This story is a work of fiction.

Any relations to characters, living or dead, are purely coincidental.

The authors own none of the characters, or events, that take place here.


"Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"


RWBY ~ Memories of V


Book 1, Chapter Two

My name is V.

It is not my real name, but rather the name I have chosen to go by.

Three weeks ago, I awoke in the care of the Belladonna family without any memories of my past. During my stay, I learned that my body was crumbling. The only reason I was alive was because of a demon calling itself Griffon, who entered into a pact with me.

Griffon, along with three others, are my nightmares given physical form. In order to prevent my body from breaking down, and to find the answers behind my past, I left Menagerie in search of the remaining nightmares.

As the sun climbs high into the sky, so too does my adventure. I head for Vale, in the hopes that what I seek lies there.

.

.

.

.

.

The sea stretched on for miles, out as far as the eye could see. Nary an island or a sign of civilization could be found. The air was touched with a hint of frost, but the cold was of no consequence to V as he leaned against the railing of the ship, reading the book that Kali had given him before he left for the boat. It had proven to be a worthwhile read in his opinion, finding a nostalgic joy in reading the various idioms and expressions used.

'So, just to be sure, you really wanna go after the rest of them?'Griffon asked, his voice echoing in the back of his mind. 'I mean, sure, it's understandable. Without us, you'd just be crumbling and turning to dirt, but you need to understand somethin' here, V! These nightmares aren't shaped and named after some of Mundus' lackies for show! They're a baaad bunch of bunnies!'

"All the more reason to acquire them." V responded coolly. "I need every tool at my disposal."

'And here I thought you wanted to live.' Griffon deadpanned. 'Fine. But where in the heck are we even going to look?! They could be anywhere in this stinkin' place! What makes you think they're in Vale?'

"Nothing." If it was present, Griffon would have gawked at V's reply. "Except for that they need to feed. You said it yourself. They aren't actual demons and are just mimicking their shape. They need something to sustain themselves. Shadow was already on its last legs because it couldn't receive nourishment from the Faunus in Menagerie."

'...okay, I think I get what you're saying.' the hellish bird came to an understanding. 'They won't exactly be discreet if they're trying to get something to eat.'

Of course, this also presented another question that made V concerned. Shadow had obviously not received any nourishment in spite of its feeding frenzy on Menagerie, so if the other nightmares were trying to gather strength and remain in the world, how would they do so? V's current theory was, of course, Aura – the physical manifestation of one's soul given a presence, defending them when the situation required it. Souls had as much power as strength, if not more so. If the nightmares were feeding on souls that had been invigorated, or given the ability for its owner to express itself, then perhaps it would serve as a viable source of food.

V had not chosen Vale merely based on a whim. He had done his research. He had used his Scroll to look up any incidents that had occurred within the last month in the neighboring kingdoms of Vacuo and Vale. Vale was an apparent hotbed of activity. Gang turf wars, a mass burglary ring enacted by a famous criminal, but none of these things caught his attention. They were just human affairs and squabbles. Nothing that could prove to be of use to him. Rather, he looked for things that were not concerning humans.

One article, in particular, had caught his attention.

'In the last couple of weeks, several passengers on board a train line passing through the Forever Fall forest were reported to have gone missing. The first known case was Amanda Aqualiza. She was an office worker at a small-time newspaper company. She had apparently boarded the train passing the Forever Fall forest by mistake, on account of having worked overtime three days in a row. Camera feeds and eye witness reports show that Amanda had left to go to the bathroom in the next few cars in the back. She never returned to her seat, and when inspectors arrived, her belongings had been untouched.'

'The second disappearance was a twelve-year-old child by the name of Brandon Charronbeau. He was apparently on a field-trip with his class when he got separated during an unscheduled stop, due to a malfunction in one of the rear cargo freighters' security system. He and three others mysteriously vanished. Brandon and the three missing children were studying at a Combat Academy and reportedly had their Aura unlocked.'

'The third and most recent disappearance was Carolina Asmeralda. She was a third-year at the Huntsman Academy Beacon, where she had successfully completed a solo operation and was on her way to go visit a relative. She never made it off the train, but unlike previous cases, there were signs that Sapphire had engaged in combat. One of the cargo freighters had sustained minor damage. Bullet holes, the size and shape of which matching the rounds used by Sapphire's rifle, were found early in the morning during a routine inspection. It's believed that Sapphire engaged in an unknown assailant, possibly the one behind the string of disappearances.'

'Following this recent development, the Vale Police Department and Beacon Academy are conducting a joint investigation. There are no details as of yet.'

"Tell me, my little parrot." V smiled thinly. "How well do you do on trains?"

'For the last freaking time, V! I ain't! A parrot! And why the hell are we talking trains?!'

"Oh, no reason."


Five hours later, the ship had arrived at its destination. The city of Vale's entrance from the sea was a welcome sight to V, having spend the remaining five hours doing little more than mingling with the other passengers. The first hour or so hadn't exactly been pleasant, considering his hair color and cane seemed to make people think he was an old man at first before noticing his face. The rest of the time was more enjoyable, especially since one of the passengers happened to be a Huntsman.

His opinion of that particular person was a little low, however, given that the man reeked of booze. Despite the fact, V could tell the man was a hardened veteran, especially seeing as how his hand never once left the handle of his weapon.

The white-haired teen grunted as he stretched his legs, removing the cricks from them before he grabbed his belongings and disembarked. Setting foot in the city of Vale at long last, V wondered exactly how things would go from here.

"You lech!"

He shortly got his answer when he heard a woman's shrill cry, followed by a very loud smack. He craned his head and found a woman with chin-length white hair, the tips dark violet and wearing a suit stomping away with a look of irritation and disgust, leaving behind the slovenly man from earlier nursing his now bruised and red cheek.

'Trouble in paradise?' Griffon snickered.

V rolled his eyes and continued on, not at all concerned with the affairs of others. He had more important things to do, such as finding a walking pitch-black monstrosity. He had to find out which trains would lead him through the Forever Fall forest first and check to see which one had the incidents mentioned in the news reports.

Then, the next course of action would be to determine which of the remaining two nightmares he was going to confront. Griffon was of no help, unfortunately, as while he could sense their presence, he could not determine which one it was until they actually confronted the beast. His memory of the demons the nightmares shaped themselves after was also spotty, as he could only recall that Nightmare was a powerful demon that Mundus has to seal away, while Phantom was an oversized giant spider creature. Aside from that, he had no idea what they were capable of.

It was annoying, but V knew the bird couldn't actually do anything about it. For now, he would have to play it by ear.

"Now, where should I begin…?"


