Morbus - The Sickness Within
Ruby stared at the bottles of Dust. She picked one up, leaning in close and examining it, before picking up another and tilting her head.
"Do you… know what you're doing?" Jaune asked, raising his brow.
The two had yet to leave the cave. It was a new morning, a new day, but Ruby wanted to take a look at the Dust before they left. Jaune sat across from her, watching her look at the vials. Ruby glanced at him and she smiled, nodding her head, before pausing. She then shrugged and Jaune chuckled nervously.
"Please don't blow us up." Ruby nodded her head as she opened up a bottle of red Fire Dust, and poured some of it inside of a empty bottle. She then took another bottle of blue Water Dust, and poured some of it into the same bottle.
She then carefully mixed it, swirling it before her own eyes as the Dust began to mix, forming into a new, purple hue. Jaune blinked, before he moved a little closer.
"Did you just mix that Dust together?!" She smiled back at him, nodding her head. "Whoa… I guess you knew how to do that from your old memories, huh?" She shrugged and then nodded her head.
"Think. So?"
"How much do you remember from back then?" Jaune asked, and Ruby's lips curved into a frown.
"Not. Much. Name. Ruby. Huntress?"
"You don't sound sure," Jaune commented. "I mean, you have a Semblance."
She groaned in reply, holding her head with one hand. "Don't. Remember."
Jaune nodded his head, moving closer and placed a hand on Ruby's arm. "Hey, it's okay. We'll find out who you were one day. You're already making a lot of progress if you ask me."
She smiled in response. "Thanks." Jaune patted her shoulder, before he stepped away to continue packing.
Ruby picked up another bottle, examining the yellow dust inside. Her silver eyes widened as something compelled her to pour it onto Jaune's sword.
Combining Dust with ammo or the weapon itself made it more effective. With the right Dust and training, a Huntsman could do anything. She knew that. She knew it because someone taught it to her, but who? Why?
She took a deep breath, before sighing quietly. Focus, she told herself.
The thought of Jaune swinging around a sword made out of lightning was pretty cool. She smiled at the thought, glancing at Jaune with shining eyes as she thought about how badass he would look. He'd cut down a dozen Grimm with just one strike! It'd be awesome!
"L-Lightning. Sword!" Ruby beamed, pointing at Jaune's weapon. He raised his brow in confusion as her smile grew.
There was something about playing with the Dust, experimenting with it that felt… natural? Normal? Ruby wasn't sure how to describe it as Jaune spoke.
"Uhh, you want to turn Crocea Mors into a lightning sword?" She nodded her head and Jaune shook his head with an amused chuckle. "Sorry, Crocea Mors is an older weapon. No slot to take Dust in."
She tilted her head. "It's a family weapon. Pretty… old," he explained with a mumble. She watched his shoulders fall as he avoided her gaze. Ruby could see and feel his sadness as she held out her hand.
"See?"
"Huh? C?"
"See. Sword."
"Oh! You want to see Crocea Mors… Um, sure," he agreed, taking his sword out of its sheath. "I guess you already held it when you went to save me…" She could see his hesitation. She didn't blame him as she held her hands up.
"Promise. Won't Hurt. You."
"Y-yeah. I know. Sorry," he mumbled, handing her the sword. She took it and bowed her head. He gave her a weak smile, before she examined the blade.
Ruby had yet to actually give the sword a close look. She never had the chance, but now that she could see the sword clearly and closely, she marveled at it. She placed a hand on the blade, sliding her fingers along the sharp metal with an awed whisper.
"Strong." She noticed the small amount of wear on it. It was a testament not only to the weapon's material, but also the fact that it had been well maintained for years. She couldn't know the exact year, but she could tell the sword was… a classic.
"Old."
"Yeah, it is," he agreed.
"Beautiful."
"Uhh, yeah. I guess." Ruby's hands slid up and down the blade, lost in the gleam of the weapon. Jaune raised her brow as she continued to stare at it, almost lost in a trance.
"Hey, Ruby? You okay?"
"Huh? Oh. Sword. Amazing," she commented, and Jaune chuckled at that.
"It's no transforming hammer/grenade launcher, but it does good work." Ruby blinked, tilting her head as Jaune smiled. "Sorry. It was a friend's weapon… Nora. She was a Huntsman with me back in the city. Us, Ren, Cardin, and Pyrrha.. Team ACRNN."
"Acorn?" she blinked and Jaune chuckled at the memory.
"Yeah. One initial from all of us to make the name. Me, Cardin, Ren…" Ruby could see the light dim in Jaune's eyes. She saw the smile he wore falter, twitching, before it came crashing down as memories flowed over him. "Nora…"
"P-Pyrrha."
They were dead, weren't they? Even if the ship could get off the ground, there were so many Grimm in the sky. They probably shot them down and they crashed miles from RA-27.
His friends. His family. Burned to death and smeared across the forest floor.
They were dead.
And he was the punchline. As part of some cosmic joke, he survived.
Jaune bit the inside of his cheek. He didn't want to think about this. He didn't want to even consider it. He had a mission and like a good Huntsman, he'd complete it. He had to.
"Ah, it doesn't matter." He reached for his sword, taking it from Ruby. She allowed him to, but her hand caught his by the wrist. Jaune kept his eyes on her hand, even as Ruby leaned a little closer. He could feel her warm breath on his head as the Grimm's eyes stared at him.
Jaune fought his instincts. This wasn't a Grimm. This was a person. His friend. Ruby.
"Want talk?"
"No. I'm… I'm okay," Jaune replied. He took his sword from her as Ruby nodded her head.
