The haze disappears with each kill. Every second they live fog clears from their minds. Are the Grimm really only mindless monsters? Is there another reason as to why they hunt? Why they slaughter and murder? With every moment they manage to survive and every kill they gain more intelligence. More clarity. After centuries and one last kill everything came rushing back. With only fragmented memories of his past life what does he do now?

Sentience

The cracking sound of bones could be heard accompanied by a loud scream the grimm chomped down on the woman's neck. Snow crunched as it held her down tightly digging it's teeth further and further into her skin. Hundreds of visions flashed before her eyes in the final moments of life. Her husband, her purpose, her daughters. In the midst of it all he could only say one more thing. "I'm sorry..." Rose whispered one last time.

The Grimm let out a deafening bellow aimed at the moon, "Ha...ha...What the...ugh..." Goop dripped out of his mouth. It splattered against Summer's white cloak, seeping deep into the fibers. "Where the heck am I? Wh-why is it so cold? Where the hell are my clothes?"

His eyes wandered. The place was wide, open, and snowy. There were trees seemingly stretching for miles in each direction. If one took a step in without proper guidance they might not be able to ever find their way out again. "What am I holding onto? Whoa. Who're you?"

The hood on her head was thrown back allowing him to examine her to his heart's content. Her skin was pale, her hair black and red, only one thing disrupted the hooded woman's beauty. Those silver eyes were blood shot and her face was tear stained. As he gawked at the woman he could not help but wonder what happened to her? The young man retracted his hand.

"Did I- No. Really hope I didn't do what I think I did. Ok Grey... retrace your steps. What was I doing last night? I was...I was...hanging out with-with-my friends? They were like...they were like...what were they like?" The memories all blurred. Nothing made sense only snippets of what he could remember came forward. Staggering to his feet the boy started moving. "Gah. Can't think."

Grey's body slumped against a tree's trunk. His haggard breath echoed through the forest as he struggled to make sense of the situation he was in. The more he tried to think the more his mind resisted. Almost as if his body did not want to remember. "Need to get up unless I wanna turn into a popsicle. Man where are my clothes? Why are my arms all fuzzy?" Without thinking his body kept on going. No particular direction in mind.

How did he get there? Who was that passed out woman? Why couldn't he remember a thing? "Why does my mouth taste like pork and...ketchup? Ah so cold. Cold. I need t-t- keep mov...oh man. Did I really just walk in a complete circle?"

Summer's body was still strewn on the ground. "Is she gonna get up?" Grey tiptoed closer. Not a single movement out of her. He stood over her body and finally saw why she had not stirred. In place of her throat was a gaping hole. "Is is she-oh my god." He hacked.

The snow around her was stained red. The lack of pulse in her neck confirmed his suspicions. His feet were rooted into the ground. This was someone's corpse. An actual dead body. "Who did this? This poor lady...she's really dead. But I can't just-"

The wind whipped up chilling his nose and ears. "Dang it. I'm gonna freeze to death." Looking left, right there was no one around. This was a matter of survival but still desecrating someone's body...was this really fine?

"Am I really about to do this? I can't just take this woman's clothes. Doubt I could even fit in-no that's not the point. Not only would this be beyond levels of messed up but...holy crap the killer might still be around. Gr. No. No. No. No. I am not doing this but...am I really just going to let myself freeze to death?"

He loomed over the body still rubbing himself. He was torn. To live or to respect his own morals? Why did this decision have to be so difficult. "I should not do this. I cannot do this. This is someone's friend, girlfriend, or wife but...I can't I just can't let myself freeze to death. I'll-I'll only take the cloak. Only the cloak." He promised. "So sorry about this."

"Alright," He tossed the cloak around himself. "I hope whoever loved you can find your body. Whatever you believed in, if anything, I hope you're in a better place. Now for myself. I need to find my way back ho-" Hide.

His head snapped backwards as the boy dashed into the thicket of trees. "Mom! Mommy!" A shrill voice pierced through the air. Two other figures chased after the smallest one. The biggest stopped short a few meters away then took heavy, slow steps towards the body. The medium sized figure held the smallest one who had broken out in a flurry of tears. "Who is that?"

Taiyang grimaced angrily, "Darn it! Summer! How could this happen to you? I'm her husband! I'm supposed to protect her! Whoever did this I swear I'll-I'll-!" The father's eyes shot through every leaf and branch. Their eyes met. He felt a storm emotions surging within him at that moment all were focused on killing whatever had taken his love away. "Yang stay with your sister. The person who did this is still around."

Yang looked as if she was about to follow them or call out, but their father asserted his full influence in one meeting of direct eye contact. Even his rebellious daughter could not stop him now. She instead focused on comforting her crying sister. "Wait. Wait. Did he just say Yang? No-no- Holy hell he's coming over here."

