hello! I'm quite surprised; I didn't think this story would be any good. I only assumed it would be like my other stories. Honestly, I didn't prepare to take this story serious. And well, I won't lie, lately I've had no internet, and when I have internet, I have projects and finals. Now, on to college, but I'm fresh with ideas for the story. Please forgive the long absence. I'd like to thank the readers who've waited this long, and I hope this story does not disappoint you. i shall update soon.

Deep within the southern forests of Menagerie, lights of a forgotten city were the only welcoming beacons in this province. The sounds that emitted from the center were those of laughter, music and cheers. However, one man in particular had no interest in the festivities be held down below. His walk was sluggish and hardened, more so was his guilty mind. Finally, he reached the temple atop the mountain, and steeled himself for what would follow. Now his steps were masked with bravery and strength as he halted deep in the temple's chambers. He kneeled, and waited.

"Rise, Cerus."

He stood, though his head kept low. Two large crimson eyes shone past the darkened room. It's voice was gruff, but not too harsh.

"What news of the attack? Is the boy safe?"

"..."

"Lift your head, Cerus, and speak."

His head raised slowly, his eye lids opened, revealing a dark shade of ebony.

"The boy is fine; our informants in Atlas have found him in custody of the Schnee. But the city of Roma, its citizens, and the royal family are no longer with us." His fists tightened, remembering his failure was only half of what he feared. "But I have men willing and able, ready to storm their facility and take him back."

There was a small moment of silence, before the creature spoke again. "And how many of our brethren will die? The Schnee have shown that they are willing to do anything to keep the child in their hands. And is it really worth the risk to reveal our society to the influences of the outside world?"

"But master I-"

"Cerus! I know what that boy means to you, but we must act wisely. Call the chieftains; warn them of possible outside interference. Tell them to kill any outsider on sight, and, have your child start her training early. I have a mission for her."

"Yes, master."

"The time of peace is nearing its end, but, we will have our beacon to guide us through the storm. Of that, I can promise."

The next 5 years for the boy; Jaune Arc, were ones filled with solitude. He was tormented, and out casted from various groups. Many say it was because he was weak, others say it was his lack of appeal, though only the few who've actually driven his anger to a certain stage, say otherwise. After witnessing his other self, they would stay farther away from him, calling him a 'freak', while keeping what they saw a secret, as they were told to do. Lucky for them, Jaune could never recollect what happened during their encounters; all he can remember is waking up in his room covered in bruises.

Jaune's mother; Jade Arc, was always there to nurse the pain.

She would give fake smiles and hardly any emotion throughout the beginning of her assignment, but in time, her false emotions towards the boy became dangerous, motherly feelings. The pain he was in was no different than her own childhood, and so, she found familiarity in him. Slowly, she started caring for him the way any mother would, and was never one for expressing her emotions silently. It might've driven her to tell him the truth, though her loyalty to Josef was still above all else, for the time being.

Her state of mind was troubling. Still, her actions made the lie all the more convincing.

Prentiss began feeling the same way, the young man proved to be a gifted tactician. Given only a few minutes to observe a mission scenario, and finding an effective plan within a few minutes was to be well-admired.

Living in a rural settlement, one would think there would be close relations between the settlers. That was not the case here. Romdall was a indeed a large settlement, given it had a hospital, 3 schools, a military base, and rows of markets. Being one of the few settlements foolishly built so close to the Grimm forests, and its defenses were constantly under siege, yet always withstanding attack after attack. The Hunters within Romdall were all hired by the SPM (Schnee Private Military), each living with their families, and years of experience. Yet, little did they know, a plot involving their lives would soon come to light. And their years of experience could never prepare them for what would come to face them.

On a cool summer night, Prentiss carried Jaune up to his room after a long day of training. Yes, even at such a young age, he trained hard to become a hunter. With caution, as to not wake the sleeping child, Prentiss laid his son down, tucked him in, and retreated to the hallway. A small mumbling sound stopped him in his tracks; he turned to see the young blonde starting to wake up.

"The day is done, rest now."

