Path to the Future
Chapter 22: Time For Action
The next morning after the party Naruto and Menma were in Ozpin's office along with Ozpin himself, Glynda, and General Ironwood, as they waited for Ruby to arrive. After some time she did arrive out of the elevator, "Sorry, someone pushed all the buttons in the elevator… it wasn't me."
No one however laughed, not even Menma as he wore a serious expression as well which slightly unnerved Ruby, "Thank you for coming Ruby. How are you feeling?" Ozpin asked.
"Okay I guess, I would feel better if my bad guy catching record wasn't 0-3." Again no one laughed as she now understood the setting of all this, "Okay that's the tone we're going for got it."
General Ironwood started walking to Ruby, "Ruby I think that it is important to know that what you did last night, is exactly what being a huntress is about. You recognized a threat, you took action, and you did the very best you could. And the same goes for you as well Menma."
"Thank you sir," both of them said.
"Now the general has already informed us about the events that… transpired last night, we've also heard Menma's point of view as well. But now that you've rested we were wondering if there was anything else that you would like to add?" Ozpin asked.
"Was there anyone else with her? Did she look familiar to you at all?" Glynda asked
"I," Ruby began to shake her head as she continued, "I don't know. She was wearing a mask, and she never said anything to me. But I know she fought with glass, however I don't think that is her semblance clothing lit up whenever she attacked."
"Except for the glass," Glynda began, "That sounds like the women I fought the night we met Ruby."
"Embedding dust into clothing is an age old technique," Naruto said, "My whole team does it as well as embed it into our blades as well. It could have been anyone."
"Wait, you think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?"
Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood looked at each other, however Naruto quickly answered, "Yes, they think it is a possibility, from when they talked with Menma."
"However we still lack the required evidence to link the two together," Ozpin said after Naruto.
"Actually I think I remember saying something about a hideout, in the southeast, right outside the kingdoms," Ruby said as she contradicted her initial story.
"I thought you said-"
Ozpin cut off Glynda as he said, "Thank you for your cooperation Ruby, why don't you spend your time with your team, you have a big day ahead of you."
"Anytime," Ruby said as she headed to the door.
"Try to be… discreet about this matter."
"Yes sir," Ruby was going to leave until she remembered, "What about Naruto and Menma?"
"We still need them for additional things."
Menma smiled at her, "We will be with you as soon as we are out, I promise."
Ruby smiled back and nodded as she left, Ironwood looked at Ozpin, "What is it that you need Naruto and Menma?"
"For introductions," Ozpin stood up, "Ironwood meet Menma and Naruto Namikaze. Naruto and Menma Namikaze meet General Ironwood."
Naruto and Menma shook his hand, "It is a pleasure to meet you General," Naruto said.
Ironwood looked to Ozpin, "Ozpin. What's going on?"
"These two along with the rest of team IMSN are a part of the circle and I trust them fully as they now know everything."
Ironwood was surprised about this, "Wait what?"
"They are essentially here to keep the students safe along with their prowess in combat and the intellectual minds of them, I felt that it was best to recruit them."
"But enough about us, onto the topic at hand," Menma said.
"Well it should be obvious. We send as many troops to the southeast, find out what is exactly going on, and eradicate any forces that stand in our way."
"Why must your answer to everything involved with a triumphant display of military provado. You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring di-"
"Glynda," Ozpin intervenes.
"Well he does," Glynda retorts.
"She's not wrong," Naruto whispered silently to which his brother chuckled.
"I agree. As much as I want to end this situation once and for all, remember this might go beyond Vale, beyond Beacon. And if this is a part of some master plan that we do not know all the moves we mustn't be so bold. Or could we risk the spread of panic," Ozpin said.
"I have served you faithfully for years, but if you mean to tell me that your is to hold the defenses and wait-"
"It is not! Your a general James so tell me when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first. The flag bearer or the scouts," Ozpin let Ironwood ponder on that as he now addressed Naruto and Menma, "I have a mission for your team." Naruto nodded to this as himself and his brother listened, "Team RWBY are going to find their way to the southeast no matter what, so I am going to bend the rules a little to allow them to go with Doctor Oobleck. Your mission is to tail them from the shadows and make sure that they are okay. Do not make contact unless it is necessary."
