I don't own these characters or RWBY. They are owned by Rooster Teeth.
What I would have done for volume 5 and onwards
This is chapter is going to show what I would have for future volumes if I did it. Which I'll break down into parts: Plot, Characters, romance and Scraps.
This is also kind a review and what I think could appear in the actual RWBY show.
For the Story
Plot
After the big battle at Haven, Ruby and everyone (except for Yang, Taiyang and Xizor) have head back to Beacon, which has been cleared of Grimm and the communication tower has been fixed. But when they get back, they discover a video of Malakai (Who everyone thinks is a Haven's headmaster) basically saying that Haven was attack by Ruby and other heroes. The video has edited to show Beacon huntsmen attacking Haven, with footage of the Atlas attack on Haven. Basically before Malakai turned on Salam, he made videos after Beacon's fall to be use to frame people. (If you're asking he had other footage besides Haven Arena battle and Atlas assault)
Think of this as better version of Cinder's plan from Volume 3. That plan had so much holes that I'm surprised that it actually worked (In a bad way). Like no one notice Mercury robotic legs. Yes I know Emerald did some stuff, but metal detectors still exist and Mercury would have at least gone through some sort metal detector before entering the area. Or the fact that Cinder showed her face on TV. Yes I know she sent a powerful speech, however thanks to that, if anyone at Beacon can put together that Mercury and Emerald could be working for Cinder. Just saying that maybe she should have at least put a mask on. Sorry I went of one of my rants about Volume 3. That's for another day. Back to the story.
So our heroes decide to go into hiding because no one will believe. Before anyone can Sun and Neptune could straighten things out the video also includes Sun and Mercury helping our heroes plan the attack. Qrow and Goodwitch decide to take Team RWB (Ruby, Weiss, and Blake) and Team JNPR to a sorcerer for answers.
Jaune also learns about Ruby's secret. He does not take it kindly. And kind hates his team now for keeping it.
Team RWB and JNPR meets this Doctor Strange like character (Who I will call doctor Strange for the rest of this chapter) who will give them answers and give the power end to Salam. This part will reveal some parts of The Grimm's origin. I would have three theories that show potential origin for the Grimm. Theory 1: The Grimm were created by the Grimm lord. Who was once human, but he hated humanity. So he created the Grimm. Theory 2: A women lost her daughter and wanted to bring her back. She decided to use alchemy like magic to bring her back, but she created the Grimm by mistake. Theory 3: Some asshole decide to mix some magic together, and accidently created Grimm. Which one do you prefer?
I would also written that the Grimm cannot be remove from this world. They have become too attached to the world that they cannot be destroy. But destroying Salam would stop stuff like this from happening again.
Doctor Strange tells that Ozpin group were also set up to make sure the Collective didn't find Grimm lord. Ozpin (Who is dead in this version. Don't worry we get a flash back that shows him going out like a badass trying to kill Salam) recruited Summer Rose to slay Salam because Sliver eye hunters can kill Salam.
That's why Salam wanted to Ruby because with the power of Winter Maiden and Sliver eyes and teachings from Malakai could destroy her.
Ozpin learns that Collective have found The Grimm Lord's power. So He and Summer with a group of great huntsmen and Huntresses and Atlas robots go out to stop them.
We also learn that Summer was learning a special magic that can destroy Salam. It's called "Final Story". Basically it would destroy any pure evil. Like the Grimm Lord. But we learn that she didn't have to learn it.
Then we get an epic battle with Ozpin and Summer vs Malakai. Malakai is about to grab the power, but Summer touches it before he could. Ozpin then knocks Malakai into a bottomless pit, which he thinks killed him (It didn't). However Ozpin sees Summer being taking over by this power. Ozpin unable to kill Summer, but he uses a type of Magic to send her to a dimeson to keep her away.
However, Malakai survived and he with Salam forged an alliance. Basically planning out the
Ruby also gets to talk to Ozpin about this. Ozpin says that he should have killed Summer, but he was too scared.
Doctor Strange decides to train RWB to use magic for final battle. The reason why he doesn't go after Salam himself it because he's too old. While berating Qrow and Goodwitch for making the younger generation to fix their mess.
For Yang story: She, her Dad, and Xizor go on a big journey to find Raven. On the Journey Taiyang talks to Yang about almost killing Mercury. Yang says that Mercury deserves to die, but Taiyang tries to get through to her and says that killing your enemy is never right. And if you kill your enemy, they win.
