Transportation to the village was as nebulous as only Ryuuto seemed to know. When pressed for more information, he simply told them they were gonna carpool, but he neglected to say how. It left the females in his company antsy.

After they landed by airship in Vale, they sat around a nearby parking lot to wait for their transport. The areas was for the most part vacant with a few vehicles parked. There was a couple homeless majority of the grouped donated some money towards. Torvi being the exception as she forgot her wallet.

It was then that a long black limousine pulled up in front of them. The headlights were shining bright and the licenses plates were mysteriously darkened, obscuring them from all. Olivia took note of this detail first.

"You booked us a limo ride? Sweet! A bit extravagant, but hey, you're paying." Yang said.

"That's the best part: I ain't payin' anything!" Ryuuto smirked.

"Eh?"

The windows by the driver and side passenger seat opened. Two girls were seen of similar appearance. Both appeared to be their teenage years, with black hair and green eyes. The first wore a white drees with a cyan tint in some places and white shoes with blades for heels. She wore a flower hairpin, a white scarf, white gloves, a silver belt, and finally some imitation of crystal-like wings. The other was dressed similarly, but in red and some parts black. The red one did have feathers above her left ear.

"Wha-!? You know them?!" Yang blurted in surprise and a small degree of indignation as she recognized the twin, the Malachite Sisters.

"Yep. I worked for Junior for some time until I took that assassination job on Torvi." He noticed the intense glares from the girls. He didn't see them, but he could feel their heated expressions at the back of his head. "Relax, relax. It was nothing illegal; just menial labor and shit like that. Anyway, they're doin' me a favor so let's get to the village."

"How do we know they won't trick us?" Olivia supplied.

"Yeah! What she said." Yang added. She may not hate the sisters, but she still remembered their fight. Granted, she may have been the one to start the brawl in the first place, but they were a deadly duo and they work for Junior. That raised a number of red flags in the brawler's mind.

"Because we don't start fights without cause or reason." Melanie, the white one, shot. Mostly directed at Yang, who stuck her tongue out in retaliation.

"And... we kinda like Ryuuto." Miltia, the red one, bashfully stammered.

Her sister choked on her words. "I-... Wha-... Like hell I do! I couldn't care less if that buffoon died in a ditch!" The prominent blush on her cheeks stood in stark contrast to her skin and dress, however.

"Awwww. You girls are gonna make me blush!" He went to each windows and kissed the two on the cheek. It was quick peck, but one of affection. "I swear, after tonight, I'll take you two on a lovely dinner. I promise."

"... We're picking the restaurant." Melanie said, her expression for the most part neutral. She leaned on the steering wheel and turned her head to hide her growing timidity. Her sister, on the other hand, was less subtle in her reaction, as she practically passed out with smile on her face.

Upon seeing her former adversaries turned into stammering, love-addled school girls, Yang donned a wide grin, the other reason Melanie turned away. "You're quite the smooth operator, ain't ya?"

Ryuuto chuckled and rested his hands behind his head. "What can I say, the ladies love me."

"What about us?"

"... Most ladies love me."

Torvi, the battle-junkie she is, broke up the incessant banter when she swung the limo door open and got inside. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. You're gonna fuck those girls later. C'mon, C'MON! let's get going."

As the twins burst to life at the statement, both varying in their excitement and hesitation, the rest of the group got inside the black limo and were off.

The interior was just as luxurious as one would expect from a limousine. The interior was long, separated from the driver with a closeable window. The floors were carpeted red and the upholstery were a plush, red leather as soft as pillows. On the side was a mini bar holding and chilling beverages. Soft jazz played from the state-of-the-art surround sound system and red mood lights lit up the vehicle.

"Awesome." Yang breathed.

Torvi was already rummaging around the bar for anything to drink. Probably one bottle and nothing too hard. Maybe a light beer to give her a buzz. She was never one to take any substances before going into battle, but on occasion she would indulge herself.

"Hey, Melanie, did ya also get what I asked?" Ryuuto asked.

"Just check the bar."

He went to the bar along side Torvi, and with a gasp he grabbed a bottle of sake. It wasn't Myre-made and it was certainly more diluted than anything he ever had, but he wasn't gonna turn down a drink loosely affiliated with his old stomping grounds.

"Ya want some?" the aramusha tilted the open sake bottle towards Torvi. She took a couple sniffs and liked the fruity notes she was picking up. She enthusiastically nodded.

"Are you two seriously planning on drinking now, of all times?" Weiss incredulously asked.

The two Heathmoor-born battle-seekers waved her off. "One or two cups never hurt somebody."

The girls of Team RWBY chatted as Torvi and Ryuuto drank the bottle to completion. Olivia, meanwhile, was on her scroll. The person labelled "C" was contacting her. She and her group were on set to arrive from Haven Academy in a few days. The thought brought the black prior a degree of distress. She and and their mutual benefactor were misfortune incarnate; and misfortune demanded company.

