August 10, 2020

It was 5 AM. The platoon had seen heavy combat the day before after 3 giant nevermores ambushed the command post followed by 6 other assorted Grimm. To rebuild the damaged post, a contingent of 50 sailors from the Naval Construction Unit worked through the night, keeping the platoon from falling asleep.

Along the front, things had been tough. The constant bombing of the forests had caused out-of-control forest fires, and now, water bombers were being flown in to help control the fires. Up to now, at least 350 Grimm had been killed at the cost of 16 deaths. The death of Oobleck had made national news and had generally reduced the morale of the hunters and the troops.

At precisely 5:30, Jaune woke up the entire platoon. "All rise and awake! Report to the briefing room now!"

Ruby tiredly got up and yawned, saying, "Another mission, sir?"

"Precisely. Now let's go."

At 5:40, Jaune sat everyone down in the briefing tent. "I have gathered my entire platoon here to inform them that we are to patrol the 3-mile-boundary until August 11. Squads Ruby and Cardin will patrol, and Squad Tan will standby and be flown in by helicopter if necessary."

The entire platoon grumbled. Yang said to Ruby, "Not this."

"Now, now, we have to do it. After all, who else will? Squads Ruby and Cardin ship out at 0615 hours."

Ren thought to himself, "Nothing better happen to Nora while I'm gone. She's gonna be handling radio communications for us, so as long as she keeps replying to us, she'll be safe."

As Squad Ruby patrolled the boundary zone, they kept watch for any active forest fires that may have been started by ordinance dropped from aircraft.

Weiss said to Yang as they walked over a creek, "Do you think we'll really clear out all the Grimm by November or December?"

"Not really," Yang replied. "This entire operation seems a little rushed. I only hope we don't lose anyone else close to us. Oobleck was hard enough to lose."

Ren said to the two of them, "Be careful, or you might jinx us."

Then, Ruby held her hand out and said, "Wait up! Shhh!" The entire squad then paused as they all heard rustling from a nearby bush.

Blake pulled out Gambol Shroud and Yang aimed her AR-7 at the bush. As Yang cocked her gun, the tension began building as to what was in or behind the bush.

Then, a feral cat walked out of the bush, looking at the squad for a few seconds before scampering off. Blake said, "Well that was disappointing."

"Uhhh," Yang said. "I don't think that thing will be, though." She then pointed at a boarbatusk charging at the group.

Ruby activated her semblance and sliced the beast in half by flying past it with Crescent Rose, killing it easily. "Piece of cake." She then spat on the ground beside her.

"That was still a disappointment," Blake replied.

"Well it was a figure of speech or whatever, alright?" Yang was a little annoyed at Blake's response.

"That isn't exactly a figure of speech, first off. Second, your tone of voice is a bit off, too." Blake fired back at Yang.

"My tone of voice was perfectly fine, thank you very much."

Weiss rolled her eyes and said to herself, "Oh boy..."

"No, it wasn't, Yang Xiao Long. It was VERY rude." It was clear by now that this would lead to an argument.

"Rude? Rude? Hahaha, Rude, right? That's all you can say?" Yang's eyes then changed colour.

"You're only making this shit worse, Yang!"

"Now that's rude, Blake. Maybe next time you should watch your definitions. I'm not in the fucking mood for this, considering I watched my old teacher die in front of me!"

"God damn it, he was mine too! We all saw him die, Yang! It isn't all about you, asshole! We all were hurt by Oobleck's death!"

Yang then flared in anger. "That does it!"

Ruby, extremely annoyed and angered by her best friend and sister arguing, then interrupted the argument by firing a round from Crescent Rose into the air before she screamed, "JUST MOTHERFUCKING STOP YOUR POINTLESS FUCKING ARGUING! YOU CUNTS HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT GIVE EACH OTHER DIRTY LOOKS, BARELY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, AND HAVE THESE STUPID FUCKING FIGHTS SINCE YOU BROKE UP! YOU TWO ARE SUPPOSED TO PUT THAT ASIDE AS TEAMMATES AND HUNTERS, OR ELSE YOUR CONFLICT WILL GETS US ALL FUCKING KILLED!" Ruby then took a deep breath. "Do you assholes even like each other as friends anymore?! Do you two wants all of us to go back in boxes like Oobleck?! Do you want Dad to have to cry for us like she did for Mom, Yang?! Do you want to die without redeeming your name from the White Fang, Blake?!"

