This story is a work of fiction.
Any relations to characters, living or dead, are purely coincidental.
The authors owns none of the characters, or events, that take place here.
Where mercy, love, and pity dwell,
there God is dwelling too.
RWBY ~ Memories of V
Book 1, Chapter Three
V groaned as his consciousness stirred. His eyes opened and found himself starring at fire—the world in front of him was ablaze. The tracks and ground were uprooted from the earth, train cars overturned or buried into the scorched earth. The trees near the tracks were either knocked out from the ground, broken in half or in the middle of becoming oversized firewood. The smell of ashes faintly lingered in the air, causing his nostrils to burn in irritation.
He slowly rose up to his feet, stumbling almost and leaning on his cane for support. His head throbbed. "How long was I out?"
The question was posed not at him, but at his 'passengers.' Griffon manifested from his body and fluttered next to him. "Not long, maybe ten minutes, hell if I know!" the hellish bird squawked. "All I know is everything went boom! Me and Shadow got clocked out six ways from Sunday until you came to!"
"The blast must have been stronger than I thought," V mused and took a moment to clear his head. As the throbbing pain in his head slowly started to ebb away, he searched the demolished area for his target. To his displeasure, he found neither hide nor hair of the nightmare that had attempted to kill him only moments ago. "Tch. Phantom must have escaped while I was unconscious."
"I don't sense him anywhere close by. He's gotta be pretty wounded, though. He's got way more juice than Shadow did, but surviving a blast that big? It'll be a while before he shows his ugly ass face anytime soon." Griffon perched himself atop V's shoulder and stared at his host. "So, what now?! Do we try and find that creepy-crawly asshole and take him before he has a chance to recover, or do we cut our losses?"
"By all means, point me in the right direction."
If the smell of ozone was of any indication, Griffon didn't appreciate V's attempts at sarcasm. Regardless, chasing after something that left no trail was pointless. He would only be wasting his time trying to pursue it now, especially in a place as wide and as expansive as Forever Fall. It didn't help that there was no discernable land markers he could use and not a hint of civilization in the horizon. Wherever he was, he was deep in the forest—worst of all Grimm territory.
He sighed and ran a hand through his dark locks. "Troublesome."
Adam coughed as he returned to consciousness. The last thing he could remember was protecting Blake when that weird Grimm and that strange man appeared, and the next, nothing. Just blackness. When he woke up, he felt a tight burning pain in his left abdomen. He found himself not in Forever Fall, but rather in a medical tent with makeshift beds and supplies. He recognized it easily, seeing as how it was one of the facilities he and the Vale branch set up here in the forest while going about their tasks in the city. If they situated themselves in a place like an empty warehouse, they would have a higher chance of being discovered.
Out here in the wilderness? Near Grimm territory? Not so much.
"H-how did I end up here...?" Adam wondered. He regretted his decision to sit upright when the pain in his abdomen spiked tenfold. "Argh-! Urgh, dammit..."
"I wouldn't suggest moving for a while."
An oddly familiar voice advised him, coming from right next to him. He craned his head and found a woman with tanned skin and freckles sitting on the bed adjacent to his, garbed in a sleeveless bodysuit that went down to her thighs. Her mask bore a large upward curve with small horns above the eyeholes.
Adam recognized her almost immediately.
"Ilia Amitola..."
The Chameleon Faunus nodded her head in greeting. "It's been a while, Taurus. The last time we met was back during the break-in at the Schnee Mining Site in Mistral."
Adam recalled that particular event. It occurred at least six months ago, just around the time Sienna Khan started to realize his worth and contributions to the cause. The mission went as smooth as it could get, minus the small hiccup that nearly resulted in Blake getting captured near the end. She would have been lost were it not for the fact that both the Vale and Mistral branches were cooperating in that particular mission and Ilia was the closest one there when it happened. He imagined that, if not for her, Blake would have been either imprisoned or forced into a labor camp.
The image of her being branded like all the others—like him—made his blood boil.
"Why are you here?" Adam demanded. "Did the High Leader send you?"