Ryuuto looked around the cabin at all the members of their party until his eyes landed on the second quietist girl (next to Olivia) as she stared out the window in deep contemplation. "What on your mind, White-Cream?"

Weiss bristled in frustration. A rosy tint spread itself across her face, and it only amplified when she heard Yang and Torvi snicker. "Will you stop that?!" she snapped. She composed herself with a huff and she crossed her arms. "You mentioned the village suspect the grimm to be watching them. That should not be possible. And the fact they haven't destroyed the village after razing that White Fang camp is also cause for suspicion."

It was clear she and then the rest of them wanted more information on the matter. Ryuuto shrugged, not knowing what else to tell. "Hey, I'm just retelling what I was told. Even I'm confused by their behavior. The job described the camp was destroyed ten days ago, then a full week of surveillance. The request was just sent yesterday."

From what was said, the village should be alright by the time they get there. But that fact was jarring. Why weren't the grimm attacking? With all the fear and paranoia surely brewing in the village, the grimm would make short work and an easy meal out of the place.

"Hmmm... there is one other thing." The girls opened their ears. "From the few people that got a glimpse at the grimm... they said they looked human."

Silence. And then expressions ranging from disbelief to denial. "Are you joking with us? Because that's one of your weaker ones by far." Yang said.

"Hey, I'm serious here! The request said, and I quote, 'Literally black figures with boney masks like that of a man'." Ryuuto defended.

"Ryuuto, that's just not possible." Blake said. Humanity has been facing the grimm for centuries and have dedicated endless time to study and analyze their behavior and unique characteristics - Professor Port's class being an example. In all that time, grimm have not shown a sign of evolving into anything akin to human. The closest were the beowolves, but with their canine features and hunched backs, they were still far from anything human. Other than growing bigger, stronger, and wiser with time, grimm have stayed stagnant in their evolution, remaining close to animals. "They probably just saw a beowolf in the dark or something." reasoned the faunus.

"What if it's a new kind of grimm?" Torvi supplied, playing devil's advocate.

"We don't know for certain, but grimm aren't human. For them to jump from animal to man is too unlikely." Weiss conceded. The possibility of new grimm emerging was a possible outcome, but that was more hypothetical at the moment.

"New or old, those grimm wont stand a chance! We bout to smoke their asses!" Ryuuto proclaimed.

"Why do you talk like that?" Olivia groaned. His speech was so... modern, it was like he wasn't born in the Dawn Empire - or their world for that matter.

Ryuuto realized this and chuckled. "Oh, I'm pretty influenceable when it comes to speech patterns. I got this from when I stayed in Atlas. Spent a lot of time with a girl named Neon. You'll see her at the Vytal Festival actually. Anyway, you should've seen me before," he laughed. "I was talkin' like you before I came here."

"Really?" questioned a skeptical black prior.

"Yup. With a thick stick up my ass just like you!" Ryuuto smiled.

"I despise you."

Later...

The drive to the outskirts of Vale took about an hour and a half. When the group saw that they entered the deeper woods, they knew they were close. It wasn't until the limo pulled up upon what looked like an old-fashioned wooden fortress did they know they've arrived.

The car door opened and the teams filed out. Torvi held a hand to her face and exhaled. She took a couple sniffs and shivered. "My breathe smells fruity." she giggled.

Ryuuto laughed as he too smelled his breathe. "If you like that, I wouldn't mind bringin' a couple bottles for the both us. It'd be good to have a drinking buddy who can keep up with me" he offered. "On a somewhat related note, I've never tried Viking mead before. What it's like?"

"Ha! Stronger than this." the shaman smirked.

"Hey, it ain't always about strength, little lady."

"Who you calling 'little lady'? I am warrior!"

"Of course you are , you cute little forest midget! Of course!" Ryuuto chuckled as he draped an arm on her shoulder and lightly pinched her cheek. Both her cheeks flushed in indignation and she snapped her teeth at the offending appendage, only for it to be pulled away but the now snickering aramusha.

"Well aren't you two pretty chummy now." Ruby smiled as she watched the encounter.

Torvi and Ryuuto stopped and looked at Ruby. Then to each other. Ryuuto smiled while Torvi continued to blush, more so because from being watched, and push Ryuuto off her. He stumbled back laughing into the limo.

"Hey! Watch the paintjob!" Melanie roared.

"You two are angels. Just angels. I promise, this Saturday, we're going for dinner! And it'll be my treat." Ryuuto smiled. The twins blushed at the sight of his youth, yet rugged features so close to them. Melanie, not one to take embarrassment well, drove the car in reverse, causing Ryuuto to back off. The limo turned in the direction of where they came. "Wait, where are you going?! You're also our ride back!"

"We ain't staying anywhere near here! Especially with that bimbo blonde timebomb around! This limo's expensive!" She yelled as the limo went further and further down, her voice trailing off into silence.

