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A/N: Yeah~! I'm doing another Crossover Reaction Fanfiction! And it's based on 'Hunters of Justice' by trestwho. Been reading his work, and I ultimately liked it! The Justice League was one of my favorite childhood stories when I was just a kid, and reading it brought back so many memories, plus it's even better when you add RWBY into the mix. Overall, I just had to make a reaction fic out of this! With trestwho's permission, I have been given the green light to make the fic!
I hope you enjoy this fic, and please support my friend, trestwho, with his original works.

Prologue

It's been two years after the Fall of Beacon, the death of Pyrrha, and when everything changed. Especially the lives of Team RWBY, JN_R, as well as the new addition Oscar.

After many trials of hardship, revelations, battles, betrayals, and secrets were revealed. Ruby Rose, along with her friends, finally reached the Kingdom of Atlas to protect the Relic of Knowledge. After learning from General James Ironwood about his plans to build a new tower on Amnity Arena to re-establish communication and reveal Salem throughout Remnant.

From there, they were introduced to the Ace Operatives or Ace-Ops. Led by Clover Ebi, Vine Zeki, Elm Ederne, Harriet Bree, and Marrow Amin, followed by the other members. As well as the return of Penny Polendina thanks to the help of her father, Pietro Polendina, much to the joy of her friends.

Since then, the young Hunters have been given new equipment, upgraded weapons, unique attire, and fresh haircuts.

Right now, they're currently training, taking on missions, and safeguarding as much Dust as they can to finish and making sure the Happy Huntresses do not intervene despite their good intentions for Mantle.

Everything was going accordingly well since then. However, little did anyone realize a particular mischievous outsider will change all that for better or worse.

With the Ace-Ops…

The members of the Ace-Ops have recently completed a mission from outside of Mantle, one of them being involved in the tower's construction.

"Another complete mission team." Clover happily says as he guides his team towards a Bullhead while the pilot waits for them.

"Job well done, everyone," Vine comments as he held his hands behind his back as he follows his leader.

"Yeah! Chalk up another victory for the Ace-Ops!" Elm raises her fist as she follows along with the group.

"We finished much faster than the last one," Harriet smirked, feeling a sense of accomplishment of her team's achievement.

"Does everything have to be a competition for you?" Marrow sighs as he follows the group last.

As the Ace-Ops nearly reached the Bullhead, the ship's doors began to open, getting ready for their pickup. As they closely approached, the unexpected happened.

A flash of light illuminated the area, startling everyone around it. As soon as the light faded away, the five members of the Ace Operatives who were close to Bullhead have disappeared, leaving only the pilot alone as his jaws were gaping at the unexplainable scene he just witnessed.

Atlas Academy, Ironwood's office, a couple of hours later…

Inside the headmaster's office, General James Ironwood sat behind his desk talking to his Scroll.

By his side are Penny Polendina and Winter Schnee, who silently watch their superior doing his work. However, the expressions on their faces held an amount of concern for some reason.

"Continue the investigation. I want every inch of the area thoroughly looked at." James ordered through his Scroll as he received a 'yes sir' from his Scroll, closed it, and placed it away. The General sighs as he rubs his temples to calm himself down. "How long till the others arrive." He says as he looks up to his Specialist.

Winter Schnee straightened herself and checked the time on her Scroll. "They should be here any moment now." Just as she finished her answer, the doors of the office opened. They all turned to see that Team RWBY, JNR, Qrow, and Oscar entered the room.

"So, what's the emergency, Jimmy? Must be serious if you suddenly contacted all of us to come and meet here." Qrow says, earning a slight frown of disapproval from Winter but stayed silent.

The General sighs, then stand up. "I know this is sudden, but we have recently encountered a... disturbing situation."

"What do you mean?" Ruby says with concern while the others reacted the same while also being serious.

"It's regarding the Ace-Ops... there missing." James hesitantly said, earning a shocked look from the others from the revelations.

"Missing…?" Jaune whispers in horror before speaking louder. "How?"

"We don't know." Winter shakes her head as she stayed as professional as possible, but she was worried about her allies' well-being deep down. She then uses her Scroll then a video screen appears. "This is a video of the previous mission they completed."

The screen shows the Ace-Ops walking up to the Bullhead. They were talking among one another without a care in the world. As they nearly approached the entrance of the Bullhead, a bright light completely blocks the entire screen. As the light fades, the Ace-Ops were gone.

Everyone aside from James, Winter, and Penny were shocked and bewildered at what they've seen.

"Wh-What just happened…?" Oscar stuttered, trying to comprehend what he and the others had seen.

"We don't know…" Penny sadly says she shakes her head. "For all, we know it's some form of teleporting Semblance."

"My men have been investigating for two hours now," James said, earning another shock from the group.

"They've been gone for two hours?!" Weiss says in surprise.

"Yes, they–" Before the General could start his sentence, Winter's Scroll ringed. She quickly looked at her Scroll, her eyes slightly widen, then immediately answers.

"Report." The Specialist orders as she quietly listens to whoever is answering on her Scroll. "What?!" She silently shouts, earning a look from everyone. "What happened? How long was this!?... Bring a squad and immediately investigate the area at once!" Winter orders as she closes the Scroll then turns to the General. "General! It happened again!"

Everyone was shocked again after learning the same phenomenon has repeated.

"Who has disappeared?" James narrowed his eyes as he calmly ordered his Specialist to answer.

"Robyn Hill." Once more, everyone was shocked that this time it was someone that everyone in Mantle admires.

"Robyn Hill?" Yang slowly echoed. "As in the leader of the Happy Huntresses?"

"The same." Winter answers. "The same thing happened to her when she was giving a short speech to the citizens of Mantle. Then suddenly, a flash of light shot around the area, when it vanished, she was gone. Leaving behind the faction that was accompanying her."

"That doesn't make any sense." Weiss cupped her chin as she was thinking. "If this was some kind of enemy assault, I could understand the Ace-Ops, but why include Robyn Hill when she's not a part of what’s really going on?"

"Perhaps it's–" Before Penny could properly start her sentence, her Scroll began to ring as well. "Oh! I'm sorry." She sheepishly said as she answered her Scroll. "Salutations! This is Penny Polendina. How may I help you?"

Some of the kids chuckled at Penny's positive take, which lightens the mood a bit. However, it dropped the moment they saw her shocked expression.

"W-What?" She whispered in both shock and horror. "When did this happen…? okay… okay… thank you for telling me… bye." Penny shuts her Scroll off then looks down to her feet, looking hurt, scared and confused.

"Penny… what happened?" Ruby came up to her friend, trying to comfort her.

Penny takes a few deep breaths and looks up at her friend. "It was a call from one of my father's patience. He said that my father and Ms. Calavera disappeared by a flash of light."

"W-What?!" Ruby shouts in shock, along with everyone else.

"Doctor Polendina is missing?!" James shouts in disbelief.

"Just what the hell is going on!?" Nora shouts.

"What would the purpose of kidnapping these people even achieve?" Ren says, trying to figure out the motive of all this.

"You think Salem is involved in this?" Blake suggested. Everyone stayed silent as they slowly process the possibility in their minds.

The General sighs as he broke the silence. "Whenever she's somehow involved in this is too soon tell. Right now, we must prioritize locating all the missing individuals."

Everyone nodded in agreement. But before the General could say anything to give them their instructions, the very same light flashed before them, eliminating the entire room, blanketing everyone in it as soon as the light disappeared and everyone inside the headmaster’s office had vanished.

Somewhere in a pocket dimension…

The light flashed inside the unknown area. As soon as it disappeared, all the residents from the office appeared. As soon as everyone came back to their senses, they all looked around, shocked and bewildered at their surroundings.

"W-What happened!? Where are we?!" Ruby squeaked as she frantically looked around the area. All she could see was white. White. And more white.

Before anyone could say anything else, they heard a familiar voice. "General Ironwood!"

Everyone turned their heads in the direction of the sound of someone shouting, and to their surprise, it was Clover along with the Ace-Ops, Pietro, Maria, and Robyn.

"Father!" Penny shouts as she rushes towards Pietro giving her a gentle hug. Being Android, she didn't want to hurt him.

Pietro returned the hug towards his daughter. "Oh, Darling… it's so good to see you again."

"Ebi!" The General stated as he walks up towards his men along with Winter and Qrow, making the said Specialist stood straight along with the other Ace-Ops.

"General… it's good to see a familiar face." The leader of the Ace- Ops smiles towards his superior. "As you can see, we are all fine and well."

The General smiles being glad that his men are safe.

"Madam Calavera." Along with her friends, Ruby walks up to the elder, checking to see how she is faring. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, don't you kids worry about me. I'm still kicking and breathing here." Maria says with a smile showing that she is also relieved to see the children.

"Um, excuse me?" Everyone turns to look at Robyn, who was waving her hand to get everyone's attention. "Hate to interrupt your reunions and whatnot, but could anyone please tell me what the heck is going on here?"

"I can explain that." A deep voice suddenly said, making every trained Hunter pull out their weapons and put themselves on guard. Teams RWBY and JNR stayed close to Maria to protect her, while Penny did the same and stayed close to her father.

"Who are you?! Are you the one who bright us to this place?" Weiss shouted, demanding answers.

"Yes. I was the one who brought you all here."

"Why? What could you possibly achieve in kidnapping all of us?!" Winter shouted, not letting down her guard at all.

"It's not what I want to achieve… it's what you all want to achieve." The voice answers, making everyone blink in confusion as they looked at one another.

"Who are you?" Ruby slowly asks as she looks around the area. The voice chuckled, making everyone tense. "My apologies, you already asked me that question twice already."

The area around them begins to shake, making everyone grow even tenser than they've been before.

"I am a being that none of you can ever comprehend…" The voice begins to introduce itself. "I am a being who holds power none of you has ever seen before…" A few of the Hunters begin to have beads of cold sweat on their faces. "I am one but many that rivals among countless among my people…" The Hunters gripped their weapons tighter as they prepared themselves for whatever would appear before them as the area began to shake more violently, but that didn't stop them from losing their balance.

"I! AM!" Everyone could only hold their breaths as they prepare the coming from their mysterious kidnapper. Then suddenly, the quaking on the strange place immediately stopped catching everyone off-guard. But that didn't stop. They suddenly heard a loud popping noise right in front of them, making the jump a bit. And to their additional surprise, they could only freeze at where they stand while their eyes wide like saucers and their jaws dropping at the viewed the most bizarre being right before their eyes.

"Mr. Mxyzptlk!" The being shouted with a huge grin on his face. The named behind is an imp-size bold male wearing a purple suit and an oversized green bowtie and wearing a tiny purple bowler hat on his head, and additionally, his voice sounded high, nothing like the deep voice he was using before.

"…"

"…"

"…"

Everyone was dead silent as they finally had the full view of their kidnapper. Everyone watches in silence as they take in all the information in there as they gaze upon the small floating humanoid creature who hasn't dropped his grin at all.

"What… are you…?" Thankfully it was Ruby Rose who broke the silence.

The imp just tilted his head in confusion. "I'm Mr. Mxyzptlk."

"No! That's not what she meant!" Jaune shouts as he points his sword towards him. "You look like something that popped out from a cartoon or something!"

"Awe, shucks! You're making me blush." Mr. Mxyzptlk gushed as he places his hands on his cheeks as he takes Jaune's words as a compliment, which freaked him out a bit.

"Enough of this!" James shouted as he begins to lose his patience. He pointed Due Process towards the imp, getting everyone's attention. "Why did you bring us here? What is your objective?

Answer now!" The general shouts demanding answers while he was careful not to mention the existence of Salem to certain people such as Robyn.

"Sheesh... you sure are the demanding type, are ya? Ironwood." The imp crosses his arm as he tilted his head with a readied brow as he looks at the General.

The said General was taken back at how he knows him as well as the others. "Wha–! How do you–?"

"Oh, I know who you all are!" The being said as he slowly circles the group while he flouts while the said group still hasn't dropped their guard.

He then begins to point each one among the group with a goofy smile. "Team RWBY, Team JNR, Ace-Ops, Wizard boy, Robo girl, Doctor, Specialist, Drunk Bird, Blind Reaper, General Paranoid, and Happy Huntress Thief!"

Everyone blinks at the nicknames the imp gave them. Granted, some were familiar with the titles but were also confused and somewhat offended by the nicknames.

"How do you know us?" Winter stepped in as she ignored the nicknames as she tried to get more information.

"Oh, I know all looooooooot about you people." Mr. Mxyzptlk said as he stopped and circling them as he smirked and raised a brow at them. "Aaaaaaaaaand, I know about all your secrets."

Everyone perked up at what the imp said. Some were where more alter than before. Some were confused. One mainly wanted answers while a specific group in Ruby's group began to have cold sweat in what they just heard.

"S-Secrets…?" Blake muttered, trying to do her best in hiding her troubled expression, but her cat ears betrayed her since there

sticking up straight.

"Yes… secrets! " The imp emphasized as his smile smirk grew. "Like a certain woman named Sa–"

*BANG!*

Everyone gasped in shock at what they just witnessed. Before the small floating man could say anything else, he was shot right between his brows by a bullet showing a bullet hole on his head. Shot by the James Ironwood.

The imp dropped to the ground like a ragdoll, much to everyone's horror.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohgosh!"

"Holy shit!"

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

"I did not need to see that!"

"You… you killed him!"

"Jimmy, what the hell?!"

"General, why did you do that?!"

James narrowed his eyes at the corpse as he places his weapon back in his holster. "He was a threat that needed to be eliminated."

Everyone was shocked by what he said. Granted, those who know the truth couldn't risk the imp in mentioning the name of their enemy, but still, that was crossing the line. The Specialist and Ace-Ops were also troubled by that answer. Invariably, they agreed with his logic in not mentioning classified information regarding their shadow war, especially towards an outsider such as Robyn Hill.

They may not like the decision, but they will follow their leader's command for the sake of their duty. Heck, even a few of them also considered attacking the imp when they had the chance.

"Threat…?" Robyn marched up to the General with a scowl on her face, but his Specialists blocked her. "I may not know what the hell is going on, but that didn't justify you in killing him in cold blood!"

"I don't expect you, of all people, to understand what I need to do! I did what I have to do for the safety of the people!" James and Robyn glared at one another as tensions begin to rise. Everyone stayed where they are wondering how this will play out.

"Yeah, James! That wasn't very nice of you! I mean, I wasn't even finished with my sentence."

Everyone jumped as they turn to see that Mr. Mxyzptlk was floating among the group staring at James. Everyone jumped back, startled to find the dead imp among them without them even realizing it.

"Sweet Brothers! You're alive!" Marrow shouts.

"That's right!" The imp proudly puffs his chest as he places his hands on his hips.

"Wait… if you're here… then what the hell is that?" Qrow points at the supposedly dead body that was lying on the ground.

"Wait a minute…" Nora narrows her eyes as she daringly walks up to the body.

"Nora! What are you-!" Ren shouted at his childhood friend, but before he could ask what she was doing, she already contacted the body.

Nora blinked when she took a closer look, then carried it and showed it to the others. "This isn't a body… this is just a doll." She showed them the lifelike doll of Mr. Mxyzptlk. It looked exactly like the original it even had the same smirk on its face. The only difference is that it still had the bullet hole on its head, and its eyes are just X-shaped stitched on where the eyes should be.

"Lifelike, isn't it?" The imp laughed as he floats in the air. He held his stomach and started kicking around. Despite everyone's relief that no one died, they still can't help but feel annoyed by that prank.

After when the laughter ended, he takes a deep breath and sighs. "Right… where was I again?"

"Oh, I don't know…?" Robyn said as she begins to grow angry. "Like, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"

Everyone flinched at her loud volume, but at the same time, they too want to know what's going on. "Okay, okay, sheesh… indoor volume." The imp covers both his ears with his index fingers then takes them out. "But before we do… how about putting those all away, okay?"

Everyone blinked as they looked down at their hands, not realizing that they're still holding their weapons. Understanding what the imp was referring to, they all looked sheepishly and then placed their weapons away.

"Good. Good." The mysterious imp nodded. "Just for the record, I won't say anything about your so-called secrets you all have deep down inside you all. That's ya'lls problems." He cryptically said, earning a silent gulp from a specific few with a more profound secret that they were keeping.

"Oh! And by the way, Jimmy, you can shoot me as much as you want, but I ain't going down that easily!" Mr. Mxyzptlk laughed as the General frowned, not saying anything.

"Now, for the reason why you're all here." This made everyone perked up. "You're all here cause I'm giving you Remnantians an opportunity of a lifetime!"

'Remnantians?' Everyone all thought at once, wondering what made the imp call them like that. Was it because they're residents of Remnant? None could say.

"By the looks on your faces, it tells as if I'm not from around here… well, you're right! That's because I'm not! I'm from an entirely different world, a different dimension!"

Again, this shocked them even more. They want to deny that kind of possibility. Still, after what crazy nonsense they've gone through, thanks to the revelations of Gods, Relics, Magic, Maidens, Salem, and Ozpin. The more experienced people had no choice but to believe in the imp's words.

"And what of opportunity would that be?" Maria questioned as her artificial eyes raised a brow, curious about what the imp is giving them.

Mr. Mxyzptlk smiled as he raises both his arms wide. "Why, to give you all the fighting chance, ya need to save Remnant!"

Everyone listening was shocked. This being who mysteriously kidnapped them is giving them a chance to better themselves for the sake of Remnant?

"Hang on a minute." Robyn said, getting everyone's attention while she was having a hard time processing all this. "I'm finding this very hard to believe… what do you mean for the sake of Remnant? What's going on? And I'm pretty sure everyone here knows a lot more than what I can gather."

Everyone looked at one another, thinking of what they can say to the outsider of the group. But they were cut off when Mr. Mxyzptlk popped right in front of her.

"W-What?" She stuttered as she took a step back.

The imp didn't say anything. He simply smiled and offered his hand towards her. Everyone was confused by the gesture while Robyn blinked as she looked at the hand, then at Mr. Mxyzptlk, seeing his face telling her that he already knows about her Semblance.

She hesitantly took his hands then began asking her questions. "Are you really from another world?"

"Yes." The imp answered. Then suddenly, both their joined hands turned glowed green, much to everyone's surprise. "Lie Detection. This is your Semblance." The imp answered, making Robyn slightly frown that her ability was found out so quickly.

"A lie-detecting Semblance… now that's handy." Yang smirks as she crosses her arms.

"Anything else you le to ask?" Mr. Mxyzptlk asks the leader of the Happy Huntresses, making her hesitate a bit.

"Are you really going to help us?"

"Yes." The hands glowed green.

"Why us?"

"Because you are important people than you can ever imagine." The hands glowed green.

"Last question… why are you doing all this?" This was the question everyone wanted to know. Why is this alien from another world doing all this?

"Because I'm bored!" The imp laughed as their hands once again glowed green-much to everyone's shock at his honestly.

He lets go of Robyn's hand floats up higher till everyone looks up. "I'm bored with the same old things that are happening in my life. I mean, sure, I do take some joy in messing, I mean playing with a few friends of mine."

'You just said messing…' Everyone deadpans in their heads.

"And then I was exploring through dimension, and then I found Remnant!" Getting everyone's attention. "Then I found you people, and boy did you catch my attention!"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Marrow whispers to Vine.

"I'd rather not know the answers." He whispers back, earning a slow nod from the dog Faunus.

"I mean, look at you all! So much action!" Mr. Mxyzptlk instantly turned into a miniature version of Rambo holding guns in the air as he fires them around, much to the Remnantians shock. "So much drama!" He then transforms into an actor dressed in a suit as he acted so dramatically.

"How are you doing that?" Harriet mutters in both awe and shock.

"Magic!" Mr. Mxyzptlk answers as he turns into a miniature Dumbledore. Everyone was shocked by that confession.

"But enough about me!" The imp changes back to his original attire. "This is all about you, and boy, are you all in a pickle!"

Everyone flinched in what the imp said. Again, they all know that things in Remnant are not the same after the Fall of Beacon. They can expect what they can expect, but what is more critical is what they can do to change all that.

"So, what do you have in store for us?" Elm asks as she crosses her arms, feeling a bit excited about what to do.

"Yes!" He points out as he lowers himself to their eye level. "I want all of you to bear witness to a possibility that could have happened. A possibility that your lives would forever change in a way that none of you could ever possibly imagine."

"What is this? Are you going to let us watch something out of the multiverse or something?" Marrow guessed.

"That's right!" Mr. Mxyzptlk clapped. "I should expect nothing less from the comic-book lover of the Ace-Ops!"

Everyone, including the Ace-Ops, not knowing that secret, looked at Marrow with a raised brow while being mused at how the dog Faunus was nervously fidgeting while his tail wagged as he chuckled nervously.

"Wait… so… you brought us all here to watch ourselves?" Nora tilted her head.

"Yes and no." The imp answered. "Let's just say your alternate selves ended picking up the short end of the straw."

"And what makes you think we will agree to this." Clover asked.

"Oh, don't say that, lucky boy." The imp answered as he crosses his arm. "I know you're no stranger in wanting to learn new things."

"It's scary that you know these things." The leader of the Ace-Ops cringed a bit.

"Not as scary in what I'm going to show you guys."

"Again, why do we need to watch this?" Jaune asked, wanting to clarify the question.

"Don't you want to see your partner alive in a different timeline?" Mr. Mxyzptlk asked, making him and all his closest friends freeze, knowing precisely who he is talking about. Even those from Ozpin's circle widen their eyes on the said girl they were familiar with.

"P-Pyrrha…?" Jaune muttered in a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Yup." Mr. Mxyzptlk said. "It's not just that, not only will you be able to see your old friend again, but you'll see and learn so many things that will change your perspective of everything! But of course, it's your choice, after all."
Everyone looked at one another, trying to figure out how to answer the imp's proposal.

"If we take your offer…" Pietro spoke for the first time. "How long will this take? I mean, we do have lives we have to take, you know."

"Oh, don't you worry. In this dimension, time moves differently. Out there, time moves very slowly, and in here time stagnates, and at the same time, your time does the same, so you Remnantians don't need to worry about growing old or whatnot."

"That is very convenient." Penny said as she took every single piece of information she can.

"So… do we stay or…" Oscar asked as he looks around at the others as they looked at one another.

"I'll stay." Everyone looked at Ruby as she was the one who answered the questions.

"Ruby… are you sure?" Weiss walked up to her partner as she asked her.

"I'm sure." Ruby nodded then looked to her friends with a determined look. "We all are doing the best we can to be ready for what's to come but deep down… I know that we need more help…"

Her friends looked at one another and looked down, knowing well what she meant, including the secret they were keeping against Ironwood and his group. While the others were in deep thought as they heard her explanation.

"And besides…" Everyone focused back on the young reaper as she fidgets a bit with a slight smile on her face. "I also want to see Pyrrha again."

And with that, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Nora, and Ren also smiled, wanting to see their beloved friend again.

"Okay… I'm with you, Ruby." Weiss said with a smile.

"I'll go wherever you go," Blake answered.

"No way, I'm leaving you behind, Rubes," Yang said to her sister.

"I also want to see Pyrrha too." Jaune joined them.

"Yeah! I want to see what kind of adventure she and our others do." Nora said in excitement.

"Indeed. It would be good to see her once more." Ren nodded in agreement.

As RWBY and JNR agreed to stay, the others also decided to stay as well.

"So, you staying, kid?" Qrow asked Oscar, to which he nodded. "I am. You?"

"What kind of uncle would I be if I leave my nieces here?" The Huntsman chuckled.

"General?" James looked turned to Winter along with the Penny and the Ace-Ops as they wait for his answer.

He takes a deep breath and sighs. "Normally, I would decline, but after listening to what… Mr. Mxyzptlk said I believe this is a good opportunity for us if we are to be a step ahead against our enemies."

"So, does that mean we stay?" Clover asks for confirmation.

"Yes, we stay." By his command, his people salute him by his order.

"So, you staying, Doctor?" Maria asks Pietro.

"Of course! No way I'm leaving my daughter here, and besides, seeing another timeline is very intriguing." The Doctor said, earning a laugh from Maria.

"You're right! You get to live once. No way I'm giving up a chance like this!" Pietro nods to the former Grim Reaper's answer. She then turns to Robyn, who was still in deep thought. "What about you, girl? What's your answer?"

The leader of the Happy Huntress looks down at the elder then she sighs. "Honestly, I don't know why I am here… I do want some answers, but this is probably something way out of my league." She then pauses a bit then looks at the others who are still talking among one another. "But seeing how these people and yourselves are taking it better than I am. It just makes me feel that I am missing out on some important stuff. So why not? If this is how I'm going to find the answers I need, then who am I complain." Maria laughs at her answer.

"Well!" Mr. Mxyzptlk shouts, getting everyone's attention. "I take it you all made your decision." They all nodded, showing that they had all made their decision.

"Okay!" The imp snaps his fingers, and in an instant, everyone was sitting down in chairs, and their surroundings have changed, which looks like a cinema room, right in front of them is a large cinema screen.

"Woah…" The younger Remnantians said in awe.

"I know, right!" He says as he begins to floating away.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?" Oscar asks, noticing the imp taking a distance.

"Going to do my own thing and leave you guys with the rest."

"What!? So you're just leaving us?" Winter said.

"Oh, you babies…" Mr. Mxyzptlk rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers again. At that moment, something appeared on their laps. Upon closer looks, it was a manual saying, 'Guide in staying in your unique Pocket Dimension!'

"Read that, and you find what you need! Welp! Good luck, and enjoy the show!" With that, Mr. Mxyzptlk disappears with a popping noise.

As soon as he did, the cinema light slowly turned dim, and then the cinema begins to turn on. As it starts, the people of Remnant could only wonder what they will witness and how it will affect them as they watch.

To be continued…

A/N: Hope you enjoy the Prologue! Right now, I'll start working on the next chapter as soon as I can.

While I'm at it, I am willing to accept any help from anyone with my other reactions fics. Such as the RWBY Reacts to Fate Series (FateZero). I have full intentions of finishing that fic. But it takes a lot of time for me to prep the transcript of the episodes then add the reactions next.

So I am willing to accept any help from anyone willing to prepare a transcript of the Fate/Zero anime episode.

Just PM me, and we can discuss how we can do it.

Thanks for all your support! I hope you enjoy the following chapters!

Chapter Text

A/N: Another chapter of the RWBY reaction fic! Sorry, it took so long, but I hope it's worth the wait. I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

Chapter One

As the cinema prepares itself, the Remnantians could only sit patiently for it to begin

“I wonder what will we see?” Ruby said, feeling a bit excited to see their counterparts playing different roles.

“No clue.” Jaune shrugged. “I just can’t wait to see Pyrrha again.”

“We all want to see her, too, Jaune.” Ren comforts his team leader along with Nora and his friends, which made him give a small smile to them.

“Done!” Penny shouts, earning everyone's attention. “I have looked readthrough and memorized every information in the manual that Mr. Mxyzptlk has given us.”

“That is good to hear, Penny.” Winter nods in approval.

“Indeed! Thanks to my quick reading skills and photographic memory, I have every detail we need during our stay here in the pocket dimension.” Penny happily said as she was careful not to mention her ‘quick reading program’ and ‘memory bank,’ not wanting to let Robyn know what her phrasing would suggest.

“What do you mean?” Weiss curiously asked.

“Despite Mr. Mxyzptlk leaving us, he did prepare us the required living needs for us here.” The Android explained. “I would be more than happy to give you all the tour of our temporary stay here, but it seems the cinema is about to begin.”

Just as she said, the cinema screens begin to start up. It then showed a sentence in the middle of the screen.

Hunters of Justice

“Hunters of Justice?” Blake echoed the sentences.

“That’s the title of what we are going to watch,” Penny explained.

“The title?” Harriet said, raising her brow.

“It’s explained in the manual. It said that Mr. Mxyzptlk felt that it was more appropriate to name the viewing that we are watching instead of calling it a ‘movie’ or a ‘show’.”

“That was… thoughtful of him,” Vine comments approving the Imp’s idea.

As the title fades, another sentence came in the middle of the screen.

Chapter One: Fall of Remnant

Everyone is both shocked and silent in what these words mean.

“F-Fall… of Remnant?” Nora stuttered.

“Did… did something happen to our world?” Robyn muttered in shock.

“Is this what that imp meant when he said about something scary he’ll show us?” Maria says as her artificial eyes widen.

“No…” James whispered as he slowly shakes his head in denial. Was Salem responsible for this? Did she succeed in this reality? He, along those who know the secret, thought about the dark possibility.

As they left to wonder, the words fade away, and finally, the cinema begins.

"Contact right!"

"Suppressive fire! Suppressive fire!"

"Gods, they're everywhere!"

"Keep firing!"

Everyone jumped in a mixture of shock, fear, and confusion at the sudden screaming and violence.

“W-What…?” Ruby stuttered as a feeling of fear, slowly began to creep up to her body.

The shouts of the Atlesian soldiers were drowned out by the sounds of intense and non-stop gunfire as they fired upon the horde around them. Dust rounds, rockets and grenades flew out towards the enemy, mowing them down in droves, but their numbers were relentless and unending. As one fell, two more took its place as they edged closer and closer towards the line. The soldiers were beginning to panic, but it was a testament to their training that they did not break the line nor cease their valiant defense.

“What is happening?!” Harriet shouts.

“Those are my soldiers…” James whispered in horror.

“What… what are they shooting at?” Clover questions as he looks fearful for the soldiers’ safety.

“It’s like their in a Warzone…” Marrow whispers as his tail slightly tremble on his seat.

"Retreat! Fall back to the perimeter!" the sergeant shouted towards his men as the enemy grew closer.

"Sir, yes-!" a private gasped as his flagging Aura collapsed and a three-pronged metal claw pierced his chest from his back. He coughed up blood and numbly grasped at the intrusive object, futility trying to free himself even as he was lifted upwards off the ground with ease. Slowly, with feeling quickly leaving his body, the private turned his head to look at the claw's source. It was attached to a long, thin metal tube that extended out of an outstretched metal hand with two fingers and a thumb. A purple light shone from the hole in its palm, from which the extended tube emerged from. The arm itself was meaty yet more like sinew than actual flesh and bone, for that was all it was. Simply sinew under cobalt armor plating on the chest, arms, and legs. The last image the private saw was the exposed skull of the alien robot, a purple light emitting from the center of its forehead. With a pained and scared whimper, the private relaxed and went still.

The viewers gasped in horror, and a few screamed. Some covered their mouths at the brutal death of the soldier and while others where purely horrified at the alien robot that was responsible for it.

“A-A robot…?” Penny says as she slightly trembles at the horrific design of the machine.

“That is what our men are fighting against?!” Elm shouts, horrified that the military that she is part of is facing against.

"Cobalt!" the sergeant yelled as he raised his shotgun to fire, only to be gunned down by purple plasma bolts. He fell, smoking holes in his torso. His men finally panicked and began to fire wildly, only to meet the same fate. Their smoking corpses fell to the ground, joining the hundreds of other Atlesian and Valean soldiers who had been defending this chokepoint, giving their lives in a desperate attempt for time. The robots marched forward, stepping over them as if they weren't there. Hundreds more followed after them as they marched further and further into the city, pushing Vale's defenders further and further back towards Beacon Academy.

Again, everyone watched in pure utter horror. They can only sit and wait in their seats as they see hundreds of killer robots marching into the city of Vale, killing and trampling over anyone who stood against them.

“What is going on…?” Jaune slowly whispers as his voice grew much louder as he places his hands on his head. “What in the name of Remnant is happening?!”

“Are… are we at war?” Blake shakily says as her cat ears went flat.

“But against who?!” Pietro shouts. “This is not the Grimm they are facing! This is a mechanized robotic army! I have never seen such technology in my life before! They completely surpass the Atlesian Knights!”

Everyone watching could have a sinking feeling of dread. What has happened to this version of Remnant? How did the robot army come to be? And above all else, is Salem a part of all this?

“Just what is going on…?” Oscar whispered as he felt dread to what is happening.

"No…" Ruby Rose whimpered as she watched the carnage unfold through her scope. She was lying prone on top of a ruined building, a bakery judging by the wrecked sign on the street below. Her once pristine red and black gothic combat skirt was torn and shredded, covered in dirt, grime, and dried blood, not to mention oil stains. Crescent Rose was in similar condition, the once mighty sniper-scythe now dented and cracked all along its body from the constant fighting.

The Ruby viewing along with the others gasped, seeing a familiar face. “It’s… it's me!” In the beginning, she was somewhat excited to see her counterpart. Just as she guessed, her other looked precisely like herself except this one worn an old attire she once wore during her days in Beacon Academy. But what caught her off-guard was that her other’s appearance. She could only sink in her seat in a mixture of sadness, worry and hurt at how much her other could possibly going through.

“R-Ruby…” Weiss said, filled with worry in her voice. “Your… other… she…” The former heiress couldn't find the right words to describe her partner’s counterpart without possibly hurting her feelings.

Ruby notices this and shakes her head and gives her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay Weiss. I’m just glad that my other is alive.” Weiss pauses for a moment and nods her head with a small smile on her face; however, she and her friends can tell that she was sad at her other’s current state.

'How did things go so wrong?' she thought as she tore her gaze away and closed her eyes. Her body was so tired. All she wanted to do was just lie down and sleep, give her body the rest it was demanding, but she couldn't. Not when an honest to gods' alien invasion was happening.

“Did we just hear my sister’s thoughts?” Yang blinked, noticing that her sister’s counterpart didn’t open her mouth when she heard her voice.

“The manual did mention we will be able to hear the thoughts of a few characters,” Penny explained.

“Really?” Weiss skeptically said with a raised brow. “You're seriously asking that question instead of asking the fact the screen just mentioned that our others are undergoing AN ALIEN INVASION!”

True to her words, those who noticed it earlier were wholly overwhelmed by the sheer shock and oddity of the fact that they're watching a freaking alien invasion that their alternate selves are against while those who just noticed thanks to Weiss are just as shocked as the others.

“Wait… how did you notice that?” Blake asked.

“Wh–, did none of you notice the pop-ups on the screen?”

Those who didn’t notice carefully looked through the screen. Just as she said, there was a pop-up box on the upper part of the screen.

“Huh… I didn’t notice that.” Nora tilted her head in surprise.

“The manual also mentioned about pop-up blocks that will give us the required information,” Penny informed them.

“Well, that’s insightful.” Maria sarcastically said.

It started two days ago. Two days. That's how long it took for Remnant to fall. Atlas. Vacuo. Mistral. Kuo Kuana. All were gone, their only remains being smoking craters where once stood mighty cities. Before it happened, everything was going great. She was happy, things were simple. After all, it was the Vytal Festival. It was supposed to be that way. Students from all over the world, from every huntsmen academy, were in Vale to compete in a bi-annual showcase of their abilities and to foster peace between the kingdoms.

Everyone was completely and utterly speechless in what they just read from the pop-up. Not only did they understood what has happened, but the screen even showed flashbacks of what has transpired in the other Remnant.

Some had their eyes widen as their jaws dropped. Some covered their mouths while their eyes did the same thing. None of them would ever expect that the kingdoms would suffer such a fate when they would all celebrate the Vytal Festival.

“This… this all happened two days ago…?” Elm said, breaking the silence while still having the look of shock and horror in her face.

“So… this all takes place during the middle of the Vytal Festival…” Ren concluded then looked down in sadness, doing his best to keep his emotions in check. He was so sad that he almost forgot to use his Semblance: Tranquility to calm himself down. “Before the Fall of Beacon…” Everyone else looked down as they recall the tragic memory of the event.

“But… but how…?” Nora shakily asked. “Who or What could be capable of all this destruction?!”

Her team, RWBY, and their sister team, JNPR, had easily moved into the second round and were preparing for the duo's matches when the CCT suddenly broke down. No one knew what was going on or why it happened. That's when the first ships came through the clouds. Nothing had scared her more than that one moment, when that first alien vessel, shaped like a skull with tentacles sprouting from its base, emerged from the clouds and hovered over the city. She remembered the silence that hung over everyone as they simply stared at it, awe and fear filling their souls and her own. Then, the CCT suddenly turned back on, revealing a green man clad in metallic purple. Ruby couldn't tell if it was armor or simply part of his body, possibly both. Three purple circles dotted his bald forehead in an upside-down triangle, but it was his eyes that were the most striking to her. They were emotionless, calculating. Him looking upon them was less like looking at people and more like he was looking down on ants. For the longest time, he remained silent. The tension grew with each passing moment. Then, he spoke, and she could still remember the words like they were said only five minutes ago.

The Remnantians watching could only shrink back in their seats as they gazed upon the alien responsible for the first time. Like how the pop-ups description they all felt awe and fear slowly filling in their souls as they watched how this alien and his army made their entrance to their world.

None spoke or made a sound. They could only watch in sheer silence. Like her alternate self, Ruby could not help but feel afraid by just looking at the alien invader's eyes.

"People of Remnant," he said in an emotionless tone, "I… am Brainiac. Do not be alarmed, for I offer salvation. Your people, your cultures, your knowledge will be preserved for eternity, spared from the ravages of time. Do not resist."

Everyone shuddered at the now named alien Brainiac’s voice. Just as the pop-up described his appearance, his voice was just as emotionless as it was mentioned. None in the room as ever heard a voice being so empty as it sounds so terrifying.

At that, he cut the transmission. The CCT then transitioned to an image of Shade Academy, home to the largest city in Vacuo. Like Vale, it too had a skull ship hovering over it. People wondered what was going to happen, what Brainiac had meant, only for the ship to suddenly unleash a large beam straight into the heart of Shade Academy. Like a tsunami, the beam engulfed the city and everything in it, blinding everyone with its bright light before receding. When the light was gone, Shade was a smoking crater, gone without a trace. Then, the CCT finally gave out and turned to static.

That's when the screaming started.

The cinema room became chaotic after watching that very horrific scene.

“OH MY GOD!”

“Sh-Shade Academy… the Kingdom of Vacuo…”

“No…”

Everyone reacted differently after seeing that scene. Some screamed, some covered their mouths with their hands, some cried, some just stayed quiet as they watched in horror, and some even swear. It took a while before everyone could calm themselves down. Fortunately, Penny mentioned the cinema would instantly pause itself if the viewers are not focused on the screen.

“I… I don’t believe it…” Ruby whispers as she stared down to the ground, still slightly shaken what she has learned.

“How could this have happened…” Pietro shook his head while his daughter was comforting him.

“Goodness… this is even worse than the Fall of Beacon…” Maria sadly says as she places her hands on her heart. “Now I understand what that little imp meant when he said about our alternate world ended up ‘picking the short end of the straw’.” The retired reaper said as she recalled the words of Mr. Mxyzptlk.

“Theo…” Qrow mutters in sadness as he along those who know him for being part of Ozpin’s circle mourn for the Headmaster of Shade Academy.

“This… this can't be happening…” James says as he covers his face with both his hands as he tries to calm himself down.

Oscar, like everyone else, was both shocked and horrified. He may not know Theodore personally, but thanks to the memories that Ozpin is sharing, he couldn't help but feel sad and hurt towards the fate of one of his past life's companions. While Oscar was having these thoughts, the young man could also feel something small swelling inside him. He didn’t need to be a genius to know that Ozpin inside him was also affected by this.

Everything had gone straight to Hell ever since. The Atlesian ships General James Ironwood had brought with him to defend the Vytal Festival had managed to bring down the skull-ship above Vale before it could use its weapon, albeit after a massive Grimm attack weakened the vessel first, but the other kingdoms weren't so lucky. With Shade's CCT tower gone, the network had collapsed, but a stream of refugees fleeing the destruction of their homes brought with them the news of the other cities. They, too, suffered the same fate as Shade, and as each city fell, more and more ships descended onto Vale like vultures. It was only due to the increased military and huntsmen presence that Vale had lasted so long, but even then it wasn't enough. Within the first day, all of the automated Atlesian Knights and Paladins were exhausted, forcing soldiers, huntsmen, and even students to put their lives on the line.

“So the Grimm did took part the moment when all the chaos started…” Vine stated. “How ironic that the Dragon Grimm would be the one weaken Brainiac’s vessel within Vale.”

“Yeah… but the other kingdoms…” Marrow sadly said.

“So, we are witnessing the Kingdom of Vale’s last stand… along with all the remaining forces from the other kingdoms…” Winter grimaced, seeing that their people have been reduced to this state.

"Ruby," she heard a voice crack over the radio. Ruby recognized it as the voice of Jaune, currently on the ground level with his team and a few others. "Ruby, they're getting closer. Are you in position?"

“That’s my voice!” Jaune straightens himself glad that his other is still around much to his relief as well as his friends.

"Hold on," she answered as she readied herself once more. Looking through her scope, she saw as the army of Brainiac Drones marched towards their position, gunning down any soldiers who stood in their way with machine-like efficiency. It made Ruby sick to look at, but she steeled herself and took a deep breath. "Ready."

The Ruby watching felt sorry for her alternate self for what she is experiencing. Despite already experiencing the pain and sadness during the Fall of Beacon, she couldn't help but wonder how it would be like if she were the one experiencing an alien invasion instead of her counterpart.

“My men…” James grimaced, seeing his own men being down so quickly. He’s no stranger to seeing his men putting their lives on the line for their duty, but that doesn’t mean he likes watching it happen.

"On my mark," Jaune whispered over the radio. The army marched closer and closer, their heavy footsteps causing the ground beneath her to shake.

“Oh! It looks like our fearless leader’s double has a plan up his sleeve!” Nora eagerly said as she attempted to lighten the mood in the room, which it wor since everyone took an interest as watched at how this would play out.

"Wait for it…" The army marched closer. They were now only three hundred feet away from her position, but her scope remained centered on the lead robot's head.

"Wait for it…" The army was now even closer, and Ruby could hear the whirling of gears from their mechanical bodies.

"Now!"

Ruby fired as soon as the word left Jaune's mouth and struck the purple light of the drone, exploding the head in a spray of bone, muscle, and green fluid. The other drones whirled their attention towards her and raised their arms to fire, only for a series of explosions to ripple through their ranks. Fire, shrapnel, and shards of concrete and metal sent hunks of drone flying through. The survivors were momentarily disoriented, which Ruby exploited by firing her rifle as fast as she could. With each shot, another head exploded. She was soon joined by more gunfire as the other students entered the fray.

Everyone cheered, taking joy at seeing the alien machines being hailed by gunfire. The younger Remnantians cheered even louder, seeing that it was the work of two familiar teams doing the work.

“Yeah! Show those buckets of bolts who’s boss!”

“Take them down!”

“Nobody messes with the students of Beacon Academy!”

"E.T. go home!" she heard Yang cry out as she leapt into the horde of robots. Her powerful punches rippled through the robot horde, each one breaking off chunks of metal and sending her foes flying. She ducked underneath a volley of plasma then responded with a pair of shotgun blasts, courtesy of her shotgun-gauntlets, Ember Celica. The ten-gauge shells punctured holes in the torsos of the robots, making them fall lifelessly onto the cracked concrete road. Her attackers defeated, she moved onto another group, leaping towards them with her arm reared back for a punch. She slammed into them, sending them flying, but she didn't rest. Yang continued going, moving from drone to drone, tanking every shot and blow that managed to hit her.

“Yeah~! Go me! Show them what I got!” Yang wildly grinned as she saw her other punched holes in those rust buckets. She also couldn't help but feel glad that this version of herself still has her right arm.

From behind, another drone aimed at her while Yang was preoccupied in her fighting, only for that drone to suddenly have a grapnel embedded into its chassis. A black ribbon was attached to it, and before it could react, its head was kicked clean off its shoulders. Sparks flew from the stump before it fell to the ground with a loud clunk, and Blake Belladonna ripped Gambol Shroud's blade free. She clutched it in her hand before a volley of plasma shot towards her. Her semblance took the blow for her, allowing Blake to escape without harm as she shifted her weapon into a pistol and began to fire. The small-caliber bullets pinged off the drone's armor, drawing their attention as they marched towards her. Seeing how shooting them wasn't working, she shifted her weapon back into a sword and leapt towards them. She swiped at their necks, nimbly moving around the punches and volleys of the alien robots as she downed one after another. A drone attempted to attack her from behind, only for her to pull out her sheath and use it as a cleaver on its skull, splitting it in two. She quickly shifted her sword into its gun configuration and rapidly fired at the skull of another drone. It shattered under the barrage, but she didn't have time for respite as she used her semblance to avoid yet another volley.

“Look, Blake, it's you!” Yang points out while her partner just rolled her eyes while smirking. The cat Faunus was happy seeing herself, but she couldn't help but slightly flinch at seeing a familiar bow hiding her Faunus trait.

Some of the audience notice that but ignored it since that’s not important at all.

On the other side of the street, a similar situation was unfolding as Weiss Schnee danced around a large group of drones. She skated around on her glyphs, stabbing the drones in the eyes and slicing through their necks. As another volley of plasma shot towards her, she threw up a glyph to block it then stabbed her rapier, Myrtenaster, into the ground. Large spikes of ice shot up from the ground, impaling multiple drones on each spike while also creating a wall along the street, cutting Brainiac's forces off.

“There's you Weiss!” Ruby happily cheers as she hugged her partner.

“Yes, you dolt I see her, I see her,” Weiss said slightly annoyed but couldn't help smile at being both happy and relieved that her other along with her fellow teammates have survived their ordeal and still fighting.

“Thank goodness…” Winter sighs in relief as she places her hand on her chest, happy that her beloved sister is alive and well.

The others watching where also happy to learn that all the members of Team RWBY are alive and accounted for.

"They just keep coming!" she grunted as she caught her breath. They had been fighting non-stop for the past two days. She may have gotten at most five hours of sleep, intermittent at most. The respite didn't last long as cracks started to appear on the ice, accompanied by wisps of steam. She could feel the plasma impact on the ice, and it wouldn't be long until the wall broke.

"Dammit," she breathed out and rotated her Dust cylinders to Fire Dust. Soon after, a hole was punched in the ice wall, and the drones piled through. They were met immediately by Weiss' furious attacks, each one boosted by a searing flame that melted through their armor with ease. At the same time, she could hear the crack of sniper shots and the explosion of drones' heads, and Weiss allowed herself to smirk. Ruby was still on her perch.

Weiss sighs in relief then turns to her partner. “Nice shot Ruby.”

Ruby slightly blushes at her partner's compliment as she slightly fidgets. “Aww, anything for my partner.”

“You both do know that your not the ones who actually did that, right?” Marrow offhandedly said.

The two quickly turned their heads to the dog Faunus with a slight glare on their faces making him flinch.

“Quiet you! There's nothing wrong at taking joy at this moment!”

“Yeah! At least we’re lighting the mood here!”

Hearing them say that he couldn't help but agree with there reasoning after seeing the alternate Team RWBY’s counterattack towards those machines, the dog Faunus couldn't help but feel satisfaction at there destruction. Now they mentioned about ‘lighting the mood’ he noticed that the room less tense know seeing those young huntresses in action. He could only look away slightly shamed for his offhand comment.

"Good shot, Ru-ah!" Weiss screamed as she felt a searing pain on her side as a plasma bolt struck her. She fell to the ground, clutching her side as she threw out a swath of flame at her attacker. The scorching heat melted the armor onto the sinewy body and burning it into a husk. With the attacker dead, she backed herself off against the wall, clutching her wound and gritting her teeth.

“No!” Weiss screamed as she flinched as if she felt the same pain as her other.

“Wiess!” All of RWBY, JN_R, Oscar, and Winter screamed fearing for the young Schnee’s safety.

"Weiss!" she heard voices yell out as more drones marched towards her. Her eyes wide, she raised up a glyph just as a barrage of plasma erupted towards her. The glyph began to crack under the barrage, and Weiss prepared to send another swath of flame towards the group, only for an explosion to erupt among them. Their shattered bodies rained all around them, leaving Weiss stunned as she looked upon the carnage.

Everyone sighs in relief at the timely save for the alternate Weiss.

The young Schnee sighs in relief while she places her hands on her chest. “Thank goodness… but how did that happen?”

"Weiss! Come on, we've got to move!" she heard someone yell at her as they lifted her to her feet. She turned her head to see it was Jaune Arc, a trickle of blood running down his head. Behind him, Pyrrha Nikos was firing her rifle at the robot horde, each shot striking the head and exploding it. In the beginning of the siege, the first time she had crushed an entire platoon of robots with a surge of her Semblance had been awe-inspiring, but at the same time had left her too drained to help fend off the next wave that immediately followed. After two days of near-constant battle, she was fighting conservatively to save her energy. At the same time, Lie Ren was firing Stormflower at full auto on the oncoming horde, jumping and flipping over flung tentacles and plasma volleys. In sync with her partner's movements, Nora Valkyrie was firing grenades towards the horde, thinning them with each blast, yet the horde kept coming. With a wicked grin, Nora shifted Magnhild into a hammer and began to swing with reckless abandon. The hammer blows crushed the drones like paper, and with each swing more fell.

Everyone who knew Pyrrha the most froze the moment she appeared along with her respective team.

The girls of RWBY silently observed their long lost friend feeling both happiness and sadness as they recall the many memories of their time together with the Invincible Girl.

Ruby’s eyes began to tear as she begins to recall Pyrrha’s final moments during the Fall of Beacon. The day she witnesses Cinder shooting an arrow towards her chest, and what's worst, the False Maiden used her powers to turn the poor girl into ashes. The poor little girl quietly cries as she recalled those memories. Her teammates notice this, and they comforted her, giving her a group hug.

Oscar may not know the Invincible Girl personally, but deep down in Ozpin’s memories, he couldn’t help but feel sadness and regret from the old wizard locked inside him. He chose the young girl to inherit the previous Fall Maidens powers in such an unexpected way. The young farm boy couldn't help but feel sadness recalling the memories seeing the young girl struggling with such a great decision—another one of Ozpin’s mistakes which lead her to her passing. Even Qrow and James could help feel the same way as they recall the day they showed the truth to Pyrrha.

The members of JNPR held their breath as they stared at their departed member, Pyrrha Nikos. She looked exactly as they remembered her, her appearance, fighting style, the weapon she used, and the determination the Invincible Girl had when she faces her adversaries. It brought a sense of joy and sadness in their hearts.

Nora silently sobbed as she placed her hands over her face. Ren comforts her by hugging her while still having a stoic face; a few tears were falling on his cheek. Jaune stared at the screen without moving an inch. He didn’t blink after once again having a good look towards her deceased partner and possible love interest. Many memories of her flashed before his eyes, there first meeting, being her partner during the initiation, confessing about his fake transcripts, training with her, the school dance, the Breach, and finally, the Vytal Festival.

There where so many happy and sad memories playing inside his head that tears finally fell out from his eyes. There were so many things he could’ve done with her, but in the end, he was a complete and utter idiot and didn’t see the simple signs. His greatest regret was not being there with her until the end.

“Pyrrha…” The young blond mutters as he silently sobbed for both being sad and happy that he and like the others were given a chance to see their fallen friend once more even though they can’t interact with the alternate Pyrrha.

Everyone else respectfully gave the two teams a moment to calm themselves down. A few of them may not know Pyrrha Nikos personally, but they can tell how important the girl is to the young hunters. After a few minutes pass, they finally calmed down.

“You guys, okay?” Oscar asks them in concern of his friends. They answered by giving a quiet nod to the farm boy.

“We’re okay, Oscar,” Ruby answered. “We’re just happy to see Pyrrha again. Even if she’s not our Pyrrha.” The young teens chuckled at that thought then everyone continued back to the screen.

"Nora, duck!" Pyrrha shouted, and Nora immediately complied. Pyrrha fired Miló at the drone aiming at Nora's back, two rounds striking the chest and the third shattering the skull. Another fell upon Pyrrha, who swiftly shifted her rifle into a sword and cleaved through the torso with ease. Another came up on her, so she threw Akoúo ̱ towards it, the shield embedding itself halfway into the chest as she stabbed up through the head of another drone. Another drone came from behind and aimed its hand towards her head, only to have the blade of Crocea Mors stabbed through its chest. Jaune then checked his shield against the body, forcing it off while he swung towards another.

“She’s just as skilled as I remembered…” Jaune chuckled while giving a small, sad smile as he watched his alternate self interact with her.

"Thank you," Pyrrha said as she pulled her shield back towards her with her Semblance, dodging the punch of a drone as she kicked it away, the force of her kick caving in the chest.

"No problem," Jaune responded as he brought his shield up against a plasma barrage. The metal glowed from the searing heat, but it held as he charged towards the enemy. He smashed his shield against a drone, knocking it to the ground before he stomped on its head, crushing it underfoot. Hearing the whirl of another drone, he swiveled around and slammed his shield into another, knocking the head clear off. He then swung his sword like a cleaver, only for the blade to get stuck in the chest.

"Shit!" he grunted as he tried to free his sword, but it wouldn't budge. From the corner of his eye, he noticed another drone raise its arm towards him, forcing him to abandon his attempt and bring up his shield as the bolt shot towards him. The blast struck his shield yet still knocked him to the ground. In a daze, he attempted to pick himself off his feet, only for another drone to lift him up and throw him against a nearby wall, knocking the breath from his lungs.

“Jaune!” Everyone in Team RWBY and JNPR and Oscar screamed out of concern for their friend. Even the viewing Jaune cringed as he watched in worry.

"Guah!" he grunted as he fell to the ground. The drone raised its arm and prepared to fire, only for a spike of ice to erupt from its back. The ice quickly spread and encased the drone in a solid sheet of ice. One pointed strike later, and the drone crumbled, revealing his savior to be a panting Weiss.

Jaune sighed in relief then turns to Weiss. “Thanks for the save.”

“No problem Jaune.” Weiss smiled as she nodded to him.

"Thanks," Jaune groaned as Weiss helped him to his feet.

"You're welcome." She nodded, then leapt back into the fray while Jaune moved to grab his sword. He pulled, but the blade would not budge.

"Here, let me," Yang said as she gripped the sword and pulled. With a squeal, the blade was freed from the chassis, and with a tired smirk, she handed the ancestral weapon back to him. Jaune nodded, and the two blonds ran over to the others.

“Thanks, Yang.” The viewing Jaune then thanked his fellow blond. “I’m not sure what to do without the sword.”

“No prob.” Yang shrugged while smirking.

"How we doing?" he asked while taking cover along the still standing ice wall, albeit one with significant cracks and chunks missing. "Ruby, what do you see?"

"They're pulling back," Ruby said over the radio, the crack of her sniper rifle ringing out as she felled another drone. "We're clear, for now."

“Sensational! Both of your alternate teams have managed to push them back.” Penny cheered.

“Thank goodness… things got tense their…” Pietro sighs as he places his hands on his chest.

“Oh come now, Pietro. We may be old, but we already had our fair share crazy hardships ourselves.” Maria smirks, making the doctor chuckle at the truth.

"Thank the gods," Jaune let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and allowed himself to sit down in rest. Around him, the others let out breaths of their own and collapsed to the ground.

"Hold on, I'm coming down to you guys now," Ruby declared. With tired smiles, the others saw Ruby disperse into a cloud of roses, quickly bringing her to street level before solidifying. She then ran over to the others and sat down next to them, panting the entire time.

“Damn… that sure took a lot out of them…” Yang cringed, seeing their others in such a state.

“You kids should feel proud. Despite all the hardships your others managed to pull through and fended off an alien robot army.” Clover compliments them, making them feel flustered at the achievement.

"Well," she said through pants, "we did it. I told you guys the plan would work."

"Yeah, but for how much longer?" Jaune asked, his tone much less hopeful. Ruby frowned slightly before shaking her head.

"Hey, don't think like that. We held them here, we can hold them elsewhere."

“Glad to know that your other hasn’t lost her sense of duty pipsqueak,” Qrow smirks towards her niece, making her blush towards the compliment.

"Ruby's right," Nora added. "Just wait and see, we'll force these guys back!" Although she said it through a smile, everyone could tell it was strained. The stress of the past few days had been weighing on all of them heavily, and try as they might, Ruby and Nora could only do so much. Seeing everyone's spirit's drop, Yang narrowed her eyes and stood up.

"Well, whatever happens, moping around isn't going to save the day," she declared, drawing everyone's attention. "We're alive, and we're together. Right now, that's all that matters." Everyone stared at Yang for a moment. Only then did they allow faint smiles to appear on their faces.

“Yeah! You tell them me!” The brawler raises her fist.

“Yeah… where all together… that what matters most.” Blake says with a smile.

"Yang's right," Ren said. "We're together."

"Right." Jaune nodded then stood up. "So, we should probably—"

A rumbling sound interrupted Jaune, and the huntsmen-in-training went still. For a moment, they thought it was Brainiac's army returning faster than they expected, only to realize it was coming from behind their lines. Then, a convoy of Atlesian forces, consisting of one of the last remaining Paladins and backed up by Valean militia and faunus wearing White Fang masks, appeared from around the street corner, and the students let out a sigh of relief. As the convoy stopped in front of them, an Atlesian lieutenant marched over to them.

“Thank goodness, our military reinforcement finally arrives,” Winter says with a smile.

“Including the White Fang?” Marrow says in a surprised tone finding a terrorist group working the Atlesian forces.

Blake scoffs at the sight. “How ironic that the White Fang from back then would start working with humans to face against a common threat.”

“Oh, I’ll tell you what's ironic,” Robyn says as she crosses her arms. “it’s ironic that our common enemy is now an alien invader instead of the Creatures of Grimm that have been terrorizing the Remnant for thousands of years.”

This stroke a chord to everyone in the room. For starters, it was true that the Grimm are humanity’s greatest threat and a common enemy to both humans and Faunus. Still, due to everyone's racial differences and stubbornness and constant infighting, this only made the Grimm more dangerous. Secondly, unknown to her, a certain Queen of Grimm was orchestrating events from the shadows that everyone else aside from her new but stayed quiet.

“At least there’s more additional help against the fight,” James commented.

"Sir," Jaune said, giving the military man proper respect.

"Huntsmen," the lieutenant saluted. "New orders from Beacon. You are to fall back to Defensive Point Epsilon."

“What?” The viewing Yang said incredulously. “Our others held their point. Hell, they kicked their metal asses!”

"What?" Yang sounded incredulous. "We held our point. Hell, we kicked their metal asses!"

Everyone blinked at the very similar line the two Yangs said. The said brawler blinked a couple of times while being surprised that her other almost said the same line as herself.

“The manual did mention about possible lines being repeated by us,” Penny comments, earning a few nods from the others.

"And we are grateful for the time you bought us," the soldier countered, "but with all due respect, ma'am, your group isn't the only checkpoint. Others didn't fare so well." The students went quiet, letting the information sink in.

Everyone sunk in their seats, learning about the grim news from the Atlesian soldier.

“No…” Vine says, knowing full well what the solder is referring too.

"Wh… where?" Ruby asked, her voice low. The lieutenant sighed and took off his helmet.

"We've suffered heavy casualties in Sectors Five through Nine, and Brainiac's forces broke through in Sectors Two, Four, and Ten, forcing them into retreat. Sector One was completely lost with all hands."

Everyone was horrified and speechless in the information they’ve learned. So many lives were lost all around Vale.

“It's just as I feared…” The member of the Ace-Ops said as closed eyes and looked away.

The man's words reverberated through the huntsmen-in-training. "I…" Ruby sputtered, and the lieutenant placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He put his helmet back onto his head. "The APC will take you to your next location."

"What about you?" Jaune asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“Yeah… what about them?” Nora asked to hope that it isn’t the answer she already knew.

"We're here to buy you time." The man's voice was slightly hitched but remained firm. Honorable for a man who knew he was about to die. Jaune clenched his fist and looked away while Yang looked up and shook her head sorrowfully. Without another word being said, the lieutenant escorted the students to the back of the APC, where they silently sat down inside.

“Fuck…” Qrow quietly swears as he to a sip from his flask. His voice was low, but it was not unnoticed by the others.

Those not part of the military could watch sadly for the soldiers who were preparing to give there lives. At the same time, those from the military can only look away. It's evident that their actions are based on the orders they were given. Orders they too will follow, but that doesn’t mean they like the fact about there own killed.

James stayed silent as he carefully studied the words that one of his men said to the students. He would order his more experienced men to help assist the younger hunters in being escorted to safety while his men would risk themselves for their safety. But seeing one of his men waver a bit knowing the fact the soldier will die in battle made his stomach sink a bit. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he thinks to himself. ‘I will make things right. I have to make things right. I must make things right.’ He kept repeating those words in his head even though he will end up being hated for it, but what he does is for the sake of Remnant.

"Lieutenant," Yang called out to the soldier, who was about to close the APC hatch. He stopped and looked at her, slightly confused. "Give 'em hell."

“Nice of you to give our men something to motivate them,” Elm smirked towards the blond girl.

Yang shrugged with a sheepish smirk. “Meh, what can I say? I just love to give motivations.” The rest of her teammates and uncle just rolled their eyes and smirked at her antic.

The soldier cracked a smile. "We will." With those final words, he close the hatch and locked it. Two knocks followed, and the students felt the APC roll away, the roar the engines drowning out their silence. The empty noise remained for several minutes, everyone having blank looks on their faces, until Jaune suddenly and violently punched the hull beside him in anger, leaving a noticeable dent in the metal.

No one said anything, for none blamed him.

Everyone just stayed silent after watching that last scene. They could only feel sadness and little sense of hopelessness—a familiar kind of despair for those who learned the truth. The only ironic thing is that it's an alien Brainiac, not the witch Salem.

Inside Beacon Academy, what once was a sanctum of learning for humanity's defenders was now a bustling mess of nurses, doctors, and soldiers looking over wounded and battle reports alike. Every room, dorm, and classroom was now filled with refugees and the wounded, while military personnel and huntsmen hurried with orders. In the Beacon Amphitheater, where students once stood and formed their teams, everything had been ripped out to make room for military monitors and radio equipment. With the CCT down, it was all they had.

“So where now cutting to Beacon Academy…” Ruby said feeling sad that the Academy she once attended has now ended this way.

“Makes sense to make Beacon a headquarters seeing that it closely resembles a fortress.” Clover nods in agreement.

In the center of the room was a large holographic table with a sharply dressed man hovering over it. His once pristine white suit was now torn and shredded, revealing the cybernetics underneath on one side of his body. His eyes were bloodshot, and his fingers tightly clenched the metal table.

Almost everyone gasped, seeing another familiar face on the screen. The General simply started wide eyes to his then slowly narrowed as how he sees his other wholly exhausted and his appearance showing how much struggle he’s gone through. His alternate self paled in complexion to himself.

"General," a white-haired woman approached him, a noticeable limp in her gait.

"Specialist Schnee," he responded, his eyes never leaving the table. "How close are they?"

“Winter…!” Weiss gasped as she covers her mouth with her hands as tears threaten to fall out from her eyes. Being happy and relieved that her sister is there.

“So my other came back…” The elder Schnee comments both glad and relieved that she has endured up to this point and still with her younger sister.

"We have stalled them five miles out from the Beacon perimeter. The rest of the city is overrun or about to be." Winter's voice remained firm, but noticeable cracks appeared in the immaculate surface. "We… We think we can last for another few hours at most before we exhaust our supplies."

Everyone in the audience gasped in horror. Again. “I was afraid of this…” Pietro says as she shakes his head while looking down on the ground. This got everyone's attention.

“What do you mean, father?” Penny asks her father.

“Ever since the battle against Brainiac has been going for two days straight, including the loses of Kingdoms and settlements, it wouldn’t be strange that resources would be cut short as well.” The Doctor's explanation made tremendous sense. Hearing this fact and seeing the outcome of it only points out how much of it is true.

General Ironwood remained silent and stared at the holographic map of Vale in front of him. On it, a handful of blue islands were surrounded by a sea of red, and green dots were quickly swallowed by purple.

"How are the evacuations?" he asked.

"More are still trickling into Beacon and our other safe zones. We believe most have arrived."

“So, Vale is the last haven in all of Remnant…” Jaune sadly said as he looked down to the ground.

Everyone saw more and more how hopeless it is that their alternate world is going through. This is even worse than experiencing the Fall of Beacon.

"How many have not?"

Winter paused before recomposing herself. "We believe there to be still roughly a thousand individuals still trapped in the city." Winter stopped, and the air got heavy. "Sir, if I may, I suggest we—"

"Order all combat personal and huntsmen to reinforce the defensive line," Ironwood interrupted her. "They are to buy as much time as possible for those civilians to reach safety. Retreat as slowly as possible."

“Retreat…?” Ruby whispers loudly in surprise while everyone had the same reaction. She then turns to the viewing James. “General… do you have an idea what your other has in mind?”

James just stood there staring at the screen trying to figure what is alternate self was planning, was it out the desperation of protecting the last thing that mattered? At that very moment, something clicked inside his mind. This was a strategy he was strongly familiar with, a plan that he is currently using towards the Kingdom of Atlas. Still, the only difference was that he ordered borders to be closed off and refusing any entrance or exit from the kingdom’s boundary—all to protect the Relic and Maiden. His alternate self is barricading all the survivors in one single place purely out of desperation—something he did after the Fall of Beacon.

The General could only breathe out a deep sigh as he pinched the bridges of his nose, seeing how similar his other did for the sake of the people. ‘Brothers… how far am I willing to protect everything?’

“General?” James snapped out from his, though, and looks up to see the others waiting for I answer. He shakes his head and just answers.

“My other… is doing everything he can to protect everything.” They understood what he meant, but a few didn’t seem pleased with the answers but decided to stay quiet, after all, how can this Ironwood possibly know what the other is going through.

"Sir, that would exhaust us even further," Winter pleaded. "We already have as many people in safe zones as possible. We would be better served to—"

"Reinforce. The line." Ironwood was cold and uncompromising. Winter took a step aback before nodding.

Even Winter was aback at seeing how the General acted towards her other. Even the Ace-Ops, Penny, and Pietro were taken back by his personality.

“Damn Jimmy, I know your other is going through shit right now, but did you have to act that way?” Qrow says as he takes another whisk from his flask.

Winter took offense to that and was about to retort but was stopped by the General. “As much as I want to deny that, as I said before, this version of me is doing everything he can to protect everything.” He takes a deep breath and looks to Winter. “But that doesn’t give me the right to snap towards my Specialists. Therefore you have my apologies.” James bowed his head towards the elder Schnee shocking her along with her fellow peers and few others.

Winter snapped out from her shock and waved both hands towards her superior. “General, please, raise your head, you don’t have any reason to apologize over something you haven’t done.”

“Perhaps…” James sighs as he raises his head back and looks towards the screen. “Seeing this scenario… I just can help compare it to our current situation.”

This made everyone in the room widen their eyes at that revelation. This scenario is precisely what is happening in the Kingdom of Atlas! But seeing that the Kingdom of Vale was the last remaining force left in Remnant did not bode well for them. The only one who didn’t fully understand was Robyn Hill. She could only narrow her eyes towards her fellow viewers. More and more, she feels like she was the only one being kept in the dark; she is more determined to learn the truth.

"Yes, sir." She saluted, then walked away to give his orders, and James Ironwood sighed.

"Dammit. Dammit." He scowled as he looked upon the map.

"She's right, you know," a gruff voice softly called out to him. Ironwood turned to look at its owner, one Qrow Branwen. He, like all the others, was covered in dirt, grime, and dried blood, his clothes having turned even more ragged from walking on crutches. Beside him was the ever calm Professor Ozpin, his glasses cracked and using his cane more heavily than just a few days before, an exhausted Glynda Goodwitch, one of her arms in a sling, and Taiyang Xiao Long, both of his arms in heavy casts. His thoughts briefly drifted towards Raven Branwen, the person who managed to get Tai off of Patch Island and into Vale so quickly, only to dourly note that she disappeared soon after. Whether she had gone into hiding or was dead, he did not know.

“Dad and Uncle Qrow!” Both the Xiao Long/Rose happily shouted, seeing two familiar faces among their family, but quickly deflated as they silently gasped horror seeing their others in their current condition.

“Glad to see Glyn being among the living…” Qrow says as he cringed, seeing his alternate self, brother-in-law, and friend. “But I’d be lying if it was like this…”

“Indeed…” James sighed. “I didn’t think I would see her again… not like this…” Even the former students of Beacon Academy could only cringe at the sight of their former Headmistress. They're all happy that her other is still alive, but it broke their hearts, seeing her like this.

Oscar stares at the screen, having a good look at Ozpin, his past incarnation to be precise. Despite being his first time seeing the man, he couldn’t help but sense a strong familiarity with his appearance. “So that’s what you looked like…” He whispers as he places his hand on his chest.

Yang narrowed her eyes a bit after reading the information on the pop-up, saying how her biological mother was responsible for bringing her father to Beacon. A part of her is happy that she brought him here to join the fight, but another part other is angry that she chose to leave without even bothering to help them. “Your nothing but a coward…” Yang muttered as she silently scoffed as her eyes slowly turned red.

"I do not have time for this, Qrow." Ironwood scowled and turned back to the hologram. "Unless you have a suggestion on how to stop this, leave. I can't afford any distractions right now."

"James, stop," Tai called out, his voice gentle. "You are destroying yourself."

"He's destroying us!" James suddenly shouted, halting all other techs as they looked towards him. "Vale is the only kingdom left, and I'll be damned before I just let it fall!"

"And you have done admirably," Glynda responded. "No one could ask more of you. But I cannot just sit by and let you destroy yourself over a battle that is already lost."

“No offense General,” Weiss said, gaining his attention. “but have you had any proper rest yourself? When we first arrived in Atlas and seeing your face… forgive me, but I can't help be concern about your health.”

“Your concern is most appreciated, Weiss, and to answer your question…” He takes another sigh as he shakes his head. “No… no, I haven’t had any proper rest myself, only a minimum of two hours sleep, one meal a day, and mostly drinking caffeine to keep me going.”

“Good God!” Robyn shouts in a disbelieved tone. “I knew you weren't getting any proper rest, but how in Remnant have you not dropped dead yet?!”

Clover sighs. “That’s what we’ve been trying to tell him for the past few months…” He then turns to his superior. “Sir, I know its not my place to keep telling you this, but please, you need the required full rest your body needs. The last thing we need is you collapsing on us.”

The General carefully thought about it. On the one hand, he could just continue his sleep-deprived streak, but on the other hand, seeing that he’s now given a chance to rest know that he’s inside the Imp’s dimension. “I will consider it… since I am technically given a chance.” This earned a sigh of relief among the military staff happy to hear that there General can finally have the rest he needs.

"We have not lost!" James barked back, but Ozpin shook his head.

"James, please," Ozpin's voice was full of regret, and he was bordering on tears, but he continued anyway. "Vale has already fallen. Simply throwing more lives into the meat grinder will not save it."

“My God… even Headmaster Ozpin knows that it's futile…” Winter sorrowful says while the others were both shocked and saddened by that hurtful revelations.

However, those who truly knew Ozpin held their scoffs towards him. This may not be about the impossible task about Salem, but at least this version of him is honest about admitting the defeat.

"Do not say that!" The general marched over to the professors. "Vale has not fallen! Not yet, not while we can still fight!"

"Do you think we don't want to believe that?" Qrow asked, gently grabbing Ironwood's shoulder. "Believe me, there is nothing more that I want to believe, with every fiber of my being, that we can possibly win this. But we can't. Not like this."

James watching could only struggle to see his other like this. A part of him wanted to believe that Vale can continue the fight, but another was telling him that it's impossible.

"I…" James ripped his arm away from Qrow's and prepared to retort, only for the words to stop in his throat. "I… I can't just… If Vale falls…"

"Then Remnant falls," Ozpin finished mournfully. He gazed at his cane. "I prayed this day would never come, but…" He couldn't finish, and James looked at his friend with regret.

“Brothers… why would that Imp show us this kind of reality?” Marrow questions as he slowly begins to regret viewing this realty.

“Calm down, Marrow,” Clovers says, attempting to calm down his teammate. “I’m sure there is a reason for seeing all this chaos.”

"Do…" Ironwood managed to speak once more, turning towards the technicians. "Have there been any reports on Grimm activity?"

This caught everyone's attention. Up to this point, the only time the Grimm were ever mentioned is when Brainiac first invaded Remnant.

“I was so focused on the alien robot army that I completely forgot about them!” Nora stated.

“Yes…” Ren nodded in agreement. “With this much chaos, there should have been a tremendous amount of negativity. I'm honestly surprised that we haven’t seen any of them up this point.”

"I…" the tech in question wheeled back towards his monitor and quickly read through it. "None, sir. There has been no Grimm activity around Vale since the initial attack and repulsion."

"Why haven't they come back?" Ironwood muttered, and Ozpin sighed.

"She has already fled," he declared, and Ironwood turned to face him.

Everyone flinched at the mention of the word she—everyone in the room wholly forgotten about Salem. Throughout the entire film, there were so focused on Brainiac they forgot about their primary threat. The only thing the whole audience could think about right now is ‘what has happened to her’.

This, however, did not go unnoticed by Robyn, who noticed everyone making such a look of dread in their faces. “And who might she be?” She asks out loud, hoping for an answer, but to her surprise, they all ignored her and just focused on the cinema screen waiting for an answer. Not getting anything from them, she decided to patiently wait and learn everything she can and corner them for answers.

"You think she's working with Brainiac?"

‘PLEASE, NO!’ Everyone except for Robyn, who was beginning to grow even more suspicious, paled as they screamed inside their heads, pleading that not what's happening in their alternate world.

"No, if she was then the Grimm would have joined in the assault as peers, not as enemies." Ozpin shook his head. "How or why, I do not know. Maybe she managed to use what remains of her powers to escape her imprisonment. Perhaps he managed to succeed where we have failed and located her for either capture or elimination. Or, more worrisome, some other outside party took her. I do not know which is more likely, and that terrifies me."

Everyone except Robyn sighed in relief, being glad, so glad that a possible team-up with the two worst kinds of monsters in their existence.

“Okay… can someone tell me who she is?” Robyn voiced his questions making everyone finally look at the outsider of the group. “This person has been mentioned a couple of times already, and the first time she was mentioned, you all went paled and quiet. So talk. Who. Is. She?”

Everyone looked at one another, trying to figure out what to say to her. Ironwood was about to open her mouth but was beaten by the punch from someone else.

“She’s someone dangerous.” Everyone snapped their neck to see that it is Ruby who answered her question, much to everyone's surprise.

Ironwood quickly stood up from his seat and glared at the young huntress. “Ruby! What are you–!” Before he could finish his question, he was met with a raised hand from the young Rose, gesturing him to stop much to his surprise along seeing her determined face.

Ruby closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “She is a dangerous woman. So dangerous that we are keeping it a secret.”

Robyn was taken aback, surprised hearing such a vague answer. She narrowed her eyes, feeling like it wasn’t enough. “What do you–?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Hill, but that’s all you are getting from me and everyone else in the room and don’t even try using your Semblance on us.” Ruby bluntly said, shocking almost everyone in the room.

“And… why not?” The leader of the Happy Huntress questioned as he crosses her arms and raises a brow.

“Because we don’t trust you enough, just as you don’t trust us.” This answer made Robyn blinked a few times then grinned.

“Okay,” The woman shrugged, then sat back down on her seat then focuses back on the screen. “I’ll play your game… for now. Just know I will get the answers from you all sooner or later.”

Ruby sighs then smile. “That’s all I can ask for.” She turns around and sees approved nods from everyone, smiles from her friends, proud looks from her family. She then turns to Ironwood, who is sitting back on his seat, and he gives a small smile and nod of approval despite nearly snapping at the girl moments ago. The young girl chuckles a bit, embarrassed at her achievement as she sat back down.

"I…" Ironwood walked back over to the table, the others following him. "I know what you want me to do. You want me to surrender, attempt to save as many lives as I can in the hopes he'll be merciful. But I can't, not after what he did to Shade, Mistral, Kuo Kuana… Atlas." His breath hitched at the mention of his destroyed home, but he soldiered on. "If Vale… If Remnant is going to fall, then we're going to make the bastard bleed when he does it."

“Damn Jimmy… that’s pretty hardcore.” Qrow commented.

“Is that a problem?” James raised a brow.

The Drunken Huntsman just scoffed with a smirk. “Nah, if I'm going to kick the bucket in the middle of a fight, then I might as well leave a nice souvenir to whoever I go up against.”

Ozpin sighed. "I wasn't going to suggest we surrender. All of us agree that the possibility of peaceful coexistence with Brainiac vanished along with Shade. I was going to suggest that we consider other options." Ironwood groaned and shook his head, knowing exactly where Ozpin was going once again.

James shakes his head while making a sad chuckle. “Even when in an apocalyptic state, Ozpin still finds a way to seek an alternative choice.”

The entire of Ruby’s group cringed at that comment but stayed quiet.

"Ozpin, we've been over this. A boarding action is suicidal folly, and I will not authorize that."

"James, please," Tai pleaded. "I don't like the idea any more than you do, but—"

"Sir!" a tech called out to them. "A massive force is bearing down on the defensive perimeter! Defensive points Delta, Gamma, Epsilon, Sigma, and Omega! They are larger than estimates predicted!"

“What!?” Everyone in the viewing room shouted

"What!" Ironwood looked at the map to see what the tech was referring to. What he saw caused his heart to seize. An unending wall of purple was racing towards the thin green wall. He looked at Ozpin, looking for guidance, only to feel a hand clasp his own. He looked to the side to see Glynda's sad green eyes boring into his own, and he sighed.

Maria sunken in her seat and sighed out of pure sadness. “It’s over… as much as I hate to admit it, its the Fall of Remnant.”

“No…” Ruby whimpered as tears threaten to fall on her face as everyone else began to feel pain and sadness for their home.

"I am ordering the activation of Plan G," he declared to gasps all around. "Evacuate all personnel to Beacon and other safe zones within the line, and have the Pride of Atlas launch all remaining munitions upon the city."

“‘Pride of Atlas’, huh?” Clover comments. “Guess it makes sense to name the last military cell of our Kingdom.”

"Sir, that… that will destroy half the city!"

"And take as many of them out as we can along with it," Ironwood's response was firm, and the tech gulped.

"I… yes, sir. Right away." The techs began radioing pilots and officers, informing them of their upcoming orders, while Ironwood sagged downward.

“This is the last stand…” Vine sadly says.

Elm slams her fist on the arm of her seat as she was both angry and sad, seeing the outcome of this short war. “Damn it! Just where the heck are we?! Where are the Ace-ops?!”

Marrow sadly sighs as he sunk in his seat. “Most likely back in Atlas… when Brainiac took it down.”

“Damn it…” Harriet quietly swore as she clenches her fists in both frustration and sadness.

Clover watched his subordinates feeling sad seeing them the way they are. He, too, can't help but feel frustrated that he and his team did not take part in this final battle for Remnant.

"Dammit." Ironwood felt Ozpin place a comforting hand on his shoulder. It didn't help in the least. "First, we lose Shade. Then, we lose all the other kingdoms, and now… we lose everything." Qrow offered his flask to the general who, after taking a moment to look at it, took the container and began to drink.

Even James watching can't help but feel frustrated. Despite not being the one in that position, he couldn't help but compare this situation to a possible on if Salem were to face them like this. He suddenly felt a tap from his shoulder; he turns to see Qrow offering his flask to him, the same way their others where doing, a moment of looking at it, then chuckles as he took the container and drinks it. After a few chucks, he passes it back to him while giving a silent thanks to the dusty old crow.

After the APC dropped the students at Epsilon, the air was quiet. Only the sound of distant gunfire and explosions could be heard, for none were speaking. They toiled away as they prepared, placing charges, and setting up vantage points.

“Back to Teams RWBY and JNPR…” Nora comments.

“I wonder how are others are going to react to the news?” Jaune whispers.

"…this is such Grimm shit," Yang muttered as she hefted another concrete slab into position. Things weren't supposed to end this way.

“You can say that again, me.” Yang sadly chuckles.

"I agree with that," Jaune said as he helped her set up the wall. "You know, when I came here, I thought many things would happen. I thought I'd fight Grimm, get stronger, maybe get a girlfriend. Oh yeah, get caught for using forged transcripts."

Everyone blinked in surprise at the last part. Jaune was a bit surprised, but at this point, he doesn’t care if his secret was caught at this point.

“Wait… you… forged your way to attend Beacon?” Weiss incredulously said as he raised a brow as she stared at the blond knight.

“Yup.” Jaune shrugged, not phased by the numerous stares from his friends and others.

“That… actually explains a lot in the beginning.” Blake trails of thinking back in their Beacon days.

“Woah… I didn't take you as a bad boy, Fearless Leader!” Nora grinned towards her team leader.

“Nora…” Ren sighs.

“Damn, kid…” Qrow smirked. “That’s a lot of guts.” Jaune just scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

“That’s not possible…” James says incredulously. “I highly doubt that’s even possible, knowing Oz, he wouldn’t be fooled by a mere forged transcript… unless…” He widens his eyes at the realization.

“He knew and still took you in…” Clover finishes as his eyes, along with the others, just widen at the scandalous thought.

“Yeah…” Jaune sheepishly said. “Thinking about it back then, I think he already knew and still gave me a chance during the initiations. Which I passed with the help of my friends.”

“Huh… so that’s what Ozpin meant…” Oscar whispers, recalling about the time they both discussed his previous students.

“Why didn’t you tell us, Jaune?” Ruby asked a bit hurt that her friend kept such a secret. She understood why he kept it a mystery, but it didn’t mean she liked it.

“Actually… I already told my secret to Pyrrha…” The leader of JNPR looks down, sadly making his teammates and sister team flinch, then they realized what was wrong with Pyrrha and him during that time. Jaune sighs and just smiles. “but that doesn’t matter anymore, does it? The transcript I mean.”

They looked and one another and smiled towards him. “Nope. I suppose it doesn’t.” Ruby shakes her head as she smiled towards her first friend from Beacon.

“Are we okay with this General?” Winter whispered towards her superior.

James just sighed and shook his head. “It's just as Mr. Arc said, it doesn’t matter anymore.” And with that, they continued back watching.

"You used forged transcripts?" Yang raised an eyebrow, and Jaune shrugged.

"Yeah, I did, like a dumbass, but it doesn't really matter now…" Jaune trailed off in regret and worry. He wondered whether or not his family managed to make it to safety.

Jaune flinched, nearly forgetting about his family. He knows that his family is safe and sound, but he couldn't help but wonder and worry regarding the safety and wellbeing of the alternate Arc Family. This feeling was also felt among the viewers.

"…No, no it doesn't." Yang nodded, sensing his distress. She decided that trying to add some joviality to the situation was appropriate. "Does explain a lot of things, though."

Jaune just groaned as he covers his face with both his hands recalling all the prideful bravado while his friends chuckled.

"Yeah… Still, I didn't expect this."

"None of us did," Ren said, setting up a pile of sandbags.

"The alien invasion, or the end of the world?" Blake asked as she broke down a wall to mount a heavy autocannon turret, courtesy of the APC crew.

“It's only been two days for them, and they're already acting like soldiers…” Robyn cringed at the sight of young Huntsmen-in-training being rushed into fighting a war.

“With a sudden alien invasion, there's no choice in the matter.” Winter quipped, earning a slight glare from the leader of the Happy Huntresses.

"Both," Weiss answered as she used her glyphs to lift up rubble to form part of the wall.

"Don't say that," Ruby chastised her team. "The world's not going to end. You'll see!" She tried to sound hopeful, but that hope was quickly disappearing, and they could tell. Nora's optimism, once a shining light, was now gone as she silently placed charges.

“Love the optimism you give Rubes.” Yang smiles glad that her sister’s positivity hasn’t dropped.

Ruby smiled back towards her sister. Nora watching her alternate self, couldn't help but shrink a bit, seeing herself looking down even when handling with bombs, which is her favorite past time. Ren notices this and silently holds her hand as he comforts her, which worked as she gives a big smile towards him as he returns a small smile.

Jaune sighed. "Ruby, I—" He was cut off by the crackle of his radio, and he quickly brought it to ear. "This is Jaune."

"All personnel, we are activating Plan G. All forces are to evacuate immediately to minimum safe distance before rendezvousing at Beacon Academy," a voice over the radio said.

“Here comes the order.” Marrow comments.

"What did he just say?" Yang asked, incensed at the order. "Did he just say to retreat?"

"Say again? You are telling us to retreat?" Jaune asked over the radio.

"That is affirmative, huntsmen. Your orders are to evacuate immediately. A bullhead is on its way to your position. ETA, ten minutes."

"I… yes, sir." Jaune clicked off the radio, and everyone remained silent. Finally, Nora softly spoke.

"This is it," she said, all hope now gone. "This is the end. We've lost."

Nora flinched, hearing herself say that while her friends were shocked to hear and see there pink bundle of energy acting this way.

“My god… it's that bad…” Ren mutters as he holds his partner close as she sniffles on his chest.

"We have not lost yet!" Ruby shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "Not while we can still…" Ruby stopped as tears formed on her eyes. At once, her sister embraced her as the youngest of them began to cry. Everyone looked on with sadness, and Jaune tore his gaze away and towards the city beyond their makeshift wall. It occurred to him then that it might very well be the last time he did so, and he tried to burn it into his memory.

Yang held her sister close as Ruby begins to sniffle like Nora, being uncomfortable seeing herself this way. The young huntress could not help feel a bit of hopelessness, seeing that her other acted this way.

"Wait…" Jaune softly said as something caught his eye. Blake turned to look at him and walked over.

Everyone perked up at what the alternate Jaune noticed.

“What do you think your other saw?” Oscar asked the fellow viewing Jaune.

“I… don’t know…?” The blond huntsman answers, not sure himself.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to see what he saw.

"I thought I saw something…there." He pointed to a building a couple hundred meters away that was collapsed into a pile of rubble, and Blake strained her eyes to see.

"Ruby?" she softly asked. "Can I see Crescent Rose for a second?"

"Uh…" Ruby wiped away tears and removed herself from her sister's embrace. "Sure. Why?"

"I need to see something." Instead of handing the sniper over, Ruby collapsed it and extended the scope to look down herself, aiming where Blake and Jaune were staring.

“That was kinda rude, Ruby.” Weiss raised a brow towards her partner.

“I'm sorry!” Ruby squeaked as she recovered from Yang’s embrace earning a few chuckles.

"The collapsed building, right?" She asked. "I don't see… Wait, I see something." Ruby's declaration drew everyone's attention as they looked towards the building. "It looks like a… Oh, no."

The more experienced Huntsmen could silently gasp and widen their eyes at what the alternate Ruby has seen. The younger generations slowly widen their eyes as they began to swell in realization.

"What? What is it?" Jaune asked in apprehension. His alarm grew when Ruby collapsed her weapon completely and leapt over the wall and sprinted towards the building. "Ruby! What are you doing?!"

"There's people trapped under there!" she shouted back as she neared the building, and everyone paled.

“Shit! I knew it!” Qrow swore.

“There are still few stragglers left in the city…” Maria says with a grim face.

"Shit!" Jaune cursed. Yang was already over the wall, leaving the others behind, and Jaune could begin to feel the ground beneath them. He recognized the thuds as the sounds of the alien army marching towards them, and his eyes widened before narrowing.

“You still going to fight them?” Harriet incredulously says. “You have your orders to fall back!”

“So what!?” The blond yelled back, catching her and few others off-guard. “Just because we are given the orders to retreat does not mean we are going to abandon the lives of others!”

“Yeah!” Ruby joined in with a determined look on her face. “So what if it is the end of the world? That doesn’t mean we are going to abandon any small fragment of hope and leave it to die! We are Huntsmen and Huntress! It’s our sworn duty to protect the people!”

The other younger huntsman also held their determined looks on their faces showing there resolved as Hunsmten. The young Ace-ops could only slightly flinch at there looks and turn away from there looks. Some had amused and proud looks at their determinations, and others think about what the two team leaders said.

"Pyrrha, get on top of that building and provide overwatch to Ruby and Yang!" Jaune ordered. "Nora, go out there and help clear the way! Ren, go with her and make sure nothing gets close!"

"On it."

"Aye-aye!

"Understood."

His team immediately left to perform their assigned tasks, leaving Jaune behind with Blake and Weiss behind.

"I'll go and slow them down any way I can," Weiss declared, rotating her Dust to ice. "Blake, stay here and guard the wall."

"Got it." Blake nodded as did the heiress, who used a glyph to leap over the wall and out of sight. The faunus turned towards Jaune, who was walking over to the emplaced autocannon. As the stomping grew louder, he realized they didn't have much time.

"Any suggestions?" Blake asked. Jaune responded by chambering the autocannon.

"Hold 'em off."

“Gotta admit Arc, you sure think ahead under a short amount of time.” Clover compliments the Arc, making him smile in embarrassment.

Ruby raced through the ruined streets towards the destroyed building. It was becoming clearer now, and she could see the hole in the collapsed rubble that formed a small cavern. She skidded to a halt in front of a narrow opening and peeked her head inside.

"Hello?" she called out soothingly. "It's okay, I'm a huntress. I'm here to get you all to safety." At first, she heard nothing. Then, she heard a quiet rusting and displacement of rubble, and a small head showed itself. It was a young girl, a wolf faunus judging by the pair of ears on her dark head.

“The poor thing…” Robyn comments sadly while the others agreed with her.

"Hey," Ruby said. "It's okay, I'm here." The faunus girl said nothing but stared at Ruby, fear in her eyes. The huntress continued. "We're going to get you out, okay? How many are with you?" The girl remained silent before slowly shaking her head and extending one finger. Ruby's heart dropped but otherwise didn't show it.

Even a few of the audience's hearts also dropped, seeing an innocent child all alone in the middle of a battlefield. This affected the younger huntsmen greatly since they experience the Fall of Beacon. They couldn’t help compare it to the number of losses and casualties that took place there.

"Just you?" The girl slowly nodded. "You're a very brave girl. Stay still, okay? I'm going to get you out."

"No…," the girl whimpered and retreated further. "Monsters out there."

"I know, there are monsters out here," Ruby said. "But I'm a huntress. Killing monsters is what I do, and trust me. I will not let any monsters harm you, okay?" The girl remained silent, but then moved closer to the hole. Smiling, Ruby outstretched her hand towards the young girl.

"Do you trust me?" she asked, and after a moment of hesitation, the girl took her hand and nodded. "Thank you. Now stay still. I'm going to get you out of there."

“Gotta admit pipsqueak, you know the exact words you need to say in situations like these.” Robyn compliments the young reaper making her blush in embarrassment.

The girl nodded once more and released Ruby's hand. The red huntress then moved into a squat and placed her hands on the underside of the largest piece of rubble she could find. She attempted to heave, but the rubble was too heavy, and it didn't budge.

"Urk!" Ruby grunted as she continued her attempt, her face turning red from the exertion. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her and a flash of yellow and pink, then two more pairs of hands joined her in lifting the rubble. Ruby smiled, immediately recognizing Yang and Nora, and slowly the three of them lifted the rubble off of the ground. A white glyph appeared over the girl, preventing a cave in as she stared at them in wonder.

“Rubes, we are going to do some bodybuilding when we have the time,” Yang says much to the young reaper’s horror.

“Oh-oh! Mind if I join in?” Nora giddily asks.

“Sure! The more, the merrier!” Yang smirked as Nora joined with her making Ruby grow even more dread.

"Come on, kid!" Yang said as she struggled to keep the debris aloft. "It's way better out here than it is in there."

"Trust us!" Nora continued.

“Listen to them…” Penny begs, hoping for the child to comply.

"Come on." Ruby crouched down and extended her hand towards the girl. Slowly, the girl grabbed back, and Ruby pulled her free. As soon as her feet passed the threshold, Nora and Yang released their grip and allowed the rubble to collapse back down and send up a cloud of dust. They all coughed, and the girl clung to Ruby like a lifeline, and once the dust settled, they all looked at her and smiled.

The audience cheered to the success of rescuing the faunus girl.

"Good job, kid," Yang smiled.

"Guys, I hate to break the heartwarming moment," they heard Jaune's voice over the radio, "but they're almost here. You need to get over here, now."

“Well, you guys made it this far, no harm in following it through till the end,” Elm says as she crosses her arms.

"Jaune is right," Ren said. "We need to get behind the wall and get her to safety.

"Okay." Ruby nodded then turned towards the girl. "Can you walk?" she asked, and the girl shook her head. A quick look down revealed why and Ruby winced. The girl's right ankle was twisted and swollen. It likely broke when the building came down.

“Bastard aliens robots…” Marrow growled, seeing the poor girl injured. Even blake narrowed her eyes towards the injury.

"Jaune, we have a problem," Yang called over the radio as she looked at the girl's injury. "She has a broken ankle. She ain't walking anywhere."

"Dammit," Jaune cursed. "Okay, uhhh… There might be a nearby flight heading back to Beacon. She can hitch a ride with them."

"And we'll see them out," Ruby declared, and the others nodded. "Okay then. Jaune, call it in. Weiss, slow them down any way you can. Yang, Nora, help her out. Ren, cover me."

“Now here comes the difficult part,” Vine comments as he watches on.

"Got it, boss!" Yang mocked saluted alongside Nora as they ran out onto the street, taking cover behind concrete pillars. As they did, Weiss stabbed her rapier into the ground and created another wall of ice, cutting off the enemy advance. The stomps grew louder, and Ruby began to run towards Jaune, Blake, and Pyrrha, holding onto the girl as she did.

"Hit the deck!" she heard Jaune yell as the first attacks struck. The ground shook, and the ice wall cracked as the alien drones threw themselves against the icy barricade. Weiss grit her teeth and added more ice to the wall, but she knew it wouldn't last much longer.

"Hurry!" she yelled through gritted teeth. Nora began shooting grenades over the wall, each explosion sending chunks of metal flying into the air. A few drones attempted to climb over the wall, only for Yang to shoot them down with shotgun shells.

Ruby ran faster, and the girl started to whimper in fright. The huntress didn't have time to comfort her as she neared the wall, only for the building to the left of her to explode outward. She disappeared into a dash of petals to avoid the flying debris before reforming herself and gasping at a wave of drones rushing towards her.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats as they silently watched as how the battle played out for the safety of a little girl.

"Shit!" Jaune yelled as he swiveled the autocannon towards them. He squeezed the trigger and opened fire. The heavy rounds tore through the alien horde, ripping them to shreds. He was joined by Pyrrha's sniper fire as Blake leapt over the wall towards Ruby and the young faunus. She gestured towards them, and Ruby ran over and finally cleared the wall, volleys of plasma racing towards her as she ran. Each shot caused the concrete to bubble, but she managed to clear the concrete barrier without injury. The girl was now screaming at this point, but Ruby paid it no heed as she rushed the girl to safety.

"Stay here," she ordered to the young faunus as she placed her down on the ground. The girl looked up at her in awe as Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose into a scythe, twirled it around her, and rested the scythe end on the ground behind her back, the handle sticking out above her shoulder. Ruby smiled at the girl's look then disappeared into a cloud of petals as she rushed towards the alien robots. She emerged in the middle of a large group of drones, who immediately turned to face her. Ruby acted first, twirling her weapon around in fast, wide arcs, cleaving the robots into many pieces that fell to the floor with a loud clatter. A barrage of plasma bolts shot towards her, but she fired her weapon at another drone, using the recoil to hurl herself away from the barrage and make the plasma strike another group of drones instead. As she landed, she pivoted and swiped her scythe at another group of drones, bisecting them at the waist.

“Looks like someone has an admirer,” Yang smirked as she teased her littler sister who slightly blushes.

“Yang~!”

Jaune continued to fire the autocannon non-stop, each round sending chunks of metal hurtling around like missiles. A few managed to fire off plasma bolts near him, but he paid them no heed as he simply aimed his giant gun towards the shooter, disintegrating them instantly. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Nora, Yang, Ren, and Weiss rush back towards them, the ice beginning to break as they ran. Drones began to appear over the top, only for Pyrrha to shoot them down with her rifle as soon as they did, covering their escape. At the same time, Nora was firing grenades towards the horde in front of them, each explosion sending chunks of metal hurtling skyward in wide arcs.

“Wow, Fearless Leader! Look at you being all badass with a big gun!” Nora grinned like crazy, seeing her leader like this, which made him blush as he bashfully smiled at the compliment.

Ren fired Stormflower as he ran, shooting multiple bullets into any drone that came his way. A few got close, only to receive a swift barrage of kicks and knife slashes from his pistol's bayonets for their trouble, cutting them into ribbons. He bicycle-kicked one drone's head off and sent it flying upward. In the same movement, he twirled and sliced another's arms and head off the torso, then spun around to deliver a powerful spin kick on the descending head from before. It hurtled outwards from the force and impacted the chest of another drone, caving it in and sending the robot flying backward into another group and knocking them onto the ground.

“But not as badass as my Renny!” The pink bundle of energy gleefully jumps up and down on her seat as she quickly hugged her partner, making him blush at the compliment.

Yang was on them instantly, delivering a downward punch that struck the concrete with enough force to send waves of cement out from around her. Each wave sent the drones flying upward. They were quickly picked off by Pyrrha, who expertly fired upon each of them, each shot finding their mark and striking a critical area, usually the head. She aimed at the last one, only for purple jets to erupt out of the hands, feet, and back, up-righting it in midair and making it hover.

“They can even fly?!” Yang pouts in annoyance. “That’s so not fair.” She then turns to Penny. “No offense.”

“None taken, friend Yang!” Penny cheerfully says to the blond, then turns back to the screen and narrows her eyes. “Personally, I find it offensive to see these robots flying the same way as I do.”

"They can fly!" Pyrrha shouted as she dove off the balcony, firing her rifle at the drone as she plummeted to the ground below. The shots penetrated the torso and sent it careening to the ground. Pyrrha rolled right before she struck the pavement, allowing her to land on her feet. She immediately used her momentum to hurl her rifle, now shifted into a spear, into another drone that had flown behind Jaune, impaling it to a wall.

Harriet whistled. “Nice aim.”

“I should expect nothing less of the huntress called the ‘Invincible Girl’.” Winter complimented.

“Oh, that brings back memories…” Jaune smiles at the memory before his smile slowly dropped, realizing the irony in it and shrink in his seat. “Oh… that brings back memories…”

Weiss cringed at the memory during the initiation. “Jaune… I know its late… but I want to let you know that I apologize for the incident before the initiation.”

The blond knight blinked a couple of times before the words finally registered in his brain. He chuckled at the memory as he scratched the back of his head. “No need to apologize, Weiss, I pretty much forgot about that incident, plus… I pretty much deserve it.”

Ruby and Yang snickered in the memory while Weiss's face was turning a bit red at the inappropriate behavior she had back then, then she quickly composed herself. “Even so, I still wish to apologize.”

“Apology accepted.”

"Thanks!" Jaune shouted over the roar of the autocannon. He body was shaking from the recoil, and the barrel was beginning to turn red hot, but he continued to fire. As he did, more and more robots fell to the ground with gaping holes in their bodies as the heavy rounds tore through them, but they kept coming over the ever-increasing pile of robotic bodies. Jaune still kept up his fire, only to hear a dreadful clicking noise instead of a loud bang.

