Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Is Rooster Teeth's.
Special thanks to my P atreons:
Daniel Fields and TheBurningGoose. Thank you so, so, so much!
Review:
BigSmokeYeet: I will!
COULDNT12761022: Maybe then we'll have to make some… changes ;)
Jason K: Nice Idea! Both of them. I wish to find a way to implement them since I already wrote the story up to The Breach…
Truongokcoolguy1447: Will edit after this. And this fic will not die!
Okay, the day didn't start out in the best way. Things were tense in her dorm-room since Yang and Blake barely made eye contact with one another, and neither she or Weiss know what to do for this situation. To makes matters worse, Felix—the poop-head—had to go back to Mistral because his dad had an incident. Her heart went out for him, and she wished the best for his dad's recovery, but he could have at least said bye instead of her knowing via text. So yeah, not the best way to start and important day for Ruby Rose.
That all changed when they received a package from home. A package that contained the most precious thing for Ruby next to her hood and Crescent Rose. "ZWEI!"
The corgi of her family looked up happily at her two owners, wagging his little tail as Ruby scooped him into her arms and cradled him like a baby. Since he was her little baby! Oh yes he was, yes he was!
Weiss and Blake were in disbelief at what they were seeing. "Maybe it's something in my coffee…" Blake started. "But did that dog just came out of a cylindrical package?"
"Sent by your dad…?" Weiss finished; her head tilted as she examined the dog.
"He does that all the time," Yang shrugged.
"The dog or your dad?"
"Yes," Yang said in a complete straight tone. "Here's the note to justify him: "Hey girls! After all you've been through, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and send Zwei over so you can look after him while I'm on a mission, and so you can have something to cheer you up. Love you both: Dad. PS: I sent enough food for him so don't worry."
As she said that, she tilted the cylinder, and challenging the laws of physics again, tons of canned dog food came out from it. Hehe, classic…
"So are you saying that this mangy…" Nooo, Weiss, don't call him that! "… Drooling…" Look at his face Weiss, he wouldn't hurt a fly! "Mutt… Is going to is going to wiv wif us foweva? Oh, yes he is, yes he is! Oh, isn't he adorable!"
YES! BEST PARTNER EVER!
Blake however, didn't shared their enthusiasm as she hid on Ruby's bunk bed, and if the way her bow was flattened back against her head was any indication, then she was doing she saw some cats do when Zwei approaches them to play.
"Well ladies, while having Zwei around is always a pleasure," Yang said as she petted the dog's head and scratched his chin with a grin, making him pant happily. "We need to get moving. They called us to the auditorium, time for us to get some action without… consequences."
Everyone nodded, with Ruby setting Zwei on the floor to prepare. Weiss left the room cooing and sputtering cute words in Zwei's direction, while Blake leaped from bunkbed to bunkbed until she scampered out of the room.
Ruby looked down at the dog. He would be fine without them, he had food and a can opener but… Didn't dad sent them to be their support? And he just got here… there shouldn't be any problem, right?
She looked around her room and saw her backpack, then back at Zwei and the smile blossomed on her face. For better or worse, Zwei was now a member of team RWBY! They will be called… Team RWWBY!
… How do their teachers come up with name that actually have meaning with all those letters? It was hard.
Everyone gathered in the auditorium. And after professor Goodwitch settled everyone down, and professor Ozpin gave them a speech about the Great War and how as a stand against its principles began the tradition of the color naming, team RWBY began scouting for jobs for them to do.
"I want to do search and destroy!" Ruby said as she looked around the screens with options for them to take. "We can all take on Grimm and help people. Great practice for the future!"
"While the idea is solid," Weiss said. "I prefer if we take something more cultural. After all being a Huntress isn't always about fighting."
"Isn't it?" Yang asked raising an eyebrow. "Then I think I've been going about it the wrong way."
"Southeast," That response full of tiredness. The three girls turned to see Blake giving them a look. "We should go to the southeast."
"… Why?" Yang asked, arm crossed.
