The air around me was complete blackness with no life inside of it, great another nightmare. Can you fuck off already nightmares it's getting annoying already?
The infinite blackness suddenly in an instant turned into Kakariko where I fought Adam. Looking around I see a huge cloud of smoke and the whole world around me starts to lose its color. The only color that didn't fade was the deep red coming from the smoke. My body starts trembling, I try to stop it, but it didn't stop, goddammit I hate this feeling.
The feeling of being powerless and not being able to do anything to fight back. He grabs his Ninjato and in an instant let's loose a slash of red energy. As it got to me blackness remained.
Day 32 of 720 Before Earth's Death
I wake up startled and breathing unevenly. I immediately grabbed where he left the wound he inflicted on me. I do this because I need to calm down fast and the best way is to remind myself that I'm fine, it's healed now so it's just a big ugly scar.
Instead of grabbing the uneven scar tissue, I grab a small hand. Looking at what I grabbed it was Coco, she was just touching my scar with her hand under my shirt. She looks up at me when I'm just staring at her befuddled and I ask her. "What are you doing?"
"Looking at this gnarly scar this should have killed you, how are you even alive?" She said softly like if she said it louder I would shatter, I know I'm delicate, but I'm not a snowflake.
"I..I..I got really lucky." I said stuttering, I really don't like talking about this scar, it's pretty much a reminder that I could have died that day. That I was enough and I had to get better.
"Who did it, you were trembling when I started touching it?" She asked, uh-oh she wants to know. I won't tell her who did it so I'll be cryptic.
"i..i..it was from someone I fought who was leagues beyond me," I said stuttering. Goddammit, body stop freaking out, it over okay, so calm down.
"Why would you fight then?" She asked confused why I fought a person who could kill me easily. I'm confused by that every day too.
"I had no choice. It was either fight or let the people around me be slaughtered by the White Fang." I said, really what choice did I have either fight him and hopefully win or wait until it was my turn to be gutted.
"White Fang last time I heard of them was three weeks ago at Kakariko and one of their lieutenants was going to slaughter everyone, but some guy fought him off, hold on a second are you that guy who fought against Adam to save those people?" She said almost convincing herself no I couldn't be, The chances of that are almost nonexistent.
Oh shit, she caught on quick and being surprised I said. "Uuuuhhhh" making a weird noise picking up my hands to my side in the air doing the I don't know gesture.
Her eyes widen with the truth and says. "Holy shit you are, you got that from Adam Taurus. Now I see why you're so scared. I would be too, that guy's a monster!" She said angrily.
"I'm not scared it's just my body, it shakes on its own!" I said annoyed that my own body won't do as I say.
"That just means your unconsciously afraid of him." She said, pointing out the obvious fact.
"Yeah guess I am, I have been getting nightmares about him and other things all the time now and it's getting annoying," I said, It's really annoying, but it really doesn't affect my sleeping. I do feel well rested, it's just my mind and body that go into adrenaline mode when I get one.
"You're getting nightmares all the time, that sucks. Maybe if we get nice and personal we can get rid of that." She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
I get up off the floor to get away from getting molested and look around. I see other people still sleeping and others either wounded or helping the doctors operate on the seriously wounded, the shooter injured a lot of guards.
Daw fuck I fell asleep while I think I had a concussion, I'm luck I'm awake right now and not in a coma.
I start stretching relieving the pressure of my incredibly sore muscles. Now that I think about it the stab that the scorpion gave me already healed up, but was a bit swollen, good I thought I was poisoned.
Looking down at Coco she handed me my black flannel. We used as an extra blanket because damn was my body freezing from the dust I ate, which granted was incredibly stupid, but did help me keep the Grimm back.
I would love to learn to use it more, but I don't know the consequences of doing it so I won't. I put it on and strap all of my sheath weapons back on readying myself to help defend the wall again.
Looking at both me and Coco we were covered in dirt and a little bit of blood, that battle did take a lot out of me and her. Coco reaches her hand out signaling to help her on her feet.
Pulling her up she put her index finger under my chin and softly pulled it back and said. "Come on, let's go get some food and meet up with the others." She said seductively, no shut up teenage hormones go away. Wait where are the others anyway.
We walked to a line of people, but the second they saw us they told us to go before them, wow that's so kind of them.
We got to the front and got food from the distributor, it was meat with a side of broccoli. I gave my broccoli to Coco because fuck vegetables and ate the meat as fast as possible.
Finishing the juicy meat we left the shelter and went to meet up with the others. Turns out that the citizens aren't allowed to leave the shelter until the reinforcement huntsmen come and clear the town, it's mostly a safety precaution. We asked one of the guards where Coco's team was.
They were on guard duty at the main gate. As we got to them a giant bullhead came down and it's back opened up and our huntsman reinforcements finally arrived at least 30 rough and tough looking huntsman came out and immediately went into the town clearing it out if there was any Grimm. Two of them stayed and were unloading supplies.
Seeing the two of them doing all alone we decided to all help them pass the supplies to the citizens. There was one person who I missed, she was walking out of the bullhead as I saw her, she looked really familiar. Hearing one of the guards whisper it turns out that woman is the Huntress in charge of the recovery of the town.
Elixir came to the huntress and gave her the report of what happened. After a while of talking she dismissed him and saw our little group and came over to us and said "Thank you students because of your efforts this town will keep living thank you, may I have your names?" She said mostly looking at me. I remember her somewhere, but where.
"I'm Coco Adel, Yatsuhashi Daichi, Velvet Scarlatina, Fox Alistair, and he's Andres," Coco said in a formal voice pointing at each one of us.
"Ah your team CFVY I heard a lot about you, but who are you? Are you from Beacon as well?" She asked looking straight at me. Damn people's curiosity.
Surprised by her singling me out I say. "I...I..uuhhh" Wow smooth Andres, you'll definitely have a career as a liar.
Coco as soon as she heard my shuddering she came to my rescue. "Yeah he's with us, his team was kicked out of beacon and Ozpin decided to pair us with him for this mission," Coco said, lying through her teeth. Damn is she good, also thank you I'm probably already a criminal for fighting without a license at Kakariko and now I did it again here. Just got my ass saved.
"That does seem like something Ozpin would do. Now to the important issues what happened with Ebony, you're the ones who captured her correct?" She said getting serious.
