Remnant's Light in Darkness

by Super Saiyan 4 Rukido

The land of Remnant was filled with Hope, Despair, Life and Death. For decades the people of Remnant have done all in their power to Survive. Raise Kingdoms from nothing, advance technological wonders, forge alliances and yet even then darkness clouds over them. Either through terrors of Grimm or their own choices. However when there is Darkness, there must be Light as well.

1. Chapter 1

A/N: *Looks at Previous RWBY Attempts silently before sighing*

Okay, let's do this one more time.

My name is SSJ4Rukido and for the past few years I've been writing fanfiction. I'm sure you can think of the rest.

I mostly OC Inserts for Stores while trying to make them as interesting as possible while also trying to not make a hard divergence in cannon. However when it comes to a story like RWBY, between their fans and writers, I have tried several times to make a good story that I felt satisfied with only to feel the happiness that came with it fade within time. So to do something similar to another story I've done{But Still need to get back into}, I've decided to take a different approach to change things up.

The Fallout add in isn't anything new, just a personal preference I've decided to put in for my own fun that I do plan to explain within time. Outside of that however, everything else is more or less RWBY with a lot of add ons and creations to help the story out.

WARNING: There are massive changes to canon and characters may seem different as well. You have been warned.

Until then, enjoy. This is gonna be a fun time for all of us I'm sure!

---

Teams of Hunters

---

In the beginning, there was a world called Remnant.

Since the earliest days of its known history, Remnant had been a place overflowing with life across its surface. Plants, Wildlife, Water, it could be found everywhere to even the most blind of sight. Yet there were also things that would be considered rather dangerous as well. Such as Fire, Drought and Famine that would have ruined the land by normal means. However, Remnant remained strong and alive despite it all.

Then, new life was created.

Life in the form of Humans and Faunus.

Despite being made up of many organisms that made up their bodies, they were different in a notable way. That came in the form of Faunus having minor, but noticeable animal-like traits apart from their bodies.

These life forms were far more complex than one would imagine. While wildlife would follow their natural instincts, these life forms were fully capable of so much more. The ability to gain knowledge from their surroundings. The skill to create items that had helped them keep themselves alive. The power to cause destruction in either the means of themselves or others. Even capable of having access to choosing what they want to do. Remnant had become their home, one they had learned to thrive and live on.

Yet in spite of that, they were the second life forms created at that time.

Within the darkest lands of Remnant came the terrifying and soul wrenching forms of creatures that would be considered...Grimm.

These Grimm were considered creatures of darkness. Creatures that at first resembled the wildlife before evolving over time. They were as dark as night, bones apart of their bodies and their eyes filled with bloodlust. Their purpose seemingly meant to only attack both Humans and Faunus alike with as much hatred as possible.

They fought one another for many years, with the Grimm winning with their seemingly infinite numbers. Humans and Faunus fought back naturally. Groups had joined together for the first time in order to keep their own people safe. Planning out attacks for the largest of Grimm while making out traps for the smaller packs that attacked. Even going as far as advancing their weaponry with each creation being as effective as the last.

Yet all the same, the Grimm threat never lessened. Only grew with time. Many thought that this was truly the end, that this was their fate and they were destined to lose. But when all seemed lost two Humans, a man and a woman, had come from seemingly nowhere and with them came hope.

These Humans had managed to fight off the Grimm attacking them, using power and weaponry they had never seen before. Within mere moments, they had saved the group that had just about given up and looked towards their saviors as Gods amongst them. The man and the woman however rebuked these claims, saying they were the same kind as they were. Their abilities came from the form of Magic, calling them their Aura officially while their weapons had contained a powerful magical element known as Dust.

Aura was the manifest of one's soul, capable of defending one's self while enhancing their power. Combined with their weapons, it made them a powerful duo alone. However it went much further than that when it came to the true power they held that allowed them their unique advantage. Semblances were the true Magic within one's soul, that allowed them to use a unique ability they matched in sync with their Soul. Truly the greatest part was that the power could be unleashed within each and every being with a simple incantation.

Dust on the other hand were magical crystals that contained the power of elements that could be used by them. Fire, Lightning, Ice, Wind, Water and so many others that had yet to be known yet. It could be activated by channeling one's aura within it in order to activate it's power or by merely crushing it to cause a more unstable reaction. What was truly shocking was that these crystals could be found across the world and from their location were renewable and able to regenerate over a course of time from their point of origin. Yet there were certain locations that held a wide and vast variety of them. Many at the time presumed it had come from their moon, having seen it broken apart in their sky while others believed it had originated from their homeland. Even a few believed they had been born through Dust.

With new hope on the horizon and a new tool to make use of, the many Humans and Faunus had looked upon them as their saviors. It wasn't long until they followed the man and woman on their journey, saving many and managing to push back the threat. They could not keep moving forever though, not with so many following them now. It had eventually come time for them to settle down and start something that showed them they did exist.

It had taken a considerable amount of time to get such a Kingdom up and running, yet it was done all the same. The land itself had taken place within the center of the known lands amongst them, having itself a wide and vast field that would be their new home. The people had worked day and night, waning off threats while making quick advancements to their soon to be society. These advancements had come from their soon to be rulers, showing them how to build their home from the ground up. It was through them they were able to grow fruitful crops, make tall, unbreachable walls and the magical means of Aura to truly defend themselves from the Grimm threat.

Then the grand and wonderful Kingdom of Baum came to be, with the man and woman who had given them all hope as their King and Queen.

It was a fairly large Kingdom, expanding with each passing year as more and more groups came by. They flourished, living in warm homes where they could sleep comfortably while guards personally trained by the King and Queen watched out for threats that came from the darkness. Families were formed, living free from worry and loving the life given to them to enjoy. All the while, their rulers watched over them from their large castle, their promises to watch over them and make Remnant into a place where they could live happily from the threat that the Grimm had placed upon them.

It was no longer about simply surviving, but rather it was about living. Within the Kingdom of Baum, the King and Queen had given them the lives they never knew they could own for themselves. Free from struggle and the darkness that threatened them. It was a paradise for many and all who had welcomed it.

Yet...it wasn't meant to last.

For reasons unknown to the citizens of Baum, their home suddenly caught fire in a mighty blaze under their Broken Moon. It reached out to even the farthest corners of their Kingdom as the ground shook violently and a storm brewed from within. Devastating bolts of Lightning reduced many people to ashes while the tornados brewed from the storm had sucked in the flames, making them far more dangerous.

It only grew worse as the Grimm came in as well. Not mere packs, but entire hordes of their endless city had stormed into the city as the disaster struck. In their nature they didn't care for any of it and attacked the people with their bloodlust and hatred clear for them. The Guards tried their best to fend off the threat, but with the sudden devastation that took place and the growing storm, they were sadly torn to shreds along with the people they were meant to defend. There were a few who managed to get away from it all, watching as their home was falling apart. And as their eyes descended upon the castle that held their King and Queen, they watched it get caught in an explosion of pure darkness that shot out into the sky while taking the entirety of their home.

The Kingdom of Baum were no more and their rulers were gone.

The survivors were confused for the longest of times of why this tragedy had come upon them. Were there Gods displeased with them? Was it merely as natural as the forces upon them? Did the King and Queen choose to face one another with their almighty power? All great questions, yet no answers for them.

Despite this, they all knew one thing. That they still wanted to live. Not merely for themselves for the future generations to come. They didn't want to put what they learned from their King and Queen either, but many had different plans on how to go about it. Without a clear leader for them all to control their ideas, they had all separated into different groups across Remnant to continue their lives.

Many decades have gone by since that day, the names of many lost including their King and Queen. However this was not the end of what they had made. Hopes and Dreams had kept not only the former citizens of Baum alive, but had also spread to those who hadn't been a part of their Kingdom. They had formed new groups while discovering things about their world that even their former rulers knew nothing about.

The most notable thing they learned was Grimmification.

Grimmification is when a Human or Faunus goes through a deep depression or anger, they slowly begin to turn into Grimm. They are known as Husk due to them no longer being their own person and are taken over by natural Grimm destruction. It was sadly much more common nowadays and there was no cure for it. For those with a huge amount of Anger, they would become something more terrifying than a normal Grimm.

But that was a story for another time.

Within the past decades, new Kingdoms had built themselves from the ground up and had made meaningful statements across Remnant. Four Kingdoms were formed at the time.

