Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)


(A scene of chaos is shown at the famous Navy Pier in Chicago as creatures bearing black skin and white bone plates attack the civilians, but then a youth decides to intervene in the fight, only to get injured severely.)

Start Period - Fullmetal Alchemist OST

(The boy is shown in a hospital, lying on a bed as the camera pans in on the flashing light before it fades to blackness.)

Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising

At last we're here at the half way point (A pair of violet optics flash online as the screen pans out to show a dark blue colored mecha with a pair of draconic wings on the back as he stands atop a building in a city surrounded by mountains.)

In the heart of our endless journey (The mecha flares his wings and takes flight as he draws out a sword from his shield, charging at an imposing black Grimm with large wings and scars across its body.)

At last, while everything still is calm (As the two collide a flash of light is shown to reveal a young woman with brown hair and blue eyes looking at the camera, a rapier in her left hand as she holds a Dust canister in her right.)

Take a deep breath (She swings her sword, only for it to extend into a whip as it swirls with wind around it, curtesy of the wind Dust in the chamber.)

We both have just began to grasp it (The wind engulfs the screen only to vanish as fire surrounds a sword, the camera panning out to show a redheaded woman with a fiery sword in her grasp.)

But it's slipped out of our hands (The woman slashes with her sword as the camera follows the shockwave before it hits a wasp-like Grimm, incinerating it before the camera is engulfed in flames.)

And we will learn from those fragile mistakes (The flames vanish as the camera moves up and out of them, showing a city under siege.)

'til nothing stands in our way (The city defenses struggle to keep the Grimm Horde at bay, only to be aided by two more figures, one of them leaping into the air and firing a Dust-laced rocket from a rocket launcher at the closest Grimm.)

An unbreakable bond will forever link our hearts (The two figures land, one of them being a man wearing a trench coat and behind him appears a buxom woman in shadow as beside him stands a woman with a hammer in one hand, her gaze locked onto the sky above them.)

There's no spell, no hell, that will undo us (The camera pivots to show the two from the side and then from the front, only this time they stand beside the mecha and other two women as they stand in front of a large metallic structure.)

We have made it here at last (The fortress is shown in all its glory, cybernetic organisms lurking around it and several of them aim at the camera as two sinister green optics appear behind the scene, flaring brightly.)

In this never ending dance (The light envelops the camera only for it to vanish as the scene shows a woman with blonde hair and a man with a slightly darker shade of blonde hair standing in front of the mountain city, the others landing beside them.)

And we'll live through us the period of time (The group lunges at the screen, weapons drawn as more Grimm attack.)

GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING


Opening File: Dracon

Dracon is a well-known Huntsman who has tangled with many kinds of enemies, usually Grimm, but also the Fallen known as General Reginald Skarr. Dracon's origins are steeped in much controversy, as he was originally a human youth who was gravely injured, but given a robotic frame to allow him to live his life without being a cripple. However, despite this controversial treatment, he has proven himself time and time again, often clashing with Skarr or large numbers of Grimm to defend innocents. He has made friends and allies with many Hunters, including Scotty Blake of Clan Blake in Scotland.

His arsenal consists of fin funnels attached to his wings, a beam magnum, a Hyper Beam Sword, shoulder missile pods, four beam sabers, head-mounted Vulcan cannons, Dracon funnel fangs attached to his shield, and of course, his signature Beam Burst Gun. When coupled with his intelligence, incredible agility and speed, and his immense physical strength, he is a force to be reckoned with, and this combination allows him to even go toe to toe with other Fallen. He is by now a class V Huntsman, just on par with Scotty Blake.

Close File


"A reputation is usually something that people strive to make. It can either be good, or it can be bad. Not many people know that their actions impact their reputation. So for instance, if you were working at a store and acted out, people would start to see you as a disruptive employee, and take action to have you removed from their business. But in contrast, if you were a professional employee who did an outstanding job, you'd be seen as an excellent employee and maybe bring in more customers," TOM lectured as he closed up the Dracon file. "But in order to get that reputation, you have to start out small. No reputation comes overnight, you know."


The next months were brutal.

I spent every waking moment going through hours of familiar motions such as walking, running, sprinting, jumping, and even climbing. The first few days were nothing short of embarrassing as I stumbled and staggered, oftentimes falling onto my back, chest, and one time my butt. Just to even get the hang of walking again was a trial in of itself. I had to adjust to the way each component of my legs moved, as I needed to think about moving each one in order to appropriately walk again. The very fact I had to through that though was what made me feel so useless in a sense.

