Hope you all had a Merry Hallothanksmas part II. Congratulations to all who survived Black Friday. Now it's on to the main event!

Only two weeks of school left before finals week. My writing productivity is going to skyrocket that week! Might even be able to update my side project.

Off we go!

Langrlost = Longtail

Darnvængr = Shatterwing

Aaron stared at the fire burning in the middle of the camp. He and Brom agreed not to exchange much information until the rest of the Remnant team arrived. Those in the camp sat mostly silent, with only a few words being exchanged between Jaune and Pyrrha.

That is, until Weiss caught Aaron's attention. "Since we're not doing anything now, and we won't be hiding anymore, can you fix my hair?"

"Sure thing." Aaron moved over to Weiss' side and held his hands on either side of her head. He started chanting in the Ancient Language, and the brown slowly receded from the top down. Weiss shifted uncomfortably where she sat, but did not interfere with the spell. As the last specks of brown disappeared from his teammate's hair, Aaron lowered his arm. "Liked it much better this way anyway."

Weiss looked over her ponytail and sighed in relief. "Thank you. It felt so weird having it like that-I see that smirk Aaron! I am not as bad as Yang!"

Aaron raised his hands in surrender. "I never said you were." He sat down in the dirt beside Weiss. "I was just thinking you care about how you look almost as much as a Brightscales."

Weiss' jaw dropped. "If I was that full of myself, I would not be wearing this, much less be here! I would be back in air conditioned Atlas working for my father, where the biggest danger to how I look is spilling coffee."

"Are you sure you two are not in a relationship?" Brom asked from across the camp, a slight smirk on his face.

"Yes!" Aaron and Weiss replied at the same time.

Brom shrugged. "If that is true, I can see how you two could convince others of the opposite."

Aaron rolled his eyes and shook his head. A familiar presence entered his mind. He's right you know, Nalia said. I heard that last exchange.

Laugh it up. Aaron turned his head back and lightly scowled. So you're within ten miles?

Yes. I can see the light from your fire up here. Nalia mentally hummed. It will be good to see a friendly face again.

Believe me, it is. Aaron turned back to Brom. "Nalia just contacted me. They'll be here soon."

"Good to hear." Brom looked past Aaron and to the sky. With how far away the air group was, there was no way he could see them in the darkness. He looked back down and turned his gaze to Weiss. "Hair can naturally be white where you're from, or is that by choice?"

Weiss nodded. "Yes. Hair can naturally be nearly any color from where we're from, though Aaron says that's not true for here. White hair simply runs in my family. It's not a sign of old age."

"I see." Brom nodded. "There is much about where you are from that I would like to know."

"And I am sure that even more questions will pile on top of that when you meet the rest of us." Weiss smiled, then returned her gaze to the fire. "Anyone want to take bets on how long it will take for Ruby or Nora to wish we had marshmallows?"

"Probably not right away," Jaune said, entering the conversation. "They should know this is important. Well, Ruby will anyway."

"But," Pyrrha continued, "I'm guessing Ruby will break shortly after we've all settled down. Nora sometime before that."

"I'm not betting against Pyrrha." Aaron shook his head. "She's way too lucky for that." The group fell into a comfortable silence.

Eventually Aaron leaned forward and looked at Brom. "I say, we were extraordinarily lucky to have met you in Cithrí. What were you doing there?"

Brom grimaced. "I was informed that several of the mad king's Riders were in Aroughs. Days later, I hear that there is at least one member trailing behind near Feinster, but all other sources say that shouldn't be possible. It's strange for someone in my position in the Varden to travel this far from Farthen Dûr alone, but at the time I was the only one in the mountain with experience against the traitors."

Aaron blinked. "We were spotted."

"Yes. After the the spy in Feinster reported the dragon sighting, he hasn't reported anything else at the normal intervals. I fear he may be dead, or worse."

"So, Galbatorix could know we're here?" Jaune asked.

"That is very possible." Brom nodded.

"That may be true," Aaron said as he heard the faint roar of Bullhead engines. He picked it up much faster than he would have on Remnant due to the fact there was no sound like it in Alagaësia. The flat land of northern Surda helped with that as well. "But I don't think he knows everything."

