Ultimatum

Ultimatum is the sixteenth episode of The RWBYA Adventures.
==Plot==
[General Ironwood overlooked the City of Atlas from his office, the figure of Alien X looming behind him. Manta airships flew by. Someone else in the room cleared their throat.]
Atlas Commander: Sir, we have confirmation that Doctor Watts has escaped military headquarters with the assistance of Cinder Fall. We do have Jacques Schnee in custody-
Ironwood: I don't give a damn about Jacques Schnee. What about the other two?
[The pair of Atlas officers stood at attention with nervous looks on their faces. Sweat dripped down the side of the commander's face as she addresses the remaining prisoners statuses.]
Atlas Commander: Sir, Branwen and Hill have... evaded capture. But we are monitoring every exit, so they must still be inside the compound.
Ironwood: [angrily hitting his desk] Damn it! [huffs, then composes himself] Search everywhere for them. Do not return to this office until you have Qrow Branwen in custody.
Atlas Commander: Of course, sir.
[The pair of officers saluted before leaving. Ironwood turned around to look outside the large window again. He sighed as he brought his fingers up to his ear to talk into his comlink.]
Ironwood: What's the status of our-
[Suddenly, a series of bright flashes occurred outside his window, before a massive explosion was seen engulfing Monstra. The explosion shined so bright as the light was seen engulfing Ironwood’s office. Down on the battlefield, Winter led the charge as the Ace Operatives carried the bomb that was to blow up Monstra, before they were knocked back from the explosion. At the Schnee Manor, Weiss enters her room carrying a plate of bread, soup and a drink, but she dropped it in shock upon seeing the bright explosion occurring outside her window. Nora and Klein also watched the explosion from the bedside. The explosion further reached into the City of Atlas, knocking back and obliterating some Lancers. The entire scene was engulfed in a bright light. The light of the explosion also was viewed by the voices within Alien X's consciousness. In the explosion’s aftermath, Monstra was seen starting to dissipate. The morning sun shined through the particles of the slain Grimm. Through the dust, Neopolitan happily skipped away from the Grimm with the Relic of Knowledge in her possession. Elsewhere, Winter got up to witness the quiet battlefield.]
Winter: Is everyone all right?
Vine: No injuries here.
Elm: [knocking her ear to try to get rid of the ringing] What?!
Marrow: They... They were still inside!
[Marrow runs across the battlefield, his face filled with distress, believing the others to have been killed.]
Ironwood (voice): Target destroyed. Good work. But no time to celebrate. Return to the Academy at once. We've got a new problem.
Marrow: But... that wasn't us.
Winter: Then we can tell him in person. Load it back up, we're leaving.
----[Yang, Ren, Jaune, Oscar and Emerald were left at what remains of Monstra. As the large Grimm decayed into the sky above, Yang got a video call on her Scroll and answered it, to see it was Blake, who was biting her fingernail in concern. She brightened up when she saw Yang answer the call.]
Yang: Blake?
Blake: Yang! Are you okay? Where are you?
Jaune: Yeah, we're fine. Is everyone there all right?
Blake: We're... alive. This'll help though. Guys! They're okay.
[Oscar got up and Ren tried to help him. They look over at Emerald on her knees not too far away, all alone.]
Oscar: What do we do about her?
Emerald: ...Hazel?
[Emerald looked down at her empty palms as black flakes from the dead Grimm fell around her.]
Weiss: I'm sending you a map. You're in the agricultural area. Just head to this access point to reach the red line subway tunnel then follow the route I've drawn for you.
Jaune: Got it. We'll see you soon.
[Blake waved and the call ended. The group heard a low groaning nearby, and turned to see a pile of ash moving. Not knowing what to expect, Yang cocked Ember Celica as she neared it, then her eyes widened. The sunlight shown on the ash, and it fell to the ground as the being inside sat up, revealing to be Alan... with a blank, almost dead stare on his face.]
Yang: Alan!
[Yang knelt down to him, and his gaze turned to her. At first, it seemed as though he didn't recognize her, but then he quickly embraced her tightly, causing her to roll her eyes with a soft smile. Jaune ran over and put his hands to Alan, using his Semblance to amplify Alan's Aura to heal him. A few tears streamed down his face as he hugged Yang.]
Alan: I... I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean...
Yang: [using one hand to rub the back of his head] It's okay. It wasn't you in control. It was the Grimm.
[Alan gently nuzzled into her neck, and glanced up to Emerald as the two pulled out of the hug.]
Alan: [wiping his tears away] ...S-So. Anyone wanna c-catch me up?
----Yang: You can't be serious. You want us to work with her?
[Team ORYNJ was walking through the dark subway tunnel. Emerald was walking ahead of them with her hands up in the air. Yang had her gauntlet trained on Emerald with one hand, and was holding Emerald's guns in the other. Alan walked behind them in the form of Brightceratops, using the organ on his head to light up their path.]