"Yeah, she attacked me out of nowhere and told me if she did this she could have so much more," I told her.
"We also got these documents from her computer. It has all the information you need to put her in jail for life." Velvet said, handing the woman a stack of papers. What the hell is Velvet some computer genius because I'm pretty sure that Ebony isn't so stupid to not have these documents under some tight security or just flat out erased.
She looked through them for a second. "Yes with this she'll go to prison for life, a shame she was a good person back then, but now she committed a crime against Remnant, she will be punished severely." She said almost like it hurt her saying that. "Also there was a shooter, where are they?" She asked, she's about to be really disappointed.
"She escaped," Coco said before me.
Without a reaction she said. "Well, nothing could be done about it now. Thank you students for helping defend this town. You have this town's and my gratitude, goodbye." She said bowing to us. Finished with the talk she walked away.
As she left Elixir came to us. "Hey thank you guys for the help. The whole village thanks you."
"No problem at all in a day's work as a Huntress and Huntsmen," Coco said with a smile.
"Of course you guys are like superheroes!" He said excitedly is this guy really in charge here. "The other reason I came to talk to you guys is to see if you know how to do metalwork or construction. The main gate was destroyed in the explosions and the walls need to be repaired?" He said, The second I heard that my eyes went wide and I got excited. I was about to speak, but Team CFVY chimed in before I could.
"I only know how to nail things," Coco said with her arms up in the I don't know how gesture.
"I'm not good at building things," Yatsuhashi said with an almost sad tone. If he wants to, I can teach him to do it.
"I'm blind," Fox says pointing at his eyes, damn an excuse that's not good. Lazy.
"I don't know how, I'm sorry." Velvet said sadly.
"I can do those, Metal Fabrication and Construction are one of my many skills," I said happy to do something, anything that was normal.
"You can, thank you, the reason why is because our Construction and Metalworkers are sick from the depression and we need to get them healthy before we work them. you know how to do it right you're not just saying that just because." He asked, wanting me to speak truthfully.
"Yeah I know it well, since I was younger I worked with wood and metal all the time because of my workaholic father," I said happy that I could help.
"Great, can you build the new gate for us? He said wow build a new gate that normally takes a couple of days, but now that I'm powered up I could do it in two days at most.
"Sure, do you have all the equipment to do it?" I asked I can't make anything if I don't have any materials to do it.
"Yeah, I'll have some of the guys bring out the stuff to do it. Be at the front gate at 11 AM. We need the gate built as fast as possible." He said giving me my starting hours.
"Yeah, I'll be there," I said with a smile, what I really like hard labor. It's the best type of satisfaction to see what you accomplished with your own hands. He shook my hand grateful and left to keep working.
"You know how to do all that?" Yatsuhashi said, surprised by it, does this world not have construction skills as common knowledge.
"Yeah, my father since I was little took me to his work and showed me everything he did, it mostly consisted of metal fabrication and construction and for the last two years I've been learning how to weld better," I said, I really don't like my father, but he did give me the tools to become successful in construction.
"I like a working man," Coco said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
I was about to respond to that, but Fox spoke up. "Okay you know how to do it, whatever, let's go back to the mayor's office, our stuff is still there." He said angrily, he's jealous of me getting the spotlight. If I was more of an asshole I would make fun of him for it.
We went back to the mayor's office where our stuffs at. I grab my backpack to start packing up. After I finish the gate and a couple of repairs I need to leave before some Huntsmen with a stick up their ass figure out I'm a criminal.
Putting on my backpack I looked at the others and they were still packing their stuff except for Coco. She had a creep smile while she was looking at me. "Hey Andres, how's your semblance?" She said she was holding in a big laugh.
Not understand where she's going with this and I say. "Awesome wh...Ahhhh!" I screamed my semblance. It was like a wet noodle. My thread was so weak that it could barely hold itself up, what happened, it was so strong yesterday.
"What, can't keep it up." She said giggling really hard. What did she do to me?
"What happened, why is it so weak, did you do this?" I said readying myself to tackle her down.
"Well you uncultured swine, when you unlock your semblance for the first time it goes into overdrive and it's stronger than average until you don't need it anymore then it becomes to its true form, which for you is this." She explained, still giggling.
So my semblance isn't really that strong, dammit why. "So I got the power up for a couple of hours and that's it," I said a little upset I'm not really that strong, wait I remember reading that semblances get stronger the more you use them, so I still have a strong power it just I have to train it.
"Yeah, for you though it might be weaker than it should be. You did use it a Lot during the attack, your semblance is in exhaustion mode. You need to let it rest until it works properly again which normally takes three days max." She said giving me the date of my semblances recovery.
Thank God I thought I was going to have to use this wussy thread to fight for now on. Coco also said that yesterday it was stronger than usual, not the strongest it could become so if I train it'll be even stronger. "Dammit, I really wanted to start practicing on it as soon as possible," I said annoyed I want to start making it stronger already. I don't like wasting time.
"No need to be in a rush your semblance ain't going nowhere," Coco said thinking that it'll make me less annoyed.
Little did she know that what she said really got me angry, I'm on a time limit and if I don't succeed what's left of my life is gone forever. Getting a somber expression I said, "I'll see you guys later." I really don't want to talk or think about my world again anytime soon.
My talk with Clove was nice, but it showed me how damaged I was mentally. I was barely able to get a sentence out when I think about Earth.
I left the building as fast as possible. I really don't want to talk right now. I jumped onto the roof of the building across the street and made my way to the emergency shelter.
When I got there some guards saw me and thanked me for what I did yesterday and told me I could leave my stuff in their office while I worked on the gate. I store my backpack and all of my weapons except my longsword, always need to be prepared.
As I walk out a woman in a work jumpsuit comes out of nowhere and gives me some working clothes and leaves without a word. Ok works for me. I put on the work clothes and store my normal outfit inside the office.
I walked to the main gate after getting dressed, it felt good to be working again, it always calmed me down.
As I was in view of the gate I saw multiple machines, metal, and wood around the place, Time to get started. I looked at the blueprint then I measured, cut, nailed, welded the gate they wanted out. It took hours, but it didn't take as long as I thought it would and the gate they wanted me to make was 20 feet tall and 14 ft long, I would go into specifics, but I won't it's pretty boring. The building of it didn't take that long really, but putting it into place was the most troublesome. I had a couple of the huntsmen helping me get the metal probably 2 ton gate aligned together so they close properly. To get the gate on I had to destroy the pieces of the wood the explosion left behind.
