3rd Person POV

Dreamscape

Grimlock: *ROARS*

Grimlock is seen in his new Dinobot form rampaging through a destroyed Atlas, roaring and using his Fire Breath to destroy giant airships. The other Dinobots are dead across the ground, then Ruby is seen crying while calling out to Grimlock.

Ruby: Grimlock! Grimlock, why are you doing this?!

Grimlock: *ROARS*

Ruby: Wake up, Grimlock! Please!

Ruby screams as Grimlock then clamps his jaws and apparently eats Ruby-

Reality

Grimlock's eyes shoot open and he looks around.

Ruby: Grimlock! Hey!

Grimlock sees Ruby and her worried, tear filled expression, as she tries to reach for him, he pulls his hand away.

Grimlock: No, too dangerous.

Ruby: You're not dangerous. Please, I need you.

Grimlock calms down and tries once again to rest, while Ruby cries again.

Outside in the wake of Sludge, Snarl and Slam's victory over Bruticus, Weiss and Blake run outside and congratulate their sons, while Slam approaches Nora at the doorway and gently nuzzles her and she happily hugs him.

As the parents hug and congratulate their sons, engines are heard and everyone looks up and sees a lone Atlas Manta headed towards them. Naturally, Snarl readies his Semblance, Blake though gets a communication on her earpiece.

Blake: *listens* *gasps* Snarl! Wait!

Snarl: Huh?

Blake: It's Yang and the others.

Snarl: Oh. Sorry.

The Manta lands on the lawn and the side hatch opens...

Sludge: *happy* Slash! Slag!

Slash: Sludge!

Slash eagerly races and hugs Sludge, the Manta powers down and Yang, Jaune, Ren and Slag step off too.

Weiss: We were starting to get worried about all of you.

Penny: Salutations and happy reunions!

Yang: Hey Penny. You guys are not gonna believe what happened to us.

Weiss leads everyone inside and Slash eagerly hugs Pyrrha, and asks her to pick her up. Yang and Jaune then went into detail about what happened and how Oscar was kidnapped by The Hound, how Winter rescued them from being stranded in the tundra and the river of Grimm Liquid.

Blake: At least you all are okay.

Yang: ... I'm sorry. For not sticking around and helping you.

Weiss: Hey, we all have different thoughts and ideas and our opinions on those ideas are going to be different, as ling as we are still there for each other when we desperately need them, there's no need to be sorry.

Yang then noticed one face was missing.

Yang: Where's Ruby?

Blake: ... Follow me.

Blake leads Yang, Jaune and Ren to Weiss' room where Ren and Jaune quickly see to Nora, who is back in bed. Yang sees Ruby with her face in her knees while sitting in a chair next to Grimlock's bed. Yang felt really bad for Ruby and walked up to her. She placed her fleshy hand on her sister's shoulder, causing Ruby to look up.

Ruby: Yang!

Ruby stands up and hugs Yang, which she immediately returned trying to be as comforting as she can.

Yang: We're okay, sis.

Ruby: I was so worried about you.

The two pull away after several more seconds and Yang finally asks what happened, Ruby goes into detail in the background as the view changes to team JNPR sitting next to Nora. Jaune tries using his Semblance on Nora to try and make her scars go away.

Jaune: *exhales* Sorry. No matter how much I boost you, they won't go away.

Nora: *sits up* Don't apologize. I got hurting doing what I always do. Another ditsy move from Nora.

Slam: *grunts*

Ren: Slam's right.

Nora: How would you know? We were supposed to be a team, but that didn't matter to you. When things went wrong you pushed us away. You shove people out so you don't have to feel things that are hard!

Nora gasps for breath before attempting to calm herself down. Ren looks away before he responds. Pyrrha takes Jaune's hand in hers as Ren speaks.

Ren: You're right. I should be apologizing, to all of you. We... lost Oscar and things got difficult, when that happened, I said horrible things. *sits in bed* I've been angry with myself. For not being as good as the Ace Ops, for what happened at Robyns rally, for losing the Lamp. I just thought that if I focused on getting stronger and working harder, we- I wouldn't fail. But my biggest failing was as a teammate and as a partner.

The team remained in silence and the view changed to Ratchet finally looking at the sample of Grimlock's blood Winter had given Yang.

Wheeljack: What's the damage, Doc?

Ratchet: ... By the All Spark. *angry* That idiot, Shockwave!

Ratchet slammed his fist on the counter he had set up next to him.

Ratchet: I'd hoped this day would never come.

Bumblebee: What are you talking about? What's wrong with Grimlock?