Ryuuto's scroll rang and he answered. It's was Miltia's scroll. "Just call us when you're done." There was some whispering in background, and Miltia then said, "Oh, and we would like to eat at Alfredo's."

"A bit on the expensive side, but hey, a promise is a promise. Just be sure to pick us later. Peace."

Yang steamed, crossing her arms in annoyance as she heard the twin's comment. She was lucky she driving off as she said that or she would've given her a piece of her mind. Or her fist. Either or.

"So this is the village?" Olivia asked.

"Yep," Ryuuto confirmed. "A small and secluded faunus village." He pounded on the front gate a couple. If they were quiet enough, a female and male voice were whispering back and forth in a rather quiet yet heated debate. "HELLO?! Anyone home? We're here about the job request so-"

"We don't need them, mom!"

"Brandon Wenge, you be quiet right now, or so help me..."

The quarrelling voices rose in pitch. After the female voice voiced her warning, the male, Brandon, grumbled into reluctant silence. The large wooden gate to the village was pushed open, and what greeted them were two individuals, a woman and her son.

The woman was an aged faunus, about in her mid to late forties evident by the few wrinkles starting to form on her face. She was tanned with dark brown hair reaching her shoulders styled in a high ponytail. She was a deer faunus with antlers sticking from her forehead. Her eyes too were dark brown and light freckles dotted her cheeks. Her figure told that she kept herself in shape.

For clothes she wore a black knee length skirt with black flats on her feet. On her top, she had a white, long-sleeved blouse under a brown dress vest.

Her son on the other hand was a foot taller than her, at 6'6 with a bulky yet muscled figure to boot. He was a mountain compared to his mother. But like his mother, he too was a tanned deer faunus with antlers on his head with freckles. His hair was short and wavy, dark blonde instead of brown.

He looked to be a young adult in his early twenties and his attire showed this as he dressed lightly, a white tank top with brown cargo shorts and wheat-colored mountain boots.

"Good evening. I'm so grateful you answered our summon so quickly. And in great numbers, too!" The woman went around to shake each of their hands, hesitating for a moment when she came to Torvi and Weiss, her face wrinkling in discomfort. "My name is Wenona Wenge. And welcome to the village."

"Our associate here," Olivia gestured to Ryuuto. "Has informed us significantly about the situation. But perhaps you can tell us more before we begin?" Wenona nodded. She gestured for them to follow her into the village. Her son, Brandon, trailed behind, giving each of them a scathing glare, the most heated one given to the white-haired huntress-in-training and the shaman.

The village was not overly large. It was sustainably small, with houses made from wood or clay. Some of the building were home to shops and small food charts dotted the place. The village almost reminded the Healthmoor-born warriors of home, save for the use of electrical lines and the sound of television playing inside the houses.

"The sightings started three days after the White Fang camp was hit - or abandoned, we're still not quite sure. The guards and our maintenance crew for the walls reported the grimm to be stalking around, mostly at night, but they've never engaged with our people... until now." the faunus woman told them.

The group was traveling along the perimeter of the walls until they reached a certain and concerning stopping point. There, in the eastern portion of the wall, was a large gaping hole six feet wide and tall that was being tended to by a couple of the inhabitants. Torvi approached the wall and examined the hole. It was splinted and cut apart, probably from something large and bladed. An axe maybe?

"This is strange. It doesn't look like anything the grimm would do. It's too... careful."

Blake joined her side as she added, "Torvi's right on this. The grimm are too destructive to create a breach of this size. Was anyone hurt?"

"Fortunately, no. We found this a couple days ago and it prompted me to send that job request." Wenona answered.

"Are you sure the grimm are even responsible?" Torvi voiced.

"It looks like the psycho has some brain cells in that head of hers." Brandon said as he finally talked.

"Excuse me?" Torvi growled.

The deer faunus ignored her as he walked his way to his mom. "Mom, this is stupid. It's obvious the grimm weren't responsible for any of this."

Wenona crossed her arms, angered at her son's blatant rudeness to their guest. "And who do you suppose is the culprit?"

"Umm, that bigot fisherman I have no idea why we're trading with, Bodden? Haven't you heard what he said about our village? 'The zoo', he calls it?" Brandon argued.

"Mr. Bodden, trades with us on a bi-weekly basis, and from what I've heard, we're his biggest customer. Why would he start harassing us and vandalize our property?"

"Maybe he wants the village for him and his human buddies, I don't know. He's a bigot."

"While your argument has its flaws, it's not outside the realm of possibilities." Ryuuto reasoned. "I've read articles of humans doin' something similar to faunus shop owners, so maybe this Mr. Bodden is doin' something like that on a bigger scale?"

Wenona did not rule out the possibility and conceded, nodding to both Ryuuto and her son. "But what about the grimm?"

"No offense mom, but the guards aren't exactly young. Maybe they mistook a beowolf for one of those 'man-shaped grimm' you insist are out there." proposed the young faunus.

