Here is the forty-sixth chapter in this story released in accordance with my release schedule for this story. The Quirk Knight students have reached a lull in their internships after a hectic start so it's time to shift focus and go back in time a bit to see how some of the others in Class 1-A are doing. That means it's time to check in on how Ruby and Weiss are doing with their internship at Beacon as they start that and learn what is potentially in store for them during their internship. That is all that I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all but there is a review question that needs an answer here and a guest review that needs a response so I will do that now starting with the question. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.

What are the nature of the Black Clover Spirits? Right now I have plans for two of the three known elemental Spirits from Black Clover but the third has proven to be a lot harder to adapt for various reasons though there is a way to work the Spirit in it's more how to introduce it. I won't reveal to much to avoid spoilers but the first of the two that have been adapted will appear pretty soon so stay tuned for that.

To Guest (guest), thank you for your review and continued support. Yes, the Quirk Knight students are now in Hosu and as it is Wednesday they might be in for a shock with what is coming in a few hours. That's all I'll say, do keep reading and enjoying my work to find out what happens when the Hero Killer arc culminates.

That is it for this slightly shorter than usual pre-chapter note so it is time to sit back and enjoy the forty-sixth chapter in Black RWBY Academia.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these three great franchises.

Chapter 46: A Beacon of Intrigue

"Man I can't believe they jacked up the prices for these things." Yang said as she ate her second station bought bento box, an ekiben bento, while the train carried them through the Japanese countryside and towards the city of Vale while the others ate the ones they'd bought for the ride after finally stopping Yang's tirade against the clerk though that had been mainly due to their train being about to leave. "1000 yen more! It's a rip off."

The others just looked at Yang as she complained not really seeing an issue. It wasn't that big of a price hike and besides, she'd gone for one of the more desirable bentos in the kaisendon bento with the catch of the day as the seafood so its price often fluctuated depending on what fish was used in it.

Additionally, the other one that Yang had gone for was the station's traditional tokusanhin option so it was a mix of local specialties and those were always marked up. This was due to both the exclusive nature of it, Musutafu station was the only place you could find it, and the fact that many out of towners came through Musutafu due to U.A. so something unique to the area attracted attention. To add to it Yang had gone for the deluxe variants of both bentos which had twice the amount of meat and fish.

The others had all gone for different kinds of ekiben. They'd chosen their options based on either their personal preference or what seemed standard as they'd not had a lot of time to browse the options due to Yang's earlier tirade.

As such Ruby had opted for a typical katsudon bento, Oscar had gone for a yonezawa bento, and Weiss, who'd never had something so cheap and simple in her life, had played it safe and chosen a makunouchi bento that offered a balanced meal and was a universal style according to the packaging. As for Blake, she'd gone with a deluxe aji and takewaka-nigiri doubled layer bento, the horse mackerel and tuna doubled in each box leaving a distinctive fishy smell that permeate the whole carriage. Blake, however, was loving it as she enthusiastically dug into her meal her ears twitching in pleasure as she ate.

"That's what, 10 US dollars?" Weiss asked as she primly ate her meal with the grace and dignity expected of a Schnee as she sat between Ruby and Oscar on one side of the table that they'd found in the train car while Blake and Yang sat on the other side. "That's barely anything. Plus it's not like you're hard up, you are a work study student who's already building a notable reputation within the hero community."

"Well miss fancy pants, when it comes to ekiben they're supposed to be cheap and less than 2,000 yen." Yang said. "And I have a high protein diet so I need to eat a lot which means that cost effectiveness is a must when I'm getting a quick meal like this."

"Yang, if you'd paid attention you'd have noticed the price change was because the fish was different today and you went for the deluxe this time around rather than the normal like last time." Blake said simply as she moved onto her second box with a speed that surprised, and slightly unnerved, Weiss as until then her brief interactions with the older girl had given the impression that she had some class to her but that went out the window when it came to fish apparently. "They were out of the deluxe last time hence why it was cheaper. Also it's less than 10 dollars so Schnee has a point when it comes to the price difference. You didn't need to make such a scene about it, especially when the mistake was on you."

"Huh, is that the case." Yang asked surprised as she looked at her large bento box. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did, 9 times in fact." Blake said. "You weren't listening, you were too fixated on how it was more than last time."

"Oh sorry kitty." Yang said.

"Don't call me that." Blake said her ears twitching in annoyance.

"But you've got cat ears and come on, back me up guys." Yang said looking at the first years as she gestured to Blake's meal that she was thoroughly destroying. "Her favorite food is fish, especially tuna, and she eats fish every day. How can I not make cat references or puns? Remember how much fun we had last year when we teamed up with the Wild, Wild Pussycats to hold back approaching Grimm while they were rescuing those trapped civilians? Now that was epic, they taught me so many new puns."

"Pleas don't remind me of that week." Blake said with a shudder. "I still have nightmares about it. Those four are experts in their fields but they take cat puns to a whole new level."

"I know! It was amazing!" Yang said happily as she took a swig of her drink.

"I was wondering about that." Ruby said through a mouthful of pork cutlet and rice as she shifted back to what Yang had said earlier inadvertently saving Blake from reliving that ordeal. "You do have a lot of fish in the apartment, Blake. Why do you like it so much?"

"It's high in protein and good for you, any hero who works out regularly should eat it regularly." Blake said defensively before she flushed. "And it's tasty ok. I'll admit that I really like fish but it's not like I do other cat things."

"What about the laser pointer I used in our first year when you were overworking yourself?" Yang asked which caused Blake to flush a deeper red and her ears stand straight up. "Or how about when Neijire tossed you that massive ball of yarn? Or the incident with the village dogs during our second year? Or that time we were at the beach and you start to…"

"Enough!" Blake said going bright red and clamping her hand over Yang's mouth as she spoke. "No more words from you. Please ignore her, those are isolated incidents that I can explain but won't."

"Are they always like this?" Weiss asked looking at Ruby as Ruby swallowed her mouthful of food deciding to just leave it and not press, well not while Blake was present at least as the laser pointer incident sounded amusing. "I've not really spent time with them so I'm a bit surprised."

"Pretty much, it's all good fun." Ruby said with a grin though Weiss could see how it might get a bit taxing as Yang began to lick Blake's palm to get her to pull it away sharply. "Anyway, how's the bento? You've never had one before, right?"

