Winners were Biscuits on a Discord server who got it all first and also AnimeFan299110
Wōdan Grau = Odin
Robyn Greenwood = Robin Hood
Dr. Franklin Nathanial Stein = Dr. Frankenstien
Crooked Man (this is more easier but I was also inspired by a certain game) = Character from Wolf Among Us
Jack (hint was the name of the club)= Jack be Nibble
Heart to Heart
Chapter 31: We're Off to see the General
After packing up everything, the group moved out onto the streets but they noticed the amount of Atlesian Knights that were encircling the area.
"The hell?" Qrow asked giving a questioning look to Winter.
"I meant to cancel that command," Winter sighed as she pulled out her scroll which looked to be a slim stick with a screen that pulled out of it. A few gathered around seeing the more advanced scroll as Winter put in commands to have the Knights go back to their patrols.
"So where's our ride?" Yang looked around.
"Largest area it can land safely is down the street a bit," Greenwood smiled.
"Well what's a little more walking?" Yang shrugged at Jaune.
"Oh trust me I think those of use that walked to Haven pretty much became masters of the art of the long walk." Jaune said with a smile.
"Yeah no kidding," Nora groaned remembering some of those days on the road seemed to drag on forever. You never really got a sense of just how far something was until you had to walk it.
They left the area behind and quickly Winter led them to an area where the buildings would allow for a transport to land without much issue. They were waiting for the ship to land as they looked around the area they were in. There was a patrol down the street as the people looked at them with glares and open hostility towards anyone in an Atlas uniform.
It made the younger members of the group very uncomfortable.
"Is it always like this?" Ruby whispered to the others.
"Not the last time I was here," Qrow told her in a low tone. "Sure it was bad but you can feel the tension in the air."
"Oh look it's the Jack Boots," A drunk man shouted at them from the streets. He was sitting down against a building holding a half-empty bottle.
"Do you have a problem citizen?" Winter asked him coldly with her hands behind her back looking down at him.
"Oh no, I love the police state we live in," The man slurred. "I love being laid off because we can't sell any dust anymore, I love the fact I can't walk down my street without being hassled by those damn robots."
"Enough," Winter snapped at him. "We are here to keep the peace and ensure the safety of the people."
"Yeah sure," The man waved off what she said slumping down as he took another shot.
"Then perhaps you should be sitting in a drunk tank for public drunkenness." Winter told him in a calm manner.
"Would be better than sleeping on the streets tonight," the man muttered.
Before Winter could say anything more another figure noticed what was going on.
"Hey look! Atlas is harassing the citizens again!" A man shouted pointing as the other citizens looked at the scene. "And it's the Dog of Atlas herself!"
"The what?" Weiss blinked.
Winter's eye twitched at the new person, she hated that name. Then again she knew the other name she was called was 'The Bitch of Atlas' which was even worse. Before she started to say anything the other two Specialists slowly moved forward.
"Now let's not start something," Robyn told him in a calm manner. "We are just waiting for our ride to show up."
"So you can go back to your paradise in the sky while we toil and do all the work down here and get nothing in return, huh?" The man said in a sarcastic tone. "This is why we need someone on the council that will work for us, the common people that are suffering under the boot of Atlas."
He turned to the people. "This is why we need people like Robyn Hill on the council!"
"Oh great a political radical," Grau sighed under his breath. More and more of these types were coming out of the woodwork.
"At least you don't share the same first name as that woman," Robyn Greenwood sighed. Ever since Hill showed up onto the scene, she heard all the jokes just because she had the same first name. It wasn't even that funny they had different last names and were very different people.
"We need to stand up to Atlas and show them that we aren't-" He didn't finish before Grau swept his leg out from under him and quickly turned him onto his back as he placed some cuffs on him.
"Alright that's enough of that," Grau calmly stated.
"You can't do this!" the man shouted.
"Actually we can with the emergency actions," Robyn shrugged as she jerked her thumb to a large screen down the street as Ironwood was on the monitor.
The others could just barely hear the words from Ironwood about how Atlas was there to protect them, how these are dark times and that they were here to help. To the young Huntresses and Huntsmen in training they weren't sure what to do. This didn't seem right to them but what could they actually do? They came all this way for help from Atlas after all.
"Do you really have to do this?" Ruby asked Winter.
