WARNING!
If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!
UPDATE 2/4/2017: I will be posting another chapter sometime next week!
That said, I appreciate the comments and criticism I received. Most were unbiased and supported, which I appreciated. The more unsavory comments were noted if they proved to be productive to my work (ignoring the more biting commentary). I appreciate anything that could help and isn't really based on just personal preference.
I'm still building up the story, so be patient with me! I'm also keeping things vague so I have room to change things, in case RWBY tries to pull one over on me and surprise me with any new revelations. This new volume was a part of the reason why this chapter took so long, since I decided to change somethings to fit the new material.
About the Harem/Pairings
In any case, I won't be talking about the harem or pairings anymore...simply because I never stated if there would be a harem or not, and some weren't too happy that I booted Ruby and Weiss from the pairings. My mind is subject to change with the progression of the story guys, so anything is possible. Everything is still up in the air, and I'll worry more about it once I get to the point that romance can begin. For now, I'll just continue with the story. I will give you guys an estimate that romance probably won't begin for another 20+ chapters. Nothing romantic will happen during my first two Arcs. Maybe something will start in the third, and the fourth is when I really plan to pick things up.
Sorry for not getting to reviews and questions, but I'm busy with a new job that I love doing as much as I love writing, so I will be pretty busy.
Release Schedule: NaruKami is still my priority, so its release will come first...unless I am in the zone with this story. Since Volume 4 came out, I wanted to wait until the end before writing another chapter. But seeing your feedback and support, I came out with this!
I'm glad so many of you enjoy it so far, so I may write another chapter or two even as volume 4 goes on.
Keep in mind that Re: Grimm chapters will more than likely be shorter than my other story (2000-5000 words) unless I am on fire while writing.
Thanks for the support, and I hope you enjoy!
"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech
In Oum I Trust-- Normal thought
"In Oum I Trust"- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)
*Sigh*- Action
In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance
"In Oum I Trust"- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech
In Oum I Trust- Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought
"In Oum I Trust"- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.
The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.
Chapter 2: Tempered through Time
-82 years before Canon-
Grimm...
A wonder of the world...or a nightmare?
For as long as humanity has existed, the Grimm have been around.
Yet after so many years, little is known about Grimm other than the fundamentals to survive.
Through time, man and faunus kind studied their weaknesses and behaviors, discovered their varieties, and calculated the threat levels of Grimm.
Strides have been made in Grimm countermeasures; development in dust and weaponry only seemed to evolve with every generation of hunters and huntresses.
There has been research in the past, and there were sure to be more in the future...but humanity still struggles to crack the truth on the origins of Grimm-kind.
It became universally accepted by the world of Remnant that they were forces of nature, acting against humanity.
Then that begs the question...why does nature deem humanity to be a threat?
Philosophers believed that nature deem humanity was polluting the world with war, destruction, and chaos. Humanity was seen as disease; that humanity was a virus that can only harm the natural splendor of the world and nature.
That all this was a desperate act by mother nature to preserve the remnants of a slowly, dying world.
Out of fear and more pressing concerns, this seemed to be the widespread belief amongst all Remnant's inhabitants.
But doesn't that seem so...superficial?
Take humans for example.
They seem to be simple creatures on the surface...but their bodies hold many mysteries, and are far more complex than meets the eye.
They can feel emotions.
They can make decisions.
They can use a power that can bend even the laws of physics.
Their bodies are functioned by organs, nerves, and muscles that act as the cogs to a complex, fleshy machine, known as the body.
There is so much more to humanity than they realize, to the extent that humans don't even fully understand themselves.
So, who is humanity to decide what Grimm are, what they're like, and where they came from?
Because Grimm were deemed unintelligent, humanity took it upon themselves to decide the truth of their existence, and labeled them whatever they wanted.
Naruto, however, didn't see things in the same light.
If you were never a Grimm, how can you claim to know them? He thought.
Naruto is special, in the way that he can now fully decipher what Grimm truly were because he lives amongst them.
