A/N

Hello, fellow fan fiction readers! Here is another chapter of my favorite hobby!

The followers and favorites on this book are amazing. I thank you guys many times over. I don't have much to say so I'll keep this author's note short..

P.s. I went back to proofread some of my chapters and I was disappointed in myself for the amount of spelling errors and grammar issues they had. Starting when this chapter gets uploaded most if not all of the issues will be fixed. LL14, out. Now onto Chapter 15.

—-

I slowly stood up from my crouched position to follow the others over to Clover's platform which has slowly begun to sink back into the malleable ground. Even in my shell shocked state I marveled at it. Only to have someone bump my shoulder with their elbow.

I turned with a frown and attempted to school my pale demeanor. Yang snorted. "Welp, we lost huh?"

I was glad for the blonde's attempt at a distraction. "Yup. Definitely." A smirk broke across my face as Blake hauled herself over. Pulling the slide on Gambol Shroud and flipping the safety on.

I made eye contact with our raven-haired teammate. "Guys. I think we need payback" I nodded to myself. Blake stared. With her brows creased at my statement. Yang set her hands on her hips. "Nah, that was fun."

Yang voted negatively. Which I raised a brow at. 'Battle hungry brawler isn't being an adrenaline junky?'

I noticed the bags under her eyes. Blake noticed them also. Yellow met knowing cyan. We both knew that Adam still bothered the confident girl.

I looked between Blake and my Girlfriend. And the faunus hummed a "No"

Blake voted negatively on my plan. She pumped the brakes to it before it was even at the drawing board.

Yang blew a raspberry and started towards Clover where the rest of the group was located. Oscar was missing. Which was odd.

Nora was bouncing on her heels next to an unamused looking Ren. Weiss and Ruby were seven feet away from us also walking over to Clover's position.

I shared an undetermined glance with Blake, to which the faunus nodded towards Yang. With our nonverbal conversation closed I turned on my heel and stowed my weapons in one motion and jogged to catch up with Yang.

"So, wanna see what Ironwood hides in his sock drawers?" Yang looked at me with a smile that made her eyes twinkle.

"That was lame, but thanks. It worked" I returned her smile. I won't be able to cure her trauma or her other issues but I can provide the girl with distractions from her problems. In a way it helps.

We neared Clover just in time to catch a tail end of an evaluation on who I presumed was Nora. "-Creativity is something necessary for you to work on, as all I saw was 'charge in and swing '" The man was talking in a fatherly tone. But still retained the rigidness you'd expect from a military man.

Ren nodded along to Clover's breakdown on Nora's fighting style. "I would also like to see you slow down and think before you engage a opponent"

Nora deflated. "But why think when you can just pummel someone down before they best you?"

I walked closer. Yang by my side, Blake followed on our rear. My tail swished lazily.

"If Mrs. Branwen wasn't occupied or caught off guard. From her teammate being flung into her. She very well would've eliminated you and Mrs. Schnee"

Clover cleared her throat. "And if you heeded Mrs. Rose's orders. Your teammate wouldn't of been put in a dangerous position, had you been working together"

The man unclasped his hands and side eyed Yang. "That also goes for you too Mrs. Xiao Long." Yang opened her mouth to retort. But Blake beat us both to the bat.

"We didn't have a plan" Clover set his shoulders and clasped his hands once again. I choose that time to add my two cents.

"We winged it, We didn't have time to sit around with our thumbs up our as-" Yang cut me off. "Yeah! We didn't have time"

The brawler elbowed me in the side for my blatant disrespect of the military officer. Despite Yang herself doing more or less the same thing when she raised Juniors club.

Different place but same context. Yang broke a law. And I, a former soldier, was disrespecting an officer.

Either way you bend the stick she was just trying to stop me from being rude.

I rubbed an eye as Clover shook his head and began his evaluation of us.

"Mrs. Branwen, You are light on your feet and aggressive. But you fail to account for many things in battle, your surroundings being your biggest flaw. Mrs. Rose was able to hit you directly-

Ironwoods Office—-

Oscar nervously paced the lamp of truth in his worn gloves. 'Oscar it is imperative that we-'

The farm hand rounded on nothing in the room and shouted at the open air. "No! I am not using the lamps last question to ask it something that stupid."

Ozpin sighed within the teenager's mind. 'I have let Miss Shino's odd future know-how slide for too long-and those men. The ones to claim they are from a place called earth.'

Suddenly milieana's worth of fatigue crashed onto Oscar's pacing form. "Those men are delusional!" Oscar reasoned.

"Dust can't leave the atmosphere. There's no way they and Shino are from a different planet!"

'I wish to know how these other worlders came to visit Remnant' Oscar shook his head furiously. "We are not wasting this question" The young boy promised. A note of finality in his voice.