"Out of ammo!" He yelled as he finally let go of the trigger. He then had to duck underneath a barrage of plasma striking where his head once stood. Many hit the autocannon, warping the metal and rendering it useless. "Dammit!"

“Those alien guns are like nothing I have ever seen!” Blake comments as she shivered to see what destruction they caused.

“Such technology… I wonder what other uses can they use aside from destruction.” Pietro comments as he carefully studies the plasma.

"Eyes above, Vomit Boy!" Yang shouted as she leapt over the concrete wall. A volley of plasma shot out behind her, a few hitting her but impacted only her Aura. A few drones attempted to climb over the barrier, only for Yang to shoot them off with a pair of shotgun blasts. She then took the time to quickly reload her weapon with more shells, a confident smirk on her face she completed the action effortlessly.

“Thank god for Aura…” Yang sighs with a relieved smirk that her other is capable of fending herself against the alien robots.

“Interesting… at least we know that our Aura is capable of holding up against their guns,” James stated.

"That's always- Look out!" Jaune tackled Yang to the ground as a drone landed behind the yellow huntress. A volley of plasma ripped through the air where her head once stood, and as the two blonds rose to their feet, more drones landed nearby and took aim. Yang quickly charged one and delivered a powerful haymaker on one, its strength boosted from a spent shotgun shell. At the same time, Jaune rushed another and sliced his sword through the skull, sending it to the ground as he twirled and brought up his shield to intercept another volley of plasma. The drone continued to fire as it walked towards him, but he held his ground and stood upright. Once the drone was in close enough range, he thrust forward and stabbed the torso of the drone, severing the spine and causing it to fall forward limply, ripping the sword from Jaune's hands in the process.

“Seriously? Again?!” Jaune raises his hands in frustration seeing his other losing primary weapon again.

"Oh, come on!" he yelled as he flipped the drone over to pull the sword out. Just as he began to pull the sword free, he was tackled by another drone, forcing him to his back. It began to wail on him with heavy blows, forcing Jaune to cover his face with his shield. The powerful punches began to dent the scorched metal, and with a grunt, he grabbed a robotic arm with his free hand, collapsed the shield, rotated it so that the pointed end was facing outward, then thrust the collapsed shield into the drone's skull. He then expanded it, causing the shield to erupt into its full size and shattering the skull in the process. Shakily, he rose to his feet and pulled his sword free of the fallen drone before rushing forward to join the others.

“Damn, that was smart thinking, kid!” Qrow smirked at the Arc’s resourcefulness.

“That was very creative of you indeed.” Vine nodded his head, agreeing with the drunk huntsmen. This made him scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Stay! Back!" Nora yelled as she rained hammer blows on the horde in front of her. She had long run out of grenades and thus had to resort to melee. That was fine with her. Allowed for some much needed dispensing of justifiable rage. She barely felt the sting of the plasma striking her as she charged towards another group and swung, the heavy blow sending their crumpled and mangled bodies flying. With one small group down, she ducked under another volley of bolts and charged towards the next group. Jumping up into the air, she slammed Magnhild's head onto the concrete road with enough force to send a shockwave across the pavement. Jagged spikes shot out from the ground, first in a narrow path, then widening out, and impaled several drones in the way and sending others stumbling back. With a wild look on her face, Nora's hands lowered to the bottom of Magnhild's shaft and spun around in a circle. At the end of her spin, her hammer slammed into the concrete spikes, shattering them and sending the fragments flying forward. The shrapnel peppered any drone caught in the line of fire, holes, and sparks appearing as each blow hit before they fell down.

"Strike!" Nora smiled before dodging another volley. Before she could counter, a red blur shot forward in a burst of rose petals before coalescing into Ruby. A scowl marred her face as she sliced through one drone after another. As she cleaved through the horde that surrounded them, gunshots rang out from her weapon with each swing, the powerful bullets punching massive holes through multiple drones at once. Several claws shot out towards her, but she burst into petals to dodge and reappeared to kick one in the head. Using it as a springboard, she launched herself into the air, firing as she descended. The drones exploded from the force of the heavy bullets, and as Ruby landed, her weapon shifted back into scythe-form. She became a swirl of bullets, metal flashes, and rose petals as she swung, shot, and cleaved her way outwards like a hot knife through butter. When she ended, all that was left was metal limbs and split chassis.

“Whoa!” Oscar shouts in pure awe even though he recently joined the group and fought along with the young group and having few memories of their fighting skills from Ozpin, he knows how incredible they all are, but seeing them fight against alien robots just how much more amazing they are.

“Damn! I know you girls have been training your butts off since you came to Atlas, but hell! This shows how much potential you guys have.” Elm says as she compliments the former students of Beacon, making them feel bashful towards the compliment. Also, this made the Ace-Ops see them in a new light.

"…Whoa," Jaune muttered as he gazed upon the scene, the action dying down for a precious moment. How long it would last, he had no idea, but he would cherish it. He then heard the screech of his radio and fumbled for it before bringing the device to his ear.

"This is RWBY/JNPR, in need of immediate evac from Defensive Point Epsilon!" Jaune yelled into the radio. "We have a wounded civilian child in need of immediate extraction!"

"Roger that, RWBY/JNPR. E.T.A., sixty seconds. Be advised, we only have room for the civilian. You'll have to find your own bird, over," a woman's voice said over the radio, and Jaune nodded.

"Roger that, ma'am." Jaune clicked the radio off and jogged over to his friends, a noticeable limp in his stride. "Guys, a bullhead is on its way for the girl. Will be here in a minute, but we'll have to stay behind and wait for ours, which should be here in five minutes. Only enough room for the girl."

“Finally… some breathing room.” Jaune comments.

"Fine by me," Nora darkly muttered as she kicked a drone's head off its shattered body. It landed next to Yang's feet, who, after a moment of thought, brought her foot down upon it with a loud crunch. As the others all sat down, exhausted, Ruby walked back over to the cowering girl, still hidden in the same spot as before. She looked upon the huntress with wide eyes, filled with a mixture of fear and awe.

Penny couldn’t help but shiver a bit after seeing that scene. Ruby notices this, fortunately, that the android is sitting next to the reaper, she gave a warm hug towards which helped her calm down.

Pietro sees this and is happy to see his daughter being embraced by her friend.

"Hey," Ruby gently said as she crouched, "someone's coming to pick you up, alright? They're going to get you to safety, but we have to stay here."

"Why?" the faunus girl asked, and Ruby smiled.

"Well, there's not enough room for us big kids, but you're the perfect size." Ruby stood up and smiled. "Besides, someone has to make sure the monsters don't get you."

“Nice touch giving the kid a sense of hope,” Robyn smirked, approving the way the reaper is treating the little girl.

The girl remained silent and stared straight into Ruby's silver eyes. Finally, she began to softly speak, "And that's your job."

“As all Huntsmen and Huntresses should be!” Ruby proudly said.

"That's right, it's my job." Ruby's smile widened, and she gently picked up the girl. Together, they walked towards the center of their defensive point and waited. Pretty soon, they could hear the roar of a bullhead's engines, and soon saw it descend towards them. It was flying low, with some smoke billowing from its engines, but nothing too serious. Still, Ruby could see how packed it was. They definitely wouldn't be able to fit all of them. When the bullhead finally landed, the doors opened, and a squad of soldiers all hopped out, each one sporting scorch marks on their armor from the plasma bolts. Alongside them were a few students, ones she immediately recognized.

"Coco," Ruby announced as she walked over with the girl in hand. Ruby winced as she took in the sight of the second-year. Dark bags hung under her eyes, the signature shades that would've covered them long gone, and her once pristine outfit was now absolutely torn and shredded. Her chaingun was dented and bent in several places, and a large bruise covered her exposed left shoulder. It looked as though it extended to much of her torso, if not her entire body. Behind her, the rest of team CFVY and what appeared to be team CRDL, of all people, were not in much better shape. Russel Thrush, in particular, was lying in a stretcher, an IV line extending out of his arm while his bruised and battered team watched over him.

“Coco!” Everyone who knew a fashionista called out as they gave a sad smile seeing a familiar face.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting to see CFVY and especially CRDL like this…” Jaune said having mixed feelings in one part; he is happy seeing Coco and her team again, glad to know that they're still alive despite their injuries. As for Cardin and his team, he may not like them, but he does feel glad that they, too, survived this kind of hell they are going through and does feel sorry Russel’s condition.

"Ruby," Coco said, cracking a faint smile. "Gods, you look like crap."

Yang chuckles sadly. “Glad to know our fashionista still has some spirit in her.”

"Feel like it, too." Ruby smiled back and gently handed the girl to Coco. Her face then turned serious. "You guys stay safe, alright?"

"Don't worry, we will." Coco nodded, as did the girl.

"Thank you," she softly said with a faint smile, and Ruby smiled in turn.

A few of the girls cooed at the little faunus girl.

"Just doing my job," Ruby said. "We'll see you all back at Beacon." What came after was left deliberately unsaid, but Coco nodded anyway.

"Sure thing." With one final nod, Coco turned around and walked back to the bullhead, stepped aboard, then sat down with the girl on her lap. As soldiers piled back in and the doors slid closed, Coco and the girl waved goodbye, and then the aircraft took off towards Beacon. Ruby sighed as it flew further and further away before disappearing in a large smoke cloud. Now gone from view, she turned around and limbed back to the others, who were all watching the departing bullhead, even then.

“…You know…” Ruby spoke, making everyone focus on her. “Seeing this scene makes me realize… no matter situation, no matter how bad it is, and no matter how hopeless it seems and the fact that the world is ending, seeing our others save that little girl just shows that every small action brings out a brighter hope as long as we never give up!” Ruby declares, making her friends and family smile towards her determination and renewing there’s for the upcoming battle against Salem.

This also made the others think a bit regarding both when the teams saved the girl and the viewing Ruby’s speech.

"Guys," she called out to them. At once, their eyes swiveled towards her, and Ruby took in a deep breath. "I know it looks bad, like it's the end of the world. For all we know, it might very well be. But, look at what we just did. In all this chaos, we just saved a little girl. That means something. It means that we aren't done, that we aren't finished. We can, and will, pull through this! If we can save her, we can save everyone else." The others all perked up slightly at that, but their despair was still evident.

“Wow Rubes! Even your other really knows what to say.” Yang proudly says as she one-armed hugged her, making her giggle in embarrassment.

“It might not be much for our others… but it's surely enough to raise some spirit.” Weiss compliments her.

“Guess even back then, you know how to make a speech, don’t ya, pipsqueak?” Qrow smirks proudly that in any parallel world, her niece hasn’t given up.

Steeling herself, Ruby let her eyes scan towards Brainiac's mothership as it hovered ominously over the city. Like the others, it too was a large skull-shaped vessel, only it dwarfed all the others. Every so often, an explosion could be heard as an Atlesian fighter attempted to shoot it down alongside the last remaining Atlesian warship, but so far, nothing had worked. If she had to guess, a large, concentrated barrage might be able to punch a hole in its armor, but from what she had heard, the mothership's armor had some kind of regenerative property, quickly sealing any holes that were made. As such, such a barrage was discarded in favor of the so-called Plan G, which involved deploying every single Dust Missile and explosive left to level the city in a scorched earth tactic straight out of the Great War. It would destroy most of Vale.

“That death-machine can even repair itself?!” Winter shouts in disbelief.

“No wonder my other declared that order… this truly is the last stand…” James mutters sadly.

“Glad we aren’t having that kind of problem here…” Robyn frowned, which was ironic since Salem is the one terrorizing their world.

Ruby sighed and broke herself out of her depressing thoughts. "Jaune, how much longer until our bullhead?"

"I guess… two more minutes, give or take." He shrugged, then stood up, stretching out his arms then cautiously looking around, stopping at the mothership's visage. "That thing gives me the creeps."

“I think it's safe to say that we’re all creeped out by that thing,” Oscar comments as he and a few others shivered at the mothership.

“Yeah… I mean, look at it… I can literally feel it staring.” Marrow comments as she shivered a bit.

"You and me, both," Yang concurred with a shiver. "It feels like its staring at me."

"Agreed," Ren stated. Noticing that Pyrrha was awfully quiet, the Mistralian boy turned to look at the champion, who was kneeling over a downed drone and holding its head in her hand. "Pyrrha, is something the matter?"

"…Yes, actually." She stood up, weapons in hand. "Does anyone else get the feeling that it was too easy?" The others all looked at each other in confusion then back at her.

Everyone perked up in confusion about what the Invincible Girl just said.

“What… too easy?” Jaune says in confusion. “No way that can be easy after what we all seen.”

“Yeah… what does Pyrrha mean?” Blake questions.

"I'm…not sure I follow…?" Blake slowly got out. "That was…incredibly difficult."

"The evacuation orders implied that an overwhelming force was headed straight towards us," Pyrrha countered then outstretched her arms around her. "I certainly don't feel overwhelmed. I am completely whelmed, actually."

“Isn't that just her thinking that?” Harriet says as she raises a brow.

“Hey! Pyrrha may have been called the ‘Invincible Girl’ back then, but even she knows her limits.” Jaune shouts, defending her late partner as he glares at the Ace-Op.

"What are you saying?" Weiss arched up an eyebrow, and Pyrrha frowned.

"That "attack", the one we just fought off to rescue a little girl, was not the actual attack. This entire time, ever since Brainiac invaded, his entire plan has been throwing me off. If he simply wanted us destroyed, he could have easily done so without needing to expend any of this. No armies, no drones, just do what he did with Shade and be done with it. But, instead, he throws down these endless hordes of robots. Why?" The others paused then looked at each other, each uneasy. After a moment, Weiss' eyes widened then she sharply turned her body towards Beacon.

Even the viewing Weiss gasped as she covers her mouth in horror. Along with a few who also registered in the meaning of the alternate Weiss’ shock.

“Why? What's wrong!?” Ruby asked in concern about why her partner acted that way.

"Oh, Gods…" she gasped in utter terror.

"Weiss?" Ruby asked in concern.

"I finally get it. These drones aren't trying to exterminate us." Weiss gulped. "They're…corralling us, forcing us into a singular point… making it easier to…" Weiss couldn't finish her sentence as tears began to gather at the corner of her eyes. Everyone looked towards Beacon with wide eyes as panic began to fill them.

At that very moment, everyone was both shocked and horrified by this revelation. All this time of fighting, Brainiac did not send his robot army to kill indiscriminatingly, but it was to force the last remaining forces and civilians to gather in one spot.

“Fuck…! This was a scare tactic!” Qrow gritted his teeth as he glared at the screen. “That bastard Brainiac purposely pushed everyone till they had no choice but to gather in one spot.”

“And my other completely fell for it…!” James growled as looks down, gripping his head with both his hands in shame, seeing that the last remaining forces of Remnant where being played.

“No…!” Ruby whisper in horror as she covers her hands on her mouth as tears began to fall from the corner of her eyes.

"We have to warn them!" Ruby quickly declared. With a frantic nod, Jaune quickly pulled out his radio.

He never got the chance to speak as the ground suddenly erupted upward as drones jumped out of the pavement and surrounded them. Caught completely off guard, the students were helpless as the drones grabbed them with their metal claws, holding them in place while others began to beat them with savage punches and kicks. They all writhed in pain as they tried to break free, with Yang giving the greatest effort. All around her, she could see the others being beaten, their Aura's threatening to break with each blow. Yang, although feeling the pain, was merely biding her time as each blow powered her Semblance.

“No! Not know!” Nora screamed as she gripped Rens's hand with her own while her partner did the same.

“C’mon me! You got one shot at this!” Yang screamed, hoping that her other would succeed in using her Semblance to breakthrough.

'Just a little more…,' she thought to herself as she withstood the blows. She could see Ruby now as she too was being beaten. When, with a flash of red, her Aura broke, and Ruby fell down with a yelp. Yang's eyes turned red as her hair began to blow brightly, but then everything stopped. The world seemed to go into slow motion as a drone raised its arm to fire upon Ruby, who looked up at it with fear-filled eyes, only to suddenly stop. Instead, it grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up to eye level. It's purple eyes bored into her terrified yet defiant silver eyes. Then, startling everyone, it began to speak.

Before anyone would react in horror or say anything during Yang’s failed attempt to activate her Semblance, everyone was both shocked and speechless at the unexpected thing the droid did.

"Genetic anomaly detected. Proceed with priority extraction." The drone's voice was monotone yet filled Yang and the others with dread. The word 'extraction' worried Yang the most, as they all wondered what the drone had meant. Suddenly, a large shadow overcame them. Yang was unable to see, but she could tell it was the mothership.

Everyone was still speechless at this very moment. Was it out of shock? Fear? Confusion? Nobody couldn’t answer that question, but there was one thing that did register in their brains. Ruby Rose is being abducted.

“What…?” Ruby squeaked, breaking the silence.

"Yang…?" she and the others heard Ruby squeak out. Suddenly, a bright column of light beamed down onto Ruby and the drone holding her. As if gravity no longer held sway, Ruby and the drone began floating upwards. Now fully realizing what was about to happen, Ruby flailed, kicked and punched as she tried to free herself, to no avail.

"YANG!" she shouted as she entered the ship. Yang and the others stared helplessly as the ship flew away, straight towards Beacon Academy. As it did, Yang's vision turned red, and her hair glowed as intensely as the sun. Her whole body shook with rage as she forcibly rose to her feet, despite the raining of punches and kicks the drones were giving her.

"AAAAAGH!" she screamed, and everything exploded into fire. The drones were sent flying off of her and her friends, chunks of metal hurtling skyward. Before anyone could react, Yang became a yellow blur as she started punching, kicking, and slamming into every single drone around her. A few tried to catch her again, only for Yang to grab the metal claw and use the drone like a ball-and-chain, twirling it around like a tornado. The drone slammed into multitudes of other drones, each blow denting the unfortunate drone until it was practically unrecognizable. The ambushers were quickly thinning, yet they still pressed on. The others were beginning to rise to their feet at this point, but Yang didn't care. She leapt high above the last group and, with a blast of Ember Celica, sent her slamming fist first into the concrete road. The resulting explosion shattered all nearby windows that weren't already shattered. Many drones were simply disintegrated from the pressure of the blast and heat, while the ones on the far end flew into nearby walls and promptly flattened. As a mushroom cloud of dust rose, the light surrounding Yang finally died down, and everything went silent.

After another moment of silence happened but was later broken by the sound of something dropping on the floor. Everyone snapped out from there trance and turned to the source of the noise and find it was Qrow’s flask falling off from his hand as the Hunstman’s widen in pure horror in what he saw. “No…”

“RUBY!” Yang’s voice screamed out in the room, snapping out of Qrow’s trance, making him and everyone turns to her, and to there horror, they see the blond huntress hugging a hyperventilating Ruby in an attempt to calm her down.

Everyone took a short break at that moment to calm themselves after seeing such a traumatic scene. Ruby’s family and friends tended to her as the young Rose slowly began to calm down after she quietly cried. After taking a few breaths and hearing calming words from everyone, they all returned in there seats.

“I’m… I’m sorry, everyone…” Ruby whispers, then suddenly she felt a warm hug from her sister and feeling a warm hand from her shoulders from her fellow teammates.

“it’s okay, Ruby…” Yang shushes her younger sister. “I’m just glad you clam down.”

“Thank you…” The reaper happily said as she embraces her team.

"Ruby…" Nora quietly muttered as she eyed the mothership. Off in the distance, they heard the roar of a bullhead as it approached, but none of them cared. Their attentions were squarely on the mothership, which now hung ominously over Beacon. The last Atlesian airship was firing its guns in futile defiance, but if Brainiac cared, he didn't show it.

Behind them, they faintly heard the bullhead land and the pilot shouting at them to get on board. Again, they didn't hear.

“Now, the pickup arrives.” Robyn sarcastically said, seeing such poor timing there ride had just arrived.

"He… he took my sister…" Yang softly spoke, her eyes still a soft blue. Her jaws then clenched, and her teeth felt like they were going to break, while her eyes turned blood-red. "HE TOOK! MY! SISTER!" she shouted with all the air in her lungs then turned to face the now frightened bullhead pilot. A quick look revealed he was the only person on the ship, and after a split second of thought, Yang stomped over to the bullhead. The others quickly followed after her.

“Wow…” Ruby mutters as she shrunk on her seat. “I haven’t seen Yang that angry in a long while.”

“That a problem?” Weiss whispers to her partner in concern.

“Actually, I'm pretty happy that she’s that angry fro me.” Ruby sheepishly smirked. “I’m sure she’ll figure out what to do… maybe…”

"Ma'am, uh…" the pilot stammered as a furious Yang stared him down. "I am to, uh, evacuate you eight to Beacon Academy… Um, where's Leader Rose?"

"Brainiac took her." Yang's tone was sharp and to the point, and the pilot gulped.

Harriets eyes widen, seeing how this is going. “Please tell me she’s not doing what I think she’s doing.”

"I'm sorry for your loss." Yang's silent stare was her only response, but the pilot pressed on. "Ma'am, I'm under orders to evacuate you all to Beacon. Plan G is about to commence, and—"

"You're not taking us to Beacon," Yang cut him off, causing him to sputter.

“Yeah! You tell him me!” Yang cheered, while her friends did the same.

“Fuck.” Harriet swore, while her fellow soldiers silently agreed and yet can't blame the girl after what they have seen, and James was surprisingly silent. While Qrow just snorted and laughed, and Robyn is smirking at the scene.

"What? I… I am under orders to—"

"You're not. Taking us. To Beacon," Yang repeated with added emphasis, her red eyes boring into his own. "That purple asshole kidnapped my sister, and took her aboard the mothership. You are going to get me inside."

"Us," Jaune quickly interjected. "You're going to get us inside." Yang looked back at her fellow blond. He nodded at her, as did all the others. Yang nodded back, then looked right back at the pilot.

“That’s right! Where Team RWBY goes, Team JNPR follows!” Nora cheered from the bottom of her heart while the rest of her team did the same.

"Ma'am, I… I am under orders to…!" Yang's grip on the pilot intensified, and he grew silent as she pulled him closer.

"Let me make this very clear," she whispered. "Either you get us on that ship, or I tie you up in the back and fly it in myself. You got that?" The pilot grew silent as he stared at the other students, who all glared at him or at the mothership. Finally, he nodded.

"Okay."

“You guys can’t be serious!” Marrow says but then flinches, seeing both Team RWBY and JNPR’s glare towards the dog faunus.

“You got a problem with our choice?” Yang’s eyes turned red as they narrowed dangerously towards him. A slight tension began to grow among the two groups. Ruby’s group defying orders to save a life and the Ace-Ops keen to following orders disagreed with the idea from the opposing group.

The other from the sidelines fearing a fight may break out. Qrow, Clover, and Winter were about to intervein, but an unexpected person got to them first.

“Stand down!” To everyone's surprise, it was the General who ordered them to stop.

“General?” Colver asked.

“Stand. Down.” The General repeated, making it very clear of his orders making everyone reluctantly agree. Seeing how everyone has now calmed down somewhat, he takes a deep breath and sighs. “Normally, I would agree that following orders is the highest priority… but seeing a particular recent scene is enough to convince me that there isn’t much we can do. Much to my displeasure…”

The Specialists hated to admit it, but even with there strong devotion to there superior, they didn’t want to admit that after seeing the scene after Ruby’s abduction, there wasn’t anything they can do.

“So… you saying you are giving up?” Robyn says.

James shakes his head. “No. Never. Like Miss Rose said, every small action counts, and I’ll be damned to let it end without any meaning to what we’ve done.” The leader of the Happy Huntresses was somewhat surprised by his conviction. This adds even more questions to why someone like him is doing questionable things in Atlas, questions she will have answered.

“I’m surprised, James,” Qrow smirked. “that must take a lot out of ya too say all that.”

“Don’t get used to it, Qrow,” James says as he snatched the drunk huntsman flask from him and drank from it, much to his surprise but allowed it. After a drink, he gave it back. “and apologies in advance.”

Qrow raised a brow as he took back his flask. “Apologies?”

“Let's just say… my other is going to do something extreme, much to your and our friends’ parallel selves displeasure.” James cryptically said, hinting there a chance he knows something might happen.

"James, listen to me," Ozpin pleaded as technicians hustled around the control center. All around them, scores of the last remaining bullheads flew into Beacon, dropped off their occupants before heading back out for more.

“Still arguing, huh?” Maria says, not surprised at the scene.

"I don't want to hear it, Ozpin," Ironwood waved him off. "We do not have the men or resources to board the mothership and destroy it from the inside. Doing so would be a suicide mission."

“Huh…” Yang blinked at the surprising coincidence. “What are the odds that Ozpin would suggest this plan when are others are heading to the mothership.”

“Yeah…” Oscar says a little creeped out along with a few surprised with that kind of coincidence. “That’s kinda creepy.”

"And yet you're willing to destroy half of Vale in a stupid scorched earth tactic?" Qrow accused. "For Gods' sake, man, face it! Plan G won't work! This might!"

"Who would you suggest we send in, then?" Ironwood turned around to face Qrow directly. "In case you haven't noticed, all of our best fighters are either incapacitated, dead, or missing in action. You, Glynda, and Tai are too heavily injured for us to send any of you in, with Port and Oobleck in similar states, while Ozpin and I are needed to coordinate the defense. I could send in Winter, but not without a full team to back her up."

“True, sending an invasion group towards requiring time and selected individuals for the task.” Clover comments. “Time, unfortunately, they don’t have.”

"There are other options, James," Glynda softly said. "There are always other options."

Ironwood sighed regretfully. "I'm sorry, Glynda, but I just don't—"

"Sir!" a technician called out, cutting the general off and directing everyone's attention. "Bullhead RT2012 is heading off course!"

“Here we go…” Blake comments, slightly cringing at what comes next.

"What?" Ironwood wheeled around in surprise. He had specifically ordered that bullhead to evacuate teams RWBY and JNPR to Beacon, one last favor for old comrades. To hear it was going off course immediately rang alarm bells in his head.

"That's Ruby and Yang's flight," Tai muttered, alarm filling his voice. The four immediately navigated their way towards the tech, who was frantically talking over the radio.

“Sorry, dad…” The daughters of Taiyang whispered in unison as they flinched at his worried face.

"Pilot, say again? Ruby Rose has been what?" the technician asked for clarification, Qrow's and Tai's increasing looks of panic going unnoticed by him.

"Ruby Rose has been captured by Brainiac and brought aboard the mothership! I repeat, Ruby Rose has been captured by Brainiac and brought aboard the mothership!" The pilot's voice echoed across the room as everyone grew silent. Ironwood, Ozpin, and Glynda all turned to look at the two men, who were now staring into the radio with terror-filled eyes. They could practically hear their heartbeats, even from here.

“God, it hurts seeing them look like that…” Qrow cringed at the sight of his brother-and-law and friends' faces. He still feels conflicted for Ozpin, but none the less still feels hurt.

"No…" they both breathed out, their voices barely above a whisper. Ironwood couldn't blame them, but he had to remain objective.

“Here it comes…” James takes a deep breath at the apparent thing his other will do.

"We are deviating from Beacon to mount a rescue expedition onto the mothership! Requesting immediate air support and cover!" the pilot shouted over the radio. At once, Qrow turned towards Ironwood, as did everyone else. Ironwood stared back at Qrow before turning towards Ozpin then back at the technician. He tapped on his shoulder, who handed the radio to the general.

"Pilot, this is General Ironwood. You are to deviate from your present course and fly to Beacon immediately."

“WHAT!?” Both Teams RWBY and JNPR roared simultaneously. Qrow nearly yelled but held himself back thanks to James' early warning, but hell, he did not like that one bit at all.

“There it is…” The Headmaster of Atlas Academy sighs while ignoring the glares directed to him. He can't really blame since he would do the same.

"WHAT!?" the brothers-in-law roared simultaneously.

"James, you're letting her die!" Glynda accused.

"And if I let them proceed, how many more will instead?" he shot back. "I'm sorry, but—"

"YOU DAMNED COWARD!" Qrow lunged for the general, forcing Glynda and Ozpin to hold him back. This, however, left Tai open to sock the general across the jawline with his cast-covered fist before Glynda finally managed to use her Semblance to keep him at bay. Ironwood rubbed his sore jaw as everyone glared at him, a mixture of rage and disappointment on their faces.

Everyone gasped, seeing the fight seen. Some cover their mouths in shock, some cheered for a fight (mostly Nora), some widen their eyes in shock, and some glared towards Qrow, which he just ignored.

“Just to let you know, Qrow, your other has every right to do that,” James says, brushing off the surprised look from his subordinates.

Qrow blinked at that comment and raised a confused eyebrow. “I… uh… thanks…?”

"That's not happening, General," Yang's voice suddenly spoke out over the radio, her voice harsh and uncompromising. "With or without that air support, we're getting on that ship and getting my sister back." At once, Ironwood turned back towards the radio, deliberately ignoring the looks of pride on Qrow's and Tai's faces.

Yang couldn't help but smirk at her other’s determination; Ruby hugged her sister feeling touched how far she would go to save her, Qrow and the rest of Team RWBY and JNPR feeling pride towards the blond, the Specialist, felt conflicted at the scene while other couldn't help but smile or smirk.

"Xiao Long, I am ordering you to-!"

"James, a word?" Ozpin interrupted the general. He glared at this fellow headmaster before he sighed and walked over. Once they had a modicum of privacy, Ozpin began to speak. "James, help them. Give them the support they need, or they will die."

“Figured Opzin would be the voice of reason for this part,” Oscar comments, feeling that he would do the same thing in that kind of situation.

"Ozpin, they are only children!" he protested. "Going in there will only get them killed! I will not have that on my conscience."

“That’s a risk we all knew the moment we signed up for,” Oscar comments as he remembers his fight against Hazel. “It’s not a pleasant thing, I know, but it’s a choice we each made.”

“Yeah! We all made it this far, and there's no way we’re going to stop now!” Ruby says as her friends, and she cheered. This made a few in the room have some though at the young incarnation and reaper’s comment

"And yet you were willing to send them into the field here in Vale?" Ozpin's accusation silenced any retort the general might have had. Ozpin pressed on. "James, we both know the real reason why the Academies exist. It was not to safeguard the Relics, but to train humanity's next generation of defenders. All applicants knew the risks, knew that they were likely to live short, violent lives in defense of their peers, yet they joined anyway. Going into Brainiac's ship is no different than fighting him on Vale's streets. At least in there, we have a chance at stopping this."

“Okay… I’m starting to think there's a lot more going on than I thought…” Robyn says as he learns more and more things that she is starting to think she shouldn’t learn. “and what are the odds both the kid and Opzin would make a similar comment regarding choices.”

Everyone who knew the truth just fidgets in their seat. Seeing the reason was that it was both reincarnation and past life’s likemindedness that answered the question.

"I…"

"James, please," Ozpin put his hand on Ironwood's shoulder. "Have faith in my students. I do, and it hasn't failed me yet."

Even the audience stayed quiet, waiting to hear the answer from the alternate James. Especially the viewing James, focusing on himself wanting to listen to what his other would say.

A pregnant pause ensued between the two of them. All eyes were on the pair, each wondering what the outcome would be.

"Um, sir?" the technician hesitantly called out. "They are requesting confirmation of that air support?"

"Request…," Ironwood paused and looked around once more, then sighed. "Gods forgive me… Request granted. Ensign, notify the Pride of Atlas, and all teams: Plan G is canceled. All ordinance is to be fired upon the mothership. They'll need a breaching point if they want to get inside. I want all fighters scrambled. RT2012 will need all the air support they can get. Evacuations are to proceed as instructed, but until further notice, all air support is to be redirected."

“YES!” Both Teams RWBY and JNPR cheered, having their others given the permission to go.

“We won't disappoint General Ironwood!” Ruby says towards the General.

James takes another big tiring sigh and makes a small smile. “I know you won't.”

“General, are you this really okay with this?” Winter asks her superior.

James shakes his head. “No… And I am too mentally tired to complain regarding what our alternate world is going through.” Winter slowly nods, taking in her superior’s answer. To be honest, if her sister were in that exact situation, she would do everything she can to save her.

"Yes, sir!" the technicians saluted then immediately complied with their orders. Ironwood sighed and rubbed the back of his neck before looking at Ozpin.

"You got your strike team," he muttered before redirecting his attention back to the holo-table. "Let's just hope they can pull off a miracle."

“We can do it! I know we can!” Nora cheers, giving her her friends a determined look.

High above Beacon, a single Atlesian warship hovered overhead. Fighters, both Atlesian and alien, screamed around it as they fired upon each other. Inside, hundreds of missiles, already primed and readied for launch, were inserted into tubes by tired deckhands, the automated processes having long worn out. Barrels had rounds loaded into them, laser cannons were charged, and fresh fighters overloaded with bombs and missiles. They all knew it was to be the last act they would perform. Slowly, the warship aligned itself with against the massive mothership. Every barrel, laser, and missile aimed at a singular point on the spaceship's hull. As a single bullhead neared the vessel at top speed, the order was given, and the sky exploded. Lasers, bullets, and missiles leapt from the warship and impacted against the mothership hull. The explosion sent shockwaves that knocked many fighters out of the sky, sending them crashing onto the streets below. The bombardment did not ease. Fighters now joining in on the bombardment, unloading every missile and bomb they had onto the point, which by now had been obscured by a massive fireball. Alien fighters swatted many Atlesian fighters out of the sky and then turned their attention onto the Atlesian warship, something they had previously ignored. Despite the renewed bombardment on their weakened hull, the warship continued their assault until all stores were dry, all missiles launched, and all bullets spent. As the smoke cleared, a small hole could be seen on the ship, and the crew couldn't help but cheer as the bullhead, dodging alien fighters as best it could, flew inside, despite a few blasts making contact.

“Yeah! Show them what you got, boys!” Harriet cheered.

“Show them what Atlas can do!” Elm joined in as the Vine and Marrow also cheered along with RWBY and JNPR, even Oscar and Penny.

James, Clover, Winter, Qrow, Maria, Pietro, and Robyn silently watching hoping that they will succeed.

The crew continued to cheer as the bullhead disappeared, only to stop once the mothership fired upon the Pride of Atlas, killing all aboard.

Everyone went dead silent as they watched Pride of Atlas had fallen. They can only silently mourn for the loss.

Robyn sighed. “At least this made room for the kids.”

“But at the cost of what?” Winter snapped at the huntress.

“If I may,” Maria speaks before any tension starts again. “This is an alternate world we are watching, sure its rather painful what we are seeing, but let us not forget this never happened in our world. So speaking, the people who did die are still basically alive in ours.”

“That… may be true…” Winter slowly agreed with the former reapers logic. “But it doesn’t change the fact that it did happen.”

“They knew the risk, sister,” Weiss says, trying to calm her older sister down. “Just as everyone fighting for Remnant knew.” Winter took a moment, then took a deep breath and smiled towards her sister.

“Your right Weiss.” Weiss nodded glad that her sister saw to reason.

"We're coming in too hot!" the pilot screamed as he navigated the smoking bullhead through the hole. It had already begun to seal itself as they flew inside, with chunks and bulkheads expanding to fill in the gap and forcing the pilot to bob, weave, and dive around them. They had been hit several times already, and by now, a trail of fire followed them.

“Oh no! The damage was bad!” Penny gasped.

"Keep it together, man! We almost got this!" Yang shouted over the roar of the engine. Her fingers had turned white from the grip she had on her armrest, and the seatbelt had begun to dig into her skin. Behind her in the cabin, the others were experiencing the same thing. Jaune, in particular, was holding tightly onto a nearby bar, his eyes closed shut. Pyrrha was clinging onto him tightly, as was Nora with Ren and Blake with Weiss. A loud explosion then rocked the bullhead, almost knocking everyone loose.

"What was that?!" Jaune shrieked.

“Fuck! I think that was the engine!” Qrow shouted.

“The engine?!” almost everyone screamed out in horror.

"Dammit! I've lost steering!" the pilot shouted as he attempted to retain control. Up ahead, they saw a blinding light in front of them, which they soon passed through. As their eyes adjusted, they found themselves surrounded by vast metal walls and platforms, lines of computer code running up the walls like water. They also realized they were heading towards a large catwalk at a very high speed, and they all subconsciously tensed.

"Brace for impact!" was the last thing any of them heard before everything went black.

“Oh my goodness!” Weiss screeched as she covers her mouth with her hands.

“No!” Ruby screamed in horror.

“I hope they're all alright…” Oscar says utterly worried for his friend's alternate selves, he and the others thought the same.

"Ugh," Yang groaned as she slowly regained consciousness. Her memory was hazy, and she struggled to remember where she was and why. In an attempt to gather her bearings, she looked at the space around her and saw that she was lying in the co-pilot's seat of a crashed bullhead. They were lying on their side on a large metal catwalk. The walls around them were of a dark purple-grey metal, with green lines of code running up along its walls. At once, the memories came flooding back, and with a jolt, Yang sat up straight, ripping the seatbelt off of her as she did. She looked to her left to look at the pilot, ready to rouse him, only to see his neck at an awkward angle, his chest unmoving.

“No…” Blake whispers sadly as her cat ears went flat. “the pilot didn’t survive…” Yang couldn't help feel guilt welling up in her. She may not be the one responsible for it but couldn't help but feel it since it was her alternate self. The cat faunus notice this and holds her partner’s hand to calm her down, which worked as the blonde smiled and nodded to her.

"Dammit," she muttered and closed her eyes. She gave the pilot a moment of silence out of respect before turning around to look back into the cabin. Inside, she saw her friends sprawled on the floor, lying in a tangled heap of bodies. Gently, Yang maneuvered herself down into the cabin and closely examined them. To her immense relief, they were all breathing, and it appeared that their Aura's took the impact.

“Thank the Gods… our others made out…” Yang sighs in relief as well as the others, glad that they won't be seeing any dead children.

“That was quite the scare…” Ren breaths out in relief.

"Thank the Gods… Guys, guys, wake up! Ruby needs us!" she gently shook Jaune in an attempt to rouse him. Soon enough, he began to groan and stir, to which Yang smiled.

"Yang? What happ… Oh, God," Jaune muttered as the memories came back. The others began to stir, rouse, and remember in turn. Soon, they exited the crashed bullhead and stood apart from it, carefully looking around and scanning for enemies.

“Oh, I know that kind of feeling,” Qrow comments as he took a drink from his flask.

“Must you say that?” Winter asked in annoyance.

“Hey, just lighting the mood here, bite me.” Qrow quips, earning a glare from the Schnee.

"So, we're inside," Blake said. "What now?"

"Simple," Yang replied. "We find Ruby then blow this place straight to Hell."

“Yeah! Let’s save the girl, blow up things, and paint the sky with alien spaceship fireworks!” Nora enthusiastically shouts, earning flabbergasted looks from everyone.

“Damn, I think she’s got you the enthusiastic department, Elm.” Marrow smirks in amusement as he whispers to the said girl.

Elm narrows her eyes, eyeing towards her, maybe, rival. “We’ll see…”

"All right," Nora nodded enthusiastically. Jaune, on the other hand, looked more and more concerned.

"Uh, one problem with that. This ship is huge." Jaune's voice echoed along the walls, emphasizing his point. "Where do we even start?"

Yang moved to speak, but then stopped herself. He was right, after all. This ship was massive, and trying to find the right room would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It would be next to impossible. Briefly, the thought of them splitting up to cover more ground crossed her mind before she crumpled it up and trashed it. Splitting up in the heart of Brainiac's ship was probably the worst idea in the world, and she was not about to fall into that horror movie cliché.

“Oh! I was so focused on all the action that I didn’t take the time to observe alien technology.” Pietro says as he begins to take notes with his Scroll.

“Oh yes! Let me assist you, father!” Penny cheerfully said as she joins him much to her father’s joy.

"Well," she finally spoke up, "guess we're going to have to search the old fashioned way. Come on, let's start looking."

With a collective nod, the group turned and ran away from the crash site. Right now, the only thing on their mind was finding Ruby, and nothing else mattered.

“Don’t worry, me… help is on the way!” Ruby says in full confidence seeing that there was still hope for her other.

Ruby jolted away as the world exploded into light around her. It was blinding, and she couldn't move her arms or legs. Above her, white florescent lights shone straight into her eyes, and everything felt cold to the touch.

Everyone perked and watched in horror. Ruby began to tremble in fear seeing herself in such a state. Yang notices this and quickly hugs her to calm her down.

“Good lord…” Pietro whispers in horror. “Please tell that isn’t what think it is…”

"Where… where am I?" she thought aloud as she lifted her head up to try and see more clearly. As she did, she noticed thick metal bands around her wrists and ankles, strapping her to a metal table. Equipment lied around her, a few showing a diagram of a DNA strand, with certain segments appearing to be highlighted.

“Is that… a DNA diagram?” Penny whispers a feeling of dread begins to grow in her even more.

"What is this?"

"It is your DNA," a metallic voice answered, causing Ruby to flinch. She turned her head towards the source, and her heart leapt into her throat. There, on the other side of the room and manipulating a monitor, was the person responsible for everything.

Everyone flinched at first at the sound of the alien invader’s voice but then glared straight at him through the screen.

“So that’s what you look like up close…” James growled.

“If he dares touch my niece…” Qrow threateningly whispers.

"Brainiac…" Ruby glared at the green-skinned alien, who turned his attention away from the monitor to look straight at her.

"Yes, I am Brainiac. You are Ruby Rose."

Ruby flinched the moment he mentioned her name. “He knows who I am?”

“But why?” Jaune questions.

"You know who I am?"

"I do. My drones detected a genetic anomaly within you, one that piqued my curiosity. It is the only reason why you are still alive."

“Genetic anomaly?” Robyn raises a brow.

“Silver Eyes!” Both Ruby and Maria thought in their heads as their eyes widen at the revelation. Those who know the meaning in what the alien invader said all thought the same thing and that scared them.

"Forgive me if I don't feel grateful."

"I suppose, from your perspective, that my actions may not warrant such a feeling." Brainiac turned back towards the monitor. "No matter. Your 'emotions' are the result of an underdeveloped cerebral construct, incapable of seeing the bigger picture."

“Is… Is this what it's like to see a living robot with no emotions?” Penny trembles, both being glad and scared that she is nothing like this Brainiac.

"Tell me," Ruby growled, "what 'bigger picture' can possibly exist to justify your murder of millions!" Brainiac merely waved her off, dismissing her shouting like he was dealing with an unruly child.

“Yes! For what possible reason is for all this?!” Weiss growled, not being shy to show her anger. There are many reasons one could think of but a proper answer one she would most appreciate.

"You wouldn't understand, so I won't even bother." He finished manipulating the monitor in front of him and backed away. A series of beeps greeted him, and with a contemplating look, he turned towards Ruby once again. "I do not know what secrets lie in your silver eyes, but I will find them."

“So it is my eyes…” Ruby whispers in horror.

“What? All this for cause the pipsqueak has silver eyes!?” Robyn asked incredulously. “What could possibly so special about her eyes?” No one answered but began to get used to, which was fine since she has another question that needs to be answered.

With those parting words, Brainiac left, leaving Ruby strapped to the metal table. As he did, she heard a whirling noise above her, and with no small amount of fear, saw a floating orb materialize above her. Spiked prongs hung out from its body, and a now trembling Ruby noticed how they were pointed at her. With increasing alarm, she noticed how the orb began to descend towards her, and something told her it wasn't for a pleasant experience. She whipped her head around, trying to find a way out of her predicament when a red rose petal caught her attention. In her haste, she had accidentally used her Semblance, which meant at least part of her Aura was back. That realization gave Ruby an idea.

“Yang! Hold me!” Ruby cried as Yang quickly complied, and Weiss and Blake joined in while everyone was on the edge of there seats.

Quickly, Ruby began to vibrate herself, clouds of rose petals billowing off of her. The orb descended ever closer, the metal prongs spinning in anticipation. Just before it could reach Ruby, her hand was suddenly freed from the metal strap, having turned into rose petals and rematerialized outside of her bonds. Immediately, Ruby grabbed the vibrating drone and slammed it into her other bond, shattering both of them. She quickly sat up straight and grasped one of the dislodged prongs, reinforcing it with her Aura before driving it into the other bonds, freeing her feet one after another. Now free, she hopped off the table and began to look around. A sigh of relief escaped her as she saw the collapsed form of Crescent Rose lying on a table, two magazines of at most ten rounds each lying next to it. If she had to guess, he wanted to examine the inner workings of it, or at the very least, the Dust rounds. All in all, she didn't care what his reasons were. He was a monster, and that was the end of it.

“Yes!” RWBY cheered, being glad that their leader is safe. At the same time, the rest were also relieved.

“What do ya know? She saved herself.” Qrow happily says that his niece freed herself.

“It's not over yet, she still to regroup with RWBY and JNPR,” James said.

Besides, right now, the only thing she cared about was getting back to her team. With that in mind, and Crescent Rose now unfolded into its scythe, she ran out of the room and down the corridor, only to run right into a patrol of drones. They all stared at each other, an uncomfortable atmosphere developing between them.

“Awkward~.” Nora sang, knowing well how this will end.

"Hehheheh, well… This is awkward," Ruby chuckled, only to duck under a metal claw shooting out towards her. With a yelp, she dodged another one then responded with bursting into petals, reforming behind the patrol. With one clean sweep, she bisected the drones at the waist, and as they fell lifeless to the floor, she ran in the opposite direction.

“At least the rescue mission got easier now.” Weiss smiled glad to know her partner is safe for now.

"Gods, this thing is big," Jaune whispered as they ran through the halls. They had been running through the corridors for quite some time now. A few times, they heard the marching of a drone patrol, but the students had so far managed to avoid them. How, exactly, they did not know, but they weren't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Shouldn’t be surprised,” Clover crossed his arms. “The mothership is considered the most dangerous one to strike.”

"Yeah, but where are all the rooms?" Weiss quietly replied. That was something that all of them had noticed pretty quickly. For the size of the ship, there weren't many rooms. In fact, they hadn't come across one. If the heiress had to guess, that was simply due to the lack of any crew. Brainiac was likely the only living thing on the entire ship, outside of themselves, of course. There simply wasn't any need for a medical or crew quarters. Likely, the only rooms in this ship were for the engines, the bridge, and a laboratory, given what the drone had said about Ruby having a genetic anomaly and needing to be studied. That was what they were looking for.

“So Brainiac is the only living thing in the entire ship? And he manages to cripple Remant in less than two days by himself?” Harriet says in disbelief.

“With the assistance of a robot armada, he has,” Penny adds in.

“So, killing him will put an end to everything?” Ren asks.

“I hope so,” Jaune said.

Through deductive reasoning, they had figured that they had breached the ship towards the front end. Near its 'face', as Yang had described it. Based off of what limited knowledge they had, they figured that the bridge, if there was one, would be at the top of the ship while the engine room would be on the back end or bottom. That left the middle for the laboratory, which is where they were heading to now.

"When I get my hands on him," Yang growled. Her eyes were still red, having never shifted back to their normal lilac since Ruby was captured. None of them blamed her. After all, they felt the exact same way.

“Don’t be shy me, be as violent as possible,” Yang growls.

"We'll make him pay, Yang. Don't worry." Jaune patted her shoulder as they ran. She smiled faintly at the gesture while never ceasing her stride. They rounded another corner, and it was intersecting a ramped hallway. After a moment's hesitation, the group turned left and headed downward. The ramp proved to be long and eventually turned into a spiral, but the group didn't mind. In actuality, the downward slope increased their speed, allowing them to reach the bottom more quickly. As they did, they were greeted by a large metal door with three purple dots sitting in the middle. Once again, they formed the triangle on Brainiac's head. They could only guess it was a symbol of some kind.

“I know I shouldn’t be saying this… but I can't help be fascinated with the technology Brainiac has.” The good doctor says as he takes as many notes as he can.

“At least your father is enjoying himself,” Ruy whispers to Penny, which she chuckles.

"If I were a betting woman," Pyrrha began as she gazed up at the door, "this is probably the lab."

“I’ll take those odds.” Jaune quipped, earning a few laughs from his friends.

"I'll take that bet." Yang walked forward and cracked her knuckles, only for Pyrrha to block her path with an outstretched sword.

"Allow me, Yang." Pyrrha smiled and sheathed her weapons. She gracefully walked forward to the door, placing her hands along its creased center. After taking a deep breath, Pyrrha began to strain herself and attempted to pry the doors open. At first, nothing happened, but then a faint black glow spread from Pyrrha's hands and up through the crease. A metallic groan was heard, and metal squealed as, slowly but surely, Pyrrha forced the large doors to open.

Everyone gasped at the sight of Pyrrha’s Semblance, Jaune and her friends know about what she was capable of, but this was the first they have ever seen her push herself like this.

“Oh my… god…” Jaune gasps, surprised seeing her partner this incredible.

“This is the Invincible Girl?” Harriet says in awe. “Just what is her Semblance?”

Jaune snapped out from his awe along with the others and turned to her. “Her Semblance is Polarity.”

“Polarity?” Robyn echos then laugh. “No wonder why she’s invincible, with a Semblance like that she’s untouchable.”

“Yeah…” Jaune smiles sadly at the compliment. “but this is the first time we have ever seen her like this.”

"Oh my… god…" Jaune and the others gasped at the power Pyrrha was exhuming. Rivers of sweat rained down Pyrrha's head, and halfway through, she had collapsed onto her knees. Still, she kept up her efforts, despite beginning to keen in agony from the exertion. Finally, with one final push, she forced the metal doors to fully open and bent them around the edges, preventing it from closing behind them.

“You can say that again, Fearless Leader.” Nora grinned as Jaune blushed at the funny coincidence.

"There… opened…." Pyrrha was panting now, completely exhausted. Her vision was blurry, and her ears rang, but she still heard faint footsteps walk towards her. Looking up, she saw the gloved hand of Jaune reaching down towards her, and with a smile, she took it.

“That really pushed her to the limits.” Vine comments.

“Yeah… she really deserved the title of the Invincible Girl.” Marrow comments.

"That was… Thank you, Pyrrha." He helped her to her feet. Every day, it seemed his partner had more surprises within her.

"That was awesome, P-Money," Yang patted Pyrrha's shoulder before walking in. "Let's hope Ruby heard it."

"You think she'll come here? Even though she was-?"

"Trust me, I know my sister. He couldn't hold her for long." With a nod of silent agreement between the two of them, Jaune and Pyrrha followed after her, their weapons at the ready. Still exhausted, Pyrrha stayed near the back of the group, Jaune staying near her the entire time.

“Just as we all saw.” Yang proudly grins as she one-armed hugged her sister.

"This is definitely the lab," Weiss observed as she looked over the room. Inside there were more monitors and machines than she could count. Tubes, both big and small, lined the walls or in special pods, many with things Weiss didn't have an inkling of an idea on what they were. A few Dust crystals were being worked on by spherical drones with metal prods, but otherwise paid no attention to them. Briefly, she thought about how Brainiac was able to keep the Dust from going inert outside of Remnant's atmosphere but quickly chalked it up to the ship still being in Remnant's atmosphere. Hopefully, they wouldn't break through it before they found Ruby and destroyed this thing. She paused at another collection of tubes, and their contents caused her to pale.

“So, this is Brainiac’s lab.” Penny narrowed her eyes.

“So many different materials…” Winter comments as she narrowed her eyes. “He’s been collecting Dust from our world and studied them.”

"Found the Grimm…" Weiss noted. Like with the Dust, spherical drones were examining the Grimm closely, with monitors displaying data in some alien language she couldn't hope to understand. The captive beasts were suspended in unrecognizable energy fields, unable to do so much as twitch, let alone bash their way to freedom or death as they would against normal restraints. Next to them were large vats filled with a viscous black liquid. In total, Weiss and the others saw at least a thousand specimens of different types, probably more. At the very least, it explained why the Grimm were gone from Vale: he had captured them for study.

“Even Grimm?!” Qrow says in shock.

“There are some Grimm that I don’t even recognize…” Oscar comments.

When Brainiac first attacked, the resulting panic brought about the largest Grimm horde in recorded history. They had swarmed Vale in a sea of black, and she could only assume the other Kingdoms as well. Mountain Glenn had even exploded to reveal a massive Grimm Dragon, one that was so large, Grimm were spawning from its body. For a moment, everyone thought Brainiac had purposefully attracted the Grimm, that he was in league with them or perhaps even their master. That only lasted until small craft began abducting as many Grimm as possible, with many more being destroyed. This turned the Battle of Vale into a three-way brawl as the defenders fought off the Grimm and Brainiac's forces, who, in turn, fought both each other and the defenders. Eventually, though, the largest of Brainiac's ships managed to destroy the Grimm Dragon, albeit with considerable damage to its structural integrity. Damage that Ironwood readily exploited, destroying the large vessel and buying Vale some much-needed reprieve. At the same time, the Grimm retreated from Vale, and hadn't been seen since.

“So that explains why there are no Grimm during the invasion after the first day,” James said.

“So what? We’re his lab rats or something?” Maria incredulously said.

“I’d rather not have that questioned answered,” Ren said, preferring it to stay in the dark.

"But, where's Ruby?" Ren asked as he inspected another machine. This one intrigued him, as it was two large metal prongs embedded into the ground. In between the prongs, a clear, glass-like diamond was suspended in mid-air. What most intrigued him was the fact that, through the diamond, he couldn't see the metal hull of the ship they were on. Instead, he saw a never-ending black void. It wasn't space, for there were no stars, no nebulas or planets. Just a vast void of nothing.

“That was both fascinating and frightening things that I have bore witness too.” Ren intriguingly says.

“Indeed.” Vine nods in agreement.

"Huh, what's that?" Nora pointed out into the diamond, drawing everyone's attention. Ren narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look. Soon enough, he saw what Nora was referring to. Off in the distance, he saw a single entity. It was a massive, bipedal creature with large bone-white spikes sprouting off of its grey, muscular body. White hair ringed the side of its bald head, but what was most striking were its eyes. They bored straight into everyone, and despite the distance between them, they could feel its hatred for everyone. A feeling that, should it get out, it would readily kill them all without a second thought was easily conveyed. Despite the superficial similarities, they instinctively knew that this being was far beyond any Grimm they'd have the misfortune of meeting.

Everyone widened their eyes towards the imposing creature, both fearing its frightening description and glad that it's restrained.

“What… what is that thing…” Ruby shudders at the sight of the creature.

“In what I can guess, that’s an alien… an actual alien aside from Brainiac,” Oscar answers, also shuddering at its appearance.

"Let's… not mess with that thing…" Blake backed away from the imposing creature, as did the others. Even after they left the diamond behind, they could still feel its gaze follow them, and they shivered. As they walked on, they came across a pedestal with a strange metal cube lying atop it.

“Smart choice me,” Blake says, agreeing with her other’s decision.

“But what's that metal cube thing?” Weiss asks curiously, looking at the alien device.

"Huh, wonder what this is?" Weiss asked as she picked it up. Immediately, she could feel the power within, more than anything she had ever held, and she was awed. "It's like…a million Dust crystals all packed into one. No, that's far too little."

“Another alien technology far advanced than ours,” Penny says intrigued as she studied the design and its possible purpose.

"Think it's a bomb?" Blake asked as she eyed it, but Weiss shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. Whatever this is, it isn't a bomb."

"Still, it's obviously important," Yang said. "Take it with us. Better than letting Smart-Ass hold onto it."

“You think that’s smart?” Oscar curiously asks.

“Better getting prepared for the moment than going in as it is,” Weiss answers earning a nod of approval from the others.

"Alright," Weiss agreed and tucked the box under her arm. The group continued to walk further into the lab before they came across another large door. Yang pursed her lips and whistled before tapping her chin, deep in thought.

“How many doors does this creep have?” Harriet raises a brow.

“A lot to keep things, apparently.” Clover answers.

"Pyrrha, think you can open this one?" Yang asked as she looked up at the imposing threshold. Pyrrha shook her head.

"I don't think I can. That last door took a lot out of me." Pyrrha sounded remorseful, but Yang didn't hold it against her.

“No kidding, after seeing what Pyrrha did I can't blame her from getting exhausted,” Jaune says, growing concerned with the alternate Pyrrha.

"It's okay, don't strain yourself. Nora, Vomit Boy, help me with this."

Harriet snickered, hearing the title. “Vomit Boy?”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” Jaune rolled his eyes. “Just to let you know, I've already got other it's mockings it holds on me.”

“Sure, you have.” The Ace-Op member smirks towards the Arc, and he just drops his head.

"When are you going to stop calling me Vomit Boy?" Jaune asked as he holstered his weapon.

"When you stop responding to it." Yang shot a smile at the boy who rolled his eyes. Nora chuckled at their antics before joining them. Together, with Jaune and Nora on one side and Yang at the other, they looked towards Weiss with a nod, who nodded in turn. The heiress them summoned a glyph and wedged it between the two halves of the door, and together they began to pull.

“It takes so many people and there Semblances just to open that door.” Ren comments.

“It just shows how advanced Brainiac’s technology is, and Pyrrha’s skill shows how much of a difference it is.” Clover comments.

"Gods, this is heavy!" Jaune grunted as he continued to pry the door open. Slowly, a narrow gap appeared and was held in place.

"Go!" Yang ordered through the strain. Quickly, the other students all piled through the gap, followed by Jaune, Nora, and finally, Yang. As they let go, the doors groaned and tried to close on them, but a quick push to the side by the three kept them open. With heavy pants, they hung down, propping their hands on their knees as they caught their breath.

"Phew…" Jaune sighed and wiped away a sheen of sweat on his brow. "That was… something."

“I’ll say, Mr. Muscles,” Nora laughed, complimenting her leader. “All the training you went through back then has paid off.”

“Aww, thanks, Nora.” Jaune smiled, thanking her teammate.

"I'll say, Mr. Muscles," Nora laughed as she stood up straight then turned to face the others, who were staring at them. "So, where to–"

"Yang?" a soft voice sounded behind them. Immediately, they all turned around and saw its source, and Yang's eyes widened. There, on the other side of the door, they saw Ruby, alive and well. Without saying a word, Yang rushed forward as did her sister, who immediately embraced each other and cried. They collapsed onto their knees as they continued to cry tears of relief.

RWBY, JNPR, Qrow, Oscar, Penny, and Maria cheered, and the rest smiled and happy to see the two sisters reunited again.

Ruby and Yang both embraced one another laughing and a few tears falling from eyes truly happy that their others have reunited again.

"How… how did you get out?" Yang asked as she slowly regained her composure.

"Brainiac, he… he left me alone," Ruby began to explain through her sniffles. "I was strapped to a table, but I was able to use my Semblance to escape! I ran, trying to find a way out, but then I heard this loud noise coming from below. I got here as fast as I could." Ruby buried her face into Yang's shoulder as she cried again. "I was so scared…"

“I can only imagine anyone being afraid of being in that kind of situation,” Maria says as she recalls the day she lost her sight, which terrified her.

"It's okay, I'm here now." Yang rubbed the top of Ruby's head. "He's not going to hurt you or anyone else." The two continued to hug, and Ruby allowed herself to smile.

"Guys… You need to see this," Jaune's voice rang out, his tone horrified. Everyone turned to look at him, seeing that he was standing in front of a glowing wall. From their position, they couldn't see what lied within the wall, but from his appalled expression, it couldn't have been good.

Everyone began to worry. Seeing Arc that horrified raised a lot of alarms in their heads.

“What could make Arc look like that?” Elm says as she begins to worry. “I mean, what could be terrifying than what we’ve seen so far.”

"What? What is… Oh my god…" Weiss covered her mouth in shock and horror as she walked up to Jaune, seeing exactly what he had been seeing.

"Jaune? Weiss?" Ruby shot up and out of Yang's arms while the others ran towards them. As they caught up and saw the glowing wall, they all gasped at the sight before them.

"It's… the cities…" Jaune couldn't even finish his sentence. There, inside of a deep cavern, floated large glass spheres, each glowing with a multitude of different lights. Inside those glass spheres, each larger than his chest, lied a miniaturized city. He would have dismissed them for models had he not seen the tiny creatures staring out of the spheres and at him.

Everyone gasped in horror. By far, anything they have seen or encountered is the most horrifying thing they have ever seen in this viewing.

Ruby places her hands in her mouth in shock, and her eyes widen in horror. “That’s… that’s the Kingdoms from our world.”

“But… but how…?” Weiss stuttered as she tried to get her bearings. “We all watched Shade got destroyed at the beginning of viewing; the same could happen to the other Kingdoms, but how is this possible.”

“I-I don’t think destroying our world was Brainiac’s plan…” Oscar shakily said, feeling a horrible sense of dread inside him.

"Atlas… Shade… Mistral… Kuo Kuana…" Blake breathed out heavily as she recognized the greatest of Remnant's cities. Along with them, she saw thousands of other cities, each with different, alien designs and architectures from what she could only assume where an equal number of alien planets. Inside each sphere, she could also see thousands of creatures, some familiar yet most completely alien, staring straight at her. Whether it was out of hope, desperation, or curiosity, she did not know.

"He wasn't destroying them…" Ren realized in abject horror. "He was shrinking them… Putting them into bottles…"

“Brothers…” Qrow slowly said as a horrid sense of dread grown inside him. “all this time… he wasn’t just destroying us… he was collecting us.”

Everyone grew pale, earing this disturbing revelation. There enemy Brainiac wasn’t a just a destroyer, but a collector.

“That’s… that’s sick!” Winter spat as her dread then turned to rage while everyone also followed her way of thinking.

"That… bastard…" Yang seethed with rage before gasping. "He's going to do that to Vale. Oh, shit! We forgot to warn them!" With wide eyes, Jaune began to fumble for the radio and pulled it out, only to grit his teeth as he noted the busted device.

“Fuck! I knew we forgot something!” Yang shouts ultimately, forgetting there other’s job.

“No!” Blake covered her mouth in horror.

"Must have broken in the crash. Damnit!" he threw the broken device to the ground and cursed their tunnel vision.

“Damnit! Not know!” Jaune swore.

"We've got to get to the bridge!" Ruby declared and ran to the open door. "We still have time to stop this!"

"What about the other cities?" Blake asked as she and the others ran after the red huntress.

"One problem at a time!" Ruby answered as they all sprinted out of the lab and up the spiraling ramp. Their legs strained as they continued to run upwards, never ceasing even as the spiral straightened. A few drones rounded a corner as they ran by and prepared to attack them, only for Ruby to decapitate them with a quick burst of petals before she continued to run upwards. As they did, they didn't notice how the metal box began to lightly glow and pulsate, their eyes only on their goal. Soon, the ramp began to spiral again, yet they still ran up it. Their legs began to burn as the ramp finally flattened out, ending in front of another large door. While the others paused to catch their breath, Yang continued forward and began to pound on the large door, her fists creating large dents.

Oscar perked up, noticing the metal box. “Did the box glow?”

“It did,” Ren nodded. “but I don’t think that's important right now.”

"That will not be necessary," a monotone voice interrupted Yang's pounding as the doors hissed open. Inside, standing in front of a large glass screen overlooking a burning Remnant, was Brainiac. Metal cables were attached to his body from various different ports and outlets, and the circles on his forehead glowed intensely. "It appears that I underestimated your Aura's recovery period. That mistake will not happen again."

Everyone glared at the alien with pure utter rage and disgust.

“So, the alien bastard finally shows himself.” James spat in rage. Never in his life has he hated anyone and show so much hatred and disgust for it.

“He’s a real ugly sunovabitch!” Qrow whispers in rage.

"Brainiac…" Yang hissed as her eyes turned red once more while Weiss quickly hid the metal box behind her back, suspended on a small glyph. "Do you even realize what you've done!?"

"You've seen my preservation," he plainly replied, as if he didn't care they were in his presence.

The audience sat up straight, shocked in hearing the very reason the alien invader wasn’t about destruction or collecting but preservation. That was the very last thing anyone would think of a kind of purpose.

“Preservation?” Vine whispers in shock. “Is… is this some kind of sick joke!”

"Preservation?" Jaune walked forward, shock, and disbelief on his face. "You call shrunken cities, with people inside, a 'preservation'!?"

"Yes," Brainiac replied, his back still turned to the students. "I do not expect you to understand my work, but what I do prevents cultures from dying and their accumulated knowledge from being lost."

“THAT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE!” Blake screamed out, nearly making everyone jump from their seat, yet they all understood her rage and confusion. “Even if it is to preserve our culture, how your ding it is wrong!” Seeing this… this thing, this monster is even worst than White Fang under Adam’s rule in comparison.

"Enlighten. Us." Ren hissed as he drew Stormflower. "How does bottling cities 'preserve' my people?!"

“Answer the damn question…” Elm growls, wanting to have a reason to hate this monster.

"Hmm," Brainiac paused. A hiss of air escaped the ports on his body as, one by one, the cables detached themselves from his body. "Do you know what the most unique aspect of a civilization is? It is their culture, the sum of all the collected knowledge available to them. What I do is ensure that knowledge can last."

“What does bottling cities have to do with knowledge!?” The viewing Ruby yells in rage.

“That holds absolutely no logic at all!” Penny screamed in rage.

"What does bottling cities have to do with knowledge!?" Ruby snarled as she chambered her weapon, aiming it squarely on Brainiac's forehead. Once again, he didn't care.

"By preserving those cities, the greatest examples of a planet's culture, I am able to prevent that knowledge from dying. Your culture was on the cusp of collapse before I arrived, both from internal and external pressures. If not the Grimm by themselves, then then your societal rifts would have ripped it apart on its own and consumed itself, with the Grimm finishing you off. Now, those pressures cannot threaten it, and your culture is preserved for eternity within my archives."

“Hey! Our world may be shit, but we never asked for your help!” Marrow snarled enough to show his fangs.

“Your help is the last thing we ever need!” Maria growls as her robotic eyes dangerously narrowed.

"How noble." Weiss chambered her last remaining stores of Dust and readied herself. Beside her, Blake chambered Gambol Shroud and crouched down, holding both swords in her hands while Yang cocked Ember Celica, arms raised in a fighting posture.

"This is your last warning," Ruby began to say as Nora hefted her hammer. "Put our cities back and leave. Now."

"Or you'll kill me?" Brainiac asked, his face expressionless.

“Yes.” Everyone the cinema room darkly said all

"That's the idea," Nora darkly answered.

"Others far greater than you have tried. They all failed." Brainiac's declaration was met with silence. Then, everyone sprang forward as they charged the green alien.

Everyone cheered for the alternate RWBY and JNPR facing against the alien tyrant.

Ruby, using her Semblance, was the first to arrive as she burst into petals then reformed above the alien menace. As she began to fall down, she began to fire her weapon at him, the heavy caliber bullets ricocheting off of his armor. She frowned, noting how they had no effect. It appeared that Brainiac's armor was much more durable than his drones. Deciding that a change in tactics was in order, she expanded Crescent Rose back into its scythe mode and closed the gap between them, the bullets of her friend's weapons pinging off of his armor, also doing nothing. They did, however, keep him distracted long enough for her to make contact. While she wasn't heavy enough to drive him to the ground, she was able to kick his head and use it as a springboard. With a flipping twirl, she swung her blade upwards and knocked into his chin, snapping his head upwards. As her feet touched the ground, she leapt forward to deliver a stab to where she assumed his heart was, only for the metallic alien to shift his body to the side and wrap his arm around Ruby's side. Helpless, she flailed as he lifted her up and brought her back down, stomach first, onto his raised knee. The air escaped from Ruby's lungs from the powerful blow, and she couldn't resist as he threw her to the side like discarded trash, ignoring the bullets still pinging off of his armor as he turned towards the others. As he did, Yang shot a shell behind her, using the recoil to close the gap just as he turned to face her.

Ruby cringed, seeing herself being struck and thrown like that but still held her determination, still believing her other can again fight.

“So that freak can fight…” Robyn growled.

"HUAAH!" Yang shouted as she delivered a flying punch to Brainiac, knocking him across the jawline. Not letting up, she rained down blows upon his chest, each blow rocking him back and forth as he was knocked into a nearby wall. He attempted to counter, only for a sheet of ice to freeze his arm solid. Leaping over her partner, Blake kicked Brainiac's face as hard as she could. His head snapped back but quickly recovered. With minimal exertion, he freed his arm from the block of ice and prepared to throw a punch of his own, only for Jaune to shield-charge the alien, knocking him off balance. Lying on top of the alien, Jaune began to slam down with his shield, using it as a bludgeon before attempting to stab, only for his arm to be caught by Brainiac's. Rising to his feet, Brainiac hurled Jaune into Weiss, who, with a cry, was knocked to the ground, while he turned to deflect another blow from Yang. The metal box flew out its perch behind her back and skidded across the floor, and the pulsating glow grew slightly brighter.

“Weiss!” Winter screams in concern for her younger sister as the viewing Weiss cringed at the attack.

A few of the audience noticed the box glowing but chose to ignore it as they focused on the battle.

"Enough of this," Brainiac muttered as he stomped towards the fallen students, only to be intercepted by gunfire. Ren charged him, forcing Brainiac to shield his face as the bullets impacted his arm. As Ren neared, Brainiac threw a punch, one that Ren nimbly dodged and kicked off of. He slash Brainiac across the face and tried to deliver a spin kick, only for Brainiac to catch his leg. With a yelp, Ren was spun and slammed into the ground, and before he could recover, Brainiac stomped on him hard enough to dent the floor.

“REN!” The viewing Nora screamed as she held her Ren while her partner flinched at attack his other received.

"REN!" Nora screamed as she ran towards the alien. With his ever-present deadpan look, he kicked the fallen boy towards Nora, knocking the breath out of her as they flew backwards. Quickly, she got to her feet and charged forward, hammer raised high as she attempted to strike him down, only for Brainiac to catch the hammer with his bare hands.

“He’s that strong!?” Elm shouts in disbelief while Nora’s eyes widen in shock seeing her beloved Magnhild stopped by her opponent.

"A futile endeavor." He didn't give Nora a chance to reply as he punched her three times in the gut in rapid succession, shattering the remains of her Aura and causing her to cough up bile. She crumpled to the ground and whimpered, clutching her stomach in an attempt to stop the pain before she too was kicked away, this time into Jaune, who managed to catch her. He sat her down to a nursing Weiss, a nasty bruise forming on her face while he himself had a split lip. Warm blood trickled out of it, a faint taste of copper on his tongue, but he didn't care as he glared at Brainiac. Blake was continuing her assault, his blows being absorbed by Blake's Shadows, but he was catching on remarkably fast. As Blake attempted to avoid another blow, she was blindsided by a sideways kick to her back. She screamed as she flew out and impacted a nearby console, shattering it as she herself rolled across the ground before finally stopping. As she attempted to lift herself upward, her Aura finally flickered out, and she collapsed in a heap.

“Nora!”

“Blake!”

Ren and Yang both screamed for there partner out horror and concern. Nora trembled to see herself beaten in such a way. Ren tried his best to comfort her by using his Semblance to calm her down while he is hugging her. Yang’s eyes turned red but controlled her rage as she held onto Blake’s hand as she tried to comfort her.

"Blake!" Yang yelled as she and Pyrrha charged towards the alien. Pyrrha hurled her spear at the back of Brainiac's head, who sharply turned around and caught the spear inches from his face. Not missing a beat, Pyrrha leapt out and kicked him in the chin and wrenched the spear from his hands. As she spun, she hurled her shield, which impacted his forehead and begun to swing her sword with expert skill and precision. Any blows he threw were subtly deflected by her Semblance as she was joined by Yang, who delivered a powerful uppercut to his chin and knocked him back. As he staggered, Yang continued her assault, only for the alien to dodge underneath, elbow her in the throat, and throw her to the side as she gasped for breath then turned back to face Pyrrha. He did not move towards her, and Pyrrha frowned slightly as he rubbed his chin, keeping her shield towards him.

“Yang!” Ruby, Blake, and Qrow shouts in concern seeing how her other was thrown like that while Yang cringed as she held her throat, she could only imagine the pain her other was going through.

"Interesting," he responded, confusing the champion. "You're using your Semblance to deflect my arms away from you, keeping you from harm." Pyrrha's eyes were wide now as he stood up straighter.

“Don’t you dare…” Jaune, along with his teammates, glared towards the alien.

"No matter. I have ways to compensate." The way he said it frightened her, but before she could react, a loud noise shrieked above her. Pyrrha shot her head upwards only to see a massive claw shooting down towards her. Without thinking and operating on instinct, Pyrrha leapt backwards out of the way, forcing herself to and curve her body as another claw lunged for her. Seeing how she was about to land head first onto the metal floor, she thrust out her hands and quickly performed a perfect handspring, using her momentum to kick Brainiac in the chest. He briefly staggered back, allowing Pyrrha to press her advantage as she swung her sword and punched with her shield. As another claw lunged for her, she ducked under it and grabbed hold of it with her Semblance. With great strain, she twisted the claw until it hurtled towards Brainiac, who immediately intercepted with another claw from above, the force crushing them both. He briefly frowned, the largest showing of emotion they had seen since he'd arrived, but his face quickly returned to his characteristic deadpan look. To Pyrrha's worry, he did not appear winded while she was panting, a sheen of sweat covering her body from the exertion. Still, with more sluggish movements, she charged towards Brainiac to continue her fight, and as he threw another punch, she attempted to deflect, only for her Semblance to fail. In an instant, she realized exactly what he had done. He had thrown all of those claws at her to exhaust her, knowing that she would use her Semblance to avoid the attack and to try and turn it around on him, that the strain would tire her out considerably. She attempted to block with her arm, only for the blow to shatter the remains of her Aura. A loud crack was heard as her arm fractured, followed by a scream of pain that was silenced by another blow to her head, knocking her unconscious. As she fell to the ground, Brainiac, lifted her body, and threw her to the side.

“PYRRHA!”

“NO!”

“MONSTER!”

Everyone shouted and screamed in both horror and rage, seeing how Brainiac crippled the Invincible Girl in such a horrid way.

“This isn’t a battle…” Qrow whispers as he grips his flask, nearly denting it. “This is a one-sided fight…”

"Pyrrha!" Jaune screamed as he charged towards the alien, sword at the ready. He swung downwards, only for Brainiac to catch the blade in this hand. With the other, he delivered a heavy barrage of powerful blows to Jaune's head, eventually shattering his Aura and driving him into the ground, thoroughly unconscious. As he prepared to stomp on Jaune's head, Ruby, having finally recovered, intercepted the fallen boy in a cloud of petals while Weiss blocked his foot with her Glyph, entrapping it. While Ruby tended to her fallen friends, Weiss formed an array of Glyphs around Brainiac. Forming a final one behind her, she launched towards the metallic alien, delivering swift slices as she bounced from glyph to glyph, expending the last of her Dust with each strike before finally stopping. Shrugging off the elemental strikes, he turned towards her, his attention now squarely on the heiress and away from the others, as she had planned.

“No…” Jaune mutters in horror, he wanted to thank Ruby for the save but was too horrified to answer.

"Your family's Semblance is most fascinating. So different in use and function from all the others," Brainiac mused as he tore his foot away from the glyph. "It's study will be most enlightening."

“NEVER!” Weiss screamed in rage as she dangerously glared towards the alien.

“STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!” Winter also screamed in rage, glaring the same way as the younger Schnee is doing, also feeling useless watching her sister and friends are treated such a way.

"I would rather die."

"Your survival is not needed for this process." Immediately, Brainiac unleashed metal tentacles from his back, which swarmed the heiress, wrapping themselves around her. Before she could respond, he pulled her in close to deliver a powerful blow to her head, which she narrowly blocked with a glyph. Without missing a beat, Brainiac kneed her in the gut then slammed her into the ground, followed by three swift punches. The third shattered her Aura, and he threw her to the side. As he walked away towards Yang, he idly noted that the last remaining huntresses were shooting at him, as they had been the entire time, but he paid it no heed.

“WEISS!”

“NO!”

Weiss trembled, seeing her other defeated in such a way she slowly calmed down when both her partner and sister quickly went to her side.

“This… I can’t watch…” Pietro turned his head away, refusing to watch any more of brutality.

"Surrender now," he coldly ordered. "You must see that it is lost."

"Burn in Hell," Yang countered then shot forward at Brainiac with a shotgun blast, fist outstretched. As she neared, Brainiac turned to the side and outstretched his arm, clotheslining the huntress and flipping her onto the ground. To her credit, she quickly rose to her feet and charged again, delivering powerful punches to the alien, who swiftly deflected each blow before countering with swift jabs to her face and knocking her into a nearby console with enough force to shatter it into a shower of sparks. As Yang staggered, Brainiac grabbed her head and brought it down onto his rising knee, knocking her back and allowing him to punch her across the jawline and spinning her around in a daze. She barely noticed when Brainiac lifted her up off the ground then slammed her back down. Not finished, he grabbed the back of her jacket, lifted her up, and spun before releasing her, sending her flying into a wall with a loud clang. At this, her Aura finally shattered, yet she still tried to rise off the ground defiantly before collapsing. Ruby, having turned her attention towards her fallen partner, saw this with wide eyes as Brainiac lifted Yang off the ground, his fist clenched around her throat as he began to squeeze. The action roused Yang from unconsciousness, and with wide, terrified eyes began to choke and gasp for air, trying in vain to pry the hand from her throat.

“YANG!” Blake, Ruby, and Qrow screamed, seeing her being choked by the alien. Yang bit her lips as tears fell from her as she glared towards the screen. Blake and Ruby held her as they tried to comfort her while Qrow just concerningly looks towards her niece with a hurt expression.

"Yang!" Ruby screamed as she raced towards Brainiac, knocking herself into his arm and dislodging her sister while hitting him in the face with the blunt end of her scythe. With a quick burst of petals, she carried her gasping sister to safety, depositing her next to the others while she went back to face him head-on. She raced towards the alien, turning into petals as she danced around him. She would reform to deliver a slice before bursting away as he tried to counter-attack, reforming again to attack once more and repeating the process ad nauseum for several moments. Deep scratches finally began to appear on Brainiac's armor, having been worn down from the fighting, but it wasn't enough. With each use of her Semblance, Brainiac's attacks were getting closer and closer, and she herself was getting slower. Finally, as Ruby attempted another swing, Brainiac caught her weapon and held it in place, extending his tentacles around her arm. She tried to rip her arm free, but found that she couldn't. Immobilized, she couldn't stop Brainiac from delivering a powerful sideways kick to her side. She gasped as the blow ripped her from the tentacles hold and threw her to the side, causing her to roll on the ground before stopping at the feet of her friends, all lying on the ground. Shakily, Ruby propped herself up with Crescent Rose and stared defiantly at the slowly advancing alien, one of her eyes swollen shut while her lip was split.

"I… I…" she stammered before collapsing onto her knees. Brainiac continued to walk towards her, and with one final act of defiance, she shifted Crescent Rose into a rifle and fired, hitting him in the head. The shot did nothing. When Brainiac calmly approached the kneeling girl, he violently brought his fist down on her head, shattering the remains of her Aura and knocking her to the ground. Her vision blurred, and she almost passed out, but with tremendous effort was able to keep her from doing so.

“No…” Ruby whispered in pure horror seeing her other not only brutally beaten, but she, along with her friends, was defeated. Tears fell from her eyes as she sunk in her seat, seeing that they have failed.

“Ruby…” Penny quickly came to her side and comforted the young reaper.

"No…" Ruby grasped the pain as she attempted once more to push off the ground, tears threatening to pour out of her.

Everyone was crestfallen, not only seeing the young huntsman and huntresses being beaten but have failed in there mission.

"As I said," Brainiac repeated before casually placing his foot on her head, pushing her to the ground and making her whimper, "a futile effort."

“Damn it…!” Harriet gritted her teeth rage, feeling so useless. “If we were there we could–”

“Do nothing.” Harriet, along with the other Ace-Ops, James and Winter, snapped there necks to Clover, shocked to hear him say such a thing but then flinched, seeing his glare towards the screen. This was the first time they ever have seen the lucky Specialist like that.

“Wh-What do you mean?” Marrow asks.

Clover tales a deep breath and clams himself. “I don’t like saying it myself guys, but I know all too well, and I know how incredibly skilled you all are, but be honest with me…” He turns to his team with a sad smile. “Do you guys really think we have a chance even with my Semblance?”

The members of the Ace-Ops flinched the question. They all turned their heads away, refusing to look into the eyes of there captain as they know deep down they have no chance against the alien even with there Semblances.

James gave out a dry chuckle as he looks down. “In the end… nothing would change…”

At that, he walked away back to his console. With a great amount of strain, Ruby forced herself to look at him as the cables reattached themselves to his body. The glass screen in front of him sprung to life and showed the city of Vale, and at once, Ruby's eye widened.

Everyone watched in horror, feeling so useless and small seeing the last of the Kingdom going through the same fate as the others.

“No…” Ruby whimpers as tears continue to fall.

"No…" she whimpered as Brainiac's ship fired upon Vale, engulfing it in a wave of light, which blinded her and roused the others from their unconscious states. As they took in the sight of the light, it died down to only reveal a crater where Vale once rested.

"Planet R2003T's preservation is now complete," Brainiac announced as he took it in. A ghost of a smile flashed across his face, only to disappear as soon as it arrived.

"You… heartless monster…" Ruby grunted out as she forced herself onto her knees. Brainiac ignored her as a holographic display appeared above him. A sinking feeling formed in Ruby's gut, but before she could call out, he pressed a button.

The audience perked up again, noticing what the alien is doing. Like the alternate Ruby, they all felt s sinking feeling inside them, but they didn’t say anything thy just watched in pure silence

At once, a thin green beam shot down towards the planet, striking in the heart of what was once Vale. The beam burrowed its way deep into Remnant's crust and passed into the mantle. Not ceasing, it continued forward into the outer core before finally striking the inner core. Once there, the beam coalesced into an orb before exploding. The force destabilized the core, shattering it and causing a spontaneous collapse, which quickly spread across the entire planet. Fire erupted from large cracks along the crust, vaporizing the oceans in an instant as the atmosphere disintegrated. Large columns of fire and magma shot out like geysers, and what was once a world teeming with life was now a molten ball of fire. Even that did not last long, as one final crack appeared, one too many for the planet to handle. In an instant, the planet exploded, the shockwave buffeting Brainiac's ship and knocking the metal box closer to Ruby, who did not notice as it impacted her thigh. Neither did the others as they stared in silent horror at what was once their world, now floating chunks of smoldering rock.

Everyone watched in silent horror. None of them moved from their seats; they could only sit as they all had mixed reactions, some covered their mouths in shock, some had their eyes widen in horror, some began to cry, some screamed, some just sank in their seats looking down in fear. It took a significant amount of time for all of them to recover. After a while, they recovered and continued back to viewing, but of course, they were still hurt.

"Y… you…" The words barely came out of Ruby's dry mouth. Her heartbeat thundered within her, and she didn't know what to do. "W… wh… why…?"

"I had no need of it to gather the knowledge needed," Brainiac explained as if it was obvious. "Remnant's cities will be preserved until such a time as I have gathered all the information I can from them. Then, I will dispose of them to allow for their capsules to be used for other cities."

“So, he just tosses away our world after you finished collecting us?” Qrow spat as he and the other glared at the alien.

"You… you monster, you…" Jaune gasped out in accusation, unable to finish his sentence. "How is… that preservation?"

“He’s no monster… he’s a demon.” Maria spat while the others agreed.

"They do not need to be alive for them to be preserved," Brainiac calmly stated, his back still turned to them. "Only their collected knowledge. That is far more important than any lives lost."

“Disgusting…” Winter and Weiss growled in unison.

“How could there anyone be so… so evil!” Oscar growled as he clenched his chest with his hands feeling the dread inside, he couldn’t tell if that was his own or Ozpin’s.

"No…" Blake whimpered.

"Your feelings on this matter are inconsequential," Brainiac declared as he removed the tubing from his body. He turned back towards the students, prepared to recapture them for study, when he finally noticed the box beside them.

Ruby gasped and pointed the box. “Look! The box!”

Everyone turned their attention to the box, noticing that something is happening to it.

“What is it doing?” Ren says as his eyes widen.

"The Mother Box…" His eyes actually widened as the metal box began to violently shake and glow. Everyone's attention was directed towards it as it recoiled away and began to pulsate wildly. The centers of each square moved and pulsed, segments flying out then back in like water, revealing a white glow beneath it. He sprinted towards them, tentacles reaching, and his arm outstretched towards the shaking box, only for it to explode into light. At once, a column of light erupted around the fallen students. They screamed in fright as the Boom Tube pulsated around them and dragged them upwards towards it. As they passed, the ship began to shake violently from the force exerted, holes and tears appearing everywhere, above and below the bridge. From the shaking force, Brainiac's engines cut off, causing the ship to cease moving. Finally, as Ruby, now clutching the Mother Box like a lifeline, entered the Boom Tube, it collapsed in on itself, sending a shockwave that rocked the ship and its contents, knocking Brainiac to the ground and sending sparks flying everywhere. Explosions rocked the ship for a few moments and then ceased. Only then did Brainiac rise to his feet. With precise steps, he walked over to the location of the Boom Tube's creation, a large Omega sign now burned onto the ground.

Everyone just stared dumbstruck as they all try to process what Remnant all-mighty just happened?!

“What… what just happened?” Nora slowly said.

“I… I don’t know…” Ruby slowly answer but then makes a slow, small smile. “but… I think our others just got saved.”

"How did I not see this?" he muttered to himself as he ran over the battle in his head. Quickly an answer revealed itself, and Brainiac shook his head in frustration. He had been so focused on the battle, he had let the small device escape his view, despite the fact that the white-haired female walked in with it. He momentarily cursed himself for the lapse in judgment before moving on. Right now, the priority was fixing his ship. With the debris field around him, it would not be hard to gather the needed materials. Then, he would find out just where the Boom Tube had taken them. Once he did, he would find them again.

“Well, James, I know its not a total victory, but at least the kids manage to leave a mark on his pride,” Qrow smirked after taking a sip from his flask then passes to James.

James lets out a small chuckle as he takes the flask and finishes the last drop of it then passes it back to him. “It's not… but seeing that alien bastard feeling the taste of frustration is enough for me.”

Saying his peace, everyone in the room felt a sense of victory despite Remnant’s Fall.

It did not matter where they went or who opposed him.

Ruby narrowed her towards Brainiac. “Bring it. We may not be able to do anything, but I know that our others can beat you next time!” Ruby declared with so much determination that it was enough to lighten the mood showing that the last sons and daughters of Remnant are given a chance again to survive despite its small number.

In a solar system far from Remnant's own, on the third planet in a system of eight, on one of the seven continents of the lush and fertile world, a man and a woman sat in a diner. They had known each other for years, been coworkers at the same newspaper. At first, they were just close friends, but that, over time, blossomed into something more.

Everyone was confused at the sudden change of scenery. All of them are confused and fascinated, seeing a completely different world, city, and seeing two people that they don’t know off.

“What's going on…” For the first time in a while, Harriet questions with awe on her voice. “Are… are we seeing a completely different world?”

“I think so…” Vine also answers in awe.

“But who are these two?” Elm asks, pointing at the man and woman.

“Aliens?” Marrow confusingly answers.

“But they look like humans.” Jaune points out.

Pietro gasps in awe. “Perhaps they are humans but from an alien world.”

"You were right," the brunette woman said as she drank her milkshake, "these are really good."

“Huh, she’s quite the looker,” Qrow says, having a good look at the women.

“Really, you fool?” Winter sighs in annoyance.

“Bite me.” Clover laughs at the two’s bickering glad that the tension was now dropping.

"What did I tell you?" The man smiled, his eyes mirthful as he looked through his glasses. "So thick, you need a spoon."

The audience blinked at the interaction, not expecting to see this after all the hell they’ve seen.

“Are we watching a date now?” Blake questions with a raised brow.

“The guy looks plain,” Robyn comments but shrugs. “but hey, he’s that woman’s date.”

"How'd you come across this place, anyway?"

"I saw it one day while I was with Bruce," the man revealed. "I saw it out of the corner of my eye and figured 'Why not?'. Been in love with the place ever since."

"I see," the woman nodded with a knowing smile. "Tell me, did Bruce join you?"

"You know how he is." He shrugged. "Diana liked it, though."

“I’m confused?” Penny tilted her head. “Why are these two people important?”

“I’m sure there's a reason Penny. I think?” Ruby says unsurely.

"Hah, I bet she did. She loves everything about Metropolis. Something tells me that if she had her way, Bruce would have been dragged along."

"Probably!" The man laughed along with the woman. Slowly, the laughter died down, and they continued to eat their milkshakes and burgers in silence.

"Clark," the woman softly spoke, "I've… been meaning to ask you something…"

"What is it, Lois?" Clark asked in concern. Lois looked at him, a question she had been wanting to ask for years on her lips, but she sighed and shook her head.

“Felt like there was going to be some drama just now.” Yang comments. “So their names are Lois and Clark, huh.”

“Really?” Oscar asks as he nodded in confirmation. “I don’t know why but watching these kinda seems relaxing.” Saying that the others couldn’t help but agree that they seemed to calm down even more.

"It's nothing, never mind. Let's just—" Lois was interrupted by a loud explosion that rang across the Metropolis air, attracting everyone's attention. Cars stopped on the street as people looked up into the sky, trying to find the source of the boom. Soon, it was followed by screams as people began to run. With a start, Clark and Lois left money on the table as they left the diner, Lois pulling out a pen and notepad as she did. Quickly, they saw a telltale phenomenon beginning to open over Metropolis, and Lois pursed her lips.

Everyone gasped, seeing a similar light and sound from Brainiac's ship.

“That light!” Ren gasps as he points at the screen. “It’s the same one from Brainiac’s ship!”

“It really is a portal!” Nora says in glee but drops as she notices something. “But why is it so high up in the sky?”

This raises a lot of concern and alarm for the viewers because Team RWBY and JNPR are seriously injured after the battle against Brainiac.

"A Boom Tube," she muttered as she quickly began jotting down on her notepad and pulled out her phone. "Jimmy, get over here! Boom Tube on corner of Fifth and West!"

“A Boom Tube… so that what that phenomenon is called.” Doctor Pietro says, feeling that the name perfectly fits it.

“Wait. How does Lois know what that’s called?” Jaune points out, gaining everyone's attention.

“The way she acted… I think she’s a news reporter.” Weiss deduced, noting how the woman provisionally acted.

"On my way, Lois!" Jimmy Olsen quickly replied before hanging up.

"Alright, Smallville! Come on, lets…" Lois Lane turned around to look for her junior, only to sigh as she noticed he was already absent. "Of course he's gone."

“Now that was rude,” Winter comments disapproving how her date acted.

“Where the hell is he running off too?” Maria says as she raises her brows.

As the people around him continued to run, Clark Kent ran into a nearby alley. He tossed his glasses aside and continued to run, the people behind him not noticing as he ripped off his buttoned shirt, revealing a blue garment with a gold diamond in the center of his chest, a red S emblazoned on it. No one witnessed with Clark Kent shedding the rest of his clothes, revealing his blue and red outfit underneath, a red cape behind him.

Everyone was taken aback at the sudden change Clark has done, which none of them expected.

“What tha…” Qrow started but stopped short as he and everyone in the room had their jaws dropped, seeing another unexpected thing that will forever be burned in their memories.

Everyone cheered when Superman flew in and stopped in front of the Boom Tube, ready to face whatever came out.

Everyone was still frozen in place, and their jaws still dropped when they first accepted his invitation from Mr. Mxyzptlk none of them would ever expect from an alien invasion, bottling of their kingdoms, the battle against Brainiac and the destruction of their home. But the last thing anyone would ever expect in the end was a superhero from a comic would come and save the day. This was the beginning of the Remnantians to bare witness to the golden age of heroes of Earth.

To be continued…

A/N: And that’s the end of the first chapter! Big shout for shadyxlr for sending me information about transcripts of Fate/Zero anime episode.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

It took a while for the entire Remnantians took take in all that they have just seen. In the beginning, they were horrified to see a version of their world being invaded by an alien invader, the kingdom and settlement collected and shrunken down inside glass bottles, worst of all, the destruction of their world.

Despite all the pain, Team RWBY and JNPR of that world managed to escape, much to the viewer's relief. It may not have been much. Watching a small piece of hope from massive defeat was enough to know that it's not over.

This now brings us to this moment when the viewers now have seen a whole new world, new places, and new people. And right now, the said viewers are still gapping or comprehending what they just saw. I plain-looking man suddenly changing to costume superhero and flying off to the sky.

Jaune was the first to break the silence. “Was… was that…?”

“A SUPERHERO!” The familiar voice screamed out from behind them, making a few jump or scream in fright. They all quickly turned their heads around to see Mr. Mxyzptlk floating in the air with his trademark grin.

“Mr. Myxpick?!” Ruby shouted in surprise while trying to pronounce his name.

“No, no. It’s Mr. Mxyzptlk.” The imp shooked is head. “It’s pronounced Mix.” He emphasized his pronunciation by first turning into an actual mix. “Yes.” Then an album of Yes. “Spit.” Then turning back to normal to spit loudly at the viewers. “Lick!” Then finally turning into an oversize tongue, licking everyone in the room, making them recoiled in disgust.

“GROSS!” Harriet screamed, feeling a sense of disgust along with the rest.

“EWEWEWEWEWEWEW!” Ruby gagged as she tried wiping out the spit off her. Fortunately, the imp was kind enough to clean them with a snap of his fingers instantly.

“Was that necessary?” Winter growled as she glared towards the interdimensional traveler.

“How am I supposed to pronounce my name then?” Mr. Mxyzptlk childishly said, not affected by the Specialist's glare or with the others.

“Why are you even here?” Clover jumps in, trying to calm the situation down even though he was angry and disgusted.

“Aw… am I not allowed to come and check my favorite viewers after they watched their first episode?”

This made everyone momentarily froze and gave them mixed feelings. Not one of them was sure what to say or ask at that moment.

“Why…” The one who first asked the question was Ruby Rose. “Out of everything from the multiverse… why did you have to show us that?”

The young Huntress asked while her tone was a mixture of both anger and hurt. It sounded she was voicing everyone’s question. It was true that they all wanted to be angry and scream towards the imp, but they wanted to hear his answer.

“To show you that there is a fate much worse than the pickle you guys going through.” The answer caught everyone off guard. It was true. The ones more familiar with the situation in Remnant were preparing themselves for the coming battle against Salem. But what they just witnessed surpasses all that, even those who heard the story from Jinn pale in complexion.

“It’s all the same, you know.” The imp continued as he crosses his arms. “Every universe, everyone thinks they're the only ones that are in the center of it all… but guess what? IT’S ALL WRONG!” He screamed in annoyance as he raises both his fist high, startling everyone. “Everyone in the universe or any other knows that there is so much more to it. But in the end… they just chose to ignore it.”

Everyone listening had mixed feeling towards the answer. And there was proof to his words. Salem, Cinder, the infighting, the White Fang, racism, the Council members, the Nobles who live up in Atlas, and so many more. It goes to show that their world isn’t that perfect they think, despite the constant struggles they’ve gone through.

“Is that why you showed us this?” Weiss carefully asked. “To show us that we can do so much more?”

“That, and much much more!” The imp cheerfully said happily that there finally getting it while also enjoying his time with this version of RWBY.

“So I take it seeing both Team RWBY and JNPR in another world is a part it?” James asked to clarify.

“Yes!” Mr. Mxyzptlk answered. “But you all have to see it first before you lot can think about it!”

“Okay…” Yang slowly nodded, then decided to ask a few questions herself. “So what is that world our others are in? And what's the deal with Clark?”

“Yeah! I mean, is Clark some kind of Superhero Huntsman with an awesome Semblance!” Ruby excitingly asked, nearly begging to know who the red-capped man is. Much to the other’s growing curiosity.

The imp just giggled at the cute question, little red was asking. “The name of the planet is called Earth. I know, I know not original sounding, but hey it works.” The imp rolled his eyes but continued. “And as for Clark… well, I bet its better for you guys to figure that out yourself.”

This earned a few groans of annoyance to the younger audience. “Which reminds me…” The imp said, making everyone perk up towards him. “Penny~, would you be so kind as to stand up.”

The said android blinked a couple of times and before doing what he said. “Okay…?” As she stood up, Mr. Mxyzptlk came up to her face, slightly startling her. He then snaps his fingers on his right hand. Then a small item appeared on his hand. Upon closer look, it looked like a USB flash drive.

Penny recognized the item but tilted her head in confusion. “What are you going to–” Before she could finish her question, the imp finger flicked her forehead with his left hand, this earned an ‘ow’ from the girl. But before she could protest, she suddenly felt something coming out of the very spot her head. It didn’t feel painful but more like a tingling sensation. Those watching a gasped at the sight. The girl was confused about why they did. The reason was a USB slot suddenly appeared out of her head. And without warning, Mr. Mxyzptlk grinned and connected the USB directly towards the said slot. A few shrieks and cries came from the audience while the said girls just yelped at the sudden action.

“PENNY!” Both Pietro and Ruby screamed in horror and shock.

“What the hell are you doing!?” Nora screamed as she and the others were about to intervene but were cut off the moment they heard Penny’s giggling.

“P-Penny…?” Weiss raised a brow in confusion along with the others.

“I-I’m s-s-sorry friend Weiss.” Penny stuttered as she tried to suppress her laughter. “I-I d-don’t know wh-what's happening, but It r-really feels ticklish.”

Before anyone could question what was happening, the USB stuck on her head began to make a beeping noise.

“Oh! It looks like the uploading is complete.” The imp says as he removes the flash drive off from her head. She made a small yelp. Both the flash drive and the slot on her head disappeared. “So, how do you feel?”

Penny rubbed her forehead with her hands. “I feel like Neo when he gets uploaded with information like in The Matrix Trilogy.” Everyone blinked in confusion. Some recognized the name, but after describing it, even more, it just made them even confused. Even Penny blinked, realizing what she just said. “Wait. What?”

“Success!” Mr. Mxyzptlk cheered. “With this, you wouldn’t need to worry about looking for more information.”

“What did you do?” Ren questioned.

“Oh, nothing. I just uploaded all the necessary information up to her pretty little head.” The imp answers as he playfully taps the androids head. “That way, you can learn more about what your counterparts are in and what there doing.”

“But how?” Pietro asked, wondering how he could have done that to her daughter. “I never installed anything like that to my little girl.”

“The Power of Magic!” The imp dramatically said as confetti popped all around him, earning a deadpanned look from everyone.

“I’m getting a serious headache out of all this…” Robyn mutters as she rubbed her forehead.

“You and me both…” Maria agreed.

“Welp! My work here is done! Enjoy the rest of the viewing.” With that, Mr. Mxyzptlk disappeared with a popping noise.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Let’s just continue with the movie…” Qrow said, breaking the silence which everyone agreed on while the theatre began to lit up as it knew its audience was ready to watch.

