Postmortem - I Found Hope in You
Destroy. She remembered that single word, a command that pushed her to lead the Grimm in their mission. Her body attacked from the outside as those within the town weakened the human's defenses. The attack went as planned, though the full force of the Grimm horde was lagging behind her.
No matter. Her body still led the charge, cutting down the soldiers defending the base. Her body tore through humans as she saw brief flashes of what was happening. Bodies. Blood. The remains of her attacks.
For a long time, she fought. She screamed and begged for it all to stop, but she couldn't even hear her own voice. It was like she was trapped in a sea of black ink, drowning, still able to breathe, but never allowed to make a sound.
Maybe she still screamed even now. She wasn't sure.
She knew her body was fighting something else. This was her body, right?
Like a nightmare. Her life had become a nightmare and she wasn't sure when it was going to end or when it had begun.
Her body fought something and then… and then she took her first breath in so very, very long.
She felt the heat of the nearby fires. She heard the screaming and the sounds of war and battle. She felt hands on her body, and she saw the little man who was trying to escape from a long, black tendril…
He fell to the ground as she wondered who she was and where she was and why she was.
No, that isn't right.
It was like being half asleep. Trying to wake up, with brief moments of conscious thought, before you fall back asleep. Her body moved, but she wasn't sure where it was going or why. Then came the screams and the roars and the small man.
He was being attacked. He was outnumbered. Needed help.
Grimm. Evil, cruel, bad, bad things. She remembered that. She remembered that Grimm were bad and she fought to save the man because that was what she needed to do.
Fight Grimm. Protect people. That was what she chose to do.
Now if only she could remember who she was.
She slept again. The attack tuckered her out and the flames burned so much of her body. She needed to heal. Needed sleep. Something she did a lot, if she recalled. She slept for a long, long time because her whole body hurt and it needed to heal. So she slept...
When she opened her eyes, she found a man in her arms. The small man, with slender arms and equally slender legs. He wore a mix of clothes and armor. His hair was a bright shade of yellow and his skin was caked with dirt and dried blood.
Who was he? That was her first question. Then she had her second.
Did it matter? He needed help, and she wanted to save him.
Birds fly, fish swim, and she helps people. That made sense.
She stood up, only to feel something on her back. She pushed harder, feeling wood snap against her back. The house she had jumped into with him had caved in under them, yet she rose out from under the rubble like it was just a blanket.
She walked out, looking for a clear spot to examine him.
He didn't move in her arms. He was still, but the slow rise and fall of his chest showed her that he was not dead, at least. She let out a sigh of relief, before she lifted up a hand to wake up. That was when she saw it, and she dropped the man onto the floor and leapt back.
She saw the black, clawed hand of a Grimm behind her and she dropped him, turning around to face their attackers. No weapon, no one else. They were alone in the ruins of some town…
A familiar town, but her mind ached trying to remember. Maybe more people out there needed help, but she wouldn't abandon the man.
No Grimm. Why was there no Grimm?
She turned her head left and right, but there was nothing. She listened to the slow winds and the rustle of leaves, but nothing. The hiss of dying fires, the crackle of wood breaking, the groan of stone falling against stone, nothing.
She narrowed her eyes, looking around for some kind of sign of life as she found herself wondering one simple question.
Where are we?
Then she saw her arms in the corners of her eyes, and she felt her blood run cold. She lifted her hands up to her head and she stared at them. Her hands, once soft and small, were black. A pure, gluttonous black that seemed to sap the color from everything around it.
Black and furry and clawed, with each finger ending in sharp, white, dagger-like nails.
She took a deep breath, and she tried to speak, but all that came out was a slurred growl. She grabbed at her throat, squeezing it, feeling the fur stab at her fingers and palm as the realization began to dawn on her, but it couldn't.
This isn't happening. This is not happening.
Hello?! Is anyone out there?!
Her mouth tried to voice her thoughts, but all that came out were growls and snarls.
No. No, no, no, no. Please, say something!
She opened her mouth again, trying to speak as she felt her heart pounding in her throat. Her body twisted. She had just meant to turn around, but she did it too quickly. Her entire torso turned a hundred and eighty degrees as her spine snapped in several different places.
It felt like popping her knuckles, except it was her spine. She tried not to think about that as she looked around. She saw a puddle of water, and she snapped her bones back into place and ran to them. She ran to the puddle and stared down at it, and she saw her reflection through the rippling water.
She saw a Grimm staring back at her. A tall, humanoid Grimm with the head of a wolf and a white, bony mask on its head. It looked like a Beowolf, but smaller. She lifted up her hand and the Grimm did the same.
She bent and stretched out her fingers, one at a time. One, two, three, four, five.
One, two, three, four, five. The Grimm moved its fingers just like she did.
Then she noticed the long tail the Grimm had. It waved behind it, and she ordered it to stop. It did. She ordered it to go left, and it did, right, and it did. Up and down, side to side. Then it froze, and she stared at the scythe at the end of it, made of the sharpened bone-like material all Grimm had.
She didn't say anything. She didn't speak. She just closed her eyes and buried her misshapen, animal-like head in her arms and stood there.
This was some kind of nightmare. Some kind of hallucination, but as her fingers stroked the bone-like mask on her face, she began to realize that this was reality.
This was her.
But what truly broke her was a single question. A faraway thought in the back of her mind that soon consumed her.
Who was she? What was her name…?
She wanted to cry. She wanted to break down and sob, but all that came out was a horrid wail. The scream of a dying beast.
The first thing Jaune felt when he woke up was the hard ground. Worse than his bed, worse than the sleeping bags he'd have to endure with Pyrrha and the others. He lifted his body up, ignoring the sharp pain he felt in his chest as he looked around.
And he saw his home was gone.
RA-27 was destroyed. It was nothing, but ruins and corpses now. The Grimm didn't leave bodies behind. They vanished in a black smoke, but humans… The whole placed looked like they had been slaughtered.
Jaune gasped for air, feeling tears pooling in the corners of his eyes as he stared at the ruins of his home. He forced himself up, dragging his feet against the dirt as he stared down the streets he had walked down thousands of times before.
He saw the little store the Lark family worked at. The restaurant he and the rest of his team enjoyed free milkshakes at because the shop owner adored them so much. People's homes, their lives, just… gone.
Turned into a husk.
They lost, and the manic screams he heard reminded him of who had beaten them. He turned his head, his breath caught in his throat as he saw the Grimm. It had its back to him, but it was bound to notice him sooner or later.
