AN: Hey, guys, sorry this took so long. While this had nothing to do with the delay this time, I actually did just lose another family friend earlier this week. I decided to save a big fight scene from this chapter and make it its own chapter to get this out faster. I wanted to take a moment to shout out my patrons.

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CCSecret

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Jonathan Henderson (Welcome!)

MegaMann 14

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With all that said, onwards!

Chapter 141

"I'm back," Robyn said as she stepped into the Happy Huntress' headquarters, Cloud following silently behind her.

"Welcome," Fiona said. "How'd the meeting go?"

"Productive. Hanlon said that negotiations with Willow Schnee were going well. Despite the embargo, she seems pretty adamant on laying off as few workers as possible."

"Looks like Aqua putting Jacques in the hospital did even more good than we thought," Joanna said. "He would be firing people left and right."

"You may be right," Robyn said.

"Hey, uh, I have a question," Yang said. "Who did you go to meet again?"

"Hanlon Fifestone," Robyn said. "He's an important labor union leader here in Mantle. I've been working with him for the last couple of years to try to get the SDC workers more union protections. So far, we haven't had much luck, but after your mom hospitalized Jacques Schnee, his wife took over management, and she's been far more reasonable than he was."

"Huh," Yang said, her smile bittersweet. "Go Mom."

"There's actually something I thought you'd want to know, too," Robyn said, intriguing Yang. "Word is, there's a new team of young Huntresses taking missions out in the tundra lately."

"Is it Ruby and the others?"

"Probably," Robyn said. "I heard that they call themselves Team RWBL."

"Rubble?" Yang asked sadly. She immediately understood the meaning. Ruby felt that without her, the team had fallen apart. Yang wished that staying had been an option, but she knew that something would have happened between her and Ironwood, and she couldn't risk jeopardizing Ruby's safety. "…Oh."

"Have you heard from your sister at all?" Cloud asked.

Yang shook her head. "I've sent her a couple messages, but she hasn't answered."

"Maybe she's busy?" Fiona offered.

"More like Ironwood is forbidding communication," May said.

"I hope that's the case," Yang said. "It would be better than her ignoring me. But that's still a concerning thought."

"Yeah, it is," Robyn said. "What could be so important that he forbids a teenager from talking to her own sister?"

"I wish I knew," Yang said.

Ruby, she thought. What did you get yourself into?

Ruby genuinely couldn't believe how hard it was to find a dang can of soda in this city. She and the team had run all around Atlas and even out into the tundra helping out the Ace Ops, only for them to learn that the apparent last can in the city had been ordered by Marrow by mistake. He had given it to them, and they booked it back to the academy to deliver it to Elm.

"Oh, you got it!" Elm cheered when Ruby handed the grape soda to her. "Ah, that's the stuff!" She opened the can and started drinking. "Huh. It's… a little room temperature-ish, but that's all right."

"It had better be alright," Weiss muttered.

"Did you happen to find any intel on…" Ruby said, trying to get Elm back on track.

"Team BRIR, right?" Elm said. "Well, what I can tell you is there isn't any such team in the Atlesian Special Operatives Unit's directory. In fact, the name isn't found in any Huntsman's database at all. Which means, they may well be unlicensed mercenaries."

"That seems to check out with what we heard," Weiss said.

"So they're a mystery," Ruby said. "Well, thanks for checking. Let us know if you hear anything else. And enjoy your soda."

"One other thing to keep in mind," Elm said. "I heard word from Harriet. She and Marrow were attacked earlier by some street gang members."

"Are they okay?" Tifa asked.

"Of course they are," Elm said. "But the weird thing is, the gangsters seemed to have some pretty advanced military tech."

"Yeah, that's concerning," Blake said.

"Just keep an eye out."

"Thanks for the warning," Ruby said.

"Ah, good, you girls are still here," Clover said, walking towards them.

"Oh, did you need something?" Tifa asked.

"The Ace-Ops were fortunate to have the assistance of such an adept team of Huntresses today," he said.

"Uh, thanks," Ruby said.

"With today's solo missions complete, we have been able to compile a wealth of important data. Analyzing these findings, it has become clear that there is an unusual threat."

"Unusual?" Blake asked. "What's unusual about it?"

