3rd Person POV
After Team JNPR and Team SSSN's fight, Onyx decides to chill in his room. He is currently lying down on his bed listening to music.
Onyx: What to do? What to do?
???: Onyx...
Onyx quickly gets up and looks around the room only to find nothing.
Onyx: What the fuck?
???: Onyx Richards... Son of (F/N) and (M/N) Richards.
Onyx gets off of his bed and looks around the room frantically.
Onyx: Am I... going insane?
???: No you're not. In due time Onyx. We will meet.
The camera zooms out to reveal the hooded person from before floating in the air watching him. All of a sudden, a gust of wind almost takes the hood off. But it was enough to reveal the person watching Onyx, has a golden body.
???: Ozpin doesn't even have a plan to defeat Salem. He doesn't even know how to defeat her. Soon... you will bear the responsibility of defeating her. It's up to you whether you're up to the task.
The hooded person slowly fades away as Onyx hears clashing sounds outside. He looks outside the window and sees...
Onyx: What the?
Onyx looks at the crowd and sees Ruby and Weiss watching the battle.
Onyx: Maybe they can explain what's going on.
Onyx quickly grabs his sword back harness that contains Deathblade and dashes out of the room.
(scene change)
Onyx quickly dashes to where the fight is and pushes through the crowd to get to Ruby and Weiss.
Onyx: Ruby! Weiss! What's going on?!
Weiss: Ruby's uncle attacked my sister!
Ruby: What?! That's not true!
Onyx: Well whatever the reason is. (unsheathes Deathblade) I have to stop it before someone gets hurt.
Weiss: What?!
Ruby: No! Onyx! You could get hurt!
Onyx: Better than letting anyone else get hurt!
Onyx then sees the two people fighting about to charge at each other with their weapons. He quickly dashes between them, activates Lightning Fist on his left hand. Deathblade clashes with the man's scythe while Onyx's Lightning Fist clashes with the Atlesian lady's weapon. Both of them bear a look of surprise.
Ruby's uncle: Kid... stay out of this fight.
Onyx: Heck no! You guys could hurt someone.
Ironwood: Schnee!
Winter looks behind her to see Ironwood standing behind her with Penny behind him.
Winter: (lowers her blades as she addresses Ironwood) General Ironwood, sir!
Ironwood: (approaches Winter with by his side) What in the world do you think you're doing?
Winter: He started the altercation, sir!
Qrow: That's actually not true. She attacked first.
Ironwood: Is that right? (Winter tries to reply back, only to realize that Qrow is right. She looks down in shame) And you. (Qrow points to himself in mock confusion) What are you doing here?
Qrow: I could be asking you the same thing.
Ironwood: I-
Ozpin: Now, now, everyone. (intervening beside Glynda) There is a sanctioned fight happening just around the corner at the Colosseum, that I can assure you has better seats... and popcorn.
Glynda: Break it up, everyone! We will take care of this mess.
Glynda then approaches Onyx.
Glynda: Are you alright Onyx?
Onyx: Yeah I'm okay. My left hand is a little sore from stopping that lady's sword though, but it should be good later.
Glynda: (sighs in relief) Good.
Winter looks at Onyx with a questionable look.
Winter: ("He looks... familiar. He looks just like... Inferno")
Penny finally notices Onyx and gasps.
Penny: (runs over to him) Onyx!
Onyx: Huh?
He gets bear hugged by Penny.
Onyx: Oh! Hey Penny, how've you been?
Penny: I'm doing great! Thank you!
Ironwood coughs to gain Penny and Winter's attention.
Ironwood: Let's go.
Ironwood and Winter leave with Penny following behind them. Penny then notices Ruby and quietly waves to her, while Ruby waves back. Ruby then leaps onto Qrow's arm, shaking her legs in delight.
Ruby: Uncle Qrow!!! (as she hangs on Qrow's outstretched arm) Hi. It's so good to see you! Did you miss me? Did you miss me!?
Qrow: Nope.
They share a grin as he pats his niece's head as Ruby slides down.
Onyx walks over to Ruby and Qrow.
Onyx: So Ruby... this is your uncle?
Ruby: Yup! He's my uncle!
Onyx: (chuckles) I can clearly see the resemblance.
Qrow: You look familiar... What's your name?
Onyx: Umm... Onyx... Onyx Richards.
Qrow: Richards... ("So this surely must be (F/N) and (M/N) son.")
Onyx: Judging from that reaction, I'm guessing you know my parents.
Ozpin: Qrow! A word, please. (Glynda then repairs the courtyard using her telekinesis)
Qrow: I think I'm in trouble.
Ruby: You did kinda tear up our courtyard.
Qrow: Yeah, I did (winks and gives her a fist bump) Catch ya later, kid. (to Onyx) And you kiddo.
Onyx: Huh?
Qrow: I need to have a chat with you later...
He walks off to join the others.
Onyx: (silence for a second) Ok then.
Ruby: Don't worry Onyx, he's always like that.
Weiss: (walking beside Ruby with her arms crossed) And suddenly your recklessness makes sense.
Ruby: (nudges Weiss' shoulder) You're just mad because he whooped butt.
Weiss: That was a draw, at best.
Onyx just chuckles.
Onyx: Come on gals. Let's get out of here.
(scene change)
The scene switches over to Ozpin's office late at night. Ironwood is waiting with his arms crossed while Winter is impatiently pacing about. Suddenly, a smirking Qrow, accompanied by Glynda and Ozpin, arrive in the elevator.
Winter: What were you thinking!?
Ironwood: If you were one of my men, I would have you shot!
