RWBY's gone. JNPR isn't. Torchwick is still out there, and it's up to them to stop him. This will follow Volume 2 fairly closely, but with JNPR taking... well, all the roles, basically. Because of that, there will be some changes, but it's generally headed in the same direction.

This is kind of a rough story. I don't really have the time to make this into a proper, well-written, polished story, but I have a few chapters so I wanted to post it and see what kind of response I'd get.

Episode 0 and Episode 1 are combined into one because if I don't, the actual numbering won't line up with FFn's numbering.

Episode 0: Passing the Torch

Beacon Academy

"Team RWBY is gone," Headmaster Ozpin announced simply, without emotion.

The four students in front of them stood in shocked silence. Finally, one of them, a scraggly blond, asked, "What do you mean by gone?"

"They attempted to apprehend a known criminal," he answered carefully. "That criminal was better prepared than they thought."

After a quiet moment, Jaune Arc managed to ask, "Were they killed?"

The Headmaster sighed. "In all honesty, we do not know- I do not know. They could have been captured, they may be imprisoned, they may have been tortured to death, they may be gone to us forever. But..."

"But?" Nora Valkyrie asked, much less energetic than usual. "I don't like the sound of that."

"We do not know," he replied. "Officially, they are dead. If there is one thing I have learned, it is easier to accept a certain death than an uncertain one. They are probably dead, but it is not certain."

"If I may, sir, why are you telling us?" Lie Ren asked with forced calm.

"I know your teams were close, both personally and professionally," the Headmaster replied after a moment. "I felt that you deserved to know the truth. What you do with that truth is of your own choosing, but I strongly advise that you continue with your lives, that you do not attempt to finish what they have started, that you do not attempt to find them if they are alive."

Pyrrha Nikos answered for all of them. "It will be difficult for us, but... yes, sir."

He paused before admitting, "Losing students is difficult for us all. If there's anything you need..."

"T-thank you, sir," Jaune replied quietly before shuffling out of the room. His team followed silently, except for the still-crying Nora.

Professor Goodwitch was waiting outside the office. Jaune stopped and looked at her, but was unable to form words.

"This is not the first time that Beacon has lost students," she admitted quietly. She sighed. "But... this is a shock to all of us. And I think it's hit the Headmaster particularly hard. He saw something special in them."

She straightened up, embarrassed by her lapse in formality. "Do not let this tragic event affect your training or your studies."

"I just... I just can't believe they're gone," Jaune said quietly. They were back in their dorm, but they couldn't study or sleep. They were still caught up in the news, simultaneously numb and alert.

It didn't take long for him to realize that Headmaster Ozpin was right. If they knew their friends were dead, gone forever, they would be consumed with grief. But being told their friends were almost certainly dead, but with a slim possibility of survival left them with both grief and doubt.

"You have a message," Ren told him, interrupting his thoughts.

"What?"

Ren motioned to the device left forgotten beside Jaune's bed. "Your scroll. You have a message."

"It's from... it's from Ruby!" Jaune exclaimed after checking the device. He paused when he looked closer. "Weird, it says it was sent two days ago, but I haven't seen it until now."

His shoulders slumped. "Guys, I don't know if I want to watch this..."

"It could be important, Jaune," Pyrrha gently reminded him, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Yeah... I guess," Jaune replied. He hit the play button and a familiar face appeared on the screen.

"Jaune, if you're listening to this, that means something really really bad happened," Ruby Rose began, her voice a bit sad. She turned toward someone outside the view. "I don't want to do this."

"It was your idea," the haughty voice of Weiss Schnee snapped.

"But it's depressing," Ruby whined.

"It's important," the sanguine voice of Blake Belladonna said. "You know it's important."

"Well, okay." Ruby turned back toward the camera. "Okay, we're sneaking out tonight to go after Roman Torchwick. We know he's up to something big and he's working with the White Fang. See when Blake ran off we found out she was a Faunus and she found out that the White Fang was stealing Dust and didn't know why. We tried to find her but she went down to the docks- that was the fight on TV. It turns out Torchwick was working with the White Fang.

"Blake found out that there's another operation they have on the other side of town. We're going to see what's going on. It's really dangerous and we probably shouldn't be doing this which is why we're not telling anyone. But this is important because they could be up to something really bad. But it might not go well for us."