"Well, we're entirely in the dark about the motives," Clover said. "Remember that Amity Tower isn't far from Atlas right now. If this is some orchestrated attack on the proceedings of that initiative, we'll need to act swiftly. What we do know is the southern Dust mine was briefly used as a facility to both train and arm a league of mercenaries. Mercenaries that now patrol the streets of Atlas, armed with cutting-edge Atlesian military technology."

"Military technology," Blake said, putting a hand to her chin in thought. "Where have we heard that before?"

"So, the weapons use the sort of technology that would come from Atlas," Weiss said. "We may not know why, but… who? Who could even get their hands on military technology and carry out such an operation?"

"Maybe it was your father," Ruby suggested.

"I'll have you know that I had to get the parts for Myrtenaster all by myself," Weiss said. "He'll be the last to arm anyone with costly weapons."

"Actually, we've stopped out search for the culprit," Clover said. "As luck would have it, a promising lead was found by none other than Lieutenant Harper."

"So what do we do next?" Tifa asked.

"I believe you're assigned to carry out the next course in our counteroperation. However, it is now in the hands of the Lieutenant. She should be with Specialist Farron in General Ironwood's office now, so I'd like to encourage you to go speak with her. In the meantime, the Ace-Ops will regroup and prepare for our next missions. Good work out there today!"

Team RWBL entered Ironwood's office, and saw Harper and Lightning talking to each other, but turned to the entrance when they heard the girls enter.

"Ah, Team RWBL," Harper said. "Just who I wanted to see."

"We heard you helped out the Ace Ops today," Lightning said. "Not bad."

"Uh, thanks," Ruby said, surprised to hear something that sounded so much like a compliment from Lightning. "You wanted to see us?"

"Well, for starters, it's about that orb you wanted me to look into…" Harper said. "We've found several more of them. We still don't know their purpose. But as Thornmane's keen eye suspected, we are indeed looking at sophisticated military tech with dangerous potential."

"Thornmane, huh?" Lightning muttered to herself, though it seemed only Ruby could hear her. "It's reasonable to believe it's all tied together with the advanced military technology discovered in the weaponry of those street goons."

"But where did it all come from?" Blake asked.

"We still don't know that," Lightning said.

"Clover believes it to be Arrowfell technology, but I'd say that's a pretty wild supposition," Harper said.

Team RWBL looked at each other in confusion. "What's an Arrowfell?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, you don't know?" Harper asked. "Fort Arrowfell was a classified research facility run by the Atlas military to develop highly experimental weapons."

"Except it was shut down years ago," Lightning said. "And it was sealed up so no one could possibly enter."

"Arrowfell nonsense aside," Harper said, "someone has been able to get their hands on things they shouldn't. And we think we have a lead on the powerful figure responsible."

"Is it Weiss's father?" Ruby asked.

"What? No," Harper said. "We believe Amoncio Glass is behind it all. Acquiring technology to outfit mercenaries for his own gain. Likely some kind of power play we've yet to fully understand."

"Wait, THE Amoncio Glass?" Weiss asked.

"Who's that?" Blake asked.

"An Atlas Elite. Mobster-type. Has his fingers in all sorts of shady business. Speaking of my father, even he won't do business with Amoncio Glass. And that's saying something."

"Our intelligence found out where in Atlas he's operating out of," Lightning said.

"Team RWBL, this will be dangerous," Harper said. "Amoncio's armed goons will be out in full force. But the mission stands: I'd like you to confront Mr. Glass directly and get answers about all of this.

"That's incredibly foolish," Weiss said. We may be licensed Huntresses, but we'd never rush carelessly into danger."

"That's why I'm going to go ahead of you," Lightning said. "I'll distract Glass's forces and clear the way for you to confront him."

"Are you sure you'll be fine on your own?" Weiss asked.

"Let me put it to you this way," Lightning said. "Your sister has never beaten me in a sparring match." She turned to walk out the door. "Give me twenty minutes and follow after me."

"Alright, this should be the place," Cinder said, she and the others standing on the roof of an abandoned building overlooking the courtyard of the Happy Huntresses' headquarters. A few women were outside sparring with each other, but they hadn't noticed Cinder's group yet.

"So, what's the plan again?" Sora asked.

"How the hell did you forget already?" Sienna asked.

Cinder sighed. "We're going to get in contact with Robyn Hill. She seems pretty well-respected in Mantle. And she's running for public office on an anti-Ironwood platform, so she'll probably be able to give us an insight into what he's been up to. If we want to confirm that he truly has fallen to darkness, we'll need some more information."