After watching her brethren slaughtered in but a mere second, Ilia was not in the least bit interested in going after that white-haired monster. She did not know who he was or what he was, but she knew for certain that there was absolutely no reason to go after him.

Revenge was certainly on the minds of the White Fang when they discovered his actions, but Ilia knew that they couldn't afford to go after him right now. The brothers leading them in their birth place were facing backlash for their inability to deal with the Grimm who had somehow snuck inside the town. Their incompetence in the matter had painted them in a bad light, with many of their fellow Faunus claiming that they should just pack up and leave. They could inform the Vale branch, but the brothers were being cautious.

Ilia had delivered V's message to them, as well as making it clear that she both wanted him dead and wanted nothing to do with him. He had, after all, killed many of her brothers and sisters, but something about him made her pause. His indifference and demeanor made him different from other humans. He showed no prejudice towards them. No disdain. In fact, it seemed like he was more annoyed by the fact that they were getting in his way than anything else. And he only demonstrated anger when he had been called "weak." To Ilia, this meant that he saw Faunus as little different than humans and would leave them alone, provided they did not get in his way.

And yet, when he killed them seconds later, he did not bat an eye. He didn't relish his kill or express sadness in it. In fact, there had been no reaction at all. It was like he didn't even notice he had cut them down.

Ilia wasn't sure why, but this sort of human terrified her, least of all the fact that he could seemingly bend Grimm to his will. Actually, were they even Grimm in the first place? They lacked the white masks the monsters were known to have, and she was certain that the Grimm couldn't shapeshift their bodies into weapons or spew lightning from their bodies. Well, at least the Nevermores couldn't spew thunder. But if that was the case and they were not Grimm, then what the hell were they?

Too little information to go on, and worst of all V's character made Ilia wary. If she had it her way, she would rather have someone else deal with this problem.

Sadly, the brothers had other plans in mind.

"W-what?" Ilia stared at Corsac and Finnic as if they had just grown another head, her skin developing a blue tinge. "Y-you want me to stalk that madman?! With all due respect, sirs, are you out of your mind?!"

If they showed any displeasure with their outburst, they didn't show it. "We understand your fears, Sister Ilia." Corsac said calmly. "However, after reporting this incident to Brother Adam and the High Leader, it was decided that we cannot allow this man to go about unchecked. Yes, he has no interest in dealing with us, but his skillset has made them rather...concerned."

"To command Grimm is not something we should overlook." Finnic pointed out. "If he is truly capable of controlling them, it would be within our best interests to observe him. If he proves himself a great threat, we shall deal with him accordingly."

'They're mad.' Ilia determined. 'They're all freaking mad. Deal with him?! How the hell are you supposed to deal with someone who can control Grimm and summon them at the drop of a hat?!'

She remembered their encounter vividly. Her body trembled at the sight of his lithe, yet dangerous form, accompanied by a jet-black panther and a thunder-cackling bird, that wicked smile ever present.

Whoever or whatever V was, he was not someone the White Fang could handle willy-nilly. Nor did she have any desire to reunite with him anytime soon. Yet she couldn't disobey her orders. If she did, she didn't want to think about what it might do to her standing. She had worked hard to get to where she was, serving as the Albain brothers' shadow. She had plans to eventually work her way up to serving the High Leader, all so she would have the resources and opportunity to try and find Blake.

She did not have a chance in the matter, she soon realized. She had to follow and shadow V, otherwise she would put her goals in jeopardy. If only they could understand what she knew.

Subdued, she gave a meager bow of the head. "...I understand." she said gravely, almost as if she were speaking at her own funeral. "In the event I am discovered, what am I to do?"

"Sister, are you doubting your abilities?"

"With all due respect, sir, he discovered that we had been shadowing him since we learned that he planned to depart from Menagerie." she pointed out, reminding the brothers of the massacre that happened because of their folly. "On the subject of his departure… If I am to shadow him, do we know where he was heading?"

Corsac smiled. "Our scouts have reported he is heading to Vale. As for why, we cannot say. That shall be your task, Sister."

"Understood."

She stood up and left the chambers behind. Once she was certain they could not see or hear her, she cursed their names in every possible word she could muster. Idiots, the whole lot of them! They were sending her out to die!

"This is a mistake…! We're risking the lives of our brothers and sisters, and all for what? To watch some man who we know nothing about?!"


Before he would make way for the train station, V needed to investigate the disappearances even further. Since he was in Vale, where the incidents occurred, he had no doubt that the locals would provide him more information than news reports would.

That had been a challenge all on its own, as he soon realized. Vale was a big city, over a hundred thousand strong. Almost everyone was most likely aware of the incidents, and finding those who knew more about it was going to be like attempting to find needles in a pile of needles. Not an easy task by any means, but the alternative was just wasting away.

The way V saw it, obtaining his "nightmares" served more than just as a means to gain power and prolong his life. They were also clues to his past as well. When he subdued Shadow, he remembered Mundus and his brother, whose face he had yet to recall in full. Obtaining the "nightmares" to prolong his life, gaining their strengths for his own use and recalling his past.

Three birds, one stone.

The best place to look for information were places that one was bound to find a great many people. The obvious places being hang-out spots, such as cafes, parks, shops, etc.

His first stop had been the closest coffee shop near the docks. The shop itself was quaint and fairly large, and judging by the number of people coming and going in and out of its doors, then business was doing quite well. Now that he thought about it, coffee sounded like it could be of use.

God only knows how long he would be at this.

V entered the shop, pushing through the glass doors. The cafe was brimming with people. Some were seated at tables, the others at the counter. Manning the whole thing was a single woman at the cashier, hair dark-brown with autumn-burned tips and oval glasses over her face. She wore a simple button-up shirt with a black apron, though her lower half was not visible behind the counter.

'Man, didn't realize how much people liked coffee.' Griffon commented. 'Or, maybe, they just want to take a peek down that babe's shirt. Seriously, with how much cleavage she's showing, it looks like she's begging for some nookie! Actually, hey. Do you think this place sells Strawberry Sundaes?'

V paused. If he could, he would stare at the hellish bird with incredulity. "...why in the world would you want a Strawberry Sundae? And how would you even be able to consume it?"

'Hey, don't judge me. Those things taste great! You should know, you used to love 'em!'

Was that so? He couldn't remember. Then again, he didn't remember a lot of things.

V ignored the rest of Griffon's ramblings and instead looked for anyone who looked like they could provide him something about the train disappearances. If not, he would move on to the next location and try his luck there. 'The real question here, is who to ask.' V thought as he scoured the sea of customers. 'I'll also have to think of an excuse as to why I'm asking about this sort of information. It wouldn't do well for me to garner suspicion if I just ask out of blind curiosity.'

