Here is the forty-eighth chapter in this story released in accordance with my release schedule for this story. No sooner had Ruby and Weiss arrived in Mountain Glenn with Oobleck, Yang, and Blake then they were beset upon by a pack of Beowolf Grimm. Well that's fine, nothing two first and two third year Huntresses in training can't handle so it's time to show their teacher what they can do. Is this all that Ruby and Weiss's internship will be, however, or is there more to learn in Mountain Glenn than either girl realizes? Well let's see as that is all that I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all and while there are no questions to answer here there is one guest review that need a response, one of which will involve a question to y'all, so I will do that now. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.
To Guest (guest), yup, the Mountain Glenn investigation has begun adapted to fit this story as the girls have no clue what they're getting into or what they might encounter in the ruins of Mountain Glenn. Zwei is one of the best dogs out there, can't not have him in this arc where he can show off what a good boy he is. I try to tie in the few characters that predate the series like Jester and this was a good time for him to show off part of his ties to this story but there's plenty more to come from Jester, and Princia for that matter, when the time comes. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.
That is it for this slightly shorter than usual pre-chapter note so it is time to sit back and enjoy the forty-eighth chapter in Black RWBY Academia.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these three great franchises.
Chapter 48: The Grimm of Heroes
"Zwei, cover your ears." Ruby ordered as she brought Crescent Rose around and slammed the crook of her scythe into the ground to stabilize it for the coming recoil. "It's going to get loud."
Zwei let out a bark of acknowledgement at the order as he crouched down and put his forepaws over his ears in a surprisingly human gesture though he was smarter than your average dog. As he did the pack of Beowulf Grimm charged them and Ruby lined up her shot. She'd loaded Crescent Rose with her Grimm killing rounds in preparation for this mission as that was what she expected to face so there was no need to change the magazine, all she had to do was fire the moment that she had her shot.
Ruby did this as the other three girls rushed forward to her sides to engage the Grimm in close combat while making sure to stay out of Ruby's line of sight. The shot that followed them rang out loudly in the quiet ghost town and took a Grimm through the eye, an impressive shot though the range helped Ruby's already high accuracy rate, before the others reached the pack.
Regardless, the Grimm went down from the shot and began to dissolve like they always did when killed and Ruby shifted her target just as Yang reached the pack, her charge being the fastest. Naturally, Yang didn't hesitate as she punched the first Grimm in the head with her right fist as she reached it.
The nature of Yang's Quirk enhanced her constitution to well above human average so she had a lot of raw strength and durability to the point that her close combat skills, already highly trained thanks to her father and U.A., were near lethal. When you added in the shotgun blast from her gauntlet to her punch the Grimm's boney skull plate shattered and it went down, rolling over the ground and disintegrating as Yang passed it showing that she'd killed it. She didn't pay attention to that and just moved onto the next Grimm that was bearing down on her.
As she did, three more of the pack passed their downed fellow turned and rushed Blake as she too reached the fight though why they went after Blake and not Yang only the Grimm could explain. Of course that wouldn't happen, not that Blake minded as she prepared to fight them.
Like Ruby, Blake could fight at close and mid-range and like Weiss her style played into her Quirk as she stood there waiting for the Grimm that were targeting her to charge. They did as the soulless, mindless, creatures of darkness bore down on Blake as she waited for the fastest of the trio rushed her from behind her highly attuned senses alert for the right moment to strike. That moment came right before the Grimm reached her.
Blake leapt up as soon as the moment came and leaf a shadow clone in her wake that took the hit and stunned the Grimm. It didn't stay stunned for long though but the momentary confusion was all that Blake needed as she backflipped and bisected it, slicing it in the middle of its back that was the narrowest part of a Beowulf Grimm as she was mid flip with a swift, smooth, slash of her short sword.
She wasn't done though as she twist in the air to land in front of the next Grimm that was trailing behind the lead Grimm and slashed it across the face with enough force to lift it off the ground thanks in part to its forward momentum. Blake then backflipped again as it tried to recover, leaving another shadow clone in her wake, and bisecting this one in the same way as she'd bisected the first one.
Blake completed her sequence by landing in a crouch before the final of the three Grimm that had chosen to come after her and then leaving another shadow clone there for the Grimm to hit as she used her Quirk's nature to leap up and over it to once again bisect it in the same spot as the other two. The three blows had taken less than 10 seconds and as she finished Blake turned to see 6 more were charging Weiss as she led them away from the others.
Before Blake could go and help the younger girl, Weiss turned and countered the first Grimm with her rapier and then leapt up and flipped away, slashing a second to keep it off her as it tried to leap at her. The move put Weiss where she needed to be and she turned and rushed across a line of glyphs that suddenly appeared before her, her speed boosted by them, to cut down all the Grimm with quick, clean, slices and stabs of her sword so that the fell down and began to disintegrate.
Unlike Blake, Weiss hadn't bisected them but rather hit the vital points, whatever they were, with the tip if her rapier as she passed them. It was an impressive bit of Quirk control and precision swordsmanship that showed her training well and reminded Blake that Weiss could hold her own against low level Grimm like these just the same way that Ruby could.
While all this was going on, Ruby was showing that fact as the rest of the pack had charged her as she was firing away at them. Ruby showed her accuracy as each shot taking down a Grimm and she kept firing at a rapid pace until her magazine had only one round left, by her count at least. That worked really well for Ruby as there was only one Grimm remaining to deal with.
Instead of shooting it, however, Ruby pulled her scythe out of the ground and spun it to behind her before she fired it as she leapt forward and burst into her Quirk, charging at the final Grimm while using the recoil to boost her already impressive speed. The Grimm barely had time to lift its left foreclaw before Ruby burst out of her Quirk as she passed it and bisected it at the waist with a spin of her body and scythe.
A second later Ruby landed on the road and slid over it on her boots as she looked around to see if there were any more Grimm to deal with. There weren't because as Ruby looked the last of the Grimm pack was going down under a flurry of punches from Yang as Ruby came to a stop so she just jogged over to Weiss and Blake while Zwei yipped happily and ran around excited by all the action.
"That was easy." Ruby said with a smile at Oobleck as Yang finished off her Grimm and come over grumbling a bit that none of them had hit her so she'd not absorbed any damage from them beyond what she got from punching them. "We took care of them without a problem."
"Be that as it may, those were relatively weak Beowulf Grimm but you all did admirably and took no wounds which shows that you understand the danger and can hold your own against multiple Grimm while fighting in a group setting." Oobleck said evaluating the girls' combat abilities though he'd give each of them a full breakdown when the mission was over so they knew what to work on. "And I wouldn't celebrate just yet. After seeing so many so soon after arriving here I am confident that this is just the first bout of many to come as we explore and establish a base camp for the night. Let us continue our investigation."
