Lost

The Land of Darkness…

At Salem's keep, Emerald Sustrai is sitting on the floor while Mercury Black is training around the room with punches and kicks.

"I hate being kept in the dark like this…" Emerald said.

"Yeah, Cinder was a pain, but at least she kept us filled in." Mercury said, while he continues training.

"Can I ask you something?" Emerald asked.

"You're gonna."

"Why did you come with us, the night Cinder and I found you?"

"Why are you asking…"

"Just answer the question."

"Just made sense." Mercury said.

"It made sense?" Emerald asked.

"All my life, my father trained me to be a killer, an assassin like him. And then moments after I killed him, you two showed up looking for someone with my exact skills. Just felt like it was meant to be."

"That's it?" Emerald asked, incredulous.

"Hey, what's your problem?" Mercury asked.

"I mean, there has to be something you want from this, right?"

"Salem's promised us everything. We win this thing for her, we'll be top dogs in her new world. What more do you want?"

"I just…" Emerald said, sighing. "Cinder was the only family I ever had. She cared about me, taught me things...but without her here, I don't know if what we're doing…"

"Wake up, already…" Mercury said, as Emerald looks at him in shock upon hearing this. "Cinder doesn't care about you! She doesn't care about either of us!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"You're in denial. And if you're gonna start having a crisis of identity or some crap...keep me out of it."

At this, Emerald angrily jumps forward and starts to attack Mercury with punches and kicks, but he dodges them and catches her wrist.

"I'm sorry you didn't have a mommy that loved you, but I had a father who hated me!" Mercury said, shoving Emerald back a bit.

Emerald takes a defensive stance as Mercury slowly approaches her.

"He never went easy on me! Every day of training was a beating. And when I unlocked my Semblance, he stole it with his!" Mercury said, throwing a punch and a kick at Emerald, who dodges them, while he quotes his father's words. "'This is a crutch!' 'This makes you weak!' He told me I could have it back when I was strong. So I got strong, but I never got it back! I've had to work harder than anyone to get where I am. You may not like it here without Cinder, but I think I'm right where I'm supposed to be!"

Suddenly, the two hear a certain laughter. Tyrian Callows steps out of the shadows with his new metallic scorpion tail.

"Oh yes, the world is mean, and I'm a big, bad man now just like the others." Tyrian said, mocking Mercury and he laughs at him.

"How long have you been standing there?!" Mercury exclaimed, as he angrily walk over to Tyrian.

"All you ever learned was pain and violence, and now you're too afraid to leave it. Such a tragedy." Tyrian said.

"You don't know me!" Mercury said, while he tries to kick at Tyrian.

Tyrian dodges and kicks Mercury back. Tyrian holds him down to the ground by keeping his tail at a short distance away from Mercury's face.

"Hey!" Emerald said, worried.

"Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. I want to tell you both a little secret. Your question is all wrong." Tyrian said, laughing.

"What?"

"'What do you want from this?' Children, please, if you're not loving what you're doing, then you're in the wrong field." Tyrian said.

"So, what? Are you saying we should just leave?"

"Oh no, no, no, no." Tyrian said, gasping before chuckling. "You can't do that!"

"Then what did you come here for?" Mercury asked.

"To say farewell. There's been a change in plans. Her Grace must act swiftly if we are to prevail. If General Ironwood comes to his senses and calls upon aid from Vacuo, all may be lost for us! And so the good doctor and I are being sent to Atlas...to prepare." Tyrian said.

"Prepare for what?" Emerald asked.

"Tyrian!" Watts said, angrily.

Arthur Watts is at the end of the hallway leading into the room.

"It's time." Watts said.

Tyrian steps off of Mercury, who gets back up on his feet.

"Do what makes you happy children...please? I'm begging you…" Tyrian said, smiling evilly.

Tyrian holds his new tail out threateningly, with purple liquid venom dripping from the stinger's tip. Tyrian walks away towards Watts letting out a little chuckle. Emerald and Mercury watch him leave with disgusted looks.

