The First Daughter (A RWBY Fanfic)

8.

General Ironwood is looking out from the landing docks of Beacon Academy to the city of Vale at night, a few airships hovering over the lit-up buildings. Walking up from behind him is Glynda Goodwitch.

Glynda: Trouble sleeping?

Ironwood looks back, gripping his shoulder with the other hand.

Ironwood: Arm was acting up.

Glynda: Of course, so logically, you got out of bed, dressed yourself completely and decided to gaze menacingly out into the distance.

She approaches all the way to his side, then looks at him concerned.

Glynda: What's wrong?

Ironwood: I've trusted him for years. We both have. I just... I can't help but feel like he's keeping us in the dark.

Glynda: Don't be ridiculous! You know very well that we are not the ones in the dark.

Ironwood laughs humorously.

Ironwood: That makes it worse! I refuse to believe that a man that I've trusted for so long would act so... passively.

Glynda puts a reassuring hand on the General's shoulder.

Glynda: You're a good person, James. You've always done what you think is best for the people, even against strong protest. It's admirable. But it's high time you stopped talking about trust and started showing it.

She drops her hand as they stare into the distance together.

Glynda: Ozpin has experience that the rest of us lack. And I think that's something worth remembering.

Ironwood continues looking out for a moment before he closes his eyes.

Ironwood: True, Ozpin does have experience that we lack. But there is someone else who can come close.

Glynda looks at Ironwood with a raised eyebrow.

Glynda: You mean Elise?

Ironwood nods and opens his eyes.

Ironwood: She's been perhaps the most active against Salem compared to us. While I am not discounting Oz or anything, I feel like we should at least talk with her about what she thinks we can do.

Glynda: I believe she's currently staying in the Star Spangled Hotel in Vale.

Ironwood: Perfect, you want to come with me?

Glynda thinks on the offer before shaking her head.

Glynda: I have work I need to do.

Ironwood: Workaholic.

Ironwood smiles jokingly while Glynda rolls her eyes and starts walking away.

Glynda: Look who's talking.

Ironwood watches her leaves before returning his gaze to the moon for a moment before pulling out his scroll to call for a transport.

~

The full moon is shining over the ruined buildings of Mountain Glenn, and a lone Beowolf is searching through the rubble. It looks up briefly at the young girl who has it in her red crosshair scope, but Ruby just lowers Crescent Rose and sighs in tiredness at she keeps lookout over the destruction. The rest of her team is lying down on their sleeping mats around the fire with weapons nearby, and Doctor Oobleck is higher up, slumped down against the wall next to the hole in the ceiling/floor. The three members of RWBY have their eyes closed, but Yang is the first to stop pretending.

Yang: Blake, are you awake?

Blake: Yeah.

Yang: Why do you think he asked us about being a Huntress? Like, what was he trying to say?