The Way of the Maiden

by The Court of Talons

The world of Remnant is notable for warriors such as Huntsmen and Huntresses. It is also notable for the Mandalorians, groups of mysterious and nomadic warriors just as ruthless as the Grimm. This is the story of one particular Mandalorian, and how a chance encounter with a child leads to the adventure of a lifetime.

60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60: The Election

When morning fell upon Atlas Academy, Din Djarin wasn't surprised to hear that he had been summoned to General Ironwood's office. Though he wasn't happy about Ironwood's decision to remove Willow's workers from the mine that served as the launch site for Amity, the Mandalorian knew he still had work to do. And so, he went to the office without much question.

But there turned out to be much question when Djarin heard what sounded like Ironwood berating someone on the other side of the door.

"This is inexcusable!" the General sternly said to someone inside. "The last thing we could afford right now!"

These were a few things Djarin could hear behind the closed door. He became confused as well as concerned, given that he wouldn't want to be in the shoes of whoever Ironwood was yelling at. Regardless, he knocked on the door and watched it open so he could step inside.

"There you are," said Ironwood, who looked to the door. "Come in."

The first thing the Mandalorian saw was that Ozpin was also in the room with Ironwood. Given the amount of disagreements the two had prior to the Fall of Beacon, it would make sense that Ironwood had lost his temper at Ozpin once more. However, Ozpin was standing next to Ironwood rather than on the other side of the desk. It almost seemed like Ozpin was supporting Ironwood for his tirade.

And that tirade was directed at a young girl who looked dejected and upset by the shouting directed at her. And once Djarin saw who the girl was, he was immediately confused.

Ironwood had been yelling at Cinder.

"Cinder?" Djarin asked as he stopped in his tracks.

"..."

When he saw Cinder silently acknowledge his presence before looking back towards Ironwood, Djarin picked up the pace and demanded an explanation.

"What's going on here?" the Mandalorian asked.

"I thought you'd like to know what your daughter has been up to as of late," Ironwood replied sternly.

"James, perhaps Djarin and I can handle this," said Ozpin. "It may not be as bad as-"

"It most certainly is," Ironwood declared. "Sharing classified information is always as bad as it sounds."

"But that's not what happened!" said Cinder. "I didn't-!"

"That's enough!"

"..."

Cinder looked down as she fell silent. She had tried to speak before, but Ironwood was just not having it today. Djarin, however, had no reason to hold back against what he believed to be unfair treatment.

"Hey!" the Mandalorian said as he stood in front of Cinder. "If you have a problem with Cinder, you come to me." He looked to both Ironwood and Ozpin. "Now one of you better tell me what the problem is."

Ozpin decided to speak in an attempt to ease tension. "Djarin... James has brought it to my attention that Cinder may have inadvertently shared some classified information with the public," he said. "Mainly, with Willow Schnee."

Djarin looked over to Cinder in mild surprise. He knew that Cinder had gone to Willow's house to apologize, but he didn't know anything about sharing classified information. This was something he couldn't believe, quite literally. Cinder was a smart girl, she knew better than to talk about their war with Salem to those who didn't know.

So he calmly demanded an explanation.

"What did she say?" he asked Ozpin and Ironwood. He didn't ask Cinder just yet, since she was being very quiet.

"We saw it on the news today," said Ironwood. "Willow and the Council candidate she's supporting shared the news... that the Mandalorian war is over."

"..."

"..."

Djarin looked at a serious Ironwood, a neutral Ozpin, and a timid Cinder when he heard that she had shared the war's status. When he studied their faces and had enough time to process the idea, there was only one thing the Mandalorian could say.

"...That's it?" he asked out of confusion.

Ironwood's jaw dropped when he heard the rather uncaring response from Djarin. To him, the news went against the expectations he had for Cinder. He believed that it came at a very bad time, and he was hoping his allies would see that what Cinder did was wrong.

But it didn't seem that way.

"Yeah, that was it!" Cinder insisted. "All I did was tell her and show my video, I didn't say anything else about-!"

"And that's precisely the problem!" Ironwood declared. "The news you shared with me was not something you were free to share!"

"What do you mean?" Cinder was feeling more confident since her father was in the room, so she decided to speak her mind. "It was my speech! I shared it with Mistral, and we came here to share it with Atlas!"

"Only when everyone was ready! And we are far from ready!"

"James, this is getting out of hand," Ozpin insisted. "Djarin doesn't see a problem, and nothing's getting out of hand. Does this matter to us now?"

Ironwood turned to Ozpin with a glare and a yell that sent shivers down the old man's spine. "Loyalty always matters!"

"Quiet!" Djarin yelled.

"..."

Everyone in the room fell silent, though Ironwood was staring daggers at the clan of two. The Mandalorian easily noticed this, but he remained calm as he made a simple request.

"Cinder... just tell me what happened last night," he said.

The young Maiden took a deep breath before she spoke. "Okay," she said. "So, you know that I went to Willow's to apologize. We started talking, and she introduced me to a friend of hers."

---

Last night

Moments ago, Cinder had just discovered that Willow was involved in a new plan for Atlas. She had decided to pour her resources into funding the campaign of a potential new member of the Atlas Council, someone Willow believed could do a lot of good for the Kingdom.

And that someone was the city's former Mayor, Bail Organa.

"Bail, this is Cinder," Willow said as she gestured to the young girl. "She's the family friend I told you about. The one from Vale."

"My God," the man said in surprise. "Are you really?" Rather than let the young girl answer the question, Bail rescinded and remembered his manners. "I mean, it's a pleasure to meet you." He then extended a friendly hand.

Cinder was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the politician, but she too remembered her manners and shook the hand. "Hello," she said timidly. Just like in Mistral, Cinder wasn't used to talking to politicians.

Fortunately, Bail Organa was much nicer than the Mistral Council.

"Pardon my surprise," Bail politely requested after he stopped shaking hands. "Willow here just told me so much about you, and I expected you to be somewhere that's... Well, not here."

"I understand," Cinder replied. "Trust me, coming here wasn't exactly easy. But I came with good news."

"That's right, Bail," Willow said as she sat down again. After she gestured to the empty seats in front of her, Bail and Cinder sat down. "Cinder was just telling me that she helped end the Mandalorian war outside the Kingdom." Willow lifted her Scroll. "I have the proof right here!"

Once again, Bail was surprised by what he was hearing. And after he heard the whole story, the politician became impressed by Cinder's abilities and title of Mand'alor. To show his gratitude for sharing the video and risking a lot by coming to Atlas, Bail decided to share his plan for helping all of Remnant.

It was a most ambitious plan, but the prospects of it were undeniable.

"The war was indeed a tragedy," Bail began. "But it was also a chance for us to learn how to be better. How to be more united."

The idea of unity was always something Ozpin strived to achieve, so Cinder became more attentive when she heard that word. "How so?" she asked inquisitively.

"I believe our current systems are... outdated, for lack of a better word."

"I know what you mean. Losing the CCT in Vale really did a number on us."

"Indeed. But I believe it showed us how outdated our political system is." Bail took out his Scroll and began to type on it. "As you know, each of the four Kingdoms are governed democratically by a single Council. Their duties to their Kingdoms are evident, but also limited. In times of war such as the Mandalorians, the Councils usually focus on those Kingdoms. Clearly, Atlas is doing this... I wouldn't say 'better,' but the work speaks for itself."

Cinder silently agreed with both points Bail Organa made. Mantle and Willow's struggles told Cinder how hard Atlas was trying to focus solely on keeping itself safe and free of conflict.

And it seemed that Bail had a solution to this idea.

"When I was a younger man, I studied political science at the University of Vale," he said. "That's how I met other aspiring politicians. Willow even went to the school with me."

"Father always believed that our wealth and our Kingdom could pamper us," said Willow. "So I studied business in Vale rather than Atlas."

"My parents agreed. Anyway, one of our projects during our final year was to create an improvement on the current system of politics. I worked with other students who would later become Council members across various Kingdoms. Councilwoman Mothma of Vacuo is still a sitting member."

Cinder recalled the name "Mothma," from a story Obi-Wan told her, about how he met Anakin Skywalker as a child. Cinder didn't pay attention to politics that much, so she took Bail's word that Councilwoman Mothma still sat on the Vacuo Council. Though she was unsure where this idea of Bail's was going, Cinder continued to listen carefully.

And this patience paid off.

"We all worked together to create a rough draft of a new governing body," Bail continued. "One of democratically elected officials that represent the interests of Remnant as well as the Kingdoms. Cities and towns would be represented along with Kingdoms, to speak on behalf of everyone on Remnant. If I were elected Councilman, after ensuring the borders of Atlas open again, I will reach out to my colleagues and make this project a reality. The former should be easier thanks to you, so most of my efforts will be with the project."

Bail Organa had been showing notes and images on his Scroll to Cinder, who was amazed and intrigued by everything she saw and heard.

"So, let me get this straight," Cinder said as she looked to Bail. "This is a governing body for the entire world? Beyond the Kingdoms?"

"Precisely," said Bail. "The Councils would still govern the Kingdoms, but every corner of Remnant would be represented through this government. And they would be situated outside the Kingdoms as well. I forget which one of us proposed it back in the day, but we decided to have them meet on the island of Vytal."

Cinder hummed in understanding before she turned to Willow. "You like this idea, Ms. Schnee?"

"We've been cut off from the rest of the world for too long," Willow declared. "A governing body like this would prevent something like this happening again."

Cinder looked to Bail once again. "And people like this too?"

"It's one of the founding ideas of my campaign," said Bail. "And I've made it this far already."

"How far is that?"

"I'm officially on the ballot for the election. And that election will be in two weeks."

Cinder was happy to hear that Bail Organa was an official candidate for the election. Not only was he polite and sincere, but his political ideas and ambitions were remarkable. If Cinder was allowed to vote, she would definitely consider Bail as one of her top choices.

