Dear Reader,

Ever since the first episode of volume four I always believed that team RNJR had potential for an episodic monster of the week type show. The whole volume starts with them killing a giant monster and them going back to town and saying that they do that kind of thing all the time! That could have been a whole volume right there! Volume 3.5 where team RNJR are just killing monsters and saving towns every episode. I would have enjoyed it, so now I'm writing it! I hope you enjoy my first fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!

From,

Clevnar

Chapter 1: The Road to Libourne

Four friends march through the forest countryside far beyond the city they used to call home. Three months ago they were students caught up in teen drama, finals, and competing in the Vytal festival. Now they're child soldiers thrust into the role of heroes years before they were ready. They march with a purpose, to defend the innocent and lick their wounds from their haunting defeat, but without direction, because someone lost the map.

"uuUUUGHHRUBY!", Nora groaned, "Are-ugh, We-ugh, There yet!". Nora deflated with every word, dragging her feet as she walked. She would have kicked the stones along the dirt road, but it would have been too draining on her already exhausted legs.

"No? I don't know?", Ruby span around to walk backwards and face Nora, holding her hands up in surrender, "It's the same dirt road we've been following all morning, I don't know how far it is to the next town".

"Uuughhhhruuuuubyyyy", Nora whined, "You're supposed to be the navigator"

"Hey", Ruby planted a hand on her hip, "I can't be the navigator if I don't have a map, which isn't my fault" she unsubtly pointed to Ren's back before turning back around. Ren walked ahead of them, but didn't need to look back to know who she was talking about. They had already been having this argument for the last two days of hiking.

"rRREEENNNNNN-UGHHH", Nora groaned using up the last of her energy "whydidjahavtolosethemapughh". Ren didn't say anything he only looked forward to his friend Jaune who looked back knowing to catch Ren's reaction. Jaune looked back and saw the face of his dear friend exasperated and trying so very hard to pretend like he was interested in Nora's accusations.

"I didn't lose the map", Ren said with more patience than his face conveyed, "I just thought that someone else was going to buy the map back in Crusot because we lost the first one", he paused for a moment to look back at Nora from over his shoulder, "and I didn't lose the first one either". Nora slumped forward, growled, and groaned until she lost the energy to speak, making incoherent grumblings as they walked along. Ren sighed at his friend, and slowed his pace to match her. He bumped shoulders with her lightly "Hey its ok, like Ruby said we are following a well maintained dirt road", he nodded to her, "as long as we follow it were not going to get lost".

Nora was not comforted. "Yeah, but we don't know how far this road is to the next town, or even what town were going to", she stood up straight as she realized a new fear, "What if we're walking for weeks! Or months! What if we walk all the way back to Vale in the wrong direction!". Ren raised an eyebrow as an amused smile lightened his face.

"Well were not going in the wrong direction", He pointed up through the tree's canopy, "The sun rises in the east and that's where we're going", he smile drooped into a little grimace, "I don't know about the rest though".

"Well a direction is good enough!", Ruby cheered. She slowed to match Nora's pace as well along her other side, "Besides were huntsmen! A few days lost in the woods isn't something we can't handle, Heck! Its not even the first time this trip!". Nora nodded slowly as she digested what they were saying.

"Precisely", Ren smiled. He patted Nora's back and gave her a quick one armed hug. "This isn't the first time and it probably won't be the last time, we just have to keep moving forward". Nora looked up between the two of them with an appreciative smile. She quickly wrapped her arms around their shoulders for a tight hug.

"Aww thanks you guys", she cooed into their group hug. "I'm not actually that upset, but you're right, we're a bunch of badass huntresses! We're gonna make it to Haven dead or alive!". She let them go, but turned an accusatory finger on Ren, "You're still not off the hook for losing the map mister!", she pouted at him. Ren smile widened at seeing his friends energy return.

"Boop", Ren said as he tapped Nora's nose with his finger. He quickly speed walked away, as Nora gasped and reached to return it. When she missed she gasped louder and more offended and began to chase after him. Ren's smile split open as his walk became a run with Nora hot on his heels.

