Dutiful Destruction

by Joey245

Three months after the defeat of Makuta and Team RWBY's return to Remnant, a new foe emerges with one goal: to eradicate everything on the island of Mata Nui. With Salem casting her shadow on Vacuo and tensions mounting among the refugees of Atlas, Ruby and her friends may find themselves strained as they fight for the worlds of Man, Matoran, and more. (Sequel to Destiny's Divide.)

10. Cultural Exchange

(A/N): Got another series of vignettes in Vacuo this time around, this one all about how the Glatorians and Agori are adjusting to Remnant - and vice versa! Enjoy!

(This chapter in particular is dedicated to Monty Oum, who unfortunately passed away nine years and a day ago after just starting to share his dream with a waiting world. I hope we're all making you proud down here, buddy!)

---

Another morning in Vacuo, another morning in a sandblasted hell.

Oscar groaned as he blinked blearily, watching as stacks of paperwork and old acacia came back into focus once more. His shoulders felt stiff, his mouth felt dry from hanging open all night, and his back ached something fierce. A low sigh escaped his lips as he straightened himself and stretched, filling his view with the sandstone ceiling of the Vacuo City Council building. Harsh sunlight filtered in through dusty windows. The sounds of shuffling footsteps and distant murmurs penetrated his sleep-addled mind. Gods, he was sore.

I see we fell asleep at our desk again. I can say with experience that this isn't a good habit to get into.

Aaaand his mental passenger was already sassing him. Great.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Oz," he said with another groan, wincing as he massaged a growing knot in his shoulder. "If you're so worried about my future health, why didn't you just take the wheel and sleep-walk us back to the dorms?"

I've explained before, I can only 'take the wheel' when you're conscious and willing to consent control -

"I know, I know." Pop. "Agh…jeez, that's a stubborn one…"

Lean your shoulder into your thumb, and apply pressure a little bit lower. Use your Aura if you must.

Gritting his teeth, Oscar did as the ancient wizard in his head instructed - and was rewarded with a satisfying crack and a wash of relief.

"Ah…much better." He let out a soft chuckle as he rolled his loose shoulder. "Were you a masseuse in a past life, too?"

Ozpin chuckled. I was many things across many different lifetimes, Oscar. Sometimes I was a Huntsman, other times I was a healer. In many lives, I was both…and in others, I was neither.

An ever-present existential issue weighed down Oscar's heart as a frown broke out. "And which one am I going to be?"

He could feel his passenger's soul mirror his facial expression. I can give you the comforting answer, or the truth. Which would you prefer?

What a way to start a morning.

"Neither. Forget I asked." Oscar sighed as he pulled his old emerald coat back onto his freckled shoulders. "What's on the docket for today?"

We have a meeting with Raanu and Rumpole in forty-five minutes, intoned Ozpin like the world's strangest secretary, to discuss Glatorians being assigned to Shade Academy Hunter teams. Then you and Theodore are on patrol duty outside the Glass District for the rest of the morning, alongside Mister Arc, Miss Hill, the Happy Huntresses, and the Belladonnas. Then we'll be prepping for the Vacuo City Council meeting all afternoon…then the meeting itself just before sundown…and after that, you promised Mister Schnee that you'd help him run tests on that seed Team RWBY brought back from Mata Nui. Another packed day, I fear.

The former farmhand nodded. All of that sounded pretty typical of his days in Vacuo, minus that last one. He knew Whitley had been holding onto something called a "Vuata Maca" seed - one of the few objects the missing Huntresses had returned with following their first foray into an alien world - and that over the course of the last few months he'd been examining it as a side project to his main goal of building a working hydroponics garden. Oscar wasn't sure why the youngest Schnee wanted his expertise and not Ozpin's; maybe he thought that someone who grew up on a farm would know something about strange plants? Or maybe he just wanted some company, with the rest of his family being so distant right now…maybe he just wanted to spend some time with a friend his own age for once, someone who hadn't been primed from birth to hate him and everything his last name stood for…

Seems Nicholas Schnee's main coping mechanism got passed down to his grandchildren, he thought, though he couldn't tell whether it came from himself or Ozpin. The two voices seemed…alarmingly similar, these days.

Well, there was no use dwelling on the metaphysical horror of his own existence. Not when there was work to be done. Oscar scooped up Long Memory, twirled it in his grip, then collapsed the cane and tucked the hilt into his belt.

"Do we have time for breakfast, at least?" he asked, feeling his stomach grumble pathetically.

Despite being a floating voice without a face, he could feel Ozpin smiling in the back of his mind.

There's always time for breakfast, Oscar. Though today, I'd recommend something quick and easy to eat on the move.

"Bagels it is, then. Let's go."

With that, the youngest wizard in history set out for another day in a sand-blasted hellhole.

Maybe this one would end with him sleeping in an actual bed.

---

The sound of clashing swords filled the morning air, joined by the grunts of the sparring swordsmen and the cheers of onlookers. Ackar narrowed his eyes behind his helmet as he swung his weapon with one hand, easily parrying the two-handed blow from Yatsuhashi and making a cross-slash of his own. While the human in front of him was taller and stronger than most other humans - he came up to Ackar's chest whereas the rest only reached his waist - he still struggled to keep up with the natural power and speed of a Glatorian, even with Aura empowering his moves. Yet that didn't stop the Huntsman from fighting his hardest, from giving it his all in the dusty makeshift arena.

It was a trait that the elder warrior found very admirable.

Human and Magnan traded blows edge-to-edge in a complex pattern, each one poking and prodding to find gaps in the guards of the other. Yatsuhashi's sword - which, according to the young man himself, bore the name Fulcrum - was a simple tool by Remnant's standards. It didn't have any transformations like the other weapons of this world, but that was a feature instead of an oversight. Its unique curved shape and off-balance center made each cleaving swing faster than expected, and Ackar felt the full force of both its weight and the user's strength with each blow he blocked. If the young Huntsman in front of him were a yalm or so taller, he'd make a fierce Glatorian indeed.

"That's it, big guy!" cheered one of the onlookers - a golden-haired male with a matching tail. "Represent Team Remnant! C'mon, Sage! Root for your fellow sword bro!"

"That's not a thing," countered the green-haired giant next to him. "Sword bros are not a thing."

"Whaaaa yeah it's totally a real thing! He won't win without your support!"

Metus chortled from the sidelines. "I doubt he'd be able to win regardless. Back while your species was still figuring out blunt tools and fire, Ackar was working as a professional fighter in the prime of his life. He was Vulcanus's primary Glatorian for a reason - and now that he's got a new sword in your world's style, I don't see him taking a loss so soon after stepping into a new arena."

Ackar scowled at the recruiter's commentary, but he knew that Metus wasn't entirely wrong. After bunting back Yatsuhashi and sending him stumbling, he took a brief moment to look over his newest weapon - partly to examine it for possible damages, and partly to once again marvel at its construction. Unlike his old, well-weathered blade, his new sword was sleek and sharp and highly polished, its crimson-steel plating sparkling in the morning sunlight. Even if it was as long as his arm, it still felt as light as a hollow tube; each swing and slash felt like he was waving around a stick filled with air, yet the results from testing its cutting edge on clay pots spoke for themselves. Mechanical seams and rivets along the length of the fuller hinted that it could transform into a strange fire-spewing launcher, using a series of hidden mechanisms and moving parts that he still struggled to understand and visualize.

According to the sword's maker, its name was Emberflare.

The smith of their world…Ilia, was it? He mentally intoned. She may be young, but she has an intricate understanding of this planet's metals and how best to work them. I'll have to find some way to repay her for her kindness…no matter how much she protests.

He briefly thought about testing the Remnant art of "form-shifting" built into his new armament, but quickly decided against it. This was a sparring match between two swordsmen, meant for both parties to practice and hone their form. He would hardly consider himself an honorable Glatorian if he didn't stay true to that arrangement, especially since his opponent's weapon couldn't do the same. And if there was one thing Ackar believed in, it was honor.

So after giving Yatsuhashi a moment to recover his footing, he stepped forward and resumed the spar.

Sparks flew once more as the swords' edges connected, as Ackar made several sweeping slashes that the young Huntsman easily parried. The final swing struck only air as Yatsuhashi backstepped, willingly giving up ground to circle around the Glatorian and deliver a rising uppercut from behind. Against a less-experienced opponent, that would have been a match-ending blow; Ackar, however, easily shrugged off the slice as it crashed against his armor, and he merely spun on his heel to face his opponent once more as the duel continued.

"You're doing quite well," said Ackar, blocking a low horizontal slash. "Not many of your kind are eager to spar with a Glatorian, let alone with an old relic like me. Except your Headmaster Theodore."

Yatsuhashi panted as he used the crossed swords as a chance to catch his breath. "Yes, well…Team CFVY is nothing if not a group of trailblazers. When we commit to something, we commit."

Ackar cast a glance to see the rest of his opponent's team standing around the sandy pit, all of whom were wearing pale green shirts that matched Yatsuhashi's armor color. Among them was a young man waving a little sand-green flag, while a woman was sipping brownish liquid from a mug bearing the Huntsman's emblem. The final member of the team, a Faunus with long fuzzy ears on top of her head, was cheering louder than everyone else - and the sound of her calls made young Yatsuhashi's face turn a dark shade of pink.

"I can see that," he said with a sharp laugh. With a twist of the handle he freed his weapon from the blade lock, giving him room to make several consecutive, precise swings. "Must be nice, having dedicated teammates like that."

