It seemed like everything was going to be fine, which is why Penny was extra alert. Any time anything went fine, it was only because someone like her was alert. A little birdy, named Raven, had showed up and told her that they were about to have an unwanted guest. Apparently Jinn was, under Ironwood's orders, keeping close tabs on everything going on around the election. He wanted this to go smoothly, as did they all, and he was going the extra steps to make sure it did. As Raven told it, Tyrian was on his way, and Watts was somewhere in the kingdom as well. While Tyrian was going to cause as much chaos as possible, Watts was going to hack the system and cut the power to Mantle. While the power was down, he would change the results of the election in Jacques Schnee's favor.
Raven had gone into detail, telling Penny and Marrow the entire plan as far as Jinn had told her. Penny's father had been working around the clock to make Watts' job as difficult as possible, and Raven was here with Pelka to help Penny do the same to Tyrian. Between having their enemies' entire plan laid out before them and having some unforeseeable aid in the form of Raven and Pelka, Penny was fairly certain that they would be able to stop all the nefarious scheming before anyone was seriously hurt.
She saw Raven sidle up to Robyn to pester her, and once the former bandit walked off, she opened her scroll and sent a one word message to Penny. Hearing the beep that told her she'd gotten the message, Penny moved without even checking. She went into the back and signaled Marrow. Joanna and May were there as well, and he let them in on what was going on. Penny ducked back into the main room, looking to see where there was a scuffle going on at the entrance. Raven and Robyn were involved in an altercation, and everyone else was backing away in concern. Everyone except a man in a long brown coat. Penny narrowed her eyes at the man, who was starting to realize he'd been left out in the open.
He was a moment too slow.
Raven drew her sword, pointing it at the man's throat.
He was about to respond. Penny could see in his body language, his movements, he was about to do something, and it wasn't surrender. A tail uncoiled from around his waist and struck out at Raven, aiming to strike her in the stomach with a wicked metal stinger. Penny could have stopped it if she'd had a second longer to react, but she didn't have that time, and it would have gotten her in the way.
Swooping in from behind the hooded man, Pelka divebombed him, bowling into him and knocking him across the room, leaving Raven unscathed. Tumbling across the floor, his coat falling off, Tyrian Callows was revealed in front of everyone. The lights were on, and he was a lot less prepared for the people he was facing now. His plans were completely foiled. Penny found that thought somewhat delicious, and she couldn't wait to help foil his backup plan, which probably involved slaughtering as many innocents as he could.
Penny brought out her blades, sending them flying through the air, where several buried themselves in the floor on either side of Tyrian. The rest remained in the air, just waiting for him to make one wrong move. He noticed keenly, looking behind him towards Penny with a glare. Marrow appeared at his side, keeping a safe distance, his gun aimed at the villain. Raven approached, still pointing her sword at his throat. Pelka lurked just behind Raven, some dark wisps of smoke coming from her nostrils in a sign that she was ready to unleash something no one would forget seeing. Robyn, realizing quickly what was going on, got up quickly and readied her weapon, aiming it at Tyrian.
Penny slowly approached, looking around and noticing that Ren and Nora were also ready for a fight. Ruby came in from backstage, Joanna and May right with her. If Tyrian still thought this was a fight he could win, there was no shortage of people ready and willing to show him how wrong he was. Positioning a couple of her blades with the tips prodding the back of his neck, Penny got closer to Tyrian. "No one's dying today." Penny said, growing more cautious as she got closer. "Unless you want to volunteer."
Closing the rest of the distance, Marrow clamped a pair of handcuffs on Tyrian and hauled him up. He glanced up, seeing the crowd staring at him in shock. He knew that Robyn's voters were not, for the most part, the biggest fans of General Ironwood and the Ace Ops. Seeing him arresting someone from among them gave them all pause. Slowly, the people seemed to realize that it wasn't just Marrow. Robyn was aiming her weapon at the same person Marrow was arresting. That meant, whoever this guy was, he was not one of them. And slowly, the crowd started to cheer.
Everyone started to relax, letting out a breath of relief. Ruby held up her scroll, calling Ironwood. When he answered, she gave a quick report. "We have Tyrian in custody. No casualties."
"Destroy this. Don't open it." Jinn said, handing a bag over to Elm. Elm looked concerned, but nodded and left. Jinn looked over to Ironwood and smiled. "I think this has been a pretty good night."
Ironwood, for his part, was letting out the longest sigh he'd let out in a long time. He lowered his scroll, putting it away. "Ruby just reported that they've apprehended Tyrian."
Nearby, Qrow shoved another man into the back of a transport. He looked over to the two of them, commenting with satisfaction. "And now thanks to Jinn, we have Watts. Who's left to catch?"
"Cinder, Hazel." Jinn answered. She shrugged. "Emerald, Mercury, Jacques Schnee. That's all the major pawns Salem has around here. She'll be surprised when she gets here, won't she, sir?" She gave Ironwood a smile, but it was not returned.
