Chapter 11
Nothing Else I Would Rather Be
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Flashback
"Speakers, Scroll Communications"
Location / Date / Time Change
Ozpin's Office
"They were here!" Ironwood repeated for the tenth time. "Ozpin, they were here!"
"We are very much aware of that." Glynda said. "Thank you for reminding us, James."
"Wonderful, you're aware." The general said back. "Now, are you going to do something about it, or are we just going to stay the course and keep ignoring what's right in front of us!?"
The elevator beeped and Ozpin stood up from his chair. "Come in."
The door opened and Ruby walked into the room. "Sorry it took so long." She said. "Someone accidently hit all the buttons on their way up. It wasn't me."
"Thank you for coming here, Ruby." The headmaster said as the scythe user walked forward. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay, I guess... Although I'd feel a lot better if my bad guy catching record wasn't 0 for 3." She joked but the the adults just stared at her. "Okay, so that's the tone of the room, got it."
"Ruby, I feel it's best you know that I think what you did last night is exactly what being a huntress is all about." Ironwood said as he walked over and put his hand on Ruby's shoulder. "You recognized a threat, you took action, and did the very best you could."
"Thank you, sir." Ruby said back.
"Now, the general has already informed us of the events that happened last night." Ozpin explained. "But now that you're rested, we were hoping that you could add anything."
"Was anyone else with her? Did she look familiar to you at all? Those sorts of things." Glynda added.
"I... I don't know." Ruby shook her head. "She was wearing a mask, and she didn't say anything to me. But I know she fought with glass. I'm not sure if that was her Semblance, though. Her clothing lit up whenever she attacked."
"Other than the glass, that sounds identical to the woman I fought the night we met Ruby." Glynda said to the men.
"Weaving Dust into clothing is an ancient technique." The general reminded them. "It could have been anyone."
"Wait, you think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?" Ruby asked.
"It's possible." Ozpin said scratching his chin. "We hadn't considered it, but it's not an impossibility, however we lack the evidence to link the two."
Ruby thought about her own investigation and decided to give an idea to the adults. "Well, I think I heard her say something about a hideout or something. In the southeast, just outside the kingdom."
"Interesting." Ozpin smiled.
"But you said that the intruder never-" Glynda started as Ozpin walked forward.
"Thank you for your assistance, Ruby." Ozpin interrupted. "Why don't you go and spend some time with your friends? You all have a big day ahead of you."
"Anytime!" Ruby said before she turned back to the elevator.
"One more thing, Miss Rose." Ozpin spoke up, making her turn to the head master. "Please try to be discrete about this matter."
"Yes sir." Ruby nodded before continuing to the elevator.
Team RWBY's Room
"Well, what happened!?" Yang asked as Team's RWBY and NVAR crowded around Ruby when she opened the door.
"Uh, well, um..." Ruby started before chuckling nervously.
Ozpin's Office
"There we have it." Ironwood said looking out at his forces. "We send as many soldiers as possible to the southeast, find out what's going on there, and wipe out anyone who stands in our way."
"Why must your answer to every problem be a massive display of triumphant military bravado!?" Glynda asked pointing her crop at him. "You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring d-"
"Glynda." Ozpin interrupted.
"Well, he does." She mumbled as Ozpin turned around in his chair.
"She's right." He said having spun to face them both. "As much as I would love to end this whole thing once and for all, we mustn't forget that this may go well beyond Beacon, beyond Vale. And if this part of some grand master plan for which we know not the final move, we cannot be so bold, nor can we risk spreading panic."
"I have served you faithfully for years." Ironwood turned and pointed at Ozpin. "But if you're telling me you mean to just the hold defenses and wait for them-"
"It is not." Ozpin stood up from his chair. "You're a general, James. So when you go to war, tell me who do you send in first, the flag bearers or the scouts?"
Team RWBY's Room
"That was a pretty risky move." Weiss said after Ruby told them what she said.
"But one well worth the rewards." Vergil added. "Now an idea is in their heads."
"I think she handled it well." Blake added from Weiss' bed.
"I hope so." Ruby said nervous.
"I'm sure everything will be fine, Ruby." Yang added, holding her sisters shoulder. "Oh, I know what'll cheer you up." She turned and walked over to the desk.
"What is it?" She asked following her sister with her eyes.
"I don't know yet." Yang answered picking up a tube. "Dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together."
"Ooh, something from home!" Ruby squealed before wrapping around Yang trying to grab the tube. The blonde shook the tube and the bottom hatch opened, letting something fall out. It squirmed around on the floor before it popped up and stood in four legs. All eight stared at it until it barked, scaring and exciting the group, minus Vergil.
"ZWEI!" Ruby shouted in joy before picking up the dog.
"He sent a dog!?" Blake asked.
"In the mail!?" Weiss added.
"Oh, he does stuff like this all the time." Yang said as the dog licked Ruby's face while Aerith and Ryuko petted the dog's belly.
"Your father or your dog?" Blake asked after jumping onto Ruby's bed.
"Are you telling me that this mangey,.." Weiss leaned to the dogs face. "Drooling,..." Zwei turned and looked at Weiss. "Mutt is going to wive wife us forever? Oh yes he is, yes he is." She smiled and started rubbing its lower jaw. "Awh, isn't he adorable?"
