3rd Person POV
Argus Base
"You heard it right, Cyril," a pale-skinned woman with gold-brownish eyes and white hair with purple hues reported as Sincline, Ironwood, Saphron, and the remaining Ace Ops watched the main screen of the control room. "Late last night, at exactly twelve o'clock, Schnee Manor was assaulted. The exact details are currently unknown, but Jacque Schnee, head of the SDC, was found dead in his dining room. His wife, Willow Schnee, and their son, Whitely Schnee, have been reported missing. According to the staff, the Ace Ops and what seemed to be an experimental Atlesian fighter were sighted at the beginning of the assault. Atlas is yet to confirm or deny any involvement. Now, onto the White Fang—"
Ironwood pressed a button, and the screen turned off, leaving the room in silence. I'm not sure what surprises me more, he thought. The fact that they pulled it off... or that we're getting semi-accurate press for once. But now that it was done...
"Well, it didn't take long for the sharks to smell blood," Marrow commented, resting his elbows on the back of one of the command chairs. In all honesty, he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that Jacque Schnee, arguably the most powerful source of Faunus discrimination in the world, was finally gone. If this doesn't make Sincline the White Fang's best friend, I don't know what will, the canine Faunus thought in amusement. Either way, Jacque's death would go a long way toward mending human and Faunus relations.
"At least they're not against u—" Harriet started, only for Sincline to clap a hand over her mouth, cutting her off.
"Don't jinx it!" he yelped, recalling the ominous warnings Yang had given him. "If you do, the universe will make it happen!" And not in a good way, he thought, shivering as he remembered several examples Yang and Blake had given him.
For a long moment, all three Ace Ops, Ironwood, and Saphron stared at Sincline in bewilderment... and that's when they remembered that he wasn't from Remnant, no matter how normal he seemed at times.
"Don't worry," Clover assured, fighting back a snicker at the death glare Harriet was giving him and Marrow. "My semblance is good fortune. We'll be alright."
Sincline blinked, tilting his head... and ignoring the strange wet feeling on his palm. "Good fortune?" he asked, missing the incredulous look in Harriet's eyes.
"It's a passive semblance," Clover explained. "It allows me to manipulate probability positively. Unfortunately, it only gives me good luck, so...." He trailed off, but they all knew what he was thinking.
"I guess we all got the benefit of your semblance this time around," Marrow commented, Sincline nodding in agreement... and that's when the mech-turned-human felt a tap on his shoulder.
Blinking in surprise, he turned back to Harriet... who had her hands on her hips and was tapping her foot impatiently. As soon as she had his attention, she pointed at her mouth... which was still covered by Sincline's hand.
"Oh... sorry," he apologized and quickly removed it.
Harriet glared at him for a long moment... then sighed. "It's fine... you can make it up to me with a spar later," she offered, punching her fists together and earning a sweatdrop from Ironwood, Clover, and Saphron.
Marrow just shook his head, a brief smile crossing his features. The others might not have noticed, but the canine Faunus knew Harriet had been far more distraught than she had let on over the last few days. It's nice to see her actually smile instead of faking it, he thought. You know? I think murdering Jacque Schnee was one of the best things we've ever done.
Briefly caught off guard, Sincline nodded and smiled. "Sounds like a plan," he replied. "It's been a while since I sparred with anyone who's not a Grimm."
Flashing him a smirk, Harriet punched him in the arm before joining Marrow... by leaning against his side with her hands behind her head. Blinking at her for a long moment, Marrow sighed and mentally resigned himself to being her backrest for the rest of the meeting.
"So... what now?" Saphron asked curiously, voicing the question they all wanted answered.
Ironwood hesitated... then sighed. "Willow and her son, Whitely, have gained full possession of the Manor and the SDC. Currently, Willow's been relocated to the main hospital and is set to undergo therapy and treatment for her alcoholism."
"What about Whitely?" Clover asked curiously.
"Given Jacque's impact on the rest of the family, I found it prudent that he undergo psychological testing and potential therapy like his mother," Ironwood replied, earning a nod from Clover. While Whitely may have... taken part in Weiss's mental abuse, he was still a child. "Winter... has yet to be informed, unless she learned of it in the broadcast just now."
