Silence. Peace. Happiness. All of these fit the description for this morning. My life however, that's a different story. My story is shrouded in confusion. I'm not normal. I was a young Faunus boy. Wolf Faunus to be exact. The key word however is 'was'. I don't think of my past very much. The memories are to painful. Too dark and depressing. And yet as I stand here early in the morning I can't help but remember how I got here. Before all it happened I was a normal Faunus boy, that much is certain. But I have no memories of my family or anything. Kidnapped is all I remember. The same white room day in day out. Same scientists day in day out. The serums, the shots that they said would cure me. They were Faunus as well. They wore white masks. They matched their white coats. The pain was always there. It burned, it stung, it was horrible, and it never stopped. Trying to fix me they said. For the good of the Faunus race they told me. What a bunch of bullshit. They tried to make my wolf ears disappear. Tried to allow the Faunus to become like the humans. They wanted to fit in. To be accepted. For five years they tried. For five years they failed and at the end of every day they left me a tattered mess still stinging and writhing in pain from the hundreds of chemicals they poured into me.
"We'll fix you tomorrow kid." They told me. Then they stopped. I sat for three days and the only person who entered was the strange dog Faunus man who gave me food. He never spoke and never looked at me. On the fourth day I woke up to see a man in the corner looking at me. He smiled and stood. He walked close and observed me. He smelled of alcohol and shaving cream. He was a Faunus but which kind I was uncertain of. He sat back down and faced me.
"You are very strong to have survived this long boy." I looked at him blankly and with anger. He stood and went to the door. He stopped and turned to me.
"We will continue our experiments tomorrow. They will be of a... different caliber however." He opened the door to leave.
"Wait." I called out. He stopped and turned to me slowly.
"What are you going to do to me?" He smiled and went back to the chair and sat.
"I'm so glad you asked." He pulled out a small bottle of what looked like alcohol. He took a quick swig and put it back in his pocket.
"The humans hate us with a passion. We can't reason with them. All attempts to be treated as equals have failed. Peace is no longer an option. War is not either. Fear however is an option and one we are willing to take. You are the first step to the new Faunus people we want." I looked at him confused and he stood. I watched him and turned my head.
"What are you going to do to me?" He walked to the door and smiled.
"Make you better my boy." He left and I sat in fear for the rest of the day waiting and wondering what would happen to me. The next day came and true to his word the scientists came back but with more tools. More syringes. More pain. They experimented for God only knows how long and I felt like I was going to die. It was much more painful then before. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to talk. It hurt to open my eyes. It hurt to live. They seemed happier and happier as the days went by. I was unsure why. I hadn't opened my eyes for weeks. They had to force feed me. I wanted to die. They slowed down and the pain receded and one day they entered and didn't stick me, zap me, or anything. One put his hand on my shoulder comfortingly.
"Open your eyes. You are perfect now and in only four short years." Four years! I had been going through this for four years on top of the five other I had already endured. I opened my eyes and was met with a sight that was different than before. Same white room and scientists but felt different. There was more color and I could see things easier. My sight was better. I inhaled through my nose. I could smell everything. Bacon from someones breakfast, shaving cream, colonge. I could smell really well. One whispered to another.
"It worked." I turned to him.
"What worked?" I choked out in pain. He turned to me surprised.
"You heard me?" I nodded slowly. He smiled and nodded to his fellow scientists.
"His hearing has clearly increased almost threefold if not more." One came up with a mirror. He held it up to me and I looked in horror at what they did to me. I have huge teeth, a snout, gray fur all over my face and neck, big ears, and blue wolf like eyes. I looked at my hands. Covered in fur, huge claws. I wiggled in my chair and felt something. A tail. That's new. Great. All up my arms is the same grey fur. This explains the pain. Why I couldn't open my eyes for weeks. Because they turned me into a monster. A freak. An abomination. Something that should be shot and forgotten about. I looked at them and growled.
"What have you done to me?" I whisper out.
"We made you perfect and powerful, lean, and beautiful." I looked down and felt the anger building. I watched and one of them picked his scab and it started bleeding and I smelled it no... I tasted blood and wanted to have more. I wanted to empty his entire body of blood all over the floor. Watch the life leave his eyes. I wanted that for all of them. I pulled against my restraints and they stepped back and some smiled while others looked concerned.
"He almost broke the restraints." One whispered with fear to his friend and I looked down. The metal restraints were cracked and barely on. I looked at them and smirked. I pulled and they snapped off. I stood and they backed into a corner and I watched them with a lust for blood.
"My turn."