"Please keep it away from my belongings." Blake requested.
"Would all first year students please report to the amphitheater?" Glynda's voice asked through the PA system.
"Well, we can't just leave him here alone for a week." Weiss said as the dog jumped out of Ruby's hands and Yang pulled the top of the tube.
Zwei sniffed Natsu's tail before biting down on the tip. "Yeaow!" The Faunus cried in pain before running around the room, the dog still on his tail.
"Look, there's a note." Yang said, pulling out a sheet of paper. "'Dear girls. I have to leave the island for a few days, so I'm sending Zwei to you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang'." At the mention of food, Zwei let go of Natsu's tail and raced over to Yang. The blonde shook the container and a hundred cans of dog food buried Zwei until he popped his head out.
"How is he suppose to eat those?" Weiss asked. Yang shook the container again and a can opener fell and bounced off of Zwei's head.
"Well, that's taken care of." Yang said, throwing the end and shipping tube to the side. "Come on guys, Zwei will be here when we get back." She turned and headed to the door.
"I don't, I mean, how...?" Vergil mumbled in disbelief how much stuff could fit into the tube, as Ryuko walked beside him.
"Stupid, four legged, flea bag." Natsu said, holding his tail as high as he could.
"Don't act like that Natsu." Aerith said as they followed the others.
"Oh, I'll miss you so much." Weiss said petting the dog as she walked by while Blake jumped on the desk and out the door. "We're going to be best friends. I can't wait to see you again."
The two left leaving Ruby alone with the dog. The two stared at each other before Ruby got an idea.
Ampitheater
Ruby walked into the building following her friends with a backpack on her shoulders. "Quiet please." Glynda requested as she and Ozpin stood on the main stage. Ruby placed her bag alongside the others and stood next her teammates. "Professor Ozpin would like to say a few words before we begin." She walked to the side and Ozpin took the mic.
"Today we stand together, united." The headmaster started. "Mistral, Atlas, Vacuo, Vale, the four kingdoms of Remnant. On this day eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history finally came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, greed, and oppression. A war that was about more than where borders fell or who traded with who, but about the very idea of individualism itself."
"We fought for countless reasons, one unfortunately being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression." He continued. "That, as I'm sure many of you are well aware, was something many people could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself; color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither would the generations that followed."
"And it's a trend that still continues to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united, but this bond cannot be maintained without effort. Which is why though the rest of the world celebrates peace today, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you'll be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission."
Screens with jobs popped up along the wall. "Some will take you outside the kingdom for several days, while others will make you work within the walls for the rest of the week. But regardless of the path you choose, remember to stay safe, remember your training, and remember to so your very best." The crowd of students cheered as Ozpin walked off the stage.
"This is perfect." Ruby cheered to her teammates, as well as Natsu's team. "All we have to do is follow some Huntsmen working in the southeast."
"Yeah, follow them by day and give them the slip at night." Yang added.
"Let's check 'search and destroy'." Weiss suggested.
"Sounds like fun already." Natsu cheered as the two teams walked over to a screen.
"Here we go. Quadrant five needs Grimm cleared." Ruby read the mission.
"Well, it's in the southeast." Blake said.
"It's perfect." Yang added. Ruby pressed the screen and typed in the team name as Yang turned to Natsu's team. "Alright, you guys find your-" She was cut off when a beeping forced her attention to the screen, where the computer told them it was unavailable for first year students.
"Wonderful." Weiss sarcastically said.
"Any other ideas?" Vergil asked.
"We could mail ourselves there." Ruby suggested.
"Well, that's one way to get there." The students looked over as Ozpin walked up from behind the screen. "However, we've determined that the concentration of Grimm was too high for first year students, even if two teams went. It seems that particular region is rather popular. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that you all will make your way there, no matter what job you choice."
Everyone else looked at Ruby, who rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "What makes you say that?" She asked, trying to play it off.
"I'm still curious as to how you all found yourselves at the docks last semester." Ozpin continued to speak. "I'm interested as to know how you really learned of a 'hideout' in the southeast. And I certainly wonder why witnesses report seeing robots, rose petals and chunks of ice near a dance club some time ago."
"Umm... Well..." Ruby started to mumble.
"I doubt I'll ever find the answers I'm looking for." Ozpin interrupted. "So, how about this: instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, I bend them for you." He pressed a button on his Scroll and the job flashed the words 'Two Teams Required'. Everyone in the group looked smiled before they turned back to the headmaster.
"We won't let you down." Ruby spoke for the group. "Thank you, professor."
"Do not thank me for this." Ozpin said. "Teamwork and persistence have carried you far, but you must understand this. The things that await you outside the kingdoms protection will not care. Stay close to your Huntsmen at all times, and do as he says. He will be leading you on this mission, and he can have you all sent back to Beacon of if he finds your skill unsuited for the task." He turned and walked away, leaving the group to think about his words. "Good luck."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Glynda asked in front of a pillar as Ozpin walked by her.
"Positive. They know more than they're letting on, so why not let them help us?" Ozpin asked.
"And if he discovers the truth?" Glynda asked fear in her voice.
