Chapter 26) The Caverns of Mountain Glenn

A/N: Ruby is supposed to be the protagonist of this story, so I guess she really should have more POV chapters. So… here's one.

Ruby did not think. There wasn't any time for thought. Professor Greene was running into a trap, and if Ruby did nothing then she would die.

Without her weapon, without a plan, and without any hesitation, Ruby activated her Semblance and threw herself at Professor Greene. She was just at the edge of Ruby's range, so Ruby did not hit her with the full force of her charge. The impact was just enough to knock her teacher away before-

CRACK!

Ruby felt her stomach drop as the ground beneath her feet fell away. A brief sensation of weightlessness disoriented her, then she was tumbling through the air into darkness, her own cry of alarm drowned out by the raging shriek of the Alpha as it too fell alongside her.

Ruby had just enough time to brace herself before she impacted the ground. Her breath was knocked out of her lungs from the force of her sudden stop, and she felt her Aura flare around her and saw it light up red, briefly casting long shadows against the stone surrounding her.

One of those shadows belonged to the Alpha.

It was injured, but not incapacitated. Its thick armour plating had been damaged from the fall, one section on its stomach having completely broken away, but it was soon back on its feet and preparing to pounce on the prone girl lying beside it.

Crescent Rose was gone, left behind up above after it had been knocked from her hands in her brief clash with the Grimm.

She had just used her Semblance, pushing it to its maximum range, meaning she had to wait a full minute before she could use it again.

Ruby had no means of fighting.

So she did the only thing she could.

She rolled quickly to her feet, and ran.

It was dark, but not pitch-black. Ruby could more-or-less see where she was going, enough to avoid tripping or running into a wall at least.

With the Alpha hot on her heels, Ruby pushed herself as hard as she could and sprinted down the tunnel she had landed in. Where it led, or how deep it was, she had no way of knowing. All she knew was that if she stopped, she was dead.

She ignored the pain in her legs and the burning in her lungs and the cries of the Grimm chasing her, focussing only on running… and counting.

Eleven… twelve… thirteen… fourteen…

The path ahead split in two, but Ruby did not pause to consider which one to choose, she just picked one at random and kept on running.

Twenty-one… twenty-two… twenty-three… twenty-four…

There was less light, it was harder to make out the path ahead, but Ruby did not stop. She couldn't.

Thirty-one… thirty-two… thirty-three… thirty-four…

She could just about see another split coming up. Once again, she just ran down one path at random, heedless of anything else.

Forty-one… forty-two… forty-three… forty-four…

It was almost time. Ruby pushed herself even harder, forced herself to run faster, but did not dare to use any Aura to do so. She couldn't afford to waste any now.

Fifty-one… fifty-two… fifty-three… fifty-four…

Without missing a beat, Ruby reached into the pouch at her hip and withdrew a spare magazine of ammo, gripping it firmly in her right hand as she continued to run, continued to count the seconds as they passed.

Fifty-seven… fifty-eight… fifty-nine… SIXTY!

The path ahead turned sharpy to the left, but Ruby did not follow it. Instead she kicked back off the stone face of the tunnel and reversed herself, running straight at the Alpha.

What happened next happened very quickly.

As the Grimm and Ruby met, both charging at full speed, they both struck each other. The Alpha's clawed forearm slashed at Ruby's right shoulder, cutting into her and drawing blood as she deliberately avoided letting her Aura absorb the hit. Because instead of defending herself, Ruby instead channelled her Aura into her attack, allowing her to punch through the stomach of the Grimm where its armour had been broken by the fall earlier.

She still had the magazine in her grasp when she did so, gripping it so tightly that it had buckled and exposed the bullets inside. As soon as she felt her hand bury itself in the belly of the beast, she pushed her Aura directly into the magazine and infused all of the bullets with her power.

An instant later, she called upon her Semblance, its cooldown having passed the moment she finished her count. Instead of leaning forwards, she leant backwards, and flashed away from the Alpha, a trail of red petals left in her wake. Red petals that were blown away as fourteen 50-calibre rounds detonated at once, tearing the Alpha Beowolf apart from the inside out.

Sixty seconds of sprinting, and less than a quarter of one second for all the rest.

It was over.