But as I continued the training, it seemed that the motions were becoming second nature to me. My steps began to become steadier and more natural, and my falls became less and less frequent. My friends made attempts to stop by every so often to assist me and see how I was doing, which made the training somewhat more bearable for me. When a full month had passed, I was at least able to walk again, which really gave me my sense of independence back. The hardest thing was even trying to prevent myself from collapsing whenever my wings were off kilter or something.

The days grew into weeks, and I found myself becoming faster at walking. So Dr. Vist had me move into jogging. That wasn't so hard, if not for the fact I kept tripping over my own two feet for the first few days of that. The training passed by, the weeks flying into months and I also found that my reflexes had vastly improved over my human reflexes. Jogging slowly turned into running, then sprinting. I found I was much faster on my feet, and my jumping ability was much greater to boot. I could now leap twice as high as I could in my human flesh, and when coupled with my new thruster pack, I could jump farther than I could without it. Add in the thrusters built into my legs and rear skirt armor, and I was able to maneuver much faster. I also learned that I was able to fly when I accidentally fell off the obstacle course and kicked on my thruster pack in an attempt to slow down my descent with my wings spread.

I had to admit, the basic movements were hard to master in this new frame. But at the same time, I found a lot of unique skills that even Huntsmen and Huntresses could only attain through the use of Dust, Aura, or Semblance, such as flight.

And that, I realized with a pleasurable hum, was the best about my frame.

Flying in the air... it was just so freeing. To see the ground below you and to leave those worries behind... nothing but the air around you and freedom of movement in three directions... now I knew why some people enjoyed it more than walking or driving. But to me, I had total control over myself in the air. I could simply wiggle my legs to steer right, left, or whatever. Adjusting my body allowed me to fly in any direction, and using my thruster pack allowed me to increase or decrease my speed. To feel the wind rushing around me was another freeing aspect. It was like a massive playground up there, but with just you and the air.

But what really shocked me was the sheer strength I now possessed. During a training fight against a captured Grimm, I actually wound up punching it right in the head, and my fist went clean through as a result. I recoiled in shock and horror, and after that I refused to fight until my friends informed me that it was actually a good thing, and they told me about Scotty Blake, one of the most well-known Huntsmen in Scotland, and of how he too had great physical strength that only grew stronger when he used his Semblance. I had to admit, that was a terrifying prospect. I eventually came to accept my new strength, and proceeded to use it to my advantage, and I found that it was also a help in many cases, such as in emergency situations that required heavy lifting.

The hardest part though was learning to use my new weapons. I quickly got the hang of the Hyper Beam Sword, as I had learned some basic swordsmanship from Hunter during my high school years. The beam magnum was easy enough to master as well, seeing as how I had a targeting system installed within me to help with my aim. What was a real problem were the wireless weapons, like my new fin funnels and Dracon fangs equipped to my shield. Those took weeks to get the basic hang of, and even then I still couldn't control them well enough to actually use them in combat. The one weapon I actually took a liking to was the Beam Burst gun on my right arm, and actually I found that it suited me. The beam sabers and beam tonfas were also easy enough to master.

By the time I was finished, a whole year had passed... well, more like a year and three and a half months, really.

But that time had also given me a chance to learn as much about the Grimm as I possibly could, but what I did learn was not that new, to be honest. The information was somewhat helpful though, I will admit.

My final moments at the Vist building finally came, and I exited the training and observation chamber, my friends and family waiting at the entrance to the facility.

"Seph..." Martha stood there with Hunter beside her, their gazes locked onto me. "You'll at least visit us, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. You bet," I remarked, placing a metal hand on her shoulder.

She smiled in relief and Hunter held up a fist. "Try not to get killed out there," he joked. I chuckled and gave him a light fist bump before turning to my parents. Mom and Dad both held worried looks in their eyes, and I couldn't blame them.

"Mom, Dad... I'll be careful," I told them. "And I'll try and visit as much as I can."

"All right. And Seph... try to avoid any Fallen. You may be tougher and stronger now, but you're still not ready to face them," Dad said sternly. "It's best you stay clear until you have more experience."

I nodded. "Will do, Dad."

Dr. Vist cleared his throat to catch my attention and I turned. "Oh, and Joseph? One last thing. Since this project is top secret, you can't exactly go out without a means of disguise."

"Like what?" I asked.

"You can use anything here to create whatever disguise suits you best," the CEO explained. He gestured to the wide array of materials, ranging from cloth to even wires and hologram projectors. I mentally perused all of them, trying to see which would work. But seeing as how I wasn't so keen on running the risk of a hologram projector shorting out on me, I decided to go with something rather simple, but effective. I made my way over and grabbed a piece of tarp, holding it up and throwing it around myself like a cloak.