From the front of their pack Jaune smiled endearingly at the partners' antics. He didn't want to say anything because truthfully he lost the map, but if everyone wanted to blame Ren he wasn't going to jump into the firing line. He felt a little guilty, but Ren seemed to be taking it like a champ, so he didn't feel that guilty. Ruby sped up to walk along side Jaune.

"They're NOT dating?", she said looking up to Jaune with an unsure smile. Jaune's eyebrows rose a little at the question, but one he hadn't heard before. In beacon it was just as common as asking about the weather. A distant memory.

"Well Ren always says they're not dating", Jaune raised up one hand pantomiming like he was holding something. "BUUUT, whenever you ask Nora she never answers the question", Jaune said raising up the other hand as if they were a balanced scale.

"What do you mean?", Ruby quirked her head confused, "she has a whole speech about how they're not dating?". Jaune tilted his head and smiled knowingly. He pointed up with both hands as if Ruby missed a vital piece of evidence.

"Ahhh, but can you remember her saying that they're not dating?", he leaned towards Ruby expecting an answer.

"Yeah? She always goes 'we're not together-together'", Ruby just looked more confused.

"Yeah but she always follows it up with", Jaune looked up for a second trying to remember. In a poor impression of Nora he continues, "'not that I don't think he's handsome, he is handsome! Its just that we've been friends for so long that it would be weird right?'". Jaune looked back down to Ruby a little proud of himself. "You see what I mean? She says not together-together but doesn't say dating, and not that she doesn't want to, but that it might be weird". Ruby rolled her eyes. This sounded like a stretch to her.

"You memorized her speech?", she shook her head disappointed in Jaune. Jaune could only shrug. Ruby spoke again, "I don't know Jaune, that doesn't feel like proof".

"You're right", Jaune conceded, "its not proof, but its still true, I mean c'mon". Jaune nodded forward towards Ren and Nora play fighting in the leaf litter. Nora had Ren pinned. She sat on his chest while Ren had a hold on her wrists stopping her from booping his nose. Jaune and Ruby both knew that Ren could have bucked her off by now, or Nora could have used her semblance to overpower Ren. Their deadlock was purely theatrical. Ruby and Jaune looked back to each other, Jaune with a big 'I told you so' face and Ruby with a bigger sigh.

The four continued forward. Nora picked leaves out of Ren's hair fussing over his appearance, the two of them wrapped up in their own little world. Ruby led the group and refused to look back, knowing Jaune would be making his 'I told you so face'. She was smart to do so because Jaune was making it to her back. A few hours before the sunset they reached a sign saying "Libourne five miles", and with revitalized vigor the group marched forward hoping to beat the sunset to town. They didn't but they were more than happy to have a place inside to sleep for the night.

It was a small town surrounded a ring of tall metal poles the size of telephone poles, but without wires hanging between them. As they got closer to them the group could hear a quiet hum from within them. From beyond the pole's threshold a man held up his hand to stop them. The group followed the wordless direction. The man approached them instead, keeping his hand up as he walked. He wore a khaki colored short sleeved button up collared shirt tucked into a pair of loose green hiking pants. His pants were then tucked into a pair of well worn boots. The badge on his left breast denoted him as one of the town's deputies. The large big-game gun slung behind his right shoulder denoted him as a huntsmen. The green brimmed hat he wore denoted him as having style.

"Good evening folks", the deputy spoke with routine ease, "Can I ask you what you're all doing out so late?"

"We're traveling to Haven sir", Jaune spoke up. Around him his friends nodded in agreement. The deputy raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "We've been on the road for almost three days sir, we came from Crusot and were hoping we could stop for the night".

"You're going to Haven? You're huntsmen then?", he looked between them all.

"Yes sir, Huntsmen in training, we were training at Beacon, and were there during the fall", Jaune said. He tried not to let it show on his face but he could feel his throat start to tighten. He must not have been very good at it because deputy took off his hat and held it over his heart.