Ilia sighed morosely. "I wish it were that simple. A complication arose in Menagerie, and the Albain Brothers have their eyes set on someone dangerous. They asked me to shadow him."
Adam grew curious. He knew the Albain Brothers by reputation; shrewd, crafty and cunning, they organized many events and operations that were meant to drive the Faunus not united under their banner to them. There was no trickery involved, of course. They wouldn't stoop so low as to use the same tactics humans would by engineering events in their favor; all they did was take advantage of worldly events and the pent-up aggression their people already had. Sienna favored them considerably since they helped reason with their brothers and sisters in Menagerie to rally to their side, hence why they were placed in charge of the branch there. It also helped that they were working with the former High Leader, if only to keep him unaware of some of the more unsavory jobs the White Fang had begun to undertake over the years.
He wanted to ask who garnered such attention from the Albain Brothers, but right now he had more important affairs to attend to. Namely what happened to his partner and what the hell that monster on the train was.
"How long have I been out?"
"A few hours at best. A scout team found you and brought you back. You broke four ribs, but aside from that, your Aura should fix things up pretty quickly."
"And what about Blake? Is she here?"
Ilia shook her head. "She hasn't reported back yet."
Adam grew worried.
For the past few months now, her attitude had started to become a bit worrisome. Every now and then he caught her with this conflicted expression, her eyes shying away from him and the rest of their comrades. He wondered if she was having second thoughts, but that couldn't be right. She was stronger than that. Stronger that the naive fools who called them lunatics, at least. Out of everyone in the White Fang, she had to know that what they were doing was right. That some measures had to be taken if they were to get the rest of Faunus kind to realize what was happening.
If she was having doubts, then all he had to do was ease them. Prove to her that she was in the right. That they were right.
She would see reason.
"So, what happened during your mission?" Ilia questioned. "From what the medic told me, those broken ribs didn't come from hitting the ground. Did you run into trouble?"
Adam scoffed. "That's putting it mildly. There was a Grimm hiding away on the train, but it wasn't like any I've seen before."
"What do you mean?"
"It's form was completely different from the standard Grimm. It had no white bone armor. It's entire body looked like it was made of stone. What little I could see beneath its armor looked like shifting shadows. At first I thought it looked like a Deathstalker, but I realized that it was more like a giant spider with a scorpion tail." Adam described.
Ilia stayed silent as she processed the description. "...Just how big was it?"
"All I can say is that it practically filled up the train car it was in. It was that big."
The more she listened to him, the more Ilia felt a sense of dread building. For some reason, the description of this unknown entity reminded her of what happened in Menagerie.
What really concerned her was, "How did no one notice that thing aboard the train?"
"I don't know," Adam shrugged. "Whatever the case was, it's definitely no normal Grimm. It was even capable of human speech." Ilia choked. A Grimm capable of speaking in human tongue? That was possible? "It also seemed to know the human that popped up after Blake and I were supposed to set the charges. I didn't get what they were talking about, but..."
"Wait, a human showed up?" Ilia frowned. "Security detail?"
"No. It was some weak human with a weird semblance. He had a cane, dressed in black and had tattoos across his body." Adam paused when he saw Ilia's skin turn ashen white, mouth open. He couldn't see her face, but he recognized the shape her mouth was adopting as a look of dread and horror. It dawned on him immediately and set him on edge. "Ilia, was the human we encountered the one you were after?!"
"H-he is..." Ilia nodded slowly. "His name is V. I-I came here to ask for assistance in tracking him down after he left Menagerie, but you and Blake ran into him? W-what was he doing on the train?!"
"I have no idea. But if I had to guess, it had something to do with that weird Grimm. He was asking about it when he came across Blake and I."
"What happened then?"
"There was another odd Grimm. One that looked like a bird and could talk."
Ilia tensed for some reason. "Nevermore?"
"No, it didn't look right. The beak was wrong, and it could spew electricity." Adam looked at Ilia with a frown. "Who is that human? And why are the Albain Brothers so intent on watching him?"
