32-The nightmares began Part-1

As Ruby and Adrian settled into their night watch, the quiet hum of the fortress seemed almost comforting against the eerie silence of the ruined city. Ruby, ever curious, glanced at Adrian's sword resting against his side.

[Ruby]: Hey, Adrian… can I ask you something

[Adrian]: Go ahead

[Ruby]: Why are you so attached to coffee… and that sword

Adrian paused, lowering his coffee cup as he stared into the distance.

[Adrian]: One is to forget…

He placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, the faintest trace of a bitter smile forming on his lips.

[Adrian]: …and the other is because it can't abandon me.

Ruby blinked, taken aback by the depth of his words.

But before she could say more, Adrian looked at her, his usual nonchalant demeanor returning as if flipping a switch.

[Adrian]: What, expecting some dramatic backstory? You'll have to buy me a better cup of coffee for that.

Ruby pouted but couldn't help smiling at his attempt to lighten the mood.

[Ruby]: Fine! But you owe me the story someday, okay?

[Adrian]: Maybe… someday.

Adrian gave her a faint smile before turning his attention back to the shadows, scanning the area for any sign of Grimm.

[Next Room]

The soft crackle of the campfire filled the air as the rest of Team RWBY and GRAM slept in the fortified shelter. However, the quiet didn't last long.

[Yang]: Blake, are you awake?

[Yang]: Why do you think Dr. Oobleck asked us about being huntresses? Like… what is he trying to say?

Blake: Maybe he was just curious.

[Yang]: You think?

[Blake]: No.

[Yang]: Weiss are you awake?

[Weiss]: Of course I'm awake you two are talking.

[Gaster]: All of us are awake, Yang.

[Weiss]: Nobody asked you Beaver, And I think… when I said I want to honor my family, I meant it. But it's not like what you think. I'm not stupid. I'm fully aware of what my father has done—what the Schnee Dust Company has become under his control our business has operated on a moral gray area.

[Gaster]: Yeah. Slave labor, human experiments, and genocide. Those are definitely 'gray areas' that make you wonder about the black ones.

[Blake]: Yeah, that was putting it lightly.

[Weiss]: Which is why I feel that I need to make things right if I had taken a job at 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've 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 not be so perfect for everyone.

Blake's voice grew quieter as she gazed into the fire, the flames reflecting in her amber eyes.

[Blake]: I joined the academy because I know that huntsmen and huntresses are regarded as the most noble warriors in the world—always fighting for good. I wanted to be part of that.

[Maple]: Well, Blake, actually… not everyone fights for good. There are always some bad seeds. Believe me, I've experienced it firsthand.

The group turned their attention to Maple as she hugged her knees, her voice trembling slightly but steady.

[Maple]: I trusted people who I thought were good, only to find out they weren't. Not everyone becomes a huntsman or huntress to help others. Some just see it as a way to gain power or control.

[Yang]: But that's why we're here, right? To prove that we're not like them. To show the world that there's still good out there, no matter how dark it gets.

[Gaster]: Well said, Yang. The world doesn't need perfect people—it needs those who are willing to stand up and fight for what's right, flaws and all. Now, you, Yang.

[Yang]: You guys have something that drives you. I've always just gone with the flow. That's fine—I mean, that's who I am—but how long can I keep doing that? I want to be a huntress, not to be a hero, but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I don't know what tomorrow is going to bring, and I want that to be a good thing. Being a huntress just happens to line up with that.

Gaster and the others watched Yang as she glanced at Ruby and Adrian before continuing.

[Yang]: I'm not like Ruby. She's always wanted to be a huntress. Like she said, ever since she was a kid, she dreamt of being the heroes in the books—helping people, saving the day, and never asking for anything in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew what she wanted to do. That's why she trains so hard to get where she is today.

[Gaster]: A noble dream for someone her age.

[Weiss]: Well, she's still just a kid.

[Blake]: She's only two years younger than us. We're all kids.

[Maple]: If she plans to walk the path of heroes, then age doesn't matter. And we're not kids anymore, Blake. Look where we are—sitting in the middle of an abandoned city, armed to the teeth. This is 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 about protecting people. Whoever we are or what we want has to come second.

[Gaster]: Never dreamed of hearing those words leave your mouth, Weiss.

[Weiss]: Well, Mr. Genius, your turn. What about you?

