A New Approach

Atlesian Airship...

Ruby Rose gazes out the window of the police airship as it flies over Mantle, then turns and looks at her friends. Nora Valkyrie chews at the bolas restraining her wrists, while everyone else sits silently, the only sounds being Nora's growling and the muffled chattering of the guards piloting the ship.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" Ruby asked.

"I'm gonna go with jail." Qrow said.

"Great…" Jared said, sadly. "Just what we needed."

"I still can't believe that fishing pole guy took us out like it was nothing." Jaune said.

"Welcome to Atlas. Those were Ironwood's Ace Operatives." Weiss said.

An unfamiliar man sitting with the group finally speaks up.

"Hmm? You guys had a run-in with the Ace-Ops? Ironwood must really have a bone to pick with you." Forest said.

"They're not that big of a deal." Weiss said, rolling her eyes.

"Not that big of a deal!? The Ace-Ops are the elite-of-elite military Huntsmen and Ironwood's personal attack dogs."

"So they got you too, huh?" Nora asked.

"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 said, scoffing.

"Yeah, definitely feels like home." Jared said, frowning.

"You threw a brick at her ship!" The pilot said, looking at Forest.

"It's worth it if it gets people talking about our cause!" Forest said, proudly.

The pilot sighs in annoyance.

"'Our cause'?" Blake asked.

"Yes, the fight for better conditions in Mantle! Lead by the charismatic, talented, lovely Robyn Hill and her Happy Huntresses!" Forest said, happily.

The main pilot presses a button, causing the window between the cab and the back of the ship to begin slowly closing.

Forest notices this, stands up and begins frantically shouting to the window so the guards can hear him, "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. 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!"

"Happy…Huntresses?" Oscar asked.

"Is that their real name?" Yang asked.

"About time I met this world's version of Robin Hood and his Merry Men." Jared said, laughing a little. "Took us long enough."

"Robin Hood?" Blake asked.

"Right, I'll meet him with an Impossible Girl later on. Within a couple years or so."

"Don't you think 'tyranny's' a little dramatic?" Weiss asked.

Forest turns around to respond and looks surprised upon realizing who had just spoken, "Easy to say for a Schnee heiress, living comfortably up in Atlas."

"Not anymore." Weiss said, sighing sadly.

"It's...okay, yes. This definitely reminds me of New New York. Mantle feels like the under city." Jared said, smiling. "Atlas gives me a similar view to the city. Man, that feels like ages ago. Remember Yang?"

"Yeah, we went there. With the Doctor, Rose, and Yui." Yang said.

The airship finally makes it up to the City of Atlas, and Ruby and Jared look out at the city in awe, while Nora is once again chewing her restraints.

"Whoa, it's gorgeous up here!" Ruby said, happily.

Ruby's comment causes Jaune and Nora to leave their seats and look out the window with her and Jared.

"Now you see why I travel, to see the wonders of the multiverse." Jared said, smiling. "You don't get views like this."

"Don't let that fool you." Weiss said.

"Hm?" Forest asked, looking at Weiss and he stands from his seat and looks outside. "This isn't the police station."

"It's…Atlas Academy." Qrow said.

"So, I've been to Beacon, Haven, and now Atlas." Jared said, happily. "All that is left is Shade. I think."

The ship docks on a landing pad in front of Atlas Academy and is met by a pair of guards, who open the ship's rear double doors to let Team RWBY, Team JNR, Jared, Oscar, and Qrow exit.

Atlas Academy...

Ruby gazes up at the towering academy while more guards line up along the path leading to the building, "I guess we will be seeing the General. For better or worse."

The group heads up to the school while Forest watches in confusion and curiosity from the airship.

"So, what do we do?" Ren asked.

The group finds themselves riding a rising elevator inside the academy with their wrists still restrained, accompanied by guards.

"I don't know yet. But we should be careful with what we say." Ruby said.

"You know what's best, Little Red." Jared said, looking at Ruby. "I have no foreknowledge. Only going off of what you know doesn't help."

One of the guards looks over his shoulder at them.

"Jared's right. We'll follow your lead, Ruby." Blake said, quietly.

Ruby smiles but then starts to look worried again. The elevator beeps as it arrives at its destination, and the guards escort the group out into a hallway and down a flight of stairs. They arrive in a room just as Ironwood walks through, speaking to someone else.

"I swear if I have to sit through one more council meeting like that…" Ironwood said, turning toward a small flight of stairs on his way to his office, accompanied by Winter Schnee and Penny Polendina. The latter notices the group and stops with a gasp.

"Yay, you're here!" Penny said, as her celebratory greeting catches Ironwood and Winter's attention, causing them to stop and look.

Weiss steps out from behind Ruby and Jared and approaches them, "Winter."

