Chapter 3: Hunting the Dream
On the courtyard in front of Beacon academy.
Team RWBY and Ralhyn had somehow managed to avoid the other students who attended the prestigious battle school, as they silently made their way to the cliffs, to board the tenno's ship.
"Any idea where to start? I mean Oz wasn't throwing hints around like carnival candy.", asked Yang, earning looks of slight annoyance and sighs from Weiss and Blake, as well as a giggle from Ruby.
"Since the tomb, or vault, or anything other you could compare the reservoir to, gives of a certain type of energy signature. Finding it is not the difficult part of our little adventure, Yang.", replied Ralhyn nonchalantly, getting looks of curiosity from the girls.
"But wouldn't that mean that any type of sensor relay or station could pick up the signal and trace it back to the… reservoir was it?", questioned Weiss as they were about a hundred meters away from the edge of the cliffs and began to slow down a little.
"Technically, yes, but i highly doubt that your military has any instruments for the kind of energy that the reservoir radiates. And even if they have, the defensive systems should still be working. Would be a pretty bad idea to get to the reservoir without the lotus or at least one tenno present.", explained the female tenno, having the girls full attention.
"We're here. Karis you there?", asked Ralhyn.
The answer came in form of the Liset, as the tenno's ship was called, lowering its camouflage and landing in front of the small group.
"As you ordered, Operator. While you were away i scanned the different means of communication in the area. Some of the knowledge i gained might interest you.", stated the artificial voice of Karis.
"Very well, i will look into it once we are on our way to the reservoir.", added Ralhyn as Karis lowered the ramp of the Liset to let the group in.
The moment they all were inside the ship, Karis closed the ramp and turned on the lights inside.
Team RWBY stood there in awe. The sight that was revealed before them was breathtaking, to say the least.
To the left was a machine that looked like it was welding something from thin air, sparks flying off in the process.
On the right was, what appeared to be a printer or something (i don't know how else to describe the mod-storage).
In front of it was a metal dome, slid back revealing a cat like creature with big ears and a feathered tail, like a peacock.
Right behind the girls was a construct that appeared to be a wardrobe, as different silhouettes similar to Ralhyn's armor appeared in it.
The interior was mainly grey colored with dark blue linings and neon-green lights.
As the girls followed Ralhyn to the front another ramp lowered to reveal the cockpit that was dominated by a huge front window.
On the left was a console that looked like a digital index, with a screen floating over a desk like construct.
To the right was another desk like construct with a different screen that seemed to be a kind of browser or market, as some of the pictures had numbers with a silver symbol, which appeared to be a currency of sorts, next to it.
"You may want to sit down.", suggested Ralhyn looking over her shoulder to the girls.
"Karis, you have the coordinates for the reservoir, right?", she asked her cephalon.
"I have indeed, Operator.", commented the A.I. calmly.
"Then let´s not waste any more time and set the course.", ordered the tenno.
"Very well, Operator.", replied Karis.
The engines roared as Karis aligned the craft to their destination, giving the four huntresses in training goosebumps of slight excitement.
"I would love to have that kind of engine for my bike", said Yang, dreaming about the acceleration and speeds she could reach, causing her to shiver of sheer joy.
"I don't think your bike could handle this much power, young lady.", commented Karis, earning a glare from Yang.
"I will now accelerate, please sit down or hold onto something, young ladies.", stated Karis as the engines began to roar louder.
"Oh how baaaaa-", began Yang mockingly as she was interrupted from being thrown towards the back of the ship by the sudden increase in speed.
"Oh god, Yang are you alright?", screamed Ruby in shock and sorrow of her sister.
"Ouch… Yeah, i´m alright ,sis. Just surprised by the acceleration.", Ruby's older sister replied, laying flat on her back while holding her head in slight pain.
"Karis told us to hold onto something, that's what you get for not listening, Yang.", commented Blake with a teasing smirk.
"Yeah, yeah… i know, Blake.", replied Yang, walking back to the front.
"Estimated time of arrival: 1 hour 43 minutes and 13 seconds. I would recommend a void jump, Operator.", stated the cephalon awaiting Ralhyn's order.
"No, Karis. A void jump is too risky to do in close proximity to a city.", replied the tenno in a firm tone.
"Why's that Ral?", wondered Yang, earning a look of surprise and confusion, as far as one could tell from the tenno's emotionless face mask.
"Well, simply said a void jump rips apart the very plane of reality to lower traveling time to distant places, but messing with the very fabric of reality isn't exactly safe for the surroundings as it releases dangerous amounts of energy.", explained Ralhyn
"Also… Ral?", she asked in a questioning manner directed at Yang, the source of that nickname.
