I have watched RWBY.

up to V3: E6, at this point. Isn't a whole lot, but I'm getting there.

The final chapter before Vol. 3 events. As such, this is very, very short. Really, just a bunch of things that I couldn't fit if we start Vol. 3 now, but cutting them out doesn't seem proper either. That said, this isn't a trailer either... What even is this, I don't know :D

Hope this doesn't prove too much of a hassle for you, dear readers.

Enjoy.


Ozpin sat alone in his office, nursing another cup of cocoa. He tried to think through his next steps.

The Vytal Tournament will start in 24 hours.

With Leonardo's true colours revealed, it was obvious that the Queen's plans were coming ever so close to their final steps. The question is, who will it be? How will it happen? Haven transfer students? The White Fang? Making any rash decisions would benefit no one, and might even be tipping their hand too early. And with Vytal security out of his hands, there was even less he could do.

His allies were more splintered than ever. Qrow showed up to their discussions, but other than that, he was untraceable. Glynda was still by his side, however she was visibly disturbed by what happened. Ironwood levelled up security at the festival even more, something he didn't like to begin with.

Teams RWBY and JNPR bonded closer to each other, keeping each other's backs even in the competitive nature of the Vytal Tournament. However, they became more somber, critical of their surroundings, jumping at any perceived threat.

The less said about the Arc family and their growing relationship with the teams, the better.

This was getting out of hand fast, and Ozpin struggled to convey the importance of this without leaking everything out. Pyrrha already knew about the Maidens, another regret of him tipping his hand too early. He told her just a few months ago, about the Maidens and someone planning to destroy Beacon, but nothing else. She was the only one among the students who knew, and he trusted her not to leak the info at the time, even to her team.

That hope can be tossed in the trash now. No doubt, she's shared the information with RWBY, JNPR, and the Arc family; Cyan, Jasmine, Indigo, and Tanner Arc.

Not to mention Mistral's condition. Their near-radio silence, and no doubt they knew of Salem too…

He pressed a button on his office and contacted Ironwood.

"I've come to a decision. We will drag out the Vytal Tournament as much as we can. Have a 'resting' day after each round of the Tournament, and use it to lift morale around the Kingdom, distract the populace from Mistral. It is best to act under the expectation that we won't be hearing from them any time soon."

"Ozpin… you know that this is going to make more holes in our defenses, don't you? The longer we drag it out, the more the enemy has the chance to find holes and cracks."

"Then we better find the enemy as fast as we can with the time we have left."

Whatever happens next, Taiyang must never learn of the truth.


"Headmaster Ozpin, I'm begging you. Lock my Semblance. It's not doing me any good… and with Summer gone, I won't be as active anyways. I'm just a family man now, I'm barely on active duty… no need for something so strong."


Venom looked around for Tai. He wasn't in his office, nor was he in the training grounds or classrooms. The two of them, alongside Beryl as the new security chief, needed to go to the council in Mistral.

The Vytal Tournament was about to start tomorrow, and the Kingdom needed to coordinate an announcement. At the very least, an acknowledgement of the festival itself.

He kept searching every inch of Haven. Finally, at the end of the search, he found Tai at a hidden garden reserved for the Headmaster.

A garden filled with white roses.

He saw Tai with his back to him, staring off into the distance.

Venom stopped in his tracks and waited for Tai to turn around.

"Isn't this nice?"

Venom kept quiet.

"This is the fruit of all our efforts… all this bloodshed, so we can be the ones left standing. Some manner of peace in Haven."

"Tai…"

"You told me they needed Silver Eyes to properly mind control you. Plunge it into the dark, use it to strip away one's thoughts and emotions into loyal obedience. Making it the oppsite of being activated by emotions. You told me you were captured a little over a decade ago. And we know Ozpin's involved... it all lines up. My wife's alive, out there alone... and no one told me why."

"…"

"You told me to let go of the past. But how can I? It's staring us in the face, mocking us that we can never go back. It's all gone to shit."

"…"

"Qrow's just Ozpin's lackey. I love the man like a brother, but now I'm wondering why he'd keep this from me. Raven's turned her back on us, and I… I did the best I could." Tai shook his head and took a deep breath. "Summer's alone suffering out there. So why wasn't I told? What made me less, to them? What made me qualified as Haven's Headmaster now?"

"The students chose you-."

"I know that, V."

"We'll be facing the Queen. We can't afford doubts. Not now."