"Don't worry about that." Ozpin said back. "Remember what he said the first day: you're his mother and that will never change." He kept walking as Glynda turned and watched the two teams walk out.
"I just hope your right..." She whispered before following the professor.
Outside
"Well, that was depressing." Vergil said walking along with the group.
"I don't know about that, but it wasn't what I'd call uplifting." Yang said.
"He's not wrong, you know." Blake added.
"It's gonna be tough, but we're two teams going." Ruby spoke up. "I know we can do it."
"Hey, Team CFVY is back!" A student behind them said running forward, making them all look up as the second year team walked through the courtyard.
"Velvet, are you okay?" Blake asked as she ran up to the Faunus.
"I'm fine." The rabbit eared girl said. "I had Yatsuhashi looking out for me." She motioned to the boy walking past her.
"Your mission was supposed to end a week ago, what happened?" Weiss asked as the group made its way over, Natsu in the back.
"Nothing happened." Velvet shook her head. "It's just, there were so many of them." The others looked at each other before velvet saw their faces. "Oh, no need to worry. You first years are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine."
"Right..." Yang agreed, lying.
"Hey Velvet." Natsu said finally reaching the others.
"Hey, Natsu." Velvet said. "How was the dance?"
"Fine. Me and Yang did a little dancing." He answered, missing the disappointed look on the Faunus' face. "Hey, what did you want to ask me about the dance?"
"I was hoping to go with you." She said looking at Yang with mild jealousy. "It doesn't matter now. See you guys later." She turned and went after her team, leaving Natsu and Yang confused.
'Does she think I... not that I am.' Yang thought to herself as she and Natsu looked at each other confused while the others focused on her earlier words.
"We can do this." Ruby said gaining all their focus. "None of us have ever backed down before, and were not gonna start now."
"Yeah." Natsu added.
"Besides, we won't be alone out there. We'll be fighting alongside a genuine Huntsman!" Ruby cheered.
"Yeah!" Yang added. The group left for the air docks and when they got there, they all stood wide eyed, open jawed, and in disbelief at their Huntsman.
"Hello students!" Oobleck in exploration gear said. "Who here is ready to fight for their lives?"
"Professor Oobleck?" Weiss asked.
"Indeed." He nodded before pacing back and forth. "I'm afraid none of you will need those bags, seeing as you've all opted to shadow a Huntsman on what has now become a reconnaissance mission. Let me assure you, we will not be establishing a single headquarters, but rather we will traversing several miles of hazardous terrain and making camp in any defendable locations we find. I've packed the essentials, plotted the air course, and readied the airship."
"And." He leaned towards Weiss. "It's DOCTOR Oobleck. I didn't earn the Ph.D. because I was bored, thank you very much." He fixed his glasses and backed away. "Come now, children! According to my schedule, we are three minutes behind, schedule." He rushed to the airship, leaving the group of eight confused.
"Well, okay then." Ruby spoke, trying to keep things positive. "Looks like we're going to save the world with Doctor Oobleck." The others did not apreatiate her sunny disposition.
"Yeah, that's one of those things that sounds much worse out loud." Natsu a rubbed the back of his head.
"Save the world!?" The group turned around to see Team JNPR walking up behind them. "You guys are going on world savings missions without us? I'm sad, betrayed! Maybe a little hungry? That last ones not your fault though, Ren." Nora turned to her partner who crossed his arms.
"Sounds exciting!" Jaune said. "Where you going?"
"Just outside the kingdom." Ruby answered.
"All of you guy?" Pyrrha asked. "Seems like overkill."
"Well, we're actually just just getting a ride." Virgil said. "Our job is on route to theirs so, two birds one stone."
"That's not-" Natsu started before Aerith and Ryuko covered his mouth.
"What about you guys?" Yang asked.
"We're going outside the kingdom too!" Nora cheered.
"Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village." Pyrrha explained.
"We leave tomorrow." Ren added.
"Then you can party with us tonight!" Neptune said as he and Sun walked up. "We're shadowing a crime specialist. Inner-city detective stuff. We get junior badges."
"Cool..." Jaune mumbled.
"We normally go to the city with you guys, and that means stuff is exploding and junk." Sun said, pointing to the larger group. "So we thought this might be a good way to check out the city without some mad man trying to kill us."
"Well-" Ruby started.
"Four minutes, people!" Oobleck shouted before climbing back into the Bullhead.
The groups smiled at each other before Ruby spoke up. "Well, wish us good luck." Ruby finished her thought before the group's walked away from each other.
"Tell Sage I said thanks for the dance." Aerith told Sun and Neptune before running after her team. The group of eight climbed into the he Bullhead and it took off.
"I gotta be honest, I never saw you as much of a fighter." Yang said to Oobleck.
"I'll admit I'm more of an intellectual." Oobleck confessed. "But, let me assure you, as a Huntsmen, I've had more than my fair share of tussles."
"Like the mushroom?" Ruby asked.
"Those are truffles." Blake corrected.
"Like the sprout?" Natsu asked.
"That's a brussle." Ryuko corrected.
"Besides, given my expertise in the field of history, and my dabblings in the archeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw it fit to assign me to this particular assignment!" Oobleck added.