I looked around at the room. It was covered in blood. Their blood and their mutalated corpses were all over the floor. Arms were torn from sockets. Throats ripped open. Entrials on the ground. They didn't stand a chance and I felt my lust for blood dying away. I looked at myself. My white t-shirt no longer white and dripping with blood. My blue jeans not looking any better. I didn't care. I heard voices.
"Wonder what's taking them so long?"
"Should we check on them?" I waited and listened.
"Ya I don't care if they say that area is off limits." I went towards the door but fell to my knees. I'm out of energy. The door opens and I look up.
"What the hell?!" They aim their guns at me and look at me confused.
"What the hell is that thing!?" Thing. That's how I'm seen now. For the rest of my life I will be seen as a thing. I raised my hand and they got ready to fire.
"Help me." I say and they click their guns to fire at me and end me. I close my eyes and look away. I look back and see the two men blown clean in half. Bloody splats against the wall. My hand sparking with electricity. I stand. The pain almost grounding me but I need to escape from this place. Need to leave and never return. Wait. I need to do something else first. I walk out and use a lamp for support and electricity drains from it and into me. I feel energized. I hold my hand up and little shocks of electricity jump between my hands.
"What is happening to me?" I ask myself. I look down the hall and see a door. I start walking when a man walks around the corner with an electric baton in his hand. He is tall and muscular with a white mask like the others. He has a hat that makes him look much more important then the other two.
"Where are you going freak?" I look at the door behind him and he starts walking towards me. I look at him and narrow my eyes. His heart beat is racing. He is scared. I smell sweat on him. I bare my teeth and he slows down. He shakes his head and presses a button making his baton cackle with electricity. He runs at me and swings at my head. I hold my arms up for protection and he launches me on my back. I roll when I see him jumping towards me. I kick him away and run for the door. He grabs my collar and pulls. I slam on my back and he hits me in the gut. I curl up in pain and he drags me to the wall. He leans me against the wall and starts hitting me repeatedly. I curl up. The pain gentle to what I had to go through in there for the past nine years. Survival instincts kicked in and I grabbed the baton.
"What the hell?" I drained the electricity out of the baton and threw it away. I stood, my arms at my side while electricity bounced along them and onto my body, the floor, or the wall. I looked at him and spat blood out of my mouth. He ran at me and punched me in the gut. I doubled over and he kneed my face and knocked me on my back. He sat on my chest and he punched me in the face over and over.
"Die you monster!" Was all he shouted. I looked up and he stopped. I put my hands on the side of his head and drained electricity from his body. He cried out in pain. I saw blue mist go from him into me. It was cold. I kept going not stopping until his head exploded and his body collapsed on top of me. I pushed it off and looked at my arm. I had blue mist coming off of it.
"What the hell?" I said to myself. I stood and looked around. I wiped the blood off my lips and walked to the door. I pushed it open and looked outside. It was day and there were no clouds. Birds chirping. I saw a squirrel in a tree. I saw a box on the wall and saw it was some kind of generator of sorts. I unplugged it and ripped it to shreds. It started sparking and the building caught on fire. I watched it for a bit and left. I looked around and saw a road. I walked. I walked and walked. I walked until I felt I was going to die. But even then I kept going telling myself that I had to keep going and get away. I wouldn't let them find me. I heard a voice inside urging me on.
"Go, go, go." Was all it said. I walked and found a small house. I walked to the door and knocked. I heard someone inside.
"Be right there." I collapsed. My body gave out.
I awoke to a room. It was green and red. I was on a bed and looked around. I was in new cloths. A blue t-shirt and blue jeans. A man entered carrying a bowl that smelled pungent and looked at me smiling.
"Ahh you're ok." I nod and he walks close and I back away and he holds out his hands.
"Easy I won't hurt you." I relax and he walks next to the bed and grabs a chair and sits next to me. He gestures me closer. I move closer but slowly. He puts his index finger and middle finger in the bowl and slides it. They come out with a strange yellow substance on them. He it moves close and I back away.
"It's ok. It's a pultace. It will help your injuries." I lean close and he smiles warmly.
"This may sting a little ok?" I nod and he applies some to my forehead. It doesn't hurt. Just feels strange is all. He finishes and looks at me.
"You're tougher than my niece. She would be throwing a fit if I did that to her." He chuckled and left saying he would be back shortly. He returned and sat in the chair and faced me.
"Who are you?" My name? I don't...I don't remember. All I've known for the past few years is pain. There was no need for a name.
"I don't know." I say hoarsely. He hands me a glass of water and I gulp it down quickly. He smiles and looks at me.
"Then we will have to give you one huh?" I nod. He studies me and smiles after a few minutes.