Oscar: I'm just saying it makes the most sense. We're all enemies of Salem, including her.
Emerald: No, I'm with blondie. You don't like me, I don't like you. So how about we just part ways and you never have to see me again?
Jaune: [pointing his sword at Emerald] You're not going anywhere. Not after everything you've done.
Ren: We can't let all of our actions stem from fear. If she could help us, I think we should consider it.
[Ren looked towards Emerald, saw purple petals flicker around her with his semblance.]
Yang: She is part of the reason I have this. [holds up her prosthetic arm] I'm not going to just forgive her. Everything that happened at Beacon... She lied to us, tricked us. She is dangerous.
Oscar: You don't have to forgive her. You have every reason to feel that way. Just maybe give her a second chance.
Brightceratops: Remind me the difference between forgiveness and second chances?
Oscar: Listen! We've already gotten quite a bit of help today from someone we don't exactly trust right now.
Ren: Do you mean Ozpin?
[Oscar became surprised and looked back at Ren.]
Ren: [gives a knowing smile] I had a feeling.
[The group stopped walking. Yang, Ren, and Jaune circled around Oscar.]
Yang: Wait, what?!
Jaune: Oz is back?
Oscar: I know how you feel but he saved my life. When we were tortured, he took it. So I wouldn't have to. He entrusted me with this, [holds out the Long Memory] and the massive amount of power he had stored up in it. Kinetic energy that he spent lifetime after lifetime accumulating in the cane he built.
Jaune: So that's how you did that? Using all of the stored up power?
Oscar: Not all, but most. We have to be careful with how we use the rest. He trusted my judgment and it saved us. I want to reciprocate that trust. There's a lot to sort out, but... Oz really wants to help.
[He retracted the cane and placed it on his back.]
Ozpin (voice): Thank you, Oscar.
Brightceratops: [sighs, getting the group's attention] It got me out of... Whatever that horror show was back there. In the moment, I felt nothing, but retroactively... It was horrifying not being in control. So... As much as you guys might be skeptical of Ozpin, his actions saved me.
[Jaune, Yang, and Ren looked conflicted. The group then heard the echo of a baby crying, and decided to run towards the noise. They came across a large group of Atlas citizens taking refuge in the subway. The lights were occasionally flickering as vibrations were felt from the Grimm attacks overhead.]
Jaune: All of Atlas is down here.
Oscar: I've seen what you can do, Emerald. However this fight ends, we could really use someone like you.
[With those few words, the group passed all of the civilians, and continued on their way to Schnee Manor.]
----[Back in Ironwood's office, the general was interacting with holographic interfaces above his table as the Ace Ops made their entry. He looked towards and smiled at all of them.]
Ironwood: It's about time. While we dealt a decisive blow to Salem today-
Winter: Actually, that wasn't our payload, sir. I brought it back with us.
Ironwood: [becomes surprised] Then who could have...? [he brushed his hand against his chin] But you still have it. This may be useful.
[Marrow looked beyond Ironwood, and his eyes widened.]
Marrow: S-Sir? ...What is that?
[Ironwood followed Marrow's gaze, and gave an empty chuckle.]
Ironwood: That... is the original Alan Nomaly.
[The scene focused on Alien X as Ironwood spoke.]
Ironwood: "Alien X" he calls it. In the meantime of trying to get it to cooperate, Alan created a duplicate of himself to operate on the ground, and it seems he did the trick again. [sighs] But back to the matter at hand. [turns to the Ace Ops] Penny still hasn't come to the Vault, meaning Watts was either incompetent or he betrayed us. At this point, we'll never know. Cinder Fall has attacked command and escaped with him. And that's not all we've lost.
Winter: Sir?
Ironwood: Qrow and Robyn have also escaped.
[Harriet gained an angry expression on her face as her eyes began to glow gold and emit electricity. She turned to begin searching for the escapees, but Ironwood stopped her with a hand motion.]
Ironwood: Salem's creature was destroyed, but that doesn't mean we've stopped her. She will return and she will throw everything she has at us until there is nothing left. And we are perilously close to that already. I need the Winter Maiden, now. It's the only way Atlas can survive. Schnee, bring me Arc, Ren, Xiao Long, and the Nomaly clone.
Winter: [nervously] What for, sir?
Ironwood: I had Qrow in my hands and I didn't do what needed to be done. I will not make that mistake again. [notices Winter's look of realization, and places a hand on her shoulder] I know. I'm ashamed I didn't think of it earlier. Leveraging the lives of her friends is the only way to make Penny listen to reason.
Harriet: Sir. I'm sorry, but we don't have them. Operative Schnee let them go.
[Ironwood looked at Winter in disbelief.]
