Before we began I like to clarify that if you seen these Grimm fan art I do not owe them, I am merely using them. And be sure to see some mistakes, took me a couple of days to finish this whole thing.
The scenery was beautiful to be honest, the sea of forest that disappear into the horizon and the clouds passing by through the blue sky, so many things. He can set a forest fire when he spot a huge nest, so far he seen a few small ones. Perhaps he can lead them into unstable mountains.
"You know, you should do something new." Qrow said, drinking his flask with a grin. "Go hiking, swim in the lake, or sight-seeing. They sound boring..."
"Right." The Grimm Slayer answered dully, Qrow unknowingly lit his mind with new ideas. "This... place, what is it?"
"Vale... let me think, sexy girls, drinks, clubs, alcohol, liquor store. Just basic kingdom stuff-things, but with more people and racists and bits of happiness..." Qrow shrug feeling his brain cells overheating.
"I see." The Grimm Slayer noted documenting Qrow's word before leaning over to Qrow, who seem to be messing with his Scroll.
"Dang it!" Qrow cursed. A 'Game Over' appeared before replaying.
The whole trip was quiet beside for the curses and rants from the man and it wasn't long before their trip ended with the two being greeted to the city life.
"Hey I need to do something real quick, mind hanging her for bit till I get back." Qrow swirl his flask. He must've stop the trip to resupplies.
"Of course." The supplies must be necessary if he had to stop the Bullhead, he watch the man going into a isolated part of the park before lurching over into the trash can.
Observing the area, it was peaceful, there were insects, flowers and plants he never seen in the wild. The park appear to be free of trash and rodents, it was pointless for him to stay here, he might as well explore a bit of this place.
"Can you spare." The Grimm Slayer turn to face a very skinny boy with canine ears, gray eyes sulken deep into his thin face. The clothes he wore were rags rather than a jacket and pants, their color fading away.
He never thought being a giver during either of his travel since he wouldn't stay too long, he seen people just brush each other when asking for money, rarely seen those give away money.
He did what he could done.
His action has no impact to the boy's life.
His ration; a wheel of cheese.
"Here. Take it." He offered with a clean, very clean dagger.
His eyes seem to glisten with tears, he knew it didn't mean much, but at least he tried. Helping people wasn't his strong point only slaying.
"Thank you." He said through his teeth as tears and snot run down his face. "I'll never forget, I'll be a huntsman just like you; a hero!" Where did that idea came from?
"I'm new to this place... can you show me?"
"Sure! I know this place the back of my head!" He quirk, his ears wagging up and down. "So where do you want to go?" Where did he want to go? He never thought of exploring Vale.
"Perhaps the blacksmith."
"Oh! So your going to upgrade your gear! No problem, I know a lot of blacksmiths, though some are hardasses." The boy scrunch his lips like he didn't appreciate those blacksmith. "But I do know one, he's incredibly short." He began leading the Grimm Slayer.
"I'm back!" Qrow called out wiping his mouth with his sleeve before noticing that the Grimm Slayer wasn't there. "Just great, I lost him in a big city... oh well I'll find him when I get some refills."
"Yo! Old man!" The boy barged into the store with the Grimm Slayer following behind.
"Heh? You're still kicking you damn brat?" Behind the counter was a short burly old man, wearing a brown apron with pockets over his tank top that proudly show his scars. "Juice is in the backroom, feel free." He jabbed at the backroom.
"I brought back some cheese!" The boy smile before disappearing into the backroom, not letting the man speak.
"I take it that yer' the one who gave him the cheese?" The smithy inquire, crossing his arms.
"Yes."
"I see you fell for his tricks." The man didn't look disappointed at the discovery, but take it with mirth. "Oh? There's a surprise, someone who actually wear a full set."
"Is there perhaps something wrong with what I protect myself?" The Grimm Slayer looked at himself as if he had rust on it.
"Nope, youngsters choice of attire is starting to affect me is all, just clothes and bits of metal, no full armor... after all you can't go to war without a weapon or protection, heck even Aura." He ranted at the fact. "Yer' quite rare to society nowadays; a fully armoured man weapons nothing but a dull sword and daggers."
