Mysterious Grimm-Like Being Sighted Again!

(When one thinks of the term "fairy tale," one thinks of mere myths and legends crafted from generations long past that stood the test of time. Most fairy tales are so old that they predate the earliest historical records of Huntsmen and Kingdoms, and among them lie different interpretations that are as ever-changing as the times. In that way, it can be said that the origin of a fairy tale is a symbolic representation of the times in which people lived, perceived things, and even acted. When people pondered over the shattered moon in the sky, "The Gift of the Moon" was invented. When humans needed an explanation for how Faunus came into being, several Faunus creation myths, like "The Shallow Sea," were invented. When people needed a reason not to keep telling lies, The "Boy Who Cried Grimm" was invented. The list goes on.

As miraculous as these stories can be, scientists and skeptics often argued against the factual basis of them, preferring to look toward more grounded explanations. Even so, there are few conflicts between those that believe in fairy tales and those that don't, as those stories are a manifestation of the past. To gaze too long into the past means to stop living in the present, and ultimately stop moving forward. This ideology might have remained true…were it not for the fairy tale that was invented only recently as a means to decipher an unusual being; one that has the characteristics of both a monster and a Huntress.

"With skin as pale and fractured as the moon and eyes as red as blood, it walks the surface of Remnant. Driven to protect without thought of gratitude or reward like the highest Huntress, its unyielding will is a symbol of hope. Drawn to suffering and ruin like the lowliest Creature of Grimm, its flaming scythe is a symbol of terror. Hunting evil at every turn without compromise or rest and leaving naught but flames and ashes in its wake, it personifies Destruction in its incorruptible form, untainted and pure."

That was just one of many quotations that describe this being. In an age where global communication is no longer a free commodity and people are victimized every day by the Grimm, as well as those desperate enough to cheat and steal to survive, such a being sounds too hard to believe. Few would ever risk their lives for free; fewer still could survive doing so for long without the funds that cover routine weapon maintenance or proper nutrition. These details are subject to speculation, however, as this being is said to work alone, with none of the camaraderie of a Huntsman team or a military outfit. Up-and-coming protectors and would-be heroes are often warned that those that are foolish enough to face the darkness alone typically suffer an inglorious death. It is this reason that the Huntsman Academies emphasize the importance of teamwork. For this being, however, death has yet to come.

Even weeks after the public truly caught wind of this being, both its fame and infamy only grew, and so did the mystique surrounding it. Eyewitness reports that claim to have seen this being reported flames as dark as the night sky following it wherever it went. Those unfortunate enough to watch it fight the Creatures of Grimm, reported that it slaughtered them in the most brutal and horrific ways imaginable. One particularly bold account stated that this being is, in fact, a Grimm itself. Whatever the case, all attempts to get in contact with it were ultimately fruitless, as it would never linger long enough to speak with others. While rumors of its savagery spread like the flames that scorched the ground with each step, human and Faunus settlements were usually left unscathed, bringing the theory that it is a Grimm into question; one of many that have yet to be answered. Who or what is this being? Has mankind blessed with an avenging angel sent by the Brother Gods in these dangerous times? Or is it merely a highly skilled Huntress, with abilities on par with legends like the Grimm Reaper herself? Or is it truly a Creature of Grimm sent to punish its own kind with savagery far beyond their own? Whatever the answer is, this is the fairy tale of the modern day.)

The wrinkled newspaper flapped back and forth with the wind, blemished by the dust in the air. Only Grimm Ruby's thumb claw kept the paper steady as it read yet another article in the "Breaking News" column, then rolled its eyes and shook its head. It seemed as though people had nothing better to do than spread rumors about it, as this was one of many.

"Think what you want," Grimm Ruby muttered, caring little of what the world thought, with one exception. After a long stare at the sloppy interpretation of it drawn on the newspaper, its eyebrow rose. "Are my legs really that fat?"

