W H I T E // Naruto X Rwby

Private Manta Cargo Ship
Jacques had decided they would be in a Manta Cargo Ship.
Public Transportation or any unauthorized transportation in Atlas outside its borders is now unavailable. Only the cargo ships and the military ships are allowed to leave the Atlas Airspace for now.
The low hum of the ship's engines reverberated through the cargo bay, a stark contrast to the tension in the air. 
The pilot, a grizzled older man with a deep scar running across his jawline, adjusted the controls as he muttered to himself. "Can't believe Ironwood's actually gone through with locking down Atlas. He's gone and lost his damn mind..."
The pilot stole a glance back at his passengers: Selene, seated near a pile of secured crates, her arms crossed as she stared out the small porthole; Rinko, leaning casually against the wall, his usual composed demeanor betraying nothing; and Weiss, sitting upright with her hands folded neatly on her lap, her face calm but her eyes distant.
"So," the pilot called back, his voice gruff but not unkind, "where are you three headed?"
Weiss straightened, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Vale," she said firmly. "That's our destination."
The pilot raised an eyebrow, his hands deftly flipping switches on the control panel. "Vale, huh? Bit of a journey from here. But fair warning—we're making a stop in Mistral first."
"Mistral?" Selene frowned, turning to face him. "Why?"
"Important cargo," the pilot explained, gesturing toward the stacked crates around them. "Needs to be delivered there before the lockdown's fully in place. After that, I can get you to Vale. Don't worry—it won't take too long. Promise."
Weiss exchanged a glance with Rinko, her lips pressed into a thin line. "How long are we talking?" she asked, her tone cautious.
"A day, maybe two," the pilot replied. "Depends on how smooth things go in Mistral. I'll keep you updated."
Weiss shifted in her seat, clearly restless. "So we're just... stuck in Mistral until you're done?"
"Look," the pilot said, turning his gaze back to the controls, "I'm taking a risk even getting you three out of Atlas. Public transportation's a no-go, and Ironwood's got every other ship monitored like a hawk. Military ships aren't an option, so unless you want to walk out of the tundra, this is your best shot."
The weight of his words settled over the group. Weiss sighed, leaning back slightly. "We understand," she said finally, her tone measured. "Thank you for helping us."
The pilot grunted in acknowledgment, returning his focus to the ship's systems. "Just don't cause any trouble while we're in Mistral. I've got enough to worry about with this lockdown looming."
Rinko smirked faintly, his arms crossed. "We'll stay out of your way."
The engines roared to life, vibrating through the ship as it began to ascend. 
Weiss gazed out the porthole, watching as the snowy landscape of Atlas disappeared beneath them, replaced by a sea of clouds. 
Her thoughts were heavy with the decision she'd made and the path ahead.
Somewhere, Haven Academy – Entrance Hall
Ruby, Team JNPR, and Qrow stood in awe at the grand entrance of Haven Academy. The towering arches and marble flooring reflected the midday sun streaming through the massive windows.
"We're actually here!" Ruby exclaimed, her silver eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Took long enough," Qrow smirked, his eyes scanning their surroundings with a practiced wariness.
The group followed, their footsteps echoing in the empty halls.
"Is... is it supposed to be this quiet?" Jaune asked uneasily, resting his hand on the hilt of Crocea Mors.
Ruby cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hello?"
Nora perked up beside her. "Maybe try a little... louder?" she suggested playfully, tilting her head.
"There seems to be no one here," Ren noted, his voice calm but tense.
"Maybe they're just... not in session?" Pyrrha offered, though doubt clouded her expression.
Jaune frowned. "Even so... shouldn't there be someone? Staff? Guards? Anyone? This feels off."
Qrow's sharp eyes flicked across the deserted corridors. His fingers twitched near the hilt of Harbinger. "No... this isn't right." He gestured forward with a sharp nod. "Stay close. Move."
The group hurried after him, hearts pounding in anticipation.
Headmaster's Office, Hallway
Approaching the imposing double doors of the Headmaster's office, Qrow drew his weapon, nodding to the others. "Stay sharp. This could be a trap."
He raised his foot, ready to kick the door open—
CREAK!
Behind them, another door suddenly swung open with a loud bang!
"AHH!" Ruby and Team JNPR shrieked in unison, spinning around with weapons half-drawn—
"AHHH!"
A frazzled panicked Leonardo Lionheart tumbled through the doorway, his face twisted in terror as he fell to the floor with a startled yell. Papers scattered around him as he struggled to regain his composure.
