Hey everyone, who's gotten to see that Volume 8 premiere? To me, it was... okay. Nothing was particular standout expect for one scene I can imagine most who've seen the episode know which one I'm talking about.

Volume 8 of canon will be special in relation to this story. Because honestly, depending on the story choices made in canon during vol 8, this story might change fairly drastically from canon when it reaches that same point in the timeline. We will just have to wait and see. Though to be fair, it's going to be a while before this story catches up to canon events. Though I do plan to continue rolling this story out at a steady pace and it will reach that point eventually.

On with the show.

One week had passed since they had left for Shion, and in that time Neo had realized one important fact about the continent of Anima; the humidity was just the worst.

Well that wasn't exactly true, she had learned this fact almost as soon as they had arrived on Anima. It was just that days like the one they dealt with currently, very rudely reminded her about this torturous circumstance. Even Fen had elected to take off his jacket as his aura wasn't doing enough to regulate his body heat with the weather being as miserable as it was.

Uh! How can an entire continent be this annoying!? I think I preferred trudging through snow and mud back in the wilderness in Vale compared to boiling inside my own skin. I'm about ready to just strip down and use an illusion to keep me decent.

"Aren't your illusions physical? Wouldn't they keep you just as insulated?"

… I hate it when you remind me how my own semblance works. Neo hung her head in both annoyance and defeat.

Fen chuckled as he looked down at his hunched partner as they walked, "I'll take that as a yes then. Why not at least take off your jacket then, like me? Or does that leotard you wear under it actually stop where your belly-jacket starts?"

She shot up an incredulous look with a faux-offended gasp. Are you trying to literally talk me out of my clothes!? Fen, I never knew you looked at me that way! And here I thought I was safe trusting you with my personage! I'll always have to sleep with one eye open after hearing such a crude suggestion!

With a smirk Fen shot back, "Says the one who was laying out a week ago with a pose that screamed 'paint me like one of your fox girls' in nothing but a tiny silk nightgown. If I didn't know better I'd say you actually were trying to seduce me, Ms. Ice Cream Queen."

Neo growled as her cheeks went flush with heat, lagging behind slightly.

Fen was still smiling as he mentally marked down a win for himself when the rustling of fabric caused him to pause. He began to turn when he was bashed in the face with a loose ball of fabric. Sputtering he looked down at his hands to see it was Neo's coat, and looking up he saw said companion was now glaring at him with contempt.

Wrinkle that and you're a dead man. She warned while stalking past him. Her leotard's only noteworthy detail revealed with her coat gone being that it looped around the back of her neck like a halter top to ensure it remained hugged to her figure. It certainly wasn't any more skin than she had shown off before.

A sweet scent assailed his nose coming from the article in his hand. He felt a flicker of desire to take a better sniff to discern just what the aroma's components reminded him of; and oddly enough he wasn't perfectly sure if the sentiment came from the Omega or not. Though whatever the truth, Fen put the urge aside and instead merely shrugged and folded the jacket over his arm. If it kept her a bit cooler and less grouchy, then carrying it for her honestly felt like the lesser of two evils to him.

The two continued on after that for a time without any banter. Neo even began to enjoy the weather as a pleasant breeze blew through the trees and actually cooled her skin. The humidity still felt stifling to a degree but not so much thanks to being free of her coat. With the silence between them, the pleasant background noise of the forest they traveled through relaxed her to the point she wished she could have taken a nap while her body continued to carry on towards Shion.

Contrary to Neo's improved mood however, Fen had begun to feel a slight throbbing inside his head. When he pushed his feelings of discomfort towards the Omega in a thought that sensation was somehow its doing, his steps lurched when the Omega returned the sensation tenfold towards him; it was experiencing the same things as Fen.

The staggered steps broke Neo out of her serenity and turned to look back at her companion to find that he was panting heavily and looked to be barely holding himself upright.

Fen!? She worrily called as she made to step towards him.

"DON'T!" He called out as her jacket slipped off his arm and he held his head with his hands. "I… Something's wrong! Stay back!"