"Er, doctor, what about the car?" Blake pointed out. "Wouldn't it be damaged or stolen if there are villains hiding out here."
"Grimm won't attack it, it's just a machine so of no interest to them, and it's already disabled." Oobleck said. "All cars registered to Beacon are specially made so that only a licensed huntsman with the agency can drive them, if anyone else tries they'll be locked in and an alert will go out notifying the authorities of an attempted car theft so that they can arrest the individual. Now, onwards, we have exploring to do and I'm sure that you have more fighting to show me."
With that Oobleck moved on, thermos of coffee in hand, so the girls had to quickly pick up the pace to follow him. The pro wasn't wrong, almost as soon as they were out of the area they'd arrived in they were beset by yet another pack of Beowulf Grimm, this one larger than before, that the girls quickly intercepted and dispatched them while Oobleck wandered around and checked some weeds to see if there had been any human disturbance in the area while noting how many Grimm they were encountering.
"Excellent work, girls, just what I like to see." Oobleck said turning to the quartet as the last of the Grimm went down, this time to Weiss's rapier, and he looked around at the dissolving Grimm with Zwei happily panting by his side. "Nothing here but Grimm though their numbers are higher than expected even with the history of this place. This does point to potential criminal operations here but there aren't any signs of that in this sector. This is well within handleability for you though so let's see if there are more in the next sector."
The quartet were a little tired after the latest batch though all were grateful for the intensive conditioning that Hero Course students had to do at U.A. as part of their training so they could keep fighting but it was a fair bit. This was especially true for Ruby and Weiss as while they'd tangled with Grimm before this was a lot more than what they'd dealt with in the past. Plus there was one thing that Weiss wanted to raise.
"Dr. Oobleck, are you going to fight as well?" Weiss asked as they walked, senses alert for more Grimm or human activity. "I was kinda hoping to see a pro huntsman in action to see what I could learn from you."
"Yeah you could at least help us fight." Ruby said though it wasn't really a complaint. "It would go faster with your aid so we could search more that way."
"Ah but I am already doing my part girls for I am currently scouring this ghost town for any signs of irregularity that would indicate recent criminal activity." Oobleck said looking back at them. "Do not forget that many missions aren't filled with daring deeds of valor and heroism saving civilians from hordes of Grimm and criminals alike, girls. Not even standard heroes do this often, you just see the images of All Might saving dozens from a burning building or Julius capturing a whole cell of terrorists in a split second because they are shown over and over again to highlight the great deeds of heroes. However, that is but a fraction of the real role of heroes no matter the branch."
"Yes but there are moments like those." Ruby said. "They do happen or else we wouldn't see all the clips of them."
"They do and all branches have such moments." Oobleck conceded. "But most of the time, especially for the Huntsman branch and our prerogative over Grimm, our role is just a form of enhanced extermination."
"Which you could help with." Yang said understanding what Ruby and Weiss wanted and pointing it out as well as she too had wanted to see what Dr. Oobleck could do as she'd always been curious about his combat abilities having rarely seen him outside of a school setting. "There's a lot we could learn from a pro like you. Even with her different style, Blake and I learned a lot from our missions with Miss Goodwitch."
"And you are doing that for I am an expert in investigation and analysis, skills that all heroes will need to master no matter the branch." Oobleck said. "Even those who only seek glory and fame do it for they wouldn't be at the top if they didn't know how to investigate situations and make them better. Why I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of the top 10 heroes has spent the last few months studying and investigating the actions of that notorious villain, the Hero Killer: Stain, to deduce where he might strike next. I've consulted on that but the psychology of a serial killer is not my forte so I can't help beyond noting that he won't stop until he's captured."
"I can see that but it's hard with all the Grimm here to watch you work as well." Weiss said. "I'm just trying to learn, doctor."
"And you will, don't worry." Oobleck said. "All of this is part of the learning experience and I've got plenty of lessons to teach you over the next few days in the field. However, remember that above all else this is a job and you've all signed up for it. You need to understand that most of all."
"Well yeah, I went through a lot just to do that much." Weiss muttered her left hand briefly going to the scar over her left eye. "So I want to get the most out of an experience like this."
"Good then let's move on, I want to check out at least two more sectors before we make camp for the night." Oobleck said as he turned and led them away. "This way ladies."
"I know you went through hell to get here Weiss." Ruby said smiling at her best friend as they followed their teacher and mentor for the mission. "But you proved to yourself that you can do it on your own and earned your spot without any help. That was all you and that's what matters."
"True I did." Weiss said smiling back at Ruby's words. "And I've got this permanent reminder of that fact. I know it's a bit unsightly but…"
"Don't say that!" Ruby exclaimed loudly surprising Weiss, as well as Yang and Blake who couldn't help but overhear the conversation between the first years. "Your scar isn't unsightly at all."
"Ruby." Weiss said looking at her best friend eyes wide. "How can it not be? I admit it's not as bad as Todoroki's but still I have a scar on my face, that's rather noticeable if you ask me."
"I know but I like it." Ruby said defiantly as if only her opinion on the subject mattered, which to Weiss was the case, and causing Weiss to instantly flush. "It only adds to how beautiful you are Weiss. It humanizes you, shows that you're more than your name, that you are willing to fight for what you want and believe in, how can it not add to your beauty. Plus it's rather elegant just like you. Even getting scared is classy with you Weiss."
"I, er, well, if you like it Ruby then I don't mind it either." Weiss said going bright red and looking away from Ruby as she felt her chest warm up for some reason at the thought of Ruby finding her beautiful, something Weiss understood as objectively true, while Yang smirked at the reaction, Ruby may be dense to some things but damn could her bluntness be good. "I'm not going to get rid of it, I got it defying my father and proving that I had what it took to take the normal exam for U.A.'s Hero Course. It's a reminder of that and what all this means to me personally."
"See, it works for you." Ruby said smiling as she looked at Weiss. "And your mentality around shows that you understand what all this means more than anyone else."
Weiss just looked back at Ruby and nodded as she bit her tongue because she really wanted to repay Ruby's compliment. She wanted to note how Ruby was just as beautiful in her own right and how much she liked Ruby's unique silver eyes, but she held it as her denials at why she thought that of Ruby kicked in and she told herself that this was all because Ruby was her best friend, nothing more. Naturally, Ruby didn't notice as she kept talking.
