Alright time to get into the meat of it.

JNPR: lost across time and space

Chapter 2 - the invitation

The Taiyang household

Yang stood just right outside of their room, with the tray of food in her hands that their dad had made for them.

She stood there for at least a full minute. She was feeling reluctant to open the door and waking up her sister. She could tell that her sister was having trouble falling asleep lately, especially with the new school year coming up. She wanted to give her sister as much sleep as she could possibly get. She waited there a few more long seconds, staring at the wooden door until she forced out a sigh.

She put her hand on the handle and was about to open the door but before she could, she heard quiet talking from inside the room. "I want them back…I want them all back."

Her hand that was on the handle froze, then it began to tremble a bit. With some effort, she managed to open up her hand and free it. There was a dull and pained look in her eyes as she stared at the door. She dared not to try and listen to anything from the other side now, unless she wanted to hear her only sister cry her eyes out again.

Her sister, her team leader and possibly her only team member left. And wasn't that a depressing thought? They were going to be back at beacon…alone. She had all kinds of feelings about that but she could not imagine what this was all doing to her sister. Are they still a team? Can they still call themselves that if there are only the two of them? She did not know.

Yang hated this...She really did. She hated how much her hands trembled. She hated how dull her eyes were lately whenever she was reminded. She hated how powerless she always felt lately but most of all, she hated how much all of this was doing to Ruby.

She racked her knuckles on the door and waited. Gave whatever time Ruby needed to freshen up and be ready, before entering their room. Once the door was open, she stepped in and had a quick side look at her. She was disheveled a bit but not too bad, small bags and redness around the eyes but it was not the worst state she ever saw her in. "Hey sis, are you okay? How are you feeling?" She moved over by her bed and put down the food tray.

Yang gave her a small smile even if she did not feel it.

Now begins the hard part. She has been meaning to talk to her sister about school but the time was never right, but it seemed like that 'time' was never coming. Yang sat down on her bed, turned towards her sister and forced herself to speak. "Look, I know how you feel about going back to beacon bu-" but before she could say anything about how they were in this together, she heard yelling from down stairs.

"HEY GIRLS, CAN YOU COME DOWN QUICKLY! WE GOT VISITORS THAT NEED YOUR HELP." Her dad's voice carried up the stairs. She did not want to think about it, but she was kind of glad she got saved by the bell.

Yang looked back to her sister. "Hey, we should probably go see what dad wants, maybe it's uncle Qrow that needs help with something," Ruby gave a slow nod to her and got up, she was about to leave the room with the glass of milk from the tray but Yang stopped her. "You… should probably get dressed, sis. Just in case." Yang gave a quick glance up and down to tell her that she was still in her PJ's.

Ruby looks down at herself and then nods.

After her sister got dressed for the day, they made their way down stairs. Now what did dad want exactly? Well whatever it was, must have been important if Ruby couldn't even eat first before making them move down stairs.

"We are in here girls." Tai sounded from the kitchen. They moved into the room and found four guys sitting around the table. One being their dad, then there was uncle Qrow, headmaster Ozpin and last but not least was a man that neither she or her sister ever saw before. They each had their own drink in front of them, most had coffee or something similar except for Qrow, who had his own drink of choice.

It was the unknown person's presents that drew her attention. He was wearing a black suit with a royal blue vest underneath, clean black slacks and leather tap shoes for some reason. His face had no remarkable features of any kind and he had simple short black hair. If it wasn't for the way he was dressed, he would be one of those people you could easily forget. A face that was just like any other person on the street. "You girls may want to have a seat for this." Tai said to his daughters.

There was a certain tension in the air among the four and Yang was not having a good feeling about this, she looked over to her sister and she could tell Ruby was feeling the same. "Is it… bad?" she winced. Preparing herself for the worst kind of news.

It was Headmaster Ozpin that spoke next. "No no no, nothing of the sort. But please, do have a seat. We have a few things to discuss… and some of it will be a bit of a heavy topic for the both of you," Oh Oum, it is going to be bad if he said it like that. "But where are my manners? We have someone at the table that you girls haven't met yet." He gestured to the individual then to the two empty chairs before anything continued.

Her and Ruby took their seats tentatively next to their dad and uncle, the man across from them waited and then finally spoke. "Hello, it's good to finally meet the both of you. Now I don't really have a name that I can give you right at this moment, but you girls can call me V.H for now. My colleagues that I work with may call me by a different name, but you won't have to meet them until later. You girls may not know me or even met me before but your headmaster and uncle here told me alot about you," He set his hands on top of each other on the table, rubbing his thumbs over each other as he spoke. Then he slightly leaned forwards at the end. "And what happened last year at this 'Vytal'."

Yang felt her arms tense and her eyes dull a bit at the mention but she managed to sake most of it off. She had time and help from her dad to try and get over it or at least accept what happened that night. But there was only so much you can accept before realizing that nothing was ever going to be the same after that. But she believed she could get through it even though it hurt her alot to accept. What she was worried about was Ruby.

"Ah but I'm trying my best not to bring up any bad memories from that day from either of you. What I want to talk about is who was there, not the event itself. That's the whole reason why I am here, both Ozpin and Qrow said you girls may have more information for what I need." That calmed Yang down a little bit but at the same time what does he want to talk about? White fang? The Tournament? Maybe Atlas? Whatever information he wants, Ozpin probably knows more…unless it was more personal.

That left not a whole lot of people. Of those she knew back then, most if not all were gone now, one way or another. Either drift apart from the closing of beacon afterwards or not making it.

"V.H… it's probably best if you show them." Qrow said to the man as he patted a hand on Ruby's shoulder. She was looking down a lot, staring deeply into her glass, she hadn't spoken yet.

He gave a nod to Qrow. "Very well," V.H looked towards Ozpin. "You got the folder?" Ozpin nodded and handed it over to him. V.H proceeded to get up, open the folder and place pictures onto the kitchen table. Yang leaned forward and looked down.

On it were pictures of team JNPR.

Oh.

Whatever feeling she had before came crashing back down again. This time, there was not a whole lot of resistance. Sadness was on the forefront, and a whole well of feelings not too far behind. Oh she knew and saw what happened to them. Everyone did since it was broadcasting before it got cut, that feeling she got only worsened when she remembered Ruby's take on it since she was there with them when it happened.

She did not want to believe it back then. They were just such a constant in their lives in beacon that imaging them not there was impossible. But that next morning told her all she needed to know. Not one of them made it out of there. They were just…gone.

"Now I need you to listen carefully, the reason why I'm showing you this is to not only just get information about them from the two of you. Since I know you guys were close friends," After he set the folder down on the table, he went back to his seat and sat back down, bringing his hands together again. "But it is also to let you know that we found them alive."

Yang froze on her chair for a few long moments. Stunned. Her world seems to slow down. It took her mind to slowly catch up to what he was saying. Wait, they're-

Krshh

The sound of breaking glass right next to her, alerted her. She looked over to find Ruby covering her mouth as she tried to catch her breath and get her breathing in order. Tears from her were coming down, Yang looked down to see the glass she just had, had fallen onto the floor.

