1

Hell. What a place to escape from. To be free of the burning air and the soul crushing view of an endless night sky was a blessing to any who had managed to survive the unsurvivable, and come out as victorious immortals in the face of all who knew of the feat. I remember when I had hoped that one day it would happen to me, that one day I would be the man standing victorious at the Gates, looking at the demons who dared chase me over my shoulder, a contemptible smile across my face as I did so. I never expected that day to come so soon, however. After years of torture and witnessing brutal disembowling and grim sights of falicy and truth, I had lost all hope to continue on, and had come to terms with my own impending death. Yet now, as I stand before the pulsating black wall that was the Gate to the blightless world, I felt a hope brim within the deepest recesses of my soul. I was free. All I had to do was leave, to walk away from it all, to feel alive again. So that's what I did. I reached my hand out and watched as the black wall shimmered and bubbled, strings of red shooting out of it to grab me, letting it pull my body within its comforting nothingness. In the dark, I was free of all visions of evil, and I could taste the life that untainted oxygen provided. I felt my body slip away, and there I was; a nothingness shot into being, back to the world I had long since left.

Eyes shot open. Sweat, thirst, and hunger flooding the body, limiting thought. Who was he? Where was he? What had he just saw? A strange phenomenon, it was, one that slowly slipped away as the boy sitting down on a comfortable seat lifted himself up from a slouched position, stretching his body out and popping his irritated joints. He looked around him slowly. He was in an air carrier filled with teenagers looking to begin their life anew at the prestigious Beacon Academy. Beacon? He had heard of that before. But where? How did he know of it? Why was he heading towards it? The hustle and bustle of a city filled the air tight walls of the flying machine, and the sounds of footsteps striking against the white metal floor rattled in the boy's ears constantly, causing him to lift his hands up and cover them for a second before he realized that he had a pair of headphones hanging from his black and red hoodie. Without questioning how he got them, or how he had gotten to where he was currently, the boy slipped the headphones in his ears and put one of his hands in his pockets to look for whatever the headphones were attached to. His hand came into contact with a rectangular device, which he retrieved from his pocket and looked at for a moment. It was light, and had a white frame surrounding a slim glass screen. It was a Scroll. The boy scratched his head. How had he known that? Setting the scroll down on his lap, the boy decided it was a good idea to remember. He didn't know who he was, or how he had gotten to where he was at that particular moment, yet he knew where he was going. Strange. He closed his eyes and began meditating, reaching into his mind as deep as he could go to gain a semblance of clarity. He did so with much accuracy and little difficulty, as if the action had been practiced before. A small tingling formed within the boy's mind, a feeling that he quickly reached out to and grabbed with a mental claw. It all came rushing back to him. He knew who he was, and where he was at, and why he was going to Beacon, a place he had previous knowledge on earlier despite not having any sort of memory to back it up.

His name was Vox, and he was a dìyù wòkè, or Hell Walker. He had trained for years after escaping Tartarus, and through that very training, he learned the value of those who fought the insidious creatures known as the Grimm. While they were far easier to slay than even the weakest of demons, they hunted in packs, and could easily overwhelm the under prepared. Because of his horrid time in Hell, Vox had decided to be the light he so desperately craved while he was locked away in the dark, to be the savior one needed in times of great despair, to be the Axe of God when one was faced with the Devil.

That's why he was heading to Beacon. To become more, and to help. Vox didn't want to be a hero, nor did he want to be a famous huntsman. He would act in the shadows, as he was taught, and protect humanity and Faunus-kind, no recognition was needed.

His teacher had taught him to be impartial, and that every being needed protecting from something, even if they did not know it. Demons were everywhere, and the people of Remnant had no idea of it. The seal that seperated Hell and Remnant, commonly referred to as The Wall or Tường, in ancient texts, was much stronger than it was between Tartarus and Thetos. Thetos was where Vox originated, and it was a place he so craved to go back to. The flowing red of the lakes and oceans, the deep purple sky, the fiery orange of the foliage, and the beautiful blue sun made Remnant's most beautiful areas look as if they were made of cardboard. Tartarus, or rather Hell, had played its last trick on Vox when he left it behind, throwing him into another world, possibly even another dimension, away from his loved ones. The universe was connected through Tartarus and Hell, and through them one could seemingly reach anywhere in the known regions of existence in a few years time. It would be amazing if it were not so horrifying.

