Chapter 25: Purpose

Location: Outside of Vale, within the city ruins Year: Unknown

'Yang's POV...'

"Tell me, Yang, why did you choose this line of work?" Oobleck asked.

"Huh?" I replied as I turned to Oobleck.

Then I replied, "Well, to fight monsters and sav-"

Oobleck interrupted, "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."

I then answered, "The honest reason? I'm a thrill seeker. I wanna travel 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." Oobleck replied.

'Weiss' POV...'

"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?" Oobleck asked.

I answered, "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."

Oobleck replied, "Interesting."

'Blake's POV...'

"What about you, Blake? You seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose." Oobleck asked.

I answered, "There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing. Inequality, corruption, someone has to stop it."

"Very well, how?" Oobleck asked.

I started to hesitate, "I... uh."

"Hmm." Oobleck replied.

'Edward's POV...'

It has been hours and we non-stop killing waves of Grimm. I noticed that Oobleck asked each of the girls, aside from Ruby, questions on why they joined to become a Huntsman or Huntress.

Then Oobleck came up to me and Ralphie, and asked, "So, why did you join up to become a Huntsman, Edward? What is it that you're trying to accomplish here?"

I simply answered, "I joined up to become a Huntsman because I feel like it's my responsibility to protect the innocent. I joined up to help them, Doc."

"Oh, why do you feel like it's YOUR responsibility?" Oobleck asked me.

"Back where I'm from, there was no justice, no laws. There were only survivors. There are a few, like myself, that are vigilantes who risk their own lives to protect them, and end up dying later on. I'm not trying to prove anything, I'm only doing what I believe is the right thing to do, nothing more, nothing less. That's all." I answered.

He nodded and replied, "Very well! You have a noble goal, so keep at it then, but what about him?" as he points to Ralphie.

"He's just along for the ride, Doc. He will follow me to Hell and back." I answered, along with Ralphie beeping with agreement.

"Hmm, very well." Oobleck replied and took off.

Me and Ralphie looked at each other and I shrugged. Then I went over to Ruby, who was playing with Zwei with... is that a cooked chicken?

I asked out, "Ruby, where the hell did you get that cooked chicken from?"

Ruby thought for a moment and replied, "I... don't know, actually."

Then we noticed Dr. Oobleck standing there, and Ruby immediately put away her weapon and the cooked chicken, and replied, "Sorry! Uhh, are we ready to keep going?"

"No, I believe that will have to do for today. It's going to be dark soon." Oobleck said as he threw his bedroll.

Then Oobleck ordered Yang, Weiss, and Blake, "You three, set up camp in that building. Oh, and please do make sure that there are no more of those creatures."

Then he turned to them and continued, "Your leader, your mentor, and I are going to secure the perimeter."

Then he began to walk away, "Come on Ruby and Edward."

With that, Me and Ruby followed Dr. Oobleck, then we saw more giant-ass Grimm in the distance. These Grimm were known as Goliaths, which are elephant-like creatures.

I heard Ruby replying with a whisper, "Whoooaaa."

Then Ruby asked, "What is that? It looks awesome!

"They're Goliaths, Ruby. They're Grimm." I answered as I switched from my Thompson to my Anti-Material Rifle, and cocked it.

Ralphie beeped in awe in response.

Then Ruby pulls out her Cresent Rose and replied, "Let's kill it." as she cocks it.

Then Oobleck stated, "I'm afraid your sniper rifles will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm of that size."

Ruby asks, "But, what if it attacks us?"

Then Oobleck answeres, "Fret not, those Goliaths are not concerned with us."

Then Oobleck turned to us and continued, "You see, 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've 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."

I then asked oobleck, "So, why are they so close to the city?"

Ruby followed up, "Yeah, what are they doing?"

Oobleck answered, "Waiting."

Then Oobleck walks away from us and Ruby asks, "Dr. Oobleck?"

"Hmm."

"I was wondering-" Ruby began to ask but Oobleck interrupts...

"Wondering why I've been interrogating your teammates and your mentor, Edward, all day?"

"A-actually, I was wondering... why did you want to become a Huntsman?" Ruby asked.

"Touche." I replied.

Oobleck answers, "Look around and tell me what you see."

"Lots of old buildings, uhh, empty streets..." Ruby answered.

"I see lives that could've been saved. As a Huntsman, it is my job to protect the people, and although, I am capable of doing it traditional weaponry, I believe I can make a much larger impact if I do it with my mind. As a teacher, I am able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of all, and place it into the hands of every student that passes through my classroom. I look at this wasteland and I see lives that could've been saved. But I also see an opportunity; an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy, and therefore, become stronger. I am a Huntsman, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be." After he explained, he walked away.

To be Continued...