Gray was haunted by a disturbing memory where he found himself in a white, featureless room. He could vividly recall the feeling of being about thirteen years old at that time, yet the memory was still fresh in his mind. As he stood inside the room, he was breathing heavily, feeling that the featureless white walls were about to gain color any moment.
The moment he closed his eyes for a brief moment, he felt an intense rush of emotions. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see that the once featureless white room was now painted red. His hands were trembling, and he could see the same red color on his own hands. As he looked down, he saw the body of a woman lying on the floor in front of him.
Gray was terrified and confused by what he saw in front of him. Suddenly, the entire featureless room was filled with a deafening, primordial scream. Gray was certain that the scream came from himself, and it echoed through the room, making him feel more terrified and helpless than ever before.
As Gray slowly opened and closed his eyes, he was met with a haunting sight - a cemetery situated in the desolate area of Mantle. The surrounding streets were lined with clusters of shabby slums, which appeared to be housing the workers of the Schnee Dust Company. The overall ambiance of the place was bleak and melancholic, as if it was a place where hope and happiness went to die. Gray's gaze shifted from the grave to Atlas, a towering monument to higher powers looking down upon those below.
Gray refocused on the grave marker. The name read "Ash Tuman: Beloved Historian and Devoted Mother."
Gray was consumed by a profound sense of loneliness that seemed to permeate every fiber of his being. The company of Hyde, his only companion in this desolate existence, had been far from pleasant. Gray found himself yearning for an end to the unrelenting pain he had to endure. Just as he was about to give in to the darkness, a gentle hand rested upon his shoulder. The touch was not rough or cruel, but felt soft, as if the person behind it was genuinely compassionate and caring.
"Are you alright?" the female owner of the hand asked Gray.
How could he answer that question?
"Must life always be so cruel as to rob a child of his mother?" the woman asked.
As Gray heard a voice speaking, he felt a sudden urge to turn and see who it was. But before he could even make a move, he felt a soft touch on his shoulder, which quickly turned into a warm and comforting embrace. It felt so familiar, just like the way his mother used to hold him when he was a child. The embrace was so tight, as if the person was trying to protect him from all the troubles and worries of the world. In that moment, Gray felt a sense of calmness and security, as if everything was going to be alright.
"These supposed noble huntsmen and huntresses haven't even tried to ease your pain," she said, before adding, "I can help you navigate through this harsh world, and I promise that you'll never have to experience this kind of pain again." She spoke in a gentle and soothing tone, causing Gray to wonder about her identity and ask for her name.
His mother always taught him not to invade anyone's privacy, but Hyde seemed to have different he could hear what might have been her response, Gray felt himself stirring awake.
Gray's eyes shot open and he had to stop himself from screaming, then he gave a slight yawn and rubbed his eyes as morning came.
Looking around, he slowly remembered that, after the ceremony dedicated to the formation of teams, they'd eventually settled into their dorm rooms.
Which was also when it dawned on him that the room they had was the kind that had two separate rooms.
Jacen and Rowan were in the adjacent room, while he and Rouge had the other one.
As he turned his gaze towards her side of the room, he noticed that she was sound asleep. The room was dimly lit, but a faint light from the window fell on her face, illuminating it in a way that he had never seen before. He couldn't help but stare at her as he noticed the delicate features of her face and the soft curves of her lips. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in that moment, with her pale skin glowing in the gentle light, and the silk gown she wore adding a touch of elegance to her appearance.
It was hard to believe that someone like her had literally ripped out a Nevermore's throat and utilized blood as sustenance and a boost for her semblance.
Still, he had to admire her for her on-site medical experience, even if her taste in posters ran to lamentable checks.
One such poster featured some boy band Gray didn't recognize, and it was probably for the best that he didn't.
As Gray observed Rouge's side of the room, his eyes immediately fell upon the impressive book collection that adorned the shelves. As he perused through the books, his eyes fell upon a series of medical indexes that were arranged alphabetically, and beside them, a collection of romance novels. However, Gray's attention was quickly drawn to a particular book on the shelf - "Ninjas of Love." Gray knew the book to be rather exotic and suggestive in nature, and he couldn't help but wonder how it had made its way into Rouge's collection.
Turning toward his side of the room, he noted that he had purposely arranged things symmetrically, not so much for appearance but because he preferred things to be orderly.
He finally got up and stretched slightly, then focused on Rouge, still asleep.
