Creation

***Creation*** is the eighteenth episode of *The RWBYA Adventures*.

## Plot

*[General Ironwood stood in the Atlas vault, his scroll displaying Ruby's contact photo.]*

Ruby *(voice)*: She'll do it.

Ironwood: The Academy entrance. Penny comes alone.

*[A small Manta made its way toward Atlas through a lightly Grimm-infested sky. Some of the ship's occupants (Jaune, Nora, and Lie) were visible and looked uneasy. Just outside Atlas Academy, Vine, Harriet, and Elm look on as Ironwood readied a large handheld cannon, awaiting Penny's arrival.]*

Ironwood: Be ready for anything. We don't know what state Penny is in.

Harriet: If any of those brats have the nerve to come with her, we put them down immediately. The General gave his terms. No more games.

*[Vine sighed, while Elm looked uneasy.]*

Harriet: *[particularly bitchy this time]* Is there a problem?

Vine: Just... retracing the steps that led us here.

*[Ironwood's Scroll beeped with a security alert.]*

Harriet: What is it, sir?

Ironwood: *[looks at the alert, then glances at the Ace Ops]* Qrow and Robyn. They're in the Academy hangar.

Vine: Trying to stop the payload?

Ironwood: Or just looking for a way out.

Harriet: Not going to happen. I've been waiting to take my shot at those two. *[activates Fast Knuckles]* Let's go, Ace Ops.

Elm: But...someone needs to stay here with the General.

I'll stay.

*[Winter came in from offscreen, stopping near Ironwood.]*

Winter: We lose the payload, we lose our leverage.

Ironwood: She's right. Contain it. Now.

*[Vine, Harriet, and Elm left to deal with the fugitives. Winter's expression softened.]*

Winter: Sir, this course of action--

Ironwood: I hope you're not going to try to talk me out of it.

*[Winter turned to look Ironwood in the eye, her demeanor shifting to a resolute one. Ironwood's eyes seemed to have lost all humanity to them.]*

Winter: No, sir. I don't think that's possible.

*[With a whoosh, both were alerted to Penny's apparent approach, and they watched her touch down before them. Ironwood immediately leveled his cannon at her. Its barrel glowed a pale green as he charged it.]*

Ironwood: I didn't think you'd actually come alone.

*[He paused to hand Winter a set of Gravity Bolas, then continued pointing his weapon at Penny.]*

Ironwood: I expected at least some resistance from your friends.

Penny: I don't want anyone else to die.

*[Winter stepped forward, securing Penny's wrists with the bolas.]*

Penny: I must open the Vault.

*[Winter stepped back, drawing her saber and pointing it at Penny. Ironwood took a deep breath and lowered his cannon, then moved forward to place a hand on Penny's shoulder.]*

Ironwood: You've done the right thing.

Penny: *[cocking an eyebrow, her voice changing]* ...I have?

*[The image of Penny flickered and is replaced with Emerald Sustrai. In the background, Oscar, Alan 3, Jaune, Ren, and Nora appear, weapons at the ready and poised to fight. A Manta was parked behind them.]*

Emerald: Feels weird.

*[Ironwood only had enough time to widen his eyes in shock before Emerald's shoe comes in contact with with his chin. As he stumbled back, he dropped his weapon. Emerald landed in a crouch, caught Ironwood's cannon, then used her Semblance to disappear from view. Jaune swung his sword at Ironwood, but the General dodged, grabbing his wrist. He landed a blow on Jaune's shield, and was blasted back by a wave of Gravity Dust. Oscar joined the fray, getting a few hits with his cane in, but took a hit to the stomach. One of Ren's grappling blades wrapped around Ironwood's ankle, and he was pulled off his feet. Ren fired, but the General dodged, shaking off his tether. After a brief tussle, Ironwood sent Ren flying with a kick.]*

*[An ethereal glimmer was heard, and Ironwood looked skyward to find Nora being charged up by a Lightning Dust-infused Schnee Glyph. Winter stood to the side, pointing her sword at Nora, clearly responsible for the Glyph. Ironwood grimaced at the betrayal, then took Nora's hammer to the face, tumbling. Before he could fall to the ground, Ironwood was suddenly swooped up into the sky by a brown blur, revealing to be Absorbat carrying the General with his prehensile feet. Flying up higher, Asborbat let go of Ironwood, allowing him to descend as he kept going higher himself. Absorbat turned about, facing downwards, with his feet coming in contact with another one of Winter's Glyphs, this one black. He quick-changed into Judgilante, and the Glyph propelled him downward, giving him a faster fall as he used his gavel to slam Ironwood to the ground.]*