Chapter 2: The Justice League

“The Justice League?” Vine said curiosity.

“Is that some kind of organization?” Robyn guessed.

Nora gasped. “Maybe it’s the name of a superhero team! And I'm betting that Clark is a part of them!” Both Ruby and Jaune's eyes sparkled in excitement even Marrow had few sparkles on his eyes but held himself back, but his tail said otherwise.

She was falling. The world around her was pure white light. No noise, no pain, no feeling. Ruby was just falling through the white void, struggling to stay awake, but everything just felt so… peaceful. Serene might be the better word for it.

The excitement of the few immediately dropped.

Her vision began to blur as simply staying awake became a monumental struggle. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see dark human-shaped blurs falling above her. She couldn't identify who was who, but she knew that they were her friends. That comforted her, somewhat, as that meant that they were still together.

“Are… are our others inside the Boom Tube?” Blake questioned.

“Fascinating…” The Doctor says as he carefully examines the phenomena.

“The Boom Tube is a slang expression for an extra-dimensional point-to-point travel port,” Penny answers, gaining everyone's attention.

“That’s… cool, but how did you know?” Oscar says.

“It’s one of the new information Mr. Mxyzptlk gave.” The android happily answers. “For every time we come across something new, new information immediately pops up in my head. Fun fact, the moniker derives from the loud “BOOM” when the tube is created.”

“Yeah! Quite the boom, isn’t it?” Yang punned while her friends just groan in annoyance while the others just raised a brow.

Brainiac had taken everything else.

And the room got serious again.

Her consciousness was fading now, but as she did, the white light that surrounded her grew even brighter, almost blinding. It soon disappeared, and the silence she was just beginning to grow accustomed to was replaced by sirens, horns, and other sounds straight out of a bustling city. Ruby could see blurry outlines of tall buildings shooting past her as she fell, and from the height of those buildings, Ruby could guess that she was very high up. Even if she had Aura, a fall from how high she thought she was would almost certainly be fatal. Yet, she somehow couldn't bring herself to care.

“No…” Ruby gasped, realizing where she and her friends’ others are coming out from.

“Our others are falling from the sky!” Weiss shouts in horror.

“There's no way our Aura can survive that kind of fall! Not while our other are injured!” Jaune pointed out, increasing everyone's worry.

The last thing she felt before losing consciousness was soft yet strong arms gently catching her. She looked to see a man looking down on her in concern. Then, everything went black.

Everyone sighed in relief, learning that the injured Ruby was saved at the last minute.

“Bet ya 100 Lien, who saved my niece,” Qrow says with a small smile.

“I guess that means I’m filthy rich then.” Yang joked.

Five Minutes Earlier

“This all happened five minutes ago?” Clover says in a slight surprise.

“That happened surprisingly fast.” Elm comments.

"Lois, this is nuts!" Jimmy Olsen half-whispered, half-yelled to Lois as they continued to watch the Boom Tube pulse. By now, half of the Metropolis Police Department was getting into position around the portal, along with the US Army. After Darkseid, the White Martians, and the Thanarganians, they weren't taking any chances. Snipers were poking their rifles out of the nearby office buildings on nearly every floor, ready to pick off anything that might come out. A few tanks were lining up on the street, backed by missile trucks and a small army of uniformed police officers, SWAT, and soldiers. Sandbags were already being emplaced and fortified with rocket launchers and heavy machine guns. Apache gunships were hovering overhead, their weapons locked and ready to fire. Occasionally, a flight of A-10s could be seen flying overhead.

“Impressive army,” James comments in pure fascination in the military equipment, formation, and weaponry even his fellow Atlassians felt the same.

“Oh! A lot of information just popped in my head after reading all that!” Penny chirped.

“Does that include the Darkseid, the White Martians, and the Thanarganians,” Blake asked, curious about the specific events that were mentioned.

“They did pop up, but it looks like they are locked,” Penny answered.

“What do you mean?” Ruby asked.

“It appears that some information will be locked and be held until the time being.” Penny answers. “I can share about their military information later.”

“That would be acceptable.” James nodded in acceptance.

Yet, all of that paled to the man wearing red and blue spandex floating in front of all of them.

“Look! It’s Clark.” Ruby shots in awe along with the others watching how the red and blue spandex-wearing man they could help but feel awed by the hero.

“His superhero code name is Superman!” Penny cheered as she revealed who Clark is.

“Superman…” Ruby echoed in awe.

“That is one nice ‘S’.” Maria purred, making almost everyone chocking in the air as they all turned to the elderly with a look of bewilderment.

“What? I was talking about the ‘S’ on his chest.” The former Grimm Reaper grinned, enjoying the embarrassed looks they making.

"Camera on the action, Jimmy," Lois immediately replied, her eyes never leaving the developing story in front of them. Already she was noting down every detail for the Daily Planet article she was going to write about this. The number of soldiers, police officers, tanks, and everything in between. Still, she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't at all nervous. Truth was, she was terrified. Boom Tubes were never a good sign, not by themselves but from what usually came out of them.

“The Boom Tube is that terrifying?” Oscar nervisouy said.

“They have a history about it regarding the Darkseid War,” Penny answered. “But further information is classified.”

“The Darkseid War…” Ruby couldn’t help but shudder as she echoed that very word. She knew what war was, but she didn’t see why saying this particular one made her scared. Even those who were thinking about it felt the same.

But, every time her gaze turned over to Superman, that fear lifted and was replaced with hope. He had that effect on people, her in particular. Whether he was wearing tights or a pair of glasses. If only he would simply tell her what she had already figured out.

“I take back what I said about him looking plain. He’s quite the looker if you take off the glasses.” Robyn smirked, having a good look at Superman again.

“Too bad he’s already taken,” Maria smirked, making the Happy Huntress pout.

"Lois, you're frowning again," Jimmy cut into her brooding. Shaking her head, Lois cleared her thoughts and focused on the action, pointedly ignoring the smirk Jimmy was giving her as he continued to take photos of everything in sight.

“That Jimmy kid might be around your kids' age.” Qrow comments.

“He takes his job very seriously despite being in an armed area while being an ordinary civilian,” Clover answers praising the young boy’s focus in the situation.

"J'onn, talk to me. What does the Watchtower say about the Boom Tube? Anything about what's coming through it?" Superman called out into his radio earpiece.

“Who’s J’onn?” Jaune asked.

“And what’s the Watchtower?” Nora added.

“J’onn, aka the Martian Manhunter, is the name of another fellow hero like Superman while the Watchtower is the headquarters of the Justice League,” Penny answered.

“That’s so cool!”

“Glad to know that their group is very organized,” Winter says in approval.

"Unknown," the ever-calm voice of J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, replied over the radio. "All we can determine is that the Boom Tube's endpoint is not from Apokolips or any presently known location and that the number of lifeforms inside is too small to get an accurate read for an estimate. A small group at most."

“They can even read and measure an incoming Boom Tube!” Pietro said in fascination.

“They must have thoroughly studied the technology when this Darkseid War began.” Ren deduced while shuddering a bit at the mention of the war.

"Which means someone must have found a Mother Box and activated it, bringing them here. But why?" Superman mused, his eyes never leaving the growing pulsations high above the Metropolis skyline. Even after nearly half an hour of no signs of anything coming out, he was on guard and ready for whatever emerged.

“A Mother Box?” Weiss whispered as she recalled what her other took from Brainiac’s ship. “Are they referring to the small black box my other took.”

“I believe it is.” The android. “The Mother Box that friend Weiss’s other took is the official name of the device. I’m not receiving much information about it, but all I can tell that it is a very advanced and powerful alien technology that can activate a Boom Tube.”

"Flash, Batman, and Wonder Woman are already on their way and will be there soon, as are Hawkgirl and Green Lantern. I'll be down there momentarily as well."

“More heroes with cool hero code names!” Ruby gleefully said.

“Bet this is a dream come true for you, huh Marrow,” Harriet smirked towards the Faunus Ace-Op.

“Sh-Shut up!” The Dog Faunus whisperingly growled in embarrassment while his tail wagged.

"Negative, J'onn. We need you up there in mission control," the gravelly voice of Batman cut into the radio. Almost as soon as he did, a sleek black jet flew in from above, and a black form ejected from it. Superman immediately recognized Batman's experienced dive and made no move to intercept. That decision turned to be accurate as Batman unfolded his cape and slowed his freefall into a graceful glide, landing next to Superman.

Everyone flinched, seeing the dark-cloaked hero, unlike Superman, who was filled with awe when they first saw him, but for this one, they feel intimidated just by merely looking at him.

“Who… is that?” Jaune stuttered cant helping himself from being scared by the newly arrived hero.

“That is… Batman.” Penny slowly answered, also being intimidated by the Dark Knight. “A hero like Superman, he is also known as the Dark Knight.”

"And I'm already here," he finished speaking. If he didn't know any better, Superman would almost think Batman was amused in saying that, but this was Batman they were talking about.

“Ugh! Even his voice is scary.” Nora comments, shivering a bit from the voice.

"Aw, Bats beat me?" Barry Allen, the Flash, whined through the radio. "No fair! I got caught up stopping Boomerang and Captain Cold trying to rob the Central City Bank and Mirror Master trying to kill me. Again."

“Barry Allen, aka the Flash, another superhero like Superman and Batman,” Penny says. “The two other mentioned are one of his rouge galleries, Captain Boomerang and Captain Cold.”

“Captain Boomerang and Captain Cold?” Weiss deadpans, unimpressed by there codenames.

“What kind of ridicules supervillain names are those?” Yang snickered along with Qrow and few others.

“Despite there silly names, they are Flash’s deadliest adversaries,” Penny answers, causing them to stop snickering.

"How soon can you get here?" Batman ignored the whining, earning an amused chuckle from the Kryptonian.

“I can clearly see the comradery in this team.” Clover smiles towards there interactions.

"Be there in about five minutes. I'd be there sooner, but there was a wreck on I-76. Gotta drop them off at a hospital first."

"Keep us posted. Superman out." Clicking the radio off, Superman momentarily took his eyes off the Boom Tube to look at Batman, whose expression remained grim as he studied the phenomenon intensely. "So, any thoughts?"

"It's not Apokolips," Batman immediately replied, "otherwise we'd already have an army of Parademons coming through. Given how long the Boom Tube's been open, it's likely that either the Boom Tube wasn't opened properly, or the distance is extremely far from Earth, possibly both."

The viewers were somewhat confused. Apokolips? Parademons? Where these somehow connected to Darkseid War.

“Some of those words are connected to the Darkseid War.” Penny answers but scrunched her face. “but it seems that most of the information is locked.”

"Agreed. Would explain why it's still forming." Superman turned his attention back to the Boom Tube. It's pulsing was growing faster by the second. That could only mean that whatever was inside would be through momentarily. "Who would have a Mother Box, though?"

“We would.” Ruby and Nora chimed.

“Interesting…” Doctor Polendina says as he took more notes of Boom Tube. “So it takes time to develop depending on the distance fully.”

"That's a question we'll have to ask whoever used it," Batman replied. Suddenly, the pulsations stopped as the Boom Tube fully materialized, a white circle hovering over the city. At once, the sounds of safeties being flipped off and rockets moving into position sounded off around them. Batman tensed, his hand reaching for a Batarang, but Superman stayed calm. He focused on the Boom Tube, trying to see whatever was coming through. He could faintly see some dark shapes coming through it.

Everyone focused on the dark shapes that Superman is staring at, and their eyes widen at the familiar bodies falling.

“It’s us…” Ruby mutters, feeling dread now that she and her friend’s counterparts are finally revealing themselves.

"Rao," Superman muttered as the first shape fell through the portal. It wasn't a parademon, a robot, or some other alien menace.

It was a child—a broken, unconscious child falling through the air like a lead brick.

Everyone cringed at the description, knowing full well how that happened and who was responsible for it.

Without a second thought, Superman flew through the air as fast as he could towards the falling child. He could see it was a young girl, at most sixteen years of age, wearing a tattered skirt with leggings. Her hair was the darkest red he had ever laid his eyes on, appearing almost black before showing its true color at the tips. Clutched to her side was a dark metallic Mother Box, answering the question as to how she got here. His attention, however, was no longer on the Mother Box. Dark bruises marred her otherwise pale skin, some of which became painfully obvious as he gently caught her. For a moment, she looked at him as if she were surprised that she didn't die, revealing her silver eyes to him before finally falling unconscious.

Ruby flinched, seeing her counterpart like that. She slowly tears as she remembered how Brainiac brutally beat her and her friends. Both Yang and Weiss noticed this and comforted the young girl.

"Get her down here, now!" Batman ordered, already directing medics to receive the girl. Just as Superman turned to fly down gently, seven more bodies fell out of the Boom Tube. Two boys and five girls. This time, they were accompanied by a rain of black globs and a large tube of a tar-like substance, along with several battered weapons, but Superman paid them no heed. He was already on the nearest child, a blond boy wearing shattered white armor over a rabbit-marked hoodie, then turned into a blur to catch the rest of the falling children. Like the silver-eyed girl, they too were unconscious and heavily injured. One girl's arm was completely shattered.

“And here comes the rest…” Jaune dryly said, hinting that there was hurt in his tone.

A few noticed the blond knights Pumpkin Pete bunny rabbit but decided to hold themselves in that comment. Most of the audience could only watch in hurt and sadness, seeing the beaten children that way, while others gritted their teeth and clenched their fist in frustration.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, mostly to himself as he gently carried the eight children to the street. A stretcher was already waiting for him, with seven more being rolled out by Army medics. As his feet touched the ground, he turned into a blur once more to gently lay the children on the stretchers and watched as they were carried off to a nearby medical tent.

“Pyrrha…” Jaune muttered, hurt that hi precious partner was injured this badly. Ren and Nora comforted there leader.

“Gotta say, Clark, Superman is really super,” Robyn says, trying to lighten the mood. “I mean doing all that while being careful and being deeply concern about the kids have my respect.”

“Indeed.” Winter nodded in agreement, happy that Superman helped her alternate younger sister. “He has my respect.” Even Qrow, along with everyone, fully agreed.

"They were only children," Superman breathed out, continuing to watch them being carried away. "What happened to them?"

"Whoever did this…" Batman clenched his fist in anger.

"Wait, hold up. What's this about children?" Flash called out over the radio, his voice sounding concerned.

"Eight teenagers, mostly women, fell out of the Boom Tube," Batman immediately responded. "All were beaten and unconscious. Wounds and bruising indicate blunt force trauma."

"Someone beat up children!?'" Flash was angry now. "What the hell?! I'm almost there!"

“Yup.” Qrow comments. “Looks like I don’t need to worry for my two other world nieces’ wellbeings now.”

“Indeed.” James agrees. “Seeing how these people how they are deeply concerned about our own, shows that we can trust them.”

Everyone in the viewing room agrees with that saying, especially both Teams RWBY and JNR.

"Hurry," Batman replied as he turned back towards where the Boom Tube was just a moment ago. It was gone now, telling him that nothing else was coming through. For a moment, he allowed himself to think it might be over, only for him to remember the tar that fell through earlier. To his alarm, the substance was leaking out of the large tube, and the droplets from before were beginning to accumulate into a large pool. The army had started to take notice and aimed their weapons at the black mass, a few nervously swaying as the pool began to bubble and churn.

“What's happening!?” Marrow shouts, seeing something impossible.

“Wait… those tubes… I recognized them…” Vine says as narrows his eyes towards the screen then widens. “Those are the same tubes back in Brainiac’s ship!”

“What is all that?” James said, slightly feared as he focuses on the black substance before him like the others except for Ruby and her closest friends. They shuddered on the horrifying realization that in this world, Brainiac has discovered the location of the God of Darkness’ Shrine. The area of the Pool of Grimm. They can only silently watch in fear, knowing that their ancient enemy was now being released on Earth.

"I'm beginning to think that wasn't tar," Superman announced as he floated next to Batman. His vision cycled through every wavelength, trying to see what it was. All he saw was a dark void. "What in the world…?"

Before Batman could ask what he saw, the pool began to move. A large body slowly rose out of the pool, black tar dripping off of its form to reveal a black mass of fur underneath. More tar fell away to reveal bone-white protrusions lining its body, including a skull-like mask over its snout. It looked vaguely like a wolf if that wolf walked on two legs and looked like it used them to escape Hell. Hundreds of red dots marked the wolf-like creature, only for more to come out of the pool beside it, splitting everyone's attention. Other shapes then appeared, only these looked like large bears or a strange dinosaur-like creature that was mostly jaws.

“THE GRIMM!?” Robyn screams in horrifying disbelief, along with the others.

“Is… is this the source of all the Grimm?!” Winter shouts as she, along with James and his men, began to connect the pieces of how Salem manages to create an endless supply of Grimm.

Those who knew the truth from Jinn stayed quiet as they nervously watch how this world will handle this new threat they probably never have encountered before.

The first wolf shifted its gaze around lazily as everyone tried to determine what to do. Several were beginning to grow fearful, which only increased once the creatures turned their attention towards them. Then, at once, they all roared and began to charge.

“They're attacking!” Harriet shouts as she and everyone viewing watches in anticipation and worry.

"Open fire!" At once, a rain of fire descended onto the black horde. A series of massive explosions, both from missiles and tank shells, annihilated many bullets carving through their thin hides like hot knives through butter. Yet, as a single creature went down, five more rose out of the pit to take its place. The army continued to cut them down, but as more rose up, they began to notice how more armored creatures started appearing. These were more durable, bullets and missiles not affecting them as much, but they still fell against the onslaught. Yet, they began to charge towards the army, ignoring their fallen brethren as they snarled. Bullets and missiles tore into the creatures, several of them slain, but the rest continued their advance. As one neared a terrified Metropolis police officer, a red and blue blur slammed into the black wolf into a nearby building. The force cracked the concrete, forming a small crater as Superman held the creature in place, its jaws and forelimbs struggling to free itself yet doing nothing to the Kryptonian. Taking in a deep breath, Superman blew freezing air out of his pursed lips at the creature, forming crystals of ice that froze the beast solid. He couldn't rest, however, as screams rang out behind him. Turning around, Superman saw more creatures descending onto the army, their weapons proving mostly useless as the soldiers fired desperately into the swarming mass. At once, red beams of intense heat shot out of Superman's eyes, burning holes into the creatures and carving many into smoking husks.

“Holy!” Jaune screams and shock and awe. Who could blame him? The military was similar to the army of Atlas, maybe better even better, but what got everyone's attention was Superman.

“What the heck is this?!” Marrow shouts. “He can fly, has super strength, can freeze thing with his breath, and has heat-vision?!”

“Just how many powers does he have?!” Yang screams in awe.

“He may perhaps be even stronger than a Maiden!” James thoughts as he widens his eyes. Even Qrow was thinking the same thing.

"Captain, move your men back, now! Focus on keeping them contained!" Superman ordered as he blurred between several different creatures at once, delivering powerful punches to each one in his path. The supersonic blows created loud booms that shattered glass along with creating small divots in the road beneath him. Idly, he noted a few stray shots bouncing off of his skin, but he paid them no heed. They weren't hurting him, after all. He could hear the sounds of the soldiers falling back, several of them continuing to fire and covering their retreat. A few creatures made to go after them, but Superman quickly moved towards the attackers and destroyed them.

“Just how strong is he!?” Nora shouts.

“Every blow he makes is so loud…” Blake gritted her teeth as she covers her cat ears with her hands, even Marrow covered his human ears.

"What are these things?!" Superman yelled as he killed another creature. Thick black smoke was beginning to fill the air, and with wide eyes, he realized they were being emitted from the creatures' corpses. "They're disintegrating!"

"I know!" Batman shouted as he dived away from one of the large bear-like creatures, its powerful claws breaking a concrete pillar in half. As he did, he threw a trio of batarangs towards it, only to note that the devices merely sank into the fur to no effect.

“That’s so cool!” Ruby squeals as her eyes shined. “Even his weapons are based on his appearance!”

“Why would he have a weapon like that?” Oscar wondered.

“Oh! Maybe its to strike fear in the hearts of his enemy both physically and mentally while the last thing they ever see is a bat-shaped weapon taking them out for the count!” Nora cheered, getting everyone to sweatdrop at the comment. Yet not knowing how right the pink dynamo is.

"Hmmph," he growled as he rolled to his feet. Again, the creature leapt towards him, forcing Batman to pull out his grappling gun and zip to a nearby balcony. Given how the massive creature created a large crater where he once stood, he was glad he did. To his side, one of the wolves reared up and leapt ten feet into the air, landing on the balcony with him. Taking a defensive posture, Batman ducked and weaved around the wolf's wild swings, occasionally throwing a few punches and kicks for good measure. Like the batarangs from before, they did nothing, and as the wolf swung its arms in downward swings, Batman backflipped away and springboarded off his hands. As he flew through the air, he threw another trio of batarangs at the creature, only this time when they sank into fur, a red dot began rapidly blinking on each of them before violently exploding in a ball of concussive fire. That affected the creature, disorienting it enough for the crimefighter to rain rapid punches on its skull. The earlier resistance came back and forced Batman to kick away from the wolf, leaving behind a spray of foam on its chest. Idly, the creature noted it and poked the substance with one of its claws, almost as if in curiosity. This was all the distraction Batman needed as he detonated the explosive foam, the force destroying the chest cavity, and throwing the wolf off the balcony. Black smoke emitted from the street below, telling Batman it was dead.

“Whoa!” Most of the younger people watched in awe as they watched the Batman’s fighting style, use of weaponry, and creativity in defeating a Grimm by himself.

“He has so many weapons…” Ruby drooled looking at the various use of weapons the Batman used.

“Not only is he scary, but he sure knows how to give a good beating to those creatures.” Maria complements the hero’s achievement. Heck, she might even consider him as the next Grimm Reaper, but in a bat costume.

Without pause, Batman grappled over to another balcony on the other side of the street, one that offered a higher vantage point on the chaos below. Superman was still handling most of the creatures on the ground, none of them standing a chance against the infinitely strong alien, but several kept attempting to attack the retreating army, forcing him to break off and kill the stragglers. This meant that the pool wasn't being taken care of, despite the fact that the gunships were firing everything they had into it.

“This battle won't stop if that pool is dealt with.” Qrow narrows his eyes toward the Grimm infested water.

“It's like the breach back in Vale…” Blake comments.

“…Except that it's with an endless supply of Grimm.” Ren grimly finishes.

More creatures were rising out of the pool, a few in particular looking like large birds. Many were immediately filled with holes and began disintegrating, but a few managed to survive the onslaught. Then, as the birds spread their wings and cawed, they took off into the air and shot large feathers at the helicopters firing at them. The Apaches attempted to dodge, but it was too late. The large feathers pierced the armor and glass cockpits, showering the insides with red sprays as the gunships spun out of control and crashed onto the ground. Most of them exploded on contact, but one didn't and merely skidded across the ground. Through the shattered glass, Batman saw the copilot struggling to free herself as several of the creatures swarmed her, only for explosive batarangs to be thrown at the horde, detonating on impact. Now disoriented, Batman exploited the opening and grappled over to the downed helicopter, shattered the glass with a well-aimed punch, and pulled the pilot out of her seat. Just as the creatures began to reorient themselves, Batman clasped the pilot close to his side and grappled the two of them to safety, dropping her off next to one of the snipers in a nearby building.

“Yes! He saved the pilot!” Ruby cheers as others sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Batman!" she cried out as one of the spotters began tending to her. With a silent nod, Batman went back out to another vantage point, and with a grimace, he watched as creatures continued to appear from the pool.

“This battle can’t keep going…” Robyn comments. “They're doing good so far, but as long as that pool is there, this battle won't end.”

“But how? Is there even anything they can do?” Jaune worryingly questions, hoping that the people of this world can find an answer.

"We need to destroy that pool!" Batman yelled over the radio as surface-to-air missiles shot down the avian creatures, only for more birds to appear and fire feathers at the launchers, destroying them. He pressed a few buttons on his gauntlet before diving away from a number of feathers being fired towards him. As he fell, he grappled to another ledge away from the leaping jaws, dropping down freeze grenades as he did. Filled with the same compound used in Victor Fries' freeze gun, the creatures became sealed in blocks of ice, but a few quickly began cracking as the creatures struggled to free themselves.

“He even has ice grenades!” Ruby, Nora, and even Elm shouts while their eyes sparkled.

“It’s like he’s prepared for every situation!” Pietro comments as he was both fascinated and amazed at how well equipped the Batman is.

“But, it’s not going to last long…” Clover comments, seeing that the Grimm are doing what they can to break free.

"Working on it!" Superman shouted as he flew up to one of the birds at supersonic speeds. The force of the impact crumpled the large avian, the ensuing shockwave shattering many glass panels. He then blew hurricane-force winds at another bird, sending it crashing into the ground and crushing many creatures under its massive body. While it struggled to get up, two beams of heat burned into its skull, boiling the brain and killing it instantly. Like the others, its body began to turn into smoke. The two remaining birds cried out and turned away.

“He’s so fast!” Harriet shout, hating to admit that he’s even faster than her.

“He even has superspeed? That guy is completely overpowered!” Qrow comments, not looking away from the fight. He did cringe a bit, seeing him boil the Nevermore’s brain out, though.

"They're getting away!" Superman yelled out as he prepared to fly after them.

"No, stay here! I'll take care of them!" Batman countered as the Batwing flew back in, firing machine guns and missiles into the horde below. It paused to hover overhead, allowing Batman to grapple into the underside. He pushed another button on his gauntlet, and the underside of the plane opened and descended, allowing him to climb inside and strap himself to the pilot seat. With another roar of the engines, the Batwing flew off after the large birds.

“Oh! I forgot about his Bullhead!” Ruby squeals as she drools at the sight of the vehicle.

“It’s actually called the Batwing,” Penny corrected. “It’s Batman’s personal transportation and personally equipped with every need the Dark Knight requires.”

“Fascinating…” James comments as he rubs his chin with his right hand as he takes carefully studies the Batwing.

"Be careful!" Superman called out over the radio as the Batwing disappeared behind a building while he flew back down to the street below. His landing created a powerful shockwave, lifting the ground beneath him and launching several of the creatures into the air with broken, mangled bodies. By now, almost all of their attention was on him, completely ignoring the fire from the army, now a respectable distance away. A few times, tank shells and missiles exploded across the horde, but they paid them no heed as they focused entirely on Superman. He could only guess that they recognized him as a bigger threat.

“There now focused on Superman!” Oscar shouts as he watches what happens next.

They were right, but that didn't mean they could do anything about it as Superman grabbed one of the dinosaur-like creatures and ripped it in half. He threw one smoking chunk at a large bear and another at one of the wolves, only for a spikier bear to crash into him. It raised its arms and swung downward, only for the claws to shatter against his body. Smirking, Superman delivered a supersonic headbutt onto the creature, shattering its skull and causing it to fall backward. Black smoke wisped off of it as Superman prepared to attack another one, only for a red blur to zoom through several at once.

“Did you see what happened to that Ursa Major’s claws?!” Jaune shouts in disbelief seeing how it shattered like glass.

“I saw it! Is he also indestructible or something?!” Yang shouts, nearly about to pull her hair out in frustration.

“But what was that red blur, just know?” Vine asks.

"Sorry I'm late," Flash smiled as he vibrated in place. A nearby wolf moved to attack him, only for Flash to turn into a blur as he punched it into a heaping black mass. As it keeled over, it began to turn into smoke, and the other creatures paused and looked at the two warily. "What are these things?"

“Whoa!” Ruby reeled back in surprise. “He’s fast!”

“That voice…” Winter whispers in realization. “Is that the Flash?”

“That’s Berry Allen, aka the Flash,” Penny revealed. “His power is superspeed.”

"No idea, but they aren't alive," Superman revealed as the creatures stirred among themselves. "They keep coming out of that nearby pool, but I can't get to it and risk the creatures going after anyone."

"Well then, we need to buy you that opening," Flash stated as he faced the creatures. At once, the horde charged them yet again, only this time a few of them ran off in separate directions.

"I got 'em!" Flash yelled as he ran after the creatures. The world slowed as the fastest man alive ran through the horde, delivering punches to each creature he passed. The force shattered whatever part of the body he struck, whether it be arm, chest, or head, until he finally arrived at his targets. He grabbed one and threw it into another, the bony spikes impaling the thrown creature while he shattered the skull of the other. By now, the other creatures were slowly beginning to realize what was happening, but their attempts to counter were like moving through molasses to the Flash. In an instant, he delivered a hurricane of punches and jabs to one of the creatures' chest, shattering its ribs and what he could only assume to be its internal organs. Black blood dripped from its jaws as it slowly began to keel over, and Flash moved onto another target to deliver a supersonic spin kick. The kick decapitated the wolf, rocketing its head into the chest of one of the bears, caving it in and causing half of it to explode. The last one had begun to swing its claws at where Flash was just a few seconds ago, and with a smirk, he vibrated his arms and stabbed it through its back then pulled out a dark red and still-beating heart.

“EW!” Most of the audience gagged at the still-beating heart, at first there where completed awed by the newcomer's speed and way of using it in the fight. But not as floored as Harriet.

“How… how is he that fast…” The young Ace-Op muttered as her eyes where widen like saucers before she slowly begins to shout. “I’m confident in my speed along with the help with my weapon, but this… this completely goes against any kind speed semblance that I’ve ever seen! Heck! He’s even fast enough to rip off a still-beating Grimm heart from a damn Grimm with just his bare hands! Is that even possible?!”

“We did watch just how it happened.” Marrow said but slightly flinched from her glare. “I-I mean, this is the first time we all are seeing this.”

"Ew, ew!" he whined as he threw the heart away. The world suddenly turned to normal as the group he had dealt with began to turn into smoke. Another creature attempted to swipe at him, only for its head to explode from the concentrated fire of several snipers.

“Good to know that the military has not faltered at this point.” Clover compliments.

"Thanks, guys!" Flash gave a thumbs up before running back into the horde. He could see Superman was continuing to draw the creatures' attention, and as he raced to help his comrade, he stopped as a large glob began to emerge from the pool. It dwarfed all the others and drew Superman's attention as the tar began to fall away, revealing white tusks and a large hairless body.

The audience gasped, seeing the familiar and dangerous Grimm.

“A… a Goliath?!” Ruby stuttered.

“That pool can even create something as dangerous as that?!” Pietro says in disbelief.

"It's… an elephant…" Flash numbly noted before being struck by one of the bears. He hurtled through the air and struck a metal trash can, caving it in, while breaking his impromptu flight. As the bear advanced, a green rocket struck the bear and disintegrated it. More green lights appeared, taking the shape of several different weapons, including swords and axes, which began to carve the horde apart.

“Whoa…!” Most of the audience says both shock and awe.

“What just happened!” Weiss shouts in confusion.

"Thanks, GL," Flash noted as he rose to his feet, "but I had it handled."

"Dammit, Flash, take this seriously!" John Stewart, a Green Lantern, chastised Flash as he created a green minigun and began firing it into the horde. At the same time, Hawkgirl flew in from above and, using her nth metal mace, descended onto the creatures and began swinging.

"Huagh!" she yelled as she crushed the skull of a bear under her swing. "They just keep coming!" Another wolf attempted to attack her from behind, only for her to extend out one of her wings and strike it back. Green Lantern prepared to fire upon it, only for an armored woman to fall out of the sky and crush it underfoot.

"Diana," Green Lantern greeted the Wonder Woman, who smiled warmly even as more of the black creatures descended upon her. She unsheathed her sword and began to cleave her way through them, using her shield to block a downward swipe from a bear. The force buckled the ground beneath her, but rather than seem worried, she seemed amused. She swiped upward, cleaving the bear in half from hip to shoulder, and as the smoking body fell away, she leapt back from more of the creatures.

The audience cheered, seeing more colorful clad heroes joining in the fight. Both being fascinated and awed by their appearance and abilities.

“Yeah! The cavalry has arrived!” Nora shouts, raising both her fists high even Ren couldn't help but smile.

“Who are these heroes?” Ruby half asked, half begged Penny.

“The first one, John Stewart, aka The Green Lantern, his power comes from the power ring which how he created those green weaponry,” Penny answered.

“Remarkable! It's similar to our Hard-light dust!” Pietro comments.

“I bet Velvet would love to see this!” Ruby comments, thinking about the Rabbit Faunus and her weapon Anesidora.

“The second one is Shayer Hol, aka Hawkgirl.”

“A hawk Faunus?” Blake perked up, including Marrow.

“Actually, she’s not a Faunus,” Penny corrected, surprising everyone in the room. “She’s a Thanagarian from the planet Thanagar, homeworld of the hawk-like race.”

“That’s incredible!” The Cat Faunus breathed out.

“The final one is Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, her powers are similar to Superman except that she doesn’t have heat-vision, superspeed or frost breath.”

“I can see why she’s called Wonder Woman,” Qrow comments while having a good look at the heroine, much to Winter’s annoyance towards his behavior.

“She kinda reminds me of Pyrrha…” Jaune comments as she compares Wonder Woman’s attire to his late partner.

"What are these things?" she asked as another attacked her. She kicked it away, her Amazonian strength caving in the chest while hitting yet another creature's neck with her shield, breaking it with a loud crack.

"Was kind of hoping you knew!" Green Lantern shouted as he grabbed hold of several of the creatures in a green stasis field. They struggled to break free, only for the former marine to crush them inside the sphere. He then threw the shattered remains at the largest elephant he had ever seen, which was currently wrestling with Superman.

"We need to keep them contained! Flash, maintain the perimeter!" Diana ordered as she unfurled her lasso and hurled the loop towards one of the wolves. She then twisted it around her leg while blocking another claw with her shield and stabbing a wolf through the underside of the jaw then pulled her leg back. The lassoed creature swung through the air, knocking over anything in its path, whether it be cars, concrete pillars, or one of its own. As it skidded to the ground, she pulled the lasso towards her and then met the wolf with the tip of her sword, stabbing it through the open maw. It stirred slightly before going still.

“They have the momentum!” Vine says as everyone cheered now that the tides have changed.

"It's like they have no minds of their own," Diana observed as she chopped off a dinosaur-like creature's head. "They should have retreated by now!"

“A common thing for Grimm.” Maria spat towards her, dislike towards the creatures.

“There only desire is to kill for the sake of killing,” Winter added.

"I noticed!" Superman grunted as he continued to wrestle with the elephant.

“Go Superman! Show that oversize elephant who’s boss.” Nora shouts as she roots for the Man of Steel.

But there cheering died the moment another dangerous Grimm appeared from the pool.

Suddenly, a massive scorpion-like creature emerged from the pool and crashed into Superman, knocking him through a wall. The two giants then turned towards the still firing army and began to charge. Wonder Woman lassoed one of the elephant's tusks and attempted to hold it in place, but it merely turned its head and swung her into a nearby building then continued its charge. By now, the entirety of the army's firepower was focused on the charging creatures. Bullets burrowed into them while rockets exploded across the thick hide and bony armor, but they still continued their stampede. Green Lantern attempted to erect green brick walls to stop the charge, but the elephant and scorpion merely broke through them. Then the tanks began firing both the gunner's machine gun and the main cannons at them, the blasts staggering them. Yet, they continued to advance, forcing the tanks to back up while firing. The scorpion finally went down and began to smoke, while the elephant made it to the nearest tank and crushed it underfoot. Soldiers began to scream and fire wildly at the creature, but their weapons didn't faze it as it stabbed another tank with its tusks then hurled it towards a group of soldiers. With a final scream, they ducked down and covered their heads in a futile attempt at shielding themselves, only for the crushing weight never to come. Looking up, they saw Superman holding the wrecked tank in place while firing his heat vision at the elephant, halting its advance and throwing it to the ground.

What the viewers thought to be a disadvantage wholly changed when they all witnessed an endless effort of Earth’s Military and the help of Heroes stopping the rampaging of two dangerous Grimms that even the most experience Hunters have difficulty taking down. Watching this made them feel something inside of them. It was awe, inspiration, and above all else, hope. Hope that they can win this battle.

"Don't worry, I got this handled," he said as he gently laid the tank on the ground. Flying to the top of the turret, he pried open the tank and gently helped the shaken survivors out. He then grabbed hold of the barrel and, like a baseball bat, swung the tank into the side of the creature's head, caving part of it in and breaking one of the tusks in half. Dazed, the creature attempted to fight on, only for Superman to grab hold of it and wrestle it to the ground. It continued to struggle, even as Superman threw powerful punches at the creature, each blow creating a shockwave and crushing part of its skull. Finally, he grabbed the remaining tusk, ripped it off, and stabbed the elephant through the eye, killing it instantly.

The Remnantians were stunned in silence in what they just witnessed. A Hero, in a way, they could see him as a Hunter has single-handedly taken down a very dangerous Grimm that even most Hunters in groups have difficulty handling, and yet he eliminated it all by himself. A feat that was never heard of in Hunstman history.

“That… was… AWESOME!” Ruby shouted, breaking the silence, making even everyone else cheered.

“That was incredible!” Jaune shouts.

“He took down a Goliath all by himself!” Ren says in astonishment.

“Damn, ain't he Super!” Yang punned with a huge grin.

“Really, Yang?” Blake raised a brow but couldn't help but smirk.

“You don’t look against it.” Nora grinned, earning a chuckle from the Faunus.

“That was… I don’t know what to say!” Weiss stutters as she tries to say something.

Even the adults and the Ace-Ops were awed by Superman’s achievement, making them grow to respect the Hero even more than they have ever before.

“With this… the tides have definitely turned,” Oscar smiles, earning a full agreement from everyone knowing who will win this battle.

The soldiers watched, amazed as Superman flew back into the fray, with a few of them beginning to cheer, even as they continued to fire at any creature that attempted to flee. They heard a roar of jets overhead as the Batwing returned, flanked by two A-10s, chasing the final bird before firing upon it with their machine guns. The high caliber rounds tore into the avian, sending it plummeting into the horde below, which was joined by the A-10s strafing run, eliminating most of the remaining creatures. It was then that an underside compartment opened underneath the Batwing, revealing a single bomb that dropped towards the pool. It exploded on contact, releasing a cloud of freezing gas that froze everything it touched completely solid, including the pool.

“What was that?!” Pietro shouts in both shock and interest even the others are surprised by this.

“He completely froze the entire Grimm infested pool!” Elms shouts in shock; even everyone in the room where dumbstruck in what just happened.

“I highly doubt a regular ice bomb can take care of that!” Weiss says in disbelief.

"What was that?" Flash asked, returning from taking out a few stragglers while Batman ejected from the Batwing.

"Fermionic gas, supercooled to a few degrees above absolute zero," Batman revealed as he glided to a stop. "Had to freeze the Gotham River once, long story."

“Fermionic gas?” Clover repeated the words, not being familiar with the name even everyone was confused by it.

“It’s a rather complicated theory that involves particles.” Penny answers. “I can explain it, but it will take some time.”

“We can hear it when we have the time, darling,” Pietro says towards her daughter, which she smiles and nods in return.

"I would very much like to hear that story."

"No."

"Aw, man."

"What if I want to hear the story?" Diana gently asked as she walked over to them, an amused smile on her face. Batman said nothing as he walked over to the frozen tar pool. Taking out a small hammer from his utility belt, he broke up a frozen chunk and held it to his face, closely examining it.

“Oh~, what's this?” Yang grinned. “Do I see a development here?”

“Yang!” Ruby shouts.

“What? I’m just saying what I see.”

"Hmm, no traces of any organic material," he noted as his cowl scanned the substance in front of him. He then turned to the Flash and tossed him the frozen piece, who clumsily bounced it between his hands before finally catching it.

Everyone perked up in what Batman is doing.

“Is he collecting samples?” Robyn questions.

“Understandable,” James nods. “He wants to grasp an understanding of what they were dealing with.”

“Indeed! This may be a perfect opportunity to understand what the Grimm are truly made off!” Pietro says excitedly to learn more and possibly create countermeasures against the creatures of darkness.

"We need more samples of this. Find out exactly what these things are," Batman revealed as he continued to take samples. "We can use the equipment on the Watchtower to better analyze the substance."

The doctor gasps, hearing those words. “The chance to see their headquarters!” Even everyone is much interested to see what the Watchtower can be like.

"I'm on it," Flash nodded before turning into a blur. He began taking more and more samples off of the frozen pool as well as a few off of the creatures themselves. Those he ended up discarding immediately as they simply turned to dust in his hand.

“So even in a completely frozen state, they still disappear.” Vine comments.

“But why not the pool?” Nora asked.

“It’s probably because it is the source of there creation,” Ren answers while everyone nodded in the logic.

"That's weird," Flash noted as he continued to collect samples. Finally, when he had gathered an armful of samples, he returned to Batman as he motioned to Superman, who was hovering overhead.

"You all set?" the Kryptonian asked, to which Batman silently nodded. He nodded back, then stared at the pool. His eyes burned red before twin beams of heat shot out from them, striking the center of the frozen pool. The ice turned red and boiled hot, and the black tar underneath began to burn away as did the frozen corpses. After a few minutes of concentration, he stopped, and nothing was left.

“They did it… they freaking actually did it!” Qrow says as he slumps down on his seat.

“They did something that everyone would consider to be impossible…” Winter breaths out.

“They really are heroes…” Ruby smiles, seeing real heroes, not ones she finds in comics or Hunstman that stylize themselves to be like them but genuine heroes that achieved the impossible. She was glad to these remarkable people. Everyone in the viewing room thought the same.

At once, cheers echoed around them as police, soldiers, and citizens of both Metropolis and the world celebrated their heroes' victory. All except for one, who watched with contempt down from his tower.

“Huh? Wheres this?” Oscar said, noticing the scene now changed to a different location, somewhere closed to the battle.

"So they won again," the bald man muttered, his arms crossed behind his back. As soon as the Boom Tube opened, he had retreated to his tower. No doubt existed in his mind that, with the alien already present, whatever came through would be repulsed. That wasn't to say that he didn't hope that the alien would fall, but he had to acknowledge the inevitable. Very few beings could hope to stand against the Man of Steel and hope to emerge victoriously.

He was one of them.

Everyone frowned, learning what kind of man this person is, and they can all tell that this man is a bad person.

“Why does this person seem familiar…” Weiss thought to herself as she narrowly glared her eyes towards the bald man. Even Winter is doing the same.

"Mr. Luthor," an Asian woman announced as she walked into the penthouse, wearing a dark brown suit and holding a clipboard in her hand. "We were able to contain one of the creatures and a few samples of the tar-like substance. The tar is being transported back to one of LexCorp's offshore labs, but the creature… committed suicide and disintegrated upon being contained."

Everyone was shocked to learn that this Luthor planned this while Superman, and his allies, were fighting against the Grimm, while a third party worked behind the scenes.

"Is that so?" Lex Luthor asked as he continued to watch the so-called heroes below. The woman nodded, and Lex shook his head. "Unfortunate, but at least it wasn't a total loss. How many of the mercenaries survived?"

"Out of twenty, five were killed, and ten were crippled."

"Tragic," Lex's voice was insincere, "Ensure they can't be traced back to LexCorp."

“Who the heck is this guy?” Qrow growled, not liking Luthor by the second, a sentiment felt by everyone.

“That… is Lex Luthor,” Penny answers while she held a frown on her face, seemingly not liking the information she was given. “Founder and CEO of LexCorp… and one of Superman’s most dangerous and greatest enemy.”

Everyone was shocked by learning this. This is Superman’s archnemesis?

“This baldy is Clark’s enemy as well as a businessman?” Robyn narrowers her eyes as he grows to dislike Luthor even more even James was feeling the same.

“The information only says that Lex Luthor alone is enough to make Jacques Schnee look like an infant compared to him.” Everyone was utterly stunned hearing this. There were so many mixed feelings among the audience. Most were angered and disgust, not believing that there can be anyone far worse than the CEO of the SDC.

Weiss clenched her arm seat with silent rage and disgust, knowing that her father was a pathetic excuse of a human being who only cares about his own greed but now learning that there is someone out there that can easily surpass him infuriates her even more. Ruby notices this and tries to comfort her partner by holding her hand. It helped as she slowly relaxed. Winter felts the same way as her younger sister, but she soon settled, seeing how Weiss was being comforted by her partner.

"I already sent in the order," she responded with a smirk. "As far as the world is concerned, twenty police officers heroically lost their lives trying to bring the creatures down."

“A cover-up in its finest.” Blake sarcastically said while she narrowed her eyes.

“Who is this woman?” Jaune asked.

“That is Mercy Graves Luthor’s personal assistant and bodyguard,” Penny answers, shocking everyone again.

“That chick is his bodyguard?” Yang says in disbelief.

“The information only says that she’s someone not to be underestimated.”

"Schedule a press conference to commemorate their loss and their families, along with the other lives lost today," Lex said as he turned to face the woman. "Oh, and Mercy? Find out everything you can about the aliens that came through before the creatures."

Everyone gasped at what the head of the LexCorp just requested.

"Of course, sir."

The adults and Ace-Ops couldn't help but feel angered and disgusted that someone like him was going far to investigate who the children were, and worst is that they can't do anything to protect them.

Both Teams RWBY and JNR couldn't help but feel nervous for their counterparts. Not only have they been beaten by a crazy alien collector, sent to another world, and know being target by an evil CEO supervillain. And hasn’t been a full day in that world!

Oscar notices the problem and speaks. “Hey, I know it seems bad, but I don’t think we should worry, I mean, I'm sure that Superman and the other heroes will do everything they can to keep your others safe.”

Everything the young boy said was enough to make everyone calm down. They all smiled towards the young boy and continued with the viewing.

"They're all so young," Diana muttered as she watched over the unconscious teenagers. IV's connected them to saline bags while monitors displayed their heartbeats and blood pressures. Medics tended to them, already applying a cast to a red-haired girl wearing armor that looked like it came straight out of ancient Greece. If Diana didn't know any better, she'd think the girl was an Amazon like her.

“She kinda does remind me a bit like Pyrrha,” Nora whispered to her partner as he nodded in agreement.

“Indeed,” Ren whispered back as he nodded.

“At least our others are being well treated,” Weiss says, both being relieved and happy that her team and sister team have survived their ordeal. “At least that something we can relax about.”

“Yeah… but what happens next?” Yang asked, making everyone ponder. “This is unlike anything we possibly have ever experienced with here in Remnant.”

"Do you think the creatures did this?" Superman asked as he looked into their bodies with his x-ray vision. "They have some bruising and broken bones, but luckily no internal bleeding or ruptures."

“The Grimm?” Ruby scoffs. “We can handle them, no problem!”

"No, none of their wounds indicate an animal attack," Batman observed. "We'd see bite marks, gashes, or similar wounds. All we have are bruises and broken bones."

“Impressive…” Winter compliments. “Batman quickly deduces your counterparts' condition by a simple glance.”

"And burns. A lot of burns," Green Lantern noted. "From what I can see, plasma bolts. Low intensity, but that's usually combined with a lot of 'em."

Both RWBY and JNR couldn't help but cringe a bit at the memory of their counterparts’ experience.

"You mean someone was shooting at them, too?" Flash asked with wide-eyes. "Darkseid?"

“That name again…” James curiously muttered while slightly shuddering at the name. “Penny, are you sure you don’t have anything on that.”

Penny shook her head. “I’m sorry, General, but the information regarding that topic has been censored. There's nothing I can do.” the General slightly frowned but nodded in understanding.

"If it was Darkseid, they'd be dead already," Superman grimly pointed out. "No, this was someone else."

“I’m starting to think I don’t want to know what this Darkseid is.” The leader of JNR nervously said while hoping that its nothing similar to Salem. This thought was also thought to those who knew the truth.

"Someone who had a Mother Box," Hawkgirl pointed out and shook her head. "This entire thing is just turning into one big mess. What are we going to do?"

"We take them to the Watchtower," Batman noted, drawing everyone's attention.

The leader of Team RWBY gasped in excitement. “Our counterparts are going to their headquarters?!”

“How exciting! This is the perfect opportunity to learn more about what their technology is like!” Pietro gleefully said while earning a chuckle from his daughter while the others are also interested in the idea.

"You can't be serious," Diana protested.

"I am." The others moved to protest further, but Batman silenced them by holding up his hand. "Just in case you haven't fully realized, they had a Mother Box with them. One of the most powerful supercomputers in the universe, capable of things we can barely comprehend, and they had one. That can only mean trouble, and the Justice League is the most equipped to handle it."

“So they are called the Justice League,” Blake says.

“Not too surprising since they're a team of Superheroes!” Nora cheered.

“I’m more curious at the fact that they don’t even know about the Mother Box.” Vine comments.

"Are you saying they're a threat?" Green Lantern accused, to which Batman merely stared him down.

“…Is that what Batman thinks?” Qrow narrows his eyes along with the others while RWBY and JNR couldn't help but feel hurt and offended by that comment.

"No. They aren't a threat. Whatever did this," he pointed to them in emphasis, "is. We don't know where they came from or who had the Mother Box before they got it. I can only assume that its previous owner is responsible for their injuries."

“That… makes sense…” Weiss slowly said as she and the others relaxed, accepting the Dark Knight's explanation.

"And it's highly likely that they'll come here, next," Superman finished Batman's thought.

“No surprise there,” Harriet comments as she remembered Brainiac’s declaration from the previous episode.

"Yes." Batman nodded. "There's another reason why we need to take them to the Watchtower."

"Waller and Luthor," Diana realized with a grimace.

“So, they already know the possibility that Luthor will start doing something?” Robyn says, surprised that they would think that far ahead, then again, Luthor is Superman’s archnemesis. “But who’s Waller?”

“Amanda Waller, a top-ranking Government agent. Unlike Luthor, she has the best intentions for her people but would use questionable methods to achieve it.”

“Questionable that the Justice League are against it?” Yang asked.

Penny nods. “There are numerous censored files of said topic, but that’s all I can share.”

“Wonderful, so there is even those kind of people in different world’s Government.” Robyn rolled her eyes in annoyance. Even Qrow and James silently agreed with her.

"Exactly. Eight unconscious aliens just fell out of the sky and were followed by hostile creatures, the likes of which we had never seen before. They and others like them are going to want to know exactly what they are."

“So, they’ll not hesitate to study us?” Blake says as she narrowed her eyes in distaste along with the others.

“I would rather not be in a dissection table. Thank you very much!” Nora angrily shouts.

"No matter what happens to them," Superman nodded. "I'm with Batman. We take them up to the Watchtower."

"When you put it like that, so am I," Flash agreed. Diana and the others nodded as well.

“I’m delighted you kids are in safe hands.” Maria smiles in relief.

“Yeah… with them by your side, there's no doubt there'd be anything to be worried about,” Oscar comments, getting his friends to smile at the statement. They could only wonder what Remnant be like if the Justice League was on their world.

"I'll go talk to General Swanwick, get him to release them into our custody. J'onn, prepare the teleporter," Superman spoke into the radio.

"Already prepped and ready. Green Arrow and Black Canary are on standby to take them to the medical bay," J'onn's voice rang out.

"Thanks. Oh, and Lois," Superman suddenly turned around to face the entrance to the tent. At first, no one was there, only for a young brunette to step out, followed by a young man with freckles and red hair. "If you could make sure no pictures of them make it into the Daily Planet tomorrow…?"

“Loise and Jimmy are there?” Marrow blinked, surprised that the two news reporters are there. “How did he know they were there?”

“She’s Superman’s girlfriend, probably knows her better than anyone else.” Elm shrugs, guessing the answer.

"Don't worry, Superman," Lois smiled and shook her head. "But, I will expect an interview later."

"Always itching for that story, aren't you?" Superman smiled. "I'll be sure to let you know."

“Awe… that’s kinda cute!” Ruby cooed, while the other woman agreed to see the two couples that way.

"Of course." Lois nodded. With a nod of his own to both the reporter and his fellow superheroes, Superman walked out of the tent and straight to General Swanwick. A tall, dark man, it wasn't hard to spot him next to Colonel Hardy and Major Farris.

“General Calvin Swanwick, Colonel Nathan Hardy, and Major Carrie Farris are part of the Government like Waller except they are close allies to the Justice League.” Penny informers the viewers.

“Glad to know that the military is on there side.” Maria comments.

"Superman," the general nodded to him. "I imagine this isn't a simple hello. What is it you need?"

Orbiting above the Earth, inside the largest space station in human history, a man and a woman watched several tv monitors at the same time. All of them were tuned to different news stations from different countries around the world, from the United States to China. All were reporting the same thing.

The audience was watching where completely floored seeing the Watchtower for the first time. When they wondered what the Justice League headquarters would be, they didn’t expect it to be a sizeable floating fortress, let alone orbiting there world.

“THAT’S THE WATCHTOWER?!” Ruby, Nora, and Jaune both screamed in total awe and glee with there eyes sparkling.

“It’s… it’s absolutely nothing that I excepted!” Weiss breathed out in awe.

“The Justice League is amazing!” Blake says as her eyes widen. Even her partner felt the same.

“Remarkable…” Ren mutters in awe.

“Outstanding!” Pietro cried out in awe. “They have the technology and resources to develop such headquarters of that caliber, let alone to the orbit of the atmosphere of their world!”

“But how?!” Winter asked. “How could they manage to achieve that when we couldn't?”

“It’s their resources,” Penny answered, gaining everyone's attention. “We solely rely on Dust for every use, but there are rendered useless once they leave our world. So it's safe to assume they would e using an alternative source to achieve such a feat.”

“Incredible,” Clover comments in awe while his Ace-Ops are total agreement.

“Hate to say it, but these guys completely outmatched my Happy Huntress,” Robyn comments, not out of jealously ut full respect for the Justice League.

“And I thought I saw everything,” Maria smirked.

“So much potential…” James muttered as he rubbed his chin, thinking of the countless possibilities just by watching all this.

“Good thing I stopped drinking after I emptied this old thing,” Qrow says as he shakes his flask showing that it's empty. Which is a good thing since he decided to stop drinking after the Jinn incident, but decided to do it one last time after a certain imp kidnapped them.

Attack in Metropolis: Precursor to Invasion?

Justice League Defends Metropolis from Alien Creatures.

Battle in Metropolis between Justice League and Alien Creatures Creates Devastation and Chaos.

“Wow. The news spreads really fast.” Marrow says in a slight surprise.

It was easy to see which news outlets were favorable to their actions and which ones were not.

"It never ends, does it?" the woman asked. She was wearing a black-and-yellow leather suit and pants, with the pants cut along the side to reveal the fishnets and white skin underneath. Her shoulder-length blonde hair draped behind her, and the man beside her couldn't help but stare. He was wearing a green ranger outfit, slightly armored while wearing a green cap. His combed blond hair was completed by an equally blond beard, carefully shaved while a green domino mask covered his eyes.

Most of the men blushed, seeing the beautiful woman, especially having a right angle at the view—the woman watching couldn't help but be a bit jealous at her figure.

“Who is this?” Qrow asks while checking the heroine out.

“A-and who’s the archer?” Oscar stuttered asked, hoping to distract himself from the beautiful woman.

“The woman is Dinah Lance, aka the Black Canary, a master of hand-to-hand combat, and the man is Oliver Queen, aka the Green Arrow, a master in archery and hand-eye coordination,” Penny answered, making everyone impressed y the two new heroes.

"Ollie, you're staring again," Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, said with a confident smirk.

“Oh! She’s confident! I like her.” Yang says, showing her own confident smirk. Even Harriet agreed with the blond.

“I take it those two are a couple?” Blake asked, seeing the signs between the two.

“That’s right!” Penny chirped.

“Sorry, Uncle Qrow,” Ruby says towards her uncle, but just shrugs.

"Oh, sorry," Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, said while turning back to the monitor. "This is turning out to be quite the mess."

"That it is," Black Canary nodded. "At the very least, no major news organizations have picked up on the children yet."

“Lucky us.” Jaune comments.

"But they know eight people fell through before the creatures did," Green Arrow pointed out. "If we aren't careful, those kids will have their faces plastered all over the eight o'clock news. We can't let that happen."

“I believe that's something we can all agree on,” Winter says while everyone strongly agreed to the idea.

"Amen to that." The two superheroes lapsed back to contemplative silence, continuing to watch the TV monitors in front of them. By now, several news outlets were shifting focus to a press conference held by Lex Luthor, who was offering praise and condolences to the brave men and women who gave their lives defending Metropolis from the creatures. He was even setting up a fund to support their grieving families, starting with a substantial donation from LexCorp.

All of the stations were owned by him, of course, and while some of the money would go towards the families, most would undoubtedly be funneled back into LexCorp as a tax write off, allowing him to use the money for illegal weapons development and research. It sickened them both, but so far, nothing they've done to him has managed to stick. He was just too rich and powerful for anyone to nail.

Weiss and Winter frowned in distaste at the sight of Luthor doing a similar thing their father would do, except Luthor was much more of a threat then their father could be. And to add salt to injury, the heroes even know that Luthor allows LexCorp to do illegal activities, and they can't do anything cause of his wealth and power. This disgusted all of the Remnantians.

"Green Arrow, Black Canary," J'onn's voice suddenly rang out over the intercom, "I just received word from Superman. The General has released the children into our custody, and they will be in the teleporting bay momentarily."

“Alright! We get to be special guests in the Watchtower!” Nora gleefully says, changing the topic, which helped a lot.

“Wait. Did J’onn say teleport?” Jaune asked.

Pietro gasps. “They even found the means to teleport from one place to another!?” The doctor excitingly took note of the information.

“I hope he doesn’t get heart-attack from all this excitement,” Harriet whispers to Marrow.

“Harriet!” The dog Faunus whispered back, scolding his fellow Ace-Ops.

“What? I’m just saying.”

"On our way," Green Arrow immediately answered as he and Black Canary moved off the railing. Moving at a brisk pace, they walked through the corridors of the Watchtower towards the central teleporter. Soon they found themselves at the automatic doors to the circular room. A large terminal stood in front of a central pad, with a single man working at the instruments diligently.

"Mister Terrific," Green Arrow greeted as the world's third smartest man waved at them from behind his back. Covering his face was a painted black T, easily visible against his dark skin. Clad in red and white, three metal orbs with red T's on them hovered around his shoulders, helping to monitor the complex Apokolips-derived technology before them.

“Mister Terrific?” Yang smirks as she raises a brow at the unique hero name. “It’s the ‘T’ on his face, isn’t it?”

“Oh, what gave it away?” Weiss sarcastically said as she rolled her eyes.

“What are those orbs hovering around him?” Clover asks, interested at the unique objects. At the same time, Ruby was drooling at them.

“Michael Holt, aka Mister Terrific, a master in advanced hand-to-hand combat and a genius-level intellect in science. Examples are his T-Spheres, which assist him on numerous occasions.” Penny answers, impressing everyone around her.

“That’s so cool! He’s a genius and a scientist?!” Ruby says in awe while her eyes sparkled. “Just how many heroes are there?”

“Judging by his position, he must be a monitor for the rest of the League members.” Vine deduces.

"Queen, Lance," he said from over his shoulder. "Teleporter's looking good. Fluctuations normal, and everything is green. Bringing them over now."

“He’s very thorough.” Clover smiles in approval.

"Do you really have to do this every time?" Dinah asked with an amused smile.

"Yes, otherwise, your atoms would get shot apart from one another. You'd get arms where legs were supposed to be, bodies molded into steel, entire organs missing, or even two organisms merging with one another. And those are the good options."

Everyone cringed at the description of what happens if you don’t handle a teleporter properly.

“Well… good to know that there are flows of the device that require checking,” Pietro says as he took note of the information.

"Point taken," Dinah conceded with her hands raised up. With an amused shake of his head, Mister Terrific pressed the final activation key and watched as the teleporter shone with a column of shimmering light. Slowly at first, the bodies of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the other on-site League Members appeared, along with the eight unconscious bodies of the alien children.

“Whoa…” Almost everyone says in awe and amazement, seeing how the teleporter works.

“That’s so cool…” Marrow whispers in awe as his tail wagged on his seat.

"Goddamn," Oliver whispered as he took in their condition. Laying in gurneys, their injuries were plain to see. "They look like they just got out of a warzone. What the hell happened?"

“Brainiac happened,” Maria growled, earning a frown from everyone at the memory.

"We don't know," Superman replied as the patients were wheeled to the medical bay. "They were like this before the creatures…spawned, and Batman doesn't think those things caused this."

"Any leads?"

Superman shook his head. "Right now, your guess is as good as mine."

"I'll be in the lab, working on the samples," Batman stated as he took some samples from Flash's hands. "With any luck, they might shed some light on what those things are."

“Please do. I wish to learn more of the Grimm if possible.” Pietro says, interested in the source of all Grimm.

"I can tell you one thing," Flash said as he walked towards the entry door. "those things were not natural. I'll meet you at the lab, Bats." With a parting nod, Barry ran off towards the lab, leaving a small gust of wind in his wake.

Yang chuckled at the nickname. “Haha, Bats.”

"I'll go with John, see what I can do to help them heal," Superman declared. Batman silently nodded at the alien, who walked away with Diana, Oliver, and Dinah in tow. He then gave an acknowledging look at Mister Terrific, who nodded back before Batman silently left the teleporter bay.

Everything was warm now. It was strange. She expected the ground to be hard and foreboding, not soft and welcoming. It was a good strange, though. Familiar, even. It was nice.

Everyone perked up at what's happening. Is one of the injured children beginning to wake up?

Vision slowly came to her, albeit heavily blurred. White sheets covered her body, which was itself wearing a white hospital gown. Was she in a hospital? How long was she out? Were her friends with her? She hoped they were.

She could see a tube extending out of her arm now. It was thin and transparent, with a clear liquid running through it and into her arm. The name escaped her, but she knew the substance was helping her heal, so she left it in. Besides, she was just too tired to try and move.

“Man… I would also act that way after going through all that.” Oscar's comments feel both sad and hurt, seeing one of his precious friends act that way.

Now she could see a figure on the far end of the room. It looked to be a man working at a terminal that kept beeping. Frankly, it was annoying, but then the man turned towards her. Somehow, he had noticed that she was stirring and was now coming to check on her. She felt relief.

That relief disappeared as soon as she saw his green skin. At once, uncontrollable fear rippled through her body, and the incessant beeping became alarmingly fast. Her vision, once steadily improving, was now getting darker and blurrier by the second. The man seemed alarmed and was rushing over to her, and her fear increased.

The viewers began to worry and grow alarmed with worry.

“Wh-Whats happening?!” Nora fearfully asks, worrying who her among her friends are acting this way.

“One of you guys is having a panic attack!” Qrow says, hoping that it's not one of her nieces, but his hopes were dashed when he heard a familiar voice.

"Brainiac…" she whispered in panic before finally losing consciousness once more.

“Ruby…!” Weiss mutters in shock as she covers her mouth with her hands then quickly turned to her partner, who looked pale and horrified at seeing herself like this.

Yang quickly came to her sister’s side and embraced her. She whispered to her that everything is okay. It took a moment for the young Rose to calm down before they continued back to the show.

"Jesus, what is this stuff?" Barry muttered as he stared at the frozen sample through a microscope. His mask was down, revealing his short brown hair. His face was scrunched in confusion as he tried to wrap his brain around the material before him. They had spent the last several hours poking and prodding at their dwindling supply of samples, and so far, it defied explanation. "I'm not seeing any organic structures in here. Just black goo."

“Hello~ he’s surprisingly good looking,” Robyn comments, checking out the speedster. Even Harriet liked what she’s seeing.

“So even Mr. Allen is a scientist?” Winters says, growing more impressed by these people.

“So, there's nothing organic in that black substance?” Pietro takes note of this new information. “Though it does make sense in a way since the Grimm has no souls.”

"Spectrograph doesn't match any known element on the periodic table," Batman added, his voice slightly betraying his confusion. "No trace of organic compounds in its composition. It's all one uniform substance."

“Fascinating…” Vine comments. “Even Batman has quite the intellect.”

“But how is that even possible?” Robyn questions.

“It’s because of the God of Darkness.” The ones who knew the truth said unison in their thoughts.

"One that doesn't react to any external stimuli. Intense heat burns it away, and ice can contain it, sure, but it doesn't conduct electricity, doesn't have a boiling point, and it doesn't actually freeze. It's just in a… permanent liquid state. The creepiest part, though, is that things go in and just don't come out. I prodded it with a rod, and it ate it." Flash held up the metal rod, bite marks clearly seen.

“…That’s is both fascinating and disturbing…” Ren says, shuddering in what the goo can do as he recalled the story from Team RWBY from learning from Jinn.

“At least we now know that it's possible to rid the source of all Grimm,” Elm says, getting everyone's attention. “I mean, think about it. After seeing what the Justice League did, they just proved that we could potentially get rid of the Grimm in Remnant!”

This got everyone's attention. If the Justice League can do the impossible, then so could they. Without the Grimm, even Salem will have a hard time conquering Remnant if her army has been crippled. This gave everyone the motivation to learn more from this world to help others.

"Except for the black creatures." Batman was now looking at recordings of the battle, taken from security cameras, body cameras, and risk-taking reporters. "They seem to react acutely to emotions. Specifically fear, which seems to increase agitation. Possible extreme predatory instinct that overrides survival instinct."

“Whoa! He even figured that out?” Yang says in surprise.

"You seem unsure."

"Nature of decomposition indicates that the creatures are not biological." Batman typed away on a monitor, documenting their findings. "No trace of anybody, and despite the number of creatures that emerged from the tar, the level never decreased. I can only assume the vaporization is connected. You were right, Flash. These things are not natural."

“Even that?!” Ruby squeaks in surprise. “It’s like he’s a detective.”

“That’s because he is!” Penny chimed. “Batman is also called ‘The World's Greatest Detective’!” This made everyone look in awe at the Dark Knight, surprising them even more of his capabilities.

"Magic?"

“Magic?” Robyn skeptically says but remembers Mr. Myxpick. “Normally, I would brush that as a joke, but after being here, I can only see that as a possibility know.” This earned a few quiet sighs from the rest, not needing to worry about bringing out this particular secret.

"Probably. I'll get in touch with John Constantine. He might be able to figure out what this stuff is. Either him or Zatanna."

“Heroes that can use Magic?!” Ruby says both shock and awe, even having mixed feelings from these revelations.

“The three known Magic users of the League are John Constantine, an occult detective, Zatanna Zatara or known as Zatanna, a master magician and finally Ken Nelson, aka Doctor Fate, a Lord of Order. They are mostly involved in supernatural cases,” Penny explains, making everyone awed again learning that magic is real outside of Remnant, especially those who know about Ozma, Salme, and the Four Maidens.

"Doctor Fate might be able to help as well," Flash added. "Maybe we—"

"Flash, Batman, you are needed in the medical bay immediately!" J'onn suddenly declared over the intercom.

Everyone stood straight in there seats, knowing what they would accept.

“That was J’onn with Ruby?” Qrow questions.

"J'onn, what's wrong?" Batman asked as he rose to his feet and walked to the door.

"One of the children woke up."

By the time the two arrived in the medical bay, all of the League Founders were standing in the room, watching the children for any signs of activity. So far, all were silent.

The viewers can only watch in silence as they worry about what happens next.

"So, run it by me again?" Flash asked, his eyes darting between the Martian Manhunter and the eight patients.

Everyone nearly flinched, seeing the Martian Manhunter for the first time.

“Who or what is that?!” Jaune shouts, slightly scared at the new characters on the screen.

“That’s J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter.” Penny quickly answers in an attempt to calm everyone down. “Like Shayer Hol, J’onn is an alien from the planet Mars making him a Martian. He is one of the Justice Leagues' most trusted ally.”

Learning this, everyone calmed down, being glad that he is on the side of good.

"It is as I said. I was monitoring their vitals and running blood tests when the silver-eyed girl woke up. When I went to check on her, she suffered a panic attack upon seeing me and promptly passed out. Whether it was due to fear or fatigue, I do not know. Before she did, she mentioned the name, Brainiac."

The viewers narrowed their eyes at the mention of the name.

"Brainiac," Superman muttered. "That name sounds familiar. I might have seen it before in my father's memories. I should check the Fortress to be sure."

“What! Superman knows who Brainiac is?” That fact stunned Ruby and the others as well.

"Tell us what you find," Batman responded before turning towards J'onn. "Have the blood tests finished?"

"They did just before the girl awoke," he revealed. "The results are… interesting."

This got everyone's attention. Interesting? What made the Martian say that? Was it because RWBY and JNPR are from another world, or is it because that there biology is different?

"In what regards?" Shayera asked, her helmet placed on a nearby metal table.

"For starters, they are almost identical to humans. Same internal organ structure, cellular composition, DNA structure, number of chromosomes, and neural pathways. The blonde girl is the half-sister of the silver-eyed girl from a paternal lineage, the others share no relations among them. No evidence of genetic tampering or modifications, as well. There are, however, a few key distinctions." J'onn turned towards a nearby screen and activated it. Pictures of their DNA appeared, with several sections highlighted and emphasized while X-Rays appeared next to their strands.

“So we are similar to the people of Earth…” James muttered, fascinated by this revelation.

"Their muscular and skeletal structures are denser than a baseline human being's. One of the girls, in particular, has a unique genetic makeup that contains trace amounts of feline DNA, along with a higher number of photosensitive rod cells and a functional dual auditory system."

"You mean those cat ears aren't only real and natural, but they work, too?" Flash asked, slightly skeptical. "GL, you ever come across something like that?"

“What does that mean?” Blake raised a brow.

“It means that the Faunus does not exist on Earth,” Penny answers, getting a surprising look from everyone.

"Once or twice. It's rare, but not unprecedented," John shook his head. "The others don't have the extra DNA?"

“Interesting… so there are other alien Faunus like us out there?” Marrow says in pure fascination, even Blake is fascinated by this.

"No. There is one more key detail. All of them have an active metagene."

“Metagene?” Everyone echoed in confusion.

"All of them?" Diana asked, slightly surprised. On Earth and most other planets, the metagene was quite rare. To have all eight have them, active at that, was highly peculiar.

“Are they talking about our Aura?” Ruby asks.

“I’m not sure?” Penny frowns the files in that topic are censored.

"Yes. I discovered it when I was trying to take their blood. Their bodies seem to emit some kind of barrier field along their skin and clothes. The field further increases their muscle density, electrical impulse speed, and from what I can tell, increases their bodies' natural healing." He zoomed in on one of the x-rays, focusing on a heavily fractured arm. "The red-haired girl's broken arm is healing quite rapidly, and should be fully recovered in a few days."

"Fascinating." Superman looked at the arm in question with his X-Ray Vision and saw that J'onn's statement was correct. The last time he saw the arm, it was clearly broken in several different places along the radius and ulna, almost in two. Those breaks were significantly tighter now, and he could see the bones continuing to mend. "How long do you think they'll be out?"

“Superman even has X-Ray Vision?!” Yang shouts in disbelief seeing another power the Man of Steel has.

"Hard to say. Could be hours, even days. At the very least, their brains show no signs of any long term damage. It appears that the field naturally healed it first before moving on."

"Good to hear," Superman nodded. "In the meantime, I'll head down to the Fortress. See what I can find on Brainiac. I'll relay to you all whatever I can find."

“I wonder what this ‘Fortress’ Superman is talking about?” Weiss curiously asks.

“Probably Superman’s personal location.” Winters answers.

"Please do," Batman said. "I'll be back in the lab. There's a few more tests I want to run on the remaining samples before disposal, along with their equipment."

“They're even going to examine our weapons?” Ruy says, slightly fearful for her beloved baby.

"Sounds good to me. I'll be in the cafeteria. Didn't have time to eat lunch before I ran over, and I'm starving." Flash's statement was met with a loud growl from his stomach, causing Diana to smile lightly and John to groan.

“No surprise there,” Harriet comments as she crosses her arms. “Running at full speed does affect your metabolism.”

Ruby even agrees, which is one of the reasons she could eat so many cookies without gaining weight.

"What, I can't help it! My powers make my metabolism insane," Flash defended himself with a pout, causing Shayera to laugh.

"Don't worry, Barry. He's just in a grumpy mood today. Come on, I'll join you."

"I will as well," J'onn added. "Based off the events from earlier, it may not be best for me to be with them."

"The more, the merrier!"

“Man, hearing them talk about food is making me hungry,” Jaune comments while the others agree with him.

“We can all eat later! There's a cafeteria in this pocket dimension. The guide book mentioned that once we reached several episodes a day, we can have a break.” The android explains, earning a nod from everyone.

"I'll have Green Arrow and Black Canary watch over them for any signs of activity," Batman declared as he walked out the door. "Call me once they wake up."

With that, the informal meeting was adjourned, and they all went their separate ways. For a moment, Diana considered going towards the cafeteria before deciding instead to walk with Batman towards the lab.

"Princess."

"Bruce."

The exchange was curt and to the point, but Diana recognized the thankful tone in his voice. It was subtle, but it was there all the same.

“Well, that’s certainly cute,” Blake comments, while a few of the girls agreed.

Flying was always liberating to Clark. The feeling of weightlessness, soaring through the air like a bird, feeling the wind brush past his face and the warmth of the sun's rays beaming down on him. He could honestly say it was his favorite ability. It was liberating.

“Wow… that looks like fun,” Ruby says in awe while not helping to be a bit jealous of what Superman can do. Even a few can't help but have the same feeling.

Flying high in the atmosphere also came with another benefit. Everything was quiet. On the ground, he had to constantly focus to block out what he didn't want to hear. If he wanted, he could hear a person's conversation in China from his cubicle in the Daily Planet. But in the highest reaches of the atmosphere, sounds were muted by the thin air. He could still hear things, but he didn't have to focus as hard to drown them out.

“His hearing is that sharp!” Blake says in disbelief. Not even a Faunus with accurate hearing can't hear that good.

The silence also allowed him to think. Usually, it was about a myriad of things, from Luthor's latest schemes, how to use Kryptonian technology to better mankind, or even where he was going to take Lois on their next date. Right now, he was focused entirely on the children now under their care. Their physical conditions, how they managed to get a Mother Box, the creatures that came with them, everything. Most importantly, who or what caused their injuries. At least now, he had a name.

Clark slowed as he neared the deepest region of the Antarctic. Far from the observing eyes of any human being stood a towering crystalline fortress, vaguely shaped like a pyramid. The light's rays refracted off of its surface, making it shine brilliantly across the desolate ice and snow. A single entrance laid within a small crevice at its base, a golden metal door emblazoned with the insignia of the House of El at the top. The sight made him smile. It was here, inside his Fortress of Solitude, where he was truly able to retreat from the world.

Again, everyone was utterly floored at the sight of Superman’s Fortress. They were expecting something to be grand. But this, this was something entirely far from what they expected.

“That… that’s his Fortress!” Qrow shouts in both awe and disbelief.

“It’s… it’s nothing of what I can ever think off!” Weiss shouts.

“It's so pretty…” Ruby mutters in awe.

“That’s the Fortress of Solitude.” Penny answers. “Superman personal headquarters and second home.”

The doors opened automatically as he neared them. As they did, warm air briefly escaped from the interior before the doors closed behind him. At once, the noise from the outside world ceased, and he could only hear the faint and subtle movements of air within the crystalline walls and floors. Never once touching the ground, he passed by his trophy room and zoological preserve without pause. His eyes were set on a massive statue sitting atop a sunstone base, one he made himself that depicted his parents, Jor-El and Lara-El, holding the doomed world of Krypton atop their hands. He had spent weeks designing it, and several days carving it from a single block of steel with his heat vision.

Everyone was in complete awe, seeing so many things inside the Fortress so many that they all remained speechless. Heck, even Penny was floored that she didn’t notice the censored files on her head regarding Superman’s Fortress.

"Greetings, Kal-El," a robotic voice greeted him as a conical drone floated to him. "Do you require assistance?"

“He even has his own personal robot,” Pietro comments as he snaps out from his trance.

“Who’s Kal-El?” Nora asks.

“That is Superman’s Krypton name.” Penny answers. “Clark is also an alien from another world called Krypton, making him Kryptonian.”

“Ok… I'm starting to see a pattern here about aliens.” Qrow comments.

"I'll be fine. Thank you." He nodded to the robot, which left without saying a word. He turned back to the statue then walked in between the feet of his parents. As he did, a section of the floor beneath him descended into a large cavern filled with crystals. A singular crystal towered over all the others, it shining faintly despite having no access to the sun. Once the platform stopped moving, he walked to a distinct section of the mineral array that looked similar to a control board. His hands quickly moved between the gems, gently touching the tips of select crystals that slid down at his touch. As the last prism slid down, the crystal tower shone brilliantly and emitted a ray of light into another formation. The beam refracted and split, each beam hitting another clear gem and repeating the process until finally, the beams converged in the center of the cavern. From the convergence, a form began to appear of a bearded middle-aged Kryptonian wearing a robe, and Clark smiled.

“Hey, he looks Superman,” Jaune says, seeing the similarity between the two.

"Father."

“Father?” everyone echoes in surprise.

“That’s a holographic memory of Superman’s father, Jor-El. He may not be truly there, but he helps guide his son with the recorded memories of his late father.” Penny explains as many were touched and sadden about Superman’s late father.

"Kal-El," the holographic memory of his father smiled. It might only be an artificial projection made from Jor-El's downloaded memories, but he treated it as his father nonetheless. "Something has happened, hasn't it?"

"Yes," Clark replied with a sigh. "Does the name "Brainiac" mean anything to you?" Jor-El's alarmed expression answered his question immediately, and his worry grew.

“Well, glad to now, they know what the threat is now,” James comments while Ruby’s group quietly thinks about Salem.

"These weapons are fascinating," Diana muttered as she held the boxy sniper-rifle in her hand. With a quick exertion, the weapon unfolded and shifted into a massive scythe, and she gave a few swings as a test. "Perfectly balanced as well. Whoever made this was quite skilled. Honestly, the thought of combining a sniper rifle with a scythe would have never occurred to me."

Ruby snaps back from her thought and feels pride for Wonder Woman’s praise. “Why, thank you! I designed and built Crescent Rose all by myself.”

“Wait. You made your weapon?” Harriet says in surprise, along with a few of the others.

“Yup!”

"Likewise," Batman curtly replied as he disassembled the rapier. A few dull crystalline particles were inside glass cylinders attached to the hilt like a revolver. For some reason, they appeared… inert, to his eyes. Lifeless. If the crystals did anything, he suspected they were useless now.

“I guess this proves that Dust can’t work outside from our world and cant work in another.” Weiss points out the fact. While also focusing that her beloved Myrtenaster was being dismantled and studied.

"You sound disapproving." Diana's statement earned a scoff from the dark knight, making her smile.

“Does he not like my weapon?” Ruby says, slightly hurt.

“Oh, he has nothing against your weapon. It’s just that Batman has a dislike for guns.” Penny explains, earning a confused look from the Remnantians.

"Still," she continued as she folded the weapon and placed it down onto the workbench, "the fact that they were all armed contributes to the idea they were in a fight. All of them sport heavy damage to their structural integrity. A few more hits, and they'd be falling apart."

“I’m honestly surprised that your weapons managed to hold off for that long with or without your recent upgrades,” Elm comments, remembering the punishment their weapons went through during Brainiac’s invasion.

"I'm more curious as to what they used as ammunition," he said as he ran some of the crystal dust between his fingertips. "Most of them seem to fire some kind of bullet. Judging by the remaining casings in the chambers, they appeared to be a mixture of shotgun shells, pistol, and rifle ammunition, but no traces of gunpowder or similar propellants."

“Gunpowder?” everyone echoed again in confusion.

“Is it some kind of alternative to Dust bullets?” Blake says, curious about this gunpowder.

"Do you think those weapons used the dust?" Diana asked as she leaned over Bruce's shoulder to get a closer look.

"Perhaps. It is possible that, whatever this substance is, it used to hold special properties that made it useful as a propellant. Now, however, it doesn't do anything. It's… perplexing." He sounded annoyed, and Diana patted his shoulder.

“Join the club, heck we don’t even now squat what Dust up to this day,” Qrow says, knowing very well that Remnant has barely scratched the surface of what Dust is.

"If anyone can figure it out, it would be you." Diana then took some of the dust and rubbed it with her fingers. "It's some kind of crystal, but nothing like I've ever seen. Did the spectrograph say anything about it?"

He shook his head. "The readings proved inconclusive. These crystals aren't made up of anything on the periodic table. Which is odd, because the rest of the weapons are identifiable."

“So Earth even has its own periodic table.” Vine comments.

"Let me guess: steel?"

"Mostly. They're made of high-grade steel or bronze alloys with titanium frames. There's a few traces of carbon and tin for reinforcement. Interestingly enough, there are trace amounts of that crystalline substance mixed within most of the alloys, as if it was involved in the smelting or forging process somehow." He turned to face the Amazon princess, holding the rapier aloft. "That's not the most important element I've gathered from these weapons. With the exception of the sword and shield, these weapons are too customized to be standard issue weaponry. All of those moving parts would require far too much maintenance to be practical for armies or police, which tells me that they were a specialized fighting unit. Perhaps akin to special forces or, given their ages, trainees. It's possible that they were training to combat the creatures we fought in Metropolis. Might explain why they would even consider the shifting mechanic. Melee combat might have become inevitable against them."

“Wow… he’s super smart…” Jaune says, slightly dazed by the long explanation the Batman gave out.

“I’m so dizzy…” Ruby muttered as she held her head while a few were a bit bewildered by the long accurate explanation.

"Not to mention their outfits. Far too colorful." Diana paused as a thought came to mind. "Perhaps they're similar to us?"

The younger teens who are more fond of heroes' eyes sparkled at the idea. “The Hunters League?” They all said in unison, much to everyone's shock and bewilderment, that they just thought of name in one go.

"Maybe. The thought has come to mind." Bruce sighed, placed the rapier down, and stood up. "This is as far as we can go with what we have. I've already sent a sample down to Constantine, Doctor Fate, and Zatanna. They'll be able to help determine what the tar exactly is. In the meantime, all we can do now is wait for Clark to come back and—"

A loud, dull thud sounded off across the Watchtower, stopping Bruce in his tracks. He and Diana turned to the door, wondering just what it was when another thud was heard. Then another, and another yet again.

Everyone jumped at the sudden commotion.

“What’s happening?!” Yang shouts.

“Is the Watchtower under attack!?” Clover guessed.

"All League members to the medical bay! All League members to the medical bay!" Green Arrow's voice frantically yelled over the intercom, the sounds of arrows flinging from bowstrings and piercing screams behind him. "The kids woke up, and they're pissed!"

Almost everyone gasped at the revelation, although everyone shouldn’t be surprised seeing that the young Hunters are in a completely different location.

The said kids, though, shrunk in their seats, feeling both nervous, guilty, and scared in what their counterparts are doing.

“Oh no…” Ruby weakly mutters on her seat.

Batman was already out the door before the red alarm lights blared throughout the Watchtower, Wonder Woman hot on his heels.

"Calm down!" Green Arrow yelled as he dodged yet another haymaker from the blonde girl in front of him, her eyes glowing red in rage even as he spun her around and threw her to the floor. He was able to make that distinction as they were definitely not red when she first woke up. In fact, they were lilac originally.

The viewing Yang nervously gulped, seeing her old self in utter rage and what's worse is that she was putting up that rage on the wrong people.

“Wow… remind me never to get on your bad side.” Marrow gulped, fearing the blond’s rage. Even Oscar was a bit intimidated by her anger even if this wasn’t his first time he’s seen it.

“Well… you best not to then.” The blond brawler nervously chuckled as she tried to lighten things up.

It had happened so fast. One minute, he and Dinah were checking on the monitors when the cat girl suddenly woke up and started freaking out. An obvious panic attack from PTSD if he ever saw one, and the two of them tried to calm her down. That's when she ripped a metal pole off the bed and began swinging it clumsily like a sword, still disoriented from her ordeal yet making sizable dents whenever she struck metal. He then tried to grab her, although each time he did, she somehow made a copy of herself that disappeared upon contact. Admittedly, it was annoying, but Dinah was eventually able to hold her down. Then the blonde girl woke up, saw Dinah holding onto the struggling cat girl, then her eyes turned red, and her hair caught fire.

“Oh… so I started it…” Blake guiltily said as her cat ears dropped.

“It’s not your fault, Blake!” Weiss says, trying to comfort her friend. “Our counterparts went through a traumatic experience. It wouldn’t be strange for any of us to freak out like that.”

That's when he took the cue to duck as the girl got off the bed and hurled the whole thing at him through the window. Dinah had to let go of the catgirl as the blonde then tried to punch her, the blow shattering a nearby station. For a solid minute, the two League members tried to calm the two panicking and angry girls down, but they weren't having it. When the blonde crumpled a steel door with another fist, continuing to try and to attack them out of an out of control fight or flight instinct, the Green Arrow and Black Canary realized talking wasn't going to cut it. Reluctantly, Oliver shot a net arrow at the girls to restrain them, lest they hurt themselves or the superheroes, only for a few more problems to show themselves. One, they didn't speak the same language, which made communication rather difficult between the two parties. Second, the others woke up shortly after he trapped them in the net, and upon seeing their states, they got mad and rushed him and Dinah.

“Wait, what? Our counterparts are speaking in a different language?” Ren says in surprise.

“That doesn’t make sense. We can understand the people of Earth’s language perfectly.” Oscar points out.

“It’s because we are in the pocket dimension.” Penny begins to explain once more. “The moment we entered this space, Mr. Myxpick took the liberty to implant some universal languages in our heads the moment we first set foot here.”

“That would explain the minor headache when I got here.” Elm comments.

"Get away from her!" the silver-eyed girl yelled out incomprehensibly as she ran towards the archer, rose petals trailing behind her as she clumsily attempted to attack him. It was clear that, even besides her disorientation, she wasn't the most skilled at hand-to-hand, having left far too many openings for Oliver to exploit and exploit them he did. He twisted his body around her outstretched arm and wrapped his bow around her chest, bringing her struggling body to his.

“Wait, is that what I sound like?” Ruby says as she tilted her head while doing her best to ignore the fact the Green Arrow easily bested her. “I understood what is said, but at the same time, I didn’t?”

“I think times like these, we just ignore these kinds of complicated things, Ruby,” Jaune says, which made his friend agree.

"We are not your enemy! Please, stop!" he pleaded once more, but the others either didn't understand him or didn't care. Probably a little of both, if he was being honest. Still, he had to hold himself back deliberately, or else he would run the risk of hurting them, something he definitely did not want to do, even as the blond boy rushed him.

“So, this is what it's like to go through a language barrier.” Vine comments.

“Is that really what you worrying about right now?” Marrow raises a brow towards his fellow Ace-Op but just shrugs at the question.

Green Arrow immediately reacted by throwing the girl into him, sending them sprawling against the floor while he pulled a boxing glove arrow from his quiver, drew it, and shot the Asian-looking boy in the face. He fell to his knees in surprise and clutched his face in pain while an orange-haired girl cried out what he could only guess was his name. She then looked at the archer in absolute fury before noticing a light above them. Realization seemed to flash across her face as she suddenly punched a hole into the wall and pulled out a cord. She then ripped it in half, causing the light to go out and forcing the electricity to flow into her.

A few of the audience held there mouths holding back a chuckle seeing how the alternate Lie Ren was knocked down by a boxing glove arrow.

“Okay… I know the situation is bad, but I can't help but admit that it is a creative weapon.” Ruby giggled, seeing the creative use of Green Arrow’s… well arrows.

The viewing Ren just stares with a half eyed look, not believing his other was offed like that. While his partner furious at the scene just like her other, but held herself back because she knows that the fighting was all a misunderstanding and can't help but feel sorry what her other was about to do.

"What are you…?!" Oliver shouted in alarm as electricity coursed through her. Rather than collapsing in pain, the girl's face erupted into a wicked grin. At once, he understood exactly what had occurred, and he could only groan. "Great, you get stronger from electricity. Perfect."

“I’m sorry, Green Arrow!” The hammer-wielder apologizes to the screen.

The girl responded by springing towards him to try and deliver a punch. Green Arrow kicked off the wall adjacent to him and dodged while her fist impacted the metal. It dented and warped from the impact. The girl pulled back to try and throw another punch, only for Black Canary to shriek loudly at her, the concentrated soundwaves slamming her back against another wall.

“AH!” Most of the audience flinched at the sudden loud screech that Black Canary used. Though it mostly affected the Faunus.

“What was that?!” Blake shouts as she massages her cat ears.

“That was Black Canary’s power, the Canary Cry.” Penny answers.

“Wow… that was loud.” Marrow rubbed his ears, he may not have extra ears, but that doesn't mean it didn’t hurt.

“And powerful,” Robyn comments after seeing how the kids were blown away like pieces of paper.

"Kids, calm down. You're safe here," she pleaded with her hands raised up. This gesture didn't work as the white-haired girl formed some kind of glowing symbol that looked vaguely like a snowflake under the glass shards and launched them towards the Black Canary. She responded by shrieking at the glass shards, the vibrations shattering the glass into harmless particles, and throwing the children back down the hall.

“No! Why didn’t you get the gesture, me?!” Weiss says in dismay.

“It’s just as you said, Weiss. Your counterparts are panicking and confused.” Winter reminded her younger sister.

As they picked themselves up, Oliver idly wondered just where the hell the others were. His thoughts were answered as a red blur raced towards them, and the archer recognized the Flash immediately. The children now stared at the Scarlet Speedster in both apprehension and confusion, taking defensive stances as the Flash held his hands.

“Finally, some backup!” Qrow shouts, hoping that more of the members of the Justice League would help reason the children.

"Easy, easy," he spoke soothingly. "You're among friends here. Just calm down, and we can figure everything out."

“Please listen to him…” Oscar here beggingly whispers, hoping that the counterparts would see to reason while the said hunters were silently hoping for the same thing.

"What are they saying?" the girl with the broken-arm asked, the blond boy placing himself in front of her protectively, likely due to her injury. Judging by her face, she didn't know how to feel about that.

The viewing Jaune blushed a bit that his other was doing but wasn’t against it.

"I don't know," he responded, his voice tense. "Guys, I… I think we should stop. I don't think they're trying to hurt us."

“Listen to him, listen to him!” The viewing Jaune begged.

"No chance in Hell," the blonde girl shouted back, her eyes still red, "not until we figure out just what is going on! How are we supposed to know they aren't with Brainiac?!"

“No~! Why does my anger have to win against me!?” Yang screamed in dismay, now regretting how her temper ultimately won against her in the past, which eventually lost her arm and how she snapped at Ozpin when she was unintentionally doing the same to Oscar.

'Please, listen to him,'  J'onn's voice suddenly rang out telepathically, startling the children. That turned into fear as the Martian Manhunter emerged from the ground in front of them, which was showcased by their tentative steps back. They might have tried to run, only for Batman, Diana, Green Lantern, and Shayera to cut them off. Seeing how they were staying put, J'onn continued. 'We mean you no harm. You were injured, and we took you in for treatment. We are not your enemy.'

“Whoa! Is he communicating with us?” Jaune asks in surprise.

“And how did he do that?” Nora asks in awe.

“That’s one of J’onn’s people's powers,” Penny explains. “Telepathy and phase-shifting.”

“Remarkable!” Winter says, fascinated that the Martians are capable of such a feat.

"How are we supposed to believe that?" the catgirl asked, still holding the metal pole like a sword. J'onn responded by waving his hands at everyone and taking a few steps back. Taking the cue, the others stepped back and lowered their arms and weapons as well.

“Please listen to them!” The viewing Blake begs to her counterpart while regretting how paranoid she was once back then.

'Please, trust us. We only want to help.'

“Listen to them! There tellin the truth!” Ruby begged as she begins to tear.

"I… I don't…" the silver-eyed girl stammered, looking between all of them as she and the others struggled to decide on what to do. Realization that they weren't in danger was beginning to flow across their faces, as well as hints of regret and shame for lashing out in fear. It was then that they heard the sound of another door opening, and they turned to see a solemn Superman walking towards them, his face ashen white.

“Yes! Superman is here!” Nora cheered, but her smile dropped, seeing at how Superman looked so pale.

“I'm guessing Superman learned the truth.” Robyn grimaced, understanding how anyone would react, learning about Brainiac’s sick view preservation.

"J'onn, I need you to link us," he said, his voice struggling to contain itself. The other League members all looked at each other in worry. J'onn merely nodded and did as requested. As he did, he saw what Clark had learned, and he recoiled.

“And now they know…” Qrow grimaced. He couldn't help but compare the time when he, his nieces, and her team learned the truth, Jinn, but the only difference is that this is even worse than an immortal witch.

"No…" he gasped as an all too familiar painful memory suddenly resurfaced. The others grew more alarmed, with Batman's eyes widening in horrified realization, yet were silent as Superman calmly walked towards them, stopping to kneel before the silver-eyed girl. She looked at him in a mixture of confusion, fear, and wonder as did the others. When he placed his hand on her shoulder, the blonde girl moved to stop him, only to be silenced as Superman pulled the young girl into a gentle hug.

The viewers were stunned at what they are seeing. A mighty Hero who took down Grimm with his bare hands with ease was comforting a small broken girl with a simple and gentle hug.

Seeing this scene made something inside every one of them stir inside, feeling something unexplainable inside them but none more than a specific little Rose as she clenched her chest with her hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." For a moment, the girl was still and unmoving before she slowly slid her hands against his back to return the hug. She then buried her head in his shoulder and began to weep.

At that very moment, something snapped in all of the Remnantians as they watched this heartwarming moment. At this very moment, they can understand that Superman was that just ‘super’. He is a ‘symbol of hope’. And unbeknown to all of them, their tears began to fall from their eyes. Ruby was the first to notice but stayed quiet because she didn’t care because right now, she was warmly smiling towards a ‘True Hero’.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

After a few moments of calming down after witnessing the touching scene of Superman comforting the young Huntress, they discussed with one another as they wait for the next viewing to appear.

“Despite everything that has happened to our counterparts, I am glad that they are in safe hands,” Weiss said while her eyes were still a bit puffy from the light crying, she along with the others shortly, did.

“Indeed, it is, little sister.” Winter nodded in agreement towards her younger sibling

Everyone in the room also agreed with the young Schnee despite all the pain, the hardship, and the losses. They are all happy to learn that both Teams RWBY and JNPR are in the safe and capable hands of a group of remarkable people similar to their Hunters and Huntresses and more advanced about what they are more familiar with.

“Yeah…” Ruby whispers with a sad smile as she looks down as her smile slowly faded. Her uncle noticed this.

“What’s wrong, pipsqueak?”

Ruby slightly jumped a bit on her seat but answered. “Oh! It’s nothing. It’s just… I can’t help but worry about everyone who is still left behind back in Remnant.”

This comment made them realize that they forgot something vital after they finished watching the second episode. They have forgotten about the people of Remnant who are now enslaved by the Brainiac. No one dared to say anything or even imagined what is currently happening to them.

“Hey… I’m sure everything is going to be okay.” Jaune broke the silence with a gentle and kind smile. “I know things aren’t looking good for this universe, but if I know us very well, I doubt our others are just going to let it end like that.”

Hearing those words made everyone smile. Those who don’t know much about both Team RWBY and JNPR have a feeling that they wouldn’t give up just that after seeing their counterparts risk their lives in the first episode. Those who do can’t help but be proud of the younger generation showing their resolve to keep fighting.

Even from Ruby’s group smiled at the words of their friend. Even in their current situation against Salem, none of them refuses to back down, let it end on her possible victory. Their counterparts never gave up against Brainiac, so why not them?

Ruby smiled as her resolved grew and felt happy from the words of her first friend from Beacon. “Thanks, Jaune, your right. No matter what world or universe we end up in, it won’t change the fact that we are Huntsmen and Huntresses. No matter what happens, we’ll never give up.”

Jaune smiled and nodded back to his friend. Hearing all this made all the small tension in the room disappear, giving a newfound resolve to a particular few and thinking over when they leave this pocket dimension.

After all the talking finished, the next viewing began to start itself. Everyone watched in their seats as they wondered what happens next after the Remnantians and Earthlings meeting.

Chapter 3: Last Sons and Daughters

“The Last Sons and Daughters… despite the sadness in that title, I can’t help but feel that it’s very fitting,” Ren comments while a few nodded in agreement.

“I can only guess that your counterparts are either mourning or healing from their traumatic experience,” Maria comments as she understood the feeling as well after the day she lost her eyes.

It was an odd thing, staring at a planet from orbit. One could see practically everything from there, from the vast mountain ranges to the wide-open seas. From the great plains to dry deserts and arctic tundra to bustling city lights, Ruby and the others saw it all. It was truly a sight to behold, one that they took in for all its worth.

Now that most of the action was behind them, the viewers finally have the time to have a good look at space without the worry of something unpredictable happening. And for what it's worth, they are utterly awed by the sheer beauty of a planet's sight from another world.

“Remarkable…” James breathed out, seeing the planet.

“Wow… I wonder if Remnant looks anything like that…” Nora whispers in awe as she wondered if their world would just be as beautiful as Earth’s.

“So many possibilities… It is a shame that we currently lack the means of space travel.” Pietro comments as he thinks back about the previous attempts when sending rockets to space but unfortunately cut short due to Dust as they shut down as soon as they leave the orbit.

“I’m sure we can achieve that one day,” Penny says to her father, earning a comforting smile from him.

Especially as, the last time they looked upon a planet from orbit, it was their home being destroyed. That memory was forever burned into all of their minds, and none of them thought it would ever truly go away.

Everyone slightly cringed at the recollection. It was somewhat ironic, seeing something so beautiful can recall a traumatic event. No one said a word because they all know nothing to speak for the alternate Remnant's ultimate fate.

"It's breathtaking, isn't it? Really puts things into perspective," they heard someone say, making all of them turn their heads to see a man clad in red and blue, staring out at the planet below them. His red cape draped behind him, and Ruby allowed herself to faintly smile.

The audience smiled, relieved to see the Man of Steel before the young Remnantians. Just seeing the Kryptonian was enough for everyone to feel at ease and know that everything would be okay.

"Superman," Ruby greeted, happy to see the Man of Steel once more. They had been on the Watchtower for a few days now, the vast majority of which had them stuck in the medical bay as the Justice League, the group they found themselves the guests of, monitored their condition and tried to decipher their language.

“So, the Justice League has been teaching us their language?” Blake says in interest.

“I can hear myself sound exactly like what Superman is saying.” Ruby answers after comparing the sounds between her counterpart and Superman.

“I’m more curious about how our counterparts managed to learn a new language in a few days,” Ren says in interest.

At first, the League tried using the lantern ring John Stewart had, as apparently, it served as a universal translator, only to find that Vytalian wasn't in its databanks. After that, they discussed bringing in some woman named Koriand'r, only to decide for whatever reason that it was not a good idea. It was only after RWBY and JNPR finally relented and let J'onn J'onzz probe their minds and learn their language that they were finally able to communicate. They then spent the rest of the week learning English, helped out by J'onn's mental prodding. That experience had been weird, to say the least, and it wasn't one any of them were eager to repeat.

