The alabaster sun slowly rose above the horizon and the sounds of birds gently awakened the trio of girls who had been slumbering soundly dreaming of the adventure they were about to go on. Blake rose first, got dressed, tied her bow and left to brush her teeth, leaving Weiss and Ruby alone.
"Weiss? You up?" Asked Ruby quietly, laying on her bed looking at the ceiling.
"Yeah, I suppose, what'd you need Ruby?" Weiss asked back as she rolled out of bed.
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing, I'm worried about Yang but I know this place is really dangerous where we'll be going? And knowing Yang she'll probably be really mad at me for doing something dangerous, even if it is to help her." She responded, rolling onto her stomach and resting her face in a pillow.
Weiss wanted to say that wasn't true, but she knew she couldn't deny that. Was what they were about to do the right plan of action? It didn't matter to Weiss, and Weiss was sure it didn't matter to Ruby. As long as there was a chance for Yang to get her arm back to normal, they all knew what they had to do. Weiss stood up and looked at Ruby and nudged her to get up. Together they got dressed and proceeded out the door to brush their teeth as Blake was coming back. After they were finished they headed back to the room and grabbed the gear they had packed last night.
"Okay, we should head to the place where we met Oobleck the last time when we went to hunt Grimm." Said Ruby, ready to depart. Blake, Ruby and Weiss all silently to the departure zone, and as expected Oobleck was already there with Zwei.
"Girls, I'm glad you made it! All right where to, we're already quite late at departing by at least," Oobleck looks at his watch, "fourteen and a half seconds." He said in a matter of fact type of tone.
"Roof." Barked Zwei. Staring absently forward in his lovable way.
"Professor Oobleck, we need to get to the swamp in…" Started Ruby, however Oobleck cut her off.
"Ah, the Minstrel swamp? Speak no more, we're off!" He said, speeding into the transport they would be using. "Girls, I needn't remind you we are still twenty-three seconds late do I?" Asked Oobleck as he peeked his head out of the aft boarding bay.
The three girls entered the transport and were off. Oobleck was standing by the opened door in the back hanging onto a looped leather cord for support and so he would fall out. Zwei laid in Weiss' lap snoozing comfortably. Ruby was near the front of the transport sprawled out in a heap taking up three of the seats. And lastly Blake was sitting, hunched in the middle seat of the transport against the wall.
Why was he here, what does he have to gain from this. It doesn't make sense! Adam, you used to be so sincere but why'd it come to this. Why Adam! If it wasn't for me being so weak, Yang wouldn't have been hurt like she was. Blake felt where she was impaled by Adam's sword. It was healed, but it had left a nasty scar on her midriff. Adam. I will get my revenge Adam just you wait. An eye for an eye, I left so I wouldn't see the people I cared about getting hurt. Now you hurt one of the people I care most about. I'll find him. I know I will. Thought Blake.
They were in the air for quite a few hours, if someone were to guess, it'd be about several hours. When they finally arrived it was dusk and work to be done.
Oobleck was the first out, the girls followed him down, dropping the thirty or so feet to the ground. Zwei was last, jumping like a little cotton ball caught in a strong wind, and landed on top of Blake's head.
"Ah! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Cried Blake running in a circle as Zwei rolled off. She kept running for a few more moments much to Ruby's amusement and much to Blake's own chagrin. Weiss was fawning over Zwei to make sure he was fine.
"Alright Ruby, which way! I see… an uncountable number of paths, because there are none. So hiking we go!" Oobleck said as he went off into the woods.
"Is he going to be okay?" Asked Ruby.
"I'm sure he'll realize that he doesn't know where he is going soon enough and be back here any moment." Weiss responded.
Zwei growled behind the three girls, facing the tree line.
"Zwei? What is it?" Asked Ruby.
Suddenly a beowolf poked its head through the foliage, then another, and another. Soon there were fifteen beowolves were stalking towards them.
"Bad news ladies, I don't know where… Oh, I see we have a problem. You'd best get to it." Oobleck said returning rather speedily.
Weiss turned to him, "You could help to you know." She said haughtily.
"But that would ruin your adventure!" He replied cheerily, sipping some coffee.
No sooner had he said this then the beowolves attacked.
The small clearing they were in was chaos, feral snarls and gunfire were the only things that anyone could hear. Zwei was sitting by Oobleck watching the fight, whenever a Grimm got close he waddled up to it playing and attacking at the same time.
Ruby launched three shots into the largest of the beowolves, taking off one of its arms and leaving a massive hole in its chest. With the first one down the battle royal began. The chaos was beautiful, the orchestra of feral snarls and gunshots resounded through the forest with such brilliance that it must have been considered a masterpiece.
Weiss dodged a slash from one of the beowolves and parried another, lancing a third beowolf through its heart, and slicing through the first two easily. Blake took a rake of a beowolf's claws across her back, her aura wasn't broken, however the hit hurt. She seemed distracted, however she soon regained control of her own little fight. Her pistols made short work of the offender and she cut down the rest, while still managing to choke another with the ribbons that were attached to her pistol knives.
Oobleck was simply observing a rhododendron that was growing near the forest line.
The battle lasted no longer than three or so minutes. The last of the beowolves scattering back from whence they came.
"Well, that was fun." Said Weiss, sarcastically.
"Blake! Are you okay? I saw you take a hit." Ruby cooed plaintively.
"I'm fine, it was a stupid mistake. Where do we go now Ruby? I'd rather get moving before more show up." Blake replied, her voice heavy and contemplative.
"Ah yes, good question! Where do we go next from here? However, where is here really? It is a swamp in Minstrel, it is a clearing in the swamp, but where is here on the map? So the best course of action is to figure out where we go from here, which is to say nowhere!" Oobleck chimed in, contributing little to figure out where to go next.
Ruby coughed, everyone turned their attention to her. "The first place we need to find is a large rock shaped like fire." She said, not quite confidently, however it was not said timidly either. "Shall we go then?"