Taiyang tries to saves Yang from becoming just like her mother. Which he and Xizor do through this side of the story
Xizor sides with Taiyang because he has killed someone and is always haunted by it. So Xizor doesn't want Yang to live with that. However unintentional makes it sounds that he's talking down to Yang. So they have this animosity towards each other. However, as their journey continues Yang and Xizor begin to grow close to each other. Will get back to that.
Here can also be some comedic relief here. Xizor bounce off Yang's more serious side.
Speaking Xizor his character is more fleshed out. We learn that the past he told Ruby could be false. Saying that Malakai often gave him more than one story to choose for different situations. But one certainly is that he killed someone. He just doesn't know who.
Anyway after some journeying and character building, they find Raven.
Quick Note: Back in Volume 2. Where Yang meant Raven. Raven told Yang to meet her where she and Taiyang admitted her there to each other. Which is a cave filled with Grimm.
So we get Yang, Taiyang, Xizor vs Raven. The battle starts out with three on one. Taiyang asks why did Raven leave. She says that Ozpin needed her. And tells them what happen to Summer.
Yang on the other hand is furious about Raven not saving her and only showing up when it suited her.
As the battle progress. It becomes more Yang vs Raven. As Taiyang and Xizor are knocked out of the battle.
Yang almost overwhelms Raven with rage. Raven just manages to beat and break Yang's robot arm.
Raven saying that she's sorry for what she did and wants make up.
Yang doesn't have any of this and just leaves. Taiyang and Xizor try to stop her, but Yang has none of crap.
Taiyang manages to break through saying Raven may have abandon them, but Raven could help them. Saying not to do this for him or Raven, but for Ruby.
Xizor seals the deal by saying that Yang has family and doesn't want her to lose it. He doesn't have a family and probably never will. But he will be damn if he lets Yang lose the chance of getting her member. Saying you don't need to forgive her, but hear her out.
Yang goes back and says to Raven to help them. Also to tell them about Ozpin's plan.
Now we go to Neptune, Sun, Neon and Winter.
Winter tells them that Atlas has been infiltrate by Salam loyalties. And we find out that Winter didn't want anyone to know about Mercury because then everybody will be pissed of Haven for letting this asshole slip by them. Which would have because even more distrust between the kingdoms.
During this they find secret labs that are trying to combine science with Magic. They bust it and but the weapons are lost. We also that this is how Penny came back.
Neptune fuelled by the power of love decides to go find Weiss. He is joined alongside Sun, and with his two other teams mates. (P.s Mistral, the kingdom where Haven is in, is overrun by Grimm).
During this Journey we find Ironwood is drinking at bar. He's depress because his daughter is dead and he think it's his fault for what happen at Beacon. Saying he should have listen to Ozpin. Our heroes get him out this slump when they tell them Penny could be alive. And he decides to join.
And here we can get some clashing between the Ironwood and Team SSSN. Like maybe Ironwood would try to lead the group, but Sun is like nope. Then they get into huge argument of how Ironwood is an asshole. And that Atlas kind sucks for what it is.
With the Villains, Malakai and Adam try to think of some plans to kill Salam. While trying to keep their forces from killing each other. Malakai decides to train Emerald to help him. And he powers Emerald up by giving her a little bit of his magic.
Trover remembers that's she Penny and tries to leave. However Malakai program her not to leave
Salam just sits around and just watches as the four Kingdoms declare war on one another. When Kingdoms are weaken. She'll release every Grimm under her control to kill everyone. She also Chanese into her cause. Promising him all the souls he can have.
Mercury is brought back from the dead using dark magic and Flynt is brainwash to serve her.
Where these stories come together is when Team SSSN and Ironwood get to the Doctor Strange's house. Neptune doesn't know what to say to Weiss after his long journey. Weiss just kisses him in.
Maybe we can get a funny moment here is when Mercury turns back to his teammates and sees them giving him the "oh yeah" look. It would be kind funnier is Ironwood is giving that look.
Team Yang also arrives on the scene. Doctor Strange gives Raven a cold look because he doesn't really trust her.
Ruby's training is complete and Doctor Strange gives up his magic. This however kills him because the magic was keeping him alive.
And Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang realized that they need to be a team again. Thus Team RWBY is reborn.
Our heroes decide they need to unite the world to destroy Salam. However, the kingdoms are at war with each other. So they need to get evidence of Salam being the cause.
So they decide to bring video and broadcasted a battle between them and Salam. Which will broadcasted everywhere.
They do so and the kingdoms unite. However their armies have been severally downgraded thanks to the fighting. And no one really has hope.
But Ruby manages to inspire by making a big speech. Think of the one from Independence Day (1996).
Malakai and Adam hear this speech and gives their armies to them. There some mistrust between these villain and the Kingdoms, but they put their differences aside for one day.
So she manages to gather an army and decide head to Salam's house. The Capital of Mistral.
Our heroes fight through the army of Grimm and fight Salam in a part city that doesn't have a big battle going on. Salam has Cinder, The Shadow, not Pyrrha and Mercury, Chanese, and Flynt are with her.
On Ruby side is her teammates, Team JNPR, Team SSSN, Qrow, Ironwood, Goodwitch, Taiyang, Raven, Xizor, Adam and Malakai.
What we get here is quite the most overtop battle in history. Things are exploding, being smashed into, people shooting at each other, being launched into the air and Magic. Plus the area also changes the environment constantly. Need I say more?
Anyway some of heroes and villains fights go outside the area. Like Jaune vs Cinder. And Nora and Ren vs Chanese and shadow Pyrrha.
Cinder manages to kill Jaune, but is severally wounded.
Battle with Chanese vs Nora and Ren ends differently. After crashing through several buildings Chanese is like "Fuck this shit I'm out!". And Shadow Pyrrha is destroyed
Back to stadium our heroes continue to fight.
Neon mercy kills Flynt because the brainwashing is permanent.
Yang, Raven, and Taiyang manages to beat Mercury.
Ruby and Salam fight some more. They both fight each other using both Magic and normal weapons.
Salam just taunts Ruby, saying she wouldn't dare to kill her own mother. Ruby ignores the taunts and manages to defeat Salam using every trick she has.
She begins to use the final Story on Salam, but Salam decides transfer her magic into the dying Cinder. And is now refueled decides to goes back to the arena.
As a result from this Summer Rose is brought back. And Ruby doesn't do "Final Story". She then goes to Summer's side. She is dying thanks to the years of being Salam's host. Summer says that she is proud of what Ruby has become.
Just then Cinder comes into the area and begins to throw fire-shadow balls at everyone. Everyone begins to run, they're too exhaust to fight. However Cinder throws one fire ball at Yang, which almost hit her, but Raven uses herself as a human shield to protect. The attack was lethal and Raven last words were apologizing to Yang.
They all manage to escape and their army retreats as well for being overrun by Grimm.
They make back to their headquarters, and situation has worsen. Grimm have been overwhelming their forces. And waves of refugees are coming in.
Ruby realizes it needs to end now. So she and rest of her allies decide go after Cinder.
They head back to the city and sees Cinder is hanging out at the tallest building in the city. How? There's a big storm cloud with purple lightning striking from it.
Our heroes reached the front door to the building and were about enter. But Chanese is there with an army of Grimm.
Yang says that they'll hold them off while Ruby and Malakai get into the building. Ruby and Malakai get to the top floor and sees Cinder doing her best Palpatine impression.
Malakai reveals he's going to kill them both to steal their power. So we have a good magic battle.
Back to the other battle, our heroes are losing. They're too many Grimm to fight. In fact Ironwood and Goodwitch die (But they have badass deaths).
For Ironwood he talks to Penny (who isn't Trover anymore) saying that out of all the things he has created, he says that Penny is his greatest creation.
Another person dies, Nora. She was bitten Chanese, but Ren manages to kick Chanese of Nora and threw a building with bombs. Killing him.
However the drains Nora soul. The last thing she says is that she is proud to be Ren's best friend.
Back to the magic battle.
Malakai is injure and sits the rest of the fight out. Ruby and Cinder fight like no one has ever seen. Both using magic with fuse with what they already had (For Ruby, Crescent Rose and for Cinder her dusts)
Ruby gets the upper hand and realizes that if she kills Cinder with "Final Story" the Grimm will still kill everyone. So she uses her magic to steal Cinder's power. However the Power already starts to overwhelm Ruby. But just manages to tell all the Grimm to leave humanity alone. Which they do.