"This time we'll be shadowed by a Huntsman and… my research… the movement of the Fang," she shook her head and rubbed her eyes various times trying and failing blatantly to take away her drowsiness. "There's been various sightings on the southeast."
Yang gave her a glare of irritation. "And why should we—"
"Good, that saves me the problem of explaining myself," Yang clammed up and the girls tensed when Ozpin approached them.
"P-Professor!" Blake was the most nervous of them all. "I-I."
"No need to explain yourself, miss Belladona," Ozpin said calmly, that same enigmatic smile ever present on his face. "I've also kept track of the movements of the White Fang ever since our last reunion. I also know of their movements in the southeast. And it just so happens that a search and destroy mission has been posted in quadrant five, close to a certain area perfect for a hideout: Mountain Glenn."
Ruby and her team members exchanged looks as they processed what Ozpin was telling them. He was requesting them, the same girls who caused a major accident weeks ago with the Paladin, to be the ones to once again hunt down the White Fang.
"Think of this as a second chance," Ozpin said, as if reading their thoughts. "One where you don't have to sneak away and do things behind my back, and where I can actually give my support."
Blake had the decency to blush and look away. As team leader, Ruby stepped forward and gave the headmaster a thankful smile. "Thank you, professor Ozpin."
Ozpin smiled back at her. "I was going to send professor Oobleck to that area at first. But I think there's a better choice for this mission. Meet him at the bullhead station. Good luck."
With that he turned around, leaving the group with different emotions.
"Well… That was something…" Weiss said, trying to get the team from moving.
"This… WILL BE GREAT!" Ruby said as she jumped up and down. "Now we can actually make a difference, and stop the bad guys without getting into trouble! Of course, we won't guide… bad guys to highways this time… But still, it's great!"
Yang however didn't share her enthusiasm, she looked at Blake before sighing and nodding. "Yeah, great."
Ruby winced and inched away when Blake returned the glare. "I'm fine, Yang. Better than ever now that we can finally stop Torchwick. Come on."
She stormed past them and towards the hangar where their assigned Huntsman will be heading. With Yang growling at her attitude and Weiss giving a scoff at the mood, Ruby was left alone rubbing her shoulder awkwardly. "… go team…" She sighed to herself.
As they made their way to their bullhead, they heard a student from second year yell with excitement. "Team CFVY is back!"
The members of Team RWBY perked up as they saw their second-year seniors come down from their transport. They all looked tired, even their tallest and strongest member Yatsuhashi looked worse to wear.
Blake, even in her tired and Fang-obsessed mind approached them. "Velvet? Are you okay?"
The rabbit Faunus of the team stopped as she noticed Blake. "Oh, hey guys," she said as shy as usual. "I'm fine. I had Yatsuhashi to look out for me."
Yatsu turned and gave her a smile before continuing their way back to the main building.
Ruby smiled as she waved at them. Despite their reputation dipping over the highway incident, Team CFVY was still in good terms with them. Mostly because Coco, the leader, was a much of a daredevil as Yang.
"Ha! You first years got spunk for doing something like that. Respect." It's what she said.
"Your mission was supposed to end a week ago!" Weiss' exclamation made Ruby turn back to the conversation. "People have been worried sick. What happened?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary just…" Velvet rubbed her arms together and a haunted look appeared on her eyes. "There were just… So many."
Yet another thing to worry about. Even if they were focusing their efforts against Torchwick and the Fang, the Grimm were still a threat that for some reason seemed to be getting worse these days. As if they were growing angsty, if such thing could be possible for nasty things that run on nothing but spite.
Still, the worry was real. And Ruby's teammates shared it with her as they exchanged looks.
"Oh…!" Velvet looked up and blinked. "B-But don't worry! You first-years are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine."
"Right." Yang says, now sounding slightly unnerved.
"I should go. Be safe, okay?" She gave them a small wave before leaving to follow her team.
Deciding to lift the mood of her team Ruby spoke. "We can do this." She asserts. "We've never backed down before, and we're not going to start now."
"Rig—" Before she could finish her sentence, Blake gives up a long yawn. "Oh… right."
