Rest and Resolutions

Mistral...

The dinner table is abuzz as the currently present members of Team RWBY, the remaining members of Team JNPR, and Jared all talk over each other indistinctly. The mood is quite cheery, with the children all smiling and laughing.

A blue portal opened up in the room and it connects with Chris Yukine's apartment, all six Symphogear wielders and Miku are there.

Jared looked over to see that Miku had cooked food for the dinner party, "Miku! Thanks!"

"Don't mention it." Miku said, entering the space. "Yang."

"Miku. How are things going with Hibiki?" Yang asked.

"They're doing pretty good!" Hibiki said, jumping over to Jared a hug. "Hi. How's it going?"

"Hibiki, off." Weiss said, walking over to Hibiki. "So, Jared asked you to cook."

"Hibiki asked for more food for the load." Chris said, nervously.

"Jaune lost his map a while back." Jared said, as Kirika and Shirabe jumped over. "Wow, Shizuku, your magic is so good."

"Don't mention it." Shizuku said. "If you don't need me. I'll be going."

The purple haired Magical Girl left the room.

"How do you lose your map at a time like that?" Yang asked, laughing at Jaune.

"Believe me, I've asked myself the same thing ever since." Jaune said.

Yang, Weiss, Ruby, and Symphogear laugh, while Jaune smiles and giggles sheepishly.

"Hey, but you made up for it, Mister Muscles! You shoulda seen this guy take a giant Grimm head on!" Nora said, excitedly.

"Take down what?" Kirika asked.

"It was a horse Grimm." Jared said, eating some mochi. "Like, seriously. Jaune did most of the work that day."

"I couldn't have done it without you and Ruby wearing it down." Jaune said, looking at Jared.

"That sounds like something we would do." Maria said.

"Yeah." Shirabe said.

"Against Karma Noise and Warrior Noise." Tsubasa said.

"Uh, me and Jared? Did you see Ren during that fight? He was out of control!" Ruby said, happily.

"Like when we go berserk after using our Ignite modules?" Hibiki asked.

"Exactly like that! You guys are out of control when you go up against Noise!"

"I'm sorry, I may have lost my temper momentarily." Ren said.

"No, no! Out of control as in 'awesome'!" Ruby said.

"Oooohhh." Ren said, smiling. "Thank you."

Everyone at the two tables burst into laughter.

"Got a recording of it?" Miku asked.

"When don't I?" Jared asked.

The fanboy placed his phone on the table and he did a hand motion to load up a holographic video to display on the wall.

Kuroyuri…

"Just get him to safety!" Ren said, determined.

Jaune walks away with Qrow while the battle resumes. He sets Qrow down behind a building and narrows his eyes at the wounded man before turning to leave. Qrow grabs him by the hand, but falls unconscious before he can say anything. Jaune gives Qrow another look before rejoining the fight.

"Ring-a-round the rosie, a pocket full of posies, ashes! Ashes! We all fall down." Jared said, and the Grimm is using its arms to grab hold of the fanboy, Ruby, Ren, and Nora. "Damn it."

"Oh, no you don't." Ruby said, making it so the Grimm is continually distracted by the fire of the next one.

"Guys, keep moving, go in a circle!" Jaune said.

"Right, there's five of us and one of it." Jared said, smirking. "This should be a piece of cake."

The team follows this plan, and Ruby gets distracted when Jaune sheaths his sword after landing a strike.

"What are you doing?" Jaune asked, and she smiles when she realizes that Jaune is using his upgraded Crocea Mors to land strikes on the beast.

The fight continues and Ren ends up pinned to a building with Jared by a Nuckelavee extended arm.

"Ruby!" Nora said.

Ruby nods, and she uses Crescent Rose to launch Nora in between Ren, Jared, and the Nuckelavee's would-be fatal strike with its other hand. Magnhild is pinned to the building above Ren, with Nora dangling from it.

"Uh..." Jared said, as he and Ren looks up at Nora.

"Stop looking!" Nora said, pulling her skirt to hide herself. "Especially you, Jared!"

"Ah-ugh." Ren said, covering his eyes.

Nora grins to herself.

The Nuckelavee flings Nora around until she is knocked to the ground with her Aura depleted. Ren uses StormFlower to give himself leverage to pull the Nuckelavee hand off of him. He repeatedly goes after the creature, exhibiting reckless behavior, his eyes wild.

"Ren! Knock it off!" Jaune said, looking at Ren.

