RWBYA: Volume 1: Vale. A RWBY AU/Fanfiction.

Chapter 41: The Fall's Center.

The students of Beacon Academy were in the midst of battling the relentless Creatures of Grimm. Jaune charged at an Ursa, delivering a powerful slash that knocked it back, while Neon skillfully rollerbladed away from a Boarbatusk. Coco fired at a Griffon as it landed, and Arslan engaged in a fierce battle with an Ursa Major. Meanwhile, Nora fired her grenade launcher at an oncoming Ursa, and Ren took down a retreating Beowolf with precision.

On a rooftop, Cinder Fall, Emerald Sustrai, and Mercury Black observed the chaos below. Cinder remarked, "Beautiful."

Emerald, with a sorrowful expression, added, "It's almost sad."

Cinder's tone turned cold as she said, "It's horrendous. Focus on the Atlesian Knights."

Mercury, grinning evilly, assured them, "Oh, I'm getting all of it."

Cinder instructed, "Good. Continue the broadcast until the end."

Suddenly, a tremor shook the rooftop, and Cinder declared, "And do not miss what happens next."

As Cinder walked away, Mercury continued filming with an evil grin, while Emerald's worry deepened.

Soon, Cinder received a call from a member of the Human Purity.

"Ready to assist the White Fang in taking down those who want your organization dead?" Cinder asked.

The response was curt and dismissive, "We will NOT work with those filthy animals that deserve to be extinct! We have more important matters to attend to! Getting this new arm attached to Theodore that Watts sent us! You're on your own, woman! Good day!" The call ended abruptly.

Emerald commented, "Rude."

Cinder, visibly angered, decided, "Rude indeed! I'm going to check up on Roman!" She called Roman on her scroll, asking about the battleship.

Roman, smiling evilly, reported, "Doing well, Cinder! Ready to fire down at the city!"

Cinder, with a smirk full of evil intentions, responded, "Excellent! Now if you excuse me, I have things to do."

Hanging up the call, Cinder turned around, preparing to use the chaos as a cover for her search for the Fall Maiden. Suddenly, she looked up to see Matthew's truck flying towards the battleship where Torchwick was located.

"Foolish man," Cinder muttered, underestimating the situation and failing to anticipate the firepower Matthew had.

As Matthew and Ruby raced through the skies in the truck, their destination loomed ahead - the hijacked Atlesian battleship.

"Okay, kid, when we land on that thing, I need you to cover the entire ship and make sure to help any survivors we find," Matthew instructed Ruby as she readied Crescent Rose in the back of the truck.

"Okay," Ruby responded.

As they landed on the battleship, Matthew executed a perfect power slide and brought the truck to a stop just before the command deck.

Nodding towards Ruby, he opened the door for her. "Okay, kid, it's your time to shine!"

Ruby nodded and burst out of the truck in a flurry of rose petals, only to be stopped in her tracks by a shot from a very familiar cane.

Standing before them were Roman and Neo, with Roman wearing a smug expression as he leaned on his cane.

"Well, well, if it isn't little red," Roman taunted. "Surprised to see me walking free? It was quite easy after my lovely assistant helped me out. And I must admit, I like the upgrade I've gotten as a result. This battleship will definitely serve me well. With the firepower this thing has, nobody will dare mess with me again."