Yang rolls her eyes at her while Weiss shakes her head with a hand on her temple. This causes Ruby's spirit to deter a little.
"B-Besides, it won't only be us out there! We'll be fighting alongside a genuine Huntsman!" Ruby trying to regain the early cheer. "So come on! Let's meet them!"
With a small spring in her step, Ruby guided her team towards their designated bullhead. Meanwhile she was praying in her mind one thing. 'Please be someone cool! Please be someone cool! Please be Uncle Qrow's levels of cool!"
They stopped in front of the bullhead and looked around, waiting for any sign of their Huntsman to appear. Yang was the first one to spoke in impatience. "So… Where are they?"
Ruby frowned and tapped her heels together. "Maybe… they had to go to the bathroom?" She said nervously.
Weiss rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Ruby, the person we're talking about is a professional Huntsman that for all intents and purpose is about to go out on a mission. I doubt that they are so unprepared that they had to go to the bathroom right before departure."
Blake tapped her foot impatiently, clearly being the most eager to go, to the point that it was becoming a bit annoying and repetitive for Ruby. "So then, where is he?!"
The nerves on Ruby's stomach came back in full force. Her team was too tense and in a bad mood even when they had the awesome change to redeem themselves in the eyes of their superiors. Yet it only worked in putting more pressure in them, and now with Velvet's words and their Huntsman's tardiness things seemed to be getting a turn for the worse.
Heavy footsteps make their way towards them, and a gruff and familiar voice sounded behind them. "Oh man, am I late? Sorry, something about breakfast didn't settle right with me. Hehe."
Ruby whirled around and met with their assigned Huntsman. A familiar bearded face with blond hair and blue eyes looked down at them, standing as big as a brick wall. With a white armor over his chest, gauntlets over his arm, and a simple axe strapped to his waist.
Nicholas Arc chuckled as he smiled down at Ruby. "What are the odds that we would be in this mission together, huh Ruby?"
Ruby blinked as her eyes shone with wonder. "Mister Arc?! You are our assigned Huntsman!"
Her words caused a reaction in her teammates as they stared at the man. "ARC?!"
Raising an eyebrow for their reaction, Nicholas just walks past them while adjusting his duffle-bag, with a simple first command: "Leave your bags behind, children. Won't need them where we're going."
'Ooooh, that might be a problem…' Ruby thinks as she looks at her bag, which wiggled a bit on her back.
The trip was long and frankly quite uncomfortable, especially with the looks the members of his assigned team were giving him. The girl with white hair—the Schnee heiress if he wasn't wrong—was giving him an skeptical look, Tai's oldest daughter was giving him a look of awe, while the Faunus girl—who was she kidding with that bow?—was giving him a mix of a tired, analytical, and distrustful look. The only one who seemed remotely happy to see him was Ruby, who looked up at him with expectation, as if meeting someone famous and wanting to see if they were all she heard about.
"So… Mister Arc," The young Schnee finally breaks the silence. "W-what brought you here to be our Huntsman?"
The girl seemed to be holding her tongue for some reason, and Nicholas could take a wild guest that it had to do with his son. While his former teammates sang prices about him, they did told him that some people in Beacon didn't had the highest opinion on Jaune, that included the bullies who DARED blackmail him, and bully him in the first place—Lucky punks didn't crossed his way, yet —and the members of Ruby's team.
"My reasons for coming to Beacon are personal," he said. "And as for this assignment. I wanted to investigate the area, and Ozpin needed someone for this specific practice mission, so we came to an agreement."
"Okay…" Tai's daughter—Yang, he reminded himself—nodded in understanding. "Sorry if we're being a bit… judgmental. We just—"
"Met my son," He cut off, and if the way she flinched was a sign he hit the nail on that one. "And must doubt me since he barely showed any prowess as a Huntsman."
"Ar-Jaune, wasn't exactly the most coordinated person," The young Schnee said, and she was clearly trying to be polite. "So, we're sorry sir if we offend you by doubting you."
"None taken," He smiled, understanding where their uneasiness came from. Especially considering that there was a hidden layer to this mission concerning both parts. "But what my son lacks in training, I make up in that and experience. I did have my fair share of tussles over the time."
