Hello it has been a while but here it is.
This took a while due to life and its existence however I have a beta reader now which I think is pretty cool.
Next one will be sooner.
Recovering from an injury sucks.
Recovering from several large injuries' sucks a whole lot more.
-Massive laceration to left hand requiring some physio therapy
-Minor laceration to right hand
-Large amounts of bruising to chest and knees
-6 smaller cuts to the face
-1 minor concussion
-3 cracked ribs
He had been staying in the hospital for the last week as his left hand was too torn up to simply stitch and bandage.
Staying in a millitary hospital with nearly no one in it was a strange experience people's expressions would soften when seeing him , nurses who looked like they had seen carnage still showed immense amounts of empathy.
'Like am I actually that cute or are they just looking for someone to express their affection onto'
'Why do I feel guilty? , I did more than I was expected to do every person who heard what I did seemed genuinely amazed'
'I mean yes it was dumb idea to go outside but with how much mom has been screeching about it my assumption should have been correct'
The image of his mother pressed beneath that Beowolf flashed before his eyes the struggle on her face her whole body straining as she shoved her arm into the beasts mouth.
'Because I didn't really protect her did I ? , I failed she still had to endure pain to help me'
'Sure I 'technically' killed that Grimm but how many did Dad kill? If I was stronger she would never have needed to get hurt'
The possibility of revenge on the Grimm for himself , his family and the human race excited him.
But he couldn't exactly work towards that if he was here in a hospital bed.
Alex let out a long frustrated moan.
'Why the hell can't they just unlock that aura thing I dreamt about'
He had asked his father if it would help speed up his recovery and was given a flat 'No'.
'Maybe he is doing it as a kind of lesson.'
'I mean who wouldn't be cocky after having slain a Grimm , I just survived something that barely anyone my age can claim to have done maybe he thinks that it would go to my head'
'Then if he gives me aura and teaches me how to use it I would probably go running out to try and kill more or I would do something stupid'
Alex laid down and shut his eyes and tried to remember how the night had gone and how his had father had used his aura.
A deep knot of stress formed in his gut reliving those memories was not what he truly wanted to do but Alex was determined to do or achieve something.
The scene played out in front of him again the Grimm comped down on to his fathers bare shoulder the teeth stopping against a faint brown glow.
By focusing on that kind of glow images went through his head a white glow around gloved hands , a pink pulse travelling through a palm , splintering cracks cross a young womans body as she fell to the floor.
'So why doesn't everyone just have this I get that giving it to society at large wouldn't help or hinder crime but wasn't everyone throughout history affected by Grimm'
'So what's the downside to being able to survive more easily , why isn't every human born with this power unlocked?'
...
...
...
No visions went past his mind no flashes of memory.
'huh no answer... that's odd'
After a while Alex found himself drifting back to sleep.
...
...
...
It was warm the deerskin blanket that his mother had made for him , technically it was two deerskin pelts of similar size sown together after an improvised hunting trip when the house ran out of meat and the car was in the shop.
The small furs felt fantastic against his hands as he tried to tug the blanket up higher.
It didn't move.
He tugged again the hairs growing thicker the warmth of his lower body began to dissipate his eyes cracked open a black form large enough to touch the ceiling sat atop him.
The weight of it suddenly caught him he could not breathe he felt as though his body was being squeezed like a grape.
It spoke.
You have to kill you know
'Why why do I have to do it , why can't I just be a normal kid'
'Normal' You are everything but especially with 'me' in your head kid
'What are you'
I'm you for now at least...give it 2 generations and I'll be someone else. Maybe I am the memories of a place that doesn't exist or I could be the most ancient part of your brain lit awake from your trauma.
But none of that changes anything.
You will have to kill more.
'...who?'
A lot of Grimm , 'some' people you won't hate that part as much as anyone who could be considered 'normal'.
'But I want to be normal I don't want to fight I want to learn'
Come now ... don't lie to me when you stabbed that Grimm it wasn't just your human instincts that felt satisfaction 'you' did.
