RWBY: The Joker Card

by Grand Chaos Master

Prisoners of destiny and seekers of destiny. Team RWBY at Beacon Academy training to become huntress. At the same time, all means of communication show a strange logo, a red hat, and a mask with one side on fire. A declaration of war that attracts the attention of all those in power.

14. Vol2 Chapter 4: Ghost Town Operation

Thank you so much for your incredible support. I don't think I've ever gotten this many followers and favorites for a single chapter before. Personally, I believe the previous chapter was the best work I've done so far and I think this one is even better.

When I started writing this story, it was supposed to be a weak copy of another user's story, but as time passed, I wanted to give it its own direction. This arc will probably wrap up in three more chapters, after which we'll dive into two fan-made arcs before entering Volume 3. And after Volume 3, everything will change—new fan-made characters, new arcs unrelated to the original canon, and even traveling between the four Kingdoms like in Strikers.

And if you know me, you'd know that I'm not a fan of creating romantic relationships between characters from different worlds, especially those who try to avoid girls (like Sonic). For fun, I once joked that Ruby and Joker would be shipped, but I quickly said it was a joke and that I was lying. However, there is one character who truly deserves a soulmate. I'll leave it to you to guess who it is.

By the way, I changed my translator, so tell me is this one better or not.

I also started to write Joker Card's Royal version, which is called RWBY: Royal Flush. I gave Atlas's story arc more story, changed some parts that don't make sense, and brought Sumire to the story (Yay). I will probably upload the story after the next arc, which is the story of the next member joining the thieves.

---

Those who commented have been answered here.

Redburndragon: Thanks for understanding my point about the fight between the Phantom Thieves and the Ace Ops. As for Akechi being a Wild Card: Akechi was a Wild Card from the start, and Lavenza confirmed this. However, he couldn't have another Persona since he didn't have a proper bond. Having a split personality doesn't help in having a second Persona either, because Sho Minazuki, who literally has two personalities, only has one Persona (and he's a Wild Card too). I think the reason Robin Hood exists was never because of Akechi's detective prince personality. It was actually due to the bond he formed with Joker. The reason Akechi appeared with multiple personas was because of Philemon. Philemon has given other party members the ability to carry multiple Personas before.

Gamelover41592: Thanks for your positive feedback as always! But Cinder wasn't stopped. Akechi managed to steal the device where the virus was installed, so now Futaba can use her computer magic.

Blockyblob: Thanks! Although I didn't quite understand your last point—what do you mean exactly? If you're talking about my English, well, it's not my first language, and it's not really taught seriously here. I'm sorry about that.

ironbear1367: They will all be included. But first, it will be a character not from Team RWBY or Team JNPR. A character who similar characters appeared in all three Persona games: Persona 3, Persona 4 Arena, and Persona 5 Strikers.

Mars1027: Nope, but she is in the Royal remake.

terry1234: That's also a thing, but I imagine crime lords with Victoria London style. Like Moriarty the Patriot and Arsene Lupin the First in Lupin the Third (My first inspiration).

ZoyeZest: No thanks. If you want to do it yourself, do it but I won't do anything.
Lisa-Katagiri: You too Lisa-Katagiri.

---

[Beacon Tower (Ozpin's Office)]

General Ironwood and Glynda Goodwitch stood around Ozpin, who was seated at his desk, discussing the events of the previous night. The situation was not particularly pleasant for the headmaster.

"They were here!" Ironwood said, repeatedly banging his mechanical fingers on the desk. "Ozpin, they were here!"

"We're fully aware of that, thank you, James," Glynda said, her voice laced with irritation, as she, like Ozpin, seemed tired of the general's constant repetitions.

"That's wonderful. You're aware," the general said, throwing his hands up in a sarcastic gesture, clearly not pleased with the response. "Now, are you going to deal with the two threats right under our noses, or are you going to wait it out like always?"

The discussion was spiraling out of control when the sound of the elevator interrupted them.

"Did you call for someone, Ozpin?" Glynda asked curiously.

"Yes, I did," Ozpin replied. "Come in," he allowed.

The elevator doors opened, and Ruby walked in. "Sorry for the delay. Someone randomly pressed all the elevator buttons," Ruby said, glancing around and realizing she'd just slipped up. "It wasn't me."

"Thanks for coming, Ruby. We need you to recall anything the Phantom Thieves said that night," Ozpin explained, and Ruby tilted her head in confusion.

"Last night, the Phantom Thieves infiltrated the CCT and engaged in a fight with a woman. We believe it might be the same woman you and I fought on the night we first met," Glynda continued, and Ruby nodded in understanding.

"Well, I don't remember them mentioning anything related to Torchwick. They were mostly mocking their opponents and giving us orders, even though I'm the team leader," Ruby explained, causing the professors to exchange glances. "When the fight ended, that creepy guy said something about not expecting an optical illusion and that the mission had failed," Ruby paused for a moment, her expression changing as if she remembered something. "Oh, "except we found out they have a hideout outside the kingdom… in… in… I think in the southeast," this was what he said," Ruby said while pointing behind herself without turning around.

"Why didn't you mention this sooner…" Glynda started, but Ozpin raised a hand to stop her, signaling to let Ruby go.

"Thank you, Miss Rose. You may leave," Ozpin said, and Ruby left the office.

---

[Leblanc]

The Phantom Thieves were gathered around the dining table upstairs, waiting for Futaba to crack the encryption on the device Akechi had stolen from Cinder.

"I did it!" Futaba cheered, throwing her fists into the air.

"Awesome! What's on it?" Mona asked excitedly.

Futaba checked the contents of the device, her eyes widening in surprise. "It's not a virus… it's a Trojan!"

"Um, what's a Trojan?" Morgana asked, confused.

"A Trojan is a type of malware. It acts like the Trojan Horse. It's basically, a dangerous program disguised as a harmless program. Once it gets into a system, it takes control of it secretly, letting you do whatever you want with the system," Futaba explained, leaving everyone shocked. Full control over the CCT, the planet's main communication network, could give the enemy a huge advantage.

"What would they gain by controlling the CCT?" Ren asked.

"Everything," Futaba replied. "Stealing others ID, messages from the communication towers, control over airships, and more."

"Can you destroy this Trojan?" Ren asked, sounding concerned.

Suddenly, a mischievous grin appeared on Futaba's face. "The people of Remnant are lucky Medjed came to their planet." She then pressed several buttons, and her system started scanning the entire CCT network. "By tomorrow, the whole CCT will be cleared of this malware," Futaba said, leaning back in her chair and putting her feet up on the table.

"Wait, why don't we use their own weapon against them?" Akechi suggested, making Futaba snap back into her usual focused position.

"You mean reprogram the Trojan?" Futaba asked.

"The best strike is the one they don't see coming. They're probably already expecting us to destroy this Trojan, and they've likely prepared a new one by now," Akechi explained.

"But if the program is still active, they'll continue with their plan, without realizing someone else is controlling them," Makoto added.

"It's like using Makarakarn to repel brainwashing skills back to the enemy!" Futaba gave an example, and only Ren chuckled softly at the reference. "But rewriting this program could take a week."

"A week is enough time," Morgana said. "Probably." Now with a doubt.

Suddenly, Futaba's laptop started beeping. Everyone's attention turned to the monitor, watching closely.

"What is that?" Makoto asked curiously.

"Last night, I asked Mona to plant a listening device (Wire or what ever it called) in Ozpin's office while searching for the Vault," Futaba explained, leaving the Phantom Thieves impressed by the young hacker's idea.

"Be quiet, they might say something important," Akechi said sharply, causing everyone to hush.

"Now that we know where they are, we're sending as many soldiers as we can, led by Ace Ops and Specialist Schnee, to the southeast." The general's voice came through the laptop clearly, indicating that the listening device was working fine. His image appeared on the corner of the screen. "We'll find out exactly what's going on and eradicate any forces that get in our way."

"Wow, James, why do all your solutions have to involve a triumphant display and military valor?" a woman's voice, one they hadn't heard before, came through the laptop. Since the laptop was connected to the CCT via a backdoor, it identified her, and an image of Goodwitch appeared on the left side of the general's picture. "You treat every situation like it's a competition…"

"Glynda!" This time, the Headmaster's voice echoed from the laptop, cutting off Glynda's statement, with Ozpin's image now appearing on the center between both pictures.

"Am I wrong?" Glynda asked calmly.

"You're right," Ozpin confirmed. "While I would love to put an end to this situation once and for all, we must remember that this could extend beyond Vale and Beacon. If this is truly part of a master plan and we know it's not the final move, we shouldn't be overly bold. We also can't afford to risk spreading panic," Ozpin explained the situation.

"I have served you faithfully for years," the general said. "But if you're telling me to truly hold the defenses and wait…"

"That's not an option!" Ozpin shouted this time. "You're a general, James, so tell me, when you're preparing for battle, which do you send out first, the flag bearer or the scout?" Ozpin asked but calmly.

"The scout, because we can't risk confronting the main forces with an unknown threat," the general replied.

"Exactly, which is why I propose sending Team RWBY there," this statement left all the Phantom Thieves stunned.

"He wants to send a student team there?!" Makoto exclaimed in shock and anger, clenching her fists tightly.

"Ozpin, that's not a wise move," the general warned.

"I know, but they are the ones who found this information, so whether we do this or not, Team RWBY will go," Ozpin explained his reasoning.

"Ozpin, this isn't the answer," the general complained.

"I know, James," Ozpin replied, and after that, only silence could be heard.

"So, they're planning to send Team RWBY instead of an army of AKs," Mona said, his stoic anger evident.

"This could work to our advantage," Akechi remarked.

"I agree," Ren nodded. "Even though I'm against sending Team RWBY on this mission, it does mean we won't be facing an army of robots with orders to kill us on sight," Ren explained.

"And we can go there and support them," Makoto added, completing the two Wild Cards' reasoning.

"So, we need to prepare for a hike," Futaba groaned, her face showing clear displeasure, as physical activities were never her strong suit.

"Sheesh, the one whose feet are really going to hurt is me," Morgana complained about Futaba's remark, knowing he would be the Phantom Thieves' vehicle, driving over a rocky mountain path full of bumps and potholes.

"The main issue is that the only place in the southeast that could be used as a hideout is Mountain Glenn, and it's crawling with Grimm," Makoto pointed out an important fact, and everyone stared at her in surprise.

"Looks like the student council president has done her homework," Futaba said.

"Well, I had to do something with my free time," Makoto replied.

"Alright, I'm going to gather some supplies and leave a notice on the door saying I'll be out of the city for an indefinite period. Meet me outside the walls," Ren said as he headed downstairs.

---

[A few hours later, on the way to Mountain Glenn]

The Phantom Thieves were riding in Mona, who had taken his van form, driving through the forests of eastern Sanus towards Mountain Glenn. Queen, as usual, was driving, Joker was in the passenger seat, as he used to drive the group in their early days, and the rest were seated in the back.

"If you were the Phantom Thieves of my world, we'd be flying in a helicopter right now," Crow complained about the long journey, as they had been driving for hours.

"If you don't like it, you can walk," Oracle snapped back.

"No one picks the worse option," Crow retorted.

"You two, calm down," Joker ordered.

"Joker, you did inform Ruby that we're heading to Mountain Glenn as well, right?" Queen asked with concern.

"I sent a message before we left, but unfortunately, she was out of the service area," Joker replied.

"I understand," Queen said, though still concerned.

"I don't mean to interrupt your conversation, but could someone maybe deal with the problem behind us?" Mona shouted nervously.

Indeed, a group of Boarbatusks had been chasing the Phantom Thieves for a while now. About seven of them, spinning like Sonic, were rolling towards the group from behind.

"Don't worry, I've been wanting to test this on them anyway," Joker said as he climbed out the window and stood on top of Mona. Joker placed his hand on his mask and called forth the latest Grimm Persona he had created. "Come, Stinger Griffon!" Joker shouted, and the new Grimm Persona appeared.

Stinger Griffon was a fusion of a Alpha Death Stalker and a Griffon. Due to its Alpha traits, it was larger than a typical Death Stalker and taller than a Griffon. Its entire body was covered in durable bone plating. The lower half of the Grimm was the body of a Death Stalker, with larger and stronger legs, and it had the scorpion stinger, though instead of glowing yellow, it was white with red markings. The upper body resembled a Griffon, with the left claw being a Griffon's talon, and the right claw being the scorpion's pincer from the Death Stalker. It also had two wings, which, aside from the feathers, were also covered in bone. "Ravage them!"