The mother faunus groaned. "If it was a single incident, I wouldn't have needed to call for outside help, would I?"

"You have an awesome semblance, though! I don't see why you can't just burn or scare away this threat." Brandon then said.

"Because there could be more one of the man-shaped grimm out there. And the last thing we need is a forest fire."

Brandon scoffed and turned his attention to the group. While he was cautious around humans, he didn't let that control his overall behavior, but when it came to two certain individuals, then he had a problem with his mother's judgement. "We can handle the grimm ourselves then, without their help. I mean, we've been doing that for years now, so why change that now? Besides, the last thing we need is to be associated with the cannibal of Beacon and a Schnee." he sneered.

Weiss stewed in her controlled ire while Torvi voiced hers. "Keep talking like that, and it won't just be antlers sticking from your head." she growled as she pulled out her dagger. The young adult peeled back, knowing he was out of his league against a huntress, but not without staring back at her with anger equaling Torvi's.

A tight grip on her arm stopped her. Sharp pain spiked and she gritted her teeth. She looked to see Wenona glaring up at her in warning, telling her to desist her threats or there would be a problem without the use of words. "Both of you stop -RIGHT NOW." It was the first time tonight that Wenona raised her soft voice, and that freaked her son out; she only got like that if she was pissed.

"Wha-?! Me!? She's the one threatening me!" exclaimed Brandon.

"And you're the one provoking her." Olivia shot back.

His eyes glared at Olivia, but before he could say anything, his mother pulled away from Trovi and stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. He looked back at her and his expression softened. "Do whatever you want. I'm gonna help fix the wall."

Wenona looked at her son's back as he left. She sighed in exasperation. "Please forgive my son. He has always looked on the other side of situations to find a solution. Please know that he's only looking out for the village's best interest."

"Hey, stuff like this will always get under your skin. It's no biggie." Yang smiled.

"Torvi..." Olivia sternly said.

The other blonde looked at her. "What? I wasn't actually going to stab him." She then took a look at Wenona, who had an even harder expression on her face. Having your son's life threatened can do a lot to one's tolerance. Torvi huffed. "Sorry... BUT HE STARTED IT!"

Wenona conceded to that too as she sighed, but she still held her heated gaze at the shaman. It was humans like her and Mr. Bodden that forced her and her family to find shelter in the deep woods. Her son was right that having her in the village would cause problems, but right now, that didn't matter. What matters is this mysterious threat looming over the village

"Umm... Ms. Wenge, can we tell us where we can our search?" Ruby voiced. She forgone speaking as she wanted to be professional as this was her first hunter mission. Albeit illegally, but it was still her first, and she wanted to digest the information given and the endorphins felt.

Wenona rubbed her temples. "Maybe Brandon's right. Maybe I'm just blowing this out of proportions."

"Ms. Wenge, though the culprit of your problem remains nebulous, we will solve it tonight." Olivia consoled. "But we need to know where to begin."

"We mostly came here to help anyway. You don't have to worry about paying us a tremendous amount if that's what you're worried about." Weiss then added.

The statement made her chuckle in response. "You know, that's the first time I've ever heard a Schnee not give a damn about money."

"Well doesn't that say a lot about about my family." the heiress muttered sourly.

The small amount of amusement sobered her up. She looked out the broken defense of her village and pointed outwards. "The White Fang camp that began this whole mess is out there in the east. Just keep going that way and you'll find it."

"I'll go. I'll try and find something your people might have missed. Or the grimm. Both are good." Torvi said as she walked out the hole.

"But we already checked every nook and cranny of the camp."

"Nothing can hide from this nose." Torvi smirked as she prodded her sniffer.

"I'm coming along as well." Olivia then joined her as Torvi entered the dense forest. When the shaman groaned in protest, the black prior ignored her as they walked deeper into the forest.

Back with the rest of the team, Ruby turned to her them and said, "Hey, will you guys be alright without me? I think I'm gonna group with Torvi and Olivia on this one."

"Yeah, sure thing, Rubes, but why?" Yang asked. It wasn't that she was concerned she'll get hurt. She had faith in her sister's abilities and that of Olivia and Torvi, but compared to the amount of time spent working in the field with them versus her own team, it was safe to say the latter trumped the first.

"Simple: I want to spend more time with Torvi. And Olivia, too." They had come to the conclusion that for Torvi to be the greatest she can be, they had to let her know they were in her life. And what better way to let her know than by fighting with her side by side. She also wanted to get to know Olivia. She and the rest of them were spending a lot of time together yet she hardly knows anything about her. Same for Torvi now that she thought about it.

Other than their fight with Ryuuto, all the times they fought together all ended in victory. And with Olivia and her crazy powerful semblance with them, they'd be sure to wreck whatever came their way.

