Early morning in Team RWBY and GNDM's dorm Ruby is getting dressed so she can go see Professor Ozpin after he had called for her to give her side of the story of the events that had happened in the CCT tower last night. Ruby absent-mindedly collected her clothes as she went to get changed in the bathroom. That was until she spotted Y/N's empty bed she cocked her eyebrow before looking around and finding a white tail swaying from side to side on Yang's bed. Ruby went through a full factory reset before she heard the sound of someone waking up. Ruby regained her composure as Y/N looked at Yang before doing something she couldn't quite see before he slid off the side of the bed and landed relatively quiet he looked at Blake to see that she hadn't even rolled. Ruby just stood in the middle of the room before Y/N bumped into her and spun around before he started to whisper yell.
Y/N: Ruby what are you doing?!
Ruby: ME? You were the one in Yang's bed and the one who bumped into me!
Y/N: What are you even doing up this early?
Ruby: Ozpin called me to his office.
Y/N: Well looks like he wants to talk to both of us. Come on you can get dressed first.
Ruby didn't waste time as she went to the bathroom while Y/N just stood in the middle of the room not knowing what to do that was until someone jumped onto his back. Y/N reached around and went to grab them and throw them off until he reached back and found a mass of hair.
Y/N: I could have hurt you, Yang.
Yang: I doubt you could hurt me considering I will just hit you twice as hard.
Y/N: If you could hit me.
Yang hit Y/N as she got off and made her way in front of the wolf faunus.
Yang: There was a part of me that thought last night was a dream.
Y/N: Trust me Yang it wasn't a dream.
Yang reached forward and embraced Y/N before giving him a kiss that she didn't want to end before the sound of someone coughing caught their attention causing them to pull away.
Weiss: Don't let us stop you.
Weiss and Blake stood like they were looking for an answer before Blake and Y/N met eyes and she just smiled.
Blake: So I take that last night went well Yang.
Yang had turned into a blushing mess but before it could go any further Ruby had walked out of the bathroom and Y/N had taken her spot.
Inside Ozpin's office, Ozpin sits behind his desk with his hands on his temples while General Ironwood yells.
Ironwood: They were here... OZPIN THEY WERE HERE!
Ironwood angrily slams his fist against Ozpin's desk. Glynda has finally had enough of Ironwood's talking as she chimes in.
Glynda: We're very much aware of that! Thank you, James.
Ironwood: Fantastic! You're aware! Now are we going to do something about it or should we just stay the course and continue to ignore what's right in front of us?!
An alert sound plays, signifying that someone has arrived on the elevator.
Ozpin stands from his seat as he addresses the door.
Ozpin: Come in.
Ruby and Y/N step out and into the tence office. Y/N can feel the lingering tension while Ruby tries to make a joke.
Ruby: Sorry it took so long. Someone accidentally hit all the buttons on the elevator on the way up here. It wasn't me.
Y/N doesn't say anything as his personality has done a complete 180 from when they were in the dorm room.
Ozpin: Thank you for coming both of you now Y/N if you could just go and stand with Professor Goodwitch we will talk to Ruby first.
Y/N: Yes Professor.
Y/N makes his way to Glynda as he stands with his arms crossed.
Ozpin: Now Ruby. How are you feeling?
Ruby: Okay, I guess. I'd feel better if my bad-guy-catching record wasn't O-for-three.
Everyone stares silently.
Ruby: Okay, so that's the tone we're going for, got it.
Ironwood: Ruby, I feel it's appropriate to let you know that I think what you did last night is exactly what being a Huntress is all about. You recognized a threat. You took action. And you did the very best you could. I just wish some others held your courage.
General Ironwood sends a very quick side eye towards Y/N, Glynda and Ozpin which goes unnoticed by Ruby.
Ruby: Thank you, sir.
Ozpin: Now, the general here has already informed us of the events that... transpired last night, but now that you've rested, we were wondering if you had anything to add.