“John Stewart, the Green Lantern?” Clover turns to Penny for confirmation, which she nods. “So, his ring not only has to power to create light-based weaponry, but it can also translate other different languages?”

“The file regarding John Stewart is technically long, but I can shorten the summary about it,” Penny said as she explains the origin of the Green Lantern. “John Stewart is an official founding member of the Justice League, but he is also part of an Intergalactic Militarized Law Enforcement Organisation known as the Green Lantern Corps, located on planet Oa.”

Everyone listening wherein complete awe and impressed by what they just learned. Who would have thought that John would hold such an important role?

“So, would that make him a space police?” Nora asks with stars on her eyes at the idea and Ruby, Jaune, and even Marrow.

“Something like that.” The android giggles as she continued. “John was chosen to be a member of the Green Lantern Corp due to his strong sense of Will and sense of justice by the will of the Power Ring he wields.”

“Power Ring? You mean it’s sentient?” Oscar questions as he slightly compares it to the Lamp of Knowledge.

“It is. That’s how all chosen recruits enter Green Lantern Corp, and with a variety of different alien species and their own unique sets of language, their Rings help them translate them.”

“That’s incredible!” Marrow says in awe and respect, along with everyone else. “But how come it was mentioned that our language, Vytalian, was something John’s Ring can’t translate.”

“I’m not fully sure.” Penny hummed. “There are cases that the Power Ring would lack information on certain areas.”

“That would explain it, but who’s Koriand’r?” Vine asked. “And why did the Justice League decide not to choose her to teach both RWBY and JNPR their language.”

“Another alien hero on Earth. But her files are currently censored, so I can’t tell you much about her.”

“A shame.”

“So, our others went through the old-fashioned way?” Yang asked.

“By old-fashioned, you mean J’onn probing our brains and directly feeding us their language? Then yup! It is.” Nora playfully quipped.

“I wonder how that would feel like?” Ruby wondered.

"I'm not disturbing anything, am I?" he asked, trying to remain courteous. Ruby appreciated the attempt.

"No, not at all," Pyrrha waved him off. "Just… soaking it in. Being in space and all."

“Gotta admit, that is one hell of distraction,” Qrow admits finding this one much better than drinking. Well, if he was still drinking.

"Many would share that feeling," Superman smiled then turned towards them. The next question hung over the air, one they all knew was coming. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Superman gently spoke. "How are you all holding up?"

“Not too good if you ask me.” Maria bluntly said, earning a look from everyone. “Oh, don’t give me that look. I know the feeling far too well, and I don’t blame them.”

"We're…" Weiss paused and looked back down on the planet below. The people here called it Earth, an unimaginative name for a planet if she'd ever heard one, but then again, they called their home planet Remnant. "We're doing better. Still… processing."

“Wow… do I sound that unconvincing?” The viewing Weiss slightly winced hearing herself like this. Her partner comforts her trying to get her to relax, which it did.

"I understand. Take your time," Superman nodded then patted her shoulder. "Know that we're here to talk whenever you want." At that, Superman turned around and walked out of the observatory, the doors opening and closing automatically behind him, leaving them alone once more. The eight former students turned back to the window, and each let out a long sigh.

Coincidently the seven particular viewers did the same.

"I can't believe this is happening," Jaune finally spoke up, breaking the silence.

"I know what you mean." Yang nodded solemnly. "It feels so unreal. Remnant is… gone, and now we're on another planet."

"A space station orbiting a planet," Blake corrected, "run by people that look like they popped straight out of one of those comic books Ruby reads all the time."

"Yeah…" Ruby sighed as she leaned forward on the railing in front of her. "Superheroes. Actual superheroes, and not just Huntsmen stylizing themselves after them. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman. I won't lie and say it's not cool." Ruby chuckled. Truth be told, had she been in a lighter state of mind, she'd probably be jumping off the walls in excitement and curiosity, but right now, she just didn't have it in her.

“I would find all of that hard to believe if it wasn’t the fact that we are inside a pocket dimension thanks to an interdimensional traveling imp.” Robyn comments, then give a small chuckle. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

“Amen to that,” Qrow says in agreement.

"Batman scares me," Jaune admitted.

"Same."

"Total agreement there."

"It's like he's a male Goodwitch, only dressed like a bat."

This got a snort from both James and Qrow as the thought came to their head. At the same time, they were glad that the said person isn’t there to hear that comment.

While the others chuckled, who heard of Goodwitch and those who studied under her gave a good laugh seeing how that could be possible.

“Did one of you seriously compared the Batman to one of your Professors?” Winters said with a raised brow.

“Oh, don’t give them that Ice Queen, and besides, it’s not like our kids here actually said it,” Qrow said, making the elder Schnee frown in annoyance but didn’t say anything else as she saw the logic in what he said.

The others quickly responded, and then they all laughed. Sensing an opportunity, Jaune backed up from the railing and dramatically threw his arm over his face, as if he was holding a cape.

"Evil beware, for I am the night!" he declared dramatically, causing everyone to laugh at his antics. "Look at my batsuit and see how serious I am!"

“Really, Arc?” Harriet raises a brow towards there, Jaune, but who can’t help but smirk.

“What can I say? I’ll do anything to make my friends happy.” Jaune says with a smile.

“And it's working!” Ruby giggled.

The others continued to laugh, and Jaune pressed on. "With a single glare, I can silence anyone from saying how ridiculous I look, because I am just that dark and scary! I can—"

"Are you finished?"

“Aagh!” Almost everyone in their seats jumped at the unexpected yet familiar voice.

“Batman?!” Nora squeaked.

“Holy- how long was there?!” Elm shouts with wide eyes.

“I-I didn’t even hear him make a sound!” Blake said in surprise. Even with her enhanced hearing, even Marrow felt the same.

"Aagh!" the others jumped as Batman suddenly made his presence known. He was standing in a far corner of the observatory, staring at them from underneath his bat-like cowl, his eyes hidden under a white sheen and still clad in his armored batsuit. Ruby felt it was simultaneously the most intimidating and coolest looking costume she had ever laid eyes on, but she wasn't about to admit that.

“It is pretty cool…” Ruby whispers in both fear and how having a good look at Batman’s suit. Even Pietro and James were both studying its appearance.

"How… how long were you there?" Jaune asked, deeply embarrassed.

“Oh, brothers… this is embarrassing.” The leader of Team JNR mutters as he covers his face with his hands in an attempt to hide his flustered look.

"Long enough," he replied, continuing to stare at the others.

“He’s been there for how long?” Penny asked.

“Maybe after Superman left?” Robyn guessed.

"Oh." Jaune grew silent. He could feel Batman staring at him, and even if he wasn't trying to intimidate him, it still happened. "So, uh… Do you need us or…?"

"Food is ready in the mess hall," Batman answered and walked to the door. "Just wanted to let you all know that." He paused at the now opened door. "Also, whenever you're ready to talk, just come and find me."

He walked through the threshold, which closed behind him with a soft hiss, leaving the students alone once more. They were all silent as they stared at the door.

Even the audience was left in silence after the Dark Knight was out of sight. Even if he wasn’t actually in front of them, they couldn’t help but feel intimidated by him.

"… It's like there needs to be a bell on that guy," Yang finally said, and the others all nodded in agreement.

“You can say that again, me.” The viewing Yang nodded in agreement with her counterpart, along with a few others.

"Did you really need to do that, Bruce?" Diana asked as she and Batman walked to the mess hall, the red, blue, and gold-colored metal plates of her Amazonian armor clattering against each other.

“Oh! It’s Wonder Woman!” Ruby smiled but then raised a brow. “Wait. She mentioned the name ‘Bruce’, is that Batman’s real name.”

“That’s right.” Penny nodded. “Batman’s secret identity is Bruce Wayne, but all files under him are strongly censored.”

"It wasn't my intention to frighten them," he responded, to which Diana rolled her eyes.

“Could’ve fooled me…” Jaune pouted while his two teammates held his shoulders in comfort as they gave an amused smile to their leader.

"Let's be honest, Bruce. You tend to scare people, sometimes." Batman looked at her, and she laughed. "Okay, a lot. You scare people a lot. I'm beginning to think you enjoy it."

“Oh, I bet he does.” Maria chuckled as she remembered when her title would always give the bad guys the willies either if they confront her or heard of her.

Batman remained silent as he continued to walk forward, causing Diana to huff in amusement. "Of course you do. You can afford to be less… tense here, you know?"

“I bet that would destroy the purpose with the Dark Knight theme.” Qrow mused.

"No." Diana expected his response and merely sighed. Before she could respond, she heard soft steps coming from behind, and the two turned around to see the children tentatively walking behind them. Diana smiled warmly and waited for them while Batman continued on.

“Mealtime~!” Nora chimed. “I want to eat some pancakes.”

“Same. I’m getting hungry.” Yang nodded with the hammer wielder.

“We can have a break after this viewing. Then have a tour in this pocket dimension after.” Penny informed everyone.

"Hello, Diana," Ruby smiled warmly at her, as did the others. They always liked speaking to the Wonder Woman, as she frequently came by to check in on them.

"Hello, Ruby," Diana greeted, then walked as they caught up to her. "I'm happy to see you all joining us."

They continued to walk in silence through the Watchtower, occasionally spotting other superheroes heading towards the mess hall or back from it. Most of them they didn't recognize, although each were memorable. As they finally entered the mess hall, they were greeted by the sight of nearly a hundred men and women intermingling with each other, each wearing unique costumes as they ate and talked. Some were simply wearing colorful bodysuits, while others were wearing full sets of armor. One man didn't even have a face, but it was his insane conspiracies about sinister aglets that made Ruby and the others stay clear. They saw Green Arrow and Black Canary eating together and enjoying each other's company, and Nora glared at the archer. She still hadn't forgiven him for hitting Ren in the face with a boxing glove arrow, although Yang frankly found it to be hysterical.

Everyone watching was in awe as they saw so many heroes with colorful and different appearances all in a single room. And what’s musing about it is that there all in the mess hall.

“There’s so many of them…” Ruby says in awe as her eyes sparkled along with a few others in the room.

“I can’t believe that Earth has so many different superheroes…” Oscar says in awe.

“This kind of reminds me of the mess hall back in Beacon Academy.” Jaune comments. “But except that we’re just a bunch of students in school uniforms and there all full-grown Huntsmen, ugh, Superheroes in their costumes.”

“Just how many members are there in the Justice League?” James asked as he carefully studied the appearances of all the heroes he could spot.

“There’s a long list of them but too much to talk about,” Penny answered.

Walking through the mess hall, they felt a few heroes looking at them, but none moved to interact. After all, they were still getting used to their new environment. None of the heroes quite knew exactly what to do. Except for one, who ran up to them in a red blur.

"Sup, guys!" Flash greeted with a smile, still dressed in his familiar red and gold-trimmed suit and wearing his mask. Unlike Batman's cowl, Flash's mask did not hide his blue eyes from view, and they were filled with nothing but life.

“Flash!” Most of the former Beacon students happily said, seeing the familiar red speedster.

“Nice to see at least someone among the group to interact with us,” Yang said, feeling a bit hurt that the other heroes weren’t doing the same as Flash was doing.

“They're just giving our counterparts some space, Yang,” Blake said to her partner. “They are in the middle of healing, and they're just considerate.”

"I saved you guys a seat. Wanna join me?" Flash offered, and while the children thought it over, Diana saw immediately what he was trying to do. Barry, more so than most of them, was able to easily connect with people. They had bonded with him the quickest over their week-long stay in the Watchtower, as he would frequently visit them whenever he had the chance if only to try and talk to them.

“Flash really is a friendly character,” Vine comments, approving his way of interacting with his fellow Remnantians.

“Yeah… I can’t help but feel jealous of our others.” Ruby comments, seeing her other and friends interacting with the Speedster.

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Flash," she said with a smile before turning to the others. "How about you?"

"Sure!" Nora exclaimed with a grin. "Don't think I'm going to forget about our rematch, Flash."

“Rematch?” The viewing Nora echoed in confusion while her partner felt something off about what this rematch is about.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Nora." Flash grinned while the others quickly recoiled. "May the best eater win."

"You're on!" With that, Nora and Flash raced to the food line, leaving the others in their wake.

“Of course, it would be that…” Ren facepalmed at one of the apparent mischiefs his childhood friend would do.

“Oh, oh, OH!” Nora giddily jumped on her seat. “A food eating contest?! I so wish I was challenging him right now!”

“You think you can take him?” Jaune asked, while two certain Remnantian was thinking about how fast Flash would eat.

“I know I can!”

"…I better go with them. Make sure Nora doesn't go overboard," Ren said as he followed after his frenetic partner. The others merely sighed before grabbing a tray of chicken, mixed vegetables, and rice and walked to a nearby table. They sat silently as they ate, content to merely eat, and try not to watch Nora and Flash race to earn the title of world's greatest human vacuum.

“That is… quite the title,” James said, unsure how to describe such a ridiculous title.

“That title shall be mine!” The pancake lover shouted with a determination which earned a sweat drop from everyone.

"Honestly, never thought I'd see the day where Nora would lose in an eating contest," Yang finally said, unable to keep her gaze away. A few League members were now cheering the two on as a mountain of food shrunk between them, while others turned away in disgust.

“WHAT?!” The said girl shouts in shock.

“Huh… never thought a see the day.” Jaune blinked even Ren was surprised by this.

“No… no, that can’t be true…” Nora shakes her head in denial.

“I’m guessing its metabolism,” Harriet said. “I would go hungry myself whenever I keep using my Semblance.”

“Same for Ruby,” Yang smirks. “Which is why she never stops eating cookies.”

“Yang!” Ruby shouts in embarrassment.

“That, and she would always go hyper on sugar,” Qrow added.

“Uncle Qrow!” The little red whined.

"Flash's powers make his metabolism extremely high. He has to eat as much as he can," Diana explained as she watched the two continue. "I don't think even Superman could out-eat him."

“Knew it!” Harriet smirked before blinking at the last part. “Wait, did she say that he can out-eat Superman?”

Nora dramatically gasped at that information. Then her eyes burned with determination as she vowed to herself that she would never lose in an eating contest even if it were her other who lost.

"Really?" Jaune hummed to himself before shaking his head. "Really, this entire thing is just…"

"Bizarre?"

“That’s taking it lightly,” Yang said with a forced smirk while being familiar with their current situation.

"That's one word for it, sure." Jaune sighed as he poked at his meal, looking at the others before turning back to see a victorious Flash holding his arms aloft over a defeated Nora, Ren rubbing his hand across her prone shoulders. He then turned to look at the rest of his friends, a silent conversation ensuing between them while Diana patiently waited.

“No~, I shall have my revenge!” Nora dramatically shouts while Ren just sighs and comforts his partner.

“Nora, please! Where listening to something important here.” Weiss said back to her, to which she sheepishly nods.

"Listen, we've been talking and…" Jaune stopped and sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "We know that you've all been patient with us, trying to help us cope with what… happened and everything. But…"

"Don't worry, I understand," Diana smiled as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "We'll only talk about your home when you all are comfortable. Just know that you have people here that are more than happy to help."

“They’re very patient and comforting,” Robyn says in acknowledgment.

“Is it really okay to share them about our home?” Elm said, making everyone looking at her in confusion. “Don’t get me wrong, I fully trust these guys, heck, I bet it will be enjoyable to work along with them, but is it really safe to tell them what we know?”

This made everyone think for a moment. Sure, the Justice League has proven themselves to be trusted and filled remarkably good people. But the real question was, is it safe to share Remnants secrets with them? Some of the groups think they have no problem doing so, but a few others who know a darker secret are unsure if it is indeed safe to tell them at all. At that moment, no one was sure to answer that question.

"Thank you," Ruby said as she looked down. Diana continued to eat her food silently. They were hurting, and it was likely that they would continue to hurt for quite some time. Trying to press the issue and, for lack of a better word, interrogate them would only make them withdraw further. Bruce had been quite adamant about that. Still, things weren't going as fast as they needed, on both sides. They needed to take a different approach.

A thought suddenly came to mind, one that made Diana smile to herself. It was so simple, she was surprised it hadn't been done yet.

“Oh, I know that look,” Yang comments with a smirk. “I wonder what Wonder Woman has for us.”

"Have you all talked to Superman yet?" Her question prompted confused glances from the children.

"A few times," Ruby admitted. "Why?"

“I wonder what Superman can do to help them?” Marrow asks curiously in how the Man of Steel will help the hurting RWBY and JNPR.

They found Superman floating in front of a large window in the control room, staring down on Earth and letting the Sun's rays hit him. Despite not knowing him very well, they had to admit seeing him was awe inspiring. They could see the power contained within his muscles, the strength of will his eyes offered glimpses into. It felt like a bottomless well, that trying to see how deep they go would only make one lost and feel insignificant. And yet, a man of that strength and power hugged a distraught girl, simply to let her know everything would be alright.

“Damn… can he not get any more impressive?” Qrow said, can’t help but grow even more awe towards the hero.

“I’m surprised he likes to sunbathe.” Winter comments.

“That’s Superman’s way of getting his strength,” Penny said, surprising everyone. “His people draw their strength by rays of a Yellow Sun, which grants the powers of Superman.”

“The sun being his source of power…” Vine says in awe.

Things weren't alright, but it was the thought that counted.

"Superman," Diana greeted, causing Superman to smile and float down towards them.

"Diana, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Pyrrha," he greeted all of them with a warm smile.

"Hi," Ruby greeted, complete with a small wave. The others followed, although Nora's was much more enthusiastic. "How's Metropolis?"

“Metropolis?” Oscar echoed.

“That’s the name of the city where RWBY and JNPR were sent to.” The android answered.

Superman he nodded as he stepped up to them "The situation in Metropolis has been contained, for the most part. But, things have been… hectic, to say the least."

"It certainly looked like it. You guys were lucky you contained it so quickly," Ruby said. They had seen on the TVs in their room that their arrival in Metropolis was followed by a short Grimm invasion, one that rivalled the Breach at the very least. Had it not been contained, things could have gotten very bad very quickly. It was that same report that showed them exactly who they were in the company of, how strong they were as well as their capabilities. It was impressive, to say the least.

“I am still impressed; they manage to do all that.” Clover comment while the others agreed with him.

"Yes, those… Grimm, you called them?" Ruby and the others nodded, and Superman continued. "Those Grimm were something else entirely. You sure you don't know anything else about them?"

“So, they never encountered those abominations before.” Pietro comments.

“I guess that shows the Grimm are only known in our world.” Ren theorized.

"Nothing. Back home, we'd tried to examine Grimm more closely for eons, but never had any success," Weiss answered. When they had learned that Earth had no such thing as Grimm and that Metropolis was the first time they had ever encountered them, at first RWBY and JNPR were confused. The concept of a world without Grimm was almost as alien as the world they were orbiting. It was then that Weiss realized that Earth truly was alien, and as such no Grimm on Earth made total sense. Grimm might have been commonplace back on Remnant, but Earth wasn't Remnant. It was reasonable that the Grimm were previously confined to their doomed home. That admittedly brought some satisfaction to her, but not much.

“Looks like your theory was right, Ren.” Weiss smiled towards her friend, which he chuckled.

“I guess it’s a good thing that the Grimm aren’t spread throughout the universe.” Jaune comments. “Though, it kinda sucks we have to deal with them.”

“It’s a good thing we’re on the job then!” Ruby chimed, making everyone smile towards her conviction.

"Hmm, unfortunate," Superman cupped his chin and shook his head. "But enough about that. There's something I wanted to show you."

"Oh, what is it?" Jaune asked, mildly curious.

Superman smiled. "It's a surprise, but I can't show you all in here. How would you guys like to accompany me down to Earth? Get a closer look?"

“Oh! Yes, please!” The young huntress excitingly said while most others were both excited and curious to learn more about what Earth has to offer.

Ruby and the others all looked at each other then back at Superman, a mixture of emotions racing through them. On the one hand, they had been cooped up in the Watchtower for days, only able to see the Earth from high orbit. Simple curiosity demanded they go down there and explore it for themselves. They all longed for the feel of the breeze on their faces, the scent of ocean salt and the general weight of natural gravity not produced by artificial gravity generators. But that led into their biggest problem with going down there. Earth wasn't their home, and nothing would ever replace that.

“There’s no place better than home…” Ruby sadly smiles. If she were in their positions, she would feel the same way.

"Sure," Yang suddenly spoke for all of them. Weiss and the others all looked at her, but Yang merely rolled her shoulders. "I don't know about you, but simply staying up here and moping is not going to solve our problems. And I'm tired of moping."

“Yeah… no need to mop around…” Yang slowly said, feeling guilty that her other was willing to move on after what has happened, unlike herself. The difference was that she just lost an arm and nearly pushed away from her precious family and friends while her other lost her the whole world. Granted, her family and friends are still alive, but under Brainiac’s hands, that doesn’t make it less impressive than her other was able to push on.

Blake notices and places her hand on her shoulder, comforting her as she knew very well what her partner was thinking.

They thought over her words before nodding in turn.

"Quick question," Blake spoke up, "how are we going to get down there?"

“The teleporter, obviously!” Nora chimed.

“Oh! I can’t wait to see our others go through that!” Ruby says in excitement.

The air was calm around the Kent Family farm. A light breeze whistled through fields of corn and wheat, powering a windmill as it creaked and spun. The sound of birds chirping and singing filled the air while the summer sun shone down from above. Everything was perfect and peaceful.

Oscar perked up, seeing the familiar scenery. Ruby notices this. “What’s wrong, Oscar?”

The current incarnation of Ozma slightly jumped. “O-Oh! It’s nothing. It’s just… seeing that farm just reminded me of home.”

“Oh yeah… you did say you came from a farm in the Kingdom of Mistral,” Jaune said.

“Yeah…” Oscar whispers as he looks down in sadness. Some of the others looked worried at the young boy, and he notices this. “Don’t worry. Everything’s okay. It’s just that I’m worried about my aunt back home… I pretty much left home without letting her know, but I did leave a letter behind.”

“What?” Robyn says in surprise. “Why would a kid like you do that?”

Being careful with his words, he unconsciously uses Ozpin's wisdom to speak. “I was… given a choice… a choice that was both important and incredibly hard to believe. At first, I wanted completely to ignore it. But I kept thinking about it over and over again until I made my decision.”

“So, you left.” The Happy Huntress leader said as she listened to his story while Oscar’s friends listened and were also curious about his decision with Ozpin before he locked himself away.

“I did.” Oscar nodded. “Even when I made the decisions to leave, I still found the choice completely unbelievable, and yet, for some reason, deep down, I knew it was the right decision.”

Everyone stood quiet, listening to his story, letting it all sink in them. “Do you regret your decision?” Robyn broke the silence as she asked the question. As if she was trying to confirm something.

Before he smiled and shook his as he gripped the Long Memory in his hand, Oscar was quiet for a moment. “At first, I did.” Some of his friends and Qrow flinched when they recalled the moment when they learned the truth from Jinn and the trouble that came after. “But now, I know, without doubt, that this is where I’m supposed to be. And to be honest… I don’t think I ever needed to the choice that was offered to me to be here, to begin with.”

Everyone couldn’t help but smile, hearing the words the boy gave out and showing his determination and conviction in where he stood. Robyn smirked, both impressed and slightly owed by a chile which has her age, would say that.

“Well… don’t know what this choice was given to you, but I can tell you got a lot of promise being here. Heck, I see a bright future of you being a Huntsman in the future.” The Happy Huntress.

“Thanks.” Oscar shyly said while his friends chuckled at his response.

That peace was shattered as a blue shimmer of light shone down from high above. From the light emerged Superman, along with the eight teenagers. For a moment, they all stood proudly and took a deep breath of the countryside air, and then the teens curled over and began to hurl.

At first, everyone awed at how both RWBY and JNPR stood proudly after they appeared out of nowhere. But they reeled back in disgust after they hurled without warning.

“Oh, my goodness!”

“The hell!?”

“Why are we throwing up?!”

"Yeah, it takes a little getting used to," Clark said as he patted Jaune's back while the boy continued to empty his stomach of its contents.

“Is that a side effect when teleporting?” Pietro says in interest and disgust as he took note of this.

“Why wasn’t Superman affected?” Winter questioned.

"Wha…" Jaune said as he slowly managed to reign himself in, "What was that!?"

"Teleportation Sickness," Superman spoke softly as he helped Pyrrha stand, who was wobbling on her feet. "Don't worry, it happened to all of us the first time. Some had more extreme reactions than others."

“Teleportation Sickness? Are you kidding me!?” Jaune threw his arms out. First, there was airsickness, but now a sickness for teleporting?! That was so not fair.

"That was the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me," Yang spoke through wide eyes. "Kinda want to do it again."

“Really?” The viewing Blake raised an eyebrow towards her partner.

“What? If my other says she wants to go, then I’m confident she can do it again.” The viewing Yang shrugged while her partner just rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Blake asked with raised eyebrows while clutching her stomach.

"Yes."

"Honestly…"

"Just tell me once the world stops spinning…" Ruby wobbled in place. Only after a few more minutes did Ruby and her friends finally regain their full composure, and it was then that they realized just where they were.

"You… wanted to show us a farm?" Weiss asked as she took everything in. "What's so important about a farm?"

“Weiss!” Ruby chastised her partner.

“What? It’s not like I’m the one who said it, and knowing me, that was an honest question.” Weiss threw her arms out.

“Even so! It’s not nice! How do you think Oscar would feel if you asked him that?”

“I-I wouldn’t mind,” Oscar said, trying to diffuse the small argument. “It’s not like there’s anything special on a farm.”

Weiss felt a bit sheepish at that and made a small apology to the Farm Boy.

"Well," Superman chuckled, "I grew up here. I like to think that makes it pretty important."

This caught everyone's surprise. The Man of Steel lived and grew up on a farm? Know the viewing, Weiss felt a bit guilty for what her other just said.

“Well, look at that kid! It looks like Superman also started the same way you did.” Maria points out to Oscar with a smirk. “Makes me think the two of you might have something in common.”

This made Oscar blush in embarrassment at that fact but couldn’t help but feel happy about it.

“The name of the place that Superman lived is called Smallville,” Penny says, informing everyone.

"Oh." Weiss felt sheepish and swiveled her head, taking in the sight of the fields. "It looks…nice?"

"Weiss," Ruby chastised with a small pout. Weiss merely sighed and threw her hands slightly upwards. Superman merely laughed.

"It's fine, I understand the country life isn't for everyone." Superman stopped and looked up into the clear blue sky. A few small clouds, white and puffy, hung overhead. He smiled then spoke again. "But, I didn't bring you all here just to show you my old farmhouse."

“It wasn’t?” Blake said, raising a brow along with the others.

“Then why did he bring our others there?” Nora asked.

The others all raised their eyebrows first, and Superman merely smiled. "I want to show you all something very important to me, something that I think will help. I couldn't do that at the Watchtower, but I can here. May I?" He held out his hand and smiled warmly. The teenagers, unsure of exactly what he wanted to show them, remained hesitant until Ruby tentatively walked forward.

"Okay," she said as she walked over to the Kryptonian. She grasped his hand and looked into his eyes, and she couldn't help but smile. "What is it that you wanted to show us?"

"Something that always cheers me up," he replied through a toothy smile. "Now, make sure you hold on tightly."

“What’s he planning?” Ruby curiously asked while the others thought the same.

"What are you-?" Ruby asked before Superman gently grabbed hold of her and held her close. He then crouched down, bringing the huntress down with him and making small rocks hover and swirl around his feet. Then, he shot upwards off the ground.

Almost everyone in the room slightly jumped at the sudden action the Man of Steel did. Some yelped while others slightly shrieked.

"AAAGH!" Ruby screamed as she and Superman quickly left the ground beneath them, her surprised friends turning into pinpricks. Air whooshed around them as they ascended higher and higher, all the while Ruby continued to cling tightly to the man holding her with her eyes clamped shut.

“Oh my gosh!” The Ruby watching slightly panicked for her other’s safety.

"Ruby, it's okay. I got you," he comforted her. "Look."

Slowly, Ruby opened her eyes and gasped. They were high above the ground now, to the point where she couldn't see her friends anymore. Only farmhouses, scattered like islands in seas of grain. The air was thin and cool, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Clouds swirled around them, and the only sound they heard was that of the wind. The sun shone down upon them, warming them with its unobstructed rays and casting large shadows that stretched across the ground for miles. It was breathtaking to the young girl as she took in the awesome sight, words unable to describe how she was feeling. A cloud drifted by, and Ruby reached out and put her hand into the saturated mass. She then pulled it out to see that it was damp, and then she finally began to laugh joyously.

Everyone’s worries quickly faded the moment they saw this. They all warmly smiled at the breathtaking scenery as they watched Superman carry Ruby out in the sky as if they were like birds soaring through the air.

Superman smiled then angled himself forward and flew off once again. The clouds zipped by them as the two flew at a comfortable speed, passing by a flock of geese that honked at them. Ruby continued to smile as she experienced flight, and then Superman gently grabbed her arm and thrust it in front of her. She copied his action with her other arm, making both outstretched before her like the nose of an airplane. Happy tears were beginning to fly off of her face, and Superman smiled more.

He flew faster now, but not to the point where it could potentially discomfort his passenger. The air whistled and whined as they passed by, but Ruby didn't care. She was flying like a bird, and as she did, her worries were beginning to melt away.

Superman then angled them downward, descending down to the fields below. They skimmed the top of a field of wheat, and Ruby let her fingers brush against their tops while continuing to laugh. A pond emerged in front of them which they passed over quickly, leaving a wake behind them.

“That was amazing!” Ruby squealed as she was both excited and a bit jealous that her other was having a blast!

"This is amazing!" she shouted over the air as they banked upwards once more. They climbed higher and higher, through both empty air and a billowy cloud until they were once again soaring above it. They hovered in place as they heard a plane pass by overhead. Ruby watched it soar by with awe then angled her head to look at Superman once more. He was smiling, and Ruby couldn't help but smile right back.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you."

“Oh man, that looks like so much fun!” Jaune smiled.

“I’ve flown on a Bullhead before but doing so without it? I’m honestly curious about what kind of feeling that would be.” Clover says, wondering what it would feel like to fly.

“I already know that feeling,” Qrow whispers with a smirk on his face since he can turn to an actual crow.

“Hey Blake, have there been any winged Faunus that can fly?” Yang asked her partner.

“I only know very few, but they're very rare,” Blake said.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Faunus with wings before.” Marrow said in agreement.

"It's okay, Ruby. Everything is going to be okay." He ruffled her hair as they slowly descended back to the Kent Family Farm. She could begin to see her awestruck friends watching them, and she continued to smile brightly as they touched ground. For a split moment after Superman let go, Ruby wobbled, only for him to gently grab her and keep her standing.

"So," he began as the others all stared at him and Ruby, "who wants to go next?"

“I so wanna fly now!” Nora shouts in excitement.

“I’ll admit it does look exciting. It’s a shame we probably might not have the chance to experience it.” Weiss comments, slightly envying her counterpart.

After nearly five hours of flight, both around Smallville and farther out, the teleporter bay in the Watchtower shone with light as Superman and the children arrived. Mr. Terrific smiled as he saw the look on all of their faces. When they left, they were all scared, subdued, and kept to themselves. Now, they were like entirely different people, so full of happiness and life. The pain was still there, but it was lessened. It was all they could hope for now.

“Looks like that really helped them improve their conditions.” Maria smiled, seeing that kids’ counterparts have much more life in them before.

"I take it you all enjoyed yourselves?" Green Arrow, leaning in the entryway, asked as the group walked towards him and Dinah.

"It. Was. Amazing!" Nora exclaimed as she threw her arms in the air. "First we were all "aagh"! Then were like "whoosh" and "zoom"!" The others laughed at how animated Nora was getting.

"I admit, it was… exhilarating. It was like nothing I've ever experienced." Weiss sighed in contentment then turned to face Superman. "And you do this every day?"

"I do." Superman nodded. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. What say we all go and get something to eat?"

Superman was answered by eight growling stomachs.

"That sounds lovely," Pyrrha said with an embarrassed blush.

“I’m glad that everyone’s starting to heal.” Jaune chuckled, happy to see his late partner’s getting better.

Dinner at the Watchtower had been a muted affair for RWBY and JNPR the past few days. The stress and trauma of losing their planet, home, and their loved ones made them all withdraw into themselves. Try as the other heroes might, the students were merely content to grab their food and retreat to the medical bay. They tried their best to alleviate their fears, that they were safe amongst them, but their progress the past few days had been slow.

So when RWBY and JNPR re-entered the mess hall with smiles on their faces and wanting to mingle, many of the heroes let out a mass sigh of relief.

“Good to know that the tension has been lifted.” James comments.

“Yeah, glad the kids are finally opening up to the rest of the heroes,” Qrow said.

"So, there we were. Mortal enemies facing each other in a battle to the death," Nora theatrically began.

"We were in the Beacon cafeteria having a food fight," Ren clarified, earning a few chuckles.

The former students perked up hearing the familiar story, and they couldn’t help but smile at the memory.

“A food fight? Are you serious?” Harriet deadpans the group.

“Yeah,” Yang smirks. “It’s called having fun.”

“More like a waste of time.”

Yang smirked dropped with an annoyed look. She was about to say something but was cut short by Nora’s taunt. “Why? You scared that you’ll lose in any fight?”

“The heck you say?” The Ace-Op narrowed her eyes.

“You heard me! Bet you too scared lose in a food fight even with your speed.” Nora smirked towards now, annoyed Harriet.

“And why would I waste my time with that?”

“I do not hear an answer.” Nora chimed.

Harriet was about to snap but was cut short by her Clover. “That’s enough, Harriet, no reason for you snap at her like that, and besides, there’s nothing wrong with having fun.”

Harriet slightly growled but huffed as she focused back on the screen. Nora grinned and gave a thumbs up to Yang, which returned in kind.

"Our battleground was cracked and shadowed by a grand and majestic castle, towering over everyone and with a powerful queen at the top of the highest tower."

"Nora stacked all the tables on top of each other, then proclaimed herself Queen of the Castle."

"A fierce battle began anew, with each side fighting tooth and nail to prove themselves to be the superior combatants and rule over the land! The General fell quickly, leaving only his queen and her subjects to carry out his will against the four interlopers. Spears were thrown, blades were crossed, and one was sent to the heavens above! But then, a red wind swept through the battlefield and defeated the queen and her subjects!"

"Jaune got knocked out by a turkey almost immediately. Nora knocked Yang through the ceiling with a melon hammer, and Pyrrha threw every single soda can at RWBY. Then Ruby used her Semblance to create a whirlwind that wiped us out with all the debris."

"And so ended the battle for the ages, and the great witch emerged from the wreckage with the wizard to clean up the scars."

"Ruby won, and Professor Goodwitch cleaned up the mess while Professor Ozpin just stood there."

When it happens, the students who were actually there laughed as they remembered the epic food fight they had against each other. While everyone else just stood in silence, blinking at the end of the tale.

The mess hall grew quiet at the end of Nora's tale, with all the heroes staring at the students before Flash suddenly threw his hands in the air.

"Seriously? That's what qualifies as a food fight on Remnant?!" he exclaimed.

“As crazy as it sounds, that does seem weird,” Robyn comments, still processing the whole food fight thing.

Qrow scoffs. “If it was some regular food fight. I mean common, these are kids with Semblances.”

“Yeah!” Yang smirked. “That’s cuz we’re awesome like that, man.”

"That's cuz we're awesome like that, man," Yang replied with a smirk. Flash merely chuckled and shook his head. From the other side of the room, Superman watched with a faint smile, Diana and Batman standing alongside him.

The audience slightly chuckled in the same sentence.

"We did the right thing," Diana declared as RWBY and JNPR continued to mingle. "Their spirits are much brighter now. I can see the hope returning to them."

“Indeed.” Ren nodded. “They knew exactly what to do to help our others.”

“The Justice League is the best!” Nora cheered.

"I'm still not comfortable with questioning them yet. If we force it, all we'll do is just push them away," Batman stated. For the untrained ear, one might assume Batman's voice was emotionless. But Superman and Diana could tell he was pleased with their progress.

“Good to know that there still being patent with us,” Blake said, smiling.

“At this point, I wouldn’t mind sharing them about our home,” Jaune said while a few of the others agreed with him while the rest still thought about the idea.

"Agreed. They need to come to us." Superman cupped his chin and hummed. "Right now, their biggest issue is feeling that they're alone with their problems. That no one can truly understand just what they went through."

"I can think of a few people that also share that." Batman looked at Superman, who nodded in agreement.

“What?” Ruby blinked at what Batman said along with the others. “There are other heroes who went through the same thing our counterparts did?”

“There… there are files of certain individuals with similar cases that experienced the same kind of tragedy, but there are all censored.” Penny said.

“So, there going to send someone to tell them their past to us?” Weiss said both surprised and curious how these individuals who moved own from their tragedies.

"My thoughts exactly. We'll let them mingle tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll take them to the Fortress."

Ruby and Nora gasped in the excitement in hearing in what Superman just said.

“They’re going to send our counterparts to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude!” Jaune said with eyes sparkled on his eyes. The rest of RWBY and JNR couldn’t help but feel excited to see more of Superman’s home along with the others.

“I’m curious to learn more of Superman’s Fortress.” Winter comments, purely interested in Superman’s home.

"Today was… interesting, to say the least," Blake stated as she lay in bed. Her hands were crossed behind her head, and she stared at the white ceiling. Yang was lying down on her stomach, kicking her feet in the air while the others merely sat on their beds.

“Time skip already?” Oscar blinks.

“Looks like it,” Maria said

"You can say that again," Jaune said through a smile. His smile soon disappeared and turned into a frown. "Still, being on that farm… It made me think of home."

Everyone silent hearing that comment and can’t help but feel sad for the teenagers.

The said students, including Oscar, couldn’t help but wonder how their families are doing.

"Jaune, I'm sure your family made it," Pyrrha declared, patting her partner on the shoulder.

Jaune chuckled. “Same old Pyrrha.” Jaune sadly smiled, grateful that his partner comforted his counterpart like her own before the Fall of Beacon. His friends also smiled sadly at sight.

"Honestly, I don't really know what's worse." Jaune fell onto his back and sighed. "Either they didn't make it into Vale and… died," his breath hitched, and tears began to well, but he continued. "Or they did, only to be shrunken down and put into a goddamn bottle. A bottle that'll be emptied once Brainiac's done with them."

Everyone grew silent at the Jaune’s counterpart’s words. None of them couldn’t help but think of that possibility, and it hurts them. Especially Jaune, who had a tear falling from his eye. Ruby notices it and tries to comfort him.

“Jaune, it’s okay… your family is safe.” Ruby comfortably whispers to him.

“I know Ruby,” Jaune whispers as he wipes the tear off his face. “But thinking about what my other just said… I honestly don’t know what I’d do if any of that really happened…”

Again, everyone was silent as looked away in deep thought as they’d wonder what they would do if any of that tragedy really happened.

Everyone grew silent at Jaune's words. Truth was, they were all thinking the same thing. While Ren and Nora's parents were long dead, the others couldn't say the same. For all they knew, they were the last of their families, whether captured or not. Sure, a captured family might still be alive, but they might prefer it to being Brainiac's test subjects.

"It's not fair," Weiss spoke softly. "What did we do to deserve this? Why did Brainiac decide that he had the right to do what he did?"

“Weiss…” Winter whispers, feeling hurt as she felt helpless seeing her beloved sister feel this way. Even her own Weiss couldn’t help but feel helpless in this situation.

"Sometimes people are cruel," someone spoke as they entered the room. The Huntsmen looked and saw J'onn standing at the doorway. "Children. May I?"

“J’onn!” Ruby happily said, glad that there was someone there to break the tension.

“So, what does the Martian Manhunter have to cheer you kids up?” Qrow said, seeing how the Justice League is sending the right people to help the hurting Remnantians.

"Of course. Please." Ruby nodded and let the Martian Manhunter enter their room. As he did, the others eyed him warily, despite their attempts not to. They knew that they were surrounded by aliens, both from Earth and otherwise, but his green skin and bald head reminded them too much of Brainiac.

“I suppose his appearance does have a slight similarity to Brainiacs.” Vine comments, making the both RWBY and JNR slightly flinch as they felt terrible. They couldn’t help but compare the tyrannic alien’s appearance to the hero before them.

"I am not offended. Your fear is understandable," J'onn suddenly declared, causing the others to nervously shift.

“Right, he’s capable of mind-reading,” James said, nearly forgetting the alien’s abilities.

“At least he’s understanding.” Blake smiled, glad that the Martian Manhunter didn’t take personally what their others were thinking.

"Oh, right. Mind reading." Ruby nervously chuckled.

"Speaking of which, thank you for helping us learn English." Weiss earnestly nodded. "It's nice being able to talk to everyone."

“Yeah… wouldn’t want you guys having another language barrier problem.” Marrow points out, making the two teams sink in their seats as they sheepishly looked away.

"You are welcome, Ms. Schnee." J'onn sat down on a chair in front of them, and the air grew heavy. None of them knew what to say.

"Has anyone told you the story of how the Justice League came to be formed?" J'onn suddenly asked, catching everyone's attention.

Everyone perked up at the sudden question. How the Justice League came to be formed? This caught everyone’s interest.

“He’s going to tell us how the Justice League was founded?” Oscar said, feeling excited to learn more about the Justice League.

“We’re going to learn about the Justice League?!” Ruby squealed in excitement.

“We have an Origin Story!” Marrow whispers in excitement before quickly covering his mouth as he quickly looked towards his fellow Ace-Ops as they just smirked at him with amused looks on their faces making the dog Faunus blushed in embarrassment.

"Uh… no, not really," Ren answered.

"Do you mind if I tell it?" the Martian asked. The others looked at each other before looking back and nodding. J'onn nodded back and began to speak.

"It began roughly a thousand years ago, on the planet the people of Earth call Mars. My people called it Ma'aleca'andra, and although it was dry and arid, it was beautiful. Great cities dotted the land, drilling water from deep below to quench our thirst and grow our crops. We were philosophers and scientists, with war a concept long since forgotten. I lived with my wife My'ria'h, and our two beautiful children. It was a paradise."

“That sounds lovely,” Weiss comments, thinking how beautiful J’onn’s world sounds along with his family.

“But why would he start with his homeworld?” Elm questions in confusion, wondering how his home started the Justice League.

"What happened?" Nora asked, sensing the dark turn that was about to unfold. J'onn grew grimmer but continued.

"We were attacked by a race of parasitic conquerors called the Imperium. The humans called them White Martians, as their amorphous bodies were white, and they had assumed them to be from Mars. They were not. The Imperium arrived in the solar system roughly a millennia ago, and they rejected any attempts at peace with my people." J'onn frowned, and his fist tightened before relaxing. "They invaded the planet, wiped out our meager defenses effortlessly, and killed anyone they could… Including my family." J'onn became downcast, and the others gasped.

The viewers gasped, hearing such a tragedy that has befallen to the Martians and their world.

“That’s… that’s so horrible…” Blake shacked her head feeling sadness for the Martian and for his people. Hearing this makes the late White Fang look like children.

"I'm so sorry," Yang said, her eyes turning blue.

"It's alright." J'onn stood up and walked to the nearby window, staring down on the Earth below. "The Imperium controlled Ma'aleca'andra for the next five hundred years. Any life that existed was slowly stripped away, so thoroughly that to Earth scientists it looked as though life never existed. They filled the atmosphere with smoke, blocking the Sun's rays from reaching the ground. Plants died, as did the animals that depended on them. After five hundred years, the planet was well and truly dead.

But, the Imperium didn't get everyone. Including myself, a small army of survivors waged a seemingly endless struggle against our invaders, trying to stop them from destroying the planet. In the end, we managed to create a nerve agent that would place the Imperium into hibernation, and we fought our last stand to deploy it."

“So much pain and sacrifices…” Ren comments, understanding the Martian’s pain in losing a home and family.

“But… they won… right?” Nora said, hopefully for the answer.

"You succeeded, I take it." Weiss leaned towards the Martian.

"Yes, but I was the only survivor." J'onn grew silent once more, still staring at the Earth. "I was and am the last of my kind. There are no more Martians on Earth nor any other planet. But, the Imperium was still there, and I vowed that no other planet would suffer what happened to my own. I sealed them away and placed myself into hibernation, and for the next five hundred years we were undisturbed."

The audience gasped. They were looking at the last Martian.

“He’s the last of the Martian race…” Marrow breathed out in sadness.

Blake couldn’t imagine what her life would be like if she were the last of Faunus. Then a realization hit her. Her counterpart may be the only Faunus in a different, granted, Brainiac bottles up her people, but the fact her other is the only one of her kind is frightening enough as it is.

"What happened after that?" Jaune asked, enraptured by the tale.

"Five years ago, two NASA astronauts, led by Captain John Allen Carter, landed on Mars. They were the first living beings to step on the planet in centuries, and they began to explore. All they found was the dust of a long-dead planet… and the tomb I sealed the Imperium in. One that they accidentally opened.

The viewers grew even more enraptured by the tale as they began to feel tenser as they listen. Penny quickly explained what NASA and astronauts, which both impressed and awed by Earth’s organization that focuses on space travel but were saddened by the said astronauts' fate.

“I’m starting to see how the JL was founded.” Qrow comments with a bemused look.

"No…" Ruby gasped. "The astronauts… Did they…?"

"The Imperium killed them both instantly, only to then use the shapeshifting abilities they stole from my people to mask one of them as Captain Carter. They then turned their sights on Earth. They spent the next two years infiltrating the planet, inserting spies into key areas while working to sabotage Earth's defenses. These efforts culminated with the disassembly of Earth's nuclear arsenal. I myself awoke during this time and attempted to warn the humans of the danger lurking among them, but the Imperium captured me and placed me under containment."

“They infiltrated Earth in two years without being noticed?” James said slight horror at the idea. He couldn’t help but feel a similarity during the Fall of Beacon, only that this was a worldwide scale event that frightened him.

"Why didn't they just kill you?" Blake pointed out.

“I’m guessing it would be payback what the Martians did to those Imperium bastards.” Harriet narrowed her eyes at the idea.

"If I had to guess, simple cruelty. Perhaps revenge for their imprisonment. For months, they tortured me. Tried to get me to break. But I didn't, and as my strength slowly returned, I began reaching out across the planet for allies. I telepathically contacted Superman, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern John Stewart, Hawkgirl, and the Flash."

"What about Batman?"

"He followed Superman."

"Ah." Somehow, despite not knowing him for more than a week, that seemed to fit what they knew about the Dark Knight.

“That seems about to be right.” Winter nods at Batman’s action.

“So those seven heroes who took down the hordes of Grimm were the ones who founded the Justice League?” Oscar said in awe.

"Together, we fought against the Imperium, destroying their war machines and halting their conquest of the planet. They attempted to flee, but a traitor from their own ranks, one that had grown disgusted with her people's barbaric cruelty, sabotaged their escape which allowed us to destroy them once and for all. At that very moment, my people were avenged, and the Earth was saved."

"Wow…" Ruby spoke quietly. "And… you all made the Justice League afterwards?"  

"Yes. Before the invasion, Superman thought that he could defend the world on his own. The invasion proved him wrong, and afterwards he invited the six of us to form the Justice League, and although Batman chose not to be an official member—"

"Of course."

"—he has been with us ever since. Since that day, we stood watch over the planet, both from threats borne from Earth and from beyond. After Hawkgirl's people, the Thanargarians, invaded two years ago, we've expanded the Justice League to its current size, and we've been growing ever since."

“Remarkable…” James says in awe, the people of Earth hold some similarity to theirs in Remnant. Still, he can’t deny that the Earth’s heroes have gone, done, and experienced things that he, his comrades, Huntsmen, and maybe even Ozpin far beyond what they achieved and perhaps they even faced against similar threats similar to Salem. He couldn’t help but grow to admire and respect them even more than ever before. Same to those who were in deep thought after listening to J’onn’s story.

"That's… amazing," Jaune said as he looked at Earth and J'onn. "Why did you tell us this?"

“Your all hurting. That’s why.” Maria smiled, feeling a bit jealous that remarkable people were treating the children’s counterparts while she never had the chance to recover after the day, she lost her sight.

"Because you are all hurting." J'onn turned back to the Huntsmen, who were all staring at him. "It is not hard to see that you are all in pain. There is no shame in that. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. Others have gone through what you have. The loss of families, homes, and loved ones."

He turned to leave, stopping at the doorway. "It's getting late, and you've all had a long day. I recommend getting some rest." He began to walk away again.

"Wait," Ruby spoke up, and at once J'onn stopped in his tracks. "Thank you. I'm… I'm sorry about what happened to your people and your family. I would have loved to have met them."

"Thank you." J'onn nodded. At that, he closed the door and walked away, leaving RWBY and JNPR to ruminate among themselves.

“I think it’s safe to say that our others won’t be comparing his appearance to Brainiac anymore.” Jaune points out while his friends nod in agreement.

The next morning, after eating a breakfast of pancakes, sausages, and eggs, RWBY and JNPR found themselves at the Teleporter Bay once more. They wouldn't lie and say that, after their experience the previous day, they weren't nervous, but the presence of Superman along with Batman and Wonder Woman calmed them. J'onn's words from the previous night still echoed in their minds, and they wondered how to process it.

“Looks like friend Ruby’s counterpart and friends are heading to the Fortress of Solitude!” Penny chimed, feeling excited to have a better look at Superman’s personal headquarters.

“Oh boy! This is going to be fun.” Ruby squealed in excitement.

“I’m so jealous that our others are going there!” Yang said with a mock pout.

"All systems green," Mr. Terrific declared from the control board. "Destination: Fortress of Solitude, Antarctic tundra."

"Wait, we're going to Antarctica!?" Blake suddenly shouted.

“Antarctica? Is that the location in where the Fortress is?” The viewing Blake questioned while being confused about why her other was shouting in surprise.

“Antarctica is located in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent with a temperature of negative fifty-seven degrees Celsius.” Penny explained.

“My word! That perhaps may be even colder than Atlas!” Pietro says in shock while all those who came from the Kingdom were shocked by that information.

"So that's why you made us wear these heavy clothes," Yang realized. "I thought you just wanted me to look like a penguin." The League members chuckled while Batman remained silent.

“Wow… you do look like a penguin.” Ruby giggled, seeing her sister, friends, and herself dressed for the occasion.

“I wonder how Coco will react if she ever sees us like this?” Yang smirked, imagining Coco’s possible reaction to this particular situation.

"Quick question, how come only Batman is wearing appropriate clothes?" Jaune pointed out. Indeed, Superman was still wearing his red and blue suit and Wonder Woman her Amazonian armour, while Batman was wearing what he called his XE Suit. It certainly looked like it could survive extremely cold temperatures.

“I’m guessing Batman’s suit is also designed for freezing temperatures, and since Penny mentioned that Superman and Wonder Woman have similar abilities, it wouldn’t be strange if they have a resistance to the cold.” Pietro theorized.

“That would make sense.” James nodded in that logic.

"Superman's a Kryptonian, and Diana's a demi-god. The sub-zero temperatures in Antarctica won't affect them," Batman clarified, causing the teenagers to look at Diana in surprise.

“Wait…” Robyn blinked. “Did Batman just say that Diana is a… demi-god? Okay, even I find this hard to believe.”

This surprised everyone who knew the existence of the Two Brothers. Learning about their creatures was one thing, but understanding that there is an exitance of another? And what’s more, a literal god is standing right before the children.

"You're a god?" Yang asked with a raised eyebrow, not quite believing it. Diana chuckled.

"I am the daughter of Zeus, Olympian God of the Sky and Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons." She smiled warmly while the others looked at her with disbelief.

“She’s really a god?” Blake says in surprise while having mixed feelings about how she would feel at this revelation along with her friends. Who can blame them? The gods played a significant role in the war they are in.

“I’m fascinated to know these other gods that Diana mentioned,” Vine says with curiosity.

"So, what you're saying is, you're divine royalty?" Yang's smirk was audible, and Superman let out a quick laugh before stopping himself.

“Oh, wow, I look like an idiot.” Yang winced as she quietly whispered at how her other was making a fool of herself. If their positions were reversed, she would have done the same. The only difference was that she already knows that gods do exist.

"Yes, I suppose I am," Diana agreed with a laugh.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Blake whispers back to her partner. “It doesn’t look like Diana minds it.” This fact made the brawler relax a bit while thanking back her partner.

"I'm firing up the teleporter. See you all in a few hours," Mr. Terrific declared as the teleporter booted up. The teenagers braced themselves as the light shone around them. They felt the pull as the teleporter transported them. One moment, they were in a temperature-controlled metal room. The next, they were standing in front of a large crystal pyramid with a golden door, surrounded by ice and snow.

“Man does it look impressive up-close…” Qrow mutters in awe at the entrance of the Fortress.

“For once, I agree with you,” Winter says, rarely agreeing with the former drunk Huntsman.

"Gods, it's cold!" Blake yelled as she hugged herself tightly, her teeth beginning to chatter. The other Huntsmen were shivering and holding themselves tightly as well, wisps of icy breath coming out of their mouths as their cheeks turned red.

“Even with the clothes own, there still affected by the cold.” Ren comments.

“Aww, look at us! We look so you cute shaking and shivering.” Nora points out while her friends sweet drop at her comment.

"Heh, you guys would have never survived Atlas," Weiss declared as she looked haughtily at the others. She, too, was cold, and her skin was beginning to redden, but unlike the others, she was more used to the cold environment and had her stubborn pride to keep herself warm.

“Really, Weiss?” Ruby raises a brow towards her partner. “I know that you’re from Atlas, but I can easily see your other shaking like a leaf.”

“Qu-Quiet you!” Weiss stuttered in embarrassment.

"Wh… where are we?" Jaune asked through chattering teeth.

"This," Superman declared as he walked to the door, "is the Fortress of Solitude."

The doors opened and let the warm air of the Fortress escape out of its walls. Almost as soon as the warm air hit their bodies did the teenagers all sprint inside. Superman and Diana chuckled at their reaction while Batman merely walked after them. The two followed him in, and the doors closed behind them with a loud clang.

“Without a single hesitation.” Clover chuckled, seeing the children rush into the Fortress without a second thought.

“Goes to show how cold it is there in Antarctica.” Qrow mused, seeing his two alternate nieces act that way.

"Didn't take them long to get in," Superman noted.

"It's negative fifty-seven degrees Celsius, Clark. Of course they ran inside," Batman dryly remarked, making Diana chuckle. The trinity of heroes continued deeper into the Fortress, finally coming across a pile of discarded winter clothes. The teenagers were nowhere to be seen, but none of them were worried. In the distance, they could hear the sounds of running feet and followed them.

“Looks like someone made themselves at home.” Clover chuckles while the said kids sheepishly chuckled.

"Somehow, I figured they'd come here," Diana declared as they found themselves in the preservation hall. RWBY and JNPR were all pressed up against the glass enclosures, each looking at the myriad array of fantastical creatures. Six-legged lizards, the size of small dogs, scuttled across tall tree branches. Children-sized golden birds hefted giant worms as they soared through the air, only to land next to large nests and feed the worms to their waiting children. A large rhino-like creature with a spiked crest grazed in a large grassland, while a pack of wolf-like creatures prowled a nearby forest.

The viewers were in complete awe seeing the alien creatures inside the Fortress of Solitude.

"They're all so pretty," Nora gasped at the creatures. "How'd you come across them?"

"Every one of these creatures were found injured from alien words," Superman began to explain as he stood in front of a glass enclosure. "They wouldn't have survived on their own, so I bring them here, rehabilitate them and, when they're ready, bring them back home. Some, however, are unable to re-adapt to the wild, so they end up staying here."

“Remarkably fascinating,” Pietro says in awe.

“I knew there would be alien animals as well, but seeing them is so amazing,” Winter says in awe.

“Just goes to show how big the universe really is,”  Maria says.

“They're so pretty…” Ruby whispers as her silver eyes shined seeing the alien animals for the first time.

"Hmm," Yang hummed to herself as she watched a mother bird feed her young. "I take it these are the ones that couldn't survive in the wild, even after you healed them."

“So, he keeps the ones that can’t return back home.” Vine points out.

"Yes," Superman answered. His face was calm, but his eyes held a sadness to them that Yang couldn't quite describe. "It breaks my heart, but I try to keep them happy."

“At least Superman is not forcing them into glass walls,” Yang mutters not out of spite but relief that his way was purely out of love and care for the life he is tending to.

"At least you don't force them into glass walls," she muttered, and Superman sighed. He figured this would come up. There was no malice in her words, but he could tell she was still hurting. He moved to speak up, only for a high-pitched squeal to catch everyone's attention.

The viewers slightly flinched at the squeal while few recognizing the sound of who it belonged to. The question is, why was Ruby squealing. Even the viewing one was wondering why.

"DOGGY!" Ruby squealed as a pure white dog wearing a red collar, and cape ran into the hallway. Ruby ran towards the dog, who happily leaped into her arms and began to fervently lick her face. "Ooh, stop it! Stop it! Hahaha!"

The viewing Ruby squealed the same way her counterpart did. “DOGGY!”

“He looks so adorable!” Weiss cooed over the pure white dog.

“Look at it! It’s wearing a cape like Superman.” Harriet laughed at the dog’s accessory but secretly found it adorable.

“Oh, I wish I was there to snuggle it!” Nora squealed, feeling envious for her other to interact with the dog.

"Ooh, who's a good doggy? Who's a good doggy?" Weiss coddled the canine as he turned his attention to the heiress. He got off of Ruby and rolled over on his back, allowing Ruby, Weiss, and Nora to start giving him belly rubs. "Oh, we're going to be the best of friends! Yes we are! Yes we are!"

The viewing Weiss couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment seeing her other like this along with everyone as her friends smirked and snickered at her other’s interaction with Superman’s pet dog. Winter found herself smiling, seeing her younger sister’s counterpart, looking so happy.

"You have a dog?" Jaune asked as he and the others watched their friends play with the dog.

"I do," Superman replied with a toothy smile. "His name's Krypto."

"Krypto! Oh, that's a great name!" Ruby continued to rub Krypto's belly.

“Krypto? Huh? A short reference to Superman’s homeworld?” Robyn hummed, finding the name cute.

"Just keep him away from me," Blake muttered from high above. Everyone looked up to see she was currently perched on an archway, warily watching Krypto with suspicion.

“Really, Blake?” Yang smirked as she raised a brow towards her partner.

“W-What?” Blake stutters as she tried looking away from her partner.

"Impressive," Batman idly noted. "You made too much noise, though, and you didn't choose the best spot to hide. Too much light."

“Really?” Blake says as she turns back to the screen with interest. “He noticed that?”

“I suppose with Batman’s skill, he would be a master in stealth and espionage.” Ren deduces.

"Do you really think that-?" Blake was interrupted by Krypto's bark. She looked down to see the dog staring up at her, sitting down and wagging his tail. "No, I don't want to play with you."

“Don’t be mean, Blake.” Yang teases her. “He only wants to be friends.”

“Yeah! Even back then, Zwei wanted to be friends with you.” Ruby says, recalling how the corgi would always follow Blake much to her displeasure. Blake just huffed and ignored their teasing.

Krypto barked again, and Blake shook her head. "I said no. I'm not going down there." Krypto whined and stopped wagging his tail, causing Ruby to gasp and cutely glare at the Faunus.

"Blake, how could you?" she demanded, causing the girl to sigh.

“I know you’re a cat Faunus, but isn’t that taking it to another level?” Marrow raises a brow.

“Okay, how about you try not using your puppy eyes to get Jaune coffee for you every morning.” Blake narrowed her eyes towards the dog Faunus making him blush sheepishly as he looks away in embarrassment while his fellow Ace-Ops snickered at him while Jaune’s friends smirked at him as well as he looks away sheepishly.

"Ruby, no offense to Krypto, but I… am much more comfortable staying up here." Krypto whined, and Blake remained unmoved.

"Should we tell her?" Diana asked, to which Superman merely shook his head.

"No," Superman said with a smile.

Blake perked up in the small conversation the heroes said to one another, sensing that something was amiss. “Tell my other what?”

Krypto whined once more and barked loudly, causing Blake to scoff. "No, Krypto. I'm not going down there."

“Yeash Blake, I know you don’t like dogs, but you are killing me here what you’re doing to Krypto,” Jaune said while Blake just ignored his whining.

Krypto whined, then scrunched his face. He suddenly got to his feet and crouched down, causing Blake to stare blankly at the canine.

“Wait, what?” Oscar said in confusion. “Is it planning to jump from all the way there?”

Qrow also raised a brow, but then something clicks in his head. “Wait… don’t tell me…”

"Seriously? You can't jump up—" Blake was interrupted by Krypto leaping into the air. That leap quickly turned into flight, and Krypto flew straight towards an astonished Blake.

“HE CAN FLY!” Ruby shrieked in the viewing room. Everyone watching ignored her shrieking because they stunned as they watched a dog just literally leaped into the air and flew straight up to Blake.

"HE CAN FLY!" Ruby shrieked as Krypto soared towards a frozen Blake. Yang's hysterical laughter drowned out the others', and a victorious Krypto looked straight into Blake's eyes. He barked, the force of which rippled the air slightly, then licked Blake's face. When Blake vanished on contact, Krypto looked confused for a moment, only to see the Faunus nimbly scaling down the walls. He scrunched his face then zoomed in front of her, becoming a white blur that reappeared right in front of her. Startled, Blake fell onto the ground, and was helpless to stop Krypto from triumphantly licking her in the face.

The viewers couldn’t help but laugh at the futile effort the Faunus made to avoid the dog.

“I think he likes you!’ The viewing Jaune laughed.

“You know, for someone who doesn’t like dogs, you sure have a talent for them liking you.” Wiess giggled as she recalled how Zwei tried to do the same.

“Sh-Shut up!” Blake stuttered while being embarrassed and afraid of the fact there is a flying dog in existence.

"I think he likes you!" Jaune laughed as Krypto laid across Blake's lap, making her his bed.

"I… what is…" Blake stammered as she began petting the creature, if only to placate him. He appeared to enjoy the attention, as he began wagging his tail. Superman smiled at the scene before deciding that he'd had his fun.

“Yes! Give in and pat the amazing Krypto!” Nora laughed.

“Never thought I’d see the day that Blake would touch a dog.” Ren lightly smirked at the sight, much to Blake’s growing embarrassment.

"Krypto, that's enough. Get off of Blake," Superman scolded his dog. He barked and hopped off the catgirl's lap then flew to his master. "Sorry about that. Krypto's very affectionate, and a good judge of character. He took to you all very well."

"Flying… dog… too fast…" Blake muttered with wide eyes, causing Yang to laugh harder. She then looked at the smiling face of Diana, Superman, and the faintest evidence of a smirk on Batman's face, then her eyes narrowed. "You knew…"

“Oh dear… the poor girl looks like she’s seen a ghost!” Maria teases as she laughs.

“I’ll say.” Robyn laughed as she agreed with retired Huntress.

Blake just covers her face with her hands in an attempt to hide her shame.

"That was great!" Yang laughed, to which Krypto barked in appreciation. "What is he, anyway? Was that his Semblance?"

"Semblance?" Superman raised an eyebrow, confusing the others.

Everyone stopped laughing as they were also curious about what Krypto's Semblance is. While a few were also confused about why Superman looked confused by the word.

"Yeah, his Semblance," Yang clarified, to which the heroes remained silent. "You know, the thing that comes from Aura? Special powers beyond what Aura gives everyone? Yours is the most varied I've ever seen, by the way. We saw the videos from Metropolis."

“That’s actually true.” Pietro points out. “I was also curious and confused about how a single person could have such a variety. When they explained that Superman is an alien, I would consider that their biology would be different from ours, such as an example to the Martian Manhunter.”

“Indeed.” James nodded in agreement. “I am curious though why Superman seemed confused when he heard the word ‘Semblance’.”

"Oh, I see." Superman nodded his head. "You mean your people's metagene powers. You call them Semblances?"

“Again, that word…” Winter mutters, wondering if metagene was another saying for Semblance.

"Meta-what now?" Yang asked, clearly confused. The others were just as confused as she was, causing all of them to look at the superheroes, their eyes asking questions and demanding answers. Superman and his companions looked at each other for a moment then back to the teenagers.

"Before we continue, I think it would be best if we discuss what each of us are talking about," Diana suggested. "Let's start with you, Yang. Can you explain to us what "Aura" and "Semblances" are to you?"

“They don’t know what Aura and Semblance are?” Elm says in surprise.

"Um… okay," Yang said, shuffling on her feet. "Everything I learned was from my dad and uncle, but… Aura is the physical manifestation of our soul."

"Your soul?" Batman asked. When Yang nodded, Batman tapped a few buttons on his gauntlets, creating a holographic image that he shone on a nearby wall. "Then that must have been the energy field we detected around your bodies. Tell me, does it increase your strength, durability, reaction time, and healing?"

“They don’t even know that?” Qrow raises a brow as he and the rest start to think that something was going on.

"Um, yeah," Jaune spoke up. "It's… kind of like a force field. As long as it's up, we'll feel the pain, but we won't actually get hurt. I have to concentrate, though, otherwise things go through."

"With practice, a person can actually keep it up all the time," Weiss clarified. Batman hummed to himself and typed into a holographic display.

"And Semblances?" Batman asked. Once again, RWBY and JNPR looked among themselves. They were beginning to think that something was up, something more than just different terminology, but pressed on.

"Semblances are special powers that are fuelled by Aura. Each one is unique to the individual and is shaped by who they are. With practice, a Semblance can be improved and expanded in ways that might not have seemed possible when they were first discovered." Pyrrha began to point at herself. "My Semblance is Polarity. I can manipulate magnetic fields around metals. At first, the metals actually needed to be magnetic in order to manipulate them, but with practice I was able to expand my reach to all metals."

Yang spoke up. "I can absorb the damage I take and use it to boost my strength in temporary bursts. Also makes my hair catch fire, but that's just an awesome side effect. Ruby can turn herself into a cloud of rose petals to move around quickly, Weiss can create glyphs with which she can do… a lot of things, and Nora can absorb electricity to make her stronger, kind of like me."

"Green Arrow described seeing that," Batman pointed out. "Said you ripped a power conduit out of the wall."

“Oh yeah, my other did that.” Nora sheepishly said, remembering that incident.

"Heheh, yeah I did," Nora nervously laughed. "Anyway, Ren can suppress people's emotions, practically making them invisible to the Grimm, and while Jaune hasn't found his yet, I know it'll be awesome!"

“You haven’t found your Semblance back then?” Marrow asked the Arc.

The said Arc sheepishly rubbed the back of the head with his hand. “Yeah… I’m just glad I found it now.”

"Thanks, Nora," Jaune said while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "So, what about you guys? What are your Semblances?"

The trio of superheroes all looked at each other then back at the Huntsmen-in-Training. Their silence confused the teenagers, but when Batman began to speak, they all focused their attention on him.

"None of us here have that," Batman revealed, shocking RWBY and JNPR into silence.

Even the audience was shocked in learning that these heroes, who did remarkable things with their skills, and abilities before them, and confessed that they don’t have any of them.

"…Come again?" Yang whispered.

"Superman and Wonder Woman's abilities do not come from this "Aura" or "Semblances". They are a physical result of their Kryptonian and divine physiologies, and not a naturally occurring soul magic."

“But… that’s impossible. Everyone has an Aura.” The viewing Ruby stammered out.

“Yeah!” Harriet shouts in disbelief. “So you telling me Flash’s superspeed isn’t a Semblance?”

"But… that's impossible. Everyone has an Aura," Ruby stammered out.

"What do you mean, everyone?" Superman narrowed his eyes, and Ruby threw her arms around.

"Everyone! People, animals. Heck, even plants! The only things that don't have souls are the Grimm!"

"Fascinating," Batman muttered. "You're telling me that every single Remnantian has an active metagene?"

“They really don’t know what it is…” Oscar says in disbelief.

“But how?” Penny questioned. “I do have a file of metagene, but they're all locked.”

"That's the second time you mentioned that," Yang pointed out. "What the hell is a metagene?"

"Allow me to explain," Superman stated and walked forward. "On Earth, most people do not have any powers whatsoever. They are just normal human beings. They can walk, run, punch, and do things that normal people do. Certain individuals, however, are born with a particular gene that we call the metagene." Batman brought up a holographic display of a double-helix. Strands of DNA and RNA were highlighted, with one strand being singled out and brought into focus.

“Fascinating…” The Doctor whispers in awe as he carefully stied the holographic display. “So, there are other ways to unlock powers in oneself without the use of Aura or a Semblance?”

“That’s… that’s incredible!” James says in shock and awe along with the others.

"This is the metagene," Batman declared. "All individuals who have a metagene initially have them in a dormant state. Most people never activate them. But, sometimes, a high stress situation will occur that would result in an individual's death. Explosions, lightning strikes, radiation, extreme exposure to the elements, and many more. In these situations where death is imminent, a dormant metagene may activate, causing the individual to undergo spontaneous adaptative mutation and give the them the powers he or she needs in order to survive. Sometimes it's as simple as being able to survive extreme temperatures, others as complex as the ability to turn into any animal on Earth. The people who have these powers from an active metagene are called Metas."

“Metas…” Ruby breathed in awe, learning that such a remarkable thing is possible without unlocking one’s Aura.

"Okay, that… kind of makes sense." Yang was still trying to wrap her head around the concept of a civilization that didn't know what Aura was, but at the very least she could understand the gist of what they were saying. "But, how does that apply to us? You said that we all had an active metagene. What does that mean?"

"It means that, under our present understanding, you are all Metas," Superman declared. "We'd have to do more tests, with your permission of course, but it's possible that your people's uniform metagene gave you natural access to the power of your soul. It physically manifests itself on the outside, making you even stronger."

“This is so fascinating…” Weiss says in awe as she carefully listens to every word in detail.

“Indeed.” Both Vine and Ren said in agreement.

"What about Semblances, then?" Weiss asked, focusing intensely on the people in front of her. All of this fascinated her, and she was already jotting down notes on a pad.

“Typical studious Weiss.” Ruby eye-rolled at the scene.

“Hey! For the record, I find this truly fascinating.” Weiss defended as she took notes liker her other.

"Again, we'd have to do more tests, but if I had to guess, souls are inherently complex. It's possible that by allowing your soul to physically manifest itself on the outside, it further developed into your Semblances. If you'd like, we can bring in someone with more experience in this area to help."

"Please," Weiss quickly agreed with a smile and nod. "This is fascinating! I'd love to learn more!"

“So do I!” Pietro excitedly said as he felt like he was a young boy again in front of a candy shop wanting to get some sweets. The other chuckled, seeing him like this, while Penny happily smiled towards his father, seeing how eagerly exited the elder is.

"Hold on, now," Jaune stated. "I'm still confused. You said that Superman and Wonder Woman's powers are from them being a Kryptonian and her divine heritage. Are you saying that…"

"When I said I was the daughter of Zeus, I meant it," Diana said with a smile. The others all stared at her, not sure of what to do.

“…Oh my word, she is a god…” Robyn mutters as her eyes went wide at the revelation.

"… So, do you want us to bow in worship, or…?" Yang nervously muttered, causing Diana to laugh.

"No, not all." She laughed more. "My powers may come from the gods, but I am not a god myself. I am a demi-god, born between the love of a mortal and a god."

“Oh. That’s a relief…” Yang breathes out while those around felt the same glad to know that they don’t need to worry much about the formalities to a higher being.

"Ah. Well, that's… kind of a relief..." Diana looked at Yang, slightly puzzled at her reaction. Seeing this, Blake spoke up, still trying to wrap her head around what she was learning.

“So Diana is a crossbreed of human and god?” Elm says in surprise. She heard of humans Faunus having half children, but a human and deity? Now she has seen everything.

"Back home… there are no gods. I mean, some worship the Two Brothers still, but most simply believe that they either never existed or have long since abandoned us. To meet a person who is actually the daughter of a god is… a little hard to comprehend." She nervously chuckled.

“You can say that again!” Robyn comments. “Learning that there are other real gods in another world makes me think if our gods are even real, to begin with.”

“The Two Brother is real.” Those who knew the truth said in their head, still feeling bitter in how they left the world as it is.

"What about you, Batman? You didn't mention your powers," Weiss brought up and was met by a blank stare from the detective.

“Oh! I also want to know what his powers are!” Ruby excitingly said while the others are curious about what powers the Dark Knight has.

"I don't have powers."

“Wait. What?” Ruby said in surprise, along with the others.

"What? You have none?" Batman shook his head. "So, no shadow powers?"

"I'm trained to hide in them."

"Super strength?"

"No."

"You can… turn into a bat?"

"No."

"Flight?"

"In a plane."

"You have to at least have echolocation or something from your Faunus traits, right?

"I'm assuming that's what Blake is. And no."

“What is he then?! Don’t tell me he’s some guy in a bat costume?” Harriet exasperatedly said as she threw her hands in the air.

"…You're not just a guy in a bat costume, are you?" Batman smirked at Weiss' question, and she threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

“…Are you kidding me!?” The Ace-Op shouts in disbelief, along with everyone in the viewing room.

“So… all this time, he’s been fighting against the Grimm without any powers at all?” Clovers say in shock.

“That’s…” James started but was cut off.

“THAT’S SO COOL!” Ruby shouts with stars in her eyes. “There is actually someone who doesn’t rely on Aura, Semblance, or any other superpower to be a hero!”

“That’s… that’s actually amazing…!” Jaune says in complete awe by the Dark Knight.

“Plus, his fight against the Grimm has proven that he is someone not to be underestimated,” Winter adds, admiring the Batman’s resourcefulness in his skill and equipment to compensate for it all.

"You mentioned Kryptonian," Ruby spoke up. "What did you mean by that? Are you… not from Earth?"

“He’s not me.” Ruby answer’s her alternate self.

“But that does raise a question why a Kryptonian like Superman is doing on Earth.” James points out.

Superman nodded calmly. "No, I am not. That is why I brought you here, actually. I wanted to show you something else."

Superman began to walk down the hallway, Krypto by his side the whole time. Batman and Wonder Woman looked at RWBY and JNPR expectantly, and after a moment, they all followed the Man of Steel. Silently, they walked through the Fortress, eventually coming across a grand room. Towering above them all was a giant steel statue of a man and woman holding a planet above their heads.

The audience gasped in awe at what they are seeing. They marveled in the sheer beauty of it all.

“Magnificent…” Maria whispers in awe.

“Such beautiful work of art…” Winter gasped, seeing beautiful it all is.

Blake then notices the male statue and recognizes its face. “Wait, isn’t that Jor-El? Clark’s father?”

“Your right! This must be Superman’s parents.” Jaune points out.

"Wow, that's… beautiful," Weiss gasped. "You can see the care and detail, even from here. They look like they're actually alive. Whoever made this was incredibly skilled."

"Thank you. I'm glad to hear that, if my other job falls through, I can always fall back on being a sculptor." Superman chuckled.

“Superman made that?!” Penny gasps.

“Heh, as he said, he could be one heck of sculpture if he ever retires.” Qrow mused while a few chuckled at the idea.

"Who are they?" Jaune asked as he gazed up at the statue.

"Those… are my parents. Jor-El and Lara-El," Superman revealed, his face and voice going solemn. "They're the ones who sent me to Earth when I was only a few days old."

Everyone watching was shocked at why the Man of Steel’s parents would do such a thing to an infant no less than a few days old.

“The Hell? Why would they do such a thing?” Harriet says, questioning why any parent would do such a crazy thing.

"What?" Yang looked at Superman. "Why would they do that?"

"It was the only way to save me," Superman declared and pointed to the planet above them. "That planet that they're holding? That's Krypton, the place where I was born. They named me Kal-El, Star Child."

“Save him?” Ren repeated being curious and worried about how this story will go.

He turned back to face them, sadness in his eyes. "From the records my father gave me, Krypton was a powerful civilization, thousands of years more advanced than Earth. They had achieved wonders. Interdimensional travel, cloning, immortality, anything you can imagine, they had. But, they were also highly restrictive. Everyone was born into a role they were designed for by birth. Soldiers were born to be soldiers, scientists born to be scientists, and so on. Slowly, Krypton began to rot from within, its society becoming a shadow of its former glory."

“What kind of messed up society is that?” Jaune questions while being impressed and amazed in Kal-El people but found himself disappointed in how they would decide people’s future when they were born. Weiss couldn’t help but feel a stab in her heart as she couldn’t help but feel like her lie was similar due to her neglectful father, who practically shaped her in her childhood.

"So, your parents wanted you to escape that?" Ruby guessed, but Superman shook his head.

"Not exactly. I was the first natural birth on Krypton in over six-hundred years, and had I stayed, it is undoubtable that Krypton would have hunted me down and killed my parents for heresy. But, they never got the chance."

The audience gasped in horror at what they just learned again. They would not hesitate to kill a natural-born child on the spot.

“That’s… that’s horrible!” Blake says in disgust.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, a pit forming in her stomach.

Superman looked back up to the sculpted planet and sighed. "Centuries before I was born, Krypton was beginning to run out of resources. Energy, metals, everything that their advanced civilization needed to survive. The colonies of Kandor and Argo simply couldn't keep up with demand, and Krypton was on the verge of societal collapse. In an effort to avert civil war, the Science Council authorized the exploitation of the planet's core."

“The people of Krypton were interfering with the very core of their planet?!” Pietro shouts in disbelief, along with the others. “Who in their right mind would do such a thing?!”

Weiss looked increasingly alarmed. "They messed with their core? Why would they think that was a good idea?"

"At the time, no one thought anything of it. No negative side effects were recorded, so people thought they could continue to get away with it. My father, however, due to his status as chief scientist of Krypton, discovered that the core's exploitation was weakening it severely. After centuries of exploitation, it was on the verge of unavoidable collapse, and when it did, all of Krypton would be destroyed."

The audience gasped again. They have just learned that another civilization was destroyed. This time it wasn’t an alien invasion. It was the greed of an entire race that ended up killing themselves.

“That’s…” Winter couldn’t finish her sentence, for she could not find any words to describe it.

RWBY and JNPR gasped. "But, surely they would have stopped at that point? I mean, the evidence was clear, right?" Yang pleaded, but her heart sank when Superman shook his head mournfully.

"The Council didn't believe him. He pleaded with them to stop and to order a mass evacuation of the planet, but they refused. They said the evidence wasn't conclusive, that it would be too expensive and impractical to evacuate or stop. They rejected his pleas and ideas on how to save them from extinction, and sealed my planet's fate."

“An entire civilization… a whole world… gone… all because they refused to listen,” Clover says both in shock and sadness while he and the older viewers couldn’t help but compare the arrogant Councils that all the Kingdoms have.

Superman grew silent and looked at them again. "One person did believe my father. The head of Krypton's military, General Dru-Zod, had maintained a friendship and correspondence with my father for years. They worked together to stop a coup from the previous head of the military, General Jax-Ur and his lieutenant, Mala, an effort that sparked a deep friendship and respect between them. So when my father declared that Krypton was about to undergo a core collapse, Zod believed him and they worked together to try and find a way to save our people."

“Well, glad to know that there was someone who believed him,” Clover said, happy that someone from Kal-El’s world would do something about it, especially from someone from that’s world military. Those from Remnant’s military also felt the sentiment.

"He sounds like a good man," Weiss declared, only to be cut off by a glare.

"He was not. Zod turned out to be a power-hungry and genocidal madman. When the Council refused to do anything, he launched a coup of his own. Had he won, he would have started by wiping out entire bloodlines that he blamed for Krypton's destruction. My father opposed this, and they fought against each other. In the end, Zod killed my father, but before he could get to me, my parents launched me into space."

The sentiment immediately died than turn to shock and disgust; this included everyone else in the room. Their view of the Kryptonian General Dru-Zod immediately fell the moment they heard his real objective was revealed.

Robyn was about to call General James Ironwood for being someone similar to this corrupt General but stopped herself the moment when she saw his face. To her silent shock, she saw the slightly paled and eyes down on the ground as if he felt a realization came to him. She notices that no one has noticed him looked that way and decided to stay quiet. She decided to add this reason to her number of questions.

He looked at the far end of the room. Hanging in mid-air was a small spacecraft, a pointed rocket with a blue body and red wings. Gold tipped the wings, and a small glass pod laid in the center.

“That rocket…” Oscar says, realizing what that object is.

"Is that…?" Jaune pointed at the spacecraft, and Superman nodded.

"Yes, that is the craft that brought me to Earth. It landed in Kansas about thirty-years ago. My parents found me and raised me as their own." Superman laughed at the warm memories then turned serious once more. "As for Krypton, all I know was that Zod failed in his coup and was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, along with his surviving supporters. A few days later, my father was proven correct, and Krypton's core collapsed."

“The Phantom Zone?” James repeated shortly after he composed himself.

“The Phantom Zone is a prison dimension that the Kryptonians created,” Penny explained, earning a surprised look from everyone learning that there is an alternate way for imprisoning someone.

Superman looked down at his feet. Sadness filled his eyes but he remained strong. Seeing his master's discomfort, Krypto whined and moved his head under Superman's hand, and with a smile Superman began to pet his head.

Everyone watching felt sad for the Man of Steel to experience such a tragedy. He may have been an infant during the time, but learning about what has become of your people still just as it hurt seeing Remnant being destroyed.

"I found Krypto about two years ago. His rocket was flying aimlessly through space, and I happened to come across him while flying near Jupiter," he began to explain. "He used to be my family's pet, and when my parents were designing the rocket to ferry me to safety, they tested the first prototype on him. They thought they lost him, but as it turned out the phantom drive merely acted slower than anticipated."

“They launched their pet dog into space?” Maria whispered in shock, hearing what they did to Krypto but was glad that he was found soon after.

Superman grew silent once more as he continued to pet Krypto's head. "Krypto and I… we're the last sons of Krypton. I've tried to find others, hoping that someone else made it… But I haven't found any."

“Hence the title,” Ren muttered, seeing the true meaning of the title of this episode.

Everyone was silent as Superman finished speaking, the heaviness of his words hanging over everyone like an axe. No one quite knew what to do. Then, without warning, Ruby burst into petals and hugged Superman tightly, surprising him slightly. He then smiled, then returned it. After a few moments, Ruby released her hold and backed away, an embarrassed blush on her face.

The audience chuckled, seeing the gesture the young Rose did. It was delightful and comforting.

“Never change Ruby, never change.” Yang shakes her head with a smile earning a small blush from her younger half-sister but smiled happily what her counterpart did.

"Sorry. You, uh.. You looked like you needed a hug," she said with a small laugh. Superman chuckled as did the others, and he rubbed her head.

"Thank you, Ruby." His voice was sincere, bringing a smile to Ruby's face. Then, she turned serious and looked back at her friends. A silent conversation ensued between them, and ended with Yang nodding her head in approval. The others followed, and Ruby replied with a nod back.

"Um, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman," she nervously got out and tapped her fingers together. "Would you… would you like to talk about Remnant?"

The heroes looked at each other for a split moment before smiling.

"We would love to."

The audience where all silent after the screening ended. Until Ruby Rose broke the silence.

“So… no one in the room is against our counterparts sharing what we know about Remnant to the Justice League?” Ruby asked out loud for everyone to hear, her voice being honest while being curious.

Everyone looked at each other, all silently agreeing as they smiled. There were a few doubts and concerns about sharing their information from their world to another a while back, but it was evident to them after watching this episode. There never any reason to hide or feel concerned about it.

James smiled at the young Rose and spoken for everyone in the room. “I see no reason why that should be a problem.” This made the young Rose smiled and waited for the next screening to happen.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

"Ugh… I'm starting to get hungry…" Ruby slightly wined as she felt a bit hungry.

"Yeah…" Yang agreed with her sister, along with a few others, as she turned to Penny. "Hey, Penny. When can we get the time to eat?"

"It won't be long now; I think after this viewing, we will have a break after," Penny answers, much to the viewers' relief. "But if you're hungry, all you need to do is just press the button under the sidearm of your right-hand side."

This gave a confused look from everyone. Jaune checked the sidearm that Penny said and felt something under it. "Hey, I do feel something under it! I think it is a button."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Buttons are meant to be pushed!" Before anyone could retort at what Nora said, she went and pressed the button on her sidearm.

Then suddenly popped right in front of her was a popcorn box and soda like you buy in the cinemas you go to regularly.

"Popcorn! It's not pancakes, but it'll do!" Nora happily said as she took a handful of popcorn and shoved it in her mouth and began to eat it.

"Seriously…? Popcorn?" Weiss deadpanned as her eye twitched.

"Well, we are in the cinemas." Ruby reasoned as she pressed the button on her seat, giving her the same food as Nora.

"Mr. Mxyzptlk said that you could only press that button once for the whole day, so you don't need to keep eating the same food over again," Penny explained.

"Well, isn't he considerate?" Robyn says as she took a bite from her box of popcorn. Soon a few of the others followed, getting their snacks. When everyone was comfortable, the next viewing began.

Chapter 4: Adjustment Phase

"I'm guessing this is the part where are others truly start their new lives," Blake comments while munching some popcorn.

One Week Prior, Vale, Remnant

Reading the words on the screen surprised everyone, not expecting to read two familiar terms from their world.

"Wh-What is this?" Marrow stuttered in surprise.

"It looks like we are about to watch a flashback before Brainiac's attack," Ren said.

This made everyone who stopped eating their snacks and entirely focused on the screen. Finally, they can yet know how it all started, how the tyrant alien caused so much pain and suffering to the alternate Remnant.

"And victory goes to Penny and Ciel of Atlas!" the voice of Dr. Oobleck announced over the Vytal Stadium speakers. Immediately, roars of excitement and approval filled the air as Penny placed her fist into her palm and bowed.

"I know this!" Penny shouts in excitement. "This is when friend Ciel and I won the doubles round in the Vytal Festival!"

"Yeah! You did great back then!" Ruby complimented her friend but then turned into a thoughtful look. "Hey, Penny, whatever happened to Ciel?"

"Oh! She's…" Before the android could answer, she paused, then she slightly frowned in confusion. "I… I don't know… I haven't seen her after the Fall of Beacon…" She turns her head towards the General, hoping for an answer.

Noticing the worried look at the young girl, he answers her wordless question. "You don't need to worry, Penny. Ciel Soleil is alive and well is currently back in Atlas Academy. The reason you have not seen her is that she is mostly devoted to her studies and training."

"Oh… that's… that's good to know, sir." Penny reluctantly nodded with a stiffed smile, slightly hurt about not knowing that Ciel after all this time, but she was glad that the girl survived.

"Thank you for a wonderful time!" she earnestly declared with a smile before turning around, not noticing the hand of a prone Russel Thrush feebly reaching out to her before being knocked out by a falling rock. The cheering was briefly replaced by quaint laughter, but it soon began to die down as the stadium began to shift into the next configuration.

"Oh yeah, that happened." Yang snickered at the memory of how Penny dominated Cardin and Russel back then.

"Jaune, you aren't still mad about the team moves, are you?" Pyrrha asked to a clearly irritated Jaune.

"Oh no…" Jaune muttered in embarrassment as he covers his face with hands with his head low.

"Team moves?" Oscar tilted his head in confusion.

"Yeah!" Nora giggled. “He named one of the team attacks ‘Flower Power’.”

“I keep telling you it was a legit team move!” Jaune defended.

“Sorry, Fearless Leader. I don’t ever recall having a team move like that.” Nora says while Ren silently nodded in agreement with his partner. While the leader just crossed his arms and mumbled in annoyance.

"No," he mumbled while taking a sip from his grape soda.

"Oh, he's totally mad," Nora countered, her mouth full of half-chewed pretzel.

“You really need to learn your table manners, Nora.” Ren sighs as he lectures her Nora, which she pouts.

"No, I am not," Jaune stewed as he grabbed a handful of popcorn while his team sighed, and Pyrrha patted his shoulder apologetically. After a moment, he sighed and hung his head. "It's just… I went over those moves with you guys like ten times, and none of you remembered…"

“See!” The viewing Jaune shouts as he raises both his arms.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Pyrrha. Well, at the very least, now we know that simply copying RWBY won't really work out for us."

“Wait, that’s where you got the idea?” Weiss raises a brow towards Jaune, who sheepishly rubbed the back of his with his hand.

“W-Well yeah… I mean common! Out of every team in Beacon, you girls are like pros when you pull off team moves, heck! You guys even have awesome names for each of them!”

His compliment with the added nods of agreement from his teammates made the girls slightly blush, embarrassed, and delighted that their sister team’s leader would try to mimic their style.

"I wouldn't say that…"

"What's Arkos?" Jaune cut with a lidded stare.

“Wasn’t that just a teasing comparison for Jaune and Pyrrha?” Nora whispered to Ren as she remembered that one name.

“I honestly thought so too,” Ren whispered back, agreeing with her. This was not unheard of from Blake with her enhanced hearing. She couldn't help but quietly giggle at cute paring name as well.

"Uh…" Pyrrha's face went blank as she wracked her brain, trying to remember their move. Jaune merely sighed and turned his attention back to the arena.

He allowed himself to settle into the festivities the Vytal Tournament offered. Even in its second week, the energy was still just as lively as the opening ceremonies. The full team round only ended the day before, which was when his team and team RWBY were finally able to participate in the competition. RWBY won their match spectacularly, with all four girls showing off their impressive skillsets, weapons, and Semblances. His team won theirs as well, although Jaune did make a fool out of himself in the process. Then again, that wasn't anything new. Even though he had improved tremendously under Pyrrha's tutelage, to the point where he actually stood a chance against Cardin, he still wasn't at everyone else's level.

“We really went through a lot before then, haven’t we?” Jaune mutters, seeing himself before the Fall of Beacon. Everything was going so well. Sure, there was the Breach and the White Fang in Vale, but it all ended with them being the victors. Yet, it all ended in a disaster in what Cinder did. When they framed Yang, the night when they made Pyrrha kill Penny, the night when they brought Grimm and the White Fang to attack Beacon Academy, the night a Dragon Grimm destroyed the CCT, and the night Cinder killed Pyrrha.

Their lives and everyone in Remnant have changed ever since that day, and now that he thinks about it, his counterpart, along with his friends and everyone in the alternate universe’s lives, has changed similarly as they had.

"You know," Nora began, "while it stinks that it took us so long to actually compete, at least we get to fight again so quickly. I mean, we're up right after RWBY."

"Going up against Sun and Neptune, if I remember correctly," Ren pointed out. "I have every confidence that you and Pyrrha will succeed."

“Right… Jaune and Pyrrha did face against Sun and Neptune afterward.” Blake points out.

“Yup! I even remember how disappointed you were that day.” Yang smirked towards the flinching Faunus.

“N-No! That’s not true!” Blake denied, but that only made Yang’s grin grew. While Weiss simply pouted in annoyance at the memory, don’t get her wrong, she has nothing against Sun and is a good man, and she used to have a thing for Neptune, but after the dance and his constant flirting with other women made her change her mind.

"Well, duh. Obviously," Nora said as though their victory was a foregone conclusion. Jaune wished he had Nora's confidence sometimes.

"You guys at least remember the strategy for them, right?" he asked the female half of his team, to which Pyrrha resolutely nodded.

"We should split them up right away, with me keeping Sun off of Nora so he can't overwhelm her up close with those gun-chucks Ruby told us about, leaving Nora free to deal with Neptune."

"Yeah, the guy with the lightning gun," the Valkyrie in question snickered evilly while picking at her teeth. "Poor pool noodle."

"Everyone's seen your Semblance by now, Nora," her partner warned. "He's probably not going to use any electricity against you."

“I’ve seen some of your matches during the Vytal Festival,” Qrow said to the former Beacon students. “You kids may have improved, but you all still have a long way to go.”

What the former drunk said was true. Even with their current state, they still have much to learn if they ever want to have a chance against Salem’s forces. Watching this viewing may be the key for them to grow.

"Then I'll just have to hit him a couple of times instead of once," the ginger dismissively replied before getting more serious, "and like Jaune said, that'll still lock out half of his options. Unless they pull a serious surprise outta their butts, we'll be fine."

“Oh, so that’s why you didn’t stop beating Neptune to the ground with your hammer.” Ruby innocently said, wondering why the hammer wielder was so brutal when she faced against Neptune personally.

“Yup! It was a win-win situation.” Nora cheerfully said, getting a sweat drop from everyone, while those who watched the fight personally couldn’t help but cringe at the memory.

"You guys will be spectacular out there. You always are," Jaune stated with a smile. Pyrrha blushed slightly while Nora beamed. Something about the sly grin she gave Ren was odd to the blond boy, but he paid it no heed. A thought then came to his mind, and he pursed his lips and hummed.

"You know, Ruby's birthday is coming up in little over a month," he stated while tapping his chin. The others looked at him, then nodded. "We should probably figure out something for her. I don't think she would do what we did for Pyrrha's birthday."

“You guys were planning me a surprise party?” Ruby asks her sister team, feeling touched by the idea.

“Yeah… we were planning for it, but…” Jaune drifted off, not finishing the sentence, making her and his friends understood the reason.

“It’s okay, Jaune. You don’t need to finish your sentence. It’s the thought that counts.” The young huntress said with a smile. Despite the events that would come on that day, she was happy to learn that her friends would plan something for her birthday.

"Yeah, that was very… lowkey." Nora nodded while Pyrrha sighed contently. Nora's eyes then widened as the stadium lights began to shift, and she excitedly bounced in her seat. "Ooh, it's starting!"

“At least nobody mentioned Pyrrha’s birthday…” Ren said in his head, remembering how uneventful that day was despite being his former teammate’s birthday.

Jaune turned his attention back towards the arena. Sure enough, Weiss and Yang were already on the arena floor. Over the crowd, he heard some footsteps and saw Ruby walking up to her seat next to Blake. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Well, now it's our turn!" Jaune barely heard Yang say. He was happy that he had front row tickets, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hear her at all.

“Oh! So, it’s up to the point when we faced Team FNKI.” Yang points out that she remembered the time that she and Weiss faced Flynt Coal and Neon Katt.

“Yes, I recalled seeing that match that day.” James nodded, remembering that event. “Shame that Atlas’s representatives lost that day, but they did not disappoint.”

“Indeed.” Weiss agreed. “To be honest, they were not what I expected when we faced them, but none the less, they proved themselves to be worthy adversaries.”

"Just remember to keep proper form," Weiss chided, causing Yang to chuckle.

"Alright." Yang's tone then shifted from jovial to serious as she began to stretch. "You're from Atlas. What could we expect?"

“Wow. Talk about deja vu.” Yang comments.

"Well, seeing as their Kingdom, academy, and armed forces are all merged as one, I think we can expect strict, militant fighters with advanced technology and carefully rehearsed strategies."

Almost as if Weiss' declaration was a direct challenge to the Brothers themselves, a man and woman soon emerged from the opposite tunnel. One was dressed like a jazz singer, complete with sunglasses and a fedora, while the cat Faunus girl next to him was multi-colored in nearly every aspect of her body, from her pigtails to her (temporary?) tattoos. She was also riding around on roller skates, and for the life of him, Jaune had no idea how she was supposed to be able to fight in those, though the way she zoomed around the white and yellow duo while trailing a literal rainbow made him wonder.

"Ooh, this is going to be good." Nora shook in her seat while the others merely stared in confusion.

“You actually said that?” Weiss raised a brow to the hammer wielder.

“Yup! And I tell ya, you girls did not disappoint.” Nora grinned.

"Have to admit, did not think that," Jaune pointed to the colorful Atlesian students who were now taunting Weiss and Yang, "would come out of Atlas."

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Harriet narrowed her eyes towards the blond, making him sink in his seat as he laughs nervously.

“It means you Atlesians lack color.” Qrow comments, making the younger Atlesians and Winter narrow their eyes towards the Huntsman. “Oh, don’t give me that look. Out of all the Kingdoms, Atlas’s only known color is white and blue. If you ask me that Neon girl got some guts to go all out like that.”

“Neon is always a colorful girl, as usual.” Marrow whispered, being familiar with Faunus girl himself.

"Same here," Pyrrha agreed with him. "Was expecting more of… Weiss."

"Yeah…"

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?!” Weiss narrowed her eyes towards her sister team, but they just turned their heads away to avoid eye contact with the former heiress.

"Kick their butts, Yang!" Ruby shouted while she and Blake waved tiny flags with their team names embroidered on them. Jaune then turned his attention back onto the arena as the images on the jumbotron began to rotate and select their battlefield.

“Are we seriously going to watch the entire fight?” Elm questioned. “Don’t get me wrong, I like to see a good fight but is this really all we’re going to see.”

“Be patient, Elm,” Vine told his fellow Ace-Op. “I’m certain there’s a reason for this flashback.”

"You should try rollerblading sometime!" he heard the Faunus girl say to Yang tauntingly, and judging by the look on Yang's face, she was succeeding. "It's super fun! It'd probably take you a while, though, since you're so… you know, top-heavy."

"Excuse me!?" Yang shouted with red eyes while Ruby rolled her eyes.

“Oh yeah… I remember that part.” The viewing Ruby rolled her eyes at the memory.

“Meh. That’s all in the past.” Yang shrugged her shoulders. “She’s a cool girl when you get to know her.” The blond brawler said, remembering the time she got to know the Faunus after their fight.

“Yeah… cool…” Nora whispered as she crosses her arms and pouts in annoyance. She honestly doesn’t hate the Faunus, but she was still sore about how she knows how to get to her nerves after their last training spar.

"Oh, here we g—" Whatever Ruby was about to say was interrupted by every single light in the stadium suddenly shutting off.

Everyone immediately focused on the screen, knowing full well what’s happening.

“It’s starting…” Robyn narrowed her eyes at the screen as she and the others prepare for the worst.

"What the hell?" Jaune looked around the stadium in confusion, as did everyone else. Gasps and shouts began circulating around the stadium as everyone shuffled among themselves. He got to his feet to get a better look, his eyes narrowed as he tried to piece together exactly what had happened. "Power failure?"

“So it all started here…” James deduced. “Two days exactly before the Fall of Remnant.”

“Two days before the Fall of Beacon…” Qrow silently mutters as he narrows his eyes at the screen. Was it coincident that the two days would lead to such a tragedy? No. It couldn’t be. The huntsman shook his head out of the thought as he continues to watch the viewing.

"I guess." Blake sounded unsure as she looked at Yang and Weiss in worry. He could see how the combatants were just as confused as they were, and at the same time, slightly disappointed. Yang looked like she really wanted to pay the Faunus girl back for her top-heavy crack.

“They have no idea what’s going to happen next…” Maria sadly says, feeling bad for the alternate Remnantians for what’s to come.

"CCT's out," Ren revealed, holding his scroll for all to see. Sure enough, the bars that indicated CCT connectivity were completely empty, revealing only a red X in their place. Instinctively they all looked at the CCT tower in the middle of Beacon, and they saw nothing wrong with it. Their alarm slowly began to rise.