Weiss let out an exasperated sigh. She didn't like the idea of her partner going off with people they haven't got a grip on, but she trusted her leader - and she trusted Torvi and Olivia enough not to get her killed. The sentiment was shared with Blake and Yang as well. "What're you waiting for? Go!"

With a burst of her semblance she was able to catch up with the quickly disappearing duo. She quickly told them she was coming with and they accepted the extra manpower. "GOOD LUCK!" the scarlet reaper yelled to her team.

"Now all that's left is- WHAT THE-?! LET ME GO!" The Atlas-born girl was suddenly taken in by a pair of strong arms, belonging to none other than Ryuuto himself.

As mentioned before, he stayed in Atlas for some time with General Ironwood, which meant he was in close relations with his righthand woman, Winter Schnee, Weiss' elder sister. The two had a budding relationship, one forged from mutual respect for each others skills and their mutual relationship with the headmaster of Atlas Academy. During his tenure as Remnant's look into Healthmoor, the two sparred and trained with each other. He was well aware of the hereditary semblance of the Schnee family exclusive to only the women, and he knew how to use that their fighting advantage.

"Can you tell us where this Mr. Bodden resides?" Ryuuto asked as Weiss continued to squirm in his hold in protest.

"Ummm... he lives north of here, by the lake. Just keeping heading north and you'll find his cabin." Wenona said as she and the rest of team RWBY watched the scene unfold.

"Thank you. Alright White-Cream, let's go on an adventure!" He broke into a run, bordering a sprint, out the hole heading north.

"Let me go Ryuuto!"

"Ah, c'mon White-Cream! Trust me, we're gonna make a deadly duo!" the aramusha laughed.

"I trust you as far as I can throw you! AND STOP CALLING 'WHITE-CREAM!'" She then yelped when Ryuuto tightened his hold on her, his hand gripping and inadvertently tickling her thigh. "If you touch anywhere higher, I swear I will take my sword and-!"

Blake and Yang couldn't hear the rest as they got too far from them. "Alright, so Torvi, Ruby, and Olivia are heading to the camp, and Ryuuto and Weiss are heading to Mr. Bodden's place. Where does that leave us?" Yang asked Wenona.

"Oh, that's simple. Most of the grimm sightings were on the west side of the wall. You can start looking around there." the deer faunus offered.

"Thank you, ma'am. That's perfect. Come on, Yang." Blake said.

"Gotcha." As they moved to the hole, Yang then bumped into another faunus. She apologized and took a moment to take a look at him. "Oh, he's cute." she commented as she and her partner exited the hole.

Blake took a look back at the boy Yang had her eyes on and grimaced internally. Faunus were not animal, despite what many would be lead to believe; but they did share similarities. Feline faunus generally avoid interactions with canine faunus like regular cats and dogs. It wasn't that they had any bad history or animosity towards one another; it was simply an animalistic instinct they shared with cats and dogs. With that in mind, she didn't look too long at the wolf faunus Yang thought was attractive. She did note that he was cute.

A pair of wolf ears perched up at the compliment and their owner turned to the hole the black and yellow duo went out of.

Elsewhere, with Weiss and Ryuuto...

Ryuuto had gotten them far given that he was carrying young woman in his arms. He would've gone farther if Weiss hadn't interjected with a rather violent thrashing targeted at his face. She scratched, clawed, and slapped him silly. Had it not been for his aura, he might have lost an eye to the annoyed rich girl.

Her attempts at release forced Ryuuto to lose his footing in his running, his rapidly moving feet caught on one another and the two fumbled harshly to the ground. The mad lad himself was cackling when he caught the sight of the elegant fighter's face in flustered annoyance.

"Don't you look fair this night, my lady." Ryuuto joked.

"Do not even start! What on Remnant were you thinking?! I mean, just barging into a hostile environment, guns blazing and hoping for the best?! Even Yang has more prudence than that!" She huffed for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. "I bet you and Torvi are close."

"You would think so, but our relationship is kinda... on-and-off." It was like she was digging his company one moment and wanting him on another planet the other. He understood she may have grievances sharing a room with a former enemy, but this flip-flopping between like and dislike was getting disorienting.

The Atlas-born looked around and groaned in displeasure. She couldn't see the village save for its distant lights. It would be a pain to walk all the way back and rejoin Blake and Yang. That is if they are still there. "Why did you decide to pick me, of all people? We've never even fought together!" she pointed out.

"I guess we will tonight, right?" he shrugged.

"On a life-or-death mission?" she hissed.

"You worry too much!" he dismissed. "Listen, believe it or not, I've sparred with and trained with your sister. You know, Winter? I know what your semblance does and I believe me and you will make one hell of a duo."

The statement stunned her. Then it aroused suspicion. "How do you know my sister?" Seeing as they were getting nowhere and that they had grimm to exterminate, Weiss conceded to going along with Ryuuto. The two headed north where the supposed racist of faunus, Mr. Bodden, lived.

