A/N: Chapter 75 of REKT. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or teams of RWBY, they belong to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. What I do own are the characters and teams of my OCs: REKT, GTSY, KACE and DAZE. I also claim Ingrid, Teo, Reina's parents and aunt as well.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 75: A Change of Pace
Back in Patch...
Taiyang jumped to his feet the moment Efram rushed in with Yang still unconscious in his arms, breathing out a sigh of relief knowing that they were home safe. The litter of parchment papers on the table indicated the older male had been going through some mail while he had been waiting. Zwei himself hurried in to get out of the rain, a small puddle of liquid forming on the floor from his own wet fur; he had shaken off most of the liquid before stepping in.
He turned around and shoved the door closed with his paws, hearing a click signifying that it had been successful before trotting around so his fur would dry faster. Without uttering a word, Taiyang and Efram quickly whisked Yang upstairs to the bed room. The injured huntress didn't move as Efram held her carefully, the male watching as Taiyang moved the blanket back before disappearing into the bathroom. Sound of running water being turned on reached his ears a moment later.
"We should probably give her a bath to get all the impurities and grime off her body." The older blond spoke, not bothering to turn his head as Efram stepped into the bathroom. Shutting off the flow he daintily dipped a finger in the water to test the temperature, not wanting it to be super hot. Nodding his head of approval when the water turned lukewarm and flicking off the excessive water droplets, Taiyang turned to say, "Makes it a little easier to see the injuries a little clearer."
"She's unconscious though, I don't think giving her a bath is a good idea at this time." Efram states quickly, leaning his head forward to make sure Yang was still breathing. Once he heard the faint beating of her heart within her chest, he continued speaking, "We could try to wash her with like a damp cloth or something. I just thought an alternative option would be better so her body wouldn't...go into shock if we were to just submerge her in water. Why don't we wait until she's fully conscious?" Taiyang regarded him for a good minute, before releasing a sigh.
"...yeah...maybe you're right. I was too hasty that I forgot to assess the situation with a level head. Very well then, we'll clean her the old fashion way. Lay her flat on the bed and I'll be right out." Efram nodded his head in agreement, hoisting Yang back into his arms and proceeded to lay her flat on her bed. He looked over as Taiyang followed with two towels and two bins. They fetched some water from the already filled bathtub and got down to business, carefully ridding the bed-ridden huntress of her clothes.
"Uuufff..." Efram frowned when he laid eyes on a particularly nasty wound as he was taking off the jacket, his shaky fingers already toggling with the clasps. The article of clothing was torn from the plethora of claw and bite marks, some of the fabric ripped straight from the seams. The caked blood didn't make the removal process any better, and he feared he might accidentally cause more damage.
"Remember, she's the one who is truly suffering. We have to do whatever necessary to make her feel better." Taiyang said gently, pausing from washing his daughter's left arm to rinse off the impurities. He appeared to be exhausted and tired, but he was deeply concerned for Yang's well-being. It was another blow toward him as a father, he couldn't protect his oldest child. "I know it may be...too hard to look at. But..."
"I know...I just need a quick breather." The younger male took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Now with slightly calmer fingers he proceeded to remove the article of clothing entirely. Tossing the jacket into the hamper for washing, he had to recollect himself again. "I couldn't imagine how much pain she had to endure."
"None of us could unless we were in her shoes, and even so Yang currently lies here with severe injuries. I know I've said this before – perhaps not to you directly but I know I've brought this up to Qrow – my daughter is basically a tank in a fight. Her Semblance allows her to withstand huge hits and she can dish her own hits that have amplified strength. However, she's also hot-headed, and she charges in without thinking clearly. A literally firecracker if you will. Knowing that she can take hits makes her reckless and irrational in fights, but I don't know if I have ever told her that she's not invincible. Perhaps I don't need too...she already realized it."
"Perhaps you don't need to, but I figure it would...uh, at least help to remind her. Yang is...a very prideful girl, perhaps not as prideful as Weiss because of her family name, but I figure that in her own way she takes pride in looking out for her friends and family." said Efram, wringing out a towel he held before resuming cleaning some wounds. "Her reliance in her strength is admirable, sometimes I too, quake in my shoes when I see her raw power on display. Like an unyielding volcano if I were to describe her."
