Beacon HQ Director's Office

Glynda Goodwitch was not a nervous woman. She was composed and tact when the time came, never once had she shown an ounce of fear when it came to her job. With all the battles she's fought and led, many would think nothing could phase her.

Yet, there she was, standing in Director Ozpin's office of constantly moving gears, inklings of fear creeping up her spine at her boss's unnatural silence. Glynda had rushed to his office to give the latest report regarding the Rise, not having read it herself. When he opened it however, he went quiet angrily glaring at the papers in his hands. Scowl deepening with every flip of a page, the air around him reacting to his emotions, growing dark. "Ms. Goodwitch?"

Glynda stiffened, he hadn't called her that before, it was always just Glynda. "Yes sir?" The director turned to her, "Is this report accurate?"

She nodded, "The analysts spent hours scouring through the teams messages and the reports of any supernaturals. This is the most recent finding I'm told."

Ozpin placed his head in his hands as Goodwitch spoke again. "Sir? What's wrong, what's in the report that has you so frightened?" She was speaking out of turn, yes. But her concern outweighed the need to follow procedure. He slid the papers over to her, "If these are to be believed, then are countermeasures are worthless against the Rise."

She read over the papers, her own skin playing at the information. Ozpin stood and placed a hand on his old friend shaking shoulder, looking out the window solemnly, "Gather the council. We have to discuss this." He walked of, the aound of his cane clicking on the floor echoing.

"Y-yes sir." Glynda put the papers down, scared to read any more than she's already seen and followed after her boss.

Atlas Providence Hospital Entrance

Weiss smiled as she and Catalaya finally exited Atlas Providence Hospital. While Atlas didn't hold the greatest of memories for her, even in her childhood, she would still admit that the feeling of the cold morning air would always bring a smile to her face. "Weiss? Can we go now, I'm hungry." Catalaya said as she pulled on her girlfriend. Weiss rolled her eyes, it would seem most times her girlfriend's hunger came first before anything. Although she really couldn't say anything, she was hungry as well, hospital food doesn't really fill you up.

She smiled and held Cat's hand, "Alright we'll go get something to eat. Will even bring the teams along." Cat perked up like a little puppy and held her close. The two walked a short distance to the hotel the teams found, hand in hand with smiles on their faces. Cat waved at the man at the front desk who waved back shyly, a little put off by the couple. When they got off on their floor Catalaya pulled to a halt, "What's up?" Weiss asked wary of her lover's reaction. "You said they rented the entire floor, right?" Weiss nodded prompting Catalaya to speak again,

"Then, why is it so quiet?"

It hit Weiss then, it was unusually quiet on this floor. Their friends however, were generally anything but quiet. The couple carefully walked down the halls to the meeting room, hands on their weapons. Cat looked to Weiss who nodded and on a three count they burst into the room. "Guys, what's go-" Weiss didn't finish her sentence as they were greeted by an odd sight.

There was confetti on the floor and a half iced 'Welcome Back' cake on the table. Papers were strewn about and clothing lay all over the couch. What really sealed the deal was that all of the Hunters were aiming a myriad of weapons at a figure wearing a fur coat, dark pants and no shoes. "Who are you? What do you want?" Weiss asked eyeing over her friends for injuries as she stepped up.

The figure said nothing and turned to where she stood, not looking at her but at Cat who was snarling at them. "Ek is 'n boodskapper. Ek bedoel geen skade aan enige." Ruby looked at Cat, "What's he saying?"

Catalaya calmed slightly, "He says 'I am a messenger. I mean no harm to any.'"

The messenger spoke again, "Ek bring 'n boodskap van die Black Onyx." Cat stood stiff then, "I bring a message from the Black Onyx." Yang tilted her head, the flames in her hair dimming slightly. Her father? She thought as the messenger continued.

"Ons het u hulp nodig, kom asseblief huis toe. Geteken, Alicia." Catalaya seemed to freeze then, slowly translating, "We need your help, please come home. Signed, Alicia."

She shook her head, "Is that all, messenger?"

He nodded, "Then send a message back for me, will you?"

He held out a hand and she placed a a strange gold coin in it. "Ek sal daar wees." The messenger nodded and disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Everyone put there weapons away slowly still wary of any unannounced visitors. "Catalaya? What was that about? And who's Alicia?" Ruby asked as she put the cake back into the fridge, it was supposed to be a surprise. Cat simply looked at her friends questioning and concerned looks.

The shifter sighed and rubbed her face in frustration, she wanted a break. "Nothing, Ruby. It's nothing." She left the room with a huff, heading down the vacant hallway in silence. Coco turned to Weiss, "Well?" She looked back in confusion, "What?"

