Weiss: Professor Oobleck?

Oobleck: Yes, I'm afraid those bags won't be necessary, boys and girls, seeing as you've opted to shadow a Huntsman on what is now essentially a reconnaissance mission. I can assure you, we will not be establishing a single base of operations; rather, we will be traversing several miles of hazardous wasteland and making camp in any defendable locations we may stumble upon. I packed all of our essentials myself, plotted our air course, and readied the airship. And...

Oobleck: It's Doctor Oobleck. I didn't earn the PhD for fun, thank you very much! (Quickly backs away.)

Weiss looks over at Blake, who is equally disturbed.

Weiss: Uh...

Luke: Does anyone understand what this guy is saying?

Briana: My brain's all empty.

Oobleck: Come now, children; according to my schedule, we are already three minutes behind!

Oobleck: ...schedule! (He zips off to the airship docked farther ahead in a second.)

Rex: He's faster than me?!

Rin: He must've dranked a whole lot of coffee than he realize.

Ruby: Well, alright, then! Looks like we're going to save the world with Doctor Oooobleck- okay yeah when you say it out loud it sounds worse.

Nora: (off-screen) Save the world?

Ruby's team turns around to see Nora and Team JNPR approaching.

Nora: (being dramatic) You're going on world-saving missions without us? I'm hurt... sad! (Stomach rumbles) Maybe a little hungry?

Nora: That last one's not your fault, though, Ren...

Ren, for his part, simply crosses his arms and turns away.

Jaune: Sounds exciting. Where ya going?

Ruby: Oh, just outside the kingdom...

Nora: Hey! So are we!

Pyrrha: Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village.

Ren: We set out tomorrow.

Neptune: (off-screen) Then you can party with us tonight!

Neptune: We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner-city detective stuff. We get junior badges.

Jaune is awestruck.

Sun: We normally go to the city with you guys, which means stuff's always exploding and junk, so we thought this might be a better way to check out the kingdom when it's, you know... normal.

Ruby: Well-

Oobleck appears from the airship to call to Team RWBY and REBL, who are embarrassed:

Oobleck: Four minutes, ladies and gentlemen! (Goes back inside as their friends smile awkwardly at the girls.)

Rex: O-kay...

Rin: Awkward~

Ruby: Well, uh... (Throws a thumbs-up.) Wish us luck! (With that, the friends disband, either back to Beacon Academy or towards their mission.)

Cut to the airship flying over buildings and streets amid deafening turbines.

Yang: (To Oobleck) I guess I just never saw you as much of a fighter.

Oobleck: I admit I fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I can assure you, as a Huntsman, I've had my fair share of tussles.

Ruby: (Tilting her head in confusion) Like the mushroom?

Blake: (Leaning over) Those are truffles.

Ruby: (Still scratching her head in befuddlement) Like the sprout?

Yang: (Also leaning over) Those are Brussels.

Rex: Rosebud, tussle means a fight.

Oobleck: (Continuing) Besides, given my expertise in the field of history as well as my dabblings in the archaeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw fit to assign me to this particular... assignment!

Weiss: What does history have to do with this?

Oobleck: (Turning sharply on Weiss) Why, what a preposterous question, you silly girl! Why, history is the backbone of our very society! And the liver! Probably the kidneys, if I were to wager.

Weiss: And that means..?

Oobleck: The southeast quadrant outside of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves, but it is also the location to one of the kingdom's greatest failures!

Ruby: Mountain Glenn.

Yang: That's right! It was an expansion of Vale... but in the end it was overrun by Grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city.

Rin: Right now, you'll see nothing but ruins.

Oobleck: Correct! And now it stands abandoned as a dark reminder.

Blake: And a likely place for a hideout.

Luke: And where we could set out camp tonight.

Oobleck: (adjusts his glasses and smiles) Precisely!

Elena: Looks like this is our stop.

The airship comes in over a spot of street amidst the ruined buildings and structures of the ruined area. It hovers right above the ground as Yang, Luke, Blake, Rin, Elena, Oobleck, Briana, Weiss, Rex, and Ruby all jump out of the craft with weapons drawn (minus the doctor, who simply holds his coffee canister) before the ship flies away from the destruction.

Oobleck: (Calls the attention of RWBY and REBL) Ladies! Gentlemen! You still may be students, but as of this moment, your first mission as Huntresses has begun! From this point forward, you need to do exactly as I say! Do you understand? (The boys and girls nod, but he suddenly looks at Ruby, startling her.) Ruby! I thought I told you to leave all of your bags back at school.

Ruby: But, uh, you hadn't told us to listen to you yet. So I didn't.

