Chapter 24: Old Friend

Location: Beacon Academy, Vale Year: Unknown

We stood there, in shock, as we saw that Professor Oobleck was the Huntsman that we had to go with.

Weiss said in shock, "Professor Oobleck?"

"Yes, I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary, girls. Like Edward here, for example." Oobleck stated.

"Heh, thanks to the Pipboy, might I add." I grinned.

"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 traversing several miles of hazardous wasteland, and making camp in any inhabitable locations we may stumble upon. I've packed all our essentials myself provided in the air course and readied the airship. And! It's Dr. Oobleck. I didn't earn a PhD for fun, thank you very much." Oobleck stated.

"Uhh..." Weiss replied as she was confused.

Then Oobleck said, "Come now children, according to my schedule, we are already 3 minutes behind schedule." and then zoomed to the VTOL.

I gave a long sigh before I said to team RWBY, "Well, I guess you will learn on what it's like to travel like I did."

Ruby tried to sound enthusiastic, "Well, alright then looks like we're going to save the world with Dr. Oobleck... okay, yeah, when you say it out loud, it sounds worse."

"Save the world?!" Nora's voice came out of nowhere.

We turned to Team JNPR as Nora continued, "You're going on world-saving missions without us?! I'm hurt and sad! Maybe a little hungry? That last one's not my fault, though, Ren!"

Ren crossed his arms in response and Jaune asks, "Sounds exciting, where are ya going?"

Ruby replied, "Oh, just outside the kingdom."

Nora replied, "Hey! So are we."

Pyrrha added, "Ren and Nora wanted to shadow a sheriff of a nearby village."

Ren said, "We set out tomorrow."

Then Neptune and sun cut in, "Then you can party with us tonight. We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner-city detective stuff. We get junior badges."

I replied, "Yeah, good for you, guys, but we're going with Dr. Oobleck, unfortunately, and we're heading out now to kill a shit-load of Grimm in the city ruins, southeast of here."

Then from the distance, Oobleck shouted, "Four minutes, ladies and gentleman!"

Then the awkward silence came, and Ruby finally spoke, "Well, uh, wish us luck."

Then we headed towards the VTOL and boarded. As we flew off, Yang asked me, "Have you ever rode anything like this before, Eddie?"

I answered, "A few times, yeah. Back in the Wasteland, we had these VTOLs known as Vertibirds. They're like this thing, except it had propellers instead of jets."

Then Yang turned to Oobleck and 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 tussels." Oobleck answered.

Ruby asked, "Like the mushroom?"

Blake replied, "Those are truffles."

Then Ruby asked, "Like the sprout?"

Yang replied, "Those are brussels"

The Oobleck continued, "Besides, given my expertise in the field of history, as well as my dabblings in the art of archaeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw it fit to assign me to this particular assignment."

Weiss asked, "What does history have to do with this?"

I answered, "Everything, Weiss. History is always involved, from certain events to sites like the city ruins. It is written so that we won't repeat the same thing again. Like life itself, for example. If you do something and goes wrong, then life teaches you that you shouldn't do it again and/or do it differently. History's very important, Weiss. It tells us our purpose is by the ones from before, giving us the knowledge that we have today."

Oobleck followed, "Indeed, Mr. Vaughn! It is the backbone of our very society. And the liver! And the kidneys if I were to wager."

Then Weiss asked, "And that means...?"

Oobleck answered, "The southeast 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."

Ruby replied, "Mountain Glenn."

Yang followed, "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."

Oobleck replied, "Correct! And now it stands abandoned, as a dark reminder."

Blake added, "And a likely place for a hideout."

I also added, "Like for the White Fang, for example."

Oobleck answered, "Precisely."

We then arrived at the city ruins and the VTOL began to hover as it lowers to the ground. We dropped down from it and the VTOL flew off. I had my .45 Auto Submachine Gun out while the rest had their weapons out, aside from Oobleck.

We looked around and saw that the city was in ruins, and I commented, "Huh, reminds me back home."

Then Oobleck said, "Ladies and gentleman, you still may be students, but as of this moment, your first mission as a Huntress and Huntsman has begun. From this point forward, you need to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"

We all nodded, but then we heard music playing, which is familiar to me.

Yang asks out, "Was that music?"

I answered, "Yeah, and I think I know who it could be."

Weiss asks, "Who?"

Then I began to run towards the direction of the noise, followed by laser shots. Ruby shouted out to me, "Edward, Wait?!"

As I turned around the corner, I saw a couple piles of ash and a familiar robot. An Enclave Eyebot, but very familiar. As team RWBY caught up, they noticed this and Yang asked me, "Should I kill it?"

