Heart to Heart

Chapter 59 The Amity Secret

-Atlas Frontier-

Ruby slouched in the back of the transport, her elbows on her knees and her head resting on her hands as she sighed in boredom. She hated convoy duty it was always so boring. At least if a Grimm attacked it would be something to do.

"So how did Flynt take that news article about you and Blake?" Ruby asked just to start some kind of conversation.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I would hardly call that 'news' but he thought it was funny. Asked if he had competition. I told him I had options."

"Wait you're not-"

"No," Weiss cut her off. "While Blake is one of my closest of friends, I don't have any romantic feelings for her."

"At least Flynt didn't ask if he could get involved," Ruby joked.

Weiss sighed. "While he's above such a thing, I fear Neptune might have asked that."

Ruby thought about the Sun's partner and playboy who had flirted with most girls he met. Granted he hadn't tried that with Blake (for obvious reasons) and her (again in Ruby's mind for obvious reasons). She wasn't sure why he never made a pass at Yang? Maybe because she was friends with Weiss. Although that didn't stop him from flirting with the girls from team IDGO.

"If he was brave enough, he might has asked for a threesome." Ruby shrugged. While Neptune wasn't a bad guy, he needed work on his impulse control when it came to women. Other than that, he was a good guy to hang out with.

"Wait how do you know about that?" Weiss asked.

"I'm seventeen, not seven!" Ruby angrily pouted. "Why does everyone treat me like a child?"

"You still dunk your cookies in milk."

"They're tastier that way!"

"You have strawberry underwear."

"They're cute! Besides it's better than that frilly stuff you wear."

Weiss scuffed at that placing a hand to her chest. "I'll have you know that they are fashionable, and men appreciate it when women go the extra mile."

Ruby tilted her head. "Why? I mean Flynt hasn't seen you in your underwear yet, has he?"

This caused Weiss to blush, a thing that showed up very well thanks to her pale skin. "NO! I-we're-it hasn't…we just haven't gotten that far!"

Weiss tried to calm down, but she was embarrassed by the thought of it. Of course, now that she put that in her mind, Weiss was starting to wonder just what Flynt might like to see on her. She could see Ruby grinning in victory and Weiss' completive nature was started to come out.

"So has Oscar seen you in yours?" Weiss knew that wasn't the case, at least she assumed. They were very young into their relationship, and she doubted she got that far with him.

Now it was Ruby's turn to blush as she looked away. "No!"

Well, he most likely felt it when he had accidentally touched her that morning.

Weiss narrowed her eyes, Ruby's reaction was a little telling. Having lived with the girl for nearly a year and all the time they spent together, she had picked up on some of Ruby's habits and reactions. One of the things she had learned about her partner was that she was very bad at lying and hiding things of a personal nature.

"Ruby," Weiss drew out her name. "Did something happen between you two?"

"It's nothing, really, just simple little couple things, right? I mean it's normal stuff that happens, certainly not the things Jaune and Yang get up to, we just do normal couple things." Ruby panicked as her mouth started to get away from her.

Weiss just crossed her arms and looked at her with slightly squinted eyes.

Ruby started to sweat seeing Weiss giving her the look, she hated being looked at like that. Her dad would do that to her when she did something wrong. Yang used a similar one as well.

"It's nothing really!" She could feel her face heating up as Weiss just sat there staring at her as if she could look right into Ruby's mind.

Ruby lasted ten more seconds before she snapped. "Okay! I'll tell you, just stop looking at me like that!"

And so Ruby explained what happened.

Weiss did not look impressed. "I would have slapped him."

"Weiss! I'm not slapping my boyfriend for an accident."

"You sure it was?"

"You know Oscar, does he seem the type?" Ruby challenged.

Weiss thought about it and had to admit that the young man didn't seem the type. She nodded her head in Ruby's point. That still didn't mean she was comfortable with it.

"Besides I did pull him into me while I was sleeping, so it's kind of my fault." Ruby flushed at the memory of waking up with him like that. It brought in so many different emotions, mainly embarrassment but something else. Something warm and fuzzy inside of her as well. Then of course there was when his hand and gripped her butt and something else had been ignited in her.

While she hadn't admitted it to anyone, it had felt nice.