"What?... Don't tell me no one gave you a nickname before.", commented Yang at the wondering tenno.
"Well technically 'Ralhyn' is not my real name.", she replied receiving confused looks from the girls.
"Well since we have a bit of time, i might as well tell you a little about myself. So have a seat, this will probably take a while."
The girls followed Ralhyn's suggestion and sat down looking at the tenno in anticipation of the story to follow.
"Now where should i start?... Right, i never really explained to you who i am.", Ralhyn started.
"You are a tenno, at least that's what you told Ozpin and us.", said Weiss with the others nodding in agreement.
"Yes, but that is only who i am, not what i am, Weiss.", added Ralhyn confusing the girls even further.
Ralhyn explained to the girls that she was born to a race called Orokin.
She told them the history of their mighty empire, of the Sentients, designed to expand the Orokin empire, who turned against their creators.
She told them of the desperate war, the Orokin fought and were losing.
Of the attempts the empire took to turn the tide of battle.
And finally the accident which lead to the creation of the tenno.
This accident later turned out to be just another experiment of the Orokin.
"Wow, those guys sure are a bunch of dicks.", concluded Yang after Ralhyn ended her little history lesson.
"Yea but thanks to them we became more we could have ever hoped to achieve. And thanks to the Lotus me and my brethren became kind of a family.", commented the tenno, her thoughts drifting of to the other members of her clan, as well as the Lotus, her motherly guide and protector.
"Operator, we are closing in on our destination.", Karis stated as he snapped Ralhyn back from her daydream.
"Alright, girls get ready. We don't know what is waiting for us in that place.", Ruby ordered her team.
"Karis, engage void cloak. We don't want to get any unwanted attention.", Ralhyn ordered the cephalon.
"Activating void cloak.", responded Karis as the Liset became invisible for most forms of detection, except running into it.
"Operator, i'm detecting signs of life in close proximity.", stated the cephalon in a warning tone.
The tenno as well as team RWBY readied their weapons as they exited the liset, focused on what awaited them.
"Professor Ozpin, may i ask what was so important to call us out of class?", asked a tall blonde boy wearing jeans and a hooded sweater, light armor plates attached to the latter.
He was followed by three other students.
A boy with chin long, black hair, with a single pink streak in it, dressed in black pants and a green tailcoat.
Third was a girl with short orange hair, turquoise-green eyes, wearing a black west, a white sleeveless shirt, a heart formed cutout revealing some cleavage as well as a pink skirt.
Lastly was another girl, with long red hair and green eyes. She sported an armored bronze corset, a red cloth strapped around her hip, ends hanging down to her right as well as thigh-high bronze armored graves and fitting high-heels.
The four students were named Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie & Pyrrha Nikos.
"I'm glad you were able to find the time to come here.", began Ozpin.
"Now for the reason of this unfortunate interruption of your training. It is of utmost importance for me to have you locate, as well as retrieve, an object of sorts."
"Sir, may i ask what this object is, that it's that important?", wondered Jaune, a puzzled look at his headmaster's cryptic explanation.
"You may do so Mr. Arc. The object in question is said to be found somewhere in this area.", Ozpin stated pointing to a map with a red-circled area.
"Isn't this specific area highly infested with Grimm?", questioned Pyrrha in concern of her friends safety.
"That is correct Miss Nikos, unfortunately it is the object you will need to retrieve which is drawing the Grimms into the area in question. A bullhead is already being prepared for your team.", Ozpin responded sipping his coffee.
As the team turned to exit the headmaster's office, Ozpin remembered something.
"Ah, just one more thing before your departure. This could be of assistance in fulfilling your mission.", Ozpin said as he opened a drawer of his desk and pulled a cloth covered object, about the size of small sourcer. He walked over to Jaune and handed him the object.
"What am i supposed to do with it, sir?", asked the young huntsman in training.
"You will see when the time comes, Mr. Arc.", replied Ozpin, calmly taking another sip of his coffee, only to confuse Jaune even more confused than before.
"Come on Jaune, let's go.", said Pyrrha grabbing her leader's arm in a hurrying way.
"Please be careful, i'm looking forward to your return", Ozpin thought to himself as he watched team JNPR leave his office.
"Please return unharmed.", he said with sorrow and concern swinging in his voice.
So another chapter done. Hope you liked it. I don't know if i will be able to regularly post a new chapter, as sometimes (like this chapter) i rethink and therefore rewrite the whole chapter multiple times... stay tuned for more :D