Qrow: (pulls out a flask as the three enter the room) If I was one of your men, I'd shoot myself.
Glynda: While I wouldn't condone his behaviour, retaliating like you did certainly didn't help the situation.
Winter: He was drunk!
Glynda: He's always drunk!
The four of them turn to Qrow who is drinking from a flask. His eyes widen when he noticed them staring, and he holds the flask out to the side, looking at it awkwardly before grimacing.
Ozpin: (sighs and then sits down) Qrow, why are you here?
Ironwood: You've been out of contact for weeks! You can't just go dark like that in the field!
Qrow: I'm not one of your special operatives, Jimmy!
Winter: General.
Qrow: Whatever. You sent me to get intel on our enemy, and I'm telling you, the enemy is here.
Ironwood: We know.
Qrow: Oh! Oh, you know! Well, thank goodness I'm out there risking my life to keep you all informed!
Ironwood: Qrow-
Qrow: Communication's a two-way street, pal. You see this? (pulls out his scroll and points to it) That's the SEND button.
Winter: They had reason to assume you'd been compromised.
Qrow: And I have reason to assume you don't need to be here. (points to Winter) Seriously, who invited her?
Ironwood: Schnee, We'll discuss this incident back at my ship.
Winter: (surprised) But sir!
Ironwood: Winter. Leave.
Winter: (salutes Ironwood) Yes sir. (turns on her heel and gives Qrow a dirty look as she exits the room by elevator)
Ironwood: (gestures to Qrow) Go on.
Qrow: Your little infiltrator isn't just another pawn. They're the one responsible for Autumn's condition.
Glynda: What?
Qrow: Despite what the world thinks, we're not just teacher, or generals, or headmasters. The people in this room, the leaders of the other two academies, we're the ones that keep the world safe from the evils no one even knows about! It's why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows. So you tell me, James, when you brought your army to Vale, did you think you were being discreet, or did you just not give a damn!?
Ironwood: Discreet wasn't working.
The centre of the room projects a hologram of Vale, Beacon Academy, the Amity Colosseum and Ironwood's fleet of Atlesian Airships, which he gestures to.
Ironwood: I'm here because this is what was necessary.
Qrow: You're here because Ozpin wanted you here! He made you a part of this inner circle and opened your eyes to the real fight that's in front of us!
Ironwood: And I am grateful.
Qrow: Oh, well, you've got a real funny way of showing it.
Ironwood: The people of Vale needed someone to protect them; someone who would act. When they look to the sky and see my fleet, the feel safe, and our enemies will feel our strength.
Qrow: (starts laughing) You... You think they're scared of your little ships? I've been out there and I've seen the things she's made, and let me tell you. They are fear.
Ozpin: (standing up) And fear will bring the Grimm. A guardian is a symbol of comfort. But an army is a symbol of conflict. There's an energy in the air now, a question in the back of everyone's minds. (gestures to the display) "If this is the size of our defences, then what is it we're expecting to fight?"
Ironwood: (glares at them before sighing and walking forward, picking up his scroll just as it flashes with image of a Black Queen) So the, what would you suggest we do?
Ozpin: I suggest we find our guardian.
A few seconds of silence before Qrow speaks.
Qrow: I never knew (F/N) and (M/N) had a child.
Ozpin: Actually they had two.
Qrow: Oh... so that explains the third grave... So how did he get here?
Ozpin: He travelled all the way from Vacuo to here.
Qrow: Alone?!
Ozpin: No... it's most likely that he was travelling with other people. But they probably died during the journey. Because when Glynda and I found him in Vale, he was alone.
Qrow: I see. So how strong is this kid?
Ozpin: He has a lot of potential. He's practically one of the strongest students in Beacon.
Qrow: You serious?! And is he a first year?
Ozpin: Yes he is.
Qrow: Wow.
(scene change)
Cut to dorm room, where Mercury is sitting in a chair, reporting on the fight he saw earlier, while Cinder walks back and forth, interrogating him with Emerald resting on a bed nearby.
Cinder: And you're sure?
Mercury: Bad hair, used a scythe, and smelled like my dad after a long day. It was him.
Emerald: What do we do?
Cinder: Nothing. We stay the course. They have no idea who we are, so we have no reason to worry. Besides, the last of the heavy lifting is being taken care of thanks to our clever little friend. (picks up her scrolls as it flashes with the Black Queen) Speaking of which... it appears we have a new access point. (Ironwood is shown on the scroll as an icon, along with a curling "W" in the other corner)
Emerald: Anywhere good?
Cinder: You could say that. Go to your rooms. I'll prepare everything for tomorrow.
Emerald: Yes, ma'am.
Mercury: Got it.
The scroll then reveals the roster of the Vytal Festival Tournament doubles round, which includes CRDL's Russel and Sky, SSSN's Sun and Neptune, and Penny and Ciel Soleil.
Cinder: Let's give the crowd a good fight.
Cinder scrolls down each pair until she selects Mercury and Emerald to face off against Coco and Yatsuhashi in the doubles round.
(scene change)
The next morning, the crowd sees the definitely not rigged match-up on the screen at the Amity Colosseum.
Port: The randomization process is complete! Ladies and gentlemen, your doubles tournament fight!
As the announcement is heard, RWBY cheers with arms raised while Onyx claps. JNPR is seen providing applause, and SSSN is shown sitting in front row seats. While Dove Bronzewing is sitting behind JNPR.
Cinder is currently watching her teammates as she menacingly claps with a devious smirk. She then grabs her scroll and checks Onyx's profile.
Cinder: Onyx... you never cease to amaze me.
end of chapter