*[Winter and Oscar charged at Ironwood atop a Manticore summon, courtesy of the former. Ironwood glanced up, just in time to be able to stop the Manticore by grabbing its horns, but its riders leaped off. Winter hit the General in the back with icy projectiles as he slammed her summon on the ground, destroying it. Upon landing, Winter summoned a black glyph, which caught Oscar and propelled him back at Ironwood. The boy unleashed a flurry of jabs at Ironwood's chest, causing his Aura to shimmer. Ironwood stumbled back, and Oscar pressed on. However, the General caught his cane and prepared to attack with his free hand. Then, moving too fast for him to react, Winter slashed him across the chest with her sword. The slash causes an enormous amount of energy to surge through Ironwood, and break his Aura. Ironwood's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed. Winter sheathed her weapon, and straightened up. Emerald shimmered back into view again, handed Winter the weapon Ironwood dropped, and had the bolas taken off her wrists.]*

Winter: Go! Move to phase two.

*[Oscar, Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Emerald hurried into the academy. Judgilante turned towards Winter before becoming human, seeing Winter wrap the Gravity bolas around Ironwood's wrists.]*

Alan 3: ...Be safe.

*[Winter gave Alan 3 an acknowledging nod before he followed the others.]*

*[Vine, Harriet, and Elm hurried to the hangar, and were greeted by the sight of Robyn and Qrow making short work of a troop of Atlesian Knight-200s. Vine, Harriet, and Elm got ready to charge into battle. Elm was about to draw her weapon, and Vine and Harriet starting to use their Semblances.]*

***Stay!***

*[They stopped in their tracks against their will. Harriet painstakingly moved her eyes to see Marrow slowly approaching, pointing his index finger at the group. The detached, sparking head of an Atlesian Knight-200 hit the floor, one of Robyn's crossbow bolts embedded in it.]*

Qrow: Sorry guys, but we don't wanna fight.

Robyn: We didn't wanna drop Atlas either, but we've all had to make some tough calls, huh?

*[Qrow and Robyn sheathed their weapons, trusting Marrow to hold the other Ace Ops in place with his Semblance.]*

Blake *(voice)*: So, that takes care of phase one.

Ruby *(voice)*: Meanwhile, the real Penny goes to the Vault, with help.

*[A Manta haphazardly drifted up to a large hole in the base of Atlas' floating landmass. The door on the side of the ship opened, revealing a grimacing Penny being supported by Blake and Yang. Ruby casted Penny a worried look. Weiss gave a thumbs-up to Klein who was in the pilot's seat. Klein returned the gesture as her mother and brother looked on. Alan 2 also stood with the group.]*

Oscar *(voice)*: I blasted a hole through the bottom of Atlas and I highly doubt they've had time for repairs. That should take you straight to it. All of that is the easy part.

*[Ruby used her Semblance to carry Penny and her team through the hole and up the shaft to the landing in front of the Atlas vault. As they approached it, the stepped leading up to it move into place, reacting to their presence.]*

Ruby *(voice)*: As soon as Penny opens the door, we go through, grab the Staff, and stop her termination.

*[Weiss stood guard with her rapier as the others kneeled by the vault door. Yang had a steadying hand on Penny's shoulder.]*

Yang: Just hang in there, Penny. Okay?

*[Penny's Maiden's eye-flames flare weakly as she clutched her head, but she nodded. As she reached for the door, her eye-flames flared up to their usual strength. On making contact, the door's engravings glowed ice-blue. The vault door came down piece-by-piece, and Ruby was in motion before it opens all the way. She picked up her team in a burst of rose petals, hurrying into the grassy area in the vault. She deposited her team on a stone platform and rushed forward to grab the Staff of Creation. As with Jinn's summoning, time slowed to crawl and eventually stopped. Jaune was seen in front of a broadcast terminal, and Winter was seen escorting Ironwood to a holding cell adjacent to her father's, while Penny went through her death throes beyond the vault door. Cyan smoke billowed from the jewel topping the staff as Team RWBYA looked on in awe. A muscular, blue-skinned figure with golden chains took form before them and flexed gratefully.]*

Ambrosius: Ah! It seems someone has come to engage my creative wiles! All I'll say is it had better be worth it after my last project. *[crossing his arms]* A floating city? *[scoffs]* How pedestrian.

