After the opening, Oscar Pine, who is currently letting Ozpin take over, and Qrow Branwen are seen sitting together. Qrow takes a sip from his cup.
Qrow: Things aren't looking good, Oz.
Ozpin: Ever the optimist. (sips from his cup) While I would not say our current predicament is... ideal, I think we can both agree that the situation could be much worse. Humanity is a resilient force.
Qrow: Oz, pro Huntsmen like that don't just bite it all at once. Salem's powerful. It seems like her reach is growing by the day. What does that say about Humanity?
Ozpin: That there are indeed a misguided few who have filled their hearts with malice. It doesn't take a great number of people to cause harm, but I still believe there are far more people in this world willing to prevent it.
As Ozpin is about to take another sip, Ruby Rose, Damian Locke and Silver are heard walking into the room.
Ruby: Um, excuse us?
Ozpin: Ah, Miss Rose, Mister Silver and Locke, join us. We were just about to gather everyone to discuss our next steps.
Ruby: Oh, uh, great.
Qrow: Something on your mind kiddo?
Ruby: Uh... uh, it's... if it's okay to ask.
Qrow: Of course.
Ruby: Well, uh... we've been talking about the Relic at Haven... and the Spring Maiden, but... what about the Fall Maiden?
Damian: Cinder.
Ruby: Does that mean... Salem has the Beacon Relic?
Ozpin and Qrow share a brief look with each other.
Ozpin: Very astute, Miss Rose, I was wondering who would be the first to ask. No, thankfully she does not. It's true that the Relic at Haven is very much at risk, and for now, that should remain our primary focus. Let's just say I made finding the Relic at Beacon a... bit more challenging than at the other schools.
Ruby: Oh. (sighs in relief) That's good to hear.
Ozpin: It is, but let's not forget the challenges that still lie before us.
Ruby nods.
Ozpin: Now is there anything else we can help you with?
Ruby: Oh, uh... well, I did have one more question.
Ozpin: No, my cane is not a Relic.
Ruby: I have no more questions.
They all giggle.
Ozpin: Yes, while this cane is indeed very precious to me, it is also just that - precious to me. While I admit it still has a few more tricks up its sleeve, I can firmly say that being a Relic isn't one of them. Now why don't you run and get the other students?
Suddenly, Qrow's scroll is heard vibrating. He takes it out from his pocket to see "LEO LIONHEART" calling. He takes the call.
Qrow: Yeah? ... Okay... yeah, we'll be there. (Qrow hangs up)
Ruby: Who was it?
Qrow: (sighs while taking out his flask) It was Leo, says he had a breakthrough with the council. Thinks he might be able to get together a small raiding party for the bandits. He wants us to meet up at the school tomorrow night to walk us through it.
Ruby: (gasps and smiles) Really? Oh that's great! I'll go get the others.
Ruby runs out of the room while Qrow takes a drink from his flask.
Ozpin: Mmm, that sounds drastically different from your original conversation, does it not?
Qrow: It does.
Ozpin: Interesting...
Qrow: Things aren't looking good, Oz.
Ozpin: I know...
Ozpin and Qrow look at the boys who are still standing in front of them.
Ozpin: Is there you two still wish to discuss about?
Silver looks at Damian who has his arms crossed and remains silent for a moment, but finally speaks up.
Damian: There is.
Qrow: What's up?
Damian: After we took down that big Grimm in Kuroyuri and our rescuers showed up to take us to Haven. I sensed an unexpected visitor.
Ozpin: The man who fought alongside Cinder.
Damian: Yes. But, there's more to it than that. When I finally saw him, I recognized something familiar about him.
Ozpin: What is it?
Damian was silent for a bit and looks at the ground.
Damian: He was me.
Qrow and Silver both look very surprised, even Ozpin was shocked to hear this news.
Qrow: He was you? What do you mean?
Damian: I mean he looked exactly like me. His fighting style, his movements, body structure and face. Everything about him was me. Except power and speech pattern.
Silver: How's that possible?
Damian: I don't know.
Timeskip.
At Leonardo Lionheart's office, the Haven headmaster sits at his desk in front of a blue holographic screen with the text "CALL END" before deactivating. Raven Branwen stands a few feet away from him, arms crossed and smiling.
Raven: I still have questions for you.
Lionheart: You're not alone in that.
Raven: (walking in front of his desk) You know, I never expected you would be the one to have the guts to betray Oz. Which makes me wonder, what does she have on you?
Lionheart: I'm helping her for the same reason you are - I'm afraid. We... we can't stop her... no one can...
Raven: That's why I tried to leave when I did. I'm not afraid, I'm smart.