Passing himself off as some sort of Huntsman might be feasible, but V didn't want to risk going down that route. He didn't know if there were requirements of being a Huntsman, such as certification and ID. He could always spoof one by finding the nearest black market, but that would be quite costly. And as much as he would just love to rob some poor bastard of all his hard-earned cash, he was in no mood to bring unwanted attention.

V's eyes eventually settled on a familiar one – the one he had seen at the docks after having just slapped a man she had been dealing with. She was sitting at a table furthest away from the crowd of caffeine-starved zombies, a pencil in one hand and coffee in the other while a journal of some kind sat in front of her. Her brow was knit closely in frustration, looking as if she was at her hair's end.

Whatever she was working on must have been quite important. He was half-tempted to take a gander, but he wouldn't want to make an ass in front of himself. Instead, he turned on his heel to continue his search, but stopped when he overheard a group of people talking.

"Hey, that woman near the window. That's Lisa Lavender, from the VNN, right?"

"Yeah. I hear she's doing that Train Disappearance story. Same as everyone else that's trying to cover that hot mess."

"Someone went missing again not too long ago, right? A Huntsman?"

"Yeah, or at least that's what they're saying. Makes you wonder who'd be dumb enough to pick a fight with a Huntsman if they're just some kidnapper."

V smiled.

'Bingo.'


The news was not something Lisa was fond of. In truth, she would very much have chosen another job to focus on rather than reading some random reports to go through or head to someplace and get field results and all that crap, but it had a good pay. In fact, the only reason she had chosen to get a job at a news station was because of the pay.

Originally, she had wanted to become a Huntress. Stupid, foolish dream, but Lisa did have some experience at Combat Academy. She had even been a prime candidate for Beacon Academy, but she didn't have the skills to make the cut. Worse, during Initiation that year, she suffered a debilitating injury that cut whatever career she might have had as a Huntress short. Not even intensive Aura therapy could heal the wound in her leg.

Upon realizing her thoughts were drifting back to her "glory days," Lisa grimaced and took another drink of coffee. She may hate this job, but she'd be damned if she didn't do a good job at it.

Like every other news station, she got saddled with the task of covering the recent train disappearances. All anybody knew was that someone was kidnapping people, and the more recent victim was a Huntsman-in-training. There were no ransom reports, no one claiming credit for the crimes, and the individuals who were kidnapped varied in ages. It was random, save for the fact it all occurred on the same train following the same path.

With that in mind, it was entirely possible that they were looking at a serial criminal. But what was going through the criminal's mind? Understanding what was going on in a person's head was what Lisa did best, as she planned most of her battles and encounters by taking into account their habits and methods. In this case, though, she couldn't really understand what it was she was trying to look for.

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack." Lisa grumbled. "Who's kidnapping these people? Shit. Couldn't the boss have asked somebody else to do this?"

"Trouble in paradise?"

"What was your first clue?" Lisa snarked before stopping. She looked up and found a young man in his early to mid twenties in front of her. He was very easy on the eyes and dressed in black, his torso utterly bare save for the open black jacket he wore. As a result, she was given a very generous look at his torso. He had no muscle, but his slim frame more than made up for it. His hair was stark white and was leaning on a cane. "Can I help you?"

"Perhaps." The young man replied. "Truth be told, I was hoping you could help me." He gestured to the chair. "May I?"

Lisa shrugged. "Knock yourself out." The young man nodded his head in thanks and sat down across from her. "So, got a name stranger?"

"I have no name. I am but two days old." She quirked an eyebrow at that response whereas he gave her a small smile. "Just kidding. You can call me V. And you are… Lisa Lavender, of the Vale News Network, yes?"

"You follow my work?"

"Not really. Though I did hear you're investigating the train disappearances."

"Me and practically everyone else in the news business." She commented dryly. "Why are you so interested? Are you a Huntsman by chance looking for justice?"

V snorted. "More like a...concerned citizen." Lisa raised an eyebrow, but shrugged.

She had to admit, this guy seemed a little interesting. A bit overboard on the goth, maybe, but interesting. An air of mystery, or perhaps that was just her inner teenage self talking. She did find his curiosity a bit suspicious, though. If he was a Huntsman, she could understand, but a supposed concerned citizen? It didn't take a genius to figure out that anyone who called themselves that weren't really what they claimed. Sure, Lisa was willing to believe there were genuinely concerned citizens, but nine times out of ten, they didn't have any real power to do anything. More often than not, people who called themselves "concerned citizens" were actually people who were trying to get the reward money.

70,000 lien for anybody who could find the missing people, issued directly by the Kingdom's governing authorities and more than willing to pay that money from their own pockets. Add that to the reward money of the parents of the missing people, and the reward was bumped up by another 70,000. That kind of money was enough to make a person salivate.

She had a few theories about what was going on, but she had standards. She didn't trust easily. She wasn't about to give her personal thoughts to someone who she just met.

"Okay, V. Tell me something." Lisa leaned on her elbow. "If you're just a so-called concerned citizen, what are you going to do with the reward money?"

The white-haired stranger smiled strangely. "You're assuming the kidnapped people are still alive and breathing."

Lisa stared at him for a moment, studying his features before speaking again. "So, you don't think they're still alive?"

"The odds are fifty-fifty. Whoever or whatever is taking people is doing so quite discreetly. No witnesses, no blood. Just a clean getaway with very little evidence, despite some being of the victims being trained in combat. Everyone is just automatically assuming the victims are alive because there's little evidence of any signs the victims were killed."

"A good point, but what exactly are you getting at?"

"How certain are you and everyone else that the kidnapped individuals are still alive by the time the train arrives at its destination, or left the train warm and breathing?"

Lisa narrowed her eyes. Once more, she studied this odd man before she sighed and slumped in her seat. "Absolutely nothing. You aren't from Vale, are you?"

"Arrived here only today. Spent some time in a small island close to Vacuo. Why do you ask?"

"Because there's very little murders here in Vale." Lisa lectured. "Sure, the kingdom's no stranger to crime. You hear about car jackings, robberies and every other kind of criminal activity, but never murder. Why? Because Vale is known to have the most active Huntsman than the other Kingdoms. Hell, chances are, anybody walking down the street with any kind of weapon is a Huntsman, or at the very least a student at Beacon Academy. With people like that prowling around, you'd have to be pretty ballsy to try something like that."

She paused to take a sip of the cup next to her, then continued.

"There's also the fact that killing someone and leaving their body to find will raise the negativity in the area. Let me ask you something, V. Between common criminal activities, especially robberies where items can eventually be replaced and earned back, and murders, which is more likely to potentially bring Grimm?"