"Professor Lionheart?" Ruby gasped, lowering Crescent Rose.
Lionheart scrambled back against the floor, panting. "Q-Qrow..?" He spoke in recognition.
Qrow narrowed his eyes but lowered Harbinger slowly. "Relax, Leo. It's us."
Lionheart gulped, pushing himself off the ground, his breath still uneven. "For crying out loud... You nearly scared me half to death!"
"Me? Why weren't you waiting for us at the entrance?" Qrow raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
Lionheart paused, checking his pocket watch. "Oh... right. Apologies, time must've slipped away from me."
"You're kidding...?" Qrow slumped in disbelief.
"Where is everybody?" Nora chimed in from behind, glancing around the eerily quiet office.
Lionheart straightened his coat. "Ah... you must be the students Qrow mentioned."
Ruby stepped forward eagerly. "Yes, sir! Ruby Rose!"
"Jaune Arc."
"Pyrrha Nikos."
"Lie Ren."
"And Nora Valkyrie!" Nora added cheerfully, striking a small pose.
Lionheart managed a polite smile. "Hehe... Pleasure to meet you all. Leonardo Lionheart, at your service. I'm afraid most of my staff is currently away until classes resume, but—"
"What?!" Qrow interrupted, disbelief etched on his face. "You can't be serious! Who's guarding the Relic?"
Lionheart's face paled. "Qrow... there are children around—"
"They know. They're already filled in." Qrow's voice hardened. "What do you mean your staff is away?"
Lionheart shifted uncomfortably, avoiding their eyes. "I... I see. Come in. We'll discuss this further inside."
The group entered cautiously. Lionheart walked behind his desk, adjusting his chair before sitting down, looking suddenly much older.
"Qrow... This all seems reckless, even for you."
"What's reckless is leaving one of the Relics completely unguarded." Qrow leaned forward, fists clenched. "You've been out of contact with Oz for months. What happened?"
Lionheart sighed deeply, rising from his seat and pacing toward the window behind his desk. "There was... nothing to report before the Fall of Beacon. But since that day..." His gaze grew distant. "Mistral has been in chaos. Vale wasn't the only kingdom to suffer that night."
He turned back toward them, voice trembling with emotion. "Everyone saw what happened... Every home in every kingdom watched helplessly as the Colosseum was overrun—explosions, Grimm attacks, Atlas' own knights turning on civilians. And then... silence."
Ruby's breath hitched as painful memories resurfaced.
Lionheart's voice hardened. "Many blame Atlas... you can feel the distrust in the air. And with all that negativity..."
"...The Grimm came," Pyrrha finished quietly, her expression dark.
Lionheart nodded grimly. "We lost countless Huntsmen... Teachers from this very institution... And it's only gotten worse since."
"W-What do you mean?" Ruby asked cautiously.
Lionheart's face twisted with bitterness. "We may have beaten back the Grimm, but the Mistral Council is still at odds with representatives from Atlas. First, there was the Dust embargo... now Ironwood has closed the borders entirely."
He turned to Qrow, eyes sharp with blame. "I'm not sure what happened to James after Beacon... but it's only worsened some of his more... concerning tendencies."
Qrow grimaced but said nothing.
"And on top of everything..." Lionheart's voice grew quieter, almost defeated. "...We still don't know where the Spring Maiden is."
The room fell silent as the words hung in the air.
Qrow gritted his teeth. "All the more reason there should be Huntsmen stationed here. How could you—"
"O-Okay, okay!" Ruby jumped in, holding up her hands to diffuse the tension. "Everything's bad... but we can figure this out!"
She turned toward Lionheart. "Why's the Spring Maiden so important?"
Lionheart's gaze flicked toward Qrow, uncertain. "I thought... I thought you'd filled them in."
"Mostly filled in," Qrow admitted, taking a long swig from his flask. "There's... a lot to cover, okay? I quit teaching for a reason."
Lionheart exhaled sharply, settling back into his chair. His hands trembled slightly as he folded them over the desk.
"The Maidens..." he began, voice strained but steady. "...are far more than mere legend."
Ruby and the others exchanged uneasy glances as Lionheart prepared to reveal the full truth.
"The four Maidens have the power to perform feats of magic," Lionheart explained slowly. "And they... are the only ones capable of reaching the Relics."
"W-What?" Jaune spoke from the corner, his eyes widening.
Qrow stepped in. "Relics are locked inside chambers that can only be opened by a specific Maiden." He took a swig from his flask. "Winter guards the Relic of Creation... Summer, Destruction... Fall, Choice... and Spring..." His voice lowered. "...Spring guards Knowledge."
