Ch. 2: Connections and Contacts

Most of the humans and Faunus of this world see the Creatures of Grimm as nothing but heartless monsters to be exterminated. For the most part they would be right because of how the Grimm operate. They find their prey by using not their sense of sight or even smell but more like a sense of pure emotion pouring out the soul of whatever is near it. They like myself are empaths and able to pick out our prey just by sensing their raw emotions. That's why they don't attack their own most of the time. Still, they're animals. Animals of darkness yes, but animals nevertheless so they have instincts, pecking orders, and different packs and alpha beasts that direct them.

I made my little base in the middle of this forest deep inside where I have a healthy amount of Ursa to kill and tusk runners to eat if need be. Most settlements outside the main cities and their walls are under constant vigilance because the Grimm, depending on the species, can come in loud and destructive or quiet and ruthless. Ursa charge in using their superior size to destroy houses and their mauls to bite their prey in half. The wolves are hunters as long as they have a seasoned alpha, an intelligent link, or the abnormal as I call them. Most of the wolves use their superior numbers to overwhelm their enemy but some packs are small and have concentrated tactics to move in quietly and strike when humans least expect it. It's quite impressive to see 'mindless monsters' work in such a coordinated fashion.

For the most part, they leave me alone and the alpha have learned the hard way that I'd kill them if they came too close to me and my home. The abnormal stay away because the last one that attack me became my pet and still is. I don't kill what I can use for later. My abnormal Beowulf makes a good mount and didn't take long to train. Like most animals you just have to show them who's on top and how isn't. I usually keep my presence under wraps so not to excite the wrong Grimm into finding the source of my darkness but once close enough, like all animals, you don't mess with a monster greater than yourself. I still haven't gotten my hands on a good Nevermore to ride but it m sure I'd have to go up north to the find a good one. For now, my wolf will do since he doubles as my guard dog.

I walked pass a pack of Ursa that saw me but did nothing to engage me. For once I'm not cursing the emptiness of my soul if it keeps these creatures off me. The common Grimm that is not the alpha or abnormal that dwell deeper in the forest don't recognize me as human. It's mostly the ones with a brain the see my shape and attack blatantly.

I passed by the lake I get my water from to the clearing I made for my home. I've always seen myself as a proficient landscaper, carpenter, and architect if I do say so myself. The house I made is for myself but can fit three people inside comfortably. The inside is quite large because it triples as my storage space, workshop, and living quarters into one instead of separately.

Outside the main double doors rested a Beowulf that early stood eight feet in the air on its hind legs, claws so large and shapely they could rend the bark off a tree with ease, a maul large enough to fit three men's heads inside couple with razor blades for fangs, and eyes so red you'd think you were gazing into the pit itself. The beast holds bulky legs for powerful and sudden bursts and speed same with the ability to sustain it. Its arms are half the size of its legs be what it lost in power it gained back in speed. On top of its head the wolf wore a fragment of a mask with a red line leading from the top of its head to its snout. The fur like most Grimm was black but has grey painted spots here or there with red streaks on his legs.

I walked up toward the house and its ear twitched from the sound of my coat moving in the wind. I have always stepped lightly to mask my movements so even Grimm couldn't hear me but the abnormal earn their title for a reason. The wolf growled and looked up moments from springing into action until he saw me. The wolf tilted his head when he saw me approach and laid back down. "Good morning Uldrich," I greeted the abnormal Beowulf snort at me and stared at me with expectancy in those glowing crimson eyes.

Unlike some of the other Beowulf in this forest this one greatly resembled the werewolf of earth but at the same time almost a hybrid between the two species. The mask is worn, fragmented, and shown that he wasn't just another one of one of the few species of Beowulf I have seen. I'm still not sure if Grimm have an exact gender, but he's smarter than most and takes well to my teachings. His claws don't have the bone plating that the Beowulf of the forest closest to civilization have lowering durability but the trade for versatility more than makes up for it. For a time now Uldrich has accompanied me during the long hunts. After a year and a half together, I'd say we've become… Something. I'm not sure what.

I reached into my knapsack and pulled out a chicken. Uldrich rose his head up making me sigh. "So, the only reason you waited for me was so I could give you food?" The Beowulf made a series of growls that had to be his version of a laugh. I shook my head and tossed it to him. Her reach out and snagged the chicken in midair with his right claw. He opened his maul revealing his fangs and swallow the chicken whole. I walked to Uldrich as he rested his head back down in content. I reached down and scratched behind his ears. He mewed and allowed me to continue.

"Any trouble whilst I've been gone." Uldrich shook his head. "Good."

I left my abnormal to his devices and entered my house. I kicked off my boots at the front slab of concrete and pulled my hood off along with my face mask. My back was a little sore from the tumble I took on the way here. While trying to out run a pack of skull Beowulf I found myself at the edge of a steep downward slope. Seeing no other options at my disposal I took the leap down and slide along the rock and gravel. I hit the bottom hard and landed with my feet pointing up while laying down on the sloop. From there I reached for Black Widow and shot every Beowulf that followed me down that slope. Took me at least thirty minutes to skin all fourteen of them that. I can't wait to cash in because the market is up today around the Uvean settlements. The demand for pieces of intact Creatures of Grimm just keeps going up and few take up the challenge of hunting the Grimm without dust fueled weaponry like myself.

