Time to focus on the consequences on the extermination of the Grimm. Didn't some of you thought to yourself 'What happened to the Huntsmen Academy?' Well...
(T-L-G)
In the streets of the five Kingdoms, citizens walk around in prosperity, no doubts or fear about the Grimm, several towns have settled around the Kingdoms of Remnant. New trades routes have opened. Mantle is now back to its own Kingdom. But at the cost of the one group that protected them from the Grimm, the Huntsmen Academies. Most of them have returned to a civilian life, others took a role in the military or police force, and some even went rogue and disrupts the peace that they have worked for. With no Grimm to fight, most are relieved but some has a sense of their purpose lost. That some contains the Silver-Eyed Warrior.
(To the streets of Vale)
Among the surfing crowd, a certain outlier stands out. A girl of 25 with short black hair with red tips with a bang over her left eye which is covered by a eyepatch. She still wears her blouse and corset, albeit the 'combat' skirt is replaced by black and red cargo pants. Her combat boots are worn with usage though at the front of her boots, metal plates are hammered in. Her tattered red cloak has moved move to cover her left arm and is being held by a magnetic cross. On the back of her hip is a stored weapon, red and black as its main coloration.
"Oi!" She hears. It came from a shop to her right. She sees a shopkeeper being threatened by three men, all in a black suit and Beowolf masks with their lower jaw exposed. "You hear me right? Give us the protection money!"
"I have half-"
"Half!? The boss asked to pay full, he's given you your second chance and he won't give you a third. It's a simple transition." She looks at a nearby café and the window of the shop.
"Junior is waiting for your tax-" The door opens, causing the three men to look at it, "What the?" The girl outside has entered the room. "What are you looking at?"
She gives him a angered expression, "Rats." The men goes to grab their weapons out but one of them is suddenly flies to a shelf, knocking the contents to the ground. Rose petals fall around them as the girl reappears in front of them. "Boo."
Finally, one of them goes for his weapon, a machete and swing upward to the girl's chin. She steps back as the blade nearly hits her chin. The red-tipped girl steps forward and kicks him in the crotch. He falls down, screaming in pain and the last standing man goes to strike her face. She sidesteps and kicks him in his stomach. Falling to his knees, the Silver-Eyed Warrior grabs his head and smashes it against the desk repeatedly. She goes for one more and she breaks the desk entirely.
"Aaahh! My-" He stops his sentence as a boot comes to his face. He falls down to the ground and tries to get back up. Another boot puts him down, now being out cold. She walks out of the destruction she's made and out on the streets again. She feels her left hand going out of control, shaking and her index finger positioning itself as if a trigger was there.
"Dammit, Ruby Rose, threat's gone. You can stop trying to shoot." She says to herself. Ruby moves her cloak to cover both her hands and forces her hand to become numb, using her hand and Aura. "There's no Grimm. There's no Grimm. There's no Grimm. There's no Grimm." She squeezes her wrist, becoming more tighter as she walks to the café.
"There's no Grimm." She loses her senses in her left hand completely. "Finally." She suddenly feels weightless on her feet, "Yang!" Ruby says with a laugh.
"There's my little sister who turns out to be the savior of Remnant!" Yang announces. She shakes her around with Ruby kicks her thighs to release her, "What the matter Rubes? Don't like a hug?" She begins to laugh at her.
"Put me down! You're gonna crush me!" Ruby says. Yang finally lets go of her. She turns around and faces her half-sister. A pale yellow tube top with a orange bandana, a sleeveless navy blue long coat with four detachable tails, fingerless brown leather glove on her left hand, fitting black pants with a blue line on each leg and dark brown boots. Her golden blond hair has been tied with a clip shaped as her emblem and aviators on. "Why did you need to do that? I'm not 15."
Yang looks to her right and puts her hands on the back of her head, "Well, it's been a entire year since we've seen each other."
Ruby begins to walk with Yang pacing beside her, "We call each other and video chat."
The blond blows a raspberry, "Face to face, I mean. Weiss got her father abdicated and became the CEO of SDC. Blake's the leader here of the White Fang. Ren and Nora opened a orphanage and Jaune..." She has a dark expression on her face.
Ruby looks at her sister, seeing the negative look, "Anyone seen him?"