Finishing the last touches on the gate I looked up and it was nighttime already and I looked at what I created, to me it was a beautiful strong stable gate that could take some pretty heavy hits and wouldn't make a dent, this creation. It made will protect this town.
Nothing better than working off some frustrations. Tomorrow I'll start to fix the other damaged parts of the wall, there are 3 different breaches and I'll have to use cement to seal them off, but that's a tomorrow problem. The town was back to normal, people were walking around the town was buzzing with liveliness. It's a peaceful thing to see, while I was working on the gate the huntsman cleared the town and let the citizens leave the shelter, sure there were still holes in the walls, but all of the huntsmen are defending the breaches until I fix them. I pick up the equipment and let my helpers take them back inside their warehouse.
I'm off the clock now, time to go find a bar. I want a drink, it's been a hell of a month and I hated it so bad, and no amount of powers could change my mind.
As I was thinking this I heard a voice I really didn't want to hear anytime soon. "Andres it's time to tell you the truth," Paarthurnax spoke up. Guess I have been avoiding it enough. Time to get even angrier.
Looking around I was in the middle of the street. There were too many people around and I say. "Hold on, let me go into the forest, there are too many people around." Wonder what his reasons were, they better be really good.
I walked back to the gate and Aura jumped over the wall and landed on the remains of the battlefield. There were bullet holes everywhere, most of the grass was burned away and what little remained of the green grass was stomped into almost a paste, the surrounding trees were charred and lifeless, this is the aftermath of fighting it's just destruction.
I walked past it and went into the forest. There were some Grimm in the way, but they were slain by my longsword before they could land a hit, damn I'm even faster than I was yesterday, weird.
I found a clearing and walked in the middle of it and said "So it's time to tell me oh wise one, why are you attacking my world even when you don't want to and why did you get upset when you saw that mural?" I yell and I get no response so I keep going. "You expect me to just follow whatever you say, but at some point, I won't, and don't lie to me I had enough of the shit you've been spewing!" a quarter of my anger was just unleashed.
Then Paarthurnax spoke with arrogance in his voice. "I have been keeping secrets from you, that's true, but don't have that tone with me I'm the King of the Dragons you ungrateful child, You are beneath…"
What he said awakened all the rage inside of me that I have been trying to contain and I yelled back interrupting him. "Ungrateful, ungrateful you destroyed my world, hurt my family, almost killed my best friend Aron, you killed the woman that I loved, and you threw me into another world ripping me away from my life. You took away my life, my dreams. What do you expect me to shower you with praise and thank you for what you did to the people I love!" Finishing my rant, I had so much left if he tried to make my planet almost being killed wasn't his fault.
Instead of the arrogant response, I got a voice that echoed sadness. "I..I..I'm sorry I have done these atrocities, Please forgive me." I didn't think he would say that, I thought he would go on and on about how much better and more powerful of a being he is than me.
Feeling my anger subsiding, I say. "Speak already, why have you been hiding things from me." To move things along faster I still want my date with lady liquor
Paarthurnax breathed deeply and exhaled before he spoke. "To tell you why I must tell you the story of my family. I was once a young dragon in my world filled with peace and love. The planet I call home. The All Lands, I was preparing to receive the throne from my father. Once I became King of the Dragons I married the love of my life Shesha and we soon had a child, we named him Razgul. We live happily, I saw my son grow slowly, but one day two powerful beings filled with Corruption came to the All lands. Their very presence made me want to fall to my knees. It was the Twin Gods, The God of Light, and The God Darkness they came to my world and offered my world a deal. They tried to make it sound not as bad as it really seemed with sweet words, all we had to do was go to hundreds of worlds killing every living thing on it and when we did we would be given immortality. I refused the offer due to how immoral it was and because we didn't ever indulge in war. It's an addiction that plagues many planets and I didn't want mine infected by it too, so I sent them on their way. We dragons, the most powerful creatures in the universe, understood why they wanted us to do it, but we wouldn't, we were peaceful creatures, we respected life and would never seek to harm others. Many centuries later they came back, but they seemed even more corrupt than before, it seeped off of them like a foul stench. Without even responding to my threats of annihilation, they with a snap of their fingers teleported my family and all of the young defenseless children and women that weren't strong before them and held them hostage. I had to take the deal or the two most important beings in my life would die. As a precaution, they took my family, my Four Generals, and all of my fellow dragons' children to force us to follow their every order. Since then we have been ordered to slaughter entire planets for them and when the entire universe is empty they'll be free. The reason I chose you and so many others before you for this is because the Gods have an impenetrable field up protecting them from us and the one who keeps it up is the woman I told you about, the Witch. I don't know how she convinced the Gods she was trustworthy, but she did now she is the thing between us and our families. That is why we dragons are attacking your world. We have to keep our end of the deal or the Gods would start torturing our loved ones and worse kill them." He said practically ready to cry his heart out.
G...G….Gods, Gods want the universe dead. "You've got to be kidding me, Gods are real. I think I'm actually going crazy now." I took a couple of minutes and thought this through and then I said. "Why didn't you tell me this before?" If he told me before he attacked my world I would have been all on board with this plan and hundreds of thousands of lives wouldn't have been lost for no fucking reason.
He said, "I had to know if I can trust you first." It always has to be trusted.
Felling angrier by the second why would the fucking Gods do this, Why! "Goddammit so Gods exist and they're trying to kill the whole universe, why!?" I said punching a tree and toppling it.
Paarthurnax spoke and said. "I do not know, but what I do know is that their plan is something horrible."
Feeling the hair on the back of my neck stands up to my next question. "Do these Gods know you are doing this? Please tell me that they don't know?" If they know all is lost.
"No, they don't." Thank goodness I thought that whatever we did would be for nothing.
Feeling incredibly insignificant to a God I say. "What hope do we have? I mean these are Gods, not some overpowered villain, but actual Gods that create and destroy life on a whim, they could just snap their fingers and destroy us before we can even move." Gods they can't be beaten, no matter how much anime says they can.
