"Alright then, one of us should stay up for the first shift to keep watch. Any volunteers" Oobleck said
Alex and Ruby raised their hands "I'll do it, Doctor" Ruby replied
"Same here, it's not my first stake out." Alex said
Oobleck nodded and replied "Great!"
Oobleck looked towards them "Ruby you'll watch that side of the building, through that opening"
"I'll take the rear entrance" Alex said
"Very, well " Oobleck said as the two nodded and took up their position's
XXXXX
Blake, Weiss, Koan and Yang began setting up camp as instructed the four eventually found themselves staring up at the sealing lying on their bedrolls
"Blake are you awake?" she asked
"Yeah" Blake answered.
"Why do you think he asked us about being a Huntress? Like... what was he trying to say?" Yang asked
"Maybe he was just curious" Blake answered
"Ya think?" Yang asked
"No" Blake answered
Then yang asked "Weiss? are you awake?"
"Of course, I'm awake? you two are talking. And i think he..."Weiss replied but hesitated
Then she began," When I said I wanted to honor my family name, I mean it. But... it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware what my farther has done with the Schnee dust company. Since he took control, our business has operated in a... morally grey area."
Blake then commented "That's putting it lightly"
Then Weiss began," Which is why I feel i need to make things right! If i had taken a job it Atlas, It wouldn't have changed anything. My farther was not the start of my name and I refuse to let him be the end of it."
Then Blake began" All my life, I fought for what I thought was right. I had a partner... named Adam. More of a mentor, actually. He always assured me that what we were doing would make the world a better place. But of course his idea of a perfect future turned out to be... not perfect for everyone. I joined the academy because I knew Huntsmen and Huntresses were regarded as the most noble warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the academy... what will I-? How can I undo so many years of hate?"
Yang answered, " I'm, sure you'll figure it out. Your not on to back down from a challenge, Blake"
Blake responded" But I am! I do it all the time When you learned I was a Faunus, I didn't know what to do, so i ran. When i realized my old partner had become a monster, I ran! Even my...semblance I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away."
Then Yang began " At least you two have something that drives you. I've just always kinda gone with the flow, y'know? and that's fine, I mean, thats who i am. But how long can i really do that for I want to become a huntress... not really because i wanna be a hero. But because I want the adventure. I want the life where I wont know what tomorrow will bring. And that'll be a good thing. Because a huntress just happens to line up with that. I'm not like Ruby or Alex. Ruby's always wanted to be a Huntress. It's like she said. Ever since she was a kid, she dreamt about being the hero in the books. Helping people and saving the day, and never asking for everything in return. Even when she couldn't fight , she knew that's what she wanted to do. Thats why she trained so hard to get where she is today. And Alex- "
"Alex"Koan began" He's always had that spark, no matter what he always stood up for the little guy even when the odds where against him. He once said to me he doesn't fight because it's what rangers are supposed to do, he fights because it's the right thing to do he fights so that no one will have toi face the hardships he has in life." Koan said
The Weiss said "Well, Ruby's still just a kid"
Blake spoke up "She's just two years younger. We're all kids"
"We all have our reasons for why we do things some good some bad, but in the end it doesn't matter, Only our actions do" The four turned to find Alex looking down at them " Ever since i first put on the morpher I've known each day could be my last I've had some close calls in the past I know the dangers but i don't care someone has to be out their fighting to save lives."
Blake replied "Your parents would be proud of you"
"Yea" Alex said with a sad smile" And who knows at the end of the line I might see them again."
"Well, it looks like we're not kid's anymore. I mean, look where we are! In the middle of a war zone armed to the teeth?"
Blake Agreed "It's the life we chose"
Weiss said "It's a job we all have this romanticized version of being hunters and huntresses in our heads. But, at the end of the day... It's a job to protect the people. And whatever we want will have to come second."
The five teens sat unaware as Oobleck grinned at the statement.
XXXXX
Ruby slept soundly on her bedroll slowly her eye's opened staring up at the sealing she turned her head looking over to the sleeping forms of her friends, Suddenly a blade was pressed to her throat and a helmet with crimson highlights a sharp tooth like mouthpiece and soulless black visors filled her vision
"Peekaboo!" Psycho Crimson said
Ruby's eye's shot open and she shot up her hand instantly going to her throat, her breathing was heavy for a moment 'Just a dream'she thought
Zwei gently nudged her arm looking down at the Corgi "Zwei It's late go back to bed" she said before Yawning and Zwei took off
"Zwei, Zwei" Ruby whisper yelled Getting up and going after him.
"Zwei? Zwei? where are you Zwei?" Ruby asked as she continued the search or the Corgi
Then she found Zwei who was in the middle of doing his... business.
"Zwei, this is a wasteland You literally could have done that anywhere." she said earning a bark from Zwei
"What was that?" an unknown voice said
Ruby picked up Zwei and hid behind some cover
Then another voice asked "What was what?"
As ruby peeked around the corner, she spotted two white fang members, chatting.
