"You all get that?" Shine asked, once she was sure they'd left Ironwood behind.
"Yep..." Jaune shook his head.
"Winter is arresting Marrow," Weiss said.
Pyrrha shot her a look. "She's saving him."
Winter pulled out her scroll again. "Did you all hear that?"
"Yes," Shine said.
"I hope you have an idea," Winter said. "Because mine pretty much ended there. Other than, we're going to get help. I think you know who I mean."
"I'm confused," Fria said sleepily.
Winter sighed.
"Okay," Shine said. "Wally should be there too, somewhere."
"Him? He got caught earlier," Winter said. "Did I never mention that?...he was trying to get into the base. He's in there too."
"If he's in there than the only reason they stayed there was because they chose to," Shine said with such confidence that the others wondered how often Wally did jailbreaks.
"In any case, that's all we can do," Winter said. "It won't take long either for the General to figure this out. You have less than 49 minutes now."
"I think we may be able to come up with something," Shine said. "Whitley, that ship almost here yet?"
Whitley had joined them finally.
"Should be..." he glanced toward the window. "Ah, yes, there it is."
"It's about a five minute flight right?" Shine said. "That gives us like half an hour to figure this out. Wish us luck, Winter. Be on standby."
"You'll need more than luck," Winter said. She hung up.
* * *
In fact, Wally had gotten himself arrested on purpose. It was about an hour and a half ago now.
He'd realized that he couldn't get into the jail without ID unless he broke all the doors, which would send off some kind of alert.
So his other option, he figured, was to get himself thrown in there, and then break them out when it was the right moment, and just run for it.
So he loudly banged around downstairs for a few minutes till the security came for him and the Ace Ops identified him as one of Qrow's friends, so he got tossed in with them.
Qrow and Robyn had spent all this time either trying to lighten the mood (Robyn) or saying they should kill Ironwood (Qrow), while Jacques told them to shut up.
Watts had been put back finally, but he seemed like he was in too good a mood.
"Well, who do we have here?" he said, when Wally was tossed into a cell. "I don't recognize this one."
"Mr. West?" Robyn almost leaned on her plasma wall. "You were the last person I expected they'd catch...get it, because he's fast?"
Jacques rolled his eyes.
"Ha," Qrow said sarcastically. "West, you numbskull, what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you, of course," Wally rubbed his wrists from the cuffs. "And I found you, see, I'm good at it."
"Uh, in case you missed it, stud, you're in here too," Robyn said. "Your little woman won't be happy about that, will she?"
"Oh it's cool, Shine's been thrown in prison like half a dozen times," Wally said nonchalantly. "She knows I can handle this with dignity...there aren't any bathrooms in here."
"A fact that has become increasingly difficult to handle," Robyn said archly.
"Ew," Wally said. "I mean I guess if you were a guy you could just--"
"Stop!" Jacques covered his ears. "The vulgarity!"
"I think these are suppose to be short term holding cells," Qrow said. "But we've not been moved to somewhere more permanent yet. I think they forgot about us."
"No biggie," Wally said. "We just need to pick the right time to escape."
Watts laughed. "You think it's that easy?"
"Uh...yeah?" Wally said. "I mean...these plasma walls? Aren't they really easy to overload? You just need enough friction," he began rubbing his hands together. "Get some static going and bam, presto!"
"I didn't understand that," Robyn said. "But there is the little issue of the guards waiting outside, Slugger."
"Oh come on, they'd never catch me," Wally said.
"And yet you're in here," Qrow said.
"I let them catch me," Wally said. "Figured it was the fastest way to find you...you know, without bringing the whole place down anyway."
Robyn arched an eyebrow. "I can't tell whether you're arrogant and weak, or overpowered and humble."
"Well, the Speed Force is pretty powerful," Wally said. "So the second one maybe?"
"Emphasis on the humble part," Qrow said flatly. "I don't suppose you have news about what's going on out there?"
"Oh sure, Oscar blew up a whale grimm thing," Wally said. "And we got some new recruits..." he glanced at Watts. "Not to name any names in front of the non-team members, but you know. Now they're just worried about stopping this whole uni-bombing thing that Ironwood's about to do. Major terrorist vibe from that. You want to fill me in on how you guys landed here?"
"Framed for murder," Robyn said.
"I'm sorry to hear about that," Wally said. "Clover, right? He was... a little hard to understand, but he seemed like a nice guy."
Qrow looked down.
