This morning is a walk in nature. Quiet, serene and filling you with inspiration for the day ahead. At the end of your walk, you're near your house, and the smell of breakfast wafts over to you. The comforting aroma of eggs, biscuits, and sausage greets you upon entry into your warm home. And the best part, your wife comes to meet you with a cup of cocoa and a smile.

Even though this morning isn't exactly like that, it reminds me of it. It's nice to be able to dwell in my good memories for once instead of my bad ones. That cozy feeling leaves as I try to pick myself up. I feel as if I'm twice my body weight. It's not like I put on extra weight, that would be impossible with the constant Grimm attacks giving me a work spell is taking a worse toil on me than I imagined. Oscar hasn't been in my head for a day already. I wonder, after what I did, would he want to come back?

I pick myself up from the couch, walk to the kitchen, and see Nadir cooking. Of course, a breakfast that smells this grand would only come from him.

"Morning, ."

"Morning Oscar. He says, keeping his concentration on the food. For a house of five, the food is sparse. The spread on the wooden counter top could feed, two, three people at best.

"You're making sure not to burn them?"

"Yea. We can't waste anything like how Reese did last—oh no the biscuits!" Ducking down fast, Nadir swung open the oven door. The biscuits were a little black on the sides, but the rest of it was a nice golden brown. "Thank the creators."

I giggle. "You act like a bomb was about to blow."

"Well if Arslan saw this then she would. Then Bolin would. Then Reese would say something to help but it won't." He says, sighing. He squats there for a bit, looking at the biscuits and letting the heat hit his face.

"I've been meaning to ask, have you, team ARBN, always been like this?" Though their performance at the Vytal Festival was, wanting to say the least, they had some dynamics going on. Unfortunately, that seems to be going down the drain.

"I..." He scratches at his pink and black hair then closes the oven. "I guess we had some problems when we first started, what team doesn't. But after the Vytal Festival we sorta drifted apart."

I leaned in closer. "How so?"

He gets up, resting his hands on the counter top and looking down. "Arslan got serious about training and going on missions. Usually, that's a good thing but she went overboard with it. I wouldn't be surprised to see her training in her sleep right now. She's tried to put us on her grueling training schedule but Bolin said he was good enough already and Reese didn't care to do that.

"And what about you Mr. Shiko?"

He stood there, quiet. The sizzling sausage and scrambled eggs filled the void between us. His face was scrunched up into a mass of consternation.

"Mr. Shiko?"

"Why are you doing that now?" He mutters. "A week ago, you called us by our first names now you've been extra polite to us. Almost like you're another person.

Darn, I've been in control so long that I'm letting my habits slip. "Sorry, I had a weird upbringing." I say, blushing and rubbing the back of my nappy head.

"Anyways, it has been a week. How has your investigation gone?" With the food all prime, Nadir begins setting aside plates for everyone.

"Let me help you with that." I pick up some plates and set them clanking on the table. "I've talked to plenty of townsfolk, almost all of them now, with Ms— with Lily and most of what they have said is disparaging. Even after getting so many people back from Whitney's rescue, some of them still want to leave."

"Makes sense. Only huntsmen would want to stay in a place so Grimm infested."

"That's why when all of the returnees said they were brought to Crestilia forest I found that strange. My leading idea is that a group kidnapped them with a mind control semblance because whenever I asked if anyone noticed that they left, all I got in return was that all of them said they were going out for a bit or that they didn't notice until it was too late."

"Even if they were kidnapped that still doesn't make sense to me. That many people roaming around the forests here will be attacked by Grimm, especially if they were brought to that Grimm infested place. There's too many of them around here."

"Did you find any nests on your side?"

"No, just a lot of roaming Grimm. For every one person in this town, there is a Grimm out there. And not just one kind either, there's a whole catalog of them in the outskirts of the town."

"That's a concerning amount. How did you manage to investigate with that many around you?"