I undid the cuffs at my wrists and the collar at my neck. I pulled my hooded coat up and off my body from under the straps of my weapons. It left me armed still and with my armor on that blended well with my blouse and coat. With my boots off I stepped into the house from the front portion and wandered through the large living room I built with a sliding see-through door in the back. I took a left to my workshop. A forge, smelter, a good number of trophies from different renegade Huntsmen and two Huntress I have had to deal with, for a good bounty of course. One of the sword shotgun weapons was missing and one of the two pistol cleaver weapons as well.

I can only think of one person that could get place my defenses unscathed enough to crawl let alone grab something of mine. A prior target of mine I've yet to rend this world free of. If I see potential in someone, even in a target, it's not too difficult to stage their deaths and have then work for me. Uldrich warmed up to the target that much I know. That person took them without telling me, again.

I left things as they were and went to my storage past the forge. I need to clean this place up a little. It's so messy with weapons and different armor laying around in an unorganized fashion. I shook my head and continued to the storage area. It's all one large room, the workshop and storage area, just one had concrete floors and the other wooden. I passed over to the wooden side and walked past the racks of furs and different forest clays I've collected to make good paint for Uldrich or myself. Before this was weapon and armor storage. Racks and wall mounts with different tools of the trade I've been experimenting with. My knapsack of bottomless space has and always will be the greatest gift I have ever received from mortal human hands. If it fits between the lips it can store anything. It's limit all depends on the one using it. It stores food, gear, and other miscellaneous items but the weigh accumulates as one. The positive note of this is that the weight is distributed evenly throughout the body.

I stacked the furs I took and laid them with the rest to be sold for later. The Uvean settlements are a small ride away. Thirty minutes at the most on top of Uldrich. Forty-five if I go on foot and run myself. I don't think Kindle will be back any time soon same with Match so I guess I get some work done. For the most part I sell my furs for cheap and I bulk to the Faunus. Many humans are jealous that I rarely sell to them but that the nature of the beast. The Faunus need these things more and it helps protect the settlements especially when they make leather armor from the pelts. Grim pelts, since the discovery of using Grimm like normal animals, have hit an all-time high since I stopped hunting to research this white fang fiasco. They decided to transgress upon my business, and I can't let that go unpunished.

I don't share my hunting secrets, something that are desired even more than pelts or feathers, with anyone and I'm hunted for that ironically. To see someone like me kill a Grimm without the Grimm disintegrating after death is a phenomenal feat according to these people of Remnant. What I find funny is how simple the answer is. Use ammunition that isn't dust powered but made from Grimm armor. You just need to get close enough to strip its armor or skin a scorpion. It's easy because the armor is one big piece and you just have to cut along certain areas to rend bone from flesh. Dark stalker venom is useful for killing Creature of Grimm as well without much difficulty. Blow darts or a dart gun are simple to create. Once the dart penetrates soft flesh I just have to wait few minutes later and you're completely paralyzed or dead. It depends on the species of death stalker.

I journeyed to the weapons racks and relinquished most of my weapons on my own personal rack and wall mounts. My chest piece hung on a mannequin I had to the side but I keep my forearm, thighs, and shins protected still. I needed to get to work on those pelts and to get them ready for trade before I set out again. It will take me four or so hours to clean, dry, and condition them all seeing that I've really been saving up for months now. I cleared a table of scrap metal and sword parts and grabbed some oil. I sighed and took the first stack of pelts and got to work.

"What ya doing?"

"Ah!" I grabbed my chest and slammed my head against the table in my attempt to get up. "Goddess and God damn it!" I cursed and gripped my heart but missed a couple times. I panted and sat back down on my chair at the edge moments from having some sort of heart failure from the shock.

"Hehehe ahah," I heard someone snicker behind me. I breathed hard in an attempt to calm my heart before I have an attack before turning back around to glare at the woman who snuck up on me.

"Aerial!" The woman standing at least five feet eight inches, being only two inches below me and yet looked down on me, wore a sly sneer on her lips. "What did I say about sneaking up on me?"

The woman just shook her head and took me by the shoulders. She forced me back down to me seat and gently pushed me back to the table. "That time of the month huh?"

I frowned and turned my head away from her. "Leave me alone," I said as firmly as I could because I'm still a little under the weather. Midnight restored most of my original functions but the fact I ran away from a pack of Grimm shows my period is still affecting me to a point. My annual weakness period and my monthly one all consecutively in two days. My luck I swear. Slowly but surely, my 24-hour weakness period is coming to an end. The sad part about my period is that my sense of presence is the last to come back, and I'm still emotionally unstable and shows in my outburst.

She rubbed my shoulders in hard but gentle little circles. "Anyway, your time is almost up. Another hour maybe less, it's close to noon." I sighed in response mainly from the massage. "Where have you been?" She asked me but I felt I should have been the one asking her that.

Aerial Skyhearth, the huntress that was convicted of the murder of one of her partners whilst on mission. It wasn't until after her "death" that she was found to be innocent. A little personal quest she asked me to assist her in. She's an abrasive woman that speaks her mind without a filter. Subtly while talking or fighting isn't her way but when it comes to killing Grimm she was known as the Bird of prey for a reason. She comes from above, below, or in your blind spot for the first and final strike. I fought her and honestly her style is like mine. It's just when in direct confrontation she's wilder than she needs be. I could have killed her but being only a 17-year-old and a new huntress on her first mission I felt it would have been a waste. Color me surprised when I found out the one guilty of the murder was working for the Schnee Family.

