Authors Note: This is a story based in the RWBY universe, but it only connects to places and ideas set in the universe. No characters from the first three seasons of RWBY, or beyond, will be mentioned in here. This is an original story in the universe, made with original characters, and many original themes. Yes, there will be plenty of familiar ideas and tropes, but it's my hope that if you give it a chance, you'll see just how special it is. Without further ado, I present to you: GRYD.
Prologue - Why Are We Here?
In a dark room, a lone chair appears. The only thing being illuminated in the darkness. Footsteps fill the void, and a silhouetted man approaches the chair and sits down. He looks upon the room and sees the flicker of many lights from various machines. The man looks to the area in front of him, where several tubes are positioned, each full of something, but unclear as to what.
After looking around the man laughs and leans back in the chair, "May I ask you a question? Do you ever wonder why we're here?"
He held out his arms as if expecting a response. But none came. He smirks and shakes his head.
"I know it is an odd question I suppose, but one I feel we must ask. After all, it is because of how the world is that we do what we do, isn't it? Because there was once darkness, and from that darkness came the Grimm. To survive, we humans and Faunus had to be more, we had to be Huntsman and Huntresses. We had to fight with everything we had at our disposal, and at the worlds disposal, just to survive! And even then, it wasn't enough. We live in constant fear of Grimm, we live having to isolate ourselves from them so that our way of life can be preserved. Were it not for our discovery of Dust, would we even have gotten that far?"
He again held out for an answer, but again none came. He shakes his head sadly
"It's true for sure that we have wonders in our world despite our...circumstances. There are nations, ruling bodies, schools dedicated to training the next generations of protectors, and more advances come every day. But, is it enough? Moreso, does it really matter in the grand scheme?"
The man gets up and starts to walk around in a circle around the chair. His expression gets more and more angry with each passing rotation.
"It all goes back to the question I asked at the beginning, "why are we here?". Is peace even possible as long as one side fears the other? Where one side is easily triggered into a fight, and the other prepares relentlessly for that fight? Can there truly be any victory, when both sides are mindlessly spiraling towards defeat?"
He stops just behind the chair, and grabs onto the back of it with his hands, his face becomes heavy with sadness.
"I weep for them, you know? The young ones, the ones who are preparing to "enter" the world. I weep for them."
Far away, a golden haired teen is in an argument with several adults, all with gold or silver hair. The teen does not back down as more and more join the argument. While many argue, others of the group look upon the young man with great sadness.
"I weep for the ones who are told what is "correct" by those who think it correct. That breaking the trend that was set before them is blasphemy, and should be frowned upon."
A young red-headed girl dances in front of a group of kids, a whip in her hands, she elegantly dances without a care in the world, much to the enjoyment of the children.
"I weep for the naive, those who think they know what's coming, or that they'll be just prepared enough to survive it. Or worse, they don't care what's coming, and have more selfish reasons for being what they are."
Two Faunus girls, one with cats eyes and one with rabbit ears, work in a shop. They talk to one another, and help the other as they progress through the work. If one has difficulty, the other quickly comes to their aid.
"I weep for those who are held as "lesser beings" for completely illegitimate reasons. Who are we to say what is greater and lesser when we did not make this world? Did not make who inhabits it? Wars fought for the wrong reasons against the wrong enemy. Now? Though there is "peace" between us, the hate is still there. Don't they understand that hate is part of the problem?!"
Growls and roars fill the room, causing the man to laugh with evil intent.
"I know, I know. I know what you need, and you have it in spades. How else could you be alive right now? Now, where was I?"
In a forest far away, an older and younger man in military garb quickly work through the trees. Without words, they communicate through gestures to show what each of them should do. They coordinate with this until they come across a pack of Grimm. They countdown to be in sync before attacking.
"I weep for the soldiers, the ones who are but lambs to the slaughter. Ones who are told they are making a difference in the world, but truly are only delaying the inevitable."
On a nearby mountain, two teens, one boy with a green sweatshirt and one girl in a kimono, hold hands and look at the nearby shattered moon. They look to one another and smile happily, as they are content to just be alone with the other.
"I weep for the blind, those who think that no matter what happens, they'll make it through this life unscathed. That "what they have inside" will carry them through. At times, I long for that kind of ignorance."
The man sits in the chair once more, and looks sadly at the ground once again.
"Most of all? I weep for those who know."
On a cliff, overlooking a small town, a young man with brown hair and a brown trenchcoat looks out at the scenery. He has his weapons at the ready, and stares out at the city with great determination.
"The ones who know that this world is spiraling towards something terrible, and that they need to grow in ways they can't think of in order to survive. I weep for them because they'll never know how far they have to go to get to that point, and thus they'll burn out before they can get even close."
The man pauses and sighs heavily. Then he starts to laugh softly.
"You know, I often talk like this because I hope he hears me."
At a school, a man with long black hair looks out of the grounds of the place that is charged with caring for. His expression is one of uncertainty, and pain.
"I hope my old friend hears me, and knows I'm doing the things that I said I would do. Even without his blessing. I hope he knows that I'm only doing this because I care, I care for this world, and I seek to end this pointless war. It'll be tough, and he'll hate me, and he'll hate what I do, but, that's ok. The end justifies the means if we get peace. Right? Isn't that why we're here?"
The man stands up, and walk towards the machines and the tubes, as he gets closer he sees the Grimm that are inside, all growling angrily at him.
"Aren't we here to bring balance to the world? To stop the "Grimm problem"? To attempt to be better than we are by going the extra mile? Why else would whatever maker we have make Grimm? Why make such pure evil? Why allow it to happen? Because they, who they are, knew. They knew. They knew what would happen, and they knew that someone, somehow, would find the answer to the question. It might take years, generations, but someone would see it, the meaning behind it all. The next step."
He smiles at the Grimm, then goes to a switch on a nearby panel close to the Grimm containers.
"And so, I say...it's time to start. Don't you?"
He throws the switch, and the Grimm become consumed in gas, roaring in anger and pain as they do. The man laughs as he watches them squirm.
*credits*
