A/N: With the main series finally over, it's time to put a little bit of focus on another special character. What does a villain do after crushing defeat? This short story will follow Ebony after the end of the series. I was curious about what she would do in the world of Remnant without VRSZ, Clair, and the others.

I don't own any of the characters associated with RWBY. All rights belong to Rooster Teeth.

Ocean. Nothing but vast, open water as far as the eye could see was on display. It was beautiful scenery, but one that could grow dull if it was all one could see for several days. For Zinnia Underland, who has been flying over the sea for over two weeks, she grew weary of it. She stood in the common area of the vessel, staring at the ocean below. The airship had been soaring for a very long time, only landing to refuel. The destination was Mistral and it was close.

Zinnia wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was bored with the mundane routine and was ready to walk off the airship. She found it hard to believe the past events connected to this, but it was all true. Life had taken some weird turns, but she didn't regret any of it. Having doubts served to cloud a person's judgment and cause them to hesitate. With the new journey, she couldn't afford to make those kinds of mistakes. After all, she had to look after her best friend and their new traveling companion.

"Zinny, are we there yet? This boredom is finally gonna kill me," the new traveling companion complained.

The calm demeanor Zinnia held vanished as she sighed and dropped her shoulders, replaced with utter exasperation. She turned around, refusing to hide her expression, and looked toward Alexandrite. The female warrior who became a recent addition to the Champions had been picking at every nerve the Paragon possessed. Ebony regarded her as brutish, lazy, irritating, and lacking any quality besides the desire to fight. She managed to ruin training sessions for Zinnia as she treated it like actual combat and went overboard. It was infuriating to deal with someone like this. The confinement of this airship only made matters worse as the close proximity only created more disdain in Zinnia's perspective. Bringing Alexandrite along may have been Ebony's decision, but Zinnia wasn't on board with it.

"Zinny, did you hear me?" And that nickname was growing on her either. Zinnia sighed again, realizing she's been doing that a lot around the Bedazzled Behemoth, then answered her question.

"We should be arriving today. Just be patient."

"About time. It's like I've been in a cage for weeks. I am so ready to rampage," Alexandrite said as her eyes turned from grey to green.

"This is a peaceful mission. Don't forget that," Zinnia reminded her like a scolding mother.

"I know that, but it's Mistral. The underworld there is bigger and more complex than in Vacuo. If you think anyone going there won't run into trouble, you're wrong."

She could admit there was truth in Alexandrite's words. They were bound to encounter some difficult obstacles, but Zinnia felt they could handle themselves. After all, she had faith Ebony had a plan for everything.

"I don't know what the hell I'm going to do for Mistral," Ebony Vantablack thought while she was in the pilot's seat, clutching her head in confusion and frustration. What was going on with her? Formulating strategies was an easy task for her, but for some reason…

"I can't come up with anything… Why!?"

The door to the cockpit opened and it made Ebony jump in her seat a little. She was too absorbed in her frantic thoughts to notice Zinnia enter. "Y-yes, Zinnia. What can I help you with?" she asked her best friend while fixing her disheveled hair.

"We're almost in Mistral and we'll be landing in Argus soon. Ready?" Zinnia asked.

"No," Ebony said mentally, but what she said did not match her inner voice. "Born ready."

"That's good to hear because Argus has an Atlas military base. Since we want to do proper work here, we'll have to get their permission to do so. My title might be able to persuade them, but without any direct word from General Ironwood, it probably won't be enough. You'll have to convince them to let you stay here. Should be easy for you," Zinnia informed her and she exuded confidence as she mentioned the last part.

She had complete faith in Ebony's abilities. If only Ebony felt the same. For some reason, she was having a mental block. Acknowledging her problem was a good first step and the next step was understanding why. They were close to landing, so finding out why her brain couldn't function properly won't happen before negotiations.

"Naturally. Leave everything to me," Ebony told Zinnia with a smile and air of confidence.