The Long Memory clinked off the flooring as Oscar let his weary body slump into the comfy chair. Ozpin's presence faded from his mind. To a small bearable degree. As the wizard never truly leaves.

Oscar sighed out loud and let his head fall lax on the back of the high quality white chair. His pants and shirt probably stained it.

The young man winced in pain. Ozpin's grip over his body becomes stronger as the days move forward. It felt as if someone was poking him with needles. Not in one particular area. As when he focuses on the pain it fades away and another extremity starts hurting.

Though it seems as if the needles are the thickest over his head and heart.

Doors wished open behind him boots slapped off the food in a harmonic rhythm. Oscar raised his head as the half metal man sat at his desk, a smile of relief on his face.

"Oz, Atlas- the people have better protection." At General Ironwood calling the spirits name he assaulted Oscar's hold over his body and unfortunately Oscar lost control in the few brief seconds it took.

Oscar's posture straightened, his shoulders cocked back and his chin raised just the extra bit more.

"James" A voice echoed. Not of his own. It was similar but not so at the same time. "May we use the lamp?"

'Dammit' Oscar screamed in his own dark corner of his mind. The space seemed to become more cramped the longer the reincarnate's hold over his body continued.

The General pondered before answering. "Why do we need to use it Oz?" Ozpin's-No Oscar's eyebrow quirked just the slightest. An old habit the Wizard never lost in all his years.

"We may find a way to rid ourselves of the grim, and Salem." He paused to let the information sink in before continuing. "In addition we can gauge this "Earth's" military might. Huntsman and many other things."

Ozpin leaned forward, Oscar's body cricked just the slightest. "The future of remnant hangs in this endeavor"

General Ironwood's shoulders sinked in relief, stress seemed to be scrubbed from his form.

"Oz, this is great! We can-" Ironwoods door slid open and in walked a Dusty old Qrow.

"We. Can. What, Jimmy?" The snark was thick as blood. Qrow sauntered over and stopped at Ozpin's side. Ozpin sat straighter as he knew he was on thin ice with the elder Branwen.

"We can use the lamp to protect all of humanity" Ozpin half truths Branwen. "Oh really? What am I supposed to believe? From such a bold use of a singular word?"

Qrow leveled a glare at the reincarnate. "Explain" He requested. No, Qrow ordered.

So Ozpin did, and as he did so he begun to craft a lie, a white one. "Magic was involved in the summoning of these earthen's. I remember from a time far past." he didn't elaborate how far back. "Salem was obsessed with crossing worlds."

"Now that she has, we need to do everything in our power to prevent her from doing so again. That is why me must use the lamp Qrow"

Qrow himself was frowning in thought. Oscar screamed in his own mental prison. 'Don't let him fool you! He plans something And it isn't good!'

Qrow rapped his knuckles on the hilt of Harbinger. "Fine." Qrow rasped. "I have no issue" Clearly the Huntsman was uncomfortable with allowing Ozpin to use the relic. But he reasoned that Ruby or Shino wouldn't let the former headmaster do anything.

Not like Qrow wouldn't prevent Ozpin himself, which he planned to do, if it's another one of his tricks. Qrow himself could barely tell.

He only hoped it wouldn't lead to disaster. A cynical smile threatened to break his stone cold expression.

—-Shino's Pov—-

Ruby, Yang, Blake, Nora and I watched Ren and Jaune spar and to my surprise the blonde wannabe hero was holding his own against his much more superior foe. Ren had taken to circling the knight, peppering him with bullets.

Nora jeered something at Jaune in good humor, "BREAK HIS LEGS RENNY!" I winced when her voice reached its peak near the end of her boyfriend-Not's name.

I frowned and pulled the excitables girls fist down. Which was all in all like trying to move a car that was in park. "Nora, chill man"

Nora did in fact not chill, because Jaune was rushed shortly after he had a lapse in focus. Why did he lose focus?

He glanced at us. I assumed the commotion Nora created caused him to look this way. Ren dashed into his guard, one of his pistol's yanked the tanky Huntsman's shield down. The other was dug into Jaunes' aura. The soul shield did its job protecting the neck.

Causing Jaune to backpedal in surprise and send his sword in a panicked fueled arc, that would have lopped Ren's head right off his shoulders if it was not for the ninja's quick deflect or his aura.

In a single fatal blow Jaune lost over 30% of his aura. Much to Nora's amusement and blood lust.

Jaune actually being worth his salt, brought his shield to cover himself just as Ren bursted bullets at him.

I leaned forward to watch the fight more intently. Ren changed tactics and launched the grappling hooks of Storm Flower at Jaunes shield which the blonde was turtling behind so hard. I thought he forgot he had a sword and aura.

This was not the case. Thankfully.

Jaune held his ground with a clever use of aura, strengthening his legs. He let Ren reel himself in like the biggest catch of Jaunes life time. Using Himself as the anchor for his fishing rod.