*[Ruby stepped forward, the Staff still in her hands.]*

Ruby: Hi, um, Mr. Ambrosius? Sir, listen, it's about our friend. She's... She's dying.

*[Ruby turned to look at Penny as Ambrosius inspected his nails, unconcerned.]*

Ambrosius: I'm going to go ahead and assume that you know it's against the rules for me to bring people back from dead so...

Ruby: That's not what we want. She's not your typical girl.

*[Ambrosius' expression turned to one of shock and intrigue, and he rushed over to the vault door. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured what looks like a jeweler's magnifying glass, and inspected Penny.]*

Ambrosius: So she isn't! I'd love to meet whoever did this... Ah, I see. *[goes back to the group]* There's something eating away at her. I'm guessing you think you have some clever plan to save her. Just know, I will give you *exactly* what you ask for, and I don't want any complaining when it's not what you wanted.

*[Ruby and Weiss exchanged meaningful looks, and the latter pulled out her scroll, projecting a hologram of Penny's blueprints for Ambrosius to see. The Staff's spirit was immediately engrossed in them.]*

Ruby: We brought her schematics. We want you to make a new version of her using her exact same robot parts.

*[Ambrosius frowned, peering over the hologram at Ruby.]*

Ambrosius: That was... *curiously* worded, girl.

Ruby: An exact copy of her would include the virus. An exact copy of her *without* the virus would cease to exist the second you make something else, and we kinda wanna keep her around longer than that.

Ambrosius: *[chuckling]* You've done your homework.

Ruby: We want you to create a new version of her, using her existing robotic parts taking the virus with them.

*[Ambrosius formed a steeple with his fingers, deep in thought. He twirled in the air away from the group to make a series of complex hand gestures, apparently doing some difficult calculations. Weiss stopped projecting the hologram and Team RWBYA looked at its leader, who could only shrug.]*

Ambrosius: Okay, but if I take the robot parts out of her, that would leave...

Blake: Penny. *[the comment catches Ambrosius' attention]* The girl who's always been there underneath it.

Ambrosius: Hmm...

Ruby: You can't destroy, it's against the rules. But you wouldn't be destroying her. Her *soul* is who she is.

Yang: The mechanical parts are just... extra.

*[Yang flaunted her mechanical arm, as did Alan with the Simplicitrix gauntlet, and Ambrosius gawked at both before composing himself, only to gesture frantically.]*

Ambrosius: But a soul without a complete body, what would be left?

Alan 2: I suppose... You'll just have to risk it and see. That's what we're doing after all.

*[Excited, the Staff's spirit flew here and there, doing calculations, clearly lost in thought.]*

Ambrosius: *[laughing]* I suppose I could do a little... Oh, add a touch of... But if I do that, how much of the old Penny would be my work and how much would be *her*? Just coming up to the surface... This is all very exciting, and very dangerous. I don't know what the results are going to be.

Weiss: We don't have any other options. We believe in her.

Ambrosius: Then ready yourselves, to witness my artistry!

*[He made an expansive gesture, then made some more hand movements, a bright glow emanating from his hands. A stream of sparks and mist moved toward Penny and snaked around her, lifting her into the air. As time resumed for her, she blinked and the red glow of the virus disappeared from her eyes. She glowed brightly, causing Team RWBYA to shield their eyes. Her extremities shimmered, and when Ambrosius gave a final snap of his fingers, two almost identical Pennys stood beyond the vault's threshold. However, one stood without gloves, and without the thigh-highs.]*

Ambrosius: It's done!

*[With a cheeky look and a wink, Ambrosius disappeared in a puff of cyan smoke.]*

*[The military complex rumbled as Jaune and his group stood before the broadcast terminal.]*

Jaune: I guess that's the signal then. Seems like things are moving forward in the Vault.

