Omniscient POV
-----
Several days have passed since the Fall of Beacon.
On Patch Island, Reynold sat at the kitchen table of the Xiao Long-Rose family home, watching his own reflection in a mug of black coffee.
The ticking clock turned back time.
Reynold saw an echo of the past play around the table, one filled with children laughing on the empty seats.
A blonde, middle aged man wearing brown shorts and a tanned vest entered the kitchen, the tattoo peeking out from under the metal spaulder on his right shoulder being unmistakable.
Taiyang Xiao Long, Yang and Ruby's father.
Zwei followed after him.
"Sorry, for the wait, Reynold." Taiyang pulled up a seat across the table. "The talk took a little longer than I thought."
Reynold checked the ceiling as if he could see through the floorboards. "Is Ruby awake?"
"Yeah. Qrow's with her right now. She's shaken up and confused, but other than that, she's doing okay." He buried his head in his hands. "I can't say the same for Yang, though."
Up in the spare bedroom, both pairs of Ember Celica were on the bedside table next to a vase holding a sagging, yellow flower.
Yang sat on the bed, staring out the window.
The bonfire of joy in her life, everything she knew and loved, was smothered from existence in an instant. Beacon was gone, Weiss was forced to return home, Blake ran off without so much of a goodbye, Pyrrha died, and Roderick. . .
Yang lifted her heavily taped up stump of an arm.
Every piece of her wanted to scream and cry, yet she couldn't do it because of the simple fact she's been expecting this moment for years now.
It was her punishment.
From a tree branch right outside the window, a black bird watched Yang.
"I see," Reynold said after hearing about Yang's condition. "I'm sure she just needs time. It's a lot to process."
"You can say that again." Taiyang balled his fists. "I. . . I just don't know what to do, and to be honest, I'm still having a hard time believing all this is actually happening."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "No argument here."
Beacon, the once great academy, was ruined, abandoned, and destroyed while more and more Grimm flooded in from every direction to migrate to their new home.
At the top of Beacon Tower, the Wyvern remained petrified in stone due to Ruby's newfound power.
The rest of Vale was also in shambles, but unlike the academy, the city was still habitable and under a city wide lockdown.
The police force, military, and every Huntsman and Huntress in the vicinity were on duty around the clock, either fortifying and guarding the city's borders or rebuilding the city itself.
"But enough about me," Taiyang said and did his best to cheer up. "How are you holding up?"
Reynold sipped his coffee, colder than Atlas ice. "I could be better."
"Still no signs of him, huh." He leaned back and folded his arms. "Where could he have gone?"
"Roderick's smart." He glanced out the window. "I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere, eventually."
Reynold recalled the moment he reached the top of the tower, finding Ruby unconscious, Pyrrha's corpse, and Roderick nowhere in sight.
Behind his glasses, a melancholy of exhaustion tolled on Reynold's eyes.
"You know what?" Taiyang went over to the stove. "Since I promised to make something for Ruby to eat, why don't I whip up something for everyone else. Might as well, right?"
"I appreciate the offer, but you can cut me out, Taiyang." He checked the time and tucked in his chair. "I'll be leaving soon. Give the girls my regards and well wishes for a swift recovery."
"Hey, what's the rush?" He grinned and flipped a frying pan in his hand. "You got somewhere to be?"
"I do, actually." Reynold petted Zwei and headed out. "There's a boat I have to catch."
-----
Deep in the Emerald Forest, a Beowolf was hot on Cooper and Roman's heels.
"I told you picking those berries was a bad idea, Stripes!"
"How was I supposed to know that mutt was napping behind them bushes?!"
"Just shoot it with an arrow already!"
"Did you hit your head or something? I'm out of arrows, remember?"
Roman grabbed Cooper, spouting a plethora of curses. The Beowolf pounced, and by a stroke of luck, they unintentionally moved out the way, letting it ram and knock itself out cold on a tree.
"We wouldn't be in this situation if you never got caught by that Griffon before the airship fell!" Roman pushed. "But that's just typical of you, isn't it? Always screwing things up for everyone!"
"I wasn't the one who shot that thing down!" Cooper shoved. "Couldn't have picked a better place to do it? Oh, you know, somewhere that isn't infested with Grimm in the middle of nowhere!"
Roman blew him off.
"Not so tough without that cane, huh?" Cooper let out a dry laugh. "And since your tiny gal isn't here anymore to clean up your problems, I wonder who's gonna save your rump now, Roman?"
"You're one to talk. Little Red, really?" Roman feigned sticking a finger in his mouth and gagging. "Ugh, I can already hear the sirens."
His eyes narrowed. "She's only two years younger than me."
"Yeah," he sneered in disgust, "whatever helps you sleep with her at night."
Cooper lunged, and they took a long tumble down the side of a grassy hill.
When they both finally reached the bottom and found themselves laying in a ravine side by side, breathless and gazing up at the bright, blue sky, they both made a bitter, but much necessary decision.
Roman sighed and side-eyed the raccoon. "Truce?"
Cooper groaned his grievances into his coin, flipped it high, and slapped it to the back of his hand.
