Beacon Tower – Headmaster's Office
The faint hum of the holographic map filled the room as Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood stood around the central table. The map of Vale shimmered, focusing in on the northern mountain ranges—where the ruins of Kuroyuri still lingered, half-consumed by the wilds. The grim reputation of that place hung over them all like a storm cloud.
Ozpin's cane tapped softly against the floor as he exhaled. "It's been years since anyone dared set foot there. The Grimm that nest in those ruins are not easily handled. We'll need to call upon veteran Huntsmen—teams experienced in wide-area extermination."
Ironwood nodded, his voice firm and pragmatic. "I'll send a detachment of Atlesian specialists to assist. Drones for overwatch, Paladin units for containment, and—"
"Actually…"
The interruption came from the far end of the table.
Onyx stood with his arms folded, the amethyst light of his eyes faintly reflecting against the glass map.
"If it's all the same," he said, "I'd like only Team RWBY and Team JNPR to go. No soldiers. No specialists."
Ozpin's brows rose slightly. Glynda's reaction was far less composed—her heel clicked sharply against the floor as she turned to him.
"Onyx, that is out of the question," she said, her tone laced with authority. "They are students, not soldiers. And you of all people should know what that place represents."
"I do," Onyx replied, calm as ever. "But I'm a child too, remember? You told me that once."
That earned him a brief pause.
Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora stood behind him, listening in silence. Even they hadn't expected him to say that.
Onyx stepped forward, resting both hands on the edge of the table. "You know they're capable. You've seen what they can do. And this isn't just a mission—it's a promise. I told Ren and Nora we'd help them reclaim their home."
He glanced toward them; Ren's face was unreadable, but Nora's eyes shimmered faintly with emotion.
Glynda crossed her arms tightly. "Promises are one thing, Mr. Thorn. Taking students into a Grimm-infested region is—"
"I'll keep them safe," Onyx said simply, cutting her off—but without arrogance. Just certainty. "You've seen what I can summon. I'll be bringing an army of Grimm with me. Controlled Grimm. My Grimm."
That made even Ironwood pause, his expression flickering with mixed calculation and disbelief. "You intend to use your summons to secure the perimeter?"
Onyx nodded. "Exactly. And besides…"
He turned slightly, looking back toward the gathered teams. "They'll need to learn what real hunts are like sooner or later. Better they do it while I'm there to watch their backs."
Silence followed. Ozpin leaned slightly on his cane, studying the young man in front of him—the boy who carried himself like a seasoned warrior, whose eyes gleamed with both light and shadow.
Finally, Ozpin smiled faintly. "You truly do remind me of someone I once knew."
He turned his gaze to Glynda. "Miss Goodwitch, I believe Mr. Thorn is correct. This may be unorthodox, but so is he."
Glynda's lips parted in disbelief. "Ozpin, you can't be serious—"
"I am." His voice was quiet, but decisive. "They will go. Under Onyx's command. This will serve both as a mission of reclamation… and as an invaluable lesson in leadership and field cooperation."
Glynda looked between them, clearly frustrated—but the conviction in Ozpin's tone was unshakeable. Finally, she exhaled, her stern expression softening just slightly. "Fine. But if a single student is injured, I will hold you responsible, Onyx."
Onyx gave a short nod. "Understood."
Ruby grinned from behind him. "You really think we're gonna let him do all the work anyway?"
Yang smirked. "Yeah, like he could stop us."
Weiss rolled her eyes but smiled faintly. "You're all insufferable."
Blake crossed her arms. "But she's not saying no."
Weiss sighed. "…Unfortunately."
Nora bounced on her heels, her earlier melancholy replaced with fiery determination. "Let's go kick that Grimm's butt and take Kuroyuri back!"
Ren gave a small smile at her side, bowing his head respectfully. "Thank you, everyone."
Pyrrha placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "Then it's settled."
Ironwood rubbed his temple, muttering under his breath. "You're all going to give me a heart attack one of these days."
Qrow, lounging near the doorway with his flask, gave a dry chuckle. "You'll live. Besides, Ozpin's right. This is the kind of crazy that usually works with these kids."
Ozpin chuckled softly, glancing once more toward Onyx. "Then it's decided. Prepare your teams. Departure is at dawn."
Onyx inclined his head. "Understood."
As the teams began to leave, Glynda's voice stopped him one last time.
"Onyx."
He turned to face her.
"Do not mistake my caution for doubt. I know what you're capable of," she said, her tone softer but still stern. "Just… don't forget they're still young."
Onyx gave her a small, sincere smile. "I won't."