The only reason you want to learn is because of your ego , you are desperately afraid of becoming less special to your parents and peers.
'What about friends?'
What friends ? You don't really have any now do you? all of them are scared of the intelligence you hold so dear.
'It was a Grimm it attacked me what did you expect for me to break down crying after killing it?'
That's what a normal kid would have done...well they would have died first but you didn't cry even after.
'What the hell do you want from me?'
'I' AM you and I WANT you to survive like every ancestor before you. Every single one was able to pass 'ME' along before they were ripped apart.
The smart one has shown us a lot , the world is changing for the worse and you must be the most prepared of them all.
You must conquer , you must confront and face every threat head on.
Or you will not survive.
It wasn't a Grimm but the jaws and teeth looked the same as it bit towards his head.
He awoke with a shrill scream lips dry with a wet bed.
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he heard some crashing footsteps he tried to get his breathing under control.
The nurse barged into the door but composed herself as she entered the room.
"Are you alright?"
'Obviously not hence the scream'
"Just...a nightmare I think I am gonna get these a bit more often"
"I heard what you went through kid I would be a hell of a lot more worried if you weren't pissing the bed" She looked like she regretted saying it or wanted to take back the end of her sentence.
'okay time to change the subject'
"Why don't we unlock everyone's aura? , why can't we just train people to use it I mean no one would die by getting hit by a car or slipping on something."
She cocked her head to the side.
"Do you want the answer someone your age is supposed to have or do you want the truth"
"Always truth"
"When you first witnessed signs of Grimm what was your emotional reaction"
"Fear"
"Well Grimm are attracted to fear as it is a part of negativity when someone's aura is released their emotions from their soul are pushed outwards"
"All emotions are amplified but Grimm are only affected by negative ones. There are a couple other reasons simply giving people aura won't help much in a Grimm attack things would just ... take longer creating more negative emotions which would draw more Grimm."
"But it would help if everyone had some degree of training wouldn't it?"
"Oh it probably would help massively but there was a major de-militarisation movement as technology improved and the effects of the great war were laid bare to voters who would save money by funding smaller armies that can keep the borders nearly as secure"
'Makes a lot of sense'
"Let's get that bed changed"
He stayed in for the rest of the week although he would have to clean his hand carefully and would have to be careful with his ribs he could now catchup on school and begin some basic training with his Dad.
Recovering from an injury sucked.
Recovering from running a mile when you are 8 years old really fucking sucked.
Training to fight was less about how to punch and more about IF you could.
A lack of stamina not aura apparently is what kills most huntsmen their fights with Grimm are so high energy and acrobatic that there is rarely any time to breathe.
But 'most huntsmen don't die to one strong beast they die to a hundred pups'.
His lungs burned his legs stung every step forwards was followed by a flash of pain through his whole body.
But the rather large huntsman wielding an axe behind him was a truly fantastic source of motivation , Brun didn't look winded at all although by comparison he had taken half as many steps.
"Yeah background noise is another threat rain , thunderstorms , alarm systems , gunfire and your own heartbeat can drown out a lot of the important sound"
On instinct Alex dove left off of the path they were following although he stumbled he managed to avoid the THUD from behind.
"Huh ... good instinct were you always that paranoid? or is it just after...everything"
Alex wanted to reply but he honestly could not stop his breath from hitching and heaving.
He kept moving a nagging instinct told him not to take cover behind the nearest tree as he could obviously chop straight through it.
He heard his fathers feet drag and chose to attempt to lunge forwards his legs collapsed beneath him as he pushed off.
He hit the ground hard his breathing hitched as he hacked into the dirt.
"So that's it huh...after all that effort all the panting the burning in your legs this is where the Grimm gets you?"
Alex rolled over onto his back his breath caught in his throat as his father towered over him.
"Come on" Brun put his hand down and Alex gripped it expecting to be pulled up.
"I am not going to pull you up" Alex strained and pulled himself onto his unsteady feet a feeling of vertigo forcing his eyes shut.
"You did good today... how's the hand?"