Lionheart: You can call it whatever you want, it doesn't really matter. We're here... helping her. (burying his face in his hands, sighing) I've crossed a line... I've done things that Ozpin will never forgive, and he shouldn't! I don't know where I go from here.
Raven: (placing her hands on his desk) Man up! You did what you had to do to survive, there is no shame in that.
Lionheart: Who are you trying to convince?
Raven doesn't say anything, she just leaves the room while Lionheart sadly leans back sighing.
In Menagerie, the assault on the Belladonna Family Home continues. In the darkened tea room, Kali Belladonna and a guard fire back at unseen assailants. Kali runs out of ammo in her pistol and throws it to the ground in annoyance. She then picks up a tea tray to block another shot. She looks to a wounded female guard leaning against a pillar, who just stares back.
Kali: Do you have a better idea?
Suddenly, Yuma flies in and knocks down the other guard to the ground. He wraps his hands around the guard's throat to choke him out.
Yuma: Quiet now...
Kali then lifts the tea tray above her head, and does a loud battle cry as she runs toward Yuma.
Female Guard: Ma'am, no!
Yuma lets go of the guard's neck as he looks back in surprise as Kali approaches him. The sound of a thunk is heard as it transitions to the next scene.
Elsewhere, Blake Belladonna and Ilia Amitola stare at each other from their positions, both holding their weapons.
Blake: Did you come in here to hide?
Ilia: I told you, I didn't want this.
Blake: But you're still here!
Ilia: I don't have a choice!
Blake: Of course you do!
Ilia doesn't say anything, she just looks away.
Blake: Just... stay out of my way.
Blake puts Gambol Shroud on her back and starts walking away. Suddenly, Ilia leaps and charges at Blake but her form disappears. Blake then reappears a few feet away behind Ilia. Blake holds Gambol Shroud in a defensive stance, while Ilia begins to attack with the whip form of Lightning Lash. Blake dodges and rolls. She runs along the desks and chairs in the room as Ilia tries to use her whip to hit her. Blake manages to dodge and block Ilia's attacks, and uses her ribbon to wrap around Ilia's wrist. Ilia is pulled toward Blake, followed up with the latter kicking the chameleon Faunus to the ground. The two then lock blades with each other.
Blake: Why do you feel like we have to hurt people to get our way?!
Ilia: (grunts) Because it works!
Blake: That doesn't make it right!
Ilia: Stop lecturing me!!
Blake peeks from behind the desk and notices Ilia's Grimm mask left behind on the ground. Ilia quietly turns the lights off in the room, causing it to go dark. Blake quickly goes to pick up her katana while Ilia sneaks around the room camouflaged. Blake hears a creak on the floor, Ilia quickly knocks her back. Blake uses the pistol form of her weapon to shoot at Ilia, who quickly evades the shots.
Ilia: Why couldn't you just leave?!
Blake: (transforming her pistol to katana form) Because I run away too much.
???: And that ends right now!
Blake is soon surprise to see Onyx using Instant Transmission like Damian and he looks back at Blake who is stunned at him using that move.
Blake: Onyx.
Ilia: So glad you could show up Onyx. I thought you were going to run off like a coward.
Onyx: Sorry to disappoint you. But, I'm not going anywhere. You and those crazy bastards have a lot to answer for Ilia.
Onyx senses a couple of whips coming and grabs Blake, then dodges them with ease from Ilia who has moved up to the balcony. As she takes cover behind the desks, Blake takes out two cartridges - one with fire Dust and the other with ice. She loads the fire Dust cartridge in her weapon and aims at the shrubbery at the top corner of the room.
Blake: Sorry, dad.
Blake fires her weapon and the spreading flames start to light up the room, revealing Ilia's location. With camouflage not an option anymore, Ilia engages Blake and Onyx in combat. The three start off with a mixture of sword clashes and hand-to-hand.
Blake dodges out of the way of one of Ilia's attacks and starts shooting at her with the pistol form of her weapon. Ilia deflects the shots with her whip.
Ilia: Quit taking potshots and fight me like you mean it!!
Blake dodges another one of Ilia's whips and lands on the balcony above her. She takes cover behind the railing as Ilia rants at her.
Ilia: You two used to see things the way I did! The way Adam did! If no one's going to do anything to stop the humans that attack us, then the only choice we have left... is to attack back!!
Onyx: If that's what you truly believe. Then prove it. Let's see just how strong you are, Ilia.
The two of them charge at each swinging their swords at each other, mixing it up in hand-to-hand combat. Onyx then backs away and puts his sword away, while Ilia rushes towards him only to try and attack, but she is soon hit by a really fast attack backing her up, sending her to the ground.
