Y/N POV:
After getting "captured" by the Ace Ops and being moved to the back of a Van Airship while being handcuffed.
Ruby: Where do you think they're taking us?
Qrow: I'm gonna go with jail.
Jaune: I still can't believe that fishing pole guy took us out like it was nothing.
Weiss: Welcome to Atlas. Those were Ironwood's Ace Operatives.
???: Hmm? You guys had a run-in with the Ace-Ops? Ironwood must really have a bone to pick with you.
I look to see the unknown prisoner riding along with us.
Weiss: (rolling her eyes) They're not that big of a deal.
???: Not that big of a deal!? The Ace-Ops are the elite-of-elite military Huntsmen and Ironwood's personal attack dogs.
Nora: So they got you too, huh?
???: Pfft! I wouldn't let myself get caught by them. I'm here because I've been speaking out against Atlas' exploitation of Mantle, and General Ironwood is trying to silence me.
???: Forest of the rebellion!
Pilot: You threw a brick at her ship!
Forest: (proudly) It's worth it if it gets people talking about our cause!
Blake: "Our cause"?
Forest: Yes, the fight for better conditions in Mantle! Lead by the charismatic, talented, lovely Robyn Hill and her Happy Huntresses!
The pilot presses the button moving the window up to block us out.
As the strange guy starts yelling even louder so they can still hear him.
Forest: They were all top Atlas Academy graduates, who could've signed up for the military, but Robyn and the Huntresses chose to stay in Mantle.
Forest: She's gunning for a seat on the kingdom's council, and when she gets it, she's gonna put an end to Ironwood's tyranny!
Oscar: Happy... Huntresses?
Yang: Is that their real name?
Weiss: Don't you think "tyranny's" a little dramatic?
Forest: Easy to say for a Schnee heiress, living comfortably up in Atlas.
Weiss: (sighing sadly) Not anymore.
Ruby: Whoa, it's gorgeous up here!
Weiss: Don't let that fool you.
Forest: (looking at Weiss) Hm?
He gets up and looks outside.
Forest: This isn't the police station.
Qrow: It's... Atlas Academy.
Ruby: I guess we will be seeing the General. For better or worse.
We head to the academy and get escorted by the guards to an elevator.
Ren: So, what do we do?
Ruby: I don't know yet. But we should be careful with what we say.
The guards look back at us for a second before turning back around.
Blake: (quietly) We'll follow your lead, Ruby.
We reach her out of the elevator as the guards escort us down a flight of stairs to a room as Ironwood walks out speaking to someone else.
Ironwood: I swear if I have to sit through one more council meeting like that...
We continue on as Penny is the first to notice us.
Penny: Yay, you're here!
Winter and Ironwood turn to see us as Weiss walks ahead of us.
Weiss: Winter.
Their reunion is interrupted by Nora leaning in and waving her fingers.
Nora: Anyone wanna give us a hand with these?
Winter recomposes herself and glares at the guards.
Winter: You have ten seconds to take those off before I start hurting you.
Guards: (looking at each other in confusion) Huh?
They realize the situation and go to take everyone's cuff off as I just freeze and shatter mine.
Guard 1: Sorry!
Guard 2: Please, let us help you!
Guard 1: Forgive us!
The bolases fall to the floor, giving off a purple glow and retracting the ropes before emitting a beep noise.
Ironwood: Please, come in.
We follow him to his office.
Ironwood: It is so good to see all of you.
Yang: (massaging her wrist) Our reception didn't really convey that.
Ironwood: (sighs) I sincerely regret how you were treated by my team.
Qrow rolls his eyes with a small huff. Ironwood walks behind his desk to sit down, and Penny and Winter take positions standing at either side of the desk.
Ironwood: When a rogue airship entered our airspace, it raised some... red flags. We assumed the ship was stolen.
Ruby: Stolen?
She laughs awkwardly, before taking an apologetic tone.
Ruby: Okay, yeah, it was stolen.
His eyes widen in response but then he smiles and chuckles a little while Winter sees nothing funny about the ordeal.
Winter: You stole an Atlas airship?
Winter: What were you thinking!? You might've been shot down! How unbelievably irresponsib--
Weiss surprises her with a hug.