Naruto and Menma nodded and left to prepare for their mission.
After Ozpin's speech and after Ozpin allowed team RWBY to go on their intended mission, RWBY was headed to the bullhead as they were saying goodbye to team JNPR, Sun, and Neptune, until IMSN showed up, "Going on a mission without saying goodbye? How heartless of you guys," Menma said.
"Whatever you say Menma," Blake said.
"But seriously, good luck and stay safe, I don't need to come flying in to save your butts," Naruto said.
"As if we would need it," Weiss said.
"Besides, you worry too much Naru. We'll be fine," Yang said.
Naruto smiled, "I know."
"4 MINUTES LADIES!"
"Well… wish us luck," Ruby said as she started to leave but was stopped by a tail as Menma pulled her to him and kissed her on the cheek. Ruby blushed harshly, "We'll be fine, I promise."
"I know you will."
Yang faced Naruto, "Take care of Ryoko, while I'm gone."
Naruto smiled, "She'll be fine, now go on you don't want to keep Oobleck waiting."
They nodded and left for their mission, however as Naruto began to turn he noticed a red blur go by him. He looked back to the bullhead to find that Ryoko, his daughter had hitched a ride with team RWBY, 'She is in so much trouble when I see her.' Naruto told the guys nothing as he sighed and left to take another bullhead.
After Oobleck dropped the dog, he began until Yang cut him off, "Ryoko?"
Oobleck looked behind him to find the red-headed Ryoko Namikaze, as she sheepishly waved at everyone, "Hey."
"Hey?! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at Beacon?!" Yang yelled.
"I know, I know, I just wanted to come along on this mission with you guys," She said sheepishly as she made circles in the dirt with her shoes.
Yang sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "You do realize that Naruto is going to be so upset with you right."
Ryoko however never thought of this as she picture her father angry and when she did some of the color in her face left her body. Ruby however came to her nieces rescue, "Come on Yang she was probably bored, give her a break. Here she would be able to learn what an actual mission is like, plus I believe she is ready, right guys."
Thankfully for Ryoko, Blake and Weiss backed her up with a nod, which made Yang sigh again, "Okay however we will have a long talk after this mission is over. Understood?"
Ryoko nodded to this, while Oobleck just watched this banter. Ozpin has told all teachers about Ryoko and her relationship to Naruto and Yang, however the students did not know that they knew and since they didn't reveal it, he would keep his stance as neutral, 'So this is Ryoko Namikaze…'
"Um is that a grimm?" Ryoko asked.
"Yes,"Oobleck said as everyone but him prepared to kill it, "Stop there are a number of reasons why grimm would congregate in this particular area. The most likely would be their attraction to negativity. Sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred. All qualities that our group has that are hidden."
"So what do we do?" Ryoko asked.
"I'm glad that you asked young one. We wait, we track. If the specimen leads us to his pack, that pack could subsequently lead us to our prey."
"How long do we wait?" Yang asked.
"It's uncertain. Hours, days, weeks, why lone grimm have known to be separated from their pack for months- and there's the whole pack."
"What?" Weiss questioned.
"And now they've seen us."
"What?!" Weiss questioned Oobleck again.
"AND NOW THEY'VE SEEN US!" Oobleck yelled again.
"I take it tracking is out of the question?" Ruby asked.
"An accurate assumption. Yes."
"What's the plan then?" Yang asked.
"Show me what you're capable of."
Ruby brought down her scythe as she positioned her sniper at the pack of beowulves, "Cover your ears Zwei," Ruby said to which Zwei obeyed.
"Be careful Ryoko," Yang said.
"Yes ma'am," Ryoko said as she and her mother ran at the group of grimm, as Yang punched one of them and continued running. Ryoko separated from her mother as she faced her portion. "Come on, you beasts." A couple rushed her, as Ryoko began to spin her bladed bow and when one of them went to strike she used her small frame as an advantage as she jumped onto the attacking arm and jumped over it while slicing its head off. She continued to twirl her weapon as she flipped sideways and axe kicked a grimm into the ground where she stabbed it into the back. She saw an attack coming at her and jumped back to dodge as she separated her bow into twin swords. Another grimm ran up to her an assaulted her with strikes to which she began to continue to back flip to dodge however on the last she leaped to the air and threw one of her swords at them as the blade curved and cut through two other beowulves as it returned to her when she landed. Once she grabbed it she quickly turned and stabbed the grimm behind her with her two swords, killing her portion.
