Open on a close-up of a pool of black slime in a dark red and purple land. A large paw emerges from within the slime and a Beowolf gradually crawls out, slime sliding off of it and onto the ground.
The camera pans out to show several such pools and many Beowolves emerging. It pulls further and further out to show a mostly dark and desolate land made up of red ground, purple crystals, and a red and black clouded sky.
The images shimmers and we see Mercury and Emerald reflected in a window, watching from inside a high building. Emerald has her hand to her mouth while Mercury seems slightly disgusted. A gloved hand appears between two purple crystal formations and snaps its fingers.
A wide shot reveals a large windowed room, at the center of which is a long purple, crystal table. Four people sit at the table with seven chairs. One of them is Cinder. Emerald and Mercury move away from the window.
There's a close-up of the man sitting across from Cinder, Arthur Watts. He is looking at his Scroll.
Next is the man to Cinder's right, Tyrian Callows. He sits in a crouch casually on his chair, resting his arms on his knees.
Across from Tyrian is Hazel Rainart. His arms are crossed, and he looks asleep.
Cinder sits quietly, while Mercury and Emerald move to her side. Emerald nudges Mercury out of her way so that she can be directly next to Cinder.
Watts: Yes, yes, please keep your posse in check.
Mercury grunts and makes a move toward Watts, but Emerald holds him back.
Watts: You hear that? Silence.
Hazel gives Watts an unimpressed sideways glance.
Watts: I've half a mind to thank the little girl that bested you.
Tyrian: If I were you, I'd hunt her down. (snicker) Find her and, well, she took your eye, didn't she?
Cinder only stares at Tyrian while he cackles at her.
Cinder tries to speak but only manages to make quiet exhaling noises. Emerald leans in to hear her.
Watts: Pathetic. Why did you even—
There is a sound of a heavy metal door being unlatched. The doors open and everyone stands just before Salem enters. She glides alongside the table with soft footsteps before reaching the head of it, jewels jangling from her hair. Salem stops, facing away from them and toward a candle and crystal display.
Salem: Watts.
Watts straightens, looking toward her.
Salem: (turning) Do you find such malignance necessary?
She gestures for all to sit down.
Watts: I apologize, ma'am. I'm not particularly fond of failure.
Watts and Salem sit simultaneously.
Salem: Then I see no reason for your cruelty towards young Cinder. She's become our Fall Maiden, destroyed Beacon Tower, and most importantly, killed dear Ozpin. So I'm curious, to what failures are you referring?
Watts: Well, the girl with the Silver Eyes.
Hazel: Yes. We've dealt with their kind before.
Hazel: How is it a novice was able to best one of us?
Watts: My thoughts exactly. Even without her new power, it should have been effortless.
Salem: It is because of the Maiden's power. Make no mistake, Cinder, you hold the key to our victory. But your newfound strength brings with it a crippling weakness. Which is why you will remain by my side as we continue your treatment.
Cinder is unhappy about this and lowers her head. Emerald looks at her in sympathy.
Salem: Dr. Watts, you are to take Cinder's place and meet with our informant in Mistral.
Watts: Very good.
Salem: Tyrian, I want you to continue your hunt for the Spring Maiden.
Tyrian: (laughing) Gladly.
Salem: And Hazel, I'm sending you to the leader of the White Fang. Adam Taurus has arranged the meeting. The boy continues to prove loyal. Ensure that Sienna Khan feels the same.
Hazel: As you wish.
Cinder raises a finger. Emerald fails to notice this gesture for a moment.
Emerald: Oh!
Emerald leans in to hear her.
Cinder rasps into her ear. Emerald straightens.
Salem: Speak, child.
Emerald: She wants to know... (hesitates) What about the girl?
Watts: (scoffs) What about her? Seems to me that this is Cinder's problem, not ours.
Cinder slams her fist onto the table and glares at Watts, who grins at her.
Salem: That's enough. Tyrian?
Tyrian: Yes, my lady?
Salem: Spring can wait. Find the girl that did this to Cinder.
Tyrian giggles elatedly and claps.
Salem: And bring her to me.
Tyrian freezes, groans disappointedly, pouts for a second, then looks back up at Salem with an acquiescent shrug.
Salem: Because of your efforts, Beacon has fallen. And Haven will be next.
Everyone rises.
Tyrian snickers at Cinder and points to his left eye.
Tyrian: (laughing wickedly) Eye for an eye.
Tyrian goes into an uncontrollable fit of manic laughter, while Cinder grits her teeth.