Staggering backwards, Ruby fell against the cool stone of the tunnel wall and slid to the ground, panting heavily. Her legs were shaky even as she sat, and as the adrenaline began to fade, she felt pain all over her body. Pain from the fall, pain from the strain of her mad dash, pain from the deep cut on her right shoulder that was beginning to bleed quite a bit…

With what little awareness she still had, Ruby focussed her Aura on her shoulder and willed it to begin healing. The bleeding slowed, and she felt her skin draw together as the wound began to close up. It was too deep a cut for her Aura to fix it completely without leaving her totally drained however, so she stopped focussing on it once she was reasonably certain she was no longer in danger of bleeding to death, and finally allowed herself to just… stop.

For a short but welcome moment, Ruby just sat there and didn't do anything, didn't think anything. She simply sat with her eyes closed and breathed and let herself come down from the stress of the past minute and change. She allowed her heart to slow down and her breaths to even out and her ears to stop ringing from the explosion she had just set off in her own face.

But the moment of calm couldn't last. As her mind started working properly again, her eyes opening and staring into the inky dark of the tunnel, Ruby began to process what had just happened.

I need to call Professor Greene…

Ruby winced as she twisted to retrieve her Scroll and bring it up in front of her. Mercifully, she had not broken it when she fell. Squinting from the glare of the display as it shone in her face, Ruby selected her teacher's number and hit the call button.

NO SIGNAL

Ruby stared despondently at the words on her screen. She was too deep underground it seemed, too far away to call for aid.

Letting out a long sigh, she switched off her Scroll…

A second later, she switched it back on again, turning on the flashlight and driving back the encroaching shadows as she fought to get her heart and breathing back under control once more.

Ruby had never been particularly afraid of the dark, even when she was little, but at that moment the thought of being stranded in the dark genuinely terrified her.

She had no weapon, her Aura was doubtless running low, and she was injured. Her team had no idea where she was, if they even knew she was in danger at all. She had ran down branching paths at random, so she also had no idea where she was, certainly she had no idea how to get back up to the surface.

She was alone.

OK, stay calm. Think about this for a second. Professor Greene saw me fall. She'll come down after me.

But would Professor Greene know which path to take? If she took the wrong path, would she get lost down here as well?

She's a Huntress. She knows this area. If anyone can navigate these tunnels, it's her. She'll find me.

Ruby wondered if she should try making her way back up the path, try to meet Professor Greene halfway…

No, if I take a wrong turn then that'll make it harder for us to find each other. I should just stay where I am and wait. Keep the light on to make me easier to spot.

But a bright light could attract Grimm as well, and if she wound up drawing a lot of them, Ruby wasn't sure she could defend herself in the state she was in.

All the more reason to rest right here. I need to let my Aura heal me in case I do need to fight.

…

I'm staying. That's the best choice.

Mind made up, Ruby placed her Scroll down beside her and gazed up at the rock above. With a final sigh, she stopped holding her Aura back and allowed it to do its work. She felt it, warmth spreading throughout her body as it automatically focussed on where it was most needed. Her shoulder once again began to slowly close up, and the pain in her legs began to slowly recede as her muscles recovered their strength.

The tunnel she was in was very quiet and very still. The only sound was her own breathing, as steady and as calm as she could keep it. Her bangs moved ever so slightly in the slight breeze as she…

Breeze?

Yes, there was a breeze. A very slight, but noticeable current of air blowing from the tunnel to her right, the one that she had assumed led deeper into the underground.

But if there was a breeze, then that meant that the tunnel could lead outside, back to the surface.

Back up, and back in range to be able to call for help.

It certainly sounded better than simply waiting all alone in the dark.

Pushing herself to her feet, Ruby held her Scroll in front of her with one hand and used her other hand to balance herself against the wall. Once she felt confident enough that she wasn't going to fall over, she stood up straight and began to slowly make her way down the path, silently hoping she wasn't making a terrible mistake.

It was very slight, barely noticeable, but the tunnel Ruby was making her way through sloped downwards, she could tell. And yet, the breeze was definitely there. The air tasted fresher, less stagnant.

Maybe the ceiling collapsed up ahead and left a hole leading upwards? Hopefully it's not too steep to climb…

Pausing, Ruby lowered her Scroll and switched off its light for a moment, peering ahead through the gloom. She could just about make out a light near the end of the tunnel.