'Somethings wrong do not trust' Alex opened his eyes finding a claw shaped hand streaking towards his eyes , Alex ducked left and made a weak kick to his fathers groin with his right leg.
Brun reacted beginning to shift his feet back before hesitating allowing his aura to take the hit.
Alex's right hand had wormed its way out of his grasp and now Alex was on the move again his running pace was nowhere near what it was when he set out this morning but it was still faster than when he had started running.
'Fuck am I actually going to pass out from this?' Alex's vision grew fuzzy tears welled in the edges of his eyes , his throat and mouth were incredibly dry.
He felt the burning return all of the pain came back in force and for a moment he considered giving up.
He could have easily collapsed into a heaving heap he had already done far better than the day before he was making ridiculous progress.
He felt the windowsill slice into his hand the head and jaws snapping just behind his legs he could feel the wet breath of the beast who had almost killed him spreading over his back.
He kept up his pace despite every bodily instincts protest.
He remembered the look of fear in his mothers eyes the real panic that had struck her when looking at his bleeding hands the tears that his weakness had made her shed.
He kept going the mind or at least a part of it won out he felt proud knowing that he truly was on the path to greatness.
'Never again'
He hit a runners high that numbed the pain and managed to run all the way back home.
He opened the backdoor and slumped onto the couch with a proud smile on his face.
Brun didn't share his sons feeling , he should have been immensely proud and perhaps a small part of him was but it was squashed by the dread of destiny.
But they had an agreement Alex was absolutely right a mugger , a terrorist , another Beowolf they could all end him at any point and there would be nothing he could do against it if Brun denied his desire to learn how to fight.
'He would probably find his own way wouldn't he? he would spend time at the library maybe he would have joined martial arts clubs at school and simply wouldn't have told me'
He was spending more time and bonding with his son but how long would that last? would this school do as he feared and slowly turn him into a killer?
'Either way he is going to learn might as well show him what I know'
'This school for 'gifted children' isn't all that different from my previous one.'
Sure it was slightly different in terms of the amount of physical exercise done and the general pace of teaching.
It lasted two hours longer than the average school an hour of which was solely dedicated to sport.
But for the most part it was a normal school with its own social hierarchies and cliques.
Alex was currently placed in the group of outcasts which was fairly depressing considering that they on average had pretty good grades and Alex himself was at the absolute top.
The two people who he could honestly call friends were , in order of his interest.
Katia Leone: a fairly tall girl for her age with blood red hair and a pair of lion ears on top. They were obviously the main/only reason she was a part of the 'outcasts' as in all other areas she was doing very well good at math , art and excelled in track sports.
Alex was honestly struggling to get any information out of her questions like 'Hey what's your family like' or 'What do you do outside of school' usually got one or two word answers.
Mostly the words 'fine' and 'no'.
Even the school bullies couldn't get any sort of response out of her and gave up by the end of the first term but Alex's curiosity was piqued.
Katia presented an entertaining challenge for him a rival in many ways she helped him stay on track keeping up with him in P.E. and challenging him to do better scolding him on his handwriting when marking each other's worksheets.
'You'd think her animal origins would influence her demeanor even a little.'
'Then again maybe it doesn't have much of an effect I mean dog faunus hardly howl at the moon and I don't exactly get the urge to scratch my back on any trees' he joked internally
'Maybe she hasn't opened up yet? , no signs of anger issues'
Then there was Samsen.
Katia's slightly older brother but despite the age difference being only a 'few minutes' you would think it would have been a couple of years.
He looked over Katia nearly constantly scanning the room left to right sending threats and warnings to any who approached her.
Alex didn't want to be racist although he still questioned if he could , if he was as a part of that minority himself.
But Samsen was not helping the 'Animalistic' stereotype that activists had been trying to undo since the end of the war.
Tall broad shouldered with dark hair and dark amber eyes he was surprisingly intimidating for an eight year old.
But after all of the time they had spent together Alex still couldn't figure out what faunus trait he possessed.