"I know how to sneak. If your sword swings were like a blind swordsman then you would learn how to keep away from Grimm too. And it helps with researching them, I guess. Anyways, there must be something drawing them here."

"Lately, Elsinore has been eerily silent. No one in town is speaking to each other except for in hushed circles. Whenever Lily and I ask anyone in town about the missing people or the Grimm attacks all anyone wants to talk about are what their wife did this time or that they're ready to quit their job or other unrelated information. Everyone is focused on unimportant matters, it's as if they don't know they're lives are in danger now."

"But that's not enough to attract this many Grimm. In the research paper written by Dr. Impala, he deduced that Grimm's attraction to negative emotions works on a scale. The further away they are then the higher the negative emotion would need to be to draw them here. If a nest was fifty miles away you would need something like a terrorist attack to attract them. Not petty he said she said business."

"I see. So, there would need to be something greater drawing them in. You have any idea what that is?"

"None at all." Nadir sits down on the kitchen chair, looking lost for thought."Actually, what about Whitney? He rescued them; he should know something."

"He's been isolated in his house since he got here. Mayor Reyez said no one is to visit him. One night, I tried but I didn't get an answer."

"I hope he's okay. Rather not lose anyone. Is there any way we can contact him?" Nadir asks.

"Most likely he's ignoring everyone. Which is suspicious. During all of the Grimm attacks the one person who can help the most has been absent. We're at a dead end, there must be some way to get him to open up."

We both sat there in silence, snacking on our food while thinking of how to get to Whitney. The thought of breaking and entering did cross my mind several times. But to get answers out of someone like that is useless, he'll be on the defensive and I do not want to pick a fight with a fellow huntsman. In our silence, there came a knock on our door. I answered it.

"Hey you." Lily says, not making eye contact with me. Even after spending a week investigating together, she still gives me the cold shoulder. Her treatment makes me feel more guilty about locking Oscar away, but it needed to be done. I will let him out after we save Elsinore. Hopefully, I'll be able to last that long

Lily pushes her way in then brightens up to her usual spunky self when she sees Nadir. "Morning hero!"

"You don't have to call me that. I'm not doing that much."

"Of course you are. That's why the Mayor entrusted a new, special mission for team ARBN and Oscar. You have to come now. " Lily sniffs the air. " After breakfast of course. We'll need the energy."

Our mission is to check on shipments of food to the restaurants and vendors that are late. To ensure we get the mission complete, Mayor Reyez sent Zaroff with us. It's as if the Brothers manifested our solution for us. Bolin did a dance when he saw his favorite huntsman load up into our truck with us. Arslan however, kept her eyes on him. I can understand her suspicion, I also have questions for him. Arslan is in the driver seat with the rest of us sitting in the truck bed. As soon as we are on the road to our destination, Bolin begins speaking.

"Yes! We finally get to see the solo huntsmen in action. This mission is going to be incredible."

"Hopefully it proves challenging. I need something to wipe the rust off."

"So why are you called the solo huntsmen?" Reese asks.

"It's because he—"

"Please Monkey Boy I can tell my grandiose tales. It all started when I became fourteen years old...

Flashback Zaroff Style

I had just blown out my birthday candles when my Dad brought in my gift; My very own Nevermore to hunt on my own.

Ozpin: Your dad gave you a Grimm as a gift?

Reese: I wish my pops was that cool. He just gave me trucks full of money.

Bolin: Sssh, he just started.

Right behind my running Dad, the Nevermore was whipping up a sandstorm with its giant wings. Each time Dad got close to it, he would get a taste of its bullet beak trying to pierce his aura. He told me, "Son, this beast can rip your Mom and brother to shreds in an instant. It's time for you to man up and protect us."

Dashing right behind me, my Dad picked up and brought the rest of the family into our hut.

I stood my ground like a sentinel against The Nevermore, its beak outstretched, colliding into my guard. My projected aura took a hit, but it was still up.

Arslan: No way, at 14 you were able to take a full-blown attack from a Nevermore? It must have been a chick.