"…I never wanted this. I'll lead them so we won't suffer, so we can find the truth, but what happens if I fail? I failed my family already. Ruby and Yang… they're in the thick of it now. Vale's going to be a hot zone with Ozpin and Salem's grunts… Summer, Raven, Qrow…."

"…Then what do you want, Tai?"

"I WANT THINGS TO GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY WERE!" Tai turned around, his Aura flaring. The roses' petals flew to the sky, blown with the wind. "We were at peace! Team STRQ, the best Hunter team from Beaon! We were functional! We had a life! And now I'm stuck here, the past taunting me, knowing full well THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!"

"…"

"We'll die, won't we?" Tai chuckled, hollow. "Doesn't matter if we win or not. We'll never find peace. Not us. We're warriors, Hunters. We need someone to fight. If we win against Salem, what next?"

"…"

"They're looking at me, you know? They want a leader. I accept, but... I'm no lone prodigy. Not anymore. I'm just… just Tai. How can I lead someone when I can't even keep my own family safe? When Summer's out there alone for fifteen years, and I can't even pull the trigger on Raven?"

"I didn't ask for this either. You know that." Venom said. "But I took pride in the Diamond Dogs. I'll always honour their loyalty. And we're fortunate here, Tai."

"…How so?"

"We're getting a chance to take our pasts back. I've got Quiet. You've got Summer. Not-...not a lot of people get a chance as good as this. Kaz, Big Boss, Zero… they all lost someone, and they dealt with that their entire lives. We're here, and we've got a chance. It'd be an insult if we don't take it."

"But it's coming back in darkness, V! They're all against us. Raven turned her back, your Quiet's going to be gunning for you, Qrow and Ozpin are hiding things, and Summer, I don't, I don't-! … I just want things to be happy again!"

"We'll get that back, Tai. I'll fight tooth and nail for it. We have to look to the future too, for our students. But honouring the past and keeping the future alive are one in the same. I'll help you every step of the way. You can mark my words."

"And what do you think we should do to our enemies? Kill them where they stand, or cripple them until they're no longer a threat?"

"That's not my decision to make anymore. But you can know for damn sure that I'll tell you when you've gone too far."

"...Do you think I'm fit to lead?"

"…It's not right to be an icon, Tai." Venom said. "Big Boss… everyone looked up to him, but even he looked up to someone else. The Boss. A woman so unquestionably loyal that she sacrificed everything for her country. Name, blood, sweat, tears, legacy… and she ended up dead by the very same country she loved. She tried to do her best to pass on her message, but Big Boss loved her as a mother so much that he couldn't agree with Zero, who saw her as a legendary friend. What I'm saying is that you don't have to be infallible. Don't have to be this… figure who does no wrong. If you love your people, be honest and true… then they'll love you back. Whatever happens next…. We'll do it together."

Tai took a deep breath "...Alright then. If you'll help me... then just maybe, we can pull through." Tai took a deep breath. "…We can only rely on each other… so I'll make my own version of the Huntsmen. Different from Ozpin and anyone else's. …I just hope I'm in the right, this time."


To say the Council of Mistral's meeting room was luxurious would be a massive understatement. It was built with materials from all over the Kingdom and had clear traces of culture and history. The finest marbles, the best tech, the best of everything.

Did he like it? Well, it'd depend on the circumstance. But for now, he didn't really care as much.

"Let it be known that the new Headmaster of Haven Academy, Taiyang Xiao-Long, now stands before The Council of Mistral today to report his actions and his plans." The head of the council spoke. "By my power as the head of Mistral's council. I, Crimson Yume, hereby begin this meeting."

One of the councilmen immediately spoke. "So, care to elaborate on the current condition of Haven, Headmaster? So far, we've followed your every request. We've maintained minimal contact with the other Kingdoms. However, the Vytal Tournament is due to start tomorrow, and we can't possibly brush that off. The time has come for us to announce to the world that we are ready for the future. But, in your opinion, are we truly prepared?"

"I agree with your assessment. In light of that, I believe Haven is operational enough to declare its support for the Vytal Tournament. However, the message we will send out must be carefully constructed."

Another one spoke up. "What's the problem now? I thought Leo was dealt with!"

Tai turned to him. "Leo was only a pawn. Recent intel suggests that he was acting under orders."

"Are you saying someone is out to destroy the Kingdom itself?"

"I'm saying that no Kingdom is truly safe. This is a matter that has been brewing since before I was born, and I intend for Haven to live through its end."

"So what makes you so special, huh? Why-!"

"Councilman, please." Crimson raised a hand. He narrowed his eyes at Tai. "Continue, Headmaster. But speak carefully."