I brought my head up and groaned. "I was researching this one girl's connection to the Dust burglar that's running the country dry."

"Any fruit?"

"Definitely," I said with my hands wandering back to my task. Aerial snort and rolled her eyes at my tone. "What? I need to find this man responsible and make him pay for taking all that dust."

"The only reason your chasing this guy is so you can steal back all that dust for your own use." She wasn't wrong about that. The sheer amount of dust they are reaping is truly impressive and I could do much with that much dust at my disposal. I sat the oil I had down and stood up. I rolled my neck and took a breath then let it out. I felt her presence behind me progressively getting brighter.

"Finished with your merchandise?" She joked but I found my work to be serious. It helped pay off the bills for the dust I need to keep everything running that my solar panels can't. Dust is expensive as hell now because of this dust thief. I researched to find that with this stock pile of dust I'd never have to shop for dust ever again. I may come off as selfish to most but I'm an opportunist in every way. Stealing from law abiding citizens is illegal but stealing from criminals on the other hand is a different story. I'm closer now and that Emerald girl could lead me to the treasure trove of dust.

My thoughts drew towards the way I'll need to transport the dust here for use and refinement. I will need to get my hands on a refinement center and the bodies to fill it. By bodies I mean workers of course. I have a good amount of Faunus that might work for me but that's only a handful. This will need some planning.

I picked up my knapsack full of furs and other desirables to sell and walked to the weapon rack. Where I'm going I don't need anything big so my twin swords and Black Widow will do for now. I reached up and grabbed a rifle with forest camouflage painted on its metal and stock. It took a moment to strap it to my back and grab a few clips from my armory section. Every round is tungsten tipped and made as a .308 caliber for added stopping power. This round will tear through an aura with ease or at least deplete most of it. Because it's not dust powered the round flies three times faster. I still revel in the look of shock a huntsman has when I shoot him in the chest with one of my weapons. When you can't see the bullet, it has a chance of discouraging my opponent.

I grabbed a different coat and threw it over my shirt without my blouse or chest piece. I'm going for speed and mobility today. This coat unlike my last is imbued with dust of three types. Water, fire, and lightning which helps creates a distortion field around me. I rose the hood up and buttoned it all the way up. Some would say it's a trench coat because of the length and tail but I wouldn't. It took me a while to make this. Took me a recorded hundred days and my house almost burning down but I succeeded. My hood hid the butt stock of my rifle and my coat hid away Love and Hate. Black Widow rested in a holster in front instead of my rear.

"Heading out?" I nodded towards the woman. Her velvet colored eyes drooped. She walked towards me and reached for my chest strap. There was excess strap from when I buckled my one-piece holster set down to hold everything I choose to bring. "This might get caught on something." She and I both know from experience how something as small as a loose leather strap can place you in a bad pinch. She tucked it down and put it through the loop.

"So why are you here?" I wondered because usually she wanders around most of the time and sends me info from time to time on good job opportunities. She doesn't come here unless she wants something.

"Well you see…" I groaned and nod my head down before waving her off. "Hey! I haven't and told you anything yet!"

"You got in trouble, maybe not paying off a debt, and want me to pay it for you or stay here until the heat blows over," I said in a dry tone. "Again."

"Well I… I ahhh… Damn I got nothing," she admitted with a nervous chuckle.

"It's not my problem." I walked past her to the door. "I told you last time I'm not assisting you with self-inflicted trouble outside a routine nature."

"Oh, come on Jaeger help a beautiful girl out! I'll pay you back," she appeared in front of me with her hand together and that puppy dog eye thing going on. A 21-year-old woman was doing this for some reason I couldn't explain and I found it exasperating.

"Aerial you're a grown woman and need to take responsibility for your own actions."

"Please." She begged with enlarged and shiny eyes with an adorable tear forming at the edges of her eyes. "Pwetty please with sugar on top."

I reached up and pat down on top her wolf ears making her yelp. I lowered down to her cheeks and gave them a gentle rub. Like that she fell to her knees with a glaze in her eyes. "Unless it helps me get dust, workers, and the location of a good processing plant I won't do you this favor." I stepped around her. "And that won't work a 9th time," I added in right before I reached the front door. I was already half way with getting my boots on when she appeared behind me. Her arms draped over my shoulders and pulled me back until her chest mashed against my back. She locked my legs with her own, placed a hand a little too close to my crotch, and looked ready to bite into my neck at the slightest twitch.

"I'll make it worth your while," she whispered warmly in my ear.

"Of that I have no doubt but I'm not interested." Not now that is. Aerial is a beauty that much I can say with charcoal black hair with dark violet highlights. Her hair is an organized mess, smooth and well-kept, and yet still a bit of a mess. A white bandanna wrapped around her forehead and hair keeps most of it from flying about even though it reaches down past her upper back. She has two sets of ears, one being the human sort and the other are her wolf ears. I found the ears certain Faunus have to be cute and her wolf ones are included in that. Not a very manly thing to say or think but I'm not one to lie. Her skin is rough almost like leather but smooth as well, slightly tanned from her days in the sun and it shows with her sun tan lines at her feet, shoulders, and forearms.

The few places her usual outfit doesn't cover. Like most huntress her physique is nothing short of impressive. She must be to lift an Ursa above her head with one arm and toss it way twenty feet. I tried that and got only ten feet short of her as basic. My enhanced overtook her by five feet. She was sad at this but I found it impressive. I pride myself on my raw strength but she can almost match it without her semblance or use of her aura.