"Uh, right," Sora said. "So what are we waiting for? Let's get down there."

"I agree," Ash said.

"Alright, let's—" Cinder said, but stopped as she saw three people step into the courtyard, two women and a man. The man and older woman she didn't recognize, but the younger girl was…

"Hey, it's Cloud," Sora said, stepping forward to jump into the courtyard before Cinder grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Wait, no!" Cinder said.

"What gives?" Sora asked.

"That girl with Robyn… It's Yang," Cinder said.

"Who's Yang?" Sienna asked.

"She was like a sister to me." Cinder looked at Ash. "And she was… Aqua's daughter. She was watching when I accidentally turned Aqua into a Heartless."

"…Oh," Sora said.

"I…I can't go over there," Cinder said. "I can't let Yang see me."

"You just gonna chicken out?" Sienna asked. "Just like that we don't talk to Robyn?"

"It's not that!" Cinder said. Even she knew that she sounded a little too insistent. "Yang has an incredible temper. She blames me for Aqua's death. If she sees me, she might just attack me on sight, which would ruin our chance to talk to Robyn."

"So what now?" Ash asked.

"Let me think," Cinder said, staring at Yang for several seconds. Eventually, she looked at Sora, Neo, and Sienna. "You three go without us."

"What?" Sienna asked.

"Just go down there and bring Robyn to speak to me," she said. "Ash and I will wait at the apartment."

"I think you're forgetting that I'm not your lackey," Sienna said. "I agreed to travel with you, but I was a leader of armies. I refuse to do the dirty work of someone so cowardly that you can't face your own sister."

"Look, do you want us to take down Ironwood or not?" Cinder asked. "If I show myself to Yang, I guarantee you that she'll just attack us and who will help us then?"

"Look, you little—" Sienna said, aggressively grabbing Cinder's collar, inly for Ash to calmly grab Sienna's wrist.

"Please, for now, just trust me," Cinder said. "I promise that if this doesn't work out, then you can do whatever you want. I don't claim to be your leader. I don't want your loyalty. I just want us to work together. Just give this a shot. I know how this looks, that I'm a coward too scared to face her, but that's not all this is about. I mean it when I said that we need Robyn's help if we need to take down Ironwood. So please, for now, trust me?"

"Trust is a difficult thing to ask of me," Sienna said. "But as long as you don't think to command me, and our goals align, then I'll give you a chance to prove yourself." Finally, she let go of Cinder's collar.

Cinder breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I think I know what'll cheer you up," Robyn said as she led Yang outside to the courtyard training field, Cloud following close behind.

"A spar?" Yang asked. Robyn nodded. "How'd you know? Did the gauntlets give it away?"

"Call it a lucky guess." Robyn said with a smirk. "Now, let's—"

"Mind if we interrupt?" a voice suddenly said as three people dropped into the courtyard, prompting all of the Happy Huntresses and Cloud to draw their weapons. "Whoa, we come in peace."

Yang finally got a good look at the trio, a boy with spiky brown hair, a young blonde Faunus woman with feline ears of some type, and…

"…Neo?" Yang asked, instantly recognizing the girl's distinct multi-colored haired. Neo waved at her.

"You know her?" Robyn asked. "Friend of yours?"

"…I, uh, I think so," Yang said. "Ruby would say so, at least."

"I know the kid," Cloud said.

"Hey, Cloud!" the boy said.

Cloud sighed. "…Sora."

"Wait a second," Yang said. " You're Sora?"

"You've heard of me?" Sora asked.

"Yeah. Riku wouldn't stop talking about you."

"Riku?!" Sora asked excitedly. "He is here! Where is he?"

"He's, uh, working with Ironwood," Yang said.

"…What?" Sora asked. "There must be a reason."

"Yeah, he feels that he doesn't have a choice," Yang said. "Same with my sister." Yang looked around to the Happy Huntresses. "I think they're okay. From what Riku says, Sora wouldn't hurt a fly."

After a second, Robyn nodded and everyone else lowered their weapons. She then looked at the blonde Faunus woman. "So, we know the other two, but who are you?"

"My name is Sie—Selene," she said. "We were hoping to speak to Robyn Hill."

"Well, you found her," Robyn said. "What did you need?"

"An associate of ours wants to talk to you," Selene said.