"Yeah, how is the peasant food?" Yang added as Blake scowled at her and wiped her hand with a napkin that came with her bento while glaring at Yang who was clearly remorseless at what she'd done. "Good enough for the ice princess?"

"Hey, Weiss may be a princess but she's not icy." Ruby said which caused Weiss to go bright red at being called a princess by Ruby and her heartbeat picked up as her chest began to warm for some reason though she quickly forced it down. "Don't be mean Yang. She's my bestie and this is her first extended time with you so be nice."

"Ruby's got a point; your social skills can be rather lacking." Blake pointed out. "And Schnee is Ruby's best friend so you should be nice to her."

"Fair but only for Rubes." Yang said and a wicked glint formed in her eye as she'd noticed the blush on Weiss when Ruby had called her a princess. "I'll play nice with Ruby's girlfriend. Sorry Schnee."

Yang had timed it as Weiss had put a piece of rice coated chicken, at least she thought the meat in her box was chicken as that's what it tasted like, into her mouth causing her to splutter and choke at the implication. She knew that Ruby's sister only meant it in the standard way teen girls called their female friends their girlfriends but still, part of her interpreted it as the romantic kind and that part had swiftly denied it saying that her and Ruby weren't like that, just best friends who were girls. Still the whole thing was a lot to take.

"Weiss." Weiss coughed out as Ruby patted her back to help out while glaring at Yang for being mean.

"Huh?" Yang asked confused.

"Use my first name." Weiss said. "We're going to be working together so it's easier and besides, you're Ruby's sister so it feels appropriate somehow. Same for you Belladonna."

"Works for me, most Huntsmen and Huntresses are on a first name basis as part of the work though we do have codenames for when we're in the field." Blake said. "Call me Blake then."

"Alright, Yang it is." Yang said with a grin. "Though isn't your codename Ice Princess."

"Actually it's Ice Queen but similar concept." Weiss said as she recovered. "So you're not really wrong to use it."

"I still don't like the ice part of it." Ruby said with a slight pout. "You're not icy anymore Weiss, your warm now."

"Thank you Ruby but it feels right given how I was when we first met and I do employ a fair bit of ice Dust when I fight with Myrtenaster." Weiss said smiling at Ruby. "Besides, yours is morbid."

"But clever." Ruby protested. "Grimm Reaper is so cool! Plus it fits me perfectly."

"It's so you Ruby." Weiss said with a chuckle. "So that's why it works."

"I knew you'd come around." Ruby said grinning. "Together we're the Reaper and Queen, it works though we need a proper name for our combo moves that I'll come up with later. Now how's the bento? I still want to know what you think of it."

"Not bad actually, my palette isn't used to something so simple but it's quite pleasant and actually tastes like it's supposed to which I wasn't expecting." Weiss said as she took a sip of the canned coffee that she'd bought with it. "This though, this is not good but it was the only coffee option."

"They've managed to get commercial bottled and canned teas down pretty well but not coffee." Blake agreed, she'd bought a bottle of green tea as she preferred tea to coffee while Yang and Ruby opted for energy drinks and Oscar, who was staying quiet unsure how to contribute to the whole conversation, had gone with juice. "It's not going to be good. I hear there are some that are acceptable, I'm not a coffee drinker so I don't know, but I doubt you'd find them in a station convenience store."

"Well I do have a bit more of a particular taste when it comes to coffee, I won't lie." Weiss said. "It's…"

"Yeah, yeah, shut up and try my katsudon, I want your opinion on it." Ruby said as she interrupted Weiss and shoved a whole cutlet into her mouth, after she'd coated it in rice and dipped it in an accompanying pot of soy sauce. "What do you think? You went with one of the stables which are good, they wouldn't be stables otherwise, but you've got to live it up a bit with ekiben. It's part of the fun."

All Weiss could do was splutter as her eyes went wide and she was forced to chew on the breaded pork that Ruby had just shoved in her mouth with her own chopsticks. She choked it down while trying to assess it as best she could and gasped as Ruby removed her chopsticks and smiled at Weiss.

"That was an…experience." Weiss said as she recovered trying not to think about the fact that she'd just shared chopsticks with Ruby. "And a bit more than it'd usual eat in one bite."

"Yeah, yeah, but how was it?" Ruby asked her curiosity palpable. "I prefer sweets but I do need a lot of protein to be strong enough to wield Crescent Rose so I often go for a meat heavy ekiben and then buy the cookies separately."

"It was, how do I put it?" Weiss said as she mused on the cutlet that she'd eaten as Ruby produced said cookies that she'd bought with her ekiben. "I've never had breaded meat before but it wasn't a bad texture and it added to how the pork was cooked. Additionally, the pork was fresh and done in a way that complemented the breading. The rice added to it as well though I think you used too much soy sauce. I don't have the same palette as you Ruby."

"It's good then." Ruby said beaming at Weiss's assessment and noting her preference when it came to soy sauce. "Alright, let me try yours. You went for a classic so how is it?"

"Huh, oh sure help yourself." Weiss said gesturing to the food.

"Not like that." Ruby said as she got close to Weiss and opened her mouth and pointed to it. "Like I did. Feed me Weiss."

"Oh, er, well…" Weiss said going bright red at the intimacy of it, and the public setting, but Ruby's classic lack of shame and honest sincerity got to her and she quickly picked up a bit of fish, she thought it was tuna by the taste, coated it in a little rice and added a small dab of wasabi to season it before moving it to Ruby's mouth with her own chopsticks and moving her free hand to gently cup Ruby's chin to make sure there weren't any issues. "Here Ruby. I, I hope you like it."

Before Weiss could stop to think about what she was doing Ruby chomped down on Weiss's chopsticks forcing Weiss to remove her hand though she could still feel the warmth of Ruby's skin on her fingertips. However, Weiss couldn't really focus on that as she was at a loss as to what was going on but she felt the food leave the chopsticks so she slowly pulled them from Ruby's mouth blushing at the act as a part of her really wanted to do it again though that part was quickly put down by reminding her that they were in public. Ruby meanwhile just chewed and assessed the food before swallowing it.

"Standard, what I'd expect from a makunouchi box though the tuna was a nice touch." Ruby said. "And I'm not a fan of wasabi, to spicy for me."

