A/N: I gotta give props to my partner/beta reader of this series, macjack662, for helping me comb over and make sure that everything is cleaned up with each chapter as much possible. Even more so with how quickly I'm turning them out as of late. And with each new update, we draw ever closer to some hell raising situations in the future.
A couple people have asked me what Adrian is wearing in terms of a combat outfit. If you remember back in Chapter 3 (Interval - 02), I mentioned that he was dressed in Pointman's attire from F3AR. I decided a while back to have this as his new default combat outfit. Even though his old FEAR uniform was awesome, he is still trying to start new at Beacon and laying low with Armacham sniffing around as well. Besides, it's a badass look if I'm being honest.
Now, we continue were we left off.
( I don't own RWBY or FEAR)
"That was a risky move." said Weiss after Ruby finished telling them what happened the night before.
"No, I think you and Adrian handled things pretty well." Blake threw in.
Ruby nodded and gave a small smile, "I hope so."
Yang came up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be alright, Ruby." the blonde then remembered something a perked up, "Oh! I know what'll cheer you up!"
The young leader followed her sister with her eyes as she went to the side of the room and picked up a cylinder-shaped package that was on one of the desks. "What's that?" the brunette asked.
"I don't know, dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together." replied Yang.
Ruby squealed happily, "Ooh! Something from home!" she launched across the room, leaving petals in her wake as she latched onto her sister's back and flailed her arms to get her hands on the package eagerly.
X
Adrian skulked back to the dorm room, hands shoved into his pockets as he thought over what he and Paxton had been discussing.
It turned out to be a point in their favor that his 'dead' brother could make himself unseen at will, making it easier for him to move about undetected and gather information. And from what they had talked about, the wraith had learned a lot recently.
Apparently there had been a lot going on around Beacon without anyone knowing. Their enemies were much closer than they first realized, and working with Armacham for reasons unknown.
The former FEAR operative started putting all the information together. Torchwick and the White Fang working together, the three students from Haven who were wolves in sheep's clothing, and the ATC coming out of nowhere and setting up their own occupation. It was all connected.
Paxton was right, war was coming. And with their enemies on all sides and Vale caught in the middle it was going to be disastrous.
Adrian ran a hand over his face. He had to tell the girls, Ozpin, General Ironwood, and warn them about what was going on right under their noses before it was too late.
He had reached the door to his team's room when he heard the girls screaming. Snapping his head up, the soldier drew one of his pistols and kicked the door open and swept the room for enemies...
Instead he found the eyes of his girlfriend/team leader, his other three team mates, and a familiar corgi all looking at him.
"Oh, hey Adrian! What's up?" Yang asked, not at all bother by the fact that he had just kicked the door in and was now armed.
Adrian took a deep breath and slipped his Strader back into its holster before making his way over to Ruby, who was holding Zwei and scratched the dog behind the ears. [How'd Zwei get here?] he signed curiously.
"He was in the package that dad sent to us." explained Yang while holding up the container the corgi had traveled in.
"I can't believe he sent a dog." Blake said, giving out a soft hiss and looking ready to bolt when the animal looked her way.
"In the mail no less." added Weiss, trying to wrap her head around how it was even possible to transport a living creature through postage. The heiress stepped closer and got a better look, "And are you honestly telling me that this mangy, drooling, mutt...Is going to wive with us forevah!"
The white-haired girl's turned from serious to excessively loving at the the drop of a hat as she started talking to Zwei in a cute-baby voice.
"Please keep it from my belongings." Blake deadpanned from her new spot on Ruby's bed.
"Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheater." Professor Goodwitch's voice came through on the academy's PA system, alerting them all about their first mission starting today.
[We're going to be gone for a week. And I doubt the faculty will let us take a stowaway.] Adrian signed as Zwei started checking out the room and sniffing around.
"Hey, there's a letter." Yang said as she took the message from the package they had gotten;
" 'Dear girls, I've got to leave the island for a few days. So I'm sending Zwei to you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang'."
The buxom blonde up ended the package just as Zwei ran underneath it, a mountain of dog food cans spilling out onto the floor on top of him.
"What's he supposed to do with that?" asked Weiss skeptically just as a can opener fell out as well landing on the corgi's head.
"Whelp, that settles it." Yang said as she headed to the door of their room and picked up the bag she had packed for their trip, "Com'mon guys, Zwei will be here when we get back."
Weiss and Blake followed her, the heiress taking time to say goodbye to their new furry companion while the faunus jumped from the bed and across the desks to avoid getting too close to Zwei.