Firstly being Atlas, formerly known as Mantle, formed on snowy and cold lands of Remnant. Despite being considered the "youngest" of all the Kingdoms, they were also the most advanced at the time. Having access to a wide selection of Dust to use and with their own brilliant minds that had created technology that would aid not only themselves, but other Kingdoms as well.

Next was Mistral, having the Second Most land along encompassing a wide range of ecosystems and many diverse cultures. It was thanks to the unique agriculture of their land that they were able to prevent Grimm from attacking them and fend them off. It was thanks to these conditions that many legends had started up as well in the forms of powerful warriors.

Vacuo was located in the center of the vast and harsh desert on the western end, once having a large assortment of resources only to fall victim of losing it to other Kingdoms. However they were not quick to be weakened, having developed a wide assortment of Aura based techniques to fight off the Grimm. Because of this, many of them follow the aspect of Aura being more than a mere shield and into something more.

Finally was Vale, it's lands being the most safe and most stable in creating a working economy. It was thanks to this that they were able to become the first well known Kingdom through the King of Vale when he was alive at the time. It was through him that warriors that would soon be commonly known as Huntsman would come to be. Many of which would purposely go off and hunt Grimm while defending neighboring villages and farms. It had sparked the idea to many other Kingdoms that they could fight back and thus the Huntsman Academies were created not only in the growing Kingdoms, but amongst large villages as well.

These Kingdoms had lived in peace for a short time due to the Grimm being the main threat. However it didn't last as The Great War had begun. The war was the most significant conflict that occurred on Remnant to date, the combatants being the Kingdoms of Vale and Vacuo on one side and the Kingdoms of Atlas and Mistral on the other. It was a long and bloody war, using up food and Dust amongst themselves, the war lasting for ten long years. Seeing the issue at hand, the four Kingdoms gathered on neutral ground on the island of Vytal, where they formed a treaty and planned the future of Remnant.

Despite this Treaty however, tensions remained large between the Kingdoms.

The Great War had also preceded the Faunus Rights Revolution, a conflict over racial politics, by several years. Sparked from an attempt to force all Faunus to congregate onto the small, inhospitable, land of Menagerie and seen by many as a violation of rights. This war only went on for a few years after the Great War before it abruptly came to an end thanks to the surrounding Kingdoms forcing yet another peace treaty.

Sadly it wasn't much, but it kept things calm for a long number of years until Sixty-Five Years after the Great War's End. During the "Peace" at the time, a group known as the White Fang had risen up in order to keep discrimination towards Faunus at bay while making sure that the treaty remained enforced. However, thanks to a Faunus by the name of "Markus Helix," a small, but noticeable war had broken out. Markus had gathered up members of the White Fang and had kidnapped a member of Atlas' Council, murdering him along with his family for the whole world to see.

This sparked Atlas to declare war on Menagerie with promises of turning them to ash. Menagerie had been nervous at first and had tried to explain, but to no avail. Despite this, they had received allied help from Vale, who had believed their word on the matter. Vale and Atlas had been forced to do all they could in the fight, Vale helping Menagerie in protecting it's lands while Atlas wasn't hesitant to attack.

Markus himself had left Menagerie along with a large number of followers and had formed the Black Talon with the desire to make Humans bow to Faunus' kind. The war he had created had lasted for three years before a Faunus by the name of Sienna Khan had managed to kill him in cold blood while forcing his followers in hiding. She had presented the body to Atlas, bringing an end to the war and allowing her to take the place of "Head Chief" of the White Fang.

While this may have seemed to be the end of the war, those who held on to their hate for Faunus were not able to accept the so-called "Peace" and decided that Atlas had surrendered. These people came from Atlas' Military, no leader known to the people as of today, but taking the name of "Assembly of Humanity" as their title. These men and women had made it their mission to destroy the White Fang and place Faunus kind below their feet. They are hidden across the world of Remnant, attacking any with high value Technology while performing less than ethical experiments upon any that were not a part of their cause.

With that came the Black Talon, their purpose remaining the same. Sticking to the Shadows in order to complete their ambition of making Faunus be the only race with power left.

As of today, Vale, Vacuo and Menagerie have an alliance while Atlas and Minstral have theirs. While the tensions between these sides remain high, they have held back their disdain for one another in order to focus on protecting their own people from the Grimm threat. War was not a risk any would take, not when the Grimm grew more powerful with each day that passed.

Then...something odd had happened. Something unexpected by anyone.

Ten Years after the "War of Races" a strange occurrence had happened across the sandy lands of Vacou, just in between with the greenisland of Vale. A City had appeared out of nowhere with no one able to witness the sight. Tribes surrounding the area were able to venture out towards the City, cautious yet curious.

Upon arrival they were greeted with quite the sight. Strange Machines were gunning down and ripping apart Grimm attacking the large City. They did not belong to Atlas, lacking the natural clean coloring and held a clanky yet far more sturdy appearance. Once the battle had ended, the Machines spotted the group of Tribals, but did not attack. Instead they were allowed to look upon the City that appeared into existence.

This City appeared to be more of a Kingdom than anything to the men, having large sturdy buildings, a large wall surrounding the area and dazzling Lights that could be seen from afar. In the center of it all was a Tower that watched down over them, leaving them to wonder who had created all of this.

It was not long before the other Kingdoms had been informed of this, curiosity taking over their minds of the newly formed Kingdom. Vacuo was the first to make contact, unsure what to make of it's new neighbor. However the machines had done something incredible just further out of the land. In a matter of seconds, they watched as the sandy ground was destroyed, terraformed into something much more...habitable.

Soon enough a meeting was held with Ambassadors from each Kingdom coming to the land to see all it had to offer. What they did not expect was to be greeted with only a voice, not a person of any kind. He had merely dubbed himself as "Mr. House" stating that due to his condition, he could not meet with them in person just yet. While troubling, they could not deny what this land had offered them.

Non-Dust Powered Weaponry able to wipe out Grimm, Terraforming Technology, Lightning based Energy. All of which formed without the use of Dust. Yet there was so, so much more that was shown to them, all with the offer of an Alliance as well. It was clear quickly that this was going to be the changing point in their War against the Grimm and into a new Era of Resources that would be used against the Grimm.

Though you may be wondering where this Kingdom came from. Some say it dug itself out of the ground. Others say that the machines built it. Few even believe that it simply remained hidden due to it's location. In the end only Mr. House knows and he knows that his Kingdom would stand tall for years to come, prepared for any threat that may come close to it's people.

---

(Ten Years in the Past: Age 2077) (Vacuo Desert)

A Sandstorm brewed over the land of Vacuo, leaving it impossible for any to travel through proper life. A Team of Huntsman could be seen traveling through it, robes over their body to protect themselves from the storm. Their leader stood upfront, blue eyes piercing through the storm as she tried to lead them all through.

However unlike normal Sandstorms, Lightning was gathering up in the sky and striking down at the ground at an alarming rate. Soon enough a sphere of light erupted upon the strike of another bolt, engulfing the sandy area with a powerful burst of electrical energy. The Team found themselves forced to stop in their place, bending down to ensure that they didn't get sent flying back. While many of them were recovering from the sudden blast of light, the leader forced herself to stand up and ready herself for whatever had occurred.

Moments went by before the Sandstorm faded, nighttime taking over as a large tower of Light could be seen. Smaller lights cameroon after, music playing loudly for anyone to hear. All the while, the tower remained shining the brightest of them all as a large sign just outside of it lit up with life as the woman looked up in a mixture of shock and confusion.

"Lucky 38"

"Welcome to New Vegas"

---

(Present Day: Age 2088) (Kingdom of Vale)

"Ruby! Come on already! I know you're looking at weapons again!"

"Oh come on Yang! They're extensions of ourselves!"

"In that case maybe I should give away Crescent Rose and-"

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

Out of a shop called "Dust to Dawn" came a flurry of rose petals that stopped on the sidewalk. As they faded, a young woman replaced them with a small pout on her face.

Standing around 5,5 ft tall with fair-skinned, she had silver eyes and slightly messy black hair with red tips that grew past her neck. She wore a black sleeveless mesh top over a long sleeved white blouse, a red pleated skirt with black stockings leading down to her brown, thigh-high steel-toe boots with red soles. On her arms were brown bracers with steel plating on top while wearing a pair of fingerless, black gloves. Around her waist was a brown belt with several bullets with a buckle holding onto a satchel as well. Finally her outfit was topped by a red hooded cloak fastened to her shoulders by cross-shaped pins and a silver rose themed emblem pinned to waist.