"No. But Mistral police keeps getting reports of a man with white and gold armor attacking numerous military bases. I wish I could do more, but I'm stuck here training recruits at the police station." Ruby looks down at her cloak, how the red had worn off the ends and tips. Instinctively, she goes to touch her eyepatch with her left hand, lifting her cloak up. Yang grabs her wrist and she flinches. "Ruby. Your hand." She stops her sister from walking and looks at her dead straight in the eye. "Where?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Yang doesn't look convinced at her lie. "Let go of my wrist."
"Not until you tell me where you were. Your hand only becomes like this when you were in a fight." Yang says. "You've been so distant from Weiss and Blake, more so with me."
"Let go."
"Ruby. Please tell me."
"Fine!" Ruby shouts at her. Yang lets go of her, shocked at her reaction. "I saw a shopkeeper being forced to pay. I stopped them."
"Stopped them? Ruby, you told me-"
"I know and I am. I couldn't just walk pass it." She looks at a table with two familiar looking women sitting around it, "We should go." Yang looks at her sister, distressed that her sister had tried to lie again but she lets go of her and they walk to the table. The two women, who were drinking tea spots them and nevertheless, Ruby turns to her cheerful façade, "Hey Weiss, Blake!"
"Ruby!" Weiss gets up and hugs the little reaper. Ruby returns her hug. Weiss is in a red double-breasted jacket over her pale blue dress, white tights and knee high boots. Around her neck is a necklace all their emblems merged. "How are you?"
"Feeling great Weiss!" Ruby replies. "Well, the greatest I can be." she wiggles her cloak in response. Weiss looks at it with guilt. Ruby looks to Blake, who's wearing a black dress shirt, white vest with purple tails that have the White Fang symbol, dark blue pants and low-heeled boots and waves at her. Ruby motions her head for her to sit. Ruby goes to pull a chair when Weiss pulls two chairs and sit on one. Blake squints at her action. "Weiss."
She looks at the standing Ruby Rose and sees the chair she pulled for Ruby, "Oh, I didn't mean to. It's been a year so I-"
"It's okay, Weiss." She says with no conviction that she's telling the truth. And everyone knows it. Ever since she lost her left eye and her need to be in battle has cause her to become distant with her emotional ties. She looks at every open job but passes them because she had achieved her dream of becoming a Huntress, but now that the Grimm are gone, Ruby has fallen to a quick and unknown helper. She still carries Crescent Rose on her, despite its worn look as if she needs to be ready if Grimm were coming.
"Think they have cookies?" Ruby asks.
Blake gets up from the table and heads into the café, "I'll get us more teacups."
(Back to Ares)
"What do you mean Adam Taurus is dead? You are standing right in my sights." I speak.
"Not literally." He sees Cyrin and Asoar, eyes littered with curiosity, "I guess I can't tell what my former life was without saying my life. Or how I remember it." He closes his eyes. Smoke begins to spill out of his eyelids. He suddenly opens his eyes with a inhalation of air. "I... hated Humans." He shuts his left eye rubs it. When he took his hand away, a healing scar with three Venator-verbum is present. Now that my vision sees it, his left sclera is shining. Almost as if it's artificial.
"I said to someone that they left scars. That they shouldn't have left. I was aiming at the wrong target. When they were with me, I was more calmer, didn't care for the lives of Humans. I was on a righteous path, set on the future of the Faunus. But that was thrown away."
"The Fall of Beacon." My mind speaks out.
"Yes. After months of not seeing them, I'd changed. I was aggressive, obsessive, but more importantly, I didn't care for anyone. Not even the people I was leading. I cared nothing but her. Like I was crazed bloodthirsty lion. I killed my pack leader and tried to take power."
"Where does this lead to?"
"Haven. I was loyal to a Human cause that wanted nothing but destruction. I came to attack but then she showed up. My impulse was to taunt them. But she snapped something in me. After that, I killed my own people out of anger."
"This is more of a brief summary then anything else." Cyrin says. Adam Taurus looks at her with annoyance, "Continue."
"After that, I renounce helping anyone except to kill her. I found her, with someone else." He looks down, pain in his Aura throws spikes around, "And they were close. She had found her own pack. And they killed Adam Taurus. And coming out of the frozen river was Red Mino."
"A name that still carries the same purpose." I say.
