Well, it's about time I updated this. It has been WAAAY too long.
Anyway, I'm at PAX Aus for the weekend, and I'm already into Day 2. Loving it so far.
Chapter 37: Questions and Answers
En route back to our dorm, Ruby was in the middle of explaining what had happened since last night, when I was drugged.
"...so Yang told me about how you disappeared after a couple of dances with her to get some air. When you didn't come back, she asked me to go look for you, because she had to watch over the dance. When I left the ballroom, I saw two people talking on a roof across the way, and I decided to follow them. When I saw the unconscious guard, I called my locker, and went inside." She explained. I nodded, my mind focused elsewhere.
"Uh-huh."
"When I saw the guards, I checked the elevator, and decided to head up to it's destination: the communication hub. When I got there, some lady in a stealth suit and mask attacked me. She used Dust weaved into her clothing: swords, and a bow and arrow made of glass."
"Yep."
"You doing okay?"
I looked up.
"What? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just..."
"Thinking about that queen calls the knight thing?" Ruby asked. I hesitated, before nodding.
"Well, yeah. If that chemical cocktail is still in my system, then who's to say that this won't happen again? If we face whoever drugged me, and they turn me against you..." I sighed.
"That won't happen." Ruby stated, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. I just looked at her.
"Are you sure?" I asked. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, before closing it, doubt now becoming apparent on her face, as she took her hand away, and walked ahead. I hung my head despondently. No doubt everyone would lose trust in me for this. No matter what anyone would believe, that was me at the CCT. It wouldn't matter in the least if I was or wasn't acting on my own volition. I was there, and no one else saw the intruder Ruby had seen.
"Hey, boy toy!"
Great. Just when things couldn't get any worse. Cardin swaggered up behind me, his rough, meaty hand slapping onto my shoulder.
"Heard about what happened last night. You have a good night with your girl?" He grinned. I looked up at him.
"What do you want, Winchester?" I sneered. Cardin held up his hands defensively.
"Whoa, calm down, boy toy. Just trying to make conversa-urk!"
He didn't finish, as I whirled around, and swiped my leg at his knees, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Before he could get up, I was on my back, my legs wrapped around his arm, one on his chest, one on his neck. Gripping his wrist, I began to lift my back, bending his arm at an awkward angle. A classic arm bar, much like one jujitsu fighters would utilize to pin their opponents.
"Waitwaitwait! I don't wanna fight you!" He pleaded. I just scoffed, and continued to lift.
"Listen closely, Winchester. I've had a long night and a rough morning, and I don't need you making it worse. So give me one good reason why I shouldn't break your arm right now." I growled, already feeling his arm lock up. Cardin just looked at me.
"Looklooklook, Yang talked to you, right? About us? Burying the hatchet?" He gibbered in a panic. I paused, and looked at him.
His eyes told the truth.
I sighed, and released him. In an instant, Cardin rolled over, cradling his wrist. Rolling backwards onto my feet, I looked at him angrily.
"You have thirty seconds, so my advice? Make it quick, or I'll break your legs again." I snarled. Cardin looked up at me, and got to his feet, his stance towering over me by a full head, but failing to intimidate me. But instead of his smug sneer, his face was showing sympathy and remorse.
"Look, I'm sorry I told Yang to try and dump you, honest. I thought, maybe... you and Yang... you two weren't..."
"Clock's ticking, Winchester." I grimaced. He just sighed.
"Look, my dad beat it into me that if I wanted to be strong, I had to do what was necessary to be the strongest. Including dirty tricks. Like-"
"Turning Yang against me, and making her be your maid? Look where that got you." I interrupted. He nodded, looking down at his knees.
"Yeah, covered in Rapier Wasp stings, broken kneecaps and a bruised ego, don't remind me. Anyway, after little miss Perfect Pyrrha walloped us in Goodwitch's combat class, Yang came and talked to me and the boys. Said that we should try to bury the hatchet between us." Cardin explained. I folded my arms with a scowl, as Cardin refused to meet my eyes.
