Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
"WHAT?! Miss Xiao Long done up'n escaped?! Sure! I bet that'll be a load off the general's mind to boot!" They exclaimed, having answered that at a point in time where it made sense to.
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Fandom Distorted Mirror [IC]
- Thread starter MyrtenRose
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"WHAT?! Miss Xiao Long done up'n escaped?! Sure! I bet that'll be a load off the general's mind to boot!" They exclaimed, having answered that at a point in time where it made sense to.
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
"..." Well that might very well have just shot straight up to the top of the list of things she didn't even know she needed to see. General James Ironwood, busting a move on the dance floor? The teenager doubted there was anything in the world that screamed recording-worthy more than that! What dances did he know...…a stern looking Ironwood doing a stiff yet somehow also graceful version of the robot was the first thing that popped into her mind and she had to plant both hands over her mouth to stifle her snicker. When the urge subsided she slowly removed both hands. "I'm glad to be able to help in any way." Cinder replied more seriously, falling silent after just to watch the others.
Less than a minute later, they led the posse on into the factory's dilapidated main floor, where a good number of Ironwood's loyalists held down a loose perimeter with rifles gripped at ease. James himself stood in the center by a table littered with short-range comms equipment, Robyn to one side of him; though the initial look on his face upon turning was one of relief, that subtle indicator of feeling dispersed like a breaking wave back to its typical sternness when Cobalt clomped up to whisper something in his ear. Whatever the cowboy said prompted nothing more than a sharp exhale of dismay, and the creases and shadows on his aging features seemed just a little deeper than usual as he strode forward to meet them with hands clasped behind his back during the last few steps of their approach.
"Penny... What's the meaning of this? You're aware Sustrai and Neopolitan were the biggest unknowns. Is there a good reason they aren't with you?"
...Up until that, at which point she spoke up again. "Ahem!" Cinder called out to pull his attention to her as she strode forward to put herself in front of the rest of the others save for Cobalt. "That's on me, General Ironwood. I distracted her. It was my reunion that kept her from keeping an eye on those two as they slipped away. It...I wasn't watching either, because of that. So please don't go too hard on her. If you must blame anybody, punish anybody, then it should be me."
...
"Though I would prefer to not be punished if at all possible, yes."
...
"Though I would prefer to not be punished if at all possible, yes."
Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
"Miss Fall? I'm very happy to see you here, and rest assured I will greet you properly in a minute."
"But don't ever interrupt me when I'm addressing a subordinate."
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
She flinched a little a lot under the weight of that glare and she immediately started to back up until she was in the middle of the group once more, head bowed in deference to the man. By the gods, that stare was intimidating as all heck.
Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
She flincheda littlea lot under the weight of that glare and she immediately started to back up until she was in the middle of the group once more, head bowed in deference to the man. By the gods, that stare was intimidating as all heck.
Cobalt hoped she drew at least a little comfort from the sight of them incredibly slowly and comically edging their way around the potential reprimand between city guardian and superior to sidle up and give her an elbow nudge, knowing full well how small their old partner could make people feel without really meaning to sometimes. "Psst. He ain't mad at you, or nothin'. That's just his way! You know how serious these military folk take their rules 'n formalities 'n stuff. That's why ah became a bounty hunter instead!"
They scoffed, a noise which had Ironwood's fiercely intimidating glare momentarily flicker in their direction. They held their ground with the casual air of someone way too used to it to be affected, propping one hand on their hip and playfully flapping the other's wrist in the disgraced general's direction.
"Oh, shush!"
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
Cobalt hoped she drew at least a little comfort from the sight of them incredibly slowly and comically edging their way around the potential reprimand between city guardian and superior to sidle up and give her an elbow nudge, knowing full well how small their old partner could make people feel without really meaning to sometimes. "Psst. He ain't mad at you, or nothin'. That's just his way! You know how serious these military folk take their rules 'n formalities 'n stuff. That's why ah became a bounty hunter instead!"
They scoffed, a noise which had Ironwood's fiercely intimidating glare momentarily flicker in their direction. They held their ground with the casual air of someone way too used to it to be affected, propping one hand on their hip and playfully flapping the other's wrist in the disgraced general's direction.
"Oh, shush!"
Irondaddy protocols countermanded.
There had been a smirk on Robyn's face hardly a second after Cinder spoke up in defense of Penny, but it was only after Cobalt's commentary that the leader of the Happy Huntresses felt inclined to chime in herself. "Yeah, come now, James. If nothing else you can respect and admire her spunk at least. It takes a certain kind of boldness to stand up to you. I'd know." She uncrossed her arms from where she stood, looking over at the whole group of new arrivals. "Besides, I imagine they've been through a lot to get here. You could afford to take it easy on them." Her gaze settled on Fiona last, who she gave an appreciative grin and nod towards.
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
Cobalt hoped she drew at least a little comfort from the sight of them incredibly slowly and comically edging their way around the potential reprimand between city guardian and superior to sidle up and nudge her, knowing full well how small their old partner could make people feel without really meaning to sometimes. "Psst. He ain't mad at you, or nothin'. That's just his way! You know how serious these military folk take their rules 'n formalities 'n stuff. That's why ah became a bounty hunter instead!"
They scoffed, a noise which had Ironwood's fierce glare momentarily flicker in their direction. They held their ground with the casual air of someone way too used to it to be affected, playfully flapping a wrist in the disgraced general's direction.
"Oh, shush!"
She hadn't been sure whether to smile gratefully over towards Cobalt after that or continue showing polite submission to Ironwood, and in her uncertain state she settled on a look that sort of reflected both. If you squinted.
Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
He ignored any further irrelevant commentary on the situation and waited for Penny to speak for herself. :|
Schnee Corp Lawyer
STILL not over Birthright's ending
Less than a minute later, they led the posse on into the factory's dilapidated main floor, where a good number of Ironwood's loyalists held down a loose perimeter with rifles gripped at ease. James himself stood in the center by a table littered with short-range comms equipment, Robyn to one side of him; though the initial look on his face upon turning was one of relief, that subtle indicator of feeling dispersed like a breaking wave back to its typical sternness when Cobalt clomped up to whisper something in his ear. Whatever the cowboy said prompted nothing more than a sharp exhale of dismay, and the creases and shadows on his aging features seemed just a little deeper than usual as he strode forward to meet them with hands clasped behind his back during the last few steps of their approach.
"Penny... What's the meaning of this? You're aware Sustrai and Neopolitan were the biggest unknowns. Is there a good reason they aren't with you?"
By the time they made it through the doors, Penny had made herself stop wringing her hands, and she came to a stop with both heels snapped together as she gave Ironwood a smart salute with enough force that there was a quiet metallic *ding* as her fingers hit her forehead.
