"Today is the day," Raven thought as she and her group of marauders approached a town in Mistral. She didn't bother to remember its name despite the fact the sign was clearly visible above the gates. To her, it was just another town to demand tribute from but as she drew closer, she noticed the townspeople had put up a sizable defense.
"Pretty brave," Vernal, her second-in-command, said. "And pretty foolish."
Raven smirked as instead today was just another day to plunder and to think: she was being gracious to give them a day to think on her demands, despite them asking for at least two.
However, she couldn't help but feel somewhat surprised at how fast they managed to set up. The walls that were already set up around the town were reinforced and marksmen with hunting rifles were set up along the roofs of the houses that peeked over the walls.
Their weapons trained on her.
All it took was a day. She thought for a moment and mulled over the idea that she might have missed something about this village. Coordination of this kind requires a special person and as far as she knew, the leader of this village was a fool.
Perhaps he still was, if he spent his only day asking for someone's help.
"Ms. Branwen!"
Raven looked onwards at the towns gates and saw the towns leader, a weasel of a man, peeking over the walls.
"We just want to be left alone in peace! We are willing to talk about this!"
Vernal scoffed.
"If you wanted peace, then you should have submitted to my demands!" Raven replied.
"If you wanted to talk, then you shouldn't have prepared to fight and just knelt down to your betters."
He lowered his head out of sight and Raven could hear the snickering of her men behind her. However, Raven wasn't laughing as she could feel that something was off about this situation. Once more, the man peeked over the walls.
"Ms. Branwen! I am sending a representative to speak on my behalf!"
"Seriously?" Vernal asked.
"What do I care what your 'representative' has to say?" Raven replied. "I think we are beyond talking at this point!"
"He claims to know you!"
This threw Raven off for a moment. Who could possibly be this far out in Mistral that could possibly know her?
She began to recite different names off the top of her head but two stuck out the most: Her brother Qrow and her former Headmaster at Beacon, Ozpin.
While she knew of her brethren's mission in Mistral, as they still keep in contact from time to time, she knew that he was no longer in Mistral. Ozpin for sure could not be here as the Academy was in session at this time of year.
"He is bluffing," Vernal said and looked over at Raven and noticed that she did not heed what she said.
However, her curiosity got the better of her and she had to know who this person was.
"By all means," Raven said. "Send him out!"
There was a momentary silence before the gates opened just a crack, enough to let out just a singular person. This person had no guards with him, which made her chuckle a little. Just who did this person think they were? To come out alone with no support and to your enemy?
"Wait here," Raven said, and Vernal simply bowed her head and stepped back to address her men.
Still, Raven couldn't help but admire their bravery and she decided to offer them the same courtesy; she ordered her marauders to stay hidden as she stepped out to meet this individual.
As she drew closer, she began to notice small details about them: how this person wore outdated armor that emulated the appearance of the knights of old, back when the Kingdoms were actually ruled by kings.
She blinked as she finally remembered who this person was, a name that she had forgotten just as the Kingdoms had when they scrubbed his name from their records.
Lucien.
It had been so many years since she'd last seen him, and she wondered if he still held to his constant talks of justice and duty that had annoyed her so much back when they'd been at Beacon. If he was anything like she remembered him, he'd undoubtedly hate her. Not that Raven cared; her loyalty had always been to her people first.
There was still a hint of resignation in Raven, however, as he was the perfect example of a white knight, something that even in her youth she fantasized about. Something that even her brother teased him about, about how a white knight is just someone with no battle scars, but Lucien carried on with a smile. Countering that in the end, his 'prowess' and 'bravery' in battle will be what speaks for him.
She chuckled to herself as this only made her want to speak to him all the more.
How far he has fallen… once hailed as a Hero in Vale, a knight in shining armor, now reduced to this. His once white armor and tabard now dirty and torn, the sigil almost unrecognizable after years of battle. He no longer carried his two-handed sword on his back, but instead carried it by the blunted part of the blade, just above the cross-guard.
However, she hesitated slightly as the only thing that didn't change was his glare that she recognized through the slits of his helmet, which became more apparent as they drew closer. She could hear his heavy footsteps and the chinks of his chainmail that he hid underneath his segmented armor.
Once they were within arms reach of each other they stopped and stared at one another.
Raven watched curiously as Lucien then plunged his sword into the ground and reached up to unfasten his helmet and slowly removed it.
What she saw reminded her of the elders of her tribe who have fought for years, even until their dying breath. This was not the man she knew in her youth when she attended Beacon, one who then had soft and beautiful features, but now wears the scars of battle. Not just a veteran Huntsman, but a veteran of the Faunus Wars.
They continued to look at one another, and Raven came to sense that Lucien was expecting something of her. She knew what he wanted, but she was not going to give it to him. She did not owe him anything and if anything, she was being the gracious one.
"You look like shit, Lucien," Raven grinned and was honestly glad to see that his sense of humor had not left him, as he simply chuckled.
"Do I?" Lucien replied as he took a moment to look over himself. "Thought you would like it as you always thought I looked too… pretty? I think that was the word."
"Honestly, I was mostly poking fun at your ideology," Raven said. "Your babbling about justice and protecting the weak has always amused me. So, when I made fun of your looks, I meant it as a metaphor, that once you made it into the real world, your outlook will change."
"How clever of you," Lucien chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint but I have not changed much. You, on the other hand…"
Raven glared at Lucien, as she knew what was to come next.
"You have changed so much," Lucien said with a shake of his head. "What could possibly make you betray your loyalty to your friends? To betray your duties and responsibilities as a Huntsman?"
"My responsibility and loyalty had always been to my tribe," Raven said as she raised her head and looked down on Lucien.
"I find that really hard to believe," Lucien said. "What would Summer and Snyegh say? They considered you to be like a sister to them."
"You tell me," Raven scoffed at the thought. "Last I heard, Summer died almost ten years ago and you haven't seen Snyegh for far longer. Yet you talk to me about family…"
Raven could see that her words stung Lucien as he blinked and lowered his gaze. This sight only widened the grin on her face; all his talk about duty and loyalty, and yet, he abandoned his wife.
"My decisions had unfortunately tainted not only my name, but my wife's as well," Lucien said. "I could not return to her after ruining her life. The shame was… too much."