"And how do you propose we do that?" I drawled. Already, I was beginning to grow exhausted with this conversation. If Cardin had some kind of malicious ulterior motive, then I'd do a lot worse to him than break a bone.
"You know that the teams have to go on a mission sometime soon? Well, me and the boys were thinking about heading out to a nightclub in town, get some drinks, blow off some steam. You wanna join us?"
I blinked. Cardin, all time arrogant, cowardly douche, wanted to invite me clubbing? Who was this person in front of me?
"No tricks, no traps, no pranks. We're not gonna strip you naked and leave you in a back alley somewhere. Just good, clean, wholesome fun. B-but if you don't wanna come, then I'm not gonna force you. It's just... I don't want to fight to prove my point anymore." He finished. Unfolding my arms, I sighed.
"Ugh, fine. But if this is another ploy-"
"It's not, I swear. Hunter's honour." Cardin stated, holding out his hand. I took it, and shook firmly, unprepared for the fact that he wasn't performing any attempt to crush my fingers.
"Great. So, a trip for six." He smiled. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Seeing the look on my face, he must have decided to explain.
"Jauney boy, too."
And with that quick clarification, he did an about face, and sauntered away. I watched him go, still suspicious of him.
Quickly catching up to Ruby, she had almost reached the dorm room. Apparently, she had decided to wait for me.
"So, what did that big, dumb, doodoo head want from you? He still ragging on to you?" Ruby's first question nearly made me laugh. A fifteen year old combat ready clone of Red Riding Hood, who wielded a scythe far taller than me, using the word 'doodoo head' as an insult was hilariously awkward. Stifling a snigger, I told her what had happened.
"Huh. You gonna go?" she asked. I hesitated, before nodding.
"Alright. Still, be careful." She chided, before opening the door, revealing the clustered faces of Weiss, Yang, and Blake.
"What happened?!" Yang asked. As they frogmarched us in, Ruby began to explain the events of last night, while I put in what little I knew about the incident.
"...and so, I didn't get a good look at who it was, but she did seem like the woman I fought with Professor Goodwitch that night Torchwick tried to rob the Dust store. Either way, I never saw anyone else." She concluded.
"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't anybody else." Weiss interjected, giving me a harsh glare. I just looked at all four girls.
"Don't try to accuse me of anything. I was drugged. Like on the street when you first met Penny." I explained. Ruby nodded.
"Yeah. Apparently, it was a mind control drug. Darrel may have been there, but he wasn't acting of his own accord."
"Like a puppet." Blake breathed. Yang just put a hand on my shoulder.
"Well, we can't really blame you if some potion was making you act all weird. I'm sure everything will be alright, you two." She smiled. I just looked to her, and forced a grin, unsure if I should voice my doubts that I had explained to Ruby. Thankfully, Ruby interrupted my train of thought, as she dashed past me to pick up a cardboard mail tube.
"Hey, what's this?" She asked. Yang took it from her.
"I dunno, yet. Dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together." She answered. Ruby squealed incomprehensibly, before dashing over onto Yang's back, waving her arms at the cylindrical package. With a heavy shake, Yang forced the tube open, and something small, dark, and cylindrical tumbled out. At first glance, it appeared to be... actually, it didn't appear to be anything resembling something I knew of. It twitched, shook, and unfolded into...
We all leaned in to get a better look at the object. It was...
a dog?
"Arf! Arf!"
"Ahhhhh!" Ruby and Yang squealed.
"Ahhhhh!" Weiss cried out, startled by the small canine.
"Ahhhhh!" Blake screamed, jumping back in fear from the little pooch.
I didn't react. Every action was taken already. No point joining in the screaming fest.
"ZWEI!" Ruby cried joyfully, scooping up the canine into her arms and beginning to cuddle with it like it was her firstborn.
"He sent a dog?"
"In the mail?!"
Ruby was now giggling as she rubbed noses with the small dog, making multiple noises of affection that were somehow still in the range of human ears.
"Oh, he does stuff like this all the time." Yang rebuked, scratching behind Zwei's ear with a free hand, the mail tube nestled under her arm.
"Your father or your dog?" Blake asked, now hiding atop Ruby's bed. I glanced in her direction.