Recalling what Olivia said about keeping their true origins a secret, he said, "I used to live in Atlas before comin' here. Got in good with Ironwood and the rest is history."

"You lived in Atlas?" gaped Weiss because she used to live in the high society in the sky. She knew the general make-up of its citizens better than most and didn't quite believe Ryuuto had it in him to stand amongst them. He was just so... wild, a far cry from the cold and elitist place she used to call home.

"Pretty much. Surprised ya, didn't I?"

"You actually did. You give off a more Vacuo vibe to be frank." Weiss then commented.

"I get that a lot. I'm surprised no one guessed that I'm from Mistral." The closest equivalent to the Myre. "I mean, do you see these clothes?"

"I think it has more to do with your demeanor than your appearance."

"Ha! Is that how it is, eh? Good to know people are lookin' deeper than superficial features."

They enter a period of pleasant silence, the only thing heard being the soft stomping of their feet on the grass. It was strange, Weiss thought, that she had an itching to end it, despite all her protest for his silence. He just had this comfortable aura around him that welcomed unadulterated conversation. Almost like Torvi. "What made you leave?" she then asked. Atlas has everything one could ever ask for; food, the highest comfort, shelter, status, etc. She thought anyone would want what she had.

The almost ever-present smile on Ryuuto's face lessened. He shrugged. "Eh. I'm a wander. I don't tend to stick in one place a long time... and Atlas just wasn't my type of place." It was the last place he wanted to be in, actually, if it wasn't for a select few people prompting him to stay. Before he turned into a ronin, an aramusha, he was soldier in the faction war. Because of his status as a samurai, he gained a lifestyle most could only dream about.

But it wasn't real. The only reason he got those benefits were because of his connection with his old daimyo. He grew up fine as a peasant before the war started, and suddenly being in high society felt off. He never blended in, despite the words of his daimyo. He was grateful for all that power gave him, but it just didn't make him happy. And with every second he stayed in Atlas, the more he was reminded on that unhappiness.

"Too much elitist bullshit, and formality, and political and corporate intrigue. Plus with the tension between them and the impoverished Mantle, it felt dirty bein' there." he then added.

Ironic since Atlas had to be one of the cleanest places in the world. But it was... cold. And just because of the climate. It was a dog-eat-dog world in the subtlest ways. Swords and shields weren't raised, but status and influence did. Everyone in Atlas seemed to care only about themselves and not much else. Not Mantle, not the faunus, not even the world. The only times they did care was if those problems affected them, and even then they put the barest of effort into helping. That is if they don't just complain about it.

Even though she had gained much since leaving high society, she was still like the denizens of Atlas in her selfishness. She wanted so much when she barely deserved them and viewed others as nuisances. Demanding to be leader instead of Ruby and her changing views of faunus being respective examples. "I guess you're reminded of that selfishness when you look at me, huh?" she said on the off-hand.

"Kinda, yeah," he agreed, which stung on Weiss' part, but she hid it well. "But it was that selfishness that pushed ya to come to Beacon in the first place. The fact that you came here instead of Atlas Academy for schooling shows you want to be different than what your family name brings or what Atlas deems is 'successful'. It's that selfishness that drives you to change - to improve" Ryuuto then added, surprising Weiss with his mature outlook. "Besides, you wouldn't have met your friends and yours truly if you hadn't left, so there's that, too."

That's right. If she hadn't left, she would have remained the colder than ice rich girl, stuck with the shell she called a family. Here, she was really living, with people who actually care about her.

They walked farther away from the village for an unknown amount of time until they began to see the borders of a lake on the horizon beyond the trees. They sped up their pace until they were close to the water. It was Weiss who spotted a wooden cabin to their west along the edge of the water. Upon closer examination, they saw a wooden dock with a motorized white boat parked beside it. The cabin itself looked like it was shaped from stone and brick with a single floor. The porch lights were off and the curtains were closed, either telling Mr. Bodded was asleep or away.

The pair drew closer to the cabin, and were shocked to see the front door busted down, chopped in two on the floor. Mr. Bodden lived a modest lifestyle as he had almost everything you would find a common modern-day house or apartment. His T.V. was cut off from any signal as the screen displayed the columns of colors and blared that ear-ringing tone.

Weiss was about to step inside when Ryuuto harshly stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. She was confused, even more so when he began sniffing the air.

Though his nose was no match for Torvi's, he still had more heightened senses than most humans and some faunus even. So when the two entered the cabin, an unfortunately too familiar scent smacked him in the face - that of rotting flesh.

"Stay close, alright?" he warned his female companion. She complied as the two began to investigate the house. A visit to the kitchen, bathroom, and finally the bedroom was all it took to find the source of the putrid scent.

When Ryuuto pushed open the bedroom door, Weiss nearly upchucked all the contents of her stomach at the intense smell and nightmare-fueling sight. On the floor at the foot of the bed in clear display was Mr. Bodden.