"Greetings, general Ironwood sir! and... no, there isn't." She admitted without dropping the salute. "After deducing that those two were the Emerald and Neopolitan of Remnant one rather than the ones I recall from Beacon of Remnant two, I confronted them verbally sir. After which I greeted Cinder, and Gretchen, and Hazel sir. And while I was doing that, Emerald Sustrai fled the scene, and Neopolitan shortly did the same. While I believe that attempting to subdue them while the fall maiden was in custody was a security risk not worth taking in the heart of Mantle, that was a concern that did not cross my mind until after the incident, sir. I... I got distracted. It was my first time meeting this Cinder, and it was exciting. I am very sorry, sir!"
She finished with pursed lips and a rigid, forward stare with a stillness that could genuinely only be achieved by an artificial form.
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Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
Ironwood stared at her with unyielding steel for the duration of her report, his own posture every bit as rigid and immobile as the android's in spite of the biological components it retained in comparison. The general waited until she was completely finished with her account before even so much as blinking; when she was through, he exorcised his displeasure with a soft, perplexed exhale through both nostrils, heavy enough that his shoulders rose and fell in time to finally shatter the impression that they were two entirely artificial beings addressing one another as he closed his eyes. With their respective bearings and professionalism, it was an impression any unfamiliar with either might've been forgiven for assuming to be truth.
The reality, of course, was that neither were. Ironwood himself, naturally, was ultimately still human, but the fact that the one standing before him had a soul made her arguably no less so. Penny Polendina. It didn't feel like so terribly long ago that Ironwood himself had issued forth a challenge to the greatest minds of the kingdom, one born of a sense of frustration with the growing stagnation he felt in the direction of Atlas's technological advancement. A yearning for a new direction, one that embodied true progress. The Penny Project patented by one Pietro Polendina had stood head and shoulders above the rest. An opportunity to entrust the safety of Atlas's future not to the endless, faceless legions of automatons that had come to define it, straining relations with the other kingdoms and giving a city that once embodied the virtues of hope and progress the image of an inhumanly mechanised autocracy; but to people, no different to them, albeit ones of their own design. The finished prototype had put any lingering doubts he may have harbored to rest. She was everything Professor Polendina had promised and more. The true legacy of his time as general. She was the future of Atlas.
Little over two months ago, she had been brutally sundered in two while the world watched in what Ironwood had then naturally assumed would be the worst night of his career. In what was to be her grand unveiling to the world, no less; her very first true outing. She was effectively a child. Reconstruction was possible, of course, but it would take time, and the needlessly cruel act stood as a knife to the heart of all the general's hopes and visions for his kingdom's future. Somehow, the time since had only seen things get worse, and now his legacy seemed destined to amount to little more than that of a traitor. The ensuing events, everything he now knew to be true, all of it had stripped bare a harsh, painful reality to the former general: In just about every conceivable respect in his task as defender of Atlas, as the one to usher in its future, he had failed. All except one. As soon as he met this alternative version of Penny, in her fully realized, fully deployed state, he knew. He hadn't been wrong about one thing. She was the future.
She was the one major success he could claim came from his time at the forefront of his kingdom.
He stepped forward.
"Penny..."
"It's alright. Thank you for bringing them here. It's good to see you weren't hurt."
That act carried out in all its glorious awkwardness, he stepped back and cleared his throat, turning with hands once again clasped behind his back stiffly to address the other three new arrivals.
"They won't be able to escape our reach in Mantle for very long. In any case, I'm glad to see a few of Salem's chosen still remain in this fight. Particularly you, Cinder. Your... disappearance was of tremendous concern."
He raised an eyebrow, but the way he addressed the burgeoning Fall Maiden now was significantly more cordial and welcoming than before. His metallic hand went out, indicating lightly in the direction of Robyn behind him.
"Compared to the other two I planned on questioning, this is really just a formality. But my friend here has a way of discerning the truth. If you're willing, I'd very much appreciate a full account of everything you've been through since Haven's CCT tower was destroyed. No detail spared."
A certain amount had been relayed to him by Salem, of course, courtesy of his own former pupil in Arthur Watts, who had also seemingly fallen off the grid if you didn't know where to look. Ironwood did, but he respected the boy's wishes even if he respected very little else about him. But recent revelations had led to his trust in Salem somewhat breaking, even if he was a man who could prioritize a necessity to work together over ill feelings towards being manipulated over the years, and he always favored hearing reports directly from the mouths of those pertinent anyway. Now moreso than ever.
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Schnee Corp Lawyer
STILL not over Birthright's ending
He stepped forward.
"Penny..."
The sound of groaning, warping metal filled the room, and no one was entirely sure who it belonged to.
"It's alright. Thank you for bringing them here. It's good to see you weren't hurt."
Pietro was Penny's father. There was absolutely no doubt in that. She was his design, the fruits of his labor, and she quite literally carried a part of his soul inside of her. To say that she adored the man was an understatement of the most egregious degree! If anyone else had told her that Weiss Schnee of all people served Ozpin, she would have found the whole situation very suspicious indeed, but there wasn't a world that Penny could imagine where her father would lie to her. and she was told she had a very good imagination.
Ironwood was something different, however. Pietro was her creator, her father, her
It was a devastatingly heavy duty to put on the shoulders of such a young soul, and yet it was one she strove to carry all the same. Pietro had always treated her like the daughter she was, and she responded in kind, with a devotion born of warmth and love, well earned in his own actions. The Ironwood of her world, however, had treated her like the hope for the future he saw in her, and she did her best to respond in kind a well; to not fail at the tasks she was given, to reach the heights that he pushed her towards. Yet even up to the point that she had awoken in Pietro's office in Remnant two, she had never fully understood where she stood in his eyes; success or failure, trusted subordinate, friend, or tool. His words often skirted the borders of all them. Her anxiousness at failing this task hadn't been born of fear. Neither of the Ironwoods she'd known had never gotten truly furious with her, or heaven forbid lay a hand on her in anger. It was just the idea that she hadn't met his standards that rankled her. That she wasn't living up to the dream he saw in her.
That she wasn't proving herself to be more than just a machine. One that hadn't met his standards at that.
That was why she shirked back slightly as Ironwood stepped forward, the salute wavering in apprehension at the coming scolding and disappointment that she held no doubts was on its way. And why such a normally affectionate girl was so rigid when she got a hug instead. Her mouth wavered slightly as her arms hesitated at her sides
"Thank you sir! I promise, I will do better next time!"
She stepped back when she released, her posture as prim as ever with her hands clasped behind her back but her smile wholly relieved as she watched the rest of the proceedings.
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MidwayLives
"What's your favorite scary movie...?"
Neo gave a 'whaddya gonna do?' shrug and then followed Emerald's gaze.
if someone was interested in them, Neo sure hoped they showed themselves soon.
She felt pretty stabby after having that big emotional meltdown....
if someone was interested in them, Neo sure hoped they showed themselves soon.