V smiled wryly. "The latter, of course. Like you said, what is stolen can be replaced at some point, or you can take it back. Once you take someone's life, you can't return it. They're dead and gone, and all that's left is to move on. But what are you going to do when people star to notice that there are more and more bodies racking up?"

"You catch on quick." Lisa noted, happy to be conversing with someone that actually had a brain. "The reason why everyone insists that the people who are kidnapped are still alive is because they aren't willing to admit there's someone out there killing random people. It's also why the Kingdom officials are trying to limit what the media is saying."

"I figured as much." He tilted his head. "But what about you, Ms. Lavender? What do you think?"

"Like everyone else in the news place. Someone is kidnapping people, and everyone is trying to find out the 'why' and the 'who'." After having said that, her eyes turned cold. "I think that the people who were taken aren't alive anymore. And that they're a psycho who doesn't care about Vale and does whatever the hell he pleases by trying to raise the negativity here in the Kingdom."

"What makes you say that?"

Lisa looked around the cafe, checking to see if anyone was listening. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "...be honest with me. Why are you really looking into this case?"

"Let's just say I might have an idea what's behind all this. And that I'd love more than anything to have a nice chat with them."

'What.' Not 'who.' Lisa noted his choice of words, then made a decision. She dug into her purse and pulled out her notebook. She held it out for the stranger to take, earning a quirked eyebrow in return. "Don't make me regret this, kid." Lisa hissed as he hesitantly took the book and opened it up. "Like I got done saying earlier. Officials are keeping info limited. But, everything has a way of spilling out. You can't keep a tight lid on forever. Not on something like this."

V looked at the contents of the notebook, eyes narrowed. There were a series of pictures glued on to the pages, with small little notes scribbled to the side and arrows pointing to the corresponding pictures. Despite the official pictures that were released to the media, showcasing the places where the victims were taken and the state of what they assumed was where a battle had taken place between the kidnapper and one of its victims, he only saw blood splatters on the walls, along with black liquid.

"...I see." he said after studying the pictures. He let out a dark chuckle and closed the notebook, handing it back to her. "They know full well that the people on board that train who have been kidnapped are dead. How did you acquire these photographs? I would assume no one wants these photos to be seen."

"You expect me to tell you, a total stranger, where I got these? When having these alone would result in me getting my ass kicked to the curb or put in a cell?" Lisa scoffed. "You're funny. Anyway, is your curiosity satisfied now?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you. This has been most informative." He left his stool and grabbed his cane.

Lisa watched him walk away and bit her lip. This was a huge risk she was taking, telling all of that to someone she just barely met based on a few judgment calls. For all she knew, he was just some nobody. And yet, her instincts were saying otherwise. There was also that subtle feeling she got from him. That one little thing that made her curious.

"Earlier, you said you knew what was going after those people." Her words gave him pause as he stopped to look at her over his shoulder. "Most people would assume it's a person. What makes you think it isn't some nutjob?"

V smirked. "If this was the work of a human being, there would be a body left for you to find." And with that, he left.

His response left Lisa more questions than answers. If it had been a human, there would still be a body? But that didn't make much sense. "What the hell do you know?"


'So, let me get this straight. The big wigs of this place are covering up the fact that people are getting their giblets being eaten like a Thanksgiving turkey from everyone, just because they don't want a bunch of big scary monsters knocking at their front door while lying to everyone that said people, all of whom are now resting inside the belly of a Nightmare, are still alive and even offering a reward?'

Griffon's exasperation was well-earned. Though he understood why the government felt the need to hide these facts from everyone, V couldn't help but think of Vale's ruling powers as nothing more than idiots. It would have been better for them to try and resolve the issue as quickly as they could by using what information they had and hiring a Huntsman, but clearly that was not the case. They were instead being idiots, and based on what knew and what Lisa Lavender had finished telling him, they were relying on the police.

Who clearly weren't doing their job, seeing as how this had been going for weeks now, and there was still no progress.

"Then again, I suppose I can't fault them for their failings." V mused as he made his way towards the station. "After all, they think they're hunting a madman."

'Yeah, but come on. You gotta admit, they suck at their job regardless.' Griffon grunted. 'Anyway, I think this goes without saying, but you should try and not to get yourself killed. From what little I remember, Phantom and Nightmare, the demon and not us, were no pushovers. Old Molten Bug was one of Mundus' top soldiers before he ended ups crewing himself over and got demoted to being some stupid lackey. Nightmare? That thing was so dangerous Mundus decided it'd be better to keep the damned thing under lock and chain!'

"Why?"

'Because, if he didn't, it'd tear apart the whole freaking Underworld. And between you and me, I'd think we have better chances with Phantom than that shit show.'

V pursed his lips. If the manifestation of his darkest dreams was anything like the real thing, he could benefit from Nightmare's power. Whether he had the power to temper and control it was the question. He wouldn't know who or what his enemy was, at least not until he confronted it. He arrived at the station and took note of the atmosphere. Depressing, anxiety and weariness. There was hardly anyone around, though that was to be expected, given the number of incidents that had been occurring on the line. If it continued, no matter what reward they were offering and the downsides of what it would do in the long run, the Kingdom would have to shut down the line temporarily until the kidnapper was found and caught.

And once the nightmare's source of fast food vanished, it would have to move on. He couldn't have that.

V set his Scroll over the terminal, registering him to the system before he stepped inside the train. He took a seat closest to the back and took out the book of poems Kali had given him before he departed Menagerie.

"I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe, that made my love so high and me so low..." he recited one of the lines before frowning slightly.

It had been the first time since he opened the book, but he couldn't help and feel that he had heard that line before.


"V #$%&! Come here!"

"W-wait for me!"

Two boys with snow-white hair and blue eyes ran through the garden, one scrambling to catch up with the other. The garden looked something straight out of a picture book, vibrant and lovely with roses and flowers blooming almost everywhere where the grass laid. A fountainhead sat in the center, spewing water out from a statue that resembled a mermaid carrying a vase. Up above, a bright blue sky with nary a cloud in sight sat above them.

It was a happy scene, but at the same time, there was a sense of somber sadness as well as the children ran towards a woman in a red dress, sitting in a chair with a book in her hand. Upon hearing the children coming toward her, crying excitedly and panting and covered in sweat and dirt, she set the book down on the table and smiled.

"Mom! Mom!" one of the boys reached her first, followed by his brother. "I finally beat V #$%*!"

"Did not!" the other brother screeched. "You headbutted me! That was against the rules!"

"Now now," the woman laughed gently as she put her hand on her sons' heads. "It doesn't matter who won. Did you two at least play nice?"