'I mean my book says that when a faunus and a human well ... do it the child is a random type of faunus so it could be that one of their parents is human'
He did okay in normal classes but in sports and physical activities he was top of the class beating Alex , Katia and all of the human kids.
Overall they didn't really talk too much preferring to get their work out the way quickly and then just relax for the rest of the day usually by staring into space and not talking.
There were many awkward silences , silences that he desperately wanted to fill with anything.
Alex smelt something familiar cheap deodorant that was applied in vast quantities and human snot.
Alex felt a tap on his shoulder and rolling his eyes and turning around he found his main bully.
A kid four years older than him called Darren , who was tall even for his age.
Darren was far from smart but really excelled in the combat class that his year took.
He was also by far the most racist in the school and for his actions in the upper years he was sent down a couple years for a few weeks to humiliate him in front of his peers.
It was a shame that he clearly was loving this , picking on people much weaker than him.
He reveled in the feeling of superiority over this lower year doing everything he could to show how easy he could do their work.
How much stronger he was.
How much smarter , at this Alex really disagreed.
Alex was being tasked with the work of sixteen year old's with constant puzzles and challenges.
Alex could do Darren's work four times faster than he could.
Maybe it was his heritage that pissed him off?
"Hey I'm talkin to you bear boy"
Alex whipped around and in a very patronising voice said.
"Hiya Darren what's up?" pumping his arm and giving an over the top grin.
Darren plopped down his work 3 pages of basic triangle problems.
"Do my work for me or else"
"Or else what exactly?" Alex smiled placing his head atop his palm.
"Or else ill beat you up you idiot" sounding a lot younger than he should have in his exasperation.
Alex went into a thinker pose making a loud hmm.
"Wait if I'm an idiot then why are you asking me to do your work?"
"I.."
"Wouldn't I the supposed idiot mess it up?"
... " Well..n"
"I mean seriously would an idiot be able to tell your future?"
"No but..."
"It was rhetorical" not that Darren knew what that meant.
Alex grabbed Darren's palm and opened it up running a finger along one of his palm lines, earning a confused look.
His finger traced up one of the lines "yeah in the future you get a pretty big house" tracing another "yeah really nice central Vale too" moving to trace another he stopped himself.
"Hold on I forgot the pool"
Alex spat into Darren's hand.
Darren leapt back in disgust tripping over one of the low plastic chairs and tumbling to the ground.
"Aah god that's gross"
Alex stood up and looked down on him.
"I mean seriously if I'm an idiot then what are you? why would you let me spit in your hand?"
Darren got back up clearly pissed but Alex didn't shrink when he towered over him.
"That's not fair that doesn't make me an idiot"
"Then how does being a faunus make someone worse than you? how does it make you superior? when well ... you know what just happened"
"You're dead kid"
Alex gasped and patted himself down.
"Phew" he wiped his forehead.
"No I don't think I am"
"After school come behind the sports shed so I can kick your ass"
Darren began to walk away as he spotted their teacher heading in their direction.
"So you can try Darren so you can try"
Alex looked back towards the table to find both Katia and Samsen staring at him.
...
...
"What?"
...
"That wasn't a good idea Alex, he's actually had combat training we haven't" Katia spoke matter of factly getting straight to the point as usual.
"I mean I did some stuff with dad it should be enough"
The siblings shared a confused look.
...
"Look I like the fact that you want to actively stand up for people like us" Samsen touched his shoulder
"I really do but that doesn't make this a good idea"
"Guys honestly I'll be fine you have no idea what I went through over the summer break"
Katia and Samsen both looked like they wanted to say more but more worksheets were handed out and the rest of the day passed quickly.
It was just a couple of hours later that Alex found himself walking around the edge of the school grounds towards the shed.
'Okay so Darren's had combat training so I'm gonna need to take this seriously'
Alex shut his eyes for a second focusing hard on his planning.
'Darren's got the strength and weight advantage so grappling is out , height makes things an issue with him being able to get to my head easily. I guess my only real option is to go low and fight dirty and fast'
'I probably couldn't maintain a headlock maybe an armbar? But with our height difference it would leave his other hand free to do what he wants'
CRUNCH
Alex turned around finding Darren casually strolling towards him following a tarmac path.
