The exhausted young man collapsed onto a couch covered his ears and screamed into the marron fabric.
Ten hours.
Ten hours of resetting bone bandaging bleeding wounds and slapping band-aids on children's knees.
He eyed the huntsmen who saved them jealously. How he just wanted to push the man off his bed and sleep damn the consequences.
Lifting him self-up the doctor in training limped to the huntsman bedside rechecking the bandaging and cast around his arm.
Most of the bleeding had stopped whether it was due to the huntsman aura closing the cuts or the huntsman just had no blood to give any more he didn't know.
His body involutory shuttered as the novice doctor remember the amount of blood when he first dragged the huntsman in here cutting through the rags that once made up the huntsman's clothes was harrowing. The leather would probably be stained a disgusting red forever the sheer amount of sweat and blood seemed to fuse it to the huntsman's skin.
Hopefully, someone was able to repair the clothes. It was the least they could do.
Or maybe just make the man a new outfit altogether.
Moving away from the more apparent wounds the doctor looked at the huntsmans face. The most shocking thing was the man looked so young. Hell, he probably wasn't even a man the doctor only called him that out of respect. The next stand out was well how common he looked boring brown eyes, brown hair no cool scar or red eyes just a normal looking teen.
A heavy bang resounded through the home causing the doctor to jump.
"Dan get your ass out here!" a rough voice shouted from behind the door.
That bastard.
If I just pretend not to be home, he might leave me be.
"Dan, I saw you slink out after treating Miss Lent"
Cursing Dan opened his door letting Hans in.
The old bastard strolled in the heavy coat he always insisted on wearing looked more worn than usual reflecting the heavy bags that hung under the older man's eyes. The little hair that remained on his head was turning snow white the only youthful thing about him was his considerable height and muscle.
"Why are you here Hans. shouldn't you be busy getting wood for the wall?" Dan questioned after the attack repairing the wall seemed like it was of the highest importance.
Hans released a heavy sigh "No making peace with the dead comes first. No point in putting up a wall while everyone is Grimm beacon" Hans stared evenly at the young doctor "Dr Roberson body was found"
He felt his blood go cold the ache in his leg throbbed pulsating a dull pain through his body. He already knew the man was dead but to hear it was something else. A strong hand on his shoulder brought Dan out his shock.
"His body has been buried just outside the village limits when you get the time you should say goodbye" almost as an afterthought the older man looked over the resting huntsman "how are his injuries?".
Dan glad for the change in topic quickly listed what injuries he could find during the outside examination. They mostly equated to contusions and lacerations apart from the shattered humerus bone.
"Do you have any idea when he will be able to fight?" the old man asked frowning as he got closer to the huntsman, inspecting his sleeping face.
"No clue" at Hans annoyed glare Dan quickly elaborated. "My knowledge on aura is limited I know it improves healing stuff like small cuts but a broken bone on the other hand" he shrugged Dr Roberson was the one who handled it whenever Amelia and Alexander hurt themselves training.
Dan briefly wondered where the huntsman and huntress were only to come to the obvious conclusion if they weren't in bunker hill, they were dead or abandon them when things got deadly.
"I was able to get through to Vale a fully trained team is coming down to secure the area while we rebuild"
Dans face twisted "Why didn't you send an SOS last night"
The aged lines of Hans face hardened as his eyes blazed with barely restrained self-hate "I dropped my bloody scroll"
It was almost comedic how such a small thing nearly leads to the death of the whole town but the look of cold self-blame on the older mans face sucked any humour away.
Dan moved towards the man hugging him lightly. Hans froze "I know where not as close anymore but if you need to talk I am right here" Dan tried to smile at the old warrior only for it to come out a miserable mix between a frown and pained sneer.
Hans let out an almost full belly laugh "Your bedside manner sucks" a small smile spread to his lips as mumbled a quiet thank you.
Breaking away from the hug the man marched towards Dan's door and opened it slowly "I am heading off to… pay my respects… do you want to join me?"
