We zoom in on Beacon, passing a large and unnerving ship as it descends upon a landing pad. Two Bullheads fly by as the camera slowly lowers to show ant-like swarms of people on the paths around Beacon. The camera shifts to the top of a tower veiled behind clouds. Ozpin and Glynda can be seen through the window into Ozpin's office.
Glynda: "Ironwood certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels."
Ozpin: "Well, running an academy and a military makes him a busy man. (The camera switches to an over-the-shoulder from Ozpin's perspective as three more Bullheads fly in.) But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore. (A chirping beep sounds repeatedly. Ozpin turns to see a hollow-message "Access Requested" on his desk.) Come in."
The camera switches to a low perspective beyond Ozpin's desk and facing the doors as they slide open to reveal General James Ironwood as Ozpin approaches to greet him.
Ironwood: (cordially) "Ozpin!"
Ozpin: (stands at attention.) "Hello, General."
Ironwood: "Please, drop the formalities. (Both approach and shake hands as Glynda also approaches.) It's been too long. And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met.
Glynda: "Oh, James! (Gives a personable wave and then drops all pleasantries.) I'll be outside. (She walks away.)
Ironwood: "Well, she hasn't changed a bit."
As Ozpin speaks, the camera shifts and Glynda can be seen from behind Ozpin and Ironwood as she exits the room.
Ozpin: (turns to his desk) "So, what in the world has brought you all the way down from Atlas? (picks up a mug and a kettle, pouring as he speaks.) Headmasters don't typically travel with their students, for the Vytal Festival." (He turns and offers the cup to Ironwood.)
Ironwood: (The camera shifts to a close-up showing the mug changing hands. A clink is heard.) "Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year. (Ironwood produces a canteen from his inside coat pocket and pours its contents into his mug.) Besides, with you hosting, I thought that this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up." (Ozpin walks around to his desk, kettle and a new mug in hand.)
Ozpin: (Ozpin sits and pours himself some coffee.) "I can certainly appreciate the quality time between friends, however, a small fleet outside my window has me concerned."
Ironwood: "Well, concern is what brought them here."
Ozpin: "I understand that travel between kingdoms has become increasingly difficult."
Ironwood: "Oz, you and I both know why I brought those men."
Ozpin: (Takes a drink and sets down his mug.) "We are in a time of peace. Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression." (Offscreen, Ironwood can be heard setting his mug down.)
Ironwood: "But if what Qrow said is true..."
Ozpin: "If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully. (Ozpin emphasizes this as he holds up an index finger.) It's the Vytal Festival. A time to celebrate unity and peace. So I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent."
Ironwood: "I'm just being cautious."
Ozpin: "As am I. Which is why we will continue to train the best Huntsmen and Huntresses we can. Plus, we have the Kamen Rider as a powerful ally in our fight."
Ironwood: "Believe me, I am. (Ironwood turns and walks away. He stops near the door and looks back at Ozpin.) But ask yourself this: Do you honestly believe your children, or even one man, can win a war?" (He continues on his way to the exit.)
Ozpin: "I hope neither have to."
In the Beacon Academy library, Team RWBY (Ruby) are shown playing "Remnant: The Game". The camera pans from Weiss to Yang, then to Blake, who is obviously distracted, before finally landing on Ruby, who has been contemplating her next move.
Ruby: (offscreen) "Hmmmmm.... All right... All right! (Points at Yang.) Yang Xiao Long, prepare your kingdom for battle!"
Yang: (Thrusting her elbow down as she balls her fist.) "Bring it on!"
Ruby: "I deploy the Atlesian Air Fleet! (Slaps her card down on the table. Yang feigns a look of shock.) Looks like I get to fly right over your Ursai and attack your walls directly!" (Makes noises like airplanes flying and bombing as she makes a bird with her hands.)
Yang: (Feigning indignance as she points at Ruby.) "You fiend!"
Ruby: (now ducked at one end of the table. The camera zooms across the table to show the board and its player pieces in detail.) "And since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time is only one turn."