"Then somebody should probably check on her," Sincline suggested, earning a nod from Saphron and the rest of the Ace Ops. If she's anything like Weiss... she's going to need someone there for her, he thought. While he was worried for his white-haired teammate, he knew that Ruby and Yang would be there for her if she had seen the broadcast. And if she hadn't... he'd tell her himself when he got back.
Ironwood nodded, pleased that someone was finally watching out for the Schnee sisters. "I've already sent a missive to her quarters," he affirmed. "I'll speak to her in person upon returning to Atlas."
Sincline nodded... and that's when he thought back to the Particle Barrier, the shortage of Dust, and Jacque's threat. "What about the SDC?" he asked. "Will it function without Jacque?"
Ironwood hesitated. "It will... but not like before. Jacque had contingencies in place so that, upon his demise, any and all Faunus working in his mines would be evicted from any and all homes 'lent to them' by the company."
At that, Harriet swore, and Marrow cursed while Clover gritted his teeth. "That little sh—"
"What else?" Sincline interrupted, preventing Clover from going off on a rant and stopping Harriet and Marrow from continuing theirs. I knew Jacque hated Faunus, but even from the grave? This is getting ridiculous, the mech-turned-human thought. As for the Faunus 'workers'... he had an idea.
"Luckily, Jacque left safeguards in place so that the rest of the company could continue to run for another year," Ironwood went on, unaware of Sincline's thoughts. "It won't last long... not without someone heading the SDC."
The mech-turned-human nodded, mulling the problem over again and again as he tried to figure out the best solution. "I see... who's qualified to lead the company?" he asked. "Weiss is still the Heiress, but... she's only 17. She's not of age.... And I don't think she's ready nor willing. Not yet." Especially after our shared... excursion. I know she wants to change the company's reputation, but..., Sincline thought. Willow's going to be in therapy for the foreseeable future, and the last thing we need is Jacque the 2nd taking over.... Winter could have been an option, but Weiss had told him how she had essentially abandoned the SDC in favor of joining the Atlesian military.
Ironwood nodded. "I agree... which is why I have the perfect candidate in mind." Crossing to the main counsel, he entered something and pulled up an image of a blond-haired woman with violet eyes. "This is Robyn Hill, a Mantle politician and current candidate for the Atlesian Council," he introduced, ignoring several gasps of surprise from the Ace Ops and a spit-take from Saphron... who had chosen that moment to drink a glass of water. "Atlas Academy graduate and leader of the Happy Huntresses, an all-female Huntress team currently acting as a borderline vigilante political group. She was running against Jacque Schnee and, according to her supporters, aims to 'end my tyranny.' She's known as the 'Hometown Hero' of Mantle."
Sincline raised an eyebrow. "Your tyranny?"
Ironwood sighed. "Many in Atlas believe that, by bringing my fleet to Vale, I'm preparing to conquer the Kingdom," he stated, causing Sincline and Saphron to gape at him. "And as of late, I've been moving the appropriate resources to our borders in order to install a Particle Barrier to cover both Atlas and Mantle... something that has caused great suspicion among those who aren't in the know."
"Meaning everyone," Clover clarified.
"That... is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard," Saphron deadpanned, Sincline nodding in agreement. And that's coming from a girl who has six sisters and a baby brother, she thought, recalling many arguments she had had with the rest of her siblings when they were younger.
"On that we agree," Ironwood acknowledged and pulled up an image of three women beside Robyn. "The Happy Huntresses; her team from the Academy: Fiona Thyme, Joanna Greenleaf, and May Marigold. From our encounters with them, they'll likely assume that you're from Atlas and attack first before asking questions."
Sincline nodded... then glanced suspiciously at Clover, Harriet, and Marrow, who folded their arms and looked away, whistling 'innocently.' "These encounters... they wouldn't happen to have been between the Happy Huntresses and the Ace Ops, would they?" he asked. In that case, I can see how things could have 'gone to Hell' as Yang would say.
"Technically, it was Harriet's—" Marrow started... only to receive a hard elbow to the ribs courtesy of his female teammate while Clover snickered... earning him a hard stomp to the toes.