As she was done,she saw team RWBY and Oobleck looking at her as they all smiled at her, 'Maybe they were right. She is ready,' Yang thought.
In an alley not far from team RWBY, Oobleck and Ryoko, grimm were getting decimated as team IMSN cut them from the rest of the pack that attack team RWBY, as Naruto's sword pierced a beowulf's chest. "That's the last of them," Menma said.
Naruto nodded, "To the rooftops." And that was where they went as they watched team RWBY, Ryoko, and Oobleck from a distance, secretly picking off grimm that they could without being seen. They also eavesdropped on Oobleck's conversations with them, with the exception of Ruby and Ryoko.
Night fell they had made camp with team IMSN secretly above them by one floor that was still stable. They all agreed to let team RWBY to take watch however they will still be on guard and right before they slept they heard Yang from below, "Hey Blake are you awake?"
"Yeah."
"Why do you think he asked us why we wanted to become a huntress? Like what was he trying to say?"
"Maybe he was just curious?"
Yang shifted to Blake, "You think?"
"No."
Yang sighs and lays back on her back, "Weiss are you awake?"
"Of course I am awake, you two are talking!" Weiss scolded Yang, "I think he… when I said I wanted to honor my family's name I meant it, but it's not what you think. I'm not stupid, I'm fully aware of what my father has done with the Schnee Dust Company. Since he took control our business has operated in a… morally grey area."
"That's putting it lightly," Blake commented.
Weiss sat up at that comment and said, "Which is why I feel the need to make things right. If I had taken a job at Atlus it wouldn't have changed anything. My father was not the start of our name, and I refuse for him to be the end of it," Weiss then laid back down on her
"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 was going to make the world a better place but of course his idea of a perfect world was skewed, not perfect for everyone. I joined the huntsmen academy because I heard that huntsman and huntress are amongst the most noblest of warriors, always fighting for good, but I never thought past that. Once I leave the academy what will I do, how can I endure so many years of hate."
Yang then turns to her, "I'm sure you'll figure it out, you're not one to back down from a challenge Blake."
Blake abruptly rebutted, "But I am! I do it all the time. When you learned that I was a Faunus I didn't know what to do so I ran. When I realized that my oldest partner had become a monster, I ran. Even my semblance, Sasuke may think differently but the facts are that I am able to make a copy of myself, an empty vessel that takes the hit as I run away."
Silence filled the air for a moment, until Yang shattered that silence, " At least you both have something that drives you. I kind of always have gone with the flow you know, and that's fine, that's who I am and Naruto constantly tells me he wouldn't have any other way, but how long can I really do that for. I want to be a huntress but not because I want to be a hero, that is along the lines of Ruby and team IMSN, but because I want the adventure. I want a life that I won't know what tomorrow will bring that will be a good thing. Being a huntress just happens to line up with that. I'm not like Ruby, she has always wanted to be a huntress, or like Naruto or any of the others of team IMSN who would jump head first to protect everyone. It's just like Ruby said, ever since she was younger she dreamt of being those heroes in the books, helping people and saving the day and not asking anything else in return. I think that is why she admires Naruto so much."
"She does?" Weiss asked.
Yang just nodded, "Yeah she told me herself. I think it's because of how he carries himself, cool and confident, so sure that he will succeed in any venture he is a part of and the fact that he asks for no compensation, like from his village or in the trial, I think that is why she looks up to him like a big brother. And even though she couldn't fight she knew that was what she wanted to do and wanted to be. That is why she trains so hard to get where she is today."
Weiss sat up and said, "Well she's still just a kid."
"She is only one year younger than us, besides there is also Menma who is also the same age. We're all kids."
"Not anymore," Yang disagrees, "I mean look where we are, in the middle of a warzone armed to the tee."