There was just one more question she had.

"What's it called?" Cinder asked. "The new body?"

"We had a few ideas for a name," said Bail. "But the one we decided on was 'the Senate.'"

---

Present

"And that's what happened," Cinder finished. "I didn't mention anything about Amity or Salem; just that the war is over."

After Djarin took a few moments to think about Cinder's story, something he easily believed, he turned back to Ironwood in disappointment.

"See?" he asked. "Nobody knows about Amity or Salem. So what if Cinder said that the war is over?"

"So what?" Ironwood repeated in disbelief. "Do you know what the public's going to think about this? Without a war, there won't be a need to keep the borders closed! Everyone will be demanding that they reopen! If that were to happen, Salem could send anything our way with ease!"

Djarin understood what Ironwood was saying, but he wasn't satisfied. "But telling everyone that the war is over is why we came here in the first place!"

"You told me that in secret, in this office! What we talk about behind closed doors cannot be allowed to leave! Everything here is classified!"

"At what point did our news become 'classified information?' That information isn't just for you to know and keep!"

"Everything that goes on in Atlas is for me to know and keep!"

Ozpin immediately put an end to the argument. "Everyone, please!" he said. "You're both correct!"

"..."

Djarin and Ironwood were still unhappy with the situation, but they were confused as to what Ozpin meant by that they were both correct. However, Ozpin gave them a brief explanation in order to restore peace.

"James, nobody is trying to challenge your authority over Atlesian matters," he began. "But Djarin's not wrong when he says that sharing the news was one of the reasons we came here. And we all know that Amity is classified... but I don't recall any specific instruction that our news was to be classified as well."

"..."

Ironwood was still disappointed by what had been revealed, but he couldn't deny what Ozpin had said. While it was his wish to keep victory a secret, Ironwood had failed to give the order to not share it with anyone.

Content with the man's silence, Ozpin turned towards the Fall Maiden. "Cinder, your heart was in the right place with Ms. Schnee, but we must be cautious about what we reveal to the public," he said. "Everyone may be happy about the war ending, but they will ask questions. If we make a mistake answering those questions, Salem will seize her opportunity. I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but we have to take a moment and think before we share anything else. Do you understand?"

Djarin was about to voice his disagreement with Ironwood again, despite the fact that Ozpin was correct about the situation. But Cinder decided to speak for herself.

"Of course," she said. "I wasn't going to say anything about Amity, honest."

"I know you wouldn't," said Ozpin. "And what's done is done. Amity is safe, Salem is still unaware of our endeavors, all we can do is keep it that way." Ozpin turned to Ironwood. "News of the war ending won't get in the way of that."

"...No, it won't," Ironwood relented. "But the Council is going to ask questions about the borders."

"Let me help you with that. And let Djarin and Cinder do whatever they can to help Amity."

"..."

Ironwood remained silent, but he nodded to give the Mandalorians permission to leave. Seeing no point in arguing any further, Djarin wrapped an arm around Cinder's shoulder and led her out of the office.

Ironwood let out a sigh before he spoke once again. "I've put off the Council long enough," he said. "Willow knew Cinder was here with me, so they know I'm connected."

"Let me talk to them with you," Ozpin offered. "I've had my fair share of conversations with the Vale Council before. I doubt Atlas won't be any different."

"Maybe not. I'll reach out to them now." Ironwood began to type on on a keyboard on his desk. "After this, I think it would be prudent for us to keep a better eye on Cinder."

Ozpin was more reluctant about this course of action. "James, that might be blowing it out of proportion. You heard Cinder, she has no intention of compromising our objectives."

Ironwood turned to Ozpin. "I heard her. But we're going to keep an eye on her." He leaned closer to the Headmaster. "Is that a problem, Oz?"

"..."

There was indeed a problem with all of this. Ever since he revealed the truth about Salem, it was easy for Ozpin to detect a great shift in Ironwood's behavior and thinking. His grip was extending and becoming as hard as iron itself, all in the name of preserving the Kingdom.

Ozpin would have been more willing to share his opinion and change the course, but there were a few factors that stopped him. The first was that Ozpin blamed himself, since he chose to keep his friend in the dark for years. The second was that Ozpin remembered what Ironwood had said about being in Atlas, that all of the cards were in the General's hands now.

And the third, and most disturbing, was that Ironwood was taking even the smallest thing as a threat to his security. The conversation moments ago showed how close Ironwood was to snapping, and Ozpin couldn't risk this snap happening.

The old man didn't care what James would do to him... but Ozpin knew he couldn't forgive himself if this threat extended to his friends.

Especially Cinder.

"...No," Ozpin finally replied. "No, James."

"Good," the General said in content, failing to notice the fear in Ozpin's heart.

---

"So it's not just me, right?"

"No, I noticed it too. Oz has been acting kind of weird ever since we got here. And James has... Well, you know how he's been."

After he had left Ironwood's office with Cinder, Djarin decided to tell Qrow what had happened. He was grateful to Ozpin for calming the situation down, but the Mandalorian couldn't help but find it odd that Ozpin was somewhat defending Ironwood and his ideas. First, it was upon learning that the mine hadn't been abandoned in a traditional sense. And now, Ozpin said that Ironwood was also in the right about an argument that the General had started.

"I noticed," said Djarin. "It just doesn't make sense. I mean, I'm glad Ozpin helped, but things would have been different if we were at Beacon."

"Yeah, well... maybe that's the thing," said Qrow. "James might feel a little more... comfortable, for lack of a better word, being in his own Kingdom. It might be harder for Oz to get through to him here."

Djarin knew where Qrow was coming from, but he was reluctant to agree. "I don't know, Qrow. Remember when I told you that I brought Ozpin to Atlas during the war? He didn't like the idea of Atlas closing the borders. He wanted no part of it. But now..."

"..."

"It's worse than that."

Djarin and Qrow were surprised to hear this idea, but neither of them had said it. They turned to look at Cinder, who was sitting on her bed while looking rather melancholy. Djarin knew that she was upset from the way Ironwood yelled at her, which was something he hadn't forgiven the General for. However, she seemed to have found her voice again.

And in her mind, Cinder had good reason to do so.

"There were a few things I didn't bring up in the office," she continued. "Ms. Schnee was telling me about how Ironwood has the whole Kingdom on lockdown. With drones and Knights everywhere. Ms. Schnee even said she has a few of them in her offices." Cinder sighed as she put a hand on her chin. "I thought sharing the news would help but... now I'm not so sure."

Djarin comforted Cinder by sitting next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Cinder," he said. "We'll figure this out."

"Yeah," said Qrow. "Don't let James rattle you. He just knows how to make mountains out of molehills. It's not like you put everything we're working on in jeopardy or anything like that."

Djarin did more than just agree with Qrow. The Huntsman's words had given him an idea. "You know, Qrow and I were gonna help Clover escort some supplies to Amity. Do you want to come with us?"

Cinder was thankful for the offer, but she felt that most of her energy had been spent from her conversation with Ironwood. "I think I'm gonna rest up," she said. "I'll come next time."

"Okay." Djarin could tell that Cinder was spent of energy, so he decided to leave her be and check in later. "We won't be long."

"See you later, Cinder," said Qrow.

*CLICK*

Djarin sighed as he closed the door and walked down the halls with Qrow. "This is a mess," he said. "Where are Obi-Wan and Revan when you need them?"

"Last I heard, they were talking with Kryze and Hazel," said Qrow. "Trying to get some more intel for us."

"Oh. Well, maybe Salem's not the one we need to worry about right now."

Qrow stopped walking. "Whoa, hold on a sec, Mando. Ironwood's a lotta things, but he's not the enemy."

"..."

"Look, I've known James longer than you have. Trust me, his bark is worse than his bite."

Djarin knew that Qrow was telling the truth about knowing Ironwood for a longer time. However, recent events couldn't do anything to calm his mind.

"I don't know, Qrow," the Mandalorian said as he started to walk again. "Mantle, the mine, and shouting at Cinder like that... I think that bite is starting to show."

Qrow hadn't forgotten about the situation in Mantle and Willow Schnee's lost mine. But after he took a moment to think about it, he could that Djarin had a point about Ironwood starting to reveal a darker side of himself.

However, Qrow hadn't forgotten all that Ozpin had done to help manage Ironwood and remind him what the best course of action would be. It was true that Ozpin seemed a little off and Ironwood seemed more comfortable in his own Kingdom, but Qrow had faith in Ozpin.

He had forgiven the lies and secrets after being shown the light in Argus. And Qrow remembered why he was loyal to Ozpin in the first place; even when things seemed bad, Ozpin was able to turn things around by focusing on the bigger picture. Sometimes it was fast, and sometimes it was slow. But Ozpin always came around and did what he did best.

In Qrow's mind, this was going to be another one of those situations. Soon, Ozpin would be able to regain his confidence in the situation and help Ironwood see the light.

He hoped.

---

True to her word, Cinder was staying in her room to rest. But rather than sit on her bed, Cinder stared out her room's window and thought about the argument. It was hard not to focus on the events that transpired, since they had taught Cinder so much. Namely, about Ozpin and Ironwood.

Cinder still trusted Ozpin, that was never in question. However, she could see that his usual authority and power over matters like this were now limited. Whether he had been warned or threatened by Ironwood was uncertain, but Cinder knew that Ozpin may not be able to help as much as he normally would.

Also, it was clear that Ironwood had some issues involving trust.

Cinder honestly didn't see any harm in declaring that the war was over, and she was glad that Bail and Willow told the public the first chance they got. And she had no intention of revealing anything about Amity or Salem, at least not yet. But the General's words told Cinder that he didn't fully trust her to keep this secret. In fact, all he seemed to care about was keeping secrets; especially from the people.

