Manta airships patrol the skies around the City of Atlas, keeping in communication with each other over radio. As Maria Calavera pilots the group's stolen Manta toward the city, they receive radio contact.
"Atlas Air Traffic Female: Manta 5-1. Welcome home. Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega-12. A security team will meet you there. Over."
Ruby Rose and the others aboard Manta 5-1 look around at the large military air fleet surrounding the kingdom's capital.
Ruby: "I don't understand. What's happening here?"
Qrow: "I don't know."
Jaune: "But we are here. We got the lamp to Atlas, so I guess we land and get some answers."
Weiss: "I'm not so sure. I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen ship, there's no way the security team will let us anywhere near Wonter. They might even take me back to my father."
Blake Belladonna gains a saddened look, while Ruby and Yang Xiao Long look at each other, uncertain of what to do.
Blake: "So..."
Weiss, having gotten an idea, suddenly looks up.
Weiss: "Winter!"
Weiss brings out her Scroll.
Weiss: "Put some distance between us and the fleet."
Maria: "You don't have to tell me twice."
As Weiss walks to the back of the ship, Maria steers the ship toward Mantle. As people wander the streets of Mantle, the group looks over the city through the Manta's windows. They fly past a giant screen on the side of a skyscraper. Winter's voice comes from the screen, catching Ruby and Yang's attention.
Winter: "...cannot express our appreciation enough. Many describe these as uncertain times, and while that may be the case for the rest of the world, I can tell you what is certain. The Kingdom of Atlas will remain strong, and it will remain safe. That is my promise."
Ruby and Yang look saddened.
Yang: "Winter. She looks..."
Ruby: "Tired."
Qrow: "Winter, what have you been doing?"
Four Atlesian Knight-200s are seen walking down a street in Mantle, while civilians around them hope about their presence.
Civilian 1: "Well, better than nothing"
Civilian 2: "I really hope it is worth it?"
A small drone floats along a sidewalk, while a pair of small children hide in an alley. One of the children picks up a rock and throws it at the drone, which spins around to look, prompting the children to hide against the wall. Weiss sadly stares out of Manta 5-1's window with her Scroll in her palm. Her Scroll is set to call Winter, who does not answer.
Weiss: "This isn't right. None of this is right."
Kage: "Winter must have amped up his security a lot."
Papyrus: "why does that sound bad."
Once again, the stolen Manta receives contact over the radio.
Atlas Air Traffic Female: "Manta 5-1, we've noticed a detour in your route. You are to make your way to docking bay Omega 12 immediately. Do you copy? Over."
Maria: "We're kind of running out of time here, kids."
Yang: "We need to ditch the ship."
Qrow: "Agreed. Get lost in Mantle and buy ourselves some time."
Weiss: "I'm telling you, my sister can take us to her."
Blake, who has been staring out of a window, looks over her shoulder and speaks up.
Blake: lUh, Weiss?l
Weiss walks over to Blake's side and looks out the window with her as a familiar voice plays from a giant screen.
Winter: "A reminder."
Weiss: Huh?
Winter: "Failure to cooperate with Atlas military personnel is a punishable offense. If your sector is under lockdown..."
Weiss: "No way?"
Qrow: "No offense, Weiss. I'm not sure that's a good idea anymore."
Weiss tenses her shoulders and turns to Qrow, fists clenched.
Weiss: "There's obviously something very wrong. If we can just talk to her, then we--"
Qrow: "Look, I'm not even sure we should be talking to Winter until we know exactly what's going on with Mantle."
Weiss: "But--"
Maria: "Everyone, calm down. Haaaa...I know someone who can help with both."
Pyrrha: "I hope so."
May than held onto Papyrus again. A voice appears, with some anger.
Atlas Air Traffic Female: "Manta 5-1, you are to make your--"
Maria than shuts off the radio, annoyed.
Maria: "Geez, lady, take a hint!"
