So I've been thinking... I kinda want to re-write BoH. At least the first group of chapters so to say or "books". I genuinely don't know what else to call them. I'm sure I brought it up before, but there's things that bug me about the story back then. Things from writing style to character continuity issues, still figuring out Lance and his friends and family, and just certain events. Of course I'm happy with what I'm writing now and the latter part of the first "book", but I don't want to say that, "Oh, it gets good about halfway through book one." Maybe I'm over thinking it, but regardless, I think I'm just gonna keep writing for this second book thing and see where it takes me. If I were to redo the first book or whatever, it wouldn't effect this one all that much honestly. At least I'm fairly positive it wouldn't. If anyone would be interested in seeing the changes I'd make in book one please let me know in a review, PM, or any other way you can reach me via . If you like the new chapter too, leave a review! I'd love to hear feedback, learn tips, figure out what I did wrong or could do better. It's all good! I greatly appreciate it and I hope that you like this new chapter!
Chapter 5: The Huntsman's Shadow
"This is perfect! All we have to do is shadow a huntsman working in the South-East!" Ruby said.
"Yeah! We'll follow them around by day and give them the slip at night," Yang said.
"Let's check search and destroy," Weiss said.
They walked over to one of the many panels around the amphitheater. Lance scanned the board and brought up a finger to one of the options.
"Here's one."
"Quadrant five? Well, it's in the South-East" Blake said.
"Sounds perfect," Yang chimed in.
Ruby selected the mission and typed in their team name. An error chime along with red text popped up on the screen.
Weiss rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips.
"Wonderful."
"Any other ideas?" Blake asked.
Lance brought a hand up to his chin.
"We could try turning it off and on again," He said.
"Ugh…" Weiss said while Ruby and Yang chuckled.
"Really though, hear me out. We could mail ourselves there!" Ruby said.
"Well, that's one option," Ozpin's voice said.
He walked up to the group, holding his scroll in one hand and his cane in the other.
"Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of Grimm was too extreme for first year students. It seems that particular region is rather popular. In fact I have this sneaking suspicion that the five of you will make your way there no matter which job you choose."
Ruby was rubbing the back of her head, a nervous, toothy grin on her face.
"Whatever makes you say that?"
"I'm still curious as to how you all found yourselves at the docks last semester. I'm interested to know how you really learned about a 'hide out' in the South-East, and I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing robots and rose petals in a dance club some time ago. Lance's injuries bring up suspicion as well for that matter."
Lance and Ruby were searching for their next excuse or out, but Ozpin just smiled.
"I doubt I'll ever find the exact answers I'm looking for. So how about this? Instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, why don't we just bend them?"
With a few button presses on his scroll, the mission board approved team RWBY on the mission. Everyone shot beaming smiles at Ozpin.
"We won't let you down. Thank you professor," Ruby said.
"Do not thank me for this. Teamwork and persistence have carried you far, but you must understand. The things that await you beyond the protection of the kingdom will not care. Stay close to your huntsman at all times and do exactly what he says. He will be leading you on this mission and he can have you sent back to Beacon if he finds your skills to be unsatisfactory."
He left with those words dangling over the group, who all just looked at each other perplexed.
"Good luck," he said, returning just to leave as quickly as he came.
They walked along the main path towards the courtyard. Their smiling faces gone, and in their places were more stoic, serious, faces. Lance felt purpose with each step he took towards the courtyard. His heart was ablaze with the opportunity to test his mettle and make Ozpin and his team proud. This was his second chance. He wouldn't lose it.
"That wasn't exactly uplifting," Yang said.
"Well, it's the truth," Blake said
"It's gonna be tough but I know we can do it," Ruby said.
"Ruby's right. Let's take this opportunity and show 'em what we're made of," Lance said.
"Right," Yang and Ruby said.
"Agreed. Let's do what we can," Weiss said.
They made it to the courtyard. A student walked past them, pointing towards a gathering of other students.
"Hey, team CVFY is back," He said.
They walked through the small crowd. Team RWBY joined up with the crowd and ultimately, caught up to team CVFY.
"Velvet? Are you okay?" Blake asked.
The girl Faunus with rabbit ears, dressed in brown attire turned. She had brown hair and eyes as well.