Adel raised a finely trimmed eyebrow at her, "What was that message she sent?"

Weiss blinked in understanding, "Oh. She said 'I'll be there.' That's it." Yang stopped sweeping up the confetti, "I thought she didn't get along with her parents? If that's where it came from." Weiss shook her head, walking over to help Ren with the dishes, "She doesn't. Which means they must really need her help if she's willingly going back there."

Blake looked out the window, she could see out into the vibrant cold city. If she could, she'd be enjoying it right now. Instead she found her gaze drawn to the fire escape, where sat a depressed looking beast. Blake excused herself from the group, grabbing her coat and went down the hall. After taking a turn she found the window open, Catalaya in sight. "Catalaya?"

She didn't even turn around, just sighed, "What do you want, Blake?" The cat faunus stared at her, "To see if you're okay."

She took a step onto the metal platform, "I'm going to guess you're not, are you?" Cat chuckled, ''That obvious?" There was a street vendor beneath them that Cat eyed strangely before using a bit of levitation magic to take a hotdog from the cart. She offered it to Blake who shook her head, watching as the phantom took a good bite out of it. Cat cringed and spit it out, "How do you people eat that crud? It tastes like mashed Dwarf hide." Blake chuckled, "Yeah."

She smiled a bit knowing Cat was trying to steer the conversation away, but when it came to avoiding problems; Blake was the master. "Who's Alicia?" Cat sighed wiping her hands and tossing the rest of the hotdog into the dumpster. "My mother."

Blake raised a brow, "You don't talk about her much. Do you not get along?"

Cat laughed harshly, "Understatement of the year." She rubbed her wrists, something Blake has seen her do numerous times,A nervous habit?She thought to herself,"Why do you always do that?" Cat turned to the cat with a raised brow. "Rub your wrists when your stressed?"

Cat flinched and stopped, "Old habit I guess." She placed her hands in her pants pocket and sighed, the exhale visible in the cold air. She wasn't wearing a jacket, just a short sleeve shirt that showed off her arm tattoos. "So, what are you going to do? You going to go?" She asked hugging herself at the cold, her jacket wasn't warm enough.

Catalaya looked up at the sky and closed her eyes, "Iwasgoing to try to sneak away, leave without a fuss. But I know Snow would be worried, so I guess I'll tell them." She looked at the faunus, "Although I have no idea how to get all of us there." Blake smirked as an idea hit her, "I have something that might work."

Atlas Rail System Center

"Alright, let's make sure everyone's clear on their job." Coco said as she ticked off the list with a finely manicured finger. "Fox and I will go meet with Ozpin, discuss what's happened so far and how to proceed."

She pointed at Velvet and Yatsuhashi, "You two will go meet with Ironwood and his security team to figure out how Papa Schnee got his hands on the armor peice out of the vault in the first place, see if any of the collected peices are in danger of being stolen."

Velvet nodded and continued, "JNPR will travel with Goodwitch to the possible locations of the next piece, transport her where she needs to be." Jaune nodded nervously, in all honesty Goodwitch frightened him a bit.

Ruby patted him on the shoulder, "While my team and I escort Catalaya to her home as support and such." Coco nodded, noticing the frustrated look on Catalaya's face. She didn't want anyone to accompany her, something about hazards. She begrudgingly nodded when Weiss elbowed her. "Alright then. Everyone stay safe and keep in contact with the rest, no heroics. Yeah?" Everyone nodded and they split to do their designated task. Team RWBY waved off their friends and turned expectantly to Cat, "Well, first. How are we getting to, um?"

Cat rolled her eyes, "Drelathaer."

Yang nodded, "Yeah. How are we getting to Drelathaer? A portal?" Cat shook her head, "A portal but not how you think." They shrugged at each other as Cat took them into the Emerald Forest.

"There are some witches I know who can get us there." Blake came up beside her, "I still don't get how you know so many people when you've only been here for close to a year."

Cat shrugged, "Most supernatural being know others. I only know Gilgamesh because he saved me from a poltergeist when I was younger. The witches, however, were the ones who created the spell that brought me here." She nodded and continued in silence.

They came upon a dirt hut covered in a moss roof and dead branches. She knocked on the door and stepped to the side of it just as someone kicked it open. "Whaddya want ya ingrates!" Cat stepped in front of the team who were aiming weapons. "I need another spell, Miss Lilith. If you would be so kind." She spoke with a kind voice, bowing in respect to the young looking witch.

Lilith sighed and smiled at Cat, "A'right now ya sweetalker. Come ri'ht on in. Ya friends too."

