Raucous Ruins
The blaring, bright orange sun rose up in the distant horizon, illuminating the faintly mist covered mountains. Dew glistened upon patches of hardy grass and moss that grew upon the mountains surface. The serene beauty of the morning contrasted against the towering, yet crumbling, remains of a stone fortress.
Down on the ground and dashing between the cracked pillars and overgrown masonry black and white figures bellowed in fury, their glowing eyes shine with a crimson light.
The Grimm were met by by a trio of blurs, one black, one white and one red. Bullets fired and ricocheted while shining Glyphs spun into existence with a sharp but lyrical hum. The Huntresses flashed, danced and launched themselves through the ruins for cover as they tore into the tide of monsters.
The three Huntresses battle, if looked at perhaps by a veteran or with a birds eye view, was clearly built around protection and misdirection.
Specifically the Huntresses were guarding the tallest remaining pillar, carved from blueish stone, layered with inscriptions and marked by a ruined ladder, the pillar was all that remained of the fortresses great tower. In ages past it would have been used to light signal flares that could be seen for miles around to warn of Grimm and send messages.
And, spiritually, it was still being used as such, if grudgingly.
Two thin slivers of silver metal were held high against the sky by the tips of two black-gloved fingers as gun fire and growls echoed through the air.
"Come on, come on," a rough feminine voice muttered.
Yang Xiao Long stood atop the flat stone top of the tower. Her golden hair hanging down her back and standing out starkly against her battered brown jacket and black shorts. Her right arm was held high in the air as she stood on her tip toes and muttered irritably as she eyed the battle down below.
A tiny glass circle at the top of the Scroll flashed blue, "Finally!" Yang groaned, before pocketing the Scroll and leaping from her perch to join the fray with a holler of joy.
The Bullhead's engine let out a sharp shriek as the vessel rocketed into the air with a powerful 'vroom!'
The four friends and their dog were all scattered around the Bullhead's cockpit. Blake was in her customary position in the drivers seat. Weiss was at her side though rather than doing any co-piloting she was downing one of their coffee rations with gusto, while Ruby spun Zwei in the air applauding the corgis successful guarding of the ship.
Yang was hanging back in the doorway to the cockpit and flicking her way through the backlog of messages on her battered Scroll. "All that just to get a freaking signal!" Yang cried, arms waving in the air like she really did care.
"At least you got a message," Weiss said in a huffy voice from her co-pilot seat. She unconsciously straightened the long, once White Fang, jacket she'd taken to wearing on her off days.
"Yeah Yang, I mean think about it, if you weren't so tall we might not have gotten a signal at all!" Ruby cheered.
Yang shrugged, "Next time I think I should just hurl one of you into the air to get a Signal. Seriously they'd better repair that stupid support tower soon, this is freaking ridiculous."
"Did we at least get a good job from all this? I mean, we did destroy some ancient ruins for it," Blake said from the pilots seat.
"Worth it," Ruby said, dropping to the floor where she started giving Zwei belly rubs.
Yang's lips shifted from grouchy to a full on smirk as she flicked through the details on her glowing blue screen. "Oh yeah, ladies, we got a high paying mission and a new type at that. Its time for some S and R!"
Blake and Weiss glanced at one another from their respective seats and shrugged.
Ruby on the other hand leapt into the air and shouted, "Search and rescue!"
Over the last few months the quartet had grown used to both travelling together and the new locations. Naturally this had been more of an adjustment for some than others, Blake taking to travel like an old friend and Weiss...
"Gah, get this off of me!" The white haired Huntress shrieked as she thrashed her way through a gargantuan spider web and tromped on the bright green foliage.
Trees nearly as tall as skyscrapers rose into the air, their ancient forms tough and hardy from centuries of undisturbed growth. Winding their way up their trunks and across the forest floor were layers of vines and bushes that made even seeing one's feet a difficult matter. And naturally, where nature went undisturbed by the hands of human and Faunus, pawed, taloned and multi-legged species thrived. Until Weiss had walked straight into a Bulk-Spiders web at-least.
"I got you Weiss!" Ruby shouted, dropping the thick green tarp she'd pulled from the Bullhead Ruby jumped to her friends aid.
They quickly set about trying to untangle the thick weaves of silk while an eight eyed arachnid glared down at hatefully, only to be caught in a staring contest with Zwei.
Weiss huffed and stomped before finally shouting, "I hate nature! Why aren't Blake and Yang helping!?"
Blake was sitting silently in the Bullhead's cockpit, her fingers tapping against the command console as she looked over their vessels stats for the third time.
She was stalling, procrastinating to hide her nerves she knew, but it wasn't as though she could just expect the others to understand-
"So, still stalling for time?" Yang chirped as she strode into the cockpit and leaned on the head of Blake's seat.