"I'm fine. I had Yatsuhashi to look after me."
She gestured to her other teammate who stood much taller than pretty much every student in the courtyard. He had dark, short, hair, dressed in green, and carried a giant one-sided sword on his back.
"Your mission was supposed to end a week ago. What happened?" Weiss asked.
"Nothing happened. It was just… there were just so many."
The group just looked at her in silence. Sympathy written on their faces.
"Oh, but don't worry. You first years are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine."
"Riiiiight," Yang said.
"I should go. Be safe, okay?"
She rejoined her team with a wave.
"Let's not get discouraged now, right?" Lance said.
"Right. We can do this. We've never backed down before and we're not going to start now," Ruby said.
"Right,' Blake agreed.
"Besides, it won't only be us out there. We'll be fighting alongside a genuine Huntsman!"
"Yeah!" Yang said.
Lance felt his heart almost skip a beat. The fire he had only grew. They pressed onwards towards the airships.
They walked towards where their ship would be waiting for them.
"That's the ship over there, right?" Weiss asked, pointing.
"Yup. Seems like it," Blake replied.
"I wonder who the Hunter we're gonna be shadowing is," Lance said.
"I hope it's someone really cool!" Ruby said.
"Guess there's only one way to find out," Yang said.
They started walking towards the airship but stopped when they saw someone leaving the aircraft.
"Wait a sec..." Yang said.
The person finished walking down the ramp. He adjusted his glasses and walked forward. Team RWBY were in disbelief and it was made evident on their faces. Lance, while surprised, had a smile on his face when he saw that it was their history teacher, Oobleck.
"Hello team RWBY! Who's ready to fight for their lives?"
He did a small gesture as he asked his question. He was dressed in safari gear, complete with a safari hat and over packed backpack.
"Professor Ooblack?" Weiss said.
"Yes, I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary, seeing as you opted to shadow a Huntsman on what is now essentially a reconnaissance mission. I can assure you we will not be establishing a single base of operations, rather we will be traversing several miles of hazardous wasteland and making camp at any defendable locations we may stumble upon. I've packed all of our essentials myself, plotted the course, readied the airship, and!" He said rapid fire, pacing all the while. "It's doctor Oobleck," He finished, leaning in close to Weiss, squinting his eyes at her. "I didn't earn that PHD for fun, thank you very much."
He returned to where he stood, leaving Weiss confused and everyone else a tad bit overwhelmed.
"Uhhh?" Weiss said.
"Come now, children! According to my schedule we are already three minutes behind schedule!"
With that, he zipped to the airship.
"This'll be exciting," Lance said, smiling.
"With Oobleck? Really?" Yang asked.
"He's energetic, isn't he? He's entertaining to watch in class."
"Well alright then! Looks like we'll be saving the world with Dr. Oobleck… Yeah okay, when you say it out loud it sound worse…" Ruby said.
"Save the world!?"
Hearing Nora's voice behind him made Lance jump a little bit. He turned around to see her and the rest of team JNPR.
"You're going on world saving missions without us!? I'm hurt, sad, maybe a little hungry? That last one's not your fault though. Ren…" She said, glaring at him with clenched fist. He just crossed his arms and turned away.
"Sounds exciting. Where ya going?" Jaune asked.
"Oh, just outside the kingdom," Ruby said.
"Hey, so are we," Nora said.
"Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village," Pyrrha added.
"We set out tomorrow," Ren said.
"Hey, then you can party with us tonight!" Neptune said.
He and Sun walked over, joining the group.
"We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner city detective stuff. We get junior badges," he continued.
At hearing that, Jaune had stars in his eyes.
"Ooooohhhhh."
"We normally go to the city with you guys which means stuff's always exploding and junk. So we thought this might be a better way to check out the kingdom when it's y'know. Normal," Sun said.
"Hey, at least it's not boring," Lance said.
"I think I'd take boring over life threatening," Sun jested.
"Four minutes, students!" Oobleck called from the ship.
"Well, uh… Wish us luck," Ruby said.
The teams turned, going their separate ways. They walked to the airship, boarded, and were soon taking off.