Glynda: Was anyone else with her? Did she look familiar to you at all?
Ruby: I... I don't know. She was wearing a mask, and she never said anything to me. But I know she fought with glass. I don't think that was her Semblance, though. Her clothing lit up whenever she attacked.
Glynda: Save for the glass, that sounds like the woman I fought the night we met Ruby.
Ironwood: Embedding Dust into clothing is an age-old technique. It could have been anyone.
Ruby: Wait. Do you think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?
Ozpin: It's possible. However, we still lack the required evidence to link the two together.
Ruby looks to Y/N as he slightly shakes his head to tell her no but she does it anyway.
Ruby: Actually, I... I think I remember her saying something about a hideout, or something, in the southeast. Just outside the Kingdom.
Ozpin turns his head to Y/N before looking back at Ruby having gotten exactly what he wanted.
Ozpin: Interesting.
Glynda: I thought you said the intruder never—
Ozpin: Thank you for your cooperation, Ruby. Why don't you go and spend some time with your team? You have a big day ahead of you.
Ruby turns to leave.
Ruby: Any time. Come on Y/N.
Ozpin: Actually Miss Rose Mr L/N is going to have to stay for a little longer we have some other things to discuss with him. I just ask that you try and be discreet about this matter.
Ruby: Yes sir.
Ruby opens the door to her dorm room revealing that Yang, Blake and Weiss had gotten changed and waited for her to get back as they rushed her.
Yang: What happened?
Ruby: Uh... well, um...
Ruby laughed nervously as back in Ozpin's office Ironwood leaned against the window overlooking the courtyard with Y/N and Glynda standing on either side of Ozpin who sits at his desk.
Ironwood: Well there we have it. We send as many troops as we can to the southeast, find out exactly what's going on, and eradicate any forces that stand in our way.
Glynda growls in frustration towards his idea before she gets right up to the General.
Glynda: Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military bravado!? You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring di—!
Ozpin: Glynda!
Glynda looks back at Ozpin before her expression softens then she backs down to stand back at her original spot. Ozpin spins around now facing the General. Y/N still leans on Ozpin's desk.
Glynda: Well, he does.
Ozpin: She's right. As much as I too would love to end this situation once and for all, we must remember that this may go beyond Vale. Beyond Beacon. And if this truly is part of some master plan for which we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold. Nor can we risk the spread of panic.
Ironwood: I have served you faithfully for years... but if you mean to tell me that your plan is to really hold the defences, and wait—!
Ozpin shoots up from his chair and raises his voice.
Ozpin: It is not! You're a general, James. So tell me, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first? The flag bearers, or the scouts?
The General looks down for a moment before Y/N speaks up.
Y/N: With all due respect Sir we already have basic intel that you got from Ruby so why don't we just send in the special forces?
General Ironwood smiles at Y/N as Ozpin turns to face him with a smirk on his face.
Ironwood: And I thought you said you weren't training soldiers.
Ozpin: Looks like we have something to sort out before the assembly in a few minutes.
Back in Team RWBY's dorm. Weiss stands with her arms crossed, Blake sits on Weiss's bed while Yang has her hand on Ruby's shoulder after she explains everything that happened in Ozpin's office.
Weiss: That was a risky move.
Blake: No, I think you handled it well.
Ruby: I hope so.
Yang: I'm sure everything will be alright, Ruby. Oh, I know what will cheer you up!
Yang takes her hand off Ruby and walks towards a desk before she produces a cylindrical package the length of her forearm.
Ruby: What's that?
Yang: I don't know yet. Dad sent it to us. I thought we could open it together!
Ruby: Ooooh! Something from home!
Ruby zooms over to Yang and wraps herself around Yang, trying to take the cylinder from her. The package opens, and another cylinder, hairy and black, falls out onto the floor and starts to shake. The object suddenly transforms into a Corgi. Team RWBY leans in, staring at it.