This was Ruby Rose.

"Yang! You can't tease me when it comes to Crescent Rose!" Ruby whined with a noticeable pout on her face.

"Sorry Rubes, but as your Big Sister it's part of the job description." Yang explained while snickering.

Yang Xiao Long was a fair-skinned young woman standing 5,10 tall. She had lilac purple eyes and long, thick, wavy bright golden hair that stopped barely at her mid-back with a cowlick sticking out at the top. She wore a faded tanish-brown jacket over a yellow low cut shirt that barely contained her breast. Around her waist was a brown belt with a bag tied to it and slightly torn black jeans that lead down to her knee-high brown boots with steel toes. Finally she was wearing a pair of brown gloves along with a light orange scarf wrapped around her neck.

"Yang..." Ruby said, her pout deepening.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." Yang apologized while rubbing Ruby's hair. Naturally her sister pushed her hand away, but had a smile grow on her face all the same. "I'll lighten up just a bit. But don't expect me to be too easy on you, little sis."

"Ha! I can handle it!" Ruby declared with the largest smile on her face. "You're talking to a graduate of Beacon and a Full Fledge Huntress!"

"As if you're the only one here." Yang snickered.

Both Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long were graduates of Beacon Academy, now out in the world as trained Huntress. Beacon Academy was a place where younger teens would start off their education as a Hunter/Huntress in order to prepare them for the dangers outside of their walls. It was one of many across Remnant, four officially within their respective Kingdoms outside of Vegas. There were some amongst the smaller towns and villages, but in order to become a Hunter you would be required to take the exam provided by the Kingdom's Academy. Otherwise you would not be recognized as a Hunter and would be referred to as a common mercenary.

With Ruby being 19 and Yang 21, they are recognized as Huntress amongst Remnant's Kingdoms and Villages as of just a few weeks ago. Now it's just the matter of heading out to see about a request.

"I think it's about time to get going. Something tells me it's gonna be big today!" Ruby declared while walking alongside Yang. They were walking towards a yellow and black sports motorcycle with several bags tied to it. This was Yang's which she had very kindly dubbed "Bumblebee." Sitting on the front was Yang, who waited for Ruby to hop on before turning on the engine. "Still, I wonder what Professor Ozpin wants from us? We just graduated after all."

"Who knows? Maybe he's putting together a team because we're the best Beacon let out." Yang offered while putting on a pair of sunglasses.

"I don't think we were the best." Ruby said weakly, remembering some of their grades. Sensing Yang was about to say something, she quickly added on. "But I'm sure we will be."

"Stay positive Rubes." Yang said, turning back to give her a smirk. Ruby offered a small in return as Yang turned back around and revered the engine. "Because our adventure is gonna start off with a Yang!"

"Yang, N-" Ruby's whine got cut off by her own squeal upon Yang taking off out of nowhere. Yang laughed out loud with Ruby quickly joining her as they drove down the street.

---

(Vale, Streets)

In an alleyway, a man came flying out with a bloody nose. He gripped it tightly as passersby looked at the man with a mixture of concern and worry. They moved to help him up, but he roughly pushed them away while pulling out a knife. Naturally they backed away while the man stood up and rushed back into the alley with a roar.

He was immediately punted right back out and sent flying across the street.

As the citizens backed away, another man came walking out the alleyway. At 5'10, the man in front of them had a mess black hair that was streaked with orange and purple strands tied back into a loose ponytail, and a pair of orange tipped fox ears also poked out from the top of his head. He had a tanned complexion and his eyes were a startling kaleidoscope of violet and orange. He was wearing a short, black jacket with grey linings within along with a light purple buttoned up shirt, barely revealing a black tank top underneath. Black pants with several pouches attached to it with a black belt and a silver buckle holding them up. He had a pair of black boots on, fingerless gloves to match and a dark orange bandana wrapped around his left arm. Finally he was holding up a duffle bag leaning up against his back, gripping it tightly out of annoyance.

This was Ebon Dusk, a new arrival to Vale.

"Fucking idiots." Ebon growled out, his fox ears twitching in annoyance. He moved to walk away, but someone shouted. Irritating him further.

"HOLD IT!" Turning around, he was greeted with a pair of officers. They already had their weapons drawn and were pointing their weapons at him. "Put your hands up and get on your knees!"

"...I'm not doing that." Ebon said, remaining in place and giving them a very narrowed look. "These dumbasses were trying to rob me, so how about you do your damn job and take them instead of wasting time."

One Officer looked in the alleyway and saw a mess of bodies on the ground while a few were sticking out of windows and garbage bins. Judging by the groans they were very much alive, but in pain all the same.

"All I see is someone who's not only caused a disturbance, but is beating up good people." The Main officer said, a solid glare on his face. "Now stand down or else Faunus!"

"I have a name, jackass. Now, do me a favor: Piss off and leave me alone or all you're gonna do is waste your ammo and get a broken jaw." Ebon declared. The citizens were growing worried at the scene while the officers grew more aggravated.

"That's enough you dirty animal! Stand down or else!" The officers kept their weapons pointed the whole time with Ebon getting ready to strike. However before either made a move a shout was heard from behind the crowd.

"ENOUGH!" The crowd quickly separated allowing someone to step forward. Immediately the officers went stiff while Ebon was wondering about his luck right now.

He was wearing a dark green padded trench coat over their body while a light armored vest remained underneath with several pouches on it. They were also wearing a black padded pants being held up by a utility belt while wearing a brown pair of steel toed boots. On the shoulders of the coat there was an emblem of two axes crossing over each other while it's background was green. Aka: The Symbol of Vale. By his side was a simple hand pistol while currently in his hand was a double edged short sword bearing the same emblem.

This was one of many of Vale's Soldiers, having been established since Vale's King had been around. Known as Guardsmen amongst many, all of them could be found watching over the region. They worked specifically on the protection of Vale and neighboring villages of their region. Unlike the Hunters who went after the Grimm, the Guard of Vale

"I think there's been enough damage done here." The Guardsman said, giving the two officers a stare, which they returned back with a glare. However this didn't falter the Guardsman in the slightest. "You two have done enough. Round up these thugs and take them in."

"It's that guy who beat them up for no good reason!" An officer called out while pointing at Ebon. The Fox-Faunus merely scoffed, pissing the officer off further.

The Guardsman didn't look impressed in the slightest with them, making them recoil back a bit.

"It appears you need to work on your observation skills." The Guardsman said, holding up one of the knocked out men with a glare. "We've been getting reports of mass groups of people attacking people in alleys and robbing them of their belongings. This one especially has already taken the belongings of several people within the vicinity." Dropping the man in front of the officers, who jumped back. Sighing, he walked past them and towards Ebon, who still remained on guard. "And while I do not prefer people getting into scuffles on the streets, he is also allowed to defend himself."

"That's all I ever did." Ebon said, wanting to make sure the point was made.

"All the same, I am required to ask if you are a Citizen or a Huntsman from out of town?" The Guardsman asked, looking towards the man's bag. He could see the stock of a weapon sticking out, but couldn't make it out. "It's just for safety purposes, but I need to make sure you are authorized to use your weapon."

Ebon rolled his eyes, but complied. He took out his Hunter's License and showed it to the Guardsman. "I got mine here, in Vale. Ebon Dusk, registered citizen of Vale and Huntsman of Remnant. Good enough?"

"…Yes. Thank you for your cooperation, along with your assistance with taking down these Criminals." The Guardsman said with Ebon grunting in acknowledgment.

"They just messed with me, I wasn't exactly doing it out of the kindness of my heart." Ebon claimed, giving a side glare towards the alleyway.

"Be that as it may, you have done a service for Vale and it's people." The Guardsman said stubbornly, getting a snort out of Ebon.

"Maybe if your law enforcement wasn't wasting time, you wouldn't have people like me to clean up their mess." Ebon explained, smirking upon hearing the officers curse him out. Oh how good it felt to get those kinds of responses.

"I can assure you that their behavior will be going into my report." The Guardsman said quite clearly, shocking the officers. They looked ready to say something, but a single look from him made them stop short. Turning back to the Fox-Faunus, he continued. "I do hope that you won't see all of Law Enforcement like this. I know of some that do actually think before they act."