"Mhm," Raven grunted. "And now you wander the Kingdoms with no place to really call home. You know what ultimately happens to wanderers, in the end, right?"
"In the end, I will abide by principle," Lucien replied.
Raven narrowed her eyes at Lucien.
"Perhaps," Raven countered as she then pointed behind him. "But I have to ask: are they worth it?"
Lucien kept silent.
"You will risk life and limb and perhaps get a few scars along the way, and then you will move on. Or you may just die and only be buried in a ditch somewhere," Raven continued. "All while they will not learn anything. They will always expect someone stronger to defend them and in turn, it stunts their ability to grow.
All while I will."
Lucien continued to glare at Raven.
"Then I will come back, but then, I won't give any second chances," Raven continued. "I will raze this town to the ground and kill everyone in it."
"You will first have to go through me," Lucien replied, unphased.
"Oh, I know," Raven said. "So, I will ask another question: You are just one man and there are hardly any combat-ready citizens here. This will only end badly for you. Why not just convince them to give me what I asked, and I will be on my way?"
"Only to be terrorized by you next season," Lucien instead replied. "Where does it end?"
"The weak need to know their place," Raven replied assuredly. "As long as they toe the line, they will live."
Lucien replied only by shaking his head.
"Are you really going to risk the safety of this town by starting this fight?" Raven asked.
"No," Lucien replied. "Which is why I wanted to meet with you personally."
Raven was caught off guard.
"What? Are you going to try to kill me in the middle of a parley?" Raven asked. "That is hardly like you."
"No, I wouldn't do that, I did call you out peacefully," Lucien replied. "I had hoped to appeal to the person I knew back at Beacon but I see that she is no longer here… Or perhaps, she was never there at all and I was made for a fool."
"Perhaps," Raven said, however, she then felt a sinking feeling in her chest.
"However, if all else failed, I knew there was one way out of this: a duel," Lucien said as he placed a hand on the handle of his sword.
"Oh?" Raven asked. "What would be the point of this duel?"
"If I win, your tribe leaves," Lucien said. "If you win, the townspeople will surrender to your demands, peacefully."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Raven said with a scoff. "You know I will kill you right?"
"Perhaps," Lucien replied. "But if I remember correctly, I did best you in a lot of our spars in Beacon."
"This isn't Beacon," Raven said. "This is no spar, there are no referees and I promise I will not fight fair."
Lucien did not respond but instead, continued to grip the handle of his sword. To which, Raven sighed.
"It may be me being sentimental," Raven thought as she looked back at her marauders. All it would take is but a whistle and they will attack, however, now that she was face to face with a fragment of her former life, it was beginning to hold her back.
"Think about this carefully, Lucien. This could end peacefully and if you convince the townspeople to give me what I want, I will even allow you into my tribe," Raven said. "You can finally have a home instead of being a wanderer, and you could even start a new family."
"My heart belongs to Snyegh," Lucien replied quickly.
"Ha," Raven said simply.
"Yeah," Lucien said, smiling as he reminisced. "I find it hard to love any other woman."
Lucien then blinked and shook off the feeling before readdressing Raven.
"I cannot accept your offer," Lucien continued. "My principles will not allow me to do it."
Raven simply nodded.
"So be it," Raven replied and drew her sword while Lucien donned his helmet and, likewise, drew his sword and held it close, aiming the tip at his opponent.
Raven let her blade rest at her side as she sized up her opponent. Years of experience can change a person and she needed to be careful. However, she was confident that it would end well in her favor.
They stared at one another as they anticipated as to who will make the first strike.
But then, something rang in Raven's mind which drew her attention, her Semblance was calling to her. Against all of her instincts, she broke eye contact with Lucien and tried to figure out what was going on.
Her Semblance linked her to special people in her life and this time, it was ringing that something was amiss, this time for her daughter.
She turned back to Lucien to see that he had not moved and instead noticed that something wasn't right either.
"You could have attacked, you know," Raven said, her weapon still raised.
"I am not a coward," Lucien replied. "I won't attack my opponent when their mind is elsewhere."
"Some would call you stupid for not taking such an opportunity," Raven countered.
Lucien only shrugged, to which, Raven sighed.
"Today is your lucky day," Raven said as she lowered her sword and sheathed it, and Lucien likewise lowered his sword.
"Something has come up, and I have to address it first," Raven continued. "Make no mistake, I will not forget about this, Lucien."
"I will be here waiting," Lucien said, and they both turned their backs to one another and walked away.
0-RWBY-0
"Agh, what should I bring?" Byeli mulled over as she scrambled through her clothes.
"Only bring what is necessary," Nadira replied as she neatly packed a change of clothes into a makeshift bag and slung it over her shoulder.
"We will only be gone for a couple days if we do our job right."
"I have honestly never been camping," Byeli said as she looked at her closet and her tail twitched. "I don't have anything appropriate. Living in high society in Mistral has honestly stunted my ability to be outside of luxury, huh?"
"You will do fine, Byeli," Celise said as she nudged her friend. "First-year missions are said to be easy."
"Maybe to other people who have done this their whole life," Byeli said with a whimper as she finally chose something to pack. Something that she wouldn't miss, at least, not as much.
"I have received only so much training, enough to take out Grimm in my shows, but nothing like this."
"You will do fine," Celise said as she pets Byeli and watched her tail wag.
"We will have your back," Nadira said. "Don't worry."
There was then a knock on the door before it opened to reveal Zed, peeking through.
"You are all ready?" Zed asked.
"Just about, hold on," Celise assured, to which Zed grinned before he retreated and shut the door.
Celise turned back once more to see her tiny teammate try to lift a large bag.
"Pack light, Byeli," Celise said as she then knelt down and began to help her pack.
"Celise," Nadira said as she then nodded towards an occupied bed. Once again, Raine was oversleeping which ticked off Celise, as this was an important day.
Celise quickly stood up and, once again, flipped the bed over on top of Raine. There was then a muffled groan underneath the padded mattress.
"Wake up, Raine, you need to get ready too," Celise said as she went to help Byeli once again.
"Actually get ready," Nadira commented, her arms crossed over her chest. "You have been wearing the same set of clothes for weeks now."
"Kinda hard to have a lot of clothes when you grew up poor on a farm," Raine said with a yawn to which Nadira only glared at him from the corner of her eye.
"No excuse to then smell like you sleep with pigs," Nadira said in disgust.