With a smile imprinted on his lips, the young boy surrendered to the sandman's spell. Drifting off to a peaceful slumber, while his parents discussed their 'situation'

"What are we to do? Mr. Schnee can't keep all those who've seen 'her' quiet, eventually those children will tell their parents, and then those mothers will begin to gossip. They're going to have to move us soon. It wouldn't be so bad if the found someplace where at the very least one person would accept him."

"We've already been given the assignment. They've already set up a new place for us in the urban sections of Vale. By the end of summer, we'll have to be packed up ready to leave while they 'clean up'."

It only took Jade a few seconds to fully understand what 'clean up' meant in this situation. It didn't affect her, nor did it really matter anymore. In the outer settlements, tragedies were a common occurrence. Those who survived a single attack, whether it be; human, or Faunus, are fortunate enough to keep a level of sanity if possible.

The next morning, like any that didn't require training, Jaune wondered through the woods. Strangely, and just like the settlers, the Grimm kept their distance from him, as if it wasn't enough he was being avoided by his own people. Were it not for the ruthless attacks, and rising numbers, the Grimm were amazing creatures. In their own respect.

The forests that harbored them were beautiful, had anyone stop to enjoy the scenery for as long as he did. This one's lush vegetation makes life possible for many small Grimm. The only major ones to look out for were the Ursa and Beowulfs.

As he ventured deeper into the woods, he noticed a small figure lying down beneath a tree. The tall grass danced softly with the forest's gentle sigh, the small one's dark green hair joined the dance. A closer observation, Jaune noticed a small girl sleeping peacefully under the shade of the tree. Her porcelain skin covered with bandages and scars. A few moments staring down on her, he noticed something twitch within her hair. He flinched for a second, before his curiosity urged him to take a quick peak. His hands were about 2 inches away when two ears popped out. Small, round and very soft.

Jaune's eyes widened and a smile had come to light after this little discovery.

"So, you're a Faunus." He whispered.

Almost instantly, the small one's eyes shot open, causing Jaune to quickly retreat from his position. Instinctively, she drew a knife from her sleeve, and tackled Jaune to the ground. With a knife held tightly towards his neck, her emerald eyes glaring down on him. She gave off not a shade of innocence, but that of a hardened veteran.

"Wie geht es ihnen?! Woher kommen sie?!"*

*[who are you?! Where are you from?]

The positive point to this, she spoke the same language his father taught him. Now was a good time as any to see if he learned anything.

"Ich heiße Jaune Arc. Ich komme aus Romdall!*

*[my name is Jaune Arc. I'm from Romdall.]

Apparently, it was enough to have her slowly sheath her blade. Though, his pronunciation could use a bit more work as the girl barely made out what he was saying.

"Um, sprechen sie englisch?" she asked, while keeping her grip on the handle of her blade.

"Ja-I mean: yes, I speak English."

Now, the girl removed herself from atop of Jaune, stepping back a few feet while he stood up.

"What are you doing so deep into the forest; it's dangerous for a child to wander through here."

Jaune tilted his head in confusion. "Aren't you a kid too?"

"Don't get smart, brat! If I were you, I'd go back the way you came. The Grimm in this forest are more than enough for experienced hunters, and I have no time to deal with humans, especially children!" Her voice edged from annoyance to anger as she turned her back to him and began walking away. After a few feet, her legs began wobbling, and then, she collapsed.

-A cruel, yet so clear of a memory revealed crimson, and nothing but bloody crimson. The pavements and walls stained with the damned color. Even the sky wore its velvet finest for this occasion. The land around was soaked in a sea of red and fire. The only sounds to be heard were the never-ending gluttonous fires consuming loudly, and the screams of those being consumed by said fire and creatures of the shadows. Alone, in the midst of the flowing blood, stood a young girl, her clothes bathed in sin, weeping silently as the many monsters around her consumed. The sight was familiar, the sounds were the same, but the smell was not iron, ash, or rotting flesh. No, that smell was...-

The child awoke beneath the same tree she collapsed under. The aroma that broke her nightmare's spell came from the young blonde boy cooking in a small pot over a fire. He turned for a second, then completely as he saw her awake.

"Glad to see you've come back to the land of the living."