“Brainiac already hijacked the CCT towers?!” Pietro says in disbelief at how fast that communications have been compromised.

“As much as I hate to admit it, but Brainiac is far too advanced in his knowledge of alien technology. To his eyes, our current technology is primitive at his level.” Penny deduces making everyone hate the alien far more than they can ever before.

"Something's wrong," Ruby said, her eyes narrowed at the intact tower. She pulled out her scroll and checked to see if the connection to the rocket locker was still operational. To her and the other's relief, they were, as those were radio-based. Ruby turned to the others, only for a shadow to slowly envelop the arena, blocking out the sun. Blake turned to face the source of the shadow, only for her amber eyes to go wide.

"Oh my god…"

"What?" Jaune asked as he, too, turned to the source. Any other question he had died on his lips as the source of the shadow emerged from the clouds. At once, he could feel the stadium go dead quiet as everyone stared at the large, skull-shaped vessel. It was metallic purple, with metal tentacles sprouting from the bottom, and a gold covering over the eyes.

The viewers were stunned by what they just witnessed. Sure, they are already familiar with Brainiac’s Mothership, but how it first appeared made them feel small, afraid, and outmatched against an almighty force staring down on them and their world.

Nobody said a word. They could only watch in silence as they steeled themselves for what’s to come.

"That's…" Pyrrha gulped, her eyes wide. "That's not Atlesian…"

"Then what is it?" Ruby asked. Quickly, Jaune shifted his eyes towards the arena and saw Weiss, Yang, and the two Atlesian fighters staring numbly at the vessel above them, all conflict between them forgotten. It was then that the jumbotron sprang back to life, revealing the full body of a green-skinned man. At once, Jaune realized he was not human nor Faunus. He was clad in metallic purple, similar to the ship he was undoubtedly inside. Three purple lights marked his bald forehead, and his eyes glowed in a similar purple hue. They looked mechanical, lifeless. It was then that Jaune realized that this man was staring down at them with cold-hearted indifference, as though they were ants, and his heartbeat quickened. A quick look at his scroll revealed the video to be transmitting through it as well.

'Did he… take control of the CCT?' Jaune thought to himself as his grip on the device tightened, his knuckles turning white.

"People of Remnant," he suddenly began to speak through every speaker around them, his voice and tone emotionless and nearing robotic, yet also filled with power, "I… am Brainiac. Do not be alarmed, for I offer salvation. Your people, your cultures, your knowledge will be preserved for eternity, spared from the ravages of time. Do not resist."

As soon as the man now identified as Brainiac finished speaking, the video transmission cut. The arena's inhabitants simply stared at the vessel in awe and fear, their questions obvious on their faces and bodies.

“So, not only did he take over the CCT, but he was also kind enough to introduce himself first? How nice of him.” Winter sarcastically spat.

"What… What did he mean by that?" Ruby quietly asked as Yang and Weiss ran over to them. He and the others then jumped down into the arena to join them as they all stared with wide eyes. He could hear the roar of jets and Atlesian battleships race towards the vessel, beginning to encircle it, but something told Jaune that their efforts may very well be in vain. At the very least, the vessel did cease its descent.

“At least you other took no suspense in ordering your troops to action.” Qrow comments to the viewing James. Which he only nodded in silence as he focuses on the screen.

"Nothing good," Ren said, already pressing the button for his rocket locker. The others followed him, and eight lockers then crashed onto the ground in front of them. Around him, he could hear other teams do the same, and the sounds of safeties being clicked off and rounds being chambered echoed around him. As Jaune unsheathed his Crocea Mors and expanded his shield, the jumbotron suddenly shifted to an image of Shade Academy, taken from a news camera from the outskirts of the city.

“It’s starting…” Oscar mutters, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear in the silence the viewers were making. They all recognized the location, and they know what will happen next.

"This is Jasmine Gold, reporting to you live from the outskirts of Shade Academy!" a purple-haired wolf Faunus woman spoke into a microphone. "The ship has just stopped over the CCT tower. The Headmaster is urging calm to all citizens as communication attempts with this Brainiac are currently underway. My sources tell me that, as of now, no communication efforts have been—"

A bright light soon shone from the base of the skull ship over Shade Academy, catching the reporter's attention.

"A bright light has just erupted from the ship!" she diligently continued to report, all the while Jaune was internally begging her to flee. He didn't know what that light was, but it wasn't anything good. "Nick, are you getting this?"

"Yes! Jazz, maybe we should get out of here?" a male voice timidly asked, his fear palpable. Jaune didn't blame him.

Some of the viewers wanted to scream and shout to the wolf Faunus to listen to the male voice, but they all knew that it’s all in vain because there was no place to run from Brainiac’s grasp.

"No way!" Jasmine countered, her excited tone contrasting heavily with her cameraman's. "This is the story of the century, and I'm not just…"

It was at that moment that the light exploded. From the base of the ship, a white column shot into the ground and enveloped Shade Academy. It expanded like a balloon, consuming everything it touched.

"Oh my god…" they heard Jasmine say before the light washed over her as well, and the CCT broadcast gave out.

The viewers could only look away from the screen. They all know that the tyrant alien only shrank Shade Academy along with everything within the blast’s reach, leaving everyone inside alive, but that didn’t change the fact all those caught in it have their lives ruined now.

There was a moment of silent horror that felt like it lasted a lifetime. In his mind's eye, Jaune could see where Shade Academy once stood that was now undoubtedly a smoking crater. Millions of people, gone in an instant. His heart felt like a jackhammer, his hairs stood on end, his eyes became thin and narrow, his mouth became dry, and his breath quickened. He couldn't tear his gaze from the static screen, but he could feel his friends and everyone around him were feeling the exact same thing as he was.

The silence then broke with the simultaneous sounds of millions of terrified screams and the ensuing barrage of fire upon the vessel.

“So thus, the beginning of the end…” Maria breaths out. In all her life, she has faced many advisories during her acting career as the Grimm Reaper but never had she ever encountered anything like this. Heck, she may even consider Salem as a preferable foe than Brainiac.

“I’m just glad we don’t need to see more of the flashback… hopefully,” Oscar mutters the last part while being glad that the previous scene went black rather than showing the violence.

Present Day, Watchtower, Earth Geosynchronous Orbit

“And now we are back in the present.” Jaune breathed out, glad that they finished the flashback.

“Now, let's see how the Justice League will react to this,” Clover said.

"After nearly a day of fighting, us against the Grimm and Ironwood's fleet against the Dragon and Brainiac's ship, we were finally able to bring it down. That only bought us a few hours of rest. Afterwards, he started using drones to corral us deeper into the city, not that we realized that's what he was doing at the time," Jaune explained as he sat in the Watchtower's boardroom alongside his friends. Behind him, a map of Remnant was displayed on a monitor, the Four Kingdoms, and their territories highlighted in their respective colors.

“Fascinating! They managed to find an alternative to activate their scrolls?!” Pietro says in awe as he carefully learns more.

“I wonder what kind of material they used to substitute instead of Dust…” Weiss mutters in pure interest, hoping that when she takes back the SDC from her scumbag of a father, she will use this knowledge to better the lives in Remnant.

They had managed to replace the now inert and useless Dust batteries in their scrolls with something called a lithium-ion battery. Apparently, they had to be specially manufactured by some company called Wayne Enterprises, hence why it took so long for them to be made and brought up here. From what he could tell, this Bruce Wayne guy was a big deal, judging by how many times he came across WayneTech or Wayne Enterprises logos on the equipment in the Watchtower.

“Wait. Bruce? As in Bruce Wayne? The Batman!?” Robyn says in pure shock to discover that Batman’s secret identity is a good, renowned businessman, shocking not only her but everyone in the viewing room.

“That explains how Batman can afford such equipment,” Winter says in awe for the man, not expecting that a businessman would be a masked crimefighter.

Everyone grew even more interested in learning who Bruce Wayne is and the companies that belong to him, such as Waynetech and Wayne Enterprises, but not as interested as Weiss. Learning about the lithium-ion battery and knowing that Batman is both a CEO of a prosperous company with a clean and honest background who owns these companies.

“Penny! Is it possible for Remnant to develop these lithium-ion batteries?” The former heiress asked the android, slightly excited and hoping for an answer.

“Indeed, it is possible, friend Weiss!” Penny happily said with a nod. “The development is a bit complicated, but with the information regarding what they are made of, it is possible to recreate them on Remnant.”

Weiss silently cheered as she smiled, now looking much forward to introduce this newly found power source to Remnant. Even everyone watching couldn’t help but be fascinated by this new form of alternative than Dust.

“Bruce Thomas Wayne, the owner and founder of Wayne Enterprises, a multinational company that rivals LexCorp. The only difference is that Bruce Wayne is an honest and good man and does honest work with his company, and all those employed under him are treated fairly that easily put Jacques Schnee to shame.” Penny emphasizes the last part, hinting that Wayne Enterprises completely overshadows the SDC, much to everyone's shock, especially to the two Schnees. Yet, they couldn't help but feel happy to learn that there is a company that does honest work and is prosperous at the same time.

“I hope we can learn more about Bruce Wayne,” Weiss says, growing more and more ecstatically interested in Earth’s way of handling business, especially towards Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises. With this kind of knowledge, she could quickly restore all the damage that Jacques has done throughout the years.

Funnily enough, when Weiss first learned of them, she was ecstatic. Apparently, that technology was only theoretical back on Remnant, and to learn that lithium-ion batteries were commonplace here excited her tremendously. To him, however, he was just happy to finally have a working scroll.

“I think it’s safe to say that we should be all happy that our others still have their scrolls with them.” Ren mused while his friends chuckled.

Having a working set of scrolls allowed for the Justice League to finally download information about their destroyed homeworld. Between all of them, they had information about almost anything. Weiss had information about Dust and the Kingdoms, Blake's had detailed studies on the Faunus, both biological and sociological, Ruby's had complex forging processes and weapon schematics, something that Batman took great interest in. Not to mention all the notes on the Grimm and their texts from school. The rest was just miscellaneous information, ranging from books to videos and newspaper articles. The League took every ounce of it with the utmost care and seriousness, combing over everything as they allowed RWBY and JNPR to detail the history of their world.

“Another plus for our scrolls!” Ruby chirped, glad that she and her friends have detailed information to share with the Justice League. It's not the full information like the shadow war between Salem and Ozpin, the Relics, the Maidens, the Two Brothers, and the existence, but hey, this is a version of themselves that has not gone through the things that they have been through.

"By the end of the day, several of the people we were fighting with were either dead, missing, or even captured."

"Captured?" Flash asked, his voice both concerned and horrified. Ruby grimly nodded.

The viewing Ruby shuddered as she remembered her version being captured and very close to being experimented on. Yang quickly comforts her sister.

"He was studying us. He captured humans, Faunus, people from all ages, and genders. Probably just to figure them out." Ruby took a sip of water to clear her throat. "A few of them were captured because they had some anomaly to them, like Cinder Fall. Her screams were… awful, and when I was running through Brainiac's ship, I came across her with tubes all over her body. She was still alive, but in a lot of pain." Ruby shuddered, and Yang patted her shoulder. "I tried to get her out, but nothing I did worked before a patrol forced me to flee. I never had the chance to go back."

Everyone was utterly stunned by what they just learned. Cinder Fall, the very woman who stole half of the previous Fall Maiden’s power, the one who caused the Fall of Beacon, who caused countless deaths on that day, the very same woman who killed there Pyrrha, was captured and experimented on by Brainiac.

There were mixed feelings among the viewers. Those who have heard of Cinder Fall and who she indeed is narrowed their eyes at that information. Some were both angered and pleased to learn that the bitch who serves Salem got what she deserved. While others contemplated if being under Brainiac’s control is the best punishment.

They were all there when it happened. Cinder had only just begun to stop wailing about her failed plans when she, Emerald, and Mercury became surrounded. RWBY and JNPR had tried to get to them, only to be cut off by a veritable wall of drones. Then, Cinder's eyes narrowed, and she began creating glass weapons out of thin air. The way she fought was spectacular, graceful, and elegant yet also brutal and unforgiving, but at the same time reminded Ruby immensely of the break-in at the CCT tower just a few weeks prior. The more she fought, the more Ruby connected the dots, and by the end, realized she was the very same person.

“She’s strong…” Harriet narrowed her eyes, hating to admit what she said.

“So, this is the woman that caused the Fall of Beacon… she is dangerous.” Maria narrowed her article eyes while she studied the woman. She only heard a few things from the children about her and what terrible things she’s done, and she could tell that she is someone not to underestimate against.

Then, Cinder's eyes burned, and she cast fire everywhere. The heat was unbearable, and it melted the drones into pools of boiling liquid. Ruby and the others knew that whatever that was, it was not a Semblance or Dust. It was something else. That was when Cinder finally noticed them, and to their surprise, moved to attack them, Mercury and Emerald alongside her. They even looked eager to do it. Before they could so much as lift a finger, however, more drones dropped down around them and bound Cinder with electrified cables. They then spoke, declaring her to have a magical anomaly. Ruby hadn't thought that was even a thing. She tried to get free, to make a run for it, but in the end, she was helpless to stop Brainiac's ship from beaming her inside, leaving behind a wailing Emerald and horrified Mercury. The two then ran off before RWBY and JNPR could apprehend them, and they weren't seen again.

“So that’s how she was captured… good riddance.” Jaune venomously spat in the last part of his sentence. All of his friends all looked concerned for the blond knight. They all understand why he holds so much hatred for Cinder, they all hate the woman, but they can't help but worry for Jaune’s personality.

Robyn hummed as she read the ‘magic’ part in the word box on the screen. She narrowed her eyes at the meaning of it. Maria noticed this.

“Something on your mind, girl?” The leader of the Happy Huntress turned to the elderly.

“Oh, nothing, just taking note of the many things that I'm missing out off,” Robyn answered, making the former reaper raises a mechanical brow. “I’m pretty sure you know something, but I’m going to hold myself until the time is right.”

Maria nodded in her answer as they focused back on the screen. Not noticing James was watching, he figured Robyn was digging for answers. The General took a moment to think about whether it truly is wise to share their secrets with the Huntress. But he’s not concerned about that topic right now.

"He also tried to get Penny, but we were able to stop that. That's when we learned she was an Aura-producing robot," Yang pointed out while Ruby looked sheepish. "Which Ruby already knew and didn't tell us about."

The General perked up at this and turned to Ruby. “You knew?”

Ruby looked sheepish but answered none the less. “I did, and it wasn’t Penny’s fault. Before the start of the Vytal Festival, she saved her child’s life from a car accident, and she was forced to show herself to me back then.”

“It’s true, General,” Penny adds. “I had no choice at the time.”

The General sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “That… doesn’t matter anymore. To be honest, Ruby being the only one knowing was a lot better back then.”

“So…” Ruby drifts off as he looks at Penny then back to the General. “I’m not in trouble?”

“No, Ruby, you’re not.” Ruby makes a big sigh of relief, earning a chuckle from her friends. The General, on the other hand, couldn’t help but inwardly scowl, remembering the time when Penny was first reintroduced back to the world, especially to the Kingdom of Atlas and to Mantle. He could never forget how everyone reacted to the revival of the supposed dead robot girl and the countless questions, theories, and conspiracies from the people that came after.

"I promised not to tell anyone," Ruby protested.

“A promised you kept till the end, friend Ruby.” Penny happily said while the said girl smiled at her.

"It's fine. After that, the General transferred Penny off the front lines and into the reserves to discourage any more abduction attempts. By the end of that first night, all the automated Knights and Paladins were destroyed, forcing Ironwood and the surviving leadership to conscript the students into the defense. Before, only volunteers were fighting. Lot of good it did us in the end…" Yang sighed dejectedly.

“Thank goodness…” Pietro sighs in relief as he held his daughter close. “I’m just glad to know that my little girl in this universe survived their ordeal.”

“Father…” The android whispered as she hugged her beloved father.

"By the end of the second day, we had lost nearly the entire city. Ammo was running dry, everyone was exhausted, and morale was resting on bedrock. Ironwood almost blew up half the city just to buy more time, only for Ruby to get captured and beamed aboard his personal ship," Weiss stated. "Yang convinced a pilot sent to evacuate us into going after her, and in the end, we managed to convince Ironwood to instead use the remaining explosives to breach the ship's hull."

“We all saw that in the beginning,” Qrow points out as he places his hand on James's shoulder, showing that the man was looking down on the ground, not proud that his other was about go with that plan.

"Which is where you found the bottled cities and what his actual goals were," Superman finished, and the huntsmen nodded. Superman nodded back slowly. "You all did a very brave thing back there, going into his ship to try and stop him yourselves."

“But, our others failed?” The viewing Nora points out.

"But we failed?" Nora pointed out, only to have Superman shake his head.

“Oh! Yay! I get to have a similar line with my other!” The hammer wielder chirped happily, making everyone sweatdrop at that.

"You were able to save your friend from becoming a victim of Brainiac's twisted curiosity. That's a victory in my book," Superman pointed out. The way he said it lifted their spirits somewhat, and they couldn't help but smile. He then turned to Flash and nodded, and the scarlet speedster nodded back and got out of his seat.

“You know what? That is a victory.” Robyn comments, getting everyone’s attention. “I may not know why your eyes are important pipsqueak,” the huntress points at the Ruby. “but I do know that Superman said was right. Your friends pretty much did the impossible and saved your counterpart’s life, now that’s a victory.”

Ruby and her teammates and sister gratefully smiled at the compliment. Even the other audience did the same. Some of them may not see eye to eye with her, but they all know that she is a good person at heart.

“Thank you, Ms. Hill.” Ruby thanked. “When we get back to Atlas, you’re definitely getting my vote.” This earned a smile from the huntress. “But you’re still not getting anything from me,” Ruby smirked at the end.

Robyn just chuckled as she shook her head then focused back on the screen.

"If you don't mind, guys, we'll need to discuss this in private," he told the huntsmen and huntresses. They nodded in understanding and got out of their seats and left the boardroom, the door closing behind them automatically. For a moment, the boardroom was silent, the League Founders sitting in silent contemplation. Finally, after a few moments, Flash spoke up.

"So, what do you guys make of this?" he asked. "Besides how screwed up the entire thing is."

“That’s saying lightly.” Elm scoffed.

"First things first, we need to update the UN about Brainiac," Superman said, his face serious. "Now that we have more concrete information about him, how he operates, and the basics of his technology, they can actually start creating countermeasures."

“Indeed.” James nodded in approval of their plans against Brainiac.

“What does the UN stand for?” Oscar asked.

“It stands for United Nations.” Penny answered, earning an ‘oh’ from the farm boy.

"I'll start making tools to counter him," Batman declared. "Cyborg might be able to code a virus and design a protection software for Brother Eye, so I'll bring him in as well."

“Cyborg is another known hero on Earth, his files are mostly censored, but it does say that he is genius on technology,” Penny explains.

“Interesting. I very hope we could get the opportunity to see this hero.” Pietro says, curious to learn more about Cyborg.

“While Brother Eye is an A.I. satellite that orbits around Earth that monitors any new signs of metahumans on Earth.” Penny finishes getting everyone in awe, learning that advanced technology can help track any metas throughout the world.

“Does that mean they can even track us?” Blake questions.

“I’m not sure. It hasn't been tested on us if Brother Eye can track people with their Aura unlocked.” The android finishes getting a slow nod from the cat Faunus.

"Please. We were looking to evaluate him for invitation anyway, so this might be a good chance for that," Superman replied. "Diana, I need you to notify the UN. You're the ambassador for Themyscira, so you can call together the General Assembly and notify everyone at once."

"Of course." Diana nodded. "I'll also send word to my mother and Aquaman. Should Brainiac arrive, Themyscira and Atlantis will be ready for him?"

“Aquaman, real name Arthur Curry is another hero on Earth. A member of the Justice League and the king of the underwater city of Atlantis, home of the Atlanteans.” Penny says, making everyone in awe in learning the hero’s heritage. “The Atlanteans are somewhat similar to aquatic Faunus, only except that their genetics are more profound than regular humans or Faunus, such as their ability to breath underwater, endure pressures of the deep, and possess superhuman levels of strength, speed, endurance, and durability.”

“That’s incredible!” Blakes says in awe. She couldn’t help but admire and be slightly jealous that such a race can outclass her people but learning that one of their own is a member of the Justice League. Above all, the king of his people, she couldn’t help but admire and respect the said hero and hope to learn more about Aquaman.

“Is there nothing this world can keep us from getting any more surprises?!” Marrow says in awe as well as Blake.

"When he arrives," Batman corrected. "Lantern, have you received word back from the Guardians about Brainiac?"

"I did." Green Lantern scowled. "He's been doing this for centuries. We've only been able to drive him off a few times, often at great cost. But, should he arrive, we'll have their support."

“Brainiac has been doing this for centuries?” Winter gasped in horror before narrowing her eyes in anger. “Disgusting.”

“So, the Green Lantern Corps has faced against him a few times in the past.” Clover points out. “Glad to know that the universe knows his existence, and there’s a group doing something about it.”

"That's a relief," Hawkgirl stated. She paused then stared at the map of Remnant, studying it intently. "What about the Grimm? We don't exactly have much on them. Neither did they, for that matter."

“Now isn’t that the question.” Robyn hummed while not noticing that a few viewers fidget awkwardly as they knew the Grimm's origin.

"We know their weaknesses and how they operate," Diana responded. "I'll talk about them to the UN as well."

"That's all fine and well," Flash cut in, "but that's not the most important thing here. What are we going to do about RWBY and JNPR? I mean, we can't just keep them up here forever," he asked. Internally, he thought that their team names sounded really cool, but figured now was not the time to speak up about that. The other founders frowned at the question, one that had been nagging at them for some time now.

“Aww, that's so nice of you, Flash.” Ruby slightly blushes at the compliment the Speedster mentioned about Team RWBY and JNPR’s team names.

“I was beginning to wonder what your counterparts will be doing now in a different world.” Vine comments, voicing those who wondered the same.

"We help them acclimate, learn how to operate in Earth society." Batman's suggestion was met with nods, but Superman looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s good.” Winter nods. “Seeing that Remnant is… gone, it would be understandable for the children to start their new lives on Earth.”

“I’m pretty guessing here that Bats wasn’t just talking about early retirement for the kids.” Qrow points out as he was beginning to understand how Batman thinks.

"Something tells me that you aren't talking about finding them a place to live," he accused. Batman nodded.

"Not exactly." He paused and glanced at one of the pictures on the screens. It was a large emerald structure. RWBY and JNPR had described it as Beacon Academy, the greatest huntsmen academy on Remnant. It wasn't hard to come up with what he said next.

Both RWBY and JNR’s eyes widen at Beacon Academy, realizing what the Dark Knight was suggesting along with the other viewers as they thought the same.

“No way…” Yang breathed out in disbelief and a growing sense of excitement. This feeling was also felt along with her friends.

"We should train them." Immediately the others looked at him intensely, demanding he explain further. "They're warriors, all of them, hailing from a minor death world that managed to survive until Brainiac's arrival. A person who even the Green Lantern Corp. has had trouble driving off. Even then, against all odds, they managed to hold him off for two days. They'd be a powerful asset."

“Our counterparts are going to be trained by the Justice League?!” Ruby squealed in excitement while her eyes sparkled.

“Oh, man! I’m so jealous of our others!” Nora whined but jumped on her seat in excitement.

“That is so cool!” Jaune shouts in excitement and can't help but feel a bit nervous about the lack of experience his other had from the rest of his friends but is confident he would pull through.

“This is going to be awesome!” Yang cheered as she grinned ear to ear while raising both her fists up.

“I need to take notes for future training references!” Weiss grinned as she quickly took out her scroll and swiftly prepared a file for the said topic.

Blake and Ren stayed silent, but the two couldn’t help but smile in anticipation, wondering what kind of training their counterparts will go through, unlike her in Remnant.

The rest had a similar reaction towards the RWBY and JNR.

Oscar felt a bit jealous and left out that his counterpart was not joining them in this but was happy he could take this chance to learn more about their training to do the same in his free time.

Penny was thrilled that off-world heroes are training her friends to her fellow Remnantians.

Winter and Qrow couldn’t help but feel proud and happy that their family is more than being cared for but are being treated to strive to be Huntsmen to continue their Remnant culture.

James was pleased to see that the Justice League would take such lengths to continue its education and training.

Robyn, Maria, Pietro, and Clover are happy about this decision.

And finally, the Ace-Ops were curious how the alternate RWBY and JNPR will be trained. They would take this chance to learn from this and see if they could prepare the same way as they are about to.

"Is that really best for them, though?" Superman pointed out. He could see where Batman was going with this, and admittedly he had thought the same thing.

“Don’t say that’s Superman! You know you want to train us!” Ruby smiled while being appreciated by the Man of Steel’s opinion.

"Yes." Batman nodded. "From what they've described, huntsmen are expected to live dangerous lives in the service of others, using their powers and strength to protect those who can't protect themselves. Sound familiar?"

"That's what we do," Hawkgirl observed, her mind racing through the possibilities.

"Exactly. Look at Brainiac's invasion. When their peers attempted to flee, they stood and fought the entire time, before their leaders forced everyone to fight. When Brainiac captured Ruby, they didn't hesitate to launch a rescue operation to get her back, despite knowing they might not return. When they learned what Brainiac was planning to do to Vale, they tried to stop him on their own, fighting against an enemy they knew was outside their capabilities. Even if we didn't train them, there's not a shred of doubt in my mind that they would do so anyway." His voice, calm as ever, contained a hint of pride in it while the others contemplated his words.

“Is… is Batman praising us…?” Jaune questions while feeling a sense of pride from it.

“I… I think he did.” Ren slowly nodded while feeling the same feeling as his leader.

"Hmm," Green Lantern hummed to himself. "That does sound like them. J'onn, what do you think? You were able to look into their minds."

"Batman's assessment is accurate," J'onn answered. "I did not pry deeply, but I was able to see their surface thoughts. They are like us in a way. Despite what has befallen then, the pain that they are only now beginning to heal from, a desire to help people is always at the forefront of their minds. I suspected it was there before Brainiac's invasion, and their testimony confirmed it."

“C’mon! Just agree to it! Our others want to help!” Yang wined, feeling impatient.

"There's one more reason why I think we should train them," Batman revealed. "They come from a world where everyone they fight is expected to have powers. Should they fight someone here, they may accidentally kill or cripple them. We need to train on how to hold themselves back, just for safety reasons."

“A logical reason,” Weiss said while doing her best to be composed not to show her growing excitement. “More of the reason you should tarin our counterparts seeing that we are in a different environment.”

"That is true." Flash nodded, bringing his hand to his chin. "I think you're right, Bats."

“Yes! He’s right! Please just say YES!” Nora shouts while trying to hold herself back from tackling the screen.

"I'm with Batman as well," Diana spoke up, "but, only if they want to. I do not want to take the decision away from them on this."

“Knowing our others, I’m sure they won’t turn down the offer.” Blake calmly said but was also holding herself back from her excitement while her cat ears were standing straight.

"Agreed," Superman said as he stood up and turned to face out the window. "I say we leave it up to them. If they want to fight alongside us, we'll help them every step of the way. If they don't, we'll help them settle in on Earth."

"Sounds good to me," Green Lantern said, nodding his head and crossing his arms. The others quickly agreed as well, and with a final nod, Superman turned back to them. The room was silent as they all stared at each other, then, one by one, they all turned to look at the closed door.

“What’s happening?” Marrow says, a bit confused with how the JL members were acting.

Qrow raised a brow but slowly grinned, realizing what Superman was doing. “I get a feeling I know what’s happening.”

"You can come out now. We know you're there," Superman suddenly called out, a smile on his face. With his x-ray vision, he could see the surprised faces of the Remnantians as they moved their ears away from the door. As they did, the door opened, revealing their sheepish faces to the others.

The viewing RWBY and JNR lost their excitement than began to feel sheepish, seeing their other’s eavesdropping at the founding members' conversation. Much to the other viewers' amusement, seeing both counterparts acting this way.

"Uh… how did you know we were still here?" Jaune asked, to which Superman smirked

"Superhearing, and also X-ray Vision," he casually revealed to the blank stares of the teenagers.

"…How many powers do you have?" Yang threw her arms up while Ruby looked at the Man of Steel in awe.

“I know me. He’s super cool!” The viewing Ruby says as she shakes off from her sheepishness.

"Plenty. Remind me to go over all of it with you guys later." His smile was then replaced by a more serious expression. "How much did you guys hear?"

“Too much if you ask me.” Maria mused.

The teenagers looked between themselves before Blake straightened herself. "Something about you wanting to… train us." They went quiet as everyone stared at each other, both sides waiting for the other to make the first move. After a few moments of silence, Yang coughed into her fist and drew everyone's eyes to her.

"So… is there a weight room in here? A track?" Yang asked and waved her hand in a circle. Her fellow huntsmen-in-training nodded and grinned, to which the League founders nodded back.

The viewing RWBY and JNR cheered that their counterparts are being given a chance to be trained by Earth's heroes. The others couldn’t help but feel happy for them.

RWBY and JNPR followed Batman through the Watchtower with no small amount of anticipation. They wouldn't lie and say that the thought of them continuing their jobs as huntsmen and huntresses down on Earth hadn't crossed their minds. Sure, there weren't any Grimm, at least not anymore, but that didn't mean that threats didn't exist. Just as there were superheroes, there were supervillains in turn. Assassins, terrorists, psychopaths, arms dealers, and would-be world conquerors threatened people's lives every day, and they couldn't let that stand.

“That’s true, the Grim may not be around their world, but it does not change the fact there are powerful forces that threaten the wellbeing of the people.” Winter points out the fact while also remembering Lex Luthor and their won threat Salem.

“I wonder what kind of threats the Justice League has to face against?” Oscar curiously asked.

“Duh! When there are Superheroes, you get Supervillains!” Nora grinned as she points out the obvious fact. “And seeing Luthor is a Supervillain, it’s only natural the Justice League will stop him!”

“But isn’t he a powerful businessman?” Marrow points out.

“He’ll get what’s coming to him.” Surprisingly, Weiss was the one who answered that question as she waved it off. The said girl may not compare his father to Luthor, but she would be more than happy to see that ruthless businessman get what’s coming to him. At the same time, she could learn from this experience to take down Jacques and permanently remove him from the CEO position and maybe from the Schnee family for good.

"We're here," Batman announced, cutting the teens from their thoughts as they entered into a large empty dome. The walls and floor were covered in grey squares that felt metallic. Each step the group took echoed across the empty space, signaling just how large the room truly was.

"What is this place?" Ruby asked as Batman pressed a few buttons on his gauntlet.

"This," he said as the panels began to light up, "is the Holographic Simulator Room."

At once, the light on the panels exploded and thrust outward. Rather than appear as formless white light, however, solid images began to appear all around them. To RWBY and JNPR's amazement, a city began to erect right in front of their eyes, complete with roads, skyscrapers, and parked cars. A faint breeze could be felt on their skin, and warmth from above told them that it was midday.

“A Holographic Simulation Room?!” Pietro shouts in complete awe. The Kingdom of Atlas has their Simulation Room thanks to their scientist and engineers, but the Doctor can quickly tell from the look of Earth’s technology he can promptly know that it surpasses their own.

“That’s their Simulation room…? The entire environment looks so lifelike!” James breathed out in awe, along with his fellow Atlesians. Their equipment can only create hard light, block-like appearances, but for Earth’s, they could replicate an environment perfectly.

Yang whistled. "Nice," she remarked as she touched a holographic building. "What do you know, it actually feels real."

"How'd you guys do this?” Weiss asked as she felt the exterior of a parked car. "Is this all light?"

"Yes. Everything you see here is hard light," Batman began to explain. "Reversed engineered from alien technology, we can simulate any number of scenarios. Time of day, weather, environments both on Earth and extra-terrestrial, anything is possible in this room."

“Magnificent…!” Pietro breathes out in awe.

“Learning more and more about Earth makes me feel that Remnant is lacking…” Elm begrudgingly admits being both awe and envious.

"That is certainly useful," Pyrrha noted. Already she was thinking of what the huntsmen academies would have given to have access to this technology. What her former trainers and sponsors would have given to have access. Their own holographic and hard light technology had been steadily developing for the past decade, but she hadn't even heard of anything this seamless. The amount of training one could have undertaken in such a room would have been leagues above what standard drills and spars with her fellow classmates would have offered, and she could see how the League would want to use this room to evaluate them.

“Gotta admit with P-Money there,” Yang said while feeling nostalgic saying that old nickname to her late friend. “I’m willing to bet any Academy or training facility would give top Lien get that kind of technology.”

“Think of the possibilities…” James muttered as he rubbed his chin, studying the natural environment.

"I take it you're going to be testing us in here." Blake's assumption was met with a nod from the Batman, who began to walk away.

"Before any of you fight down there, we need to know exactly what you are capable of," he explained. "You all will be put into various scenarios in the next few days to test your capabilities. This one will be relatively simple. You come across a large gang terrorizing the populace, and you move to intercept."

As he said this, holographic people began to appear. They were the stereotypical image of thugs. Ski masks that only showed the mouth and eyes, baggy clothes that were dull in color and material, dark jeans, some of which had holes and tears. Many of them were holding weapons, mostly makeshift such as crowbars, wooden bats, and pipes, while a few had some pistols, shotguns, and rifles.

“It can even create lifelike people!?” Vine says in shock, along with the others.

“Oh, this will be fun.” The viewing Nora grinned as she eagerly watched herself and teammates about to give a good beatdown.

"Oh, this will be fun." Nora grinned, while their newly repaired weapons were wheeled out to them. Smiles on their faces, RWBY and JNPR, made their way over to the cart and inspected them. The cracks and dents that once marred them, the result of days of nonstop fighting, were now non-existent.

“Our weapons!” The viewing Ruby cheered. “They're all good as new!”

“That’s a relief.” Jaune sighs in relief, glad that his other’s family heirloom, Crocea Mors, was restored to its former glory.

"Ooh, my baby!" Ruby cried as she held Crescent Rose to her chest. "I'm so happy you're okay!" While Ruby continued to gush over her weapon, the others merely smiled and equipped their own.

"So," Ren asked as he checked the chambers of Stormflower, seeing that they were empty, "what are the rules?"

“We may have our weapons back, but it does not change the fact that our counterparts now lack the means of using Dust to enhance our weaponry.” The viewing Ren points out.

“Meh. I will be our other’s will do just fine without them.” Yang shrugs.

"Only one," Batman replied. "You cannot kill or cripple them. Anything else is fair game."

“A no killing rule? I can accept that.” Clover nods in acknowledgment.

“But how will Batman know?” Winter curiously asks how the children will be graded in their performance.

"How will you tell?" Blake tested Gambol Shroud with a few swings, smiling to herself as the steel blade whistled through the air.

"We have sensors in place to monitor the impacts each hologram would receive," Batman clarified as he began walking to the exit. "Any and all injuries, non-fatal or otherwise, will be accurately measured for evaluation." He paused at the door and turned back to them, his arms by his side. "Training starts in thirty seconds. Good luck."

“Remarkable… they can even measure the amount of damage and impact for a holographic humanoid.” James breathed out in awe. He knows that their holographic technology can receive damages and impacts during training, but never the idea of measuring how powerful one’s strike was ever thought of before.

At his declaration, the door slammed shut and closed them all in. Yang couldn't help but smile as she turned to face the holographic city. The thugs had disappeared now, leaving the city barren, but the teenagers didn't mind. Small pops could be heard as Yang cracked her knuckles and popped her neck, loosening herself up for the upcoming fight. Just because it was fake didn't mean she wasn't going to give it her all.

“Someone’s excited,” Blake smirked towards her partner.

“What can I say? I’m always up for a challenge.” Yang grinned.

"Guys, a thought," Jaune suddenly said, catching everyone's attention. "Remember how Batman said that people don't have Aura here?"

“Huh. I was thinking the same thing.” The viewing Jaune says, having an idea of what his counterpart was going to say.

"Yeah?" Yang asked as she continued to stretch.

"So, that means that these guys probably won't either." Jaune sheathed his sword and held out his shield. The others all looked at him for a moment in confusion, which quickly abated.

“Damn… I just realized that now.” Qrow said while everyone elsewhere beginning to understand what the alternate Jaune was talking about. “Since because Aura doesn’t exist on Earth, that means they don’t have anything to protect themselves with, meaning that you kids could end up giving serious injuries.”

“So, this more than just testing their skills, it mostly focuses on their self-control in holding back their true strength.” Vine points out as he, along with everyone, is familiar with what Aura is capable of. It not only grants a protective forcefield and Semblance, but it also enhances their strength, speed, and endurance.

"Oh… right…" Yang spoke softly as she looked at her gauntlets. With a sigh, she collapsed them and mentally prepared herself. The others all did the same as they either sheathed their weapons or shifted their stances to the blunt end.

"He also said that we're stronger than people here, even without Aura," Ren pointed out. "Which means we'll need to hold ourselves back even more."

Nora groaned. "You know, I kind of liked it when everyone had powers. That meant I didn't have to hold back or worry about hurting someone."

“Don’t Academies teach you to have self-control when you fight?” Oscar curiously asks.

“They do.” Maria answers. “Back in my days, they would always drill this information in your head when you fight in public areas when their civilians about. But as time grows, younger and inexperienced Huntsman and Huntresses don’t keep that in mind.”

“It’s a shame, really.” Robyn nods in agreement. “Most Hunters these days only want to be famous and popular.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we’re on the job then.” Ruby smiled along with her friends.

"Same." Ruby nodded. Before anyone could reply, a red light shone across the training room, signifying the training was about to begin. The huntsmen and huntresses tensed as they prepared for the fight, and the red light began to blink. Once, twice, and on the third time, a buzzer rang out.

“Awe yeah! Finally, some action!” Elm cheered.

“Let’s see how you kids fair now that you to limit yourselves,” James comments as he observes.

At once, hordes of cars sped towards them from all sides, gangsters and thugs firing their weapons at the huntsmen and huntresses from passenger windows and forcing RWBY and JNPR into cover. Bullets pinged off of parked cars and concrete pillars, sending small chunks of debris flying from the shattering impacts. Yang grit her teeth and cursed the fact that she couldn't use Ember Celica. With them, she could easily take one or two of them down and break the line of fire, but that would also kill them. Even if the training hadn't forbade it, she wasn't about to kill a person if she could help it. The others were doing the same, although Jaune and Pyrrha were beginning to use their shields to block the oncoming fire. At the same time, Weiss was forming a shield wall of glyphs, and as the cars continued to circle them, Ruby began trying to take out the tires.

“Damn! Watching this makes me feel all this is real!” Marrow shouts, feeling tense even though that this is only a simulation.

“Would I give to have training like that,” Harriet says, wishing to test her skills in a similar situation as the Remnantian counterparts.

“You can,” Penny said, getting everyone’s attention. “There’s also a training room inside the pocket dimension that Mr. Myxlplyx provided for us so that we may stay fit, and may I add that it also has the same equipment as the Justice League have, including a Holographic Simulation Room.”

“We have that in here?!” Ruby squealed in delight, leaning of the training rooms existence.

“Now, I’m getting excited!” Yang grinned as she and the others looked forward to training the same way as their counterparts.

But Yang was not about to let them do all the work. Her eyes red, she ripped the car door she was hiding behind and flung it towards a speeding car, striking the front and caving it in. The car screeched to a halt, and airbags were deployed. The holographic criminals began to pile out of the broken car, and the other cars began redirecting their fire to cover them, but Yang was already on the move. She jumped high into the air and slammed down on another hood, sending the back of the car upwards and cracking the asphalt and glass windows alike.

The other cars all screeched to a halt, and the criminals moved out of them, allowing RWBY and JNPR to make their move. Jaune and Pyrrha ran towards a group of gangsters wielding submachine guns, but the bullets merely pinged off of their shields, and they continued their advance. Jaune slammed his shield into one, sending him flying back into a closed car door and denting it, and he followed with a kick to the chest of another gangster. Pyrrha, meanwhile, expertly swung her sword at another gangster, knocking the gun out of his hand and sticking him with the flat of her blade. The force tumbled him, and Pyrrha swung her leg in an arc, sweeping him off his feet and onto his back. With a quick blow to the head, the criminal was knocked unconscious, and the hologram briefly glowed red then disappeared. A quick look showed that the one Jaune had kicked into the car was also gone.

“Remarkable! It’s as if we’re watching an actual fight!” James breathed out, mesmerized by such an advanced technology exits, and he couldn’t wait to see how theirs work.

"Well, that answers my question," Pyrrha said with a smile as she turned her sword into a spear and threw it at a criminal, catching him by the shirt and pinning him to a nearby wall. She ran at him and delivered a flying knee, knocking the air out of his body and followed with a few quick jabs to the head and causing the hologram to disappear.

‘Huh…’ The viewing Jaune mentally says in his head as he watches a familiar scene of his former partner. ‘Is it me, or does Pyrrha enjoy doing that?’

Jaune, meanwhile, was busy using his shield to block a shotgun blast, one that knocked him to the ground. Rather than let the gunman exploit his position, Jaune raised his shield to block another shot and kicked his legs out, striking the shins and knocking the criminal down. The blond huntsman immediately exploited this by jumping to his feet and delivering a running kick to the head, knocking the thug out and causing it to disappear. Hearing a click, Jaune swung his shield and knocked the gun out of the hands of another just as it fired, the sound ringing in his eardrums as he punched the man in the face. He followed with a shield bash, knocking the man to the ground and allowing Jaune to finish him off with a stomp to the arm, breaking it and causing the hologram to disappear.

“Not bad for someone who sneaked into Beacon.” Qrow comments, being a former professor himself, he could tell that there were some areas Jaune’s counterpart needed to work on, but overall it was a small approval on his book.

“Thanks.” Jaune sheepishly chuckled before making a sad smile. “I had a good teacher.”

On the other side of the street, Ruby was swinging the blunt end of Crescent Rose in wide arcs, striking the torsos and legs of several different criminals at once. Many immediately disappeared with a red pulse, allowing Ruby to concentrate on the next. Avoiding the use of her blade at all times, Ruby zoomed around the city street with her Semblance, moving from criminal to criminal in a cloud of rose petals. By now, all the criminals with guns were gone, leaving behind only the ones with no weapons at all or crude melee weapons, which Ruby happily exploited. One thug ran at her with a raised bat, but Ruby swung Crescent Rose upwards and chopped it in half. The holographic assailant immediately flung the broken bat at Ruby, who was not expecting the criminal to react so quickly. The broken bat hit her face and loosened her grip on her weapon, allowing the felon to rip it from her hands and throw it to the side.

“What?!” The viewing Ruby squeaked in disbelief in what she just saw.

“I did not see that coming,” Yang admits while being surprised herself that a thug would react that way.

“I certainly hope you learned something from this, you Dolt,” Weiss says to her partner, which she just pouts but nods.

"Eep!" Ruby squeaked as she ducked under the criminal's punch. More were running at her, seeing an opening, and Ruby quickly moved back and left petals in her wake. Once she stopped, another criminal ran at her from the side with a knife and swung, forcing Ruby to back and weave away from the blade several times before the attacker paused. Ruby seized her opening and threw a light jab at the man's face, breaking the nose and forcing him to clutch it in apparent pain. Ruby then grabbed the man's arm and threw him over her shoulder, sending him flying a few feet into a nearby newspaper dispenser. A red pulse soon followed as the hologram disappeared, and before other criminals could reach her, Ruby used her Semblance to grab the discarded Crescent Rose once more. She then swung her weapon's blunt end into the head of another enemy, immediately forcing it to disappear.

“Ooh… that looked painful…” Oscar comments as he cringed a bit, seeing the alternate Ruby punching the thug in the nose and the last part that she did.

The battle was beginning to come to a close now, with the huntsmen and huntresses now fighting much more confidently. Ren was taking on several at once, expertly throwing jabs, kicks, and open palms into the chest and face of any in his path. Several attempted to hit him with lead pipes or crowbars, but Ren merely ripped the weapons from their hands and hit them with it. By the time Nora finally got back to him, the crowd of ten thugs that were previously on him were reduced to just two, both of which Nora immediately incapacitated with a few swings to the back. Nora smiled at Ren as the two of them ran towards a fresh group of opponents, a few of them now wielding small handguns that they fired at the huntsmen and huntresses. The small-caliber rounds merely shattered against their Aura, feeling like pinpricks and doing nothing to stop their advance. Nora swung her hammer against one of the criminals, flinging him towards another group and forcing all of them to disappear in a red pulse.

“Nice teamwork,” Clover comments at the couple.

“Thanks! Me and Renny the best!” The viewing Nora hugged Ren and silently gave a small smile.

Weiss was bouncing between her glyphs like a human pinball, gently knocking the weapons from her foes' hands as she passed and striking them with Myrtenaster's pommel. Normally she would be lightly stabbing them, but the lack of Aura made that particularly dangerous to her opponents. Yet, Weiss prided herself on adapting, so she began forming glyphs underneath her opponents and launching them into the air. Other glyphs intercepted them and shot them to the ground hard, knocking them out and making them disappear. Next to her, Blake was tying up criminals in her ribbon and leaving them helpless against her punches and kicks. A thug swung a wooden plank with nails on one end at her, but her Semblance took the blow and allowed her to move to safety. She then kneed the assaulter in the gut, knocking the air from his lungs and leaving him helpless as she socked him several times across the jaw, to which he finally disappeared.

“Excellent forms, both of you.” Winter compliments her sister and Blake, which they both nodded and smiled in return.

As the last thug disappeared, a loud buzz rang out, and the city disappeared, returning to the empty room it was before.

"RWBY, JNPR," the voice of Batman sounded out over the intercom as a holographic screen appeared, "well done. You've all completed the training."

“And that’s that,” Ren comments, seeing their counterparts completing their training.

“Now, let’s hear the results,” Blake said, curious at her and her friends did.

"Thank you." Weiss smiled, as did the others. "So, how'd we do?"

"Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, you all passed. The rest of you failed." At his declaration, everyone lost their composure and hunched down before righting themselves. Incredulously, they all looked at the screen in confusion.

RWBY and JNR blinked in confusion at how few of their counterparts passed while the rest failed. Few other viewers wondered the same, while the more experienced adults had few ideas in some areas that teens failed in.

"How? We all held back! We didn't kill anyone!" Yang asked, her arms spread wide.

“That’s what I want to know too!” The viewing Yang wondered the same. Knowing her fighting style, she didn’t kill anyone, and she didn’t see herself used Ember Celica or any Dust or bullets.

“I’m sure Batman will explain what you did wrong,” Oscar says to calm Yang down.

Immediately, the screen shifted to a recording of their fight, showing angles from individual cameras. The first one focused on Yang as she slammed down on the car. "Yang, your action here would have resulted in several crippling injuries and potential fatalities. The driver suffered from a broken neck along with a severe concussion and internal bleeding, while the passenger suffered the same results." Yang shrunk in on herself as accurate representations of their injuries were displayed before the screen shifted to Jaune.

“Oh…” The viewing Yang shrunk in her seat as she heard the disturbing description of what her counterpart did.

“No offense, but after seeing how you recked that car, I couldn’t help but shiver how painful that would be.” Marrow comments, making the blond feel guilty at her destructive nature.

“Don’t worry about it, Yang. This is why our others are training.” Ruby says to her older half-sister, making her feel better at the explanation.

"Jaune, when you kicked this man into the car," the screen showed the kick in question, "you broke his back. You would have paralyzed him from the waist down."

"…oh…" Jaune looked pale as he imagined if that had that been a real person while the screen shifted to Ruby swinging the blunt end of Crescent Rose into a man's head.

“Wow… I knew unlocking your Aura makes you strong, but I didn’t. You’d still be that strong when you hold back.” Jaune cringed know understanding how dangerous Aura can be if not handled properly.

"Ruby, this would have fractured his skull and caused severe cerebral hemorrhaging. He would've had to spend months in intense physical therapy just to be able to walk." Ruby awkwardly kicked her feet as Nora was uncharacteristically calm. The screen shifted to her swinging her hammer at a man's back, his bones highlighted and showing the force of the impact shattering his spine.

“Yeah…” Ruby cringed as she shrunk on her seat as she admits her other’s action. “My other was pretty wild.”

“Looks like I trained you too well, huh? Pipsqueak.” Qrow said in an attempt to cheer up his niece, making the girl giggle in response.

“I’m more surprised that Nora is calm about this.” Jaune comments.

“Aw, I can have my moments, too, ya know!” Nora jokingly glared at her fearless leader, making him sheepishly chuckled, and Ren rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Nora, you broke this man's back completely, which would have left him a quadriplegic for the rest of his life, at best." Nora solemnly nodded as the screen turned blank. Behind them, the door to the training arena opened, and Batman walked inside, the door remaining open behind him.

Most of the audience cringed, and a few hissed at the description while the viewing Nora just solemnly nodded the same way her other acted.

“…so,” The viewing Nora spoke. “That bad, huh?”

“You're taking this surprisingly well,” Weiss comments, surprised at Nora’s calmness.

“I know how destructive I can be with my Magnhild.” Nora shrugged. “I’m just glad I finally get to know how dangerous I can be if I faced someone without Aura.”

“You know what… your right!” Ruby points out. “Now that we know how dangerous we are, we can adjust that to our training!”

This gave relief to the young Hunters and Huntresses, knowing that they can further improve themselves when they face against Auraless foes.

"…so," Nora finally spoke, "that bad, huh?"

"In all honesty, I was expecting worse," Batman clarified. "Even so, that is why we are having these training sessions now. If you're going to fight alongside us, you will be best served to know how to fight without using your full strength unless absolutely necessary."

“Getting stronger while holding back, huh?” Qrow hummed. Being a former professor himself, he never heard of this kind of training but couldn’t help but feel interested in the idea. “Gotta admit, that is an interesting way of training.”

“I bet Glynda would be interested in this method of training,” James added while the former drunk nodded in agreement.

"Alright," Ruby replied with a determined nod. A thought then came to mind as she raised her finger. "Question, is there an armory in here? I have some ideas on how to make our guns work without, you know, killing anyone."

“Cool!” Ruby cheered but then tilted her head in confusion. “Is that even possible?”

“It is,” Penny answered. “They use bullets called rubber bullets. They are less lethal than the alternative metal projectiles but can still cause serious injuries such as blindness, permanent disability, and death.”

“They can still kill people with it!” Ruby protested.

“As long as you don’t aim it towards lethal parts of the body.” Harriet countered.

"Vigilante will escort you there." Batman pressed a few buttons on his gauntlet, likely sending the message to this Vigilante person. Idly, Ruby wondered whether or not the Justice League were all vigilantes. From what she could tell, they weren't official government agents or sponsored by any governments of any kind.

“Vigilante, also known as Greg Saunders. A gunman garbed as a cowboy-themed hero who is a skilled marksman with his twin custom revolvers as well as superb hand-to-hand combat.”

Everyone was impressed by learning this new hero, but the one thing that had them confused was the term ‘cowboy’, which of course, could quickly tell that it wasn’t some cow Faunus or something.

"As for the rest of you, I encourage you all to take some time and evaluate your performance. I've sent you all recordings of the exercise. Study them well.

“Now, that’s pretty handy.” Marrow comments, seeing how Batman lets them learn from their own mistakes.

“Penny, is it possible if we can have a copy of the video?” Weiss asked the android.

“You can actually,” Penny answered. “For every finished viewing, they are instantly downloaded to our Scrolls.”

“Really?!” Nora squealed as she and a few others quickly checked their Scrolls, seeing an app titled viewing episodes. Opening it, they see the past few episodes they had watched.

“Nice! Now we can watch the episodes again when we want to.” Jaune smiled, liking to watch some of the episodes again in his free time.

"So, kid, ya like rifles?" the Vigilante asked. Ruby had seen him before in the cafeteria, usually sitting with a man decked in shiny gold armor. His casual blue cowboy outfit with a red bandana across his face made him stand out from the positively medieval-looking man he was apparently best friends with. He was also notable for having a pair of six-shooters holstered to his hips, which no other League member had.

“That’s Vigilante? He looks… unique.” Vine comments, while studying the appearance of the new hero, he could only think that’s it was the description of the ‘cowboy’ that was commented before. He couldn't help but feel that it is a perfect match for the word.

“Whoa, he looks fancy,” Yang smirked, getting a good look at the hero. “I bet Coco would love what he’s wearing.”

“I want to know more about what kind of weapons he uses!” Ruby’s eyes shined as she started to like Vigilante.

"Yep," Ruby said with a pop as she tinkered with a bullet. "Can you hand me the socket wrench, please?"

"Sure." Vigilante handed the tool in question over to the young girl. Without taking her eyes off her contraption, Ruby took the wrench and continued to work. "Must admit, it's nice to finally have someone else on this team who uses guns."

“He’s the only hero in the Justice League that uses guns?” James said, slightly surprised at that fact. In Remnant, almost every weapon they have is a gun.

"I've been meaning to ask about that. Why is it that no one else uses guns in the League? I mean, explosives, maces, and swords are fine, but not guns?"

“Is there some kind of policy the League has against guns?” Winter guessed.

“If that were the case, then Vigilante wouldn’t need his guns.” Robyn pointed out.

"Hell if I know, kid." Vigilante shrugged. "Way I see it, guns are tools, nothing more. Still, if I had to guess, guns can only be used to shoot things while a sword can do a bit more. Either way, I ain't judging."

“He does have a point.” Jaune comments, while he is only familiar with close-range attacks since Crocea Mors can only be a longsword and mechashifting to a two-handed great and the recent upgrade to the shield.

"Same here. Besides, back on Remnant, everyone's weapons can shift from a gun mode into some kind of melee weapon." She paused as she remembered Jaune's weapon and awkwardly chuckled. "Well, most everyone. By the way, where is Jaune?"

“Huh? Did I go somewhere?” The viewing Jaune wondered for his counterpart.

"Last I checked, he was with Shining Knight working on his swordplay."

“Shining Knight?” The blond knight echoed while being interested in the said hero.

“They even have knights as heroes?” Harriet raised a brow.

“Shining Knight, or otherwise known as Justine Arthur he is the master swordsman with his enchanted armor and sword blessed by the wizard Merlin. Originally a knight from the medieval era of the Arthurian times that predates the current era of the Justice League, he was magically frozen in suspended animation until he was freed in the modern era, and becomes it’s the newest hero.” Penny explained, making everyone gapped at the vast information they just learned.

“That is so cool!” Jaune's eyes now sparkled hearing that there is an actual bonified knight among the Justice League, and he is currently mentoring his counterpart.

“Looks like someone found his hero~,” Nora whispered to her partner as the two just smirked, seeing their leader act this way.

“I can't believe that there’s a form of magic of this level…” Oscar breathed out in amazement. He may not have Ozpin’s full memories yet, but he’s willing to bet the old soul inside him is just as stunned as the rest.

"Oh, that makes sense." Ruby began to attach completed components together. "He seems nice."

"He is. Little old fashioned, but he's a good man." Vigilante paused to look at the completed device Ruby was now holding and giving an inspecting gaze. "So, mind telling me what that is?"

"Well, after we rechambered all of our weapons to fire rubber bullets or pellets," Ruby began to explain, "I got the idea that they simply weren't enough. So, this should add a slight electrical charge to the round. I call it a round shocker."

“So our counterparts already compensated by using rubber buttles instead of Dust bullets.” Blake pointed out.

“And I like the idea my other is doing! Round shocker. I like it!” The viewing Ruby cheered, liking the idea.

“You do know that rubber doesn’t conduct electricity, right?” Weiss points out, making her partner freeze and look sheepish, making the former heiress sigh at her partner’s cluelessness.

"A shock round, eh? Could be useful. You realize that rubber doesn't conduct electricity, right?" Ruby stopped inspecting the device at the poised question and silently hung her head, mumbling something about Lightning Dust, and Vigilante patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I made that mistake once, too. But, the idea has potential. I actually have some ideas on how to modify the rounds your weapons fire that will make them non-lethal and specialized. Mind if I help?"

“At least Vigilante can help reinforce that idea.” Qrow points out, seeing the idea plausible.

“Indeed.” James nods in agreement as he turns to the android. “Is it possible to replicate it?”

“It is, sir.” Penny nodded. “I have all the information.”

"Sure!" Ruby smiled and scooted over, allowing the cowboy to sit down next to her and begin to explain how his revolver's rounds worked.

"Gagh!" Jaune grunted as he fell onto his back. Sweat pooled on his forehead, and he panted heavily, only to stop once an armored gauntlet reached down and offered itself to him. "Thanks, Justin."

"It is no problem," Shining Knight said as he helped Jaune to his feet. "Your form needs work. You are too heavy on your feet, and you leave yourself too open on your right side."

“So that’s Shining Knight,” Jaune says, feeling awed by the knight’s appearance.

“He does look like a knight you see in those old history books,” Blake comments when she had the time to read history books.

"Yeah, Pyrrha says that a lot." Jaune sighed as he rolled his shoulders. "I've been working on it, but it's taking a while."

“I’m honestly impressed you even made it this far, despite faking your transcript to Beacon,” Clover comments as he notices the lack of footwork Jaune’s counterpart, hinting that he had little training before his enrolment.

“Thanks.” Jaune sheepishly said. “I had a good teacher.”

"Don't worry." Shining Knight smiled. "The greatest knights of all started off as squires. I have the feeling that you'll get there eventually."

“How very motivating.” Ren smiles at the knight’s comment.

"Thank you." Jaune flashed a smile back then readied himself. "So, that sword and armor of yours. Is it actually magic?"

"Indeed," Shining Knight replied. "Enchanted by the great wizard Merlin himself. My armor protects me from harm, and my sword can cut through anything."

“We already know how he got the magic, but to hear what they can do is amazing!” Ruby says in glee.

“I bet the magic during Ozpin’s time couldn’t compare to Earth’s magic,” Yang whispered to her partner, making her giggle at the sass.

Oscar, for some reason, felt annoyed but ignored it as he continued watching.

"Wow," Jaune cooed as he eyed the enchanted weapons then looked at his. "Mine are just… family heirlooms. They were used in the Great War and passed down my family for generations. Otherwise, they're kind of plain compared to the others."

“Maybe back then, but look at it now! You now have Crocea Mors 3.0!” Nora chirped, making her leader sheepishly smile.

“Yeah… it is, isn't it?” Jaune says, then he turns to the man responsible for its latest upgrade. “Thanks again, Doctor Pietro.”

“Anytime, my boy.” The doctor happily said.

"And yet, they have a history to them that none of the others can share," Shining Knight countered. "Your weapon may not be able to spit fire or wield the elements, but it has survived the tests of time and been wielded by generations of Arcs. The others may have their own weapons, ones they made themselves that can do fantastical things, but only yours can truly say it has a legacy."

“Yeah! It’s not how you got the weapon. It's how you use it.” Ruby says, earning a few surprised looks from her friends from the rare moment of wisdom.

“Yeah…” The viewing Jaune smiles. “Nothing beats the classics.”

"Yeah." Jaune nodded and faintly smiled. "That legacy is why I went to Beacon in the first place. They were all heroes, and I wanted to continue that."

"Honouring one's family is one of the greatest things a man can do," Shining Knight agreed. He then noticed a forlorn look on Jaune's face, and Shining Knight immediately put his hand on his shoulder. "Worry not. You will see your family again."

“I know my other will.” JNR's leader said with determination, knowing himself, he would definitely reunite again with the Arc Family.

"I know." Jaune's expression then hardened. "But that won't happen until Brainiac is dead."

The friends of the viewing Jaune were a bit concerned for the alternate Jaune when he said that. Dark, but understandable. Everyone shared the same feeling that the alien should die for Brainiac's atrocity towards Remnant and the many other worlds he destroyed and conquered.

"Easy." Shining Knight held up his palm. "Do not let desires for vengeance cloud your heart. He will be brought to justice, I assure you. But if you let your desire for vengeance consume you, the only one who wins is Brainiac. Never lose sight of who you are."

“Wise words.” Winter and many of the others agreed with Shining Knight.

Jaune stared at the knight hero and took his words to heart. He knows perfectly well that he shouldn’t have let his temper get the better of him—the perfect examples when he snapped at Oscar and when attacked Cinder in a blind rage. He vowed never to let his personal feelings ever make him make such foolish mistakes again, for himself, his friends, and for Pyrrha.

Jaune looked at him for a while, then sighed. "Yeah, you're right." He then readied himself and placed his shield out in front of him, his sword arm reared back. "Ready."

"Of course." Shining Knight nodded then readied himself as well. Then, with a simultaneous yell, the two knights charged at each other.

“I can't help but feel that there could be any kind of hero on Earth that can be the perfect mentor for any of us.” Blake comments.

“Indeed.” Ren comments. “With the number of heroes among the League, I can’t help feel that our counterpart’s training will excel then what we possibly could have here in Remnant.”

“More of a reason for us to keep watching and add what we see to our training!” Yang smirked, taking everything she and the others can to take advantage of the viewing.

Yang screamed as she clobbered the last thug inside the training room, the body disappearing in a flash of red. The buzzer sounded immediately afterwards, and Yang took the moment to wipe away the sheen of sweat that had been accumulating on her brow.

“Looks like it’s my turn now.” The viewing Yang says.

"That was very good, Yang," Wonder Woman called out as she and Pyrrha walked into the room. Yang flashed a thumbs up while Pyrrha tossed a water bottle to the brawler, who easily caught it and began greedily drinking it down.

"Thanks," Yang said as she finished drinking and screwed the cap back down. "I felt like I didn't pull my punching enough a few times. Need to work on that."

“I notice that too.” Elm agrees, seeing it from her point of view, seeing that she also needs to control her strength when she has the time to train.

"You'll get it down, I'm sure of it." Wonder Woman smiled as Yang tossed the water bottle back to Pyrrha. As Yang did, she couldn't help but notice the golden lasso on the Amazon's hip, which Wonder Woman noticed.

“Yang…?” Ruby raised a brow to her older half-sister.

“What? I bet my counterpart is just curious about the lasso.” Yang shrugged.

“Yeah… why does she have lasso?” Oscar wondered.

"You're curious about the Lasso of Hestia?" she guessed, and Yang nodded. "It's a weapon forged by the god Hephaestus from Gaia's Golden Girdle and imbued with the fires of Hestia. It is indestructible, can expand however far I desire, and can compel people to tell the truth at all times."

“Amazing! A lasso forged from the gods.” Robyn says in awe. “Granted, it's funny made it a lasso, but that’s still incredible none the less.”

“Yeah… amazing…” Qrow stiffly says as he and the others did their best not to look too shocked at hearing a tool made by the gods, seeing that there are familiar with the Relics, but at least the one Diana is holding isn’t capable of bringing back the Brother Gods.

“Wait. Did she say that it can make people speak the truth?” Nora questions, getting interested in the lasso.

"It can make people tell the truth?" Yang asked with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

"If you want, I can show you," Wonder Woman offered. "The others were curious as well, and I see no harm in it."

"Sure, why not." Yang shrugged then followed the two out of the training room and into the lounge. She was greeted by everyone else, and with a smile, she waved.

“So we are going to watch the Lasso’s capability?” James comments, growing interested.

“Indeed! I‘m interested in what magical capabilities it can do to make the person speak the truth.” Penny says in excitement.

“Shouldn’t you know that already?” Maria questions.

“The files on that information are sealed.” The android answered.

"Are you all sure you want to do this?" Wonder Woman asked. She received affirmative nods in reply, and so the Amazon princess took the lasso into her hands. "So, who wants to go first? You don't have to if you don't want to."

“Wait. I just realized our counterparts might share some embarrassing secrets.” Ruby dreadfully says, making her friends also feel dread to that fact.

Unlike before, the teenagers were slow to reply. Although the possibility of a truth-bearing lasso was hard to believe, the fact remained that the possibility was there. None of them knew what embarrassing secrets would be told. Finally, with a shrug, Jaune stepped forward.

“Oh, boy.” The viewing Jaune breaths out. “I always do see myself as an open book.”

"I'll go," Jaune declared. "I'm pretty much an open book anyway, so I see no problem with it."

“We already know about your secret about your fake transcript, so I doubt there can be anything else that can be crazy than that.” Harriet points out, making the blond chuckled nervously.

"I'll go with you," Pyrrha immediately responded with a smile. "I'm not going to let you do this by yourself."

“Thanks, Pyrrha.” The viewing Jaune smiled while being familiar with his late partner’s kindness and always helping him whenever she has the chance.

"Thanks, Pyrrha." Jaune smiled back, to which Pyrrha slightly blushed. The others all got knowing smirks on their faces while Nora plotted on how to use this session to Pyrrha's benefit. With a nod, Wonder Woman gently wrapped the lasso around their wrists and stepped back.

“Well, isn’t that cute,” Maria smirked while a few others also smirked, making the viewing Jaune blush.

The viewing Ren notices his counterpart’s partner. “Nora, no.” He rebukes his partner.

“What? it’s not like I’m doing anything… at least for now.” Nora whispered in the end as she has a feeling what her other was going to do.

"I… don't feel any different," Jaune said, slightly relieved.

"In order for the magic to take effect, someone must ask you a question," Wonder Woman clarified. Ruby then jumped in her seat slightly and cutely raised her hand, and with a laugh, Jaune pointed at her to proceed.

“It’s that simple?” Marrow says, surprised that you just need to ask a simple question for it to work.

"What do you think of Crescent Rose?" Ruby asked while holding her weapon in her lap.

"I think it's a lovely weapon, Ruby," Pyrrha answered. "I can see that you put a lot of effort into it, and the craftsmanship is superb, as is its wielder."

“Aw, thank you!” The viewing Ruby smiled happily to hear the alternate Pyrrha say about her precious baby.

Even the viewing Jaune smiled happily as well.

"Aw, thank you!" Ruby smiled then turned to Jaune expectedly, who smiled back.

"I'm with Pyrrha here," Jaune stated. "Although, I've got to admit that I feel like it's a little bit overcomplicated."

“Yeah…” The viewing Jaune coughed. “I did think of that when I first met Ruby.”

Ruby hummed at the thought. “Yeah, I can see that. It did cost a lot of lien to maintain.”

Ruby pursed and tapped her lips before nodding. "Yeah, I can see that. It did cost a lot of lien to maintain." She smiled before sitting down again. Before anyone could speak up, Nora suddenly shouted.

"What do you think about each other?!" Nora shouted. A nervous look suddenly crossed Pyrrha's face, but Jaune then began to speak.

“Nora!” The viewing Jaune screamed in embarrassment.

“I knew it!” Nora cheered as she raises both her fists.

“This is going to be good.” Harriet grinned.

"Pyrrha is, in all honestly, my best friend," Jaune happily revealed. "She was the first person to ever believe in me, the person who made me who I am today. Without her, I likely would have gotten myself killed in Initiation, and she stuck by me even when I didn't deserve it. Especially when I didn't deserve it, when I let my stupid pride get the better of me. She made me into a better leader and friend, and she's who I strive to emulate in everything I do as a huntsman. I couldn't ask for a better partner and friend."

“Aww!” Almost everyone in the viewing room at the counterpart Jaune’s confession, the viewing Jaune covers his face with both his hands from his other’s admission.

"Aww!" everyone cooed at the praise while Pyrrha blushed. Happy tears began to pool in her eyes, and with a sniffle, she wiped them and began to speak.

"You're also my best friend, Jaune. You make me feel like a normal girl, not just a champion. Thanks to you, I've been able to make lifelong friends that like me for me, not just because of my abilities. I'm just so happy to be part of your life, and I know that while you may not be as strong as us yet, you will grow into something grand. I can't wait for when that day comes." Pyrrha smiled brightly at her partner, who, through teary eyes, did the same. Ruby moved to remove the lasso, but before she could even stand, Pyrrha began to speak again.

“Wait. Really?” Jaune looks up in surprise, being both embarrassed and happy to hear this from Pyrrha.

“Wow. Who the thought you’d need a truth-bearing lasso to make her speak the truth.” Yang mused, making her team giggle at the sight.

"Also, I've wanted you to ask me out for the past three months, and seeing you constantly ask Weiss out hurt me on the inside!" Pyrrha cheerfully announced while looks of shock enveloped everyone. The happy looks on the partners' faces evaporated and was replaced with mortification as they realized what she just said.

Those who don’t know what she was talking about couldn’t help but blink but can’t help but feel that this was interesting to watch. While the ones who personally know the Invincible Girl could only look shocked while Jaune was struck hard the most while having a massive blush on his face.

“Oh no…” The viewing Nora whispered in horror, seeing that her counterpart’s plan has backfired.

"Oh no…" Nora whispered in horror as everyone stared at what they knew was about to unfold.

"Oh," Jaune noted with a massive blush. He tried to stop himself, but found that he couldn't. "Honestly, due to my crippling lack of self-confidence that I act all macho in an attempt to cover up, I never believed that you would be interested in a guy like me. It's likely that any hints you might have given would have flown right over my head."

"That's also my fault, as I'm a bit too passive for my own good sometimes." Pyrrha's words continued to flow out of her mouth, but as she continued, a sense of relief began to wash over her, as if a massive weight was finally being lifted off her shoulders. "Plus, I tend to place others' happiness above my own, which is why I tried to help you get together with Weiss instead of me. Speaking of which, if you still want to pursue her or anyone else, I'll still try to help you."

"You're perfect, Pyrrha, and anyone would be lucky to have you," Jaune insisted. Even with his thoughts and feelings thrown into turmoil from these revelations, the lasso was thankfully keeping him articulate instead of letting him dissolve into a stammering mess. "But, I can't help but feel like you could easily get someone better than me."

"Don't say that, I hate it when you put yourself down. You're better than that."

"Thank you." Jaune smiled. "In any other circumstance, I may have just asked you out to try and make up for my blindness before, but right now, I'm an emotional black hole that isn't in any shape to try and pursue a romantic relationship, so I must respectfully decline your confession."

"That's alright. I myself am not in any condition to pursue romance either. But, I'll drown my sorrows tonight with a tub of chocolate ice cream."

"As I will wake up sweaty from terrible nightmares about my personal failings getting all of you killed."

"I hate it when you look sad. It's like looking at a kicked puppy. Do you need a hug?"

"Yes, yes, I do." Jaune and Pyrrha immediately hugged and smiled into each other's' shoulders, and a shell-shocked Ruby slowly stepped towards them.

Everyone in the viewing room was shell-shocked, hearing such a long confession between the two. Not expecting a simple truth-telling demonstration would escalate to this.

“Damn…” Qrow broke the silence. “Here, I thought this was something interesting to watch, but…”

“This… I-I don’t know what to say to this…” Harriet cringed along with the others.

Jaune was blushing like crazy. He was incredibly embarrassed while at the same time incredibly happy that Pyrrha thought of him that way, as well as sad that he may never have that happiness with the Invincible Girl. Both his team and sister team noticed this and comforted the blond. Nora apologized for what her counterpart did, but Jaune didn’t mind and confessed he was happy that he got the chance to hear Pyrrha’s confession despite how forward it was.

After a few moments of calming down, they resumed the viewing.

"So… uh…. That was…" Ruby stared wide-eyed at the two happy teenagers while the others all gaped at the scene.

"I didn't think that was going to happen… Pyrrha, I'm so sorry…" Nora's face was filled with remorse, which only increased when Pyrrha merely smiled at her.

“I’m sorry, too, Pyrrha.” The viewing Nora said.

"It's okay, Nora. You didn't know, and I won't hold it against you." Nora nodded at Pyrrha's declaration as Ruby finally unwrapped the lasso from their wrists. The two partners blinked as the effects wore off, then looked at each other. Their faces turned scarlet, and immediately jumped back and fast-walked to opposite ends of the large room.

“Well, that could have ended better.” Mari sarcastically said.

"…Well, I thought that was beautiful," Diana stated before turning to the others. "So, who's next?"

“I thought it was beautiful too!” Penny cheered.

“Please. Just stop!” Jaune begged while slightly blushing.

"Ren, be honest with me," Jaune quietly whispered to his teammate in their room's shared restroom. "Were Pyrrha's feelings towards me that obvious?"

“Yes.” Everyone in Team RWBY and (J)NR echoed, making the blond blush and bringing his head down in shame.

"Yes, yes, they were," Ren answered out of the corner of his mouth as he continued to brush his teeth. "Nora and I didn't say anything out of respect for Pyrrha, and we hoped that you would see it eventually."

"Oh…" Jaune looked downcast until Ren patted his shoulder.

The other viewers who learned this for the only gave a deadpanned look to the boy but decided to stay quiet out of respect to the late Pyrrha Nikos.

"It's okay. The heart is a mysterious thing." He paused to spit into the sink, then turned to face him. "So, now that you know…?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Jaune sighed and shook his head. "She's my best friend, Ren. I don't want to mess that up. And right now, I'm not in any mood for dating."

“Understandable. Not after what your counterparts have gone through.” Vine comments.

"I can respect that." Ren nodded. A nervous look then crossed his face. "I still need to figure out where I'm going to take Nora out on our first date."

“Wait. What?” Both Ren and Nora perked up when they heard what the counterpart just said.

"You'll figure it out, man. She'll enjoy anything you come up with." Jaune offered a reassuring smile. Internally, he was happy that he and Pyrrha were not the only ones embarrassed by the magical lasso. Lots of embarrassing truths were revealed during that hour, from Yang having a fear of cuttlefish and other tentacled creatures, Weiss revealing that she was the moderator of a popular Ninjas of Love forum in Beacon, topped off with Nora dramatically revealing her true feelings towards Ren and he to her. Jaune could've sworn she broke out into song for part of it before catching herself. They then asked each other out in equally dramatic fashions, and only then did the truth-session cease.

Said individuals blushed hard enough to resemble Ruby’s cloak while the others found their secrets amusing while others had their jaws drops at some interesting secrets.

“You’re afraid of cuttlefish?” Ruby asked her sister, surprised to learn this for the first time.

“I… uh…” Yang fidgets as she darted her eyes away. Qrow chuckled, knowing the secret already.

“Let’s not talk about that, Rubes.” Yang looked away.

“But-”

“No, buts!” The blond quickly said, ending the conversation making the young reaper pout, vowing to herself to find out why her sister fears the fish.

“You’re the moderator of Ninja’s of Love?” Blake questioned Weiss making the girl blush hard that her secret was revealed, but before she could say anything, the cat Faunus spoke first. “We’ll talk later.” This made the former heiress blink but slowly nodded. Winter notices this and decides to talk to her sister about it later.

“Do you love me, Ren?” Nora said, loud enough for everyone to hear, but what everyone did not expect was how serious she looked towards her childhood friend. This even slightly stunned the ponytail young man as his partner looked straight into his eyes. “Tell me the truth.”

Everyone was silent, not daring to disturb this scene.

Ren was utterly speechless. He knew Nora his whole life, and he has never seen the young girl looked this serious before. He took a deep breath and spoke. “I do. I do love you, Nora.”

There was another moment of silence. Nora just stared towards her partner and childhood friend. Before Ren could say anything, his eyes widen in shock seeing tears coming out from her eyes, but it wasn’t tears of happiness. It was tears of hurt.

“Then why have you been ignoring me when we arrived in Atlas?” Nora cried, shocking everyone in the room, especially Lie Ren.

“I know… that we have important stuff to do in Atlas… but… that doesn’t mean we can’t spend time together!” Nora cried, looking down to the ground, making Ren slowly tremble in what he has done. He avoided her because he wanted to get stronger for her sake, but now he just realized the damage he unknowingly caused.

“Or is it… is it that I’m not good enough for you?” Something snapped inside Ren when he heard those words.

“NO!” Ren uncharacteristically screamed, making Nora and everyone jumps from their seats. He quickly hugged the crying girl as tears began to fall from his eyes. “That’s not true! That’s not why! That’s not the reason! The reason is that after everything that happened before we entered Atlas, I vowed to improve myself, to grow stronger for yoursake.”

Everyone was stunned in hearing what Ren confessed. Even Nora’s eyes widen, hearing this from the man she loves.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry for hurting you.” Ren cried as he held Nora closed to him. Then Nora slowly hugged him back.

“Do you mean it?” Nora whispered.

“Yes,” Ren whispered back.

“Then… you better take me to a perfect date, you dummy.” Nora giggled as she quietly cried.

Ren chuckled as tears fell from his eyes. They both let go of their embrace, and they both smiled warmingly at each other. “I promise.”

They both jumped after hearing claps and cheers. To their embarrassment, they forgot that friends surround them.

After a moment of congratulating and calming down, they resumed the viewing.

Jaune and Ren then turned to the door into their room and stared at the handle. The blond gulped and twisted the knob, opening it and revealing the two women on his team currently sitting on their beds and wearing their nightwear. Pyrrha was currently eating out of a tub of chocolate ice cream, and with an embarrassed blush on her face, she stared at her partner as he did the same to her. Nora, meanwhile, merely looked content as she lay across her bed.

“Well, this is awkward,” Oscar comments while few others nodded in agreement.

Pyrrha and Jaune continued to stare at each other before Jaune slowly walked over and sat down next to her. Silently, the two of them stared at their knees before he coughed.

"So, uh…" he began. "Do you…have another spoon?"

Pyrrha swallowed the spoonful in her mouth before nodding. "Y… yeah. Here." She handed a plastic spoon to her partner, who took it and looked at the tub. He then looked at Pyrrha, who nodded after a moment and gave him permission to dig in. Silently, the two began to eat, the worries of their confessions slowly ebbing away.

Jaune sighs but felt happy at the sight along with his closes friends.

Nora and Ren looked happily at the sight, knowing that whatever roadblocks may come their way, everything would be alright.

Batman typed away at a large monitor, news feeds, and data pouring in from any available source. By now, the media furor over the Remnantians' appearance had subsided to a degree, with them focused more on Brainiac and what he did to Remnant. NATO, Russia, China, and other countries had already declared military operations to prepare for his potential arrival, as well as refining strategies developed during the previous alien invasions. The Grimm themselves were also a point of discussion, with the names RWBY and JNPR had provided them now entering the popular lexicon.

“Wow! Where is this?” Marrow says in awe.

“That is the Batcave. Batman’s secret lair.” Penny explained.

“The Batcave?” Yang grinned. “Now, that’s cute.”

“It appears Remnant is becoming a big topic on Earth now.” Winter comments, feeling a bit of pride that her homeworld is now a hot topic.

All of it served to keep their names out of the spotlight, but it was only a matter of time before people started looking around.

“Good to know that’s keeping you kids out from unwanted attention.” Clover comments.

"Master Bruce," a posh voice announced as a sharply dressed mustached man stepped down the stone steps of the Batcave, a plate of hot food on his hand.

"Alfred," Batman responded without looking back.

“A butler?” Weiss says in a slight surprise. Then again, Bruce Wayne is a wealthy man, so she shouldn’t be surprised by that.

“Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce’s most loyal butler, he has been serving the Wayne family for many years ever since Bruce was an infant. He has aided the Batman in many ways ever since his first debut.” Penny said, making everyone respect the butler.

“Just like Klein,” Winter comments, feeling a resemblance to him and Alfred.

"Your dinner, sir." Alfred began carefully placing the assortment of plates, bowls, and cups around the Batcomputer, while Batman continued to type. The butler then took a moment to look at what his master was typing, and he raised an eyebrow. "What are these?"

"Legal papers," Batman revealed. "RWBY and JNPR can't stay in the Watchtower forever. Eventually, they're going to have to come down to Earth, get a place to live and work."

“That’s perfect! Now our counterparts can have a stable life on Earth.” Weiss says happily that Bruce did that for them.

"Being a costumed vigilante doesn't pay the bills, I suppose," Alfred dryly stated, and Batman grunted in response. "Sir, if I may, where do you plan on sending them? I hope you aren't planning on separating them at this time."

“I hope not…” Nora mutters as she held her boyfriend’s hand, which he complies by doing the same.

"Of course not," Batman answered. "I have a property in Metropolis that is big enough for all of eight people, and I'm not using it anyway."

“That’s a relief.” Yang sighs in relief.

“Batman has prepared everything in advance, huh?” Elm says, impressed by the Dark Knight preparations.

"Why do I get the feeling that isn't your preferred solution?" Alfred guessed, and Batman sighed. He then removed his cowl, revealing his face to his longtime butler. Before Bruce could speak again, Alfred smiled. "Sir, I'm confident that Wayne Manor would be more than accommodating to their needs. Besides, I'm sure Master Damian would enjoy the company of youths his age. Lord knows he needs it." It went unsaid as to why Bruce Wayne felt this was the best route to take. Alfred had seen it before.

Some of the older women couldn’t help but blush now that the Dark Knight has revealed his real face. He looked very charming from what they could expect.

“So that’s Batman? Bruce Wayne?” Ruby innocently asks, not affected by Bruce’s charm.

“Huh… kinda excepting to be scruffy looking,” Qrow said, slightly surprised.

“He’s quite the looker without the mask.” Robyn grins, having a good look at the Dark Knights face while a few of the women quietly agrees with her.

A pang of sorrow filled the butler as he remembered Master Jason, but he let it pass.

“Who’s Damien and Jason?” Oscar asked.

“Those names are connected to Bruce, but the files are currently sealed,” Penny answered.

"If you wish, I'll make the arrangements for them. We have enough rooms in this house for each to get their own."

“Whoa! We might get to live with the Batman?!” Jaune says in shock that Alfred would suggest the idea.

“I wonder what kind of place Bruce lives in?” Ruby curiously asks.

“My money is in a mansion.” Blake comments.

“I’ll take those odds.” Yang jokingly says.

"Thank you, Alfred." Bruce nodded, and a faint ghost of a smile graced his lips before disappearing. "I'll run it by them tomorrow, see what they—"

He was interrupted by a dull thud.

Everyone slightly jumped at the interruption.

“My goodness! What just happened?” Pietro asked, slightly fearful at the interruption.

High above the streets of Gotham City, the world seemed different. The lights of the city below were dim, and the sounds of cars honking, and people's steps were dull from the distance. A police helicopter would occasionally fly overhead, and the sound of sirens and gunshots would punctuate the air every few minutes. For the most crime-ridden city in the country, the night air was relatively peaceful.

None of that mattered to a lone man standing on a construction site overlook. The light of the full moon was all that illuminated him. Wearing a dull brown coat that looked both patchy and unsettling along with a hangman's noose around his neck, the man was covered in glass vials filled with a bubbly, orange liquid. On his left arm, tubes extended down to retractable syringes on his fingertips, while a hook and chain was attached to his chest. A straw hat, jagged along the rim, cast a deep shadow over his burlap-sack covered face, the sack itself containing a gas mask and goggles.

A dark chuckle escaped the man as he brought up a detonator to his face, his thumb hovering over the button. Then, without hesitation, he pressed down. At once, explosions rippled throughout Gotham City, but instead of fire, green gas filled the streets and enveloped everyone. The city ground to a halt as the gas obscured everything in sight.

Then, the sounds of thousands of terrified screams filled the air as Gotham City was engulfed in fear.

Everyone in the viewing room could only watch un pure shock and horror in what they just witnessed—the sight of a terrifying individual and what he has done.

Before anyone could say anything, the cinema room suddenly lit up, and doors connected to the walls of the room suddenly opened.

“W-What’s happening?!” Marrow asked, bewildered at eh sudden action of the room.

“We are done for the day,” Penny explains with a smile as she stood up from her seat. “This means that we are finished watching the viewing for the day.”

“What!? No! it can’t just leave us hanging like this!” Ruby says in denial, wanting to learn more about what just happened.

“Calm down, Ruby,” Weiss says to her partner as she stood up from her seat. “I want to see what happens next, too, but I pretty much like to stretch my legs and have a break as well.”

“Yeah. And I’m pretty hungry.” Jaune follows.

“Oh, fine.” Ruby pouts but agrees as she and everyone else did the same.

“Sensational! Follow me everyone! I will be your tour guide in this pocket dimension!” Penny cheered as she marched ahead, making everyone follow her. Though her friends slightly grimaced as they recalled their last tour with the young android.

As they left the cinema room, the doors closed, and the light inside shut down.

Waiting for their return.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

After watching their last viewing and left what Penny has informed them as the Theatre Room where Mr. Myxzptlk had sent them.

Thanks to the additional information that the imp has given to Penny, she knew exactly where to guide her friends.

Before they were given the tour of their new accommodations, they all agreed to have something to eat first. Penny happily complied and guided them to the Mess Hall. As they arrived, there are surprised to see that the cafeteria looked precisely like Beacon Academy. Even the windows have lovely scenery of the school grounds. To their surprise, there were even students wandering about! Before anyone could say something, Penny quickly explained that Mr. Myxzptlk took the liberty to replicate some areas of their world for nostalgia’s sake. The scenery is just moving pictures so that they would feel more comfortable in the pocket dimension. Most of them are grateful for that as they began to get their trays and pick out their food prepared for them as any school cafeterias would.

In contrast, Penny mentioned that every meal will be prepared for them and will be served differently, and they can leave their plates and be cleaned instantaneously, while she quoted from the imp’s words, ‘It’s magic! Don’t think about it.’ Making everyone drop the subject.

After finishing their meals, Penny began to give everyone the tour as she guided everyone in the halls of the pocket dimension. Interestingly, the halls much resembled the Watchtower where the RWBY and JNPR counterparts stayed in. Penny explained that Mr. Myxzptlk thought they would know what it would be like to live in a replicated Watchtower, minus the space location. The first thing that the protector of Mantle showed was the Training Room. It was much similar to any kind of training room you can find in a Huntsman Academy. What’s even more impressive was that the training room even has a replica of the Justice Leagues’ Holographic Simulator Room. This got most of the teens excited now that they had the opportunity to train just the same way as their counterparts did, while the adults were intensely interested to learn and study how the simulator works.

They were guided to the Library as they witness a vast collection of books and computers. Penny explained that this is all the information that can be found on Earth. Culture, Media, Entertainment, and so on. They were even informed that their Scrolls had been updated with the information if they wanted to browse at their leisure.

Next was the Entertainment Room. This was the room to relax and have some fun, and what’s even more impressive was that all the forms of entrainment are from Earth. Such gaming consoles include the PlayStation series, Xbox series, Wii series, DS series, and the Switch series and a vast collection of games with a different genre for each, including an extensive collection of movies and television series with a large flat-screen television to watch with. This got most of the younger hunters to get super excited in playing these games while others were interested in these consoles and entrainment.

Then came the Research and Development Room or R&D Room. This room got Doctor Polendina and Ruby’s attention. This room was much similar to the Doctor’s home but had more equipment, and the room was much ten times larger than his old one. Penny happily explained that this room is not only for doing research but also for creating or building equipment in the future.

Finally, Penny guided them to their quarters. Each door contains the names of the Remnantians and con only be open by their personal Scrolls, two rooms, however, were labeled RWBY and ORNJ. The last one got everyone confused until they realized that Oscar’s name was added to Team JNR. Jaune, Ren, and Nora did not mind Oscar being added to their team. Oscar felt happy that he was part of a team, even if it wasn’t official.

In comparison, the rest had their individual rooms. The rooms had their bathrooms, extra clothing, a private washing machine, and dryer. Much to James's relief, a study desk for everyone sees that he can take notes and references when returning to Remnant. Additionally, they each have their beds. RWBY was pleased to know that they still have their bunk beds.

After their tour, they all decided to return to the Theatre Room since they still had enough time to watch more of the viewing.

“And that ends the pleasant tour of our pocket dimension!” Penny happily said as she and the rest of her fellow Remnantians walked back to their respective seats in the viewing room.

“Yeah! I can’t wait to use the training room when I have the time,” Ruby cheered as she sat down on her seat along with her friends.

“You said it, Ruby.” Yang smiled, feeling excited at the idea. “Can’t wait to experience what our others did!”

As everyone took their seat, the large screen began to start.

Chapter 5: A Nightmare in Gotham City

“Gotham City,” Vine said as he read the city's name from the title chapter. “That name was mentioned from the previous viewing.”

“Gotham City, or simply Gotham, is an American city rife with corruption and crime,” Penny answered. “It is also the birthplace of Bruce Wayne and home to the iconic protector, Batman.”

“Is Gotham that bad?” Weiss says in concern not helping that there was some kind of similarity between Atlas and Gotham.

Penny frowned. “It is. It is also the origin of how Bruce became the Batman.”

“His origin?” Oscar asked.

“I’m sorry, the file is sealed. Most of Bruce’s life is under strict security.” Penny said.

The Watchtower was buzzing with activity as red light flashed through the space station, accompanied by a loud and obnoxious alarm. League members hurried to their stations and rushed through hallways, the sight of which greeted RWBY and JNPR as they opened their doors, still clad in their pajamas.

“It appears the Justice League have noticed the distress as well.” Winter points out.

“Understandable.” James comments. “With what we witnessed from the last viewing, it wouldn’t be strange for them to get involved.”

"What's going on?" Weiss asked a passing League member, a dark-skinned woman clad in skintight orange. If she remembered correctly, the woman called herself Vixen, with the ability to copy the traits of any animal she wanted.

Some of the younger men in the viewing room blushed at the appearance of the new hero. Nora slightly narrowed her eyes, seeing her boyfriend having a slight tint of red in his face even with his stoic face on. She holds his arms with her own, making the boy slightly blush at the suggestion she was making.

“This hero can copy traits of any animal she wants?” Blake questioned with interest wondering how that was possible.

“Mari McCabe, also known as Vixen.” The gynoid answered. “A Zambesi-born American businesswoman and model. The Tantu Totem, a magical item around her neck, allows her to wield the animal kingdom's powers such as superhuman speed from a cheetah, superman human strength from an elephant, accelerated healing from a lizard, and enhanced senses from a monitor lizard. She is also skilled in hand-to-hand combat.”

“Remarkable!” Pietro says in awe. “A magical item that grants you the ability to mimic traits of animals?”

"Situation in Gotham," Vixen began to explain as she continued to rush down the hall. "There's been an attack, and right now, we're on standby."

The teenagers quickly followed after the woman, more Leaguers joining in as they went, until they finally stopped at a large conference room. A massive monitor was above them, displaying a map of Gotham City's three main islands along with the smaller islands around them. On the middle island, a large section along the Atlantic coast was highlighted in red. Mr. Terrific was typing away at keyboards, and Blake could see data and information stream in on the smaller monitors around him.

“So that’s the map of Gotham? It looks much larger than I thought.” Robyn admits seeing that Gotham City is much larger than Mantle.

"Alright everyone, listen up," he said as he kept his eyes on the monitors. "There's been a chemical attack in Gotham City, originating in the Bowery, which has already affected thousands of people on the southern half of Gotham's main island. Early reports suggest that the gas is a new form of fear toxin, and evidence points to Doctor Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, as the culprit."

“Scarecrow…” Qrow narrowed his eyes, not liking this freak already as well as not liking how the word ‘crow’ was added in the creep’s name.

“What’s this about a fear toxin?” James carefully asked, feeling dread in the name itself. “Who is this Scarecrow?”

“Files in my head inform me that it will be explained soon,” Penny explained.

"Scarecrow…" Jaune whispered, vaguely remembering the name from the dossiers the League had given them. From what he remembered, Jonathan Crane used to be a psychologist at Arkham Asylum, a mental institution in Gotham City that had routinely been converted into a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane. Why that place had not been shut down yet was beyond Jaune's ability to comprehend, as nothing he read indicated that place was successful in rehabilitating its residents. In fact, it often seemed to do the opposite, and so many people had escaped from it that they might as well not have been locked up at all.

“The guy was a psychologist in this Arkham Asylum?” Harriet raised her brow, beginning to see how Jonathan Crane turned insane or is insane in the beginning before becoming a supervillain.

Regardless, Crane worked there for several years, and used his patients in his fear experiments. He was obsessed with the emotion, stemming from an incident in his childhood, and eventually created a gas that could induce extreme amounts of fear into a person's mind, to the point of driving many victims into madness. Eventually, Crane's unethical experiments were discovered, and he was promptly fired, only for him to kill his former colleagues and drive his supervisor into a fear gas-induced insanity. He then went on a reign of terror, attacking dozens of innocent people, and when Batman finally caught him, he was thrown into the very place he had worked in for years.

“Wow. Talk about irony.” Jaune muttered while everyone agreed, seeing how Crane’s fate of being locked up with the very crazy people he treated and experimented on, then again, a fitting punishment for his wrongdoing.

James frowned and narrowed his eyes. He remembered a particular disgraced doctor from Atlas who did questionable experiments on unwilling patients than was exiled from the kingdom and was never heard since.

“So this fear toxin brings out your worst fear from your mind and drives you crazy?” Oscar worryingly said, not liking what the idea of such a harmful poison could do if it existed in Remnant. He shuddered at the catastrophe if the fear toxin were to be released in any of the Four Kingdoms or villages outside of them, and it wasn’t just the unrest of civilian panic but the endless Grimm attacks due in no small amount of fear. Entire settlements can fall in less than a day, and even the kingdoms would be on the verge of destruction.

Jaune and the others found it ironic that a psychologist working on the insane would go insane himself, but in any case, the Scarecrow was among the most dangerous supervillains Batman dealt with on a regular basis. Most of the time, his attacks were isolated and contained to a few individuals, with Batman and the Gotham City Police Department able to handle him on their own. But an attack on this scale was something else entirely, and so it was obvious the League would take notice.

"The GCPD has already mobilized, and a manhunt is underway for Scarecrow. Should the situation worsen, a Justice League response team will be deployed to assist."

“Wait, our others aren’t going to help them?” The viewing Yang asked.

 “That’s a not strange decision, firecracker.” Qrow answers. “As a pro-Huntsman myself, even I can tell that’s something you kids aren’t ready yet.”

“WHAT?” Yang shouted indignantly while her fellow teammates and JNR stared at the former drunk in shock, but before she could say anything, Qrow raised both his hands in defense.

“Calm down, Yang, let me finish.” Qrow calmly said while her eldest niece calms down. “What I meant to say is that your counterparts aren’t ready for this kind of experience. Unlike your kids, they lack the kind of experience.”

“But our counterparts already experienced the Breach!” Ruby protested.

“In a small area of Vale and a handful of Grimm.” Qrow counters, then he points to the screen. “This. Heck, even I don’t know what to say about this, let's just be grateful that we haven’t experienced this kind of attack that is clearly a widescale Grimm magnet.”

"Wait, we're not going down there?" Yang asked, and Mr. Terrific shook his head.

"We already have boots on the ground," he announced. "Batman and his team were able to respond immediately. They have… requested to leave Scarecrow up to them. Also, Ms. Xiao Long, he specifically forbade either you or friends from going down there under any circumstances."

"WHAT?" Yang shouted indignantly while the others stared in shock.

“Yeah, that’s what said.” The viewing Yang pouted as she crossed her arms.

“Calm down, Yang. I’m sure our others will be given a chance to do something.” Blake reasoned with her partner.

"But we want to help!" Ruby insisted, only for Superman to fly down and shake his head.

"I agree with Batman on this one. Scarecrow is too much of a threat to any of you right now." Superman then floated upwards and cleared his throat. "Everyone, the League is currently on standby. I want to be able to get down there immediately. If things get too out of hand, I don't care what Batman says, we're going. John, I need you to take Steel and a few others and prep the Javelins. Mr. Terrific, ready the teleporter bay and start working on an antidote. I suspect it's a new formula, so what we have now won't work."

“Spoken like a true leader.” Clover compliments the Man of Steel, seeing how easily he handled his leadership towards his people.

"On it," both of the men announced as they quickly left to perform their assigned tasks. Superman nodded, then turned back to the assembled League.

"As for the rest of you, you all have your assigned duties. Dismissed." At Superman's orders, the League disbanded, with everyone splitting apart as they moved to their respective stations in the Watchtower. Except for RWBY and JNPR, who merely stood there in confusion. Yang looked frustrated, her arms crossed and tapping her foot, while the others merely looked at Superman expectantly.

“Of course, your other would act that way…” Weiss sighed, earning a rare ‘hey!’ from the blonde, which gave her some delight. “Don’t get me wrong, Yang, if our positions were reversed, I would feel the same.”

"Listen, Superman, I know that we can help," Ruby insisted once more. "Just because we're young doesn't mean…"

"Your age has nothing to do with our decision," Superman cut her off with a raised hand. Seeing the looks on their faces, he sighed. "Look, I know you want to help. It's admirable, and never lose sight of that, but Scarecrow is like nothing you've ever fought before. He gets inside your head, uses your greatest fears in such a way that you're left helpless as he brings them to the forefront of your mind."

“That… sounds disturbing that I admit,” Maria admits as she touches her artificial eyes, she knows very well what her fear was after a close encounter with death after her last fight against one of Salem’s pawns.

"We can handle a little fear," Weiss declared, but Superman shook his head.

"Not like what he does, and not in your present condition. Our decision is final," Superman declared with such finality that the teenagers knew they would not be able to dissuade him. They released a reluctant sigh of defeat before Blake looked back at the Kryptonian.

“Best to leave this to the professionals.” Elm comments, while her fellow Ace-Ops nodded in agreement except for Clover, who was carefully thinking of the scenarios if he and his team would be in that position. He can only think of the possibilities, but with little information, he could only guess.

"Well, there has to be something we can do. Just because we can't go down there doesn't mean we can't help," Blake stated, to which Superman nodded. He faintly smiled in pride before throwing his thumb to the monitors Mr. Terrific formerly presided over.

“Glad to know that Superman here is happy you kids don’t back down that easily.” Robyn compliments the young hunters while they took pride, knowing that Superman felt pride in them.

"You eight will be on monitor duty while J'onn helps with the antidote. We need you to keep watch over the situation in Gotham City as well as keep an eye on the rest of the planet. If anything comes up, you let us know."

“Monitor duty?” Nora said in slight surprise as she turns to her boyfriend/partner. “Have we ever done that?”

“No? I don’t believe we had.” Ren slowly said as he recalls any sort of activity but only to shake his head that he and his friends never did such a thing.

“Your others must have studied that activity during their stay in the Watchtower. Probably one of your training exercises.” Oscar said, making sense that the heroes would train in them in such a way.

The teenagers looked among themselves for a moment then back at Superman, nodding in understanding. Superman nodded back then flew off, leaving RWBY and JNPR to trudge up to the monitors. Silently, they cursed not being able to actively participate, but at the same time were determined to perform their duties as best as they could.

“Worry not, friends!” Penny happily said, making both RWBY and JNR look at her confusingly. “Despite not physically taking part in defending Gotham, know that your counterparts are aiding Batman and his team.”

“Yeah… I guess your right, Penny.” Ruby smiled along with her friends.

As they watched streams of data fly by on the screen, they couldn't help but wonder how things were going in Gotham itself.

“That’s what we want to know too.” Marrow muttered, being concerned for the people of Gotham despite not being familiar with them.

Thick clouds of noxious gas clung to the ground and enveloped everyone it could. Unprotected citizens screamed in absolute fear at everyone, swiping away at unseen terrors only they could see or hear.

"Stay back! Stay back!"

"No, no!"