Cinder knew what her duties as both a Maiden and the Mand'alor meant when it came to people. She had to help those who couldn't help themselves, as well as act in the best interest of every Mandalorian on Remnant. Cinder believed she did that by having Jinn show the truth, and she believed she could help people by telling them the war was over. Ironwood seemed willing to share the truth, as long as he was pulling the strings and calling the shots.

It seemed that Ironwood would only accept a solution as long as he was in charge. Given the outburst she witnessed, and her status as a ruler, Cinder just wasn't sure if she wanted Ironwood to be in charge.

Not that she wanted to seize power for herself, but rather Cinder wanted to work with everyone. She wanted a team of people she could rely on, a group of equals. But Ironwood was putting this idea at risk by concentrating more effort and power for himself; the incident at the mines was proof of this idea.

And Cinder refused to forget what happened when two Mandalorians seized power when they saw their chance. She didn't believe Ironwood would kill anyone, but Cinder knew something like this would only cause more harm than good.

Cinder didn't plan on going straight to Ironwood and challenging him, but she hoped that there would be some sort of resolution to her feelings.

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

Cinder turned away from her window when she heard three knocks at her door. She didn't open it immediately, since she expected either Ironwood or Ozpin to be on the other side. Since she didn't feel ready to talk to either of them at the moment, Cinder called out to the person instead.

"Who is it?" she asked calmly.

"Winter," a familiar voice replied.

Satisfied with the answer, and in need of a friendly ear, Cinder opened the door and came face-to-face with Winter Schnee.

"Hi," she said as she let her friend inside.

"Good morning," Winter said as she stepped into the room. After Cinder closed the door, Winter turned around. "Though I suppose it hasn't been good so far, has it?"

Cinder sighed as she stepped away from the door. "You heard?"

"General Ironwood told me what happened. I came to see how you were doing."

Cinder could see that, but she had a different idea about the intentions behind this visit. "No offense, Winter, but if Ironwood wants to see how I'm doing, he could at least do it himself."

"..."

Winter was surprised by the accusation, but she didn't say anything to deny it. General Ironwood had indeed asked her to see Cinder herself, and Winter was surprised that Cinder had already figured that out. However, that didn't mean that she was here just to carry out orders.

"I'm here as a friend too, Cinder," Winter insisted. "I know the General can be... hard to handle, when he's upset." Winter took a seat in front of the desk the dorm room had. "If you'd like to talk, I'm right here."

"...Thanks," Cinder said after she reminded herself that Winter was still her friend. "I'm sorry I said that, I didn't mean to doubt you or anything like that."

"I understand. Being on the receiving end of tirades takes a lot out of you. Trust me, I know."

"..."

It didn't take a genius to see that Winter was talking about her own father, a man who used her time and again just for his own personal gain. And rather than help reopen old wounds, Cinder focused the subject on Ironwood.

"I just don't get it," said Cinder. "I mean, sure, I get that everyone will have questions about the war ending. But I don't get why he felt people shouldn't know that. Doesn't he trust us to know what we should say and shouldn't say?"

"It's not that, Cinder. Look, I know the General can be hard to understand at times, but he's doing what he thinks is right."

Cinder agreed that it was hard to get in Ironwood's head at times, but she didn't agree with Winter's other idea. "That's not justification, Winter. That's a cop out."

Winter shook her head. "Not necessarily. He-"

"No, it's a cop out. Here, look."

Cinder reached to her neck and carefully removed the Mandalorian necklace she was wearing. Once she did, Cinder pointed to the scar on her neck and spoke again.

"Remember what I told you about this?" Cinder asked. "If she was asked, I'm positive the woman who did this to me would say that what she did was right. To keep me in line. Or to make sure I was providing for her and her family. But it wasn't right."

"..."

Cinder put her necklace back on as she spoke again. "She got away with it for years. All because she could say that it was what she thought was right."

"..."

"Anyone can say that they're doing the right thing, Winter. But usually, they're just looking out for themselves and their secrets."

"..."

Winter genuinely believed that General Ironwood was doing what he thought was right, but now she saw just how hard it was going to be to convince Cinder. She had never met the woman who kept Cinder as a slave, someone who had robbed her of her innocence and most of her childhood. But Winter knew that the woman had many similarities to Jacques Schnee.

It took time, but Winter had learned to grow past her time with her father. General Ironwood had somewhat filled the role Winter had been searching for, which led to mutual trust and closeness. Cinder didn't have this luxury with Ironwood, so Winter knew convincing her friend would be difficult.

However, the action Cinder took by showing Winter her scar had inspired the young Atlesian to take a similar course of action. If she was going to help Cinder, Winter knew it would be necessary.

"Ironwood isn't keeping secrets," she said as she stood up. "Not from me." Before Cinder could ask if Winter was sure, the Atlesian stepped towards the door and opened it. "Come with me. There's something I want to show you."

"..."

Cinder had no idea what Winter was planning or where she was going, but she had no objections to the request. Their walk took them to an elevator, which led them to a very highly monitored floor of the academy. The first door was guarded by two soldiers who acknowledged Winter's presence and let her inside. There were multiple cameras and Atlesian Knights as well, all of which were watching the floor carefully.

Eventually, Cinder found herself in a small room with a glass window. After being told by Winter to wait in the room, Cinder walked to the window after the door closed behind her. Rather than outside the academy, Cinder could see into a much larger room below her. It almost looked like a studio apartment, given there were cabinets and a sink in the room. However, a hospital bed, a wheelchair, and various medical equipment told Cinder that the room was more of a medical space than a living space.

That, and an old woman with white hair resting on the bed.

Winter entered the room and initiated friendly conversation with the woman over a cup of tea. The conversation wasn't very serious, it was mostly about the weather outside and how they were doing.

But Cinder didn't need to listen to the conversation. She understood who Winter was talking to, despite the fact that she had never met the woman before. Ozpin had told Cinder plenty in order to deduce the identity of the woman.

And that was the first thing Cinder said when Winter returned to her.

"That's Fria," she said as she pointed at the woman. "That's the Winter Maiden."

Winter nodded as she let herself inside the room. "She's not safe to live beyond the academy in her state," she said. "General Ironwood moved her here, with the best medical technology should... anything happen."

Cinder understood perfectly. Fria wasn't necessarily dying, but she wasn't much of a spring chicken either. It seemed Ironwood had been preparing for Fria's passing, which seemed inevitable given her age.

And it seemed there were other preparations he had made as well.

"Until that happens, I'm the only person Fria's allowed to see," said Winter.

Cinder finally looked away from Fria when she heard this. "What?" she asked. "Why?"

"..."

Cinder suddenly realized that she knew the answer to her own question. Someone young as Winter, someone as capable at fighting as Winter, it all made sense.

"Ironwood chose you," she said. "He wants you to be next Winter Maiden."

"..."

"How long have you known?"

"Since Beacon fell," Winter replied.

"And... you're sure about this?"

Winter slowly nodded. "I am. When the General first proposed it-"

"Winter, stop."

Cinder grabbed Winter's arms and made her friend turn to look at her. "Listen to me," she implored. "Being a Maiden is a lot more complicated than you might think, or however the General made it sound. It's a big responsibility and an even bigger risk." Cinder began to sweat nervously as she continued to explain herself. "You're not just protecting the Relics from Salem, you're protecting all of Remnant."

"Cinder-"

"I didn't have a choice when I got my powers, but you do. So you have to be absolutely one hundred percent sure about this."

"..."

Cinder didn't care if she was giving away how nervous and worried she was about this. She knew better than anyone what kind of burden wearing the badge of a Maiden had, as well as the fact that the choice was inadvertently made for her. So it was easy to understand why Cinder didn't want her best friend thrust into a role she wasn't ready for, where the risk of the power being stolen and used for Salem existed. Aurora may have been gone, but that didn't mean Salem couldn't replace her if she wanted to.

Cinder had already been through Hell as a Maiden, and she wasn't willing to drag Winter into that Hell either.

But Winter was willing.

"...I wasn't so sure, when the General first proposed it to me," Winter calmly replied. "But the more I thought about it, the more I saw it as a privilege, a chance to do some real good for Atlas. For Remnant."

"..."

Cinder began to calm down as she listened to what Winter was saying. This was the first time she heard someone say being a Maiden was a privilege; she didn't even hear it when she was in the void with the other Fall Maidens. So to hear this claim, along with the claim of doing good for Remnant, Cinder began to feel proud of Winter for making this choice.

But there was still one thing holding her back.

"Winter... you're the same age as me," she said. "Ozpin once said that was an ideal age for a Maiden. Did... Did Ironwood let you into Atlas Academy because of this? Has he always wanted you to be the Winter Maiden?"

"Well... yes," Winter confessed. "But that doesn't matter now."

"Of course it matters. Your destiny was chosen for you, without your input." Cinder braced herself for what she said next. "Winter... that sounds like the same thing your dad was doing to you."

"...Perhaps," Winter agreed after taking a second to consider the implications. "But I'm choosing it now. I've made my destiny my own. And I take great pride in it. That has nothing to do with Father, or the General." Winter turned to her friend with a look of resolve. "That belongs to me."

It was at this moment that Cinder understood how much thought Winter had put into being the next Winter Maiden. She had seen looks like the one Winter was wearing on every Fall Maiden she met in the void, which spoke volumes of what they were all willing to do.

So to see her best friend wear the same face, especially when it came to a matter of being a Maiden, Cinder knew that Ironwood had made the right choice by going to Winter first.

"Then you're gonna be a great Maiden, Winter," Cinder said with a smile.

Winter formed a genuine smile of her own. "Coming from you... that means the world," she said. "As a Maiden... and my best friend."

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

Winter turned her attention to her Scroll when she felt it buzzing. When she took it out, her face became less neutral and more annoyed by what she saw.

"Speaking of the family name," she said as she looked at the screen in discontent.