Adam sits on a chair, "I've regretted my his actions and put away his old uniform. All except for this." He holds out his glove, "These gloves are the only connecting link to Adam Taurus."
He feels sorrow, guilt, regret. His words indicates as if he is talking about another Venator. Why is that? "Then get rid of them."
"What?" Adam says.
I started something I didn't want but I must, "Take them off. You say you're Red Mino but you're still Adam Taurus with those gloves."
He chuckles briefly, "I guess I am still Adam with these gloves. You're have a good ear for a Grimm." He looks at his gloves for a time.Can I really get rid of Adam?
Who is this!?
Adam snaps his eyes to me. What the? Ares? I hear in my thought pool.
Adam? How are you in the thought pool?
Thought pool?
It is where the Grimm... originally use to communicate if nearby.
Then why am I hear yours?
Could've been my blood. As a addition of having hardened bones and increase of keratin, it must've given you the ability to access the thought pool.
He holds his head, with salted water dripping down from his head, That's too much information for me to handle.
Figure it out in your own time. I have to do one thing I have to try.
"Uh hello?" My ears pick up. Cyrin waves her hand around my face, "Remnant to Ares."
"Where is the highest point around here?" I demanded Cyrin.
"Should I ask why or give you the location of a tree 350 meters north that's a mile high?" She says with satire. I run through their hall, opening the door to get out of my way.
(To Vale)
"Remember when Jaune come to the dance in a dress?" Weiss reminisces.
"Kind of." Blake says, pouring more tea for herself.
Ruby looks at Weiss with confusion, "Did he? I don't think I was there."
"You weren't at the dance Ruby?" Blake takes a sip of her tea.
"I was at the CCT, trying to stop Cinder." Ruby touches her eyepatch with sorrow. "Even after 5 years, I still can't believe she got one good hit."
"You still see her in your dreams?" Blake asks.
"Sometimes but usually I take her out." Ruby answers. "But nothing too special." She smiles at both of them. "Where's Yang with the cookies?"
"Right here!" Yang comes in and puts down a jar of cookies, "Paid for the whole thing too!" She twists the lid open, slides it to Ruby's hand and sits down, "So, how's everyone business? I'll start. Me and Yatsu have been training the recruit who wanted us to be their instructors, Yatsu handles the ones want to do some real damage while I handle the shooters and CQC. Even got some new moves plus I get to wear this custom uniform." She dramatically dust her left shoulder. Yang stares at Weiss, who is visibly annoyed.
Everyone else looks at Weiss and they all get the same glare, "Of course it'll be me next. Well, the Schnee Dust Company relations with Faunus have majorly improved. There's more Faunus in vitals roles other then being slaves 5 years ago. The miners have protective suits in the wage, have wages and they're quite happy. And the White Fang have helped with security." They all nod in agreement. Weiss looks at Blake, who's sipping on her cup, "And speaking of the White Fang, I believe it's time for you to share your business life."
Blake's ears twitches as she puts down her teacup. "Well, the White Fang relationship with the SDC is true but with inside the White Fang itself? I wish. There's us who want to work with the SDC and improve it, but there's still a lot of Faunus follow the old ideals and use fear to gain respect. Gives me a chance to stretch outside of the office though." Blake looks at Ruby who's eaten half the jar of cookies. "How about you Ruby?" She coughs up a bit, "What's been keeping you busy?"
"Uh well..." Ruby looks around the table, "I haven't found any jobs that I like yet."
"Well, I hope you find one." Blake's ears perk up and she takes out her Scroll, "My time is up, Sun just message-" She stops as she hears a distant howl, "What was that?"
"What was what, Blake?" Weiss ask.
"I heard a howl."
"I didn't hear anything." Yang says.
Blake looks around and sees only a few Faunus with animal ears actually reacted, "It could've my ears that picked the howl."
"Maybe. But if your ears can pick it up, it could be anything." A ringing sound emanates from Yang's pocket, "Oh, time's up. I need to get the station. Nice seeing you all!" Yang runs off from her team.
"Regardless of that, it could something worth checking from the White Fang." Blake walks off, "I'll send a team to find out where it came from."
"Bye Blake!" As the two move further from the table, the more awkward it is with Weiss. "Don't you have some important meeting to go to, Weiss?" She tries to get her to leave.
"Not at the moment."