This…has to be a joke right? No, it can't be. Dear Oum, please don't let it be.

In her head, she was waiting for something bad to happen. A sudden blare, laughter or all of this turning out to be a dream she was just having. She waited. Daring beyond belief she was not dreaming and wasn't about to wake up.

Moments past. nothing.

Taiyang went to stand only for Qrow to put a hand up for him. "Let me… sit with them. They'll need it." Qrow sat up and left the room to grab something for the glass. Tai understood and remained seated, he then put his arm around his youngest shoulder and gave her a side hug. Then did the same with her.

It was that comfort from her dad that told her she was not dreaming.

Yang's mind was finally catching up fast now. They're alive… They are alive… Holy shit they are alive! Like actually alive! Hah ha

Yang felt her entire body sag, arms falling to the side like wights. She has never felt more relieved than she was right now. There was a sudden rush going into her head that was making her feel a bit dizzy. Something hot was running down her face in trails, but she did not care.

Four of her friends that she thought were dead, thought that she would never see again…were alive, good even.

"Th-th-ere aliv-e? Wher-re are th-ey? Are the-y here? Are they sa-fe?" Ruby tried her best to talk but she was still a bit choked up from earlier revelation. Leave it to her sister to ask them before anyone else! Yang could see she was trying her absolute best to try and calm herself.

Oum this was honestly good fucken news! Great even! They both really needed this. Ruby especially with how things were going lately.

But it was Ozpin's turn to talk again. He straightened up his back and with his hot coco in hand he stared them both head on. "Now, miss Rose, miss Xiao Long, well I know that this is good news to the both of you, that no great ill has fallen onto team JNPR during the Vytal festival. And that is indeed true…it can not be said currently," He took a drink and put down his mug on the table. "But most of all, it pains me to tell the both of you that I can't speak more of it. They are alive but not safe."

Wait, what?

"What do you mean they are not safe? Are they hurt? Are they in danger? Can we go see them or help them?" It was Yang that managed to find her voice first. Well it was one thing to know that your friends are good and that they are alive, it was entirely another thing to know that they were in danger or could still be.

And if they are in danger? Then there was nothing she would not do if it meant helping them come back into their lives.

"Yea-h, whe-re are they? How can I- help?" and it seems like she was not the only one who thought that too.

"Well, it's good to know that you both care so much about your fellow students as much as I am. And believe me I can tell," Ozpin gave a smile and then put down his glasses. "But I'm afraid that I or we… can't say too much on the subject, at least not currently."

There was a shock that ran up her entire frame when he said that. What did he mean he can't say much? He himself just said he knew how much this news meant to us. How can he not tell us more? We have to Know!

Yang felt something warm build up deep inside of her.

What was the point in letting us know if they are alive if we can't even see them! NO NOT HAPPENING! We at least deserved to know!

One quick look over told her that her sister desperately wanted to know more, as much if not more than even her.

"Ozpin…What's the meaning of this? Surely if you know that they're alive, you can at least tell them what is happening to their friends." It was Tai that spoke to the two men across from them as Qrow got back from clearing the glass. Thank god for her dad, she came really close to calling them out.

"Tai, let me be the first to tell you that we all want to tell you and the girls of what is happening to them. Believe me, I really do…but it's the nature of why they left in the first place that we can't really say," Qrow gave them all a look, then he sighed. "And…It is also precisely that reason why we can't help them either."

"AND WHY CAN'T WE!" Yang could no longer keep it in as they tried to dodge around the question. She was getting angry and Ruby was looking even more disheartening.

"Well, that's the thing, We can't help them. At least not currently, and the reason why that's the case is because they are simply not here," V.H told the girls and Taiyang. "But there is a way to go see them and I will be more than willing to take you all. But if you do, you have to listen to what we have to say. There will be conditions, and there is stuff you can't let anyone else know." he gestured with one of his hands.

"Or…you could tell me what I need to know about them and we could let the two of you know how your friends are doing but you won't get anymore then that. It's really up to you." he gestured with his other hand.

Both Ruby and Yang look at each other. Yang took a moment to look past all her tears and the mess that was on her sister's face. This was maybe the first time she saw her sister being herself again after so long. There was a certain light in her eyes and she just knew what she really wanted. And if they are going to see what happened to their long lost friends? Then it was already a foregone conclusion what their answer was going to be.

After giving their answer to them and making sure it was what they really wanted. They were put in an hour long discussion with both Ozpin and Qrow. What came next was maybe one of the most confusing and far-fetched stories any of them have ever heard. But as the talk went on, Ruby was starting to see stuff put together in her head that did not make sense to her at the time when she was with JNPR.

How distant Pyrrha was being to them and how concerned Jaune looked at her before she got on stage.

Did she really believe them? Possibly. Ruby really wanted to, especially if it was coming from both her uncle and headmaster. but there is only a certain amount of 'truth's' you can take in before it just becomes unbelievable. Maiden's? Maybe, that could be explained with a wild semblance once upon a time…but Salem? She was slowly drawing a line in her head.

During the entire talk, V.H listened intently as everything was laid out to them.

Honestly, she was just about willing to believe in anything they told her, if it meant seeing them again.

Alive... That single word gave her so much hope. Her entire body felt like putty in one's hands after a while. The feeling was so strong, she could not control her body and emotions for a bit when it was announced. It took her some time and control breathing to come back down but she would not have it any other way. It was maybe the single best news she ever got.

She never told anyone but she has been having dreams of them lately, especially with the new year. Not just JNPR but all of them. All back at beacon just like how it all once was…Before it all went downhill again when everything began to play out like a film on repeat. Pyrrha, then Jaune, Ren and last was Nora. all playing out and she could not do a thing to stop it. Then there was the fighting. It always ends the same, falling down and crying.

Maybe seeing them again would put an end to her personal nightmare she has been having. She believed it would.

Gods she must have look like a mess right after. And if she's getting looks from Yang, she most likely was.

But none of that really matters now. Once everything was said and done, V.H finally got up from his chair and told them all they would be leaving soon. He waited by their front door while they got their things together and made sure the neighbor was willing to look after Zwei while they were gone.

Before they left. It was Qrow that got her attention. "Hey kiddo, you know it was me that convinced them to come here first before they did anything right? Once I heard who it was they found, I just knew you two would want to tag along." he reached over to try and rustle her hair but it was he who got stuck first by her into a full hug.

"Thank you…you have no idea what this alone means to me." Ruby hold him tighter.

"Huh, yeah I know. It was one of the things you two would always mope about. But now that we know that they are alive, you two should stop moping, it really does not suit you," he said with a small smile. "There is only room for one in this family and it is me." Qrow gave a small laugh and took a swig of his drink.

"Haha yeah… sorry about all that." Ruby tried to brush it off.

"Hey, you should not apologize. You were just hurt and disheartened about your friends. You should never be not sad about that. It just means that you cared a lot for them," He patted her shoulder. "Now, why don't we go see what they've been up to."

