The Amity Colosseum is still floating high amid the cheers of an excited audience as the two opposing pairs of partners for the match, the grinning Mercury and Emerald against a confident Coco and meditating Yatsuhashi, wait in the center of the stadium for the holographic roulette to pick the field.

Port: (over the broadcaster speakers) Emerald and Mercury of Haven,

Port: versus Coco and Yatsuhashi of Beacon!

Velvet: Good luck, you two!

The Colosseum chooses four fields to rise up from below in quarter sections: A patch of tall grassy plains which has a single tree and some rocks; the ruins of a city, complete with buildings holding shattered windows and rubble among the pavement; a hot spring containing geyser spots along a small river and some blue Dust crystal growths; and a familiar section of dense forest.

Coco: Hey! Love the outfit, kid!

Emerald: I'll try not to get blood on it.

Yatsuhashi: I can't promise you'll leave without a scratch.

Emerald: I won't be the one bleeding.

Coco: Ooh, I like her!

Port: Three, two, one, begin!

Instead of charging forward, Mercury and Emerald slowly walk back into the tall grass and disappear behind the leaves. Coco and Yatsuhashi smile at each other before the leader pops out her Gatling gun and begins mowing down the field as the crowds of sunglasses-wearing fans roar their approval,

even when bullets nearly hit them from the other side of the forcefield. Coco lets up as she and Yatsuhashi realize the two opponents aren't in the plains section anymore.

Coco: Huh?

Blake: Look out!

Elena: Coco! Above you!

Mercury drops from the sky, aiming for Coco, but Yatsuhashi pushes her out of the way and blocks Talaria with his blade, pushing him back. Coco opens fire at him again, though Mercury is able to outrun each shot.

Sun: He's good!

Scarlet: Yeah, but where's the girl?

Mercury reaches the two and kicks away Coco's weapon while dodging Yatsuhashi's blade, then delivering a double blow to the giant warrior before jumping over Coco's continued barrage of bullets. He lands on the barrels and kicks her in the face, leaping over another of Yatsuhashi's swings, only to let himself be hit so he can get behind Coco and force her to press the muzzle up to her own teammate. Everyone stands still until Coco compresses her weapon back into its handbag form and tries to hit Mercury with Yatsuhashi, but he deftly jumps back and launches two blasts from his boots that the members of CFVY deflect.

Coco is unfazed by the one shot, but looks surprised at the dozens of them now spiraling around the handstand-spinning Mercury until he sends all of them at his enemies,

a barrage of light and smoke surrounding them that provides the perfect cover for Mercury to appear behind the two. He grabs the both of them by their arms and delivers a flurry of kicks that knocks them back,

looking back as a chain comes out from the forest trees to wrap around Coco and pulls her back.

Yatsuhashi: Coco!

Despite his cry, Coco disappears into the trees, and he has to endure a blow from Mercury before being able to grab and throw him into the hot spring area. He jumps high in the air as Mercury's still sliding back, but his blade only comes down on his opponent's boots,

the shockwave from this clash causing the water to fly back, the earth to crack underneath, and multiple geysers to form around them. Mercury fires his boots and gets out of the hold, aiming a swipe at Yatsuhashi's feet that misses, then ducking around each of his sword's swings. One of his kicks loosens some stones from the ground, which Mercury kicks into Yatsuhashi who quickly recovers and attempts to retaliate. Mercury easily counters him and fires a couple of shots. Despite trying to block them Yatsuhashi is forced back, giving Mercury an opening to kick him to the ground. This leaves his head in a small super-heated geyser, that erupts causing him to scream in pain as he frantically gets up, opening his eyes just in time to see Mercury coming at him.

Meanwhile, Coco is still being dragged back into the forest until the chain makes her collide with the trunk of a tree. She shakes it off until she realizes her sunglasses are lying shattered on the ground.

Coco: I take it back; I don't like her.

Just as she says this, a green shot rapidly comes at Coco, which she barely manages to jump back from as more come down on her from Emerald's position up in a tree above her. Coco unleashes her Gatling gun again and shoots high in the branches, but Emerald jumps around, using Thief's Respite to fire back and change them to sickle form so she can swing from each tree until she suddenly vanishes behind one of them.

Coco: Damn!

Yatsuhashi: Coco!

Coco: Watch out, she's in the trees!

Port: Oh, and with that final blow, Yatsuhashi is eliminated!

Coco: What!?

She looks behind her, only to see no one there. Her hand is shaking on the handle of her gun, and she doesn't even see the blur between the trees moving in for the kill.