Then Paarthurnax said something that gave me hope. "You're wrong, just because they have the title of God doesn't mean they are omnipotent or all powerful they can be defeated, but it will take everything we have to do it." I know he might have been lying but, let's just let my optimism take over. Yesssss, we have a chance, all is not lost.
Why don't the Gods kill everyone themselves that seems way easier? "Talking about so much power, why don't they kill the universe themselves, their god, they could do it way faster than you guys?"
"They would, but they can't if they start destroying planets and killing life without a really good reason the other Gods that obey the Rules of Life which are almost all of them will confront them and that'll destroy what they are trying to do." He said giving me an even bigger headache, their more Gods and they abide by these rules of life. What does that mean?
I'm going to call them the twin Gs from now on, so if these Gods know what the Twin Gs are doing they could, you know stop them. "Their other God out there, are they good."
"I don't know and they aren't in this dimension, but they do respect life as a whole and will protect it." paarthurnax said with a sad tone.
"What if we contact the good Gods they could help us," I said giving him some ideas because if we contact these Gods they could help us or even take out the Twin Gs for us.
Then Paarthurnax said "No it's not possible to communicate with them, you have to be a God or one of their Champions and none are in this dimension." destroying my plan damn.
Wait what about Paarthurnax portal thing can't he just go through dimensions right this is another dimension right. "Can you go into your portal thingy and go where the Gods are?"
"No I cannot go through dimensions I'm not that powerful I can only open a wormhole to wherever I want in this dimension." He said debunking my plan. So I'm not in a different dimension, I'm just somewhere in my universe so there's extraterrestrial life in the universe.
"So God vs Gods is a no no, dammit." So it's just our universe then against the Twin Gs.
"Where's your family anyway?" I asked
"There in the presence of the Two Gods." That really sucks for Paarthurnax.
Curious I ask. "Are they being used as pets or are they prisoners?"
"It's more complicated than that. Us the dragons as a whole decided to suck up to the Gods so we would have a chance to find their weak points and mostly to see our families again. So right now they think we're like family and they think us dragons became true monsters." He said with an angry voice, I get where he's coming from. I hate being a kissass, but if I need to do it I will and I won't be happy about it.
My headache gets even worse and I say. "Dammit so Gods they're the problem, so even when I complete my deal with you. My world could still be in danger?" I ask the question that will decide if I try to fight literal Gods.
"Yes, but it'll be hundreds of years in the future," Paarthurnax says so damn that's probably when my super grandbabies are around and I can't just leave them to die. It'll never sit well with me.
"Hundred years in the future my children's children will be alive, I would never be able to live with myself knowing I didn't try to save as many lives as possible, I'll help you on your mission, these Gods they took so many lives and soon they'll take my world as well and I won't let that happen. Even if I really don't like you, our real enemy are these Gods. So how do we kill them?" I say giving him my word that I'll fight with him, so how do you kill a God because if it bleeds it'll die at some point right?
"I haven't gotten that far yet." He says with an embarrassed tone.
My mouth hangs open, what have I gotten myself into. "You have no plans, these are Gods we need everything on our side to fight them," I say dumbfounded by what he said, then a sudden pain in my heart appeared when I thought of my next question. "Please tell me, can we even hurt them." My tone goes somber almost like I lost all hope.
Paarthurnax responded with a somber tone as well, but he spoke of a small hope. "I do not know, but it is said in the highest point of the Airlands there's a monk who can tell me of the ways to kill Gods." The almost extinguished flame of hope inside of me burst back to normal because we do have a chance of victory. After all, victory is won by the determination to win, but if there's no hope there is no determination.
Thankful there might be a chance to win I say. "Great go talk to him."
"Andres there another part to why I chose you specifically, I can feel your power increasing every day at an abnormal rate and I believe that one day decades into the future you might be able to fight even the Gods on equal footing." He spoke highly of my potential.
"Wait what, why am I so special? I'm just some kid who has done some heroic stuff. I'm not special." I said a little in denial, my whole life I always told myself I wasn't special so I wouldn't put myself above others, but now a Literal King of the Strongest Creatures of this Universe is telling me that I'll be able to fight beings even they couldn't touch, it was a little uplifting, but it also destroyed a part of my philosophy with it.
"You are, I don't know why you are but have you realized that you've been in multiple situations that any normal person would lose all of their Will to keep moving forward." He spoke as if what I did was almost impossible, sure I've been through hell this last month, but it wasn't really that bad other people could go through it too.
Paarthurnax put a little too much emphasis on the word Will and I ask. "What does having Will have to do with anything?" Sure having Will does mean you are more motivated to do things and commit to what you said you'd do, but it can't be that important.
Paarthurnax gasped and with a voice of surprise and says. "Willpower has to do with everything. My father once told me this "Will is the essence of life if we had none of it we wouldn't be able to get up in the morning and slowly we would die, but when you have an unbreakable, incorruptible Will nothing could beat you, not even the Gods themselves."
My mouth and brain both had a malfunction so Will is that important. sure I have a lot of it, but I don't have that much to go on so I say. "I want to call that some major bullshit, but if it's our only lead, I'll stick with it," I stop and take a deep breath and say "Also Paarthurnax I'm sorry about yelling at you I do appreciate what you've done for me and my world, I also understand why you're doing what you're doing and for the record….I would've done the same."
"Don't apologize, just get stronger and never let your Will be destroyed, and maybe one day we could live in a time of peace," Paarthurnax said not wanting an apology then he said. "Andres you said you had a dream, what is it?"
Surprised by this I say. "Huh my dream, it's a simple thing and most people would call me an idiot for not wanting more out of life, but I don't care what they think of me, the thing I want the most is to have a family of my own. A wife and multiple children. I want to protect them, care for them, and teach my kids how to be good people and to be better than me. I want to love and be loved. This is my dream to have a simple life to love, but I don't think I'm going to get that." I said in a somber tone. Think of it realistically I have a fraction of a percent to even make it through all of this and actually reach this goal.
Then with a booming voice with inspiration stepping out of it, he says. "Andres you have to believe and have faith that you could reach your goal and on the way you'll save both this world and yours" thanks Paarthurnax for that advice I'll put it to good use.
One little thing kinda tickled my funny that Paarthurnax said. "Wait both worlds, how would I save this world," I ask confused about how am I going to save this world.