And with that, he stepped out into the hall—his cloak trailing behind him, the faint glow of his amethyst eyes reflecting in the window's light.
---
Hours later, Aboard a Bullhead – En Route to Kuroyuri
The low rumble of the bullhead filled the air as the wind howled outside, streaking against the reinforced glass. The transport soared over the Valean mountain range, cutting through sheets of cloud as dawn light crept across the horizon.
Inside, the atmosphere was strangely calm—too calm for what they were about to do.
Ruby sat near the window, silver eyes reflecting the distant mountains. She held Crescent Rose against her shoulder, quietly running her thumb across the polished metal. "Hard to believe we're actually doing this," she murmured.
Yang smirked beside her, arms crossed. "You mean heading into Grimm territory with no backup, led by a guy who commands Grimm like pets?"
Ruby blinked, then smiled faintly. "Okay, yeah… when you put it like that, it sounds kinda crazy."
Weiss, sitting opposite them, adjusted her gloves with a disapproving sigh. "Kind of? It's utterly reckless. I can't believe Professor Ozpin allowed this."
"Technically," Blake said calmly, closing her book, "he didn't allow it. He trusted it." She looked up, her amber eyes softening. "There's a difference."
Across the cabin, Jaune was fiddling nervously with his armor straps while Pyrrha watched with quiet patience.
"Relax, Jaune," she said gently. "You've been through worse."
"Yeah, but those were tournaments," Jaune replied, tugging at his pauldron. "This is a Grimm-infested wasteland. Big difference."
Ren sat nearby, silent as ever, his eyes fixed on the floor. Nora leaned against him, hugging her hammer close like it was a pillow.
She glanced up at Onyx, who stood near the cockpit, hands tucked in his coat pockets, gaze fixed ahead. The rising sun bathed his features in faint gold, the light glinting off his amethyst eyes.
"Hey," Nora called softly. "You sure about this?"
Onyx turned his head slightly, giving her a small, knowing smirk. "You having second thoughts?"
"Ha!" Nora grinned faintly, though her eyes betrayed the nerves behind it. "No way. Just… thinking."
Ren looked up at Onyx as well. "Do you really believe we can reclaim it?"
Onyx met his gaze, calm but firm. "If you can survive what happened there once, then reclaiming it will be the easy part."
That made Ren pause. The words weren't flashy or overly hopeful—but there was strength in them. Simple, unshakable strength.
"Besides," Onyx added, glancing back toward the window, "I'm not letting anyone else take that village back except you two."
The engines hummed louder as the bullhead began to descend slightly, slicing through a patch of mist.
Ruby perked up, standing slightly to peer through the window. "Whoa… you can actually see it from here."
Everyone gathered near the window. Far below, nestled between two broken cliffs, lay the remains of Kuroyuri. Once a peaceful mountain settlement, now reduced to silent ruins wrapped in creeping black vines and patches of Grimm ichor.
Nora's grip tightened on her hammer. "It hasn't changed much…"
Ren's voice was quiet, almost distant. "No… it hasn't."
Onyx watched the ruined landscape with an unreadable expression. "Grimm still linger. But it's not as bad as I thought."
Ironwood's voice crackled through the cockpit communicator. "Beacon Bullhead-07, this is Atlas Command. You're nearing the border of restricted airspace. This is your last checkpoint before you're on your own. Do you confirm?"
Ruby looked to Onyx.
He stepped forward, pressing the comm switch. "Confirmed, General. We'll take it from here."
There was a brief pause on the line before Ironwood's voice returned, steady but resigned. "Understood. Good luck out there, Thorn. And… keep those kids safe."
The line clicked off.
Onyx exhaled softly. "Alright," he said, turning back toward the group. "We land in ten minutes. Get ready."
Blake adjusted her weapon, Weiss drew a deep breath, and Yang cracked her knuckles with a grin.
Ruby smiled, though a trace of unease crossed her face. "You think we'll really be able to rebuild it?"
Onyx looked out the window one last time, the wind outside catching his cloak.
"We're not here to rebuild," he said quietly. "We're here to make sure it's safe enough for that to happen."
Pyrrha nodded. "Then let's make it count."
As the bullhead descended lower, its engines echoed across the silent valley below. The ruins of Kuroyuri came into full view—buildings overtaken by nature, broken bridges, and patches of lingering Grimm movement in the distance.
Ren and Nora exchanged a silent look. Their home… their pain… their past.
Onyx glanced at them once more. "When we land," he said, "we'll secure the perimeter. I'll summon the Grimm to form a guard wall. From there, we move in."
Ruby tilted her head. "Guard wall?"
Onyx's lips twitched slightly. "You'll see."
