The Wild Geese: A RWBY Story

Chapter Forty Four - Ultimatum

After the Grimm attack on the Schnee Manor, Pip and his squad along with the rest of Ruby's group waited for the arrival of Yang's group. When they returned, a warm reunion occurred. But when they noticed Emerald, they became hostile. As they reached for their weapons, Oscar stepped in.

Oscar: No, she's okay. I can...

Suddenly, an emergency broadcast from the CCT. Everyone grabbed their Scrolls and tuned in to the broadcast to see Ironwood.

Ironwood(Broadcast): I have always promised to defend this Kingdom. Its technology, its future, from those who would see it destroyed. Our enemy is crippled, but one individual still denies Atlas its salvation. The Protector of Mantle. Penny, wherever you and your friends are, I need you all to listen. I know how much Mantle means to you, so I'm going to give you a choice. You can bring yourself to Atlas Academy and do your duty, help me save as much of Atlas as I can, and Mantle will be left to fend for itself. Or...you can all watch as I destroy it. I have one bomb. That's all it will take. If there is no Mantle then there is no reason for you not to work with me. Neither of us want it to come to that, but one of us is willing to do it. If anyone tries anything other than what I've ordered, Mantle... is gone. You have one hour to respond.

In that moment, everyone was stunned by Ironwood's ultimatum. It was clear that was willing to level Mantle in a misguided attempt to save Atlas.

Pip: That son of a bitch has lost his mind! 

Wild Geese Grunt: You think he'd really....nuke Mantle? 

Pip: At this point, I'd count on it. 

Blake: Qrow and Robyn are still in his custody, and May said that the Atlas security drones are watching the crater, so they're trapped too.

Oscar: And Salem isn't going to stay gone for much longer.

Ruby: Then it's impossible.

Emerald: See? If Miss Hero with all the answers doesn't have an answer, then we have ours.

In that moment, anger towards Emerald began to flare up. Oscar soon stepped in.

Oscar: Can we please just give each other a chance? Emerald's not with Salem anymore, and Ozpin is back. All of this doubt and worry and distrust, it isn't getting us anywhere.

Ruby: Then nothing has changed! We're in the exact same spot we were yesterday. Arguing what to do while the Kingdom waits to die.

As the gravity of the situation began to set in, Penny stepped in. She began to twitch as her eyes flickered from green to red.

Penny: I can no longer be delayed. I....I must open the Vault. I....I cannot....

Penny the drops to her knees as she began to twitch uncontrollably. After a moment, she gets back up.

Penny: I must open the Vault and self-terminate.

Pip: Don't even think about it, Penny! Nobody's dying if we can help it!

Penny: Please....kill me. Let the powers of the Winter Maiden go to one of you. I....I cannot stop it!

Nora: Yes you can! It's just a part of you, remember? If you were only a machine, you never could have fought back for this long.

Ruby: She's right... She's right! Jaune! Boost her Aura!

Jaune runs to Penny begins using his Semblance on her. Her eyes continue to flash, but it starts to slow down and eventually disappears. Penny sits still, shocked, but eventually gives Jaune a nod.

Emerald: I highly doubt you're in the same place you started. I-I mean, yeah, y-you guys have been getting your asses kicked, some of that my fault, but like, you're at war. You're gonna take hits. Look, I'm just going to be super pissed if you all finally decided to give up the moment I switch sides. 

Pip: Just don't get any funny ideas if you get any second thoughts. If you do, then you won't live to regret it. 

Oscar: If you all wouldn't mind, I really think Ozpin would like to say something.

Everyone silently looks at Ruby.

Ruby: Go ahead.

Oscar's eyes briefly flash gold, and Ozpin takes control.

Ozpin: I was recently reminded of an old fairy tale. A young girl flees the consequences of a choice, to a magical place. But, having never learned from her initial failure, she only succeeds in spreading it. I failed all of you. I should have trusted you with the truth and should never have run the day you discovered it.

Yang: It was rough, but...

Blake: I think after everything that's happened here, we understand. Trust is..

Weiss: Trust is a risk.

Ozpin: And I hope it's a risk you can take on me again.

Weiss: How are we supposed to fight Ironwood. Salem was hard enough, but General Ironwood has an army at his disposal.

Pip: You're right. Fighting Ironwood is damn near impossible. We're facing the might of the Atlas Military. Ironwood's threatening to turn Mantle into a crater, Qrow and Robyn are still in his custody, the Atlas security drones are watching the crater, and Penny has some kind of virus slowly killing her. Outgunned. Outnumbered. Out of our minds. This is a textbook suicide mission. But luckily for you, suicide missions is a specialty to me and my boys. The way we see it, this is just another mission for us. An infiltration mission with multiple objectives. And we've got the numbers for this kind of mission. 

Ruby: And how do we do that?

Pip: Something like this...

With that, Pip began laying the groundwork in a bold and daring plan to stop Ironwood before it's too late. However, the virus in Penny began to resurface. Penny was running out of time. Left with no other option, Penny would make her way to the Atlas Academy and turn herself in to Ironwood. But all was not as it seemed as a plan had been set in motion.