A knot grew in Dan's stomach he ran his hands through his shoulder-length blond hair.
"Yeah" as soon as the words left his mouth the Doctor in training felt a little bit better the weight gently shifting of his shoulders.
After this, I'll get some sleep…
- O - O - O - O - O -
The Foreigner stumbled out of the clinic holding the stump that was once his hand claimed by the beast inside. the small yard was adorned with many decrepit gravestones, wicked dead trees sprouted from the ground almost like that hands of the dead reaching for god. Tripping over the damaged stonework that once made up a path the Foreigner made it to an old iron gate. With the last of his strength, the Foreigner pushed it open moving it little by little scraping into the flimsy rock below.
The Foreigner unsteadily walked through the stone streets that were adorned in numerous gaslights and chained up coffins. Blood dribbling from the stump of his hand leaving a crimson trail behind him. He falters over the rotting corpse of a horse that laid begotten on the cold floor.
The Foreigner fell at the feet of a tall man.
His leather boots were caked in a thick layer of blood and other foul-smelling fluids the heavy clothes he wore looked like they had been through hell barely held together by small strands of fabric and gore. the Foreigner looked up at the strange man illuminated by his fiery torch begging for salvation.
The only answer for the Foreigner was the mans flaming torch. Like putting out a cigar the man pushed the burning tip into the Foreigner's back. Flames eat into him like a starving man burning through his shirt and melting the skin below into a black charcoal-like mixture of flesh and bone.
The Foreigner's screams joined with a chorus of demented laughter from the nearby buildings only to be eventually drowned out by the ringing of bells from the tall spike crested buildings of Yharnam that watched over the hunt like detached deities.
The man lifted the torch and looked down at Foreigner snarling at the boy.
"It's all your fault" he growled out through elongated teeth.
The Foreigner could only glaze at his face. The wide-brimmed hat he wore was torn in places unkempt hair grew out of control and his eyes were a murky melted brown almost as if his eyes had liquefied in his skull.
The Foreigner could only spasm in pain as the man raised an old rusted bloodstained axe.
- O - O - O - O - O -
The Good Hunter opened his eyes the intrusive bright lights above him blinded him briefly. Being blinded meant a quick death. The Hunter exploded into movement jumping off the bed using his arms to land securely only to find one of his limbs locked in a cast. The Good Hunter slammed bodily into the ground.
Groaning the Hunter sat up and started to examine the room he awoke in.
It was nice.
Or more accurately it wasn't anything like Yharnam. It was bright. Not only the lights but the carpet, couch and even the bed. The walls were painted a dull white but even that was more inviting than the all-consuming black that made up every building in Yharnam.
Standing up the Hunter checked over his body. Apart from the unbelievably clean bandages and cast nothing looked out place. No inexplicable surgical cuts from some eldritch touched doctor trying to reach the greater cosmos. Just normal medical dressings.
Perhaps he was much further from Yharnam then he originally thought. The village even when he walked through it earlier didn't have the smell of Yharnam.
The sweet smell of blood that intrusively infected every dark backstreet. Its pungent tones lingered in the deepest sewer to the tallest spire cloaking the city in a constant maddening bloodthirsty mist.
The Hunter felt a slight longing to return to the hunt and indulge to forget his troubles and just kill beasts.
The Good Hunter shook his head like a dog shaking off a particularly disgusting tic escaping the dark self-destructive path. The old blood was not his to command only a dangerous unpredictable tool to kill beasts.
The hunter started to move around the house not used to being this unprotected. The only cloth he had was his undergarments. Also, the lack of the familiar weight of the saw cleaver caused the hunter to twitch at every sound every shadow looking like a beast that he wasn't sure he could kill.
Unable to locate the cleaver the hunter settled for a knife from the kitchen. While it would most likely snap in any drawn-out engagement it was better than fighting with nothing.
Also, unable to find his hunters garb caused him to grumble in frustration he hoped it wasn't too damaged. The leather outfit had been with him as long as the cleaver it was the item that marked him as a hunter of the dream and not the weak Foreigner that woke up in that terrible hunt.