Oobleck: (To himself) She's not wrong... Very well, Ruby; leave your bag here, we can pick it up upon our return.

Ruby: But I, well uh-

Oobleck: Young lady, what in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important to bring it with...

Stops as the bag's zipper opens and out pops Zwei's head, causing everyone to stare at the uninvited guest.

Luke: Whaaaat?

Rex: (Whispering to his girlfriend) You're on your own, Rubes.

Ruby: (Whispering to her dog through the side of her mouth) Get back in the bag.

Zwei merely barks in response.

Oobleck: We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle teeming with death and hostility, and you brought... a dog?

Ruby: I, uh...

Oobleck: Genius!

Rex: Eh?!

Backs away long enough for Ruby to give a confused shrug before speeding past and snatching the pet away from Ruby, who tumbles next to Rex and to the ground as Oobleck spins Zwei in the air.

Oobleck: Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and heightened sense of sound,

Oobleck: making them excellent companions for a hunt such as ours!

Zwei: *Barks happily*

Briana: So you're saying that Zwei might be useful?

Ruby: I'm a genius!

Weiss, Rin, and Yang facepalm at their grinning leader.

Blake: So, what are your orders, Doctor?

Oobleck: Ah, yes, straight to the chase; I like it! As you've been informed, the southeast area has been marked as a recent hot spot for Grimm activity. Now, there are several possible explanations for this behavior, one of which being... Grimm.

Ruby: Uh, what?

Oobleck: Grimm. A creature of Grimm approximately one hundred yards from us at this very moment.

Yang: What?!

She turns to look like the other girls at the lone Beowolf wandering into the street, joining them in unleashing their weapons.

Oobleck: Stop!

Blake: Huh?

Lowers her Gambol Shroud like everyone else to listen.

Oobleck: There are a number of reasons why Grimm will congregate in this particular area, the most likely of which will be their attraction to negativity: sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred.

Elena: Despair and hate.

Oobleck: Precisely. All qualities that are likely held by our hidden group harboring ill intent.

Ruby: So... What now?

Oobleck: We wait. We track. If this specimen leads us to its pack, that pack may subsequently lead us to our prey.

Blake: How long do we wait?

Oobleck: It's uncertain. Hours, days, weeks. Why, lone Grimm have been known to stay isolated from the pack for months - and there's the whole pack.

His sudden realization is true: Five Beowolves are already following the first.

Weiss: What?

Oobleck: (Continuing to state the obvious) And now they've seen us.

Weiss: (Louder) What?!

Oobleck: (Coming right up to Weiss' ear to shout) AND NOW THEY'VE SEEN US!

Ruby: I take it tracking them is out of the question?

Oobleck: An accurate assumption, yes.

Yang: What's the plan, then?

The teams turns to their teacher as the creatures close in, black bars converging dramatically over the approaching animals.

Oobleck: Show me what you're capable of.

Briana: Thought you never asked!

Ruby: (Swings Crescent Rose to prepare it for shooting) Cover your ears, Zwei!

The dog does so, curling up into a ball.

Rex: (Draws out Caliburn) Here they come!

Black lines race across the screen as a single Beowolf and smiling Yang and Rin run towards one another,

ending with the blonde knocking it out in one fiery punch and slice as they pass. Several stop chasing after them to focus on the Belladonnas and Elena, who stands and waits with their hands on their weapon's hilts until one of the enemy swipes at her afterimage,

the real deal slicing Blake would-be attacker in half before her brother, Luke slashing through another and Elena cutting down on one more.

Behind the Faunuses, Weiss and Briana runs from several black-coated beasts before jumping in the air and taking one down with Myrtenaster and Galatin.

She and Briana dashes towards them with rapier held high and slays four of them in a straight line until she stops.

Briana: Too easy.

A wave of Beowolves are converging on Ruby, but the scythe wielder shoots multiple bullets at the oncoming force... while Zwei is busy chasing his own tail. He stops to watch his owner and Rex fire and run forward and,

after a dramatic mid-air stare-off, cut the single remaining Grimm in two.

Ruby: (To Oobleck, lifting her weapon) Heh. Piece of cake!

Rex: That was almost difficult.

Oobleck: Do not celebrate yet, for I am certain this is the first bout of many. Shall we continue?

Continue they do, as it cuts to Ruby cutting through the scene change, Blake slicing the previous shift, and a random slash going to the view of Oobleck rooting through a plant as Grimm parts fall around him. He is center in the faces of tired Huntsman and Huntresses.

Oobleck: (As the newest batch of slain monster corpses start smoking, he happily cries) Excellent work, boys and girls! Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any signs of criminal operations in this sector. Oh, well! Moving on!