I grinned at the knowing glint in Jaunes steel colored eyes. The man had a plan.

Ren drew nearer. Jaunes shield folded back into its sheath form. Nora fell silent. My grin grew.

Jaunes sword made contact with Ren's chest with the force of a run away bear. It was a perfectly executed crushing counter. And crush it did! Ren flew back. His aura is just barely holding up enough for the agile man to right himself and dodge a shield bash.

Right into the path of another swing. This one glanced off the man's shoulder his brought up the right side of Storm Flower. Corcea Mors slid along the ice pick of his companions' weapon. Sparks flew as the larger blonde headed man stumbled forward at the unexpected deflect.

Qrow must've walked into the room, In a show of amazing bad luck Jaune stumbled forward and then the toe of his shoe caught an inch tall crack in the floor. Jaunes face met the ground with a resounding smack so loud I bet Summer and Taiyang heard it all the way back in Patch.

"Jaune Arc has been eliminated" Clover droned. I looked at the scoreboard. Jaune had a 15% Aura while Ren had a 35%.

I leaned back in my seat. 'Jaune seems to be shaping up nicely' I hummed silently. My spirits all but raised from my earlier bout of PTSD.

—-

After Jaunes' loss of epic proportions Team Rwby and Jnr, myself included, were in the line for lunch. I was smack dab in the middle of our troop. Yang behind me, Jaune in front of me. The poor man was rubbing a growing patch of bruise on his jaw.

Yang was silently snickering at him. Her faint shaking was noticed by me. Believe it or not. Having a tail makes detecting people out of your line of view somewhat easier, well if the person you're rubbing it against finds it cute.

In my case, I bet Yang thought it was. Seeing as she just gripped the fury appendage and started petting it. Her faultily suppressed laughter faded into a near silent "aww"

I eyed the room. My cyan orbs covertly searched the White and blue themed room. The only splash of color other than navy blue and white. Were the green lunch trays and the assortment of vibrant hair colors. I counted around fifty to sixty people dining and another twenty four in the line waiting to get served.

Fortunately, Our group was near the head area of the line. With two armored and armed guards getting food ahead of our group.

Ruby was leading our mitch matched assortment of men and women. After Ruby it was Ren and Nora. The latter of the two was hanging off the former's arm babbling so loudly about the spars, Yang and I could hear Nora clearly.

Blake and Weiss came after Nora. The monochrome duo seemed to be chatting in subdued tones. If I had a guess as to what their discussion contained. I'd say literature.

The men got served they're meals by a heavy set looking lady. She had a grandmother's smile on her face as she waved the gentlemen away after putting a glob of something on their trays.

If I had to describe the food that was handed off….

It looked like space food. It was dispensed out of a nozzle, controlled by a little leaver about halfway up the shaft. I followed the tub with my eyes as my stomach rumbled. Feet upon feet of piping later and I tracked it through an open doorway that wafted of chemicals and mild BO.

My nose scrunched up as did Blakes. Within the chemical smell was the smell of a gas stove, but yet not. No one used gas operated things in this world. Perhaps that was just the smell of fire dust?

Either way the smell was somewhat revolting and memorable of the shitty government provided to me in the military as well as school.

I sighed through my nose. At least I could smell actual food being prepared amongst the other odors.

Back to whatever the hell was dispensed onto the food trays. It was a full serving of a mashed potato-like substance colored a weird green that matched up with squished pea's.

A white clinader with blue markings on it was the beverage. It looked like a soda can on roids. It was as tall as an athletic water bottle, the neck of the can widened out further down the length. To end out like an upside down. XL drink you could get at some fast food places.

For a side it was a MRE style oatmeal cookie. That looked so dry you'd need a whole gallon of water and then some to gather moisture back to your mouth.

There was No fruit or vegetable to speak of on anyone's trays. Not to worry though! They have supplement vitamins included in every meal…. Once again I was reminded of the harsh realities of life on Remnant.

Not to worry though. Cybernetics can replace anything. Seriously though. Ironwood wasn't the only serviceman with metal limbs, because here in Atlas every soldier is required to lose a limb or six!

Each soldier in this room had some sort of replacement. They were low quality 90% of the time. Which sent a low spike of hatred through my systems. Though I stopped immediately.

'What's wrong with me? I'm level headed aren't I?' Yang nudged me forward gently and I allowed myself to be moved to the cart with freshly cleaned trays on it.

I grabbed my tray and went through the process like a drone. The robotic limbs these men and women had were ugly cumbersome looking things. The deafening silence of the room made my skin crawl. So did the barely noticeable winces of the soldiers as they ate.

That's when I noticed something missing from Ruby's belts. I turned to the silver eyed girls as she waited for us.

"Ruby. Where's the lamp?" I refrained from calling the Relic by its true name in public, because I wasn't that big of an idiot.