No. This Grimm was large enough to wrap its wings around me twice over. I was surrounded by darkness with the only light being the Grimm's reddish-yellow eyes staring into me with its intent to kill. But I was not allowing this beast another inch closer to my family.

My aura projection around me was clawed at by the beast. While I had that immense pressure on me, I slammed my aura enhanced fist into the Grimm's gut. Once, twice, several times I punched at the Nevermore, gaining more speed and power with each hit until it started to lift. Once it felt itself leaving the ground, it began to fly up with me in its grip.

Nadir: You didn't do that on purpose did you? Fighting a bird type Grimm in its territory sounds like a bad idea.

This was the perfect idea. Since I was away from my family, I knew I could go all out. But I didn't know how I would do that.

Bolin: Say it isn't so Mr. Zaroff sir.

Of course not! The idea came to me a second later while the Nevermore was crushing me in its boney grip. Strength surged all across my body as pain arched through me. My semblance was ramping up.

Gradually, I pushed its claws away. Right above, it stared at me, beak hanging like a guillotine. That's when I put my plan in action.

"You can't even kill a kid you overgrown turkey. How can you even call yourself a Grimm?" I taunted. As quick as a sword thrust, it shot its beak through me.

Arslan: That's so stupid. You let yourself take an injury like that?

That's because I knew I would get the greatest power from the greatest injury. My life hung on a thread, but my muscles were tanks at that moment. I gripped its beak and cracked it instantly. Then, winding back with my right hand I put everything I had into one mighty swing that twisted my whole body. My fist landed square on its face, turning it into ash instantly and sending a shock wave through the air.

Bolin: Oh my creator that's awesome!

As I fell back to my family's waiting arms, I relished in my victory against one of the mightiest of Grimm, and without a weapon to boot. The only thing in the clear sky with me were my blood and the Nevermore's remains. All combined, falling towards the sands of Vacuo. Crimson Snow.

Bolin: Oh I knew that's why you called your weapon Crimson Snow. Everyone on the forums always say it's because of your battle of the hundred in the Solitas mountains.

Oh, that's another amazing story about myself. It all started on my sixteenth birthday...

Nadir: Do you always get attacked on your birthday?

Flashback in a Flashback Zaroff Style

As always, my Dad came in running—

Arslan: Nope, that's enough of this.

End of Flashback Zaroff Style

"There are other Huntsmen that killed a Nevermore without a weapon. The Grim reaper is a perfect example." Arslan says.

"That doesn't count. She did that with her eyes. As far as I'm concerned those are lethal weapons as much as her malignant magnetic scythes."

"Those things are cool. They're part boomerang, part weapon of death and part dog toy."

"Why would you play with your dog with that?" Bolin asks.

"Duh, so you can also train him to be a weapon of death."

"There is some science in that." Nadir says.

"Hmm, the weapon heathen has a point." Zaroff says.

"Come on, really? Do you believe in all of that short stack?"

"I once saw a dog used as a fireball." Doctor Oobleck showed me after the Mt. Glenn invasion. He said the inspiration hit him like a firedog to a White Fang member's face. "So, I can believe that."

"Still, dogs have fangs. They have no need for an extra weapon."

"Let's change the topic to what's on everyone's mind." Arslan shoots a death glare at Zaroff from the rear-view mirror. "You, a pro huntsman, have not been protecting this city for the past two weeks."

"Arslan, I'm sure Mr. Zaroff has a good reason." Bolin says.

"Let Whitney here defend himself, Fanboy."

"Simple, I've been writing."

"So? Your writing is worth more than the lives of the townspeople?"

"Wow, that's good writing." Reese says.

"No no you amateur. My writing is meant to help everyone. We have our Falling Stars festival coming up and I must finish my script, cast, practice, and then perform before the deadline."

"Oh my gosh, I almost forgot that was coming up." Reese says.

"Which play are you going to be directing this time Mr. Zaroff sir?"