The second brother nodded. "Of course we did! ...well, at least until Dante started saying bad words."

"Traitor!" The woman arched an eyebrow as she turned to the guilty party. "You promised you wouldn't tell!"

"Dante..."

The boy pouted. "B-but you and dad say those words whenever you argue. Why can't we?"

"Because we're grown-ups. If I hear you saying a bad word, I'll wash your mouth out with soap."

"Eep!"

After having delivered the threat that made the boy pale and the brother sent into snickering giggles, the woman smiled again and pulled out something from her pocket. "But, enough about that. I have a gift for you two boys." They perked up, staring with starry eyes as she pulled out a pair of pendants. Both had a beautiful red jewel in the center, but one was encased in silver while the other was wrapped in gold. She gently put both pendants around their necks. The boys held the pendants preciously, afraid it could fall off and shatter if touched the ground.

Smiling still, she pulled her children close to her. In response, the twins giddily hugged her back.

"I love you. My precious sons..."


'...V? Hey, V! Wake up, you lazy bastard!'

V groaned as his consciousness returned to him. To his confusion, he felt something over his face. It was his book, somehow sitting over his face and not in his hands. He pulled the book away from him and rubbed his eyes while rolling his neck, ridding him of the aching cricks in his bones. He must have passed out at some point while reading.

'About time you woke up!' Griffon growled. 'We're getting close that Forever something place! This ain't no time to be sleeping on the job! ...hey, what's with you?'

The hellish bird, while not physically present, could tell that something had disturbed V. His eyes were misty, as if on the verge of tearing up. Internally, his emotions were flaring and mixing with sadness.

"It's nothing." V dismissed as he closed the book shut. "Just...a dream is all." He pushed himself off the seat and stretched his legs. As he prepared to move out, however, he stopped and paused when he saw something quite intriguing.

Namely, two people close to the cargo cars at the far back, combating what looked to be a giant metal mech.

'...well. That ain't something you don't see everyday.'

"Indeed. I wonder-" He stopped when he saw it. It was brief and he almost missed it, but he caught it. A pair of dark-blue eyes, eight in total, glowing in the shadows of the car directly behind the two people in combat. "...Griffon. Is that our quarry?"

'Yep. Can feel it from here. Can't tell if its Nightmare or Phantom, though. How do we deal with the two brats out there?'

Ideally, it would be better to defeat the nightmare and take its power without anyone nearby. If someone saw him absorbing the power of what looked like a creature of Grimm, people were going to start asking questions. Some more hostile and suspicious than others.

V glanced over to the other side of the train. They were rapidly approaching the tunnel - the same tunnel where the victims would disappear. Assuming he was correct, and those two did defeat that mech, they would be the nightmare's next meal.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "By ear it is, then."


Ever since she had left Menagerie behind, Blake Belladonna couldn't help but feel as if she had made a mistake.

In hindsight, she probably should've seen it in the first place. Instead of listening to her parents and follow them as they left the now changed White Fang, she was stubborn and stayed behind, calling them traitors to the Faunus.

Oh how she wished she could take those words back.

For they were right. It had been a mistake to stay behind.

Adam wasn't the same anymore. After that trip to a village gone wrong, he became different. Angrier. Frightening. He never laid a hand on her, of course, but his words, once passionate and gentle, had become scathing with a hint of venom. The boy she once admired was gone, all because he murdered someone to protect her father and was praised for it. After that, she heard that there were more and more casualties. More people he killed. And each day, it was becoming more frequent.

She didn't know when it had gone wrong, or when the White Fang had suddenly changed, but she knew one thing. It wasn't her father's organization anymore. It wasn't the same family she grew up with. It wore the same face, but it was a different person underneath that mask now.

Initially, she had reservations. She wanted to leave, but at the same time, she wanted to have faith. She still wanted to believe that there was still some good in the White Fang, and in Adam.

But...

"What about them?"

That was his answer when she asked about the fate of the passengers. The plan was to set off a bomb that would go off once they reached the rendezvous point. The bomb would blow up the car ahead of them and separate the cargo from the rest. The force of the bomb, though, would also disturb the motion of the train. Enough to the point where the car could bounce off the tracks and drag the rest of the train down.

Three words. Three simple words that told her that the person she looked up to was gone.

As things stood, Blake had two choices. Stay or leave. This was her best opportunity. She could cut off the links connecting the cargo from the train, then leave with the rest. Adam could take care of himself, he was stronger than her after all. He taught her everything she knew. There was no way he'd die so easily, but could she really bring herself to abandon him?

The fight against Atlas' giant machinery ended the second it fired its laser cannon. Adam raised his sword in front of him, partially withdrawn from its sheathe and absorbed the energy blast completely. Seconds later, his mask lit up along with pieces of his clothing before he shot forward and cut the machine down. For a brief moment, the world changed into black and red. The machine, severed from its waist, broke apart into petals that slowly dissolved.

Adam's sword slid back into its sheathe with a 'ka-lick'. Blake grimaced, gripping her sword tightly. It was time to decide.

"My my. That was quite a show you two put on."

Startled, Blake whirled around. Somehow, a strange man around her age had sneaked up behind her. He looked rather frail, garbed in dark clothing while supporting himself on a silver cane. Perched on his shoulder was a strange bird with dark blue feathers and a wicked-looking beak. Faintly, she could smell the scent of thunderclouds from its feathers.

Her instincts told her that there was something wrong with the bird. It wasn't a Grimm. At least, not one she recognized, but it was definitely unordinary.

"And who are you, human?" Adam questioned as he walked up next to Blake.

"Just someone passing by. As I said, it was quite the interesting display you just had."

"And what of it?" The red haired man rested his hand on the hilt of his blade.

"Just curious." he smiled as he held up his cane and pointed it at them. Or rather, something behind them. "Think you can pull it off with something a bit more...deadly?"

The train entered the tunnel. To a human, seeing in the dark was hard but not impossible. For a Faunus, there was no difference. They turned around and immediately saw something lunge at them, only for the hellish bird on the strange man's shoulder to shoot past them and spread its wings.

"OPEN WIDE, YA FAT BASTARD!"

Thunder exploded in front of them, repelling their new opponent enough for it to be sent back to the other end of the car. Stunned and taken off guard, Blake and Adam could only stare for a moment as they took in the sight of...whatever it was in front of them.

It was a spider, or at least resembled one. Rock-like armor covered its body while revealing flowing blue liquid underneath, leaking down to the tips of its legs and dripping off of its body. Beady red eyes glared back at them while a pair of fist-sized mandibles clicked audibly in irritation.