Coco: Damn!

Little does she know that Emerald is rising up from behind her, blades raised, turning around a second too late.

The weapon descends with a ringing gunshot, and Coco is seen flying out of the forest, landing all the way in the center of the stadium next to Yatsuhashi, also knocked unconscious. Emerald swings her sickles by their chains as Mercury looks over their defeated opponents.

Oobleck: And with an amazing upset, Emerald and Mercury are victorious!

Velvet: Coco?

Fox places a reassuring hand on Velvet's shoulder as Ruby looks into the stadium at her "friends".

Rex: What the hell even happened down there? Yatsuhashi was with Coco but wasn't.

Rin: But Yatsuhashi was fighting Mercury the whole time.

Briana: I don't know if I was seeing double of him.

No one noticing the smiling Cinder behind them, getting up from her seat and walking away amid the combined cheers and boos from the crowds. Zach was above the stands and noticed.

Zach: I get it now. (Takes his scroll and calls his sister)

In an elegant twilit pavilion area of ivy-covered pillars, rounded archways, and lion-decorated fountains, Weiss and her elder sister Winter are sitting at a simple table with a plate full of croissants and strawberries. Winter is sipping from her teacup as Weiss repeats the news she was just told.

Weiss: You're... leaving?

Winter: (setting her cup down) Yes.

Winter: I was merely needed to oversee the transport of additional units to Vale. Our last shipment was lost to an ambush. I believe you had a run-in with its cargo, actually. It's fortunate those Paladins were in the prototype stage; otherwise your team may not have fared so well. Weiss, you've done... well, out here, on your own. You should be proud.

Winter: I'll be honest, it was quite amusing seeing Father's face the day you left for Beacon!

Weiss: I can't wait to show him what I learned!

Winter: Oh? Then what do you think you've learned?

Weiss: What do you mean? I'm getting better and better with my glyphs! I've even started Time Dilation!

Winter: And what of your Summoning?

Weiss: I... (sighs and looks away) You know I can't.

Winter: Don't be ridiculous. Every Schnee has the ability to summon. We have for generations.

Weiss: I've tried! It's just... it's the one thing I've been having trouble with!

Winter: We Schnees are unique. Unlike many, our Semblance is hereditary. But that doesn't mean it will come easily. Your Semblance is like a muscle. The more you practice with it, the stronger it will become. But if you only focus on one aspect of it... If you fail to test the limits of what you think is possible,

Winter: then you'll never truly grow.

Weiss smiles at this display of power she hopes to achieve, before cutting to...

Ruby: You'll never beat me, old man!

Qrow: You're nothing but talk, kid!

Yang: You can do it, Ruby!

Rex: Come on, Rosebud! Come on!

Then the entire scene is revealed to be in team RWBY's dorm room at Beacon Academy, and the screen of the video game Ruby and Qrow are playing is shown just as one of the pixelated ninjas decapitates the other, with the announcer saying "SOARING NINJA WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!" Qrow grins at his victory as Ruby lowers her head in shame.

Yang: (whispering) Ouch.

Qrow: And by the way, don't ever call me old.

Yang: My turn!

Qrow: Now, where was I?

Ruby: You were telling us about your last mission!

Qrow: Right, right... I'd come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right.

Ruby: What were you doing there?

Qrow: I needed information. Tired from battling Grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's inn. The place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs, even a few Huntsmen that I could only assume had been hired by less-than reputable people for less-than respectable jobs. And that's when it happened.

Yang: What happened?

Qrow: I was defeated... by the mere sight...

Qrow: of the innkeeper's skirt length!

The vision of pink hearts, a beautiful maid with slightly-skimpy clothing, and the very happy Qrow is interrupted by a thrown dog-head pillow, which Qrow deftly catches much to Yang's ire (not helped by the game announcer calling out once more "SOARING NINJA WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!".

Yang: You are the worst!

Qrow: Best two out of three?

Ruby: So, Uncle Qrow, did you get in trouble with Ozpin?

Qrow: Nah, me and Oz go way back. We're cool.

Rex: Yeah, I've noticed.

Yang: (scoffing) Cool for an old guy.

Qrow: Not funny.

Ruby: So, what are you doing here anyway? I thought Dad said that you would be on a mission, for like... ever.

Qrow: Well, a professional Huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible.

Ruby: Yeeeeaaaah, I get that. (laughs) We're pretty much pros, too.

Qrow: Oh, really?