Relief flooding her body, Ruby quickly resumed walking, faster now that she had found her way out, and with no need for any climbing with an injured arm and-

Ruby stopped dead as she reached the mouth of the tunnel. The sight that greeted her had her stunned, eyes wide and mouth agape.

The tunnel Ruby had emerged from left her standing on a narrow pathway of rock cut into the face of the gigantic cavern before her. Far above, strings of lights hung from stalactites provided the illumination she had mistaken for daylight. And far below…

When Professor Greene had spoken of how she and the other people of Mountain Glenn had taken shelter underground, Ruby had imagined tiny caves and narrow passageways. She had not imagined what clearly amounted to an underground metropolis.

Buildings filled the cavern floor, some several stories tall, carved out of stalagmites as they rose up from the ground. The pathways between them were clearly paved, and signs were dotted about here and there. Granted, the whole ensemble had clearly suffered over the years, several buildings having crumbled apart and the roads having cracked and split in places, but it was still an impressive sight to see.

As she stared out at it all, Ruby found herself imagining what it must have been like to live down here. She imagined people walking amongst the stone towers, going about their business beneath the artificial light…

She could almost see it. She could almost see the tiny figures walking about…

Wait… she could see them. She was too far away to see clearly, but they were there. People. There were people down here.

Well, one person, seemingly poking about the ruins in search of something

Had they been down here all this time?

Overcome with curiosity and wonder, Ruby moved closer to the edge of the path and squinted as she tried to see more clearly what these people were doing-

CRACK!

Ruby had just enough time, and just enough awareness, to briefly wonder if the universe had it out for her today for some reason.

Then, for the second time in the space of less than an hour, she found herself falling. Not straight down, but more of a rough slide down the steep face of the cliff. A rough, painful slide as she scraped against the jagged stone.

With a pained grunt, Ruby came to an abrupt stop at the base of the cliff, landing in a heap with her cloak covering her head.

"Ow…"

Ruby pushed her cloak out of her face and slowly got back to her feet, wincing as she tweaked her shoulder. Thankfully she hadn't reopened the gash in her tumble, but it still hurt.

"Hey, what was that?"

Ruby froze, and her mind quickly began to race. Was this person friendly? If they'd been down here all these years, would they welcome a new face, or react to a potential trespasser?

Deciding she'd rather not find out just yet, Ruby darted to the side and hid behind the remains of one of the crumbling stalagmite houses. She'd watch them from her hiding spot and then consider whether or not to approach them and…

The figure who had heard her fall rounded the corner and came into view, and Ruby's thought process trailed off as she felt her blood turn to ice.

"Is anyone here?" called the White Fang soldier, sweeping her gaze from side to side as she aimed her rifle around her.

Ruby stayed very, very still, clamping one hand over her mouth in a somewhat panicked attempt to muffle any sounds she may or may not be making. Her own heartbeat sounded awfully loud in her ears, but that wasn't something anyone else could hear… hopefully.

The soldier's gaze fell upon the small pile of rocks that had fallen alongside Ruby. She looked down at the rubble, then up at the narrow pathway it had broken away from. Ruby saw the soldier's shoulders relax as she lowered her gun and huffed.

"Damn cave-ins. Seriously, the sooner we're outta this hole, the better."

The soldier turned and walked away, and Ruby waited until she was absolutely certain she was gone before she let herself breathe again.

She couldn't decide if this was a stroke of good luck, or the single worst piece of bad luck she had ever had. On the one hand, she had found the White Fang, just like they had been hoping to do when they decided to take this mission in the first place. On the other hand, Ruby was alone, unarmed, and lacking any means of relaying any of this to her teammates. In short, she was effectively stranded in what amounted to hostile territory, and her only means of escape had just quite literally crumbled beneath her feet.

This was the sort of situation that made people panic, wasn't it?

Ruby certainly didn't feel safe, that was for certain.

But then again, I could…

Pulling out her Scroll and once again feeling thankful it hadn't been damaged in her fall, Ruby set the camera to record and fastened the device to one of the buckles holding her cloak in place, so as to keep her hands free. A quick check of her pockets and pouch turned up nothing useable as a weapon: she had already used her last magazine of ammo, so no pulling that particular trick again. Scouring her immediate surroundings, she spotted a shorter stalagmite that was thin enough to break off, leaving her with something resembling a club.

