The Next Step

There is a pool of black slime in a dark red and purple land. A large paw emerges from within the slime and a Beowolf gradually crawls out, slime sliding off of it and onto the ground.

There are several such pools and many Beowolves emerging from a mostly dark and desolate land made up of red ground, purple crystals, and a red and black clouded sky.

Large windowed room…

Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai are watching what's going on from inside the high building. Emerald has her hand to her mouth while Mercury seems slightly disgusted. A gloved hand appears between two purple crystal formations and snaps its fingers.

At the center of the room is a long purple, crystal table. Four people sit at the table with seven chairs. One of them is Cinder Fall. Emerald and Mercury move away from the window.

There is a man sitting across from Cinder, Arthur Watts. He is looking at his Scroll.

Next is the man to Cinder's right, Tyrian Callows. He sits in a crouch casually on his chair, resting his arms on his knees.

Across from Tyrian is Hazel Rainart. His arms are crossed, and he looks asleep.

Cinder sits quietly, while Mercury and Emerald move to her side. Emerald nudges Mercury out of her way so that she can be directly next to Cinder.

"Yes, yes, keep your posse in check." Watts said, and Mercury grunts and makes a move toward him, but Emerald hold her friend back. "You hear that? Silence."

Hazel gives Watts an unimpressed sideways glance.

"I've half a mind to thank the little girl that bested you." Watts said.

"If I were you, I'd hunt her down." Tyrian said, snickering. "Find her and, well, she took your eye, didn't she?"

Cinder only stares at Tyrian while he cackles at her. Cinder tries to speak but only manages to make quiet exhaling noises. Emerald leans in to hear her.

"Pathetic. Why did you even…" Watts said.

A heavy metal door is being unlatched and opened, as everyone stands just before Salem enters. She glides alongside the table with soft footsteps before reaching the head of it, jewels jangling from her hair. Salem stops, facing away from them and toward a candle and crystal display, "Watts."

Watts straightens, looking toward her.

"Do you find such malignance necessary?" Salem asked, turning.

She gestures for all to sit down.

"I apologize, ma'am. I'm not particularly fond of failure." Watts said.

Watts and Salem sit simultaneously.

"Then I see no reason for your cruelty towards young Cinder. She's become our Fall Maiden, destroyed Beacon Tower, and most importantly, killed dear Ozpin. So I'm curious, to what failures are you referring?" Salem asked.

"Well, the girl with the Silver Eyes." Watts said.

"Yes. We've dealt with their kind before. How is it a novice was able to best one of us?" Hazel asked.

"My thoughts exactly. Even without her new power, it should have been effortless." Watts said.

"It is because of the Maiden's power. Make no mistake, Cinder, you hold the key to our victory. But your newfound strength brings with it a crippling weakness. Which is why you will remain by my side as we continue your treatment." Salem said.

Cinder is unhappy about this and lowers her head. Emerald looks at her in sympathy.

"Dr. Watts, you are to take Cinder's place and meet with our informant in Mistral." Salem said.

"Very good." Watts said.

"Tyrian, I want you to continue your hunt for the Spring Maiden." Salem said.

"Gladly." Tyrian said, laughing.

"And Hazel, I'm sending you to the leader of the White Fang. Adam Taurus has arranged the meeting. The boy continues to prove loyal. Ensure that Sienna Khan feels the same." Salem said.

"As you wish." Hazel said.

Cinder raises a finger. Emerald fails to notice this gesture for a moment, "Oh!"

Emerald leans in to hear her.

Cinder rasps into her ear. Emerald straightens.

"Speak, child." Salem said.

"She wants to know…" Emerald said, hesitating. "What about the girl?"

"What about her? Seems to me that this is Cinder's problem, not ours." Watts said, scoffing.

Cinder slams her fist onto the table and glares at Watts, who grins at her.

"That's enough. Tyrian?" Salem asked.

"Yes, my lady?" Tyrian asked.

"Spring can wait. Find the girl that did this to Cinder." Salem said, while Tyrian giggles elatedly and claps. "And bring her to me."

Tyrian freezes, groans disappointedly, pouts for a second, then looks back up at Salem with an acquiescent shrug.