She felt pretty stabby after having that big emotional meltdown....
Neo squinted and looked off into the distance.
Was....Was that somebody flying towards them???
As Jennings hit the ground, Neo blinked.
...Just a robot and girl?
Did Atlas's forces really think so little of the two of them???
Was....Was that somebody flying towards them???
As Jennings hit the ground, Neo blinked.
...Just a robot and girl?
Did Atlas's forces really think so little of the two of them???
Neo couldn't resist rolling her eyes at Gwen's spiel.
What a blowhard.
Still, the number of robots was enough to be troublesome. More so since Neo didn't imagine that Emerald's usual mind games would work on machines.
But be that as it may, Neo wasn't really keen on getting tossed in yet another cell. Last time she did, she got bailed out by the bad guys and she had to fight a Brawnen.
Well, okay the latter was her choice but still.
She spared a brief glance to Emerald.
Hush hadn't really been made for drawn out big brawls, especially with clunkers like this. Still, the idea of just surrendering?
Not gonna happen in this world or any other.
Attachments
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
She couldn't help but frown heavily after Penny was finished reporting that all in. Her face was still downturned, but a worried eye flickered between Penny and Ironwood several times rapidly. She was praying that Ironwood listened to her at least to a degree, enough so that any potential punishment for Penny wouldn't come or would instead come for her. Cinder really didn't want her friend to suffer anything for something that wasn't her fault. It wouldn't have been fair by any means and there was a good chance Cinder would have punched Ironwood in the face if he tried to dole out punishment.
"Penny..."
The sound of groaning, warping metal filled the room, and no one was entirely sure who it belonged to.
"It's alright. Thank you for bringing them here. It's good to see you weren't hurt."
Though it seemed her worry about that was ill-founded, given the frankly adorable hug that instead went on before her. "Oh." Well now she felt foolish for trying to step in to ward off any unnecessary harshness. Though said foolishness did not show up on her face, for there was only one appropriate reaction for that pure wholesome display.
Penny more than deserved that hug.
Penny more than deserved that hug.
That smile faded when the former general turned his attention back to her, her face bowing even closer to the ground with eye averted to the side as she dreaded to be caught under that gaze again. One hand nervously rubbed at the other as the short teenager stood there, body language practically screaming how uncomfortable she was in that moment. Yet, when the words came, some of that mood eased up. He was being way more friendly than before. Her head lifted slightly back up, eye shifting back to look at Ironwood. And then to the blonde woman behind him, who started sauntering forward in respond to the look. Cinder got a hand extended out to her, one that began to shimmer with purple aura.
"...Okay." Cinder agreed, head raising up fully and one hand reaching out to take hold of Robyn's own.
"I wasn't there when the CCT tower blew up, and I couldn't say what happened after. Apparently some General Carnelian guy attacked them later though, at Tock's home. I don't know the specifics, for you see, I'd been taken while I was still out cold. The Spring Maiden, Vernal Zerrin, took me captive. For what original purpose, I couldn't say, but while stuck with her I managed to persuade her to take a better option. About a week later, the rest of my team and my school buddies showed up at the bandit camp..."
She went on for some time, revealing the whole entirety of the month that followed. The...painful abandoning. The traveling, the training, all of it.
"...the attack in Argus ended with Blake Belladonna leaving me with a messed up knee on some rooftop in the city as they pulled out, instead of killing me. I don't know what happened to Vernal, after the storms she was trying to bring down faded away. Probably for the best that the storms didn't inflict as much damage as they could have. Argus is a beautiful place...but that's probably not important..." Cinder exhaled. "Anyhow, by the time I managed to crawl over to the edge of the building I was on to see what had happened, Spring was gone. Hazel said there was another me that...showed up. A less than pleasant me, along the lines of the Emerald and Neo you wanted to talk with. It was only thanks to these two-" The young Fall Maiden shot a grateful look over to the Rainarts. "-that I managed to get away from there too. On our way out, we had the lucky fortune to spot another friendly face. Tock was heading over this way herself, with that...unique ship of hers..." Cinder's eye suddenly flared as the thought occurred to her.
"A ship you guys could or should probably retrieve! We left it in a... less than desirable place. Anyways...yeah, like I said. Tock flew overhead and I managed to signal their attention and the ship pulled in for a landing. Emerald and Neo were revealed to be already aboard, however that went down. That's how we all got here...well, except Tock. I don't know what happened to her exactly, she disappeared mid-flight and it was very miraculous that we didn't crash as a result! So...yeah. That's the series of events that led me...led us, to here and now."
Robyn's hand shined bright green when all was said and done, and she turned halfway to Ironwood and gave him a knowing smirk.
"......Also if it isn't too much to ask...do you have any food? I'm kinda starving."
"...Okay." Cinder agreed, head raising up fully and one hand reaching out to take hold of Robyn's own.
"I wasn't there when the CCT tower blew up, and I couldn't say what happened after. Apparently some General Carnelian guy attacked them later though, at Tock's home. I don't know the specifics, for you see, I'd been taken while I was still out cold. The Spring Maiden, Vernal Zerrin, took me captive. For what original purpose, I couldn't say, but while stuck with her I managed to persuade her to take a better option. About a week later, the rest of my team and my school buddies showed up at the bandit camp..."
She went on for some time, revealing the whole entirety of the month that followed. The...painful abandoning. The traveling, the training, all of it.
"...the attack in Argus ended with Blake Belladonna leaving me with a messed up knee on some rooftop in the city as they pulled out, instead of killing me. I don't know what happened to Vernal, after the storms she was trying to bring down faded away. Probably for the best that the storms didn't inflict as much damage as they could have. Argus is a beautiful place...but that's probably not important..." Cinder exhaled. "Anyhow, by the time I managed to crawl over to the edge of the building I was on to see what had happened, Spring was gone. Hazel said there was another me that...showed up. A less than pleasant me, along the lines of the Emerald and Neo you wanted to talk with. It was only thanks to these two-" The young Fall Maiden shot a grateful look over to the Rainarts. "-that I managed to get away from there too. On our way out, we had the lucky fortune to spot another friendly face. Tock was heading over this way herself, with that...unique ship of hers..." Cinder's eye suddenly flared as the thought occurred to her.
"A ship you guys could or should probably retrieve! We left it in a... less than desirable place. Anyways...yeah, like I said. Tock flew overhead and I managed to signal their attention and the ship pulled in for a landing. Emerald and Neo were revealed to be already aboard, however that went down. That's how we all got here...well, except Tock. I don't know what happened to her exactly, she disappeared mid-flight and it was very miraculous that we didn't crash as a result! So...yeah. That's the series of events that led me...led us, to here and now."
Robyn's hand shined bright green when all was said and done, and she turned halfway to Ironwood and gave him a knowing smirk.
"......Also if it isn't too much to ask...do you have any food? I'm kinda starving."