"Weapons are weapons, they all have their uses." He retort causing the man to snort.
"Weapons are crafted by us blacksmith, we put our soul in forging these weapons, our heart into refining them, our pride in people hands. And your spitting at our face because it's a tool?"
"Yes, regardless of how you feel or how other feels. I don't care, all I need is to kill." The Grimm Slayer pull his sword out and hold it towards the short old man. "Are you gonna deny my journey?"
The two stared down at each other, silence fill the room as the tension was so thick that only the sharpest of blades could cut it.
"HAHAHA! You got guts to say that in front of my face." The man snorted from his laughter. "If you were a huntsman who thought cockily about weapons then I would've kick yer' ass."
"I'm not, huntsman are those with flashy colors and style."
"Don't forget weapons. They love to add guns to the mix, like pbj sandwich?" He examine the blade before placing it on the counter. "Yes... you seen a lot and learn a lot from him... you want to continue spilling don't you."
"Who are you talking to?"
"Your sword."
"... I see..."
It wasn't long until the Canine Faunus came back.
"Old man I caught it!" The boy came back bringing a Grimm in his hands, a vermin-type. "The trouble-maker that been eating your food!"
"Then kill it already!" The smithy barked in anger waving the sword.
Before the boy could react, the rodent slipped out of his hand and ran towards the exit, before it could reach the door it was sent flying into the wall by the Grimm Slayer kick.
"I got it!" The boy immediately slam a dagger into its neck ending the Grimm.
"A new subspecies?" The Grimm Slayer took a long gaze at the disintegrating body.
The Grimm seem to represent a mouse or a rat, it wasn't abnormal from what he can tell, estimating the height the average was up to his lower shins.
"Are you a stupid country bumpkin or something?" The smithy snorted in amusement at statement before confirming his confusing by the slayer head tilting a bit. "Ratatosk, more commonly known as persistent little crap. These Grimm cannot survive in the wilderness, but in kingdoms and villages. They eat anything and cause problems to us homeowners."
"And us homeless people." The boy added with a frown. "Huntsman never bother hunting them so exterminators have to kill them, though it doesn't work well in the end."
"Anyway I'll be maintaining your gear now." The Grimm Slayer complied as he handed him his entire weaponry. "Coated daggers? That's something. Alright brat watch over the shop for me, it's gonna be an hour before I can restore these."
"It's not like you ever get customers anyway." The boy snark with a playful smile before receiving a fist to the head. "OW!"
"These Grimm; I would like to exterminate them." The Grimm Slayer started causing the boy's ear to perk up.
"Eh? Really then I can tell you all about them and where they usually hang out." The boy wag his tails back and forth, watching the slayer take a sword and start sharpening them. "Can you let me join your hunt?"
"Perhaps. Find me next time." The Grimm Slayer stated staring at the child innocent glow.
"Where you going?" The smithy gruffed towards the boy noting he was wearing some pieces of the armor of the shop.
"Oh! I'm going out for a walk!" The boy chimed with a small smile.
"And that is?" The smithy inquire, narrow his eyes at the boy.
"To the lower side of Vale..."
The smithy blink before scoffing at the answer, the lower side of Vale wasn't much pretty than upside just petty people and pretenders. He'll allow the boy the armor as long as it wasn't robbed or sold.
"Be a good boy when your there, I don't want to bring home a bad boy!" He joked.
"Shut up you midget!" He yelled before running down the street causing the smithy to shake his head.
The little Faunus ran to his destination ignoring the people who bumped into him or the people he bumped into.
"I'm here!" The Faunus said towards the Grimm Slayer who glance at him before turning back to the ocean.
"Are you ready? Our trip could cause some fatality from what you told me."
"I'm ready!" He huffed in annoyance. "I don't understand why you tell me to wear armor, don't they restrict your movements? And why did I have to bring a lantern instead of Fire Dust... well they are expensive." He snarl a bit.
"What else did you bring?"
"Bait, poisoning, matches, a dagger, flashlight incase the lantern is busted, and a few rolls of bandages." He shuffle through his sack before pulling out what he could easily tell, a revolver. "Don't tell the old man, he'll kill me if he found out I have the gun."