He kept his eyes on it as his hands scrambled to find his sword, but all they found was dirt and debris. He gulped down spit as his hand found a broken piece of pipe and he clutched it tightly. He squeezed it until his fingers turned pink, and he fought back his tears.
Monsters. This Grimm, and its kind, had taken everything from him. This one nearly killed Pyrrha, his teacher and friend. This one was still alive, and wanted nothing more than to kill it.
Fighting that Grimm was suicide. He already knew that. It was stronger, faster, and smarter than the others, but what choice did he have? If he ran, it would catch him. Then it'd tear him apart.
There was no getting out of this alive, was there?
He was going to die here, amidst the bodies of so many other people. People he knew. People he saw nearly every day for years. The people he failed to protect.
His family. Had they escaped? He prayed to the gods above that they had. Cardin promised...
Nora? Ren? Pyrrha?
Were they alive? Were they okay?
He didn't know.
He took a deep breath and pushed them out of his mind. He didn't want to think about everything he might be leaving behind. If these were his final moments alive, let them be filled with hate, and anger, and let it be enough to kill this Grimm.
He moved forward.
She felt alone. It was almost suffocating. She was alone, and she wept and cried as she begged for herself to wake up. Of course, she didn't. This wasn't a dream. It was her. This was who she was.
Half of what she had known a few moments ago was that Grimm were bad, and now she found that she was… one of them.
She just continued to cry, even as she felt something pulling on her hairs. The hairs on her back. The sharp, pointy black hairs of a Grimm.
The pulling grew stronger, to the point where something in her told her to turn around. It became a whisper in her ear, urging her to turn around, until it soon became a demand, a need to turn around as fire and heat burned her back.
She did, just to quiet the sensation and she watched as a metal pipe was swung towards her. It bashed against her head and she was stunned, falling back as she cried out in pain. A snarl spilled from her mouth with drool and spit, before another blow hit her hand.
The beast roared in pain, stepping back as the human swung his weapon again and again. He continued to attack but now that she saw who was attacking her, she wasn't sure what to do.
His blows hit, but she ignored the pain, trembling as the pipe bashed against her hide. She was struck again and again and she wondered for a moment if this was for the best. Yet something inside of her urged her to attack. Her tail shot out, aimed at the man's arm as her red eyes widened.
She turned her tail away, begging it to obey her. The attack curved at the last second, knocking the pipe of his hand. A moment off and that might have been his arm that was falling to the ground.
He fell back, shaking as she stared at him. Guilt struck her as quickly as she struck him. She hadn't realized how strong she was in this body. She hadn't realized something in her was demanding she strike this human down.
But she didn't want to.
She bent down, trying to reach out to him, but he grabbed the pipe and attacked her again. She dodged it this time, evading the metal weapon as he fought with his injured hand close to his chest.
"Get away from me! Get away!"
She turned and ran, kicking at the dirt beneath her to escape. She ran out of his reach, before she stopped and turned around. She stared at him with crimson eyes as he tried to catch his breath.
"S-stay back. Stay back…"
Jaune was shaking. His hand was throbbing. It hurt so much. It hadn't even hit him, but the force of its blow sent vibrations down his arm. Did she break a bone? Or was it just sprained? Maybe he was just weak. He wasn't sure.
All he knew was that if that thing hit him again, he might not have the chance to scream. He might just lay on the ground and die.
He gulped. He tried to breathe. When the creature retreated, it stared at him. Was it waiting to see what he did?
He knew if he ran, it'd just tackle him down and tear his throat out, but what would standing here accomplish? He stepped back, waiting for it to follow, but it didn't move. He dragged his other foot back, listening to the stone grind underneath his feet.
It didn't move to follow him. It just kept staring, and Jaune wondered if this was some kind of sick joke?
His eyes widened, before he turned his head around and looked around. He expected something. Someone. A Grimm? A pack of Grimm?
No. Nothing. His head turned back around, almost giving himself whiplash as he stared at the Grimm. It hadn't moved.
"What…?" He ground his teeth as his confusion gave way to anger, and he shouted at the monster. "What?! You think this is funny? Some kind of stupid game?!" He pulled his hand back and threw the pipe, aiming at the Grimm's head.
It sidestepped the attack, easily dodging it. He pounded his hand against his chest, glaring at the hound. "Attack me! Come on! I'm not your freakin' chew toy!" He picked up a rock and he threw it at the monster. It bumped against the Grimm's chest, doing… nothing.
"Attack me or leave! I don't care which, just don't toy with me! Y-you stupid animal!" Jaune roared, throwing another rock at the beast, watching its bounce against its hide. "You killed everyone else! You think I'm not worth it?!" Another stone harmlessly bounced against the Grimm, before it turned and walked away.
It didn't run. It walked, and all Jaune could do was watch it go.
He wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth killing.
How pathetic was he?
"Damn it," he cursed, feeling the tears falling down his face. He couldn't hold them back anymore. The anger was gone, extinguished under an ocean of tragedy. It hurt. Everything hurt. He could barely even breathe as his vision blurred.
Mom and his sisters were probably dead. Pyrrha was probably dead. Cardin, Ren, Nora, they were all dead.
Why couldn't he have joined them? Being alone like this… It hurt more than anything he could have imagined.
The Grimm could turn around and kill him right now. What could he do against it?
He sucked in air through his teeth, before he turned his back to the Grimm and waited.
Please.
He wanted to die a Huntsman, at least… but his wishes went unanswered. He cried where he stood, gasping for air as he began to sob. The carnage he saw, the death, knowing how alone he was… He just couldn't take it.
What was he supposed to do now? If the Grimm didn't think he was worth killing, what should he do? What could he do?
He wanted the pain to stop…
Jaune fell to his knees, laying there in wait, wondering if this was where he was going to die. His fingers balled into fists as he continued to cry. He gasped for air, having never felt so alone before…
He wasn't sure what made him stand. Maybe it was just something he had to do. He had to see. He had to check.
Jaune moved like a zombie, dragging his feet to the hangar. If a Grimm found him out here with no weapon and barely any Aura left, he was sure he would have been an easy kill.
Fine. So be it.
Whether it was providence or just dumb luck, Jaune arrived at the hangar without a single Grimm attacking him. He walked to the landing pads where Marrow's ships once laid.