Argus...

"Oscar!" Jaune said.

Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, and Saphron Cotta-Arc are walking down a sidewalk at night.

"Oscar?" Nora asked, calling out for Oscar.

"This city's enormous, not as enormous as the Doctor's universe, but he could've gone anywhere." Ren said.

"This is all my fault...I overreacted." Jaune said, sadly. "I made up with Jared. When we were at the Battle of Demon's Run. But I still messed up with Oscar."

"I still don't really understand what happened. Was it about the mission?" Saphron asked.

"It's...kind of hard to talk about." Nora said, frowning.

"I know, I know, 'top secret'. Did Oscar...do something wrong?"

"No...he didn't. We just got some new information and...it's going to be a lot harder than we thought." Jaune said,

"I mean, if it was easy, then it wouldn't be important. Right?" Saphron asked.

"I think we're all just a bit unsure of what to do next." Ren said.

"You could...stay in Mistral, get your licenses at Haven, and come back to Argus. There's a lot of good you can do here. I know your mission is important, but it's not like you're the only ones who can do it. It's not the only mission that needs doing."

"It's...not that simple." Jaune said.

Saphron lingers a bit behind while Jaune, Ren and Nora walk forward, before turning around to look back at her.

"Well, uh...I should go pick up Adrian from daycare. I'll let Terra know what's happened, and we'll meet you later. Good luck." Saphron said.

The three Team JNPR members watch Saphron leave before looking down sadly.

"Hey, there's a cafe over there. Why don't we get something to warm up?" Nora asked.

"I'm okay. You two go on ahead." Jaune said.

Ren and Nora watch Jaune walk away with sad looks on their faces. Jaune takes a seat on a nearby bench.

"You don't want anything?" Nora asked, while she and Ren then exchanged a brief glance.

"We'll be right back." Ren said.

Ren and Nora walk away, leaving Jaune alone. Jaune keeps his head down while the wind blows, and a dried maple leaf flies in in front of Jaune. He notices this and follows the maple leaf as it flies in the wind. Jaune follows the leaf into a nearby park. Suddenly, Jaune stops in his tracks and notices something.

A statue of the late Pyrrha Nikos is standing solemnly on a stone pedestal, with her head down, eyes closed, and shield in her hands below her waist. Jaune slowly approaches the statue and looks up at his fallen friend and teammate. He then kneels down and notices a plaque with Pyrrha's respective symbol and words inscribed on it written: 'IN HONOR OF PYRRHA NIKOS, ONE OF MANY STUDENTS WHO FOUGHT VALIANTLY AT THE FALL OF BEACON.'

Jaune sadly closes his eyes and stands back up to look at Pyrrha's statue again. He starts to walk away as footsteps are heard approaching.

"It's really beautiful, isn't it?" A red-haired woman asked.

Jaune stops and turns around upon hearing her voice. A woman with short, red hair and spectacled, green eyes in a brown coat reminiscint of Pyrrha's armor looks up at the statue with a bouquet of red flowers in her arms. Jaune also looks back up to the statue.

"Yeah...uh, why here?" Jaune asked.

"She trained here, Sanctum Academy. Everyone was crushed when she chose Beacon over Haven. No one wanted to see her go, but...it was where she wanted to be. I'm just glad she was surrounded by such amazing people." The red-haired woman said.

Jaune looks to the woman with a surprised look on his face. Tears start to well up in his eyes.

"She should be standing here…" Jaune said, sadly.

"She is." The red haired woman said, while Jaune looked back at her in confusion. "She understood that she had a responsibility...to try. I don't think she would regret her choice, because a Huntress would understand that there really wasn't a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she always wanted to be."

Jaune turns to face the woman, "Pyrrha never got the chance to graduate...but she was a Huntress"

Jaune smiles. The woman smiles as tears start to well up in her eyes.

"Thank you." The red-haired woman said, wiping a tear.