As he watched her, Gray's alter ego, Hyde, threatened to take over his body once again. With a sudden surge of aggression, Hyde attempted to attack Rouge, but Gray barely managed to grab his hand in time. This was a common occurrence, as Hyde's murderous tendencies always seemed to take over parts of Gray's body, even when he had his trusty necktie on. The necktie, as it turned out, had a psychological effect that kept Hyde dormant until he was unleashed by loosening the tie during battle. It was a constant struggle for Gray to keep Hyde at bay, but he knew that he had to fight against the darkness that threatened to consume him, no matter what.
"Don't you do it," he said quietly through clenched teeth.
Then, as suddenly, he had control of his arm again.
He hoped that during his time at Beacon, however long that was, someone might be able to help him have more control over Hyde rather than the other way around.
Turning toward his desk, where he placed his scroll, he opened it into its wider configuration and selected the icon for his historical entry archives.
His love of history compelled him to learn all that there was about what used to be and factually is rather than how much of Remnant perceives it.
He couldn't help but laugh at the irony, history, much like himself, had a duality to it.
Throughout history, there have been tales of great heroes and cultural development that occurred in different kingdoms. However, there have also been tragic stories of oppression based on species or cultural differences. For instance, during the Great War, people from Psarudakis and Fiskare were absorbed by Mistral. Sadly, some Mistralians did not consider them to be pure Mistralians.
Couple that with their animosity toward the people of Fiskare, whom they regarded as brutish barbarians.
Furthermore, some stories had two meanings depending on which perspective one looked at.
The Branwen Tribe of Anima was infamous for being cutthroat bandits. Although their fearsome reputation was terrifying, their way of life was based on the belief that only the strong survive in the wild. Despite their best efforts, the presence of the Grimm throughout Anima would eventually prevail by virtue of their tenacity.
The fact that the Grimm and the Branwen Tribe were often spoken about in the same sentence was equally misconstrued.
Some had stated that the Branwen Tribe lured Grimm into a specific area once they finished their raids to wipe out whatever they didn't need.
However, as Gray conducted his research, he felt that there was more to the tribe's method of luring the Grimm.
As Vale faced a tumultuous period, the Hounds of Cú, known for their distinctive sash, were tasked with the duty to safeguard the Royal family. These warriors were the epitome of valor and their reputation preceded them. Rowan, a member of the Emerald Hounds, embodied their spirit and his ferocity on the battlefield was matched only by his respect for worthy opponents. However, Gray couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness as he pondered the fate of the Hounds of Cú. Once an esteemed group of elite soldiers, their reputation had gradually eroded over time, and they had become nothing more than common criminals, devoid of the honor and integrity they once held dear. It was a stark reminder that even the most noble institutions could fall from grace.
He shook his head to refocus; what had happened yesterday was too incredible not to write about, coupled with the amazing feats he witnessed Jacen perform.
A universe of possibilities blossomed with his discovery of these Jedi warriors that Jacen was part of.
Looking at his latest entry regarding the Battle of the Emerald Forest, he looked to see that he had made a separate entry titled "Tales of the Jedi."
Sadly, it was less a complete entry than an assortment of bullet points related to small baseline items regarding this new topic.
The list held such mentions as lightsabers, Jedi, the Force, Kyber Crystals, and even something he remembered hearing Jacen say in passing as the Clone Wars.
The word clone surged through Gray's mind.
Before his father's arrest and subsequent execution for his unorthodox experiment, he recalled the numerous projects in which Atlas's top scientific minds had a hand. These projects ranged from machines that could artificially transplant aura to the possibility of creating a new generation of defense with artificially created machines that could produce aura.
Despite his extensive knowledge of Atlas' research, he had never mentioned Atlas exploring the possibility of cloning. As he pondered the idea, he realized that even the concept of cloning seemed novel and unfamiliar to him. He wondered how it could be possible to create a replica of a living being and what implications this technology could have for the future. Perhaps Atlas was keeping their research under wraps, or cloning was a far-fetched idea yet to be explored. Either way, the thought of it filled him with curiosity and wonder.
Gray narrowed his eyes as he recalled Jacen's claim of being the last of his kind. He wondered if there was something that Jacen was hiding about the Clone Wars. Gray made sure to add more entries for future reference.
The sound of Rouge finally waking up brought him back to the present.
Turning, he saw Rouge rubbing her eyes and stretched.
"Morning, Rouge," Gray said in his kind way.