"Stop lying you stupid bitch!" she screams at herself mentally.

"Great, but it's probably best to keep Alexandrite out of our negotiations. She's too much of a brute to have around Atlas personnel. Also, she's a criminal," Zinnia added, and the venom in her tone didn't escape Ebony's ears.

"You really don't like her, do you? Perhaps you guys getting along during this trip was wishful thinking."

"Do we really need her around?" Zinnia didn't realize she said that out loud. Her body stiffened as she flicked her eyes to Ebony to hear her response.

"Not fond of my choice to bring her? That's expected. We haven't seen any action yet, so it does make her look bad. Just be patient, for me?" she asked.

"It's your decision. I'll follow it gladly." That was not the answer Ebony wanted to hear and it only made it apparent Zinnia didn't like Alexandrite.

"I think Alexandrite will be a good contribution, however, if her presence still bothers you, we'll cut ties with her in Mistral and that will be the end of it. All right?" Ebony offered.

The proposal was shocking to Zinnia. Their retinue consisted of just them now that Brenton was ruling Corona and Monochrome was destroyed. Alexandrite was a warrior of great caliber. Her addition would help their cause greatly, but her attitude was the one thing Zinnia disliked. She figured she would have to grit her teeth and accept it, but Ebony was giving her an out. She valued Zinnia's opinion more than filling their ranks. It was good to know, but now Zinnia felt like a spoiled child pushing away whatever she hated.

If Ebony was making her an offer like this, then the least she could do was make an effort to bond with her new teammate.

"Very well. I accept, but I'll… try to get along with her before I come to a decision," Zinnia told Ebony.

"Do whatever you need to, love. I think you two will make a good team Now, let's get ready. We're here." Ebony took the reins of the airship and was about to land at a docking bay, but she and Zinnia heard a transmission on the ship's radio.

"Unknown aircraft. You are entering Mistral airspace with the closing of borders policy in effect. State your business or be treated as hostile."

Zinnia took control and answered, "This Zinnia Underland of the Atlas Special Operatives Unit. We have the authorization to enter Mistral and the other regions from General Ironwood himself. We are requesting permission to land."

The radio on the other end was silent for an uncomfortably long time. Ebony wondered if Zinnia's words were enough to get their foot in the door. She glanced at her friend who kept a focused state. There was no sign of wavering and it left Ebony impressed.

"You have been given permission to land, however, you'll be questioned by our commanding officer," the soldier on the other end stated.

"Understood," was Zinnia's response and ended the transmission.

Setting: Atlas Landing Bay

This wasn't the first time Ebony had stepped foot in Mistral. Even Argus was a familiar sight to her though the presence of Atlas was a lot stronger than her last visit. The statement seemed obvious to her at the current moment. The Vantablack woman held her arms out as she was being patted down by a soldier of Atlas. She stood there with Zinnia and Alexandrite who were getting the same treatment at the military base's landing bay. Several feet away from them were three soldiers each holding their weapons while they were inspected.

The first few minutes were funny if not a little worrying. Alexandrite acted like a feral animal when the soldier took her halberd away from her. She resisted and he couldn't move it an inch out of her grasp. Ebony was glad she told the irritated warrior to let go. That man would have had his arms torn off and her retinue would be detained or more likely shot down. It was nice to see Alexandrite steady her anger though her face wasn't one of tranquility. She grumbled as the man patted her down. He continued his work with trembling hands like he was handling a wild animal and he did so in an awkward position. He stood too far to do a normal pat down and had to lean inspect her. He was prepared to run away if things went awry. At least Zinnia was showing no resistance. As a member of the Atlas military, this was routine and she went through it to get to the next stage.

With the frisking over and done with, two new Atlas personnel came onto the scene. They were tall gentlemen with large hats and were chanting as they marched over. Ebony noticed their weapons were not returned to them but figured they wouldn't get them back until the entire process was complete.

"Introducing her greatness," the two identical guards began in unison, "the illustrious and magnificent, Carolina Cordovin!"

