G.R.I.M
Prologue: This Is The World
Before man was first born, the world was ruled by creatures called Grimm. They were all shapes and sizes. There were snakes, wolves, bears, birds, giant scorpions, and many more. They all had thick, black fur, and the older they got, the more armor like substance would grow on them as not only a sign of age, but also a stronger defense and in some cases offense. When man finally came into the world, these creatures bent their wills on returning their brief existence, to the void of nothingness. However, man's resourcefulness brought them weapons, armor, and kingdoms. The names of the kingdoms were Vale, Vacuo, Atlas, and Mistral. There was still the threat of Grimm, so large amounts of powerful men and women volunteered to protect them. These people were called hunters and huntresses. As time when on they became old and needed replacements. This is when they built the four great academies for training these fierce warriors. The academy in Vale was called Beacon Academy, led by Professor Ozpin. This is the kingdom of which our story begins in.
Chapter 1: The Stick Up
The night sky is so dark, it's like looking into an abyss, the shattered moon becomes as bright as the sun against the skies contrast. A group of men in black suits approach a small shop. A sign above the door reads "Diamond in the dust". As the men enter, they are baffled by the boy behind the counter. He was about 5'7, wearing a blue sweatshirt with a hood pulled over his eyes, gray jeans with small rips on it's knees and thighs, and a daunting blue and black sword strapped to his back between him and his oddly shaped backpack.
"The name's Gem," I told them, "And what can I do for you fine gentlemen on this lovely night?"
"You can start by handing over every last weapon and piece of equipment you have," said the lead man. He was a bit intimidating; he was 6'0 easy, leather biker's jacket, designer sunglasses, tan cargo pants, cowboy boots, and a battle axe hooked onto his back. As he said this one of his henchmen in a silk suit pulled a gun on me.
"Now that's not very nice of you," I exclaimed to the men, "Guess I'll just have to teach you boys a lesson." I jam my hand into a red panic button, leap over the counter and cut off the end of the man's gun with a loud screeching sound. They all poise to attack me full on, waiting for the boss to give the signal. As he's about to give it I spin my sword, when I did this a second blade swung out of the first, both the same size.
"How cute," said the leader, "now be respectful and take off your hood Blue boy." He gestures to my hood. When I decline he states, "well then I'll just have it cut off your sweatshirt…head included." One of the men stepped forward wielding a red sword with no hand guard. Time slows; I take out the men in succession. I start with the new guy and cut through the rest of the men in a blur of blue and black. When only the leader is left standing amongst a pile of unconscious bodies the police arrive. The man takes out a dust crystal and smashes on the floor; the result in smoke allows him to escape.
As the police take all the henchmen to the hospital a man with white hair and a black suit approaches me. "You must be Gem," he ventured, "I'm- "
"Headmaster Ozpin," I cut him off, "Yes, I know who you are."
"Well I have an offer for you Gem."
"Yes?"
"You and one friend can come to my school, Beacon, and enroll in it. Skipping you up by half a year" He explains.
"I choose my friend Merrydoc," I exclaim hiding my excitement, "This means yes, I accept your offer."
"Excellent," He tells me, "You have one week to prepare."
"Thank you headmaster, I look forward to our time together." I reply.
"Before you enter though," He starts, "Is there anything about you I should know about?"
I bluntly explain to him, "Never, EVER, touch my hood."
As we part ways I can feel my wings start to cramp so I turn into an alleyway afraid somebody might see the freak of nature I really am… "I'm a freak" I tell myself, staring at my ivory claws. My wings have unfolded enough to form a small come around me with my tail covering the bottom. "Why must I be such a FREAK," I yell spewing fire lighting up the alley.
"It's not your fault" says the voice in my head, "It's all your parents."
"But we don't know our parents," says the second voice in me.
"WHO CARES?! It's not like they've done anything for us anyways! They probably saw how deformed we are and abandoned us." The voice retorts.
"Somebody's coming," I hiss to them. I dive into a dumpster avoid being seen. As I peer out of the trash bin to see my "uncle" turn into the alley.
"I know you're there lizard boy!" he yells, "And that you were offered a spot at Beacon too!"
"Yes sir?" I reply climbing out slowly to make sure I don't show any aggression, "You called for me?"
"Yes. I'm your guardian as well as superior and I'm telling you that you can't go Beacon. You're going to scare off all the other students and the then we'll lose all our sane protectors. All you've done to my wife and I has been bringing bad luck." He lectures, " So if you want to keep your job and house…there's no going to the academy.
"If that is how you see it then so be it," I say as I walk away towards the residential area.