"Who says I haven't?" Raine replied to which Nadira rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"I hope you are ready though, Raine," Byeli said with a half-smile. "I would like to see you in action again."
"You will, when push comes to shove," Raine said slothfully as he scratched the back of his head.
With that, Celise finally zipped up a bag and handed it to Byeli.
"There, we should be good to go now," Celise said and everyone then headed for the door, with Raine lifting up the bed frame and mattress to pull out his twin shotguns.
Outside of their dorm, was HAVC waiting for them patiently.
"Thanks for coming by to see us off," Celise said as they all began to walk down the halls towards the school's foyer.
"No problem," Haiiden replied. "We also just got news that CFVY should be returning as well. We hope to meet with them once you are off."
Zed walked beside Byeli and winked at her.
"Oh, that's good," Byeli said as she smiled up at Zed. "Glad to hear that they are alright."
"Agreed," Vaughn said.
"What are you going to do afterward?" Celise asked.
"We are just going to relax," Haiiden said. "Talk about their mission."
"Don't spoil anything then," Celise said with a grin as they made it to Beacon's foyer and exited through the front doors and onto its landing pad.
In the distance, they noticed that CFVY had already landed and had already made it to Beacon's doors.
"Hey," Zed said, he arms outstretched. "Welcome home."
"Thanks," Velvet said, tired, which was evinced by the bags under eyes.
HAVC stepped forward to help CFVY with their bags as they begun to lead them back to their dorm room. The one member that stayed behind was Zed.
"So, who will you be shadowing again?" Zed asked.
"Professor Port," Byeli said as she skipped beside Zed as they continued along the landing pad.
"Oh, that should be a fun one," Zed said as he wiggled his ears. "I remember going with him last year on our mission. It was a lot of fun."
"I don't know," Byeli said quietly. "I am still worried."
"Don't be, I am confident that you will do fine," Zed replied.
"Do you think so?" Byeli asked as she looked up.
"Without a doubt," Zed said without hesitation, and then saw Professor Port in the distance.
"Its time for me to go, okay?" Zed said as he then pets Byeli on the head, as she smiled and watched as he walked away.
"Come on," Celise said assuredly as CNBR began to walk towards Professor Port.
"Hello, students," Professor Port said boisterously. "I hope you are well rested and ready for your mission!"
"We are, professor," Celise said.
"Capital! Now its just a matter of waiting for the second team to come in," Professor Port continued, which made CNBR look to one another in confusion.
"Second team?" Byeli asked.
"Of course," Professor Port said. "Occasionally, I would like to do joint missions with another Huntsman, in this case, another member of Beacon's faculty."
"Who else is coming with us? Glynda Goodwitch?" Raine asked.
"No, not her," Professor Port replied, as he scratched the back of his head. "While I would love to watch her in action, her skills are best used to keep the school running while the other teachers are out on their own missions with the students."
"Oh? Then who else is coming?" Byeli asked but then noticed a group coming up behind Professor Port, which made the fur on her tail stand on end.
Professor Port noticed this and turned to face the newcomers, only for his face to light up, and his mustache to rise.
"Oh, Professor Peach! Good of you to come," Professor Port said happily as he addressed his fellow faculty member, and following behind her: was Team CRDL.
"Ah," Peach replied and it was just as CNBR remembered her to be like. Her head was always in the clouds and she never seemed to be lucid most of the time.
"There you are, Professor Port."
"Of course," Professor Port, as he stood up straight and his hands behind his back. "Right as we had scheduled, remember?"
"Of course, I do, my dear friend," Peach replied, seemingly ignoring CNBR who was just standing next to Professor Port; or rather, didn't notice their presence.
"Are you ready for our venture?" Professor Port. "To face another trial once more?"
"With you? Always," Professor Peach replied and they continued to converse with one another, and it seemed that they had forgotten about the two teams that were just watching.
Byeli looked up sheepishly and unintentionally made eye contact with the leader of CRDL, Cardin. She quickly looked away, expecting a coy remark coming her way but was met with nothing but silence. She looked up curiously to look at him, only to see him staring at her coldly, before he looked away.
"Ah, so CRDL will be having the honor of shadowing you today," Professor Port said as he side-stepped around Professor Peach to address the team.
"The honor, yeah…" Cardin replied, disingenuously, which went over the head of Professor Port.
"In her prime, she was quite the Huntress," Professor Port continued as he then turned for the Bullhead and stepped onto it before extending a hand to Professor Peach.
"My word, Peter, what are you implying? That I have gotten older? That I am no longer the Huntress you remember?" Peach asked as she extended her hand to Professor Port's.
"Far from it," Port replied with a sly smile and helped Peach up onto the Bullhead. "Rather, that you are more refined. Like a good bottle of wine."
The two professors chuckled as they continued their conversation as they sat across from each other.
The sight brought a momentary smile to Byeli's face but then her thoughts reverted back to Cardin and she looked over at him again. This time, he just ignored her as he followed the two instructors onto the Bullhead, along with his team.
A simple pat on her shoulder pulled her back to reality as Celise simply winked at her. It was just what Byeli needed to muster the courage to enter the Bullhead and to sit across from CRDL.
The two teams sat across from one another in silence as they ignored their instructors continued their conversation. Now that the Bullhead had taken off, Byeli realized that she was now fully committed to this mission and yet she still felt tense.
She looked up to see Cardin staring out the window as he ignored even his own team, while the rest of CRDL simply looked towards CNBR calmly.
"Ummm," Celise hummed, as she tried to break the ice. "So, how was latrine duty?"
Cardin scoffed and shook his head as he placed his elbow on the bulkhead of the Bullhead, and rested his head on his palm.
"About what you would expect," Dove replied calmly, his arms folded in front of him.
"Tends to happen when you injure another student in an unsanctioned fight, that you started, might I add," Celise said and grinned when Dove, Lark and Russel glared back at her.
"I think we have learned our lesson," Lark replied, defensively.
"If I am honest, I think Headmaster Ozpin went easy on you," Celise said as she leaned in and looked Lark in the eye, still wearing her grin.
Nadira noticed her demeanor and simply elbowed her in the ribs.
Celise blinked and looked over at her teammate, confused.
"What? I am sure that is what you think too," Celise said.
"I do, but it does not matter now," Nadira simply replied and pulled her hood over her head.
