Chp. 35: The Return
Mountain Glenn, Vale
Daniel Air Force Base
Airfield
October 13, 2020
A few days had passed and several Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircrafts had already landed as the students were all boarding off of them. Ruby, Oscar, Allen and Penny are wandering through the airfield looking for their friends. Ruby looks around for a moment and soon sees Weiss, Jaune, Pyrrha, Kendra, Britney, and Zwei walking around.
"Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed.
As Weiss turns to see her partner, Ruby dashes over with her semblance and hugs on to Weiss. Oscar, Allen, and Penny run over to follow Ruby.
"Ruby! Get off me you dolt! You're crushing me!" Weiss shouted.
"Hey! Guys!" a voice called.
They all turned to see Yang, Blake, Ren, Ilia, Rebecca, Watson, and Emerald walking up to them.
"There they are!" another voice called.
Ruby, Oscar, Allen, and Penny all turned to see Jesse, Jacket, Azumi, Kelly, and Mercury approaching them. The four groups were all gathered around.
"So how was your trip?" Rebecca asked.
"Awesome! We took down a Leviathan in Hawaii!" Ruby answered.
"We fought an entire horde of Grimm, including a group of Apathy, and a Petra Gigas," Kendra said.
"We got kicked out of Chicago after we had helped control a riot," Jesse said.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Blake said.
"So what about you guys? What were you dealing with?" Azumi asked Yang, Blake, Ren, Watson, and Emerald.
"We acted as security and bodyguards for Blake's parents and saved them from a White Fang attack," Watson answered.
"Also sometime next year, Blake's going to be a big sister," Yang said.
Everyone outside from the group that went to Menagerie grew stunned expressions as they all looked at Blake.
"Your mother is pregnant?!" Ruby asked.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Kelly asked in excitement.
"Congratulations, Blake," Pyrrha said.
"Thanks," Blake replied.
"In just a few days, we'll all be back at Beacon," Rebecca said.
"And with less extreme training to boot," Emerald said.
"Before we get anywhere else, we have a few more people to look for," Allen said.
"Yeah. We still need to find Jacob, Robert, and Nora," Ren said.
"Guys! Here they come!" Penny said, pointing out forwards.
Everyone turned to see where Penny was pointing at and saw Jacob, Robert, and Nora looking around for their friends.
"Robert!" Kendra yelled out with joy.
Robert, Jacob and Nora all turn to see Kendra running over to Robert and she jumps onto her boyfriend, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Robert falls over from the sudden embrace and lands on his butt as Kendra peaked kisses all over his face.
"I didn't think you'd miss me that much, Kendra," Robert said.
"Of course I would, you idiot! You came back from a warzone!" Kendra said.
Nora turns her head to face Ren, smiling. As she approached, Ren closed his eyes and braced himself for the tackle that he assumed was coming. Instead, Nora calmly walks over and hugs him, much to his surprise. He relaxes and hugs back. Britney walked up to Jacob and as soon as she approached, she noticed that something his head was turned away from her and his eyes were irritatingly red.
"Jacob?" Britney spoke as she cupped her hand on Jacob's cheek. "What's wrong?"
Jacob stood quietly not uttering a word as everyone had gathered and turned their attention to him. Nora broke the silence and began to speak.
'"Some things had happened while we were out in Afghanistan, Britney." she said.
"It's best we all go find a place to talk," Robert said.
Britney looks at Jacob with a concerned and worried expression on her face, wondering what had happened.
U.H.L. Headquarters
Council Room
Later at the U.H.L. Headquarters, Liberty was standing in the middle of a large room with a group of people sitting at their desks behind her. Standing next to her was Major Keaton Gordon and up above at the front of the room were four holo screens, and on each of them showed Professor Ozpin, General Ironwood, Professor Bellrose, and Professor Theodore.
"Members of the United Hunters League Council, we've brought you all here today to inform you all of some news of the highest importance. The powers of the Fall Maiden have been found to be within the we bring before you all, Liberty Beckett," Keaton explained to everyone.
The council murmured amongst each other for a few moments until Ironwood was the first to speak.
"Can you show us?" he asked Liberty.
"Um... Yes sir," Liberty answered awkwardly, slowly rubbing her arm.
She takes a few steps forward and a moment later, her eyes flare up with the Maiden's magic. Wind started to blow all around the room, blowing some papers off the desks of the council. a small cyclone appears beneath Liberty's feet, levitating her in the air. Ozpin, Ironwood, Bellrose, and Theodore watched from the screens as Liberty displayed her powers. The winds slowly die down as the Fall Maiden descends back down safely before magic in her eyes blinks away. Everyone was silent for a moment until Ozpin finally spoke.
"It appears our worries to find the Fall Maiden have finally been put to an ease now," he said.
"So now what do we do with Ms. Beckett now?" Theodore asked.
"For now, we'll keep her at Beacon. She'll be safe there," Ozpin answered.
"But I've still got a question to ask," Bellrose said, looking down at Liberty. "How long have you had the Maiden's powers?"
Liberty was silent for a moment as she lowered her head and gave her answer.
"A few days after the merging of Earth and Remnant."