A boy with freckles and hazel eyes, wakes up in a panic and sighs in relief after looking around. He emerges from the loft of a barn and climbs down a ladder. The boy is wearing patched khaki pants, a white shirt, and orange suspenders and gloves. Tucked into his pocket is an orange-based multi-colored cloth. He opens the barn door to a peaceful country scene with a rising sun and birds tweeting. White mountains are a background to a dirt road, grass, a few trees and a green water pump.
He smiles and pumps water into a blue bucket. As his gaze wanders the landscape, he becomes distracted from the pump and utters a quiet sound of surprise upon realizing he has overfilled the bucket. His shoulders fall with a sigh.
The scene cuts to the boy shutting and turning a green compost tumbler that is marked with a yellow crown bearing the initials CK.
While hoeing rows in a garden,
he suddenly straightens up and looks out into the distance.
To the sound of blowing wind, the scene cuts to a shot of blue sky above a green forest. There are a few shots inside the forest before Nora is heard speaking.
Nora: I'm just sayin'...
Nora, Rin, and Ren emerge from behind a tree, walking together.
Nora:...there's more members of JNPR in this team than RWBY and REBL.
Rin: Nora, my team and I are still together. We're supposed to meet up with the twins at Haven later on.
Nora: Besides, Rin, it just makes sense to go with that one.
Ren: But "junior" isn't a color.
Nora: (groaning) How can I be more clear?
Nora: One, two, three. That's more than one.
Rin: Good math, Nora.
Ren: But we're helping Ruby with her objective.
Ren: Wouldn't that make her the leader?
Jaune: Guys!
Rin, Ren, and Nora turn their heads toward him.
Jaune: We need to focus.
The letters pop out of existence.
Jaune: Also, JNRR is way cooler.
Nora: Exactly!
Rin: For me, I think Team RNJR is better.
Ren goes to speak, but instead just groans.
There's a rumble.
Jaune: It's here.
Scene changes to Ruby flying backwards from trees, firing Crescent Rose in the direction she came from.
A collection of floating boulders with a Grimm mask moves the trees aside, clearly chasing her.
Ruby falls, crashing against tree limbs along the way.
Ruby: Bad... landing... strategy!
Ruby lands on her feet on a big tree branch strong enough to hold her weight. She uses her Semblance to fly past the Grimm.
Jaune, Ren, Nora, and Rin look up.
Jaune: Let's get that thing off her.
Rin and Jaune runs toward them. Ren jumps up into the trees.
Nora: Don't forget me!
Nora pulls out Magnhild and shoots it at the ground, propelling herself into the air with excited whooping. She lands right besides Ren in his branch.
Ren: We need to draw its attention away from Ruby!
As a stream of rose petals, Ruby flies past them.
Ruby: Could use some help!
Nora shoots the Grimm in the back. Ren hops around on branches. The Grimm tries to hit Ren. Ren runs up its rock arm, flies into the air,
and comes down upon the Grimm, striking at it with StormFlower. It's ineffective. Rin rans pass Jaune with her semblance and tries to slash off the legs with Laevatein, but that didn't work, either.
Jaune: Gotta get in closer!
Ren lands beside Jaune.
Ren: My blades don't hurt him!
Rin runs up to them.
Rin: Same here!
The Grimm turns, standing upright.
Nora: Crap!
Ruby: How about this?!
She loads a magazine with an image of a lightning bolt on its side into Crescent Rose and fires.
Electric bolts encase one of the Grimm's arms. The red lines on the arm glow brighter, and the Grimm slams it into the ground. All are sent flying backwards, but Ren, Nora, and Ruby manage to land on their feet.
Jaune tumbles along the ground painfully until he hits a boulder between his legs and falls forward.
Jaune: (mimicking) "You'll be fine without a weapon. You're the strategist."
Nora: That's it!
She runs forward, tossing Magnhild into the air and transforming it into hammer mode. She jumps into the air and hits it, breaking its arm apart. A large piece flies straight toward Nora, but Ruby gets between them and knocks it away. The Grimm uses its other arm to strike at the two girls.
Jaune straightens and stretches and soon has to dodge a barrage of rocks.
Jaune: Wha? Whoa! Wha? Ho!
Jaune lands.
Jaune: Hey! Be careful!
A rock the size of his head hits him in the face and sends him into a tree. Jaune lands in a crouch and shakes his head to clear the pain.
The Grimm continually tries and fails to hit an evasive Nora.
Jaune stands up and looks up at the Grimm.
Jaune: Ah...