"Does it not?" Celise said as she addressed CRDL once more. "You know what I think? I think Ozpin should have kicked you out, people like you don't have what it takes to become Huntsmen."
CRDL did not respond, and Cardin did not turn to address her.
"Now, Celise," Professor Peach said whimsically. "That is not a decision for you to make."
"Indeed," Professor Port said, having overheard their discussion. "In the end, it is the decision of Headmaster Ozpin on whether or not they get to stay.
Just then, Celise noticed Professor Port looking cocked his brow at her, and for the first time, made actual eye contact.
"And he has never given me any reason to believe that he could be mistaken."
Celise went quiet for a moment, she was ready to open her mouth to speak but she held back. The sudden realization that she also had no right to speak or attend Beacon also came to mind.
"I ask that you children play nice while we are on this mission," Professor Peach said, this time her tone changed to mimic a mother scolding her children.
"May I ask what we will be doing?" Byeli remarked. "I will admit, I didn't quite understand the description…"
"Today, you will put what you have learned to the test with Professor Peach and I," Professor Port said.
Before anyone else could say anything, Professor Port stepped towards the cockpit and knocked on the door before opening it and exchanged glances with the pilot. Without uttering a single word, both Port and the Pilot nodded to one another and one of the doors flung open.
The roar of the engines filled the cabin and Professor Port, along with Professor Peach, stood in front of the opening and addressed their students. The air passing into the cabin made Professor Peach's faded orange hair fly in the breeze.
"I know what will cheer you up, a good old-fashioned Hunt," Professor Port said, his mustache rising on his face as he and Peach simply jumped out of the moving Bullhead, together.
The two teams looked on, dumbfounded, as they tried to process what just happened. Once the moment had passed, they both scrambled for their belongings and jumped out, one by one.
Byeli was ready to follow right behind Celise but then noticed professor ports pack sitting on the floor of the cabin. It was small, but when she reached for it, she realized how heavy it was. She grabbed with both hands to pick it up but was unable to lift off the floor. However, she was then pulled aside abruptly and she saw Cardin then lift the bag and slung it over his shoulder.
He did not acknowledge her, and instead, he silently jumped from the Bullhead to the forest below. Byeli watched and then mustered the courage to jump out after her team. She touched down gracefully and began to look around to find her team and finally spotted Celise, who was running to get her.
0-RWBY-0
The Grimm hid in the shadows, always quick to pounce on their intended victims, and they pounced just as quickly on the two teams. They were, however, no match for the students and the two veteran Huntsman and Huntress.
Professor Port kept an eye on the two teams as he casually cleaved and shot his way through the Grimm that came his way, alongside Professor Peach.
CNBR had each other's back as they quickly dispatched the Creeps that crawled towards them. Celise wrapped her chains around her arm and pressed on a button as blades jut out from the links. She swung her arm before she flicked it back, causing the tip of her whip-like chain to crack and to split a Creep in half.
Byeli was thrusting with her Bo staff, using all sorts of Dust against the Grimm that would expel upon impact. The handle rotated as she would switch between different forms of Dust as she would set one Creep on fire, electrocute another and freeze the last one in place.
Nadira used her speed and agility to avoid getting hit by her enemies and when they were left open, she only needed to strike once, as she cut and diced with her dirks. The fighting was beginning to attract attention, as a pack of Beowolfs emerged from the forest and descended upon them.
They encircled CNBR and when the impatient ones lunged, they were quickly shot down by Raine and his twin lever-action shotguns. He simply yawned as he spun the lever on the crook of his finger while he alternated between shotguns as they fired and reloaded.
Professor Port finished his fight and turned to see his students' progress, uninterrupted.
Finally, once the pack members were dealt with, CNBR turned to deal with the Alpha Beowolf. They looked to one another for assurance and nodded, their cue to charge.
Nadira was first to attack, as she threw her knives at the Alpha who simply blocked it by raising its arm. It then lowered its arm to reveal a toothy grin but was surprised to see that CNBR had surrounded it in a short amount of time.
Celise whipped her chain around its leg, the razors cutting deep into it and embedding itself in its flesh. With a jerk, she forced the Alpha on all fours and instinctively, it turned towards Celise and growled; its act of defiance was futile, as Byeli simply prodded it with her Bo staff and electrocuted the Alpha.
However, Byeli looked down in shock as she noticed that she had used up the last of her Dust and the prodding stopped. The Alpha, with a toothy grin, raised its paw, ready to bring it down on her but she stood, unflinching, as Nadira then pinned down its arm with her dirks.
Every attempt to regain balance and to stand up again was foiled as Celise simply tugged on her chain, forcing the Alpha back on all fours.
The Alpha roared in anger but stopped as Raine stepped in front of it, and the roar turned into a nervous growl. Raine simply shrugged and brought up his shotgun and fired once. The Alpha's head exploded into black smoke and the body vanished soon after.
Port nodded, and then turned to CRDL, and couldn't help but think that their team dynamic was a little more…
Disorganized.
Russel, Dove and Lark were working together to clear their group of Grimm and tried their best to keep up with their leader, Cardin.
However, Cardin seemed determined to rush in, head-on, at the Grimm ahead of his teammates. Professor Port did remark though, that while they lacked teamwork, they made up for it with raw power.
With his longsword, a focused Dove rolled into the center of a group of Creeps and cut them down in a flash.
Russel, with his twin daggers, juggled between two Beowolfs as he slowly whittled them down; a death of a thousand cuts.
Lark was a bit more careful but decisive with his strikes, ensuring that his strikes would kill his intended target. His final enemy, exhausted, was an easy target as Lark lowered his halberd and charged at him with the spear tip. He rammed into the remaining Beowolf and pinned it to a tree. He then pressed a trigger as he fired the gun built into the handle of his halberd and blew a hole through it, and the tree behind it.
Everyone was now watching Cardin as he fought against Boarbatusks, as his heavy mace simply crushed them. Those that survived the initial impact were simply killed by the fire Dust that expelled from the chamber within the mace, leaving them squealing as they burned. The final Boarbatusk, in a desperate effort, charged at Cardin which then turned into a roll.
Cardin braced himself and readied his mace and once the Grimm was in range, Cardin brought it down on top of its head, embedding it in the ground.
"Ah," Professor Peach hummed.