"What does history have to do with this?" Weiss asked.
"Why what a ridiculous question, you silly girl." Oobleck answered. "History is the back bone of our very society! And the liver! Maybe the kidneys if I were to wager."
"And that means what?" Weiss asked.
"The southeast quadrant outside the city of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves." The teacher explained. "But it is also home to one of the kingdoms greatest failures."
"Mountain Glenn." Ruby said.
"What's that?" Natsu asked.
"It was an attempt at an expansion of Vale." Yang explain. "But in the end, it was overrun by Grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city."
"And now it sits abandoned, as a grim reminder..." Virgil added.
"And a likely place to hideout." Blake added.
"Exactly." Oobleck nodded and adjusted his glasses.
Mountain Glenn
Abandoned building littered the streets as the Bullhead hovered over a street and opened it side door. The group jumped out, weapons at the ready, with Ruby being last as the airship flew away.
"Okay." Oobleck spoke. "You may still be students, but as of this moment, your first mission as Huntsmen and Huntresses has begun. From this point on, you need to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?" The group nodded before the teacher looked at Ruby. "Ruby! I thought I told you to leave that bag of yours at school!"
"You did." Ruby nodded. "But, uh, you didn't tell us we had to listen to you yet. So I didn't."
"She's not wrong." Oobleck mumbled. "Alright then, leave your bag here, Ruby. We can pick it up when we return."
"But, I ... uh..." Ruby tried to argue back.
"Young lady!" Oobleck shouted. "What in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important to bring with-" His rant was cut off when Zwei poked his head out of the bag, making the other students look at her.
"Get back in the bag..." She whispered, making Zwei bark.
"We're here to investigate an abandoned urban-jungle, seeping with death and hostility, and you brought a dog?" The teacher asked.
"Hellhound is a better term, but that's just me." Natsu added, keeping his tail away from Ruby's bag.
"I... Uh..." Ruby mumbled.
"Brilliant!" Oobleck shouted, confusing the students until he grabbed the dog out of the bag and started spinning in place with it above him. "The canine species are historically known for their perceptive nose and superior sense of sound, making them perfect companions for a hunt such as ours!"
"Are you sure about that?" Natsu asked as Zwei barked.
"Of course I'm sure!" Oobleck nodded as the other students stared in disbelief.
"I'm a genius." Ruby bragged, making the others shake their heads.
"Just keep it away from me." Natsu requested.
"So, what are your orders, Doctor?" Blake asked, trying to refocus the group.
"Ah, right. Straight to the chase. I like it." Oobleck said before dropping the dog. "As you've been informed the southeast area has been marked as a hotspot for recent Grimm activity. Now there may be several explanations for this behavior, one of them being... Grimm."
The students looked at each other confused at the teacher's words. "Huh?" Natsu asked.
"Grimm." Oobleck repeated. "A creature of Grimm, about a hundred yards from us, right now."
"What?" Weiss shouted as the group turned around. Coming out from behind a building was a Beowolf, sniffing the ground. All eight students drew their weapons and entered their fighting stances.
"Stop!" The doctor ordered, confusing them. "There are numerous reasons why Grimm would congregate in this area. The most like of which would be their attraction towards negativity. Sadness, envy, hatred. The last of which is most likely seeping from our hidden group harboring ill intent."
"So, what now?" Ruby asked.
"We wait and we track." Oobleck answered. "If this one leads us to its pack, that pack may subsequently lead us to our prey."
"I hate waiting." Natsu huffed, crossing his arms and drooping his tail. "How long do we have to do that?"
"Hours, days, weeks." Oobleck guessed. "It's unclear. Lone Grimm have been known to stay isolated from their packs for months. And there's the whole pack." More Beowolves walked out infront of them.
Zwei walked over and sniffed Natsu's tail before biting down again. "Yeaow!" Natsu screamed again. "Ruby, get your mangey, no good, flee-bitten-"
"Hey! Watch what you say about our dog!" Yang shouted back.
"And now they've seen us." Oobleck said.
"What?" Weiss asked.
"And now they've seen us!" Oobleck repeated.
"Way to go, you two." Blake sarcastically said.
"Hey, it's not my fault that dog hates me." Natsu said back as Ruby pulled Zwei off his tail and put the dog on the ground.
"So, I take it tracking them is out of the question?" Ryuko asked.
"An accurate assumption, yes." Oobleck nodded.
"So, what's the plan?" Yang asked as the pack sprinted towards them.
"Show me what you can do." Oobleck stated.
"Zwei, cover your ears." Ruby told the dog as she slammed her scythe into the ground. The dog did just that as the rest of the group sprinted forward.
Ryuko use her Semblance to pull some Beowolves towards her before jumping forwards and slicing them in half with her blades before putting them back together and jumping from Beowolf to Beowolf, chopping off heads.
Yang pulled her fist back and punched a Beowolf aside before leading a group of the creatures away. A few looked over at Blake and charged her, as she calmly unsheathed her blade. A Beowolf lunged at her but she activated her Semblance and jumped up and swung her sword, slicing it in half before dealing with another and sliced it in half.
Vergil took aim with his black pistol and fired, killing a few wolves before he pushed his katana up and drew it, killing a few he missed. One Beowolf charged him and swung its claw, but Vergil sliced it off and then shot it in the head.
