Chapter twenty-one

Motivations

The full moon was shining over the ruined buildings of Mountain Glenn as Ruby spied on a Beowolf through the rubble. Zwei was still sound asleep on Ruby's leg while she couldn't because she was still on watch.

Ruby shook her head and gently pinched her leg then tightened her corset. As Ruby was struggling to stay awake the rest of team RWBY were laying down on their bedrolls.

Yang had tossed and turned for a while before she gave up on trying to sleep.

She spent a good amount of time gazing up at the ceiling before she finally spoke. "Blake, are you awake?" Yang was surprised by Blake's soft assurance that she was.

Yang was still looking at the ceiling as she asked. "Why do you think he asked us about being a Huntress? What was he trying to say?"

"Maybe he was just curious."

"You think?"

"No."

After Blake's one-word answer Yang repeated the first question. "Weiss, are you awake?"

Weiss responded, irritation in her voice before she forced it away.

"Of course, I'm awake! You two are talking. And I think he... When I said I wanted to honor my family's name, I meant it. But, it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware of what my father has done with the Schnee Dust Company. Since he took control, our business has operated in a... moral gray area."

Blake snorted. "That's putting it lightly."

Weiss hummed softly as she sat up. "Which is why I feel the need to make things right. If I had taken a job in Atlas, it wouldn't have changed anything. My father was not the start of our name, and I refuse to let him be the end of it."

Blake nodded sadly as she also sat up and gazed into the oily darkness that permeated throughout most of Mountain Glenn. Her voice was low and a mix of both sadness and bitterness. "All my life, I fought for what I thought was right. I had a partner named Adam. More of a mentor, actually. He always assured me that what we were doing would make the world a better place. But of course, his idea of a perfect future turned out to be not perfect for everyone. I joined the Academy because I knew that Huntsmen and Huntresses were regarded as the most noble warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the Academy, what will I - how can I undo so many years of hate? I run away when things get tough… Ruby and I had this conversation and I've more or less accepted what I've done but it still eats away at me.

Yang put her arms into the air and catapulted upwards before shrugging. "At least you two have something that drives you. I've just kinda of always, gone with the flow, y'know? And that's fine, I mean, that's who I am. But how long can I really do that for? I want to be a Huntress, not really because I want to be a hero, but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I won't know what tomorrow will bring. And that'll be a good thing. Being a Huntress just happens to line up with both that and my promise to always protect Ruby. I'm not like Ruby though, she's always wanted to be a Huntress. It's like she said, ever since she was a kid, she'd dream about being the heroes in the books. Helping people and saving the day, and never asking for anything else in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew that's what she wanted to do. That's why she trained so hard to get where she is today. Her desire to prove that she was bigger than her Autism only fueled that fire and truth be told I'm a little jealous of that single-minded desire."

Weiss took this in before she rubbed her arm. "I know that in many ways she's very mature but in many ways she's still just a kid."

Blake sighed softly as her ears drooped. "She's only two years younger. We're all kids."

Yang fell onto her back again before looking at Blake. "Well, not anymore. I mean, look where we are! In the middle of a warzone and armed to the teeth!"

"It's the life we chose." Blake said simply.

Weiss hummed. "It's a job. We all had this romanticized vision of being a Huntress in our heads! But at the end of the day, it's a job to protect the people! And whatever we want, will have to come second."

"I don't agree Weiss. Yes, our first priority is to Remnant but if we sacrifice our wants in the process then what's the point? Our happiness shouldn't have to be sacrificed in order to properly." Ruby said as she came over from her ledge. "Yang, its your watch."

Weiss' hand twitched as she tried to clarify for Ruby. "What I meant is if it wasn't for Torchwick and the White Fang would you have still picked this particular mission or would you have wanted one in a village?"

"One in a village."

"What if that mission was simply to deliver a jar of honey to the next town over and we were given the job because Grimm were nearby?"

"Oh, I see what you mean now… Not every mission is us clearing a dangerous nest of Grimm out or protecting a village."

"Exactly." Ruby thought for a moment before she shrugged. "If that was our mission I'd do it." She turned towards Yang and repeated. "It's your watch now."

Ruby was having a dream. It was a very odd one since a tiny Beowolf kept licking her face. No matter how much she pushed it away it kept coming back. Eventually she woke up only to see Zwei sitting on her stomach with his tongue out and drool coming off it. "You were the one licking me huh?" Zwei gave a sort of nod before hopping off of her stomach. "Zwei go back to sleep."

Zwei walked out of the room and not wanting him to go out alone she followed him. He was waiting for her by the entrance but with a soft word he sat down. She went to go tell Doctor Oobleck who simply nodded and told her to take Crescent Rose just in case but also to not go too far. Zwei was still waiting where she told him too.

After a little while Zwei started to turn in place as Ruby turned around to let him have some privacy which was silly but she figured she'd give that much at least. She did however whisper, exasperation in her voice. "Zwei, this is a wasteland! You literally could have done that anywhere!" but he simply barked at her. Normally Ruby wouldn't have been concerned but Zwei's bark had bounced off the abandoned buildings. Two figures stepped out of the darkness and Ruby could just barely make out the White Fang tabards that they had on. She quickly grabbed Zwei and crushed herself against the wall, trying to make them as invisible as possible. Thankfully Zwei was quiet as the White Fang members passed by.

As the guards walked away muttering about "stupid Beowolves" Ruby and Zwei followed them as quietly as possible. Ruby kind of felt like a ninja as she sneaked around. They eventually reached a ruined building with a pair of metal doors, Ruby quickly raised her hood then risked a peek as the sound of the door closing echoed out.

"Come on, we gotta get the others!" Ruby looked down at the corgi as they hurried down the street. However, the asphalt beneath them suddenly caved in.

Ruby caught Zwei with one hand and herself on a ledge with the other. Ruby managed to toss him out of the pit but the ledge broke off and she plummeted into a huge cave filled with ruined buildings… Right in front of two more White Fang one of whom kicked her hard enough to knock her out cold.

After this canon starts to change I promise.

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Until Next Week

Dragondeathdrop