"Because of your efforts, Beacon has fallen. And Haven will be next." Salem said, as everyone rises.

Tyrian snickers at Cinder and points to his left eye.

"Eye for an eye." Tyrian said, laughing wickedly.

Tyrian goes into an uncontrollable fit of manic laughter, while Cinder grits her teeth.

Barn...

Oscar Pine, a boy with freckles and hazel eyes, wakes up in a panic and sighs in relief after looking around. He emerges from the loft of a barn and climbs down a ladder. The boy is wearing patched khaki pants, a white shirt, and orange suspenders and gloves. Tucked into his pocket is an orange-based multi-colored cloth. He opens the barn door to a peaceful country scene with a rising sun and birds tweeting. White mountains are a background to a dirt road, grass, a few trees and a green water pump.

He smiles and pumps water into a blue bucket. As his gaze wanders the landscape, he becomes distracted from the pump and utters a quiet sound of surprise upon realizing he has overfilled the bucket. His shoulders fall with a sigh.

A couple minutes have passed and the boy shutting and turning a green compost tumbler that is marked with a yellow crown bearing the initials CK.

While hoeing rows in a garden, he suddenly straightens up and looks out into the distance.

Forest…

The sky is blue, while there is a forest.

"I'm just sayin'..." Nora said.

Nora and Lie Ren emerge from behind a tree, walking together.

"...there's more members of JNPR in this team than RWBY. It just makes sense to go with that one." Nora said. "And Jared isn't a part of JNPR or RWBY. He is an ally to both after all."

"But 'junior' isn't a color." Ren said.

"How can I be more clear?" Nora asked, groaning.

Nora puts out her hands and the letters JNRR pop into existence. She points to the first three, "One, two, three. That's more than one."

The ginger points to the R.

"But we're helping Ruby with her objective here. And we're also helping Jared with his objective back in the Doctor's world." Ren said.

Ren holds out his hand and the letters RNJR pop into existence. Behind him, Jaune Arc is crouched and watching something.

"Wouldn't that make her the leader?" Ren asked, pointing to the first R. "And wouldn't that make Jared the leader too?"

"Guys!" Jaune said, as Ren and Nora turn their heads toward him. "We need to focus." The letters pop out of existence. "Also, JNRR is way cooler. If I wasn't here, the J would still make JNRR, because of Jared."

"Exactly!" Nora said, while Ren goes to speak, but instead just groans.

There's a rumble.

"It's here." Jaune said.

"Are you kidding me?" Jared asked, as he and Ruby Rose are flying backwards from trees, as he is firing his bow and Ruby is firing Crescent Rose in the direction they came from. "This Grimm is being a pain in our asses."

"Tell me about it." Ruby said, and a collection of floating boulders with a Grimm mask moves the trees aside, clearly chasing them. "You should have went for your swords."

Ruby and Jared fall, crashing against tree limbs along the way.

"Bad...landing...strategy!" Ruby said, annoyed.

"Sorry, the Ood Sphere had me riled up." Jared said, as he landed on his feet next to Ruby on a big tree branch strong enough to hold both of their weights. "Even if it was two days ago."

"It's okay. Time to go." Ruby said, using her Semblance to pick up Jared and they are flying past the Grimm.

Jaune, Ren, and Nora look up.

"Let's get that thing off them." Jaune said, running toward them.

Ren jumps up into the trees.

"Don't forget me!" Nora said, pulling out Magnhild and shoots it at the ground, propelling herself into the air with excited whooping. She lands right besides Ren in his branch.

"We need to draw its attention away from Ruby and Jared!" Ren said.

"Over here is good." Jared said, jumping towards a nearby tree branch. He then spot a stream of rose petals, and Ruby flying past him, Jaune, Ren, and Nora.

"Could use some help!" Ruby said.

"On it!" Jared said, shooting the Grimm in the back with his bow. "There you go, Little Red."

Ren hops around on branches. The Grimm tries to hit Ren. Ren runs up its rock arm, flies into the air, and comes down upon the Grimm, striking at it with StormFlower. It's ineffective.

"Flying doesn't work against ground types." Jared said. "It's not very effective."

"Gotta get in closer!" Jaune said, as Jared jumped down from where he is standing.