"The club is called the Influx and the man's name is Junior."

"What does this have to do with me and why are you telling me this?"

"Well it's a popular club and it's said that he has connections with the man you're looking for. People even say he knows everything so it can't hurt to look him up, right?" I thought on this for a moment. It didn't seem like a bad idea and Aerial has yet to give me information I couldn't use. "And if you go and see him maybe you can set my debt straight as well."

"What did you do anyway?"

"I got into a fight and broke some stuff." She paused I suppose waiting for a response from me.

"And," was all I said.

"And the damages coupled with the injured staff, the loss of profits for the day, and the tab I had before was a little…much… and overdue from its extension." I rubbed my head and stood up out of her grip taking her for the ride. She hung on to my neck and wrapped her legs around me. "Will you be help me?"

I pulled my knapsack off and tossed it up in the air. It came down on top the woman's head forcing her to let go and almost fall to the floor. "You have to take my furs to town in the Nova region and sell them for me then." Aerial ruined her hair as she rubbed the top furiously.

"That's hurt," she cried.

"I don't care. You deserve that and more for putting this on me."

"Hey after I sell your things then I'll pay you back. Trust me when I say this you won't hate it," she said in that seductive smile she makes if she wants something really badly.

"Ah huh." I walked out the door of my home and saw Uldrich sitting quietly with its back to the wall relaxing in the sun. He saw me and I nodded at him. Uldrich grinned on the side and walked towards me. I walked around to his back and leapt up on top, placed my foot into the footholds at his sides, and grabbed onto the single strap above his neck.

"Let's go." Uldrich howled loudly. So loudly the sound shook the glass of the windows and made bird like Grimm in the distance flock away. Uldrich fell to all fours and growled precariously towards the forest. In a sudden and strong burst of speed he was off to take us to the Vale.

One hour later

Uldrich came to a trot as the wall keeping out the Grimm came into view. We made really good time to get here in under an hour. Uldrich rose up to his hind legs and let out a howl that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. Ominous but equally frightening, that best describes the abnormal Beowulf and his howls. It's so guttural and loud the entire poor section and even the large castle in the sky had to hear him. I think that was the point though. Fear and a sliver of despair filled our nostrils. It was sweet to the senses for me I can only imagine what it's like for a Grimm. I gave him a kick and he fell back to all fours. He moved closer but slowly while sniffing the air. The howl would have attracted some attention. The kind we don't need but maybe I should just speak for myself in this instance.

We reached the wall between the Emerald Forest and the Vale, from there dismounted. I pat Uldrich on the side, "thanks for getting me here." Uldrich growled and lowered his head down and pet him between his ears and under his jaw. "You can head back if you wish. I can get back on my own." Uldrich understood what I was saying and turned away once I let him go. He walked quietly on hind legs barely making a sound until he disappeared into the forest.

I took a breath and ran at the wall. I jumped up and ran up a couple feet before I had to get a hold on the wall via the many cracks on the surface. Scaling this wall has become a common trend for me and doesn't even take five minutes for me to get to the top and that's taking my time. The section I climbed to the top of happened to be the poorest of the districts. Every city has its own slums and the Vale is no different. I dropped down and grip fell on the way down to the bottom and released at a height I could land comfortably from. I'd say around three stories. I yawned softly before taking my time to enter the semi busy streets of the slums. Mostly Faunus lived here as far as I could tell but with a few humans. Must be hard to be third class citizens to the general populace, something I can relate to.

I looked down to my dark skin below the brands along my arms and sighed. Race and color, racism and discrimination never fades away. Being among humanoids other than humans can be an enlightening experience sometimes. The culture and ethics of the Faunus are close to that of humans and yet totally different at the same time. I find myself in the company of Faunus more than humans ironically enough being human myself. I must find solace with the beast people or something of that nature.

"Ahhh!" I felt something hit my legs and looked down. It was a little Faunus boy by the looks of his red and white tipped tail. He was on his rear rubbing his nose with tears at the edge of his eyes. "Ow," he whined. "What did I hit?"

"Keel get away from there!" I looked up from the boy at a small group of Faunus children maybe around this Keel boys age. Four boys and two girls. All Faunus just like keep here. I looked back down to the boy as he finally came to his senses. He gasped and fell back to his hands. He looked afraid at first but that fear quickly turned into anger then hate.

"What are you doing here human?" I rose an eyebrow that he knew I was human. I rolled my neck and felt why. My hood was still off it seems. I reached back and pulled my hood back up over my head to shadow the upper portion of my face which my mask did not. I reached down for the boy and he tensed. When I was inches away he closed his eyes away from me. I took him by the back of his shirt and pulled him straight up. I sat him down on his feet and knelt down to his level. He cracked his eyes open and looked at me. Then he looked himself over then back to me with confusion flowing out his pores.

"I'm taking a walk." I said smoothly and the kid blinked.

"W-what," he stuttered and I chuckled lightly. I don't know why but I've always had a soft spot for kids. I down right hate teenagers but kids I can handle. They're a glass a quarter full at the most and have open minds to impossibilities. "I said, I was taking a walk until someone bumped into me." I rose my hand and pat the kid head. He groaned and swiped my hand back with a light flush on his cheeks. No doubt embarrassed at being pet by a stranger let alone a human. "Normally if you did that you would apologize."

