She doesn't want to die.
That was what echoes through her mind as she lays bleeding in a pool of her own blood. It was agony, pain flares where her eyes once were and multiple gunshots through her chest was causing her to choke on her own blood.
She doesn't want to die, not now…
She had come home from Signal Combat School, just like any other school day after a hard work of training to become a Huntress. She had come bursting through the door, excitedly greeting her father when she fully registered the sight before her.
Her father on his knees, bloodied and bruised, could barely register her with his only response telling her to run in a wet gurgle. The one likely responsible was a hulking, muscular man with blood stained knuckles gripping him by the neck.
Her response was to lunge at the man holding her father by his neck, screaming with Crescent Rose engaged in scythe mode. She did not see the scorpion Faunus lunging at her from behind with a glowing purple hand, slashing through her Aura like a hot knife through butter.
The fight barely lasted a minute once the two men joined forces against her. Her eyes went first, slashed at once her Aura was broken by the scorpion Faunus' tail, who was also responsible for the gunshots.
She had hoped she would be able to hold them off long enough to grab her dad and run, or maybe for Yang to come home, or even Uncle Qrow. She had brought the fight outside into the moonlit night hoping the noise would cause someone to notice, despite how far their small house was from the main town. But no one came, her only companion on her dying moment was her murderers and her father who may soon be killed by them.
Please, she pleads to anyone that could hear her. She never believed in any gods, not even the Brother Gods, they were just another fairy tale to occupy her childish mind at the time. She had heard her Instructors say "Every Huntsmen is an atheist until they face overwhelming odds", and now she can see why.
But now she pleads, anyone that was listening. And then something wraps around her.
She awakes kicking and screaming, before blinking in surprise before patting herself. She could see! And her wounds, they weren't there. No bruises, cuts or gunshots. Even her Aura felt like it was at full strength!
It was a dream? She exhales in relief. It had been just one terrible nightmare, the worst she's ever had that would likely cause her to lose sleep in the coming nights but thank all the gods on Remnant it was just a dream…
She was heading down right now, going to give her father the biggest hug she can give and never letting go until she was satisfied he was alright. But as she started to push herself out of bed, her hand felt coarse dirt instead of soft sheets of her bed. And why was there light grey mist clouding her room?
She took in her surroundings and her heart sank, she was not in her room any longer. She was in some sort of cemetery, gravestones laid around her, and a small house on top of a hill, with white flowers scattered across the area.
"Wh-what? Where am I?" she mutters to herself in shock as she gets up and glanced around in confusion and fear, she reflexively reaches back to Crescent Rose where she usually keeps at the back of her hip.
But then her heart sinks as she pulls it out and saw the marks on it. Stuck mid-transformation because an incredible force of impact had struck it in critical areas that caused the gears to jam up and stuck, turning it to practically dead weight.
Her breath increases in panic as she recognises the damage on it, from when the muscular man jabbed himself with solid Dust crystals and punched her with all his might, where she barely brought Crescent Rose up in time to block.
"Greetings, young hu-" a soft voice came from behind her but she screamed and tripped as she tried to spin backwards and face the assumed threat.
But instead she saw a tall woman in an old-fashioned dress and headwear making her look like a sort of maid from the dramas she watched with Yang. She had pale skin and hair, lending a sort of ethereal beauty to her as Ruby struggled to stutter out a response both in confusion, fear and entrancement.
Instead of taking offence by her actions, the woman only chuckled amused, "Well, he should be glad that there was someone who reacted like he did, only you didn't wave a gun at me in reaction."
"Uh, wh-what?" she stuttered out confused as the woman knelt and offered a gloved hand towards her.
"Calm yourself, young hunter." she says soothingly and sympathetically, "Poor child…You had a long, terrible night. One that no one should have gone through."
"I…where am I?" Ruby asks after catching her breath and getting helped up to her feet, "My dad, those men, I thought I died…"
In that moment she froze and was suddenly afraid to look at the woman in her eyes, "Is…is this-"
"You are not dead." the woman says quickly and firmly before looking downcast, "But you are dying. I'm sorry, my dear."
Ruby felt like she was both hyperventilating, breathing heavily in and out as she was struggling to come to terms with what she was just told. Looking down she pales even further at the sight of bullet holes and blade marks on her clothes, where she had been harmed. It wasn't a dream.
"W-what about my dad?" she asks frantically, "He's still alive right?! Please, you have to help him! H-he's still with those men and-!"
"Breathe, young huntress." the woman says soothingly to calm her, "Your father yet lives, but if the men that assaulted him decides otherwise…"
Ruby fell to her knees at the news, feeling bile rise from her stomach. Her father was going to die, because she was a weak, useless failure! How could she dream of becoming a heroic Huntress when she couldn't even save her own father to a couple of bad guys?