*[He began typing on the keyboard. The screen read WELCOME BACK, and several windows popped up.]*

Nora: Hopefully Penny is going to be okay.

Oscar: If Atlas is moving, we need to get word out before people panic.

Emerald: Meaning hurry!

Jaune: I know, I know!

*[He jabbed at a single button repeatedly, then tapped another. A red circle followed by LIVE appeared on screen.];;*

Jaune: Okay, this should be, um... That did, uh, something?

Ren: You're live.

Emerald: Everyone can see you.

*[In the subway, a mother watched the broadcast with her child.]*

Jaune: Oh! *[clears throat]* Citizens of Atlas, Mantle, what we have to tell you is very important. Atlas is falling but-

*[His image blinked out, to be replaced by a NO SIGNAL banner and a color test card. Jaune blinked in surprise.]*

Jaune: Wait, what happened?

Ren: It's dead! The entire CCT, it just went down.

*[Nora raised her scroll, which was displaying the same color test card.]*

Nora: And so did Kingdom wide communications. How?

Oscar: The bigger question is what do we do now?

*[Ironwood lied unconscious in his holding cell as Winter frowned at the sudden signal disruption on her Scroll. Jacques spoke from the adjacent cell.]*

Jacques: That boy said Atlas is falling. Is that true?

Winter: Yes. We're using the Staff to get everyone to safety. Salem can have the rubble. We'll all be long gone.

*[As she turned to leave, her father reached out, only for the hard-light barrier of his cell to buzz against his hands.]*

Jacques: Are you... Are you going to leave me here?!

Winter: *[pauses]* ...No. When we're finished, we'll move both of you to safety.

Jacques: Oh, Winter, thank you. I-

Winter: *[turning back to him annoyed]* Don't thank me. It was Weiss's decision.

*[Jacques laments while thinking about this as Winter leaves.]*

Elm: They're using the Staff?

*[In the hangar, Qrow Branwen and Robyn Hill were subduing a motionless Elm, Vine, and Harriet. As Atlas began to fall, Elm's dropped hammer skidded across the floor, kicking up sparks.]*

Elm: Are they crazy? They'll destroy the kingdom!

*[Robyn left Elm to Qrow and moves on to restrain Harriet.]*

Robyn: What do you think a kingdom is? The people, or just the chunk of land they live on?

Qrow: Either way, it's over now. Ironwood's down.

*[Finished with Elm, Qrow proceeded to Vine, who accepted being restrained without comment, even deactivating his Semblance in surrender. Harriet's defiant expression was frozen on her face until Qrow's comment about Ironwood, at which she raised her eyebrows in surprise. Suddenly, an Atlesian Knight-200 entered the hangar and turns to look at them. A quick camera cut revealed it was being remotely controlled by Watts. The display on its face changed to an angry red, and it began sprinting toward the Huntsmen and Huntresses. emitting a beeping sound. It persevered in spite of Robyn shooting an arm off and sinking a bolt into its head. As she and Qrow stared in shock at its approach, Marrow scrambled forward.]*

Marrow: No!

*[He was barely able to throw himself between his allies and the robot as it exploded. As the ensuing thick cloud of smoke dissipated, Marrow lied motionless on the ground, his Aura shimmering and then fading. Qrow and Robin shook off their daze and looked around. With a distant rumble of machinery, the building began to list to one side, and Qrow and Robin grabb at a defenseless Marrow, who was about to slide across the ground. Meanwhile, a bound Elm writhed on the ground as her free teammates struggled to keep their balance. Harriet spared the other Ace Ops a glance before catching sight of the bomb carrier sliding across the hangar. She used her Semblance to speed her way into the cockpit, activating the ship's engines. Other ships fell out of the entryway into the Atlesian sky, but the bomb carrier achieved liftoff. Vine managed to use his Semblance to grab the ship's open hatch, leaving Qrow and Robyn behind to stare at each other in disbelief.]*

*[Team RWBYA approached the two Penny's.]*

Ruby: Penny?