"Sorry I prefer it." Weiss said still flushing. "I only added a bit because I know you prefer sweeter tastes, next time I'll use soy sauce or something else."

"It's fine, don't worry as it's so you Weiss." Ruby said as she went back to her meal not wiping her chopsticks of in the process. "But next time how about you let me pick out your bento and you can pick mine."

"S, sure." Weiss said as she went back to eating her meal so rattled and confused that she didn't wipe off her chopsticks before she ate. "No promises on how good it will be though."

"It will be from you Weiss so it will be great." Ruby said smiling. "You do have sophisticated and elegant tastes."

"Thank you but I want you to enjoy it so I'll make sure it fits your tastes not mine." Weiss said smiling back at her best friend. "I'll pick something good, Ruby, don't worry."

"I won't and I'll do the same." Ruby said.

"That was so freaking adorable!" Yang whispered to Blake as she repressed her squeal at what she'd seen the scene before them ended while Weiss and Ruby devolved into chatting about choosing bentos for each other. "I'm so proud of Ruby, she's really come out of her shell with Weiss and from what I've heard she's been a great influence on Weiss as well."

"I'll admit, I can see where you're coming from when they do something like that." Blake whispered back as she saw the blush on Weiss's cheeks as Ruby described the various kinds of store bento though she seemed oblivious to Weiss's reaction. "They really looked like a couple there, I've never actually seen Ruby so comfortable with someone other than you and I get the feeling that Weiss has never been this comfortable with someone else. Still, I'm not sure if Ruby realizes what she's done."

"Yeah she is a bit innocent but I'll have the talk don't you worry." Yang whispered back. "I'll give her all she needs to know, once I give my approval of Weiss of course."

"That I do worry about." Blake said with a sigh but as she did she noticed the one male in their group looking really uncomfortable and realized that they'd been rude by not including so she turned to him and raised her voice. "Anyway, enough of all this. Pine, how's your bento? You went with one of the beef based ones I see. Not a bad choice."

"Huh, oh yeah, I, er, grew up on a farm in the countryside before coming to U.A. after Ozpin found me and we raised cattle there so this reminds me of home." Oscar said a little uncomfortable at being addressed so directly as he did feel a bit like an outsider in this group. "That's why I chose it."

"Familiarity is good." Blake said. "I grew up in Menagerie which is known for its fishing so I've always had a taste for fish and eating it reminds me of home."

"Because you're part cat." Yang said. "Like I pointed out earlier."

"No, my heteromorph trait which I inherited from my mother just so happens to be cat ears." Blake said defensively. "That's it and you know it, we've been over this multiple times."

"Right…" Yang said drawing the word out before grinning at Oscar deciding to include him now. "Back me up Pine, you know I'm right."

"Er well…" Oscar began unsure how to answer that.

"Don't intimidate a first year into agreeing with you." Blake scolded. "Sorry for her. I recommend ignoring her when she gets like this, we all do."

"It's ok, really." Oscar said it a little too quickly but he used this to move the conversation along a bit and get away from whatever this was. "But, um, can I ask you two a question?"

"Of course, we're your wise and responsible seniors." Yang said with a grin. "Though you did just ask us a question."

"The only thing about that that is accurate for you is that you're his senior." Blake countered. "But sure, what is it?"

"Well, I've been wondering, and what do you think this internship will be like for myself, Rose, and Schnee?" Oscar asked his question getting Ruby and Weiss's attention as well and they stopped their chat about bentos to focus on the group. "I know what it means to be a Huntsman, I'd always wanted to be one as they helped out the farm a lot growing up due to the Grimm in the area that I lived, but now that I'm on that path I'm curious as to how this first stage will work."

"A great question." Weiss said. "I too am curious as my sister's internship was at Atlas not Beacon so I can't ask her as it was bound to be different. I was going to ask but I got distracted."

"I'm not sorry at all." Ruby said showing no remorse.

"Well we still have a half an hour or so until we reach Vale, it is right on the Philippe Sea so it takes 2 hours to get there, which means we have plenty of time." Blake said. "And to answer in general terms, it will be an intense immersion into the general life of a Huntsman or Huntress hero right from the start. Well, from tomorrow as today is all about orientation and getting to know Beacon and how it serves the country."

"So cool!" Ruby said instantly switching gears. "So like field work then?"

"Probably just simple work in a town nearby." Weiss said. "They wouldn't be crazy enough to throw us right into it after all. That would be…"

"Oh Ozpin is crazy enough to do that, no doubt about it." Yang said with a grin showing that she agreed with this strategy. "He even launched us off a cliff during our internship and into a Grimm infested wood to really test ourselves against them."

"He did what?" Weiss asked her eyes wide. "That's crazy dangerous."

"It was and we had to land our own way which only added to it." Blake added. "Really tested the training we went through before and during our early U.A. days. It wasn't anything that most of us couldn't handle but it was still a bit of a surprise."

"It was an absolute blast." Yang said. "Only Jaune didn't have a landing strategy, or was even nervous about it, but Pyrrha saved him which makes sense seeing as she's got a massive crush on him."

"Don't mention it, Jaune is clueless and Pyrrha hasn't acted on her feelings yet." Blake said. "Please. We want this to develop naturally. It's the same for other crushes or potential relationships in our year."

"What other ones? Ren and Nora are clearly dating even if they won't admit it so who else could it be?" Yang asked. "I guess Marron and Swing but that's more a matter of just f…"

"Again ignore her." Blake said once again putting her hand over Yang's mouth to shut her up. "You don't need to worry about the drama in our year. Just bear this in mind when you meet Jaune and Pyrrha."

"Yeah sure." Weiss said already deciding that as she wasn't going to delve into whatever drama the third years had. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand."

"Will we be launched off a cliff?" Oscar asked nervous. "I can handle it no problem, my Quirk is all about protection so a free fall won't hurt me at all, but that's still a lot."

"Nah, the main reason was that they needed to decide partnerships as there were 6 of us interning at the same time so they wanted to break us down into teams for it." Yang said dismissively. "That's already set given how Ruby and Weiss worked together in the Sports Festival and Pine is in a different class."

"It was actually 10 interns as we had four boys interning from one of the other schools as well." Blake added. "They're not bad, they got offers from Beacon so that says something about their skills, but they are real jerks. Thankfully, their work study isn't on this week due to midterms at their school so you don't need to worry about them."