The Grimm's armless shoulder gains a glowing red circle with a symbol of an eye in the middle. The circle spins, and then a black, elongated arm with clawed fingers emerges from it. The arm rears back.
Jaune: Uh-oh.
The Grimm shoves its new arm into the tree Jaune was leaning against and lifts it from the ground.
Jaune: (running) His arm is a tree! His arm is a tree!
Ruby: Big mistake!
Ruby spins Crescent Rose and loads another magazine into it - this one with imagery of fire on its side. She fires, and the flaming projectile swings around to the tree arm. Jaune fist pumps. The tree arm swings around to him, on fire. Jaune loses his smile.
Jaune: BIG MISTAKE!
The Grimm chases Jaune, swinging the flaming arm at him. It misses twice, but then Jaune falls. Rin sees the flaming tree and charges her sword with fire. She jumps at the arm and stabs her weapon into the tree, causing it to explode and send Rin flying away. One of StormFlower spins through the air and makes a cut across the Grimm's mask. The Grimm falls.
Ren lands beside Jaune and catches his gun. Rin, Ruby, and Nora come up behind their teammates.
Jaune: Okay, how do we do this?
Ren: His body is too thick to break through.
Jaune: It doesn't care about its body.
Nora: Plus it can keep grabbing new limbs!
Rin: And it keeps protecting its face.
Jaune: But it keeps protecting its face.
Ruby: We can't break it!
Jaune: Ugh, if we knocked all of its limbs off at once and went for the...
Jaune's eyes light up with an idea and he turns to face his team. Behind him, the Grimm gets up.
Jaune: Guys, I got it! We hit it harder!
Ren: (confused) Is that it?
Jaune: No, seriously. It's trying to keep us from its face. If we kill the limbs, we'll have a shot to kill the whole thing!
Rin: I think that's a good plan.
Ruby: Alright! Come on, team, let's do this.
Nora: Yeah!
Ren: Right!
Rin: Let's go!
Jaune: Ren, left. Ruby, right. Rin, down below.
Rin, Ren, and Ruby depart as told.
Jaune: Nora, ready to try out the new upgrade?
Nora nods and runs.
Jaune: Right. And I will—
Jaune gets hit in the back by the Grimm.
Ruby attacks the right side. Ren attacks the left. And Rin goes for the legs.
Nora activates a mechanism that generates a current of electricity across the hammerhead of Magnhild. Jaune runs around to make himself a target, waving at the Grimm.
Jaune: I'll take over here!
The Grimm goes after Jaune but switches targets as Ruby and Ren attack it.
Nora charges Magnhild even more and braces her feet.
Nora: Ready!
Ruby lands next to Jaune after another attack.
Jaune: Use everything you've got!
Rin closes her eyes and charges her Laevatein to power up. She opens her eyes and uses Light Speed towards the legs and manages to grab both of them. Ruby uses her Semblance to fly at the Grimm, taking Nora with her, and the red and pink swirls go right for the tree arm.
Ruby slices the tree in half, opening the way for Nora to hit the mask with Magnhild. The rock body shatters and the ephemeral Grimm rises out of it and flies off.
Ruby aims a shot at it, and it turns its face right into the flaming projectile. Next is a wide shot of birds taking flight from trees.
Jaune: (breathing heavily) Another victory for Team JNRR!
Silence.
Jaune: (deflating) Yeah, okay. Ren, I think you're onto something. I-it's just not sounding great anymore.
Rin: I told you RNJR is better.
Jaune walks away.
Ruby shakes hands with the town Mayor.
Mayor: We truly can't thank you enough.
Ruby: Just doing our job, sir.
Mayor: That Geist had been plaguing our village for weeks. We were beginning to wonder if we'd have to relocate.
Ruby: Well, we are on our way to Mistral. You could always come along with us if you don't feel safe.
Scenes of the idyllic life in the village are shown: people buy fresh produce from a cart, stand and chat on open balconies overlooking the roads, tend to their horses and generally go about their daily lives peacefully. The village has plentiful trees and green spaces and cobbled roads.
Mayor: (amused) Ha. I take it you're not from these parts. Anima is a large continent. I'm afraid our people would never survive the long trek to Mistral. It may be safer in the Kingdoms, but we prefer our way of life. I just wish we could pay you more.
Ren: Our previous arrangement is more than sufficient.
Team RNJR and Rin bows respectfully.
A shop door closes. At a counter, a burly man with horns sets down a set of armor.