Jaune smiles back at her.

"Jaune?" Ren asked.

Jaune looks away from the woman upon hearing his name called. He sees Ren and Nora looking for him while holding hot drinks in their hands. The two notice Jaune in the park and walk over to him. Jaune looks back over to the woman, but suddenly finds her gone. The flowers she was holding are left behind on the pedestal of Pyrrha's statue.

"Jaune, why did you…" Nora said, gasping.

Nora and Ren look up and notice the statue of their old friend. Team JNPR stands together once more, only with Pyrrha immortalized by her statue.

"I'm sorry. I've been a terrible leader, and a terrible friend, and I…" Jaune said.

"Jaune, this has to stop." Ren said.

"We...heard what you said to Cinder, at Haven. You're not being fair to yourself. We love you, just like we loved Pyrrha. We're teammates, family." Nora said, sadly.

"We don't want to lose you too."

Jaune ponders his friends words before looking back up to Pyrrha's statue, "I think...I think she knew she wasn't going to win. That she might not come out alive. But...she also knew she was the only one that could try."

"So she did." Ren said.

"Maybe we should too." Nora said.

"Yeah, we should." Jaune said.

The three smile as they look up at the statue together.

"Pyrrha may not be by our side anymore, but we can fight like she is." Nora said.

"And in a way...she will be." Jaune said, and Nora hands him a hot drink.

"We should check back in at the house. Come on." Ren said.

Ren and Nora start to walk away.

Jaune lingers for a bit to take one last look at Pyrrha, "Thank you."

Jaune walks away and joins his teammates as they head off. A maple leaf can be seen blowing in the wind, passing by Pyrrha's statue.

Ruby Rose is looking down with a look of disapproval on her face.

"Qrow drank too much again…" Jared said, looking at Ruby.

Ruby lets out a disappointed sigh, "Yeah…"

"I've never seen him this bad." Yang said.

Ruby, along with the rest of Team RWBY, Jared Shay, and Maria Calavera, find Qrow Branwen passed out on some stairs leading up to a house.

"Come on, let's get him up." Ruby said.

The two sisters grab their uncle's arms and sit him up.

Qrow groans and rubs his eyes, "Why am I on the stairs?"

"Probably because no one's home, Uncle Qrow. We've been out looking for Oscar." Ruby said.

"Oscar?" Qrow asked.

The group hears footsteps. They turn to see Jaune, Ren, Nora, as well as Saphron and Terra, who is holding Adrian in her arms, walking towards them.

"Man, Adrian is cute." Jared said, smiling. "Even when he is like that."

The two mothers look at Qrow.

"I'm sure this looks great to the neighbors." Terra said, sarcastically.

Saphron lightly elbows her wife while Jaune and his teammates walk up to the group.

"No luck?" Ren asked.

"No, you?" Blake asked.

"Don't worry, we aren't going to Atlas without him." Jaune said.

"We?" Ruby asked.

"Isn't staying with your sister the best option?" Jared asked. "Since Mistral is still close to Vale."

"No. It isn't." Jaune said. "Plus someone did help me realize that."

The three Team JNPR members share a smile.

"Sorry we won't be staying." Jaune said, looking at Saphron.

"No you're not." Saphron said, smirking.

"How about we get out of the cold?" Terra asked.

"Yes, please." Jared said, happily. "I hate the cold."

The door to the house is opening. Everyone gasps in shock as Jared is at a loss for words.

Oh, I was wondering when you'd get back." Oscar said, as he is standing at the doorway, now wearing a fancy green coat.

"OSCAR!" Everyone said, at the same time.

Nora screams in joy as Oscar initially has a confused look on his face, and then one of comical terror as the seven students and the fanboy all leap forward and tackle hug him.

Saphron's home…

Ruby and Jared help Oscar up as everyone shares a laugh.

"You had us worried sick!" Weiss said, angrily.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked.

