Chapter Text
“Hey everyone.”
Everyone besides Qrow and Raven stared at the five Huntsmen, who presumably died at the helm of the Fall of Atlas. It was a long silence, until Nora eventually broke it.
“Is-Is this real?” Nora pinched herself in the shoulder, clenching her eyes shut. When she eventually reopened them, Team RWBY and Jaune were still standing before her. That meant…
“Oh my gods..” She gasped, suddenly launching forward and hugging all of them. “You’re real. You’re not dead. You’re not dead. You’re real. Oh my- thank the GODS!”
They all hugged her back just as tightly, as the waterworks burst out of all of them. They were back. They were home.
Nora abruptly broke from the hug to punch Jaune in the shoulder, causing him to cry out in surprise. “Ow!”
“Where the HELL have all of you been?! We thought you-“
“Died?”
“YES! What were we supposed to think?! You guys vanished into thin air, and didn’t come through the portal!”
Yang nervously chuckled. “It’s- a long story.”
“Well, START TALKING!”
“Nora, give them some space.”
“REN, they’ve been gone for almost a year!”
Okaaaay, that was something to unpack later. Ruby spoke up next.
“We’ll explain later. You guys mentioned something about a meeting?”
This time, it was Qrow who chimed in. “Kiddo, you just got back, maybe you should rest a bit before thinking of meeting with Theo.”
Team RWBY, Jaune, and the others all collectively stared at him with pure determination, and Qrow held his hands up in mock surrender.
“Just sayin’.”
“…Ya know what? He’s right. We did just get back. Maybe we should take it easy for a few days. I’m sure Theodore wouldn’t mind moving the meeting, right?” Yang agreed with Qrow, raising a skeptical brow at him.
Qrow nodded. “Yeah, he’s a laidback guy. He’ll understand.”
“Then it’s settled!” Yang exclaimed, giving them all a thumbs up. Weiss and Blake seemed pleased with the decision, and even Ruby too (begrudgingly). Who they all knew they had to keep their eyes on for a while.
“Come on! We can show you where the dorms are.” Nora waved her hand as if to say to follow her, and they all gladly complied. Sleeping in an actual bed sounds nice.
A few days later, everyone involved in the fight against Salem and her circle gathered in the Headmaster’s office. And Headmaster Theodore himself seemed to be running late.
“Sooooo- do you guys know why Theodore called us here?” Coco Adel, the leader of Team CFVY, asked the rest of their group that consisted of her team, Team SSSNN and (unfortunately) Team NDGO.
Professors Port and Oobleck were there too, but they were both conversing with Professor Rumpole about something unrelated to this seemingly important meeting.
Winter, Robyn and the Ace Ops, along with what remains of the Atlesian military, were away on assignment to Gods know where. Dr. Polendina went with them as their only source of tech support. And Raven Branwen is Raven Branwen, she doesn’t stay in one place for long.
“Dunno. Could be anything.”
“Sun, did you do something?”
“What?! What makes you think I did something?”
“Oh, I don’t know, because you always do, maybe?”
“At least my team didn’t start a food fight in the cafeteria!”
“Hmm- Coco, he’s got a point there. As much as I hate to say it.”
“HEY!”
“Hmm-I suppose you’re right, Bun-Bun.”
“Anyway, where is Headmaster Theodore?”
Coco quirked an eyebrow at Neptune’s question, wondering that herself. Headmaster Theodore did say that Ren, Nora, Oscar, and Qrow were coming, but he is usually a stickler for being on time himself.
Just when Neptune asked that question, Headmaster Theodore walked into the office with Qrow, Nora, Oscar and Ren. Theodore smiled at all of them.
“Oh good, you’re all here. At least we won’t have to save the main event.”
The people in the room, including Port and Oobleck, were all confused about what he meant by that. But Ren, Nora, Qrow and Oscar seemed - happy? Relieved? What the hell was happening?
“Uhm- main event?” Sun asked, speaking for all of them.
“Yes, because this is the most historic event in Remnant’s history this era. The grand return, the resurgence-“ Qrow groaned at Theodore’s dramatics and got straight to the point.
“Theo, with all due respect, we have no time for this. You kids can come in now!”
Everyone else watched the exchange in utter confusion, until five familiar faces appeared before them. Four of them had outfits representing red, white, black and yellow. And the other person was a knight in shining armor. It was all too obvious who they were.
“….Guys? Is-Is it really you?” Coco asked, blinking once, then twice, to see if she was just hallucinating. But when she still saw Team RWBY and Jaune standing there, that only confirmed it. They’re alive. They’re here now.
Gods, they’re ALIVE.
“Well, better question - do we look like we’re dead?” Yang sassed her back, earning a few amused chuckles from the others.
“Damn, classic Yang.” Sun commented, playfully scoffing at her. “It’s them alright.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Sun. The rest of us could be ghosts, here to haunt you for the rest of your lives.” Blake played along with Yang’s joke, smirking at her girlfriend.
“Glad to see you’re on my side, Blakey.”
“Oh, I’m always on your side.”
“I know, I know.”
Weiss and Ruby both groaned at them flirting, they were done with being second and third wheels. Especially Ruby.
“Guys, as much as I am happy for you, we have some important things to discuss. Like, ya know, why and how we’re alive?” Ruby folded her arms, and glancing at Theodore.
“RIGHT!” Theodore exclaimed. “Miss Valkyrie already informed us of what transpired in Atlas, but no one knew of your whereabouts. Until now. You kids have been out of commission for almost an entire year. Where have you been?”
Team RWBY and Jaune all exchanged looks with each other, as if silently asking if any of them specifically want to take the lead in explaining their whereabouts. Weiss, Blake and Yang didn’t want to put any pressure on Ruby, despite her being their team leader. Not after certain events in the Ever After.
Yang wryly smiled at everyone else in the office, officially taking up the mantle.
“What’s your favorite fairy tale?”