"I hate it when I lose teammates," Wally sighed. "But this isn't the answer, imprisoning the wrong person...bad news, by the way, Tyrian left. He's going to Vacuo..."
"Vacuo?" Robyn said. "How...big is this plot?" she glanced at Watts.
"Oh, I imagine it's vastly more complicated that you would be able to comprehend, my dear," he said sardonically.
"What are you people up to?" Qrow demanded. "And what's in it for you anyway?"
"Good question, dude," Wally said. "What is in it for you? Don't you know the psycho witch is going to destroy the world.'"
"That's what you primitive mouthbreathers think." Watts said.
"Nuh uh, dude , it's all in the magic genie thing," Wally said. "Salem just wants to blow up the world so the gods will kill her or something like that. Not that it'll work, because duh, why would they start making smart decisions now, am I right? But she's gonna try, you guys are all just her pawns."
"You think I'll believe anything you say?" Watts sniffed.
"Why do you work for her?" Robyn rubbed her hands. "Even if he was lying, isn't she out to destroy all the kingdoms? What's possibly in it for you?"
"Recognition," Watts said. "A place in her new world order as a ruler...finally getting acknowledged for the brilliant man I am."
"You sound like Scar from the Lion King," Wally said.
"I...what?" Watts clearly wasn't used to that kind of responding to his declaration.
"'🎶A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer," Wally sing songed. "Where do we fit in? Just listen to to teacher....will all be rewarded and seen for the wonder I am!.. So Be prepared for sensational news🎵'...yeah, that's totally you, man. Now I see what Shine meant about movies being a good way to study up. You guys are just unreal."
He didn't say unreal like it was a compliment.
[Of course it exists--courtesy a la Tyrian Protection Squad, no I can't fathom that name.]
"I have no clue what he's on about," Robyn said. "But you're definitely insane."
"Oh please," Watts said. "I have to thank you, Miss Hill, we couldn't have done this withot you."
"What?" Robyn said warily.
"Why yes," Watts said. "If you hadn't pushed so fervently against Atlas, it wouldn't have been so easy to convince everyone that they'd shut you up by force...and then they actually did try. And did you stop then? No, just kept on digging your own grave. I've been meaning to commend, you, such willful, blind stupidity is a rare find these days, you remind me a bit of one of my coworkers, Cinder--such a pain, that one."
It was ironic that right at that moment, someone blasted a hole into the wall with fire.
Somehow none of them got hit.
Wally ducked. When he looked up, he saw Cinder herself--walking in and up to Watts, who's cell was decimated.
She plucked him up like a dog over her shoulders.
"Time to get out," she said. "Not my first choice but Salem's orders. Let's go get the Maiden."
"With pleasure," Watts said cheerfully. "Well, ta ta, all of you, you're probably dead now anyway."
Cinder left with him.
"Guys?" Wally stood up.
A crow was sitting on the rubble, cawing.
Guards came rushing in to see what happened and Qrow popped out of bird form and knocked them out.
Robyn picked herself up out of what was left of her cell.
Jacques' cell was still intact, and Wally's but he casually overloaded his cell walls and they shut down.
Robyn punched one guard and that was the end of that.
"Well...that was easy," she said.
"Hello?" Jacques said. "What about me?"
"Why would we help you?" Robyn said.
"I don't know, if we have to leave Atlas, shouldn't we bring him?" Wally said.
"He's dead-weight right now," Qrow said. "I say we go up there, get to Ironwood, and end this."
"I see you're as short sighted as usual," Winter's voice interrupted them.
They all turned.
She and Marrow were in the doorway, they had their weapons.
"Oh perfect, now we don't have to find you," Robyn made a fist.
Winter raised an eyebrow, then she nodded at Marrow.
He tossed Robyn her crossbow.
"What?" Robyn said.
Winter produced Qrow's scythe and held it out.
"What is this?" Qrow said, like it might be booby trapped.
"We don't have a lot of time," Winter said. "Mr. West? Why are you here?"
"I got myself thrown in," Wally said. "I thought I'd have to bust these guys out alone, but Cinder just blasted in here, took Watts, and broomed out. Now you're helping? What did we miss?"
"Plenty, and sadly, not much," Winter said.
"Wait, are you two going rogue?" Robyn said, with grudging respect. "You are, aren't you? Wow...I never thought I'd see an Ace Op and the prized Lieutenant do that."
"We're not going rogue," Marrow said. "The General has lost his mind! He's willing to blow up Mantle just to get the kids to turn over the Maiden, I'm out."
