No light reached deep beneath the sea yet a pool of pure darkness bubbled, still distinct from the natural absence of light surrounding it. Unaffected by the water pressing down yet never mixing with it, the liquid black rumbled and burbled.
Then it contracted for the first time since its conception. Water rushed in to lick the bare, dry rock now offered. Primordial ooze from which countless thousands of monsters were since born now compressed into a single, tiny figure. Pitch black all over, their body wavered before gaining full coherence.
Then it twitched.
Round eyes even darker than black traced their surroundings.
Schools of fish swam by, mostly ignoring them; something made of too many teeth and spikes attempted to bite the creature, but their arm elongated into a whip-like shape that cleanly bisected the assailant. A cloud of blood spread, unseen and attracting other predators.
The being known as Ghost waited for more attacks but none came as the current dragged them away. They began to float that way, paddling as they learned to do.
An indeterminate amount of time later, Ghost noticed the world becoming brighter. First specks of light pierced the ocean's depths. They ignored the fish examining them, attention solely on the brightness below. They reoriented themselves to not swim upside down and moved upward.
Ghost hit a semi-translucent wall just below the surface. Everything above was blurred, but the light still passed through. They pushed their stubby arms against it, but the structure did not give. Ghost's head tilted ever so slightly before they reared back. A single swipe blew away at least ten centimetres of ice, followed by a geyser.
Ghost emerged onto the surface dry, all water rolling off their body because it found no purchase on the smooth void matter. They began to walk toward a frozen tundra spreading from the nearby shore. Hardy trees somehow lived in these parts and thick-furred critters scurried around in search of food. Ghost poked a few, all of which darted away; the rest ignored them and was ignored in turn.
Soon enough Ghost found kin, or something akin to kin. They knew they had many siblings yet these were different. They took unknown forms though their masks were familiar as a concept. Ghost approached one of the unfamiliar void beings and poked it, but received no response. The potential sibling ignored all the other critters, too. It ambled around aimlessly, emanating a sense of anticipation.
Ghost began to wander away, but a loud bang silenced the song of life. Ghost looked down at the hole through their chest area. Another bang sounded and steel punched a hole through Ghost's head.
All their not-quite siblings became agitated, turning almost as one toward the noise. As they ran to attack, Ghost focussed; the SOUL they gathered earlier gleamed white momentarily, then filled the holes in their body. Whatever weapon struck them was unfamiliar.
They followed to where all the other void beings went, only to find them swiftly dying. Two others fended off their assault, fleshy and without any carapace. They almost gleamed in the bleak countryside, sharing words that meant nothing to Ghost.
"Hah, told you it'd be easy! Just some nice search 'n destroy!"
"Don't get sloppy or we're toast!"
"Hah, as- gah!"
The first one's noise cut off abruptly when Ghost's arm whipped them in the face. They went flying with a scream. Gunshots sounded in response, but Ghost weaved around the bullets; their body contorted into a dark wave to flow aside. Their arm slammed home again and again, whittling down the flaring fields of SOUL energy that protected these beings. Each strike drew away some more of it.
Then the first one's protection visibly shattered. The other one tried to grab her as she stumbled, dooming them both. Ghost saw weakness and capitalised with a lump of void matter, pitch black but with gleaming white eyes. The Shade Soul ravaged their mark, tearing her into tiny shreds and red liquids; her companion's aura broke as well. That one could scarcely comprehend the shower of gore before another whiplike smack opened his head.
All the other beings of void had been slain somewhere along the way. Only Ghost remained in the sudden silence, viscous red slowly sliding off their body. Looking around for further threats but finding none, their attention turned fully to the dead. Ghost quickly grabbed every piece of gear off their bodies; the wet rags they wore were discarded but most else vanished in the folds of Ghost's body.
They stopped to study a number of cartridges filled with unfamiliar, coloured powder. It did not react to prodding or being emptied out. Only when Ghost fed some of the obtained SOUL into a cartridge did it explode. After healing up, they put the remainder away as well. Then they returned to wandering with no sense of direction.