This left Ruby and Adrian alone with the corgi who looked up at them, happily panting with his tongue hanging out.
The red cloaked girl seemed to think about something carefully before smiling widely with a newly formed idea. The soldier looked at his soulmate and couldn't help but sigh in resignation to whatever crazy scheme she had in mind.
X
Team RWBY-A entered the amphitheater where the rest of their classmates were already gathered. Setting their bags in a large pile with everyone else's just as Professors Goodwitch and Ozpin took the center stage.
"Quiet. Quiet please." the blonde huntress said into the microphone, causing the room to go silent. "Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin."
The headmaster replaced her as he addressed the collective of students, "Today we stand together, united. Mistral, Atlas, Vacuo, and Vale. The four kingdoms of Remnant. On this day nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom. But about the very idea of individualism itself."
"We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self expression. And as you all are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself. Color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither would the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day."
"We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity. Through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today while the rest of the world celebrates peace, huntsmen and huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional huntsman or huntress, on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter what path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."
The crowd of students applauded the headmaster as he stepped off stage. "Quite the motivational speaker, albeit his belief in peace is very much a fairy tale." Paxton said making the girls of RWBY-A jump at his sudden appearance.
"Where the hell did you come from?!" Weiss yelped, doing her best to keep her voice down and not garner the attention of the other students around them.
The psionic smirked at her, "If my mere presence frightens you, then any mission you choose today may prove too much for you." the heiress glared at him but didn't rise to the barb.
"So I take it you're joining us on this mission?" asked Blake, not liking the idea of the wraith tagging along.
"Is it wrong to get out every once in a while?" Paxton asked in mock curiousness while tapping his chin.
"Okay," Yang clapping her hands, "Deadly poltergeist aside, what's the plan?"
Ruby took the floor from there, "All we have to do is shadow a huntsman working in the Southeast."
"I recommend we check 'Search and Destroy'." offered Weiss. The team approached one of the holo-screens that appeared around the theater marked with what they were looking for.
[Quadrant-5 needs to be cleared. That's in the general area of where we want to be.] Adrian signed. Ruby punched in their team name only for the screen to flash that the mission was unavailable to first year students.
"Any other ideas?" asked Blake.
"We mail ourselves there." Ruby offered enthusiastically.
Paxton looked at his brother, "She's not serious, is she?" Adrian sent him a look and the psionic sighed while pinching his nose.
"That's certainly one option." the team looked behind them and found Ozpin approaching with his scroll open. "Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of grimm was too extreme for first year students. It seems that particular region is rather popular. In fact I have a sneaking suspicion that the five of you will make your way there no matter which job you choose."
The team avoided eye contact with the headmaster, "Whatever makes you say that?" Ruby asked, failing at being nonchalant about it.
"I'm still curious as to how you all found yourselves at the docks last semester." the headmaster continued, "I'm also interested to know how you really learned about a 'hideout' in the Southeast. And I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing robots and rose petals in a dance club sometime ago."
All eyes went to the cloaked leader who looked bashful while tapping her index fingers together.
Ozpin smiled knowingly, "I doubt I'll ever find the exact answers I'm looking for. So, how about this. Instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, why don't we just bend them?" the headmaster tapped a few keys on his scroll and the team's mission request was accepted.
"We won't let you down." said Ruby. "Thank you, professor."
"Do not thank me for this." the headmaster said now serious, "Team work and persistence have carried you far, but you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the kingdom will not care. Stay close to your huntsman at all times. Do exactly as he says, he will be leading you on this mission. And he can have you all sent back to Beacon if he finds your skills to be unsatisfactory."
Ozpin looked to Adrian, "Then again, you certainly have the right company to help you thrive outside the kingdom." the older man's gaze then went to where Paxton was standing. "Even if some are...questionable." with that he turned and walked away.
"Crafty old man." Paxton said with a smirk, while wondering how the headmaster knew he was there.
The team left the amphitheater, some of them looking more troubled than excited for what was coming. "That wasn't exactly uplifting." Yang commented.
"It's the truth." Blake admitted.
"It's gonna be tough, but I know we can all do it." Ruby said, trying to lift everyone's spirits.
"Worse comes to worse, death isn't so bad." Paxton threw in, getting glares from his brother and the girls. Before any of them could bite back another student ran past them saying that team CFVY had finally returned from their own mission.