Neo's twinge of anger at seeing him drop her coat was overwritten by concern as he collapsed to one knee and his breathing began to grow even more ragged. Black particles began to leak off him, but not in the traditional flurry-like nature she was used to seeing; instead it seemed more like smoke. The air around her didn't grow cold but looking down at Fen's skin it looked like frost was beginning to creep up his extremities.

An anguished cry of pain from Fen tore at Neo's heart as he collapsed to all fours, his body shivering like he was stuck in the middle of a blizzard. The smoke from his body continued to pour off him almost blanketing him like a shroud of black fog. Horrifyingly, Neo could do nothing but watch as parts of his skin turned blue then black in patches, fragments of ice consolidating on them soon after. She was certain her eyes were white as she shook in her boots at the torture being performed in front of her.

It was like seeing the Omega trying to take form without the aid of the black blizzard that she had always seen before. Part of her wondered if this was in any way similar to how Fen became the Omega by his usual means. The patch that covered his right eye was undone when his hair became rigid and icy, severing the string that had once held it in place. Even throughout the horrendous pain Fen was suffering his normally uncovered eye still remained human even though it was bloodshot with black veins, while his other eye had turned into a solid glowing blue orb like when the Omega was fully manifested.

He appeared as though some grotesque half-grimm hybrid whose mere existence was agony… And Neo couldn't do any more than cry as she watched him suffer.

Fen threw his head back and unleashed a guttural howl that shook the air around them both, rattling Neo's teeth in her skull like she was in the epicenter of an earthquake. This lasted only for a few moments, but the effect was almost enough to make Neo faint; only using her concern for Fen did she manage to fight through it long enough for it to end.

When the howl was over, both Neo and Fen collapsed to the ground. Looking up, Neo couldn't see any more of the black smoke that had poured from Fen's body, but as for Fen himself; he lay still. Dragging herself over to him, her mind screaming at her to not touch him for fear that the Omega had somehow been responsible for what happened and was going to attack, but she ignored it as a fear even greater than that ate at her heart.

Fen?

Had she just lost someone again?

Fortunately, that question was swiftly answered when she saw that he was shallowly breathing into the dirt. However, his body was still in a terrible state: there were numerous portions of skin that looked dead and frostbitten, along with his hair remaining coarse and rigid. She hesitated to even try to shake him to see if he would awaken but knew that she couldn't just leave him lying in the road.

As her own strength returned, she moved him as delicately as she could manage over to the grass just off the roadway. Once she had done that, she noticed his body shivering violently and quickly decided to scrounge up some tinder and kindling to create a fire. Hopefully that, along with the afternoon heat, might warm him up before his condition worsened.

By the time she had gotten a sizable blaze going, she could see that Fen's unnaturally strong healing had been working on the frostbite, but he was thrashing somewhat due to the pain that no doubt still wracked his frame. Once Neo was in a position to let the fire burn unattended, she carefully moved over to her partner and rolled him so he was on his side facing the fire. To prevent him from more thrashing she laid his head in her lap and began to gently run her fingers through his slowly thawing hair, carefully untangling any knots she found to focus her mind away from worry.

Over the next couple of hours, with what felt like agonizing slowness, Fen's breathing began to steady and his body to still as the evidence of the damage that had been done to him vanished. Whether the heat of the small fire or her calming ministrations were of any help in the process, Neo couldn't be sure; but for her own peace of mind she prayed they had. When she could, she had carefully placed his patch back over his eye as the glow beneath his eyelid unnerved her from what had happened.

After another hour, with afternoon solidly settling into evening, Fen's eyelids fluttered and with a groan they opened to the concerned visage of Neo staring down at him. With her hair cascading down over him and his half-vision from the Omega causing her to look like she was highlighted with a pink glow, Fen wasn't sure if he was dreaming with how angelic her visage before him looked.

He tried to speak but his throat seized on him and he only managed to croak out: "Neo?"

Her face turned to a mixture of elation that he had spoken but also increased worry at how the pain he experienced when trying to speak. She did her best to console him while carefully brushing some of his hair from his eyes.

Yes, it's me. I'm right here. You don't need to move yet. Just relax however long you need to.

