The Vytal Cultural Festival is coming up. People from literally around the world come to Vytal, and more specifically Vale, to celebrate the cultures of the world together as one big happy family. The amount of planning that goes into the event is simply breathtaking. Everyone is excited for the festival, preparing in every way imaginable. Everyone except for five teams in Beacon.

That's us. It was supposed to be just RWBY and JNPR, minus our unfortunate friend Blake who needs to focus on recuperating from her last adventure. There was a slip, on my part actually. I told Jaune. That boy is infuriating with his inability to keep a secret. I'm just fortunate he didn't tell our enemies. At least, I think he didn't. He wouldn't... would he? Maybe I'm over-thinking it.

But it's no secret that Cardin has been acting sort of oddly buddy-buddy with Jaune lately. As a result, he found out. Cardin apparently decided he wanted to bring his team into the plan because, you know, White Fang are the bad guys. Once we got over that bump, and they were accepted into the circle, I explained that our enemies were more than just the White Fang. We were also going up against the Schnee Dust Company, practically a corporate empire.

Three teams was fine, all told. It bolstered our numbers, and as collateral damage, Jaune's clumsiness could have caused much worse. But I made another small blunder. I told Nora. That girl is insane, but in the end I think she may have made the right decision. She told the three remaining members of Velvet's team. They had wondered about Velvet's disappearance, as she never said goodbye. So they were on board. That was fine too.

Here's where the rule of three comes in. I told Pyrrha, too. And once she had the full picture, she decided it was best to play the bleeding heart. During Blake's little adventure, which Nora, Ruby, and Velvet took part in, they briefly met a fully fledged Huntress. The Huntress died, and her body was never recovered, and it was never reported. She is listed as missing in action. As soon as Pyrrha learned that the deceased Huntress' little brother was in the same year as us, she determined to tell him what happened.

So now we have five teams in on the worst idea any of us have ever had, minus the injured Blake and missing Velvet. Although, taking on the White Fang, we might get lucky and run into Velvet and Blake's friend Adam Taurus before they get themselves killed trying to take down this whole heap of villainous ne'er-do-wells. So long as nobody else tells anybody else, we should be safe from anyone who would try to stop us finding out about the plan.

Classes ended about half a week before the festival started. My father was never one for that sort of thing, and as I had expected he was not going to be participating. I called home and let him know that I was not going to be taking part either, but would instead be coming home. He was going to send a private ship to come get me, which is exactly what I had hoped for. He's a busy man, so he won't be on that ship when it arrives. That said, we still have a problem when the ship gets here. I think I can hold it together, but we won't know until it happens.

The eighteen of us now stand at the end of the pier, waiting for the airship. I can see it in the distance, or at least what I assume is it. Ruby's standing right beside me, cape blowing in the wind like a fearless leader. Logistically and tactically, I'm in charge of this mission, but when it comes to combat I take orders from her. We're over that. On the other hand, it took some convincing to get the rest of them to let me take charge of the mission.

"You all look like the main cast of an anime, standing around at the edge of a cliff and staring off at the horizon."

Wait, how did she get here? I turned around and, sure enough, Blake had made her way out to the end of the pier. Everyone else turned around at about the same time as me, and most of them were now reacting with various forms of surprise. I did tell her what was going on, and I probably should have expected some form of plan from her that ended with her coming along, but there is one thing I could not have foreseen.

Blake is seated, still unable to figure out that replacement leg. She's in a wheelchair, and standing behind the wheelchair is the woman who pushed her out here. I don't know this woman, but she looks an awful lot like Blake. She's just... older. Maybe it's that sister she told us about... no, Blake said she had a younger sister. So this must be...

Blake glanced back at the woman, both grinning. Their matching black ears wiggled cutely- stop it, Weiss! Blake looked back at us and pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. "You pricks were gonna leave without me, so I called her a couple days ago. This is my mom."

Blake's mom gave a slight bow. "You can just call me Krista."

And suddenly, we're all silent. Nobody knew what to say next, and I was not sure how to break it to Blake that I still didn't want her risking herself by tagging along. Thankfully, we apparently have an official icebreaker...

"Yeah! Team RWBY is back together!" Ren covered Nora's mouth with his hand, giving an apologetic look to pretty much everyone.

Krista, I guess, gave the lot of us a sweet smile just as the sound of the airship's engine became audible. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to come as well."

Stepping forward, I shake my head. "I can't say for sure that we can make that work. We're talking about my father's company here. There will likely be guards on the ship, and I thought it was going to be hard to get all of us on when there were only Humans going on the mission. Two Faunus make chances that much slimmer."

Of course, like a bunch of idiots, we were completely distracted from the airship landing behind us. So distracted we were, that I had only just remembered how close it had gotten when the doors opened. No time left for arguing, everyone shut up and let me handle the next part. A single man walked out and looked down at me. He glanced warily at everyone gathered, then looked back to me.

"Miss?"

I just nodded at him. "Oliver?" Let me explain. He's in charge of security at the Schnee estate, and his name is Oliver Sparky. Don't ask why his last name is Sparky. Just don't. I have always trusted him with my life, and I hope I still can in the troubled times just ahead of us.

He just stared at me from behind his cool black shades, his short dark yellowish-green hair going out of shape in the wind. "Are these people here to see you off?"

This is the moment of truth. "Actually, these people are coming with us. We have enough room on-board, right?"

He took a deep breath, but as long as he doesn't see the harm in it he won't refuse me. I just hope he doesn't see the harm in it. "We certainly have enough room, but... I'm not sure your father would approve-"

Approve? Like I care. "He doesn't have to approve. Actually, he doesn't have to know. I'm sure there are enough guest rooms for them all."

"Yes, but I don't think your father would approve of all the boys."

From somewhere behind me, Yang giggled. She was abruptly cut off by someone, I presume Ruby, doing something that sounded like elbowing her in the stomach. Trying my best to ignore the sisters, I address his concern. "Hence the guest rooms. Don't tell me you've gone senile in my absence."

He lifted his shades up so he could get a good look at everyone. His eyes eventually landed on Blake and her mother. After a potentially precarious moment, he dropped his shades back into place. "So none of you are going to stay for the festival. You all look like you're ready for the tournament." He didn't look back at me. "What are you up to, Weiss?"

Crumb.

Krista called over to me, making me uncharacteristically jump in surprise. "Old Sparky can help. He's one of the good ones. You can tell him."

How the heck would she know? Does she... what... I think I missed something important. Whatever, fine, okay, I'll tell Spar- ...Oliver, but only once we're all on the ship. "Okay, I'll explain, but you have to let us on-board first."

He shook his head. "Fine. Let's go."


Author's Notes: We're on our way now, with a large cast setting out to take on a mission. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce to you Krista Belladonna and Oliver Sparky. Krista is simply Blake's mom, although she appears to know Oliver somehow. Oliver Sparky is... an OC I made years ago for Red VS Blue, actually. He's finally found use here, and as a result will be added to the people that might show up in my other works.

Also, I want Blake's father's name to be Joey. Anyone think that'll work?