Days and nights passed, but Ghost simply kept walking. They did not encounter any of the fleshy creatures during that time. Their not-siblings continued to dismiss their presence, too. Soon enough the plains began to lead uphill and grew into mountains, from where Ghost found caves to explore. The darkness inside did not matter to them, so they proceeded; through small tunnels Ghost wandered, squeezing past crevices and cracks until they reached a mine.
Ghost knew mines; they recognised the orderly tunnels, the pickaxes and lorries. The fleshy creatures worked here, wearing heavy shells of some sort. None of them bothered Ghost who walked past them in the shadows. This went well for a time until a particularly huge specimen barred Ghost's path.
"I dunno what yer doing here kid, but this place ain't a playground," he said with his arms crossed. Ghost did not comprehend those words; the lack of threatening motions had them simply stare up at that being, whose eyes narrowed. "Got nothing to say for yerself?" No response. "Whatever. Get out."
He pointed down a specific tunnel. Ghost followed the motion, looked back at them, and started walking.
"Can't believe they dress up like Grimm. Kids these days."
Ignorant of the muttered commentary, Ghost walked on. They soon exited the mine and entered into a settlement; it was vast and a second city flew overhead. Simply wandering the streets, Ghost learned that flesh people lived here, just like bugs lived in Hallownest. Humans kept gasping when Ghost walked past.
Unlike Hallownest however, Ghost soon learned they could not simply enter every open building. Some were guarded or expected to be left alone. So Ghost went on whenever they found such a place.
As the sun began to set, they found an open door in a place that appeared like the closed off areas. With no one stopping Ghost on the approach, they poked their head inside. A human with fuzzy tail lay on a table, unconcious; meanwhile, another with darker skin skittered around them on metal legs.
Ghost watched a procedure they did not understand; by the end the human on the table had a leg of steel where there was a simple stump before. Then another human carried the sleeping person away in their arms.
That was when the dark-skinned human noticed Ghost peering in. At first he gasped and stared, but after a few seconds he bared his teeth. "Hello there, little man. You are out quite late. Why don't you come in and warm up? Penny can walk you home later."
Ghost did not react. Their head only turned when another voice sounded; it belonged to the human who carried the sleeping human away.
"Who is it, father?"
"Oh, a lost child." Seeing Ghost still standing in the door, he beckoned them. "Come now, don't be shy." The gesture itself was familiar, so Ghost stepped inside. "I am Pietro Polendina, this is my daughter Penny." He motioned for the other person, who walked somewhat stiffly. Her hair was a light shade of red, closer to orange; big, green eyes focussed solely on Ghost, who stopped in front of the pair. She saluted stiffly but with enthusiasm.
"Sa-lu-tations!"
Ghost did not know the gesture, they merely stared. Pietro hummed into the resulting silence. "I do not think I have seen you before. What is your name? Where are you from?" No response. Ghost tilted their head. "Hm. I can't help find your parents if you don't speak with me. How about you take off that costume?"
He began to fidget when Ghost continued to do nothing. Meanwhile Penny stared right back. "Father," she ultimately said, "the probability of this child being unable to speak is high."
For some reason Pietro sighed in response. "Penny. You should not say it like this. Just say you think he can not speak."
"Understood! I think I am getting better at this!" Though cheerful, her face remained placid. After saying this, Penny turned back to Ghost while pointing at them. "Can you speak?"
This was a question they knew. They knew the answer and learned the correct gesture, too. So they shook their head twice.
"Ah, that explains it. Good catch, dear."
After saying so, Pietro offered Ghost a piece of paper and a pen to converse with them. They studied the writing implement and sat down to use it. Much to Pietro's disappointment however, no words appeared. Ghost merely drew a nail, a familiar symbol. Then they drew a scribble of themselves wielding the nail, at which point a noise from the human interrupted them.