After a small search, the hunter only found his tri-cone hat. Turning the item around in his hands the hunter noticed a small amount of his blood had splatted on the hat he could smell it easier than see it the dark blotches hiding in the equally dark leather. The Hunter smiled happily almost like seeing a friend after a long time as he slipped the hat on.
That's when the door opened acting on instinct the hunter swiftly moved to face the oncoming threat.
- O - O - O - O - O -
Can this day get any worse?
Dan stood arms raised in a placating jester to the half-naked hat-wearing man who threateningly stalked forward kitchen knife in hand.
"W-wait I am not here to hurt you!" staying still trying to look as non-threating as possible to the delirious huntsman Dan cursed these last two days.
The huntsman stopped his forward gait and gaped in confusion tilting his head like some animal.
"Easy your safe here I am a doctor" in training but the huntsman will probably be better off not knowing that.
The mans face just twisted in more confusion as he spoke incomprehensible words.
The huntsman's voice was a soft and quiet noise not like the boisterous boasts of the huntsman Dan had met before. The words were strangely unfamiliar and alien.
Every major city spoke the same language. According to ancient history, the early civilizations were forced to stay together to survive therefor developing language side by side. Some groups split across Remnant forming small changes in their isolation which were mostly just incorporated back into the main language. Those that developed new dialects were not able to communicate with the powerful established kingdoms and were there for were wiped out by the Grimm.
The chances of another language surviving this long were low.
"u-um could you repeat that please?" Dan asked in a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
The man clearly not understanding reached to side to grab something only to freeze when his arm only found air.
Did he seriously forget he's only in his underwear?
The huntsman glared accusingly at Dan stepping forward with clear aggression on his mind.
"Your stuff is under the bed!" Dan in a panic shouted assuming what the man wanted only to remember that this guy at best couldn't understand him and at worst was just insane.
Instead, Dan guided the huntsmen as best he could towards the bed nonverbally.
The bandaged man looked cautiously at the bed before glancing back at Dan in blatant suspicion.
Sweating profusely Dan tried to look as trustworthy as possible smiling encouraging at the man.
The huntsman only looked more apprehensive.
With a sigh, the huntsman moved slowly towards the bed always watching Dan knife at the ready. Dan knew if it came down to a fight, he was worthless Hans tired long ago to teach him some basics all he got for it was a crippled leg.
So, he hoped this would all go down smoothly.
After reaching the bed the huntsman gave one last glare promising pain if this was some form of deception. Seeming satisfied that the young doctor was successfully cowed he dropped the knife and with great care reached under the bed.
The mans face twisted into one of grateful surprise as he dragged the demented cleaver and his pouch out from under the bed with his one hand.
Dan was still shocked that the Huntsman's bag, pouch thing managed to survive when his clothes were so thoroughly ruined by the Grimm. The weapon also gave him chills it was wrong in a way that Dan couldn't describe heavier than its size would suggest it even looked unnaturally sharp. he had to drag the thing while Hans carried the huntsman's body but the oddest thing about it was the smell.
A deep coppery scent that emanated from the metal itself.
It felt as though a cut on the blade would cause it to bleed.
The huntsman lifted the weapon with ease holding it with his one working hand. he eyed the weapon briefly and with a practise motion flicked the weapon into its more compact saw form before placing it carefully on the couch. The huntsman then moved onto the pouch moving it to the centre of the room placing it on the floor than sitting next to it the huntsman opened the bag.
Dan was able to take a mercifully short look inside the pouch. it made his stomach lurch inside was a deep dark black like the ocean bottomless and foreboding.
Without hesitation the huntsman stuck his hand into the void Dan felt the need to vomit as his mind tried to rationalise the unnatural dark. His arm returned holding a leather-bound journal it looked time-worn bits of leather being to deteriorate the few pages that poked out from under the cover were beginning to turn into a murky coffee brown.