After landing the stolen Manta in Mantle, Maria cautiously exits an alley by slowly shuffling along with her cane. When she sees the coast is clear, she picks up her cane and walks normally, and everyone else exits the alley with her. In the distance, a small group of Atlas soldiers run down a street in the direction that Maria and the others came from.
Soldier: "It landed over there, let's go!"
The group begins walking through Mantle together. Trucks drive past, and Atlesian Knight-200s stand on various sidewalks. A small child places a poster of a white-haired woman on a street lamp. There is a hologram board displaying news articles with the following headlines:
"Missing Journalist Found Slain"
"Election Imminent
Mantle Hometown Hero vs Atlesian Tycoon"
"Embargo: The Right Call?
Pressure and Criticism Continues to Mount on Council"
"Outer Wall Damaged
Resources Stalled"
The group walks past a garage with graffiti art reading "Show Your Teeth"
Maria: "Come on now, hurry! It shouldn't be much of a walk."
Jaune: "Is this many soldiers normal?"
Weiss: "No. At least, I didn't think so."
Summer: "Something's wrong."
At the back of the group, Yang notices a whirring sound and stops to take a look.
Yang: "Huh?"
There is a small drone hovering to her right. The camera part of the drone lifts up, focused on her. When Yang shrugs it off and resumes walking, the drone follows her. She stops again and looks at it in surprise and confusion. As she leans in to take a closer look, the drone takes a photograph of her face with a bright flash, which Yang recoils from. In response, Yang kicks the drone, knocking it out of the air and causing it to tumble into the street, where it is struck by a car.
Yang than cringed at the drone's destruction.
Yang: "Ooh..."
Yang turns to see everyone else in the group staring at her. She awkwardly shifts her posture with a sheepish smile.
Yang: "Maybe we should pick up the pace."
Everyone resumes walking.
Maria: "You have to remember, the Kingdom had just lost the Great War. The people of Mantle needed a sign of a brighter future, and that sign was Atlas. After all, a home in the clouds is as bright as it gets."
They look up at the City of Atlas, while the earlier broadcast from Winter plays once again nearby. A pair of trucks drive by with miners, covered in black material, sitting in the beds. Posters depicting a white-haired woman are plastered across one of the buildings that the trucks pass, with the text "PROTECT MANTLE" printed on them.
Winter: "We are here for your safety. Thank you for your cooperation."
Blake and Nora Valkyrie watch the second truck as it drives by.
Nora than crossed her arms and looking away.
Nora: "Unless you're the one having to look up at it."
Blake: "This whole city, it just seems awful."
A drunken voice calls out from nearby.
Drunk Mann: "Yeah?"
The drunk man comes stumbling down from a porch.
Drunk Mann: "You don't like it here? There's plenty of space out in the tundra."
Blake: "(sighs) Sorry, I didn't mean to--"
Drunk Mann: "Atlas is the greatest Kingdom in the world, alright?!"
Ruby than stepped forward to confront him.
Ruby: "Hey!"
Blake steps forward ahead of Ruby, speaking quietly to her.
Blake: "We can't cause a scene."
The drunk man's equally drunk buddy speaks up.
Drinking Buddy: "The embargo... The embargo's got us in a rough patch. But it'll blow over, you'll see."
Drunk Mann: "We try and help the other Kingdoms, and this is what happens? I say let 'em rot!"
Blake than spoke, disingenuous.
"I apologize. I didn't mean to insult you."
The drunk man spits on the ground, glaring at Blake.
Drunk Mann: "Stupid Faunus like you wouldn't unders--"
He looks down to unscrew his flask and pauses when he sees a black glyph beneath his feet, as well as a black shadow. His glasses hover off his face as his eyes widen in surprise. The glyph and the shadow tendrils flings him into the air, and he falls into a dumpster in the nearby alley, his glasses and flask accompanying him soon after. Yang, Nora, Blake and Ruby stare at the dumpster, then turn to see Weiss pointing Myrtenaster where the man had been standing.
Kage: "Pathetic Drunkard."
May: "Agreed."
Weiss than with a shrug and a smile.
Weiss: "It was worth it."
Kage than turned to his buddy.