Giving its not-normal knees a quick glance and coming to the immediate conclusion that its legs were not, in fact, fat, it shrugged and rolled its eyes. With a flick of its wrist, it sparked a small flame on the paper and tossed it over its shoulder. At least there wasn't any mention of playing the right sequence of musical notes to compel it to appear…again. Whatever the people of Remnant thought of it, at least it seemed to make a positive difference, even if they didn't know the full story. It was probably better that they didn't know, better that they didn't get too close. Too many things could go wrong if it lingered around people. It knew that all too well now.

Perhaps those that crafted a fairy tale around it may have also suspected as much, if the part about "leaving naught but flames and ashes in its wake" was of any indication. Either way, there was one thing the rumors never touched on about its crusade: the quiet loneliness. It could recall from the original Ruby's memories of travelling with Team JNR, and how the simple little joys kept their minds off the horrors of Beacon's fall. It could remember misreading the map she carried around and getting her team lost as if it did so itself. It could remember the sweet stares Ren and Nora would give one another when they thought the other one wasn't looking. It could even remember the silly rabbit shirt Jaune wore underneath his armor. They were such little things to some, but they kept Ruby sane as she walked the cruel, harsh world.

Grimm Ruby had no such pleasures, nor did it want them. After all the pain it caused them, both mentally and physically, just thinking of them racked it with guilt. Deep down, a part of it didn't want to be forgiven, even if it was all an accident. It wondered if they would ever recover; if Ren could get his mind back, if Nora could be free of the rage that overtook her heart, and if Jaune could ever hold a sword again. Every free moment it had made it think about them. Ever since that day, it wandered the world aimlessly, seeking a way to control whatever it was that corrupted the hearts of those around it, but with no way to actually understand how it worked, that didn't seem possible. In fact, It was only the words the original Ruby said to it before they parted ways that kept it going at all.

"You don't want the last thing you did in your life to be something you regret," Grimm Ruby said to itself, closing its eyes. It would often recite that phrase when it thought of giving up and dying again. In that way, all it took was one light to keep it from walking blindly in the darkness. It was ironic that it took comfort in Ruby's words, considering that it's a monstrous copy of her, devoid of her light.

Ever since that day, it spent every waking moment doing the only thing it could do well, perhaps better than any human or Faunus ever could: kill monsters. In that one way, it could still act like a Huntress at heart, but it was mostly an attempt to get past the events of that horrible day. Perhaps if it killed enough of its fellow Grimm, it might make up for the ones that Team JNR, in the state they were in since it last saw them, wouldn't be able to. If not, then thinking of all the ways it could rip apart other Grimm with its claws would take its mind off of them. It would often do so in between fights, considering when to draw out a Grimm's suffering to sustain itself and when to kill them quickly and efficiently. For a human mind to spend all day thinking about killing, it was completely unhealthy and disturbing, but for a sentient Grimm, it felt completely natural. Even for one with the copied soul of a Huntress, the sounds of each and every Grimm screaming their last never got old. There was a grim satisfaction in it, but it was only further proof that it truly was made to kill, not protect. Despite this proof, it couldn't deny that it did so long enough for people to actually look at it like some living fairy tale.

Speaking of which, how long had it been since that horrible day? Was it weeks, or perhaps entire months had passed, or maybe it just a few days? It didn't know for certain. Night and day were all the same to it. It never slept, ate, nor drank, as it didn't need to. No matter what time it was, it kept moving forward on a path of perpetual torment. If there was one thing about being a sentient Grimm that was genuinely helpful, it was its ability to sense suffering and negativity, including its own kind. This ability only evolved since its time in Atlas, as it had ample opportunity to practice. On a good day, it could even discover a pack of Grimm and kill them before they were anywhere near a human or Faunus settlement.

