Each chapter will focus on max 3 characters at a time, and will alternate between themselves. So for example, last chapter was about Saint and Lisbon, this chapter will be about Ruby and Osiris, and next chapter will be about Saint and Lisbon, and so on and so forth.

Atlas Academy.

General Ironwood reaches over to a glowing panel on his marble desk and taps a button. Blinds begin to unfold over the windows, blocking all external light and darkening the entire office.

A circle inside the floor starts to twist and lift upwards. Ruby steps away as she finds out she is standing on it. Everyone crowds around the newly formed table. Ironwood makes his way down to it, too.

"Ozpin believed that 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," Ironwood says. "But we find ourselves in a position of needing, well, a new approach." He tilts his head to the side and raises an eyebrow at the last part of his sentence.

"And what do you suggest?" Qrow asks. Ironwood holds a palm-sized remote and presses a button on it, turning on a holographic recreation of the Amity Arena.

The main entrance opens behind them all.

"Apologies, for being late, sir!" Penny's high-pitched and innocent-sounding voice resonates throughout the office. Ruby gasps and turns around to regard her previously-thought destroyed friend. Penny takes a sharp breath too upon laying eyes on Ruby, before a wide grin forms on her face. "Ruby!"

"Penny!" Ruby manages to squeeze out amidst her shock. "I thought…"

"What, you didn't believe me?" Ironwood chuckles, the edge of his lips curling upwards.

"Sorry for disturbing, too, go on, sir!" Penny speeds her away beside Ruby, looking like she's almost ready to start bouncing off the walls in joy.

"When Beacon fell and everyone on Remnant lost contact with one another, I knew our current system was outdated.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 presses another button, and an antenna materializes on top of the Amity Arena.

Everyone is caught in surprise, some looking at each other in skepticism. Ruby glances at Osiris, who doesn't seem to buy into it a single bit.

"Isn't it great? We're not going to just replace Beacon Tower. Building another tower on top of Amity Colosseum will re-establish global communications!" Penny, on the other hand, seems very enthusiastic about it. Osiris shoots the girl a suspicious look, before shaking his head and looking back at the holograph.

"Through cooperation with the Computerized Intelligence inside and by launching the tower high into the atmosphere, our scientists believe we can create a sort of…satellite out of reach of the Grimm capable of maintaining global communications even if we were to lose another tower," Winter Schnee finishes.

Osiris mutters something and Ruby so desperately wants to ask him what, but she keeps her silence. So far, the plan is looking quite good, in her opinion.

"That is great," she says, wonder crossing her face.

"James…you don't need the entire military for this," Qrow points out.

"I will for the next part, where I finally tell the people about Salem." Ironwood's tone darkens. He speaks with a sort of heaviness to his words.

"Huh, so that's why you withdrew your troops, to handle the panic that would break out in Atlas," Qrow states, matter-of-factly.

"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."

"I suppose you have a plan to deal with the onslaught of Grimm that would no doubt come?" Osiris asks.

"We have several security measures rolling out in both Mantle and Atlas that will ensure the safety of our citizens," Winter says.

Osiris pauses for a moment, before humming in agreement and shrugging.

"Trying to hide the truth from the world will eventually kill us all," Ironwood says. He presses the button on his remote, which turns off the projection and pulls away the shutters, allowing the night-time light in. He begins to head back to his desk.

"Oz spent his whole life, many lives, keeping this secret," Qrow says, also somewhat skeptical.

"I know, but since Beacon, things have changed. Without him here to guide us, all I can do is use my best judgement."

Ruby looks at Oscar, who shifts uncomfortably, one hand starts to scratch at his other arm. Ironwood seems to sense the subtle movement and stops to turn back.

"What is it?" Ironwood asks, concern present.

"Actually, Oz isn't completely gone," Oscar says, meekly and nervous.

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

Ironwood's face lights up. His eyes widen slightly and a smile starts to form. "Oz?" He speedwalks his way to Oscar. "I'm so glad you're here I didn't think-" He kneels in front of the boy.

Oscar puts his palms up. "Not quite, he's kind of, um, gone…at the moment"

The smile on Ironwood fades, and he lowers his head.

"That's not normal," he says. He looks back up. "How did he-"

"We don't know," Ruby says, as cool as she can. She can feel the surprised stares from everyone except Ironwood's personnel on her. "We were in a train crash, and ever since, well…suddenly, Oz wasn't there anymore."