Placing the book on the ground the hunter quickly flicked through it Dan's eyes looked away almost instinctively like a hand flinching after touching a burning stovetop he didn't have to will to try looking again until the flicking stopped.
Looking back to huntsman sitting on his floor once he felt it was safe the doctor saw the strange man had also removed an inkwell and quill from the unholy pouch.
A blank page was open, and the huntsman quickly began scribbling down something in a matter of moments the book was thrust in Dan's face.
The handwriting looked to be amateurish, but the strange symbols made it hard to tell if it was normal or the huntsman just had poor penmanship.
Dan shook his head side to side telling the man he didn't understand.
Letting out an annoyed huff the huntsman placed the book back on the floor with surprising grace and speed drew a picture of what looked like the town. The wall and hill were clear along with the buildings it was quite a good drawing showing a large amount of detail for how quickly it was drawn.
Next to it, the huntsman drew a line pointing to the town leading to a small dotted line you would find stereotypically on paperwork.
Handing the quill to Dan the huntsman nodded to the journal.
Assuming the huntsman intent Dan gingerly took the quill and wrote the name of the village on the dotted line while saying it out loud.
"Ascot"
After hearing it the huntsman played with the sounds rolling them over his tongue.
Before repeating the name. The pronunciation was wrong, the word was still clearly unwieldy on his tongue but after going through the sounds a second time the huntsman opened his mouth and repeated the name.
"Ascot"
Dan nodded his head a satisfied simile on his face. It reminded him of working at the small school building with Dr Richardson. Biting down on the sadness that grew in his heart Dan continued teaching the huntsman a few more words and introducing himself before the huntsman stood in one quick movement staring in suspicion at the door.
A moment later there was a hard knock at the door Hans marched back into the room taking a look at the huntsman his body tensed in clear hostility to match the huntsman.
Standing up Dan quickly attempted to calm the two of them down while explaining the situation to Hans.
"So, He can't understand us?" Hans asked his voiced layered in a thick coat of suspicion while he continued his stare down with the huntsman.
"you know how unlikely that is? What makes you so sure that he is telling the truth" Hans could always be stubborn holding onto small grudges for years seeing the worst in others it was one of the main reasons Dan had trouble spending a large amount of time around the man.
"He wrote a message down it looks detailed enough, and what would he have to gain from lying about this?" Hans's face softened losing some of his intimidating height before turning to Dan with a look of regret.
"Yeah, sorry" Dan tried to hide his shock. Hans giving up so quickly was rare maybe he was finally crashing after from all the tragedies. His eyes were bloodshot his commanding gait slowly morphed into a meander as the day continued, they should both get some sleep soon.
Hans seemed to deflate further before opening his mouth.
"Miranda wants him gone once his arm is healed" Dan felt a small amount of anger crawl its way into his heart.
"He saved the village" He spat out
"He also burned her house down"
"oh"
Dan guessed burning the mayor's house to the ground was not exactly a great long term idea.
Staring at the huntsman Dan bit his lower lip a broken arm on average took around six to eight weeks to heal without aura. With aura, Dan wasn't sure.
Can I teach him in that time?
Dan was drawn from his thoughts by an aggravated grunt from Hans
"I know that look, you had to the same one with that stray mutt" the old man scowled "You just can't adopt him"
"What I can't do is throw him out into the wild while he can't speak a word!" Hans sighed in resignation
"I know," Hans said looking every bit his age "but where on thin ice already I don't want to give Miranda any more reasons to throw us to the Grimm"
Dan winced a lot of blame of last night was neatly placed on Hans. After all, he argued that his scroll should be the only one with the security codes to call in huntsman. He did have his reasons being ex-atlas military it was his job to keep calm and make rational decisions during emergencies like last night.
And he failed.
"Okay, we can sort things out tomorrow after we get some sleep" Dan placated Hans nodded in agreement and stared at hunter one last time before retiring into his room.
Dan turned to the huntsman still sitting on the floor watching their conversation in a creepy almost childlike curiosity.