"I see, so you came for a weapon?" The question made it clear this person was a smith. Ghost knew smiths. "Hm, but you are mighty young. Then again, Mantle is getting more dangerous these days. Say, do you have family?" Ghost stared, not comprehending the question. Pietro drew the correct conclusion and sighed, hanging his head. "My apologies, I figured but had to make sure. Do you have a place to stay?" Again, only a stare answered. The smith rubbed his eyes. "...Penny, would you mind terribly much if we sheltered this child?"
"Not at all! I can make a bed for him! Oh, is this what being a big sister is like?"
Pietro chuckled about her enthusiasm, then turned back to Ghost. "Well, how about it? Do you want to stay with us?"
The void vessel did not know what this question meant. They knew that tone of voice generally expected an answer, however. So they simply nodded, only to learn it meant being giving shelter.
Penny swiftly prepared something faintly like a bench. Ghost sank slightly into the soft fabric, unlike the steel they were used to. They did not mind either way, sitting down while the other two readied themselves for bed. They did not respond to Penny wishing them a good night.
Once it grew quiet, Ghost rose to poke around; the barely audible tap-tap of their feet was all the noise they produced. They found mechanical contraptions, none of which they recognised. In another room Pietro snored softly in another bed. Ghost left him alone after a minute.
Penny's room was different still. The redhead slept standing up, with several cords connecting to her spine. Clamps of steel surrounded her depowered body and some pokes revealed that she hid similar metal under her skin. Humans were different from bugs, wearing their shells inside. Ghost stared at Penny a while longer. Then they focussed their Essence into a gleaming blade. It shone brightly but garnered no reaction. Hitting Penny had no effect, either. She did not think in this state; neither did she dream.
Once there was nothing left to explore, Ghost returned to their bed and sat down.
The next day Pietro set out to draw a blueprint for the nail Ghost wanted. They learned about mecha-shift, but Pietro took the motionless staring as a no when asked about wanting it. Once the male human was busy toiling in his workshop, Ghost went to find the metal human. Penny read in the living room, not acknowledging Ghost when they sat down beside her.
After some time she glanced at the motionless being. "I was meaning to ask," she began, pointing at Ghost's head. "What is with this costume? Wouldn't that get you attacked if you aren't careful?"
When no response came, Penny's head tilted sideways. She slowly reached out. Ghost allowed her touch, having seen no aggression from her thus far. The gynoid felt around their head with varying levels of force yet never found the cloth she sought. No zipper, no fabric. Her smile dipped as she traced the oddly smooth skin again. Penny slowly pulled up the shade cloak, only to find more formed void beneath.
"You are not human, are you?" she asked, bright green eyes staring into Ghost's black ones. "This is not a costume." Ghost simply stared back. "You are a Grimm."
Grimm, Ghost knew. They shook their head, having since learned to deny being someone else. Penny stared back this time, flummoxed. "You're not?" No response. "But then, what are you?"
She had decidedly mixed feelings about this matter. Of course she told her father, but neither of them thought the little guy dangerous. If anything she felt a familiar emotion at new strength: curiousity all but burned in her circuits. She wanted to know just what it was that wandered into their home. How did he even get into Mantle to begin with?
A week passed and her self-imposed quest made little progress. He only reacted to specific questions and only ever with yes or no responses. His body was malleable like water that took solid form... without freezing. Penny did not understand how this was scientifically possible.
Then came the day her father completed the weapon their guest asked for. A blunt sword with sharpened tip, almost like a miniature spear. He also made a mask like the one on the drawing, fully plastic to be lighter. The recipient studied both objects, then stared at Pietro.
Her father beckoned kindly. "Come now, take them."
He stared a moment longer and began to pull stuff out of his cloak. Father and daughter could not help but watch as the impossible happened before their eyes. First a mecha-shift spear, then a wallet, two pots, and even a disassembled tent. How it all fit into wherever he put it, Penny could not fathom.
"What are you... oh." Her father understood when the things were put on the table. "So you mean to trade?"
