Author's Notes;
-As much as I'd like to take credit for the long list of Mistralian huntsmen and huntresses (more of which will be seen and/or mentioned later), these are all names Roosterteeth came up with. (Save for the late Phoenix Nikos. RIP.) Those who are seen, I'm just hypothesizing what they look like.
-Also, in case you can't tell by the chapter title, we've got more darkness coming up, mainly in the first two sections. Buckle up, boys and girls! We're in for a wild ride!
-And it's even more so befitting since today is Hallow's Eve. Happy Halloween, everyone! Hope you enjoy all the candy you desire!
Alright, back to the program.
Arthur Watts had just arrived in Mistral city to meet with the informant. As he stood in the alleyway of a lower level in the city, his left foot to the wall as he leaned against it, the doctor looked at the list of huntsman and huntresses given to him by Salem. He also pulled out a separate list of those who were located in Mistral city, with notes in parentheses next to many of the names.
Mistral city huntsman and huntresses;
Andrews, Rory (inactive for five years, worked as a carpenter, died January 1st, 80 AGW of an uncertain infection)
Choi, Lali (currently hunting down Maura Celandine)
Cowan, Dove (on paternity leave as of one month ago)
Durham, Azura (currently hunting down Maura)
Erdos, Mauve
Forhan, Roux (retired)
Griffin, Blanka (Carmina's younger sister, member of team CUBB (Cubeb), hunting Maura Celandine with teammates)
Griffin, Carmina (Blanka's older sister, leader of team CUBB (Cubeb), hunting Maura Celandine with teammates)
Hunt, Terra
Hyacinth, Zach (permanently injured and forced into early retirement)
Kreiss, Amethyst (inactive for a year, on maternity leave as of two weeks ago)
Li, Midori
Lin, Fuschia (currently on a bounty hunt for Maura Celandine)
Lunsford, Harkin (also on a bounty hunt for Maura)
Nash, Inigo
Nikos, Phoenix (already dead along with her husband Merle (CEO of Grand Industries), both killed by unknown in October 79 AGW)
Page, Orion
Rhodes, Cascade (bounty hunting Maura Celandine)
Rivas, Aoi (status uncertain, not relevant target, also inactive for a year)
Shields, Heather (also hunting Maura)
Shiro, Wan (also hunting Maura)
Silver, Stark (Vytal Festival Tournament Champion who dueled everyone alone and won twenty years ago in 59 AGW, also hunting down Maura)
Varga, Viola (inactive for two years, has a part time job as a musician)
Vaccaro, Farrow (hunting Maura)
Yu, Lotus
The technician mused to himself, I suppose it couldn't hurt to get started on the long list of targets. Now where do I begin? Hmm... I know that the Griffin sisters, along with their other teammates from Wind Path and Argus have already left to hunt down the infamous Maura Celandine. Several others have left to hunt down Maura Celandine as well. Aoi isn't relevant. Phoenix Nikos is already dead, which makes my work a little easier. But who could have murdered her and her husband, and why? Oh well. Guess that doesn't really matter.
He crossed out Phoenix Nikos.
Rory Andrews is also dead.
He crossed out Rory Andrews.
I also can't kill all the targets at once, lest the common folk get suspicious. I suppose I'll go for the weaker targets first. To start, I'll kill at least three that are currently in the city. Hmm... Of those who are currently here, who do I target first? The doctor took out a black device with a pure silver rod on the front. He looked over the list again. I think I know who I'm going for.
The scene switched to Watts entering a small house. A red-haired man with grey eyes wearing a business suit with a red bow-tie saw him as he entered through the front door and shut it behind him.
"Hey! How did you get in here?!" Mr. Forhan asked angrily.
"Oh, Roux, you're asking yourself too many questions."
The doctor got out the device with the silver rod, turned it on, and electricity began to surge through the tip of the device. Roux charged towards him, only to have the silver rod touch his chest and be electrocuted. As he screamed, several small bolts of purple lightning exited the silver tip and severely shock him.
"Don't worry, it'll be over soon." So much so, that his heart stopped. As the charred corpse fell to the floor and shut its eyes, Watts smirked. He turned off the device. "One down, and several more to go." He crossed off Roux Forhan. "Alright, who's next?"
