June 6th 76AW:
Cinder
Wishing you a Happy Thirteenth Birthday
-Dad.
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September 1st 76AW:
James Ironwood had a number of problems on his hands. Some big, some less so.
One was that his son was now training to be a Huntsman and throwing himself into it with gusto, and it was a struggle to remain professional and not fatherly with regards to his progress. He’d even spoken with Professor Schwartz about potentially sending both Mercury and Cinder to a different Academy instead of Atlas, so as to avoid any chance of unintentional nepotism or harshness.
They hadn’t come to a decision, but both men had agreed it seemed like a good idea.
The Atlesian Ruling Council were another problem entirely. Political games both foreign and domestic. The only saving grace was the fact that the Council hadn’t changed at the last election. It was still filled with reasonable, if opinionated, individuals. There was even talk of granting seats to the other cities of the Kingdom, Essen, Cross and Dormir. It was only the fact that no other nation had considered expanding their councils beyond the initial five seats that stopped them.
And lastly, there was the manpower issue.
So he was taking a walk around the Academy grounds with its current (if technically ‘interim’) Headmaster, Sion Greymoon. The man was practically a living legend. He had commanded the AFV Discipline for nearly a quarter of a century, turning it from the ship were the dregs of the Air Fleet were dumped into a well dusted fighting force that was amongst the most elite in the entire military. He was serving as Acting Headmaster of Atlas Academy, and had already whipped some of the more difficult students into shape.
True, he needed a cane to walk after sustaining an injury on duty, but he still commanded respect.
It was why he was recruited into the Inner Circle, after all. And it was why James was talking with him now.
“-nd who would suit best in your opinion?” Ironwood queried.
“...Team SSTO would suit best.” Sion replied. “Teams AALM and SHNZ are probably better as units, but the former have stated that they wish to explore the world for a few years before making any decisions as to their futures, and the latter are on record as wishing to join the Huntsfolk Association. But my dear Stormies are already demonstrating the appropriate mindset for our operations despite their ages.”
“....I see.” Ironwood responded, and let out a gentle sigh. “...Their age is a factor we need to consider. They are still young. Perhaps it would be better if we waited until after their schooling to bring them in.”
“In that case, why not send them on a few missions? They'll be starting those this year.” Sion suggested. “Start with some unaffiliated ones, and depending on how they do, ease them into missions for us. By the time they graduate, or perhaps earlier, they’d be a fully trained and ready combat team and more open to certain truths about the world.”
Ironwood nodded a few times as he went over the information in his head, but remained silent.
“James, I understand that it makes you uncomfortable to think about, but we do need a field team. Oliver might be content just to use his single operative to combat Salem, but there is only so much one drunk can do.” Sion rested a hand on his shoulder. “Theodore was the sole operative of his predecessor, and talented as he is, he struggled to keep Vacuo stable alone. He has a field team. And our Mistralli colleague has two, one public and one private. Only the latter has been brought into ‘the know’ as it were.”
“..Very well.” Ironwood murmured after a few moments of silence. “I will trust in your judgment, Headmaster. Test them however you see fit, but push them hard. No coddling.”
“Oh don’t worry.” Sion smiled a broad smile. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
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December, 76AW:.
Hello Neighbour!
As usual, Epsilon Heights will be hosting a little get together to celebrate Year's End, and to watch the various firework displays. Food and hot drinks will be provided. Also as usual, there is to be no alcohol.
- Winston
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February, 77AW:.
Moving house was always an interesting experience, to be sure.
It was something I’d only done once before in my time in Remnant, although the last time had the added difficulty of moving from Mantle up to Atlas. This time at least, I was only moving across the city.
The house was in the typical Atlesian style, one inherited from their original Pellan roots but evolved over the centuries since Solitas’ colonization. Three stories tall, with the kitchen and dining room on the ground floor. A bathroom was on the next floor, along with a lounge area and office space. Which meant that the bedrooms were on the top floor. All designed to save space and build upwards. But the most important thing was that it had a garden. Admittedly, it was a rooftop garden, but as I’d not had a garden since moving out of my parents, any form of garden was a bonus.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
And lastly, our small family had grown by one in the form of Spook the Cat. Adopted from a shelter, the skittish little feline wasn’t quite a kitten, but she was still young. Completely black save for her white ‘socks’, Cinder had pretty much fallen in love with her on sight and was quick to try and settle her in.
Personally, I think it was partly to help herself settle in. Epsilon Heights had been her first real home, it made sense that she’d be a little off. Oh sure, it had taken her less than a weekend to break out the red paint to make her new room feel a little more like home and even added a swirling golden border to, in her own words, ‘fancy up the place’, but it was quite clear it would be a while before it was home to her. So the company of her new furry companion, who more often than not slept in her room, was just the calming balm that was needed.
I had actually set up a proper office in its own room rather than just a corner of an apartment, and could actually leave my work life behind when I left the room rather than have a constant reminder in view. I’d even gotten comfortable in my teaching career to boot! Progress!
Which of course meant that 77AW would be the last easy year for a very, very long time.
Damn my luck.
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June 6th 77AW:
Cinder
Wishing you a Happy Fourteenth Birthday
-Dad.