"Wait, what's the Falling Stars festival?"

"Which play? Why should I tell you? that would ruin the surprise."

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, I hope they perform A Hoverboarder Named Shiro."

"What on Remnant is the Falling Stars Fest?" Arslan asks, loudly this time so everyone could hear her.

"How have you not heard of Falling Stars Fest? Aren't you from Mistral?" Reese asks.

"I'm too busy training to keep up with stuff like plays. But since it sounds important to our mission, let me hear about it."

"Hundreds of years ago, during a play titled "Grimm Reincarnation '' a meteor fell onto the stage right in the middle of the performance. The whole audience gasped,thinking that an emergency evacuation was about to start. But then, the lead role went over to the crashed comet and acted as if it was part of the story. Every other actor caught onto this and ad-libbed the rest of the forty-minute play. That whole time, the audience was none the wiser. It was such a hit that it completely overshadowed the main play and was then re-titled "Falling Star".Once more and more people started to come to see it, the town of Elsinore made into a festival celebrating plays, improv, and acting of all kinds."

"Wow, I praise those actors' determination for keeping the show going." Arslan says.

"My Greatma was there when it happened. She told me the lead's words right after the comet hit, oh no! My brother's house has been destroyed by a Falling Star that I just wished upon!"

"That was over a century ago. How old is your Great Grandmother?" I ask.

"She's as old as a continent! Her semblance slows down her aging so she's seen just about everything in Remnant. I asked her hundreds of times her age but she still thinks it's rude to ask a young lady that. Pfft, she hasn't been young in years, even though she still looks it."

I wonder who she was in the audience? What was her reaction to the meteor? I can still remember my reaction when I saw the meteor drop. A mix of panic and embarrassment for the actors. To have all of their work crushed before their eyes would have been devastating, but they pulled a showstopper out of that actual show stopper.

"Still though," Arslan says. "A festival now isn't a good idea. With all the Grimm attacks a lot of people can get hurt."

"A lot of people will be coming here too. Falling Stars fest is a popular tourist attraction. That would be a lot of people to protect." Nadir says.

"For everyone's safety, it's best if the event gets canceled."

"No!" Zaroff slams a fist on the truck's side in response to Arslan's comment. "Reyez was going to cancel it too, but I insisted that we can't let Grimm get in the way of our tradition. The Falling Stars festival is the heart of Elsinore. That is what everyone looks forward to during the harsh winters. If we didn't have that, what would we be left with?"

His words sat heavily on us for a while. With the food shortages and the constant Grimm attacks, more people are starting to view Elsinore as an unsafe town. Now that people are thinking about leaving, the town is on its last legs. Truly, to let the Grimm win here would be the final blow for Elsinore. Besides, I fought and won a war to allow people to continue expressing themselves. I can't let my past life efforts be in vain.

"I agree." I say. "The citizens of Elsinore need their traditions to stay alive."

"But it can't stay alive if they aren't" Arslan says.

"That's why we need to figure out what is at the bottom of these Grimm attacks." I turn my focus to Zaroff. Despite the passionate plea to continue the festival, he looks out of the truck to the snowy scenery, detached. "Zaroff, you were the one who rescued the missing citizens. Tell us, who kidnapped them. Why? What happened?"

Turning to me, Zaroff's eyes are wide, then he squints. It's as if I hit him with a new revelation but surely this should be obvious to him. Everyone has their attention on him; keeping quiet so they can hear the answer as well.

"I wish I knew."

"What?"

"You said I rescued them but I rescued them from nothing. I just did the obvious thing and went to Crestilia Forest and I saw the craziest thing, they were all just sitting there."

That does align with what I also heard from the returnees; they said Zaroff came in and led them out but is that really the whole story?

"I don't get it. Why would kidnappers just leave them alone? What could they get out of doing that?" I say. "Why would they make it that easy to save them. This doesn't make any sense."