Fen's mind vaguely pieced together what had occurred and with a slight shift he realized his head was supported by something soft and pleasantly scented. Once he recalled the smell he asked with a slightly stronger voice, though it was still dry and coarse:

"Am I… in your lap right now? Oh boy, I must have been seriously messed up if I made you worry that badly."

She wanted to slap him for his comment but refrained and settled on scowling instead. You did. After you howled and collapsed, I hadn't been sure if you were still alive. When I saw that you were, I did what I could to warm you up and hoped that the Omega, your semblance, or whatever is responsible for your unnaturally persistent healing, would be enough to help you. Thankfully it seems to have worked, but you've been out for hours. Any chances of travelling any further today are gone. So just rest up, I can manage for a night without switching shifts.

Neo had not stopped stroking his hair gently the entire time she spoke, so she jumped slightly when she felt her hand stopped by the cold grasp of one of Fen's. Just holding it gently he looked up at her with an apologetic smile: "Sorry to have scared you. But I'll be alright. Though I think I might indulge in staying here for a moment. That scent of freesia flowers you have on is very soothing."

The blush that spread on Neo's face couldn't have been contained if she wanted to due to the unexpected acknowledgement for the scent she wore. You recognize it? Most just assume it's a strawberry perfume, even Roman until I corrected him.

"Mother used to keep one in a pot hanging over the sink even after we moved to Atlas. The slightly earthy scent of a flower gave it away. Though the slight twinge of vanilla in there is a nice touch. I doubt anyone other than a faunus would be able to tell it's there except for subconsciously. It suits you."

Completely red in the face, Neo just turned her face away so that her hair shielded her from his easygoing smirk. I've been wearing it for months. Took you long enough to notice.

"The scent? I had always been able to say you smelled nice. Though usually after your showers in an inn the vanilla scent was strongest. That just wasn't particularly odd of a scent for a woman to have for me to comment on it. Rema used to wear perfume that had vanilla as part of it, so I'm kinda used to having it around. It wasn't until you chucked your jacket in my face that I could tell you had something specific on. You wear it so lightly that the typical smells of the forest overpower it unless I'm this close."

You know, now that you're awake, you're awfully chatty for someone who's supposed to be in horrendous pain. Neo pointed out while trying to keep her blush from spreading down her neck to the rest of her body.

Giving a slight wag of his head, the closest he could do to a shrug currently, he answered with: "I've still been healing this whole time. I still ache all over, but I'll probably be able to sit up and be fine in another half hour. By tomorrow I'll be fit for travel so long as I'm not attacked like that again."

Neo put her embarrassment aside at his words and looked back down at him with concern. Attack!? What kind of attack could do that to a person? It wasn't the Omega trying to break loose or something?

Fen shook his head in her lap, "No, if anything the Omega is the only reason I'm still me right now. It felt like something was trying to forcibly pull the Omega out of me. Like a claw reaching into my soul and trying to rip the Omega right out of me and leave only him on the surface. Though, for whatever its reasons, the Omega resisted this as much as I did. If it wasn't for that then whatever was responsible probably would have succeeded."

Okay, that's really sweet and all, but again; what could have done that to you?

"Well the most obvious things would either be some weird grimm summoning semblance or a special grimm with a similar power to call out to its kind, and then there's the one option that is pure speculation on my part: it being another omega. Though considering how little is known about the capabilities of omegas, that idea is both equal parts highly possible and maybe completely wrong."

Wouldn't the chances of us running into the rarest category of grimm, at least from what it seems, be like infinitesimally small?

"I'd say yes, but it could also be that the presence of my omega arriving in the territory of another might have roused it into action. Though again, it might not even be an omega per say. After all, the only thing I could really say is that the invading presence felt… old."

Could a regular old grimm really do something like that?

"I wouldn't call it regular if that really was the case. But whatever the cause, if it has the ability to do what it just did to me on command; we need to run if we ever meet it."

Even though the suggestion put a bad taste in her mouth, Neo nodded all the same. If it could incapacitate Fen with that much ease, then running would likely be their only option if they wanted any chance of them both surviving.

