Notes: Two chapters in a week. Hooray. Now that our other RWBY fic is finally finished, we can give our full time and attention to this story. We are hoping to get at least one update per week from here on out, so be on the lookout for new chapters more frequently. We suspect that people didn't notice we updated last time, since the last chapter got like none of the usual comments and we put up the new chapter on like a Monday evening. We hoped to see some feedback on the introduction of Team JJWL, but ah well. You'll be seeing more of them going forward, but they aren't going to be a huge focus. Team RWBY has bigger concerns after all. Anyway, we hoped this chapter came out okay. We tried coming up very hard with a way for Team RWBY to survive this arc, and we hope we came up with an interesting route forward. You'll just have to see how it all plays out over the next few chapters. Enjoy.

"So… are we in agreement then?"

"I think so."

"I hate this so much."

"I know you do, Blake, but this is the only way."

"I'm just amazed we got away with what we did. I can't believe I'm saying this, Weiss, but you actually sounded convincing."

"I'm plenty persuasive when I'm not arguing with people who don't know any better."

"Ooh. Shots fired."

"Not now, Yang."

"Sorry."

"Hey, don't get comfortable, everyone. If this fails, there will be a lot of blood on our hands."

"We won't fail, Ruby. We can't."

"Then let's get a good night's sleep and hope Weiss's package arrives before the end of the week. They thought they could push us around without consequence. Time to turn the tables on these assholes."

Pyrrha's morning began like normal. Wake up early. Five o'clock. Shower. Light workout. Granola bar. Get dressed. It was a new normal, adjusted to the Atlasian climate, but it was normal.

This morning would be anything but normal.

Five nights earlier, Pyrrha had been a part of the strangest dinner of her life, though calling it a dinner was suspect given that they only ate a single course of food before the entire event was called off. Showdown may have been the more accurate term. Between her accidental threats toward RWBY, Ozpin and Ironwood's intentional threats toward RWBY, and Team JJWL's threats toward everyone, she had gone through more stress in twenty minutes than she had since arriving in the north. For days after, she felt like she was going to throw up. It was nearly impossible to concentrate during classes. She felt even more isolated from her teammates than she did before, and it all got worse when, forty-eight hours before the media arrived, Professor Ozpin called her into his office and asked for his help.

"Team RWBY hasn't told us if they would participate in the media scrum," he explained to her. "We still would like to have our students perform a combat demonstration. If they don't respond to us, would you…"

He drifted off, and Pyrrha instinctively filled in the blank. "Of course, Professor. Team JNPR would be more than willing to help.

She didn't know why she agreed so fast. She wasn't her team's leader. They didn't have one. They were supposed to make all of their decisions together. Yet, Ozpin seemed so sad. Team RWBY had been a pain in both their sides recently. If she could help him somewhat, she would be more than willing. After all, he had done so much to help her. She was sure the others would understand.

"That's very generous of you, Pyrrha," Ozpin smiled warmly. "Luckily, I think Team RWBY will be coming to their sense shortly, so you don't have to worry yourself about that."

"O-Of course, Professor." She considered leaving the office but remained in her chair for a few moments longer. "Can… I ask you something?"

"What do you want to know?" Ozpin seemed so genuine. She always thought he had fatherly eyes. He was such a different man than he was several nights ago, yet her doubts lingered.

"That thing you said the other night… about Team RWBY's families…" Pyrrha said hesitantly. A part of her wanted to bury the question before it could hurt her any further, but she forced herself to spit it out. "You didn't really mean it, did you?"

Ozpin nodded understandingly. "What do you think?"

"I… I don't know…" Pyrrha admitted. "General Ironwood was… he just seemed so…"

"Miss Nikos, you've known me for several years now," Professor Ozpin said gently, leaning across his desk toward his timid student. "When I first met you, do you remember what I told you? I said I was impressed, not by your skills, but most of all by your character. Huntsmen have responsibilities to uphold to those around them. We protect Humanity. Sometimes that requires doing unpleasant things, but no matter what, we never betray our values. So, do you really think that I would ever harm any of my students?"

Pyrrha paused. Team RWBY's warnings echoed in her mind. He's more powerful than she realized, they said. She let the question linger before closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head.

"No," she admitted. "You wouldn't do that."