"Where did you get the idea that they were kidnapped?" Arslan asks.

"It's the best theory I have. Otherwise none of what I learned makes sense."

"What you learned? What do you mean?" Bolin asks, eyebrows raised as if his face was asking a question as well. That's right, I never informed the rest of team ARBN about Nadir and my investigation.I filled them all in on what we have been doing for the last week.

"Bruh, really? Everyone is letting petty stuff get in the way on what's really important." Reese says.

"Maybe that's what is really important. We should strike at the root of what's causing everyone to focus on that. Strike at the base and you can topple even the biggest of Grimm. Ain't that right, Mr. Zaroff?" Bolin says. He does have a point. The kidnapped theory isn't going anywhere, but maybe this can be where we go next. What is the cause of everyone's increased anxiety, that's the question I'll have to find out next.

"I wouldn't bother with that. The Grimm around the town sound like a bigger concern."

"Yea...I guess you might be right with that." Bolin mutters.

"Wait, fanboy might have been onto something there. We can keep the Grimm at bay like we've been doing. Nadir and Oscar can keep investigating."

"Is this what they teach now in the academies? How to effectively waste time? What do you hope to find learning more about the rumors people are spreading?"

"Maybe we might be able to learn why." Nadir says. "Then after—"

"There is no why. People hurt people to hurt people. That's it. You kids will learn once you grow."

I furrow my brows at Zaroff. He's being surprisingly difficult about our investigation. What is he hiding? Whatever it is, now is not the time. Focus on the mission first, then I can deal with him.

All of the snow makes every place we drive to look the same. Trees no longer have their green luster;only the grime from days-old snow. The only sound is the crunch underneath the truck tires. Everyone else is off in their world until Whitney gets our attention.

"Over there." Far over to our right, there is a group of trucks, some of them are turned over onto their sides. In a scattered mess all around the vehicles are various fruits, meats, and vegetables. Arslan makes a sharp turn and we all tumble in our seats. In a matter of seconds, we're at the scene.

We all get out and take a look at our surroundings. All six trucks that the mayor mentioned are here, but no drivers. Worse of all, the trucks have scratches and dents on them and some of the food burst out of their bags and lay on the dirt.

"There's been a Grimm attack here. Everyone spread out and yell if you find something." Arslan says.

I take a closer look at a truck and notice a symbol on the driver's side door. A dragon with straight lines coming from its open mouth. Not symbolizing flames, but spoken word. This is the symbol for Kulaan. From what I heard from the citizens of Elsinore; they aren't on good terms with them. Is mayor Reyez trying to improve their relationship or is something else going on?

On the inside, there's no one there. From the looks of it, no one else has found anyone either. If this was a Grimm attack, like all the damage points to, then either they would have left victorious which can't be the case or we wouldn't be here or they met with a grim fate.

Reese screams. Immediately we all look over to see what she found. It's a person, standing right in front of her.

"Found them."

At the edge of the road, a man stands, wobbly. This man is slow in his walk, arms drooped down his sides like he doesn't know how to use them. Did the Grimm attack leave him scared?

Reese walks up slowly to him, her hoverboard at her side and freehand outstretched. "Hey, are you okay?"

Right when she was about to touch, Whitney strikes the man with his cat-o-nine tails.

"Why did you do that?" Arslan yells In response. Whitney points to something on the person's back. We all gasp.

It is a Grimm.

A slug Grimm is pulsating on his back. It has thick, white armor all over it and black veins running across the guys back, glowing red.

"I haven't seen that before." Nadir says.

"Neither have I." I say. And I've lived a very long life without seeing this. This is bad

The man gets up. His whole face is scrunched up in agony. Seething that, my guard lowers. This is far worse than what other Grimm do. They kill, but they never disgrace like this.

More and more come out of the forest, two for each truck here. Heads, necks, and stomachs, this mysterious Grimm are on each one of them. They all circle us, groaning in pain.

"Get ready everyone." Whitney says.