"Good on you, Wags," Robyn smiled. "I mean, it's long overdue, but at this point, it's just nice to hear that anyone has an ounce of sanity on that crew."
"Wow, Winter, I'm impressed." Wally said. "Shine said you were a rebel at heart, but this is going pretty far in two days."
"Please never say either of those things ever again," Winter said. "At least she had the decency not to gloat...I've contacted your team already, they are trying to develop a plan, we have limited resources but with the three of you we'll have a few more options, if you're up to a fight."
"Any time," Qrow said. "Especially now, but this is...weird."
Winter cringed. "I prefer not to think about it."
"But before we rush off to fight Ironwood," Wally said. "I have to ask, what about Watts? No way he and Cinder are not off doing something nefarious."
"Did you really just use the word nefarious?" Robyn said. "Geez, are we in a comic strip?"
"Well, I am a superhero," Wally said.
Robyn though that was a joke, but didn't get why he was making it. So she shrugged it off.
"Did they...say anything before they left?" Winter frowned. "I have it on authority that Callows has already fled to Vacuo?"
"That's true." Qrow was mad.
"The innocent don't run," Winter reminded him. "I'm not surprised. But that means trouble waiting there also."
"Yeah, Shine did say that," Wally forgot that they weren't up to date on this. "But she wasn't sure what it was exactly, who's in charge over there?"
"Headmaster Theodore is the only sort of commander," Qrow said. "Old friend...like Glynda...and yes, probably would also beat you up just as willingly. But he's okay."
"Are we sure of that?" Winter said. "As I've learned about Lionheart, I'm questioning if Ozpin can really trust any of his associates, or if we can, even if he does."
"Theo's a bit...rough, but I wouldn't consider him the cowardly type," Qrow said.
"But neither was Ironwood," Wally said. "And now look at him."
"Let's hope the plan's only just been set in action and isn't really that far yet," was Qrow's vote of confidence on that.
"So are we going to Vacuo?" Marrow asked.
"I want to save Mantle," Robyn said. "Not go to Vacuo..I suppose Atlas also, since everyone is doomed anyway."
"I don't think we can stay here, it's already staked out," Wally said. "Plus, it's like the worst terrain for a siege. Even if you guys could hold Salem off, you don't have farmland, or even water naturally, except for now, and this whole plan of lifting it into the atmosphere will cut off that too. You'd last weeks tops."
They all looked at him oddly.
"You...didn't come up with that on your own, did you," Marrow said.
"So Shine might have discussed part of it, so what?" Wally said. "I still remembered it. And hey, I understand how rationing works. Part of a very successful league, we handle crises all the time. You guys are sunk if you stay here."
"I have no idea how we'll escape this," Winter said. "The General already shot down the carriers from the SDC that were going to start evacuating people."
"What?" Qrow was getting angrier the more he heard. "That's not even an act of aggression, it's just helping the people."
"What is wrong with him?" Robyn said.
"My ships!" Jacques said.
They looked at him.
"Well, they are..." he looked down.
"It's too late to worry about it now," Winter said. "What about your abilities, West, can you or your partner get people out of here?"
"If I had something close to get them to," Wally said. "But even at my speed, there's just too many. Shine can't take that many people at once, those portals are really energy draining. I think at most we could get a few dozen or a hundred each, at least, before the bomb drops, literally."
"So that's out," Robyn put her hand to her head. "Then what?"
"Why am I not surprised to find you all so incompetent," a new voice said.
Qrow stiffened and looked.
Wally turned and Raven Branwen was stepping out of the hole Cinder had left in the wall.
"Raven!" Qrow went for his Scythe--right out of Winter's grasp, since he still hadn't taken it. "You've got a lot of nerve showing up here of all place, are you working with them again--?"
"Whoa dude, slow down," Wally grabbed his arms. "She's cool, she's with us. I mean, she's with me...sort of. Hey, lady, where have you been?"
"Around," Raven side stepped Qrow without another glance. "Your woman asked me to find Watts for her. Took me a while to realize he was already here. I was going to leave again, but then I just saw the person I thought I killed carry him off. Explain?"
"She survived," Wally shrugged.
"What's going on here--" Qrow began.
"Quiet, Branwen," Robyn said. "Who is this anyway? Your sister? She looks like your sister."
"She's no family of mine, we used to be twins," Qrow said.
"Huh?" Marrow didn't get that at all.
"This is the infamous Raven Branwen?" Winter eyed her. "How appropriately underwhelming."