Aerith blocked a swing with her staff before tripping the wolf and slamming her staff on its head. A new group of four charged her, forcing her to swing her staff in a circle and walk forward, striking any that reached her before she jumped and impaled the last one through its chest.
Weiss ran from a group before jumping and striking three of them with her rapier. She charged at the rest and swung her sword with blinding speed, killing them all.
Natsu stood still as a group of wolves charged forward. He opened his eyes and created knifes of ice before swinging his arms, throwing the knifes into the heads of those in the front of the pack, killing them. The last two he ducked their swings and tripped them with his hands, forcing them down to the ground before ice spikes jutted up out of the back of their heads.
A large group charged at Ruby who open fired with her bullets. Zwei spun in a circle before she pulled her scythe out of the ground and launched forward with her Semblance and sliced the last wolf in half. All eight students looked over to the teacher who stood there watching the fight. "Piece of cake." Ruby bragged.
"Do not celebrate yet, I'm certain this was only round one in a much longer fight." Oobleck said. "Shall we keep moving?"
Different Street
The students took out any Grimm in their way, exhausting them greatly, as Oobleck took a sip out of his thermos. "Excellent work, students." He praised. "However, there doesn't seem to be any signs of criminal activity in this sector. Oh well. Let's go." He turned and led the group away from the bodies that were fading away.
"You know, doc, I was actually looking forward to seeing a pro Huntsmen in action." Yang confessed. "Like, maybe fighting, or helping us fight."
"Ahh! But I am in action!" Oobleck said, looking over his shoulder. "Scouring the ruins of this once mighty city for anything out of place." He turned around and looked at the group. "Not every mission is filled daring deeds of heroism, people. Sometimes, it's just a heightened level of extermination. Don't forget, this is a job that you all signed up for. I do hope you understand that."
"Well, yeah..." Yang said. "O-of course I do!"
"Hmm..." Oobleck looked at her, not believing her words.
With Yang
"Tell me, Yang, why did you choice this line of work?" Oobleck asked once he was alone with the blonde.
"Huh?" She turned around and looked at the teacher. "You know, to fight monsters and save-"
"No." Oobleck interrupted her. "That is what you do. I want to know why you do it; the true reason why you want to be a Huntress."
"The true reason?" Yang asked and Oobleck nod. "I'm a thrill seeker. I want to travel around the world and get wrapped up in as many crazy adventures as I can. If I can help people while I do that, all the better. It's a win-win you know?"
"I see..." Oobleck mumbled.
With Ryuko
"What about you, Ryuko?" Oobleck asked. "Why do this for a living? Why not join your mother and sister in a cushy life in the city, designing clothes for people?"
"Half-sister." Ryuko corrected as she pulled one of her blades out of a Beowolf. "That's not the life I want. Having people wait on me hand and foot because my parent told them to? No thanks. I'd rather earn people's respect than have it forced down their throats. Besides, if I did that, I wouldn't have met Vergil."
"I see..." Oobleck nodded before writing something in his notebook.
With Weiss
"And you, Miss Schnee?" The teacher asked as a Beowolf lunged by. "A girl born into fame and fortune such as yourself doesn't need the extra work. So, why choose this over a safe life in Atlas?"
"It's just as you said." Weiss answered, pulling her sword out of the Beowolfs heart. "I'm a Schnee. I have a legacy of honor to uphold. Once I realized my skills as a fighter, there were no more questions about what to do with my life. It was my duty."
"Interesting..." Oobleck observed.
With Aerith
"And you, Miss Gainsborough?" Oobleck asked, sitting on a pile of rubble. "With gifts such as yours, I'm certain you would have been an amazing doctor. Why become a huntress?"
"You wouldn't be the first to say that." She said after jabbing a wolf in the stomach before flipping her staff and slamming on its head. "Too many people don't come back from missions because of their injuries. If I'm out in the field, I can change that, and show the world I'm not some scared little girl."
"Interesting..." Oobleck mumbled.
With Blake
Blake sliced a door down before flipping back from the little Nevermores that flew out. She turned her weapon into its gun form and fired up, killing the birds. She walked back to the door way as Oobleck looked inside.
"And what about you, Blake?" He asked. "You seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose."
"There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing." Blake said. "Inequality, corruption. Someone has to stop it."
"Agreed, how?" He asked back.
"I... Uhh..." Blake mumbled.
"Hmmm..." Oobleck whispered back before leaving.
With Vergil
"What about you, Mister Inferno?" The teacher asked standing next to an old shop. "Why go to a school when you are already so clearly talented?"
"Self teachings can only get you so far." Vergil answered, pulling his sword out of a Beowolves head. "A school is a professional environment, one where you learn from your mistakes instead of dying from them."
"I see..." Oobleck wrote something in his journal before closing it.
With Ruby and Natsu
Ruby held a turkey on the end of her scythe for Zwei, hoping to get Natsu to warm up to the dog. "Uh, Ruby..." Natsu pointed over towards Oobleck.
"Sorry..." Ruby said, folding up her scythe. "Um, are we ready to keep going?"