"Don't aggravate it, Ren." Jared said, looking over at Ren. "Now is not the time for revenge."

Ren ignores Jaune and Jared and he ends up on the ground beside Nora, with Jared ending up in between the two.

Ren is separated from StormFlower, as Jared is separated from Ebb and Flow, with both of their Auras also depleted.

The two partners rise together, Nora first. Ren's eyes are only on the creature, and Nora tackles him and drags him under a building.

The Nuckelavee advances, but Jaune blocks it with Crocea Mors, and Jared sliced it with Ebb and Flow.

"This Grimm is so annoying!" Jared said, holding Ebb and Flow in its dual sword form. "Why can't it just die? Goddamn it."

Ren attempts to rejoin the fight but Nora holds him back by the wrist, her head down, "Nora, let go! Nora, they're going to get hurt if we don't..."

Without even looking up, Nora slaps Ren. He stops and turns to face her, and she finally lets go, putting her hands in her lap.

"No. I won't let you kill yourself like this. After everything we've been through, I won't let it end." Nora said, raising her head.

Ren only sees his memory of Nora as a scared little girl before blinking and seeing her normally. Like back then, she has tears in her eyes.

"Not like this." Nora said, and Ren sighs and pulls the knife his father gave him out of his boot. He holds it in both hands.

Nora places her hand on the hilt with his and closes his fingers around it. She looks at him with a fierce, determined expression, "We can do this."

Ren looks at her with big eyes before nodding in agreement. Together they step out from under the building. Nora picks up Magnhild and the two are promptly joined by Ruby, Jaune, and Jared.

"Ren. Jaune and I can take care of its arms." Ruby said.

"Jared and I can take care of the horse." Nora said.

"And I'll take care of the rest." Ren said, as Nora heads to a rooftop.

Ruby uses herself as a target until she manages to pin an arm to the ground with the tip of Crescent Rose. Ren's knife is flung and embeds itself into the body of the Grimm. Jaune is positioned to be the next target as Ren uses Jaune's shield to pin down the other arm.

"Now!" Ren said, as Jaune strikes his sword through the Nuckelavee's arm into the ground. "Nora! Jared!"

Nora freefalls from the roof to land a killing blow to the head of the horse, as Jared sliced a bit of the Grimm with Ebb and Flow, injuring it.

"He's all yours!" Jared said, looking back at Ren. "Give him hell!"

Ren retrieves his knife and walks before the trapped Grimm.

"For my mother." Ren said, in his thoughts.

He cuts off the Grimm's left arm.

"For my father." Ren said, in his thoughts.

He cuts off the Grimm's right arm.

"For all those that you've slain." Ren said, in his thoughts.

He strikes a gash into the flailing torso.

Ren closes his eyes, "For myself."

He opens his eyes and swings with the knife, beheading the grimm. It dies in a pillar of black smoke. Ren drops the knife and breathes out a sigh of relief only to be tackled by a giggling, triumphant Nora. He hugs her back and gives a single laugh.

Ruby and Jared run into the alley where Qrow was left during the fight. She breathes a sigh of relief that he is still alive, "Thank goodness. I thought, I thought I lost you."

"Man, Ebb and Flow." Jared said, making placing his dual swords back into their holsters. "I love you two so much."

"It's quiet. Good job, kiddo." Qrow said, looking at Ruby, then at Jared. "And thanks, for protecting my niece, when I couldn't."

"Guys! I think I hear something!" Jaune said, and in the courtyard two wood and metal airships are coming in to land.

"Help!" Jared said, while Nora points in Qrow's direction. "Yes! Molto bene!"

Mistral…

"How did you even get a video of all of us fighting that thing?" Jaune asked.

"Oh, a bit of Torchwood technology." Jared said, smirking. "I didn't know I had them on that day. Yui must have seen it and recorded that fight."

"You're right, that fight was cool!" Hibiki said, excitedly. "Ren really was out of control!"

"I told you!" Ruby said.

"Girls…" Weiss said, annoyed.

"Jared, why did you encourage those dummies?" Chris asked.

"Because this is the most fun I had in a while. After the Silurians." Jared said, laughing a lot.

As dinner continues, Weiss tells her story about how she accidentally summoned a Boarbatusk during the Schnee charity ball.

"You did not!" Ruby said, gasping.

Weiss has her face in her hands, "Yeah, right in the middle of the party."

"Please tell me you let that lady have it." Yang said.