"And you crushed that exam." Ruby said. "Second place if I recall and not far from Yang's score when she took it."
"That's right, you're not a recommended student." Yang said remembering what Ruby had told her about Weiss, there had been a lot as Ruby chatted about Weiss pretty much every day though Yang found it adorable as she was sure she knew what it meant even if Ruby herself was dense to it. "You got in via the normal exam, which I still beat you in."
"It's not a competition." Weiss said returning to her normal attitude though her tone implied that she was annoyed at that fact. "But yes, I was second in it though that is in large part thanks to helping Asta at the end. Still, I made it in on my own merit without my father's help and to me that's what mattered. Recommended students should properly earn their recommendation, I wouldn't have."
"Looking at you two and knowing your backgrounds you'd expect it to be the other way around but it's not." Blake added as they walked taking a moment to catch their breaths as this sector was clear of Grimm, for the moment at least. "Ruby's the recommended student, not Weiss."
"Ruby more than earned her recommendation." Weiss pointed out her defense very quick even if she knew that the older girls wouldn't disagree though Yang did smirk at how fast Weiss had jumped to Ruby's defense. "She's proven that time and time again."
"Oh we know, we're very proud of our Rubes." Yang said grinning. "I fought my way in, Ruby showed off before then and got the chance to get in on recommendations."
"You should have seen her intense training." Blake said. "She can catch me now, some of the time at least."
"I've seen the results, they're impressive." Weiss said. "Ruby's Quirk control is near the top of the class."
"Yup, catching the kitty was a great training exercise." Yang said grinning. "Blake's as slippery as any cat so she really pressed Ruby to master her Quirk to catch her."
"Don't call it that." Blake said with a slight groan. "And it helped me hone my Quirk more as well so it was mutual. I'm already good with my Quirk but Ruby showed that there were some more polishing that needed to happen."
"You've got a lot of fine control already." Weiss noted, she'd not seen much of Blake's combat today due to her own but she'd seen enough to get a general gage on it. "And the way you incorporate it into your fighting style, it must be tough to spar with you."
"I am a little tricky to fight." Blake said. "Though I do focus on my sword and pistol for that, unarmed combat is a weakness of mine and part of why I never made it past the quarterfinals of a Sports Festival. My Quirk has no offensive properties unless I infuse it with Dust, which I can't in the Sports Festival, so one on one battles without a weapon are hard for me. Certainly showed me where I had to improve and how reliant I was on my weapons."
"That's only true for the first year when Voltia sensed where you went and fried you the moment you landed." Yang said. "If I recall last year you went out in the first round because…"
"Let's not talk about that." Blake said her cheeks flaring red with embarrassment at the memory. "That was a spatial awareness mistake that I've since corrected. Another lesson the Sports Festival taught me."
"What happened?" Weiss asked Ruby in a low voice.
"Blake was facing a girl called Marron in the first round of the final event last year." Ruby explained her voice just as low but in the ghost town of Mountain Glenn everyone could hear what she was saying. "And she forgot where the ring was and so when she used a shadow clone to take a hit from Marron's earth golem she landed on the steps outside the ring and fell down them. Then she fell down the next level of steps as well and had to be stretchered off with a few broken bones."
"It was hilarious!" Yang said laughing at it. "Only annoying thing was that I was the next opponent so I didn't get to fight Blake and see how her evasion tactics would hold up against my fists. I knocked Marron out with one blow though so it wasn't all bad."
"After you soaked her golem's attacks and taunted her about Swing, who I'm sure she's not screwing as you think she is." Blake said. "But yes I was in training mode against Marron and my usual tactic is to fall back from an opening attack and then move around to find an opening for my counter attack. Turns out that after a year at U.A., and all the training I'd done before coming to U.A., that had become habit and Marron used that against me. I've broken it now but it was still embarrassing."
"Yes habit can do that." Weiss said. "My sister was very clear about that when she was training me. I shouldn't rely on one move too often or else it could be used against me."
"Yeah dad made sure that I didn't have any bad reliance in by close combat training." Yang agreed. "Course he still thinks I over rely on my Quirk to win tough battles but I don't see what I do wrong there."
"I still haven't seen you use it today." Weiss said.
"Haven't needed to." Yang said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Most Beowulf Grimm aren't that sturdy so they go down easy and after a few years of intense training at U.A. my raw strength is at the point that I don't need to enhance it with my Quirk. So long as I get a clean head or chest shot I'm good and the latter sometimes necessitates that I take a hit or two to get close which helps. Now if we had to deal with bigger Grimm that would be different, same with people as there are some tough bastards out there that can take a hit. Also barrier Quirks exist, they're frustrating for me to deal with."
"I see." Weiss said. "Well…"
"Girls, get a move on." Oobleck called out interrupting their chatter. "We don't have all day and we're about to enter the next sector, who knows what we'll find here."
The girls just nodded and picked up the pace to catch up with their chaperone. This was a mission after all and they needed to focus on that. Still, the slight respite and conversation was good because they were able to catch their breath which they needed because almost as soon as they entered the next sector they encountered another pack of Beowulf Grimm and had to engage almost right away while Oobleck continued his observations of the general area as he checked for recent human activity.
This habit continued for the better part of an hour without much interruption as Oobleck led them through various sectors of the ruined ghost town to see what was going on in them, check to see if there had been recent non-Grimm related activity, and of course clear out any Grimm that they found. When it came to clearing out Grimm there was certainly a lot of them. Not too much that four huntresses in training at the top hero school in the nation couldn't handle, but certainly more than would be expected even in a place with the history of Mountain Glenn.
It was all very interesting to Oobleck who constantly made notes in a notebook that he had on him regarding what he found, as well as his assessments of the girls' combat abilities whenever he observed them as well. The amount of Grimm indicated two things to him; that there was clearly something going on here, or had gone on in the last month or so, to attract them, and that there were people who could handle Grimm as they'd not found any signs of recent human death.
It was the only logical explanation and Oobleck was keeping his eyes open for any sign of a criminal group using this area as a base but so far they'd found none. That implied that they were in the subterrain complex but that needed to be confirmed, which they couldn't do with all the Grimm that were currently above ground so Oobleck focused the girls on that task which was good training for them regardless. They would clear out the Grimm, check the subterranean complex, and if what Oobleck suspected was true call in the Quirk Knights and a few pro huntsman teams that were nearby to handle the group here.
All that in due course, however, as the Grimm extermination was ongoing and by Oobleck's estimations would take a good two days to completely eradicate all the Grimm here. That was good because it gave them one more day to confirm his theory and allowed him time to study and teach the girls, especially the first years. It was in that vein that Oobleck finally spoke for the first time in a while as he sat on a ledge in front of a door in their latest sector while making notes in his notebook at the same time. It was time to learn something about Ms. Schnee.