Brom looked to the sky and narrowed his eyes. "What is that sound?"

Aaron looked at the rest of his team. "Jaune, you want to do the honors?"

Jaune fished his block Scroll from a pocket under his trader garb. "Knight to Lotus, do you copy?"

"Reading you loud and clear," Ren's voice replied over the scroll. "I see your fire. How's the terrain down there?"

"It's mostly grass and the soil isn't dusty. You won't be kicking up a lot of dirt."

"Copy that. ETA two minutes. Looking forward to meeting our contact." Jaune's scroll clicked, signaling the end of the call.

Brom stared openly at the block in Jaune's hand. "I thought you could not use magic."

"It's not magic." Jaune returned the scroll to his pocket. "But given what I know about this place, I can't blame you for thinking that."

"Scrolls back on Remnant are…slightly more advanced than they are here." Aaron smirked. "They aren't locked to showing the same text or image forever."

"And as you've just seen, we can use them to communicate over long distances," Pyrrha added.

"Here, we're just limited to a few miles of coverage," Weiss continued. "Back home, we could contact each other from almost anywhere. Well, provided a relay was close enough."

Brom looked at each of the four Huntsmen in turn. "I don't understand what you're saying."

Aaron shrugged. "I guess you'll have to see it to believe it. I know I did, and I still thought I had tainted water for a few weeks."

Brom stared at Aaron, then looked back to the sky. His eyes widened and he stood up. "My stars…" Aaron turned around and saw what Brom did. Six titans of the air flew in a V-formation toward the camp. Four dragons took the lead, with Nalia in front of them all. The two Bullheads flew in the rear, their running lights flashing and cockpits lit up.

"They tend to have that effect on people. Well, when people are from here anyway." Weiss turned to Aaron. "Can I borrow your scroll so I can guide them in?" Aaron fished his scroll from a hidden pocket and flipped it to Weiss. The heiress walked away from the camp using two scrolls as visual confirmation for the pilots.

"So…it starts again," Brom mumbled. "But how and where will it end?"

Aaron smirked at his friend. "Did I hear some of Oromis there?"

"Possibly." Brom took his eyes of the dragons and looked at Aaron. "You found more Riders."

"Well, actually they found me first, but yeah. All three eggs in my charge hatched."

Brom's shoulders sagged slightly. "So they're inexperienced."

"Maybe, but we have advantages that the Traitor has never seen, and he can't possibly hope to defend against in time." The two Bullheads flew overhead and coasted in for a landing beside each other. "Exhibits A and B."

"This is indeed strange magic." Brom stared at the two flying metal boxes, then back at the dragons as they landed. "I never thought we'd stand this much of a chance."

"I didn't either until I met them." Aaron nodded at the other Riders. Ruby, Yang, and Velvet dismounted their dragons. Both not-quite-human Riders had hoods over their heads. Yang stood in her exoskeleton, not even reaching for her wheelchair. All three of them moved to stand in front of their partners-of-their-heart-and-mind. The dragons stood proudly, their armor shining off the light of the fire.

Nalia stepped away from the line of dragons and approached Brom. She hummed happily all the way. Well met, Brom, she said. I couldn't have hoped to find an ally so soon.

"Well met indeed, Nalia." Brom rested a hand on the side of the dragon's snout. "I trust you have been well?"

I've had my ups and downs, but I've never been better. Nalia's eyes softened. I am truly sorry for what happened to you and Saphira. She was one of our true friends. We were devastated, but I cannot imagine what effect it had on you. If you ever want to fly again, I am sure any one of us will gladly take you to the sky.

Brom lowered his head. "Thank you."

Nalia hummed. Any time. She lifted her head and walked behind Brom. Now I believe introductions are in order.

"I believe you are right, Nalia." Aaron waved the gold pair over first. "Meet Yang Xiao Long and her dragon Halcyon Bjartskular. Yang is physically the strongest out of all of us, and probably can rival some elves." Aaron paused. "She also killed Kialandí's dragon."

"The only one of us to kill one of them so far. Hoping to add to the count soon." Yang smirked and held out a hand. "Nice to meet you Brom. Aaron's told us a lot about you."

"So I've heard." Brom stared at the outstretched hand. "I am not familiar with this."