Ruby peaks her head up. She gives a look of surprise as, offscreen, Yang can be heard laughing arrogantly.
Yang: (raises a card.) "Pretty sneaky, sis, but you just activated my trap card!" (shows the card)
Ruby: (visibly disturbed.) "Whaaat?!"
Yang: "Giant Nevermore! (slams the card down on the table.) If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!"
A scene of a Nevermore flying over a field of swords impaled in the ground plays over the conversation.
Ruby: (points at Yang.) "But, if you roll a six or lower, then the Nevermore will turn on your own forces!" (The Nevermore is shown to be turning back toward Yang.)
Yang: "That's just a chance I'm willing to take."
The two glare at each other. Yang is heard shouting triumphantly offscreen. Team JNPR (Juniper) are shown as Yang and Ruby banter on about the game. Ren and Pyrrha are studying, and Nora's snot bubble inflates and deflates as she sleeps.
Ruby: (offscreen) "Nooooo!!! My fearless soldiers!"
Yang: (offscreen) "Eh, most of them were probably androids."
Ruby: (offscreen) "Goodbye my friends, you will be avenged."
Yang: (offscreen) "Not until I draw my rewards! Which are double this round thanks to the Mistral Trade Route!"
Ruby: (offscreen) "Bah!"
Nora: (snores and talks in her sleep) "Oh. Have pancakes."
Yang: (offscreen) "Oh, and what's this? The Smugglers of Wind Path?"
Pyrrha clears her throat and then confiscates a comic book Jaune is reading, trading it for a textbook.
Ruby: (offscreen) "Bah! Bah, I say!"
Yang: (offscreen) "I say, it looks like I'm taking two cards in my hand!"
As Pyrrha reads Jaune's comic, a Nevermore player piece is tossed over Jaune's shoulder. Another piece bounces off of his head.
Ruby: (offscreen) "Have you no heart? (collapses on the table, groaning.) Nooo!"
Yang: Well, Weiss, it's your turn.
Weiss: "I have... absolutely no idea what's going on."
Yang: (slides up beside Weiss and puts her hand on her shoulder.) "Look, it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo which means that all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus."
Weiss: "That sounds dumb."
Yang: (starts looking through Weiss' cards.) "See, you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge...Oh, oh! (pulls up a card to show Weiss.) "Resourceful Raider! See, now you can take Ruby's discarded Air Fleet—"
Ruby: (crying) "Nooo!"
Yang: "—and put it in your hand!"
Weiss: "Okay."
Yang: "And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance against Natural-based hazards, you can use Sandstorm to disable my ground forces and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom! (points a finger at Weiss.) Just know that I will not forget this declaration of war." (pulls away and returns to her seat.)
Weiss: "And that means..."
Ruby: "You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant!"
Weiss: (Weiss stands and a thunder clap accompanies Weiss' overjoyed psychotic laughter.) Y-yes! Fear the almighty power of my forces! Cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms!
Nick: (while playing "Uno" with Amber, Erza and Atalanta at a different table) "That's a bit over board. And...wait for it..."
Yang: (offscreen) "Trap card..."
Yang's arm appears holding the card.
Weiss: "Huh?"
Yang shuffles the pieces on the board, Weiss' pieces disappearing in a puff of smoke.
Yang: "Your armies have been destroyed."
Nick: "Yup, right on cue. How did she not expect that? I mean, Yang told her about that move. She fell for an obvious trap."
Amber, Erza and Atalanta all nod in agreement.
Weiss: (slumps in her chair, cries and whines.) "I hate this game of emotions we play!"
Ruby: (hops into Weiss' lap) "Stay strong, Weiss! We'll make it through this together!"
Weiss: "Shut up! (hugs Ruby.) Don't touch me!"
Nick: "She's, literally, hugging Ruby back."
Yang: (Putts her arms up behind her head.) "Alright Blake, you're up!"
Blake: "Oh, um, sorry, what am I doing?"
Yang: "You're playing as Vale, trying to conquer the Kingdoms of Remnant!"