Ren lands beside Jaune, "My blades don't hurt him!"

The Grimm turns, standing upright.

"Crap!" Nora said.

"How about this?!" Ruby exclaimed, loading a magazine with an image of a lightning bolt on its side into Crescent Rose and fires.

"Ruby! Electric doesn't work against ground types." Jared said, looking back at the silver eyed girl. "I thought I taught you Pokémon typings."

"Oh." Ruby said, as electric bolts encase one of the Grimm's arms. "If it was ground type, then why do I see electricity? Wouldn't it make it rock type?"

The red lines on the arm glow brighter, and the Grimm slams it into the ground. All are sent flying backwards, but Ren, Nora, Ruby, and Jared manage to land on their feet. Jaune tumbles along the ground painfully until he hits a boulder between his legs and falls forward.

"You'll be fine without a weapon. You're the strategist." Jaune said, mimicking Ruby.

"That's it!" Nora said, running forward, tossing Magnhild into the air and transforming it into hammer mode.

She jumps into the air and hits it, breaking its arm apart. A large piece flies straight toward Nora, but Ruby gets between them and knocks it away. The Grimm uses its other arm to strike at the two girls.

Jaune straightens and stretches and soon has to dodge a barrage of rocks, "Wha? Whoa! Wha? Ho!"

Jaune lands and Jared slices the rock with his dual swords.

"Hey! Be careful!" Jaune said.

"Sorry!" Jared said, as the rock he sliced the size of Jaune's head hits him in the face and sends him into a tree. "You okay?"

Jaune lands in a crouch and shakes his head to clear the pain, "I'm fine."

The Grimm continually tries and fails to hit an evasive Nora.

Jaune stands up and looks up at the Grimm, "Ah…"

"Yes!" Jared said, and the Grimm's armless shoulder gains a glowing red circle with a symbol of an eye in the middle. "We won. I think."

The circle spins, and then a black, elongated arm with clawed fingers emerges from it. The arm rears back.

"Uh-oh." Jared said, holding his bow. "I think I spoke too soon."

The Grimm shoves its new arm into the tree Jaune was leaning against and lifts it from the ground.

"His arm is a tree! His arm is a tree!" Jaune said, running away.

"Big mistake!" Ruby said, spinning Crescent Rose and loads another magazine into it...this one with imagery of fire on its side.

"Ruby! Don't!" Jared said, trying to stop Ruby, but it's too late, as she fires. "Fire is super effective against…"

"There's nothing to worry about." Ruby said, while the flaming projectile swings around to the tree arm. "Like you said, fire is super effective against grass types."

Jaune gives Jared a high five, but the fanboy jumped to the left.

"Should have learned from Ben 10." Jared said, watching the tree arm swings around to him and Jaune, on fire. "At least we didn't start a forest fire."

Jaune loses his smile after Jared is now a couple feet away from him.

"Big mistake! Jared's right, you should have paid attention to the Pokémon type matchups chart!" Jaune said, putting his hands in his hair and is running away.

"Ugh! I know." Ruby said, as the Grimm chases Jaune, swinging the flaming arm at him. "I know."

It misses twice, but then Jaune falls, Jared protects Jaune and carried him out of the way to safety. One of StormFlower spins through the air and makes a cut across the Grimm's mask. The Grimm falls.

Ren lands beside Jaune and Jared, he catches his gun. Ruby and Nora come up behind their teammates.

"Okay, how do we do this?" Jaune asked.

"Penny in the air." Jared said, transforming his dual swords back into its bow form.

"His body is too thick to break through." Ren said.

"It doesn't care about its body." Jaune said.

"Plus it can keep grabbing new limbs!" Nora said.

"But it keeps protecting its face."

"We can't break it!" Ruby said.

"Ugh, if we knocked all of its limbs off at once and went for the…" Jaune said, while his eyes light up with an idea and he turns to face his team.

"And the penny drops." Jared said, while behind him and Jaune, the Grimm gets up.

"Guys, I got it! We hit it harder!" Jaune said.

"Is that it?" Ren asked, confused.

"No, seriously. It's trying to keep us from its face. If we kill the limbs, we'll have a shot to kill the whole thing!" Jaune said.