*[The real Penny blinked tentatively, and opened her eyes. She raised her hand to inspect it, then caught sight of the robotic copy next to her. It sparked and crackled in a clumsy, soulless attempt to move toward her, then fells to its knees. It clutched its head and convulsed on the floor, its red eyes changing in size wildly before finally clanking to a halt, its eyes turning a lifeless grey. Penny looked horrified at the sight, and Ruby put a hand on her shoulder.]*

Ruby: Are you okay?

*[Penny looked at the hand on her shoulder, then at Ruby, and smiled. She embraced Ruby's midsection, and the light coming out of the vault illuminated her face.]*

Penny: Do hugs always make you feel this warm inside?

Ruby: *[chuckles lightly]* Yes.

Ruby slowly returns the embrace, smiling.

Penny: Wow! *[gasps upon seeing Weiss]* More!

*[Penny lunged at Weiss as well, wrapping her in a hug. The newly-made girl's eyes glint as she caught sight of Blake and Yang, whom she promptly hugs as well. She gave one final hug to Alan 2, who was holding the Staff.]*

Weiss: We should probably make sure our theory works. And start the evacuation.

*[Coming out of the hug Penny stood by Ruby's side, and Alan 2 lifted the Staff. Ambrosius appeared in a puff of smoke, stretching in relief.]*
Ambrosius: Ah! Free to create and... Oh, it's you guys again.

Weiss: We're not done with you yet.

Ambrosius: Ugh, fine!

Alan 2: I thought you were excited the last time?

*[As he crossed his arms and looks away, Yang stepped forward.]*

Yang: Let's try the quick version. Can you make a bunch of doorways in Atlas that open at a single spot in Vacuo?

Ambrosius: Sure! I'll just need coordinates and specs for each door, an explanation for bending space and time to account for the much greater traffic on one side and the single point of exit on the other.

*[Ruby and Penny looked confused and concerned respectively. Weiss clutched her forehead in irritation. Alan 2 gave a nod of understanding as if he knew what Ambrosius meant on a personal level.]*

Weiss: Okay, that's about what we expected. So, we need to funnel everybody through a central location first.

Ambrosius: You're going to have to tell me more about this central location. For starters, uh, where is it?

Yang: Here. A place like these Vaults. Wherever they are, they're not part of Remnant. Only accessible if you know the right way in. Seems like a safe enough place for thousands of refugees.

Ambrosius: '*gives an amused chuckle]* You kids are either smart... *[his expression falls]* Or much more foolish than you realize. *[sighs]* I'm going to need a reference?

Weiss: Oh, we've got one.

*[She pulled out her Scroll again and projects for Ambrosius schematics of the Snow Shoe Shipping pneumatic tube delivery system, as well as the Atlesian Military Compound where all the tubes connect. Ambrosius smiled and concentrates briefly before making some more complex hand gestures. In the doorway to the vault appeared a glowing blue portal bordered by a yellow frame. In extradimensional space, a network of these portals appeared, linked by bridges, all leading to a central platform funneling into a particularly large portal. In the distance, a large wireframe of a globe and support struts were visible against the backdrop of a dark sky filled with cyan and orange mist. Similar portals appeared wherever the people of Atlas and Mantle were gathered: in the subway stations; and in Mantle Crater. One popped up near where May, Joanna, and Fiona were standing. Joanna experimentally reached into it, and Fiona was shocked to see that her arm did not come out the other side. Joanna and May shared a determined look.]*

Weiss *(voice)*: People enter from Atlas and Mantle on one side... and leave on the other side, with a one-way ticket to Vacuo.

*[Joanna moved through the portal, and after a rush of speeding light, stepped into the extradimensional space. Following a brief look around, she turned to head back. The scene then changed back to the Vault.]*

Ambrosius: Well, everything appears to be in order. You were quite thorough, disappointingly so.

*[He lazily settled into a reclined position midair, putting his feet up.]*

Weiss: So, it's done?

Ambrosius: Yeah.

*[He waved the lot of them away, apparently bored. The group trade looks of contentment before heading out of the vault. Penny paused to watch her dead robotic copy disintegrate before moving on.]*

Ambrosius: Oh, and one last point of clarification about this central location of yours.

*[The six turned back around to face him.]*

Ambrosius: Do not fall.

Alan 2: ...You couldn't have told us that before? Or put up railings?

