I'm back and apologies for the lateness of this story. Started writing this in December,then thigs started happening, granddad died of kidney failure, funeral, etc... so I lost my writing spirit, but now I got back into writing this chapter.

Here it is, enjoy!

You are cordially invited to a party in honor of Fireteam Nero...

Schnee Manor, Atlas

The Schnee Manor, home to the prestigious Schnee family. Found on a large hilltop overlooking the metropolis of Atlas, with exception of the Atlas Academy/Military outpost and Government Hall.

Here at the manor, a celebration is being held. Jacques Schnee is hosting a party with two agendas for tonight. The first being to help fund the restoration of several villages outside the kingdom that were attacked during the Vex War on Remnant. The second being to properly thank the heroes who stopped the Vex…Fireteam Nero, led by one Summer Rose. He even extended the invitation to his daughter's team, RWBY alongside the Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6. And one of his manors Bullhead landing pads, they were arriving.

"Stupid heels, why do I have to wear them…" Muttered the leader of Team RWBY as she walked out of the Bullhead down to the red carpet leading into the manor. Ruby was wearing a much bigger and longer version of her dance dress she wore during the Beacon Dace, which seemed like a lifetime ago.

Her fellow teammate Weiss exited behind her. "You are here to support your teammate who was 'asked' by her father." She said as she gazed at her home. Though home would be Beacon, where she met her real family, not this place where she had very few good memories, one of which was at the door greeting the guests that are in attendance. She waved to her butler, Klein who was ushering a group of partygoers into the manor where the sounds of conversation and music came from.

The B and Y of team RWBY also exited the bullhead. They too along with Weiss were wearing bigger and longer versions of their dance dresses from the dance.

A white blur flew out from behind them, grabbing Yang and headed straight for Ruby. The white blur stopped then posed right between them as a bright flash went off, blinding the two ladies. As the flash dimmed the blur in the middle revealed itself as their mother, Summer.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" She said as another flash went off as she switched poses. "My girls first party! Drei, get as many pictures as you can!" She said to her Ghost, Drei who was revealed to be the source of the flashing.

"Guardian Summer, I've taken almost fifty pictures of you and your daughters, and that's taking into account our departure from Vale AND the flight to here. At this rate, I'll have to delete some of your materials to make space for more pictures."

"Plus, this isn't the first party we've been to." Yang said as she was regaining her vision from the constant barrage of flashes.

"It is for me. I've missed so much of your lives; I'm making up for lost time." Summer said as she paused in her photography taking. She was in her usual Guardian attire, minus all the bullet dents and blood."

"Summer, we'll have plenty of time for making up time. Right now, we need to be on our best behavior for this shin-dig" Said her Warlock partner Lux Sylphid. She was in a purple Warlock robe, but fancier than her battle attire. She moved past Team RWBY and her fellow Hunter and manifested a cigarette and a ball of Solar in her hand proceeding to light it. She only took two puffs before seeing the "NO SMOKING BEYOND THIS POINT" sign at the entrance and then threw the smoke over the ledge and snuffed out the fire from her hand. "So, remind me why we're here?"

The answer came from the last occupant to exit the bullhead. "We received an invitation from Jacques Schnee to a party to fund the restoration of several villages destroyed by Grimm and Vex alongside to properly thank us for our efforts against the Vex." Said the Titan of Fireteam Nero, Prometheus-23. He was in an all-black titan armor with white neon lights coming out of the arm and leg joints.

"We received a ton of thank you notes and gifts from various citizens. I have so many fruit baskets, I had to send them to the Reef!" Summer said as she took more pictures of the landing zone.

"It's because my father wants to capitalize on your popularity. He gives his thanks to you in front of all his fellow business partners and guests, it makes him look legitimate in the eyes of the public. He did that several times in the past." Said Weiss as she looked on uncomfortably.

"My only question is if he can accept his daughter having a Faunus and former White Fang member as a teammate?" said Blake as her ears, both human and cat twitched due to the sounds coming from up ahead. She heard music, laughter, conversation and flashes. She long ditched her bow showing her Faunus heritage to all on campus.

"He'll have to since we had the White fang announced their change of policy, with some exceptions." Said Barloc sticking his head out from the bullhead cabin. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got two more bullheads waiting to land in my place."

"Aren't you coming to join the party? Also, where's Cayde? I noticed his name was on the invitation as well." Said Prometheus-23, his ghost manifesting the invitations.

Barloc took a long look at the manor and spoke. "In another time…in another age, I might. But not this time. As for Cayde…he said he's 'busy with work'. So, in his place will be three others who will be joining you." He looked to the side where one of the bullheads just took off from. "And here they come now." He said as he started his bullhead and flew away from the manor.