"He'll just get a fine," Winter told her. "At the most he'll spend the night in a cell and then he'll be released. If he actually physically did anything then it would have been much worse."
Before anyone could say anything, more a sound of an engine of an airship was heard above them as a transport vehicle landed for them. They looked at the man as the two Specialist were holding him up, apparently they weren't doing much other than waiting for a different transport to take him away.
Then a siren was heard it was a familiar sound to everyone as it was the standard sirens used all over Remnant for Grimm attacks. It was the standard set up so that people visiting an area of the world would be aware of what was going on. All of them tensed up as Winter pulled her scroll out and got access to the Grimm attack network.
"What is it?" Ruby asked gearing up with her weapon.
"Where are they?" Yang asked next.
The others got ready for a fight as Blake pulled out her weapon but seeing the broken blade remembering her sword wasn't intact anymore, she switched it to gun mode. Winter however did notice this and looked at them all. They all looked slightly tired and judging from how they looked they had already seen a fight.
Winter turned to Penny. "A small number of Grimm three blocks away."
"Rodger," Penny saluted.
"Wha? But we can help!" Nora complained.
"You're all tired and some of you aren't fully equipped." Winter told them giving Blake a look at that last one and also at Yang's damaged arm. "Penny can handle it."
"Don't worry I'm fully combat ready and I'm the protector of Mantel now, I got this," Penny smiled as a jet sound came from her feet as she started to fly up into the sky and headed towards where the Grimm were.
"She can fly!?" Ruby shouted out.
"She couldn't do that before?" Ren asked.
"No-Yes-I mean I don't know she never did around me!" Ruby told him her arms stretching out to where Penny had been.
"Come on, the General is waiting for you all." Winter stated.
There were some concerned looks passed between them all as they gathered up in the ship. They flew up and over the city as they passed more and more of the city they saw the large video screens showing either Ironwood or Winter saying the same messages all the time. They saw passing patrol craft and soon they were out of the lower city of Mantel and going to the upper city of Atlas.
Arriving in Atlas city was a very different experience. The cities were right next to each other but were as different as night and day. While the lower city was a more industrial design to it all, cramped and in darker colors. Atlas was pristine, in mainly whites, light blues and light grays. Everything was had sharp angles to it all like it was trying to look like it was made out of crystals but once you got closer you could see it was just polished metals.
The total flight from Mantel lasted maybe fifteen minutes before they landed and got out. When they did they were faced with something they hadn't expected to see.
They found themselves looking up at a very impressive structure, it was one huge central tower coming out the base of something that looked like a closed stadium with four other smaller towers equal distances around the central building. As they got out and looked up it was so tall that the tower seemed to slightly bend over them. This was just an optical illusion of course given the size of the building and how tall it was but it did make you feel very small in that moment.
Most of them have never lived in areas where the tallest buildings were no larger than several stories tall. This dwarfed even Beacon, which was the tallest thing that again, most of them had ever seen before.
"Wow…anyone else feeling really small at the moment?" Nora asked.
"Oh yeah," Ruby nodded with a few others.
"Welcome to Atlas Academy," Winter said with a hint of pride in her voice.
"This is the academy?" Jaune stated looking at the building.
"Among other things yes," Winter told him as she walked on. The others quickly following her up the stairs.
"To think you nearly came here," Yang leaned over to Weiss.
"I still don't regret my decision to go to Beacon," Weiss simply said.
"We don't either," Blake said as her team shared a smile between them all since if she hadn't gone to Beacon they wouldn't have met and formed their team.
Blake's ears started to twitch, "Does anyone else hear that?"
"Hear what?" Ruby asked before suddenly hearing a sound getting closer and closer it sounded familiar but before anyone could say or do anything there was a loud and violent impact near them causing them to fall down.
"I'm back!" Penny stated smiling before seeing everyone on the ground. "Oh…uh sorry about that."
Winter sighed. "Penny you have been told about landing too closer to people at high speed?"
"I'm sorry Specialist Schnee," Penny replied. "I was just excited to get back."
"What it's over already?" Ruby asked her dusting herself off.
"Oh yes," Penny nodded happily. "It was just a small pack of Sabyr Grimm."
"Those are usually the type found around Atlas," Weiss nodded remembering her lessons here about the local Grimm. They were large cat-like Grimm with two long fangs, they tended to be quick and agile.
"That is correct," Penny nodded. "They were no threat to me or the next two packs I fought on the way here."