"Like. Sword. Classic. Old school," she complimented giving him a thumbs up. Jaune smiled at that.
Brothers, he was never going to get used to that, was he? A Grimm giving him a thumbs up… He chuckled at the sight, returning the gesture before Ruby returned to the Dust vials.
"Thanks. We should probably go soon."
Ruby nodded her head, before she examined the Lightning Dust closer. She spun it around, before opening the vial and reaching for an empty one. Jaune was packing things up himself as he heard the distinct sound of Ruby sniffling…
"Ahh… Ahh…CHOO!"
There was an explosion. A small one, but an explosion all the same. Jaune jumped, crashing into the wall in front of him as he thanked the stars above that he was decked out in armor. He turned around, shield raised as he stared at Ruby.
She was covered in dark smoke, coughing as she raised her tail and waved it back and forth to blow the smoke away. Jaune waved his hand through the air, finding the Grimm sitting in a small crater as her fur continued to sizzle and smoke.
Jaune coughed again as Ruby sealed the vial of Lightning Dust, saving what little was there as she looked down at the scorched soil beneath her.
"Okay… No more mixing Dust today," Jaune chuckled, taking the Dust from her. It was a miracle the other vials didn't break. If they had, he was sure they'd be dead right now… Still, the sight of a soot-covered and clearly shocked Ruby was kind of a funny sight. Her fur was even standing up on her body, still crackling with sparks.
He chuckled again as she shook her body like a dog, trying to clean herself as he smiled. "Nice one, Crater Face."
Ruby gasped loudly at the comment, before frowning and placing her hands on her hips. Jaune chuckled again at the sight. She almost looked like one of his sisters after he ratted her out to mom.
"Crater. Face?!" She shook her head, before she wiped soot from her white mask. "Accident!"
"Right. Well, maybe you should be off Dust duty for a bit. Don't want the Grimm following the explosions to us."
Ruby stomped her foot on the ground, before she held up a hand and pressed her four fingers against her thumb quickly, flapping her fingers up and down as Jaune laughed.
"Are you trying to make fun of me?"
"Blah. Blah. I. Jaune. Blah."
Jaune snorted again, shaking his head as Ruby's tail wagged. "Tell you what, if you really want to make fun of me, call me Vomit Boy. My sisters used to call me on that whenever we went on vacation."
She tilted her head, brow furrowed as Jaune defended himself. "Motion sickness is more serious than people let on. That's all I'm saying."
Ruby snorted, and Jaune rolled his eyes as she pointed at him. "Vomit. Boy? Vomit boy. Vomit boy!?" She began to laugh as Jaune joined her, picking up the last of their things and handing them to Ruby. She took them with a giggle, still pointing at him. "Vomit boy."
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. You're still carrying everything." Ruby frowned at that, earning a quick comment from the blond. "Hey, you're the one with super strength."
"Vomit boy." She giggled at the comment as Jaune sighed.
"Gonna regret telling you that, aren't I?"
Ruby was happy to play the fool. She still struggled to talk, but if her words could make Jaune smile, she was happy to do whatever it took.
The explosion wasn't part of the plan, but she was happy to see him smile and laugh again. She was even happy to carry their things for the Huntsman, though honestly she barely even felt the satchel in her hands.
As much as she hated this body, being this strong was pretty cool. Was she this strong when she was human…?
Probably not, she realized.
Ruby and Jaune walked through the forest together, making idle small talk to fill the silence. As they walked, Ruby realized how little she knew of the young man. She knew he was a Huntsman, a decent fighter, nice, and funny, but…
He mentioned his teammates. Pyrrha… Was that the girl Ruby had fought? Ruby could remember a few details before Jaune freed her. She remembered fighting a woman with red hair, nearly dying against her…
If Ruby could find her again, she'd beg for forgiveness, but would Pyrrha even let her? Or would she just kill her like she would any Grimm?
The memories of her time before meeting Jaune was like staring through a fog. No matter how hard she tried, though, she could barely remember anything… And her past before being a Grimm? Even less, it felt.
He mentioned having sisters. Wonder what they're like. She tried to imagine it in her head, but all she thought of was several Jaunes in a dress. She giggled at the thought, but she doubted it'd be so simple.
How would they react to seeing Jaune walking beside a Grimm…? How would Jaune's old team? Not well, honestly. They'd probably think she was a monster. Maybe run from her. Maybe try and kill her…
And what of Jaune? The man who saved her. Her best, and only, friend.
Would he always be there for her? If the rest of the world labelled Ruby a monster, something to kill for the good of humanity, would Jaune still be with her?
He'd be a pariah. Alone. With only her for company…
Was that fair to him? He shouldn't have to ruin his life for her. Stuck with her, always making sure she stayed in control so that she didn't turn back into a monster again…
Her shoulders fell, but she tried not to dwell on it. She didn't want to think about it. Just… keep moving forward. Hope she can find a cure for this sickness. Fix what had happened to her…
As Ruby quietly contemplated her life, Jaune stared at the compass and map in his hands. The forests still surrounded them, making it hard to even see the sky, but Ruby watched him point ahead. "We want to head east. New Atlas is still pretty far away, but that's the shortest route."
"New. Atlas?"
"Yeah. A few years ago, the Grimm invaded the capitol. The city was evacuated and they set off the self-destruct, wiping out the city and millions of Grimm. New Atlas was built further east than the original city. Colder, but apparently easier to defend."
"Destruct…?"
"The whole city just… gone," Jaune explained, eyes on the ground.
An entire city wiped out. Millions of Grimm dead. Who knows how many people…?
Was this the world she knew before she was turned into a Grimm? Or was it a better place and everything went to hell at once?