"Penny," Blake reminded from off-screen.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Ruby added. "We met this weird girl, Penny, when Blake ran off. When there was the fight at the docks she was really awesome using these swords on wires and stuff. She has orange hair and green eyes and I think her colour is green. Try to find her!"

"If you're watching this and nobody's said anything else we're probably gone. But I don't want you guys to be sad, okay?" In the video, Ruby smiled, her eyes bright and alive. "I want you to do the best you can and I want you to do it for us. We might not be able to protect the world anymore but someone has to and I know you can do it."

They were silent, wiping away tears that were and weren't there, for a while. It seemed like an eternity to them. Eddying, swirling emotions passed through them.

"We have to keep going," Jaune said finally, with a confidence he didn't think he really had. "We have to keep training, and keep learning, and become the best huntsmen and huntresses we can be. For them. That's what Ruby wanted. That's what they wanted. That's what we'll do."

"We're not going to try to find them?" Nora asked sadly.

"You heard what the Headmaster said," Jaune replied. "They're probably dead. You heard what Ruby said. We shouldn't... we can't destroy our own lives."

"What about Torchwick and the White Fang?" Pyrrha asked, unusually quiet. "Something happened, Jaune. They weren't killed for no reason."

He was a lot less sure about that. "I don't know."

Episode 1: Worst Day Ever

Vale

"I know this feels wrong, I know we shouldn't be out here with the memorial tomorrow... but I just had to get away," Jaune mused to his teammates for the third time today.

The mood was somber as they strolled down the streets of Vale. Most people continued with their daily lives around them. It was sad news, yes, that such young individuals full of potential had perished, but it didn't have personal impact for most of them. But for Team JNPR, it was hell.

"Jaune," Pyrrha soothed, placing a gloved hand on her leader's shoulder. "It's okay. I understand. I think we all want to escape, at least as much as we can."

"Yeah... I just... I can't believe they're gone," Jaune sighed again.

"They might not be dead!" Nora said cheerfully- or what sounded like cheer. They all knew that it was false. She seemed bubbly and cheerful, but she was... off. Tense. "

"I know none of us want to hear this," Pyrrha reminded them, "But people go missing all the time. Usually, nobody can find what is left of them, if anything is left of them."

"We have to accept it," Jaune reminded his team. "We have to finish what they've started."

He paused, faking a smile. "But not today. Today, we've gone out as a team to have fun, like they would have. And that's what we're going to... do..."

"What is it?" his partner asked, following his gaze. "A bookstore?"

"Blake liked that bookstore," Nora reminded her.

"That's not it, but yeah," Jaune said sadly, stepping toward it. As he approached it, he realized what was so odd about it. "Hey? Why'd they darken the windows?"

"Maybe it's closed," Nora suggested.

"In the middle of the day?" Jaune asked.

Nora mused, "Hmm, that is odd."

Pyrrha asked, "Should we investigate?"

Jaune thought about it for a moment. On one hand, it was really nothing that odd, and it wasn't really their responsibility. On the other hand, something felt off about the whole thing. "Yeah. I think we should."

"Weapons?" Pyrrha asked, turning serious.

"Keep them ready, but don't draw," Jaune told her, pushing the door open.

The inside of the store was a mess. Books that were once carefully arranged were now strewn haphazardly around the room. One of the shelves was broken, and there was a trail of blood leading behind As soon as they saw it, they drew their weapons and moved into a defensive stance.

Pyrrha was the first to speak, "Oh my- what happened here?"

"Call emergency," Jaune ordered Ren. Even without thinking, Jaune knew that the quiet, calm young man would do the best job of conveying the information. He stowed half of StormFlower and pulled out his Scroll.

A wet, hacking cough came from behind one of the bookshelves, where the trail of blood led to. Jaune cautiously approached. Nausea threatened to overcome him when he saw the big faunus man, presumably the owner of the store, at the end of the blood trail with a giant hole in his abdomen.

Pyrrha whispered to him, "He's still alive, but there's nothing anyone can do for him."

"White Fang... working with a human... some agenda," the dying owner sputtered.

"What?" Jaune asked, leaning down to hear the quiet words.

"Find Bla... Blake... Bella... donna," the faunus man sputtered, Jaune straining to hear. "Tell her... the warehouse... 8th and H... she'll..."

He muttered something else before expiring completely.