"Awful thing that happened to you kids", The deputy tried to sound comforting, "I'm sure they're going to get those responsible". Jaune let loose one sad chuckle. "But its because of these recent events I'm doing this", He put his hat back on and straightened his posture a little, "there's a lot strangers floating around now and its my duty to keep everyone safe, Which is why I need to ask to see your huntsmen's licenses".

"of course", Jaune said as everyone reached into their bags and pockets for them. This was a common thing to ask, and might have been stranger if he didn't ask. "We were only students so we don't have the full thing, but our probationary licenses are a part of our school ID's". They deputy took out a scroll and scanned them all. He waited for a result on the scroll and was satisfied with the answer.

"Ok, you're good to go" he nodded to them once and waved them in. "If you're looking for a place to stay try Navy's Tavern, they always have open rooms, You folks have a good night", the deputy turned and left for his post. The group echoed similar goodbyes.

The town itself wasn't anything they hadn't seen before. There weren't many people out as it was a little after dark. The buildings were made from cinder blocks and painted a few different colors. A typical design for these frontier towns, cheap and sturdy. Navy's Tavern looked much like every other building from the outside, but on the inside it was homely place and the center of the towns nightlife. The tables were packed full of people and families enjoying their dinner, and every barstool was occupied with people having a good time. A waitress a little older then them walked past them swafting the smell of sizzling food. Quickly telling them to seat themselves as she passed. Although it hadn't been too long since the groups' time in Crusot the smell of food other than hiking rations made their stomachs ache and mouths water. After twenty minutes of struggling to find a table the group managed to snag one after a family left and a bus boy cleaned it. After hours of travel the chance to sit down was heavenly.

"Ok guys huddle up", Jaune said gesturing for them all to lean in "before we start ordering what can we afford? Money's been tight lately and the last two towns didn't have any work for us, we can't go over board". Although every one of them wanted nothing more than to indulge, a student's budget has always been tight, tighter now since Beacon fell, even tighter still now that they were on the road. It was a sad fate everyone of them had to adapt to during their time on the road. A fate one of them could not be victim to anymore.

"Nope!", Ruby leaned back from their huddle and crossed her arms.

"Ruby we can't af-"

"Nope!", she said again shaking her head and closing her eyes. She opened them again and gave Jaune a stern look. "I'm putting my foot down Jaune! When I signed up to be a Huntress I thought we were going to be heroes, not beggars! We've been on the road for three months and I haven't had fresh baked cookies since we left Patch"

"But I've baked yo-"

"Nope!, sorry Ren but that tube stuff doesn't count". Ren crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair a little offended. "Every single of these frontier towns have had some kind of work for us, they just weren't all Grimm killing, but I swear to gods I'll paint houses and do someone's laundry if it means I make enough money to stop buying the cheapest thing on the menu in every restaurant we go in!", Ruby smiled as her defiance turned into confidence, "In fact, I'm going to go look for work right now!". Ruby stood up and left the table for the bar. Her friends called her back but she ignored them. As she approached the counter a few strangers looked at her and her confidence quickly began to dissolve. By the time she reached the bar she was nervously digging the toe of one of her boots into the hard wood floor and staring at the counter top.

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking miss?", a middle aged woman with short salt and pepper hair and bright blue eyes asked from behind the bar. She wore a short sleeved black shirt but the graphic was covered by a white apron she wore.

"yeah", Ruby started strong, "but uuhh", and ended weakly. She could feel herself starting to sweat and her face getting hot in embarrassment.

"Hey, you know what? I started drinking when I was younger than you, so what do you want to drink?", the barwoman said. Ruby look up briefly, made eye contact with the woman, then looked down.

"I don't want anything to drink ma'am", Ruby croaked as her voice cracked. She cringed at the sound of her own voice and wanted to run away. "I'm actually a huntress and was hoping there was any work for me and my friends?", the complete sentence said without stutter emboldened Ruby, as she looked up at the woman and gave her a nervous smile, "Or any work actually, we're almost broke, heh heh".

