In the Land of Darkness at Salem's keep, Emerald Sustrai is sitting on the floor while Mercury Black is training around the room with punches and kicks.
Emerald: I hate being kept in the dark like this...
Mercury: Yeah, Cinder was a pain, but at least she kept us filled in. (continues training)
Emerald: Can I ask you something?
Mercury: You're gonna.
Emerald: Why did you come with us, the night Cinder and I found you?
Mercury: Why are you asking--
Emerald: Just answer the question.
Mercury: Just made sense.
Emerald: It made sense?
Mercury: All my life, my father trained me to be a killer, an assassin like him. And then moments after I killed him, you two showed up looking for someone with my exact skills. Just felt like it was meant to be.
Emerald: (incredulous) That's it?
Mercury: Hey, what's your problem?
Emerald: I mean, there has to be something you want from this, right?
Mercury: Salem's promised us everything. We win this thing for her, we'll be top dogs in her new world. What more do you want?
Emerald: I just... (sighs) Cinder was the only family I ever had. She cared about me, taught me things... But without her here, I don't know if what we're doing--
Mercury: Wake up, already...
Emerald looks at him in shock upon hearing this.
Mercury: Cinder doesn't care about you! She doesn't care about either of us!
Emerald: You don't know what you're talking about!
Mercury: You're in denial. And if you're gonna start having a crisis of identity or some crap... keep me out of it.
At this, Emerald angrily jumps forward and starts to attack Mercury with punches and kicks, but he dodges them and catches her wrist.
Mercury: I'm sorry you didn't have a mommy that loved you, but I had a father who hated me!
Mercury shoves Emerald back a bit. She takes a defensive stance as he slowly approaches her.
Mercury: He never went easy on me! Every day of training was a beating. And when I unlocked my Semblance, he stole it with his! (throws a punch and a kick at Emerald, who dodges them, while he quotes his father's words) "This is a crutch!" "This makes you weak!" He told me I could have it back when I was strong. So I got strong, but I never got it back! I've had to work harder than anyone to get where I am. You may not like it here without Cinder, but I think I'm right where I'm supposed to be!
Suddenly, the two hear a certain laughter. Tyrian Callows steps out of the shadows with his new metallic scorpion tail.
Tyrian: (mocking) Oh yes, the world is mean, and I'm a big, bad man now just like the others. (laughs)
Mercury: (growls as he angrily walk over to Tyrian) How long have you been standing there?!
Tyrian: All you ever learned was pain and violence, and now you're too afraid to leave it. Such a tragedy.
Mercury: You don't know me!
Mercury tries to kick at Tyrian, but he dodges and kicks Mercury back. Tyrian holds him down to the ground by keeping his tail at a short distance away from Mercury's face.
Emerald: Hey!
Tyrian: Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. I want to tell you both a little secret. Your question is all wrong. (laughs)
Emerald: What?
Tyrian: "What do you want from this?" Children, please, if you're not loving what you're doing, then you're in the wrong field.
Emerald: So, what? Are you saying we should just leave?
Tyrian: (gasps) Oh no, no, no, no. (chuckles) You can't do that!
Mercury: Then what did you come here for?
Tyrian: To say farewell. There's been a change in plans. Her Grace must act swiftly if we are to prevail. If General Ironwood comes to his senses and calls upon aid from Vacuo, all may be lost for us! And so the good doctor and I are being sent to Atlas... to prepare.
Emerald: Prepare for what?
Watts: Tyrian!
Arthur Watts can be seen at the end of the hallway leading into the room.
Watts: It's time.
Tyrian steps off of Mercury, who gets back up on his feet.
Tyrian: Do what makes you happy children... please? I'm begging you... (smiles evilly)
Tyrian holds his new tail out threateningly, with purple liquid venom dripping from the stinger's tip. Tyrian walks away towards Watts letting out a little chuckle. Emerald and Mercury watch him leave with disgusted looks. Android 21 walks past the two looking a bit more fidgety as her smile was beginning to look crooked.
Meanwhile, in Argus...
Jaune: (Y/N)! Oscar!
Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, and Saphron Cotta-Arc are walking down a sidewalk at night.
Nora: (calling out) (Y/N)? Oscar?
Ren: This city's enormous, he could've gone anywhere.
Jaune: This is all my fault... I overreacted.
Saphron: I still don't really understand what happened. Was it about the mission?
Nora: It's... kind of hard to talk about.
Saphron: I know, I know, "top secret". Did he... do something wrong?
Jaune: No... he didn't. We just got some new information and... it's going to be a lot harder than we thought.