"Heh...a volcano huh..." Taiyang chuckled at the thought, but he was smiling nonetheless, "I never thought about her like that, and Yang's been many things. To me she's my daughter and my Little Sun Dragon, to Qrow she's his firecracker, to Ruby she's her older sister and protector. One might even think of Yang as a surrogate mother. But to you and others, she could be an impulsive individual with a fiery temper."
The two males fell into a comfortable silence as they tended to the injured girl, making use of their time to do the best that they could suturing deeper wounds and disinfecting them. Throughout the process Efram followed Taiyang's orders, both males wanting to make the process simple and painless. They did have to move from the bedroom and bathroom to switch out the bins; how fast the water turned from pure to impure was a bit alarming, but after a couple of washes the amount of impurities lessened.
Zwei padded in at one point through the cracked door, his ears perked as he watched them but didn't make a peep. Once or twice Taiyang would reach down to rub the corgi between the ears, but his eyes were incredibly focused on Yang. Efram himself would leave briefly to get the dog a towel to help dry off the still damp fur, which was much appreciated.
"I can patch up the rest...go take a break. Brew yourself a drink if you like or use the laundry room for those clothes." Taiyang says gently, making one last knot in the bandages after he had wrapped it around his daughter's torso. Yang hadn't stirred the entire time, her eyes completely shut but the pained expression had been replaced by one of relaxation. "I'll join you shortly."
"As you wish." Efram said and quietly left the room with the hamper in tow. Making his way to the laundry room he tossed in Yang's blood-stained jacket and his own stained shirt. The huntsman even took Blake's ribbon and soaked it in the available sink, the blood and dirt instantly coming off to make the water opaque. Throwing in the necessary material into the washer, and set the timer. Moving back to the sink he rinsed and washed the ribbon, taking extra care not to rip it, before hanging it up to dry. Then he went about making a fresh pot of hot water in the kitchen.
Since his arrival in Patch he figured that the favorable beverage was either water or hot tea, something he found was a great alternative from coffee. After awhile with the whistling of the pot dying down, he had already drowned three cups of tea when he heard the heavy footsteps descending from the second floor. He quickly poured Taiyang a cup when the older blond entered, a worn out expression on his face. Zwei was nowhere to be seen, so it was inferred that he went back up to stay with Yang so she had someone there when she woke up.
"She's gonna need a lot of rest to get back her strength, I've never seen her Aura level down so low. I'm surprised her body was able to take so many hits...but one wrong move and she could have ended up dead." The older huntsman sighed as he sat down and rubbed his temple, clearly concerned with Yang's well-being. He combed his fingers through his hair, a long sigh escaping between his lips. "At least her Aura is beginning the self-healing process...so that makes me feel slightly better. And thanks for brewing a new pot... been meaning to do so."
"I'm sorry for not being there in time. I could have prevented some of the injuries." Efram says, wrapping his hands around his cup for some warmth. "Maybe I could have stopped her from leaving too if I were here."
"Don't feel bad, I'm just thankful for you just being there when you could. It was probably my fault I didn't run after her when I had the chance...but how could I follow through when she made it clear she didn't want anyone to follow?" Taiyang sighed, suddenly looking a little older due to the lighting. The lines under his eyes were more prominent, and his once sandy-blonde hair looks as though it was beginning to gray by the roots. "I feel like I don't deserve to be called her father..."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. And for what's it worth, after spending my time here, I think you are a great father."
"This wasn't the first time I broke down...except I wasn't in the right state of mind. In fact I completely shut out my family and drunk myself to the point I didn't care; in fact at one point I thought I might as well cut my life short. After getting my shit together and I got myself back on my feet...the amount of damage was already dealt. I could never forgive myself for what Yang had to go through at a young age."
"...if I may ask, what happened during Yang's childhood?" Efram says gently, pulling his hands from his cup and folding his arms over the tabletop. Taiyang merely stared at nothing before him, before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. His brows were furrowed, furrowed so deeply that Efram was sure that there were more creases that he cared to notice. He waited for the older blond to collect his thoughts.