For one quiet little caravan, however, it came far too late. Bloody bodies and dusty keepsakes littered the ground so long that the former started to decompose, and even the agony of those that died had already dissipated. That meant they had been dead for days, if not weeks, and the only thing it sensed was the Grimm that lingered there. Of course, it killed them all, as it always did, but that wouldn't bring anyone back. It only left "naught but flames and ashes," like the rumors suggested. The paper from which it found yet another story about the "Mysterious Grimm-Like Being" came from one of the vehicles, conveniently lying on one of the passenger seats.

Based on the way the door was left adrift, the passenger jumped out in a last-ditch attempt to flee for their life, and didn't bother to shut the door. Judging from the punctured tire and the disheveled state of the engine, it was clear that some of the Grimm were smart enough to know what parts of a vehicle to attack to stop it. They were also smart enough to realize that more people would eventually come to search for their lost loved ones, giving them the opportunity to ambush them. All of this pointed to one plausible theory: these were older Grimm, intelligent and patient.

With no more reason to linger, Grimm Ruby was about to leave until it noticed a young girl that looked no older than five wandering the wreckage. She had brown skin, pigtails, and wore a little red shirt with overalls. As strange as the idea of seeing a little girl all alone in a place like this was, the lack of any negativity whatsoever was even stranger. She had no fear or uncertainty in her heart; only wide-eyed curiosity was visible on her precocious face. Based on that alone, it could tell this young girl wasn't related to the massacre or anyone that died in any way. If she was, she would've sensed the sorrow of a lost parent or the fear of being the only survivor long before she got as close to it as she did. This, and the fact that the negativity of those that died was already gone, suggested that she wondered out here as little more than a curious bystander.

That theory would only be supported when she saw Grimm Ruby and stared deeply into its eyes with her finger on her cheek. She tilted her head, and walked closer with no regard for caution. This display of reckless curiosity made it wonder if this little girl was the only person that investigated the wreckage, or will investigate it. It had certainly been long enough for people to notice, even out here, far away from any settlements. Whatever the answer, it was fortunate for the people in the area that it had arrived to kill the Grimm here at all, regardless of whether they appreciated or feared it. This young girl's presence proves it. She would have been easy prey for the Grimm, fearful or not.

"What are you doing out here?" Grimm Ruby asked gently, making sure not to scare her. "You shouldn't be in a place like this."

"There was wag-ins," the little girl innocently answered. "They was here for a while. I wan-tid see if they was okay."

Her eyes wandered around the dark flames left behind from the fighting Grimm Ruby did here. They were mostly faint now, but they immolated most of the ground surrounding the caravan earlier. They must have caught this pure soul's eye the same way that negativity catches the attention of the Grimm. In that way, humans and Grimm are similar. They are both drawn to suffering, albeit in different ways, and few beyond a being that blurs the line between human and Grimm could learn this.

"You were worried about them?" Grimm Ruby said with a sad smile. "You're very brave, you know that? But you shouldn't have come out here all alone. Your mom and dad must be worried about you."

"What about your mommy and daddy?"

Its eyes widened at the question. The idea that a sentient Grimm could even have parents was a strange notion.

"You're all alone out here, too," she said with a confused tone.

"Rabenda!" a young woman's voice called out from the distance. Although the sense of despair over a lost child was approaching it, Grimm Ruby's attention remained in the moment. In it, a young girl easily pointed out the hypocrisy of its words. It couldn't argue with her, and even speaking about its reasons for traveling alone made it more despondent than usual.

"You're right," it said with solemn acceptance. "I am alone in this world. Maybe you can set a better example."

"Are you a Hunt-wess?" she asked as Grimm Ruby began to walk away. It smiled again, liking the sentiment. It didn't look her in the eye, however. It couldn't risk getting too attached to this young girl, or anyone else, for that matter.

"Rabenda!" the young woman's voice echoed in the air again, louder than last time. At least she wouldn't be alone for much longer.

"Think what you want."

And with that, it left without another word. That was the first conversation it had with anyone for a long while. It didn't want to risk corrupting her, burning her, or some other horrific accident that could easily be avoided. Even as it left, thoughts of the young girl lingered in its mind. It couldn't help but wonder if it had seen this young girl from somewhere before.

