Chapter 12:Search and Destroy
The five still had their horrid faces, with Legion having a white eye, as Weiss said "Professor Oobleck?"
Oobleck was pacing around saying "Yes, I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary, girls, seeing as you've 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 in any defendable locations we may stumble upon. I packed all of our essentials myself, plotted our air course, and readied the airship. And..." He zoomed up to Weiss. "It's Doctor Oobleck. I didn't earn the PhD for fun, thank you very much!"
Weiss looked at Blake, confused, as Blake looked equally disturbed.
"Come now, children; according to my schedule, we are already three minutes behind...schedule!"
As Oobleck sprinted to the airship, Ruby said in a positive and upbeat voice "Well, alright, then! Looks like we're going to save the world with Doctor Oooobleck- okay yeah when you say it out loud it sounds worse." She had lost the voice halfway through.
"Save the world?"
They all turned around to see JNPR approaching them.
"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..." Ren crossed his arms and looked away.
"Sounds exciting. Where ya going," Jaune asked.
"Oh, just outside the kingdom," Ruby answered.
"Hey! So are we," Nora happily said.
Pyrrha then said "Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village."
"We set out tomorrow," Ren replied.
"Then you can party with us tonight!"
They turned to see Neptune and Sun. "We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner-city detective stuff. We get junior badges," Neptune said, as Jaune looked in awestruck.
Sun exclaimed "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, you know... normal."
"Man, why did you guys choose the hard jobs?" They turned again to see Blue team, excluding Tex.
"Well, because it tests our strength," Yang said, confused.
"Phbbt, that's dumb," Church said. "You should always choose an easy job. That's why we chose the Perimeter Defense mission. We just get to sit back, relax, and enjoy the peaceful week."
"You know, criminals would try to get over the perimeter," Weiss said. "Maybe even Grimm?"
"Huh…well, I also chose that one so Caboose won't fuck shit up."
"Hey…I wouldn't do that," Caboose said, as everyone looked at him.
"Say's the time you almost killed someone at lunch…with a pea."
"…You can't prove that."
"Well…who are you shadowing," Jaune asked.
"Oh…yeah, that's a minor problem," Church said, as Agent Washington went up to them.
"Alright, men. You get five minutes of peace, and then you get on that airship. Understood," Wash said.
"Yes…"
"Good."
As Wash left, Yang chuckled. "Heheh, so much for a peaceful week. Am I right, Church?"
"Oh shut up, you're spending the week with Oobleck."
"Four minutes, ladies," Oobleck yelled from the airship.
"Yeah…"
"Well at least you got to choose," Grif said, as Red team walked up to them.
"Yeah, Sarge choose for us," Simmons sadly said.
"Which one?"
"Perimeter Defense."
"I only chose that one so we can keep an eye on those dirty Blues," Sarge shouted.
"For the last time, old man, we're not doing anything," Church angrily said.
"Yeah, get off our backs," Tucker said.
"I don't trust you, Blues!"
"Oh yeah! Well, we don't trust you!"
"Stop!"
They turned towards Ruby. "Can't you guys get along," Ruby said. "Can't red and blue mix together and make a little…purple?"
"N…no."
"No?"
"Yeah, no," Tucker said. "You haven't known us for a while, but we aren't friends. More like…acquaintances."
"Well…ugh, I give up."
That's when Legion noticed Tex's absence. "Hey, where's Tex?"
"Oh, yeah…" Church started. "You know how twins can sometimes feel what the other one is feeling?"
"Yeah?"
"Well they have a sense that they know when the other one is…in trouble." As he said this, they heard Tex's growling, followed by Cardin being thrown across the courtyard. "And Tex is feeling a little…cranky."
"Yeah, bitchy is more like it," Tucker said, as a rock was thrown at his crouch. "O-ho, son of a bitch!"
"Yeah, what ever happened to Bill, please help him, or else Tex will kill us all."