"Aaagh!"

More and more screams filled the air, but the masked gunmen ignored them. Wearing thick burlap sacks that housed rebreathers, they were spared from the harmful effects of the gas, which they used to their benefit. Their suits were jagged and filthy, looking like they came straight out of a horror film and served to frighten anyone that came in their path.

Everyone watching could only watch in silent horror as they listen to the screams of terror coming from the citizens, not expecting to hear this. Those who experienced the Breach found some comparison with the chaos. The only difference was that there was no Grimm causing panic and attacking the innocent. It was the innocence themselves that was causing all chaos. And what’s worst is that the terrorists they assumed in the jagged and filthy suits with the masks are taking advantage of all it without a problem.

“My Oum…” Maria quietly gasps as she covers her mouth with her hand. In all her years, she has never seen anything as horrifying as this.

“I doubt even the Adam and his White Fang would be capable of this…” Blake slightly shakes in fear seeing the panic and anxiety in the eyes of the innocent.

“It’s this bad…” James widens his eyes in horror seeing such chaos unfold before he would not dare imagine what would happen if the Grimm were involved in this.

"Stay back, you monsters!" One man shouted through terror-filled eyes as he pumped his shotgun, keeping guard over his workshop. He wasn't aiming at the masked men, rather at the terrified bystanders trying to escape the gas. One woman got too close, and in a panic, he fired at them. His aim was off significantly, striking the brick wall above her head, but it was enough to send the panicked survivors off. He seemed to be relieved at this, somewhat, only to see the gunmen march ever closer to him.

“It’s even scared them to the point that there blinded by fear…” Weiss shuddered to see how dangerous Scarecrow can be with his Fear Toxin.

“Penny, is it possible for such a poison to be made here in Remnant?” Pietro asks his daughter, a part of him hoping that his question was not answered.

Thankfully she shook her head. “Worry not, father. Comparing the files between Earth and Remnant’s resources, it will not be possible to make a perfect replica of Scarecrow’s Fear Toxin. Even if someone did create one here, I would hold information about the vaccine to counter it.” This made everyone sigh in relief, glad to hear this information from the gynoid.

"I said, stay ba—" He didn't get to finish his sentence as one of the men shot him. Three bullets pierced his body, and he fell to the ground, a pool of blood expanding on the pavement as he gasped for pained breath. The men walked over him, pressing a button to open the garage doors and turning around.

“Bastards!” Harriet gritted her teeth, seeing the terrorist just killed the man like it was nothing.

“Taking by their attire, they are clearly Scarecrow’s men.” Vine points out as he narrows his eyes and places a hand on his chin. “What are they doing?”

"Alright, this is a good enough spot for the next bomb," one of the men declared, his voice muffled by his mask. "Bring the truck around."

“They're adding more bombs?!” Oscar shouts in shock along with everyone.

“But why? What would Scarecrow gain from all this chaos?” Ruby questioned, not understanding all this. She understood that the White Fang had a motive when they caused the Breach and the Fall of Beacon, albeit it was all manipulation of Cinder Fall, but still, they held a reason.

“I’m not sure, Ruby,” Yang answers as she frowns. “But it doesn’t look good.”

At his order, the roar of an engine sounded off, and a truck rolled down the street. A small carrier was attached to the back. It backed into the open garage, one of the men guiding it inside before ordering it to halt. Immediately, the back hatch opened, and men poured out of the vehicle and began pushing a large cylindrical object of it. A monitor was attached to the side, displaying the internal pressure and an empty timer on the top right corner.

“Hate to admit it, but these guys are well organized.” Elm narrowed her eyes as she watches the terrorist’s work.

“These people are well trained,” Clover adds.

"Careful, careful! We don't want it to blow yet!" the group's leader declared as the bomb almost struck a wall. "Move it into the elevator." The men did as they were told and hefted the heavy bomb to the elevator in question, while another man closed the hatch and banged the truck twice. Taking the signal, the truck roared off into the night and left the men behind. The criminal watched as it disappeared around a corner and nodded to himself once it did, then turned around to head back into the garage. The others were already upstairs and arming the bomb, leaving him alone, but he couldn't help but smile at what was going to come next. Fear, pure, unadulterated fear, was going to plunge Gotham City into chaos. Everyone would be powerless to stop Scarecrow and his gang, and Gotham City would be theirs. By the end of the night, they would all be rich.

Winter scoffs in disgust after finished reading the description on the pop-up blocks. “Of course, all they care about is money. The perfect personification of a terrorist.”

Blake silently agreed to that comment. She knows perfectly well that the White Fang was not what it used to be when Sienna Khan and Adam Taurus took over the moment her father stepped down from the leadership. She was too prideful and young to admit it back then. It’s a good thing it’s now back to her father’s hands.

"Yo, Frank!" a voice yelled from upstairs, directing the man in question's head upwards. "Get your ass in here before the Bat shows up!"

"Really, Bob?" Frank asked with an amused chuckle. "You honestly think that the Batman will come here? He's been up in that space station of theirs all week, working on those aliens and whatnot."

“Ohohoho! Those bastards have no idea what they’re getting at.” Nora smirked, excited to see Batman and his team kick some serious but.

“I’m more curious who this team will assist Batman,” Ren said, curious how this will play out.

"I don't think, I know. Especially after the job we just pulled," Bob barked back. "Look, I know that you've only been in Gotham for a few weeks, but trust me, you do not want to get caught by the Bat. He's comin', and if we don't ready ourselves, we're as good as dead."

“At least they know the consequences of their crimes.” Weiss sarcastically said.

"Alright, alright." Frank threw his arms in the air and shrugged. "I'm comin', I'm comin'."

He sighed and moved back towards the garage, only to stop once he heard gasps of breath coming from below him. Looking down, he saw the man he shot earlier, clutching his wounds in obvious pain, his skin quickly paling as he lost more and more blood.

“Oh, Oum! He’s still alive!” Jaune shouts, shocked that the gunned civilian was still breathing.

“But with that amount of blood…” Pietro drifts off, fearing for the worse.

"Ple… plea… please…" the man gurgled out, and Frank couldn't help but smile darkly. Frank crouched down and rubbed his hand on the man's bald head, while his other hand reached down to his sidearm.

"Sshh, sshh, sshh," he whispered to the man as he unholstered his pistol and clicked the safety off. He then aimed the weapon at the dying man's head. "Don't worry. It'll all be over soon."

Everyone held their breath while some looked away, not wanting to see this scene.

He prepared to pull the trigger, only for the sound of breaking glass to catch his attention, making him bolt upright in alarm. Frank's heart began to beat harder in his chest as he holstered his pistol and pulled out his automatic rifle, the symbol of a penguin engraved on the side.

Everyone slightly flinched at the sudden sound of glass breaking instead of a gun firing, making them relax a bit while the others to return their focus on the screen.

“Wh-What happened?” Ruby shakily asked, nearly having a heart attack at suspense.

"Who's there?" he quietly called out as he rounded a parked truck, his finger tapping the side of his trigger guard. To his relief, he saw nothing. "Must have been my imagination."

"Frank, come on!" Bob called back out to him. He was beginning to sound annoyed, and Frank sighed.

“At least he didn’t kill him…” Ruby muttered.

“He should have killed him right now.” Everyone turns their heads in shock, hearing that it was Harriet who said.

“Harriet!” Cover berated her fellow Ace-Op.

“What? You all saw the civilian. He’s slowly bleeding to death! I don’t like it as much as everyone here, but the bastard could at least give the guy a mercy kill.”

Hearing that very word made Yang turn her eyes red in rage, making her remind a certain woman who used the same excuse. “I bet you would want that don’t you?” She growled as she glared at the Ace-Op, catching her by surprise by that question making her glare at her in return.

“The hell you sa–”

“Enough!” James commanded, making Harriet quickly stand down but still glared at the blond. “I will not allow this kind of argument to continue. Is that understood?”

The two continued to glare at each other before they looked away. “Yes/Yes, sir.” Both of them said, slowly calming down.

Ruby and Blake comforted Yang as she slowly got better while Clover whispered to Harriet that they would discuss her earlier comment later, much to her annoyance.

"I'm coming, goddamn," Frank shouted and shook his head. He began walking back, moving past the spot where the dying man once laid, and pushed the button to close the door behind him, only to freeze in his tracks. He turned around and stared at the pool of blood on the concrete, only to find no trace of a body. Hoping his eyes were deceiving him, he ducked beneath the closing garage door and knelt down next to the blood, only to confirm that nothing was there. Then, out of the corner of his eye, a shadow moved. Frank bolted upright and aimed his rifle but did not fire, as there was nothing there.

Everyone was stunned by what just happened. The first thing they saw was the poor soul was bleeding to death on the ground, then next he disappeared without a trace.

“W-What just happened? I didn’t even hear anything!” Blake says in shock, even with her enhanced hearing. She couldn’t pick up anything.

Ruby was confused at first but then realized what happed or, better yet, who happened. She slowly grinned at the thought. “He’s here!”

His heart was now pounding in his chest, and he moved to run back inside, only to find the door was closed. Cursing to himself, he ran up to the controls and moved to open it back up, only to find that the buttons were no longer working.

"Come on, come on!" he grunted as he repeatedly pressed the buttons, only to pause when he noticed an object attached to the side. Curious, he leaned over and pried it off, and what he saw made his heart jump into his throat. It was a small disk, no bigger than his thumb, with the symbol of a bat emblazoned on its face.

"Oh, shi—" He never got to finish his sentence as a black form descended on him from above, knocking him to the ground and the air out of his lungs. His rifle was flung to the side as the creature's black hand covered his mouth, his arms wrapping around his neck. Through wide eyes and futile struggle, Frank saw the beast stared at him through white, featureless eyes while continuing to hold him down. He could feel his consciousness slip away, and his vision began getting blurry, and the last thought that ran through his mind was how much the creature looked like a humanoid bat.

Then, everything went black.

Everyone was shocked, silent at what they have just witnessed. They all know it was the Batman who did all that but stunned at how masterly he did. Everything happened so fast that everyone was not able to comment in time.

“That… Was… Awesome!” Nora cheered, making her friends cheer as well.

“That was so cool! Scary but cool!” Ruby said.

“He executed all that so flawlessly!” Blake comments she was familiar with stealth but what the Batman did makes everything she knew was just child’s play.

“Remarkable…” James breaths out in awe at Batman’s skills. “Before that, thug can kill that civilian. Batman purposely made some noise to catch him by surprise. With that time, he saved the civilian, and additionally, he used his disappearance as a fear tactic to make him panic. He even disabled the door with enough time for Batman to knock him down.”

“Ingenious!” Clover compliments in awe. Even his fellow Ace-Ops are in awe by this.

“He thought of this all by himself and alone to boot?” Robyn says in awe.

“Because he’s the Batman!” Penny proudly says while she followed the instructions on her head to use that famous quote when needed.

Scarecrow's goons were huddled around the garage's upper floor, taking watch over windows and doorways and keeping the bomb at the center of the room. They couldn't afford to mess this up, which was why Bob was taking his time in arming it. One wrong move and the explosion of fear gas would turn into a fiery blast, one that would kill them all instantly. Obviously, he didn't want that, and so he took his time.

“That’s the positive thing about terrorists. They take their sweet time to get their job done.” Qrow comments.

"And there… we… go," Bob declared as he approached the final steps of the arming process. He allowed himself to smile at this. So far, everything was going to plan. They'd set off the bomb, their gas masks protecting them while everything else descended into chaos around them, and he and his crew would be free to hit every home, bank, and store they came across. He had already sized up several marks on the drive over here, ones that would fetch him and his boys a hefty payday. Once this bomb went off with the others, then the whole city would be his playground.

"Uh, boss?" a voice called out. "I don't see Frankie no more."

“Here it comes!” Elm smirks, eager what will happen next.

"God..." Bob sighed and shook his head. "He closed the door, you idiot. He's inside the building, not outside."

"No, that's just it. I kept watch on him, like ya' said, and something spooked him. He ran back outside to check on it, only for another sound to distract me. When I turned back, Frankie was gone."

“Batman even planed far ahead to distract more than one guard?” Winter widens her eyes in awe.

“This has to be teamwork.” Jaune points out. “Batman’s team must be helping him to pull that off.”

"What?" Bob stood upright and slowly walked over to where he had last seen his newest recruit. Sure enough, there was nothing out there, not a trace of Frank to be seen. The hairs on Bob's neck stood upright, and at once, he knew just what had happened.

"He's here," he muttered, rubbing a spot on his arm that had been broken once before. "Everyone get in position. Now! Do not let him get to the bomb!"

“Oh yeah! That’s right! You guys better be scared of the Batman!” Yang smirked as she watches in eagerness for the beatdown that is about to commence.

“Yeah!” Nora and Ruby cheered, and the others watch with full attention.

His men complied immediately, taking positions along the upper windows and guarding the doors, their rifles covering all angles in sight. He glanced momentarily at the primed bomb, just a few keystrokes from the timer being set, but he turned his attention back towards the elevator door. Along with the stairwell, it was the most likely route one would take. Whether the Batman would was anyone's guess, but he wouldn't take any chances.

Then the lights suddenly exploded, one by one, into shards of glass. Panicked shots rang out as everyone fired blindly, trying to hit something that simply wasn't there. Bob regained his senses and stopped firing and began to shout.

“He’s even a master fear tactitio–, actually, that makes sense.” Marrow quickly corrected himself, seeing how dumb it was to be surprised regarding the Dark Knight’s skill in bringing out his enemies' fear.

"Hold your fire! HOLD YOUR FIRE!" he shouted over the sounds of gunfire. Slowly, the shots came to a halt, and everyone waited with bated breath. His pulse pounding, his ears ringing, and the feel of sweat pooling on his skin, Bob could quite easily say he was absolutely terrified. He turned back to the door, the thought of making a run for it, briefly crossing his mind.

“Coward.” Winter spat at the thug's decision to leave his team behind.

Before he could even take a step, the wooden floor exploded from underneath him, armored hands grabbing his ankles and, with a terrified scream, the thug was pulled into the dark.

Most of the audience jumped on their seats in fright, not expecting that to happen.

“Oh my…!” Weiss gasped, shocked seeing that happened.

“Holy shit! I did not see that coming!” Qrow swore as his eyes widen.

A barrage of fully automatic gunfire followed him, the criminals firing everything they had into the hole, hoping that somehow the Batman would still be there. Then, one of the masked men stopped as he heard another sound below him, and before he could react, the floor exploded downward, sending him plunging and a dark shape rappelling to the ceiling above. The gunmen raised their rifles to fire, only for the dark shape to throw red disks onto each of their weapons, the disks latching on with a mechanical whirl that was followed by a small explosion. The small explosives destroyed the weapons in their hands while not harming the men themselves, and in their confusion, the shape pounced onto a man and knocked his head into the floor, sending him straight into unconsciousness. The dark shape then stood upright, revealing the Batman in his armored glory. His face was covered in a full mask, a sleek black rebreather over his mouth.

“He’s so awesome~!” Ruby squealed, both being awed and terrified at the Batman’s entrance. “Even his rebreather looks cool!”

“Glad he’s one of the good guys,” Jaune says, feeling the same as Ruby, but his fear was slightly higher than his awe.

“Shush! I wanna watch the beatdown!” Nora shouts as she giddily jumps on her seat, excited to watch the Batman in action. Ren just rolled his eyes but gave a small smile.

With shouts of rage, the criminals all charged the Batman. Their fists raised high and ready to be thrown. As the first one neared, Batman ducked and grabbed the arm, then punched it upwards at the elbow, breaking the arm. The man shrieked in pain, helpless to defend himself as Batman pummeled him repeatedly in the face, then pivoted, forcing the man to take the blow meant for the vigilante. Batman then kicked his captive in the back, sending him into his attacker before pivoting to redirect another thrown punch. Grabbing the man's head, Batman brought it downwards into his rising knee, breaking the man's nose and knocking him out cold. He then hefted the unconscious criminal over his shoulder and threw him into another, sending them both falling through the hole in the ground.

Hearing the click of a pistol's safety being unlocked, Batman turned and grabbed his batclaw, aiming it at the gunslinger and firing it. The grapnel attached itself to the man's torso, latched onto it, and pulled him to the Caped Crusader who clotheslined him, knocking him flat onto his back and the air out of his lungs. While he gasped for breath, Batman didn't rest as he simultaneously blocked three men's knife swings with expertise, leaning back from any swings of the knife while using his armored gauntlets to deflect others. Metallic clangs were heard as they made contact, and then one overextended. Seizing his opening, Batman grabbed the arm and broke it while kicking in the knee, sending the howling man helpless to the floor.

Another criminal charged at him with his knife, only for Batman to rip it from his hands and throw it like a dart into a nearby wall. He then grabbed the thug and kneed him in the stomach, followed by a powerful punch to the jaw while throwing his other elbow out to strike the other attacker. The Dark Knight then elbowed the masked man's back, sending him to the ground, then hefted him to the side, throwing him into a wall and shattering it. The final man backed away in sheer terror, the fate of his comrades exposing what was likely to happen to him as well. So, rather than fight, he attempted to flee, turning towards the stairwell. He didn't get far, as Batman then grabbed him with the batclaw and pulled him to his arms. Taking hold of him, Batman then turned the man around to face him directly, grabbing hold of his collar and dragging him to a nearby window. He shoved the criminal through the glass, shattering it and sending shards everywhere, while the captive screamed in utter terror. Those screams increased as Batman pulled out his grapple gun and fired it to a nearby building, pulling them both high above the clouds of fear gas. As they landed, Batman turned and left him dangling above the street, held aloft by the strength of his arm.

“Hohoholy shit!” Yang grinned at the badass savagery the Dark Knight did.

“He didn’t even break a sweat!” Blake says in awe seeing how Batman defeated his foes in less than a minute.

“That was even better than him fighting the Grimm!” Nora squealed.

“Everything was so flawless and perfect!” Ren comments in awe.

“He even has a perfect sense of his entire surroundings!” Weiss gasped.

“He even combined his fighting style with all his weapons!” Ruby’s eyes sparkled.

“Awesome!” Jaune shouts.

“He even did it all without the help of Aura or Semblance!” Oscar says in awe how one person could do so much without the power they are so familiar with.

“Okay… the guy really deserves the title of the Dark Knight.” Qrow complements Batman.

“Hate to be them right now.” Robyn chuckled as she smirks at the beatdown.

“Ah. Memories…” Maria whispered, feeling nostalgic as she witnessed Batman’s fighting style, reminding her time being the Grimm Reaper.

“It happened so fast I barely caught up with what was happening.” Pietro was baffled by what he saw.

“Sensational! Batman combined different kinds of martial arts along with equipment for additional damage and efficiency!” Penny exclaimed at Batman’s skills.

“Outstanding!” James says in awe as his respect for Batman continues to grow. Winter and Clover felt the same as their superior, while the Ace-Ops had mixed feelings. Elm was amazed at how powerful Batman connects his punches and executes with little effort. Vine was awed at how well-focused he was in battle, knowing precisely what he needed to do in such a short amount of time with such a calm demeanor. Marrow couldn’t help admire how Batman did not hold back and knew what he was doing, and the Faunus couldn’t help but feel inadequate comparing himself to him. And finally, Harriet, like the others she respected and admired Batman but, she couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy at how a single person without any Aura, Semblance, or any form of power could achieve all this, let alone do all this by himself. She would like the chance to prove herself to the Dark Knight’s level if she was given the opportunity.

"No, no! Please!" the terrorist screamed as he dangled over the ledge. "Don't hurt me!"

Ruby felt scared seeing how the Dark Knight was treating the thug. “Why is he doing that?”

“My guess is that he’s planning to interrogate him.” Qrow answers while also feeling uncomfortable at the scene. “Even with anyone with Aura, it won't be pleasant to be dropped from that height while being tied up.”

"You don't want me to hurt you? Then talk," Batman calmly ordered, a faint growl underneath his words. "And don't lie to me. I'll know if you do…"

“Oh wow… he sure knows how to interrogate someone.” Jaune’s spine shudders, seeing how the Dark Knight handles his way of interrogation.

“I hate to be in that guy’s position.” Oscar comments, then suddenly felt a slight amount of pain in his chest. He places his hand on where the pain was while wondering what that was about.

"Okay, okay! What do you want to know?!"

"What is Scarecrow planning? How many bombs does he have?"

"He developed a new fear toxin… planned on using Gotham as a testing ground before selling it to fund his experiments…" the man grunted out as he held onto Batman's arm tightly, the stench of ammonia drifting off of him. "There are six bombs in all, scattered throughout the city… They don't get armed until they're ready to go…"

“He’s just testing his new toxin on Gotham?!” Pietro says in shock.

“That monster!” Weiss shouts in both disgust and rage.

"How many men does he have? What did he promise them?" Batman's tone was calm, and somehow that was even more terrifying than had he been angry. It made him seem almost inhuman.

Even the audience couldn’t help but shudder before Batman’s gaze.

"I don't know, honest." Batman's grip loosened, and the dangling man screamed and tightened his own grip. "NO, WAIT! Roughly sixty men, ten to a bomb! He promised us we'd have Gotham to ourselves, free to plunder it of everything!"

“For a crazy scientist, he knows exactly what to do.” Blake begrudgingly admits to the villain’s planning skills while slightly shaking that Batman was threatening to drop the man.

"Where'd he get the equipment? Who's the supplier?" Left unasked was whoever the buyer was, but if Batman's assumptions were correct, they were likely the same.

"I don't know who, I swear to God!"

"SWEAR TO ME!" Batman suddenly shouted as he dropped the criminal. The man screamed as he plunged, only for Batman to reverse the still attached batclaw, sending him back up to his waiting arm.

Most of the audience shrieked in fear seeing that Batman actually dropped the man but then quickly calmed down, seeing that the Dark Knight promptly reeled him back, but that didn’t help when most of them nearly had a heart attack.

“I-I-I, I d-didn’t th-think…” Ruby was a stuttering mess as she held her chest while gasping for air, quickly trying to calm her beating heart. The same should be said for her friends.

“Thank goodness my Semblance saw that coming…” Maria takes a deep breath as she quickly calmed down. If it were not for her Preflexes, she would have died of fright.

“Goodness, he could have killed him!” Robyn breathed out as she calmed down.

“No he wouldn’t.” Penny chimed as if she was not affected by Batman's action. “The Batman has a strict ‘no killing’ policy, but that won’t stop him from putting the bad guys to the hospital.”

“Well… I suppose that’s a good thing.” Clover nervously chuckled, hoping that his luck would not put him in that position.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" the man wailed. "I really don't know! I'm just a grunt. They don't tell me anything!" He began to cry, and with a grunt, Batman realized he wasn't going to be getting any more information out of him. He glanced at the bomb still inside the garage and realized he had what he needed from the man.

“He’s telling the truth.” Ren points out. “No one would be able to fake something like that.”

"I believe you," Batman said, then delivered a knockout punch to the man's temple, sending him straight into unconsciousness. Carrying the man over his shoulder, Batman walked to a nearby pipe and handcuffed him to it, sending a signal to the GCPD for pickup.

“Brutal…” Marrow cringed.

“But necessary.” Harriet finishes.

"Oracle, did you get that?" Batman asked as he glided back to the broken window.

"I did, Batman," the voice of Barbara Gordon rang out through his earpiece. "Patching into their comms channels now. For such a well-equipped operation, they have lousy security."

“Oracle?” Winter echoed.

“Oracle, real name, Barbara Gordon,” Penny answered. “She is Batman’s eyes and ears. She provides information for him as well as being a skilled hacker.” The gynoid slightly shuddered at the hacking part. She knows that her father can do the same to her, which she was okay with since she trusts him, but the idea of someone else hacking her terrifies her.

“So she’s on monitor duty like our others.” Yang points out.

“Indeed! Friend Yang.” Penny smiled. “But her skills are masterful. She can multitask different sets of teams all by herself.”

“Impressive,” Pietro says, growing interested in who Oracle is.

"Keep monitoring it. Tell me if you find anything," Batman ordered as he inspected the bomb's monitor. He tried to access the internal computer, only for the system to prove password protected. "Hmm, a time lock…"

“Let’s see how The World’s Greatest Detective do his work,” Winter says as she slightly leans forwards, interested in how he will solve this.

Kneeling down, Batman pulled out his decryption device and began scanning for all passwords. Finally, after a few moments, a matching password of 'F3 R' appeared on the holographic display, granting him access.

“Remarkable! A device that decrypts passwords in a short amount of time.” Pietro says in awe as he takes not of this device.

"Oracle, I'm sending you data from the bomb's onboard computer system. There's a tracker attached to it, along with a list of internal components. See if you can't use it to find the others." Batman continued to work on the monitor before the lights switched off, signifying it was now disarmed. He then punched the monitor, breaking it and preventing any further use.

“Smart,” Elm comments seeing what the Batman did.

"Will do, Bats!" Another voice suddenly announced, causing Batman to bolt slightly. The voice was boisterous and not that of Barbara Gordon, and with a groan, he realized it belonged to Yang.

“Alright! I’m now part of the action.” Yang grinned, glad that her other is finally helping.

“Can’t you take this seriously?” Harriet raised a brow.

“My other can do whatever she wants. She’s no soldier like you.” Yang narrowed her eyes at the Ace-Op, still angry at the comments she made. Harriet just growled in annoyance but turned back her focus on the screen.

"Why are you on this channel?" he asked while sending a text message to the Watchtower, warning them not to say their actual names over the channel. A moment later, he received an acknowledging checkmark.

"Supes put us on monitor duty rather than potentially send us down, on your specific orders, might I add." Yang sounded annoyed at his request, but frankly, he didn't care about whether or not she wanted to be down here and more about whether or not she was even ready to. As far as he was concerned, they were most certainly not.

"By the way, that fight was awesome! The way you just punched and kicked and dodged and all the gadgets! It was amazing!" Ruby excitably announced her presence, causing Batman to sigh.

“You can say that again, me!” The viewing Ruby giddily said.

"The monitor is not a place for—"

"I know, I know. Geez, learn to live a little," Yang scoffed over the intercom while the sound of keyboards being pressed were heard. "Okay, let's see here… Yep, there are five other bombs all around the city's main islands, none of which are next to each other. Super…"

"Most of them are moving around rapidly, I imagine in trucks," Blake pointed out, then hissed. "Looks like one has stopped, over in the Financial District. It's located in a construction site on Andrews Street, fiftieth floor. That thing detonates there. It'll cover the entire district…"

“Huh.” The viewing Yang blinked. “I gotta admit my other is actually doing a good job at that.”

“Yeah…” Blake blinked as well but slightly smirked. “You usually don’t pay attention to the boring stuff.”

“Yeah–, Hey!”

"I'm sending Nightwing over now," Oracle declared. "Red Hood just called in. He and Batgirl are tracking one of the trucks as we speak. I'll send Spoiler, Red Robin, and Batwoman to other probable locations."

“I take it those are names of his teammates?” Clover asked.

“Yes, sir!” The gynoid happily said. “There are few others that haven’t been mentioned yet, but I will be happy to reveal them when they are revealed.”

"Robin and I will find the last one. Keep me posted, Batman out." With that, Batman shut off the radio and grappled to another building, the same one he had deposited the wounded man before. His son, Damian Wayne, was huddled over him with his hand over the man's face while holding his wrist with the other.

“Who’s the kid?” Qrow asked, surprised that a young hero in that line of work happens to around Ruby or Oscar’s age.

“That’s Robin, real name Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce Wayne and the sidekick of the Batman,” Penny said, much to everyone’s shock.

“What?! That young man is the son of Bruce Wayne?” James says in shock, not excepting for the Dark Knight even to have any offsprings.

“How old is that kid?” Marrow asked.

“He’s currently fifteen years old,” Penny said, shocking them again.

“Fifteen?!” Ruby recoils back in shock. “He’s the same as I was!”

“And he’s the Batman’s sidekick?!” Oscar says in awe and shock that someone out there who is that young is fighting beside the Dark Knight.

“Yup! Like Batman, Robin has no powers of any kind, but his combat and intellect make up for it. In the beginning, Damian was born and raised by a group called the League of Assassin, an organization that has existed on Earth for centuries. His mother, Talia al Ghul, gave Bruce his son, believing that he would achieve greatness far beyond what the league can offer.”

“Why would Bruce even leave his kid with a bunch of assassins?” Qrow raised a brow. Why would the Dark Knight do that?

“That’s because Bruce did not know of Damian’s existence,” Penny answered, taking everyone aback.

“What?! He didn’t know? How the heck is that possible?” Yang questioned, shocked at how the World's Greatest Detective did not know of his own child’s existence.

“That’s easy! Talia raped Bruce in one of their romantic get-togethers. Whatever raped means.” Penny tilted her head in confusion on what particular word meant while the rest of the audience had a mixed reaction to that revelation

Ren, James, Robyn, Pietro, Clover, Elm, and Vine just dropped their jaws. Winter, Marrow, Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Harriet, Qrow, Nora, and Yang where utterly shocked that actually happened. And Ruby and Oscar were confused about what the word ‘raped’ means. Since beacuse the young Rose was raised by an overprotective family and the farm boy lived outside of the Kingdoms.

“What does raped mean?” Ruby asked while Oscar and Penny also wondered, snapping out of Qrow and Yang’s laughter.

“Um…” Yang looks at her uncle as he looked back, not knowing what to say either. “We’ll tell you when Oscar’s old enough.”

“What?” Oscar blinked as he raised a brow. “What does that–?”

“When Oscar’s older!” Qrow finished ending the conversation, much to the younger audience's confusion.

"Robin, how is he?" Batman asked, and Damian slowly shook his head.

"He bled out, father," Robin revealed, and Batman clenched his fist tightly. "I'm sorry, there was nothing I could do."

A few of the audience gasped, sadden to learn that the civilian died in the end.

“No…” Ruby covers her mouth with her hands as tears threaten to fall from her eyes.

“At least… at least the poor guy got the chance to know that he was saved,” Oscar said.

“How do you know that?” Harriet questioned.

“I don’t.” The Ace-Op blinked at the young boy’s answer. “I just do.” Harriet stared at a boy for a few seconds before looking at the ground, then back on the screen with a look that not even her teammates can tell what her expression was.

"It's not your fault," Batman replied as he and his son walked to the edge of the building. "We need to find Scarecrow, put an end to this. After we find the bombs."

"Alright." Robin nodded as he perched himself on a gargoyle. "When we find Crane, what are going to do with him?"

"Lock him away in Arkham, where he belongs." At Batman's declaration, Robin looked at him with a hard look.

"Even after this? Father, this is the worst attack he's done in years. We put him in Arkham. He's liable to break out again and do worse," Robin pointed out. Whatever decision his father made, he would go along with it, but that didn't mean to wouldn't voice his opinions on the matter. Batman's hard stare answered his unasked question, and Robin shrugged. "Just pointing it out. Not saying we should."

“Robin got the point there,” Robyn said while she was slightly chuckling, having the same name. “The guy should get the death sentence.”

“Most people will agree, but due to Crane’s lawyers, they would label him as a mentally disabled person, so instead of giving him the death penalty, he would be sent to the Asylum for rehabilitation,” Penny explained.

“What?! That’s bullshit! Why the heck would they allow that?!” Elm shouts in disbelief.

“It’s their Laws, isn’t it?” James calmly said, being familiar with the Law himself since he holds two seats of Atlas's Council.

“It is.” Penny nodded. “You can learn more in the Library.”

Batman released his stare and sighed. "I know." He then stood up and pressed a button on his gauntlet, the roar of the Batmobile answering him as it sped down the street.

"Okay, now that," Yang declared as the Batmobile came into view, "is officially the coolest car I've ever seen!" It wasn't hard to see why. The vehicle was elongated and heavily armored, with two rotary cannons on the front end and a cabin at the back. Twin spoilers, shaped like batwings, rose out the back on either side of the rear, while a single jet engine stuck out of the back, while a large single-barrel cannon sat collapsed on top of the cabin. It looked more like a tank than an armored car.

“Oh my gosh, it is!” The viewing Yang declared seeing Batman’s car. But not as excellent as her Bumblebee. Oh, how she misses her bike.

“What is that beautiful masterpiece?” Ruby asked as her eyes sparkled at the sight of the Batmobile.

“That’s the Batmobile, Batman’s personal vehicle next to the Batwing,” Penny answered. “Like its airborne counterpart, it is equipped with the necessary equipment for the Batman disposal.”

“Is there anything that the Batman does not have?!” Marrow says in awe.

Without saying a word, Batman and Robin leaped off of the building and glided down to the oncoming Batmobile. The vehicle stop just as the two reached it. The cabin opened automatically, allowing them to drop into their seats effortlessly. Strapping themselves in, Batman took hold of the controls and activated the internal display. A radar appeared in front of Damian's face, and he studied it intently.

“That was the most badass entry. Ever!” Nora squealed, seeing how Batman and Robin got in the Batmobile with style.

“It so was!” Oscar said as he giddily jumps on his seat. Who could blame him? He’s the youngest out of the group.

"Okay, we are roughly one kilometer from the nearest bomb," Damian observed. "Due north of us. Putting in the route now."

As soon as the route appeared on the windshield, Batman slammed his foot on the gas, and the armored car raced down the street, a jet of fire trailing behind it.

“Um, sir?” Clover said, getting his General’s attention. “Does Atlas have any projects currently that could match what Batman has or other forms of technology we have witnessed?”

James raised a brow, confused why the leader of Ace-Ops would ask that. “No… no, I don’t believe we do.”

Clover nodded his head at the answer then looked back to his superior. “Permission to speak freely, Sir?”

James was now confused about why the lucky Specialist would ask that. “…Yes, you may.”

“I find that we terribly lack with our current technology compared to Earth’s,” Clover breathed out, feeling like he just unloaded a lot of weight from his shoulders.

James Ironwood blinked a couple of times before he registered what Clover had said to him. He didn’t get angry or upset but just nodded, knowing very well despite Atlas’s technological advances, it wouldn’t compare to what Earth has offered. “So true, Specialist. So true.” He dryly chuckled as they focused back on the screen.

"Spoiler, talk to me. See anything?" Tim Drake, clad in his Red Robin armored suit, spoke softly into his earpiece, sitting on his motorcycle inside a dark alleyway. On his mask's heads-up display, he could see the distance between him and the bomb's transmitter tick ever closer, and he kept his grip tight on the throttle.

“Who’s that?” Oscar asked. “He kinda looks like Robin.”

“That’s Red Robin, real name Tim Drake originally the third Robin but graduated to his current guise for proving his skills for the countless years of training and fighting by Batman’s side,” Penny reveals.

“The third?” Winter echoed. “Does that mean that Damian is not the first Robin?”

“Correct. Damian is currently the fifth person to wear the mantle of Robin.”

“Wow! Batman sure has a big team!” Nora says.

"Not yet. Getting close, though," Stephanie Brown, otherwise known as Spoiler, replied. Then she sighed, and Red Robin raised an eyebrow.

“Stephanie Brown, also known as Spoiler,” Penny reveals. “Originally the fourth Robin after Tim Drake. Like the previous Robins, she trained and studied under the tutelage of the Dark Knight until she finally reached the level to make her own name.”

“How many people did the Batman recruit?” Robyn asked.

“He didn’t recruit them. They came to him, much to his reluctance before.” Penny answered, shocking everyone. “At the beginning, when Bruce started his career as the Batman, the only ally he had was Alfred Pennyworth, and he originally planned to keep it that way. But as time grew, he met the soon-to-be protégés that would assist him and find their own paths. Later they would be known as Batman Family.”

“Family?” Harriet whispered, saying the word as if it was so alien to her.

“Indeed!” Penny happily says as she recites a similar quote from Red Hood in her files. “At the beginning, they may have started as soldiers Batman built for his crusade. But they became something more, something even he never expected. They started as an army, but they chose to be a family. A perfect example for showing that there is hope for anyone such a dangerous and strict career like themselves can give hope for anyone with a similar career.”

Both Teams RWBY and JNR and Oscar felt enormous warmth hearing such description of the Batman Family, seeing that even the Dark Knight would deeply care for his team as if they are his children while imagining that his protégés would see him as their father.

The adults felt a strong sense of approval that Batman would see his protégés as his family granted one of them is his literal son but none the less he even respected even more.

Robyn Hill saw his Happy Huntress as her family, but she doubts it would be at the same level as the Batman Family, but that didn’t stop her from being inspired by such an example.

James respected such a family. He knows that his military force may not follow such a principle as a whole, but he can only hope that the smaller teams would fall to the idea, especially the Ace-Ops he knows that Clover has been trying to get his team to grow and connect. Yes, he agrees that following protocols are essential, and the Ace-Ops have proven themselves to be best, but even he knows that there are even flaws among the younger Specialists.

The Ace-Ops had mixed feelings in learning this from Batman and his family. Clover strongly approves of this and hopes that his team can learn from this. Elm saw this and had her thinking about how she should start treating her teammates than work acquaintances. Vine was one for the rules and learning that the Batman trained his protégés to what they are due to see each other as a family than being soldiers. Marrow knows that he puts up a front just to catch up with his fellow Ace-Ops. Unfortunately, his tail makes it difficult for that, but he was somewhat happy to learn that even the Batman can treat his team as a family, and finally, Harriet had the most mixed feelings out of everyone. She respects Batman and his skills and profession, but him treating his team as a family rather than soldiers just made her both confused and annoyed at the idea, and she doesn’t even know why.

"Something wrong?"

"No, but…" Spoiler sighed, audible through the earpiece. "It's just, of course, the crazies would come out to play after Batman goes up into space for a week."

“I can only imagine being a member of the Justice League, and being a protector to your own home can be problematic,” Penny comments about being a protector to Mantle and being a Huntress to the world.

"We all knew that was a possibility," Red Robin pointed out. "That's why he had us all come into Gotham while he worked on RWBY and JNPR."

“That’s very smart and considerate of him.” Weiss compliments the Dark Knight. “He knows that if he takes his time too long with our counterparts away from his home, his enemies will take advantage of it, which is why his team are already in Gotham before the Justice League could react.”

"Yeah, I know. Even when we see it coming from a mile away, it's still just as annoying." Spoiler paused, thinking over her words carefully. "How much do you want to bet Batman is planning on taking them with him?"

“I wouldn’t mind becoming Batman’s protégé.” Ruby innocently says as her friends agree with her at the idea.

Red Robin chuckled. "I won't take that bet. You know how he is."

“What does that mean?” Jaune asked what the two meant about Bruce.

“I think they meant that Batman is thinking about the idea, but he will let our counterparts decide.” Ren reasons.

"True that." Spoiler laughed, only to cut off as screeching tires filled the audio. "I see them! Going in hot!"

“Finally, some action!” Yang shouts, eager to see how Batman’s family fair against the bad guys.

"I see mine, too!" Red Robin announced as a white van passed him by. Throttling his cycle, he chased after them, his body hunched down to increase his speed. Seeing him, the van accelerated down the street, widening the gap slightly. Undeterred, Red Robin moved ever closer, only to swerve out of the way as one of the cars next to the van opened a window, allowing a masked man to lean out and fire a burst of automatic gunfire at the vigilante. The bullets passed by harmlessly where he once was, and Red Robin swerved off the street and onto the sidewalk to avoid more gunfire.

"You know, for once, I would like to have a car chase without being shot at!" Spoiler declared as gunfire sounded off around her.

“Ha! Wouldn’t that be nice.” Clover chuckled, remembering the times that he and his tea would do similar chases like these in Atlas or Mantle.

"It would be nice!" Red Robin agreed as another gunman leaned out of a car window. Without missing a beat, he reached into his belt and pulled out a shuriken shaped like an R. He threw it at the exposed gun, striking the hand and causing it to be dropped onto the street below.

“Nice aim!” Ruby cheered as she eyed at Red Robin’s R-shaped shuriken. “Love how their shuriken are themed after their costumes.”

"Gaagh!" the terrorist grunted as he clasped his wrist in pain. Seizing his advantage, Red Robin sped towards the car and moved alongside it. Another man moved to fire at Red Robin through his window, only for him to throw explosive pellets at the front tires. They exploded, shredding the tires and causing the car to careen violently to the left and slam into the other car, halting both of them in their tracks and leaving him alone with the van. He couldn't help but smile, but he had to remain focused.

A few of the audience cringed, seeing the two vehicles crash at each other. Fortunately, no one seemed to be badly hurt, while also they cheered at the same time.

“That was so cool!” Ruby cheered. “Those explosive pellets are so powerful!”

“Yes! How very fascinating!” Pietro says as he takes note of this information. He is familiar with Dust grenades installed for Yang’s upgraded Ember Celica, but the idea for a much smaller pellet size explosive intrigues him.

"Oracle, call GCPD on my position!" Tim announced as the van skidded and turned sharply, forcing him to turn after it.

"On it," Oracle replied immediately. "Two squad cars are en route."

“They sure are through on tier work.” Vine nods at their efficiency.

"Any luck on finding Crane?" Red Robin ducked as a few bullets struck his windshield, cracking it slightly.

"Still working on it. His signal is bouncing around all of the bombs' transmitters. Disable them, and you should be able to find him." Red Robin nodded at the information.

"Understood." He sped ever closer to the van, which began swerving to the left and right in an attempt to shake him off. In the distance, he could hear a few gunshots sound off, and from what he could tell, they were getting closer.

“Looks like Spoiler is nearby,” Qrow said.

"Spoiler, what's your location!"

"Hold on a sec!" Spoiler shouted. A moment later, a loud explosion and screeching tires sounded off in the background, and Spoiler grunted. "Okay, all good. Just me and the van now, about a mile from your position."

"Perfect. Spoiler, lead them to the intersection up ahead!"

"On it!" Spoiler announced and was followed by a screeching of tires. Narrowing his eyes, Red Robin sped towards the back of the van and stood up on top of the seat. As the cycle moved closer, he leaped forward and grabbed hold of the van's back hatch, a loud clang announcing his presence that was followed by the sound of his cycle automatically braking to a stop. Leaning down but careful to keep his hold, he began to kick at the lock. After a few heavy blows, the metal attachment broke off of its hinge and tumbled down the street, allowing him to hoist the door open. He was immediately met with a barrage of gunfire, forcing him to throw himself onto the roof of the vehicle to dodge it. More shots followed after him through the top of the compartment as he backed up along the van's roof before hurling himself to the side. As he descended, he grabbed his staff and stabbed it through the side of the van. Keeping his momentum going, he swung to the open hatch door and grabbed hold of it, using it to pivot himself into the van and kick one of Scarecrow's men in the chest.

Reacting immediately, the other two gunmen in the van attempted to pull out their sidearms and shoot him, only for Red Robin to vault over the bomb and kick one in the head straight into the van's side, knocking him out instantly. The other got off a few shots, only for them to bounce off of Red Robin's armor, allowing him to close the distance and pummel him in the face relentlessly. After a few blows, he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

“Holy crap! He’s just as good as Batman!” Elm shouts in awe.

“Obviously! He’s one of Batman’s protégés!” Jaune adds.

"The van is secure," Red Robin revealed as he walked to the stabbed portion of his staff and grabbed hold of it. The staff then collapsed into the end he was holding, allowing him to bring it inside. Walking over to the monitor and pulling out his decryption device, he knelt down and began decrypting the password. After a few moments, the monitor flashed green and granted him access, allowing him to disarm the bomb and transmit the relevant information to both Oracle and the Watchtower.

“Interesting… let’s see how they disarm the bombs,” Winter says as she carefully studied how the hero would handle it.

"Second bomb is disarmed, proceeding to removal." Red Robin proceeded to aim his staff at the bottom of the bomb and extended it, the back end pushing into the front of the van and sliding the bomb slightly. Pushing with all his might, the bomb inched closer and closer to the open door before finally falling out of it, skidding along the pavement with a shower of sparks.

"Hey, what was that?!" the driver yelled out in confusion. Taking that as his cue to leave, Red Robin pressed a button on his gauntlet and summoned his motorcycle to him, which appeared after a few moments. He leaped onto it without issue, twisting himself in mid-air to land on it correctly, then slammed on the brakes, skidding to a hard stop. The van continued on without him, seemingly obvious to the loss of its cargo.

“Nice landing!” Yang grins while also being jealous of how the motorcycle would appear to him via remote control.

“But the van is getting away.” Blake points out why Red Robin would allow that.

"And three… two… one…" Red Robin counted down. As he finished, the second van slammed into the first from the side, pushing it off of its wheels and sending broken glass everywhere. A moment later, Spoiler, still wearing her purple armored cloak but with a few more bullet dents in it than before, got out of the driver's seat and walked over to her fellow vigilante.

“Oh! That so well timed!” Marrow could help but smirk at the action heck. Even he couldn’t stop his tail from wagging.

“Whoa… she looks so cool!” Ruby admired what Spoiler looked like, especially her hood.

"Have to say, that worked out quite well," she declared as she tossed Tim a pair of handcuffs, who proceeded to hoist the groaning driver of the first van out of his seat and cuff him to a light pole. Nodding at the action, she brought her hand to her ear and began to speak once again. "Both bombs are secure and disarmed. Ready for extraction."

“Two bombs at once? Impressive.” Clover says.

"Got it, dispatching a GCPD airship and squad car now," Weiss' voice cut into the channel. "I need one of you to get a sample of the gas, one not contaminated by the outside air."

“I need samples?” The viewing Weiss raised a brow.

“I believe the League requested your counterpart to do so that they can create the antidote.” Winter theorized.

"May I ask why?" Red Robin asked as he walked towards the nearest bomb and pulled out an apparatus.

"Mr. Terrific and J'onn J'onzz requested a sample for the antidote," Weiss revealed. "There should be a valve on the left side of the bomb."

“A valve next to the bomb…” Pietro grimaced at the idea. “So that is how they spread the toxin.”

"I see it." Red Robin knelt down to the valve in question and attached the apparatus to it. "Attached."

"Allow me," Weiss said as he could hear the sounds of keys being pressed. A moment later, a sound emitted from the bomb as orange gas began to pour into the attached device, shutting off a moment later. "Done, information coming in now. Let's see here… Gods above, what is in this stuff?"

Everyone watching was confused why alternate Weiss made that comment.

“What does my other mean?” The viewing Weiss asked.

“Perhaps it was inside the toxin that she has gathered.”Ren deduces.

"Hell if I know." Red Robin regretfully sighed. "Can you make an antidote?"

"Yes, it's being worked on now, but… Look at it. What kind of deranged mind would come up with this?"

“Is… is it that bad?” The viewing Weiss began to worry.

"One who has a sick mind to begin with," Spoiler answered. "Keep us posted, Watchtower."

"I… Understood. Watchtower out." The radio clicked off, and the two teenagers looked at each other.

"I don't think she's ever seen a chemical weapon before, maybe not even heard of one," Spoiler noted, and Red Robin slowly nodded in affirmation. "Just her luck that she sees one of the worst ever made."

“A chemical weapon…” James grimaced at how fitting this name is.

“So it’s that bad…” Weiss grimaced, feeling bad for her other.

“Don’t worry, Weiss,” Ruby said as she comforts her partner. “At least you don’t need to worry looking at what that Fear Toxin is made off.”

“She’s right, friend Weiss!” Penny chimed in. “Mr. Mxyzptlk has made sure not to add any information about how to make or create anything lethal aside from the description of the said topic. So you don’t need to worry about finding them here.”

“That’s good to hear.” Oscar sighs in relief, glad that Remnant won’t be getting any chemical weapons. “I doubt Remnant even needs such weaponry, and I’m thrilled that no one has ever thought off or created it.”

"My thoughts exactly." Red Robin then pulled out his grapple gun, as did Spoiler. "By the way, sorry about date night."

“Aww, they're a couple?” Yang smiled, glad to know that there are more hero couples she’s seen so far.

"Oh, so now you bring it up?" Spoiler smiled as the two of them zipped away. "Don't worry, beating up psychopaths is a great alternative to a movie." Red Robin smiled at her answer as they glided across Gotham City, straight towards the epicenter of the attack.

“Aww, they're so cute together!” Nora gushed as she held Ren’s hand, making him give a small smile as he held her hand.

A mother, cradling her child, ran through the streets of a Gotham City, quickly descending into chaos. She couldn't help but admit to herself that, with all the psychopathic supervillains that call her city home, she had a lot of practice in this area. Too much practice, in fact. She would have moved if she could, but with a baby to take care of on a minimum wage job, her options were limited.

Most of the audience gasped in horror seeing the mother with her infant in all this chaos.

“Oh, no!” Wiess gasped in horror as she covers her mount with her hands.

"Waagh!" her baby wailed as she ducked into an alleyway. Around her, people screamed at everything in sight, while a few began attacking what they undoubtedly saw as terrifying monsters. She thanked every god who would listen that she had enough time to wrap a wet towel around her and her child's mouths, meaning that the worst of the toxin's effects were avoided. Still, she was experiencing mild hallucinations, but not enough to lose her mind completely. She could only pray that it would be enough to keep the same from happening to her more vulnerable child.

“So that’s how she did it,” Vine says when he wondered why the mother and child were not affected by the toxin.

“I’m impressed a civilian thought of that in this situation,” Robyn says as she thinks of a way she could use that idea for the people of Mantle.

"Sssh, sssh, it's okay," she soothed and rocked him side to side, hoping to calm him down while she herself stared with fear-filled eyes as a group of people beat each other senseless. Her eyes then widened as she realized she recognized them. They were her neighbors, people that she had known for years to be great people. One of them even invited her and the baby to a barbeque just last week, and now they were beating each other like the others were monsters crawling out of their closet.

“Such a horrible sight…” Winter mutters in both concern and horror as she dared imagine people doing the same thing n Remnant.

"Have to get out of here…" she muttered as she saw her chance and took it, running across the street and away from the chaos. Catching her breath momentarily, she continued running as fast as her legs could carry her, making sure to soothe the baby whenever she could. If she could just get away from the epicenter, towards the GCPD building, they would be safe.

Suddenly and without warning, a white van flanked by two black sedans slammed to a stop in the street in front of her. Men wearing burlap sacks and armor then got out of the vehicles, and to her horror, she realized they were all armed. Quickly, she hid herself behind a dumpster and waited, her heart pounding in her chest as she forced herself to slow her breathing.

“Damn! Just when she got the chance to escape.” Qrow swears as he sees the mother’s bad luck.

"Get the bomb inside, hurry!" one of the masked men yelled as something heavy was hauled out of the van. Peeking around the corner, she saw a white cylindrical object resting on the pavement while the men hefted it towards an abandoned tenement. "Hurry up! We don't have much time!"

"Don't yell at me!" a man hefting the bomb retorted, his other arm holding his rifle out near his hip. She could see his finger tapping along the trigger guard, and she could imagine why that was the case. Then, a few screams broke out as a couple people ran out of an alley near them, shouting in fright but going stiff as they saw the men in front of them. Angrily, one of them aimed his rifle upwards and began to fire, frightening them off and forcing her to bite her tongue, preventing herself from screaming out. She prayed that her baby would remain quiet while she kept soothing it.

A few of the audience shrieked or yelped at the sudden action while the others remained silently tensed.

"I thought you said this place was secure?!" another man yelled out angrily.

"Goddammit!" the man she assumed to be in charge cursed. He fumbled with the lock and jumbled it, trying to pry it loose but finding it jammed. "Screw it! Put the bomb down here. We're setting it off now."

“They’re going to set the bomb now!” Blake shouts in disbelieving horror.

"But Paul, Scarecrow said…!"

"I know what he said!" Paul yelled and interrupted the man. "I also know that the Bat is on his way here, and if we don't set it off now, nothing is going to happen! Crane's going to have to deal with it!" He snapped his fingers, and at once, the bomb was gently lowered to the ground. Another man strapped his rifle to his back and began typing away at a monitor while the others took position around it. Silently she watched until one man suddenly looked her way, forcing her to duck behind the dumpster again. After a few moments, she allowed herself to breathe and look again, only to suddenly see the mask of one of the gunmen staring right into her.

"Hello there," he said, an unsettling tone to her voice. The mother screamed and attempted to flee, only for the man to strike her with his rifle, knocking her onto her back. Although the baby was still tucked into her arms, the jarring impact startled him, and he began to wail.

“Oh, no!” Ruby gasped in horror.

"Is that a baby?!" one of the men asked as he and the others turned towards her. The man over her nodded, keeping his rifle trained on her.

"Yep, a mother and her child," he replied. "Paul, what should we do with her?"

"Does it look like I care? Just get her out of here," Paul shot back while he continued to type away at the monitor. Her assaulter shrugged and clicked his safety off, aiming at her head.

“Bastards!” Yang shouted as her eyes turned as she felt so helpless sitting in her set as she watches.

"Sorry, lady. Nothing personal," he softly stated while slowly squeezing the trigger.

"No, wait!" she shouted, holding her hand in front of her in a feeble attempt to protect herself, only for a shot to fire out. A splatter of blood shot across her face, and she squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of a burning pain. A few moments later, she realized she wasn't feeling any pain at all, and when she finally opened her eyes, she saw the man lying dead in front of her, a fresh bullet hole in his skull.

Everyone cringed as they heard the sound of the gunshot, but to their shock, it wasn’t the mother who died but the punk with the gun.

“Wh-What happened?!” Elm blurted as she demanded an answer.

"Stay down and get out of sight." She gasped and turned to face the source of the voice. She saw a black-armored man wearing a brown leather coat, holding a smoking pistol in his right hand. Emblazoned on his chest was a red bat, and covering his face was a featureless red helmet with black eyes.

"Oh, shit! It's Red Hood!" one of Scarecrow's goons called out as the criminals raised their weapons to fire, only for Red Hood to whip out his other pistol and start firing. One of the men went down immediately, forcing the others to take cover from the barrage of heavy fire.

“Oh, thank goodness… another one of Batman’s family!” Robyn sighed in relief as she held her chest with her hand.

“That’s Red Hood, real name Jason Todd, formerly the second Robin.” Penny introduces. “Like all the others, he is personally trained by Batman himself, although unlike the others, he is one of the only two in the family that uses firearms.”

“Why is that?” Ruby asked, wondering why that was a fact. Then again, she never did see Batman using a gun at all.

“Batman has a strict no-gun policy,” Penny explained. “Most of the information why he set that rule is sealed, but it does show that the said two have been given special permission despite Batman’s disapproval.”

“A no-gun policy…” James muttered. In the world of Remnant, it is a common fact that almost every Huntsman uses guns in their personal weaponry. He could only wonder why the Dark Knight would be s against the idea of using firearms.

"Get out of here!" Red Hood, known to his family as Jason Todd, ordered as he kept up his fire. Nodding at him, the mother picked herself up and ran off into the night, away from the violence behind her. Once she was fully out of the line of fire, only then did Red Hood allow himself to break into cover and reload, at which point the gunmen opened fire on his position.

"Kill his ass!" a man shouted as he sprayed Red Hood's position with fully automatic gunfire, only for his weapon to click empty. Pausing to reload, he was unable to react in time for Red Hood to break cover and fire a shot briefly. He fell to the ground, howling in pain while clutching what was left of his hand.

“He has good aim,” James comments, seeing how skilled Red Hood just by disarming a thug with only one shot.

"Anytime now," Red Hood calmly spoke as he combined his pistols into a rifle. Flipping the switch to fully automatic, he broke cover and began a sprinting fire towards another covered position, forcing Scarecrow's goons to take cover themselves. Halfway there, he abruptly stopped and fired a grappling gun at a nearby building, taking him above the bomb and out of their line of sight. For a moment, the criminals were confused, which was all the time he needed to drop a flashbang grenade among them casually.

The Faunus among the audience winced at both a sound and the bright light, but fortunately, they were not that affected.

“What was that?” Blake asked as she rubbed her eyes and ears, mostly her cat ones.

“That was a flashbang grenade,” Penny answered. “Designed for temporally stunning enemies. Don’t worry. The viewing made sure to lessen the sound and sight, so the Faunus in the room won’t be affected.”

“Fascinating!” Pietro says as he took note of it.

“Yeah… fascinating.” Marrow muttered as he rubbed his eyes and ears like Blake as he wondered how much of an effect it would be for the Faunus if it happened.

"Gaagh!" the criminals below yelled and clutched their eyes and ears, leaving them defenseless as a young girl, clad in a black and yellow-trimmed batsuit with a yellow outline of a bat on her chest jumped from above and pinned a man to the ground. A thick yellow utility belt was wrapped around her waist, and a yellow rebreather mask was outfitted to her cowl. Despite not being able to see any part of her face, Red Hood recognized her as Cassandra Cain, the second Batgirl.

“Another Batman?!” Nora gasped, seeing a woman wearing a Batman costume catching women’s interest.

Penny giggled as she shook her head. “No, that’s Cassandra Cain, the second Batgirl. Like Damien, she was a former member of the League of Assassins trained at an early age up to her teenage years. She later broke her ties with the League and decided to join Batman as his protégé. Oh! Additionally, she’s a mute.”

"Batgirl's here, too?!" another man yelled as he raised his rifle to fire, only for Batgirl to throw a Batarang at his hand, forcing him to drop it. A shot rang out from the dropped weapon, striking a man in the leg and causing him to fall. Taking advantage of the situation, Batgirl leaped onto a man. She grabbed his shoulders, hoisted herself over him to land on her feet, and used her momentum to throw him over her body and onto the pavement, knocking him out instantly.

“Damn! Girl’s got some moves.” Harriet grinned, liking her already.

As the other criminals regained their wits, Red Hood shot a grapnel at a man's thigh and hoisted him upwards. As he howled in pain, Red Hood leaped down and used him as a counterweight to swing like a pendulum and kick another man in the chest, knocking him back several feet and shattering a wooden crate. Pulling out his pistols, he prepared to flick off the safeties, only to see a disapproving shake of Batgirl's head.

“Was… was he about to kill him?” Oscar stuttered, seeing what Red Hood was about to do.

“Looks like it,” Clover said. “I wonder why Batgirl stopped him, though.”

“Batman has another strict rule, the no-killing policy.” The protector Mantle revealed. “This rule is mostly followed by Batman and his protégé.”

“Then why did Red Hood kill the man earlier?” Weiss narrowed her eyes. “Don’t get me wrong, that man deserved what was coming to him for willingly trying to kill a mother and her child, but why is he following that rule?”

“There’s a file regarding that topic, but it’s sealed. The only thing I could get out of is that it’s ‘long and complicated’.”

"Ugh, fine," Red Hood grunted as he kept the safeties on and flipped the pistols in his hands. Now holding the barrels, he began swinging them like clubs, striking any criminal in his warpath. One man tried to punch him, only for Red Hood to grab his arm and twist it before swinging his pistol down onto the elbow, breaking it. As the man screamed, Red Hood then ripped the gas mask off his face, exposing the criminal to the fear toxin and making him collapse into hysteria. Grunting to himself in satisfaction, Red Hood continued his assault, wailing on another criminal with unmatched brutality.

“He sure doesn’t hold back.” Jaune winced, seeing the brutality the red-clad hero was doing.

Batgirl's attacks, in contrast, were like watching a ballerina. She danced between everyone attacking her, gracefully bobbing, weaving, and jumping over any attacks that came her way. Reading her opponent's movements at an instant, she would react preemptively, doing whatever needed to be done to ensure that while her opponent's attacks failed to land, hers did not. Between every dodge, she would lash out with light punches, jabs, and kicks, and already her opponents sported many nasty bruises.

“She’s so elegant,” Weiss muttered in awe seeing how the Batgirl gracefully defeated her foes with such skills. Compared to her fighting style, she mostly relied on Myrtenaster and her Glyphs to perform her combat grace. But never the idea of using close-quarter combated without her weapon, and Semblance never occurred to her. “I wonder if I can do that…”

Narrowing her eyes, Batgirl decided to end this and jumped upwards over a clumsy kick and kneed a man in the jaw, snapping his head back and knocking him out. As his body fell, she kicked off of it and used him as a springboard, leaping towards another man on the opposite side of him. Throwing a pair of batarangs at separate attackers, she latched onto his shoulders and twisted herself around his neck, and closed them tightly. He tried to pry his way out, only for Batgirl to tighten her grip and put him into a sleeper hold. After a few moments, he gave way to unconsciousness, and she leaped off of him while the last two criminals moved to attack. Before they could take a step, two shots rang out and hit their legs, downing them both as they clutched their wounds.

“Woah! Was that Red Hood?” Ruby jumped in her seat at the sudden gunshots.

"Wasn't me," Red Hood immediately spoke up as he finished walloping a criminal across the face. Batgirl continued to stare at him before turning her head to see a woman walking up to them. She was wearing a batsuit similar to her own, although the woman in front of them was far older, the yellow was replaced with red, and long red hair flowed out of her cowl. Like the others, except for Red Hood's built-in rebreather in his helmet, a red rebreather mask covered her face.

Nora gasped in excitement. “Another Batgirl?!”

“Nope.” Penny giggled. “That’s Kathy Kane, the Batwoman.”

“Let me guess, she’s the original Batgirl,” Maria smirked.

“Nope.” The gynoid said, making the elderly lady blink. “She’s the very first Batwoman to join the Batman. Kathy was a formerly military student who attends the United States Military Academy at West Point but was unfortunately expelled from the academy before graduation. She was later trained by the Dark Knight and is the second person in the group permitted to use firearms.”

“Why was she expelled from the Military Academy?” Winter asked.

“I’m honestly, not sure.” Penny tilted her head. “The file says something about her breaking protocol.”

“The who was the first Batgirl?” Ruby asked.

“Barbara Gordon was the original Batgirl before she stepped down the mantle and became Oracle.”

"Finished yours already?" Red Hood greeted Kathy Kane, the Batwoman.

"Sorry I'm late," Batwoman said as she holstered her pistol. "Took care of another bomb in the Narrows. That should leave just two."

“They work fast.” Vine nods in admiration for their efficiency at getting the job done.

"Nightwing is already on scene and is about to disarm the one in the Financial District, while Batman and Robin are in pursuit of the last one," Jaune called out over the radio.

“Yeah! Leave to fearless leader!” Nora cheered, making her team leader chuckle at her antics.

“Another one of Batman’s protégé, I take it?” James asked.

“Yes, General,” Penny answered. “I’ll properly introduce him when he appears.”

"None of that matters if we don't find Crane," Red Hood angrily pointed out. "Do you or Oracle have any leads as to where the hell he is?"

"We're still triangulating his position. We think that he's located somewhere in the Bowery, as his signal seems to be bouncing around that area. Recommend you three meet up with Red Robin and Spoiler there," Oracle recommended.

“Wow. I think I should start working on monitor duty.” The viewing Jaune says, impressed at his counterpart despite being younger, is skilled at his job assigned to him.

"Finally," Red Hood said with a nod. "Red, Spoiler, we'll meet you two there."

"Got it," Red Robin's voice cut in. "We'll be there."

Nodding to himself, Red Hood cut off the radio and turned to the others. As Batwoman moved to disarm the bomb, a muffled movement caught his attention, and with a grimace, he realized it was the man he had shot in the hand earlier. Walking up to him, he realized it was the supposed leader of this particular outfit, the same man who callously allowed one of his men to try to execute an innocent mother and child. With a scowl, Red Hood pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the downed man.

The audience remained silent as they watched Red Hood. The mature ones had a neutral look as they watched, but they can only imagine what he would do. The others could only watch nervously as they all suspect that Red Hood will kill the injured thug.

“No, please…" the criminal begged for his life, clutching his stump of a hand. He was met only with the sound of the safety being flicked off and the hammer being pulled. Before he could fire, he felt a gentle weight on his arm, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Batgirl staring at him. She said nothing, but he understood her intent.

“Why is she defending him?” Harriet questioned. “She has no reason to stop Red Hood.”

“She’s obviously the voice of reason here,” Yang says, still not forgetting about the Ace-Ops comments about the mercy kill. “And besides, did you forget about Batman’s no-killing rule? I don’t know why Red Hood breaks that rule, but I know that his family is there to stop him from doing that.”

Harriet narrowed her eyes towards the blond but huffs as she focuses back at the screen.

"Why?" he asked, his sights never leaving the man's skull. "Why should he get to live when he and others like him have ruined thousands of lives tonight? A man so apathetic to others that he's willing to let a mother and child die is just as bad as the man who tried to kill them."

Batgirl continued to stare at Red Hood, slowly shaking her head. Her eyes bored into his, telling him to spare the criminal's life and not cross the line between defense and murder. After what felt like an eternity and with an angry grunt, he clicked the safety on and holstered his pistol. He then proceeded to kick the downed criminal in the head, knocking him out cold.

“Well, that’s better than killing him, at least…” Jaune breaths out a sigh of relief.

“Better to traumatize the bad guy than killing him, I suppose,” Qrow said.

"What?" he asked without an ounce of shame as the other two glared at him. "He's not dead. It's called compromise."

“Huh. Never that it that way…” Elm mutters, seeing that she could have thought of using that idea during her past mission as long as it doesn’t affect her and her team’s objective.

Batwoman sighed, then fully shut off the bomb, transmitting the data to both Oracle and the Watchtower once she was done. The three then pulled out first aid and cuffs and prepared the criminals for the GCPD, as well as any medical attention they might require. By the time the police arrived, they were long gone.

Overlooking the construction site, Nightwing, otherwise known as Dick Grayson, silently watched the men toil away at the bomb. They had already received word that the other bombers had been apprehended, both from intercepted police reports as well as a distinct lack of communication from them. As such, they were on high alert, snipers and riflemen taking up positions along every line of sight around the bomb itself.

“I take it that is Nightwing?” Harriet asked, liking what she sees seeing the black and blue-clad spandex hero.

“Yes, that’s Richard John “Dick” Grayson, also known as Nightwing and previously the original Robin.” Penny introduces. “Originally, Dick Grayson is a young talented acrobatic circus performer and his family known as the Flying Graysons.”

“A circus performer?” Ren blinked, surprised to learn that the original Robin was initially a performer. “I can understand that his acrobatic skills can major advantages to his combat skill, but how did he manage to be Batman’s protégé?”

“Sadly, a tragedy happened to the Grayson family that caused Dick to be an orphan.” The audience gasped, saddened to hear such a tragedy. “Bruce, feeling sorry and understanding for the young boy, decided to adopt him and take him as his own. Later, the young boy discovered Bruce’s secret of being the Batman and proved himself to be Batman’s first protégé and the beginning of the Batman Family.”

“That’s so sad…” Sadly, Ruby was touched that Bruce went far to take in Dick when he needed help the most.

“At least Dick had a second chance in having a family.” Yang smiled sadly.

"Looks like they already armed it," he grimly noticed through his mask's optics, zooming in on the monitor. A timer displaying ten minutes was on its top right corner, and his scowl deepened. It wasn't a lot of time to take out ten heavily armed and alert men, but it would have to do.

“That’s so cool! Their masks have optics!” Ruby says in awe.

“That’s right! All of the Batman Family have their masks digitally connected to Oracle’s connections and has other multiple uses such as measuring the targets heartrate.” Penny said while her father took note of this useful information.

“But he as ten minutes to defuse the bomb.” Winter points out. “How will he handle this?”

Pulling out his grapple gun, Nightwing silently zipped to a nearby steel beam and crept along its upper ridge. Years of training, both with his family and under Batman's wing, made his steps silent and masked his approach to one of the snipers.

“He has such quiet footsteps,” Blake comments. Even with her Faunus traits, she couldn’t hear a single thing.

"You guys see anything?" one of the men nervously called out.

"Nuthin' yet," another replied. "Just hope it keeps that way."

"Don't talk like that, man!" a sniper angrily shouted. "You wanna jinx us or something!?"

“Ha!” Qrow laughs at the pure irony at that comment, seeing how his Semblance always makes the bad guys eat their words despite the negative effect it does towards himself and his friends and family.

Nightwing smirked under his dark blue rebreather as the man fumbled for an answer. He hadn't even shown himself yet, and they were already scared, something that his optics picked up on. All of them sported elevated heartrates indicative of nervousness. Stopping over a sniper, Nightwing moved his gaze over the rest of the goons below him and waited for an opening. After a few moments, a head briefly turned and left the criminal below him out of sight, allowing Nightwing to pounce. He zipped down to the criminal and grabbed his shoulders before hoisting the startled man upwards. Holding him aloft, he attached a line to the steel beam they were on before dropping him.

"Aagh!" the criminal screamed as he fell before jerking to a stop above the ground, the force ripping the rifle from his hands. Nightwing watched as his screams attracted the other men, and a few quickly ran over to the dangling man.

“Holy crap! That was crazy.” Jaune shouts.

“Are all of the Batman Family this crazy good at scaring people?” Oscar asked while shivering at the thought of being dangled from that height.

"What the hell happened?!" one asked as he looked the man over.

"I don't know!" he replied. "Get me down, man!"

"Hold still, let me think of something!"

“They all learned well from the Dark Knight,” Maria grins, complementing the Batman Family and their skills.

As the men worked to try and figure out a way to get their comrade down safely, their heart rates slowly elevating, Nightwing continued on. Seeing a man isolated, he zipped above him and repeated the same process as before, leaving yet another criminal dangling from the rafters. Once again, his screams attracted yet more attention, but now eyes were on the rafters themselves.

“He’s taking them out one by one!” Yang laughed.

“Not only is he silently taking them out, but he’s also using a fear tactic against them, making them even more disorderly than they are before,” James says, impressed such a tactic could use in such an affected way. He would make sure to study such a method for future references.

"Ah, shit! One of 'em's here above us!" the apparent head of the operation announced, his rifle trained on the steel beams. Nightwing's optics picked up red laser sights emitting from underneath the barrels, several scanning the rafters and trying to find him. While his armor was good, it wasn't meant to take sustained fire, and so Nightwing shifted tactics. Quietly, he dropped down and crouched behind a pillar, trying to find a place to pick another off. When he saw an underlying grate, he silently moved towards it and placed himself inside, revealing a small drainage network under the floor.

“He’s very resourceful in where to hide,” Blake comments, seeing that he creatively used the small drainage network as a hiding spot.

"I don't see anything!"

"Keep lookin'! He's here!"

Nightwing continued underneath the floor towards the feet of a gunman, seeing how his attention was focused elsewhere. Seizing his chance, the vigilante sprung from underneath the floors and onto the man above, pinning him to the ground with a loud clang. As the man struggled, Nightwing twirled one of his batons around and smacked him in the back of the head, knocking the man out instantly. Before the rest of the criminals could get to their fallen comrade, Nightwing was already down.

“So his weapons are batons?” Ruby eyed at the weapons while she was awed at how Nightwing masterly took down his target with such little effort.

"Goddammit! Somebody find this son of a bitch!"

Moving to the other end of the tunnel network, Nightwing saw yet another isolated man, his heart rate quickly accelerating, and leaped up at him and threw him against a wall. Before he could move back down to the grates below, one of the men saw him and raised his rifle with a shout.

"It's Nightwing!" he announced with a spray of fire, forcing Nightwing to zip away to safety, a few bullets pinging against his armor. The bullet spray followed after him, forcing him to zip between many different angles to evade, and after several more passes, he finally managed to do so. Grimacing, Nightwing noticed how the timer was now at six minutes, and there were still six more men he had to take down. He could probably disarm the bomb in a minute, but he didn't want to leave things to chance, so he would have to take down six men in four minutes.

“Cutting it close!” Marrow says as they all watched, wondering if Nightwing will make it in time.

'Well, no one said this job is easy,' he thought to himself as he moved down below once more. Seeing a partially destroyed wall, Nightwing pulled out a can of explosive gel, sprayed his logo onto it, a bird-shaped like a V, and placed a device next to it. Zipping away again, he activated the device, creating a loud ringing noise that attracted a man towards it.

“What’s that gel?” Oscar asked.

“Those are explosive gels,” Penny answered. “They're not lethal, but they are powerful to knock out a person or destroy a small part of a damaged concrete wall.”

“Ingenious! With that kind of material, there won’t be any necessary waste of using Dust for such tasks!” James says in awe, thinking about the possibilities for the gels.

“Love the bird symbol,” Robyn comments on Nightwing’s work, and Qrow chuckled, agreeing with the Happy Huntress, seeing that their names are similar sounding to actual birds.

"What the…?" he mumbled as he edged closer to the source of the sound, his rifle trained on the wall. Once the gunman entered the effective radius, Nightwing detonated the gel, sending a barrage of broken concrete forward and striking the startled thug, sending him to the ground writhing in pain. Picking up on his angle, the men refused to come to his aid and stayed where they were, but Nightwing was already on the move.

“Whoahoho! That was one heck of an explosion! I so need to get my hands on those!” Nora grinned ear to ear, seeing such a possible explosive that was begging to be in her reach. This made her friends worry for her, no, for everyone.

Leaping off the side of the building, he extended his arms and deployed his wingsuit, gliding around the building's edge for an open window, then grappled towards it, ending up behind a now terrified man and quickly putting him in a sleeper hold. Once he was unconscious, Nightwing zipped away once more and moved towards the next thug, the man now shakily moving his rifle back and forth. Once his back was turned, Nightwing pounced down upon him and threw him to the ground, kicking away his rifle and striking his forehead with his baton, knocking him out. Looking at the remaining time, Nightwing's scowl deepened at the four-thirty that was quickly dropping down. Stealth was no longer an option.

“It appears stealth is now out of the option,” Vine comments, seeing that there was not much time left.

"There he is! Get him!" a man called out as he raised his rifle, only for Nightwing to pull out a wing-ding and throw it at them. The wing-ding arced across the rifles, knocking them out of the gunmen's hands and leaving them disarmed.

“His shuriken is also the shape of a bird?” Blake says.

“Yes, but his are called wing-dings.” Penny points out, making a few of the audience chuckled or giggled at the cute sounding name.

"Well, I'm here," Nightwing declared as he fully extended his batons, the ends sparking with electricity. "How about we make this easy, and you guys just surrender and let me disarm the bomb?"

“I like his style,” Qrow smirked, liking how the kid handles himself despite the situation.

“So cool! His batons are also shock batons!” Ruby's eyes sparkled.

"Fat chance, creep!" One of the three declared as they charged him, and Nightwing sighed.

"Don't say I didn't try to make it easy for you guys," Nightwing said as he flipped over them. Their backs turned towards him, he swung his batons in a pincer, striking the men with the electrified ends and shocking all of them. They spasmed as electricity flowed through them, but the burliest one of them was able to recover and press on. He threw a punch at Nightwing, who nimbly twisted his body around it and retaliated with a jab to the face. Disoriented and clutching his nose, the thug was unable to stop as Nightwing began a relentless assault against him, striking him repeatedly. Each blow rang out across the construction site, only to stop as the man recovered his wits and grabbed the batons. He then hurled the vigilante to the ground and made to curb-stomp Nightwing's head, but the vigilante rolled out of the way just in time. At the end of his roll, he spring-boarded off the ground and onto his feet, grimacing that his batons were now several feet away from him.

“He’s very skilled with his batons.” Harriet compliments the vigilante’s precise and close-range combat but was caught off-guard seeing the thugs separating his weapons from him. “How the heck did that happened?!’

“He’s rushing,” Clover said. “Not that I can blame him, though with how short on time he is.”

"Ya think you can make a fool outta me!?" the man yelled out while pumping his fists.

"Buddy, you don't need me to do that for you," Nightwing quipped, enraging the criminal and making him charge. As he did, Nightwing vaulted over him and kicked his back, stumbling him slightly. As he recovered, he clasped his hands together and swung them like a hammer, striking Nightwing in the face and sending him flying into a wall. Rubbing his jaw, Nightwing noticed he was next to a junction box, and an idea sprung to his head just as the thug charged him.

'Have to time this just right,' he thought and waited against the wall. Just as the man cleared the proper distance, Nightwing moved, kicking off of the wall and into the man's chest. Not expecting the attack, he was helpless as Nightwing pounded his head repeatedly before grabbing his shoulders tightly. Nightwing swung the man around in a circle before releasing him headfirst into the junction box. Sparks flew out as the man screamed in agony, electricity flowing through his body before Nightwing grappled him off of it. The man was unresponsive, and a quick look through his optics confirmed that the man was alive, albeit unconscious. He'd live, and that was more than enough for the vigilante. Nodding to himself, he turned to run over to the bomb when the sound of breaking glass caught his attention, and he quickly turned around with a wing-ding in hand at the source. It was one of the men he thought was already unconscious, clutching his head tightly and shakily aiming his rifle at Nightwing with one arm.

Everyone was impressed with how Nightwing, despite his disadvantage, he used his surrounding as his advantage. Most of the viewers cringed at the sight of the thug getting hurt but are glad that he survived. While they are pleased that he finally reached the bomb, most of their jaws dropped, seeing that one thug was standing after the beating he received.

“Are you kidding me?! How can one of them get back on their feet after that beating?” Weiss says in exasperation.

“That poor man is determined I can give him that,” Maria said.

"You bastard…" he spat through gritted teeth, struggling to pull the trigger. Nightwing merely sighed in response then threw his wing-ding at the man's head, knocking him out instantly.

“Well, that was anticlimactic,” Ren said.

"Note to self, be more thorough next time," he mumbled as he zipped over the bomb itself. Glancing at the timer, he winced as he saw a minute and thirty seconds left before detonation. "Oracle, I'm at the bomb! How do I disarm this thing?!"

"Working on it!" Oracle frantically called out as she typed away at her keyboard. "Okay, transmitting the disarming code to you now. Input it into the computer, and it should give you access."

“Hurry! You’re running out of time!” Oscar shouts, feeling tense in his seat as everyone watched in similar silence.

"On it," Nightwing replied as the long code flashed across his optics. Racing against the clock, he inputted each character into the keyboard, being sure not to make a mistake. The clock ticking down past the minute sign, beads of sweat started appearing on his brow as he continued typing away.

"Nightwing, hurry!" Oracle pleaded.

"I know!" Thirty seconds were left, and time seemed to slow down. Each keystroke seemed to take an hour, but he pressed on. Finally, he entered the last key and submitted the code. "Got it!"

He stepped back as the bomb shuddered. For a moment, he was afraid that it would go off, but to his relief, nothing happened. There were five seconds left on the timer, and Dick let out a sigh of relief.

Even the audience sigh in relief.

“That was intense…” Jaune relaxed a bit.

“I’m so glad we had bomb disarming lessons from Beacon,” Ruby said.

“Ruby, we barely even finished that class after the Fall.” Weiss reminded her partner.

"That was close," he said while wiping his forehead. "Okay, everything good on my end. Contact GCPD for pickup."

"On it." Oracle's relief was audible, and Nightwing couldn't blame her. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he watched as a GCPD airship made its way over to him, spotlights beaming down on the chaotic city below. Memories began to surface as he looked across Gotham. It had been quite some time since he'd last stepped foot in this city, having since moved on to Blüdhaven on his own and Jump City with the Titans, but it was Gotham where he got his start. It was where his family died, only to make a new one with Bruce, Alfred, and Barbara. He had nothing but fond memories of Alfred Pennyworth and Barbara Gordon, but he had to admit that his relationship with Bruce was, and is, at times, tense. Still, the man was a father to him, one of the greatest men he had ever known and worthy of his respect.

“That’s a lot of information we are getting here,” Clover said as he quickly reads the message boxes on the screen. “Should we be concerned about these?”

“The information that I have says that I can only show them at the right time, and besides, it will take too long for me to explain,” Penny answered, earning a nod of understanding from the leader of the Ace-Ops.

"Batman to all teams." Batman's voice suddenly cut into the radio, breaking Nightwing out of his thoughts. Internally, he found it ironic that he could announce himself just as he was thinking about him, but he pushed it aside. "Robin and I are on the last bomb, Rendezvous on our position."

“Just one bomb left…” Pietro said.

“Batman and Robin got this!” Ruby cheered.

"On it. Nightwing out," Nightwing declared as he leaped off the building and extended his wingsuit.

"Speed up, man! He's gaining on us!"

"Shut up and let me drive!"

"I can't go back to jail!"

“Listen to them! They're terrified of Batman.” Elm laughed, hearing the fear in the bad guy’s voice.

“Are we hearing this from a radio?” Vine asked, noticing how similar the sound was when he talks to his earpiece.

“It’s thanks to Batman’s equipment,” Penny said. “Thanks to his optics and earpiece, they can instantly hack any electronic communication within Batman, or his protégés range so they can listen in to them without their knowledge.”

“That is a beneficial device for infiltration missions!” James said, awed again by the Dark Knight’s resourcefulness.

Over the radio, Batman and Robin heard the criminals panic as they raced after them in the Batmobile. Despite their best attempts at shaking him and his latest protégé, they were proving to be in vain. Pulling up alongside one of the sedans, through the windows of which the gangsters were firing uselessly at them, Batman sharply cut to the left, impacting the right rear tire of the vehicle. The impact caused the car to rotate to the right, forcing them to be sideswiped by the Batmobile's front end and dragged along. A shower of sparks barely masked their terrified screams, and with a groan, Robin pressed a button on his control panel. The Batmobile's front then split sideways, shearing the car in half and leaving the two halves behind them.

“Holy shit! That was crazy!” Robyn screamed with her eyes widen in disbelief, shocked as everyone else saw what the Batmobile is capable of.

"GCPD en route for pickup," Pyrrha declared as the still alive criminals sat numbly in their seats. "Batman, may I say something?"

"Proceed," Batman replied as the back of the van opened up, revealing a man wielding a minigun. He fired it at them, the high-velocity rounds bouncing off of the Batmobile's armor.

“It’s even bulletproof,” Pietro mutters in awe. “I wonder if it can withstand Dust equipped weaponry.”

"All of this seems off to me," she elaborated. "It's too easy, and the others feel the same."

“A diversion?” Blake questioned as she perked up when the alternative Pyrrha mentioned it.

“Yeah… now that Pyrrha mentioned it, it did seem easy for Batman and his team in taking down the Scarecrow’s thugs,” Jaune said, now noticing how everything seemed to be going too well.

"You think it's a diversion?" Batman calmly asked as he fired a rubber bullet from the Batmobile's main cannon, striking the minigun-wielding thug in the chest and shooting him straight back into the front end of the van.

“It even has a gun installed?!” Ruby’s eyes sparkled in awe.

"Possibly, we don't really know," Ren pointed out. "Even after all the other bombs have been defused, Crane's position is still bouncing around everywhere, almost as if there's something interfering with it."

“A jammer?” Penny said.

“So Crane has one extra bomb, and everyone else was a distraction.” Clover points out, realizing what the villain’s true intentions were. “Hate to admit it, but that was genius.”

“Why do the bad guys always have to be this smart?” Nora whined.

“Because they're crazy, and they don’t care about the consequences.” Ren quipped, getting a surprised look from his friends, knowing that he doesn’t make jokes like that. Nora laughed as she held her boyfriend close.

"I've noticed that, too," Oracle said. "It's not electronic, but more physical interference. Something big is blocking his signal from getting out."

"Plus, the amount of material in the bombs are nowhere near big enough to affect the entire city," Weiss announced. "Only enough for a few city blocks, unlike the first one he detonated. If I were a betting woman, I would say that Crane likely has a bigger bomb hidden somewhere and that the ones you have been going after are merely diversions while he sets that one up."

“And I’m willing to bet that I am right.” The viewing Weiss smirked, knowing well that she’s right.

Batman hummed to himself as he rammed the other sedan to the side, forcing it to crash into a parked car and stop in its tracks. As the man stumbled out of the wrecked vehicle, Robin already dialed the position to the GCPD.

Few of the audience cringed at the sight.

"I agree with all of you, and I've been suspecting the same thing," the Dark Knight announced as the van swerved down a tight alley, the Batmobile following straight behind it. "Were you able to find a general area where he is?"

“Leave it to the World’s Greatest Detective to figure it our first before confirmation,” Yang commented.

"Uh, maybe," Jaune replied, his voice uncertain. Batman suspected it had much to do with the shock of seeing Scarecrow's fear gas in action. "The signal seems to be concentrated, faint as it is, in the Narrows."

"Isn't that where Gotham's main water distribution system is?" Red Hood pointed out, alarm in his voice. Batman's eyes widened slightly as he realized that was the case.

“Good lord!” Maria gasped in realizing horror as her robotic eyes widen. “Crane is planning to poison Gotham’s drinking water with his fear toxin!”

Everyone gasped in horror at what the mad man is planning.

“That monster!” Winter shouted in both horror and rage. “Doesn’t he realize how much damage it will cost?”

“Crane already knows Winter,” James said as he narrowed his eyes in disgust towards Scarecrow. “I doubt he even cares.”

"He's in the sewers," Batman realized as he looked towards Robin, giving him a silent command. Acknowledging it, Robin unstrapped himself from his seat and began pressing a few buttons on the control panel. "There's a water main access pipe there. If he gets his fear toxin into it, he can infect the entire city instantly."

"Already en route," Nightwing declared, and Batman nodded.

"We'll be with you shortly." At that, Batman turned off the radio and turned his head to look at his son, who nodded in acceptance. "You take the drivers. I'll take the back."

"Got it." Robin nodded, and Batman slammed on the brakes, halting the Batmobile in its tracks. At the same time, he unstrapped himself and had the canopy open wide, throwing the Dynamic Duo out of their seats and straight towards the white van and past it. Extending their capes, they slowed their descent until the van was right below them and dropped, landing on its roof with a loud thud. Immediately gunfire rang out from below, puncturing the roof of the vehicle while the two moved in opposite directions.

“Okay. Now that was awesome!” Oscar grinned ear to ear at how awesome the stunt two did.

“That’s the Dynamic Duo!” Penny cheered. “It doesn’t matter who wears the mask of Robin, but everyone knows that Batman and Robin are unstoppable together!”

“The Dynamic Duo.” Ruby, Jaune, Oscar, Nora, and even Marrow echoed in awe.

Pulling out his sword, Robin swung the point at the passenger window and shattered it, then swung himself feet first into the passenger himself and landed between him and the driver. While the driver continued to keep his attention on the road, Robin wrestled with the passenger, forcing the man's pistol away as he fired it. The gunshots rang out through the cabin, making his ears ring and puncturing holes in the roof, but Robin persevered. Ripping it out of the man's hands, he threw it out of the van just as the passenger pulled out a knife and moved to stab the Boy Wonder. Expertly, Robin grabbed the arm and ripped the knife away, only to stab it into the man's shoulder.

"AAGH!" he screamed and clutched at the weapon while Robin turned his attention to the driver to punch him across the jaw. Disoriented, the man was helpless as Robin slammed his head against the steering wheel repeatedly until the eyes of his mask shattered, letting the toxic fumes seep into his mask. The man began to scream at unseen horrors, only to be silenced with a final punch to the temple, knocking him out. He then threw a device onto the steering wheel. One meant to serve as an automatic steering system and prevent it from veering off course.

"You bastard!" the passenger shouted as he pulled the knife out of his shoulder and tried to stab him yet again. Without missing a beat, Robin kicked the man in the wounded shoulder, causing him to clutch the wounded area in pain and allowing Robin the chance to shift the vehicle into neutral. As the van slowly decelerated, he became aware of the shouts coming from the back of the van, and he smiled at the knowledge that his father was easily winning. He then turned his attention back to the passenger and clambered over to him, where he proceeded to punch him in the face repeatedly.

"I'm not a bastard," he declared as he continued to wallop the criminal, only pausing to grasp his collar and bring him close. "I'm the son of the Batman." The criminal tried to throw a punch, only for Damian Wayne to grab his wrist and twist it sharply, breaking it. Damian then retaliated with a final punch, knocking the man out.

"And don't you forget it," Damian hissed as he moved back to the driver's seat. Nonchalantly sitting across the unconscious driver's lap, he gently moved it to a stop. Once it did, he swung his sword upwards and chopped off the steering wheel, preventing the criminals from even trying to drive off again, then cuffed them to their respective doors.

“Dahahamn! That kid is brutal!” Yang says as her eyes bulged open at the boy’s battle.

“Years of training with the League of Assassins and under the tutelage of Batman has brought him to where he is,” Winter says, both admiring Robin’s skills.

“That’s the Boy Wonder for you!” Penny cheered.

"Father, everything good on your end?" Robin asked as he climbed out of the vehicle. He was answered by a thug being violently thrown out of the van and onto the street, out cold. Nodding to himself, Robin calmly walked over to his father and watched as Batman held a man by the throat with one arm. A glance told Damian that the bomb was already disarmed, and so he made no move to intervene.

"Please don't hurt me," the thug whimpered, and Batman shook his head.

"No." The Dark Knight then punched the man across the jaw, knocking him out cold. When Batman finally dropped him, he crumpled to the floor and made no move to resist Batman cuffing him to the bumper.

“They are all brutal,” Weiss comments as she slightly winced at the punch that Batman did.

“If it gets the job done, it gets it done.” Blake shrugged.

"Did you get what you need?" Damian asked as Batman summoned the Batmobile to their location. As the vehicle pulled in, Batman pulled out a chip and inserted it into his cowl.

"Tracker, compiled from data from the other bombs," Batman answered the unasked question. "Should allow us to find Crane once we enter the sewers. Oracle and the Watchtower's assistance would be limited in there."

“Nice, now they can get that son of a bitch.” Harriet said.

"Make sense," Damian replied as he and his father entered the armored car. In the distance, he could hear the sound of police sirens zeroing in on their location while they themselves sped off towards the Narrows. As they sped through the city, carefully avoiding the crowds of panicking civilians, Damian scowled at the damage Crane wrought upon his city and gingerly touching the hilt of his sword.

"Damian," Batman's voice suddenly cut in, and Damian sighed.

"I know, Father," Damian replied. "But, seeing all of this… It's hard."

“You should see what we had to go through…” Jaune muttered, understanding what Damian was feeling. He and his friends slightly looked away at the bad memory of the Fall of Beacon.

A long pause ensued between the two of them, ending with a resigned sigh. "I know."

“Glad to know that the kid knows how to draw a line.” Qrow comments.

The two continued down the road in silence, police cars screaming past them with their sirens blaring. A few shots could be heard, but they reluctantly paid it no heed as they drove into the Narrows. The Batmobile's HUD highlighted the other vigilantes' presence. They were already in the sewers, and Batman immediately drove towards a large open pipe, one wide enough to drive through.

“Ugh… having a mission in an abandon Dust mind is one thing, but working in the sewers is not.” Marrow shudders as he remembered the foul smell that clogged up his nose.

“Oh, suck it up, Marrow!” Harriet rolled his eyes, not caring for his teammate’s distress over sewers.

"Just a heads up, reception's going to get spotty in a bit," Yang declared over the radio. "Stay safe down there."

“One of the disadvantages of communications.” Ren points out.

"We will." Batman's response was curt as he exited the vehicle. "How's the antidote coming along?"

"Quite nicely, actually. J'onn and Mr. Terrific are miracle workers. Should be ready soon."

“That’s great!” Ruby smiled.

"Understood." Clicking off his radio, Batman and Robin looked at each other before heading into the sewers, disappearing completely into the dark.

"Well, we've officially lost contact with them," Yang declared as she watched the signal disappear from the monitor. Leaning back in her chair, she took a moment to stretch out her arms, thankful that she was able to perform this action while dressed in her sleepwear. They might not have been what she wore at Beacon, but they were close enough to match. At the very least, she no longer had to withstand the sight of Jaune's Pumpkin Pete onesie, although he himself was devastated. Weiss was currently watching videos of Gotham's streets, and Yang arched her eyebrow.

“Looks like it's back showing to us now,” Jaune said.

“Aww… I wanted to see them more in action.” Nora pouted.

“I’m more curious about what my other is watching,” Weiss said.

"Weiss, mind showing us what you're looking at?" she asked, breaking the heiress out of her concentration. Shock and horror was evident on her face, something that Yang didn't blame her for. They all saw what Scarecrow's gas did to people.

Winter sadly sighs, seeing her alternate sister’s reaction, and she couldn’t blame her for reacting like that after seeing what the fear toxin is capable of.

"I… okay." Weiss sighed and did as requested, moving an amalgamation of different views onto the larger screen above them. They watched as overworked police officers and SWAT members tried to restore a semblance of order to their city while terrified civilians either ran away from anything they saw or, even worse, attacked each other. "Gods, this is terrible."

“It may not have any Grimm, but it doesn’t change the fact of how much damage this can do.” James points out.

"I don't think even the White Fang would have done something like this," Blake muttered, her ears dropped to her head. "Why would anyone make something like this?"

“Because they're crazy, psychotic, and beyond reasoning.” The viewing Blake narrowed her eyes as she recalled a certain bull Faunus who was beyond redemption. He may have started as a good man initially, but as time moved, he began to reveal his true nature, which caused her to leave. She may have felt pain and sadness as she and Yang were killed, but she felt no regret ending Adam’s life after moving on and watching.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know," Weiss answered with a shudder. They all stared in silence at what they were seeing, forcing themselves not to look away. In their minds, they needed to see this. Jaune then developed a look of horrified realization on his face, and his body shuddered.

“Oh no… what am I thinking?” The viewing Jaune winced, seeing his younger self’s reaction.

"Jaune, what's wrong?" Pyrrha asked, the awkwardness from before now completely gone. After a moment, he shook his head and looked back at his friends.

"I just had a thought. Seeing all this, the fear that this stuff is inflicting makes me really happy that Earth doesn't have Grimm." Everyone went silent and pondered his words for a moment, then simultaneous looks of horror crossed their faces, making them shudder.

“Oh. We already came up with that conclusion.” The viewing Jaune relaxed since he and his fellow Remnantiants already came up with that conclusion.

“And super glad that there’s nothing on Remnant that can replicate the fear toxin,” Oscar said.

“Unless there’s a Semblance for that,” Ren said, making everyone shudder at the thought.

"Gods, if someone had made this on Remnant…" Weiss whispered, thinking of the horrific possibilities.

"Entire cities would fall overnight," Ren finished the thought. Memories of his hometown flashed through his mind, and he clenched his fist. He then felt a hand press on it, and he looked to see a concerned Nora holding it. He relaxed and took her hand into his own, making them both faintly smile.

The viewing Ren and Nora did the same, both being glad that the very monster plagued their nightmares and ruined their childhood is now dead.

"We should be down there," Ruby suddenly declared. "We should be helping them, not watching from above, unable to do anything."

“Really? Even with all that chaos and when Batman said that he didn’t need help?” Harriet raised a brow.

“Yes,” Ruby answered determinately without a second thought. “I will never abandon those who need help, and I will do everything I can without sacrifice.”

Harriet silently stares at the young huntress, then turns her head back on the screen as she mentally asks herself this question while she scowls. “Seriously… what is up with these kids?”

Jaune sighed and shook his head. "Ruby, you know what Batman and the others said. They don't want us down there, end of story."

The viewing Jaune was surprised that his other said that, knowing very well that he would agree with Ruby and help the people of Gotham.

“You’re taking their side on that?” The viewing Yang said, slightly accusing Jaune but was also confused.

“Hey, don’t look at me. I’m just as confused as you are.” The leader of JNR defended.

"You're taking their side on this?" Yang accused, and Jaune shook his head.

"No, I agree with Ruby. We should be down there, and frankly, seeing all of this and being unable to do anything about it is infuriating," Jaune declared, his eyes showing how angry he truly was. "But, like it or not, we're in no position to do anything about it. The only way down there is via teleporter or Javelin, and I highly doubt that anyone is going just to let us waltz on in there and help out directly." Everyone stared at the boy before Yang sighed and crossed her arms. He was right, but that didn't mean she liked it.

“Glad to know that my other’s has a good reason.” Jaune sighs in relief.

“Doubt that’s going to stop our others from helping.” Blake points out.

"We have to do something," Nora insisted, and Blake shook her head.

“Yeah!” The viewing Nora agreed with her other.

"Nora, I think Jaune's right here," Blake said as she turned back to her individual monitor. Flashing across her screen were names and criminal records of all of Scarecrow's goons, all of whom appeared to be career criminals. Most were former inmates at a prison in Gotham named Blackgate Penitentiary, repeated inmates at that. Crane pulled from a wide selection pool for this job, with the arrested ranging from arsonists and thieves to murderers and simple thugs. She wasn't overly concerned with that, however. What she was most concerned with was how they got their equipment.

"Anyone know what this symbol means?" Blake asked as she pulled up an image of a man's rifle, a symbol of a penguin attached to the side of the magazine holder. Weiss quickly wheeled around and began searching in the database before pulling it up.

“Is that a penguin?” The cat Faunus narrowed her eyes as she focuses on the symbol.

"I think I got it," she replied as a picture of a portly man appeared on the screen. He was wearing a thick coat with a top hat, a monocle on his face, and holding a black umbrella. "Oswald Cobblepot, owner of the Iceberg Lounge as well as the largest weapons dealer on the east coast. Also known as the Penguin. Can't imagine why…"

“A weapons dealer?” James narrowed his eyes towards this Oswald Cobblepot. “Why hasn’t this man been arrested yet?”

“Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin the Iceberg Lounge owner or the Iceberg Casino, is well-known and popular in Gotham,” Penny explained. “Though it does serve as a front for the Penguin’s criminal activity, he has countless lawyers that aid him in his protection and release when arrested.”

“So another Junior,” Yang comments but snorted. “That’s one heck of a nose, though.”

"I'll say. Look at his nose." Yang snorted in obvious disgust. "Think he supplied the bombs, too?"

"No, I don't think so. Someone else did." Weiss shook her head. "From the League's records, I can only imagine a handful of people who could."

“There are other groups like Penguin?” Clover said in concern.

“With how things are going on Earth, I’m not really that surprised.” Qrow said.

Two images then appeared on the screen. Weiss zoomed in on the first, showing a bearded man with large mutton chops, as well as an insane look in his eye. "Ra's al Ghul, Arabic for "the Head of the Demon". An extreme ecoterrorist who believes that mankind is destroying all life on the planet, and as such, works to prevent that. His organization, the League of Assassins, has been responsible for numerous atrocities throughout the millennia. The Black Plague, the assassination of Arch-Duke Ferdinand, the Spanish Flu, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Fire of London, to name a few, all in the name of bringing humanity to a so-called 'manageable state', if not simply wiping everyone out."

“So he’s the leader of the League of Assassins…” The viewing Blake muttered as she narrowed as she was slightly comparing it to the old White Fang. Granted, the League is far more senior than the White Fang, and their goals are somewhat justifying but at the cost of countless innocents. It disgusts her.

"Guy's a basket case," Yang noted. "Wait, hold up. It says here he's centuries old. He only looks thirty."

Everyone blinked in surprise at what the alternate Yang said but not as surprised at the particular group.

“What?” Ruby asked while she began to grow nervous.

"There's something about Lazarus Pits in here," Jaune pointed out as he focused on the section in question. "Apparently, hidden around the world are naturally occurring pits of chemicals. These chemicals can… bring people back to life? What the hell…?"

“What the heck? A pit of chemicals that can bring back the dead?” Marrow said, slightly freaked out that something like that is possible.

“So what? Are you telling us this Raish guy is immortal?” Harriet raised a brow, not buying what she was listening to while unknowingly pronouncing the name wrong.