Vox looked down at the scroll laying across his lap, now remembering everything he had on it, and why he had headphones with him. He also recalled his ability to recall. It helped him remember who he was and what he was doing whenever he woke up after having a particularly bad nightmare, or memory, and allowed him to retain what little sanity he still had left. Vox picked up his scroll an turned on the screen, immediately heading for his music collection and rewinding then pressing play on the song he had assumed he had been listening to. He pushed his head phones firmly into his ears before letting himself be lost within the music.

'Four horses pull a carriage through an empty street, and though the day is cold and still, they all know breathing, and make no sound at all—'

Vox closed his eyes and slowly bobbed his head, taking every note and lyric to heart as he had done hundreds of times.

'As easily as water finds its way to ground, they bleed into the brick and dog on. And I have seen what I have seen in San Ford, like a whisper in the dome of Saint Paul—'

Students walked and chatted amongst themselves, oblivious to the feeling of deep emotion that presided over Vox, the worries and pains he had earlier melted away into a sweet symphony. He began to lightly sing along, his eyes still closed, trying his best to stay within the moment and not let the thoughts of Hell take him as they did earlier.

'And the drowning man's forgot what he's called, but he illuminates our town for us all… yeah, eh, yeah… so walk up the narrow staircase from the balcony, and at the top go out and rip the golden railing, the view from up here really takes your breath away, you step out of your skin and you're gone,'

Vox opens his eyes, noticing that students were clamouring around a flatscreen television a few feet from him, a news report about a dust robbery no doubt taking their attention. Though he was curious, there was no denying the effect his music was having on him, so Vox instead opted to continue to dedicate his attention to his music. Before he did so, however, he caught a glimpse of a blonde girl with exceedingly long hair staring at him, along with a smaller girl with silver eyes. Ignoring them, Vox sunk into his seat and allowed for his soul to be captured by someone else's, in the form of music.

'And I have seen what I have seen in San Ford, like a whisper in the dome of Saint Paul, and the drowning man's forgot what he's called, but he illuminates our town—'

A tap on the young man's shoulders brought him out of his trance, causing him to open his eyes quickly. The girl he had saw earlier, the one with the unnecessary amounts of blonde hair, was staring directly at him with a smile on her face and a mirthful look on her lilac eyes. He lifted an eyebrow and removed his headphones.

"Yes? May I help you?" He asked, slightly annoyed at the blonde for interrupting his musical meditation. The girl smiled.

"Yeah, my name's Yang, Yang Xiao Long. And this here is my sister, Ruby Rose." Yang gestured to her sister, who seemed to be attempting to disappear by hiding in her red hood.

Vox realized that the two girls, though sisters, did not share the same last name. Adopted perhaps? Stepsisters? Anything was possible. Vox decided it would be impolite to ask about their relations when he had only just met them, so he stayed quiet on that matter.

"Nice to meet you, Yang. Ruby." Vox gave a small nod to both girls before looking back at Yang inquisitively. "Did you two need something?"

"Yeah, my sister here wanted you to know that your hair looks good. Isn't that right, Ruby?" Yang teased as he poked her sister, who made a weak attempt to swat away the hand as she was too busy covering her now red face.

Vox ran a hand through his hair, not understanding why the girl had mentioned it, or even noticed it. Maybe it was the natural brunette color, or the way it flowed to the left side of his head in a well-combed manner, even though he did nothing to take care of it. With a shrug he looked at Ruby, then back to Yang.

"I am flattered, though, I don't think your sister meant it as a compliment, rather as an observation, if anything," he said, giving another nod to Ruby.

Yang smiled.

"You seem like an interesting guy. What's your name?"

"Vox."

"Vox, huh? I've never heard a name like that before. Its not a color, and its certainly not normal. Got a last name, Vox?"

"No. My name is Vox. That is all." He was starting to get annoyed at the girl for her pestering, though it wasn't really her fault.

