Team RWBY's dorm was full of noise and movement. The room, usually filled with casual banter and playful arguments, carried a different energy today. A bit restless, and uncertain.

The new oversized screen mounted on the far wall, courtesy of Weiss Schnee, was turned on, the Atlas insignia hovering on a blue background as they waited for the announcement to begin.

Blake sat on the bed with Yang beside her, their shoulders nearly touching. Yang's arm was draped casually over the backrest, fingers occasionally toying with the end of Blake's ribbon, but Blake seemed too lost in thought to notice.

Across from them, Ren sat on the floor, legs crossed, listening in quiet amusement as Nora and Ruby engaged in what could only be described as an intense debate over cookies.

"I'm just saying," Ruby huffed, crossing her arms, "there's a correct way to make chocolate chip cookies, and that does not include maple syrup."

Nora gasped dramatically. "Excuse you, but adding maple syrup is the best way to make cookies. It's the secret ingredient of the gods!"

Ren sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I wish you'd stop calling me that."

Nora waved him off. "That's not the point, Ren. The point is that Ruby has horrible taste."

"I do not!" Ruby shot back.

Jaune barely registered the argument, his attention locked on the screen. A serious frown was set on his face, fingers idly drumming against his knee.

Flanking him on either side, Weiss and Pyrrha seemed far more aware of his presence than he was of theirs.

Weiss had stealthily wrapped an arm around his, fingers grazing against his bicep every so often. She wasn't holding onto him outright, but the occasional squeeze suggested that she was well aware of exactly where her hand was.

Pyrrha, meanwhile, had unconsciously leaned into him, her shoulder pressing against his. At first, it seemed unintentional—until she glanced over and caught sight of Weiss's rather bold display.

Green eyes widened slightly in realization.

Then, with a slow, almost thoughtful movement, she mimicked Weiss, subtly adjusting her posture so that she was leaning into Jaune just a bit more.

Jaune, of course, remained oblivious.

Before Weiss could realize what Pyrrha was doing, the screen flickered, and the symbol of Atlas faded away, replaced by a live feed of General James Ironwood standing at a podium, flanked by the Atlesian flag.

The room fell silent.

Ironwood exhaled, his features grim, his voice carrying the weight of authority as he began.

"Today, I stand before you not as a General, but as a man burdened by the weight of tragedy."

The camera angle shifted, showing aerial footage of Menagerie's ruins. Smoke still lingered in the air, debris scattered across the coastline, buildings reduced to little more than hollow shells.

Blake tensed, her fingers curling into fists.

Yang placed a steadying hand over hers.

"The tragedy of Menagerie," Ironwood continued, "is one that we must all bear witness to. A place that once stood as a sanctuary for the Faunus has been reduced to ruin—not by the hands of Atlas, but by the misguided actions of the White Fang."

Jaune stiffened, glancing toward Blake instinctively.

She said nothing, her golden eyes locked on the screen, expression unreadable.

The footage shifted. Clips of masked White Fang members appeared, standing amidst the wreckage, weapons drawn, their insignia displayed for all to see. Then came the image of Adam Taurus, his red hair wild, his sword stained with blood, his face contorted in fury.

Ironwood's voice was firm, steady.

"Atlas did not seek this fight. But when faced with the rise of an uncontrollable threat — when it became evident that the White Fang had turned its own people into monsters, willingly sacrificing Menagerie's citizens to the Grimm… we were left with no choice."

The screen cut to footage of the Wyvern, its grotesque wings beating against the sky as Atlesian airships bombarded it with firepower. The imagery was clear — Atlas standing as the last line of defense, a heroic force fighting to save Remnant.

Pyrrha's grip on Jaune's arm tightened.

"Let me be clear," Ironwood continued. "Atlas' actions that day were born out of necessity, not force. For years, we have stayed our hand, unwilling to involve ourselves in Menagerie's affairs. But when the integrity of our world was threatened, we did what had to be done."

Weiss let out a quiet scoff under her breath. Pyrrha didn't disagree.

Ironwood's expression softened slightly, and he turned to his right.

"I would like to introduce someone who, like many of us, was left with no choice. Someone who once stood against us, but now chooses to stand with us."

The camera panned to reveal Sienna Khan stepping forward.

Blake inhaled sharply.

Sienna's posture was rigid, her expression carefully composed. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice strong but measured.

"The White Fang was created to fight for equality." She paused. "To be treated as equals. That was always our goal."

Another pause.

"Ghira Belladonna was a man who always advocated for peace, for negotiations. For the longest time, I believed that approach was weak. That the only way to claim our place in the world was through force."

She exhaled slowly.

"But over time… the White Fang lost its way."

