The scene opens up to Dean handing Ember over to Pyrrha as he's giving them instructions on how to watch her. He's also in a temporary outfit.
Dean: and remember, she has a habit of running away when no one's looking, so keep an eye on her. Everything you need is in her bag. She takes two scoops of the formula, and about 6 ounces of the purified water. And—
Jaune: Dean, relax. One of my sisters has a kid that I've had to babysit before. I'm sure we can handle watching her for a few hours.
Pyrrha: yeah. You and your team just go out and enjoy your night out. Besides, everything will be okay.
Dean: alright, but if you have any questions or problems, give us a call, okay?
Ren: we will. Take care.
Nora: (excitingly hugs Ember) we're gonna have so much fun!
Dean simply chuckles and heads back to his dorm where his teammates are waiting. They also change outfits and RWBY arrived later on.
Vali: Ember's taken care of?
Dean: yep. JNPR will keep her entertained for a few hours.
Nikki: let's hope neither Ember or Nora will exhaust them by the time we get back.
Vali: knowing them, let's hope Beacon stays in one piece.
Ruby: (changing the subject) alright, guys, today's the day! The investigation begins!
Weiss: (sarcastically) I'm glad to see we're taking this so seriously.
Yang: hey, we've got a plan! That's... moderately serious.
Ruby: right! Everyone remember their roles?
Weiss: you, Dean, Vali, and I will head to the CCT and check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family, it shouldn't be a problem.
Blake: The White Fang has regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit new members. If Týra and I can get in, we can hopefully find out what they're planning.
Týra was not happy at the fact that they suggested that she checks out the recruitment, but with some convincing from Dean and the others, and even Ember, she reluctantly agreed.
Yang: I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows everything going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard...
Nikki: considering the bloke's a weasel, it'll be easy.
Ruby: great! We'll meet up tonight near Yang to go over what we found. (Pumping her fist) let's do this!
Sun: yeah!
Dean, on instinct, pulls Oathkeeper out and shoots. Sun quickly dodges it and lands on in the room.
Sun: (holds hands up) woah, woah! Peace, man.
Blake: (surprised) Sun!
Yang: how did you get up there?
Sun: ah, it's easy; I do it all the time.
Weiss: you do what?!
Sun: I climb trees all the time!
Dean: (holsters gun) what are you doing here?
Sun: I wanna ask, are we finally getting back at that Torchwick guy?
Blake: "we" are going to investigate the situation... as a team.
Ruby: sorry, Sun. We don't want to get friends involved if we don't have to.
Sun: psh! That's dumb! We should always get friends involved! That's why I brought Neptune! (Gesturing out the window)
They look out to see Neptune standing on a very thin ledge circling the building under the windows.
Neptune: 'sup?
Ruby: how did you even get up here?
Neptune: I have my ways. (Nervously) seriously, though, can I come in? We're like, really high up right now.
Now, with the two boys in the dorm, Ruby lays down a new plan.
Ruby: alright, I'll go with Weiss, Dean and Vali; Sun, you can go with Blake and Týra. And Neptune, you can go with Yang and Nikki. Everyone good?
Mimir: one moment. Týra, mind if I go with one of the others? If we're gonna blend in, the last thing you need is a decomposing head.
Týra agrees and unclips Mimir from her belt and hands it to Dean. Later on, the brothers, Ruby and Weiss were arriving to their destination.
Ruby: woooow! I forget how big the Transmit tower looks up close!
Weiss: you should see the one in Atlas!
Ruby: that was the first one, right?
Weiss: correct. Atlas developed the Cross Continental Transmit System to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the Great War.
Dean: they always were clever at building this kind of stuff.
Ruby: (acting high and mighty) oooh, look at me! My name's Weiss! I know facts! I'm rich! (Snorts into her hands at Weiss' frown)
Vali: quit making a fool of yourself. This information could've easily been accessed by the library. Why are we here?
Dean: c'mon. It's fine to explore these places every now and then.
Ruby: plus it's so coool! Ooh, I'm going to take a picture!
She grabs her scroll, but in the excitement, it launches from her hands and lands at Penny's feet. Said girl was surprised to see them, and after quickly giving back her scroll, turns and walks away, pretending like she didn't know them. Wanting to understand, Dean and Ruby go after her while Vali and Weiss stayed to get the info.
Ruby: (running up to Penny as she descends the steps until she gets in front of the non-eccentric redhead) Penny! Where have you been? It's been weeks!
Penny: there seems to be a... misunderstanding.
