nervous…"

Marrow said nothing, instead opting to just open his arms for her. Weiss was quick to walk into his chest and sink into the embrace while the faunus rested his chin atop her head.

"Yeah. I just hope Jacques gets here soon so we can get out of here. The automated security bots can evacuate the public, and then you and I go straight into the hot zone."

"But at least then, we'll be doing something directly," Weiss replied. "I'd rather be doing my job as a huntress than just waiting around and sipping tea in a mansion or something. Waiting around feeling sorry for ourselves just isn't what huntresses do…"

"I'm happy to do anything, as long as it's with you," Marrow offered before giving the girl a squeeze.

"You two are cute to the point of making me sick," Winter said with a roll of her eyes. "I do wish I could have seen some of the lead up to all this going on between you. It's admittedly strange seeing a coworker I've known for quite a while now so close to my little sister…"

"A good sort of strange, I hope," Weiss mused as she pulled her head from Marrow's neck to give her sibling a look.

Winter could see the pleading quality in Weiss' eyes as clear as day. There was a desperate need for approval, along with a subtle nervousness. All of those aspects, however, were overshadowed by a very specific look that Winter had become quite familiar with over time. It was one that she saw in her own face in photos with Clover, and in the mirror when thinking about him. One that she was thrilled to see upon her little sister after so many years of isolation and a total lack of meaningful relationships.

"A wonderful sort of strange," Winter confirmed. "I'm happy for both of you, and of all the men I know rather well… Marrow is the one I would trust the most to have your heart. You two have my blessing, for whatever it's worth."

"It's worth a hell of a lot," Marrow said with a smile as the side of Weiss' head collided with his neck once again and he reached up to stroke her hair. The rhythm of his tail became consistent and playful, as though following some silent tune. "I have endless respect for you, Winter… and I hope I can become a part of your family someday. The family you're building now, I mean."

"This is my family, as far as I'm concerned," Weiss acknowledged. "The two of you, and Whitley. Team RWBY, Sun, and Jaune in a way, too. I have a feeling it will only expand as time goes on."

"So long as this all goes according to plan," Winter reminded. "If Jacques doesn't get here soon… I'll handle him alone and let you two get going. We need that final zone secured."

"I mean, the people outside did already see me walk in the door," Marrow considered. "Given that this whole thing's about to be canceled, Weiss and I could slip out without causing a disturbance. Our role here is basically done."

The double doors to the room opened rather quickly as two figures stepped into the room. Whitley Schnee looked incredibly worried, while his father simply seemed annoyed as he adjusted the cufflinks on his periwinkle suit.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jacques demanded, gesturing vaguely to the room at large as Whitley closed the doors behind him. "I have an election to win, and you all have PR appearances and speeches to make for me. I was in the middle of meeting with several donors!"

"Hey, Whitley!" Marrow said with a smile, completely ignoring the man. "Been a while."

"Too long," Whitley agreed with an exhausted frown. "But I'm glad to see all of you. Is something the matter?"

"Hold that thought," Jacques said as he held up a finger and gave Marrow a hard glare. His eyes flicked back and forth between the faunus and Weiss, his expression souring more and more by the second. "What are you doing with my daughter?"

"Showing her affection," Marrow said without missing a beat as he kept Weiss close to himself. "We're a couple, after all."

Weiss took the cue perfectly, standing on her tiptoes to gently plant her lips upon those of the faunus. Jacques appeared as though his entire brain had shut down as he watched the spectacle, while Whitley couldn't help but smirk. Right after the couple broke apart, Weiss spoke in a voice full of confidence.

"Isn't it wonderful? With Marrow being such an important piece of your campaign and public image in Mantle, I thought I'd spend more time with him and begin preparing for my public appearance in support of you. I figured you would be thrilled to see me so close to an advertising partner like Marrow. After all, you always told me how important it was to keep useful connections close to the chest, and Marrow's as close as can be with mine."

"I think it's great," Whitley chimed in. "Especially with Weiss no longer set up to inherit the company, why not have her massage PR for faunus relations within the S.D.C.? Perhaps Marrow helped her turn a new leaf when it comes to helping the family name."