Yang: Hey, Doc, y'know, I was actually looking forward to seeing a "pro Huntsman" in action. Like, fighting, or at least, helping us fight?

Oobleck: (Over his shoulder) Ah, but I am in action! Scouring the ruins of this once-great city for any signs of irregularity! Not every mission is filled with daring and heroism, boys and girls. Sometimes it's just a heightened form of extermination!

Oobleck: Remember, this is a job, and you all signed up for it. I do hope you understand that.

Yang: Well, yeah... (Trying to sound more resolute with her answer) O-Of course!

Oobleck: Hmm...

The scene changes to the view of another victory for REBL, RWBY and their mentor amid the noise of fired shots, but switches again to Oobleck, Yang, and Rin away from the group.

Oobleck: Tell me, Yang, Rin, why did you two choose this line of work?

Yang: Huh? Well, to fight monsters and save-

Oobleck: (cutting her off) No, that is what you do. I want to know why you do it. The honest reason as to why you want to be a Huntress.

Rin: The honest reason? Well, I wanted to be the knight that I admire to my mom and dad since they were young. I've really like their skills of sword arts and movements. That's what I want to be a Knight Huntress.

Yang: For me, I'm a thrill-seeker. I want to travel around the world and get wrapped up in as many crazy adventures as I can. And if I help people along the way, then that's even better. It's a win-win, y'know?

Oobleck: I see.

2 Beowolves charge at the Briana as she runs.

Briana: That's right, come and get me!

They were still chasing her until she gives her sister the signal.

Briana: Elena! Do it now!

Elena stabs Gringolet to the ground making the Grimm froze in place. Briana slice and diced both at once with Galatin.

Elena: Nice plan.

Briana: Nice shot.

Oobleck: Twins! What are your goals.

Percivals: Our goals?

Oobleck: What are you two looking forward to?

Briana: Well... Me and Elena were both born in Mistral. Me, I'd just want to go my own way. In other words, I'll do whatever I can to protect my sister.

Elena: My best goal in life was to study the whole world of Remnant. Whether secrets, regions, relics, you name it.

Oobleck: You both seek your different paths.

One claw-scratch transition later, Oobleck is sitting on a high windowsill writing in his journal while Weiss fights off Beowolves below.

Oobleck: And you, Miss Schnee? A girl born into fame and fortune such as yourself certainly doesn't need the extra work. So... why choose this over a cushy job in Atlas.

Weiss: (After she impales the last foe on her blade and drops the body) It's exactly as you said, I'm a Schnee. I have a legacy of honor to uphold. Once I realized I was capable of fighting, there was no longer a question of what I would do with my life. It was my duty.

Oobleck: (nodding) Interesting.

Oobleck jumps down into the next scene, where Blake slashes a door down and releases a swarm of small Nevermores from the building, which she back-flips under before she shoots them all with her blade's pistol form.

Luke: 3 out of 3.

Oobleck: (As he examines the inside of the doorway) And what about you, Blake? Luke? You two seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose.

Blake: There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing. Inequality, corruption... Someone has to stop it.

Luke: Otherwise, it's going to keep coming on and on.

Oobleck: Very well. How?

Blake: (Suddenly, she cannot answer) I, Uh...

Luke: Never even thought about it.

Oobleck "Hmm's" to himself, then dashes away, leaving the Belladonnas to bow her head in troubled thought.

Later, Ruby is using her weapon in the most practical fashion and lifting a whole turkey on the sharp end of her gun to tease a jumping and flipping Zwei with. That is, until she spots her teacher and boyfriend watching, quickly sheathing Crescent Rose.

Rex: Uh, what are you doing?

Ruby: Sorry! Uh... Are we ready to keep going?

Oobleck: Nope! I believe that will have to do for today. It's going to be dark soon. (Throws his bag over to Yang, who makes a sound when she catches it.) You eight, set up camp in that building. Oh, and please do make sure there are no more of those... creatures. Your leader and I are going to secure the perimeter. Come, Ruby. Rex.

They start walking away from the rest of REBL and RWBY, who each look at their leader and teammate, knowing what they'll be asked.

Ruby: (As Oobleck and Ruby round the corner of a building, she sees something off-screen that makes her say) Whaaaa...

Ruby: What is that? It looks awesome!

Oobleck: That, my dear girl, is a Grimm.

Rex: Those are a horde of Goliaths.

Oobleck: You seem to know every Grimm there is, Rex.

Rex: When I was a kid, I've read some of those grimm history books.