The Huntsman raised an eyebrow as he fended off the complex maneuver of slashes. "Glatorians didn't form teams on Bara Magna?"

"Only during emergencies, like Bone Hunter raids or Vorox attacks," explained Ackar even as his sword stayed in motion. "Otherwise, we were usually expected to be as independent and isolated as possible. Sure, we formed friendships outside the arenas and kept in touch with each other…but we had to cast all attachments aside whenever we crossed swords. The Tribes didn't want our relationships to compromise the fights or the outcomes. Not when lives and livelihoods were on the line."

"Sounds exploitative," pointed out Yatsuhashi, blocking the final overhead swing with the flat of his blade. "Making you fight each other to solve their problems. I know you explained how it wasn't, but…it still feels wrong."

"Maybe," admitted Ackar with a shrug. "But it was still better than slaughtering each other over mouthfuls of water and crumbs of food. Even before the Core Wars and the Shattering, unity was…never one of our strong suits."

"That's a bit of an understatement, old-timer."

A new voice drifted through the morning air, one cool and calm and laced with dry wit. Everyone turned to see another Glatorian - this one wearing armor that resembled a razor-edged snowflake - suddenly appearing in the crowd, with more than one human asking where he came from. Ackar just smiled behind his helmet and stepped away from Yatsuhashi, giving the young man another chance to catch his breath.

"Ah, Gelu," he said with a wave. "Back again from the Ark, I presume?"

"Well, someone's gotta take reports out there and listen to Perditus's incessant questions," laughed the Ice Tribe Glatorian. "Didn't see anyone else volunteering, so figure it might as well be me. If you're done wearing down the locals, mind if I cut in? I think the folks here would appreciate seeing a friendly little dust-up between two Glatorian warriors."

He nodded, then patted Yatsuhashi twice on the shoulder. "Go ahead and rejoin your team, little one. Thank you for the match, it was an honor."

The Huntsman bowed and concealed his breathy gasp. "The honor was all mine, Ackar. I look forward to facing you again when I'm stronger."

"Likewise," said Ackar with a warm smile.

As Yatsuhashi went to stand with his friends, Gelu stepped in to take his place. The icy warrior drew a twin-bladed weapon off his back, its cerulean crystalline edge gleaming in the desert sun. With a twist of the handle the blade split into two smaller swords; the icy Glatorian deftly wielded one in each hand and twirled them confidently, squaring up against his elder opponent with a playful smirk.

"Don't expect me to make this easy for you, old friend," he intoned.

Ackar chuckled and readied his own sword. "I'd be insulted if you did. Ready when you are."

The two Glatorians studied each other for a moment, before exploding into a flurry of action.

Unlike in his spar against Yatsuhashi, Ackar made no effort to keep his speed and strength in check for this spar. Emberflare was a blur of red as it slashed and blocked and parried, while Gelu's own weapons resembled nothing but sweeping blue arcs as it did the same. Sparks clashed and metal clanged and cheers echoed from the stunned onlookers, the gathered humans and Faunus barely able to track each stroke, counter, and swipe as the two warriors danced to a familiar song.

"Whoa! They're moving like lightning!"

"I can see that, Sun…"

"Such power behind their blows…are they all as strong as this?"

"Think I'm gonna need more coffee. And maybe some popcorn."

"You got this, Ackar!"

"Wow, you're so cool Gelu!"

"Ah, those two are always a crowd pleaser. Say, are any of you kids in a betting mood this morning? Your currency is quite fascinating to me - I'd love to see more of it."

This almost feels like being back on Bara Magna, Ackar thought to himself, and he wasn't quite sure if he found the idea nostalgic or nauseating.

---

"Eyes forward, folks - another wave of Cadejos coming in, and more than a few Alphas this time."

Ghira Belladonna narrowed his gaze as he stormed across the desert battlefield once more, spotting a large canine Grimm that towered over its peers. He answered its challenging snarl with one of his own, knocking away the smaller Cadejos with backhanded blows and devastating shoulder checks. Most Huntsmen and Huntresses preferred form-shifting weaponry and devastating Semblances in a fight against the shadowy monsters, but not him. A pair of diamond-shaped bracers and his own natural claws were all that the panther Faunus needed to keep the darkness at bay. No need to lose himself in his wilder side, after all - at least, not for a routine skirmish like this one.

The Alpha Cadejo was kind enough to meet him halfway, the ten-foot-tall goat-legged wolf lashing out with a series of devastating swipes. He knocked the claws away with the shields strapped to his forearms and countered each swing with a swift jab to the side, muscles beneath his vest rippling with each forceful blow. It was almost like a debate, in a certain way - let the opponent say their piece, give a sharp response, and capitalize on each misstep they made and use it to your advantage. And while Ghira may have been far more comfortable behind the podium, he was hardly a stranger to a fight; as Kuo Kuana's chieftain and former head of the White Fang, he needed to be a capable warrior that could protect his people…even if the thought of fighting humans or other Faunus was abhorrent to him.

Luckily, the soulless monsters solved that moral quandary quite handily.

As he ripped armor off the Alpha with each well-timed rebuttal, Ghira spared a glance at his allies nearby. Jaune Arc and Joanna Greenleaf worked to keep the smaller Grimm occupied; he wielded his sword and shield with near-perfect form and timing, while she sent wolves flying with mighty swings of her geared quarterstaff. Robyn Hill kept her distance and fired bolts from her hawk-shaped crossbow, piercing the skulls of Cadejos and splattering Sulfur Fish against the sand. And the second Alpha of the pack was locked down by Theodore and Oscar, who ducked and weaved around its wild swings and peppered it in rapid-fire jabs and thrusts.

Oscar twirled and yelled as he brought Long Memory down on a weakened knee, the cane's shaft easily shattering the joint and making the Alpha double over in pain. "Now, Theodore!"

"Here comes the knockout!"

The Shade Headmaster's ruby gauntlet glowed with channeled energy for a moment, before he lunged forward and delivered the mother of all uppercuts to the stunned Alpha. The wolf yelped as the fist crashed into its chin, shattering every single tooth and sending the beast flying backwards. As it soared, it started to swell up like a balloon; by the time it hit the ground it burst in a shower of shrapnel, sending bony blades into the crowd and skewering its fellow Cadejos with its own remains.

Jaune blinked at the sight. "That was…an Aura Strike technique, right? Ren's pretty fond of those."

"It certainly was, Mister Arc!" Theodore grinned as he started punching the air, taunting the wolves encircling him as he stood back-to-back with Oscar. "Surprised more people aren't using those these days - it's basically a free bomb whenever you need it!"

"Well, it does take a lot of Aura to pull off, like a lot of other techniques," countered Oscar as he struck one lunging wolf in the neck. "And not everyone has a Semblance that lets them recharge lost Aura simply by punching things, Theodore."

"True, but not all of us have thousands of years of collective experience either, Ozzie!" Theodore laughed as he battered another unfortunate Cadejo into submission. "Nice to see you haven't lost a step, at least."

Oscar laughed sheepishly. "Actually…Ozpin's been letting me take the reins in fights lately. We both think it'd be better if I got used to fighting my own battles."

"Ah, my mistake!" WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM! "Sorry, it gets a little confusing sometimes…"

"You have no idea," said Jaune and Ghira - almost at the same time.

Theodore laughed again, then looked at the nearly-mauled Alpha. "How are you holding up over there, Chief? Need a punching buddy?"

"No thank you," he called back as he matched the Cadejo's desperate punches pound-for-pound and blow-for-blow. "I have this one…"

SNIKT! An upward claw slash at the weakened jaw shattered it, and tore off the rest of the attached head.

"…well in hand!"

Despite his victorious boast, Ghira panted for a moment as his opponent faded into mist. He could feel his Aura flagging from the attacks that had slipped past his guard, as well as the nips from Cadejos that had blindsided him during the duel. The feeling of exhaustion didn't last long, though, as soon Jaune came over and stretched out a glowing hand towards his side. Yellow and blue fields of energy shone and rippled between the two men, and soon the fatigue and the sensation of low energy faded as the blonde knight pulsed his Semblance.

"Ah…many thanks, Mister Arc," he rumbled with an appreciative nod.

"Anytime, sir." Jaune returned the gesture, then frowned as he looked out at the near-endless hordes coming in for another wave. "If you're getting winded, feel free to head back inside the city. You're too important to risk losing, and we've already got enough help out here - what with the Happy Huntresses and both Headmasters fighting."

"One and a half, technically!" called Theodore.

Ghira shook his head and rolled his shoulders. "Nobody is too important for guard duty," rumbled the elder Belladonna, "and both of your leaders are out here risking their lives to protect their people. What kind of example would I be setting for the Faunus, and for the people of Kuo Kuana who came here to aid in the crisis, if I didn't do the same?"

Jaune gave a sharp laugh and a nod. "Heh…point taken. Now I know where Blake gets her stubbornness, at least."

"Obviously she gets it from my wife." Ghira grinned. "Don't tell her I said that, though."

"I heard that." The chiding, yet playful voice of Kali Belladonna filtered out of his Scroll. "Open comms, remember dear?"

He cringed. "Ah…of course…"

Joanna smirked and clicked her tongue. "Someone's in for an earful once the scouting party gets back. Speaking of which…May, anything else big coming our way?"

"Not that I can see," reported the blue-haired Huntress, safe to speak while she and Kali were hidden beneath her obscuring Semblance. "Just wolves from here to the sea."