Ruby looks down to her jar, "Cookie?"
"I'll stick with tea."
(To the Forest outside of Padma)
Come on, come on!
"Mr. Dougal! Can you come down!" I hear Asoar shouting from the distant floor. My snout has prominent and the skin on my hands to my elbow has been consumed by pitch. I stand on the highest point here and I hear no cry.
I howl once more, waiting to hear a call, no one can hear this howl as it is tied to a sound. Where are you all!
Ares!
Adam?
Get down! You'll get yourself killed!
No! I must find out!
Find out what?
Others! I couldn't hear the thought of my Beowolf brethren or hear them coming back from the pools but perhaps I could find more!
Like a Boarbatusk, a Ursa?
Anyone! I howl once more, awaiting a desperate moment. Not wanting to wait more, I drop down from the tree and see them still at the trunk, "Ares! Come-oh crap, run!" Cyrin alerts. They scatter as I come at a fast drop to the ground. My feet has shifted to familiar black paws and dust flies off around me as I stand still. "Ares?" I hear from Adam. I can't move.
"Mr. Dougal?"
"Ares?"
I feel pressure on my shoulder, I can't tell if it has skin or not. "Ares? Are you okay?" I finally get a grasp of this vessel's neck and peer up to Adam. Everyone has a shcoked"Ares? Do Grimm cry?"
"Cry? No. We don't." I answer. Why did he question that? "Why?"
"Because you're crying right now." What? I feel two small drops coming down on my face. "Did you find any Grimm?"
"He was calling for more?" Cyrin has distress in her tone.
"I do not blame you to worry but I heard naught." Thoughts fill my head, those of despair and forlorn. I cannot be the sole survivor.
"I cannot be..." I mutter.
Asoar kneels down, "Cannot be what?"
"All of the pools destroyed, my kind hunted like prey, the scales are tipped too far."
"What are you saying, Ares?"
I cannot deny it, the fates is true, "I'm the last Grimm in this unbalanced world." Asoar comes down and puts her hand on my shoulder and pats it.
"Mr. Dougal, it's alright."
Comfort is worthless, "It is not. This world is coming to a limit. Without Grimm to balance the darkness, Venator behavior will drastically change, you will all kill each other in pointless wars."
"You thinks so?"
"I know so. This is the goal of the Grimm is to siphon the negative emotions and turn Venators against us. We have to consume those to allow us to be painless. I cannot do that task alone."
"Maybe you could find people who has a similar idea to yours."
My eyes sets to look at them with no salted water being produced, "No, Venators are seeded to hate us. All except for you three."
I know what to do, "Red, Adam, whatever you shall want to be called, you are living proof that the world can be balanced once more with Grimm. Just I know it is not in your nature to help me but I offer you all a position. To make this world balanced. You do not have to-"
"I accept." The sisters look at Adam.
"Adam? You would help me?"
"People here will notice my horns, they'll question about it. You'll also need someone to train anyone who joins." You'll also need to learn how to blend in.
I suppose that is true.
And call me Red for now on.
I'll try.
"I'll join."
"Cyrin?" Curious that she wants to offer her help.
Asoar is audibly distressed, "No! Cyrin it's-"
"It's dangerous? Of course it'll be dangerous. But history could be made and I want to be there firsthand. Plus, I want to know what was it like to be a former Grimm from Ares." She explains.
"You've only known me for a day' worth and my origin less."
"Eh, I could do worse. I wonder if you can chip off your claw. I better get a notebook." A curious mind buried under satire. Venators are more intriguing then I thought. "What about you sis?"
Asoar looks at Cyrin with anger then reluctantly content, "I have to go. You're not going alone, Cyrin." Asoar too? Never thought loyalty was important to them.
I hope to know my companions more now that they have made their decision. "When shall we set?"
Cyrin looks at herself and Asoar's, "Maybe when we get some appropriate clothes."
(T-L-G)
Am I a bad judge of character? Possibly but that's what I believe. That's how I believe Ruby would handle a world without Grimm. While everyone is moving with their lives, Ruby hasn't. Now to Ares who now has his ultimate goal set. I just need one more to his four-man band. That's all the bases I could cover without over-explaining.
Review/s
Merendinoemiliano: Well, we could see the rise of Red. And I should read the Silmarion.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter, review and have a nice day Reading.