"Where do you think you're going you stupid rat!" He yells after me.
"To go to school," I reply, "Lizard parts and all."
Chapter 2: Arrival
"THANK YOU SO MUCH MAN!" Merrydoc exclaims. It's always been his dream to get into Beacon Academy – same as me – so when Ozpin gave me the option of taking a friend he was my first – and only – choice.
"No prob' dude, I know it's all you've ever wanted to do." I smile back, "We leave in a week at maximum."
"That's no big deal, all I need is a couple days and based on what you look like your all set." He yells as he runs off to his house.
The next three days are all the same, packing, studying, and training. Then Doc finally contacts me, he's ready. We head off to the boarding station where we spot a small private airship. There is a woman leaning against is with a sign that reads Gem Crystal + Merrydoc Shield.
Upon approach she greets us with all seriousness and tells us that she's Professor Glenda Goodwich. As the small stretched airship flies off towards our new home Glenda gives a brief orientation as well as instructions on what to do upon arrival. We're going to do a modified initiation. We will be put with two other students and sent into an arena match with one of the freshmen teams, team C.R.D.L. to be specific. Finally, she goes over the rules of the school at the end and hands both of us the school's handbook. "Do I make myself clear?" she sternly asks us.
"Yes ma'am!" We reply already hopping out of the flier onto campus.
Chapter 3: Welcome To Beacon
"Wooaaahhhh….." we exhale in unison. It looks like a fairytale kingdom jumped out of a book onto this floating island. It's complete with tall towers, large buildings, an arena, and an express transportation to the forests and city below.
"Amazing isn't it?" a voice behind us. We both jump, but react differently in every other way; I draw my sword as Doc scrambles back. "No need to do that" Says the girl, "The only places where people usually fight is in either Goodwich's class, a tournament, or in the arena." My mouth wants drop to the floor when I see her, she's about my height, jet black hair, she wears a navy blue long-sleeve with black shorts, and two claw like pistols on her hips.
"S-sorry about that," I stammer putting my sword away as Merrydoc gets up, "What's your name?"
"Raven, Raven Hawkins," she states, "and that's all you're going to know so don't bother asking for my number." She winks.
"Oh no, I wasn't... I mean… I don't want…" I start.
"Smooth dude," Doc smirks. "OW!" he says when I punch him.
"Too bad your reflexes aren't as fast as your mouth" I retort.
"C'mon boys, lets meet up with Intrupetus and our mentoring team." She smirks.
Chapter 4: The Tour, The Mentors, And The Students
"Welcome to Beacon" say the angelic voice of one of our mentors, "I'm Wiess." She wears a white dress and jacket with ice blue detailing.
"What? You're beautiful? I know…" sighs Doc quietly.
"Looks like Neptune has competition Wiess," smiles a girl in a red and black short dress. She has black hair tipped with red and wields a massive red scythe.
"As if Ruby!" Wiess snaps back, "He isn't even half as amazing as Neptune. Not only is he taller, but also thinner, more balanced, and a better fighter too."
"Oh…" sighs Doc, clearly upset he was shot down so quickly.
"Cheer up man," I tell him, "We can be lonely together." Just as I finished I get that familiar feeling, the feeling you get when you're in a car for hours on end, except it's in my back. "I'll be right back!" I yell already running into the forest. I burst through the trees and rip off the pack I have on my back. My wings unfurl, identical gray dragon wings with bone white spikes protruding from the joints, letting my large tooth tipped tail thump to the ground. My hood comes off with them, that's when I can see fully. My yellow and orange reptilian eyes scan the trees for onlookers. They settle on a lone faunus *part animal part human* girl. My claws grow out instantly and my fangs as well. "Who are you!" I roar, the flame already priming for breathing.
Chapter 5: The Emerald Forest
"W-What are you!?" she demands, "Some kind of mutant experiment!?"
"I'm a Draco Faunus. Much like normal Faunus but reptiles instead of mammals. There are also areal Faunus which are birds." I explain, "Now tell me. Who are you?"
"I-I'm" she starts.
"Never mind I gotta go!" I yell feeling the vibrations of small footsteps in my tail. I crouch lower, my leg muscles compressing like a piston and release shooting me 17 yards away from the clearing. I switch my sight to thermal and see 5 figures emerge from the bushes.
"There you are Blake" One says. I smell the air to try to identify who it is. A wave of scents hit me so hard I barley pick out the five main scents; roses, cat, ozone, bird, oil, and beast. "We're looking for their team leader have you seen him?"
"No you're the first person I've seen around here" She tells them.
"I really should tell them," I whisper to myself, "but they'll think I'm I freak."