Oscar smirked as he twirled his cane. "Then let's show them who the real top dogs of the desert are."

"…you sure you're not letting Ozzie take the wheel? Because that is one hundred percent something he'd say when we were kids."

"He wants you to know that he never once said such a ridiculous thing."

"Sure, sure…just remember that he's not the only one here with a long memory, and I'm not talking about the stick."

Ghira Belladonna chuckled to himself, then bared his claws once more and ran to meet the Grimm alongside his allies.

---

If there was one thing Yang considered herself an expert in, it was finding Blake.

Sometimes she'd joke that she had an innate sixth sense for locating her partner, that tracking her down was her real Semblance, but the real reason was actually a lot simpler. She'd known the feline Faunus for several years and dated her for several months now, so she understood by now that Blake was a woman of habit. When she wasn't on a mission, she was with Yang. When she wasn't with her, she was with Sun or Ruby. And when she wasn't with them, she was either nose-deep in a book or perusing stalls full of imported fish in the Vacuo bazaar.

Given how Team SSSN was on patrol right now, and how Ruby was on Mata Nui, and how the merchants were still trying to build their inventory back up after their last seafood-securing adventure…that really only left Yang one option of where to look.

She stepped inside Shade Academy's library with a smile, breathing in the familiar smell of old books and dried ink. The desert combat school had a surprisingly robust and well-kempt selection of literature - while this library was only about half the size of the one at Beacon, it was still larger and taller than most of its classrooms, and decently furnished at that. Sand-filled cushions lined recliners and couches around small tables, giving students a place to hang out and chat over literary classics, or to just geek out about the newest comic books and manga that made their way to Vacuo years after their release in other Kingdoms.

But Blake wasn't sitting on the couch this time, or sitting in one of the many cozy swinging hammocks. She was instead standing between several neatly-organized shelves at the far end of the aisle, idly flipping through a large tome as she balanced its spine against her elbow. Yang took a moment to study her, to drink in her thoughtful eyes, her pursed lips, her delicate fingers that brushed silky black bangs out of her face…

Gods, she loved this woman so much.

And for some reason she couldn't comprehend, Blake loved her back.

Yang briefly thought about running down the aisle of books and scooping her partner up in a sweeping kiss, but she was pretty sure that'd just get both of them kicked out of the library for being too loud. So instead she backtracked and cut through the non-fiction section, circling around and approaching Blake from behind. Feline ears perked up at the sound of her footsteps and instantly pivoted to face her, but she didn't go anywhere or turn around. That meant it was fine for Yang to step forward and hug her from behind, warm bare arms gliding over a silky waist and squeezing with just the right amount of force.

"Hellooooooo," purred Yang as she nuzzled her partner's shoulder affectionately. "How's the most beautiful, amazing girl in the world doing today?"

Blake hadn't turned around in her grasp, but she was clearly smiling all the same. "I don't know, I haven't asked her yet." The book snapped closed with a soft thump. "How are you, Yang?"

"Pretty good," answered the brawler with a grin of her own. "Morning so far has been kinda boring, but I got to have a nice spar with Octavia from NDGO, and - heywaitasecond…"

The Lien chip dropped just as the Faunus laughed softly and returned the current book to its proper place.

Violet eyes blinked slowly, then sparkled as she blushed and sputtered. "I, uh…huh. Wow. Wow. Very smooth, Blakey."

"Well, you did ask." Blake giggled, then finally twisted in her arms and greeted her with a soft kiss. "I'm doing well, too…just doing some research."

Yang grinned as she scanned the rows and rows of books and scrolls, all containing priceless knowledge within easy reach. "Right. And by 'research' I assume you mean 'check to see if they've got any new romance novels.'"

"No, that was last week's research." After lightly tapping foreheads, Blake sighed contentedly and pulled away, stepping towards a new row of shelves. "I was actually looking for older fairy tales to take over to the Ark, for the next time I head out there. Some of the younger Agori got curious about Remnant's stories on my last visit, so I want to make sure I have plenty of reading material for everyone to look at. If they ask nicely, I might even read it to them."

"Aww, that's too cute." Yang chuckled softly. "Nice to see that the relations between us and the otherworldly guests are going well, hmm?"

The feline Faunus nodded and absent-mindedly picked out another book from chest-high level. "Mmm…yeah. We're understanding each other quickly. Maybe a little too quickly."

Yang leaned against a nearby column and folded her arms across her chest, raising an eyebrow. "You almost sound disappointed."

Blake looked at her with a pensive expression. "It's just…don't you think it's strange that both the Matoran and these Agori speak the same language as us? And that for regular conversations we don't need translators or interpreters or anything like that? Sure, they might have their own proper nouns and expressions from their old dialects, just like us, and each world has its own written alphabet. But you can still say things like 'sword' or 'tree' in that common language, and all three races will know exactly what you mean. Do you have any idea how unlikely that is? That three different worlds, each with their own history and culture, all arrived at the exact same language?"

The blonde brawler paused and hummed. "Huh…guess I never thought about it. It did seem a little weird when I could perfectly understand what Kapura said when we first met…or Ackar…"

"My point exactly." Blake's gaze grew a little more serious. "But it's more than just a language that we have in common. You remember that light from the Ark when we went to save them? The one that vaporized the Grimm, and formed into a pillar that keeps them out? Have you noticed what color it is?"

"I try not to stare too hard at giant glowing alien beacons," she said with a glib grin. "Gotta protect my eyesight, y'know?"

Her girlfriend didn't laugh. "…it's silver, Yang."

A frown overtook the blonde's face. "What's that got to do with -?"

Oh.

Oh.

She blinked slowly as the implication dawned on her. "Silver…wait, you mean, like Ruby's eyes? That's…come on, Blake. It's gotta be a coincidence."

"A silver light that can turn Grimm into ash or stone with a single flash, originating from two different worlds? That'd be one hell of a coincidence, firestar."

Blake sighed and put her book back on its shelf. "I don't know what it means, or if it even means anything. There's nothing solid that proves any of this - the old fairy tales don't say anything about Glatorians or Agori, and the people on the Ark hadn't even heard of Mata Nui or the Toa until we brought it up. It's easy enough to believe that we're all completely unrelated to each other, that we all come from three separate planets scattered across the cosmos, but there's just too much overlap between all of us for things to be that random. If there is a connection between us, the Matoran, and the Magnans, I feel like it might be important."

Seeing the doubt and the curiosity warring within her partner, Yang swept in and pulled her into another hug.

"That's what I've always loved about you," she said in a husky whisper. "How you're always looking at the bigger picture, always finding the forest when all we can see are the trees. You remind us what it's all for, what we're fighting for…who we're fighting for."

The feline Faunus blushed, nuzzling her burning cheeks into a matching neck with a low purr. "Are you flirting with me to keep my mind busy, so that I don't drive myself crazy pulling at every possible thread?"

"Maybe," Yang admitted softly with a shrug. "Depends. Is it working?"

Blake let out a gentle giggle, then reached up to steal a kiss. "More than you can imagine."

One kiss led to another, then another, until it became very hard for the girls to stay quiet in the library.

---

"Step one, two three four…two, two, three, four…keep up, don't lose the pace."

Emerald sat lazily on her haunches on the gymnasium floor as she supervised Winter's newest session of Maiden lessons, watching as the eldest Schnee guided her student through a series of rigorous exercises. Most folks would have folded by now under the near-constant demands and the repetitive motions, but not Petra. The little Summer Maiden had her brow furrowed and her tongue sticking out of her mouth in pure concentration, keeping up with the woman nearly twice as tall as her and over a thousand times more skilled in magic.

She had to admit, she was impressed with the kid's endurance.

Not that the former thief would ever say that aloud, of course.

Well, this is sure different from the other "Maiden lessons" I've sat in on, mused Emerald as she idly scratched Toto behind the ears while they both kept watch. Back in Evernight, Salem would just tell…her…what to do without explaining how to do it, expecting her to figure it all out herself. Either that, or she'd have me make practice dummies for her with my Semblance…usually of Ruby. Her brow furrowed at the bitter memory. Guess I probably shouldn't tell Red about that, huh? Or the kid, for that matter…

Toto's ears suddenly perked up just as his nose twitched, and the big black dog pushed himself off the floor and onto his feet with a low growl.

Emerald's senses were similarly on full alert. "What is it, boy? You gotta go out and take a leak? Or is there someone here who shouldn't be here?…"

A loud, piercing bark from the huge dog - one that was anything but friendly - told her which one it was instantly.

Madumehi snapped into her hand like a honed reflex, and without a second thought she flung it in the dark corner Toto pointed his snout at. If she'd thrown it at full force, it could have sheared the would-be intruder's head straight off their shoulders; as it was, all that happened was a nasty bump on the forehead and a quick burst of temporary blindness. The shadowy figure groaned and seized up while clutching its face as the protosteel disk returned to its thrower's hand, which gave Emerald all the time she needed to draw both copies of Thief's Respite, unhook the chains, and bind the arms and legs and neck of whoever dared to sneak up on her.

Winter and Petra both snapped guarded gazes towards the scuffle, interrupting their training to watch closely and carefully. Emerald gave a thumbs-up even as Toto kept barking, then gave a firm tug that made the figure topple over and land hard on the floor. She kept pulling and gathering up the chains as she dragged the trespasser into the light, revealing them to be…

"…Berix? Seriously?"