"Nothing like a good hunt," Professor Port finished as he looked over to Peach who nodded in agreement.
The two teams converged, as they looked at one another except for Cardin, who kept to himself as he rested his mace on his shoulder.
"What now?" Celise asked.
"What do you mean what now?" Professor Port chortled. "We move forward!"
0-RWBY-0
Once the hunt was over, Port and Peach planned to split up with their respective teams, each tasked with finding something to eat. CRDL was charged with hunting while CNBR were charged with foraging the land for edible plants.
As if he knew exactly what to look for, Raine set out and quickly gathered a handful of berries and mushrooms, although he ate most by the time he regrouped.
For Byeli it seemed easy as she simply picked at any bush that looked to produce berries and picked up any mushrooms that she could find. However, grey clouds churned overhead which forced Professor Port and the team to find shelter in a cave.
Tired after a long day of slaying Grimm, Celise and Team CNBR sat around a small fire that Raine had started with Professor Port and relaxed. Everyone was finally able to sit down and enjoy what they had picked, but Byeli noticed Professor Port, staring at her in particular.
"You aren't going to eat that, are you?" Port asked as Byeli brought a mushroom to her mouth.
Byeli stopped and looked at it and then back to Port, who had his hand outstretched; Byeli quietly handed the mushroom and watched as Port simply tossed it away.
"Nice catch," Celise said as she noticed what Port had thrown away and turned to Byeli and sorted over what she had picked.
"Was something wrong?" Byeli asked as she watched Celise pick at her snacks, tossing more and more over her shoulder.
"A lot of what you had picked would have made you sick," Port said. "If not kill you."
Byeli felt cold for a moment as she realized her mistake.
"I'm sorry," Byeli said sheepishly. "I have never done this before and just picked up whatever I thought looked good."
"An easy way to tell what is edible is to watch and see other animals eat," Raine commented.
"I couldn't do that, Raine," Byeli said with a huff and crossed her arms. "There weren't any in the area."
"It's fine," Celise said as she sat beside her teammate and handed her a yellow mushroom.
Byeli was hesitant at first but then felt her stomach rumble. She looked for reassurance from Celise, who simply nodded, and then Byeli finally bit into the mushroom.
It had an earthy taste but as she bit deeper it expelled a white liquid, which was sweet.
Her tail began to wag as she began to enjoy the tasty treat.
A crack of thunder can be heard, and everyone looked towards the entrance to the cave and saw that not only had it begun to rain harder, but it had started to get dark.
"Was it a good idea to let them out on their own?" Byeli asked.
"Despite your opinions of them, the members of CRDL are formidable fighters," Professor Port said. "While not the best when it comes to combat with people, they do exceptionally well when it comes to fighting the Grimm."
"Besides, they have Professor Peach with them and there is no one else I trust more than her to chaperone."
"She doesn't seem…" Celise said hesitantly, as she then tapped her head with her finger. "She doesn't seem all there."
"She is of the school of thought of 'not thinking about things too much'," Professor Port said as he stared at Celise intently, and smiled as it slowly dawned on Celise that his comment was meant to be a rebuttal.
"Trust me, she is there, underneath her sweet and care-free demeanor."
"I always liked her classes," Raine said with a yawn. "Not much to it and it let me sleep."
"Don't let me catch you sleeping in my class," Professor Port said sternly, narrowing his gaze which was evinced by his brows as they furrowed. "Or else I will use my ax then."
"Don't worry, Professor," Raine said, somewhat defensively. "I learned my lesson from last time."
Just then, everyone heard something enter from the entrance of the cave and turned to see Professor Peach along with Team CRDL, with a deer slung over Cardin's shoulder.
"Oh, venison?" Byeli said, almost excitedly.
Nadira watched anxiously as Cardin then set it down and drew a nice and began to gut it. The sight caused Nadira to gag and she turned away.
"Heh," Celise said. "Yang would have loved this moment…"
"Why is that?" Byeli asked.
"We came here to hunt, after all," Celise said with a grin, the joke suddenly came to Byeli and she giggled.
"Quite a lot of meat here for just a couple days," Raine mentioned.
"Hmm," Celise hummed, as she thought on what Raine had said. "Professor, may I ask what exactly we are doing on this mission?"
Everyone turned to Professor Port and Peach for a response, even Cardin took a moment from gutting the deer to hear the reply.
"We came to learn a bit about survival," Professor Port added. "For example, with the help of Raine, we are able to get a fire started without the need for Dust."
"Family couldn't afford Dust, had to do it the old-fashioned way," Raine replied simply.
"Plus, food," Professor Port said as he nodded to CNBR and then gestured to the animal that CRDL had just caught. "One of the reasons why we asked that you don't take anything to eat on this mission. There will come a time in your life where you may be out for days or even weeks without resupplying at a village."
"The life of a Huntsman is not a luxurious one, after all," Professor Peach hummed and knelt down beside Cardin and took over the job of skin the deer.
"You will do a lot of things you probably won't be proud of."
"Indeed," Professor Port agreed, however, under his breath.
"The second part of our mission is: search and destroy," Professor Peach added.
"Search and destroy?" Dove asked.
"Kind of seems… redundant," Raine said, lazily.
"I am confused, Professor," Nadira said, as she mustered the courage to turn to face her and tried her best to ignore the carcass. "What is the point?"
"Yeah, the Grimm are endless," Celise said with a sigh as she poked at the fire with a stick.
"Why the sullen faces?" Professor Peach asked.
"Why, indeed," Professor Port added. "It's true, our lifelong enemy is indeed innumerous and it is why we must also take the fight to them at times."
The students looked to one another, wondering if any of them understood what the Professor was getting at but then turned back to their instructors.
"Of course," Professor Port added as he noticed their confusion. "It doesn't mean we must spread our forces too thin. We are finite after all, so we simply hunt any Grimm we find in the area."
"I still don't understand the point," Celise said.
"Why wait for our enemies to gather and attack when we can reduce their numbers to a manageable level? Also, there is some study that it shows that wherever the Grimm come from, it takes time for more to appear," Professor Port continued.
"What he means is that it provides momentary respite for the surrounding villages and towns," Professor Peach reiterated. "Only momentary…"
"Doesn't matter," Cardin said, much to everyone's surprise. "We will do what Huntsmen have always done, even before they called 'Huntsmen'."