Kage: "Want to be next?"
The buddy than ran as fast as he could, obviously afraid of him completely.
The group flees while a pair of Atlesian Knight-200s investigate. The man's drinking buddy hurries down from the porch and looks around in thought, before reaching out toward the girls.
Drinking Buddy: "Hey, wait!
He spoke, running after them.
Weiss: "You're-- That was--"
The drinking buddy trips and collapses to the sidewalk, with Kage using his shadow to send him away, hard. Winter's broadcast is heard playing once again.
Winter: "We are here for your safety. Thank you for your cooperation."
The group approaches a building with a glowing green plus symbol above its front door. Why does it look so familiar here? The side door opens, and a Faunus with a prosthetic arm exits, waving cheerfully to the man who speaks to her from inside.
???: "And no more heavy-lifting, yah hear?"
Maria: "Ah, it's good to see you again, old friend."
An older man is sitting behind the desk, shuffling things around in a drawer. Maria clears her throat, startling him, and he lifts his head to look at her, shutting the drawer. Maria smiles at him.
Pietro: "Ah, yes, yes. "
He said, as he push ra stack of papers aside.
Pietro: "Have we met?"
Ren than spoke, as he enters the place.
Ren: "Well, this is off to a fantastic start."
Maria: Cybernetic optical implants. (pointing to her eyes) You adjust them. Every ten years or so?
He stares at her for a few moments before throwing his hands cheerfully into the air.
Pietro: "Maria!"
The robotic chair he is sitting in begins walking out from behind the desk.
Pietro: "Yes, with the cybernetic optical implants! I adjust them every ten years or so."
He offers his hand to her and leads her to an examination table.
Pietro: "Hahaha...Oh wow, has it been that long already?"
Maria: "Ah, I know. I age like a fine wine. Would've been here sooner if I hadn't run into these jokers. At the time, I thought they might need my guidance while fighting a little old Sphinx."
???: "Oh, did they?"
Maria: "No, no. They had much more complicated issues."
Qrow: "Ahem...And this is?"
Maria: "So impatient. I didn't think I'd need to introduce one of Atlas' finest minds."
Yang: "Working in a place like this?"
The building creaks, and a ceiling tile falls to the floor.
Maria: "He likes to keep a low profile. Something I've come to realize none of you know anything about."
Pietro: "You can call me Pietro."
Before anyone could answer, a gasp was heard, and Penny came out of nowhere.
Penny: "FATHER!!"
She than hugged her father, which Pietro returned. Now everyone was shocked.
Mecha: Father?! Wait...you're the one who made her?!
Mecha questioned. And Pietro laughed aloud.
Pietro: "But of course. I was the one that made her. I have invented her."
Maria: "Finest heart, too. This pharmacy is just where he volunteers when he's not building the future of Atlas alongside Ironwood, up in the clouds."
Pietro: "Oh, it's stuffy up there. Down here, I get to help the locals and have a little fun. I'm currently working on shoes that make you dance. Wanna try 'em on?"
Nora, very excited, than shouted out.
Nora: "YES!"
Yang: "Before we get to that, we were wondering if you could help us. We came to Atlas hoping to talk to General Ironwood, but um..."
Blake: What exactly has been happening here?
Pietro: "Ahem...Well, the Fall of Beacon took a toll on all of us. James was no different. I couldn't tell you exactly what it was he saw there, but it changed him. He's..."
Qrow: "He's scared."
Pietro: "Paranoid would be the more appropriate term. You have to understand, it wasn't just the Grimm. Someone completely dismantled Atlas security code, made it their play-thing, and made us look like traitors to some and buffoons to everyone else. Whoever managed to do that is either a genius or one of our own. I fear the answer may be both, and so does the general."
Ren: "Maybe Atlas isn't as safe as we thought."
Oscar: "After we came all this way, we can't just leave, can we?"
Weiss than steps in.
Weiss: "How does the council feel about all of this? Or Winter Schnee? Do you know anything about her?"