Footsteps were heard, but Ebony and Alexandrite didn't see anyone. Where was this great Caroline Cordovin? Still, she didn't see anyone until she felt Zinnia nudge her arm. She turned to her friend who used her head to point to the ground. Ebony followed her direction and found a short, elderly woman standing between the two identical soldiers. She wore an Atlas military uniform and had a 'no-nonsense' gaze that gave away what type of person she was. Her eyes settled on Ebony, then Alexandrite, and landed on Zinnia. She scanned the Paragon up and down then said, "I take it you're the one claiming to be the Special Operative?"

"I am," Zinnia stated.

Cordovin remained silent for a time before saying, "Well, you do carry yourself with the air only those prestigious enough to be a part of the all-powerful Atlas military, however, I have my doubts the great General Ironwood would give such permission to someone of your… standing."

A poorly disguised insult to Zinnia's face. It went unnoticed by no one. Ebony figured Caroline was letting her rank and authority protect her from any backlash and if Zinnia retaliated, she'd hold her in contempt. If the fiery-haired Underland was upset, it didn't show as her face remained unchanged. She kept a stoic, respectful look as she said, "My rank as a special operative and my abilities is the reason General Ironwood entrusted me with this responsibility. I'm here with Ebony Vantablack. She is the diplomat charged with bettering Atlas's relations with the other kingdoms."

It was Ebony's turn to be scrutinized. Caroline looked at the younger woman with a scrunched nose and it was obviously an expression of disgust. Ebony flashed her a grin and it only seemed to add fuel to the fire. "Preposterous. Like the kingdom of Atlas needs to do anything for the other kingdoms. Any aggression they attempt to create would be routed by the glorious kingdom of Atlas! If the fires of war were to rise, the indomitable kingdom of Atlas would douse them!" Carolina was starting to enter her own world as she started praising her home.

"I have no doubts about Atlas's military might, but we're here to make sure none of that happens," Ebony replied then continued, "General Ironwood prefers not to wage war and requested we help maintain order the way he prefers. Wouldn't it be better to fulfill the general's wishes?"

There were no cues or indications to show it activated, but Zinnia had a feeling Ebony was using Charm to sway the stubborn old woman. The tactic was underhanded but necessary. Cordovin seemed obstinate to permit them onto Mistral. Persuasion, misdirection, and manipulation were Ebony's best tactics and they were shining right now. Caroline was slowly nodding with Ebony as she continued to ramble on about the great Atlas kingdom. It resonated with the other Atlas soldiers who felt pride for their birthplace. Alexandrite was dozing off from boredom.

"You're right. Oh so right. Atlas is above dealing with the common masses on the battlefield…" Caroline held back tears. Zinnia's face turned to surprise. How deep did she take Ebony's words? "You are granted access to Mistral as diplomats. May your work bring glory to the great kingdom of Atlas!"

"To the great kingdom of Atlas," Ebony repeated with a knowing smirk. She loved how she had the people of the military eating out of her hands with ease. The soldiers gave each of them their weapons back and stepped aside to let Ebony's group through.

And it began. Ebony's journey through Mistral with her Champions. The first step was accomplished; getting onto Mistral soil. What they would endeavor was unknown to all of them.

Setting: Argus

Aside from the presence of Atlas, the city seemed to be just as Ebony remembered. She walked down a sidewalk with Zinnia and Alexandrite by her side. It was nice to see the familiar scenery, but the talk of the town was about an incident that happened weeks ago. A large Grimm threatened to destroy the city, but it was vanquished by Caroline with the help of a young Huntress. It seems like this place has been lively recently.

This place was peaceful which was a good thing to see in these difficult times, but it meant there wasn't anything for Ebony and her girls to do anything. It appeared Argus wouldn't be their starting point. Ebony felt somewhat relieved she didn't have to do any work because it meant she could prolong thinking of new plans. Why should she be happy about that? She was disgusted by her own mental block and her cowardice to face it.