He poured half of the pot's contents within a bowl and handed it over to her, along with a spoon. She would've rejected had her stomach not immediately growled at the smell of the soup. Reluctantly, she received the food, and after taking a spoonful, she began gulping down rapidly. Finished within a few seconds, and her stomach satisfied with the added nourishment.

While Jaune served her another bowl, he took the opportunity to ask "So, where are you from? You're obviously not from around here. You speak the native language, but you have a foreign accent."

"For now, just call me Mishka, and before you ask anything else, I'll only say this once. I'm from the Novgorod Settlement."

"But, wasn't that settlement...?"

"Yes, it was. I'm...was traveling with a small group of mercenaries for hire to earn money. As a Faunus, life can be cruel if you allow yourself to be pummeled into the ground. So I decided to earn respect my own way. Unfortunately, people only see mercenaries as bloodthirsty lowlifes who'll kill anyone for money. It makes it worse if you're a Faunus mercenary."

For that very instant, Jaune averted eye contact, Mishka did the same. It was a full 30 seconds before the blonde spoke. "I'm sorry, I know life out here is hard, but I didn't expect to see kids my age fighting."

"Don't be, decisions like these are really common out here. You should know this by now. Besides, there are far worse things outside the Haven Zones than child soldiers. Now, back to MY question; why are you here?"

"I always explore the forest, though I've never gone this deep before. The Grimm here don't bother me as long as I leave them alone."

Interesting, someone who was never bothered by the Grimm regardless of being a human. By now, this young blonde had caught her interest. He'd yet to insult, nor show any disgust to the fact that she was a Faunus, and the Grimm apparently have no intention of harming him. Otherwise, they would've torn him to shreds before finding her. Perhaps, he could prove himself to be different, and hopefully, she could regain trust through him. Though, no high hopes at the moment.

-Elsewhere, underground-

A single figure sat comfortably while watching his favorite tool converse. From the shadows of the darkened room, another figure cautiously approached. "Sir, forgive me, I should've scanned the area thoroughly for her. I will clear my mistake at once."

But the old Schnee had other plans; his heart began singing of future chaos and madness. His smile, like before, did not fade. The cruel world for which he lived in was giving him more and more to finalize his lifelong goal.

"Hold that thought doctor; we might be able to use her to our advantage. Let them talk; we can rid ourselves of her later. I do enjoy watching our little tool smile once in a while. It is part of the plan, gentlemen. Do not lose hope, for soon we will finally correct the mistakes of our ancestors. Let us toast: to the end of the Grimm, human conflict, and our inevitable rise to power."

Eight hands entered the single space of light with a glass of wine in each hand. Josef raised his glass "Lassen den Schnee Wut auf."

"Hurrah!"

-Romdall Forest-

The two children walked through the less dense terrain of the forest, some Grimm were encountered, and oddly enough, all they did was stare at Jaune. They didn't go near him, some actually looked scared, the Beowulfs were the only ones to snarl then back away.

Mishka couldn't help but comment on the situation. "Wow, you weren't kidding. The Grimm really don't attack you, if this is the case, people probably feel safe around you."

"Not really."

Mishka's eyes turned slightly, the sadness within Jaune's response was too obvious to ignore. His ocean blue eyes were filled with familiar thoughts, and oddly, they looked as if they wanted to change color. The young blonde turned away for a second, pressing three fingers to the side of his head, it looked like he was having a headache, but he was mouthing 'stop'. After a minute or two, his headache seemed to cease, and his casual smile returned. It didn't fade as he explained his position among the youth in Romdall.

"People don't like me because I'm 'plain', and they tend to stay away from me for reasons even I can't fathom. There aren't many Faunus in Romdall, and the ones that live there tend to stay away from humans as much as they can."

"If I may say; for a kid, your vocabulary is really impressive. To be honest, I can't think of any reason why people would alienate you; from the time we've spent together you seem like a nice enough boy. Plus, you haven't made any rude comments over my ears, to me that speaks volume over a person. It's not every day I find at least one human who isn't a Faunus bigot."

Jaune stopped in his tracks, at first confusing the young girl, until she saw him frowning. "You keep saying human, and it's kind of weird. You're person too, right? It's not like you're a monster. If anything, I'd say you're cute."

