Banner stared down into the ruins of Mountain Glenn - Vale's first serious attempt at expansion that failed horribly. The group had traveled the entire day, finding nothing but Grimm and exhaustion. During the fighting and endless walking, Oobleck explained the use and hopes of the new settlement. An expansion of the main city that would specialize in trading with other Kingdoms. Thousands who flocked to the new area for wealth also ran into jaws of death. Due to the new territory not having the great defenses Vale did, it quickly fell to constant invasion of Grimm.
"Damn it," Bruce cursed. The remains of Glenn's first and only settlers sneaked back into his thoughts. Bones and children's clothes lay throughout the rubble in the area they traveled.
"I-I think it's my turn to take watch."
"Ruby?" Bruce turned to face the all red Huntress. He noticed her tense posture, "What's wrong?" Bruce followed Ruby's gaze. A piece of concrete the size of a baseball lay in his tightened palm. Blood stained the concrete as it slowly crumbled under the pressure. "H...Hulk?" Bruce questioned. A full day passed since any notification from the other half. Was the Hulk finally coming back?
Before Banner could say a word, Ruby dashed over and held out bandages. She opened his palm and began cleaning the wound. "I"ll fix you right up. Don't you worry."
"You don't ne-ARGH," Bruce grunted. The medicine burned as it hit the open wound.
Ruby wrapped bandages around Banner's palm and covering the bloody wound. "Bruce, if you don't mind me saying..." she began pleading, "...I really suggest you get some rest."
Bruce rolled his eyes, "Thanks, Ruby. Means a lot coming from you." He may have been the weakest link of the group, but he refused to be babied and told it was okay to be weak.
"Bruce, I know how you're feeling. I've had to stitch Yang up time and time again when we were younger. She always pushed herself too hard."
Bruce gave in, understanding Ruby's worry, "Thank you." Hulk wasn't lending any of his immense power, including his amazing healing properties. The last thing the group needed was Bruce holding them back even more with an infected hand. "Go get some more sleep," he offered his new nurse.
"No," Ruby shook her head. "You've already had a double shift! Even you need to sleep, like the rest of us."
This wasn't even a choice for Bruce. He'd let everyone get a full nights sleep, no matter the cost. "Ruby, I said no. My stupid injury shouldn't have even happened and kept you up."
Ruby did feel tired and the cozy fire became harder and harder to resist with every passing second. "Y-you sure?"
"Heh, yes. I'll be fine. Just go sleep," Bruce smiled at the pure-of-heart Huntress.
Ruby nodded, "Thank you, Bruce. Goodnight," she leaned and petted Zwei who lay on Banner's legs. She sneaked to the triangle formation of sleeping bags near the fire and gave in to her needs. Ruby slid into the comforts of the bedding, laying in the middle of her team.
Banner watched as Ruby retreated to the warm sleeping-bag Oobleck provided. They must have been pretty comfy considering the Professor's snores coming from the floor above. Bruce stared into the dead of night. All that looked back were lone Grimm, mainly Beowolves, who wandered in the remains of a destroyed building. After locking eyes, the monsters of Remnant shook their heads and continued on their paths.
"You there?" Bruce asked.
"..." No response came back. Professor Oobleck and team RWBY's fate demanded one.
"Please, Hulk...I need you," Bruce confessed. Still, no response came - signaling he was all by himself. "So, this is what it feels like?" For years, Bruce wished to be free of the Hulk's curse back on Earth. But Earth didn't have Ruby, Yang, Blake, Weiss or Penny. Now that he was free, he couldn't protect them or...himself. He was mortal now, an actual man again. He remembered the fear of death once more. "If this is where it ends, so be it," Bruce chuckled to himself. "If you really are gone, you should know I was grateful to meet you, Hulk. Thank you for saving Ruby so many times. Thank you for saving me from my father's torment and...and," tears formed in his eyes. "Thank you for forgiving me. You truly were incredible." With that, Bruce rested his head against cold concrete.
"Rrrrr," Zwei whimpered. Feeling emotions drift, Zwei stayed up and listened to Banner's confessions. The corgi snuggled against his pant leg, hoping to bring happiness once more. Then, an idea popped in that little doggy mind of his. "ARF!"
Bruce's eyes shot open, "Zwei! What is it?" He looked around to find nothing but a dying fire to be the most active. Luckily, the bark had only sparked Bruce's attention and everyone else continued to sleep. "Are you hungry or something? You could have woken everything for miles, dog."
"ARF!" Zwei turned and raced off, leaving Banner behind.
Bruce groaned to himself, "What's gotten into him?" He leaned against the supporting pillar, getting to his feet. Following after the dog, Bruce headed into the dark ruins of Mountain Glenn.
Yang's eyes closed for some long-awaited sleep that never came. How could she sleep? Adrenaline rushed in her body from the eventful day. Filled with fighting, danger, Grimm, hunger and worry...the group prevailed even without Banner's rage. That wasn't the only thing on Yang's mind - Raven Branwen. The notorious bandit had slashed back into thought. Seeing Oobleck in action, Yang was reminded of the sheer power of Huntsmen. Yang recollected stories from the best team Beacon ever produced - team STRQ. Yang could have stayed up for hours thinking of how Raven could have been a real mother. But, it was best not to dwell on what could have been - a little sister needed care.
