Expedition starts this chapter. I don't have much else to say right now, I hope you enjoy this.
Chapter 17: Arrivals and Departure
"A number of Grimm have been spotted between Sanctuary and the forts in the Dragon's Talons. Most likely, they're either using a cave system to circumvent our defenses or they have a breeding ground within the mountains. Salem has volunteered to lead the expedition into the area and determine if we've located a source of the Grimm. The Bastion Project will continue on schedule." -Aurelius, two years before the War of Roses
Beacon, Ozpin's Office
Bisman let out a sigh as he walked over to Goodwitch and Ozpin, looking out the window at the series of Atlesian warships approaching the landing pad, a larger cruiser staying in the air as a group of bullheads departed it. "Leave it to General Ironwood to bring his toy soldiers wherever he goes."
Goodwitch scoffed before speaking up. "He certainly loves bringing his work wherever he travels."
Ozpin glances at the two. "Running an academy and a military makes him a busy man. But yes, those are a bit of an eyesore."
Bisman rolls his eyes. "That doesn't explain why he needed to bring two destroyers and a cruiser with him! He could have left a colonel in charge or something. The last thing we need right now is people freaking out about a potential invasion!"
The door beeped before Ozpin walked to his desk and hit a button, opening the door. A man in a white stepped through with Ruby standing nervously next to him. "Ozpin."
The headmaster faced the man, hands behind his back. "General Ironwood."
"Please, drop the formalities." He steps forward and shakes Ozpin's hand. "It's been too long. And Glynda! It's certainly been too long since we last met."
Glynda rolls her eyes. "Oh James…"
Ruby watched awkwardly as Ironwood and Ozpin walked over to the desk, Ozpin offering Ironwood a cup. "So… What in the world has brought you all the way down from Atlas?"
"Well, you know how much I love Vale this time of year. Besides, with you hosting the Vytal Festival I thought this might be a good opportunity for us to catch up."
"Right, and making an already scared city have to worry about an army floating above them is just a bonus, isn't it?" Bisman remarked before Ironwood glared at him.
"Bisman, don't you have some old ruins to disturb?"
Ozpin sighs. "He does have a valid point. This large a force isn't something that you often need after all." He glances behind Ironwood and notices the girl still standing in the elevator. "Ah, Ruby, is there something you needed?"
Ruby glances around before stepping forward, holding a notebook in her hand. "I-I was just going to report on something I heard last night. Should I come back later?"
Ozpin smiled at her. "Please, come in, Ironwood is aware of the situation, just as you are."
Ironwood frowned. "Ozpin, you can't be serious. You told a child about this?"
Ozpin sighed. "James, she's a Rose. If I didn't involve her in this it would only be a matter of time before she went off and started searching on her own."
The general rubbed her head. "Fine, but you're the one who has to take responsibility if she gets hurt."
Ruby growled before stepping forward to stand in front of the desk. "I managed to plant a bug on Roman Torchwick in our last encounter at the docks and was checking to see what it picked up. Some time last night, he had a discussion with three other people about his operations with the White Fang. Apparently, a woman by the name of Cinder is the mastermind of what's going on, but it's a common name and no surname was mentioned, so I can't narrow it down from there if it was even really her name. Other than that, it seems Cinder expected Torchwick to kill a rogue White Fang operative somewhere in the city, some kind of cat faunus, but he refused due to the fact his thefts have drawn too much attention to him and he felt the murder of a rogue White Fang member would send people into a panic."
She took a deep breath as Ironwood blinks. "Other than that, it seems that Torchwick and the White Fang were operating out of an old warehouse somewhere here in Vale, but Cinder decided that they should change locations. She mentioned coordinates, so I assume they're moving to a location outside the city walls. There was also a mention of them moving into the second stage of their plans." She looked up. "Whatever they're planning, it's probably going to start soon… That's all, Professor Ozpin."
Ozpin nodded. "Thank you for that Ms. Rose. Now go, get some rest, spend time with your team. Prepare for the tournament if you so choose."
Ruby nodded and looked around the room. "Thank you, Professor Ozpin. Good luck on the expedition, Professor Bisman." She glanced at Ironwood and glared at him for a moment. "General." She turned and walked back to the elevator as Bisman followed a short distance behind.