"I'd be thrilled to do so," Weiss agreed with a devious grin. "Marrow and I were planning to make our love public at your rally today, before plans were forced to change."

"Love?" Jacques asked, his voice nearly cracking. "What… the two of you must be joking…"

"We're very much not," Marrow reassured. "Though as much as I'd love for this to continue, we really can't waste any more time torturing you with the details of just how legitimate this is. We're here for another reason entirely."

Winter and Marrow exchanged a brief look before the woman stepped forward, hands clasped behind her back as though she was addressing a lineup of soldiers awaiting her command.

"I'll keep this as brief as possible, as you'll know all of the details soon enough. We're here to extract you and return to Atlas. A full evacuation of Mantle is beginning soon, and the election itself is about to be canceled following Robyn Hill's arrest. General Ironwood will make an announcement detailing the looming threat, and then, the real challenge begins. Congratulations, Jacques. You've already won. Let's get going."

The disparity between Jacques and Whitley's reactions to the information was severe enough to be laughable in any other situation. Jacques' eyes lit up and adopted a confident smirk as all color drained from his son's face. Neither spoke for a moment, though for entirely different reasons.

"…you don't care at all, do you?" Marrow asked in a scathing tone. "All that matters is that you 'won', and the idea that Mantle as a whole needs to be evacuated doesn't even faze you."

"How is that even possible?" Whitley asked, standing stiff as a board. "How can Mantle be fully evacuated? Where would we even put everyone up in Atlas?"

"It isn't possible," Weiss answered. "Not everyone is going to make it."

"And yet our new representative of the city doesn't seem to think that revelation is all that interesting," Winter accused. "Are you even listening to us?"

"I am," Jacques insisted, his momentary smugness suddenly fading. "But I don't know what you expect me to do about it. You're the professional fighters and crowd-wranglers, and you clearly have more information that I do at the moment. My job is to cast votes in the interest of the people, and little else when it comes to Mantle. Do what you will, and get Whitley and I back to the mansion posthaste."

"Unbelievable," Winter muttered. "And yet, so very believable. I'm the one who will be taking you two up top. Weiss and Marrow are headed to the front lines to help with the evacuation and stave off any grimm that may attack as a result of the announcement."

"Grimm attacks?" Whitley asked, looking up at his older sister. "But… what kind of announcement would trigger grimm in Mantle? None of this makes any sense!"

"It will soon," Weiss reassured as she stepped away from Marrow to offer a hug to Whitley. "Just trust us. We can handle ourselves, and I want you to be safe."

"I wish I could do something to help directly," Whitley lamented as he offered Weiss a brief but tight hug. "Can't you just come with us instead of risking your lives? The people of Mantle won't even thank you, given how you're associated with us."

"It isn't about that," Marrow said. "It's about helping as many as we can, no matter what they think of us. We have the power to save people, so it's our responsibility to do so. That's what your father should be doing with all of his influence, especially now."

Jacques upturned his nose at Marrow and narrowed his eyes.

"What I should be doing is leaving, if there's real danger in Mantle. My survival is far more important than that of the dregs down here, especially when I'm to be their voice on Ironwood's little council. Know your place, faunus, and don't forget that until this day is over, I own you."

Weiss tried to move her fist upward to strike at Jacques' jaw, only to find her wrist encircled by a small black glyph that the man hadn't even noticed. The sisters exchanged a tense look, and Winter's held a stern warning within it.

"We're leaving," the woman commanded. "Make sure that you put your survival as a priority. Both of you."

"You have my word that I'll get Weiss up to Atlas safely," Marrow promised as Jacques turned and strode out of the room alone. "We'll be as safe as we can."

"I believe you can do it," Whitley encouraged. "How serious is all of this? In order to evacuate Mantle, I'd guess it's… apocalyptic."

"Just about," Weiss replied as Winter's glyph disappeared and she shook out her hand. "We should have details any minute n-"

As if on cue, the wall-mounted monitor flickered to life to reveal General James Ironwood staring straight at and through them. His image lingered for only a moment, and it soon became clear that the broadcast was occurring everywhere throughout the city.

"Greetings, citizens of Mantle. I come to you this morning with dire news…"

Author's Note:

Next week- it begins.

-RD