Pietro: "Well, the council's so scared, they'll agree to whatever he wants. Though, some representatives from Mantle... Wait, you're... You're Weiss Schnee!"
Weiss gasps and steps back, with her friends looking nervous.
Yang than stepped forward with her Ember Celia on, and her arm outstretched.
Yang: "Wait, what was it that you were trying to say about Mantle?"
Pietro than looked at the weapon.
Pietor: "You painted it."
Yang than withdrawn her arm, confused.
Yang: "What?"
Ruby: "Is everything okay?"
Pietro: "You're Team RWBY!"
The Team RWBY girls look at each other in confusion.
Ruby: "You know us?!"
Pietro: "Oh, my girl, I do. I most certainly do. And I feel like such a dunce for not recognizing you sooner. My daughter's told me so much about you."
Mecha than turned and looked at Penny.
Mecha: Really, Penny?
Penny than stick out her tongue in a playful manner. Their conversation is interrupted by the sound of an alarm and people screaming. Outside, civilians are running, and the lights from the street lamps have turned red.
Jaune: "Ah, trouble."
The group runs outside.
Pietro than reaches out to them.
Pietor: "Wait!"
Everyone in the group draws their weapons. Upon drawing her katana, Blake looks at the broken blade, exhaling sharply before folding the blade down to wield it as a gun.
Oscar: "I guess the city defenses aren't doing much."
Nora than glanced at Ren.
Nora: "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."
Down the road from them, growling is heard, and an Atlesian Knight-200 is thrown against a lamp post.
Jaune: "Hm?"
Another robot is thrown, and three more back up into view, shooting at Sabyrs, which tackle and destroy them one by one.
Ruby: "Well, we didn't come this far to fail now!"
Ruby changes Crescent Rose into scythe form and aims the sniper barrel toward the Sabyrs, which finish destroying the Atlesian Knight-200s and charge toward her and her friends. Everyone readies their weapons. Yang charges forth using recoil from her gauntlet, followed by Ren launching himself forward.
Nora: "(gasps) Hey!"
Getting an idea, Nora looks at Jaune, who looks startled. She uses Magnhild to pole vault toward Jaune, who puts up his shield in response, allowing her to land on it. She then kicks off from his shield, launching herself. After Yang uppercuts a Sabyr, Ren lands on another one's back, stabbing his guns' blades into it, and it leaps into the air to knock him off, only for Nora to slam it to the ground with her hammer. Jaune beheads a Sabyr, and when a second one leaps at him, he blocks with his shield and stabs it just above its collarbone.
Qrow slices two Sabyrs in half, leans back to dodge a third as it attempts to tackle him. He transforms Harbinger into scythe mode and uses it to hook the Grimm as it makes another attempt to tackle him. As he finishes spinning his scythe, he plants its blade into the ground and punches another Sabyr in the head, then uppercuts it into the air. He then kicks Harbinger upward, catches it, straightens the blade, impales the Sabyr, and slices another one that leaps at him from behind the deceased Sabyr's smoke.
While Qrow shoots at more Sabyrs, another one turns its attention to Oscar. It charges him, and he leaps into the air and stabs at its skull with Ozpin's cane. While he watches it die, another one leaps at him from behind, only to be sniped by Ruby, who smiles and nods to Oscar.
Ruby transforms her rifle back into scythe mode and runs forward. As a Sabyr leaps at her, she does a flip and slices it in half. She continues running, fires Crescent Rose, and begins using her Semblance to speed down the street, before appearing to split into three blurs of red that go around a Sabyr, which splits apart with a roar. The blurs converge and transform back into Ruby, who stabs the tip of her scythe into the asphalt, swinging forward on it and landing on the ground. She fires Crescent Rose and lets go of it, sending it spinning through a Sabyr and into the air. She leaps onto and kicks off of another Sabyr, spinning and catching her scythe. She fires Crescent Rose to keep up momentum and slams the blade into the ground, sending out a shockwave that takes out two more Sabyrs.