Tai took a deep breath. He'll stand his ground. "Ever since its inception, Kingdoms and Academies have always maintained a symbiotic relationship. The Academies train protectors, while the Kingdoms fund the Academies in exchange for protection against the Grimm. What's happening now is that someone is using the Grimm for their own purposes, to destroy every Kingdom in Remnant. With this, I request that we be given autonomy to act as we see fit to neutralize this threat."

"That's too far past the line, Headmaster." Crimson responded. "What do you plan on doing about this threat, exactly? With the assumption that we'll give you this autonomy, that is."

Tai prepared to speak, but Venom put a hand on his shoulder. Tai stopped, and Venom showed the Headmaster his Scroll. Nodding, he took the Scroll and projected it onto the floor.

"This is the most recent intel we've managed to recover, just this morning in fact. The communications of Leonardo Lionheart with his comrade to a dummy Scroll in Vale. He was smart enough not to say any names, even on the other files, and we don't have the luxury for a person-by-person screening lest we show our weakness. We can't trace the dummy Scroll either. However, the intentions are clear."

Lion: Status report.

Maiden: Cover still in place.

Lion: Vale progress?

Maiden: Nothing you need to worry about. Everything is falling into place, and everyone is doing their roles well.

Lion: And what about the VIP?

Maiden: We'll snatch her when 'Towering Flare' goes down. Grimm shouldn't be a problem. These last years have taken a toll on everyone, and negativity is at an almost all-time high.

Lion: Very well, I will relay this to the Queen. Stay sharp.

"Of course, 'Towering Flare' means Beacon. And if Beacon falls, that means Vale will fall too. Add to that the existence of multiple agents that were working alongside him, and the Vytal Festival tomorrow…"

"Any rash action you make will reflect poorly on what reputation Mistral has left. Your… dealing with Branwen's situation was already bad enough." A councilman spoke. "What use is saving Beacon if it means we're doing a declaration of war?"

Another councilman spoke. "And besides, we don't have the manpower for that anyway. Lionheart's little stunt cost us a lot of manpower and money. A full mobilization would be unsustainable."

Beryl spoke up next. "If we don't act quickly then there's not gonna be anything left! Strike hard, strike fast. We can't afford anything else."

"That's how a bandit thinks. Here in the Kingdoms, we're more patient and rational."

Beryl grit her teeth, but kept her mouth shut.

"So then what do you think?" Venom said. "We need to act, so what's your take?"

"We contact Ozpin and-."

"That is out of the question." Tai shook his head. "Ozpin knew this was coming, and yet he did not inform me of anything. Did not inform the others of the truth. I had to find out the hard way and if we were to put our trust in him again, I fear that it won't be enough."

"We can't very well strike out on our own like that, Headmaster Xiao-Long. Cross out the other Kingdoms from the equation. We've done that for the last few days, and it's already taking a toll on everyone here."

Tai mulled his thoughts. Then, it came to him. "…Agents."

Crimson leaned forwards. "Pardon, Headmaster?"

"We'll send in Agents. Representatives." Tai said. "Make contact with Ozpin, but still making sure that we'll cooperate on our terms. Not his. Meanwhile, we send out drones to scour other sources Leo's intel has pointed at and make investigations there."

Crimson nodded. "That sounds like the best of both worlds. Any specific individuals in mind?"

Tai stopped. He won't send students, no way. Any Hunter and Huntresses he sends pose an immediate risk to their safety, he can't guarantee their survival. The Wild Storm may be effective, but they're still bandits. Jaune and Raiden? Wild cards, not something he'd say to the Council. Damn it, a game of sacrifice-?

"I'll go."

All heads turned to Venom.

Venom spoke to Tai next. "I'll make first contact with Beacon tomorrow. For now, you can send out a message endorsing the Vytal Festival, but nothing else."

Tai turned to Venom. "What about Jaune and Raiden?"

"Even if we say no, they're going to go out anyway. Best to let them go today, make them give a general layout of Vale, then ship me to Beacon at tomorrow's break of dawn. Besides, you trust them to be diplomatic?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right…" Tai trailed off.

"I'll still be here for the night. We'll review all the intel we've got, and then we can start coordinating the drone search. Any questions you have, and… well, the trip to Vale shouldn't take long. Once I find a place to hunker down, we can talk some more."

"And what about you, Headmaster Xiao-Long?" A councilman said. "Are you and Beryl to stay here?"

"I'll be in charge of campus, and to a degree, Mistral's, security efforts." Beryl spoke up. "Takin' orders from the Headmaster, that is."

