RWBY Through Worlds

9: What We've Seen

The next day, Ironwood had plenty for the group to work on, and Penny woke them all up early--even the guys--to get started.

She got hit with a pillow by Shine, when she barged in without knowing, and told to go back outside.

Penny wasn't much daunted by this.

Pyrrha still felt awkward around her.

She attempted to apologize to her, in fact...but Penny said it didn't matter.

"I understand who was responsible, and it is a-okay!" she said cheerfully.

Pyrrha wasn't sure quite what to make of her. But there was nothing to do if she wasn't angry.

"I guess seeing her being all right is how the others feel about me," she said to Shine, who was putting on layers and then applying makeup.

"I feel like you're much calmer about her being alive," Shine replied.

"I suppose. It's nice, isn't it?" Pyrrha said. "But it makes me wonder what the point of the whole stunt at Beacon was, other than to sow seeds of mistrust."

"I think you've caught on just fine," Shine said. "That's all it was. A big show. People are dumb to fall for it, but I guess Atlas isn't the most trusting out of the kingdoms. Doesn't help that they've apparently stopped shipping dust out."

"But the other kingdoms cannot survive without dust," Pyrrha said. "And even if they have a few mines and natural supplies of it, it won't be with the variation of the Schnee Dust Company."

"I know that, and you know that, Pyrrha, but James Ironwood is more comfortable with maintaining the order and safety of Atlas right now," Shine said.

"Do you think that's fair?" Pyrrha asked.

"Do you?" Shine asked.

"I'm not sure. I've never really thought about these things before," Pyrrha said. "Always so focused on training. And strategy."

"I'm pretty familiar with politics," Shine said. "It's a losing game no matter what you do, but there are ethical decisions nevertheless. I feel Atlas is protecting itself but cutting off the legs it stands on by not supplying its allies with dust. No one is invincible, and if Atlas gets in trouble, it will regret not having better armed people to come assist it. Same with keeping all the planes close to it. You can't crawl in your shell like a turtle and hope to overcome your adversaries. You just wait out the storm that way...and if it goes on too long, you die."

"Putting it that way, it seems like the answer is obvious," Pyrrha said. "Do you think talking to the General about it would help?"

"I can't say. I've not managed to piss him off in 24 hours, so I could certainly get started on that." Shine put her shoes on. "But I thought I'd have breakfast first and find out more about Atlas before I go right to war with the Headmaster."

"I...can't tell if you're joking," Pyrrha said.

"Hey, are you guys coming or not?" Nora opened the door without knocking either.

Shine jumped and then frowned at her. "Do any of you knock?"

"What does it matter? We're girls." Nora waved her hand.

"We didn't know that," Shine said.

"Whatever. The rest of us are ready to go. Come on, we're going to get our weapons modified by Pietro. Pyrrha, it's the perfect time to get yours back up to snuff."

"I'd really like something more like my old one." Pyrrha lifted up her sword. "I've outgrown this one, I think."

"Perfect," Nora said. "And while we were waiting, we were going to go get new clothes and stuff. And eat, of course. So let's go!"