Blake: "Right."
Jaune: (Approaches the table) "Hey! Can I play?"
Ruby: "Sorry Jaune, we've already got 4 people."
Weiss: "Besides, this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I, somewhat, doubt that you possess."
Yang: "Uhh, you attacked your own naval fleet 2 turns ago."
Weiss makes an annoyed sound.
Jaune: "Bring it on, Ice Queen! I'll have you know that I have been told that I am a natural born leader!"
Weiss: "By who? Your mother?"
Jaune: "And Pyrrha!"
Pyrrha: (waving) "Hello again!"
Jaune: (Begging with both hands folded together.) "Come on, let me play your hand for a turn!"
Weiss: "I'm not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo!"
Jaune: "Why not? People have trusted me with way more important stuff before. I mean, we now know that Nick is actually from a another-"
Pyrrha: (darts over and slaps a hand over Jaune's mouth.) "Another kingdom, because he's from a small town, that's up north in Mistral." (Jaune laughs nervously.)
Everyone looks nervously at Nick, who looks, obviously, unaffected that his friends know the secret about his past.
Jaune: "Yeah. Right. That. Ladies, enjoy your battle." (Bows as Pyrrha walks away.)
Nick: (as he and his teammates walk over to Team RWBY (Ruby)'s table) "You know...as someone who's actually been around during the Great War, I'm not really comfortable about someone having made a board game that allows people to "reenact" the War, itself."
Footsteps can be heard offscreen.
Sun: (offscreen) "'Sup losers."
Sun appears holding his fingers in a "peace" sign, with Neptune is next to him.
Ruby: "Hey Sun!"
Sun: "Ruby, Yang, Blake, Nick...Ice Queen."
Weiss: "Why does everyone keep calling me that?"
Nick: "Probably because you're usually cold to just about everyone around you."
Yang: (offers Nick a high-five) "Hah!"
Nick: (points at Yang) "No pun intended."
Yang: (puts her hand down) "Oh."
Sun: "I never got a chance to formally introduce you to my old friend."
Neptune: "Uhh, aren't libraries for reading?"
Ren: (throwing his arms up.) "Thank you!"
Nora: (popping her head up.) "Pancakes!"
Sun: "Shut up. Don't be a nerd."
Neptune: (shaking a finger at Sun.) "Geh, geh, geh, geh! "Intellectual", okay? Thank you. (waving) I'm Neptune."
Weiss: "So Neptune, where are you from?"
Neptune: "Haven. (Approaches Weiss.) And I don't believe I've caught your name, snow angel."
Weiss: "I'm Weiss Schnee."
Jaune: "Wrong tree, dude."
Neptune: "Pleasure to meet you.
Weiss: "Same here. And, sorry to say this, but I'm already in a relationship."
Yang: "Yeah, and our boyfriend isn't someone you'd wanna mess with."
Nick: "I'm not really bothered all that much. Dude's similar to Urataros, just without the lying."
Sun: (to Blake) "I never took you as the board game playing type."
Blake: (shoves Sun aside and leaves the room.) "Right, well, I think I'm done playing actually. I'll see you guys later."
Nora: (shrugs) "Women."
Nick: "Nora, you're a woman."
Nora: "I stand by my point."
Atalanta: "You had a point?"
The scene switches to Team RWBY (Ruby) and NAAE (Unimaginable)'s, merged, room. The camera pans from the night sky seen through the window over to Blake as she sits with her knees folded to her chest on her bed. The rest of Team RWBY (Ruby) then enter the room with Team NAAE (Unimaginable).
Yang: "Ugh, we should have never let you play, Nick!"
Nick: "You're just mad cuz' I beat you! See, if you had just attacked when Ruby told you none of this would have happened."
As they enter, Blake approaches the door to leave.
Weiss: "Stop. (points at Blake, whose hand retracts from the door knob.) Lately you've been quiet, antisocial and moody!"
Yang: "Uh, have you met Blake?"
Nick: "She means more then usual."