He can relate to them because his biology is the same. He retains the same urges all Grimm have, and has a connection to the mindset of Grimm.
He found that Grimm can, in fact, communicate with each other. This was discovered shortly after he ate his first human, and finally put his focus onto things outside of his survival and resisting his natural urges.
There wasn't really a language they shared. Rather, there just seemed to be some sort of instinctual link that made it easy for them to understand each other; something akin to telepathy that allowed each other a basic understanding of their feelings towards something.
And when their mind wasn't clouded over due to surrounding negative emotions and instincts, they could communicate normally, though it was usually at a toddler-like level.
It was through this discovery Naruto finally found a purpose for himself in life.
Oum mentioned that there were more to Grimm than meets the eye, he mused before looking at his companions that have been by his side for the past year.
The boarbatusks, Pumbaa and Gordy, could be seen testing each other's strength in the distance by butting heads in the clearing, while Naruto was lazily resting in a tree above them. Naruto always found it entertaining to watch them fight with each other. For one, it made the dull days that went by more lively; or another, it kept them from bothering him so often.
...and I want to find out what that is. If I can learn more about them, he paused as he lifted his tails in front of him to take in their bushy appearance, then I can learn more about myself.
The biggest reason for Naruto's new purpose in understanding Grimm was because he himself seemed to have evolved in a way that was difficult to ignore. After consuming his first human, he felt stronger, faster, slightly larger, and had gained an additional tail.
From the general knowledge he received from Oum, he never knew there was such a phenomenon outside of transforming into an Alpha Grimm.
But Naruto had a feeling his transformation wasn't the same. He was much too small to be considered an Alpha. And though he is very capable when in confrontation due to his unnatural speed and finesse in combat, that was mainly due to him possessing a far greater intelligence and experience for fighting, not because of the evolution itself.
Over the past year, he continued to feast on the corpses of hunters and huntresses who had fallen due to the war, but there were only slight changes since his evolution. He would only gain minor improvements in dexterity, strength, and control of his body.
After he crossed the line by eating a human, it became easier to do as time progressed. He was still resistant the next few times, but he came to understand that this is his life now, and he can't do anything to change this…for now.
He understood that he would rather control his diet, than become a mindless beast who devours every little thing in its path. This is the reason he only feeds on those who are already dead.
*Slam* *Slam*
Broken from his thoughts, Naruto began to feel the tree he was resting on begin to shake a bit. Not so much to make him fall, but enough to catch his attention at the very least.
He looked down at the source with narrowed eyes and saw Pumbaa and Gordy giving him a look that said, "Let's play!"
Naruto yipped in annoyance, "This is our first break in weeks! Let me relax a little."
He then waved his front paw in a shooing motion, "If you want to play, do what you were doing before."
Naruto wasn't sure why he stuck around with these hogs for so long. Although they do provide some entertainment, they also come with an equal amount of annoyance. It kind of cancels the good out with the bad.
*Snort* *Snort*
"What does it look like? I'm trying to nap!"
*Snort...*
"I know I don't need to sleep. It just feels nice to close my eyes."
*Snort!* *Snort!* *Snort!*
"Where did you learn to say that?!"
*Snort...*
"Ah...Right...me..."
This battle between yips and snorts continued for some time, until Naruto finally caved in to their vigor. It was always this way since they first met.
The boars loved to fight each other, but enjoyed it even more with Naruto. He fought by moving around and intelligently using his body in acrobatic ways that required skill and finesse that Grimm were generally incapable of. In short, Naruto was a challenge they wanted to overcome.
To the Boarbatusks, it was considered play time...but for Naruto, it was training.
It took some time getting used to his body, especially after he gained a larger one and an additional tail, but the boars helped him refine his movement. This was another one of those reasons why he appreciated having them around. They certainly knew how to provide a decent warm-up.
Naruto leaped down from the tree and landed behind the boar and yipped, "*Sigh* Fine, fine...go ahead, show me what you got."
With his confirmation, both boars released a grunt in response, of what seemed to be...excitement?