Better than nothing, I guess.

Sticking to the shadows as best she could, Ruby set off as quietly as possible in search of the rest of that soldier's friends.

It was nerve-wracking, to say the least. Every slight noise or hint of movement caused Ruby to freeze and hope that no-one was about to spot her. Each time, she waited, eyes open and ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. Only after enough time passed for her to feel safe again did she resume her slow journey through the strange subterranean city she had stumbled into.

Had Doctor Oobleck mentioned any of this in his History Classes? Ruby couldn't recall. She was pretty sure she would remember being told about something as striking as this.

Walking amidst the ruins gave Ruby a much different view than she had had from up on the cliff earlier. The stalagmite towers really were enormous. Giant stone cylinders with spiked tops, windows and doors carved into them as they were hollowed out for use. How many thousands, millions of years had it taken for these things to form before people found them and converted them like this?

Had Ruby not been in the middle of what could potentially become a life-or-death chase… again, she would have loved the opportunity to explore this almost alien landscape. What was the inside of one of these towers like? Was the furniture carved from stone also, perhaps?

Up ahead, Ruby heard sounds that were unmistakably the sounds of people. In the distance, another tunnel had been dug out of the wall. Noise, and light, and that mysterious breeze from before were all coming from there.

Swallowing despite her mouth feeling very dry, Ruby crept towards the tunnel and pressed herself flat against the wall beside the opening. Cautiously, she peered around the edge to check for anyone. Seeing the tunnel was empty, she gathered herself and stepped into it.

There was nowhere to hide if anyone came along now, so she couldn't afford to wait. Picking up her pace, Ruby speed-walked the length of the tunnel until she reached the other end. A small gap in the rock afforded her a little nook to hide in, so she slid into the crevasse and peered out at the scene before her.

What she had seen before, when she arrived at the underground city, had been jaw-dropping.

What she saw now, right before her eyes, was a nightmare.

This cavern had been hollowed out, cleared of rock and stone to create a vast, empty space that dwarfed even the cavernous city behind her. It was well-lit, somehow well-ventilated despite being deep underground… and swarming with White Fang soldiers.

There had to be dozens, maybe even hundreds of soldiers working here. Carrying crates, inspecting weapons, dismantling gear…

The bulk of them, however, were in the process of loading up a train. A full-sized, multi-carriage freight train, sitting on the tracks right in the centre of the cavern. The front of the train had what could only be described as a battering ram welded awkwardly onto its frame, and from what Ruby could tell from this angle the tracks it sat upon led onwards, down another tunnel to parts unknown.

What is all this for? Are they loading Dust on there? Are they smuggling it someplace? But where? Where does that train go? Was it always here? Did they build it? How did they build a train and a rail line all the way out here without anyone noticing? How long have they been doing all this? Weeks? Months? Years?

All this and more whirled around Ruby's mind. She felt like she was spiralling from the overload of it all, but she forced herself to stop and focus on one thing only.

I need to record this. I need the proof that this is here. And to do that…

Twisting to allow herself a bit more movement in her hiding spot, Ruby unclipped her Scroll from her cloak and held it out from the alcove, in order to allow the camera to see everything she could see.

I need to get back to the others. I'll climb back up that cliff and get back to that tunnel, even if I have to use all my Aura to drag myself back there. We need to get this to Vale, to the authorities, so they can send in enough Huntsmen and Huntresses and army people to take all this down.

Ruby allowed her Scroll to record the goings-on in the cavern for about half a minute, figuring that it would be plenty enough proof for Vale Council to act upon. Satisfied, she withdrew her arm and-

A small, delicate yet powerful hand wrapped itself around Ruby's retreating wrist and yanked her out from her hiding spot.

Ruby landed on her side as the hand let her go and allowed her to fall, jolting her shoulder yet again in the process and eliciting a gasp of pain.

Rolling over, Ruby looked up in time to see a familiar and frightening face looming over her, right before Neo's boot descended on her head and knocked her out cold.