Ironwood sighs. "That's the worst news yet," he says as he rises to his feet. He looks to Ruby. "Did you learn anything from him about the Relics before?"

Ruby's answer is prompt, and quite quick. "He told us the lamp can answer three question, but all the questions were used up already," she says, maintaining a steady voice.

"Right, right," Ironwood mumbles as he turns around and walks behind his desk, staring out the window. "Ozpin told us that too, once upon a time." He turns to face everyone. "At least we have you, Oscar. You're safe here in Atlas, maybe together we can figure out how to bring Ozpin back." His expression is still hopeful.

Ruby's blows out a breath of relief in her mind. She's glad he's still optimistic.

Ironwood picks up the Relic in one hand, his other practically glued behind his back, and walks to Ruby before offering it to her.

"You're giving it back to me?" Ruby asks, surprised.

"After what happened at the hangar, I don't want you to think I'm keeping anything from you, especially something as important this." Ironwood hands it over. "For the time being, I think it's safest with the people who brought it here."

"Um, thank you," Ruby says. She shrinks the Relic and hooks it onto her belt, exchanging a look with Oscar.

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

Ruby thinks for a few seconds, then looks at Ironwood. A determined expression forms on her face. "Tell us how we can help."

Ironwood smiles. "Good, because getting the Amity Tower ready to launch won't be easy." He walks back to his desk. "First, I think we need to get those weapons of yours up to our standards." He projects a display of Blake's broken Gambol Shroud, in which she seems to react with some embarrassment, indicated by her flushed mumbling.

Penny and Winter stand at Ironwood's sides.

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

Ruby grins while Yang pumps her fist in the air, exclaiming "Yeah!"

. . .

The group, minus-Osiris and lead by Ruby, leave Ironwood's office, all of them unsure on where to go due to the lack of a guide. Midway down the steps, a voice begins to pick up ahead, in the circular empty area that seemed to serve as an intersection for the rest of the floor.

"So that was the second time I got banned—now the third time-" A man's eager, flaunting and loud voice comes from that section.

"Alright cut the chatter," another, more controlled and deeper voice cuts him off.

In front of them is a group of five, Atlas-uniformed Huntsmen and Huntresses that detach from their little get-together to greet them.

A man, a few inches taller than Qrow, and sporting a sleeveless Atlas uniform with short brown hair save for the front which is pulled back to make a sort of triangle pointed towards the forehead. "I'd like to formally welcome you all to Atlas and apologize on behalf of the unit for their rough treatment, if we had known we would have come down."

"Oh no, it's fine but…" Ruby begins to raise a finger.

The man chuckles. "Right, we're the Ace-Ops Ironwood most likely mentioned. We're looking forward to working with you all. My name is Clover."

"Not that I'm-" A dark-skinned man, about the same height as Clover tries to speak but cuts himself short upon looking down at his wagging tail. He reaches back and grabs it, earning a suppressed snort from the smaller, brown woman on the right.

Penny slides in front of Ruby and throws her hands up in excitement.

"C'mon! Let me show you around campus!" She begins to enthusiastically march away.

Ruby glances behind her to see her uncle turn around to Ironwood while Osiris moves past the both of them, going silently and swiftly, like he's trying to avoid everyone in the room. She wonders what he could be up to before being pulled away by Yang.

. . .

"Oh, and over there are the classrooms!" Penny brings the entire group through a painstakingly quiet and slow tour of Atlas Academy.

Ruby lost count of how many facilities there were in the place, and around an hour into the entire thing she's ready to keel over and fall asleep, bed be damned. She stretches, and yawns loudly, hoping Penny would get the hint. Everyone comes to a stop, all looking exhausted in their own unique way, with Nora already passed out leaning on Ren.

"This all looks great, Penny. But where are we staying?" Ruby asks, exasperated and wanting this all to be over with. "I swear we passed by the…"

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

"They're called dorms, Penny. Dorms, use less words next time," a snarky, but somehow blank female voice comes in from just beside Ruby's ear. The girl screams and launches herself away from the sudden voice and nearly hitting her face on the wall. "Your cloak is really cozy, by the way."

With everyone now awake, they are all staring at the floating, glossy-white and crimson-striped prism with many, many facets and a single crimson-colored eye, that is looking at them like they're all crazy. The only exception seems to be Penny, who maintains her cheerful attitude.