Blake and Yang looked at Ruby, astonished at her outburst. Weiss and Ren's jaws dropped to the ground.

"If not, THEN STOP IT! Either you two stop arguing, or I will have you BOTH court-martialed for obstructing us from carrying out our mission objectives!" Ruby then broke down in tears, sobbing uncontrollably. "I just want my big sister and my best friend to all get along like we used to... Is that too much to ask? What happened to us? What the fuck happened to us?"

Weiss walked up to Ruby and said, "It's okay, it's okay."

Yang began to form tears in her eyes and said, "Sis..." She then walked up to her and hugged her as she also began to cry. "I... I'm... I'm so sorry I let that get between us... All of us... It's all my fault..."

Blake walked up to her and replied, "No, it isn't. It's both of us." Yang then separated from Ruby and hugged Blake. "Listen, Yang, we need to move on from our relationship. It's pretty clear by now you've moved on, and that George boy treats you like the goddess you are. And, I think I'm beginning to fall in love all over again with someone else as well. Let's bury the hatchet, metaphorically of course, and work together again."

Yang said, "Of course. I already knew I was a goddess beforehand, by the way." Yang and Blake then laughed. They then shook hands. "Now, who is it?"

"Who's what?" Blake looked confused.

"Who's the lucky boy or lady who has stolen your heart?"

Blake blushed. "Uhhhh... He's a faunus..."

"It's Sun, isn't it? And let me guess, he doesn't know?"

Blake then sighed. "Yes, and yes."

August 16, 2020

It had been less than a day after the team returned home. In their time in the operation, Jaune's platoon scored a total of 84 kills. In total, all forces had scored over 1500 confirmed kills, as well as countless unconfirmed ones.

Today would be the funeral of Doctor Oobleck. The platoon dressed themselves in their Ceremonial Uniforms and met in the centre of the academy grounds, where Team RWBY and Jaune had all first met just 5 years before.

"Before the service begins," Jaune started. "We've all been invited to see what was left of him in his coffin alongside his family and closest friends. I would like it if all of us could go. Now, they've said that his parts were pretty badly burned, so if you're uncomfortable with it, I will understand if you don't want to see his remains. To move on, I want everyone to remember Oobleck as a master at hunting, as an amazing teacher, and as a good friend. He will be missed dearly by all of us."

As the platoon made their way through the impromptu preparation room, Ruby, joined by Delwyn IV, said to him, "I wonder what they put in his coffin."

As Ruby and Delwyn went up, Ruby began to cry again. Oobleck, or what was left of him in various parts, was badly scarred and burned from the explosion Yang caused when she killed the nevermore that killed Oobleck. Alongside his remains was his thermos, badly charred but still in one piece, which as his weapon was to be buried alongside him as part of the Hunting Corps' custom for funerals and burial. Delwyn thought to himself, "I hope I never have to send someone out to war again, not if it will lead to this."

As Yang and George went up, Yang said to Oobleck's remains, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you in time, Doctor." She then gave him a salute and walked away, shaking her head in utter disbelief that he was actually dead. George held her hand as she walked.

Jaune saluted Oobleck's remains and said, "It's been an honour serving with you, Major." He then left a bouquet of flowers alongside his coffin. Weiss did the same thing right after him.

Blake and Sun went up together as well. Sun said, "Everyone from Team SSSN's still in utter shock. I bet he's already started his own coffee company in the afterlife by now."

Blake gave a short laugh and said, "I could see him doing that. I'm not even kidding. Didn't he once say that that would've been his plan B if he lost his job?"

"Oh yeah! I remember that! Good times, good times..."