Ruby: what?! (Penny continues to walk away. Ruby slides down the rail next to her.) Penny... Is everything okay? (Penny continues forward without reaction. Ruby grabs her by the arm.) Penny, please stop! (Penny stops and listens) look, I don't know what's wrong, but you have to listen to me! Those guys we fought at the docks, we think they're up to something big, something bad! I need you to tell me what happened to you that night! Please... As a friend.
Penny: (sighing, then glancing to her sides swiftly, she walks over to Ruby's side and leans in close) it isn't safe to talk here.
Mimir: still think something's off about her?
Dean: yeah. I just don't know what.
Back with Vali and Weiss, the two had arrived in the tower and headed up to the top floor. Weiss then asked to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas. Later on, a brunette answers the call.
Operator: thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well.
Weiss: (pleasantly) no, thank you! I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list.
Weiss produces her Scroll, placing it into a slot on the keyboard, creating a series of noises as the Operator looks at the data from her side of the screen.
Operator: I see. If you don't mind... what may I ask is this for?
Weiss: school project.
Operator: (nervously) um... There are some sensitive documents on this list, ma'am.
Weiss: well, then, I'll be sure to treat them with care.
Operator: (still nervous) right... Very well. (Types something) the data is being transferred to your Scroll now.
Weiss: wonderful! That will be all, then.
Operator: are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?
Weiss loses her smile, but quickly replaces it.
Weiss: yes, I'm sure.
Operator: well, then... Have a nice day!
The call ends, and so is Weiss' happy act.
Vali: I take it you don't see eye to eye with your family?
Weiss: not all of them. Winter and I are good, my mother hardly speaks to anyone, and my father...
Vali: I see.
Weiss: what was your family like?
Vali: if Yang put you up to asking about Raven, I don't know where she is currently. The camp always changes and moves.
Weiss: no, no one put me up to it! It's just... you've never really talked about your life, you or Tyra. I've already went through this with Blake, but... if something's on your mind, don't hesitate to talk to us about it.
Weiss didn't admit it, but she had feelings for the blue devil. It started back after her fight with Ruby. He gave her the same advice Nikki gave him, and since then, had respect for him. But, there was still more she wanted to know about him.
Vali: (after a moment) I never knew my birth parents at first. Raven said she found me one night and took me in. At first, she did raise me normally, but I knew it was solely for my power. It wasn't until I was six did she reveal I was found, and the only things that were with me was Yamato, and my amulet.
Weiss: why did your birth parents gave up you and Dean?
Vali: I don't know. All I do know, is that our dad's somewhere in the underworld with our uncle, and as far as we know, he's not coming back.
Back with Dean, Ruby, and Penny, their conversation went a bit topsy turvy when Penny started running from Atlas soldiers. To make it more complicated, she managed to stop a truck with her bare hands and they final head to an alley way to stop.
Dean: okay, I think it's confession time! What the hell is going on!?
Ruby: why are you running? How did you do that!?
Penny: (nervous) I-I can't! Everything's fine! (Hiccup) I-I don't want to talk about it! (Hiccup)
Dean: Penny, calm down. Take deep breaths.
Penny: (breaths fast)
Dean: not like you're in labor.
Penny: (slows down before breathing normally)
Ruby: Penny, if you can tell us what's wrong, we can help you.
Penny: no! No, no! You wouldn't understand...
Ruby: let us try! You can trust us!
Penny: you're my friends, right? You promise you're my friends!?
Ruby: (softly) I promise.
Dean: me too.
Penny: (silent for a second, then, looking down at her hands) Ruby... Dean... I'm not a real girl.
She then shows them the damage on her hands. Their eyes widen to see that parts of her skin were ripped off and they see metal underneath.
Ruby: oh.
Dean: (putting it together) you're...a robot?
Penny: most girls are born, but I was made. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura. (Turns her head to the side sadly.) I'm not real...
Ruby: (taking Penny's hands in her own) of course you are. You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?
Dean: yeah. You show more emotion then any machine I've ever met. You're alive in your own way.
Penny: I don't... um... (Leans in close to Ruby's face) you're... both taking this extraordinarily well.
Dean: Penny, I'm part demon and live with another part demon, a witch, and two Faunus' who hold mysteries all on their own. I'm pretty much use to surprises.
Ruby: and you're not like those things we saw back there. (Taps her chest) you've got a heart, and a soul; I can feel it!
Penny: ooohh... oh Ruby, Dean. (Grabs them into a hug and shakes them back and forth) you're the best friends anyone could have!
Ruby: (muffled groaning) I can see why your father would want to protect such a delicate flower!
Dean: (muffled groaning) if by delicate flower, you mean one that's crushing our lungs? Then yes!
