I own nothing
Chapter 27: Mantle

(Y/N) instinctively tried to make himself look smaller as Maria guided the Manta through the busy airway.
"Manta 5.1, welcome home." A woman greeted over the radio. "Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega 12. A security team will meet you there."
Ruby glanced around worriedly. "I don't understand. What's happening here?"
"I don't know." Qrow admitted.
"Maybe this is a bad idea." (Y/N) said.
"But we made it here." Jaune replied. "We got the lamp to Atlas. So I guess we just go in and get some answers."
"I'm with (Y/N) on this." Weiss said as all eyes turned to her looking intensely at the fleet. "I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen ship, there's no way the security team will let us anywhere near Ironwood. They might even take me back to my father."
Ruby and Yang looked at each other in discomfort as (Y/N) growled. Fingers would be lost long before he let that happen.
"So...?" Blake tried to get an idea out of the Schnee.
"Winter!" She pulled out her scroll and nodded to Maria. "Put some distance between us and the fleet."
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Maria said, immediately steering the ship into Mantle for some cover.
As Weiss tried to contact her sister, (Y/N) looked out the window to see the city below. In contrast to the bright, technologically advanced Atlas, Mantle was a bit more rundown. Even the young boy could tell the city had seen better days and the harsh orange glow of the heating vents hurt his eyes. He then caught sight of a projection of Ironwood against a tall building, droning about something. He barely recognized the man. Compared to the stern general he had known in Vale, this Ironwood looked like he was put through the ringer. He had full facial hair and was overall more disheveled.
"Many have expressed that these are uncertain times, and while that may be the case for the rest of the world, I can tell you what is certain. The Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong and will prevail through these times. That is my promise."
"General Ironwood..." Yang said, disheartened.
"He looks tired." Ruby finished her thought as Qrow shook his head.
"James, what have you been doing?"
(Y/N)'s frown grew as he noticed several robots marching through the streets and kids scrambling to get out of sight. He could almost feel the tangible fear in the air.
"This isn't right." He heard Weiss say. "None of this is right."
The radio then screeched to life. "Manta 5., we have noticed a detour in your route. You are to make your way to docking bay Omega 12 immediately. Do you copy? Over."
"We're running out of time here, kids." Their pilot warned.
"We need to ditch this ship." Yang answered sternly.
"Agreed." Her uncle said. "We get lost in Mantle and buy ourselves some time."
"I'm telling you, my sister can take us to Ironwood." Weiss insisted.
At this, (Y/N) caught sight of something that made his head eyes widen.
"Ugh, Weiss? I don't think that's a good idea anymore."
She walked up to him and (Y/N) stepped away from the window so she could see the projection of her sister, who looked even more militaristic.
"A reminder: failure to cooperate with Atlas Military Personnel is a punishable offense."
"Winter?" Weiss whispered in disbelief.
"No offense, Weiss, but I think the kid has a point." Their male chaperone pointed out.
Weiss swung her head at him. "There's obviously something very wrong! If we could just talk to her-,"
"Look, I'm not even sure we should be talking to Ironwood until we know exactly what's going on in Mantle."
"But-,"
"Everyone calm down." Maria interrupted. "I know someone who can help us with both.
"Manta 5.1! You are to make your way-!"
Maria hung up on her mid order.
"Geeze, lady, take a hint!"
(Timeskip)
Landing in a back alley, the group quietly followed the elderly woman through the streets, failing not to be suspicious. All around them was trash, poverty, and graffiti. (Y/N) noticed a recurring slogan on the walls:
Show Your Teeth
He tucked his head in as he was reminded of the White Fang...of Adam. He shook his head, trying to relieving himself of his thoughts. Blake, as she could sense what he was thinking, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, to which he gave her a half smile.
"Come on now, hurry!" Maria implored. "It shouldn't be much longer."
"Is...this many soldiers normal?" Jaune asked.
"No." Weiss admitted. "Or, at least I didn't think so."
As they walked, from behind him, (Y/N) heard a click, Yang grunt, and then a crash. He turned in time to see a robot get him by his truck and his older sister made a face of regret. She then bashfully rubbed her head.
"Maybe we should pick up the pace?"
