Disclaimer, I do not ow RWBY
AN/ I'm back and I'm incredibly stressed out right now. Financial and academic issues galore! Fuck my life. Oh well, here's hoping everything works out. So, a little bit a news some of you may or may not notice, I was able to get a cover for this story, credit is in the description for their Tumblr. Not much else is going on other than that though, so let's start this chapter and try to get through the rest of today without having a mental breakdown!
With their supplies handled and possible missions having been gone over, team RWBY was ready to accept their mission. As the team made their way to the auditorium, they talked about what they expected to see.
"I just want to see the outside regions of the kingdom." Yang stated calmly.
"It's not much to look at. Just nothing but trees, and with the grimm around, it's not even that great to read." Blake said.
"I just hope we get some action. What kind of hunter do you think we'll be assigned to?" Ruby asked, Zwei at her side.
"Hard to say really. I just hope they act properly." Weiss added. Finding their way to an empty set of seats, they waited for Ozpin to give his speech.
"Good morning everyone. Today, you will begin your first mission as a hunter. You will be shadowing a professional hunter, listen to what they have to say. They have volunteered their time to help us teach you. They will have the final say in any matters you may come across, however they will leave primary decision making up to you. You represent your academy starting today, show the world what you are capable of. Good luck to all of you." With his speech finished, everyone began scrambling for missions.
"Alright, let's see, southeast Vale, where is a mission in southeast Vale." Yang said as she scrolled through the list of available missions.
"There, Mountain Glenn, search and destroy." Weiss pointed out, stopping Yang from scrolling further.
"Mountain Glenn is in the southeast, and search and destroy is probably ne of the easier missions we could take." Blake reasoned.
"Then it's settled." Ruby said triumphantly as she waved her scroll in front of the screen. Suddenly, the console beeped loudly.
"What? Why can't we take it?" Weiss asked, dejected.
"We determined that the grimm concentration in the area was too dangerous for most first year teams. However, the huntsman in charge of this mission was hoping you would be interested. Though I had a feeling you would have found your way there, mission or not." Ozpin said with a chuckle.
"So, does that mean we can take the mission?" Ruby asked, hopeful.
"Indeed, it does miss Rose. But I must warn you, this will put your skills to the test. If your abilities are found to be unsatisfactory, you will be sent home, but I believe you are all up to the task." Ozpin warned as he worked on his scroll. Soon after, the console dinged, allowing them to take the mission.
"We won't let you down professor." Ruby said with a mock salute.
"Now go on, he's waiting for you." Ozpin said, dismissing the team.
"Well, that was easy." Yang said, breaking the silence.
"Come on, we don't want to keep him waiting!" Ruby said before taking off, Zwei in tow. As they reached the airships, they all stopped dead in their tracks, disbelief across all their faces.
"Ah, girls, just who I was hoping to see!" Oobleck greeted enthusiastically.
"Professor Oobleck? You're the huntsman we're shadowing?" Ruby asked.
"It's DOCTOR Oobleck. I didn't earn my PhD for nothing! And yes, I believed my set of skills was uniquely geared towards this mission. Now, I have already taken the liberty of packing everything we will need, however, I didn't know you would be bringing Zwei along. I trust you brought food for him?" Oobleck asked quickly, never slowing down his speech.
"Yeah, we brought food." Ruby responded.
"Excellent! Now, by my calculations, we are exactly three minutes and fifty-two seconds behind schedule!" Oobleck announced before suddenly disappearing inside of the airship.
"Is it too late to back out?" Yang asked.
"Oh, come on, we'll save the world with doctor Oobleck ok yeah it sounds worse when you say it out loud." Ruby said, trailing off.
"you're saving the world? Without us? I'm hurt, sad! Maybe a little hungry, that last ones not your fault though, Ren!" Nora shouted before turning to her partner.
"Yeah, we're heading to mountain Glenn, where are you guys going?" Ruby asked.
"Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village, we leave tomorrow." Jaune explained.
"Yeah, and we're going to be junior detectives." Sun said, suddenly appearing with Neptune.
"Yeah, we get badges and everything." Neptune added.
"Try not to burn down the city you two." Blake asked, sighing.
"You four won't be there, so I think that's a guaranteed safety increase." Sun joked.
"Five minutes girls!" Oobleck shouted from the airship.
"Well, we need to get going. Good luck everyone!" Ruby said as she turned towards the airship.