With that little encouragement they were all ready. V.H looked at them all then he turned to open their front door only to find another door on the other side waiting, He blinked. "Oh, already? I Was…not expecting that so soon." He sounded a bit uncertain but still remained undisturbed.

That was until the door suddenly slammed open from the other side and a man was right face to face with him. "THERE YOU ARE!" The man suddenly yelled. "We have a problem! Like right now." he gestured with both hands pointing down. "Well, there are actually two but that's not important right now! You are good with people right? V.B is not doing so hot and V.O is trying to help," There was yelling coming from the back. "Annnnd it's going as well as expected from those two."

"Excuse me! Can you 'guys' tell me how long I have to wait? It's been HOURS!" A shrill was coming from the door. Everyone winces from the pitch the voice made except for two. Ruby herself could recognize that voice from anywhere.

She and Yang push the two guys blocking the door into the new room. They all stumbled forward until they stopped, lo and behold, Weiss was standing in front of the ascending stairs at the center of the room talking to two sets of guys trying their best to calm her down. "Do you guys have any IDEA WHAT I-!" She stopped mid rant mouth open, as she stared at Ruby and Yang from across the room.

There was a silent moment between them. Then another. Then finally a glyph formed under the both of them as they were pushed forward unexpectedly. The small girl manages to stop both of them with another before they collided with anything. Weiss then wrapped Ruby in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you," then did the same for Yang. "And you. It's been way too long." Weiss' frame was beginning to shake a bit, a curtain glint was enveloping her eyes.

Ruby could tell her emotions were coming back full force. Her breathing became heavy but she was ready this time. So instead of letting her emotions run its course and damned her, she just did the next best thing. She hugged them both. A comfortable setting was had between them. After a while they broke it.

Weiss had a smile on her face the entire time. "Again it's so nice to see the two of you, You guys have been on my mind all the time back home… There has not been a day where I have not missed either of you." Weiss grabbed both of their hands into hers. Now it may be just Ruby's imagination but Weiss has never been so handsy or affectionate to touching, but honestly, she was not complaining. It's been a long while since she saw her partner.

And it looked like Weiss felt the same as well.

"Ruby was it?" A woman not far off said her name. If she tried to remember correctly she was Weiss' sister, Winter? "I would like to say it was a surprise to see you here, but it probably wasn't."

The rest were able to join them by the stairs, they all had smiles on their faces from their little reunion. Ruby tried not looking at them and instead, had a look around the building. The building itself was not absolutely amazing nor modern. If anything it was like their home, mostly made of wood and had a bit of open space. For a building that can have doors open just about anywhere it was surprisingly mundane.

"Looks like it works itself out, didn't it?" V.H told the man who opened the door. "Is everyone back?" The man shook his head. "Damn… well, we could probably start. I'm sure the V.C won't mind." The man was about to point out something to V.H when the front door slammed opened again.

'I'm finally back! You guys have no clue, how hot It could get by the coast! It could burn just about anyone. Btw, I brought these weirdos with me." Another man walked in with three people not too far behind. Two of them seemed not to mind the name calling but it was the smaller one who talked back.

"We are not weird!" Blake hissed back. Her angry face was shot at him then she scanned the room and the people gathered, Her face immediately fell upon those she recognized. Any anger she was feeling evaporated like smoke, it was then replaced with something else. Guilt.

Like before there was a silent moment but unlike last time, this time there was tension in the air. Nothing but looks were had between them and the girls.

The other two that were with her were a male and female cat faunus. The woman coughed into her hand. "Is this them Blake?" The woman cat faunus asked her softly. She did not say anything except nod her head. "Well goodness, it's great to finally meet your friend's Blake." she said as the silence only got louder.

Ruby was not sure how to feel right now, on one hand she was glad and happy to see that Blake was ok and was fine. To finally get her answer to what happened to her after that day. It was relieving to see her, if not pleased.

On the other hand…She was hurt. And it hurt a lot. Months of wondering, of speculating about what happened to her. Oh she knew she made it to that next morning with the rest of them but after that? Nothing.

Looking over to her sister, she saw that Yang had a lot of looks on her face. Throwing her head back and forth in little arc's. Ranging from Happy, to frustration, anger and then disappointment.

"oohohoh! You know what, this actually looks fun to watch. There's nothing like awkward meetings, and I could tell there's a bit more going on here,"The one who led them told V.H, elbowing him in the ribs. "You know, she was on my ass the entire time that I was over there."

V.H could only look at him. "V.C, could you like, stop. We already have enough problems as it is." Luckily before any more comments came from him, they were all interrupted by even another man from the second floor. He rushed to the railing and yelled down.

"Her- shit, V.H you're finally here! Me and the others were trying to get in contact with you for days! We have a development with the group we are looking after," the man looked around, finding everyone was staring at him. He grimaced. "It's…pretty bad."

"WHAT! What happened! Are they dead? Or did we just lose them?! Please, tell me it's the ladder." the one up stairs nodded. V.H covered his face with his hands and released an explosive sigh. Ease course through the man and so did everyone else gathered.

"Thank god, thought for a second there, that this entire trip was going to be a bust… Could you three show me what happened to them? And…" V.H looked back to the rest of them. "I kind of…promised these folks here that I would at least show them who we are looking after." he gave a weak smile.

"Hey man, it does not really matter to me. I'm not the one dealing with them afterwards." the guy said before leaving the railing and returning back to wherever he was.

"sigh Ok," he turned to them all. "I did promise you guys that I'll be showing your lost friends. Not sure what the others said to you folks," He looked towards both Blake and Weiss's groups. "but I'm assuming it's the same thing," V.H waited for someone to say something. When nothing came, he nodded to them. "Well then, if you follow me and my colleagues, we'll show you where to go."

Now that she was looking and paying attention to the people around her, she just noticed something. Every single new person she met here looked almost exactly the same. The only real differences between them all were their hair style and the color of their shirts. No wonder they used other names, perhaps they were all related. This would not be the first time she met a person with a big family.

They all followed V.H and co. Some had high spirits and others, not so much. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Yang was looking at Blake with a bit of a look on her face she could not tell. The headmaster was talking to V.H and Qrow. And Weiss was just glad to be with them all again and was walking right next to them.

Well whatever comes next they would be getting their answers. She just hoped JNPR was fine and whatever they're going through, is not going to be too bad.

Theater room

They were all brought into a big room with comfy looking chairs all coming down in a descending order, the chairs were pointing at a massive white screen to the far back wall. Ruby was confused at first, however she remembered that V.H told them all that he was going to show them. Not meet or talk to them. She was disheartened a little yet she was glad she was here at least.

They all kind of stayed in their little respective groups when finding their seats. There were plenty of chairs but not a whole lot so they were still relatively close. In the upper back, V.H and his colleagues were talking and fiddling with a machine with a lens attached to it.

"Got it?... Ok," V.H raised his voice for everyone. "Just for your information, me and my friends here have been keeping track of your friends for quite some time. At first we had no idea who they were at the beginning but with the help of the headmaster here," He pointed to Ozpin. "We now know who they are."

