The Tale Of X-49: A RWBY Story

Chapter Twenty Seven - Mountain Glenn

The full moon is shining over the ruined buildings of Mountain Glenn, and a lone Beowolf is searching through the rubble. As Ruby keeps watch and goes on patrol, the rest of Team RWBY attempt to sleep, but are unable to. X-49 watches over the campfire. 

Yang: Are you awake, Blake?

Blake: Yeah.

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

Blake: Maybe he was curious. 

Yang: You think?

Blake: No.

Yang: Weiss, are you awake?

Weiss: 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 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.

As everyone talked about their answers, X-49 pulls out his trumpet and begins playing a soulful song which seemed to echo across all of Mountain Glenn. 

Yang: At least you two 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. 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 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.

As the conversation kept going, Weiss turns her attention to X-49 who was still playing his trumpet. 

Weiss: X-49. I wanted to ask you something. 

X-49: Ask away. 

Weiss: What did you do before you met Ruby and Yang?

As Weiss asked that question, X-49 chuckled as he puts away his trumpet.

X-49: To be honest, I don't' really know. 

Blake: You mean you don't remember your past? 

X-49: That's right. When Ruby and Yang reactivated me, my memory was corrupted. But I can remember bits and pieces. 

Weiss: Like what?

X-49: I can remember being on the assembly line where I was created. The scientists who created me were pretty proud of themselves. I also remember one of the scientists putting that chip in me. 

Blake: You mean your emotion chip?

X-49: Yeah. An experimental chip that gave me the ability to feel emotions like a Human. I still don't know why he put the chip in me. Guess he was funny like that. 

As X-49 says this, Yang could remember the day she and Ruby found him. It was a day that changed their lives forever. But they were always curious about X-49's past, knowing his case of robotic amnesia. 

X-49: Since I've been reactivated, I've been trying to find out more of my past, but the best I got were more bits and pieces. At some point, I stopped trying. 

Weiss: Why?

X-49: Because I've got a good thing now. No need to try and go back to the past when you're in the here and now. So I just moved on with my life. 

As X-49 said this, he reflected on his new life. He smiled, appreciating his new life. Zwei soon came running in barking.

Yang: Zwei?

Blake: What's going on?

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

With that, X-49 and the rest of Team RWBY along with Oobleck readied their weapons. They followed Zwei to a hole in the ground. Next to the hole was Crescent Rose.

Yang: Ruby's scythe!

Blake: Oh no.

Weiss: Do you think she fell?

Oobleck: Fell?

Weiss: Down there.

As Weiss points at the hole, Oobleck has come to a realization.

Oobleck: Oh my. Of course! Of course, OF COURSE, OF COURSE!

X-49: What is it, Doc?

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....

X-49: Then we have to go down the hole and find her. Which means we'll most likely be dealing with not just Grimm, but whatever criminals may be lurking down there.

Oobleck: Precisely!

With that, X-49 and the rest of Team RWBY along with Oobleck and Zwei went down the hole to the underground city that lay within Mountain Glenn to find Ruby. What they didn't know was that they would stumble upon a sinister plot.