"I was hoping you four would be interested in joining this mission. Especially you Ruby." Oobleck spoke as the airship took off.
"Really? Why is that?" Ruby asked.
"Because I can only learn so much about your abilities without seeing them firsthand. And you are perfectly suited to this kind of work!" Oobleck explained.
"So, what exactly are we doing in mountain Glenn?" Weiss asked.
"The local grimm population has been on the rise. Grimm are attracted to negative emotions, and with recent criminal activity, it has been theorized the two are in some way linked." Oobleck explained further.
"So, we're looking for a hideout? What about mountain Glenn would make for a good hideout anyways?" Ruby asked.
"If I remember right, mountain Glenn was an attempted expansion, there would likely be a lot of usable infrastructure in the area." Blake added.
"Precisely miss Belladonna! Mountain Glenn was Vale's first attempt at serious expansion beyond the border walls. However. before it could be completed, it was overrun by grimm. What remains of the city is still standing, a constant reminder of Vale's failure." Oobleck explained.
"Well, that clears some things up. Why did you want this mission anyways doctor?" Yang asked.
"My PhD is in history miss Xiao Long, and with such a historic site, it was only natural that I take this mission!" Oobleck exclaimed.
"Where are we right now? I see something!" Ruby suddenly shouted.
"We're just passing over the city right now, what do you see?" Oobleck asked, excited.
"A lot of grimm, and dust. A lot of dust." Ruby responded.
"The pilot needs to bring us in first, then I want you to tell me what you can." Oobleck ordered. As if the pilot was listening in, the airship suddenly turned as it began its descent into the decaying city. As the airship hovered in place, team RWBY jumped out, followed by Oobleck. "First order of business miss Rose, the grimm. We need to secure the area before we can properly begin our investigation."
"A pack of beowolves, fifty yards that way, coming towards us." Ruby said, pointing through the ruined buildings.
"And how many?" Oobleck asked.
"About forty. Should we take them by surprise?" Ruby asked as her team readied their weapons.
"If you believe that to be the best course of action, then certainly." Oobleck responded, watching as the four girls suddenly bolted, ready to destroy the grimm presence. Oobleck watched in silence as they pounced on the grimm. Yang was the first to dive in, blasting a few away as she impacted the ground. Weiss followed soon after, her rapier skewering the beowolves with ease. As Weiss stopped, Blake leapt over her, stabbing her sword through a beowolf that attempted to sneak up on the heiress.
Turning his attention towards Ruby however, and Oobleck had to admit he was impressed. Demonstrating control over her weapon, Oobleck watched as she seamlessly switched between swinging the blade of her scythe and letting loose a shot from her rifle. With minimal work, the pack of beowolves was cut down.
"Well done girls, but I believe it's time we begin our investigation! Ruby, if you would." Oobleck called out. Sitting down, Ruby began to focus her aura.
"They're below us. They have a lot of dust, and I think those are paladins. Torchwick is down there too. It looks like they're loading the dust onto something." Ruby explained.
"What of the area around us? Anything we may have missed?" Oobleck asked. Pushing her aura out further, Ruby saw something that made her blood run cold.
"What's that direction? Is there anything there?" Ruby asked, fear creeping into her voice.
"Only mountain Glenn itself, why? What do you see?" Oobleck asked, catching on to her distress.
"A massive grimm signature. I don't know if it's one grimm or not, I've never seen anything that large before." Ruby explained. Everyone present remained silent.
"We have to tell the general. If something that large is this close to Vale, it needs to be dealt with." Yang spoke up.
"Agreed, however we are out of range of the CCT network. We'll have to inform them when we get back. For now, let's focus on the mission at hand. Split up and finish securing the area, we'll begin or move against our targets in the morning." With a goal set for the day, team RWBY began scouring the ruins, looking for grimm. With Oobleck popping in to check on their progress and ask them some questions, the day began to drag on as they continued hunting. Eventually though, Oobleck came across Ruby.
"Oh, doctor Oobleck. Sorry, I was resting for a moment." Ruby apologized.
"No need to apologize miss Rose, I certainly don't expect you all to wear yourselves down. Come, I've already dismissed your team for the night." Oobleck said, walking in front of her.
"I've been wondering, doctor Oobleck." Ruby started.
"Why I've been interrogating your team all day?" Oobleck asked, cutting her off.
"No, why were you so keen to see me work?" Ruby asked.