The animal barks twice. While Weiss and Blake continue to react with great shock, Ruby and Yang react excitedly, with Ruby jumping in the air. Ruby, still airborne, is depicted among a changing blue background and four shots of the dog, two full body shots and two headshots. She then poses as she shouts the dog's name.
Ruby: Zewi!!
Blake: He sent a dog?
Weiss: In the mail?
The girls all watch as Ruby holds the dog up to her face and giggles as it licks her face.
Yang: Oh, he does stuff like this all the time!
Blake disappears, shown now to be on Ruby's bunk.
Blake: Your father or your dog?
Weiss: Are you telling me that this mangy... drooling... mutt is going to wiv wif us foweva? Oh, yes he is, yes he is! Oh, isn't he adorable!
Blake: Please keep it away from my belongings.
Blake sits even further onto Ruby's bed as Zwei sniffs around the room coming to Y/N's bed before jumping up on top and then spotting Blake as he barks at her trying to get her to come down.
Weiss: Didn't you live with Y/N?
Blake: He's a wolf Faunus it's different!
Glynda's voice then comes over the intercom.
Glynda: Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheatre?
Weiss: Well, we can't exactly leave him here while we're gone for the week.
Zwei gets off Y/N's bed moves to Weiss's and puts his paws on it before continuing to bark at the cat Faunus.
Yang: Look, there's a letter!
Zwei walks away from the beds and sits at Yang's feet.
Yang: "Dear girls, I've got to leave the island for a few days, so I'm sending Zwei to you to take care of. Enclosed is all the food you should need. Love you both, Taiyang. P.S. I better not hear about any boys."
Dozens of cans of dog food spill out of the small package, piling up around Zwei.
Weiss: What is he supposed to do with that?
A can opener falls from the package, bouncing off Zwei's head.
Yang: Well, that settles it! Come on girls, Zwei will be here when we get back!
Yang walks out the door a little too eagerly as Weiss has to pull herself away from Zwei as her speech slowly descends into incomprehensible baby talk
Weiss: Oh, I'll miss you so much, we're going to be best friends, I can't wait to see you.
Meanwhile, Blake leaps from Ruby's bed to her desk and then out the door doing her best to avoid Zwei. Ruby goes to walk out the door before she looks at the corgi as he looks back with not a thought behind his eyes.
In the auditorium, every first-year student from all four kingdoms stands shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. The sound of hundreds of different conversations causes the sound to become one large mass. Weiss, Blake and Yang stand around as they wait for their leader. Ruby walks through the main doors she wears a large backpack before placing it down in the pile of other students' luggage before she makes her way over to her Team who stands next to Team JNPR. Yang looks around after not having seen Y/N since he left for Ozpin's office with Ruby earlier that morning.
Yang didn't have to look for long before Glynda, Ozpin and Y/N walked up onto the stage.
Blake: What's Y/N doing up there?
Yang: I don't know. Did he say anything before you left Ruby?
Ruby: Ozpin said he, Glynda and the General needed to talk to Y/N.
Weiss: Something doesn't feel right.
Blake: You could say that again.
Ruby: something doesn't feel right.
Weiss and Blake hang their heads and sigh before looking at the younger girl who looks proud of herself.
Yang: That wasn't an invitation Ruby.
Glynda: Quiet! Quiet, please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin.
Ozpin: Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end with the emergence of the Gundam named Freedom. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: colour. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither would the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first-year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best.
Ozpin steps away as the students all begin to file out of the amphitheatre. Yang can't help but stare at Y/N as he is up on stage for seemingly no reason before he follows Ozpin.
Ruby: This is perfect! All we have to do is shadow a Huntsman working in the southeast!
Yang: Yeah! We'll follow them around by day and give them the slip by night!
Weiss: Let's check "search and destroy"!
Blake: What about Y/N? If we are going to be after you know who shouldn't we bring him?