"I thought i heard a Beowulf or... something." the first one said
"Lets just finish our patrol and get back to base. This place gives me the creeps."
Ruby began following the two ducking behind cover before hugging the corner holding up Zwei she said "Did they go in yet, one bark means yes." after a few moments he barked once
"Oh this is it, This is it" Ruby said pulling out her scroll and dialing the others only to receive a 'no signal' notification
"Oh man! Uh...come on, we gotta get the others! " Ruby and Zwei then began to walk back. suddenly the ground beneath her began to collapse
"Huh?" Suddenly the ground gave way, Ruby grabbed onto the ledge and Zwei acting quickly she threw him up over the ledge, ruby then attempted to pull herself up, Only for the ledge gave way Ruby plummeted down into the darkness with Zwei her weapon And the stranger on thew side of the whole.
"Oof" Ruby groaned out as she landed her Aura taking the damage from the fall sitting up she found herself looking over an underground metropolis, the door to the rooftop was kicked open reviling two white fang grunts.
"Freeze" One yelled
"Where did she come from?" The other asked. as ruby took a step back almost falling off the ledge
"Your a long way from home, little girl" as they closed in towards her Ruby reached for Crescent Rose only to find it missing
One of the grunts grabbed her arm "Hey! hands off!" Ruby said yanking her arm away she growled throwing a punch into the grunts got following up with another only to have it b locked and receive a haymaker knocking her on her back. the grunt stood over her "The boss is going to want to see this one" He said raising his boot, Then darkness.
XXXXX
Yang stepped back into the room with the others "Hey, Weiss it's your...Ruby" She said noticing the young reaper was absent
"Hey, where's Ruby?" Yang asked
"What?" Oobleck said poking his head round the corner Zwei ran into the room and up to Yang who knelt down to check on the corgi
"Zwei?" she said in confusion
"What's going on" Blake asked
"That's something I want to know as well." Alex said
Grab your weapons. Your leader may be in trouble" Oobleck said
XXXXX
Ruby's eye's slowly began to open as she was dragged by the two White fang grunts. Looking around she found herself surrounded by the white fang, a paladin was busy transporting, a large container of dust. as white fang directed it to it's designated zone.
"Hey, be careful!" one grunt said as the two set down a large cylindrical device into a train car"What are you trying to do, blow us to the moon?"
"Sorry sir" the other said
the white fang dragging her stopped "Hey boss we found something you might want to see"
"Is it good or bad, Perry, because let me tell ya, I have had a day." Torchwicks voice came from within one of the train cars.
"Uh, It's a little girl?" Perry said
Torchwick leaned out of the train car "That would be bad." he said throwing his cigar aside
XXXXX
After a few moments of searching the five students and one huntsmen came across a rather large hole "Ruby scythe." Yang said
"Oh no" Blake said
Alex grabbed Ruby's Scythe " You think she fell in?" Weiss said
"Fell!" Oobleck said shooting up next to her.
"Down there" Weiss said indicating to the abyss
"Oh, my"Oobleck said grimly "Of course, of course, of course, of course!" Oobleck ranted
"What is it!?" Blake said in alarm
"How could i be so stupid" Oobleck said
"Doctor Oobleck, what's wrong?" Yang asked
"Mountain Glenn." Oobleck said darting in front of yang." An expansion of Vale that was inevitably destroyed by creatures of Grimm!" He darted over to Blake" Previously home to thousands of people! working people, commuting to the main city, developed a subway system to the inner city." He darted to Weiss" Grimm attacks increase, population in danger now desperately searching for shelter. City evacuated into metro tunnels and what do they find?!" He knelt down to Zwei" The south-east quadrant of Vale is known for wild forest and deep caves!"
"Doc, what are you saying?" Yang asked
He darted over to yang looking her dead in the eye" My dear, we're not just looking for an underground crime network, We are looking for AN UNDERGROUND CRIME NETWORK!"
"They've been working in caves?" Blake said
"No,no mountain Glenn was Vale's first serious attempt to expand. It worked for a short period of time thanks to an aggressive perimeter defense and unique transportation. The City developed an elaborate subway system to carry citizens safely from the new territory into the main kingdom. Sadly, without the many natural barriers of Vale had to protect it's borders, mountain Glenn was doomed from the start. As the engineer thew citizens of the territory made one last attempt at survival. They took up shelter beneath the city, in the massive caves they had cleared out for the subway. And they had cut themselves off from the surface." Oobleck stated
"A-an underground village?" Yang asked incredulously.
"In a matter of speaking, yes. A...a safe haven. Until an exploitation opened the mouth of another cavern... filled with subterranean Grimm. After that... the kingdom official sealed of the tunnels, Creating the world's larges tomb." Everyone hung their head at the statement." If Ruby is down there..." Oobleck drew his thermos which extended into a large club "Then we must find her"
"Hold on Ruby we're coming." Alex said Stepping off the ledge dropping into the abyss followed by the others.
'To be continued'