"Miss Nikos, try to understand my position," Ozpin said reasonably, hiding his smile behind a sip of coffee. "Team RWBY are brilliant girls. Absolutely brilliant. However, they have always been incredibly stubborn and mistrusting of me. I've given them all I can at Beacon because I truly believe they will make great Huntresses one day, but sometimes, I have to use force to get them to cooperate. The only language Team RWBY understands is violence, and I think it's very unfortunate that I have to do this, but sometimes I have to pretend to stoop to their level. Of course, I would never harm their families. I know Ruby and Yang's father personally. But I will do what I must to straighten them out. If that requires some slight untruths, then so be it. Does that put your mind at ease?"

Pyrrha nodded. The doubts had shrunk to barely resemble a thought. She hoped that it would disappear completely, yet something unforeseen made it linger. Regardless, she was glad to have her suspicions about Team RWBY confirmed. She thanked Ozpin for his assistance and left his office with little fanfare, her mission reaffirmed. She was Pyrrha Nikos, Huntress-in-training. Ready to await orders.

Ironwood stood at the entrance to Atlas Academy, staring out at the vast docking bay. The ships were arriving on time, just as the sun started to creep at an angle over the Hydra's horizon. About a dozen airships were landing, primarily among them Atlasian news media. A few had come from Vale as well. It was a rare sight to see foreign press on Atlas shores, but Ozpin talked him into it. They needed to share their message through both Kingdoms, and local faces would make it an easier pill for the Valians to swallow. Ironwood watched with a steady gaze as reporters in skirts and fluffy, winter coats gathered their equipment, some packed away in heavy boxes strolled around by crewmen, others already strapped to shoulders and recording everything from the moment of their landing. Ironwood told them to get plenty of footage. He was glad that they took the message to heart. Atlas Academy looked especially beautiful this time of year.

Aside from his security detail, he waited by the Academy's entrance with Ozpin and Goodwitch, Ozpin seemed overly pleased with himself, though he didn't say why. Ironwood could tell when he was smug based on how often he sipped his coffee. Professor Goodwitch was not pleased. She kept checking her Scroll, watching the minutes drip ever closer to the top of the hour.

"Where the hell are they?"

"They'll be here," Ironwood insisted.

"I should go drag their asses out of bed."

"They'll be here," Ironwood repeated. "We gave them an ultimatum. They won't take any risks. They're just children."

Goodwitch scoffed. "That's what Oz said. Look where that's got us."

Ozpin mused. "I understand your worry, Glynda, but have patience. We gave them until nine. They can delay it all they want, but they have to face the inevitable at some point."

"I don't like this. Something feels wrong," Goodwitch admitted.

"Please, you're overthinking this," Ozpin tried to ease her concerns. "They have no power here. None. They know that if they try anything, there will be consequences. They are far too fragile to risk anything like that." He placed his hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it off before he could say any more.

"You know that if they fuck with us, we're going to have to follow through, correct?" Goodwitch stated. "They could decide to burn everything to the ground just to spite us. We're talking about the girl who shot me, remember?"

Ironwood scowled. "They won't do anything." There was a slight waver in his voice. Was it from doubt or annoyance? He couldn't help but look out at the reporters with dread. Some were broadcasting wide shots of the school, and others going over their final scripts. Within minutes, they would approach the Academy. He wanted Team RWBY standing there by their side, their spiffy Atlasian uniforms the first thing the world would see. He could see it now. How glorious it would be...

"Glynda, I bet they are already on their way," Ozpin reasoned. "They agreed to do it yesterday, didn't they? They will follow the plan, and everything will be normal. If they're really so crazy as to try to throw us under the bus, we'll recover. We always do. That's why it's our people they are interviewing. And besides, why are you of all people scared of us following through on our threats."

"Oz, believe me: no one on this planet would like to strange Tai Xiao Long more than me," Goodwitch said bluntly. "I'm just reminding you that the last time you played games with Team RWBY, you lost. Don't fuck this up."

Ozpin just took another sip from his mug and turned away.

When the hour came and went, Team RWBY was nowhere to be seen. The sun was higher now, providing only the faintest warmth. The air seemed especially stiff when the swarm of journalists approached the gargantuan gates to Atlas Academy, a heaving mass of cameras and microphones ready. Ironwood glanced behind him as if Team RWBY would spontaneously appear the instant before the reporters arrived. Professor Goodwitch shot Ozpin a disappointed glance, which he did his best to ignore.

Ironwood braced himself as the cameras overwhelmed him, and when the microphones were all shoved into his face, he maintained the formal posture and tone the people of Atlas had come to expect from him.

"Good morning, everyone. I hope your flight was well," he began. "We're going to be taking a brief tour of the facilities today. We will be trying to maintain distance from the cadets while they are training. The combat demonstration will be at two o'clock. We will try to get you someplace warmer soon."