If he had found the wreckage.. The burned corpses of Pyrrha and his family… He wasn't sure what he would have done. Just given up…?
Instead he found nothing, and his heart swelled with hope for just a single moment. He dared himself to believe that… that they had flown off. That they were alive.
He begged the Brothers above that they were alive.
That empty space meant everything to Jaune. It represented the last hope he had that Pyrrha and the others had survived. That it wasn't all for nothing.
The most likely place for them to go was New Atlas. After the first capitol was evacuated and destroyed, Ironwood and his forces founded a new city, a place where they would continue their war against the Grimm.
It was far, far away from here, but he made his choice. He assigned himself a new mission. Stay alive. Find his team and his family again. Whatever it took.
What had she become? The way that man looked at her, it was like she was some kind of monster.
Of course, she was a monster. Sharp claws, sharper teeth, a tail with a blade at the end.
She was a girl in the body of a monster.
A girl with no name.
She felt the hairs on her back pulling her towards him. She felt hands twisting at her neck, trying to make her turn. The ache in her bones grew, like her bones were cracking and breaking inside her body, but she ignored it. Even fought it.
The Grimm in her wanted to turn around. It wanted to find that source of rotting emotions, the gutted heart that bled loneliness and despair and it wanted to feast.
To feel her teeth in his skin. To feel her tongue drowning in his blood. Fingers knuckle deep in his-
No.
She didn't know who she was, or what she was to do now, but she would not just be another Grimm. She was a person, and she would act like it.
But what good was that? No home, no family, no friends.
The only person she knew hated her.
What was she supposed to do…?
She came to a stop, frozen in time for a moment as her bladed tail swung before her eyes. It moved like a pendulum, as if offering itself to her.
Offering what?
A way out?
She couldn't believe she thought that. She placed a hand on her head, feeling herself shaking. She didn't want to die, but she didn't want to live like this either?
A monster.
The memories. They flowed into her mind, and she remembered the red on her hands. The blood. The death.
People with faces she couldn't see or remember, but she had taken away so much from so many of them.
She wasn't this. She wasn't a monster. She was just a girl. She had wanted to help people, to fix things. She had wanted to be A Huntsmen, just like… just like… someone.
What had she done…?
She cried. She wanted to sob, but even now her voice came out like a shriek. A Grimm hungry for blood and death. She couldn't hear her own voice or even remember who she was.
She was a Grimm now. Maybe forever.
Jaune found his sword and shield laying in the debris. They were scratched and scuffed, but the weapons had been through worse. He brushed his hand against them, carefully, slowly, staring at the symbol of his family.
"I'll find you. I promise," he whispered, before he picked his weapons up and stood. "Okay, now what? He asked himself.
Evacuations were already in progress during the attack. They were going to the capitol. Then that's where he would go too. He'd need some things before he started on that journey, though. The others had airships to carry them to safety.
Jaune had his two feet.
"Food, a map, should I pack extra clothes?" he wondered aloud, before he sighed. This was insane. He couldn't walk across the country, but what was the better option here? He hadn't found a single vehicle since waking up.
He glanced at his sword, before he dug his teeth so deeply into the inside of his cheek, he almost tasted blood.
"I should go check on food, first," he muttered. He made his way to the commissary, and along the way he saw the bodies of so many. His friends. People he knew. He was glad when he couldn't see their faces.
Empty eyes. Broken bodies. He wanted to see if there were survivors, but there were so many dead… He didn't want to try.
Coward.
Jaune gritted his teeth. He ground them together, wishing one would break just so he didn't have to think about that word.
He kept moving, entering what was the commissary and he looked around. The place was a mess, but there weren't any fires at least The place was damaged, but compared to the ruins outside, it was almost pristine.
He walked over fallen walls and parts of the ceiling that had caved in. He found a body under stone, their hand sticking out from under broken rebar and brick. Their broken hand reached out to a leather satchel, mere inches away.
"H-hello?"
What was he expecting? For the hand to wave? For a voice to greet him back? He cursed his own stupidity before he reached for the bag, only to stop. He froze, before he sighed and got down on his knees.
This was stupid. What was the point?
But he couldn't stop himself. He had to.
"I'm sorry." He bowed his head and quietly gasped for air. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't save you, o-or help you. I'm sorry this happened. I'm sorry, I-"
He didn't even know them.
But it just didn't seem right. That this body was left out here to rot. No one deserved that.
Jaune wished he could have helped them, maybe even bury them, but he had to move. He had to-
What was that?
A sound. Like a knife dragging along the ground.
His eyes widened and he clutched his sword tightly in his hand. He stood up, eyes shooting down the aisle. Nothing. No one. What about the next aisle? Something could be there?
Had it heard him? No, his emotions. Grimm were attracted to negative emotions.
What the hell was he supposed to do?! Smile and think happy thoughts? Was that why Nora always had a smile on her face? To better hide from the Grimm?
Jaune shook his head. Stop getting distracted. Focus.
There was the sound again. Could have just been an animal.
He doubted it, though.
He tightened his grip on his sword, only to bite into his lip. No, no, no. He couldn't fight it. There wasn't one Grimm. There never is. He had to find somewhere to hide.
He picked up the leather satchel and moved as quickly and quietly as he could. He cursed every pebble he kicked or crushed under his feet, moving with a racing heart, trying not to breathe as he fled. He told himself to keep moving. To just keep moving and he'd survive.
He found a supply closet and he twisted the knob open. He slipped inside, closing the door as quietly as he could as he ignored his pounding heart.
It was dark. He barely looked inside before he entered it. He took a deep breath, ignoring a foul scent in his nose. Rotten food? Dead bodies? Or Grimm? None were really great, though he certainly had his hopes.
He closed his eyes, listening to the scratching sound growing louder. He told himself to ignore it, but that wouldn't help. He had to stay alert. If it found him, he had to be ready.
So he waited, listening to that scratching sound growing louder and louder.
Don't say anything. Don't do anything. Just wait. Let them move past you, he told himself.
His mind. The Grimm could probably feel his fear, taste it, even. He closed his eyes, only to open them again, darting around the door, staring at the small glimmers of light that got in.
He had to hide his mind. He thought about Pyrrha. About Nora and Ren. Even Cardin. His mom and sisters. He tried to think about only them and nothing else. Not the scratching, which was just outside the door. Not the soft, quiet sound of breathing that wasn't his.