As Clover whimpered, clutching his offended foot, Sincline sighed. "Asked and answered." He turned to Ironwood. "Where is she now?" he asked. "Does she have a base, or...?" He trailed off, and Ironwood pressed a button, pulling up a map of Atlas.
"Right now, she frequents the city of Mantle, which lies below Atlas—"
"Wait, what? How on Remnant did we miss a floating city?" Sincline wondered... and that's when he remembered flying over a much larger area of sky than he should have after crossing the tip of a mountain. I must have been so focused on Weiss's former 'father' that I wasn't paying attention, he thought. I can't let that happen again.
Ironwood coughed into his fist. "Right..." How on Remnant did Sincline miss Atlas? he wondered... and that's when he remembered what exactly went down that night. Oh yeah... Jacque... shaking his head, he turned back to the map and pulled up a digitalized copy of Atlas. "Well, many years ago, before my time, and from what we understand of our records, Gravity Dust was used to elevate the entire city of Atlas above Mantle, giving us a tactical advantage over any Grimm or enemies who attacked us. Currently, the city houses the SDC, Atlas Academy, and most of our government."
"I see... then that explains why Robyn's situated in Mantle," Sincline mused, examining the map as he hacked into it and began scrolling through areas that Robyn was known to frequent, marking them in red and causing multiple red dots to appear on the digitalized map, much to the others' amazement. "From what I can assume, most of the high class and elite of Atlas's society are located in Atlas, leaving the poor and the Faunus down in Mantle... who would look to anyone providing a voice for them. They already know Robyn as the 'Hometown Hero,' so that means she's inspired support on a personal level... She likely has the support of the entire city, and possibly more in Atlas. Jacque might have been a contender by the loosest definition of the word, but with him out of the way, there's no one to oppose her... a surefire victory."
The room fell silent, and everyone stared at Sincline in bewilderment. "In all honesty," Ironwood said finally, perturbed that the thought had never crossed his mind, "I never thought of it like that." He's much smarter than he lets on, both tactically and politically. Then again, there wasn't that much difference between the two.
"I didn't understand half of that, but there's still something we need to know," Saphron pointed out, drawing everyone's attention to the blond-haired Arc. "If Robyn is against Ironwood, then wouldn't giving her temporary control of the SDC be a bad thing?"
Ironwood paused, considering. "In most cases, that would be a problem," he acknowledged. "However, until the election, I hold more influence and rank than she does, so a revolution is out of the question... less she wishes to start a fight she cannot hope to win." He wouldn't deny that Robyn had almost as much political power as he did, but he... he had the might of the Atlesian military on his side should things escalate. Hopefully, they won't, he thought. Conflict brought fear, and fear... brings the Grimm.
"Actually, we might have a chance to ally with her given what happened yesterday," Sincline pointed out, turning his gaze to the General. "Jacque was a mutual enemy between you two, and with him out of the way... Atlas will look to you, Ironwood, while Mantle will look to her. If we want to prevent any bloodshed, the people need to see that their 'heroes' are on the same side. From what you've told me, it seems like Robyn stands for three things: equality between the Faunus and humans, peace between Atlas and Mantle, and independence. If we ally with her, it'll go a long way to finally fixing the discrimination that Faunus face and many tensions between Atlas and Mantle.
"Lack of experience isn't anything to worry about either. From what we know about the Happy Huntresses," he tapped a button, pulling up a file on the screen, "they've been passing out Dust and food throughout Mantle to the lower classes, showing that they know how to handle the SDC in regard to Dust distribution. She also knows her politics, given her success, so there's no doubt that she can support herself and the SDC politically."
"Even so, there's no guarantee that she'll accept to work with us," Ironwood pointed out. "She might say 'no.'"
"She won't," Sincline replied. "We're essentially renting the SDC to her until Weiss is ready, which will give her control over Remnant's most important ecological trade and resource. It'll also strengthen her position for the election and, if we're the ones to make the first move, offer an alliance that will keep Atlas from tearing Mantle apart. She's their 'Hometown Hero,' so she'll want to protect them... and what better way to accomplish that than by allying with the greatest military power on Remnant? Not to mention it'll make it easier on her teammate."