"An 'associate'?" Robyn asked skeptically. "And this person sent you instead of meeting me in person?"

"She has her reasons."

"Yeah, cuz that's not shady," Robyn said.

"Yeah, I know," Selene said. "But if there's one thing you can trust, it's that we very much want to bring Ironwood down. Our… associate thinks she'll be a big help. The only thing she really insists on is that you come alone."

"You're really not helping your whole 'not-shady' case," Cloud said. "Besides, I'm her bodyguard. Where she goes, I go."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's fine," Sora said. Selene looked at him briefly and sighed.

"Yeah, you can bring your bodyguard with you," she said.

"In that case, let's go," Robyn said.

"Are you sure you're not just trying to lure me to my doom?" Robyn asked as Selene, Sora, and Neo led her and Cloud into an old industrial district full of old, run-down living quarters, several of which had abandoned apartments complete with broken windows.

"Yeah, I know, it's not much," Selene said. "But you try getting a primo apartment when you had to sneak into the kingdom."

"Relax, blondie. I'm kidding," Robyn said. "So, can you still not tell me why this 'associate' of yours couldn't come to meet me in person?"

"She'll tell you when we get there."

"I gotta say, she's got a real flare for the dramatic," Robyn said. "Sending her people to contact me, setting up a clandestine meeting in a rundown part of the city, telling me to 'come alone'." She made air quotes as she said that. "Just saying."

Selene sighed. "Yeah, you're not wrong. She's certainly a drama queen.

The group eventually made their way to one of the buildings that was definitely abandoned, and stepped inside. They climbed several stories, passing by broken windows and broken-in doors. Eventually, they stopped in front of one of the few apartment doors that was still intact.

"We're here," Selene said. "I know that we agreed to let your bodyguard come with you, but our associate really wants you to meet her alone. He'll have to wait outside with us."

"And you expect me to just believe that you're not out to attack her?" Cloud asked.

Robyn held up her hand to silence him, and stepped towards Selene, extending that same hand. "I'll settle the matter. Take my hand."

Selene raised an eyebrow, but still took Robyn's hand.

"Is your associate planning to attack me?" Robyn asked.

"No," Selene said. Suddenly, their hands were surrounded in a green glow. Selene's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Hm?"

"My Semblance," Robyn said. "It lets me tell if someone is lying."

"Seems convenient," Selene said.

"…Yeah. That's one word for it," Robyn said before letting go of Selene's hand and turning to Cloud. "That satisfy you?" He nodded. "Then that settles it. It's time to meet this associate of yours."

She turned and opened the door to the apartment, stepping inside and closing it behind her. She stepped into a poorly-lit, run-down apartment that clearly had no occupants for several years. Raggedy furniture decorated the place, and Robyn would have bet money that it was left behind when the original occupants had left, whatever the circumstances were. She could see that there were two people sitting in the living room area lightly shrouded in shadow, despite her only expecting there to be one. If she hadn't used her Semblance on Selene earlier, this would be enough to make her start suspecting that this really was an ambush.

One of the women stepped into the light. She was clearly in her early twenties, with shoulder-length black hair, an all-black outfit with a black half-cape over her left arm, or at least where her left arm should have been, but she seemed to have lost it. She also had a thick black eyepatch over her left eye that covered half of her face, leaving her with a single amber-colored eye.

"Robyn Hill," the woman said, her voice as smooth as butter. "You're something of a local hero in Mantle."

"You have me at a disadvantage," Robyn said.

"My name is Cinder," the woman said. "Cinder Fall."

"I see," Robyn said, turning to look at the other woman still in the shadows. "And she is?"

Cinder gestured for the other woman to approach, and Robyn's eyes widened when she finally got a good look at her. Her hair was shorter and she had a new rose tattoo on her neck, but there was no mistaking her.

"…Aqua?" Robyn asked, causing Cinder's eyes to widen. "Yang said you died. Where have you been?" Aqua stayed silent. "Say something. Why have you let your daughter think you're dead?!"

"That isn't Aqua," Cinder said.

"What?"

"My name is Ash," the woman that looked and sounded like Aqua, but apparently wasn't Aqua, said. The voice was even identical to Aqua's, though with the distinctive difference of sounding entirely devoid of emotion. "The woman you know as Aqua is truly dead."

"Come here," Robyn said, holding out her hand just as she did for Selene. "Take my hand." The woman calling herself Ash stepped forward and took her hand. "Are you Aqua?"