Yang: Psch, yeah! Read the news sometime. We totally saved Vale while you were gone.

Qrow: Funny, because I heard Vale suffered a Grimm attack after you almost managed to stop a train. But they don't give out medals for almost.

Ruby: (resolutely) They do, and it's called silver!

Rex: Well, we did help take down Roman Torchwick!

Yang: Yeah! He's locked up in Ironwood's ship and crime's been down ever since! That's basically a bounty mission!

Qrow: Sure, you may be acting like Huntresses, but you're not thinking like one. You really think four girls, one guy and their friends could end all crime in a Kingdom?

Ruby: (tapping her fingers together in embarrassment) I mean, I did until you said that...

Qrow: Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed; it's stopped, completely. No White Fang activity anywhere around the city. You cut off the head of the King Taijitu, but now the second head's calling the shots. That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his.

Yang: You... know the General?

Qrow: Hey, I know everybody to some extent. Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team that graduated Beacon!

He reaches behind him into one of his pockets and pulls out a photo lined with stains and the age of four figures.

Qrow: Hah, Team STRQ... That's where I met your parents. And it's also where I met your father, kid.

Rex: Wait! You knew my dad!

Qrow: Certainly. I knew your father Max and your mother Mia. We were pretty well known back in the day.

Ruby: Well known for crummy fashion sense!

Qrow: Hey, we looked good! And I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up! But, I'll save those for when you're older.

Ruby: Oh, gross!

Qrow: Anyways, I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids. You're gonna cramp my style. Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go... And don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You three, you're gonna go far. But only if you keep learning; if you never stop moving forward. Oh, and Rex, I'm cool with you and Ruby being together. Just make sure to keep her safe.

With these immortal words of wisdom, Qrow exits down the hall.

Back in the pavilion, a caterpillar is slowly inching around on the edge of a fountain at Weiss points her Myrtenaster at the ground, creating a rotating glyph made of blade symbols with Winter behind her, appraising the effort.

Winter: Excellent form! Now think to your fallen foes! The ones who forced you to push past where you were, and become who you are now. Think of them, and watch as they come to your side.

Weiss: (doing her hardest to make the wobbling circle follow her will, but eventually dismisses it and stomps the ground angrily) I can't!

Winter: (her hand immediately comes down on Weiss' head in a slap) Stop doubting yourself!

Weiss: I'm trying!

Winter: If this is what you call trying, then you have no hope of winning the tournament, let alone succeeding as a Huntress! Why don't you just move back home? I'm sure Father would give you a nice job as a receptionist!

Weiss: (looking away) I don't need his charity!

Winter: (leaning in) But you do need his money, don't you?

Weiss: (surprised) What!? How did you know about that!?

Winter: Lucky guess. I may have been in a similar situation when I joined the military. So what have you done this time?

Weiss: Well, that's the thing: I'm really not sure! I went to pay for lunch the other day, but the card didn't work!

Winter: How embarrassing.

Weiss: I know! Well, it was! Why would he cut me off like that?

Elena: Your father cut you off?

Both the Schnees turned and see Elena walking to them.

Elena: (Snaps her finger) So that's why's your card wasn't working.

Winter: Perhaps so that you'd stop avoiding him and call home.

Instead of answering, Weiss attempts once more to create a summoning glyph, gritting her teeth until Winter places a consoling hand on her shoulder.

Winter: Emotions can grant you strength. But you must never let them overpower you. It sounds to me like you have two choices in front of you. You can either call him, beg for his money back, and explain once more why you would want to study at Beacon over Atlas, or you could continue to explore Remnant, discovering more about the world and honestly, more about yourself. It's time for me to go.

Weiss: It was really good to see you, Winter.

Elena: It was nice meeting you, Winter.

Winter: (smiling sadly) Until next time, sister. And Elena.

Elena: Yes?

Winter: Please try to keep her out of trouble.

Elena: I will.

Elena and the two Schnees walk out of the pavilion and go in opposite directions, neither of them noticing the caterpillar coming across a miniature,

brightened version of a familiar-looking broadsword before disappearing into icy sparkles.

Later at night, Weiss is in the school courtyard, waving goodbye at the airship carrying her sister. She stops just as her Scroll starts vibrating with an incoming call from "FATHER", and her finger hovers over the screen in uncertainty until she closes her eyes and forces herself to press it.

Suddenly smiling at the sight of her closed Scroll and the setting of a new path in life, she puts it away and walks back inside.

END OF PART 32