The bullhead began to slow, turbulence rocking the cabin as dust and debris swirled beneath them.
The light dimmed as they entered the shadow of the mountains.
And through the mist below… Kuroyuri waited.
---
Kuroyuri Outskirts – Landing Zone
The bullhead touched down with a soft thud, its engines slowly powering down as the side doors hissed open. The early morning air was cold, thin, and eerily quiet. Mist rolled lazily over the ruined valley ahead, the faint scent of ash and moss lingering in the air.
Onyx stepped out first, boots crunching over the cracked earth. His eyes swept the horizon—sharp, assessing. Behind him, the rest of the group followed, weapons in hand and eyes scanning the surroundings.
Ren and Nora stood still for a long moment, taking it all in. The broken remnants of what once was home stretched before them—collapsed homes, shattered lanterns, and the faint outlines of old pathways now swallowed by nature.
Ruby rested a hand on Nora's shoulder, giving her a small, reassuring smile. "We'll make it right."
Nora nodded faintly. "Yeah… let's make it right."
Onyx raised his right arm, his Amethyst Eyes glowing faintly as a small swirl of shadow gathered above his forearm. With a flicker of energy, a Nevermore emerged from the darkness—but this one was tiny, barely the size of an eagle. Its feathers shimmered with faint amethyst highlights as it landed gracefully on his arm.
The team blinked—more impressed than surprised.
Ruby tilted her head, eyes wide with fascination. "Whoa! It's so small!"
Yang grinned. "That's adorable. Like a murder pigeon."
Weiss sighed but couldn't hide the smirk tugging at her lips. "Only you would call a Grimm adorable, Yang."
Blake crossed her arms, amused. "Still, I didn't know you could make them that small, Onyx."
Onyx glanced down at the tiny Nevermore, his tone casual. "Why do you think Wuffles is small? Of course, there's a limit—they can only shrink down to a certain point. They can go back to their original size, but not beyond it."
Ruby leaned in, eyes sparkling. "So no super-mini Grimm? Like… teacup-sized Beowolves?"
Onyx gave her a dry look. "No, Ruby. I'm not making 'pocket Grimm.'"
"Aw…" Ruby deflated dramatically, which made Yang snicker.
The Nevermore gave a soft squawk, earning Onyx's attention. He nodded once. "Check the perimeter."
With a sharp flap of its wings, the Nevermore took off, cutting through the fog and disappearing into the pale light of dawn.
Jaune whistled lowly. "You've got your own recon team. That's… actually kinda smart."
Onyx smirked slightly. "It's effective. The small ones can scout without drawing too much attention. Especially from the bigger Grimm."
Weiss arched a brow. "And if they do draw attention?"
Onyx shrugged. "Then they'll make enough noise for us to prepare."
Ren looked at him quietly, then nodded approvingly. "Efficient as always."
Nora slung her hammer over her shoulder, smiling faintly. "Classic Onyx. Always five steps ahead."
Onyx's expression softened just a bit. "Four, actually. The fifth depends on what we find here."
He stepped forward, his cloak shifting in the wind. "We move out when my scout returns. Then we start forming the perimeter."
Blake adjusted her ribbon, scanning the distance. "How long do you think that'll take?"
Onyx glanced up at the sky, his Amethyst Eyes flickering. "Not long."
As if on cue, a dark shape swooped back through the mist—the same Nevermore, gliding gracefully before perching once more on Onyx's forearm. It let out a low, echoing caw.
Onyx's brow furrowed slightly as he listened to the creature's sound, like he was reading its tone more than its words.
"Multiple Grimm signatures," he murmured. "A few Ursas, several Sabyrs… nothing large-scale yet."
Yang cracked her knuckles. "Then let's clear 'em out before breakfast."
Ruby smirked. "Or after breakfast. I'm still kinda hungry."
Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're always hungry."
Onyx exhaled lightly, then turned back toward the ruins. "Alright. Let's form the Vanguard."
The air around him shimmered—black mist curling outward like ripples in water. From the darkness, amethyst-eyed Grimm began to emerge: Beowolves, Creeps, Ursai, Nevermores, and King Taijitus.
They stood in perfect formation, waiting for orders.
As the army assembled, Ren and Nora exchanged a look—then one of quiet resolve.
"This time," Ren whispered, "we'll face Kuroyuri together."
Nora smiled. "Yeah. But now we've got family watching our backs."
Onyx gave a faint, rare smile. "Damn right."
And as the morning mist slowly lifted, Team RWBY and Team JNPR began their advance—guided by Grimm, shadow, and a single unyielding purpose.
To reclaim what was lost.