She opened her eyes to regard him, "Morning, Gray," she said, getting out of bed.
Her hair was in virtual disarray and long now that it wasn't in a tight bun.
"You look like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Gray admitted after a moment.
"You could use a mirror," he added, earning a slightly annoyed glare from her.
"I hate having to use one," she said sharply. "A foul boreal of one's vanity," she added, then she turned her attention toward fixing her hair without using a mirror.
Gray remarked that Jacen wasn't the only exciting topic he'd need to make a record of.
Rouge's Faunus heritage didn't bother him much. Still, he was intrigued by the fact that despite being able to transform into a beast-like creature capable of taking a Nevermore down, Rouge chose to become a doctor and save lives instead.
Rouge finished fixing her hair, went into the closet to get her uniform out, and then went into the bathroom to change.
As his eyes approached her desk, he noticed an old typewriter and a leather-bound book with a lock.
On the front cover, there was a clear gold embroidery that read, "Rouge Nightshade's Diary."
His mother often taught him not to poke into someone's privacy, but Hyde seemed to have other ideas.
"I bet that creature is hiding all sorts of nasty secrets," Hyde sneered nastily.
Gray gave a disgusted scowl, "Don't start getting so petty, Hyde," he whispered angrily.
Hyde's voice gave a derisive snort, "You think you're ever going to score with that beast?" He said mockingly.
Gray tightly closed his hand into a fist, feeling the same frustration consuming him for a long time. His father, determined to achieve success and recognition by turning someone's inner evil into a weapon against Grimm, had used him as a test subject. As a result, Gray's semblance had developed a separate personality of its own.
His father planned to use it to create a new type of soldier called the Atlesian Hyde Berserker, soldiers that, much like Gray himself, had one side that was cold and precise and could also infiltrate an area without the enemy's notice, with the other side being a psychotic killer with a thirst for carnage.
Fortunately or instead unfortunately, in his father's case, the Atlesian Council, with then-commander James Ironwood, declared the experiment as unethical and dangerous. Then, they arrested him while he and sentenced his father to death.
Afterward, with no other family, the Atlesian Council voted to relocate him to an orphanage in Mantle. It was some of the worst conditions he'd ever lived in.
Ash Tuman was a passionate archeologist hailing from Vacuo. She spent most of her career pursuing her passion for discovering and uncovering the mysteries of the ancient world. Ash kept a detailed journal of her expeditions, documenting her fascinating discoveries and their history.
One such discovery was the ruins of a mysterious temple in the middle of a lake in Mistral. Ash was fascinated by the temple's intricate architecture and its secrets.
Eventually, Ash found herself in Atlas, where she met Gray's father. The two fell in love and got married. A year later, Ash gave birth to their son, Gray. Despite the challenges and dangers that came with her work, Ash loved her job and was grateful for the opportunity to explore the past and uncover its hidden treasures.
Gray fondly recalled his mother's cherished tradition of storytelling, where she imparted knowledge about things that the modern world had long forgotten. Her stories were filled with invaluable life lessons, and Gray was always eager to listen and learn from her. It was due to this that Gray himself developed a love for history.
Gray looked down at his hand and once again saw the horrifying red stain he had seen in his dreams. He tried to wipe it off, but it seemed to be stuck. Hyde, who was watching him, laughed cruelly as Gray continued for a few minutes until Rouge's voice snapped him out of his compulsion. It took Gray a moment to realize that Rouge was looking at him with concern.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
When Gray looked at his hand, the horrifying red was gone, but he felt something wet on his face.
Gray gently touched his face to realize he had been crying, likely from the overflow of repressed memories.
"I-I'm fine," he said, though he wasn't as confident as he sounded.
He saw Rouge take out a handkerchief and wipe his eyes dry.
"You look like you were recalling something painful," she said gently.
She was sharp in her intuition, and somehow, Gray regained his enthusiasm.
"To think just yesterday you and I were fighting an Elder Nevermore," he said, getting a short laugh from Rouge.
"You weren't too bad either," she said, placing her handkerchief back into the pocket of her uniform blazer.
As was typical of Beacon students' female uniform, it fit Rouge perfectly, and her fedora seemed to add a particular charm.
Though the look of the uniform made him realize something, "What time is it?"
Gray looked at the time on his scroll; it was almost an hour or so before their first class was to begin.
Getting to his feet, Gray went to get his uniform ready, "Well, let's make today our best foot forward," he said with confidence.
With a slight smile, he went to change as well.
END