"Oh we got work for you here", the barwoman leaned forward on the counter and gave Ruby an easy smile, "We got the strangest Grimm you're ever going to kill!", the barwoman chuckled. She leaned in closer and gestured for Ruby to do the same. "You ever heard of Bonehead?" the barwoman stage whispered.

"Bonehead?", Ruby asked. She'd never heard of a Grimm getting a nickname. Usually if they were dangerous enough they were just referred to as THE Grimm. Like The Grimm Dragon.

"Bonehead", the barwoman nodded slowly. "he's a local legend around here, a cowardly shit that ain't done nothing but be a nuisance".

"Are we still talking about a Grimm?", Ruby laughed a little, more confused than amused.

"Oh yeah, he used to be a problem up until maybe seven years ago, but then he disappeared, everyone thought some huntsmen killed him, but people have been spotting him around these parts since last month", The Barwoman whispered.

"That ain't true", a raspy voice said from next to Ruby. A faunus man with black cat ears who's face was creased with stress turned to the two of them. He wore a black nylon jacket with high visibility yellow stripes on it. On the back it said SDC in the same high visibility yellow stripes. "Bonehead's been harassing the old SDC mine for the last seven years, he never left, just found a place with sadder people", The man turned to face Ruby fully with a deep frown. "If you gonna fight Bonehead you best be careful now, you hear me? I spent five years in that mine getting harassed by that damned Grimm and that thing ain't no laughing matter", the man turned to cough into his elbow and then took a sip of his drink.

"Hey, Braun, C'mon", the barwoman spoke softly and made to interrupt him, but Ruby cut her off.

"There used to be an SDC mine here?", Ruby asked the man.

"Yeah that's how I got here, but it ain't working anymore, there was a mine collapse two months ago and the place shut down", the man, Braun, shook his head looking down into his cup, "a lot of good people died down there"

"I'm sorry for your loss", Ruby said softly.

"Its ok, not your fault, It's the SDC", he hissed the three letters like a curse, "but I blame that Bonehead too, Navy's right", Braun nodded towards the barwoman, "he is a cowardly shit, but he always came back, he'd dive bomb us and the SDC, trying to pick off people then fly away, I've seen that Grimm get shot out of the sky only for it to limp off and come back the next day, and you know what?", the faunus man reeled back and sat up straighter and pointed a finger at Ruby, "He was a cowardly shit, but I swear to gods, he was smart too because he never made the same mistake twice, and when he saw something he didn't like he'd turn tail and fly away".

"So is Bonehead some kind of Nevermore?", Ruby asked. The Barwoman, Navy, snorted.

"Yeah, Some kind, he might have been a Nevermore ten years ago but he's ugly now", Navy said. She shifted her weight to one leg and crossed her arms. "Boneheads been around far longer than Braun here, when he still used to harass Libourne he was ugly, but he's worse now, he's still a coward though, at least by Grimm standards"

"Yeah", Ruby agreed, "Usually Grimm just charge and attack, they don't usually run away, and when they do its usually because there's a bigger Grimm around".

"Well I can assure you there's no bigger Grimm hiding in town", Navy reached out and gave Ruby's arm a squeeze. "But I don't know, Boneheads always done that, that's why he's harmless to us here in Libourne, he never gets close enough to attack".

"Yeah well he's not harmless", Braun spoke up with a little heat in his voice. "Why don't you tell us miss huntress? Why the hell is Bonehead hanging around Libourne if he's not going to attack it?". The two of them turned to Ruby. Ruby's professionalism trumped her anxiety as she began to think on Professor Port's lessons.

"Well Grimm get smarter as they get older, maybe its smart enough to avoid town?, it still doesn't explain why its still here", Ruby suggested. It didn't feel satisfying to her, but Navy and Braun nodded along.

"Yeah that makes sense to me", Navy said, "The thing is at least ten years old".

"Hmm", Braun grunted, "I didn't know they do that".

"Well no ones really sure why Grimm get smarter", Ruby stroked her chin and wracked her brain for some piece of Port's lessons, "One of my professors would always say that Goliaths were the smartest Grimm because they would get the most life experience since they were so hard to kill, but I'm pretty sure he also said it takes like thirty years for a Goliath to get smart enough to use any kind of tactics".