"This is not happening.""Does he think I did this? If he does then-" His heart beat quickened with the ever encroaching sound of the huntsman's footsteps. Every crunch became more audible than the next, resonating in each ear. "I need to run- I need to run-"

"Found you." The blonde man's hand struck through the tree. He slammed his fist into the ground barely missing as the hooded teen scrambled to his feet and started running. "Get back here you coward! Take your punishment with some dignity!"

"saHppp! SSahp!" He squeaked. "What the heck's going on? I can't even speak. Gosh! Run! Run! I can't let him catch me." The trees seemed to wrap around him, roots jumped out of the ground looking to tangle his legs, and the sound of feet quickened. What kept him moving forward was the adrenaline. "Light? Yes! Yes! I can get out of here through-No!"

The light lead to a cliff, jagged rocks were below followed by a river running rampant. "I got you now!" With one swift jerk Taiyang pulled his victim back but as he reared for a punch. He hesitated. He saw a soft, pale face smiling back at him. Grey fell backwards, "Summer? Summer!" He descended into the water below being swept away with the current. He failed to stay above the water crashing into rock after rock til eventually the waves overtook him.

XXX ? XXX

"Can you hear me?"

Strange visions were all Grey could see. Visions of an dark haired human flashed throughout his mind. A human was sitting in a small room reading a book. Several knocks on their door forced them to their feet. "That's...that's me?" More visions followed people he felt he should know, laughs, and tears. He felt as if he was simultaneously remembering all of these moment. "Huh? Where am I now?"

His clarity quickly vanished as he could no longer focus on one particular memory. This continued for an unknown period of time until a vision of the black haired person came back to him. An assortment of people sat at a table, all draped in armors. They were all laughing. "Who are these people? How can I remember this so well? Wait...now its dark again."

Another scene played the same person was on the ground. The ground was soaked with rain, sand, and blood. His legs were broken a hooded individual stomped behind him. "You bastard...after all I've done for you. You're doing this to me!?" "Is that me?…" The sword cut through their chest like butter.

"What's going on now?" A barren battlefield. Hundreds of soldiers laid in the muck and mud cries could be heard for miles around but no one would help. A crowned person raised his scepter whipping the tornadoes towards his enemies decimating platoon after platoon. The sky cleared not many people were left standing after that. The king held up his hand calling for a ceasefire. "Who's memories are these?"

"Can you hear me?"

Looking around, confusion overwhelmed his senses. A town on fire, people scattering in each direction. "What was I doing? What's that smell?" The scent lead him to many strange creatures identical in appearance. All were monstrous figures large, black, bones protruding through them, with masks over their faces. They were all eating something. "That smells awesome what is-no." Eyes wide and white. Corpses everywhere. "I was following that!? I want that? Oh my-oh my-where's my head?"

"Get to work everyone! We need to clear out these Grimm before they overrun the town!" "What's happening to me...am I dissolving wh-what's gonna happen to me now."

Crystal clear lakes, fish teeming in each one. All connected to one dirt path in the middle. Roses bloomed around each body of water seemingly bring the place all together. Evergreen trees doted the sides enclosing the place. "Where am I now? This place doesn't look half bad. Koi, lots of water and...a lady?" She mouthed out something. "What? Speak up." She tried again. "Come on one more time. Wait don't I know you? Isn't that the-?" He blinked. She was gone.

A tug on his shoulder, hot breath in his ear. "Can you hear me?"

XXX Days Later XXX

"AHH! Ow. I feel like I got hit by a friggin' truck. How long have I been out?" Grey looked around hopelessly lost. He had washed up one a river bed covered head to toe in grime. "Is this what it's like to hit rock bottom? Alright leg one two three. Now the other one one two three. Back on my feet. Unfortunately still naked. Maybe I should go for a dip in the river current seems to have died down. Stay there cloak I still have many uses for you."

The filth dropped off in layers. "Must have been out knocked out for a long time. My fur's gotten all matted. This is gross I need to-my fur? My fur!? What is this?" This was the first time he had actually gotten to see himself. Everything was wrong. In place of a little hair on his arms and legs they were coated with fur. His ears were pointed and furry as well, like a dog's. "No way Is this-gah! It's real!? This has to be some kind of dream. Yeah a dream. I'm gonna wake up any second and I'll be sleeping in my room again."

"All I have to do is jerk myself awake. I bet if I hit this tree I'll wake up in a second." Crash. "Again? Again. Again. Again! Ow! Ok this is real. And I'm really out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a cloak I stole from someone's body and butt ass naked. Great. Glad that's established. Now...for my next step."

"Mham! dhaaa! heooo!?" Grey ran. Hours passed as he trudged through the landscape vaguely aware of his surroundings. He just kept moving hoping that he would find someone. "Am I really all alone out here?" Then the cramps set in. Having not eaten anything in days was beginning to take its toll.