Weiss: I'm sorry I worried you. But we did what we had to do.
Winter: I...
She sighs and hugs back, calming down.
Winter: I suppose I understand.
She turns and glares at Qrow.
Winter: But I cannot believe that you allowed this to happen, Qrow.
Qrow: You try stopping these kids when they have their mind set on something.
Qrow: Speaking of which... (looking at Ironwood) We have some important information for you that's... confidential.
Penny: (moving beside Ironwood) Oh, is it about the Relics?
Winter: (moving to Ironwood's other side) Or perhaps the Winter Maiden?
Qrow: (surprised) You told them?
Ironwood: Hm.
He opens a drawer and takes out the Jinns Lamp that the Ace Ops took earlier.
Ironwood: Did you really think you were the only one who got to work on a new plan after Beacon? With Ozpin gone, I needed my own team of people I could trust. So yes, I told them.
Ironwood: The Ace-Ops too. Which is why I'm so glad you're here... with this. (gesturing to the Relic) Until now, I believed it was impossible to truly turn the tide against Salem.
Ironwood: Oz has pushed her back, has kept victory out of her claws, but she will keep returning stronger and stronger... unless we destroy her.
Ruby: But... what about the Atlas Relic?
Ironwood: You mean the Staff of Creation?
Penny: It's safe inside the Vault!
Qrow: And the Winter Maiden?
Winter: She is secure and in stable condition.
Yang: Stable condition? What does that--
Qrow: She's, uh, not exactly a spring chicken.
Ironwood: I know how this all looks. Recalling my military? The embargo? I probably don't seem the most trustworthy right now.
Blake: Then why continue it?
Nora: The people of Mantle are hurting!
Ironwood: I needed to ensure Salem couldn't infiltrate Atlas. And I wanted my military here, protecting my people.
Yang: But it's not protecting them! It's making everyone hate you.
Ironwood: It's a price I'm willing to pay.
He reaches over to a glowing panel of buttons and presses one as the table starts to emit light.
Ironwood: Just as you all have been entrusted with the knowledge of Salem's existence, I need you all to trust me. I have a plan.
Shutters come down outside the windows, darkening the room. A circle in the center of the floor bearing Atlas' emblem begins to rise up, as Ruby and Oscar to step off of it. As Ironwood talks and makes his way over to it, the circle continues to rise and transforms into a table.
Ironwood: Ozpin believed the best way to fight Salem was to do so in secret. Whether that was the right choice or not isn't for me to say. But we find ourselves in a position of needing, well, a new approach.
Qrow: And what do you suggest?
He grabs a remote and presses a button as a hologram of what looks like Amity Colosseum appears.
Jaune: That's... Amity Colosseum.
Qrow: Where the Vytal Festival is held?
Ironwood: Indeed. When Beacon fell and everyone on Remnant lost contact with one another, I knew our current system was outdated.
Ironwood: Amity was built to bring the nations together, and it will serve that purpose once again.
As he presses another button with a large antenna forming on the hologram.
Penny: Isn't it great? We're not going to just replace Beacon Tower. Building a new tower on top of Amity Colosseum will re-establish global communications!
Winter: By launching the tower high into the atmosphere, our scientists believe we can create a sort of... satellite out of reach of the Grimm and capable of maintaining global communications even if we were to lose another tower.
Ruby: That is great!
Qrow: James... you don't need the entire military for this.
Ironwood: I will for the next part, where I finally tell the people about Salem.
Qrow: Huh, so that's why you withdrew your troops, to handle the panic that would break out in Atlas.
Ironwood: Yes, panic is inevitable, and panic brings Grimm. But I believe we are ready. Once Atlas has come to grips with the fight ahead, I'll use Amity Tower to spread the message to all of Remnant.
Weiss: But everything will fall apart. Grimm will be everywhere!
Winter: You're right, but Atlas is willing and prepared to assist.
Ironwood: Trying to hide the truth from the world will eventually kill us all.
He presses a button on the remote, and the hologram disappears, the table transforms and recedes into the floor and the shutters pull away from the windows.
Qrow: Oz spent his whole life, many lives, keeping this secret.
Ironwood: I know. But since Beacon, things have changed.