MidwayLives
"What's your favorite scary movie...?"
"Are you so sure you can capture them?"
It sure seemed like it. What hubris, what arrogance.
It'd be delightful to see her fail.
As for the dismissive look thrown their way, Magenta still looked as impassive as ever.
Paradise for his part felt a bit hurt, unsure of what he'd done to get such a rude reception.
"Wow....Omega Squad!!" Paradise voiced in utter awe of such a cool sounding name.
Magenta was less impressed.
'Toy soldiers to the rescue.'
Magenta was less impressed.
'Toy soldiers to the rescue.'
Paradise waited until Gwen was gone and glanced over to Magenta.
"You know, Magenta? I got the slightest impression that she doesn't think very much of us. I mean, sure I'm just a grunt. I would have been lost in the ranks if you hadn't taken me on. But, you-"
"She's ignorant. That's all."
"....?"
Magenta scratched the side of his head. All while keeping his gloves on. They helped act as mental barriers to keep from accidentally activating his semblance and shredding them.
"What I mean is that she thinks less of us. She believes in the superiority of her souped up toys. Which is all well and good but I've little interest in engaging the enemy when we know little to nothing about the other one of them. To come into Atlas and intrude like this? You're either a fool or you shouldn't be taken lightly. It's better to err on the side of caution than to throw all your eggs into one basket, Paradise. You saw the hurry in which she left, we'll catch up once she's either captured them or made an ass of herself. Whichever comes first I suppose.' As he started to make his way into the direction of where Gwen flew off, he motioned for Paradise to follow.
"B-But Magenta! Special Operative Helios could need us!"
"Oh no, I wouldn't worry, Paradise. She has Omega Squad, remember?"
The two shared a chuckle.
MidwayLives
"What's your favorite scary movie...?"
He stepped forward.
"Penny..."
The sound of groaning, warping metal filled the room, and no one was entirely sure who it belonged to.
"It's alright. Thank you for bringing them here. It's good to see you weren't hurt."
It was a shocking sight at first.
Ironwood wasn't perfect not by any stretch of the imagination. Both Schnee and him had issues he felt needed to be addressed.
'But, if anything, what I just saw is a good reminder that despite everything, despite the hardships we've endured. We're all in this together.'
He glanced over to Cobalt.
'I'm glad I'm in this with you, Cobalt."
MidwayLives
"What's your favorite scary movie...?"
Had he realized he'd been snuggling up with Mercury before he and MTEN's former leader were carted off to actual beds, he wouldn't have minded.
He'd passed out in worse places after fights that took a bit too much outta him. Better to be in the arms of someone he liked than someone he didn't.
His dreams were less than pleasant however.
He tossed and turned, sweat rolling down his face.
He'd let the voices take control when he'd gotten shitfaced. It was good Mercury was still a great scrapper even when blasted or else that could have turned out far. FAR worse...
Eventually the faunus woke up with a miserable sounding moan. He was coated in a cold sweat and his head was positively pounding.
"rugh...."
He glanced over to wherever Emerald and Mercury were probably still snoozing.
"ergh...."
Throwing off his covers, he shakily stumbled to his feet before falling down onto his ass. "Fuck!" He nearly shouted before catching himself. Didn't wanna wake anybody yet. "Oohhhhhh....my head is killing me......" It'd been so long since he'd last drank, he just wasn't used to the feeling of a hangover. "I...I wonder if Neo's awake...."
Indolent
Thirsty for Pink Cosmopolitans
At risk of delineating the obvious, the irascible Emerald Sustrai suspected whomever stalked them electronically had to have connections with the Atlesian military in some capacity, if not ties to those that controlled the surveillance hubs. The safer bet was the former given the intrinsic structure of the military and the governing system being one and the same within Mantle and its governing body of Atlas. The only thing she didn't really account for was whom would arrive following her knowing provocation, a radical variable that was typically too dangerous to flirt with. Which was what she had exactly done.
If there was any outward trepidation towards Gwen's entrance along with her robot Jennings, she didn't display it whatsoever, favoring a thorough examination of the cuticles of her left hand, her right arm flush across her midriff in support of her left. A decidedly perceptible quirk of the brow-- a flash of irritation-- rippled through the otherwise unflappable facade Sustrai projected, deigning only to respond at the tail end of the special operative's mocking words.
"... Morons? Really, now?" Emerald drawled, "If you weren't so cumbersome in your surveillance, I might have never noticed you snooping. If you had a scrap of finesse, you might have followed after us to wherever it was we intended for." A dramatic change contrary to the tune she sung moments past, her intent wholly to be cryptic as possible. Whether it was to obfuscate her actually not knowing or it was to irritate Gwen, that remained to be seen.
Simultaneously, a peculiar thing transpired. However by whatever means Gwen might have reacted towards Emerald's opening statement, a quirk of the air flow from behind-- a strange guttural croak of some kind-- was more than compelling to elicit the cursory and investigatory glance of behind. She would have found nothing so distinct from the sprawling structures of Mantle that stood as a testament to the very essence of depression and upon turning back, the first she saw was strange expressions upon Emerald and Neo's, intensely perturbed by whatever it was they were seeing.
It came from behind, protuberances of sloughing grease terminating in alabaster metacarpals and phalanges of inhuman length suddenly clasping the crook of her jaw and left forearm, the tapered fingers slipping through the epidermis that parted with little resistance as one drew their hand through water. The sensations she felt were markedly different from what one might predict, the absence of pain a definitive subversion of expectations, with intense discomfort taking its place in its stead, the foreboding experience an understanding that it was the presence of something that never should have been there. It was not a protracted sequence of events, reflected in the entity's urgency as it subsumed the aforementioned arm with the jet black material, a very telling feeling of her hand becoming unresponsive to her mental commands, as if it disappeared, as if it was... replaced. The opposite appendage continued its meandering, the full length of its digits rippling beneath the flesh of Gwen's face, an errant digit emerging from the lower eyelid of one eye into plain view, obscuring her vision completely, as it entered the upper.
They froze and curved inwards, a pressure applied to her skull as if it were in a grip, bidding her to look upwards to see with her one eye a pulsing mass of black miasma, the vague shape of a head resting atop malformed shoulders from which its gangly arms extended, looming behind above. A wet, slapping squelch resounded from the amorphous cranium as it expanded and extended, lengthening towards her own with its very front unfolding in rippling waves to unveil scores of concentric fangs, rotating independently of each other, illuminated by an crimson incandescent glow from within its gullet that was otherwise muffled by its body. A rising chorus of the yawning screeches of the consumed and the damned rose from it cavernous mouth as it descended, engulfing the features of her face with a very primal intent.
To add her voice to those it had devoured, to absorb her into its fold...
