Alright glad to see that people like Acceptance so much. I hope I continue to live up to your expectations. I do not own RWBY.
Chapter 2- Bonds Built on Lies.
Blake's POV
BANG! There, that's the last of them. I landed right near a Beowolf pack, luckily they were relatively weak. I still have a large chunk of my ammo and the greater portion of my Aura. Now let's hope I can find a partner I can stand. I tense at the sound of clapping. Looking behind me I see the guy that took the spot next to me last night walking out of the trees. His hood is pulled up and his left sleeve is torn off revealing his bandaged wrapped arm. I suppose a fellow Faunus would be the best I could hope for.
"That was impressive, sorry for not jumping in but I would have only gotten in the way." I nod accepting his reason. After all it takes time to get used to fighting with someone. To know your partner's rhythm in combat. Clashing allies can be as fatal as a broken weapon. I hold my hand out and he shakes it.
"Blake Belladonna." He sends me a fanged grin and lets my hand go. "Name's Jaune. Nice to meet you." I stare waiting for his last name but let it go after a minute of silence.
"We should go look for the relics." Jaune nods but holds up his hand first. "Actually I've got something I should show you first. If we're going to be partners you should see this, it wouldn't be fair otherwise." My mind flashes to scenes from my literature but I let those ideas go, he doesn't seem the type. Jaune closes his eyes and when he opens them I jump back and point Gambol Shroud in gun mood at him.
His eyes are now that of a Grimm. Black spheres with burning red lights in the center, they lack the sheer rage and savagery of other Grimm but it's still there if in lesser quantities. Jaune looks me over and shrugs.
"Well at least you didn't shoot me, not that it would work." He's… no it's acting so calm about this. How in the Hell did a Grimm take human form? "Alright I've already been through this before so let me make this clear. I am not a Grimm, I'm a Halfling. Half-Human and Half-Grimm. I was not born this way but changed into this." I keep my gun trained on the creature, it seems almost amused. It hasn't made any move to attack however.
"How did you infiltrate Beacon?" The creature smiles once more. "That's rich coming from you Kitty-Cat." I should have known it would know my secret, it's proved last night it has advanced senses with knowing Ruby's personal scent.
"I'm a Faunus so what." The creature's grin turns into a predatory smirk; it tenses and looks ready to pounce. "You have a certain scent, a certain someone's scent, lingering about you. The smell of bloody beef to be precise. So, tell me Kitty-Cat, what is your relationship with Adam Taurus?" I try to keep my face blank but my mind is racing, this thing knows Adam?
"I don't know who you're talking about." In a second its face is an inch from mine. "Don't try and lie to me, I can hear your heartbeat. I can smell Adam on you but the scent is several months old. So, are you or are you not a member of the White Fang?" I feel a prick at my throat and glance down to see the beast's unbandaged hand with a gauntlet of bone covering it, claws ready to go straight for my jugular.
"I left them, you happy." In a second the beast backs up and its eyes are back to the blue I first saw. "Yeah we're good."
"Like I'd ever be fine with a soulless beast!" I might have said the wrong thing. Its face turns into a snarl and black aura surrounds it. Is this thing telling the truth? Grimm can't have aura after all. Then the rage leaves its face and it sighs and rubs its forehead. "Forget you saw me, this clearly isn't going to work. I'm going back to the Wilds" I move my gun to be aimed at its head.
"What makes you think I'd let you get away, if you're smart enough to speak you can't be allowed to roam." The creature scoffs.
"Kitty-Cat, tell me something. Do you honestly think Ozpin of all people doesn't know about me or you for that matter? Hell, he's the only reason I'm not someone's rabid dog!" My eyes widen. "Like I said, I'm Half-Human and Half-Grimm. I was hoping you'd at least listen but I can tell that won't happen. If a Faunus that fears discovery won't listen to me then what hope do I have with anyone else should I be found out." Its... his words hit me hard. I immediately judged him for his features, something I've had to deal with for years. I acted no better than a Schnee. Jaune turns to leave but I call out to him.
"Wait!" he looks over his shoulder back at me. I sheathe Gambol Shroud but keep my hand on the hilt just in case. "Just… just explain how you came to be." Jaune gains a light smile on his face and nods. His smile then disappears and his face loses all emotion.