How many people lost their homes because of creatures like her? Monsters like her… Ruby didn't want to think about it, but she couldn't help but wonder… Was she a part of that attack on old Atlas? Had she killed people for the Grimm?
Probably. She had probably spent years fighting for them, and that meant so many people were dead because of her. Killed with her own two hands.
Ruby shuddered at the thought. She wanted it to stop. She wanted-
"Ruby." She heard something.
No, she smelled it. She smelled something in the air. She sniffed it, breathing it in, tasting it on her tongue as her eyes widened. She smelled someone. Someone new.
"Ruby. Ruby, hide."
Her eyes widened. She felt her tail whip the air, slashing at nothing, before she felt Jaune grab her arm. She stared at him as his blue eyes stared right into her silver orbs.
"Ruby, there are people coming. You need to hide now," he growled, and Ruby nodded her head.
She smelled them. Strangers in the woods. Why had she not noticed them sooner? She cursed at herself, but there was no time to be mad at her mistake. She quickly moved back, only to freeze. She closed her eyes and she felt it. Something pulling her...
Fear. It was there, but it was… off.
Not like the Hangman's Tree. Like something else.
She couldn't put a word to it, but-
"Ruby, move," Jaune ordered, pushing the Grimm from behind. He couldn't move her, but she nodded her head, quickly running deeper into the forest. She hid her body behind some trees and bushes, but Jaune hadn't joined her.
He stood in the open, hand on his sword's hilt as he called out to the forest.
"Who's there?"
And at first, there was no answer. Ruby's tail swayed behind her as her claws sank into the bark. She shook her head, fighting this twitching inside of her as she pulled her tail down.
"Who are you?" Two people stepped out from behind the trees. A stout, muscular man with a young, petite woman standing beside him.
Jaune stared at the two. There was an older man staring back at him, along with a woman maybe a couple of years younger than himself. The man had a deer carcass on his shoulder while the woman had a bag in her hands.
Hunters? He hoped that was all they were. Jaune held up his hand to wave at them, and the two returned the gesture, slowly.
"My name's Jaune. I'm a Huntsman."
"Well met, Jaune," the man smiled.
"I didn't think we'd find a Huntsman out here," the woman added.
"Uh, yeah. I'm… hunting."
"Funny, so are we," the man smiled, gesturing to the deer on his shoulder.
The two seemed friendly. Hopefully this was going to be a simple, quick interaction and-
"So who was the other person with you?" The woman motioned to her hip, moving her long coak to reveal that she had a firearm holstered by her side. Jaune saw it, but when he saw the woman wasn't reaching for it, he nodded his head.
She wasn't a threat, but she could be. Don't lie. Her message was clear as he stared at her smiling face. It was a wide grin, etched onto her face as Jaune stayed silent.
"We saw someone in a red cloak with you. Who were they?" the woman asked.
"They…" Jaune's mind raced to say something, eyeing the woman as her finger traced the handle of the gun. "She's a girl. A friend." Jaune tripped over his words, but he tried not to give it much thought. One problem at a time. "She's my friend."
"Can you tell her to come out? Can't be too careful nowadays. You understand, right?" the woman asked, still smiling at Jaune.
"I-" Jaune gulped. "I can't do that, I-"
"Hello!" a voice shouted out from behind a tree. "I'm Ruby!"
Jaune was screaming in his head. His lips pursed tightly together as he tried not to show how absolutely, insanely terrified he was. This wasn't just playing with fire. This was juggling a loaded firearm in his hands. Ruby could talk, but only in short bursts. Not to mention if the three saw her, or noticed how slightly off her voice sounded, he'd have to explain things before they started attacking Ruby.
Hell, he could explain everything and they still might attack.
"Ruby." The woman glanced at Jaune, then back towards the woods. "You know this man?"
"Yep! Hi, Jaune!"
"H-hi, Ruby," Jaune replied. "She and I are-"
"Friends!"
"You said girlfriend," the woman replied, raising her brow.
"She's a girl, who is my friend. That's what I said," Jaune sighed.
"Yep!"
"Would you mind stepping out?" the woman requested, her hand no farther from her gun than it was before.
Jaune mentally cursed at the request. He opened his mouth, before closing it. His fingers twitched as he slowly turned towards where Ruby hid, watching as a hooded face peeked out from behind a tree.
He thanked their lucky stars. Ruby probably had to bend her head down, but she was able to hide herself under the shadows of her hood. She was probably bending her legs and hiding her arms under the crimson cloak. Doing everything she could to appear small and human. The forest was just dark enough to help aid in her disguise as Jaune let out a sigh of relief.
"Pull down your hood," the woman ordered.
Shit, he thought. He turned his head to the two as he came up with an idea.
"She's scarred." Jaune held up his hands as he explained. "She was attacked by bandits a long time ago and they left scars on her face. She doesn't like people looking at them."
The woman blinked, before she glanced at the other man. She whispered to the man, before the bigger of the two stepped forward.
"This is Cotton." The stout man gestured to the young woman."And I'm Walden. I'm sorry for what happened to you, Miss. I understand some people can be cruel, but we mean you no harem." He bowed his head at Jaune and Ruby, before standing with a wide smile. "In fact, I'd like it if we could bring you both back to our town."
Jaune blinked, before he asked, "Are you guys with another Residential Area?"
The two paused for a moment, before the man shook his head, still wearing a smile on his face.
"No, we're from Respite. We're our own little community. Independent of the other towns." The man held his hand out to Jaune and smiled. "Care to see? Maybe you can spend some time getting a good night's sleep. You and your friend are both welcome with us."