"Oh, don't mind me. I don't have a problem with any of you except her," the drone snaps towards Ruby.

"What!? What did I do!?"

"Oh, you damn well know my problem!" A tense pause. Even Penny's smile disappeared into an expression of abject horror.

"Crimson, that is no way to treat a guest!"

"But it is a way to treat MY GUARDIAN!" The prism snaps.

"What!?" Ruby exclaims. "What are you talking about!? You mean Osiris or S…Lisbon!?"

The mention of Lisbon seems to not bode well with Penny, who tenses a bit.

"I mean you, little girl!" Crimson scoffs. "You're just as dense!"

/

Osiris waits to be the last one of his party to exit. The general is about to also, but stops upon noticing Osiris still standing at the exact same spot he was when the meeting was underway.

"Is there something you need to ask?" Ironwood asks, an eyebrow raised and his head turned.

"It's about the Amity Tower…more importantly, about this 'Computerized Intelligence' that will help us to launch the satellite," Osiris turns to regard the well-worn general.

"I'm afraid that's still confidential, but if you come back to me in a-"

"The Undying Mind is not to be trusted," Osiris cuts him off. Ironwood fully turns his body and shuts the door. "I know about it all."

Tension begins to rise. Ironwood is now sizing the Warlock up.

"How do you know of it?" He asks, his voice stiff, suspicious and definitely looking for a reason to escalate.

"In another timeline, where there are thousands of warriors known as 'Guardians' or 'Risen' or as the legends of this world seem to call them: 'Light-bearers.'" Osiris steps to the side so he can fully be in front of Ironwood.

"Light-bearers…Light-bearers…Ozpin mentioned something like that few times before," Ironwood says, rubbing his chin and exhaling silently through his nose. "I will give you the benefit of the doubt. What do you know of the Undying project?"

"I know of its origins, and its kind, the Vex," Osiris says, warning imbued in his expression. "It seeks to invade this world, and if I am understanding things correctly, you are all playing into its hands by powering this project."

"And what do you suggest we do? The Mind is essential to our plan, we can't just-"

"I am aware that you do not trust me, but what I am saying is the simple truth. If it isn't destroyed, it would be a race to extinction for all of humanity on Remnant. Heed this warning," Osiris turns away from the general.

Ironwood remains silent. "Give me a few days to think about it, I will see what my scientists have to say. For now, this discussion is over and it hasn't left this room, understood?"

Osiris pauses, and thinks for a moment. "I understand."

"Now leave my office."

. . .

Osiris finds a secluded spot with the help of Sagira's directions while she laid invisible inside Ironwood's office, recording whatever the general had to say. He looks around to make sure nobody is around.

"Lisbon, maintain your current position and don't raise any suspicions that you will attempt an escape," he says, his voice a mutter slightly louder than a whisper.

"Roger—ah shit, I have a visitor. I'll have to cut comms-Penny, you're looking as normal as ever..."

Osiris nods before shutting the channel.

/

"So, like, you don't know what I do? Like, at all?" Crimson asks.

Ruby squints at the floating prism, who is staring back at her with quite possibly the most annoyed-looking single eye she has ever seen. It rolls.

"Well, I assist Guardians by providing tactical support, healing, guidance, unfettered access to every electronic system known to man, among others. Did your mom not talk to you about me at all!?" Crimson tilts herself.

"Mom left when I was a kid," Ruby says, dryly.

An awkward pause. Crimson looks at the room, seemingly analyzing everyone's faces before returning to Ruby.

"Oh…I…I didn't know, um…" Crimson mumbles, her eye flickering to the floor.

"It's fine, I'm tired. We'll talk tomorrow."

"Wait, before you get ready for bed, I just need to do one more thing."

"Uh-" Ruby is interrupted as Crimson begins blasting these rays of bright blue light at her, eventually covering her entire body before a flash and then nothing. "What did you do?"

"Now we're linked, so I can do my job as a Ghost." Crimson disappears. "Testing, testing, you hear me? I'm still here, just unseeable."

Ruby wants to scream, start shrieking at her teammates at the recent development, but something about this feel so…normal, like it was completely fine that a floating drone can talk in her mind. Her head snaps to Yang, who's eyes are wide, then to Blake, who's occupied with something else and then to Weiss, who's about ready to sleep.

"Guys…she's in my mind," Ruby pushes out amidst her shock. "Can you hear me?"

