The Rose Ruby and The Starlight Grimm

Ruby pov

Location: unknown

What's going on here? I asked myself as this Grimm like creature began eating the massive Goliath, using his tail as a knife to cut away the the creatures armoured skin to expose the soft innards before the corpse has a chance to disintegrate. Uncertain about how this 'starlight Grimm' will react if I make any sudden movements considering his odd behaviour thus far, I decided to observe it while it was preoccupied eating. As I did so I noted that the battle although swift was unusual, fifty or so corpses were scattered across the riverside some of the corpses were incinerated along with some scorched patches on the riverside, some cut clean in half, but most surprising were the stone/crystal spikes impaling many. To think this all occurred in the brief moment it took me to turn around.

After having his meal, and the corpses began disintegrating, the Starlight Grimm turned his attention to me. Startled at first as if he had only just noticed me, with a curious expression he slowly and cautiously approached me. Growing bolder with every step until finally we were face to face, he reached out and poked my shoulder. It was then that I was truly scared, the moment he touched me what felt like a vast consciousness crashed into my mind, the contact although brief felt like an eternity. It was only then that he spoke.


"Starlight Grimm" pov

"Hello Ruby, this may sound weird but what are you? I've never seen another like you." I said as I studied her. "I must say that I never expected to see another creature that remotely resembles me, are there others or are you an anomaly?" I continued without giving Ruby time to answer. It was then that her expression changed to pure shock followed by an extremely ear piercing shriek and a blow to the head by Ruby's 'weapon' I think is what it's called, her memories are so alien that it's hard to tell and would take time to sift through. When the blow to my head didn't faze me Ruby looked utterly confused. Fascinated by the weapons transformation I began to study it, only to further confuse Ruby.

After a short period Ruby regained her composure, followed by her own volley of questions. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT AM I? WHAT ARE YOU? HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME? HOW DID YOU KILL ALL THOSE GRIMM SO FAST? WHAT WAS THAT FELLING LIKE YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS CAME CRASHING INTO MINE WHEN YOU TOUCHED ME? WY DID YOU EAT THAT GRIMM? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHERE THE ON REMNANT ARE WE?"

"For your first question I've never seen a 'human' before, it is human right? Second; I don't know really other then I am me. Third; question five answered that. Fourth and sixth ; How else am I supposed to eat. The fifth is self explanatory. And finally is it not obvious we are here." Clearly my answers were not satisfactory but before she could voice her dissatisfaction a chirping sound echoed in the ravine. I jumped, and prepared for a fight, only to see Ruby pull a strange looking sheet of what looked like ice called a scroll from her pocket. From what I gleamed from her mind I knew a scroll could send your voice to another.


Ruby pov

As soon as I answered my scroll a bombardment of questions erupted, asking if I was alright, where I was and such, all jumbled together in an incoherent stream. "Guys! GUYS! GUYS! I'm alright. One at a time please."

That ended the onslaught of questions which was followed by Yang's relieved voice. "I'm glad your alright sis. Where are you?"

"Not to sure, probably farther down stream. Can you let a signal flair off Yang?" In the distance upstream a whistling sound and a bright orange light marked the location of my friends. "Alright thanks, I'll meet up with you there. And I think I may have found a clue to our investigation, and if this turns out to be a false lead your still in for a surprise." I ended the call there, feeling a little mischievous, as I was hoping to see everyone's faces as I introduced them to...? "Umm this is embarrassing, but I just realized. I don't know your name although you some how know mine." I said in an embarrassed tone.

"My name? Don't have one. So how bout you call me Draugu." Answered my enigmatic companion.

"Great" I replied "Because your about tofind out if there's others like me or not." Leaving the conversation at that, i gestured Draugu to follow me. Pleased that my half answer had left him wanting a more definite answer and annoyed that I would not divulge more.

The trip was a pleasant one Draugu was constantly asking questions about one thing or another about me, almost as if he knew everything about me but understood nothing. "How is it that you know so much yet so little about me?" I finally asked.

"Question five. Is the answer to itself, sorry I now know that what I did was extremely intrusive I will not attempt it again unless I have been granted permission to do so." Draugu explained with a pained apologetic tone. "I didn't know what you were and I had no way of communicating so I probed your memories. I only expected to gleam a vague idea of what you did and how you live day to day, not the very intricate social community you come from, it was to much to take in all at once so I focused on how to interact together." He grew silent and solemn, and although I had many new questions I thought it best to give him time, realizing that he probably felt uncertain of what to say and how to say it.


Draugu pov

The rest of the trip was silent, I did not know if i offended Ruby or not with my confession or how to proceed from here. The word to Ruby's language were simple to learn but how to speak and act were a different matter. Slight subtle differences in tone and body language could indicate a shift in the conversation. Social interactions would be my main focus seeing as I'm about to be thrown into Ruby's world. These "hunters" she belongs to will have questions for me and I them, hopefully we can help each other answer them. Just as the silence became unbearable Ruby brightened up exclaiming "Hey guys! You'll never guess what I've just been through."

Looking ahead I noticed three girls sitting around a 'campfire'. The fact that I din't notice any earlier shows how nervous I've been. The white haired girl, Weiss I assumed, immediately got up put her hands a her hips and in a very serious tone "Ruby were in the name of remnant have you been? Do you know how much we worried about you? And then just as we manage to call you on your scroll we get a nonchalant 'ya I'm fine more importantly I found us a clue' then hung up on us. Lastly I'm being serious here, so why are you bouncing and breaming like an idiot." Weiss' sharp tone did nothing to dampen Ruby's excitement.

"Because Weiss" Ruby replied as if she was going to enjoy what was coming next. "I would like to introduce someone that may be able to explain what happened to all the Grimm in the area." While running over to me, Ruby continued. "Guys I would like you to meet..." Ruby was unable to finish the introductions because at that moment 'Yang', Ruby's yellow haired sister, punched me in the face only to recoil from the force of the blow. Like with Ruby's reaction after hitting me, Yang, Weiss and Blake were stunned and confused. Ruby at this point was doubled over laughing. So this was what she was looking forward to I thought. Ruby' outburst snapped Yang out of her shock.

"What in the name of Dust! That was like punching a mountain but harder!" Exclaimed Yang, trying to shake the numbness in her hand off. This only increased Ruby's fit off laughter.

"Is hitting or punching a person you've never met before some sort of greeting?" I asked uncertainly. Ruby was now laughing uncontrollably on the ground and her friends, seeing their leader laughing, were dumbstruck. Thinking back on it both Yang and Ruby probably acted on instinct seeing how closely I resemble a Grimm, and for the first time in my life, like all most of the emotions I've felt since my telepathic contact with Ruby, I was embarrassed. This raised a concern; all off the other times I probed the mind of a creature I would always absorb their life's experience and use it to adapt to new environments and situations, but never did it induced any changes in me. This revelation stirred something new, fear of the unknown and of the future.