"No, I-"
"Go, Jaune." Jaune's eyes widened at Ruby's words, turning to look at her hooded figure again. "Go."
"But what about-?"
"No problem. I'll go… back." She was bluffing. Where the hell was she supposed to go? Jaune gulped down his fears as she heard Ruby speak again. "Maybe trade?"
Trade for supplies. Weapons. A real meal. Jaune bit the inside of his cheek. He certainly felt tempted, but he hated the idea of leaving Ruby alone…
"You're both welcome to come," Walden offered. "This forest is dangerous. Full of Grimm. We wouldn't want to leave the poor lady alone."
"She'll be okay. Trust me, she's… she's tougher than she seems."
Walden nodded his head as Jaune slowly turned around. He approached Ruby where she hid. When he was this close it was easy to pick out Ruby's bizarre head shape even under her hood. He made sure to hide her behind his body as he leaned in. "What are you doing?"
"People," she whispered. "Human. Like you."
"I am not abandoning you," he hissed, and Ruby shook her head.
"Not abandon. But more… supplies. Food. Help."
Jaune opened his mouth, before closing it. He glanced at Ruby, then away, then back to her. "You follow us, okay, but keep your distance?" She nodded her head, before Jaune reached out and placed a hand on Ruby's cheek.
His thumb gently stroked the bone-like mask as he took a deep breath and exhaled. He gave his Aura to Ruby, letting it flow over her. He could hear his Scroll monitoring his depleting Aura levels. It vibrated, warning him that his levels were dropping and fast.
He kept giving to her, until her hand took his and forced him to pull away. Silver eyes met his as he tried to catch his breath.
"I promise I'll come back to you. We'll start moving again tomorrow, okay? Maybe even tonight?"
"Okay." She nodded her head, before Jaune stepped back. He walked away from Ruby, leaving her where she hid as he approached the three.
"Okay. Let's go."
"You took your time saying goodbye. You two must be close," Walden chuckled, and Jaune felt his cheeks turn warm as he followed the three. "Come on, son." Jaune followed them, sparing one last glance towards Ruby as she vanished into the shadows.
He then glanced up and noticed a branch was shaking. She was following them, slowly, and at a distance, but there she was.
"So, Respite… I've never heard of it before. What is it?"
"It's a real town. A real home for us," Walden explained.
Jaune raised his brow in confusion. "I don't get it. You just founded a town? I thought the Atlas military didn't support people going off on their own."
"They don't support us, we don't support them," Cotton replied. "We just want a little place to survive."
"Not just survive. Thrive."
Jaune nodded his head as he walked with the three. He could already feel a twisting in his gut. Something didn't sit right about any of this. He just had a bad feeling in him, but he kept walking. He was a Huntsman and Ruby wasn't far behind.
He would be okay. Everything was going to be alright.
Eventually the group left the forest behind them and Jaune let out a sigh of relief… before groaning as he stared at the nothingness around them.
Cold air, with barely any plants. Just shrubs and grass, mixed with stone and snow. The area was open, meaning they'd at least see Grimm coming.
The sky was filled with clouds, forming a thick grey blanket over them. The cold wind blew on them as they continued to move. Every now and again Jaune would notice the trolls fitting into this world.
The walk wasn't long. Maybe a few minutes after leaving the forest. An hour at most, but when they did reach the town, Jaune was shocked by the sight of it.
No walls.
There were no walls.
He couldn't remember the last time he saw a town without any walls. Even his hometown in Vale had walls.
"How…? Where are the walls? You're completely open to Grimm attacks," Jaune commented.
"The Grimm don't attack us," Cotton explained. She smiled at Jaune. "We stay out of their way and they do the same."
"What?" Jaune blinked as Walden smiled.
"The Brother of Shadows protects us."
"The… The Brother?"
It was one of the dominant religions of Remnant. Jaune had neighbors who believed in the Brothers. The God of Light and the God of Darkness. The twin deities who created the universe and Remnant along with them.
At least, that was how the story went. To be honest, Jaune didn't really know how to feel about any religion. He wasn't satisfied with what any of them said, but he figured it didn't matter. He cared more about stopping the Grimm than learning about the god that supposedly made them.
Jaune glanced around the small town as they walked in. The men keeping watch from a tower greeted the group, waving and smiling at them, and Jaune did his best to return the gesture as the group around him greeted their friends.
Walden looked at Jaune and smiled. "We pray to the god of darkness for salvation. We act as he intended, blocking out our darker impulses and finding comfort in what we have."
Jaune nodded his head. In all honesty, he had no idea how to really respond. What they were saying was… admirable? But the world had gone to hell. No amount of prayer would just fix it.
And yet these people were alive. Dumb luck? Or something else? He wasn't sure as Walden bumped into Jaune's shoulder.
"You seem to have questions, Mr. Arc."
"I, ahh…" Jaune scratched the back of his head as he took a deep breath.
"You're skeptical." The large man chuckled, patting Jaune's back. "It's okay. It's understandable. You don't need to share our beliefs, but we hope you can give us a chance." He smiled at the blond and Jaune tried to return the gesture. "Come on, we'll show you to Brother Woole."
Brother. A term referring to either one of the deities themselves, or to a priest of the order. Jaune nodded his head as the three led him to a small building in the center of town. A symbol hung over the front door of two dragons wrapping around a circle, their jaws about to bite the other's tail.
Jaune knew what the symbol meant. It represented the two Brothers, forming infinity together. A cycle of light to dark, good to bad and back again. At least, that was how the stories went.