"And I can name some in the Guardsman who are just as bad as those two morons are." Ebon scowled before turning his back. "If you don't mind, I'm running late."

With that he walked off, not caring about what happened behind him either way. He rounded a corner, preparing to make his way towards his destination only to notice two people running up behind. He growled, stopping himself to turn around and face them. One Man and one Woman.

The man stood at 5'9 with pale white skin, he had long black hair that ended midway down his back with a magenta streak on the left side of his hair; matching up with his eyes. His clothes were that of a green sleeveless tailcoat with black and silver trimming with a black long-sleeved shirt underneath. That led to a pair of black gloves with green cuffs while he wore a pair of black pants being held up by a brown belt with dual holsters for his weapons. Finally he was wearing a pair of tall black strapped boots with steel toes and had a large backpack on his back.

The woman on the hand was 5'1 with fair skin and short orange hair and her jade eyes seemed to be glimmering somehow. She was wearing a pink and white sleeveless coat with light blue lapels and white-collar belted closed by a black belt with a pouch on the left side, over a black short dress. Black fingerless gloves with steel armbands, white stockings, light blue socks and black boots with silver heels, sole and toe plates. She was carrying a larger bag in one hand...and a massive two handed sledgehammer in the other like it was nothing.

"Hey, you okay Foxy?" The girl asked, a wide smile on her face.

'Foxy?' Ebon thought, his ears twitching in annoyance at the name.

"Forgive her, she's just showing concern." The man said, giving a small bow before introducing himself. "My name is Lie Ren and my friend here is Nora Valkyrie. Apologies again for bothering, but she wanted to see if you were okay."

"…I'm fine." Ebon said, his tone cautious all the same.

"Well that's good! I thought I was gonna have to bust some heads!" Nora said, swinging her hammer around to get the point across. Ebon seemed surprised at first before scoffing with a smirk.

"Well, that's one idea I could've got behind." Ebon admitted, liking this girl's style.

"Thankfully it didn't come to that." Ren interrupted, hatching his attention. "I was lucky to spot the Guardsman before it got ugly."

"And if he made it any worse?" Ebon questioned.

"Then I would let Nora do her favorite pastime." Ren replied coolly.

"BREAKING LEGS!" Nora declared proudly. Naturally thus had gotten some frightful stares from people, hushing themselves away from the laughing girl. Ren sighed, wondering how Ebon would react. He wasn't disappointed.

"Well, now I know you're not bullshiting me." Ebon said, more than approving. Granted it was more towards how they'd deal with those crappy officers, but it was...appreciated by him all the same. However he didn't have time to speak to them. "Anyway, I gotta get going."

"Huh? You're running off already, Foxy?" Nora asked with a pout. They took note of the annoyed twitch Ebon's ears made.

"It's Ebon and yes. I have to meet up with someone." Ebon said, getting ready to walk away. "Thanks for the help though."

"You wouldn't be heading for a Pub on the west side of Vale would you?" Ren asked suddenly. Ebon stopped short and turned around, confused upon seeing Nora snickering and Ren smiling. "On the request of Headmaster Ozpin?"

Ebon could only nod, wondering exactly what Ozpin of all people was planning now.

---

(Vale, Bullhead Landing Zone)

Multiple Bullheads could be seen flying in and out, carrying multiple passengers towards their destinations across the known lands of Remnant. From transporting people to delivering supplies, Bullheads were one of many ways to get around to Villages, Farms, Towns and Kingdoms. Making large and vast improvements over the years, they've served as a great means of transportation.

One such ship just docked down on a bay, coming straight from Atlas. A few people stepped off, most wearing fancy and posh clothes with mixed expressions. As they stepped off, another person stepped out looking around with a small smile.

He stood a tall 5,10 with long brown hair that was tied into a ponytail in the back and a pair of azure eyes. He wore crimson-red armor under a white sleeveless waistcoat, while wearing a black muscle shirt under that. Over his hands were a pair of black gloves while around his wrist were two red armored braces; his left one having a red band wrapped around it. He also wore black pants with padded knee armoring and crimson combat boots. Finally he had a satchel wrapped around his body along with a utility belt around his waist combined together.

This was Galva Cadmium, a recent graduate from Atlas Academy and official Hunter of the world.

'I've had better flights in the middle of snow storms.' Galva thought while grumbling. The Bullhead had been filled with only a couple of rich folks, but all they did was either complain or smoke. Neither of which had been remotely close to pleasant. Even the silent ones had sent stares his way for daring to be aboard the same flight as them. 'Still, having an opportunity to make a career outside of Atlas and Atlas' Military makes it worth it.'

Atlas and it's military were considerably one of the top forces in the world. Their natural progression with technology and access to one of the largest Dust Mines on Remnant had helped with this. Not to mention the Soldiers they had trained and the many inventions that had aided not only themselves, but others had made them earn their place in the world.

However it was for this reason why Galva felt the need to break off from Atlas. Because of their high standing, there were many people that had risen in financial power and were quick to look down upon those of the lower class. Galva himself was part of the lower class and wanted to support himself through the means of becoming a great Hunter. However he didn't want to do it through Atlas' Military, but rather go out and explore the world for what it held.

As luck would have it, an invitation from Professor Ozpin for a special assignment had helped him out.

'I can't be late. I better recover my gear and take the first taxi over to...crap. What was it called again?' Galva questioned himself as he found himself walking towards the unloading bay. He knew he wrote it down in his notebook, but he had unfortunately packed it before taking off. He at least spotted his suitcases immediately and smiled upon seeing them. "Good. No need to waste time."

Carrying the cases, he walked through the busy hanger bay. He gave small waves over to people he was passing by, a smile on his face as he did so. Standing by the departure area, he allowed his suitcases on the tray as he stepped through while taking out his Hunter's License. After the attendant there had scanned his license and his case, he was free to walk out on the unsurprisingly busy streets of Vale.

He took this moment to sit down on a bench before opening up his case; taking out his note-book and closing the case right after. "Great now let's see...hmmm...oh here it is. A Cafe on the West-Side of Vale called... "Hunter's Rest?" Galva questioned before shrugging his shoulders. 'A bit bland, but apparently it's a Hunter's Hot-Spot so no complaints here.'

He thought about how he was gonna call a Taxi before a notable voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Is there an issue here?" Galva turned his head as his eyes widened at who he saw.

'No damn way she's here!' Galva thought while blinking in surprise. Currently standing just a good feet away from him was none other than Weiss Schnee; Heiress to the Schnee Company and a fellow graduate from Atlas Academy.

Weiss was a pale-skinned young woman with pale blue eyes and long white hair currently pulled back into a off-center ponytail while currently standin 5,3 tall. Though in reality that was thanks to her heels, really only being 4'11. There was also a notable scar over her left eye, barely shy of going through it. She was white, military short coat currently closed along with a tight pair of navy-blue combat pants. The Heiress was also wearing a pair of black gloves along with a pair of black heels that made her seem taller than she actually was. Finally there was a notable belt around her waist, currently holding her sheathed rapier while there was the same red band he had as well wrapped around her right arm and the Schnee family emblem on her back.

"Forgive me miss, but with how many bags you currently have we'll need to call in proper transportation for you." A man said while bowing his head. It was then Galva noticed the large amount of luggage she had, making him sweatdrop at the sight.

'...There's more luggage here than there was space in my old dorm room.' Galva thought dryly, listening in on the scene.

Weiss sighed, but didn't seem bothered overall. "Very well. I'll be waiting here." The Man bowed and walked away while taking out his phone. Weiss merely hummed to herself before spying Galva out of the corner of her eye and turning her attention towards him.

'Crap.' Galva thought knowing he had been caught. He wasn't too sure what to make of Weiss, nor her personality. He never had a real class with her over the four years in the academy only hearing rumors of her success through them. Yet despite her status, he saw no reason to treat her any differently from other classmates. It was just the question of how she would react to that simple treatment.

"You there." Weiss pointed out while stepping towards him. Before he could respond, she pointed to his armband. "You went to Atlas Academy, same as me."

"That's right, I graduated the same time you did." Galva said, thankful for a way out. The red bands were a symbol of their Graduation by Atlas standards, having been made up of a special silk that could only be found in their Kingdom. "I must admit though, I didn't think I'd meet up with the Ice Queen of all people here."

'Seems like I can never escape that nickname.' Weiss thought with a hum. Yet she couldn't say she didn't officially hate the title given to her. It was something she had earned from her own hard work and effort while in the Academy; it's militaristic teaching style being difficult, but effective all the same. "I do ask that you do not call me that. Here I am only Weiss Schnee."

