Chapter 11: Through the Gate

Disclaimer: I do not in any way or form own Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There or RWBY. They belong to their respective owners, Takumi Yanai and RoosterTeeth Animations respectively.

Approval has been given by the council to restart the Vytal Festival Tournament. In these uncertain times, it will be a grand display of unity between the four kingdoms. While the main tournament section is only expected to begin in about a week, the exhibition matches will begin in a few days, to give viewers a taste of the action to come!

In the meantime, General Ironwood, Headmaster Ozpin, and the council are preparing to meet the guests from Falmart, reportedly including Princess Pina Co Lada, princess of the Empire.

As for those who had been unfortunately kidnapped during the invasion, many of them have already been rescued due to the hard work of the forces on Falmart. They are being brought to Beacon Academy, where medical professionals have prepared their equipment to give them the best possible care.

With the dawn of a new day, third and fourth recon and their guests began preparations to return to Alnus hill and subsequently, Vale.

They gathered in the courtyard of the Formal mansion, where the servants had gathered to see them off. Somehow, the townspeople had gotten word of the upcoming departure of the 'Men in White'. A good part of Italica's population was now gathering around the mansion. They were excited and boisterous, still celebrating their victory with an excessive amount of food and drink.

Right on time, Pina and her knights arrived, dressed in elegant attire. They marched in formation to the waiting convoy. Leaving her escorts further back, Pina walked up to Winter alone.

"Are you ready to leave?" she asked, out of courtesy, despite the answer being obvious.

"My carriage is ready," Pina confirmed, and Winter seems to find that amusing.

"Perhaps we should use our vehicle instead," she said, diplomatically, "It would be a quicker journey."

Pina blinked. She had never even considered that they would be willing to give her a lift. Their vehicles would probably be faster and safer, given their advanced technology. Decision made, she replied, "Of course. A most generous offer."

That provoked an outcry from her forces, especially her loud-mouthed aide, "What? There's no way I'll let you go into enemy territory alone. I'll follow you!"

As one, the rest of the knights and guards proclaimed their intention to follow her.

"Very well. Bozes will come and support me. The rest of you, stay here and supervise the town. I will be fine," Pina shut their protests down quickly, before she could change her mind. Turning to the waiting Winter, she said, "I apologize for that. So, shall we leave?"

She gave a small nod and gestured for Pina and Bozes to enter the closest jeep, which had its rear ramp open. Walking over, Pina paused outside it, nerves suddenly overwhelming her.

"Don't worry, it's safe," a voice called out. Looking up, she saw Tuka, and Lelei already waiting for her. Pushing her doubts aside, Pina stepped in, the ramp closing behind her. Rory and RWBY must be in the other.

Pina then realized that Vela and Oobleck were outside the vehicles, apparently with no intention of leaving. "Are they coming with us?" she asked Winter.

"Fauxen and Oobleck will not be joining us. They have another task to see to," Winter replied.

With a barely noticeable jolt, the two jeeps began their journey back to Alnus. Around them, the townspeople cheered and waved at their departing saviors. They were treated like heroes, Pina realized. If the 'Men in White' decided to take Italica by force, the townspeople would more likely welcome them with open arms than try to stand against them. That realization gave the Princess a chill.

As it were, the Empire had no chance of winning a war against them. Either they had to make peace... or she had to find a way to even the odds.

Pina couldn't believe how quickly they were moving. Easily a few times as fast as a galloping horse, the metal vehicles arrived at Alnus within hours of departing Italica. A mounted messenger would have taken days to cover the distance.

Now that Alnus Hill was in sight, Pina and Bozes couldn't help but stare out of the windows. Though the hill had been considered sacred, it was now little more than a mass graveyard, with thousands of corpses lying, decaying, amid the battle-scorched land. Sweat rolled down the two royals as they looked at the remains of the Colation Army. Much of the land had been scorched by flame and massive craters pocketed the area. For such a powerful force to have been so utterly destroyed would require immense might.