"What she said." Tai nodded. "There's a bit of intel that I have a personal interest in. Once the drones return with that information, I'll be searching myself."

Crimson spoke again. "Why not send someone else to do it by proxy? You leaving negates the entire point of using agents."

"It's personal. I won't sit in an office and send people to die for my mistakes."

A councilman spoke. "That's inefficient-!"

Tai's eyes hardened. "If any of you have a problem with that… you'll deal with me."

Silence.

"…Very well. Of course, this goes without saying that for every action you take after this meeting, we will have to be informed, at the very least the 5Ws and 1Hs. We will be watching you, Headmaster Xiao-Long. Any complaints?"

"No. But I want to make it clear; this will go both ways, Councilman Yume."

Crimson nodded. "Then this meeting is adjourned. Ladies and Gentlemen, get to work."


On the other side of Haven…

"Finally sorted it out?" Raiden said.

"Yeah!" Jaune spun his new right arm around, painted white. "Feels good~"

"Glad you liked it!" Jade smiled. "I just happened to have one in spare, but, well…"

"I'm sure Haven will cover our request. Well, assuming we can get through Tai, that is." Raiden said from behind Jaune. Jade laughed.

"Oh, you don't know? I'm contracted now, as of this morning! You, my friends, are my first ever customers who don't have to pay a dime."

"Well, that's convenient." Raiden grinned. "Think you can work on my car?"

"Hm, that might take a little longer. Considering the damage… I think it's best if you just find a new one." Jade shrugged.

Raiden sighed. "Yeah, I get that. Maybe if someone-" Raiden pointedly looked at Jaune. "-didn't teleport us back to Haven via falling from the CCT Tower, maybe my car would've survived."

"Hey, sor-ry! How was I supposed to know that's where we went?"

"It's your Semblance!"

"Heh, and you and I both know I can't use it well outside of combat!"

"Smartass." Raiden smirked.

Jaune grinned back.

"So!" Jade clapped his hands. "When're you guys planning to go?"

"ASAP. Tai just gave us the all-clear."

"What Raiden said." Jaune got off his seat. "Well, since we've got everything sorted out, we'll be-."

"BIG BROOOOOO!"

The door burst open and Scarlet rushed through. She tackled her brother into a hug, and Jaune didn't even try to fight back.

She sobbed against her brother's chest. "D-don't tell me you're already gonna go! I didn't even know you were back!"

"Shh… I've got to do this, Scar." He gently rubbed her back. "I have to face the music. Save Beacon the only way I know how."

"…Come back, okay? I don't care how you do it… I can't lose you again."

"Okay, Scar."

Scarlet whimpered in his chest. "Don't lie. Don't do that again…"

"I won't. An Arc won't go back on his words."


"Haven Academy and The Kingdom of Mistral publicly endorses the Vytal Festival and its Tournament. We hope that it runs smoothly, and may peace prosper throughout all four Kingdoms." Weiss read from her Scroll. "I must say, even as a Headmaster, your father is rather… blunt, Yang."

"Yeah…"

They were all sitting around a round table, up at a Valean hotel's penthouse suite which the Arcs had long rented. The sitting order was Team RWBY, then Team JNPR, and last but not least, the Arc unit.

"Hey, at least this means he's on our side, right?" Blake said.

"I guess…" Ruby muttered. "I dunno… I can't really think straight right now…"

"Then focus on the task at hand." Indigo said. "Pyrrha… if you would."

"Right." Pyrrha coughed and began her briefing. "Four months ago, Professor Ozpin called me into his office. We were just finishing a training round, and Nora and Ren had just agreed to go out to the city together to get some Dust, leaving me alone in the campus. At the time, I didn't think much of it. After all, we were still in the thick of investigating the Fang."

"Was this right after we got you in our first bust together?" Tanner Arc said.

"Yes."

A nod. "Continue."

"At first, Professor Ozpin broke the ice by asking me about fairy tales. Then, he told me that the Maidens were real."

"Just like that?" Indigo asked.

"Not quite. At the time, Ruby's uncle Qrow was there. Professor Glynda too, as well as General Ironwood by Scroll call. After they told me it was true, they brought me to The Vault, a secret floor beneath Beacon. There, they showed me…" Pyrrha's voice hitched.

Nora placed a hand on Pyrrha's own. The champion took a deep breath and started again.

"A woman named Amber was placed in a- a pod. She's on life support, has been for the past year, and she is the current Fall Maiden."