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July 77AW:
Miss Cinder Schwartz
It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted as a student at the Helios Combat School. Uniforms will be provided, although we will need to know what sizes you require before term starts. A Handbook has been sent with this letter, and it is highly recommended that you read and commit it to memory.
Term starts at 8:00 on the 3rd of September.
Yours,
Trish Rust, Headmistress
---
Mr Mercury Ironwood
It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted as a student at the Helios Combat School. Uniforms will be provided, although we will need to know what sizes you require before term starts. A Handbook has been sent with this letter, and it is highly recommended that you read and commit it to memory.
Term starts at 8:00 on the 3rd of September.
Yours,
Trish Rust, Headmistress
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September, 77AW:.
BREAKING NEWS!
SION GREYMOON TO BE PERMANENT HEADMASTER OF ATLAS ACADEMY.
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December, 77AW:.
To all our friends,
Wishing you a safe and joyous Year’s End, and a prosperous 78AW.
-Casper and Cinder.
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March, 78AW:.
It was called ‘The Blue Room’.
It was an office within Atlesian Military Headquarters that was entirely separated from the rest of the building. Soundproofed and with a separate power supply, officially it was a room from which wars or civil conflicts could be conducted safely and securely.
In reality, it was the place where the Atlesian branch of the Inner Circle Sanctuary would convene. After his mentor, Albus Hawthorn, stepped down and away from both the Military and the ICS, it had been Ironwood that had taken over as Division Leader. It should have been Absinthe Campbell, but she had stood down as Headmistress at the end of the previous academic year and promptly left to in her own words ‘Be a Mother for the first time in a decade and a half’. She’d still be available for advice or emergencies, but her part of the Shadow War was over.
So he had been in the unenviable position of having to rebuild the branch nearly from scratch.
It was his longtime Adjutant, Jade Vocino, that was his first recruit. Not only had they been colleagues for years, they were also good friends out of work. Once, they’d even considered becoming more than that, but came to the conclusion that it would not be right to endanger their friendship if a relationship failed. He still trusted her with his life though, and with that of his son. A perfect Second-in-Command.
Sion Greymoon was the only one that was absent from the meeting. He was required at the Academy, but he was already privy to what was going to happen and had given his backing.
Clover Ebi was next. The star of the Specialist program, who was as principled as he was pragmatic. A natural-born leader, loyal to his nation and the world. The perfect leader of the ‘field team’ James had inevitably had to create. And his semblance of ‘Good Fortune’ was undeniably useful.
The last person was a blonde woman, Bianca Schokolade. The bodyguard of the Winter Maiden herself. Once, she had been in place to succeed Fria Bernadotte in that role. But as Fria grew older, and Bianca turned from an excitable teen to an almost eccentric young woman, it soon became clear that Bianca would be too old to become a maiden when Fria died. And it would be an incredible waste to not put her skills to use more frequently, especially since her semblance, Object Memory, made her a near flawless detective. The fact that Fria was not nearly as physically active as she once was, and spent more and more time at her home in Atlas, meant that Bianca spent more and more time doing nothing but growing ever more bored and restless.
Ozpin had wanted them both transferred to his secret ‘Sanctuary’ facility so Fria could live out her remaining years there, but the Winter Maiden had quite firmly told him where he could stick his ‘wants’. And, if James were being honest, her main argument made sense. It was bad enough that Amber Carpo was still being kept there, unable to leave and see the world she was supposed to defend until she was required to defend it. Placing two Maidens in the same place would turn Sanctuary into too tempting a target for their enemy.
Ozpin hadn’t heard a word from Clementine Laurel for nearly five years, and hadn’t heard from Gloria Viridian almost as long. Half of the Maidens were effectively off the grid. Half of the Maidens could be dead, and the Brother’s only knew who their replacements could be. Losing the Maiden’s that they did have would be catastrophic.
But those were problems for another day. Today, his circle was expanding by one. Taking inspiration from the Cells in both Vale and Vacuo, where most if not all of the faculty were part of the Inner Circle, James had started to recruit the Professors at Atlas Academy. He knew he wouldn’t be able to recruit all of them, some were too loyal to Atlas or too skeptical to believe in the truth. But there were a few that he could bring in, and it only made sense to begin with the one Professor he’d explicitly asked to take the job.
So as Casper Schwartz settled into a seat in front of him, James could only ponder as to what he was bringing his fellow single father into. And whether or not it would be worth it.
“I’ll…need you to keep an open mind about the information you are about to be given.” He began. “And of course, as this information is so far beyond black level classified, to share it without prior consent will be considered treason.”
“I understand, sir.” Came Casper’s calm response.
“....Let me tell you about a being named Salem.”
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June 6th 78AW:
Cinder
Wishing you a Happy Fifteenth Birthday
-Dad.
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September 9th 78AW:
Team SSTO
Please report to my office at nine o’clock sharp tomorrow. There are matters that I need to discuss with you with regards to your missions this year. There will be a number of other people attending this meeting, so do be sure to come in your uniforms.
You will be exempt from lessons for the day.
-Sion Greymoon, Headmaster.