"So I'm still with Weiss?" Ruby asked and Yang nodded. "Great! I knew it! I can't wait!"

"That is good to hear." Weiss said trying and failing to stop a sigh of relief from escaping her lips.

"What about me?" Oscar asked.

"Not sure but don't worry, you'll get plenty of experience working with whoever you're assigned to work with." Blake said. "If Ozpin recommended you then he'll have already planned things out. He may like throwing kids off a cliff but he does know how to bring out the best in a Huntsman or Huntress hero."

"Huntsmen and Huntresses often, but not always, work in pairs or teams of 4 so that we can cover all our bases when dealing with Grimm hordes." Yang said. "Preestablished bonds will be taken into account hence why Ruby and Weiss will likely be together. If there was another Huntsman or Huntress track kid in your class you'd have been paired with them but there isn't so I bet you'll get put with the other 4 third years and they'll all take you under their wing. That's a lot of learning as each can do something different."

"It would actually make sense." Blake added as she thought back to the Sports Festival. "If I recall your Quirk allows you to project a field of energy around you, right?"

"Personal Energy does bit more than that." Oscar said. "That's only the projection aspect though the fact that it could handle Bakugo's standard explosions showed that it's pretty strong. However, I can also limit it to internal use and boost my strength, speed, durability, and stamina as well. There is a finite amount of time I can use it for, though, as it is my own energy so I'd like to be able to work around that issue."

"Alight then I'm sure you'll be with the other team." Blake said understanding more and thinking on her friends and classmates. "Those 4 are inseparable, have been since first year, and you've got two who's Quirks work internally in various ways so know how to control and maximize such a power, one who's all about raw power so long as she's juiced up which means she has a finite limit as well, and one who's an all-rounder. They are the best for someone like you to learn under."

"I see, that would be helpful." Oscar said thinking on Belladonna's assessment of her classmates. "And by learn under…"

"You'll be on patrol or helping a village out with basic tasks and general protection from Grimm." Blake clarified before Oscar could finish. "Same for Ruby and Weiss but they'll likely be with us due to how close Ruby is with Yang and myself, as well as with Weiss of course. Both groups will also have a professional Huntsman or Huntress looking after us and making sure we don't mess things up. That's kinda essential as while us third years have provisional licenses and can act as heroes in an emergency you don't."

"Which means no Quirk use." Yang said. "But weapons are a go and there are some allowances with Grimm when it comes to your Quirks depending on the situation."

"We can use our weapons?" Oscar asked thinking on the special cane he'd crafted that was in his costume case. "I didn't realize that. Not that I'm complaining mind you."

"Of course, you do have a support crafting license and carry license, right?" Yang asked.

"Er yes, both issued directly from Beacon Agency." Oscar said, which was a surprise to all the girls but then again Pine was from the boonies and had been found by Ozpin so in retrospect it made sense. "It's so I can tinker with my weapon at school but I didn't realize I could use it in the field."

"Oh yes, it's a way around the whole no using Quirks things for first years and besides most Huntsmen and Huntresses are primarily skilled with their weapons when it comes to combat." Blake said. "We use our Quirks in support mainly. It's why you can often tell who is a Huntsman track hero because that person uses a weapon and has a Quirk that's not usually seen as traditionally heroic."

"Not me." Yang said. "I'm the exception to the rule."

"True Yang is an exception but that's because she's got an offensive Quirk." Blake said. "Mine is useful for misdirection, evasion, and mobility enhancement."

"Yeah it's really hard to catch you." Ruby complained.

"It sharpened your skills though." Blake pointed out. "And your Quirk control is one of the best in your year because of it, Ruby."

"If we can't use our Quirks then that could be a bit of a problem." Weiss admitted thinking on it but also wondering what Blake's Quirk was if it was what Ruby had used to master Petal Burst. "I, um, well my fighting style heavily relies on my Quirk for support. I am skilled with my rapier, don't get me wrong, but Glyphs is well ingrained into how I fight."

"I'm similar actually, I use my Quirk a lot in my fighting style." Blake said understanding Weiss's issue and recalling how she'd fought in the Sports Festival when she'd faced Todoroki. "But don't worry there is a way around it."

"There is?" Weiss asked confused.

"Yup, Grimm aren't human so it's fine to use your Quirk in combat with them." Yang said grinning. "It's great, well it can be providing your Quirk doesn't require you to take damage to use like mine does."

"No, it's that if you are being attacked by a Grimm then you can use your Quirk to aid you in self defense so long as there are no humans around." Blake corrected. "The loophole is very specific so that it can avoid being abused. They probably had people like you and Nora in mind when they created it."

"True, I would have interpreted it the way that best suited me at the time." Yang said. "But we never needed it as our internship fighting was on private property. That's the other advantage of Beacon, it owns a large swath of land around it which means you can use your Quirks as much as you want there."

"Well yeah how else would they get away with launching us off a cliff into a Grimm infested forest unless it was privately owned." Blake said with a sigh. "Anyway, there will likely be some interaction with Grimm this week, that really can't be avoided if you're in the field, but it will be as controlled as possible and the pro will make sure that it's all in line with the law."

"Still it's going to be a very practical internship." Yang said with a grin. "It's how Ozpin runs things and it does make it fun."

"I can tell." Ruby said excitedly. "I can't wait for it to start."

"So long as we get a lot out of this I will be happy." Weiss said. "But I'll admit that this does suit me better than something more regimented which is what I'd likely get if I'd chosen to intern at Atlas."

"I'm still inexperienced with Grimm fighting but I'll give it my all." Oscar added. "I want to get the most out of this week so I know where to focus my training when we return to school."

"Oh you will get plenty of experience." Blake said as the intercom on the train went off and told them that they were approaching Vale Station. "But we should clean up and get ready. We're almost there and it's a bit of a drive from Vale station to Beacon."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked as they began to clean up their now empty bento boxes and drink containers so that everything was nice and neat when they disembarked from the train. "I've never actually been to Vale before."

"Well we won't actually be in Vale unless we get time off to see the city." Yang said grinning. "Hopefully you do because I'm sure Ruby would love to show you around it."

"Yes!" Ruby said nodding frantically at the idea. "I've spend a lot of time in Vale so I can really show you the place Weiss. Patch is an island just off the coast from Vale so there's a ferry that takes us too and from it but we won't have time for that. Plus Patch is a bit boring, all there is there is the town and Signal Junior High were I went."