The Water Tribe Agori gave a raspy chuckle despite being dragged across the gym. "Heh…yep. That's my name, don't wear it out! Don't put it on a grave marker, either - I'm not up to any trouble, I swear!"

After giving the trespasser a brief scan to see that there were no hidden weapons - not in the armor, anyway - Emerald leveled a hard stare and gave a slight tug on Thief's Respite. "You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that," she said in a low snarl. "Especially not me, and especially not when I'm on Maiden guard duty. If I get someone in a bind like this, I can pull their head off with just a little tug in the right direction."

"Oh, I'm sure you can," wheezed Berix, way too casually for someone with metal chain links around his throat. "I'd really rather you didn't, though - I know my head's not very special, but I'm pretty attached to it all the same."

"Then you really shouldn't be getting into situations where you could lose it." A sigh escaped her lips. "What were you doing here, anyway?"

"Would you believe me if I said I got lost looking for the, um…what's that place with all the water? The scrub-room?"

"Bath room, and no. Try again."

"Yeah, that's what I figured." Berix gave a slightly-nervous chuckle. "Honestly, I was just curious about the Summer Maiden that Raanu and Ackar had talked about, and wanted to see her for myself. I see kids running around on the streets of Vacuo all the time, and they seem to like me. I thought maybe Petra would like me, too?"

"You know where Theodore's office is," she countered. "You could've asked to see her after training. As a member of the Outreach Committee, you've got that privilege."

"But that would've been later," protested the Agori. "And I was bored out of my bio-frame. I had a feeling she'd be training here at the school, so I figured why not come visit now? Not like I had any other plans for the day."

Crimson eyes blinked in disbelief. "So you're telling me you came to Shade Academy, went to go make friends with a heavily-guarded Maiden, and tried to sneak past the folks protecting her…all because you were bored?"

"Yep, pretty much!"

It was almost too stupid for Emerald to believe. Almost. She finally sighed and released the tension in her chains, letting Berix hastily roll to free himself.

"You Bara Magna guys need to find some gods-damned hobbies," she groaned as she retracted the hooks and stowed her weapons. "Like crossword puzzles. Or basket weaving. Hell, even video games would be a better use of your time."

"Heh, I'll keep an eye out for some of those." Berix chuckled and got to his feet, staring back at Toto as the beast lumbered over to Emerald's side. Despite the Agori being freed, the dog didn't quite let his guard down - he didn't stop baring his teeth or growling, and it was only his training that kept him at bay.

"N-nice, uh…cat?" guessed the alien.

Toto just growled harder.

"Down, boy," chided Emerald, giving the angry dog a quick pat on the back. "He's not a threat - just an idiot."

With that the situation finally defused, as Toto let out a disappointed whimper at not being able to maul anyone today. Winter, upon seeing that Berix would cause no further problems, insisted on resuming training - much to Petra's dismay. And Emerald didn't take her eyes off the Agori as he took a seat next to her, as if she hadn't just threatened to tear him apart piece by piece.

Bara Magna was weird.

Then again, a lot of folks from Mata Nui probably thought the same about Remnant.

Berix noticed the green-haired Huntress glaring at him, and pulled a bright pastel-pink package out of his armor. "Want a snack? The neighbor kids can't get enough of 'em. I think they're called…makarunes?"

She raised her eyebrow again. "They're called macarons, and do I want to know where you got that from?" When he opened his mouth, she cut him off. "Actually, never mind. Give it here and forget I asked. It'd be hypocritical of me to judge you for stealing."

"I didn't steal it," he protested as he nonetheless handed over the palm-sized treat. "I simply found an entire crate of these items while I was wandering the roads outside of Vacuo, likely where it fell off a caravan truck while its crew were preoccupied. I couldn't possibly let them go to waste, what with the current food shortage, so I merely…collected them. You know, for personal safekeeping. Been carrying them around with me ever since."

"Right…" Emerald unwrapped the cookie and bit into it with a small moan, feeling creamy strawberry and sweet vanilla flood her mouth. "Mmm…damn, that's not bad. Haven't had Valean junk food like this since Beacon fell."

And whose fault do you think that is?

She pushed the dark thought out of her mind, opting to scarf down half of the macaron while her eyes bounced between Berix and the Maidens at work. The Agori pulled out another cookie and peered at the plastic wrapping, shrugging his shoulders and eating both the snack and its packaging alike. Toto looked at the pair pleadingly, laying on the ground with a slight whimper. At the sight of the massive dog begging, Emerald sighed and tossed the rest of her cookie towards the dog, who snapped it up greedily and bounded forward to shower her in thankful, slobbery, vaguely-strawberry-scented kisses.

"You really shouldn't be so trusting, boy…" she said with a barely-concealed grin. "That could've been a chocolate one, for all you know."

"Bork."

"I'm just kidding, I'd never do that to you." Emerald gave the big black mountain of fur some chin scratches, then laid his head on her lap as she turned towards Berix once more. "So, how'd a…collector like you end up on the Outreach Committee, anyway?"

"Raanu wanted to keep me on a short chain," answered the blue-plated Agori with a shrug. "Said he didn't trust me not to go snooping around the Ark and 'collecting' parts we might need. He told me that I could either come with him to learn more about this world, or spend every waking minute with a bell strapped into my bio-frame." He gave a sly smirk. "I flipped a beetle to decide."

Emerald raised an eyebrow as she regarded the shifty little alien. "I get the sense that most folks don't like you very much. Not even the ones from Bara Magna."

"That obvious, huh?" Berix's toothy smile only widened. "Don't worry - I swore not to cause trouble for you or your own leaders. I know you have enough issues here as is without important, emotionally significant stuff going missing. And hey, getting conscripted to meet new people and make new friends isn't the worst thing in the world, right?"

"Depends on the day," deadpanned the former thief to the not-so-former collector. "Just be on your best behavior around Petra in particular - it's my head on the line if anything happens to her."

"Fair enough!" The Agori nodded. "Oh, speaking of Petra…looks like it's break time! Okay, this is your chance to introduce yourself…you can do this, Berix…you can do this…"

Sure enough, Petra was walking back over to the trio and slipping her shoes back onto her feet, though she only managed about ten steps into the journey before she toppled forward with an unsteady groan. Toto instantly scrambled to his paws and rushed to catch her on his back, carting the tired little Maiden over and setting her down gently. Emerald had to laugh as she watched the freckled girl nuzzle her face deeper into the mountain of black fur, her limp arms straining to return the hug yet lacking the reach to even make it halfway around Toto's massive torso.

"Hey, kiddo," said the former thief. "How's practice going?"

"Mmnnnrghhh…"

"That bad, huh?"

"Mmph."

"Still no closer to the magic thing?"

"Bwmff."

"Hey, it's alright. You'll get it one day."

"Fnrg."

Another soft laugh escaped her lips as she pointed to the eager little Agori next to her. "Well, I've got someone new who wants to meet you. Maybe that'll take your mind off things. This is Berix, from the Bara Magna Outreach Committee. He's a…friend of Raanu's."

"Hello!" The shifty collector gave a grin and a wave that could have passed for genuine.

"Oh, it's an alien," intoned a sleepy Petra, who immediately jolted back into full awareness. "Oh, it's an alien!"

"Please don't scream," pleaded Berix.

"What? Why would I scream? This is so cool!" Vigor and energy came back to the Summer Maiden instantly. "Wow…an actual alien! Just like in those movies Dad lets me watch sometimes! I never got a chance to talk to the ones that came to visit with Mister Oscar and everyone else the other day…are you from space? Do you have any tentacles? Flying saucers? Ray guns? Can you spit acid?"

The Agori chuckled nervously. "Uh…yes, no, no, no, and only when I eat something that doesn't agree with me."

"Amazing!" breathed Petra, hazel eyes shimmering in wonder.

Berix laughed, this time far more confidently, then pulled out a few cookie packages from a pocket in his armor. "You look pretty tired out from all that training," he said with a raised eyebrow, offering the sweets to the bright-eyed little Maiden like a magician with a handful of cards. "Want a snack? Or three? I've got plenty more where these came from - have as many as you like!"

"Ooh, macarons!" squealed Petra. "My favorite! You're the best alien ever, Mister Berix!"

"…Mister Berix?"

Emerald chuckled again as she watched the unlikely duo interact under Toto's vigilant stare, and shook her head in amusement.

This Berix guy is weird, but harmless enough, she thought to herself. Smarter than he looks, too, if he's been "collecting" for this long and getting away with it. Long as he doesn't hurt the kid, I guess he's okay in my books. Who knows? Maybe he'll end up being her friend at the end of all this.

Her smile faltered, and her hand tightened into a fist behind her back.

Better she get attached to him than me, at least.

---

Marrow Amin rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn as best he could. Normally he considered himself a morning person - he worked best when the weather was bright and sunny, when the coffee was hot and fresh, and when his bed was still warm from when he'd been sleeping in it. Yet just a few hours on the Ark among the Agori and the Glatorians left him feeling utterly spent already, despite the fact that the sun had barely reached the halfway point across the sky.

In fairness to him, hanging around Doctor Oobleck for more than five minutes would have tired anyone out.

The green-haired Valean practically zipped from one lab terminal to another, speed-translating the alien language and jotting down their meaning in a notebook. "Fascinating!" he said excitedly, far faster than any man had reason to. "It seems that the Magnan alphabet consists of twenty-six letters, just like our own! And according to Miss Schnee, it's the same for the people of Mata Nui! Twenty-six letter alphabets across three separate worlds? Is there a phonetic reason? A cultural one? It might mean nothing…or it might mean everything!"