He thought of his friends and family. The times they made him laugh. He wanted to focus on them, but deep down he knew he couldn't.
Because they were probably dead and he was alone.
The breathing stopped. Then it sniffed the air outside the door. Jaune could hear claws dragging along the wooden door, gently scratching at it as Jaune reached for his sword. His other hand moved on reflex tilting the sheathe down a bit to let him take it out smoother.
That was when the bottom of the sheathe hit a shelf, and something metal fell to the floor. In the silence, the sound of it crashing was deafening. It bounced against the floor, rolling on the ground as Jaune threw his body forward.
No choice. No chance. Strike first.
"Ahhh!"
The door shot open and Jaune swung his sword. He slashed at the air, screaming, trying to end this in one decisive blow.
He hit nothing, but air. The white wolf at his feet growled, before it shot forward, trying to bite at his leg.
"Ahh!"
Stupid. It had just been a wild animal. He couldn't believe how stupid he was. He waved his sword at it, stepping back and hopping up and down to avoid its sharp teeth.
"Get out of here! Shoo! Shoo!" He kicked at the animal, and it growled, running from him as he panted. He ran a hand through his hair, catching his breath as he watched the dog run.
It left him behind, and Jaune almost felt foolish for being so scared.
Then watched something big tackled the dog to the ground. Jaune turned his head away, but he could still hear it. The screams. The whines and whimpers. The sound of a Grimm killing.
Most Grimm didn't kill animals. They only care about humans, but there are certain branches… Certain types that seemed to attack anything that moved.
"Heehehe."
Jaune felt sweat dripping down his body, before he turned and ran. He made his way for the exit as the laughter grew louder.
"Heeheeaahh!"
"Hoohoohahaha!"
"Hyeeahahaha!"
Jaune ran. He ran to the exit, only to watch as black silhouettes stood in his way. He knew what they were before his eyes caught every detail. He knew them well enough from the terrified whispers of men and women dying in the infirmary. Tales of warning made from the old to the young. Reports of bloody conflict and severe casualties.
Crocotta. The Corpse Hunters, or the Clean Up Crew, depending on who you ask. Hyena-like Grimm known for scouring through battlefields and wiping out survivors.
Jaune gulped, watching as the four in front of him rose up from all four, now standing on their hind legs.
Their furry necks bristled, slowly twitching in the air as their red eyes stared at him. Long strands of spit dripped from the sharp, jagged teeth as their laughter grew.
They sounded like children. Mad, bloodthirsty children as Jaune realized he was trapped. He could hear their laughter behind him, brushing against his neck, but he swore if he turned around, the ones in front would gut him right there.
"Heeheeheehahaha!"
"Hoohoohoohaha!"
He was trapped, and he watched them slowly move closer, claws gleaming in the light. Their laughter grew louder as he held his sword and turned his sheathe into a shield.
What was he thinking? There wasn't any way he was going to survive to see tomorrow. He'd never see his family again. He was as good as dead.
Even if he survived this, there were millions of Grimm between here and Atlas.
All he could do was take a few Grimm out with him… See if he actually could die as a Huntsman.
She knew she used to be human. She had skin and hair and… and eyes, and…
She didn't remember. She just knew she didn't look like this.
Her body wandered, unsure of where to go or what to do, but eventually she stopped. She saw so many fallen bodies. The people who used to live here, the people she helped kill…
The Grimm held her head, shaking it back and forth as she felt her claws gently sliding along her fur. The way the hairs moved against the sharp blades.
This wasn't her body, but here she was.
She wanted to cry, but no tears would fall. She wanted to scream, but she didn't want to hear that sound again. She just wanted this nightmare to end.
But she was trapped, with only one escape that she never wanted to consider again.
Her wolf-like ears twitched. They stood up straight, on alert. They caught the sound of a low growl and she turned her head. She saw the Grimm staring at her.
Instinct took over. She readied herself for a fight, but there were no weapons in her hands. She glanced at her clawed fingers and the tail that whipped back and forth behind her, reminding herself that she had weapons.
They just weren't typical ones.
The Grimm was small, though it took a moment for Ruby to remember that it probably would have been her size if she was still… normal. It ran on all fours, sniffing the battlefield.
Ruby readied herself for a fight, bit it ignored her and kept moving. It sniffed the air, trying to find something as Ruby watched it go.
It was almost like it didn't even notice her. Was it because she looked like a Grimm? Worse, was it because she was one? She shuddered at the question as she watched the Grimm come to a human body. It sniffed the body, before it pressed its snout against the man's face.
Ruby watched as a green smoke poured out of the Grimm's mouth, and the body began to cough. He gasped for air, choking on the substance as Ruby felt the noxious, horrid stench burning her nose. It felt like a firecracker in her head, burning and stinging her with every passing second.
Then she saw the Grimm lunge down, biting down on the survivor's neck in one quick moment. It was quick, but not painless. The man struggled, but his scream was crushed before it could even escape past his lips.
He was gone.
"Hyeehyeehyee!"
It was laughing. The Grimm laughed, licking crimson teeth before it lifted its head up and sniffed the air. It began to move, walking past her as she felt the same pull. Stronger than ever.
She turned her head, and her eyes widened. She saw more of those Grimm running throughout the base, charging in the direction that blond guy had gone.
They felt his anger, his loneliness, his pain… They caught his scent, and they were going to kill him.
She didn't hesitate. She ran after the other Grimm, moving as quickly as her two legs could take her. She ran and ran, until her instincts took over and she leapt forward. She landed on all four, and she became a black blur, desperate to reach him before they did…
She wouldn't let them kill him.
The Grimm laughed at Jaune. They cackled and giggled, surrounding him as his fingers tightened around his weapons. He gulped down spit, ignoring the sweat crawling down his body, the tremble of his hands, and his pounding, drumming heart.
They didn't make a move. They just watched him, laughing, cutting off every exit he had. He stepped forward and one bit the air in front of him, chomping at him with sharp, ivory teeth. Jaune's foot stepped back, and they laughed at him.
"Hwahwahwa!"
"Heehaheehahee!"
"Shut up!" he growled, and their laughter only grew.
He charged forward, swinging his sword at the one closest to him. It jumped back as another bit at the sword. Its teeth shattered against the metal, only for another Crocotta to grab his shield and pull at it with human-like fingers.
"Let go!" He pulled the shield out of the Crocotta's hand, before another swiped at his leg. Its claws clashed against his Aura, but the pain still shot through Jaune's body. Like a red-hot knife against his leg, he fell onto his knee as they laughed at him.