Yang's smirk disappeared and she retracted her hand. "Okaaaay, handshakes aren't universal."

Halcyon puffed smoke at Yang's back. Don't worry about it Firecracker. You'll catch on eventually. He turned his gaze to Brom. We will do what we what we have to in order to bring the Traitor down. He nudged Yang out of the way, clearing the path for the next introduction.

Brom watched them go. "Golden hair?" he said under his breath.

"Yep!" Apparently Yang heard. She spun on a heel and walked backward a few steps. "All thanks to this guy." She patted Halcyon's shoulder a couple of times, then turned back around.

"Next," Aaron focused back in on the lineup, "we have Velvet Scarlatina and Vert Hvasskrob." He waved the junior green pair forward. Velvet kept the hood over her head. "Velvet actually has the most years of combat experience out of us, by one year. She can use any weapon she finds, as long as she has seen someone use it at least once."

Velvet reached up and grabbed both sides of her hood. She gently pulled it off, letting her two rabbit ears spring up. Brom's jaw dropped on seeing this. "You're an elf?"

"No." Velvet smiled and shook her head. "There are only two intelligent races where we're from. Humans…and Faunus, which I am."

Brom blinked. "Impossible. The pact with the dragons is only between humans and elves."

Velvet shrugged, her smile stayed in place. "I guess the differences between humans and Faunus aren't as big as some people make us out to be." Brom stayed silent but looked up at Vert. Something unheard passed between them, and Vert growled lightly. Velvet looked up at her dragon, moved to join Yang.

"Wait." Brom reached an arm in front of Velvet. She stopped and looked at Brom. "Where did you get that sword?" Brom gestured to the weapon on Velvet's hip.

"Oh." Velvet's smile finally disappeared. She rested a hand on the hilt. "Kialandí used Eld Moi to fight Aaron. I know who it initially belonged to. I couldn't let the last blood on it to be a friend's."

Brom looked back to Vert, or more specifically, his right wing. "I have never seen armor on a wing before. Metal is too heavy. But why is the right side heavier than the left?"

Vert's head lowered. I have what you call Darnvængr. Aaron does not know enough to heal it. Believe it or not, this helps me fly. Vert gently shook his right wing. I'm sure Ruby would love to explain how it works. He and Velvet walked toward the fire.

"Last but not least," Aaron turned to and waved the last pair over, "Ruby Rose and Cerise Langrlost. Ruby is the leader of team RWBY, and yes, that does get confusing at points. She is also the champion of the forty-first Vytal Festival Tournament, and the hero of Fort Castle." There was a slight hitch in Ruby's step, but only those who knew her would notice it. Aaron instantly regretted saying that last thing.

"I'm also technically Aaron's boss." Ruby took the hood off her head, revealing her smiling face. Her hair for once was tucked behind her pointed ears, showing them off. "Before you say anything, I'm not an elf either. I'm just the first to go through the transformation, or at all."

"So I've noticed." Brom looked to the group gathered around the fire, which now included the people from the Bullheads. "Forgive me if I sound rude, but you look like you are the youngest here."

Ruby nodded. "Yep. Aaron's older than me by a few months."

But age and experience does not mean one is suited to lead, Cerise hummed, her head lowering to rest by Ruby's. She may look cute, but Ruby is dangerous.

Ruby playfully pushed her dragon's head away. "Come on, Cerise. Maybe Nora snuck some marshmallows in."

Aaron turned to the fire. "Ruby mentioned marshmallows!"

"Yes!" Yang pumped a fist. "I'd say pay up, but we're all broke right now."

"Uhh, Aaron?" Ruby said. Aaron turned to face his leader. "Did I miss something?"

"For once, I wasn't the subject of a bet." Aaron smirked.

"Ohh. Was this how you felt your first year?"

Aaron shrugged. "Pretty much."

"Got it…" Ruby shook her head then joined her team around the fire.

"Let me guess." Aaron turned to Brom. "You want to know what those things are." He nodded at the two Bullheads.

"That's one of my many questions, yes." Brom stared at the two aircraft, pure confusion plastered on his face.