Jaune watched as several people walked out of the church, followed by a tall, slender man with short, dark hair. There was a clear scar on his face as he turned his head and smiled at Jaune, and the blond couldn't help but be… shocked for a moment.
Brother Woole's eyes. The pupils were like rectangles, stretched out across each eye. It took Jaune longer than he liked to admit that the man must have been a Faunus. A sheep one, to be exact. He walked over in his dark robes, bowing his head at the four.
"Hello, Walden. Cotton." The three bowed back, and Jaune quickly followed the gesture. "And you must be…?"
"Ah, Jaune. Jaune Arc."
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Arc. I take it you are a Huntsman?" the man asked.
"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"
"Your armor and weapon led me to make an educated guess." The Brother bowed his head once more. "I have nothing but respect for the brave defenders of the kingdom. Thank you for all that you do."
"I, ah… I don't… I mean, I haven't done anything worthy of praise."
"Humble too. We are very lucky, aren't we?" The man looked to the others and they nodded their heads in return. Despite the praise, Jaune was beginning to feel a twisting in his gut.
There was just something off here.
"Would you care to accompany me, Huntsman Jaune? I would love the chance to talk to you and something tells me you have quite a few questions with me."
"Yeah. Okay," Jaune sighed, nodding his head. He watched as the three hunters he had met began to leave, walking away with smiles and waves.
"Talk to you later, Jaune," Walden smiled.
Jaune waved goodbye, before he turned his head to the priest and walked alongside him. The man kept his head low, waving and smiling at passing by citizens as Jaune waited.
"I know what you must be thinking."
"Yeah?" Jaune raised his brow as Woole smiled.
"Yeah. A sheep Faunus named Woole? I know, my parents weren't very creative." The priest chuckled at his remark and Jaune simply nodded his head.
"Uh, y-yeah."
"You seem uncomfortable, Jaune. Please, speak plainly." Jaune didn't know what to say at first. This town was so… bizarre. IT wasn't just the clear religious worship, it was more than that.
"Your city doesn't have walls. Walden said it was because it's guarded by the gods?" Jaune raised his brow and the Brother nodded his head.
"Indeed. Our people are survivors of different RAs. Members from RA-35, RA-29, even a few from RA-16. People from RAs that were either lost to the Grimm, or they left by their own choice to come here."
"W-wait. What other towns have been destroyed by the Grimm?" Jaune asked, coming to a stop, but when the Brother kept moving, Jaune followed.
"Too many, I'm afraid. I know that the Atlas government tends to keep the status of RAs in the dark for other towns, but the truth is many do fall. It is the way of things," the man replied.
Jaune felt his shoulders fall. So many people dead. So many lives lost. Was humanity going to lose this war? Questions raced through his mind, but he pushed them back. He buried them as he asked the man another question.
"So what makes this town safe? I mean, do you really think a…?"
"Do I think we are protected by divine providence? No, I do not." The man wore a smile as he spoke, waving at a father and his daughter walking by. "But we are guarded by other factors. For one, our size."
He smiled at Jaune, and the young man was beginning to realize that the smile had never left. The smile never faltered, never fell, it just… laid there, like a still image on Woole's face.
"We are a small community. The truth is, most Grimm see us as too unimportant to attack. We are beneath their notice, and it has saved us many times. The other reason is because the Grimm are blind to us."
"What?"
Woole placed a hand over his heart, patting his chest. "Do you know the stories? The Brother of Shadows created the Grimm, before he made humanity with his brother." Jaune nodded his head and the man continued. "The God of Darkness did it to teach us that life is short. That we must not waste it dwelling on past pain. We must give it up, let go of such concepts, and live free of sin."
"I… I don't understand," Jaune confessed.
"I founded Respite to spread my belief and teachings. The Grimm are attracted to negative emotions. Thus all who live here lack such emotions."
"Wait, I… I don't get it. Are you saying no one here gets mad? Or sad?"
"Exactly. We have learned to let go of such things."
Jaune found that… hard to believe. He still nodded his head, though. "Alright."
"These are our shields to defend ourselves. Our walls. Our third wall is why you cannot stay here long, I am afraid."
"Wait, what? Why?" Jaune blinked.
"Strength invites challenge. Your Aura is strong and the Grimm are drawn to it like moths to a flame. It is not a commonly known fact that Grimm are attracted to strong Auras."
Jaune nodded his head. To say he wasn't disappointed was a lie, but at least he could return to Ruby soon.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to endanger my people."
"How do you know about the Aura thing?" Jaune inquired.
"My sister was a Huntswoman. She studied the beasts and their mannerisms extensively. It was a known fact among her team that the Grimm were drawn to strong Auras."
"Your sister… Is she-?"
"With the gods," he replied with a smile.
"Right." Jaune came to a stop again. "I guess I should get going, huh?"
"You should, but… I am afraid I must ask something of you before you do."
"Huh? What?"
"My people need your help. We need your strength."
"Wait, you just said my strength was bad."
"I said it invites challenges, and it does, but right now my people need more food. More supplies. They need resources to live and the only way we can get more is if we go to one of the fallen RAs and bring more supplies back here."
"And you want me to protect them. Is that right?" The Brother nodded his head.
"We would happily pay for your services. Food. Water."
"Do… you have a car?" Jaune asked, and the Brother smiled as he bowed his head.
"We do. It is yours if you help us."
Well, that certainly did give Jaune incentive. Of course, even without a reward he'd probably help these people. He was a Huntsman after all, and he swore an oath to protect the innocent. Still, he needed to know as much about the request as he could.
"So, what's the catch?"