Ebony turned to the others and said, "We've been on the airship all day. Let's find a place to sleep for the night."

Zinnia was about to say something until Alexandrite blurted, "I'm going to check this place out. Call me when you find a place," and she walked away with no regard for their reply. Her actions weren't leaving the best impression on Zinnia who scoffed at the woman who walked away from her party. None of this went over Ebony's head who realized Alexandrite wasn't painting the best picture of herself. She glanced at Zinnia who looked her way too and she shrugged. The two continued walking to find a place that'll hold us for the night.

Setting: Hotel Room

The room had two bedrooms with two beds in each, a living room connected with a kitchen, and two bathrooms. It was more than Zinnia expected but her liege insisted to indulge in luxury every now and then.

"It's only for one night," were her words.

She got a good look around the living room and kitchen. "This does look nice," she thought. As a soldier, Zinnia was used to things being practical and nothing else. She never had the time for anything else, but experiencing it did open her worldview and she figured partnering with Ebony meant getting used to this lifestyle. She walked into the bedroom intended for her and Ebony and found her bedmate under the covers. It was still the middle of the day.

"These sheets are so soft! Want to lay with me and feel them?" Ebony said gleefully as she tussled in bed.

"No thanks. Actually, there's something we need to discuss. Now that we're in Mistral, can you tell me what the next phase in your plan is? I'm going to need to know in order to help the right way."

"..." Ebony laid in bed with her back to Zinnia. She purposely refused to talk knowing she had no answer. She could still feel Zinnia's presence behind her. The Paragon wasn't leaving until she got her answer. Ebony knew she couldn't procrastinate any longer, especially not while under the gaze of this Underland.

"Ebony," she called out when her liege didn't answer.

"I...have something in mind, but the finer details haven't been ironed out yet. Just give me some time," Ebony said, faking her way out of this conversation.

"Then give me the general idea. I could help you figure out the rest along the way," Zinnia insisted and Ebony mentally cursed her friend out for being so helpful. Was there no way to avoid this any longer. It was time to show Zinnia her liege didn't have all the answers.

She sighed and sat up on the bed. "There's something I have to-"

The light from the window vanished. Screams and panic were heard from outside. Zinnia rushed to the window and opened it. Peering through the window allowed her to gain some clarity on what was going on but it was coupled with some questions.

There was a massive orb of darkness that covered two blocks of the city. People were running away from it in fear and others were running out of the darkness. What brought this anomaly? Why did it appear out of nowhere?

Ebony heard her scroll go off and recognized the caller was Alexandrite. She answered it while looking at the bizarre sight outside. "Yes?" Her eyes widened as she listened to Alexandrite speak. Their conversation made her jump out of bed and she walked to the closet where Trois Reines was placed.

Zinnia was still watching from the window until she felt her shoulder pulled away and she was facing her liege. She was holding her whip-sword before putting it in Zinnia's hands.

"We gotta meet up with Alexandrite. Apparently, something from Vacuo found its way here."

As you can see, Ebony charmed her way into getting her own story. It's a short story so it won't be long like the VRSZ series. It might be as many chapters as Volume One or shorter. This side story will delve into Ebony Vantablack trying to find her new identity outside of Vacuo.

Ebony is definitely one of the more interesting and complex characters I've ever created. She has shown many different layers but this story will shed some light on a few of them. This story answers the question of what a villain does once their master plan fails? For Ebony, it comes in the form of a mental block. Known for her multi-layered plans, but this story will dive into her character when she can't come up with anything. You'll see a more vulnerable side of Ebony you rarely saw in the main series.

One technique is used for creating the VRSZ series was using dice to determine what happens next. This was used later in the series rather than the beginning, starting in Volume Five and so on. Actually, the first time I used it was in Volume Two to determine whose backstory was introduced first among Remus, Silver, and Zelts. Violet's story was always meant to be brought up later.