At Joker's command, Stinger Griffon flew towards the Boarbatusks with speed, slicing the first one into three pieces with a single slash of its talons. It then charged the remaining Boarbatusks, slashing through four of them with its scorpion pincer. The sixth one was grabbed by the pincer, lifted into the air, and cut in half like scissors. Finally, Stinger Griffon dove at the last Boarbatusk, driving its massive stinger into the creature's back with such force that the ground beneath it cracked.

"Well, the test was successful," Joker said, as he recalled Stinger Griffon back into his mask and climbed back into the van.

---

[A few hours later, in Mountain Glenn]

Team RWBY had only been in Mountain Glenn for five minutes before they were forced to battle hordes of Grimm. The ancient and abandoned city was overrun with various kinds of Grimm due to its desolate state. After slaughtering a pack of Beowolves, the girls faced even more groups of Grimm, including Ursas and Creeps. Contrary to what Ozpin had anticipated, the professional Huntsman who was supposed to assist them, Professor... or rather, Doctor Oobleck didn't participate in the fights at all.

The situation wasn't looking good for the girls. After hours of relentless fighting, they were exhausted. Currently, Team RWBY was battling a fairly large pack of Beowolves. To avoid being overwhelmed by the entire pack at once, they split up.

Ruby was the first to charge, using her Gun Blast technique to slice one Beowolf in half. She quickly aimed her scythe at another Beowolf, fired, and propelled herself towards a third, slashing upwards to send it into the air. With a flurry of swift scythe attacks, she shredded it into pieces midair.

Yang, like a heavy tank, plowed forward, smashing any Beowolf that got near her. The first Grimm went down with an uppercut. The second, crushed by a hammer fist. The third, taken out with a knee strike. One by one, Yang sent each Beowolf crashing into the ground with her raw power.

Weiss's method was the simplest. She plunged her Myrtenaster into the ground and instantly froze every Grimm around her, immobilizing them.

However, Blake was having some trouble. Most of the pack had targeted her, forcing her to leap around and dodge more than the others. First, she flipped over a Beowolf, decapitating it mid-jump. As she landed, she crouched and sliced off the arms of another Grimm that had lunged at her. She then leapt into the air, swinging her Gambol Shroud like a whip, and killed three more Grimm beneath her.

But before she could react, one of the Beowolves managed to catch her off guard, hitting her hard and sending her crashing to the ground. Blake rolled across the dirt, slamming into a wall, cornered. Her Gambol Shroud had fallen out of her hand, and several Grimm were closing in on her with no way to escape.

"Blake's in trouble!" Yang shouted, and the rest of the girls, having finished their own fights, turned to look at Blake.

Ruby quickly assessed the situation. A teammate was surrounded by several Beowolves, with an even larger pack approaching from another street. She had to save Blake and retreat, so they could regroup and continue fighting in a better position.

"Yang, slow down the Beowolves. Weiss and I will—" Suddenly, before Ruby could finish her sentence, a black and red energy shot past her at high speed.

The energy darted toward one of the Beowolves, striking it and then bouncing from one to the next in quick succession. Within seconds, all the Grimm surrounding Blake were hit, and the nearest Beowolf collapsed to the ground before disintegrating.

Joker emerged from behind the fallen Beowolf, standing tall as he revealed himself to the girls. They all stood in shock, jaws dropped, staring at the Phantom Thieves' leader—except for Yang.

"Hmph, show-off," Yang scoffed, crossing her arms and looking away.

Joker glanced at the large pack of Beowolves charging toward them and dashed forward. "Arsène!" The girls had seen Arsène before, so Joker confidently called upon his first Persona and charged with him towards the pack.

Suddenly, Joker and Arsène sped up, moving even faster than before, and vanished for a split second, only to reappear behind the pack. A red line sliced through the middle of the Beowolves, and in an instant, they all exploded.

"Did he just wipe out an entire pack of Beowolves in one move?" Weiss asked in disbelief, gesturing at Joker with both hands.

"Aside from being a show-off, he's seriously strong," Yang said, slightly impressed but still keeping her hand-on-hip stance.

Joker dismissed Arsène back into his mask, spun his dagger around his fingers, and slid it into his coat. He turned coldly toward the girls, eyes sharp. "Why is it that everywhere we go, you all seem to show up too?" Joker asked.

"Huh? What are we doing here? What are you doing here?" Yang exclaimed in surprise, angrily pointing at Joker.

"You were with me and my teammate that night," Joker replied without a hint of emotion.

"So, you came here alone to investigate?" Blake, having stood up and retrieved her weapon, asked as she joined the others.

"Alone?" Joker asked, sounding confused. Suddenly, a green tornado formed behind him, rising from behind a building. It spiraled high above the rooftops, and the girls watched in astonishment—except for Ruby, who had seen something like that before. "Looks like you're the ones alone here."

"We're not alone! We've got a professional Huntsman with us, Professor Oo..." Ruby began excitedly but then trailed off, her enthusiasm deflating. "Actually, it's not that cool when I say it out loud."

"Doctor!" A man's voice called out from the distance, causing Joker to glance toward the rooftops in surprise, while Ruby tensed up, fearing Oobleck had heard her. Little did they know, he had only heard the "Professor" part.

"Joker, the clearing's done," Queen said, approaching the group from behind Joker, coming into view. "Looks like we've got some familiar faces here." She smiled slightly.

"You're the girl who turned the Paladin into ash!" Weiss shouted in shock.

"The members we've got in Vale are the same ones you saw that night," Joker said, subtly glancing at Ruby before quickly turning his gaze back ahead.

A few moments later, Crow and Mona joined the group but showed no reaction upon seeing Team RWBY.

"Well, hotshot, aren't you gonna say why are you here?" Yang leaned forward with a smirk.

"I already told you, we're here to capture Torchwick," Joker replied.

"Can't you just steal his heart?" Yang asked, sounding suspicious.

"Stealing a heart takes time, planning, and specific preparations that are unique for each person," Joker explained, though Yang's suspicions remained.

"Let's not waste our time on this gangster; we've got bigger priorities," Crow said gruffly as he walked past Team RWBY, leaving them staring after him.

"Did he just call me a gangster?" Yang growled, preparing to charge, but Blake and Weiss held her back.

"Calm down, Yang," Blake said, struggling to keep her in place.

"All right, students!" A rapid, grating voice called out, and everyone turned to see Dr. Oobleck. "Now that all the Grimm in this area have been eliminated, we can… Enemy!" He suddenly took a defensive stance upon spotting the Phantom Thieves.

"Take it easy, Doc. We're not here to fight you, we are here to help you," Joker said, raising his hands in a show of peace.

"Oh, I see," Oobleck said, lowering his guard. "Very well then, the Stranger Group will clear the eastern section while Team RWBY clears the northern side!" He began giving orders, much to everyone's surprise.

"Hold up, Doc. I'm the leader of this team, not you. And we already cleared the northern section," Joker pointed out.

"Then Team RWBY will go with the Stranger Group to clear the eastern section!" Oobleck instructed. Before Joker could protest again, Oobleck disappeared at a speed that left even the Phantom Thieves a bit stunned.

"Seems like he didn't even care that I'm the leader," Joker muttered, as the others just shrugged. "Alright, we don't have anything else on the agenda for now. Let's go clear the eastern section," Joker ordered, leading the Thieves toward the designated area.

"We're not about to let them outdo us, right?" Ruby said, sparking a competitive fire in her team.

---

About an hour later, the team was busy clearing out every Grimm creature in sight.

Joker leaped around using acrobatics and parkour, head-shotting Beowolves with his pistol. Ruby joined him soon after, and the two began firing at the Grimm together.

"You should've told me you were going to join us," Ruby complained as she kept shooting.

"I was going to, but you were already out of signal's range," Joker explained, then removed his mask to summon Arsene, who threw a cleave through all the Beowolves, cutting them in half.

---

Queen moved like a force of nature, each punch exploding several Beowolves at once. She continued to strike and destroy Grimm until she ran into Yang at an intersection, who was also punching her way through the Grimm. By the time they met, both had taken out all the Beowolves in their sections.

"Not bad punching there," Yang said with finger guns and a wink at Queen.

"But you still have room to improve," Queen replied, making Yang's eyes widen in surprise. "Crow told me about your fighting style, and I was a little disappointed."

"There's nothing wrong with my fighting style!" Yang snapped, crossing her arms and turning her head in defiance.

"You might not realize it now, but when you're up against a skilled enemy, you'll see just how flawed your style really is," Queen said before leaping away to another part of the city.

Yang let out a frustrated growl and resumed moving, punching a hole in a wall when she reached it.

---

Meanwhile, Weiss was dashing through the Beowolves, slashing them with Myrtenaster and using her Glyphs, when she spotted Crow. He decapitated one Beowolf with a swing of his Saw Saber and then head-shot several others with his Raygun. Crow calmly sheathed his weapon and started moving toward Weiss.

"This area's cleared of Grimm. Let's head somewhere else," Crow said, moving ahead.

Weiss quickened her pace to walk alongside Crow, hoping to ask him a few things. "So, what do you think about your leader?"

"I hate him," Crow replied without hesitation.

Weiss's eyes widened, clearly not expecting that. "You hate your leader?"

"Handling dire situations effortlessly, always managing to stay one step ahead… It all pushes me to not lose to him!" Crow said heatedly, but Weiss could sense a hint of admiration in his voice.

"So, you two are rivals," Weiss said as Crow stopped to look at her.

"Exactly," Crow confirmed. "He showed up like a force of nature in my life and challenged me right from our first encounter."

"Wow, you two must have a lot of stories," Weiss said in amazement.

"We do, but I won't go into details. Just know that before we became allies, we were enemies," Crow said, piquing Weiss's interest further. "I gained the power to change hearts two years before the others and decided to abuse it. I started killing the scum of society, making it look like mental breakdowns," he continued, shocking Weiss. "But he saw things differently. He believed everyone could change, and in the end, he was right. I'm a horrible, unforgivable person—I even killed the parents of two of our members. But they chose to accept me, even if they weren't happy with it or even sad. And I will never betray that deal, especially not his," Crow said, then resumed his path at a faster pace, leaving Weiss staring at him with mixed feelings.

---

Blake jumped through a broken wall window and shot at a Beowolf sticking its head out, finishing it off. Looking to her right, she spotted Mona pulling his sword from the chest of another Beowolf. With several questions about the only Faunus member of the group, she approached him to talk.

"You're the only Faunus in the group, right?" Blake asked, catching Mona's attention.

"Yep," Mona replied.

"So, how did you become a member of the Phantom Thieves?" Blake asked curiously.

"I didn't join—I'm one of the founders," Mona answered, surprising Blake. "All the Phantom Thieves have faced some form of injustice and decided to stand against it. But I was just suffering from amnesia and wanted to know who I was. So, I made a deal with them. I'd help them fight injustice, and in return, they'd help me uncover my past. But before long, we became a family."

"Have you ever regretted being with them?" Blake asked curiously. She knew being a Faunus among a group full of humans was not easy, especially at first.

"The only thing I regret is the one time I left the group out of selfishness," Mona replied, surprising Blake further. "But that day, I learned that problems aren't something to run away from. You have to accept them and strive to not let it happen again, because it doesn't matter where did you come from, who you were, or what do you look like," Mona said before swiftly separating from Blake to continue clearing the area.

---

After the cleanup, Oobleck started asking Team RWBY questions, mostly about their reasons for wanting to become Huntresses. Each of them gave a different answer. Blake wanted to eliminate injustice and corruption against Faunus, Yang was looking for adventure, and Weiss wanted to restore her family's name. But, surprisingly, he didn't ask Ruby anything. Perhaps he already knew the reason a younger girl would have.

Oobleck approached Ruby to give her the final orders as team leader. When he reached her, he saw that she had tied a roasted chicken to the end of her scythe and was playing with Zwei, with Joker standing beside her.

"Cute, isn't he?" Ruby said, giggling softly.