Saphron: I mean, if it was easy, then it wouldn't be important. Right?
Ren: I think we're all just a bit unsure of what to do next.
Saphron: You could... stay in Mistral, get your licenses at Haven, and come back to Argus. There's a lot of good you can do here. I know your mission is important, but it's not like you're the only ones who can do it. It's not the only mission that needs doing.
Jaune: It's... not that simple.
Saphron lingers a bit behind while Jaune, Ren and Nora walk forward, before turning around to look back at her.
Saphron: Well, uh... I should go pick up Adrian from daycare. I'll let Terra know what's happened, and we'll meet you later. Good luck.
The three Team JNPR members watch Saphron leave before looking down sadly.
Nora: Hey, there's a cafe over there. Why don't we get something to warm up?
Jaune: I'm okay. You two go on ahead.
Ren and Nora watch Jaune walk away with sad looks on their faces. Jaune takes a seat on a nearby bench.
Nora: You don't want anything?
She and Ren then exchange a brief glance.
Ren: We'll be right back.
Ren and Nora walk away, leaving Jaune alone.
With (Y/N).
(Y/N): You know food is always the best way to stay calm!
(Y/N) is seen walking through town with a smile as he ate a chicken kebab.
(Y/N): Wonder how Pyrrha's doing. I should check on her lat-
(Y/N)'s eyes widened as he looked back.
(Y/N): Shit, Caulifla! Kale!
(Y/N) then puts his fingers on his forehead using instant transmission leaving with a pop. He then appears as he sees Caulifla bruised and heavily wounded in her base form barely able to stand. Kale is behind her unconscious.
(Y/N): Caulifla!
(Y/N) was then in next to her as he looks up and sees Mira as he narrows his eyes.
Caulifla: Wh-What the hell are you doing here?!
(Y/N): Your badly hurt. Besides I have some unfinished business with him.
(Y/N) walks in front of her as Caulifla grits her teeth.
Mira: Finally, your here.
(Y/N): Mira.
Mira then looks to the side as Android 21 then floats to his side as she pushes her glasses closer to her face, she looks at the sayains as once she spots (Y/N) and smiles.
Android 21: Oh? Aww he's so cute.
(Y/N) looked at her in confusion as Caulifla glares at her, Android 21 looks at her as she smiles evilly.
Android 21: Mira go back to Towa she needed you for something, I'm going to do an experiment.
Mira grunted as he then vanished nowhere to be seen. Android 21 then smirked as she looked behind Caulifla and (Y/N) she then saw Kale.
Android 21: Hmm...I wonder...
Android 21 then raised her hand and shot a form of dark energy at Kale to fast for Caulifla and (Y/N) to respond. Once it hurt Kale she wakes up grunting. Android 21 stifles a laugh as she waves.
Android 21: Bye now.
She vanished as (Y/N) and Caulifla look at Kale, as she gets up and holds her head.
Kale: Unnghh!
Caulifla: Kale! Kale are you alright!?
Kale: Agghhh!
The ground started cracking as Kale's aura started going wild.
(Y/N): Kale you need to control yourself!
Kale: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! (screams and explodes, transforming into a mysterious Super Saiyan form)
(Y/N): Weeeeeeeee!!! (Kale's aura sent a shockwave sending Caulifla and (Y/N) flying)
Caulifla: That super sayain form is awesome!
(Y/N): But why is it kinda...green?
Kale: Hey (Y/N) your strong right?
(Y/N): Yuh-huh... Why?
KALE: Because my power IS MAXIMUM!
(Y/N): ...Prove it.
KALE: HUUUAAGH! (sends out an energy burst)
(Y/N) flys out of the vicinity.
(Y/N): Caulifla! Haaaaa! (turns Super Saiyan)
Caulifla: Hu! (also turns Super Saiyan)
Kale charges at (Y/N), and Caulifla and knocks all of them away with one blow.
(Y/N): Listen Kale... I don't wanna tell you how to be the Legendary Super Saiyan, but...you're not supposed to start all-out. You're supposed to start off small and then work up to it.
KALE: I am starting small.
(Y/N): Oh. Good for you. Holy crap...
Caulifla: I was going to beat you with it but here goes. HAAAAAAAA!!! (Caulifla ascends her transformation and becomes super sayain 2)
(Y/N): Ooh good idea. HAAA! (Transforms into a super sayain 2)
KALE: (Y/N)...
(Y/N): Yes?...
KALE: You haven't hugged me yet.
(Y/N): I haven't?
KALE: You dirty boy.
(Y/N): That's strange usually I hug a lot of people or get hugged. Hey Caulifla want a hug? (Kale grabs him with her arm) Agh! (Kale rams him into a wall) Gah!