Cat smiled and walked inside, team RWBY walking in behind her warily. "Sist'rs! We's gots guests ya 'ere me?!" The home was much larger on the inside, the interior made of sturdy earth and vines holding up shelves and frames.

A table sat a small patch of moss carpet, the table itself made of smooth stone with the Elven, Orchish, and Drawven languages carved into it. Yang noticed that Lilith herself was an elf, probably a Thulin based on her dark skin and red markings-despite her blonde hair and blue eyes. A living vine placed a cup of steaming tea into the hands of the visitors as from behind a animal skin curtain came two others. While Lilith looked to be in her late twenties, the Orc woman appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years of age.

The dwarf woman, she appeared to be in her late seventies almost eighties, at least 4 foot 2 in height. "There ya are. My name's Lilith Vandran. Dis dwarf 'ere is my eld'st sist'r Reagan Shadowwalker." The dwarven woman nodded and smiled, a mostly toothless smile, at the women.

"An't dis 'ere is our young'st sist'r Lorelei Fang." The Orc girl huffed and nodded sternly at them. The three sisters looked at the girls expectantly promoting their own introductions.

"I'm Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY. This is my partner Weiss Schnee." Ruby and Weiss smiled and waved at the three, getting smiles in response. "This is my older sister Yang Xiao Long." Yang flashed a bright smile. "Beside her is her partner, Blake Belladonna." Blake bowed her head slightly with a smile. "Well it's nice to meet ya girls. Imma 'ssume ya want a spell big 'nough for y'all?"

Catalaya nodded at Lilith, "If that's not too much to ask of you sisters?"

Lorelei shrugged and huffed, "It ain't nothin' Laya. You should know that."

Cat smirked at the Orc teen, "I know. What would you like in return, though? Lilith? Reagan? Anything you want in return?"

The three looked at each other before nodding at the other in tandem. "Blood of the One Who Walks The Boundary."

Yang tilted her head, "Why if you don't mind me asking?"

Lilith shrugged, "Catalaya's blood is'a hot magic'l item ya 'ere. We can do 'lot with it." Yang nodded and Cat stuck her arm out, "Let's get started."

It was a strange process to watch, the witches had no needles so Lorelei cut Cat's palm with her tusk and Reagan drew the blood out and into a medium sized jar. The Orc teen helped Catalaya lean back into Weiss's embrace, licking the wound, her saliva closing it up and easing the fatigue. The five woman were led into a magic circle drawn onto the floor in multicolored chalk. Weiss held Catalaya who leaned on her shoulder for support, Ruby and Yang standing to her left, Blake on her right.

"Aight now, hold hands now girls." Lorelei said checking over the women's positions, "You got her?" She asked Weiss who nodded, "Yeah. Thanks." The Orc teen gave a small smile, blushing under Weiss's smile and moved to get to work.

Lilith and Reagan held each others hand, placing one on both of Lorelei's shoulders and began chanting. The magic curcle pulsed a violet light and the hut shook hard. With a rising crescendo, the Orc held her hand out and a white light leapt from the palm and into the fog, a violet portal appearing as a result. The teen swayed for a moment, behind held steadfast by her sisters. "Is she okay?" Ruby asked, concernes for the girls health.

The Orc gave her a tired yet smug smirk, "I'm good, Red. Y'all had better get goin', it won't hold for long." Team RWBY and a fatigued Cat nodded and gave their thanks before taking a synchronized step into the portal.

With a strangled shout the women landed on another magic circle, their legs sore and minds fuddled. Cat groaned, she wasn't ready for the hard landing, being so fatigued already from the blood withdrawal. The team opened their eyes, put off by the dim skies. Yang helped her sister off the ground, "Is this Drelathaer, Catalaya?" Cat groaned, and dusted herself off and stood, a grim look on her face.

"Yep. Creepy isn't it?" She laughed sarcastically. Weiss placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's an odd place for sure." She jumped at a crow's caw, shivering for a moment, "I'm sure it has it's beauties."

Cat rolled her eyes good naturedly, "Not really. But thanks for trying, Snowflake."

Blake leaned on Yang, "So, which way are we headed? No offence Catalaya, but your homeland is real dark. Even for my eyes."

Cat chuckled at the cat faunus, she understood how even faunus sight can struggle in the natural dim light of her home. She turned and pointed a finger at a mountainous area, shrouded in darkness, "There."

Lighning struck just behind it, illuminating what looked like a stone fort. Ruby jumped, "Well, that's not ominous at all is it."

Yang shivered, "Gives me the creeps."