"No, I think we're done for today." Oobleck answered. "It's going to be dark soon." He threw his bag to Vergil who caught it. "The six of you will set up camp in that building. Oh, and make sure that there aren't any more, creatures." He turned to the group and pointed back at Natsu and Ruby. "Your leaders and I are going to secure the perimeter. Come along, you two." He walked ahead of the leaders that soon followed him, leaving the others to set camp.
Oobleck rounded a corner and led Ruby and Natsu to the edge of the city overlooking a forest.
"Whoa..." Ruby stared in awe at elephant Grimm walking through the forest. "What is that!? It looks awesome."
"That, my dear girl, is a Grimm." Oobleck said.
"Let's kill it." Natsu said as Ruby pulled out Cresent Rose.
"I'm afraid your sniper rifle won't do anything other than agitate a Grimm of that size." Oobleck shot down the idea.
"But what if it attacks us!?" Ruby asked.
"Relax, you two." Oobleck said. "Those Goliaths aren't concerned with us. Listen, not every Grimm is mindless. Or rather, not every Grimm is still mindless. You see, the Grimm before us are so powerful, so superior to the Grimm you've fought, they've undoubtedly lived hundreds of years. And between killing humans and attacking our borders, they've done one thing. They've learned."
"They've learned that when they attack our borders, we will retaliate and they are likely to die. And what we lack in strength, we make up for in will." A single Goliath looked over, seemingly looking at the group. "And that killing one human only brings more."
"So, why are they still so close to the city?" Ruby asked. "What are they doing?"
"Waiting." Oobleck answered.
"For what?" Natsu asked.
"That is the big question." Oobleck said as the Goliath turned and followed the rest of the herd. The teacher did the same and headed towards the camp.
"Doctor Oobleck..." Ruby spoke up as she put her weapon away. "I was wondering..."
"Wonder why I've been interrogating your fellow students all day?" He asked back.
"You were doing what?" Natsu asked, having no idea that happened.
"No, I was wondering. Why did you want to be a Huntsman?" Ruby asked her question.
"Both of you look around and tell me what you see." Oobleck requested.
"Some old building..." Ruby looked to the left.
"A lot of empty streets..." Natsu looked to the right.
"I see lives that could have been saved." Oobleck said before walking ahead of the students and dog. "As a Huntsman, my duty is to protect the people. And even though I'm capable doing so with traditional weaponry, I feel I can make a much stronger impact if do it with my mind. As a teacher, I am able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of all, and place it into the hands of every student who walks into my class. I look at this wasteland and I see lives that could have be saved, but I also see it as an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy. And therefore, become stronger. I am a Huntsman, Ruby, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be."
Campsite
"I can't believe we didn't find anything." Yang complained as she walked towards the fire.
"We've always had the fortune of being in the right place at the right time." Blake said, looking up from the fire. "I guess we can't always have luck on our side."
"Don't I know it..." Vergil whispered.
"That's not what I meant." Weiss said, confusing the others.
"Huh?" Aerith asked.
"Earlier, about upholding the legacy." The heiress explained. "There's more to it than that."
"Yeah, I think that's safe to say for all of us." Ryuko said, as the others looked around. "I just, I don't know..."
"I don't know either." Blake said standing up. "I know what I want to do, but I figured I'd go one step at a time."
"Well, it doesn't matter." Yang said. "We all know why we're here. Right?" She looked at the others, but got no response.
"Ah, wonderful." Oobleck said as he entered the room, breaking the awkward silence. "A textbook campfire."
"Fire!" Ruby shouted before kneeling infront of the flame.
"Food!" Natsu cheered before grabbing his helping.
"Very good. Eat your dinners and hurry to bed." Oobleck suggested. "We've got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow, so we'll need you to take turns watching over our temporary abode. Any volunteers to be first?"
"Me." Ruby raised her hand.
"Very well. After Ruby will be Natsu, than a member of the other team and so on." Oobleck said before leaving. Ruby got up and walked towards a hole in the wall.
"Hey..." Yang spoke up as her sister walked past her. "Did Oobleck ask either of you why you wanted to do this? If so, what did you two tell him?"
"Nope, never asked." Ruby answered. "Weird. Well, goodnight guys."
Natsu was already asleep as the others rolled out their mats and ate their dinners. They laid on the sleeping bags, looking up at the ceiling.
Zwei walked over to Ruby as a Beowolf howled up at the moon. He whined at the sound so she rubbed her dog's back. "Don't worry, things will be better tomorrow." She said, looking out at the night sky.
Beacon Academy
Ironwood stared out at the city lights as Glynda walked up behind him. "Trouble sleeping?" She asked.
"Arm was acting up." Ironwood said, looking over his shoulder.
"Of course." Glynda said walking closer. "So naturally you got out of bed, fully dressed yourself and decided to gaze menacingly at the horizon. What's really wrong?"
"I've trusted him for years, we both have." Ironwood started. "It's just, I can't shake the feeling that he's hiding something from us."
"Don't be ridiculous." Glynda said back. "You know as well as I do that we aren't the ones in the dark."
"That makes it all the worse." Ironwood said. "I refuse to believe that the man I've trusted for so long can act so... passively."