Now moving at a faster walking pace, Maria began to explain the history of Mantle and Atlas.
"You have to remember, the Kingdom had just lost the Great War. The people of Mantle needed a sign of a brighter future, and that sign was Atlas. After all, a home in the clouds is about as bright as it gets."
As she said this, they stopped at a cross as a truck past them. It was full of dirty, tired looking Faunus miners, and (Y/N) could just feel their drained will from there.
"Unless you're the one having to look up at it." Nora retorted bluntly.
"This whole place. I can barely see anyone with a soul that isn't completely defeated." (Y/N) sighed, frowning. "It's...sad."
"Yeah?" A voice challenged as a male, obviously drunk from the way he stumbled and smelled, appeared. "If you don't like it here, there's plenty of space out in the tundra."
(Y/N) almost wanted to hiss at the aggression, but he noticed Blake lightly shaking her head, so he just sucked it up. "Sorry."
"Atlas is the greatest kingdom in the world!" The drunk yelled at the boy.
Ruby stepped in front of her brother. "Hey!"
(Y/N) grabbed her hand. "It's fine, Ruby.
Blake then stood next to their leader. "Just ignore him."
"The embargo...the embargo has us in a rough patch." Another drunk said from a stoop. "But it'll blow over, you'll see."
The aggressive drunk then began to rant. "We try and help the other kingdoms and then this is what happens? I say let em rot!"
"He apologized." Blake said sternly on their youngest member's behalf. "He's a kid, he didn't mean to insult anyone."
The drunk spat. "Stupid Faunus like the two of you wouldn't und-," he was cut off by a familiar glyph appearing beneath him and launching him into a nearby dumpster.
Everyone turned to see Weiss wielding her sword and shrugging unapologetically.
"It was worth it."
(Y/N) snorted as they all took off down the street before security could catch up with them. Luckily, the running made their journey quick as Maria led them to a back alley door just as a Faunus left in high spirits as a voice bid them farewell. She motioned head for them all to step inside.
"Ah, it's good to see you again, old friend." Maria greeted as they stepped inside.
The interior was just as cluttered and battered as the outside, but (Y/N) held his tongue. The little old woman walked up to the desk in the back as an older looking man with dark skin, gray hair and facial hair, brown eyes decorated by glasses, and...a familiar looking pink bow, glanced at her. He sat up and began to push paperwork out of their line of sight.
"Ah yes, yes." He chuckled. "Have we met?"
"Well this is off to a fantastic start." Ren said what everyone was thinking.
"Cybernetic optical implants?" Maria hinted. "You adjust them? Every 10 years or so?"
He narrowed his eyes before shouting in recognition. "Maria! Yes! With the cybernetic optical implants!" He rounded the desk, revealing he was in an elaborate wheelchair (armchair?), and took her hand. "I adjust them every 10 years or so."
He laughed as he led her away from the desk to an examination table.
"Oh wow! Has it been that long already?"
Maria chuckled. "I know. I age like a fine wine. I would've been here soon if I hadn't run into these jokers. At the time I thought they might need my guidance while fighting a little old Sphinx."
"Oh, did they?"
"No, no. They had much more complicated issues."
Qrow cleared his throat to get their attention as the group circled in front of the elderly people.
"And this is?"
"Ugh!" Maria huffed. "So impatient! I didn't think I'd need to introduce one of Atlas's finest minds."
"Working in a place like this?" Yang questioned as a piece of the ceiling fell, nearly hitting (Y/N). (He managed to jump on Jaune's shoulders like a scared cat).
"He likes to keep a low profile." The retired Grim Reaper brushed off as Oscar pried the dragon from the blonde. "Something I've come to realize none of you know anything about."
"You can call me Pietro." The old man introduced himself.
"Finest heart too." Maria continued to compliment him. "This pharmacy is where he volunteers when he's not building the future of Atlas alongside Ironwood up in the clouds."
"Oh it's stuffy up there!" Pietro insisted. "Down here I get to help the locals, and have a little fun. I'm currently working on shoes that make you dance. You wanna try them on?"
"YES!" Nora immediately agreed before Yang shut her down.
"Before we get to that. We were wondering if you could help us? We came to Atlas, hoping we could talk to Ironwood, but, um."