"Well-" Ruby began, before Oobleck interrupted them again.
"Five minutes!"
"Well, uh...wish us luck!"
The team and doctor were now on the airship as Yang said "I guess I just never saw you as much of a fighter."
"I admit I fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I can assure you, as a Huntsman, I've had my fair share of tussles," Oobleck said, as Ruby tilted her head in confusion.
"Like the mushroom?"
"Those are truffles," Blake said, leaning over.
"Like the sprout?"
"Those are Brussels," Yang replied, also leaning over.
"Besides," Oobleck continued. "Besides, given my expertise in the field of history as well as my dabblings in the archaeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw fit to assign me to this particular... assignment!"
"What does history have to do with this," Weiss asked.
"Why, what a preposterous question, you silly girl! Why, history is the backbone of our very society! And the liver! Probably the kidneys, if I were to wager."
"And that means..?"
"The southeast quadrant outside of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves, but it is also the location to one of the kingdom's greatest failures!"
"Mountain Glenn," Ruby answered.
"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," Yang sadly said.
"Correct! And now it stands abandoned as a dark reminder."
"And a likely place for a hideout," Blake said.
"Precisely," Oobleck said, adjusting his glasses.
"Heh, clever bastards," Legion muttered.
The airship hovered above the destroy streets of Mountain Glenn as the six landed on the ground, their weapons drawn, except for Oobleck who had a canister out. They looked around, as they saw destroyed building, abandoned streets, giving them chills up their spines. As they looked at the deserted city, the doctor said "Ladies! You still may be students, but as of this moment, your first mission as Huntresses has begun! From this point forward, you need to do exactly as I say! Do you understand?" As they nodded, Oobleck turned to the leader and shouted "Ruby! I thought I told you to leave all of your bags back at school."
"But, uh, you hadn't told us to listen to you yet. So I didn't," she said, getting facepalms from her teammates.
"She's not wrong," the doctor muttered to himself. "Very well, Ruby; leave your bag here, we can pick it up upon our return."
"But I, well uh-"
"Young lady, what in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important to bring it with..."
Oobleck was interrupted as Zwei's head popped up from Ruby's bag, causing everyone to stare at them.
"It that who I think it is," Legion muttered.
Ruby turned to Zwei and whispered "Get back in the bag."
Zwei barked in response.
"We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle teeming with death and hostility, and you brought... a dog," Oobleck said.
"I, uhh..."
"Genius!" The team looked at each other in confusion as Oobleck grabbed Zwei and started to swing him around in the air. "Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and heightened sense of sound, making them excellent companions for a hunt such as ours!"
Zwei barked.
Ruby grinned and stated "I'm a genius!"
Weiss and Yang both facepalmed as Blake said "So, what are your orders, Doctor?"
"Ah, yes, straight to the chase; I like it," He said, dropping Zwei. "As you've been informed, the southeast 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 in confusion. "Uh, what?"
"Grimm. A creature of Grimm approximately one hundred yards from us at this very moment."
"What?!"
They all turned around to see a lone Beowolf wandering the streets.
As they brought out their weapons again, the doctor said "Stop!"
"Huh," Blake questioned.
"There are a number of reasons why Grimm will congregate in this particular area, the most likely of which will be their attraction to negativity: sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred. All qualities that 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," Blake asked.
"It's uncertain. Hours, days, weeks. Why, lone Grimm have been known to stay isolated from the pack for months - and there's the whole pack."
Five more Beowolves appeared behind the first as Weiss said "What?"
"And now they've seen us," Oobleck said.
"What?!"
"And now they've seen us!"
"I take it tracking them is out of the question," Ruby replied.
"An accurate assumption, yes."
"What's the plan, then," Yang asked.
"Well, we better have one because those Grimm look like they're not stopping," Legion replied.
As the creatures closed in, Oobleck said "Show me what you're capable of."
Ruby swung Crescent Rose, preparing to shoot, as she said "Cover your ears, Zwei!"