At this, Ilia grew silent. He figured that her mission was secretive in nature and respected it, but he had to know. Whether it was intentional or not, that human and those weird Grimm were connected to each other. If they were going to be a recurring threat or something to nip in the bud, he needed to know exactly everything about that human and what they were capable of.
He waited for a few moments. Eventually, Ilia caved in and sighed deeply. "His name is V. Or at least, that's what he calls himself. He was found unconscious on the shores of Menagerie some odd weeks ago and was under the care of the Belladonna family. He's apparently suffering from amnesia. The Albain Brothers are looking into everything they can about him, but right now, my job is to shadow him and report his movements to them."
Adam grew still. "He was living with Blake's parents?" he demanded incredulously. "And they just let a human in their home so easily? What the hell is Ghira thinking?!"
"They probably just saw a man in need of help. But from what I saw, he hasn't caused them any trouble. In fact, he did his best to ensure he's not a burden. I don't know what they see in him, but they don't see him as a threat."
"Then they're too soft. They likely don't even know how dangerous he is," Adam scoffed. "Then again, Ghira had always been too lax with his policies. It's because of Sienna we're finally getting results for Faunus rights."
That being said, Adam couldn't help but feel Sienna wasn't doing enough. Yes, whenever the sensible humans looked on the streets and saw their brothers and sisters they accepted them if only out of fear, but how long would that last? Looking back at it now, Adam felt as though the White Fang wasn't doing enough to raise the Faunus up from their lot in life. Attacking facilities, stealing supplies, liberating those in chains and bringing them to the light of the ignorant masses, all of these things were easy to accomplish, but at the end of the day, the humans just wouldn't listen.
But they would listen with blood and steel, just as they always did. He saw it every time on the news, the signs of fear and trepidation people would have whenever a Faunus, when pushed to the brink, would lash out and attack like a wild animal. They expected them to be like the animals they were; obedient and collared as though they were slaves or pets. But when the cold reality set in, that the animals they treated so harshly could so easily fight back and harm them, they were oh so quick to backpedal and beg.
The memory of one such person, a man who worked a labor yard like a prison and made the Faunus working there his slaves, came to Adam's mind. Oh how he reveled in the bastard's look of terror when the slaves marched upon him after having their bonds broken and armed to fight back, how he squealed and begged to be spared.
When all was said and done, humanity wasn't superior and Faunus weren't inferior. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Adam saw it, and he knew Sienna would see it too. So would Blake, given time.
She would have to.
She had to.
He'd make sure of it.
Were it not for the fact that he had absolutely no idea where he was or how far he was from civilization, V would have greatly enjoyed the beauty and splendor of the Forever Fall forest.
No matter how far he looked, the trees were covered in red leaves. The winds were surprisingly calm and blew gently through the area, carrying the discarded foliage and fallen leaves with the wind. The sun was starting to set, tinting the sky above orange with few clouds above. From atop a good vantage point, such a sight would surely have been worthy of a painter and his canvas or a photographer and his camera.
Alas, V was neither of these things, and taking in the beauty of the world was the last thing on his mind. He trudged through the woods of the red forest in silence while listening for the faintest sounds of danger. Being so deep in Grimm territory, he knew it would only be a matter of time before they showed themselves and wanted to sink their claws and fangs into a soon-to-be corpse. He could deal with them easily, but the reminder of the true nature behind his "familiars" so to speak gave him pause.
"So long as you remain within my body, the Grimm won't advance or take notice of us unless they find me, would you say that's correct?"
In his consciousness, Griffon grunted. "Hell if I know! What do I look like, a Grimm expert?"
V sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. So much for that, he supposed.
It wasn't that fighting off the Grimm would be difficult, though. His main concern was taking too long to deal with them. Once it was night time, he wouldn't be able to navigate the forest as easily. The branches covering the sky above his head were rather thick as were the leaves attached to the branches, shadowing the forest to the point it was rather dim. It would be difficult to navigate if it was going to be pitch-black.
For now, he would have to find a place to rest.
*growl~*
...and something to eat.
He realized he hasn't had a proper meal since the day prior. The body can last for a week without food. It was water that was more vital. Fortunately he still had some on hand. Unfortunately, he needed to find a proper source to replenish said supply.