"What exactly's been happening here?" Blake finished the question.
"What's with all the tension?" (Y/N) added.
Pietro gave a worrying cough before answering. "Well, the Fall of Beacon took a toll on all of us. James was no different. I couldn't tell you exactly what it was he say there, but it changed him. He's-,"
"He's scared." Qrow assumed.
"Paranoid would be the more appropriate term. You have to understand, it wasn't just the Grim. Someone completely dismantled Atlas security code, made it their plaything! Made us look like traitors to some and buffoons to everyone else! Whoever managed to do that is either a genius or...one of our own. I fear the answer may be both, and so does the General."
"Maybe Atlas isn't as safe as we thought." Ren said.
Oscar looked at them. "But after we came all this way."
"We can't just leave." (Y/N) said as Weiss pushed forward.
"How does the council feel about all this? Or Winter Schnee? Do you know anything about her?"
"Well, the council's so scared they'll agree to whatever he wants, though some representatives from Mantle are...wait, you're, you're Weiss Schnee!"
Weiss stepped back as Yang stepped forward to get the attention off her.
"Wait, what was it you were trying to say about Mantle?"
Pietro's eyes were fixed on Yang's mechanical arm. "You painted it!"
Yang pulled her arm back. "What?"
"Is everything okay?" Ruby asked.
The older gentlemen scanned the faces of the girls and (Y/N), pausing to study his wings and tail.
"You're Team RWBY! And you must be (Y/N)!"
They glanced at each other before Ruby began to freak out.
"You know us!?"
He chuckled. "Oh my girl, I do. I most certainly do. And I feel like such a dunce for not recognizing you sooner. My daughters told me so much about you."
The young dragon tilted his head. "Your...daughter?"
Suddenly, the air was filled with loud sirens and screaming which immediately drew everyone outside.
"Trouble!" Jaune announced as they raced out despite Pietro calling.
The group rushed into the street as the sirens blared and a harshly red light filled the night. Everyone drew their weapons in preparation. Only one thing could cause this kind of panic:
Grim.
"I guess the city defenses aren't doing much." Oscar analyzed.
Nora rolled her eyes. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me."
Down the road, a robot was tossed into a wall like a rag doll, followed by another one, as the remainder of their group backed into everyone's line of sight, firing at something. One was then tackled by a medium sized, saber tooth tiger like Grim.
Ruby looked at the others determined. "Well we didn't come this far to fail now!"
She activated Crescent Rose's scythe form as the robots were easily dispatched by the Grim, who then turned their sights on the group. Yang and (Y/N) burst forward, Ren and Nora on their tails, as they slammed into their opponents. (Y/N)'s fist collided with the skull of one of the Grim. As it fell limp, he ducked to the side to dodge once pounce at him, bashing at it with his tail as it soared past. Before it could regain its footing, he drove the blades of his gauntlets into its chest, killing it in an instant. He then blasted another one charging at him with fire, rendering it to ashes in a second. He then noticed Oscar taking out another saber tooth as two more charged him. He fired off a blast of lightning dust as Ruby shot the other one, and the two turned to dust before they could touch the farm boy. Ruby then raced towards the approaching pack as (Y/N) backed her up. She jumped into the air, and with a push from her brother, flew at the Grim in a spinning wheel of death. Beside them, Blake offered Yang shooting support as Gambol Shroud blade had been broken in the fight with Adam. He then saw a Grim sneak up on her.
"Blake! Behind you!"
She turned as the creature pounced, only for a bright green beam to slice it in 2. Several beams were then fired, finishing off the remaining Grim. The lights dimmed as a familiar figure came flying in. A girl's form spun against the light of the shattered moon and (Y/N)'s eyes widened as she realized who it was. Her outfit was different, and her hair was now longer, but it unmistakeable who it was.
"Penny?" Ruby said in disbelief.
Pietro stepped out with a smile. "Darling, why don't you say hello to your friends?"
The robot girl turned to them as her face lit up with an enormous smile. (Y/N) could even return the smile and just blinked in utter shock. Here she was, back from the dead.
That was a new one for him.
Penny then began to move.
"Sal."
Both he and Ruby looked at each other, confused.