"Like Thanos said to Thor. You should have gone for the head!" Jared said, smiling. "It was a bad thing in that context, but here, it's a good thing."

"Alright! Come on, team, let's do this." Ruby said.

"Yeah!" Nora said.

"Right!" Ren said.

"This will be a piece of cake:" Jared said, happily. "I should have some Chinese food later, even if her restaurant is average. Fighting Grimm gives me an appetite."

"Ren, left. Ruby, Jared, right." Jaune said, and Ren, Ruby, and Jared depart as told. "Nora, ready to try out the new upgrade?" Nora nods and runs. "Right. And I will…"

Jaune gets hit in the back by the Grimm.

Ruby and Jared attacks the right side. Ren attacks the left.

Nora activates a mechanism that generates a current of electricity across the hammerhead of Magnhild.

Jaune runs around to make himself a target, waving at the Grimm, "I'll take over here!"

The Grimm goes after Jaune but switches targets as Ruby, Ren, and Jared attack it.

Nora charges Magnhild even more and braces her feet, "Ready!"

Ruby and Jared land next to Jaune after another attack.

"Use everything you've got!" Jaune said.

Ruby uses her Semblance to fly at the Grimm, taking Nora with her, and the red and pink swirls go right for the tree arm. Ruby slices the tree in half, opening the way for Nora to hit the mask with Magnhild. The rock body shatters and the ephemeral Grimm rises out of it and flies off.

"Oh, no you don't." Jared said, aiming an arrow at it, and it turns its face right into the flaming projectile. Next is a wide shot of birds taking flight from trees. "You are not raiding another village. You got that!"

"Another victory for Team JNRR!" Jaune said, breathing heavily before posing with his hands on hips.

"Um, Team JNRR?" Jared asked, laughing a lot. "That sound so lame. I do prefer Team RNJR, that's what the YouTube videos called this team back home."

"Yeah, okay. Ren, I think you're onto something. I-it's just not sounding great anymore." Jaune said, deflating. "Now I see why the fans is right when it comes to shipping names too."

Jaune walks away.

Village...

Ruby shakes hands with the town Mayor.

"We truly can't thank you enough." The mayor said.

"Just doing our job, sir." Ruby said, smiling.

"That Geist had been plaguing our village for weeks. We were beginning to wonder if we'd have to relocate." The mayor said.

"Well, we are on our way to Mistral. You could always come along with us if you don't feel safe." Ruby said.

"I've never been there, but traveling around saving people along the way, I love it." Jared said, looking back at the idyllic life in the village. "I've been doing it for years now."

People buy fresh produce from a cart, stand and chat on open balconies overlooking the roads, tend to their horses and generally go about their daily lives peacefully. The village has plentiful trees and green spaces and cobbled roads.

"Ha. I take it you're not from these parts. Anima is a large continent. I'm afraid our people would never survive the long trek to Mistral. It may be safer in the Kingdoms, but we prefer our way of life. I just wish we could pay you more." The mayor said, amused.

"Our previous arrangement is more than sufficient." Ren said.

Team RNJR and Jared bows respectfully.

Shop...

A shop door closes. At a counter, a burly man with horns sets down a set of armor.

"There you go, son. It's going to be heavier than what you're used to, but you'll thank me the next time you go up against a set of claws." The blacksmith said.

"Wow. That-eh. I don't know what to say." Jaune said, shocked.

"Don't gotta say anything! Just put it on! I'll go get the rest." The Blacksmith said.

The Faunus blacksmith turns and goes out back.

"So, what are you waiting for?" Nora asked.

"Go and put it on, Jaune!" Jared said, excitedly. "You did want to use the metal Pyrrha left behind, after she, um…"

"Oh, uh, right!" Jaune said, taking off his old chestplate.

"That looked ridiculous small on you."

"You're right. Guess I was going to grow out of it eventually." Jaune said, softly.

"A sign of progress." Ren said.

"Progress." Jaune said, turning around, and Ruby gasps then covers her mouth and tries not to giggle. "What is it?"

"What is that?" Ruby asked, pointing to Jaune's chest.

A bunny emblem is on Jaune's chest.