"Look at you, taking your responsibilities seriously all of a sudden," Celise grinned, but Cardin only glared at her.
"It's a duty you will all have to take seriously," Professor Port said as he addressed everyone this time. "Which is why there is a third aspect to this mission…"
Professor Port then set down his personalized Scroll, where it had a vintage appearance as the metal casing was replaced with wood. Lights blinked on the screen, signaling that he was recording.
"Think of it as extra credit rather than part of your assignment," Professor Port continued.
"Comradery is the best way for us to be able to fight together as one," Professor Peach added. "No matter where we come from, rich or poor, Faunus or Human, we are on this ride together. Our only difference is why we choose this life and so we want to know why you chose to be Huntsmen. Perhaps, we can develop a better appreciation for one another."
"So, who wants to start first?" Professor Port asked, and watched as each student looked to one another.
Celise sat quietly as she listened before she then turned to look at CRDL, who were all deep in thought.
"I want to become a Huntsmen to protect our farm," Raine said. "We can't hire a Huntsman to do it, so we have to defend it ourselves."
"Will that mean you won't stay with us after graduation?" Byeli asked, a bit heartbroken.
"Don't worry, Byeli," Raine said. "You still have me for another three years."
"Cherish the moments you have while together, students," Professor Peach stated. "It is common for teams to split up after their time in the Academy. But remember, they will never truly leave you."
Byeli nodded and watched as Professor Peach then stuck a slab of meat over the fire. The fats and blood dripped into the fire with a sizzle.
"Anyone else?" Professor Port asked and then turned to Nadira. "What about you? You were born and raised in Vacuo, weren't you? Why come here to be a Huntsman when you could have joined Shade?"
Nadira was silent as she gazed at Professor Port, however, in her mind she was finding the right words in which to answer.
"I wanted to be the change I want to see in Vacuo," Nadira said, which everyone looked up at her, confused.
"What could you possibly change? Hmm," Hummed Professor Port. "I heard that the citizens of Vacuo are comfortable the way things are."
"That's exactly the problem, Professor," Nadira said looking down at the ground at pulling her hood further over her heard. "We should not be comfortable stealing from one another to survive. We have a thief's code that doesn't allow us to steal from those less off than us but it is never consistent. There is always someone who is always going to have more than someone else. "
"There are those who try to live honest lives but they are still targets. The only time that changes is during the Vytal Festival where Dust Miners are temporarily exempt from being stolen from as they help Vacuo contribute to the Festival."
"It's ironic… we contribute to a festival that is meant to celebrate peace but during the rest of the year, Vacuo is anything but peaceful. That is why I am here, Professor Port, I don't want to be part of that cycle and I feel I won't learn anything new by attending at Shade Academy."
"Awww, Nadira," Byeli said, teary-eyed as she hugged her teammate, who almost recoiled from the sudden contact but simply sighed.
"Thank you, Nadira, for sharing that," Professor Peach replied as she continued to prepare their meal. "What about you, Byeli? You were a participant of Mistral's many shows and competitions. Why be a Huntress?"
"Well," Byeli said with a giggle. "I did attend combat school but my parents wanted me to have a safe job. I always liked the showmanship and performances that Mistral offered but was always enamored with the life of a Huntress."
"So, I joined one of the pageants where the theme was about the Huntsmen and Huntresses of our time, but they did not allow Faunus. I hid my Faunus nature in order to perform and with my training, I was able to show the life of a Huntress by fighting a Boarbatusk that was provided by Professor Port."
"Your welcome," Professor Port smiled to which Byeli smiled and bowed her head.
"It was a challenging fight for me, as I had no real experience fighting Grimm until then but after the fight, I felt a calling," Byeli continued. "I did win the show, but when it was revealed I was a Faunus, they took away my victory and handed it to the second-place winner."
"Oh yeah, I thought I recognized you from somewhere. I saw that show on tv," Sky commented. "My mom loved it."
"I'm sorry to hear what happened," Professor Peach said.
"Don't be," Byeli said. "If they let me keep my victory, my parents would have made me continue to do these shows. With this, I was finally able to pursue my calling to be a Huntress. I still have a lot to learn but that is the purpose of the Academies."
Professor Peach chuckled and picked up the slab of meat from the fire and cut it up before dividing it among the students on wooden plates.
"What about you, Celise?" Professor Peach said as she handed a plate to her, to which Celise froze.
"I don't know, I guess I had no choice really," Celise said as she picked at the venison.
"Everyone has a choice," Peach and Port replied in unison.
"It feels that way," Celise said as she thought about her past life. "Professor Ossea found me out in the wilderness after my village was destroyed and taught me how to fight and take care of myself but I just couldn't leave Ossea's side."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Professor Port said, and he was not the only one surprised by this revelation.
"Not something I talk about often," Celise said with a smiled. "He is a weirdo so…"
Celise went silent again.
"Its really all I know. Ossea and I went from job to job in order to survive until Ossea was offered a position at Beacon while I was attending Signal. In the end… this is really all I know," Celise concluded.
"I see," Professor Port said and nodded.
There was a moment of silence as everyone enjoyed their food. All except Celise who simply closed her eyes and was deep in thought.
She eventually snapped out of it and looked up at CRDL.
"So, we told our story, now it's your turn," Celise said.
"Everyone but Cardin has already submitted their reasons with Headmaster Ozpin personally," Professor Port commented but then turned to CRDL. "However, in fairness, I believe you should also give a brief summary of why you are in Beacon."
Dove nodded then turned to address CNBR.
"My family comes from one of the villages on the outskirts of Vale's border. We are kind of famous as we are the first line of defense for the villages nearer to Vale. Most of us are trained and experienced Huntsman where we often perform search and destroy missions against the Grimm," Dove said.
"I want to be a Huntsman to join their ranks."
"I always respected my dad who was a Huntsman," Russel said, not looking up from the fire. "He lost his legs and got prosthetics but always continued to be a Huntsman. I wanted to be like him."
"I worked in my parents' blacksmiths shop where we always made weapons for Huntsmen and Huntresses," Sky said as he then applied a whetstone to the ax head on his halberd. It was second nature to him as he looked up while still running the stone over the blade.
"Always wondered what it was like to actually use these weapons and eventually I realized I couldn't stay as a blacksmith any longer."
"Huh…" Celise said.