Strange...now that I think about it, these guys are definitely different since we first met, he thought.
The way they express themselves have become much clearer than before, and I can understand their snorts a little better now as well...I wonder what changed?
Naruto wasn't given much time to contemplate however, as Gordy was the first to tackle towards him.
Haah~, he's attacking the same exact way we first met, thought Naruto with hints of disappointment welling within, but I guess that's to be expected I suppose.
As Naruto had said, Gordy was attacking him the same exact way he did during their first encounter. He couldn't really blame them for this, though. Grimm were generally simple creatures to begin with, and the Boarbatusks were even more so. Their bodies were designed for charging and frontal assaults, so there was a limit to what they could actually do.
Already having experienced this same attack pattern before, Naruto reached out his claws for his tusk, and proceeded to spin him like he had done once before. He hoped they would learn their lesson this time, but he didn't have high expectations.
After a couple of spins, Naruto tossed Gordy to the side, slamming him into a nearby tree.
At least…that is what he thought would happen.
Whilst in the air, Gordy seemed to shift his weight forward, making him spin in a rapid manner that broke the momentum of the throw.
He continued to spin when he touched down onto the ground, and proceeded to wheel around for another, more powerful, charge.
Meanwhile, Naruto stood still in surprise as he contemplated what had just happened.
Did he just…use me?
From Naruto's perspective, Gordy baited Naruto into doing the same move he had done before by acting stupid.
He used Naruto's move to give him a faster rotation for his rollout charge that Boarbatusks are known for.
Naruto's eyes narrowed at the boar that was closing in on him with gaining speed, either he has incredible instinct…or his intellect is increasing. How can that be possible for Grimm within a year?
Naruto's perspective of Grimm continued to grow more and more mysterious. It seemed like with every discovery came infinite questions.
Despite this curveball technique that Gordy pulled off, it only managed to surprise Naruto, not catch him off guard. He was well versed in combat, and has gotten into some territorial disputes with several Grimm throughout the year, so the difference between him and the boars were still significant.
When Gordy was only a few inches away, he jumped above him onto another tree and observed what he was planning to do next.
Wheeling around once more, Gordy charged again to the tree Naruto was in.
During his charge, Pumbaa had come along at some point and adopted a low stance in front of the tree, with his tusks low and facing the charging Gordy.
Naruto tilted his head in confusion, what are they-
Naruto then paused before he reached a conclusion that widened his eyes once more in shock.
Seriously?!
This was Naruto's thought as he saw Gordy charge onto Pumbaa's tusks, where the hog was then launched towards the foxy Grimm like a catapult.
Naruto swiftly leapt back to the ground as Gordy tore through the tree he was on previously like it was paper.
This isn't instinct, Naruto concluded, they are learning at a MUCH faster rate than the average Grimm should.
Perhaps the previous move could have been played off as survival instinct and natural reaction, but the fact that the two Grimm worked together to create a catapult?
That was strategy.
Naruto grinned mischievously as he watched the boars begin their next assault, things are starting to get interesting…
Despite their growing intelligence, it still wasn't at a level that would make Naruto take them seriously. He easily put them in their place…again.
The crew of one fox and two Boarbatusks could now be seen traveling through the forest
*Snort* *Snort*
"Yeah, I'm actually still a bit surprised. You guys impressed me."
*Snort of pride*
"Hah! You cocky hogs. What're you so proud for? I still kicked your asses." Naruto yipped in a laugh. He couldn't let them get swelled heads and become cocky, because that could cost them in the future.
*Snort…*
Naruto rolled his eyes, "Mean? I'm surprised you guys still know what that word means. I just taught you last week!"
As Naruto just said, he had been training Pumbaa and Gordy to understand what certain words mean, and how to speak in a way like himself. While Naruto wouldn't admit it, he did start to feel a bit lonely. He wanted to have someone he could talk to that didn't require sounds.
"Come back and complain when you guys can communicate something other than snorts through our link."
This sort of banter continued as they tread on until a familiar wave of negativity passed through them.
