(Note:This chapter contains mentions of drug abuse and attempted suicide. If you or someone you know is having any feelings of the sorts. Please call the National suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Now please enjoy this chapter)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rpAfCxXctlY
Location:Mountain Glenn
Time of day:Night
(Y/N) pov:
I was laying down on my sleeping bag trying to get some sleep. All I could think about is what happened at Vacuo. I still had those images in my head. Every time I heard a gunshot in the dark. All I could think was those people. Yang thankfully stopped those images for awhile by breaking the silence.
Yang:(Y/N), you up ?
(Y/N):Yeah, I'm up. I know for a fact I ain't gonna get any sleep tonight.
Yang:Blake, are you awake?
Blake:Yeah.
Yang:Why do you think he asked us why we wanted to be huntsman and huntresses.
Blake:Maybe he was just curious.
Yang:You think?
Blake:No.
Weiss:Of course I'm awake! You three 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 Schnee Dust Company. Since he took control, our business has operated in a... moral gray area.
Blake:That's putting it lightly.
Weiss: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.
Blake: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?
Yang:I'm sure you'd figure it out. You're not one to back down from a challenge, Blake.
Blake: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 Semblance! I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away!
(Y/N):Damn, that's... that's tough. For a good chunk of my life. I lived in the not so good part of the city. It was me, my brother, my dad, and my drug addict of a mom. Hardly had any money. Hell, Ruby and Yang's house was more of home for me than there. My brother one day ran from home after turning 16. My dad tried to steal food for me just so I could eat. He died in prison. My mom, went out one night and never came back. Most likely, died in an alleyway. I lived alone then, had to get a job at a local run down gas station. At that time, I was doing any drug I could get my hands on. Drinking alcohol till I passed out. Then, one day all of that got to me. Then I went to officially live with Ruby and Yang. Became clean and mostly sober. That happened about 4 months before we got here to Beacon.
Yang:It was very tough...
(Y/N):At first, I wanted to be a Huntsman to get out of the bad part of the city. Have a nice life for me and Ruby when we graduate and see the world. Then everything happened. Moved in with Ruby and Yang, then I decided to do more. Try to be hero while exploring the world, still. But, I ain't no hero. I guess more of Anti-Hero, heh.
Yang: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.
Weiss:Well, she's still just a kid.
Blake:She's only two years younger. Same as (Y/N). We're all kids.
Yang:Well, not anymore. I mean, look where we are! In the middle of a warzone and armed to the teeth!
Blake:It's the life we chose.
Weiss:It's a job. We all had this romanticized vision of being a Huntress or huntsman 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.
(Y/N):Yeah...
The 3 of them went to sleep and I went over to Ruby to talk about whatever and soon start my watch shift.
Ruby:Hey, (Y/N).
(Y/N):Hey, Ruby.
The two of us gave each other a small kiss and saw Ceithir and Zwei walk over to us.
Ruby:Aww, hey you two. You two getting a little jealous from Mommy and Daddy.
Ceithir put his head on Ruby's lap and she proceeded to give him head pets.
Ruby:Yang's right. Those were tough times.
(Y/N):For both of us...
Ruby:I mean what I said last night at the dance. I'm very proud of you... I know it probably wasn't easy getting over it. But, you did it.
(Y/N):I'm still sorry you had to see me there. In a hospital bed.
Ruby:There's nothing to be sorry about. That was all in the past. You know, when we were in the dreamscape. Fighting Negative (Y/N), I saw that moment. You in the bathroom, on the floor. The day you...
Ruby let out a couple of tears from her eyes. I then immediately hugged her to calm her down and to comfort her.
(Y/N):Hey, don't cry. Everything will be alright.
Ruby:It still hurts... I should've asked you everyday if you were okay. I could have prevented you from doing it.
(Y/N):Hey, I don't want you to worry about that... everything is going to be okay. I haven't touched drugs in a long time. And I haven't tried to hurt myself in a long time either. Everything is okay.
Ruby:Okay... But you better always tell me if something is going on. Or if something is wrong. I love you too much for you to hide your problems. You are my equal in everything. You always are there for me. Let me be there for you.