Marrow and Saphron blinked. "Huh?"
"Fiona Thyme," he explained, pulling up an image of Robyn's teammate. "She's a Faunus and, given her many sightings beside Robyn, likely close to her... especially if she's stayed by Robyn's side since leaving the Academy. If we give Robyn the chance to make things better for those closer to her, there's no doubt she'll jump at the opportunity. She might be doubtful, but since we're offering the SDC with little benefit to us except for peace between Atlas and Mantle... well, it's an easy decision." It's what he would do for Blake if he was in the same position, after all.
Everyone fell silent, once again staring at Sincline in bewilderment... and a slight amount of fear. Once again, I'm glad we're on the same side, Ironwood thought, eyeing the mech-turned-human uneasily. Sincline's strategy, albeit slightly manipulative, was essentially full proof. If he ever wanted to take control of the Kingdoms... he could likely do it overnight. Not for the first time was the General grateful that Sincline was... well... Sincline.
"That's all well and good, but that still leaves the question on who we're sending," Clover pointed out.
Sincline gave a wry smile. "Me."
Everyone blinked, and Saphron voiced what everyone else was thinking. "What?"
"Of all of us, I'm the one she's most likely to listen to," Sincline pointed out. "I'm not from Remnant, so I'm essentially a neutral political party, all things considered. The Ace Ops can't go because they'll likely start a firefight—"
Clover opened his mouth to protest... then, upon glancing at Harriet, closed it, conceding Sincline's point.
"—and between you and I, you're the only one capable of handling the backlash of Jacque's demise," Sincline went on... then decided to put the nail in the proverbial coffin as he addressed Ironwood. "That... and I'm the only one who can get to Atlas before politics shift in anyone's direction." Energy flashed at the edges of his eyes, and everyone thought back to how Sincline had brought the Ace Ops to Schnee Manor within a minute, a journey that would have taken a regular Bullhead a week of travel at full speed.
"That would make sense," Ironwood mused. "So... you're going to negotiate with Robin while I handle the politics here?"
Sincline shrugged.
Ironwood sighed, and Saphron spoke up. "You sure about this?" she checked worriedly. "I mean, you just finished with an Alpha Leviathan and Jacque Schnee. Can't you take a break?"
Sincline tilted his head, honestly confused. "Why would I do that?"
Saphron opened her mouth... then closed it, glancing at Ironwood and the Ace Ops for help. They just shrugged, and she sighed. "Just... never mind.
"How long do you think it'll take you to negotiate with Robyn?" Ironwood asked.
Sincline shrugged. "Dunno. But if I had to guess... probably a few hours?"
Everyone stared at him, and Harriet sighed, rubbing her forehead with her thumb and forefinger. "Just... just get going so we can put this nightmare behind us, alright?"
Sincline tensed, his mind flashing back to a certain white-haired woman with blue glasses... then he shook his head, quickly regaining control of his features as he gave them a reassuring grin. "Don't worry. She's probably not as terrifying as an Alpha Leviathan." Or Nora on a sugar high, he thought, shivering as he recalled that incident.
Opening a window, Sincline jumped out and, flipping through the air, summoned his armor. He jackknifed; his thrusters ignited, and he burst forward, ripping through the sky as a streak of energy trailed behind him.
"...at least he opened the window before he used it," Ironwood muttered, recalling how a certain avian-themed Huntsman insisted on breaking something whenever he made an entrance.
"You really think he can convince her?" Harriet asked skeptically. She had no doubt he was a capable fighter and strategist, but against Robyn....
"We didn't think he could take down an Alpha Leviathan or Jacque Schnee, and he did both of those," Marrow pointed out, Saphron nodding in agreement. "Besides," he added cheekily. "I'm pretty sure you're just mad that he'll actually succeed where we fail—ow!"
With Sincline
"Can you promise me something?"
"Anything."
"If he... if he won't, can you... Can you make sure he won't hurt us? Please Sincline. Just... please... I—"
I did it, Weiss, Sincline thought, glancing at the clouds passing beneath him as night gave way to day. Looking down at his hand, he clenched his fist, watching as sparks spilled across his palm as his talons grated together. I should probably let her and Ruby know what's going on... no. This is something that needs to be said in person.