"Why?"
"Cause I stole it." He stated with a hint of pride. "I'm pretty good at shooting."
"Use it?" The boy then point his revolver at him and pull the safety off, the Grimm Slayer nodded in approval noting that the boy's eye turn sharper. "Good."
With nothing to say, the two venture on, or in this case the boy leading the Grimm Slayer to his next hunt. To him this hunt was testing the full potential of these Grimm.
The Faunus seem to follow despite telling him that it would be dangerous for him to enter, but the boy seem brave stating that his senses were sharper and could help him find the Ratatosk in hiding.
In his notes these Ratatosk were annoyingly quick, but they were extremely fragile just one stomp or slam was just enough to either end them or paralyze them.
"Ow!" He looked back to see the boy shaking his hand before quickly punting the vermin into the sewer waters.
"Here." He handed the spare roll to the boy who clumsily wrap it around his bitten hand, it didn't take long before he took the time to wrap the roll around it perfectly.
"Thanks..." He gruffed looking away. "Can we leave now the smell is making my head spin." He morbidly gag, covering his nose.
The slayer looked at the darkness in front of him, he could hear them running around like nothing happen, after taking a few steps in he understood now. The fumes were thickening as they venture deeper, inhaling too much of it could cause death by the intoxicating gas.
"We have too." He said slowly almost like a disappointed sigh.
"There's this coffee shop that allow people, even Faunus to smell the beans for some Lien. There's the beach which is pretty nice, but smells terrible if a ship is nearby..." The boy ranted on before the Grimm Slayer pat his head.
"Good boy." The boy turn to stone. "Hey! I'm a wolf!"
"Ah~ thanks again for letting us stay in this room." The boy he had to acknowledge the worst name for a wolf Faunus, Yippy said.
"Anytime sweetie, your all dirty have you been going through the dumpster lately?" The lady who was a rabbit Faunus also the owner of the coffee shop chimed.
"Eh? No, I'm usually around, old man. Sometimes he said I bother him when he has work despite not having any customer." Yippy answered taking another whiff of the coffee beans. "I just realize something! How come I never got your name?"
"You never ask." The boy made a perfect 'O' shape mouth before sticking his tongue out a bit, not in a mocking gesture.
"Who are you?"
The Grimm Slayer gave a low hum, how long did anyone ask for his name ever since he started his revenge. The name that separated him from Grimm themselves. his name...
"Grimm Slayer."
Yippy seem to stare him with stars and excitement from his answer, while the owner shook her head in amusement.
"Alright Yippy come on now, let me wash you before you go back to gramps." The lady chimed, ushering the boy upstair before the boy ran up too.
"Hey! When I grow old enough, I'll follow you!" The boy said pulling out his gleaming revolver before pocketing it.
"Then I won't stop." He stated, leaving the building.
"There you are! You scared the heck outta me! I thought I lost you!" Qrow slurred, stumbling towards the Grimm Slayer.
"Sorry... I was busy." He replied to the drunken man.
"Anyway we gotta hurry before we miss our flight to Beacon." He trip over his own shoe indicating whatever he drank or how much he drank meant he was useless to lead.
"Alright let's go." The Grimm Slayer carry the Qrow like a potato at the same time listening to his rambles and story.
It took two hours to get to this place called Beacon, it was a huge building with young people walking and entering the place while chatting. At the same time, over the cliff was a large vast of trees that stretch beyond his sight.
"Alright this way!" Qrow shouted now a bit flushed as he went to the building only to crash into a pillar that was right next to the door. "Sorry, I'll stop fooling around."
He crash into another pillar.
Then another and another, but this time new, a wall.
The Grimm Slayer could only divert his attention from the Grimm infested forest and stare back at the curse-bearing man and his first hit karma partner, himself.
"Who's the drunk?"
"Intruders?"
"You getting this dude?"
"Hell ya I am!"
"Should we escort them out?"
Soon a group formed around the two, the Grimm Slayer just watching Qrow crashing himself into the walls. He felt really tense with the eyes concentrating on him, but mostly on Qrow.