"Get away!" He couldn't let them hear the fear in his voice. He couldn't let them know how scared he was.
He swung his sword again, before a Crocotta bit into his elbow. He felt it nearly piercing through his Aura as he screamed, trying in vain to knock it away with his shield. That left him completely open to the others.
Claws and teeth struck his Aura, tearing it apart like they were going to feast on him. They worked together, becoming a whirlwind of sharp ivory and black fur as their laughter filled Jaune's mind. He felt his blood begin to fall, staining his clothes as he was pinned onto the ground, panting, gasping for air.
His sword and shield laid on the floor. The weapons of his ancestors beaten by a pack of stupid beasts. Jaune tried to stand, but the Crocotta on top of him pushed him back down, digging its clawed foot into his chest, right over his heart.
It leaned in close, that laugh piercing his ears as the others surrounded them. His arms and legs were held down as the Crocotta on his chest giggled, belching out a green smoke from its mouth.
Jaune's eyes widened as the smell invaded his nose. The smell was noxious. His throat felt like it was being forced closed as he gasped for air, trying to cough the gas out of his throat, but it clung inside like hooks in his throat. His eyes burned, tears falling from them as he began to cry.
Was this it? Was this how he was going to die? Choked to death by the rotten breath of a Grimm?
It was pathetic. Couldn't even kill one of them.
He was going to die here.
He wished… He just wished things had been different.
There was a rumble. A roar. Jaune could barely hear it over the sound of his choked, gasping breaths, before suddenly the Grimm on top of him was cleaved in two. The pieces fell to the ground, dead and lifeless as he watched a black blur leap beside him.
He tried to speak, tried to say something, but he could barely breathe. He just felt warm arms embrace him, holding him close as the other Crocotta roared and shrieked.
They charged forward, only to be cut down by a blade. It was so quick, it almost seemed like an invisible force had killed them, but Jaune saw the blade cutting through the air. It tore the Crocotta apart, slicing and cutting through them until Jaune and his savior had an exit.
His savior ran with Jaune in their arms, and it was then that Jaune realized just what had saved him.
The Grimm. The one that attacked Pyrrha.
He pushed against it, trying to escape its grasp out of instinct, but it was stronger than him by a wide margin. He was its prisoner as it ran away from the other Grimm.
Jaune remembered the Grimm attacking a Berserker earlier. He had never heard about Grimms fighting one another. Let alone a Grimm protecting a human. What the hell was going on?
The other Grimm gave chase, their laughter still ringing out.
And Jaune without Crocea Mors. Not like he was very good with it…
Suddenly the two hit the ground. Another Crocotta had attacked them from the side, surprising the larger Grimm. The two fell, and the larger Grimm was soon swarmed by over a dozen Crocotta.
Jaune laid on the ground, shaking his head. He found the clawed toes of a Crocotta in front of him, and when he looked up, the slimy maw of the beast was inches away. It lunged down, only to suddenly be wrapped up in a long tail and pulled back. Its claws tore at the ground as it roared and snarled, before the Grimm that saved Jaune killed it.
That's twice that thing's saved me. Jaune watched as the Crocotta attacked the larger Grimm in mass, biting and clawing at its furry hide. It was clear that the wolf-like Grimm was stronger than them, but there were just so many of them…
Jaune bit his lower lip, before his eyes scanned the battlefield. He found a piece of 2x4, something that was once part of a house, and he picked it up. He then charged forward, bashing the piece of wood against one of the Crocotta overwhelming the Grimm.
The wood shattered against the monster's hide, but it did what he needed it to. It pissed the thing off, and Jaune was already running when the Crocotta turned around to give chase.
Grimm were like animals. They weren't mindless. Forgetting that was the first, and sometimes final, mistake of many Huntsmen.
Why did she know this? Was she a Huntsman? She promised to be one, hadn't she? Who had she promised?
Focus.
Right now, the only thing that mattered was that she had made a huge mistake. The Grimm had her surrounded and when she tried to attack one, she was hit from the other side. There were too many of them, and though their claws couldn't cut her flesh, they could damage it.
Death by a thousand cuts. She was being overwhelmed as they attacked her, some even leaping onto her back to dig their claws into her flesh. Others bit down on her tail, and once four had it pinned down, she felt them trying to tear it off.
She still fought. She'd rather die with her fingers tearing a Grimm apart than living like this. She roared, only to feel the weight of Grimm leaving her. She blinked, noticing the pack was split in two now.
Half of them were trying to keep her down, the other half were chasing the blonde man.
"Hey! Come on, you stupid animals! Come and get me!" he screamed, and he ran as quickly as he could inside the nearest building as several of the creatures gave chase.
This gave her the chance she needed. She had to work quickly. With a mighty roar, she broke free and her claws and tail began to make quick work of her attackers. They were smaller than her, weaker, and when she hit them, they broke down apart with ease.
It was a slaughter, and she showed no mercy as her tail cleaved through the last of them. Once their bodies began to dissipate, she moved quickly, running into the same building as the man had gone.
She felt that pulling again. Like a hand pulling on the hairs on her skin. She followed it, finding the Grimm trying to tear a metal door off its hinges. She opened her maw, and a mighty roar tore out of her throat. It filled the building like an explosion.
The scream was enough to make the other Grimm freeze, and for a moment, just a moment, she wondered if she saw fear in their eyes. It didn't matter, because they were soon cut down in a blur.
Her claws tore through them easily, almost as easily as the blade at the end of her long tail. They fell to the ground, fading into nothingness as she panted, feeling her muscles twitching as adrenaline pumped through her system.
It felt...familiar.
And it was then a name was whispered into her ear. Her lips tried to match the sounds, and suddenly her tongue felt large and clumsy as she tried to hear that word again.
Jaune had never heard anything like that before. That scream. That roar. It didn't sound human, but it also didn't sound like any Grimm he had ever heard before.
Then there was silence.
Jaune looked around the room he had stumbled inside. It was dark, with only a dim light illuminating his surroundings. He let out a breath, and he could see it flee from his mouth.
It was cold.
Shit, it was really cold.
Jaune looked around the room again, noticing boxes of frozen food stored along the walls. He was in a big freezer, he realized.
He could stay here. Leave that giant Grimm out there where it hopefully couldn't get him. He could stay here…
And die. He would almost certainly die.