At the feeling, the Boarbatusks immediately adopted an aggressive countenance, but did little to move from their position.
Throughout the time that they spent with Naruto, they clearly understood who was the Alpha of the group. While Naruto was still smaller than them in size, he proved time and time again that he was superior in every way.
They refused to move without the ok from their boss.
It's close, thought Naruto as he picked up on the location of the negative sensation.
Naruto's slit eyes narrowed as he looked in the direction of this negative feeling. His control over his urges back then is nothing in comparison to what it is now. With Naruto's regulated diet, it's rare to see him in an unreasonable state of starvation and lose himself to his instincts.
From the direction of negativity, he could here cries of agony and pleas for help in the distance as a hulking roar silenced them with monstrous steps that shook the ground even Naruto was standing on. To feel the earth quake from its steps, even at this distance, Naruto couldn't help but be shocked.
Whatever that Grimm is, its big.
Perhaps in another world, Naruto may have played the role as a hero and saved those desperate hunters and huntresses from death. But Naruto understood now that the world isn't such a kind place.
The humans hunted Grimm, and the Grimm destroyed the humans. Even if he himself never went to hunt humans himself, it didn't mean he would stop other Grimm from doing so. And he was sure that humans would kill him without any regrets.
This was just the way the world worked. He was only a single fox Grimm, something like this was outside of his power and control to handle.
He shook his head, Besides, those guys were asking for it.
Being a Grimm with intellect, Naruto could do something no other Grimm could. Normal Grimm were only capable of sensing if there was a lot of negativity, or a little.
But because he had emotions of his own, he could differentiate the feelings of negativity from one another. He could sense the intentions of those feelings, whether it be lust, murder, anger, depression, and more.
From what he felt, those hunters/huntresses were very intent on hunting the monstrous Grimm in the distance, but it seemed they overestimated their own capabilities.
If you are prepared to hunt, prepare to be hunted yourselves.
It was a dog-eat-dog world in Remnant, something Naruto understood very clearly. Then again, what world isn't like this nowadays?
Naruto remained steady for what seemed like a half an hour, before the screams and stomping in the distance became mute.
It was then he gave a nod to the hogs, "Let's check it out guys."
*Snort!*
*Snort!*
It took only a few moments before they arrived at a small clearance in the area. At least, it would have been considered a small clearing if it weren't for the decimated bodies that littered the ground around them, as well as the toppled trees and minced bushes.
Limbs and bodies could be seen bent and broken at sickening angles.
The surrounding trees were bulldozed over, dressed with thrashed bodies and drenched blood.
There was not a body that could be seen which hadn't been ground or crushed.
It was a brutal sight.
This was a Grimm attack for sure, but what kind of Grimm is this capable? Thought Naruto as he took in his surroundings, before spotting the appearance of a very large figure.
Its size was towering, as it held the mangled body of what appeared to be a hunter's corpse, with a dark trunk. It seemed to be taking its time as it chewed the head of the hunter.
Its skull was protected with bone plating, reminiscent of his own, and two large tusks protruding outwardly in a threatening manner. Its back were covered in spines like a porcupine, and had some bone plating covering its legs.
Goliath, concluded Naruto as he continued to watch the hulking Grimm casually indulge himself with the corpses of his prey. Naruto couldn't help but notice that this Grimm was two times bigger than the average Goliath and had a unique red tint dyed to the ends of its tusks. Its trunk also seemed to have rings of bone plating, something other Goliaths did not have. It also had scars that littered its body and mask, which attested to how old this grim truly was, and its dominating presence seemed to make Gordy and Pumbaa shake more than a bit.
This is the presence of an Alpha, Naruto thought as he took in this imposing figure of a Grimm.
Noticing that it wasn't alone, the Goliath took a glance towards the new arrival of Grimm.
It sent a bored gaze towards the Boarbatusks that shivered under its presence, but paused once it caught sight of a young kit that seemed perfectly fine to be standing before a Grimm that absolutely towered over its figure.