"Of course not! Even if I did really want to." Weiss said.

"No way, I don't believe it." Nora said, crossing her arms, skeptical.

Weiss summons her Boarbatusk right next to Nora. The Grimm summon growls, causing Nora to yelp and fall to her side.

Weiss, Yang, Jaune, Ren, Jared, all of Symphogear, and Miku laugh.

"Weiss wasn't the only one that was mad at someone." Jared said, walking over to his phone and he loaded up a video.

Map room…

"Can I be of assistance?" A Dalek asked.

"Just shut up!" Jared said, angrily. "Listen to us, okay? Please. The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, and they don't pity you. You can't hold hands with them and feel their warmth, because they are far from that. They don't know kindness whatsoever, and they can't lift any burden from you. Or share it."

"They are our oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them." The Doctor said, standing next to Jared.

Mistral…

"Wow, you're yelling at a Dalek." Yang said. "Another new thing."

"When was that?" Weiss asked.

"It was a while ago." Miku said, drinking her soup. "I had to comfort him with a hug and snacks."

"He was a massive dummy." Chris said, "Bringing himself, the Doctor, and Hibiki to a massive spaceship."

"Wow…" Jaune said.

"They made it out." Tsubasa said. "If I recalled correctly."

"Stare…" Shirabe said, looking at Jared.

"What?" Jared asked.

"..."

"Shirabe? What's wrong?"

"I think she's still mad at you having those photos of us." Kirika said, sadly.

"I'm still mad too." Maria said. "Why even have those of Shirabe and Kirika?"

"What photos?" Nora asked.

As dinner nearly finishes, Symphogear went back over to the half of the room that has Chris' apartment. They waved goodbye to Team RNJR, Weiss, and Jared. And the entire living room that's part of Chris' apartment disappeared.

Yang shows off her robotic prosthetic arm to the rest of the group. All of them react in awe.

"It's not a replacement for the real thing, but I'll make sure to make good use of it." Yang said.

"That's amazing." Jaune said.

"Incredible." Ren said.

Ruby gets all starry-eyed and quickly zooms over to her sister's side to admire her arm.

"And it's just as strong?" Ruby asked, holding Yang's arm up.

"Hm, sure is." Yang said, smirking.

Suddenly, they hear a bang on the table.

Nora has her arm out ready to arm wrestle, "Wanna bet?"

"Nora, please, now's not the time…" Weiss said.

Despite Weiss' protest, Yang and Nora arm wrestle.

Jared looked down at his pendant and he smiled at it, "Aqours, set up. Remnant Mode. Ember Gungnir."

"Master?" Aqours asked, its voice coming out of the pendant. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I want to show off something after this."

Two gauntlets appeared on Jared's wrist, and it has the form of Ember Celicia with some Gungnir capabilities built in.

Jaune and Ren cheer on Nora while Ruby cheers on for her sister with Jared. Weiss looks on disdainfully.

"Don't let her beat you! You can do it! Come on!" Jaune said.

"You can do this! Show 'em what Team JNPR's made of!" Ren said.

"C'mon, sis! Aw, you can't lose to a girl in a skirt!" Ruby said, excitedly.

"You wear a skirt, Ruby." Weiss said.

"Yang, you can't be that 'armless against Nora! You're armed and ready! Win this, Goldilocks!" Jared said, happily.

"Weiss, you're not cheering loud enough!" Ruby said, as she and Jared shakes Weiss, who is still frowning.

"It definitely feels like the original, I'll give you that!" Nora said.

"Yep. But, it does have some new features!" Yang said.

"Heh, oh yeah?" Nora asked.

A robotic sound is heard coming from Yang's arm, and suddenly Nora's is knocked back to the wall holding Yang's detached arm in her hand. Nora groans in pain while the others look on in concern, except for Yang, who has a smug grin on her face.

"Did she...win?" Jaune asked.

As Nora comes to, she realizes she's holding Yang's robotic arm, causing her to scream and throw it away from her.

Yang laughs while she catches her arm.

"Like I said, Yang's 'armless nowadays. But that doesn't stop her from being armed and ready for anything." Jared said, smirking.

"Arm puns and jokes?" Yang asked. "You're not gonna let this die down. Will you?"

"Nope!"

Later on, Jaune helps clean up the dishes.

"Gyah...we ate it all…" Jaune said, and he picks up the pot holding all the bowls. "On top of what Miku cooked. Thanks for that, Jared. Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick…"

"Easy there, Vomit Boy, I believe in you." Yang said.

