Chapter 1 - Extra Credit
The city of Mountain Glenn was the same as it had been for years; empty and boring. Cars sat motionless in the middle of the street, buildings were keeled over and crumbling, the doors and windows to nearly every home had been smash or shattered, and even the town square, which might have looked pretty at one point, was nothing but a patch of overgrown grass with all the imported trees having withered away from neglect. Nothing about the place was pleasant. It was unsettling. For all intents and purposes, it was a mass grave. Which was an idea that took on more prominence when one's gaze fell upon all the blood stains that had soaked into the concrete.
It was hard to distinguish from all the other splotches of mysterious fluid that coated the street, but there were obvious signs of struggle. Struggles that seemed to be ended in vain. Thankfully, their bodies had either been cleared away by weather and time, or… dealt with by some creature, as there were no remains to be seen. Which was probably a good thing.
The creatures of Grimm were not beings of honor or valor, and had very little reason to show mercy to anything, or anyone, in their way. It pained the mind just to imagine the savagery. If the shredded vehicles lining the edge of the sidewalks were anything to go by, then it was in everybody's best interest if their handiwork was kept out of sight and out of mind. It was maddening enough to be standing in what was, in essence, a tomb. And after coming to this thought, the four young girls who now stood in the ruined city of Mountain Glenn started having second thoughts.
As the Bullhead took off behind them it kicked up large plumes of dust that assaulted the senses, as if the very decay of the city was trying to spite them. It buffeted against the group with an a almost sinister force. With burning eyes and coarse throats, the girls retreated to cover in one of the more intact buildings. It had the merit of still having a roof, but even that seemed questionable as large metal beams had crashed into it from above, their origin being a hundred stories higher in one of the old skyscrapers.
The holes let in dull, mid-morning light that illuminated even more dust inside what had once been a very upscale diner. Old, tattered couches were overturned and emptied of their stuffing, priceless paintings were shredded and scattered across the molding carpet, and the faint scent of rotting food still wafted from the kitchen. Even in its disheveled state, it was possible to imagine the place being full and lively with meals at every table and smiles on everyone's faces. But now, it was a mess of shattered glasses and splintered wood. It was a shadow casted by time; one that told of a happier, more peaceful place.
"Ugh, this place is a mess!" Weiss cried, nearly tripping over the remains of the front counter as she coughed and wheezed. Though an heiress of Schnee industries, she was better known by her haughty attitude, refined tastes and cold personality. She had not earned the moniker of "Ice Queen" solely from her appearance, though her outfit did seem better suited for a ballroom than a battlefield. However, her stay at Beacon Academy had given her time to improve her social skills and learned to better communicate with her team. Her combat prowess was unquestionable, but her stubborn nature often got the better of her.
"I dunno, it's got kind of a… rustic feel!" Following behind her was Yang Xio Long, who stood in stark contrast to Weiss's more royal appearance. Yang was much more… relaxed. Her outfit left less to the imagination, which granted her more flexibility in combat. That was important for a girl who spent most of her time jumping, rolling, sliding, punching, dodging, kicking, punching, running and punching. It suited her just fine, and she didn't mind all the attention it brought to her, either. It wasn't egotism that drove her, but rather a search for fun and adventure. If it was dangerous, she would happily oblige. If it was perilous, she would be the first to volunteer. Though, she got herself into enough trouble with her smart mouth and quick temper.
"At least it's easy to defend." The next voice belonged to Blake, though it was spoken so softly that it was almost drowned out when the sound of a support beam giving way echoed from somewhere in the back. Thankfully, and somewhat miraculously, the building still held. Blake was yet another stand-out, but moreso in the fact that she, well... didn't stand out at all. Much about blake was quiet and reserved with even her outfit being a monochrome collab of white and black, all topped off with a little bow. A little bow that held a big secret. Blake was a Faunus. A cat Faunus at that, with everything that came with it. Prejudice against those with animal features was not new in Remnant, but it had become a more prominent topic with the recent rise of the White Fang. As a result, Blake decided to keep her secret hidden and usually kept to herself.
"I'm with Weiss on this one. Maybe we can find a place with beds… or at least a place with less splinters." Though optimistic, Ruby's voice was tinged with obvious doubt. Her childlike innocence seemed to somehow be intact despite the fact that she stood in the ruins of a dead city. Though she was the leader of team RWBY, the eponymous little girl had skipped two years of her schooling to join her sister, Yang, at the prestigious academy to further her Huntress training. As a result, she didn't have nearly the same experience as the others in her group but was by no means a pushover in battle. At first glance, though, her red hood and black combat skirt weren't very menacing. She had been put in charge for a reason, even if she herself didn't know it, and she did her very best to lead her team towards victory.
The four were surprised by the voice of a fifth, whom they had forgotten about during their survey. "Yes, I'm afraid Mountain Glenn has seen better days. Truly, a promising attempt to expand the kingdom that fell victim to the creatures of Grimm before it could fully realize its dream. A sad fate for such a venture, BUT! We cannot dwell on the past. We've got a job to do!"
"And what, exactly, is that job again?" Weiss asked, carefully stepping over a caved in cash register. The rest of them turned to face Professor Oobleck and saw their last means of transportation fading into the distance behind the spectacled, green-haired, caffeine-crazed mentor. Already the twin turbines of the craft had merged to become a single smudge of metallic gray on the horizon.