"Miss Schnee, I have a question for you." Oobleck said as he made his notes while Weiss was nearby cutting down a few Grimm from the latest pack they'd come across.
"What is it doctor?" Weiss asked as she dodged and countered a Grimm that lunged for her, killing it with a quick, clean, stab to the chest before turning to engage another Grimm that was near Oobleck's position.
"Why do you want to be a huntress?" Oobleck asked, it was a question that he asked all Huntsman track students at some point, he'd done so with Yang and Blake the year prior during after class the day before they started their work studies at Beacon and had asked Ruby the question during her recommended exam interview so now it was Weiss's turn to be asked. "You are a girl born into wealth and bearing one of the most prestigious names in Japan, if not the world, so someone like you doesn't need this extra work. You could have done anything you wanted, especially after being name heiress to the Schnee empire, so why choose this over an easy Business Course at Shiketsu or even U.A."
"You hit the exact reason there, doctor." Weiss said as she landed before him and stabbed the final Grimm in the chest with her rapier causing it to fall onto its back dead allowing her to turn and look up at her teacher as she answered him. "I bear the Schnee name and with that comes responsibilities. My father notwithstanding, which as he married into the family means he's not really a Schnee, I have a legacy of honor and duty to uphold. Once I knew that I could fight and protect this nation from villains and Grimm alike, there wasn't a question of what I would do. This is my duty as a Schnee and I will see it fulfilled."
"Is that all?" Oobleck asked. "Or is there more to it than that?"
"There's more, yes." Weiss admitted. "I also want to do what I can to restore my family's name after all that my father has done to it. I am the heiress to my grandfather's legacy, so when I take up the mantle I want my name to be something I'm proud of and not what my father made it."
"Interesting, thank you for being honest." Oobleck said as he leapt off the ledge and landed in front of Weiss while the handful of Grimm that she'd killed disintegrated around her. "Now let's move on. It's going to get dark soon and we need to find a place to set up camp."
Weiss nodded and they moved onto the next section which would turn out to be the last one though something nagged at her about her response that she couldn't place and it wasn't the fact that the other three had heard it. Weiss pushed that out of her mind as they entered the next section which turned out to be near the edge of the plateau that the settlement was on so if they wanted they could go to the edge and look out from the exposed side of Mountain Glenn. It was still inaccessible due to the sheer cliff face but it was a spectacular view and showed just how nice a place it could have been.
This was why Oobleck chose this part, because of the view that could be seen from it as there was still one final lesson to impart on the first years and he hoped that there would be specimens for said lesson from the edge of the settlement. However, with Weiss having answered his question and the sun going to set soon they first needed to find a place to set up that was out of the open.
They found it with ease and Blake was the one to do so when she cut one of the few remaining doors away from a building to check what was inside as she'd heard something in there with her heightened hearing which merited further inspection. It turned out that she'd heard a flock of small avian Grimm that squawked and flew at her as they fled the building forcing Blake to roll back from them. However, she used the momentum of it to pop up and turn to face the birds, her short sword morphing into a pistol in a smooth mechanical motion and shoot the Grimm birds down with a series of well-placed shots.
"Yes, this looks good." Oobleck said with a nod as he approached the building and the birds fell around Blake. "Nice shooting, those birds could have alerted others to our presence, well done."
"Thank you." Blake said.
Oobleck nodded and turned to see that Yang and Weiss were off finishing the last of the Beowulf Grimm that they'd found in this sector while Ruby was toying with Zwei as she held a full roast chicken on the spike at the end of her scythe's shaft and was making him jump for it. How she had that was a mystery that Oobleck didn't think he'd ever get a clear answer on and regardless it didn't matter. Zwei had proven invaluable in finding Grimm and warning them so he'd earned his chicken.
"Come on Zwei, get the chicken, get the…" Ruby said before she noticed that Oobleck was near her and put way her scythe, and the chicken, with a quick move and a look of embarrassment on her face. "Sorry, er…are we ready to move onto the next sector?"
"No, we've done a lot today and you girls need your rest, night will fall soon and it will be best to be inside then." Oobleck said shaking his head before he tossed his bag to the side and at Yang as she and Weiss arrived causing Yang to grunt as she caught it. "Xiao Long, Belladonna, make sure that the building that Belladonna just opened for us is clear of Grimm and set up a temporary camp there. You've been trained for this so get dinner going. Tomorrow you will explain to Rose and Schnee how to do it so that they can set up camp on the last night on their own. For now, I'll take the first years and make sure the perimeter is secure. Come girls."
Oobleck turned and led the two first years in silence away from where the camp was to be set up and down the road while Yang just looked at Blake who shrugged and the girls entered the building to get to work. Oobleck, Ruby, and Weiss didn't see this as the pro turned left at the end of the road and they walked past a lot of broken ruble and bricks to the edge of the settlement.
There was no wall there, no buildings, not even a fancy promenade to enjoy the view, only rubble as the girls, Oobleck, and Zwei came to a stop at the edge though far enough back so that it was safe. Below them was a wide plain filled with trees though there was enough space to see between them so it wasn't enough to call it a forest. Said forest started in the distance past the plain and rose up gradually until it reached the base of some rocky mountains far in the distance. It showed how the terrain of Japan was and drove home the point of how good a location Mountain Glenn had been.
However, there was one additional thing that caught the girls' eye as soon as they looked out and really made it clear how inhospitable the location was. Before them, making their slow way across the plain in a single file line, were 6 giant elephant like creatures with long curving tusks, black skin, and boney protrusions on the backs and legs. The white skull mask with a red line delineated what they were though Ruby still felt the need to comment as she didn't know the exact species that she was looking at.
"Woah what are they?" Ruby asked. "They look awesome."
"They look terrifying." Weiss corrected as she studied them as best she could from this distance. "They're clearly Grimm. If I had to guess they're Megoliath Grimm by the looks of them though they seem a bit off."
"Close Miss Schnee, they're cousins to the Megoliath that you would know from the area near Atlas and Mantle." Oobleck said. "These are Goliath Grimm, they're slightly different as you can tell."
"That explains the name." Weiss said committing it to memory so that she knew what they were should she ever run into them. "I take it they're native to this area."
"To Kansai in general yes." Oobleck said with a nod. "They aren't the most common Grimm out there, thankfully, so you don't often see them and they tend to stick to large open areas like the plain before you but they're nasty Grimm to deal with."