"Now at some point earlier this week we lost track of your friends. Luckily for all of us, we have a bit of footage before we did," He looked down at all of them. "Let me be the first to say that this is not the first time this has happened. But until we find and locate them again, I can't promise you they are safe, let alone alive."

Worry creeped into her heart. "Now my friends here are going to show you the last ten minutes before we lost them," V.H sat on one of the upper seats before continuing. "Just…prepare yourselves a bit."

Ruby could feel a cold sweat was coming on. Her mouth felt dry and her hands were a bit clammy. No, they are going to be fine. They have to be.

The screen opens up to a vast open flat land of orange sand and dirt as far as the eye could see. The sky itself was crystal blue with nothing in sight. Wind blew dust and sand over the empty desert in waves, making the land itself look very desolate and eerie. There was simply nothing on screen. Only emptiness.

"There's nothing here." Yang said, looking everywhere to find anything.

"Is this Vacuo's desert?" Weiss asked her sister.

"Maybe…Are you sure we are watching the right thing?" Winter said to them as the video continued. One of the guys working in the back nodded and pointed at the screen.

As the wind hallowed across the desolate landscape, A low rumbling could be heard, It was barely audible, almost like a whisper. Then the rumbling grew in intensity as the video played out. The ground itself was beginning to shake hard as it drew closer, until only a Low deep roar of something was the only thing that could be heard.

Then several fast shapes came screeching across the screen at a frightening fast paste before the screen moved and locked onto the last one as it passed by.

On screen, there was a massive black land oil tanker ripping through the desert. Sand and dirt was kicked up and back the vehicle as it sped along. From the looks of it, it was a heavily armored looking tanker that was scraped together from all kinds of different vehicle parts from top to bottom. The low growl it made as it moved and the pure black color, gave it a very intimidating look on the desolate road.

The sounds of multiple combustion engines were drowning out the entire theater room, each and everyone of them were whirling in high and low pitches. However that was not the only sound there was. There were sounds of people yelling and screaming that could be heard, along with sounds of grinding metal and explosions.

Everyone watching was stunned at the sudden reveal as the video played. Most felt disoriented and jumpy by it, yet as soon as that feeling arrived, it died off quickly as they got their bearings together. Soon all were back paying close attention to the screen.

On top of the tanker, there were multiple people moving around. Almost every one of them was shirtless and had a sickly pale white skin color like chalk. Each of them had sticks or metal poles in their hands with bulbous tips as they tried to stay on the massive vehicle as it raced along. The moving tanker they were riding on was not alone on its route, as multiple vehicles of all shapes and sizes were riding next to it. Each and every one of them was bizarre looking, all were rusted and had metal spikes all over them, some had buzzsaws and others even had the very same poles the people on board had.

It soon became clear to what was happening. They were getting attacked and/or raided. The people on the tanker were yelling at each other while the one's on the sides were throwing their poles down onto the oncoming rusted vehicles. As soon as some of the poles connected, the vehicle next to them exploded on impact but it still remained mostly intact and on course. The grinding of metal was coming from a buzzsaw sticking out on the vehicle side door, it looked like the driver was trying to cut into the sides of the tanker's wheels to slow it down or completely stop it.

The threatening vicious display on screen left everyone feeling apprehensive or uneasy. The skin color of those on board was off putting to most. No one had ever seen anything like this or close to any of this.

The faunus in the room had to cover their animal ears. The high pitches and whirling sounds were starting to push on their ears a little bit. Blake had to cover her top ears as she just used her human ones.

"They're so pale…that can't be normal." Yang said as she looked at them.

"These explosions are no joke. These things they are throwing are packing, and could seriously kill a person." Qrow said as he watched the carnage play out taking it all in. In his time as part of the Branwen tribe, there have been fight's where it was clearly bad but it never became this bad. The people on screen looked like they were out for blood. And from the looks of things, it was. Why are these people fighting each other? What in the world was going on here?

"Just where is this happening? It couldn't be Vacuo…This would have been everywhere on the news if it did." Winter said as she tried to place just where this was taking place in her head.

On top of the Tanker, there were two individuals who stuck out like a sore thumb and were not like the others on board. Neither had pale skin and both had some level of clothing to them. Each of them looked worn down and their clothing matched their appearance. In spite of all that, it was something else that got everyone's attention. It was the familiar looking faces and hair color that told everyone in the room just who they were. Jet black hair with a strip of pink and dirty blond, It was the two boys from JNPR.

Up until this very moment, Ruby herself was relying on pure faith and hope that what V.H and his colleagues told them all, was really true. That they found them.

To finally see for herself that they were alright and among the living still, brought a blanket of warmth around her. There was dampness around her eyes when she looked at them. She wanted to laugh and cry.

She would be the first one to admit that she knew deep down, she was in denial for some time. There was always a small part of her that told her they were dead, that believing otherwise was not only foolish, it will only hurt her more in the end. To see that not only was it wrong, but having definitive proof of them alive brought great joy in her heart.

Yang, who was sitting right next to her, brought her into a one armed hug. She leaned her head right on top of hers and rested it there. A small stuttering breath was the only thing that came out from either of them.

"They are…Ok." Blake said in a quiet voice. Arms falling from her head as she collapsed into her chair, her eye's did not leave the both of them as the world around her muted out. The older female cat faunus saw her and brought her arms around Blake to draw her in, she simply held her close while they watched.

Weiss stared for a long moment, first at both of them then she looked at one of them. "That…stupid idiot." Weiss could not stop herself from saying. Even with that slight remark at Jaune, her face said otherwise. Eyes were glossy and her chin quivered slightly. She was glad to see them again.

After some time, they all began to relax. But eventually, even ultimately knowing for sure they were watching them and not that long ago. A part of the girl's mind wondered just where the other half of their team was. They could see that Jaune and Ren were at least together. But where was Nora and Pyrrha?

"Focus on that driver side door!" Jaune said to the men next to him in a slightly raspy voice. The men nodded as one and began throwing their sticks. He then turned around to look at Ren. "Ren! How's your end?" He yelled over the noise, handing a man an explosive pole offhandedly.

Ren, who was watching the saw blade cut into the side of the tanker on his end, sparks were flying everywhere and had to cover his own face from the light it was given off, yelled back. "Not good! They're cutting far too much into the war rig!" he said as he pulled back his own pole and was about to throw it down himself, but then stopped when he heard something in front.

Just then a non-rusted vehicle right in front of the tanker revved up and pulled around to Jaune side. On it was a big harpoon gun attached to the back of the vehicle. The chalk looking man operating It was lining up his shot.

All the good feelings that team RWBY had, was dropped quickly when it became apparent just who was getting attacked. Then it became alarmed to what Jaune and Ren were doing and taking part in.

"What are they doing!" Weiss yelled when she saw both of them attacking the rusted drivers.

That feeling doubled when the vehicle with the harpoon pulled up front.

"They're not seriously going to use that…right? That thing is going to shred the car, including the driver." Yang said, suddenly feeling very tense at the moment.