Just like he said, after another half hour Fen had the strength to rise. Stoking the fire, they made a meal from their provisions while tossing about small comments when it suited them; but neither felt the desire to bring up the earlier events of the day again. Instead, Fen took Neo's charity and went to sleep first.

Part of Neo feared what would happen if he was attacked with him in this defenseless state, but ultimately she just had to hope that whatever had been the cause had exhausted itself and wouldn't be able to make another attempt anytime soon. Though she kept these fears to herself, Fen's subconscious did not seem to be so easily sated as she watched him toss and turn in his sleep.

Similar to how she had done when she had soothed him while he was healing, she went over to him and sat close to his head. With one hand she stroked his hair calmingly while with her other she put it on his chest over his heart to prevent him from tossing. As she felt the drumming heartbeat under her fingers begin to slow with her ministrations, a small smile crossed her lips. It was almost funny how her presence was able to soothe her partner. She wondered if the Omega was maybe partly responsible for that.

But her levity was cut short as her thoughts returned to what had resulted in this turn of events.

This journey just became far more complicated. After learning that the Omega's presence is deterring most grimm we'd normally encounter, it's hard to believe that there exists something that could lay Fen so low this easily. What would be more frightening is if it's not actually another omega that was the cause. Just how ancient would a grimm have to be to gain the ability to affect other grimm like this?

As Fen's heart slowed to an easy and steady cadence, Neo finally removed her hand from his chest but kept stroking his hair as a way to maintain her own peace of mind.

I know that bitch Cinder has some means of manipulating grimm, something related to that 'maiden' magic crap. The Omega was meant to be my ace-in-the-hole since he already resisted the lure scent that had to have still been in effect in that first encounter. But seeing what happened as the result of what just another grimm could be responsible for; maybe that bitch's power might do something even worse.

Even as she left the question hanging in her mind, she looked down to the subject of her worries. He looked almost serene as he lay there sleeping, the dormant Omega no doubt gazing at her through his covered eye even as its host slept; though this thought bothered her only mildly compared to several months ago when she had first witnessed that he had handed over control of his right eye. Still this serenity did little to alleviate her fears and worries now that her assumptions had been cast into doubt.

Now their ace-in-the-hole had a very large, and very real, 'what if' hanging above it. And admittedly, Neo wasn't sure if she wanted to risk their lives on a 'what if'.

Heh. If I thought that even half a year ago I would have gone out to kill someone just to prove to myself I wasn't going soft. Though now… yeah, I probably have gone a bit soft; at least when it concerns this big dumb puppy.

Fen's ears twitched as she gently scratched around the base of one, getting an involuntary twitch out of his left leg at the same time, eliciting a small smile from Neo.

It's honestly incredible that we ended up as partners at all. Any other circumstances than exactly what we met under, and we'd probably would not have spared a thought about trying to kill each other. Well, actually I guess we did try to kill each other when first met. I suppose that would make the fact we are as close as we are even more unbelievable if I hadn't experienced it firsthand. Though what I think is most surprising, given our emotional circumstances, is that I've never seen him as a replacement for Rom—

Her thought was cut short as she felt a presence bearing down on her. Jumping up and grabbing her parasol, she scanned the darkness for even the slightest movement. She debated whether she should tap Fen to get him to wake up, but just as she was about to do so the presence vanished with a rustling of leaves as a breeze blew through the trees.

The suddenness of both detecting the presence and its subsequent disappearance did not sit well with Neo in the slightest. Though with it gone there wasn't much she could really do. She wasn't going to scout around for it while Fen was asleep; after all, if it was due to something hostile then she'd only be making it easier to kill them both. All she could do was remain vigilant for if it returned, though she doubted it would. Whoever or whatever had been observing them had not given off any bloodlust; the only thing it was doing was watching.

But considering we're out here in the sticks, the list of things it could have been doesn't really inspire confidence. We'd be lucky if it was only an animal, but part of me feels neither of us are that blessed. All our fortune probably got spent back in Vale during the collapse.