"Oh look, Ironwood's pet dogs," Raven glanced at her and Marrow . "And...someone I've never heard of, so you can't be of much importance.'"
Robyn frowned at her.
"And Jacques Schnee? Being imprisoned...it's almost worth the flight over here to see this," Raven said.
"You've stolen my dust supplies," Jacques said angrily.
"Like I was the only one," Raven blew him off. "Anyway, West, right? I followed your targets a bit. I witnessed the most beautiful smackdown I've ever heard, and I got the message that they're after the Winter Maiden, not surprising. This enough intel for you?"
"I kind of knew that part," Wally said. "But how are they going to find her?"
"I got the idea they plan to have that puppet bring her," Raven said.
"Penny?" Winter said. "But Penny wouldn't do that."
"Watts hacked her, with some help from your boss--who I found even more disappointing than I expected," Raven said. "Anyway, apparently she's resisting."
She held up her scroll. "I recorded the whole exchange if you want it first hand."
"Oh sweet, that's perfect," Wally said. "Can you just send it to this number."
He held up his new scroll.
"I'm perplexed about what's going on," Winter said.
"Makes two of us," Qrow said. "I thought you were done with us, Raven."
"I am," Raven said. "Last I checked, these freaks don't work for you, right? I just worked out a little deal with them, I like to stay informed."
She held her up scroll. "And sent. Well, I've done my job."
"Cool...you have any idea how we could get out of here?" Wally asked.
"Short of jumping off the side off the cliff...you could actually use the fact that you have a maiden to your advantage," Raven said. "Wherever you're hiding the Winter one, by the way, you don't have a lot of time. I really thought you'd end up stuck with those powers," she glanced at Winter. "I mean, the General never had much imagination."
Winter frowned at her. "Why does she know about this?"
"Oh, you didn't tell her about me?" Raven said. "I guess you would be embarrassed."
She tilted her head. "I used to work for Ozpin...till I found out what a liar he was."
"Till you got scared off," Qrow said. "And turned your back on your family, and friends."
"And how has it worked out for you Qrow? A little bird told me, you found out Ozpin played you like the cheap kazoo you've always been," Raven said nastily. "Did it crush you to find out what I could have told you years ago? Or were you to busy being drunk to give a d---?"
Qrow stared at her.
For some reason that pissed Winter off...maybe because her mother had the same issue.
"Perhaps some of us don't abandon our duties just because the people we work with don't end up being all that we thought," she said tightly. "There is such a thing as moral responsibility."
Raven looked at her...but that was actually a pretty good burn...so she had no words.
Huffily, she turned. "Well you're all fools for trying...I'm going now."
"Wait a minute lady," Wally said. "Where did you see them?"
"On a building in Atlas, that way," Raven pointed.
"You think you could track them?" Wally asked. "Just till we have a better plan, so we're not caught off guard."
"And what do I get in return for this?" Raven said. "You haven't paid me for this much so far."
"Well, if we die, you won't get anything at all..." Wally said.
Pause.
"I thought you said you could do more than that," Raven said.
"Well, yeah, but we still need help," Wally said. "I mean, you've gotta survive till then, right? No one's got it all. I don't think we ever said we had it all."
"A convenient loophole," Raven huffed.
Then she tilted her head. "I saw Nikos, by the way...does Ironwood know about that? Does Ozpin?"
"I guess that's all stuff you'd find out if you stuck around to help," Wally said. "But like, why would I tell you now?"
"I'm not that curious," Raven said. "But can you do that with anyone?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm just going keep saying you'd find out if you stuck around," Wally said.
"Insufferable nuisance," Raven muttered to herself. "I'll think about it." She turned into a bird right in front of them and flew off.
"Did she just turn into a bird?" Robyn asked. "Wait, can the whole family do that?"
"When did you find out I could" Qrow said.
"You can do that?" Winter blinked.
"Geez, Winter ask questions," Wally said. "You need to train with people more. We've all known that for weeks."
"I only found out yesterday, actually," Robyn said. "But after the bit about Salem, it wasn't that hard to believe."
"I think it's kind of neat," Marrow said. "Also, who the heck was that scary woman?"
"You never heard of Raven Branwen?" Winter said. "How did I never make that connection before...The Bandit Leader."
"Wait...so your twin sister is the infamous bandit leader?" Marrow looked at Qrow. "That's so cool--I mean, that's...uh...weird." He looked embarrassed.