'Hmm crunch like a twig from the woods so I am guessing one of his pals went ahead making sure I turned up'
It was fine
If he began to intervene then Alex would just scream and leg it someone would probably hear him from the car park and come running.
'And if Darren and his racist pals gang up on an 8 year old they're probably going to get expelled'
'If anything I would be doing a service for the school seriously if they develop these kind of petty attitudes this young then they won't exactly be great Huntsmen'.
"Bear boy" Alex was snapped out of his musings finding Darren standing a few feet in front of him arms spread with a Cheshire grin.
"Darren" mimicking the smile and odd pose.
"I'm honestly surprised you came bear boy , hell I'm even impressed"
Two of his friends that Alex didn't recognise came out from the other side of the shed.
"So I'm willing to let this whole 'hand' fisacko slide if you kiss my boots"
"Its fiasco and I think we both know that isn't gonna happen"
Alex looked over Darren's shoulder "I'm assuming this is just between us and that your pals won't get involved"
Darren pointed a thumb over his shoulder and widened his footing.
"No they're only here to witness"
Alex wasn't convinced he probably would want them to get involved if he started losing but they probably wouldn't.
No need to get in trouble for an easy bit of entertainment.
"Anyway I gave you a chance " Darren took a boxing pose
Alex took a southpaw pose with his lower left hand ready to block and right to counter.
'Okay new plan if his lackeys are here then maybe its not worth taking the risk of assuming they'll be honourable. If I knock him down a lot they may leave then we can get on with this properly.'
Darren stepped forward and threw a jab towards Alex's head who sidestepped and went for his own jab towards Darren's jaw.
Darren took the bait and swung with his right aiming for a strong hook to hit him before he got jabbed.
'Perfect'
Alex stepped forward getting his right leg behind Darren's right his left hand catching Darren's elbow and his right pushing his neck.
Darren's right hook although strong skimmed along and off Alex's shoulder blade it had too much momentum for Darren to grab onto Alex's shirt.
Before Darren knew it he was on the ground mud splashing onto his back and ears.
'Okay Alex keep composure'
Looking over to his two lackeys he began to recognise the smaller of the two .
He definitely wasn't their age looked to be about his.
'Is someone from my class here'
Brown hair blue eyes looking worried for Darren.
'Oh shit it's his little brother isn't it'
Alex heard the sound of air moving
Instinctually he raised his arms as he turned around just managing to block a heavy haymaker from Darren.
'Christ that hurts'
Another right hook came in but Alex was more prepared for it this time putting his bicep onto the side of his head and stepping inwards he managed to block the punch before it picked up much energy.
Darren threw out his left fist in a jab aiming to keep Alex from getting close again.
Alex took the jab and went for a headbutt aiming for the bridge of Darren's nose a small crack followed but Darren reacted quickly and went for his own headbutt his forehead slamming into Alex's own.
Both reeled back in pain clutching at their skulls Darren taking longer to look up due to the blood trickling from his now broken nose.
.
"Okay seriously Darren" Alex put a hand on his forehead and his knee bending over.
'Gotta bait him in and knock him down again the same trick should work'
"Aim for the nose man Christ"
'Take the bait go for another haymaker'
Sure enough Darren shook off his pain and went for another right haymaker having to aim down a lot in order to reach the smaller boy.
'Ok maybe I can get an elbow to his temple?'
Alex launched himself up kicking towards the back of Darren's right knee as well as slamming his right elbow in between Darren's ear and temple. This sent him tumbling down onto his left knee allowing Alex to score six punches three to each side of his head. Darren managed to grab Alex's right arm and attempted to haul him over his right shoulder but Alex caught his left hand onto Darren's hair and kept his left leg under Darren's right shoulder.
Darren realised the futility in trying to pull Alex off and started shoving himself backwards trying to not only stand up but also crush Alex against the cargo container.