"I'm not saying I'm sorry," the boy barked at me. "You shouldn't be here human!"

"Oh," I leaned in looking directly into his eyes. The boy stepped back and nodded weakly. "Then I'll get out of your hair then." I stood up to my feet and pat the kid's head on more time.

He swiped my hand away and pouted. "Stop that!"

I chuckled and walked past the boy towards his friends. They parted and let me pass by without a word. "E-Excuse me." I felt something tug on my coat. I looked down and saw one of the little girls. The girl with orange eyes and cyan hair with what I can guess are leopard ears. "Thank you for not hurting Keel."

I nodded at the girl. "I have no reason to hurt your friend so you don't need to thank me."

The girl blinked at me then smiled. "You're nice, I can smell it."

"Really," a boy with horns followed through. "He smells like wet dog to me."

"No, it's more like a mouse."

"He smells like chicken to me."

I shook my head and left the kids to their own devices. The gate to the more human sector wasn't too far away. My presence unnerved many of the populace that saw me but they left me alone. I reached the check point and made my way through. I may have forgotten to approach the guards and pay the toll to get in. It is what it is, I guess.

This Influx club wasn't too hard to find. They have signs everywhere pointing the way the whole time. Apparently, it's popular and where everyone and their mothers go to let loose if they can afford this many advertisements. The fact that they didn't have a guard in front or any sort of VIP line spoke much on how this place works. It's nighttime so the lights above lite up the dark street outside with ease. I walked on in through automatic sliding doors. I need to make a few of those doors for my house. I need to make a note of that and past it to Kindle when I get the chance. I need a note pad so I can make a note of that. I need a lot of things.

Anyway, the club was bumping. The DJ above was hitting it and for some reason had a bear mascot mask on while scratching the discs above. He's good at what he does with mixing the songs together. I felt my head nodding up and down to a few of them. The place has its restricted parts for construction. I can tell I'm one area a glass pillar stood in wasn't anymore. What did that woman do?

I looked around for someone of note but everyone was a casual black figure in my eyes. They didn't matter. Then I noticed three figures at the bar. One man and two women. With my sight, they were the only few that weren't jet black so maybe they have some importance to my task. My vision returned to normal and color took its place on everyone else around me.

As I approached the bar the man must have noticed me because he nodded towards the two girls. They spared me a look then walked a distance away. I stopped at the bar and sat down on a stool next to the man. He's larger than I am and taller as well by maybe four inches. He wore a black suit with a black jest under his jacket and white shirt under that, a red tie under that vest, and with his hair slicked back like some sort of mobster. He has a neatly trimmed full beard and lightly rugged features. He'd almost be intimidating if it wasn't emotions I could feel within him. He could use Aura as well. Maybe he's a prior huntsman. The girls have a little more aura than him but if they obey him like that then he's not to be underestimated.

"The so called illustrious Ghost Huntsman blesses this establishment with his presence." He knew my title that the locals gave me? He really does know quite a bit if he could recognize me without a word or introduction. I might have to make him an agent or get into information brokering with him later.

"And you are Junior."

"So, you know my name huh? That means you want something then." I made a drink sign and the bartender slip me a shot of mamba.

"I hear you know everything."

"I just know what I hear," he answered quickly.

"Then you know my reputation when it comes to informants that waste my time," I stated loosely.

Junior visibly gulp but stayed bold with a snort afterwards. "I doubt I can tell you anything you need."

"Torchwick." Just like that Junior stopped before his glass could touch his lips. "Where can I find him?"

"Why are you looking for him. Last I heard there's no bounty for his head?"

"He has something I want, and if I were to get it and him it could prove to be very beneficial to me and those that assisted me." This method of persuasion almost never works, but I was hoping on that. I need the right instance to get what I need and clear that blasted woman's name off the blacklist. Junior like I expected didn't take the bait.

"I don't need that sort of trouble."

I pulled my mask down smiled, and I made sure he could see my smile. I know well of the rumors about me and my smile. The last time it was recorded that I smiled a dust plant blew up taking with it over a dozen workers and an army of Grimm that overran the facility. That's one out of two other instances and that one happens to be the least destructive. Even though a crater is left from the nuke sized explosion that took place there it's still tue least destructive. A couple thousand Grimm dead, an airplane, and a nice shipment of dust were my rightfully claimed rewards. I call that a good day's work even with the huntsman I had to dispose of.

The ironic thing is that I was there to steal dust not save anyone. In the end, I was made out to be a hero because the kills under my belt and many workers I supposedly saved by drawing the Grimm towards me. I cost the Schnee company some couple million lien from that explosion but their recovery made up for it. Claiming that I was hired to do what I had to do to save the hundreds of workers and eliminate the threat at any cost. I killed four workers and a huntsman because they got too curious and the huntsman is the only one I killed in direct combat. It was climatic to fight on top the factory with Nevermore swirling around us and a legion of Beowulf climbing up the building to get us. It was a good fight.

I have heard that with my features to make a smile on my face would give it an ominous look. If a usually unfeeling and blank hearted man like me smiles all the sudden when he shouldn't be, this isn't a good sign. Junior instantly jumped to his feet but before he could even get an inch off his seat my arm wrapped around his neck and sat him back down next to me.

"Junior," I whispered and pulled the man a little closer towards me. "You really want to do this the fun way?" The man started sweating bullets by this time. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a cash stack of lien. "We can make this deal and you give me what I want. Or…" I said nothing else. Instead I slid the paperback towards him and waited.