Or his bifurcated corpse to be precise.

He was severed in two, chopped horizontally at the waist and dividing his upper and lower portions. The man was dressed for sleep, in blue pajamas, but all the blood that pooled out drenched most of the clothes in red. Mr. Bodden was a rotund man with pale skin with a greenish hue - from decomposition - and a bald head. The only hair he had was his blood-soaked pale blonde beard. His eyes were startlingly wide and drained of all life. Ryuuto respectfully closed them.

The female of the two was horrified at the sight and couldn't bare to look at it anymore. She stepped out the doorway and looked away. It was like the executed faunus by Torvi all over again. Only this time she was handling the situation better... by just a bit.

Ryuuto saw this and his expression for the first time the night turned sorrowful. He saw the look in her eyes: the horror, the disbelief. He was like that, too, a long time ago. Olivia and Torvi too most likely since they all came from the same Hell of a world. To them, a corpse was a common sight, like the trees or birds. No one escaped unscathed in their war-torn world with death and misery so close to them everyday.

For Ryuuto, the sight didn't disgust him per say, but the odor was something he could never get over. He swore he felt the sake from earlier climbing up his throat. He pushed it down and went to observe Mr. Bodden's body more closely.

The most note-worthy was the chop itself. From the look of it, it was a clean, powerful cut. It severed the man's body in two with just a single swipe.

He looked off the side to see a double-barrel shotgun with a couple shells fired as indicated from the empty dust rounds also near it. So there was a struggle between Mr. Bodden and his killer with Mr. Bodden taking a valiant stand against the intruder of his home. It obviously wasn't successful.

Upon closer inspection, the body seemed to have been here for quite awhile. Judging on the amount of decomposed flesh starting to cover the man's deceased corpse and the blood-containing foam leaking from his mouth and nose, Ryuuto would guess the man has been dead for at most a week.

"I don't think this guy is our guy." Ryuuto stated.

"Then... what do you suppose?" Weiss gagged. Her saliva was starting to turn sickening and she had a feeling she was gonna throw up at least once tonight.

'This cut is no joke. Either the killer chopped right through his aura and his body in one go, or he had no aura and his body got cleaved. Whoever we're dealing with is packing some serious killing power, enough to body a person in a single swing." None of this is adding up. Couldn't be grimm; the damage is too small scale - to the house and body.

"Ryuuto..." Weiss said in a hushed voice.

"Even the interior looks undisturbed. It must've been someone with a really strong semblance and a grimm mask. White Fang, maybe?"

"I don't think it's the White Fang!" The sudden increase in volume and the panic in her voice drew Ryuuto away from his audible thoughts. He looked back at the doorway to see Weiss staring back at something with wide attentive eyes. She had Myrtenaster pointed at the object of her fear.

Ryuuto drew his swords and stepped out of the room. And he was slack-jawed at what he saw.

Standing at the exit of the hallway stood one man. Or rather... a grimm in the shape of a man. He stood tall at the same height as Ryuuto, but with a more muscular frame. His literally black skin was covered in red, tribal-like markings and he had white boney armor on his forearms and shins. He had a half-oval shaped mask with red markings in the shape of falling tears. Two circles made for the eye holes and red dots for eyes stared at Ryuuto and Weiss in an eerie silence. Peculiarly, figure also had ears in the shape of a bat.

But it was its weapon did Ryuuto gape like a fish at. Its length was about 3/4 its height and was made from the same boney material as its armor. But its shape was unmistakable. The double-bladed axe blade was something he knew all too well.

A masakari axe.

Add that to the recognizable appearance of the grimm, it was nothing sort of a hitokiri.

"Well... looks like we found our guy."

Back at the village...

Brandon Wenge was a pragmatic man. In contrast to his dear mother, he thought things out more carefully, taking into account the long term benefits and/or disadvantages of choices and actions rather than act immediately and improvise throughout.

Which was why he contemplated whether he should commission the walls to be reinforced with steel, or at least iron. Attacks like this weren't common place, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Repairing the breach was an easy enough task, especially with the help he has been given. The wolf faunus - whose name he did not remember - put the most effort in repairing the wall since the night of it's destruction. He's been doing that a lot since he came to the village a couple weeks ago.

The wolf faunus wiped his face of sweat. "Let's hope those hunters neutralize whatever is out there so this won't happen again."

Brandon scoffed. "Can they really? They didn't seem like fully-fledged hunters to me; they looked like they still belong in school." He still couldn't believe his mother allowed help in the form of a Schnee and the psycho from Beacon. Doesn't she realize how this would affect the village afterwards? What if the other faunus villages they trade with hear of it and refuse to do business anymore?

"It was good that they came. They seem like good people; even the Schnee." the wolf faunus said.

"What about that psycho? Torvi, was it?"