"I suppose when you share a bed, or couch in this situation, things like this happen." Weiss could see the flustered girl and couldn't help but dig a little deeper. "So…how did it feel?"

"It actually felt really nice," Ruby hides her lower face with her red cloak. "Just the two of us together like that felt so warm and nice." Ruby fidgeted in her seat. "I never really thought of romance and relationships before now. I was so focused on being a Huntress I never really thought about it. Plus, it's not like I had boys knocking down my door."

Weiss was wondering if maybe she had and just didn't notice it. "Are you sure about that?"

"When you got an older sister who's prettier than you and gets all the attention you start to feel like you don't measure up to something."

Weiss winced at that, she did know what that was like. Winter was taller, had a fuller figure, had a full career. She had everything and Weiss had always felt like she had been in her sister's shadow growing up. Things were different now of course but that didn't mean all those years didn't suddenly stop existing.

"I get it," Weiss nodded.

"Plus, at Beacon everyone was two years older than me, kind of hard for a seventeen year old to pick up a fifteen year old in that kind of environment. Also, I think Yang would have scared some away if they had tried anything."

"Didn't stop you from doing that," Weiss smirked.

"Yean and look what we all had to go through. We would never have met if he hadn't been possessed by an ancient spirit telling him where to go." Ruby explained. "What would have been the odds of us ever meeting if Ozpin never died that day?"

Weiss would see her point, the odds of them meeting up were so very low she wasn't sure she could give it a number. Ruby would have for some reason go to Oscar's little village, actually cross paths with him and then spend a lot of time with him. All of that didn't really seem likely to happen.

Ruby suddenly laughed at a memory as Weiss looked at her confused.

"What is it?" Weiss asked.

"Remember when we first met?" Ruby asked as Weiss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Weiss couldn't forget that day or how she had acted either.

"How could I forget?" Weiss groaned.

"Well remember when I wanted us to be friends and you were all sarcastic about it?"

Weiss winced. "Yes, and I'm sorry about that."

"I know, we've all changed since then," Ruby happily nodded. "I just remembered how you were going on like how we could 'paint each other's nails, do each other's hair and talk about boys' part, well here we are. Talking about boys and being BFFs."

Weiss had to stop herself from snorting, mainly because of her upbringing, and thought back to how they started off and yet here they were. Doing exactly what she had joked about back then. It was strange how life can turn out. Back then she would have figured she would be leading her own team at Bacon, still studying there, then she could go out and become a Huntswoman, striving to make a name for herself and raise the public perception of her family. Then one day taking over the company and doing it right.

Looking back, she had been too naïve, she should have known her father would have a death grip on the company, she hadn't been suitable to lead back then and the White Fang most likely would have targeted her out in the field if she was alone.

"You're not doing my nails," Weiss stated.

"What!? Why?"

"I've seen how you treat your nails." Weiss pointed at Ruby's hands.

"Well, we can do each other's hair then." Ruby offered.

"You barely have enough hair to really style." Weiss shrugged at the pixie cut that Ruby had.

"I like it short!" She reached up to touch her hair and muttered how Oscar said it was cute on her.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Then how about you do my hair and I do your nails?"

"Oh, I like that, you have really pretty and long hair." Ruby nodded.

"Thank you," Weiss was proud of her hair. Maybe not to the level of Yang but she was close, hair as long as hers did take a lot of work. All that brushing, and you had to use the correct products on the correct days or else it could get damaged or splitter from too many showers.

She was about to make a comment on what Ruby could do with her hair when the truck suddenly came to a stop as both had to grab on to something or be thrown to the ground.

"Driver, what's going on?" Weiss asked as she pressed the small intercom unit in the wall.

"We got trouble ma'am," The driver said through the small speaker. "We have unknowns blocking the route."

That got their attention as both huntresses opened the back door and got out into the cold snowy landscape. They could see they were by a large hill, most likely where whoever stopped the convoy had hid as they got out in front. They could see a few people in mixed matched clothing that weren't uniform. They wore leathers and looked like they were for ease of movement.

All of them were armed with weapon and not just any weapons, Huntsmen style weapons. Each weapon was a unique as was the person holding it.

But what really got their attention was the tall woman with pure white hair standing in front of the group with her arms crossed and a determined look on her face. It was a face everyone in the Kingdom had come to know.