"Blake, the dog was sent in a mail tube. Are you sure the two are mutually exclusive?" I pointed out. Weiss leaned towards Zwei, scrutinising him with a harsh eye. I looked to Blake.
"Ten Lien she loves him." I whispered. She nodded, pulling out a small chip.
"Are you telling me that this mangy... drooling... mutt...?" Weiss began. Blake proffered her hand out. Sighing in annoyance, I slapped a small chip of ten Lien in her hand.
"... is going to wiv with us foweva? Oh yes he is, yes he is! Oh aren't you adorable!"
A smug grin grew on my face, as it was now Blake's turn to grumble, as the chip of Lien reentered my hand, with a second one accompanying it. Looking at Blake, she shot me a quick glare, and mouthed, "Shut up."
"Will all first year students please report to the amphitheatre at once?" Professor Goodwitch's voice echoed through the room, reverberating from a hidden speaker. Weiss looked back to Zwei, scratching his chin.
"Well, we can't just leave him here while we're gone for a week." She pointed out. I groaned quietly. The little pup couldn't have come at a worse time.
"Look, there's a letter!" Yang pointed out, pulling out a folded scrap of paper from the mail tube. Flicking it open, she began to read.
"Dear girls, I've got to leave the island for a few days, so I'm sending Zwei today for you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang."
As Zwei ran back to Yang's side, she shook the mail tube, unleashing a cascade of canned dog food tumbling onto the small dog. As Zwei's head emerged from the mound, he glanced around.
"What's he supposed to do with all that?" Weiss asked in wonderment. Yang shook the tube one final time, and a metallic object emerged, clonking Zwei on the head, and bouncing onto the floor. One quick glance showed that it was a can opener.
"Well, that settles it! Come on, team! Zwei will be here when we get back!" Yang said, tossing the letter and the mail tube aside, and walking to the door. As Weiss followed, she knelt down to Zwei, and continued with the cutesy talk, scratching his ears.
"Oh, I'll miss you so much, we're going to be best friends, I can't wait to see you, I can't believe how cute you are..." she rambled, as Blake leapt from Ruby's bed to a desk to the door. As Weiss left, I edged around the little corgi and out the door, pulling up alongside Blake.
"Not a big fan of canines?" I asked. Blake shook her head, then gave me a look.
"You know, I'm surprised that he was able to fit into the mail tube with thirty cans of food and a can opener." She pointed out. I just shrugged.
"Meh, that's pretty tame compared to what I've seen. Right now, a tentacle-legged, four-armed, eight foot tall alien overlord could beam himself in front of us and I wouldn't bat an eyelid." I responded. Blake's eyes grew wider.
"What?" She asked confusedly. I just laughed.
"What I'm saying is that I gave up on rational thinking about… three months and seventeen days ago." I answered.
"But... that was when we arrived at Beacon."
"Your point being?"
The amphitheatre was incredibly crowded, as we shuffled into the seats, close to Team JNPR. Every aisle was taken with various students, of varying uniforms. Clearly, whatever this was for wasn't just limited to Beacon Academy. There was a plethora of chattering, as whispers emerged from a number of groups, wondering what this could be about.
"Sorry I'm late. Just wanted to get Zwei settled in."
Ruby had finally arrived, squeezing in-between Weiss and I. I noticed she had a backpack on, one that was bulging noticeably. I had a feeling I knew what the bag's contents were, but I wasn't going to say anything. Not yet, at least. I looked up to the stage, as Professor Goodwitch tapped on the microphone.
"Quiet! Quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin."
And with that, she stepped to the side, letting the Headmaster take the spotlight.
"Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day."
So that was why Monty had named every character after a colour of some sort. It was beginning to make sense now. Thankfully, my name managed to fit in, as Darrel, I was told, was a corruption of the Australian Aboriginal name 'Darel', meaning "blue sky". As for my last name, Conway was simply Welsh, meaning "yellow hound".
But as I pondered this, another detail struck me.