"Oh, we're doing nickname throwbacks now. Wonderful." Jaune said, sarcastically.

Jaune starts walking away with the dishware in his hands.

Weiss giggles.

"I mean, the Ice Queen seems to like it." Nora said.

Weiss stops giggling, and Ruby bursts into laughter at Nora's remark.

"And so does the crater face!" Jared said, laughing a lot.

"Jared, why did you bring it up?" Ruby asked. "It was an accident that I caused that explosion!"

"Because no one bothered to bring it up. If I wasn't here!"

Weiss smiles nonetheless.

"Now I know why you're our fanboy." Yang said. "Making jokes and references to stuff we said before you met us."

"I so did not miss you people." Weiss said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh my gosh, she really does like it! What went and warmed your heart while you were gone?" Nora asked, gasping.

"Hey! You make it sound like I used to be terrible."

"Nah. Just a lot to deal with it once." Yang said.

"Hmph!" Weiss said.

Yang playfully sticks her tongue out at Weiss.

"It's been a long time. We've all grown in our own ways." Ren said.

"You really think so?" Ruby asked.

"Well, think back to when we were all at Beacon, and when we were all traveling with the Doctor, would you say you ever did anything foolish or embarrassing? Or do you think you were perfect?"

"Oh gosh." Weiss said, while she buries her face in her hands again.

"I may have been a little too gung-ho from time to time." Yang said.

"Heh, you? I tried to 1v1 a Nevermore on the second day of school." Ruby said.

"I tried to take out 32 missiles at once! Along with falling out of a spaceship!" Jared said, looking at Ruby. "I was trying to perfect my landing strategy!"

"Didn't Miku say that you were trying to…" Weiss said.

Jared took out his phone and immediately called Touka and Nemu, "Touka? Nemu? Yeah. I need your help with something. Remember all of the impurities Eve stored up? Good. I want you and Nemu to combine that with fragments of the Law of Cycles. There's gonna be an explosion on the 26th of June. 2010. Which is in about a year for you. Drop it off at this address."

"I want you to drop off the new charm at Aickman Road, Colchester, England. Ship it over to a man called Craig Owens. Thanks." Jared said. "I hope the power of impurities along with faith and hope can stop the universe from exploding. I don't mind if you two play the villain again, for this. It's better that the Daleks and the others don't know. Thanks."

The fanboy ended the call and he placed his phone back inside his pocket.

"What did you do?" Weiss asked.

"Nothing." Jared said, raising his hands. "But our time at Beacon. Along with us traveling with big ears and sandshoes. Now that was interesting."

"Yeah, well...don't even get me started." Jaune said, walking back into the room.

"Well that embarrassment...that desire to go back and tell yourself not to be so stupid - that just proves you're not the same person you used to be. You're smarter, you're kinder, you're stronger, and you're not done growing yet. None of us are." Ren said.

There is silence for a brief moment.

Jared looked down at Ember Gungnir and he launched both gauntlets forward for it to turn into a spear, "Whatcha think?"

"Weapon fusions?" Weiss asked.

"Another new thing." Yang said. "I got a new arm and you came up with weapon fusions. Whatcha called this one?"

"Ember Gungnir." Jared said, smiling. "I've got another one called Juliet's Rose. And a ton more in development."

"Yeah, turns out Ren gets real deep when he feels like talking." Ruby said.

Everyone giggles.

"He is good at making speeches." Jared said, smiling. "Along with doing monologues."

"Well, hold on, I thought I was pretty great in school!" Nora said, excitedly.

"Even at the dance? When you spilled punch all over yourself in front of…" Yang said.

"Yes, especially the dance! Thank you, Yang!"

Yang covers her ears from Nora's yelling, who has her scroll out playing 'Shine'. Ruby and Jared laugh.

"How can seven kids possibly make so much noise eating dinner?! And Jared, I know you called Symphogear and Miku over. So that made it twelve kids." Qrow said, nearby.

Qrow and Oscar are seen standing next to Jaune. Nora presses her scroll to stop the song. Oscar gives a small laugh.

Everyone relocates to the second-floor living room, with Weiss and Yang having finished being filled in on what everyone else knows so far.

"So, the Maidens. Magic. In our universe. Not the Doctor's whose universe already has magic due to Magical Girls. Salem. It's all true?" Weiss asked.

"Uh-huh." Qrow said.

"Yup. It is." Jared said, leaning against the wall.