Mishka's cheeks lit bright pink, and for that moment, she actually started to like this boy. Her initial reaction was annoyance, if not, interest solely in scientific experimentation. But now, she began thinking very highly of him. Still, there are some questions to be raised of his origins, mainly, if others in his family had similar luck when dealing with the Grimm.

As they approached the settlement outskirts, they halted upon hearing

"Stop!"

The voice originating from a scared girl within an encirclement of children, mostly boys. As the two got closer, they could hear the angered remarks made by the group.

"Stupid Roma! Go back to your own province!"

"You think you can just walk into our settlement, and expect us to forget the hell your ancestors put ours through!?"

"Get out of here!"

By then, they had started kicking, some with enough unfounded anger to punch.

Mishka, though used to the situation, frowned at the immoral action being performed before her.

'Humans, so predictable. They can't find satisfaction with just out casting the Faunus, but they divide themselves because of lineage.' Mishka thought to herself, watching not only the merciless beating, but the sudden intervention of single soul.

"Hey!"

One of the boys turned around, and was punched hard enough to fall, hitting the pavement. Jaune glared down his fellow youth, whilst bracing himself for what he knew would be a losing battle. "What the hell is wrong with you!? Picking on a girl like that, where's your honor!?" His voice bordered between the tones; anger and calm.

"Stay out of this Arc!" The leader of the small group of children approached with caution, as to not have another 'incident'.

"This doesn't concern you. Our fight goes way back before the Great War. Our people were constantly at war with her people, losing every single time! They stole food and made our ancestors beg for a portion of what was stolen to begin with! And now they come and beg for food and expect us to just forget!?"

Of course, little did the blonde pay to such ignorance, and struck the boy harder than the first.

"So you're on her side, huh? Get them both!"

Jaune glance to the girl on the ground, whispering "What're you waiting for? Run!"

With little hesitation, she got on her feet, and ran as fast as she could. Looking back plenty times to see her savior overpowered by the small group of children. Kicking was most preferred in this small brawl. And the number of attacks lessened for a moment, a single eye glanced up, and there was his new friend, holding her own. The actions of her friend drove her to intervene, without even thinking. Sadly, though brave their efforts, the two were almost quickly outmatched. Mishka, not wanting to cause any serious problems, kept her knife sheathed and fought hand to hand, something she had little experience with. Jaune, even with the constant training, could not allow himself to harm those whom he shared a home with, regardless of their actions, so he allowed his body to be an outlet for their bigotry. With small cuts and bruises clearly visible, and no sign of another incident occurring, the group finally decided to return to the village.

With very little energy, Mishka turned her head slightly to Jaune, and her eyes widened just a bit. For the blonde was smiling, bruised and a bit bloodied, yet smiling all the same. Why would he smile at a time like this, did they hit him too hard?

"You know..." Jaune's tired voice became a small whisper, yet, hearing him wasn't a problem for his friend.

"...i was hoping you wouldn't have to dash in here like that...the point of this was to only have ONE person take the fall."

"I don't know what it is about you, boy. But it wouldn't have felt right if I left you to suffer that crap alone."

Jaune's smile widened as he stared at the passing clouds, "then I guess I owe you one, right? And please, just call me Jaune."

"Of course, Mr. Arc. You can repay me by treating me to another of that soup you made in the forest."

Both shared first a laugh, then groan as the pain was a bit more than what they expected. Yet, they continued to laugh, regardless of the pain. Jaune's smile finally had more emotion in it than the first time he met Mishka. For once in those five years of solitude, there was someone who could be willing to stand by him as a friend.

he actually had something pleasant to talk bout with 'her'.

Speaking of which, his aura had already begun healing his wounds. The sudden glow of white caught Mishka's attention, being the first time she's actually seen a child as young as her, already able to use aura.

"You impress me every second. Next you'll tell me you have a some sort of rare semblance."

Again, they shared another small laughter, whilst Jaune muttered as quietly as he could "something like that."