"Oscar, we both messed up hard…" Jared said, walking over to Oscar. "We had them worry about us."

"Really? How come?" Oscar asked.

"I was a Ganger. There were three of me at once. One of me was in the TARDIS. Another one was here. But the me, here and now. I was asleep."

"Asleep? How?"

"I was in this military base called Demon's Run. It was scary. Everyone I know and loved went off to save me, Amy, and her daughter. We lost a fight and her daughter."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."

"What are you wearing?" Nora asked, grinning.

"Uh…" Oscar said, smiling and he rubs the back of his head.

The rest of the group steps into the house.

"Is something cooking?" Terra asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I thought you guys would appreciate a hot meal after...spending all day looking for me, apparently." Oscar said.

"It's my fault we were all out there in the first place. Oscar, I am so sorry for earlier. I was way, way out of line, and what I said…" Jaune said, sadly.

"No, it's okay. These past few days, I've been scared of the same things you were. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be...me. But I did some thinking, and I do know that I want to do everything I can to help with whatever time I have left."

"Good. This team isn't the same without you, Oscar." Jaune said, smiling.

Everyone shares a smile. Suddenly, a smoke alarm goes off.

"The casserole!" Oscar said, gasping.

"We're on it, chef." Saphron said, giggling.

Saphron and Terra step into the kitchen to take care of Oscar's cooking.

"Uh, combat gear looks good." Ruby said.

"Green. I like it. One of my colors, next to red and blue." Jared said, looking at what Oscar is wearing.

"Thanks." Oscar said.

Ruby, Oscar, and Jared share a smile. Then, the group notice Qrow walking up the stairs.

"Where are you going now?" Ruby asked, sternly.

"I don't want to get in the way of your celebration." Qrow said.

"You've been gone all day! Just sit with us."

"Look, Ruby, I'm glad you kids worked out, uh, whatever all that was. But the fact is, we're not a single step closer to Atlas." Qrow said, sighing.

"Actually, I think I have an idea. But...it's sort of a 'no-going-back' kind of idea." Jaune said.

"Well, let's hear it." Ruby said.

"With Cordo on watch, only Atlas airships have the clearance to leave for Solitas. So...we…" Jaune said, and he nervously shrugs at his last statement. "...steal an Atlas airship."

Everyone gets shocked looks on their faces.

��Seriously? And I thought stealing alien tech with Sarah Jane was bad." Jared said, looking at Jaune. "We had to break into the Black Archive to get a Tungska Scroll. It contained the consciousness of a being that can destroy or make worlds at will."

Adrian giggles in Maria's arm.

"Jared's right, he broke the law when he went behind UNIT's back. Us stealing an Atlesian airship. That's not just breaking the law. That's...that's definitely worse." Weiss said.

"How would we even get onto the airfield?" Yang asked.

"That part I haven't quite figured out yet. But I…" Jaune said.

"Okay, stop. Just...stop! Look, if this thing goes south, it's not something we can just fight our way out of. This is the Atlas Military we're talking about." Qrow said, sighing. "For your sake, just drop this."

Everyone looks down with discouraged looks on their faces.

Ruby notices this and turns back to Qrow with a determined look on her face, "I want to hear him out."

"Ruby…" Qrow said, sadly.

"I want to hear him out! I know you're trying to protect us, that you're afraid we can't do it, but right now, I don't really care what you think!" Ruby said, as Qrow gains a shocked expression upon hearing this. "Just because you don't have an idea, doesn't mean we're out of options! Oz hasn't been here to tell us what to do, but we still managed to get this far anyway. We've been in bad situations before, and we don't need an adult to come save us or tell us what to do. We just did it our way! And I say we do it our way." Everyone smiles at Ruby except Qrow. "And if you think you can keep up with us 'kids'...we'd be happy to have you."

Qrow looks down sadly.

"Looks like you didn't give her enough credit either." Maria said, laughing.

Qrow doesn't say anything, he looks back to Ruby while she looks back at him determined.