Beacon Academy…
"It's technically only been a day since the dance." Ruby said, waking next to Jared. "Not much time have passed at all."
"I know, but I still can't help that this semester for you is almost over." Jared said, walking towards the building with Ruby. "It's been a long day and such, Little Red."
"You really love that fairy tale. Want to know what mine is."
"What?"
"The Grimm Reaper."
"Never heard of it."
"How do you not know it?! It's amazing!"
"Parallel world, Ruby. I thought he was death itself."
"Girl, I think."
"Do you think we'll meet your fairy tale someday?"
"Who knows. She did vanish long ago."
Ozpin's office…
General James Ironwood and Glynda Goodwitch are keeping the headmaster company.
"They were here…" Ironwood said, raising his voice. "...Ozpin, they were here!"
Ironwood angrily slams his fist against Ozpin's desk.
"We're very much aware of that! Thank you, James." Glynda said.
"Fantastic! You're aware! Now are we going to do something about it or should we just stay the course and continue to ignore what's right in front of us?!" Ironwood exclaimed.
An alert sound plays, signifying that someone has arrived on the elevator.
"Come in." Ozpin said.
Ruby Rose and Jared Shay steps out and into the room.
"Sorry it took so long. Someone accidentally hit all the buttons on the elevator on the way up here." Ruby said, pausing before quickly explaining herself. "It wasn't me."
"It was totally you." Jared said, drinking a bottle of Mountain Dew. "Hello Ozpin. It's been a long week."
"And what did that week have?" Ozpin asked. "Since the dance. Time isn't linear for us at all."
"We met Madame de Pompadour, what a woman. We took down metal men, called Cybermen. While that was in a parallel world. We were in the 1950s. We fought the Devil. We found this disgusting alien."
"Oh, and we were at the London 2012 Olympics!" Ruby said, happily. "Despite me and Blake ending up in a little girl's drawing."
"Thank you for coming, Ruby, Jared. How are you two feeling?" Ozpin asked.
"Not so great." Jared said, sadly. "I'm only here to make sure time doesn't change with me being here."
"Okay, I guess. I'd feel better if my bad-guy-catching record wasn't O-for-three." Ruby said, and everyone stares silently. "Okay, so that's the tone we're going for, got it."
"Ruby, I feel it's appropriate to let you know that I think what you did last night with Jared is exactly what being a Huntress is all about. You recognized a threat. You took action. And you did the very best you could." Ironwood said. "And Jared, you were trying to keep your friends safe, as best as you could. By helping out and protecting them. Even when you knew the danger was coming."
"Thank you, sir." Ruby said.
"We really appreciate it." Jared said, smiling.
"Now, the general here has already informed us of the events that...transpired last night, but now that the both of you have rested, we were wondering if either of you had anything to add." Ozpin said.
"Was anyone else with her? Did she look familiar to you two at all?" Glynda asked.
"That woman, I don't know." Jared said, walking around the room. "I was a bit drunk. And I fought anyway, because I didn't want to see my friends get hurt."
"I...I don't know. She was wearing a mask, and she never said anything to me. But I know she fought with glass. I don't think that was her Semblance, though. Her clothing lit up whenever she attacked." Ruby said.
"Save for the glass, that sounds like the woman I fought the night we met Ruby." Glynda said.
"Embedding Dust into clothing is an age-old technique. It could have been anyone." Ironwood said.
"Wait. You think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?" Ruby asked.
"It's possible. But we still lack the required evidence to link the two together." Ozpin said.
"Actually, I...I think I remember her saying something about a hideout, or something, in the southeast. Just outside the Kingdom." Ruby said.
"And I think she's in cahoots with someone else. She did look pretty distracted." Jared said, leaning against the wall. "Can't remember their names though. It's been a long week."
"Interesting." Ozpin said.
"I thought you said the intruder never…" Glynda said.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Ruby, Jared. Ruby, why don't you go and spend some time with Jared and your team? You have a big day ahead of you." Ozpin said.
"Any time." Ruby said, leaving the room with Jared.
"And Miss Rose, Mister Shay, please try and be...discreet about this matter."
"Yes sir."
Team RWBY's dorm room…
"I so wanted to tell them the future." Jared said, opening the door with Ruby to see Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, and Weiss Schnee inside the room. "I do."
"Me too." Ruby said. "You know the future. It could have been easy to tell us what's gonna happen. But I still can't believe we let that woman get away."
"What happened?" Yang asked.
"Uh...well, um…" Ruby said, laughing nervously.
Ozpin's office…
"Well there we have it. We send as many troops as we can to the southeast, find out exactly what's going on, and eradicate any forces that stand in our way." Ironwood said.
"Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military bravado!? You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring di—!" Glynda said, growling in frustration.
"Glynda!" Ozpin said, angrily.
"Well, he does."
"She's right. As much as I too would love to end this situation once and for all, we must remember that this may go beyond Vale. Beyond Beacon. And if this truly is part of some master plan for which we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold. Nor can we risk the spread of panic."
"I have served you faithfully for years...but if you mean to tell me that your plan is to really hold the defenses, and wait—!" Ironwood said.
"It is not!" Ozpin said, abruptly standing up from his chair. "You're a general, James. So tell me, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first? The flag bearers, or the scouts?"
Team RWBY's dorm room…
"That was a risky move." Weiss said.
"No, Ruby, I think you and Jared handled it well." Blake said.
"I hope so." Ruby said, sadly.
"Me too, I've been so rusty investigating." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "We let the bad guy get away."
"I'm sure everything will be alright, Ruby. Oh, I know what will cheer you up!" Yang said, producing a cylindrical package the length of her forearm.
"What's that?" Ruby asked.
"I don't know yet. Dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together!"
"Ooooh! Something from home!" Ruby said, zooming over to Yang and wraps herself around the blonde, trying to take the cylinder from her.
"Oh, I've been waiting for this!" Jared said, when the package opens, and another cylinder, hairy and black, falls out onto the floor and starts to shake. "Come on, come on!"
The object suddenly transforms into a corgi. Team RWBY and Jared leans in, staring at it.
The animal barks twice. While Weiss and Blake continue to react with great shock, Ruby, Yang, and Jared react excitedly, with Ruby jumping in the air.
"Finally!" Jared said, happily. "I love this Corgi so much!"
Ruby, still airborne, is depicted among a changing blue background and four shots of the dog, two full body shots and two headshots. She then poses as she shouts the dog's name, "Zwei!"
"He sent a dog?" Blake asked.
"In the mail?" Weiss asked.
"Oh, he does stuff like this all the time!" Yang said, smiling.
Blake disappears, shown now to be on Ruby's bunk.
"Your father or your dog?" Blake asked.
"I think it might be more on the lines of their father." Jared said, running up to Zwei to pet him. "This dog is a badass!"
"Are you telling me that this mangy...drooling...mutt is going to wiv wif us foweva? Oh, yes he is, yes he is! Oh, isn't he adorable!" Weiss said, happily.
"Your father never let you have a dog, did he?"
"No. You forgot, I barely got everything I wanted. One of them being a dog."
"Please keep it away from my belongings." Blake said.
"Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheater?" Glynda asked, over the intercom.
"Well, we can't exactly leave him here while we're gone for the week." Weiss said.
Ruby sets Zwei down and he walks over to Blake still on the top bunk, and barks.
"Definitely in love with this Corgi." Jared said, crouching down on the floor to be in eye level with Zwei. "Like way too much."
"Look, there's a letter!" Yang said, as Zwei arrives in front of the blonde. "'Dear girls, I've got to leave the island for a few days, so I'm sending Zwei to you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang.'"
Dozens of cans of dog food spill out of the small package, piling up around Zwei.
"What is he supposed to do with that?" Weiss asked.
"He is supposed to eat it all." Jared said, when a can opener falls from the package, bouncing off Zwei's head. "That's a couple months worth of food."
"Well, that settles it! Come on girls, Zwei will be here when we get back!" Yang said.
"Oh, I'll miss you so much, we're going to be best friends, I can't wait to see you." Weiss said, talking to Zwei as she leaves.
"She is really in love with Zwei." Jared said, as Weiss' speech deteriorates into incomprehensible baby talk. "Me too, honestly. There's two things I love in this world. Babies and…"
"Puppies!" Ruby said, and Blake jumps down from the silver-eyed girl's bunk and jumps across the table, avoiding Zwei. "You can't exactly come with us for this."
"Well, I've got a plan, Ruby." Jared said, taking out a TARDIS key with a perception filter installed. "Thank you, Sexy."
"Who gave you that?" Ruby asked, looking at Jared.
"The TARDIS." Jared said, wrapping the chain with the key around his neck. "Can you see me?"
"Nope!" Ruby said, now staring at Zwei for a moment, before smiling sneakily. "I can't. Just barely though."
Auditorium…
Ruby is wearing a large backpack as she enters the auditorium with Jared walking behind her and with other students. She then puts it down next to other students luggage before rejoining her team, who are standing in front of Team JNPR.
"Quiet! Quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin." Glynda said.
"Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best." Ozpin said, and he away as the students all begin to file out of the amphitheater.