"Yang...didn't have a great mother figure during her time of growing up. Her biological mother left when she was a young child, abandoning Yang and I in pursuit of her own self interest. Then when I fell in love and took on a second wife by the name of Summer Rose – thus giving way to the birth of Ruby – Yang was extremely happy; I haven't seen her so exuberant about having a baby half-sister and a new mom. Life was really good and I didn't worry about any hardships, I wanted it to last till I had a full head of gray hairs. But...that vision of the future would never come to fruition."
"What...what happened?"
"One day Summer left on a mission given by Ozpin himself...one that I still question why the entire team wasn't involved, and didn't come home. So, Yang was once again reminded of what it means to be motherless, and I was reminded of what it felt like to lose a wife. That was the moment I hit rock bottom and I drank myself silly day by day. Sometimes I don't remember if I stayed home, making my way to the bars and left Yang and Ruby on their own." Taiyang leaned back in his seat, drawing a hand through his hair. "Qrow did stop by here and there, but he had his own job to do. I left Yang to raise Ruby alone...a girl who wasn't even considered an adult and was a child herself."
"...but it wasn't entirely your fault...right?" questions the younger huntsman. "All those events that led up to it...they were out of your control. You couldn't have known those things were going to happen."
"In a way, it was still my fault...Because I let my feelings of losing not one but two women I loved the most get the best of me. Before I even realized it Yang was already getting ready to enroll in Beacon after graduating from Signal with Ruby right on her heels. I missed so much in their upbringing, they grew up into fine young ladies, and I can never get that amount of time back. I can't give Yang that time back...she had to grow up without the support I should have been giving her instead of digging myself deeper into self-pity."
"And that's why you're doing everything you can to be in their lives...to be the father they want to look up to." Efram said, dipping his head in understanding. He may never truly experience a similar fate, but he was lucky to hear the story. He doubt the other male would recount his past to anyone.
"I know I don't say this enough, but thanks for being here." Taiyang says, leveling his stare with the younger male. "You probably wanted to head home after that debacle of Beacon, but–"
"I mean, it would've been nice to go home and think about what had occurred...but I already let my folks know by sending a letter. It's very inconvenient when the CCT tower is out of commission. Besides...uh, the rest of my team already decided what course of action we'd take and just rolled with it."
"Without informing your team leader?" A blond eyebrow raised up in confusion. "I thought it wasn't great protocol for the leader to not be informed of everyone's whereabouts."
"Well...the bullet fired by Weiss' father knocked her out so we couldn't just stand and wait until its effects wore off. We had to act as quickly as possible." Efram scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "Kairos stayed behind anyway to catch her up on events...and we had to transport Yang and Ruby to Patch. Timber already sneaked his way to the hanger of the Schnee's personal bullhead. And now that there's no way to communicate via our Scrolls...giving and receiving information isn't possible."
"And with Ruby now on her way to Haven with Qrow in tow, the only way we know she's safe is from the letters." Taiyang pulled out an envelop he had hidden inside his coat pocket, the messy scrawls definitely looked like Ruby's handwriting. The object itself seemed to have seen better days due to its long travel, tattered and a little dirty. "A little late but it's what we got. Seriously, without the CCTs this is incredibly inconvenient."
Back at the farm...
With the fields completely plowed and letting the family mare graze in a nearby pasture for awhile Oscar decided to take a break and wash up. Trudging into the barn where there was a working sink and hanging mirror, he turned on the faucet and let the running water sooth his hands. Rubbing off the grime and soot he splashed his face and let out a breath of relief.
"Phew, now that hit the spot." He reached down to grab a towel and wiped off his face. Dousing the object with water and wringing out excessive liquid he wiped the back of his neck and his arms. He hung the now damp towel back up before combing through his messy hair with a hand. Lifting his head he glanced at his own reflection for a few minutes, the corners of his mouth soon turned into a smile.