"I'm going to die out here aren't I? I can't go anywhere or do anything there's nothing to show my any sign of life around." He thought to himself as depression came washing over him. "How did I end up like this?"

His attention snapped back to reality when he heard an incoming sound. It had to been drawn by the sounds of him running and panting. However its best guide was his despair. It was heading his way at high speed. "Need to move gotta-ow! Damn tail...I have a tail too!?" A strange feeling of anxiety welled withing him. There was nowhere to run. The Grimm already had him surrounded, some beowolves, others ursa.

They spoke? The beasts nipped at his heels forcing him back into a corner. His back fell against a tree. Everything felt real. Everything was real. There was no mistaking this stench of the monsters. "This is real. These monsters are real. I'm gonna die here." Grey fell to his knees. The boy left himself open hoping for a swift death at the very least.

"Fire!" The arrows zoomed through the air piercing through the armor of the grimm.

One man clad in green smashed through their ranks and drove and arrow deep into the skull of the largest wolf. Before it faded away it looked at the boy one last time. "kinn?" Then finally faded away.

"Child's play. Hm." He glanced down. "A boy." The group of hunters had already set out scavenging the bobbles and items that were left in the creatures wake. This man, who seemed to be their leader, tended to the lone youth.

Grey dropped his arms. "You are alright now. Do you have a name?"

"caHnieBiha." Grey mumbled. "Connie Bishop. It's Connie!"

Li tried to form words out of the child's nonsensical speech but gave up shortly afterwards. "Is this some foreign language? Or... No. His throat looks ragged. He's muddy, bleeding, and goodness he's even had his clothes stolen. Poor child. I don't see any bodies so either his parents are nearby or he's been traveling alone for a time. Lucky for him we were nearby." Being pulled up to his feet Grey had no choice but to trail behind this strange man. "Boy, are you from around here? Or perhaps Mistral."

He shook no. Mistral held no meaning to him. Something chimed with the word though almost as if he had heard it somewhere before. "Definitely a stray." Ren concluded. "I will have you come along with us to our village. We can clothe you there and feed you. Are you hungry?" Grey nodded eagerly his stomach growled encouraging the kind stranger to walk faster.

Kuroyuri. That was the name plastered on the sign leading them to the left. To the right was another sign designated for people who wanted to trek to Mistral. Li pointed to the left leading him towards their home. The gate to the village was gallants. Beautiful stone carvings of lilies were engraved into making the gate seem as if it was a flower itself.

Inside people were frolicking about. Their choice of clothing was eerily the same from person to person green, black, and pink. In the market place people, with differing outfits, traded wares, meats, and gold with the residents. Li stopped by one particular stall and dropped all the various bobbles he had collected from his hunt. The happy shopkeeper examined his trophies grinning at each one.

"Ah Li, looks like you've got quite the haul here," He began. The first item on the block seemed to be some sort of flag. It was red the only markings on it was a box in the middle with a cross explaining past its borders. Next up was a pauldron defined by its shiny silver and gold lacing. The owner of the stall seemed to be a bit more interested in this item. He shifted through the remainder of his belongings. "Hm. Hundred Lien for most of the stuff. Three hundred for the armor. Sound like a fair deal?"

Li nodded and slid his Lien card towards the man. He loaded up, what Grey assumed, was this place's currency, then handed it back to him shortly afterwards. Li took Connie's wrist again. "Here we are. This is my home. Lie should be around here somewhere him and his mother. Everyone! I am home."

The pitter-patter of feet down the step a child was running down. His hair was entirely black except for the dash of pink. He was dressed similarly to his father. "Father! You are home! Um who is this father?"

"A young man I found alone in the woods. Where is your mother?"

"She is outside in the garden." Ren examined the new arrival, "Where are his clothes Father?"

"That is what we will be speaking to your mother about."

"An, where are you dear?"

The back door was wide open. The place looked similar to many of the other waterways scattered around the town. The flowers were floating above the water retaining their vibrant colors. Li's wife, heeding his call cleaned her dress and came to him. "I am here. Oh," she gasped. "Who are you young man?"

"cahHh. CahhNa." Grey stopped trying. "This really sucks."

"Has his throat been injured somehow." An reached up rubbing the raw skin. Instinctively Connie jumped backwards at the foreign touch. "I am sorry dear. And I suppose we need to do something about his lack of clothing." Li nodded. "Fine then come with me young man. Li you go and rest dinner will be ready soon. Ren can you get a bath running for him please?"

"Yes mother." Lie said politely.