"Nothing too dangerous for you, I imagine. The Grimm took RA-25 several weeks ago, but there is still plenty of supplies there that can help my people. I ask that you accompany a small group of villagers to the location. While the Grimm do ignore our small home, being in their territory will cause them to act on the instincts the Brother of Shadows gave them."
"Uh huh." Jaune nodded his head with a deep breath. "Alright. Seems simple enough. I'll help."
"And in return, we will give you a vehicle. Thank you," the Brother bowed his head once more as Jaune did the same.
It didn't take long for the citizens of Respite to get organized. Jaune was greeted by several men and women, including Walden and Cotton from before. Each of them seemed to smile at Jaune, before turning their attention to Cotton.
"This is Jaune Arc, a Huntsman. He will be escorting us during our mission." The people bowed their heads in respect to Jaune, a gesture that confused and embarrassed the young man.
"Ah, you really don't have to do that…" He held up his hands and shook his head, when a Faunus woman stepped forward.
"Brothers bless you, young man," the woman smiled, wrapping her arms around Jaune. The pretty woman even pecked his cheek, earning a small blush from the Huntsman.
Another man quickly hugged him, lifting him off the ground with a tight embrace, before releasing him. Jaune then felt a man shaking his hand, and he turned his head to see another Faunus smiling at him.
"Thank you. You honor us with your skill and protection."
"Uhh… N-no problem." Jaune smiled as a younger woman held up her hand.
"How many Grimm have you killed?"
"Oh, uh-"
"A-a few, I guess."
"Probably being humble. I bet he's killed hundreds of them!"
They laughed at Jaune's 'modesty,' though he wasn't sure if it was with him or at him. He sighed quietly, before he turned his head to the distant trees far beyond the town.
He wondered if Ruby was still watching him. He hoped she was okay…
"Alright, everyone," Cotton spoke, catching everyone's attention. "We'll be moving soon. Our mission is to simply get supplies as quickly as we can and then return home. In and out. Huntsman Jaune Arc will help protect us, but that doesn't mean we can be reckless."
The group nodded their heads as Jaune looked them over. There were about a dozen of them, including himself. None of them looked like soldiers or guardsmen, but he supposed this was the best such a small town could ask for.
"RA-25 is only a few miles from here. We'll be taking a truck part of the way, before continuing the rest of the way on foot."
Everyone seemed to understand and Jaune watched them begin prepping. A grey truck was driven over to the group, before a man stepped forward.
"H-hey. You really a Huntsman?"
"Yeah." Jaune nodded his head as he looked at the man. A Faunus man with reptilian eyes. A little creepy, he had to admit, but he was just a person. No different than Jaune.
"Where'd you come from?" he asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, were you really just wandering around outside? Or did you come from a Residential Area?"
Jaune hesitated for a moment. Memories of what happened in his home ran by his mind, before he swallowed spit down. "I'm from RA-27."
"Oh. I, ah…" The man looked away, before he quickly spoke again. "H-how is it? Is everything okay there o-or…?"
Jaune didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out as he thought of his mother. Pyrrha. Ren and Nora. Were they dead? He wasn't sure. He didn't want to think about it. He…
"Did you have family there?" Jaune whispered.
"No, I… ah." The man closed his mouth and pressed his lips together as he looked away. He said nothing for a moment, before he mumbled out a few words. "M-my sister…."
Jaune nodded his head, before he finally uttered the words. They felt like he had a sword to the Faunus' neck. Like he was killing his hope. His soul. That's how it would feel if someone told Jaune the same news.
"RA-27 is gone. The Grimm overran the place. M-maybe your sister was able to escape, but… but a lot of people died," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
The Faunus nodded his head, his eyes on the ground. "Y-yeah. I… Thank you."
Jaune nodded his head, before he turned to walk away. He wasn't sure where. He just wanted to escape these memories. The lingering pain in his chest. Then he felt a hand grab his wrist and he turned his head to the Faunus.
"I'm sorry for your loss," the Faunus muttered. Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but the Faunus quickly spoke again. "I-I'm sure you lost a lot of people you cared about. I'm sorry. I'm… I'm really sorry," the man whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Jaune nodded his head. "Thanks." He took a deep breath, before sighing. "Uh, so what's your name?"
"Adder."
"Jaune Arc."
"Yeah, I know. You were kind of introduced to the group." The man and Jaune chuckled. It was a weak laugh, but it was there. "You… My mom used to tell me how the Huntsman were Bringers of Hope, Paragons of everything right in our society. Guardians against the Grimm."
"Well, I'll try my best." The man nodded his head again, before he bowed his head.
"Thank you, Jaune Arc." Adder walked away from Jaune, before Cotton soon began to talk to him. The blond raised his brow, curious about what they were discussing, before Walden spoke behind Jaune.
"Thank you for all you've done for us, Jaune."
"I haven't done anything yet," Jaune replied.
"You have given our people hope. Adder was right about that," the man smiled. "Thank you."
"Yeah, well… No prob-"
"But I must ask that you do not dwell on such painful memories." Jaune froze and he furrowed his brow as he stared at Walden's smiling face. "I know it must hurt, but that pain you feel must be buried. Suffocated. 'A fire cannot burn if it is buried.'"
Walden seemed to realize Jaune's confusion, and he continued, still smiling, but Jaune was beginning to notice how forced that smile was. Like two hooks in his mouth, pulled to make him grin. Held tight, cutting into the flesh…
"You must not feel negative emotions. You must not dwell on it. Bury it, forget it, and live your life free of turmoil. That is what the Brother of Darkness wanted to teach us."
"Right. I'll… keep that in mind." Walden and Jaune nodded their heads at one another, before Walden left the Huntsman alone.