"Miss Xiao Long, is this more or less what your mother told you?" Ozpin asked.

Yang doesn't respond, still having her arms crossed.

Weiss answers for Yang, "For the most part."

"You forgot something. You forgot to tell everyone what you did to Qrow and my mother." Yang said.

Ruby gasps.

"What is she talking about?" Jaune asked.

"Oh, great." Qrow said.

"Hm, that's not a secret I thought she would give up so easily. Your mother must trust you a great deal." Ozpin said, as Yang scowls at him. "My ability to reincarnate, though a curse, isn't without a few key benefits. Much like the Maidens, I too possess a certain... 'magical' power. He stands up and walks next to Qrow. "Using this power, I was able to gift the Branwen twins the ability to 'see' more, to move freely and be unburdened by their natural bodies. I... well... gave them the ability to turn into birds."

"Seriously?" Jared asked, as Ozpin chuckles. "Birds? I forgot that detail. It was a long few years."

"I know, you did say that. Rather ridiculous sounding out loud, isn't it?"

"Wait, what?" Oscar asked, mentally.

"Uncle?" Ruby asked.

"You turned them...into birds." Ren said.

"Alright, now you're just messing with us." Nora said.

"What else is new?" Jaune asked, angrily.

Someone walked over to Jared and he stopped time.

Jared turned his back to see that it's his future self, "Oh. Hi. Who are you?"

"I'm you from June 2020." Future Jared said.

"That's hilarious to be honest. I had me from April 2020 explain how things are gonna turn out to me. When there were Silurians around."

"That's nice."

"The look I must have had on my face. It must have been fun when that me went back in time to see me. I must be in for a wild ride." Jared said, happily. "What? What's up? Why do you keep making that face?"

"Do you want the good news or the bad news? Even though it's only been what? Two fan fiction chapters."

"Nope! No. Not now. Why would I want the good news or the bad news? I don't know. The good news? I guess."

"Good news. Just trying to think of where you're at. It's April, right? In the real world. You were in quarantine, future you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I was able to tell. The way he was acting. He must have been in isolation."

"Did he start playing Animal Crossing:New Horizons?"

"Yup. He has."

"Him and everyone else."

"It must be crazy, though. The pandemic. The quarantine. I love figuring out stuff like that."

"Oh. Right."

"Is it not that big of a deal?"

"Have you hit the murder hornets yet? Even though it is still the 2010s for you."

"Murder hornets? That's not a real thing. Unless you're talking about the Unicorn and the Wasp. Murder hornets! We're fucking doing that! When the bees were disappearing last year."

Jared stopped up from the table annoyed and pissed.

"Sit down, for god's sake. Is he doing the jump rope challenge?"

"Can we do some good news? I could really do with some more of those."

Future Jared then began laughing, "Good news. Right. Tell him to wear the masks. That's all I can say."

"Okay. What else?"

"Your birthday was celebrated on Zoom. Along with one of your cousins' birthday."

"That's cool."

"One of theirs was celebrated in person. Right. Your brother and one of your cousins was able to graduate high school."

"Good. Um, is there anything else?"

"Oh yeah. That's it."

"That's it? But there must have been any other major events 10 years in the future. People must be coming together. After what happened."

"Well, people have been protesting the quarantine with guns."

"What? Guns? Don't tell me the Doctor and Sarah Jane were right."

"I think it might have to do with the fifth generation of cellular service. I don't get it, really."

"Wait. Shouldn't UNIT or the Avengers deal with something like that? Symphogear or Magical Girls? Or possibly the police? Don't they have the responsibility to preserve life. Protect the health and well-being of the human population?"

"Nah. I don't think that's a good idea."

"How bad does the future get within two months?"

"Shit hits the fan hard. It's always been bad. It hits a boiling point."

"So, you can't tell me what happens?" Jared asked.

"No. Sorry. There's only three bits of good news left. Min Min getting revealed in Smash Ultimate. And the Isle of Armor got released. The Magia Record anniversary arrived." Future Jared said.

"But a lot happens, right? Even after I found out what happens during the Silurians adventure."

"So, what do I do?"

"Well, things get a lot worse narratively and in real life. You do what you've always done. You do what you think is right. Even if it is infuriating and overwhelming. You have to make yourself heard. We can't change the past. But we can make the future better." Future Jared said, taking out his phone. "Oh. Symphogear XD Unlimited global gets shut down. And the Last of Us 2 faces massive backlash. Nothing surprises me anymore."

