The morning sun cast warm golden rays across the Beacon courtyard as students made their way to the training halls. Among them, Amazo strolled calmly beside Penny, who was chatting animatedly about the upcoming Vytal Festival.
As they rounded a corner toward the combat arena, Team RWBY appeared ahead of them. The girls were gathered near the entrance, seemingly waiting or perhaps just loitering in anticipation of the class.
"Good morning," Amazo greeted with a courteous nod.
"Hello, friends!" Penny waved with her usual cheery enthusiasm.
Weiss nodded politely, and Blake offered a subtle wave, but Yang immediately stepped forward with fire in her eyes. "Where's Ashborn?"
Amazo paused, his head tilting slightly. "My father left early this morning. Is something wrong?"
Yang crossed her arms, voice tight. "He kidnapped my sister yesterday and dragged her off to a criminal's den to hear a bedtime story from a crime lord! I want to beat the crap out of him!"
Amazo blinked once, then calmly asked, "Was Ruby harmed?"
Yang sputtered. "That's… that's not the point! It was dangerous! He took her to where Roman Torchwick lives!"
Amazo nodded, completely unfazed. "She was in the safest place in the world. Wherever my father stands, nothing can harm you. And compared to what he's done before… that was actually very tame."
Team RWBY fell into silence, each processing that ominous statement in their own way.
Penny leaned toward Amazo and whispered with admiration, "Your dad sounds impressive."
Amazo gave a single, proud nod. "He is."
With that, the two of them continued on toward class, leaving Team RWBY behind in the hallway.
Ruby shrugged with an awkward smile. "I told you, it's fine."
"No," Weiss said flatly, eyes narrowed. "Hearing him say it just makes it more concerning."
Yang clenched her fist. "One day, I will punch that guy."
___________
Inside the combat class, Glynda stood before the class, her stern expression commanding attention as always.
"Tomorrow begins the Vytal Festival," she announced. "You are expected to be at your best. With all four kingdoms watching, the pressure will be immense. Prepare yourselves accordingly."
Her eyes swept over the students, then rested on one in particular. "Mr. Black."
Amazo looked up.
"After discussions between the headmasters and faculty, we've decided you will not be allowed to participate in the festival matches."
A quiet murmur spread through the class. Glynda continued, "We fear it would be unfair to the other contestants."
Amazo nodded without any resistance. "Understood."
Glynda nodded back, then looked over the room. "Since today is the last day before the tournament… anyone interested in a spar?"
A hand shot up.
"I'd like to go against Amazo," Pyrrha Nikos said with confidence.
The room buzzed louder now. Everyone turned to look. The Invincible Girl versus the super Android? Even Glynda blinked.
She turned to Amazo. "Do you accept?"
Amazo nodded.
The two approached the arena floor, surrounded by excited classmates whispering, placing mental bets, and wondering how the match would go.
On the stage, Pyrrha smiled and held out her hand. "Don't hold back. Show me what you've really got."
Amazo looked genuinely apologetic. "Apologies, I can't. You'll die if I do that."
Pyrrha hesitated, blinking. "…Then just show me as much as you can without killing me. Deal?"
Amazo nodded again.
Glynda raised her voice. "Combatants ready. You may begin!"
Pyrrha moved to raise her shield…. and then her weapons clattered to the floor.
She crumpled forward like a puppet with its strings cut, eyes wide with confusion before her aura flickered out.
Standing behind her, calm, composed, utterly still was Amazo.
A silence heavier than iron settled over the room.
Everyone's eyes turned to the aura display.
Empty.
Glynda took an uncertain step forward. "How…?"
Amazo turned to her and replied evenly, "Super speed. I can move at levels humans can't perceive."
Penny stepped forward helpfully. "I've confirmed he can move at least at Mach 30."
The silence now had weight.
"M-Mach 30?" Nora stammered, looking around.
Ren answered weakly, his voice distant. "…He could defeat everyone in this room… before we could even blink."
___________
In a secluded Beacon Academy room, Cinder Fall sat rigid, her eyes narrowed in deep thought. Mercury leaned back in his chair, his usual smug attitude replaced by an uneasy expression. Emerald paced anxiously near the wall.
The silence was thick, finally broken by Mercury.
"That android... he's way more capable than we thought. That thing's not just a variable, he's a whole disaster to the plan. How the heck did anyone even manage to create something like that?"
Emerald turned to Cinder, worry etched across her face.
"What should we do? If that thing decides to come after us, we won't even be able to react. Should we just cancel the plan?"
Cinder's jaw clenched. Her amber eyes flared.
"I'm not stopping right behind the finish line. That thing is just a machine and I refuse to believe it's invincible." She leaned forward, voice sharp. "And even if it was... what about his human father?"
Mercury scoffed and threw his hands up "Oh, brilliant. You want to go after the 'dark lord' who eradicated a whole army of Grimm in seconds? How could that possibly go wrong?"
Cinder glared at him, unamused.
"If I only had the full Maiden powers, things would be much easier."