"What is it?" Cinder asked as she moved closer to Winter.

"Oh, nothing. Just another text from my mother."

"Oh."

Cinder remembered what Willow had said about Winter ignoring her, so she decided to see if this was true. "Don't you want to answer her?" she asked.

"No," Winter said as she placed her Scroll back in her pocket.

"Why not?"

"Because she's the last person I want to talk to right now."

"..."

Cinder was surprised to hear this, it practically came out of nowhere. Willow was indeed being ignored by Winter, which seemed so unlike her to do so. The idea disturbed Cinder greatly, since it reminded her of a time when she was like this to her own father at Beacon.

Back when she had been tricked by Merri and her sisters, Cinder was putting some distance between herself and her father. The idea of being reunited with her blood ties was enough to make her forget the family she already had. Now, Cinder understood what a terrible mistake that was.

It was a mistake that she didn't want Winter to make.

"What I mean is that I don't need to hear another repetition," said Winter, who saw the look of confusion and disbelief on Cinder's face. "Ever since I returned to Atlas, Mother has done nothing but call and text me to return home. To forget about the academy and being a Huntress." Winter looked down to Fria again. "That's something I can't do, Cinder. And I can't explain to her why."

"Oh..." Cinder said as she also looked upon Fria. "Are you going to tell her?"

"...Maybe. But not today."

"..."

With that last remark, Winter made her way to the room's exit. "We should be heading back," she said as she opened the door.

Cinder began to follow, but she had one last question before she was ready to leave. "Winter... do you think I could meet her?" she asked. "Could I meet Fria?"

Winter turned back towards the stairway that led to Fria's room. "I'm the only one who's allowed to see her," she repeated. "Those were the General's instructions."

"Oh. Okay."

Winter knew that she couldn't break her orders, but she was willing to hear Cinder out. "May I ask why?" she asked.

"It's just that... something happened at Haven before we got the Relic," Cinder said as she began to walk with Winter again. "Something I think I should try again. Let me explain."

---

While Cinder had been spending time with Winter in Atlas, Djarin and Qrow were in a truck that was driving across the tundra. The truck was driven by an Atlesian Knight, and Penny was also a passenger of the truck. She had originally chosen to go on the mission since she was under the belief Cinder would be going as well. However, Cinder's absence didn't change Penny's mind about staying behind. Instead, she saw the mission as a chance to get to know the Mandalorian better.

But Djarin mostly kept quiet. This was a result of both his stoic demeanor as well as Penny's more... sociable behavior. It was this behavior that made Djarin wish that Cinder had decided to come after all.

Eventually, the Mandalorian used his Semblance to join Qrow and Clover in the back of the truck, where they were watching the supplies while playing a game of cards. The game they were playing, sabacc, was fairly popular on Remnant, mainly among the high-stake gamblers. Djarin had played the game a few times, and he taught Cinder how to play it as well.

But the man who loved sabacc the most was Lando; wherever he went, he played at least one game of sabacc before leaving. He was fairly good at it, and he was known to walk away with small fortunes time and time ago. However, he wasn't invincible. His greatest loss was the time when he put his own personal airship, the Millennium Falcon on the table in Mistral. Lando was only one card away from beating his opponent, which was a story Djarin always heard when he worked with the man.

And whether it was his Semblance or just nature, Clover had won for what felt like the umpteenth time. It was possible that he could even rival Lando.

"I win again," Clover said as he briefly reveled in his victory. "Maybe we should call it quits?"

Ever since Argus, Qrow had promised to not quit so easily like he almost quit before. While this attitude was mostly towards being a Huntsman and stopping Salem, Qrow refused to admit defeat in the game he was playing.

"Shut up and deal," he said jokingly as he prepared for another round.

Clover laughed as he complied with the request. "I know it's just a supply run, but it's a shame Cinder couldn't join us today."

"Yeah, I know. I was kinda hoping she'd come, to be honest."

Djarin also wished Cinder decided to join him, since he believed some time away from the academy would do some good for her. But he understood why she wanted to take it easy, since Ironwood definitely left an impact on her. He didn't know how much Clover knew about the confrontation, so he decided to play the conversation casually.

And Clover seemed to help with that.

"You know, Mando, I saw Cinder's fights from the Vytal Festival," he said. "She sure is one of a kind, huh?"

Djarin chuckled as he thought back on the times he saw Cinder fight in the tournament. "You have no idea," he said.

"Well, me and the boys are trying to get an idea right now. I got the rest of the squad training to keep up with her."

Now it was Qrow's turn to chuckle. "She really did a number on you guys, huh?" he asked.

"You guessed it," Clover confirmed. "And since we might meet more people like her, friend or foe, we all thought it would be best to be ready." The leader of SCAR Squadron turned to the Mandalorian. "You think she has a couple of pointers she's willing to share?"

"I'll talk to her," Djarin promised. He didn't want to speak for Cinder in this case, even though he was sure that she would be willing to help. "I could give you a few pointers too. I trained Cinder to fight like a Mandalorian. Skills like ours might come in handy."

"All of that on top of Huntress training? Sounds like a lot to handle." Clover smiled as he looked at both Djarin and Qrow. "It's a good thing she had people to look up to and get her through it. Not everyone is so lucky."

Djarin briefly thought about the idea before he denied it. "I don't know about all that. She was alone for a while, after she fell into a coma. She woke up not too long ago."

"Yeah," said Qrow. "She's doing better now, but I guess she has to take it easy every once in a while. Guess that leaves some heavy lifting for us, huh?"

"Hey, I'm not complaining," Clover replied. "I mean, what good is saving the world without another generation waiting in the wings? Hopefully, kids like her will make Remnant better than we left it for them."

Djarin became appreciative of the Atlesian's wisdom. He was going to leave a legacy for Cinder, one that would require as much peace as he could achieve. Cinder would still become Mand'alor, but Djarin hoped there would be peace instead of another war.

And hopefully, a weakened Salem.

Qrow also appreciated this wisdom, for his own reasons. When Clover mentioned other children who would grow up to inherit whatever he and other Huntsmen would leave behind, the thought of a certain young girl he knew from Vale sounded like the perfect person who would try and do better than he did.

"Once upon a time, I'd have drank to that," he said as he began to look at his cards

"You shouldn't do that, you know," Clover said as he frowned.

Qrow looked back as he thought back to the time he decided to give up drinking. "Don't worry, I-I gave that up."

"I meant deflect a compliment. I mean, I saw that speech Cinder gave at Mistral on the news. She wouldn't be where they are without you two." Clover turned to the Mandalorian. "You've had more of an effect on her than you realize."

Qrow and Djarin smiled as they looked at the cards they had been dealt. But before they could play another hand, Penny called out to them when she noticed something in the road.

"Commander Ebi," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. "There appears to be an obstruction on the road."

Everyone moved out from the back of the truck to see what Penny was looking at. "What's going on?" Qrow asked. "Grimm?"

"No," Clover said as he got a good look out the window. "Worse. You two with me. Penny, stay put and keep an eye on our six. We may need an element of surprise."

"Affirmative," Penny complied. "I will plan for six possible outcomes!"

"..."

Everyone paid less attention to Penny and more attention on the objects in the road. True to Clover's word, it wasn't Grimm that was blocking their path. But rather, a large metal door was standing in a path between two large rocks that the truck had to traverse. But now, all it could do was stop in front of the door and two women standing in front of it.

One woman was a white-haired Faunus with sheep ears and the other woman was Robyn Hill herself.

"Alright ladies, time to show them our teeth," she said confidently.

When the truck stopped, Clover and his allies all stepped out. Clover was still in his plastoid armor, but he was holding the helmet by his side in an attempt to ease any tension. This wasn't the first time he had spoken to Robyn Hill, and Clover was sure that this wouldn't be the last. And so, the leader of SCAR Squadron began the conversation.

"Robyn!" Clover said in a friendly tone. "Well, if it isn't Mantle's home town hero. Is there a reason you're blocking an official military transport?"

"Clover," Robyn replied calmly, with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm so glad you're here." She then looked over to see a man in a familiar set of armor. "Well, look who it is! Long time, no see, Mando."

"Same with you," said Djarin. "I'd like to catch up, but answering his question might be a good idea."

Robyn quickly noticed that the duo, and the other Huntsmen, were on the same side. "How about I answer the question with a question? Could you two help me understand why this truck that's supposed to be taking construction materials to fix Mantle's outer wall, is on its way to the middle of nowhere? Are you lost?"

Clover laughed off the idea to keep his friendly demeanor. "It's pretty easy to get turned around out here in the tundra, everything looks the same," he said. "Thanks for checking up on us though. We'll be on our way now." With that, he began to walk back to the truck while hoping Robyn would move out of the way.

Unfortunately, Clover was wrong.

Robyn let out a sigh as she decided to be more frank. "I was hoping you'd play it straight with me," she said. "What's Ironwood doing with Amity at the SDC mine?"

Clover stopped walking when he grasped the reality of the situation. Regardless, he continued to play things more casually than a soldier usually would, in order to keep things as civil as possible.

"Oh, that," he said. "Just giving her an annual checkup." This was a rather obvious lie, one that Robyn wasted no time in dismissing.

"The next Vytal Festival isn't anytime soon," she said. "Only automated drones and a few select Atlas scientists are allowed out here. And Amity's getting invaluable resources we need in Mantle to protect against Grimm. Seems like more than just a check-up."

"...You've been scoping it out."

"We can't fix the wall without the supplies on these trucks. I think Mantle deserves to know what they're being used for. It doesn't have to be difficult. Just tell me."

Robyn had taken a few steps forward with an extended hand and smile. The gesture didn't look like much to the normal eye, since it looked like Robyn wanted to shake hands. But the Mandalorian was aware of Robyn's Semblance, and he was aware that Robyn was determined to get the truth.