"Well then let's just kill them." Ruby said as she pulled out Crescent Rose and cocked it though she kept it in its pure rifle form and shouldered it. "I can hit them from here."
"Alas your sniper rifle will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm that big." Oobleck said. "You need a whole team working together to bring just one of those monsters down. Big Grimm like this are pretty rare, we don't know why they're rare but we're grateful as even one of those can cause tremendous damage. The destruction of Lower Cairn last year was caused by just one of them."
"Oh." Weiss said her eyes wide; she'd read about that incident as Winter had made sure she knew of the major Grimm attacks so that Weiss could understand them though the reports hadn't mentioned the species of Grimm that had caused it. "That was one of the worst in recent memory. It was pretty new but supposed to be defensible enough to survive a Grimm attack long enough for Huntsmen and Huntresses to come to its aid."
"For most standard Grimm in this area like Ursai, Beowolves, and Boarbatusks that would be true but no one expected a rampaging Goliath Grimm." Oobleck said sadly. "By the time help arrived it was already too late, it had already killed almost all of the inhabitants. That is why we must be careful about them."
"Almost all?" Weiss asked. "I read that there were no survivors."
"There weren't." Oobleck said. "There were a few that had found refuge in a nearby cave but they were killed by the Goliath during the evacuation. It was a total failure, that's why it's seen as the worst Grimm incident since the destruction of Kuroyuri 10 years ago. It's best not to speak more on it."
"I understand." Weiss said dropping the matter at once.
"All that is why we should kill them though." Ruby said her rifle still raised. "What if they attack us?"
"I am with Ruby on this." Weiss admitted. "Though if they come we should flee. One of them might be doable with 5 of us so long as we have your assistance doctor, but 6 is too much for all of us."
"Fret not girls, Goliaths like that don't care for small fries like us, especially when we're this far out and above their current position." Oobleck said reassuringly which surprised them so Oobleck continued. "I brought you girls here in hopes that we'd see some of them as they're known to be in this area from time to time because above all else your internship is about teaching you the nature of our line of hero work. This is a lesson that you need to learn and thankfully we have 6 teachers here to show it."
"And that is?" Weiss asked ready to learn though she wasn't ready for what came next.
"That not every Grimm out there is a mindless beast that will attack as soon as it is alerted to negative human emotions." Oobleck said surprising both of them. "Some of them are no longer mindless as we'd consider it."
"They're not?" Ruby asked. "But we were taught at Signal that they were."
"For the most part they are but these 6 Grimm before you are an example of ones that are no longer mindless." Oobleck said. "They aren't common but Grimm this big are more powerful and superior to any Grimm that you've fought before and that means that they have undoubtedly survived decades, if not a century at least, and it is that survival that has allowed them to learn. They've been attacking and killing humans all this time so they will know from experience that if they attack and we have the numbers they might die because we make up for our lack of strength against such beasts with our will. Killing one of us will bring more so it's not worth it to them."
"I never thought of it like that." Weiss said as she thought on Dr. Oobleck's words. "I've always seen them as nothing more than mindless monsters, not closer to animals that can learn over time."
"But if that's the case why are they so close to this settlement?" Ruby asked as one of the Grimm turned its head to look at them for a moment while the others continued to move. "Surely they'd be wary of it being repopulated or something like that."
"Likely waiting but for what I cannot say." Oobleck said as the Grimm turned its head back and resumed walking. "They may not be mindless anymore but that isn't to say that they're intelligent either. There is a lot that we don't know about Grimm be it their origins, their purpose, why the do what they do, or how to completely get rid of them but they're here and are a major threat so all we can do is keep exterminating them whenever they pose a threat to us. I wanted you two to understand this fact, it's something all aspiring Huntsmen and Huntress should know. I am sure that Glynda is telling young Mr. Pine the same thing wherever they are."
"True we don't know much about them but aren't they the products of Quirks?" Weiss asked looking at her teacher. "Why else would Asta's sword have worked the way it did. We all saw it and I know that I'll never forget that class or what I said during it."
"It's fine Weiss." Ruby said reassuringly. "I've forgiven you for that and it helped us become besties so don't worry about it."
"Thanks Ruby." Weiss said with a small smile. "That means a lot to me."
"Given what we know of Mr. Asta's power, it is almost certainly the case that Grimm are created by a Quirk." Oobleck said ignoring the girls chatter about that class as it wasn't his business and moving the conversation along. "That new revelation was the biggest leap forward in Grimm understanding since we realized that some of them can learn to avoid humans."
"I don't doubt it." Weiss said. "I was shocked when it happened."
"As was I when Peter reported it in." Oobleck said. "The revelation was massive as it implies that someone like Aizawa could, theoretically, end all Grimm in the nation if he were to hit the creator with his Quirk. Alas we don't know who's creating them, nor do we know if he or she is still alive as Grimm have been around since just after the advent, at least that's what we can ascertain given the chaos of those years caused our records to be a little spotty when it comes to the first known sighting of a grim. However, it does imply that they may be able to survive after their creators death as no longevity Quirk has been discovered yet. Still, knowing that they are the products of a Quirk is big."
"Yeah if we had Asta here he could wipe all 6 out quickly." Ruby said. "We'd back him up of course to make sure that he can land them but 6 strikes is all that it would take."
"Yes, I had hoped that Asta would take a Huntsman offer what with Anti-Quirk and all but he is clearly set on the Quirk Knight path but as we have a strong relationship with Quirk Knights that is fine." Oobleck agreed. "Once he accepts a work study we, along with the other agencies for that matter, will begin to partner with whichever Squad he chooses as his skill is invaluable. I may have stopped you from acting Miss Rose, but you are right in that Asta could end those 6 with 6 swipes of his swords. That alone is worth the risk of engaging them as they outweigh the dangers even 1 Goliath Grimm poses. Alas, Asta is but one person and the only other nullifier cannot nullify the products of a Quirk without seeing the creator."
"I can see the problem there." Weiss said. "Still, his help with especially powerful Grimm will be important when the time comes."
"That it will be but all in due course." Oobleck said as he turned away from the plain as the Goliaths carried on walking away from them. "You all need to be trained up so that you can survive out there first. Take this lesson to heart girls and remember it as we continue our mission here."
With that Oobleck began to walk back to the camp that should be set up by now. Ruby and Weiss took one more look out, craning their necks to see the Goliaths as they moved further and further away before they turned and walked after their teacher. As they did, Ruby had a question as she recalled what Oobleck asked Weiss and how he'd asked her the same question back in their interview, she'd share her answer to it with Weiss later if Weiss asked, so it was clearly one he asked all aspiring Huntresses.