Martha and Hunter both stared for a moment while my parents smiled in approval.

"Wow... Hate to admit it, but that's kinda cool, Seph," Hunter remarked.

"You think so?" I asked.

Martha nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It somehow suits you."

I felt a slight hum from my reactor and I smiled in my optics. "Yeah? Well, then..." I turned to face Dr. Vist.

Cardias smiled in response. "If it works, then go with it," he said. "And remember, that the beasts of possibility will soar one day."

I cocked my head in confusion, but let it go as I turned and made my way out of the facility, taking my first steps into the unknown world of the Huntsmen.


Of course, that was just the beginning. The next component was training, and I was not willing to risk going to a training school close to the major cities. So I did some poking around and after some research, found a school located in a very small town that did have a Hunstman program. It wasn't well known, but it did produce a lot of good Huntsmen and Huntresses. So I set out to enroll, and as it turned out, it was a community college program, so I was eligible for it.

The school itself wasn't very big, nor was it really state-of-the-art. But it did do the job. The name of the school was Laplace Community College, located in the small town of Laplace, Michigan. The town held only about fifteen thousand people, but that didn't matter much at first. What did matter was that the college's Huntsman program was starting up that summer, and I was not going to sit by and do nothing. So I headed out, taking buses to avoid flying and drawing attention to myself. The journey there didn't take very long, about a day and a half, and when I arrived it was early June.

The next four years were spent at the school, going through the training, education, and skills to become a Huntsman. Normally I would've delved into that, but that'll be a different story. Right now, you need to know what drew me into the war against the Grimm... and the Fallen, as well. Four years of training had honed my skills, and allowed me to get better use of my frame, which was perhaps the biggest thing to me. Even a year's worth of training was not enough to give me full mastery of everything in it.

By the time I had graduated, I was able to hold my own against several large Grimm at once. The real threats though were the numbers of the smaller Grimm. I still had yet to fully master my fin funnels, but at least I was able to use them more precisely. I finally left Laplace, heading out and starting to wander the world, taking on missions and jobs to hunt the Grimm.

My first job took me to a small town just north of Detroit, a community of only five thousand people named Staffordshire.

The day was rainy, and there was no way a sunbeam could poke through the thick clouds. Thunder rent open the sky and lightning flashed brightly, throwing the area into illumination briefly. The rain lashed at my cloak, which by now was starting to get torn and tattered, but that mattered little as long as the tears were minor. Any big gashes I found I had to sew shut myself; so I purchased a small sewing kit I stashed in a small compartment on my side skirt armor. The decision proved to be sound, as now I was able to mend my cloak to keep myself hidden.

Anyway, as I wandered through the streets, I spotted some other Huntsmen and Huntresses walking about in this weather, and they clearly didn't look very comfortable. I wasn't much better, to be honest. But at least my frame was built to take this kind of weather. I shivered a bit on instinct as my sensors detected a cold breeze blowing off Lake Michigan. I looked around, my gaze landing on the hotel close to the intersection where I was standing. The building wasn't in too bad a shape, only a few worn shutters on the lower levels. Everything else was in good shape. I walked over to the door and made my way inside.

The door was in need of an oiling, I noticed as soon as I opened it. The interior of the inn was very dingy, with shady folks and some scarred Huntsmen and Huntresses all sitting around the small bar in the far corner. An old fireplace held a wood-burning fire, and the air reeked of cigar smoke and cheap booze. I winced internally from the smells and drew my cloak closer to my frame. I glanced down at my shaking hands and clenched them into fists, trying to ignore the fluttering sensation in my lower torso. My reactor was humming just the tiniest bit louder in my audios and I took in a deep breath to try and calm my figurative nerves.

To be honest, this was my first time being in a place like this. I figured it had to be because I came from a nice small town, with decent income, and new, modern buildings that weren't as shady or as rundown. But this... if this was where my job would take me, then I started to regret my decision to even go through with the proposal those six years ago. And yet I still had a job to do. I squashed any doubt and stood up straight, squaring my shoulders and adopting a confident pose as I made my way over to the guest registry desk. I ignored my racing reactor and rapped on the side of the desk with one of my feet.

The woman behind it looked up, her gaze landing on me and sweeping me up and down. She frowned. "You're new here," she said in a nasally tone. I winced to myself in my thoughts.

"Yes, I am," I said in a deep baritone. It wasn't much of a surprise anymore, especially as since in the aftermath of my training Dr. Visit had surprised me with the adjustment to my vocalizer before I left.

The woman frowned. "You a new Huntsman?" she asked. "Because only newcomers carry the air you do: cocky, confident, and ignorant."