"Those are what we call 'Bullheads.' Long story short, they're flying transports that can carry more than any animal besides a grown dragon, and can travel farther and faster than any dragon. As in, those things can flt from Vroengard to Farthen Dûr in a day, if it has enough fuel anyway." Aaron paused to let that sink in. "These ones actually are heavily armed and armored. Three 30mm chainguns, one on each wing, and a turret on top. Just one weapon of that kind could kill a dragon in seconds." He turned to face Brom. "Even if the Forsworn have wards to counter this, which I highly doubt, they'll be drained before they can react."

Brom's jaw dropped slightly. "Those things can kill the Forsworn?"

"Easily." Aaron smirked. "These things may not have as many wards as the dragons, but they won't need them if the Forsworn are too focused on not being shredded."

"How tested are these…things?"

Aaron's smirk disappeared. "The equipment's tested more than its operators in this case. Don't get me wrong, I trust everyone here with Nalia's life, but our main two pilots are relatively inexperienced. Most of our strategies involve quality over quantity, but with the Bullheads, we have to focus on how much Dust we can put downrange as fast as possible."

"Dust?" Brom raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I believe I misheard you."

"No, you heard me right. There's just a different kind of Dust where we're from. I'm sure Weiss can fill you in."

"So many questions…" Brom shook his head. "None of this should be possible."

"You'll get used to it around these guys. Maybe. I still get surprised with things that happen back in Vale." Aaron faced away from the fire. "I've been away for a long time and I know many things have changed. Are Oromis and Glaedr still alive?"

Brom hesitated. "Yes. Do you know about their conditions?"

"Yeah. Nalia and I met with them once before we disappeared." Aaron shivered. "They were always so strong. It hurts to know that they're disabled like that."

"Do any of them know about the masters?" Brom gestured at the group around the fire.

Aaron bit his lip. "I wish I could say no. I believe I let it slip to Ruby during one of my…episodes."

"You added more scars," Brom stated as fact.

"I believe seven since last we met." Aaron sighed. "Ruby pulled me out of that hole twice, even when she was dealing with her own problems."

"She's a counselor?"

"Very much so. Yang prefers action over talking or healing, so she's a fighter. Velvet has taken to healing magic the most out of everything. She's even taught me a few things. Magic and technology make a powerful combination." Aaron shook his head and held a hand out to the gathering. "Well if you want to get to know the new Riders and the rest of the team, now is one of the best times for it."

"Nora, really?" Jaune yelled. Confused, Aaron looked to the hyperactive girl. Nora held a large bag of marshmallows.

"What?" Nora threw up her arms in defense. "It's not like we have more than two sets of clothes anyway. There was room in my luggage. Why waste it?"

Aaron sighed and turned to Brom again. "And that is Nora. I still haven't figured her out."

Who knew Nora's antics would turn out to be such a good thing on this mission? It turns out she was able to convince Ren to hide graham crackers and chocolate bars in his own fairly empty suitcase. There were enough sticks in the area for everyone to roast marshmallows at the same time if they wanted. In all likelihood, the first smores in Alagaësia were about to be made. This was turning into a full blown campfire party. They hadn't had time for one of these in years.

Ruby looked over at the two native Alagaësians. Brom alternated between staring at Aaron and everyone else around the fire. For once, Aaron was the one explaining how things work to someone else. Ruby couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at the sight. My student has become a teacher.

Cerise nudged Ruby's back. You've done well, Gem. But you already knew that.

For him, yes. I didn't know he knew enough about the way we do things to teach someone else. I haven't even heard him say anything wrong. Ruby let herself smirk. It still sounds funny to hear someone explain to a grown man that campfires don't always need to be for survival.

Yet to Brom, the way we do things might as well be from another world. Cerise huffed. Then again, he wouldn't be wrong.

That's going to blow his mind. I'm looking forward to seeing that. Ruby looked down to her marshmallow and saw that she let it drift into the fire. She pulled her stick back quickly and tried to blow out the unintentional torch. But the damage was already done. Ruby's shoulders slumped and she turned to her sister. "You eat them burnt, right?"

Yang looked at the marshmallow and smiled. "That one's perfect! Trade?" She offered Ruby her own non burnt treat. The sisters exchanged sticks and made their own sugary sandwiches.

"Ruby," Brom called from across the campfire. Said girl cleared her mouth and looked at the native. "Aaron says that you are the team leader."

