AN: Hello everyone. Hope you like my series so far? Please leave a review to let me know what you think and make sure you follow/fav to see the next few chapters of this long, long, LONG story. And yes it is going to be long.
Chapter 7: Meetings
Beacon Academy/Ozpin's Office/12:47pm
General James Ironwood arrived at Ozpin's Office accompanied by Winter Schnee via elevator. Ozpin stood up from his chair to greet them then said "What is this message from Qrow and why all the secrecy?" After the general of the Atlesian Military walked close enough to Ozpin's desk, he said "Because there are forces at work here on Remnant that are lurking in the shadows. Watching and waiting to strike without warning which makes it hard to trust anyone anymore." Then the general put his scroll on Ozpin's desk to show Qrow's message through the holoprojector.
It was a recording of Qrow in what appears to be rusty metallic walls in the background.
"This is Qrow recording to anyone that is listening. I found what looks like some sort of hidden base in the mountains in Forever Fall Forest with a door disguised as a boulder." Qrow said showing the shape of the boulder than continued "I tracked some guys with black coats and hoods into here and what I found is that these guys are trying to-" Qrow got interrupted by being telekineticly lifted into the air with his limbs not being able to move yet completely unaware that he is still recording with his scroll.
Then a black wearing figure appeared from the shadows saying "Hey look sis, I got myself and intruder!" Then another one appeared, wavering her finger and said "What a naughty little bird we have, sneaking around and revealing our location like a canary finding poison gases." Qrow struggling to get free started to say "Well..at least..I did..found some..here. Just..what..are..you..guys?" The one black figure holding Qrow said "Should we tell him? I mean he went through all the trouble finding us here." But the other black figure shook her head and said "I don't think so. But I do believe that he deserves to be punish." "Can I kill him? Please, just to watch him squirm and listen to him scream." "No. Death is too much of a mercy for him."
Qrow still struggling and making sure that his scroll is still recording then said "So..what..do you..have..in mind?" The female black figure pondered for a moment and said "Lets see, which universe can I send you to?"
Glynda then shouted "Did she say 'which universe?'" That's right Glynda, Qrow is taking a little trip, but where will Initiate 2857 send him?
The recording continued with the woman said "Ah! How about universe 794-22T? That sounds perfect for a survivalist such as he, doesn't that sound good 2899?" "Hm, radioactive poisonings, mutated monsters, bandits & raiders, completely bleak wastelands? That does sound perfect!"
Then the same type of portal that transported Team RWBY opened up beneath him with shadowy hands grabbing him down put just before he disappeared to another universe, he pressed the send button then the recording ended there.
After it ended, Ozpin was standing up with eyes wide open and his mouth slightly open. Then he sat back down in his chair in disbelief of what just happened. Then Ozpin whispered "Oh no." when he realize that Team RWBY are in very big trouble. Boy, you don't know the half of it.
Akiba/Guild Hall
Team RWBY followed Naotsugu to the meeting in the conference room where all the guild masters are meeting today for what reason, they don't know.
Then Naotsugu opened the door to reveal a round table with the guild leaders in their seats and in the room, there are six statues of the Six Scrapped Princesses and a large ceiling window over them. They already met Shiroe and Maryelle, but they see faces they don't recognize. "You're here good," said Shiroe "let me introduce you four to the founders of the Round Table Alliance. You already met Maryelle of Crescent Moon Alliance."
"Hellooo~" said Maryelle who waved and smile "Nice to see you four again!"
Next to her, a small old man said "I am Ichimonjinosuke Akaneya, the guild master of Radio Market and I represent all the smaller guilds in the city."
"I'm Woodstock W, guild master of Grandeur and I also represent the smaller guilds."
"I'm Michitaka, guild master of Marine Agency, one of the three largest merchant guilds in Akiba."
"I'm Roderick, guild master of Roderick Merchant Guild."
"I'm Karashin, guild master of 8th Shopping Street and third largest merchant guild in Akiba."
"I'm Sojiro Seta but everyone calls me Soji, guild master of Brigade of the West Wind, one of the warrior guilds that police Akiba."
"I'm Crusty, guild master of D.D.D. and I have the most warriors in my guild."
"I'm Isaac, guild master of the Black Sword Knights which has the most high level guys in my guild."
"I am Eins, guild master of Honesty, another warrior guild."
Yet there is one seat that isn't empty. That spot would've gone to the leader of Silver Sword, but an NPC is sitting there. This NPC dressed in a fancy pink dress and has a tiara on her head. She stood up and said "I am Princess Lenessia Erharte Cowen. Granddaughter of Duke Serjiad Cowen, ruler of Eastal's League of Freedom Cities. I am the ambassador here in Akiba."