Then the man pulled the trigger. Two large explosive tipped harpoons were shot out and entered the vehicle's front hood and passed right through. The resulting explosion flipped the offending car high in the air, twisting and burning around until it came crashing down to its final resting point on the road.

"YEAH" "WOH" "WAR" the pale men yelled and bellowed together, each raising their weapons in pride for the takedown. Jaune, who was watching, looked back at the flaming wreck that was slowly disappearing in the distance. He had a stained look on his face for a second but it soon disappeared as he turned around and moved up to the tanker's cabin.

The destruction and havoc that was shown shocked everyone in the room. Some covered their mouth and some had big open eyes to the violent way the car was destroyed and the driver killed. The scene left most feeling repulsed or in disbelief at what they were seeing. They just saw a murder happen right in front of them.

At the heart of it all, were both Jaune and Ren. The two were not only present but actively participating in the takedown of the attacking driver, leaving them all at a loss for words. Lastly there was the way Jaune looked, almost unbothered and the casual dismissal at the very end.

"What is this? This is so…Barbaric." Weiss needed to say as to what she was witnessing on screen.

"This can't be right, they would never..." Ruby whispered in a quiet voice. Horror filled her with what she was watching her lost friends do.

"These are still students right? What in the hell happened to them?" Taiyang said as he watched his daughter's friends help kill a man. It was not the killing that was really bothering him, it was the dismissal and callous nature they were seemingly a part of. It went against everything his daughters told him about them.

Jaune held and hooked around the cabin when he got near the front. Dust and sand was kicked up towards him and the sound of its engine only became more prominent when he got near its doors. He hugged its side and held onto the passenger side window. Inside of the cabin was one disheveled looking girl patching up and a roguish woman driving. The one driving had some face paint on her and was missing an entire arm but had a scrap one on instead. On the other side of the cabin was another girl hanging on the driver side door. The two girls in/on the cabin were the other half of the missing team.

Pyrrha was gasping and grunting on the passenger seat, as she was trying to close and patch a hole in her shoulder. Blood was oozing from the hole but nothing life threatening. As she worked on the front, a bloody bolt rolled off her lap and onto the floor.

Much like their male counterparts, the two girls were equally disheveled. Dirt and grime were plastered everywhere on them and even Pyrrha's red long hair was cut short to shoulder level.

"Nora! We are going to need your help on your side." Jaune yelled across the cabin.

As soon as she heard him, she looked over. A brown leather eye patch with a pink heart sewn on it was covering her left eye.

The entire room was only happy to see them. It was not just the boys on the tanker but the whole team. Everyone was still torn up on what they were doing, however it was still good to see them all.

Then it became concerning when they saw the state Pyrrha was in.

"Shit, that must sting like hell." Qrow stated, suddenly very aware of his own shoulder and drinking from his flask.

"Why is her aura not healing her? Is hers already shattered?" Blake said as tried to imagine what or who could beat down the invincible girl like that. She was the best in their first year and here she was bruised and bleeding. It did not sit well with her at all.

Suddenly all four girls gasped when they all saw Nora's eye.

"My Oum, what happened to her eye?" Ruby whimpered out, voice full of pity at seeing her.

Weiss moved her own hand to her eye. touching the scar running down it. Immediately feeling very insecure about it and looking at Nora's. Just a few more centimeters deeper and she would have lost hers as well.

"I can see that!" Nora looked back to the remaining attacking car, just behind that one was another one trying to catch up. "I only got two shots left!" She lifted her weapon up which was a short single shot grenade launcher.

"Then you got to make them count!" Jaune yelled back before climbing back to the tanker.

"Gladly," she smiled, Nora looked at the woman. "Driver? Would you please?" The woman who was watching the road ahead, slammed her foot down on the makeshift gas pedal locking it in place.

Grabbing her makeshift weapon on the bottom side of the chair, She opens the drivers side door and swings along with it outward. Both Nora and the driver look back and shoot their weapons at the rusted vehicle. The shots connected on the front hood and the force sent the car flying back in a fireball. The car behind it had no time to move away from the incoming flaming wreck and collided with it. Both cars were crushed on impact and upturned. Parts from both cars broke off in a spray as they sped away.

The road battle they were witnessing was finally settling in for the lot of them. The noises and speeds they were hearing were not bothering them as much anymore. Sadly that sentiment could not be said about the actual fighting. The harsh fiendsized combat had a savage and ruthless way to it, it left everyone just disturbed.

Immediately after they saw Nora and the unknown driver takedown yet another car, the carnage left the bulk of them in dismay.

Why were they doing this? What had them resort to this? Surely there must be a reason right? They wouldn't just…go killing people off if there was no other way right? Ruby's head was hurting as the people she knew back at beacon and those on screen felt like a complete set of different people all together. Yet she knew they're the same group of friends that was just across from them.

The road was calm for a few seconds as the battle settled down. Most in the room relaxed and so did those on the tanker. Then in the far back where the vehicles that had just collided, they were forcibly pushed aside as yet another driver came barreling forward. This time a six wheeler truck came roaring down the road after them, Just as rusted and spiky like its car brethren. It had a saw blade in front of it on a crane and on the back of the massive truck was another crane with its bucket still attached. A small normal spiky car followed behind it to back it up.

!

Just when they thought it was over, another vehicle came out. Almost as big as the tanker itself. The brutal looking truck was maybe the only thing that was a legitimate threat to them now.

As questionable and problematic team JNPR was being and behaving to them right now, they still wanted them to be safe and alive at least. That was the whole point of them being here after all.

"SHIT!" Ren yelled as it drew closer. "Jaune! Get your ass up here, NOW!" Him and the men around him got their weapons ready. Jaune came climbing up next to him. "We may be just in luck, I don't see anymore than those two."

"Gods I hope so," Jaune grimaced for a moment, shook his head and looked back. The two vehicles sped up even closer, then he looked even further back. Over the flat hazy horizon, he saw a single car speeding up to them with fire blasting behind it and even further back was a mass of blobs of something moving around. "Fuck me…looks like they're not alone."

Ren looked where his leader was looking. "Fuck…How did they found out so fast." Ren all but shouted out.

"I don't know, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. Let's just deal with these bastards first." Jaune said as he lifted a pole for Ren and himself.

To say all those from beacon were shocked was a big understatement. None of them have never heard Ren yell or speak out to anyone or anything ever, let alone curse.

"That's…I don't know how I feel about that, Is this the first time I ever heard him swear?" Yang dug into her memory and rubbed her temples as she looked at Ren. Shit must be really hitting the fan if even him is cursing out.

Then they all saw what Jaune was talking about.

"There must be at least dozens of them." The male faunus called out.

In the back. Ozpin, who had been quiet during the entire screening, finally spoke up when he heard a bit of information back and forth from the two boys. "What are you two up to?" he said quietly. So far his missing students were engaging in some horrific fighting, but perhaps there was a reason behind it. He hoped so.