"Welp, about time to go." Emerald quipped, her hand extended for Neo's in a halfway awkward gesture that seemed intended for a low-five, before it became abundantly clear what her intention was, one half of Thief's Respite whirling in her opposite as the chain extended, hooked something, and with a deft yank saw the two departing in a comedic fashion much like exiting stage left via a vaudeville hook. If Neo wanted to help expedite the effort and obscure their position more so, all the better.
Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
"...I see."
The former highest ranking general of Atlas's distinguished military branch was a notoriously difficult man to read. He was almost more steel than individual at this point. As evidenced by the mounting sense of tension that had pervaded the room's atmosphere all throughout Penny's report, it was no easy feat to predict what the man's next course of action was going to be at any given moment, or how he might respond to something. Anyone watching up to the point where he went in for the excruciatingly cumbersome hug would probably have been more inclined to guess he was going to strike her.
He obviously didn't strike Cinder. Nor did he hug her.
But while his countenance and the light nod he gave were accepting, holding deference for what she'd been through and the choices she'd made since coming out on the losing end of the battle for Haven, that didn't mean he was a big fan of all of them. He reflected as much in the way he reestablished the stern, authoritative stone wall of an expression those who knew him as a general had come to expect, delivery neutral and brusque as if he by all rights still occupied the post.
"Regardless, it's good to see you ended up where it matters. Having you and the other Remnant's-" He still didn't see why they had to be Remnant 2. "-Spring Maiden with us as allies is nothing to scoff at, and your friends should be proud for managing to see you safely through an attempted capture by one of Ozpin's most lethal. If I can offer some advice, though? Whatever your intentions may have been, maidens who strike out on their own thoughtlessly tend to be nothing more than easy pickings for him. I was familiar with the Fall Maiden before you, and she stands as proof enough of that. You've had these powers little less than a year—at this stage, your concern should be less with mastering them and more with keeping yourself out of Ozpin's reach. That's the true burden of any maiden, not becoming as devastatingly powerful a force of nature as she can within the shortest possible amount of time. Someone shouldering that burden has no business being so self-sacrificial, let alone one so young. Leave that to the likes of me."
He turned, moving in a military stride back towards the command table and leaning over it with palms flat against the surface.
"It's not something I, nor Salem, nor any of the kingdoms ever asked of you. In fact, it's even a bit short-sighted. I'd think very carefully about who your true allies are, and if it's really worth forsaking them in the interest of accumulating power to protect the world with simply because you caught a glimpse of what was out there and it frightened you. I'm not exactly the ideal maiden candidate, but that is an impulse I can relate to. Honestly?"
He swiveled back around to face them once more.
"Weiss Schnee is someone I've known a very long time, and it's been long enough to say I'm confident that her recent actions came from a very similar school of thinking. I'd be no less disheartened to see another young woman with noble intentions and all the potential in the world squander it because she took it upon herself to decide what her duty is, and strayed from the right path in pursuing it. I'm not a general or headmaster anymore; I can't tell you what to do. It's just some advice."
With that much said, he glanced to one of the litany of soldiers guarding the room and beckoned them over with a tilt of the head to act as escort.
"My man will show you to the mess hall. I'll also have some sleeping arrangements made for you and your friends, since I imagine you must be tired. It seems we have more than one cause to celebrate today: Cobalt tells me the Yang Xiao Long from-" He drew in a notably sharp intake of breath, jaw looking set a little tighter than normal. "-Remnant One is free, and on her way here. She may have valuable insight to offer after being the councilwoman's prisoner for so long, but we shouldn't rule out the possibility she's acting in accordance to her designs either. So stay alert. Weiss... has a way of convincing people she's less dangerous than she is."
His sigh was deep, weary, and thoroughly born of personal experience.
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MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
"No surrender, then. Very well. That works for me." Gwen replied, the soldier plainly ignoring Emerald's words. She had a job to do, and rising to an intruder's bait wasn't a part of it. They could find out the information they needed later, when the two were helplessly apprehended and locked up. If the woman was speaking honestly, anyway. If not, well, they'd still have two of the targets behind bars. Her eyes squinted slightly as she looked at Emerald. At this much closer distance, with a greater focus on the two's appearance rather than the desire for them to lead her to the rest...the special operative was struck by a vague sense of familiarity. She'd seen that face before...but where? That was the question, but the answer didn't immediately come.
"You must think me a complete amateur." That was a rather casual reply to everything she witnessed, her voice cold and emotionless save for expressing her utter indifference to the sight spreading out before her. Only now did the faint recognition completely click in her mind. That face, it had been among the multitude of files she'd skimmed through over the course of several meal periods. Between that, the lack of pain, and perhaps most tellingly, the absence of Jennings voicing his worry or concern or fear as his master was being swallowed up by what could likely best be described as Doctor Merlot's wet dream, all of that together told Helios all she needed to know. This monstrosity wasn't real.
There was a relatively quiet click of metal as two gun barrels extended from the reinforced armor above her wrists and a moment later, both wrist-mounted flamethrowers let loose with their payloads as the still hovering Gwen spun around, scorching the fake thing with enough fire dust to dispel it as the illusion it was and returning her vision to normalcy.
There was a relatively quiet click of metal as two gun barrels extended from the reinforced armor above her wrists and a moment later, both wrist-mounted flamethrowers let loose with their payloads as the still hovering Gwen spun around, scorching the fake thing with enough fire dust to dispel it as the illusion it was and returning her vision to normalcy.
The numerous AK-200s opened fire with their rifles at this point, completely predictably to anyone who had encountered and knew enough about that model of robot. But the older model AK-130 that was Jennings, he did not. Instead two grappling hooks of his own shot out from his forearms, one aimed to wrap around Emerald herself and the other to snag the middle of the chain itself. With either or both got firmly locked in, the machine yanked with all the strength it possessed to bring the pair crashing back down to the ground before they could escape.
Gwen's head snapped over to the pair, eyes instantly locking on to the targets. The pistol on her hip was drawn in an instant, yet by the time it was aimed, the weapon was no longer a pistol. There was a strange grey rippling throughout the weapon as everything except the grip shifted into a different shape. When Malware settled, the now assault rifle looking weapon immediately fired two shots. Not at the targets directly as Jennings went about bringing the pair of them down, but at where she estimated the duo would impact. Two projectiles shot forth and stuck to the ground in those spots. The projectiles opened up and revealed a distinct purple glow in the split-seconds before the two intruders hit the ground.
Those devices' intent? To keep the pair struggling against a heavy pull of gravity aimed to pin them to the street.
Gwen's head snapped over to the pair, eyes instantly locking on to the targets. The pistol on her hip was drawn in an instant, yet by the time it was aimed, the weapon was no longer a pistol. There was a strange grey rippling throughout the weapon as everything except the grip shifted into a different shape. When Malware settled, the now assault rifle looking weapon immediately fired two shots. Not at the targets directly as Jennings went about bringing the pair of them down, but at where she estimated the duo would impact. Two projectiles shot forth and stuck to the ground in those spots. The projectiles opened up and revealed a distinct purple glow in the split-seconds before the two intruders hit the ground.
