Several large airships lands at Beacon as Ozpin and Glynda watch from the window in his office.

"Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels." Glynda complains.

"Well..." Ozpin starts. "Running an academy and a military makes him a busy man. But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore."  A chirping beep sounds repeatedly. Ozpin turns to see a hollow-message 'Access Requested' on his desk. "Come in."

The elevator doors open to Reveal Ironwood and a soldier behind him.

The soldier behind Ironwood wears armor that's steel with sage and white trim. He has slicked back black hair and a large scar on the middle of his face in the shape of an X. There's a sniper rifle on his back. 

His name is Locus Ortez

"Ozpin." Ironwood greets as he walks in, with Locus right behind him.

Ozpin walks towards Ironwood. "Hello, general."

"Please, drop the formalities."

Ironwood and Ozpin shake hands. Glynda nods to Locus and he nods back.

"It's been too long!" Ironwood chuckles, then he glances at Glynda. "And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met."

Oh, James!" Glynda gives a personable wave and then drops all pleasantries. "I'll be outside." She walks away.

"I'll take my leave as well, sir." Locus states as he follows Glynda.

"Well she hasn't changed a bit." Ironwood says.

"So..." Ozpin turns around and walks to his table, where a pot and a couple coffee cups sit. "What in the world has brought you a;; the way down from Atlas?" Ozpin pours himself some coffee. "Headmasters don't typically travel with their students for the Vytal Festival." He hands Ironwood a cup of coffee.

Ironwood grabs the cup of coffee. "Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year." Ironwood pulls a flask out from under his coat, and pours the contents into his cup. "Besides, with you hosting... I thought this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up."

Ozpin walks behind his desk with a cup of coffee in hand. "I can certainly appreciate quality time between friends..." He glances outside and sees a White and Blue Bullhead with 'Police' on the side of it, land. He looks back to Ironwood and sits in his chair. "However... The small fleet outside my window has me somewhat concerned."

"Well... Concern is what brought them here."

"I understand travel between kingdoms has become increasingly difficult--"

"Oz..." Ironwood interrupts. "You and I both know why I brought those men."

Ozpin takes a sip of his coffee and sighs. "We are in a time of peace. Shows of power like this--" He motions to the airships outside. "--are just going to give off the wrong impression."

Ironwood sets his cup down. "But if what Qrow said is true--"

Ozpin interrupts by holding a finger up. "If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully. It's the Vytal Festival; A time to celebrate unity and peace. So, I suggest you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent."

"I'm just being cautious."

"As am I... Which is why we will continue to train the best Huntsmen and Huntresses we can."

"Believe me, I am." Ironwood turns and walks away. He stops near the door and looks back at Ozpin. "But ask yourself this: Do you honestly believe your children can win a war?"

"...I hope they never have to."

Inside Beacon's library team RWBY is playing Remnant: The Game. Blake, is obviously distracted as Ruby contemplating her next move.

Team JNPR is nearby with them reading books. Nora is taking a nap.

Team RDDD is just a table away from RWBY. Asher is drawing on a large blue piece of paper. Donut is writing in his purple notebook, while Simmons is reading through some text books. Grif is loudly snoring as he sleeps.

"Hmmmm..." Ruby hums. "Alright.... Alright..." She points at Yang. "Yang Xiao Long, prepare your kingdom for battle!"

Yang pumps her fist. "Bring it on!"

"I deploy, the Atlesian Air Fleet!" Ruby holds up a card and Yang dramatically gasps. "Looks like I get to fly right over your Ursai and attack your walls directly!" Makes noises like airplanes flying and bombing as she makes a bird with her hands.

Yang feigns indignance as she points at Ruby. "You fiend!"

Ruby gets down low. "And since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time only lasts one turn."

"Hehehe... Pretty sneaky sis,-" Yang holds up a card. "-but you've just activated my trap card!" She flips the card around to show a Giant Nevermore card.

"Whaaaaa!"

Yang stands up. "Giant Nevermore!" She slams her hand into the table, knocking the pieces on the board over. If I roll a seven or higher Fatal Feathers will slice your fleet in two."

Ruby points at Yang. "But, if you roll a six or lower, the Nevermore will turn on your own forces."

Asher bits on his white pencil. "Hmmm, yes, yes!" Asher draws on the paper. "Ohhh, yes! Two cannons seems perfect!"

"HAH!" Yang shouts in the background.

"NOOOOOOOOO, MY FEARLESS SOLDIERS!" Ruby yells.

Grif rolls slightly and falls out of his chair and onto the ground. After a few seconds he just continues to snore. Simmons leans over and glances at his sleeping teammate.

"Lazy bastard." Simmons mutters, then goes back to his text book.

Back with team RWBY.

Ruby cries as she lays her head on the table. "Nooo...

Yang turns to Weiss. "Well Weiss, it's your turn!"

"I have..." Weiss looks at her cards. "Absolutely no idea what's going on."

Yang slides over to Weiss and puts her hand on the ice queen's shoulder. "Look, it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo which means that all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus."

"That sounds dumb."

Yang starts looking through Weiss' cards. "See, you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge... Oh, oh!" She pulls up a card to show Weiss. "Resourceful Raider! Seem now you can take Ruby's discarded Air Fleet--"

Ruby cries. "Nooooo..."

"--and put it in your hand!"

"Okay...?" Weiss is confused.

"And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance boost against natural hazards,--" Yang shows Weiss a card. "--you could use Sandstorm to disable my ground forces and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom!" She then gets serious and points at Weiss. "Just know that I will not forget this declaration of war." She slides away.