He had gotten into one of his musical moods, amd he so desperately wanted to listen to something good at that moment, but he didn't want to appear rude in front of two people he would possibly have to work with in the future by putting a headphone in his ear. Yang raised both of her eyebrows, her interest in him obviously piqued. Before she could inquire anymore of him, however, the carrier ship began to slow, and her sister, Ruby, dragged her off to the front in order to be the first out of the doors. Vox let out a breath of happiness before quickly inserting his headphones back into his ears, eager for more music. As his music played, he made his way to the front of the carrier behind the other people on board, smiling lightly at the different walks of life that passed before him, and all of the different weapons that gleamed in all of their dangerous glory.

Stepping off of the carrier ship, Vox took in the sights of Beacon Academy in awe, his eyes going wide. The white arcs, pointed towers and victorian architecture impressed the boy thoroughly, his eyes wandering every which way in search of new things to greedily stare at. He stood on a marble path, which lead to what seemed to be the main building of the academy, looking around and smiling. He had heard stories of how grand Beacon looked, but to actually see it for himself… it was much better in person. As Vox's eyes wandered, his mind did as well. He began to think about how life would play out for him now that he was attending Beacon, and how he would adapt to his surroundings. What challenges would he have to surmount? Who would he meet? The thoughts were seemingly endless, and only the sounds of an explosion ended their reign on Vox's mind. On instinct, he stopped moving and pondered whether or not he should go towards the explosion, or as far away from it as humanly possible. He decided that he was rather curious about what could cause such a disturbance on the campus of Beacon Academy and not warrant an immediate shut down of everything, and walked towards the source of the noise. When he finally reached the area the explosion had occurred, the only thing that was there was a crater, and nothing more. What had happened? Vox scratched his scalp before turning back around and heading for the main building, eager to start his tenure at Beacon Academy.

After Headmaster Ozpin gave a rather short and seemingly void speech, one that Vox admittedly paid little attention to, the future students of Beacon were to make their way down to the ballroom where they would all sleep until the next day, which is when the initiation process started. A lot of students seemed either nervous or excited as they chatted amongst one another, doing their best to pass the time or try to avoid realizing that time was passing. Vox, however, sat with his head back against the wall, headphones in his ears, and a content smile plastered on his face as he felt the warm rush of the unknown wash down on him. Everything was so different at Beacon, the people, the décor, the atmosphere, the night sky. All of it was just so new that Vox had no choice but to feel happy at moving up in life, even if his happiness would be short lived once he fell asleep and had to experience the pains of crawling through Tartarus all over again. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times before looking over to the other people around him. They were all attractive and very fit teenagers, dressed down in their night attire. One boy in particular had gotten really comfortable and decided to don a blue bunny onesie. Vox sighed at it. A brown bunny onesie would look so much better. A familiar pair of lilac eyes met his, and a smile slowly crept up on the face he had seen mere hours ago. Knowing that Yang would want to talk to him, Vox removed one of his headphones and wrapped it around his ear.

"Helllooo Vox. Sittin' over here by yourself, I see?" Yang teased, to which Vox replied to with a small nod.

"Yes, I prefer it. Is there anything you wanted?"

"What, I can't simply say hello to a friend?"

"A friend? But we just met," Vox stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Yang scoffed.

"Jeez, my man, that's cold. I've never been blown off by a guy like that," She said in a mock-hurt tone.

Vox shrugged his shoulders. The two of them had just met, there was no reason why she should be acting as if they knew each other for years. It was annoying. Not so much as to be really annoying, but enough to be slightly annoying.

"You see that guy over there? His name's Jaune. Check out that outfit! He doesn't even have a problem with wearing it! It's hilarious, isn't it?" Surely, she jested, thought Vox as he eyed her, then the blonde boy in the onesie who was apparently named Jaune.

He was talking to Ruby, the two seeming awkward in the way they spoke but genuine in their efforts. Vox looked back to Yang.

"I don't see a problem, other than the coloring of the onesie. If it was brown, then it'd be fantastic. But it is blue, and thus it is obvious that this 'Jaune' character has no sense of fashion." Vox mumbled, not caring if Yang heard him or not.