"What?" Dove asked as Russel and Lark looked over at her.
CRDL had effectively made themselves out to be the schoolyard bullies of Beacon; however, upon hearing their reasons for coming to Beacon, Byeli knew that she and her team couldn't help but feel that they were more normal than she thought they were.
"Nothing," Celise said with a shake of her head.
There was a moment of silence and Russel was sitting and playing with his thumbs.
"I'm sorry," Russel said, not looking up to which CNBR simply stared.
"For what?" Byeli said as she tilted her head.
"I know that I have been a dick to you," Russel said. "I have been trying to justify it in my head but I realize there was no excuse for how I have been treating you. I'm sorry."
"Oh," Byeli said her eyes widened in surprise as she turns to look at her teammates to see if they heard what she heard. They all made a doubletake between Byeli and Russel before looking to her for her answer.
"It's okay," Byeli said. "I didn't really think about it too much."
Russel didn't say anything afterward, while Dove and Sky simply nodded towards CNBR but then everyone heard Cardin scoff in the background.
"You have something to say?" Celise asked. "Ruining a nice moment here."
"Oh yeah, nice moment," Cardin said.
"You don't seem all that apologetic like your other teammates," Celise said. "I bet they were mistreating everyone else because you were. Setting a bad example for your team."
"Whatever you say," Cardin replied.
"So how about you, huh?" Celise challenged. "What made you want to become a Huntsman?"
"Cardin is working on that, Celise," Professor Port said as he reached for his Scroll, ready to end the recording. "He will turn in his reason to Headmaster Ozpin when he is ready."
"I don't have a reason," Cardin suddenly replied, which made Professor Port freeze, curious to what he meant as he kept the Scroll recording.
"Come on, Cardin…" Sky said with a sigh.
"Yeah, we are trying here," Dove chimed in as well, however, his response was sterner.
"What do you mean: you don't have one?" Celise asked, and she can see Cardin starting to get agitated.
"You expect me to be like them?" Cardin asked as he gestured to his teammates who were staring at him. "You don't think I have family and friends I care about?"
"Or perhaps maybe you were expecting some secret dark past that I have? Sole survivor? Lost my family?"
Everyone sat quietly.
"For all your life all you hear about is the Huntsmen and the Grimm. Its all over the news, all the time," Cardin continued.
"It's almost like a way of life where you always have to watch out for the Grimm... No matter what you do, what job you take, you have to account for how the Grimm will come. Architects take into account the Grimm when they make our walls. Scientists take into account the Grimm when building our weapons. Health and psychology take into account the Grimm."
"So when I say I have no reason to become a Huntsman its for the same reasons why everyone else does what they do," Cardin said angrily but then took a moment to examine everyone's reactions. Professor Port and Peach were simply watching him, stone-faced, but then he noticed the other students crest-fallen faces.
"Because its life," Cardin continued with a hiss. "I am simply here to survive and help in the best way that I can and sometimes they go hand in hand; that in order to survive, I have to help others."
"If that's the case, then may I ask why you don't like the Faunus?" Celise asked. "You do realize you have to help them too, right?"
Cardin shook his head, and then Byeli realized he was speechless.
"I do realize that," Cardin responded after a moment of silence but then looked towards Byeli. "I grew up in a town where, admittedly on the outside, everything is fine between Humans and Faunus. Sure, there was tension and there are things people say in private like with my own parents, and yes, there was even schoolyard bullying."
"However, that is just life and I am not here to change the world," Cardin concluded as he sat back down and crossed his arms.
"That sounds… defeatist," Celise said and was then reminded of someone else in her past.
Professor Port nodded, then reached forward and turned off his Scroll.
"I believe it is time for a break," Professor Port sighed but then looked up with a smile. "Who will take first watch with me?"
0-RWBY-0
The students had packed their belongings after the night. After a few hours rest, Nadira and Dove were the last ones on watch before the sun finally rose again. The sky was partly clear after last night's downpour. However, Byeli couldn't keep her eyes off Cardin, worried as he had not slept all night.
"Students, gather around," Professor Peach called out, and everyone took a knee around her and Port.
"On this search and destroy mission, we are hunting a particular kind of Grimm," Professor Port mentioned as he then laid his Scroll over his palm and a 3D image was then projected for everyone to see.
Everyone watched curiously, almost confused at what they looked at as they could recognize the features of a Grimm, but this was one was different.
It floated in the air and in the center of its bone-white mask, was a single eye, which glowed yellow.
"We are after what is known as a Geist," Professor Peach said.
"What do we know about it?" Dove asked.
"Admittedly, they are rare," Professor Port said. "What we do know about them from legends and first-hand accounts from Huntsman who have claimed to kill them, is that while they are generally weak, they have been known to possess inanimate objects."
"A way to ambush people," Nadira said. "They can be anywhere at any time."
"Indeed, and we believe one has been spotted in the area," Professor Peach said.
"So, you want us to find it and kill it?" Cardin asked rhetorically.
"Absolutely," Port replied nonetheless. "However, they are dangerous so if you encounter it, do not engage it without mine and Professor Peach's help."
The two teams nodded.
"Then we are off to another hunt!" Professor Port announced as he brandished his ax and led the way.
0-RWBY-0
CNBR and CRDL encountered a few groups of Grimm as they searched through the Emerald Forest. After a good night's rest and a good meal, everyone was energetic and was able to fight with no problem but Professor Port noticed the looks on their faces.
Many of the students seemed saddened, no doubt because of what Cardin had said the night before and, in his mind, he admitted that what he said was true. He was reminded of his own adolescence and how he wanted to become a Hero and researcher before he had also realized this dreadful truth.
"Professors, over here!" One of the students called out, which pulled Professor Port from his thoughts and he rushed to meet them.
The students were huddled around a group of large boulders and scattered rocks that lay in a clearing, as the trees around them had been knocked over. However, what the students were shocked by, were the bodies of villagers and supposedly Huntsmen spread around the area.
Professor Port took a moment to climb a nearby cliff face and turned to get a bird's eye view of the scattered rocks and noticed that it faintly resembled a humanoid figure.
"Keep your eyes open," Professor Port announced as he jumped back down, ax at the ready. "We are close."