Even with her uneasiness, the rest of the night went by with no further incident. Fen had woken up later on and allowed her to get some rest, but it certainly wasn't the most peaceful sleep she could have had. When morning finally came, Neo excused herself on the basis of relieving herself to investigate the area around them. However, the only thing of note that she found was a single black feather that wasn't from a grimm.

She fessed up to Fen about it when she returned, but with no other clues to go on they both agreed to do their best to remain more vigilant. Unfortunately, this would prove more difficult than either of them would have expected over the course of the next few days.

While Fen had not dealt with another episode of his own semblance being used to almost kill him, he had dealt with a near constant flow of negative emotions being poured into him with no means of prevention. He had snapped verbally at Neo more times than he cared to count because of it, and all he could do was apologize after any hateful words that would involuntarily be spoken. It didn't help that the Omega kept sending surges of, what could only be described as, complicated emotion anytime it saw her recently; as though it was trying to assist its host by doing so. Ironically though, this just ended up making Fen feel crummier each time he ended up snapping at her.

This affected Neo almost as badly, though for different reasons than one might first believe. Her most critical of them being the worry she felt as she watched her friend darkly muttering to himself just ahead for her, since he had asked for her to not be in eyesight due to the Omega's present habit. She could also barely talk to him, his mood being so volatile that only during meals was it conceivable that she wouldn't be yelled at. Even her normal habit of picture taking needed to be quelled as the shutter-click sound her scroll made had already caused an episode between them. She wanted to be obliging because of what was happening, but keeping her focus on preventing small, natural habits of hers was proving much more mentally taxing than she'd like to admit.

Watching some birds flit through the trees around them was calming to her, but she appeared to be the only one who thought so as she observed Fen's ears twitching rapidly at any sound they picked up. His head flicked back and forth whenever a sound would be particularly loud; Neo didn't doubt most would believe he was going feral if someone were to see him like this. It made her thankful that the only thing to see him like this aside from her was the wildlife they observed throughout the day.

Speaking of which, maybe it was because she had nothing else to focus on, but she had noticed more birds and squirrels scampering in the trees, and even a few snakes slithering in the grass, than she could count in the last day or so. As she thought on that interesting tidbit, Fen stopped ahead of her. She caught up the few paces between them and waited for him to say something.

"Neo, could you close your eyes for just a sec?"

Umm. She hadn't been expecting a request like that, or any request at all really. I suppose.

Not really thinking to ask why, Neo did as he asked. Once she had, she heard him shift to check before she heard him take two steps in what sounded like her direction. The sunlight over her eyelids disappeared in an instant and before she could open her eyes to determine why, she felt arms close around her. Her first instinct made her want to leap back, but the arms firmed around her quickly enough to prevent this. Even with her eyes having snapped open her vision was still dark as she had her head pulled into Fen's chest. Her initial panic was rapidly replaced by a mountain of questions that came with the realization that Fen was hugging her; stranger still when she felt him bury his head into her hair and take a deep inhale.

Fen!? Care to explain what the hell you're doing!? She asked him as she squirmed with discomfort.

His voice was soft but it was the most calm she had heard in days, "Sorry, this was pretty weird to do, I admit. But I kinda just realized that when I could smell your scent after that first incident days ago, it kept me calm while I was recovering. I felt like I needed to try this, and I wasn't sure how you'd react if I just asked."

With an annoyed sigh she just let him stay as he was for a few moments before she inquired. So, is it working?

"Yeah. For whatever reason." He gave a small nod into her hair. With his mind temporarily clear he asked her, "Neo, you've noticed the wildlife right?"

Hmm? Neo had to rouse herself as she had been beginning to relax as well. What about them? That there have been so many?

"Well that's somewhat odd, but what I was wondering was if you had taken notice of what direction you had seen them moving in."

She thought back to the birds and squirrels, and one similarity did manage to jump out at her. They're all moving away from the direction we're heading.

"Yeah… and grimm don't really invoke that kind of response from animals. Something else is—"

Fen?