"Current..?"

"They're not sure she'll pull out… so they want me to be the next one."

"And your answer…?" Tanner trailed off.

Pyrrha looked to the floor. "They told me I had until before the Vytal Festival. But now… I don't even know anymore…"

"How did she get on life support?" Blake asked. "It can't be by chance."

"She was assaulted by someone who wants to take all the kingdoms down. They say this wasn't the first attempt, and that this is part of a larger plot. More than four hundred years, older than any of us here. They said that she specifically has been targeted ever since when we were first years…. but then something changed."

Jasmine's eyes narrowed. "We started increasing activity in Vale. Taking up arms against The Fang."

"Correct. The enemy became more cautious. And in the process, deadlier. As such… Amber went down."

"And so the enemy wants to take out Amber." Ren finished, "… who you're supposed to replace."

"Yes, that's the case."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Indigo asked. "Why keep this a secret?"

"They explained that when I first came down." Pyrrha spoke in a soft voice. "Professor Ozpin said that the Maidens were kept secret to prevent power-hungry people from taking their powers… and as for the plan to take Beacon down, he said that if word of that spread, people will panic, making the Grimm come down to Vale and the other Kingdoms all the same."

"And day-to-day negativity has already statistically increased…" Cyan trailed off, "In Vale, directly caused by the presence of the Fang."

SLAM!

Indigo roared. "That fucking bastard! You don't put my team- my team on the line!"

"Uncle Qrow was there…?"

They turned to Ruby, who spoke covered with her cloak. "You're sure, Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha hesitated for just a moment. "Yes, Ruby. She was there. He was wearing a white dress shirt, black jeans, and a torn-through red cape. I don't think I'd miss anyone who was ever there."

"So he knew too?"

"He very much did."

Ruby sighed. "He's in it too… But I can't-…."

"So we can only trust each other." Yang finished. "And that's with the small info we have."

"I doubt pressuring Ozpin will work, nor will it happen with any of his associates." Tanner said. "Still, we've got to try. Involved in every process, but in our way. Discreet, but effective."

Silence reigned in the room. Then,

"Get some rest, everyone. You're going to need it."

They filed out of the hotel, Ruby and Yang still the most sullen of them all.

"Ruby... cheer up, please? We've still got each other, right? And I'm sure your uncle doesn't mean bad..." Weiss pleaded.

"Yeah..."

"...We're going to win." All heads turned to Yang, whose eyes were red. She cracked her knuckles. "I'm going to make sure. Vytal Festival or- or whatever that was..."

"We should get something to cheer us up." Blake said. "Maybe some snacks at a supermarket?"

Ruby smiled softly. "Yeah, sure. Maybe I can pick up some comics while we're there..."


"I'm thirsty, Jack."

"Then go get a drink."

"Money?"

He threw his partner a card. "Here. From Tai."

"Damn, he's loaded now, isn't he?"

"Comes with being a Headmaster, I guess. Also means I got a new car pretty easily. No thanks to you."

"You're still on about that?" He sighed and shook his head. "So... want anything while I'm there?"

"Just... don't cause a scene. We'll start laying out the land tonight. Wouldn't want anyone catching on to our arrival just yet. Especially not with V catching up tomorrow, and this festival of yours..."

"Heh, come on... Between Armstrong and Leo, you expect us to not cause a scene?"

"...Y'know I was a stealth operative, jackass, but now..." he smirked. "Fine then. Just don't draw HF Murasama just yet. Don't want any deaths on our hands. I'll start scouting for some Fang hotspots while you're out, get some intel from the locals that won't ask too much."

"That sounds great." He got up."Well, I'll be off. Be seeing you!"

"...Oh, and Jaune?"

"Hm?"

"You've still got me on your side. Remember that."

"Yeah, yeah..." He trailed off. "Thanks, partner."


"Sir!"

"Easy, Lieutenant. What is it?"

"Our scouts have spotted our enemies entering Vale's gates, just this evening. Some of the rookies have made contact in a grocery store, but everyone made it out alive, hard to believe that may be. "

"Oh?" He leaned forwards with interest, his Grimm-inspired mask glinting in the moonlight. "And which ones might these enemies be?"

"Sir… it's them." The lieutenant put the pictures on the table, showing to figures. One, a silver-haired cyborg in a brand new black sports car, the other a blonde samurai on a blue chopper bike.

A shade of blonde hair and blue eyes that he was intensely familiar with.