[Gaster]: Have you girls ever killed someone?

The room fell into a heavy silence.

[Maple]: Who starts like that?

[Blake]: That's... not something you just ask.

[Yang]: Why would you even bring that up, Gaster?

[Gaster]: I had to kill or be killed in the place I came from I have a lot of sins on my shoulder, I have let... people who had nothing to do with this pain suffer and I also kept doing it but then I was... Lost and imprisoned in darkness and torn apart looking at the people who know me forgetting about me and those who followed me suffering worse than death by someone who kept mocking me for years, I have gone mad completely crazed with a smile that wasn't a smile I watch the ones important to me... suffering and couldn't do anything, entail I met Ron, he took me away from the darkness he let me see the light again and when "Hate" took over me he was the one to pull me back, Now I want to protect this life and fix my mistakes and most importantly apologize to... them for everything.

The room remained still, the weight of Gaster's words hanging heavy in the air. Everyone avoided looking directly at him, unsure of how to respond.

[Blake]: I didn't know.

[Yang]: You never said anything about all of this.

[Gaster]: I never needed to. I never wanted anyone to know. I was alone for so long, But I'm not that person anymore. I'm trying to be someone who can stand beside you all, not as a man with nothing left but rage and regret, but as someone who's learned, and who wants to make things right.

[Weiss]: You've been through so much...

[Gaster]: No use opening old wounds Maple your turn now.

The sudden shift in focus made Maple glance up in surprise, her face briefly flickering with hesitation. The others turned their attention to her, waiting for her response.

[Maple]: Me?

She shifted slightly, looking down at her hands, the warmth of the fire casting soft shadows over her features. Her fingers traced the edges of her shield, as if grounding herself in the present before speaking again.

[Maple]: I always dreamed of adventure. Of meeting new people, seeing the world, and becoming someone worth remembering. And for a time... I did. I met people, made friends, and we became known. We had our moment of peace, our time in the sun. But that didn't last. The world isn't kind to those who stand still. Eventually, I had to fight—fight not just to survive, but to keep whatever hope I had left.

Her voice softened, the words carrying weight.

[Maple]: It's not just about the fight for food or safety... it's about fighting to hold onto what you believe in, to keep the darkness from swallowing you whole. I watched people I cared about fall away, and vanish without a trace, and I couldn't save them. Every loss felt like another piece of me being chipped away, leaving behind a ghost of who I used to be. And it's like... the more you fight, the more you lose. The more you realize how little control you actually have.

Maple closed her eyes, the memories creeping in like an old wound reopening. The faces of her old companions, their laughter, their dreams—all of it fading into the shadows of her past.

[Maple]: I used to wonder if it was all worth it. If any of it ever mattered. If raising my shield really protected anyone, or if it was just for show. At times, I felt like a puppet with no strings, aimlessly moving forward. And when... she left me too, my world fell silent, empty. All that was left was a dark cocoon where nothing mattered anymore.

Her voice softened, tinged with the weight of those memories.

[Maple]: But then... a hand reached out to me. I refused to take it at first—too afraid, too broken—but it didn't let go. It grabbed me and pulled me out of the darkness. That hand belonged to Ron.

Maple's lips curved into a gentle, kind smile as she continued, her voice now steady.

[Maple]: He looked at me and said, "Let this be a sign to wake up." And with those words, he showed me a new light... and something to protect. Something worth living for.

Her smile lingered as she looked at her teammates, her eyes shimmering with warmth and quiet determination.

Yang got up without a word, her expression softening as she walked over to Maple. She crouched down beside her and wrapped her arms around her in a warm, firm hug.

[Yang]: You've been through so much, Maple. But you're here now. You've got us, and we've got you. You're not alone anymore.

Maple froze for a moment, surprised by the sudden gesture, but then relaxed into the hug, a small, grateful smile forming on her face.

[Maple]: Thanks, Yang. I... I needed that.

The room was quiet for some time.

The room fell into a peaceful silence for a while, the warmth of the fire crackling softly in the background.

[Gaster]: Well, Ron, you're the only one left... Ron?

Everyone glanced around the room, searching for him, but Ron was nowhere to be found. Then, Blake tilted her head and pointed upward. The group looked up and spotted Ron, the red fox Faunus, sprawled out on the roof of the building, fast asleep. His peaceful expression and gentle snores made the group pause.

[Yang]: Seriously? The guy is just napping up there?

