(Well this fic has gotten over a thousand views. Thanks, but anyways...story time)
Stray Cat Strut
Alright Chesh, today's the day I ask Ozpin about the whole 'sentient Grimm' situation. I roll out of the top bunk of the bed at the same time as yesterday, only difference today that there's the sound of mechanical clinks. I look at the corner and see Roy with goggles on working on something with seventy nine canisters around him, I tilt my head and walk over to him and give a tap on the shoulder. "Morning Roy." I tell him still groggy
He turns his attention to me and takes his goggles off showing his golden eyes with dark rings around them, a tired smile on his face. "Morning Axel!" He says cheerfully
"How long have you been up?" I ask him a bit concerned, kid's probably tired from the looks of it. He puts a finger to his chin and hmms for a moment "I'd say siiiince...midnight?" He says casually
"Midnight?" I ask shocked which he merely replies with a nod. "Yeaaah don't worry Ax, I usually stay up late when I get cool ideas in my head." He replies with a shrug.
"And...how often do you get them?"
"Pretty often."
A silence builds up between the two of us, does he have an internal sleep clock? Probably not.
"So!" He starts back up happily, "Want to see what I've spent all night working on?" He asks tilting his head. I nod and he puts one of the canisters in my hand
"Roy Indigo is proud to present: Dust grenades!" He says proudly, taking a look at the canister it does have a pin on it, and a red flame design on it. Looking to the others I see they all have different designs; nine more have the same flame design, another ten with a blue wave, one group with a green tornado, another having a white snowflake, another a gray cloud, one a purple lightning bolt, another ten having black arrows pointing up and down, and the last group having a dirt brown rock
It clicks in my head why they're with those little marks
"Roy...did you make them with each kind of Dust in mind?"
He gives a smile and nods, "Yep. No time for me to test them though, but I do have predictions for how they may work." He then puts his hands behind his head and gives a slow shrug Buuuuut I think I caught you up in something, what're you doing?" He asks tilting his head. "I'm gonna go talk to Ozpin about Cheshire."
"Oh joy you're finally doing it." I hear a familiar voice say, looking I see Cheshire floating right by me. "And my my Roy boy, aren't you good. Any inspiration for doing this?" He asks
"I remembered Nora's grenade launcher and I thought: 'That's pretty sweet! I wonder if I could make some grenades myself.' And so I did, each for all the different kinds of Dust: Fire, Water, Earth, Lighting, Ice the whole schabang!" He says smiling, I look at him for a moment. Kid's impressive
"Riiiiiiight," I drawl, "I'm gonna take a shower and throw some clothes on before heading to talk to Ozpin, and I need a favor from this Chesh." I say and tell the cat sternly. He looks at me for a moment curiously, "And what would that be?"
"I want you to tell me about Grimm, because there isn't much to tell besides that they're animal-like, want to kill people, and are drawn to negative emotions." I tell him, Cheshire sighs and nods. "Very well. I will tell you about the Grimm, after you speak with Ozpin." He chides
I nod and start to follow the same thing I did yesterday: grab my bag, head for the bathroom, and take a shower. After that I put on my orange shirt, longcoat, slacks and sneakers. Putting my scroll in my pocket I head back out and say my goodbyes to Cheshire and Roy
I head out the door, closing it on my way out. "Morning Axel." I hear, looking to see Pyrrha dressed up in her more combat oriented attire
"Morning Pyrrha." I reply popping my neck, "Sorry to tell you but I'm going to go and talk with Ozpin this morning."
"How come?"
"I need to talk to him about the Grimm cat we found, Cheshire." I tell her, she nods and gives a concerned look. "Are you sure it can be trusted?" She asks, I can understand why she would be worried about a sentient Grimm. I merely shrug before responding, "Hasn't killed anyone yet. So I'm sure he's pretty alright."
She gives a single nod. "Well...alright then, I'll let you go and talk with him."
"It's fiiiine it's fiiiiine. It'll all be over before you know it...hopefully." I say with a grin on my face. She gives a half smile and nods before heading off
Guess I should go too
"Happy to see that you're adjusting to this place." A voice says causing the blood in my veins to freeze. Ozpin standing with his one of his arms behind his back and his coffee mug in the other
"How...how much did you manage to hear?" I ask a bit fearfully
"I heard that you wished to speak with me." He gives a small smile, "Come to my office for it, I will assume that it is a...private matter." He says before turning his back and walking off.
I silently sigh and follow him, everything needs to go smoothly
Sometime later
Following Ozpin into his office, I have to say that it's quite impressive: a glass floor showing gears and mechanisms at work, green dials acting as lights and parts of Beacon's clock tower, and of course a desk with two chairs sitting at opposite sides from one another, can't really describe it. In one of the chairs is Ozpin who sitting down in it generates...thoughts.
