End of the Beginning/Transcript

Port: That's it! Everybody on board! This is a mandatory evacuation!

Oobleck: A safe zone has been established in Vale! Please, remain calm and listen to Atlas personnel!

Weiss: Ruby!

Ruby: Oh, I found you!

Weiss: Ruby, where have you-

Ruby: Don't worry, I'm fine!

What's going on?

Weiss?

What is it?

Blake: I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Ruby: Yang ...

Sun: Hey.

She's gonna be okay. The soldiers have a ship ready to take you guys to Vale.

Nora: But Jaune and Pyrrha are still missing.

Ruby: What!?

Sun: Look, guys, that giant Grimm is circling the school! Even the White Fang are pulling out!

We all have to go, now!

Ren: We're not ... leaving! Ugh!

Ruby: I'll find them ... I'll find them, and I'll bring them back.

Weiss: No. We will find them. Watch after Blake and Yang. We'll be back.

Sun: You better be!

Idiots.

Jaune: Okay, I think I have Glynda's number.

Oh, where is it?

Jaune: Pyrrha ...

what was all of that!?

Pyrrha: I ...

Jaune: But ... Ozpin ...

Pyrrha: There's no time.

Go. Get to Vale, and call for help.

Jaune: Huh? What are you gonna do?

No ... no, Pyrrha, you can't. You saw how powerful she is! Pyrrha, I won't let you do-

Pyrrha: I'm sorry.

Jaune: Hey!

Stop, stop! You don't have to do this!

Weiss: It's Jaune!

Where are you?

Jaune: Weiss, please! You have to stop her!

Weiss: What!?

Jaune: Pyrrha! She's going after that woman at the top of the tower! She doesn't stand a chance!

Weiss: Jaune, what are you talking about!? Where are you?

Jaune: Don't worry about me!

Please, you have to save Pyrrha!

Weiss: We will. Are you okay?

Jaune: Please...

Weiss: Jaune?

Jaune!

Ruby: I have a plan.

Weiss: You always do.

Cinder: Shh... This is your home now.

Ruby: We've gotta hurry!

Weiss: You can do this.

Cinder: It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours. But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you would never had imagined.

Pyrrha: Do you believe in destiny?

Cinder: Yes.

Cinder: WHAT!?

It's alright. I got ya, kiddo. I got ya.

Nothing. Just turn it off. Without the CCT, there's no point.

Communications down across the entire Kingdom, no way to contact the outside world ... and Ozpin's still missing.

Yeah.

This is bad, Qrow.

Yeah, it's bad.

Taiyang: Ruby!

You're awake!

Ruby: Ugh... what happened?

Taiyang: Your uncle Qrow found you, unconscious. He got you out of there, though. He brought you home safe.

Ruby: Wait! Yang! Is she alright!

Taiyang: Uh, she's uh ... she's gonna be alright.

I think she's just ... I think it's just gonna take some time for her to get used to things.

She's too strong to let this stop her.

I'm just glad to have my girls back at home.

Ruby: What happened to the school!? And Vale!? Were they able to clear out the Grimm?

Taiyang: Things at Vale are under control, but the school... it's ... it's not that simple. That thing, whatever it is, doesn't seem to be dead. And don't get me wrong, you did a number on it.

But, it's not disappearing. It's ... kind of ... frozen. I know that doesn't sound too bad, but it keeps attracting more Grimm to the school.

Ruby: I did ... what?

Taiyang: Hm?

Ruby: You said I did a number of things on it. What do you mean?

Taiyang: I ... look that's not important right now. We can talk about it later. Things are just ... kind of a mess.

Qrow: It's always a mess.

Mind if we have a minute?

Taiyang: What, I can't stay here!?

Qrow: Tai. Please.

Taiyang: I'm glad you're alright.

I'll go make us some tea.

Qrow: So, how you feeling?

Ruby: Um, I ... kinda hurt. All over.

Qrow: That makes sense, after what you did.

Ruby: You guys keep saying that! That I did something! What are you talking about!?

Qrow: What's the last thing you remember!?