Ilia gets up and looks at Onyx with anger.
Ilia: I didn't even see him hit me. What in the world was that? Was that his Semblance? If so, how was he able to move so fast like that?
Onyx: Give up now.
Ilia: Never!
Ilia attacks again and is once again hit in the face. Onyx continues his attack blinking out of her sight and hitting her multiple times and she's unable to defend herself. Once again sending her to the ground.
Onyx gives a cocky smile and winks at Ilia who gets even more angry.
Onyx: Surrender Ilia. You cannot defeat me. Your passion and loyalty to Adam has finally reached its peak.
Ilia: Don't screw with me! You bastard!
She charges at Onyx who dodges her whip attacks and kicks her in the back.
Onyx: You're right. We did think like Adam, but that doesn't make any of us feel better. I followed him for so long because I actually believed we were doing this to be free. To be equal. But now I know that isn't true. Adam doesn't care about anyone but himself and I cannot tolerate his misdeeds anymore.
Ilia gets up and looks at Onyx with anger.
Ilia: This is the only way! If you refuse to see it this way! Then you will die!
Ilia charges at Onyx who has his arms crossed and uses his Instant Transmission again, allowing Blake time to fire a couple of bullets at Ilia again.
Ilia deflects the shots, but when she goes to use her whip again, her weapon is frozen in place. Suddenly, a ribbon is wrapped around her weapon as Blake pulls it away and she leaps from the balcony to kick Ilia to the ground. Blake holds Ilia down.
Blake: You're wrong, there's always another choice.
Ilia struggles to get up as Blake continues to hold her down.
Blake: Ilia... please. You're a good person but you're making all the wrong decisions!
Ilia: SHUT UP!!
Blake: Is this really what your parents would've wanted?!
Ilia: (voice breaking) I don't know what else to do!!
Suddenly, Ilia ceases her struggling and her eyes start to well up.
Ilia: (sobbing) I don't know what else to do...
As Ilia continues sobbing, Blake sees Onyx standing next to her and hears a rumble. Corsac Albain is thrown through the wall, dropping his half of Cyclone and Inferno. Ghira Belladonna jumps into the room as he growls at Corsac. He then notices his daughter pinning Ilia to the ground and Onyx standing next to her.
Ghira: Blake! Onyx!
Suddenly, Fennec Albain stabs Ghira in the back, who cries out in pain and slumps toward the ground.
Blake: Dad!!
Onyx: No!!
With Blake distracted, Ilia gets her off her and kicks her into a nearby chair, Onyx catches, but the two of them are still knocked out momentarily. Damian then runs behind Fennec and Ghira, he then jumps over them, grabs Fennec and throws him to the ground and Corsac runs to him. Damian uses his Instant Transmission and dodges his attacks, constantly moving around and then unleashes his flurry of attacks and delivers an uppercut.
Damian walks away looks Ghira who pulls the wand off his back.
(f)Damian: You okay?
Ghira: Yeah. But, I'm going to be a little bit sore for a while.
Corsac runs back towards his enemies and Damian uses his Instant Transmission so Ghira can fight him, clashing with their fists.
The two then struggle to push each other as their hands interlock. Ilia just stares in disbelief at what's going on around her, before a voice snaps her out of her trance.
Fennec: Ilia! What are you doing?! Fight!!
Fennec pulls out another wand and charges at Ghira, but Damian shows up and gives a cocky chuckle.
The chieftain manages to push off Corsac, Damian dodges Fennec's swipes, then punches him in the stomach. Damian pushes Fennec to the other side, then watches as he leaps at Damian who uses Instant Transmission while Ghira drives Corsac back, only to be caught and tossed onto the floor.
As Ghira defends himself Fennec recovers and begins to charge his weapon while the pair continue exchanging blows. Fennec then charges in again, giving a loud battle cry. Damian notices this, and grabs his wrist, pointing his weapon as it fires at Corsac, who gets blown back several feet away and is knocked unconscious.
Fennec: BROTHER!!!
(f)Damian: You guys are really a bunch of jokes.
Fennec tries to attack Ghira again, but Sun Wukong jumps in and kicks him away. Sun sees Blake struggling to get back up and clenches his fist. He then angrily glares at Ilia who continues to stand watching the fight.
Ghira: Go help Blake!
Sun: On it!
(f)Damian: Sun wait! (mentally; to Onyx): Onyx! Toss me my sword now!
Onyx tosses his sword to Damian as Sun pulls out Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang and engages Ilia in combat. He slams the staff down but misses, then jumps back to dodge her sweeping leg. Damian gets in the middle of the fight and is swinging his sword against Sun.