"Wait you dealt with three different groups of Grimm?" Ruby knew that Penny was strong but apparently her new upgrades, whatever they all were, had made her even better than she remembered.
They all walked up the stairs to the main entrance, which was a doorway far taller than it had any right to be. It looked like a doorway for giants or something. The inside was just as big, the ceilings were very high, and everything was smooth and polished. The cleaning crew that kept this place looking spotless had to be an army unto themselves just to keep this place looking like it did.
They found themselves in an elevator it was a bit of a tight fit for them all but they managed to fit in as they took the long ride up, it was one of those awkward silences that usually pass in an elevator. Eventually they got to the top of the elevator and soon found themselves led into General Ironwood's office. Winter and Penny went to either side as he stood up visibly glad to see them.
"Well this is a surprise." Ironwood told them. "I'm sorry for everything that happened but we thought your aircraft was stolen."
"Yeah…about that…" Qrow scratched the back of his head.
"We might have…borrowed it…without asking?" Ruby managed to get out.
The shocked faces of Ironwood and Winter at this quickly changed as Winter's anger over that took over. "You stole an Atlas aircraft!? Qrow! What were you thinking?"
"Hey it wasn't my idea and they were dead set on it. They were going to do it with or without me."
"It's true," Ruby nodded.
Jaune slightly raised his arm, "And it was actually my idea."
Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose at this. He was glad they were here but all the trouble they caused just getting into Atlas was already starting to give him a slight headache.
"Well we would have come normally but when we asked the Atlas people in Argus they wouldn't listen." Ruby told him. "So we kind of have no choice."
"Argus…" James thought about it and then he remembered. "Oh yes, Cordovin is in charge over there."
Ironwood was starting to see the problem now. There was a reason why that woman was stationed so far away from Atlas. She had a lot of issues with dealing with people not from Atlas, the city itself, there were a lot of issues she had when dealing with people from Mantel that caused her to get reassigned to Argus over ten years ago.
"So I take it that's the reason you evaded the patrol is because the ship was stolen?" He asked guessing the answer.
"One of the reasons," Qrow nodded his head.
"Although we were doing well until they shot at us," Maria shrugged.
Ironwood turned to face the unknown woman curious about her. "You I am not familiar with."
"Maria Calavera," She stated with a smile. "Retired Huntress, I sort of got pulled into all of this craziness."
"Hey no one put a gun to your head," Qrow stated. "In fact you could have left at Argus at any time."
"True but this was more fun," Maria smiled.
"Still I think a civilian even a retired huntress, shouldn't be here for what we have to talk about." Ironwood stated.
"What about them?" Qrow pointed to Winter and Penny.
"The General informed both of us of everything." Winter stated with her hands behind her back as Penny nodded her head.
"Oh so the whole thing with the Maidens, magic, relics and all that stuff then?" Maria asked making Ironwood and Winter double take at the old woman that apparently knew some of the greatest secrets in the world as though it were nothing.
"I think we're all on the same page," Yang stated with a shrug.
"Yes we learned everything before coming here," Weiss stated although she knew that they knew more than the others given what Jinn had shown them.
"We also have this," Ruby showed him the Relic as she unclasped it from her side.
Ironwood came over and gently took it examining it. He had heard of the other Relics but he hadn't actually seen one outside of the Staff of Creation that was sitting below them in the vault deep under the Academy. He placed the lamp on his desk thinking about what he wanted to ask, he had a few questions in mind but from what he remembered you could only ask three.
He planned to make these three questions count and he already was thinking of what the first one would be about. He smiled feeling like finally something was going right for the first time in weeks.
"Well with this we'll have an advantage." Ironwood smiled. "So we will finally learn how to kill Salem."
"Actually," Ruby hesitantly stepped forward. "All three questions have been asked."
Ruby could feel all the eyes of every one of her friends on her, she knew it was a lie but she wasn't sure if Ironwood should be the one to use the last question. Everything she had seen in Mantel and Atlas so far left her with more questions than she liked. He looked so different than when she had first seen him at Beacon and his actions, well she wasn't sure about them. There was this 'wrongness' to it that she felt in her gut.
She did want to tell him everything as well but how could she tell him that apparently there wasn't a way to kill Salem? He looked so eager for that answer and yet she knew if she told him it would crush his hope in the future like it nearly had with them. She still remembered how badly her uncle Qrow had taken the news, he was better now but could she really just do that to someone else?