Ruby was brought back to the waking world by the feeling of water being thrown in her face. Gasping and spluttering, she shook her head and moved to wipe the water out of her eyes… only to realise that she couldn't move. Her arms were tied tightly behind her, and her ankles were likewise immobilised, rope binding her limbs to the chair she was sat on.

"Little Red! How nice of you to stop by! You should've called ahead though, I'd have made sure we had some snacks for ya!"

Peering out from beneath her dripping bangs, Ruby looked up at the man whose voice, she had decided, was her least favourite sound in the whole world.

"You…" she said lowly.

"Me!" sang Torchwick, gesturing to himself with a flourish. "Miss me that much, did ya?"

Roman was not alone. Standing beside him was, of course, his partner Neo, as well as a not insignificant number of White Fang soldiers, all aiming their guns at her. Looking around her, it seemed to Ruby that she was being held in a tent. She could hear the rest of the small army of White Fang continuing with their work outside.

"Before you get any ideas about breaking those ropes, I should inform you that Perry here is an ex-sailor. He ties a good knot, so you'd just be wasting your time." Roman patted a bespectacled soldier on the shoulder as he spoke.

"Uh, Torchwick, sir?" the man, Perry, began. "I said I worked on a cruise liner before, but I wasn't exactly a sailor. I handled the bags."

Torchwick rolled his eyes. "Perry, c'mon, I'm trying to embellish you a little here. 'Former sailor' sounds a lot better than 'former baggage handler' wouldn't you say?"

"Wh-what are y-you doing h-h-here?" Ruby asked, cutting of Torchwick before he could go off on another tangent.

Torchwick leaned forwards on his cane. "That's my line, kid. Wanna tell me what a grade-schooler like you is doing all the way out here all by herself?"

Ruby didn't say anything, but she did shoot a meaningful look at Neo, who was at least a few inches shorter than she was.

Neo responded to her silent taunt by pressing the tip of her blade against Ruby's cheek.

"Come on, Neo. Play nice. We can't cut to the end yet."

Neo withdrew her blade, and Ruby did her best to hide how rattled she was.

"I'll ask again," said Torchwick, kneeling down to look Ruby in the eye. "What brings you to our cave of wonders, Little Red?"

Ruby thought very carefully about what to say. Should she say anything at all? How was she supposed to talk her way out of this!? She didn't talk her way out of things, she fought her way out. But that wasn't an option right now.

"Little Red, usually I'd be over the moon about a kid shutting the hell up, but right now I kinda need you to start talking, or we're gonna have to get nasty."

"She's with Belladonna," growled a low voice from behind her. Ruby paled as she recognised the voice from before, from the times they had crossed paths already at the docks and after the rally…

"Why, thank-you Lieutenant, for your genius observation," Torchwick said dryly. "Given our prior engagements, I never would have guessed that the four kids who always stick together would stick together. Your brilliant mind once again leaves us all in awe."

The towering Lieutenant of the White Fang walked around Ruby and loomed large over her. His face was covered by his mask like every other soldier present, but Ruby didn't need to see his face to know he was angry.

"Where is she?" the Lieutenant growled.

Ruby squirmed in her bonds, but to no avail. "N-no idea."

Had her Aura levels been any lower, Ruby was fairly certain the punch she had just received would have taken her head off. As it was, she was still seeing stars from the blow, and her skull felt like it would split open any minute.

"Where is she!?" the Lieutenant roared. "Where is the traitor!?"

"Sh-she's with the army," Ruby said, slurring her words slightly, still dazed from the hit. "W-w-we came with back-up. Th-there's f-f-fifty of us, and m-more on the w-way."

"F-f-fifty, you say?" Torchwick parroted her stammer mockingly. "Somehow I doubt that. But even if it were true, it doesn't matter, because we are outta here!" He finished with a tip of his hat and a wink.

"Where?" Ruby asked.

Torchwick shrugged. "Oh, nowhere fancy. Just taking a little train ride is all. I'd offer you a seat, but I'm afraid we're all sold out. Guess you're just gonna have to stay behind."

"We can't let her leave here alive," the Lieutenant rumbled. "She saw too much."

Torchwick shrugged again. "Do what you want, buddy, but make it quick. We roll out in three, and if you're not on board then we're leaving you behind as well."