"Dr. Oobleck." Ruby said and when he gave an affirmative sound she continued. "I was wondering…"
"Why I asked Miss Schnee the same question that I asked you in your interview." Oobleck said coming to a stop and turning to the girls. "Which I've also asked your sister and Miss Belladonna in the past as well."
"No, actually I was wondering what your answer to that question was." Ruby said surprising both Weiss and Oobleck with her response. "Why did you want to become a Huntsman hero?"
"A fair question." Weiss said impressed by Ruby's insight, she'd not thought to ask it herself but then again Ruby could be very insightful at times, it was one of the many things that Weiss respected about her best friend. "Now that I think on it, I too am curious. You're a very intellectual man, Dr. Oobleck, you could have been a great academic in the field of history but you've chosen this path instead. Why?"
"Thank you Miss Schnee, but the answer is simple." Oobleck said as he gestured around them using the question to do some more teaching. "Look at this place girls, what do you see?"
"Lots of old, ruined, buildings and empty streets." Ruby said as she looked. "Nothing but the remains of a town that was overrun by Grimm."
"Destruction and devastation." Weiss added. "The cost of the world as it is in the post advent era and one of the highest costs at that."
"That is close to what I see." Oobleck said as he looked around. "I see lives that could have been saved had we been smarter, had we not presumed that what we had not encountered yet didn't mean that it wasn't a possibility."
"Huh?" Ruby asked.
"Subterranean Grimm." Weiss said though it was more a guess based on where they were than anything else.
"In this instance that was the case." Oobleck confirmed before getting back to Ruby's question. "As a Huntsman it is my job to protect the people and while I can to that with my Quirk and weapon but I am also an intellectual who values knowledge and understands the power that comes with it. As such I believe that I can make a much larger impact on this nation if I do so with my mind than with my might. I became a teacher at U.A. because I can take the power of knowledge and place it in the hands of every student that passes through my classroom no matter what branch or course they are in so that they can use that knowledge when they go out into the real world."
"Knowledge is power." Weiss agreed. "No matter the field."
"Correct." Oobleck said with a nod. "One look at this wasteland, this great tragedy that occurred because of our limited understanding at the time, and I see the countless lives that were lost when it occurred. However, even in such a tragedy there is opportunity, an opportunity to study these ruins and the mistakes of the past so that we can learn from them and become stronger so as to not make the same mistake again. Simply put, I am a Huntsman hero because there is nothing else in this world that I would rather be."
That was all that Oobleck had to say and he turned back and continued walking leaving Weiss and Ruby to think on his words. Think on them they did as they headed back to the building that Blake had opened up in silence and entered it as soon as they arrived.
It wasn't fully enclose, there was a hole in one wall and the floor above had caved in in places making the upper levels unstable but it was still shelter that would keep the wind out and at least alert them to an attack if it came. Hopefully, it didn't and as soon as the first years entered they hurried to the fire that Yang and Blake had set up to warm up while noting that there was a small pot over it with the dinner that they were making from the provisions that Oobleck had provided them with knowing exactly how much to use in such a situation.
"Excellent, a textbook campfire, well done girls." Oobleck said as they arrived and he, Ruby, and Weiss put their hands to it to feel the warmth as temperature was dipping despite it being springtime. "And I see that you're preparing dinner as well. Good. You've learned a lot girls."
"Fire!" Ruby said happily as she knelt down and warmed her hands to it. "So warm."
"Despite the time of year it is cooler at this altitude so a fire is nice." Weiss said as she warmed her hands. "Thank you."
"This is important training for Huntress work." Blake said as she began to pull out mess tins for their dinner. "You will learn it as well as we will often have to camp out when we're pros and doing rural Grimm patrols."
"That is true which is why tomorrow you will teach Rose and Schnee this so that they can prepare on the final night." Oobleck said. "Now, eat your dinner and then go to bed girls. There is a lot of ground to cover tomorrow so you need to be well rested for it. That said we are deep in Grimm and potentially criminal territory so you will need to each keep turns watching our temporary campsite just in case there is an attack. Who wants to go first."
"Yo." Ruby said raising her hand. "I got it."
"Excellent then I will leave the rest to you." Oobleck said as he zoomed away.
"Here, I know it's not gourmet or anything but it will fill you up and keep you warm." Yang said as she handed Weiss a mess tin with her dinner in it and a spoon. "Gotta make do when you're in the wild so it will be rough."
"I understand, as Dr. Oobleck said I did sign up for this." Weiss said as she sat down around while Ruby was served as well. "So I don't mind it. Besides, as an aspiring Huntress I'm going to have to get used to roughing it like this. It's all part of the learning experience."
Yang was surprised at how well Weiss took to the idea of roughing it given her background but the younger rich girl meant it as she tucked into the meal. It wasn't good by any measure, it was food designed for work like this after all, but it was nourishing and they ate in relative silence but for setting up a watch schedule with Ruby taking first watch.
There really wasn't much else to say so they finished up, cleaned up the tins as best they could without water as they couldn't waste their water supply on cleaning, and laid out three roll mats with pillows to sleep on, the light of the fire keeping them warm. As they did, Ruby moved to a place where she could set up with Crescent Rose in by her side and Zwei in her lap. She was out of earshot of the others and ready for her watch as a howl was heard and she settled into her watch thinking on all that she'd learned during her first day of fieldwork as an aspiring Huntress.
The others just laid down and tried to get to some sleep. The girls knew that they should sleep and they were exhausted from their day's work so they tried to do just that with Weiss on her back in a prim and proper position, Blake on her side and Yang on her back in a much more relaxed position than Weiss.
However, despite all her efforts to fall asleep, Weiss just couldn't as all that she'd learned that day was still racing through her mind keeping her up. One thing that was really playing at her was the question that Dr. Oobleck had asked her and how he'd asked the other three at different times so only her answer was known. It was really on her mind as she didn't feel right about her answer. Finally Weiss couldn't take it any longer and knew that the other two were still awake so she had to say something.
"I know we should sleep but can I ask you two something?" Weiss asked rolling over into her side to look at Blake and Yang where they slept in a triangle formation around the fire.
"We're awake, takes a bit to fall asleep like this and we're still not used to it as we've only done multiday wilderness missions a few times." Yang said opening her eyes and looking up through a hole in the floor and at the ceiling of the floor above their campsite. "So sure, ask away."
"You want to know about our answers to Dr. Oobleck's question right?" Blake said quietly opening her eyes as well. "He no doubt told you he asked us them in the past and you're probably curious as to our responses."