"And that means?" Weiss asks.

Ruby continues to cry. "You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant!"

Weiss stands and a thunder clap accompanies Weiss' overjoyed psychotic laughter. "Yes! Fear the almighty power of my forces! Cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms!"

"Trap card!" Yang holds up a card.

"Huh?"

Yang shuffles the pieces on the board, Weiss' pieces disappearing in a puff of smoke. "Your armies have been destroyed."

Weiss slumps in her chair, cries and whines. "I hate this game of emotions we play!"

Ruby hops into Weiss' lap. "Stay strong, Weiss! We'll make it through this together!"

"Shut up!" Weiss hugs Ruby. "Don't touch me!"

"Asher!" Ruby shouts. "Yang's being unfair."

Asher glances over to his sister. "Not my fault you wanted to play Remnant: The Game, with Yang. She's just way too good."

Asher's scroll vibrates and he pulls it out and reads the message. Suddenly Asher's turns Chibi and he starts to wave his arms around. "YES! The first Pelican has been deployed! This is sooooooo coooool!"

Chibi Asher starts to dance, and his team stares at him. Asher notices and he coughs into his hand, returning to normal.

Asher sits back down and goes back to his blueprints. "Sorry..."

Yang puts her arms behind her head. "Alright Blake, you're up!"

"Huh?" Blake snaps back to reality. "Oh! Um..." She looks at her cards. "Sorry, what am I doing?"

"You're playing as Vale, trying to conquer the kingdoms of Remnant!"

"Right..."

Jaune walks over. "Hey! Can I play?"

"Sorry Jaune, we've already got four people." Ruby informs.

"Besides, this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I seriously doubt you possess." Weiss says.

"Uhh... You attacked your own navel fleet two turns ago." Yang states.

"Hmph!"

"Bring it on, ice queen!" Jaune challenges. "I'll have you know that I've been told that I'm a natural, born leader!"

"By who? Your mother?" Weiss asks.

"And Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha waves her hand. "Hello again!"

Jaune brings his hands together. "Come on, let me play your hand for a turn."

Weiss leans back away from Jaune. "I'm not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo!"

"Why not?! You've trusted me with way more important stuff before! I mean you told us all that Blake is secretly a Fau--"

Pyrrha covers Jaune's mouth as she appears beside him. "Fun-loving person whom we all admire and respect!"

Everyone looks nervously at Blake who looks obviously annoyed that her secret is out.

"Right. That. ladies, enjoy your battle." Jaune bows as Pyrrha walks away.

"Sup losers." Sun calls out and everyone looks to the side to see him and Neptune.

"Hey Sun!" Ruby greets.

"RDDD team. Ruby, Yang, Blake, Ice Queen." Sun greets.

"Why does everyone keep calling me that!?" Weiss asks in confusion.

"Have you met yourself, Snowflake." Asher calls out.

"Quiet, flyboy!" Weiss grumbles.

"Hehe, Snowfire." Ruby whispers with a smug look.

"I never got a chance to formally introduce you to my old friend." Sun motions to Neptune.

Grif wakes up and climbs back into his seat. "Oh, hey Neptune."

Neptune waves to Grif. "Hey, Grif." He then looks at the game that team RWBY is playing. "Uh... aren't libraries for reading?"

Ren throws up his arms. "Thank you!"

Nora snores away for a second. "Pancakes!" She falls back sleep.

"Shut up." Sun says to Neptune. "Din't be a nerd."

Neptune shakes a finger at Sun. "Geh, geh, geh, geh! "Intellectual", okay? Thank you." 

"Someone finally gets it!" Asher throws his arms up.

Neptune then waves to everyone. "I'm Neptune." 

"So, Neptune, where are you from?" Weiss asks.

"Haven..." Neptune walks up to Weiss. "And I don't believe I've caught your name, snow angel."

Weiss blushes a little. "Um... I'm Weiss."

Asher grumbles with an annoyed look. "Really, that worked?!"

Simmons pats Asher on the back. "Next time, sir."

"Pleasure to meet you." Neptune says to Weiss.

Sun turns to Blake. "I never took you as the board-game-playing type!"

Blake glances at Sun. "Right..." She stands up. "Well I think I'm done playing, actually." She walks off. "I'll see you guys later."

Nora shrugs. "Women."

Everyone gives Nora a weird look.

.

.

Asher paces back and forth in front of his team in their dorm room. Lopez is standing in the back watching.

"Something on your mind, sir?" Simmons calls out.

"Men, we have a problem." Asher claims.

"What kind of problem, sir?" Donut asks.

"Torchwick?" Simmons suggests.

Asher nods. "He's working with the White Fang and that's a big problem. And he's working with the Meta, that's a big problem as well!"

The other three shivers at the mention of the Meta.

"How will we fight a group as big as the White Fang?" Donut asks.

"May I remind everyone that we're still just students." Grif speaks up. "First years in fact."

"We did stop them at the docks." Simmons points out.

"We hardly did anything, Simmons. We swooped in when everything was already said and done."

"But we still did something." Simmons then turns to Asher. "You and Ruby will come up with a plan right, Sarge?"

"Uh... um..." Asher thinks for a second, then smiles. "Right!"

Lopez speaks up. "Todos ustedes van a morir." [You all are going to die.]

"Aww, thank you for the encouraging words, Lopez."

"¿Por qué responderme, cuando ni siquiera entiendes lo que digo?" [Why respond to me, when you don't even understand what I'm saying?]

"You're right, Lopez." Asher smiles. "I am amazing."

Lopez sighs. "Mierda."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

02-07-2024

1891 words