Sun: What are you doing?!
(f)Damian: Stopping you from making a mistake!
Damian dodges Sun's next attack and watches as Ilia back-flips away from his next swing and tries to kick him. Damian blocks it for him as Sun pulls and lands a blow on her back while Sun splits his weapon. He delivers a flurry of attacks with his shotgun nunchucks trying to overwhelm Damian who twirls his sword around his body, while overwhelming Ilia and leaves her open to a kick in the side. Damian then starts backing Sun up, swinging his sword left and right, giving an arrogant smile, then elbows him in the chest.
Damian tossed his sword in the air causing Sun to look up and get punched in the face multiple times and delivering two roundhouse kicks to the face sending him to the ground.
Damian catches his sword and charges back at Ilia. He swings his sword at Ilia and unleashing a flurry of sword attacks thus, thawing out the split halves to block Lightning Lash, which finishes thawing as they struggle.
Onyx(mentally): What is he doing? Is trying to help Ilia or not?
Ilia smiles before trying to shock him, only for the trigger to jam. Her eyes widen as she tries again while Damian shoves her back. Sun gets up and puts his weapon together and charges at Damian who he believes is distracted by the fight.
Damian once again uses his Instant Transmission and gets behind Sun, kicking him in the back and sending him towards Ilia, having them both up against one of the pillars. Before she can move he pins her against it with his weapon. Nearby, Fennec ducks under Ghira's claws then blocks his left arm, only to be punched back through the hole by his other hand. As Ilia struggles to get out of Sun's hold, the pillar she is getting pushed against starts to crack.
Blake: Stop!!
Sun and Ilia stop to look at Blake.
Blake: Please... (tears start streaming down her eyes)
Onyx: This fight is over. There's no need for us to continue.
Ilia manages to push Sun off her and falls to the ground as he hits the pillar. Suddenly the pillar starts to crack even more, Sun moves out of the way quickly as the balcony above Ilia starts to give way. Ilia yelps looking up in terror as the balcony is about to fall on her. Suddenly, Ghira is shown lifting the broken part of the balcony with his own strength. Ilia stares in awe.
Ghira: Go!!
Damian uses his Instant Transmission to get Ilia out of there who looks back at him, wondering why he saved her.
Damian gives a smile and pats her on the head, he gives a chuckle and stands up while Ghira is forced down on one knee to keep the balcony from falling on him. Sun uses his Semblance to summon two light clones that go and help Ghira lift. Blake grabs her katana and transforms it into kusarigama form. Unbeknownst to them, Fennec gets back up and sees his brother still unconscious. He grabs both of their wands and runs towards Ghira.
Blake sees this and quickly tosses her weapon, wrapping it around her father's torso and pulls him out as Fennec lands just below the falling balcony. Fennec is then crushed by the balcony, and the Dust in the wands explode from impact, ensuring the younger Albain's death. Afterwards, Kali enters the room dragging an unconscious Yuma, who has his hands tied behind his back.
Blake: Mom!
Kali drops Yuma as her daughter comes up to hug her, Onyx gives a warm smile seeing those two together. Their embrace is cut short as a voice gets their attention.
Corsac: (darkly) What have you done? (standing back up) You ruined everything... (inhales) EVERYTHIIIIIIING!!!
(f)Damian: Awww. That's cute. You clowns, actually think that you had a chance. If anything, you idiots never had a chance.
The Belladonnas, Onyx, and Sun take defensive stances while Damian has his arms crossed. Corsac angrily runs forward, but suddenly, Lightning Lash wraps around his body, electrocuting him and knocking him unconscious. With the battle over, Ilia starts to cry and falls to her knees as she breaks down, with the Belladonnas, Onyx and Sun looking on. Damian walks towards Ilia and embraces the girl, Ilia hugs him.
Onyx(mentally): He really is something.
Outside of the Belladonna's home, a large crowd of Faunus gathers outside, noticing the smoke coming from the building.
Guard: Back! Everyone, stay back! We've got people inside doing their best.
Faunus: Look!
From the smoky doorway, Ghira walks out carrying the motionless bodies of a White Fang soldier and a Menagerie Guard on each of his shoulders. He hands the bodies to two guards as Saber Rodentia arrives.
Saber: Get in there! Search for any stragglers!
More guards walk out keeping Corsac restrained, followed by Blake, Onyx, Damian, Kali, Sun, Ilia and others.
Saber: (to Ghira) We came as soon as we got the call. (he notices Corsac being forced to his knees) And Fennec?
Ghira sadly shakes his head. Saber walks over to Corsac.