I leaned in, my optics boring into her eyes. "I may be new, but I'm not stupid," I told her firmly. "I've seen loss, and seen what the Grimm can do." And it was true too.

She curled her lips and I saw her teeth were colored black from tobacco. I quickly averted my gaze, keeping my optics locked onto her eyes. "So... have any spare rooms?" I asked.

The woman pursed her lips and glanced around. Several of the shady folk were looking our way, and I glanced back at them. One of them was a big man, standing at around six foot four, just two inches taller than me. He was muscular in build, and he had a thick thatch of brown hair that hung down in greasy strands around his grizzled face. He had a huge club slung over his back and he wore a tattered coat with a grungy shirt straining against a thick gut and oil-stained pants, scuffed up shoes on his feet. He stood up and sneered as he made his way over to us.

"Well. Looks like we gots ourselves a newbie," he said, sneering at me. He suddenly lashed out and grabbed my cloak, pulling me close to his face. I let out a small gasp as he picked me up off the ground, and my covered hands grabbed his arm on instinct. He chuckled, and I instantly closed my vents to try and block the smell of his booze breath; it made me sick to my nonexistent stomach. "Trying to act like a pro Huntsman. But you're just a little kid! I mean, come on!" He glanced back at his buddies.

"Whaddya think, boys?" he asked, shaking me. "Pop him a new one?"

The men gathered at the table he had been at all hooted and hollered at the suggestion. I could only guess it meant trouble. But I had strict orders to not reveal myself to the world due to the secrecy of the project. The man turned to face me and he sneered. "Well, it's unaminous! I'm gona pop you a new one, newbie!" His hand reached for his club and pulled it free from his back. My optics picked out the Dust chambers and I guessed this club to be his signature weapon. Thinking fast, I drew back my feet and lashed out in a kick to his chest.

My feet struck him in the solar plexus and he staggered back from the impact, letting go of my cloak as he did so. I landed on my feet and got into a fighting stance, fists raised and clenched. I studied the man as he straightened up and rubbed his chest with one massive hand. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, fury filling those blue eyes. "You... You son of a...!" A loud roar escaped him as he held his club over his head and charged at me, intent on bashing my head to bits. I flared my optics a bit before he swung, and I dodged it, moving to the side as the head slammed into the floor of the inn.

The fight starting was enough to get the attention of several people in the inn, and even the woman at the desk was startled by the impact of the man's club. She was on her feet in a flash, running for us and she attempted to get between us, but the man grunted and shoved her aside with one meaty hand. He looked her in the eyes, and his Aura flared into action, a green color that resembled slime. "You little bitch! You dare to interfere?!"

The woman's eyes widened and she screamed as the man prepared to bring his club down on her.

That was the final straw. I clenched my fists and darted in, my fist flying out and connecting solidly with the man's jaw. He cried out as he was thrown back by the force of my punch. I hadn't used my full strength, but just enough to give him a bruised jaw. He crashed into a table, startling a few patrons as they scrambled out of his way, and he rolled onto his stomach, pushing himself to his feet. He turned and looked at me with rage blazing in his eyes, and he rubbed his jaw with his hand. "You... So... you're willing to fight for the bitch? Trying to get into her pants and hump her?"

I snarled. "Hardly!" I hissed. "I'm not that kind of person! I'm just trying to stand up for what's right! And that, my friend, is anything but right! No one hurts an innocent and gets away with it! Least of all a Huntsman! I'm surprised you call yourself a Huntsman with the way you behave!"

The man sneered at me. "So what? It's a dog eat dog world, kiddie. And this is just the way things are!"

That was it. Ignoring the cries from several people, I grabbed the man by his shirt and pulled him close to my face. "You think that being a Huntsman is all about glory and money?!" I practically shouted the words as I shook him. "You think that it's all about survival of the fittest?! Well, think again! Because not all of us here agree with that philosophy! In fact, some of us hate it!"

"That attitude won't get you far, kiddie," the man snorted as he spat in my face.

His spittle struck my faceplate and I flared my optics brightly. "Well, yours won't either, bastard!" I hissed.

The man didn't even hesitate to go on the offense again, this time slamming me with a brutal backhand that knocked me flat on my back. I landed on the floor of the inn and skidded a bit before I sat up, rubbing my faceplate with one hand. I got to my feet, letting my hand drift for my cloak. "You just made a big mistake, buster," I said slowly. "I don't like to fight, and actually, I would prefer not to. But given the circumstances, and how you're acting, you leave me with no choice but to fight."

"Oh? A little mister pussycat?" the man guffawed. "You going to scratch me with your puny claws?"