"Oh god. Not you too. Don't tell me you have a onesie packed away somewhere."

Vox refused to answer that question. Instead, he gestured to what he was currently dressed in; a black wool turtle neck and dark blue jeans with sandles. Yang looked the boy up and down.

"Like that solves anything, you could be hiding the onesie so you can wear it later," She commented before turning away from Vox and walking away.

"See you tomorrow, Vox! We have a Long day ahead of us!" Yang made sure to put extra emphasis on the Long, ensuring that Vox understood the pun.

He did, and he was utterly disgusted that such a low form of comedy still existed. With a roll of his eyes, he put the headphone that had been wrapped around his ear back into it, closing his eyes and trying to fall asleep. And eventually he did.

Though, for Vox, sleeping wasn't something he enjoyed, especially since everytime he fell asleep he would once again be in Hell, surrounded by sulfur lakes and dangerous crawling creatures with multiple heads and arms.

The raging heat of Tartarus once again greeted me, the sensation of being cooked alive ever present as I walked down a rocky path, wincing at every jagged edge that dug into my bare feet. I had nothing to protect me, and I had nowhere to run. The eyes, they watched me even when there were none around. They haunted me, and tormented me. Through the red and grey hellscapes of Tartarus they pursued my living soul, something of much value to them, and tried to eat it. They smelled my fear, and they laughed at it as they followed the honey trail I had left behind. There was no escape. I heard a cackle come from my right, and I turned only to see a long, bony and pale arm that was about the length of my entire body (I stood at five foot eleven) rise from what appeared to be a giant face in the ground, its features contorted in an infinite agony. Another arm appeared from the black void of the face's mouth, and before I could see the rest, I begin to run. The ground tears into the soles of my feet, leaving them exposed and fleshy. I hold back a scream, the pain from the hot rock beneath me searing into my flesh. I could hear the cackling grow closer, and closer, and closer until it was upon me. I screamed as thin and sharp fingers dug into my back, gripping my spine and pulling the flesh off my backbeginningtoripandtearwhileistareintotheyesofdea—

Vox awoke, eyes wide, and in a cold sweat. His breathing was ragged, his heart racing. He placed a hand on his chest and steadied his breathing, trying his best to relax. The nightmares he had always felt so real, the pain and the suffering effecting him even when he awoke. He hated the nightmares, but he knew that they were just another sign that he was live, and that he had walked through Tartarus and made it back to the land of the living in one piece. Most who went to hell prematurely could not say the same—mainly because they were dead—and it was because of this Vox always remembered to cherish his fortune, and his will to live.

Vox sighed and stretched, glancing around the room, curious as to what time it was. Obviously late or very early, as the sun had yet to peak through the windows of the ballroom, and none of the surrounding students seemed to be making any effort to actually wake up. With little interest in going back to sleep, Vox picked himself off of the ground and walked to the male bathroom, careful not to step on anyone. Once he was in the privacy of the lavatory, the teen went to the sink, and stared in the mirror. There were bags under his eyes, and his hair was matted and stringy, no doubt slightly oily as well from all of the sweat. A splash of cool sink water was enough to wake Vox up a bit, and help his mind kick start. He didn't want to forget again. He hated forgetting, and he hated trying his damnest to remember the things he had forgotten. The effects Tartarus had on his mind were immense, even after four years of being free from its mangy clutches. Like a poisoned tree, Vox could feel his mind slowly begin to dive deeper into insanity the longer he continued to live, and it would show. Sometimes he woke up fearing that he had never escaped Hell, and that everything was a lie, as if somewhere in a bloodied gully deep within the Nine Circles was his true body, slowly dying from malnutrition and thirst, the god that had forsaken him allowing his mind to be free before he perished. Such thoughts often kept Vox up at night mulling over the possibility of them being truths. It was driving him mad.

He had escaped all those years ago, yet somehow, his mind was still there, in Tartarus, experiencing all the pain and torture his body should be.