Alex had to let go realising that he missed an opportunity to slam Darren's head back against the container by pulling his hair, Darren stumbled over him Alex tried to get up quickly and pounce on Darren but was kicked away aggressively. Alex staggered up before Darren and tried to kick at his opponents head but Darren pulled him down making Alex slam his head against the container tears welling up in his eyes.
Darren was breathing heavily but staggered up attempting to smother Alex again Alex attempted to roll away but Darren caught his shirt Alex hauled himself up while hitting back at Darren managing to get some precious distance again.
'Okay I need to go his mate's haven't left yet and they might start intervening'
Alex scrambled up only to be knocked down from behind his body sprawling out.
'Shit'
Blows rained down on him this second opponent was standing on his back pinning him to the ground while Darren's little brother went ham slapping and screeching with bawled fists.
"Idiot"
Katia couldn't stop herself from cursing watching Alex get his ass kicked from the forest.
She looked to her side seeing her brother begin to creep up towards the group on all fours.
Katia followed on going for a faster approach of darting between the trees, the ground had hardened by this point and few leaves were present so she made very little noise.
Within a few seconds they had closed the gap and were just ten meters away from Alex who was by this point screaming.
She could smell blood.
Katia clenched her fist and winced as the high pitched noise rattled in her sensitive eardrums.
Alex had been flipped over and was now blocking both of Darren's fists as they rained down hammer blows on him.
Alex slipped one punch Darren's fist carrying on into the ground where Alex trapped it with his arm and quickly punched Darren in the throat pushed him off and scrambled towards Katia and Samsen panting heavily with one arm limp a slit lip and bleeding nose.
He looked back over his shoulder for just a second and muttered just loud enough for them to hear.
"I got this"
He raised his fists backup and forced a casual smile.
"Oh Darren I'm quite disappointed I thought your lackeys weren't going to get involved"
Darren looked over his shoulder at his classmate and brother who had both taken some lashed out hits from Alex.
A good elbow here or there had taken its visual toll.
"I didn't ask them to get involved" glaring over his shoulder
"But they did and you're still losing seriously man Ill let you walk away ... your only problem will be convincing yourself and others that you could have beaten me alone"
Alex purposely let the arrogance drip through he wanted Darren to either leave defeated or get angry and lose as a result.
'Finally we can get some payback'
Alex looked to his left 'finally the teachers heard' spotting a teacher slowly making their way over to him.
'Maybe I ca..'
His thoughts cut off as Darren charged back in again his lackeys stayed behind.
Instead of waiting for Darren to approach Alex leapt forward aiming for a flying haymaker.
'Too ambitious need to keep a cool head'
He realised too late as he was already in the air crashing down towards Darren who attempted to catch him and his punch.
The momentum bowling Darren over and back onto the ground with Alex landing on top.
Alex positioned his knees over Darren's shoulders and began to wail on him throwing in a headbutt every 3rd or 4th punch.
'Come on take the bait this needs to look like I'm the one getting fucked up'
Alex heard footsteps to his right side and braced himself as both Of Darrens lackeys kicked into his side making him roll over Darren and onto his back.
Darren scrambled up and prepared to stomp Alex's head in while the others went around.
'Come on where the fuck are you'
'Is he getting his other friends to distract the teachers?'
More strikes came down but as Darren's fist streaked towards his head it stopped.
Perhaps stopped isn't the right term Darren's arm bounced off of a barely visible blue barrier that surrounded Alex's body.
Alex looked over to the car park finding the headmistress holding out a wand.
'She looks familiar...oh fuck'
Colours and lights flashed behind his eyes a theme of bluish purple.
'Glynda?'
The visions became overwhelming feeling his consciousness fading he embraced it and passed out tired from the fight and today in general.
Hey this took a while didn't it I am after all in my last year of university.
I have been having some motivation related issues which I have been going to a therapist for which honestly has been one of the best decisions of my life.
If you want or feel like you need therapy just get it Betterhelp are very flexible and good about it.
Next chapter should be soon.