Jaune stood in the middle of the town, surrounded by dozens of people. Yet he had not felt this alone since the fall of his town. He let out a sigh, and hoped that Ruby was okay.
The ride to RA-25 was surprisingly jovial. The people laughed and smiled at one another, but Jaune began to realize how twisted it all was. His eyes traveled along the inside of the truck, staring at fake smiles and forced laughter.
The war with the Grimm had taken so much from so many. The very fact that they were driving towards a conquered human settlement didn't seem to even bother most of the people. They just smiled and laughed, acting like nothing was wrong.
"Walden, you'll bring Luna to Jade's birthday party, won't you?" a man asked.
"Of course. She's excited to play with the rest of the children. I even helped her make her gift for it. She's going to grow up to be a fine woodcarver, just like her father."
Walden looked at Jaune then, holding up his hand and gesturing to the Huntsman. "Would you like to come, Jaune? I'm sure my daughter would love to meet an actual Huntsman."
"No, thanks," Jaune replied quietly.
"It sounds like someone is afraid they won't be able to hold their apple juice," someone teased, and several people laughed at the light joke.
Laughter. Jaune was starting to get sick of the sound. It rang so damn hollow, sounded so fake. He shook his head quietly, before he noticed someone sitting beside him.
"It's like sugar, ain't it?" Jaune raised his brow, before he looked at Adder. The Faunus sat beside Jaune with a smile on his face, as fake as the others. "Everyone being all happy. Acting like nothing's wrong with the world. It's what the Brother says the gods want for us. Honestly, I hate it, but if it means we survive…"
"You sound unhappy about it."
Adder looked like someone had just spat in his face. He nodded his head quietly, his hands rubbing against one another. "I've always believed in the Brothers. They made us, they made everything. So they probably made the Grimm too."
Jaune nodded his head as Adder took a deep breath. "There… has to be a reason why, right? I mean, there has to be a reason we're punished for… for being sad. For being scared. I don't know what we did to anger them, but there has to be a reason. If it's all about learning a lesson, I'll change. However the gods want me to."
Was it true? If the gods were real, did they do all of this, start this whole damn war because they wanted to teach humanity a lesson about not being sad? Jaune considered the possibility, but the thought festered in his mind.
It was awful to think that the gods could be so petty and cruel. That they could care so little for humanity…
But what did Jaune know? He wasn't even sure if the gods were real.
He sighed, rubbing his head as the truck came to a stop.
Jaune was one of the first out of the truck. He looked up to the night sky. A blanket of darkness and stars above them. He turned his head back down to the ground, and he watched as several Faunus led the group forward. Cotton walked towards him, holding her hand up to stop him.
"We're on foot the rest of the way from here," Cotton declared. "Here. This'll help hide your scent." She handed the blond a small vial of a clear liquid. "Put it on yourself."
He nodded his head, recognizing the substance. It was normal for groups going out hunting to try and mask their scent. Jaune wiped the liquid on his arms, legs, neck, and hair. When he smelled himself, he caught the aroma of trees and mulched grass.
Not a great smell, but not bad. Just something to hide their scent.
"Thanks." Cotton nodded her head and took back the vial, before the group began to move.
It didn't take long for them to reach the city, and thankfully the group was quiet for the duration of the walk. The closer they got to the city, the more details Jaune was able to see, even in the dark.
The city's walls were badly damaged, with large, gaping holes randomly blown through the walls. The fires that consumed the city were gone, but the smell of burned wood, stone, and… other things was still heavy in the air. Jaune ignored the foul scent as the small group hid behind some trees and bushes.
Half of them broke off and they began to move away, leaving Jaune, Walden, and a few others behind.
"They're going to cause a small distraction, before meeting us inside." Jaune nodded his head, his eyes scanning over the area.
No sign of Grimm yet, but perhaps that was the worst part. The Grimm could have been hiding. Waiting for them.
Jaune's eyes widened as he noticed something. "The wall."
"What?" Adder whispered.
"The wall's been blown open."
"Uh, yeah. We noticed."
"No, I mean, the holes were blown up from the inside." Jaune felt the others staring at him. "Someone from the inside let the Grimm in."
He thought back to the workers that came with Marrow. He remembered watching them gun people down, slaughtering the innocent citizens… His hand tightened into a fist as he let out a heated growl.
"Traitors."
"What?" Walden whispered.
"Some people are working for the Grimm," Jaune growled.
"Jaune, calm down. Whatever you're feeling, bury it. Please," Walden pleaded, and Jaune closed his eyes. He knew the man was right. He released his anger in a sigh, before he heard a loud ringing sound.
Several loud pops, like firecrackers, went off followed by more ringing. Jaune and the others then saw the ruined city explode with activity. Dozens of Beowolves seemed to form from the shadows inside the city, growling and howling as they tore up the dirt under their claws. They ran out of the city in a black flood, followed by Ursas, and even Creeps.
Hundreds of red, burning eyes moving like a swarm of fireflies. There were so many as Jaune felt his fingers tighten around his sword. The dark flood flowed out of the city for a few seconds, before it came to an end as quickly as it began. Jaune pulled out his sword and turned his head to the others.
"Will the others be okay?"
"They know to move before setting off the distraction. They'll be okay," Walden replied.
Jaune nodded his head, before he moved forward, looking around and finding the group alone. "No Crocotta," he muttered.
"What's that mean?" Adder asked.
"Crocotta look for survivors. If there weren't any in that group, then they've already picked the city clean of…" Jaune didn't say it, but everyone understood.
The city was devoid of human life.
Jaune moved forward, followed by Adder and the others. They moved into the ttown quickly and quietly as Walden spoke into a small radio.