For the fiftieth time that day, Marrow tampered down on the urge to use his Semblance on the hyperactive scientist. "Mm-hmm," he said instead, poking at a screen displaying rows and rows of unfamiliar letters. "Mind helping me translate this shipping manifest? They didn't exactly teach 'Alien Scribbles 101' at the Academy."

Oobleck zoomed over so quickly one could swear there was a sonic boom. "Really? That was an entry-level anthropology class for me."

The dog Faunus blinked in surprise. "Wait, what?"

"Well, it didn't have that name exactly, of course. But being able to read and understand ancient writing systems, like hieroglyphs or cuneiform, is an essential skill for anyone who wants to understand the past." Oobleck's eyes narrowed slightly behind his glasses. "No surprise that James thought such a skill wasn't essential for his students…"

A few months ago, Marrow would have felt compelled to defend the honor of his military commander. But now, after seeing everything that had happened in the wake of Atlas's fall, he could only watch silently as the doctor worked with blinding speed. Stepping away with an excuse about needing a new cup of coffee, he made his way over to a floor-to-ceiling window and watched the world outside the Ark.

It was an odd sight, to be sure, but somehow it looked familiar as well. Rows and rows of makeshift tents had been set up on the glowing sandy ground, giving weary Magnans a place to sleep besides the crashed spaceship's interior. The column of light from the middle of the wreckage might have kept the Grimm away, but that didn't stop the warriors from putting up barricades, defensive turrets, and watchtowers - just in case the miracle ever ended suddenly. The kids from Team FNKI were currently helping with that, along with a handful of Vacuo student teams, as were Marrow's own former teammates. He could see lightning-fast blurs and trails of rainbows that suggested the speedsters were running around and ferrying supplies, while Flynt and the other boys were working with several Glatorians to set a steel column into an upright position.

Elm was setting up another pillar all on her own when she suddenly found herself under attack - not by Grimm, of course, but by a gaggle of smaller-than-usual Agori leaping to hang from her arm. Marrow might not have been able to hear the laughter coming from the muscle-bound woman, but he didn't need to; he could imagine it quite clearly as Elm pushed the steel column into place with one hand and flung the alien children into the air with the other. The Agori's faces lit up as they went for a flight, only to land in Elm's waiting embrace once they started falling. Harriet came to a stop and shot a withering glare at Elm, who just smiled and shrugged back as the other Magnans watched with grins beneath their helmets.

"It seems your teammate's already making new friends."

Marrow blinked as he realized that Oobleck was standing next to him, watching the scene for himself with a small smile. He nearly leapt back in shock. How long had he been standing there?

"Y-yeah…" he mumbled, smoothing out his fluffed-up tail with a small laugh. "Elm's always been good with people. Most folks are intimidated by her 'cause of her size and her muscles, but she's a big softie at heart. Always willing to reach out and take the weight off someone else's shoulders, even when she was already at her limit."

"An admirable trait for a Huntress," noted the doctor, his eyes falling on the electric blur racing away from the woman at play. "One that I'm assuming your other companion doesn't share?"

He shook his head. "Harriet's always been a bit prickly, even in the best of times. Keeps her eyes on the goal no matter what, and anyone not as fast or focused as her gets left in the dust."

Oobleck nodded gravely. "I see…by being so quick to spring into action, it must make being without orders difficult for her." He frowned and adjusted his glasses. "Seems the Atlesian military mindset is alive and well, even if the man instilling it is not. Tragic, but not unheard of…tyrants have a way of doing that to the people underneath them, even after their passing."

Marrow raised an eyebrow as he regarded the other man. "You…didn't like General Ironwood much, I'm guessing?"

That got a small, bitter laugh out of Oobleck. "I don't think there are many people in the world who would say that they liked James. Tolerated, certainly. Feared, even more so. But a long time ago, when Ozpin was assembling his inner circle and bringing a new generation of faculty into Beacon, I considered James Ironwood a very good friend of mine."

His eyes widened. "Really?"

"Of course." The professor gave a small, wistful smile. "Oh, we disagreed and debated about so many things, but at first none were enough to ruin our friendship. Ozpin trusted him for the longest time, and saw the good in him - even when others, including himself, struggled to do the same. We drifted apart as tensions rose between the Kingdoms, as he withdrew further and further into his own armor, but I still held firm to those old memories. I respected him. I trusted him. And now…"

His voice grew uncharacteristically quiet and slow. "…now I mourn him."

It finally occurred to Marrow that the people of his Kingdom weren't the only ones grieving their loss. For people like Oobleck, who'd been around the world so many times in an almost-literal sense, the fall of Atlas must've been a reminder of how frail their current grasp on life really was, how many nations had fallen before history was written and how many more would fall in the millennia to come. And to have a personal connection to that devastation, just like he did in Vale…he couldn't even begin to imagine that kind of pain.

But that didn't mean he wasn't hurting himself. Oobleck was willing to talk about the troubles weighing on his heart - why not do the same?

"I…used to think the world of Ironwood, too," he said slowly, looking down at his drooping tail. "Being a Faunus in Atlas was never easy, especially one with dreams of being a Huntsman. I had to fight tooth and nail for just about every opportunity that others were practically given on a silver platter, and my Academy years were filled with everyone from classmates to professors saying that folks like me didn't belong there. But not him. He was nothing but supportive of me the whole way through; hell, one time in my second year, he even pulled some strings and gave my grades a little nudge when some racist asshole kept bumping my score down and no one else's."

"That sounds an awful lot like something James would do," said Oobleck with a soft laugh.

Marrow allowed himself a small smile. "I was screaming into my pillow for weeks after that, like some giddy little kid meeting his favorite superhero. It gave me the drive I needed to keep working my ass off - almost literally - and to keep pushing on when everyone else kept trying to stop me. And when I graduated top of my class, when I proved every bigoted jerk wrong and all but laughed in their face, when I got a personal invite from the General himself about joining the Ace Ops…I was flying higher than the city itself. This was it, I kept telling myself. I was living the dream."

His eyes fell on the patches of torn fabric within his white-coated uniform, noting the threads where the badges once occupying them had been ripped away.

"Of course…as soon as Salem started getting her claws into Atlas, that changed to a nightmare pretty quick."

He didn't need to elaborate on what happened in the final days of his Kingdom, nor did he want to. Oobleck already knew most of the details, anyway - everyone did. How Clover had died shortly after Ironwood went off the deep end. How the Ace Ops had fractured and done terrible things under orders, finally finding the courage to break free only to lose Vine because of a compounding mistake. How the General, someone that had looked out for the well-being of a stupid little Faunus from Mantle's poorer districts, had threatened to use a bomb against every innocent man, woman, and child that wasn't already on his floating fortress.

A pensive silence settled between the two Huntsmen as they watched the world outside slowly heal, both wishing they could do the same.

Eventually, the hyperactive doctor spoke in a soft, soulful voice.

"Let me share something that I've learned after decades of being a teacher, a historian, and a Huntsman. It doesn't matter how strong your weapons are, or your Semblance, or your Aura, or even your willpower. What matters is how strong this is."

Oobleck pointed to Marrow's heart, who almost laughed at the cliché.

"Corny? Yes. True? Absolutely. Few things in life are more powerful than a Huntsman or Huntress fighting for what they truly believe in - everything, from Semblances to tactics, flows from this very core. You may have let yourself wear a collar, in your own words, but you were the first among your team who was strong enough to rip it off and fight back against a system you knew was wrong. It takes a great deal of courage to face the Grimm, even more than that to face a Kingdom, and even more than that to face your friends. Yet you did all of those, Mister Amin, in your home's darkest hours, and fought against the shadows when it counted most. If that doesn't speak to the strength of your heart, I don't know what else can."

The dog Faunus sat in silence for another long moment, parsing the words washing over him like a cool mist in summer heat. Much as he wanted to dismiss them as just platitudes, Marrow couldn't help but look for the truth in them. He'd become a Huntsman in the first place to build a better world, like a bunch of kids did. Everyone in his impoverished neighborhood had nursed a dream like that, once…a dream of growing up and making a difference, of keeping back the darkness and shining a new light for everyone.

Maybe, just because the last dream had ended badly…it didn't mean this one had to.

"Strength of heart, huh?" He finally let out a small chuckle as he looked down. "Fighting for a cause you believe in, instead of just one you were given…maybe that's why Team RWBY kicked our asses when we tried to arrest them."

"Perhaps." Oobleck shot him a wink and a smile. "Or perhaps they were just the better fighters after all."

"Don't let Harriet hear you say that," Marrow said with a laugh. "Anyway, we should probably get back to work, huh doctor? Those alien letters aren't gonna translate themselves."

"…Barty."

"Huh?"

"Call me Barty, Mister Amin," said Oobleck with a small smile. "It's what my friends call me, after all."

Marrow let out an equally small laugh, his tail rising a bit. "I think I can do that…Doctor Barty."

---

The air burned and smelled of sulfur and ash. Sweat poured in rivers down her freckled skin, dripping down her face and threatening to blind her - if the fumes from the forge didn't already do that first. Clanging metal and screaming steam filled her ears, drowning out the sounds of her own breaths and heartbeat. Her hair felt greasy and full of unnatural oils. Her leather gloves were charred and burnt to a crisp. Every single one of her muscles wailed in agony and clamored for a reprieve, and some primal part of her mind sought an escape from this living hell.

