The Wild Geese: A RWBY Story

Chapter Twenty Five - Alone In The Woods

As Pip and the Wild Geese along with Team RWBY, Qrow, Oscar and Maria meet outside the farm. It was clear to Pip that Team RWBY were on their last legs. Soon enough, Weiss spoke.

Weiss: Last night, I...I couldn't stop thinking - why are we even going to Atlas?

Ruby: Weiss, we have to.

Yang: Why? Ozpin hid the Relics behind giant doors under enormous schools, but...how long would it take Salem to find a Lamp in the middle of nowhere?

Ruby: What? The Grimm might....

Yang: They'd find it eventually, sure, but bury it or just throw it down the well, it would take years. It might not even happen in our lifetime. But we could be done with it now.

It was at this moment that Pip stepped forward. 

Pip: So you're just going to run away and let the world burn. I thought you wanted to be better than your mother, Yang? 

Yang: Uncle Pip....

Pip: Then what was all that talk about wanting to be better than Raven? Hhm? 

Weiss: And what do you intend to do?

Pip: I intend to finish the job my boys and I were hired to do. And if I die, then I'll die with my head held high. 

Ruby looked upon the Relic with conflicting emotions. A part of her was tempted to drop the Relic down the well. As she looks down the well, she sees a pair of red eyes staring back at her. In a moment of panic, Ruby drops the Relic down the well.

Ruby: No! No! No! I didn't mean to!

Weiss: Maybe it's for the best that we leave it here.

Yang: Hey, it's okay sis. You just said you're tired. It's probably nothing. Now let's go.

Ruby: What's wrong with you?! We can't just leave, we have to go down there! We have to get the Lamp back! Oh, what was I thinking?!

Yang tries to calm Ruby down by placing a hand on her shoulder. Ruby immediately slaps it away, shocking Yang.

Yang: Ruby.....

Ruby: If we give up now, everyone we've lost will have died for nothing! Pyrrha....Penny.....I can't let their deaths mean nothing!

As Ruby lashed out a her half sister, Pip stepped forward. 

Pip: I won't force you any of you to continue. If any of you want to walk away, now's the time. But when the entire world goes to Hell, know that you all could've done something to stop it. Instead, you chose to run away while a band of hired guns had the courage to keep going. I will take the Lamp and get to Atlas. 

Yang: Why? Why are you so insistent of continuing this when it's clear that there's no hope?

Pip: Because the Wild Geese never go back on their word. Alright, boys. Let's go find ourselves a Lamp. 

With that, Pip and the Wild Geese went down the well. Pip's words struck a chord within members of Team RWBY. Ruby followed Pip and the Wild Geese down into the well to retrieve the Relic. Feeling a sense of guilt and shame, the rest of Team RWBY followed. As they descend into the well, they find a vast underground waterway.

Yang: Maybe the current carried it away.

As they continue to search the well, they soon found a bright blue glowing light of the Relic. Once they find it, Ruby runs over to grab it. As she retrieves it, she spots multiple humanoid-looking Grimm of different sizes are bunched together. It wasn't long before everyone spots them. Without hesitation, Pip and the Wild Geese drew their weapons. 

Pip: Grab the Relic and get the hell out of here!

Ruby: We're not leaving you behind! 

Pip: We'll be right behind you! Go!

As Team RWBY runs off with the Relic, Pip and the Wild Geese began mowing down the Grimm. As they do so, the Grimm let out an ear piercing scream which seems to drain their willpower. Their weapons soon became heavy in their hands as doubt crept into their minds. In response to this, Pip uses his Battle Meditation Semblance to empower his men, allowing them to keep fighting. Suddenly, Maria appears.

Maria: Run! Now!

Left with no choice, Pip and the Wild Geese began running for the exit. However, another group of Grimm block the path. Ezio looked around and saw another passageway. It wasn't long before he caught up with Team RWBY. Suddenly, Pip was ambushed by the Grimm. Seeing Pip in danger, Ruby's eyes began to glow. With words from Maria, Ruby was able to focus her power on the Grimm, disintegrating them. With that, they eventually reached the house. Once they exited the house, Weiss grabs a few of the alcoholic bottles from the shelves and throws them towards the basement, shattering them. Pip and the Wild Geese then begin shooting their weapons at the house. Even as the house was set ablaze, Pip and the Wild Geese kept shooting. The bullets tore through the burning house as the sound of gunfire echoed throughout the forest. As the burning house was eventually destroyed, Pip and the Wild Geese squadron ceased fire. Everyone took a moment to catch their breath.

Wild Geese Grunt: What...what the fuck was that, Captain? 

Maria: The Apathy. They're not strong or ferocious. They drain your will to go on.

Weiss: I'm...sorry for what I said...about giving up.

Yang: Me too. We can't quit until the lamp is safe.

Blake: It's not your fault. It was those...things.

Pip turned to the group with a smile on his face. 

Maria: I should have known. The signs were all there, but I'd never seen an entire settlement withered away like that. I suppose my mind just isn't what it used to be.

Ruby: Miss Calavera? How do you know so much about the Grimm? And in the tunnels, you knew exactly what to say to make me... to make my eyes do that. How?

Qrow: Because like you, she has Silver Eyes.

In that moment, Maria's Silver Eyes became known. In that moment, Team RWBY found the resolve to keep going. They gathered up and continued their journey to Atlas.