Ironwood: You what?
[Winter looked down at the floor with guilt as Harriet explained.]
Harriet: Winter allowed them to go on board the creature to rescue their friend, and they never came back.
[Ironwood let his hand off Winter's shoulder, and walked between his table and Alien X.]
Ironwood: They were our last chance... Now... Now I have NOTHING!
[Ironwood's table is suddenly smashed to pieces, Ironwood having grabbed and thrown Alien X to destroy it out of rage. The holographs flickered, then faded. Alien X seemed to bounce off the ground after the damage was done, and went back to floating in the air.]
Harriet: Sir. [waits for Ironwood to glance back at her] You have the original Nomaly right here already. Couldn't you use him as leverage?
Ironwood: [looking over at Alien X] This... thing doesn't take damage. The other two Alan's are sure to realize that, and call the bluff immediately.
Atlas Officer (voice over coms): Sir! We are detecting non-military ships on radar, dozens of them!
Ironwood: [surprised] Ships? Whose ships?
Atlas Officer: They appear to be Schnee Dust Company freighters, sir. They're heading straight for Mantle.
[On one of Ironwood's holographic interfaces on his desk at the far end of the room, he saw the freighters leaving Atlas and heading down to Mantle.]
Ironwood: Weiss... I see.
[Winter gasped, and Harriet gave her a knowing look.]
Ironwood: [lets out a cold chuckle] They're trying to save Mantle. This has always been about Mantle, hasn't it?
[The windows to Ironwood's office opened up, and filled the room with natural light.]
Ironwood: ...I need to make a call.
----[Ruby opened the door of Schnee Manor, Weiss and Blake at her side. Team ORYNJ was seen standing on the other side. Ruby jumped into Yang's arms as they happily hug each other as Yang spun her around. Ruby began crying tears of joy as she looked at her sister, who smiled back at her.]
Yang: I missed you too.
[Yang then went and hugged Weiss as Ruby went to greet Jaune and Ren. Yang then spotted Blake, standing with her cat ears lowered. Yang walked over, and held the side of Blake's face, blushing, before the two touched foreheads. The Alan in ORYNJ hugged Weiss gently, then looked up, noticing his other self leaning against the staircase. Ren walked into the center of the hall.]
Ren: Where's Nora?
[Pulling away from the hug with the Alan clone, Weiss went to Ren. Ruby then turned to see Oscar.]
Ruby: Oscar, you-
[Ruby went to hug Oscar, stopping when she noticed Emerald standing behind him. As Ruby angrily reached for her weapon, Emerald reached for her own guns holstered behind her. Oscar stood between the two.]
Oscar: No, she's okay. Trust me.
[Ruby cocked an unsure eyebrow at Oscar, and kept a suspicious eye on Emerald. The two Alan's met up, and interlocked their Simplicitrix hands.]
Alan 3: Contact?
Alan 2: Contact.
[The two closed eyes, and their respective memories of the past day flashed between the two.]
Alan 3: [glancing at the fallen suit of armor] You killed that thing?
Alan 2: ...You turned into that thing?!
Alan 3: It's been a hell of a time, I suppose.
Alan 2: [sighing] Ready to get this over with?
Alan 3: ...Yeah, fuck it. Let's get this over with.
[The two Alan's simultaneously transformed into Ditto, then jumped at each other. However, rather than becoming one again, a red flash knocked the two away from one another. Blake looked on curiously.]
Blake: That's... not supposed to happen. Right?
Ditto 2: No. It's not.
Ditto 3: ...Damnit. I know what's going on. But I don't know how to fix it. [stands up] The transformation's destroyed, but whatever that Grimm did to the Simplicitrix? It had a lasting impact. And now our devices aren't the same. Meaning...
[The two detransform simultaneously.]
Alan 2: We can't merge back into one.
Yang: [smirks, trying to alleviate the situation] Weiss is gonna have a lot of fun with this.
[Blake elbowed Yang, and Ruby giggled before hearing a notification from her Scroll which she then answered, May having activated a video call.]
May: Kids, the cargo ships you sent just made it, but they're not alone!
Ruby: May? What are you talking about?
May: Oh my gods... Run! Everyone, into the mines!
[The transmission cut off, just after the sight of Atlas warships being seen in the sky behind May.]
Blake: Were those...?
[Alarms then began blaring; Yang and Blake covered their ears when hearing them. Everyone took out their Scroll, and Ruby projected her screen as a large hologram]
CCT Voice: This is an emergency CCT broadcast.
[All CCT's and Scrolls across Atlas showed the SDC freighters being shot down by Atlesian Mantas.]
Yang: What's going on?
Weiss: Those ships, they were going to save people! Why would-
[The broadcast changed to show Ironwood standing in the center of a dark room, under a spotlight.]