"I'm more of a cat person," Joker replied, then turned to Oobleck. "The cleanup is done. There probably won't be any Grimm around here for a few hours." As Joker started his report, Ruby quickly sheathed Crescent Rose and hide the chicken.

"Good, that's enough for today," Oobleck said, then tossed his bag to Yang, who caught it. "Go find a building to set up camp while your leaders and I scout the area for further cleanup." Following Oobleck's command, Team RWBY and the Phantom Thieves moved in a random direction, separating from their leaders.

Ruby and Joker followed Oobleck until they reached the city's border walls, where they saw several Goliaths marching close to the city.

"Goliaths? Here? This big?" Joker, who had researched all the different types of Grimm, said in astonishment.

"I see you've studied Grimm," Oobleck said, not taking his eyes off the Goliaths.

Ruby, however, picked up Crescent Rose and switched it to sniper mode. "Let's take them down."

"Even if we could, we shouldn't. They don't seem hostile right now, and provoking them would only lead to an unnecessary fight," Joker said, prompting Ruby to lower her weapon.

"That was a wise choice," Oobleck praised. "Do you know that not all Grimm are mindless? At least, not all of them mindless, yet. The one you see there must have lived for hundreds of years, making it far stronger and more formidable than any Grimm you've faced so far. After years of life and battling humans, they learned something important. They learned that attacking our borders means death. They learned that what we lack in power, we make up with our will. And they learned that killing a human only brings more humans." Oobleck explained, just as one of the Goliaths turned its gaze toward them.

"Then why are they so close to the city?" Ruby asked curiously.

"They're waiting for the right moment," Joker replied.

"Correct," Oobleck said, moving back toward the city.

"Dr. Oobleck, I was wondering..." Ruby started, walking shoulder to shoulder with Joker.

"Wondering why I spent all day interrogating your teammates?" Oobleck stopped, trying to guess her question.

"Actually, I was more curious why you decided to become a Huntsman," Ruby said, as she and Joker stood in front of him.

"Look around and tell me what you see," Oobleck said, gesturing to their surroundings.

"People's lives destroyed?" Ruby replied, a bit uncertainly.

"Close enough," Oobleck said, continuing down the path, and the others followed. "As a Huntsman, it's my duty to protect lives, but while I can do that with traditional weapons, I believe I can have a much greater impact with my mind," he explained as they walked.

"Because the past is a textbook that teaches us not to repeat the mistakes of who came before," Joker added.

Oobleck stopped and turned back to the two leaders. "Exactly. When I look at these ruins, I see lives I could have saved. But as you said, I can also learn from these tragedies and grow stronger. I'm a Huntsman because there's nothing else in the world I'd rather be."

After Oobleck's explanation, leaders followed him back toward their camp.

---

[Camp Site]

The two groups gathered around a campfire they had set up inside a ruined building, with the exception of Qrow, who leaned against the wall away from the others, catching Weiss's gaze.

"Can't believe we didn't find anything," Yang said, warming her hands by the fire.

"We've always been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe luck just isn't with us this time," Blake replied, kneeling in front of the fire.

"We've only searched the surface of the city," Queen said, drawing the others' attention. "It'd be reckless to hide above ground with so many Grimm around."

"Guess we've got ourselves a detective here," Yang smirked.

"Well, I'm studying to become a cop," Queen replied, and Team RWBY nodded, though it certainly raised questions. Why would a Phantom Thief want to become a cop? And why not aim to become a Huntress?

Blake glanced over at Mona, who was keeping watch by a window, and stood to join him. "How did your team come together?" Blake asked as she stood beside him.

Mona placed a paw under his chin, thinking. "It's a bit hard to explain, but to keep it short, Joker, myself, and two others were forced to face a predator everyone else was ignoring. That's when we carried out our first 'change of heart,' and afterward, we decided not to disband the group."

Blake nodded thoughtfully. "So, each member faced some form of injustice, right?" she asked, and Mona nodded in confirmation. "What about your leader? what injustice did he face?"

"His was the worst among us and maybe Crow's be worse than his, but it's his story, and I have no right to tell," Mona explained, looking away.

"Wonderful!" Dr. Oobleck suddenly appeared, standing by the campfire. "A textbook campfire!"

"Fire!" Ruby called out, following behind Dr. Oobleck with Joker. She quickly took a seat by the fire and began warming her hands. "So... warm!"

Oobleck looked like he was about to say something, but Joker spoke up first. "Alright, everyone, get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow, we're expanding our search, and for added safety, we'll take turns keeping watch. I'll take the first shift. Goodnight," Joker instructed before heading up to the building's balcony to keep watch.

"Wow, Joker really shut you down," a new feminine voice caught everyone's attention. When they turned to the source, they saw Oracle entering the room.

"Finally decided to join us, Oracle?" Mona asked, as Team RWBY stared at her in surprise.

"Necronomicon is secure, but I can't stay in it all night. If I do, my batteries will probably drain in a few days," Oracle said with a playful grin, taking a seat by the fire next to Ruby.

"Um, sorry, but who are you?" Ruby asked, though she already knew her, but playing her part.

"I'm Oracle, the Phantom Thieves' navigator," Oracle replied, keeping her hands near the warmth of the fire.

"Why do you even need a navigator?" Yang asked, confused.

"Oracle supports the team's operations. navigation, analysis, data storage, backup, and a lot more," Crow, standing against the wall and gazing blankly at the room, replied in his usual detached tone.

"No one asked for your input, Crow," Oracle snapped coldly, surprising everyone with her tone. Crow remained unfazed, though it was clear he wasn't thrilled.

Weiss, intrigued by the dynamic, approached Crow and whispered, "She's one of the two, isn't she?" Crow didn't answer, merely turning his head away in silence.

"I'll take the next watch," Ruby announced after warming herself. She grabbed her sleeping bag and went to set it up.

"You all should get some rest," Oobleck advised before vanishing at inhuman speed.

"Guess I should turn in too," Oracle said, heading off to set up her sleeping bag. "First time camping under the stars."

---

[A Few Hours Later]

The sky had turned completely dark, revealing a breathtaking view of stars untainted by light pollution. Joker was still on watch in a wall-less room overlooking the camp. Around the campfire, Team RWBY and the Phantom Thieves were sound asleep. Team RWBY huddled closer to the fire, while the Phantom Thieves rested a little farther away. Queen, Oracle, and Mona slept near one another, while Crow isolated himself farther in the shadows, lying awake and staring at the darkness. His ever-present mask made sleep difficult because of its long nose.

When it was time for the next shift, Ruby woke up, grabbed her weapon, and approached Joker. "Hey, Joker, it's my turn to keep watch," Ruby said softly. Joker, still staring at the starry sky, didn't immediately respond.

"Alright, leader. The rest is up to you," Joker said at last, standing up. He walked back into the room and laid out his sleeping bag between the Phantom Thieves and Crow, preparing to get some rest.

When Joker rested his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, someone else opened theirs. Yang couldn't sleep; her mind was restless. After they interrogated the Phantom Thieves, Professor Oobleck had turned his questions on them. He'd asked why they wanted to become Huntresses, and each of them had given a different answer. Weiss wanted to restore her family's name, Blake sought to end the senseless war between Faunus and humans, and Yang was simply in it for the adventure. But deep down, they all knew there was more to it than that.

"Hey, Blake, are you awake?" Yang whispered as she shifted in her sleeping bag.

"Yeah," Blake replied without opening her eyes.

"Why do you think the professor asked why we want to be Huntresses? I mean... what was he trying to say?" Yang asked.

"Maybe he was just curious," Blake answered simply.

"You think so?" Yang pressed.

"No," Blake admitted.

"Hey, Weiss, are you awake?" Yang turned her attention to their resident.

"Of course, I'm awake. You're talking," Weiss muttered irritably, her whisper laced with annoyance. Yang shrank into her sleeping bag.

"And I think he wanted us to reflect on it. When I said I wanted to restore my family's name, I wasn't joking," Weiss began, her voice steady but tinged with frustration. "But it's not as simple as it sounds. I'm not an idiot. I know what my father has done with the SDC. Since his time, our family business has operated in a morally gray area, and I'm sure that's only the tip of the iceberg."

"It's good that you're aware of it," Blake remarked quietly.

"That's why I want to make a change!" Weiss said passionately, sitting up. "If I stayed at home, I wouldn't be able to do anything. My father didn't start our family legacy, and I'm not going to let him be the one to end it," she declared firmly before lying back down.

"I always thought I was fighting for the right cause," Blake said, her voice soft as she began to share her story. "I had a partner... more like a mentor, named Adam. He always reassured me that what we were doing was for an ideal world, but as time went on, I realized that his version of an ideal world wasn't for everyone. I joined the Academy because I knew Huntsmen and Huntresses were considered the noblest warriors in the world. But I never thought about what would happen after that. What do I do when I leave the Academy?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Yang said as she turned toward Blake. "You're not the type to back down from a challenge."

"But I do!" Blake said, her voice raising slightly, almost as if she were yelling. "That's exactly what I do. When I realized I was a Faunus, I ran. When I saw my oldest partner turning into a monster, I ran. Even my Semblance is a hollow black clone that takes the hit for me so I can run!" Blake finished, and silence fell over the group for a few moments.

"At least you have something driving you," Yang broke the silence this time. She turned onto her stomach and continued, "I guess I've always just gone with the flow; you know? It's fine; that's who I am. But how long can I keep doing that? I wanted to be a Huntress, not to be a hero or anything like that, but because I love adventure. I wanted a life where I didn't know what tomorrow would bring, and being a Huntress gives me that." Yang glanced at her half-sister, who sat leaning against two broken chunks of concrete. "I'm not like Ruby. She's always wanted to be a Huntress, to be like the heroes in her books. Someone who helps people saves the day and doesn't ask for anything in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew it was what she wanted, so she worked for it with everything she had."

"If you ask me..." Joker's voice suddenly broke through, catching everyone off guard. They all turned to look at him. "This conversation was doctor's goal," he explained, though the girls looked at him with a mix of confusion, surprise, and a bit of irritation.

"You were eavesdropping?!" Weiss asked, her tone a little offended.

"You were talking pretty loudly," Crow remarked from the shadows, and the girls collectively felt a bead of sweat form on their heads.

"Dr. Oobleck wanted you to think about your future, to grow," Joker elaborated, now sitting up on his sleeping bag. He turned his gaze to Weiss. "Weiss, you could've made a difference while staying in Atlas, but you came to Vale to run away from your father." He then shifted his focus to Blake. "You're trying to escape your guilt, which is why you want to become a Huntress, hoping that saving people will let you atone for your sins." Finally, his eyes landed on Yang. "And I'm pretty sure your reason is much, much more personal than just adventure. What is it, really? Are you looking for someone?" Joker asked, his observations sharp and direct.

The girls were initially ready to argue, but after a moment of reflection, they realized the thief was right.

"You're pretty sharp," Yang admitted, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. "Ruby and I are half-sisters. Summer... Ruby's mom was a Huntress and more like... a super mom. Baking the best cookies and taking down giant monsters. Everything was great until one day she went on a mission... and never came back. It was hard for everyone, but I think Ruby was too young to really understand it, and Dad... he just shut down. At first, I didn't know why, but then I learned Summer wasn't Dad's first love. my mom was. He didn't talk much about her, but I know they were on the same team with Summer. Then, when I was born, she left us."

"And you want to know why," Joker deduced. "Most people start that kind of search without considering the consequences, but it's interesting that you want to prepare first."

"You're right, except I already started the stupid search," Yang admitted. "One day, I found something that I thought was a clue. I waited for Dad to leave the house, then I packed Ruby into a wagon and left. I must've walked for hours, picking up cuts and bruises along the way, but I didn't care. When I finally got to where I thought Mom might be, I was so exhausted I could barely stand. But it didn't matter... cause I'd made it. That was when, instead of finding my mom, I saw pairs of burning red eyes staring at a new born baby asleep in a wagon and a dumb girl too tired to scream for help. We were like a gourmet meal served on a silver platter. Luckily, Uncle Qrow showed up just in time to save us." Yang finished her story, clenching her fist tightly.

"It's commendable that you learned from your mistake," Joker said thoughtfully. "But have you ever considered letting it go?"

"Sometimes... but it's still my main goal," Yang said, her grip loosening.

"What's her name?" Joker asked.

"Raven. Raven Branwen," Yang answered.

