Author Note: Welcome back everyone to another chapter! I actually really don't have anything to announce right now so lets just jump right in!
Beacon Academy: Mercenaries Room
It had been a few days since the dance, and two teams were hanging out with the mercenaries in their room. They were doing this not just because they now enjoyed the company of the mercenaries all the time, but because in an hour, the teams would be called down to the Dining Hall with all the other first years for an assembly which involved the teams shadowing a real Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. The students had packed their bags already with some essential items and had decided to go and be with the mercenaries a little before they had to leave. The mercenaries would be staying back after all.
Surprisingly, the room wasn't to chaotic. Yang and Scout were, to the disgust of some of the others, making out in the corner. Yang had insisted as it would be a few days before they saw each other again and Scout was not gonna turn down an offer so good. Weiss tried to convince Yang that is not gonna be that long and she is being strangely hysterical, but Yang then said, "We haven't made out before, this might as well be the best time." The other couple, Jaune and Pyrrha were sitting together as they always do, watching Demoman and Soldier juggle explosives for the entertainment of Nora and Pyro. Ren watched from the corner, slightly worried that one of the explosives would be dropped and kill them all. Weiss was texting on her scroll to Neptune, who was back in Mistral with Sun for a small festival that was taken place there. As for Blake, she for once wasn't reading a book and was actually trying to catch Ruby who, at Spy's request, told her to take Blake's Sole Mate to see if she cared for it. Engineer was placing down a Dispenser for Heavy who was just kinda asking for it (Pootis!). Sniper was sipping a cup of coffee and looking at Weiss's scroll from behind her back and was reading what see was texting to Neptune while grinning. Finally Medic was checking the students packed bags to make sure they all got everything they needed.
"So what are you guys gonna be doing while we are out," asked Jaune as he looked around at the mercenaries. They looked at Spy, who blew some smoke and said, "Some simple investigating." Jaune and Pyrrha looked at him with confusion, but he just shook his head. What he had meant by "investigating" is that he would be going back to the warehouse where Torchwick had been and search the wreckage. The police hadn't done so since they had figured nothing would be salvageable.
Jaune and Pyrrha would have pressed for answers but at that moment, Blake had leapt across the room and caught Ruby, and they rolled straight into Nora and Pyro which then bumped into Demo and Soldier, who all dropped their explosives. Ren lunged forward and caught them call before all tumbling to the floor to join the heap of people on the ground. There was few minutes of laughter as the people disentangled themselves and got up, Blake glowering at Ruby as she delicately put away the Sole Mate in her bag that she was taking with her.
Before anyone could do or say anything else, Professor Goodwitch's voice echoed throughout the dorm building. "Attention students. Please make your way to the Dining Hall for the mission assembly. Please take your small traveling bag and fill it with the necessary items. Do not forget a sleeping bag as well." The students groaned a little. They began to grab their bags and the mercenaries stood up to see them off. Just was they were about to leave, Ruby then exclaimed and rummaged through her bag and took out a camera. "Wait! Lets take a group picture!" she said excitedly. Everyone nodded and they all gathered into a group in the center of the room. Ruby ran over and placed the camera on a desk, facing them and clicked the timer option. She then ran back and smiled saying, "Say 'Huntsman!'" The camera flashed and everyone smiled widely as the picture was taken. Ruby rushed back to the camera and looked over the photo and smiled happily. "Great picture guys! I will get a copy for everyone here."
They began to congregate around the door once more and the they started to say goodbye. Scout had to pry off Yang as she would not let him go. They finally left and they made their way down to the Dining Hall. The mercenaries looked out of the window they had in their room that looked over the academy courtyard and saw the two teams jogging to the Dining Hall where many other first year teams were gathering and entering. They were smiling contently. They didn't have any qualms about the students going out. They were ready.
The students headed inside the Dining Hall. They were all unusually quite as they took their seats at the table they always sat at. They were a little sad to know that they wouldn't be able to see the mercenaries for a few days. Not to mention, the teams were going to have to separate as they couldn't go on the same mission. Their troubles were put on hold as Professor Ozpin stood on at the front of the Dining Hall where the buffet table usually sat. He was given a microphone and spook into it.
"Good day first years. As you most likely know, today is the day you will be able to go on your first official mission as future Huntsman and Huntresses. However, you will not be going on your own. You will be traveling with a fully grown Huntsman to shadow and learn about the parts of going onto a mission. In a few minutes, projectors will rise up on the walls and you and your team will choose a location and type of mission to go on. But before you do so, I have one last thing to tell you. Please be careful on these missions. These are not drills. These are real missions, which could include fighting Grimm or even outlaws. Choose wisely."