"Grayson." I look at myself. I do have gray fur. It does have a nice ring to it. I nod at him and he gives a huge grin.
"It's settled then. Now I'm guessing you don't have a home?" I nod. I escaped but had nowhere to go. He noticed me looking panicked and laughed.
"Looks like you will have to stay with me huh?" I look at him. Is he serious? He would take me in despite how I look? I just nod and smile. First time in a long time. A very long time. I learned a lot about the man. His name is Qrow. He is a huntsman. Protecting those who cannot protect themselves. I immediatly asked him to teach me to be a huntsman. He accepted and took me to town. People looked at me and I hid behind Qrow. Scared they were going to hurt me.
"Don't be afraid. Fear is what holds people back. Only those who break fear can do great things." I nod and step out from behind him and stand up straight. I ignored the people who gave me looks. They called me a freak, a monster, an abomination. I ignored them. We came to a store and entered. The man at the counter saw Qrow and smiled. I stepped through the doorway and he saw me. He didn't look scared just confused.
"And who might you be?" I stepped forward unafraid.
"Grayson." He smiled and looked at Qrow.
"You looking for something?"
"Yup, young Grayson here needs a weapon." He studied me and smiled.
"I have a couple in mind. Do you know your semblance?" I nodded and held up my hand. It had a couple jolts of electricity jump from my fingers.
"Ah electricity. That narrows it down to a couple." The electricity spurts out spradically and zaps me.
"Ow." I clutch my wrist and they both look at me. The shop owner looks closely at me and frowns.
"Hmm." Qrow looks at him confused.
"Is something wrong?" He nods and looks at me.
"The weapons I have would work for him but they could hurt him if he uses them. His semblance is unstable." Qrow nods and I look down. The shop keeper smiles at me.
"Don't worry I will just make a weapon for you that will help you control your semblance." I smile and he pulls out a tape measurer. He measures me.
"How old are you?" I shake my head.
"14 and a half I think." He nods and puts the measurements on a paper.
"Well do you know your birthday at least?" I don't. I shake my head and the shop keeper smiles.
"Let's make a new one." I look up confused.
"When your weapon is finished then that will be your new birthday and on that day you will be 15." I nod and look at him.
"How long will it take to make?" He shrugs.
"By myself, two months. If you wanted to help me, one month." Qrow smiles and looks at me.
"Building your own weapon is one of the best experiences ever." I smile and look at the shop keeper.
"Can I help you build it?" He nods.
"Sure you can." I have a grin that spreads my whole face.
"Thank you sir." He shakes his head still smiling.
"Grahm kid." I nod. We leave and people still look at me and call me names. I could care less. We get back and Qrow looks at me.
"Run around the house 200 times." I stand there and nod. I run around and feel great. He walks up to me and smiles. He pushes me on the ground and I look up confused. He smiles.
"Are you going to let me do that?" I stand and try to punch him with my right hand. He stops it and twists me around. Kicks the back of my legs and I fall to my knees. He elbows the back of my head. He walks away. I stand up quickly and get ready. I run forward and punch him in the back. He goes forward and stops my next punch and throws me on my back and smiles when I get up quickly.
"Well you have spirit." He walks forward and stands next to me. He takes a stance where his knees are bent and his hands are in front of him. He has them at head height. His right is almost fully extended but bent a little. His left is closer to his face. His hands are open not closed.
"Like this." I copy and he moves in front of me.
"Punch me." I punch at him and he bats it away and uses his feet to knock me flat on my back.
"This stance is for defensive purposes." I stand and nod. He jabs at me and I try to bat it away but he still gets me. He nods and does it again. We continued for a few hours. We went inside and I actually had a good meal. Steak, carrots, and bread. I wolfed it down. Literally. He stopped me before I could do the same for my seconds.
"Proper manners are very important." He cut a piece of steak and ate it. He took a carrot and did the same thing. For the bread he grabbed it but ripped a piece off and ate it. I watched and followed his lead. He smiled.
"Very good." That was my first day with the man. I went to sleep in a proper bed. I had nightmares but didn't get scared. I woke up calm. I knew it was fake and smiled.
"I'm ok now." I told myself. Sleep came very quickly.
The next day I went to Grahms shop and ignored the people looking at me. My plan was every other day I would come to his shop and work on my weapon with him. I arrived and he smiled and waved. The shop was empty like it was yesterday. I looked around confused. He noticed and chuckled.
"In a small town like this people don't really have need for weapons and besides if Grimm attack they have Qrow." I nod and he pulls up the blue prints. The weapon had a handle like I expected it to. It extends upwards for about a foot. Then it breaks to the left and right for about half a foot in each direction. Then it goes back up into prongs that extend for a foot and a half. I study it and he explains it.