"No," I said as I slowly reached for the hood. "I'm not." I removed the hood from my head and the man gaped in shock as he saw my true features. I also threw open my cloak, exposing my true frame for him to see. I even flared my wings for dramatic effect. "I'm not a pussycat. And I'm going to show you what I truly am."

The man staggered back, his eyes wide in shock. "W-What are you?!" he blurted, pointing at me with his club.

"Just a Hunstman trying to make his way in the world," I replied, cracking the metallic joints in my neck and knuckles. "And you... are going to regret pissing me off."

I lunged for the man as he activated his Aura, channeling it into defense. I threw a punch for his protruding gut and connected with it, but at only half my full strength. The blow was enough to send him rolling, this time for the side of the inn, right where a window was. The window smashed as he was knocked out, and he landed in the street. I leapt out of the shattered window and slipped into the shadows around him. He got to his feet and looked around, hefting his club and spinning the Dust chamber until there was yellow Dust in it. I frowned in my thoughts as I saw this.

'Yellow Dust... he's planning to strike me with it if I come out and go for a physical strike,' I mused as I watched him. I reached for my beam magnum. 'Gonna have to go long range then.' I grasped the weapon and pulled it free from my back and aimed it. "So... you're smart, knowing that my body is encased in metal armor; therefore you went for the yellow Dust. But... not good enough," I said as I leaned out of the shadows and fired.

The man spun, and slammed his club down on the ground. "Oh yeah?! Well, you're stupid for even taking this fight outside!"

My optics flashed in surprise as I saw the lightning arcing right for me! I crouched and sprang off the ground, kicking off the building closest to me before landing atop some crates. The lightning crackled along the water-lined street and I gulped as I realized how close I had come to being electrocuted - and I had been electrocuted once during my Huntsman training. It actually hurt! And not like electrocuting a human would. For me, being electrocuted was close to torture, with all systems being overloaded by the sheer voltage running through them, and the sheer agony... It was enough to make me offline for a few days, during which I was kept under observation to see if anything was wrong with my processor.

Now though, I was not about to let it happen again. I shifted and watched as my opponent turned and ran at the crates, swinging his club and bringing it down, intent on smashing the crates I was on. I sprang off the crates and whipped my foot around in a kick, nailing him in the gut again, his Aura taking the blow and shielding him from major harm. He went rolling, but was back on his feet a moment later. He spun his Dust chamber to red Dust and swung the club down, slamming the head on the ground and sending a fire tower towards me. I reacted by throwing up my left arm, the fire slamming into my shield. The I-field - a type of field designed around the new Minovsky Particle theory - took the flames and they dissipated from around it, revealing my shield intact.

I lowered my arm. "Nice try," I said. "But I'm well equipped to handle anything that comes my way."

"Yeah?!" the man shouted, drawing attention from the broken inn window and people looked out, watching us with nervousness and worry. I forced myself to pay attention to my opponent, only to find he was gone. Had I been able to, I would've blinked in shock. Instead, I looked around, wondering where he went.

The last thing I expected was to receive a brutal blow, as if a club had slammed me over the sku-err, helm. I actually went sprawling as static and stars erupted in my vision, blurring my Heads-Up-Display and making my vision fuzzy. I shook my helm to try and reduce the throbbing pain in my processor, which felt like it had been smashed against the inside of my head.

"Heh. Some Huntsman you are! You can't even combat my Semblance!" the man's voice sneered from nowhere.

I mentally gritted my teeth as I realized he had gotten the jump on me. 'Dammit! Now I gotta try and find him! Only problem is... I don't know how!' I thought angrily. 'How am I supposed to track him down!? I thought Dr. Vist said that I had radar installed! But he never even told me how to get it to work!'

I needn't have worried for long though. In my anger, I whirled around, and my fist did collide with something and it blocked, but I had no idea what it was. I needed desperately to see, and see him, not just with eyesight, but... with a new sense. My radar.

The next thing I knew, I felt something... stir... within me, and a faint tingling raced through my frame before I seemed to get this... flash... of something in the lower right hand corner of my HUD. Confused, I shifted my gaze to that part and I was staring at a small rectangle with a greenish dot in the middle - I guessed that to be me - and a more earthen green dot as it circled around me. I knew it had to be my opponent.

For the first time I was actually using my sensors to keep track of him. As the small earthen green dot lunged for my location on the map, I moved to the left, and I heard a yelp of surprise. I knew I had him.

My fist whipped out and slammed itself into his gut, and this time he gasped as his body shimmered back into view. His eyes were bulging and he looked like he was going to throw up his dinner. I moved to the right and my hand snatched him by his hair and I drew him close to my face. I made sure to flare my optics as he coughed and threatened to throw up on me.