"Short version is I got nabbed by some bastards and experimented on when I was nine, give or take a few months. After a year of experiments Ozpin broke me out and took be back to my birthplace. I wasn't well liked there before hand, I won't get into details. A year later and I had a little… breakdown. No-one died thank Oum but I had to hightail it out of there. I've spent the last six years just wandering, exploring the wilds and figuring out my nature." I don't have a response for that, some part of me still fears him but I'll at least hear him out for now.
"Also dealing with the asshole inside of me. Those experiments tore my soul in two and half became a Grimm soul. The Grimm soul then developed its own personality and conscious, we fought for control of the body for a while but we get along decently nowadays." Is he serious.
"Grimm don't have souls, they're soulless beasts that seek to destroy everything. You might be an exception but you're only half, if you're telling the truth." Jaune laughs and snaps his fingers, a Beowolf pup comes running out of the tree line and stops beside Jaune.
"Meet my new pet, Fenrir. Also, the concept of Grimm lacking souls is just completely wrong. Think of it like this, Humans and Faunus have positively charged souls, Grimm have souls with a negative charge, and I suppose I have a neutral soul. I mean just look at Fenrir, can you honestly call him a monster. I look down at the pup and watch as is scratches at Jaune's pant leg until he picks it up. The thing looks so harmless but it's yet to grow. I don't think Jaune would take me trying to kill it to well though.
"Well come on Kitty-Cat lets go find those relics." I glare at him as he starts to walk off. "Quit calling me that." Jaune laughs at me and places Fenrir on his shoulder. Fenrir then latches on to the back of his head and Jaune reaches up and pets Fenrir's back.
"Don't worry, I won't say anything about your secret so that nickname will be when it's just the two of us. Cross my heart and hope to die." I catch up to him and walk alongside him for a few minutes before the question that has been on my mind comes out.
"How bad was Adam when you met him?" he was already willing to kill innocent workers when I left, I pray he hasn't fallen any farther. Jaune's next words shatter that hope.
"He was an absolute nutjob, tried to recruit me because he thought I was a Faunus. You should have heard his speech about Faunus supremacy. I don't particularly like Humans as a whole either but I don't think near genocide is the answer." Genocide? Jaune looks at me and gives me a look of pity.
"I'm guessing you knew a better side of him." I nod but stay silent. Hearing how far Adam has fallen makes me wonder if I should have stayed. Jaune seems to notice my discomfort and starts talking.
"So since we've ended up as partners how about we go over the basics of our fighting styles. I'm mainly a brawler, I prefer to get up close and personal but I do have a means of long range combat. I can also alter my body to take on Grimm characteristics, if anyone asks it's a body modification semblance." I send him a look of suspicion.
"If you have that excuse ready why didn't you just tell me that." Jaune cheeks turn bright red and he looks away.
"My Grimm half is a chimera of sorts. This leads to me having to deal with different sets of instincts acting up from time to time. Sometimes I need to just stay away from all people for a few hours and I'll need someone to cover for me." He looks desperate to drop it so I cut him some slack and start talking.
"I use Gambol Shroud here. It's a katana, pistol and kusarigama, in combination with this ribbon on my arm, while the sheath can be used as a cleaver. I can create copies of myself using my semblance that can be used as a platform or to take a blow. Dust can have a few different effects on the clones based on type." Jaune nods and sends a grin my way.
"A woman of many talents, lucky me." We settle into a comfortable silence while we walk through the woods. Jaune seems to know where he's going and he's given me no reason not to trust him so far. I stop when he puts his hand in front of me and points in front of us. Two Ursa are sleeping a few feet from us. He then leans over and whispers into my ear.
"You get into a tree and give me cover fire. I'd rather fight them head on then get attacked from behind if they wake up later." I nod and climb up a tree next to us using Gambol Shroud and switch it to gun mode. Jaune then walks into the clearing and throws a stone at one of the Ursa. Fenrir is nowhere to be seen.
The stone hits the larger Ursa and it wakes up, upon seeing Jaune it charges at him. Jaune brings up his right hand and the bone gauntlet returns only this time aura is surrounding it. I fire at the second Ursa to slow it down while Jaune deals with the first. The charging Ursa reaches Jaune and swipes a paw at him only for Jaune to stop it with his left and to send a punch into the Ursa's gut. I can hear its chest collapse and it begins to disperse only for the Ursa's essence to be sucked into Jaune.