"I am so sorry Yang," Blake said sorrowfully.

"Thanks, Blake," Yang said sorrowfully, but with a real smile.

"Weiss, want to share your story?" Joker asked. Weiss hesitated for a moment, looking around before deciding to speak.

Weiss began recounting her life story. She talked about the day her father named her his heir, how he exploited her talents for personal gain, her cursed tenth birthday, and the eventual downfall of her family, which turned their mansion into a frozen hellscape.

"I… didn't know… I am sorry Weiss," Blake said to Schnee and felt guilty.

"Don't bee, it's not your fault... none of yours," Weiss said.

"Blake, what about you? Any family issues?" Joker asked, turning to the Faunus.

"I... actually, they were the best. I was the one who left them behind for some so-called noble cause," Blake admitted, her voice tinged with shame.

"You can call it fate or chance, but the fact that you four are together is a blessing you can use to achieve your goals," Joker said, drawing the attention of Team WBY. "You're here for each other now, and maybe someday you'll part ways. But remember, no one can reach their goal alone." As Joker finished, the girls exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with warm smiles.

"And what about you, charming thief? Why did you decide to become a Phantom Thief?" Yang asked with a cheerful tone and a clear smile.

"It all started with a stroke of bad luck," Joker began, his voice calm yet reflective. "One night, on my way home, I saw a drunk man harassing an innocent woman. I stepped in to stop him. Before I could even lay a finger on the guy, he stumbled and fell because of how drunk he was, injuring himself. When he got up, he threatened to sue me. I had no idea he was a powerful and influential man. Within 24 hours, I lost everything. my parents kicked me out of home, my friends left me and even my school expelled me. I was left with a criminal record and nowhere to go. It was the worst day of my life. But if that day repeated a million times, I'd make the same choice every single time." Joker's story ended, and the group fell silent, their eyes wide as they took in his words.

"Do any of you want to share your stories?" Joker asked, breaking the quiet.

As he finished speaking, the rest of the Phantom Thieves began to stir, sitting up on their sleeping bags. Crow's voice emerged from the shadows. "Maybe I should start since my story connects to everyone here."

"Go ahead," Joker gestured nonchalantly with a wave of his hand.

"My mother got involved with a terrible man, and I was the result," Crow began, his voice laced with bitterness. "My father couldn't care less. When I was born, life only got harder for my mom. Eventually, she lost her life, and things spiraled further out of control for me. One day, whether it was the work of a god, a devil, or just the madness of my own mind, I was shown a way to take revenge. changing people's hearts. But I took the darker path, the one paved with violence and death."

Crow's tone grew colder as he continued. "I used my power to get close to my father and exact my revenge. Killing him outright would've been too easy! I wanted him to suffer, to break, to see his image destroyed in front of everyone. So I became his puppet, assassinating people to bring him to the top, only so I could tear him down myself. My first official target... was Oracle's mother." His voice faltered, and an unmistakable tinge of regret and sorrow seeped into his words. He gripped his sleeping bag tightly as he finished.

The group sat in stunned silence; their breaths caught in their throats as they processed Crow's story.

"I don't need your pity, Crow," Oracle said coldly, refusing to look at him. "We all agreed to accept you into the group. Even though I can't forgive you, I've chosen to acknowledge you as part of this team!" Her voice started steady but wavered as she continued. Slowly, the sadness seeped in, and soon enough, she was sobbing openly. She still missed her mother. The team turned to look at Oracle, and they could clearly see tears streaming from under her goggles.

"You may have been the one to pull the trigger, but..." Oracle's sobs became too heavy for her to finish the sentence. Joker quickly stood up and embraced her, and she clung to him tightly.

"I'll explain the rest," Joker said softly, gently rubbing Oracle's head. "Crow's father ordered Oracle's mother to conduct research on altering hearts. When Crow found out how to do it sooner, his father saw the research as a threat and decided to eliminate the risk. He staged her death to look like a suicide, and to add insult to injury, he had a group of men in suits deliver a forged suicide note to Oracle's entire extended family, pinning the blame on a thirteen-year-old girl. They did such a convincing job that even Oracle herself believed she was the cause of her mother's death."

As Joker recounted the horrifying events, the team was once again stunned into silence. The cruelty was almost incomprehensible. How could someone do something so monstrous to a child?

"Why would anyone do something like that?" Yang demanded angrily, her fists clenched.

"Oracle was the only one who had clue about the content of the research. Although very limited, it was still dangerous," Crow explained grimly. "They needed to silence her in a way that wouldn't raise suspicion." Yang's eyes burned with fury, and her eyes turned red making her emotions unmistakable.

"What happened to your father?" Blake asked cautiously.

Joker glanced down at Oracle, who had fallen asleep in his arms, her tears finally spent. She finally ran out of battery for at least an hour or two, so he carefully laid her on her sleeping bag and pulled the blanket over her. Then, he turned back to the others. "that is the part we can not tell you, sorry."

Joker's explanation brought a collective sigh of complaint.

"And you, Queen?" Weiss, the Ice Queen, turned to Queen, the Iron Queen, curiosity and a touch of wariness in her gaze.

"My story isn't as dramatic as the others," Queen began, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "When the Phantom Thieves first made their move, the head of my department was tasked with investigating them. But instead of doing it himself, he passed the responsibility to me and threatened to ruin my reputation if I failed." She paused, glancing away as everyone exchanged surprised looks.

"That's it?" Yang asked her tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

"Not exactly… When I managed to uncover their identities, I decided to test their sense of justice. But in my foolishness, I ended up dragging myself... and everyone else into a mafia trap!" Queen admitted, her face flushing with embarrassment. The rest of the group instinctively turned to Joker, beads of sweat forming as they anticipated his response.

"Don't ask," Joker said curtly, cutting off further questions with a tone of finality.

"Alright, everyone, get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be exhausting," Crow announced, turning his back to the group and settling into his sleeping bag.

Following his lead, the others returned to their own spots and drifted off to sleep. Team WBY couldn't help but be impressed by how much the Phantom Thieves had endured to become the people they were. At the same time, the members of Team RWBY had their own thoughts racing.

Blake pondered Joker's comment about how their team's bond was a blessing, wondering what exactly he meant. After some reflection, she came to a satisfying realization. Weiss, on the other hand, fixated on the events the Phantom Thieves had mentioned, attempting to deduce their true identities. Poor Weiss didn't realize she was chasing shadows, and searching for truths that didn't exist. Meanwhile, Yang found herself drawn to Joker's demeanor, particularly how he acted like an older brother to his group, especially Oracle. She couldn't help but see herself and Ruby in them, imagining what their lives might have been like if Summer had died a few years later. But there was no time to dwell on those thoughts now, and truthfully, they felt reassured having these oddly dressed allies by their side.

As the camp fell silent, Professor Oobleck, who had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation in upper floor, smiled to himself. He saw the Phantom Thieves' presence as a positive influence on Team RWBY. In his view, these were teenagers forced to mature early, hardened by life's trials, and they could serve as mentors to the budding stars of this Team.

---

[Several Hours Later]

Ruby's watch shift ended, and she handed it over to Yang before slipping back into her sleeping bag beside Zwei. She quickly dozed off, but not long after, Zwei woke up with a soft bark and nudged Ruby awake.

"Zwei, it's the middle of the night! I'll play with you in the morning," Ruby mumbled sleepily, turning over to drift off again. But Zwei darted out of the tent, prompting her to sit up with a groggy groan.

"Zwei!" Ruby whispered loudly, trying not to wake anyone else. She didn't get a response, so she grabbed Crescent Rose and hurried after him.

"Zwei? Where are you?!" Ruby called out in a hushed voice, scanning the area anxiously. Finally, she spotted her dog behind a steel beam, looking entirely unbothered as he attended to his business.

"Zwei, this is just a barren wasteland—" Ruby muttered with a hint of irritation as she approached her dog. Zwei had just finished his business and trotted toward her. When they met, she crossed her arms. "You could've done that literally anywhere!"

"Woof!" Zwei barked cheerfully.

"Wait… what was that?!" Ruby froze as an unfamiliar voice echoed nearby. Her instincts, honed through countless missions, kicked in. Swiftly, she scooped up Zwei and, with a fluid motion reminiscent of a Phantom Thief, she leaped and ducked behind a pile of concrete debris, blending into the shadows.

Peeking cautiously, Ruby spotted two members of the White Fang patrolling the area.

"What was that noise?" one of them asked, scanning the surroundings.

"I thought I heard a bark, maybe even a Beowolf's howl," the other replied.

"Let's finish this patrol and get back to the hideout," the first one grumbled. "I hate this place."

The two White Fang members moved off, heading toward what Ruby assumed was their hideout. Clutching Zwei tightly, Ruby glanced back toward the camp, hesitating. Should she inform the others? But what if she lost track of the White Fang? It didn't take her long to decide... she'd follow them on her own.

Ruby surveyed the area and spotted a suitable building for keeping high ground. In a burst of Petal Burst speed, she leaped onto the rooftop and began tailing the White Fang members from above. For about two minutes, Ruby silently bounded across buildings, keeping her quarry in sight. Finally, she perched on a crumbling column at the edge of a rooftop and observed the White Fang members entering a dilapidated building. They closed the door behind them.

"Perfect!" Ruby whispered excitedly, pulling out her scroll to alert her team. "Now I just have to let the others know—"

No Signal

The red letters on her screen dampened her enthusiasm instantly. "Maaaan," Ruby groaned, tucking her scroll back into her pocket. She glanced down at Zwei, who was waiting patiently at the base of the column. "Alright, let's go tell the oth—"

Suddenly, the column beneath her trembled. Ruby's balance wavered, and before she could react, the column gave way entirely, sending her plummeting into the street below. Crescent Rose flew out of her grip, landing several meters away on the sidewalk.

Ruby hit the ground hard, barely having time to brace herself or even change Persona. The impact wasn't severe enough to cause serious harm to her Aura, but she winced as she scrambled to her feet. Just as she was about to retrieve her weapon, the cracked ground beneath her began to crumble.

"Seriously?!" Ruby exclaimed, preparing to react. But before she could, the remains of the collapsing column crashed onto her midsection, pinning her down. Together with the debris, Ruby plummeted through the fractured street into the city's underground network.

When Ruby fell into the underground network, she tumbled through a cavernous subterranean city hidden beneath the surface, deep within the heart of the mountain. As she hurtled past crumbling structures, she finally plummeted toward the ground. Upon impact, large chunks of asphalt and concrete rained down, slamming into her with significant force and severely depleting her Aura.

Ruby found herself partially buried under the debris, her mind foggy from the fall and the successive blows. As she tried to regain her senses...

"What was that noise?!" a nervous White Fang member shouted, stepping out from behind a crumbling wall with three other armed companions.

"Looks like we've got an intruder," one of them said, and the four began advancing toward Ruby.

Ruby turned her head weakly, trying to focus. The last thing she saw was the boot of a White Fang member crashing into her face.

---

[Team RWBY's Camp]

Yang had just finished her shift and was ready to swap with Weiss. She entered the sleeping quarters and walked over to her team. "Hey Weiss, it's your turn to—" Her sentence trailed off as she noticed Ruby's absence. "Ruby?! Hey, where's Ruby?!" Yang's panicked voice woke everyone.

"Shadows! The Shadows are attacking!" Oracle jolted awake in shock, scrambling to hide behind Queen.

"Oracle, calm down. The Shadows aren't here," Mona said, rubbing his eyes before stretching like a cat.

The rest of the group stirred awake in rapid succession. Joker shot up, instinctively reaching for the glasses before remembering he was in his Phantom Suit. Crow woke up and immediately checked to ensure his mask was still on his face. Oracle settled down as Queen helped her to her feet, while Mona stood upright after a final stretch. Even Oobleck poked his head through the doorway, looking concerned.

"Woof! Woof!" Everyone turned to see Zwei darting into the building, his movements frantic and filled with unease.

"This isn't good!" Crow said, stepping beside Joker.

"Grab your weapons," Oobleck instructed firmly, drawing everyone's attention. "The leader of Team RWBY might be in trouble."