Jaune groaned, stepped forward and pushed the metal door open. Just a few inches so he could peek outside.
"R-ru…R-rruur..."
The wolf-like Grimm was growling, but when Jaune looked around the room, all he found were the last bits and pieces of fallen Grimm.
The only Grimm left seemed to notice the door opening and it turned its head to face him. Jaune felt his heart stop, but the Grimm didn't attack. It didn't growl or roar, it just stared at him.
And then it waved.
"Uhh…" Jaune held up his hand, waving back at it. That seemed to perk the creature up, and it looked like it was trying to smile. Jaune could see the Grimm's many sharp teeth gleaming, and he gulped.
Now what?
"Roo… Roo!"
It began to growl at the human, and Jaune almost slammed the door shut again. He tried, but the Grimm had slipped its tail in the way, forcing the door to open further. Jaune stepped back, watching as the hulking beast stepped forward.
"Rooobuh."
That… almost sounded like a word.
"Are… are you talking?" He placed a hand on his head, shaking it. "No, what am I saying? Y-you can't be talking." Then again, Grimm didn't fight other Grimm and save humans, so maybe he was the crazy one.
"Roo… Rooo-bee."
"I...what? R-rubies? You want rubies?" Jaune slowly asked, before he wondered just what the hell he was doing.
Yet he watched as the Grimm shook its head, before placing a hand on its chest. "Ruby."
There was something different about how it said that word. It was almost like two voices, one on top of the other. The voice of a monster, deep and snarling, but under it was something… softer. A woman's voice.
The gears turned in his head as Jaune took slow, disbelieving breaths.
This can't be happening. No way. No way. This isn't happening. And yet he uttered the question plaguing his mind.
"Ruby… Your name is… Ruby?"
This is not happening.
The Grimm nodded its head. Vigorously...
Ruby could cry.
How long had she gone without hearing that word? That name? Her name!
It was her name. She wasn't just a Grimm, she was a person with a name. She was a human, a woman, and her name was Ruby.
"Ruby." She repeated the word and bounced up and down, a smile on her wolf-like face. "Ruby!" She pounded her chest, nodding her head again. "Ruby!"
"Ruby… You have a name," the man muttered.
She wanted to scream, but this time out of joy. She wanted to laugh and she clapped her hands as she nodded her head. She wanted him to say it again. To just hear her name again after all this time of nothing.
Sadly he didn't do that. He just sank onto the floor, falling on his behind as he combed a hand through his hair. "Holy shit. A Grimm with a name."
"Ruby." She tried to correct him as she sat in front of him, mimicking his actions. She then reached out to him, and she watched as he pulled back. She couldn't really blame him for that.
She pulled her hand away before she patted her chest again. "Ruby." She then held a hand out to him, silently asking for his name.
He seemed to understand after a few moments. Another few moments of quiet contemplation before he tapped his chestplate. "Jaune. Jaune Arc."
A name. Why did it fill her soul to hear another person's name? She wasn't sure, but it made her feel like lightning as she nodded her head. Jaune Arc. That sounded like a nice name.
"Jah...Jaaah." She blinked, before her head hung low. She opened her mouth, remembering how to make the sounds, but her mouth didn't obey her. "Jaaaah." The word wasn't coming out. She heard his name, she knew what the sounds were, but she just couldn't say them. "Jaaaaahh-naaah!"
The sound must have scared him. Honestly it almost sounded like she was choking on the word.
"Okay, okay, calm down. D-don't worry about it." He held up his hands, trying to calm her down. She sighed and obeyed, nodding her head to show she was calm. He looked at her, examining her body.
"Ruby." He whispered her name, but she heard it and it made her heart soar. Every time she heard it, she remembered that she was a person. Not a Grimm.
"T-thank you for saving me…?" Ruby stood up, and the sudden movement scared the young man, but she placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest. She tried to look heroic, even as her tail swayed behind her.
"Right. So, Ruby… That a girl's name or…?" Ruby blinked, before she sat back down and nodded her head.
She patted her chest, trying to growl out the words. "G-guur. Guuur."
"Oh." Jaune blinked, before he raised a hand up and pointed at the creature in front of him. "You're… you're a female Grimm?"
Ruby opened her mouth to answer, but she knew better than that. She sighed, turning away from Jaune and walking to the nearest wall. She placed her hand on the smooth wall, taking a deep breath as thought about what she'd have to do.
Jaune watched her and she tried to give him a friendly smile before she began to drag her claws against the stone. Jaune cried out in pain, covering his ears with both hands as she left her mark. He shouted out at her, but she ignored him.
She wanted to say sorry, but she didn't think her mouth could actually say those words. So she just worked quickly, finishing her drawing and stepping into place. She waved at Jaune, pointing at her drawing as he slowly lowered his hands.
He frowned at her, before turning his eyes to what she was pointing at.
It had drawn a picture.
Holy crap, that Grimm just drew a picture.
Jaune still couldn't believe it, yet he had a front row seat to the sight. It was a crude drawing, but it was unmistakable in what it was. A stick figure. Like a child's drawing, with an arrow going from it… to where the Grimm now stood.
Jaune's eyes shot back and forth. He stared at the stick figure, and then at the Grimm. Then back again. It almost seemed like Ruby thought he was confused, and so she began to motion with her hands.
The drawing, then her.
It. Not her, not she, it. That was a Grimm… Right?
She didn't act like one. Grimm didn't jump up and down, clapping their hands. They didn't save people. They didn't try to talk.
Jaune rubbed his head, taking a long, deep breath, before he sighed. His mouth opened, before closing once more as he tried to make sense of the words. It was like trying to earnestly say that the sun was cold, or that Jaune was crazy.
This whole thing was crazy.
"You… you were human?"
It grunted at him, nodding its head again as Jaune took a deep breath. "This is… this is not happening." How many times was he going to try and argue that?
How do you think I feel? Ruby wondered, trying to roll her eyes.
Jaune stared at her, still trying to comprehend just what he was looking at. On the one hand, Ruby sympathized with his plight. It wasn't exactly normal seeing a Grimm talk and draw, but this was happening and she needed him to believe that.
She needed to know she wasn't alone in this. That she wasn't crazy. She stared at him, pleadingly, begging for him to believe her. She motioned to the drawing one more time, and then to herself.
He shook his head. "Okay, let's say I believe you. How are you… How did you…? You know." Jaune gestured at her furry body and Ruby tried to shrug.