"Yep. He's mission leader though since he knows the most about Alagaësia."

"Yet he claims to be your teacher."

"Also true. We figured this out early on. He and Nalia are in charge of everything magic or air related, and I take care of ground operations and mission selection. The chain of command is highly flexible, but we haven't butted heads too much."

Brom nodded slowly. "Where are you from? I have heard mentions of Vale, Remnant, and Atlas, but I do not know of those lands."

Ruby smirked. "I see no harm in saying. Long story short, we're from another world, called Remnant." Brom just stared. "It can't be reached from just going west, or any other direction. Where we're from, Alagaësia doesn't exist. It's not on any map. We had to use magic to get here. Aaron's the only one who knows the specifics of it."

"I…still don't understand."

"Uh…" Ruby looked at Aaron. "How did you figure it out?"

"Looking at maps and reading history books." Aaron took his scroll from a pocket. He flipped through a few things on it and showed it to Brom. "Take a look. A map of Remnant."

Brom took the scroll with wide eyes. "What magic is this?"

"Not magic," Nora cut in. "Science!"

"There's a saying on Remnant," Weiss started, "magic is science we don't understand yet. I believe that's the case for our scrolls. Scientists in Atlas and Vale are trying find an explanation for what the Riders can do that doesn't involve the word 'magic.' They can't stand that magic is the right explanation. I couldn't for a while."

"I could take you through all the technical details," Ruby shrugged, "but I don't think you'd understand a word I say."

"That is very possible." Brom looked between the Riders of Remnant. "Your dragons are young, and you three are older than you should be."

"It turns out the age rules don't apply to us." Yang laid a hand on her dragon's snout. "Halcyon hatched for me when I was seventeen, four years ago."

"Vert chose me when I was eighteen," Velvet said. Vert hummed happily and nudged his Rider.

Ruby raised a hand. "I was the closest at fifteen. First too."

"Speaking of things that don't happen here but do on Remnant," Aaron gestured at golden haired Rider, "Yang's a berserker." Yang smirked at the compliment.

"Aaron, berserkers don't exist." Brom paused, then shook his head. "Or do they?"

"Not only do I get stronger when angry," Yang started, "I get stronger as I take hits." She stood up from the ground and turned to Halcyon. "High five." Yang raised a hand straight up in the air.

The gold dragon stood up and raised a paw. He brought it down on Yang's raised hand. Yang's feet were forced into the ground, but she remained standing. Her eyes turned red. She looked at her buried feet. She pulled them out of the ground, taking a lot of dirt with them. "Who wants to be my punching bag?"

"I will." Ruby stood up and held her right arm in front of herself. "Just not the face, okay?"

Yang nodded and brought her right arm back. "Batter up!" She flung her fist forward and punched the center of Ruby's bionic arm. Immediately, Ruby flew backward head over heels. After a few flips, she dug her feet into the ground and slowed to a halt, her feet leaving long tracks in the dirt. She walked back to the campfire like nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"Nice swing, sis." Ruby raised an arm for a high five.

Yang didn't leave her sister hanging. "Didn't hit you too hard, did I?" She blinked and her eyes switched back to lilac.

"Nothing broke, so you're good." Ruby looked to Brom and had to suppress a laugh. The guy's jaw dropped to his feet and his eyes bulged. "Don't worry about it. This is just a normal day for us."

Aaron elbowed his friend. "I told you she's the strongest out of all of us."

Brom sighed. "How many times will one of you do the impossible?"

"Probably at least once an hour for the first few days." Ruby smiled as she sat back down beside Cerise. "So, you've heard a little about where we're from. Could you tell us about things that have changed here since Aaron left?"

"How long exactly have you been…on Remnant?" Brom asked Aaron.

"That's…a little complicated." Aaron scratched the back of his head. "From my perspective, Nalia and I fled north of Du Weldenvarden and stayed there for about three years, the next four were spent on Remnant. That's only seven years, but thirteen have passed here."

"It's not too difficult to figure out if you think about it," Yang said. "Two different dimensions don't have a one to one time relation. Alagaësia's time goes...two times faster than Remnant if I'm counting this right."