"Take a seat young man." He says gesturing to the other seat I nod and do as told, scooting up a bit along with it. "Now what is it that you wish to tell me about Mr. Lind?"
I should get straight to the point.
I take a deep breath and exhale before speaking, "During initiation. My team along with Ruby and Jaune's encountered something that is rather...unique in some ways." I tell him squeezing my hands together, he nods.
"What was found, is a feline Grimm. With intelligence." He cocks an eyebrow at the words, "Really?"
"Yes sir. We haven't been sure on what to do with it, it hasn't attacked or done anything disruptive. So I've been meaning to ask what your opinion is on this." I elaborate
He nods sagely, "What else can you tell me about this Grimm you've found?"
"I mentioned it's feline of course, it's twice the size of a small dog for example a corgi, it is able to talk, it can turn invisible but only it's mouth can be seen, and it is able to float." He gives a hmm, closing his eyes...thinking...
"I will allow you to keep it here so long as no one else finds out, and learn what you can from-"
"Cheshire." I cut in
"Come again?"
"It likes to be referred to as Cheshire." He breaths before speaking again, "Like I was saying; keep it so long as no one else finds out, and learn what you can from this...Cheshire. It may prove to be a valuable asset."
I sigh in relief and turn my gaze away from Ozpin for a moment, I see the barrel thing from yesterday in a corner. It seems to notice me and...waves...
"Is there something wrong Mr. Lind?" Ozpins voice snapping me back to him, I shake my head
"I-It's nothing Ozpin." I stutter out, "Just saw something. I'll be leaving now." I say standing up and heading out the door, "Have a good day Ozpin!" I yell out as I leave
The Thing isn't all too dangerous, then again who knows.
Time passes, breakfast is had before I head back to the dorm. Cheshire waiting on the floor
"So did you talk to him?" Cheshire asks lazily, "Yes I did. Gotta keep you out of sight and out of mind from other people, and I have to ask a few questions...but you're free to stay here."
He gives a small smile
"Perfect. Now want me to answer some of your questions?"
I nod and pull out a chair and take a seat. "Question number one!" I start up bombastically before finishing with a serious response, "How do Grimm think"
"You know how a hive mind works...correct? All ants, termites, wasps, bees so on and so forth have a connection to one another?" He asks swishing his tail around, I give a nod and his smile turns into a frown...this may not be good
"Think of it like that; all Grimm have an innate sense of knowing from one another, genetic memory right down to the first Grimm to have ever came into existence: The Grimmlord."
"What the hell is the 'Grimmlord'?"
"Well dear Axel the Grimmlord is like the name implies: the lord and master, progenitor and maker of all Grimm. It made the Grimm as an extension of itself in order to wipe out mankind...until Dust as you call it came along, and then it all became the status quo of blindly attacking people."
Grimmlord eh?
"Can it be killed?" Asking that causes Cheshire to guffaw, "Not that I know of! Everytime it is close to dying it surfs it's soul and mind into a new...'host' body if you will. It's never really the same body twice."
This is something that maybe a problem, "You know the body the Grimmlord is currently inhabiting?" He sighs and shakes his head for a no.
"Sadly...I do not know."
"Well shit...back to the previous thing, how come you're not. You know: killing or destroying like every other Grimm?"
"I've had my connection cut away from my kindred for a loooong time, only reason I don't know EVERYTHING about my kindred is because of that. I can't pull up any recent knowledge of them, I can see that they still don't have much for tactics besides 'KILLKILLKILL!'"
"And what do the Grimm call Dust?" I ask him, he pauses for a long time before speaking again
"Nature's Curse...and it's a curse on my kin." He says sadly, "Hmm...thanks for answering them Chesh, appreciate it." He gives a small smile again
"Any time Axel...any time."
The door creaks open and I hear someone speak, "Hey Axie, we're going to head to the library to play a game. Wanna come?" I growl with a blush creeping up on my face. "Of course Yang, I'll come right now." I say through clenched teeth
I can practically feel Yang and Cheshire grinning. Standing up I turn to see Yang leaning by the door way. "Come on," she says nodding her head out the door, "Ruby's been waiting on you for it."
I give a small evil smirk and nod, "After you, Yangy." A little strip of pink shows up on her face as she growls. I give a little laugh, "Just teasing! Let's go." She sighs and the two of us head out
You're heading to the library?
Yeaaaah?...why do you ask Cain?
...Reasons.
I can only guess what he means
(And so another one bites the dust. And a challenge for you readers! Spot the Dawn of War/WH40k reference, you find it: tell me)