Ironwood looked at the relic in disappointment. "Do we know how long ago?"
"No," Ruby hated lying she hated it so much since it felt like she was digging herself deeper with every lie.
"So somewhere between either one year or nine hundred and ninety-nine if I remember what Ozpin told me was true." The General knew that it could be any number of years and most likely he wouldn't live long enough to use it by the time it was ready to answer more questions. "Still I'm surprised Leo let you take it out of the vault as I thought location of the Spring Maiden was lost?"
Qrow sighed running his hand through his hair. "I take it then my letter didn't reach you."
"What letter?" Ironwood asked.
"There was an attack on Haven," Qrow held up his hands seeing Winter and Ironwood wanting to say something. "We stopped it with some help, it's a bit of a long story but the short one is. Leo betrayed us."
"What?" Ironwood looked like someone had just punched him in the gut at that revelation.
"I don't know for how long, most likely before Beacon's fall given how Cinder and her group used him to make official documents saying they were students from Haven. He sold out nearly all the huntsmen and huntresses in Haven, most of them were dead by the time I got there. He was also fighting alongside Cinder and her people."
"So she survived Beacon after all," Winter muttered as Cinder, Mercury and Emerald were identified after all the confusion and put on the world wanted list. There was no trace of either of them until now and Winter had been keeping an eye out in case any of them ever showed up on Atlas.
"After the battle, we don't know how, but Leo was found dead in his office. Not sure who did it and when but that's one loose end gone at least." Qrow held no sympathy as a lot of those people that died because of him were friends of his or at least he worked with them enough times to respect them.
Ironwood didn't like the sound of it but now a missing piece of the puzzle of how Cinder got into Beacon under their noses started to make sense. "There's more?"
"Yeah turns out we know who the Spring Maiden is now." Qrow stated.
"Who?"
"My mother," Yang spoke up for the first time as they all looked at her. "She had it for awhile now and she opened the vault."
"Yet you have the Relic." Winter stated wondering how they beat a Maiden.
Yang didn't say anything as what she said to Raven was deeply personal and she didn't want to explain it all to them. She suddenly felt Jaune's hand in her own as she gave him a quick look as he gave her a look of compassion with his expressive blue eyes. She hadn't know just how stressed out she was feeling until this moment as the stress started to slowly leave her.
"Well at any rate," Ironwood could sense that this topic was somewhat personal. He picked up the lamp and handed it back to a surprised Ruby. "I think you all can take care of this. You've all done well to get it here and I see no reason to change it now."
"I was kind of hoping we could have put it in the vault actually." Ruby told him.
"Unfortunately that isn't possible at this time," Ironwood stated.
"Why is that?" Blake asked him. "Do you not have a Winter Maiden?"
"We do," Winter answered her. "But the problem is that she's not in the best of health. She's fairly old and is bedridden now."
"Nothing too wrong with being old," Maria muttered.
Winter cast a quick look at the retired huntress before going on. "If she tried to use her powers it might be too much for her body to take."
"So you'll have to hold onto that fort the time being," Ironwood nodded at Ruby. He sighed as so far it felt like it was one-step forward and one-step back. It was true that it was good having them here it was hard to tell who to trust these days after all, especially after learning about Leo. "I just wish Ozpin was here to help."
"Well…" Qrow took a step away as he gestured for Oscar who had been silent this entire time. "That's another thing we have to tell you."
Oscar nervously stepped forward, he had been trying to mentally coax out Ozpin ever since they got into the elevator but so far nothing. He was really hoping that by being here Ozpin would have come out like in the aircraft when it was going down. He hadn't though and now here he was facing possibly the most powerful man in all of Atlas and it was only just him.
Ironwood was confused for a moment until it suddenly dawned on him. "Ozpin!? Is that really you? I didn't think you would be back so soon."
He felt glad that Ozpin was back, when he was told about his immortality he hadn't really been sure about the truth on that. He was glad he was wrong if this was the case because after losing Leo and no contact with Shade Academy or Glynda at Vale, Ozpin was the only other member of their group he felt he could trust. They might have butted heads but he never lost his respect for the man.
Oscar winced, "Not…exactly. He's here but something happened. There was…a train accident." He cast a quick look to Ruby who quickly nodded her head a bit. "After that accident I lost touch with him."
