The Tale Of X-49: A RWBY Story

Chapter Eighty Four - Risk

After Ironwood issued his ultimatum, he patiently waited for Penny to arrive. In front entrance of the Atlas Academy, Ironwood along with Winter and the Ace-Ops minus Marrow wait for Penny. When a security alert is made, Winter orders the Ace-Ops to investigate. Soon enough, Penny arrives alone.

Ironwood: I didn't think you'd actually come alone. I expected at least some resistance from your friends.

Penny: I don't want anyone else to die.

As Penny seems to surrender herself to Ironwood, X-49 manages to infiltrate the Atlas Academy with Lulu. 

X-49: Alright, Qrow.....where are you?

With that, X-49 began moving through the halls of the Atlas Academy while avoiding the Atlesian soldiers stationed there. When he reached the prison cells, he could see Qrow and Robyn Hill locked in a cell with Jacques Schnee. The cell was guarded by multiple Atlesian soldiers. X-49 then turns to Lulu.

X-49: Alright, Lulu. Do your thing. 

Lulu then walks towards the Atlas Soldiers and begins barking at them. Confused, the Atlas Soldiers approached them. Qrow, Robyn and Jacques were confused by what they were seeing. When the Atlas Soldiers moved towards Lulu to investigate, X-49 leaps out of cover and shoots the Atlas Soldiers with nonlethal shots. Once the room was cleared, X-49 moved to the terminal controlling the cells.

Robyn: What the hell are you doing here?

X-49: Getting you out of here.

Qrow: Where's Ruby and the others? 

X-49: Taking care of business. 

Soon enough, the cell door was opened. As Qrow and Robyn walked out of the cell, Jacques attempts to do the same, but was stopped by the Combat Droid. 

X-49: You're not going anywhere. You're staying right where you are.

Jacques: Preposterous! You need me!

X-49: We'll do just fine without you.

Jacques: Don't do anything stupid. If you leave me here, I'll be forced to call for the guards and alert them of what you're doing. So if you don't mind, I'll...

Before Jacques could finish his sentence, X-49 knocks Jacques out with a punch to the face.

X-49: That's enough out of you.

X-49 then reactivates the cells, locking Jacques up.

X-49: Night night. 

Robyn: Couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

Qrow: Ironwood's got a bomb ready to turn Mantle into a crater. We need to....

X-49: Already on it. We need to head to the balcony now. Ruby and the others are waiting for us. 

With that, X-49 and Lulu along with Qrow and Robyn make their way to the balcony overlooking the entrance to the Academy here a confrontation between Ruby's group and Ironwood was underway.

X-49: Right on time.

Robyn: What exactly is your plan?

X-49: Wait for it.

Meanwhile, a confrontation was brewing between Ruby's group and Ironwood.

Ruby: General, please! Stop this before it goes too far!

Ironwood: I warned you that there are consequences for your actions. Now Mantle will pay the price for your actions.

As Ironwood said this, X-49 jumped down from the balcony and landed behind Ironwood. 

X-49: Hello there.

Ironwood and the Ace-Ops turned to face X-49. 

Ironwood: X-49. You are a bold one. 

X-49: It's not too late to back down, General. There's still time for us to stop Salem and....

Ironwood: The time has passed for that, X-49. As for you, surrender yourself for reprogramming or you will be reduced to scrap. 

X-49: So you're willing to kill everyone in Mantle? They didn't ask to be in this fight.

Ironwood: In war, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good. You are in no position to negotiate. Unlike you, I am willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure Salem's defeat. If I have to destroy Mantle to do it, I will do it in a heartbeat. I'm giving you one chance and only one chance. You and the rest of Ruby's group. Otherwise, I will use deadly force.

At this point, it was clear that Ironwood was not going to listen to reason. As Ironwood raises his pistol at X-49, Lulu jumps down from the balcony and begins biting at Ironwood. It was in that moment that Qrow and Robyn jumped down and ambushed the Ace-Ops.  An intense fight broke out between Ruby's group and Ironwood's forces. During all of this, the Ace-Ops broke off to get the bomb loaded into the airship to level Mantle. Qrow and Robyn were seen chasing after them. X-49 tackles Ironwood who as still trying to get Lulu off of him. Ironwood manages to pull out a spare pistol and fires a couple of rounds into X-49, but X-49 promptly disarms Ironwood and pins him to the ground. 

Ironwood: Goddamn it! Why do you insist on preventing me from doing my job?! I am only doing what's best for Remnant!

X-49: I'm sorry, General. We'll take it from here. 

It wasn't long before Winter Schnee stepped in and arrested Ironwood. Suddenly, Penny collapsed to her knees as the virus took hold of her.

Ruby: Penny!

X-49 and Ruby rushed to Penny's side. It was clear that the virus that was coursing through her body was becoming stronger.

X-49: We need to move.

With that, Ironwood was taken into custody and locked him in a cell. After that, the group split up with Winter guiding Jaune along with Ren and Nora to the Amity Tower access while the rest of the group made their way to the Atlas Vault. At the same time, Qrow and Robyn along with Marrow chased after the Ace-Ops to prevent them from using the bomb to level Mantle. But for now, Ironwood had been stopped. But the danger wasn't over as a hidden enemy biding their time, waiting for the right time to strike while the threat of Salem loomed over Mantle and Atlas.