Penny: (releases them, fully back to her happy self) oh, he's very sweet! My father's the one that built me! I'm sure you would love him!
Ruby: wow. (Giggles) He built you all by himself?
Penny: well, almost! He had some help from Mr. Ironwood.
Ruby: the General?! Wait... Is that why those soldiers were after you?
Penny: they like to protect me, too!
Dean: (scoffs) they don't think you can protect yourself?
Penny: they're not sure if I'm ready yet... One day, it will be my job to save the world, but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what it's like in the rest of the world, and test myself in the Tournament.
Dean: save the world?
Ruby: Penny, what are you talking about? Save the world from what? We're in a time of peace!
Penny: (confused) that's not what Mr. Ironwood said...
Soldier 1: (off-screen.) check down here!
Penny: (grabs Ruby by the shoulders) You have to hide!
With a strength that could potentially rival Týra's, she lifts them up and hides them in the dumpster. Ruby tries to convince her otherwise, but doesn't listen.
Penny: it's okay, Ruby and Dean. They're not bad people; I just don't want to get you in trouble. Just promise me you won't tell anyone else my secret. Okay? (Gravely stares at them.)
Ruby: I promise.
Dean: see you around, Penny.
Meanwhile, in the ruined parts of Vale, Nikki was standing on the sidewalk, waiting for the others. She then hears a motorcycle approaching, and looks to see Yang and Neptune, the the later having messed up hair and a petrified face of terror.
Nikki: about time you loves arrived.
Yang: (gets off) hey, not all of us have magic.
Nikki: well, I'm sorry I can't teleport more people. C'mon, Junior's here.
Neptune: where exactly is... here?
They walk up to a night club called Junior's Club. The guy outside sees them, and says something along the lines of "oh hell no!" He hurries inside, and they follow as well.
Yang: guess who's back!
Nikki: hello, darlings!
They smile and pose as multiple guns were trained on them. This doesn't phase either of them, but Nikki shoots the messed up recording track.
Junior: stop, stop! Nobody shoot. (But's through the crowd) Blondie, Tanaka, you're here! Why?
Yang: you still owe me a drink. (Drags him by his arm to the bar)
Neptune: whoa-ho-ho-ho, what a woman...
Nikki: (sees Melanie and Miltia Malachite) I'm surprised those two still work here.
Karasu: they haven't even fixed their symmetry. Combined with the fact that they work for this pig, makes me sick!
Meanwhile, the three Faunus' found where the recruitment was taking place. Blake unfastens her bow and pulls out the half masks.
Sun: I don't get it. If you believe what you're doing is right, why hide who you are?
Blake: the masks are a symbol. Humanity wanted to make monsters out of us, so we chose to don the faces of monsters.
Sun: Grimm masks... That's kind of dark.
Blake: so was the guy who started it.
Týra: let's just get this over with.
She puts on her mask and the others follow. They enter the building and found a few more dozen members standing around. They soon saw Roman entering the stage and gave his speech. Beside him, was a girl with brown and pink hair swirled like ice cream. This was his professional assassin, Neapolitan, or Neo, for short. They wanted to kill them, but he makes an offer.
Roman: I'd like to mention the fact that you and I all have a common enemy: the ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty, rotten humans that run our kingdoms! (As the crowd changes their tune and starts agreeing with him) government, military, even the schools: they're all to blame for your lot in life! (Lets the crowd cheer as the three heroes share a look) and they're all pests that need to be dealt with! Fortunately, I'm the best exterminator around... No offense to any rodents in the room.
He snaps his fingers and the curtain falls, revealing the Atlesian Paladin-290, with the Mark of the White Fang painted on its shoulder.
Sun: that's a big robot...
Blake: how did he get that?
Týra: must've stolen it from Atlas.
She looks closer at the symbol, and suddenly gets a headache. She then starts having another dream of the warrior, but this one was unclear. She was in a dark land, looking at what appeared to be a wasteland. She hears growling, and looks up to see a giant wolf, wrapped in chains and with a look of hatred.
Before the vision ends, she hears a voice.
???: I waited, and waited but you never came! How could you abandon me!?
Týra: ATREUS!
She throws her axe at a junction box and the lights go out. They use this opportunity to escape the building, but Torchwick gets in the mech and chases after them.
Sun: so you wouldn't happen to have... oh, I don't know... some form of backup?!
Blake: on it!
She brings her scroll out and calls for backup. After a moment, Yang and Neptune were driving up to the mech suit while Nikki was able to run at inhuman speed and leap her way through the thrown cars.
Yang: we've gotta slow it down!
Neptune: got it!
He reaches for his gun, but Roman notices them and crashes into a multitude of cars right back towards them. Yang swerves her bike to avoid them, while Nikki effortlessly jumps through them.