Winter gasps lightly in surprise, and the sisters' reunion is quickly interrupted.

Nora is leaning in and holding up her bound wrists, grinning and waving her fingers, "Anyone wanna give us a hand with these?"

Winter takes a moment to collect herself, returning to her usual stern demeanor and addressing the guards, "You have ten seconds to take those off before I start hurting you."

"Huh?" The guards asked, looking at each other in confusion.

Finally understanding the situation, the guards frantically begin removing the bolases from everyone's arms, while Ironwood watches with a smile.

"Sorry!" Guard 1 said.

"Please, let us help you!" Guard 2 said.

"Forgive us!"

The bolases fall to the floor, giving off a purple glow and retracting the ropes before emitting a beep noise.

"Please, come in." Ironwood said.

The group follows Ironwood, Winter and Penny into another room.

Ironwood's office...

"It is so good to see all of you." Ironwood said.

"Our reception didn't really convey that." Yang said, massaging her wrist.

"We tried to save the day." Jared said, looking at Ironwood. "We saw Grimm and heard the alarms. We defeated the Grimm and were then captured by the Ace Ops."

"I sincerely regret how you were treated by my team." Ironwood said, sighing.

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.

I "When a rogue airship entered our airspace, it raised some…red flags. We assumed the ship was stolen." Ironwood said.

"Stolen?" Ruby asked, laughing awkwardly, before taking an apologetic tone. "Okay, yeah, it was stolen."

Ironwood's eyes widened in surprise.

"I said it was a bad idea." Jared said, looking between Ruby and Jaune. "Like, I know better than to steal something like that."

Ironwood then smiles, and his shoulders move a tiny bit with a silent chuckle.

Winter, meanwhile, finds no humor in the situation and begins scolding Weiss, "You stole an Atlas airship?"

Weiss watches with a frown as Winter approaches her.

"What were you thinking!? You might've been shot down! How unbelievably irresponsib…" Winter said, angrily.

Weiss surprises and interrupts Winter by hugging her, "I'm sorry I worried you. But we did what we had to do."

"I…" Winter said, sighing and hugs back, calming down. "I suppose I understand." She then turns her head to glare at Qrow. "But I cannot believe that you allowed this to happen, Qrow."

"You try stopping these kids when they have their mind set on something. Speaking of which…" Qrow said, looking at Ironwood. "We have some important information for you that's…confidential."

Winter returns to her position beside Ironwood's desk.

"Oh, is it about the Relics?" Penny asked, moving beside Ironwood.

"Or perhaps the Winter Maiden?" Winter asked, moving to Ironwood's other side.

"Looks like we don't have to catch up." Jared said, laughing a little. "That saves us a lot of time."

"It does. But James, you told them?" Qrow asked, surprised.

"Hm." Ironwood said, standing from his desk and retrieving the Relic of Knowledge from a drawer, making it grow to its normal size as he holds it up. "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. The Ace-Ops too. Which is why I'm so glad you're here…with this." He gestured to the Relic. "Until now, I believed it was impossible to truly turn the tide against Salem. Oz has pushed her back, has kept victory out of her claws, but she will keep returning stronger and stronger…unless we destroy her."

He places the Relic atop his desk, while Ruby looks deep in thought.

"But…what about the Atlas Relic?" Ruby asked.

"You mean the Staff of Creation?" Ironwood asked.

"It's safe inside the Vault!" Penny said, happily.

"And the Winter Maiden?" Qrow asked.

"She is secure and in stable condition." Winter said.

"Stable condition? What does that…" Yang said.

"She's, uh, not exactly a spring chicken."

"So what? I assume she's a hospitalized old woman." Jared said, scoffing. "You have got to be kidding me."

"I know how this all looks. Recalling my military? The embargo? I probably don't seem the most trustworthy right now." Ironwood said.

"Then why continue it?" Blake asked.

"The people of Mantle are hurting!" Nora said, worried.

"I needed to ensure Salem couldn't infiltrate Atlas. And I wanted my military here, protecting my people." Ironwood said.

"But it's not protecting them! It's making everyone hate you." Yang said.

"It's a price I'm willing to pay." Ironwood said, reaching over to a glowing panel of buttons on his desk and taps a button that resembles a table emitting light from its surface. "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, prompting Ruby, Oscar, and Jared to step off of it.

"Well, what's the plan?" Jared asked, looking at Ironwood. "I don't have any foreknowledge for this."

As Ironwood talks and makes his way over to it, the circle continues to rise and transforms into a table, "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."

"And what do you suggest?" Qrow asked.

Ironwood brings out a tiny remote and presses a button, activating a hologram display of Amity Colosseum, which hovers above the table.

"That's…Amity Colosseum." Jaune said,

"Where the Vytal Festival is held?" Oscar asked.