Blacksmith: There you go, son. It's going to be heavier than what you're used to, but you'll thank me the next time you go up against a set of claws.
Jaune: Wow. That-eh. I don't know what to say.
Blacksmith: Don't gotta say anything! Just put it on! I'll go get the rest.
The Faunus blacksmith turns and goes out back.
Nora: So, what are you waiting for?
Jaune: Oh, uh, right!
Jaune takes off his old chestplate.
Jaune: (softly) Guess I was going to grow out of it eventually.
Ren: A sign of progress.
Jaune: Progress.
Jaune turns around, and Ruby gasps then covers her mouth and tries not to giggle.
Jaune: What is it?
Ruby: (pointing to his chest) What is that?
Jaune: What, my hoodie? I've always had this.
Ruby: (snorting) It's got a cute little bunny rabbit!
Ruby laughs.
Rin: It really is cute. Not gonna lie.
Jaune: It's Pumpkin Pete! You know, from the cereal?
Ruby: (in near hysterics) What did you do?! Send in a box top for a prize?
Jaune: (turning away) Yeah! Fifty!
Ruby continues to laugh hysterically, her head stylistically expanding, before she falls onto the floor.
Rin: Have you been wearing that hoodie the whole time?
Ren: Well, I suppose we don't have to grow out of everything.
Ruby chortles from the floor, feet in the air. The blacksmith returns from out back.
Blacksmith: Can't have a Huntsman without his weapon.
A wide sword sheath is stuck into the countertop.
Blacksmith: Made all the modifications you asked for.
The blade expands into a shield.
Blacksmith: That was some fine metal you brought me. Accents the white nicely. Where'd you get it from?
The camera pans to show the gold accents on the shield, the design on the bottom reminiscent of Pyrrha's circlet.
Jaune: From a friend.
Ruby, Ren, Nora, and Rin wait outside the shop. Jaune comes out wearing the armor.
He pulls out the sword and expands the shield.
Blacksmith: He cleans up alright, don't you think?
Rin: (Put her fingers on her chin) Now that's an upgrade.
Ren: He certainly does.
Nora: I still think a grenade launcher would've really brought the look together.
Ruby: Nothing's gonna stop Rin and Team RNJR now!
Nora: Team JNRR!
Ren: Still not a color.
Jaune: It doesn't matter what we're called. As long as we're together.
Blacksmith: You kids sure you won't stick around? You've been real good to this town.
Ruby: Sorry, but we've got another mission.
Nora: Make it to Haven Academy, no matter what.
Ren: We've heard the next village over has a working Airship.
Rin: It'll make traveling to Haven better. Our friends are waiting for us there.
Blacksmith: Mmm, no way to know for sure. Scroll signals were weak enough out here back when Beacon Tower was still up. Haven't heard from Shion Village in a while.
Ruby: Well, there's only one way to find out.
With a wave, Team RNJR plus Rin turns and leaves. The blacksmith waves back and grunts.
Jaune: Food?
Nora: Check!
Jaune: Water?
Nora: Check!
Jaune: How about ammo?
Nora: Locked and loaded! Thank you, Schnee Dust Company!
Jaune: Got the map?
Ruby is looking down sadly.
Nora: Ren's got it.
Ren: No, I don't. You have it.
Nora: Wait, what?
Jaune: Guys, please tell me you're joking.
Nora: Uh.. heh-heh-heh.
Jaune: Guys! Guys? Guys...
Nora: Nope.
Rin: (Grabs the map out of her bag) Oh, wait. I have it! Right here!
Ruby: So glad you have it!
Rin: Good thing I brought it before we headed out.
Ruby had that sad look again.
Rin: Rubes, are you okay? I know that look.
Ruby: It's just that... (looks down) I really wish Rex was here.
Rin: Me too. (shows his gauntlet) Here. I bet he wanted you to have it.
Ruby: (takes the gauntlet) Thanks, Rin.
Ruby hugs Rin out of nowhere, she had no choice but to hug her back.
As the camera cuts to airships in the sky, Weiss' reflection becomes visible watching airships fly by through a window. She is sitting in a cushioned chair with her hands folded in her lap. There is a knock on the door.
Weiss: Yes?
A wide shot of the room reveals a large, open space on two levels. On the upper level are two arched bookcases built into the walls and a picture of a knight resembling the Arma Gigas hangs between them. A gilded mirror hangs above the mantle of a fireplace on the lower level. The door opens and Klein Sieben, a butler, enters.
Klein: Pardon the interruption, Miss Schnee, but your father wishes to speak to you.