However, those familiar with the term widen their eyes in pure shock but fortunately remained silent without the others knowing. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing. Earth has its own immortal?! That was something none of them expected.

"I see it, too," Ruby declared as she pulled up a video of a pit on action. It showed Ra's' lifeless body being hurled by an assassin into a green pool, only for the dead man to rejuvenate and appear youthful suddenly. He also began screaming, a mad look in his eye. "They also drive a person crazy, at least temporarily."

“Geez! That… is that even worth it?” Robyn cringed as she shrunk in her seat at the sight of Ra’s revival while seeing his state of madness.

“If you’re a mad man, then probably.” James also cringed at sight in slight horror. Who would be willing to do that continuously?

The others who knew the truth silently watching couldn’t help but cringe at the sight couldn’t help but flinch, seeing that this is what Salem similarly did when she jumped in the Pool of Grimm.

“Has…anyone in the Justice League ever faced him?” Ruby slowly asked.

“Oh yes, he is one of Batman’s greatest foes.” Penny answered, surprising everyone.

“Wait. Batman faced this immortal guy before?” Yang asked, surprised by that revelation.

Penny nodded. “Yes, in fact, they have battled against each other for many years, and mostly, it is Batman who won every time.”

“Batman defeated him and his assassins all the time even though he’s immortal?” Oscar asked.

“Yes! Despite his immortality and the countless years of training and knowledge, the Dark Knight always finds a way to stop him no matter how impossible it seems to be.” The gynoid stated, impressing everyone at Batman again while Ruby’s group was in deep thought about this revelation. Batman faced against an immortal and won more times than once! If he could do it, could they do the same?

“Does he got any powers or anything?” Nora curiously asks.

“No, he doesn’t. Ra’s al Ghul is a master martial artist and tactical master who has been leading the League of Assassins ever since its founding.” Penny answered, making Ruby’s group silently sigh that he may be immortal but has no powers that match against Salem.

“Aw.” Nora weakly smiled, but inwardly she was disappointed. “I guess even being immortal; you can’t get any powers aside from coming back from the dead.”

“Actually, there are other immortal aside from Ra’s al Ghul.” This earned a ‘WHAT?!’ from everyone as Penny nodded, ignoring the outburst. “The files are sealed, but they show that their others that existed far longer than Ra’s, each with their own unique powers that may be seen as godlike.”

This fact scared everyone in the room but got Oscar thinking.

“Has the Justice League faced these threats before?” The current incarnation of Ozma asked.

“They have before countless time and time again, but through their hard work and determination, they manage to pull through and beat them!” Penny happily said, making everyone awe at one of the many achievements the Justice League has ever faced. This even gave a sense of hope for Ruby’s group as they plan to face against Salem. More determined than before, they decide to watch more in hopes of defeating her.

"Geez," Nora softly stated. "What about the next guy?" Weiss pulled up the other image, showing a sharply dressed bald man. They recognized him immediately. "Luthor."

The audience groans in annoyance hearing that name.

“Skip him. We already know who that creep is.” Robyn snarled, not needing to have a reminder of Lex Luthor.

"Based off what the League told us about him, it wouldn't surprise me if he's the one backing and supplying Crane," Weiss snarled. "Everything I read about this man makes me despise him even more."

"No arguments here," Jaune muttered before turning back towards his monitor. "I'm forwarding the data to Oracle now. She might know what to do with it better than we can."

“Hopefully, she can figure out this dilemma.” Pietro said.

Just then, the monitor showing Batman's team flickered to life, attracting everyone's attention. "Oh, hey. We can see… What the heck is that?!" Yang shouted as she and the others saw everyone but Batman fighting a massive creature. It stood on two legs and towered over everyone, his body covered in reptilian scales and his teeth sharpened into fangs. Quickly, Ren began typing away into his monitor and pulled up a match, and he began reading.

“Who or what is that thing?!” Marrow shouts in pure shock and horror, knowing full well that what he sees before him is no Faunus.

"Waylon Jones, otherwise known as Killer Croc," Ren read aloud. "Born with regressive atavism, which resulted in his body looking more and more reptilian with each passing year. He was ostracized for it and eventually embraced it, becoming what he is now. Lives in Gotham's sewer system in complete isolation, except for when he is interred in Arkham Asylum and is known for eating people on occasion."

Everyone felt uncomfortable listening to that information. To think that atavism would result in a human into a crocodilelike human, and what’s worse is that he is a cannibal.

“That’s… I don’t even know what to say.” Maria said, not knowing what to describe such a thing to be possible.

“I’m starting to think that the people of Earth have it worse than us in Remnant.” Jaune comments, making everyone nod in agreement.

“It’s a good thing that there are heroes like the Justice League are there to protect it.” Ruby smiled like there Huntsmen there will always be good people to fight for what’s right.

"Gods above…"

"Waylon, calm down!" they heard Nightwing shout over the radio, punctured by gunshots that bounced off Killer Croc's hide. Robin moved to stab him in the back, but the blade barely broke the skin before Waylon turned around, grabbed the boy, and threw him across the room with an animalistic roar. "You're under the effects of Scarecrow's toxin!"

“A psychotic giant cannibal human crocodile under the effects of the fear toxin… great.” Elm sarcastically said.

“Without a doubt, a difficult foe to face against,” Vine comments, thinking that even he and his team would have great difficulty facing against Killer Croc as he watches the fight.

"Leave! My! Home!" Killer Croc roared as he charged Nightwing, ramming straight through concrete pillars like they were nothing. Nightwing rolled out of the way while throwing a pair of explosive wing-dings at the man, exploding harmlessly against his scaly skin. At the same time, Red Hood continued firing his pistols one after another, despite them doing nothing against him.

“His skin is way too thick! I even doubt there’s even a Faunus with that kind of trait.” Blake says, shocked that despite Killer Croc is no Faunus but is genuinely a threat.

"Dammit!" he cursed before diving out of the way of a thrown chunk of concrete. "We have to take this guy down!"

"I'm trying!" Batwoman replied as she fired her pistol at the man. Seeing how it was doing nothing, she holstered it and zipped away while Spoiler and Batgirl ducked underneath a swing of his arms and uppercutted him. The twin blows did nothing but leave them exposed to his grasp. He threw them up into the air then back down, knocking the air out of their lungs and leaving them exposed to an attempted stomp. Before his massive foot made contact, a flashbang was thrown into his head and exploded, causing him to stumble back and allowing the two to move to safety.

“Despite their disadvantage, they still work perfectly as a team against him,” James comments, admiring their teamwork and relentlessness against Killer Croc.

“Yes, but where’s Batman?” Clover said, not seeing the Dark Knight among his protégé.

"Where's Batman?" Ruby suddenly asked, causing Nora to cycle through the feeds available to them. After a few moments, they found him, and Nora brought the feed in question on screen. He was fighting Scarecrow in a room a hundred feet from Killer Croc's lair, a large bomb connected to a water main. To their alarm, they saw it was armed.

“There he is!” Qrow points out.

"You're too late, Batman," Scarecrow declared while throwing a hook at the vigilante. "In a few moments, my toxin will flood Gotham City, vaporizing, and filling the air. All will know what fear truly is."

“He’s insane!” Winter snarled.

"You're insane, Crane," Batman retorted while kicking the deranged ex-psychologist in the chest, sending him back into a railing. "Give it up and come quietly. No one else has to get hurt."

"On the contrary, my research depends on it." Scarecrow creepily laughed, sending shivers down RWBY and JNPR's spines.

Even the audience shiver at Scarecrow’s laugh. “Ugh… his laugh is so creepy!” Ruby shivered as she led herself.

"Is everyone in Gotham just a guinea pig to you?"

“Disgusting… this freak reminds me too much of Merlot.” Qrow snarled, remembering what the lengths the psychotic doctor would do for the sake of studying and experimenting on Grimm.

“Just be glad these two will never meet.” James said, making everyone shiver in the possibility.

"Yes." Crane's casual indifference shocked RWBY and JNPR to their core. Briefly, they were reminded of Brainiac's dismissal of them, but those thoughts subsided as Batman and Scarecrow continued their fight. Turning their attention to the other fight adjacent to them, they noticed how several more concrete pillars were now completely destroyed, and a noticeable crack was appearing on the ceiling. The vigilantes were vaulting themselves above Killer Croc, and at the top of their arcs were spraying tiny amounts of gel onto the cracked ceiling, and at once, the huntsmen realized what they were doing.

“Genius!” Clover shouts, amazed at what the protégés are doing. “While Batman faces against Scarecrow, he’s unaware that Batman’s team are planning to take down Croc right on top of him.”

“That’s… that’s really impressive.” Harriet admits seeing the genius in that strategy.

"They're going to bring the roof down on him," Yang realized with an approving nod. The others nodded in appreciation as well, continuing to watch the vigilantes fight the criminals. A thought then sprang to mind, and she turned to look at Ren. "Can we talk to them?"

"No," Ren declared with a shake of his head. "We're lucky enough to get video and audio. If we try to talk to them, then…" Just then, the audio and video cut off into static, making everyone groan. "Then we get that."

Most of the viewers wined at their predicament, being unable to see the plan happen.

“But I want to see them getting beaten up!” Nora pouts in annoyance while Ren just pats her shoulder.

"Great, just perfect," Nora grunted in both annoyance and concern. "What are we supposed to do now?"

“Not much to do know seeing that the crisis is close to being averted,” Weiss said.

"Wait, I guess," Jaune suggested, disappointment creeping into his voice. Ruby then looked at everyone, seeing the dejected look on their faces, and straightened herself.

"They'll be fine, I know it. You'll see," she expressed. The others nodded at her then she turned back to her station, as did the others. Seeing a blinking light, she pressed it, and a video of J'onn J'onzz appeared on her monitor. "Hey, J'onn. Is the antidote ready?"

“Good to know that you’re still positive at these situations, Rubes.” Yang smiled while her sister smiles at her sister’s comment.

"Yes, Ruby. Mr. Terrific and I have managed to create a viable cure," J'onn replied in his familiar monotone. Ruby couldn't help but admit to herself that she found it kind of creepy before remembering that he could read her mind. "Don't worry. I am not offended. I do need you, however, to notify the pandemic teams, put them on standby for arrival into Gotham."

“Sorry, J’onn!” The viewing Ruby apologized on behalf of her counterpart, making her friends chuckles at her action.

"Will do," Ruby stated as the monitor shut off. She then turned to the intercom and moved to press down on it, only to see Weiss already doing so.

"Pandemic Teams to the teleporter bay. Pandemic teams to the teleporter bay," she declared into the intercom. She then looked at Ruby and shrugged her shoulders.

“I see you’re one step ahead as usual.” Ruby smirked towards her partner.

Weiss huffed with a smile. “Well, someone has to pick up your slack.”

“Hey!”

"Thanks, Weiss."

"No problem, Ruby." Weiss turned back to her station and continued to work, but Ruby could see it was reluctant. She could see it in all of them. Despite what Jaune said to them earlier, they still wanted to be down there, wanted to help more directly. But with Batman and the League forbidding it, they couldn't do anything. Dejected, Ruby turned her attention towards the monitor and saw the pandemic teams running towards the teleporter bay, carts of antidotes following after them. Nudging her partner, she directed Weiss's attention to what she was seeing. After a moment, Weiss' face morphed with realization.

Even the viewing Weiss and her friends realized what alternate Ruby was thinking while their Ruby was smiling, realizing what her other was plotting. While others also slowly began to understand what her plan is.

"Seriously, Ruby?" Her partner raised a brow with a deadpan look.

“I’m not one planning it.” Ruby said with a cheeky smile.

"Absolutely not."

The viewing Weiss just sighs as she shook her head, knowing full well what will happen next.

The GCPD building was a hive of activity as uniformed officers directed calls from panicked civilians and to the officers on the field, not to mention federal agencies. Commissioner James Gordon sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, exhausted after a long night. It had started off so peacefully, too. Or as peaceful as any night in Gotham could be.

“That’s James Gordon, the commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department or the GCPD for short.” Penny introduces. “He assists Batman by assigning him bizarre and impossible cases to him for the past twenty years.”

“A police department that aids vigilantes?” Winter said, surprised by this case but blinked as she recognized the last name. “Gordon? As in Barbara Gordon?”

“Yes, he is Barbara Gordon’s father.” Penny nodded, surprising everyone by that fact.

“Whoa! Seriously? Does he even know that?” Yang asked.

“No. James does not know that Barbara is working with the Batman.” Penny answered. “She has kept this from her father ever since her first debut as Batgirl.”

"Here," a woman suddenly announced, breaking Jim out of his thoughts. Looking to his side, he saw Detective Renee Montoya holding a steaming cup of coffee, offering another to him.

“Detective Renee Montoya,” Penny revealed. “A skilled detective who aids the commissioner and the Batman.”

“She seems nice.” Ruby comments.

"Thanks, Renee." Gordon gratefully took the cup and sipped it, noting the bitter taste. Black, just as he liked it. "Any word from Batman?"

"Nothing yet," Renee revealed with a sigh as she sat down next to him. "Harvey is taking a couple of officers to the Narrows now. Going to try and enter the sewers and get Crane into custody before Batman can get to him."

“This Harvey guy doesn’t seem to like Batman.” Jaune notes.

“Harvey Bullock, a Detective like Renee, who is her partner,” Penny answered. “Originally a rough police officer with very little respect for vigilantes like Batman but through the countless years working with James and begrudgingly with the Batman he shapes himself becoming a proper man of the law although he still doesn’t like Batman and develops a rivalry towards him.”

“Huh. If a guy like that can shape into a decent man, then I guess there’s hope for the idiots back in the VPD.” Qrow comments while knowing how insufficient the police can be when they don’t do their job correctly.

Gordon couldn't help but laugh at that. "Bullock always did hate Batman showing him up, so I'm not surprised." He got out of his seat and put on his coat and hat. "I'm going to the roof."

"Alright," Renee said as the commissioner walked to the elevator. Pressing a button, he waited for a moment before the doors opened, giving him entrance. They then shut behind him, and the car carried him up to the roof. As it did, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his pipe along with a lighter before finally stepping outside to the roof. Walking past the Bat-signal, he was briefly reminded of how much he had used the damn thing over the last twenty years, but by now, he had stopped caring. Gotham needed all the help she could get, and while at one point he would have preferred Batman working with the GCPD more directly, now he simply took what he could get. He stopped at the edge of the roof and brought his pipe to his mouth, then began to light it. A small spark of flame ignited the tobacco inside its container, allowing the smoke to fill his lungs, which he then breathed out.

“Smoking is never healthy for you.” Maria sarcastically chastised the commissioner earning a few chuckles and eye-rolls from the audience.

"You know that stuff will kill you, right?" he heard someone ask, and with a faint smile, he recognized her voice immediately. Turning around, he saw his daughter roll up to him in her wheelchair, the same one she had been forced to stay in for the past three years.

"Barbara, what are you doing out here?" he asked as she made her way over to him, and she smiled.

“Wait. That’s Barbara?!” Jaune says with his eyes widen at the disabled girl in shock. He wasn’t the only one. The rest of the audience is surprised by this, as well. “Is that why she stepped down from being Batgirl?”

"Didn't want to leave you out here alone," Barbara Gordon revealed, stopping next to her father. The two looked out over Gotham City's skyline, content to be silently comforted by the other. Gordon couldn't help but glance at his daughter's wheelchair, and his mind flashed to that horrible night three years prior what that clown had done to her out of simple cruelty, trying to make a point about the human condition. He wouldn't lie and say that he wouldn't have killed him then and there once he finally got freed, but he never got the chance. Batman had already gotten to him, and he'd beaten the Joker so thoroughly that the Clown Prince of Crime spent the next three months in a coma. Of course, that was nothing like when he killed the second Robin. Then he'd spent a year in a coma. But, as always, the Joker recovered, only to continue spreading chaos and murder to his city.

Everyone learning about what happened to the previous Batgirl was horrified that such a tragedy has happened to her all because of this Joker. The mere mention of the name made everyone had mixed feelings about him, but one thing they all had in common is that they all despise the Clown Prince of Crime, but they are also pleased that Batman gave him a thorough beating for what he did.

“Who the heck is this Joker?” Harriet snarled though not knowing what he looks like but hearing everything about what he has done and what he did after made her despise him even more.

“Much of the files regarding the Joker are sealed, but all it says that he is Batman’s most dangerous and unpredictable foe he has ever faced in his early career.” Penny answered, learning a bit about the Crown Prince of Crime.

"Dad, you're getting angry again," Barbara chided him, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Barbara smiled and took his hand. "Look, I know that you still blame yourself for what happened, but it's okay." Gordon moved to retort, but a stern look from his daughter silenced him, and he sighed. It wasn't the first time they'd had this discussion, and it most certainly wouldn't be the last, but he'd let it slide.

“Glad to know that the old man shows this much love for her kid.” Robyn comments while Winter and Weiss narrowed their eyes and looked away, reminding themselves how much their father meant nothing to them and that he only cares about himself.

"I'm proud of you, you know."

"I know, Dad." Barbara smiled, thinking he was talking about how she'd risen above her paralysis. She was correct, but Gordon was proud of her for other reasons, reasons she thought he didn't know about. He was content, however, to continue letting her think that way.

“Even in a state of paralysis, she is still a remarkable person.” Pietro says, happy to see a fellow cripple not giving in to her condition. Her being Oracle is proof of that.

"James," he heard Harvey Bullock's gruffy voice over the radio, getting Gordon's attention immediately.

"Bullock, what is it?" Gordon asked over his radio while he and his daughter moved to the elevator.

"We got 'em." Gordon sighed in relief at the news, and he could hear Bullock's relief as well. This long night was finally coming to a close.

“It's finally over…” Weiss sighed in relief.

“Let's not get our hopes up, yet there's still the case of interrogating Crane in how he was supplied with bombs.” James points out.

"I'll have a cell waiting for him in the precinct," Gordon revealed as he and Barbara entered the main room of the building.

"Uh, about that…" Harvey got out, making the commissioner sigh. Something told him he wasn't going to enjoy that. "You're gonna want to prep a special containment cell as well."

"Why?"

"The Bat's kids had to take down Killer Croc to get to Crane. On the bright side, we finally caught him."

“Aww.” Ruby pouted in disappointment. “But we didn’t get the chance to see it happen.”

Gordon sighed and pinched his nose. "I'll send over a chopper to get him. Just get Crane over here."

"Will do. Bullock out." The radio shut off at the declaration and allowed Gordon to collapse onto his chair. Barbara wheeled next to him and nodded her head.

"Anything you want me to do, Dad?"

"Just… do what you need to do, Babs." Gordon smiled at her, and she did in turn. She then turned around and moved to her isolated office, the walls of which were covered in monitors she used to keep track of anything the GCPD needed her to expertly, and more. As she shut the door behind her, Gordon reminded himself of how proud of her he was, even if she didn't know the full reason why.

“Impressive work area.” Vine comments, seeing the equipment around Oracle.

“She really is Batman’s eyes and ears.” Elm said.

When Batman and his various protégés finally entered the GCPD building, Gordon was already waiting for them in the garage. His hands tucked away in his pockets. Men and women wearing HAZMAT suits and rebreathers, each bearing the Justice League's insignia, moved around him and carted vials of antidotes with them. Batman had seen flights of Javelins fly overhead as he made his approach, dispersing clouds of antidote to affected areas, but the more contained vials were for those most severely afflicted.

“And the Justice League arrives with the antidotes.” Ruby smiled, glad to know that the chaos is over, and the League has arrived to clean up the aftermath.

“Very creative in how they counter the fear toxin with clouds of antidotes.” James said, impressed in their creativity in cleaning the affected area of Gotham.

"Batman," Gordon nodded, and Batman nodded in turn. "This whole night has been a mess."

“Understatement of the year.” Yang sarcastically said.

"I know, Jim," Batman agreed with the commissioner. Behind him, he heard a police squad car pull up behind the Batmobile, out of which came Harvey Bullock and a pair of heavily armed SWAT officers. Their weapons were trained on a handcuffed Jonathan Crane, his mask off of him and revealing an unrepentant look on his smug face.

“And here’s the man of the hour.” Marrow sarcastically glared at the lunatic.

"You think you've won, but you haven't. I've already gotten the research that I needed, how to improve my formula. You can't stop fear, Batman."

“Why do captured criminals always have to have a say in the end.” Elm sighs in annoyance, remembering when she and her teams would always capture criminals, and they would still curse and swear as there are being taken away to their jail cells.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell it to the judge, you creep," Bullock spat at the lunatic and pushed him further into the precinct. Batman watched as he disappeared into the building, his hand hovering next to a Batarang. Robin was doing the same thing. Only his hand was resting on the hilt of his sword.

“So that’s Bullock?” Qrow raised a brow, having a good look at the detective. “Rather chubby for a detective.”

"He's going to be locked up in Arkham, where he belongs," Gordon revealed and followed after them. "Jones is being airlifted to the roof now. He'll be joining him."

“I can imagine with size.” Ren points out.

"Waylon was affected with the fear toxin," Batman pointed out. "His attacking us was not his fault."

“He’s defending Killer Croc?” Weiss says, surprised that the Dark Knight would defend a criminal.

“Batman may face against criminals and take them to justice, but that doesn’t mean he’s not fair when it comes to law.” Penny points out.

"I know," Gordon replied, "but the fact is he still escaped Iron Heights two months ago. He's an escaped convict, and the law requires me to intern him."

“A good reason for him to return to prison.” Clover points out.

"He only escaped because of the experiments they were doing to him," Batman pointed out, making Gordon frown.

“What?!” Everyone shouts in shock, learning this.

“They experimented on Waylon in prison?!” Blake says in disgust and horror.

“Sadly yes, it happened under the secrecy of the corrupt Warden Ranken who did illegal experimentations of other convicts aside from Waylon Jones. Fortunately, Batman discovered his corruption and was stripped from his position and imprisoned after.” Penny answered while everyone was glad to know that the warden got what he deserved.

"Don't remind me. Ranken got life in prison for the stunt he pulled." Gordon's rage was palpable, and Batman couldn't blame him. He had been the one to bring Ranken down in the first place, although he had to stop Jones from killing the former warden to do so. That fight brought down the Iron Heights airship, allowing Croc to escape in the confusion. "Why are you defending him?"

“Yeah… why is he?” Harriet raised a brow.

"I'm not," Batman insisted, remembering how even though Croc's actions were justified, he still killed many people in his escape attempt. "Just asking you to take that into consideration."

“That’s fair, I suppose.” James admits.

"I will, don't worry." The two stopped as the elevator doors opened, revealing Killer Croc as he was escorted to a clear cylindrical cell on the far side of the room. Once he noticed the Dark Knight, he stopped and turned to face him, anger on his face. He didn't say anything, however, before continuing on and getting into his cell. League workers continued to move around the building, preparing to go out into the city itself, when Gordon silently tapped Batman's side. An obvious signal if he'd ever seen one, Batman followed his gaze to a group of eight individuals wearing HAZMAT suits clustered together, their backs turned to him. Six of them appeared to be female, while the other two were male. Even though their bodies were obscured by their suits, their nervousness was easily seen

“Twenty guesses who those people in the HAZMAT suits are.” Yang grinned while her friends chuckled, and the others just rolled their eyes while some were disappointed, especially ones from Atlas.

“Really? You kids would really go this far?” Harriet questioned.

“We did steal Manta to get to Atlas, so yeah, we're willing to go that far.” Nora grinned, reminding them how they got away with that much to Harriet’s growing annoyance towards them.

'They didn't…" Batman's eyes widened in realization, only for anger to bubble up inside of him. Taking his cue, Gordon acted and moved over to them.

“Well… I wonder how Batman’s going to talk to guys now.” Oscar nervously said while secretly being glad that he wasn’t there to listen to Batman’s lecture.

Both RWBY and JNR silently gulped nervously about what will happen next.

"Hey, quit standing around! I need you up on the roof," he ordered them. They jumped slightly then carried out his orders, moving to the elevator far too quickly. Gordon watched as the elevator doors closed, and he turned to face the Batman and ask who they were, only to find him already gone. Used to this response, Gordon walked to the stairs and began to climb it, content to give Batman the time he needed to chew whoever those people were out.

“Whoa! How did he do that?!” Marrow said, eyes wide open at Batman’s disappearance.

“I didn’t even hear him leave.” Blake says in surprise, even with her Faunus trait, and she couldn’t hear anything.

"I'm am going to ask you this once." Batman's voice was chilling as he stared at the group ahead of him, his body tight and filled with irritation. "Why. Are. You. Here?"

Most of the audience's spined shiver hearing the intimidation in Batman’s voice.

“Wow! Even his voice can be terrifying.” Ruby shivered in her seat.

“I’ll admit even I’m going to have a hard time staying cool to that guy.” Qrow admits earning a shock from her nieces.

“Ain’t that a surprise.” Winter sarcastically grinned to form drunk.

Qrow’s eye twitched in slight annoyance. “Oh, please don’t pretend your not the only one freaking out from the Dark Knight.”

Winter just frowned and said nothing, but truthfully, she was slightly terrified of the Dark Knight. The only reason she wasn’t scared of him was that Batman is on the side of good.

Ruby awkwardly chuckled and rubbed the back of her head, her rebreather covering her embarrassed smile. They were no longer wearing the HAZMAT suits, which meant her embarrassment was no longer hidden. "Well, you see…"

"We wanted to help, and with the situation contained, we thought it was a good time to come down," Yang revealed, much more confidently than her younger sister. Batman shifted his glare to her, and she stared right back.

“Okay, going to admit that is one scary glare, but I’m not backing away.” The viewing Yang confidently said while her younger sister was thankfully for standing up for her.

"I specifically told you that you were not allowed to be down here. Not yet," Batman countered, the rest of his protégés standing behind him.

“Looks like everyone is here.” Robyn comments.

"I don't see what the problem is. We're wearing these suits and rebreathers, and Scarecrow's locked away. We weren't even planning on fighting anybody, just going around to help disburse the antidote," Yang insisted, her arms crossed.

"That is not the point!" Batman suddenly yelled, shocking the huntsmen. "You deliberately disobeyed a direct order, putting yourselves in danger that you are not ready for, even if you think you are, and you left the monitor station empty!"

“I won’t lie, children, but even I can tell that Batman has a point.” Maria said.

“You don’t need to remind us Qrow pretty much made it clear to us.” Jaune said while the former drunk nodded in agreement.

“Know that I think about t we pretty much left the monitors station unattended.” Ren points out what Batman says, making his friends cringe at the mistake.

"No we did not!" Nora countered. "We got someone to cover for us!"

“We did?” RWBY and JNR blinked.

"Who?"

"Skeets, I have a question."

"Yes, Booster?"

"How long does it take for eight kids to use the restroom?"

"That depends. Why?"

"Because," Booster Gold replied to Skeets, throwing his arms out wide to emphasize how only he and the diminutive flying gold robot were in the monitor room, "I'm beginning to think we've been duped."

“He’s… shiny?” Ruby tilted her head, finding the right words for this hero. “Who are they?”

“That’s Michael Carter, also known as Booster Gold and his robotic companion Skeets.” Penny answered. “They are heroes who came from the future.”

“The future!?” Weiss says in shock along with everyone. “As in, they time-traveled back to the past?”

“That’s right.”

“Wow! I wonder why a hero from the future is doing in the past.” Oscar wondered.

“Because he sucks in the future.” Penny nonchalantly said, shocking everyone in the future.

“W-What?” Ruby says in disbelief.

“He tried being a hero in the future but keeps doing everything wrong and became a laughingstock which brought I the idea to go be a hero in the past, and ironically he becomes successful enough to be part of the Justice League thanks with the help with Skeet.” Penny said, earning an unsure look from everyone.

“I guess… good for him?” Oscar slowly says, unsure even himself.

"Remind me to have a chat with Booster Gold when I get back," Batman growled and shook his head. "Regardless, you should not be down here in the first place. You are to stay right here and wait as the Watchtower teleports you back up to them."

“Well, it looks like the answer is still no.” Robyn said.

"What? But-?" They all protested, only to be silenced with a glare. Batman stomped to the other end of the roof, already dialing the Watchtower's teleporter bay, when his radio suddenly came to life.

"Master Bruce, if I may?" Alfred suddenly spoke, halting Batman in his tracks.

“Alfred?” Weiss blinked, recognizing the butler’s voice. “Why is he calling Bruce?”

"What is it, Alfred?" Batman asked, his hand hovering over the transceiver button to contact the Watchtower.

"I'm afraid that their minds are already made up, and simply sending them back when they've already arrived will only be counterproductive."

“I… actually won’t deny that logic.” Qrow comments being a professor himself even he understands that.

Winter widens her eyes, realizing what the butler was suggesting. “He’s not suggesting…”

"Are you suggesting…?"

"Yes, actually," Alfred cut him off. "Need I remind you of another man who did the exact same thing when he wasn't ready?"

This earned a few chuckles as they did their best in holding it in.

“Batman being a rookie?” Yang snickered. “Now, that’s something I would like to see.”

“Everyone starts somewhere, even the Dark Knight himself.” James said even he admits that he had to go through sweat, blood, and tears to reach where he is.

Batman knew who he talking about, and he shook his head. "Alfred, this isn't the same thing."

"Quite so, Master Bruce. After all, they simply came down to assist recovery in the aftermath rather than leaping straight into battle." When the Dark Knight didn't dignify his butler's sass with a response, Alfred continued with his point. "I'm not asking you to send them off to fight criminals, but surely keeping them around to help wouldn't be all that bad."

“He… actually has a point.” Jaune admits not actually thinking about that idea.

“I didn’t think about that idea at all.” Clover admits. “Combat isn’t always a necessity for helping people.”

"It very well can be, Alfred."

"As bad as implying you don't trust them?" Alfred pointed out, halting whatever Batman had to say in its tracks. Seeing his opening, Alfred continued on. "I agree that they should have stayed up in the Watchtower, but what's done is done. They are down here, and if you want them to stay with us, then you'll need them to show that you trust them. Otherwise, all of your efforts will be in vain."

The adults began to slowly agree to the older man’s wisdom even when he admits that it's dangerous but won’t deny that this experience may help shape the children in this new world.

While the young adults were awed by the wisdom, Alfred said and touched how he would give them the chance to make their alternate slaves grow much closer to Batman.

“He truly is a father figure to Bruce.” Weiss smiled warmly towards Alfred as she imagined how well he and Klein would be wonderful friends if the two meets.

Batman sighed at his butler's statement, and slowly, his hand went way from the transceiver. Turning around, he walked back towards the Remnantians, his fist still clenched but no longer angrily.

"Alright."

RWBY and JNR inwardly screamed ‘yes’ as they clenched their fists at Batman’s approval.

"What?" Jaune asked in confusion.

"You eight can stay and help." At his announcement, his protégés looked surprised, and the Remnantians overjoyed, only for Batman to silence them with a raised hand. "But, there are limits. None of you are to leave the precinct for any reason, and you will stay with one of them at all times." He thrust his thumb back at the other vigilantes, who nodded back at them.

“A fair trade.” Winter nodded at that reason. “Like shadowing a Huntsman.”

"You will also not say any of your names while in there. Your identities are the most important protection you have, and I will not risk it getting out. Keep on your rebreathers as well."

Ruby squealed. “Are we getting superhero code names?” Earning a few chuckles and eye-rolls at the idea while her friends were also interested in the concept.

"How are we supposed to refer to ourselves, then?" Ruby asked as she and the others did as instructed, only to slightly take a step back when Batman pointed at her.

"Red," he declared before pointing at Weiss, "Snow, Black, Gold, White, Pink, Scarlet, and Green." Batman finished giving them their impromptu names in an instant. They couldn't help but notice how he tried to make it match their color schemes and Aura colors, something they appreciated. "While you are in there, only call each other by those names."

“Aww, so just color codenames?” Ruby pouted in slight disappointment.

“Well, to be fair, we can’t just get real cool names at this situation, now can we?” Jaune says with a good reason, which her fellow team leader begrudgingly agrees with.

"Alright, will do." Weiss nodded. Internally, she thought it was silly that the superheroes were so insistent on secret identities, but she also recognized that they were on thin ice with the Batman as it was. Better to go along with what he says now rather than risk his ire. She knew, however, that Ruby and Jaune were undoubtedly more enthusiastic about it. For the past several nights, she had caught the two thinking of superhero names for all of them. Weiss found the exercise childish, but if she had to go along with it just to operate on Earth, then she'd put up with it.

“You don’t like the idea of having a superhero name?” Ruby asked, slightly hurt at the idea her partner thought.

“To be fair… I can agree why these names are the reason to cover their identities, but I’m a bit skeptical about getting one myself.” Weiss defended.

Batman nodded at her, and then the stairway door opened up to reveal the commissioner. James Gordon, if Weiss remembered correctly. He was one of Batman's biggest allies in the GCPD, and through him, a delicate relationship was developed between the two groups.

“Just in time for the commissioner to arrive.” Elm joked.

"Everything all squared away?" he asked, and Batman nodded. "Good. Well then, if you all are ready to go, we're in the process of interrogating Crane now."

“Finally! Time to get some answers.” Harriet says as she raises her hands in exasperation.

"We have some ideas on who supplied him with his weapons and equipment," Blake revealed, drawing Gordon's attention to her. "We think that the Penguin supplied him with his weapons."

“A possible lead.” Vine comments.

"Of course he did," Gordon spat and scowled. "What about the bombs?"

"We aren't quite sure on that one," Ren answered reluctantly. "We're still going over the evidence at the tower."

"Let me guess, Luthor and Ghul?" Gordon's question shocked the eight with its accuracy, and they nodded their heads. "I figured as much. I'm more than aware of what he's pulled, but he is outside of my jurisdiction. Even if he wasn't, I can't bring him in without proof."

“Such is one of the problems for officers of the law in their assigned jurisdictions.” Winter comments.

"We get that answer a lot when it comes to him," Pyrrha remarked with a frown. Shaking her head, she turned to look at Batman and the other vigilantes, only to find they were gone, making her jump back. "What the-?"

“Seriously! How do they do that?” Harriet cries out. Heck! Even she’s not that fast to disappear like that without making a sound.

“Even his protégés can do it too!” Ruby shouts, feeling a bit jealous of disappearing at that kind of speed.

The others realized what Pyrrha had noticed, and they jumped slightly as well. "I didn't even hear them leave."

“That’s Batman’s favored trick.” Penny answered.

“Of course, it is.” Maria sarcastically said, but none less she is impressed.

"Yeah, they do that," Gordon stated, amusement in his voice. "You get used to it after a while."

“They just leave him?” The viewing Ruby tilted her head at that fact.

“Well, that’s rude.” The viewing Nora says while a few others agreed with her.

"They just leave you?" Ruby asked, and Gordon nodded. A pause ensued between everyone before Nora coughed.

"Well, that's rude."

The audience chuckled at the perfect echo that there Ruby and Nora said, making them blush a bit.

By the time RWBY and JNPR made their way down to the interrogation room, Batman was already inside of it, interrogating Crane and trying to make him talk. So far, he wasn't succeeding, and the smug grin on the lunatic's face sent shivers down their spines.

“Oum, he is ugly…” Roby shivered at the sight of Crane.

“Meh, I’ve seen worse.” Maria comments.

"Damned psychopath," Red Hood scowled and glared at the man. The other vigilantes nodded in agreement, keeping a watchful eye on him.

"Anything yet?" Blake asked, and Nightwing shook his head.

"Nothing at all." His tone was angry, and a quick look told them that the other officers felt the same. "Something about this isn't right."

The viewers leaned forward to learn more.

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked while keeping his gaze locked on Scarecrow.

"Just a gut feeling." Nightwing shrugged. "At least this will be over soon."

“A gut feeling?” Winter raised a brow. “He can’t be serious?”

“You can be amazed at what you can learn by trusting your gut.” Qrow counters.

"I hope so," Ruby nodded then fell silent. After a moment, she began to speak again. "You know, this entire thing reminds me of back home. A man named Roman Torchwick blew a hole into Vale's walls, letting the Grimm in. We were lucky that we were already there. Otherwise, things could have gotten really bad."

“Torchwick… I haven’t heard that name in a while.” The viewing Ruby admits remembering that he was just a puppet for one of Cinder’s plans for the Fall. “I wonder if he’s still alive in this alternate timeline?”

"Just as we were lucky that we were in Gotham when Scarecrow made his move." Nightwing nodded. The group went back into silence then eyed the pistols in Red Hood's holsters. Noticing this, he huffed and shook his head.

"Yes, I use guns. You got a problem with that?" he accused, only to be surprised when Ruby shook her head.

“No I don’t! We Remnantians love our guns.” The viewing Ruby chirped proudly but quickly remembered Batman’s rule. “But not to kill! After all, Batman doesn’t like guns.”

"No, actually. I use a gun, too. It's a sniper rifle that can turn into a scythe. I'd show you, but we left our weapons up at the Watchtower." Ruby's announcement directed the vigilante's stares at her, each of them looking at her incredulously.

“I was wondering where our weapons were.” Blake said.

“Why are they looking at my sister like that?” Yang raised a brow.

"…I get the sniper part, but why the scythe?" Red Hood asked, making Ruby puff out her chest.

"Because when the Grimm gets close, I can shift it to a scythe and kill them with it. Also, because scythes are cool."

“Yeah, they're cool!” Ruby proudly said while Qrow and Maria smiled, agreeing with the young reaper.

"…Fair enough," Red Hood conceded. "What does it fire?"

"Fifty-BMG," Ruby revealed, making him and Batwoman whistle.

"Damn, you go all out." He pulled out a round from his pocket, flicking it around his fingers. "Titanium composite alloy with a C4 kicker. Fastest, most explosive pistol rounds in the world. Made them myself, actually."

“Impressive.” James scratched his chin in interest, learning more about Red Hood’s weaponry. “Perhaps it’s time to upgrade my Due Process.”

"Oooh," Ruby cooed as she held out her hand. Red Hood tossed it to her, allowing her to take a closer look. The others also looked at it while she did before a sad expression crossed her face. "We saw what you guys did down there. Wished we could have helped more."

“To be fair, Ruby, I doubt we would have done anything with an unfamiliar area and situation like that.” Jaune reasoned with his friend.

“I know.” Ruby looks down. “But I just hate it when we can’t do anything but watch.”

"Eh, Batman's always been a little thick-headed," Red Robin stated. "Don't let it get to you."

"It's not just that," Blake clarified. "It's just… seeing what that stuff did and not being able to do anything about it…" She trailed off, but the others understood what she was saying. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked to see Batgirl nodding at her with understanding.

“Glad to see that Batgirl is friendly to my other.” The viewing Blake smiled.

"Tell me," Spoiler spoke up, directing their attention to her, "the Grimm are attracted to fear, right?" RWBY and JNPR's expressions turned grim, and they nodded.

“A common knowledge throughout Remnant.” Pietro said.

"Grimm were attracted to negative emotions in general, like fear, anger, and such," Ren clarified before staring back at the interrogation. Like Nightwing, he too felt something was off, and as the discussion continued around him, he kept his focus on Crane.

"You're trying my patience," he heard Batman growl through the glass. Crane merely laughed.

The viewers returned there focused on the interrogation.

"What would you have me say? That I feel guilty for my actions? That I wish to repent? There's nothing to repent for. I feel no guilt over my actions, only satisfaction. Your belief that I can be 'reformed' is misguided delusion at best. But that's not what's most intriguing about you, Batman. You are a very interesting case study. Oh, I know why you do what you do," Scarecrow laugh. "Behind your mask, you are just a scared little boy, aren't you? Something happened in your youth to make you into what you are. After all, a man doesn't just decide one day to dress up like a bat and beat up criminals at night." Scarecrow's words stopped all conversation around Ren as everyone stared at him.

“He’s testing Batman’s patience.” Clover narrowed his eyes towards Scarecrow.

"Who supplied you with your equipment?" Batman ignored Crane's monologue, making the lunatic laugh.

"Oh, a classic attempt at deflection! I hit close to the mark, didn't I?" Batman said nothing at Scarecrow's question, which only served to make him laugh harder. "It doesn't matter. I don't really care who you are under that mask. After all, I wouldn't be surprised if that mask is who you truly believe yourself to be. How I wish I could have the chance to analyze you in closer detail."

“Gods, he pisses me off…” The viewing Yang clenched her fist along with the others.

“Damn, he is infuriating!” Harriet snarled, hating Crane more than ever.

"Gods, he pisses me off…" Yang clenched her fist at the psychopath, as did the others. From the corner of her eye, she saw the vigilantes tensing at his words. What he was saying was infuriating them on a personal level.

"Is that not what you're doing right now?" Batman suddenly asked, halting Crane's laughter in its tracks. "Deflection, delusions of grandeur, hiding behind a mask. Behind your mask, you're just a lonely man who was never loved, a man who was scared at everything and tried to project that fear onto the world."

“Oh! He just deflected it!” Qrow smirked, seeing how Batman turned the tables.

“Batman is not only a detective but also studied advance psychiatry.” Penny said.

“Is there nothing he can’t do?” Nora smirked.

"I am fear incarnate. Nothing scares me."

“Oh, please. I’m willing to bet that Batman is much scarier than this creep.” Robyn rolls her eyes, pleased that Batman one-upped Scarecrow.

"Oh, I doubt that very much." Batman glared at the psychologist, who glared right back. Just then, he began to smile darkly and chuckled, making Batman suspicious.

“He’s planning something.” Blake says as eh narrowed her eyes.

"I must admit, I always enjoy our little chats, Batman," he admitted. "But, I'm afraid that this is where we must say goodbye."

The viewers began to tense, now fully knowing that something terribly wrong is going to happen.

Everyone tensed at his words, and Ren's eyes widened as his Aura-enhanced senses detected something at the other side of the wall.

"Get down!" he yelled and tackled Nora to the floor, just as Batman hurled himself through the one-way mirror. At that moment, a small explosion rang out from the other side of the concrete wall, creating a large hole to the street on the other side. Masked men wielding rifles emerged from the hole, firing their weapons at the superheroes and forcing them into cover.

“Are you serious?! There still more of Crane’s thugs!” Marrow shouts.

“So that’s why he was so confident!” Oscar shouts.

"Let's go, boss!" one of the men announced as he cut Crane's binds with a large knife. At the same time, he handed him another burlap mask, along with a large leather bag.

"Thank you." Crane smiled wickedly as he placed the mask over his head. Calmly, he walked through the hole towards freedom, pausing only to turn and look at where the heroes were hiding. "As I said, you can't stop fear, Batman."

“He’s getting away!” The viewing Weiss shouts.

"Grrgh!" Red Hood growled as he finished loading his pistols then combined them into a rifle. He then shifted his optics to a camera on the front end of his rifle, allowing him to see what his gun was pointed at, then popped it over the wall he was taking cover behind. The vigilante started to fire just as the criminals began to go back through the hole they made. "Dammit!"

“They have the vigilante pinned down!” Blake shouts.

"Come on! We have to get them!" Ruby announced as she broke cover in a burst of petals.

"Wait!" Batman yelled after her, but she already disappeared through the hole. He turned to look at the rest of the Remnantians, only to find that they too were already breaking cover and running after her. With a grunt, Batman leaped over the wall and ran after them, the others following shortly after. Following the trail of rose petals, they saw it drifted upwards to a nearby roof, telling them where Crane had gone. Batman immediately grabbed hold of Yang and grappled the two of them over, followed by everyone else.

"Oracle, Scarecrow's escaped!" Batman yelled into his microphone.

"We know! Choppers are already en route!" Oracle frantically replied. Gunshots could now be heard, making the rest of RWBY and JNPR anxious. Those could only mean that Scarecrow's goons were shooting at Ruby. As they jumped across an alley, they finally spotted the group, and as they expected, Scarecrow's goons were firing haphazardly at a red blur.

“I know that you want to help Ruby, but that was reckless even from you.” Weiss chastised her partner, earning a nervous chuckle from her.

"Get away from her!" Yang yelled out in worry and leaped towards her sister. As she landed, Ruby rematerialized to reveal she was wielding one of the criminals' rifles and fired a single bullet. The round struck another's rifle, blowing it out of his hands and making the man clutch his wrist in pain.

“Reckless, but at least you took a weapon.” Weiss corrected while Ruby smiled a bit.

"Nice shot," Red Hood admitted as he joined the fray, firing his rifle. The spray of bullets forced the criminals into cover, allowing the rest of the group to make it to her.

"I told you to stay in the precinct!" Batman chastised the huntress while he leaped towards one of the thugs. The man tried to strike him with his rifle, only for Batman to rip the gun from his hands and crack it across his face.

The audience cringed at the strike but cheered.

"And I wasn't just going to let him get away! Not when I can do something about it!" Ruby countered while firing her rifle at a group of men, forcing them into cover. It may not have been her baby, but it would have to do. One man tried to shoot her, only for Yang to jump in its path, the bullet bouncing harmlessly off her Aura.

“No one messes with my sister!” The viewing Yang growled while her eyes turned red.

"That tickled," she growled and charged the man. The thug fired his rifle at her, each bullet flattening against the brawler's Aura and doing nothing, only to stop when Yang finally got to him. Grabbing his neck, she delivered a powerful punch to his gut, knocking the air out of his lungs and making him crumple. She then ripped the mask off his head, just as a stream of bile erupted out of the man's mouth, making her wince before kicking him across the head and knocking him out. "Ew gross, he got some on my shoe!"

“Seriously?” Yang gagged.

“Just be glad it wasn’t me this time.” Jaune comments, earning a slight glare from her.

“Looks like our others’ training shows how much control they are in.” Ren comments glad to see that their training has earned their results.

"Focus, Gold!" Red Robin shouted as he deployed his staff into a shield. Bullets pinged off of it as he ran towards a gunman before firing his grapple gun at the man. Rather than pull the man towards him, Red Robin pulled himself towards the man to deliver a kick to his chest, knocking him to the ground. Before he could seize the opening, Blake was already on him, pinning him to the ground and punching him in the face, knocking him unconscious. She nodded at Red Robin, only to disappear as another man fired his rifle at her and dissipated her Shadow. Nora then announced herself by ripping a lead pipe off of a nearby wall, creating a small gout of steam and swinging it into the gunman's arm, breaking it.

“So cool! His staff can turn into a shield!” Ruby says in awe.

“I bet Sun would love to have that function in his weapon.” Blake said.

"Gaagh!" he screamed and dropped his rifle, allowing Jaune to tackle him to the ground and wallop him in the head. After a few blows, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell unconscious. Another man tried to shoot Jaune, only for Pyrrha to leap in and direct his gunfire into the air. He tried to punch her, only for the champion to catch his fist and headbutt him, knocking him out instantly.

“Glad to see Pyrrha having my back.” Jaune smiled.

"Thanks." Jaune smiled at her, and Pyrrha smiled back. They all turned to look at Scarecrow, who was flanked by his last two men. While the supervillain himself simply looked annoyed, the two thugs looked scared and were backing away.

“Why does he not look like he’s going to piss his pants.” Harriet says in annoyance, not liking that Scarecrow doesn’t seem fazed at all.

“Clearly, he still has a plan.” Vine points out.

"Hmmph," Scarecrow grunted as he reached into his leather bag, pulling out a spherical grenade. "Looks like I don't have much choice..."

"Give it up, Crane!" Batman announced while he and the other heroes closed in on the criminals. The two thugs then looked at each other for a moment then threw down their rifles.

"We give up!" they announced, raising their arms above their head.

“Smart choice.” Marrow says, seeing the two thugs willingly give up.

"Cowards!" Scarecrow snarled and pushed them towards the heroes, pulling the pin on his grenade and throwing it after them. Everyone looked at it for a moment before it exploded, releasing a cloud of yellow gas that briefly ignited. The two thugs fell to the ground as fire scorched them, rolling around to put it out, while the heroes merely patted out the flames.

“Really? A smokescreen? How’s that going to affect them? They’re wearing HAZMAT suits.” Nora raised a brow.

"What was that supposed to do?" Weiss asked, unimpressed. "In case you haven't noticed, we're—"

"Oh, I noticed what you're wearing," Scarecrow darkly admitted, confusing everyone.

“What? What does he me–” Ruby was about to ask but stuttered when she saw what happened next.

That was when the first cracks began to appear on their rebreathers, and Scarecrow began to chuckle.

The viewers gasped in horror.

“What’s happening?! Their masks are breaking apart!” Penny shouts in horror.

“No! They’ll be affected by the fear toxin!” Oscar shouts, getting everyone horrified at that realization.

"It's a new formula I've been developing. It wasn't quite ready yet. The fire burns away most of the gas, leaving its effects something to be desired. But, it does have one noticeable improvement." The rebreathers continued to break, as Scarecrow explained, and Batman rushed towards him. Then, the rebreathers broke apart completely, exposing the heroes to the toxic gas. "Welcome to my nightmare."

“NO!” Everyone in the viewing room screamed as they watched in horror at what’s to come next.

"No!" Weiss covered her mouth in a vain attempt to shield herself, as did the others. She began coughing, and then her vision started to blur and distort. Falling to the ground, a stark white blur formed into the image of her father standing over her, as tall and imposing as when she was a child, bearing his gaze down on her and making her feel small and powerless before him. Blake scrambled away on the ground as she saw Adam Taurus slowly march towards her, a hateful snarl on below his mask as his glowing red sword extended outwards and raised above his head.

Weiss and Blake widen their eyes in horror seeing their worst nightmares appearing before them. Though Weiss managed to turn her fear of hatred towards her father, it didn’t help that the memory of her father’s abuse in her childhood made her scared. Blake may have killed Adam in her timeline and managed to move on thanks to Yang, but it didn’t help that she still felt frightened at her old mentor at the memory.

Yang quickly embraced her partner as she did when they killed Adam. It helped a lot and calmed Blake down.

Winter widened her eyes in horror and realized how much Weiss was hurting when she left her to their father’s influenced. Without a second thought, she quickly went to her sister’s side and embraced her as she whispered to her how sorry she was for leaving her sister behind and never came to her when she nodded her to the most. This helped Wiess a lot and calmed her down.

Marrow's eyes widened, seeing Weiss’s fear, and looked at the Schnees embracing each other. This made him realize how messed up the Schnee Family is, and he can’t help but feel guilty about how wrong he thought about them.

"Fight… it…" Ruby grunted as she fell to her knees. Images of Brainiac swarmed around in her vision, the shrunken remains of Vale crushed in his heartless grip while the prongs of his metal tentacle slowly reached for her eye, forcing her to close her eyes and clutch her head even as tears started streaming down her face. "It's not real… it's not real…"

The viewing Ruby shivered to see the sight of Vale being destroyed by Brainiac. She wasn’t the only one—everyone in the room were terrified by that thought. Penny quickly hugged her, which helped calmed her down.

"Oh, but it is," Scarecrow countered as the heroes became immobilized by the gas, experiencing their worst fears come to life. "I wonder what you are seeing? For such a young girl, perhaps it is a monster? A concept, maybe? Perhaps my suspicions are correct, and you eight are the ones who appeared in Metropolis not too long ago. Are you seeing those creatures, the Grimm as you called them? Such marvelous things, I must admit. They almost seem to be perfect embodiments of fear itself."

“Damn him!” Surprisingly Oscar was the one who cussed, but no one could blame seeing what Scarecrow is doing to his friends.

"Go… to… hell…" Yang grunted as she rose to her feet, staggering as she did. She slowly made her way towards him, forcing herself to ignore the sights of the people she loved turning their backs on her and leaving her alone, only to fall onto her knees and pant. Sweat trickled down her head, and her pupils were the size of pinpricks."

Yang widens her eyes at her fear as she trembled, but fortunately, she was still hugging Blake as she, in turn, was coming to her partner down.

"I must admit, your resistance to my formula is intriguing. I can't help but wonder if it is a result of your alien biology?" Scarecrow mused as he crouched over her, pulling a syringe from his bag. Inside was an orange liquid, and Yang could tell that whatever it was, it was not good. Turning her head slightly, she saw Nora hugging her knees while shaking like a leaf, Jaune was frantically looking around at unseen horrors he was unable to stop, and Crane took hold of her arm. "Hold still. This will only take a moment."

“Damn it! Are we really that useless against his fear toxin?” Jaune gritted his teeth seeing how everyone was giving in to their fears. Even Nora held Ren for comfort as he did the same.

Yang ripped her arm from his grasp and backed away, the toxin making it hard to concentrate. She could feel her Aura working to counteract the toxin's effects, but until it did, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stop him from injecting that stuff into her. She tried to throw a punch, only for Scarecrow to dodge it easily and retaliate with a swipe of his hook, striking her across the face. The blow stung and staggered her but otherwise did nothing.

“At least our Auras have some kind of resistance to the toxin.” Pietro points out, but he is just horrified at seeing the children's fears as everyone else is.

"Hmm, interesting." Scarecrow hummed to himself as he kicked Yang in the knee, forcing her down. He looked around, seeing that his window of opportunity was depleting, and with a sigh, he reluctantly turned to move away. "Shame, I would have liked to have—"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Ren suddenly tackled him off the building. They tumbled through the air and crashed through a nearby window, only to land and shatter a wooden table. Rising to his feet, Scarecrow backed away from Ren and tensed himself, while the Mistralian boy slowly picked himself off the shattered remains of the table.

“REN?!” Everyone shouts in shock that the alternate Ren seemed to be not affected by the fear toxin.

“But how–, of course! Your Semblance!” Jaune shouts, remembering what Ren’s Semblance can do.

“His Semblance?” Harriet questioned as she and the others began to calm down now.

“My Semblance, Tranquillity, allows me to put me into a sense of calmness no matter what situation I am in. It even allows me to share this trait with others as long as I calm in contact with them.” Ren explains, earning an impressed look from those who don’t know about his Semblance, which is handy when avoiding Grimm.

"How are you…?" Scarecrow asked before noticing a distinct lack of color on Ren's body. His entire body looked to be a dull grey, while his expression was the picture of calm focus, devoid of any confusion or distress, and at once, the doctor understood what was happening. "You're able to counteract my toxin's effects? How are you-?"

“Like I’m going to tell you that!” Ren snarled angrily that Scarecrow would dare hurt his friends. The others were shocked that their calm and collective friend would actually snap while Nora found it downright hot.

Ren suddenly ran and pushed him, knocking him into a wall. A painting fell down to the ground as the two struggled, and Crane headbutted the boy to release his hold. As Ren clutched his face, Scarecrow took note of the boy's body and the distortion flickering over his skin. It appeared that the toxin was indeed affecting him, but the boy was somehow able to counteract most of its effects, at least enough to remain coherent. Narrowing his eyes, Scarecrow pulled out his hooked chain and twirled it in a wide circle, striking Ren repeatedly across the face. On the third swing, Ren grabbed the chain and hoisted it towards him, dragging Scarecrow with it in order to deliver a roundhouse kick.

“Yeah! Get him, Renny! Break his legs!” Nora cheered as she held her boyfriend’s while everyone else also cheered for the alternate Ren.

Scarecrow was knocked back but was able to stay on his feet. Ren, however, exploited his state by rushing towards him, delivering blow after blow to the man's sides. Grabbing his collar, Ren headbutted the psychologist then kneed him in the stomach, making him crumple to the ground. Breathing deeply, Ren turned to look at the building they had jumped from, wondering how he was going to get them both back up there, only for Scarecrow to tackle him out the window. They tumbled through the air, each punching the other, only for Ren to take the blow as they landed on the roof of a parked car. Shattered glass sprayed everywhere, and as Ren caught his breath, Scarecrow took the time to hobble away. His leg was sprained by the fall, and a quick glance back showed that Ren was still unharmed, prying himself out of the wreckage.

“Yes!” Nora cheered, seeing that Crane’s leg was broken, and quickly gave her Ren a big kiss to the cheek, making him blush while everyone smirked. “That’s my man, alright!”

"Grrgh," he growled and turned to face the boy, taking his hook in hand.

"Stop, Crane," Ren commanded across the empty street, putting himself in a combat-ready stance. "You can't win."

"The fact that you believe that shows how misguided you are!" Scarecrow angrily insisted as he threw the chain at the boy. Ren nimbly ducked under it and ran towards the criminal, jumping over the chain as Scarecrow pulled it back. While flipping in the air, Ren directed his feet downward and kicked him across the head, sending him to the ground. Ren then picked him up and slammed him against a nearby car, shattering the glass window and preparing to throw a punch, only for Crane to spray more gas out of his glove. No longer having the rebreather's protection, Ren stumbled back as the gas took hold. His vision became distorted, and he saw Scarecrow's body shift and twist. Bugs covered the man's body, and his arms became long and stretched, weapons poking out of his back that didn't seem to harm anything. It reminded him of the Grimm that destroyed his home when he was young, and a trickle of fear started leaking through the walls of enforced calm erected by his Semblance.

“No!” Ren and Nora shouted in fear, but it wasn’t about the Nuckelavee Grimm but that the alternate Ren was now in danger.

Everyone did not pay attention to Grimm but to the intense battle wondering how it will end.

"So, you do experience fear," Scarecrow declared as he walked over to the boy, his hook raised high. He swung downward, only for a thrown Batarang to knock it out of his hand. "Aagh!"

“Yes! Batman’s here!” Ruby cheered as she jumped out from her seat while everyone cheered at his timely arrival.

As Scarecrow grasped his wrist, Ren took the chance to tackle the crazed man to the ground. Pinning him, he punched him across the face repeatedly, his Semblance making way for a deep-rooted fury to overwhelm the fear he was experiencing. Ripping off Scarecrow's mask, Ren snarled and continued to beat the man silly, breaking his nose and bloodying his lip. Finally, he stopped as Crane's head swiveled, straining to look at the boy in astonishment. Grabbing the bastard by his collar, Ren flipped him up over his shoulder and down into another parked car's hood, denting it and knocking the man unconscious.

Everyone breaths out a sigh of relief, finally glad that it's over.

“It’s over… its finally over…” Ren said as he takes a deeps breath as he calmed down.

“Who would have thought that watching this would be so intense.” Maria breathes out a sigh of relief.

Ren breathed deeply, silently daring the Scarecrow to rise to his feet, but he never did. He let out a sigh of relief, only to feel a hand gently clasp his shoulder. Ren turned away sharply and backed up, seeing a monstrous humanoid bat staring at him, whose eyes shone brightly. Rather than attack, it held up its hands and began to speak, its speech garbled but still understandable.

“Holy crap! That’s scary!” Marrow trembles seeing such horror before him.

“This is what it’s like under the influence of the fear toxin?” Vine says even he shudders in fear.

"Relax, everything's fine," the creature insisted while pulling out a strange needle. Ren's vision was warped, but he had enough of his senses to know what the creature truly was, and with a nod, he allowed it to inject him. He felt a slight prick that soon subsided, and a cool sensation passed through his arm. It spread across his body, and he felt his senses slowly return to him. Ren's vision became less distorted, and he soon saw that it was indeed the Batman who was staring at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of pride and concern.

“Glads that over…” Nora says as she still held Ren.

"Are you alright?" he asked, and Ren slowly nodded his head.

"I'll be fine," Ren answered and turned to face Crane. With a scowl, he turned back to Batman. "How are the others?"

"They're fine, if a little jumpy," Batman replied. "I've already administered the antidote to them. We're lucky that the dosage wasn't concentrated."

“That wasn’t concentrated?!” James shouts in pure shock.

“I-I would only imagine what kind of effects it was.” Winter says fearfully at the idea.

"Yeah, I noticed," Ren winced as his injuries suddenly made themselves heard, his Aura playing over them. Batman moved to help him, only for Ren to hold up his hand. "Can we just… get out of here?"

“Now that sounds like a plan.” Yang breaths out, now fully relaxed after such an ordeal.

Batman stayed silent before nodding. Together, they moved towards the unconscious Scarecrow and stripped him of his suit, then bound his hands and feet together. A moment later, a large plane appeared overhead and landed on the street, the bottom opening up to reveal a troop compartment. Ruby and the others were already inside, watching as the two men walked inside. As they did, the doors closed behind them, and the Batplane flew off into the night.

Watchtower, One Hour Later

“Back to the Watchtower.” Clover breathed out as they finally have the time to relax, seeing that everyone was now claimed in their seats.

“Yeah… that’s was damned stressful.” Qrow comments.

"Ren was able to use his Semblance to suppress the fear toxin and apprehended Crane while Ruby managed to administer the antidote I had on my person at all times," Batman stated to the other League founders as video of the incident in question played out. Superman silently watched and sighed regretfully.

"I should have kept a closer eye on them," he admitted. The possibility of them going against their orders was considered, but not them grabbing HAZMAT suits and sneaking right by them.

"Yes, you should have." Batman glared at them angrily before sighing. "But, what's done is done. J'onn, how are they?"

“Don’t blame Superman! We made the decision.” Ruby says, defending the Man of Steel.

"They are doing well, all things considered," J'onn admitted, shame and regret showing across his face and tone. "I can detect no long term psychological or physical ailments from the experience. We are lucky the dosage was so low."

“That’s good to hear.” Weiss breathed out in a sigh of relief, though the memory of her past still lasted a bit.

"And that their minds were strong enough to handle it on their own," Green Lantern stated. "I'll keep a close eye on them regardless, give them a person to talk to."

"Same here," Flash agreed, leaning forward in his chair. Tapping his fingers against the desk, he turned to face the others. "So, what happens now?"

They turned to face Batman, who calmly looked at them. "At the very least, they've proven they have the capability to handle assignments, as well as the determination to see them through, regardless of whether or not we want them to. At this point, it will be best to take them under our wings more directly, send them on missions with other League members. After they've fully recovered from their ordeal."

“Glad to know that Batman is still giving us the chance to train us.” Yang smiled.

"You think that is best?" Hawkgirl asked, and Batman nodded. Nodding back, Hawkgirl turned to look at John, leaning forward across the table. "John, were you…?"

"No, the Corps haven't found Remnant yet," Green Lantern admitted. "They're looking, though, and we'll be the first to know once they do."

“They still haven’t found where our world was?” Penny says in surprise. “That’s odd. Even if it’s an entirely new world, it shouldn’t be that long for the Green Lantern Corp to find it.”

“Why is that?” Ruby asked, but Penny just shrugged, not knowing the answer herself.

"Notify us once you have word. Finding it may bring them closure," Superman stated, knowing from experience from when he himself flew out to the ruins of his destroyed home. J'onn himself had visited Mars a few times since he awoke on Earth, if just to remind him of what he had to ensure never happened again. Everyone then turned their attention towards Diana, who was staring silently at the diagram of the mask-shattering gas Scarecrow had used against them.

"Diana, you've been awfully quiet," Flash noted. "What's up?"

"That gas…" Diana began to say, alarm in her voice. "I've seen it before, or rather something like it." Her statement caught everyone's attention, each demanding to know what she was referring to.

“What? Wonder Woman knows about the mask breaking thing?” Nora says in surprise.

“I wonder where?” Oscar asked.

"Where?" Batman asked, and Diana looked straight at him.

"France, in 1918."

The scene ended there, leaving the screen black.

“France?” Winter asked.

“It’s another country, and the date took place more than eighty years ago.” Penny answered.

“So Wonder Woman was around for more than eighty years?” Yang raised a brow. “Well, she is kinda a god, so it’s no surprise that she doesn’t look old.”

“I hope the next episode can explain everything.” Ruby said as they were all prepared to watch the next episode.

Batcomputer Files: Analysis

“Wait. What? What’s this?” Ruby asked as she tilted her head.

“Oh! This is one of Batman’s Files from his Batcomputer.” Penny explained. “Mr. Mxyzptlk said that there would be some episode that will show about Team RWBY and JNPR’s profiles.”

“That sounds cool.” Jaune comments.

“Is that really okay?” Weiss questioned, feeling it's an invasion of privacy.

“Don’t worry, friend Weiss, nothing serious will be revealed!”

Accessing Batcomputer Archives

Username: Dark Knight

Password: **********

…

…

Welcome, Batman. Please select file for review:

…

…

Subject: Analysis on Remnantians: Lie Ren

“So this episode will be about me?” Ren blinked.

“No surprise, their buddy.” Jaune smiled. “You did save the day in beating Crane.”

Accessing Archive

Name: Lie Ren (goes by familial name of Ren)

Age: 17

Species: Remnantian

Alias: None

Equipment: Stormflower, a pair of fully automatic 9mm pistols with downward-facing bayonets for close-quarters combat.

Semblance: Emotion Suppression: Capable of suppressing an individual or small group's emotions

“Hey! Why isn’t Renny’s Semblance name not there?” Nora asked.

“It’s probably that my other did not tell Batman what I called it.” Ren deduced.

Bio: Lie Ren is a native of the kingdom of Mistral, the largest of the four major kingdoms on Remnant. At a young age, he and his family lived in a growing settlement called Kuroyuri before it was tragically destroyed by an Elder Grimm. During this attack, his mother and father were both killed, and he, along with a young Nora Valkyrie, were the only survivors. This event set him on the path to becoming a Huntsman, determined to ensure that the tragedy that befell his family would never happen to anyone else ever again.

“I must really trust him enough to share him about my life.” Ren said he and Nora cringed at the memory of their childhood.

“Damn, for its worth, you two, I’m sorry that you kids have to go through that.” Robyn says, earning a nod of thanks from the two.

Strengths :

Expert Martial Artist: Ren has a mastery of several different fighting styles from Remnant that are similar to Earth's karate, taekwondo, and wing chun. This allows him to quickly adapt to many close-quarters scenarios and situations on the fly

Expert Aura Manipulation: Ren's knowledge on Aura is second to none among the group at hand, capable of focusing his Aura on specific points and applying it where needed. This skill has translated to a much more enhanced sensory network than others, allowing him to detect oncoming threats well before they are seen.

Logical Mindset: Ren, even without the use of his Semblance, is capable of keeping a level head under most situations. This mindset would enable him to continue operating in stressful situations that would otherwise break another person.

Semblance: The attack on Gotham City by Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow showed just how useful Ren's Semblance truly is. By using it, he was able to counteract the effects of the Fear Toxin the others, including myself, had fallen victim to and allowed him the chance to apprehend Crane when he might otherwise have gotten away. Debriefing after the battle revealed that Ren was indeed under the effects of the fear toxin, suffering from its associated hallucinations the entire time. However, his Semblance was able to stop him from being afraid of what he was seeing, allowing him to logically deduce what everything he was seeing truly was and take action. This Semblance shows tremendous potential in heavy psychological situations, and its use should be encouraged whenever applicable.

“Impressive.” Clover says learning more about Ren’s skills.

Weaknesses :

This part got Ren’s attention the most, and he focused on seeing what it is.

Emotional Outbursts: Although Ren is capable of keeping his emotions in check, harming his comrades runs the risk of him losing control of his emotions and making him lash out. Should Nora Valkyrie be directly harmed, his emotional control becomes almost non-existent? In any case, these moments represent a tremendous weakness for him, and a skilled combatant can use this weakness to move Ren into an undesirable situation, putting him and others at risk of harm.

“Oh yeah… I remembered that happening when we thought against that Nuckelavee.” Ruby cringed at the memory.

“You thought against a Nuckelavee?!” Winter shouts in shock along with everyone.

“I know, right!” Nora chirped as she held her boyfriend. “My Renny went all crazy against that Grimm, and in the end, we managed to kill it!”

Ren blushes at the memory even though it was also proof of his weakness, but it was also an achievement in killing the very monster that killed his family.

Endurance: While still beyond that of a normal Earth human, Ren's physical stamina is noticeably less robust than his peers', including Weiss Schnee, without extensive use of her Semblance. While mitigated by his efficient movements and use of his Aura, heavy impacts seem to drain him particularly.

“That is a weakness that I recognized.” Ren acknowledged.

Areas for Training :

“Areas of training?” Ren perked up interested in this part significantly.

Semblance expansion to involve multiple people at once regularly.

Furthering martial arts training to include more styles from Earth.

Physical conditioning to improve endurance.

More powerful and versatile ranged options.

Forensics training to compliment his naturally logical and deductive mindset.

The scene now ends as the screen begins to prep for the next episode.

“Interesting… perhaps I am training in few areas of what was suggested but didn't take for most of the suggestions.” Ren answered as he took notes of what areas he could train in.

“That’s so cool! Not only do we get a profile of ourselves, but we can also learn which areas we can train in!” Ruby cheered.

“Looks like there are some benefits to these parts after all.” Weiss said now, changing her mind about these file analyses.

Penny, however, tilted her head in confusion as she thought to herself. “That’s strange… why is this file incomplete?”Before she could voice her question, a notification appeared in her head saying that these files are purposely incomplete but will reveal themselves after all the files regarding RWBY and JNPR are shown. Penny was confused why the notification appeared like that but shrugged it off and did what it says as she waited for the next episode to start.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

After waiting for a short moment, the subsequent viewing began to play.

“I wonder what our others are doing after their ordeal in Gotham?” Weiss asked.

“I’m more curious how Wonder Woman knew the origin of the gas.” Ren said as he recalled what Diana noted during the meeting of the founding members.

“Perhaps the next viewing will explain it.” Vine suggested.

Chapter 6: Paradise Island

“Paradise Island?” Jaune read out in slight confusion. “What place is that talking about?”

“Probably somewhere from Earth.” Blake pointed out while thinking about Menagerie.

Diana awoke with a start. Groaning to herself, she sat upright and let the bed covers fall off of her while she herself closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She knew why she had woken up the way she did, as it had not been the first time it happened. Even after a century, it still hurt just as much now as it did then. Admittedly, she had thought she had finally gotten over it, finally moved on, but seeing Scarecrow's horrid gas brought his memory back to the forefront of her mind.

“Looks this we going to be more focused on Diana in this viewing.” Yang said.

“Oh, oh, oh! Are we watching a new arc starting?” Ruby asked, being all excited.

“An arc?” Penny asked as she titled her head.

“A story arc, darling. It means we are about to watch a continuation of this viewing.” Pietro answers for her daughter.

“Oh… how sensational!” The Gynoid cheered.

"Steve…" she muttered as she got out of bed and threw open the blinds, revealing the still slumbering Parisian landscape, the Eiffel Tower standing tall. Opening the window, she sighed as she took in the sights and sounds of the city, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting in from the bakeries below. As the aroma reached her window, Diana allowed herself to relax. Something about Paris always seemed to soothe her. With the window still opened, she walked back to her bed and turned on the TV, only to frown as the news station displayed a still recovering Gotham City.

The audience was awed by the new scenery they are witnessing in this new world they are watching.

“What is this place?” Robyn breathed out as she placed her hand on her chest, seeing such a peaceful and lovely place.

“That’s the city of Paris, the capital of the country of France.” Penny explained. “A beautiful country filled with historical monuments such as the Eiffel Tower we just saw and is well popularly known as the City of Love.”

“City of Love?” Weiss perked up at the title.

“Yes! The city is very popular for it its lovely and rich romantic atmosphere.” Penny nodded, making most of the woman interested in what Paris is like.

"Due to the quick actions of Batman and the Gotham City Police Department, Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, was able to be apprehended and reinstated into Arkham Asylum," Vicki Vale, a reporter for Gotham City News, said into the microphone. Behind her, police cars and men wearing HAZMAT suits walked around, checking buildings for any remaining pockets of gas and preventing people from coming close. "It is currently unknown how long before the affected areas of Gotham will be—"

Diana shut the TV off and threw the remote on her bed. Sighing once again, Diana sat down on a wooden chair and began to think. It had been two days since the attack on Gotham City, and it was still the hottest story around the world. Attacks by supervillains often were, especially on a scale large enough to shut down a major city. Current estimates say it will take weeks to get the city back to normal, prompting Batman to take a temporary leave of absence to keep his full attention there. The FBI, CIA, and other organizations were currently working on trying to figure out just how Crane managed to pull off an attack of this magnitude, but the insane man wasn't talking. Every attempt to interrogate him ended in utter failure and they were no closer now than they were when they first apprehended him.

“Glad to know that Gotham is slowly getting back on its feet around the clock.” Clover comments, imagining what it would be after that ordeal.

“I’m more interested what these organizations and groups that were mentioned.” James said, curious what these FBI and CIA were about and decided to look them up later.

“A shame they couldn’t get much from Crane, though.” Winter frowned.

That didn't mean they didn't have a lead. It wasn't from anything Crane had said but what he had used. After Ren managed to catch him, beating him into unconsciousness as he did, Batman was able to acquire a few of his grenades for analysis. The results confirmed what she had already suspected, especially after Commissioner Gordon managed to find Crane's base of operations. As it turned out, the gas grenades Crane had used were based on mustard gas, only modified to deliver a dose of fear toxin. What was most horrifying, however, was the particular type of mustard gas the grenades were based on. Somehow, for reasons Diana did not have an answer to, Crane had managed to get his hands on the same modified mustard gas created by Dr. Isabel Maru in the closing months of the first World War, one that was built on hydrogen instead of sulfur.

“So Batman was able to trace the grenade’s origins…? Ingenious!” Pietro says in awe as he took note of such a method.

“What’s mustard gas?” Ruby asked, knowing that it’s not the kind for cooking or eating since a fear-inducing lunatic is the one using it.

“It’s a very lethal chemical used during the First World War, much similar to our Great War but on a much larger scale.” This shocked the Remnantians by the bombshell of war much more significant than their war and that it was the first meaning that there was another World War. “It is mostly based with sulfur which causes severe eye burns and blindness, burn skin and blisters, and blistering of the lungs and throat.”

Everyone was horrified that such a chemical would exist on Earth and be used for warfare, and worst of all, Crane’s grenades are based on that.

“And Scarecrow made his bombs out of that?!” Jaune shouts in shock.

“He didn’t actually replicate the mustard gas.” Ren calmly corrected as he recalled what the texts on the screen explained. “He only copied the modified version of the gas by this Isabel Maru, whom I assumed created a way to dissolve the gas masks.”

“That’s right, Isabel Maru, also known as Doctor Poison.” Penny nodded. “She was part of the German Army during World War I from early nineteen-tens and was the lead researcher in developing poison for them.”

“The nineteen-tens… I take it thanks to Diana’s status of being a deity she did not age from then?” Vine asked.

“She didn’t.” The Gynoid answered. “Thanks to her and a soldier, Steve Trevor, an ally and late lover who fought alongside her, stopped her from further developing the poison and was one of the key factors that ended the war.”

“That’s amazing!” Jaune says in awe but then frowns at one word he heard regarding Steve. “Wait, late lover?”

Penny sadly smiled. “Yes, sadly, Steve gave his life near the end of the war.” This made most of the audience were saddened to hear what such a brave man did at the end.

That should have been impossible, but before she could ruminate further, she heard the sound of creaking wood. Diana sharply turned around, pulling out her sword from underneath her desk, only to stop once she saw exactly who was in her room.

“Someone is in her room.” Harriet said as she narrowed her eyes to take a good look at the invader.

"Donna," Diana greeted her sister with a smile, sheathing her sword and relaxing herself.

“Oh, just an ally.” Harriet corrected with a light sigh.

‘There she goes again saying ‘ally’ instead of ‘friend’.’ Clover mentally sighs. He didn’t mind his teammates saying certain words at times, but out of all the Ace-Ops, Harriet is by far the only one he certainly knows that never uttered the word ‘friend’. Not after what happened to Tortuga.

"Diana, have your senses been dulled after spending so much time in Man's World?" Donna asked as she placed her hand on her hip. Diana didn't deign to answer and merely laughed, prompting her fellow Amazon to laugh with her before the two embraced. "It's good to see you again, sister."

“Oh! Their sisters!” Ruby says in excitement, then turns to Penny. “Aren’t you going to introduce Donna?”

Penny blinked and tilted her head in confusion. “Hmm, that’s odd… it seems like I can’t open the files regarding who Donna is.”

“Why not?” Ren asked, confused that this happened.

“I’m not sure… the files are just currently locked.”

"It's good to see you, too, Donna." Diana let go of her sibling and stepped away, her expression turning more serious. "Something tells me that you aren't here on a social visit."

“Looks like it’s an official business.”  Elm points out.

"No, unfortunately." Donna shook her head. "I bring a message from Queen Hippolyta."

“Queen Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons, ruler of Themyscira, and the mother of Diana.” Penny announced.

“That’s so cool!” Yang says in awe at least this woman is a lot better than her deadbeat biological mother.

“How come you were able to introduce the Queen but not Donna?” Nora asks.

“I don’t know?” Penny says without being sure herself.

"And?" Donna smiled faintly at Diana's question.

"Your request has been approved."

“A request?” Qrow raised a brow.

“I wonder what this request they are talking about?” Robyn said, wondering what it could be, seeing that it sounds important.

Watchtower, Earth Geosynchronous Orbit

“Back to the Watchtower.” Jaune comments.

"RAAGH!" Yang shouted as she pummeled the last hologram into submission, the man disappearing in a red flash. At once, a loud klaxon blared through the training arena, marking the session as complete and causing the cityscape around her to disappear. Yang panted and felt beads of sweat drip off of her before standing upright. "Again."

“Looks like my other is killing it.” The viewing Yang grinned.

“Really? Because I see that your other looks like she’s about to drop.” Blake says knowing her partner well enough to know that she is overworking herself.

"Yang, I must advise against this course of action," J'onn responded to her request over the intercom.

"Noted. Again."

“I really think your other should listen to him.” Marrow comments even he can tell that the alternate Yang is overworking herself.

“Yeah… I think I know what’s going on.” The viewing Yang sighed, knowing full well why her other is acting the way she is.

“This is about what Crane did, isn’t it?” Oscar asks, earning a silent nod from the blonde.

"Yang, listen to him," Ruby pleaded. "You've been in there for almost two hours straight. It's time for rest."

“You better listen to her. Even my other knows it.” The viewing Ruby said.

"And I told you—"

"No, Yang. Before I was asking nicely. Now, I am ordering you to come out of there and rest." Ruby's voice was much sterner than before, sending Yang slightly aback before she relented.

Everyone blinked slightly aback at what the alternate Ruby said. But, of course, even the viewing Ruby didn’t expect herself to say that.

“Damn… when you go through the end of the world and experience horrific nightmares, you really grew up fast.” Maria comments.

“Gotta say pipsqueak, you really stepped up in your leadership.” Qrow chuckled, making her niece blush, but then again, she’s been growing ever since the Fall of Beacon. It made him proud and sad for someone as young as her to go through all that.

"Fine." The brawler sighed and moved towards the now opening door. Ruby was on the other side, a concerned look on her face and a bottle of water and towel in her hands, a couple of their friends lounging with some off-duty heroes in the common room behind her. Yang met her sister in the other room and took them graciously, gulping the water down and wiping off the accumulated sweat on her body.

“At least my other listens.” Yang comments.

“Sorry.” Ruby apologized sheepishly.

The older sister just chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, Ruby. Just keep being you.”

“Yeah… just keep being me…” Ruby muttered as she was in deep thought about it.

"Gods, Yang!" Jaune turned in their direction and scrunched his nose before waving his hand in front of his face. Yang looked at him for a moment before lifting up her arm and sniffing, only to recoil at what she smelled.

“Unsanitary!” Weiss gagged in disgust with the others while some made a disapproving look towards the blonde, making her chuckle nervously.

"Uggh, that is nasty," Yang called out. "Gonna hit the showers real quick."

"Smell you later!" Flash joked while waving at a nearby door. Yang flashed a grin at the man and walked over at a brisk pace before disappearing behind the steel doors. As she disappeared, Ruby turned to look at the others and saw that Pyrrha was already heading inside, Jaune remaining content to stay in the lobby this time. The doors closed behind her, and Ruby released a sigh.

“Something on your mind Rubes?” Yang asked her sister.

“Not that I can think off.” Ruby says since she’s not there in her alternate’s place.

"You okay?" Flash asked as he noticed the girl's forlorn expression.

"I'm fine." Ruby waved him off, but Flash remained unconvinced. He sat down on the large sofa, patting the seat down next to him and beckoning her to join him. Seeing how he wasn't going to take no for an answer, Ruby sighed and sat down next to him.

“Aww, that’s so sweet of him.” Nora smiled, seeing how Flash was so considerate.

"Now, tell your Uncle Flash everything," Flash lightly commanded, concern evident in his voice. Ruby sighed and looked down at her feet before beginning to speak.

Qrow chuckled. “Uncle Flash, huh?”

“You don’t like it?” Yang grinned.

Qrow shrugged. “Nah. I approve, seeing how open he acts like family from the beginning, and I’m sure Tai would agree as well.”

"Well… Flash, I messed up," she revealed.

“Messed up? What did I–, oh…” Ruby said before stopping herself realizing what her other meant.

"I wouldn't say that…" Flash began, only for Ruby to cut him off.

"Really, then what do you call dragging your team down to Gotham City and getting them gassed?"

This made the viewing Ruby sunk in her seat in regret.

“Ruby, don’t feel hard on yourself.” Jaune said, comforting her friend. “Our others all agreed to follow you, knowing well about the dangers. Heck, we would do the same if you told us.” Her friends all smiled and nodded in agreement making the Reaper feel a bit better.

"An unforeseen development," Flash suggested without hesitation. Before Ruby could object, Flash held up a hand. "Look, Ruby. Yes, you guys shouldn't have gone down there. Not yet, at least. But, you guys went down there with the best of intentions and were as prepared as you possibly could be. Had things gone as expected, nothing bad would have happened. Of course, none of us expected Scarecrow to have a gas like that, so you can't blame yourself for it catching you and the others off guard."

“He’s right. Not everything goes as planned.”  Oscar said as he recalled the plan when they tried to get to Atlas. “Even the best plan can end up differently.”

"But…" Ruby stopped as Flash put a hand on her shoulder, and she sighed once again. "Look, I know that it wasn't my fault, and I'm happy that we were able to help bring Scarecrow down. If I'm being honest with myself, I'd probably go down there again. But… when I remember the faces everyone was making, how… afraid they all were, I can't help but feel that had I not dragged them down there, they wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"You didn't drag us down there, Ruby. And if we hadn't gone down there, then Scarecrow probably would have gotten away to hurt more innocent people," Jaune called out from his seat, directing the speedsters' attention towards him. Getting up, he walked over to them and sat down across from Ruby, a comforting expression on his face.

“That’s what I said!” Jaune said, earning a few chuckles.

“Not exactly the same words but meaningful in a way.” Ren corrected with a small smile.

"I won't lie, Ruby. What happened down there was, frankly, terrifying. I… He made me see you and everyone else die because of my incompetence." Jaune's expression was grim, but he continued. "But never think that you dragged us down there. We could have stayed up here, and no one would have blamed us, especially after what happened. But you didn't. You chose to go down there because it was the right thing to do, Ruby."

Jaune smiled and put his hand on Ruby's shoulder. "You didn't make us do anything. What you did do is let us follow you. And I promise you, that will never change." Ruby smiled at Jaune's encouragement, as did Flash and a freshly showered Yang, currently leaning on the entryway door.

'He's a good friend,' she mused to herself just as the intercom blared to life.

“You really are. From the beginning till where we are now.” The viewing Yang smiled towards the blushing knight. “Pyrrha would be proud to see that.”

“Yeah… thanks.” Jaune smiled while looking down while his teammates all placed their hands on his shoulders as they smiled towards their leader.

"Teams RWBY and JNPR, please report to the hangar bay immediately," Mr. Terrific's voice rang out over the intercom. Looking at each other, the Remnantians shrugged, gathered their equipment, and made their way towards the hangar. The doors to the training room opened just before they left the lobby, and Pyrrha joined up with them. By the time the quartet arrived at the hangar bay doors, Ren, Nora, Blake, and Weiss were already waiting for them, along with Diana and a younger woman they did not recognize. The woman looked similar to Diana in many ways. The long, raven black hair, a similar facial structure, and a pair of silver bracers on her wrists. She was wearing a set of red armor with gold trim, a white star emblazoned on the chest and lining the sides. A single short sword was holstered at her hip, attached to a golden belt with a W on its center, and she had a curious expression on her face as she looked at them. For a moment, everyone stared silently at each other before Diana moved to speak.

“Looks like Wonder Woman is now at the Watchtower along with Donna.” Elm pointed out, now having a good look at the newcomer.

“Donna Troy, also known as Wonder Girl.” Penny said, finally introducing the newcomer. “Like Diana, she is an Amazon raised in trained from Themyscira. She is also Wonder Woman’s protégé.”

“She’s Wonder Woman’s protégé? That’s so cool!” Ruby says in awe.

"Everyone, I want you to meet my sister, Donna Troy," Diana revealed, directing everyone's attention to the Amazon. She waved at them with a reserved smile, her posture slightly stiff and formal under everyone's attention, only to step back slightly as Nora enthusiastically thrust her hand out towards her.

"Hi, I'm Nora! Pleased to meet you!" Nora smiled brightly, and after a moment, Donna relaxed. Her smile grew into something more genuine as she took her hand.

“Typical Nora.” Ren shakes his but smiles, seeing his Nora was happily smiling at her other interacting with Donna.

"Hello, Nora. I'm happy to meet all of you as well!" Nora smiled at that, and as the others introduced themselves to the Amazon, they turned to face Diana, curiosity on their faces.

"So, what is it that you called us all out here for?" Weiss asked, putting her hand on her hip. "I don't think it was just for introductions. No offense, Donna."

"None taken, Weiss." Donna shook her head before straightening her shoulders and puffing out her chest in an apparent attempt to regain the official atmosphere that Nora had thrown off so easily. "Actually, I'm here to extend to you all an invitation!"

“An invitation?’ Jaune raised his brow but realized what she meant. “Wait, are they talking about Paradise Island from the chapter title?”

"An invitation?" Pyrrha raised her eyebrow. "To where, exactly?"

"To my home," Diana revealed, sending Weiss aback.

“Our others are going to Themyscira?” Blake said.

"Wait, you're inviting us to Themyscira?" Weiss asked Donna, who nodded in affirmation.

"Uh, us? As in all of us?" Jaune piped up as he awkwardly pointed between himself and Ren. "I didn't think we were allowed to uh, y'know…"

“Why would my other say that?” The viewing Jaune asked, confused why his other stuttered like that.

“Because Themyscira is an island populated by warrior women.” Penny answered. “Originally, it was isolated from the world, but it was discovered accidentally by Steve when he crashed his plane by the beach shores. After the war, it island began to reconnect with the world.”

“Now I see why it’s called a Paradise Island.” Qrow grinned, earning a distaste look from most of the woman.

“Eww! Uncle Qrow!” Ruby gagged.

“Time in and a place, old man.” Yang deadpanned.

“Disgusting…” Winter frowned, but Qrow didn’t seem bothered by their reaction or comments.

"I'm guessing Flash has been having some fun at your expense." Diana rolled her eyes with a smile. "Don't worry about those tall tales. Men are not forbidden from stepping foot on our land, not anymore at least. As long as you've received the proper permission to enter, which you just have, you're as welcome as your friends." Diana smiled warmly as fond memories of her youth entered her mind. "It's been several years since I've been to my home, and I figured you all would enjoy seeing it as well."

“Ha! It looks like Flash was trolling us.” Nora laughed.

"Well, that sounds grand!" Pyrrha spoke up with her usual warm smile. "After everything you've told us about your homeland, it would be an honor to see it with our own eyes. When will we be leaving?"

“Well, someone's excited.” Marrow mused by the Invincible Girl’s comment.

“Diana did mention that Pyrrha did resemble one of her people.” Vine comments.

"We can depart whenever you're ready. Our transport is prepped and can leave at any time," Wonder Woman responded, causing the group of teenagers to scan the empty space around them in bafflement.

Everyone blinked and looked around what Wonder Woman was referring to but found nothing.

“Um… What transport?” The viewing Blake flatly asked.

"Um… What transport?" Blake flatly asked what they were all wondering.

“Oh, look an echo.” Yang chuckled, making her partner blush a bit.

"Why, this transport of course!" Donna indicated the thin air around her with a theatrical sweep of her arm while sharing a conspiratorial grin with her sister.

The viewers were still confused about what the two Amazons are talking about.

Robyn slightly narrowed her eyes before she blinked to realize what they are talking about before she lightly smirked in amusement. ‘This is going to be good.’

"You mean it's on the other side of the hangar?" Jaune asked as he shrugged and started walking past them. "Well, it's not like we have any real luggage right now, so there's no reason to—" Before Donna could reach out and stop him, there was a dull clunk as his blonde head suddenly rebounded off the air, sending him sprawling to the ground and clutching his head. "Owww…."

The audience cringed and laughed at the scene.

“What was that?” Jaune shouted in surprise while cringing that he banged something on his head.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha rushed to her partner's sprawled and groaning form before catching herself from repeating his misfortune. Emerald eyes narrowed at a faint distortion in the air, and the redhead cautiously reached out before pushing against a large, solid obstacle that felt faintly metallic. "What is this?"

"I'm so sorry!" Donna fretted as she offered the grumbling boy a hand up. "Surprising people with the Invisible Jet is usually pretty funny, but I didn't mean for you to get introduced to it quite so… directly."

"Did you say, 'Invisible Jet'?" Jaune paused in rubbing his aching forehead to gaze up behind the apologetic Amazon. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see the faint outline of a large aircraft, one that was sleek and elegant looking. The more he looked, the bump on his head and honestly more wounded pride became completely forgotten as his eyes sparkled.

“That’s so cool!” The childish ones shouted as their eyes sparkled.

"That's so cool!"

“I know, right?” Jaune replied to his other.

“Remarkable, an aircraft that has a function that can turn itself invisible.” James says, admiring such a function and the uses for it while Pietro was retaking notes.

“I knew it.” Robyn chuckled. “Just like May’s Semblance.”

“That’s Diana’s personal jet, the Invisible Jet.” Penny explained. “She has had it ever since the First World War.”

It took another ten minutes before any one of them could stop poking and prodding the Invisible Jet and allow the Amazons to open the hatch. Any hope that the action would calm them down was dashed once it was revealed that although the exterior was invisible, the interior was not.

"This is so awesome!" Jaune exclaimed as he poked his head in and out of the hatch.

"I know!" Ruby agreed as she did the exact same thing Jaune was doing. The two were geeking out the most over the aircraft, and while the others all agreed that it was cool, they were all itching to move out.

“I’m so jealous!” Ruby wined, seeing that her other was enjoying herself.

“I know…” Jaune sagged on his seat.

“Kids…” Marrow shakes his head, but his tail wagging says otherwise.

"Will you two sit down already?" Weiss demanded, any trace of patience gone and replaced with irritation. "You two can marvel at this thing once we get in the air."

“No need to be cold now, Weiss. Wow. Been a while since I said something like that.” Yang blinked, feeling a bit nostalgic, saying a pun in over a year.

“My other can say whatever she wants.” Weiss huffed as she crossed her arms but lightly smiled, also feeling nostalgic as well.

Ruby and Jaune looked at Weiss before sighing. "Fine…" they both droned and reluctantly stepped away from the hatch and towards their seats, the hatch closing behind them with a hiss.

"Pressure is sealed. We are ready for takeoff," Diana revealed as she finished her preflight checklist. "Everyone strapped in? We're going to descend through the atmosphere, so things will get a little bumpy."

“What does she mean by pressure being sealed?” Oscar asks.

“The Invisible Jet is also capable of traveling in space, and of preventing from being sucked out of the pressure of the empty void of space, the pressure within the Invisible Jet must be sealed for space travel.” Penny answered.

“That’s sounds… educational.” Blake shuttered, not liking the idea of being sucked into space.

“Interesting… so that law is the same for the Watchtower…” Pietro noted as he took this new information.

A series of clicks answered Diana's question, and with a smile, she turned her attention fully to their craft. The jet began to rumble and shook as it rolled forward towards the hangar bay doors, the sound of a turbine jet engine starting behind them. Then, at a moment's notice, the plane rocketed forward, throwing the teenagers back against their seats. The roar of the engine was deafened by the plane's hull, but that didn't mean that they missed the sound disappearing once they broke through the force field separating the hangar from the cold vacuum of space. As they moved further out, the effects of the station's artificial gravity generators lessened, allowing everyone's hair to float upwards steadily.

The viewers chuckled at the scene.

"Heh, your hair looks funny," Ruby chuckled at the sight of Weiss's ponytail sticking straight up. Weiss merely rolled her eyes and huffed while the others laughed faintly at her expense.

"Laugh it up, Xiao Long. Your hair's doing the exact same thing," Weiss pointed out, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Indeed, Yang's hair was acting as though it was in water, flowing upwards in a multitude of directions. Yang looked up to see that Weiss was correct and then laughed.

“You seem to be enjoying yourselves.” Winter lightly smiles towards her sister, making her blush slightly.

"Uggh," Jaune gulped as his face turned slightly green and his breathing became ragged. Pyrrha looked at him in concern, only for him to wave her off. As he did, his face and breathing went back to normal. "I'm fine, don't worry. I can handle it." Pyrrha nodded at her partner's reassurance then faced forward.

“Seriously…? I can even get motion sickness in space?” Jaune groans in annoyance while Nora and Ren patted him in the back.

"Brace yourselves," Donna announced. "We're about to hit the atmosphere. This part's the worst of it."

“The worst part?” Harriet echoed as she raised a brow.

“The moment when you re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, the gravitation pull will forcefully bring you down in a powerful pull while igniting upon entry.” Penny explained while oddly feeling a shudder from her robotic spine for some odd reason.

“Yikes.” Elm winced, not wanting to have that feeling.

“I take it since that they’re in the jet they’re safe?” Maria asked, and Penny noded.

“That’s right!” Penny chirped.

Everyone braced themselves as tightly as they could, feelings of apprehension in all of them. This would be the first time they would actually have to descend through Earth's atmosphere. Before, they always went down via teleporter, and they had seen enough Earth media to know just how rough and dangerous re-entry could be.

“Remarkable… so that what it looks when entering a world in this point of view.” Pietro marvel at the sight as he took note of this for future reference for building Amity when they return.

“That looked extreme.” Clover points out seeing how dangerous it looked entering Earth like that but was glad that there were precautions for that, seeing that the Invisible Jet took up the punishment.

Once they entered Earth's atmosphere, the friction became obvious immediately. The aircraft began to shake violently, the intense friction causing fire to erupt across the hull. Although the aircraft itself remained stable on the inside, Jaune couldn't help but close his eyes and clench his straps tightly, forcing himself to keep the contents of his stomach down as hard as he could. The others were doing the same to varying degrees for the entire experience, except for Nora, who was excitedly looking at everything as if she was on a roller coaster.

“Of course, you’re the only one who's enjoying the ride.” Weiss rolled her eyes at Nora, who just happily smiles.

"This is awesome! You guys should check this out!" she exclaimed as she looked through the window. The others didn't deign her with a response while they kept themselves steady until finally, the rumbling stopped, and the flight became smooth once more. Opening their eyes, they saw white, billowy clouds passing by them at great speed, and a nod from Donna gave them permission to unlock their seats and stretch their legs.

“Aww… why do our others have it good.” Nora pouted, feeling jealous that their others are experiencing things that they aren’t.

“Nora, be happy for what you have.” Ren lightly says to his girlfriend. Her answer was her sticking her tongue out then hugged him by his arm, making him lightly chuckle.

"Man, what a rush!" Yang exclaimed as she fixed her messy hair. A quick glance told her Weiss and Blake were doing the same thing, although Weiss was the more focused of the two. Occasionally, Blake's fingers would brush against her exposed cat-ears only to continue on with her brushing. Had Yang not been paying attention, she might not have even noticed it, but she did. It was then that Yang was reminded of a sobering thought. For all Blake and them knew, she was potentially the last Faunus in existence. Sure, there were still the ones trapped inside Brainiac's bottles, but that was of little comfort if they couldn't get them free.

After seeing that, Yang looks at her partner with a concerned look on her face. “You okay, Blake?”

“I’m fine, thanks.” Blake answered with a small smile appreciating the concern. “I’m just worried for my other’s wellbeing.”

“I’m sure any Faunus would think the same thing if they were in your other’s position.” Marrow said while mentally admitting to himself he would feel the same.

Yang put those dismal thoughts aside for the moment, content to merely put her hand on her partner's shoulder in silent comfort. Blake looked at her friend in brief surprise, then smiled, appreciative of the gesture, and said nothing.

“No problems so far!” Ruby said, glad that the alternate Blake was feeling better.

"So," Donna began as she got out of the co-pilot's seat and walked towards them, "we should be arriving in Themyscira shortly. If you want, I can answer any questions any of you may have about my home and my people."

“I’m interested in knowing Themyscira as well.” Vine said interested in knowing a different culture.

“Why? Because it’s filled with women?” Harriet smirked, teasing his fellow stoic Ace Op.

“Wouldn’t you? Since the said women are warriors much to what I can gather.” Vine counters with a light smirk catching her off-guard, making her turn away and the rest of the Ace Ops laugh.

“He’s got you there, Hare.” Clover chuckled, knowing that a topic like this would interest her. This made the fastest Specialist huffed in annoyance.

Donna's offer was met with murmurs among the huntsmen and huntresses, something that the Wonder Girl had come to expect. Many of the people she met often had questions regarding the Amazons and how they lived, and it came as no surprise that people from another world would be in the same boat. As they discussed among themselves, Donna stood upright, puffing herself up to look as regal and strong as possible, something her sister did effortlessly.

"Um, I have one," Ruby asked with a hand raised. "How did the Amazons," she paused, looking for the right word, "…come about?"

“Do we need to teach you the ‘birds and the bees’ to you, Rubes?” Yang teasingly smirked at her younger sister, which made her wildly blush.

“EW! Gross Yang!” Ruby shrieked.

“Have some tack, you brute!” Wiess blushed, but Yang just laughed.

“Really didn’t need to hear that…” Oscar lightly blushes and what’s ironic is that despite being the youngest, he was slowly growing mentally mature due to Ozpin’s influence

"You mean to say, how did a race of immortal women come to be and live on Themyscira?" Donna asked, to which Ruby nodded. Donna nodded her head and sat down on a nearby chair, a warm smile on her face. "My mother told me this story once when I was young. In the beginning, the gods of Olympus ruled over the world. Zeus, God of the Sky, was king among them. He made beings in his own image, beings for the rest of the Olympians to rule over. This race became known as man. At first, man was good, peaceful, and just. They were in harmony with one another.

"But, one Olympian, Ares, the God of War, grew jealous of his brother's affections towards his creations and sought to destroy them. To do so, he poisoned the hearts of men, made them fight amongst each other, made them wage war." Diana frowned slightly at this statement, something that Blake, Pyrrha, and Ren noticed out of the corner of their eyes but said nothing. "In an attempt to stop this, to teach man the value of love and peace, the goddesses Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hera, and Hestia created the Amazons to guide them. For a time, the world became peaceful once more, but it was not to be."

“Well, that’s interesting…” Maria comments while being enraptured by the tale and couldn’t help but be familiar with that story with a certain other from their world while most of the Remnantians beside her noticed it.