As if on cue, they were suddenly beset upon by the Grimm but it was nothing that they haven't faced before. The teams got together with their respective teammates as they fought off the ambush. Cutting and shooting his way through the swathes of Grimm like it was second nature, Professor Port took a moment between killing Grimm to observe his students.
As usual, CNBR fought as a cohesive team as they complimented each other's fighting styles by injecting a bit of their own. They made easy pickings of the Grimm that came their way until they had killed their group.
Unlike the day before, CRDL attempted to act as a team and did surprisingly well, despite only a day having past. Cardin was slow as he lumbered with his mace but his teammates had his back this time and while outwardly, it seemed he did not acknowledge their presence, he likewise tried his best to keep them safe.
Before long, the slain Grimm dissipated into black smoke and once again, they were back to their search.
"Strange timing," Celise commented. "We find this and all of a sudden the Grimm come out of nowhere."
"Too good to be a coincidence," Cardin agreed as he readied his mace.
The two teams kept their backs to one another as they scanned the area.
Suddenly, everyone could hear the sounds of wood breaking and splintering and with quick reflexes, everyone dodged out of the way as a large tree fell onto them. However, it seemed as though the tree picked itself up and a black mass of what looked like sinew shot towards another tree and pulled it from its roots and reeled it back.
Before long, the mass of wood then formed into a giant humanoid creature that stared down at them and howled, which reverberated along the trunks that made up its appendages.
The two teams hadn't seen anything like it but once they got a full grasp of their enemy, the charged and began to probe for any weakness.
From afar, Raine and Sky provided cover as they began to fire on the Grimm but they didn't put so much as a dent on their wooden foe.
Nadira jumped onto the creature and began to stab at the joints but was quickly grabbed and thrown to the ground.
"Nadira!" Byeli called out as she ran to help her teammate but was shoved aside by Nadira as she saw the Grimm follow up and swung down with its arms.
Byeli fell to the ground, dazed, and when she looked up, she saw the Geist ready to stomp down on her until Cardin jumped in and raised his mace.
The Grimm stomped down on Cardin and he fell down onto his knee but was able to stop its attack. His Aura shimmered after such a massive blow but he simply shrugged it off and pushed back on the Geist, almost pushing it over.
Byeli quickly stood up and looked at Cardin, surprised that he would risk himself for her and he simply looked back at her through the corner of his eye and went back into the fray.
As the Geist struggled to regain balance, Cardin pressed on a trigger and the chamber lit up as his mace began to trail fire. He spun, gaining momentum as he then swung his mace against the Grimm's legs and the particles of Fire Dust ejected from the chamber and set it on fire.
The Geist shrieked and paused as it attempted to put out the flames which gave everyone an idea…
Professor Peach pulled out multiple vials of red Dust and crushed them in her hands, practically engulfing her in flames before shooting at the Grimm. While Port, Raine and Sky switched to incendiary rounds and began to open fire. Even Byeli opened her Bo staff and loaded in her Fire Dust and began to strike at the Grimm.
More of the wood was set on fire and spread to the black goo that held the trunks together as the Geist began to back away, almost oblivious to its attackers as it tried its best to put out the flames.
Celise then extended her chain-whip and coiled it around the Grimm's legs, tripping it and forcing it to the ground. It continued to shriek and flail as more and more of it was lit on fire before Cardin began to scale its body, protected by his Aura and once again activated the trigger on his mace.
He raised his weapon and swung at its torso, smashing his mace on it repeatedly until even he was surrounded by flame but he simply jumped off, unscathed.
The shrieking continued until finally, the Geist freed itself from the burning husk but to no avail, as the fire had spread to its spirit-like body.
The two teams watched, almost amazed at how pathetic the Geist itself looked as it flailed to put out the flames but before long, Celise attached a blade to her whip and cast it.
The shrieking was silenced as the blade impaled itself into the Grimm's white mask and was pulled back towards Celise who finished with a kick.
"Impressive work students," Professor Port congratulated.
"Not many will have the reputation of taking out one of these specialty Grimm," Professor Peach added. "I will admit, its even a first for me and I have killed many Grimm in my lifetime."
"Life is always an adventure, isn't it, Professor Peach?" Professor Port said boisterously as he extended his arm to Professor Peach, who simply giggled and hooked her arm around his.
"It is indeed, Professor Port."
While the two Professors relished in the victory, CNBR and CRDL took a moment to catch their breaths.
"Is this what we will have to deal with as Huntsmen?" Dove asked, who was initially speechless.
"Seems like it," Nadira said as she watched the trunks continue to burn.
"We will get better from here though," Byeli said as she turned to look, everyone, especially Cardin. "That is why we are here, right?"
Everyone nodded silently but then Professor Port returned.
"Come, I think our job is over for the day," Professor Port said, his hand raised to reveal his Scroll in his hand with a signal pinging to Beacon and before long, a Bullhead was there to pick them up.
The ride home was quiet and Professor Port and Peach exchanged silent glances that spoke more than the students.
"It was a job well done, students," Professor Peach said. "Why so gloomy?"
"We are fine, Professor," Celise replied.
"Now I know that is not true," Peach said with a chuckle.
"Students, I know how you must feel," Professor Port said. "The world is a hostile place but we must not dwell on that forever. Its what we choose to do in our lives and the people we meet that makes it all worth living."
Slowly, everyone looked up to look at Professor Port.
"For example, and I will admit firstly that don't personally meet and take interest in my students as much as I would like," Professor Port said with a frown. "However, with our mission here the past two days, and learning more about you, I have come to understand you all better and come to appreciate you. Cardin…"
Cardin looked up at Professor Port who was looking at him with an intense stare.
"I understand how you feel about how the world works, I was in that position too," Professor Port said softly, which was unbecoming of him. "Normally, most people would say not to dwell on it but not me. I say to remember the fact that the world is a dangerous place, that we are constantly beset upon by monsters. Your reason, or lack thereof, is by all means not a bad one and if applied in the correct way, will make you stronger."
"Yes… sir," Cardin simply replied, dumbfounded.
"Comradery is the perfect way to appreciate each other's company," Professor Port announced, in his usual boisterous voice. "The one common thing about us that supersedes the concept of Humans and Faunus is our shared struggle. I hope that you have come to appreciate each other a little more as well."
CNBR and CRDL looked to each other and for a moment they were silent as they all thought on the past two days.
Before long, they had their answer.
"Yes, we have Professor," the two teams replied.