"Your semblance from what I could see is fried for lack of better words. This design will help it flow better by allowing your electricity to jump between the prongs." I see now. Next to it was a design for a one handed shotgun.
"What's that?" I point to it confused. He pulled it over so it was easier to see.
"Your weapon can transform into a small one handed shotgun. It will also help you channel your semblance and even shoot electricity at things." I nod and smile. He pulls up a box with a bunch of parts.
"Let's get started." I nod and we begin.
We worked all day and only one man entered looking for ammo for his machine gun. He saw me and left quickly after buying his ammo. Grahm just laughed. I looked at the clock. 6:30 PM. I turn to Grahm.
"I should be heading back." He nods and looks at the weapon. The handle almost complete.
"Ok we did really good work. You have a serious knack for this. We got twice as much done as I thought we would. Nice work." I nod and leave. The setting sun makes the clouds pink and purple. I start walking back to Qrows and hear someone following me. I turn and see the guy from the store.
"Who are you?" I ask and he keeps walking towards me. He pulls his machine gun on me.
"What are you? Grimm? Are you here to kill us you Faunus scum?" I put my hands up and frown.
"I'm not Faunus any more." He looks at me confused. I look at him.
"I'm not here to hurt anybody I swear. I got here yesterday after traveling. Qrow took me in and is training me to be a huntsman." He looks at me and drops his machine gun.
"Hmm well I'll be the judge of that. But in due time." I nod and walk away.
"I'll be watching you." He shouts to me and I turn and wave goodbye. I get to Qrows and tell him about the man. He smiles and starts laughing.
"That is the huntsman who is supposed to guard this place. He takes his job a little too seriously." I nod and Qrow stands when the oven beeps.
"Dinner is ready and we're having chicken pot pie." I nod and sit down and put a napkin on my lap. Dinner passes normally. I go to bed and smile.
This continues for a month and a half. Going to Grahms every other day and training with Qrow on others. The huntsman would appear randomly but he eventually left me alone. The people no longer called me names and just kind of accepted me. I went to Grahms on a Thursday and we add the last few pieces to my weapon. We take it out back and Grahm takes out a clipboard.
"Can you move your semblance through it?" I hold it with both hands and focus. Electricity jumps between the two prongs.
"Yup." He checks off something.
"Swing it." I comply and swing clumsily. He chuckles but marks off the box.
"You'll need practice but that's what Qrow if for I suppose. Now switch it." I focus and it changes to the one handed shotgun from the blue prints. He checks another box smiling.
"Shoot it." I raise my left hand and put my right hand behind my back to help me stabalize my arm. I aim at a tree and fire. I feel elctricity course through me in the course of a fraction of a second followed by a bang. I look and see a sparking hole in the tree. Grahm checks another box and grins.
"Switch it back." I focus and it switches back. He checks again and puts it down.
"Good your weapon works perfectly." He grabs a leather strap and puts it on me.
"Perfect fit. Now sheathe your weapon." I take my weapon in my right hand and put it in the leather holders that the prongs sit in.
"Nice." He pats my back and I look at my watch that Qrow gave me. 1:23. I still have lots of day light left. I thank Grahm and the brown haired man shakes his head.
"No problem it was fun." I return home. Huh home. Never thought I would have one and yet I do. I walk to the living room and see Qrow enjoying a cup of tea. He sees me and smiles. I hold my weapon out to him and he takes it.
"Very good. Now you can train with it." I nod and get a determined look on my face as I get handed my weapon and sheathe it.
"You want to train right now don't you?" I nod and he sips his tea.
"Today is my day off still and besides we need to do something else first." I look at him confused.
"What?" He stands and walks to the fridge and pulls out a cake.
"We have a birthday to celebrate." I smile and lower my head.
"Thank you Qrow. One day I will repay you for all you have done." He smiles and puts his hands on my shoulders.
"It's fine but I may have to hold you up to that." I smile. I look at my watch. The date reads 3/14. March 14. That's my new birthday. It was fun and relaxing. I went to bed that night happy as can be.
The next day we trained and I tried to use my semblance and it worked but my arm started sparking sporadically. I watched and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back with Qrow standing over me with a huge grin on his face.
"What happened?" I asked confused. He started laughing and helped me up.
"I know Grahm said your semblance was unstable but this is rediculous." I looked at him and he started crying because he was laughing so hard.
"So what happened?" He wiped his tears away and looked at me.