"You're a good person, James." Glynda said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You've always done what you think is best for the people, even against strong protests. It's admirable. But you need to stop talking about trust, and start showing some. Ozpin, he has experience the rest of us just don't, and I think that's something worth remembering."
"I suppose... So, what are you doing up?" Ironwood asked.
"I'm worried about my son." Glynda confessed. "It's his first mission, and I'm afraid he might get hurt or worse."
"He'll be fine." The general said. "He has a good team looking out for him. Granted, it's not as good as one if he went to my school, but-"
"Why do I even bother?" Glynda asked as she walked away.
Mountain Glenn
Campsite
Ruby looked down the scope of her scythe at a Beowolf walking nearby. The creature looked up before walking away. She sighed in disappointment as the rest of the group slept by the fire, with Oobleck sleeping on the floor above them.
"Hey, any of you guys awake?" Yang asked.
"Yeah." Blake, Vergil, Ryuko and Aerith said.
"Why do you think he asked us about choosing this job?" Yang asked. "Was he trying to say anything?"
"Maybe he was just curious." Aerith guessed as Yang rolled on to her stomach.
"That can't be it." Vergil said.
"Yeah, you're right." Blake agreed as Yang rolled onto her back.
"Weiss, you awake?" Ryuko asked the heiress.
"Of course I'm awake!" The girl softly shouted. "You're all talking. Look, I... oh, how do I talk about this?"
"My mom and dad got together at a clothing store." Ryuko spoke, interrupting the heiress. "She was a seller with a daughter and he was an up and coming scientist. They dated, got married and had me. But my dad got wrapped up in his research, and she ended up divorcing him. After he died, I was offered a place at her clothing company, but it just didn't feel right, being treated differently because of whom my mom was. When I told them I wanted to be a Huntress, neither of them understood why. Since then, they've been trying to convince me to join the family business. But that's not what I want."
She looked over the heiress with a smug smile. "Now you try."
"When I said that I wanted to honor my family's name, I meant it." Weiss said. "But, it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm well aware of what my father has done with the Schnee Dust Company. Since he took over, we've been operating in a... morally-grey area."
"That's an understatement." Blake said as Weiss sat up.
"Which is why I feel the need to make things right." The heiress continued. "If I took that job in Atlas, it would have changed nothing. My father was not the start of our name, and I'll be damned if I let him be the end of it."
"That wasn't very ladylike." Aerith chuckled at the heiress, before giving a deep sigh. "What I told Ryuko about my friends and the cave is true. But there's something you don't know. I lead them to that cave. I wanted to prove to them I was brave, but in the end, I just hid as my friends died around me. I was a coward. When I discovered my Semblance, everyone wanted me to be a doctor, to live a safe life. But I still felt guilty about my friends, so I started training. When they saw me, people thought I was making a mistake, but I was doing it for my friends. At least that's how it started."
"All my life, I fought for what was right." Blake spoke up. "I had this partner named Adam. Well, more of a mentor. He always told me what we were doing was making the world a better place. But of course, his idea of a perfect future, turned out to be not so perfect for everyone. I joined the academy because I knew Huntsmen and Huntresses were regarded at the noblest warriors in the world. Always fighting for good, but I never really thought past that. When I leave the academy, what will... how can I undo so many years of hate?"
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Yang said looking over. "You don't back down from a challenge, Blake."
"But I do it all the time!" The secret Faunus said back. "When you learned I was a Faunus, I panicked and ran. When I saw that my oldest partner had turned into a monster, I ran. Look at my Semblance. I was born with the ability to leave a shadow of myself. An empty clone that takes a hit so I can run away."
"I had a partner too." Vergil spoke up. "He was my twin brother, Dante. Our dad was on business when he died and our mom died when we were eight. We were left alone, so we started training to fight for our lives. We got pretty damn good at it, so we started charging people to solve their problems. But we got cocky, overconfident. One day we went on a job and we got surrounded. I survived, but he didn't. After I killed the Beowolf that took him, I wondered what to do with my life. Soon enough, I found myself at Beacon and, you know the rest."
"At least you guys have a driving force." Yang spoke up before rolling over. "I've just always, gone with the flow, you know? And that's great, that's who I am, but how long can I go like that? I truly want to be a Huntress, not because I want to be a hero but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I don't know what tomorrow brings and that will be a good thing. Being a Huntress just lines up with that."
She rolled onto her side as she looked at her sister. "I'm not like Ruby; she's always wanted to be a Huntress. It's just like she said- she's dreamed of being the heroes in the books. Helping others and saving the day, and never asking for anything in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew that's what she wanted to do. That's why she trained so hard to get her today."
"Well, she's still just a kid." Weiss said, sitting up.
"She's only a few years younger than the rest of us." Blake said, sitting up as well. "So we're all still kids."
"Not really." Vergil spoke up. "Look at us. We're in a war zone, armed to the teeth."
"It's the life we chose." Blake said.
"It is a job." Weiss added. "We all had this fantasy version of being warriors in our heads, but when you get down to it, it's a job to protect the people, and whatever we want has to come second." None could see the smile on Oobleck's face. "So what about Natsu?"
"His mom is a Huntress, so he wants to be just like her." Aerith explained.
"Really?" Blake asked. "I'd thought he'd want to separate himself from her legacy."