It was Robyn Hill herself.

Ruby and Weiss looked at each other, not sure at first what to do since this woman was up for election for the empty council seat. Ruby looked at the woman as she took a single step forward, hopefully only one step wouldn't be taken as hostile as her people looked a little on edge.

"Robyn Hill, correct?" Ruby was pretty sure it was her, but it never hurt to ask and maybe this would help open up a dialogue.

The older woman nodded. "Yes, I am, and who might I be addressing?"

"I'm Ruby Rose, Huntress."

Weiss stepped up next to her partner. "And I am-"

"We are well aware of who you are Miss Schnee," Robyn said in a little less than happy tone with her.

"Why are you stopping this convoy?" Ruby asked hoping to get to the core of the matter now that introductions were out of the way.

"These materials," She pointed to the vehicles behind the two huntresses, "where taken from sources needed to protect Mantel. More and more vital materials have been 'appropriated' by the Atlas military and with no reason given. The walls around the city are damaged and Grimm attacks are now nearly a daily event."

"People are scared, people are hurt and even dying." She looked at them with a steely look full of conviction. "I swore to protect the people, those that can't protect themselves and I'm here to take back what was taken from the people."

Her people started to tense up getting ready for a fight.

Ruby knew this was a bad idea, she knew that Robyn was thinking of the people but if she attacked the convoy for the supplies, then Ironwood would come down on her for it.

"Please can't we talk about this? I know Mantel needs these supplies, but you know what will happen if you attack an Atlas military convoy." Ruby pleaded with her.

"The people of Mantel are suffering," Robyn repeated. "I can't just sit by and let that happen. My Happy Huntresses are already worked thin trying to keep Mantel from falling into chaos, which Ironwood hasn't helped."

"His closing of the borders has sent so many of Mantel's population into unemployment, all those miners, dock workers, refiners, everything to do with dust. They all can't sell their products and so poverty is running rampant. People are getting desperate, we can't import food to restore our stocks."

Weiss being from Atlas knew all too well that most of the kingdom's food supplies were imported from either Mistral or Vale the two largest farming countries. Atlas being mostly a snowy wilderness didn't exactly offer much in the way of growing food supplies. There were some animals you could hunt and a few artic plants that did grow but not enough to feed two large cities.

"And now, after all that he's taking much needed supplies to help repair all the damage to the walls that the Grimm are making. All that pain and fear is just attracting more of them, it has to end at some point."

"I agree," Ruby told her which she could see Robyn raise and eyebrow too. "My friends and I came to Atlas to help, we've been working nearly non-stop."

"Not working hard enough to go to parties," the blue haired woman spoke as Robyn gave her a side look.

"That was one time, and we were asked because Ironwood felt something was going on," Ruby explained. "But if you attack this convoy, General Ironwood will most likely have you arrested."

"He'd have to catch us first," This time it was a young-looking Faunus girl, looked like she might be a goat or sheep type to Ruby's eyes.

"Then you're throwing away the election," Weiss stated.

Robyn cocked her head to the side. "I'm pretty sure the numbers say otherwise unless you're hoping your father wins by a miracle."

"No, in fact I hope he loses." Weiss crossed her arms with a deadpan look.

Weiss's response took them all by surprise as Robyn cast a look to the others. "Strange thing to hear from one of his daughters."

"We're not close," Weiss wouldn't go into the reasons why she wasn't close with her father, those were personal. She just hoped that her icy response was enough of a clue that she didn't care much for her father.

"Be that as it may, I'm not throwing away the election."

"And you think by having criminal charges against you, you can even still legally run, or work form a jail sell even if you could still run?" Weiss stated.

"The people would riot if I was put into jail," Robyn was pretty sure that was the only reason Ironwood hadn't come after her or her people yet, or to try and force her into line. That would be one thing too far, Mantel was ready to explode for any reason. Well unless she was put into jail for serious crimes like murder or treason.

"Even if it came to that, do you think he would let you go?" Weiss asked. While working for the General she had seen how focused and determined he was. He also had tunnel vision and didn't seem the type that would want to change course unless he felt he was right in doing so.