- O - O - O - O - O -
The hunter stared at the roof above him. The pale white paint looked to be flaking off in its age revealing the plaster below in some places. Turning slightly, he could see Dan sleeping on the couch in the room the other man "Hans" he reminded himself moved deeper into the house most likely to sleep in his room.
The room did have a small window the curtains were drawn stopping light from entering the good hunter wasn't sure what time it was. But from what he inferred from Dan he should be sleeping to recover even if it was still daytime.
He must have slept through last night and woke up the next day.
Sleeping was harder than the Hunter thought. He still was tired from last night but just couldn't sleep. Last time he was on the brink physically and fell into the void now he had to walk willing into the depths of the realm of sleep. The Hunter felt the familiar fear that stalked him through every street in Yharnam. What happens when he falls asleep?
The good Hunter never gave it any real thought before. But after Yharnam dreams and sleep had taken a whole new meaning. It often felt like layers of dreams sometimes the Hunter believed or hoped that he would just wake up away from it all would that happen here? Go to sleep and appear somewhere else cast adrift in the sea of the cosmos.
The Good Hunter tried to shake free of the irrational fear gnarly at him like crows picking at a corpse.
Sleep was sleep, nothing happened last time and nothing would happen this time. The hunter focused on his breathing in and out, in and out.
Just focus on each breath don't overthink things.
The Hunter eventually fell into a restless slumber
- O - O - O - O - O -
The good Hunter stumbled into the church the safe smell of the lavender incense quickly wrapped around his leather-clad from sending the crimson scent that shrouded him fleeing. Walking through the stone chapel filled with a calming mist the hunter moved on towards the phantom lamp that layered in the centre.
Only for a hand to grasp his. The old women skin was covered in deep aged wrinkles that he could even feel through the gloves he wore. When they first met the women was rude and antagonistic even to the Hunter after he saved her. But as time went on the hunt begin to claim her mind.
"Welcome home Dear, it's good to see you back home so early" It was the only time he ever saw the women act in any form of happiness even if it was all delusional. It was still better than the constant sobbing that preceded her delusions, so the Hunter played along.
It may be all fake, but it didn't stop the hunter from taking some form of what might be called joy from the interactions.
"Yes, mother. I just came back from Mister Halsey's lecture it was cut short" she smiled and asked him more inane details about how his day went.
The Hunter lied easily. perhaps she just wanted to believe him, or the Hunter was skilled in the art of lying. He wasn't sure. As far as the hunter knew he has never lied to anyone before or maybe he spent all his time lying before the hunt and this was all natural to him.
The hunter doubted he would ever find out.
The old woman laughed with honest mirth it was a nicer sound then the heckling mad laughter he heard on the streets of Yharnam "You know that girl you've been courting for a while?" she said with a sly grin.
The Hunter didn't but nodded. Eager to keep the illusion up either for himself or the old women he wasn't quite sure anymore.
"Well. I thought it was about time you tied the knot" The old lady reached into a small pocket located on her faded green dress and produced a single ring.
It was a simple thing a neat gold band that held a small sparking gem.
The hunter took it gingerly a small welt of what he assumed to be guilt twisted in his stomach.
"I.." the words twisted becoming unwieldy in his mouth
"It's fine my dear" The lonely old lady seemed to be able to pick out the hunter distress despite the cloth mask.
"It can wait I'm not going anywhere"
The old women smiled the hunter found his lips mimicking the gesture.
- O - O - O - O - O -
The Hunter strolled through the streets of Ascot carrying planks of wood in his one working arm. A scruffy-looking resident pointed towards a relatively small opening in the wall.
The larger holes had already been plugged all that remained were the gashes where the smaller Grimm entered from.
The good hunter nodded and placed the wood where directed another man said his thanks took the wood and began making repairs on the wall.
He couldn't help with construction currently he could only use his blood enhanced strength to move heavy wood around.
It had been like this for the last few weeks between helping the town and learning the language, it was a deviation on his goals but after the seconded night here it became clear that finding and walking to Yharnam was unlikely.
After all, he was under a new moon.