"So much for with the law," Robyn said. "I guess that doesn't mean a lot. I'm not above stealing, but a bandit tribe? Aren't they known for--"
"Being killers, yes," Qrow said. "Not nice people. Not like your little happy huntresses of helping people club."
"That was...demeaning beyond belief," Robyn said.
"Wait, Qrow were you a bandit too?" Marrow's eyes were huge.
"A long time ago..." Qrow stared out the hole. "Till I quit. Raven never really quit, just...took a break. Some people never change."
Winter looked at him strangely, then out the window. "Well...I've learned a lot of things this week that I wish I had more time to reflect on, I wish that was the strangest one, but we should watch the video."
"Yeah," Wally said, he frowned at his scroll. "How do you open messages on this thing?"
"Oh give me that," Winter snatched it out of his hand. "Have you never had one before?"
"Actually no, Shine's kind of got something like it but even hers is different, I have no clue how these things work," Wally said.
"Wow, how far outside the kingdom do you live?" Marrow shook his head.
"Pretty far out," Wally said weakly.
Winter opened the video file and turned up the volume.
Raven hadn't caught the whole thing, but it seemed like it picked up pretty close to the start of the dialogue:
Watts: In the Interim we need a plan.
Cinder: Plan? The plan hasn't changed. I'm going to rip the Maiden power out of whoever has it now, because you're going to use the robot to bring her to me.
Watts turned to look at her. "I beg your pardon?" He said warningly.
Cinder: You said in your message that you have control over Penny.
Watts: I said I had Penny "under control" not that I could telekinetically force her to do whatever I want.
Cinder: What? (in a warning tone.)
Watts: I implanted a virus in her, you dimwit. She's on a set path now. At least she should be. As much as I hate to admit it, there seems to be some part of her capable of resisting. Regardless, it's only a matter of time before her mechanical body succumbs to the virus. She'll open the vault, get the staff, and our little Penny problem will be done."
"Wait, does he think Penny has the powers?" Winter asked.
"Sounds like it," Wally said.
"Quiet," Qrow hissed.
"What do you mean she'll destroy herself?" Cinder grabbed Watts with her grimm arm.
Robyn hadn't seen it before, neither had Marrow, and they both felt sick.
"How am I supposed to take her power if she's dead?" Cinder raged.
It was admirable that Watts didn't flinch at this point, while being held aloft by the half grimm arm.
"You know it's impressive that you haven't realized this yet, but I don't work for you," he said contemptuously.
Cinder growled and pushed him over the edge, holding him just barely on the roof still.
"Please," Watts said. "You can't just threaten me like everyone else!"
Cinder walked up to him slowly. "You think you're so clever, don't you Arthur?"
"Salem sent you to bring me back," Watts struggled despite his big words.
"Salem isn't here right now," Cinder said menacingly, holding her hand up with fire in it. "But I think we can still come up with a plan while she's pulling herself together. First, I'm going to watch you plummet to an unremarkable end. And then I'm going to burn a path directly to the vault, where I will wait to tear that magical puppet to pieces and take what is mine."
She held Watts over the edge, maybe she thought he'd beg for mercy.
She sounded like a really psychotic toddler, but it was still scary--but Watts didn't seem scared.
Instead he started laughing, making her pause.
"Oh," he laughed. "Of course you are, because that's just what you do. Isn't it?"
Cinder looked at him strangely like she didn't know where this was going.
"And how has that worked out for you?" Watts went on, jeeringly. "You stormed into Fria's room thinking you can take on Ironwood's top fighter and war machine."
Winter raised an eyebrow at being labeled the top fighter
"But you couldn't," the scorn in Watt's tone was just unmatched. "And they took the Winter Maiden. Oh, and let's not forget your deal with Raven Branwen? Get all your enemies into one place, so you'd have a shot at revenge. If only someone could have warned you against such a miserable idea. Oh wait, I did!"
He put his hand up angrily.
"But you pushed ahead," he pointed at her. "And you lost it when all you had to do was your job."
Wind started swirling behind Cinder.
"You think you're entitled to everything just because you've suffered, but suffering isn't enough! You can't just be strong you have to be smart! You can't just be capable, you have to be worthy! But all you have ever been is a bloody migraine!" He yelled the last part.
[My sisters and I cheered so hard at this part. I changed one word from deserving to capable because deserving and worthy mean the same thing, so it made no sense. My sister says he used vicious mockery to save his own life. He rolled a nat 20 if you ask me.]
"Dang..." Robyn muttered.
Cinder screamed in rage--and then dropped Watts onto the roof, and then she walked to the edge and just sat down, looking actually pretty upset.