From the sky came a Minerva-class jumpship with Crucible colors touched down on the landing pad near them. Out transmatted someone Team RWBY recognized as their temporary combat instructor, Lord Shaxx in his usual attire with the exception of a top hat on his head. He smelled the air.

"Smell that crisp air! Reminds me of my time on Felwinters Peak on Earth!"

The next person was an awoken clad in brown robes and cloak with a white x on the front with chitinous pauldrons on her shoulders with a veil covering the top part of her face. But even from a distance team RWBY saw her eyes glowing an ethereal green glow leaking a black fluid. But what surprised them was the third eye covered by the veil on her forehead. In her hand was an orb that glowed the same green.

"The cries of the innocent below are quiet here, but not silenced." She said moving away from the ship.

The final one to exit was not a Human, Awoken, Exo or Faunus…but an alien. They recognized this alien from Byf's history class as a Fallen.

This Fallen had dark green robes that was lined with fur around the collar. In his top mechanical arms, he carried a staff as his lower arms folded across each other. Behind him transmatted a Servitor that hovered behind him, every so often bathing it in a violet light.

"I…am nervous about so many in there."

Summer had wide eyes at the new arrivals and jumped to the Awoken woman and hugged her tight. The woman looked uncomfortable with the Guardian hugging her this way.

"ERIS!" she said hugging her tight. She then released her and focused on the Fallen. "VARIKS!" she said launching at the now named Variks and tackled him to the ground.

Variks got up, awkwardly hugging Summer back. "Please…no launching oneself at Variks."

"I'm just so excited to see you here! Shouldn't you be at the Prison of Elders?"

"The Prison can manage one night without me. Paying a debt to your Cayde-6, I am."

"Maybe this party won't be so boring after all, I wanna introduce you and Eris to my daughters." She said grabbing both Eris and Variks towards her group.

After a brief introduction of Variks and Eris Morn to Team RWBY, the group of ten left the landing pad and headed to the entrance and into the main ballroom after Weiss said her hellos to Klein.

The ballroom was a large spacious with a dance floor in the center where couples were dancing to music played by a four-man violin band in the corner, while some stood in conversation or sat at tables that bordered the dance floor with waiters, a composite of human with a small amount of Faunus which surprised Blake; brought drinks to the tables and carrying appetizers to their rich clientele.

When the group of ten entered the room, Shaxx strode towards a waiter that carried a platter pigs in a blanket, the partygoers parting before him. When a few of the guest saw Variks and his servitor hovering behind him, they crowded around him in fascination and started to bombard him with questions. He begged with his eyes for his friend Summer to save him, but she and Ruby ran to the dance floor and unleashed their new dance move that they named "The Wooby". Which is basically them bending forwards with smiles on their faces, shaking left to right.

Prometheus-23 spied on a seating chart nearby and saw that him along with Fireteam Nero and Variks were to be seated at the table with the Schnee patriarch, the eldest of the Schnee siblings and General Ironwood, while RWBY sat with Eris at a different table.

"Wow Weiss, this a really big dining room your family has." Yang said as she sat at their table sipping on a Strawberry sunrise with no ice.

"Oh please, this the gala/party room." Weiss said as she sipped her tea.

"How many do you have?"

"We have the everyday use, the fancy, the guest, the fancy guest, this room, my father's political dining room...I believe we have eleven. Oh course, since it's been a long while since I've been here, he may have removed or added another dining room."

"I'm quite surprised on how many Faunus he has on hand…I thought it would be a lot more." Blake said as she gazed at the waiters on staff. By her calculations, human waiters outnumber the Faunus waiters 3 to 1.

"I'm quite surprised myself." Weiss said recalling all of the parties, get togethers, celebration of life, and galas throughout her life. All of the staff then have been Faunus, but this time it was different.

"It is because of High Leader Khan over there." Said their three-eyed guest Eris Morn as she silently thanked a waiter bringing her a small plate of freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies.

Their eyes followed towards the direction she pointed and saw a small group of photographers and journalists that have been invited to the party. This groups interest however are on the Schnee patriarch taking a group photo with the leader of the White Fang herself, Sienna Khan.

She was in a red sequined dress with straps around her shoulders. She had a smile on her face that even at a distance, the three can tell it was fake and her eyes were shouting 'I wanna scratch your face off!'.

Blake herself was surprised to see the terrorist leader herself here in the very home of the person responsible for all the Faunus mistreatment in the last few decades. A hand signal from him silenced the band and he cleared his throat gaining the attention of all partygoers.

"Ladies and gentlemen present, let me say I am glad that all of you are able to be in attendance for this event. This party is held to raise funds to restore the many villages around the world in the aftermath of the Vex War. As head of the SDC, we are pledging ten million Lien to the restoration efforts." He stood silent as several party goers murmured amongst them at his generosity and applauded his contribution.