"A Grimm with tactics?", Navy chuckled once more and shook her head, "Now ain't that scary". Braun nodded along at her words and took a sip from his cup.

"Pshhh, Nahh, Grimm tactics is basically just waiting to run in and get shot instead of immediately running in to get shot, they're not actually that smart", Ruby waved a hand dismissively at them. "That's probably what Bonehead does, except that he runs away instead, which I'll admit is smart for a Grimm, but that just puts him on the same level as a regular animal", Ruby said confidently.

"Well, smart or not I'm sure the mayor would pay pretty penny if you could kill it", Navy said smiling. Benny nodded and grunted along in agreement.

"A pretty penny huh?", Ruby said, melancholy at the expression. Her eyes felt strangely dry.

"Yeah, tomorrow morning, bright and early, go find the mayor's office in the townhall and ask him about it, I'll send him a message to tell him to expect you", Navy leaned forward and clapped Ruby on the shoulder, "If you're going to go kill Bonehead than you and your friends tab and rooms are on me, how about that?". Ruby brightened up at that.

"That's really nice of you, thank you ma'am!", Ruby smiled wide at the woman's kindness, "tomorrow morning, bright and early, I'll go find him!, I'm going to go tell my friends the good news, thank you so, so much", Ruby nodded her head respectfully to the two and waded back through the busy restaurant to her friends. She found them there with Nora diligently studying a drinks menu and Jaune doing the same with the regular menu, while Ren was concentrating doing math on a napkin. None of them had yet to order and a waitress hovering nearby seemed to be losing her patience with the three. Ruby walked right up to them and slapped a hand over Ren's napkin startling all of them out their concentration.

"Good news team! Our tab is covered tonight and I got us a job for tomorrow morning", She closed her eyes crossed her arms and stuck a pose, "you're welcome by the way". Nora's head rolled back laughing silently in relief. Ren leaned back in his chair with a serene smile and closed eyes. Jaune elbows hit the table as he held his head in his hands letting a happy tear roll down his face.

The four sat down and ate they laughed and enjoyed themselves once more without worrying about hurting their wallets in the warm tavern. Outside the tavern was much quieter. People already done with their evenings walked home in the early spring night making light conversation. Beyond that at the outskirts of town, deputies and huntsmen patrolled the border of their Libourne keeping a watchful eye on the night sky. Beyond the bounds of the town laying low to the ground below the tree line a monster watched them all. Having learned recently that some of the guards could spot his silhouette against the night sky, he sits and stalks.

Dear Reader,

Ever since Dr. Oobleck mentioned that Grimm got smarter with age in that one episode I always thought it would be so cool for the team to fight smart Grimm. Then they did when they fought the Hound! I was so amazed when that happened! Then I started thinking. What makes a Grimm smart? It can't just be age or else that Grimm Dragon would have been a genius. It can't just be Goliaths because that wouldn't be that fun. So what if a Grimm got smarter with lived experience? It makes sense, after all that's how all things get smarter. Then why aren't there crazy smart Grimm running around? Well if the only way to learn is to survive then all the smart Grimm would be super strong ones who killed the Huntsmen they were fighting, or it would be the Grimm who could run away fast enough to survive. The Nuckelavee might be an example of the former, but we've never seen an example of the latter in cannon. Which is my inspiration for writing this fic, Bonehead the Coward is supposed work like the latter. I mentioned earlier that I enjoyed the episodic monster of the week format, so if this goes well and I still feel inspired enough to keep writing I'll write another one of these one off special Grimm and make a real series out of this. There's tons of unexplained shit in RWBY's Grimm that I want to write about! I'm sure I could make this into a series exploring them. At the end of the day though I'm still a new writer and I would greatly appreciate it if you left some reviews. Don't hate though, that's just rude.

From,

Clevnar

P.S.

I'm looking for a beta reader if anyone wants to volunteer.