The corgi does so, curling up in a ball.
The team went their separate paths, as Yang and a Beowolf ran at each other. Yang kept smiling as the blonde knocked out the Grimm with one fiery punch. She ran away as more ran after her. A couple stopped when they saw Blake, who was standing, waiting for the attack. As a Grimm jumped and sliced her afterimage, as Blake sliced it in half. She started to attack the others, slicing them in half as well.
Behind the Faunus, Weiss ran from several black-coated beasts before jumping in the air and taking one down with Myrtenaster. She dashed towards them with rapier held high and slayed four of them in a straight line until she stopped. As she was fighting more, the Beowolves noticed Legion, who was taunting them, as he gestured his hand to say 'come and get it.' The Grimm ran at him, as the robot brought out X and threw it at a Grimm, the axe going in its head. Legion got on top of the body, took the axe out and sliced another one's head off.
Near him, Beowolves were converging on Ruby as she used Crescent Rose to shoot multiple creatures…while Zwei chased his tail. He stopped to see his master run towards a Grimm and slice it in half. Ruby looked at Doctor Oobleck and said "Heh. Piece of cake!"
"Do not celebrate yet," he said. "For I am certain this is the first bout of many. Shall we continue?"
After the group attacked the Grimm, while Oobleck was rooting through a plant, all of them were tired, expect for Legion, who was still killing Grimm.
"Excellent work, girls," he said, seeing the new batch of Grimm killed. "Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any signs of criminal operations in this sector. Oh, well! Moving on!"
As they followed Oobleck, Yang irritably asked "Hey, Doc, y'know, I was actually looking forward to seeing a "pro Huntsman" in action. Like, fighting, or at least, helping us fight?"
"Ah, but I am in action! Scouring the ruins of this once-great city for any signs of irregularity! Not every mission is filled with daring and heroism, girls. Sometimes it's just a heightened form of extermination! Remember, this is a job, and you all signed up for it. I do hope you understand that."
"Well, yeah... O-Of course!"
Oobleck looked at Yang, unsure of her answer.
As they continued fighting, Oobleck asked Yang "Tell me, Yang: Why did you choose this line of work?"
"Huh?" She looked at Oobleck. "Well, to fight monsters and save-"
"No, that is what you do. I want to know why you do it. The honest reason as to why you want to be a Huntress."
"The honest reason? I'm a thrill-seeker. I want to travel around the world and get wrapped up in as many crazy adventures as I can. And if I help people along the way, then that's even better. It's a win-win, y'know?"
"I see."
After a while, Oobleck was on a high windowsill, writing in his journal, as he asked Weiss "And you, Miss Schnee? A girl born into fame and fortune such as yourself certainly doesn't need the extra work. So... why choose this over a cushy job in Atlas?"
After impaling the last Beowolf, she said "It's exactly as you said: I'm a Schnee. I have a legacy of honor to uphold. Once I realized I was capable of fighting, there was no longer a question of what I would do with my life. It was my duty."
"Interesting."
Blake slashed a door open, as a swarm of small Nevermores flew away. She turned Gambol Shroud into its pistol form and shot into the air, causing the creatures to fall back down.
As Oobleck examined the building, he asked Blake "And what about you, Blake? You seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose."
"There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing," she said. "Inequality, corruption... Someone has to stop it."
"Very well. How?"
"I, Uh..."
He looked at her, unsure, as he dashed away, leaving Blake with her troubled thoughts.
Ruby, using her weapon's blade to hold a whole turkey, and teasing a jump-y Zwei. But, she stopped when she saw Oobleck staring at her.
"Sorry," she said, sheathing her weapon. "Uhh... Are we ready to keep going?"
"Nope," he exclaimed. "I believe that will have to do for today. It's going to be dark soon." He threw a bag at Yang, who caught it just in time, as Oobleck continued. "You four, set up camp in that building. Oh, and please do make sure there are no more of those... creatures. Your leader and I are going to secure the perimeter. Come, Ruby."
