Blades Of A Rose

Chapter 20: Mountain Glenn

Your POV

You were trying to sleep, but no matter how hard you try you couldn't. Then you heard Yang beginning to talk.

"Blake, are you awake?" Yang asked

"Yeah." Blake answered

"Why do you think he asked us about being a ? Like, what was he trying to say?" Yang asked

"Maybe he was just curious." Blake guessed

"You think?" Yang said

"No." Blake replied

"Weiss, are you awake?" Yang asked

"Of course I'm awake! You two are talking. And I think he... When I said I wanted to honor my family's name, I meant it. But, it's not what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware of what my father has done with the . Since he took control, our business has operated in a... moral gray area." Weiss said

"That's putting it lightly." Blake added

"Which is why I feel the need to make things right. If I had taken a job in Atlas, it wouldn't have changed anything. My father was not the start of our name, and I refuse to let him be the end of it." Weiss said full of determination

"All my life, I fought for what I thought was right. I had a partner named Adam. More of a mentor, actually. He always assured me that what we were doing would make the world a better place. But of course, his idea of a perfect future turned out to be not perfect for everyone. I joined the Academy because I knew that Huntsmen and Huntresses were regarded as the most noble warriors in the world. Always fighting for good. But I never really thought past that. When I leave the Academy, what will I - how can I undo so many years of hate?" Blake said

"I'm sure you'd figure it out. You're not one to back down from a challenge, Blake." Yang replied

"But I am! I do it all the time! When you learned I was a Faunus, I didn't know what to do, so I ran! When I realized my oldest partner had become a monster, I ran! Even my ! I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away!" Blake cried

"(Y/n) are you awake?" Weiss asked

"Yeah I'm awake" You answered

"What's the reason you wanted to become a huntsman?" Yang asked

"There's not whole lot to it, but to say it's getting strong enough to help the people I care about" You answered

"At least you three have something that drives you. I've just kinda of always, gone with the flow, y'know? And that's fine, I mean, that's who I am. But how long can I really do that for? I wanna be a Huntress, not really because I want to be a hero, but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I won't know what tomorrow will bring. And that'll be a good thing. Being a Huntress just happens to line up with that. I'm not like Ruby, she's always wanted to be a Huntress. It's like she said, ever since she was a kid, she'd dreamt about being the heroes in the books. Helping people and saving the day, and never asking for anything else in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew that's what she wanted to do. That's why she trained so hard to get where she is today." Yang explained

"Well, she's still just a kid." Weiss said

"She's only two years younger than you guys. We're all kids." You said

"Well, not anymore. I mean, look where we are! In the middle of a warzone and armed to the teeth!" Yang said

"It's the life we chose." Blake said

"It's a job. We all had this romanticized vision of being a Huntress in our heads! But at the end of the day, it's a job to protect the people! And whatever we want, will have to come second." Weiss said

[Timeskip - a few hours later]

You were on watch. You then noticed it was time to change. You walked back to get Weiss.

"Hey Weiss, it's your... Ruby? Hey, where's Ruby?" You said

"What?" Oobleck said

Zwei comes running into the room, barking.

"Zwei?" Yang said, crouching down to his height

"What's going on?" Blake asked, getting up

"Grab your weapons! Your leader may be in trouble." Oobleck commanded

Zwei begins leading us. He lead you all to a giant hole with Crescent Rose next to it.

"Ruby's scythe!" You exclaimed

"Oh no." Yang said

"Do you think she fell?" Weiss said

"Fell?" Oobleck said looking up

"Down there." Weiss said, referring to the hole

"Oh my. Of course! Of course, OF COURSE, OF COURSE!" Oobleck said looking at the hole

"What is it?" Blake said

"How could I be so stupid?!" Oobleck said

"Dr. Oobleck, what's wrong?" Yang asked

"Mountain Glenn! Yes, an expansion of Vale that was inevitably destroyed by creatures of Grimm! Previously home to thousands of people! Working people commuting to the city, the main city! Developed a subway system to the inner city! Grimm attacks increased! Population in danger, now desperately searching for shelter! City evacuates into the metro tunnels and what do they find? The southeast quadrant of Vale is known for wild forests and deep caves!" Oobleck said

"Doc, what are you saying?" You asked

"My boy, we're not just looking for an underground crime network, we're looking for an UNDERGROUND crime network!" Oobleck explained

"They've been working in caves?" Blake asked

"No, no, Mountain Glenn was Vale's first serious attempt at expansion. It worked for a short period of time, thanks to an aggressive perimeter defense, and unique transportation; the city developed an elaborate subway system to carry citizens safely from the new territory into the main Kingdom! Sadly, without the many natural barriers Vale had to protect its borders, Mountain Glenn was doomed from the start! As the end drew near, the citizens of the territory made one last attempt at survival: They took up shelter beneath the city! In massive caves that they had cleared out for the subway. And they had cut themselves off from the surface!" Oobleck explained

"An underground village?" Yang said uncertain

"In a matter of speaking, yes. A safe haven. Until... an explosion opened the mouth of another cavern, filled with subterranean Grimm. After that, the Kingdom officially sealed off the tunnels, creating the world's largest tomb. If Ruby is down there" Oobleck deploys his weapon "we must find her..." Oobleck said serious