The man shivered and nodded furiously. He slowly reached for the money but stopped a hair away. "One more thing." I placed a second stack on top of that one. "There was a woman that walked in here before and supposedly made trouble, right?"

"You know her?"

"This is for the damages she caused and to get her name off your little list."

The man looked at the stack and frowned. "That not enough to pay for the damages," he said so I reached into my pocketed and pulled out another money taped stack for him to take. Junior stared at it for a time. "I need money for the hassle as…"

"This sum is to keep your pelvis intact and save you the hospital costs. A good deal, correct?" The man cringed and nodded. "Good." I took my arm back and pat him hard on the back forcing him forward with a pain filled grunt. "I need contacts that he deals with." Junior cleared his throat and straightened his back. He reached for the large stacks and dragged it to the side. The bartender grabbed it and tucked it away somewhere.

"I know one contact that could help you find him. He owns a book store in the city of…" The man stopped and looked over to the side. I noticed those two girls from before. The one in black and red whispered something in his ear and he nodded. Junior reached into his pocket and handed me a piece of paper. I took it and it had a name and address in it. "I need to go to a meeting right fast. These two can keep you company." Junior pointed to the two girls behind him.

Neither one of them smiled or had any expression on their faces. They're twins each with opposite color schemes. One is red and black and the other blue and white. One seemed to be like a combat ballerina. She has blades on her boots. The other one has katar like weapons on her fore arms just retracted. The man pulled his sun glasses from his pocket and put them over his eyes for some or another. He walked away from the bar and journeyed towards a flight of stairs.

"So, you're the Hunter?" The sister in red sailed while looking me over. She took the seat Junior was in but scoot it in closer towards me.

"We heard a lot about you," the other sister in white said in the same dull tone as the other one. She sat down on the stool left of me facing me, legs crossed, and one foot on the foot rest of my stool.

"Nothing but good things I assure you." The red one got a little closed until her shoulder was almost touching my own.

"Like how you hunt Grimm without dust." The white one leaned in with her malachite green eyes straining to see under my hood.

"How do you do that without causing them to deform I wonder?"

"Did you really blow up a dust factory to destroy an army of Grimm?"

"Do you cover your face because you're ugly?"

"I thought you'd be taller, or at least Junior's size but you're not. Are as strong as they say?"

"Did you really fight team SLVR and beat them into the ground?"

"Do you prefer younger girls over older girls?"

"Can we serve you and in any way to make you more comfortable?"

I blinked and felt like a sandwich right now. With their persistent questions and how one sister was literally chest to shoulder with me and her arm draped around my neck while the other was leaning in so close she's almost face to face with me was mind numbing. I know this maneuver well. Overload my mind with constant questions, make my senses spike with the progressive lack of space they gave me, and see if I reacted to their bodies like a little teenager. I found it sort of amusing. Only sort of.

"With a bullet made of bonemail to the stomach and limbs, yes, no, it depends on who you ask, they ran way so no, depends on how either one acts, and maybe if you stop with the games. I don't make a good player." The two girls blinked to process the answers I gave them before backing off and giving me a little space. The two of them gave me a curious gaze then leaned again but without touching me this time.

"So why do you cover your face?" The red one questioned.

I shrugged. "Because I can, mostly. And for all I have done and will do its best if nothing can track me. By the way," I reached over and placed my hands at the red ones back and slid my hand down her dress. She jumped until I pulled my wallet out from her dress and waved in front of her. "You can fool a man that's drunk or ignorant but not me." The red one smiled nervously like a child that got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. I pocketed my wallet again.

"Please forgive my sister Miltiades. She gets a little too overeager at times."

I shrugged again. "It's not the first time someone's tried to pick my pocket this week and I don't take it offensively. You need more practice with your follow through."

Miltiades frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If you can you should have diverted all my attention elsewhere but you failed to capture my sense of touch meaning it was still sharp over my entire body. I felt your fingers slid in and extract my wallet."

"If you knew that then why not stop me?"

"Miltiades," the white dressed sister scorned.

"I want to know."

"So, you can learn where you went wrong. Pick the wrong pocket and next time it might be a man with a knife to the liver just for you."

Miltiades nodded. "So, you're a thief?"

"At times. It depends who I'm stealing from. I have no problem taking from large criminal organizations or big corporations."

The white sister nodded in approval but Miltiades turned her head over. "Why is that? Stealing from big criminal organizations can come back and bite you."

"Because the authorities, if they are smart, will do nothing and as for the corporations, they get where they are by illegal means all the time. Look at the Schnee. Most of the business partners they grow from use 'slaves' as their primary use of labor," I made quotations with my hands.

"Really," the white one asked genuinely surprised.

"The Faunus people are often used as cheap labor or just for labor period. You see the corporations force the governments to do something insensible like increase taxes. In doing so they force working class citizens to take in loans to survive but these loan companies belong to the corporations."

Miltiades eyes widened in realization. "So, they keep them in debt to hire them for paid labor that recycles right back to them anyway."

I nodded. "Exactly. That's one of many reasons I live in the forest."

"You live in the forest?" The white one questioned.

I'm getting tired of this white one thing. "I know your sister's name but not yours. If you don't mind me asking, what is your name," I asked politely.

The white one seemed to be the more dignified of the sisters and seems to appreciate my gentleman like persona a good deal. "No, I don't mind. My name is Melanie." She rose up her hand with her palm facing to the side as if she wanted a hand shake.