The red themed reaper looked down at her belt and adopted an expression that rang of OH that's right!

"I left it with Oscar. It's safe" Ruby all but slaughtered me with the speed the words fled from her mouth.

Weiss and Blake being the more sensible ones in our group saw a problem with our leader's choice. "You left it with who?!"

That was Weiss. Blake was next. "How do we know it's actually safe with him?" The black cat waved her hand as she shifted the tray to the other one. "You know, with his-" Blake's voice fell off. She remembered what our environment was.

Yang chipped in next. "He's fighting for the same thing as we are. I doubt Ozpin would misuse the thingy"

I snorted. Leave it to Yang to address a important item as a 'thingy'

"We'll just break his legs!" Nora smiled, bouncing on her toes. "You're still on about that?" I muttered. Yang snapped her metal finger's. "Yes" The lilac eyed brawler agreed. Jaune recoiled from the two girls.

"Can we not murder people!?" Our resident knight pleaded. I nodded along with Jaune. My magazines lightly hit each other at the motion.

Ren sealed the deal of our impromptu discussion. "I trust Oscar, We all should. With what's at stake. We need all the help we can get."

I frowned. As My mind floated back to a pair of men I attacked with a vengeance, To Adam. "All the help we can get" I whispered.

My heart sank at the sacrifice I was about to make.

I passed my tray to an empty handed Yang. Which gathered everyone's attention with such fever. My posture straightened like a pole.

"I'll be going to talk with the General." I didn't wait for their replies. I just booked it from the canteen with a light jog.

Minutes later and several questions to various staff I found my way face to face with a heavy set of doors. Which opened outward without warning. Causing me to step back in annoyance.

The man of the hour stepped through a busy expression of military indifference set on his face. Though his eyebrows rose a few centimeters at seeing me.

"Miss Branwen" He nodded. "General, can I talk to you? I have made my decision on this Fighter program"

Ironwood held out a gloved hand to the entrance into his office. "Of course" A hint of something unknown entered his tone.

I followed The General in. His booted feet gave the room a small echo. Like a clock. Thump. … Thump.

Thump. My tail fell limply behind me as I resigned myself to this fate. A small headache gathered at the base of my head where the skull meets vertebrae.

Ironwood just leaned on the side of his desk a fatherly smile on his face. Small crows feet appeared.

"You've made your decision?" He inquired softly. I nodded. "I will help you teach people. I will lend my expertise in anyway I can, Under one condition"

He inclined his head. For me to continue. "Never let those men near any source of power. Ever"

"Those men have proven to be valuable and good soldiers ever since they arrived in Atlas. Why should I not reward good soldiers?"

"Tell me James, What do you know of communism?" Ironwood paused and shifted his arms to cross them over his chest. Ruffling his formal wear.

"Communism? Can't say I've ever heard of such a thing." I frowned. It might just be my hate of the Russian's that clouded my decision making. I sunk my claws into the opportunity to show them as untrustworthy.

"You mean they haven't told you about their twisted beliefs?" Ironwood just stared. His steel eyes met mine.

"No?" He sounded conflicted. But ultimately confused. He tapped his fingers upon his bicep. "Enlighten me Miss Branwen"

I rested my hands upon my hips. "Want the short version or the long one?"

"Short" Ironwood decided within seconds.

"Alright, I'll also give it in simple and blunt fashion, Communism is essentially a dictatorship. Where no one has any actual property. It tends to have one ruler. Like a King or something similar. The people are usually poverty stricken. The militaries or militias of such areas are often poorly trained."

I took a small breath to gather air into my waning supply. "Ontop of the poorly trained soldiers and borderline Asshole leadership that turns normal people into slaves. It just not a good system to follow"

Ironwood nodded along through my explanation pausing me at times to inquire about what I knew regarding the words: Dictatorship, and the Leadership of it.

The General's eyebrows were tight knit and his posture was tense. "To use ones own people to genocide anothers.." A gloved hand grasped his chin as the storms within his mind raged.

I sprinkled in a few sparsely detailed genocides commited by Russia. Adjusting things here and there to make it seem like it wasn't from another world.

"I understand" General Ironwood broke the silence. "I agree to withhold power from them, But I will be covertly questioning them about Communism"

"Their ranks will remain as they are." The deal was sealed. General Ironwood held out a hand. I shot mine out to meet his. As we clasped hands he said six words. "I'm looking forward to working with you"

"Affirmative" I echoed. "Welcome to the team. Lieutenant Shino Branwen. Please work well with Specialists Timur and Alonev."

I nodded. Shaking General Ironwood's hand once more I turned for the door giving him a smile. As I walked to the exit I flicked the nose of a glass beowulf statue.

I left through the ajar doors and closed them behind me. "I'm a fucken Liutanant?" I scoffed in disbelief.