Ironwood gave her a dead serious look. "When she gets here?"
Jinn's heart sank. "I... I'm sure I mentioned that."
"I'd like to know who you mentioned it to, cause it wasn't me." Ironwood took a second to recover from the shock. "Salem is on her way here. Okay... that was inevitable. Can we get Amity up before then?"
"Yes sir. I did mention Cinder Fall is in the city, right? She'll be looking to get her hands on the Staff of Creation." Jinn looked apprehensive, like she wasn't entirely sure she had.
Ironwood nodded. "That you did." He took out his scroll, calling up Clover and Winter simultaneously. "Clover, get to the vault. Winter, I'm afraid I may need the Winter Maiden sooner rather than later. Be ready."
Qrow gave an alarmed look. "You're really going to have her kill that old woman?"
"I hope not." Ironwood countered quickly. "I'd have already ordered it, considering what's coming, but I have another option for fighting Cinder." He gave Qrow an exasperated look. "Your sister."
As though summoned, a red swirling portal opened next to them and Raven stepped through, with Pelka right behind her. She looked over to her brother smugly. "I'm just invaluable, aren't I?"
"That's one word I would use for you." Qrow jabbed, turning away and dreaming of something he could drink that would make him stop thinking.
"It would be better if I had two Maidens on my side." Ironwood added, narrowing his eyes at Raven. "Are you on my side?"
Taking offense, Raven gave an exasperated shrug, shaking her head. "I got you that Relic, and helped bring in Tyrian. What else do you want from me?"
Grimacing, Ironwood answered with little humor in his voice. "Fria isn't going to last much longer, and I cannot risk Cinder getting access to the Staff. That means I need to have the Winter Maiden. The vault needs to be guarded, but there's not a lot Salem can do to reach the Staff unless she has the Winter Maiden. That means Cinder Fall will be after Fria, and Winter is all that stands in her way. I trust Winter, and she's strong, but I doubt she can handle Cinder on her own. That's where you come in."
"So I'm backup for Winter?" Raven sounded a little disappointed.
"There's more to it than that. When it comes down to it, anything can go wrong. Cinder Fall cannot become the Winter Maiden as well as the Fall Maiden." The general gave Qrow a look that told him he wasn't the most happy about this decision, but he was willing to make it. He turned back to Raven. "If Winter is taken out of the fight before she can get the Winter Maiden's powers, Cinder cannot get them. If Winter gets them too late and isn't strong enough to win the fight, Cinder cannot get them. You know what's at stake, and you know what to do."
Raven readied her sword, about to open another portal, but paused. "Just so I understand what you're saying. If Cinder shows up and the old woman is still alive, and Winter can't get to her, you want me to take the Winter Maiden's powers. And if Cinder shows up, Winter takes those powers, but is too injured or weak to win the fight, you want me to kill Winter."
"That's the worst case scenario." Ironwood nodded. "But yes." He could tell Qrow was just barely holding his tongue beside him. It was the most cynical and cold course of action, at least out of the courses of action that were preferable to defeat.
"What's our best case scenario? For what it's worth." Raven asked, curiously.
"Honestly?" Ironwood gave a small laugh in spite of himself. "Salem calls the whole thing off and retires from supervillainy. Realistically, however, it would be that we have enough time for Fria to pass away peacefully, and we have the Winter and Spring Maidens on our side when Cinder does show up."
"Yeah... or." Jinn said, grabbing all of their attentions.
"Or what?" Qrow pressed skeptically.
"Or..." Shrugging nonchalantly, Jinn pointed in the direction of the vault. "We give Salem one of the Relics."
They were all about to berate her for suggesting such a terrible idea when, suddenly, Ironwood realized what she was saying. "The Flute."
"It should work just the same on her as on anyone else. Same with Cinder." Qrow and Raven exchanged looks. Ironwood retreated into deep thought. Jinn watched them, waiting for them to admit that she was a brilliant tactician with no flaws. She continued, giving them all just the nudge they needed to praise her. "We could even send Qrow to meet Salem and tell her that we are going to hand over one of the Relics."
"That won't be necessary..." Ironwood said, still thinking. "But it does give me an idea. Raven, go meet up with Winter. Make sure Cinder doesn't get the Winter Maiden's powers, and definitely make sure she doesn't get the Spring Maiden's powers. Salem's on her way, but Cinder is going to strike first. I hate to put all my eggs in one basket, but I want to shore up the vault's defenses." He pulled up his scroll once again, calling Clover. "Operation Pied Piper."
"Yes sir, Lemon Meringue."
Closing his scroll, Ironwood looked to Qrow, who was giving him a confused look. He shook his head. "I don't know, Pied Piper, Lemon Meringue is a kind of pie, the 'yes sir' is the part I care about."
"Fair enough."