The Amphitheatre was crowded with students, ex-students, family, and friends of Oobleck, as well as journalists from various news agencies, since Oobleck's death had made worldwide news.

On the stage was Oobleck's coffin, wrapped in the flag of Vale, alongside a picture of Oobleck in his military uniform. It listed him as "Maj. Bartholomew Joseph Oobleck, 1978-2020, Years of Service: 1995-2020." It also listed a quote from him, saying, "I am a Huntsman because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be." (A/N: The Hunting Corps adopted the gender-neutral term 'hunter' in 2017, though many older hunters will still use Huntsman and Huntress.)

After the beginning ceremonies, Ozpin took to the stand and began a speech. "My name is Brigadier General Michael James Ozpin. I am the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, and I have served my country as both a soldier in the army and as a huntsman in the Hunting Corps since I first went here as a student in 1985. I first met Ozpin when I was a teacher here. It was my first year teaching here at Beacon Academy. He was a very active student, and he often engaged in debates with other teachers and students involving various topics, such as faunus, campus policies, and foreign policy. He was one of several key participants in the fight to allow access to birth control on campus, and he also organised a petition with over 5,000 signatures to the Governing Council of Vale and the King of Vale at the time, Delwyn III, to pass anti-hate crime legislation for not only faunus, but also LGBT individuals, immigrants, and numerous ethnic and religious minorities. After he graduated from Beacon as a Valedictorian and served in active duty for several years, I contacted him and asked if he would consider becoming a teacher at Beacon. Of course, he took up the offer and became one of the most beloved teachers here."

Ozpin then looked at Jaune, confusing him.

"One example of how he impacted students would be a man who, when he first got here, was not a good fighter or leader at all. He had no control over his semblance or aura, and he reportedly faked his transcripts. Oobleck himself pointed out how he often did not pay attention in his class. Eventually, after improving his skills in his first year, Oobleck offered to give this man extra help outside of class. Multiple times, I let them fight Grimm by themselves in Emerald Forest. They ended up scoring many kills together. Today, this man is Lieutenant Jaune Arc, and he graduated at the number 22 spot in his class out of 678 students, an impressive feat considering he was at the very bottom when he first started." The audience then cheered and applauded.

Jaune smiled and said, "Thank you..."

"One of the last things Oobleck said to me was, pardon my language here, "I'm getting too old for this shit." I could tell he was saying it in a joking manner, but I still said to him, "Oobleck, you're 42 years old and have the energy of someone half your age. You won't be getting too old for this job anytime soon." He laughed and agreed with me. You know, I will always mourn his loss, but at the very least, I can take comfort in knowing that he died doing what he loved. Hunting Grimm was his life, and he was prepared to give up his life every time he went out onto the battlefield. And thus, the story of one of the greatest teachers in Beacon's history may be ending, but in all of you, a new story is just beginning. Thank you." The audience then applauded his speech and cheered.

After 6 more long speeches by Oobleck's family and friends, the amphitheatre fell silent. As the audience fell silent soon afterwards, the honour guard took the flag wrapped around his coffin and held it above the sleek and wooden coffin.

"Present, ARMS!" The cry of an honour guard captain pierced the air as all of the students, hunters, teachers, and other military personnel and royal family members gave a salute, while the civilians all placed a hand on their heart. Then, a lone bagpiper began playing "Going Home" to symbolise that Oobleck's soul was 'going home' in a sense.

After the song ended, the sound of pagers ringing and the Beacon Fire Company's nearby siren echoed throughout the area.

"Vale City Fire Alarm, per the request of Beacon Academy and Signal Academy, is activating the tones of Beacon Fire, Signal Fire, and Patch First Aid in memory of Major Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, who died serving the Kingdom of Vale on August 10, 2020, while fighting Grimm. May he rest in peace, and may his family and friends gain the strength to carry on. Time is 1006 hours, Alarm Operator 94."

Then, the honour guard folded the flag and presented it to Oobleck's older sister and her husband. They walked back to the coffin and then lifted it, carrying it down from the stage and through the middle of the amphitheatre as the crowd watched and continued to salute. Finally, once the coffin left the building, the captain shouted, "At ease!"