Oscar hated lying like this, he thought that the group felt that there should be no more secrets but here he was put in the middle of yet another secret. It felt wrong but he also trusted Ruby's judgment.
"I see," Ironwood sighed turning his back. "Well we can deal with that later. I was hoping I could have gotten his opinion on the plan but I suppose we'll have to continue on."
"Plan?" Ruby asked as everyone was curious about this.
Ironwood nodded to Winter who hit a button as the window shutters closed as he got behind his desk to address them all. "When Beacon fell we lost the CCT tower for Beacon as well. This as you know caused the entire network to fall allowing communication only in local areas. Small villages have been completely cut off unless they are closer to a larger settlement or city. I plan to fix this, to bring up the network again."
"But how?" Blake stated. "Are you going back to Vale and take back the Beacon tower?"
"Unfortunately the Grimm dragon's body is still there." Winter told her. "The last we heard the school grounds were still overrun with Grimm. A battle on the scale to take it back would only end up further damaging or even destroying the tower at this time."
"The Huntresses and Huntsmen in Vale are already busy keeping Vale City and the surrounding area safe as it's so closer to Beacon."
"Yeah I bet Glynda has her hands full already," Qrow sighed knowing that Glynda wouldn't abandon the city as long as she breathed. She would most likely be leading all the able-bodied person in the defense of the city until they could go on the offensive. The problem was, once the Grimm took over an area is was damn near impossible to get it back.
Mountain Glen took years of fighting to get the area secure enough to build the city there and even then, it eventually fell.
Ironwood hit some controls at his desk as a hologram image showed up of what looked like a floating island. It took a moment for the students to realize that they were seeing Amity Colosseum where the Vytal Festival was held every few years.
"Wait what do you plan to do with Amity?" Jaune asked first.
"We plan on using it as a new tower," Ironwood stated. "We took ownership of it before the Grimm became too much so we wouldn't leave it behind."
"So you're going to fly it back to vale?" Weiss asked next.
"No," Ironwood shook his head. "It would work but then Salem would just knock it down again. We need a tower so high that even she can't get at it. It would have to be totally out of reach of everyone on Remnant. So we're going to modify it, turn it into a giant tower and send it into orbit of the planet."
"We're calling it a satellite," Winter explained. "It will be in a stable orbit where it can reach all over the world, we will never be without a CCT network ever again."
"You guys sure this will work?" Qrow asked as the plan sounded a bit farfetched but if it worked it would be a hell of a thing to have.
"The math I'm told works out," Ironwood said. "But we are going into uncharted territory."
"How will this even work?" Weiss had been thinking about it but there was on major flaw with this. "You can't get it up into orbit. We've been trying for years but all dust loses its power once it leaves the planet. It's why we don't have anything like this already up there."
"The plan so far is to use lots of gravity dust with maybe some fire dust as extra propellant to force it into orbit before the dust loses its power." Ironwood explained. Although he didn't understand the math behind it, it was the only way to launch something into orbit of the planet until they could figure out a way to keep dust from losing its power or find an alternate means to accelerate an object.
"Ambitious," Maria nodded her head liking the idea. She had no idea if it would work but it sounded like it might.
"So you get a new CCT network up and running, nice plan so far," Qrow nodded.
"That's only the first phase," Ironwood stated. "When we have reestablished world wide communication we will tell the world the truth."
"The truth?" Qrow asked him getting a bad vibe from how he said that.
Ironwood nodded. "Yes, it's time the world knows about Salem."
"What!?" Several voices cried out.
"Why?" Ruby asked him.
"Because she's been hiding in the shadows all this time," Ironwood placed his hands behind his back as he explained his reasons. "We need to unite the world against her and destroy her once and for all. With a force like this I believe we can end her threat once and for all, without her the Grimm will be leaderless."
"That's going to cause a hell of a lot of panic everywhere James," Qrow told him.
"We know," Winter stated. "That's why we pulled back all our forces. After the announcement we'll sent them out to protect each city and help with the increase in Grimm until things calm down."
Ren however saw a flaw in this, "You seem to have enough for major areas but what about all the small villages?"
Ironwood and Winter cast a look at each other, this was something they had known. They did have enough forces for the major centers only. Winter turned to face him, "That's where we're hoping the Huntsmen and Huntresses can help defend those areas once we coordinate with them."