"I should go get ready. Ozpin, do me a favor…" Bisman turned to face the rest of the group. "Don't let Ironwood do anything stupid, okay? If everything goes as planned we should be returning a week after the tournament. I'd really like to be able to come back to Beacon and not worry about it being blown up."
As soon as the elevator doors closed Ironwood let out a sigh. "I don't know why you keep Bisman around, Ozpin. His presence gets annoying quickly."
Ozpin lets out a sigh before putting his hands on the desk. "It's because, no matter how… difficult he can be to work with, he's extremely capable at what he does. My main concern is that he has minimal combat abilities and he requested to take part in an expedition on the most dangerous continent in all of Remnant." He leans back before continuing. "Besides, he isn't wrong in this case. We're in a time of peace. Shows of power like this are just going to give off the wrong impression."
"But if what Qrow said is true-"
"If what Qrow said is true, we will handle it tactfully. Bisman is already looking into possible solutions the people of Sanctuary might have for the current situation, Qrow is hunting down leads, and even Ruby is keeping an eye on things as best she can while looking into her family's forgotten knowledge. It's the Vytal Festival, a time to celebrate unity and peace. So, I suggest you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers across an ocean."
"I'm just being cautious."
"As am I, which is why we will be continuing to train the best Huntsman and Huntresses we can while the few remaining people capable of doing so try to find ways to make things easier."
Ironwood sighed before turning to walk away, speaking over his shoulder as he did so. "Do you really think your children can win a war?" Ozpin sighed as the elevator closed.
Beacon Library
Team RWBY sat around a table playing a board game, Ruby glancing at her hand and the board and thinking quietly before she pointed across the table. "Yang Xiao Long, prepare your kingdom for battle! I deploy the Atlesian Air Fleet, which means I can fly over your Ursai and attack your walls directly!"
"You fiend!" Yang cried out dramatically.
"And since Atlas is part of Mantle, my repair time only lasts one turn." Ruby grinned happily until she saw Yang hold up a card.
"I activate Giant Nevermore! If I roll a seven or higher, your fleet will be torn apart!"
"But if you roll a six or lower, the Nevermore takes out your forces instead!"
"That's just a chance I'm willing to take!" Yang said as she rolled the dice, causing Ruby to cry out in frustration before her head hit the table.
"No! My Fearless Soldiers!"
"Eh, most of them were probably androids."
"Goodbye my friends…" Ruby sobbed dramatically, causing Weiss to roll her eyes. "You will be avenged."
"Not until I draw my rewards, which are doubled this round since I control the Mistral Trade Route! And what's this? The Smugglers of Wind Path? Looks like I'm taking two cards from your hand." Ruby let out a whimper before she looked away, ears flat against her head. "Well Weiss, it's your turn!"
The heiress glanced at her hand in confusion. "I have… Absolutely no idea what's going on."
Yang leaned over and grinned as she looked at Weiss' cards. "Look, it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo, which means all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus!"
"That sounds dumb…"
"See, you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge, and Resourceful Raider! Now you can take Ruby's discarded air fleet-" Ruby let out a sob at this. "-and put it in your hand!"
"Okay…"
"And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance boost against natural hazards, you could use Sandstorm to disable my ground and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom!"
"And that means… What exactly?"
"You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant, but Yang wouldn't help you if she didn't have something ready to counter it already!"
Weiss smiled at this before she stood up and got ready for her turn before Yang spoke up. "Trap card…"
Weiss blinked and sadly watched as Yang quickly moved around the pieces sitting on the board. "H-huh?"
"Your armies have been destroyed," Yang said smugly as Weiss dropped back into her chair, starting to cry.
"I hate this game of emotions we play!"
Ruby suddenly jumped into her arms, crying too. "Stay strong Weiss! We'll make it through this together, even if Yang never lets anyone else win!"
Weiss blushed slightly but decided to play along. "Shut up! Don't touch me!" she cried out before wrapping her arms around Ruby. They were broken out of it by Yang laughing.
"Wow, get a room, lovebirds!" The two quickly jumped apart as Weiss glared at Yang and Ruby pulled her hood over her head in an attempt to hide her blush.