Those devices' intent? To keep the pair struggling against a heavy pull of gravity aimed to pin them to the street.
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Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
It was a shocking sight at first.
Ironwood wasn't perfect not by any stretch of the imagination. Both Schnee and him had issues he felt needed to be addressed.
'But, if anything, what I just saw is a good reminder that despite everything, despite the hardships we've endured. We're all in this together.'
He glanced over to Cobalt.
'I'm glad I'm in this with you, Cobalt."
Cobalt, who had been watching their old partner with the sort of awe only the former head of the Atlesian military could provoke with his quiet charisma and naturally commanding aura, sent a sly glance Grey's way before slinging an arm over their shoulder so energetically it was almost strangling. "Well shucks, pardner! Me too!"
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
Whatever pleasantly surprised feeling might have been coaxed out of Cinder by the reveal that Ironwood's group included the Spring Maiden from the other world, whatever eager expression might have been inspired by that news, none of it became visibly apparent. That good information was drowned out by the rest of his words. The weight of a lot of them sunk in to a great degree, and she couldn't exactly argue with the assessment that solo maidens would be easy pickings for him. The teenager had thought they were being discreet in their travels, but the attack in Argus had thoroughly destroyed that notion. She had been easy prey then. Blake had left her with a ringing headache and a dislocated knee on that rooftop, and the Shadow Fang faunus had been a centimeter away from leaving her with a slit throat as well. "B-but I can't just stand by and hide. I can't just...do nothing..." She stammered weakly.
"...I..." Cinder started to defend but she faltered before any words could further come. Whether it was from the weight of his words, or the lingering feelings from that withering glare he'd directed at her a short while ago. Or if it was just the fact that there had hardly been any hours in that month of travel where she didn't think about her team and her Beacon friends. Their presence in her head was a near constant thing. Praying that they were doing okay, wherever they were. Hoping that they understood why she felt the need to do what she did...and that they could forgive her when they met each other again. If...if they ever did. Any answer on whether it was worth it remained lodged in her throat. Her eye slid shut to conceal the conflicting feelings expressed through it.
He swiveled back around to face them once more.
"Weiss Schnee is someone I've known a very long time, and it's been long enough to say I'm confident that her recent actions came from a very similar school of thinking. I'd be no less disheartened to see another young woman with noble intentions and all the potential in the world squander it because she took it upon herself to decide what her duty is, and strayed from the right path in pursuing it. I'm not a general or headmaster anymore; I can't tell you what to do. It's just some advice."
When her golden eye opened again, it was with a far more apprehensive look that her further downturned head delivered towards the ground.
She didn't know the man all too well personally, but she knew well of his reputation before all this. He was not a man to mince words when it came to speaking his mind. Perhaps it was that reputation of his that led to his words striking so deeply in the young maiden, or maybe it was simply in her nature of trusting people that made his assessment that she and Weiss Schnee were thinking along the same lines hit that much harder. Before she could be escorted to the mess hall or to any honestly very needed sleep, her mouth opened as she finally forced some words out. "What...what do you think she would have said, if she was standing here? The previous Fall Maiden, I mean. What would she have thought about the choices I made?"
She didn't know the man all too well personally, but she knew well of his reputation before all this. He was not a man to mince words when it came to speaking his mind. Perhaps it was that reputation of his that led to his words striking so deeply in the young maiden, or maybe it was simply in her nature of trusting people that made his assessment that she and Weiss Schnee were thinking along the same lines hit that much harder. Before she could be escorted to the mess hall or to any honestly very needed sleep, her mouth opened as she finally forced some words out. "What...what do you think she would have said, if she was standing here? The previous Fall Maiden, I mean. What would she have thought about the choices I made?"
MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
Robyn's eyes narrowed in suspicion at that news. All the effort the Branwens had gone through to spring Yang out, and all the trouble that ensued when the rest of them came to aid the twins out of a dicey situation...all that, only for Yang to get free on her own. That didn't add up. Either the girl was more crafty than Robyn had given her credit for, unlikely given the length of her captivity, or...Weiss had let the girl go, for some reason. It was the unknown reasoning that had her most concerned. Deep thought on that matter could wait, however. Her purple eyes moved to look at one of the group in particular as she strode over. "Fiona." She greeted in friendly relief that one of her own returned unharmed. "So, Penny's driving is that bad huh?" Robyn questioned with a smirk.
Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
When her golden eye opened again, it was with a far more apprehensive look that her further downturned head delivered towards the ground.
She didn't know the man all too well personally, but she knew well of his reputation before all this. He was not a man to mince words when it came to speaking his mind. Perhaps it was that reputation of his that led to his words striking so deeply in the young maiden, or maybe it was simply in her nature of trusting people that made his assessment that she and Weiss Schnee were thinking along the same lines hit that much harder. Before she could be escorted to the mess hall or to any honestly very needed sleep, her mouth opened as she finally forced some words out. "What...what do you think she would have said, if she was standing here? The previous Fall Maiden, I mean. What would she have thought about the choices I made?"
Ironwood seemed to have every intent of turning back around to overlook the communications array again when Cinder spoke, a question which had him pause momentarily with his back to her while he compiled his recollections of the prior maiden of autumn.
A young woman with a big heart. The type of person who'd stop to comfort a crying child on the roadside if she saw one. Ironwood never had the chance to become very well-acquainted with her—No one had. She'd taken to the heavy responsibility placed on her with some reluctance, simply a girl whose dreams and ambitions in life had found themselves suddenly and jarringly derailed by the curse of duty. And then, in an act of vicious, calculating cruelty only achievable by a very select few throughout all four kingdoms, all of them had been violently ripped away from her for good. Along with her life.
"I think she'd be very grateful her gifts ended up in the hands of somebody so likeminded. Amber was the Fall Maiden for such a short time that I was only able to meet her on a handful of occasions; in truth, I probably would've been about as unfamiliar to her as I am you. But..."
Ironically similar to Weiss in certain respects, Ironwood was a man gifted with the clarity to cut through to the core of a person and see them for who they were. Not unlike the councilwoman, whose tactful approach admittedly yielded greater fruit than his set-in-his-ways disdain for manipulators, it was how he'd been able to remain afloat so long in the city of false smiles Atlas had become, and how he'd been among the very first to suspect her of foul play at all. He gave a terse, somber huff.