Weiss: (sighing) Thank you, Klein.
Weiss looks out the window once more before getting up and walking out. Her heels clank across the floor and the door slams shut.
In a house called the Azurefire resident, an injured Rex was on the bed. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room. He looked down on his body and his torso was bandaged.
Rex: What the... I'm supposed to be dead. What the hell happened?
???: You're in a friend's house.
He turns and sees a wolf faunus with long teal hair.
???: You really took a nasty fall. You're lucky we found you in one piece.
Rex: What? What's going on? Who are you?
Athena: My name is Athena.
Rex: Well, mine is--
Athena: I know you. You're Rex, right?
Rex: Wait. How do you know my name?
???: I told her.
Rex and Athena looked and saw a man with blue hair and brown skin standing right next to the door.
???: If we haven't found you in time, you'd be grimm food.
Rex: Wait a minute. (Squint his eyes and recognized him) Shane?
Shane: Been a while, buddy.
Rex: You saved me?
Shane: Yeah. When we found you, you were stabbed through the heart.
Rex: Through my... (Immediately covered his mouth) I remember now! That bitch stabbed me!
Shane: Hey, take it easy, man!
Athena: You're still unable to move, Rex!
Shane's parents came upstairs and heard the commotion.
???: What's going on here?
???: We heard your voices from downstairs. Oh. Your friend's awake.
???: You doing okay, pal?
Rex: Yeah, but I remember now. I was looking for Pyrrha, I ran up to the tower, then suddenly, I saw Cinder disintegrate her. (Tears fell down from his face) Pyrrha...
Shane: I know, man. We heard it all over the news. I'm sorry, dude.
???: It's not your fault, kid. You did your best to save her.
Rex: But it wasn't good enough.
He gets up from the bed and starts to walk.
Rex: Still, thanks for saving my life.
???: It was no problem, kiddo. I forgot we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Kazuto. Shane's father.
Mica: I'm Mica. His mother. Come downstairs. I bet you must be starving for being unconscious for so long.
Rex: Speaking of, how am I still alive?
Athena: Because I gave you half of my life force.
Rex: Huh?
Athena: My Semblance is Life. I gave you half of my heart, that way you could be revived. Take a look at your chest.
Rex: My chest? (He looks and sees a green X shaped glowing from the center of his chest) Whoa... If I'm still alive, that means...
Shane: Everyone thinks you're dead.
Rex: Even Ruby...
Kazuto: (Sees Rex broken sword Caliburn) Rex. Where did you get that sword?
Rex: Caliburn? It belonged to my father.
Mica: (gasps) Could this be...? It is!
Shane: Mom, what is it?
Mica: It is the legendary sacred sword, Caliburn! Legend says, that one that could wield it, be in its position forever.
Shane: I thought Caliburn was just a myth.
Rex: Um, how is my sword could be legendary? It was destroyed.
Kazuto: That's true, but there is a way you can revive Caliburn.
Rex: There is?
Kazuto: Yes. There is a guy I know somewhere at Menagerie. I think his name is... uh... (Taps his head) What was his name again?
Mica: You don't remember? It's Ghira Belladonna!
Kazuto: Right. Ghira Belladonna. He's the island's chief.
Rex: Wait. Did you say 'Belladonna'?
Kazuto: Yeah. What about it?
Rex: (Snaps his finger) That guy must be Luke and Blake's father!
Mica: He never told us he had children.
Shane: I think I remember those guys, too. I probably saw them on TV during the Vytal Festival.
Rex: Yeah, they're both friends of mine. If their father knows something about Caliburn, he could help me revive it.
Shane: Right now, you gotta save your strength, Rex, 'cause you're gonna need it.
Athena: I'll go make some food. (heads downstairs)
Mica: You might need some help, Athena.
Kazuto: I'll let Ghira know that you will be on your way.
Rex: No, don't. I wanted to be a surprise so that I could see Luke and Blake again.
Shane: If I remember correctly, Menagerie is an island where only faunuses lives. Problem is, we're still humans.
Rex: I-I'm pretty sure they'll understand that we're not the bad guys.
Shane: Don't worry. I have a friend of mine that could get us to that island. We'll leave for about 5 days.
Rex: 5, huh? I can wait at that time.
Kazuto: I'll go help your mother with the food. Rex, you're welcome to our house anytime.
Rex: Thanks.
Kazuto heads downstairs to help his wife and Athena.
Rex: (looks out the window) Ruby, wherever you are, I'll be waiting for you.
END OF PART 40