"But there are two additional reasons why we are here tonight. The first is to properly thank the Guardians responsible for taking out the Vex Mind leading the offensive: Fireteam Nero composed of Lux Sylphid, Prometheus-23 and their leader, a former huntress and resident of Remnant; Summer Rose." He said gesturing to Prometheus and Lux who stood straight up and waved and bowed in gratitude to all present who clapped. As for Summer, when her name was called, she quickly transmatted as many pastries she and her daughter were trying to smuggle out and bowed as well.

As the applause quieted, he continued, "The second reason is to the guest besides me, Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang. I personally like to apologies to you, your organization, and to Faunus everywhere for the mistreatment, and vow that the SDC will be a better company and to treat all Faunus not only in my company, but everywhere on Remnant with the respect they deserve and hope that your organization and my company can make a clean slate towards a New Age that Remnant is entering." He stopped briefly to let it sink in to his guests and savored the shocked face on Sienna's face as he picked up a wine glass. "And so, I ask you to join me in a toast," He raised his glass, followed by all in attendance.

"To a New Age!"

"To a New Age."

Everyone clinked glasses and drained their beverages.

"Now, please take your seats, dinner is about to be served."

He led Sienna to his table where Prometheus and Lux were already seated and in a discussion with Winter Schnee and the General.

As everyone sat down in their designated seats, they began to talk amongst themselves about Jacque's announcement. Some were skeptical about his claims, while others were pleased with it. Weiss, Blake, Yang and Eris Morn were in the former category, for they can read between the lines about his announcement.

Jacques Schnee has placed the entire White Fang between a rock and a hard place. By announcing in front of reporters, five Guardians and his many guests that will be changing the way the SDC treat their Faunus employees they will be seen as the better man forcing the White Fang to either work alongside the SDC to better their fellow Faunus or continue being hostile and be seen as the bad guy.

From across from the four a voice said, "I assure you dear sister, that father is indeed adamant in mending fences between him and the White Fang." The voice belonging to Whitley Schnee as he pulled a seat for his date, a woman wearing a shimmering green dress, mocha skin, emerald eyes and raven hair.

"Blake, Yang, allow me to introduce my younger brother, Whitley. Whitley, these are two of my teammates, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long." A red streak came out of nowhere and settled in the seat right next to Weiss which became the leader of Team RWBY. "And this dolt that just flew out of nowhere is my team leader Ruby Rose."

Said leader smiled showing her mouth stuffed with cookies and other pastries. Whitley just stared at her for a few moments, his face neutral before answering. "Pleasure." He then remembered his companion. "Allow me to introduce my date for this evening, Sarah Thune." He said as he pulled her seat out for her. As he was doing that, Eris Morn stiffened and stared at the newest arrival with interest. After she was seated, he then went to his seat besides hers.

"Sarah…Thune, is it?"

Sarah Thune looked to Eris and gave her a breathtaking smile and held out her hand.

"Eris Morn, is it? Of the Vanguards Hidden? I've heard much about you from my sources."

"And what sources are those?"

It was Whitley who answered. "Sarah Thune here is a member of the Mistral Oversight Committee. Her duties are to ensure all major businesses that effect the economy are up to code in all areas. And with Guardians becoming more involved, her offices are now tasked in keeping files on all current Guardians in Mistral. A large undertaking since the number of Guardians coming and going fluctuate in each Kingdom. Surely the Hidden are well known in Mistrals Lower Levels?"

Eris's eyes narrowed at the boy as she shook her hand. What he said is true. The Mistral Oversight Committee is indeed a legitimate branch in the Kingdom, and with Mistral having the largest black market on Remnant, with it technically having an impact on its economy, stands to reason that that branch of the Kingdom might have heard of the Hidden and might have files on hand. If that were the case, and it might disgust her, she might have to have a word with Cayde about removing said file.

As the waiters came and delivered their meal, Vacuan Sea bass and Honeyed Ham, Blakes Faunus hearing kept picking up whispers coming from under Eris's breath, something about, "too obvious…she wouldn't be that reckless…"

Meanwhile at the head table, Fireteam Nero was being questioned by the Schnee patriarch over their meal of turkey and lobster ravioli.

"So, you Guardians have no memory of your past life before your resurrection?" Jacques asked the Exo as they started eating.

"No Mr. Schnee, we Guardians have no memory of who we were before our Ghosts resurrected us, although there are some exceptions." Prometheus-23 said as he took a bite of the lobster ravioli. The action catching the attention of Jacques, Ironwood and Winter who were still getting used to the image of an Exo eating or drinking.

"And what exceptions are those?"

It was Lux who answered as she buttered her roll.