"This can't be a coincidence, Jaune," Pyrrha said softly. "Maybe this is even-"

"What got them... you know... yeah," Jaune replied as he stood up, still in a state of shock. Outside, sirens blared as the police began to arrive.

Beacon Academy

The Beacon hall was crowded for the memorial service. In the usual tradition, the room was lit up brightly and colourfully, with the widely varying outfits and openly displayed weapons adding to the spectrum. Supposedly, it was to celebrate the diversity that the huntresses fought for, or the light in the darkness, or something equally poetically. The actual tradition dated back to a time where funerals were very dangerous, and getting attacked by Grimm attracted to the negative emotions was the norm.

Four crosses sat at the front of the room, on the elevated stage, representing the dead. It was also an ancient practice that went back for longer than anyone could remember. Though none were sure of where the symbol came from, most understood it to be symbolic of a sword buried in the ground by a warrior no longer able to fight. They were, also as per tradition, coloured like the fallen huntresses; red, white, black, and yellow.

The hall was packed with the Beacon students and staff, who could barely fit on a good day, as well as a handful guests with close connections to the deceased.

Taiyang Xiao Long was inconsolable. He'd lost one love, then another, and now his precious daughters were gone too. Since he'd heard the news, he'd alternated between bawling loudly in the corner and breaking everything in sight. Right now, he was crying as quietly as possible, which was not very. Nobody dared laugh or tell him to quiet down.

Qrow Branwen tried anyway. It wasn't easy for him. Yang was his niece by blood, and Ruby might as well have been. He'd personally trained the scythe wielder for years when he was a professor at Signal. He'd watched them grow up, watched them build their potential, and now they were gone. He remained stoic, even detached. It was all he could do not to break down.

Winter Schnee sat two sets down from them, sniffling. She was a few inches taller than her older sister, though slimmer, and her snow white hair was loose, not tied up. Her cobalt-trimmed white dress was immaculate, but her light blue gloves were damp from wiping away tears.

Flanking her were a pair of guards in SDC uniforms that looked more uncomfortable than distraught. One of them held a box of tissues for the fifteen-year-old girl. They silently agreed not to mention that detail in their report. Winter may have just lost the only real family she had, but their boss would not be so understanding. The heiress to the Schnee empire had to be perfect.

"All rise!" the stern voice of Professor Glynda Goodwitch called. Very quickly, the assembled mass did her bidding.

Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy, strode toward the centre of the stage, steps measured and deliberate. Despite having no notes, he habitually pushed his glasses upward on his face as he took his place behind the microphone. He began slowly, "We gather here today to mourn the passing of Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, four huntresses taken before their time. Please be seated."

The gathering obliged, and he allowed them to settle for a moment before continuing. "As many of you are aware, this is... somewhat of a personal tragedy for me. This is not the first time Beacon has lost students, or even the first time since I became headmaster. It is a terrible tragedy whenever this happens- perhaps an inevitable one, but a terrible tragedy nonetheless.

"These four had immense potential, perhaps the most I have seen enter this school. I do not say this to honour the fallen. With time, and the right guidance, they might have become legendary. If that is the case, then why are they gone? Because not all can wait until they are ready to achieve all they can be. Sometimes that must be forced. And sometimes, it ends in tragedy.

"I do not believe I was mistaken in allowing Ruby Rose into this school. I do not believe I was mistaken in making her leader. I do not believe I was mistaken in allowing them to undertake their own mission. I do not believe I was mistaken, despite all that has transpired. They believed they would make a difference, they knew the risk, and they carried on regardless. This is the ideal all huntsmen and huntresses should aspire to."

"I believe that in their final moment, they reached their potential. May their light burn everlasting in the darkness of eternity. Thank you."

Some noted that his speech was strange, but the Headmaster was infamous for his enigmatic nature, and no doubt he was also awash in negative emotions. The four crosses were simultaneously set alight. Ozpin stepped back and bowed his head in respect, the audience following. They stood with their heads bowed and stayed as silent as possible until the crosses finally burnt to ash.

"Ashes to ashes, Dust to Dust," the Headmaster recited before passing the stage back to Goodwitch.

She said curtly, "You may now come up and pay your respects. A memorial gallery has been set up outside. Counselling and spiritual services are available."