After a moment of processing the answer, the council started to shout at the Fall maiden.
"Why didn't you tell us this sooner?!" a Brazilian councilwoman asked.
"Why keep this valuable information a secret?!" a British councilman asked.
"It would have saved us a lot of trouble to find you!" a Japanese councilman said.
"My big sister believed that you would treat me as a weapon rather than a human if I spoke up about it. So I took her advice and did not speak about it," Liberty explained.
"Ms. Beckett, I can assure you that nothing will happen to you under my care," Ozpin said.
"Are you sure? Do you remember what happened to the last Fall Maiden in the show?" Liberty asked.
"I can understand your concerns, but I am taking extra precautions to make sure that it won't happen again," Ozpin answered.
"I hope you know what you are doing," Liberty said.
"What is the status of the other maidens?" an Indian councilwoman asked.
"Spring is still locked up and is constantly monitored at all times," Keaton answered.
"The Winter Maiden's health is still deteriorating. I'm still trying to figure out who will inherit her powers, Winter Schnee, or Penny Polendina," Ironwood said.
"And the Summer Maiden is still safe," Theodore said.
"As long as they stay out of the public eye, the better," an Indian councilman said.
"Now on to another matter," a South African councilman said. "Electing on who will be the Director of the U.H.L."
"That won't be until November," Bellrose said.
"You can go now, Ms. Beckett," Keaton said.
Liberty walks up to the doors and exits out the room. Once she closes the door behind her, she pulls out a phone out of her pocket and and dialed a number and placed her phone on her ear. A moment later she spoke into it.
"Hello? Sis? It's me... They know about my powers now... Ozpin is offering me protection... I know, I'll be careful."
Dragon Continent
Evernight Castle
Conference Hall
Meanwhile at Evernight Castle, Salem sat alone on her throne in the conference hall. The door cracked open as Watts slid into the room. Salem looks up at the scientist.
"Do you have anything to report," she asked.
"It took us a while to contact China but I've managed to convince their leadership for an audience with you," Watts explained.
"Excellent. Is there anything else?" Salem asked.
"Yes. The O.S.T. has managed to break two prisoners out of Atlas, and I've got into contact with an old associate of yours in Mistral. All three of them are waiting outside the door right now," Watts answered.
"Bring them in," Salem ordered.
Watts opened the door open and three men entered inside.
The first man is a tall, dark skinned man with red hair. He wears a dark gray pig mask, and a red leather jacket and pants, a black shirt, a pair of black boots with red straps and matching linings, and a pair of dark red sleeveless gloves. This is the former leader of the Hana Guild, Vermillion Raddock.
The second man has a very formal appearance, wearing a red jacket with golden accents, and golden brooches on his shoulders. The left brooch holds a golden chain connected to the lapel of his jacket. Beneath the jacket is a black vest with gold accents tucked in beneath his beige slacks. Under the vest is a white dress shirt and a darker red tie. He also wears a pair of white dress pants, and a pair of black boots with gold chains just above his feet and red offshots with a gold lining at the top of his shins. He has blue eyes and long, messy light brown hair and a matching short beard. This is the former Atlesian Huntsman, Bram Thornmane.
The third man was a tall man with short messy black hair, short beard, sky gray eyes, dark skin, and had a vertical scar on his left eye. He wears a torn white plain button shirt with a dark gray coat, bright red gloves, light brown belt, black pants, black knee pads with gold edging, and a pair of black boots. In addition, he wears a red banana covering his forehead. This is the ex-union leader of Mantle, Hanlon Fifestone.
"Your grace, it has been a while," Vermillion said.
"Yes, it has... after your failure in Mistral three years ago," Salem said.
"It wasn't my fault! A team of Huntsmen-" Vermillion gets cut off by Salem.
"Stop. We'll discuss this later," Salem turns her attention to Bram and Hanlon. "What makes you both so special that Doctor Watts wanted you here?"
"All I had ever wanted to help Mantle gain more respect and have its people gain better rights under the kingdom of Atlas. But in time, I realize that to be impossible. So when Bram here offered a solution to knock Atlas down a peg or two, I took that opportunity, even if it cost me everything, My union leadership, my reputation, and my own freedom," Hanlon explained.
"I wanted to be an Ace Operative. I worked tirelessly for years to get a spot on that team and be seen as a hero, be respected and admired for that power. But General Ironwood rejected me and told me, 'I'm afraid there's no fit for your semblance.' Feh! I wanted to make James Ironwood pay! With aid from Fifestone and several others, we orchestrated Grimm attacks all over Solitas to make Ironwood look incompetent," Bram explained.
"And how is it that you have failed?" Salem asked.
"Those American and Canadian soldiers! That's what happened! They, along with the Happy Huntresses and the Ace Ops caught on with my plans and had us locked up! I want to make them all pay. Especially that one American soldier, Keaton Gordon!" Bram explained.
Salem's mouth curled into a smile.
"I may find a use for them," she thought.
Author's Note: Keep in mind, Vermillion Raddock is from RWBY: The Grimm Campaign, and this Dungons & Dragons themed show on the Rooster Teeth website is considered canon.
Also I'll be releasing another chapter on April 25 because on that day, Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One will be released that day