---

[Unknown Location]

Slowly, Ruby opened her eyes. Her head was still spinning, and her surroundings were a blur. After a few blinks and moments of clarity, her vision returned. She found herself in a rectangular metal chamber. She tried to move but quickly realized her wrists were cuffed behind her to the back of a chair. Attempting to speak, she discovered her mouth had been taped shut. Ruby had been captured. just her luck.

Her gaze swept across the room. She spotted numerous safety crates used to transport Dust, as well as a strange device situated in the middle of the chamber. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like she was in a cargo train car. However, the lack of movement meant the train wasn't running, so she still had a chance to escape.

Fortunately, Mona, Akechi and Ren's training for Ruby wasn't limited to combat. they had also taught her the art of thievery. Ruby slid her right hand into the sleeve of her left arm and found it. The Perma-Pick Ren had given her as a gift. It saved her the trouble of crafting lockpicks during training. Before Ruby could even insert the Perma-Pick into the cuffs' lock, she heard voices from outside.

"I just hope you're not wasting my time—" The sliding door of the train car screeched open, revealing Roman Torchwick accompanied by a burly White Fang member. Roman's grin widened as he saw Ruby. "Well, well, look who we have here!"

Ruby quickly hid the Perma-Pick back in her sleeve as Roman sauntered into the car.

"This is the best Christmas gift you could've given me, Alex," Roman said with a smirk. The White Fang member, apparently named Alex, nodded silently. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like some alone time with this little nuisance," Roman added, twirling his cane as he stepped further inside and slid the door shut behind him.

---

[On the Surface]

The Phantom Thieves, Team RWBY, Dr. Oobleck, and Zwei raced to the site where Ruby had fallen. Crescent Rose lay on the sidewalk, a grim marker of her absence.

"That's Ruby's scythe!" Yang yelled, sprinting toward it with Crow close behind. She knelt in front of the weapon.

The rest of the group gathered around the scythe or stood near the edge of the hole. Weiss turned to Joker, standing beside her at the opening. "Do you think Ruby fell down there?" she asked.

Joker, activating his Third Eye, surveyed the hole and the surrounding buildings. His gaze locked onto a freshly broken column. Rising to his feet, Joker pointed toward the structure.

"I think she fell from up there," he said, motioning to the building above the hole. The others followed his gesture.

Crow stepped forward, scanning the scene with a detective's precision. "Something up there must've broken off, taking Ruby with it. They crashed through the street and landed underground," he deduced, his tone calm but concerned.

The group looked at him in confusion, but Dr. Oobleck's mind was racing elsewhere.

"Of course! Of course, of course, of course!" Oobleck began shouting, pacing rapidly around the area.

"What's wrong?!" Blake asked, bewildered by the professor's sudden outburst.

"How could I have been so stupid?!" Oobleck exclaimed, his voice echoing with frustration as he sped back and forth.

"Dr. Oobleck, what's going on?" Yang asked, just as confused as Blake.

"Gasp! The largest tomb in history!" Queen shouted, slamming her fist on her palm.

"Exactly, Miss Queen!" Oobleck exclaimed, suddenly appearing in front of Queen with an intensity that startled everyone. "Mountain Glenn was Vale's first ambitious expansion attempt. The kingdom constructed an elaborate underground metro system that allowed settlers to commute safely between the new territory and the main city, bypassing the danger of the Grimm. They also set up an aggressive perimeter defense, which, for a time, kept thousands of residents safe in their new home." He paused briefly to gather his thoughts before continuing.

"But because the mountain didn't have a natural defensive advantage like Vale, it couldn't hold out for long. With increasing attacks, the defenses eventually fell, forcing the citizens to convert the metro tunnels into underground shelters," Queen added, her tone solemn.

"In short, there's a ghost town beneath our feet," Joker summarized casually.

"Precisely!" Oobleck continued with a mix of excitement and dread. "Eventually, an explosion opened another cave mouth, and the entire city was overrun by Grimm. With survivors impossible to rescue, Vale officially sealed the tunnels, creating what is now the world's largest tomb." Oobleck's tone turned mournful as he recounted the tragic history.

"So we'd better get down there quickly," Joker interjected, spinning his knife around his finger. "Ruby's either a prisoner of a terrorist group or stuck in the middle of an army of soulless creatures looking to sink their teeth into her veins and suck her blood out." His attempt at gallows humor was punctuated with a mischievous smirk.

"Eeew!" Team RWBY recoiled, visibly unsettled by the joke.

"It was just a vampire joke," Oracle said, rolling her eyes as the rest of the Phantom Thieves gathered near the hole.

"We'll go in first. You follow us five minutes later—quietly," Joker instructed, his commanding tone cutting through their confusion. "Showtime!" He tightened his gloves, and before anyone could respond, the Phantom Thieves, except Oracle, dissolved into black streaks of shadow and dove into the hole. Oracle just jumped down casually, and Joker stayed.

Joker turned back to Team RWBY, flashing them a confident smirk. He winked, spreading his arms like a cross before falling backward into the darkness.

Team RWBY rushed to the edge, peering down into the void, but the inky blackness revealed nothing.

---

[Underground]

Joker adjusted his posture mid-air, twisting to a diving shape to increase his descent speed. As the ground neared, he flipped gracefully and executed a flawless superhero landing, his impact utterly silent.

The rest of the Phantom Thieves, except Oracle, emerged from the darkness, appear as if they were forming out of thin air.

"Alright, Phantom Thieves, support's on me!" Oracle's voice echoed in their minds. With a flicker, Necronomicon disappeared into a pocket dimension, its unique sanctuary where only she could access it and begin providing overwatch from above.

Joker signaled forward with a wave of his hand, and the Thieves moved silently, their steps light and precise. Navigating the underground tunnels with swift parkour and stealthy movements, they soon reached the perimeter of the White Fang base.

Oracle's voice came through telepathically, breaking the silence. "Three enemies ahead. No Aura signatures detected."

Below, three White Fang members were busy unloading crates of Dust. Joker moved first, launching himself into the air and delivering a flying kick that sent the first thug sprawling into a crate, and at the same time, Queen, delivered a right hook that knocked the second White Fang out cold. The third didn't even have time to react before Joker and Queen teamed up to deliver a synchronized double kick to his face.

A little farther ahead, two more White Fang operatives appeared from around a corner and spotted the Thieves. They barely had time to shout before Crow and Mona landed behind them silently, striking them in the backs of their necks with the blunt edges of their weapons. The two crumpled without a sound.

"We'll have this place wrapped up in ten minutes at this rate," Mona said through the link, confidence in his tone.

Joker signaled again, and the team moved forward. Climbing up a structure for a vantage point, they froze as they took in the scene below.

A small army of White Fang operatives was loading crates of Dust onto a massive train. Several Paladin mechs stood guard or carrying larger boxes. The train itself was lined with carriages brimming with crates, operatives, armed guards and Paladins.

"This is more than a hideout. It's an outpost with a small army," Queen said telepathically, her voice laced with unease.

"Wait, there's something odd," Oracle interjected. "First, this tunnel system was supposed to be sealed off. Second, the Dust they're loading—it's only Fire Dust. Nothing else."

"That doesn't sit right," Joker murmured, his sharp eyes scanning the scene. "We'll deal with that later. Oracle, check for a Persona user. If Ruby's here, we need to confirm her location now."

"Got it!" Oracle said, initiating a high-level scan.

---

[Inside the Train Carriage]

Roman Torchwick hit Ruby with his cane one last time, causing both her and the chair she was tied to, to fall over onto the floor.

"Whew, you have no idea how much I needed that, Red," Roman said, stepping closer as he set the chair upright again. He used the head of his cane to lift Ruby's chin, forcing her to look at him. "So, how did you find this place, Re—" Roman's words were abruptly cut off as Ruby delivered a devastating kick to his nuts. Roman face became deformed as if he came out of a cartoon while holding his nuts.

Ruby laughed through the duct tape covering her mouth as she saw Roman clutching his groin in pain.

"Bitch!" Roman spat, swinging his cane with even more force this time. Ruby was thrown to the floor once more, still tied to the chair. This time, her Aura briefly flickered into existence before fizzling out completely.

Groaning in pain, Ruby opened her eyes and was greeted by the tip of Roman's cane and his polished shoes right in front of her face.

"Looks like your battery's out, Red," Roman sneered, crouching in front of her. "As much as I'd love to keep playing with you, I'll let you charge up for the next hour. Then we can continue."

He stood up, smirking smugly, and opened the door of the train car. With an obnoxious grin, he stepped out and shut the door behind him, apparently too confident to bother locking it.

Ruby seized the opportunity. Pulling out her Perma-Pick, she quickly got to work on the cuffs. Forty seconds later, the lock clicked open—not close to Joker or Mona's record time, but good enough for Ruby. She freed her hands and ripped the tape off her mouth.

However, when she tried to stand, a wave of weakness overcame her. Thankfully, the tools Joker had given her included Healing Stones. Crushing several in her hand, she instantly felt her energy restored, her Aura recharged to full strength.

It was time to escape. Instead of using the train car's main door, Ruby climbed through the roof hatch. She carefully peeked out, scanning the surroundings. Once she was sure no one had spotted her, she used Petal Burst to transform into a flurry of petals, slipping through the window of a building nearby and into the second floor.

Peering cautiously out of the window she'd entered through, Ruby paused when she felt a familiar sensation in her mind.

"Based on the movements I'm picking up, I'd guess you've made your escape," Oracle's voice echoed telepathically in her head.

"Oracle, are you here?!" Ruby asked through the mental connection.

"We're all here," Joker answered from the same link. "But your team is still five minutes behind us. Ruby, I need you to quietly head to the food storage building. It's near both of us, and you should be able to spot it from your location. We'll regroup there, and once your team arrives, we'll dismantle their operation together."

With Joker's directive clear, the connection ended.

Ruby stepped away from the window and climbed a set of stairs, eventually reaching the rooftop. After a quick survey of her surroundings, she spotted it—a small building with the words "Food Storage" painted in bold letters across its facade.

Smiling to herself, Ruby sprinted to the edge of the rooftop and leaped effortlessly onto the next building. She continued this pattern, moving from rooftop to rooftop, avoiding detection with precise, calculated movements.

Finally, Ruby reached the target building. With a nimble jump, she slipped through a broken window and landed inside the food storage room among a large amount of food boxes in the middle of the room.

As Ruby got to her feet, she suddenly found herself staring down three gun barrels and the tip of a crossbow bolt aimed directly at her face. Initially startled, she relaxed slightly when she noticed the Phantom Thieves holding the weapons. They quickly lowered them upon recognizing her.

"That's a pretty intense welcome," Ruby said, raising an eyebrow.

"Apologies, but we had to be cautious. After all, this is enemy territory," Joker explained, casually sitting down on a crate labeled "Dried Meat."

"Fair enough," Ruby replied with a small nod.

"Alright, did you manage to gather anything useful while you were their captive? Like what their plans are, or who's in charge here?" Queen asked, her tone businesslike.

"I don't know much about their plans, but I can tell you Torchwick's running things here. He came in personally to... interrogate me," Ruby answered, prompting a collective gasp from the group.

"He tortured you?!" Joker asked, visibly shocked.

"He just hit me with his cane. Luckily, my Aura absorbed all the damage," Ruby added quickly, hoping to calm the Phantom Thieves' leader.

"Good," Joker said, summoning his cane with a flick of his wrist. "Because I've got a cane ready for him too!"

"What else did you learn?" Crow asked, cutting through the conversation.

"Nothing else," Ruby admitted, shaking her head.

"Then all we need to do is wait for your team to catch up with us," Mona said, starting to lay out the plan. "Once they're here, we'll all together—"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A series of loud, consecutive explosions echoed through the area, grabbing everyone's attention. Joker's eyes narrowed in worry. "I really hope that's not what I think it is..."

---

[With Team RWBY]

Team RWBY had completely ignored Joker's instructions to stay discreet. Instead, they had launched a full-on assault. White Fang members scattered in panic, with a few braver ones stopping to fire at the advancing team—only to be swiftly neutralized. Blake, with pinpoint accuracy, shot non-lethal rounds at their vital points. Weiss used her glyphs to freeze enemies and restrict their movements, while Yang charged forward like a human tank, destroying everything in her path. Dr. Oobleck joined the fray, zipping around with inhuman speed. He dispatched enemies left and right with his weaponized coffee thermos—a flaming metallic baton that caused explosive impacts.