Ironwood: I have always promised to defend this Kingdom. Its technology, its future, from those who would see it destroyed. Our enemy is crippled, but one individual still denies Atlas its salvation. The Protector of Mantle.
[As Ironwood continued, Ruby, Blake and Yang became displeased.]
Ironwood: Penny, wherever you and your friends are, I need you all to listen. I know how much Mantle means to you, so I'm going to give you a choice. You can bring yourself to Atlas Academy and do your duty, help me save as much of Atlas as I can, and Mantle will be left to fend for itself. Or... you can all watch as I destroy it.
[Weiss gasped in shock at Ironwood's ultimatum, and Alan 3's anger grew.]
Ironwood: I have one bomb. That's all it will take.
[Elsewhere in Atlas, Watts and Cinder watched Ironwood's ultimatum before they look at each other.]
Ironwood: If there is no Mantle then there is no reason for you not to work with me. Neither of us want it to come to that, but one of us is willing to do it. If anyone tries anything other than what I've ordered, Mantle... is gone. You have one hour to respond.
[In Weiss's bedroom, Nora, now recovered but worried, watched Ironwood's ultimatum to Penny before she looked at Penny herself, who was still unconscious.]
Ironwood: I hope you live up to the title I gave you.
==Major Events==
*Following the events of the previous episode, it is shown that Oscar destroyed Salem using the kinetic energy stored within the Long Memory. Monstra and Hazel also succumbed to this. The explosion also destroyed the form of Grimmoire, returning Alan to his human form.
*Oscar reveals that Ozpin has returned.
*Teams ORYNJ and RWBNN reunite.
*The two Alan's are incapable of merging back into one due to the residual impact of one clone's interaction's with the Hound that turned him into Grimmoire.
*General Ironwood holds Mantle hostage in order to get Penny to cooperate.
*Brightceratops debuts.
===Simplicitrix Debuts===
*Brightceratops
==Characters==
*Alan Nomaly
*Ruby Rose
*Weiss Schnee
*Blake Belladonna
*Yang Xiao Long
*Jaune Arc
*Nora Valkyrie
*Lie Ren
*Oscar Pine
*Emerald Sustrai
*Bellicus (cameo)
*Serena (cameo)
===Villains===
*General Ironwood
*Cinder Fall (cameo)
*Arthur Watts (cameo)
*Neopolitan (cameo)
===Ironwood's Group===
*Winter Schnee
*Harriet Bree
*Marrow Amin
*Vine Zeki
*Elm Ederne
===Grimm===
*Monstra (corpse)
*Lancer
==Aliens Used==
*Alien X (continued from previous appearance)
*Brightceratops (debut)
*Ditto
==Allusions==
*The "contact" done by the Alan clones to obtain each other's memories is a nod to a similar move that Time Lords can do with their other incarnations in Doctor Who.
==Trivia==
*Alien X was going to somehow be integrated into Ironwood's ultimatum speech, but there wasn't a way to make it fit naturally.
*This is the fifth episode to be released on May 9. 2021.
==Credit Scene==
[In an alley in the City of Atlas, Watts attached a Scroll to some wires inside a damaged Atlesian Knight. He then looked up to see Neopolitan approaching. The latter spinned her parasol and then pointed it at Cinder who was standing behind Watts, and Cinder looked over her shoulder and smirks at Neo. Watts then stood.]
Watts: Neopolitan, was it? Now isn't the time to hold grudges.
[Cinder stepped into view, holding up her Grimm arm to quiet him.]
Cinder: No, she's right to be angry. I know I haven't upheld my end of the bargain. I'm... sorry.
[The comment surprised Watts. Cinder placed a hand over her chest, appearing to be remorseful. Neopolitan narrowed her eyes, but lowered her umbrella, crossing her arms.]
Cinder: I will get you Ruby Rose today. But to do that, I need to ask the Lamp a question.
[Cinder held out her hand expectantly toward Neopolitan as Watts rolled his eyes and sighed. After a pause, Neopolitan took her former employer's bowler hat from her head and produced the Lamp of Knowledge from inside it. It quickly grew to its full size as she redonned her hat. With a satisfied smirk, Cinder stepped forward, grabbing the Lamp's handle loop. After a tense moment of hesitation, Neopolitan let go.]
Cinder: Jinn.
[Jinn once again appeared in a poof of cyan smoke. The spirit had one eyebrow cocked suspiciously as she regarded the Fall Maiden.]
Jinn: You have a question for me?
Cinder: I do.
[As she stepped forward, Watts stared slack-jawed at Jinn while Neopolitan fixed her gaze on Cinder.]
Cinder: What have Ruby and her teammates planned?
[Jinn's expression changed to one of shock before she furrowed her brow in regret. Then, in a swirl of cyan smoke, the scene ended.]