The next morning, the sun cast a warm glow over Vale as Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Pyrrha strolled through the bustling shopping district. The city was alive with energy—merchants called out their daily specials, students from Beacon mixed with civilians, and the smell of fresh pastries and street food filled the air.
"C'mon, Pyrrha! You never take a break!" Ruby whined, dragging Pyrrha forward by the wrist.
"I do take breaks," Pyrrha protested weakly. "Just... not often."
"Exactly!" Yang grinned, nudging her shoulder. "You've been training non-stop. You deserve a day of fun!"
Weiss followed behind them with crossed arms, her posture stiff. "I still think we should be studying instead of wasting time in the mall."
"Oh, come on, Ice Queen," Yang teased, wrapping an arm around her. "Even you need a break!"
"I am not an Ice Queen!" Weiss huffed, pushing Yang away. "And I was hoping Pyrrha and I could go over strategy drills for our next combat class."
"Too late!" Ruby chirped, pulling Pyrrha along faster. "We're already here!"
The shopping district stretched out before them, lined with stores of all varieties. Fashion boutiques, weapon shops, bookstores, and cafés filled the streets, with excited shoppers moving from place to place.
Their first stop was a weapons store, much to Ruby's delight. She immediately dashed toward the new Dust rounds section, practically vibrating with excitement. Pyrrha and Weiss exchanged an amused glance while Yang simply shook her head.
"I swear, you love weapons more than people," Yang chuckled.
"That's not true!" Ruby called back, grabbing a box of specialty rounds and hugging it to her chest. "I love you guys and weapons!"
After that, they visited a clothing store. Yang eagerly pulled Pyrrha toward the changing rooms, handing her outfit after outfit to try on.
"Ooooh, this one's cute! And this one! Oh, and this!" Yang practically threw dresses at Pyrrha, who was too flustered to resist.
Meanwhile, Weiss kept trying to get Ruby into a dress, much to Ruby's horror.
"I am not wearing a dress!" Ruby protested, holding up her hands as Weiss cornered her.
"Just try it on," Weiss insisted, holding up a sleek red and black dress. "It won't kill you."
Ruby groaned but relented. Moments later, she stepped out of the changing room, looking thoroughly miserable. Pyrrha gasped in admiration, while Yang whistled playfully.
"You actually look adorable!" Pyrrha beamed.
"Yeah, sis, maybe you should embrace the girly side of things more!" Yang smirked.
Ruby grumbled under her breath and quickly changed back into her normal outfit. "Never again."
After their shopping spree, they headed to a nearby café to relax. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries filled the air as they settled into a booth. Yang stretched her arms behind her head while Weiss checked the shopping bags, ensuring everything was accounted for. Pyrrha sipped at her tea, content for the first time in a while.
Then, out of nowhere, Ruby pulled out an old, worn-out book and set it on the table. The cover was slightly tattered, the title barely legible. The moment the other three saw it, their expressions shifted.
"Oh no," Yang muttered.
"Oh yes!" Ruby grinned excitedly. "We need to talk about The Hulk again!"
Pyrrha, Weiss, and Yang exchanged nervous glances. Ruby hadn't brought up The Hulk in weeks, especially not after Ozpin and Bruce confirmed his existence. They had thought she had moved on. Apparently, they were wrong.
"Why now?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow. "You haven't mentioned him in a while."
"Because I realized something!" Ruby leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "We keep talking about The Hulk, but what about the scientist behind him? Who was he? What was he trying to do?"
Pyrrha blinked, considering Ruby's words. "That... is actually a good question."
"See?!" Ruby waved her arms excitedly. "We know that The Hulk was real, and we know he tore through Vacuo like a force of nature. But why was his alter ego—a scientist—creating a Bio-Weapon? And why for 'peace'? That doesn't add up!"
Yang frowned. "Yeah... now that you mention it, that is kinda weird. Why would a scientist build a weapon like that unless someone was making him?"
Pyrrha's expression darkened slightly. "Maybe someone was making him."
The table fell silent as Pyrrha's words sank in.
"Think about it," Pyrrha continued. "General Thunderbolt Ross was obsessed with creating the perfect soldier. He was the same man who ordered Emil Blonsky to hunt down The Hulk. What if Ross was also the one who forced the scientist to create the Ultra Dust Bomb? What if this scientist never actually wanted to make a weapon for war?"
Ruby's breath hitched. "You think... he was being used?"
"It would make sense," Weiss admitted. "If the scientist had a powerful Aura, as Ozpin suggested, then he wasn't just an ordinary scientist. He could've been a Huntsman or someone trained in combat. If that's the case, then maybe he resisted, and that's why everything went wrong."
"Or maybe," Yang said slowly, "he knew what would happen if the bomb was used, and he tried to stop it."
Silence settled over the group. The implications were chilling.
Ruby stared at the book, gripping it tighter. "We're missing something. The Hulk's story isn't just about a monster—it's about a man who was forced into something terrible. We need to know who he really was."
The girls sat in contemplation, the weight of their conversation hanging between them. They had started the day expecting nothing more than a fun outing, but now they had new questions—questions that demanded answers.
And Ruby wasn't going to stop until she found them.