Naruto became wary as the Goliath proceeded to tread towards him slowly, with undeterred focus and a daunting gaze.
Once the Goliath was close, it dropped the corpse that was held in his trunk and began to…sniff him.
What is it trying to do? Naruto mused. He was a bit uncomfortable seeing how much attention this giant Grimm was giving him.
Nevertheless, he did nothing to impede his actions. Naruto could not feel any ill intent coming from it, only a powerful sense of curiosity.
Strange, Naruto reflected, Those Beowolves I first met did something similar when we first met. Am I a rare Grimm?
This wasn't the first time he had gained this sort of attention, but the most he received was a passing gaze after his first encounter.
After a few moments, the Goliath's trunk pulled away, while keeping Naruto in his sight.
"You...Strange…" It communicated through the link.
Naruto was taken aback when he heard the Grimm speak through the link, "You can speak?"
After spending so much time with the boars, he was starting to think that only he could speak clearly through the link between Grimm. It was a pleasant surprise to him, since his only interaction had been with snorts. Even though it spoke pretty slowly, and in broken sentences, this was still a nice change of pace.
The Goliath slowly nodded his head and responded, "All…olden Grimm…speak…with time…"
It then cast a curious question of its own, "You speak…like…Wise Grimm…but feel…young...why so?"
"I can't say," said Naruto, fabricating his response, "I was born about a year ago, and I've been 'aware' since I first formed."
Naruto didn't really know how to answer this question without saying something unbelievable. So, he decided to play for ignorance, since it saved time explaining. Though the Goliath could speak, it still wasn't at the level of intelligence that was capable of detecting lies.
Not that it would care either way.
The Grimm seemed to accept the answer with another nod, "I see...world is…mysterious…"
Naruto then asked, "Why did you approach me? You didn't know I was able to speak before."
It was obvious this wasn't the reason he was approached. Naruto only spoke after this mammoth Grimm finished whatever investigation it had performed.
Naruto noticed that the Grimm was silent for a moment, seemingly having trouble explaining his reasoning.
It was a few more moments later before it continued, "Don't know…You…are Grimm…yet feel…different…"
This seemed to catch him by surprise, leading him to ask, "Different how?"
Naruto was curious. He himself knew why he was different, considering he was an ex-human shoved into the shell of a Grimm. His advanced intelligence, in comparison to other Grimm, was at a whole other level.
"You are…Grimm…yet feel…human…"
Human? Thought Naruto in shock.
Now that he thought about it, how did he not notice it before?
Even if Grimm can develop intelligence, they shouldn't be able to gain emotions…well, according superficial knowledge.
Are they able to detect my change in emotion?
Unable to hide is curiosity, Naruto asked, "So you approached me because I feel human?"
To his surprise, the Goliath shook his head at this, "No…you strange…but…something else…more strange…"
Naruto's curiosity was struck once more as he thought, More strange? What could be more strange than a Grimm that feels like a human? That should be considered total absurdity according to today's "common sense."
Finding it fruitless to ponder on his own, he decided to voice his question, "What could be more strange?"
The Grimm seemed to give him a another look over before answering, "I don't…feel like…killing…you…"
The moment those words were spoken, Naruto froze at the Grimm's casual admittance to murder.
The Goliath continued, "We Grimm…hate humans…yet…I don't…hate you…That…is strange…"
Naruto couldn't agree more with this statement.
If it truly was as the Goliath said, shouldn't all other Grimm hate him as much as they hate other humans? If he really did give off the vibe of a human being despite appearing as a Grimm, then why hasn't he been hunted by his kind?
And yet according to the Goliath, Naruto seemed to be the exception to this.
"You feel…like…an Alpha…your feeling…makes me…want…to follow…" Spoke the aged Grimm as he bent at the knee in deference to Naruto.
A loud *boom* resounded as the Goliath bowed to the ground, causing Naruto, Pumbaa, and Gordy to lose their footing a bit in surprise.