"But there may be a way." the woman says causing Ruby's head to snap up and look at her, "A chance for you to return to the waking world stronger than before to rescue your father. But beware for this-"
"I can save my dad?!" she exclaims and she scrambled onto her feet, "Do it now! Please! There's no ti-!"
"Patience." the woman cuts her off, "In this Hunter's Dream, time flows far differently than in the waking world. Days, months or years can pass without a single second wasted in the waking world. So please, listen and think before you make your decision."
"I don't care what happens to me!" she shouts even if that knowledge does make her feel a bit calmer, "My dad, he's all Yang and I have left besides Uncle Qrow. If he dies, I don't want to think what would happen to them…Please, let me save him and you can do what you want with me later."
She had heard of these in the stories before. Dead or dying Huntsman offered deals by the devil or some supernatural force was a very common trope, but she honestly didn't expect she'll be living out a story like that.
The woman looks at her with a face she couldn't decipher. Maybe it was admiration or pity, but she held out a hand for her to take,
"I admire your dedication to your father. You are a brave hunter." she says, "But it is not my choice. The Good Hunter insists that you hear him out before accepting or declining, for he does not want to repeat the mistakes of the last master of the Hunter's Dream."
"The what?" Ruby could only ask in confusion but she looks at the woman's hand before taking it. If this was the only way to save her father then so be it, she'd make a deal with whatever devil it takes.
"Thank you, young huntress." the woman says before she begins guiding her down the path, "The Good Hunter awaits us at the foot of the great tree. We will meet him there."
Ruby nervously nods as she followed the woman down the path, she tries to take her mind off things by looking around, "So…this is a dream?"
"Of sorts." the woman nods, "Once upon a time, it was a safe space for those of the Hunter profession. A place where they can rest and recuperate in peace before they find their meaning in the waking world. It is a far too long story, but the Good Hunter wrested control over it from the Presence who once ruled it and now we pray that this dream will return to being a safe space for Hunters once more, a home away from home."
"Well, it is a nice place." Ruby admits. If you ignore the fact that she was dying as they spoke and her father was in mortal danger, she wouldn't mind staying at such a place. There was a sort of strange beauty to this place, such as the white flowers that dot the area, "And those flowers? Did you plant them yourself?"
"Yes, every flower you see." the woman nods solemnly, "Each of them represents the death of a Hunter, when the retrieval of their body was simply not possible."
"Oh." Ruby mutters immediately feeling awkward for asking such a question. She gulps at the realisation of the sheer number of flowers she was seeing as they approached an iron gate which swung open as they approached.
"Do not be alarmed." the woman chuckles as Ruby lets out a surprised yelp, "The Good Hunter merely sensed us approaching."
"So, I just have to listen and then I can save my dad?" she asks to make sure, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.
The doll nods, "If you still decide to go through with your choice. It will be a harrowing experience if you decide to accept."
"I don't care. I have to save my dad." she affirms but couldn't hide how nervous she felt.
"Very well then." she nods, "Please be patient with him, he may be a bit strange but he has a good heart."
"Who is he?" Ruby asks, wanting to know what she was dealing with. And to her surprise the smile on the woman changed, from polite to something like fondness.
"He is many things, but above all, I suppose he would be what you consider a son to me." she says before they both catch sight of someone dressed in black lying against a great tree surrounded by an ocean of white flowers.
The figure was dressed in a black trench coat, a black tri-cone hat on top of his head and the lower half of his face was covered in a cloth mask. The figure stood at full height once they came into sight and Ruby noticed he was just a bit taller than her, almost as tall as Yang.
The Good Hunter, or at least that's who Ruby guesses he was, waves overhead at them in greeting before the woman reprimands him.
"Dear Hunter, what have I told you of greetings again? And take off your mask, this is not a hunt." The woman reminds like how Ruby's dad would remind Yang about wearing a helmet when getting on Bumblebee. And just like her sister, this Good Hunter rolled his eyes at that before standing straight up, pulling down his mask before taking off his hat, placing it against his chest and bowing.
"There. Was that so hard?" the woman asks before bowing, "I will take my leave, Good Hunter. Please, do try to not frighten our guest so quickly."
With that the woman left to where she came from, leaving the two alone in the field of flowers.
"Uh, hi?" Ruby says unsure, not knowing what to do. Deciding the right move was to keep polite and bows as well, mimicking his actions. Honestly this went against her expectations.
She had expected some scary, creepy dude like the shows or story told, offering her a contract and what not that sells her souls. But this person looked like he was around her and Yang's age, with skin paler than hers and pale pupils.
He then places his hat back on his head but doesn't pull back his mask, instead moving his hands in a blur of movements that Ruby recognised to be some form of sign language. Before she could worry about her inability to understand, the mist in the surrounding area began swirling around his hands and to her surprise, creating words in front of him.
"Greetings, milady. Apologies for conversing in this way, but you would find conversing with tongue a challenge for me."