"Just what are the Men in White's mages capable of?" Bozes muttered, surveying the damage, already sounding uneasy.

Lelei, seated beside her, overheard and couldn't help but reply, "From what I have discovered, they call their magic 'Aura'. They use it as a barrier to protect themselves. It also can manifest into a 'Semblance', which is unique to each individual."

Bozes frowned upon hearing the mage's words, "That means... every one of them is capable of using magic? Is that the secret to their abilities?"

"I believe so," Lelei confirmed.

Mages in the Empire were rare, and even a few skilled ones could level armies. If every one of these strangers were a mage, their combined power was unimaginable. Pina gulped in fear, then realized something. The Men in White trusted Lelei enough to share their knowledge with her. Hence, she began questioning the mage in earnest, "What can their weapons do?"

Lelei looked confused but did her best to reply, "I'm not certain. Most of their weapons are known as mechashift weapons, meaning that a sword can also be a bow or what they call a 'gun'. They use some kind of 'dust' as ammunition to propel a metal projectile at great speeds, but it seems to have other uses as well. I still have much to learn."

"A sword... that's also a bow?"

"It's also a gun," Lelei added, nodding, "Perhaps some may be willing to demonstrate their weapons for us."

Mulling over this information, Pina muttered, "If we can learn to create these weapons ourselves, the Empire would be unstoppable. Maybe we may even be able to face down Vale."

Once again, Lelei proved that her hearing was exceptional, "That would be meaningless. While some minerals similar to Dust exist on Falmart, I believe that they cannot be used to power such weapons. It would be impossible for us to activate them, let alone recreate the metals used to construct them. Furthermore, they employ a variety of war machines," Lelei said, gesturing around them.

Looking around, the group realized that they were now within the Altesian fortifications. Around them was a sea of white, military fortifications. Pina gasped with mouth wide open as a pair of Altesian Paladins trundled past the window. A shadow then cast the vehicle into darkness, causing the Princess to glance up. Her mouth dropped lower as a pair of Altesian Bullheads flew by, on their way to some important mission. Everywhere, white painted Altesian Knights patrolled, forming the bulk of the army.

"This does not even include the Hunters and Huntresses of Remant," Lelei casually added, making Pina gulp again.

"Hunters?"

"On Remnant, there is some kind of malevolent creature known as 'Grimm'. Hunters are specially trained from a young age to combat this threat. Even those in training can defeat multiple opponents at once, and I believe that the best could defeat entire armies," Lelei speculated, "The Empire has no chance against them."

"How can you talk like that when the Empire is in danger?" Bozes yelled, unhappy at the mage's casual condemnation of the Empire.

Lelei shrugged. Wearing her usual emotionless expression, she replied, "I am of the nomadic Rurudo Clan. The Empire's well-being has nothing to do with me."

Tuka, who had been listening in, added, "I'm an elf!"

Rory simply chuckled and gripped her weapon, getting her point across without a single word.

The conversation ended there, but Pina's mind raced. That man, Doctor Oobleck, must have been a Huntsman. He had wielded absolute mastery over fire, wiping out the bandits at Italics. If he was trained to fight the Grimm, just what were they, to necessitate such power? And even with such a looming threat, Remnant had prospered. They were far beyond the Empire.

The jeep came to a stop, within the heart of the fortifications on Alnus. Winter exited, the girls quickly following her lead. From the other jeep, Tai and RWBY disembarked as well. Standing in front of the gate, ready to step into a different world, Pina and the girls felt equally excited and afraid.

Tai took the lead, vanishing into the gate first. Pina hesitated for only a moment before she followed him, the others shortly behind.

They crossed between the universes in seconds, arriving at the other side of the universe as they stepped out of the stone structure.

"Welcome to Vale," Tai declared.

As her eyes adjusted to the sudden sunlight, Pina found that she had no words to describe what she saw once she crossed the gate.

Before them was a castle unlike any other. The long, wide avenue they were deposited on opened up to what appeared to be the main gate and a large amphitheater surrounded by a double ring of colonnades bisected by the main avenue. The outer ring rose high over the main entrance to the academy itself, with a number of impressive aqueduct-like features and archways.