If he found nothing, he would have to continue his search in the morning, where daylight can properly guide him.
"I wonder how long a demonic body can go without sustenance..." V muttered under his breath while ignoring the aching pain in his belly.
Griffon snickered. "Well, too bad you don't have a demonic body. Sorry, Shakespeare, but this body is almost totally human!"
"...what do you mean almost human?" V questioned.
Griffon let out a sigh. "Right, forgot. You don't remember anything. Here's the thing, V. You're only half-human. The other half is of demon heritage. Right now, your body is missing your demonic half. I'm sure you can probably figure out the reason why."
The white-haired man frowned. "You did tell me I suffered a great deal of damage when I woke up. However, that doesn't explain why I'm missing my demonic half."
"What makes you think I know? I'm part of your nightmares, not your freaking oracle!"
"Tch. Useless bird."
"Wanna say that to my face, you bastard?!"
V clicked his tongue and continued to walk, unaware that someone was watching him from afar.
While V was unable to secure himself food in the form of meat from any wildlife nearby, he was able to find a spring and refill his cantine before starting a small campfire using leaves, twigs and anything else that looked like it could burn. He prodded the burning kindling with another stick to keep the flames alive. He ignored the gnawing in his stomach while paying attention to his surroundings. So far, there were no sign of any enemies or predators nearby. However, he wouldn't go to sleep until he knew it was secure.
V looked up to the sky, taking note of the various stars surrounding the shattered moon. He couldn't help but wonder how such a thing was possible.
"So, got any ideas on what the hell did that?" Griffon asked him.
V shrugged. "I have no idea, nor do I want to meet them anytime soon."
He stoked the fire again and stopped when he took notice of something odd. Though the fire wasn't too bright, it lit up the surrounding area enough that he saw flickering shadows of the trees and bushes. One of those shadows was different from all the others, too short or thin to be human.
He smiled wryly as he looked up. "You're not very good at hiding, are you?"
Blake Belladonna frowned at him from atop the tree branch she was on. She leaped down and landed on her feet with little discomfort, rising up to her feet.
"Who are you?" she asked him immediately, her weapon held firmly in hand.
V smirked. "I have no name. I am but two days old." The girl looked at him oddly. His smirk grew minutely in amusement. "Just kidding. You can call me V."
She then steeled her features as she held her weapon tighter. "Enough with the jokes. Who are you? Back on the train, you said you knew my parents."
"That I did."
"How do you know them?" Her voice gained a noticeable edge. "What did you do to them?"
The man rolled his eyes and poked the flames again. "They're alive and well. And I've done nothing to them, nor do I see the point in doing so seeing as how I'd be repaying kindness with malice." He glanced to see Blake staring at him, her glare still prominent but otherwise less intense. "They found me washed up on Menagerie and took me in, if you're that curious."
"Why were you on Menagerie in the first place?" she asked after a few moments of contemplation.
"If I knew the answer to that question, I would tell you. Alas, I barely had any recollection of what happened prior to your parents finding me." He answered.
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're telling me you have amnesia? That sounds a bit too convenient if you ask me."
"Make of it what you will. But what I told you is the truth. If you don't believe me, that's fine. I'm sure you could torture me for information, but I doubt you'd get very much."
For some reason, V's words caused her to flinch. "I wasn't going to torture you," she said a little to hastily.
"Truly? I could've sworn you were part of the White Fang, assuming that friend of yours was wearing a White Fang mask that I've been seeing on the news lately."
"I'm not with the White Fang anymore."
V raised a brow. "Anymore? Strange choice of words..."
"That's because I left that group."
"You mean you left right after you committed a train heist? Odd sense of priorities there."
"You wouldn't understand. This was something I was thinking about for a while. What happened on the train just finalized my decision." She explained.
"Oh, I'm sure. You mean how the White Fang is no longer the organization you thought it was, correct?" V replied, causing her to flinch. "You don't need to explain. Ghira and Kali told me how you remained in the Fang after the former stepped down as its leader. They said you were quite passionate in your beliefs."
Blake bit her lower lip and turned her gaze away from V. "I left because it's changed, and not for the better."
