"Professor Oobleck?" Emerald asked.

"I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary, kids since you've chosen to shadow a Huntsman on essentially a reconnaissance mission now. I assure you that we won't establish a single base of operations but instead will traverse miles of wasteland and camping in any defendable place we find. I've packed our essentials myself, plotted our course, and readied the airship." The Huntsman said. "And it's Doctor Oobleck. The PhD wasn't just for fun. Now, come along, children because we are now three minutes behind schedule." He added then bolted for the Bullhead.

"Alright! We're saving the world with Dr. Oobleck and wow, that sounds worse to say out loud." Cinder said.

"Saving the world without us?" Vella teased as Team SLVR walked to Team CMSN.

"Sounds fun. Still going outside the Kingdom?" Simin asked and Team CMSN nodded.

"We are too." Vella said.

"We'll be shadowing a friend and teammate of my mother's. His name is Ciane and together with his now wife, Holly, and the fourth member of their team, a guy named Kha, formed Team SHCK (Shamrock). Ciane often helps out the villages outside the Kingdom." Lapis said.

"We leave tomorrow." Ragora said.

"Then you four can party with us tonight." Neptune said as Team SSSN walked to their fellow first years.

"Thanks to Sun and Neptune, we're shadowing a crime specialist." Scarlet said.

"Inner-city detective business. We get junior badges." Neptune said.

"Stuff always blows up when we go to the city with you guys. But we thought this'd be a way to check out the Kingdom when it's at normalcy." Sun said.

"Four minutes, kids!" Oobleck called from the ship.

"We'd better go." Mercury sighed.

Neo signed to the other two teams. "We'll call for backup if things get ugly." Cinder translated.

"Good luck, guys." Simin said as Team CMSN headed to the ship.

"I never pegged you as a fighter, Doc. No offense." Mercury said.

"None taken, Mercury. Admittedly, I value intellect more, but I have had my share of action as a Huntsman." Oobleck said. "Plus, with my expertise in the history field and my archaeological survey dabblings, Ozpin assigned me to this mission!"

"And history has what to do with this, exactly?" Emerald asked.

"A preposterous question, you silly girl! History is the backbone, the liver, and possibly the kidneys, of society itself!"

"I'm from Mistral, Doctor. Can you tell me a bit about our destination?" Cinder asked.

"The southeast quadrant is made up of forests and caves, as well as one of Vale's biggest failures."

"Mountain Glenn, an expansion of Vale. Onyx told me her family lived there until it fell to the Grimm and that she was the only survivor."Neo said via her Scroll.

"And now it's abandoned as a dark reminder..."

"And a likely hideout." Mercury said.

Oobleck smirked and nodded then the six disembarked from the ship.

"Kids, though you're still students, your first mission as a Huntsman and Huntresses has now begun." Oobleck started. "From this point on, follow my orders to the letter." He finished then somehow just noticed Nightshade. "A Crystal Grimm?!"

"It's Lapis'. She thought we'd get better use of his tracking skills than she and her team would." Cinder explained.

"That girl is a genius! Canines are known for their heightened senses of smell and sound, making them great hunting companions!"

"So, orders, Doctor?" Cinder asked.

"As you four know, this area has become a recent hotspot for Grimm activity. There are a few possible explanations for this, one being...Grimm."

Team CMSN was confused.

"One hundred yards from us is a creature of Grimm."

The students turned to look behind them. Alpha snarled quietly when he saw a Beowulf.

"Easy, boy." Cinder soothed. "The Black Rose and White Fang must be nearby. Grimm are attracted to negativity." She told her teammates and their teacher.

"We follow it to its pack and the pack may lead us to those ruffians." Oobleck said.

"How long could that take?" Mercury asked.

"Not sure. But there's the whole pack now. And they've seen us."

"So, tracking it is out of the question." Neo's Scroll said.

"Correct."

The students turned to their teacher.

"Show me what you can do."

Team CMSN smirked then charged at the Grimm. Mercury gave a powerful kick to the head of one of the Beowulves , taking it down. Several spotted Neo and charged at her from in front of and behind her, but she smirked and shattered like glass before slicing the monsters she was fighting. Emerald had her kusarigama and spun around, easily dispatching the Grimm attacking her. Cinder fired arrow after arrow at the pack, the arrows exploding on impact before she charged forward and used Midnight as a dual bladed sword to take out the rest.