It wasn't the first time the hunter was used to the moon looking different from blood red to the strange moon that hung over the hunter's nightmare.
But the Hunter never suspected he would ever see the moon shattered even in a dream. It was unnerving to see the only constant companion on his hunt was so different and alien it was almost disgusting to look at. Like a nightmare where everything is normal apart from one key difference.
The fact that the moon was in its current state lead the Hunter to believe that he was either in a new depth of a new dream or as unlikely as it sounded, he woke up sometime in the future.
Well, it could be quite a few things, but it was best not to think about it and focus on making back to the Hunters dream. He wasn't sure how the dreams functioned but even without Yharnam the dream should still exist somewhere he just needed to find it.
To do that he had to a least gain a basic understanding of wherever he ended up.
That's where the strange doctor Dan was a blessing. Taking in an outsider even healing and teaching a hunter? It was a kindness that the hunter found to be stranger than the moon and the monsters called Grimm that roamed the lands.
The Hunter wasn't sure how to repay him. Right now, just helping the town was all he could do moving materials back and forth.
He said it was enough, but the Hunter wasn't sure. kindness was a rarity that should be treated as such just moving some wood around didn't feel like enough.
Tugging at the ill-fitting shirt he was giving the hunter travelled back to Dan's home once he was dismissed by one of the men helping with repairs whose dog ears twitched nervously as he talked to the Hunter.
The Faunus were another oddity. He nearly gutted the first one to cross his path. The base similarity to the early stages of beast hood was uncanny. But upon looking closer it was clear they were fundamentally different.
Beast hoods changes were chaotic; hair growth all over the body, elongated limbs and the clearly collapsed eyes.
The Faunus were nothing like that the hunter kept reminding himself as he walked towards Dan's house.
They were normal people who don't want to hurt me.
They are not beasts.
Entering the home silently the hunter watched as the doctor talked to an elderly woman whose arm was wrapped in a bandage. The hunter listened in to the conversation trying to see if he understood any of the words. Reinforcing the knowledge that Dan had given him over the weeks spent in the village.
He understood little only that her arm was injured but that was obvious just by looking. It was still progress from when he started, however.
After a while, the old women left sending the Hunter a smile as she walked past. The hunter tried to copy it but found the movement unwieldy.
Once the lady was gone Dan shot a smile at the hunter "Hello, Hunter"
When Dan had asked for the Good Hunters name an ill seductive thought had intruded its way into his mind. He could be anyone say something different create a new name. Be some else escape away from the self-elected duty to throw himself back into hell.
But he was a Hunter nothing more.
"Hello, Dan" the hunter replied with a nod it was a simple greeting, that he was taught but it worked. He knew how to greet and introduce himself to others. He had also learnt a relatively small amount of the building blocks of the language but that was fine all the Hunter needed was the bare basics to ask around to find any links to the hunter's dream.
As soon as the Hunter confirmed the house was empty, he unwarped the cloth keeping his arm in position. It had healed within the first week much to Dan's shock, but the man insisted he kept the cast on around other townspeople.
The hunter wasn't sure why the deception was needed but if it would help then there wasn't a reason not to play along.
After Dan took some time to himself sipping from a porcelain cup, he started teaching the hunter again. The books he had given him were simple obviously designed for children it was a bit insulting at first, but they were useful in his development.
Just a bit longer
Once he had a good enough understanding finding information on Yharnam and the Dream will be within reach.
Then he could finally free Gehrman.
And let the man rest.
~- O - O - O - O - O -~
Chapter 2 complete. Took a bit longer than planned but I am happy with it so far. Far less fights then chapter 1 so I hope that's fine.
I haven't watched the newer episodes of RWBY yet, but I am aware that they start to travel to other kingdoms and as far as I know there is only one language but if I am wrong feel free to let me know.
Thanks for the reviews, favourites and follows guys I appreciate all forms of positive and constructive feedback.
see you guys next time!
RWBY belongs to rooster teeth and Bloodborne belongs to Fromsoftware.