"I see..."
V said nothing more and looked away from her. He didn't think of her as a threat, but that didn't mean he would let his guard down. For all he knew, the White Fang in Menagerie had gotten in touch with their cell here in Vale and had her play the part of the defector, gain his trust and learn his secrets. He imagined she had a great many questions after what she encountered on the train, such as what the nightmare of Phantom was or who he was and what Griffon and Shadow were.
Not that he had any intention of answering such questions. She likely wouldn't believe him or think he was crazy.
*growl~*
V scowled as his stomach let out a gurgling rumble. It was apparently loud enough for Blake to hear and stare at him. "Was...that you?" She sounded almost incredulous.
"I haven't eaten anything since I left Menagerie."
"What?! How could you-? You mean you haven't even stopped somewhere to eat after leaving?!" Blake questioned incredulously.
V turned away, pointedly ignoring how Griffon was cackling in the confines in his mind.
For the record, he was not sulking. He did not sulk, and anyone who said otherwise was a filthy liar.
Whether she did it out of gratitude or some other reason, Blake Belladonna had left his side for only maybe twenty minutes or so before she returned with fresh game. She held up a few by the ears with their brown coats dyed red, none of them making so much as a twitch. After the rabbits were skinned and the meat was properly cleaned, using the water in V's cantine, dinner was served.
V had never tasted rabbit meat before, but his stomach was greatly appreciating the bounty presented in front of him. He savored each and every bite that came his way, all the while keeping a careful eye on Blake as she sat across from him eating her own meal. She had not spoken a word since she returned with food, but neither had she left her weapon out of sight. It was still on her person, ready to be used at a moment's notice.
He knew he had nothing to fear from her at this moment. She didn't seem to harbor any ill intentions at the moment, and the Grimm nor any other predator that roamed the woods of Forever Fall made their presence known, meaning they were safe.
Silence filled the air between them as they ate. The only sounds that echoed in the air were the crackling of the flames and the sounds of the wilderness around them.
"Ugh, this is killing me!" Griffon complained. "Will you say something to her already? I'm dying of boredom here, and if I have to sit here and watch you eat dead bunny, I think I'm going to go crazy!"
Before V could make a response, Blake suddenly spoke up in a quiet tone. "How were they?"
"If you mean the rabbit, I have no complaints. I've had nothing to eat up until now after all."
She shook her head. "I mean, my parents. How are they? Are they doing okay?"
"They are doing well since I last saw them," V told her. "Ghira has been doing his best to ensure the people of Kuo Kuana live peacefully, with Kali being there to support them. I don't envy his job in the least."
Blake's smile was as sad as it was nostalgic. "That sounds like him. He always pushes himself too hard. Back when I was still living on the island, it was either mom or me that had to convince him to slow down, especially when things got rough."
"Regarding politics or trading?" V asked. "While I was in their care, he seemed to be in the middle of having an argument with someone on his Scroll."
"How much do you know about Menagerie?" she asked him.
V shrugged. "Only the barest minimum. After the Great War reached its end, the Faunus were rewarded for their contributions and efforts by being given a continent of their own to live and colonize. Some thought it was a fair reward, but everyone else saw it as a slap to the face and a spit on all the hard work Faunus had been striving towards, seeing as how the continent is two-thirds desert filled with hostile wildlife, nevermind the Grimm living there."
"You know you're history," Blake commented.
Considering he had no memories, much less any knowledge of the world he lived in, V had no choice but to take every book and tome he could to learn as much as possible about the past. While he was disappointed to learn that any and all history past the Great War (or rather the events that led up to it) was largely destroyed or forgotten as a result of the nobility and warmongers of Mantle and Mistral being so controlling and domineering that they would go so far as to erase a kingdom's culture if only to command their subjects better, learning some history was better than no history at all.
Some of what he learned was useless in the long run if because they provided textbook examples of war crimes, what not to do and what may eventually repeat itself in the present, other events such as the Great War and the impact of the Faunus lifestyle and general outlook were of great concern and importance.