As they left, the four went into the building, three of them looking at their leader, wondering what she'll be asked.
As Ruby followed Oobleck, they stopped beside a cliff, as Ruby saw a line of giant elephants, with balck and white features, making her say "Whaaaaa…What is that? It looks awesome!"
"That, my dear girl, is a Grimm,"Oobleck said, as Ruby stared at the Grimm.
She then pulled out her weapon, saying "Let's kill it."
"I'm afraid your sniper rifle will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm of that size."
"But... What if it attacks us?"
"Fret not, Ruby; those Goliaths are not concerned with us. Ruby, 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 Grimm 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 we lack in strength, we make up for in will, and that killing one human will only bring more."
As he said this, one Goliath swiveled its thick neck to look at the figures watching their procession, eyes glowing as fiery red as any other Grimm.
"Then why are they still so close to the city? What are they doing," Ruby asked.
"Waiting," Oobleck said, as the Goliath turned back to follow its herd.
As they started walk back, Ruby said "Doctor Oobleck?"
"Hmm?"
"I was wondering..."
"Wondering why I've been interrogating your teammates all day?"
"A-Actually, I was wondering... Why did you want to become a Huntsman?"
"Look around and tell me what you see."
"Lots of old buildings, uh, empty streets," Ruby said, looking around.
"I see lives that could have been saved. As a Huntsman, it is my job to protect the people, and although I am capable of doing it with traditional weaponry, I believe I can make a much larger impact if I do it with my mind. As a teacher, I'm able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of them all, and place it in the hands of every student that passes through my classroom. I look at this wasteland, and I see lives that could have been saved, but I also see an opportunity; an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy, and therefore become stronger."
He looked at Ruby and said "I am a Huntsman, Ruby, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be." He walked towards the building, as Ruby followed.
Inside, the others did as they were told, building a fire in a secure room. As they stood around it, Yang said "I can't believe we didn't find anything..."
"We've always been fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time," Blake replied. "I guess we can't always have luck on our side."
"Well…there's always tomorrow," Legion said, scanning the room for weak points.
"That's not what I meant," Weiss said, off-topic.
"Huh?"
"Earlier, about... upholding the legacy. There's more to it than that."
"Yeah... No, me too. I mean... I don't know," Yang said, unsure.
"I don't know, either," Blake replied. "I know what I want to do, but I figured I'd always take things one step at a time."
"Well, it doesn't matter. We know why we're here. Right?"
"God, it sounds like I'm talking to Grif and Simmons," Legion said, as Oobleck and Ruby entered the building.
"Ah, wonderful; a textbook campfire," Oobleck said in excitement.
"Fire," Ruby exclaimed, sitting next to the fire, holding her hands out. "So…warm…"
"Very good," Oobleck continued. "Eat your dinners and hurry to bed. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow and we'll need you to take turns keeping watch over our temporary abode. Any volunteers for first watch?"
Ruby lifted her arm, answering "Yo."
She got up and past Yang, as the blonde asked "Hey, did Oobleck ask you why you wanted to be a Huntress? I mean... what did you tell him?"
"Hmm... No, he didn't. Weird. Oh, well; good night, guys!"
"Night Ruby," Legion said, as he sat near the wall, preparing for anything.
Yang was disappointed by her sister's answer, as Blake unrolled her mat. Weiss lied on her mat, but failed to sleep. Yang just ate her dinner, which were bread rolls, and lied on her mat. The three Huntresses just laid awake, as Zwei went up to Ruby, and whimpered by the howling of Beowolves.
"Don't worry," Ruby said, petting Zwei. "Things will be better tomorrow."
And so ends one of the final chapters of this RWB2Y story. Like I said in one of the earlier chapters, I will release the next chapter's stories once I finished them. Review please and I'll see you next time.