Mountain Glenn (Day)

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, YOU'RE INCREDIBLE!" Baldi said to Team XICR, the quartet having successfully cleared out the Beowulf Pack alongside Team RWBY. As a reward, he gave all eight of them shiny quarters, despite the fact that coins had not been used as currency since before the Great War.

"I'm so goddamn tired." Dominic said, sitting down against an old wall. Hearing a quiet 'meow', he turned to Schrodinger, who was just laying down in a shrub. "I hate that cat. I really hate that cat."

"Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any signs of criminal operation in this sector." Oobleck said. "Oh well. Moving on!" Upon hearing that more movement was involved, Dominic almost threw up.

"Hey Doc, you know I was actually looking forward to seeing a pro huntsman in action. Like, fighting. Or at least, helping us fight?" Yang said, a sentiment that was shared by her brother.

"Oh, but I am in action! Scouring the ruins of this once great city for any signs of irregularity!" Oobleck said. "Not every mission is filled with daring and heroism. Sometimes it's just a heightened form of extermination. Remember, this is a job. And you all signed up for it. I hope you understand that."

"Well, yeah." Yang said, now realizing the gravity of her words. "Of course."

"Dominic, why did you decide to become a Huntsman?" Oobleck asked.

Slicing a Beowulf in two, the blonde thought about his answer. "This world is going to drive itself into ruin. This city is proof of that fact." he said grimly. "I chose this job because I want to get stronger. If I can help in preventing another catastrophe like this, then maybe Remnant will have a fighting chance. A foolish dream, yes. But it's one I won't let die." The boy punctuated this statement by blasting a Nevermore out of the sky with a fireball.

"A tad ambitious, wouldn't you say?" the doctor asked.

"In the end, isn't that the case for every Huntsman-In-Training?" Dominic shot back, a smile on his face.

"Gregory, what made you want to become a Huntsman?" Oobleck asked the Blue Rose.

"I know how dangerous this job is. But Ruby loves it more than anything." the cryomancer said, remembering when his sister first learned about the profession. "My only desire is to protect her if she bites off more than she can chew. Nothing else matters."

"Ah, young Ivy. I was wondering what drove you to become a Huntress." Oobleck said, approaching the Maiden after she finished off an Alpha Beowulf.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't originally want anything to do with being a Huntress." she said, surprising the man. "But, certain circumstances forced me into this position. I don't regret it, though. The alternative was a bit...unappealing." Ivy looked down at her hands, the calluses and scars she got from working in Raven's encampment. 'Never again.' she told herself as she threw one of her knives at a Beowulf's eye.

"And what about you, Mr. Schnee? Why would you turn down a job in Atlas for something as grueling as Huntsman work?" Oobleck asked, sitting on a ledge above his student.

"I don't want people to get hurt. It's as simple as that." Connor said, stabbing a Beowulf with the sharp end of his staff. "I'm no fool. I know what my father's company is doing. But it's also why I have to be the one to amend his mistakes. It's why I let Weiss become the heir instead of me. Even if she insists on becoming a Huntress and fighting by my side."

Then again, that wasn't the only reason he became a Huntsman.

Mountain Glenn (Evening)

After a long day, Oobleck decided to pay the youngest member of Team RWBY a visit. The girl was currently dangling a turkey over Zwei's head with Crescent Rose. Where she got the turkey is unknown. Once she caught sight of the professor, she put both her weapon and the lunchmeat away. "Sorry. Are we ready to keep going?" Ruby asked.

"No, I believe this will have to do for today. It's going to be dark soon." Oobleck said before turning to the rest of Team RWBY, as well as Team XICR. "Dominic, come with me. The rest of you, set up camp in that building. Professor Baldimore will assist you in getting rid of the Grimm there so a camp can be made."

'That's not good.' Gregory thought to himself, remembering the last camping trip he had with Baldi.

"LET'S GO CAMPING!" the man exclaimed, putting on a safari hat.

"Your Leaders and I are going to secure the perimeter." Oobleck said, guiding Ruby and Dominic to an area they hadn't seen yet.

"Are those what I think they are?" Dominic asked, readying his weapon. Oobleck had led him and his younger sister to a cliffside overlooking a large forest. Moving slowly through the forest was a herd of Goliaths.

"Indeed they are." the doctor said, confirming the blonde's suspicions. Ruby got Crescent Rose prepared in it's sniper form, aiming at the tusked Grimm. Noticing this, Oobleck shook his head. "I'm afraid your weapons will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm of that size."

"But, what if they attack us?" Ruby asked.

"Fret not, Ruby. Those Goliaths are not concerned with us." Oobleck said, calming the siblings, even if only a bit. "Not every Grimm is mindless. Or rather, not every Grimm is still mindless. You see, the Grimm you see before you are so powerful, so superior to the ones you fought, that they've undoubtedly lived hundreds of years. And in that time between killing humans and attacking our borders, they have done one important thing. They've learned. They've learned that when they attack our borders, they're likely to die. And what humans lack in strength, they make up for in will, and killing one human will bring more."

"Then why are they so close to Vale?" Dominic asked, putting his sword away.

"They're waiting." Oobleck said ominously, walking back to the camp.

Team XICR Camp (Night)

While the rest of his Team slept, Connor stayed awake to stand guard in case a Grimm managed to find them. He didn't mind staying up for this. The night sky was comforting for him, as it was the only thing that remained constant in his life. Sighing, he thought more about how similar Mountain Glenn and his old home were. 'The only difference is how it happened.' Connor opened his palm, creating a small Summoning Glyph in his hand. 'Maybe one day, you can be used for helping people.' Hearing something moving on the floor below him, he dispelled the Glyph. He leaned out the window to see a familiar girl dressed in red and black running through the streets. 'Jamblasted.'

Using a Spacial Rift to get to Ruby's location, he found her up against a wall and holding Zwei just over the edge of it. "Did they go in yet? One bark means yes." the girl said. After a minute, Zwei barked once. Feeling a strange combination of amusement and annoyance, Connor tapped Ruby's shoulder with his staff. Shocked, the girl turned to him with her rifle aimed at his face. Once she finally registered her friend's appearance, she lowered her weapon. "Connor! What are you doing here?" she asked nervously.

"I could ask you the same question." the Schnee said, his eyes faintly glowing green. He'd used this trick on Weiss before, and it always worked.

"Okay, Zwei had to go to the bathroom, so I took him outside. After he was done, I heard a couple of White Fang members talking and followed them here. I was about to chase them when you startled me." Ruby said, barely breathing as she explained everything.

The Schnee contemplated what to do. "We need to alert the others." he said, getting out his Scroll. "Low battery. We need to get back to camp." he told the girl as the two made their way back to their teammates. Suddenly, the ground beneath them started to shake, making Ruby drop her weapon. Without warning, the road fell apart, swallowing Connor and Ruby whole.