August 17, 2020

Today, the team met after working at their day jobs. Weiss asked as they all sat down in Ruby and Yang's apartment, "Did you guys remember to sign up for that makeup Basic Firefighter-CFR class tonight?"

Yang said, "We did after we came home yesterday. Me, Ruby, and Blake all went down to the station to sign up."

Weiss replied, "Good. You cannot miss a single class, or you'll fail the entire course. Say, how do you guys do during live burns?"

Blake said, "I have to admit, Ruby is the best one out of all of us. When we first all did it, I was actually scared shitless, but Ruby calmed me down."

"Awww," Ruby replied. "Thank you, Blake."

"I remember when I took it," Weiss said. "I was just 14 and I had been in the fire company for 2 years by that point. Those were some fun times. I still have my gear from when I first started. Unfortunately, it doesn't fit anymore since puberty and boobs happened, but I still keep it around as a memento to those days."

Yang laughed and said, "I'm sorry I'm laughing, it's just that part about puberty is both so weird coming out of your mouth, and I cannot imagine someone with a concave chest size."

Weiss laughed and said, "Oh shut up, Yang! Like any girl at 12 had a noticeable chest size. I have pride in my size or whatever I guess. I just don't give it much thought."

"Wanna see a picture of me at 12, Weiss?" Yang then took out her phone. "Here's me at Signal when I was 12. I had my hair in a ponytail back then because who the fuck cares. My chest size was B at the time. I was early, developing at 9 and getting a period just 2 months after I turned 11. I say my biological mom, Raven, was to blame, considering her chest size is F. Summer on the other hand was a C, explaining Ruby's growth or lack thereof compared to me."

"That... Is actually true..." Ruby was stunned. "I think you're right! I remember going through some of Mom's old clothes and finding some old bras while we were clearing out an attic at Dad's house."

Weiss was stunned. "Did you have any back pain?!"

"Oh hell yeah. Since I was DD by the time I was 15, I had back pain until the rest of my body caught up. The back issues stopped around the time I was 18." Yang then stretched.

Blake pointed at her chest and said, "It's odd how we suddenly began talking about these lumps of fat like there's no tomorrow. I think it says something about us."

"That we're very talkative?" Ruby asked Blake.

"No, that we're all a bunch of perverts." She then slowly held up Ninjas of Love 3. "And we're not at all ashamed of it."

Yang burst into laughter and said, "I love how Blake just confirmed that by holding up that book."

Ruby and Weiss also laughed hysterically. Weiss and Ruby then jokingly high-fived and said together, "Flat chests unite!"

They were then interrupted by their pagers all ringing, followed by several more tones.

"Vale City Fire Alarm on the air for Box 245 for 158 Exeter Street for a Box Alarm for Vigilant Fire 5, Goodwill Engine 6, Excellence Fire 7, and Enterprise Steamer 10. Caller reported that their family is trapped in a burning apartment on the 3rd floor. It's gonna be Apartment 3 Dash 7. Repeating, Vale City Fire Alarm on the air for Box 245 for 158 Exeter Street for a Box Alarm for Vigilant Fire 5, Goodwill Engine 6, Excellence Fire 7, and Enterprise Steamer 10. Time is 1756 hours, Alarm Operator 94."

The girls then all ran out of the apartment and down the stairs to the first floor. As they left the building, they saw the ambulance pull out from the Vigilant fire station. They ran like hell down the street to the station alongside several other volunteers as Car 5 sped past them. As the girls got their gear on, Ren ran into the station as well.

Within 3 minutes, Lieutenant Alfred Schnee hopped aboard the now-full Truck 201 and radioed, "Truck 201 to Fire Alarm, we're responding with 10, 6 interior." At the same time, Car 5 and Ambulance 201 were reporting smoke showing from the 3rd floor as well as multiple witnesses from the building telling them of the fire, upgrading the fire to a Code 99.

Iomhair Rolfe, driving the truck said, "We got a working one, fellas!"