"No," Ash said. Robyn waited several seconds for the tell-tale glow of her Semblance to appear, either green to indicate truth or red to indicate a lie, but nothing happened.

"Hm?" Robyn stared intently at their joined hands. Why wasn't her Semblance working? "Are you Aqua?" She asked again, hoping that it would work better a second time.

"No," Ash said. "My name is Ash."

Still no glow appeared.

"That's impossible," Robyn said.

"Is something wrong?" Cinder asked.

"My Semblance allows me to determine if someone is telling the truth or lying," Robyn said. "But for some reason, for your friend, it's not working at all. I've never met someone that my Semblance couldn't read." As Robyn vocalized it, she felt deeply unsettled by the revelation. "This shouldn't be possible. It's almost like… she doesn't have a soul or something."

"It's something like that," Ash said. "You will have to take my word for it that I'm not Aqua."

"I guess I will," Robyn said. "But down to business. Why did you ask me to come here?"

"Your fliers say that you're running for Council in opposition of Ironwood," Cinder said, holding up one of Robyn's campaign fliers. "We want to help you fight him."

"Why? What's in it for you?" Robyn said. "I take it from you phrasing it that way to mean that you aren't from Mantle."

"We're not. We just smuggled ourselves into the Kingdom," Cinder said. "The point is, nothing about Ironwood's actions make sense. He was never a saint, but he always at least ostensibly worked to protect his people. For him to suddenly turn Mantle into a police state like this doesn't add up."

"Personally I think you're being a little generous," Robyn said. "But otherwise, this isn't anything I didn't already know. What's your point?"

"My point is that we want to help you take him down. Sora and I think his heart might have fallen to Darkness."

"And why would I want your help? What would you be able to offer me?"

"We have certain… abilities," Cinder said, holding out her hand. Ash did the same. In a flash of light, weapons appeared in their outstretched hands.

"Wait, is that the same kind of weapon Aqua had?" Robyn asked.

"Yes," Cinder said. "It's called a Keyblade."

"Sora has one, too," Ash said.

"Well, yours looks different from Aqua's, so I guess you aren't her after all," Robyn said. "So, what, you want to offer your fighting powers to me?"

"I was thinking more of a partnership," Cinder said.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not in a position where physical strength would really help me oppose Ironwood. I'm running for a Council seat. I have to be careful exactly how I move against him right now. One wrong move, and I can kiss my chances of getting on the Council goodbye."

"We can still at least help you fight Grimm," Cinder said. "Surely more hands couldn't hurt. And I'm sure there are other things we can do to help around Mantle."

"You seem awfully eager," Robyn said.

"There are a lot of things I have to make up for," Cinder said. "Helping you seems like the right first step."

"…Alright then," Robyn said. "One more question. What's with the secrecy? Why have your people bring me all the way out here instead of meeting me yourself?"

"…It's because of Yang," Cinder said.

"Pardon?"

"I was going to approach you, but then I saw Yang."

"You have some kind of problem with her?"

"No," Cinder said. "She's like a sister to me. It's just…"

"Just what?" Robyn asked.

"It's my fault that Aqua died."

"…What?" Robyn asked, her voice lowering to a threatening tone.

"It was an accident," Cinder said. "Take my hang if you don't believe me. It's one of the things I need to make up for. But, truth be told… I'm afraid of what she'll say. I already know how much she must hate me, but I don't know if I could take hearing it from her. Just, please, don't tell her it was me you met with."

Robyn sighed. "…Fine. Against my better judgement, you seem earnest enough. I'll accept your help. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"You eventually have to reveal yourself to Yang. I don't like keeping things from the Happy Huntresses."

Cinder looked frightened for a few seconds before breathing deeply. "I guess I'll have to face my fear at some point. You have a deal." Cinder extended her hand.

Robyn gave a small smile as she looked at the other woman before taking her hand and shaking.

AN: So, alliances have been formed, and we finally have Sora interacting with a member of Team RWBY.

So, next time we'll have the battle with Amoncio Glass. But before that, the next chapter of Jewel Without A Crown. I really wish more people read that. I'm incredibly proud of it. If you want to get a sneak peek and eventually get to read the whole thing a week early.

I want to remind everyone that this story has a TvTropes page!

As always, thank you very much for reading, and I'll see you all next time!