"You think you're so tough? Well, guess what? You're not," I muttered. "Now get out... and never come here again!"

I roughly shoved the man back and he turned and ran for it.


By the time I returned to the inn, it was a madhouse and people were trying to clamor over me to get a glimpse. But I rejected it and the woman agreed, saying that I needed my rest, and she even threatened to throw people out into the rain if they came after me. I also learned the name of the man I had just fought: Jackson McGille, a Huntsman who made a name for himself by massacring Grimm using his club to bash their skulls in. He was also supposedly a crooked Huntsman, but no one could prove he had embezzled hundreds of dollars into his accounts. That just made things more interesting, I mused as I entered my room.

Thankfully it was on the second floor, so no one would bother me.

I tossed my cloak onto the chair and flopped back on the bed, my hands laced behind my helm as I gazed at the ceiling. I could still feel the clout, but thankfully there was no dent. I chuckled to myself a bit. 'I guess that meteorite's metal is tougher than I thought,' I mused to myself.

I was too tired to even think of anything else at the moment. I just slipped under the covers, keeping my wings folded against my back as I rolled over onto my side; I found that sleeping on my side was preferable to sleeping on my back with my wings pinned underneath me. It also helped, in case I rolled over onto my stomach... er, well... you know what I mean.

And yet, for some reason, my mind just wouldn't settle down. I felt exhausted, but also very alert. It was so strange. I guessed it to be the fight I had recently, but for some odd reason, that just didn't seem to be the case. I finally brushed it off as nerves and shut off my optics in preparation for some recharge. The first tendrils of sleep finally came up to claim me as my mind finally began to settle down.

Only for a loud siren to suddenly startle me out of my half-sleeping state.

I jolted at the sound, sitting up in bed and my wings partially flaring in response. I could see lights flashing outside the window, and I ran over, pulling open the curtains and staring in shock at the commotion outside. People were running and some were even screaming as they ran for the designated shelters marked with the appropriate symbols. A few Huntsmen were already running away from the panicking crowds, and I heard the howling of the Beowolfs over the screaming and wailing sirens. One of the perks to being a Gundam now, I mused briefly. I grabbed my cloak and quickly flung it on before running out and down into the street, joining the fray.

One of the Huntsmen was guiding a panicked family of four into the nearest shelter, which wasn't much of a shelter, really; just an old bomb shelter that could hold up to fifteen hundred people at most. There were a few other such shelters, but none of them were fortified like this one. I brushed it aside and looked at him as he eyed me. "You a Huntsman?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

He nodded once. "Good. We need someone to cover the eastern part of town. Heard there was a Grimm pack coming this way. Beowolves, I think."

I felt a chill race down my back struts. Beowolves I had only heard of, never fought before. I gulped nervously and nodded. "On my way!" I turned and ran for it, leaping up with a small pulse from my thrusters onto a rooftop. I made my way via the roofs to the designated spot, which was marked by a cluster of police cars and officers guiding people into a cave, of all places, for shelter. I snorted to myself. These townsfolk really needed up-to-date shelter protocols.

I took up a position close to the group, gripping my beam magnum in my hands and scanning around me with my radar for any sign of the Beowolves.

The Huntsmen and Huntresses in the area continued to usher the civilians into the cave, only to halt as a loud howl echoed across the town. My gaze shot to look in the direction of the howl, and I swore my wings began to twitch a little. My radar started to ping inside my head, and I noticed a large number of black and red dots beginning to swarm onto the radar map. I gulped and hefted my magnum as I crouched, eyeing them with wariness and anxiety making my reactor hum louder. I shivered a bit, trying to keep calm. It wouldn't do any good to panic, I recalled, as Grimm tended to react to negative emotions.

What I did not expect was to also see a group of Boarbatusks in the area as well. My reactor seemed to leap into my throat at that point and I gulped audibly. I had never even faced this kind before, but I had faced down Creeps before. And those were some of the weirdest Grimm I had ever encountered. But the most problematic were the Boarbatusks, mostly due to their sheer defensive properties, which was their very thick bone armor. I gripped my magnum and shifted, laying flat on my chest and lining up the sight.

I fired.

The beam lanced out with a distinct sound that would soon become my calling card, and it raced right for the closest Boarbatusk. The Grimm was struck on its left flank and it went down, or rather its leg only buckled. I pulled the trigger a second time and a second shot hit it. The Boarbatusk squealed as it collapsed to its side, and then another one charged in my direction, along with a few Beowolves. I gasped and scrambled to my feet, bringing my gun across my chest and igniting the beam bayonet. The small blue beam lanced out as I swung, gashing the closest Beowolf across the chest and delivering a punch with my free hand. My fist went through its skull and then I pulled my hand out as it started to disintegrate into thick black smoke.