"A small percentage of Guardians were either celebrities, authors or singers who lived their lives on Earth long before the Traveler came to the Sol System and even today their works are still known and stored in the Archives in the Last City. So, they know who they were and even embrace that. And there are another small percentage of Guardians who were born and raised in the Last City and were resurrected as Guardians some many years after they died. And there are some who get fragments, pieces of memory from their past lives at certain times." She said as she used her Solar abilities to heat up the roll before she took a bite recalling that she was born during the City Age years ago and died as a member of the Cult of Osiris. Besides those two bits of memory, she doesn't know anything else regarding her past life.

"And the remaining Guardians have no memory nor interest in knowing who they once were." Summer finished her strawberries.

"And why would they have no interest in knowing?" Jacques said as he took a bite from his meal.

It was Variks who answered his question.

"Some…may not like what they find…yes?" he said as he shifted the small metal veil near his mouth as he took a bite from the lobster, his Servitor hovering right behind him bathing him in Ether. Winter, who was seated to his right covered her mouth from the stench and kept her hand on her sabre under the table.

"Curious…why you're so interested?" He said as he swallowed.

"And remind me, who exactly are you?"

"Oh, that's my friend Variks, he's in charge of the Prison of Elders, a massive space prison/ arena containing numerous criminals of many alien factions." Summer said explaining.

Ironwood, somewhat curious about this prison but more curious about Jacques questions.

"I too am curious about your interest in the Guardians Jacques."

The Schnee patriarch looked to Ironwood and bristled his moustache and replied.

"It's not that we are ungrateful for the Guardians actions against the Vex and Grimm, but we still don't know anything about them or their abilities. We even don't know the requirements about who gets resurrected and who doesn't. Also, I heard a very interesting rumor from Councilor Sleet that you have been communicating with one Commander Zavala about bringing in Ghosts from Earth to Remnant to seek out new Guardians. For all we know, these new Guardians were former criminals or terrorists." Jacques finished as he waited for the Generals reply, but deep down he was worried about a certain Schnee that passed away a few decades ago that might resurface.

"While I don't know if this rumor is true or not," Prometheus-23 said "I can assure you that it is indeed random who gets revived by Ghosts and who doesn't. Yes, there might be some who were former criminals and some might be former huntsman and even some who are just normal citizens. But who they were doesn't define who they are." He said hoping to give the Schnee some reassurance, which seemed to work as the Patriarch went and asked about Variks about his position.

And so, the dinner continued as the partygoers socialized and danced. None of them aware of an invisible drone recording their conversations for a machine mind deep in the desert of Menagerie. It recorded a conversation between two socialites, a drunken rambling of a woman in front of her recent animal acquisition and even a conversation between a formerly disgraced scientist and a floating orb. Once the mind behind the drone concluded it had enough, it floated high into the air and returned to its point of origin.

Undisclosed Atlas Detention Center, Atlas

In an Atlas Detention Center, two guards were standing guard outside the doors leading out of this wing of prison cells.

"Hey," Said one of the guards to his counterpart.

"Yeah?"

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

The second guard pondered the question then answered.

"You mean spiritually or physically?"

"I mean physically, dumbass!"

"Hey, don't bite my head off! We're now living in an age with Space Gods, space magic and immortal warriors that could headbutt a Leviathan Grimm to death! Of course, I'm going to ask if you meant spiritually or physically."

"Ok, ok you made your point clear…so why are we here?"

The guard sighed and explained gesturing to the cells lining the way.

"Inside each and every one of these cells contains White Fang members that even the White Fang themselves don't want released, rogue huntsman, murderers and rapists and those responsible for the Breach in Vale. General Ironwood alongside the guardians from earth are trying to decide what to do with them."

And speak of the devil, the guards Scroll started to buzz. He unhooked it from his belt and read the text.

The guard smiled. "Looks like they finally came to a decision." He showed the message to his fellow guard.

"Effective next week, all prisoners currently listed will be transferred from all Detention Centers across Remnant and be given to the custody of Variks, the Loyal: Warden of the Prison of Elders located in Sol System."

The first guard scratched his chin in thought. "Prison of Elders…I heard from one guy who heard it from a Guardian that it's a combination of prison and combat arena."

"Who care," said the second one smiling. "According to this list, every single one of these criminals in here are going to this new prison, they'll no longer be Remnants problem anymore, and most importantly, our problem." He then started to shout at the inmates in their cells. "You hear that?! You'll no longer be Remnants problem anymore!"

In a cell farther down, Roman Torchwick hears what they said. He rubs the hand-shaped scar on his face.

The next chapter will detail torchwicks time in the Prison of Elders.

As to those wondering when the next chapter of Iron Rose will be out...honestly I don't know.

See you next time.