But Clover wasn't willing to share it.

"I'm going to have to pass on that," he said sternly.

Robyn frowned in disappointment, but smiled again when she looked at Djarin and Qrow. "How about you, Mando?" she asked. "Five o'clock shadow?"

"..."

Djarin had forgotten Robyn had a tendency for nicknames, one of which she had apparently just given to Qrow. The Huntsman decided to remain silent, and Djarin was willing to follow this strategy. However, Robyn made a point that caused him to give in to speaking.

"I hate to be that kind of lady, Mando," she began. "But I did you a favor by helping you find your kid. I saw her on the news today, she's looking rather well. I don't think that would have been possible without our help." Robyn gestured to Fiona, who was silently standing next to her.

Djarin hadn't forgotten the favor Robyn did for him when Cinder was kidnapped. However, he didn't forget what caused her to do this favor in the first place. "And I hate to be that kind of man," he began. "But Boba led you to do that favor after he got his armor back. With my help."

"..."

Djarin truly didn't want to be rude to Robyn, but he knew that remaining quiet about Amity was wise. Ironwood had already made a fuss when Cinder revealed the war was over, so news about Amity would only make things worse.

Clover knew that better than anyone, so he spoke once again.

"That's enough, Robyn," he said. "As a potential Councilwoman, you should probably focus on the election instead of harassing Huntsmen. Now, it's time to let us pass."

"I think you've misjudged the situation," Robyn declared. "One way or another, these supplies are going to get where they're supposed to go: Mantle."

Clover stood right where he was. "Then I suggest you do that through the proper legal channels as a Councilwoman. If you get elected."

Robyn smiled once more, becoming confident in what she declared just a moment ago. "Now where's the fun in that?"

"..."

One by one, all of the warriors prepared for a confrontation. Clover reached down for his fishing pole while Djarin and Qrow slowly reached for their weapons. Robyn was prepared for a fight as well, but she wore her weapon on her sleeve. Nobody wanted it to come to this, but everyone felt like they were ready for anything.

Except for what came next.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

Four shots from behind Robyn caught everyone's attention. Gunfire was to be expected, but the strange part was that nobody had fired a gun. And yet, four distinct blasts that were nowhere near the immediate area caused everyone to look towards the sound and determine the source of it.

As a result, everyone looked to see that the metal door had started to fall.

*CREAK*

*CRASH*

The path to the SDC mine was now clear of a door, but everyone could see two more things blocking the truck's path. But this time, it was two people holding blasters and wearing protective gear.

One person was a woman in black, save for a gray and orange helmet she was wearing. The second was a man, who was wearing a complete set of green Mandalorian armor.

And that man was Boba Fett, someone who was both feared and respected in Atlas.

Both Clover and Robyn were surprised by the appearance of Boba Fett and his dangerous partner, Fennec Shand. Clover knew that his superiors had an uneasy truce with Fett, given that he had a reputation equal to Robyn's in Mantle. To make a long story short, Boba played an important role in a gang war that nearly destroyed Mantle. When he emerged victorious, Boba's reputation skyrocketed.

And Robyn was surprised because Boba wasn't a part of her plan. It was true that she helped Boba with the gang war, along with the rest of her friends. However, she wasn't expecting him to be out in the tundra of all places.

And yet, here he was.

"Let them pass Robyn," Boba said when he joined the Huntress.

Robyn softly gasped before she looked back to the truck. The Mandalorian and the two Huntsmen were equally surprised, but they didn't question Boba's apparent willingness to help.

But Robyn was.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "I-"

"Let. Them. Pass," Boba sternly repeated.

"..."

Boba looked back to the truck as the antenna on his helmet lowered. He was looking at a specific spot in the back, one that he refused to take his eye off of. "May. Joanna. That goes for you too."

"..."

Everyone looked towards the back of the space, but they couldn't see anything at first. However, two other women appeared out of thin air as they relented and backed away from the truck.

With the cat out of the bag, and her plan falling apart, Robyn reluctantly gave up her endeavor. She and the rest of the Happy Huntresses backed away and watched as the three men stepped back inside their truck.

Before he took his leave, Djarin looked over to Boba and nodded. And while Boba was curious as to why an old ally of his was helping Atlas, Boba nodded in return.

And Clover said one more thing before he too stepped back into the truck.

"Robyn. Good luck at the election."

"..."

With that, the truck began to drive away once more. As Clover and Qrow agreed that their situation was a close one, Robyn and the Happy Huntresses turned to Boba with irate glares.

"What was that?!" Robyn asked. "I didn't ask you to come here! How did you even find us?!"

"You didn't show up for your campaign meeting today," Boba calmly replied. "When I heard about a truck coming out this way, I had a feeling I'd find you here."

"I came out here to find out what's so important about Amity! Now we might never know!"

"Would you prefer to do that as a Councilwoman? Or another prisoner up in Atlas?"

"We had it under control!" Robyn turned to her fellow Huntresses, who were nodding their heads. "What, you think we can't handle a few Huntsmen?"

"Huntsmen are one thing," said Fennec. "But Ironwood's robot is entirely different."

"...Huh?"

Boba, while grateful for his partner's support, took over and tapped his helmet. "I could see the droid was inside the truck," he said. "Ready for anything you were gonna throw in its path. I'm willing to bet it could see your friends too."

Robyn finally relented as she and her friends grasped the reality of the situation. If Penny had emerged, chances of winning the fight would have been very slim.

"The Protector of Mantle, huh?" Robyn sarcastically asked.

"That's right," said Boba. "And our mutual Mandalorian friend on top of that? An attack like this would have gotten you a one way ticket to prison. And do you think anyone would vote for a Councilwoman who landed herself in jail?"

Robyn hated being scolded like a child, but it was easy to follow along with Boba's logic. Especially when there was a lot on the line.

"...No," Robyn relented. The other Happy Huntresses immediately followed suit.

"I hate it as much as you do," said Fennec. "But none of us will get outta this mess if we don't think things through."

"..."

What Fennec said was true, given the woman's background and relationship with the criminal network of Remnant. However, her loyalty to Boba and her grasp of the bigger picture led her to support Robyn's endeavor to become a Councilwoman and make things better for everyone.

"What now?" Fiona asked her leader.

Even though Robyn had tasted defeat and had been humbled by her friend, she knew that there was one thing she wanted.

"I want to know why Amity Colosseum is suddenly so important," she said. "Whatever it takes."

---

After the supplies were delivered, Djarin went back to the academy to see how Cinder was doing. Rather than simply talk it over, Djarin gave his daughter the chance to vent over sparring. So they went to an empty and isolated training room so they could talk in private. The Mandalorian also took this chance to see the upgrades he heard Cinder made to her armor. While he wasn't a fan of changing his own armor, he was intrigued to see what Pietro had done for her.

And so, Cinder fought with her upgraded armor and Midnight to impress Djarin. Alone with the bubble-like shield, Cinder also showed Djarin a pair of blades in her gauntlet after she had been disarmed. The blades were resistant to heat, electricity, and even toxic material. So they were able to help Cinder hold her own against Djarin's staff.

As soon as she knew they were alone, Cinder immediately told him what she learned about the Winter Maiden and how Winter felt about it. Once he processed the story, Djarin shared his own story about Robyn. Needless to say, the lack of help being sent to Mantle only made Cinder's doubts about Ironwood being in charge grow stronger.

"So what happened to Robyn?" Cinder asked. "Did she get in trouble?"

"No, I think she's fine," Djarin replied. "We left Boba to talk to her. I'm sure he's saying what was on everyone's minds."

"You mean Ironwood?"

"No, just that getting arrested would only cause trouble for her campaign. You know, for the seat on the Council."

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about the election."

"..."

Cinder suddenly paused when she heard herself say "election." When she did, Djarin took his chance to strike at her legs and make her fall.

*WHACK*

"Gah!" Cinder yelled as she felt Djarin's staff hit both her ankles. The Mandalorian had used the momentum to swipe Cinder off her feet and pin her on the ground.

*BAM*

When Cinder felt the end of Djarin's staff, which wasn't electrified, on her chest, the Fall Maiden knew that the battle was over. "I yield," she said.

"...That was fast," Djarin said as he moved his staff off of Cinder. "And it's been a while since I could take you down like that."

"I know." Cinder got back on her feet. "I just thought of something."

"Careful. Thinking that long can leave you vulnerable."

Cinder removed her helmet and walked to retrieve Midnight. "Thanks for the reminder." After she brushed off her metal chest plate, Cinder continued to talk about what she thought of. "Dad, what do you think about the election?"

"Nothing much," Djarin replied as he put away his staff. "I'm not one for Atlesian politics."

"I don't blame you. But maybe they could help us right now."

"How so?"

"Bail and Robyn are both aware of how bad things in Atlas are. Bail doesn't like the military being mixed in with civilians and businesses like the SDC, and Robyn doesn't like how Mantle's wall isn't getting fixed. When one of them gets the seat, maybe that could change."

"Maybe. But don't forget the General has two seats on the Council."

"Right, right. The other two members, Sleet and uh..."

"Camilla."

"Camilla, right! A new Council member would make three votes to Ironwood's two!"

Djarin could follow with what Cinder was saying, but he decided to make her stop. "Cinder, wait a second," he said as he moved closer. "I don't think we should talk about these things out in the open." He then took her hand and began to walk out of the training room. "Come on, let's go to our room."

As she walked throughout the halls, Cinder suddenly realized how she must have sounded when she was talking with her father. She had been going on and on about how she didn't believe Ironwood trusted her, which momentarily made her forget where she was and what she was doing.

Cinder didn't mean to sound disloyal or like she was plotting to overthrow the General. Her goal was still to work with him as part of a team of equals, and all she wanted was for Ironwood to be as calm and collected as he was at Beacon. He had a few ideas back then that were somewhat questionable, but he was able to think rationally before the school fell.