Cinder just says that Grimm will return. Ruby is responds say that'll be ready. She then uses "Final Story" to kill Cinder and destroy The Grimm's lord power
Malakai is enrage at what he wanted being destroy in front of him. But he's too injured to fight and leaves.
At the end this story. A statues are built in memory of the people who died.
Team RWBY talked to each other about what happen to them in the past years. Weiss, Blake and Yang are sad, but Ruby cheers them up. Saying that we have to keep on moving forward and rebuild.
Okay that's the story. For what I will call the Salam arc.
Anyway time for characters.
Team RWBY
Ruby becomes wiser and less awkward like she used to. She blooms into adult and becomes a greater person
Weiss splits away from her father and never talks to him again. She basically the opposite of what she was at the beginning of the show. Now she's a very kind person will always help without a complaint.
Blake repairs her relationship with Yang, but it's not Bumblebee. She also becomes more open. Blake also decides to lead an equal rights campaign for her kind. Also her relationship with Sun becomes more romantic.
During this Story Yang seemly slowly becomes her mother, however thanks to Taiyang and Xizor, Yang becomes more careful. Because her reckless attitude cost her an arm. Before going into battle Yang will tried to think a plan.
Team JNPR
Jaune is anger at his teammates for not telling him that Ruby watched Pyrrha die. He even tells them to leave when he fight Cinder. But his death, I would include seeing Pyrrha in ghost form kissing and spending the rest of entirety.
Nora would began to lose her happy personality. But at the end she would tell one last joke.
Ren is devastated by deaths of his friends. He either leaves Beacon and goes solo or makes a new team
Romance
Okay this is probably going to be the part that gets a lot of hate.
Yang and Xizor would end up together. Before you sent me hate, hear me out first.
During one night on their Journey Xizor and Yang are staying up, while Taiyang sleeps. Like I said earlier they don't like each other that much. But when they start personally it changes.
Xizor reveals stuff about him. He tells Yang that he work for the bad guys because want to see everything like everyone else does. He reveals the mask that helped to see only let see in black and white. So he worked for Malakai because he was promise a mask that would let him see everything. He also revealed the reason why he was talking down to Yang. The reason it that he never really had any social teachings. Except for what Malakai taught him
But thanks to Malakai Torturing. He can never see again. Which makes Xizor a bit more relatable. Yang comforts Xizor saying that they'll find a way.
Yang also reveals she was afraid of Taking Mercury's life. Xizor just tells her in the nicest way that he doesn't another person feel what he feels.
Scraps
So after Salam ark, the main focus for a while is rebuilding and preparing for the Grimm's return. During that time Malakai is rebuilding the Collective.
The reason why I made Malakai the new big bad is simple. I heard once that RWBY could last at least 20 seasons. And it's good to change your bad guy because if you don't, people will get bored.
Plus I would have Ruby and June in relationship. Why? Because I feel like having Ruby having a girlfriend is a better idea then Yang and Blake being together.
#GiveRubyaGirlfriend
Also for some funny bits we can have Neptune and Sun trying to Xizor how to be fit in.
Review of this fanfic
I think could have done better. The main reason why is that missed out so many story ideas. Like Weiss, Blake, and Yang. Sure I do the interludes. But I didn't feel like it was enough. Then why didn't do more. I'll get to that later.
I feel like I did an alright job on Ruby's story. But nothing to write home.
I think when I did it right. It was really good.
Why wasn't there
Simple. Lack of time. You see before writing this fanfic I had plan out. But Summer was busy. So much I had to cut some stuff out. School wasn't better. Note to self don't do a story like this for a while.
If these don't fly with you. Then fine. Just wanted to give a reason why there wasn't more.
What I think could be canon
Just one thing. The idea Malakai and The Collective. Mostly because feel like they're going to magic characters in RWBY and more servants for Salam.
Final thought?
I'm glad I wrote this fanfic. Maybe in few years I'll hate it, but for now it's the first I competed.
Anyway I might do some of these I did. In a fanfic I might called RWBY snippets. Basically parts of this being made. Not the whole thing. Granted this isn't sent in works, but it could happen.
Also forgive my spelling mistakes.
Anyway have a nice day. And RWBY Volume 4 comes out in a few days. Can't wait