She had no idea. She held up a closed fist, before opening it suddenly.
"It just… happened? Is that what you're trying to say?" She nodded her head, and Jaune groaned.
"I'm playing charades with a Grimm. I'm officially losing it," he mumbled. "I'd think I was dreaming if I wasn't in so much pain from those Crocotta…" That made him pause, and he looked at Ruby. "You saved me. Why?"
Because that's what heroes do. That's what Ruby wanted to say. Yet when she tried to say it, her words slurred and came out as growls and snarls. Jaune stepped back, clearly anxious around her, and she shook her head.
She placed her hands on the wall, hoping she could write out the message, but even thinking of the proper letters was a struggle for her. She growled in frustration, before sighing.
Ruby turned her head to look at Jaune, and she placed her hands on her chest and then held them out to him. He blinked, before she did the same again.
"You're… you're giving yourself to me?"
She shook her head, wondering if a Grimm's face could blush. He sighed, his cheeks a subtle shade of red.
"You know what, nevermind, I…" He froze. Ruby tilted her head, wondering if he saw something she didn't. She looked around, before turning her head back towards Jaune. He stared at her, his jaw hanging low.
"You… Have you always been like this? A Grimm that could talk?" She shook her head. "When you attacked Pyrrha and I, was that… a different you than you are now?" She nodded her head.
She didn't know who Pyrrha was, but she knew she fought someone before meeting Jaune. She nodded, hoping she was right as Jaune snapped his fingers.
"M-my Semblance. My Semblance!" That word sounded familiar. "My Semblance can amplify someone's Aura. To give someone else my Aura a-and supercharge theirs! When you pulled me away from Pyrrha, I was still using my Semblance and I… I…"
Ruby blinked, walking her mind down the same path Jaune was. Did Jaune.. give his Aura to her? Or supercharge what little was there? Their eyes met as Jaune slowly lifted up his hand. He opened his mouth, before closing it.
"If you rip my arm off, I'm… going to be really upset," Jaune joked, and Ruby tried to laugh. Not that it wasn't funny, she did think it was kind of morbidly funny, but because her laugh ended up sounding far more menacing than she intended.
Jaune hesitated for a moment, before he reached out towards her, placing his hand on Ruby's shoulder. She felt his thumb gently stroking her dark skin, feeling her fur tickle his fingers. She watched him, tilting her head as he took long, deep breaths.
His hands glowed with a golden light and he watched as that light flowed from his fingers and into her. Ruby felt…
It was hard to describe what it felt like. It felt like electricity, flowing from him into her, and fueling her. She took it in. The warmth. The fire. She sighed with relief, feeling it wash over her body. It felt amazing. Almost like a warm blanket over her body on a cold, winter night.
Her eyes fell shut and she breathe in time with him as the light flowed through her body. Jaune gave his Aura to her… before he pulled his fingers away and watched as her eyes opened again.
"Y-you… you have silver… eyes."
What? Really? Ruby lifted up her hand and touched the mask she wore. It wouldn't budge against her fingers, but she traced the shape of her mask. She blinked her, apparently silver, eyes, before turning them towards Jaune.
"D-dah. T-th-aahnk. Y-yah… y-yoooh."
Words were still clumsy and awkward, but she felt… good. She felt human, and it was all thanks to him. She wanted to hug him honestly, but she doubted he'd take it well. She lifted up her hands, staring at the white claws had on the end of each finger as Jaune combed a hand through his hair.
"I… We need to tell someone about this. We need to… to let General Ironwood know or something!" Ruby watched Jaune step away from her, looking her over as the full weight of the discovery hit him. "A talking Grimm. A-a nice Grimm! W-what if there are more like you?! They could help us!"
More like her… Ruby wasn't sure if that thought comforted or terrified her. Jaune suddenly came to a stop, staring into her eyes as he opened his mouth. It took a moment, but he finally spoke, quietly.
"I'm… I'm going to New Atlas. I-I want you to come with me. T-to there. So that we can show you to people."
Ruby wanted to say yes. She wanted to go with him. After all, he saved her, freed her from just being another Grimm in the horde, but her thoughts traveled to the worst possibility. What if she was shown to the people of New Atlas and they… they tore her apart? Dissected her?
Her silver eyes turned away from Jaune as the nightmare played out in her head, but what choice did she have? What if she needed more of Jaune's Aura to stay sane? What if she went crazy without him?
Before she could answer though, Jaune spoke. "I know you're probably scared. Confused. I mean, I… I can't even begin to imagine how you must feel." Jaune scratched the back of his head as he took a deep breath. "I mean, to have your entire life changed and turned into a monster, it's… I can't imagine how it must feel."
Ruby turned her gaze back towards him, watching him stare back at her. "I'm… sorry that it happened, but I want you to know that I want to help. If we go to Atlas together, we can figure things out, maybe find a way to free others like you."
"Besides," he chuckled. "I could really use someone watching my back. You've already saved me twice, so… want to make a habit of it? I promise to return the favor." He held his hand out to her, and she stared at it.
The world was a scary place. She knew that in her core. Grimm and bad people were all too common. That was why the world needed Huntsmen to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves.
All her life, she just wanted to help people. To just be a hero.
Maybe this was the chance she needed. She just needed a friend to stand by her side. To remind her that she wasn't alone.
She placed her hand in his, and she marveled at how small it was compared to her own. She smiled regardless, squeezing his hand carefully as he did the same to hers.
Was Jaune crazy?
Or just desperate?
He wasn't sure. Maybe he just had hope, a feeling that was like a glass of water in a desert. There was a very real chance that his family and friends were dead. There was a very real chance he was alone and that if he tried to reach New Atlas on his own, he'd probably die on the way.
But Ruby changed everything. She was a Grimm that could talk, that could feel, that wanted to protect him for whatever reason.
Was it wrong to be hopeful? Was it wrong to want to believe that maybe, just maybe, things would work out?
He didn't care. He just enjoyed the moment while he could.
"We should go find some supplies. Food, water, uh… do you need to eat?" he asked, and she shrugged in response. "Right. Okay. Well, let's go look for it."
They could split up, but Jaune wasn't sure what was a worse possibility. She leaves and doesn't come back, or she leaves and comes back to kill him. Better to keep his eyes on her…
Brothers, this was like walking around with a live grenade in his pocket. Jaune tried not to let that thought get to him as he smiled. "Come on, I know where we can find some food." Jaune stepped a few feet forward, only to stop. He turned his head around to stare at her and she tilted her head in curiosity.