Cat sighed, "Yeah. This place does that." She looked back at the others, "You girls sure you want to do this? I can't guarantee that I can protect you from harm; physical or mental." She mumbled the last part. Blake stood beside her, "As if we're just going to let you walk into there."

Yang nodded, "That's not what friends do."

Ruby smiled and jumped, "Yeah! We're all in this together Catalaya." Weiss placed her hand in Cat's own. "I've got your back, Wolfie. Always."

Cat blushed and nodded in defeat. "Well. Ahem. Then, uh, I guess we should get going. It will take us a few days, probably less if I can get us some type of ride from a village or something." The group nodded and set about the journey to the Phantom Beast's home.

With JNPR and Goodwitch, Mistral

Slash! Bang! Slam! Crash!

"On your left!" Pyrrha shouted to Jaune as a zombie came up behind him. He pivoted, slashing downward, decapitating the undead menace. Ren slid past him, firing quick headshots at the approaching horde. Nora was firing wildly into the mass, bright pink explosions tearing the things apart. Behind her Goodwitch was speaking with a mercenary. She hadn't lifted a finger to help the team since the horde began attacking, just allowing them to fight for her as she tried to pull some information from the man.

"Shit!" Pyrrha shouted as she was flung back by a backhand from an undead the size of a house. Ren provided cover fire as he grabbed her and ran. "What is that thing?" She questioned with a wince, the thing had dented her armor. She wasn't hurt badly, but she'd have an ugly bruise for a while. Jaune leapt over a side swipe from the monster, high enough to see a weak spot at the top of its decaying head. He landed, backflipping to safety, "NORA! PYRRHA!" She turned to him just as another batch of zombies exploded, "Hammer time!"

With a maniacal grin, she strapped her grenade launcher to her back and summoned her warhammer through the phone. Pyrrha nodded and ran towards Nora, Ren providing cover fire. She lifted her shield up and Nora jumped onto it, blasting herself into the air at the same time Pyrrha threw her into the air. "Woohoo!" She shouted as she twisted in the air just enought to aim Magnhild so that she could slam it into the head of the monster.

The head splattered flesh and blood everywhere. Nora landed and grimaced along with Pyrrha, "Oh gross! I'm covered in zombie goop!"This is going to take more than one shower to get out.She thought dejectedly. Glynda waved her riding crop and all the viscera and gunk on the team lifted off and disappeared into the distance. "Unfortunately, you four still smell." She walked on with a peice of paper. Ren looked behind him to see the mercenary on the ground groaning and holding his nethers, sporting a bloody nose. "I take it the negotiation went well?"

He said to the woman who shrugged, "Would've been quicker if he wasn't a mysoginstic ass." The group continued on, Jaune grumbling about how she could've helped them in the fight. "I hear you, Mr. Arc." Jaune quickly quieted and sighed, if this was what they were going to deal with the entire time, he really wished he'd gone with one of the members of team CFVY.

Drelathaer, Edge of the Black Onyx Clan Territory

Roooooaaaaaaarrrrrr!

"What was that!?" Yang said, her gauntlets primed to fight imaginary enemies. "Don't make any sudden movements." Catalaya said as she slowly pushed Weiss behind her. "Why?" Ruby asked as she stood beside her sister. Blake stood beside Weiss, together the five formed a standing A formation, with Catalaya at the point. "That was a warning call. Someone's going to come make sure we're not a threat." They nodded, stiffening as twelve armed Phantom Beasts came out of the brush.

They wore no real armor, just cow leather or muddied cloth. Each one of them had tattoos, signifying their experience just as Cat's own did. They walked barefoot in the black soil and rocky terrain, face a painted with strange markings. Each one equipped with either spears or bow and arrows. "Indique su nombre y su negocio con Black Onyx Beast Clan."(State your name and business with the Black Onyx Beast Clan.)The lead inquistor stated, he was a buff man, with less markings than the rest and had red and blue feathers in his hair.

Catalaya took a step forward, taking off her shirt, letting her tattoos and scars become visible to the inquisitors. "Mi nombre es Black Flame of the Black Onyx Beast Clan, hija de Chieftain, uno que camina por el límite."(My name is Black Flame of the Black Onyx Beast Clan, Daughter of Chieftain, the One Who Walks The Boundary)

She looked them over at the gasps of shock,"Estoy aquí en nombre de mi madre. Estos son mis compañeros"(I'm here on behalf of my mother. These are my companions.)

When she spoke each member in front of her lowered their weapons and took a knee. "Rise."