(Y/N):I promise... I'll tell you everything if you want. Your wish is my command. So, anything else you want to talk about?
Ruby:Well, since we have a little time to ourselves. Do you want to talk about what you're mission was like? Or what happened in Ozpin's office?
(Y/N):Are you sure you want to talk about it...
Ruby:I'm sure... I'm a big girl. I drink milk.
(Y/N):Heh, alright. We went to Vacuo to infiltrate a White Fang base and perform a recon mission. Ironwood sent us. Things went sideways however and we had to blow up our target. During it, we entered a dark room. We thought we saw White fang and we just started attacking whatever was inside. We didn't know what it was. Lights turned back on and we saw it was innocent people we killed. We couldn't see anything or hear anything from gunpowder. It hurt the four of us. And that all happened the day before the dance. Then we had that meeting. To Ironwood, we're just soldiers. The entire VMAV team are just soldiers. To do whatever is commanded of us. We also found out that he placed these heart monitor/location tracker thing inside of our bodies without are consent. Tells VMAV and the higher ups what our vitals are and where we are at 24/7. The 4 of us now don't know what to do. We killed innocents, we were basically told we were attack dogs to do any mission we were given without question, and we are tracked. Crazy, isn't it.
Ruby was in complete awe and shock.
Ruby:I-I'm so sorry...
(Y/N):Not your fault, it's his fault. And I don't trust him. At least the four of us can trust Glynda and Ozpin. Maybe the other two headmasters. But we can't trust Ironwood. To us four, he's nothing but trash. Anyways, it's time for you to get some rest. I got watch to do.
Ruby:You could come to bed too.
(Y/N):Sorry, I already called watch. I placed our sleeping bags next to each other. Once my watch is over. I'll come to bed. If you want, we can cuddle.
I kissed her goodnight and began my watch.
Location:Mountain Glenn
Time of Day:Night
Ruby pov:
I went over to my sleeping bag and laid down in it. Zwei and Ceithir followed me over and laid down beside me. I felt bad for (Y/N). He had all those things going on in the span of a few days. I hope he gets better. After about a hour and a half, he ended his watch and Yang started her watch. (Y/N) got inside of his sleeping bag and the two of us cuddled. Zwei then came over and started barking.
Ruby:Huh? Zwei, it's late. Go back to bed. Zwei! Zwei! Ugh!
I followed Zwei outside and saw he had to use the bathroom.
Ruby:Zwei, this is a wasteland! You literally could have done that anywhere!
WF Guard 1:What was that?
Me and Zwei then hid behind a destroyed wall so we weren't spotted by the white fang.
WF Guard 2:What was what?
WF Guard 1:I thought I heard a Beowolf or something.
WF Guard 2:Hmph. Let's just finish our patrol and get back to base. This place gives me the creeps.
When they left we saw they entered through a door in the ground.
Ruby:Come on, we gotta get the others!
Before I knew it. The ground started to collapse. I fell inside as I saw Zwei looking down.
Location:Mountain Glenn
Time of Day:Night
(Y/N) pov:
Yang:(Y/N)! (Y/N)! Wake up!
I woke up to see everyone grabbing their weapons.
(Y/N):The fucks going on?!
Yang:Zwei came back but no Ruby. We're going to go look for her!
(Y/N):Shit! Come on, Ceithir!
We ran out and started to look for her. Zwei lead us to this big ass hole in the ground.
Yang:Ruby's scythe!
Blake:Oh no.
Weiss:Do you think she fell?
(Y/N):Most likely, it's a jump we could make easily if we land correctly.
Oobleck:Fell?
Weiss: Down there.
Oobleck:Oh my. Of course! Of course, OF COURSE, OF COURSE!
Blake:What is it?
Oobleck:How could I be so stupid?!
Yang:Dr. Oobleck, what's wrong?
Oobleck: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!
Yang:Doc, what are you saying?
Oobleck:My dear, we're not just looking for an underground crime network, we're looking for an UNDERGROUND crime network!
Blake:They've been working in caves?
Oobleck: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!
Yang:An underground village?
Oobleck: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, we must find her...
Credits time