Caulifla: (Y/N)! Oh shit... (Kale kicks her in the face) HUAAAA! (flies into a wall)
(Y/N): Caulifla! (starts running towards Caulifla)
KALE: (appears in (Y/N)'s path) RAAAGH!
(Y/N): Huaaoouu!
KALE: RRUAGH! (fires a blast that hits (Y/N) dead-on)
(Y/N): Ahhhhh!
Kale then flys down plummeting towards (Y/N) as his eyes widen, as she lands right in front of him and smiles.
(Y/N): Heh heh...Hi Kale...
Kale then grabs his leg.
(Y/N): Ah crap...
She then throws him to the forest obliterating it.
(Y/N): Hey Caulifla...
Caulifla: What...?
(Y/N): Who do you think is getting a new transformation next?
Caulifla: You...
Kale: But now is Kale! NOW KALE! (fires a blast at (Y/N))
(Y/N): Piccolo, help! (Kale's blast gets blocked by another blast and Piccolo rescues (Y/N))
PICCOLO: (gives (Y/N) a Senzu Bean) (Y/N), are you okay?
(Y/N): Now, I am give Caulifla a senzu. Cause it's gonna heal her. I'm going a even further.
Piccolo then goes over to Caulifla, (Y/N) began screaming for some time as he then transforms into a super sayain 3.
PICCOLO: (Y/N) can we beat this guy?
(Y/N): Uh! I dunno. I'm sure I'll pull something out my butt.
KALE: AND IT WILL BE KALE'S FIST!
Caulifla: (Y/N) are you into that?
(Y/N): Well I don't want anything in my butt.
PICCOLO: Let's see how you fare when it's three-on-one, monster! (he along with (Y/N) and Caulifla fly up to confront Kale)
(Y/N): Hey! She's not a monster.
Kale: Monster? Kale is not a monster. Kale is... Durh...
(Y/N): A good friend?
Caulifla: My protege?
KALE: The devil!
(Y/N) and Piccolo charge forward to attack Kale accompanied with awesome music, which immediately cuts out as it shows Kale evading all of (Y/N) and Piccolo's attacks, in which you can hear (Y/N) and Piccolo grunting along with slapping sound. This goes on for six seconds until Kale grabs both (Y/N) and Piccolo.
Caulifla: Crusher cannon!
Kale releases (Y/N) and Piccolo and takes the crusher cannon before landing on the ground. Piccolo tries to attack Kale from above, but Kale headbutts and sweepkicks him. (Y/N) and Caulifla try to attack together, but Kale manhandles both of them while running towards Piccolo and kicks him away and sealing the deal by firing an energy blast, which sends the Namekian flying all the way to a cliff.
Cut to Kale walking through smoke with booming footsteps.
(Y/N): Hey Kale! Ka... Me... (Kale grabs him by the hair) Ah! Oh wah!
Kale: You were sayin'.
(Y/N): (muffled) I am Saiyan! Hu hu hu! (Kale sends him flying with a punch) Ah aughh... (hits the ground and shifts to the ground crumbling)
(Y/N): You know this is probably the worst beating I ever took.
Caulifla: Yeah this is just fucked...
Piccolo: Why did she get angry?
Caulifla: Some scientist bitch came here with Mira and shot a blast at Kale.
Piccolo: Oh shit.
(Y/N): Cool... Then I'll cut to the chaste... Give me all of your energy. Right now. I'll end it in One Punch, man.
PICCOLO: (sends his energy to (Y/N)) Done.
Caulifla: (sends her energy to (Y/N)) Doing it.
Kale screams and charges at (Y/N), who does the same. Kale prepares to throw another punch at (Y/N).
(Y/N): HEY, KALE! SCREAM MY NAME! (lands a clean punch at Kale's gut)
KALE: HUUNGH? (shows a brief flashback of Kale looking at (Y/N) at the train. Where her eyes widen and a blush appears as in her vision she was love struck.) (Y/N)!!!
(Y/N): Victory for (Y/N)! (Kale was then sent flying as she loses her legendary state as she lands into a cliff knocked unconscious)
Cut to Ruby Rose is looking down with a look of disapproval on her face. She lets out a disappointed sigh.
Yang: I've never seen him this bad.
Ruby, along with the rest of Team RWBY and Maria Calavera, find Qrow Branwen passed out on some stairs leading up to a house.
Ruby: Come on, let's get him up.
The two sisters grab their uncle's arms and sit him up. Qrow groans and rubs his eyes.
Qrow: Why am I on the stairs?