"She is the type of person who wears her feelings on her sleeves. The type to jump first and ask question rarely. I think deep down she is a good girl, but that desire is disguised under thick veils of savagery." the wolf faunus offered. "It's good that she has those people around her to help with lifting those veils."

"You give people way too much credit."

"And you rarely show people any faith." the wolf faunus shot back. "They wouldn't have come here if they didn't think they were capable. Besides," he then smiled mysteriously. "I have a feeling they will win. They have some very capable fighters."

Brandon waved him off, annoyed he was putting so much trust in strangers. "Whatever you say."

"Are you two done with the exterior wall?" a feminine voice then interjected. The wolf faunus and Brandon looked to see Wenona walking to them.

"Mrs. Wenge, it's late. We should all be returning back home." the wolf faunus advised.

"You two go on ahead. You both worked worked so hard repairing the wall, some needed sleep is deserved."

"What about you mom?"

"Oh, I'm just gonna take a little walk. Better to stretch these limbs before I start needing a cane." Wenona chuckled. When she saw the protesting faces of the two boys, she waved them off. "I'll be fine, you two. It's only a little walk. I'll be back in no time."

"Want us to accompany you?" Brandon then suggested.

"No need. I... want some alone time, son. I hope you both understand."

They did understand. She was basically the leader of the village, which meant she had a lot on her plate, from dealing with the village's finances to setting up possible trading agreements with other villages, she must have a migraine or two every once and a while.

They both nodded in compliance. Brandon was the first to walk before the wolf faunus followed behind. Meanwhile Wenona walked in the opposite direction to an area close to the village but some distance away from the walls.

"Are you sure it is wise to leave her by herself? Unguarded, even?" the wolf faunus asked as he moved beside Brandon.

The deer faunus smirked at fellow faunus. "Please. My mom was huntress before she settled down. Even now she can handle herself better than anyone I will ever know." He said this with a level of respect the wolf faunus had not heard before. He could tell Brandon truly looked up to his mother with a reverence reserved for only her. "Plus with her semblance, she's an unstoppable force. You got that... umm..."

"You don't know my name, do you?" the wolf faunus accused, though his tone did not sound offended. Rather, it sounded knowing, as if he expected it.

Brandon scratched the back of his head with a grimace on his face. "I'm sorry, man. You can't expect me to remember all the villagers, do you? And no offense, but you kinda... blend in too well."

A hollow chuckle left the mouth of the canine faunus. "No, no, I understand." He looked forward with a distant look in his eyes. "I am pretty forgettable."

"Hey, that's not..." Brandon stopped himself with a groan. Now he got why people called him a baseball bat - he was too blunt. "What's your name?"

"Zhao Ning. But you can just call me Ning."

"Ning, huh? I promise you, I won't forget it." Brandon smiled.

Ning took in his attempt at comfort, but it didn't quite quell the void inside him.

He smiled back regardless.

Elsewhere...

Wenona Wenge was aware of the dangers of wandering alone in a grimm-infested forest, but her son's faith was not unfounded. Before she married and became a mother, she was one of a handful of faunus hunters to come out of Beacon Academy. Though she was no shining star like the Branwen twins or Summer Rose, she shined in her own way using her own skill with the sword. Even when she had married her late husband did she continue to do huntress work, primarily in Vale and Mistal.

It was hard work, balancing life and work, and withstanding the prejudice of the close-minded humans, but she and her husband made it work. It was only when they had Brandon did she finally put her sword down and decided to retire. She wanted to live her life, not constantly roam from place to place.

So it was ironic, however, that when she decided to settle down did her life become more tumultuous.

Her late husband fell ill, and in his dying breathe left the village his family had safeguarded for generations. She was left with a five year old boy to raise by her lonesome. Not to mention the villagers that looked to her for leadership and guidance.

Sometimes it was all too much; this wave of grimm activity was just the final in the coffin.

She was good distance away from the village, but the sight and lights were still in view, albeit small. She sat beside the tiny pond she and her husband used to spend a lot of their youth at. It was a wonder how these little pond survived in a grimm-infested forest, but it was a thought she entertained very rarely. She sat in front of the waters and watched the water form waves from the low nightly winds.

A rustling in the bushes took took hold of her attention. She shot to her feet without delay. She looked at the noise behind the bushes and stood her ground...

Against a simple doe.

She sighed in relief. "Maybe I should head back. All this stress is starting to get to me."

The doe, startled, turned and ran, leaving Wenona slightly perplexed. She shrugged and turned in the direction of the village.

A glob of blackness jumped at her face. She fell to the ground and struggled against this unknown threat. It didn't take long for the blackness to spread, enveloping her body until every part of her was blistering in searing hot pain. She let out a noiseless scream; it did not rattle the birds nesting in the trees. There was so much pain and all she could could think about was an escape, to get back to her son and forget this terrible experience.

Seconds passed, and the blackness stilled, still covering her body. There was no more pain, not even a sensation.

All she felt now... was hatred.

Scorching hot hatred.