I immediately answered, "No!"

The Eyebot noticed us and flew towards us, then it played a part of a song, "Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away."

Then it said, "RALPHIE! FLY FAR! FLY FAST!" and began to beep at us.

"Wait, Ralphie!? Is that you?!" I asked.

I began to beep happily and nudges at me.

Ruby shouted, "Ralphie?! You mean the Eyebot you're friends with, but died?!"

"The same!" I answered.

Blake asked, "Ralphie?"

I answered, "Yeah, he used to travel with me for a short while when I traveled throughout the Divide. I thought he was dead since he blew up, but he's here."

Then Weiss asks, "So, how did it get here?"

"Not it, He, Weiss. As to how he got here, I have no clue, but I don't care." I answered.

Again, Ralphie beep happily and Ruby went, "Awe, he's so cute!"

I chuckled and noticed Ralphie happily nudging towards Ruby. I said, "It looks like he likes you, Rubes."

Then Oobleck caught up and asked, "What's gotten into-"

He stopped as he saw Ralphie. I began, "This here is Ralphie, Doc. He's a close friend of mine."

Then Oobleck replied, "Outstanding! Now we have robot to watch over as we camp out and to alert us."

Then Oobleck said, "Ruby! I thought I told you to leave all your bags at school."

But Ruby intercepted, "But, uh you hadn't told us to listen to you yet... so I didn't."

Ralphie beeped questionably at Ruby's response and I face-palmed myself.

Then Oobleck replies, "She's not wrong. Very well, Ruby. Leave your bag here. we can pick it up upon our return."

Ruby began to stutter, "But I-whaa-"

Then Oobleck asks, "Young lady, what in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important for you to bring it-"

But then Oobleck paused as Zwei popped out of the bag. Ralphie beeped in confusion as I asked Ruby, "You brought Zwei?!"

As we all stood there in silence, Ruby whispers to Zwei, "Get back in the bag."

Oobleck began, "We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle, teeming with death and hostility, and you brought, a dog?"

Ralphie beeped in fear as I thought to myself, 'Oh shit.'

Ruby began, "I-uhh...!"

Then Oobleck yelled out, "Genius!"

Then Oobleck grabbed Zwei and began, "Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and heightened sense of sound."

Ruby said, "I'm a genius."

Ralphie beeped in disapproval as I muttered, "Oh, Ruby."

Then Blake asked out, "So, what are your orders, doctor?"

"Ah! Yes! Straight to the chase, I like it!" Oobleck responded as he dropped Zwei.

Oobleck continued, "As you have been informed, the Southeast area has been marked as a recent hotspot for Grimm activity."

Ralphie beeped questionably towards me, and I replied, "It was those things you killed earlier, Ralph."

Ralphie beeped as he understood me.

"Now, there are several possible explanations for this behavior. One of which being, Grimm." Oobleck concluded.

"Uhh, what?" Ruby asked.

"Grimm, a creature of Grimm, approximately 100 yards from us this very moment." Oobleck stated.

We immediately turned, aiming my gun asking, "Wait, where?!"

We just saw one lone Beowolf crossing by. All of us had our weapons drawn, but Oobleck said to us, "Stop."

Blake replied, "Huh?"

"There are a number of reasons why Grimm would congregate in this particular area. Those most likely of which would be their attraction to negativity. Sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred, all qualities that are likely held by our hidden group harboring ill intent." Oobleck stated.

Then I concluded, "Then that means that the White Fang must be around here."

Then Ruby asks, "So, what now?"

"We wait, we track, if the specimen leads us to its pack, that pack may subsequently lead us to our prey."

Yang asks, "How long do we wait?"

"It's uncertain. Hours, days, weeks, why lone Grimm have been known to stand isolated from the pack for months-and there's the whole pack." Oobleck said.

"Huh?" I responded as I looked back at the lone Grimm, whose now with its pack.

Weiss asked out loud, "What?"

I turned to her and said, "Weiss, be quiet."

"And now they've seen us." Oobleck added.

"What?!" Weiss asked again, but louder.

Oobleck repeated, but louder, "And now they've seen us!"

Then Ruby said, "I take it tracking is out of the question."

Oobleck replied, "An accurate assumption, yes."

Then the pack charged at us, and I yelled, "Oh, son of a gun!"

Yang asked out, "What's the plan, then?"

I answered out, "Open fire, that's what!"

I immediately opened fire, along with team RWBY and Ralphie at my side.

After half an hour later, we finished off the last of the pack.

Ruby stated, "Heh, piece of cake."

"Do not celebrate yet, for I am certain this is the first bout of many. Shall we continue?" Oobleck responded.

To be Continued...