I pulled my mask down and took her hand. I brought it to my lips and touched to top with a light kiss. "A pleasure to meet you." Melanie looked to me in shock then smiled. I let go of her hand and pulled my mask back up.

"You're quite the gentleman."

"No, I'm not," I shook my head. "I just act more refined than most of the men your around."

"You're pretty perceptive as well," Melanie added in on top of that.

"And he lives in the forest with the Grimm," Miltiades said getting everything back on track. If I'm not mistaken I'd say she was a little jealous at the attention I just gave her twin.

Melanie hummed at the resurfacing of topic. "Do you live in a shack or something like a mountain man," Melanie joked.

"Maybe he wears all that stuff to cover his rugged features," the other sister joked as well. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a scroll. A picture came to view of the front of my home in the middle of the clearing with the stumps still in the front. In the background, you could see a whole manner of Grimm lurking around with Uldrich resting in front of the door.

"That's your house?" Melanie eyed the picture.

I showed it to Miltiades as well. "It isn't not shack Melanie that's for sure."

"Indeed, did someone make a house out there and you bought it?" I shook my head. "I cut down the trees, leveled the land, and built the house myself. Took two years to finish I believe."

"All while Grimm were lurking around?" Miltiades asked this time.

"I did a couple… Tribal actions to make them stay away."

"Like what?" Miltiades questioned with a soft tilt of her head.

"I killed a few Ursa and left them hanging in tree around my lot to make the rest go elsewhere while I worked."

"Wow," was all Miltiades said to word out her awe at my actions. The magnitude of my feat was easily recognized by the two. "And you live there alone with no one else?"

"Technically speaking yes."

"Why would you live in the Grimm infested wilds? It's dangerous and you never know what might happen."

"You worried about my wellbeing Melanie," I teased lightly and the girl's cheeks flushed a twinge.

"N-no I didn't say that," she turned her head away.

"You got my sister flustered, maybe you are my type."

"Miltiades!" Melanie growled and glared at her twin. Suddenly the two started giggling and laughing amongst each other.

"You're one interesting guy you know that?" Miltiades said with a smile of her own. "Not at all what we expected right Melanie?"

"Not at all how we thought indeed Miltiades."

"I get that a lot." There was a pause on all conversation for Melanie to order three drinks.

"So what sort of girl do you like," the bold Miltiades blurted out.

"Sister I doubt he's comfortable with that question."

I took a drink and finished it in one go. "It's okay." I looked up to the skylights and thought on it. "I guess you can say it's more about feel than anything." Both girls looked at me. "What I feel coming off of you and what I see you do depicts whether or not I'll wish for anything other than acquaintanceship from you." They just sat there and looked at me still. "The woman can be good or evil, it matters not to me as long as she's smart enough to know herself enough to know me as well." The two girls still just stared at me.

"So~ the girl needs to be smart?" Melanie mused.

"In a…way. She just needs to be different. I apologize if I'm confusing you both, but it's a more instinctive thing than anything. Like I know subconsciously what attracts me enough to get into a relationship with a girl or woman."

"Okay well how about us?" I took this question seriously. I drew my eyes over towards Miltiades and looked at her. I did the same when I stared at Melanie. Miltiades appeared a little intimidated by my gaze but stood firm. Melanie on the other hand shown nothing physically but the words "I want to run away" played through her mind like a broken record. I frowned and faced back to the front.

"At the moment, no, I wouldn't willingly become attached either one of you like that." That might as well have been a punch to the gut for them. I'm sure they've been hit on a fair amount of men but I turned them down hard. I held nothing back, but they did ask for it. Miltiades' mouth opened and her eyes widened in shock. The other sister looked complacent for some reason after recovering from her own shot.

"For the moment?" Melanie picked out at these words on purpose. Already I was starting to like her a little.

"So, you could want to be with us later just not now?" A recovered Miltiades finished for her sister.

"You both have a great amount of potential but as of now and in your current roles you'd might never reach your peak."

"Hm…" Melanie mused on what I said.

"So you like girls that actively improve themselves instead of following flow and staying put." They really are twins it seems because Miltiades' getting warmer. I felt the edge of my mouth rise then fall as fast as it came. "Sister we made him smile," Miltiades remarked.

"I saw sister. Maybe we have what it takes."

"Everyone has what it takes but it's about what you to get there. But you shouldn't waste your time chasing after shadows. There almost impossible to catch." I pushed off the bar and dropped enough lien to pay for the drinks for the three of us and then some. One thing I'm not short on but need is money. If only I had more dust.

"Where are you going?" The sisters asked together in perfect harmony.

"I have things to do."

"We should trade numbers!" Miltiades yelled out with her scroll out. I turned my head over on it then shrugged. I could plant a bug into their communicator and listen in on their talks with Junior. I tugged on my sleeve and brought up the interface of my VITO. "Okay just hold your communicator near the virtual screen and our numbers will trade automatically."

"What's that thing?"

"A gift from the Bolus company. One I'm sure they won't miss much." Both girls leaned in towards me with their communications devices up. In moments, the information trade was complete and the bugs places. "Tell junior his little tactic won't work on me and if he crosses the line I won't kill him. There's much worse fates than death." The two girls cringed. "But anytime you wished to meet, call me and I'll see if I can make it. Most days I'm just working so I could use some down time." The two rebound with smiled on their identical faces.