Lance looked out one of the open doors of the airship. He gripped the handle he was holding a little tighter and moved closer into the airship.
"So, Oobleck. Honestly I wasn't expecting you to be the Huntsman we would be shadowing," Lance said.
"Yeah, I never really pictured you as, well. A fighter," Yang added.
"I did fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I can assure you as a Huntsman I've had my fair share of tussles."
"Like the mushroom?" Ruby said, scratching her head.
"Those are truffles," Blake said.
"Like the sprout?"
"Those are brussels," Yang said.
"Besides, given my expertise in history, as well as my dabblings in the archeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw it fit to assign me to this particular assignment," Oobleck said.
"What does history have to do with this?" Weiss asked.
"Why, what a preposterous question you silly girl. History is the backbone of our very society! And the liver! Probably the kidneys if I were to wager."
"And that means?"
"The South-East quadrant outside of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves; but it is also the location to one of the kingdoms greatest failures."
"Mountain Glenn," Ruby said.
"That's right! It was an expansion of Vale. But in the end it was overrun by Grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city…"
"What a tragedy…" Lance said.
"Correct! And now it stands abandoned as a dark reminder." Oobleck said.
"And a likely place for a hideout," Blake said.
Oobleck adjusted his glasses, giving a smile as he did.
"Precisely."
Looking out the door once again, Lance noticed weathered, worn down, buildings. Piles of rubble littered the desolate streets. The aircraft slowed as it descended, ultimately gliding just above a street. They jumped out of the ship and it flew off.
On the ground it was more of the same as it was from the view in the ship. It was quiet; the only sound heard was the subtle wind blowing. They all were ready for anything, except Oobleck who just stood there with his thermos.
"You still may be students, but as of this moment your first mission as Hunter and Huntresses has begun. From this point forward you need to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"
They all nodded their answer.
"Ruby! I thought I told you to leave all your bags back at school?"
"But, uhh, you hadn't told us to listen to you yet. So I didn't."
He took a moment.
"She's not wrong," He said under his breath.
"Very well Ruby, leave your bag here and we can pick it up upon our return."
"But I, well," Ruby stuttered.
"C'mon Ruby. It'll be here when we come back. No need to worry," Lance said.
"Young lady! What could you possibly have in that bag that can be so important to bring with-"
Oobleck was cut off when Zwei popped his head out of Ruby's backpack.
They all stared at the Ruby and the dog.
"Get back in the bag," Ruby whispered.
Zwei just barked a response.
"We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle teeming with death and hostility and you brought… a dog?" Oobleck said.
Ruby searched for words, but struggled.
"Genius!"
Oobleck grabbed Zwei, holding him up and spinning around. He went on about how advantageous it was to have a dog, but Lance just stood with his mouth hanging open.
"I'm a genius," Ruby said.
"So what are your orders doctor?" Blake asked.
"Ah, yes. Straight to the chase. I like it! As you've been informed, the South-East area has been marked as a recent hotspot for Grimm activity. Now there are several possible explanations for this behavior; one of which being… Grimm."
They looked at each other with confusion on their faces.
"Grimm. A creature of Grimm; approximately one-hundred yards from us at this very moment."
They turned around to see a single beowolf walking into view from behind a building. The entirety of team RWBY took out their weapons, ready to attack.
Oobleck held up a hand.
"Stop. There are a number of reasons why Grimm would congregate in this particular area. The most likely of which would be their attraction to negativity. Sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred. All qualities are likely held by our hidden group harboring ill intent."
"So… What now?" Ruby asked.
"We wait. We track. If this specimen leads us to its pack. That pack may subsequently lead us to our prey."
"How long do we wait?" Yang asked.
"It's uncertain. Hours, days, weeks. Lone Grimm have been known to stay isolated from the pack for months- and there's the whole pack."
More beowolves came from the same street.
"What?" Weiss asked.
"And now they've seen us."
"What!?"
"AND NOW THEY'VE SEEN US."
"I take it tracking is out of the question?" Ruby asked.
"Seems like it," Lance said.
"What's the plan then?" Yang asked.
The Grimm charged at them. Bloodlust was in their eyes and they were closing in fast. They turned to Oobleck, looking for his answer.
"Show me what you're capable of."