"Regardless of how boring it is, I, I'd like that." Weiss said with a smile. "You can show me where you grew up."

"Well only the Vale part, we won't have enough time to see Patch." Ruby said. "But if we can make a day of it I'll show you around the city at least. There's my favorite cookie place, my favorite comic store, my favorite gear and dust supplier, so much to see. I don't really know fancy places that would be your speed, Weiss, but I'm sure we can find them."

"So long as I'm with you it will be fun, Ruby." Weiss said. "And we can save the fancy places for when I get the chance to show you my hometown."

"Oh I'd like that." Ruby said happily. "I want to see where you grew up Weiss."

"You two could make it a d…" Yang began before Blake elbowed her in the ribs to shut her up, not that that did anything to Yang but add to her stockpile.

"The one place I really want to show you though is my favorite gear and dust supplier because that's where I got my recommendation." Ruby said not hearing Yang and as Weiss was focused on Ruby she didn't hear her either. "Well, the robbery of it while I was there but it was my actions in preventing it got me the recommendation."

"Really?" Weiss asked. "You've told the story but to see it in person will really give me a picture of it."

"Then let's hope we can do that!" Ruby said excitedly as the train came to a stop and they got up with their trash. "And that our internship goes well of course."

Weiss just nodded as they all exited their seats with their bags over their shoulders, cases in one hand, and trash the other and made their way off the train depositing the trash in the correct receptacles along the way. Once they were off the train Blake and Yang again took over and led the three first years through it and to a special side exit that was tucked away off to the side.

"Perks of being a hero of any class, special exits in certain stations." Yang said as she produced her provisional hero license and swiped it at a machine which beeped and the door opened. "But this one is special even by hero standards."

"It is?" Oscar asked confused.

"Yup, it takes us to a private car park reserved for Huntsmen." Blake said. "Yang parks her death machine here when she can though thankfully she couldn't bring it this week."

"Bumblebee isn't a death machine." Yang said as they walked through the door. "She's part of the family."

"The way you drive it, it's a death machine." Blake said just as a black SUV pulled up and parked right outside the exit. "But anyway, Miss Goodwitch is here. Best behave, she's the deputy here and she can be as strict as she is punctual."

"Fine by me and I like the punctuality she's shown." Weiss said as the door slid open to reveal two rows, two seats up in the middle with a gap between them and three at the back. "That's a good sign."

"Thank you Miss Schnee, punctuality is important in a hero no matter the branch as time can save lives in an emergency." A woman's voice said as Weiss climbed in and went to the back to sit in one of the corners while Oscar took the other and Ruby the middle which Weiss didn't mind at all. "Thankfully, the Japanese train system is one of the most punctual systems in the world and extremely reliable so I knew when it would be here and was able to arrive right as you did. No wasted time, you're here to learn after all."

Weiss just nodded at that already respecting the speaker as Yang and Blake got in and the door closed behind them. As they pulled away, Weiss noted that the woman who'd spoken was driving and she was a blonde woman with a stern disposition wearing a white blouse and black cape. Though she couldn't see the black skirt, tights, and riding crop, Weiss knew it was there and that the woman could act on a moment's notice.

Anyone who was in the Huntsman world knew who the major heroes within it were and the woman driving was one such hero and so Weiss was well aware of who Glynda Goodwitch was. She was the deputy at Beacon Agency, the same rank as Winter was at Atlas though notably more experienced and respected than Weiss's sister was. If there were a ranking system like the normal track heroes had then Glynda would easily be 5th on the list, the highest of any Huntsman or Huntress who didn't run an agency, and so she'd be a great Huntress to learn from this week.

"How long is the drive?" Weiss asked politely as Glynda drove them out of the station via a special exit and onto a quiet road.

"About an hour." Glynda replied surprising Weiss. "So sit tight and relax."

"And don't throw up like Jaune did." Yang said with a grin. "He got car sick the first time we drove from the station to Beacon. Ah Vomit Boy, good memories."

"Mr. Arc had been food poisoned that day and his Quirk hadn't healed him yet due to how he was still getting used to it following its late manifestation." Glynda said. "But yes, please avoid it as I don't like cleaning this car."

"Why is it an hour?" Oscar asked not wanted to discuss vomit so quickly asking a question before anyone could add to this story from Yang and Blake's first year at U.A.

"Beacon Agency is, like all Huntsman Agencies, a large and expansive structure so it can't actually fit in the city." Glynda explained glad that to answer as it showed a keen mind to ask questions. "Instead it sits on the cliff that overlooks Vale. Vale itself was established during the Quirk Wars because of the natural harbor here making it a good place for people to hide be it from the war itself or the Grimm that had significantly multiplied during the wars and caused chaos due to how they target negative emotions while also providing a quick escape route via the sea."

"I can see land constraints being an issue, that is normal in Japan." Oscar said. "But to have it on the cliff, I don't get that."

"It was really the only place in the area for it." Glynda said. "When the Huntsman branch was established to support the Quirk Knights they needed a large campus to train those who volunteered for the branch in the specialized combat needed to fight Grimm. This was because we didn't have hero courses back then."

"That explains it." Ruby said as Oscar mulled over what Glynda had said. "I did wonder but looking at it there is some land constraints in Vale that I'd never really thought about before."

"Correct, we needed a place that we could expand if needed." Glynda said. "Well the founders did as this was over a century ago so long before my time. It was never actually known how many agencies would be used, especially with the fluctuations in the number of Quirk Knight Squads, so we decided on 4 that would cover large portions of the country. Beacon was the first and as it was here it was designated to cover the area south of Mt. Fuji. Atlas was then set up in the area north of it and near the city of Mantle to handle the other half of the Japan's largest island."

"The main island is too large for one agency." Blake added. "That's why they set up two on it."

"Correct but there were still two other areas that needed to be covered." Glynda said. "So Haven was up atop a mountain in Hokkaido, the same one that city of Mistral is built into in fact, to cover the northern island while Shade was established on Kyushu to cover the southern reaches of the nation. Only Shade is within a city, Vacuo, and the city kinda sprung up around it during the wars that's why."