"I'll think about it." Galva said, earning a notable twitch from the Heiress. He was gonna have fun with that later. "But if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing in Vale of all places?"

"If you must know." Weiss began, a smile of pure pride on her face as she explained. "Professor Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, invited me to Vale to take part in a special assignment."

"...It seems we received the same message then." Galva said, catching Weiss off guard.

"Eh?" Weiss questioned as Galva took a letter out from his pocket. She immediately spotted Ozpin's seal and couldn't help but falter a bit. "I had thought I was the only one who was invited. The letter mentioned nothing of others coming as well."

"From what I've heard about Professor Ozpin, he's a man of surprises and mystery." Galva said thoughtfully. Ozpin was always considered well respected amongst the Kingdoms for how many students he had turned into full fledged Hunters. However he certainly had some questionable methods when it came to his certain matters. "If I had to guess this is his way of surprise. It certainly falls in line with his character."

Weiss however remained silent, fuming a storm within her mind. How many people had been invited on Ozpin's Request? What exactly was the Headmaster scheming up? Did he recognize her natural talent and skill or was she picked at random? She couldn't help, but be disheartened at that last thought before shaking her head.

'No! None of that. You are a Huntress! The Heiress of the Schnee Company! Granddaughter of Nicholas Schnee!' Weiss reaffirmed herself almost instantly. The negative thoughts left her almost instantly as she quickly got professional in front of her fellow graduate. "We're likely to learn by the time we arrive at the location. A cafe if I recall correctly."

"You'd be right, Ice Queen." Galva said, getting a twitch from her. "All it does is make me all the more eager to get there."

"In that case it would make more sense for us to travel together then." Weiss said, not missing the surprise that came on Galva's face. She supposed she couldn't blame him given her family name and reputation. However where others were either too scared, too respectful or too sleezy for her to have a normal conversation with, Galva proved to be different. "If you don't mind, that is."

"I don't. It would certainly save me a lot of trouble." Galva said, standing up. However a realization came over him as he coughed a bit. "Forgive me, I never introduced myself. I'm Galva Cadmium."

"Weiss Schnee." The Heiress introduced herself again, deciding not to add on the titles. It was at that moment where a nice car pulled up where a truck moved right behind. "That would be our ride then."

'...Well she did offer.' Galva thought. While they entered the car, several men could be seen lifting Weiss' luggage and Galva's bags, moving them onto the truck.

"Where would you like to go, Miss Schnee?" The Driver asked as they buckled in.

"Hunter's Rest, please." Weiss said as the driver nodded. Soon enough they were on their way with the truck following in tow. Both now in wonder of Ozpin and why he chose a Cafe as a meeting place.

They'd know by the end of the day.

---

(Vale, Docks)

The docks of Vale were filled with life, it's market currently busy with how many newcomers were coming to their Kingdom from their ships. It was normal however with many people heading in and out for various reasons. Hunting Missions, Trade, Business, even merely vacation time. However that also meant it had a bad habit of starting up drama.

"AND STAY OUT!" A man yelled while throwing out a pair of children, both bearing bear-like features. They crashed on the ground, crying out in pain while the man glared down at them while pointing out to a sign. "Can't you read?! NO FAUNUS ALLOWED!"

The kids winced at his scream, unable to say anything while people passed by. Either uncaring or looking forward awkwardly to avoid getting involved. It was sad to say, but Vale's laws and civil liberties allowed property owners to ban Faunus from their establishments should they desire it. Given how clear the sign was, the fault fell in the little ones.

"Stay away from my shop! I won't sell to your kind and I never will!" The man yelled before pulling out a glass bottle from his door's side. Before he could even think about it a hand suddenly grabbed him and stopped him short.

"Don't even think about it." A woman said, her tone was far from kind. The store owner ripped his hand away and looked at her.

She was a fair-skinned young woman with wavy black hair reaching her mid-back and amber eyes. On top of her head were a pair of cat ears while she stood 5'6 tall, a few meters taller than the store owner. She wore a padded white and purple vest with a black, sleeveless crop top underneath. On her arms were a pair of leather braces with purple coloring around the palms of her hands while she was wearing tight white pants and a pair of long black boots that went to her knees. She had a notable "White Fang" emblem on the back of her vest while there was a notable purple sash around her waist; on the end was a black, fire-like emblem hanging off. Finally there was the weapon by her side, looking as though it were sheathing a blade.

This was Blake Belladonna, member of the White Fang and daughter of Chieftain of Menagerie and former leader of the White Fang; Ghira Belladonna.

"Mind your damn business!" The Store Owner yelled, a growl passing out his lips. "You touch me again I'll-"

"You'll what?" Blake interrupted, a cold glare making the man step back. "Attack a licensed Huntress who stopped you from throwing a glass bottle at children in broad daylight? I'm sure that will go quite well for you."

"I-you..." The Store Owner sputtered with his own words, trying to think of something to intimidate the Faunus. However he wasn't stupid. He only owned the building so anything went in there within "reason" of the laws. Out here however he was risking a lot with the attack on the children and the Huntress.

"You're smarter than others, normally they'd be yelling all kinds of things right now." Blake pointed out with a smile, enjoying the fuming Store Owner. She stepped away as he went back inside with a loud door slam.

She approached the small children who seemed nervous upon seeing her. However upon seeing her smile and extending a hand out to them, they instantly found smiles on their faces. Moments later they were sent on their way, laughing happily with a basket of food and plenty of saved Lien. Blake watched them go with a smile before she turned back to the store with a frown.

'Well that was a nice start to being in Vale.' Blake thought while shaking her head. As member of the White Fang, she naturally kept an eye out for what affected Faunus around the area and by the looks of it even the famous Vale had it's issues with their kind. 'Still, a store owner is far from the worst thing to worry about.'

The Assembly and the Black Talon on the other hand...Blake shook her head at the thought of them. They were naturally enemies of the White Fang and terrorists to the rest of Remnant for their actions. It was odd how such groups could make her angry...and yet sad at the same.

"Is everything alright, Blake?" Blake's ears perked up at the voice as she canceled out her thoughts. She turned around and was greeted with two people.

The first was a tall young man standing 6,1 with fair skin, blond hair and dark-blue eyes. He was quite toned, having strong muscles in his arms, shoulders, and upper chest. He was wearing a white diamond-shaped chest plate with gold trimmings cut off above his lower abdomen, and placed over his shoulders were a pair of white spaulders with similarly-colored bracers just below. Under his armor was a black, long-sleeved, high collared shirt along with a pair of brown gloves with steel knuckles. Along with that he wore a pair of sleek black pants with a satchel belt wrapped around his waist and a pair of white armored boots. Most notable about what he was carrying was the currently sheathed sword by his side, no doubt double edge by how it's shaped, the white and gold Shield currently resting on his back and similar colored helmet under his arm.

The other one was a young woman with a fair complexion, standing 6,0 tall with her red hair in a waist-length ponytail, curled slightly into a loose ringlet. She had light-green eyeshadow around the far upper corners of her vivid-green eyes. She wore a bronze chest piece with gold trimmings cut above her lower abdomen with a black crop top barely visible underneath. Wrapped around her black opera-length gloves were a pair of bronze bracelets where both seemed adjustable. Around her waist was a long red sash tied perfectly around her waist, similar to a skirt with a brown belt around that, having a back satchel attached. She wore ankle high bronze boots with gold trimmings while around her neck a large bronze gorget and a circlet on her head. Finally on her back was a bronze shield and a red, and golden short, double sword.

They were Jaune Arc, Aspiring Huntsman and Pyrrha Nikos, the Unbeatable Champion of Mistral.

Blake had met both while coming aboard their Ship that had left from Mistral and had stopped by Menagerie before taking off for Vale. Their meeting happened by chance when they had accidentally hid themselves in her room to avoid Pyrrha's fans. To their immediate thanks, Blake had allowed them to hide it out mostly for her own sake. It was inevitable that they started talking of course and thankfully it went into the right direction.

Blake introduced herself as a White Fang member from Menagerie and how she was originally heading out on a request. She didn't plan on them to recognize her family name, but Pyrrha did almost immediately. Thankfully they were respectful all the same, listening to her upon not making a big deal about it. She treated Pyrrha the same way upon request upon realizing who she was.