Ironwood: Without him here to guide us, all I can do is use my best judgment.
We all look at Oscar as Ironwood takes notice.
Ironwood: What is it?
Oscar: Actually, Oz isn't completely gone.
Qrow: Uh, Oscar here is... is the next Ozpin.
Ironwood: Oz?
Smiling, Ironwood quickly and eagerly approaches Oscar, who looks nervous.
Ironwood: I'm so glad you're here. I didn't think you--
Oscar puts his hand up stopping him as he kneels to his level.
Oscar: Not quite. He's kind of, um, gone... at the moment.
I see all of his Ironwoods joy leave all at once.
Ironwood: That's not normal. (looking back up) How did he--
Ruby: We don't know.
Ruby: We were in a train crash, and ever since, well... suddenly, Oz wasn't there anymore.
Miyuki: (That's not right)
Y/N: (I think Ruby's able to tell that something is really off about him)
Ironwood: That's the worst news yet. (rising to his feet) Did you learn anything from him about the Relics before...?
Ruby: He told us the lamp can answer three questions. But all the questions were used up already.
Ironwood: Right, right.
He walks back to his desk and looks out the window.
Ironwood: Ozpin told us that too, once upon a time. (turning to face them) At least we have you, Oscar. You're safe here in Atlas. Maybe together we can figure out how to bring Ozpin back.
Oscar: (grinning) Thank you, sir. (stands at attention) I mean, uh, general. Uh, Ironwood? (smiling awkwardly)
He grabs the relic and hands it back to Ruby.
Ruby: You're giving it back to me?
Ironwood: After what happened with the Ace-Ops, I don't want you to think I'm keeping anything from you, especially something as important as this. For the time being, I think it's safest with the people who brought it here.
Ruby: Um, thank you.
Ironwood: We must work together if we're to fight Salem and win. Now, if you're all on board...
Ruby: Tell us how we can help.
Ironwood: Good, because getting the Amity Tower ready to launch won't be easy. (walking back to his desk) But first, I think we need to get those weapons of yours up to our standards.
Y/N: (Good luck with that)
Winter: Remember, this is Atlas. While assisting the military, we will provide you with the best equipment our scientists can devise.
Nora: Ooh!
Ren: Really?
Yang: (fist in the air) Yeah!
We continue on our way until we see the Ace Ops and Karen again.
???: So, that was the second time I got banned. Then there was the third time when--
Clover: Alright, cut the chatter.
Clover: I'd like to sincerely apologize for the miscommunication down in Mantle. We didn't intend to--
Suddenly a tall strong looking woman passes him and violently shakes Ruby's hand.
???: I feel so bad, honestly! If we had known who you were, we'd be laughing over a hot meal right now and--
She drops Ruby as she gets up dizzy from the hand shake.
Ruby: I understand. You were just following orders.
Weiss: I mean, you could have asked us some questions first.
The Faunus Op moves forward.
???: Questions are for the weak. But we're all on the same team now. Not that I'm happy about it.
His tail wags showing that he's clearly very happy about it.
Clover: We just wanted to say we're sorry. And that we're looking forward to working with you on our next mission. You might be students, but you've been fighting just as hard as we have, if not harder.
???: Exactly why I'm looking forward to seeing what you kids can do.
???: Not everything's a competition, Hare.
Penny enters the room and slides in front of Ruby.
Penny: C'mon! Let me show you around campus.
She leads the way as the others follow her as I was about to join them until I feel someone grab my hand and drag to a secluded area.
Y/N: What?
I look to see Karen walk in front of me staring at me.
Y/N: (Too close)
I feel my face start to heat up.
Karen: Is it really you?
Y/N: Hmm?
Karen: Your really Y/N?
Y/N: It is.
Karen: But how? Reports said that you were killed at Beacon.
Y/N: Consider it a gift from my Semblance.
I see her start to tear up as she hugs me.
Karen: I can't believe it.
Karen: (voice breaking) When I heard you died...I... didn't know what to think.
Y/N: I'm sorry....
Karen: (wipes a tear) No... I'm glad your here.
Karen: (smiling) Let's join the others.
I smile.
Y/N: Yeah.
Chapter End