Paarthanaux responded with a fucking horrible answer that probably gave me an aneurysm. "Ohh yeah, I forgot to tell you the Witch your targeting is the most powerful being on this planet she controls the Grimm, She is the Queen of the Grimm." He said with a matter a fact tone. So many fucking problems where does it end.
I slowly say. "Queen of the Grimm are you serious, how am I going to hit her if I have to go through millions of Grimm just to get to her!" I get it, I'm getting better, but I'm nowhere near the point I could just take on armies of Grimm, the one we faced yesterday was a tiny horde compared to what I'll have to face in the future.
"The scale will help you, once you forge it, you'll gain a fraction of my powers." He said giving me some hope, so these scales are doing to help me that much better really keep them close now.
Feeling a little excited I say. "What kind of power are we talking about?"
Paarthurnax understanding why I'm asking says. "I will not tell you yet, I don't want you to become over reliant on it, while the weapon you'll forge will be useful it's not your true power it's just a guide to it."
Feeling all of my questions answered I say. "Ok is that all you've been hiding from me?"
"Yes that everything, but you must ask me to tell you certain things because I sometimes forget." He said sheepishly.
Thank God this is over and as a farewell I say. "Thanks, Paarthurnax, we will save your family, don't worry and we will free this universe from these tyrants.
"Hmm" Paarthurnax lets out a huff as he disconnects our little chat.
Wow, I mean wow that was more information than you'd get from a wiki. Getting over with that talk I walked back to the wall thinking I really needed a drink now.
I get into the town and find someone and ask for directions to the closest bar. They told me a little down the road they were having a party to celebrate our survival and mourn the soldiers that lost their lives. I walked where the person pointed.
Walking I think this whole time since I've been on this quest I've been repressing my emotions heavily. I've already had a breakdown with Clover and I was about to have another one. I loved my life back in my world. I had everything I ever wanted: a family, good friends, and I was just about to ask out the girl I loved. I had an incredibly good life and it was just destroyed right in front of me. I kept myself from thinking about my home to not bring my feelings of sadness back, but just talking a bit about my dreams to Paarthurnax sparked that sad flame inside of me and it was growing.
It's ok all I gotta do is go to the bar to relax and celebrate with the others. The sadness will go away.
I get to the bar and I walk in. Everybody was having a good time. Yes, they were sad they lost some of their friends, but they were telling stories of the fallen, all of them filled with respect and joy that they knew them, it was peaceful to see. I go to the counter and sit down on one of the stools and one of the busy bartenders comes up to me.
She had the normal bartender clothing black shirt that had the bars logo and black pants with a silver belt. She had a beautiful face and her figure was impressive.
She looks at me up and down and says. "You look like you need a drink."
"You have no idea, give me a light alcoholic drink, I can't be hungover tomorrow, I still have work," I say really do you know how hard it is to work when your head is throbbing every second of the day. It's really distracting.
She gives me a flirty smile and says, "You're a working man I like that, weren't you one of the students from that fancy school that saved our asses." wow she spoke her mind, I like my women that way, the more honest the better am I right.
Realizing what she said I kinda go with it, no harm in it right. "Uhhh yeah guess I am," I say wow real sooth maybe she'll throw herself on you now, fucking idiot I think belittling myself.
She gave me another smile and said, "What's your name anyway?"
"Andres Mondragon," I said not really expecting anything, but was I wrong.
"Hey everybody, why don't we give this kid a warm welcome? He's one of the kids from Beacon. He helped save us!" She yells into the bar and everybody inside looks in my direction and lifts their mugs of liquor and all start saying words of praise.
"Ooohhh you're the man!"
"Yeah go, huntsman!"
"Hey, I remember him he defended one of the breaches all by himself. What a badass!" Aww who said that I really appreciate that.
I looked back at her and she looked at me and said. "There you go, now get rid of that sad face because it's party time."
That might seem like a small thing she did, but to me, it meant so much. Hardly ever in my life did people thank me for what I did for them. "Thanks," I say with a big smile.
"No problem you did save our asses," she said with a wink as she went to another customer.
As I was about to keep talking to her a familiar voice reached my ears and I turned around. "Hey Andres you're here good to see you again." it was Elixir, cool.
"Hey Elixir, how've you been?" I say giving him a light pat on the back as he sat on the stool to the right of me.
"Real good because right now you're looking at the New Mayor of Silverkeep, just got the promotion." He said with a jolly tone while hitting his right fist on the right side of his chest.
Surprised by this outcome I say. "Really, congratulations man you guys needed a good mayor with a good heart since the last one sold you guys out and I'm pretty sure you fit the bill real well." I just got praised why not spread it around.
"Thanks, Andres, also thanks again for the repair your doing for this town, and don't worry you will be paid once you finish, I can't just ask you to do so much and not pay you." He says with a smile.
"I'm getting paid, woooh!" I celebrate with both of my hands in the air.
"Also I was wondering if you have a license to fight Grimm?" he said. The hairs on my body raise and my adrenaline kicks in.
Making a lie quick I say. "Uhhh do I need one? I'm from Beacon after all?" Dear God, please work.
"Even students need them, so you're not from Beacon, are you?" he said, deducing my lies with a seriously cool face like something that came out of a movie. Damn is he good.
Well, I got caught so might as well come forward. "Yeah, I'm not, what are you going to arrest me now?" I said, readying myself to book it to my stuff to get out of town.
His cool attitude was wiped away and he started to wave his hands in the air while saying. "God no, you did so much for us it's just immoral to even think about that, but I just wanted to know because I needed to report who fought at the wall yesterday, but now that I know what you did was illegal all I gotta do is not write your name with the other combatants." Thank God no fuzz on me yet.
With my hand over my beating heart, I say. "Hoo you scared me there man, I thought I was going to have to book it."
He laughed a little and said. "Sorry about that, but you will have to leave in the next week. The Council of Vale wants to account for everyone in the town and they won't like someone in the town when they shouldn't be here." Damn those council people there everywhere.
"Thanks for the heads up, I'll be gone in two days," I said,
"Good less of a headache for me, hey thanks for everything again," he said while getting up.
"You're welcome," I said with a satisfied smile.
"Later," he says as he walks away.
I get up and I sit down at one of the booths that has no one in it. I wait until I get my drink, God do I want one, I had a fucking stressful month. The bartender came up with a tray with my beverage.