The video clip ended there.
The five of them exchanged a look.
"I'm sending that to Shine right now," Wally said. "Wow...that was great."
"Great?" Marrow said. "That was terrifying...she's horrible."
His tail drooped.
"Yeah...wow..." Robyn said, shuddering.
"Sadly, she's even worse in person," Winter rubbed her arm.
"By the way, that's the one who put the Fall Maiden into that coma," Qrow said. "I don't know this other guy."
"Watts...he's a doctor we all thought was dead," Winter said.
"I know who he is now, but I've never fought him, " Qrow said. "I guess Jimmy beat the crap out of him from the look though...didn't seem to take the edge off him."
"That is the most I've ever liked that guy," Wally sent Shine a message. "Geez, I've heard Shine smack people down like that, but usually not other villains. Dang."
"Yes, she's got quite the sharp tongue," Winter said. "I wish it didn't look as if she'd been right this entire time."
"That'll get you about her, " Wally said cheerfully. "I gave up trying to win an argument with her months ago after she proved that I didn't believe what I thought I did to my face. Was kind of scary."
"Even if she was wrong, she'd never admit it," Qrow said.
Wally looked up. "She would," he said. "But it's almost worse when she does."
Silence.
"Okay..." Robyn said. "Enough about her--Do we have a plan after that?"
"One thing about that," Qrow said. "I didn't know that the doc was in on the thing with Raven and not on board for it from the sound...that must have tickled her ego to hear."
Wally rubbed his head. "Well..."
His scroll pinged.
"Oh Shine answered...'That is the best thing I've ever seen him do! Oh my gosh I was dying watching this...also we need to act fast. Taking the maiden to the vault first is the only chance or Cinder will find her.'" He read aloud.
"That was a weird mix of being flippant and being pragmatic," Robyn said.
"That's pretty much her," Winter rolled her eyes. "But she may be right...but how are we to pull that off?
"The kids would have to get the maiden to the fault, while someone kept Jimmy busy," Qrow mused. "I hate to say it, but Raven's got a point about the relic...it can't stay here."
"Well yeah," Wally said. "If the relic stays then the maiden will just get cornered eventually by Salem and she'll end up with it, the relic and maiden both need to get the heck out of dodge--or Atlas. So...let's get out of here, and then call them and ask what the plan is."
"Yes, we can't stay here, the guards will wonder what happened." Winter said.
"We have to take them out right?" Robyn said. "This will be fun."
* * *
At the same time, the rest of the team at the mansion was discussing this information and what else they had to do.
"We have to go to the vault," Nora said. "No way around it."
"That's...actually a risk we haven't considered," Jaune said.
"Can Fria make it to the vault?" Pyrrha asked.
Shine considered.
"If we could insulate her maybe, and fly her there...we have to beat Cinder there too."
"And Penny can't capture her," Pyrrha said.
"I'm worried it's more than that," Penny said. "I keep thinking, maybe I'm supposed too...take the powers also."
"Can you even do that?" Ren asked.
"I have no idea," Penny said. "But if I could....the thing is, I can absorb aura, so it's possible...sort of like those machines."
"What?" Pyrrha said.
"How do you think I have my father's?" Penny said.
[Which was the most plausible explanation for how she could contain the maiden powers, not that she could actually inherit it. But not the one the show gave, so I don't give them a pass for it.]
Pyrrha turned pale.
"Oh...that makes sense," Jaune said.
"Pietro did tell us Ironwood was interested in his work..." Weiss realized. "Of course, sure...that's how they got it."
"I'm new to this," Whitley spoke up. "But that is just wrong."
"Right on," Shine nodded at him. "Why does everyone not see this as a problem?"
"My father willingly gave me his aura," Penny said. "But unwillingly taking someone's...I do not want to do this...but if I lose control..."
"And if you take it," Shine mused. "Then you can easily give it to whoever they want...so for them, it's a win -win..and you wouldn't have free will. That is despicable...I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually thought better of Ironwood than this. A new low even for him."
"Something tells me that Watts may have hid some of these details from him," Pyrrha said. "I remember hearing about him dying in that fire, I didn't remember his name though, I didn't think much of it at the time... It's so strange how things we don't think mattered come back to haunt us later."
"Welcome to my life!" Ozpin said inside Oscar's head.
"Okay..." Oscar said aloud. "We need more of a plan than this. But we need Ruby for that."
Shine nodded. "I'll go check on her and Yang," she said. "Keep brainstorming."