Having lived in Menagerie for close to a month or so, V could understand why the people of Kuo Kuana were so wary of him when they learned he was living with the Belladonna family. He would be too if he learned just how much humanity seemed to stonewall them when all they've done is try and hold out their hands for peace. Not that he cared much for prejudice. So what if someone discriminated another just because of extra features? When you got down to it, there wasn't much difference between humans and Faunus. Both were stupid races who picked fights and started wars for the pettiest of reasons and they died all the same regardless of the causes.
Blake continued, "Even though the four Kingdoms promised that they would not interfere or meddle in Menagerie's affairs, that doesn't mean they won't get involved in some way. Even if two-thirds of Menagerie is just desert, it's still full of untapped resources and a safe haven for all Faunus who just want to get away from it all. Minerals, ores, earth metals, Dust and everything else in-between. And because Kuo Kuana gets by for its businesses and trading posts, human interactions are inevitable. Which, of course, leads to the obvious problems."
"Such as the typical unsavory sorts taking advantage and trying to con you out of your resources and money," V said. "That's hardly anything new, however."
"True, except one crucial fact: The White Fang was founded on Menagerie, and it's still there."
V frowned, not understanding what she was getting at at first. Then the realization hit him almost immediately afterwards and narrowed his eyes. "...they're afraid Kuo Kuana might raise an army?"
"It's an understandable fear, given what the White Fang has become," Blake looked at the ground in sadness. "Nowadays, people don't remember what the organization used to be. They don't remember how it was just peaceful protests and boycotts and rallies. When people think of the White Fang, they think of the men and women in masks who go around attacking anyone the think is abusing Faunus, attacking Dust cargo shipments and companies who possibly engage in Faunus slave labor. It doesn't matter whether my father is raising an army or not. Even if he weren't, people are still afraid." She let out a bitter laugh. "And why shouldn't they? Half of the people living there came to Menagerie because they're bitter. They're tired of being beaten and pushed around and just want to get away from it all. Start a new life."
"The kind of people the White Fang would swoop in to recruit, or so they fear..." V drummed his fingers along his cane's handle, humming deeply in thought. "Understandable, I suppose. Is that why you stayed with the White Fang, even though Sienna Khan chose force over benevolence?"
He watched the girl's hands curl into fists in her lap, eyes swirling with a myriad of emotions. "I stayed with the White Fang because I wanted to prove my father wrong. That even if Sienna was using violence to get the point across, we were still right. That we were proving that we are not animals!" Her voice rose at the end, but fell quiet as her burst of anger and frustration faded into melancholy. "But I was the one who was wrong at the end. The White Fang, it-it's not the same anymore."
V leaned against the tree behind him. "When did you realize?"
"It was a while ago when I saw my partner-" She stopped herself and grimaced. "My former partner commit cruel acts without batting an eye. Those fears were solidified earlier on the train. He was going to set charges to blow it up, without any concern from the crew members." Blake sighed deeply as she hanged her head in shame, clearly angry at herself for having ignored the signs. "And it wasn't just him. For the longest time, I knew the White Fang had changed. I just turned a blind eye to it all, convinced myself that, even if things had changed, we were still in the right. That we were making a difference."
"But in the end, you realized you weren't," V stated. "All you were doing was more or less terrorism."
Blake smiled somberly. "That's putting it pretty kindly, don't you think?" V shrugged. All he was doing was speaking how he saw it all.
Still, who would have thought that I'd run into Ghira and Kali's daughter like this?
It was definitely one huge coincidence. The odds of meeting her in a situation like on the train was very slim. Well, at least he can inform Ghira and Kali that she seemed to be doing well at the moment the next he sees them.
"I don't suppose you know which way to go to get out of this place?" V decided to change the subject.
Blake paused as she was about to take a bite out of her meat and looked up thoughtfully. "The White Fang had regular patrols out here, but I know the routes. I can lead you out of here no problem, though I can't guarantee we won't run into any Grimm along the way.
"Much obliged."
"For the record, I still don't trust you."
V smiled wryly. "I'd be concerned if you did."
Morning arrived.