Ratchet: *sigh* It appears that during his creation Grimlock's nano-machines were never fully bonded to his human body. And now with the excessive transforming and some poisoning by Dark Energon, the nano machines are literally tearing him apart from the inside.

Wheeljack: So that's why he's been going haywire?

Ratchet: He can't control the machines anymore, if he continues at the rate he's going, he may die in a fiery explosion.

Bumblebee: But, you can fix him, right Ratchet?

Ratchet: I must, or we may lose Grimlock, for good.

In Atlas Academy, Marrow tried to question the logic behind working with a criminal to recreate the Dinobot's project.

Ironwood: It's true that the Dinobots are a bunch of loose cannons, but there's no getting atound the fact that with power like that on our side, we'd be able to protect Atlas better. So, we work until we have Dinobots of our own.

As Ironwood speaks the elevator doors open out of view.

Winter: I cannot allow that to happen, James.

Ironwood and the Ace Ops look to see Winter in her usual uniform but now she also dons a suit of white armor.

Ironwood looks at Winter's defiant expression in her eyes and he puts the pieces together.

Ironwood: It was you... you set Qrow and Robyn free.

Winter: In light of the laws set by the founders of this Kingdom, you are under arrest James Ironwood.

Ironwood: That's General to you.

Winter: You lost your title when you killed Councilman Sleet and threatened to leave Mantle to fend for itself when you swore an oath to protect all who reside in this kingdom. You turned my sister and her friends and family into fugitives to cover up your failures and protect your career. Surrender and accept the consequences of your transgressions.

Ironwood: When the smoke clears after the battle is won, the Kingdom will look to me as it's savior because I did what was necessary to save who I could.

Winter: What's necessary isn't always right.

The Ace Ops initially stand by and watch as both leaders stare each other down. Harriet then loses her confusion and steps in between the two facing Winter.

Harriet: You really think you can take all of us Schnee?

Elm and Vine soon join her, but Marrow is hesitant, he wants to be loyal to his teammates and General, but he also understands what they're doing is wrong.

Elm: *to Marrow* Well, what are you waiting for?

Marrow looks at his friends then at Winter who retains her defiant expression.

Marrow: This... is wrong. We shouldn't have abandoned Mantle, and now we're expected to just accept what Ironwood did? *to Ironwood* I believed in you! I wore this uniform with pride because I believed we could make real change, but now I see it for what it really is... *stands next to Winter* a collar.

Winter: This is your last chance, James. Surrender!

Ironwood: ...... No.

Suddenly, the elevator doors dings indicating the car has arrived, the elevator opens and Qrow and Robyn step off with their weapons drawn. Ironwood remained unfazed but Harriet grew an even harsher scowl when she saw Qrow.

Qrow: It's over, James. Even you must see the folly in this plan by now. Salem is on our doorstep, you should be-

Harriet: Shut up!

Harriet was overwhelmed with anger and she charged at Qrow, pretty much tackling him. Elm and Vine got ready to help.

Marrow: Stay!

Marrow used his Semblance to hold Elm and Vine in place, that is until Ironwood drew his pistol and fired at Marrow, however, Robyn blocked it with her shield. Ironwood's attention though was drawn back to Winter as the two soldiers looked at each other.

Winter: One shall stand. One shall fall.

Winter drew her sword and Ironwood actually yelled as the two combatants charged at each other, James threw a punch, Winter leaned left to avoid it and slashed diagonally upwards with her sword, then hit the back of Ironwood's head with the pommel. Ironwood seemed unfazed and turned around to fire his revolver at Winter. Winter deployed a white glyph to simultaneously block the shots and summoning a Borbatusk.

The Borbatusk charges and Ironwood decides to grab the summon by the tusks, Winter used the opportunity to dash in between her summon and slice her sword at Ironwood's torso, but only hitting the metal part of him.

Qrow, meanwhile, is only trying to hold Harriet off and not hurt her.

Qrow: Clover was a lot of things but like Ironwood he-

Harriet: You murdered my friend!

Harriet leaped at him and threw a punch downward, Qrow dodged backwards, and Harriet's fist smashes into the floor cracking the floor.

Qrow: Come on, Huntress, you know that what James' doing is wrong!

Harriet: I don't care about that!

Qrow: Then you're an even bigger fool than Clover was.

Marrow is still holding Elm and Vine with his Semblance while Robyn cuffs them with their own bolas.

Elm: Why, Marrow?

Marrow: I never wanted to betray you, but Ironwood is taking this too far. He's crossed the line that no good person should ever cross, and we just foolishly followed orders, like tin soldiers.

Elm: Clover would've still seen this through.

Vine: Then, maybe he was wrong too.