"It's the life we chose," Blake said.
"It's a job, we all had this romanticized vision of being a huntsmen 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," Weiss finished as Oobleck and team IMSN all smiled as they all drifted to sleep.
Ruby as she slept woke up to Zwei as the dog ran out, "Zwei!"
She chases after the corgi and what she found was Zwei using the restroom behind a pillow, "Zwei this is a wasteland you could have literally done anywhere." Zwei barked at this and then they both heard another voice, as she grabs Zwei and hides. After their suspicions are gone Ruby decides to trail them and once she finds where they came from she tries to call her team only to have it come out as low signal, to which she scoffs and starts to return to her team. However before she should the ground beneath her caved in and she was hanging on the ledge of it with a grip on Zwei. As she flings Zwei over, she has to get up herself only to fall in.
Back at camp Yang wakes up to let Weiss know it was her turn to take watch only to find Ruby missing, "Hey where's Ruby?"
And like an alarm everyone woke up, however unbeknownst to the girls Menma was the first to wake up as he woke up the rest of his team, "What?" Oobleck said with Ryoko yawning as well.
Just then Zwei runs in and whines to Yang. "What's going on?" Blake asked.
"Grab your weapons," Oobleck instructed, "Your leader may be in trouble."
Menma looked at his team and they all nodded as they jumped and left in search of Ruby where they found a whole with her weapon, "Menma…" Naruto started.
Menma nodded as his eyes began to glow slightly, "She's down there, but she's captured."
"What do you purpose we do?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto thought about his options, "We go after her but we do not engage. If there is a lot of dust and other weapons down there, they must have something to transport all of it. We'll sneak on there and wait. The rest of her team will deal with everything else as they should be here soon."
Everyone nodded and they jumped down.
"Let me make this clear," Roman said as he reeled in Ruby with his cane, "We're not through there yet." Then an explosion sounded, "Perry if you and the boys could take care of that, I'm kind of in the middle of something." Seconds later an even bigger explosion sounded, " What is going on here?!" That was when another explosion, this time visible, exited the rest of team RWBY, Doctor Oobleck, and Ryoko as they battled through the grunts of the White Fang to get to Ruby. With Roman distracted Ruby pulls his hat over his face and begins to run, "Somebody kill her!" He yelled as him and multiple others shot at Ruby only for her to dodge them. Getting more upset Roman looks at the grunt next to him, "Attach this car and start the train we're leaving."
"But we're not finished!"
"Do it or your finished," he says as he puts him against the train with his cane painfully for a second.
Ruby had finally made it to her team as Yang yelled and hugged her while swinging her around, "Ruby!"
"Are you okay?" Weiss asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, I'm fine, but listen Roman has all different types of weapons down there."
"What do you mean?" Blake asked as she hands Ruby her Crescent Rose.
"Androids, mechs, they're all loaded in those train cars," Ruby said as she loaded her weapon.
"Well that can't be the tunnels are seal, it only leads to a dead end from there," Oobleck said.
However he was proven wrong when a loud horn from the train sounded, "Get your shit and get to your places, we're leaving now!" Roman yelled.
"Well they're going somewhere," Ryoko said.
"We need backup, let me call Jaume and Menma," Ruby said, however like before it said low signal, "I can't get through."
"So what do we do?" Weiss asked.
"I believe we only have one option," Oobleck said.
Ruby turns with her Crescent Rose primed, "We're stopping that train."
Sorry for this long awaited chapter being so long to post. A lot of things have happened and I would love to say that I'm back; however I have bad news. Path to the Future is on a Hiatus. Now this is not one of those hiatus to where the writer never returns, I will finish this. I have an ending and everything, it's just that I have two other projects that I'm working on as well and the second one is something that I'm just starting.
The first is RWBY: Strange Fate which is a RWBY x Fate crossover, and the other is going to be called RWBY: Chosen King and Queen. It is going to be set in AU of RWBY with a lot of changes but the characters are going to be the same. For more info on it I will be posting a trailer for it later today.
So yeah sorry about the announcement, I've seen comments about how they like the story but I will finish this story until peace out.