Ren remembered that ruined village they came across on their journey to Haven how they had been there to see that last Huntsmen die. "That might not be enough."
"It's all we have," Winter sighed. "Even if we up the production of the Knights and Paladins it will take too much time and resources that we're putting into the current project."
"There's two more issues I think you need to consider," Qrow told them. "First not everyone trust Atlas, closing your borders and going quiet so soon after Beacon didn't make you any friends. The other is who will believe you? You'll have to give some kind of evidence for some people to believe."
"That's…true," Ironwood stated with a resigned nod. He had thought that he would have to show off the Staff and perhaps the Winter Maiden, or the new Winter Maiden that he was planning for. "I do have an idea of what to show them and I'm hoping my words will reach others."
"This is a big risk James," Qrow sighed. "There was a reason why Ozpin over the centuries made all this nothing more than legends and myths."
"Yes but this shadow war has gotten too big to hide anymore, not after Beacon," Ironwood sighed rubbing his eyes. He felt so tired these days, there was just so much to do and so much happening that he had to keep an eye on.
Winter noticed the strain and decided to step in. "I believe it's been a long day, perhaps a good night's sleep is in order?"
"Yeah we have had a big day," Nora stifled a yawn as ever since this morning since they left Argus.
"Penny?" Winter asked. "Can you show them to the dorms?"
"Of course," Penny saluted as she eagerly went over to them to show them out.
They left the office before Ironwood called out to Qrow. "Qrow, it really is good to see you."
Qrow raised an eyebrow he knew that they had never really seen eye to eye much and he was about to say something before James pulled him into a hug of all things. Qrow stood there shocked as he locked eyes with an equally shocked Winter behind them. Qrow shrugged it off as he gave him a small one in return. He guessed James really was desperate for help that or maybe he was just carrying too much weight on his shoulders.
"Well we're here to help now." Qrow told him as they disengaged.
"I'm glad for it too," James replied as Qrow went off to catch up with the others.
As this was going on Penny was happily leading the group to the dorms. She was so excited to have Ruby and everyone else here. She had been missing her friend all this time and seeing her again in Atlas and the fact that she would be here for some time made her feel very happy.
"You'll all love it here, we have everything you could need," Penny looked back and tiled her head. She saw Yang and Jaune holding hands as they were carrying their own bags in the opposite arms. She quickly searched her memories on human relationships.
There were a few things it could mean so she decided to ask for clarification.
"Is there any significance to Yang and Jaune holding hands?" She asked suddenly.
"Oh this?" Jaune blushed a bit holding up slightly his hand with Yang's.
"Oh yeah there've been some developments since we last saw you," Yang grinned. "Me and Jaune are dating."
"Oh how wonderful!" Penny clapped her hands together ecstatic. "This certainly is a joyous occasion."
"There're not the only ones," Nora sang out wrapping herself around Ren's arm as he looked a little uncomfortable with the public display of affection but he did enjoy it also when they were close like this.
Penny's eyes traveled to Blake in a silent question.
"Me and Sun kind of…became a thing," Blake rubbed her arm a little embarrassed.
"Where is Mr. Wukong?" Penny asked them.
"He went to Vacuo with his team," Blake explained to her. "Both to train and to keep an eye on things in case Salem decided to try something against Shade Academy next."
Penny nodded in understanding as she looked to Weiss and Ruby next expecting the same.
"No." Weiss said simply and ignoring everything else. She and Neptune were, she honestly didn't know what they were. Maybe if he grew up and stopped chasing every girl he met she would give him another shot but at the moment she was single. And realizing that everyone else in their group other than Ruby was pairing up did leave her a little jealous.
"N-no nothing like that," Ruby told her trying very hard not to blush at the question. Sure she didn't have anyone like that in her life, they were too busy. Her mind did flash to that kiss she had with Oscar as her eyes quickly saw him. He looked at her and for a brief second both youths thought back to that night together and quickly looked somewhere else.
Penny tilted her head she had registered heightened heart rate and body temperature with Ruby for a moment. Maybe she was sick? She certainly hopped not but she would keep an eye on her friend just in case something was wrong with her.
"So, where are we staying?" Qrow asked catching up to the group.
As team RWBY looked at the room they would be staying in, it was pretty much like everything else in Atlas. All polished metal and very simple and minimalist. There was one thing however that when Ruby saw it she had a huge smile on her face.