Ambrosius: You didn't ask

*[Alan looked annoyed, and the girls looked uneasily at each other.]*

Ambrosius: Okay, and with that dire warning-

*[Ambrosius took a bow and disappeared in a puff of smoke again. Penny stood before the portal, looking at her hands in disbelief before receiving the Staff from Alan.]*

Weiss: We did it!

*[Just as the Lamp would, the Staff collapsed into a more portable form in Penny's hands.]*

Penny: What now?

Ruby: We go to Vacuo, all of us, and hope that we've thought of everything.

*[Back at the military compound, one of Ambrosius' portals appeared before Oscar, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Emerald, and Alan 3, as they discussed their next move in front of the useless broadcast terminal in Atlas Academy. The group took a moment to stare at it before Ren turns to face Jaune.]*

Ren: We stick to the plan.

Nora: How? Without the CCT there's no way we can tell all of Atlas to just step into a bunch of freaky magic doors.

*[As the others pondered, Emerald cautiously approached the portal.]*

Ren: But there is. We use the portals ourselves, and spread the word on foot.

Emerald: Are we positive these things work?

*[The others turned to look at Jaune, who groaned. Through a flash of several bright lights, Jaune was propelled out of the portal and onto his face in the pocket dimension. He stifled the urge to vomit while standing up, as the rest of the group followed after him.]*

Jaune: Okay, we can do this. Nora and I will get people through the gates. Everyone else, keep to your roles. Remember, the evacuation is priority one no matter what else happens.

Ren: You're sure you won't need more help?

Nora: Shade is armed to the teeth with Huntsmen and Huntresses, but we're about to throw a whole kingdom's worth of negativity on their doorstep. If anyone will need help, it's them.

Alan 3: That includes alien help, if Vacuo is really as dangerous as I've been lead to believe. The other me can help with getting the word out when he gets here.

*[Ren gave Nora a proud and determined nod, then took off for the Vacuo portal. Emerald sighed before following, and Oscar gave Jaune a farewell salute before heading out. Jaune placed a hand on Nora's shoulder, then took a running leap off their platform, activating his shield's hang-gliding function. Nora used the jet propulsion on her hammer, riding it through a distant portal. Alan 3 pressed the Simplicitrix core, taking on a black and white, penguin-like alien wearing red armor stylized like that of a knight, and a brown saddle on his back. He hopped up, his armor extending over his body as he began sliding towards the Vacuo portal.]*

*[The refugees gathered at the subway took cover behind stairs, railings and platforms, wary of the portal that had sprung up near them.]*

Citizen: What is it?

*[A bespectacled man was pushed to the front of the crowd. He picked up a rock from the ground and chucked it at the portal. Just then, Jaune emerged from it, and the rock collided with his head.]*

Jaune: Everyone- Ow!

*[The citizens dove back behind cover before peaking out at Jaune. Rubbing his head, Jaune produced his Huntsman License.]*

Jaune: I'm, uh... gonna need your attention.

*[Hovering on green flames, Penny came through a portal, Staff of Creation in hand, followed by RWBYA. They stared in awe at the bizarre world around them, and Ruby caught sight of a newly-entered Fiona waving at her. As citizens from all around the cities pour in, Jaune and Nora's voices can be heard.]*

Jaune: Keep moving, come on.

Nora: That's it, watch your step!

*[Nora took off on her hammer again, zooming passed Joanna trying to keep order on her platform.]*

Joanna: Hey, no pushing.

*[Nora then passed a platform with May on it.]*

May: Figured you wouldn't let us down!

*[The first citizens began to reach the central platform in front of the portal that lead to Vacuo. Penny and Team RWBYA slowly move onward.]*

Weiss: I thought there'd be more people by now.

Ruby: Our job is getting Penny and the Staff to Vacuo. Until then, we have to trust the others. I'm sure they can handle it.

Alan 2: I'll see what I can do, too.

*[Meanwhile, Ren, Emerald, Oscar, and Penjectile were mere steps away from the Vacuo portal.]*

Oscar: We should end up just outside the city limits of Vacuo. Enough space for refugees but still within range of communication.

Ren: All right, I'll focus on masking emotions for as long as I can. Call for help as soon as we cross.

Penjectile: And I'll handle an excess Grimm.