"B-b-burrr," Ruby shivered as she burrowed into her covers. The girls lost the rest of their heat as the charcoals barely glowed.
Yang surrendered her extra covers, "There, there, sis. I've got you."
Ruby snuggled against the new warmth and from her sister's words. In her near slumber, Ruby pushed out a slurred sentence. "I love you, Yan-,"
"Damn it, Zwei!" Unknowing, Bruce severed the tender moment between the Sunny Dragon and the Red Rose. Interrupted, Ruby drifted back into sleep.
Yang took a deep breath, "I love you too, sis..." It was the thought that counted as she knew Ruby loved her back. Yang reached over, brushing Ruby's hair out of her face. She couldn't even comprehend how Ruby's innocence and charisma stayed through all of the Grimm, White Fang, criminals and murders.
"Yang...?" A weak voice called out. "Are you awake?"
The Sunny Dragon smiled, seeing that the Ice Queen opened up. Yang whispered back, "Yes, Weiss?"
"Why do you think Oobleck asked us about becoming Huntresses?"
Yang adjusted her pillow, recalling the answer she gave Oobleck. "It's not what we do. It's why we save people and fight off Grimm. I gave him my honest answer - I'm a thrill seeker. I want to travel the world and get stirred up in adventures of a lifetime. And if I can help people along the way, that's even better." Even though Yang told the Professor the truth, there was also a dark secret. Once she became a Huntress, Yang would have the abilities to track down her mother and bring her to justice. There had to be a reason why Raven kept running away, right? "Why do you think he asked you, Weiss?"
The Ice Queen admitted the obvious, "The same reason everyone asks; I'm a Schnee. I was born into fortune and fame, able to have an easy life. I could have been an accountant for my Father by choosing a cushy, air-conditioned job in Atlas instead of fighting for my life out here."
Yang smiled, "But you didn't. You have a legacy of honor to uphold as a Schnee. And once you found out you were capable of fighting, there wasn't another question as to how to spend your life. It was almost as if it was...your duty?" Cliche as it was, Yang understood Weiss' actions. No way in hell she would sit back from afar and let everyone fight for her.
"It's not what you think," Weiss stated, almost throwing Yang off about her speech. "I'm not stupid because I want to honor my family's name. I mean it. I'm fully aware of what Jacques has done with the Schnee name and Dust Company. Ever since he took control...the business has operated in a moral-grey area."
"That's putting it lightly," Blake revealed herself.
Weiss sat up, on the verge of annoyance and surprise from the slick Faunus. "Which is WHY I feel the need to make things right! If I had taken a job in Atlas...it wouldn't have changed anything and I would still have been under my Father's influence. Jacques wasn't the start of my family's name and I refuse to let him be the end of it." Weiss laid back down, creasing the pillow down the middle.
"Hello, Kitty~," Yang waved at Blake as soon as Weiss finished. "What's your reason? Since you feel all talkative that is."
Blake turned, hiding the blush from her foolish flirt, "Yang!" This was no time for love or romance, especially for the most broken member of the team. Blake carried herself with a sense of purpose, yet...couldn't tell Oobleck her reasons for becoming a Huntress? Taking a deep breath, she decided to take a page from Weiss. "There's too much wrong in this world to stand by and not do anything. Inequality, corruption, terrorism and racism are just some of the things we have to end."
"I see," Weiss acknowledged. "But Blake...why do you? Not how you combat the White Fang, why you do?"
Blake fell silent. This is how the Professor stumped her. If Oobleck was going to let her bring the White Fang to justice, she had to reveal what it meant to her. Now, Blake couldn't hide and had to come clean. "All my life I've fought against what I thought was wrong. I had a...a..." she shuddered as the Blood-Red sword of Adam Taurus was sheathed by her mind. "I had a partner, Adam. He was more of a mentor really. When we were together, he always assured me that we were making the world a greater place. He is the leader of the horrid faction of the White Fang and the one I'm hoping we find on this mission of ours. I thought Adam knew what he was doing, but of course...his vision of a perfect world wasn't perfect for everyone else." Tears began to burn as they rolled down the young Faunus' face. "I-I've seen him slaughter innocent human and Faunus alike." Yang and Weiss jumped back from Blake's cry, "WOMEN AND CHILDREN!" Arms snuffled out her tears as Blake was hugged.
"Blake," Yang said, her forehead to her teammate's, "it's going to be all right." She pulled back slowly to gaze into Blake's broken, amber-colored eyes. "We'll catch this guy and any other dirt-bag like him and Roman Torchwick. Do you hear me? You're not the one to back down from a fight-,"
Blake shoved her caring teammate off, "YES I AM!"
"B-Blake?" Yang asked.
"I run all the time, Yang! When the three of you learned I was a Faunus, I didn't know what would happen. So, I ran. When I realized my partner had become a monster, I RAN. Even my damn Semblance helps me run away! I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow to take the hits for me. An empty copy that takes the impact while...I'm able to run."