"Yeah, I am." Weiss admitted. "I was the only one asked today because you three have already been asked so I was curious as to your response to it. I, I will ask Ruby about hers privately later but, if you don't mind, I want to know your answers if that's ok?"
"Sure, I don't mind sharing." Yang said smiling at how shy Weiss was being about discussing this privately with Ruby knowing that it would mean a lot to Ruby that Weiss wanted to talk to her privately about this. "My answer wasn't great, I'll admit. I told Dr. Oobleck the truth, that I'm a thrill seeker, that I want to travel the world and have as many crazy adventures as I can and this was the best path to accomplish that. Helping people along the way only makes it better to me."
"He did call you out about the job aspect when you tried to give him a platitude." Blake said finally opening her eyes and looking at Yang. "I remember that."
"Yeah I deserved that for trying to avoid telling the truth at first." Yang admitted. "It just sounds a bit selfish when said aloud. At least yours was noble, Blake."
"True but he called me out as well." Blake said. "Which I deserved as I'd not really thought much into it."
"What was your response?" Weiss asked Blake.
"I told him that there was too much wrong in the world for me to stand by and do nothing about it." Blake said, not wanting to add about how her own past had shown her both sides of the issue and made her realize where her path lay once she accepted the person she'd initially followed wasn't who she thought he was. "Dr. Oobleck saw how I held myself with a sense purpose so I told him the truth. I'm a heteromorph who grew up in the stick, I know inequality well and that's just because of my difference there are other kinds of inequality in the world. Add in corruption and the other evils and someone has to stop it. Course I had no answer to his follow up question as to how to do that and I still don't."
"Sounds a bit like my father, he's as corrupt and bigoted as they come." Weiss grumbled. "Trust me, I don't know how to answer his issues either."
"I won't lie, your father isn't a good person." Blake said bluntly looking over at Weiss. "But I never judged you for his crimes just as I could tell that you didn't judge me as a heteromorph."
"I've had my experiences with the extremists, I won't lie about that, but I know that they don't represent all heteromorphs." Weiss admitted. "And besides, Ruby trusts you Blake and that's all the word I need to know that you're a good person."
"You really like her, don't you?" Yang asked with a smile as she turned her head to look at Weiss as well and trying to push to get some kind of admission from Weiss. "Ruby that is."
"Well yeah, she's my best friend." Weiss said smiling as she turned onto her back again and looked up at the ceiling, a slight warmth in her chest as she spoke. "And the first person to really call me on my own bullshit so to speak even if she didn't do it directly. Given my family things aren't easy, personally that is, but Ruby, she, she never treated me differently because I was a Schnee, not even when I was a total bitch to her. She doesn't care for my name or family, only for me and who I am. It took me a while to see that because of how rocky our start was but I see it now. I'm so happy that she put up with me, allowed me to apologize, and accepts me. Ruby's made me a better person, I know it."
"That's sweet, you should tell her." Blake said smiling, Weiss's feelings were clear in her words even if she clearly couldn't say it to herself yet. "It will mean a lot to her because I know that you're special to Ruby as well."
"Yeah, I've known Ruby my whole life and I've never seen her like this about anyone before." Yang said her tone genuine because as protective as she was over Ruby, she was happy that Ruby had found someone who cared for her like Weiss did and vice versa. "Don't sell yourself short there Weiss, it's mutual."
"I hope so and I will when I'm ready." Weiss said her chest warming at the thought that Ruby felt the same way about her as she did about Ruby though she wasn't sure what the exact feelings were and her subconscious was swiftly denying parts of it so she used that as a pause before she asked a new question that shifted the conversation back onto the general topic that Weiss had started with. "What I said, to Dr. Oobleck when he asked me that question, you two heard it right? About the legacy of my name and the duty that comes with it that is."
"We heard." Blake said and Yang nodded. "Pretty noble, if a little self-righteous though not exactly unexpected."
"Yeah it was, wasn't it." Weiss said surprising the older girls by agreeing with Blake's assessment. "I didn't really mean it like that though I know that it came off that way. The thing is, there's more to it than just that. Between my parents and sister, it's, well, it's complicated. Every things that money buys happiness and an easy life but it doesn't. No matter who you are there can always be issues and those define who we are. It's from all this that I want to restore my family's name and reputation from what my father turned it into, if that makes sense."
"No I get it." Blake said understanding where Weiss was coming from more than the younger girl realized. "When Oobleck asked me it, I knew what to say because it's what I want to do but I still don't know how to do it. I just figured I'd take it one step at a time. This kinda stuff is complicated, you're not alone there Weiss, and unfortunately I don't have any answers for you."
"Neither have I." Yang admitted. "I still don't but we're here now and we know why, right?"
"I dunno." Weiss answered thinking on it as she continued to look at the ceiling. "We know why we chose this path but is that why we are here?"
"Hard to say." Blake said. "It makes you think though."
"Yeah, it does which is why I've also wondered why he asked that question." Yang said. "He's asked all of our year it and now you, and Ruby back when she took the recommended exam, so there has to be something more to it, right?"
"Perhaps." Blake said. "Or perhaps he's just curious and want to understand our motivations for choosing to become Huntress heroes."
"He took Ruby and me to see some Goliath Grimm that were nearby and told us about the nature of Grimm like them so I'm pretty sure that there's more to it." Weiss said. "Like, I know I mean it when I say I want to honor my family's name and it is more than that. I know my father operates my family's company in a moral gray area and has ever since he took control so I am well aware of what he's done to my family's name."
"That's putting it lightly." Blake said. "The Schnee name carries a lot of weight with it and if we're being honest most of it isn't good these days."
"I know which is why I need to make things right and restore it to what my grandfather made it." Weiss said. "My sister ran away from it in a way that got her disinherited and if I'd followed what my father wanted and gone to Shiketsu it wouldn't have changed anything. I'd be under his thumb like my brother is and following his plan for me by being in Shiketsu's Business Course and not making a difference the way that I know I can. My father's not the start of the Schnee name and I won't let him be the end of it."
"I get that." Blake said surprised at Weiss's candor though she figured that Weiss's deep trust for Ruby and knowing how Ruby trusted Yang and Blake was allowing Weiss to be this open with the two older girls so Blake decided to honor that trust with some of her own. "All my life I've fought for what I believed to be right. It wasn't hard seeing as my father is a leading figure in the heteromorph rights movement."
"Right, Ruby confirmed when I asked because I recognized your family name." Weiss said. "Your father is Ghira Belladonna, right?"