"A Grimm?" Blake whispered in fear. "Here?!"

Adam growled, hand immediately reaching for his sword. "How the hell did it get on board?!"

"It's been on this train for a while." the strange man said as he walked past them. Blake stared at him as if he were insane, watching him approach the creature nonchalantly while the hellish bird returned to his shoulder. "Haven't you heard? Quite a few people have been disappearing on board this train." He eyed the creature curiously, cane tapping against his shoulder. "You must have had quite a feast. How many people with aura have you eaten to sustain yourself?"

"WHY SHOULD I ANSWER A WORTHLESS QUESTION LIKE THAT?" Blake choked as a garbled, spiteful voice growled from the giant spider in front of her. Since when could Grimm talk?! "THAT ATTACK JUST NOW... WHAT SORT OF MISERABLE CREATURE ARE YOU TO DARE HARM ME? MOREOVER, YOU DARE STOP ME FROM HUNTING MY PREY?"

The bird squawked at the creature. "Says the guy who's resorting to eating a bunch of scraps!"

Her head started to hurt. Now the bird was talking? If it was a parrot, she'd be willing to believe it, but what the hell was that thing? Now that she thought about it, it was the one that shot out those volts of thunder earlier. She heard of there being some cases about animals possessing Aura, and there were more than a few theories that they could also potentially develop a Semblance, but being able to speak?

"YOU DARE MOCK ME?" The spider pounded one of its legs into the ground beneath it, denting the metal as it leered closer, only to stop. "YOU... I RECOGNIZE YOU. THAT ONE WAS OUR HOST."

'Host?' Blake turned to Adam, whose eyes never left the strange sight before him. He looked ready to move in and attack, but she was inclined to sit back for a while longer.

"Good, you understand." the bird snorted. "Now listen here, you big ugly excuse of an arthropod. Either you make a contract with us, or we take you down here and leave you to melt away into a puddle of ugly muck. Better make your choice now!"

The conversation was lost to her. She really didn't understand what was going on. Contract? What did that mean? There was so much about this that she didn't understand. What was she supposed to do? Intervene? Run? She couldn't decide.

The demonic spider's answer was immediate. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH. LOOK AT HIM! HE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH DEMONIC POWER, NOR STRENGTH. HE'S JUST A PIECE OF TRASH. AN EMPTY SHELL!" The strange man's hair overshadowed his eyes as the cane's tip touched the floor underneath him. The bird looked back and forth between its owner and the monster worriedly. "HE'S A WEAKLING! WHAT KIND OF DEMON WOULD BOW ITS HEAD TO A MISERABLE, WORTHLESS HUMAN?!"

'Demon.' Not Grimm. A term Blake didn't recognize at all. Was that it was? A demon?

"AND YOU WANT TO LIVE BY CLINGING TO THIS PIECE OF TRASH LIKE A PARASITE?! YOU ARE THE WEAKLING!"

"Whoa, hey now! L-let's not get too hasty!" The confidant tone the bird had disappeared and turned to fear. "C'mon, V! Deep breaths! Deep breaths! You need to have a cool mind to negotiate!"

"NEGOTIATE?!" the demon spat. "WHAT A FARCE! IF YOU STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND, ALLOW ME TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR YOU." It leaned in, face close to the now-named V. "I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN SERVE SOMEONE AS WORTHLESS, WEAK, AND AS PATHETIC AS A MERE HALF-BREED!"

Blake looked at the human, wondering what his reply would be. A short moment later, she heard him speak.

"Is that so? I understand..."

He raised his head. Her blood chilled.

A vicious smile touched his face, but his eyes were ice cold.

"I have no need for a dog who only barks."

He rammed his cane into it. In the next moment, the tattoos on his body tore away from his skin, turning into a black inky substance that crawled up his arm and up the cane before it suddenly exploded. Sharp blades grew from the substance and cut straight into the demon's body, gorging into its shell and causing its inky-blue body to splatter its substance all across the walls of the tunnels and the ground beneath it.

The train exited the tunnel just in time for Blake's eyes to see the demon wail and back away, snarling and frothing with anger as a jet-black panther formed from the black substance, now standing at V's side.

"You two." V craned his head. "If you don't want to die, leave. This one..." He pointed to the demon. "...is mine."

Blake had no response. Her mind was still processing what just happened. What was going on? Who was this guy? And what is that monster? And did he just summon a panther from his tattoos?!

"Blake." Adam was the one to snap her out of her stupor with a shake of the shoulders. "We should leave...whatever that...thing is, it's not our problem."

She nodded shakily. They made a move to turn to the car up ahead, but the demon clearly had no intention of letting them leave as it leaped into the air and over to the other side of the car. Blake screamed and scrambled back, falling on her rear as the creature raised its leg with the intent of skewering her. Adam quickly moved to defend her, sword raised as he stopped the leg from crashing down on top of her.

"Adam!"

"Blake!" Adam hissed, struggling to keep the leg from piercing them both. "Get out of here! You-"

He got no further than that when the demon, annoyed and infuriated by his interference, swatted him away like a fly with its other leg, sending him flying off the train and down into the depths of the mountain below them. "NO!" Blake screamed. Shock and horror settled into her being before fury took over, quickly taking hold of her weapon. The demon slammed its leg down on top of her, only to instead skewer one of her shadows. "YOU MONSTER!"

She leaped to charge at it, only for something to pull her back and yank her out of the air. At that moment, the hellish bird shot straight past her, electricity cackling around its body. She turned to find the panther, form distorted and vaguely resembling some kind of claw, holding her back.

"Didn't I tell you to run?" V walked past her, his eyes still murderous and full of fury. "Unless you have a death wish, I suggest you flee."

"Who are you?" she glared at him. "What is that thing?! What the hell is going on here?!"

"What's happening is none of your concern." V said coldly as he glared at her. "Now, run. I refuse to be the one to explain to Kali why I let the daughter she talked my ear off about get herself killed just because her boyfriend died in front of her."

Blake felt her heart stop.

'He knows my mom?'

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The demon tore its way through the cargo car, tearing apart any pieces of cargo and freighters lying around while spewing blue liquids from its body. V narrowed his eyes before he gestured towards the panther. It let out a growl of response, then threw Blake up into the air, leaving her flailing as she attempted to get her balance back. She heard the demon screech and try to snatch her out of the air, only to receive another blast of thunder towards its unprotected belly, stunning it long enough for Blake to avoid it and smash through the roof of the car ahead of the cargo car.

She hit the floor on her backside, landing directly onto her spine. Though her aura protected her from most of the damage, it still hurt like hell. Groaning and rubbing her back, she quickly attempted to get back to the freighter car, only to see the panther standing where the cable was, form changing into a blade.