'Well I've been wrong before,' Blake thought, almost ruefully. Outwardly she said, "I was thinking maybe you could all take Zwei on this mission and I'd stand guard on the ship."
"Survival 101 Blake," Yang tisked, "Grimm don't kill cute doggies, its us bipeds that tick-em off. I don't think leaving you here alone will end well. No offence," The blonde added.
Blake huffed and continued her scanning as Yang slid off the chair and squatted at her side sending her that annoying searching look she did when the blonde tried to get them to talk. "You're worried cos we're working with a stranger right?" Yang finally ventured.
Sighing Blake flicked the console off and nodded, "Yes. Are you sure there wasn't anything else about this mission you might not have mentioned?"
Yang shrugged, "All I know is what it said. Meet up with some nomad clan, S&R for some prospector, tight area grid search, with us mostly along as back up for some Hunter name Oobleck."
"Still," Yang continued, "I get what you're saying, you are still technically wanted and our contractors a Hunter. Heck, you just being a Faunus might be enough to set him off, and then there's Weiss's dad, if what she's said is true it wouldn't shock me if he'd go to some pretty insane lengths to find her, outsiders are risky..."
"But we really need the fuel money," Blake finished for her friend.
Yang's shoulders went limp as she nodded at Blake and slowly rose to her feet. One of Yang's gloved hands patted Blake;s shoulder and the blonde said, "Listen, no matter what happens Ruby and I are with you, and Weiss for that matter. Worst comes to worse we forage for awhile and... Say," Yang said, a mischievous smile spreading on her lips that caused Blake's ears to twitch. "You still have that cloak, poncho thing right?"
"Yeees," Blake said slowly.
To that, Yang just grinned wider.
Ruby and Weiss turned to the Bullhead as they heard Yang bang on the ships side like a drum roll.
Weiss's glower hardened as she pointed an accusing finger at the dark and gold haired duo, mouth open only to get a face full of white jacket and an orange scarf.
"What are you doing!?" Weiss demanded as she pulled the coat and Yang's scarf into her arms and glared.
"Its your disguise, can't have old man Schnee hearing where you last were right?" Yang said cheerfully. "Put on that coat and tie my scarf around your head and no one will recognise you!"
"Oh, I see," Weiss muttered as she quickly flung the long jacket over her combat skirt and draped Yang's scar over her head. "Is that what you were doing instead of helping us?"
Yang rubbed the back of her head and said, "Heh, sorry, had to help Blake get dressed-"
"That's an exaggeration," Blake interrupted, startling the blonde.
"Bum-dadada!" Yang clapped, before waving her arms at Blake as the Faunus hopped out of their Bullhead, face hidden by a white scarf and her body draped in a black cowl.
"Introducing Miss B and Miss W!" Yang cheered, waving her arms at Weiss and Blake.
Ruby, already in her systems rhythm blurred to Yang's side and said, "They're too cool and mysterious for full names!"
Weiss snorted in a most unladylike fashion while Blake rolled her amber eyes, the only part of her face still visible, as she fondly said, "Dorks."
Yang slipped her around Ruby's neck and hugged Ruby close to her chest and said, "We are amazing and adorable and you love it!"
"Shouldn't we be called Blake and White?" Weiss asked as she finished clumsily tying Yang's scarf around her head.
"Here let me," Blake said, taking the orange cloth in her hands as Weiss stammered out her acceptance.
"No way!" Ruby said, "Full names would totally ruin the mystique!"
Yang merely nodded along with her sister enthusiastically.
"You're both ridiculous-" In an instant Blake spun around, Gambol Shroud in her hands. In the next moment the Huntresses were standing back to back, weapons at the ready as they looked out into the forest.
"What was it?" Ruby asked.
"People approaching, five at least," Blake answered.
Zwei let out a low growl as both his and Blakes ears twitched in unison and the Huntresses strained their eyes, staring deeply into the mass of leaves and branches all around them.
Finally Blake and Zwei, followed by the others, turned to the right. They watched as a single man in thick green and brown clothes that blended in perfectly with his surroundings. Even his face was painted to match the forests colours., and his species was marked with pronounced boar tusks jutting out from the back of his head. He walked with arms upraised and came to a stop several feet away.
"You are the team of Huntresses called by Oobleck, yes?" he asked, his voice sharp but quiet.
They relaxed slowly and Ruby nodded, "Yep that's us!"
The man reeled back a bit, his lips dropping into a frown before he spoke. "I am Vil, I speak for the Meral clan and have been asked by the doctor to guide you to our camp. We should move quickly, and quietly, even in these woods walked by our ancestors the Grimms savagery is unrelenting."
"OK," Ruby said awkwardly. "Just let us finish covering our ship."