Team JNPR was at the front, and they were among the first to leave. On one hand, it felt wrong to leave so quickly, on the other hand, they didn't want to stay. Jaune noticed the Headmaster take Taiyang and Qrow aside, but paid no attention. They shuffled off back to their dorms, still thinking about the events of the previous day.

Unknown Location

Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai stepped into the warehouse, past the White Fang grunts unloading crates of Dust from a Bullhead.

"Oh, look, she sent the kids again," Roman Torchwick quipped, wrapping his arms around the duo. "This is turning out just like the divorce!"

"Ugh," Emerald pulled away from him. "Spare us the thought of you procreating."

"That was a joke," the orange-haired thief told them. He stepped away, raising a slip of paper in his hand. "And this... just might tell me where you two have been all day."

Emerald patted her pockets. "Wha-"

"I'm a professional, sweetheart. Pay attention, maybe you'll learn something," Roman said, smoothly and quickly. His tone turned dangerous when he asked, "Why do you have this address?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the green-haired girl sneered.

"Yeah, I would." He waved the paper in front of her. "Now where have you been all day?"

Mercury stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger at him. "Cleaning up your problems. One of them, at least."

"I had that under control-"

"Just like you had the docks under control?"

"It was a minor setback," Torchwick shot back. "I'm not the psychopath who decided to murder four students and do nothing at all about the one who actually caused our problems. If it were up to me, I'd-"

"Do what, Roman?" an ominous voice asked. Cinder Fall descended toward them on a lift, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"Urm... the same thing?" He gulped nervously. Roman had actually called Cinder on it to her face when she first told him, and had nearly been cremated alive. Needless to say, he did not want to repeat that.

"Cinder!" Emerald said excitedly. Her smile faded when the woman stepped past her, menacingly approaching Roman.

"I thought I made it clear that you would eliminate the would-be runaway," Cinder told him, an edge to her voice. "I'm disappointed to see you fail... again."

"I was going to..." the thief stammered.

"He was going to escape to Vacuo!" Emerald accused. "Mercury and I decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat."

Mercury corrected, "I think he was some sort of cat, actually-"

Cinder cut them off. "Quiet. Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hands clean while in Vale?"

"I just thought-"

"Don't think," Cinder told her. "Obey."

"Yes, ma'am. It won't happen again."

Cinder turned toward Roman. "And you..."

The thief laughed nervously, a lame attempt to cover up how afraid he really was.

"Why wasn't this job done sooner?" Cinder snapped.

"Uh..." Roman paused, took a deep breath, glanced at a certain shadow, then gestured around to the crates of Dust behind him. He stepped toward the woman, who he was pretty sure was a sociopath, and went on the offensive. "Sorry if I've been busy stealing every speck of Dust in the Kingdom!"

"Which you only accomplished after we took care of your problems for you," Mercury reminded him again.

"I was doing fine!" Roman snapped back at him. He waved at the three of them. "It was you who decided that it wasn't going smooth enough, and decided to, how did you say it? Accelerate the process."

"It was necessary," Cinder reminded him, an edge to her voice.

He huffed. "Well if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might make my next string of robberies go a little smoother!"

"Oh, Roman. Have a little faith." Cinder stepped forward and laid a hand on his cheek, a move that scared the crap out of him. "You'll know what you need when you need to know it."

She stepped back and told him, "Besides, we're done with Dust."

"Oh?" The thief raised an eyebrow dramatically. "Did our mysterious benefactor decide they finally had enough?"

Cinder did not reply, instead giving him orders. "We're moving. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight."

"Coordinates?"

"We're proceeding to phase two," she replied ominously, turning and striding out of the warehouse with her minions in tow, glass heels clicking against the concrete floor.

Roman fished in his pockets for a cigar, pulling one out and biting down on the end. He reached for his lighter and realized that it was no longer in his pocket. Just before stepping out the door, Emerald flicked Roman's lighter, sticking out her tongue at the thief, who glared at her before she disappeared.

Of course, Roman expected something like that. He was, after all, a professional.

"Neo?" A girl with pink and brown hair stepped out of the shadows and tossed Roman his spare lighter. He caught it and used it to light his cigar. "Thank you."

She stood there, continuing to stare expectantly. The orange-haired thief puffed on his cigar and sighed. "I know she's going to sell us out. Don't worry, we'll beat her to the punch. Just... a little bit longer."