"Yang Xiao Long, I swear I'll make you regret that joke!" Weiss growled out, trying to get her mind off the way Ruby almost nuzzled against her neck… Or how nice she smelled… Or how soft her tail was. "Oh god, what's wrong with me?"
Yang grinned before looking at Blake. "Blake, your turn."
The cat faunus glanced at Yang for a moment before looking at her hand. "S-sorry, what am I doing?"
"You're playing as Vale, trying to conquer the kingdoms of Remnant!"
"R-right…"
Jaune walked over and smiled. "Hey, can I play?"
"Sorry Jaune, we've already got four people…" Ruby said.
"Besides, I'll have you know this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I seriously doubt you possess," Weiss said before Yang scoffed.
"You attacked your own naval fleet two turns ago…" Weiss pouted before Jaune leaned forward.
"Bring it on Ice Queen! It can't be that hard t-to play…" Everyone flinched as the temperature in the room dropped.
"Never call me that, understood?" Jaune nodded quickly.
"Come on, let me play your hand for a turn, please?"
"I'm not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo!"
"Oh come on, you've trusted me with way more important stuff before, like how Blake is secretly a-" Jaune felt his tongue and jaw go numb from the cold before he stopped talking.
"I get the distinct impression we should have never said that to you," Weiss said while the rest looked at a glaring Blake before Sun walked up with Neptune.
"'Sup losers?" he said with a grin.
"Hey Sun," Ruby said with a smile.
"Ruby, Blake, Yang, Ic- I mean, Weiss…" Sun scratched the back of his head nervously before continuing. "I never got a chance to introduce you to my old friend."
The blue-haired boy gave a half wave as he spoke up. "I'm Neptune."
"So, Neptune, where are you from?" Weiss asked with a smile. Honestly, she was glad to have finally met a boy she found attractive, or at least interesting, since she arrived at Beacon. "The only other person that I've had any interest in is Ruby, and I'd really hope it's just because the wolf ears and tail are cute…" she thought to herself. She wasn't sure how anyone would react if they found out she was attracted to a girl or a faunus, especially her family. They weren't the most supportive of her in normal situations, after all…
"Haven…" he said before stepping over to her. "And I don't believe I've caught your name, snow angel." Ruby struggled to suppress the growl at the obvious flirt.
"Um, I'm Weiss…" "Seriously? What is it with people calling me that?"
"Pleasure to meet you."
Sun leaned over Blake's shoulder and looked at the table. "I never took you as the board-game-playing type!" She glared at him before standing up.
"Right, I think I'm done playing actually. I'll see you guys later." Ruby glanced at her fellow faunus for a moment before looking over the rest of her team with a sigh.
Later that night, RWBY's Dorm Room
Blake sat on her bed staring out at the sky. She let out a frustrated sigh as her thoughts returned to the conversation she had with Ozpin after the incident at the docks. "Why does he think I'd just come to him with anything? What difference would it make except for me being thrown in jail or something?" She glanced at the door as it was shoved open by an angry Yang, a smug Ruby and Weiss behind her.
"You're just mad you finally lost and it was the new guy, Yang!" Weiss was walking to her bed when she turned around and pointed at Blake before she could get to the door.
"Stop! Lately you've been quiet, antisocial, and moody, more so than normal. Quite frankly, it's unacceptable. You told all of us you'd let us know if something was wrong! So, what's been bothering you so much lately?!"
Blake sighed. "I-I just… I don't understand how everyone can be so calm."
Ruby sighed from her desk, putting the headphones down. "You're still thinking about Torchwick?"
"Torchwick, the White Fang, all of it! Something big is happening and nobody is doing anything about it!" Blake looked around the room in frustration.
"Ozpin told us not to worry about it, between the police and the Huntsmen, I'm sure they could handle it," Yang said before Ruby spoke up, cutting off Blake's response.
"A-actually, he just told the three of you not to worry about it…" The rest of her team looked at her as she let out a sigh. "You're wrong Blake, people are doing something about it. My dad, Qrow, is looking for leads right now, Bisman's going to Draconys to try and see if he can find some tech that can help us, and I'm…" She unplugged the headphones and started up the equipment, causing Roman's voice to play through the room briefly before she stopped it. "I'm doing my best to keep an eye on things and continue Bisman's translations. Ozpin is on top of things, and while I can't tell most people for various reasons…" Ruby made a quick glance at Weiss, causing the girl's eyes to widen. "I can tell you that we're doing something about it."