"Yes, that's my dad and he's been a leading figure for heteromorph rights his whole life." Blake said. "I deeply respect my father and all that he's done for heteromorphs but when I was younger and more impetuous I felt that he wasn't doing enough and so I ended up following a mentor called Adam who assured me that there was a better way of doing things. Turned out that his way wasn't better for everyone and so I parted ways with him. I still need to reconcile with my parents but part of that is showing that I can do the right thing just like they did."
"Blake…" Yang began, she was aware of some of Blake's past but not all of it.
"No, it's ok Yang, Ruby trusts Weiss so we can as well just as she trusts us because of Ruby." Blake said. "We owe Ruby that much at least. Besides, we all have family issues it seems."
"Tell me about it." Weiss admitted. "I defied my father to enroll in U.A., I even had to prove myself against in a fight against and Arma Gigas and got scarred for it."
"Arma Gigas?" Yang asked.
"A subclassification for a Geist Grimm that's possessed a suit of armor." Weiss explained. "Western armor in this case. My father made me fight one to prove I could take the U.A. entrance exam so I did and beat it but it punched me in the face leaving a scar over my left eye."
"Oh damn." Yang said. "Those are a nasty type of Grimm that we thankfully don't get down here."
"Good, they're annoyingly crafty." Weiss said. "But yeah that's what I had to do to be allowed to enroll at U.A., providing I passed the entrance exam."
"In a way I'm the opposite to that." Blake said. "I enrolled in U.A. to show my parents that I'm better, that I'm not the brat that I was growing up, that I can be a daughter that they can be proud of. I knew that becoming a Huntress hero who was trained at U.A. would show them that I was fighting for good because those who graduate from U.A. are seen as the most noble heroes in all of Japan. I've never thought past that though so I don't know what I'll do once I graduate and become a full time Huntress hero at Beacon. How can I help the world and undo the pains of the past?"
"I'm sure that you'll figure it out." Yang said rolling looking at Blake while Weiss was a little confused at Blakes's but decided to not press into her past as there were clearly some deep issues there that Blake didn't want to talk about. "You don't back down from a challenge."
"But I do." Blake said. "When I didn't know how to reconcile with my parents after not listening to them I ran, when I realized my mentor wasn't the man I thought he was I ran, hell even my Quirk is about running as I leave behind a shadow of myself, an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away. I'm afraid of the future and if I can face the challenges ahead. So far I haven't run from U.A. which is good but that doesn't allay my fears."
"Still, at least you two have things that drive you towards your goals, things to strive for, I don't." Yang said as she rolled over onto her chest. "I've always been the kinda girl that just goes with the flow, you know. I don't mind it, it's who I am but can I do this forever? Is it sustainable? I want to be a huntress hero not because of the hero part but because of the adventure part. I want a life where I don't know what's coming tomorrow, to me that's a good thing and a Huntress hero lines up with that desire."
"You're not the first person I've known who's not in this line of work for the hero part." Weiss said recalling what Uraraka had told them about her reasons and how they all respected her for them. "And that's fine, it's more real in a way. Yours are different from my friend but still, at least you know what you want out of this line of work. It's not abstract like what Blake and I want."
"True but, well, Ruby will say it better but she's always known that she wants to be in this life." Yang said. "Ever since she was a kid she always wanted to be a hero like in the stories our mom read us and all the things that we saw on the news. You know, saving the day and never asking for anything in return. That's what she wanted and she's strived for that for as long as I've known her."
"That explains why she's trained so hard to achieve her goals." Weiss said understanding more but still knowing she'd chat with Ruby about this in private later. "She's a lot like Midoriya and Asta then. Both are like that; they knew that they wanted to be heroes, what branches they wanted to join, and they've trained really hard to achieve them. Never of them give up in achieving their goals and I see a lot of them in Ruby and vice versa really. It's inspiring if I'm honest, knowing Ruby and what she's like makes me want to be better myself."
Yang and Blake paused at that as they let Weiss's words sink in. Both of them knew why Ruby trained so hard and her goals but Weiss hadn't until she met Ruby this year and if the stories were true, Weiss really had been a total bitch before Ruby thawed her out. It showed what Ruby was like and how great she could be even though she, and Weiss for that matter, were 2 years younger than Blake and Yang.
"You know, thinking on what you said about Ruby and the guys in my class who are just like her, I've realized something." Weiss said breaking the silence as she sat up her mind racing at what her own words had gotten her to think about, though the current situation of being armed to the teeth in a ghost town helped somewhat as it was an odd situation to be in for a 15 year old girl. "We chose this life but above all else it's a job, nothing more than that."
"What do you mean?" Yang asked looking over at Weiss who was still on her back looking at the ceiling.
"Well think about it." Weiss said. "Unlike Ruby, we all had this romanticized vision of what being a Huntress hero would be like and that is why we chose this path but in the end of the day our job is to use our training and Quirks to protect the people. Whatever we want out of this job has to come second to that."
Again Blake and Yang thought on Weiss's words and realized that they were true. At the end of the day this was just a job that entailed protecting people from monsters be they Grimm or human and that came first above all else. With that in mind the three girls were finally able to lie down and while it took a bit to fall asleep, they did so in the end knowing that Ruby would wake Yang for her watch next.
As they did, Dr. Oobleck who was sitting on a broken beam on the level above pretending to be asleep himself smiled having heard the girls' conversation and realization of what their job as Huntresses truly was. He'd done his role as a teacher and mentor, and Weiss had helped get the older girls to realize what they hadn't last year thanks to bringing a fresh perspective to his question, and tomorrow they'd keep moving forward as they continued to investigate the ruins of Mountain Glenn.
"Don't worry Zwei." Ruby said as she rubbed his head and looked out over the ruins of Mountain Glenn while the others finally fell asleep and another howl could be heard somewhere in the distance. "Things will be better tomorrow."
Ruby hoped so at least as the night dragged on and she watched for Grimm or people that may attack them while they were camping. As she did she was unaware of what was in store for them, and all of Japan for that matter, when night fell tomorrow.
A nice little ominous note to end the chapter on. A straightforward one this, one of the last that I expect to be heavily adapted from RWBY, and of course altered to fit this story and the changes such as Weiss being aged down so that she can be in the same class as Ruby and, well, Ruby not being a team leader as there is no team so Weiss got the lesson about the Goliath Grimm as well. There really isn't much more to say about this chapter as it's pretty standard and setting up what is to come so I will leave this off here. If you like this story please follow, favorite (this story and me) to keep up with it and leave a review or PM; your support is what helps motivate me to keep up this work and any questions posed before the next chapter is uploaded I will try to answer. Until next time.
Stringdog