Such happy times for a child, is to stand by friends. Bonds of childhood friends were indeed the hardest to break, even in these times of racial hate and bloody violence, there are still small lights of hope that come in the form of innocence. Sadly, not all of these lights can shine for such a long time. And by the end of summer, it became apparent in the most common manner in the outer settlements.

It started as a Schnee plan to commit mass murder during an annual festival that, ironically, celebrated life. But ended with an unexpected attack from overwhelming forces of Grimm performing in strategic attacks. Leaving the hunters and soldiers at a great disadvantage. Within a single hour, Romdall lit the sky with ash and crimson. The small concrete roads ran rivers of bloody and bullets.

A lone figure stood amongst carnage and flames, smiling, and devouring. Greedily, he feasted on the flesh of poor souls who encountered him, killing without discretion. His jaw line, arms, and chest were drenched in crimson, blackened eyes stained with insanity, and a sinister grin that frightened even the Beowulfs around him. Pacing calmly towards Jaune, he uttered very clearly,

"We give birth to sin, curse many, bless few, and devour all. We are; the Oni." He stood in front of the injured blonde, kneeling to face him. It was not only fear that engulfed the young child's very mind, but the long forgotten feeling of an eerie safety and familiarity. The man continued, his grin wider than before, "You and I, are the same. Look before you at the death around and tell me if a voice within your subconscious does not beg you to devour like me. Listen to that voice, reach out for it. Connect with your inner self, and release that power. Devour, kill, destroy, it does not matter in what order, it all points to what you are. My little Va-"

"Jaune!"

The man's ebony eyes glanced towards Mishka, and Jaune's mother running towards them.

"I'm afraid we'll have to cut our meeting short. Bear in mind, Jaune, you and I are the very sin of humanity; the questions you shall ask will arise very soon. And when the time arrives, I will tell you everything you want to know. But you must be the one to call for me, and when you do, you may call me: Cerus."

Quickly, he threw himself back to avoid a swung blade, the bearer glaring him down.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Arc. You've done a fine job raising him. He will make an excellent soldier soon, quite possibly a leader. If that happens, I truly will enjoy having him take his rightful place, In the kingdom he rightfully belongs in!"

Jade only bared her teeth, steadying her blade for any try. "Mishka, get Jaune out of here."

"But-"

"Go! leave the settlement, quickly!"

With little haste, she picked Jaune up, and did her best to help him run. Like any other child he was reluctant to leave his mother in this situation, but had little strength to resist. Once they were out of hearing distance, Jade slightly lowered her blade. "I don't know what you are, but leave the boy be! I won't allow him to be anyone's tool. Especially yours, Cerus!"

The smile became an eerie scowl. "I see. You've become attached to the child, and you're even willing to put your life on the line for him. Though I admire your love for a monster such as him, I'm afraid my superiors have other plans for him. And you, sadly, are not in the picture..."

Jaune's eyes widened, daring to look back, he saw a hand pierce his mother's stomach. Cerus's grin had vanished, and a blood thirsty anger took over. From where the blonde boy stood he heard very clearly.

"Watch boy, and remember this moment!" From the corner of her eyes, Jaune's mother shed tears as she was about to leave her adoptive son to a cruel world, and a possible bloody future. Her killer leaned over, whispered in her ear, and then devoured.

Jaune watched as his mother was...slowly consumed by the very monster that destroyed his home. Said creature was now surrounded by the beasts that brought upon this onslaught; his laughter drowned the howls of the Beowulfs that plagued the weakened settlement. The cries of anguish and fear were mere whispers to the destruction around them.

7 years pass, and change in Remnant was never pleasant. Blood flows farther than the longest rivers, and cries of pain replace the crickets and howls of the night. Of course, this was only for those who lived past the Haven zones. The more protected cities receive complains of overpopulation and rapid drop of supplies. The Grimm were increasing in population size, and the cause is yet to be known. Investigations were all met with failure, and costly losses.

Apart from losing his mother at an early age, and having witnessed firsthand the chaos in Romdall. Vale wasn't so bad, but then again it wasn't paradise. The city lights made star gazing confusing. Mainly for trying to set apart the stars from the lights of an airship. The police sirens were heard almost every hour, and the treatment of Faunus were worse here. Some were even killed in broad daylight, and none would give a second glance.