Blake swallowed hard.

"In its pursuit of revolution, the White Fang lost sight of its own people. It became something twisted, something unrecognizable. And in the end…"

Sienna's eyes darkened.

"It turned its own kind into monsters."

Silence filled the room.

"I had many doubts accepting this deal," Sienna admitted. "But the truth remains: Menagerie is ruined. Our people have lost their homes. And we cannot rebuild it alone."

Her hands curled into fists at her sides.

"So I will take the first step."

Another pause.

"A painful step."

The weight of those words settled over them.

"But if we are to move forward, if we are to build something new, then we must be willing to put aside our grudges."

Blake's nails bit into her palm.

"And so," Sienna finished, "the People of Menagerie will join hands with the Kingdoms. Not as enemies, but as partners in this endeavor."

The broadcast ended.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Then, finally, Blake stood, her shoulders tense.

"I need air," she murmured, heading for the door.

Yang was on her feet immediately, following without a word.

Ren exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. Nora leaned back against him, frowning.

Ruby sat quietly, hands resting on her knees.

Weiss was the first to break the silence. "Well," she said, voice tight, "that was propaganda if I've ever seen it."

Pyrrha nodded solemnly. "But it will work."

Jaune sighed, rubbing his face. "Of course it will."

No one said otherwise.

Ruby, sitting on the edge of her bed, finally broke the quiet.

"So… what now?" she asked, looking around at the others.

Weiss exhaled sharply, regaining her composure. "Now?" she repeated. "Now, we behave." She crossed her arms. "Miss Goodwitch isn't particularly fond of us right now."

Pyrrha, who had been gently prying Weiss's fingers off Jaune's thigh, nodded in agreement. "Weiss is right," she said, ignoring the sharp look Weiss shot at her.

Weiss, unfazed, simply shifted her hand to Jaune's opposite shoulder, squeezing slightly. Pyrrha sighed.

Jaune, still oblivious, leaned back against the side of the bed. "With how things are, we can't exactly do much of anything without pissing off Miss Goodwitch. We're expected to train, stay in line, and act like students. Anything else might make things worse."

Pyrrha nodded, her voice calm. "And besides, Ozpin's Huntsmen are already on the case."

Weiss turned to Pyrrha, eyes narrowing slightly. "And are you finally willing to share what you and Ozpin discussed?"

Pyrrha hesitated. "Ozpin said it's best for the secret to remain… since we don't know who might be listening."

That answer didn't sit well with Weiss, but after a moment, she sighed. "Fine. But that means we really are going to get hell from Miss Goodwitch from now on."

Ruby frowned, kicking her feet slightly. "But… do they even have the right to keep us here?"

Weiss turned toward her, rubbing her temple. "They have an excuse," she said. "And technically, we did almost cause an international accident."

Ruby huffed. "We were trying to help! Save Yang and Blake!"

Weiss gave her a look. "Try seeing it from their perspective. An unauthorized group of Huntsmen in training entered foreign territory, operated without permission, and called it a 'rescue mission.'"

Ruby crossed her arms, pouting.

"That might be how we saw it," Weiss continued, "but to the Kingdoms? We were a rogue force acting without Kingdom sanction. That's a violation of international law."

Ruby blinked. "That's stupid."

Weiss sighed. "It's politics. If we had our Huntsmen License, we would have been justified. But we were students who are under the responsibility of Vale."

Pyrrha nodded slowly. "It's about sovereignty."

Weiss nodded. "Every land has the right to govern itself. If a foreign entity intervenes without permission, it's not just a legal violation — it's an affront to that nation's authority."

Pyrrha watched Ruby carefully, noting the way her friend's expression twisted in frustration. "It's not about whether we were right or wrong," she explained. "It's just the rhetoric they have to push."

Weiss gestured toward the now-silent screen. "To some people, we are heroes. But to others, we're nothing more than insurgents. Or invaders."

Ruby groaned, rubbing her forehead. "But we're Huntsmen!"

"In training, Ruby," Weiss shook her head. "Law and justice aren't always the same thing," she murmured. "But if you ignore the former in pursuit of the latter, you risk losing everything."

Ruby stared at her for a long moment. "This stuff is so complicated."

Pyrrha gave her a reassuring smile. "That's why we're being warned, not punished."

Weiss huffed. "Honestly, we got off lightly."

Ruby flopped back onto the bed, groaning. "Ugh."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "So… does that mean we can't do anything?"

Weiss and Pyrrha exchanged a glance before nodding. "That's right," Weiss confirmed.

For a moment, Ruby sat still, staring at the ceiling. Then, slowly, she sat up, rubbing her hair with both hands, visibly struggling with everything they had just talked about.