“It’s similar to the story of The Two Brothers.” Qrow voiced those who thought of the same thing. ‘Except at the end, the Gods wiped out the first civilization no thanks to Salem.’

“Except that there are more than just two gods and the fact that there is a race of immortal women.” Robyn pointed out also being familiar with that fairly tail but then began to think that it might be more than just a story.

"What happened?" Yang asked, enraptured by the tale albeit with a healthy dose of skepticism. It sounded a bit too picture-perfect for her, but she wasn't going to voice that.

"We were deceived," Donna revealed with a frown on her face. "Under the leadership of my mother, Queen Hippolyta, and her sister Antiope, Themyscira prospered in what is now known as Greece, keeping us safe from the threat of Ares. He hated us, viewed our efforts to calm man as a threat to his ambitions, and sought to destroy us. To that end, he ordered the strongest hero of Man's World, Heracles, to obtain Hippolyta's girdle as one of his Twelve Labors. At first, he attempted to do so by force, only for him to be defeated in combat. Still determined to obtain her girdle, he feigned acceptance and seduced my mother, making her lower her guard long enough to obtain her girdle. When he finally accomplished his goal, the rest of his army stormed Themyscira and… enslaved us." Donna clenched her fist tightly, a scowl forming on her face, but quickly calmed herself and carried on. It wasn't hard for the others to figure out exactly what had happened, and anger at the injustice inflicted on the Amazons washed over them.

Blake frowned, not liking the enslavement part. However, she couldn’t help but compare her people to the unfairness and prejudice the Faunus were treated during the early times when humanity was brought back.

"After a fierce struggle," Donna eventually continued, "my mother and Antiope were able to free our people when the Gods of Olympus came to our aid. They were beset by Ares, determined to finish us off once and for all, and one by one, the Gods fell to his blades until only Zeus was left. With the last of his strength, Zeus struck Ares down and created Themyscira to protect the Amazons as well as what the island stored: a weapon capable of killing a god. After that, the Amazons retreated from the world for centuries, never venturing outside of the protective magics that surrounded our island home. We stayed that way for thousands of years."

"What changed?" Jaune asked, curiosity in his voice. Donna looked at Diana for guidance, to which the Wonder Woman sighed, activated the autopilot, and stepped towards the Remnantians.

“I take it this when Steven Trevor first stepped foot on Themyscira.” James said, recalling what Penny said.

"A century ago, a man crashed onto Themyscira's shores. His name was Steve Trevor," Diana spoke, captivating her audience. "He was a spy for the United States, and his arrival marked the end of Themyscira's isolation from the world. Steve revealed that the world was embroiled in a Great War," RWBY and JNPR perked up at this, something the Amazons noticed. Diana then remembered the history of Remnant, and a sorrowful look crossed her face. "It was indeed much like the Great War of Remnant. It spanned the entire globe, consuming entire countries and generations in needless violence. By the time Steve crashed onto Themyscira, the war had already consumed millions of people, and no end was in sight."

“I still can’t believe that there was a war much similar to ours.” Marrow comments.

“And the fact there was more than one.” Elm added.

“There have been only two World Wars on Earth, and so far, there haven’t been any major wars of that scale since.” Penny added, shocking that there had been two Great Wars one was devastating enough for their world and the constant attack of Grimm.

Diana paused to collect herself, then continued, a sorrowful look on her face. "But what was worst was that a peace treaty was being negotiated. This treaty would end the war, but a German general had created a weapon that, in his eyes, could bring his nation to victory. Steve stole the plans for it, and had it been deployed, the war could have carried on into perpetuity."

“The grenade that destroys gas masks!” Ruby gasps.

“So he was the one who discovered Doctor Poison’s weapon and escaped with it leading him to crash land on Themyscira when the Germans chased him.” Weiss deduced.

“He was also a key factor in ending the war.” Ren says in awe at how a single man’s action changed the tides of the war.

"And you wouldn't let that stand," Donna declared with awed pride in her voice as she looked up at her sister. Excitedly Donna turned towards the others, only to quickly recompose herself as she saw the mirthful look of recognition on Yang's face. Diana merely chuckled before continuing. She moved to speak, only for a red light to begin flashing on the jet's controls. Diana calmly turned and walked to her seat, a warm smile appearing on her face. Curious, the two teams moved to peek out the windows, only for Diana to press a button and make the jet's interior translucent. They gasped as they saw the clouds wisp by, accumulating in a large mass in front of them.

This made all of the Remnantians lean a bit closer to the screen, wanting to have a good look at the very mass they are sure of what the place is.

"We're here," Diana declared just as they entered the cloudbank. The world became white as clouds covered them, only to break as they left them behind suddenly. The two teams gasped as the island of Themyscira came into view. Diana had previously described her island home as a paradise, but that seemed to be an understatement. The island itself was covered in lush, green forests, with tall mountain peaks elevating the landscape. As they passed the mountains, the travelers could see stone buildings blend into the land around them harmoniously, mostly in isolation. As they grew closer and closer to a large circular bay at the far end of the island, the buildings grew closer and closer together before finally revealing a bustling city of white marble. Columned square buildings rose along the hills the city was built upon, white spires reaching into the air. At the top of the highest hill, overlooking the city, stood a tall singular tower that shone in the sunlight.

“Remarkable…” Robyn says in awe as she marveled at what she sees. Everyone silently agreed with the leader of the Happy Huntresses.

“Through all my years traveling in Remnant, I have never seen something so majestic.” Maria mutters in awe as she lightly taps her goggles, making sure that they are working correctly.

"This is… incredible," Weiss marveled at the pristine architecture passing below them. The jet began to slow and steadily descend, aiming towards a circular pad a short distance from the tall tower they had spotted earlier. An assortment of women, a few on horseback, were already awaiting them. Most of them wore armor, similar to Diana's and Donna's, only less colorful and appearing lighter. Each of them carried a round shield in their left hand, their right hand holding either a long spear or a short sword. A few more women were standing apart from the others, equipped with bows and standing at the ready.

“Wow… they all kinda remind me of Pyrrha…” Jaune couldn’t help saying out loud.

“Ain’t that a dream come true for you, Vomit Boy.” Yang says with a cheeky grin making the blonde knight blush like crazy.

The jet finally landed with a soft hum, the interior materializing once again. Smiling to herself, Diana prepared to turn around and welcome the teenagers to their home, only to be greeted by the sound of gagging and the sight of Ruby, Yang, Pyrrha, and Donna assisting a green-faced Jaune.

“Oh c’mon!” Jaune quickly got over his embarrassment and facepalmed in annoyance.

“Don’t worry, Jaune at least getting better at riding on aircraft now.” Ruby assures her friend.

"There, there," Pyrrha comforted him as he struggled to keep his breakfast down. Donna was currently fishing through the jet's cabinets, pulling out a crystal vial and handing it to the boy.

"Here, this should help," she said as Jaune wolfed the contents down. At once, the greenness of his skin began to subside, and his breathing returned to normal.

“Where can I get that?” Jaune asks, interested in what his other drank.

“Sorry, Jaune, that medicine is exclusive only to Earth.” Penny apologized.

"I… am so sorry for that…" he gasped as Pyrrha patted his back, and the others looked at him in slight concern, Yang taking a few noticeable steps back. Embarrassed, Jaune rubbed the back of his neck and looked towards the two Amazons. "I get airsick. I was able to hold it in until the jet went completely invisible, then it…"

"There's no need to apologize," Diana interrupted him with a raised hand. Seeing how he was obviously self-conscious about it, she smiled warmly and patted his shoulder. "There's no need to be ashamed. Lots of people get airsick."

"Thank you!"

“Finally! Someone who agrees with me.” Jaune happily says, earning a sweat drop from everyone.

“Is he serious?” Robyn raised a brow as she asks the blonde’s friends.

“Don’t worry about it.” Nora just says with a smile.

Outside of the Invisible Jet, the large group of Amazons stood ready at attention. They were focused around a single figure, a woman wearing regal gold armor with a helmet covering her long black hair. While on the surface, she appeared calm and collected, on the inside, she couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. But, as Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta couldn't afford to show that feeling. However, she could afford to let out a warm smile as the hatch opened to reveal her daughters, their guests following after them.

“I present to you the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, the mother of Diana and Donna.” Penny said while everyone had a good look at the Goddess.

"Hail!" her Amazonian Guards shouted and snapped to attention, keeping a wary eye on the outsiders behind them. Diana and her entourage ignored it, although Jaune and Ren couldn't help but notice the annoyed and suspicious looks several of the Amazons were giving them. As none of them made any moves towards the boys and knowing the likely reason why they would be suspicious of men on their island home, they were willing to let it be. The group finally stopped as Diana kneeled in front of Queen Hippolyta, prompting the others to do the same.

“Wow… I feel so welcomed.” Jaune sarcastically said, seeing how the other Amazons are acting towards him and Ren.

‘Just like how most Faunus populated areas would react to humans.’ Blake frowns at the comparisons but glad that the Amazons are more tamed.

“They're well organized.” James complements the female warriors of Themyscira.

"Rise, children," Hippolyta commanded. At once, they all rose to their feet, RWBY and JNPR making sure to display proper respect to a monarch, only to relax as Hippolyta smiled warmly and clasped Diana on the shoulder. The two then hugged one another and smiled. "It's good to see you, Diana."

"I missed you too, mother," Diana replied as they broke away. She and Donna then stepped to the side, the Wonder Woman throwing her arm to the side and gesturing towards the two teams of ex-students. "I'd like to introduce you to my new friends." At being referred to, Ren and Jaune bowed while the others curtsied. Well, most of them did. Ruby couldn't seem to decide which one she wanted to do and ended up with an awkward combination of both, somehow managing to keep herself from tipping over in the process.

“Really, Ruby?” Yang raised a brow while she smirked in amusement.

“You try picking how to show proper respect to divine royalty!” Ruby puffed with a blush on her face.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness," Weiss declared as she rose from her curtsy. Hippolyta nodded at her formality then stepped forward.

"The honor is mine, Weiss Schnee. Any friend of my daughter is an honored guest of Themyscira." If Weiss was surprised that the Queen knew her name, she did a remarkable job of not showing it. A sympathetic look then crossed Hippolyta's face as she put her hand on the heiress's shoulder. "Diana informed me of what happened to your home. You have my and Themyscira's deepest sympathies."

“That’s very kind of her.” Pietro smiles, glad that the Queen is very considerate to the lost children of Remnant.

"I… Thank you," Weiss said with a somber expression. The pain of losing Remnant, despite everything they gave to defend it, still ached in her heart. The League was helping in dulling it, especially with what could only be described as group therapy sessions with Diana, but it was still there. Weiss took the time to look around to see that, as the Queen described, the Amazons were looking at her and her friends with sympathetic looks. Hippolyta then stepped back and adopted a more regal posture, directing everyone's attention back towards her.

"As honored guests, the ancient and sacred right of hospitium is granted to you. You are welcome to partake in Themyscira as you please. Donna," the Wonder Girl perked up at the mention of her name, "will be your guide during your stay. Please ask her any questions you may have."

“Oh! A free tour to Themyscira!” Nora shouts with glee.

“You do realize that your others are doing it, right?” Elm points out.

“I may not experience is but seeing it is enough for me.” The hammer-wielding girl wisely says.

“Weren’t just complaining about not being there?” Marrow countered.

“Don’t ruin the mood!”

"Thank you," Pyrrha bowed again then turned to face Donna. Straightening herself, Donna smiled and looked over the huntsmen and huntresses.

"Please, follow me!" Donna declared as she began to walk away, the teenagers excitedly following after her. The assorted Amazons could hear their excited chatter as they descended into the city before finally fading away, leaving only the Queen, her guards, and Diana. When Diana turned to face her mother, her happy expression turned into one much more serious, and Hippolyta sighed.

"Leave us," she ordered to her guards. At once, the Amazons thumped their fists to their chests as a salute and marched away, leaving Diana and Hippolyta by themselves on a seemingly empty air pad. A moment of intense silence descended between the two women before Diana began to speak.

“Looks like we get to see the reason for Diana’s arrival back to her home.” Winter points out.

“Then why did she even bother bringing the kids to her home anyway?” Harriet questioned, earning annoyed glares from the said kids.

“They’re there because they earned to be there.” Oscar simply said Harriet just huffed and said nothing else.

"Is it still there?" she asked tersely.

“Still there?” Qrow echoed curiously to what Wonder Woman was talking about.

"Yes," Hippolyta answered immediately. "I checked it myself personally as soon as word arrived."

"Show me." Had it been anyone else making demands of the Queen, the person would have been punished for the disrespect. But as it was her own daughter, Hippolyta easily accepted, and the two walked towards the large spire, passing by a pair of guards who saluted as they passed. The two women descended down a large stairwell along the wall, descending deeper and deeper until they came across a large bronze doorway. More guards stood at attention in front of it, clad in a full set of armor and armed with sword and shield.

“A vault?” Blake raised a brow.

“And an important one at that.” Ren comments, seeing how fortified it is.

"My Queen," one of the guards said. "Do you require access to the vault?"

"Yes, I do," Hippolyta answered. The guards nodded then looked at each other. They then turned to face the bronze door, pulling out a pair of keys and slotting them into identical keyholes. Looking at each other one last time, the two turned the keys at the exact same time with a resounding click. They then grabbed hold of two handlebars on opposite ends of the vault door and heaved. The heavy doors groaned as they scraped the stone floor, the Amazons straining as they continued to pull. Finally, after considerable effort, the doors were fully opened, revealing the contents inside. Without saying a word, mother and daughter walked inside and examined the contents, finding a large assortment of weapons and magical artifacts. A lead box containing the head of Medusa, the sword Harpe mounted next to it. The Aegis mounted on the wall across from the Armor and Shield of Achilles, even Heracles' Club. Several of the most powerful weapons her people ever encountered, ones too dangerous to let loose on the world, but Diana ignored all of them in favor of a single book.

“Damn, that door is crazy heavy.” Marrow widens his eyes, shock that such an old fashion vault exists.

“These are some taught women.” Elm crossed her arms, impressed seeing how these warriors a capable of pushing such a heavy door.

“I’m more curious as to what that book is.” Vine says he is also interested in what else is inside the vault, but the book seemed more critical.

"Here it is," Hippolyta declared as she took the book in hand, carefully wiping off the accumulated dust and handing it to Diana. Carefully, Diana took the object and opened it, revealing the wrinkled pages of Doctor Maru's chemical journal. Everything was exactly as she left it when she entrusted her mother to safeguard its contents.

“That book… could it be…!” Ruby gasped in realization.

“It’s the book that holds Doctor Maru’s information.” Pietro finishes.

That only made her frown deeper.

"I've personally interviewed every single person with access to the Armory," Hippolyta revealed, "investigated any evidence of theft, and found nothing. No one had entered the vault before I had it opened."

“How is it possible to steal something from a heavily fortified vault surrounded by guards?” James questioned.

“Someone with a Semb–, I mean Metahuman powers that could sneak past them?” Clover guessed.

“It wouldn’t be that simple.” Penny corrected. “Even with outside powers, Themyscira would have countermeasures for such cases. In fact, even if they succeed, there would be a struggle.”

"Then tell me, mother," Diana replied, closing the book as she turned to face her queen. "How did Crane learn about the formula Maru and Ludendorff concocted? I destroyed all of the other samples, burned the rest of Maru's notes except for her journal, so how can he have rediscovered it? The Americans and the Soviets tried to recreate it for decades, and they never got close. Crane, however, just shows up with it not only mastered but also changed to suit his own twisted ends."

“Woah… kinda sounded heated their, Wonder Woman.” Yang comments feeling a bit uncomfortable, along with a few.

Hippolyta sighed at Diana's pointed stare. "I do not know, Diana, but I am as alarmed about this as you are. All I know is that none of my Amazons leaked this knowledge to him nor anyone else."

"Are you sure of that? You and I both know that there are several who would be willing to strike back at Man's World." Hippolyta's face warped into a frown.

“Oh, shots are being fired.” Qrow cringed, seeing that this conversation is slowly growing into an argument.

“Why is Diana acting that way.” Ruby innocently asks.

“It’s because that chemical journal brings a lot of memories for her.” Maria understood why Diana is so frustrated, seeing that her prosthetic eyes constantly remind her what she failed to do.

"I know that, which is why I interrogated them first. They were just as insulted as I am at the accusation."

"I meant no offense, mother." Diana quickly backtracked, regret on her face. After a moment, Hippolyta sighed.

"I know." Hippolyta then put her hand on Diana's shoulder in comfort, to which Diana clasped it with her own. "Is there the possibility of him simply rediscovering it on his own? He is a noted chemist after all."

“Glad that they're not fighting.” Ruby sighs in relief, glad she and the others won’t be needing to watch an argument.

"No." Diana shook her head. "The most anyone got out of him was that he did not discover the chemical on his own. Said he 'couldn't take responsibility for its creation, only its modification'. I would have gone to him myself and used the Lasso on him, but his lawyers prevented me from doing so."

“Seriously? Even they can prevent from using the Lasso?!” Robyn shouts in disbelief, seeing how much of a waste it is not to use the ability to gather information without using force, seeing that she has a familiar ability. Still, the difference is that it doesn’t make her target speak the truth; instead tells if they are speaking the truth.

"Hmm," Hippolyta frowned. "We must get to the bottom of this. Someone on this island gave Crane the contents of this vault. They must be found, not only for Man's World but also for the safety of Themyscira."

"We'll find them," Diana declared with absolute certainty. As they exited the vault, the doors being shut behind them, Diana couldn't help but wonder how RWBY and JNPR were doing. Hopefully, they were having a better time than she was.

“Glad to know what her reason was to go to Themyscira.” Ruby said, glad to see what the reason was.

“But this means that there is something big happening if such information was stolen and given to a villain like Crane.” Jaune points out.

“Indeed.” James agreed. “If such hazardous information was easily leaked out to their enemies, there’s no telling what other delicate information would be stolen and be used against them.”

“Gotta admit this is getting a lot more interesting.” Qrow admits wanting to watch more about this universe.

Ruby marveled at the large stone buildings around them as she and her friends followed Donna through Themyscira. The sounds of women working filled the air. Blacksmiths hammered away at bronze and iron tools, weavers and merchants bartered their goods with farmers and fishers. The atmosphere was serene and peaceful, and Ruby took in a deep breath to absorb it all.

“Ooh! Classic blacksmiths.” Ruby marveled at the sight.

“Look at all those working women.” Weiss comments. “Watching them work in such an environment feels right.” This made all of the women nodded in agreement.

"This is our main market," Donna revealed as they passed by a few more stalls. A starry-eyed Ruby and Jaune looked at the swords and spears at a weapons stand while Pyrrha looked among offerings of fruit. Blake was currently standing in front of a particularly large fish, her eyes wide and mouth wet, and Yang was checking out some armor. Nora had dragged Ren to a jewelry stand, happily trying on an assortment of gold and jeweled pieces while an amused Ren merely shook his head with a smile.

“You kids look like you’re having fun.” Maria chuckled, making the said kids slightly blush.

"Interesting," Weiss hummed and turned to face Donna. "I've been curious about something. Does Themyscira get everything it needs from this island, or does trade happen to make up the difference?"

“I’m interested in that as well.” Winter said.

"We do have some trade with Man's World," Donna answered, "but it is limited to specifically approved entities and in only certain quantities. Otherwise, we get everything we need here."

“How is it possible for them to not have their resources depleted.” Weiss wondered.

"How? I mean, you all have been on the same ten square mile island for the past couple thousand years. How have you not exhausted Themyscira's resources yet?"

"Well, for one, we don't have the same over-consumption problem that plagues Man's World as of late," Donna replied with a smirk, "and our population is much lower. As such, we don't use much of Paradise Island's resources, to begin with."

“Hey! It’s the name from the title chapter.” Ruby said.

“Donna’s reason is understandable.” Ren comments, seeing how Themyscira is able to thrive on its own.

"I thought this island was called Themyscira?" Yang suddenly called out while trying on a pair of bronze braces.

“That’s what I want to know too.” The viewing Yang asked.

"They're one and the same, actually. The island itself is called Paradise Island, but the city is Themyscira. The two names are used interchangeably."

“Ah.” The viewing Yang nodded.

"Ah." Yang nodded her head and continued to inspect the bracers, humming to herself in appreciation.

“Ooh, loving the bracers me.” The viewing Yang nodded.

"Anyway," Donna continued, "Themyscira itself is rich in resources. Deep veins of ore run through our mountains, schools of fish swim freely within our waters, and our soil is fertile. Thanks to careful management, and the graces of the Gods, we've been able to ensure that our resources don't run dry."

“Hence the name Paradise Island.” Vine comments.

"Hmm," Weiss hummed. As the daughter of Jacques Schnee, whether she liked it or not, she was educated on economics from a very young age as part of her training to become an heiress. As much as she may detest her father, Weiss knew that he was a very good businessman, and that trait followed her. So, in her mind, what Donna was telling her did not make much sense. A society could not remain in complete isolation from the outside world and become as prosperous as Themyscira obviously was. Trade was essential, and with Paradise Island only ten square miles large, with double that in terms of surrounding sea, there simply wasn't enough resources to sustain a single city-state for thousands of years. Part of her wanted to tell Donna this, but Weiss instead chose to move past it.

“Glad you're other stayed quiet, sister.” Winter comments. “It would not be wise to offer such a decision to them, seeing that they manage to sustain themselves even during their isolation.”

Weiss lightly blushed, seeing the reason but nodded regardless.

"Ooh!" she heard Ruby say. The excitable girl was still at a weapon’s stand, currently practicing with a few swords. The metal sang through the air, a slight whoosh marking its passage as Ruby swung towards a wooden practice dummy. "This is really well made! The weight is perfect, the handle fits into my hand flawlessly, and I can't even see a warp in the blade! This is really good, Io!"

"Thank you. It's always nice to talk to others about my work," the blacksmith Io replied as she continued to hammer away at a glowing bar. The woman was large, even by Amazon standards, with short black, brown hair constrained by a headband. Weiss could feel the impacts Io made as she struck the sword, even from where she was. When Io finished hammering the sword into the proper shape she wanted, she grabbed it with tongs and quenched it in a pool of water, releasing a large cloud of steam.

“Impressive craftsmanship.” Pietro says, admiring the blacksmith's skills.

“Yeah, she clearly knows how to forge her weapons.” Qrow says, impressed with Io’s skill. But, of course, being a former professor himself, he can vouch for it.

"What's it made out of?"

"Mostly enchanted steel and bronze," Io revealed while wiping away the sweat from her brow. "Our priests bless the alloys with the gifts of the Gods, then my fellow sisters and I work the metal into whatever is desired."

“Is everything they have made from Gods?” Robyn questions, but deep down, she was starting to believe it to be true.

“Looks like it.” Clover answered.

"Hmm," Ruby hummed as she put the sword away and inspected a spear. "How strong are they?"

"Very. They are more than a match for the weapons of Man's World," Io boasted with a proud smile. That smile then became more forlorn as she looked at an armor set across from her. "They're not always strong enough, though. For all our strength, we are still vulnerable."

“Ain’t that the truth…” James muttered as he rubbed his prosthetic arm. Despite all of Atlas’s advanced technology, he knows that it’s not invincible after watching how Brainiac took over Remnant. He just wishes that most people wouldn’t let that get to their heads.

"I know what you mean," Ruby stated, thinking back to how easily Brainiac had defeated her and her friends. She then looked at the smithy and began swaying back and forth, her head down and hands pressed behind her back. "Um… Can I…"

"Yes, you can help if you wish." Io laughed at the enthusiastic look on Ruby's face as she sped over in a burst of rose petals.

“You can’t help yourself, can’t you, you dolt?” Weiss raises a brow mused at the scene.

“You know I can’t! When there are weapons involved, I’ll be there!” Ruby proudly says.

"Well, I can see Ruby's having fun," Donna remarked as she and Weiss watched the women work the forge. Looking around, they saw that Yang was following a group of Amazons to a nearby training ground, talking about proving which of them was the strongest. Nora had run off into the forest, dragging Ren along with her, while Jaune and Pyrrha were patiently waiting for Donna and Weiss to notice them.

"Hey, Donna," Jaune asked, "is it okay if Pyrrha and I check out your arena?"

“A good place to train in a new environment.” Jaune says, knowing that Pyrrha would do the same.

“I’m curious to know what the Amazons are capable of in combat.” Winter curiously said.

"Go right ahead," Donna replied with a smile. With a happy nod, the two partners turned and left, talking among themselves like the good friends they were.

"I am so happy that things aren't awkward between them anymore," Weiss revealed as the two disappeared behind a building. Donna looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

Jaune groans in embarrassment. Why did he have to recall that?

"What do you mean? They seem to get along perfectly."

"Well, you would be correct there," Weiss admitted with a chuckle. "But, as it turns out, Pyrrha… wanted to be more than friends but was too shy and considerate to admit it."

"Oh." Donna thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I can see how that could get awkward." She had direct experience with that. Seeing Dick and Kori dance around each other for years was a sight to behold, and the less said about Garfield and Raven, the better.

"Yeah, but then Pyrrha accidentally blurted out how she felt out because of Diana's Lasso." Donna paused at Weiss' statement, then winced.

“I’m so sorry again, Fearless Leader.” Nora apologized.

Jaune chuckled awkwardly. “No need to apologize, Nora.”

"Hera's breath, what happened after that?"

"They practically ran out of the room. They were so embarrassed. Didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. Couldn't even make eye contact." Donna cringed even more. Of all the ways to admit something that important, having it forced upon you via Lasso of Truth must have been humiliating. But, seeing how everything between them was well again, Donna was happy for them. She then looked around, failing to spot a familiar set of cat ears.

“Wait, where’s Blake?” Oscar asked, noticing that the Faunus was not mentioned much, making the said Faunus wondering herself.

"Where is…?" she asked, just as Weiss noticed Blake's distinct absence.

"I'm right here," Blake suddenly called out right from behind them, startling the Amazon and heiress. They turned around sharply to see a smirk on Blake's face, holding a kebabbed smoked blue fish in one hand and a plate of leafy greens in the other.

Most of the audience is startled by her sudden appearance—even Blake herself.

"How long were you here?" Weiss asked, clearly annoyed while ignoring the muffled laughs of Ruby and a few surrounding Amazons.

"Long enough." Blake smiled triumphantly as she bit into her fish while Weiss sighed in exasperation and Donna laughed.

“Looks like someone’s practicing her Batman impression.” Yang teasingly grinned at her slightly blushing partner. “Is someone seeing the Dark Knight as her idol?”

Blake didn’t answer, but her blush slightly darken.

Yang crouched down and moved in a circle as her opponent, a long-haired Amazon who appeared to be the same age named Europa, did the same. Their bodies shone in a sheen of sweat, their breathing heavy and ragged while they watched the other for any signs of weakness. Europa's brown hair was covered in dust and sand, heavy with sweat, and bruises were visible along her arms and chest. Then, after a moment, the two women charged each other with a yell. Yang threw a haymaker at Europa, only for the woman to duck underneath and deck Yang across the jaw. She retaliated with a light jab of her own, striking the woman in the face and making her stumble back. Grabbing her across the shoulder, Yang began pummeling Europa's chest with her free hand, forcing the Amazon to bring up her arms to defend herself. After a few moments, Europa managed to grab Yang's oncoming fist and wrap her arm around it, bringing her other arm around Yang's hold and breaking it. Yang was then thrown off of the Amazon, sending her stumbling back and unable to prevent Europa from trying to tackle her to the ground.

“Looks like my other is having the time for her life.” Yang cheeky smiled, seeing her other going all out in what looks like a spar.

“Go, Yang!” Ruby cheered for her sister.

“That Amazon knows how to fight.” Harriet says, impressed at the woman’s skills while she studied it.

As the Amazon made contact, Yang grunted as the air was briefly knocked out of her but was able to keep her footing. Her bare feet dragged sand as the Amazon pushed her towards the edge of the ring, but Yang twisted her leg and planted herself firmly. Seeing how she wasn't moving anymore, Europa began punching Yang's side with her left arm, each blow making Yang wince while she herself elbowed the woman's back in kind. After a few moments of mutual struggle, Yang shifted tactics and leaned forward, grabbing hold of Europa's waist and lifted her off the ground. Surprised, Europa's legs flailed as she tried to kick Yang, only for the effort to be futile as Yang twisted and slammed her on the ground. The wind knocked out of her. She was helpless as Yang grappled the Amazon from behind, leaving both of them lying on the ground and Yang wrapping her arms around the Amazon's arms and neck. For several moments, Europa struggled, trying to break free from Yang's tightening grip before sighing and tapping the brawler's arm twice. At once, Yang let go and released the Amazon from her hold, allowing them both a chance to collapse onto the sand and breathe deeply.

“Yay! Yang won!” Ruby cheered, and her friends cheered, and the others clapped.

“Gotta admit, it didn’t look easy.” Yang says, glad to know that her other managed on her won.

"I… win…" Yang gasped while throwing her fist into the air in victory. Around her, a small crowd of Amazons cheered at the warriors' performance while a few went to help them to their feet. Yang smiled at the Amazons and turned to face Europa, her face a mixture of disappointment and regard. The two stared at each other before they clasped their arms together in a show of respect, something the Amazons around them appreciated. Another Amazon tossed Yang a thick cloth, which she immediately used to begin drying herself off while she walked to a nearby stone bench. Plopping down on it, Yang felt a sense of relief wash over her.

“Looks like you got everyone's respect, Firecracker.” Qrow said, proud of her niece.

“Looks like I did.” Yang smiles as she scratches the back of her head.

"That was a spectacular match," she heard someone say. She craned her head to see a red-haired woman standing next to her, offering a cup of what Yang could only assume was either water or some of that famous Themysciran wine. Not caring what it was, Yang took it and saw that it was indeed water, which she happily began to gulp down.

"Thanks," Yang said as she wiped some excess water from her chin. "Have to admit. I haven't had a match that hard in quite a while." Her trouncing at the hands of Brainiac, in Yang's mind, did not count. That was less a match and more lambs to the slaughter, something Pyrrha agreed with readily.

"With what I can see, it's not hard to imagine why." The Amazon laughed and gestured towards the stone bench. "May I?"

“Who’s that?” Oscar asked.

“Probably another Amazon who’s just training.” Ren answered.

"Sure." Yang scooted over and tapped the stonework, granting the Amazon permission to sit next to her. With a smile on her face, the Amazon did so and turned to look at the wrestling match going on in front of them.

"Kassandra," the Amazon suddenly said, extending her hand to Yang, who gladly took it. They shook and then turned back to watch the match. "How are you enjoying Themyscira, Yang?"

"I can see why this place is called Paradise Island," Yang replied as she took another drink of water. "This place is perfect. Crystal clear water, perfect temperature, great food. I have half a mind to retire here one day. Build a little beach house where I can just lounge around with a little umbrella drink in my hand."

"That sounds lovely," Kassandra stated with a warm smile, which Yang returned. It was then that Kassandra turned to study Yang more closely, causing the blonde to raise her eyebrow in confusion.

Some of the audience raised a brow at how Kassandra was acting towards the alternate Yang.

“Is there something on my other’s face?” Yang asked even she felt something odd at this scene.

"Something on my face?" She asked, and Kassandra shook her head.

"No, just trying to figure something out." Kassandra paused as she continued to look her over.

"And what is it that you're trying to figure out?" Yang asked, wondering exactly what the Amazon was getting at.

"Your lineage, actually. I'm trying to decide which of the Gods you are descended from. It's odd. You have the strength of Athena, glowing hair like Eos, and beauty granted by Aphrodite herself. I can't decide which one suits you more."

There was a heavy pause among the Remnantians until most of them slowly began to see what the Amazon was doing.

“…Brothers, that woman is flirting with you.” Qrow broke the silence, making him said blonde blink before she blushes heavily.

“What!” Getting a shout from her in shock while her friends are also gobsmacked at the scene. Never in their lives would they see Yang being hit on.

A pause descended over the group before Yang began to blush heavily, realizing exactly what was going on. Kassandra wasn't actually studying her; she was hitting on her.

“Well, well, Yang looks like you got more than just respect.” Weiss smirked, feeling a bit of joy now that she gets the turn to tease the blonde.

“I… wha… I-I don’t!” Yang stuttered, not knowing what to say while everyone mused at the scene.

While Blake oddly felt annoyed at the scene for some reason.

"Oh, uh… heh, thank you… that is very… Whew, is it hot out here…?" Yang stammered while rubbing the back of her neck, an action that only seemed to make Kassandra smile wider. After a moment, Yang regained her composure and coughed. "Well, I have to say that I'm… very flattered. Much better than what I usually get, at least. Normally I get clichés like "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"…"

"Knowing you, you would land on your feet," Kassandra immediately responded, making Yang laugh awkwardly.

“Wow! Okay wow! Even I can feel the heat on that!” Nora says as she fans herself with her hand.

“Gotta admit that was smooth.” Robyn smirks at the flirting.

“Please stop!” Yang begs as she covers her face with her hands to hide her blushing.

"Heh, heh… Well, Kassandra, you are a very beautiful woman, and I'm sure any girl would be lucky to have you." Kassandra beamed at the response. "But, I don't… really jump to dating someone I've just met…" Another moment of silence ensued between the two of them, one much more awkward than before as a surprised look crossed the Amazon's face.

“Y-Yeah! That’s right! I don’t just go date, someone, on the spot like that!” Yang quickly says, trying to come herself down.

"Oh." Kassandra stated before a look of shock crossed her face. "Oh, I am so sorry! I just thought…!"

"No, no! It's fine, really!" Yang quickly cut the regretful Amazon off. "I was just surprised, that's all. I'm more flattered than anything."

"Are you sure?" Kassandra asked, and Yang nodded. Sighing, the Amazon rubbed her forehead while closing her eyes. Yang took the time to look around and saw that a few of the Amazons had disappointed looks on their faces, not at her but more towards a lost chance. She was suddenly reminded that she was on an island with only women, and that realization explained a lot of the looks and sideways glances she had been receiving all afternoon. She then looked back to Kassandra, who no longer had a sad look on her face but one of acceptance.

“Woah… who would have thought you would be a chick magnet.” Maria cheekily says, making the blonde blush again.

“I… suppose that would be the norm for affection on an island that women only populate.” Winter lightly coughs on her fist while she lightly blushes.

This made most of the women blush at that fact while the immature men had some ideas.

"You alright?" Yang asked, and the Amazon nodded.

"Yes. Embarrassed, more than anything, but I'm fine. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Yang waved it off.

“So sorry, girl.” Yang apologizes now that that’s over.

"Again, no problem at all." Kassandra nodded at Yang's words then got to her feet. "You don't have to leave."

"No, I have to get back to the docks anyway." Kassandra shrugged as she turned towards the docks, mumbling to herself about something called Clio's Treatises.

“What’s Clio’s Treatises?” Oscar asked.

“Sorry, the files say that it’s for people over at the age of eighteen, and I can’t say it since Ruby and Oscar are in the same room, but you can learn more in the library.” Penny answered.

Yang watched her leave then turned back to the other Amazons, most of whom were continuing to spectate the spars before them. Shrugging to herself, Yang took another gulp of water and, when the victorious Amazon challenged her, got out of her seat and confidently stepped forth to meet it.

"Ren, come on!" Nora called out from high up on the cliff face, her boyfriend a significant distance below them.

“Looks like it's Ren and me now!” Nora cheered as she hugged her boyfriend’s arm.

"Why are we doing this, again?" he called up as he carefully climbed his way up.

“That’s what I want to know.” The viewing Ren wondered.

"Silly Ren! Donna said that up here is the greatest view of the sunset, and you and I are going to see it!" Nora revealed as she continued to scale the cliff. "So, hurry up!"

“Well, ain't that romantic.” Robyn smirked at that thought.

"Yes, Nora." Ren sighed, a smile on his face as he carefully climbed upwards. They had been in the forests surrounding Themyscira for the past several hours, observing the local wildlife and basking in the island's natural beauty, as well as simply finding comfort with each other.

“Magnificent.” James says as he marveled at the natural beauty of Themyscira.

“Truly a sight to behold.” Winter comments, awed by the beauty she sees.

“More of a reason why it earns the name Paradise Island.” Clover comments.

He thought back to how this latest development between his and Nora's relationship came to pass. If he was honest with himself, he didn't believe that it was the Lasso that pushed the two from 'together' to 'together-together', as Nora was fond of saying. No, it was something else. The loss of Remnant forced him to reevaluate everything he had, everything they had, and that introspection led him to the realization that he couldn't take the time he had with the most important person in his life for granted.

“Good for you Ren, your other really made it through despite all the pain.” Jaune said to his friend and teammate, a bit jealous he feels since he never got the chance to do it for Pyrrha but happy nonetheless that two of his friends managed to find each other’s happens.

Ren lightly blushes but warmly smiles, finally glad that he found love for his childhood friend, who is happily holding him.

"Ren, come on! It's about to start!" Hearing Nora's shouting and knowing that she was likely already at the top, Ren pushed his thoughts aside. Grabbing hold of another handhold, Ren grunted as he continued his climb at a much faster pace. The sun was beginning to set, and he wanted to see the Themysciran sunset as much as Nora did. After a few more minutes of arduous climbing, marked by a couple of near misses, Ren finally reached the top. Nora was waiting for him, crouched down and holding out her hand for his. Ren took her hand with his own and together hoisted him up to the ledge. As he panted in exertion, Nora patted Ren's shoulder and took hold of his hand, and walked him through a natural stone archway overlooking the surrounding sea. True to her word, the sun was indeed beginning to set, and the two sat down on the opposite ledge, their legs hanging off the side.

They sat together in content silence as the sun continued to descend, Nora resting her head on Ren's shoulder. Their hands were gently clasped together, and neither said anything. For there was nothing to be said.

They didn't speak again until the sun finally disappeared, the night sky quickly filling with stars. Bonfires lit up around Themyscira, both in the city but also in certain temples around the forest, telling the two of them exactly where they were.

“That was so romantic.” Weiss sighs.

“You two are really perfect for each other.” Blake smiles, seeing the two blush but smiled, being glad that there finally ‘together-together’.

"That was nice," Ren admitted as he and Nora stood up and stretched. He then looked down and hummed, wondering exactly how to get down, when he heard Nora cough. Turning around, he saw her basking in the moonlight while smiling at him, standing dangerously close to the edge. At once, Ren knew exactly what she was suggesting they do to get down.

"Nora, no."

"Nora, yes!" With that happy declaration, Nora leaped off the mountain peak to the forest below, causing Ren to run over and look to the side. He saw her scraping her hand against the stone cliff, gouging a large line in the rock and slowing her fall. Shaking his head yet smiling to himself, Ren followed his better half and dropped down to join her.

“Your girlfriend is crazy.” Harriet comments.

Ren nodded. “I know, but she’s my crazy girlfriend.” This earned a lot of cooing from the girls and got a kiss on the cheek from Nora.

Diana didn't rejoin her sister and guests until well into supper. Their meals were simple, cooked fish served with soup, bread, and cups of water. They were chatting loudly among themselves when Diana finally entered into the large guest house the queen had set aside for their stay.

"Diana!" Ruby announced as the others all waved her in, and the Wonder Woman smiled and waved back.

"Hello, everyone. How was your day in the city?"

"It was awesome!" Yang declared. "We toured the city, checked out the marketplace, rode some horses, sparred a bit. It was great!"

“Your others have it good.” Oscar pouts, feeling a bit left out.

“Don’t worry, Oscar. We can have fun in the game room when we get a break.” Ruby says, reassuring the young boy.

"I made a sword!" Ruby excitedly pointed to a pristine bronze sword leaning against the wall. Everyone smiled at her infectious excitement.

“You made a scythe-rifle weapon.” Qrow points out.

“My other made a God blessed sword!” Ruby counters.

“And nothing beats the classics.” Jaune joins in.

"I browsed Themyscira's library," Blake spoke. "I enjoyed myself greatly."

“I like to learn myself.” The viewing Blake says.

“You can learn more in the library.” Penny said.

"It was indeed quite enjoyable," Weiss admitted with her typical formal tone. She had spent most of her time in the marketplace, interacting with the traders and simply learning about life on Themyscira. Occasionally, an Amazon would try to flirt with her, but the heiress made sure to shoot them down gently. The fact that it was never the same admirer more than once helped to mitigate her customary cold shoulder. From what she had heard, Blake and Yang had the same thing happen to them.

“They’ve been hitting on us too?!” Weiss shrieked, and Blake's eyes widen as they blush in shock while Yang laughed, glad that she wasn’t the only one.

“At least my other didn’t have to go through that.” Ruby muttered, glad that her other wasn’t attracting too much attention.

"I spent a lot of time in the arena, actually," Jaune stated as he finished chewing on a loaf of bread. "Got my butt kicked a lot, so all in all, it reminded me a lot of Beacon."

“Should have known…” Jaune sighs.

"I participated in there as well," Pyrrha declared with a warm smile. The spars in there ended up attracting a substantial audience by the end, and it reminded her of her tournaments back in Mistral. As much as she grew to hate the attention, they gave her. She always enjoyed the act of participating in them.

“Glad that Pyrrha at least enjoyed herself.” Jaune smiled along with his friends.

"Participated?" Jaune laughed. "Pyrrha, you did so well in there that you got invited to a tournament being held tomorrow! You and Yang both!"

“Wait, really?” Yang blinked in surprise.

“Looks like the both of you really impressed them.” Clover comments.

"Is that so?" Diana asked with an amused look on her face.

"It's true," Yang admitted with a confident shrug, nodding her head while Pyrrha merely let out a small smile.

“Looks like your other gets a chance to go for another tournament.” Blake smiled, glad that her partner was given another chance despite being in another world.

“Yeah… I can’t wait to see how my other goes.” Yang says, confident in her other.

“You realize Pyrrha is also participating?” Jaune added.

“All the more reason to go all out!”

"I'm sure that you two will have a wonderful time in there." Diana turned to Donna. "Who else will be participating tomorrow?"

Donna tapped her chin in thought before nodding her head. "I heard that Artemis will be participating, actually."

"Artemis? Who's that?" Nora asked.

"Artemis," Donna began to explain, "is the greatest warrior on Themyscira, second only to Diana. She's actually from our sister city of Bana-Mighdall, which only recently reintegrated with us over the past few years."

“There are other Amazon cities?” Oscar says, curious at that fact.

"Oh, you mean that there are multiple Amazon cities?" Weiss asked with no small amount of curiosity.

"Two, as a matter of fact. We only rediscovered each other a decade ago when I came across the Bana-Mighdall while trying to find the Bow of Ra." Diana paused while looking to the side before looking back at them, a regretful look on her face. "Unfortunately, the city was destroyed during Darkseid's invasion, and as such, I led the survivors here."

“Darkseid’s invasion?” Ruby muttered, but by the simple words, she and rest couldn’t help but shudder.

Before Penny could explain, the screen began to present itself with an explanation.

Everyone looked up at the mention of Darkseid and shivered. Superman had described Darkseid intimately with the huntsmen and huntresses, as well as the world he hailed from. A New God from the planet Apokolips, Darkseid was the living embodiment of evil and tyranny. He had invaded the planet almost a decade ago in search of something called the Anti-Life Equation, and it took the combined militaries of the world along with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman working together to drive him off. That was when Diana became Wonder Woman once more and afterwards set the stage for what would eventually become the Justice League a few years later.

Everyone was shocked and horrified that such a being exists and that this evil incarnation rules an entire planet and is considered a God.

“Brothers… I… don’t know what to say.” Clover says, horrified that such a being exists.

“He may even a bigger threat than Brainiac…” Pietro says, horrified at the idea.

“Or maybe even Salem.” Oscar mutters but was loud enough for everyone to hear, and that frightens everyone even more. Except for Robyn, seeing their reactions, she decided to stay quiet and keep that question for when the time is right.

"Diana, tell me," Ruby asked tentatively. "The Mother Box that brought us to you… Darkseid made that, right?"

“So the Mother Box did originate from Darkseid…” Pietro comments as he recalled the first few episodes when it was mentioned.

"Yes, he did." Diana nodded grimly. "How Brainiac got it, I do not know. What I do know is that it brought you here instead of to him, and for that, I am eternally grateful."

“Thank Oum for that…” Penny shuddered, not liking the idea of her friends being sent Apokolips

"Same here," Ren said with a frown. From what he knew, if there was anyone that could be considered worse than Brainiac, it was Darkseid. Then a thought sprung to mind, and he turned to look at the Wonder Woman. "Where is the Mother Box, actually?"

"We gave it to S.T.A.R. Labs, actually. Part of the agreement the Justice League has with the United Nations in exchange for us continuing to operate." Diana then sat down at an empty seat, a meal already waiting for her. "Well, enough about subjects like these. Let's eat, shall we?"

The others agreed with her in gusto.

“S.T.A.R. Labs?” James said, being glad of the change of topics.

“A research facility that assists the Justice League.” Penny explains. “Most of their technology comes from them.”

“That’s interesting.” Winter mused at that fact.

A few hours after supper, everyone but Diana was safely tucked into bed and asleep. As much as she tried, Diana couldn't shake the dark feeling that had overcome her. The search to find who had leaked the formula to Crane had proven fruitless. Even with the use of her Lasso, they found no culprit. It didn't make any sense. It was obvious that Crane didn't discover the formula on his own, which meant that he had to have gotten the information from someone, yet the only place he could have gotten it was here.

"How did he get it?" she asked herself before sighing. Down on the street below, she saw a few Amazons on patrol around the guest house, many of them saluting her when they noticed her gaze on them. Diana saluted back before turning back inside, dousing the guesthouse's fires as she went with a jug of water. Pausing over the last one, she sighed to herself yet again then moved to pour.

“The only logical thing is that someone who is familiar with the vault.” James concluded.

“But they already confirmed that none of the Amazons did.” Penny points out.

“Then who did it?” Qrow questions.

"Oh, Diana. Even now, you are still so naïve," she heard a voice call out to her. A cold chill went up her spine.

Everyone’s spine also felt the chill just from hearing the voice.

'It can't be,' Diana thought as she turned around to the entryway. She was greeted by a dark silhouette of a man, his features obscured by shadow. He was wearing thick armor, topped with a spiked helm. A cape billowed behind him, and glowing red eyes stared at her from the shadows.

“Who… or what is that?!” Ruby shouts as she points at being on the screen even she knows that man is not human.

"Ares…" Diana muttered. The figure said nothing, which only served to enrage the Amazon. With a shout, she wrested the sword Ruby had made from where it leaned against the wall and charged at the figure, only for him to disappear into smoke as she neared him. She looked around frantically, trying to see where he had gone. Behind her, she heard the sound of running feet as Donna, RWBY, JNPR, and a handful of guards rushed towards her.

“Ares!? As in the God of War?” Weiss says in shock.

"What is it? What happened?" Donna asked while clutching a sword. Diana said nothing, instead looking down at her feet in trembling fury. Everyone's attention drifted down towards it, and the Amazons gasped at what they saw.

Lying at Diana's feet, burned into the ground, was a burned visage of a circle with an arrow emerging from it.

“Gods, that’s ominous…” Marrow shudders, seeing the symbol.

“You think he’s the one responsible for the break in the vault?” Jaune asked.

“No clue. The only way we can find out is watching the next episode!” Ruby says as everyone agreed, wanting to know what happens next.

To be conti nued…

Chapter Text

A/N: Been a while since I've done this fic! Back in Fanfiction, they took this down because of copyright! The nerve of them!

But hopefully, AO3 will keep this fic. Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 7

"Oh!" Penny called out and blinked a couple of times in slight surprise.

"What's wrong, darling?" Pietro asked his daughter.

"I just received a notification that this will be the last viewing for the day," Penny answered.

"Aww… I wanted to keep watching more…" Ruby pouted.

"As much as all of us want to keep watching, sis, there's some stuff I want to do while we stay here," Yang pointed out.

"I agree." Weiss nodded, then added, "I like to do some research in the library here.

Blake quickly nodded in agreement, as did Ren and Vine.

"I also want to try out some of the games in here, too!" Nora chirped in.

"Okay…" Ruby sighed with a smile. "I also want to see the R&D Room later."

As they finished talking, the viewing then began.

Chapter 7: Olympians

Ares, the God of War. From what Weiss had read about Greek myths, and from what the Amazons had told her, he was one of the Twelve Olympians, the major deities of the Greek Pantheon who lived on Mount Olympus. Each Olympian represented something either from the natural world or a societal concept. As his title would suggest, he represented war. It powered him, gave him life, and he would, in turn, spread it across the world.

"There are twelve of these Gods?!" Blake yelled, shocked that the Amazons worshiped so many deities.

"That's way more than the Gods we have…" Qrow muttered, idly rubbing his hand down his chin.

"Yes!" Penny happily informed them. "Just as the alternate Weiss knows that these twelve each helped shaped and taught humanity as they are now in the modern world."

"Sounds way better than our two good for nothings in our world…" Oscar mutters distastefully while those near him who knew the truth can't help but silently agree.

"And apparently a God that represents War is now in Themyscira." Vine grimaces.

And now he was on the island with them. An actual God was on her doorstep, not even twenty feet away.

"That would be a terrifying thought." Winter agreed, seeing that a God who represents wars is hiding among the Amazons.

The thought terrified Weiss more than she would like to admit, something her friends readily agreed with. None of them were particularly religious, at most believing that if the Brothers had existed, they had long since abandoned their home. They share similar opinions on other figures like the Dust Groom and Ash Bride. Ares' appearance was a marked development from that status quo. The only reason why they weren't freaking out more was because Diana and Donna had taken the time to calm them down.

"Good to know that despite the situation, the two can calm down their people in this kind of crisis." Robyn said then grinned, admiring the Wonder Duo. What she'd do to get the chance to meet them in person.

Although, judging by the look on her face, Diana was feeling enough for all of them combined.

Diana had sent a few guards to both spread the word and get her mother. Within ten minutes, the entire island lit up with bonfires and the sounds of marching feet and clattering bronze. Hundreds of Amazons, hastily dressed in their armor, had begun to rush towards the center of the island, Diana and themselves leading them from the front. They were led to a large cave, the mouth like an open maw and flanked by statues of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. At the top of the cave entrance was a statue of five goddesses, and as they descended into the cave, they came into a large room. The rocky floor gave way to tiled stonework, a multitude of columns reaching up towards the natural ceiling. Torches washed the room in orange light, and a large bonfire kept the room warm, the smoke drifting up through a hole in the ceiling. Several Amazons were already inside. Their weapons pointed at a large stone slab, held against what could only be an opening by heavy bronze clamps.

"Whoa… what is that place?" Jaune said, shuddering at the location, and the army of Amazon warriors didn't help him at all.

"Whatever it is, it's giving me the creeps." Marrow commented, also not liking the look of things.

As more and more Amazons filled the room and the cave entrance, each of them pointed their weapons at the stone slab, prompting RWBY and JNPR to do the same with their own. Despite not knowing exactly what that slab was for, it obviously spooked the Amazons, and as such, caution was warranted.

"Looks like we get to join in…" Yang lightly grinned but still felt a sense of dread.

"What could be behind that stone slab that would put all the Amazons on edge?" Ren asked, both wanting and not wanting to know the answer.

"Egeria, anything?" Diana demanded one of the Amazons already in the room. Egeria, a woman of tall stature, turned around and shook her head.

"Nothing as of yet," she revealed, "but Ares undoubtedly has his sight on the Doom Door."

"The Doom Door?" Harriet raised a brow with a skeptical look. "What kind of dumb name is that?"

"Donna, what's the Doom Door?" Jaune whispered to the Wonder Girl, careful to keep his voice low.

"The entrance to the Underworld," she whispered back. "It keeps the monsters of Hades at bay, preventing them from running amok in the world. All Amazons are sworn to defend it, keep it locked and prevent anything from escaping it."

"…oh." Harriet muttered, shocked to learn that the dumb name-sounding door was the entrance to Hell. Everyone was stunned into utter silence, various mixed emotions of shock and fear plastered across their faces.

Maria was the one who broke the silence, and commented, "Well… glad to know that there is an afterlife even though it's the kind you don't want to go to."

"I doubt anyone wants to." Clover replied.

"…oh." Jaune's voice went quiet as he stared at the Doom Door, beads of sweat beginning to drip down his brow. A quick look showed that, out of his friends, only Pyrrha, Yang, and Ren could say they were completely calm and collected. Blake's ears were twitching more than usual. Weiss' grip on Myrtenaster was intense, Ruby was fidgeting on her feet, and Nora's usual excitement was replaced with an intensity not usually seen on the girl.

"Can't say I blame their reactions." Robyn pointed out while feeling on edge herself. "Heck, even me and my girls would feel uneasy."

A sound of parting soldiers announced Hippolyta's arrival. The Amazon Queen strode to the front of the assembled warriors, clad in her golden armor, sword in hand. Her expression was that of utter seriousness. Given the situation, it wasn't hard to understand exactly why that would be the case. Taking a hard look at Doom's Doorway, Hippolyta turned to a dark-skinned woman to her side, and a maroon cloak draped around her dark red armor.

"Phillipus," Hippolyta began, "I want twenty Amazons guarding the Doorway at all times. Let nothing get out. I want an additional hundred outside of the cave entrance."

"Phillipus is a high-ranking Amazon general on Paradise Island and a long-time ally of Wonder Woman and her mother, Queen Hippolyta." Penny introduced.

"So they even have a general among their ranks." James said with interest.

"Yes, my Queen." Phillipus saluted Hippolyta. She then turned to a group of Amazons and began barking orders at them while Hippolyta turned to her daughters.

"Diana, Donna, a word," she requested. At once, the princesses nodded and followed their mother to the far side of the room, a wave of the Queen's hand staying everyone from following. Once they were alone, Hippolyta turned to her daughters and sighed.

"Diana, please tell me my suspicions are unfounded," she asked. When Diana regretfully nodded, the Queen groaned and shook her head. "Athena's grace…"

"It would seem that the queen has been informed about Ares." Ren commented.

"Who's Athena?" Nora asked.

"She is the Goddess of Wisdom and Defensive War." Penny helpfully answered, earning a few interested thoughts from the viewers.

"My thoughts exactly." Diana's expression hardened. "Ares is the one who gave Crane the formula. There can be no other answer as to how he got it."

"That would make sense…" Winter frowned at that possibility.

"But why would a god allow that?" Marrow questioned.

"They did say Ares is the God of War." Harriet reminded him.

"But how?" Donna asked, her voice much more alarmed than the others. "I thought you killed Ares?"

"Wait. She did?!" Ruby squeaked while everyone was stunned by that fact.

"I see… when you think about it, Diana does hold a godly status, so it would not be strange for her to be capable of that." Pietro pointed out, making the others agree to that while those who knew the truth recalled the time when the Brothers fought against each other and wondered if they could kill each other.

"But that doesn't explain how Ares survived." Jaune points out in confusion. "How did this happen anyway?"

"It was during the final days of the war Diana participated in." Penny explained.

"I did," Diana revealed with a scowl. She remembered the fight well. It had destroyed an airfield, killed dozens of German soldiers, and ended with the man she loved sacrificing himself to end the war. Ares died soon after, Diana killing him with her own godly power.

"That must have been quite an ordeal to end the war…" Weiss whispered sadly, seeing how many sacrifices were made to stop the war.

"But in the end, Ares survived." Qrow pointed.

Unfortunately, it didn't appear to have stuck.

"Then how did he come back?" Donna asked, only for Diana to go silent. Looking at her older sister for an answer, Diana shook her head, making the Wonder Girl sigh. As much as she idolized her sister, Donna always got the sense that Diana often hid things from her, mostly concerning Diana's time before and during the Second World War. Donna wasn't blind to how awful those conflicts were, and her time with the Titans showed her the darker side of Man's World at nearly every turn, so she would respect her sister's decision.

"It doesn't matter," Hippolyta declared. "What does matter is the safety of Themyscira. To that end, I will be canceling the festivities tomorrow."

"What!? Mother!" Donna objected. "You can't do that!"

"That would be a logical choice." James agreed with the Queen's decision seeing the threat is close, and inwardly regrated, not thinking of this during the last Vytal Festival, then maybe Beacon would not have fallen.

"As Queen, I am well within my right to do so," Hippolyta reminded her daughter, her tone commanding but not angry. "I don't like it any more than you do, but the safety of my people and the Doorway must come first."

"That's gonna suck for our others." Yang sighed. She didn't like the idea but understood what the Queen was talking about. While she recalled the Fall of Beacon, she only regretted not seeing that her and Pyrrha's other wouldn't be participating in the tournament.

"Perhaps another time then." Clover suggested.

"I disagree," Diana spoke up, drawing her family's attention. Seeing this, Diana straightened herself and looked directly into her mother's eyes. "Mother, if we cancel the festival tomorrow, what exactly will we be accomplishing?"

Diana's intervention surprised everyone, for they didn't expected Wonder Woman to do that.

"What is she getting at…?" Elm asked, furrowing her brow as she tried to understand why Wonder Woman was against the idea.

"The protection of Themyscira," Hippolyta answered, slightly confused as to where her firstborn was going with this.

"Isn't that the reason?" Vine questioned, still confused by Diana's action.

"No, that is not what we will be accomplishing." Diana shook her head. "Mother, Ares is not a God who acts directly. He plays upon people's fears, whispers into their minds, all to drive conflict. Him showing himself on this island is another of his tricks. He's trying to get us to act on his whims, to prove that he is superior to us. By canceling the festival tomorrow, we won't be protecting Themyscira. We'll be giving Ares a win."

Hearing that made a lot of the viewers think carefully about what Wonder Woman said. Granted, canceling the tournament would ensure the safety of the people from the threat, but after listening to the facts of the stated threat's intentions it made more sense to keep going as planned. But it was obvious that it was a risky gamble.

"I still say it's better to cancel the tournament. The safety of the island comes first." Winter pointed out while most of the viewers agree with her.

"I think they should continue with the tournament." Ruby countered with a look of surety. "If Diana is that sure that is what Ares wants, then they can't cancel the tournament."

"And how do you know that nothing bad will happen?" Harriet asked the same question again, not convinced of the reaper's answer.

"I don't." Ruby smiled. "I mean, I doubt anyone can even tell what will happen, but I'm confident that Diana knows what she is doing."

Harriet just stared at the young girl, then huffed and looked turned back to the screen. At the same time, she was growing more annoyed by these newcomers.

Hippolyta went silent at Diana's declaration, thinking her words over. She knew that Diana had firsthand experience at dealing with Ares, so she could trust her judgment. The more she thought of it, the more she came around to her daughter's thinking. She was right, as much as she didn't want to admit it. With a sigh, the Queen nodded to her daughter in acceptance.

"Alright, I concede to your point." Hippolyta nodded. "I will, however, be increasing the guard around the Doorway as a precaution."

"So in the end, they decided to continue it." James lightly sighed, but knew he had to accept the Queen's judgement at the same time.

"Yes! It's tournament time, baby!" Nora cheered happily that they got to see the festivities in action.

"I'd be alarmed if you didn't," Diana stated with a smile. With one final nod from the Queen, Hippolyta dismissed her daughters and turned to face her gathered Amazons while Diana and Donna returned to RWBY and JNPR. For a moment, Diana had thought the group would be curious as to what had been discussed, but the look on Blake's face conveyed the sense that the Faunus had heard everything. All of them had grim looks on their faces, but ones that also showed they weren't willing to let this development get the better of them.

"And of course, my counterpart would hear and tell everything to the others." Blake sighed as her ears twitched, not surprised in the slightest at what her other did.

"We really have a bad habit of eavesdropping with heroes, don't we?" Yang joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"So, I imagine you already heard everything," Diana asked, to which Blake nodded. "In the future, be careful not to eavesdrop on private conversations… Unless you are on a mission, in which case go ahead."

"Of course," Blake said, her ears slightly drooping. "Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine, no harm done." Diana flashed a warm smile. "Donna, please take them back to the guest house to get some rest. You all will need it for tomorrow."

"At least she's not mad." Ruby said happily.

"I hope that either you or your counterparts don't keep doing that." Winter sternly chastised.

"You got it," Donna replied with a smile. She beckoned the huntsmen and huntresses to follow her, the gathered Amazons parting for them as they passed. Once they exited the cave and left the small army behind, Ruby paused and looked behind them in worry.

"Ruby, is something wrong?" Donna asked in slight concern.

"Oh… looks like my other is thinking the same thing I'm thinking." The viewing Ruby says, knowing exactly why her other just stopped.

"No, but…" Ruby sighed. "I feel like we should be in there, not fighting in a tournament."

"Called it."

"You shouldn't worry about that. This is an affair of the Amazons. Your others are guests in Themyscira." Vine pointed out but understands the young Rose's good intentions.

"I know… but still…" Ruby sighed.

"Nonsense." Donna shook her head. "You are Themyscira's guests. We cannot ask you to help defend her. Not when her daughters are more than able to do so."

"I know… but still…" Ruby kicked her feet, causing Donna to frown slightly before shaking her head.

"Oh! Another echo." Nora giggled.

"Trust me. I'm in the same boat as you. Still, I have faith in my sisters, and as Diana said, we can't let Ares win." Donna then smiled more brightly. "So cheer up. Everything will be alright, you'll see."

"Talk about confidence." Yang smiled at Donna's strong belief in her people and her sister Diana.

"Our others should put their trust in them." Ren commented, seeing that the Amazons have things covered.

Ruby looked at the Amazon for a moment, then sighed and smiled. "Okay."

Donna smiled back at the reaper's declaration. At that, the group continued down the path towards the guest house. Despite Donna's words of encouragement, however, they couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, like Ares' sighting was an omen of things to come.

Whatever it was, they all vowed they would be ready for it.

"So true…" Maria spoke from experience has she touched her artificial eyes. "Just because you are somewhere safe doesn't mean that you should drop your guard."

Jaune got up early the next morning, the sunlight beaming into his face from the glassless window of the guest house. Noticing that his friends were still asleep, he quietly got out of his bed and crept towards the bedroom door, grabbing Crocea Mors and his regular clothes on his way out. He changed out of his sleepwear, missing his blue Pumpkin Pete onesie in the process, then left the house. He paused at the sight of the burned Sign of Mars on the doorstep and frowned. Jaune had come to learn that the symbol was a representation of Ares, and it served to remind him just how close the deity was to all of them.

"Wait, the planet Mars? As in the former home of the Martian Manhunter?" Marrow said in shock that the lone Martian's home is a representation of the God of war.

"In ancient times, the Amazons of Themyscira named all the planets in the Solar System a representation of their Gods." Penny explained.

"Now, that's fascinating." Pietro comments fascinating at how their Deities are worshiped.

"Yeah… fascinating." Jaune says with a relieved look seeing that everyone was not paying attention to the fact that his other wore a Pumpkin Pete onesie and were more interested in planets being representations of Gods. Well, except for his friends as they covered their mouths, holding in their laughter, remembering a familiar sight of their friend's dorky side.

"Brothers, or is it gods now? Ugg, this is so confusing," he grumbled to himself as he continued on his way to Themyscira. His thoughts ran wild with the events of the past month. To say that his life had been a roller coaster would have been an understatement. So many things had been thrown at him that it was almost overwhelming at times.

"That would be confusing." The viewing Jaune admitted, seeing that his other needs get used to the fact there are more than two gods outside of Remnant.

His thoughts drifted back to the worst two days in his life, and he shuddered. The pain of losing Remnant was still there, a dull ache in his heart, but at the same time, it was growing duller and duller by the day. It no longer affected him as much as it did during that first week. Being with the League, it gave him a goal to work towards. He had always wanted to be a hero, follow in his family's footsteps, but it seemed as though fate had other plans. Pyrrha and Jaune actually had quite a few discussions on that very same topic.

"Glad to see that your other is getting better now." Ren commented, knowing that if his leader's other is getting better, the rest followed his example.

"Yeah… but I wonder what my other was talking about with Pyrrha?" Jaune asked.

"Jaune, do you believe in destiny?" she asked him a few days into their training with Batman, before the whole debacle with Scarecrow. He had told her that he didn't know how to answer that, even though, in actuality, he didn't really believe. How Remnant getting destroyed would be anyone's destiny and not the actions of a deranged madman was beyond him, but he would never tell his partner that.

Jaune violently flinched the moment those exact words were said. The same scene of it ultimately reminded him that very moment his Pyrrha asked him that very question. The very thing he regrated the most in his whole life.

He failed to understand her doubts and desperation of his late partner that day.

He failed to say the right words of encouragement to her that day.

He failed to see that she was forced to choose a destiny that she never asked for.

And because of his lack of foresight, the woman he loved was now dead, and he barely did anything for her!

"J–!"

It was his fault that he let his stupid, petty pride gave her late partner a hard time.

"Jau–!"

It was his fault he could never see her agai–

"JAUNE!" The said boy snapped out from his thoughts to quickly look up to see his first friend from Beacon giving him a look of concern. It wasn't just Ruby but the others as well, especially his closest friends.

"Wha…?" Jaune could only stutter in bewilderment but then felt something fall from his eyes. He touched his face, finally noticing that he was crying.

"Jaune… are you okay?" Weiss asked in concern for her friend.

Jaune didn't answer. For starters, he was wiping his face with his arms, and secondly, he was just too ashamed to talk about this particular topic to anyone.

"Jaune…?" Nora slowly spoke to her Fearless Leader with a look of concern on her face as he finished wiping his face dry.

Jaune took a deep breath and sighed, then quietly admitted, "No… no, I am not. This is something that Pyrrha and I talked about before the Fall of Beacon, and it's the greatest regret in my life."

His friends looked at each other in concern. Then they looked back at the blond, wondering what he meant.

"Do you… want to talk about it?" Ren gently asked, hoping that he can help his leader.

"Maybe after the viewing." Jaune smiled a bit, but there was still a bit of hurt on his face.

With that, everyone continued back to the viewing, but the young knight's friends were still worried for him.

She had told him that, to her, destiny wasn't some predetermined outcome that one could never escape from. Rather, it was a goal that a person worked towards their entire life. She always felt that it was her destiny to help people, and for a long time, she felt that was best served by being a huntress. But now that Remnant was gone, literally dust and rock floating somewhere in the middle of space, that was no longer an option. But being with the Justice League, becoming a superhero, that offered her a new avenue to fulfilling her destiny, which is why she leaped in with gusto. That he understood and agreed with.

This got the viewing Jaune to perk up at this slight difference of the question, but then again, this was before the time the Singles from the last Vytal Festival started.

"This is… slightly different." Jaune muttered.

"Well, what about me?" he had asked her afterward.

"Well, I believe that your destiny is to be the great hero that you always strive to be," Pyrrha had declared with such confidence and conviction that it surprised him. Jaune chuckled, reminding himself just how lucky he was to be partnered with one of the greatest people on Remnant. He doubted that anyone else would have done what she had done back then, outside of Ruby, of course. The others simply would have turned him into Glynda or Ozpin for his own safety.

"Well, isn't that sweet?" Harriet sarcastically said while getting bored.

"At least my other is having it good." Jaune counters getting a slight growl from the Ace-Op, but deep down the viewing Jaune couldn't help but feel jealous of his other.

It was only a few minutes after that conversation that the whole debacle with the Lasso of Truth ensued. Knowing what he knew now, Pyrrha's view of him might have stemmed from multiple sources, and he still didn't quite know what to think about that. Pyrrha was undoubtedly important to him, but he didn't know if he was willing or able to take that step. And a persistent little part of him that he tried his best to ignore asked if he really deserved it.

"Ugh… why is he recalling this?" Jaune whined as he blushed at the confession memory.

"I'm so sorry again, Fearless Leader." Nora squeaked.

"Not your fault Nora." Jaune lightly laughed.

Before Jaune could delve deeper into those thoughts, he reached the city limits. Before him, he saw Amazons beginning their preparations for the festival. Banners and torches lined the streets, and food stands were readying themselves for a busy day. Most of the Amazons ignored him. A few glared at him with unmasked annoyance, while a few more looked at him in curiosity and even waved. He waved back at those while he himself continued on to the arena, stopping by one of the practice areas on its outskirts. A few Amazons were already there, testing out their swords, shields, spears, and bows, and few acknowledged his presence as he strode up to a red-haired Amazon working on her bow.

"Nice to see most of the warriors of Themyscira are also up early to train." Elm smiled. Seeing those lady warriors are up early for their duties, she could help but feel a bit of pride in being a fellow woman herself.

"Nice to know that not all Amazon women are annoyed by us." Jaune deadpaned while a few of the men nodded in agreement.

"But who's the red-haired Amazon?" Yang asked, seeing that the alternate Jaune was walking up to her.

"Excuse me, Artemis?" he asked, causing the Amazon to turn and look down at him. She recognized him immediately, having seen his training there the previous day, quite a few times against herself and her sisters.

"That's Artemis?" Weiss said in surprise.

"My other sparred with her?" Jaune added, also surprised that his other trained with them but knowing how he was back then, he can only imagine his other's ass being kicked a lot.

"Well, look who came back?" the Amazon announced with a smirk. "Have to admit, surprised that you returned after the thrashing you took yesterday."

"Oh, I like her already." Harriet smirked at the Amazon's comment.

"Hah hah…" The viewing Jaune dryly laughed.

"I'm curious at what kind of person Artemis is." Blake says, curious to know what kind of person she is.

"Hah hah," Jaune dryly laughed. "Do you mind if I use one of the available lots before the others arrive? I'd like to get some practice in."

"Sure, you can use the one in the far back," Artemis stated while pointing back to the spot in question. Looking towards it, he saw a wooden practice dummy decked in crude bronze armor, a rough shield in one hand and sword in the other. The helmet it was wearing was comical, looking all misshapen and a stereotypical fanged mouth and angry eyes painted on its face, and he couldn't help but laugh. Rather than look irritated at his reaction, Artemis merely chuckled in turn.

"That looks weird." Ruby tilted her head and giggled.

"I think it's cute." Penny countered as she joins with her friend in giggles.

"Why would they make something like that?" Oscar asked.

"Probably meant for younger trainees." Vine answered.

"Yeah, it does look weird. Now hurry up! The combatants will be here within the hour."

"Alright, alright," Jaune said as he walked towards the assigned lot. "By the way, Artemis? Getting beaten up by women is not a new experience for me. Getting beaten up by you was nothing special."

Everyone stood silent at what the alternate Jaune said. Then they slowly turned to look at their own Jaune only to see that he just crossed his arms and nodded.

"Isn't that the truth." He said as if he had no problem with that and that made everyone think as if he had a second head.

"Um… Jaune?" Ruby calls, getting his friend's attention. "Have you… ever said that to any woman when you train?"

Jaune just raised a brow in confusion at that question, then answered "No? I don't think I did, but I do think about it from time to time."

This got everyone just staring at the blond in silence with various mixed emotions.

The men couldn't be sure if they should pity him for getting beaten up by women all the time or respect the fact that he could take a beating.

The women who are close to the blond can't help but feel somewhat guilty at the fact that they are much stronger than him, but at the same time, all of the women can't help but feel offended at the point he brushes the fact off he doesn't find it special being beaten down by women.

"Is that so?" Harriet asked with a grin and a dangerous look on her face. "Then I don't suppose you don't mind me joining in your next training."

Jaune blinks before widening his eyes, not liking the look on her face. He stammered, "I-I don't think…"

"Why not settle with Hare? Heck, how about I join in as well?" Elm added with the same look on her face as her fellow Ace-Op. "I was informed that you do need to train your physical resistance."

Jaune gulped as he looked around for help from his friends. The girls just gave him an apologetic/encouraging/a bit of dark smile while the boys just looked away, not wanting to add more fuel to the flames while a few just gave him a 'good luck' or 'Godspeed' look, making him realize that he was on his own.

"I-I can't wait…?" Jaune gulped with a nervous forced smile.

"Oh, is that so?" Artemis asked with an amused yet dangerous look in her eyes. "Perhaps I should join you today and help with your training?"

"There's no need for that!" Jaune quickly backtracked, causing Artemis to chuckle darkly.

"Seriously? My other has the guts to say no, and I can't!?" The viewing Jaune complaints, getting a few laughs from the audience.

"Just shows how much your other has a spine." Maria mused.

"Oh, but I think there is. You know what, I think I will join you today. Everyone needs a trainer."

"Won't deny that truth." Winter nods in agreement.

"That's something I'm sure everyone can agree on." Qrow added.

"You are absolutely right, Artemis," Donna declared as she walked to the lot, turning everyone's heads. "Which is why I will be working with him today while you work with your fellow Amazons."

"Oh, thank goodness…" Jaune sighs in relief, glad for Donna's timely intervention.

Artemis and Jaune both looked at the princess, Artemis' one of annoyance and Jaune's one of thankfulness before Artemis scoffed and walked away.

"Whatever, not worth my time anyway," she muttered as she walked to her lot. Smiling to herself, Donna walked over to Jaune, grabbing a sword and shield off a rack as she passed it.

"That's right, walk away." Yang grinned, liking how the scene played out.

"Yang! That wasn't nice." Ruby chastised her sister.

"I don't mind." Jaune added.

"Thanks for that," Jaune thanked the Amazon princess as she entered the ring with him. He wasn't lying that getting beaten up by the Amazons the day before wasn't something unique to him, but at the same time, he didn't learn anything from the experiences. At least when Pyrrha sparred with him, she took the time to help him out every step of the way, instead of just putting him on the ground.

"No problem. Artemis tends to be a little… aggressive in her fights." Donna readied herself, and Jaune did the same. After a moment, the two swung at each other, Donna expertly blocking his sword with her shield and swinging hers into his.

"Yeah, I noticed that pretty up close yesterday," Jaune agreed as he traded blows with the princess. He swung his sword in quick, heavy blows, each one getting deflected by Donna effortlessly. On his final swing, Donna ducked underneath while sweeping out his leg, tripping him up and sending him sprawled to the dirt with a jolt of déjà vu. "Oww…"

"Always keep track of your footing," Donna suggested while she helped the knight to his feet. She then tapped her sword against her shield twice and readied herself. "Again."

"Glad your other is branching out in his training." Ren comments to his friend.

"Yeah. Wish I could get that kind of training." Jaune said.

"You can if you want with the Simulator Room." Penny chimed in.

Jaune nodded at her then went on the offensive. Swinging his sword and raising his shield to block her blows, Jaune kept moving around in an attempt to put her on the back foot. He pressed forwards towards her, keeping her on the defensive and closer and closer to the edge of the lot. He then swung his sword down hard onto hers, forcing Donna to bring her sword up broadside to block it. Then, she suddenly punched into his gut with her shield, sending him staggering back a few feet and giving her room to breathe.

"Your shield is as much of a weapon as your sword, Jaune. Never assume that just because someone is on the defensive that it means they can't turn things around."

"I already know that. Pyrrha taught me that." The viewing Jaune pointed out.

"Of course, your defense can also be your best offense." Clover nods in agreement.

"Yeah, I know that," Jaune said as Donna rushed towards him. The two warriors continued to swing at each other, now throwing the occasional kick or punch into the mix as they continued to spar. Every so often, Jaune would get a few good hits on the Amazon, but most of the time, she was the one who managed to get past his defenses and knock him to the ground, whereupon she would immediately help him up to his feet, point out the flaws he had, and together work to get past them. This went on for nearly an hour of non-stop sparring, and by the end, both he and Donna were sweaty and panting heavily.

"Wonder Girl is one good sparring partner." Robyn comments liking how Donna is physically fit and a good training partner.

"Okay, I think we can call it a day," Donna declared between pants. Jaune nodded in agreement, and together the two walked to a nearby stone bench. A pair of Amazons handed the two of them wet towels, which they immediately used to cool themselves off in the hot Themysciran sun.

"Ughh, I'm glad I have Aura…" Jaune groaned as his Aura healed a fresh bruise on his chest from where Donna had kicked him.

"Aura is useful for this kind of thing." Oscar said, recalling the time during his combat training.

"But it's much different for those who don't have Aura." James points out the pros and cons for those who have not unlocked Aura. Then a thought accord to him. "Is it possible for people outside of Remnant to have their Aura unlocked?"

That question did get everyone thinking. They know that it is a common fact that Remnantians can unlock their Aura to create a forcefield and enhance their physical abilities and grant them a unique Semblance.

But after seeing the Justice League, the existence of another race like the Martian Manhunter and Superman and the Metahumans made them think otherwise.

"That is an interesting topic." Pietro hums as we are in deep thought. "From what I can gather, every race is unique to their genetics abilities such as Kryptonians and Martians, but in our case, we simply unlock our abilities, and there is the case of the metagene they mentioned before."

"We do know that all life has souls inside them." Vine points out. "But for all we know the process of unlocking one's Aura can only work for those born in Remnant or rather the genetics that we carry within us."

"I would very much like to research this when we have the time." Weiss says interested in this particular topic.

"Sorry about that. Kinda got carried away a little bit at the end there." She chuckled awkwardly before handing him a cup of water. Jaune greedily took it and began to drink the contents down, noting how refreshing it was. His body aches seemed to disappear, and he looked at it curiously. Noticing this, Donna laughed and took the cup from him.

"All water in Themyscira comes from a single underground spring," she began to explain. "It's blessed by water nymphs and is the closest one can get to ambrosia outside of Olympus itself."

"They even have enchanted magic water?" Qrow says honestly, not getting surprised by this trend anymore.

"Earth really has everything, don't they?" Nora chimes in.

"Ah." Jaune nodded his head and wiped off more sweat from his brow. The two sat together in silence as more and more Amazons, fully decked in armor, appeared at the training lot. "Lots of people taking part in this."

"Goes to show how much this tournament means for everyone." Yang commented.

"Yes, it's something that we have been looking forward to for some time. I actually came back from Jump City to take part in it."

"Jump City? That's a funny name." Ruby giggled.

"I bet that's where she lives in." Oscar added.

"Oh, you're going to be fighting in the tournament?" Jaune asked, only for Donna to shake her head.

"No, unfortunately. Neither is Diana, for that matter." Donna sighed wistfully at that, causing Jaune to furrow his brow before leaning back.

"Why not? I would like to see those two in combat." Elm slightly complained.

"Either because of Ares or for another reason." Maria points out.

"So," he began, "what's it like? Being the younger sister to the Wonder Woman?"

Donna hummed to herself before smiling. "Diana is… everything an Amazon should be. She's kind, loving, courteous, and strong in so many ways. I grew up hearing about her, who she was, and all that she accomplished." Donna sighed. "I met her for the first time a decade ago, when Diana rallied the Amazons to protect the world against Darkseid. She was… everything my people made her out to be and more."

"Talk about high expectations." Jaune comments in awe but also understands what Donna was talking about.

"A true role model to follow." Weiss sighs, admiring Wonder Woman's deeds.

"I can imagine how hard it is to live up to that," Jaune noted while looking at her carefully. Donna nodded her head and looked back.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Donna laughed. "It's not far from the truth to say that I idolize her. After the White Martians invaded five years ago, I set off from Themsycira to follow in Diana's footsteps, eventually finding myself in Jump City with the Titans."

"The Titans?" Ruby tilted her head before gasping in realization with her eyes sparkling. "Are they another superhero group?"

"The Titans?" Jaune asked. "Who are they?"

"They used to be called the Teen Titans, but after Nightwing, Cyborg, and Starfire turned twenty, they changed the name." Donna shrugged then continued on. "We're a team of younger superheroes centered in Titans Tower at Jump City. We formed shortly after the White Martian invasion. Actually have one of them in our ranks, in fact."

Nora gasps in awe. "You mean a group of young heroes who are like the Justice League."

"And Nightwing is a member too?" Harriet asked, interested in this group.

"Yes!" Penny said as she begins to explain who the Titans are. "As Donna said, they were once called the Teen Titans because the founding members Nightwing, who was originally Robin at the time, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven banded together in Jump City when a group of alien fugitives tried to kidnap Starfire."

"Raven?" Yang said as her eyes slightly turned red at the mention of her bastard mother but quickly shook it off, knowing that it was just another hero with a codename.

Penny continued. "As time passed, they changed their name and began to recruit more members and even have joint missions with the Justice League."

"That's so cool! Both young and old working together to keep the world safe." Marrow says in awe.

"Even a White Martian is a member." Blake points out.

"Wait, you mean the traitor?" Jaune asked, remembering the talk with J'onn about the origins of the Justice League.

"Jaune!" Blake hissed towards the blond.

"My other said that! I'm sorry!" The viewing Jaune quickly said as he raised both his hands in his defense or his other.

"Yes. M'gann has been a tremendous help these past few years, and I consider her to be a great friend and ally. Though it's probably best if you don't call her that if you meet her." Donna nodded to herself before looking at Jaune, who winced apologetically from the familiar taste of his foot in his mouth. "What about you?"

"That's nice to hear." Blake smiled in admiration seeing someone who went as far as betraying her kind to save the lives of another race.

"Me?" Donna nodded, and so Jaune cleared his throat and continued. "Well, I have to say that I can understand exactly what it's like being surrounded by people you look up to. It's no secret that my friends are… much more capable than me. At one point, I was more self-conscious about it, but that was beaten out of my head a couple weeks into my first semester."

"And that was one hell of a year." Nora giggled while Jaune covered his face in shame and embarrassment at the memory.

"Let me guess, you got too prideful, and you ended up getting yourself walked all other by some bullies." Qrow guessed, getting a surprised look from Jaune.

"How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." Qrow grinned.

"I can imagine how." Donna smiled, making Jaune playfully glare at her.

"Hah hah, yes. I got my butt kicked. Given how I got into Beacon in the first place, it doesn't surprise me."

"Wait." Marrow said as he turned to the bond. "You didn't have any training at all?"

"No… no, I did not. I had no training. I did not know combat, Grimm, Aura, or Semblance. Heck, I had my Aura unlocked during the middle of initiation in Beacon." Jaune answered honestly, getting most of the audience's jaws to drop that a nobody with no experience what's so ever despite from well-known family managed to survive all that.

"You… are one lucky sonuva bitch, you know that?" Qrow said with his eyes widened.

"That's putting mildly…" Clover admits, even he doubts his Semblance can pull him through all that.

Jaune could only chuckle nervously and yet feel a bit of pride in making it this far.

"What do you mean?" Donna raised her eyebrow, and Jaune waved his hand.

"Well, like you with Diana, I grew up hearing about my family's exploits. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, they were all heroes. My sword actually belonged to my great-grandfather, saw use in the Great War, and it was passed down the Arc family ever since. I grew up hearing about their heroism, and I wanted to 'continue the legacy' and join those ranks."

"Is that why you wanted to become a Huntsman?" Elm asked, seeing that it was just a childhood dream.

"Yeah… a dream and to prove that I can be much more." Jaune says with determination that caused a few of the audience to be taken back by his declaration while his friends smiled at their friend's dream.

"I take it they didn't take the request to train you all that well?" Donna asked, only for Jaune to shake his head.

"No, they didn't. I think it was because they didn't want me or my sisters to live the life my father had, and so they tried to get us to go into other pursuits. But I was stubborn and prideful and wouldn't take no for an answer despite no one training me."

"A common excuse from parents to not allow their children take up the role as Huntsmen." Maria comments.

"So you trained yourself and then lied your way to Beacon, right?" she asked, prompting a confused look from Jaune. Waving her hand around, Donna began to explain herself. "Pyrrha and I talked a bit yesterday. She let me know after I asked about it."

"I guess everyone now knows." Jaune sighs.

"Ah, I guess it is kind of a pointless secret now. Well, long story short, a guy named Cardin found out about my transcripts, threatened to turn me in if I didn't do whatever he wanted before I finally stood up to him after several weeks of hell and saved his life from an Ursa. Afterward, I finally swallowed my pride and let Pyrrha train me." Jaune smiled at this, prompting Donna to do the same.

"My gods, you were pathetic." Harriet bluntly comments.

"Harriet!" Clover shouted his fellow Ace-Ops, who shared his look, only for Jaune to hastily wave his hands to try and calm the situation.

"No, no! It's okay. I was being a prideful idiot back then, even I know how pathetic I was back then, but I'm just glad that I managed to pull through and became a better person out of it thanks to my friends." Jaune says, earning a smile from his friends, happy to see how much the knight has grown.

Harriet just mentally growled and just looked away as she mentally thought to herself, "Friends? Who needs them? They just slow you down." Tortuga appeared in her head when she felt those words, but she furiously shook off the memory as she tried to focus on the viewing.

"I see that you admire her a lot."

"I did." The viewing Jaune sadly smiles.

"Yeah, I do. Doesn't make things any less awkward between us right now…" Jaune noted, and Donna patted his shoulder.

"Trust me. You two will figure things out. After eighty years, I've seen more than my fair share of awkward relationships between friends."

"That's nice of…" Ruby paused mid-sentence and blinked a couple of times. "What did she say?"

"Yeah, I guess you're…" Jaune paused mid-sentence and slowly turned his head to stare at Donna. "Um, what did you say?"

"I've seen more than my fair share of awkward relationships?" Donna repeated, utterly confused.

"No, before that."

"Um… after eighty years?" Donna repeated, now beginning to realize where Jaune's surprise and confusion came from. She noticed how his eyes quickly scanned her, and she couldn't help but feel amusement.

"…She's eighty?" Most of the audience gawked at that fact while others were just stunned silenced.

Penny, however, was confused at their reaction. "Why are you all acting surprised? Have you all not been informed that the Amazons have long lifespans?"

"But… she doesn't look more than eighteen!" Weiss rebuked, still having it hard to believe that Donna is actually that old.

"…you're eighty?"

"Yes, actually." Donna smiled, growing more and more amused at the confused look on Jaune's face.

"…I thought you were only eighteen…"

"That's what we thought!" Nora shouted as she raises both her hands.

"Well, I am the youngest Amazon on the island, so that is understandable."

"And still looking good!" Yang joked.

"So she's like the youngest out of all of Themyscira?" Ruby asks.

"And I thought having seven sisters was tough…" Jaune says.

"You have seven sisters?" Marrow says in surprise, along with those who didn't know that small fact.

Jaune continued to stare at her before shrugging. "And I thought having seven sisters was tough…"

"You have seven sisters?" It was now Donna's turn to be confused, bringing satisfaction to Jaune's face at the turned tables. He nodded at this, prompting a look of worry to cross Donna's face. "What did your father do to your mother?"

"EW! TMI! No one needs to know that!" Weiss gagged as she blushed at the question along with a few of the younger others.

"I am very much curious about that question, though." Penny innocently asked.

"W-We'll talk about that later, Penny." Pietro stuttered a bit while thinking about he should give his daughter the 'talk'.

"You're assuming that my dad is the one who instigated all of that. You'd be wrong."

"Ooh, what's that!? Ooh, what's this?" Nora excitedly bounced around from stand to stand, openly gawking at the wide assortment of trinkets on display, much to the amusement of both Ren and the Amazonian shopkeepers. They had been like this for the past hour or so, ever since they woke up and entered the city. By the time they arrived, Themyscira was awash with activity as the festival was set to begin in just a few short hours. Amazon warriors, hoping to prove their mettle in the arena, continued to pour in from across the city and beyond while others merely mingled. It was quite an exciting sight.

"Look, Renny! It's back to us again!" Nora happily says as she hugs her boyfriend's arm while he just gives out a small smile.

"Looks like you're having fun." Yang smirked.

"How can they not? It's a festival they're in!" Nora says, pointing at her other's time in.

"But you can also see how on edge everyone is." Ren pointed out seeing how the Amazons are acting.

"Can't be helped seeing that there is a God of War hidden in their mist." Qrow points out the familiar feeling.

Ren wasn't fooled. Although it was carefully hidden, he could see the edge everyone was standing on. The number of guards was noticeably increased, and everyone had weapons nearby, often inconspicuously inserted into their stand's décor. Everyone was readying themselves to act at a moment's notice, just in case something went terribly wrong. He didn't blame them. After all, he had both halves of Stormflower locked and loaded, ready to be deployed at a moment's notice. Nora herself had Magnhild strapped to her back even now.

"Glad to know that our others thought of the same." Blake said, glad that despite being in the middle of festivities, they are being careful.

Still, seeing her excited again allowed him to put his fears aside for the moment. Now was a time for celebration and fun, not worry over something he couldn't control.

"Nora, wait up," Ren said as he hurried over to his partner. With a bright smile on her face, Nora waited for him next to a jewelry stand. The shop owner was nowhere to be seen, and Nora was busy looking at a gold chain necklace with a pink amethyst embedded in its center.

"Now that's lovely jewelry." Weiss comments as she eyes on the necklace.

"Ren, what do you think?" Nora asked as she put the necklace on and showed it off. Ren studied it with an appraising gaze before nodding.

"It looks good on you, Nora," Ren declared, causing Nora's smile to brighten even more.

"Aw! Thank you, Renny!" Nora says as she gives Ren a quick peck on his cheek.

"I'll say!" a woman's voice suddenly announced. Ren and Nora jumped slightly and turned around, only to come face to face with a woman behind the jewelry stand. Both Ren and Nora found her to be strikingly beautiful. Her black hair was long and silky, appearing to glow in the sunlight, accented by pale white skin with bright, blue eyes and perfect lips. The woman's body was nearly hourglass, her figure concealed by white robes that still revealed quite a bit of her features.

By all definitions, this woman appeared to be the living definition of beauty.

The viewers could not help but find her strikingly beautiful as well to the point they could only just stare at the woman in silent wonder as if she was an embodiment of pure beauty.

"Come now, there's no need to stare," the woman said through a warm smile, shaking Ren and Nora out of their stupor. "I don't bite."

The beautiful woman's words snapped the viewers out of their stupor.

"Wow… she's really pretty…" Ruby says in awe admiring the woman's beauty.

"I met a lot of women in my life… but this girl takes the cake." Qrow admits never seeing such a beautiful woman in his life.

Penny, however, blinked, recognizing the girl in her files but did say anything seeing that she waited for the right to reveal who the woman was.

"Sorry about that, ma'am," Ren apologized, knowing that the Amazons wouldn't appreciate what he and Nora did. Rather than appear irritated, however, the woman merely seemed to be amused.

"Don't be." The woman leaned forward across the stand with a sultry smile, causing a blush to erupt on Ren and Nora's faces and making them avert their gazes. Seeing this, the woman laughed and straightened herself. "Alright, I've had my fun. So, what brings you two to my stand?"

"Good Gods that smile!" Yang blushed, seeing such a beautiful smile making her and everyone else avert their gaze as well.

"Never thought I could blush like this after seeing such a smile like that." Robyn muttered, having a hard time looking back at the screen.

"Oh, well," Nora paused to regain her thoughts before handing the necklace back to the woman. "I was just checking things out, and this caught my eye."

"Ah, I see. Come here, both of you." The woman beckoned them over, which Ren and Nora cautiously did. There was something off about the woman, and so they remained on guard.

"Can't help but agree with them… she is rather suspicious." Weiss admitted, gathering her thoughts back.

"Which part? How gorgeous is she? Or the fact she seems way too perfect to be an Amazon?" Blake asks, also admitting that the woman seems off.

"Both."

"Oh, that's adorable!" she exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "The way you two are protecting each other, making sure that you both stay safe! I can see that you two have been doing it for quite some time now!"

"What? How did she know that!?" Nora squeaked, seeing that she and her other's boyfriend's intention were seen through now.

"She doesn't seem bothered by how cautious you two are, though." Vine points out.

If Ren and Nora's alarm wasn't stricken before, it was blaring now. This only seemed to amuse the woman more as she studied the two intensely.

"Yes, I can see it. You two met as children after a tragedy took everything else from you. For years, you only had each other, but you never took that step until another tragedy put everything into perspective. Not what I would have preferred, to be honest. I've always loved heartfelt confessions in the pale moonlight, surrounded by candles and succulent food, but you can't contain love."

"How… how does she know that?" Ren says as he and Nora are stunned that this woman knows about their personal tragedy.

"This woman is more than she appears." Maria said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What does she even know about love?" Harriet skeptically says.

"What do you know about love?" Nora couldn't stop herself from asking. Before she could apologize, a glamorous look crossed the woman's face as she smiled haughtily.

"My dear, I am love. That most glorious of emotions is what I live for. I see it everywhere, try to spread it far and wide, and I see it within you both." The woman suddenly took hold of Ren and Nora's hands, and they could feel her warmth spread into them. "Never let that go. Never let each other go."

"How wonderful!" Penny happily says as she claps her hands together while the rest just found the beautiful woman odd.

"She is love? What? Is she saying that she is love personified?" Robyn skeptically says as she raises a brow.

"She should be, after all, that's Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty." Penny answers, shocking everyone in the room.

"She's a Goddess!?" Ruby says in shock and awe.

"That explains why she can talk as if she knows about love." Elm says in awe.

"And I suppose a Goddess who is worshiped for love would be this beautiful." Oscar says with a blush on his face.

Ren and Nora looked at each other, then back at the strange woman, then nodded.

"We don't plan to," Ren declared with absolute conviction, and the woman smiled and clapped.

"We don't either." The viewing Ren also answered, getting a hug from his girlfriend.

"Spectacular! Ooh, I just love seeing two lovebirds together, ready to take on the world no matter what gets thrown at them!" She then closed her eyes and smiled warmly before waving them off. "Now go! Join your friends. The main event is about to begin, and don't let me keep you!"

"She certainly has a way with words." Blake says but smiles at the encouragement.

"Why can't we have these kinds of Gods in our world?" Yang lightly wined while the others agreed that if Remnant had similar Gods instead of the Brothers, their world might be a bit better.

"O… kay…?" Nora replied, thoroughly confused. Taking Ren's arm with hers, they turned and walked away from the lovely woman, who herself seemed content to wave them off. The two paused as a group of Amazons blocked their view of the stand and its owner, and when it finally passed they gasped at the sight.

Instead of seeing the woman and her stand, in its place was nothing but thin air, a red rose lying on the ground where it all once stood.

"She's gone!" Nora shouted in surprise.

"I suppose Gods like their vanishing acts." Qrow joked.

By the time Ren and Nora came back to the arena, the festival was already in full swing. A large crowd of Amazons had gathered, beckoning everyone in sight to fill the amphitheater. They passed the arena guards before entering the stands. They looked around to try and find where their friends were sitting, only to see a familiar mop of red hair waving at them excitedly. Smiling in turn, Ren and Nora quickly made their way through the growing crowd of Amazons to join Ruby, the others sans Yang and Pyrrha already with them. Thanks to them being the guests of the royal family, they were given their own private balcony to overlook everything while also granting them privacy from the assorted crowds.

"Looks like the festival is starting." Vine comments, curious if it will be anything like the Vytal Festival.

"I'm so excited!" Ruby says, can't wait to see her sister and Pyrrha participate.

"Hey guys," Jaune said as he scooted to the side and gave them a seat. "Took you two long enough. Was starting to think you got lost."

"That's mean, Jaune! Our other was talking to the Goddess of love and beauty." Nora pouted.

"Sorry." The viewing Jaune apologized.

"Jaune, just because you did yesterday doesn't mean we did," Nora lightly chastised, causing Jaune to blush with embarrassment and the others to chuckle.

"Ha! Look who's talking." The viewing Nora teased, making her Jaune blush even though it wasn't him.

"That's enough, Nora," Ren told her, causing Jaune to look at him with a thankful smile. That smile disappeared when Ren started to grin. "Artemis already gave him enough trouble yesterday."

Jaune sighed at Ren's joke while everyone laughed. "Honestly, no respect…"

"You too!?" Thew Jaune says in mock hurt to his friend, who just chuckled.

Ruby patted Jaune's shoulder before looking sternly at everyone. After a few more chuckles, everyone died down and sat down in silent comfort. Jaune then sat upright, his face showing that he wasn't offended, more embarrassed at getting lost in the city the previous day. He and Pyrrha had been walking back to the guest house after getting some food when he got turned around for a moment. When he turned back, he spotted a red-haired woman with a ponytail walking through the crowd, and he had assumed it was Pyrrha.

The woman he was following turned out to be Artemis on her way to the arena, and after his confusion was discovered, Jaune was subjected to the most brutal training in his life before Pyrrha finally rescued him.

"That's how you met?" Qrow raised a brow. "And here I thought I was the unlucky one."

"Shame on you, Jaune, mistaking someone else as your partner." Yang teased, making the boy groan in embarrassment at how his other would make that mistake.

"In all seriousness, what took you guys so long? We thought you'd be back like ten minutes ago," Ruby asked Ren, who shook his head.

"We talked to Aphrodite!" Nora chirped.

"Nora and I got caught up in the market," he revealed.

"Yeah, there was a whole bunch of stuff there," Nora added with her usual bubbly demeanor. "There was also this really, and I mean really hot lady who started talking to us about love. Said she gave us her 'blessing', whatever that means, then she and her stand disappeared, leaving behind a rose for some reason. She was weird."

"Not sure if it's okay to call a deity weird." Oscar nervously said, thinking about two particular Gods who might take offense to that.

"I doubt a Goddess who represents love and beauty won't hold up at that kind of comment." Robyn shrugged.

"You can't be too sure of that." Maria countered. "After all, people would do crazy things in the name of love, won't be surprised if Aphrodite might do something extreme."

That thought made those who knew the truth shudder as they recalled what happened to Salem before her descent to Grimmification if that's the right word they can say.

Ren and Nora couldn't help but feel that the entire encounter was abnormal. That woman did not appear to be an Amazon, but what she actually was, they did not pretend to know. They said nothing more, leaving their questions for a later, more private time with Donna or Diana, then turned their attention to the field as a large group of armored Amazons entered the arena. At their head was Queen Hippolyta, flanked by Diana and Donna along with a cadre of guards. Among them, they saw Yang and Pyrrha, wearing more typical Amazonian garb that was stylized to fit their own personal specifications. The crowd grew quiet as Hippolyta walked to a central podium, where an Amazon stood with a bow in hand next to a large pyre. The Amazon handed her Queen her bow as Hippolyta approached. The Queen nodded, and another Amazon handed her a single arrow. Taking and nocking it on her bowstring, Hippolyta ignited the arrowhead by inserting it into the pyre before aiming it upwards. Following her gaze, the crowd saw a large bowl on the top of the arena, filled with what they could only assume was oil.

"Is she planning to start the Festival by igniting that bowl?" Elm curiously asks, interested in how they would start their festivities.

"Whoa… that's so cool!" Ruby says in awe seeing how the Queen ignited the bowl with her ignited arrow.

"Is that how they start their Festival? It's truly breathtaking." Winter admits seeing that this is much more different than how they start the Vytal Festival.

"I'm sure Coco would love to see what our others are wearing." Yang comments liking what her other is wearing.

"Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and Chastity," Hippolyta began to pray, her words causing the gathered Amazons to bow their heads. Out of respect, RWBY and JNPR did the same. "Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare. Hera, Goddess of Women. Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth. Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty. Bless us on this most holy of days so that we may celebrate the protection you've granted us and that we may, in turn, extend your grace to the world."