So in other words it was a perfectly ordinary afternoon for Ilia Amitola, apprentice blacksmith.

She shifted the grip on her tongs and brought the hammer down on the glowing ingot once more, fighting the urge to flinch at the resulting noise. It had been a transformative experience, working for Opal's weapon shop - while she'd had some experience helping Kuo Kuana's smiths forge things like spears and bayonets for White Fang members, the last few months in a rare Vacuan smithy had pushed that past knowledge to its limits and then some. There was an odd peace, she'd found, in taking bits of scrap metal and turning them into weapons of war, in breaking down discarded desert trash and building them back up into beautiful pieces worthy of Huntsman or Huntress hands.

In a way, the process almost reminded her of her own change as a person.

A shrill, ringing bell snapped her out of her zen-like trance, prompting her to click a floor-mounted button with her boot. "Be out in a sec!" she called out, loudly enough for the microphone to pick out her voice amidst the other forge sounds. "Gotta finish hammering while the ingot's still hot!"

"Works for me, gives me a minute to make sure my hair looks good anyway."

Her freckles turned a light shade of pink at the familiar voice coming through the speakers. "Your hair always looks good, Emerald."

"Ah, um…Gresh, don't touch that!"

"Hey, it's not gonna cut me! Metal hands, remember?"

"That's not the issue here! This isn't an armory - it's a store. You can't touch anything you don't plan on buying."

"Oh…is that why that human running the bakery kicked me out?"

"Nah, he's just an asshole."

Ilia chuckled softly as she took her foot off the button, focusing on finishing up the shaping process while trying not to think about the mint-haired goddess perusing her boss's weapon shop. Or the alien guest potentially making a mess out front. Both of those combined made her hasten her hammer strikes just a little bit, drawing forth the sword hidden within the steel a bit quicker than usual. After setting the finished blade and tang on a shelf for cooling and later grinding, she took a fraction of a second to wipe the soot from her face before stepping out to do the other half of her job.

Usually it was the part she liked the least - dealing with customers - but seeing Emerald there to greet the chameleon Faunus made it a little more bearable.

"Hey," she said with a breathy laugh, smiling at the dark-skinned Huntress.

"Hey yourself," Emerald replied with a smile and a faint blush of her own. "Getting all hot and steamy already, huh?"

Another soft laugh left her lips as she pulled off her gloves and wiped her brow. "You could say that…what brings you all the way out here, Em?"

Besides a chance to see me, of course.

Emerald chuckled and started pacing, hands folded nervously behind her back. Ilia smiled as she watched her friend strut in front of the counter like a blushing schoolgirl, drinking in the sight of the usually-composed human being completely flustered in her presence. While the two of them weren't officially dating - not yet, at least - no one could deny that there was something there between the two girls, based on the mutual flirting and teasing. And yet as much as Ilia wanted to keep pushing, to keep pulling her in, to taste her breath on her own lips…she knew that the young woman grappled with her own inner darkness just as she once did, that Emerald's heart wasn't ready to take that leap of faith just yet. Not after someone else had spent years walking all over it.

I just have to be patient with her, she reminded herself. This isn't like Blake, where I have to sit and watch her chase after someone else. I know she wants this. I know she wants me. But she has to know she wants it, too…and she's gotta be ready.

"…so yeah, Gresh was curious about his new weapons, but didn't know how to find the shop again, so after getting all the chickens back in the henhouse I helped him find his way here."

…huh?

Oh crap, was she spacing out again? Had she been distracted by Emerald's sexy, sexy figure once more?

"Ilia? You good?"

Yep.

She blinked several times, fighting to keep her skin from changing colors in shock. "A-ah, right! Yeah, Gresh's order…perfect timing, actually. I just finished them last night…here, I keep the custom orders under the counter for safekeeping."

After cursing Emerald and her devilishly good looks yet again, she waved her Scroll over a lockbox and popped open the electronic latch. She pulled out a pair of curved, bladed tonfas each as long as her arm and set them on the counter, letting their polished surfaces gleam in the natural sunlight. The steel was painted to look like weathered copper along the sharp edges and green leaves along the inner body and handle, so that when the two weapons were combined into a V-shaped shield, a wreath of vines would form the heart of the defensive bulwark.

"Whoa…" breathed Gresh, crimson eyes sparkling at the sight. "It looks a lot like my old blades, but…better. And more shiny."

"That's Remnant smithing at its finest," said Emerald with a smirk. "Told you that Ilia does good work."

The chameleon Faunus's face grew so hot, she could have sworn she was still working the forge. "Y-yeah…what she said…" She cleared her throat. "The down payment on Vinebreaker here has already been made on your behalf, so you're free to walk out with them. Go on, give them a try."

"Vinebreaker, huh?" The Glatorian grinned as he carefully picked up his new weapons by the rubber handles. "At first I thought it was weird that you Huntsmen and Huntresses named your weapons…but I gotta admit, I kinda like it. Makes it feel like a living thing, y'know?"

"That's the idea," added Emerald as her taller friend started swinging and shadowboxing against empty air. "Folks around here are real big on creativity like that."

"I can see that! Wow…incredible! It's light and balanced, but sharp and sturdy at the same time! I'd like to see a Skrall cut through one of these!" Gresh grinned as he practiced a few more combat poses, then examined the grips a little more closely. "Hey, what's this trigger do?"

Ilia's spots turned yellow in alarm. "Wait don't pull that when you're in the -!"

BOOM.

The Glatorian - and everything in front of him - was blown away by the forceful blast of compressed air, generated from inside the tonfa-blades by spirals of Wind Dust within the handles. A meticulously-arranged display rack had its contents dumped to the floor in a loud clatter, the window exploded into a shower of glass, and Gresh's sudden flight ended when he crashed shoulder-first into the back wall. Emerald gasped and dove for cover, while Ilia's entire skin turned a pale shade of ashen white.

" - store…" she finished meekly.

Knew I was forgetting something - the damn safety switch.

Gresh didn't seem too rattled by the experience - if anything, it only raised his spirits higher. He looked down at his new armaments with a grin.

"Whoa…my last blades didn't do that!" He laughed as he pried himself out of the Glatorian-shaped hole in the brick wall. "I've gotta go and show Vinebreaker off to Kiina - she's gonna be so jealous! Maybe she'll want one too! Thanks, Ilia! You're the coolest!"

Before she or Emerald could speak up, Gresh was already on his way out with an excited sprint. Rather than pursue, she just sighed and cradled her head in her hands as she tried not to think about the shop being in disarray. Hopefully if she didn't look at the mess, it would go away on its own.

Emerald hummed thoughtfully as she pulled herself off the floor. "Not bad. Let me guess - Dust crystals in the grip?"

She nodded numbly, grateful for a chance to talk about something other than the chaos around her. "I didn't want to give the Glatorians actual guns just yet, so I settled for modular firing chambers. The blast generators in the tonfas, for example, can be easily swapped out for submachine guns or shotguns later, once Gresh gets a little more comfortable around firearms. Same with Ackar's sword, Emberflare - sure, it might turn into a flamethrower now, but it can easily become a grenade launcher, or an assault rifle, or even a railgun if he wanted. Just gotta swap out the core in the middle for a different firing module, which you can do without even taking the weapon apart."

"Clever," said the mint-haired teenager with a smirk. "With the current Dust shortage, maybe going with simple, reusable elemental weapons like that is the best bet. Can't beat the classics, after all. Plus, it looks like the results speak for themselves."

That brought a smile to Ilia's lips. "Yeah. They really do…" Then the frown returned as she surveyed the damage. "Ugh. Opal's gonna kill me when she gets back and sees this. Could you, uh…would you use your Semblance on me to make all this disappear?"

Emerald chuckled. "Doesn't work like that, sadly. It'll still exist, you just won't be able to see it for a little while. And once I stop using my power, it'll come right back."

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," groaned the chameleon Faunus.

"That being said…" She moved over and grabbed a broom from the corner. "I might be able to help you make it disappear the old-fashioned way. By cleaning up. You know…if you still want me here, after I brought 'Gresh, destroyer of small businesses' over to visit."

Ilia raised an eyebrow, then smirked with a small giggle. "I'd appreciate it, but…if you wanted an excuse to spend more time with me, you could just ask me out."

Oh gods. Was her mental filter really that fried today?

The mint-haired woman went as red as her eyes, which flicked down to her feet as they shuffled nervously. "A-alright, then. Wanna, um…wanna get coffee after we're done here?"

Her spots switched from a sorrowful purple to a blushing pink. "That sounds delightful. Looking forward to it, Em."

Maybe she's more ready for this than I thought, after all, thought Ilia as the pair got to work cleaning the store - with only a little bit of awkwardness in the air.

---

"You, uh…you sure bringing me to one of these things is a good idea? I'm not exactly much of a politician."

In stark contrast to her usual air of confidence, Yang felt nothing but nervous as she walked with Blake and Ghira down a long hallway. The elder Belladonna looked down at her with tiny little spectacles, while his daughter held tightly to her girlfriend's hands and urged her ever forward.

"You don't have to be much of anything at these council meetings, except yourself," rumbled Ghira with a warm smile. "As someone who regularly puts their life on the line to protect this Kingdom, you deserve a say in how it's run - as well as an opportunity to see how it's run, and how it can be improved. You won't be alone in your status as a first-timer, in any case, as this is the Vacuo City Council's first time meeting with the Bara Magna Outreach Committee."