Torchwick walked past Ruby, and the rest of the tent's occupants followed after him. One soldier, the one called Perry, seemed to pause for a moment before moving on, while Neo just waved at her and smiled before leaving with the rest.

Ruby watched with mounting terror as the Lieutenant drew a large knife from his belt and moved directly in front of her, holding it at the ready.

"I'll give you one final chance to save your life, girl." He spoke slowly, dangerously, and Ruby did not doubt for a second that this man would kill her. "Where. Is. Belladonna?"

Ruby's mind grasped desperately for some way out of this. One possible idea formed in her head, though it wasn't exactly a good one.

But I guess I don't have any other options right now.

Looking up at the Lieutenant's face, faking a level of confidence that she absolutely did not feel in that moment, Ruby responded to his question with just three words.

"Coming for you."

The Lieutenant thrust forwards with his knife, the tip of the blade coming straight towards her eye.

Before he could stab her, Ruby, leaned to the side, and activated her Semblance.

She had never tried to use her Semblance while sat down before, and she had certainly never tried using it while tied up. She had no idea if this would work, but given the circumstances, all she could do was hope.

The tip of the knife was in her eyeline, ready to blind her before burying itself in her brain…

Then it was gone. Her vision was clear, and she was lying on her side on the floor.

Also, she was no longer tied to the chair.

"What the-!?"

The Lieutenant's shocked reaction was one that Ruby could relate to. Had she just moved fast enough to literally yank herself free from the ropes? Without ripping her limbs off or even disturbing the chair she had been sat on? It hadn't even moved from its spot in the centre of the tent.

The Lieutenant turned to face her then, and Ruby decided that such questions were perhaps best saved for another time.

Scrambling to her feet, Ruby tore past the still stunned Lieutenant and sprinted out of the tent.

"Stop her!" he heard him scream after her. "Shoot her! Kill her!"

Throwing all caution and restraint to the wind, Ruby called on all that remained of her Aura and pushed her body to its absolute limit as she ran for the exit, the tunnel that led back to the underground city.

Gunfire filled the air, and Ruby felt several bullets whizz past her, and several more hit her in the back. Her Aura stopped them from dropping her, but she still felt the sting of each one.

Running zig-zag in an attempt to throw off their aim, Ruby called upon her Semblance and prepared to activate it. She hadn't travelled far just then when she escaped the chair, so her cooldown should only be a few seconds this time.

Just as she felt her Semblance recharge and become available to her once more, Ruby also felt a heavier shot hit her leg, causing her to stumble and loose her focus.

Fighting to stop herself from falling over, Ruby staggered along and aimed herself towards the cave opening cross from her. It was way outside her maximum range, too far to make in one dash, but if she waited any longer then they would get her.

Ruby wasn't thinking about that, though. She wasn't thinking about anything, really… besides one thing. One thought echoing in her head… echoing in sheer terror.

I don't want to die!

Ruby activated her Semblance, and with no consideration for anything beyond her terror, she threw herself towards the cave as fast as she could.

She flew. She flew so fast she heard the air around her ears roaring like a hurricane. She flew further than she had ever flown before…

But she didn't fly far enough.

Ruby landed some distance short of the cave opening, landing face down and unable to move any more. She felt her Aura flicker around her, and she knew it was close to breaking. She heard the sound of footsteps charging at her, from behind her and in front of her, and she knew she was surrounded. She frantically, desperately willed her body to move, to get up, to find the strength to drag herself away and carry on living, but she knew it was hopeless.

If she had the strength to do so, Ruby would have screamed.

The sound of gunfire once again filled the air, and Ruby could only lie there and wait for her body to be torn apart by the bullets-

The sound of bodies hitting the floor, the sound of people crying out in pain and shock, the sound of voices familiar to her ears yelling at her to get up-!

Ruby lifted her head, and saw her sister standing in the mouth of the cave, sending blast after blast into the soldiers bearing down on her from behind. Weiss was launching fire from a Glyph, short bursts shooting into the midst of the White Fang. Blake was firing her gun over and over and over again…

Strong arms wrapped around Ruby, pulling her to her feet and dragging her towards the cave. Professor Greene grunted as she deposited Ruby behind her teammates, who continued to provide covering fire, keeping the soldiers at bay.