"We're moving inside the city. Over."
"Meet you inside. Over," Cotton replied over the radio.
The group kept to the alleyways and stayed out of the way of any remaining Grimm. They moved quickly as Jaune and Adder led the group, the former's experience with the Grimm and the latter's natural night vision allowed the group to move with relative ease.
Walden poked Jaune or Adder's shoulder, before pointing which way to go. Jaune and Adder kept moving, before they came to a stop.
"The supplies are in a warehouse. Should be just around the corner. I have the code for the food."
Jaune nodded his head, before he leaned his head out of the alleyway and into the main street. He quickly saw a Beowolf standing in the middle of the street and he moved back into hiding.
"Just one Beowolf. I can take care of it quickly."
The others nodded their heads as Jaune moved forward. He moved quietly, noticing that the Grimm had its back to Jaune, staring up at the shattered moon above Remnant. Jaune ran forward, and by the time the Grimm noticed him, it was too late.
It swung an arm to hit the Huntsman, only for Jaune to cut it off quickly. The limb fell to the ground, before Jaune stabbed the Grimm through the chest, impaling and killing it in a moment. Its arm went limp as Jaune placed his foot on the Grimm and pushed it away, freeing his sword.
It laid dead on the ground as Adder and the others moved out of their hiding space. Walden moved towards the warehouse and entered in a quick code at a number pad. The door opened for him as he and the others quickly moved inside.
"Thank you, Jaune," Walden smiled.
"Damn, good job," Adder smiled. "You made that look easy."
Jaune didn't reply. He just stared at the Grimm's corpse, shaking. He took in a shuddering breath, before speaking.
"Get inside."
"What?"
"There's something wrong. The Grimm isn't decaying."
"What?"
"When Grimm die, they decay." Jaune stabbed the fallen Grimm's chest, before he pulled out his sword and impaled the head. No smoke. No decay. "It isn't dead…"
This didn't make sense. Grimm didn't do this. Then again, Grimm didn't talk either. But what the hell was this? Some new time of Grimm? How was this thing not-?
Then he heard the sound of a bone snapping. Just broken in an instant. The Beowolf trembled, shaking as Jaune listened to the symphony of broken bones and torn flesh. Jaune stabbed the monster again, only to watch as a limb tore its way through the Grimm's back. It hit Jaune, knocking him back and leaving the sword impaled inside of the Beowolf's back.
"Ahh…" Jaune shook his head, standing up as he began to hear screaming. Not just from Adder, who ran to Jaune's side, but from the Grimm.
He watched as the newly grown limb flapped in the air. It was a wing. A long, feather wing, dripping with black slime as the Beowolf stood up on its two feet. The Grimm's head laid limply, clearly slain as its neck began to twitch.
Jaune watched as something began to move under the skin of the Grimm, pressing against it. Something was inside the Grimm, wriggling under the skin, slowly forcing its way out as Jaune's eyes widened.
"Adder, get behind me!" he ordered and the man obeyed, hiding behind Grimm as a a sharp, black beak tore its way out of the Grimm's neck.
The head began to push its way out from inside the Grimm, screaming as its beak opened so far it almost looked like the head was about to snap. It almost seemed to resemble a bird's head, but the eyes were bulbous, inflated into two tumor-like sacks. The bird head screeched, as the Beowolf's head hung limply, staring at Jaune with dull, red eyes.
The bird-headed Beowolf moved closer, screeching as the stump of its arm began to tremble. A beak tore its way out of the Grimm's body, stretching out as a third head began to force its way out of the Grimm. A long neck stretched out of the monster, each of them screeching, almost akin to a group of screaming children.
"What is that?!" Adder screamed.
"I-I don't know!" Some new type of Grimm.
One living inside of the other. A parasite? Jaune shook his head, focusing on the monster in front of him as the third head stretched out, connected to a long neck as it screeched. It shot forward to stab at Jaune, only for everything to go red.
Rose petals fell on Jaune and Adder as Ruby's tail sliced through the third head. It decayed and rotted away into a black smoke, before Ruby turned her head to glance at Jaune.
"You were watching…?" Jaune asked.
"Together," she replied, her lips forming a small smile on her snout. "Friends, Vomit Boy."
Jaune couldn't help but grin, only to catch Adder falling to the ground. He was shaking, his eyes wide as the color faded from his face.
"No. No, no, no. Not again. Puh, please. D-don't-"
"Adder, it's okay," Jaune quickly stated. "She's a friend, she-"
"No. No. Not again," Adder whimpered. He was gasping for air, crawling away from Ruby as his legs kicked at the ground. "It's come back for me…!"
"What?" Jaune's brow furrowed, staring down at the man as he shook his head, tears falling down his face.
Jaune's head shot to the side, watching as Ruby tackled by infected Beowolf, impaling it on her tail as she began to tear it apart. Yet he could still hear the screaming. Like a choir of children driven mad, screaming until their throats were rotted away.
He turned his head to the sky, staring at several winged Beowolves, with bird-like heads tearing through their arms, chests, and heads. They flew over the group, flying in circles around the three.
Then they began to fly down, screeching as they began to attack.
END
Sorry for the wait, folks! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. A bit of a different kind of horror today. Considering the RWBY universe, I'm shocked there aren't like… happy pills given out to people to block out negative emotion.
Plus, I personally would love to hear about the religions of the RWBY world.
Anyways, here are some parasite based Grimm. Monsters that live within other Grimm and give them a second life, so to speak.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading, follow me on Twitter for updates to the story and behind the scenes information, plus you can just talk to me. See ya next time!