"...Based on what I did come to understand about her, she might actually approve. It's rare two consecutive maidens are so similar to one another. Amber was a compassionate young woman who cherished life and wanted nothing more than to use her gifts to help it flourish however she could, wherever she found it. If that sounds familiar, it's because it should." There was a pointed steel to the look he gave Cinder, though it was a long way from the harsh glare he'd used to make her fall back in line before. "She... didn't handle the responsibility well, though. Perhaps Salem... perhaps we placed too much on her shoulders, all at once. It... scared her, I think. She severed herself off from her old life, became something of a recluse. She didn't want anyone getting hurt on her account; she'd even only agree to travel under the watch of a single guard, someone experienced who kept their distance. She considered her burden too heavy to allow those close to her to share in it. And in the end..."
"...Nobody was there to help her."
He finally turned, gloved hands clasped behind his back as he faced Cinder more fully.
"Let us help you. You say you can't simply hide yourself away, and I agree. You have the power and drive to do good in the world, depending on how you choose to wield it. But candles who burn too brightly don't last the night. I imagine Salem took it upon herself to conceal the harsher realities of your gifts from you, but I'm through sugarcoating things on her behalf: most maidens die within a year of their powers awakening. I can understand getting a taste of power that came straight from the gods and worrying that those around you won't be able to keep up, that we're frail in comparison. But do not underestimate the means humanity has devised to compensate for those gifts ever since they became lost to us. The semblances conjured by our strength of spirit. The dust we harvested from the world around us. The technological strides we've been able to take, through nothing more than our own sheer drive and ingenuity."
His right hand emitted a faint whirr as he unclasped its fingers from around his other fist, gesturing out towards Penny in a demonstrative light.
"You said it yourself. The Shadow Fang's assassin dispatched you and your ancient primordial magic like it was little more than a display of ancient parlor tricks. Ozpin's MO has always been reaching out to Remnant's most proficient warriors and killers, filling their heads with false promises, convincing them to do his hunting for him, and it's one that we've only been able to resist by surrounding the maidens and relics with our most valiant warriors of light in turn. His current cabal might be more deadly and threatening than any other iteration before it, the worst nightmares who sprouted up in Remnant's darkest corners, and the only way we're going to win is by putting our faith in the very best humanity has to offer in return. The strong. The brave. The intelligent. When I look around this room, that's what I see."
He paused to let his eyes briefly flicker across those listening for emphasis.
"It's true that Salem first made me aware of Ozpin's threat, what feels like a lifetime ago. As a result, I... suppose I always deferred to her, in a way. I trusted that someone with just as much ancient wisdom as the man himself would know what the best way to neutralize him was. But I've recently become aware that Salem has kept a great deal from me. She still has much to offer, but to be blunt she isn't the woman with the master plan I thought I was following, and I'm done putting humanity's destiny in the hands of wisdom and power that's exactly that: Ancient. I'm not content to entrust Salem with any more blind faith. This is Atlas. We stand for the future of our species, not its distant past. The tools we need to win are all right here, along with the hands and hearts necessary to wield them. And I do mean win. I don't have the authority to conscript anyone, and I won't act like anyone is obliged to follow me. But I'm making it known here and now: once accounts in our kingdom are settled? I don't intend to stop. I don't intend to twiddle my thumbs and wait for Salem's next directive while Ozpin shuffles his deck and prepares some new offensive. Enough is enough."
"As soon as my kingdom stands united once more, I intend to use the greatest fighting force humanity has ever built to give Ozpin one hell of a reckoning. And he's going to remember why he's spent so many years living in the shadows."
Whatever feelings those gathered may have had on the nature of the words being spoken, there was no denying the fierce air and sheer aura of indomitability being exuded from the former general's every pore. As ever, Ironwood was fiercely committed to every single word he was saying, and it was difficult not to feel some amount of warmth and inspiration from such stalwart conviction.
For one among them, anyway. "WOOOOOOOOOW! That was amazin', pardner! When'd you go 'n' get so dang good at speechmakin'?! Ah felt every word of that! Ah feel like you're my DAD, only insteada bein' a mean goodfornuthin so-n-so you're gonna go beat up the ancient demonic bully givin' us all so much grief! Why, ah reckon a new codename is in order! Iroooonnnn... father... Irondaaaaaaa..."
"No."
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MyrtenRose
Knight of Rebellion
Ironwood seemed to have every intent of turning back around to overlook the communications array again when Cinder spoke, a question which had him pause momentarily with his back to her while he compiled his recollections of the prior maiden of autumn.
A young woman with a big heart. The type of person who'd stop to comfort a crying child on the roadside if she saw one. Ironwood never had the chance to become very well-acquainted with her—No one had. She'd taken to the heavy responsibility placed on her with some reluctance, simply a girl whose dreams and ambitions in life had found themselves suddenly and jarringly derailed by the curse of duty. And then, in an act of vicious, calculating cruelty only achievable by a very select few throughout all four kingdoms, all of them had been violently ripped away from her for good. Along with her life.
"I think she'd be very grateful her gifts ended up in the hands of somebody so likeminded. Amber was the Fall Maiden for such a short time that I was only able to meet her on a handful of occasions; in truth, I probably would've been about as unfamiliar to her as I am you. But..."
Ironically similar to Weiss in certain respects, Ironwood was a man gifted with the clarity to cut through to the core of a person and see them for who they were. Not unlike the councilwoman, whose tactful approach admittedly yielded greater fruit than his set-in-his-ways disdain for manipulators, it was how he'd been able to remain afloat so long in the city of false smiles Atlas had become, and how he'd been among the very first to suspect her of foul play at all. He gave a terse, somber huff.
View attachment 715357
"...Based on what I did come to understand about her, she might actually approve. It's rare two consecutive maidens are so similar to one another. Amber was a compassionate young woman who cherished life and wanted nothing more than to use her gifts to help it flourish however she could, wherever she found it. If that sounds familiar, it's because it should." There was a pointed steel to the look he gave Cinder, though it was a long way from the harsh glare he'd used to make her fall back in line before. "She... didn't handle the responsibility well, though. Perhaps Salem... perhaps we placed too much on her shoulders, all at once. It... scared her, I think. She severed herself off from her old life, became something of a recluse. She didn't want anyone getting hurt on her account; she'd even only agree to travel under the watch of a single guard, someone experienced who kept their distance. She considered her burden too heavy to allow those close to her to share in it. And in the end..."
"...Nobody was there to help her."
He finally turned, gloved hands clasped behind his back as he faced Cinder more fully.
"Let us help you. You say you can't simply hide yourself away, and I agree. You have the power and drive to do good in the world, depending on how you choose to wield it. But candles who burn too brightly don't last the night. I imagine Salem took it upon herself to conceal the harsher realities of your gifts from you, but I'm through sugarcoating things on her behalf: most maidens die within a year of their powers awakening. I can understand getting a taste of power that came straight from the gods and worrying that those around you won't be able to keep up, that we're frail in comparison. But do not underestimate the means humanity has devised to compensate for those gifts ever since they became lost to us. The semblances conjured by our strength of spirit. The dust we harvested from the world around us. The technological strides we've been able to take, through nothing more than our own sheer drive and ingenuity."