"Ah! I'm so glad you asked! As you know, it's important for prospective Hunters and Huntresses to learn from those that came before them so that they may better understand how to achieve that very qtitle. Which is precisely why the four of you are accompanying me on this expedition! Our goal is to locate the source of Grimm in this area and discover what's causing them to become more active. With my knowledge and your combat prowess, it should be a cinch. I suspect it will take us about three days to finish our mission."
Weiss felt her eyes widen. "Three days?!"
Oobleck rubbed his chin, thinking deeply. "Hmm, you're right, that's not accurate. More like… four or five days."
A collective groan came from the girls.
"Yes, yes, I know. I'd love to stay here longer as well. Why, It'd be incredible to spend a good month or two just surveying these old buildings…"
Ruby scratched at her head nervously. "Yeah, except I don't think I like the idea of hanging around with all the monsters."
The truth of the matter was that Ruby and her teammates were not there for a simple school project, or to excavate long, forgotten ruins. At least, not primarily. Something strange was happening in the world of Remnant; a very real threat to the students of Beacon Academy, and the citizens of Vale. Several battles had already taken place between team RWBY and this shadowy organization, but they had been sudden, awkward, and over almost in a flash. A battle at the docks, an encounter at an evening ball, an all-out fight under the highway... They were no closer to their answer no matter how many battles they won.
It's easy to forget that Ruby and her friends were just kids; kids going through intensive training to become true Hunters and Huntresses. Sure, at night they were kicking butt and taking down entire underground operations, but during the day there were still students. Students that had to wake up, go to class, eat lunch, mingle with friends and work on homework. It's an almost funny juxtaposition to see the four of them taking on military grade weaponry only for them to go back to their dorms to finish their assignments and study.
Blake had been a key factor very early on in their search for answers as they blindly grasped at straws, hoping one would lead them down the right path. Blake was a Faunus. Prejudice of her kind were not isolated to spiteful school bullies or snickering gossipers; they were outcast by many societies, forced to work in labor camps without compensation, and even outright banned from certain shops and restaurants. They were seen as lesser creatures. As a threat. So they revolted.
The White Fang. It's name alone will cause faces to turn away and voices to lower into a quiet hush. When diplomacy failed to give the Faunus the rights they deserved, the White Fang rose up as a voice for the oppressed to give them hope of a better future. It started out as a force for good, but is now associated with thieves, vagabonds and criminals. Some even call them terrorists. And Blake had been a part of them. However, it was the shift from peaceful protest and quiet occupation to full out violence and destruction of property that forced her to reevaluate herself and her morales. It was only then that she ran away from the group and joined Beacon Academy to fight for a more noble cause.
It was her knowledge of the White Fang that helped the team uncover a sinister plot that strayed away from Human and Faunus rights, and instead to global domination. The White Fang were not in control here. A puppet master hid behind the strings, manipulating events all across Vale and Remnant itself until everything was perfectly in place. Team RWBY had to undo it all, they had to find the source and cut off its flow. But where to start?
As luck would have it, they found their exact answer in the form of a school-mandated expedition to the ruins of Mountain Glenn. Their mission was simple: find the source of the agitated Grimm. With all the information team RWBY had gathered thus far, all evidence pointed to the decrepit old city housing some great piece of the puzzle, if only they could find it.
And so, here they were; four young girls on a quest for justice in between classes.
- - - - - - -
"Right! Our first order of operations is to establish a base camp!"
"But what about here?" Blake asked, gesturing around to the building they were already occupying.
"No, I'm afraid this location is far too close to ground level, and with too many point of entry. It would lead us vulnerable to a surprise attack, by Grimm or whatever else might be here. We'll need the set up camp in one of the higher levels so that we can have a better view of the city. Preferably somewhere with sturdy walls." Oobleck took a long sip of his coffee before starting his search, the girls in tow.
There wasn't much of Mountain Glenn that could be described as "sturdy". Most of the taller towers had collapsed onto their sides, crushing smaller shops in a deadly shower of concrete and steel. The few buildings that were intact were deeper into the heart of the city, behind walls of rubble and broken glass. They trudged deeper into a dead and decaying city where even the smallest traces of life were smothered by the ruins of the past. Not even nature seemed capable of reclaiming the city beyond its outermost zones. The vines and weeds were completely absent here. The trees were bare, wooden skeletons unable to bear any life. Nothing could survive here.
They spent hours traversing the city, moving from cover to cover when they heard the sounds of feral
"What about there?" Weiss pointed to the remain of a six-story business building rising out of a wall of rubble. The structures around it had given out years ago, and permitted a great view of the city for miles around. The company logo hung precariously off the side of the tower, but could still be read as "Hubris Comics". It was as good a place as any, and it meant the group could stop and take a rest.
As the girls approached, Ruby felt a strange sensation rising up her back. Like someone, or something, was watching her. She shuddered and rubbed the back of her neck, looking around quickly.
"What's up, sis?" Yang looked back with a smile. "Hear something?"
"No, I just… it's nothing. Don't worry about it" She returned the smile and started moving forward until another shudder ran from her head to her toes. Night was falling upon the city, and with it came a chilling wind that made her shiver. It whipped past them, with stray leaves and dust being picked up in the gale and transported elsewhere into the city.
Professor Oobleck spoke over the wind. "This will have to do. Alright girls, stay close! We don't know what lurks within these ruins. We may have been lucky enough not to encounter any large packs of Grimm, but there are other threats out here that we must be wary of!"
Threats like the White Fang.