Time for the start of Volume 3.

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"What a spectacular match, everyone!"

The Vytal Festival was in full swing. Students from the other three hunter schools all gathered in Vale for this momentous occasion.

Professors Port and Oobleck were commentating over the battle below.

"Two spectacular teams, RWBY of Beacon and ABRN of Haven are battling with extreme skill! Wouldn't you agree?" asked Port.

"Most certainly! All combatants are skilled, so this will be quite the match!"

(y/n) watched on from the stadium above, munching on popcorn and watching Team RWBY fight their opponents.

"Oh!!!" yelled Port, "A devastating blow by Yang Xiao Long! Three out with one punch! This means we have a winner!"

"Indeed!" said Oobleck, "Team RWBY is victorious!"

Team RWBY walked the fairgrounds, celebrating their victory.

"We did it!" yelled Ruby joyfully.

After a small friendly conversation with Emerald and Mercury, Team RWBY left in search of food.

"I just... how can they be so happy... All the time?" asked Emerald angrily.

"Play nice," said Mercury, "Did you at least get what we wanted?"

"It's the heiress and the bimbo," said Emerald, waving off his question.

"Alright, then... Hey! Look over there!"

Mercury pointed over to Team JNPR walking around the fairgrounds with (y/n) in tow.

"He's putting on quite the show, isn't he?" asked Mercury.

"Oh, he is... I wonder what he'll think of this when this is all over..."

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"Declined?!" said Weiss surprisingly, "How can my card be declined? I was barely into my monthly allowance!"

The annoyed shopkeep of the small restaurant took back the food that was given to them, despite Blake's protests.

"Maybe I could help..."

The girls turned behind them to see Pyrrha with the rest of Team JNPR, with (y/n) not far behind.

"Aww... You don't have to..." said Yang.

"But she could!!" yelled Blake.

"Well, I think you've earned it after that battle," said Pyrrha.

"Mind if we join you?" asked Jaune.

After a lot of eating, everyone was either content with their meal of holding their stomachs sickly.

"Are you sure it's wise to have eaten before a fight?" asked Pyrrha.

"Of course!" said Pyrrha as the shopkeep quickly cleaned up the bowls, "It'll give us energy!"

"If I barf, I'm blaming you..." muttered Jaune sickly.

"So you think you guys are ready?" asked Ruby.

As Nora went on about something like an eternal shame if they lost, Blake looked to (y/n), who was sitting next to her.

He was staring off into space.

Her hand trailed over to his, and the contact snapped him out of his trance.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded.

The two locked hands, but quickly stopped when Yang noticed.

"Hey!"

"Yang... Please, don't..."

"Are you guys..."

"Don't... say... it..." threatened Blake.

"Ah, alright," said Yang, "You're secret is safe with me!"

"There is no secret!"

Port's voice rang over the intercom, asking for Team JNPR to report for their battle.

"Well, looks like this is it," said Pyrrha as her team walked away.

"Go get 'em, Team JNPR!" yelled Ruby.

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Cinder sat down a row above Mercury and Emerald.

They watched the festival in amusement.

"Hey," noticed Mercury, "Look who's watching..."

Cinder turned around to see (y/n) watching not the fighting of the Vytal Festival, but the three down below.

"Keeping an eye on us, huh?" asked Cinder, "How insulting..."

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It was after the fight between Team SSSN and Team NDGO.

People began to file out of the stadium and return to wherever they were staying.

Yang stood up from her seat and began to walk out.

"Come one, let's go congratulate them," she said.

As the four girls began to file out of the stadium, a ribbon-adorned aircraft passed over them.

Weiss stopped to look at the ship, causing Ruby to bump into her.

"What are you looking at?" asked Ruby.

"She's here!" said Weiss, a face of joy and anxiety plastered on her face.

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It was a fight to behold.

Winter Schnee, sister of Weiss Schnee and Atlas Specialist, fought against Qrow, Ruby's uncle.

"Kick her butt, Uncle Qrow!" cheered Ruby.

"Teach him respect, Winter!" yelled Weiss.

The two warriors clashed at amazing speeds, rushing all over Beacon's courtyard.

Mercury, who was walking by, saw the two fighting and ran off in a panic.

Winter and Qrow's duel only escalated as the fight spread to Beacon's rooftops.

Both combatants found themselves back on the ground again, ready to fight.