"Ah perfect, that's working, you didn't go brain-dead! One in two chance of that, glad we're on the right half!"

"Sorry, what? You're saying I could have die-"

"No, no! It was a joke, jeez! Don't have to scare everyone like that!" Crimson says, a nervous edge present as she glances over to Yang who has an eyebrow raised and her eyes turning orange. "Alright, I'm sorry for scaring you, damn."

"You have to work on your jokes, Crims. Can I call you that?"

"Your mother would have laughed at it! And yes, you can call me that. Only one that can call me that."

"Whatever, I'm going to bed."

. . .

The next day…

Ruby had been called up on a high-priority briefing. Just her, as far she knew. She slips through a crack in the door of Ironwood's office, trying to make her profile as small as possible. Did she do something bad? She hopes not.

"Close the door behind you," Ironwood calls out from behind the circular table that raised from the ground yesterday.

Ruby turns around and shuts it with a soft click, darkening the room. The only sources of light are dim sky-blue lights and a red holographic projection of what looks like Mantle. Ironwood is standing behind it.

Harriet and that other, dark-haired wolf-Faunus Ace-Op is standing beside it, regarding her with short nods as she places herself in front. She looks down to the map. There are several markers labelled in small font that Ruby can't really distinguish from the fuzziness of the display.

"An unexpected variable came to my attention yesterday," Ironwood begins, before swiping in the air and then displaying a picture of Saint-14 himself. "An extremely dangerous criminal, calling himself Saint-Fourteen has appeared in a quarantined section of Mantle."

Ruby holds her desire to object, deciding to ask about another thing that's bothering her. "Quarantine? What's happening in Mantle?"

"Mantle has been dealing with an out-of-control…computer disease, if that makes sense." Ironwood tilts his head, squinting one eye, as if unsure of his explanation. "An old project that was let loose after a freak accident in one of our research facilities. Don't worry, we've evacuated and relocated those living in the affected areas."

"Okay, so…what's his deal?" She gestures towards Saint-14.

"Saint-Fourteen is a figure that is directly detrimental to the Amity Tower project, having intercepted and destroyed valuable shipments required to get it up and running," Ironwood says, pausing to catch his breath. "We haven't figured out if he's with Salem, but he has proven to be an extremely skilled fighter, able to take two of our Ace-Ops on at once seemingly without much effort."

Harriet tenses up while Marrow glances at her worriedly.

"Recent intel has suggested that he is headed for Ground Zero of the outbreak," Ironwood drags the map over to a dark-red area labelled GROUND ZERO – RESTRICTED CLEARANCE ALPHA-0.

"Isn't that a good thing? He's trying to stop it," Ruby squints as a few images of a mostly empty room taken over by pulsing red roots and glowing figures, non-descript due to the low resolution.

"His intent is noble, but our scientists have determined that the only way to stop it is to destroy the main core, the 'brain' of the outbreak." A picture of a black decahedron with an unknown symbol printed on one of the faces; a flat lozenge that's empty in the center, creating another with the negative space and another that wraps around the first, creating the look of an eye with two flat wings on top. "It would cause an explosion that would level the entirety of Mantle. Of course, we cannot allow this to happen."

Ironwood shakes his head and sighs. "We stopped deploying squads in the area, as the risk of death was too high, but we must stop him before he kills us all. We have our hands tied right now; we cannot stop the Amity project to focus on him. Which is why I will be splitting Ace-Ops. Team RWBY is to go with Harriet and Marrow into the Red Lands, while JNPR, Qrow, Clover, Elm and Vine will deal with clearing the Amity launch site."

"Understood, sir. How should we approach Saint-Fourteen?" Harriet asks, leaning her hands on the table, her face determined.

"Capture, if possible, but if it is too high of a risk, lethal force is authorized. Ruby, I know he doesn't look like anyone special, but do not underestimate this man." Ironwood pulls up footage of Saint-14 fighting Harriet and Marrow in an unknown location.

"I…yes, sir, we'll get it done." Ruby bites her bottom lip.

"Are you…sure about this? This is Saint-Fourteen we're talking about," Crimson inputs.

"I know…we'll figure it out when we run into him."

"Good, suit up. Pietro should have your weapons and armor ready. Deployment is in an hour."

Ruby meeting her Ghost, then encountering SIVA first hand. I'm excited to write what's next.