With that he stepped back and the projectors on the walls light up. The first one up was Blake and she went straight to a projector with missions in the north. The reason for this is that right after the dance, she had made at least her team promise that they would try to find Torchwick and the White Fang and bring them to justice. The last place that the White Fang were rumored to be was in the north near the abandoned ruins know as Mountain Glenn.
The others followed her and found her scanning the projector. "Jeez Blake," said Yang staring at usually calm and quite faunus shaking slightly as she scanned every mission that was available in the north. Blake ignored Yang and kept looking. Suddenly she stiffened and slammed her finger on a certain mission. It opened to read, "Mountain Glenn, kill and destroy Grimm mission."
"This is it!" said Blake excitedly and Ruby stepped up next to her and smiled, happy for her friend. "Well, what are we waiting for? Put it in our team name and sign us up!" Blake let out a small grin and typed in 'Team RWBY' into the small message box under the mission briefing. However, when she pressed enter, the box went red and a small message appeared saying, "Not eligible team for mission.'
Blake sank to the ground in despair. "No..," she whispered sadly. Ruby leaned down to comfort her and the others looked at her sympathetically. "Is everything alright here?" said a voice behind them an they all turned around to Professor Ozpin sipping his usual cup of hot cocoa. Blake tried to talk but still hadn't recovered and just let her head rest on her chest. Jaune decided to explain the situation for her. "Well, Blake really wants to go to Mountain Glenn since she has heard that the White Fang and Roman Torchwick were there."
The group stared at him like in horror. "JAUNE!" they all yelled and he stared at the them until realizing he had just told the headmaster of Beacon that they had been planning to go after a criminal organization. He covered his mouth and stared at Ozpin who just smiled and took a sip of cocoa. Before Jaune could try to cover it up, Blake stood up and walked up to Jaune, seething with anger. "Oh great. Look what you did. Now we have no chance to go and-"
"Miss Belladonna, please calm down," said Ozpin, making Blake stop and stare at the man. "I already knew of this. I have been let known by your new friends, the mercenaries, that you have all been trained a little more and all your skills have improved quite a lot. I also know that you were the ones that infiltrated that warehouse and flushed out Torchwick out of Vale. I must say I am very impressed. Which brings me to this." He took out a small PDA and tapped on it a few times and then looked over to the wall projector. The two teams followed his gaze and their mouths fell open. On the projector it now read, "Mountain Glenn mission, assigned to Team RWBY and Team JNPR."
They looked back at the headmaster, who just smiled. "I understand that you would rather go together and since this is a harder mission then some of the others, I will permit it. However you will still be accompanied by one Huntsman and I expect you to follow his or hers instructions carefully." The students nodded and he sipped his cocoa. "Now, I suggest you eight go to the airship docks await your Huntsman as the mission is supposed to be started today. I will send someone shorty to the docks and your mission will begin. Good luck." And with that he left them to stare at his retreating back in shock.
After a few minutes they recovered and began to walk to the docks. Jaune hung back a little, guilt for letting out personal information to the headmaster off all people. Pyrrha noticed this and was about to go and comfort him when Blake put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Let me. I was the one that yelled at him and treated him harshly." She slowed down so Jaune could catch up to her and then said, "I'm sorry Jaune for yelling at you. I was still a little distressed after the thought of us not going to Mountain Glenn that I took it out on you."
Jaune looked up, but his face was still the one of a very guilt person. "Why do you apologize though. I told him information that could have gotten us expelled." Blake sighed and looked ahead as they reached the docks. "You were being honest Jaune, and I knew that your saying it for the right intention." She looked towards Jaune again and gave him a small smile. "I see why Pyrrha likes you so much."
They joined the others and began to idly chat as they waited for the Huntsman that would be taking them to come. After around ten minutes though, they had begun to get a little impatient. Especially Yang who, a lot like her boyfriend, hated to stay still. "Where is this Huntsman!?" she yelled irritably as the other were also wondering the same thing. They were just discussing about returning to the dining hall and find Ozpin, when a familiar voice resounded from a small distance away.
"Halo fraüliens!"
They turned around to see Medic jogging over grinning. He was wearing a traditional alpine hiking hat with a beige braid wrapped around the rim called the German Gonzila. He also wore a dark brown satchel with a medical symbol at the center of it called the Medicine Manpurse. Finally on his shoulder was resting a white dove with blood stains splattered on it called Archimedes.