Neo looked up to see Fen's attention firmly fixated on something to her right. Carefully turning her head, she suppressed a gasp of disbelief at seeing a pair of leopards stalking through the forest about ten meters away from them. She knew such predators lived on Anima, but to see them so brazenly appearing this near to people, it made for an unbelievable turn of events; what's more was the direction the large felines happened to be heading.

"Even displacing territorial predators like them?" Fen muttered so low that if Neo hadn't been hugged against him she would have missed it.

What could be the reason? The only thing that comes to mind would be a grimm, but you said it yourself, they don't have this effect on wildlife.

"Well, the first answer would be that we're wrong about that in this case. But if we suppose we are right, then that really doesn't leave us with many options. Animals are said to be able to sense natural disasters before they occur, but so far as I remember from information we gathered, this region doesn't have a history of earthquakes or storms that would be of the magnitude to affect wildlife to this degree."

Should we be worried?

"Cautious. It could just be an effect of whatever's domain we entered that has been affecting me. Any other theories are just that, unless we happen to figure out anything else."

Neo nodded, then looked up at her partner and asked: So, how long do you plan to keep hugging me for? We really should keep moving.

"Five more minuOWCH!" Fen winced as Neo jabbed him in the side with a knife hand strike. "Fine, fine. I suppose I have enough calming scent reserves to make do for the rest of the day."

He released her and they continued on, though Neo now walked beside him without having to worry about being lashed out at. Fen noted that she even had a small smile on her face as they traveled. While he did feel the return of the negative feelings relatively quickly, they weren't such that they could manage to ruin his current disposition.

Some concern did arise however, when the sky began to darken far before sunset from storm clouds that rolled in above them. The rumble of distant thunder made them both vexed at the thought of sleeping under such a storm. Fen's ears folded down as he gave a small growl at the noise, the ringing of normally unperceivable tones aggravating him.

Neo couldn't help but silently chuckle. It's kinda funny how you're usually so composed, but just a tiny bit of thunder gets you growling.

"Har har. Somedays I wish that my faunus aspect hadn't manifested as ears. To have claws or a tail would be so much more useful and less irritating. Not to mention I wouldn't be as susceptible to sonic attacks."

Aww, but then I wouldn't have so many good photos. Or be able to do this. Neo teased as she reached up and scratched one of Fen's ears, making him stumble before turning to her with a growl and slight dusting of red on his cheeks. He turned away in a huff, and she received no comment for her actions.

After all, he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing the sides of his ears he did like; which may or may not have included having them scratched.

Given his silence, Neo decided to ask: Do you imagine we'll make it to Shion before that storm falls on us?

Fen gave a grunt, still slightly peeved at her, but he knew better than to ignore her: "We wasted half a day and then have been slower than usual. I honestly haven't a clue how long it will take us. The map we got from Junior does well for showing us the route to take, but sadly isn't the most precise on distances. We could be only half an hour away or still another day and a half of travel."

That long? It's already been almost two weeks since we set out. Even with a decreased pace, could we have really been that slow to have that much left?

"Don't know what to tell you. Signage along our route hasn't really existed traveling here in Anima. Just the way of things without any signpo—"

What's wrong?

"Hey Neo, think you can handle five more minutes of walking?"

She looked at him curiously and replied with an eyebrow quirked. I think I'm capable of that. Though why only five minutes?

He turned to her and pointed with a thumb behind him down the trail. "Because I don't think it will take us more than that to find the inn."

Neo looked past him and strained her eyes somewhat. Sure enough however, she could just barely make out what looked to be a wall in the distance, and with a wall meant a settlement: Shion was in sight. Just the thought alone of not needing to deal with another night of sleeping in the rain made her want to sigh in relief. However, Fen's next words did make her want to strangle her partner.

"Dibs on the first shower."

Yonder

They are so cute together! And don't go hurting my boy again!

WRW

He'll be fine~. Well. Actually...

Yonder

...What are you planning?

WRW

You'll just have to find out next chapter.

And that goes for the rest of you too.

I hope you all enjoyed. Let me know what you thought of it with a review, and if you have made it this far into the story and haven't followed or faved then this is the perfect time to do so. Until next time everyone, stay awesome. WRW out.