Ruby tilted her head. "Like the mushroom?"
Blake leans over. "Those are truffles."
"Like the sprout?"
"Those are Brussels," Yang leans this time, and with that word Ruby's face turns into a grimace.
"And besides, this mission is important for all of us, isn't it?" Deciding to cut to the chase and being honest with the team, Nicholas gave them a sharp look that make them tense. "We are all looking for the same objective hiding around here. The White Fang."
The Faunus girl—Blake Belladona. Seriously, who was she kidding? Specially not hiding her last name—tensed and looked at him. "Y-You…"
"Nothing gets past Ozpin's nose girls," he said. 'The more reason why he shouldn't have let Jaune stay.' He continued, "and I have a bone to pick with one of their associates. The people who wear those armors…"
"You know who they are?!" She immediately exclaimed, looking on high alert.
He noted how Yang gripped her abdomen. Oh, so it was them who caused the accident Tai talked about.
"I know of them," He remarked. "But they might be related to something… personal. But in the end we are working towards the same goal, and with the same target in mind. And as I'm sure you learned, Mountain Glenn is the perfect place for them to hide because…"
The young Schnee—Weiss! Gosh, hard to remember names—raised her hand as if she was in class. "Because of the isolation in the area."
He nodded, satisfied. "Correct. Because…?"
"It was one expansion for the city," Yang answered this time. "But eventually was overrun by Grimm."
"Correct again, Oobleck has taught you well," He smiled. "While the entire southeast quadrant outside of Vale would be a good hiding place for a large group, Mountain Glenn would be a good place to start our search. We have one week, girls.
The hatch of their ship opens. They are hovering a few meters from the ground, so they all leap down. The girls all drew their weapons, but Nicholas preferred to keep his on his holster.
"Ladies, you may be students," Nicholas said, turning to them and giving them a stern look. "But right now, your first mission as Huntresses has begun. You will do exactly as I say from now on, understood?"
All the girls nod, yet Nicholas decides to address something that's been bothering him ever since they came out of the Academy. "Ruby. I told you to leave your bags behind."
The girl is suddenly tense and shaking like a leaf. "Umm… W-Well, you didn't told us to listen to you back then…"
"Do not try to play smart with me, young lady," He said in a tone usually reserved by his youngest daughters. "Leave it here, while we explore. It couldn't possibly have anything of us that I don't bring already," he said as he gestured to his duffle-bag. "The point of this missions is to also teach you to be resourceful with your surroundings. The forest nearby will be a good place to hunt or look for other sources of nourishment."
"B-But, I -I…" She stutters fidgeting with her fingers.
"What is in that bag that is so important to you?" He asked with his arms crossed. He's no stranger to attachment to objects, most of her girls wouldn't let go of their plushies for even bathroom visits, heck Jaune wouldn't let go of his X-Ray action figures at night until he was ten!
But Ruby was fifteen and a Huntress in training, so he doubts she has a plushie in her. So what could it be—
"Woof!"
Nicholas brain comes to a halt, as a living dog pops his head out from the bag.
Everyone stares at the girl in bewilderment, and the only thing she has to say for herself is…
"Zwei! Go back to the bag…"
Ruby felt her knees trembled under the thunderous glare Mister Arc was giving her. From the side, her teammates were giving her looks of shock, disbelief, and sheer disappointment—oh, come on Weiss, you should be happy about this—after Zwei decided to poke his head out from the bag.
"You brought a dog to the mission?" Mister Arc asked calmly, but if the look on his face was an indication, he was just barely holding himself from lashing out.
And if this was a movie adaptation from a book, he would be probably shaking her out for answers.
"I… I…" She tried to come up with an answer, but couldn't do nothing. "H-he has Aura…"
Mister Arc grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, grabbing Zwei from the backpack. He gave him a look over, while the dog just panted and titled his head in an adorable way at the man.
"This was a reckless decision. Of which I have been told you are not new to…" He said, giving Ruby a reproachable look. "This dog certainly has aura, but that isn't a guarantee that it will be safe."