Ruby: Probably because no one's home, Uncle Qrow. We've been out looking for Oscar and (Y/N).
Qrow: Oscar? (Y/N)?
The group hears footsteps. They turn to see Jaune, Ren, Nora, as well as Saphron and Terra, who is holding Adrian in her arm, walking towards them. The two mothers look at Qrow.
Terra: (sarcastic) I'm sure this looks great to the neighbors.
Saphron lightly elbows her wife while Jaune and his teammates walk up to the group.
Ren: No luck?
Blake: No, you?
Jaune: Don't worry, we aren't going to Atlas without him.
Ruby: We?
The three Team JNPR members share a smile.
Jaune: (to Saphron) Sorry we won't be staying.
Saphron: (smirking) No you're not.
Terra: How about we get out of the cold?
The door to the house is heard opening. Everyone gasps in shock as a familiar voices is heard.
Oscar: Oh, I was wondering when you'd get back.
(Y/N): We got drip!
Oscar Pine stands at the doorway, now wearing a fancy green coat and (Y/N) who is wearing his uniform fully repaired.
Everyone: (Y/N)!! OSCAR!!
Nora screams in joy as Oscar and (Y/N) initially has a confused look on his face, and then one of comical terror as the seven students all leap forward and tackle hug them. Now inside the house, Ruby helps Oscar and (Y/N) up as everyone shares a laugh.
Weiss: You had us worried sick!
Weiss puts (Y/N) on his knees and looks at him sternly
Ruby: Are you okay?
Nora: (grinning) What are you wearing?
Oscar: (smiles and rubs the back of his head) Uh...
The rest of the group steps into the house.
Terra: Is something cooking?
Oscar: Oh, uh, yeah. I thought you guys would appreciate a hot meal after... spending all day looking for me, apparently.
(Y/N): Hmph!
Oscar: (Y/N) ate enough.
Jaune: It's my fault we were all out there in the first place. Oscar, I am so sorry for earlier. I was way, way out of line, and what I said--
Oscar: No, it's okay. These past few days, I've been scared of the same things you were. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be... me. But I did some thinking, and I do know that I want to do everything I can to help with whatever time I have left.
Jaune: (smiles) Good. This team isn't the same without you, Oscar and (Y/N).
Everyone shares a smile. Suddenly, a smoke alarm goes off.
Oscar: (gasps) The casserole!
Saphron: (giggles) We're on it, chef.
Saphron and Terra step into the kitchen to take care of Oscar's cooking.
Ruby: Uh, combat gear looks good.
Ruby and Oscar share a smile. Then, the group notice Qrow walking up the stairs.
Ruby: (sternly) Where are you going now?
Qrow: I don't want to get in the way of your celebration.
Ruby: You've been gone all day! Just sit with us.
Qrow: (sighs) Look, Ruby, I'm glad you kids worked out, uh, whatever all that was. But the fact is, we're not a single step closer to Atlas.
Jaune: Actually, I think I have an idea. But... it's sort of a "no-going-back" kind of idea.
Ruby: Well, let's hear it.
Jaune: With Cordo on watch, only Atlas airships have the clearance to leave for Solitas. So... we... steal an Atlas airship. (nervously shrugs at his last statement)
Everyone gets shocked looks on their faces. Adrian giggles in Maria's arm. (Y/N) smiles.
Weiss: That's not just breaking the law. That's... that's definitely worse.
(Y/N): I don't care as long as I can fight.
Yang: How would we even get onto the airfield?
Jaune: That part I haven't quite figured out yet. But I--
Qrow: Okay, stop. Just... stop! Look, if this thing goes south, it's not something we can just fight our way out of. This is the Atlas Military we're talking about. (sighs) For your sake, just drop this.
Everyone looks down with discouraged looks on their faces except (Y/N). Ruby notices this and turns back to Qrow with a determined look on her face.
Ruby: I want to hear him out.
Qrow: Ruby...
Ruby: I want to hear him out! I know you're trying to protect us, that you're afraid we can't do it, but right now, I don't really care what you think!
Qrow gains a shocked expression upon hearing this.
Ruby: Just because you don't have an idea, doesn't mean we're out of options! Oz hasn't been here to tell us what to do, but we still managed to get this far anyway. We've been in bad situations before, and we don't need an adult to come save us or tell us what to do. We just did it our way! And I say we do it our way. (everyone smiles) And if you think you can keep up with us "kids"... we'd be happy to have you.
Qrow looks down sadly.
Maria: (laughs) Looks like you didn't give her enough credit either.
Qrow doesn't say anything, he looks back to Ruby while she looks back at him determined.