Shaking his head, he pulled up a map of Remnant on his HUD and gauged his position. Looks like I was right. It'd take over a week for any of Ironwood's ships to make the same trip... and that's assuming they had enough fuel to keeping moving at max speed. Already, he had passed the mountain range he and Maria had flown over on the way to Argus, and he was currently racing above the treetops, the wind from his passage creating what seemed to be a miniature snowstorm in his wake.
All I have to do is retrace my path to Schnee Manor, and I'll arrive at Atlas, the mech-turned-human thought. He probably could have warped straight there, but... he needed a few seconds to think about what he should do. With Clover's luck, I'd be able to meet Robyn on neutral ground, he thought. But with my luck....
Shaking his head, Sincline bent his knees. Energy gathered; his thrusters flared, and he burst forward, tearing across the sky as flame-like energy trailed from the edges of his eyes.
One Minute Later
Spiraling over the crest of a mountaintop, the rising sun glinting off his armor, Sincline raised his head and got his first real look at the Kingdom of Atlas. A large metropolitan city sitting atop a floating island above Mantle was the first thing he saw. The city was advanced, with many towers and skyscrapers of various sizes easily visible to the mech-turned-human. There were several panels on the underside of the city, and what he assumed was the Academy formed the center. There was also a massive hill to one side, and he could vaguely make out the large split that had decimated Schnee Manor's courtyard. At the bottom of the floating city, Sincline could make out a massive, crescent-shaped airport and distant farmlands just outside the city's borders.
Mantle, however, had a much different look. Located on the edge of the giant crater that had previously held Atlas, the city was connected to the floating island via various metal tethers... kind of like that movie that Sincline had seen with Yang a while back. The majority of the city was dense and industrial, with a wall lining the outer edge. A gray fog covered the city, and many signs and billboards hung on the tall buildings.
However, the main thing that caught the mech-turned-human's attention was the crater, or rather, its contents. Lined with trains and mining gear, he saw many run-down buildings and tents with tattered clothes littered in a yard full of crates labeled 'Mantle Shipping Co.' Those must be the Slums, he thought, taking notice of how the city was structured. It looked like his initial assessment was correct: the high-class and elite lived in Atlas; the middle class occupied Mantle, and the Faunus survived in the Slums. So this is the 'greatest Kingdom on Remnant,' Sincline mused. Quaint.
He turned his head toward the crater, and his eyes narrowed. His HUD flickered, and his vision zoomed in on the center of the Slums where a large tent rose prominently above the others... one with a distinct bird emblem. That must be Robyn's headquarters, he realized and pulled up the map of locations often frequented by Robyn... well, according to Atlesian reports anyway.
Now... if I were someone fighting against the 'tyranny' of Ironwood, where would I be? Sincline wondered, scanning both cities. Hacking the cameras and brushing through the firewalls, he ran a quick search for anyone matching the descriptions of his quarries. It looks like she hasn't frequented her tent in the past few days, and she's not in either of the cities... she must be in the surrounding area, Sincline mused. But why?
Just then, a brief memory flashed across his mind... something that Ironwood had said prior to Sincline leaving for Atlas.
"—as of late, I've been moving the appropriate resources to our borders in order to install a Particle Barrier to cover both Atlas and Mantle... something that has caused great suspicion among those who aren't in the know."
If she's outside the city... and Ironwood's moving supplies to begin constructing a Particle Barrier... Quickly pulling out of the security cameras, Sincline hacked into the main government database, dodged several anti-hacker wards, and accessed the mainframe connected to all ground-based vehicles shipping material outside of Atlas.
Looks like there're three currently making the trek to the borders, he thought. North, Southeast, and Southwest... the only question is which one Robyn would target—
Just then, he picked up a transmission coming from the North-bound vehicle and quickly intercepted it. Blocking the connection to Atlas's mainframe, he opened the channel.
"—any Atlesian forces in the area, we require immediate backup," an officer's voice requested. "Our route is currently blocked by Robyn Hill and her supporters. We need assistance."
"...well, that takes care of that, I suppose," Sincline muttered. Not the most ideal setting for a first impression, but... not the worst. At least it's workable. Shaking his head, he pinpointed the source of the communication and activated his thrusters.