*[The four moved through the portal, only to be brought to their knees by a whirling sandstorm on the other side. They shielded their eyes as they got back up.]*

Emerald: You've gotta be kidding me.

Ren: Which way is the city?

Oscar: It has to be here somewhere!

*[Emerald consulted her Scroll.]*

Emerald: Guys... The sandstorm isn't just killing visibility.

*[As she held it up for the other three to see, the words NO SIGNAL were prominently displayed on its screen. The portal rumbled, and the first few citizens came through, wincing and groaning at the sudden harsh weather.]*

Citizen: Where are we?

*[The four teens grimly turned to face the bewildered refugees.]*

Ren: Welcome... to Vacuo.

*[Nora was herding people across the pocket dimension.]*

Nora: Head down and follow everyone else to the exit.

*[As she took off on her hammer again, a cloaked figure stepped into view, smirking ominously. Moments later, a huge explosion sent several citizens rocketing off their platform and into the void. May stared at them from a distant platform, horrified, as the crowd panicked and scrambles behind her. Team RWBYA, already almost reaching the Vacuo portal, and Alan 2 just about to help Nora and Jaune, heard the commotion, and Ruby headed back to deal with the disturbance.]*

Ruby: No!

Blake: Keep going, we'll handle this.

*[Blake then went to join the rest of the group. Penny was left clutching the Staff anxiously. Cinder propelled herself into the air with her flames and spotted Team RWBY making their way up to a large platform. She quickly jetted off in that direction. Ruby used her Semblance to cover the distance quicker, only to recoil at the wall of flames that suddenly appeared to block her path. Team RWBY raised their weapons, ready to fight, and Alan became NRG.]*

Cinder: Your little friend Oscar was right, but the easy part ends here.

*[Team RWBYA exchanged puzzled looks.]*

Cinder: *[mockingly]* How'd you know about that? *[smirks, and creates a vortex of flames beneath her]* I knew your plan would be bold, but I never could have predicted all of *this*... At least, not without a little help from Jinn. I suppose I have all of you to thank for one last lesson.

*[A citizen with short brown hair walked unhurriedly into view, in contrast to the panicking crowds around her. She carried a briefcase and the Lamp of Knowledge swung on her hip. Ruby focuses on Cinder, her silver eyes beginning to glow.]*

Cinder: Sometimes, if you want to win...

*[The suspicious lady revealed her eyes of mismatched colors, one pink and one brown. Yang noticed her slowly approaching.]*

Cinder: ...You simply can't do it alone.

*[The briefcase shimmered and morphs into an umbrella, and a disguised Neopolitan drew her hidden blade, charging at an oblivious Ruby.]*

Yang: RUBY!

*[Yang's hair ignited and her eyes turned red as she used her gauntlets' recoil to hurl herself forward, knocking Ruby out of the way, only to bear the brunt of Neopolitan's slash. With a scream, her Aura immediately dissipated, and she was thrown backward, tumbling bodily over the platform they were all standing on. Neopolitan grimaced in frustration. Weiss, Ruby, and NRG could only stare in shock while Blake hurried over. Yang seemed to regain consciousness, cracking open her eyelids as Blake threw her blade, but her weapon ran out of ribbon just before it can reach Yang. The girl with the golden hair plummeted passed platforms and walkways into the darkness, where her image seemed to shimmer and dissolve before disappearing completely. Blake watched her, ears drooping and tears trickling down her cheeks.]*

Blake: ***YANG!***

*[Blake's cry of agony echoed as the scene went dark, and the episode ended.]*

## Major Events

* Team RWBYA uses the Staff of Creation to turn Penny human. This is followed up by using the Staff to create portals from Atlas and Mantle to Vacuo. The usage of the Staff causes Atlas' descent.
* Team ALPN, Alan 3, Emerald, and Winter ambush Ironwood and defeat him.
* Harriet makes off with the bomb to destroy Mantle. Cause she's a bootlicking bitch.
* Cinder, Neo, and Watts interfere with the evacuation. Their actions lead to Yang falling into the void, against Ambrosius' warning.
* Penjectile debuts.

## Credit Scene 1

*[In the holding cells, a shower of dust had Ironwood blinking awake. As he pulled himself into a sitting position, Jacques Schnee snarked at him from the adjacent cell.]*

Jacques: Well, I see you're awake, finally. Atlas is falling under your watch. How does it feel, James?