"I see, this is more than we've learned from Dr. Oobleck." Weiss said absorbing all the information. "Though we are aware of the jurisdictions of the agencies."

"It wasn't really planned to end up as broad as it did but that is how it happened." Glynda said as she drove out of Vale and onto the highway though soon they'd be turning off it to take the mountain road up to Beacon. "And since then the Agencies have expanded thanks to the space that allowed them, well Beacon did. Atlas had a different plan for expansion, Shade just got taller and wider, and Haven used more of the mountain. Regardless it worked out in the end and we've reached a good spot with everything."

"It also means that those cities are the few cities in the nation that don't have a normal hero agency in them." Blake added as they turned off the highway and onto the road to Beacon. "Because they're covered by the Huntsmen Agencies so there's no need for the other branches to have a presence in them. A bit out of the standard jurisdiction for the Huntsman branch but it's practical."

"Correct though the Quirk Knight Squads that cover this region do come and go as needed." Glynda said. "We keep good relations with them and not just because of the history between our branches. Huntsmen and Huntresses are specifically trained to handle Grimm while Quirk Knights work on national defense, fugitives, and other villain groups that use the rural, unpatrolled, areas for their own purposes. We have to work together to help and protect the people. Part of your introduction today will be a briefing on the Quirk Knight Squad that covers the Kansai region."

"Which Squad is that?" Ruby asked. "Some of our friends are on that path and interning with the Black Bulls. Is it them?"

"And Golden Dawn and Crimson Lion Kings." Oscar said. "Those are the agencies the three in my class chose."

"Alas it's none of them so I doubt you'll cross paths with them this week though we do have good relations with the Black Bulls thanks to Qrow." Glynda said as they began to climb which caught Ruby's attention so she'd have to ask her uncle about them at some point. "The Black Bulls are in Tohoku at the northern tip of the main island, while the Golden Dawn and Crimson Lion Kings are in Kanto as that region is so populous that it requires two Squads. Vale is in the Kansai region so we're covered by the Coral Peacocks. Atlas is covered by the Silver Eagles as it's in Chubu, Haven by the Purple Orcas, and Shade by the Green Praying Mantises."

"I see." Weiss said. "A shame but oh well, we should at some point introduce ourselves to the Coral Peacocks though."

"If you cross paths do but you won't need to do so unless you chose to do your work study here." Glynda said not going into the issues that they were constantly dealing with when it came to the Coral Peacocks seeing as their Captain was notoriously unreliable and unavailable while their Vice Captain an elitist narcissistic ass. "But we will prepare you just in case you run into them. Today is all about orientation which includes an overview of what we do and information on the Coral Peacocks and the major hero agencies within our jurisdiction as inter branch cooperation is vital so you need to know more about them. You will also get your assignments for the week once we arrive so be ready for that."

Ruby, Weiss, and Oscar all nodded at that as a comfortable silence fell over the car. Between Yang and Blake on the train and then Glynda just now they had a lot to think about and still a half hour of travel so they did just that as they all wondered what they'd be doing this week. It was a long journey, though not the longest anyone in their classes had to take this week, so it was good to have a few moments to relax and think about things.

That turned out to be needed because soon they were pulling up outside Beacon and coming to a stop in as close to the front of it as the car could manage. Glynda didn't say anything, she just opened the side door and the girls and Oscar got out. Blake and Yang were used to this and weren't fazed by seeing Beacon but as they got out the three first years came to a halt and stared wide eyed at the oldest and most famous Huntsman Agency where they'd be doing their internship.

The car had stopped at the end of a long, wide, walkway that led straight towards a singular tower in the distance that wouldn't have looked out of place in a European castle. It was very out of place in Japan but clearly the architect had some western inspiration with the building.

The tower was not all the Agency had though as there were two small side towers on the roof of the main tower, one taller than the other, and connected to the edge before the tower's conical roof. Then, most of the way down there were two more towers these stand alone structures that came up to the midpoint of the central tower and connected to it with walkways as well.

From there the trio looked to the right and saw a series of conical buildings connected with walkways connecting them and the building of noticeably differing heights and not in any order though the tallest was only just past the midpoint of central tower. On the left there were only two of the conical structures but a few other cylindrical ones that were taller with domed roofs and a side tower that was rectangular at the fare edge of the complex but connected to one of the cylindrical towers by another walkway. All the walkways, the first years noted, were covered, and made of stone.

To complete what they presumed was the agency was a semicircle of 5 towers, so likely 8 in total if it went all the way around though they couldn't confirm it from this angle, of small square towers around the base of the central one that were about a quarter it's size. It was as they were drawing their gazes down that they saw that there was a doorway at the end of the walkway that seem to lead to a building before the complex for some reason.

Finally, they couldn't help but notice that the walkway cut through a large pool of water that was between them and the Agency with a series of arched walls around it that looked more decorative than anything else. It was both imposing and impressive at the same time.

"I've seen it in pictures but they don't do it justice." Weiss said. "I thought Atlas was impressive but this is something else. The style is more eclectic than Atlas but it feels a lot more welcoming."

"Yeah it's so cool." Ruby said.

"And a little intimidating." Oscar added.

"I believe you've hit some of the main points of Beacon Agency."

The new voice got their attention and the trio looked forward, Yang and Blake were off to the side enjoying their reaction with the former videoing Ruby's on her phone for posterity and to show their dad as he was a Beacon Huntsman, and to the speaker. He was a tall, middle aged man with scruffy gray hair and small, circular, sunglasses perched on the end of his nose. He was standing at the start of the walkway with 4 teens behind him wearing a simple black suit, dark green waistcoat, and a forest green tunic of sorts that was hard to describe.

Regardless, the trio recognized him instantly, Ruby and Oscar because they'd met him when he'd offered to recommend them to U.A. and Weiss from images. He was Ozpin, the head of Beacon Agency and top Huntsman hero which put him on par with Julius Novachrono in Japan's hero society though All Might was a set above everyone so he was closer to Endeavor in the normal hero ranks, was a recognizable face though it was a surprise that he'd greeted them personally.

As for the teens behind them, again they were recognizable. Ruby and Weiss had met one of them, a blond boy with blue eyes, during the Sports Festival as he'd healed Ruby after her loss to Bakugo only now Arc was wearing a black hoodie under a white breast plate that was edged in gold, white gauntlets, blue jeans, and black boots. He had a red sash around his waist and a black belt over it on which a sword was sheathed in a scabbard that looked more than just decorative. Weiss at least noted that the sword appeared to be a standard European knight's sword and not a katana or other Asian sword which was interesting.