"We can do that right Miltiades?"

"We Do need a shopping partner Melanie."

I bowed my head a bit to them and walked out the club.

Bump! "Ahh, damn it. What did I hit a damn steel wall?" This young blonde girl with overly long and big bushy hair brought her hand up to her nose. "Hey buddy watch where the hell you are…" I glared down the teenage girl with total apathy. I could tell that this girl's a huntress in train just by the bracelets on her wrists and ammo pouch on her sides. "Whoa you have red eyes dude?" I rose an eyebrow and shook my head.

"And you have lilac eyes," exclaimed as loudly as her copying her to a tee.

"Well yeah I was born with them."

"I wasn't born with mine."

"Then how the hell are your eyes red?"

"You don't what to know the answer. Aren't you a little young to be at a club like this. Most 16 year olds are usually swooning around boys in high school instead off clubbing."

"Okay buddy," the girl placed a finger in my face. "One: my names Yang. Yang Xiao Long. Two: I'm 17 not 16. You see these?" She hopped a little and her breasts bounced pronounced from their size. "Most 16 year olds don't have these. Three: I don't need to swoon over boys every minute of the day not that I do I the first place," she blurted that last part that it was so believable. "Four: I've graduated from basic warrior school already so I'm an adult. And five: where I go is none of your business." She poked my chest a couple times during her rant and stopped with a frown. "You got that?"

"Sure," I said quickly. I wasn't in the mood to deal with some blonde girl that looks like she has a mean streak just without showing it. I held my hands up when she narrowed her eyes at me.

"And as for age, just how much older than me are you? You sound like you're young. I bet you're my age." I rose my hand up and gently pulled her hand down from my chest.

"I'm older than you by a hundred years," I spoke honestly.

"Haha, you got jokes huh buddy? You're probably my age so when you hit like thirty then you can criticize me over my choices."

"Okay," I relented. Like I said I wasn't in the mood to argue right now.

"Hold up," the girl placed her hand on my chest just as I was about to leave. "You look like the kind of guy that knows a thing or two."

"How you figure?" I questioned.

She pointed to my head. "Your shady and leaving an even shadier club. You must know something about something." That logic was broken but not all the pieces weren't without weight. This Yang girl pulled out a scroll and showed me a picture of a woman with black hair. I thought I felt something familiar from this girl. They both look alike and I know the black-haired woman well enough. We tried to kill each other after all.

"Do you recognize her?"

I looked up from her scroll and clenched my fists. "And if I do what's she to you?"

"You've seen her!" Yang took me by the collar and began to lift me up. My heels left the deck before in an attempt to intimidate me. "Do you know where she is?"

I nodded slowly up and then down.

"Can you take me there?"

I shook my head left and then right.

Yang grit her teeth, her hair flared as if it was on fire, and her eyes turned red as well. "Why not!" She snarled.

I reached up to her hands and pressed down on the appropriate points to loosen her girl then gently pried them from my coat collar. "Because I won't. I don't need a reason to take a stranger just because your excited and overeager."

"Please," she took both of my hands. "She... She's my mom and…"

"Ahhh," I nodded then sighed. "That explains it. Well then listen to me, your mother is digging into something that most could never fathom and if you found her as you are now you'd die in a matter of days."

"What do you know!" She was angry again but as I said before I wasn't in the mood for this.

"If you want my advice stay where you are now, in the light. There's a darkness in this world that will shallow you whole."

"And my mom is fighting this dark whatever?" I sighed, something she took exception to. "I'm sorry am I boring you!"

"You do look like her," I admitted openly with my arms over my chest. The hair, the stature, and soul aura between the two of them is alike. They're family that much is sure. "So, you're looking for your mother. Someone who doesn't want to be found, I might add. I understand your eagerness because years ago I was doing the same, but until your stronger you'd be nothing but a liability to people like her… and I." I stepped past her to her back in the split of a second. From there I walked away without making a sound in what an out looker could say in a causal manner.

"What the…" The girl looked around frantically until she turned around and spotted me.

"Good luck in your future endeavors Yang Xiao Long. Pray we don't meet again." I could hear the girls fuming from around the corner but ignored it. So she had a child. That woman. Interesting. Maybe I should research this later.

"No you don't!" I suddenly felt a pressure on my back and an arm wrap around my neck pulled me back. "You're giving me something other than bullshit you bastard! Tell me what I want to know and I'll let you go."

Her strength is impressive but not enough to hold me down. I pulled her arm off my neck against her resistance and slipped under her grip. I faced her and glared down to her with my arms coming up to cross over my chest. Yang did the same with defiance pouring out her pores. She's keen on finding her mother and I'm the closest source she has now. I took a breath and shrugged. "I'll tell you what I can but don't know where she is. Will this appease you."

Yang narrowed her eyes at me. "Depends if I like what I hear." She stomped past me. "And you're buying the dinner and drinks while you talk ya got that? For the trouble."

I rubbed my head. Teenagers, this is why I hate them.

A/N: I love RWBY when ol' Monty was still around. I liked the direction he had in mind and minds like his are a dime in dozen. Though I will admit I couldn't fight the urge to pick at it. For the most part my character will interact with the characters of the main cast for now but then it will become centered around a Rose. Which one it will be is up to debate. As for pairing as well... I'm not sure I'll bother with such especially with where I want this to go being situated in the underworld than anything.

What's hunting monsters without a little darkness?