Yang stepped forward to defend her. "Zwei is also trained, sir!" She said. "Our dad has taken him on low-risk missions before."
"Low-risk," He repeated. "This is a Grimm infested zone with possible terrorist activity. Even if he has training, and his nose can be effective in our task, its still a risk. Specially since you two will most certainly be looking out for him if we cross the White Fang, since Grimm will probably ignore him."
"Arf!" Zwei barked at random, wagging his tail as Mister Arc set him on the floor with a grumble.
"There's nothing more to do about it," Mister Arc sighed as he stood back up. "Prove that this wasn't the wrong decision, that the dog will actually make a good inclusion to the mission, and that you will take this mission seriously."
"I am taking it serious…" She muttered, gripping the hem of her skirt. She didn't want to leave Zwei alone. And now she was feeling tears pricking her eyes. No! Don't cry! It'll be worse.
"That shall be seen," Mister Arc said with finality before turning to her team. "As for the rest of you."
"What?" Blake snapped, looking defensive. "We didn't do anything."
"Exactly," Mister Arc said, making them all give him questioning looks. "By your reactions I can tell that none of you knew that this was coming. Yet none of you noticed that Ruby was carrying her backpack? Did you not bother to see what she packed? Or noticed it moving?"
With each question, each member of Team RWBY avoided his gaze. This just made Ruby feel even worse, now her team was getting scolded because of her. Can a single action she does actually bring something good for her team instead of scolding and detention? Just for once!
Mister Arc took a breath through his nose, and then exhaled. "That also falls on me. I should have noticed early that Ruby didn't leave her backpack back at Beacon as I instructed. But for the sake of your future missions as a team do be attentive to what your teammates are doing, specially your leader. She looks after you, and you look after her in turn, that's how a team works. Maybe in the future you'll have
It really didn't feel like she was looking out for them now… still they all nodded, still with their heads down.
Zwei whimpered, probably feeling her discomfort and snuggled next to her. She looked at him with an apologetic smile. Wanting to say sorry for bringing him in the first place, yet didn't she didn't felt the energies to do so.
Mister Arc sighed and ran a hand through his head. "Now I've gone and done make girls sad again. If my wife was here, he would take off one of her sandals and smack me with it," he said, trying to fit in some good humor with barely any effort. "But more importantly, I've gone and made us a delicious snack."
That made them all look at him. "What?" With Ruby adding. "You brought snacks?"
"No, no. Us. I made US snacks with all this negativity and pessimism I brought," he said turning around and pointing at an intersection.
A Beowulf was running towards them, and it unleashed a howl that made many others come from the around the corners or some even from within the buildings.
Ruby brought out Crescent Rose and prepared for combat, her teammates doing the same. Now this she could do without getting her friends into troubles, killing Grimm was always a way to bring up her mood. And to add to things, Zwei growled and seemed ready to combat.
Mister Arc cracked his knuckles and turned to give them a smile. "Now, how about I clear some of the skepticism you have for me back in the ship, and to earn some points with you after that whole scene?"
"What do you…?" Before Weiss could finish her sentence, Mister Arc's body glowed with a golden aura.
Then he moved.
As a speedster herself, Ruby watched in awe as Mister Arc dashed towards a Beowulf and reared his arm back. He jumped and slammed his fists against the Beowulf's face that it crashed against the floor, lifting a curtain of dust around them.
When it dissipated, the Beowulf's headless body was on the ground. The head having turned into a pulp that slowly dissipated along with the rest of the Grimm.
Mister Arc turned around and gave them a corny wink and a smile. "Now girls, was that cool for you?"
Mountain Glenn Arc officially begins!
And guess what? I already finished it!
You want to see how it goes? Well go over to my P a treon!
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I'm sorry this took so long guys. I really try to keep this as a monthly update, but classes have left me with few free time. I also want to work on Hunter X Zero X Two, since that story means a lot to me, even if it's not as well received as this one.
However, never lose faith. I'm not leaving this story to dry, and if I do I will at least leave it for adoption. So trust me, there's time for more!
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Love you all bye!