In my distraction, the second Ursa is no longer in its former position. I can't see it until the tree starts shaking. I look down and see the Ursa slashing at the trunk of the tree. I make to jump for another only to hear the Ursa roar in anger and look back to see Fenrir chomping on Ursa's arm. It easily shakes Fenrir off and he goes flying only for Jaune to catch him. Jaune's bone gauntlet then extends outward and changes shape into a crude sword. Jaune charges the Ursa after putting down Fenrir and slashes at the Ursa's arm, cutting through it like butter. The Ursa grabs at its stump and Jaune stabs it through the chest. It falls to the ground dead and is then sucked into Jaune like the last.
I get on the ground and go over to Jaune who's looking over Fenrir. "What was that thing you did to the Grimm?" Jaune looks up at me and seems to think it over before talking.
"I can … absorb Grimm essence, my Grimm side can then figure out if there's any unique or interesting things to splice into us. It can also heal me and/or provide a pick-me-up." I nod and Jaune points Northeast after putting Fenrir back at his original position.
"I can smell Yang and a few others in that direction, strength in numbers and all that." I agree with him and we head in that direction. Upon exiting the woods into a clearing, we see some ruins with pedestals. Yang and Pyrrha Nikos are near them.
"Hey there Firecracker, Pyrrha." Jaune waves to them as we walk up. Yang grins and waves back at him and then approaches me.
"So the you two ended up as partners, what do you think so far?" I have to think for a second. Jaune hasn't been truly hostile, at least once he was assured I wasn't a member of the White Fang anymore. Yet at the same time he scares me. That vibe he gave off when he was threating me, Adam has a similar one. He would have killed me, I think. I can't get a true read on him, he simply seems to change at the drop of a hat.
"I'll withhold judgement for now." I don't know who I'm talking to, Yang or myself. Yang and Pyrrha then notices the Fenrir on Jaune and ready their weapons but I stop them. "That would be bad, Jaune seems to like the little thing." Jaune nods his head.
"Yah attacking Fenrir would not be a wise move. He's my pet and I'll consider an attack on him an attack on me. You wouldn't like to face me as an enemy." Yang and Pyrrha don't look convinced until Fenrir hops to the ground and runs over to us. He looks up and then tilts his head to the side while sticking his tongue out. Yang and Pyrrha seem to think that's adorable and put their weapons up.
"Hey Blake, this relic work for you?" I look to see Jaune holding up a rook chess piece. I nod and he pockets it in his belt. He then tilts his head to the side and looks around.
"Does anyone else hear screaming?" Now that he mentions it. I look up and see a red dot gaining speed. "Um guys." The others look up and see Ruby falling towards us. Jaune holds his arms out and positions himself under her and then catches her once she reaches him.
"So is that common for you Little Red?" A crash then gets my attention and an Ursa comes stumbling out of the woods before falling over dead. A orange-haired girl then gets off the Ursa's back when a boy in green runs out of the woods and starts talking to the girl who suddenly vanishes.
"WHAT THE HELL!" I turn to Jaune to see what caused the outburst and see the girl balancing another rook on her head.
"I'm queen of the castle. I'm queen of the castle."
"NORA!" the now named Nora then notices Fenrir and scoops him up and starts cuddling against him. "Oh aren't you adorable, who's a good doggy?" Fenrir struggles in her grip and Jaune pulls him lose.
"This is Fenrir, my pet. That needs to breathe." He then looks around and seems to be counting everyone.
"Hey Little Red, did you not find a partner yet." Ruby rubs the back of her head and grins sheepishly. "Oh I did, she's …up…. there." We follow her vision to see the Schnee hanging onto a Nevermore talon. I try not to crack a smile. Jaune however bursts out laughing.
"She's falling." The boy in green is right. Everyone looks towards Jaune and he upon noticing our looks he sighs. "Sure, let the guy who's already caught someone do it." Jaune catches the Schnee and then tosses her on the ground.
"Hey, what was that for you ruffian?" Jaune stares at her in confusion. "Was that an insult? I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk like that." Another crash draws everyone's attention to a giant Deathstalker crashing through the woods.
"I got it!" Ruby starts to rush forward but Jaune grabs her by the hood. "That's a big no Little Red. You're going to get nowhere with the armor plating that thing has." A large grin then appears on Jaune's face and his eyes gain a predatory gleam. "Let me show you how it's done."