"Weiss, now!" Yang barked.

Ruby watched as Weiss plunged her sword into the ground and summoned a wall of ice to block the cave off, shielding them all as she had done at the docks.

"Let them go! We need to move, come on!"

The gunfire ceased, Ruby heard the soldiers on the other side of the ice retreat, leaving them alone.

"Ruby!"

It wasn't just Yang who descended upon her then. All three girls surrounded Ruby and enveloped her in a massive hug.

"That was far too close," Professor Greene sighed. "Thank the Gods we made it in time."

Ruby heard an engine start up. The train was preparing to leave.

"Th-the train…" she pushed her teammates off of her and turned to face her teacher. "Th-that tunnel… wh-where does it go?"

Professor Greene shook her head. "That doesn't matter right now. We need to get out of here and back to Vale. Can you walk?"

Ruby got up. Her legs shook, but she could stand.

"Wh-where are they going?" she asked again. If they knew where the train was heading, they could tell the Council, and maybe intercept the White Fang en route…

"Nowhere," Professor Greene replied. "That tunnel was sealed off when the Glenn fell. It used to link up with Vale, but it's a dead end now. They're going nowhere."

A dead end?

A train…

A battering ram…

Carriages filled with crates of Dust…

A small army of White Fang, all armed and ready…

"Vale…" Ruby whispered. The pieces fell into place in her mind, and she stared back at Professor Greene in horror. "They're going to attack Vale."

Ruby turned to her teammates desperately. "Th-the train! Th-they m-modified it! They're gonna r-ram through and attack Vale r-right now!"

Yang, Blake and Weiss froze for a moment as they absorbed Ruby's words, then their own faces became masks of horror like Ruby's.

They were underground, far from Vale, and had no means of warning them of what was coming. The only option they had was…

"We h-have to stop that train. W-we're the only ones who can."

Ruby watched as Blake, then Yang, then Weiss all nodded at her words, faces set.

Ruby turned to face Professor Greene, who was staring at the four of them with wide eyes.

Then she focussed, and her expression turned stern.

"In that case, you'll be needing this." Professor Greene reached to her left and retrieved an unmistakable red object from where it had been placed beside the rock.

Ruby accepted Crescent Rose and deployed her weapon in its full scythe form. As she felt the familiar and comforting weight settle in her grasp, Ruby felt her fear lessen a little, and a feeling of determination began to rise within her.

She was still scared, that was undeniable. She had almost died just now, and she was about to charge right back into danger, even as drained and injured as she was.

But after everything they had been through, every setback and loss they had suffered, they were all now faced with the reality of what they were up against.

If they failed now, a lot of people were going to die.

And as scared as she was, as she was certain they all were, Ruby could not.. would not… let that happen.

"Weiss," Ruby began. "Drop the barrier."

Her partner nodded, and the wall of ice melted away.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Professor Greene… the five of them charged as one, bolting from the cave and heading straight towards the train, which has already begun to leave.

Ruby reached the rear carriage first, leaping on board the rear platform and landing in a crouch. Weiss followed, launching herself with a Glyph to clear the distance and landing beside Ruby. Blake used her weapon to grapple the side of the carriage and pull herself on board, reaching back to grab Professor Greene's arm and pull her up as well. Yang, the last of them, fired her gauntlets behind her and used the recoil to reach the train, landing on one knee.

The train picked up speed and entered the tunnel, beginning its journey towards Vale.

Hello again, RWBY fans and anyone else we've picked up along the way!, I'm Not Scot.

We're in the Volume Two endgame now. Next chapter will be all action, start to finish, as we hurtle towards the conclusion. The match-ups are gonna be a bit different this time around, so I hope you all enjoy 'Off the Rails' when I finish it and upload it for you all to read.

In the meantime, what did you think of this one? Been a while since Ruby had a chapter all to herself. Let me know in your thoughts in the reviews/comments. I always love reading them: they are the best motivation I could ask for, seriously.

I have a bunch of other stuff to upload tonight (I've had a very productive week), so I'd best get to it. Thus, for now, I shall take my leave.

Until next time,

Not Scot.

P.S: Four has a 'u' in it, but forty doesn't? Why does this language never have any consistency!?