The speeding flaming car in the far back was finally catching up to the rest of the convoy. The flaming exhaust it was spitting out was cut off as it got near the attackers, the pale man in the back of the car began throwing poles at the truck's backend. To everyone's horror and disgust, there was a man attached and chained up to the very front of the car, like a car ornament for all the world to see. The man had a cage over his mouth and was struggling in his restraints as he was forced to deal with every rock, sand and embers kicked/thrown his way.

The audience watching was having a hard time looking at the screen as they saw such cruelty be carried out by the pale men. Ruby gagged at the scene and wanted to throw up. It was becoming much harder to understand why Jaune and his team were doing any of this.

As the boys on board the tanker throw down their poles on the truck. One of the chalk men went to the far back of the tanker to use a small mounted harpoon gun. Instead of using it on the truck itself, he aimed for the small car. He traced the car slowly until he had his shot lined up and took it.

What everyone thought was just another harpoon gun was actually a catching harpoon. The shot struck true on its rusted roof and a metal cable was pulled tight as the small car went left and right. The pale man looked back to his allies and shouted in glee.

All the pale boys on board roared back to him and one even handed a pole to him to be the first one to throw. He accepted it just as the roof was pulled right off the car.

The entire room saw what the attacking drivers looked like for the first time since starting this. The drivers were bound to leather all over, from head to toe. They had all shorts of bits and baubles hanging on them. All different kinds of animal parts and small bones.

As soon as the roof tore open, the pale man stood up from his position and prepared to throw his weapon down. The raider passenger saw him and pulled his crossbow up and shot him before he did anything. The twin bolts that shot out hit the gunner's head and neck. The man fell back down in his position.

Those present looked away when the gunner was shot dead.

Everyone watching had their own experience with seeing death unfortunately, and it did not get any easier no matter how it came. In a blink of an eye they were just dead, the suddenness always left a marking impression of unfinished business on those that see it happen. The feeling leaves a void in them like a punch in the gut. Just a very miserable experience overall.

"So he didn't have his aura." Qrow looked down, as the man fell. While uncommon, there were those in the Bradwen tribe that still didn't have theirs unlocked when he was still a part of it. It seems like the same thing was happening here.

To everyone's shock and disbelief, those who were watching and the ones there. The man slowly rose up with the bolts still lodged deep within him. He slowly focused himself and groggy reached for his belt and pulled out a small spray can and held it up near his face. Then to the viewers shock, he began to spray his own mouth with something. The spray gave him a shiny chrome look.

"MORSOV", "MORSOV", "YOOOA" The other chalk men yelled out and pointed at him. Morsov, the one who was shot, slowly leaned back and reached for another pole with his free hand. Then with a last final cry to them, he screamed out.

"WITNESS ME!"

"WITNESS", "WITNESS" all the boys on the tanker yelled out one by one to him. To the baffled meant to everyone, even Ren and Jaune called out to him.

Morsov began to stand up from his position with great effort of his own, he held out a pole on each hand and looked down to the drivers in the car. There was a fire in the man's eyes as he looked down on them.

It was at this moment, the weight and gravity of the situation settled in on the adults in the room watching and they each knew what his intention was.

"What the hell is he thinking!" Taiyang yelled out. The man just nearly escaped death. He was injured for sure, but surely he could still get help. Or at the very least be moved away from the fighting.

"Why is no one stopping him!" Winter watched as the people around him did nothing but look at their injured ally.

With a final bellow of fury from him, the man lunged forward and off the tanker. He held both sticks down as he fell towards the terrified drivers. There was deep silence for a time before the room erupted in sound. A massive fireball was created on the road as parts from it flew everywhere and the vehicle contorted and twisted as it fell back into the desolate landscape.

The allied car moved to the side as it narrowly avoided the wreck tumbling down the road. "Mediocre Morsov!... Mediocre" the quiet distance screaming of the pale man behind the car cut through the whirling wind as he looked back to the wreck.

"WITNESS!","YEA!" Every person on board the tanker yelled out, raising their weapons high for the fallen. Both Jaune and Ren remained quiet as they watched the manslaughter unfold. They lowered their heads down for a second towards them before refocusing on the last vehicle remaining.

Everyone was speechless…There was just nothing to say as to what they saw. Some wanted to throw up but they kept their lunches down as they pushed past the scene. It was like the whole world had gone mad on screen.

Sadly Ruby couldn't keep it down as it came crawling up, luckily one of the people working there gave her a bucket before she made a mass all over the floor.

Disturbing couldn't begin to describe how they felt in that moment. The savagery and callous nature his allies showed to him as he fell and the screaming of approval and disapproval from them did not sit right with any of them.

Almost everyone in that room watching is or an inspiring hunter/huntress. There is a curtain expectation in the profession. One of them is the preservation of human life, that no matter what, you try to save it. To see such disregard to that main rule, not only from his allies but from the man himself, left them all feeling demoralized and dejected.

Why are they doing this? Why are they with them? Can't they see for themselves that they're mad and deranged? Please let there be a reason, Ruby asked herself as she looked down into the bucket. Her whole world felt like it was swimming. The screams from the drivers brought back memories from the Vytal and the yelling just made it more awful. She was starting to swirl in on herself.

BLARRRR! BLARRRR!

Two mighty blair's brought her back before she lost herself. Ruby looked up just as the tanker blew its horn to the others on board and the rusted truck came crashing in on the side of the tanker, rocking it.

The harpoon car pulled around again in front and began attacking the truck face. The chalk men on it started shooting and throwing their weapons at it, hitting the reinforced window and hood. It barely did anything as the truck sped up to attempt to ram the car.

The pale men on board yelled back as it collided with the rear. The men in the back moved and jumped off the sides of the car as it was being rammed up and upturned. The car was bent inwards on itself as it was being pushed off to the side of the road. Those that jumped, fell onto the ground harsley. Ragdolling on the ground as they keep their momentum, scraping their bodies and limbs as they tremble down the road. One of them unfortunately tried getting on the tanker but slipped and went underneath the vehicle.

People were starting to feel sick from just watching the screen.

"I'm not sure how much more of this I can take." Weiss said to her sister as she held her hand to her chest feeling ill. Taking gasping breaths and really focusing on breathing and not trying to throw up.

Jaune, Ren and the others all started throwing whatever sticks that were left on board the tanker at the trucks topside, hoping to blow a hole into the drivers cabin and stopping it. The allied car drove past the truck and pulled up right in front of it. The man in the back started helping by throwing his own poles at the truck front like the other did, and just like that one, the truck driver went to ram this one down as well. The man in the back saw it approaching, turned around and started to move forward on the car just as it hit, he fell forwards a bit but held onto the car's hood as the driver sped forward away to give him time to recover.

Inside the tanker's cabin, Pyrrha was finishing up patching her shoulder just as a hatch in the floor opened up behind her. A blond woman's head poke out and stared at both her and the driver. "We can't breathe down there!"

"You have to stay out of sight!" Pyrrha told the woman as she looked back at her.

Just then Nora yelled out to all of them in the cabin. "MOVE AND WATCH OUT!" Nora came rushing in, crawling through the side window just as the saw blade on the truck slammed into the driver's side door sending sparks onto all of them. They all had to block their eyes, as the woman in the floor went back down and closed the hatch.