The scene switched to him standing next to a woman with short purple hair and forest green eyes. She wore imperial purple capri pants with a forest green tube top, an amethyst pendant necklace and plum colored boots. This was Mauve Erdos. As she stood behind a couch, Watts stood there with his active device in hand, trying to creep towards her and shock her.
"You'll never take me alive!" she declared as she threw one of her hand scythes at his right hand.
"I'm afraid to disappoint," He barely dodged the scythe Mauve threw at him. As the scythe hit the wall, he stood up and smirked. "but the Grimm Reaper has come for you."
He dodged the other scythe thrown at him as he slid down and the silver rod device touched her leg, electrifying her with purple bolts and killing her in no time. The scientist smirked and crossed out Mauve Erdos.
The scene switched to him finding a crippled man sleeping on the couch with a walker nearby. He had purple eyes and blond hair, wearing tan pants and a lavender shirt. He had bandages around his legs. Watts stealthy made his way over to him and turned on the device he used earlier.
The man began to wake up. "Huh?"
"Lights out." He shocked the former huntsman and he was killed by electricity instantly. Arthur smirked as he crossed out Zach Hyacinth. "Ha. This is too easy."
As he left the room, he thought to himself, Excellent work Watts. You've made a good start. Now to Haven Academy.
Elsewhere in Mistral, Hazel came across a huntress in the wilderness. She had long fuschia hair that flowed loose and purple eyes, the right of which was covered by her bangs. She wore a red and purpleish shirt with long sleeves and a fuscia pink skirt with black leggings. She also wore cherry red heels and had a hot pink sniper gun rifle in her hands.
Without looking at the pictures given to him in the files, he identified the huntress in a snap; Fuschia Lin. He continued to watch as she slowly moved forward, her gun in front of her. "Maura has to be hiding here somewhere." she spoke to herself. "That reward is all mine."
"And what makes you think that it will be yours?"
It was at this point that Hazel removed himself from hiding. He leaned his back against a tree and waited for her response.
"Because I'm strong, I'm smart, and I'm super great with my aim. I never miss my mark." Fuschia boasted.
"You're strong, I'll give you that. But are you strong enough to face me?"
"Huh?!"
He ran towards her and quickly punched her in the gut. As she was thrust back-first into the tree, she barely got out of the way the time to avoid his second punch. As he punched a hole right through the tree that the huntress just had her back to, she gasped in horror at Hazel's strength.
"Oh crap." she muttered.
He came towards her again and Lin was punched into the tree. Only this time, she was hit with enough force to be knocked back-first into into the first tree, then stomach- first into the second one, and as she hit the third one, fuschia pink light was seen around her. Her aura was running out. As this cycle repeated for three more trees, her aura flickered and vanished as she landed face-down in the dirt. Hazel approached the huntress, ready to put an end to her.
"No, please... Don't!"
Hazel payed no heed to her words and stepped on her back forcefully with one of his boots, breaking her spine and killing her.
"Another one down." Hazel spoke to empty air.
He looked at the list and looked for her name. As he looked at the names of the huntsmen and huntresses in Mistral, he noted some of the hunters he already murdered.
Hawthorne, Lucero (Argus)
Raine, Boyd (Argus)
He crossed out Lin's name.
I have to admit, taking down these huntsmen and huntresses while looking for Adam is almost too easy. Child's play even.
Back in Mistral city, at Haven Academy, Leonardo Lionheart stood in his office, pacing rapidly.
How could I do this? How has it come down to this? he asked himself mentally. Standing on the line between good and evil, light and dark, not sure what to do. Wanting to be good but doing bad things. How could I have come down to this? He stopped his pacing and opened his eyes in realization. Oh wait... Why am I asking myself this question? I know how this madness started... And when it all went downhill...
Fifteen years ago, he was in the wilderness, fighting off several Grimm to prevent them from attacking the nearby village of Higanbana. His hair was a lot longer and neatly brushed and he did not have a beard. He wore a beige blouse and undershirt along with dark brown slacks and dress shoes. He also carried a pocketwatch with him. He had his shield, Stalwart, activated and had the top point over the red dot.