And the way that happened was by being a part of a team.

"Sorry, Dad," Cinder said when she returned to her room. "I didn't mean to sound-"

"I know, I know," Djarin calmly replied. "But we can't talk like we're painting James in a bad light in a place like this. Things here aren't like they are in Vale. Especially politics."

"..."

Djarin had a lot of experience in Atlas, before and after he became a Mandalorian. His missions as a bounty hunter and a member of Ozpin's group had taught him everything he needed to be careful of in the Kingdom. Cinder didn't have as much experience, since she only came to Atlas to visit Winter. So she decided to heed her father's warning and speak about such things in private.

And given that Djarin's heart had been open to the concept of change, he was more than willing to hear her out.

"What was your idea?" he asked. "About the election?"

"Oh!" Cinder said as she recalled her earlier idea. "I wasn't trying to throw Ironwood under the bus or anything like that. I was just thinking that-"

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

Djarin and Cinder stopped talking and turned to the door of their room. Cinder was a little annoyed that her train of thought had been interrupted once more, but she exercised caution about talking about the election once more.

But when Djarin opened the door to reveal Ozpin on the other side, Cinder relaxed as she watched him enter the room.

"Hello, Cinder," Ozpin said calmly as Djarin closed the door. "I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to speak with you and your father earlier, I was... helping with James."

"That's okay," Cinder insisted. "I understand."

"We were just talking about him," said Djarin. "About a lot of things."

Ozpin believed that one of those things was him, so he decided to cut to the chase. "Yes, well... that's why I'm here," he said as he sat down. "I wanted to apologize about this morning. About James' behavior."

"You don't have to apologize for that," Cinder insisted.

"You did what you could," said Djarin. "Thank you for calming him down."

"I'm glad you think so, but I could have done more," Ozpin declared. "Or maybe I've done too much. Qrow was telling me how he and everyone else noticed how... odd I've been acting."

"Well... yeah," Cinder agreed. "I mean, we know it's about Ironwood."

"Did he threaten you?" Djarin asked. "If you didn't go along with his ideas?"

"Not quite," Ozpin said. "However, he's been... insistent that his way is the best way. And he did remind me that I don't have the same say that I had back at Beacon."

"..."

"Don't get me wrong, the idea to reunite the world via Amity is ingenious. I want this to happen as much as James does. However, he's fallen under the impression that the ends justify the means. I've tried to go along with him to keep the peace, but it seems my negotiating skills have their limits."

Djarin recalled seeing Ozpin go along with Ironwood at the mines, so he knew what his friend was talking about. It was good to see that there was some strategy behind the rather passive behavior, but Djarin could indeed see that there were limits to it.

Like the idea of using Amity to fight Salem, a new approach was needed for dealing with Ironwood. And Cinder seemed to have an idea for such an approach.

"Well, maybe you don't have to do it alone," said the Maiden. "I was just telling Dad that maybe the election could help us. Bail Organa and Robyn Hill are two really great candidates, and they both want to help the Kingdom. If Ironwood had some new voices to listen to, I'm sure he could see that working as a team would be better than what's happening now."

Ozpin hummed at the idea, but he didn't exactly agree. "I'm glad you're optimistic," he said. "But I'm afraid the election is only part of the problem."

"Meaning?" Djarin asked.

"Ms. Hill and Mr. Organa want what's best for Atlas, but they both agree on shifting the responsibility to James. They have different policies and ideas, but they both plan to open the borders once they're elected. And that's only adding more stress to James. Because of that, it's hard for James to see either candidate as an ally."

"..."

Cinder's heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach when she heard this. All she wanted was for Ironwood to see that working as a team was for the best, but Ozpin's revelation made it seem like an impossibility. Cinder had forgotten how much Bail wanted to open the borders, and the feeling was surely mutual with Robyn. Stress from a war on two fronts made the goal of teamwork sound impossible now.

However, Ozpin wasn't finished talking just yet.

"But I was able to offer an idea to alleviate this stress," said the Headmaster. "Something I'd like your help with, Cinder."

Djarin looked to his daughter, who had a surprised but optimistic look on her face. "Me?" she asked. "What can I do?"

"Qrow told me that Commander Ebi requested ideas to advance his training. He also shared the idea with James, who is asking you to begin training with the rest of SCAR Squadron. With your talents as the Fall Maiden, we know you could make them all stronger."

"..."

Cinder had been told of this request by her father, but she was too busy sparring to actually consider it. Now, Cinder had a chance to think things through. And she definitely had a lot to think about.

Winter's earlier words stuck to Cinder like glue, how she had chosen her own destiny without other people playing a domineering role in it. And given that SCAR Squadron was supposed to be the best in all of Atlas, making them even better could open the door to bigger possibilities. In fact, Cinder believed it could help pave the way for a combined force of Mandalorians and soldiers alike.

But there was one thing stopping her.

"I'm flattered, Ozpin," Cinder insisted. "But... working with someone who doesn't trust me doesn't sound that great." Cinder turned to the ground. "Kind of makes me think coming here wasn't the best option."

"I understand," Ozpin promised. "And James does too." When he saw Cinder lift her head, Ozpin continued to talk. "After he had some time to relax, James saw that he lost his temper. He'd like to make amends."

"How?"

"If you agree to help train SCAR Squadron... James is willing to let you meet Fria."

Cinder almost didn't believe her ears. She had no idea that Winter had told the General about her wanting to meet Fria, but Cinder wasn't complaining. Ever since she had the honor of meeting Fall and Spring, Cinder knew that there was so much more she could do with her powers. There was so much she could learn about the Maidens and the world itself, and now she apparently had the chance to learn from the very first Winter Maiden.

And Cinder took it in a heartbeat.

"Yes!" she said. "I'll do it!"

Djarin and Ozpin were surprised to hear such a fast response, but they could understand Cinder's optimism. However, Djarin was somewhat reluctant to accept an offer from Ironwood after this morning.

"Cinder, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said. "Ironwood might be-"

"No, I can do it!" Cinder insisted. "I want to do it! Really, I do!" She then turned to Ozpin. "When can I meet her? Right away?"

"I'm afraid not," Ozpin sadly replied. "Fria had an... incident about a half hour ago, one that she'll need time to recover from."

Cinder frowned when she heard the news. "Is she okay?"

"She will be. She just needs to rest now. However, I'll make sure you're the first to know when she's ready to meet you."

Djarin put his hand on Cinder's shoulder. "That might take a while, Cinder," he said. "And if something like this happens again, Winter might inherit the power. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"..."

This time, Cinder took the necessary time to think about her decision. It was true that Fria was in very bad shape, and that Winter would no doubt inherit the powers should the old woman pass away. However, Cinder remembered how she wanted the Mandalorians and the rest of the world to be brought together. So having a Mandalorian train people like SCAR Squadron, even as a Maiden, would definitely be a step in the right direction.

"Yes," she said calmly. "I'll do it."

---

True to her word, Cinder began to do more with her status as the Fall Maiden. She was free to demonstrate all of her powers to SCAR Squadron, as well as an observant Winter. With Ozpin and her father by her side, Cinder was able to show and tell everyone what to look out for and how to be prepared for anything.

Djarin and Ozpin demonstrated how to circumnavigate past each element, from fire to air. The lessons were somewhat difficult, since adapting to the environment at a given moment was required. But when they saw what they could do, SCAR Squadron used their own strengths as individuals and teammates to become stronger.

The plastoid armor was very essential with navigating fire, since the helmets could filter out smoke. And when Misty used his enhanced cloak to extinguish the flames, his team was able to fight back.

When air was used against SCAR Squadron, Zuke was able to provide cover when he turned his body into metal. It was rather difficult to blow him away, so everyone behind Zuke was able to strategize and attack Cinder from different sides.

Adaptation to the environment, outside of the cold of Solitas, was noticed by General Ironwood, who looked upon the training in approval.

Though he didn't say it, Ironwood could see how he had lost his temper and nearly lost an essential ally. Cinder's methods to train the best of the best were certainly paying off, both in the training rooms and on the field. Every time he watched the training or read about successful mission reports, Ironwood confirmed that Cinder's loyalty to the cause was absolute. And he looked forward to the rest of the days she was going to spend in Atlas.

But today was going to be different from the other days. Today was the day the people of Atlas would decide who would be taking the empty seat on the Atlesian Council.

As predicted, Bail Organa and Robyn Hill were at the top of the polls for the position. And the decision, needless to say, was not an easy one. On one hand, Robyn was dedicated to fixing society's problems, mostly with Mantle, here and now. And that started with making a more permanent wall, after Cinder provided a temporary solution.

On the other hand, citizens from both cities were awed and amazed with Bail's long term plan for Atlas and Remnant. Like Robyn, Bail wished for the borders to be reopened. But his new idea of unity and political representation for every citizen in the world were too big to ignore. And once they saw the idea was possible, many in the Kingdom flocked to vote for Bail.

The election was mostly a question of which solution everyone was focused on; short-term or long-term.

And so, everyone had gone to the polls to cast their votes. Members of the military even voted as well, either electronically or in person. This included SCAR Squadron, who decided to cast their votes after training with Cinder.

Zuke was the only member of SCAR Squadron who went to vote in Mantle, given that he had orders to go down to the city.

Earlier in the day, Robyn Hill announced that she was going to be hosting a rather premature victory party in Mantle. Tensions had been high between Mantle and Atlas, given that more and more people who spoke out against the General were either disappearing or turning up dead. Regardless of the tensions, Ironwood had asked Zuke and Penny to go down to Mantle and act as security in case someone tried something else.

And since everyone would be waking up to a brand new Atlas in the morning, Ironwood decided to give his allies from abroad the night off. Djarin decided to spend it fixing up the Razor Crest so it could fly again, but Cinder decided to go down to Mantle for the party. She didn't need to act as security, she just thought it sounded like fun.

