RWBY||Defender of Remnant

4th of July Special

3rd Person POV

Beacon

"So... let me get this straight," Sincline said slowly as he, team RWBY, team JNPR, and Mercury walked down the main path leading to the airstrip. Upon waking up (this time without his entire team landing on him) he had been met with the curious sight of many students and professors hanging banners depicting the symbols of all four kingdoms at various locations across the academy. They had joined in the decorating effort and, afterward, the mech-turned-human had asked what exactly they were doing it all for. Needless to say, he was still confused. "We're setting up decorations and, later, shoot explosives at the sky...

"Fireworks," Yang and Mercury corrected simultaneously.

"It's an age-old tradition ever since the Kingdoms were established," Weiss explained. "It's to celebrate our continued survival and freedom to finally expand Humanity and Faunus kind alike. A commemoration of Independence, if you would."

"Huh." The only thing the Galra celebrated was the Kral Zera, he thought, recalling the data and files he had received during his time in the Castle of Lions. It was a coronation ceremony for a new emperor or empress of the entire Galra Empire, as far as he knew. "And this is done with... explosions?"

Nora pointed at him. "Art is an explosion!" she declared, earning a nod of agreement from Ruby and a sigh from Ren.

"Umm... I'm not exactly sure about that," Pyrrha said hesitantly, but Jaune just placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. The message was clear. Just go with it.

Sincline tilted his head. From what he knew, the Atlesian airships had all been loaded with 'fireworks,' as Mercury and Yang called them, and would fire them as soon as night fell. "So... what do these 'fireworks' do?"

Her eyes lighting up, Ruby happily jumped in to enter. "They're basically Fire Dust wrapped in a tight paper tube with a fuse to light the Dust. Once ignited, they'll shoot into the sky and explode in whatever shape their stars are arranged."

Sincline blinked. "Stars?"

"Spheres, cubes, or cylinders of a sparkler-like composition that give fireworks their shapes," Blake explained, earning a nod of understanding from the mech-turned-human.

"I asked Cinder if she could help me set up a few," Mercury commented and rubbed his soot-covered shoulder. "She, uh... she didn't feel like it."

Everyone sweatdropped. "Right..."

Just then, an idea flashed through Sincline's mind. "So... fireworks have unique shapes because of their stars, right?" he asked, quietly sending a text to Jaune, Mercury and Ren through his HUD.

Yang nodded. "Right... why?" she asked as

Instead of answering, Sincline turned to Blake. "How long does it take to make fireworks?" he asked, earning a suspicious blink from the feline Faunus.

"About 2 hours for a minute of choreographed shots... why?" she asked as Mercury, Jaune, and Ren checked their scrolls. He isn't going to... he would.

Exchanging looks, the other three boys nodded and turned back to Sincline, the glint in their eyes showing their understanding of the situation... and Jaune's curiosity at what the Trans-reality mech had planned.

"No reason," Sincline replied, quickly checking the time on his HUD and comparing it to the time of dusk. Six hours... that's just enough. "I'll, uh... be right back. Guys?"

As one, Mercury, Jaune, and Ren nodded. "On it!"

"Wha—where're you four going?" Ruby asked as Yang placed her hands on her hips, her narrowing lilac eyes flashing red with suspicion.