"Aim for the Grimm on them." Arslan says. I steel myself, ready to have to attack them to save them.

We all pounce. In front of me, the man hobbles forward. I strike him in the arm right where the Grimm is and that was enough to make me sick to my stomach. The cry this man gave out from one hit is too much. It feels like I'm torturing him. What kind of pain are the Grimm putting them through?

Arslan stops punching her opponent, most likely feeling the same thing too. Nadir, Bolin, and Reese went to pushing them back instead of attacking. Even though we stopped attacking, that doesn't mean that they aren't. It's easy to dodge them though with their strikes being slow and weighty. But how they twist their upper torso to swing down makes a sickening splintering sound. I cringe watching this and hearing them whimper afterward. Despite all this,Whitney is beating the man in front of 's striking down with his whip savagely and without remorse. The guy isn't fighting back, instead, he's balled up trying to protect himself. His mutters of protest sound like a child.

"Stop that you'll kill him." Arslan says while pushing him off the man.

"It's either them or us." He states. While she wasn't looking, Arslan is punched on the back of her head. The force knocks her down. Now all the possessed people around us are close enough to attack. I get on the defensive and block or dodge their attacks.

Whitney winds up to hit another but Arslan gets up and takes the blow instead.

"Have you gone mad?" Whitely says.

"I should ask you that! These people need our help, not our aggression."

"What other ideas do you have? We can't run because we have an objective to secure. You want them to trounce us and leave the whole town starving?"

"There has to be a better way."

"This is the better way."

Whitney beats down with his weapon once more. Arslan pushes the possessed man out of the way and his knife lodges into the combustion line of a truck.

To my left, Bolin hits the man in front of him with a right cross.

"Bolin!" I say.

"Mr. Zaroff is right. We can't leave Elsinore starving."

"These people need our help."

"Mr. Zaroff is a professional huntsman. We're still in training taking on something way above our heads. Let's just listen to him."

"Finally, someone with some sense."

"Can't we pack up all of the food and leave?" Reese says.

"We are not! Leaving these people." Arslan says.

She ends up taking a hit again. This time the impact has her reeling. She gets up and looks like she's about to kill Whitney. This isn't good, I should intervene.

"Arslan don't, he's not the enemy." I say, moving over to them, but then Bolin strikes down one of the possessed with his staff. Reese tries to pull his staff away from him but he pushes her away. This is all escalating too fast. If things get worse then we might end up attracting more Grimm here like when I was separated from Qrow and them. Who do I stop first?

Suddenly, something cold sinks into my shoulder. I grunt in pain and see a possessed man fall to the ground. My aura should have protected me from that. What's wrong with me.

"Stop attacking these defenseless people!" Arslan says. She lights the bandages around her hands on fire and starts assaulting Zaroff.

"Defenseless? Are you ignoring their weapons because it can't double as a gun?" He parries her wild attacks effortlessly, which only makes her madder.

"Bolin, do you really think this is the right thing to do?" Reese asks.

"I don't see you thinking of anything. Do you just want to leave these people suffering?"

"No...but there's—" She blocks an attack from Bolin before he hits one of the possessed. "There's gotta be another way."

"Then tell me, please!"

"I don't…" She drops her weapon. Right when he saw he wasn't getting any resistance from her, the blades of his staff come out.

This whole time Nadir has been quiet. He pushes them away hurriedly. He looks panicked on the surface but there's something else. He has his focus not on the people, but on the Grimm.

"Nadir, do you have any ideas?"

"Well, it's only a hypothesis that I read in an article written by a new, upcoming Grimm researcher so it might—

"Just spit it out already." I say.

"Shower them with love!"

Author's Note: Thanks for reading. I have an idea for team ARBN that I got while making this chapter. However, for it to make the most sense I would need to go back and edit a few things in previous chapters. I can still move forward like this but there will be inconsistencies. How do you guys feel about making changes like that? Would you rather me keeping moving forward or change up things when appropriate?