With a red grid glyph above the shield, he fired multiple flaming rocks in rapid succession at the Beowolves coming towards him. Seeing more of them coming his way, he took the top point to pin it on the light blue circle. A blue grid glyph replaced the red one that had been there moments ago, and he switched from firing flaming rocks at them to freezing some their limbs, slowing them down. He threw his shield at them like it was a deadly frisbee and it pierced through the skulls of a few wolves. As some of the Beowolves were knocked down, even more came his way.
Unfortunately, he didn't realize was that a few Ursa were behind him and slashed at him from behind. Tumbling to the ground, he quickly got up and quickly retrieved his shield, only to have one of the Ursi swat it out of his hands and have it stepped on by one of the few remaining Beowolves. Unsure what to do, he began to back away from them only to back into another Beowolf. The lone Beowolf growled at him and one of the ones in the front lunged at him. He sidestepped to avoid the one charging at him, but soon found himself surrounded by them and was knocked down by several of them, taking several hits from them. As he found himself lying on the ground, sitting partially up, several Grimm leapt towards him.
Cowering in fear, he closed his eyes, believing this to be the end for him.
"Stop!" a commanding voice ordered.
Opening his eyes in panic, Leonardo looked upon the Grimm stopped dead in their tracks and a woman in a long black robe approaching him. She had deathly pale skin, with dark purple veins lining her face and arms, and a black diamond-shaped marking in the center of her forehead. She also had pale white hair in a large bun with six offshoots wrapped together that suspended several obsidian-colored ornaments. He had never seen her, but he knew exactly who she was.
He looked upon the Grimm goddess in both awe and fear. "Salem?"
She faintly smiled. "Hello, Professor Lionheart. I have to admit, you're more persistent than I thought." One of the Beowolves growled at him. Salem extended her hand at the Beowolf. "Stay."
"Wh.. what are you doing?" Some of the other Grimm tried to creep towards him, but Salem kept her hand up. "You... you're saving me?! Why are you doing this?! Do you want to kill me yourself?!"
"Calm down, Leo. I have no intention to hurt you. I just want to make you a deal. Now stand up and listen closely."
Breathing in slowly and exhaling softly, he stood up and looked at the witch in her red eyes with jet black sclerae. Upon looking into her eyes, his fear returned. "Wh.. what you want?"
"It's simple, really. I want you to inform me of Ozpin's secrets and tell me what I want to know when I want to know it."
The lion tailed faunus looked at the goddess in disgust. "You want me to work for you?" He glared at her. "You may as well for-"
Several Beowolves growled at him. "I wouldn't if I were you. These Grimm are just aching to gobble you up for dinner. The only reason they haven't is because I'm ordering them to stay put. So here's the deal- you work for me until I'm satisfied with your services, or... you refuse and become yet another victim destroyed at the hands of the Grimm." He tried to back away, only for the Grimm behind him to surround him. He was completely encircled, nowhere to go. Any attempt at running would result in him being eaten. "Think about it. Is this really how you want to die?"
No... This would be a very bad way to die. he thought to himself.
"So, what will it be, Leonardo?"
"I.. I'll do it."
"Wise decision." She walked forth to the Beowolf right in front of him and motioned to the Grimm. "Creatures of darkness, away! Disperse!"
The Grimm turned and ran away, and Leonardo anxiously watched as the Grimm went by him. Unsure of what to do from there, he got on his knees and bowed before Salem. "What's the first thing you need me to do, Your Grace?"
"For now, I need you keep me informed on what happens in those meetings with Ozpin. You are the special double agent, and your loyalty lies to me."
"So I'm the only one who's in your service?"
Her expression shifted to a neutral one. "Not quite. So far there is only one full time member." She smiled. "You might have heard of him, actually. Does the name Arthur Watts sound familiar to you?"
"A.. a little bit." he answered.
"He's an Atlesian scientist, dejected and disgraced from the community for controversial innovations and ideas. He's not the only troubled soul out there. I'm sure I'll find others within time. But until then, you'll do just nicely." A strange orb like Grimm came forth. "I'll have a Seer accompany you back to your office so that you may speak to me as needed. We'll be in touch."
She disappeared into the shadows, leaving the headmaster of Haven with the Grimm. He silently and dreadfully made his way back to Mistral.
Oh boy... What have I done? he thought to himself.