"Well, he loves to fight." Ryuko added.
"That explains alot." Weiss said.
"Mommy, I don't wanna get a shot..." Natsu whispered in his sleep, earning a few giggles.
Yang sighed as she looked towards the Faunus. 'Loves fighting, looks great, extremely loyal..' She listed off his best qualities in her head. 'Maybe I really am falling for him...'
Hours Later
The fire was reduced to smoldering embers as Natsu stood watch at the door. He spun his belt so he could replenish his powers. He took a bit of a small ice Dust crystal before he felt something brush up against his leg. He looked down and saw Zwei running past him.
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Natsu complained as he put the crystal back in his belt pocket. "Hey, get back here!" He said as he ran out the door. "Here, hellhound." He said looking in an old building, and saw the dog peeing on an old pipe. "Seriously? You literally could have done that anywhere. Do you have any idea how much trouble I would've gotten into if I lost you, dog?" The two walked towards each other and Zwei barked at the Faunus.
"What was that?" A voice asked. Natsu grappled the dog by his scruff and hid behind a corner before looking out. "I thought I heard a Beowolf or something." The voice, belonging to one of two White Fang members.
"Look, let's just finish our patrol and get back to base." The other said as they walked away. "This place creeps me out."
"No way..." Natsu mumbled as he followed the members. He stopped at a corner and put the dog down before he created a mirror of ice and looked at the reflection. "This is it, we found it." He pulled for his scroll and tried to dial his team, but got a low signal symbol. "Ah, man. Let's try..." He tried Team RWBY's number, but got the same thing. "Come on, let's get the others."
The two walked a bit before Natsu noticed the ground cracked beneath them before the ground fell and his belt got caught on a piece of rock. He grabbed the dog with his tail and threw it back up before his belt slipped off him and fell down the hole.
He landed hard on the ground before looking up and saw underground buildings. A door opened up behind and he stood up as the White Fang members from before ran in and pointed their guns at him. "Don't move, you human-loving lizard!"
"Where did he come from?" The second member asked the first. Natsu backed away a bit before almost falling off the roof he was on. "You're a long way from home, scales." The two approached him and Natsu reached for his belt pouch only to find air. The guards reached him and one grabbed Natsu.
"Get off me!" Natsu shouted and pushed the guard away. He pulled his fist back and he tried to coat his fist in ice, only to have a thin layer crack off him as he punched the guard in the stomach. The butt of a gun hit Natsu on the temple and he fell down.
"The boss is gonna wanna see this one." The first guard said before he walked over and kicked Natsu in the face.
Campsite
Ruby opened her eyes as Zwei licked her face. "What's wrong, Zwei?" She sat up and noticed Natsu was gone. "Hey, Weiss. You see where Natsu went?"
"What?" Oobleck asked as he rushed down the stairs. Zwei ran in a circle as the others woke up.
"What's going on?" Blake asked.
"What's wrong, Zwei?" Ruby asked as the dog ran out the door.
"Grab your weapons." Oobleck ordered the group. "Mr. Dragneel may be in trouble."
Underground Base
Natsu slowly woke up as his tail dragged along the ground. He glanced over to his right to see a Paladin lifting lifting a crate.
"Hey, be careful!" He turned to the left to see two members on a train cart. "The hell are you trying to do? Blow us to the moon?!" The first member asked.
"Sorry sir." The other one said. The guards dragging Natsu came to a stop at what he guessed was the end of the train.
"Yo boss!" The one on the left shouted. "Got something you might wanna see!"
"Is it the good something or the bad something, Perry?" A voice asked. "Because, let me tell you I have had a day."
"It's, some kinda pink haired lizard?" Perry answered as Natsu looked over his shoulder to see Roman Torchwick lean out the cart door.
"That would be a bad thing." Roman said before throwing his cigar to the ground.
So, by overwhelming demand, RWBY and NVAR took the same mission.
Someone in the reviews mentioned that these characters don't follow the color rule, but I looked up the names and they do. Natsu means 'summer' in japanese, and Inferno is just an out of control fire, which calls to mind oranges, reds, yellows, and whites. Aerith is an anagram for earth, which is brown, with an added i, and Ryuko means 'child of the current', which means she is named after the blue of water.
Don't lecture about Ryuko and her family. I've seen all of Kill la Kill. I just thought they would be better as half-siblings in this story, so sue me.
I hoped you like the interaction between Velvet, Yang and Natsu. I put that in because the poll is ending soon, and it might help swing some people. Speaking of interactions, I put the stuff with Zwei in because I know Natsu likes cats, don't know his stance on dogs. Plus, dogs eat lizards and it works in my head. I also hope you like the information about NVAR's past I put in.
Poll results this week. Ruby STILL in first with Yang behind by six votes. Statistically, Neo and Winter are still tied for third, as are Coco and Cinder for fifth. Make your votes count, the poll is ending soon.
Just saw RWBY Chibi, and I have no complaints, for now. If it delays volume 4, I will boycott it so fast your head will spin!
One question, do want NVAR join the fights in the train or have them deal with the forces on the roof? If you want them in the train, tell who you want to go and with who in the reviews.
Beta read by digemsmack.