Ruby: I ran up the side of the tower, and when I got to the top ... Pyrrha!

Is she ...?

Qrow: She's gone.

Ruby: I ... I ... I got to the top, and I saw Pyrrha, and Cinder ... and then everything went white!

Qrow: Anything else?

Ruby: I remember ... my head hurting!

Qrow: The night you met Ozpin, what was the first thing he said to you?

Ruby: I ... I don't know! I think it was something about ...

Qrow: Silver eyes. That's an extremely rare trait.

Ruby: So?

Qrow: You're special, Ruby. And not in the "Daddy loves you, his special angel" kind of way.

You're special the same way your mom was.

Remnant's full of legends, and stories. Some of them true, some made up. But there's one Oz told me from a very long time ago.

Back before Huntsmen, before Kingdoms, it was said that those born with silver eyes were destined to lead the life of a warrior. You see, the creatures of Grimm, the most fearsome monsters mankind had ever encountered, were afraid of those silver eyed warriors. They were the best of the best. It was said that even a single look from one of these fighters could strike a Grimm down. Heh. It's a ridiculous story.

Ruby: But ... you think that I might be...

Qrow: Well, a giant monster is currently frozen at the top of the tower. And you're here, safe in bed.

Ruby: Wait, wait, how did you know what Ozpin said to me? The night we met?

Qrow: All those missions I go on ... all the times I'm away to some far-off place ... it's been for Ozpin. But he's missing now. Something's been set in motion.

With Oz gone, I'll have to pick up where he left off.

Ruby: And what could I do?

If I'm so special, then I can help, right?

Qrow': You really wanna help? Get some rest. You're in no condition to go anywhere right now. Besides, our enemy's trail leads all the way to Haven. That would be quite a trip for a pipsqueak like you.

Catch ya later, kiddo.

Ruby: Yang?

Yang: Ruby.

Ruby: I'm so glad you're okay!

Yang: But I'm not.

It's all gone: the school, Penny, Pyrrha, and ...

Ruby: Yang, where are Weiss and Blake?

Yang: Weiss' father came for her.

Ruby: What? Why? What do you mean?

Yang: No one outside of Vale knows what happened here. Before the tower fell, the last thing people saw was Atlas attacking innocent people and Grimm destroying the city.

Everyone's scared. No one knows who to trust.

So, Weiss' father came to take her back to Atlas, where he thinks it's safe.

Ruby: But what about -

Yang: And Blake ran! Sun saw her go. After he got to the city, she just ... ran!

Ruby: But ... why!?

Yang: I don't know, and I don't care.

Ruby: There has to be a reason she-

Yang: No she doesn't. Sometimes bad things just happen, Ruby!

Ruby: So, what do we do now?

Yang: You can do whatever you want. I'm ... gonna lie here.

Ruby: Yang ...

Yang: Just leave me alone.

Ruby: I love you.

Jaune: Hey.

Ruby: Hey, Jaune. Haven's a long way to go.

Jaune: I know. It's the only way we have.

Ruby: Are you sure you want to come along?

Ren: The journey will be perilous, and whether we'll find answers at the end is entirely uncertain.

Nora: But we wouldn't be here if we weren't up for it.

Ruby: Then let's get started.

Salem: A smaller, more honest soul. It's true that a simple spark can ignite hope, and breathe fire into the hearts of the weary. The ability to derive strength from hope, is undoubtedly mankind's greatest attribute. Which is why I will focus all of my power ... to snuff it out.

How does it feel, knowing that all of your time and effort has been for nothing? That your guardians have failed you? That everything you've built will be torn down before your very eyes? Your faith in mankind was not misplaced. When banded together, unified by a common enemy, they are a noticeable threat. But divide them, place doubt into their minds, and any semblance of power they once had will wash away.

Of course, they won't realize it at first - like you, they'll cling to their fleeting hope, their aspirations. But this is the first move.

So you send your guardians, your Huntsmen and Huntresses, and when they fail and you turn to your smaller soul, know that you send her to the same pitiful demise.

This is the beginning of the end, Ozpin.

And I can't wait to watch you burn.