The campfire was extinguished and soaked in water to prevent the embers from lighting any potential fires. Whether by luck or something else, the Creatures of Grimm never happened upon them. Neither V or Blake let their guard down as they traveled through Forever Fall, the latter walking ahead with her weapon held in hand with the amnesiac man trailing close behind her.
"It'll be at least a few hours before we get close to Vale," Blake told him without turn to face him. "And that's assuming we don't run into trouble."
"Any chance of your old friends finding us?" V asked. While it wouldn't be the first time he killed Faunus trying to deal with him for whatever reason, he wasn't too keen on dealing with more trouble than it was worth.
She shook her head. "Not unless they deviate from their patrol routes. And since we're asking questions..."
"Let me guess, the overgrown arachnid, the cat and the parrot?"
Griffon squawked angrily. "Seriously, V! You're cruisin' for a bruisin'!"
"You called that big spider a demon. Is that what it was and not a Grimm?"
V nodded. "Unless you know of a spider Grimm of that size and capable of talking."
Blake's ears flattened against her head. "No I don't. I mean, that thing had a scorpion tail. The closest I would associate it would be a giant Deathstalker, but even then that's pushing it. Just what are they?"
"If you're trying to obtain an answer yourself, I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person. I'm just as much in the dark as you are as to what they are specifically."
"And yet you distinguish them as demons and are seeking them out somehow? Why?"
"Because they are the closest thing I have to regaining my lost past." He answered. "That's all I can say on the matter."
That, and he doubted she would believe him if he told her that they were the living incarnations of his worst memories. Blake briefly looked over her shoulder and clearly wanted to know more, but she wisely chose to drop the subject altogether.
It wasn't until close to half an hour had passed that V abruptly stopped. Blake paused and turned around to face him. "Hey, what's the matter?"
She saw his expression and grew concerned. His eyes were cold and sharp, searching their surroundings while his fingers coiled tightly around his cane. Seeing this, she understood why when she realized she did not hear anything. Not the sounds of Grimm or the whispers of the forest. Not a peep.
"...the forest is never this quiet," she said slowly. "Grimm?"
V twirled his cane in his hand. "I'm afraid it's a tad worse than that." Griffon manifested from his body and flew to his side, sparks cackling across his wings. Blake stared in shock, clearly not expecting the bird to appear from him like that. "Quite a foul stench, wouldn't you say?"
"No shit, smells like months old garbage left out in the hot sun," Griffon grunted. "It ain't Phantom, but if I had to guess, they smelled him after you roasted his ass and came running. Tch, just what we need." Griffon glared at his host. "This ain't gonna be like with those humans or the Grimm. Aura or no aura, they ain't gonna heal from the wounds we gave 'em, and Grimm don't have souls, so we're free to kill 'em however we want. These assholes? Not so much. YOU gotta be the one to give 'em the final blow, got it, Shakespeare?"
"W-wait, what are you talking about?!" Blake demanded. "What's coming?!"
V would have answered her, but he didn't feel the need to do so. Not when their quarry revealed themselves by crawling out from the black pits that formed in the shades of the forest treetops cast upon the ground. It was like watching ants burrow out from the earth and into the surface, but the ants in question were not Grimm. In fact, the black monstrosities that hounded humanity for years would have been preferable if the look of disgust and dread that formed on Blake's face was of any indication.
The demons before them resemble ants, with a small abdomen and a large head equipped with pincers. On closer inspection, its head had three distinct human faces; two fleshy and with glowing eyes, either side of a central face with hollow eye sockets with an exposed jaw with sharp teeth incorporated into the demon's mandibles. What appear to be vestigial human hands were seen on their forelimbs and feet on their rear limbs. On their back were tiny feathered wings, but whether they served any purpose or were for decoration, he couldn't say for sure.
Scattered and scarce as V's memories were, the demons easily registered in his mind: possibly what little information he retained thanks to his contract with Griffon.
"Empusa. The lowliest of bottom feeders," V glared. "Lucky for us, I suppose."
"Yeah, but why the hell are they here?" Griffon asked in confusion. "These ugly little bastards only show up when there's a Qliphoth tree, and last I checked, I don't see no demonic plank of wood anywhere nearby!"