Vox shivered and left the bathroom, walkin to the spot he had taken up beforehand and sitting down. He checked his scroll for the time, and it read 03:25. Only three and a half hours until everyone had to wake up and prepare for initiation. Vox knew he should have been excited about that, but he had been struck with a sudden case of nervousness. What if he failed? What if he didn't do well enough, and barely scraped by? All of his training and heartache would have been for nothing, and he had better pack his belongings and throw them back down to hell because he had absolutely no other ambitions. Clutching his head in frustration, Vox laid his head down on the floor and curled into a ball.

It was going to be a long day.

It was time. Initiation was upon them all. Students stood lined up on grey metal launch pads on the edge of a cliff, ready (or not) to be shot into the sky and down into the Emerald Forest. How something such as this was allowed to happen was beyond Vox, but he did not complain. Falling from the sky would, of course, be nothing to him, as he had been thrown into jagged rocks above sulfur fissures before and somehow managed to survive the endeavor. Before the initiation even began, Vox had already determined it a cake walk.

Glancing to his left, he observed various students, including Jaune and Ruby, who were both sent flying shortly afterwards, followed by a black haired girl with a bow on, then a girl with white hair and a little crown on. They were all dressed… very strangely, in Vox's opinion. How would a dress or very short shorts and long boots help someone stay alive? It was something that boggled his mind quite often; the dressing habits of the younger huntsmen and huntresses. It seemed to be fashion over protection, something that should have been a no go, yet they still did it and still survived. For the most part. He, however, preferred a more practical approach to his form of dress, doning an ensemble of leather. Though, a brown and black leather jacket with steel gauntlets along with his signature black and red hoodie underneath it, coupled with slim yet airy silk and leather pants with steel plated boots had to be somewhat fashionable.

Suddenly the pad Vox was standing on shot forward, sending him flying into the air at incredible speeds. He straightened out his body and placed his arms firmly to his sides, allowing him to cut through the air and fly upwards faster. As his gravity began making itself known to him once more, Vox made himself spread eagle, slowing his descent. The teen observed the treeline of the Emerald Forest begin to approach him, and he thought quickly. He would need to time his landing perfectly, lest he lose his arms. The trees began to grow in size, signifying their fast approach. Vox shot his arms out as he flew through the trees, grabbing a branch. Changing his trajectory while still on the branch he had grabbed a hold of, Vox spun around on the branch repeatedly, dispelling the momentum and kinetic energy he had managed to gain through it. He let go of it and allowed himself to flip onto a larger branch, completing his landing strategy with near perfection. Vox squatted down on the branch, taking in his surroundings. Large trees dotted his vision, and not much else. There was no sign of Grimm, or any animal. Sighing, Vox sat down on the branch he had taken a liking to and mulled over his options.

Headmaster Ozpin had explained the rules of the initiation once more whilst he and the other future students (or future tombstones) waited to be launched. They were to find relics in an abandoned ruin somewhere in the Emerald Forest, and bring them back to the starting point of the initiation. If two students made eye contact, they were partners for the rest of their Beacon tenure. It was a simple explanation, and it seemed easy enough, but now that it was time to actually complete the task at hand, everything seemed a lot more complex than need be. Vox jumped down from the branch, falling twenty or so feet before hitting the ground. He rolled to a stop, then quickly shot up, wary of the risks that came with being alone in a Grimm infested forest. He stalked his way through the trees, moving on the balls of his feet to prevent unneeded noise. Like a shadow, he vanished in and out of view, his eyes wandering and searching for any sign of a ruined castle. He came upon a clearing, unsure of the direction he was heading. Vox scratched his chin, completely lost and hoping that he wouldn't get even more lost by crossing the clearing to the valley of trees that loomed ahead. Shrugging his shoulders, Vox took a step forward, then immediately stopped when he heard the sound of growling. Turning around, he let a smile bloom across his face, knowing that it was time to have a little fun with the Beowulf that decided he would be easy pickings. Suddenly, it lunged, trying to catch its prey off guard, only to receive a dagger to the throat and a short sword to the side, killing it before it could even complete its attack. As if nothing ever happened, Vox turned around and was met with a girl staring at him, a shocked look on her face. The girl was wearing a blue vest with a black turtle neck under it and slick black jeans that were neatly tucked into a pair of stylish blue hightop sneakers. Her hair was a striking azure color, yet her eyes were a deep green. The girl's eyes were narrow and almond shaped, and her lips were small yet full, and her face was round and easy on the eyes. Her skin was a light brown color, which should have conflicted with the color of her hair and eyes, but only deemed to improve upon her overall look. She was attractive, and there was no denying it.