She said and they did just that, the leader put his spear on his back and spoke, "I apologize, Miss. We hadn't recognized you. Please, come with us, your companions are of course welcome." Catalaya nodded, grabbed her shirt off and motioned for RWBY to follow. "Wait, Catalaya?" Ruby asked gathering her attention and a raised eyebrow, "If your parents rule this land, doesn't that make you a princess?"

Yang took that as her cue to bust out laughing. Catalaya scrunched up her face and sighed, "I swear, Yang if you ever call me a princess again, I will kill you."

Yang's laughter turned down to only a few barely surpassed chuckles as Cat sighed. The inquisitors led them across a stone brudge that sat above a rapidly flowing river. Team RWBY was shocked to see the stone fortress hiding the clan from sight. It took one beast at each side of the stone doors to open them, with no struggle. Behind the ancient doors was a beauty unforeseen; there were people smiling and laughing, children ran barefoot along the mud pathways giggling and screeching. Horse drawn carts delivered goods and set up moving markets.

"This place is amazing." Ruby said as they were led through the streets. Yang's brows rose at the strange looks the people were giving Catalaya and her team as they walked. Most of the adults were of confusion, others fear, the children, excitement. The young ones ran up to them with smiles, in awe at the strange clothing the wore or their hair.

A few children came up to Catalaya with smiles and flowers in their hands. "Would you like some flowers miss? They smellreal nice." Cat smiled and kneeled to their level, she picked out a beautiful bouquet of tulips of different colors and a single white daisy. She gave the young girl a handful of gold coins, who stared at them in awe before smiling and running off. Cat placed the daisy inn Weiss's hair with a grin. Weiss blushed and walked on towards the manor in the distance.

The gaurds at the gate let them in after seeing Catalaya's markings, whispering to themselves. The manor was silent except for the scurrying of servants and gaurds, "Where is everybody?" Weiss asked the shifter who had gone quiet when they entered.

"I don't know. It's never this quiet, father would've been up by now." Yang said nothing, she simply stood closer to her sister when a gaurd eyed her suspiciously.

The group walked up to black wood door, the doorway bearing a crest; a group of intwined serpents circling around a lion. Cat smiled at the crest, her grandfather had created it centuries ago to symbolize his journey. She took a deep breath and pushed open the doors, greeted by a tall, grey skinned woman with short blood red hair and green eyes. "Hello, mother." Team RWBY's collective jaws dropped, Cat looked nothing like her mother except for her hair and height. The woman turned to the voice, smiling at her child, "Black Flame! It's wonderful to see you dear." She glanced at the tulips, "For me?"

Cat nodded, "Of course. As is tradition." Her mother gave her a small smile and came up with her arms open, wrapping her daughter in a warm hug. "You've grown, Ember. So tall and strong, you are."

Cat rolled her eyes, "Sure." She ended the hug and gestured to the women behind her, "This is team RWBY, allies I met early on. This is Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and my girlfriend Weiss Schnee." The grey woman glanced over the newcomers nodding as if in approval. "You seem like fine warriors. I glady welcome you four." She side eyed Weiss who gulped nervously at her lover's mother.

Alicia walked over to the pale ice mage, eyeing her up and down. "Dit is wie jy saamgepak het? Sy is so klein."(This is who you've taken to be with? She's so small.)She said in clear disdain. Cat growled and stepped forward to defend her lover, when Weiss spoke up.

"Terwyl ek klein in statuur kan wees, is ek 'n baie kragtige towenaar. Dink dus nie jy kan my soos vuil behandel net omdat jy haar ma is nie."(While I may be small in stature, I am a very powerful mage. So don't think you can treat me like dirt just because you're her mother.)

Alicia was thoroughly surprised that the human mage spoke the language so fluently. Weiss held her gaze with undeterred defiance, not backing down from the woman. Alicia stared at her for a moment before breaking into a grin and laughing heartily. "Oh! I like this one, Ember."

Weiss recoiled but smiled nonetheless. "Can you just tell me what you want?" Cat said, not really wanting to continue. Her mother rolled her eyes, "So impatient."

She took a deep breath, "Your father is missing." Ruby was concerned then, looking at her friend who seemed to only become bored and angry all at once.

"And? Why should I care about that bastard?" She hissed out, ignoring the looks she got in response.

Her mother nodded, "Because, as much as you and I hate him. We need him here."

Cat didn't care, that was obvious, but she asked anyway, "Why? What is so important?"

Alicia sighed and spoke softly, "The Council of Nine is coming here."

The entire room was quiet and only Cat's growl could be heard. "Why?"

Alicia stiffened at the anger in her daughter's voice, "They're traveling to the Nexus. The Rise is coming early."