Qrow pressed a button on his sword, and gears began to turn, extending the blade.

The handle extended as the metal began to bend.

Suddenly, the blade returned to normal as he put away his weapon.

He beckoned her towards him with his finger, taunting her.

Winter propelled herself forwards using her glyphs.

"SCHNEE!"

A commanding voice rang out, stopping Winter in her tracks.

General Ironwood was there with Penny behind her.

Winter, Qrow, and Ironwood gathered in Ozpin's office with Glynda, discussing the current state of things.

"What were you thinking?!" yelled Winter.

"If you were one of my men, I'd have you shot!" said Ironwood.

"If I were one of your men, I'd shoot myself," said Qrow sarcastically.

"You've been out of contact for weeks!" said Ironwood, "You can't just go dark like that on the field!"

"You sent me to get intel on our enemy," rebuked Qrow, "And I'm telling you, our enemy is here. Communication is a two-way street, pal..."

"They had a reason to assume you'd been compromised," said Winter.

"And I have a reason to assume that you don't need to be here," said Qrow, pointing to Winter, "Seriously, who invited her?"

Ironwood sent her off, despite her protests.

"Your little infiltrator isn't just another pawn..." stated Qrow, taking another drink from his trusty flask, "They're the one responsible for the condition."

"What?" asked Goodwitch

"Despite what the world thinks, we're not just teachers, or generals, or headmasters. The people in this room, the leaders of the, we're the ones that keep the world safe from the evils no one even knows about!" yelled Qrow.

" It's why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows. So you tell me, James, when you brought your army to Vale, did you think you were being discreet or did you just not give a damn!?"

Discreet wasn't working," said Ironwood as he placed his scroll down on Ozpin's desk, "I'm here because this is what was necessary."

"You're here because Ozpin wanted you here! He made you a part of and opened your eyes to the real fight that's in front of us!" yelled Qrow.

"And I am grateful," rebuked Ironwood.

"Oh, well... You've got a real funny way of showing it," said Qrow sarcastically.

"The people of Vale needed someone to protect them; someone who would act. When they look to the sky and see my fleet, they feel safe, and our enemies will feel our strength," said Ironwood.

"You... You think they're scared of your little ships?" laughed Qrow. "I've been out there and I've seen the things made, and let me tell you - they are fear."

"And fear will bring the Grimm," said Ozpin, finally intervening, "A guardian is a symbol of comfort. But an army is a symbol of conflict. There's an energy in the air now, a question in the back of everyone's minds... If this is the size of our defenses, then what is it we're expecting to fight?"

"So then, what would you suggest we do?" asked Ironwood.

"I suggest we find our guardian," responded Ozpin, "But first, we have to deal with that."

"Deal with what?" asked Glynda.

The door to Ozpin's office opened and he walked in.

"That," said Ozpin.

Qrow quickly drew his weapon and pointed it at (y/n).

"Qrow... Please..." said Ozpin.

"But... But he's..."

"I know."

(y/n) stopped right in front of Ozpin's desk.

Ironwood's hand began to snake towards his pistol.

"How much do you know?" asked (y/n) as he turned to face Qrow.

"What makes you think that I'd tell you anything?"

"He's fun," said (y/n), turning back to Ozpin, "Stop. Enough. You're done."

He walked out, leaving them all in the room.

"Done, huh?"

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(y/n) walked into Cinder's room, where Mercury and Emerald were there with her.

"Are you sure it was him?" asked Cinder.

"Oh, yeah," said Mercury.

"No need to fear," said (y/n), "The old man is indeed snooping around, but he's found nothing."

"Are you certain?" asked Cinder.

"I leave your business to you, so leave my business to me," said (y/n) harshly, "Just be sure that everything is in place."

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"Again," stated Winter. 

Weiss pointed Myrtenaster to the ground and created her signature white Glyphs. 

"Excellent form!" praised Winter, "Now think to your fallen foes! The ones who forced you to push past where you were, and become who you are now!" 

Weiss tried to control the rising Glyph, but it eventually disappeared. 

"I can't!" yelled Weiss. 

Winter slapped Weiss on her head. 

" If this is what you call trying, then you have no hope of winning the tournament, let alone succeeding as a Huntress! Now... Again!" 

Weiss brought up her Myrtenaster and prepared to attempt the summon again.

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