Well this took the four huntresses by surprise. They never thought that they get to meet the princess. Weiss was first to introduce herself by taking an elegant bow and said "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Weiss Schnee and it is an honor to meet you princess." Ruby was nervous and panicking then said "Nice, huh, to meet you..meet you your..huh..royal highness." She took a bow (to the best she could) and said "My name is..R-R-Ruby Rose the, huh, leader of Team Ruby and, huh, it is an...honor." Then Blake step up with her usual calm and stoic personality saying "My name is Blake Belladona," then took a bow "and it is an honor your grace." Then Yang just said "Sup', I'm Yang Xiao Long." who just smiled and wave hi. "YANG! YOU ARE BEING IMPROPER!" shouted Weiss for Yang's lack of grace and modesty.
The princess then chuckled and said with a smile "It is alright, there is no need to be formal here." "That's because you are a lazy & cowardly princess." said Crusty with a smirk and adjusting his glasses. The princess was pouting at Crusty and have a light blush out of embarrassment.
"Now that the formalities are over," Shiroe said then adjusting his glasses "lets talk about the most recent current event in our city."
Shiroe: "As you all know that many people are reporting strange happenings outside and inside the city."
Crusty: "We all know that Shiroe, some boss monsters have been sighted outside the city and many Adventurers have seen people wearing black outfits with their faces hidden with what appears to be some sort of device."
Isaac: "And not only that, most of the raid bosses that have appeared are level 70 and higher and exist outside the dungeons."
Eins: "Some of the witnesses say that the devices they used are meant for controlling the raid bosses for some unknown purpose."
Soji: "Maybe they wanted to test us, to see what we are made of?"
Maryelle: "But what for? I mean, what is the whole point of it?"
Mitchitaka: "Maybe they wanted to see how reliable the Round Table is so they can figure out how to cause a wedge between us and Eastal."
Shiroe: "That is one possibility because of what nearly happened at the Libra Festival." Everyone looked at Shiroe. "Remember what happened when there was a lot of disturbances and some unhappy people?"
Soji: "Who could forget? You used my guild to help calm some of them down by having me and everyone going on group dates while on patrol. Not only that, someone try to declare an attack by sending in Lord Marves of the Holy Empire of Westelande to embarrass the princess to weaken our relationship with the Free Cities."
Isaac: "Yeah I remember that. But Shiroe and Krusty solved that by Shiroe making himself the villain about the so-called letter Lord Marves sent and Michitaka try to offer one of his warehouses his guild own, not the Round Table's."
Shiroe: "Actually, there is something you all should know," everyone looked at Shiroe again out of curiosity, "I met someone who was responsible for the attacks on the same night."
Woodstock W: "YOU DID WHAT?"
Everyone not at the table in the room were whispering about what Shiroe said and it did took everyone by surprise.
Shiroe: "The person is a guild master of Plant Hwyaden named Nureha. She disguised herself as a Person of the Land who is a traveling chronicler from Shibuya. Her guild have control of not only the Guild Hall of Shibuya, but also its Cathedral as well."
Roderick: "You can't be serious right? If they did then all of the Adventurers would have no choice but to subjugate to Plant Hwyaden's will."
Karashin: "If they have that then they can blacklist anyone and prevent them from being revived! Yet how did they get the money to get both the Guild Hall & Cathedral in Shibuya?"
Team RWBY were confused about the whole thing so they asked Nyanta & Naotsugu who are standing next to them. Both of the explain that the Guild Hall is also home to the bank where players can store their gold and items which can transfer from city to city which is useful so players can keep their really good stuff safe from any bandits or player killers. If someone took control of the Guild Hall, that person can freeze the accounts of any player they blacklisted to not only prevent them from getting into the building, they can also prevent anyone from accessing their accounts in one of the cities they have a Guild Building under their control. Then they started to explain that Adventurers can't truly die. If a player "dies" and have their bodies disperses, their bodies are reconstructed back at a Cathedral. However, they can only be resurrected at the last city they visited. If someone took control of the Cathedral and blacklisted a certain player, that player cannot be resurrected until that player is no longer on the blacklist. In other words, that person will be lost in limbo until that player is no longer blacklisted. Team RWBY's faces went yikes after hearing that.
When Team RWBY was getting explanations, Shiroe said "Would any of you four girls come here please?" because the conversation about the situation in Shibuya and Plant Hwyaden was over and time to discuss another matter.
All four girls approached over to the table wondering what is going on next. "Akatsuki, can you show the recording?" "Of course my lord."
She showed a recording of Team RWBY's combat against some goblins, a Burning Dead, and a Triffid. Then she showed a black figure hiding in the trees with a device in his hands the Ruby shouted "THAT'S THE GUY!" The girls recognize the outfit the man was wearing much to everyone's surprise that the girls have faced him before. They are wrong, it is a different initiate, not the one they are after.