He jogged up to the students who were looking at him with confusion. "Umm, Medic? What are you doing here?" asked Ruby in confusion. Medic laughed a little before responding, "Well isn't it obvious? Herr Ozpin asked me to accompany you on your mission." The students stared at him. "But weren't we supposed to get a Huntsman or Huntress," asked Ren. Medic nodded, "Ja, but he decided to send me instead, since I can keep a good eye on you and heal you in tight situations."
The students took a moment to process that. Medic then frowned slightly. "If you do not want me to come, I can inform Herr Ozpin about-" Ruby launched herself onto Medic and clung to his lab coat. "Wait! Don't go. We were just curious thats all." Medic looked down at the young girl and then at the others, who nodded in agreement. Then he grinned devilishly and said, "Well zen. Vat are we waiting for? Let's go practice medicine." And with that ominous statement, he and the two teams boarded the airship that would take them to Mountain Glenn.
Beacon Academy: Mercenaries Room
Spy watched the group leave on the airship from his window, smoking a cigarette as he did so. Behind him, the other mercenaries were lounging about doing their own thing. Scout was listening to music while reading a magazine. Soldier was playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with Demoman. Pyro was sitting cross legged in a small inflatable tub full of oil and playing with a rubber duck. Heavy was cleaning his favorite gun Sasha. Engineer was strumming a few cords on his guitar and Sniper had his hat pulled down over his head and was taking a nap.
Spy sighed and turned away from the window and looked around at his comrades. He was planning to leave for the warehouse late at night, but he need to choose someone to go with him. Though usually he preferred to work alone, he knew he could use the support in case their was a trap or an ambush waiting for him.
He scanned the room and his eyes fell on the gas masked thing playing with a rubber duck. He was reluctant to ask Pyro for help since it was Pyro, but it hadn't been out and about for while. Plus, it was a nice way to put fear in the enemy lines.
Spy sighed and walked over to the thing, on the way putting out his cigarette in the ashtray on his bedside table so he wouldn't accidently drop it in Pyro's oil bath and blow up the room, and tapped it lightly on the shoulder. It looked up and let out a, "Mmmph?"
"Would you be willing to join me on the stealth mission tonight to the warehouse?" asked Spy politely and Pyro nodded immediately and clapped it's hands together in excitement. Spy smiled a little. At least Pyro was always happy to do something for it's team.
Airship
The two teams and Medic sat in the carrier airship waiting quietly for the hour long ride to be over. Jaune, who had a massive case of air sickness, was green in the face and was trying to contain his breakfast. Pyrrha was next to him, rubbing small circles in his back and whispering comforting things to him. Ren was taking a nap while next to him Nora was making funny faces to make Ruby laugh. Weiss was checking her Dust cartridges and Blake and Yang sat quietly on either side of Medic, who was rubbing his bird making it cooe softly.
"Why the bird?" asked Yang, wanting to break the silence somewhat and to at least make this airship ride a little interesting. Medic glanced over at her and answered, "Well, first off, Archimedes is such an intelligent little thing and can always warn us of danger and can fly around to search ze area. Also, I have him, in case I need to report back to the others. Hopefully though, zat will not be necessary."
Yang nodded and looked ahead again, trying to think of another topic to light on, but Medic spoke up. He turned to Blake and asked, "Pardon me, but I still don't know much of zis world. I have heard of zis Mountain Glenn, however. Vat is the significance of it?"
Blake looked up, a little surprised to be asked this question but decided to tell the mercenary about the history of the location they were heading too.
"Mountain Glenn was a small city colonized by people long ago. At first, it was very successful and was expected to be one of the largest communities in Remnant. However, as with all towns and settlements with people, Grimm attacked. At first the town held them off, but the attacks were large and frequent. Finally the towns people agreed to do something very hard and dangerous. They began to build downwards into the ground and make tunnel systems under the surface, in turn making an underground city. One tunnel they made, branched off from the city and went all the way to the city of Vale. It was used as a railway for supplies, and a large train would go back and forth, carrying in these supplies. But it didn't stop the Grimm and they found their way underground and attacked the city once again. The residents tried to fight them off, but they were to great. The last thing they did before the Grimm killed them all, was to close off the tunnel that went to Vale so the Grimm wouldn't use the passage as an entry way into the city."
By the time Blake finished, everyone had stopped what they were doing before and were listening to the tale. Their was small pause, where the other students shivered slightly. Medic, however, looked more intrigued then ever and lapsed into thoughtful silence as the airship headed for the place that had been abandoned for so long.
And thats a wrap! Yes I know, short chapter, but I want to separate the Mountain Glenn part and the train part all in the next chapter. In fact, next chapter will the be the rest of Volume 2 in terms of RWBY. But till then, reviews are always welcome and I will see you in the next chapter... BYE BYE!