RWBY: A Huntress's Amnesia

Chapter 17: Atlas Academy

The flight to Atlas was depressing. Everyone was gazing either out the window or at their boots. Sera and Yang couldn't grab each other's hands with handcuffs on, so they had to settle for touching knees. Except for Nora. She was chewing on her restraints.

It was just them and some other guy in the back of the transport airship. The other guy wore black clothes and had a scruffy black beard and tied back hair.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" Ruby broke the silence.

"My guess is gonna be jail," Qrow deadpanned.

"I still can't believe that 'fishing pole' guy took us out like it was nothing," Jaune said.

"Welcome to Atlas," Weiss said again. "Those were Ironwood's Ace Operatives."

"You guys had a run in with the Ace Ops?" the stranger asked.

"Apparently," Sera said.

"Ironwood must really have a bone to pick with you," he said.

"They're not that big of a deal," Weiss rolled her eyes.

The man looked at her incredulously. "Not that big of a deal? They're Atlas's top elite military huntsmen." He eyed them individually. "Ironwood's personal attack dogs."

"So, they got you too, huh?" Nora asked.

"Pfft," he said, his face suddenly nervous. "I wouldn't let myself get caught by them. I'm here because I'm speaking out against Atlas's cruelty—"

"You threw a brick at a ship!" the Atlesian pilot said.

"It's worth it if it gets people talking about our cause!" he straightened his back, miffed.

"'Our cause?'" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! The fight for better conditions in Mantle! Led by the charismatic, talented, lovely, Robin Hill and her Happy Huntresses!"

The pilot closed the window dividing them from Sera and the others.

The man stood, trying to say as much as he could before the window closed. "They were all top Atlas Academy graduates that could've signed up for the military, but Robin and her huntresses chose to stay in Mantle. She's gunning for a seat on the kingdom's council, and when she gets it she's going to put an end to Ironwood's tyranny!"

"Sure, pal," Sera snorted as the window closed.

"Happy huntresses?" Oscar asked.

"Is that their real name?" Yang asked.

"Don't you think 'tyranny' is a little dramatic?" Weiss asked.

"Easy to say for a Schnee heiress living comfortably in Atlas castles," he spat.

"Hey pal," Sera said. When he looked at her, the amnesiac willed her eyes to turn glowing red with black sclera. "Shut up."

The man's eyes widened, but he clamped his mouth shut.

"I'm not an heiress anymore," Weiss sighed.

The airship rose over the skyline of Atlas and veered towards a tall tower that lit up the night sky. Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha stood to look out the window.

"It's beautiful," Ruby said.

"Don't let that fool you," Weiss murmured.

"I guess we're not going to jail," Sera noted.

"Atlas Academy," Jaune marveled.

The airship landed in a courtyard, and the back doors opened for its passengers to exit. They all stepped out, save for the guy preaching about that "Robin Hill" girl.