The other three teens the first years only knew from watching the third year's Sports Festival, as well as the Sports Festivals over the last two years. The other man, who looked like he might have some Chinese heritage, and had long black hair with a pink streak in it dressed in a green sleeveless tunic, white pants, and open toed boots with a pair of sub machine guns on his hips was Li Ren. He wasn't a combat orientated student, his Sports Festival performances had shown that, but his calm demeanor was well known.

The same couldn't be said for the girl next to him. Nora Valkyrie was a spunky girl with clear Nordic heritage that was out of place in Japan, bright orange hair and wearing a black short sleeved sweatshirt that was unzipped to reveal a white undershirt with a heart cut out over the center of her chest and a pink skirt with white, laced boots and a large silver weapon that they couldn't make out on her back. Ruby really wanted to know what it was though as while she knew who Valkyrie was, Yang and Blake hadn't told her much about the girl's weapon choice or fighting style.

That said, Ruby at least knew of Valkyrie's fighting style. The older girl had placed in two of her three Spors Festivals and had shown a destructive style that was overwhelmingly offensive, especially when her Quirk was charged up. It played into her well known hero name Thunder Thighs though why she'd chosen that no one but Nora knew.

The final teen wore a bronze corset and choker, black bicep length gloves, a bronze bracer on her left forearm, a black miniskirt under a long red sash that was held in place by a black belt and fell down her right leg and bronze thigh high boots. Strapped to her back was a circular bronze shield with two semi circles cut out of it that was a smaller version of an ancient Greek style shield and a red and bronze spear that was clearly a high tech weapon with multiple features. Finally she wore a golden circlet that held her long red hair in place though her bangs flopped over it.

Pyrrha Nikos wasn't someone who did well in the Sports Festival, her Quirk just wasn't useful there and she relied on it in battle to the point that fighting without her armor was a major disadvantage to her, but her reputation as arguably the highest of the up and coming Huntresses of their generation under the code name Hopla, was undeniable. Unlike the other third years present, Pyrrha had been a recommended student and her reputation had preceded her going into U.A.

In fact, it was in part because Jaune didn't know who she was when they met on the first day of U.A. in Class 1-B and thus treated her normally and not like a celebrity that she'd fallen for him. That said there were many other reasons why she had as well though she was still unable to confess her feelings for him.

"I know that Huntsman Agencies are big but it's bigger than I was expecting, sir." Weiss said responding to Ozpin. "Though Atlas was bigger, I think."

"All four Huntsman Agencies are, size and member wise, the biggest in Japan." Ozpin said. "This is in part due to our history and in part due to our limited number of agencies combined with the large jurisdictions that we cover. You are right though, in terms of size Atlas is bigger but Beacon is the second biggest though Shade has the most Huntsmen and Huntresses. Anyway, welcome first years to the start of your internship and hopefully a long career as a Huntsman and Huntresses in the years to come."

"Thank you." Ruby said already eager to start. "I can't wait to be a Huntress."

"Unfortunately you will have to Miss Rose." Ozpin said with a small smile. "Because your Huntsman guide won't arrive until tonight and besides the rest of today is a tour of Beacon and an orientation of sorts so you know how the agency operates but I am sure that Glynda filled you in on that on the way here. That said, I've already made arrangements for your internships and you will be in the field for most of them starting tomorrow and running until Thursday. Friday will be a wrap up and reflection day and then you'll have Saturday to yourselves before heading back Sunday."

"Really?" Ruby asked stars in her eyes. "What are we doing?"

"Well first up, based on what I saw in the Sports Festival, I'm going to split you three up." Ozpin said and that instantly got Weiss worried because despite what Yang and Blake had said on the train she was nervous about not being with Ruby in the field. "So Mr. Pine will be joining the four third years behind me and working under Glynda for the next three days of field work. I'm sending you to a remote village 5 hours to the west of here that is nestled in some woodland and pretty cut off from the rest of the nation. There have been reports of increased Grimm sightings there and the team that was stationed there recently confirmed it. However, two of them were badly wounded and needed emergency medivac."

"Um…" Oscar said a bit worried by the news.

"Don't worry, they took out the worst of the Grimm infestation there but there are still some that need dispatching along with help in the town to rebuild a few buildings and assistance with general tasks." Ozpin said. "You'll meet up with the two first year pros that have remained there and help out. I've spoken with Vice Captain Kirsch of the Coral Peacocks and he's agreed to send a few of his Quirk Knights out to assist with the village while we take point with the remaining Grimm. Unfortunately, Captain Dorothy is indisposed as usual so you will coordinate with him regarding their role, well Glynda will as he's a bit tough to deal with."

"That's an understatement." Yang muttered. "Last time I met him I punched him through a tree when he tried to give me unsolicited advice while also looking down on me at the same time."

"Don't remind me of that." Blake said. "We got into a lot of trouble for that. The only thing that save relations was Kirsch's own reputation as everyone wants to punch him in the face."

"That's because he's a total ass." Yang said. "He deserved it. Shame it won't get through to him though, people like him don't get it. I've been trying to beat sense into Lunettes since first year but he's still the same as ever. I doubt he'll change; it would take a miracle at this point I feel."

"That may be but still." Blake said but a side glance from Ozpin shut the girls up.

"I see." Oscar said a bit nervous.

"This was my idea, I wanted to help the village out even before the reports." Ren said stepping forward and bowing his head to Oscar. "And as we're used to working together it was decided that we'd take you with us given the other two are in a class together and one is Yang's sister. Forgive me."

"No it's fine, I'm from a rural area so this is what I know of Huntsmen and why I respect them so it's the core of what I want to do as a Huntsman." Oscar said quickly returning the bow only going a bit deeper as he was the junior. "I'm just worried about the Grimm; I'm still getting used to fighting them."

"Don't worry, I was like you when I did my internship." Jaune said which none of the third years could disagree with. "And it really helped me improve. Once you've gotten some experience and confidence you'll be fine."

"And we're here to help out." Pyrrha added with a smile. "Be it with your Quirk, your weapon skills, or just general Grimm extermination we've got you covered."