Vil nodded and stayed silent, as the Huntresses closed the Bullhead's door and pulled the camouflage tarp over its frame. While they worked each of them spotted several more identically dressed people scattered throughout the wilderness.
"Blake do you know them?" Weiss asked.
Nodding Blake said, "Meral clan, mixed camp, trustworthy traders, pretty big but tight-knit."
Ruby let out a sigh, well at least they weren't likely to be working with the White Fang then. Once they were done inspecting their handiwork and laying out food and water for Zwei Ruby patted the happy corgi's head and said, "Keep the ship safe while we're gone OK."
"Arf!" Zwei barked in confirmation.
"Anyone tries to get in just mawl-em boy and if they're too strong just come get us and we'll do it," Yang added.
"Arf" Zwei confirmed.
"And don't touch my things," Blake added.
Zwei did not bark in conformation.
"He's gonna get in your stuff," Yang chuckled, patting her friend on the back as they all walked towards Vil.
"So are we ready to go?" Weiss asked.
Vil nodded, spun on his heel and began carefully creeping deeper into the forest, the Huntresses followed the man's lead. All around them, the other Meral clan bled back into the foliage and began following them.
As their slow march persisted the Huntresses found themselves more engrossed in their surrounding, and not just because they were watching for people or Grimm.
The forest was tropical but still otherworldly and distinct to those most of them were familiar with. Lanky, gnarled trees stretched high into the sky with only faint rays of sunshine breaking through. Natural stone outcroppings and even the occasional piece of rubble that always dotted the landscape were overgrown with vines. Occasionally an animal would shoot by them or scuttle back into hiding.
"So uh," Ruby said, the oppressive silence getting to her. She uncomfortably fiddled with Crescent Rose wishing a Grimm would burst in and break the awkwardness, "How long have you guys been here?"
Vil didn't slow or look back and as before his words were short and clipped. "The Meral clan has wandered these lands for generations, even escaping the horrors the kingdoms unleashed during their Great War. However, we dare not travel up the mountains on the wisdom of our ancestors. Only fools tread there," said their guide.
He was of course talking about the mountain they'd spent the last day flying around. The option of going over it being vetoed due to the high change of elder Grimm nesting there.
"Cool, cool," Ruby murmured, "So uh, do you know the guy whose hiring us?"
"I am... not fit to speak of such things," Vil said. "The elders will introduce you to him, please let us stay quiet lest we lure wrathful company."
Yang patted her sister on the back as they continued their march. The next half an hour was spent in silence, it was only when Blake's ears perked up from beneath her cowl that she said, "We're here."
Before her fellows could even express surprise at that, Vil slipped through a particularly large bush. Upon closer inspection it was actually a camouflage tarp spread out between the trees, just with a thick layer of false brush around it to create the illusion of a bush.
The huntresses slipped through the thick materiel and emerged into what felt like another world.
All around them people in camouflaged clothing hurried back and forth between tents that looked more apart of the forest than a civilisation. New aromas tantalised their weary senses and empty stomachs. Conversation filled with air, the people's accents more languid and yet somehow crisper than the two Vale natives were used to.
A figure waved at them from a large open tent in the distance where they sat surrounded by other nomads, all gathered around a large pan simmering on glowing red coals.
"I think that's our employer," Weiss said.
"The doctor is a good friend to the Meral clan, that is why you are welcome here, but please do nothing to draw attention or offend our fore bearers," Vil said as he led them through the camp and towards the open tent.
"We'll do our utmost to respect your home, thank you, Vil," Weiss said politely as they approached the tent.
The man nodded and stood aside to let them them into the wide open tent. Three figured in robes that otherwise resembled Vil's clothes sat before the simmering hot coals where a kettle now rested.
The quartet looked to their would be employer but found only empty space before the man blurred into existence in front of them. His long brown coat flared, his rounded plastic hat tilted on his head and his tiny spectacles nearly flew off. Dark green hair shot out in a mad spiked display that looked like some mix of bed hair and an industrial strength gel accident.
He smiled widely and said, "Hello girls, who's ready to fight for their lives!?"
Author Notes:
Hello again, or for any potential new readers, hello for the first time. I hope anyone who read this opening chapter for this new story arc enjoyed it :)
I would like to thank Person With Many Aliases for being an awesome and supportive beta reader, and also to extend my thanks to Darth Artemis for showing me that the Knights Errant has a TV Tropes page, (I had a joyful freak out over that) and similarly would like to thank HK87 for creating the tropes page. It was thanks to such support that I was able to get back into the swing of things and focus hard on writing this sequel and I hope everyone enjoys what is to come, and if you have any feedback, please feel free to leave any questions comments or critique and I will do my very best to get back to you.