"Cake." Cinder smirked.

"This is only the first of many, so do not celebrate yet."

The six pressed on through the deserted city, taking out any Grimm in their way.

"Doc, I was looking forward to seeing how a pro fights or in action in general." Mercury said.

"But I am in action, my boy! Scouring this city for any sign of criminal activity! Not every mission involves heroism. Sometimes it's just extermination heightened." Oobleck said. "You all signed up for this job. Remember that."

They pressed on after that.

"Tell me something, Mercury. Why this line of work?" The history teacher asked.

"For the thrills. Traveling the world on crazy adventures sounds fun. And helping people is a bonus. Win-win." The gray haired boy said.

Behind his glasses, Oobleck's eyes squinted a bit.

"And you, Miss Vanille? A girl like you has fame and fortune to burn. Why choose this job over a cushy one in Vale?"

The tri-toned girl turned to him, hiding her annoyance at his use of her last name, and signed. "Like you said, I have a legacy. When I knew I could fight, it wasn't a question of what I wanted in life."

"Hmm." He said, having understood what she signed.

"And you, Emerald? You have a sense of purpose."

"Too much wrong goes on in the world. I can't stand by and do nothing. I have to try and help stop it."

Oobleck just nodded. "How do you plan to do that?"

Emerald couldn't think of an answer.

Cinder looked at Oobleck. "Are we pressing on?"

"No more today. It'll be dark soon." He said then tossed his pack to Mercury. "You three set up camp in there and make sure it's cleared of the Grimm. Cinder and I will secure the perimeter."

With that, he and the team leader walked off. When they did, they came across an incredible sight: A herd of large Grimm that looked like elephants.

"What are those?" Cinder asked.

"Grimm."

Cinder combined her swords into a bow. "Let's kill them."

"Your arrows will do little more than agitate them."

"What if they attack?!"

"Don't worry. Those Goliaths have no concern for us. Not every Grimm is still mindless, Cinder. These Grimm are so powerful and so superior to other Grimm, they may have lived for centuries. During that time of killing us and attacking our borders, they've learned they're likely to die and that we make up in will what we lack in strength and killing one of us will only bring more."

"Why are they still just outside the city, then? What are they doing?"

"They're waiting."

The herd continued onward while Cinder and Oobleck headed back.

"Doctor? I've been wondering."

"Why I've interrogated your teammates today?"

"No. Why did you want to be a Huntsman?"

"What do you see around us?"

"The ruins of the city. What do you see?"

"Lives that could've been saved. My job as a Huntsman is to protect the people, and though I can do that with traditional weapons, I believe I can have a larger impact if I do it with my mind. I'm able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon, as a teacher and place it in the hands of the students that walk into my classroom. I look around and see lives that could've been saved but also opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this city's tragedy. And become stronger as a result. A Huntsman is what I am, Cinder, and there's nothing else I'd rather be."

At the campsite, Mercury was a little annoyed. "We didn't find anything."

"We've been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time every time, but that doesn't we can always have luck on our side." Emerald said.

"What I told Oobleck wasn't entirely what I meant about upholding a legacy. There's more to it than that." Neo told her teammates via her Scroll.

"Same." Mercury said. "I mean...I don't know."

"Neither do I." Emerald said. "I had some idea but figured the 'one step at a time approach' would be best."

"Still, we all know why we're here. Right?"

Cinder, Alpha, and Oobleck shortly after and Cinder immediately started warming herself by the fire.

"Eat up then get some sleep, kids. We have much ground to cover tomorrow. Any volunteers for first watch?"

"Got it." Cinder said then Oobleck zoomed away from them a bit.

"Cin, did Oobleck ask you why you wanted to be a Huntress?" Mercury asked.

"No, but I asked him and he gave me his answer. Anyway, goodnight, you guys."

The three others set up to get some sleep after dinner.

Cinder heard howling and Alpha growled a little until Cinder began petting him and he calmed down. "I don't like this either, boy. But things will be better tomorrow. I know it."

That's chapter eighteen

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