Nobody laughed. He was expecting a laugh.

Someone—and dammit he couldn't see who—called out from the mass of reporters. "Is Team RWBY supposed to be here?"

Ironwood hid his scowl. "Team RWBY will be joining us shortly. I know they are eager to discuss their experiences at Atlas Academy. Now, if you will follow me…"

The General nodded toward his security team, and two guards reached behind him and opened up the great doors leading to the central hall of Atlas Academy's entrance wing. Ironwood went to step inside, but he was halted in his tracks by figures blocking his path. Four of them.

"Hi, everyone. Sorry, we're late."

The mass of reporters clamored for questions. Ironwood became aghast with shame. Ozpin nearly spit out his coffee.

"Yeah, sorry. Still getting the hang of navigating this place. It's huge."

Professor Goodwitch wanted to scream. Really, really loudly. Ironwood felt the mass of reporters nearly shift past him, desperate to get to the main attraction of the day. He was so stunned he barely felt them move. He didn't understand. It did not make any sense what he was seeing. He told them as clearly as he possibly could, but… what the hell were those girls thinking?

Team RWBY were ordered to wear their Atlasian uniforms. Ironwood wanted them dressed in the proper navy blue of the Atlasian military. It was to be the first of their many public humiliations. So, he nearly lost his mind when he saw that the girls of Team RWBY were wearing bold, stunning, fashionable woolen coats, each in their standard colors of red, white, black, and yellow. Each of their jackets was emblazoned with a specialty emblem on its left side, intricately laced into the fabric. They stood out sharp against the dull steel of the Academy and basked in the attention they received. In addition to the coats, they wore smiles; big, proud, happy smiles that were severely out of place for people in their position.

Ironwood opened his mouth to speak—or scream—when Yang suddenly stepped forward and slapped him cheerfully on the back. "Hey, General Ironwood, how are you? Beautiful weather we're having, isn't it?"

The General couldn't speak before the girls were inundated with questions. How was Atlas Academy? How did they get along with their new headmaster? Were they worried about future Grimm attacks? However, Ruby was able to calm them all down and take command.

"Easy, everyone. We'll talk more at the press conference. We just wanted to briefly stop by and say hello to everyone before we went back to training. You guys have the tour covered. Right, Professor Ozpin?"

Ironwood looked at Ozpin as if he was somehow responsible, but the Beacon Headmaster was just as perplexed. No, they were not right. Team RWBY was supposed to accompany them on the entire tour. They had a script for this. They received it last night. Direct the media around the premises. There was even a specific section where they would go through the Academy's Hall of Heroes and praise the different Huntsmen in Atlas's past. They had no idea what the hell any of this was.

Ozpin cleared his throat, attempting to sound normal in front of the press. "Well, actually—"

"Oh, and we wanted to make an announcement," Ruby claimed. "You've probably noticed we're wearing something very special."

Ironwood growled, keeping his frustration muted. "Yes. What are you wearing?"

Ruby's smile widened, and with every passing moment, she grew happier, sapping away the joy from her Professors. The press was now hanging on her every word, drawing silent so that the Hero of Vale could preach to them.

"Well, ever since we became famous, people have constantly been asking if there were ways to financially support us. We've always been hesitant to take advantage of that because we thought there were so many more deserving people out there who could use the help. Recently, however, we've been able to strike a financial partnership that will finally let us give back to everyone who has believed in what we're trying to do. Weiss?"

Weiss took charge. She wore her coat the best out of any of them, being the only one with any high-end fashion experience. Weiss personally liked Ruby's version the best. Maybe it was bias talking, but even without being revealing or sexy, Ruby made that thing work. "We are very pleased to announce the formation of The Team RWBY Fund, a not-for-profit organization dedicated not just to delivering high-quality, ethically-sourced Huntress and recreational products, but also shining a spotlight on important causes affecting in-need communities all around Remnant. We have many different projects that we will be announcing in the coming months, but as of now, we're happy to introduce The Team RWBY Collection that you can see us wearing now."

Yang grabbed onto her collar and puffed it out, letting the coat take center stage as it clung perfectly to her form. "The Team RWBY Collection consists of awesome jackets, hats, sweatshirts, gloves, and more apparel that brandishes the badass Team RWBY signature style. Not only are they super comfy, but they are highly durable, water-resistant, and functional, too. We wanted to make sure that they were capable of surviving the high-altitude winters of Atlas Academy, while still making you extremely cute. Plus, they come in all four signature Team RWBY colors!"

