Chapter 232: RWBY Prime—Hero from Another World (18)

~Third POV~

"Hello, kids. Time to come home now, Penny."

The infiltration team draws their weapons with Weiss snorting at them for stopping them, "So, your first time losing to us wasn't enough?"

Marrow on the other hand replied back, "We were holding back!"

Vine slowly steps forward to reason with them hoping to come to an understanding of what they're doing, "We have all said some things we regret, but please, hear me out. I know you thought you were doing the right thing when you left with the Maiden power, but Salem is here now. Things have changed."

With the exception of Penny, all the girls and Jack stare him down resolutely with Penny finally replying, "If General Ironwood plans to leave Mantle behind nothing has changed."

Vine sighs at this seeing Penny is not willing to work with them, "I thought you were supposed to protect the people, not hurt them."

Penny responds back to them of never claiming to intend to harm anyone, "I would never hurt anyone."

Elm countered Penny's response about Winter's condition in a sour tone, "Well Winter's in critical condition, because of you."

Harriet added on trying to make Penny feel distressed along with venting out her emotions, "And you repaid her by stealing the power that should have been hers."

Penny refuted Harriet's words responding to her defending herself, "But taking the Maiden power was the only way to stop—"

Harriet interrupts as she talked back discussing how she's in the wrong, "If you keep refusing to do the right thing, people in Atlas AND Mantle are going to die."

Marrow pleads with Penny to reconsider saving everyone they could, "You could stop all of this, Penny. Just open the Vault, hand over the Relic, and you'll save Atlas."

Ruby Prime counters Marrow's words that their plan won't save Atlas as it will only lead to more troubles ahead, "But it won't save Atlas. Salem will find her way to the Relic no matter where you go. Once Ironwood opens the Vault, the Relic is—"

Harriet interrupts Ruby Prime trying to speak to her with a glare towards her, "One more word, and I'm throwing you in jail right next to your uncle, runt."

"Sleep!"

*Thud*

Before Harriet could do anything or the rest of the Ace-Ops could respond they suddenly all fell asleep as all eyes were on Jack blinking slowly with him responding back, "Yeah… I'm so not in the mood for this who's right or wrong bullshit here. Like seriously do they think we were just going to fight over morals right now? Shame on you. Tch. Tch. Nor am I going to needlessly go to fight people I never met before so how about we all start going hmm…?"

Jabbing his thumb at the exit as Nora, Ruby Prime, Penny, Weiss, Blake, and G. Ruby all slowly looked at the Ace Ops then back to Jack for a few short seconds processing what just happened in that short time span.

Nora was the first with a smile on her face responding immediately agreeing with Jack, "Yeah! Finally, someone has to do something about pointless fights and get shit done. Heh. I'm just glad he's on our side and not theirs."

Everyone unanimously agreed with Nora's assessment with everyone looking at Jack drawing pictures on their faces really quickly making G. Ruby laugh at his antics, "Dick pic on you. On you. Butt farting face on you and you. Both on you Harriet especially for you being a royal pain in the ass. What? What is everyone staring at?"

The group stared at Jack's childish antics before G. Ruby laughed hiding her real voice at her boyfriend's antics, "Hahaha! Ok, that's too funny disrespecting them while trying to be serious here. He certainly has a way of making the tension leave the room that's for sure."

Like that they all got out of their stupor except for Nora and Jack taking pictures of them they all began to leave the area in a quick fashion with Jack opening up his Scroll to view the cameras of where Robyn and Qrow are located.

Turning his head to Ruby's group Jack responded to them to leave while he took care of meeting up with Qrow and Robyn's group, "Ok now that we have that cleared up. How about we go ahead and meet up with Qrow and Robyn while we get them out of here hmm…?"

Listening to this and remembering P. Ruby's uncle and Robyn are still within the compound leaving everyone nodded as they all began to follow Jack leading them to where Robyn and Qrow are located.

But before Jack was fully gone he stare directly at a nearby camera with him speaking out while flipping him the middle finger, "Ha! Try harder next time Tindick! Send people that actually do shit! Loser!!"

Feeling content mocking Ironwood leaving one final message for him sending an image on his hologram screen saying 'It was me the whole time James...' with a reverse flash meme in the background.

/////

Back in Ironwood's office, the general is interacting with holographic interfaces above his table as he frowns at the situation spiraling out of control along with the meme making James further paranoid of the unknown person being Jack fucking around with him.

Ironwood is watching the situation on his Scroll growling at the scene of how one person in Ruby's group defeated his Ace-Ops, "Grr… Damnit, that was our chance! I need all available squads to converge on—"

*Bzzz*

However, his Scroll revealed SMG4 tilting his finger at Ironwood as if taunting him like a naughty child, "Uh, uh Tindick. You have lost all use of your androids following my master Jack's control. If you want your control come, get him. After this has all been worked out like clockwork!"

Ironwood narrows his eyes at this losing control with his main forces under someone else influence along with his top operatives sleeping he spoke out, "Every available Atlas Soldier I want you all to go after Ruby's group. And I want those with me to hunt down Jack with Weiss Schnee and shoot capture on sight."

Gripping his fist tightly he also began to give out the order to get Winter out immediately, "And I want Winter Schnee recovered immediately as soon as possible. I want her on my side."