"You *Snicker* exploded." Oh. I looked at my weapon. Even with my weapon I'm really unstable but now that I think about it if I didn't have my weapon it could have been a lot worse. Qrow smiled and we faced off again. We trained for seven months and Qrow grew quieter each day. All the way up to this day. I stood here still a monster. Still unable to use my semblance without exploding. Well I can use weaker attacks just fine but the big ones discharge me and then...boom.
"Grayson." I look behind me and see Qrow looking at me.
"Yes." He turns.
"Follow me." I follow him to the house and we sit at the table. We sit in silence and Qrow throws gloves and a mask that looks familiar. Ah yes this is one of the masks a spanish doctor wore a long time ago. It was white with the eye holes black with some type of glass similar to sunglasses I assume. It extended so it could wrap all the way around someones head. Only the top was exposed so their hair would stick out.. The gloves are black with space for my claws to fit. He grabs a black hat and puts it next to the gloves and mask. It is slanted towards the front on the flat top. It isn't tall like a top hat and looks very interesting. I look at Qrown who looks upset.
"I don't want to do this but I need to cash in that favor." I nod and smile.
"Of course. What do you need me to do?" He exhales.
"First tell me about your past. Why did I find you beat to hell? Also why do you feel almost no pain?" I knew this would eventually happen. I'm not going to lie to him. The man who gave me everything. I told him. Told him I was kidnapped and experimented on. He nodded as I explained.
"I see. You went through so much that pain is normal and doesn't affect you. It also explains why your semblance doesn't work properly." I nod and he stands and puts his hands behind his back.
"Grayson, I think of you as a son. I don't want to do this but I have to. So I will ask you this. Do you really want to do this?" I nod. He smiles.
"You have no fear. Good. I need you to find someone." He puts a strange device down and it has a picture of a girl on it. She has a red hood. Black hair with bits of red. She is wearing black and a skirt. I look at Qrow.
"Who is she?"
"My niece. I lost contact with her and I can't go looking for her. That's where you come in." I nod. He points at the device.
"That's yours now. I will use it to keep in contact with you. They are called scrolls." I grab it and put it in my pocket. He grabs a box and puts it on the table. He opens it and I see a black coat that is long. Dark blue jeans with lots of pockets.
"These are my last gifts to you. Take them and find her." I put the mask on and look at Qrow.
"What's her name?" He smiles.
"Ruby." I nod. Very well. For you Qrow. You gave me everything. I'm going to return the favor.
"I will find her." He puts his hands on my shoulders.
"When you find her guard her. This world is dangerous and I want you to protect her in any way you see fit." I nod and grab the gear. I enter my room and put it on. I look in the mirror. It hides my entire face and my ears. My tail is tucked in my jeans. The gloves make my claws look like part of the costume. The coat goes down to the top of my boots in the back. The blue jeans almost look black. I look like I mean business. You can't see my eyes through the mask but when I look through the eye holes everything is clear as day. I strap my weapon on and head to the door. Qrow is standing there with a smile.
"You wear it well." I nod and he pulls me into a hug.
"Be safe." I nod again.
"I will. Don't worry about Ruby either. I'll be her gray guardian." I joke. He smiles and points to my weapon.
"What are you going to call it?" I pull it out and smile when electricity courses through it.
"Shock Therapy." He smiles and opens the door and hold a bag out to me.
"Food, water, and money for you. On your scroll is the last known location of Ruby. Good luck." I nod and walk out into the cold morning but my fur keeps me warm. I turn to Qrow.
"Hey Qrow." He looks at me.
"Thanks...for everything. I'd be dead if not for you." He smiles and closes the door. I turn and smile under the mask.
"Let's go." I walk off into the night not looking back, fully aware of what I have just walked into. I hope.
This is much longer than I planned it to be. Whatever, I'm sure you guys aren't complaining much. I based the design for his weapon off the amp from Infamous 2. Great game and I thought it would fit someone with the semblance electricity pretty well. The shotgun is based off the shorty from Last of Us. That gun is overpowered. I asked a couple people if I should make this and they gave me some tips that I plan to follow. I was unsure if I wanted to make this but then I decided that I would just go out on a limb and do it. I wanted to name him Owen but the writer AnonymousContributer explained how the naming in Rwby works. Colors. Damn. So I decided to be a little uncreative and give him the name Grayson. For those who weren't paying attention. He has grey fur. I wanted it to be black but we already have Blake. Dammitt. So grey was the next best choice. I won't be working on this nearly as much as No Fear but I will work on it. If people demand more then I will work more on this story. Anyways that's all I have to say. Keep calm and may the Aura be with you all!