RWBY Grimm Short Story
[Events take place during V1Ch13/14: Forever Fall 1&2]
As Jaune rustled through the underbrush to get to the tree from which he needed to collect some red sap he stumbled across something unexpected. At first he thought it was some tiny Grimm. It had all the colourings of the Grimm but upon closer inspection it appeared to be more like a plant. A plant the size of a fist with ugly Grimm like markings all over it. Just as he bent down to get a closer look at the plant and tried to remember if he should have heard about it in one of the many classes he dozed through Cardin Winchester burst through a nearby bush and nearly knocked him flying.
"Hey Jauney boy, what's taking so long? We're waiting for our sap over here!" Cardin shouted with obvious impatience. And before Jaune could stand up Cardin's boot filled his view as it came down hard on the little Grimm plant.
"No time for plant watching nerd, we need that sap ASAP. Ha-ha get it. Seriously, though…."
Cardin continued talking but Jaune couldn't hear him because the little plant had retaliated, spraying up a cloud of red spores all over Jaune's face. After that all Jaune could feel was pain. He felt as though his face was melting away from his skull slowly, and knowing the creatures of Grimm it was certainly a possibility. He had no idea how long this torment was going on for, only that it was getting worse. The feeling spread from his head to the rest of his body, setting every nerve ending on fire and splintering his bones into pieces.
As the pain began to fade after an unknown time Jaune began to feel like himself again, only different. When his higher thought functions started to return out of the fog of pain that had totally clouded his mind he felt 'off' somehow. He knew his name, his teammate's names, that he was a student at beacon, and that Cardin Winchester had just caused him the worst pain in his life but something was wrong. There was a hunger in him now that wasn't there before. This was no time to be hungry and he hadn't been before the incident but now there was an overwhelming hunger pushing its way to the forefront of his mind. And that hunger seemed to know that there was food nearby, it called him to look around and find the nearby answer.
As his sight fixed on what he thought was food he realised it was a boy, lying in the dirt against a tree and shaking. Scanning the petrified kid up and down Jaune finally recognised him as Cardin and suddenly every feeling he had, the pain, confusion, and hunger all turned to one thing, rage. It was as if a red mist had descended on the world and the only way to satisfy this horrible burning hatred was to smash the thing that set it off. Without hesitating and before he could fully fathom what he was doing Jaune swung with all his might. He aimed his hardest punch right Cardin's head and put everything he had into it.
It was only as he was about to connect with his target that Jaune noticed two things. One, that Cardin's expression was that of a man who had seen into the void and been truly broken by it. And two, his 'fist' was a giant paw-like thing with black fur and huge white claws. His mind reeling from this absurd scene, he was rudely brought back to reality by a horrifying cracking, tearing sound as his 'punch' landed and tore Cardin's head clean off. As his bully's head soared through the air Jaune could feel that grip of rage fade just a little into the background of his mind, the world seemed to return to normal colour for a brief moment before the hunger rose again and replaced the rage. A clawing, demanding emptiness that made him miss the clarity of rage.
"Oh my God, it got Cardin! Quick, kill it!" The voice of Nora rang out loud and clear in the now quiet forest and for a moment he was relieved to know his team were nearby.
But when he turned around and saw the 'it' they were talking about was him and the look in their eyes was one of gleeful murder his heart sank. He knew if could just find a way to convince them it was him they would help him fix whatever had happened to him. As he thought for a quick solution a flash of red caught his eye as a familiar spear flew gracefully through the air and struck him just below the collarbone. The moment that he was struck all thoughts of plan and saviour vanished and were replaced by that clear and driving rage. But before he could make his move to attack a streak of bright gold cut through the red mist of Jaune's vision and struck him right in the neck.
He thought it strange that the red mist was gone and he could see clearly as he fell. He saw Ren and Nora standing armed and ready. He saw Pyrrha standing apart from them just a little, she had no weapons in her hand but she seemed to be crying. And strangest of all, he saw a headless Beowulf in the tattered remains of his armour begin to disintegrate as it fell to the ground. Then just like the Beowulf his vision began to disintegrate and he could feel the rage and hunger pass. He felt lighter somehow.