*[Ironwood took a moment to cradle his forehead, then stood up in alarm.]*

Ironwood: They... They've got the Staff!

Jacques: *[briefly turns to Ironwood with a bitter tone]* That's right, you lose.... We both lose.

*[Ironwood hung his head, then realized the Hard-Light cell wall next to him was flickering.]*

Jacques: What?

*[The barrier now inactive, Ironwood slowly stepped out of his cell, regaining his composure. He moved over to his nearby handheld cannon, and began reassembling it, placing Due Process inside of it.]*

Jacques: You're going to open mine too, right?

*[Emotionlessly, Ironwood charged his gun, swinging it in Jacques' direction as the barrel glowed a pale green. The Schnee patriarch's expression fell, and his eyes grew wide.]*

Ironwood: Sure thing.

*[Jacques put up his arms to shield himself as a beam of green light slammed into him. When the green smoke faded, the room's cell walls were all shorted out, a huge portion of the floor in ruins, and green flames smoldered where Jacques used to be standing. Ironwood took his leave.]*

## Characters

* Alan Nomaly
* Ruby Rose
* Weiss Schnee
* Blake Belladonna
* Yang Xiao Long
* Jaune Arc
* Nora Valkyrie
* Lie Ren
* Oscar Pine
* Professor Ozpin
* Emerald Sustrai
* Winter Schnee
* Marrow Amin
* Qrow Branwen
* Klein Sieben *(cameo)*
* Willow Schnee *(cameo)*
* Whitley Schnee *(cameo)*

### Happy Huntresses

* Robyn Hill
* May Marigold
* Fiona Thyme
* Joanna Greenleaf

### Villains

* General Ironwood
* Cinder Fall
* Arthur Watts *(cameo)*
* Neopolitan
* Jacques Schnee

### Ironwood's Group

* Harriet Bree
* Vine Zeki
* Elm Ederne

## Aliens Used

* Absorbat *(cameo)*
* Judgilante *(cameo)*
* Penjectile *(debut)*
* NRG *(cameo)*

## Trivia

* This episode ends earlier than the actual episode *Worthy*, which the latter portion of it comes from, ending with Blake calling out for Yang, rather than what will be in the next episode.
* In *RWBYA*, more specifically *Merry CRSMS*, the spirit held within the Staff of Creation was called Ginnungagap. His power was more in line with Jinn's, only being able to create three things every one hundred years, and his visual appearance was a combination of Loki, Thor, and Odin, given his name's Nordic origin. At the time of writing, the exact nature of the Staff in the actual canon was unknown, even in regards to whether it housed a spirit or not, so conjecture was used when using the Staff.
	+ The Staff in that story also didn't cause Atlas to fall once it was removed.

## Credit Scene 2

*[In the landing before the Atlas vault, Winter paced, staring at her Scroll.]*

Winter: I repeat, is anybody receiving these messages? Can anyone report status on the evacuation?

*[She pocketed her Scroll as a red luminous dot appeared on the ground in front of her. She looked confused as it climbed her frame and settled on a point on her chest. She then abruptly put up a Glyph, but the green beam headed her way tore through it, sending her tumbling. As she looked up, she saw Ironwood riding the elevator down, holding his smoking cannon aloft. The look in his eyes could only be described as murderous as he stepped off the platform.]*

Ironwood: I've chased a lot of shadows over the years, always expecting betrayal. But never once did I think it would ever come from *you*.

*[As he approached Winter, he charged up his weapon again. Winter stared him down from her kneeling position, holding her saber aloft.]*

Ironwood: *I* know what's best for Atlas, and I'm going to do *whatever* it takes to get that Staff. So, consider this my last order... Step. Aside.

*[Winter painstakingly pulled herself into a standing position.]*

Winter: I've never wavered in fighting the enemies of this kingdom..

*[She separated the two parts of her weapon, dual-wielding her swords and pointing them at Ironwood.]*

Winter: ...And I won't start now.

*[Ironwood's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as a single tear trickled down his left cheek. Winter seemed to notice the rare display of emotion. Both soldiers charged forward, and cannon met sword.]*