The remaining three Beowolves started to attack me, forcing me to back up from the roof and I had no idea until my foot hit nothing but air. I found myself losing my balance and I flexed my wings out from under my cloak in an attempt to keep myself from tumbling to the ground below. But it wasn't enough. I lost my balance and I slipped off the edge. But I wasn't going to let myself be caught with my guard down. I twisted my frame around so I performed a backflip and landed on my feet, leaving a small imprint in the dirt behind the house I had taken position on top of. I heard the Boarbatusk coming at me from behind, and I leapt off the ground, the Grimm charging beneath me. I smirked mentally as I placed my gun on my lower back. My hands lashed out and grabbed onto the back of the beast.

The Grimm squealed and cried out as it tried to dislodge me, but I securely fastened my legs to the sides and clung on like a cowboy riding a bull. I gripped it tightly, feeling the bone plating flexing beneath my mechanical hands. I dug my metal fingers into the gaps between the plates. "Oh, no you don't!" I muttered. I had to admit, this was the first time anyone had thought of this.

To be honest, I didn't think that any other Huntsmen or Huntresses had even considered riding a Grimm into battle like a horse before. I made sure to keep a firm grip on the Boarbatusk as it squealed and tried to dislodge me. But I made sure I wasn't going anywhere. I shifted my position and proceeded to jab the sides of my feet into its flanks and it reared up like a horse. "Hah!"

That did the trick. The beast turned as I kept a firm grip on its bone plate armor. My optics flashed a bit as I gave a cry and jabbed both feet into its flanks again. "Hyah!" The Boarbatusk cried out as it reared up for a second time and it began to charge into the fray, its tusks acting like a battering ram for clearing out the Beowolves. Many of them were also stomped on by its feet and I grimaced mentally at the implications. I hated just crushing stuff, but in this case it was inevitable if they couldn't get out of the way in time. And it turned out they didn't because they were too shocked at the tactic I was using.

I waited a bit before I sprang off the creature's back and landed, not even wasting any time as I aimed my right arm and, with a single thought, swung my Beam Burst gun into position.

The gun itself was actually rather sleek, and unlike what I had feared, it didn't cover my hand. That was an immense relief for me as it meant I had both hands free for defense instead of just one free hand. I aimed at the closest Beowolf and willed it to fire. The blast that lanced out was similar to fire, but in reality was just plasma laced with fire Dust. The combination was actually more powerful than just standard plasma or fire Dust, and that also gave the blast its signature red color. I had no idea that Dr. Vist had even installed such a weapon, or even managed to make the Dust supply last very long. Truth be told though, I was grateful for the weapon, (and still am) as it had saved my life many times since.

The beam split off into a spread of sorts, striking the Beowolves and scorching them into ashes. I proceeded to pivot, turning and keeping my gun firing. The Beowolves were still coming though, and the Boarbatusk I had ridden into battle was now coming at me as well. I shifted and cut the blast from my Beam Burst gun and stored it back against my right arm. I lashed out in a pair of punches, one a right cross and the other an uppercut, and sent a Beowolf flying into the trees. I tensed my frame, and within mere seconds the Boarbatusk was bearing down on me. From what I had learned in the Huntsman Program back at Laplace Community College, a Boarbatusk's weakness was its unarmored underside.

I dropped to the ground, sprawling on my chest and rolled so I was flat on my back beneath the beast. At the same time, my hand flew for my shield and I grasped the hilt of my Hyper Beam Sword, pulling it out and jabbing the blade into the underside of the Grimm. A loud squeal of pain and agony nearly blew out my audios, but I quickly muted the sound and shoved the beast off the ground, pulling my sword free in a swift movement. I returned my audios' sensitivity back to normal levels and turned to look at the Beowolves as they started to circle me.

I flared my optics before I charged into the fray, the beam edges of my sword igniting to add to its deadly cutting abilities. I cried out as I slashed, and then I let loose on them. I started to lose track of time, and my mind became focused on one thing only: defending this town. I had no idea as to what was happening to me, but it felt like my armor was shifting and changing, exposing certain segments of my frame to the night air. I was too focused on the fighting though, and it was only after the battle ended that I actually discovered what had happened to my frame. But at the moment, I couldn't focus on anything else. I kept going after the Grimm, slaying many. I lost count of the number I killed, and several parts of my frame were starting to flash on a display on my HUD. I ignored it and shut down the damage assessment program. I could worry about that later.

The last Grimm fell to my sword just an hour later.