Pyrrha Nikos was currently the unmatched Champion of the Mistral Regional Tournament eight years in a row. She had fought with such power and skill that many believed that she was born as a Warrior and could easily make it as a Huntress. Yet upon the few hours of speaking with her, Blake found her to be quite professional and friendly overall. Despite being a celebrity, Pyrrha was very modest and oddly sociable compared to what was expected. Though she was quite formal, calling Blake by her last name a few times by mistake after she was told she was allowed to use her first.

Jaune Arc was...interesting to say the least. Despite his armor making him look as though he was a proud and stoic Knight, he was kind of a dork in Blake's eyes. But a good dork. He was outgoing, overtly friendly and a bit goofy sometimes during their time on the ship. However it was clear that Jaune was a good man at heart, if a little bold, but good nonetheless. He certainly had no issues expressing himself out to even strangers like herself. He was apparently training under Pyrrha as well for the past four years, apparently after they had fought in Pyrrha's fourth Regional Tournament.

Both of them were best friends it seemed after that, being close to inseparable. Blake even went as far as thinking they were a couple, but it was quickly denied by the duo. Apparently it was a common mistake back in Mistral.

"Sorry. I got a little side tracked." Blake admitted. Originally she was browsing the market and had gotten lost before noticing the commotion.

"I'm just glad we found you." Pyrrha said while holding up Blake's bag. "You left this near a stall. Thankfully Jaune spotted it before anyone could take it."

Blake couldn't help, but to curse herself as she took back her bag. There were some personal items in here involving the White Fang and...other things. Turning to Jaune, she gave him a grateful look. "Thank you. You have no idea how freaked out I'd be if I somehow lost this."

"Really? Kinda hard to imagine you freaked out about anything." Jaune admitted while rubbing the back of his head. Blake always came off as a calm cool type. It felt like it would have been rare to see her panic over anything. "Still, you're welcome."

"Should we find a hotel before heading to this Cafe? The sun will come down soon." Pyrrha said, noticing how late it was into the afternoon it was. The last thing they needed was to be stuck with nowhere to sleep tonight.

"There shouldn't be any need to worry about that. From what I looked up, the Hunter's Rest allows guests to sleep in provided they pay beforehand." Blake explained simply, surprising them. "If we hurry, we'll be able to get a room. So long as we waste time that is."

"Right! Let's get moving then!" Jaune said before briskly walking ahead. He was muttering something about finding a cab while the two girls followed from behind.

"...Blake?" Pyrrha allied her name, earning the Faunus' attention. "Are you sure you're okay? You seemed...annoyed when we found you."

"I'm fine, really." Blake said, offering a smile to the warrior girl. She had no reason to burden the woman with her thoughts on the Assembly or the Black Talon. "Just some White Fang business that I need to think about."

"Well, while I can't speak for those we'll meet, you can count on Jaune and myself if you need any help." Pyrrha told her, as though it were a promise and holding a smile as she said so. Upon seeing Blake's smirk, Pyrrha couldn't help but feel confused. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Not at all. Thank you." Blake said coolly while walking ahead with Pyrrha right behind her. She made a mental note about how good Jaune and Pyrrha were, hoping that those at the Hunter's Rest would be the same.

Being honest, she had low expectations in that field.

---

(Vale, Hunter's Rest) (Late Afternoon)

The Hunter's Rest was not the average Cafe. That was very much clear to both Ruby and Yang as they stopped in front of the building that took up half the city's block. It was in refined condition, almost looking brand new and with several floors. There was even a notable outdoor area where a few people could be seen eating and talking while it sounded much busier inside.

"Yesh. Hope we don't need a reservation." Yang said while parking her bike. Both siblings stepped off with them walking towards the building. "No time to waste. Let's get the show on the road."

"R-right." Ruby said, forcing herself to straighten up as they stepped inside. Unsurprisingly it was bustling with life, with Civilians, Guardsmen and Hunters living it up. "Erm, where should we start?"

"Bar's the place to start." Yang said, pulling Ruby along. They were thankfully able to make it there without so much of a hassle as they came to a stop of the bartender. "Hey-oh."

Currently in front of the bar was neither a Human nor Faunus, but rather a machine known as a Mister Handy. A hovering roundish bot with three retractable eyes and three arms, all of which were holding bottles of alcohol. Painted with a shiny coat of silver and dawning a top hat of all things.

In short, Mister Handys were invented by a Vegas Company known as General Atomics, currently owned by Mr. House. They came in many variants for most of which to own for their domestic lives. Seemed like the Hunter's Rest had the same kind judging by some of them roaming around aimlessly in the back.

"Hello! Welcome to the Hunter's Rest!" The Mister Handy introduced himself cheerfully, using a free claw to tip his hat to the sisters. "My name is Ivan and I'll happily take your order."

"Cool..." Ruby muttered, stars appearing in her eyes. To be fair, Vale wasn't known for it's robotics so it was a rarity to see even one of them around. A soft elbow from Yang brought her back as she stuttered while pulling out Ozpin's Letter. "S-sorry! We were supposed to be meeting Professor Ozpin here."

"Ah! Splendid!" Ivan exclaimed, his closest eye scanning the letter briefly before pulling back. "That's his mark, no doubt there. Unfortunately Professor Ozpin hasn't arrived yet, but you're more than welcomed to await on the second floor. Take the first door to your right and head right on up!"

"Got it. Thank you, Ivan!" Ruby said, already making her way towards the stairs.

"Sorry about her. She's a little excited." Yang explained while Ivan merely chuckled.

"Worry not, I'm used to such excitement." Ivan said, ushering to the building filled with life. Yang could only laugh, waving to the Bar-Tender as she followed after her sister.

Upon reaching the second floor and entering the room, Yang realized that they entirely weren't alone. A few groups of people were sitting at individual tables either chatting amongst themselves or sitting quietly in their spots. It wasn't hard to miss the only girl wearing a red cape, so she quickly joined up with her sister who was sitting silently by herself.

"Life of the party sis?" Yang questioned as she sat down.

"I didn't want to be rude, that's all." Ruby defended herself weakly while Yang frowned. Ruby was at times a shy person when it came to socializing, but she was better than she was a couple years ago. "Plus, I didn't want you to embarrass me when you came out of nowhere."

"You know what? Now I'm gonna embarrass you even harder!" Yang declared to Ruby's horror.

"Yang, no!" Ruby exclaimed while Yang's laughter echoed throughout the room. They got some looks, mostly out of amusement and interest while only a certain few were annoyed overall.

'So much for peace and quiet.' Blake thought, not too bothered. She was just getting back into the room before noticing another person sitting in the far back. 'Did they just arrive? I didn't even notice her till now.'

It was a girl with average height of 5'9, having a pale skin complexion, long sleek onyx hair reaching past her shoulders while her eyes were a pale blue. Blake immediately took notice of the fluffy pair of cat ears upon her head, twitching every now and then. She had on a black, short sleeve shirt beneath a brown leather vest zipped up. Apart from the clean black gloves she wore, she also had silver arm bands placed safely along her arms as well. Along with this came with an amber shaded thin sash tied perfectly around her waist and covering her legs, where black leggings could be seen. Finally she could be seen wearing a pair of tall black boots heading up to her knees and a square plated ruby necklace around her neck.

Despite radiating an air of coolness, Blake could pretty much taste the nervousness the girl held. She was currently forcing herself to clean several arrows from a quiver on her table, no doubt going through them for the fourth time now. Blake had similar habits at times and it was easier for her to spot them.

'...I suppose it wouldn't hurt to speak to her.' Blake thought after a minute. Her mother did tell her to try and make some more friends outside the White Fang afterall. "Excuse me, would you mind if I take a seat?" The girl looked up in surprise before nodding her head. As she cleaned up her area, Blake took a seat down just across from her and offered a smile. "Thank you. My name's Blake Belladonna. It's good to meet you."

"...I-I'm Anno Nightingale." The girl introduced herself, a soft stutter in her tone. However she remained polite all the same, something Blake could handle. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Belladonna."

Blake could only smile in return, taking note of the flush tone that Anno had gained. As whole groups of new Huntsmen talked and relaxed as did the day go by. The cafe only got a little quieter as people down stairs left for home or to head out on another mission. Thankfully they were able to remain patient thanks to the constant service provided for them.

Yet it was only temporarily as the sound of several bottles crashed, making many jump up as a loud yell was heard.