This time I'm the one that grabs his hood. "We don't need to fight them; we just need to grab the relics and go." Jaune looks like he wants to argue but sighs and nods.
"Fine, come on Fenrir." Fenrir hops on his shoulder while Ruby grabs a knight piece.
"What is a Grimm doing on the idiot's shoulder?!"
Jaune's POV
Blake should have just let me fight the Deathstalker at the clearing but noooo. We had to take the safe option. Now we're running from the Deathstalker and towards a Nevermore, both are pretty big. The bug is definitely an Alpha while the bird is only a few months, a year tops, of growth away from reaching Alpha status.
"Only a few hours and you're already whipped. I think I'm going to enjoy our time here."I scowl inwardly at him and tell him to shove it.
"HEADS UP!" I heed Ren's warning and look to see the Nevermore flying straight at the bridge we're on. Nora, the orange haired girl, and I land on the other side while Pyrrha, Ren, and Blake are stuck with the bug. I take a few steps back and form my bone gauntlet. Fenrir tightens his grip on my neck. Channeling aura throughout my body I run forward and jump across the gap in the bridge and land on the other side. Blake takes a blow and slides behind me. I glare at the bug which senses my superiority and backs up slightly.
"You'll pay for that." Before I can move Nora comes flying in and swings her hammer down on the Deathstalker's faceplate. An explosion goes off and send Nora flying back where she hits Blake who's just getting to her feet sending Blake flying into the abyss below us.
"BLAKE!" I try to grab her but miss and she falls off. I can't believe this, not even as student and I lose my partner. Dear Oum does she have a family who'll mourn, did my slow reaction time cost someone a daughter or a sister?
"Calm down moron. She's fine." I look up and see her dashing across the air using those clones she mentioned along with her weapon's chain scythe mode. I should have had more faith in her. However, I really need to let some aggression out and I have the perfect target. I turn around and see that Ren has damaged the stinger but got sent flying for his efforts and Pyrrha has lodged her spear in one of the bugs eyes.
"Pyrrha cut it off, Nora hammer it through." Pyrrha nods and throws her shield at it while I form a platform with my hands and send Nora flying into the air thanks to some Grimm strength. Nora comes down and hammers the stinger down right as I deliver an uppercut and Fenrir claws one of its remaining eyes from his perch on my shoulders. The opposing forces crush the Deathstalkers head and the force of its body collapsing sends the flipping up and Pyrrha, Nora, Fenrir, and I into the air. Pyrrha and I land on our feet while Nora lands on her butt and Ren stumbles over to us only to collapse.
A screech then draws my attention to the cliffs to see Ruby hauling the Nevermore up the cliff using her scythe and decapitating it once she reaches the top. Not bad Little Red, not bad at all.
"This lot definitely has some talent but they wouldn't last a minute in the Wilds and Outskirts, well maybe the Cat but not the others." He's right, bandits are just as likely to attack you as Grimm in the Outskirts and sometimes kindness isn't an option. I've never directly killed a Human or Faunus but I'm not above injuring them and leaving them alone. After that... well I assume some Grimm had a good meal.
"Come on you three, I want to go get my partner." The four of us then head over and meet up with the four girls. I rush over to Blake and look her over head to toe. "You're not hurt, are you?" Blake seems surprised by my concern.
"No, nothing a bit of time won't heal." Good, I can count on one hand how many people I trust and Blake is one of them. My instincts scream that I can trust her while the fact she didn't shoot me or out me in front of everyone backs those feelings. Fenrir also seems glad Blake's okay as he hops off my shoulder and into her arms. She tries to get him off but he holds on tight and keeps licking her face. Blake then stumbles to the ground while trying to pick get Fenrir off her. I reach down and pluck him of her and offer her my hand.
"Come on Partner." She looks at my hand for a few moments and seems to be thinking before she gives a small smile and takes my hand.
"Sure, Partner." I have to admit, it's nice hearing that from someone who doesn't have to stick with me.
Alright so I need some help. I can't think of any team names. As you should be able to tell by now team A will consist of Jaune, Blake, Ren, and Nora. While team B will consist of Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, and Yang. So if you have team name please put it in a review or PM me. Please and thank you.