"That or they'll understand, we didn't exactly smell only human on them either," Says one of the voices in my head.
"But what if they have good reasons to smell like that?" The third voice says.
"Like what?" my second voice retorts.
In the depth of my thought I didn't notice somebody approach from behind me. "I knew there was something off about you" Ozpin's voice surprises me. I try to scramble away but Goodwhich has me trapped down. "A Draco Faunus, there are very few left in the world. Isn't that right Glenda?"
"Yes sir," she replies clearly bored and unimpressed.
"P-Please don't tell anybody" I stammer.
"Why would you want to hide your identity? I've been tracking down a team of people just like you to try to bring your species back into civilization." He tells me.
"They live in the wilderness for reason. Why would you try to bring them back?" I ask.
"Because they're in grave danger," he tells me, "as the kingdoms get more and more advanced the Grimm adapt to attempt to overtake us, and we are advancing a hell of a lot faster than your people."
Chapter 6: What Is Identity?
"What's your point?" I accuse, "why me? I'm sure there are others you could have taken."
"You think you were born in that armorer's shop? That a human could birth a Draco Faunus? Where do you think you came from? Do you know who your parents are? Do you know who you are?" he asks, filling my head with harder questions. I don't answer, there isn't a single thing I can argue confidently. "You're the son of King Simon Digger, that makes you…" I can tell he wants me to finish the statement.
"Prince Gem Crystal, hier to the throne of the Draco Faunus and one of the lost princes of the flaming forest…" I let it sink in. My parents, the king and queen, sent me here to overcome the appearance gap between us and the 4 kingdoms. "But weren't there 4 lost princes? Leaving the second oldest to take the throne from my father?" I ask.
"Yes but the whereabouts of your brothers are unknown to me and it also seems there is now a sixth prince. All I know is that you must overcome your fear of the judgment of others and teach them that we are all the same. This all must happen before your brother takes the throne, otherwise you'll have to win it back through combat."
It may get me my throne but I couldn't kill my own family...even if I barely know them. "So then tell me professor, what's special about my team?" I ask, ready to confront the challenge ahead of me.
Chapter 7: The Team
"For starters your team name is of our very enemy, Grim, this already makes you stand out as bad luck. Second, the four of you are all rather different from society; you're a dragon prince, your friend Doc is a cyborg, Raven is an Aerial Faunus, and Intrupetus is half Grimm," this revelation hits me like an 18 wheeler as he continues to speak, "The four of you will be exposed at some point and the other three must help the other accept themselves as well as the world must accept them. Then and only then can we all be united again in the coming eras." It's then I realize what he's said, the four of us must become heroes in the eyes of the people or forever be outcasts.
"I'll certainly try but we'll need some help."
"what do you think you'll need?" he asks me.
Chapter 8: the challenge
*a month later* "EAT MACE!" yells the leader team CDNL, Cardin winchester, I grunt as the force of his onslaught is felt even when blocking it. I duck under the next swing but he was waiting for it, he slams his knee into me knocking me flat on my ass. I scramble to my feet in time to evade his next combo.
I need to find a way to beat him, I don't have much energy left and Goodwich seems to be growing bored (more than usual at least). I switch from my hood to my sunglasses (easier to see with them), and start to watch him a bit closer. (Something I should mention, each of the now 6 of us have inherited a trait from our father. I'm not sure what the others got but I seem to have gotten his tactical prowess.) Everything starts to slow as my eyes take everything in. For starters he wields a mace, it's slow but precise, I'll give him credit he's got some experience with it. He's right handed, and he prefers a horizontal swing from left to right followed by an attempt to disarm and a thrust of the left knee to the abdomen. Observing and taking note of his movements is the easy part, now I have to figure out a way to counter it with minimal damage. The best idea would be to make sure I avoid his swing, that''s where the most damage is. This means I'll have to go above or below it. ("But Gem, why can't you block it with your weapon?' you may ask. Well, if I do he gets the chance to disarm me, and that would be checkmate). Going under would mean risking a knee to the face, bad idea. That leaves one option, going over the swing.
In the beginning, all is going well, I sailed over his mace with ease, driving my foot into his perfect rich boy face with a crunch. He'll survive, a broken nose isn't lethal. He staggers back clutching his nose, blood leaking from his hand. Then he did something I hadn't planned for. He leapt at me, swinging straight down. I knew from his position it would land in front of me, I'll drive my elbow into his neck to finish him off.
Well I failed to realize his weapon could and was more than a mace. When it connected to the ground the mace created an explosion that finished me off. Thankfully my team and I had lasted against our opponents long enough to stay in the school.