Zwei was also with them, but no one even paid him attention.

The team's assault pushed onward until a Paladin mech dramatically slid into view from behind a building, blocking their path. Everyone dropped into combat stances, bracing for the fight.

Then, suddenly—

SLASH!

A glowing slash of light cut through the Paladin, leaving a diagonal mark that cleaved the mech cleanly in two. The top half was sent flying into the air, while the bottom half remained for a moment before collapsing with a heavy thud.

From behind the wrecked Paladin, the Phantom Thieves emerged, Ruby standing near Joker.

"RUBY!" Yang shouted, arms wide open for a hug. Ruby didn't hesitate, propelling herself into her sister's embrace. The two held each other tightly, relief washing over them both.

"I thought I told you to come quietly!" Joker's voice cut through the moment, sharp with irritation.

"Hey! Our leader was in danger; we couldn't just sit back and do nothing!" Weiss snapped, clearly irked by Joker's tone.

"In a base, you know nothing about?" Joker countered coldly.

"Without any idea how many enemies are here or what kind of equipment they have?" Mona added, his tone equally stern.

"Not even knowing what they're preparing here?" Crow continued, crossing his arms.

"And risking them using your leader as a hostage?" Queen concluded, glaring at the group.

Team RWBY could only stand there, stunned. Everything the Phantom Thieves had said made perfect sense, and it was clear they had acted recklessly without considering the consequences.

"Oobleck!" Joker called, turning his gaze to the history professor. "As a professional, you should have taken all of this into account!"

"You're absolutely right," Oobleck admitted, looking down at the ground in shame.

"Not to interrupt, but—Roman's moving the train!" Oracle's voice suddenly rang through their minds via telepathic communication, causing everyone to wince slightly at the abruptness.

"Oracle?" Weiss asked in surprise, looking around for the mysterious navigator.

"What does she mean by the train?" Yang asked, confused.

"Torchwick's got a massive train loaded with armed soldiers, crates of Fire Dust, and stolen Paladins. He's heading for the railway leading straight to the center of Vale," Mona explained quickly. At the same time, Blake handed Crescent Rose back to Ruby.

"Impossible! Those tracks have been sealed for years!" Oobleck said with confidence.

"All aboard! We're heading out!" a White Fang soldier's voice boomed over the intercom, confirming Oracle's warning.

"There's no time. We can't call for backup, so our only option is to stop that train ourselves," Joker said, pulling a dagger from his coat, spinning it deftly around his fingers, then drawing his pistol and resting one hand atop the other in a ready stance.

"Then let's go save Vale!" Ruby declared, transforming Crescent Rose into its scythe form with a satisfying click as she locked the bolt-action mechanism into place.

---

[The Train]

One of the White Fang members glanced out the side of the train car, catching a fleeting glimpse of Ruby's red cloak.

The soldier immediately grabbed his radio. "I think they're abo—" Before he could finish, Oobleck struck him on the head with his trusty coffee flask, rendering him unconscious.

"More White Fang members will show up soon. Don't let your guard down," Mona warned just as Weiss entered through the rear door, closing it behind her.

Joker looked up and noticed a hatch on the ceiling. "If we take the roof, we'll move faster," he suggested. The others nodded in agreement.

Joker went first, firing his grappling hook towards the roof. The hook latched onto the hatch, and he launched himself upward. As he neared the ceiling, he kicked the hatch open, released the hook, and executed a backflip to land gracefully on top of the train.

"Show-off," Yang muttered with a smirk.

"You have no idea," Mona replied as the rest climbed up the crates and exited through the hatch Joker had smashed open.

"Everyone, move quickly! We need to reach the front of the train and stop it!" Oobleck shouted.

"Uh, Doctor? What do you think this device is?" Queen asked, pointing to a strange contraption mounted atop some crates.

"That thing—" Oobleck began, kneeling next to it. "It appears to be a bomb!"

The moment the word bomb left his lips, everyone leapt back instinctively, shielding themselves.

"Incoming enemies!" Oracle warned through telepathic communication. The group turned their attention forward, spotting a large group of White Fang soldiers approaching. "Good news are, only a few of them are armed, most of them have Aura, and Tunnel has safety shelters for Grimm strikes which leads to outside," Oracle added, completing her report.

"I wasn't expecting them to—" Oobleck's sentence was cut off as a sound emanated from inside the train car. Everyone looked toward the noise, and the bomb began flashing and emitting a steady beep-beep sound, signaling that its timer had been activated.

"Everyone, to the next car! I'll detach this one!" Crow shouted. Without wasting a second, the group jumped to the next train car, leaving Crow behind. He climbed onto the coupler between the cars, readying his Sawsaber to sever the connection.

As Crow raised his blade to strike, the coupling suddenly released on its own.

"They disconnected it themselves!" Crow yelled.

"What?" Oobleck exclaimed, leaning over the edge to confirm.

"I don't think they want us on this train!" Yang said as she joined Oobleck, staring at Crow.

"Maybe not, but something about this feels off," Crow replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Weiss and Ruby cautiously opened the roof hatch of the train car they were standing on, and their worst fears were confirmed.

"There's another bomb here!" Ruby shouted, drawing everyone's attention.

"No way...! They wouldn't—! They can't be that reckless!" Joker exclaimed, his voice tinged with shock and fear. Without wasting a moment, he used his Phantom Dash to dart to the next car. He pried open its hatch only to discover yet another bomb. Frantically, he dashed to the car after that, opened the hatch, and found the same grim sight: another bomb.

"All the cars are rigged with explosives!" Joker yelled, his voice cutting through the tense air. Everyone froze for a second, stunned.

Suddenly, the bomb in the car they were standing on began to activate, its timer beeping ominously. Without exchanging another word, the group quickly leapt to the next car. As Crow, the last to jump, landed, the car they had just been on detached from the train.

"This makes no sense!" Yang shouted, slamming her fists into the air in frustration.

"If what I'm thinking is true, it makes perfect sense!" Joker appeared beside the group, his gaze locked intently on the detached car.

"Kill the humans and those traitors!" a female White Fang soldier yelled, drawing the group's attention to the next wave of enemies.

Team RWBY, joined by Queen, Mona, and Zwei, formed a battle line, adopting combat stances. Joker and Crow, however, stayed back, observing the detached cars to see what would happen.

The first move came from a White Fang soldier who aimed a kick at Yang. She effortlessly blocked it with her leg, stopping the attack dead in its tracks before it could rise past her knee. With a quick sweep kick, she knocked the soldier off his feet, sending him into the air. Flashing a wink, Yang followed up with a devastating punch to his face, sending the unlucky combatant crashing through the roof hatch of a train car below, shattering boxes along the way.

Blake was already darting into the thick of the enemy wave. With swift, precise strikes from her Gambol Shroud, she dispatched anyone in her path, sending them tumbling off the side of the train with minimal effort.

Weiss stood firm for a moment before launching herself forward with a glyph, tearing through the opposition. Wherever she passed, trails of frost replaced the chaos, freezing enemies in their tracks. Coming to a stop, she spun her Myrtenaster in wide arcs, sending White Fang soldiers flying off the train with every strike.

Ruby, meanwhile, prepared her Crescent Rose. She cocked the bolt-action mechanism, aimed herself at a cluster of enemies, and launched forward in a flurry of rose petals, scattering the group with a single, powerful swing. Not stopping there, she hurled Crescent Rose horizontally at another group, knocking most of them off the train. The weapon embedded itself at an angle in the car, creating a momentary pause in the action. With only two White Fang soldiers remaining, Ruby took the initiative. She sent the first flying with a spinning roundhouse kick and knocked the second off with a sharp side kick.

Queen darted toward a White Fang soldier. When the soldier threw a punch, she swiftly countered with a shoulder throw, slamming him into the ground. As another soldier tried to attack her from behind, she delivered a sharp side kick to her stomach, sending her flying into her comrades. The group managed to catch their airborne ally, but Queen wasn't done yet. Grabbing the first soldier's leg, she dragged him along the ground as she charged toward the others. Upon reaching them, she swung the poor soldier like a battering ram, knocking the entire group off the train.

Mona leaped into the fray next, weaving through the enemies with his sword spinning in swift arcs. The first enemy he encountered was sent flying off the train with a quick body spin. He then leaped onto the second, using him as a springboard to launch himself toward the next cluster of foes. The soldier he used as a stepping stone teetered dangerously near the edge, struggling to maintain his balance. When Mona landed amidst the next group of enemies, he quickly dispatched them. First, he fired a bolt at the pack. Then, he slammed his shoulder into a bigger and more muscular soldier's chest, sending him tumbling off the train. The bolt he had fired moments earlier exploded, releasing an enchanted wind spell. The resulting green vortex hurled the remaining White Fang soldiers into the air. As the train sped forward, it left them behind—except for the poor soldier still trying to regain their footing on the edge. Unfortunately for him, his comrades clashed with him, knocking him off the side as well.

Joker, Crow, and Oobleck briefly observed the skirmish before turning their attention back to the detached train car. Suddenly, the car exploded, creating a massive hole in the tunnel wall and ceiling. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, from the newly formed breach, a horde of Grimm began pouring into the tunnel. An even larger wave of Grimm followed from further back, flooding toward the train.

"This is exactly what I was afraid of," Joker muttered, his voice heavy with concern as he watched the approaching swarm. "They're trying to bring the Grimm into the city!" he shouted, his words causing everyone to freeze in shock.

"What?!" Weiss exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"The detached train cars explode, creating breaches in the tunnels. Those breaches serve as entry points for the Grimm!" Oobleck explained hastily. He, Joker, and Crow jumped onto the next train car just as their previous one detached and began to fall behind.

"We need to defuse those bombs!" Mona shouted.

"But how?" Blake asked, looking around for answers.

In unison, the Phantom Thieves and Ruby turned their gaze toward Crow.

"Don't look at me! Bomb defusal isn't exactly my area of expertise!" Crow snapped, clearly annoyed by their expectations.

"A few years ago, in one of my stealth video games, I had to temporarily neutralize bombs on an oil plant until the real defusal team arrived. The method? Freeze them," Oracle's voice came through the telepathic link. Everyone instinctively looked upward, bewildered by her disembodied voice.

"But that was just a game!" Yang protested, throwing her hands into the air.

"It might actually work!" Oobleck countered, his voice filled with urgency. At that moment, the bomb on the car they were standing on began to activate.

Mona quickly reached into his coat, pulling out a crystalline shard of Ice Dust. Using his Semblance, he channeled its power into the bomb, freezing it solid and stopping the timer in its tracks. "Looks like it actually did work!" Mona said.

"Ice Dust disables the Fire Dust inside the bombs, preventing them from detonating!" Weiss, the team's Dust expert, explained. The group exchanged glances and nodded in understanding.

"We need to split into two teams," Ruby suggested, laying out her plan. "One team will stop the train, and the other will defuse the bombs."

"What should we do, Joker?" Mona asked their leader, who already had a clear idea of how to proceed.

"Ruby, Queen, Oobleck, and I—" Joker paused, looking down to see Zwei practically bouncing at his feet, clearly signaling, I'm combat-ready! "—along with Zwei, will head to the front of the train to stop it." The named members nodded in agreement. "Yang, Blake, Weiss, Crow, and Mona, you'll take care of defusing the bombs." The rest nodded, and the two teams split up.

As Joker's team moved toward the front car, the White Fang pilots climbed into Paladin mechs and launched an attack. Oobleck took a sip from his ever-present coffee flask, transforming it into his fiery baton. Zwei leaped into the air, and Oobleck swung the fiery baton like a baseball bat, sending Zwei hurtling forward as a blazing fireball. The fiery dog smashed straight through one of the Paladins, causing it to explode and tumble off the train.

Zwei landed gracefully on the train's roof, but another Paladin loomed over him, its arms shifting into cannon mode. Before it could fire, a dark wave of energy shaped like a demonic face erupted beneath the mech, causing severe damage. Following up, Oobleck spun like a fiery whirlwind, striking the Paladin and triggering another explosion. He landed dramatically on one knee, adjusting the brim of his hat with flair.

Joker, Queen, and Ruby rushed to Oobleck's side, facing down the remaining squad of Paladins charging toward them.