Nikki: gouge 'em!
Ravage comes out and races to stop the mech. They catch up with the others and Týra switches to her Nemean Cestus and punches her way through them. Weiss informs that she's in position, and when the Paladin arrives, they trigger "Freezer Burn" that causes the mech to go flying and crashing.
Dean: I take it you guys had luck?
Týra: more or less, smartass.
Dean: (readies King Cerberus) let's get this party started!
The mech gets back up and the two teams start attacking it. The used various team attacks like Checkmate and Ladybug, and other combos that were really pushing it. Towards the end of the battle, Yang was knocked into a column, seemingly defeated. But her semblance absorbed the impact, and when Roman threw a punch, Yang catches it with her fist. The ground underneath her broke, but she remained motionless, until she broke the arm and and she breaks the other.
Ruby: Bumblebee!
Dean: Werewolf!
Yang and Blake did a double team up while Nikki and Týra, both armed with their strongest weapons, charged into a giant attack. BY restrained the mech and NT delivered one devastating blow, completely damaging the mech.
Vali: it's still active!
Ruby: we have to slow it down!
Weiss: and how do you propose we do that?
Ruby: Ice Flower!
Dean: Vali, Judgment Cut End!
Ruby and Weiss did their team up that creates large icicles that impale the mech. Then the brothers go Devil Trigger, and they charge their weapons. Dean's sword ignites
Vali DT: you shall die!
Dean DT: slay all!
Like Dante's Sin Devil Trigger, Dean creates multiple slashes that cause massive damage. Vali grabs Yamato, and in the blink of an eye, moves so fast, it left behind mirages of himself that slice everywhere in blue strikes. He lands back and slowly sheaths his sword. Right as he completes and Dean holds the sword with both hands, the strike complete and the sword makes an explosion that finally incinerates the Paladin.
Dean: (reverts to human) jackpot!
Roman: (getting up, slightly dazed but unharmed, as he inspects the damage while brushing himself off) just got this thing cleaned...
Yang, still burning, fires a shot at the thief, but he's saved by the last second when Neo lands down and deflects the shot.
Roman: ladies, gentlemen, Ice Queen...
Weiss: hey!
Roman: always a pleasure! Neo, if you would...
The pink-and-brown girl curtsies her enemies with a bow, but Yang will have none of it, charging forth with fists raised to strike the outlaws... only to break their image as if made out of a mirror and turn just in time to see them escape in a Bullhead. The rest of team RWBY and DVNT run up to Yang's side, now cooled down with the end of the fight.
Yang: so I guess he got a new henchman...
Weiss: yeah, I guess she really made our plans... fall apart!
Weiss smiles with it, and Ruby giggles, but Blake, Nikki, and Týra start walking away and Dean and Vali roll their eyes.
Yang: no. Just... no.
Weiss: (getting mad) what- But, you do it!
Yang: there's a time and a place for jokes.
Weiss: was this not it?
Yang: no, it just wasn't very good. (Follows Blake)
Vali: even Nikki and Dean's smartasses are better than that.
Weiss: (walking with her teammates) well, at least I'm trying!
Ruby: wait... Where are Sun and Neptune?
Dean: I'm sure they're fine.
Nikki: that was good on your guys JCE, though.
Ruby: yeah, what was that?
Vali: Judgment Cut End; final moves in our Devil Triggers that can instantly kill an enemy.
Dean: we're still practicing it, but since it requires a lot of aura, it's more of a last resort.
Týra: keep training on them.
Mimir: that was good, though. How about we head back to the school and rescue JNPR from Ember?
They nod in agreement. As they walk, Blake asks something.
Blake: (to Tyra) who's Atreus?
Týra: hmm?
Blake: you screamed that name back at the recruitment. Who's Atreus?
Týra: (long pause) I don't know... I don't know!
Little did she knew, it was someone important to her, from a lifetime long ago.
Author's note: two in one day.
Since I was in the mindset, I wanted to do another chapter on this book.
The outfits for this will only be shown here.
Vali and Weiss connect a bit, I plan for them to have another moment very soon.
Penny's a robot. Since Dean's part demon, he understands Penny's point of view on being different from everyone else.
If you're confused on how Nikki knows Junior, she did a couple of jobs in the past that involved trips to Limbo. Also, she got into a huge fight with the twins that resulted in both getting destroyed by the witch.
Tyra's getting more visions. This one was revolving around one of the theories on what GOW5 will be about. There will be a Mimir story on Fenrir later on.
Also, her history with the fang will be revealed later on.
Next chapter: more sparing and sharing.