"What, my hoodie? I've always had this." Jaune said.

"It's got a cute little bunny rabbit!" Ruby said, snorting.

"Yeah, a cute little bunny rabbit that says, 'Hi, I'm a cute little bunny rabbit, on a hoodie of a man who has 7 sisters. Kill me now!'" Jared said, laughing along with Ruby.

"It's Pumpkin Pete! You know, from the cereal?" Jaune asked.

"What did you do?! Send in a box top for a prize?" Ruby asked, as she is in near hysterics.

"Yeah! Fifty!" Jaune said.

"Ruby, stop it." Jared said, walking towards Ruby who is continuing to laugh hysterically. "It is the cereal box Pyrrha was on!"

The silver eyed girl didn't hear one of her best friends, and she fell onto the floor.

"Well, I suppose we don't have to grow out of everything." Ren said.

"Obviously." Jared said, while Ruby chortles from the floor, feet in the air. "I can't believe you didn't hear me."

"I did." Ruby said, as the blacksmith returns from out back. "I'm sorry, Jaune. I just forgot."

"Can't have a Huntsman without his weapon." The blacksmith said, and a wide sword sheath is stuck into the countertop. "Made all the modifications you asked for." The blade expands into a shield. "That was some fine metal you brought me. Accents the white nicely. Where'd you get it from?"

"I love the upgrades of the shield." Jared said, looking at the gold accents on the shield, the design on the bottom reminiscent of Pyrrha Nikos' circlet. "I do."

"From a friend." Jaune said, sadly.

Outside the shop...

Ruby, Ren, Nora, and Jared wait outside the shop. Jaune comes out wearing the armor. He pulls out the sword and expands the shield.

"He cleans up alright, don't you think?" The blacksmith asked.

"He certainly does." Ren said.

"I still think a grenade launcher would've really brought the look together." Nora said.

"Nothing's gonna stop Team RNJR now!" Ruby said, happily.

"Team JNRR!" Nora said.

"Still not a color." Ren said.

"Well, the teams all over the academies in Remnant were named after colors." Jared said, frowning. "I am so sticking with Team RNJR."

"It doesn't matter what we're called. As long as we're together." Jaune said.

"You kids sure you won't stick around? You've been real good to this town." The blacksmith said.

"Sorry, but we've got another mission." Ruby said.

"Make it to Haven Academy, no matter what." Nora said.

"Even if we have breaks now and again, by traveling with a Doctor." Jared said. "We'll still make it to Haven."

"We've heard the next village over has a working Airship." Ren said.

"Mmm, no way to know for sure. Scroll signals were weak enough out here back when Beacon Tower was still up. Haven't heard from Shion Village in a while." The blacksmith said.

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Ruby said.

With a wave, Team RNJR and Jared turns and leaves. The blacksmith waves back and grunts.

Road...

"Food?" Jaune asked.

"Check!" Nora said.

"Water?"

"Check!"

"How about ammo?"

"Locked and loaded! Thank you, Schnee Dust Company!"

"Man, I miss Weiss Schnee." Jared said, sadly. "I haven't seen her in so long. Kyoko's spunk doesn't match up to Weiss' sass."

"Got the map?" Jaune asked, as Ruby and Jared look down sadly.

"Ren's got it." Nora said, happily.

"No, I don't. You have it." Ren said.

"Wait, what?"

"Guys, please tell me you're joking." Jaune said.

"Uh...heh-heh-heh." Nora said.

"Guys! Guys? Guys…"

"Nope."

Schnee mansion...

Weiss Schnee is watching airships fly by through a window. She is sitting in a cushioned chair with her hands folded in her lap. There is a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Weiss asked.

She is in a large, open space on two levels. On the upper level are two arched bookcases built into the walls and a picture of a knight resembling the Arma Gigas hangs between them. A gilded mirror hangs above the mantle of a fireplace on the lower level. The door opens and Klein Sieben, a butler, enters.

"Pardon the interruption, Miss Schnee, but your father wishes to speak to you." Klein said.

"Thank you, Klein." Weiss said, sighing.

Weiss looks out the window once more before getting up and walking out. Her heels clank across the floor and the door slams shut.