"It doesn't matter! The police, the Huntsman, you, Ozpin, none of you know the White Fang like I do!" Blake said, waving her arms wildly.
"Then why don't you help us?" The other people in the room froze for a moment before Weiss spoke up.
"Ruby, do you really think we can handle this sort of situation? We're only students."
Ruby grinned from her chair. "Well, yeah, but why do you think I've been pushing so hard for us to practice? Or why I went all out on team JNPR during the food fight? Ozpin wants me to make sure the four of us are ready at the minimum, but he'd like if I could get as many of the other teams to take training seriously enough for us to be able to help out if they need to." She glances around the room before continuing. "Weiss is right, we're not ready… Yet. Ozpin's trusting us to help out in any way we can, and I was hoping I'd be able to get us to train a bit more before saying anything to any of you. The fact is, we don't know where Torchwick is hiding right now and we don't know who he's working for, let alone what they're planning… All I know is, their plans are still moving forward right now. We don't have the luxury of waiting right now."
"Then we should do something about it while we still have time!" Blake shouted, causing Yang to grin.
"Yeah! Let's do it, I love it when your feisty!" she said, causing Blake to look away in embarrassment.
Weiss nodded. "I suppose I wouldn't be a very good friend or teammate if I backed down now."
Ruby nodded before standing up. "Alright then, we'll start training tomorrow and spend the evenings looking for leads, I'm just going to go let Professor Goodwitch know we'll be using the training area for the next week or so." As she stepped out of the door she accidently bumped into someone, causing her to turn around. "Oh! Sorry!"
"It's okay, just watch where you're going," A green-haired girl said with a slight smile.
Ruby hummed before she smiled, filing away the familiar voice for later. "I'm Ruby, are you new?"
Another girl answered behind the boy and girl in front of her. "Visiting from Haven, actually."
Ruby glanced at the three people in front of her, quickly memorizing the faces. "The two girls sound like the ones talking to Torchwick last night, but it could be a coincidence, and even if they were the same girls I have no way of proving it…" "So you're here for the festival then? Exchange students have their own dormitory."
"I guess we just got turned around," the boy said, making Ruby frown.
"Yeah, I doubt this is a coincidence, but there's not much I can do to prove it…" "It happens all the time, you want building… J I think? I'm not sure, but I know the one you want is to the east a bit."
The black-haired girl smiled before walking past Ruby. "Thanks, maybe we'll see you around."
"Maybe. And welcome to Beacon!" "Just don't expect us to make it easy if you are up to something."
Vale Expedition Ship, on the way to Draconys
Bisman let out a sigh as he glanced at the map. "Alright, so, if we follow the eastern route, we'll reach Point Refuge a few days early, and from there we can look to see if there's any other landing points…" He glanced a bit west and his eyes glazed over as he tapped a point on the map. "Of course, this place is halfway between Point Refuge and the city of Sanctuary, if we land here…" He shook his head in confusion. He wasn't sure why he thought that. He never read about a suitable landing site there, there wasn't mention of anything other than cliffs along that part of the shore… But for some reason he just felt like there should be one there. "Maybe I really am going mad," he thought before a headache hit, almost causing him to black out as a vision hit him.
Bisman's Vision
Bisman found himself walking along a path inside a city. He glanced around to see elegant, gothic buildings on either side of the road as he walked beside a man with a cane and glasses. "So, what did you want me to see, Oscar?" he heard before the man glanced at him with a smile. Before the man could respond, the vision faded.
And we're done with this chapter. From now on, there won't be a guarantee that each chapter will have a quote at the beginning. Each chapter will, however, have a portion of the expedition included at some point during it, possibly with Bisman having another vision. Anyone who can guess what any of the visions might mean, if anything, will get a shout out in the next chapter, unless they somehow manage to pick apart a major plot point out of it, so remember to leave a review. Also, Ruby has suspicions on who she spoke to, but both because of the quality of the recording and the fact that only Ozpin would really take it seriously with nothing else as proof, she can't act on her suspicions.
I might end up taking a day off to rest and organize my thoughts some time in the next week, I'm not sure when exactly so I'm letting everyone know right now.
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. As always, input is welcome.