And given that Winter heard that her mother was going to be hosting a similar even for Bail Organa at her mansion, Winter decided to join Cinder down in Mantle. She was willing to enjoy herself as well, even though she thought a victory party was premature.

"Yeah, we're on our way now," said Cinder, who was walking the streets while talking on her Scroll. "Uh-huh, I'll be back by then. Let me know if you need me to pick anything up for the Crest. Alright, see you soon. Night, Dad."

*BEEP*

*BEEP*

"Woo-hoo!"

As soon as Cinder ended her call with her father, she and Winter turned towards a truck of celebrators holding signs announcing what they believed to be Robyn's victory. However, the polls didn't close for another twenty minutes.

"Now I'm starting to think Mother's party isn't so bad," Winter said as she walked down the street.

"Come on, Winter," Cinder said with a smile. "Nothing wrong with a wild party here and there."

"A wild party? No. But a premature wild party? Yes."

Cinder looked around at all the other people who were cheering and holding signs. "They look pretty confident to me. What's the percentage right now?"

Winter took out her Scroll and looked at the screen. "Fifty-two for Bail Organa, and forty-eight for Robyn."

"Whoa, pretty close."

"I'll say. It's been fluctuating from one side to the next for the past hour."

Cinder could understand why. If she was old enough and if she was registered to vote in Atlas, the Fall Maiden was unsure who she would vote for. The bigger picture and the immediate issues were both very tempting, and Cinder liked both candidates.

She had no idea who deserved the seat more.

"Who would you have picked?" Cinder asked. "If you could vote?"

"Bail Organa is the more logical choice," Winter insisted. "His experience as the Mayor of Atlas makes him a very good candidate."

"And Robyn?"

"She's very new to politics. Not to mention that she was always one of the more reckless Huntresses Atlas Academy had seen."

"Well, she makes up for all that with resolve. I saw a few of her speeches." Cinder spread her arms out. "And like I said, everyone down here's pretty confident. This is their one sure thing right now. Probably the last sure thing before Amity Tower goes up and everyone learns about… what we're fighting."

Winter nodded before she looked around the immediate area. When she saw that nobody was around them, Winter decided to continue the private conversation.

"We spent so much time preparing for the launch," she said. "I'm confident that we'll be able to finish Amity soon. But... may I ask you something, Cinder?" Cinder looked to her friend and nodded. With this approval, Winter asked her question. "Has anyone considered how we're going to beat Salem once Amity is finished?"

Cinder took a few moments to think of a good answer. "Well... we were all brainstorming ideas before we came here," she said. "But we don't really have anything definite just yet."

"Was there anything Jinn may have told you?"

"Not really. Just that Salem couldn't be killed. Professor Ozpin asked her a long time ago, and she said he couldn't destroy her."

"...He couldn't?" Winter couldn't help but focus on the details of this idea. "Maybe someone else could?"

Cinder couldn't deny the possibility, but all she knew was that Salem was an immortal being. "I don't know," she said. "All of our ideas were mainly about stopping her instead of killing her. Master Kenobi said that a few Jedi locked her in a cage before they died."

"...So it's possible to stop her without killing her." Winter was very intrigued with this idea. "Has anyone discussed your brainstorming with the General?"

"Not that I know of. But if you have any ideas, I'm all ears. I actually had this one idea of taking Salem and-"

"Shh. We're here."

Cinder turned to see multiple people entering a building where Robyn was hosting her rally. When they stepped inside, Cinder and Winter could hear music playing and people cheering as they looked upon a large TV screen. The screen had images of Robyn Hill and Bail Organa with their polls constantly changing.

Cinder noticed a drone flying above the crowd, and recognized it as a drone that took her picture without permission when she came to Atlas. But when she noticed a sign on the back that said "Kick Me," Cinder couldn't help but giggle while Winter rolled her eyes.

"Cinder? Winter!"

The two girls looked to see that Penny had emerged from the group of people with a smile on her face. "Hey, Penny," Cinder said with a smile of her own.

"I am so glad you made it," said Penny. "It's just Zuke and I tonight, so more friends means more fun."

"Come now, Penny," said Winter. "You know work and play don't mix that well."

"Party pooper," Cinder jokingly replied. She and Penny shared a laugh before Winter spoke in her defense.

"Alright, alright," she said. "Have fun if you'd like, Cinder. I'll just be watching the screen." Robyn's votes were now fifty-one percent while Bail's were forty-nine.

"Yeah, alright." Cinder looked around the area. "Looks like that's what everyone is doing right now."

"..."

As she looked upon the group of voters and the incoming polls, Cinder began to feel a little sad. Not because of the inevitable loss one of the candidates would have, but also because Cinder knew someone who would have loved to be at a place like this.

Korkie Kryze, Cinder's boyfriend from Mistral.

Korkie was always studying to be a politician, just like his aunt. He would usually invite Cinder to events such as this, and Cinder would sometimes accept. She wasn't very invested into politics, but it was fun to be with Korkie.

But now, instead of seeing history in the making, Korkie was fighting for his life in a hospital bed the same way Cinder once was. And Cinder felt very guilty for leaving him there, especially when he had no idea his aunt had died.

"Cinder?"

"Huh?" Cinder asked quickly when she heard her name. When she turned around, she could see that Winter and Penny were looking right at her.

"Are you okay?" Winter asked when she looked at her friend's face.

"Oh, yeah!" Cinder said as she shook her head. "Sorry, just got a little distracted."

Winter and Penny were mildly concerned at first, but they became satisfied with the simple answer. Penny then realized she had to go back to work when she heard another voice.

"Penny, where'd you go?"

When they saw Penny begin to walk towards the left of a stage, Cinder and Winter followed her to find Zuke waiting for Penny.

"Oh, it's you," Zuke said to Cinder. "What's up, got a new training exercise or something?"

Cinder gently laughed before she explained herself. "Nah, don't mind me, Zuke," she said. "I'm just hanging out with a friend while she's on the job." To display this, Cinder formed a fist and extended it to Penny for a fist bump.

Needless to say, Penny was very excited by the gesture and decided to perform the action. However, she used too much force and left Cinder with a sore hand. Cinder winced from the pain, but quickly used her Aura to make it subside.

"Right, real cute," said an unimpressed Zuke. "Look, try not to be too much of a distraction. We need to be vigilant in case-"

*THUD*

"In case what?"

Zuke looked to his left to see May Marigold, a member of the Happy Huntresses and a close friend of Robyn Hill. She had easily noticed the presence of the man in large white armor, and what she saw displeased her greatly.

And Zuke could say the same about May.

"In case someone tries to start trouble," he said.

"Oh, funny," May said unimpressed. "That's why we're here. So feel free to take a hike."

Zuke was never one to turn away from a challenge, but he had another reason for not liking May. "And let you try to pull something like you did to Clover in the tundra? No, thank you."

"..."

All three teenagers became extremely uncomfortable with the following silence. None of them were a fan of how high tensions between Atlas and Mantle had been, especially with the hardships the city had to endure because of the Amity project. Cinder was sure that Mantle would understand that Atlas was trying to help, but the secrecy of Amity wasn't doing anyone any favors. So Cinder knew she had to find another way to make peace.

Fortunately, an opportunity to do that came in the form of Robyn Hill.

"What's going on, Jolly White Giant?" Robyn playfully asked Zuke. She had come from another room to see May and Zuke in a standoff, but she quickly focused her attention on one of the teenagers. "Cinder! Hey there, kiddo. Haven't seen you since your pipsqueak days, how have you been?"

Cinder smiled as she initiated conversation with Robyn. "Oh, I'm fine," she said before she pointed to the TV screen. "I'd ask you the same, but things are looking pretty good for you."

Robyn turned to the screen to see that the election results were still coming in. "Heh, heh. Yep, sounds about right." She then turned to see the Atlesian company Cinder was with. "Well, there's no need to be paranoid in here, kiddo. I mean, is that why you have all these guards?"

"Oh, Winter and I just came for the party. Zuke and Penny came because Ironwood asked them too. He's just a little worried, you know, with all the people that have been disappearing. He doesn't want any surprises tonight, especially with a potentially new Councilwoman."

"Hm, I'm sure."

"..."

After taking a few moments to consider what Cinder was saying, Robyn made her decision. "Alright, let them stay. But they can stay out of the way."

Cinder smiled at Zuke and Penny, and Penny returned a smile of her own. May was a little more confused by the decision, and so was Joanna Greenleaf, who had just joined them.

"If I get elected tonight, we'll all have to learn how to get along," Robyn explained herself. May rolled her eyes, but she didn't object to the decision.

Zuke didn't object either, but he wasn't finished talking just yet.

"Sure, we won't have any problems," he said. "As long as you stay within the law."

"The law isn't perfect, you know," Robyn countered. "It's certainly not equal."

"Maybe, maybe not. But it exists for a reason. And I took an oath to uphold it."

"Still. My only goal is that all the citizens of Mantle and Atlas, human and Faunus, have an equal shot at a good life."

"Sounds great. And you're planning to do all that legally, right?"

Robyn and Joanna grinned at each other, failing to notice Fiona fidgeting with a microphone behind them. "Everything I've done is legal," Robyn insisted.

"Sure," said Zuke. "A hundred percent."

*REEEEE*

Feedback from the microphone Fiona was holding caused everyone to cover their ears and give the young Faunus their attention. "Ha, ha," Fiona laughed. "Well, that worked."

Robyn and her fellow Huntresses finally left Cinder and the Atlesians alone, which gave Cinder a chance to talk to Zuke. "Wow," she said. "I never knew you took the law so seriously, Zuke."

"Somebody has to," the large man replied. "Alright, you'd better get going." Zuke gestured to Penny and himself. "We've got a job to do."