Robyn had to admit that this whole thing was a gamble, mainly she just wanted to let Ironwood know she was well aware he was taking needed materials out of Mantel and the direction they were going. If they had simply handed over the materials without violence, she might be able to muddy the waters enough until the election was over. But yes, out right violence would be the worst way to go, which was why they hadn't fired on them.

The Schnee girl seemed to be aware of some of this so at least she was working with someone smart enough to see the big picture.

"Well, we seem to be at an impasse here then," Robyn said.

"Not entirely," Weiss offered. "You want these materials to be stopped and used for Mantel? Then just win."

"Excuse me?"

"Win, win the election because then if you can get the other two on your side that will give you a three to two majority over Ironwood and order him to stop." Weiss knew that by the time the election was finished the project would be close to completion. At least that's what was projected, it was a careful balancing act she was playing here.

By the time Robyn got into the council they might be able to complete the project and the resources wouldn't need to be diverted but if they were still working maybe something could be worked out.

"I'd had to get the other two to go with that and they're not fans of mine," Robyn countered.

"From what I hear they are not fans of the General either," Weiss replied.

Robyn hadn't heard that, but she had heard some rumors that the other two council members weren't happy with Ironwood. This might be conformation, but this wasn't someone she could consider a 'reliable' source either.

"Maybe if I knew why the General feels that Mantel should have even more taken from it, that I could be persuaded to let this go for now." Robyn knew that something was going on, something big. They had taken over an old dust facility and they were keeping people far away form it. Her own people had tried to get closer, but the security was too tight.

Weiss paused at this, she wasn't sure she could tell them all what was going on, even the drivers didn't know the full plan.

Thankfully Ruby took her turn at this. "I'm sorry but we can't tell you, or anyone what is going on there. At least not now, everyone will know but all I can say is that this isn't just for the kingdom of Atlas but for all of the people of Remnant."

"Bold words from a young huntress working for Ironwood," Roby said unconvinced.

"If there was any way I could let you trust me I would, I wish you could just believe me but I know how all this looks. I know you're angry and you have a right to be. There are dangers that you're not aware of that we're trying to fight but it's not something we can just tell people." Ruby put as much as her emotions as she could into her words. She wanted to tell her everything, to make her understand what was at stake.

Robyn looked at her for a long moment and then slowly started walking up to Ruby. Everyone tensed up except for Ruby who stood there locking eyes with the taller woman. As Robyn got close she looked into those silver eyes and saw a fire in them. She pulled off a glove off one of her hands.

"Give me your hand." She stated.

Ruby blinked confused but did just that as Robyn took it, there was a glow as Ruby's eyes widened at what had to be a semblance.

"I can tell when someone tells me the truth, now talk." Robyn told her.

"All I can say is that this is vital for the defense of the Kingdom, that these are not being wasted but used for something that will help everyone. We're not your enemies and we want to just help the people of this Kingdom." Ruby told her softly.

Robyn pulled back and then took a step back. She sighed as she mulled over everything, there had been no lies in anything the girl stated. She wished she could get more but she could tell the girl wasn't going to budge anymore than she had.

"Fine," Robyn didn't like it but she did get more information out of this whole affair than she came with and information was a currency all its own. "But you tell Ironwood this, when I do become Councilwoman I will depend full transparency on what was going on here."

"We'll tell him," Ruby nodded but she could already see he was not going to like any of this.

"Alright people, we're moving out." Robyn called out as her Happy Huntresses started to move back to the hill they had come from. Robyn stopped as she looked at Ruby. "You said you're here to help? Well then don't disappoint me then because there are a lot of people that need help here."

Ruby and Weiss sighed when they had left.

"Well, I suppose that went well enough," Weiss stated.

"Yeah, and here I thought it was going to be a boring day," Ruby shrugged. "Who gets to tell Ironwood his route is compromised?"

"Not it," Weiss said as she quickly turned and walked back to the vehicle.

"Wait-what!? Weiss that's not fair! Weiss? Weiss! Are you listening to me? Please don't let me report this alone. Come on, Weiss. Pretty please?" Said Ruby as she followed her teammate back to the lead vehicle to get the convoy started again.

-Atlas, Colonel Wolfe's Residence-

Watts' had his personal computer out on the table of Col. Wolfe's table working on the backdoor to the General's computer. Thankfully it by passed all the new firewalls, apparently the General gave himself unrestricted access to all military matters because he felt there was no way any breach would come through him. Watts' grinned at the arrogance of that, he had been the breach the last time at Beacon but apparently, they never did fully figure out how his little worm program got into their systems.