A knock on his door was heard, ending the flashback. As he came to reality, he walked to the door and opened it. Much to his shock, it was the first of Salem's henchmen. "Oh, hello, Mr. Watts." he quickly stammered out.
Watts gave him a glare. "That's Dr. Watts to you. I didn't get those doctorates for nothing!"
He bowed his head meekly. "Apologies, Dr." He looked back up at his ally. "Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee? Tea?"
"Do you have any black tea?"
"You're in luck. I still have lots of it from when Ozpin gave me that tea set. I'll get that ready for you right away."
He sped off, leaving the office. As he rapidly walked down the hall to fetch the tea, he thought to himself, I never should have agreed to her terms. At this rate, I'll be in her subservience for eternity... Why was I such a coward? Oh wait. He stopped and then resumed his pace, much slower. I'm still a coward.
All the while on Patch, Tyrian walked through the woods. Wearing a brown coat zipped up to keep himself warm, he tried to gather his thoughts as he carried out his task.
My lady asked me to bring Ruby Rose to her. Perhaps maybe I can trick her, pretend to be nice to her and she'll willingly deliver herself to the Queen. And if that fails, I'll subdue her, bind her and bring her to my lady. Come on, the Xiao-Long Rose home should be here somewhere...
The scorpion tailed faunus saw something out of the corner out of his eye.
There it is.
He came across a two-story log cabin with a sheet metal roof in dull red.
Alright, this should be easy enough. Her room is probably on the second floor. But I can't just barge in. Who knows what dangers lurk here? There's almost certainly other family members, who are likely armed and trained in combat. Oh, what am I thinking? Whatever's in there, I can take it.
Making sure he wasn't being watched, he opened the door and walked into the living room. Immediately upon entering the room, a dark grey dog noticed him and started growling. He also observed a blonde haired, purple eyed girl in her pajamas who was missing her right arm watching TV.
"Zwei, what's wrong?" a female voice asked. He started barking and glaring at the intruder. She gasped and stood up, shaking in terror. "Who... who are you?!"
The intruder glared at her, giving a frown. "You're not Ruby Rose!"
Yang began backing away from him, still shaking but her look of horror intensified as she asked, "What do you want with her?"
Tyrian smirked. "I'm afraid that isn't your concern." He felt something biting him in his left leg. "Ow!" He tried shaking the dog off. "Stop it, you mangy mutt!"
Using Zwei's attack as an opportunity to escape, Yang ran up the stairs to the spare room she had been using and quickly reached for her scroll on the nightstand. She dialed up Taiyang's number and Qrow's number as well. The first ring came. "Come on..." Then the second. "Answer me, please."
She heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs as the ringtone rang a third time. "Oh come on. Come out and play... I won't bite..." the malicious voice spoke tauntingly. "Even if your dog will!"
The dog was heard barking, but Yang had no idea what Tyrian had done to him. She hid herself under the bed, waiting for someone to answer. Unfortunately both her father and Qrow went to voicemail. "Dad, Qrow, if you're listening, I really need your help. There's a madman in the house. He seems to be asking about..." She felt something grab her, and she screamed as she was dragged out from under the bed, dropping her scroll under it.
Tyrian held her upside down by her right leg. As he hung the damsel, it was evident that Zwei no longer had his teeth in his leg. He smirked as he looked at the defenseless woman. "I win." He threw her against the wall and her head spun before she painfully landed on the floor. He grabbed her wrist and forcefully shoved her against the wall. "Where is she?!"
Still being defiant, she angrily asked, "What do you want with my sister?!"
"To put it simply, I was asked to bring her in. Now, tell me where she is..." He squeezed her wrist painfully. "and nobody gets hurt..."
Yang wanted to shove him off her, but he was too strong, especially with most of her right arm missing. Upon looking into his eyes, she could see madness reflected in them.
What does he want with her?! I don't know, but it can't be good!
Still shaking scared, she glared at him angrily and answered, "Never."
He chuckled madly. "I was hoping you'd say that..." He took her remaining arm and twisted it in pain, causing her to scream in agony. "This is going to be so much fun."
Letting her hit the floor, she looked up at him with a mixture of fear and anger. "Who... who are you?!"
Tyrian continued to laugh madly before answering, "I am your worst nightmare."
His mad laughter was heard as the screen faded to the black.