"I promise that it's nothing too intense or mind-numbing," added Blake with a warm smile. "Ruby and Weiss sit in on these all the time, so I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Yeah, but Weiss basically learned how to charm a board of directors before she learned how to walk," countered Yang, toying with the orange bandana around her neck. "And Ruby's, she's…well…she's Ruby."

"And you're you." The feline Faunus darted in to steal a kiss, cutting off the spiral of negative thoughts before it could start. "You're amazing at everything you do, firestar. All you have to do here is listen, cast a vote when asked, and think about what others are saying. You don't even have to speak up or make any proposals. Not unless you want to."

Ghira smiled in agreement as he approached a large pair of mahogany doors, then pushed it open with a fraction of his usual strength. "After you, girls."

The council meeting chambers were far different from the usual Vacuan architecture that Yang had seen so far. Rather than perfectly-straight walls and an emphasis on verticality, the room was shaped more like the inside of a pyramid with a central skylight instead of a peak. Heavy sandstone tables were arranged across the expansive open floor with matching chairs, some small and circular while others were long rectangles. If Yang didn't know any better, she'd have assumed that this was an academy cafeteria instead of a meeting room - even the biggest of the tables was still flat with the rest of the room, a far cry from the gentle downward slope of a lecture hall that she was used to.

"It's symbolic to have the council members sit on the same level as everyone else," explained Ghira. "The meeting hall allows for dozens of concerned citizens and representatives to come in and make their voices heard, and the layout of the room is meant to show how no one voice or concern can be elevated above the rest. We have a similar layout in Kuo Kuana, when it comes time for town and council meetings."

"Sounds neat," mused Yang. "Does it work?"

The elder Belladonna chuckled. "It works well enough back home…eventually. But here, any dissenting opinion is to be treated with respect, no matter how much you disagree with it. It's not uncommon for people to climb onto the tables when they want to be heard…or to debate an opponent's points with fists, instead of words."

…well that explained why the guards outside let her keep Ember Celica and Akuavo.

Headmaster Theodore was already seated at one of the large sandstone tables, sitting alongside several men and women that Yang could only assume were the Vacuo City Council members themselves. Robyn Hill and the Happy Huntresses filtered into the meeting chamber a few moments later, followed by Winter Schnee and the remaining Ace Operatives. While the former Hero of Mantle's eyes practically lit up at the sight of Yang and Blake, the Winter Maiden's greeting was far less kind…and far more cold.

…ah. Guess she's still mad at us for letting Weiss go off to help in Mata Nui, mused Yang with a pit in her stomach.

Other people arrived soon after. More Vacuan merchants and traders took their seats at smaller tables, facing opposite a large number of Atlesian refugees doing the same. Oscar stepped into the room and waved at Yang and Blake with a smile before his eyes flashed, indicating that he was allowing Ozpin to take the wheel. The ancient wizard calmly made his way over to the large table and sat down next to his fellow Headmaster, while Rumpole popped up on Theodore's other side like a gopher emerging from a burrow.

Finally, the entire chamber fell into a stunned silence as Ackar arrived with Metus and Raanu at his flanks, with several more Agori and Glatorians behind them that Yang didn't recognize. If the alien visitors felt nervous at all the eyes gawking at them as they chose a table, they hid it well. The blonde brawler almost envied their confidence.

I'd probably walk into every room like I owned it, too, if I knew I was older than the building itself.

Raanu was the first to speak and break the quiet spell, clearing his throat and bowing. "On behalf of the entire Bara Magna Outreach Committee, and of those still living out on the Ark itself, I wish to thank you for extending an invitation to your meeting of governance. Your people have been nothing but hospitable to us and our kind; it's truly an honor to be welcomed into your political proceedings as well."

"Honor's all ours, Chief Raanu," said Theodore with a warm smile and a curt nod of his own. "Glad to see you here. And no, Metus, I'm still not selling you my gloves. Or my coat. Or my beard."

The Ice Tribe Agori lowered his raised hand with a bemused sigh, prompting a ripple of laughs to spread across the crowd. That little moment of diffused tension was the perfect icebreaker, as the leaders and the people present went around the horn to introduce themselves and their position. Yang's head spun and struggled to keep track of all the names, but Blake gently whispered that it was okay to forget who was who - Vacuo was pretty fast and loose with titles, positions, and formalities.

"You already know everyone that's super important," she said gently, reassuring her with a warm smile and a soft squeeze of her good hand. "Robyn, Winter, Theodore, Ozpin, Raanu…and of course, my dad."

"And you. You're the most important person here…at least to me."

Blake blushed faintly, a low purr escaping her throat. "Likewise, Yang."

After introductions were made, Oscar - or rather, Ozcar - tapped Long Memory against the table in a bid to get everyone's attention. "Now then…" he said in a clear, well-rehearsed voice that spoke with centuries of wisdom. "As we ask at the beginning of every meeting…do any present have immediate concerns they wish to address?"

An Atlesian businessman shot his hand into the air. "Yeah. How much longer is there going to be a water shortage?"

…ah. So it was gonna be one of those kinds of meetings, then.

Winter barely held her fury and contempt for her countrymen back as she stood up. "As your Maiden, I am doing everything I can to ease the water shortage and ensure that people can live comfortably. I've increased the number of rains I will into existence from two per week to three, and if needed I can push myself to four. But that water comes at the cost of my other elemental abilities, such as those I use for combat or for speeding up the growth of necessary crops. As such, I walk a fine line between leaving the desert dry…and leaving myself dry. Until I can prepare the new Summer Maiden for my level of work, this is all I can do."

Given how worried Weiss had always been about her older sister, Yang had a feeling that Winter was pushing herself more and more towards draining herself for the good of others. It also didn't escape her notice how the Maiden avoided name-dropping Petra, only referring to her as the "new" Summer Maiden. Despite the world knowing about magic and Relics and deeper secrets now, Petra's identity was something Theodore still hoped to keep under wraps, if only for a little longer.

Usually the brawler hated secrets, but she couldn't exactly blame the Headmaster.

She'd probably do the same thing, if it was her kid's life on the line.

Robyn stood up next and spoke with a hopeful smile. "The Happy Huntresses have been working with the Magnans on finding new sources of trapped groundwater in the desert. One of their tribes, the aptly-named Water Tribe, have dowsing methods that are many times more effective than our own, and they're teaching those methods to Joanna and May and anyone else interested in learning. They're combing the desert as we speak, looking for anything that can ease the strain…so for now, I only ask that you all be patient, and continue rationing water as much as you can."

Another Atlesian, this one a middle-aged woman with graying hair in a tight bun, seemed eager to pivot to her issue next. "And what about the food problems? Where's the variety? Where's the protein? Where's the sugars and fats? You can't expect us to live off just bread and potatoes for the rest of our lives!"

A muscle-bound Vacuan Huntsman snorted. "Sounds like you weak-bellied bluebloods aren't tough enough for our meat."

"Half of us have keratin allergies! We literally get sick from your food, you sunbaked savage!"

Ozcar rapped his cane against the table once again, cutting off the argument before it could start. "Rest assured, we're doing everything we can to provide for all. Unfortunately, the stock of Atlesian food stores salvaged from the crater are running slim…and with the other Kingdoms still compromised, trading across borders and oceans remains a significant hurdle -"

"When are we moving outta the slums already?"

"Where's the overtime pay you promised us? Killing Grimm's tough work, you know, and we have families to feed."

"There were rats in my walls! Rats! These living conditions are unacceptable!"

"My children are going hungry while my neighbor gets drunk in the middle of the day! Where's the justice in that?!"

Not even the immortal, ancient wizard had a response to the chorus of demands and protests. Yang almost felt sorry for the old guy, and given how Ghira was trying to hide his heavy sigh she could only guess this wasn't an uncommon sight. Proposals were made to address some issues, which only brought more complaints, which stalled out any progress. It soon became clear that the people of Vacuo and Atlas, along with the ruling city council, were trapped in the greatest threat to any organized government.

Deadlock.

Her violet eyes twitched crimson for a moment as she massaged her temples. Jeez…no wonder Ruby always looked so drained after attending one of these meetings. Is this what having a migraine feels like? Because I owe her so many hugs and kisses for putting up with all this for months…

After wrangling back some measure of order, Ozcar looked over to the largely-silent Agori and Glatorians. "I apologize if we're making you feel excluded…please, if you have anything to contribute, feel free to speak up and stand."

Yang watched as Raanu and Metus shared a silent conversation through eyes alone, then stood to address the room together.

"Well, speaking solely as an outside observer…" intoned Metus, "it sounds a lot like you're trying to house too many people in a Kingdom with too few resources. You say that the other Kingdoms are compromised, right? Then you need to either find more resources for the people here…or make a new Kingdom altogether."

"If only things were that simple," remarked Ozcar. "Founding new settlements on Remnant is…a difficult matter, given the prevalence of Grimm. You not only need access to resources, you need natural defenses against the creatures, as well as a strong militia to destroy whatever monsters slip through the gaps. Many villages and towns have been formed with the intention of becoming a new Kingdom. Few last more than a year."

Metus hummed thoughtfully. "That may be true…but how many of those settlements had Glatorians protecting them? Or Agori working the land? We've been scavenging a desert far less hospitable than this one for thousands of years; our knack for survival is what's gotten us here, after all. If that skill was combined with the technical knowledge of the Atlesians and the rugged attitude of the Vacuans? That'd be one nation even I wouldn't bet against…assuming everyone has their basic needs met, of course."