With a swift cut, half of the train was detached and slowly breaking away from the main car. All the while, Blake could do nothing but watch as the strange man combated an otherworldly abomination. As the sight grew farther and father away from her, the tension and adrenaline in her systems slowly drained away. Her legs gave out from underneath her, and all she could do was whimper and sob.

This wasn't how she wanted to leave.


"Okay, good news!" Griffon happily informed him as he circled around back to V. "Kali's kitten cat daughter is out of the way and the car's detached. Bad news? Phantom is pissed!"

"I can see that." V grunted as he jumped to the side to avoid another skewering limb. He raised his cane to parry another strike as he kept his distance to figure out a plan.

"Well, since Daddy-long legs here is out to gut us...any bright ideas?" Griffon commented as he shot off another bolt of lightning.

Any ideas, he asked. What did he think he was doing while trying to avoid becoming a corpse? Admittedly, he did have a plan, but it was still a work in progress. Compared to when he fought Shadow, Phantom was much stronger. Had V tried to fight him with only Griffon, he would have died long before he struck the first blow. The nightmare was also very livid for having been struck, though the feeling was mutual. Its words lit a fire under him, and he was very eager to make that oversized bug kneel before him and beg for mercy.

Phantom continued to swing its legs at him, hoping to bat him off the train or skewer him. The car was detached from the rest of the train, so it was gradually beginning to lose speed. Once it reached a snail's pace, it was time to get off. He felt he'd have a greater advantage out in the forests of Forever Fall than in a wide open space.

"HOLD STILL, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" Phantom spewed another spray of liquid at him. He rolled out of the way off to the side and evaded. The liquid splattered along most of the doorfame leading into the next car, which then began to melt and sizzle and hiss.

V grimaced. "Well, that's pleasant." he said dryly before getting back up to his feet. Shadow slid to his side and its form rippled. "Gouge 'em." The beast like entity snarled and leaped at its target. Phantom staggered as Shadow tried to claw out its eyes. Suddenly, the top half of Shadow's body expanded and morphed into spikes. One spike in particular pierced into the shell, but was unable to break through the stone armor and reach the nightmare's flesh. V cursed. "Too thick, huh?"

"Well, any other bright ideas?!"

"Everyone behind us is just cargo, including Dust, right?" he looked at the cars behind him.

"Should be, but what does that hafta to do with...oh, you can't be fucking serious."

The white-haired man smirked. He swiftly turned on his heel and entered the car behind him. Phantom, seeing his fleeing form, roared in rage as it threw Shadow off. "COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!"

The spider-like demon scuttled after V while Griffon flew after it.

"You are insane, do you realize that?" Griffon hissed at him as they ran. Behind them, Phantom tore through the car, easily ripping through the metal and tossing aside whatever was inside and out into the wilderness, frothing with anger. "Also, I hope you realize if anybody figures out we did this, the SCD or whoever the heck owns these pieces of crap are gonna want you to pay for all this."

"Well, let's hope they don't find out then, hm?" V countered. He ducked and slid forward when he felt danger approach, narrowly avoiding one of Phantom's thin legs striking him before rolling back up into his feet. Shadow shot into the car and broke through the window, joining his side and forming back into his tattoos. Needing to go faster, the nightmare formed into a mist below his feet, carrying him forward. "How much further until we reach the back car?"

"I would say...about now!" Upon Griffon's prediction, they immediately ran up to the final car of their train section. "Well, now we're stuck...unless you plan on jumping off a moving train, smart guy."

The train hadn't reached the point where it could slow down. It was still going fast. If he attempted to jump off now, he would risk breaking his neck. Right now, though, he didn't have much choice. He looked up and pointed his cane at the roof. Seconds later, Shadow lunged and changed into a blade, cutting a hole straight through the roof. V jumped up and grabbed the newly-made hole, pulling himself up to the top. He was greeted with powerful winds blowing up against him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Okay, now what?" Griffon demanded.

Before V could answer, the car trembled. Phantom crawled up to the top, digging its legs into the car while growling. Its beady eyes glared hatefully at V, who in turn glared back. "NOWHERE TO RUN, TRASH."

Like a hunter stalking its prey, Phantom slowly approached and made sure there was no way V could escape. The man slowly pulled his way back until he reached the very edge of the car. He glanced behind him, seeing only the quickly retreating landscape behind him. He looked back, Phantom gradually getting closer. His eyes then fell to the hole where he emerged from.

"Seriously, V!" the hellish bird squawked fearfully. "Do you have a plan or what?!"

"YOU WILL REGRET DARING TO CROSS ME, YOU WHELP." Phantom hissed. "NOW YOU'LL DIE LIKE THE WEAKLING YOU ARE."

V smirked. "No. You are the one who will die with regrets." Phantom howled with fury and sped up its approach. The man then proceeded to jump off the train, right at the exact moment Phantom reached the hole. The tattoos on his body shifted subtly. "Griffon, now!"

"I hope you know what you're doing!" He didn't ask anymore questions and instead let loose with as powerful as a thunderbolt as he could, shooting it straight into the car below Phantom. At that same exact moment, Shadow manifested and wrapped around his body like an inky black blanket.

In the next second, the car and everything surrounding it became engulfed in a mixture of fire, smoke, thunder and ice.


Cinder walked through the halls of the keep warily, slowly approaching the room where her master was guiding her. Every time she stood in her presence of the woman who gave her everything she could ever want, she could only act with a sliver of fear. She could take what was given to her any time she wanted, and she was vastly more powerful than she could ever hope to become. She feared the consequences of even the slightest mistake.

Ever since word reached her ears about Salem making a curious acquisiton, she wondered whether she should question her superior. The only reason she had not spoken was out of fear she would overstep her boundaries.

"You have been awfully quiet, Cinder." Salem noted as they walked. Up ahead, she could see the doors leading to their destination. A chamber that housed her newest acquisition and possible ally. "It is quite unlike you."

"Apologies, my lady." Cinder's voice was tight, careful to choose her words.

"I do not need apologies for something you have not done. Come. Speak your mind."

Was it really okay? Was this another test? It was always so hard to tell, and half the time Cinder was unsure. Though her master had been pleased that she had obtained the powers of the Fall Maiden, even if only a portion, she as still careful not to overstep her boundaries.

"...if I may ask, about the person you found outside the keep-"

To Cinder's surprise, Salem laughed. "Is that all?" She looked at her young ward, a strange smile on her face. "I was expecting a more curious question. But, to answer it, you are going to meet with them soon enough. They will be in charge of your training from this point forward. Assuming you pique their interest."