"They have bunk beds here!" Ruby zipped over to them.
"I think they're actually just bunks," Blake stated since the four beds were actually in the wall itself with two closer to the floor and two above them.
"I don't care it's close enough," Ruby happily squealed. "This is just like back at Beacon, why couldn't Beacon have bunk beds?"
"It would have saved us time on the first day," Blake smirked not to mention these at least were more structurally sound. Sometimes she was surprised neither of the beds had toppled over in their time in their team's old room.
"Well I'm keeping the top bunk." Yang yawned out. "God…has it only been a day since Argus?"
"I know it feels longer," Weiss took her shoes off rubbing her feet. "It's been a very busy day."
"Stealing an aircraft, fighting a giant mech, fighting Adam, fighting a horde of Grimm with a Leviathan," Blake counted it off.
"Not to mention running away from Atlas air patrol, crashing, then getting attack by my own sister and her team." Weiss finished.
"So Ruby…why are we not telling them everything?" Blake hesitantly asked.
"I don't know, you saw how tired he looked," Ruby sat down on a chair. "You all remember how we reacted after learning everything what would it do to him?"
There was silence there as they all thought about it, they had seen how Mantel was now and although Ironwood was trying to do the right thing or at least what he felt was right, there were some questionable things going on. He looked worn down as well from the weight of everything on his shoulders.
"I hate this," Yang muttered. "I'm feeling like how Ozpin kept stuff from us but now we're doing it to someone else."
"Yes…but I think I can start to see why he did now," Blake sighed seeing the looks. "I still don't like he did but learning the truth, the whole truth, it's just so much."
"Not to mention his plan to reveal Salem to the world?" Weiss stated. "Am I the only one having second thoughts about that?"
The others nodded their head thinking about all that would happen.
"I mean at least getting the CCT network back up and running would go a long way to helping everyone." Ruby shrugged.
"Yeah I can get behind that." Yang nodded as she yawned.
"We can think more in the morning," Weiss said getting up. "First. I think we all need a good rest after everything."
On that they all agreed on, they changed out of their clothing as they were glad they kept their bags with them. They all without words, decided on keeping the sleeping arrangements as they had back in Beacon. It just felt a bit more natural for them besides tomorrow was a new day and they got the feeling they would need all the rest they could get.
Yang however tossed and turned a bit trying to get a feel for the bed. It wasn't bad or anything but something was missing, she sighed as she realized it wasn't a what but more of a who. Although it had only been a few times she was quickly getting used to having Jaune with her as she slept. There was just something comforting about it all.
She was starting to wonder if maybe she and Jaune could get their own room together? Now there was an idea, Qrow might have an issue, sure he was cool with them dating but she figured if he found out what they did that night at Jaune's sister's place in Argus he might not be so understanding.
Come one, in a few more months she and Jaune would be twenty years old they were legal adults now. If she wanted to move in with her boyfriend what was stopping them? She figured Atlas has plenty of extra rooms like Beacon did for when the Vytal Tournament came around to house all the teams from other kingdoms after all.
She did miss his presence though.
In another room Jaune, Ren, Nora and Oscar were all in the same room. They decided on Oscar sharing with them since they didn't want him to be alone. Maria most likely had her own as did Qrow and they felt Oscar could use some inclusion in the teams more. He took the bottom bunk as Jaune took the taller one. It was just easier for him and Ren to take the taller ones as with their heights it was easier to get into them.
Still as he lay on his back he tried to fall asleep, he should have but he kept expecting to feel Yang there resting her head on his shoulder like she usually did. He missed the weight of her body pressing against him, the feel of her body heat, the soft smell of her hair.
Well at any rate, all he had to do was fall asleep and he could see her again in the morning. It was funny, they only just parted but already he was missing her presence. His feelings for Yang he knew was growing to be a bit more than just liking her. He was falling hard for her that much he knew, he just hoped that she was feeling the same. He was pretty sure she did but until he said those three little words that had been building up in the back of his mind he didn't know.
'When the time's right, I'll take the plunge and say it to her,' He thought to himself closing his eyes and she started to think of a familiar shade of lilac eyes and golden hair.
TBC…
Just wanted to thank everyone that reviews, this story just passed over 400 thanks to everyone that left a review for the story. Next few chapters might be a bit more light hearted and more original content. Also going to explain some of the new looks the others get.