"Ain't life in Vale grand?" Jaune mumbled while retreating into his house. His father was asleep on the couch, and like all ways, stressed out from work. People in Romdall once told stories of how much better life in the Haven zones were.

Well, after spending a fair amount of time in the City, the rural lifestyle was the preferred environment. Though, the decision was not in his hands, no matter how much he begged his father to go back home and help with the reconstruction, life in Romdall was no longer an option given to him.

The school he attended, gave the same treatment he received back home. Some showed sympathy, being a survivor from the outside and losing his mother at so early an age. However, sad as it was, it wasn't uncommon for people to hear similar stories from other transfer students.

There was, on the other hand, someone to help him through the hardened years: Katerina, Jaune's more active conscious, was always present during all his hardships. No one knew she existed, but as Jaune trained harder, his increase in aura allowed her to project herself if only for a short time. Although hearing her voice when she was young, the people involved in Josef's project still had no physical image of Jaune's 'other' half.

But to the scraggly blonde, he knew her down to every detail. Long ebony hair, skin as dark as an Ursa's fur, eyes of lustful cardinal, and always with Grimm-like exoskeleton armor. If there was such a thing as a human-Grimm hybrid, none could be more relative than what Katerina showed. Her personality, however, was far from that of a savage and bloodthirsty monster. Her impulses, though childish in plain view, showed how much she cared. And often, she'd take control of Jaune's body just to put a good pounding on any who've ever bullied him. People were mostly scared for the fact that the boy's ocean blue eyes would change to red every time she took over, and the sudden increase in physical strength piled on the reasons people averted their attention from him. It wasn't always her pulling the strings, at times the she'd flow most of her own power unto to Jaune during class tests. None knew why he underwent this sudden change during practice training, but it did earn him high marks, and unwanted reputation.

If her actions could be named, it would be: an overprotective younger sibling.

For 7 years, their secret was well hidden from the world. But now, Jaune was headed to his final mark: Beacon. Admission wasn't the problem, it was what followed. Initiation.

Every student took the same entrance exam, being launched into a forest full of Grimm, and retrieving relics. Over the years, the Grimm grew less hostile towards him, some even approached him during his training in Forever Fall.

Well, there was no longer any time for doubt; this was what he planned for his entire life. And at this very moment the only problem was: motion sickness. Being raised in a rural home, one has less tolerance towards any kind of machinery involving aviation.

When the airship finally docked, the poor blonde stumbled off. His vision was groggy, and feet nearly gave way had there not been a trash can to help with the nausea. After puking most of his breakfast away, he made his way to the large building that he would call his new home for the next few years. His first few steps were met with a large explosion near the courtyard.

The source led to an argument of a fairly young girl in red getting scolded by a white and dusty girl. The two were making quite a scene, mostly the one in white. He could approach and try to settle the fight, but something about the girl in rage made him feel angered for some reason. It wasn't much her attitude, but just something so obvious. Before he could walk their way, another party stepped in and drove the one in white away.

There was that itching feeling; curiosity, that just made him want to find out why he felt such anger towards someone he never met. Again, before he could advance further in his endeavor, his attention was caught by the girl in red who apparently had fallen down.

"Well, isn't this school just full of life already?"

He mumbled to himself while making his way towards her. After getting a closer look at her, she was really cute, and oddly, had a very young face.

"Hey." She looked up to see a blonde knight offering his hand. "Need some help?"

From a distance away, a certain figure was watching the child in red from the beginning, but as Jaune entered the picture; her curiosity blindly pushed her approach. Once within hearing range, she could hear their introductions,

"I'm Jaune Arc."

"My name's Ruby Rose."

The figure approaching halted almost instantly upon hearing the blonde's name. Her attention was now directly towards him, unaware of the single tear forming on her left eye. How much time passed, so many things to say but where to start. Before she had her chance, Ruby noticed her and was about to call out before she quickly pulled her hood over her head and walked away.

"What's wrong?"

"I could've sworn that girl was going talk to you."

Jaune turned around, but she had disappeared. "What girl?"

Ruby was just as confused as he was. Suddenly, an important memory came up. "Orientation!"