Twilight wore a lab coat as she stood in a room full of machines, she frowned “Tempest are you sure about this?”

Tempest nodded standing on a portal generating machine “I trust you Twilight, if something does go wrong, it’s not you fault.”

Pinkie smiled “It will be okay, we’re here to support you, you got this.”

Twilight began to activate the machine “Power at twenty percent, power at thirty percent, all seems good so far and…” Twilight eyes widened Rainbow Dash bolted into crashing into the thaumic capacitor, the machine instantly destabilised sucking Rainbow, Pinkie and Tempest into it as well as a few machines into it. Twilight managed to shield herself before bursting into tears at the loss of her friends.

Meanwhile in the Kingdom of Atlas a young Faunus with pink fur, as well as pony ears and a tail crashed into the centre of a city, she looked up in shock and confusion having no memory other than her name and a few basic skills.

People started to shout at her “Filthy Faunus!”

She ran towards a building tears in her eyes where she bumped into a tall man who crouched “What’s your name?”

She smiled as she dried her tears “My name is Pinkamena Diane Pie and I’m alone here.”

The man smiled “I’m James Ironwood, this place is not safe for a young Faunus like yourself. I know someone who can care for you in Vale, he has two kids, one about your age and one a little older.”

The young Faunus began to whimper “Can I stay with you please, I don’t want to leave?”

James Ironwood being the general of Atlas’s armies was many things, headstrong, fierce and determined despite this even he couldn’t handle the starry eyed look the young Faunus was giving him “Fine but if you are to stay with there a few rules first off you are to stick close to me at all times, my line of work is dangerous and secondly I will teach you how to protect yourself if something does go wrong and we get separate for any reason I want to be safe you understand.”

The young Faunus smiled “Yes.”

Ironwood nodded “Well then Pinkamena come with me, I need to fill out some paperwork so that you are officially under my care.”

The young Faunus smiled “Please call me Diane?”

Ironwood smiled “Alright, Diane it is.” Diane huddled close to Ironwood as they moved through the cold streets of Atlas as people glared at her, Ironwood sighed “Atlas has a poor reputation for hate against Faunus like yourself, I am not fond of it several of my greatest soldiers who I trust my life with are Faunus.” Ironwood almost spat the name “Unfortunately Jacques Schnee, head of the Schnee Dust Company use of Faunus labour has stopped me or any of the council from making any changes on that front.”

Diane whimpered “That sounds awful.”

Ironwood grimaced “It is.” Diane was still holding onto his leg as they entered a massive building, it was incredibly well furnished couches along the walls had high quality glass panes. Ironwood hated orphanages like these, in fact under the table any Faunus children in these places were sold to the Schnee Dust company for money. Ironwood frowned as he walked up to a woman at the desk he coughed “Excuse me, I’m here to fill out some paperwork.”

The woman looked up “Commander Ironwood sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you and…” she glared at Diane “Let me just get rid of that rabble and we can conduct business.”

Ironwood shook his head “She’s why I’m here actually, I wish to take her in so I trust you’ll give me the adoption papers so I can sign them and have put under my care immediately.”

The woman nodded “Forgive me I shouldn't assumed…”

Ironwood grimaced, she gave him some papers which he quickly signed and then were documented. Ironwood smiled “Now come on I’ll take you to where you'll be staying.”

Ironwood exited the building with Diane still almost strapped to his leg, as several continued to jeer at her one particularly bold tall well muscled man shouted “Take this Faunus scum!” as he threw a rock at her. Ironwood in a flash of incredible speed caught the rock in his gloved hand crushing it as he glared at them before walking away, Diane looked confused “He threw a rock at us, you looked angry, I thought you were going to hurt him, why didn’t you?”

Ironwood looked down at her with a forlorn expression as they headed to a massive ship that towered over the airship docks “It is up to people with power to act with responsibility and with respect for that power. I could have hurt him but I would have just stopped down to his level to be as bad as he is, if you want to see change then you have to represent that change not just through words but through actions.”

Diane nodded “I understand, we have to better than those who try to hurt us.” Ironwood smiled briefly before guiding onto the massive metal ship, the walls of the ship were a bland plain white as silvery metal machines wandered the halls.

Ironwood grumbled under his breath “I remember when wars were fought by valiant men and women.”

He headed to a small room which had a plain bed and small writing desk in it, it was next to his office “This is my room, the bed is yours I know it isn’t much but it’s all I have.”

Diane smiled “Thanks you , umm is it okay if I call you dad I don’t really remember much but it feels like that should be what I call you.”

Ironwood nodded “Of course you can call me dad, actually I want you to come around so you get a general feel of the ship and learn to get along with those on the ship.”

Ironwood guided Diane into a large room full of personal sitting at long metal tables eating, Ironwood commanded “Attention!”

Everyone stood up in the room, Ironwood caste his steely gaze across the room “This is Diane, I have taken her in as my own because she has no home or family to go back to, you will treat with respect!”

Everyone saluted “Yes sir!”

Ironwood nodded “At ease men, take your seat and carry on.” Ironwood guided Diane to the line where a lion Faunus with a golden coat and long blue mane her tail tied back as not to interfere with others in the kitchen, she smiled “General Ironwood, it’s a remeasure to have you dining with us again.”

General Ironwood let out a deep hearty laugh “Fiery Roar, I must admit I’ve missed dining with my men, they are much better for conversation then those rich fools I have to deal with.”

Fiery then smiled “Who is this sweet dear that’s attached to your leg?”

Diane hid behind Ironwood’s leg, Ironwood coaxed her out “Diane it’s okay she’s a very kind person I promise.”

Fiery smiled “What would you like to eat…”

Diane cautiously looked at her “Could I have an apple please.”

Fiery smiled “Sure here you go” she then turned to Ironwood “I’ll bring something a little more substantial over for her later.”

Ironwood smiled “Thank you.”

Fiery smiled “I’ll bring your lasagne over as well don’t worry General.”

Ironwood laughed “You know too well, thanks for everything.” Ironwood picked up Diane and placed her on his shoulder, they sat down at one of the metal tables she happily ate her apple on his shoudler.

Diane looked around cautiously, Ironwood turned to her with a warm smile “Don’t worry Diane, this place is one of the most friendly places for Faunus, you see due to the large amount of mechanical soldiers we have very few humans want to fight in the army anymore but quite a few Faunus do as they are treated with respect here, for every one human soldier there are five Faunus soldiers, for every one human officer there is twenty Faunus officers and well with exception of specialists and me that aren’t really any humans higher ranked then that.”

Diane smiled as she crawled off his shoulder “Thanks Dad for giving me a home.”

Ironwood smiled “Don’t worry about it Diane, I just did when any good person should which unfortunately here in Atlas is very few.”

Soon their food turned up, for Ironwood a Lasagne and for Diane a potato salad, Ironwood then took Diane to her room and tucked her in with a smile “Tomorrow training begins so you better get a good sleep.”

Diane smiled “I will.” Ironwood got out a sleeping bag and got into sleeping on the floor, he was unaware of the shocking revelation that would turn up the following morning.

Author's Note

I hope you like how I characterised Ironwood.