A flash of light, and Sincline burst forward, ripping through the air as he increased his elevation to that of the clouds, his sensors easily taking care of visibility issues. So, Robyn takes a hands-on approach instead of sitting back and letting subordinates take care of things for her, he mused. It reminded him of one of Lotor's better attributes—a leader who fought beside his Generals... or in this case, teammates.
A flicker of sunlight on metal caught his attention, and he stopped, gazing down at where an armored truck was halted in the middle of the road at the entrance to a large pass... which was blocked by several grates of metal.
Well, well... looks like we've got ourselves a standoff, Sincline thought in amusement, recalling a line from one of Blake's books as a team of Atlesian soldiers and drones faced off against a pair of women... familiar women.
That must be Robyn, Sincline thought, staring down at a young woman with tanned skin and violet eyes, her light-blond hair tied back in a ponytail. She had a beauty mark under her right eye and another one on the left side below her mouth. She wore a black, sleeveless coat with gray accents over a red, double-breasted sleeveless vest, a brown high neck shirt, and a light gray, short-sleeved shirt with the right sleeve shortened under a black cuff. She also wore a brown-belted waist clincher with matching brown pants tucked into black, knee-high boots with dark brown cuffs. Around her neck, she had an olive-green scarf with tattered looking tails hanging behind her and a pair of black archery-styled gloves with missing indexes adorning both hands.
And the other... Sincline's eyes narrowed as he gauged a sheep Faunus with short, messy white hair and olive eyes. A small hoop earring adorned her left ear, and a small bead adorned her right. She wore an olive-green sleeveless coat with dark brown lapels and the Happy Huntresses Brooch on the left. She sported a green long-sleeved shirt with a white, orange-trimmed breastplate over it. She also wore an orange belt, which held her coat tightly around her waist and dark brown pants tucked into gray boots with the tops folded over to reveal the white lining. The soles and toes of the boots were a darker gray. She also wore dark fingerless gloves accompanied by white and gray leather pads with the left covering up to her upper arm while the right partially shielded her forearm.
...that must be Fiona Thyme, Robyn's second in command, Sincline thought. Her Faunus friend and teammate... jackpot.
The Atlesian soldiers looked exactly like those he had seen in Vale and Argus, and the drones... I guess Ironwood finally finished the updated model, Sincline thought... and that's when he became aware of an anomaly on his scanners. That's strange, he thought, his eyes narrowing. I'm picking up two more signatures behind the transport... yet I don't see anyone.
He shook his head. He could deal with that later. If the tensions between Robyn's and Ironwood's forces are as bad as I think, there'll be bloodshed unless one side folds. Honestly, he couldn't see that happening. The soldiers were likely blinded by their loyalty to Ironwood, and Robyn didn't seem like the type to back down from what he'd heard.
"Time to introduce myself," Sincline muttered. His thrusters flared; his eyes flashed, and he ripped through the clouds, energy crackling around his talons as he set his sights on the group below.
Several Minutes Earlier
"Alright ladies, it's time to show them our teeth," Robyn murmured, snow crunching beneath her heel as her violet eyes narrowed. Up ahead, she could see the Atlesian Transport slowing roughly three dozen yards away from them.
With a hiss of steam, the truck stopped, and several Atlesian soldiers stepped out, a quartet of drones following with their rifles aimed toward the ground.
"Well, if it isn't Mantle's hometown hero," the leader, a young man with black hair and ice blue eyes greeted conversationally, well aware that he was treading on thin ice. Clad in an Atlesian specialist uniform consisting of a white sleeveless double-breasted coat with red and blue accents and twin tails, he also wore blue pants and black fingerless gloves along with black calf-high boots with four dark blue straps and silver steel toe plating. "Is there a reason you're blocking an official military transport or is it 'women's intuition,' Robyn?"
"Warrin Edur," Robyn commented, resting a hand on her hip. "I'm so glad you're here. Maybe you can help me understand why this truck of yours, that's supposed to be taking construction materials to fix Mantle's outer wall, is on its way to the middle of nowhere?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Are you lost?"