'Pride comes before a fall General,' Watts' grinned at he scanned through the files. Most of it was dull and boring.

'Much like the man himself.' He mused.

Then he found something very interesting. A file not found on the shared, or even the usually classified storage systems. This was only located on the General's personal computer. Opening it up his eyes lit up at what he found. He had to admit the idea was both audacious and yet brilliant. He looked through the documents and grinned. Oh, this was so worth the effort alone.

"From the look on your face I see you found something," Col. Wolfe stated.

"Oh indeed, you might want to see this." Watts turned the computer around as the military man got up to take a look.

The colonel's face went through several emotions before speaking. "We were never told any of this, this, this is where he's putting all the resources. He's taken them from other projects and even the defenses of the wall down below."

"Ah yes let Atlas keep floating in the sky safely and let those below fend for themselves. What was that old saying? The Lower City supports the Upper City not the other way around?"

It was mainly a saying you would hear on Mantel for obvious reasons, but it did hold some truth to it.

"This is beyond the scope of the General's appointed roles," The Colonel could see it now. The man was clearly acting outside of his authority. Of course the military had secret projects but those were always approved by the military council. It was to prevent one person from gaining too much power and influence, which Ironwood had overstepped.

First the closing of the borders, then the military crack down of civilians, now he was taking necessary resources from the defense of the citizens and even other military projects to fund his personal pet project that was to what? Turn Amity Stadium, which while built by Atlas was technically shared ownership between the four kingdoms, into a communications satellite? It seems it would be far easier to just get rid of the Grimm that took over Beacon and retake the tower there or build a new tower in Vale.

They weren't even sure if this plan would even work! It was all guess work by this point! They hadn't even made any tests to see if they could launch something into space with chemical rockets to help with the dust ones after they lost power.

This alone could be enough to bring the General on charges of abuse of authority, dereliction of duty to the people of Mantel, illegal resources acquisition. Maybe others too, he would have to take this to a JAG officer to be sure, but this could make the Council act in removing him.

Or maybe not.

He frowned thinking that Ironwood got away with a lot, he had a way to bully his way through the council and he still held two votes to two. He looked at Watts as the man had said something about the Council before.

"Is your plan to get that open seat on the Council still going through?"

"Oh, my yes, in fact I'm putting the finishing touches on that plan," Watts leaned back with a predatory grin. "And with this it will be simple to remove Ironwood from the board. My man becomes the third council member, then you bring to light all the General's misdeeds. Ironwood has made no friends on the council and with this, all three seats will vote him out and demand an investigation into the allegations."

"And me being the one that brought this to light, I'll be the most logical choice to replace him."

Watts nodded his head. "Indeed, you would be the most appropriate for this, after all we can't trust anyone unless they were kept in the dark. I don't image that the military council will be too pleased with his as well."

Wolfe thought about it, they wouldn't. While a military member did expect not to be told about everything, they had been kept in the dark about too much. This had gone on far enough he knew there was a reason for Ironwood's increasing erratic behavior. Maybe they could get a mental assessment to declare him unfit for duty along the way.

Then the colonel got very quiet. "Will this keep us safe from…her?"

Watts grinned knowing where this was going. "As long as you bend the knee to her, she will show mercy."

Well, he thought she would show mercy, honestly Salem's whims could change like the winds depending on her mood. But if there was something she demanded it was obedience to her. She loved the power and the thought of ruling over an entire Kingdom would sate her ego.

He knew she was a monster, he knew she was a power maniac and that her ultimate plan (whatever it was) was something that he guessed the rest of the planet wouldn't enjoy. But she was also an immortal witch queen with all Grimm under her command. She had been alive before recorded history and would survive long after the Four Kingdoms were nothing but dust in the winds of history.

So, Watts threw in his lot with her not because he believed in whatever ideals she had (like Tyrion) but because he was a survivor. And the only way to truly survive in this world was to be someone Salem could count on. While he wasn't totally sure what would happen to the Kingdom if they swore loyalty to Salem, they had better odds surviving it then opposing her and being crushed under her heel.

And crushed they would be.

TBC…