"Students please go back to class. Immediately." A voice so cold immediately cause the teens and apparently Qrow to freeze.
A path open up as a blonde woman stroll towards them. She had green eyes and her hair was styled like the Assignment Girl, but shorter. Resting on the bridge of her nose were thin ovular glasses, her clothes were professional with a purple cape...
"And YOU." Her already stern look become more sharper.
"Me?" The Grimm Slayer pointed himself.
"No HIM!" Her eye twitch.
"Me?" A student called out.
If that wasn't enough a vein was bulging over her temple causing the teens to run away at the flaring aura that surrounded her.
"QROW!" She screamed.
"Buddy, please help me. I don't want to die. I wanted a family, a peaceful home with a wife and a son, maybe two wives, no five." He said to the Slayer with a teared expression.
"Sorry." Before he knew it, Qrow was immediately flying in the air before the woman slam him into the ground, hard.
She then turn to him and raise her stick.
Ozpin only pray to fools who either predicament people who suffered to their death bed or the people who made Glynda angry and annoyed. And judging by the distant yell it was anger, he gave the unfortunate person a long sip of his mug as their pray.
It wasn't long until the elevator ding signalling him that someone or Glynda was approaching him.
"I take it that it was Qrow?" He didn't need to face them, he could already feel Qrow's Semblance affecting him.
"Yes and he brought a guest along with him. A man who's already deal with the drunk antics." Glynda said curtsy making Ozpin to raise an eyebrow.
"Actually, he's the one I'm dealing with, Ozzy." Qrow remark to receive a loud smack that cause Ozpin to wince a bit.
"Who are you?" A new voice chimed, no stated.
"I am Ozpin the headmaster of Beacon." He face towards the armored man. "And you must be the one they called the Grimm Slayer." It was a pointless title to carry if he say so himself, every huntsman and huntswoman he met all say they hunt Grimm to protect.
"Yes." The sheer emptiness in his voice made Ozpin feel a bit pity before taking another sip. "I've been told there's Grimm here."
"Ah yes, there are plenty of Grimm in the Emerald Forest. Would you like to clear them out for us?" It was impossible for a single man or a group to eradicate the Grimm infested forest, they will always come back.
"I see." The Grimm Slayer was already leaving. Shame he would really like to chat with the slayer's life and perhaps a proposal.
As the elevator door began to close, the Grimm Slayer let loose something that surprise Ozpin and Glynda.
"You told him?" He stared at Qrow.
"I know your an idiot, but you really know no bound." Glynda scowl, twisting her riding crop.
"In my defense, he'll be fine." Qrow explained lamely. "If you were with him the whole time, that guy is always scheming about how to kill them in the most creative way." That doesn't help him against THAT Grimm.
Meanwhile with the Grimm Slayer, he stroll down the forest like a imaginary path. Normally Grimm would be running towards him, but now the role was reverse.
The cave was a dead give away, pictures drawn on the entrance with people surrounding a Deathstalker. It meant two things to him, there's a Deathstalker sealed in there, and the Grimm was past its expiration.
"Seems like it escaped..." He muttered, trailing his hand across the scratches. "The Deathstalker why was it sealed?" Perhaps an abnormal, or an ancient Grimm.
That didn't really matter to him now, the only thing that was lurking in his head was the cave. It may seem like a small cave, but if one were to inspect very carefully there was a hidden passage in the corner.
"This was man-made." He added, squeezing his way through into the passageway.
Soon he enter a huge opening as in it could fit an entire Bullhead, the room had lighting from the roof made of roots, clumps of boulders, and leaves. A fresh source of water flowing in the side and bones at the center.
Instead of being mesmerized by the beautiful sight, he instantly brought his sword behind his back, stabbing something.
HISS!
A snake hiss in pain feeling one of its eyes trickling blood, instead of attacking head on it retreated back into the darkness. It wasn't long till it came back with ferocious despite its thickness.
"So you must be the prisoner. Doesn't surprise me." He stated, waving his torch was just him and the snake.
It gave a terrible roar signalling its aggression towards solely on him now.