"Because Ruby, you have a unique ability that is still being researched. All around us are the remains of life, of what would have been a prosperous city, history! I look around and see lives that could have been saved. Lives that, had things happened differently, you or I could have saved. I applied myself so readily to history, so that I may learn from it. And in front of me right now, is a prodigious student, making history. Tell me, you saw a grimm earlier?" Oobleck asked.
"I did, yes. I couldn't make out any detail, it's just a giant mass that I recognize as grimm." Ruby responded.
"From what you told me earlier, it's currently hibernating within the mountain. Why would a grimm of that size be inside of a mountain, and more importantly, how did it get there? You brought forward questions that we didn't even know needed to be answered, and that is what I live for. Let's head back, your teammates must be exhausted." Oobleck said as he turned around. Ruby mulled over his words. Why did a grimm choose to hibernate within a mountain, and more importantly, how did it get there? Shaking her head, Ruby quietly followed along as they made their way to the camp.
"There, fire is going, food is ready, just need the others to come back." Ruby heard Yang say as they approached.
"Excellent fire girls. Now then, we will need to sleep in shifts to watch out for intruders and grimm alike, first volunteer?" Oobleck asked, to which Ruby raised her hand.
"I'll take second shift then." Weiss offered. Blake and Yang shared a silent agreement on who would be next.
"Alright, since that has been decided, rest up, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Night girls!" Oobleck dismissed before disappearing into the ruined building. Eating in silence, team RWBY watched the fire burn, adding more wood as needed.
"So Ruby, did Oobleck ask you about why you wanted to be a huntress?" Blake suddenly asked.
"No, not really, I assume he asked all of you that?" Ruby asked not bothering to look up from her food.
"He did. Why wouldn't he have asked you though?" Weiss asked.
"He probably knew exactly what kind of answer he would've gotten. What did you say?" Ruby asked, turning the question towards Weiss.
"I said it was for my family's honor, but that's not really what I meant. I know that the business has operated in a moral grey area," Blake scoffed, "Which is why I'm going to do something about it. My father wasn't the start of the Schnee name, I refuse to let him be the end of it." Weiss spoke, stressing the second phrase.
"I always went with the flow, but how long can I really keep doing that? I'm not like you Ruby, I wanted to be a huntress for the fun of it, but eventually I need to settle down and get my act together." Yang spoke up, looking towards her sister.
"And there isn't anything wrong with doing it just for the fun of it, but I do agree, you will need to focus more on the job at some point, but we're all still young, you have time." Ruby added. With the sisters now done, everyone turned to Blake.
"I grew up in the White Fang, born into it, really. I had a friend, or mentor, really. I always believed he stood up for what was right, but then, he began to change. Not all at once, it was gradual. He became hateful, whenever we went on missions, his body count steadily rose. He always claimed it was self-defense, and for a while I believed him, but deep down I knew the truth. There is too much hate in the world, and I couldn't just stand by and let it happen. It's why I joined the academy, as a huntress, I have a voice I can use to change things, for the better." Blake spoke, shuddering at the memories of Adam.
"Well, you're definitely in the right place." Yang spoke up.
"Thank you, for everything. What about you Ruby, it's only fair you hare why you want to be a huntress." Blake asked, turning towards her leader.
"My mother was a huntress, one of the best I was told. One day she never came back from a mission. I always wanted to be just like her, helping everyone she could. When I learned I could use my abilities to become a huntress, I jumped at the opportunity, though I'm sure the general is a little disappointed that I didn't join Atlas." Ruby explained.
"A bit idealistic, but still a noble reason. I'm sure she would be proud of you." Weiss offered. With the howl of a beowolf, team RWBY looked towards the blown-out window.
"They don't know we're here. Why don't you three go to sleep, if I had to guess, Oobleck is going to have us up early." Ruby ordered as she felt her way towards the vantage point, weapon in hand. As her team drifted off to sleep, Ruby allowed her thoughts to be filled with Arslan and the upcoming tournament.
AN/ So I started this chapter last Friday, and since then my financial worries have mostly been resolved, doesn't mean my bank account is going to be fine though. Class is still a bitch, damn math. So yeah, mental breakdown averted, crisis averted, now I just need to crank out the rest of my capstone project tonight and start turning in my drafting homework, and we'll be good. Also, I don't know if I mentioned this to you guys or not, but I got struck with a sudden crack ship inspiration, and no, it's not Rosewick. You won't see it until after Broken Mind starts back up again. Anyways, until next time have a great day!