She got into a running start position.
"U."
(Y/N) gulped when he realized what was about to happen. Ruby also seemed to know what was coming.
Penny then charged, blasting into the air with her new rocket boots. "TATIONS!!!!"
Ruby screamed, waving her arms in front of her as (Y/N) flew up to dodge the tackle hug. Penny crashed hard into Ruby, sending them both skidding.
"Why...?" Ruby moaned in pain.
As (Y/N) got back on the ground and everyone sheathed their weapons, Penny got up as Ruby struggled to find her footing.
"It is such a pleasure to see you all again!"
"Penny!" Ruby struggled to find the words. "I...I thought you-,"
"Died?" Pietro interrupted as he walked up to his daughter. "Well I guess in a manner of speaking she did. But we were able to recover her core from Amity Arena once it had made its way back to Atlas. It took me sometime, but-,"
Penny finished. "I'm as good as new! Better even! And now I'm the official protector of the city!"
"That's my girl! We're not gonna let a little ripping to shreds stop us, are we? Hehe!"
"No sir!"
"This is..." Weiss started.
Blake finished. "Strangely wholesome."
Yang chuckled. "Sounds like Penny to me."
Penny grabbed Ruby. "We have so many things to catch up about! I cannot wait!" A siren then went off. "It seems we will have to wait. Let's talk later! Can't wait to hear about all your adventures! I'm very excited to hear about your experiences!"
Penny then took off into the night, leaving more questions than answers.
"I can't tell if I completely understand what's going on, or have like a million questions!" Nora spoke for the group.
"And thankfully, I have about a thousand answers!" Pietro responded. "But let's get out of this weather first!"
"I have absolutely no idea who that child was." Maria said as Pietro walked by. "Is she important somehow?"
"That was unexpected." Jaune said, pointing out the obvious.
"Never a dull moment." Ren followed up.
(Y/N) smiled. "Maybe, but I'm glad."
"Yeah, that wasn't unwelcome." Qrow agreed. "I was honestly expecting things to go a lot rougher."
They all started to follow Pietro back to the shop when an uneasy feeling suddenly filled the air. (Y/N) shot up again as the older kids were suddenly on the ground, tied down. He and Qrow drew their weapons, but Qrow was also incapacitated from the shadows. (Y/N) managed to dodge another coming at him from behind, but he yelped as something caught his right wing, jerking him back. He yelled in pain as his wings were folded awkwardly by the bola that caught him. He fell with a thump as several military officers jumped down and encircled the group.
"Good work, team." A male with a fishing hook (likely what caught his wing) said.
"Hey! What's going on?!" Oscar yelled.
"Hey pal!" Qrow snapped. "I'm a licensed Huntsman! Just helped save everyone?"
He was ignored as several robots gathered the kids. (Y/N) hissed as one tried to grab him.
"Take it easy." A Faunus male with a fluffy tail tried to say gently.
"You'd be mad too if your tail was tangled!"
He sighed, but then motioned for the robots to readjust the ropes so the boy could fold them in.
"Let's get them loaded into the next transport." The male from before ordered.
(Y/N) noticed he was holding the lamp and snarled.
"Hey! Give that back!"
"Please!" Ruby said, still on the ground. "We were just trying to help!"
Pietro then returned, luckily looking angry. "What is the meaning of this!? What are the Ace Ops even doing down here!?"
"Ace Ops?" Ruby repeated.
"Doc, good to see you." The supposed leader greeted. "We heard a report of an unauthorized ship making an unauthorized landing, followed by an unauthorized use of weapons by non licensed Huntsmen."
Maria immediately got out of dodge ((Y/N) did not blame her) while Pietro's eyes widened.
"I-if we could just talk this out-,"
"They'll be able to talk this out when they get up to Atlas. Let's move out!"
The Ace Ops jumped into the air, leaving the group to be loaded into a military ship by the robots.
"You just had to say something..." (Y/N) said under his breath as the doors slammed.

Welcome to Atlas folks. So, I'd appreciate some guidance on where (Y/N) should be throughout the volume cause, he's a kid, but he's trained. What should I do? Seriously, I might be turning to you guys a lot throughout this arc for (Y/N). Call me out if you must.