The camera opens up to a snowy wasteland and in the distance a trail of black smoke is seen. The camera zooms over to it and it's a plane with smoke coming out of it's right engine.
Simmons:"Sir, will we make it there?"
The camera zooms into the cockpit, and it shows Asher flying the Plane with a stoic face. Simmons is standing behind him looking at a flashing red light.
Asher:"Yes." *He punches the light and breaks it.*
Then Grif walks next to Simmons.
Grif:"You don't have the best track record when it comes to flying."
Asher just sighs.
Asher:"It has to make it. We're only a few miles away from the city, I have the location of the hideout."
The plane jerks forward and little and Asher steadys it.
Simmons:"I hope so."
Simmons and Grif go to the back of the plane and sit down. Asher flicks his wrist and a map pops up with a red dot on it. Asher flicks his wrist again and the map disappears and he takes a few deep breaths.
Asher:"Almost there, a little further and everything will be alright."
The camera zooms out to the back of the plane and it shows Mantle and Atlas in the distance.
Asher:"Hang on guys just a little long."
Later.
The plane is seen slowly flying in Mantle and he looks down to see Joanna waving her hands and Asher parks the plane nearby. Red teams gets out of the plane and runs over to Joanna.
Joanna:"You guys took you sweat time."
Asher:"Sorry, but we we're like 10 miles away from Mantle with a broken plae."
Joanna:"Just go inside, you're friends are waiting,"
Red team goes inside and they open the door and everyone looks to them.
Weiss:*Gasps.* "Asher!" *She runs up to him and they hug each other.*
Donut:*Gasps.* "Grif, Simmons!" *He runs up and hugs Grif and simmons.*
Simmons:"Donut, stop."
Grif:"This is so not cool."
The camera pans back to Asher and Weiss and they are kissing then Ruby and Yang walk up and Asher breaks the kiss and goes and hugs the two.
Asher:"I'm glad you guys are okay."
Yang:"Pfft, Nothing can take us down."
Ruby:"As long as were all together nothing will take the Rose Dragon gang down."
The three laugh. Everyone else walks up and they all hug each other. Asher looks over and sees Oscar sitting at a table, he looks lost in thought. Asher walks over and outs a hand on his shoulder and Oscar looks over and his eyes widen.
Oscar:"Asher?"
Asher:"I heard you went against Ironwood. I don't know if you're stupid or brave, maybe both." *He smiles and they hug each other.*
Then Asher looks around and doesn't spot Qrow, he looks over to Ruby.
Asher:"Where's Uncle Qrow?"
Ruby looks down.
Ruby:"We don't know. The last we heard he was with Robyn, but..." *A door opens and Joanna walks in.*
Asher walks over to Weiss and they hold hands and she puts her head on his shoulder.
Joanna:"Alright, your friends are back now." *She walks to the center of the room.* "You ready to work?" *She sighs.* "The largest Grimm hoard ever seen is hovering over the tundra and out there is a city full of people with no heat, and from what you told us, no more military protection. And while were happy to give you guys a place to lie low for a while...It's time to get those people some help."
Ren:"How? Ironwood is stopping all evacuation to Atlas. And we can't get them out of the city with Salem's forces surrounding us."
Joanna:"The crater. Beneath Atlas. It's not safe but it's warm, and with everyone in one place we can do a better job protecting them."
Everyone looks to each other then back to Joanna.
Joanna:"May can send you where you're needed most. We've got to get everyone down into that crater before nightfall. In the slums, we might have a chance." *She walks to the door,*
Weiss:"We're never going to sleep again. I just know it."
Joanna:"Either you're helping... or you're baggage." *She opens the door and leaves.*
Yang stands up and walks to the center of the group.
Yang:"We need to get out there and do what we can for Mantle."
Asher:"This is going to be hard. But we've faced worse odds before."
Ruby:"We need to do what we can for everyone. What about Amity? And telling the world about Salem? We can't do this alone. We need help!"
Blake:"Ruby's right. The Happy Huntresses are handling the evacuation better than we could. And there's a bigger picture."
Yang:"But Amity isn't even finished. It was still under construction."
Asher:"We have to at least try." *He looks to Pietro.* "Doctor? What would you need to launch Amity now?"
Pietro:"Uh...We've made decent progress on construction and fuel collection, all potentially manageable, but...Amity was designed so that it couldn't launch itself without first being granted clearance from General Ironwood's terminal."
Yang looks over to Asher and Ruby.
Yang:"Ruby, Asher, there is no way Ironwood will cooperate with us. Especially since Asher betrayed him."
Asher and Ruby look to each other.
Ruby/Asher:"But he doesn't have to."
Ruby:"We just need the green light from his terminal, right?"
Yang:"You want to go back to the Academy?"
Pietro:"Actually... there is more than one terminal."
The camera shows both Ruby and Asher, with their hoods up, taking cover behind ventilation unit on a rooftop.