After Weiss slices through a Sabyr, four more come running toward her from another street. She casts four black glyphs, using them to levitate the Grimm. As they flail helplessly in the air, Ren leaps from Sabyr to Sabyr, cutting each of them in half. Meanwhile, another Sabyr attempts to run up behind Yang while she finishes one off, only to be shot by Blake, who smiles and nods to Yang.
Suddenly, another Sabyr leaps into the air behind Blake, who gasps and turns to face it. Before she can fight back, a green laser fires from the sky, cutting the Grimm in half. More lasers shoot from above, striking down the remaining Grimm. Than, a buzzsaw was heard, and a person holding something that resembles an unbrella comes down and cuts the Grimm into do many tiny pieces. The alarms throughout the city stop, and the street lamps change back to their normal color. Than, 2 figures came out of nowhere, and began to shoot at the Grimm present here. After all of the Grimm are dead, the 2 saviors went down, and everyone here recognized them.
Everyone: "EMERALD!! NEO!!"
Emerald and Neo turned, and was overjoyed to see who are here now.
Emerald: "Everyone, you made it!!"
Emerald and Neo came in and hugged them very tightly, but in a loving manner. Pietro than spoke out to Penny.
Pietor: "Penny. When we get back home, let me out you in another body."
Penny looked and nodded.
Penny: "Okay, father. Although, you might need to change the shape of the core insert later."
Before Pietro asked why, another alarm was heard.
Penny than without changing her demeanor.
Penny: "It seems we will have to wait."
Penny bounces backward and salutes. As she charges her jet pack and then rockets off into the sky, she continues speaking quickly to Ruby. Mecha than followed her as fast, instantly. Emerald and Neo came along as quick as they can.
Nora: "I can't tell if I completely understand what's going on or have, like, a million questions."
Pietro is than on his way back to the pharmacy.
Pietro: "And thankfully, I have about a thousand answers. But let's get out of this weather first."
Maria than followed Pietro.
Maria: "I have absolutely no idea who that child was. Is she important somehow?"
Jaune: "That was unexpected."
Ren: "Never a dull moment."
Qrow: "But I wouldn't say unwelcome. I was honestly expecting things to go a lot rougher."
The group begins following Maria and Pietro. However, as they walk, Ren senses something behind them. Before anyone can react, several bolases wrap around Nora, Oscar, Jaune and Ren, the spheres at the ends of the ropes locking into place with Gravity Dust. Blake turns to look back at the commotion, just in time for all of Team RWBY to be caught. As Ruby lands, the Relic of Knowledge comes unhooked from her belt and clatters to the ground. Qrow draws his sword and looks for their unseen enemy, before being captured himself. Five uniform-clad people come out of hiding and surround the group.
Clover: "Good work, team."
Oscar: "Hey! What's going on?!"
Qrow: "Hey, pal! I'm a licensed Huntsman! Just helped save everyone?"
Clover looks down at Qrow, twirling a horseshoe on his finger. He puts the horseshoe away and picks up Qrow's weapon.
The other uniformed operatives begin gathering everyone else's weapons, while Atlesian Knight-200s approach, and the operatives hand the confiscated weapons to the robots. Clover then approaches Ruby, picks up the Relic, and looks at it. Than, Kage grabbed it, and transported it out away.
Clover: "Hm. Let's get them loaded into the next transport."
Ruby: "Please! We were just trying to help!"
Pietro: "What is the meaning of this? Ahem... What are the Ace-Ops even doing down here in Mantle?"
Ruby: "Ace-Ops?"
Clover: "Doctor, good to see you. Well, we heard a report of an unauthorized ship making an unauthorized landing, followed by an unauthorized use of weapons by unlicensed Huntsmen."
Maria turns and walks away.
Pietro: "If we could just talk this out--"
Clover: They'll be able to talk this out once they get to Atlas. Let's move out!"
The Ace-Ops split up and leave the area. Team RWBY, Team JNPR, Oscar, Summer, and Qrow are forced into the back of a secure van with their wrists bound.
Qrow: "Now, this... This is much closer to what I was expecting."
The back doors of the van are slammed shut.