"…the largest war in recorded history…"
But if that was the case, then what had I seen? That vision, with Eve and the man leaping into the… what was it? The Galactica Nexus? That seemed like a war to me. But… There were so many questions, and no answers that made sense to me. I gave up thinking about it, and moved my mind to more current matters.
"We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."
And with that, Ozpin left the stage. As the crowds began to file out of the amphitheatre, Ruby looked to us with a smile on her face.
"This is perfect! All we have to do is shadow a Huntsman working in the southeast!" She cried gleefully.
"Yeah, we'll follow them around by day, and give them the slip by night!" Yang grinned.
"Let's check 'search and destroy'!" Weiss added, before strutting off, the rest of the team right behind her. It took me a moment to realize that they had left me behind. I shook my head, surfacing from my thoughts about the vision, before rushing off after them.
"Here we go! Quadrant 5 needs some Grimm cleared out."
Looking over the holographic board of missions available to us, all our eyes had quickly scanned for any missions destined for the southeast of Vale. From what was available, the 'Search and Destroy' category had a mission to, well, search for Grimm infestations and destroy them in what was apparently a ruined and forgotten area of Vale. Apparently, intel had reported that they were heavily dug in, and would require the utmost care. Departure would be ASAP.
"Well, it's in the southeast. Sounds perfect." I observed. And with that, Ruby quickly tapped the board, followed up with inputting RWBY into the team requesting the mission. But to our disappointment, red letters blinked on the screen.
MISSION UNAVAILABLE FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
"Wonderful." Weiss groaned sarcastically.
"Any other ideas?" Blake asked. Ruby turned to the rest of us, a smile on her face.
"We mail ourselves there!" She suggested. No one responded, as I slapped my hand on my forehead.
"Well, that's… one option." Ozpin's voice quickly drew our attention, and he walked up, his Scroll at the ready.
"Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of Grimm was too extreme for first-year students. As a matter of fact, that area is intensely popular, for some reason. But regardless, I have a sneaking suspicion that you will make your way there, no matter what mission you choose."
Ruby rubbed her head nervously.
"Uhhh… what makes you say that?" She tried to sound innocent, but it was barely passing. Ozpin merely gave a small smile.
"I'm curious to know how you, Ms. Belladonna, and Mr. Conway found yourself at the docks last semester. I'm interested to know how you really learned about a hideout in the southeast. And I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing a giant robot suit chasing two teenagers down a highway, with a biker in pursuit, and an individual surfing on a car door."
"Uh… well…" Ruby was at a loss for words.
"It's a strange world we live in, isn't it, Professor?" I jumped in, trying to salvage the conversation.
"It is indeed, Mr. Conway. But unfortunately, some questions simply cannot be answered. So instead of waiting for you all to break the rules… why don't we simply bend them?" Ozpin quickly tapped on his scroll, and the board in front of us beeped, as the mission we had intended to depart on fizzled, and showed the mission had been accepted by Team RWBY.
"We won't let you down. Thank you, Professor." Ruby nodded to Ozpin. Ozpin just gave us a stern look.
"Do not thank me for this. Teamwork, persistence and vigilance have carried you this far, but you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the Kingdom will not care. Stay close to your Huntsman at all times, and do exactly as he says to the letter. He will be leading you on this mission, and should he find your skills to be unsatisfactory, he will send you back to Beacon. Good luck." He gave a crooked smile, before going on his way, slipping his scroll into his pocket. We all glanced at each other worriedly, before heading to the landing pad. One way or another, we would complete our mission, and find the White Fang.
Along with, I hoped, some answers.
Oh, before I forget, I have NOT seen Volume 3. But I have a good reason: until I catch up to the Volume 2 finale, I'm abstaining from new RWBY episodes, for a few reasons:
1. I'll lose focus on the story
2. I know how I want to end Volume 2 in my story, and if I see Volume 3, I'll want to rewrite it somewhat.
3. I want to keep Darrel, and by extension, myself in Volume 2 for now.
So no spoilers! And don't bother typing in "It was amazing! Ruby [SPOILER!SPOILER!SPOILER] the other team!" Actually, don't tell me anything about the new series. I'll get to it in time.