"Here you go cutie, just ask for more when you want and I hope you do. I'd like to talk to you more, later sweety." Damn is she really trying to talk to me, well she is hot as hell might as well talk to her.
"Thanks, beautiful," I say with a flirty smile. I take the beer and drink. I know one thing alcohol doesn't solve your problems, but it sure makes it so you don't remember them for a while. After my third drink I was getting a little tipsy, damn well just one more then that's it. Having my so needed alone time a woman decided to interrupt it.
"Hey there cutie, my shift is over and you look like you need someone to talk to." She said sitting down next to me.
"Do I really look that depressed?" I said looking at myself.
"No that's just what I say to people I want to talk to." She said with a wink.
"Well I got nothing to do, so why not talk to a beautiful woman," I said shrugging my shoulders.
"Aww you flatter me, so tell me about yourself." She said as we started our fun long conversation.
We talked for a while about everything from what she does in her spare time and what I did for this town, I tried my best to make what I did mattered little to what the other did, but she told me that the guards told her all of what I did so that when out the window fast.
She was a little older than me, she was 20 years old and her name was Yin and let me tell you she was attractive not the athletic way like Clover, but the fully feminine way. She was also flirting a lot with me and me not wanting to ruin a good moment. I went along with it and did the same.
Hours passed and we both drank a little too much, both of our breaths smelled of strong liquor. Over time we both started pretty much hugging and we both got quiet while looking at each other. She looked into my eyes and she slowly came closer coming for a kiss, I didn't mind actually I would probably appreciate it right now.
My lips came closer to her and as we were going to seal the deal, then a flash appeared blinding me, in a second all I saw were hundreds of images of Selina when she laughed, was happy, sad, and worse of all her death, her cold stare, the one that would haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.
I leaned back away from her, my body started shaking uncontrollably and I abruptly got up and jumped over the table and run out of the bar, leaving a confused Yin.
My breathing turned erratic and uneven, my body started to shake by itself. Fuck, fuck, I felt a fucking panic attack coming and it felt like a really bad one and I didn't want anybody to see it. I jumped onto the roof of a building and jumped away a couple blocks. I kept jumping away until a brick I landed on crumbled and I fell into an alley.
Falling on my back it hurt like hell, but it didn't compare to the hurt and fear that entered my body. My breathing was quick and short and not enough oxygen was going to my brain, this caused the fear that my body was producing for no apparent reason.
All of the memories of what I saw that day and every other atrocity since I came to this world came out. The tears started to fall like rivers and I started to cry and the most pathetic sounds came out of my mouth.
My repressed memories of my dead friends, the charred corpses of the people I once knew, what I did with the corpse of Selina, the people that I killed even when I need to, Adam fucking Taurus, and now the thought of the Apathies and how helpless I felt near them.
Everything came out, this was the breakdown that I feared would happen. The last time I was with Clover a person I could trust she helped me through it, but now I was alone with no one to help me. I was there on the floor in the fetal position crying my eyes and lungs out hopefully lessening the weight that was now crushing me. It hurt so much.
I always put up the act that nothing really harms or affects me, but really everything did I was what you call a sensitive person. Putting up the act was so much better than crying every time that something bad happens. I don't have time to do that anyway.
I slowly get my breathing under control, stopping the river of fear clouding my mind. I turn on my back laying on the floor and looking at the sky, how similar did it look like Earth's stars. My episode was over and my body was finally under my control now after 20 minutes of uncontrollable crying and pathetic ass sounds coming out of my mouth, damn I must have looked so pathetic.
I'm tired of running away from my past. Looking at the stars, I let myself accept the memories of my world, the more I tried to forget it the more harm it would do to me, I let out another round of crying this time I forced myself to remember everything about my planet, my friends, and my family. Me and my buddy Aron causing a mess in the cafeteria and accidentally started a food fight and booking it out of there. My mother telling me she loved me while she gave me my gray bandana I'm wearing right now, my baby nephew telling me that he loves me while he kissed my cheek.
I smiled a smile that hadn't come out since I came to this world, I don't know why I kept myself from thinking about my life. It was the thing I was fighting for, the reason I was walking through this living hell, I need to remember every single thing about it, it's flawed and mostly the good it holds. Getting up I think more, I want to see my nephew grow up, I want to get married to a woman that I love and that she loves me back. I want children to show them to grow up into the best person they can be. I feel my Aura wrapping around my body as thread comes out of my arms, they seemed almost happy. I will get to see all of it.
Nothing will stop me, not even these so-called Gods, Nothing will stop me.
The small fire in my soul grew, now it shined brighter than ever before. I calm myself down and walk out of the alley, it was at least one in the morning.
I walked back to the mayor's office. I don't really have a home so I'll just sleep there and not change clothes. I still have work tomorrow early in the morning.
Also, I feel pretty bad about what I just did to Yin. I'll go apologize to her soon, I was an idiot for even thinking I can just move on from Selina without thinking about her and coming to terms with her death and letting go, these were the consequences of that. I feel the weight on my shoulders lighten, thank goodness it was getting a little too much, but now with my renewed resolve I feel I could take all the weight and it won't weigh me down one bit.
I open the door to the mayor's building, I wonder if this door even has locks. As I walk in I immediately see Coco's pissed off face, Ruh-Roh.
"Andres you better give me a really good reason for why you're out so late!" She yelled at me like she was my mom. Oww ears ringing now, fuck that hurt.
With a bit of a slurring voice, I say nonchalantly "Ohh I was just out having a date with lady liquor." There was nothing wrong with having a little fun after some hard work. She sniffed me and smelled the liquor, she cringed from the strength of it.
Her pissed off face turned even angrily by my nonchalantness and she says. "So you were out getting drunk while all of us were worried for you!" Wow, when she says it like that what I did sounded terrible. Behind her was Velvet and Yatsuhashi sitting on the couch watching us, Fox was nowhere to be seen.
Getting a little more sober I understand what she's coming from. I should have let them know that I was going to be late to come back, but when the weight of the world...Universe really starts to crush you, you need to relax or become overwhelmed by it. "My bad I was kinda getting a little too involved in a conversation," I say weakly giving her my flimsy reason.