"Yup. But why use Amity Colosseum?" Jared asked, fixated on the hologram. "That was a place for battles. If I recalled correctly. And bring people together to watch said battles."

"Indeed. When Beacon fell and everyone on Remnant lost contact with one another, I knew our current system was outdated. Amity was built to bring the nations together, and it will serve that purpose once again." Ironwood said, pressing the button again, and the hologram Amity Colosseum gains an antenna atop it.

Ruby, Jared and their friends stare at the hologram and look at each other.

"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!" Penny said, excitedly.

"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." Winter said.

"That is great." Ruby said, sadly.

"James...you don't need the entire military for this." Qrow said.

"I will for the next part, where I finally tell the people about Salem." Ironwood said.

"Huh, so that's why you withdrew your troops, to handle the panic that would break out in Atlas."

"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."

"But everything will fall apart. Grimm will be everywhere!" Weiss said, angrily.

"You're gonna be repeating what happened at Beacon. You weren't prepared then." Jared said, looking at Ironwood. "Salem got the upper hand, with help from Cinder."

"You're right, but this time Atlas is willing and prepared to assist." Winter said.

"Trying to hide the truth from the world will eventually kill us all." Ironwood said, pressing a button on his remote, and the hologram disappears, the table transforms and recedes into the floor and the shutters pull away from the windows.

"Oz spent his whole life, many lives, keeping this secret." Qrow said.

"I know. But since Beacon, things have changed." Ironwood said, as he began heading back to his desk. "Without him here to guide us, all I can do is use my best judgment."

Behind him, Oscar shifts uncomfortably. As if sensing something, Ironwood stops and looks back.

"What is it?" Ironwood asked.

"Actually, Oz isn't completely gone." Oscar said, frowning.

"Uh, Oscar here is…is the next Ozpin." Qrow said.

"Oz?" Ironwood asked, smiling and he quickly and eagerly approaches Oscar, who looks nervous. "I'm so glad you're here. I didn't think you…"

Oscar puts his hands up and interrupts Ironwood, as the latter crouches to Oscar's level, "Not quite. He's kind of, um, gone...at the moment."

Ironwood's smile fades, and he lowers his head.

"That's not normal." Ironwood said, looking back up. "How did he…"

"We don't know." Ruby said, as Ironwood, Qrow and Oscar look at her. "We were in a train crash, and ever since, well…suddenly, Oz wasn't there anymore."

"That's the worst news yet." Ironwood said, rising to his feet. "Did you learn anything from him about the Relics before…?"

"He told us the lamp can answer three questions. But all the questions were used up already."

Blake, Yang, and Jared look at each other.

"Right, right." Ironwood said, walking back behind his desk and stared out the window. "Ozpin told us that too, once upon a time." He is 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."

"Thank you, sir." Oscar said, grinning and he stands at attention. "I mean, uh, general." He smiles awkwardly. "Uh, Ironwood?"

Ironwood picks up the Relic of Knowledge, walks over to Ruby and offers it to her.

"You're giving it back to me?" Ruby asked.

"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." Ironwood said, handing Ruby the Relic.

"Um, thank you." Ruby said, while she shrinks the Relic and hooks it onto her belt, exchanging a look with Oscar and Jared.

"We must work together if we're to fight Salem and win. Now, if you're all on board…"

Ruby thinks it over for a few seconds, then looks at Ironwood, "Tell us how we can help."

"Good, because getting the Amity Tower ready to launch won't be easy." Ironwood said, walking back to his desk. "But first, I think we need to get those weapons of yours up to our standards."

A hologram screen appears, showing footage of Blake drawing her broken katana before their fight against the Sabyrs in Mantle. Blake reacts with embarrassment.

"Remember, this is Atlas. While assisting the military, we will provide you with the best equipment our scientists can devise." Winter said.

"Ooh!" Nora said, happily.

"Really?" Ren asked.

"Yeah!" Yang said, her first in the air.

"Weapon fusions were cool and all in my end." Jared said, smirking. "I could do with another upgrade."

Atlas Academy...

The group encounters the Ace-Ops once more.

"So, that was the second time I got banned. Then there was the third time when…" Marrow said.

"Alright, cut the chatter." Clover said, annoyed.

On one wall in the room, there is a hologram displaying Atlas Academy News.

The first bulletin explains that the administration restroom is closed due to flooding from a 'decimated toilet', followed by instructions to use the upper barracks restroom instead while the administration restroom is being repaired.

The second bulletin is about an upcoming 'monthly all-hands meeting', during which they will honor Penny as employee of the month and show the results for a competition that was held. The bulletin also says that Ironwood holds open office hours once a month and to reach out to Stephanie Santiago to schedule a 15-minute slot with him.