Their guest nodded. Once the gesture was returned, he picked up the equipment. That weapon went into the cloak and vanished, the mask on his head. The unmarked grey made him even more like a Grimm, though black eyes stared out of the holes instead of yellow or red. Penny's thoughts were racing while her father examined the goods given in exchange. He frowned at the spear in particular. "That is a hunter grade weapon. Not one of mine, but I know quality work when I see it."
Meanwhile, she examined the wallet. It contained an ID, quickly revealing that this belonged to a missing student from Atlas Academy. Penny's assumptions were turned on their head, but any questions she asked were answered with that same, empty stare.
At some point even she got annoyed. "Why do you have to be so difficult?!"
Alas, he did not react. Simply looked at her.
"What do you think of this?" Her father asked some time later. Two hours passed since their find, but facing him instead made Penny's turbulent feelings quiet down. Only a hollow confusion remained.
"I don't understand," she admitted. "He says he is no Grimm, but he is absolutely not human or faunus. He can not speak, it seems like he does not even understand most things we say. I am more than a little worried he killed this student, too."
Though her observations puzzled him, he ultimately decided on a course of action: "Let's give it some more time to observe him. Not a word to James yet, okay?"
Penny nodded, visibly surprised. Her father chuckled. "We both know he will do something hasty if we tell him now. We don't know for certain our little friend hurt anyone, he might have just scavenged. Maybe he just picked these things up after they lost it in a skirmish." Then Pietro Polendina paused, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Although this reminds me, we do not have any name to call him by."
He walked in just then after exploring Mantle again. Penny followed him on his excursions once, but could not make rhyme or reason of his route. It seemed completely arbitrary just like his choices on whom to interact with. Now she approached with a concrete goal.
"Do you have a name?"
Thankfully he actually reacted; unfortunately, it was a slow tilt of the head. Penny tried again, pointing at him and speaking slowly: "You. Name?"
He nodded.
"Great! What is it?" This time she received another look. "Oh. Of course, you can not speak."
Her father hummed before calling up a list of names on his computer terminal. Ghost's attention turned to the screen and Pietro motioned for it. "Just point at the one that's yours."
They needed to teach him how to scroll first, but then he went right to it. Penny was hopeful for all of a few seconds, only to be struck again by how eerie the situation became. Their mysterious guest did not move a single muscle beside his stubby hand; he blankly stared at the screen. The list reached its end after five minutes of scrolling. He kept trying to go further down, then looked back to them.
"Well," Pietro mused with a sigh, "it looks like this is a secret for another time. You appeared like a ghost and are as mysterious as one."
Much to their surprise, he tilted his head and nodded. The gesture confused her father, but Penny managed to draw the connection with a recording of his last words: "Wait, is your name Ghost?"
She received another nod and beamed. A calloused hand ruffled Penny's hair while her father chuckled. "Alright then, looks like we got lucky. Good work, dear. But we still need to observe him further. And you need to prepare for Beacon."
This gave her pause, though. "Wait, Beacon? I thought I was signed up for Atlas Academy?"
"Ah, yes. I forgot to mention, James changed the plan. He wants you at Beacon. Calls it a test run." Pietro made a face, though Penny took it in stride; she understood the need to blend in with humans, even though she was none. "That aside, the Schnee heiress will attend Beacon too. James dropped some hints that he wants you to keep an eye on her."
"I see." Some static buzzed through Penny's auditive systems. She noticed a glitch in her chest as well, making it feel heavier. "Do I really have to go so far away? I'd rather stay with you."
He hugged her then, gently rubbing circles along Penny's back. Even though she barely felt it, the gesture still managed to soothe her. "It can't be helped," Pietro murmured, then held her at arm's length. "But I know you will do me proud no matter where you are. We need to do some upgrades first, though. Can't expect them to install a charging station for you, now can we?"
He chuckled at his own joke and Penny joined in after a moment. Ghost watched their interaction without comprehension.