"Um… Would you mind walking in front of me?"
So Jaune didn't completely trust her. No problem, she got that. Understandable.
They could still work together.
Jaune and Ruby returned to the commissary and Jaune began to pick up and collect various things for them. Ruby allowed him to lead the hunt as she looked around, examining random objects. She picked up a can, finding the characters on it to be… familiar, but actually reading them was like sifting through a fog.
She sighed, shaking her head as she noticed something on the ground. It was by the clothes section. A large red rag. What used to be a blanket, perhaps. It was torn, with holes in it. Her fingers gently stroked the dirty cloth, finding something… familiar in it.
Ruby blinked, before she placed it on her body, covering herself in the rag. It didn't give her much warmth, but… it felt nice.
"Hey!" She turned her head, finding Jaune behind her with a satchel in hand. "Don't… don't wander off like that. Please."
"S-sah...ree." Ruby bowed her head as Jaune avoided her eyes.
"It's fine. Just… We should stick together." She nodded her head as Jaune reached into the satchel and held up a large book.
It was a book that had clearly gone through hell from the look of it. The cover was scratched and weathered, parts of the green color long faded, others torn at. Jaune traced his fingers over the hard surface, before he opened it. Ruby stepped forward, staring at the book as Jaune began to turn the pages.
They were old, an off-white that almost resembled yellow. The way they bended with each turn of the page made Ruby almost worry they'd crumble in his hands, but she began to see why Jaune had such an interest in the book.
She saw a drawing in it of a Beowolf. It was a crude drawing, but even Ruby knew what it was meant to be. Jaune placed a finger on some text by the Beowolf, reading it aloud.
"'The Beowolves. Very common Grimm in Vale, they have been spotted in every kingdom. While a dangerous opponent at close range, even local militias can kill the creatures at a distance. They are usually there to support stronger Grimm. Beware of Alpha Beowolves, page thirty-two, which are a much stronger variant.'"
Jaune turned a few pages, before he read another passage. "'Creeps are weak, but numerous Grimm that tend to rely on surprise, speed, and tiring out their targets by chasing them. They rely on their high stamina to make up for their lack of killing power. Despite what looks to be two legs supporting them, they are actually more akin to arms. A low threat level, but watch out for the tails and their ability to dig tunnels. Can sprout out of the ground quickly...'"
Another page. "'Ravagers. In the deserts of Vacuo, Nevermore are far less common. Instead Ravagers are often seen hunting in the skies above…'"
Jaune turned back to the first page and read it over with Ruby standing behind him. "'My name is Folium Morpheus. I have traveled across the Kingdoms with only one mission. Cataloging, researching, and understanding the many Grimm throughout Remnant. If you found this, I am most likely dead. I ask that you continue my work. Study the Grimm. Understand them, because it is only through understanding what they are that we will win…'"
Jaune closed the book and he took a deep breath. He sighed quietly, swallowing spit down as Ruby reached out to him. Her fingers brushed against his shoulder, and though he froze for a moment, he allowed her to gently squeeze it.
"I… I found this by a woman, she… She was long gone," he muttered. "We… We should get going." He slipped the book back into the bag, before looking at the red cloth draped on her body. "Uh, you cold?"
Ruby shook her head, and Jaune shrugged. "Okay… I think I got everything we need here. We should probably get going." He pulled a map out from the satchel, unfolding it as he started walking towards the exit. Ruby followed, though one item by the doors caught her silver eyes.
Jaune watched the Grimm reach her hand into the bag of chocolate chips. She grabbed a handful, before bringing it to her mouth and dropping the little pieces into her maw. She growled with satisfaction at the taste, licking her teeth as Jaune just… watched her.
That's a new one…
Jaune shook his head, before he and Ruby gave one last look around RA-27. Sadly his fears were right. All of the vehicles were unusable, and despite searching for over two hour, there were no survivors.
They were alone.
The sky began to turn dark and Jaune sighed as he realized their journey would have to wait until tomorrow. They couldn't travel at night… could they?
He wished Pyrrha was here. She'd know what to do. She would have figured out a plan, maybe even repaired a car for them to use.
Instead Jaune and Ruby sat inside what used to be someone's home. The cold wind blew outside as they sat by the fireplace, watching the flames flicker. Jaune chewed at a small sandwich he threw together, trying to think about what they would do.
His finger slid over a large map he had packed, tracing the folds of the paper. "New Atlas is a long way from here. Lots of Grimm between us and them." Ruby nodded her head. "Um, any advice about them? Weaknesses? Anything?"
Ruby blinked, before she scratched at her red hair. She avoided his eyes as he took a deep breath and sighed.
"Right. Okay."
"Be oh kay."
"What?" He looked at the Grimm, who tapped her chest, before she pointed at him.
"We… be oh kay."
"We'll be okay?" She nodded her head and Jaune chuckled. "Yeah, I… I hope so." His smile quickly faltered as he stood up. "Um, I'm going to bed. You should probably get some rest too if you… can." Ruby shrugged again and Jaune repeated the gesture.
What else was there to say?
Jaune walked towards one of the bedrooms of the house and Ruby watched him until there was a wall between them. He waited for her to follow, but when she didn't he kept moving. He entered the room and closed the door behind him.
Would locking it matter? No. If she wanted to kill him, it'd be easy for her, lock or no lock. So he just took off his armor and laid Crocea Mors on the ground, before he fell onto the bed, staring up at the dark ceiling above him.
He wasn't sure how he was going to sleep. A Grimm was just in the other room. It was almost funny how easy it'd be to kill him. That thing could match up against Pyrrha. What chance did he have?
Hasn't killed you yet, he reminded himself.
Nothing he could do for now. All he could hope for was some rest and that the journey would start without any major problems. Course, it was finishing that journey that really scared him.
END
Chapter two is done. I hope you all enjoyed the story. Got pretty dark with the content, but it does carry a theme of Ruby and Jaune finding hope in one another. Next chapter their journey truly begins as they walk across Atlas.
Not a whole lot to say today. Leave a comment, if you can, I love reading them, hope you enjoy the story, and stay safe. Remember, you are loved.
Take care!
SFW Twitter
/LeafyDream0
Adult/NSFW Twittera
/LeafyDreamXXX