The third bulletin reads as follows:

'ELECTION WATCH PARTY. Come join to watch the results of Robyn Hill versus Jacques Schnee. Free food and drink in the Main Atrium of the Academy,'

As Ruby and her friends walk down the stairs, the Ace-Ops approach them.

"I'd like to sincerely apologize for the miscommunication down in Mantle. We didn't intend to…" Clover said.

Elm Ederne pushes her way past Clover and Marrow and begins frantically shaking Ruby's hand, accidentally flailing her about in the air, "I feel so bad, honestly! If we had known who you were, we'd be laughing over a hot meal right now and…"

Partway through her second sentence, Elm drops the now-dizzy Ruby on the floor.

"I understand. You were just following orders." Ruby said, getting to her feet, groaning, only to be spun around by Weiss.

"I mean, you could have asked us some questions first." Weiss said.

"Yeah. It would have been easier than arresting us." Jared said, rolling his eyes.

"Questions are for the weak. But we're all on the same team now. Not that I'm happy about it." Marrow said, crosses his arms and soon realizes that his tail is wagging.

"Um, your tail would say otherwise." Jared said, watching Marrow reach back and grab it, much to Harriet's amusement.

"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 and one of you is a defender of another world, but you've been fighting just as hard as we have, if not harder." Clover said.

"Exactly why I'm looking forward to seeing what you kids can do." Harriet said.

"Not everything's a competition, Hare." Vine said.

Penny enters the room and slides in front of Ruby and Jared, throwing her hands up in excitement.

"C'mon! Let me show you around campus." Penny said, as she enthusiastically marches away, with Ruby, Jared, and friends following her.

Ironwood exits his office just as Qrow begins to walk away from the stairs in front of the office, "Qrow."

Qrow stops and turns around, and Ironwood descends the stairs and approaches him.

"I meant it when I said it was good to see you again." Ironwood said,

"Uh, yeah, you too." Qrow said, awkwardly.

Ironwood steps forward and hugs Qrow, who looks confused at first but then hugs back with a smile and an eye roll. Elsewhere in the school, Penny leads Team RWBY, Team JNR, Jared, and Oscar through various hallways, while the group becomes more and more tired as the tour goes on.

"So that way's the cafeteria, and that way is the training rooms. Oh, and over there are the classrooms!" Penny said, happily.

Ruby stretches, yawning loudly. Jared leans against Ruby's shoulder. The group comes to a stop, with everyone looking exhausted. Nora leans against Ren, asleep on her feet.

"This all looks great, Penny. But where are we staying?" Ruby asked.

"Remember, you're in Atlas now. As the most well-funded school on Remnant, every teen at Atlas Academy gets their own room! And if that wasn't enough…" Penny said.

"So we're staying in the dorms?" Ren asked.

"It'll be just like Beacon again!" Penny said, with an excited dance and hop.

Nora collapses to the floor.

"When I say that this feels like a redo…" Jared said, letting out a yawn. "During Space 1969...this wasn't what..,.I had in mind."

Jared collapses to the floor.

Mantle…

It's raining. Ironwood and Winter's broadcast videos continue to play on screens around the city.

"The Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong, and it will remain safe. That is my promise." Ironwood said, on screen.

Carrying a bag and an umbrella, with a set of new rings on his fingers, Arthur Watts walks along a sidewalk while talking to Tyrian Callows through a communication device that is placed in his ear.

"For the last time, a singular hideout makes us susceptible to discovery." Watts said, hacking the traffic post across the street to change it to allow pedestrians to cross as he walks across the street.

"But what if we're seen? What if we're recognized?" Tyrian asked, over the communicator.

"We stay mobile."

The sound of multiple stabbings can be heard over the communication device.

"We're walking around a city with a thousand eyes." Tyrian said, over the communicator.

Watts changes another traffic signal and crosses the street without pause, causing cars to come screeching to a halt.

"While cybersecurity has been stepped up in Atlas, as usual, none of the code was updated in Mantle." Watts said, letting out a sigh.

He walks across another street, hacking another system to make a blockade of posts rise up from the road, which a car crashes into as it swerves to go around him.

"Oh no! Gosh!" A woman said, running to check on the driver. "Are you okay!?"

"That certainly sounds useful." Tyrian said, chuckling over the communicator.

"It should be." Watts said, as he stopped walking and pressed his thumb to one of his new rings, which glowed cyan. All nearby security cameras power down. "I helped write that code, after all."

Muffled screaming is heard from inside a building, while the camera next to its door powers down. The door opens, and Tyrian steps out, shutting the door behind him with a happy sigh.

"Well, I suppose we all have our talents." Tyrian said, walking away down an alley, while a pool of blood flows out from under the door. The blood slowly makes its way into the view of the hacked security camera.