The group watched the proceedings of the attack happen outside but they all focused up when it got to the inside of the cabin. To them, anything was better than watching anything from outside and they were right.

A new face showed itself as the battle outside was raging. Both Qrow and Ozpin lean in as they both got a little more insight as to what was happening.

Is this a smuggling? Why would they be doing that? Ozpin thought to himself as he watched. Perhaps, but it is still way to early to-

His thoughts were interrupted as Nora bulldozed through the cabin window.

"NORA!" Ruby yelled out as soon as she just barely got inside the cabin.

"Holy shit!" Qrow mouth as he watched Nora hauled ass inside as the spinning blades nearly got her legs going in. any longer and it would have been minced meat.

The allied car outside spun itself around when it got enough distance, the man hanging in front of it grunted as the G-force hit him full force. Now reversing, the car slowly inched forward just out of reach to the truck as the pale man in the back started bombing the front end again.

On the backend of the tanker, the back arm of the truck started to claw its way on top of the tanker to find any leverage. The pale men took steps back as it dug its bucket's teeth into the tanker, the platforms they were all standing on was caught and it began to pull the backend of the tank back and forth. The entire thing started to sway along with it.

As they tried to hang on, one of them started yelling. "Aim for the Hydraulics! Hydraulics!" They all quickly took note and started throwing whatever they had left on board at the base of the crane. However with the pulling, none of them had a clear shot at it.

Just at that moment, Ren jumped up on top of the crane and sat on it as he threw whatever he had left on him. Tossing poles and small containers that exploded at the bottom neck of it and slowly, the crane slowed down its rocking. Seeing progress, the others got moving and kept feeding him things to throw down.

"Mummm, it looks like the boys got it handled." the male faunus stated forcibly. As much as he hated it, the boys on the team were handling their situation quite well, he just wished it was in better company. The pale men they were with were reminding him too much of the recent White Fang…if it was even more deranged and fanatic then it was now, from what he was seeing.

Oh how wonderful it was to him and his wife that someone came to their home and offered them to finally go see and meet the people that help his daughter move away from such fanaticism the White fang was becoming. In a way, he owed them all a favor for getting her out of there and back to him.

It hurt him to see them like this. The way his daughter looked at them and seeing the conflict in her eyes told him all he needed to know. They were not like this normally.

But as he watched the screen, he saw his worst nightmare come true and unfold in front of him as to what the White Fang could become. People so callous to one another and uncaring. Now he was stuck, forced to watch kids fight tooth and nail as people around them became even more bloodthirsty.

On the road. The car in front of the convoy just had a lucky shot, as the pale man riding it, threw a stick at the front crane. The explosion hit just at the base of it where all the tubing and hoses were at. The thing broke as the pressure and gases in it were released in the air everywhere. The crane started to wind down loudly before violently moving its arm to the left.

The guy in front of the car saw what was coming and ducked his head just as it cut right past him, hitting all the other poles just above him. As the heads of the poles fell, they hit and rolled underneath the truck and detonated.

The entire truck bounced from the shock and rolled off to its left side.

"Holy shit!" this time it was Taiyang that said it. As fighting and battling went, this was very new to him and gathering the shock looks from everyone else, it was also theirs too.

As the chain reaction played out. Ren felt the entire thing shake underneath him as the poles detonated. The crane that he was riding on top of was falling away from the tanker's platform holding him in place. The bucket pulled one last time, dragging whatever bit it was holding, off the platform with it as it fell over.

"REN!" the girls scream out as they watch him almost get catapulted away from them.

"REN!" Jaune yelled out to him as he watched Ren try to turn around and jump the gap between them.

However the gap between him and Ren was just too short to make it and Ren was far too high for a proper jump off as he began to fall down to the road. "Jaune!"

Without missing a beat, Jaune got as close to the edge as possible and reached his right arm out for him. Ren was just able to grab a hold of his forearm before his weight sent them both down off the edge.

"NO!" Weiss called out to the boys as they were pulled down together.

As they fell, Jaune slammed his left arm onto the tankers side, a thin short gash was made as they slowed down their descent before stopping completely. A dark liquid oozed out of the small gash hole and slid down Jaune's arm as they both struggled to hang on.

To the distress of everyone, Jaune was missing a good portion of his left forearm, on it instead was a metal appendage similar to a long narrow hook. He had a strap attached to it going along his elbow and bicep keeping it all together. It was a rugged looking thing.

As the audience compared both arms, they saw that Ren was also missing something. His hand that was holding Jaune's arm was missing both its ring finger and pinky.

"Dear Oum, it's not just Nora." Ruby uttered as she panics. Clearly whatever JNPR had been going through had not been going well, the last time she was with them.

"Lord, they must have been through the grinder." Qrow said as he assessed the damages. He and Ozpin saw the recent photos V.H showed them before they went to pick up the girls, but even so, he could hardly believe it. Many a huntsmen over the years picked up their own scars in their careers but that was the thing, that was years. They barely been gone for one and they showed years worth of scars a normal huntsmen team would receive in their lifetime. It was just not adding up in his head.

Yang could not stop looking at Jaune's arm. She felt her own as she imagines what it must have been like to lose it. As she watched him and Ren, she could tell from him that it must have been awhile with how Jaune was used to it. Just what the hell happened to him?

As Jaune grunted holding on to Ren, The pale men came over and reached down for them. They pulled Ren up first just as Jaune lost whatever strength he had in his arm. Now hanging loosely, he let them pull him up as he slid up the side of the tanker. Now on the platform with his back on the floor, he took a deep breath before slowly getting up. He winces as the pain from his side rolled up his body from the sudden impact to his ribs.

"Is his also shattered?" Taiyang asked himself as he watched the boy. So far, none of the kids were using their aura and that hit should not have been a problem. As he gave it more thought he realized something, how was he still conscious if his was shattered? When one's aura gets depleted completely, they were barely conscious afterwards and any bodily function/movement was out completely.

The dark liquid was all over him now, as he wiped off the stuff from his face. "GAH, Shit, this stuff just gets into everything…Damn it, now I'm going to smell like shit." Jaune tried cleaning his face a bit more before Ren grabbed his shoulder. "What?"

Ren simply nodded ahead as everyone on the tanker looked on ahead. He looked and soon joined them all. "Oh…"

Like the boys on the tanker, everyone in the room watched on ahead as the screen pan out. In front of them was a sand storm like no one has ever seen. To call it a 'sand storm' was not only underselling it but it was a grave insult to what it truly was. It was like nature herself decided to make a wall that spoke of only darkness and doom for all those that enter it. The thing was as high as the sky could physically allow and as far as the horizon. From that darkness, great light could be seen flashing inside of it, telling all those it was a lot worse inside of it. The force of nature for that it could only be called as, rolled forwards them swallowing everything in sight. The storm brought fear and dread into all of them.

"So…that's how we lost them." V.H said out loud for all to hear. There was nothing in the world or anywhere that could help anyone find something in that thing.