Directly in front of them, a large statue drew their attention. It was a detailed carving of two people, one male and one female, both armed. Their pose displayed them triumphantly standing over a cowering beast. It looked like a wolf, but with a more terrifying visage and larger, deadlier claws. Was that one of the Grimm that plagued the land?

All that surrounded an immense tower, which was surmounted by a number of green lights. It's peak stretched far into the clouds, forcing Pina to crane her neck to take it all in.

But what was behind it came as a larger surprise: a massive, circular colosseum, rivaling the size of any in the Empire. The difference was that this one floated high in the air, constructed on an artificial island. At its base was a crystal, the size of which never seen before.

Pina found herself staring, open-mouthed. The others had the same reaction, staring mutely in awe around them.

After giving the girls some time to take it in, Tai began to talk. "Alright. Princess Pina, Bozes, please take this jeep," he said, pointing at the nearby vehicle. "It'll take you to the General and Ozpin. Rory, Tuka, and Lelei, I'll need to bring you to the medical staff. Sorry, but they really want to make sure that you're healthy," he finished apologetically.

"What about us?" Yang asked.

"You, Ruby and Weiss are returning to your dorm," Tai stated.

"What? But-"

"No buts. You've been through a lot. Have a break. You'll need it if you want to show them around Vale tomorrow. Besides, I'm sure your friends are worried about you," Tai said.

Ruby gasped, "You're right! JNPR must be freaking out!"

Tai took that as confirmation. "Go now. I'll tell JNPR you're back. Blake, the doctors want to see you, too."

"Alright, Blake," Professor Thumbelina Peach, teacher of Plant Science and also head doctor of Beacon, told her. "Your aura held up fine, so there's really nothing to be worried about. Just rest well for a few days and everything should be fine."

"Thanks, professor."

"No worries. If anything develops, report it immediately. Also, I want you back here first thing tomorrow, just in case. Now, go find your team. I'm busy," Peach said, chasing her away. With Blake taken care of, she turned to the more intriguing matter at hand: Rory, Tuka, and Lelei.

The basic checks had shown that the three were healthy, at least by human standards. But with the help of the equipment brought in by the General and his doctors - whose presence Peach merely tolerated - she was able to run a whole variety of other tests before she had to let the girls back to their business.

The results were interesting, to say the least. Starting with the Apostle, her genetic makeup had a distinctly recognizable human base, much of it had been modified, partially responsible for her strength and regenerative capabilities. However, it did not explain her longevity, nor could it fully account for her powers. The doctors and researchers eventually concluded that some form of magic was at work as well, having found what they believe to be traces of it in her cells.

As for Tuka, the elf, her genetic makeup was similar to that of humans. The difference was that her genes had given her cells an increased capacity to rebuild themselves, which enabled them to live far longer than humans. A side effect was the elongated ears, which were a curious phenomenon. They served no recognizable purpose and were of no apparent benefit, so it was extremely illogical for the extensions to exist. The doctors made notes to question her about it.

As for Lelei, the mage, her genetic structure was distinctively human. The surprising part was her aura. The reports had stated that no one on Falmart had even heard of aura, so the presence of the shield around her was a shock to them all. Almost identical to a Hunter's aura, Lelei had a transparent shield protecting her passively. When asked, Lelei had told them that it was a defensive spell, taught to all mages as the first spell they learned. Yet its similarity to the aura that shielded the Huntsmen could not be ignored. From this, they speculated - if Lelei had indeed unlocked her aura, did she have a semblance? Did magic play a part in it?