Blake quickly leaned in, more muted than the others but still notably cheerful. "And, best of all, they are made abuse-free, guaranteed. No sweatshops, no unpaid workers, nothing. Plus, all proceeds from the sale go directly toward housing the underprivileged in Mantle. There are a lot of Humans and Faunus that struggle with paying their heat and rent during this time of year, and we wanted to highlight that even without fighting Grimm, there are ways that we can all protect each other. Whether you're wearing our clothes or not, nobody deserves to go cold for the winter."

"We'll be announcing a release window and pricing soon," Ruby said proudly. "We're still trying to work out discounts so our products aren't too expensive for a regular person. The important thing, however, is that everything is going to a good cause."

The reporters asked more questions again, and Team RWBY basked in the attention, glad to be taking center stage. And, of course, off to the side stood Ironwood, Ozpin, and Goodwitch, each equally befuddled, aggravated, and seething at varying levels. Goodwitch knew that some bullshit was going to happen. It was Team RWBY. It was always bullshit. Those girls were like a bullshit stew. She wanted to scream at the others how she told them so, but she was forced to keep silent. Her anger was only fueled further by realizing that… dammit, yes, they really did look good in those coats.

Ozpin's anger was more tactical. He couldn't quite comprehend what they were planning. Team RWBY were the types of people to risk it all, to burn things to the ground when they didn't get their way. But were they arrogant enough to sacrifice their loved ones just to spite them? He didn't foresee that. Clearly, they had something up their sleeve, but what? A partnership? What did that even mean? So, they struck a business deal to make some jackets. That couldn't be their only strategy, because if it was, it was pointless. Ozpin didn't care about pissing off some all-organic, "ethical", probably vegan T-shirt company, or whoever the hell would be stupid enough to invest in a product line of Team RWBY merchandise. He was dealing with life or death, and Team RWBY, for some unfathomable reason, seem hellbent on sprinting down the path toward the latter.

And then there was Ironwood. If he had his way, he would have executed the four of them on the spot.

But no… he had to stay calm. He was in control here. They hadn't ruined his plans yet. They were just being problematic. They needed discipline. They were already warned of the consequences of crossing him, and he plans to follow through. But now, he could switch to different considerations. The more Team RWBY decided to be nuisances, the longer he would make their loved ones suffer. It was really that simple.

"Anyway, we have to go, but we're looking forward to speaking with you," Weiss said punctually. "We want to personally thank Professor Ozpin for letting us share this news with you."

"Enjoy your tour!" Blake said with a large wave and a performative smile. Ironwood moved to intercept them, but Team RWBY quickly headed back inside the main hall, moving quickly as the reporters hounded them with more questions from behind. Ironwood's security team had no choice but to block their General's path to stave off the reporters, and he was doing everything in his power to hide his fury. Ozpin was forced to jump into the fray to save his friend from any further embarrassment.

"Team RWBY, everybody!" he declared with a charming laugh. Years of playing with the media kept his wit intact, but he was still unprepared with a follow-up. Team RWBY had essentially dropped a firecracker in his lap. As far as everyone knew, they were close allies, and so many of his plans relied on their relationship being perceived as a friendly one. It was something he had pointed out to them before they arrived. To go against the narrative was to threaten peace between the Kingdoms. To challenge Team RWBY in the public eye was to side against the saviors of his nation. To do either was to threaten his power. If Team RWBY said he let them share this news—whatever it truly was—then the press had to think he planned for it. At least, for now.

The questions came hard and fast.

"What's the Team RWBY Fund's mission statement?"

"How long has the Team RWBY Fund been in the works?"

"Are you a partner in the Team RWBY Fund?"

Ozpin waved them down. "Team RWBY will answer that themselves in due time. Come now, let's get started with the tour of the Academy. Care to lead, General?"

Ironwood said nothing. He suspected this day was going to get worse before it got better.

"Can I just say, Weiss, that these are really comfy?"

"Thank you, Yang. I have high standards."

"No shit. I gotta get a second one of these."

"Everyone, focus. Weiss, are they en route?"

"Not yet. I'll speed them along."

"We need them here before the end of the day. I'm not taking chances."

"On it."

"Excellent. Blake, are you ready?"

"Ready? No. Motivated? Hell yes."

"Just follow the plan and we'll get her. Don't worry."

"Oh, I'm not worrying. Just thinking about how much I'll enjoy kicking her ass."

"That's what I like to hear. Time to move onto Phase Two."