While Naruto and the group regained their footing, the Goliath continued, "I…want…to learn…more…about you…so allow…this one…to follow…"
"I'm nowhere near as old as you," Naruto began with a shake of his head, "You are larger, and stronger than I am. Why would you follow a small Grimm like me?"
The Mammoth was silent for a short time as it stared in Naruto's eyes, noticing how he had slit pupils, something other Grimm didn't possess.
"For…the same reason…the boars…follow…"
The Goliath then stood once more as it approached the boars, before sidling up to them in a line formation.
"Grimm Alpha…isn't…the strongest…it's…the smartest…you…smarter…"
Hearing this, Naruto felt like he finally understood one of the mysteries of being an Alpha Grimm.
It didn't matter how strong one was, and Naruto was proof of this. If one possessed enough intelligence or skill, they could conquer even the greatest of heights.
The Alpha's in Grimm history were more known for their greater strength in comparison to average Grimm, but it seemed their ability to rally other Grimm to their side was overlooked often.
"We feel…you can…bring us…change…and hope…"
Hope, Naruto thought inwardly, as he let that one word mull around his head once or twice.
He never expected words like hope from a Grimm. For a long time, they have been perceived as evil creatures, or the embodiment of chaos. For a race of beings who were treated as bringers of destruction to use words like 'hope', it was truly a novel experience for him.
Naruto dared to say that he felt…happy.
Naruto wanted to do more than understand his race now. He wanted to meet their expectations, and clear up the general misconception of his kind.
There was a reason why they are the way they are. He just needed to find this reason, and correct it.
But, who knows how long this may take. It could be years, decades, centuries…but as a Grimm, he felt he had all the time in the world.
He turned his gaze to the direction of the Boarbatusks and asked, "Do you guys feel the same way?"
*Snort!*
*Snort!*
To Naruto's surprise, there was no hesitation in the snorts of his companions. He had never bothered to ask for their reasoning to follow them, and only thought it was because he was stronger.
The hogs were confident in their answer as they performed the same action the Goliath did, by bowing to him in submission, and what also seemed to be genuine respect.
Naruto smiled a foxy grin, "I see…then I guess I shouldn't disappoint."
He then turned in the direction of the Goliath for a moment before asking, "Do you have a name of some sort?"
The Goliath merely shook his head, "We Grimm…usually…don't need…names…"
Naruto thought about this for a moment, deciding to give his new companion a name.
Naruto was different from normal Grimm, and needed a name to differentiate them to avoid confusion. He also felt that names gave them a sense of identity, making it easier to give out commands.
As he thought about names, a small tingle could be felt in the back of his head as a name seemed to pop out of him from the pool of knowledge he was granted, "I think…Ganesha would be a good name."
"Ganesha," It spoke, repeating the name a few times to have a good feel for the word, "Ganesha…it feels…wise…powerful…I like…it."
Naruto smiled at his approval and nodded, "That's great. My name's Naruto, by the way. And these guys are Pumbaa and Gordy."
*Snort!*
*Snort!*
"I see…I…will be…in your care…"
Nodding at the short exchange of introductions, Naruto turned away towards the forest and said, "Well, let's head out before more hunters and huntresses come along."
"As you say…my Alpha…" Ganesha confirmed, before the small herd of Grimm disappeared into the folds of darkness and within the forest.
A/N: End of Chapter!
Here's my answer to a question that may be common after I post this chapter
Q: Why did the Goliath join so easily?
A: The Grimm are much simpler than human beings, and rely on instinct. The Goliath felt Naruto was more capable, and followed through with this instinct. Nothing complicated, really.
I didn't have as much detail as I usually do in my chapters, but I had to change this chapter around A LOT because of RWBY volume 4. So much new material to work with! It kind messed with my plans a bit, but not too much. I may wait a bit more episodes to see if there is anything new about Grimm that pop out, but other than that, I will try to spend more time on their story!
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and continue to do so! This was a struggle, but I promise to do my best!
Please leave reviews with any questions, comments, or unbiased criticism. Thanks!
~Stay cool, but don't freeze!