His right hand emitted a faint whirr as he unclasped its fingers from around his other fist, gesturing out towards Penny in a demonstrative light.
"You said it yourself. The Shadow Fang's assassin dispatched you and your ancient primordial magic like it was little more than a display of ancient parlor tricks. Ozpin's MO has always been reaching out to Remnant's most proficient warriors and killers, filling their heads with false promises, convincing them to do his hunting for him, and it's one that we've only been able to resist by surrounding the maidens and relics with our most valiant warriors of light in turn. His current cabal might be more deadly and threatening than any other iteration before it, the worst nightmares who sprouted up in Remnant's darkest corners, and the only way we're going to win is by putting our faith in the very best humanity has to offer in return. The strong. The brave. The intelligent. When I look around this room, that's what I see."
He paused to let his eyes briefly flicker across those listening for emphasis.
"It's true that Salem first made me aware of Ozpin's threat, what feels like a lifetime ago. As a result, I... suppose I always deferred to her, in a way. I trusted that someone with just as much ancient wisdom as the man himself would know what the best way to neutralize him was. But I've recently become aware that Salem has kept a great deal from me. She still has much to offer, but to be blunt she isn't the woman with the master plan I thought I was following, and I'm done putting humanity's destiny in the hands of wisdom and power that's exactly that: Ancient. I'm not content to entrust Salem with any more blind faith. This is Atlas. We stand for the future of our species, not its distant past. The tools we need to win are all right here, along with the hands and hearts necessary to wield them. And I do mean win. I don't have the authority to conscript anyone, and I won't act like anyone is obliged to follow me. But I'm making it known here and now: once accounts in our kingdom are settled? I don't intend to stop. I don't intend to twiddle my thumbs and wait for Salem's next directive while Ozpin shuffles his deck and prepares some new offensive. Enough is enough."
View attachment 715365
"As soon as my kingdom stands united once more, I intend to use the greatest fighting force humanity has ever built to give Ozpin one hell of a reckoning. And he's going to remember why he's spent so many years living in the shadows."
Whatever feelings those gathered may have had on the nature of the words being spoken, there was no denying the fierce air and sheer aura of indomitability being exuded from the former general's every pore. As ever, Ironwood was fiercely committed to every single word he was saying, and it was difficult not to feel some amount of warmth and inspiration from such stalwart conviction.
For one among them, anyway. "WOOOOOOOOOW! That was amazin', pardner! When'd you go 'n' get so dang good at speechmakin'?! Ah felt every word of that! Ah feel like you're my DAD, only insteada bein' a mean goodfornuthin so-n-so you're gonna go beat up the ancient demonic bully givin' us all so much grief! Why, ah reckon a new codename is in order! Iroooonnnn... father... Irondaaaaaaa..."
"No."
"...Thanks for saying all that." Cinder eventually replied to the former general. It was sincerely meant, just as the small smile she directed at him was completely genuine. It was heartening to imagine that wherever Amber had ended up after her life came to an end, the previous Fall Maiden was looking down at her with approval, grateful that the power had ended up with somebody just as compassionate and protective as she had been. That the teenager was doing well in following others' example. Though perhaps more than all that, the rest of what Ironwood had to say affected her greatly. It sounded like she had more in common with Amber than simply compassion. The previous fall maiden hadn't handled the responsibility that came hand in hand with the power all that well. It had driven her to be more isolated than she might have otherwise been. She'd left whatever friends she had behind, so that the perceived burden didn't crush them too.
That was so familiar it was painful.
That was so familiar it was painful.
Watts's demands and concern and frustrated yelling, Tyrian's pleading shouts for her to come back, Neo's face back then, Mercury's words, all that and more. She could see and hear it all in her mind, just as clear in her thoughts as it had been when she had experienced that day back at the camp. Cinder's silence was heavy as she processed all those memories flashing back. Beyond that, she compared it to Amber, how her self-isolation had ultimately ended in the maiden's death with nobody beside her to help or even hold her in those final moments. That was...honestly one of the more terrible fates she could imagine.
No one should have to die alone.
The smile on her face was still somehow present despite it all, but there was far more sadness inherent in it now. She didn't want to go out like that. Ironwood making clear that he wanted to help, that they all did, it struck a chord in her. As did the revelation of how short a maiden's life expectancy becomes once they have the power, and the poignant reminder of all of humanity's strengths, the simple fact of how close Blake had come to cutting her life short with a single slice. Despite her incredible power, the assassin had beaten her. Those that served Ozpin, they were all dangerous. Ironwood's words about being stronger if they stood together, united, it all rang a little truer because of that.
"Okay." She was quiet at first, but by the time she lifted her head to stare back at Ironwood in full, her voice was louder and the smile now gone.
"Okay. I appreciate...and accept your help. All of you. And when all the problems here are settled, and you turn your forces to face whatever Ozpin throws at you head-on...I'd...be honored to stand beside you. If...you'd have me, fool that I've been."
She refused to suffer the same fate as Amber.
Gus Gungus
One Thousand Club
There was something else to the tone Ironwood took when he eventually responded, though it was difficult to gauge precisely what. The fact that he had turned back to face the operations table by then meant Cinder didn't catch the ripple of what looked like guilt when it broke across his face, one that never would have made it to the surface if not for the enormous pressure he'd been under lately.
"Call it... trying to compensate for past mistakes, I suppose."
"Okay." She was quiet at first, but by the time she lifted her head to stare back at Ironwood in full, her voice was louder and the smile now gone.
"Okay. I appreciate...and accept your help. All of you. And when all the problems here are settled, and you turn your forces to face whatever Ozpin throws at you head-on...I'd...be honored to stand beside you. If...you'd have me, fool that I've been."
She refused to suffer the same fate as Amber.
The general had turned his head slightly to better listen over one shoulder, features once more locked back into a firm shell of inscrutable. A moment or two passed in the wake of Cinder's declaration before he nodded, a single, decisive movement rife with grateful resolve.
"Of course. A maiden willing to stand and fight is always reassuring, in spite of everything I just said. I'm just glad you see you don't have to go it alone." The sigh he gave was weary, as they all were of late, but there was indeed a note of relief in it. "Spring—I should say, Raven—is... injured. But I have no doubt she'll help you continue learning to control your abilities should you choose to. And... I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."
From most people they would've been just words.
From Ironwood, a promise was something he'd carry all the way to the grave if he had to. Even if that meant he had to willfully lay down inside it, and his voice reflected as much in its surety of purpose.
"All that aside... This location remains secure. You're all free to get settled while we wait to see if miss Xiao Long has anything useful to report. Whatever she may have learned, however slight, I suspect it may be of significance to us all; So anyone who wishes is free to return when she arrives and listen in. Other than that... Dismissed."