Pietro:*Voice over.* "The one in his office and...one in the main Atlesian Military Compound...." *Asher and Ruby take off their hoods and look up to Atlas.* "At the base of the city. You'd have to get into the compound somehow, then get inside the operations room...." *The camera goes back to the hideout.* "And then.. hoo boy... I might need to think about this some more."
Oscar:"And just to clarify, this is the easy option?"
Yang:"What you're saying is it can't be done. It's pointless." *She looks to Ruby and Asher.* "And even if you got the message out, there's no guarantee help would come."
Ruby turns around and looks to yang.
Ruby:"It's not pointless!" *Asher turns around.* "Atlas is only Salem's current target. She's not hiding anymore and once she's done here she'll move on to the rest of Remnant."
Asher:"We need to warn them!"
Yang:"Ruby... we said we'd follow your lead...but things haven't exactly worked out."
Ruby looks hurt and Asher narrows his eye at Yang.
Yang:"I just..." *Ren walks up and interrupts.*
Ren:"There are people here who need us right now. That's something we can actually do."
Nora:"But this isn't about just Atlas. Ruby's right. It's about all of Remnant." *The camera goes to Ruby and Asher looking up to Atlas and Nora puts her hands on their shoulders.* "They need to know In Vacuo, in Mistral, in Vale, what's coming...." *The camera goes back to the hideout.* "So they can prepare."
Jaune then walks up and intervenes.
Jaune:"Okay, Okay.. Then let's go for both. Get Amity up and running, and evacuate Mantle."
Asher:"But that's how Salem got this far- by dividing us."
Ruby:"We have to stick together!"
OScar:"No. What Salem wants is to turn us against each other. Just like this. Jaune has a point. We can work separately and still be united."
Then Penny speaks up.
Penny:"Or.. let me take the relic to Salem.... and maybe she will call of her attack on the kingdom."
Oscar:"I don't think we can trust Salem to actually do that."
Asher:"And you would be at risk too."
Oscar:"Yeah, and the moment she uses the staff to create anything else...Atlas falls onto Mantle."
Yang:"Nobody's turning you over to anybody. I think that's the one thing we could all agree on." *She narrows her eyes at Ruby and Asher.*
Ruby:*sighs.* "Okay. Then I guess we're going to Atlas." *She looks over to Pietro.* "Can you help us get to that terminal?"
Pietro:"I... suppose someone needs to help you bypass security."
Penny:"I'll go."
Asher:"Penny?"
Pietro:"Penny, we can't risk-"
Penny activates her maiden powers and her eyes have green flames and she turns around.
Penny:"I'll go."
Yang sighs.
Asher:"Then you stick close to us." *Penny nods.*
Yang:"Do what you've got to do." *She walks to the door.* "I'm going out there to see what I could do."
Pietro:"Yang." *Pietro tosses her some keys and she catches them.* "Go by the pharmacy. I was developing some new tools for you all before...this happened. You're going to need them."
Ren:"Nora?"
Nora:"I'm going with Ruby and Asher."
Ren:"But what about Mantle?"
Nora:"Oh, I'm saving Mantle! Because I actually believe we can do this."
Asher looks to his team.
Asher:"You guys go with them and help with evacutsions."
They salute.
Red team:"Yes, Sir."
Asher turns to everyone.
Asher:"Well, lets go do our objectives."
Everyone starts to leave and Asher looks to the TV screen where it shows the Wanted List. Asher looks and sees his picture, but is has 'Priority Zero, wanted Dead.' In red letter over it. Asher sighs.
The camera goes back to The group on the roof and Blake puts her hand on Ruby's shoulder.
Blake:"Hey, we're still united."
Ruby:"I hope so."
Asher puts a hand on her shoulder.
Asher:"Looks like it's the Rose Twins back in action."
Ruby smiles, then their earpieces go off.
Maria:*Earpiece.* "I can get Pietro out to Amity to prepare, but that doesn't answer how we're getting all of you up to Atlas."
Weiss:"I might actually have an idea for..."
Then Penny's scroll goes off and they look over to see Ironwood calling.
Asher:"Don't let him know I'm here." *Penny nods and accepts the call.*
Ironwood:*Scroll.* "Hello, Penny. I'm worried for your safety. Tell me where you are and I'll have you picked up right away. Atlas needs you Penny. Salem is here." *Ruby walks up and grabs her scroll.*
Ruby:"She's not going anywhere until you change your mind about Mantle. There's still a chance for Remnant to be--"
Ironwood:*Scroll.* "Mantle.. You're still worried about Mantle?! Remnant is doomed, Ruby! Unless we leave, Salem will destroy Atlas and with it, any hope humanity has left. We need to think about the future. If she ,makes it through our defenses everything that follows will be on your hands."
Asher walks up and grabs the scroll and ends the call.
Asher:"Boring conversation anyway."
Asher and Ruby hug Penny.
The camera pans to a view of the group on the roof then turns black.
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11-12-2021
1750 words.
(Here's Volume 8, I hope you guys are ready for what is about to happen.*