"This way." Li pushed the young man ushering him to follow his wife. Grey did so. He shadowed the woman all the way to a basement. "Li has not needed these for sometime. Here." Another garb similar to the ones he had seen all around town. From the looks of it they would be small on him due to his chubby frame but this was probably the best they could manage. "You shouldn't try to put them on just yet. Ren are you done with the bath?"

"Yes mother!"

"Go on upstairs." she smiled, "Take as much time as you need then come down to eat."

Ren was at the top of the steps. He waved down to Connie and pointed to the bathroom. Connie trotted up the stairs scanning the room. Very clean, like a bathroom should be. There was a singular bathtub in the room steam rose from the water. Bars of soap laid around the tub. Ren set a pair of towels near the sink. "Everything you need is here. If you have any troubles you may ask me." He grinned, "Oh and I'll take your cloak mother says she'll clean it."

"Chipper kid." Grey skirted around the edges. "Really nice. Gonna suck when I dirty up such a nice place." He sunk into the tub and blew bubbles underneath the water. "Aw man. How am I gonna proceed from here? Guess I can do nothing else but lie back and wait for now."

XXX Vale, Xiao Long Household XXX

It was raining that day. Summer's coffin was filled with roses, pictures of her and her family. A sash with Vale's symbol was laid across her chest and her hands were maneuvered into some sort of praying position. The guests started arriving soon after. Yang politely invited them in. Taiyang took full control off the situation shortly after, mustering up a smile.

He had made enough pleasantries. Some people who knew Summer came he remembered a few faces but not many. They all said kind things about her and how they remembered her when she was alive. The widow thanked them then they left shortly after. A few friendly faces he actually knew had shown up including Oobleck, Port, and Goodwitch. The latter stated that Ozpin would be coming by eventually but due to what Taiyang knew he doubted that.

After sometime the guests started mingling with each other. "Now's a good time as any."

"Taiyang," Goodwitch called. "Are you sure you want to be alone right now? You know we're not just here for Summer right?"

"I know guys. I just need a moment."

Oobleck nodded. "Take as much time as you need."

"Just don't go drinking all my booze alright? I'll need some for later."

"We'll be sure to save plenty for our after party." Peter assured him.

The door to his room shut quietly. Usually when he came in here he was half expecting to be charged at by his wife and wrapped up in a tight hug. The side of her bed still had her small indentation and the book she had been reading, Violet's garden. He sat down on his side not wanting to disrupt any bit of her memory. That old picture of STRQ sat on his nightstand.

All four of them, together. Even now he still felt as if he could hear her voice. "Taiyang! Taiyang! Raven and I just got Qrow to put a dress on! He's going over to the cafeteria to show off his legs to the girls!"

"Really? How did you guys convince him to do that? Hahaha! We've got to check this out! You gonna come Raven?"

"Hm. I suppose this'll be fun." Taiyang thumbed the picture of his old team cracking the frame unintentionally. "Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't I do anything? Why wasn't I there for you!?" Tears streamed down his eyes. Why did this have to happen? Knock. Knock. "Just a second." The blonde wiped his eyes. He readjusted his tie, hair, and opened up the door to his room. He put on the largest smile he had. "Heydiddly ey."

Someone jabbed him lightly. "Hey bud. Sorry I got here late." Qrow stuffed his flask back into his suit and placed a hand on his pal's shoulder.

"Didn't expect you to dress up."

"Well a lot of things aren't expected these days." he said melancholic, "I'm sorry didn't mean to-"

"It's fine."

"Way to make things awkward me."Qrow rubbed the back of his head. "Come on the priest or whatever is here now." The raven haired man looked back Taiyang's eyes were swollen and red. "No need to state the obvious." He sighed. "Ruby still hasn't come out of here room yet. Last time I heard a peep out of there she was still balling her eyes out."

"Probably cried herself to sleep by now. What about Yang then?"

"I dunno. Last time I saw her she was out back messing with that wagon."

"Mind going to get her for me? I need to check in on Ruby."

"Gotcha."

Taiyang took a deep breath. "Keep it together Taiyang. For your girls." he smiled, "Hey where's my special girl at? Ruby? Ruby? Come on no time for playing now. Ruby? Ruby?" He tossed her sheets off the bed. He checked under it, in her closet, and even in their bathroom. She was nowhere. "Ruby! Ruby! Come out sweetie! I know your sad about Mom sleeping but playing hide and seek is no way to-to-" There was a letter on the desk. "Dad, went out to find my Mom. Gonna bring Ruby with me for a sisterly bonding time! Be back soon. Yang."

"Taiyang! Yang's not out back anymore."

"I know."

"What do you mean you know?"

"She left a damn note!" He shouted. "She's trying to go find Raven!" The drunk pulled back his hair and groaned. He knew today was going to be a clusterfuck but not to this degree. "We need to go. Now!"

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Well hey that's the first chapter. Tell me what you think or don't.