Penny waved goodbye to Cinder and Winter, and they began to move to different ends of the stage. The two girls decided to rejoin the party and talk some more.

"You make quite the negotiator, Cinder," said Winter.

"It's not too hard," Cinder replied. "Sometimes, you just have to know when to drop the formalities and build up the relationship you have with people."

"That's... surprisingly wise. Well, I suppose you'll have more chances to develop skills like that."

"Meaning?"

"You're still the Queen of Mandalore, after all."

"..."

Cinder remembered that was true. This caused her to remember a lot of things, from her declaration that the war was over to the speech she made in Mistral. And now, Robyn was making her own speech on the stage after everyone had been chanting her name.

"Thank you so much, everyone, for choosing me," Robyn began. "You said you believe in me. But I'm the one who believes in all of you. You've proven to me that as individuals, we are strong. But together, we're unstoppable." The votes were still switching back and forth, but Robyn paid not attention to it. "So no matter what happens tonight, win or lose, we will continue to fight for our city, because it is this city that brings us together."

As Cinder listened to the speech, she saw that the spirit Robyn had was similar to the spirit she had in Mistral. Cinder then began to realize that the election and the rise of a new Council member was an opportunity for her. Whoever was going to win was going to make a lot of changes for Atlas, which was what Cinder wanted for the Mandalorians.

She wished both Bail and Robyn would win, but Cinder knew that she would watch the career of the new politician with great interest.

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

Cinder lost focus on the screen of votes for a moment when she heard a buzzing in her ear. The buzzing sounded like that of a small bug, so Cinder brushed her ear without a second thought.

*BUZZ*

*BUZZ*

The second thought, however, came when Cinder brushed her other ear.

Concern and mild paranoia came over Cinder when the buzzing stopped. She didn't know how many insects Mantle had, but Cinder couldn't help but think back on the last time she had a problem with bugs.

Namely, when she burned Flora and her Botflies to death.

The crowd had started to count down from ten, since the polls were finally about to close. Winter felt tempted to join in, but she focused on Cinder when she noticed her friend walking away.

"Cinder, where are you going?" Winter asked. "Cinder?"

The Fall Maiden couldn't help but ignore her friend as she scanned the area. It was easier said than done to find a fly in a room full of people, but Cinder couldn't help but look around. And rather than look around for a Botfly, Cinder looked for a young woman in a black dress.

And unfortunately, there was indeed a woman in a black dress with a hood over her face leaning against the wall. To make matters worse, Cinder could see a familiar face under the hood; a brunette who smiled and waved at the Fall Maiden.

"I got her," she whispered into a Scroll. "Do it."

Cinder reached towards Fauna and screamed as loud as she could, but the chanting of the crowd drowned out her yell. Winter was the only one who had a clue that something was wrong, but there was nothing she could do about it.

The room was engulfed in darkness when the lights gave out.

*THOOM*

Everyone became quiet when the lights and the the TV screen went dark. They all looked at the ceiling as they wondered what was going on. Cinder tried to looked for Fauna and Winter, but she couldn't see a thing. And before she could think to use her powers to create a flame for light, Fauna moved towards a door as she listened to a voice in her Scroll.

"Ready..." said Merri, who had accompanied her sister to Atlas. "Go."

With a grin, Fauna swung the door open and listened to loud footsteps echo through the room.

*THOOM*

*THOOM*

When the footsteps stopped, chaos began.

*BAM*

*CRACK*

*THOOM*

*BAM*

*CRACK*

Screams and panic filled the air as people were moving left and right. They couldn't see it, but two heavy fists and a blunt instrument were striking everyone in the path of a very large figure. Because of this, blood was being spilt as people fell to the ground either dead or severely wounded.

Cinder was about to use her powers to create a light, but people began to cage her in and give her less space to move. Winter reached for her sword, but felt thin air before a fist struck her face and knocked her down.

Penny and Zuke were the only ones who were armed, but they were having trouble finding out who or what was causing the panic.

"Penny, what's going on over there?!" Zuke said over his radio.

Penny eyes shifted into night vision, which allowed her to see the people running around. And soon enough, she could see a large figure standing over a bloody man on the ground. Penny couldn't make out many details about the figure, but she could see what appeared to be metal armor.

"Put down your weapons and surrender!" Penny yelled to what she assumed to be a person.

The only response Penny got to the order was something metal hitting her in the face.

*BAM*

Penny was momentarily incapacitated, and Zuke was trying to call for assistance on his radio. Robyn soon recognized that something dangerous was in the room.

"Huntresses, to me!" she yelled. Fiona was still with her, and she believed that getting Robyn out of the building was the best way to help.

"Come on!" she said. "We've gotta get you outta here!"

*BAM*

"Aaah!"

Fiona was struck by something blunt and heavy, which caused her to fall down. Then, something crashed into Robyn and also caused her to fall down.

"Robyn!" Penny yelled as she rushed to the stage.

"Fauna, get him out of there," Merri said to her sister. "Penny's right on time."

Fauna obeyed the order and sent one of her Botflies towards her ally. The figure killing and maiming people in the building was indeed a man, someone who immediately heard a voice tell him to leave the room.

Soon enough, Fauna and the large man were gone. When they finally left, the lights came on to reveal multiple dead people, Penny on stage with her swords floating in the air, and a message on the TV screen.

"Ans the winner of the Atlas Council election is… Bail Organa!"

Nobody paid attention to the fact that Robyn had apparently lost the election. And nobody was paying to attention to the victory speech Bail was making to thank his many supporters.

Instead, along with looking at the dead people on the ground, everyone was looking at Penny with her weapons in the air.

"It's Ironwood's robot!" a civilian yelled.

"Penny?" Robyn asked as she stared at the android. She was armed with her crossbow, but she didn't fire at the scared young girl.

"I... I didn't," Penny said in her defense. But that wasn't enough to make Robyn believe her.

Cinder had finally managed to get off the ground and see what was going on. After she cursed herself for not being able to use her powers, the Fall Maiden rushed over to help Winter off the ground.

"Wh... What happened?" Winter asked as she focused on her Aura. She was still sore from being hit, but she was going to live.

"It's Fauna!" Cinder said as she began to move towards the stage. "Fauna's here!" Eventually, Cinder and Winter reunited with Penny and Zuke and attempted to think of a way to take control of the situation.

*WHOOSH*

A bolt from Joanna's crossbow barely missed everyone and caused them to look at an angry mob. The mob soon charged towards the stage, ready to fight back against the people they thought to be their enemy.

Cinder was the one who managed to stop the crowd, and she did this by finally using her powers. Without hesitation, Cinder sent a small wave of fire in front of the mob and prevented them from advancing. The fire would disappear soon, and give everyone enough time to leave.

"Get Penny out the back!" Zuke said as he pointed a blaster at Robyn. He wasn't going to shoot her, unless she shot first. "Now!"

Cinder was reluctant to leave, since she wanted to help Robyn and Fiona get off the ground. But one look at Robyn spoke volumes to the Fall Maiden, which told Cinder that she had to leave.

But not without saying one more thing.

"This wasn't us," she said as she led Penny outside. "I swear."

"..."

Whether Robyn believed Cinder or not was unknown, but she didn't fire a single bolt from her weapon.

When Cinder and the Atlesians all left the building, they were unable to notice that Fauna had reunited with Merri in an alleyway.

"Well done," Merri said as she looked at her Scroll. "The cameras inside got everything."

"We still replacing the big guy with Penny?" Fauna asked as she pointed to a large shadow behind her.

"That's the plan." Merri moved a recording of Penny killing Grimm over to the footage in the warehouse and combined them perfectly. "Done. And it looks like I didn't have to worry about Robyn winning either."

"Maybe Arthur can teach you to hack bigger things when we break him out."

"He will. But I think we're done for tonight."

---

Author's notes: hey, everyone. Hope you're doing good. Sorry this came late, I had a bit of writer's block for a little bit lol. And sorry this chapter's a little short, I feel like the events here work where less is more. Hope you all agree and enjoyed the chapter. If you did or didn't, let me know in the comments.

To The Avenging Titan, glad you like R2 and Bail here. I hope you like Bail as a Councilman, sorry you're worried about Ironwood here. But alas, his paranoia and overconfidence never did him any favors. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Proximiu5, thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, thank you for reading.

To DonCheeto, hope you liked more of Bail here. And Tagge does sound like a good idea, he was a very interesting character. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Servos New Head, glad you like R2 here, but the ship I mentioned is the N1 fighter (sorry, lol). You could say that R2 and Penny are siblings, and I'm glad you like SCAR Squadron's Semblances. Yes, Zuke's is based off Colossus. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To GojiraRWBYSW18, sorry to disappoint. But don't worry; I have plans for the Bad Batch and the clones, you'll see them. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Marvelesque1Der, sorry you didn't see Palpatine here, but I hope you're enjoying Bail Organa. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To CT7567Rules, good to see you again! Glad you were able to catch up. I'm sorry, but the ship you mentioned is actually the N1 Star-fighter (guess I didn't do a good job describing it lol). And yes, I'm glad you like R2, and I'm glad you like Willow isn't running for Council. Sorry if you didn't like Ironwood moving everyone from the mine, but such a thing makes sense for Ironwood in his current state of mind. I do have plans for the X and Y-Wings, but you'll see the N1 fighter very soon. Thanks for reading again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

To Rider126 (sorry this came late), I'm not sure what you mean by that, since the events of the show are happening earlier than they do in canon. Do you mean you want to see Team RWBY? Because that should be answered for you when I finish this up and start writing my next story. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Thanks again for your patience and support, you're all a terrific audience. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to leave a comment before you go, I love to hear your thoughts. And if you're watching the Super Bowl tonight, good luck and have fun! Until then, the Court of Talons is adjourned. See you next time!