Robyn finally restrained Elm and Vine, Marrow let them go, he then walked up to them and gave them a warm smile.

Marrow: You guys are my friends, and that means I have to protect you, even from yourselves.

Elm's eyes widen and she looks down with sorrowful expression, Vine simply smiled a little and nodded.

Ironwood and Winter's fight has moved into his office. Ironwood punches with his right fist, Winter blocks with a white glyph, then brought her sword up from her right and sliced at Ironwood's extended arm, but she couldn't slice through his Aura. Ironwood then reeled back his left fist and punched again but Winter deflected and spun around behind him while he stumbled forward a little. Ironwood turned to face Winter again and once again tried to punch at her, Winter readied her sword to defend, but Ironwood's atrack was a fake-out and he ended up kicking her left leg and managed to break the leg armor she was wearing, but she didn't falter. Ironwood punched with his left fist and Winter easily defended with her sword, but Ironwood threw another punch at her chestplate. This sent them both skidding backwards.

Qrow finally manages to pin Harriet to the ground and tries again to get through to her.

Qrow: You're making a mistake, Harriet! Is this what Clover would've wanted?

Harriet: You don't know anything about him!

Qrow: I know he saw you all as friends and if he were here now, he'd be disappointed on the side you've choosen.

Harriet finally broke down upon hearing this and let her head drop to the floor and start crying.

Ironwood shot his revolver at Winter, she effortlessly blocked with another white glyph, Ironwood then ran at her, Winter readied her sword and charged as well, the two almost collide, but Winter tilted herself to the left slightly and cut Ironwood as the two pass each other. Ironwood's Aura then shimmered before breaking, and he dropped to the ground unconscious, while Winter stood tall in triumph.

Qrow, Robyn and Marrow brought the rest of the Ace Ops to the middle of the foyer. They all look as they hear the door to Ironwood's office opened, and see Winter dragging Ironwood out by the collar of his coat.

Winter: The General is defeated. There is no more need to fight amongst ourselves.

Qrow and Marrow release the Ace Ops from their binds.

Harriet: You're not going to arrest us, even after all the bad we did?

Winter: Salem is on our doorstep, Atlas will need every fighter they can get. There will be consequences, but right now we have a war to win.

Qrow: Just tell us where you need us.

Winter: Mobilize all remaining forces, drum up the reserves.

Elm: But what about the giant whale itself?

Winter: ... Guess I need to make a call.

Back at the Schnee Manor, Ratchet and Wheeljack are working hard to finish, something.

Yang: So, what exactly is this going to do?

Ratchet: Hopefully, it will save Grimlock by sychronising the nano machines in his body and bonding them more harmoniously.

Blake: I hope it works.

Ratchet: *sigh* Me too.

Bumblebee: It'll work.

Wheeljack: Yeah, Ratchet's a great Doc, the best. We'll help the big G.

Weiss is watching Ruby from the hallway when she hears a beep coming from her scroll. She reaches for it and walks down the hall a little bit before she sees Winter's face on her screen.

Weiss: *answers* Winter?

Winter: *through scroll* Hello, sister.

Weiss: Are you okay?

Winter: Yes... I'm sorry for not believing in you right away.

Weiss: You were you doing your job. I get it.

Winter: But my job should've been to my family first, and I failed you. But right now there's no time for regret. Ironwood has been relieved of his post and I am now, temporarily, in charge of the Atlas Military.

Weiss: You what?!

Winter: Listen, I'm dropping all charges against you and your friends. We need help, the Grimm have landed on Atlas' farmland.

Weiss: Let me see what we can do, can you hold them off?

Winter: We can.

Back inside Monstra, Quintessa's lackies have returned with the two remaining Maidens. Salem has brought Cinder to a chamber where they're being kept prisoner. Salem presented the two to Cinder, who grew a devilish smile.

Cinder: Thank you, your Grace. Without you, I am nothing.

Cinder rips off the sleeve covering her Grimm arm and lifts the head of a badly beaten Raven Brawnwen. Raven opened her eyes and saw Cinder, but she couldn't find the strength to speak, much less move.

Cinder: You shouldn't have tried to hide this from me.

The view changes to Salem making a small smile as Cinder takes both the Maiden powers off camera, but both women screamed in agony as the scene goes black.

(A/N): And Cut! Great take, everyone! Winter, really good stuff keep that up. Everyone take lunch and we'll get back to it.

This is huge now, Ironwood has been defeated, Grimlock's situation is worse than we thought, and Salem finally has all the Maiden's powers in one person. How will this progress from here?

Hey! All you really wild readers out there! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I can't wait to share more. Until then, have a great rest of your day/night and I'll see y'all next time. PEACE OUT!!!