"And Spring is the problem."
"What happened to her?" Ren asked, seated next to Nora.
Both Lionheart and Qrow looked away, their expressions dark.
"She was determined at first when she inherited her powers," Lionheart admitted, voice heavy with regret. "But the weight of her responsibility... it was too much for the child. She... ran. Abandoned her training, her duty... everyone." His shoulders slumped. "That was over a decade ago... There's no telling where she could be now."
"I know." Qrow's voice cut through the somber air. "Or at least... I have a pretty good idea."
Lionheart's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"It's not exactly good news." Qrow took another sip from his flask.
"What are you talking about? This is incredible!" Lionheart shot up from his chair, gripping Qrow's shoulders. "After all these years—where?!" His voice trembled with a strange mix of hope and desperation.
Qrow gently pushed him back. "I did some digging after she disappeared. Looks like after she ran, she was picked up by bandits." His voice hardened. "Specifically... the Branwen Tribe."
Lionheart's face paled. "Raven..."
Ruby's breath hitched. The memory of Rinko and Weiss fighting Raven on the train flashed through her mind.
"That's right." Qrow placed his scroll on Leo's table as he activated it, projecting a holographic map of Mistral on Lionheart's desk. 
"That's where they've set up their main camp—deep in Mistral's mountains. It's where they fall back to after raids and scouting missions. Since Raven returned to the tribe, she's built a lot of influence. And I'm sure when the Spring Maiden showed up... it only made things easier."
Lionheart absorbed the information, processing the gravity of the situation. "Qrow... This changes everything. With these coordinates, we can mount a retrieval force! We'll mobilize within a few weeks!"
Qrow's expression darkened. He shut off the map projection with a flick of his hand.
"In a few weeks?" Qrow's voice was dangerously low. "Leo... maybe you didn't hear me. My sister has the Spring Maiden, and I know where she is. We need to move now." He slammed his fist on the desk.
Lionheart recoiled but quickly regained his composure. "And perhaps you didn't hear me. This kingdom is in shambles. 'As soon as possible' does not mean tomorrow! It means as soon as I can convince the Council that I need Huntsmen more than they do!" His voice rose. "Bandit tribes aren't exactly high on the Council's list of priorities... not when the threat of war is hanging over us!"
"To hell with the Council!" Qrow shot back. "We'll do it ourselves! You and I are trained Huntsmen! These kids aren't pushovers either."
"Yeah!" Nora pumped her fist, ready for action.
"Maybe... there's a more peaceful way to approach this?" Ren suggested, ever the calm voice of reason.
Qrow shook his head. "We need to get Spring as far away from Raven as possible. My sister's not giving up her most prized possession without a fight."
Lionheart's face darkened. "Qrow... you and Raven are evenly matched. And I'm not the fighter I used to be." His gaze shifted toward Team JNPRR. "No offense, but these students aren't ready to take on an entire bandit tribe... let alone a fully-trained Maiden."
Lionheart's voice dropped into a grim tone. "We get one shot at this. If we fail... Raven's tribe will scatter, and we'll lose the Maiden forever. It has to be perfect."
Silence stretched between them.
Qrow clenched his fists but relented. "...You know, Oz wouldn't be happy about any of this if he were here."
Lionheart sighed. "Perhaps you're right... but he's not. And I'm doing the best I can."
"...There's gotta be something we can do," Ruby murmured, her voice tinged with determination.
"What about Cinder?" Pyrrha asked from behind.
Jaune's jaw tightened. "Yeah. What about Cinder? She came here with Emerald and Mercury. Do you have anything on them?"
Lionheart shook his head slowly. "We pulled their records after the Fall... nothing but forgeries and lies."
Jaune clenched his fists, frustration seeping into his features.
"Well... this wasn't exactly the happy reunion I was hoping for," Qrow muttered.
"I'm sorry, Qrow." Lionheart sounded genuinely remorseful. "I know you've come a long way... but I'll do everything I can to help."
Qrow gave a skeptical nod, already turning toward the door. "Sure... we'll be in the city. Local comms are still up." He pulled out his scroll. "Keep in touch. C'mon, kids."
The group followed Qrow toward the exit. Ruby lingered at the door, turning back to Lionheart with a small, hopeful smile.
"It was... nice meeting you, Professor."
Lionheart managed a strained nod. "...Likewise."
As the door closed, his expression darkened with guilt and fear. He turned to the shadows of his office—knowing he was being watched.
[End]