When I finally regained some sense of awareness, I was surprised to see how many Grimm I had slain. There were over five hundred dissipating bodies, but only two hundred were by my hand alone. The others were done by several Huntsmen who had joined the fray. I slowly stood up, taking care to sheath my sword before I did an examination of myself. It was standard procedure for me to conduct a self examination to see just how much damage I had sustained. Mostly it was minor stuff like scrapes and nicks that could easily be fixed with some self-welding. Thankfully no real major damage had been done, but my cloak was ripped in a few places, so that meant I had to sew those tears shut.

That was also when I saw the greenish-white light emitting from my frame. Confused, I looked down and inspected my arms, noticing at once that my armor had split outwards to expose glowing green-white components. I wondered if it was simply a light show, but then I paused. There was no way it was just a light show. I could feel something else surging through me, like... some kind of power. I had no idea as to what it was, but whatever it was, it had given me extra strength and agility. Sort of like a limiter had been removed.

I slowly glanced down at a puddle near my feet, and I gaped in shock at what I saw.

Rather than a shorter, less bulky mecha standing there, I saw a tall, proud, glowing machine with what appeared to be a muscular build. My true features were also exposed: a white faceplate with glowing violet optics and a golden V-fin adorning my helm. Even my wings and backpack unit seemed to have shifted, exposing the same glowing frame components. It seemed like my entire frame had bulked up, and actually, I hated to admit, but I looked good.

I raised a hand and stared at it for a moment, flexing it and feeling the strength coursing through me.

'Whoa... I knew that I was strong, but this... wow!' I thought in amazement. 'Guess he was right. This whole project... it could very well be what we need to turn the tide!'

I was so busy staring at my hand I didn't even hear the sounds of footsteps. I perked up as a voice called out to me.

"Hey! You!" the voice shouted.

I turned to face the speaker as she came up, revealing herself to be a Huntress. She looked like she was in her mid thirties, with a scar across her face and a pair of what looked liked short daggers in her hands. She ran a hand through her brown hair and stood up straight. "Thanks for helping us out here," she said as she sheathed her daggers in her belt. "I don't know what we'd've done. That was the largest Grimm horde that's attacked this town in years."

I simply waved it off. "Just doing my job," I said.

She finally pursed her lips as she looked me up and down, and I shivered under her calculating gaze. I wondered if she was going to say anything about my appearance, and I realized I hadn't kept myself entirely hidden. I gulped nervously to myself.

"That armor's sure tough," she noted, poking my chest with a finger. "What's it made of?"

I let out a sigh through my vents as I realized she didn't know the truth. "Some kind of material from space," I said truthfully. "I actually had help because it was so hard to mold with standard equipment." (Well, that last part was a lie, but no way was I telling anyone that.)

"All right. But even so, don't get all cocky because of it. Many others have thought the same way," the woman cautioned.

I nodded. "True. But trust me. I'm nothing like the newbies." And although I was a newbie Huntsman, I knew better than to act all tough and invincible. Not like a certain man one of my teachers in high school had run into, although his name escaped me. I knew he had some relation to a wig maker, but that was it. I finally sighed and threw my cloak back around my frame. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to return to my room and get some sleep. It's been a very long day."

The woman watched as I turned and walked off, leaving behind a battlefield starting to swarm with civilians, Huntsmen, and Huntresses.


Back at the inn, I flopped back on my bed again, this time though one of my hands rested on my lower torso and I was staring at the other one. I could still feel the strength that surged through me, and I turned over my hand so I was looking at the back of it, and my arm as well. The greenish-white light of my frame made me wonder just what was really stored within my frame's workings. What was this greenish-white frame beneath my armor? Was that responsible for my increased strength and agility? And if so, did it even have a name? Was it an Aura, a Semblance, or neither?

I needed to know. But I couldn't exactly try and reach out to Dr. Vist at the moment, because I didn't know the company's phone number. I sighed as I laid my other hand across my chest, feeling the humming of my reactor beneath my chest armor. The sensation felt so natural to me after six years like this, so I didn't really pay much attention to it. At least until now. My reactor's hum was just the tiniest bit louder, but not enough to cause me any worry. If anything, it sort of was a calming feeling, and it felt a bit warm, too. A calming warmth that pulsated right in the center of my chest.

I turned my helm to look out the window, and I wasn't too surprised to see the patrols of Huntsmen and Huntresses going through the streets of the town, and some were even working on repairing the damage to the inn; not that it really mattered, as damage could always be repaired. Lives could never be replaced.

I turned over and rolled onto my side, facing away from the window and dimmed my optics while turning my audios down considerably. Now my mind was getting tired, and I let the first moments of sleep come up and claim me, pulling me into the depths of recharge.