Everyone around the fire looked at Yang with various levels of confusion. "Did you just use movie logic?" Jaune asked.

"Well how would you explain this?" Yang leaned back onto Halcyon's neck. "I knew all those movies would come in handy someday."

"Thirteen years…" Brom brought a hand to his chin. "A lot has changed. The secession of Surda, the collapse of a Dwarf clan, the renewed slave trade in Dras-Leona-"

"WHAT?!" Ruby exploded. All the dragons that hatched on Remnant growled, as did most people from Remnant. The temperature dropped at least twenty degrees around the campfire, but Ruby didn't stop the unintentional manipulation.

Yang leaned forward and glared at Brom, her eyes red once more. "You make it sound like slavery is legal in the Empire."

"It is. Thankfully it has not spread much farther than that city." Brom shook his head. "There's nothing the Varden can do about it."

"Maybe not before," Nora growled. "But now, four dragons, a couple of military grade Bullheads, and a bunch of ticked of Huntsmen and Huntresses..." Nora cackled maniacally. "So many broken legs."

Ruby glared between Weiss and Aaron, who didn't react other than exchanging glances. "You two knew about this?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"…Yes." Weiss sighed. "Since before Feinster."

"And why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ruby narrowed her eyes.

"We were within a day's flight of Dras-Leona at the time." Aaron's eyes held sympathy, but had a certain hardness to them. "I know your history in similar situations. At least you and Cerise would fly there immediately."

"Oh, she wouldn't be alone," Yang said, her red eyes now glaring at Aaron. "We can take a city."

But can you hold it? Nalia growled. We don't know if any of the Forsworn are in the area. There is a reason they killed so many of us. Even if you managed to take the city, the Traitor's entire might would come down on top of you. That would be one battle you cannot hope to win.

"Not to mention everything else that's needed to keep a city in check." Weiss shook her head. "Nothing would go your way."

Ruby looked down and to the side. She hated to admit it, but Aaron, Nalia, and Weiss were right. She would have flown out as soon as she heard about it. A difference would be made if she somehow managed to take out all hostiles in the city, but it wouldn't last if whatever was left of the Forsworn converged on the city.

"Don't get me wrong," Aaron continued, "we're going to go there eventually and knock some heads together. When the Forsworn are down to a manageable number, or they're all dead, Dras-Leona will be our first stop."

If we get to that point, we will surely be joined by the elves and those in the Empire that want a return to the way things were before the Traitor seized power. Nalia growled. Trust me, I want those monsters dead as much as you, but now is not the time for that.

"The Forsworn are down three pairs already," Brom said. "Glaerun and his dragon died on Vroengard, I killed Ostia and hers personally. Of course, you killed Kialandí."

"There's something from Remnant's history that we may be able to adapt for our own use," Blake finally spoke up. "The Underground Highway."

Ruby straightened up. "You may be onto something." The Underground Highway, a system that freed Faunus slaves in Mistral and brought them to the friendlier regions on Sanus. The exact number of freed slaves wasn't known, but was predicted to be somewhere around five-hundred-thousand. "How much do you know about it?"

"We did a project on it second year, remember? I never deleted the files from my scroll."

"Do you know enough to set it up here?"

Blake blinked and looked at the ground. "If I knew the city better, I'd say yes. But I don't, and there is the possibility that magicians there could spot us and report us."

Ruby turned to Brom. "I trust there are people in the Varden who feel strongly about slavery as well."

"Plenty. Humans, elves and dwarves alike. In fact, I cannot think of an elf that supports it."

"Magicians included in that?"

Brom nodded. "Of course."

Ruby took a deep breath and leaned back onto Cerise. "I'm going to have a talk with the leader of the Varden when we arrive in Farthen Dûr and see if there's anything we can do to help those enslaved in Dras-Leona without assaulting the city. Blake, I want to there with me to explain how and why this is possible."

Blake nodded. "I can do that."

"Good." Ruby sighed. "Can we get off this topic? It's bringing back bad memories."

"What's a campfire without scary stories?" Jaune suggested.

"Ooh! I got one!" Nora shot to her feet. "Weiss' sister and Ruby's uncle are locked in a room together…"

Get your minds out of the gutter on that last sentence. Geeze people, they probably just got into a fight over whose family is better...