Biology wasn't the only science that benefitted from the new world. Professor Harold Mulberry, the teacher of Weapon Crafting and Upkeep, was elated with his new toys: dragon scales. From samples of the flame dragon's scales that third recon managed to recover, and that of the defeated wyverns, he found the source of their fire resistance. Their molecular structure was extremely compact and efficiently arranged in a way that pushed the limits of physics, providing both durability and heat dispersal that could withstand intense temperatures. More surprising was that the structure was unlikely to have been developed naturally, through evolution, but pointed towards either genetic modification or the intervention of 'magic'. Already, Harold had many, many designs and tests in mind for this exotic material, but he barely had any to begin with. Unless the scales could be harvested from the flame dragon itself, the situation was unlikely to change.

"Another world?" a girl's voice behind them demanded before Ruby, Weiss, and Yang even made it to their dorm. They turned to see their friends, JNPR, approaching. Nora cried out, "You're going adventuring without us? I'm hurt! Sad!" Her stomach growled. "Maybe a little hungry? That last one's not your fault though… Ren," she finished pointedly as she turned to her teammate, who merely turned away and focused on RW_Y.

"Good to see you back safely," the quiet man told the girls while ignoring his partner.

"Hey, where's Blake?" Jaune asked.

"She's in the medical wing," Ruby casually replied. Seeing the fearful look on JNPR's faces, she quickly added, "No, no, she fine! The doctors just wanted to make sure!"

"Ruby! Don't scare us like that!" Jaune complained.

Ruby giggled sheepishly before Phyrra said, "Well, I'm sure you have quite the story to tell."

"Oooh, did you break any legs? Tell me!"

Weiss noticed the sharp intake of breath from her leader at that sentence. "We're very tired, Nora. Maybe tomorrow," she deflected, motioning for Yang to unlock their dorm room door. Nora pouted, but Ren held her back, noticing that something was wrong.

"Have a good rest," Jaune said before JNPR turned to return to their dorm. Just then, Jaune remembered something, "Wait, about Zw-"

RWBY's door slammed shut in his face. They entered the familiar room but had barely managed to step in before the deadliest animal on Remnant tackled them.

Zwei.

The corgi slammed into Ruby almost hard enough to knock her off her feet. She managed to catch him in her arms, where Zwei barked at her.

"I'm so sorry, Zwei, I completely forgot about you!" Ruby apologized, holding the corgi as she sat onto her bed.

"So, what's wrong?" Weiss finally decided that it was time to ask.

"It's nothing," Ruby replied, hunching down as though trying to hide behind Zwei. The corgi barked.

Yang joined in, "Oh, come on, Rubes. Even Ren could tell that something's bothering you."

"It's fine, alright? It's something I need to talk to Qrow about."

Weiss and Yang looked at each other. "Alright then," the latter replied, "But if you need help, we'll always be here."

"Thanks, guys," Ruby said before a yawn snuck past her. "We probably should get some rest."

They went to bed, soon joined by Blake when she returned from the doctor. But none of them could truly sleep. Too much was on their minds.

Ruby, as she had been for weeks, was conflicted about the wanton death and suffering the Gate had brought to both Remnant and Falmart alike. And her part in it. Rory had tried to help her, but could not. Her uncle Qrow would know what to do.

Weiss was thinking of the demihuman species at Italica. Just like her father's company, the humans were dominant and the nonhumans in lesser roles. She had also overheard some people talking about goblins - a humanoid species considered to be pests. Where, then, was the line separating men from animals?

Blake hesitated to sleep. She had run away. Again. Even if she was technically forced away, she felt that the fault was still on her. Given an easy, familiar way out, she had taken it. As she always had. And her guilt, in the form of memories of a red-clad man, was consuming her mind.

Yang felt all this. Her sister's fear, the Schnee heiress' uncertainty, and her partner's guilt. And despite all her strength, she was helpless to assist them, to lighten the burdens that weighed them all down. To protect her team, she had to get stronger.

It was a long time before team RWBY managed to fall into a light, dreamless sleep.

A/N: The professors are canon, confirmed in After the Fall, according to the RWBY wiki.

From an evolutionary standpoint, the elves' elongated ears are stupid. The human ears' shape is designed to maximize sound collection. But elves? It is most certainly not effective in that role, neither does it seem to serve any other function.