Weiss: "Which I get is kind of your thing, but you've been doing it more than usual! Which quite frankly, is unacceptable! We made a promise to each other, that we would let each other know if something was wrong! (Flips through the air as six copies of her emblem fly through the air.) So, Blake Belladonna, what is wrong!? (She points her finger at Blake again.)
Weiss is shown to be balancing precariously on a chair's back feet. She quickly puts the chair away and returns to stand near the girls and shared boyfriend.
Blake: "I just, I don't understand how everyone can be so calm."
Ruby: (approaching Blake) "You're thinking about Torchwick?"
Blake: "Torchwick, the Black Fang, all of it! Something big is happening and no one is doing anything about it!"
Yang: "Ozpin told us not to worry. Between the police, the Huntsmen and Nick, I'm sure they can handle it."
Blake: "Well I'm not! Besides Nick, they don't know the Black Fang like I do!"
Weiss: "Okay, between blowing up nightclubs, stopping thieves, and fighting for freedom, I'm sure the six of you think that you're all ready to go out and apprehend these ne'er-do-wells!"
Ruby: (offscreen) "Uh, who?"
Nick: "She means the bad guys."
Ruby: "Oh."
Weiss: "But let me once again be the voice of reason. We're students! Besides Nick, we're not ready to handle this sort of situation!"
Ruby: "Well yeah, but..."
Weiss: "We're not ready!"
Blake: "And we may never be ready! Our enemies aren't just going to sit around and wait for graduation day. (Points toward the door.) They're out there, somewhere, planning their next move, and none of us know what it is, but it's coming! Whether we're ready or not!"
Ruby raises her hand and does other random gestures, while looking manic.
Ruby: "Okay, all in favor of becoming the youngest Huntresses to single-handedly taking down a corrupt organization conspiring against the Kingdom of Vale...say aye."
Yang: (Pumps her fist enthusiastically and points at Blake.) "Yes! I love it when you're feisty!"
Weiss: "Well, I suppose it could be fun."
Nick: (points to Amber, Erza, and Atalanta) "You know the four of us are obviously in."
Amber, Erza and Atalanta nod in agreement.
Ruby: "None of you said aye!"
Blake: "Alright then, we're in this together!"
Ruby: (gesturing) "Let's hatch a plan!"
Yang: ("Double-guns" at Ruby.) "Yeah!"
Ruby: (gasps as she freaks out) "I left my board game at the library!"
Weiss: (Places her hand to her head.) "We're doomed."
Ruby: (running out of the room and down the hallway) "I'll be right back! (The sound of collision is heard as Ruby seems to slam into the camera and disappears offscreen.) Oo-oof! Oh g-! (looking up) Sorry. Are you okay?"
We see that Ruby actually bumped into a mint-haired, tanned woman. This woman's name is Emerald.
Emerald: "I'm fine. (offers her hand) Just watch where you're going." (Ruby is shown to be slouched on the ground as she takes Emerald's hand. A gray-haired man, named Mercury, stands beside them.)
Ruby: "Oh, right, sorry. (Emerald then helps her to her feet.) Um, I'm Ruby! Are you new?"
Cinder: (Emerald steps aside to reveal a woman with flowing black-hair, as she approaches) "Visiting from Haven, actually." (Emerald turns to look at her.)
Ruby stares for a moment and the black-haired woman, who's name is Cinder, stares back.
Ruby: "Ooh! You're here for the festival! But exchange students have their own dormitory."
Mercury: "I guess we just got turned around."
Emerald: "It is our first time here at Beacon."
Ruby: "Hey, don't worry, it happens all the time. (Mercury and Emerald walk past Ruby.) Uh, your building is just east of here."
Cinder: (offscreen) "Thanks. (Cinder walks past Ruby, gesturing in acknowledgement.) Maybe we'll see you around."
Ruby: "Yeah, maybe! (The camera shifts to show the faces of the trio as they continue to walk away. Behind them, Ruby can be seen waving.) Oh, uh, and welcome to Beacon!"
Cinder smiles warmly, as the screen fades to black.