Her angry expression vanished and appeared was just the look of wanting to help. "Yeah I kinda know, you look like you just got rejected hard," she said pointing out my disheveled look, my eyes red from crying and my clothing covered in dust. "you wanna talk about it?" Talk about it, I would, but I shouldn't. I'm referring to the trauma, not the "rejection". I don't want them to be mixed up in what I'm into.
"No, I'm just going to go to sleep," I say rejecting her help. This isn't a pride thing, it's protecting them from the truth of this universe. One day I might tell them, but definitely not right now too many unpredictable outcomes.
Coco's face turns almost sad and she says. "Why don't you tell us your problems. We could help you out and I've heard talking about th…" Then she was interrupted by me.
With absolute seriousness in my voice, I stare into Coco's eyes and say. "Coco please, I have a lot of problems and I don't want any of you involved in them so please just let me get my rest. I've had a terrible month." With that I walked upstairs to the mayor's personal quarters, eeh Elixir won't mind if I use this tonight.
Coco, stunned by my turn down of her help, lets out an "Uhh.." Seeing no point pressuring me to spill the beans she went to bed.
I walked to my bed and fell on it and fell asleep like a baby. The next day I woke up early in the morning and went to work.
Day 35 of 720 Before Earth's Death
The last two days when by fast I kept working on the walls and I finally finished them fast. They were good as new. I went back to Yin and apologized to her for running away during our conversation and the dine and dashing, she understood why I did it and forgave me, yes I did pay what I owed.
I finished fixing the wall and got paid, it was 3000 Lien. I think that's a lot, I don't know what this world's value of Lien. I spend some of it on supplies I'm going to need for my journey to the next village.
Between me and Coco was cleared up I said sorry for how I behaved that day and she forgave me, I did get closer to them turns out me and Coco have very similar personalities, Velvet and me are both kinda socially awkward and are really good with our hands, yes I made a sexual joke and she did laugh, Yatsuhashi and I had a lot in common, he didn't like fighting, but he said that what better way to help people than protect them, he's a really good guy I'm going to miss him, and the final member Fox, we didn't talk almost ever. I tried to talk to him, but he'd always ignore me so I stopped trying. I really liked them, except for one.
A huge part of me wants to go with them because slowly over time I started to feel more accepted by them. It was a warm feeling to have, but I had a mission to accomplish.
It was time for me to be on my way. I had my clothes washed and they looked brand new, but my bandana took another hit, a little spot on it was burned.
I arm myself with my trusty weapons and headed for the gate where my going away party was waiting, the fuck why so many people. As I got there I saw a sea of people waiting and everyone Coco, Velvet, Yatsuhashi, Elixir, some of the guards that were there that day and even Fox was there. I walked up and Team CFVY came to me to say their goodbyes.
"So this is goodbye, how are you guys going to live without me?" I said with a cheerful attitude.
"I'll sleep easier." Fox said he didn't care, psssh I know why. Jesus dick
"Fox." Velvet said with a hint of venom in it. Maybe they had a serious talk about how to behave around me because a couple of times he looked like he was about to fight me for almost no reason, probably because I got really close with Coco.
"We will miss you, you've been a good friend to us," Yatsuhashi said with a smile. Yeah, I'm decently going to miss him. He was the rock to this group's problems. He was always the most calm headed and always stopped any of us from going too far.
"Yeah what the big lug said you're a good friend I'd rate you top 10," Coco said, coming out from behind Yatsuhashi.
"Hey, I thought we had something special?" I said with a confident smile.
"Special?" She looked at me like I was crazy, ok I kinda think she's serious now. "Ok, maybe it was a little special." She confirmed with a wiggle of her eyebrow.
Getting the banter out of the way, I get a little serious and say. "So what are you going to do when you go back to beacon?"
"We have to report everything that happened here to Ozpin." Yes, so my plan going smoothly. "And don't worry about your crimes you committed here because you were never here to begin with." She said pretty much saying I'm not getting snitched on, good, but my plan is to be snitched on.
Now time to finish my end of the plan. "Cool you mind giving him this for me," I say as I handed her an envelope that had a message I wanted to relay to the Creepy Wizard of Oz, also I swear if their's the other cast of The Wizard of Oz on this planet I'll be fucking angry. No go ahead Universe and bring worthless characters like the heartless lion instead of actual people I want on my side like Goku the guy that can fucking become a god, which by the way is pure bullshit.
She looked confused and a little reluctant and said. "Wow man I can't do that, it's one of the rules Ozpin's put in place, don't take messages for the Headmaster, he probably made it up because he doesn't want to deal with every village asking him for something, sorry man that's a no go."
Hah, I reveal my trap card and say. "Oh we know each other, he'll gladly take it," I said with a confident smile.
She had a face of confusion and said. "You guys know each other, how he never leaves that tower of his?" Wow, he's really sticking to The Wizard of Oz shtick and I swear to God if he's an actual wizard I'm actually going to be angry.
Feeling rage from how absolutely fucking annoying he was I said with the strain of calming myself down in my voice. "Very annoying circumstance, but he will take this. I think he'll actually show some emotion when he sees it." I said because I really want her to just take it. From what I saw when I met him he's a pretty stoic person.
With a smile she said. "Cool I'm definitely going to give it to him now, but what's in it?" Great, I hope she doesn't look at it or she won't give it to Ozpin.
With a serious face. "That's for Ozpin's eyes only," I stressed with my voice.
"Great your mystery is getting even bigger," Fox said with annoyance in his voice.
"Good, chicks dig the mysterious types," I said with no evidence on my side.
"No, we don't." Velvet says while she smiles. Heh since she came out of her shell I've learned that she's really funny and confident when she wants to be.
With a face with fake pain, I say. "Velvet I would get Coco, but why you?"
"Hey don't look at me you set yourself up for that." She said giggling
With a kind smile, I say. "Velvet you should be yourself more, your cuter when you are. Also thank you guys, I've had a bash and maybe in the future we'll see each other again."
Velvet had a huge smile and said. "Definitely like to you're one of the nicest humans I've ever met." Aww, that really warms my heart.
"Of course we will. I see the flame of Will shine brightly within you, nothing will be able to keep you down." Will that's coming up more frequently or I've started to pay attention to it, that's why I've been hearing it more.
"Muuhh" Fox said, not even looking at me, I didn't really expect anything anyway from him.