"The ones who took out our Mistral cell… and the source of our two-year conflict." He hummed with interest. "I want you to gauge their skills. Push them into a situation where they can reveal their cards… but not where we can reveal our own. We can't take any more casualties."

"Sir… what about the orders from Cinder?"

"The terms of our agreement, remember?" He smirked. "The Arc family is my problem."

The past two years have taught him an important lesson. These men will die for him, leaving their lives behind to fight for revolution. They gave their all…

And in these past two years, even with their conviction, they have lost, and lost, and went into a stalemate.

The fact of the matter is, these people trusted him even when they kept losing.

The least, the absolute least he could do was honour their conviction.

He'll deal with the lost son himself.


That Night, In Vale…

"…And how's business?"

"Oh good, good. Herr Doktor's research is going into another client… Heh, his staffing service certainly helps with us, at least."

"I'm guessing World Marshall's looking for a buyer?"

The other voice chuckled. "They're crippled beyond repair, even excluded from this operation. You cost them a lot of money, da? Not to mention killing their funding. Literally! … The brain-taking is finished, my friend, but the larger company is not, I'm afraid. Eh, someone will buy them. Everything is moving once again."

"Yeah… I'm guessing the expedition's taking a toll?"

"Da. Everyone's pitching in…"

"…" He parked his new car on the side of the road, the sound of a motorcycle stopping not far behind. He ignored the advertisements of the Vytal Festival. They may be in Vale, but they shouldn't stray from the mission.

He went into an alley alone, wearing his classic suit and HF Crocea on his back. He stopped in the middle of the alley and waited patiently for the targets to come out.

"So... your mind is made? You will not come back?"

Not a second later and the White Fang emerged from the shadows.

"…Sorry, Boris." They circled him, swords drawn and guns pulled out. He bent his knees and gripped HF Crocea, still in its sheath.

"I understand. But then… what will you do?"

The sound of a flash, and he felt his partner's back against his own.

The Ripper flashed red.

He smirked.

"Heh… We've got our own war to fight."


Inb4 someone calls me out that I dragged out the festival because the time frame's too short.

If you ask me, the beginning part with Tai has Love Deterrence Guitar version playing in the background. Although the entire theme of the chapter is still The War Still Rages Within.

Some of you might notice the slightly OOC Adam part (I think?). In my head, two-and-a-half years of constantly being hunted down has got to make someone pause and rethink their planes, even if you're as bull-headed as Adam (pun intended).

Thoughts about that, and everything else, leave 'em in the reviews!

Thanks for reading!

Review Responses:

To Gwynx, thank you!

To Aelmellin, hope it turns out well! Thanks for reading!

To ThanoSstinks, or here he'll just grab Jaune's bike and smash him over the head with it.

To Kabuto S. Inferno, Yeah, the space race is a plot hole. Hm, I'd like to say that the nations didn't have an interest in going to a destroyed moon, but that'd be in poor taste, wouldn't it? And of course, the existence of satellites goes unexplained… As for nations coming together, yeah someone's gonna fuck it up.

To SkullWolfSteam, you got it! Thanks for reading!

To AverageReadingEnjoyer, Ah, no, Summer is Summer, Rosemary is Rosemary. I suppose I didn't make it clear which Rose is which, sorry! And thanks for the compliments!

To Just a reader now a writer, Raven's gonna be stuck at Beacon's mercy. As for the Metal Gears… we'll see :)

To Notsae, at that point in time, Jaune's still in a coma. Raiden's not in charge, Tai is, of Haven, and when I wrote I felt that he was the most wronged of all. Also, Raiden recognized Tai's authority, and didn't want to challenge it lest it mean more instability (apart from the usual camaraderie.) If we were to act cold logically, then Raven being murdered would have meant Yang got her powers, better for all.

To CriticaofRandomness, when he's going to get to Vale, he'll have his own large impact, different from Raiden, Jaune, and Venom.

To Greer123, thank you!

To Guest, thanks! Fight, fight, fight!

To Anon, nah it wasn't rushed, I was just hyped about putting in this Kiryu. And thanks for the mention of Old Grimm by the way, would have forgotten about that tidbit of fact had you not mentioned it. Kiryu's power is supposed to be strong here, but with Remnant, I dunno… Thanks for reading, as usual!

To Dhestyra, thanks!

To SolSparda369, consequences of his actions. He's done with that past, but it's not done with him.

And to the guy that posted a comment about the BB/BCS crossover, I was thinking of putting like a guy on the last chapter with the name 'Nana Badman' or something like that, just to poke fun. Heh. As it stands, I don't think I can fit in lawyers here…