RWBY-A followed after them in time to see the second year team coming in from the air docks. One of the members of said team being Velvet Scarlatina, the rabbit faunus they'd known for months now.
"Velvet? You okay?" Blake asked her fellow faunus.
"I'm fine, I had Yatsuhashi to look out for me." Velvet answered while motioning to the much taller male that walked by her with shoulder armor and a massive sword on his back.
"Your mission was supposed to end a week ago. What happened?" asked Weiss.
"N-Nothing happened." the rabbit faunus replied, "It's was just...there were so many. But don't worry, you first years are just shadowing huntsmen so you should be fine."
"Riiiiight." Yang drew out.
Velvet smiled at them, "I should go. Be safe, okay?"
"We can do this." Ruby said as the older student joined her own team, "We've never backed down before and we're not going to start now."
Adrian put a hand on her shoulder and nodded encouragingly as she continued, "Besides it won't only be us out there. We'll be fighting alongside a genuine huntsman!"
X
All of them stood in various forms of shock as they saw their chaperone for their first mission.
"Well, hello there students!" Professor Oobleck greeted, dressed similar to a safari explorer. "Who's ready to fight for their lives?"
"Professor Oobleck?" Weiss asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary." The green-haired man said in his usual rapid-fire form of speech while he paced quickly in front of them. "Seeing as you've opted to shadow a huntsman on what is now essentially a reconnaissance mission. I can assure you we will not be establishing a single base of operations. Rather we will be traversing several miles of hazardous wasteland, and making a camp in any defendable locations we may stumble upon. I've packed all our essentials myself, provided the air course, and readied the airship. And!"
Oobleck zipped in front of Weiss and bent down close to her face, "It's Doctor Oobleck. I didn't earn a PhD for fun, thank you very much." he zipped back in front of them and motioned to the airship behind them. "Come now children, according to my schedule we are already 3 minutes behind, schedule!" in the next moment he was a blur as he shot down the walk-path to the air transport.
Paxton chuckled as he took in the mortified expressions on his brother and his team's faces. "Best of luck to you all." the wraith said before fading into the air.
"...dick." Yang muttered at the wraith's departure.
"Well...alright then!" Ruby said, trying to be enthusiastic. "Looks like we're going to save the world with Dr. Oo...bleck...okay yeah when you say it out loud it sounds worse."
[Don't judge him yet.] Adrian signed, [He got his position here for more than just his intelligence. So give him the benefit of the doubt for now and we'll follow his lead.]
"Adrian's right, besides, it's the only chance we have to get where we need to go." said Blake.
"Then what are we doing waiting around? Let's get going!" Yang exclaimed as they made their way to the bullhead.
Falling to the back of the group, Adrian motioned to Ruby and started signing. [Have to talk to all of you first chance we can get. It's important.]
Ruby nodded, noting how serious her boyfriend looked and knew that whatever it was they all needed to hear it.
X
Sometime later, RWBY-A's airship was flying over the kingdom. Approaching the bordering wall around Vale in the direction of Quadrant-5.
Adrian sat close to the opening of the troop compartment, Shade in his hands as he watched the ground slip past them below.
"I guess I just never saw you as much of a fighter." he heard Yang say to Oobleck behind him.
"I admit, I fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I can assure you, as a huntsman, I've had my fair share of tussles." replied the doctor.
"Like the mushroom?" asked Ruby confused.
"Those are truffles." Blake clarified.
"Like the sprout?" the leader wondered again.
"Those are brussels." Yang answered.
"Besides," Oobleck continued, "Given my expertise in the field of history, as well as my dabblings in the art of archaeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw fit to assign me to this particular, assignment."
"What does history have to do with this?" asked Weiss skeptically.
Adrian smacked his hand on the side of the bullhead to get everyone's attention, [He means that he knows the area and anything we might encounter from what happened there in the past. Knowledge is just as important in battle as any weapon.] he signed.
"Quite right you are, Mr. Wade!" replied Oobleck, "History is the backbone of our very society. And the liver! And probably the kidneys if I were to wager. The Southeast quadrant outside of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves. But, it is also the location to one of the kingdom's greatest failures."
"Mountain Glenn." said Ruby.
"That's right, it was an expansion of Vale." Yang added. "But in the end it was overrun by grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city."
The doctor nodded, "Correct! and now it stands abandoned, as a dark reminder."
"And a likely place for a hideout." Blake said, coming to the same conclusion along with everyone else.
"Precisely." Oobleck stated.