[Gaster]: Of course. Leave it to Ron to find the strangest place to sleep.

The entire group burst into laughter, the lighthearted moment breaking the last of the lingering tension. As the laughter subsided, one by one, they returned to their sleeping spots, letting the quiet of the night settle over them. What they didn't notice, hidden in the shadows, was Dr. Oobleck watching them from a distance, a small, knowing smile on his face before he continued sleeping.

[Later]

As Ruby and Adrian's shift came to an end, both of them stretched and yawned, relieved to finally get some rest. They quietly made their way to their sleeping spots, the cool night air lulling them into a sense of calm.

But the peace didn't last long.

Ruby's dog, Zwei, suddenly darted out of nowhere, barking excitedly as he zipped past her and into the room. Startled, Ruby bolted upright, her silver eyes wide in surprise.

[Ruby]: Zwei! Get back here! Zwei!

She scrambled after him, trying to keep her voice down but failing miserably as her boots clattered against the floor. In her pursuit, Ruby tripped over a nearby stack of supplies, sending them clattering noisily to the ground. The commotion startled Adrian awake, his green eyes blinking groggily as he propped himself up.

[Adrian]: What in Remnant is going on…?

He glanced around, noticing Yang and Gaster still on night watch, seemingly unfazed. But Zwei's excited barks and Ruby's frantic whispering had Adrian on his feet. Without another word, he grabbed his weapon and followed after Ruby, who was already halfway out of the fort.

As he caught up to her, he saw Zwei darting just ahead, his tail wagging as he bolted into the wasteland.

[Ruby]: Zwei! Get back here!

Adrian groaned, tightening his grip on his sword.

[Adrian]: I can't believe we're doing this... Alright, let's move. But stay close.

The two of them followed Zwei, their surroundings becoming increasingly desolate as they ventured further away from the safety of the fort. The silence of the wasteland was broken only by Ruby's occasional calls for her dog.

[Ruby]: Zwei! This is a wasteland! You could have literally done your business anywhere—!

[Adrian]: shh. Someone's here.

Both of them froze, their instincts kicking in as Adrian pointed toward a pair of figures in the distance. Two White Fang soldiers were patrolling the ruins, their weapons slung over their shoulders as they spoke in low voices.

[Adrian]: Let's follow them. Keep your distance and stay quiet.

Ruby nodded, determination in her eyes, but the moment Adrian turned back toward the soldiers, Ruby and Zwei were gone. He spun around, panic flickering across his face, only to see Ruby crouched behind a pile of debris, a mere five meters away from the White Fang soldiers. How they hadn't noticed her was nothing short of a miracle.

[Adrian]: You've got to be kidding me.

He crept after her, careful to stay out of sight. Just as he reached her hiding spot, Ruby nearly dropped Crescent Rose, the weapon slipping precariously from her grasp. Adrian lunged, catching it just before it hit the ground, his heart pounding as he let out a quiet but sharp hiss.

[Adrian]: Do you want to get us caught?

Ruby winced, mouthing a quick "sorry" before picking up Zwei, who seemed completely oblivious to the danger around them. Holding the dog, Ruby peeked out from behind the corner of the building.

[Ruby]: Did they go in yet? One bark means yes.

Zwei stared for a moment before giving a single, soft bark. Ruby's face lit up with excitement.

[Ruby]: This is it, this is it!

She fumbled for her scroll, trying to call the rest of Team RWBY, but her smile faded as she noticed the screen. There was no signal. She sighed, frustrated, and looked at Adrian.

[Ruby]: We got to tell the others.

As the two walked the ground beneath them rumbled ominously, and

A split second later, the ground gave way beneath her. With a yelp, Ruby tumbled forward, her body tilting as she fell into the collapsing earth.

[Adrian]: Ruby

Without hesitation, Adrian lunged, catching her hand just before she could plummet into the darkness below. The impact nearly dragged him down with her, but he gritted his teeth, digging his boots into the crumbling ground for leverage.

 Ruby had Zwei clutched in her other arm, making it impossible to grab hold of anything else. Her heart pounded as she looked up at Adrian, her silver eyes wide.

She made a split-second decision. With a powerful swing, she hurled Zwei upward, flinging him out of the pit just as the last bit of solid ground beneath Adrian crumbled away.

The last thing they heard was the barkers of Zwei.

[Chapter end]