"Let's pillage them together!" Joker called out in a deep, resonant voice as he tore off his mask. Behind him, Arsène appeared, an imposing figure that mirrored Joker's movements.

Joker and Arsène charged the Paladins in unison. Joker leaped at the nearest mech, slashing vertically with his dagger as Arsène simultaneously struck with his sharp claws. Together, they severed the Paladin's arm. Before they reach the ground, Joker and Arsène followed up with synchronized sidekicks, sending the Paladin hurtling backward into another mech. The collision caused both Paladins to topple off the train in a spectacular crash.

The moment the two Paladins fell, the sound of a motorcycle engine echoed in the distance—a noise none of the White Fang operatives noticed. Suddenly, Queen, riding the invisible Johanna, appeared in front of the lead Paladin. She struck the mech with her front wheel, forcing it back. Mid-air, Johanna spun as Queen leaped off, pulling her fist back for a devastating punch. Her face momentarily shadowed, a red spark igniting in her right eye. The pilot froze, his heart skipping a beat. But when Queen's fist connected with the Paladin, the mech crumpled under the impact. Calling out to Johanna, Queen commanded the motorcycle to maneuver independently. It drifted through the air, cast a skill at a group of Paladins, and detonated in an atomic explosion that obliterated every mech within the blast radius.

Queen landed gracefully beside Joker, the two striking their iconic All-Out Attack pose as smoke and debris filled the background. Even Oobleck, usually unfazed, looked impressed.

Ruby, seizing the moment, zipped past the group toward another Paladin. With her scythe in hand, she sliced cleanly through the mech's left leg on her first pass. Turning back, she zipped upward, severing its arm, and finished with a Persona-infused bullet to its core. The Paladin exploded as Ruby landed elegantly in front of Joker and Queen, striking her signature pose.

Oobleck, watching the younger fighters with awe, couldn't help but suddenly feel old.

---

[Inside the Train]

Crow's team entered the train, immediately spotting Weiss, who silently tossed a colorful Dust cartridge to Blake. Without hesitation, Blake loaded it into Gamble Shroud.

The group located the first bomb and dashed toward it, but from atop a stack of crates, Neopolitan emerged, concealed by a glassy illusion. She leaped down with dramatic flair, landing lightly and smirking confidently.

"Back for round two?" Mona muttered, reaching for his weapon. To his surprise, Crow stepped forward, blocking him.

"Only top-tier fighters in enemy ranks are her, Torchwick, and the Lieutenant. And among them, Neopolitan is the deadliest. She's mine," Crow declared, unsheathing his Saw saber.

"This is gonna be fun!" Yang quipped, stepping up beside Crow and assuming a fighting stance.

"With your current skill level and fighting style, you're just dead weight. Go with the others," Crow said coldly, his tone unwavering.

"Excuse me?!" Yang snapped, visibly offended.

"Don't argue, and go! They'll need you ahead!" Crow shouted. Frustrated, Yang clenched her fists and gritted her teeth but ultimately relented.

As the rest of the team dashed past Neo, she lunged to attack. Two laser beams struck her mid-motion, and she narrowly rolled to the side to avoid a third. Neo turned her gaze toward the source. Crow, who was holstering his ray gun with a smirk.

Standing, Neo rested her umbrella casually on her shoulder, smirking back at him. Crow unsheathed his sword, a menacing grin spreading across his face.

Charging at her, he roared, "DIEEE!"

At the moment the two fighters clashed, their weapons collided with a loud clang. The weapons trembled under the force, and after a few seconds, Neo's smirk grew even more venomous. She adjusted the angle of her umbrella slightly, broke the clash, and struck Crow on the head with her umbrella.

But to her shock, she felt a similar impact at the back of her own head, as if someone had hit her. Staggering, Neo grabbed her head and looked at her palm in confusion before turning her gaze back to Crow.

"Repels attacks back to the attacker," Crow said in a menacing tone. With a roar, he transformed into Black Mask. "Tight quarters with a psychotic killer you can't even hit. You'd better start praying!"

Crow charged Neo at full speed, and for a brief moment, she took a step back, fear flickering in her eyes. But she quickly shook off the feeling and waited for her opportunity.

When Crow swung his sword vertically at her, Neo deftly sidestepped, spinning around him to position herself behind him. She struck him in the back with her umbrella mid-spin, but once again, she felt the same retaliatory force strike her. Neo stumbled backward, dazed, only to see Crow swing his sword in a powerful horizontal slash that sent her flying across the compartment.

Neo crashed into the door of the next room, landing hard on her rear. Her vision blurred momentarily, but she quickly regained her composure. Looking up, she saw Crow diving at her like a monster from a horror game. For the first time in a long while, Neo genuinely felt fear.

---

[Next Train Car]

Mona had frozen the bomb in the previous car before Neo could notice, then quickly followed the others to the next car, where Lieutenant awaited them. He stood at the center, brandishing his chainsaw blade.

"Mona, Blake, you two go for the bomb!" Weiss ordered. The two Faunus nodded and moved ahead.

As they approached the Lieutenant, he raised his weapon high to strike, but Blake skillfully parried it with a strike to the hilt, throwing him off balance. Taking advantage of the opening, Weiss dashed forward and stabbed him. She then performed a back handspring, switching places with Yang.

Yang followed up with a devastating uppercut to the Lieutenant's gut, forcing him to stumble back two steps. Regaining his balance, the Lieutenant swung his chainsaw blade in a wide arc aimed at Yang's neck, but she ducked just in time.

Weiss used Yang as a springboard, leaping into the air and delivering a vertical slash to the Lieutenant. She followed it with three rapid consecutive strikes before stepping aside. Yang capitalized on the opening with a sharp left jab to his face, sending him flying backward.

Meanwhile, Mona and Blake successfully froze the bomb and sprinted toward the next car.

The Lieutenant slowly pushed himself off the ground, gripping his chainsaw blade with both hands as he chuckled darkly. "Finally, I have the chance to kill a Schnee!"

"In your dreams!" Yang retorted, her voice laced with irritation as she and Weiss assumed their battle stances.

---

[Next Train Car]

Mona and Blake arrived in the next car, only to find Roman Torchwick himself waiting for them. They stopped in their tracks, glaring at Roman. Blake clenched her teeth in anger.

"Well, well, hello, kitty cats! We really need to stop meeting like this—" Roman said as he casually twirled his cane, resting it on his shoulder. "People might start talking."

Blake tensed, ready to lunge at him, but Mona grabbed her shoulder. "Calm down. He's not worth our time."

"So, you're saying we should just leave him?" Blake snapped, motioning toward Roman in frustration.

"No," Mona replied, activating the blade hidden in handle. "I'm saying we end this quickly."

Blake nodded, and the two charged at Roman simultaneously. Roman, with the demeanor of an annoyed father scolding his child, advanced toward them. But as they met, Mona slid under Roman's feet and passed by him, while Blake created a fiery shadow clone, flipping over Roman with a front flip.

Roman struck the shadow, which exploded, sending him flying several meters into the air and backward. At his landing point, Mona had placed a wind mine designed with Ren, which detonated as Roman hit it. A green whirlwind flung Roman higher into the air while burning him further.

As Roman was launched upward, Mona leapt from behind him, kicking him like a soccer ball toward Blake. Blake executed a three-hit combo, sending Roman plummeting back down. This time, he landed on an explosive mine, which detonated, launching him back to his starting position. Blake ended her combo with an axe kick, sending Roman to the ground in the face.

Roman barely managed to stand, wobbling on his feet, when Mona appeared behind him. With a powerful vertical slash, Mona pushed Roman toward Blake, who retaliated with a roundhouse kick that sent him back to Mona. Mona then delivered an upward kick, launching Roman back toward Blake, who finished him off with an upper slash.

Roman was thrown into the air, landing hard on his back. Before he could recover, Blake placed her foot on his chest, holding her blade inches from his face.

At first, Roman let out a nervous laugh, but he quickly cleared his throat. "Why are we even fighting? We're on the same side—"

Before Roman could finish his sentence, Mona cut him off. "Don't listen to him, Blake. He's just trying to stall."

After a moment of hesitation, Blake scowled, grinding her teeth before lifting her foot off Roman's chest.

"Go ahead, act like you've changed. Do you really think they'll forget who you were? All because of a ribbon?" Roman sneered, attempting to play his mind games again.

Mona didn't let him finish. Grabbing Roman by his collar, he hoisted him off the ground.

"I know someone who's dying to see you!" Mona said with a devilish smirk, making Roman gulp nervously. "Oracle, tell Joker I've got something special headed his way!"

With that, Mona attached a device to Roman's chest and slammed him into the ground. At the same time, he fired an explosive bolt at the ceiling hatch, blowing it open. A green whirlwind formed beneath Roman, propelling him upward through the roof and out of the train.

---

[On the Train]

A Paladin attempted to punch Ruby, but the red-hooded fighter evaded with a graceful backflip. She quickly switched Crescent Rose into sniper mode. Simultaneously, Oobleck positioned his staff at an angle to align with Ruby's shot. Both fired at the same time, their coordinated attack blowing the Paladin apart and sending it hurtling off the train.

On the other side of the train, Joker amplified his pistol with Arsène's power, overcharging it. He fired at another Paladin, tearing through it like a paper wall, leaving it riddled with holes and shredded pieces.

"Joker, Mona said he's sending you something special!" Oracle announced. At that exact moment, the hatch behind Joker exploded, and Roman Torchwick was flung out, landing hard on the roof of the train.

Roman struggled into a seated position, shaking his head. "Damn those cats—!" He stopped abruptly when he noticed Joker standing in front of him. Roman swallowed hard for the second time that day. "The leader of the Phantom Thieves! What an honor to finally meet you in person!" Roman said, trying to butter him up and save himself.

"Roman Torchwick, hello! I hear you enjoy tormenting kids with your cane," Joker said, summoning his own cane from blue flames. His mask vanished, the flames flaring even more intensely, and his golden eyes gleamed. Finally, his cane became engulfed in a cursed aura.

Roman began sweating profusely, scooting backward on the roof in fear. "I don't know who told you that, but I've never done such a thing!" he stammered, trembling. Joker only continued approaching.

"Goodnight!" Joker yelled as he struck Roman like a golf ball, sending him flying toward the head train car. The curse broke Roman's Aura, and since the roof hatch was open, Roman tumbled into the head car.

---

[With Weiss and Yang]

Weiss and Yang were engaged in combat with the Lieutenant, and the battle was tipping in their favor. The Lieutenant attempted to slash at Weiss's legs, but she easily leapt over the blade with a back handspring, landing a precise strike to the back of his knee, forcing him onto one knee.

Yang seized the opportunity, delivering two right and left jabs, and finally an uppercut to his abdomen. The Lieutenant stumbled back but quickly regained his balance. As Yang lunged for another strike, the Lieutenant grabbed her wrist mid-air and threw her over his shoulder, slamming her onto the floor. He then hurled her upward and slashed at her back with his chainsaw blade. Although her Aura protected her from harm, the impact sent Yang flying to the far end of the room.

"You foolish kids! Did you really think you could take me on?!" the Lieutenant bellowed in his rough voice.

Suddenly, two spectral knightly hands appeared behind the Lieutenant, grabbing his arms.

"What the hell is this?!" he shouted, visibly shocked. He turned his head to see Weiss with Myrtenaster embedded in the ground, smirking confidently.

"Now's your chance, Yang!" Weiss yelled.

The Lieutenant turned back, just in time to see Yang charging at him with fiery hair.

Yang with activated Semblance, harnessing all the energy the Lieutenant had given her with his attacks. She unleashed a devastating punch straight to the Lieutenant's face, shattering his mask and sending him hurtling into the train car where Roman had been earlier.

The two teammates approached each other and exchanged a victorious high-five.

Suddenly, the door behind them shattered, and Neo was flung into the car with a broken umbrella. After tumbling across the floor, she came to a painful stop. Yang and Weiss turned their attention to the broken door, watching as Crow entered the car. He was now wearing his Black Mask outfit, and one side of his mask was broken and crimson flames coming out of it.

"Wow, you really did a number on her!" Yang remarked, glancing at Neo's unconscious body, her face clearly showing signs of agony.

"And I take it you fought the Lieutenant and came out on top," Crow said, reverting his outfit to Black Prince mode.