Ruby: (She stares at the lumbering mass of monsters in amazement and awe before pulling out her gun, saying) Let's kill it.

Rex: Whoa, there, Rosebud. I don't think it's a good idea.

Oobleck: Rex's right on this one, Ruby. I'm afraid your sniper rifle will do nothing more than agaitate a Grimm of that size.

Ruby: But... What if it attacks us?

Rex: They won't. Besides, they're not even looking at us at this range.

Oobleck: Fret not, Ruby; those Goliaths are not concerned with us. Ruby, not every Grimm is mindless, or rather not every Grimm is still mindless. You see, the Grimm you see before you are so powerful, so superior to the Grimm you fought, that they've undoubtedly lived hundreds of years, and in that time between killing humans and attacking our borders, they have done one important thing: They've learned. They've learned that when they attack our borders, they're likely to die, and what we lack in strength, we make up for in will, and that killing one human will only bring more.

As he says this, one Goliath swivels its thick neck to look at the figures watching their procession, eyes glowing as fiery red as any other Grimm.

Ruby: Then, why are they still so close to the city? What are they doing?

Oobleck: Waiting.

Rex: Waiting for us to attack.

As he says this, the Goliath turns its head forward again and moves on with its kin. Oobleck turns around and walks away as well, and Ruby puts away her weapon, not moving.

Ruby: Doctor Oobleck?

Oobleck: Hmm?

Ruby: I was wondering...

Oobleck: (Stops walking and turns back to her) Wondering why I've been interrogating your teammates all day?

Ruby: A-Actually, I was wondering... Why did you want to become a Huntsman?

Oobleck: Look around and tell me what you see.

Ruby takes a look around.

Ruby: Lots of old buildings, uh, empty streets...

Rex: Deaths and disasters.

Oobleck: I see lives that could have been saved. As a Huntsman, it is my job to protect the people, and although I am capable of doing it with traditional weaponry, I believe I can make a much larger impact if I do it with my mind. As a teacher, I'm able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of them all, and place it in the hands of every student that passes through my classroom. I look at this wasteland, and I see lives that could have been saved, but I also see an opportunity; an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy, and therefore become stronger.

Rex: So you took your role as a teacher, I guess?

Oobleck: Correct. I am a Huntsman, Rex, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be. (Continues walking)

Back at the building, both teams has done as instructed, building a fire in the center of the room and huddling around it or standing up.

Yang: I can't believe we didn't find anything...

Blake: We've always been fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. I guess we can't always have luck on our side.

Weiss: (Off-topic) That's not what I meant.

Blake: Huh?

Weiss: Earlier, about... upholding the legacy. There's more to it than that.

Yang: Yeah... No, me too. I mean... I don't know.

Blake: I don't know, either. I know what I want to do, but I figured I'd always take things one step at a time.

Luke: Yeah, so take my advice. Just take it slow.

Yang: Well, it doesn't matter. We know why we're here. Right?

Briana: Right.

Luke and the girls merely stare in silence.

Oobleck: (Suddenly comes rushing into the room) Ah, wonderful; a textbook campfire!

Rin: Ah! Geez!

Briana: Where'd you come from!?

Ruby: Fire!

Rex: (Sighs) Finally. Something warm.

Ruby: So... warm...

Oobleck: Very good! Eat your dinners and hurry to bed. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow and we'll need you to take turns keeping watch over our temporary abode. Any volunteers for first watch?

Ruby: (Lifts an arm while still looking into the fire, simply answering) Yo.

Oobleck rushes off, and Ruby gets up to go over to her lookout point.

Yang: Hey, did Oobleck ask you two why you wanted to be a Huntsman and Huntress? I mean... what did you tell him?

Ruby: Hmm... No, he didn't. Weird.

Rex: He didn't tell us why, but I'm not sure.

Ruby: Oh, well; good night, guys!

Without a second carefree thought, she continues on her way.

Yang looks disappointed in the lack of an answer. Blake is similarly troubled as she unrolls her mat, Luke has trouble unrolling his mat, Weiss tries lying down but fails to sleep, Rin tries to stay awake but failed, Briana was tucking and turning, Elena wrapped herself in a blanket. Yang half-heatedly eats her dinner of bread rolls. Soon, all three Huntresses are on their backs around the fire, weapons within easy access, wondering why they are there.

Ruby, meanwhile, is sitting in the vacant windowsill of the room as Zwei goes over to her upon hearing the howling of Beowolves. She pets her pooch on the back.

Ruby: Don't worry. Things will be better tomorrow.

Rex comes up to his girlfriend and Zwei.

Rex: (Move his hood up) Let's just hope that it'll be bright.

END OF PART 25