"Whoever that is, I'm killing them." Ebon declared, a dark growl escaping his lips. However Galva offered him a weak smile as he spoke up.

"I'm sure there's no need to worry too much. This is a Hunter's place after all, so it's probably just some fight." Galva said while sitting up. He walked over to the edge, expecting to see some of the more buzzed people. "...Nope. It looks like someone is messing with the bar-tender."

The others on the second floor got curious and looked down as well. As Galva said, someone was messing with Ivan and was looking like a total jackass doing it.

The man stood as tall as Jaune did, having a fair tone on his skin with burnt-orange hair combed backward and indigo eyes. He wore a silver-gray chestplate with gold trimmings, sporting a bird with its wings outstretched. Underneath his armor, he wore a black shirt with red trimmings and black pants with a red sash tied around his waist. He also wore silver-gray armor under the knee boots that matched with the rest of his armor. He was also swinging around a mace with a glare on his face.

"Oh great, him." Yang expressed with a look of annoyance, catching their attention.

"You know him?" Ren asked while keeping a calm hand on Nora's shoulder. She would likely break the man's legs.

"Cardin Winchester." Ruby said, a frown settling on her face. "He graduated with us at Beacon, but we weren't friends with him. He was a bully."

"Well that simplifies how he looks at least." Ebon scoffed out, glaring down at the Winchester-Guy. "Anyone gonna mind if I smash his head in?"

"Nope, but sorry if he is a little soft. Your's truly has been beating the hell out of him for the past four years." Yang declared, quite proudly mind you. However upon seeing Ebon's dismissive snort, she gave him a look that went on ignored. 'Okay, you're on my list Foxy.'

Ebon did not ignore the shiver down his spine and looked around confused.

"You got some nerve you damn bot!" Cardin yelled, smashing the bar table with his mace. However the worst it had done was leave a dent and get a narrowed stare from Ivan. "That is way too overpriced!"

"Sir. As I've informed you several times already. The Nevermore's Bane Wine is priced reasonably. Furthermore, you are the only one who has a complaint with the prices here." Ivan replied quite calmly, his free claw falling off behind. The limb seemed to have to attach itself to something as Ivan gave him an eye-smile. "Now, there shouldn't be any reason to cause such damage to our establishment. If you'd like, I can offer you a much cheaper brand that will be within your preferred price range."

"I ain't poor!" Cardin exclaimed, angrily. However before he could swing it, Ivan's arm swung around before spraying an orange mist into Cardin's face. Instantly the man dropped his weapon and held his face in pain. "AHHHH!"

"Forgive me, but I am very much allowed to defend this establishment and all who reside in it." Ivan declared, going on ignored by Cardin who was now on his knees. The Pepper Spray remained in hand as Ivan continued. "This is the minimum I can do. Please do not test me and see what I'm allowed to do."

"GAH!" Cardin yelled, trying to wipe the pain away. If it wasn't for his Aura, he wouldn't have begun to get his vision back. Once it did, he grabbed his mace and stood straight up with weak glare.

"Need I remind you this is a place for Hunters to rest; hence the name?" Cardin stopped at that and turned around. Despite his blurry vision, he could tell that multiple people were staring at him. Some of which had their weapons drawn. "Now I ask for you to stop and consider your predicament before-OH! Hello Sir!"

'Sir?' Cardin managed to focus up his sight to look at the newcomer.

It was another young man like himself, having a fairish tan-complexioned, standing a solid 6'2 ft high. He had black wavy hair with a slight notable grey patch on top while he had a pair of dark emerald eyes. He was wearing a navy blue shirt, black cargo pants, black combat boots and a weathered down, black, curved up hat with a brown band that hung off behind thanks to a string. On his left arm showed a gauntlet-like glove, having a computer-like device wrapped around it and remained tightly strapped to his arm. There was also a notable harness strapped around him, having a set of pistols strapped to his waist while a sawed off shotgun remained on his back.

"I trust you ran into no trouble on the way here, Mr. Rukido?" Ivan questioned while Rukido walked towards the bar.

"No, it was quite peaceful." Rukido claimed upon stopping at the bar. He immediately took note of the large dent in the counter before snapping his gaze over to Cardin, who was still holding his mace. "I take it you're the one who did this?"

"And what if I did?" Cardin questioned, pressing his mace into Rukido's chest. "All you're doing is over pricing drinks here for no good reason."

"Does that permit a Huntsman to break public property?" Rukido questioned, causally pushing the mace away. "Regardless, I'm only going to ask you to leave now."

"No way. If anything you owe me for the shit service here." Cardin declared, raising his mace back up and looking ready to attack. "If you don't want any trouble then-"

"Not interested, get out." Rukido said simply before turning to Ivan. "Bar's canceled early tonight, make sure everything is cleaned up in the back."

"Consider it already done sir!" Ivan gave a salute before hovering around the back. Upon hearing that the bar was going to be closed, many groaning Hunters started leaving not long after. However Cardin didn't move an inch, feeling a massive amount of anger upon being dismissed so casually.

"Bastard!" He pointed the mace directly in Rukido's face, growling as he did so. However, whatever Cardin was about to say was cut off upon his mace being pushed away and getting struck in his throat. The boy instantly grabbed his throat, gasping and shocking while Rukido picked up his mace and led him out.

"Now, head on home before I get violent." Rukido ordered, pushing Cardin straight out the doors and tossing the mace after him before locking it. "And done with that." He made his way past the Mister Handies moving by to clean up and went straight to the back. Ignoring those on the second floor completely as he did so.

"Awww. He should have broken something." Nora complained with a pout at the lack of a fight.

"I doubt someone like Winchester is worth it." Ren chidded softly to his friend, who turned away.

"Yeah, but it would have been fun to watch." Nora added on with a whine, making the many of them sweatdrop.

"I don't suppose anyone feels like going down and asking about Professor Ozpin?" Blake asked, catching their attention.

"She's right. I for one have waited long enough to see if he would arrive." Weiss agreed, already making her way to the door. She still needed answers for all of this after all, same as the rest of them she would assume.

However she didn't need to do anything upon hearing footsteps from the stairs. Rukido came in first, stepping off to the side to allow another person to step in.

"Ah! Professor Ozpin!" Ruby exclaimed happily while catching everyone's attention.

Ozpin was a middle-aged man with a light complexion, standing 6,6 tall with tousled silver hair and thin brown eyes. He wore an unzipped black suit over a dark green, buttoned vest and green shirt. He also wore black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants while also having a pair of shaded glass spectacles and a small, purple, cross-shaped pin on the cowl around his neck. Above all else, he was carrying his famous cane.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Rose. You as well, Miss Xiao Long." Ozpin said, walking towards the group. He stopped right in front of them, offering them a soft smile upon seeing them all. "I am also happy to see you all accepted my invitation."

"Are you gonna tell us why we're here or keep wasting time?" Ebon questioned, getting a mixture of stares, glares and shocked expressions. He however ignored them with his glare settled on Ozpin. "Well?"

"I do ask that you forgive me for being late, but there were a few loose ends at the Academy that needed to be dealt with." Ozpin explained, not at all bothered and showed it with a smile. Ebon didn't seem to be impressed regardless. "However Mr. Dusk does have a point. I did ask you all to come out far for a good reason. To put it quite simply, I want to have you all come together as a Huntsmen Team."

.

.

.

"...Normally this is the part where questions are asked, but it appears that you're more stunned than I would have expected." Ozpin noted upon seeing most of their gobsmacked expressions.

"It would have been better if you mentioned this in the letter you know." Rukido mentioned, with Ozpin humming in thought.

"Now hold on." Blake said, standing up from her seat. "You want all of us to work together?"

"Yes, though you will be placed in Teams of Four and will have one such person be the Leader. All of which were chosen by myself and my colleagues." Ozpin answered calmly.

"You gathered information about us, I take it?" Ren asked, feeling Nora's hand over his own. He grabbed it gently, not missing her slightly startled expression.

"Naturally." Ozpin chuckled before elaborating further. "I researched every single one of you. From your skills, your positions, your feats. Anything and everything to create this team."

"But...why?" Ruby asked, still feeling confused about the whole matter. "Don't get me wrong, sir, but I don't know why you asked for all of us."

"Especially given how most of us have...different backgrounds." Weiss added on, giving a side stare to Blake. The Cat Faunus noticed it and narrowed her eyes, making the Heiress turn back around. "What reason could you have to bring us together when you have more than enough Huntsmen in Vale to make up Teams?"