The bullhead approached the ruins of what would have been another section of the kingdom. The buildings that would have once held homes and businesses laid in shambles with debris scattered about, a dense silence filling the air save for the loud hum of the air transport's engines.
Looking down on it all, Adrian couldn't help but remember back to what Fairport looked like after the Project Origin facility was destroyed. A ghost town. Only he hoped that this place wasn't crawling with deadly spirits as well.
The ship got low enough to the ground for the team and huntsman to jump off, they made quick work of surveying their landing spot as the bullhead took off. Leaving them in the desolate city environment.
"This...is creepy." Yang muttered.
"Was this what it was like, in Fairport?" Ruby asked her boyfriend who nodded, his eyes scanning every building around them with his body tense and ready to fight.
"Remember, you still may be students, but as of this moment your first mission as a huntsman and huntresses has begun." said Oobleck. "From this point forward you need to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?" he looked over at Ruby and saw that she still had the large pack on that she was leaving the school with earlier.
"Ruby!" the doctor exclaimed, making the girl jump. "I thought I told you to leave all your bags back at school."
The leader laughed nervously, "But, uh, you hadn't told us to listen to you yet...so I didn't."
Everyone blinked at her, "She's not wrong." the doctor admitted, making them all blink again. "Very well Ruby, leave your bag here we can pick it up upon our return."
"But, I, whaa..." Ruby stumbled.
"Young lady, what in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important to bring it-" Oobleck was cut off when a soft rustling came from the pack Ruby was carrying before Zwei's head poked out of it and barked happily.
All eyes went back and forth from between the corgi and the cloaked girl carrying him as she turned her head and whispered, "Get back in the bag."
"We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle teeming with death and hostility, and you brought, a dog?" asked Oobleck slowly and deliberately.
Ruby paled, "I...uhh..."
"Genius!" the doctor shouted. Zipping around, taking Zwei in his hands and spinning around with him, "Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and heightened sense of sound. Making them excellent companions for hunts such as ours!"
No one knew what to say, Ruby beamed at her team. "I'm a genius." she said proudly.
Adrian shook his head before kissing the top of hers head. [You are VERY lucky.] he signed so that only she would see. Causing her to blush in response.
"So, what are your orders, doctor?" asked Blake.
Oobleck set Zwei down, "Ah! Yes! Straight to the chase, I like it! As you have been informed the Southeast area has been marked as a recent hotspot for grimm activity. Now there are several possible explanations for this behavior. One of which being, Grimm."
"Uhh, what?" asked Ruby.
"Grimm, a creature of grimm approximately 100 yards from us at this very moment." the doctor answered, the team turned around to see a lone Beowolf coming out from behind a damaged building.
The teens had their weapons ready in moments, "Wait!" Oobleck ordered, "There are a number of reasons why grimm would congregate in this particular area. The most likely of which would be their attraction to negativity. Sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred, all qualities that are all likely held by our hidden group harboring ill intent."
"So, what do we do?" asked Yang, a little anxious.
The doctor took a drink from his coffee thermos, "We wait, we track, if this specimen leads us to its pack, that pack may subsequently lead us to our pray."
"How long do we wait?" asked Blake.
"It's uncertain, hours, days, weeks, why lone grimm have been known to stand isolated from the pack for months...and there's the whole pack." the huntsman stated as more Beowolves arrived with the first, their red eyes looking in their direction, "And now they've seen us."
Adrian didn't bother to wait for a signal as he opened fire on the coming pack, Ruby doing the same with Crescent Rose while Yang, Weiss and Blake charged ahead. Their own weapons firing and slashing into the grimm ranks.
One of the Beowolves broke from the back and made for the ex-FEAR operative, swinging its claws when it was in range only to hit open air as his reflexes kicked in and he rolled out of the way. Shade converting into its sword form that he used to slice one of its arms clean off before driving the blade up through its jaw and through its head.
A second wolf-grimm lunged at his flank, but he avoided the attack by jumping over the creature and slamming his boot heel into the side of its head. Pulling Shade from the now dissolving Beowolf, Adrian emptied the rest of the clip into his second target before dumping it and slamming a fresh one home.
More grimm kept coming, the team quickly taking them down as they appeared, leaving piles of dissolving body parts scattered all over the damaged street.
"Heh, piece of cake." Ruby said to Oobleck when they finished off the grimm.
"Do not celebrate yet." replied the doctor, "For I am certain this is the first bout of many. Shall we continue?"
A/N: The mission to Mt. Glenn has begun, but what awaits the team beneath the surface?
Till next time folks!