Warrin chuckled. "It's pretty easy to get turned around these days," he replied, gesturing around them at the endless expanse of white for emphasis. "Everything looks the same: white, cold, and completely unhospitable. Glad you're keeping tabs on me."
Robyn's lips twitched ever so slightly into a smirk. "I have no more reason to keep an eye on you as I do anyone else these days, Warrin," she replied.
He chuckled. "Sure, Robyn. Sure. Well, if that's all you wanted, we should be getting on our way. Gotta on-time rep to preserve, y'know?" He turned to leave, motioning for the others to do the same... and Robyn sighed.
"I was really hoping you'd play it straight with me, Edur," she said, causing him to freeze. "What's Ironwood doing at the Kingdom's borders?"
Silently, Warrin cursed. Of all the people in Remnant, why did it have to be her we run into, he wondered. He had hoped he could get away with some of their usual byplay and banter, but now... Quickly putting a smile on his face, he turned back to face her. "Oh, that. Just an... experiment of sorts. Checking up on a new military project is all." Its existence was supposed to be a secret... so, naturally, everyone knew.
"Uh huh... and said experiment requires you to move half the Hard light Dust in Atlas to the Kingdom's borders?" Robyn asked skeptically. "Invaluable resources we need in Mantle to protect against Grimm." Her voice turned hard as ice. "Seems like more than just a 'check-up.'"
One of the soldiers beside him flicked the safety off her rifle, but Warrin held up a hand, stopping her. "Look, as much as I'd love to, I can't reveal anything more than I already have," he said honestly. "You've been scoping it out, so you can probably guess at what we're doing." This was Robyn he was talking to. If anyone could figure it out, it was her.
"You know me all too well," Robyn said dryly. "We can't last against the Grimm without the supplies on these trucks. I think Mantle deserves to know what they're being used for." She stepped forward, her eyes locking with his. "It doesn't have to be difficult. Just... tell me." She held out a hand.
A heavy silence fell, both aware of the rising tension as a gust of icy wind filled the air.
Warrin stared at her for a long moment... then sighed, shaking his head. "I can't Robyn. I'm sorry."
"Hmm..." Staring at him for a long moment, Robyn lowered her hand. "So. You really don't want to tell me why Mantle's being put at risk for Ironwood's pet project?"
"I can't tell you," Warrin repeated, one hand drifting to his side. "Please... let us pass."
"I think you've misjudged the situation," Robyn stated as Fiona activated her weapon: two magazine-fed crossbows with bladed arms, a bayonet at the tip, and a staff connecting them. "One way or another, these supplies are going to get where they're supposed to go."
The soldiers raised their weapons, and the drones did the same, the hum of charging Dust filling the air. "Hold fire!" Warrin ordered, and his group froze. Satisfied that there wouldn't be any firing, at least from his side, he turned his gaze back to his former classmate. "Look, we both know something or someone took out Jacque Schnee last night. No one knows how or why, but it doesn't change the fact that no one can oppose you now. You're bound to get elected, and once you are... then you can do what you want for Mantle." Truthfully, he would love nothing more than to lend her the supplies... but he couldn't go against Ironwood's orders. Not when the General had informed the Ace-in-training about what the project entailed.
Robyn stared at him for a long moment... and her lips twitched into a smirk Warrin was all too familiar with. "Now where's the fun in that?"
The tension rose... and a brilliant beam of energy sliced through the ground between them. For a moment, there was silence... and then the glowing line exploded, the force of the shockwave throwing both sides back as a geyser of snow and debris erupted between them, many losing their grips on their weapons.
"What in Oum's name was that?" Fiona asked in alarm, pushing herself up as the Atlesian soldiers and drones on the opposite side of the trench did the same.
Warrin opened his mouth to reply... and that's when a series of ominous mechanical clicks filled the air alongside a low, unearthly hum. All eyes fell to the center of the rising smoke, and their eyes widened as they found a tall figure standing at the end of the trench between the two groups, flecks of snow slowly settling around him as sunlight glanced off the newcomer's wraith-like armor.
Sincline's eyes flashed, sending shivers down the two group's spines as an aura of pure, ancient, unrestrained power filled the tundra.
"Hello there."