"How did you do that?" She asked. Vox raised an eyebrow.

"I stabbed the Grimm. That's it." The girl didn't look convinced by his answer at all.

"It looked like you barely touched it… anyway, my name is Lian Hua. You can call me Lian, though. Since we are partners now. If you want to, that is."

Vox's eyes went wide for a moment as he bit the inside of his cheek. He had completely forgotten about the partner system for a moment. He hoped that Lian Hua was skilled. She had to be, right? How else would her transcripts have gotten accepted?

"I am Vox. A pleasure to meet you, partner," Vox replied with a slight bow. Lian smiled at him.

Vox decided to prod the girl for information, in hopes that she had made it further than him in terms of discovery.

"Have you found the location of the ruins?"

"Unfortunately, no I have not. I was just about to ask you the same thing," Lian said with a sigh. Vox once again took to scratching his chin. "Then we push on. There must be some way to find the ruins. Maybe if we got to higher ground, we can get a general location. After all, structures are easy to see in a sea of green." Vox walked passed Lian, who quickly turned to follow him.

"So… Uh… Vox… while we are walking, can you tell me about your semblance? And your fighting style? That split-second interaction you had with that Beowulf earlier didn't really help me any." The boy in question remained silent for a few moments before speaking, paying mind to avoid anything that would make him seem suspicious.

"I can move at great speeds when I need to, I have immense physical strength, and I have an excellent ability to sneak. Use that information as you will." Lian nodded.

While the information given to her was less than detailed, it gave her an overall picture of Vox's choice of fighting. He liked to end conflicts fast and clean, without causing too much attention to himself. His attire reflected that, with all of the drab browns and blacks and lack of anything flashy. A natural sneak, perhaps? Maybe once a thief? Lian could feel a certain curiosity well up within her, an thirst for knowledge causing her to inquire more of the brunette boy in front of her

"Can I see your weapons?" She asked inquisitively. Vox stopped and gave her a look, one she could not decipher.

He flicked both of his wrists and two blades materialized out of thin air, one a short silver dagger with a curved and serated blade, the other a short sword with a black thorned hilt and a menacing red blade that seemed to shine blue at certain angles. They disappeared nearly as quickly as they appeared. Vox turned from the girl and began to walk away. Lian was unsure of what to make of his attitude, as he seemed completely uninterested in her. Then again, they were in a forest surrounded by Grimm with a mission to undertake, so he was most likely trying to focus. Lian smacked her forehead. She was doing it again; talking too much and asking too many questions at the wrong time.

Lian made after Vox, being sure to keep up with his brisk pace. After all, what good would she be as a partner if she couldn't walk fast?

"Do not take my shortness to heart. I'm not used to talking when out and about in dangerous areas," Vox said quickly, feeling a small pang of guilt from how he treated his companion earlier.

He made a mental note to himself to remember that he wasn't alone, and that he wasn't meant to be. There was a reason Ozpin chose to have the initiation as it was, and Vox knew it clearly. Team work would prevail over a solo-act. One must put aside their lack of trust and feelings for the person they were partnered with and complete their task, if not that, then they must at least survive. It was as smart as it was simple.

"It's alright, I tend to talk too much. I'll try to remain focused."

"Good."