"Plus if you've got any lightning dust then I'll be your best friend." Nora said. "I've only got a little and I want to be prepared for the mission as I'm not allowed to use the power supply there to juice up."

"Um a bit." Oscar said a bit taken aback by the ginger girl though he was feeling a bit relieved. "But thanks, I'll do my best."

"I know you will Mr. Pine, you've got great potential and I think these four can really bring it out especially in this setting." Ozpin said with a smile before he looked at Ruby and Weiss. "As for you two, given that you're classmates and clearly close friends, that much was obvious with how well you two handled the Cavalry Battle, I will be sending you with Yang and Blake, along with a pro Huntsman, to investigate an abandoned town a couple hours to the northeast."

"Come again?" Weiss asked a bit confused as Yang perked up. "Investigate? I don't mind but I thought our main roles as Huntresses are to eradicate Grimm and help the small towns that are plagued by them. We're not really known for our investigative skills; those are usually reserved for the police and sometimes the other branches."

"That is true and it is Grimm extermination that is behind the request that we investigate." Ozpin said. "The police in Vale recently got a tip that a criminal organization might be hiding out in one of the several abandoned towns that are scattered across Japan. This organization is a notorious one and not one that Huntresses would be expected to handle directly, however, given that the general area is known to be a hotspot of Grimm activity as the residual negativity of an abandon down is a big draw for them, the Quirk Knights want to send in an advance Huntsman team to investigate and clear out the area before they move in and confront the criminal organization. If it's there that is."

"Let me guess, Kirsch Vermillion is too fancy to get his hands dirty." Yang said. "So he wants us to deal with the real dangerous stuff so that he can ride in on his cherry blossoms, round up the criminals, and get all the credit and attention."

"Wait Vermillion?" Oscar asked. "So he's related to Mimosa and Leo."

"Yes, he's the former's older brother and a cousin to the latter." Ozpin confirmed. "He graduated from U.A. a few years ago and quickly rose through the ranks of the Coral Peacock though it was a bit of a surprise that he chose that Squad over his family's one."

"Mimosa did the same thing with the Golden Dawn." Oscar said. "She didn't want to join the Crimson Lion Kings either."

"I would bet her reasons are purer and more sensible than Kirsch's." Yang muttered. "He chose it because of the color."

"That may be but despite his vanity he is a talented Quirk Knight if a bit of a challenge to work with." Ozpin said his tone shutting down any complaint on the matter. "However, in this case he's not wrong, sending in Huntsmen is the right idea. Just this morning a Huntsman from Beacon was up at the Tohoku/Kanto border clearing out an underground base that is believed to have been created by the Diamond Company and used to spy on us before their failed invasion a few years ago. Julius asked me to send a Huntsman to clear it out before he sent in teams from the Black Bulls and Golden Dawn as a Huntsman is better equipped to handle Grimm and James doesn't have a lone Huntsman for such a job."

"That does make sense." Weiss said though she knew Kirsch from her social circles, albeit not particularly well as the Vermillions had always had stronger ties to U.A. and Beacon than the Schnees and Silvas but she did know that he was an elitist ass who was different from his sister and cousins. "We go in, check it out to see if there are criminals there and deal with any lingering Grimm, and then the Quirk Knight come in for the criminals as they're better suited for taking out a large criminal organization that's holed up in the wilderness."

"Correct though this is just a fact finding mission and maybe a light clearing if the Huntsman in charge deems it doable." Ozpin said opting not to let the girls know who the Huntsman was and what his definition of light would be. "If it's bad then you are to fall back and report in. We can dispatch a larger force if need be and then team up with a Quirk Knight Squad to handle it though it might not be the Coral Peacocks as some Squads are better to work with if there are too many Grimm present. This is a common mission for Huntsmen so it should teach you a lot."

"Don't worry, we're there to look after you." Yang said grinning. "And it will be a lot of fun with a few Grimm to punch."

"I'll keep Yang in check." Blake said reassuringly. "But it will be fine."

"I'm not worried, just wanted to understand the parameters." Weiss said as she had faith in her own skills and with Ruby there she'd be fine though the older girls being there was a nice safety blanket. "This will teach me a lot about what it means to be a Huntress."

"Yang's right this will be a lot of fun." Ruby said.

"Just be careful, the location in question has been a hotbed for Grimm in the past but if the reports of a criminal organization moving in then that's bad." Ozpin said a note of warning in his voice. "The location may be abandoned but few go there due to the Grimm that are in the area so it's a great base if cleared out. Worse, if they know the history of it then they'll know that it can be used to access a few major cities which makes it a great hub for smuggling. That is why we need an accurate report so we can prepare and if necessary shut this group down."

"Understood." Blake said with a nod.

"Don't worry, you can count on us." Yang added her tone serious for once.

"I know I can." Ozpin said as he turned. "But that is all, you are dismissed for a few hours. Third years, please show the first years to their accommodations and give them a tour of Beacon so that they know what facilities we have here. Meet in the amphitheater at 5 so that Glynda and I can go over final things for your missions."

With that Ozpin walked away and down the path to Beacon's front door. He left them there blinking for a moment before Yang finally broke the silence.

"Alright, tour time!" Yang said excitedly as she came over to the first years and threw her arm around Ruby's shoulders. "Come on, I can finally show my sister Beacon, I've been waiting for this for ages. Let's go!"

At that everyone either chuckled or shook their heads but the mood was light and easy as they all began to head to the Beacon with Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren introducing themselves to Oscar, Ruby, and Weiss, though the former had met the last two, and exchanging pleasantries as they walked and Yang pointed out some of the aspects of the Agency. Things were good and Ruby and Weiss couldn't wait to see what they'd learn on their internship as it officially began. Little did they know that the mission they'd just been sent on would turn out to be a lot more than they bargained for.

A little ominous but I think that's a good place to end this chapter on. It's a nice, fun, lighthearted look at the start of Ruby and Weiss's internship with a bit of lore thrown in to understand more of what the Huntsman branch does. I am sure that many of you have guessed what's about to come for them and soon all will be revealed and how it ties into the wider scope of this arc. Hopefully, this won't be as long as the Black Bull internship arc (which ended up longer than planned) but we will see how the next chapter or two goes as we switch focus to the Huntress internship and all that it entails. That's all that I really have for y'all, however, so I will leave this chapter 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