Without warning Coco wraps her arms around me and locks lips with me, uhhh I'm getting molested. Then she disconnected herself from me after 10 seconds and said "We better because the next time I see you, we're sleeping together, but this time M rated." She gave me a wink, uhhhhhhh I think she's serious. She then put a piece of paper in my hand.
I look at it and it was her number, ha I got a girl's number and I didn't even need to try. With a tense body, I say "Later" then I thought for a second and said fuck it. I throw away my embarrassment to hug them, never let embarrassment stop you from having important moments and this is one of them.
I give them a huge hug, grabbing all of them and giving the bearest of hugs I could give. I start to walk away from them as I do they all wave me goodbye, damn does it hurt leaving friends. Also, I better not have herpes. I've kissed two girls and I don't know their medical history. I really hope they were clean.
As I kept walking The crowd was giving me praise as I passed by them, wow I'm pretty popular hopefully Elixir told them to shut up about me I still don't want to be known as a criminal to the Council.
I kept walking to the gate I built, but as I walking Elixir came out of the crowd and says "Hey Andres thanks again for all of your help the people of this town they decided as a gift they all gather a bit of money and got you this" he brings out a pouch looking thing. "It's a thigh pouch you could keep your most valuables inside there. Yeah, one of your friends told me about that pickpocket that almost stole from you, so why not help you out." He hands it to me and I accept it. I need this how many times have my scales left my presents like 6 different times, not good when it's the key to saving my world.
Loving the gift I immediately put it on, but I did it wrong and I tripped over myself clumsily. The Townspeople laughed. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up I thought when I got it right, with a thankful smile I say. "Really thank you and the rest of you as well, I really needed this."
Elixir pulls out a hardcover book with red on the outer edges of the cover and in the middle was black with a symbol of a red dragon's head, what the heck. "Here's my gift, it's a heavy duty journal. It helps to keep your sanity when you're out there in the wild." I don't need th...now that I think about it I really need it. You know being alone with a voice in your head isn't the most healthy thing.
Wow, so many presents. "Thanks, Elixir and just to let you know I probably really need this," I say while putting it in my thigh pouch, might as well I put my Scales inside too. The pouch was tight enough where nothing moved while I walked so it wasn't in the way and it felt like it wasn't even there, I really like this pouch.
"No problem now where are you traveling to?" Elixir said, think about where I am going.
"Let's see," I say as I take a look at my map. "Aha my next destination is Konohagakure" wait what the fuck, that's Konoha from Naruto am I in Naruto, or is that just the Universe throwing out references.
"Oh Konoha that's a far walk, it is about 397 miles away." He was surprised by my destination all the way over there.
No wanting to walk all the way there I say. "Talking about long distances, do you have any transport vehicles, you know like a car or better yet a bullhead?" Come on, come on no whammy, now give me a car.
With a face of regret he says. "I'm sorry, I can't lend you any vehicle. The Council is very strict with their rules." Dammit, I swear if I meet one of them I'm going to drop kick them.
With a sigh of disappointment, I say. "No it's ok we'll see you later on, yeah." I without warning hugged Elixir, but in reality, I got close enough to whisper into his ear for no one to listen in on us. "Listen and tell no one there is going to be a War soon and the enemy isn't other humans or faunas, it's the Grimm. Prepare for it or your town will perish." I say giving as little information as possible.
With a voice of confusion he says. "Why we're already at war with Grimm?"
"No not like how it is now, this War will be for the survival of all human and Faunas life on Remnant that is all I can say." This was my message. My plan is when I forge my sword I'm going to gather an army and attack the Witch wherever she is.
"I understand, I can't let my town die just because I didn't believe you, thanks for the heads up." He said, Wow that went way better than I thought he was going to play one million questions.
With a sigh of relief, I say. "No problem,"
"Have a safe trip Ryuu!" he said, giving me a name. I turn my head a bit confused and he says. "You need an Alias, so why not Ryuu." well guess I am a hero now so why not take it, I like it anyway. Ryuu, Mighty as a Dragon, Nah I'm going to be even Mightier.
I give Elixir a firm handshake, "Elixir I like it, goodbye, and thank you again for all of this." I say as I walk away.
I kept walking more until I left the town and outside the wall an old bald guy in blue robes, he was taller than 5' 5" and he was hunched over making him smaller. Oh God, I'm going to get raped.
He opened his dry old lips and said, "Are you the one who ate fire dust to defend this town right?" Wait what why would he ask that.
I couldn't come up with a lie fast enough so I let out. "Ahhhh Ohhh, Yes"
"Good here, have this," he said, pulling out a map, he unfolded it and on it was an X and he pointed at it and said. "Follow it to the X there's a monastery where the Legendary Aura Monks live." Aura monks, Clover once told me about them, but I have no time to sightsee. "Show them this and they'll let you enter their holy land and they'll test you to see if you are worthy of their teachings." He said, pulling out an amulet with a yellow gem in the middle and handed it to me.
Having it in hand I say. "Wait, why would I go there? I have a mission and a time limit, there's no reason for me to go there." Seriously, it's a waste of time going sightseeing, I got a universe to save.
"If you learn the ways of Aura you'll be able to consume dust like you did before, but have more power and no effect on your body and you'll have a power that veteran huntsmen wished they had." He said, trying to convince me.
With confusion in my voice, I say. "They can teach me that?" If they can teach me to use dust like before without any effects then I should go, twenty minutes of that power up I was able to just destroy all the Grimm that came my way, it's pretty much a short super Saiyan power up.
"Yes, but you will be tested and if you don't pass, they'll banish you." Well their sticklers to their codes, but might as well the location of the monastery it almost aligned to where Konoha is so might as well.
"I see about it and thank you for this," I say taking what he had to give.
"No need to thank me, I'm just a messenger for them to see if there's any potential out here." Cool, I have potential, I've been getting that a lot now. How come back on Earth this potential shit didn't come up.
"Goodbye," I say to noone, but myself, turns out the dude was Batman.
I walk on my way leaving the town's view of me. Time to keep going on my journey, I do need to get as far as possible before one of Ozpin's puppets comes for me.
Author's Note
The monetary is important to the plot, its not just a place were he's going to get stronger. Also the reason I gave him the name Ryuu is because its also gonna have important to the plot or more to Andres character development.
Also a new Grimm enters next chapter, hopefully you guys like it. In RWBY i don't really see really scary grimm or strong grimm that aren't physically strong