Saber: (snarkily) Was it worth it?
Corsac looks down, defeated. As the commotion continues, Blake shares brief looks with Sun, Damian, Onyx and Ilia. Blake takes a deep sigh as she goes down the steps. Ghira notices his daughter walking away.
Ghira: Blake!
Before Ghira could go any further, his wife stops him, and both look on. Blake then stops at one of the steps as she begins to address the crowd.
Blake: Humans didn't do this. (she points at the smoke coming from her house) We did this: Faunus. We did this to ourselves. We are just as capable of hate and violence as the humans, but I don't think any of us would jump at the chance to point that out. So why are we letting Adam do it for us?! By doing nothing and staying silent, we let others speak and act in our place. And if we're not proud of the choices they make, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. This is the message that Adam Taurus will bring to the world if no one stops him. But we can stop him! You have to understand that all of you are looking for simple answers to a very complicated problem. And I can't give that to you. I don't know how to make hate go away, I don't. But I know that this kind of violence is not the solution. I understand that to ask you to leave your homes and protect Haven Academy is asking you to put your lives at risk. But that's what's at stake. So I'm going, and I'll stand by myself if I have to.
Ilia: I'll stand with you!
Blake turns around with a surprised look on her face as Ilia stands up. Her pained expression then looks down.
Ilia: If... if you'd have me.
Male Faunus: Isn't that the White Fang girl?
Female Faunus: I thought she hated the Belladonnas.
Despite some of the crowd's murmuring amongst themselves, Blake smiles at her old friend. As Ilia proceeds forward, Saber suddenly stops her.
Saber: You're not going anywhere!
Onyx: Let her come.
Saber: Huh? You're just going to forgive her? After everything she did?!
Blake: I am.
Saber looks to Ghira, who nods to let Ilia go. Ilia continues to walk down the steps to stand next to her friend.
Saber: What does she think she's doing?
Ghira: (smiling) She's learned a lesson that evaded me until I was much older: That there is strength in forgiveness.
Blake puts a hand on Ilia's shoulder, sharing a smile together. Onyx joins the others and hears whispers from the people.
Crowd(whispers): How do we know that we can trust the younger Brother of Adam Taurus? What's to stop him from betraying the Belladonnas and us?
Blake and Ilia both notice this, Blake goes to step forward again but this time Onyx beats her to it.
Onyx: I know that a lot of you don't trust me and I'm even more sure a good amount of you are afraid of me. But, I promise you all, that I am nothing like my brother.
The crowd whispers started to die down and they focused more on Onyx.
Onyx: It's true that I used to think like him and see how he would do things, I once thought it was the only way to gain our freedom against humanity. Until I realized just how wrong I was, I didn't want to be like my brother ever again and thanks to a certain someone who I fought alongside with, he believed in me more than I believed in myself.
Onyx looks at Damian who is standing next to Blake's parents and everyone looks at him who is wearing a cloak over his head and finally takes it off.
The crowd was stunned to see him.
Saber: A human?
Crowd: What is a human doing here?
Damian walks down the steps and stands next to his friends.
Onyx: This is Damian Locke. Leader of Team SDOW back in Beacon Academy. My friend and true Brother who believed in me, Blake, and so many others. He never saw me as a villain or even hated me after knowing that I am Adam's brother. He sees me, for I am, as a person and an equal. The same way as he looks at Blake, her family, Sun, Ilia and all of us. He helped me trust humans and thanks to him, I will fight Adam, I will stay here and fight alongside my friends.
Mata: I'll go!!
Mata the ram Faunus steps forward and raises his hand, followed by many more.
Female Aquatic Faunus: I'll go too!
Various Faunus: I'll stand with you! I'll go!! Yeah!! Me too! Let's go! Yeah, let's go!!
As more Faunus start to give Blake their support, Sun walks down the steps to join her and Ilia. The crowd is heard cheering as a majority agree to volunteer. They all smile at the crowd.
Sun: Looks like we've got work to do.
Blake: Thank you.
Sun: (pointing to Ilia) You stabbed me.
Onyx: Sun I know--
Ilia pulls on his sleeve and shakes her head before facing Sun.
Ilia: I-- (Sun playfully pinches her arm) Ow!
Sun: There. Let's just call it even.
Ghira and Kali then walk down the steps to join their daughter and her friends.
Ghira: We have about two weeks before Adam's attack on Haven. We're going to need shields, training, whatever we can do to protect as many people as possible.
Kali: We'll need transportation too. For everyone.
Blake: (smiling) I think I know a ship captain who owes us a favor.
Sun, Onyx, along with Damian grins and nods in agreement.