"Of course!" Yang said, flexing her arm with a smug grin. "First, we gave him a proper beatdown. Then, when he focused on me, I let him hit me to power me up. Ice Queen here held him in place, and I finished him off with one solid punch that sent him flying to the next car!"

"Your fighting style is still far too one-dimensional," Crow commented, once again criticizing Yang's approach.

This time, Yang had had enough.

"That's it!" she shouted, grabbing Crow by the collar with one hand and readying her other fist.

"Yang, calm down!" Weiss said, stepping closer to diffuse the situation, but Crow raised a hand to stop her.

"Go ahead, hit me! Right in the face!" Crow yelled back, taunting her. "Prove to everyone here that you're not a real fighter but just a brute who only relies on raw power!"

Yang's eyes turned red with rage. She couldn't take it anymore. Even now, Crow was criticizing her, calling her a brute.

With all her strength, Yang threw a punch at him. But her fist collided with an invisible crystal barrier, and the force was reflected back at her. The blow broke her Aura and sent her flying to the end of the car, skidding across the floor until she hit the steps.

"YANG!" Weiss screamed, rushing to her fallen teammate. She knelt beside Yang, lifting her by the shoulders as the brawler slowly opened her eyes.

"What... happened?" Yang asked weakly.

"One of our combat tactics involves using Tetrakarn," Crow explained coolly. "We provoke the enemy into attacking recklessly with full force. When they strike, Tetrakarn repels the attack back at them. If this had been a real fight and you did use your stored energy, you'd be dead right now."

Yang turned her gaze away, clearly upset.

"Your power is formidable," Crow continued. "But if you don't use it creatively, your enemies will turn it against you."

He then tossed a few stones toward Yang and Weiss, who caught them mid-air.

"These are healing stones. Crush them in your hands, and they'll restore your Aura and heal your injuries," Crow said before walking past them to the next train car.

Yang and Weiss exchanged confused glances before crushing the stones in their hands. To their astonishment, the stones worked exactly as Crow had said, restoring their Aura and healing their injuries. The two teammates stood up and followed after Crow. As they exited the car, Neo opened her eyes. She had been playing possum as a last-ditch effort to escape, and it seemed her gamble had paid off.

---

[Next Train Car]

Yang and Weiss entered the next car and saw Crow kneeling before the unconscious Lieutenant, staring at his face. From their angle, the two Huntresses couldn't see the Lieutenant's face. But as they drew closer and got a good look, they gasped in shock. Weiss instinctively covered her face with her hands.

The Lieutenant's face was so damaged it was nearly unrecognizable. Bruises, cuts, stitches, and various other scars marred his features. The worst of it, however, was the brand burned into his forehead: SDC.

Crow spoke without looking at them. "Every villain has a core. a gym coach consumed by pride and greed, a painter who exploited others for fame, a terrorist seeking revenge." He stood, turning his back on the Lieutenant's battered form. "Remember what you see here, Schnee. You're not the only one who's been hurt by that name."

With that, Crow began walking away.

Weiss stared at the Lieutenant's branded face, guilt creeping over her. She was the heir to a corrupt corporation run by her father. She hated her father. She hated herself. She hated the name Schnee. If the Schnees didn't exist, perhaps there wouldn't even be a war.

"I didn't show you that so you'd blame yourself," Crow's voice interrupted her thoughts. Weiss looked up, surprised, and saw him standing to the side, gazing at her.

"I'm not my father, and you're not yours," he said firmly. "Don't blame yourself. Keep moving forward, or you'll stay exactly where you are, unable to grow." He paused, his tone softening. "That was the mistake I made. hating myself, my name, my family."

Crow turned away and resumed walking.

Weiss steadied her breathing and followed him, Yang trailing closely behind.

---

[The Train Conductor's Car]

Joker, Ruby, Queen, and Oobleck entered the conductor's car after taking down the remaining Paladins. They dropped in through the roof, the first thing they noticed being Roman's unconscious body sprawled on the floor, sporting a massive black eye.

Turning their attention to the control panel, they quickly realized it was completely destroyed. there was no way to slow the train or stop it.

"Damn it!" Joker cursed, slamming his fist against the shattered console.

"Can't you use Tetrakarn or Null Physic to stop it?" Ruby asked anxiously.

"No," Joker replied. "If I do that, the train will derail, and everyone on board will die."

"And if we do nothing, thousands of innocent people will die!" Oobleck shouted, panic evident in his voice.

At that moment, Team RWBY, Mona and Crow arrived at the conductor's car.

"What's going on?!" Blake asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"They destroyed the controls. We can't stop the train!" Ruby explained, frustration clear in her tone.

"What do we do now?!" Weiss asked, her own worry matching Blake's.

Joker paced nervously, running his hands through his hair before slamming them down on the console. "There's one other way. I'll block the tunnel!"

The room fell silent. Everyone stared at Joker, shocked by what he had just said, especially Oobleck and Team RWBY.

"Excuse me, did you just say what I think you said?" Yang asked, scratching her ear as if to ensure she hadn't misheard.

"If we can't stop the train," Joker explained, "then I'll block the tunnel to keep the Grimm from getting through."

Everyone who wasn't familiar with Joker's powers stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" Yang shouted in disbelief.

"How exactly do you plan to block an entire tunnel well enough to stop an army of Death Stalkers, a King Taijitu, and thousands of other Grimm?!" Weiss demanded, her voice rising with incredulity.

"Queen, boost everyone's defense with Marakukaja. There's going to be a rough crash ahead," Joker ordered before climbing through the roof hatch and heading outside.

---

[On the Train Roof]

Joker stood atop the train, glancing behind him. Most of the train cars had already been detached, preventing further damage because of bombs freeze, but a massive number of Grimm were still advancing.

He stepped forward, positioning himself at the edge of the last passenger car. Just as he steadied himself, the final freight car was released, falling behind and separating from the main train.

Joker closed his eyes and took a deep breath before suddenly opening them wide. His golden eyes shone with an intense light as flames began to consume his mask, and flames covered all of upper part of his face.

Grabbing two large Ice Dust crystals, one in each hand, he crushed them. The immense pressure of his power caused fiery blue energy to erupt from his body, sending shockwaves of wind in all directions.

"NAHOBEEHO! ICE AGE!"

"HEE HOO!" Nahobeeho, the latest evolution of snow fairy, Jack Frost, materialized. Adorned in futuristic skin tight suit, long blue hair, and wielding an energy blade on its right arm, Nahobeeho unleashed the most powerful ice ability in its arsenal, one perfectly suited to sealing the tunnel.

Joker had obtained Nahobeeho through the bond he'd forged with Ruby, and though it had started weak, it held extraordinary potential—perhaps even surpassing Satan in its mastery of ice-based abilities.

The tunnel began freezing over rapidly. Massive walls of ice formed, engulfing and shattering every Grimm within. The Ice Age attack expanded through the underground city, culminating in a massive explosion that sent an enormous glacier erupting upward, destroying several buildings.

But it didn't stop there. The colossal ice structures burst from every breach in the tunnel system, towering high enough to be visible from Beacon Academy.

Joker exhaled deeply, dismissing Nahobeeho. He turned to look behind him, spotting the solid wall sealing off the tunnel completely. Acting quickly, he switched his Persona to Izanagi Picaro, cast Rakukaja on himself, and relied on Null Physic to shield him from the impending impact.

Finally, the train slammed into the stone wall.

---

[Vale]

The world spun around him, not from the impact but from the endless tumbling and the number of times he had flipped through the air, only the gods knew how many. It wasn't just the dizziness; something heavy was pressing down on his body.

Joker slowly came to his senses, his vision clearing. He found himself buried under debris in the city square. Despite the large chunks of concrete weighing on his back, he pushed himself up, the rubble sliding off as he rose to his feet.

Bystanders began murmuring and filming the scene with their scrolls. Some local forces were working to control the crowd, keeping them at a safe distance from the danger zone. Fortunately, there was no sign of Atlas forces, the Ace Ops, or any professional Huntsmen teams.

Joker turned to see the train's head car, which had emerged entirely from underground and now rested precariously on its wheels. From the passenger cars, disoriented White Fang members were stumbling out, only to be swiftly apprehended by the local police.

The door of the lead car was suddenly torn off and flung aside. From the doorway emerged Doctor Oobleck.

"Bartholomew Oobleck! Professional Huntsman from Beacon!" he announced loudly, holding up his scroll for everyone to see. "The White Fang attempted a terrorist attack, but thanks to our efforts, their plan was thwarted, save for this train crash!" His declaration eased the tension among the police officers.

Oobleck jumped down from the train, followed by Yang, Blake, Mona, Crow, Weiss, Queen, Ruby, and finally Zwei.

"You all did amazing! You saved the entirety of Vale!" Oracle's voice echoed in their minds through their shared telepathic link. Everyone instinctively reached up to touch their temporals.

"Oracle, where were you this whole time?" Yang asked, glancing skyward.

"A magician never reveals their secrets," Oracle replied playfully, eliciting a round of laughter.

"I can't believe we actually pulled it off!" Blake said, collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion.

"But seriously, I still can't wrap my head around how you managed to block the entire tunnel," Weiss said, her curiosity piqued despite the smile on her face.

"That is my magician secret," Joker replied, sitting down on a chunk of concrete.

Ruby could hardly contain her excitement. She was a hero! just like in the heroes in the books, the anime, and movies, and most importantly, like her mother. Though it wasn't entirely on her own, she had fought villains, foiled their evil plans, and ensured their imprisonment. She had ventured into the depths of danger with her friends, escaped captivity, battled on a speeding train, and united with the Phantom Thieves to save the city. But... why did victory feel so cold?

Not the chill of fear or sadness, nor the lack of warmth from others, nor even the brisk winds of autumn or winter. Ruby realized she wasn't alone in this feeling. The Phantom Thieves, alongside the rest of her team, seemed far from at ease... especially the Thieves.

Suddenly, the atmosphere grew oppressively heavy. It was as if the world itself was bleeding. A chilling sensation ran down their spines, cold sweat forming on their skin. The air carried a scent a foul, unmistakable smell of... DEATH.

Clink... clank... clink... clink... clank... clink... clink... clank... clink...

The sound of chains echoed through the air and Phantom Thieves froze in terror.

[END]

---

Author's Note:

And here it is, folks! The latest chapter of Joker Card, coming in at around 20,000 words. This chapter is one I've been eagerly awaiting to release because everything changes from this point onward.

The story will soon pause and transition into the Royal Remake phase, but I'll only start the remake after the next arc is complete.

Now, a quick note about the story: I've always had issues with creators randomly and without explanation changing straight characters to gay or lesbian. That's why Blake won't be entering a relationship with Yang here. Five seasons were spent building her relationship with Sun, only to throw it into the trash? Nope, not happening. I'm not sure about Yang's orientation, but I'd rather leave it unaddressed. Also, don't bring up Jaune's sister—chances are, she won't even meet the group. And most importantly, NO REN X AKECHI! The game has shown countless times that everyone there is straight, and I'm not about to twist that narrative like some left-wing article writers imagining things.

Anyway, this arc concludes in the next chapter, and Remnant will shake to its core. Something beyond anything the world has ever seen awaits them.

On another note, I introduced the very first SMT demon into the story, none other than the mighty Hee-Hoo himself—Nahobeeho. Joker has gained several new Personas from Ruby, all based on SMT characters. I'll introduce a few more in the next chapter, but Ruby's Arcana's Ultimate Persona is by far the most powerful among all the Ultimates (except for Satanael, of course).

Personally, I enjoyed writing Mona and Blake's fight against Roman the most—it felt more like bullying a smug jerk rather than an actual battle. Crow's encounter, in contrast, was more like leaving an unarmed woman to face a slasher killer like Jason.

And yes, I borrowed the frozen bomb sequence from Metal Gear Solid 2. It's a well-known classic among hardcore gamers, and I'd be surprised if Futaba hadn't played it.

Get ready for an insanely tough battle in the next chapter, where three Wild Cards will struggle to handle the situation, and Joker will use all the Grimm-based Personas he's acquired.

Until the next chapter, goodbye and... Merry Christmas? I'm not sure since Christmas isn't a New Year's event here, but today, December 28th, is my birthday, and I wrote this massive double-length chapter as a gift to myself and my readers.

Stay tuned, and thank you for reading!