"There you are," Grimm Ruby heard the woman say. Not once did it look back to see what she looked like. The fear in the air faded instantly. That was all it needed to decipher a worried mother. Strange that it would understand this without real parents of its own, but it still had faint memories of Summer Rose from the original Ruby's past. And with that it returned to its endless crusade, always following the torment wherever it lead. Always.

It crept away from civilization once more, wandering the quiet wilderness. It had gotten used to it, taking this time to ponder what it could have done better. It arrived too late to save this caravan of people, yet moving too quickly toward the next pack of Grimm would leave the surface of the world scorched and corroded, leaving no nourishment or shelter for any life that might consume or make a nest out of. Finding the right balance between hasty and leisurely travel was the key, but the right answer would always change.

"Is this what you really want?"

Grimm Ruby stopped, instantly alarmed by the sudden voice. It uncoiled its scythe from its shoulder, wasting no time looking around the trees. Just like that, everything else that happened today meant so little. A vile grimace crept across its face as it put every effort in hunting…her.

"To carry the pain of this empty and godless world on your shoulders is such a burden. When every day is like the last and you yearn with all your heart for freedom…that's something I understand all too well."

A part of it couldn't believe what it was hearing. How could she be here of all places, and why?

"I know you understand it, too. Even now, you're desperate for some way to free yourself from the grim reality of your situation. You cling to her…ideals, playing the part of humanity's shield, of…a Huntress, of all things. You follow these delusions in the hope that you may one day find some semblance of peace."

A bestial growl left Grimm Ruby's lips when she dared to insult its original self like that.

"And that…is where you are wrong, just as her mother was."

Another louder and more hateful growl escaped, for she now insulted even her mother.

"But it doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to be alone. In fact, you were never…alone."

Just like that, the anger in Grimm Ruby's face faded instantly, replaced by a quiet horror. Its worst fears were realized. As Weiss once warned, Salem herself had been watching and listening through its eyes and ears the entire time.

"That's right. I never left you. And I must say I'm very impressed with your capabilities, even if your path is…misguided. I suppose I should be more impressed with myself. It was my efforts that gave you life. It was my resolve that gave you power."

It glanced down at its claws with dread and despair. Just when it thought it couldn't be any more plagued, Salem's very voice was now speaking in its mind. It made it think of Oscar, and his situation where his personality would one day merge with Ozpin's.

"And now, my great and powerful masterpiece, I have one more thing to offer you: freedom."

Grimm Ruby squinted its eyes. Her words were unusually comforting for someone willing to violate a young girl in every possible way to get what she wants, but why? Why was she trying to tempt it with promises and kind words…unless she was just trying to win it over?

"If you return to me…if you stand at my side, as you were always meant to, I can give you the very thing you've always wanted."

And if that was the case, that could only mean one thing. Its situation wasn't anything like Oscar's. Salem couldn't merge with it or control it in any way, not even from the inside. Her attempt to negotiate with it proves that much. Unwilling to let her words sway its actions, it continued walking through the wilderness once more.

"Normal knees."

One more bestial growl left Grimm Ruby's lips, but full with contempt rather than hate. It wasn't enough for her to insult Ruby and her mother. Now she twists the very concept of her desire…no, their shared desire of being a normal girl with normal knees. It also reserved some contempt for itself, as it had actually let itself fear the idea of somehow being overtaken by her. Oscar and Ozpin were like-minded souls. That's what drew them together; one of the conditions of the God of Light's task for Ozma. For Salem, it was the opposite. She played goddess more than once, and perverted this concept many times. She may have created it, even fundamentally left its soul blistering with hate, but they were about as far from like-minded as any two individuals, monster or otherwise, could ever be.

"You can feel it, can't you? The thrill of the hunt, the ecstasy of death. It's a part of you. Why do you deny it? As I had once given them to you, I can take them away. All the pain you carry…will be gone."