"We've studied your maps, and noticed that there's verdant forests and mountains between Vale and Vacuo," added Raanu. "Where there's mountains, there's metal. Where there's trees, there's water. And where there's both, there's bound to be fertile soil. Has anyone settled there yet?"

"No, but not for lack of trying," said Rumpole with a sigh. "We've long considered the Jade Crown as a possible place for putting new settlements, given all the reasons you mentioned. But the problem, as usual, is pushing out the Grimm - given how long the foul beasts have laid claim to Sanus's central glades, it would take an army of Huntsmen and Huntresses to clear the path…to say nothing of keeping the beasts out while people build houses, farms, walls, and everything else a city needs. It would be a dangerous and expensive undertaking, one that neither Vacuo nor Vale could afford in the best of times."

"A pity that we're not able to access the Sword of Destruction to clear the land of monsters," ruminated Winter with venom in her voice. "Since someone didn't see fit to give the Summer Maiden proper training in her abilities."

"Winter!" hissed Robyn with widened eyes.

Theodore didn't take the insinuation lying down. "And what a shame that we don't have the Staff of Creation to construct whatever we need, all because a single general - and I won't name names here - decided that having Salem on his doorstep would be an excellent time to lose his marbles!"

"That is quite enough, Theodore," warned Ozcar, but it was already too late.

Arguments erupted once again, louder than usual as both Winter and Theodore started bickering alongside their people. Groans echoed throughout the council room as palms cradled foreheads, if they didn't join in the shouting matches themselves. The Agori and Glatorian just looked lost and confused. Metus watched the discord with a bemused smile as he chomped away on a bowl of nuts. Blake just looked at her girlfriend sadly before burying her face into her arms, while her father's attempts to calm the room alongside Ozcar, Robyn, and the Happy Huntresses were lost in the chaos.

Yang furrowed her brow and sighed. Why was it always like this? Why did people always fight over the right thing to do? Why were petty rivalries and bad blood always so quick to rise to the surface in a crisis? She'd seen it with Atlas and Mantle. She'd seen it in the Toa at Kini-Nui. She'd seen it for the last three months among residents and refugees alike. And now she was watching it happen again with the people who were supposed to be above it all.

Frankly put, she was sick of it.

Before anyone could stop her she pulsed her Semblance, climbed on top of her table, and slammed her fists together with a loud CLANG.

"Alright, everyone! Listen up and shut up!"

The council chambers fell silent immediately at the sight of the young woman with flaming golden hair, angry red eyes, and a very commanding voice.

"I get that you're all tired and cramped and pissed," snarled Yang, "but do you really think throwing sand in each other's faces like this is gonna help anyone? You're supposed to be the leaders of your people - how about you start acting like it?!"

She speared the elder Schnee with a fierce stare. "Winter, you and I know damn well that Ironwood's part of the reason we're even in this whole mess! He was ready to leave behind everyone in Mantle if it meant he'd get to play the waiting game up in outer space, and he decided the best way to get folks on his side was to gun down anyone who wasn't with him. Hell, even you agreed that he needed to be stopped, and you ended up helping us! Why are you trying to defend his honor now, when he's not even here to protect the people he supposedly cared about?"

Winter's eyes widened, then she looked down. "I…I…"

"And you!" Yang turned her glare to the Headmaster of Shade. "What kind of example are you setting for your people by taking potshots like that? Do you think this is some kind of boxing match, where you need to be the one to get the knockout? I'm sorry we inconvenienced you by dropping half a Kingdom's worth of refugees on your front door out of nowhere, but we didn't exactly have any other options! Whatever you think of our idea and our plan, we were certainly doing more than you did - how many of your people felt vindicated when Atlas collapsed? Hell, how many of them celebrated it?!"

Theodore sighed with a guilty expression. "…more than I would like to admit, Miss Xiao Long."

"Exactly." Yang sighed and let her expression soften. "Look, we've all screwed up in the past, usually by screwing over each other. I'll take full responsibility for the parts that were mine, and there's a lot of 'em. But the point I'm trying to make is that this, right here? This is exactly what Salem wants. She wants us at each other's throats, wants us squabbling over food and water and everything else. That way, when she gets all four Relics and summons the Gods to 'judge' the human race, they'll wipe out everything. That's what she thinks is gonna happen. That's how little she thinks of us."

She finally let her fiery Semblance fade as she stepped down from the table, though she still stood and stared out across the room with violet eyes. "So how about we finally start proving her wrong?"

The murmurs throughout the council chambers were almost deafening. Ozcar looked at her with a gleaming smile, the kind that a Headmaster only sported when their former student did something truly astonishing. Robyn gave a thankful sigh as Winter finally sat down, patting her on the shoulder only for the Maiden to shuffle away at her touch. And Theodore shared a glum exchange with Rumpole, the two Vacuans staring at the floor as they faced several uncomfortable truths all at once.

"I should have started bringing you to these meetings months ago, Yang," rumbled Ghira with a soft chuckle. "You're a natural."

"Did you want me to say 'I told you so' now?" Blake elbowed her thigh and grinned. "Or later?"

"Save it for when I really knock everyone's sock's off," answered Yang. "I'm not quite done yet."

After everyone saw that she hadn't returned to her seat, and thus had more to say, they fell quiet and allowed the blonde brawler to continue her impassioned speech.

"Besides…there's one thing you're both right about. This would be a lot easier if we could use the Relics to solve all our problems, like we did in the past. But if we wanna make a new Kingdom, we don't need them this time…cause we've got something else instead. Something sitting in the exact same room as us, even."

She looked at Raanu with a grin. "We've got friends from another planet helping us out. And more importantly, they brought a spaceship."

Metus cleared his throat. "Not to get sand in your servos, Yang, but let me remind you that right now we've only got half a spaceship. Namely, the half that can't fly. And the half that can fly is probably crawling with your Grimm and our Skrall right now, well outside our current reach."

Yang barely looked shocked. "Sure, but our half has still got a secret weapon of its own. Y'see, I was talking with my smart, perceptive, and devastatingly gorgeous partner earlier today…"

Blake rolled her eyes and hid her blushing face in her hand. "Yang…"

"…and she pointed out that the blast of light from the Drive Core not only vaporized the Grimm shortly after the Ark crashed, it's kept them away since then." She crossed her arms and smirked. "If you've ever been on a mission with my lil' sis, and seen her turn a big black bastard to smoke with just a flash of her silver eyes…you'll know what I'm talking about."

Ozcar was the first to make the connection, watermelon-like eyes widening in realization. His gaze snapped eagerly to the lead Agori, his voice wavering as if he dared to hope. "Of course…I should have realized sooner…Raanu, is this true? Have there been any further attacks on the Ark since that initial battle?"

"They've certainly tried to approach, but the Grimm never make it more than a few yalms past the edge of that field," reported the elder Agori. "It's as Yang says - they simply disintegrate once the light from the column shines on them."

More murmurs echoed throughout the chamber. An easy anti-Grimm solution? A guaranteed field of safety and sanctuary? One that would not only allow them to build and cultivate crops…but to live?

If Yang hadn't seen it for herself, she would've almost thought it was too good to be true.

"Now, I'm not saying I've got everything thought out," she clarified after another moment. "There's the obvious issue of figuring out how to move the ship to the Jade Crown - like Metus said, we can't exactly fly it there. We'll also need to figure out exactly how the Drive Core is doing…whatever it's doing, and how to make it do that on command. But if we can get those taken care of, then we might be able to turn the Ark into the cornerstone for a brand new Kingdom. One founded not just for the Agori and the Atlesians, but for Vacuans and Valeans and Mistrali and Faunus and anyone who wants to live there. A new united city…for a new united Remnant."

A thought crossed her mind, and she turned to look at her new friends from Bara Magna. "Then again…this all hinges on you being okay with us using your ship like this. I don't want to overstep and volunteer your entire race for something you can't - or won't - do. Such as, for instance, living with a bunch of natives."

Raanu chuckled and shook his head. "Yang, that is all we have hoped to ever do from the start. It was always our final intention to integrate into whatever new world we found; if our arrival brings with it the solution to your worst problems, then we will gladly help you. The Agori and the Glatorians fled our world to avoid conflict. We have no interest in starting one with your kind."

"Neither do we," rumbled Theodore with a smile. "And if you're on board with this plan, Raanu, then so am I. As Headmaster of Shade, I move to support this proposal to start a new Kingdom - to begin planning a city of alien lights in the Jade Crown. Raise a palm if you're in favor, a fist if you're opposed."

The open palms far outnumbered the closed fists.

"Motion approved! We will begin planning immediately."

Ozcar chuckled sagely in the face of a near-unanimous vote. "If we're going to go ahead and create this new settlement, in the hopes that it will indeed grow into a Kingdom…it's going to need a name. Given how this ship will become the cornerstone of this new frontier, I believe our otherworldly guests should have the honor of christening it. Raanu, do you have any suggestions?"

The elder Agori thought long and hard, before his leathery lips twisted into a smile.

"…I would like to propose the name 'New Atero.' It's an old word in our language…and it means hope."

Yang finally took a seat as the discussion continued in a much more productive direction.

Maybe this "playing politics" thing wasn't so hard, after all.

---

(A/N): Character moments AND we're moving the story forward? What is this magic?!

Anyway, thanks for reading! See you in two weeks, where things start heating up over on Mata Nui…and not necessarily in a spicy way. Stay tuned!