Slowly, he peeled his hand away and revealed the side hidden underneath.
"Aye." He spat the bad taste in his mouth. "Truce."
With that said, they shared a begrudging nod of understanding, got off their asses, and put their heads together to try and figure out how to escape the forest.
-----
Far away on a bed in a grey-metal room containing the bare necessities at an Atlas facility, Stiofan awoke, dressed in a medical gown with bandages wrapped snug around his waist and the right side of his face.
The slightest movement knifed his body with pain, but he sucked it in and fought to at least sit up.
Stiofan touched his eye, turned to the mirror above the sink, and the realization and recollection of what happened at Beacon ripped him inside out.
If it wasn't for the fact that his stomach was empty, he would've dumped out anything in it all over the sheets.
An envelope marked by the SDC logo on the overbed table in front of him caught his attention.
Breaking the seal, he did his best to read the letter.
Dear Mr. Stiofan Ua Binn,
It has come to my attention that you are currently under the care and custody of the Atlas Military. I pray you get well soon. However, I have also been informed of how your violent behaviour has brought trouble and harm to the Atlas Military before the Fall of Beacon.
I have reviewed the footage, and after several hours of deliberation and investigation, I have made my conclusion. I do not know what caused you to lash out in such a disgraceful manner, but what's done is done.
You are hereby dismissed from your position from the SDC First Guard and relieved of your duties, effective immediately. Your services are no longer required, and I wish you the best of your future endeavours.
Sincerely,
Jacques Schnee, CEO of the Schnee Dust Company.
Laughter, carrying no mirth or reason, trickled from Stiofan's lips as tears dripped from his single eye and stained the letter.
-----
Out in the cold, autumn air, Alexander sat on the tailgate of his truck by the docks of a port town east on the continent of Sanus.
The seagulls cawed, and the waves rippled and swayed along the coastline where ships of every size pulled in and out of town.
Alexander chugged his soda with extra malice.
What happened at Beacon wouldn't leave his mind, and the many glaring questions that came with it was a throbbing headache that refused to go away.
Roderick vanished off the face of Remnant.
Stiofan was in Atlas.
Cooper. . .
Alexander crushed the empty can.
Surviving the crash was impossible. If anyone did, then the fire would've got them, and from what the experts told him, the intensity of the flames burning that night was hot enough to turn bone to ash.
Alexander pulled the chess piece of the king from his pocket that he recovered from the team dorm room, holding it up to the light.
From behind him on the truck bed, Teddy nibbled his vest.
Alexander gave the bear a pat on the beanie and ran his fingers through his fur.
An armoured SUV rolled up next to him.
The tinted window rolled open, revealing Laurence's cheeky grin.
"Hey, there, little man!" He hung an arm out the window. "Almost didn't see you there!"
Alexander sighed and tossed the can in the nearest garbage bin.
"Don't be like that." Laurence chuckled and nudged Reynold. "That's the guy I've been telling you all about. Isn't he a crack?!"
Reynold exited the passenger side door and went over to Alexander. "So, are you ready?"
Alexander slid off the tailgate. "You said you had a lead on your brother."
"We're going to Anima." Reynold removed his glasses and wiped them with a small cloth. "It's a long shot, but I called in a favour."
"A favour?" Laurence rubbed his chin. "I didn't know you had friends outside of us."
A dark cloud rained over Reynold for a brief moment until he shrugged it off.
"I've contacted Winter Schnee." He put on his glasses. "She's willing to exchange some information with me."
Laurence bounced in his seat.
Since Reynold always wanted nothing to do with Winter, Laurence understood full well that if he went out of his way for her assistance, then this was something big.
"Winter's been recently stationed in Mistral, and from what she tells me, there's a potential threat lingering over there." Reynold set his sights on the horizon as if he could already see Mistral in the distance. "Who it is isn't clear as of yet, but I'm sure it's the White Fang. Their presence in Anima is greater, and only they have the means and resources to mobilize large forces and cause spikes in the weapons and Dust trade."
"You can say that again." Laurence tapped the side of his SUV. "After that ballsy move at Beacon, who knows what they might try next?"
"That's why we're going to find them. If we can pinpoint the location of their base, we can figure out who they're working with. And if we can find whoever that is," Reynold made eye contact with Alexander, "we find Roderick."
"Wow. That really is a long shot." Laurence whistled and leaned back. "To think you even asked Schnee for help. Say, what does she get out of this?"
Reynold huffed out his annoyance. "A rematch with me."
Laurence howled.
"Even if the chances are low, it's better than nothing." Alexander grinned at the cheese piece still in his hand. "All I care about is finding my leader."
Reynold smirked and held out his hand. "I look forward to working with you, Alexander."
They clasped forearms.
Teddy hopped around, squeaking.
"One more thing," Reynold said. "Before we begin our operation, we're going to make a stop at Argus."
Laurence perked. "Forget something at home?"
"Roxy and Yonah are waiting for us there."
"Oh, the letters you sent finally made it to the girls?" He gunned the engine. "Why didn't you say so? Come on. It's been ages since the four of us have been together on a mission. Let's go!"
Not long after, the three of them set off, marking the start of a new beginning.