Weiss: Something tells me Ozpin has a plan for him.
Team RWBY approaches a hologram screen.
Ruby: Here we go! Quadrant 5 needs Grimm cleared out!
Blake: Well, it's in the southeast!
Yang: Sounds perfect!
Ruby selects it and types in her team name. However, the screen says that first years are not allowed to take this mission.
Weiss: Wonderful!
Blake: Any other ideas?
Ruby: We mail ourselves there!
Y/N: Well that's thinking with your head.
The girls turn around only to be greeted by Y/N and Professor Ozpin as they walk up with Ozpin holding a large Scroll in his hands and Y/N with all his gear on.
Ozpin: Unfortunately, we determined that the concentration of Grimm was too extreme for first-year students. It seems that particular region is rather popular. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that you five will make your way there no matter which job you choose.
Weiss, Blake, Yang and even Y/N glare at Ruby who nervously rubs her neck.
Ruby: Whatever makes you say that?
Ozpin: I'm still curious how you all found yourself at that docks last semester. I'm interested in that swordsman you reported. I'm interested to know how you really learned about a hideout in the southeast. And I certainly wonder why witnesses reported seeing robots and rose petals in a dance club some time ago.
Yang and Y/N's eyes go wide before Ruby stumbles over her words.
Ruby: Um... well...
Ozpin: I doubt I'll ever find the exact answers I'm looking for. So how about this: instead of waiting for you all to break the rules, why don't we just bend them?
Ozpin taps away on his scroll before the hologram screen in front of the group beeps and shows the mission has been assigned to Team's RWBY and GNDM.
Ruby: We won't let you down. Thank you, professor.
Ozpin: Do not thank me for this. Teamwork, persistence and trust in each other have carried you far. But you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the Kingdom will not care. Stay close to your Huntsman at all times, and do exactly as he says. He will be leading you on this mission, and he can have you sent back to Beacon if he finds your skills to be unsatisfactory. Good luck.
Team's RWBY and GNDM are now outside the auditorium as they make their way towards the landing pad so they can leave. All of the girls look slightly down after the harsh words from Ozpin.
Yang: That wasn't exactly uplifting.
Blake: But it's the truth.
Y/N: We have no clue what they could have waiting for us.
Ruby: It's gonna be tough, but I know we can do it!
A student runs past the teams almost pushing Yang over before Y/N catches her arm. The two share eye contact before Weiss coughs and points to Team CFVY as the other two have already taken off.
Blake: Velvet? Are you okay?
Velvet: I'm fine. I had Yatsuhashi to look out for me.
Weiss: Your mission was supposed to end a week ago! What happened?
Velvet: Nothing happened. It was just ... there were just so many...
Velvet looks up and notices the present members of RWBY's worried expressions.
Velvet: Oh, but don't worry. You first-years are just shadowing Huntsmen, so you should be fine.
Yang: Right.
Velvet turns around to Yang's voice finding Y/N with her.
Velvet: Oh you even have Y/N going it must have the potential to go horribly wrong.
Velvet realises what she said before she covers her mouth seeing as the girl's faces shift even more.
Velvet: Sorry but I should be going. Be safe okay?
Ruby: We can do this. We've never backed down before, and we're not going to start now.
Blake: Right.
Ruby: Besides, it won't only be us out there! We'll be fighting alongside Y/N and a genuine Huntsman!
Yang: Yeah!
As Ruby finished the Huntsman they would be following made themselves known as all the girls' faces shifted to various stunned expressions. Even Y/N looks a little wide-eyed.
Oobleck: Why, hello girls and boy! Who's ready to fight for their lives!?
Alright that's it for this chapter we have four episodes till the end of volume 2 so that might be four more chapters or less depending on what I feel like when I write them. I know not a lot happened but we are about to ramp up a little. Thanks to those of you who have been reading commenting and voting on these chapters. Next Chapter: Search and Destroy.