The Empusa let out a chitering squeal, its mandibles clicking and making noises that were horribly unpleasant. Blake visibly squirmed just listening to them while V felt as though his ears would bleed.
"Questions will have to wait." Shadow danced forward and stood at his side, bearing its fangs while its form rippled. V smiled viciously as he aimed his cane at the amassing demons. "Now... Little wanderer, hie thee home!"
And into my garden stole,
when the night had veil'd the pole;
In the morning glad I see...
my foe outstretched beneath the tree.
V's Journal
Demon Analysis
Empusa are one of the lowest ranking demons in the Underworld, though unlike the rest of the weaker creatures in their weight class, they're purpose isn't to fight. It is more accurate to say that they are bees searching for honey to bring back to the hive. They typically appear in the human world when a Qliphoth tree has started to spread its roots so that it can provide the tree nourishment. The fact that they've begun to appear makes me wonder, has a Qliphoth tree started to grow somewhere in the human world?
They're rather easy to kill since they don't typically engage in combat, but the bastards more than make up for it in terms of sheer number.
Persons of Interest
Blake Belladonna
The daughter of the chieftan of Kuo Kuana and founder of the White Fang, Blake Belladonna has chosen to leave the organization behind after growing disgusted by what it has become. She appears to have a strong sense of morals, but I also sense hesitation and doubt, perhaps some fear. It's clear she has some level of lingering attachment to the White Fang, but how much of that is because it was originally her father's organization is unclear.
I first met Blake Belladonna when she and her partner, Adam Taurus, boarded a train carrying cargo for the Schnee Dust Company, no doubt intending to steal its cargo. After my failed attempt in defeating the nightmare of Phantom, she offered her assistance in helping me escape the depths of the Forever Fall forest, though she makes it clear that I'm someone to be kept under a watchful eye. Time will tell if she is either an ally or an enemy of mine.
A/N: Holy crap, it's finally updated! And I'm back! ...for however short a time that might be. I'm finally able to register for classes again! Seriously too many fucking people! I get it, covid and all man, but jesus christ it took me a whole month just to sign up! It's fucking bullshit!
Rant aside, we're here with chapter of RWBY ~ Memories of V! As usual, special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath for helping me out and taking the time out of his busy schedule to help me get this out to you all. And this chapter, we're finally getting to introduce demons into Remnant proper, and who better to start us off than the mooks of Devil May Cry 5!
The Empusa, as stated in the game's wiki and in the game, are pretty much hellish insects who provide the Qliphoth tree with nourishment so it can grow. In other words, blood. Right now, the tree is feeding off of the Grimm spawning pools, which while acceptable food is a "poor substitute" as Urizen says it is in Chapter 2. And obviously, it's going to take a very long time for the tree to grow since its not sequestered in a bustling city like Redgrave where there are dozens of humans ripe for the tree to eat and all that.
For the record, though, I'm going to just say this: There are NOT going to be any pairings for this story (aside from Ren/Nora which is pretty fucking obvious if you ask me), namely because, well, I've gotten really tired of all the romance shenanigans of RWBY. Seriously, all the shipping wars have really started to wear me down, not to mention with how toxic the RWBY fanbase has been getting lately. Hell, that whole debacle with the art contest was just...wow. Seriously. The amount of hate RT got from it for perfectly understandable reasons is insane.
I miss the days when RWBY didn't have such a fucking toxic fanbase.
Back to my point, yeah, there will be no pairings, so sorry to disappoint anyone who might have been expecting V to be paired with Blake.
One last thing before I go. For the asshats who have been bugging me for months asking if Seventh Heaven is being continued.
YES IT IS BEING CONTINUED, AND SO HELP ME GOD, IF ONE MORE OF YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES ASKS ME "IS THIS STORY DEAD" OR "ARE YOU CONTINUING THIS" I WILL DELETE IT OUT OF SPITE. THAT IS HOW FED UP I AM. DO NOT FUCK WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
...okay, I'm done with my warning~ I'll see you all in the next chappy~
See you~