"This is perfect! All we have to do is shadow a Huntsman working in the southeast!" Ruby said, happily.
"Yeah! We'll follow them around by day and give them the slip by night!" Yang said, excitedly.
"Let's check 'search and destroy'!" Weiss said.
Team RWBY approaches a hologram screen with Jared behind them.
"Man, this has to be good." Jared said, standing behind Weiss and Blake. "Really good."
"I swear I didn't not just hear Jared behind us." Weiss said. "Must be me hearing things. He is taking care of Zwei."
"Here we go! Quadrant 5 needs Grimm cleared out!" Ruby said, smiling.
"Well, it's in the southeast!" Blake said.
"Sounds perfect!" Yang said.
Ruby selects it and types in her team name. However, the screen says that first years are not allowed to take this mission.
"Wonderful!" Weiss said, annoyed.
"Any other ideas?" Blake asked.
"We mail ourselves there!" Ruby said.
"Well, that's our last minute resort." Jared said, drinking a vanilla milkshake. "I'm coming no matter what. I'm never leave you guys."
"Well, that's one option." Ozpin said, standing behind Team RWBY and Jared. "Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of Grimm was too extreme for first-year students. It seems that particular region is rather popular. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that you four will make your way there no matter which job you choose."
Weiss, Blake, and Yang glare at Ruby, who nervously rubs her head.
"Whatever makes you say that?" Ruby asked.
"I'm still curious how you all found yourself at the docks last semester. I'm interested to know how you really learned about a hideout in the southeast. And I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing robots and rose petals in a dance club some time ago." Ozpin said.
"Um...well…" Ruby said.
"A Minor Hiccup and Painting the Town." Jared said, laughing a lot. "Am I right? With Penny being really cool."
"I doubt I'll ever find the exact answers I'm looking for. So how about this: instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, why don't we just bend them?" Ozpin asked, selecting some things on his scroll, and the hologram screen makes a noise.
"We won't let you down. Thank you, professor." Ruby said.
"Do not thank me for this. Teamwork and persistence have carried you far. But you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the Kingdom will not care. Stay close to your Huntsman at all times, and do exactly as he says. He will be leading you on this mission, and he can have you sent back to Beacon, if he finds your skills to be unsatisfactory. Good luck." Ozpin said, walking away.
"Jared, we know you're there." Weiss said, as Jared removed the TARDIS key around his neck. "Go back to our room. And look after Zwei."
"Nah, I thought you needed some backup." Jared said, walking towards the exit with Team RWBY.
"We're good, we don't need your help."
"Yes you do."
"No, we don't."
"Jared has helped us from time to time." Blake said. "And he does let us come with him across all of time and space. It's the least we can do."
Team RWBY and Jared have left the auditorium and are on their way to the airship that will take them to Quadrant 5.
"That wasn't exactly uplifting." Yang said.
"But it's the truth." Blake said.
"It's gonna to be tough, but I know we can do it!" Ruby said, holding Jared's hand.
A student runs past the team, "Hey! Team CFVY is back!"
"Team CFVY has a badass theme song." Jared said, laughing. "Well, two actually."
"Two theme songs?" Weiss asked. "How about the rest of us?"
"Weiss, you and Yang have the most."
"What are mine like?" Yang asked. "I bet it's cool."
"More like it's lit. And on fire."
"And Weiss'?"
"More calm and soothing."
Beacon students gather around to witness the return of Team CFVY. Blake goes up to Velvet Scarlatina.
"Velvet? Are you okay?" Blake asked.
"I'm fine. I had Yatsuhashi to look out for me." Velvet said.
"Your mission was supposed to end a week ago! What happened?" Weiss asked.
"Nothing happened. It was just ...there were just so many…" Velvet said, as she looks up and notices Team RWBY's and Jared's worried expressions. "Oh, but don't worry. You first-years and this fanboy are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine."
"Right." Yang said.
"I should go. Be safe, okay?"
"We can do this. We've never backed down before, and we're not going to start now." Ruby said.
"Right." Blake said.
"Besides, it won't only be us out there! We'll be fighting alongside a genuine Huntsman!" Ruby said.
"Yeah!" Yang said.
"More like we're teaming up with someone who will make a certain someone a badass." Jared said, looking at Team RWBY staring at someone with various stunned expressions. "This is why I tagged along. And why Ozpin didn't even mention me in there. Thanks for the cover, Oobleck."
"You're welcome, you did let me know ahead of time before Ozpin." Oobleck said, when Team RWBY just discovered who they will be shadowing. "Why, hello girls! Who's ready to fight for their lives?"