Mercury shrugged with a disinterested grunt.
Then Cinder's lips curled into a sly smile. "We don't have to beat the father. We just need him. As a hostage. Drug him, subdue him. Let's not forget, he's a man, after all."
___________
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the scheming happening across the academy, the very target of their plan was lounging comfortably inside a dusty storage unit.
Ashborn sat between Roman Torchwick and Neo, all three perched on a couch in front of a TV setup running off tech brought and powered by Ashborn himself. Controllers in hand, they played as if the world outside didn't exist.
Roman glanced at him, brow raised "Why are you here again?"
Ashborn leaned back lazily. "I'm bored. School's dull, and no one's particularly interesting."
Roman nodded with a hum of understanding "By the way, you've mentioned twice now I'll be eaten whole by a Grimm. Care to elaborate?"
Ashborn chuckled "It got to you, huh? Well, that's the fate written for you. And your girlfriend over here," he pointed lazily at Neo, "goes on a revenge arc and ends up becoming a tree."
Roman blinked "That is... concerning."
Ashborn grinned "Not really. You were supposed to die during the Vytal Festival, when the fire bitch kicked off her little terrorist campaign."
Roman's brows shot up "You know about Cinder?"
Ashborn shrugged "Man, I know the future of this world. I'm just curious if she'll drop her stupid plan now that I and my son are here, or if she'll push ahead anyway."
Roman tilted his head "She's a stubborn one."
Neo nodded in agreement.
Ashborn gave a low, ominous chuckle. "That would be bad for her health."
Roman stared at him for a moment, then asked "Are you even human?"
Ashborn's expression softened with a smirk "Yes... but an alien to your world. We come from a different one. If you ever get bored with Remnant, I could send you elsewhere."
Roman paused, processing the offer. "You for real? What are you, some sort of a human god?"
Ashborn laughed. "No. But I'd be offended if you compared me to puny things like gods."
Roman gave a low whistle as they resumed their game.
Ashborn said. "Classes are over. I'll go check on them. You keep following Cinder's orders and let's see where that takes you. Don't worry, if things go south, I'll save your ass."
Roman smirked, "Sure thing, new boss."
Ashborn rolled his eyes "No need for 'boss.'"
He stood up, stretched lazily then vanished into thin air.
Roman looked over at Neo. "That was strange but I believe him. Honestly even if that was not true, he still seems like a good boss to follow. Good personality, godly powers."
Neo nodded wordlessly.
And just like that, the two returned to their game, as if none of it was out of the ordinary.
___________
Ashborn reappeared at Beacon Academy in front of the main building. Just ahead, students were filing out after classes among them, Amazo, Penny, and the full squads of Team RWBY and Team JNPR.
Ashborn strode forward with his usual calm and a faint smile "Amazo," he greeted warmly, "how was today's class?"
Amazo responded plainly, his tone neutral. "They were the usual. Nothing special."
Ashborn gave a thoughtful nod, then turned his gaze to Penny. "I hope Amazo isn't a bad partner."
Penny blinked at him, then perked up with cheerful resolve.
"Amazo is amazing! The best partner I've ever had!" she declared with unexpected passion.
"He's reliable and effective, and fun to be around!"
Ashborn chuckled, genuinely amused until a blur of movement caught his eye. From the left, a punch flew toward his face.
It was Yang.
She had taken the opportunity to slip around the group unnoticed and launched a full-force strike at Ashborn while he was distracted. But before her fist could make contact, her body froze mid-motion just inches away.
Ashborn turned his head slightly, eyes calm but unimpressed.
"What kind of person greets someone with a punch?" he asked, his tone dry. "That's barbarism at full display."
Yang snarled, her body still suspended mid-strike. "You took my sweet little sister to a criminal den!!"
Ashborn raised an eyebrow. "And? She had fun, no?"
Yang's jaw tightened. "Fun with a crime lord? What is wrong with you!?"
Ashborn answered smoothly, "Putting Mr. Torchwick's shady operations and criminal activities to the side... he's a delight to accompany."
Yang blinked, caught off guard by the bizarre sincerity of the statement.
Amazo tilted his head and asked, "Are you planning to offer him a job?"
Ashborn nodded "He's currently in the middle of a terrorist campaign, but once that's over? Yes, I plan on offering him one."
Penny tilted her head in visible confusion. "How does that... work?"
Around her, the rest of the students, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, and even the more stoic Lie Ren, all wore similar looks of puzzlement.
Amazo answered for Ashborn, his tone as matter-of-fact as ever.
"Father will simply offer him a job. No different from any hiring operation. It is not the first time Father offered jobs to villains and terrorists. My sister actually can be considered a terrorist or a villain right before Father adopted her."
Silence fell across the group.
Amazo's answer, rather than clarifying anything, only deepened the confusion on every face.
Weiss blinked. Nora tilted her head like she was trying to solve a riddle. Blake looked between Ashborn and Amazo like they were some alien enigma which, technically, they were.
Ashborn just smiled.