"This…can't be on remnant…it just can't." Winter said as she looked at it. Even if this thing was real, there was no way anyone in the world could not see it or mention it existing. There was ever only one real answer for what she was seeing…it was simply not real or, if her brain allowed it, was not here or part of this world.

"They have to turn around…they have to." Yang told them as she watched the force. All three other girls could only agree to what they were seeing. They couldn't go into that thing.

"Sorry firecracker, but they can't…not unless they want to face that absolute mob behind them," Qrow said to her. "And they are after them." It hurt him to say that to his nieces.

If there was a moment that brought true fear into Ruby, it was right now. Watching her friends go towards that thing was beyond reason. Beyond anything. For what reason could convince them to go into that. There was none. They were riding into their doom.

"Don't worry baby, they will be fine…" The older Faunus woman held onto Blake as the storm rolled in. In all her years, nothing brought her such fright seeing a thing and it seemed like she was not alone. She could feel Blake shake as they got closer to it. As comforting as her words must have sounded like, she wished she believed it.

Ozpin felt resigned as he watched. Seeing his students go into it felt like sending them to their deaths, an all too familiar feeling for his own liking.

As the tanker got closer to the storm, the mob behind them got only closer where the people watching could see the shapes of them. A low drumming could be heard from this distance.

The few cars that caught up soon joined up on either side of the tanker as the allied car pulled up near the driver's door. The driver of the car, who showed himself for the first time to all, appeared to be a young man with pale skin just like all the others and was holding a sawn off shotgun in one hand.

Nora, who was inside the cabin, pushed the backside door open with her foot as she aimed her weapon down at him.

For the first time since starting, one of the pale men showed restraint and shock on his face as he processed Nora. He soon shook his head and pointed his weapon up again. "Valkyrie! Get out of the way! You can stop her!" he yelled to Nora.

"He knows Nora." Blake said as she looked at the exchange. The way he looked at her showed Blake he was surprised and in disbelief.

Nora gave no response for a bit before locking eyes on him. "That is not happening Nux! They have way too much riding on this! And if you don't want to go into Valhalla early, you will let us pass!" she called out to him with all the power of an officer.

"Is she talking about the convoy?" Yang voiced out as to what was being said. She was beginning to piece together what was happening vaguely and why people could be after them.

'So it is a smuggling' Qrow thought as he watched, it had all the writings on the walls of the team doing something to upset someone, and that someone was powerful enough to send all these people onto them. That only left one question left in his mind. Why help?

"I always knew your group was no good!" the pale man behind the driver called out, holding a pole in his hand. "You outsiders, all of you! Thinking you could just steal from him!"

Nora turned onto him quickly, holding out her weapon to the back. However they were interrupted by a falling man hitting the road as Jaune looked down at him from on top of the tanker. "They are people too, Slit! They all have a right to do what they want to do! He has no say!" Jaune all but screamed down at him.

Anger showed on the pale man's face as he looked up at him. "So you are just going to leave? Taking whatever you want?! You know he won't allow that!" He glared hard at him. "And what of their lives?! The ones you are pushing down!"

"They'll live, and if you want to continue doing that, then you'll listen!" Jaune shouted as Ren joined him at his side.

The driver of the tanker, seemingly having enough of the talking taking place, decided to side ram the allied car off the path. The car was hit by it as it moved to the far side. One of its front tires on the car blew out and the car fell back on the road losing its speed.

From the intense hostility taking place between the two groups, people in the room were finally understanding what was taking place and the stakes in it. The convoy that team JNPR was a part of, was in the middle of a smuggling operation.

"I see…so that's how it is." Ozpin all but said to himself. There was a gentle small smile blooming on his face as he watched them. For all of the havoc and destruction they were a part of, his students were still the same students he greeted and talked to all those months ago. Since they started watching, he feared that they changed for the worse. That another team of potential students under him was gone or was led astray. To see the good nature they all showed before was still alive in them if not only muted, brought him great relief.

"They're…helping people get out." Ruby commented as she looked at the team. They were so different now but In her mind, she could just still see the same team that she knew back in beacon. The same one that ate with her and her team during lunch. The same one that they would hang out with during their free time. And, the same one she watched dance together during the beacon dance. The four were still themselves in her eyes, but they were just buried beneath something else.

Pyrrha pulled herself out of the passenger window to look back at the boys. "You guys should get in quickly! We don't have enough time to stop them all!" She yelled out to them as the storm wall was just right in front of them.

When she got back in, she and the other two brought whatever loose clothes and fabric around their neck up and around their nose and mouth. Each of them reached down to their sides/belt as they pulled out their own form of goggles or eye wear and started putting it on as they got even closer.

The Driver made a final adjustment on the gear shift as she lasered focus on the road ahead into the storm they were about to enter. "Heavens, show mercy" Pyrrha told herself just as they entered it.

And just like that, the recording was stopped and cut off. Lights became brighter as everyone looked around and back to their guide.

"Well…that was something." V.H could only say as to what just happened.

And like that it's fucken done. 12k words, Jesus that took way too long to write and go through. Mind you this was supposed to be a lot shorter than what it actually is, but I just. could. Not. stop. My hands kept hitting the keys and no matter where I left it, it was in an awkward place. This was due at the end of October but nooo, my brain wanted more done, and so here it is finally. Have this super cut.

Now, you must have figured out just what kind of story this is going to be…and you would be right.

Is this a reaction story? Yes.

Is this a JNPR story? Also Yes.

Is this an Isekai story? Most definitely.

See, I always wanted to write one. A reaction story that is, but there are a dime a dozen. You can find like 50 on here alone, all with mixed quality. But when it comes to it, I'm like a crack addict and I have read a 'few'. Point is, this is my take on it but I also wanted to do something different.

You see I have a slight problem with the whole reaction story as a whole on here and that is, there's no reason for the people watching to remember any of it or take it seriously when they do. But hey that's just me though.

I also wanted to write a JNPR story, for I think they are the best team ever in the show. And so this lovely story came to be.

When it comes to the structure of this story, it's going to be a lot like another story on here that I love very much and wholeheartedly recommend any to read and that story is…All the difference in the worlds by some random shitty rambler. 100 chapters of pure delight and my favorite story on here ever.

But enough of that. It's here and it's being made.

I also wanted to talk about the canon changes I did in the first chapter. So as you can guess, everything followed canon like normal until the final tournament fight. After that, things changed for everyone.

One of the biggest I did was the(not so bad)fall of Vale and with those changes came events that did not happen like canon. I will be honest, I don't know the full scope of events that should and should not follow through because of it. There will be some plot points/holes maybe, because I forgot to account for something. If I missed anything please let me know.

I will also drop the names of the people in the room in the next one. I personally don't like using OCs, so I don't use them. The crew in the house operating everything are actually part of a game. Good luck figuring that out. Or don't.

Anyways, prolonge is now done and will start the next one at some point. I got to follow up on my other story before coming back to this one. So it will be some time but I have plans for team JNPR. things are just going to be great (awful) for them.

Anyways see you folks later.