Cinder frowned, but said nothing.

For as long as she could remember, Salem had always been the one to teach her how to fight and use her abilities. She was the one who taught her how to use the power of the Fall Maiden and how to use her Semblance in tandem with it. Thus, it was very odd that she would tell her that her training would go to another instead. A complete stranger who she found only a few days ago.

Just who was this person to have impressed her, the witch that commanded all of Grimm kind, to entrust her training to her?

Eventually, they arrived in front of the doors that led into the chamber, where the man of the hour awaited. Salem pushed open the doors with a flick of her hand and stepped inside, Cinder following after her.

The latter froze the moment she saw him. As impossible as the thought crossed her mind, she came face-to-face with a being who instilled her with terror. More than Salem ever could.

Roots had taken up residence within the chamber, protruding out from the walls and floor while converging on a single point. A throne was erected, carved from rock and crystal while an unearthly creature sat upon it, body covered in bone-white armor. Some of its body was also covered by the roots, a few even digging into its flesh, grayish-blue and leathery. Faintly, beneath the armor and collection of roots that adorned its body, Cinder could see glowing eyes dotting its flesh. It's face was wrapped in the roots, enough so that she could only make out its mouth and eye.

"It has been a while." Salem, not in the least bit perturbed by its appearance, bowed her head. "Tell me, how goes your recuperation?"

"...slow." The monster's voice was cold. It brought a shudder down Cinder's spine, along with an unpleasant chill. Worst of all, she could feel some sort of pressure crashing down upon her shoulders. "Your pools make a poor substitute for the Qlipoth, but they will suffice for now." It leveled its eyes on to Cinder. She showed weakness and looked away, unable to meet its gaze. "You have brought a whelp with you."

"My student." Salem introduced her. "And a key cog to my operations. I would like if it you could offer her training."

Cinder choked when she felt the pressure intensify. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mistress standing still, but her posture had changed significantly. She could tell she was ready to engage in battle. When she dared to look up, she saw the creature's face had twisted into a snarl. It leaned forward, eyes ablaze.

"And why..." it spat. "Would I offer my time to an insignificant pile of flesh?"

Salem casted a glance to Cinder. Her eyes told her everything.

'Impress him.'

She gulped, swallowing a giant lump in her throat. She met the monster's gaze, all the while struggling to keep her fear under control. She practiced her exercises, taking slow and deep breaths. She despised this feeling. Feeling fear and helplessness. It reminded her of how she was before Salem found her and picked her off the streets. She would not allow these feelings to rule her. No, she would rule over them.

She would not yield.

Her hands curled into fists. A scorching heat burned into her palms as she forced herself to stop shaking and focus on the pain. She took a step forward.

"I want to be strong." Her voice returned to her, tone low but just loud enough for the monster in front of her to hear. "I want to be feared. I want to be powerful." Power surged through her. Faintly, her eyes glowed. "I want power."

The monster stared at her, judging for her all that she was worth. Salem watched the proceedings, unable to determine whether or not her ward had managed to earn the creature's favor before it leaned back into its throne.

"...a good answer." the creature said after a minute of silence. "For a human."

It raised a clawed hand, pulling it into a fist. A black tear clawed its way into existence, manifesting beside its throne. The dark shape continued to manifest. It first appeared as a female body. But as it continued to rise and grow, such thoughts were dashed from Cinder's mind. What started as one body became three. And they were not separate. They were three, black eyed women melded together. Even then, it did not stop there. Rising from the ground, fused with the female amalgamation was a massive, bird-like body comparable to a giant Nevermore.

But that is where the similarities stopped. The creature had no feathers, but large, clawed arms instead. Its head also resembled more like a baby bird's. And the pressure it exuded. It was just wrong.

She wanted to gag and vomit. The smell emanating from this beast was absolutely nauseating. It was rancid, a mixture of rotting flesh and fish left out in the sun for days on end.

"You called for me, my master?" the demonic woman asked, voice full of reverence as she and the bird bowed its head in respect.

The monster gestured to Cinder. "You will teach this whelp in your arts. Whether she survives or not is none of my concern."

"If this one may be honored to ask, why have you decided on this course of action?"

"She desires power. Let us see if she is willing to withstand the consequences to obtain it."

The woman cackled. "I see." Her attention turned to Cinder. The girl felt her skin crawl as she approached, the grotesque bird now directly in front of her. "Today is your lucky day, girl. It is not often that a pathetic creature such as yourself would gather my master's attention."

"What are you?" Cinder found herself asking.

"Who am I, you ask?" the monstrosity before her laughed. "From today forth, my name will be the name of your god. I am all that you will worship until the day you are a corpse, rotting and decaying while your soul burns. I am your lord and master. I will be your lover and parent. I will be your friend and teacher."

The grotesque bird lowered its head, enough for the horrific woman to lean forward and cup Cinder's cheek. For her part, Cinder remained remarkably still and showed no fear, despite her mind screaming at her to get away.

"I am Malphas. Mark my words, little girl, I will carve Hell's mightiest sorcery into your very soul."


"He who desires,
but acts not,
breeds pestilence."


A/N: Thanks to Daemon for helping me get this out here. And with this, RWBY canon may or maaay not be kind of wonky, as I may have just made things worse. A power-hungry Cinder is bad enough, but a power-hungry Cinder learning demon magic? Plus demons now in Remnant?

Yeah, the future is not looking good for Remnant.

Regarding V being here on Remnant, some people have expressed confusion as to whether or not this is a Fusion Fic or something. It is not. The world of Devil May Cry and RWBY are two different things. V and Urizen both found themselves in Remnant after Vergil split himself. Also, none of the DMC cast will appear in Remnant, except maybe Vergil, but that is waaaaay off into the future!

Adam is not dead. He's still alive, but now things are not gonna be looking very good for him or the White Fang.

I should mention that I felt like me and Daemon could have done the scene with Cinder and Urizen better. While it may seem odd that Urizen would accept Salem's request for him to teach Cinder, or in this case pawn off the job to Malphas, do remember that he's more or less Vergil's ambitions and lust for power. If there is just one thing, ONE THING that could make a human earn a itty-bitty bit of his respect, it is them wanting power, consequences of how they get it be damned.

Also, for those wondering whether or not V will be attending Beacon Academy or become involved in its faculty as a teacher, he will not be involved with Beacon in any capacity. He will meet the RWBY cast, yes, but he is independent. That, and stories where a character is involved with Beacon, be it as a student there or part of its faculty in some way, are kind of done to death. (Hypocritical of me to say that, seeing as how I've done that myself, but who cares?) I wanna try something different.

Anyway, I'll see you guys next chapter.

See You.