"I merely wish to bring a bit of variety between Huntsmen. Though I'll admit, it is a bit unorthodox of me to do so with young men and women coming from different parts of Remnant." Ozpin said, his smile turning a bit more serious. "However this is not a sudden act. This is something that many Academy Headmasters have been considering for quite some time now. Putting together an effective and well skilled Team of Huntsmen is our goal here."

While the Academies did heavily support the idea of Teamwork amongst comrades, they did not make Teams during the school year. The only time a team was made was when certain assignments took place outside of Kingdom Grounds. These however were always temporary and brought up at random to ensure that students weren't shy when working with other Hunters. There were teams that formed together after graduation, those teams were formed based on their bonds through their school years. Only a few teams could be considered noteworthy in that regard.

"With that in mind, I do wish to remind you that this is a choice." Ozpin said, giving them a stare. Regardless of how much he and others would like this team to work out, it was not something he could simply force on them. "I am well aware of how sudden this seems. If you do not wish to be a part of this, then I will happily compensate for temporary housing and your return to your homes."

The newly formed Huntsmen could only look at one another, contemplating what to do with the offer. Ozpin could only look on, awaiting an answer from them all. Moments of silence had gone by with each of them finally looking at the Headmaster from their spots.

"I wanna give it a shot, sir." Ruby declared with a wide smile. Not a second later the others had voiced their own agreements, earning a smile from Ozpin.

'Looks like everything worked out in the end.' Ozpin thought very pleased. While he was very sure they all had their own reasons for agreeing, he knew that they were going to be something great in the future. Even if some had some questionable backgrounds. "I must admit, I was a little worried. However it was all for naught it seems. Rest assured, you will not regret this decision."

They would be the best Remnant had to offer, he would see to that.

"With that in mind, I'll be letting you know your teams." Ozpin said, instantly catching their attention. "Starting off will be Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos and Lei Ren. You will be known as Team JNPR, led by Mr. Arc."

"Wait, what?" Jaune questioned, shocked. Pyrrha playfully punched him in the shoulder while Nora cheered and Ren could only hum with a smile.

"You'll do just fine, Jaune." Pyrrha declared, calming him down from the sudden position. Jaune seriously couldn't believe he was picked and it showed in his expression. Yet it was good all the same in Ozpin's eyes. However time was limited as he moved on.

"Next will be, Rukido, Anno Nightingale, Galva Cadmium and Ebon Dusk. You will be known as Team RNGD, led by Rukido." Ozpin said as reactions varied. Anno seemed impassive while Galva could only shrug and for Ebon to scoff. Rukido merely smiled from behind. No immediate negative reactions, that was good. "Finally will be Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xaio Long. You will be known as Team RWBY, led by Miss Rose."

"Huh?!" Ruby and Weiss exclaimed for different reasons.

"Woo! That's my little sis!" Yang yelled, forcing the red themed girl into a hug.

'I suppose someone of Ozpin's status wouldn't pick at random.' Blake thought, not too bothered by the situation. However she did take note of Weiss' baffled expression. 'Looks like the Schnee isn't too pleased. Ohh well.'

And right she was. Weiss was already hesitant enough with the idea of being a part of a team, but to simply be a follower and not a leader? Worst was that she was passed over for someone that looked just a little younger than her!

Yet she spoke nothing.

'Just calm down. Surely, Ozpin wouldn't pick someone to lead with no thought in mind.' Weiss thought as she glanced over at Ruby. The girl was suddenly ecstatic about the idea of being a leader, making Weiss sweatdrop. 'R-right...?'

"Erm sir? I know we agreed and all, but I still have a few questions." Jaune brought Ozpin's attention to him while holding his bag. "Where are we gonna sleep? At Beacon or a barracks?"

"Actually, you'll be happy to know that accommodations have been made here." Ozpin said, further surprising them.

"We'll be staying...here?" Weiss questioned, sounding none too pleased.

"That you will be." Rukido announced, gaining their attention. "Professor Ozpin spoke to me beforehand and I went through the effort of making arrangements for your rooms."

"Do we get our own room?" Anno asked curiously.

"You all get to sleep in the same room as the rest of your team." Rukido answered, getting a mixture of groans and surprised gasps. "You can thank the Professor for suggesting it."

"Consider it part of Team Building." Ozpin stated with a smile.

"Regardless, I expect you to treat this place with respect. Meaning don't do anything idiotic that can affect the namesake of my bar and don't damage anything." Rukido ordered, a dark gleam in his eye as he looked at them. "There will be a list in your rooms about certain rules and locations within here. This place is much bigger than it looks."

"With that, I must be on my way now." Ozpin announced, stepping towards the stairs. "Be ready for tomorrow however. I have a mission in mind that will surely help you all grow into a proper team."

With that he was gone, leaving the newly found teams to stand awkwardly in the room.

"...So...Can we break into our new digs?" Yang asked, breaking the silence. Rukido only shrugged and motioned them to follow him. They did so, ever so curious about their new home. Least if things worked out.

'Things will be interesting from this point onwards.' Ozpin thought as he stepped out of the building and silently made his way back to Beacon. He already had a proper means to see how they would handle their new teams and adjust with them. However a frown came not too long after as he thought of certain news he received. 'I only hope I never need to involve them too soon in the threats Remnants face...even those they aren't all aware of yet.'

In his old age he knew for a fact that things weren't anywhere close to peace as it seemed.

---

(Vale, Abandoned Train Tunnel)

Deep below the silent streets of Vale was a long abandoned train tunnel. It was being blocked off by a large concrete wall while having broken rails and claw-like marks across it's walls. On it's ceiling was a large turret with a dust barrel pointing at the wall.

It's glowing green light suddenly flashed purple for the moment before turning back to normal. The wall it had been watching suddenly began to rumble before a pulse went off, turning it into dust. Blaring lights came from the other side as several figures could be seen moving into the underground section of Vale.

(Chapter End)

---

A/N: I just want to point out real quick, that the hardest part about writing all of this was thinking up good designs for everyone. Not the story line or who meets who early on or any of that. The designs. Considering I planned on changing them often, I needed to decide who was wearing what and for how long until I stuck them in a new outfit later on in the series. Even if most don't care about it too much, it's something that will annoy me if I ignore it for no good reason...

Oh right, there's a lot more to explain. Best get to it then.

So Magic, Aura, Semblances, ect. To start with here, Aura and Semblances are all considered Magic because having too many power systems can cause it's own issues. That and RWBY's "Magic" is less than stellar. To explain things simple like, Aura is the term used for the magic within one's souls while a Semblance is considered a Unique Magic that they're born with. You naturally cannot learn a Semblance either. So pretty much everything is the same, just everything is considered Magic...in terms of Normal Magic anyway. There will be complicated stuff and more Unique Semblances to consider on my part due to the nature of the future of this story.

Next up, Characters and their meetup. I'll keep it short with the only notable change in terms of meet ups being Jaune and Pyrrha knowing each other.

As for characters themselves, the most important fact is thatMOST of them have taken part in academies/groups within their respective countries outside a certain select few. Weiss is the most notable example taking part in Atlas' Academy which is no doubt more militaristic while Blake would be considered a Huntress due to her training while in the White Fang[Who aren't considered a Terrorist Organization obviously]. So there will be some notable changes within some characters and their personalities.

Next will be the matter of the Academys and the lack of Teams used during their time here. This idea came to mind in order to skip the "School Part" of things because repeating it for the thousandth time would have likely been more boring even with the changes made. Too many things need to happen in order for certain moments to work out and quite frankly, I'm tired of sticking to the normal script. Don't worry though, it just means I have more means to adjust certain things done in the original. Such as the major fight between Weiss and Blake.

It's also why there isn't a partner system either. While good at first, it does tend to have them get along better, but it did rely heavily on those pairs made in the show. Here I don't have to worry about that. They'll still be friends, but a team overall. Just a minor nick-pick.

This also means that everyone is a full fledged Hunter as well in the eyes of everyone. Meaning when it comes to...certain issues in the future, I don't have to feel completely guilty for what I have planned. They are fully trained and ready to fight both Grimm and People alike. Doesn't mean they don't have things to learn.

Well...that should be everything. If not, feel free to question me in the review section and I'll answer as honestly as I can in the next chapter. Until then, I hope you've enjoyed it.