"Blake?" Ruby asked, being pulled out of her dreams by Blake's screams. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Weiss dismissed her leader. "Go back to bed, Ruby. There's no need for all of us to be awake and wasting energy."
"N-no," Ruby objected as she rubbed her eyes awake. "If there's a problem," she yawned, "we need to address it." Ruby looked over, "Blake, what's wrong?"
"Forget it," Blake hissed. She pushed to her feet, "I knew this was going to happen!" Why did Blake even waste her time thinking her team could help? She allowed people to get close and now she cared for those damn three. Nothing could get in the way of her stopping the White Fang.
"Go ahead," Yang said to Blake's back. "Go. Run off again!" She was trying her best to not choke up and cry from her words. "Better yet, DON'T COME BACK!" Yang sprang to her feet, stomping toward Blake. "I don't need someone who will abandon me, my teammate and my sister! GO, run away from your problems-,"
"SHUT UP," Blake screamed, the back of her hand clapping the left side of Yang's face. Weiss gasped as Ruby gulped, preparing for the rage of the dragon.
Yang's head jerked to the right from the knuckles that crashed into her face. She looked back to Blake, her lilac eyes now more colorful than blood. "Is that it? Impressive, you actually decided to fight than flee."
Blake hid her right hand, shaking the stinging pain away. "You. Don't. Understand."
"Blake, what's wrong with-," Yang stopped herself and halted anger that could have clouded judgement. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as fists were turned into open hands. Yang's eyes opened to reveal her remorseful and heart-broken eyes. "Blake...I-I didn't mean it." Even enraged, the words Yang spouted hurt more than any damage she could ever take.
Blake gritted her teeth, "Don't even start." From now on, no one would get the best of her: Ilia, Adam, The White Fang and certainly not Yang - her own damned teammate!
Yang glared once more. "This 'Adam,' what does he mean to you?"
Blake stumbled back. "W-what are you trying to infer?"
"Do you really want to stop him? Do you really want to bring him to justice, or find him first before the rest of the world does? Maybe, help him escape and try to change his ways?"
Blake's eyes widened in anger and disbelief. Now she was on the defensive. Looking down, Blake's bow folded as she tried to hold back tears. "Y-Yang, how could you ever think that?"
Yang slightly smiled, seeing Blake did need her team. "There, there," Yang said comforting the broken Faunus.
"N-no," Blake sniffled as light tears began to fall. Why was she accepting Yang's support? Blake had vowed to not let anyone get in close. Nobody close, no broken hearts. But, it happened again - team RWBY had become a part of her life. Blake gave in, allowing Yang to help her back to her sleeping bag. She sat down, joining the team once more.
"Now that's all over," Weiss said referring to Blake's whole outburst. "Blake...you need to be straight with us. No more lies. Nothing but truth." Weiss hated repeating herself.
"Fine," Blake sighed as Ruby stoked the camp fire. "The White Fang wasn't all bad. In the beginning that is..."
Yang encouraged, "Take your time, Blake."
"My father used to be head of the White Fang," Blake revealed.
Weiss crossed her arms, "Well, isn't that interesting?"
"Weiss," Ruby snapped at the Ice Queen.
"As I was saying," Blake continued with slight annoyance, "my father tried his best to make peace with humans. But as the tension rose, so did a certain Faunus - Adam Taurus. In the beginning, Adam wanted the same as my father and I. But that quickly faded once humans became more and more harsh, shaping Adam to fight back. With every human Adam gutted, my father began to lose faith in the White Fang's cause. Once my father left the organization, a new leader took his place - Sienna Khan. A leader who approved and even celebrated Adam's murderous intentions. And soon, the White Fang approved of Adam's ways of dealing with opposition. Now, the organization isn't even a shell of its former self."
Ruby couldn't fathom that a person like this existed. Not even the most evil of villains from her books could amount to this, 'Adam' Blake spoke of. But because of Ruby's books, she learned an important lesson - when there was darkness in the world, someone would step up and fight against it.
"Ruby?" Blake asked seeing her leader stand before the group.
"RRRRR," Zwei's whimper cut Ruby off from her attempt at a speech.
"Zwei?" Yang asked as the corgi came into view of the fire.
"BARK! BARK!" One of his front paws was lifted off the ground.
Blake understood Zwei's body language. "He's hurt!"
"Wait," Ruby looked around as the other three attended to Zwei. "Where's Bruce?"
"Rrrrr..." Zwei whimpered again. He looked back down the trail.
"Zwei," Weiss asked, "is that where Banner-,"
"RRRRAHHHH," pounded into everyone's ears.
Ruby covered her mouth, "Oh no..."
Hey guys, it's me again. I do apologize for the long wait for a new chapter. I've been busy and hope you all can forgive me. I'm honestly glad the Adam short came out so i could draw inspirations from it for Blake this chapter. Thank you all for reading and please review to let me know what you all think. If you can, maybe also tell me what time frames you guys would like chapters to come? I'd love all your feedback, criticism and opinions to make this story the best it can be. Thanks again