And then, in a much softer voice, she asked, almost pleadingly.

"…Did we do the right thing?"

The room went still.

Jaune, Pyrrha, and Weiss exchanged glances before answering.

"You did," Jaune said first.

"We did," Pyrrha added, nodding.

"You know we did," Weiss finished.

Ruby took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a second. Then she nodded.

"Okay," she murmured. "That's good."

Ruby suddenly clapped her hands together, standing up with newfound determination. "That's it!" she declared, voice cutting through the tense atmosphere.

Before anyone could react, she reached out and grabbed Jaune's hand, pulling him up with her.

Both Pyrrha and Weiss's brows twitched simultaneously.

"Where are you taking Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, her voice deceptively sweet.

Weiss, in contrast, was more direct. "Yes, do tell, Ruby."

Ruby blinked at them, entirely too innocent for her own good. "Oh, we have training to do!"

Jaune, now caught between their stares, calmly explained. "Autumn appeared a while ago. She said she wanted to teach Ruby a few things and me too."

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed. "And you didn't think to tell us?"

Ruby scratched her cheek, looking sheepish. "Uh, we kinda forgot… and, well, we kinda don't want Ozpin or Goodwitch knowing? The less people know… the better?"

Weiss's expression immediately turned serious. "Wait. Who is Autumn anyway?"

Ruby shrugged. "No idea."

Jaune sighed. "I don't really know either, she doesn't really tell me anything about her, but she's… helping, I guess?"

Pyrrha and Weiss opened their mouths to protest, but before they could get a single word in, Ruby grinned and yelled, "Up, up, and away!"

Then, in a whirlwind of rose petals, she dragged Jaune with her, their combined forms vanishing through the window in a streak of red and white.

Weiss and Pyrrha stood in stunned silence.

"When did she learn that?" Weiss asked as she opened the window. "She… passed through the window!"

Pyrrha exhaled through her nose, schooling her expression. "Well," she said after a moment, "I suppose we should train as well."

Weiss smoothed down her skirt, lifting her chin slightly. "Agreed."

The two left the room, their steps almost in sync as they made their way toward the training grounds.

That left only Ren and Nora.

The room was quiet for exactly five seconds before Nora smirked. "Soooo, there's definitely a rivalry."

Ren, who had been quietly watching, sighed. "Yes, I noticed."

Nora tapped her chin. "Hmm but Weiss Cream seems taking a good at both though?"

Ren shook his head. "Maybe."

Then, after a moment of thought, he added, "But still, as expected of our fearless leader and my brother. He gets the ladies. Imagine that, a star and a champion. Respect "

Nora turned slowly to stare at him, utterly blank-faced. "Fearless isn't the only one who is wanted."

Ren immediately regretted speaking.

With an alarming amount of nonchalance, Nora said, "One of these days, I'm going to pin you down and give you a big smooch."

Ren visibly tensed.

Then, without another word, he leapt out of the window like a ninja in pursuit of prey.

Nora, unfazed, grinned and bolted after him. "Oh no you don't, Reny!"

Unbeknownst to the young Huntsmen and Huntresses, Glynda Goodwitch had been standing just outside the room, listening. She had somewhat avoided Pyrrha Nikos and Weiss Schnee. She remained silent as the two young huntress voices echoed through the hallway.

She had seen it all.

From Ruby Rose snatching Jaune away in a flurry of rose petals. Then, Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos walking off together, their rivalry barely concealed under the guise of training. And finally, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie chasing after Lie Ren with far too much enthusiasm.

Glynda sighed.

She removed her glasses briefly, pinching the bridge of her nose before sliding them back on. "They really are just kids," she muttered, shaking her head.

And yet, they weren't.

They had become soldiers in a war they never should have been part of.

A war that Ozpin had unintentionally placed them in. A war that Salem had forced upon them.

Glynda clenched her fists. She wasn't one for sentimentality, but as she watched them, laughing, bickering, being young, something in her chest tightened.

It wasn't fair.

They should be worried about school, about tournaments, about friendships and rivalries, not about war, politics, and survival.

A bitter curse nearly left her lips, directed at the very world that had stolen that innocence from them.

But instead, she inhaled deeply and exhaled, composing herself.

If fate was cruel enough to place this burden on them, then she would do everything in her power to make sure they survived it.

No — more than that.

She would train them into the best Huntsmen and Huntresses Remnant had ever seen.

Though, she doubted she could ever rid them of their… silliness.

Glynda let out a small, exasperated sigh.

After all, despite herself, she found it almost endearing.

"I guess I'll just have to turn them into professionals," Glynda said, walking away, her head already concocting a plan for her students.

Timeskip incoming.

Thanks for reading guys!