Its claws quivered with disgust. Even now, as she saw through its very eyes, listened through its very ears, she still didn't understand. The pain it carried, and the pain others go through on a constant basis every day because of her actions, were one and the same. That's how it was for a being that sensed the negativity of others. They felt it in their souls as well.

"I know of what the God of Darkness said to you."

Just like that, it stopped walking. Salem had its rapt attention once more.

"Do you recall his words? 'This quarrel will not be resolved by the powers of Creation, but Destruction. That is you purpose.' He claimed that the power I've given you could burn my soul, yet by then you had already…defied me. You had already unleashed your blistering hatred upon me, again and again. Ask yourself, why am I still here? Why do I still linger in this world, forever and eternal? Why does my soul remain, despite the words of this so-called 'God?'"

Salem's words had some truth to them. This contradiction of the facts had been bothering Grimm Ruby ever since it left Evernight.

"It's actually quite simple. He lied to you. If the gods really wanted to end my curse, they could have done so anytime they wished, with or without you."

In a fairy tale, the most sinister villain imaginable was one that could truly convince the listener to see things their way, not through deceit, but through truth. It's easy to believe they could have ended her curse, regardless of whether or not she learned the importance of life and death, and it's doubtful that the God of Darkness actually needed a sentient Grimm to burn her soul…or whatever its eyes really did.

"If the gods really cared about this…shattered remnant of a world, they could have cleaned the mess they made long ago. Instead, they are content to stand idle as my forces worked to fracture this world and its people for ages. Even now, the God of Light uses my dear Ozma as his proxy…just as his brother uses you. Is that what you really want? To bend your knee to a deity who, by his own admission, sees you only as a pawn? 'You are mine to command. You will always be mine.' Those were his words to you."

Grimm Ruby detested the idea even then, but it had to keep its anger in check. Otherwise, it might cause an inferno with its rage and burn another forest to ashes. It forced itself to stay quiet, no matter how convincing Salem's words really were.

"I've created and commanded many varieties of Grimm over the ages, but none, not even my Hounds, are quite like you. They are brutal creatures, devoid of mercy and compassion, but you…you are worse. It's not because your power eclipses any other. It's because you are the one that can strike him and his brother down!"

Now it wondered if Salem had any sanity at all. The notion of even threatening the Brother Gods, let alone killing them, was absurd. The God of Darkness even proved as much when it complained about his methods. It could still recall the way he contorted its limbs with a mere gesture, just to prove it couldn't rebel, and he didn't even need his brother's help. Even that paled in comparison to Salem's last attempt to rebel against them…which ended catastrophically, to put it nicely.

"You want to rebel. I know you do. You don't have to be his slave. The power you wield stems from the purest suffering of the human heart, extracted from the tragic endings of hundreds of Huntsmen and Huntresses. From my actions, there are more souls broken by pain and calamity than ever before, and this remnant of a world will soon breathe its last. Imagine the power you could possess if you wielded the suffering of every being in this world, all at once. In that way, humanity would truly be…united."

One final growl left Grimm Ruby's lips, conveying more frustration than the others combined. It had enough of Salem's words. The only thing she convinced it of was how much she embraced her monstrous nature. She twisted ideals and words the same way the Creatures of Grimm twist the very concept of life. They were a blight on the world, just like her. Even the God of Darkness was no better, and it doubted that his brother was, either. It grew disgusted with the way they all used people for their own ends; all three of them.

"You will find no end to your pain if you pretend to be something you're not. Deep down, you know the truth. You will always be…a monster."

Tightening its claws, Grimm Ruby was tempted to tear into the nearest tree trunk, but it restrained itself from doing so. It didn't want Salem to see it, to know she was getting under its skin. Instead, it said the only four words necessary to let her know exactly what it thinks of her taunts and her promises.

"Think what you want."

And with that, it returned to its endless crusade, always following the torment wherever it lead. Always.