Grunting to himself as he views his hate-filled eyes at Ruby's group mumbling to himself with clear evident anger in the glint of his eyes as he tried to talk reason to himself, "I had Qrow in my hands and I didn't do what needed to be done. I will not make that mistake again. I know. I'm ashamed I didn't think of it earlier. Leveraging the lives of those close to them is the only way to make Penny listen to reason… but now… now…"

Ironwood walks back to his table as the anger of the unknown factor finally came out taking his frustration as he smashes the table with the holographs flicker, then fade at the same time yelling out, "They were our last chance... Now... Now I have NOTHING!!"

*BAM*

Giving out his commands he eyes Jack running alongside Weiss hurrying to Qrow and Robyn's location as he spoke in a cold tone, "I will do everything to protect the Atlas Kingdom. I won't let Salem win. I will get control back again to lift Atlas to safety. No matter the cost."

Preparing for his own fight Ironwood begins to focus on getting to where Ruby's group is located where he will give them all his ultimatum.

/////

*Bam*

"Ah!"

*Thud*

Robyn Hill cheerfully laughs, bashing a nearby Atlas Soldier to the wall knocked out trying to calm down Qrow, "You should have seen the look on Joanna's face. I don't think she'd ever lost a fight before that. At least, not fair and square."

Met with silence, Robyn looks over at Qrow Branwen finishing up the rest of the Atlas Soldiers trying to capture them as she tries to speak to him, "Sigh… Tough crowd tonight. Guess Ironwood should have paid for better security entertainment."

As she speaks, Robyn stretches, walking over toward Qrow's direction her comment earns a small chuckle from Qrow while he stares at Clover Ebi's pin, "And he smiles. Did I win?"

Qrow responds in a depressed tone to Robyn reminded of the actions holding Clover Ebi's pin, "Hey, it's your game. I don't make the rules."

Robyn loses her cheerful demeanor trying to comfort Qrow for the loss that was out of his control, "I'm sorry for what happened. It wasn't your fault."

Qrow sighs at this as the two-take lookout of the halls of the Atlas Academy Compound taking turns observing the halls for enemies, "It was, though. I made a deal with the darkness, and he paid the price. It was all happening so fast, but Clover wouldn't let up. Could have worked together against Tyrian if Clover just..."

Looking seeing no one around the two began to move forward as Qrow continues talking to Robyn, "But the thing that really stings? For the first time in a while, I thought, maybe, maybe I could be around somebody - anybody - without my Semblance making it… complicated. And now, it just feels like a childish dream. Gone... like everybody else."

Robyn sadly looks at her hand, listening to Qrow before finally responding, "Believe it or not, I know a little of what that's like."

She walks over to the wall leaning her head at the halls being empty motions Qrow to follow after her, "When people are worried, you're gonna sniff out their secrets, they tend to push you away. It makes a real connection… difficult."

Qrow remains silent as the two continue to move around Atlas Academy…

/////

*Woosh*

"There that should be everyone in this sector 7 Fionna."

Yang finished up clearing sector 7 and taking survivors to the nearby crater of Mantle with Jaune, Oscar, and Red coming following behind with Joanna talking to them, "Great work you brats. Had us a bit worried there with you suddenly calling off Fionna there."

The group nervously laughed at that as Fionna's eyes landed on G. Penny and Pyrrha nearby ensuring support raising an eyebrow at this pointing out the obvious, "Uh… didn't our robot friend join up with Ruby and others? Why is –"

"I'm an android with a soul thank you very much!"

"Eep!"

Surprising her Fionna didn't expect a response with Joanna smiling looking at how Pyrrha using her Semblance to move the metals around to create space spoke out, "Well whatever the choice glad we got help for Mantle. Especially the metal-bending girl. Makes opening up spaces a lot better."

The two began to leave off with Pyrrha and Penny going towards Yang's group with dead silence between them before Pyrrha was the one to speak first, "I believe all of you have many different questions about what happened. And trust me when I say you aren't alone on that front. I want to know what exactly is going on around here and where's the rest of your respective teams?"

At this Ren lowers his head at that along with Yang for different reasons that didn't go unnoticed by the two with Oscar being the first to speak for his group, "Well despite some things happening today I'm glad that I get the chance to thank you two for saving my life from that… Grimm…"

Pyrrha and Penny accepted the thanks from Oscar with Pyrrha smiling at the young kid in front of her, "Of course Oscar. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I just wonder what's the story behind you suddenly joining these oddballs of groups. If they are anything like the ones I know I'm guessing, there's a story behind it?"

Oscar smiled at that seeing how Pyrrha was friendly with him as the others seem to be distant with her Oscar chuckled at this speaking to her, "Haha… yes I suppose it's about time we explain how you are here. We have a temporary home for the time being thanks for the Happy Huntress hospitality. Hopefully will explain what happened here and why are there I guess… clones?"

At this Penny shook her head and answered a close enough answer for Oscar, "No. Not a bad guess though. How about…. Doubles? Interdimensional? Parallel versions?"

At this Oscar frowns followed by a sigh at this mumbling to himself with everyone following him, "Sigh… I'm going to start need drink some hot chocolate to down this."

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