She looks in surprise before shaking her head, "N-no, it's no problem really. And I'm no lady, my name is Ruby Rose."
"A please, Ruby Rose.", he signs, "As you have likely heard, I am the Hunter. Might I offer you a seat? You had a long night."
With a gesture, mist builds in front of them before dissipating and revealing two chairs and a table. The Hunter then pulls a chair for her to which she accepts nervously.
"Thank you." she quickly says as the Hunter takes his own seat, "You…that woman said you wanted to talk with me?"
"Yes, to discuss terms." he signs, "I will be blunt. Bringing you back would have you go through quite some pain. I remember the first time it happened to me, when I was where you stood now. Trust me when I say this, that it was agonising but in the end it brought me from the brink of death, and made me stronger."
"But can I save my father?" she asks, "If I get brought back, can I save him?"
"Not hesitating? Then you were braver than I was, or perhaps dumber." the Hunter nods in what she guesses to be respect but she didn't really feel that after being called dumb, "But like it was offered to me, I was given a contract. And like then I will have to give you one as well."
"Is…is it my soul?" she worried before steeling herself for him to say yes.
Instead the Hunter just looks confused before signing, "Why would I need that? I simply require someone to take me hunting."
She doesn't know what she was expecting but that wasn't it. The confusion on her face must be evident because then the Hunter explains,
"There are creatures in your world, are they not?" the Hunter asks, "Creatures of darkness that haunts the dreams and nightmares of humans across this world. I want you to guide me through this world, we will find the source of this nightmare before putting it down. That is what I ask of you."
"That's all?" Ruby asks, her head spinning, "But nobody knows where the Grimm comes from! I mean, there's some theories that they originate from the Bad Lands but no one's sure because anyone who touches the Bad Land's gets killed by very strong Grimm."
"Oh? Perfect, we know exactly where to start looking then." the Hunter signs with a smile on his face but Ruby was still unconvinced.
"Why me?" she asks confused, "Heck, do you even need me to do this? Can't you do it yourself or something?"
The Hunter non-audibly sighs and signs, "Oh I would and I have tried. Believe me when I say this, that doing so is easier said than done. When I first arrive, drawn by the nightmares of your people, I was prevented from manifesting like I normally would. Something was blocking me."
"Something?" Ruby asks, wondering just what on Remnant could do such a thing as the Hunter shrugged.
"Don't look at me for answers, I may be master of dreams and nightmares, but I only got this role not long ago. But my theory is that an Old One must have came from the stars some centuries ago which results in the swarm of monsters that now pollute your world."
"You're saying the Grimm are aliens?" she asks in disbelief before realising she was talking to someone in a dream that was offering to bring her back to life at the cost of bringing him around hunting Grimm.
Again the Hunter shrugs, "Who knows? They may come from the stars or deep below, but it will not change anything. Nothing comes from nothing, so I believe these Grimm have a progenitor at the very least. Something that is continually creating them to explain why such a race of monsters have not been extinguished yet, and I would very much like to hunt it."
"That's all?" Ruby asks, "You just want me to help you find this thing, if it even exists, and kill it?"
"Well, you joining my hunt is completely up to you." the Hunter signs, "But by all means, the more the merrier. What Hunter would refuse such a grand quarry?"
She thought about this but only needed a few seconds. If that was all he wanted then all the more reason for her to accept.
"If that's all you want, then I'll accept." she nods, "I don't care how painful it is, my dad's in danger and I have to save him."
"Your father is a wonderful man if you're going through his for his sake." the Hunter smiles but this time it looks different, almost bittersweet and envious, as he reaches into mist and pull out an old looking sheet of parchment and a fountain pen, "Sign this and the contract will be sealed. For the duration of the contract, so long as you do not breach any of the terms, you will have all the power I can manifest at your service and access to the Hunter's Dream at your leisure. Are we in accord?"
Ruby quickly glanced through it to make sure there wasn't any weird phrasing or something that would have her willingly sell her own soul on accident. But there was none, it was like this person (or whatever he was) just wanted to hunt, like he said.
She signed it without hesitation, each slash with her pen leaving red ink on the parchment. The Hunter nods once he sees the signed contract before pulling out a syringe full of red blood from the mist.
"The contract is signed, now it is time for me to fulfil my part of the bargain." the Hunter signs with one hand as he gives her a concerned look before handing her a leather belt for some reason, "If the pain becomes too much to bear, bite as hard as you can. Be prepared for what is likely the most pain you will ever experience. And lastly, when you wake up, it will help to think what you saw during the blood ministration was just one bad dream."
Ruby can't help but gulp at the promise, but she steels herself. This was for her father after all, and she could still remember the feeling of her eyes slashed by that scorpion Faunus. The agonising pain almost had her black out if it wasn't for what little Aura she had left. Surely this couldn't be any worse.
How wrong she was.