Silence ensued, though it was not a meaningless one. The two hunters had set their minds back on the prize, and how to get it. Vox had thought about getting to a hill, or some sort of high ground earlier, and now was the best time capitalize on that thought, now that they were both encroached by trees on all sides. Vox looked upwards, lost in thought. Lian stared at him, trying to figure out what he was doing. Just as she was about to comment, however, her partner ran up the side of a tree and caught on to a branch, hoisting himself on top of it, scaling the tree with a strange precision that made him seem more animalistic the further he climbed up. Lian blinked, and Vox was gone, hidden in the treeline. The purple haired girl shuffled nervously as she waited for Vox to finish doing whatever he was doing, her ears focusing on the slight rustling of leaves and the slight shifting of the wind around her. Lian narrowed her eyes at a bush in the distance, and its strange habit of moving every thirty seconds or so, something she had noticed a little while before her and Vox stopped to chat. Drawing her weapon; two circular blades split along the middle, a handle in between each blade horizontal to the splits. On each blade was a Dust engraving that allowed Lian to channel her aura and Semblance through them. Twirling the blades in her hands, Lian shot a glance upward one last time, still finding no sign of Vox. She bit her lip and proceeded towards the rustling bush, only for it to all of a sudden grow legs. Then arms. Then a head. The bush, now a blonde man with long, shaggy hair and a gotee, waved its hands at her.

"Er… hey! You… before you go and kill me, consider the fact that I am not, in fact, a bush! I am a fellow future hunter, just like you! Unless you're some kind of murderin' dingbat… then I'll still have to politely ask you to not kill me. Even if you really want to," The bushman pleaded with fervor. Lian lowered her weapons slightly.

"Now if you don't mind I'll get myself out of this bush and go find my partner, and we can tag along with you and form a good ol' posse!" The strange man removed the bush from his body, fully revealing himself to Lian.

The man was wearing a faded yellow dress shirt, which was tucked into a pair of dirty brown jeans. On his feet were a pair of really shiny leather dress shoes, with what seemed to be some sort of revolver firmly strapped to the sides of them, facing downward. The revolvers, instead of having handles and triggers, had some type of metal rod with various joints on it connected to the chamber and the barrel, with the hammer of the guns being on top of the rods. They trailed up into the bottom of the man's pant legs.

"My name is Melvin Grover Salamon Warschaw the Third. But you can just call me Grover. Or if your into fancy nicknames, you can call me MelGroSalaSchaw, the greatest not-huntsman-yet-but-will-soon-be of all time! I made that one up myself."

"I think I'll just stick to calling you Grover," Lian stated, unsure of what to make of the outlandish man in front of her. She lowered her weapons, deducting that the man was not a threat to her.

Grover smiled and brushed himself off, glancing around.

"You got a partner?" He asked Lian. She nodded in response.

"Yes, I do," Lian pointed up.

"He's in the trees right now, no doubt looking for some way to the ruins." Grover let out a laugh.

"Well, if that aint lucky! My partner, Nuwan, decided to do the same and went on up there a few minutes ago, right after I decided to hide in that there bush." Grover gestured back to his 'ingenious' hiding spot.

As if on cue, a girl fell out of the trees and landing right next to Grover on her backside. She was wearing pink short shorts and a long sleeve white shirt that was so tight that Lian could see every detail of the girl, something she'd rather not be able to do. There was also the issue of the girl's long pink hair and fluffy white cat ears and tail, and her undeniably cute face and wide amethyst eyes. Lian assumed that she was the 'Nuwan' individual Grover had mentioned seconds earlier. She looked ditzy, but her weapons didn't, as her hands were covered by giant metal gaunlets with huge claws on them, which were splattered with suspicious red stains. Very old red stains at that. Vox made his entry by hanging upside down from a branch, gesturing towards Lian to grab her attention. She looks at him, and frowns.

"Did you find anything?"

"Yes. A strange faunus female, and the exact location of the ruins. They are about three miles west."

"So back where we came?"

"No, ya dinkus, your other west," Nuwan interjected, prompting a glare from Lian.

Nuwan raised an eyebrow.

"What I do?" She asked, confused. Grover shrugged.

Vox narrowed his eyes at the girl.

"You were the one that almost knocked me out of that one tree. I have to commend you on that, your sneaking skills are excellent. But please, watch where you are going next time around?" He let himself fall from the tree, doing a flip and landing cleanly on the ground next to Lian.

"Well. This seems like mighty fine team!" How's about we all get to goin', ay?"

The group looked at one another. Were they going to be a 'mighty fine' team as Grover so graciously put it? There was only one way to find out.

TO BE CONTINUED.