"What the f…" Jared said, and future him walked away and resumed time.

"He's telling the truth. We saw it. Yang's mom...changed, right in front of us." Weiss said.

"Why would you do something like that? I mean, what is wrong with you?" Yang asked, looking at Ozpin.

"Yang, that's enough! We made a choice. We wanted this." Qrow said.

Yang relents.

"May I?" Ozpin asked, and Qrow nods. "Granting this power to them was no trivial task, and I can assure you it was not done frivolously. I required assistance in gathering information on Salem's plans, as well as searching for Maidens when their hosts became unclear."

"Okay, so, have you done this with others? Like General Ironwood? Or Professor Goodwitch?" Ruby asked.

"As helpful as that might be, unfortunately, it is not that simple. My power is finite, and if I'm being honest, dwindling. The amount that I gifted to Qrow and Raven was, all things considered, rather miniscule. You see, centuries ago, I sacrificed a great deal of magic to four young women, who I hoped would use my gift for good. They were the first Maidens." Ozpin said, while everyone is silent for a moment. "Miss Xiao Long, it was never my intention to lie to you. To any of you. There are just some matters that I prefer to... 'play close to the chest'." He looked over at Qrow. "I believe that's how you phrased it?"

"Yeah." Qrow said, chuckling.

"Everyone has a choice. The Branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. And later, one of them chose to abandon her duties in favor of her own self-interest. Now, all of you have a choice. If anyone wishes to leave, now is the time. There's no shame or disgrace in abstaining, only in retreat." Ozpin said, while everyone is silent as they ponder his words. "Very well, then."

Yang suddenly stands up.

"Yang?" Ruby asked.

"If Ruby and Jared stick around, then I will too. If there's one thing I know about them, it's that they somehow always know the right thing to do." Yang said. "Even after all the crap Jared puts us through with the Doctor. He still knows what to do, since we're here to support him."

"Thanks, for that, Goldilocks." Jared said, happily. "I really appreciate it."

Yang smiles at Ruby and Jared after saying that, "But, if we're going to help, if we're going to keep risking our lives, no more lies. No more half-truths."

Everyone remains silent. Ozpin and Qrow exchange a brief look with each other. Ozpin ponders Yang's words for one last moment, before responding.

"Understood." Ozpin said, smiling.

Yang sits back down.

"So...what now? I mean, what can we do?" Jaune asked.

"Mm, that is a difficult question. One that I believe is best answered tomorrow." Ozpin said. "Or when you come back from an adventure with the Doctor."

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked.

"The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with hardships and peril. However, it's been far too long since you have all been together." Ozpin said, while he puts his hand on Yang's shoulder. "Please, take tonight, enjoy this moment. And Jared please pick a more laid back adventure. So you can spend some time with Ruby, Weiss, and Yang."

"How does a museum sound?" Jared asked.

"A museum?" Ruby asked.

"What kind of museum?" Weiss asked.

"An art museum." Jared said.

"That's not too bad. Or dangerous." Yang said, smiling.

Suddenly Oscar's eyes glow, with Ozpin giving him control back to his body. Oscar realizes he has his hand on Yang's shoulder

"Geh!" Oscar said, as he quickly takes it off and nervously holds his cane in his hand.

Yang, Weiss, and Jared laugh at him, before hearing a noise from Nora.

"Oooohhh. Raven? Qrow? They're birds!! Cracked it!" Nora said, as the penny dropped.

Ren shakes his head at Nora being slow on the uptake.

"Can't believe it took you that long, Nora." Jared said, doing a facepalm.

Branwen Tribe camp's entrance…

Shay D. Mann and two other bandits stand guard, conversing with each other. Suddenly, a voice calls out from the forest.

"Hey ugly!" Mercury said.

With Shay and the bandits' attention drawn, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai walk out from the forest toward the camp's entrance.

"Is Raven Branwen home?" Emerald asked.

"Ya know, I've had a real bad week. So I think I'm gonna take it out on you…" Shay said, sighing.

Shay stops mid-sentence when he notices Cinder Fall and Arthur Watts walk out of the forest and joins the two of them.

"Hmph, doesn't look like he wants to cooperate, Boss." Mercury said.

"Then make him." Cinder said, chuckling.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Emerald proceeds forward. Shay and the other bandits hold their ground while Emerald unsheathes Thief's Respite, twirling them before they transform into their sickle forms.