Well now, this is surely a welcoming surprise. I don't remember the last time I had a younger host. A voice that wasn't quite his own popped up, and for a minute Oscar could only stare at himself in silence. But if I'm being honest here, finding a compatible soul to attach to has always been left up to fate. Sadly I don't have a say in it.
"Holy crap! What the heck?!" Falling to the ground with his chest heaving from the shock, Oscar tried to wrap his brain around the idea that some sentient force was in his head. The mere idea of a paranormal activity in the works sounds bonkers to him, but there was a sliver of doubt tingling in the back of his mind. Or was it this sentient voice that has seek refuge inside his head without permission that was tingling? Rising to his feet he let out a shaky laugh and said, "I must be crazy, there's no way I heard a voice of someone who isn't here...yeah, that's it. I must be crazy!"
Oh I assure you you aren't crazy...well to me at least. I'm residing here and you can hear my voice. The only people who would view you as crazy will be, uh, everyone else.
"Waaaaah! Get out of my head!" The young farmhand roared, his arms making a sweeping motion that sent objects tumbling to the floor with loud clatters. Falling to his knees he clutched his head painfully, uttering under his breath, "This is crazy, no, this is way beyond crazy...! This is like a breach of privacy! ...let me rephrase, this IS a breach of my private thoughts! I-I-I shouldn't be hearing voices in my head! Period!"
I think it's safe to say that none of my other past catalysts freaked out as much as you are...probably because you are younger than usual. I understand why you are confused right now but –
"Confused? CONFUSED?! I seem to have lost my mind since I'm conscious enough to hear a crystal clear voice; I can't possibly pass this experience as talking to an imaginary friend! And on that note, you seem to have gotten quite comfortable settling unannounced in my personal space!" Oscar all but groaned under his breath, his hands still clutched against his head. "Seriously, this is so messed up on so many levels..."
I believe we have come off on the wrong foot, you're getting too riled up. Why don't we –
"Shut up...just shut up! Don't tell me what to do! I don't want to hear your voice anymore! Leave me alone!"
"Oscar? What's going on in there? Are you okay?" A voice spoke and the boy turned to see his aunt standing by the door, a look of confusion on her face. Scrambling to his feet he rushed over with open arms, clinging to her like his life depended on it. Incredibly concerned now his aunt held him tight, keeping her voice soft and calm, "What's the matter honey? I was just about to come check up on you when I heard you scream. Sounded like you were having a nightmare or something."
"...I-I think I'm hearing voices in my head." He told her despite the little tickle in the back of his mind, the little voice of doubt whispering that his aunt will not believe him. He held out hope and continued speaking, holding onto her tightly, "A clear voice, not like those disembodied ones. I...I believe it's an older male's voice. I've never felt so terrified ever..."
"Oh my poor boy, you must have gotten delusional while working under the sun. Not enough water in you hun." His aunt cooed, wiping his sweaty brow with a hand.
"B-But I'm not delusional..." He tried to protest but his aunt just smiled and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, leading him back to the house. "I know exactly what I heard!"
"Why don't we call it a day? I'll make you some of my nice cold lemonade while you freshen up. We'll leave our mare to graze some more, maybe even let her sleep out under the stars. She's been having some restless behavior when you aren't looking, almost as if she knows that something bad was happening. I swear sometimes she dotes on you a lot. Animals are very intelligent – Grimm I'm not so sure – but I believe they know more than they let on, it's like they too have hidden human qualities. Such a shame that we as actual humans still treat them as nothing more than animals."
"You don't understand, I–"
"Oscar." His aunt, one hand planted firmly on a hip and an eyebrow raised, gave him a very quizzical stare. Her tone alone was enough for him to shut his mouth, and he hung his head so he was staring at the ground instead. "Never in my years living out here have I heard such a thing as 'voices in my head'. Now I know the mundane chores day by day would become monotonous and boring, but it should have kept your mind busy. If you let your thoughts wonder you'll end up with fantasies and imagery situations."
"...you weren't there...you wouldn't know..." Oscar muttered to himself, his fingers balled up into fists by his side. "You'll never understand..."
"Of course I wouldn't know, I can't read your thoughts. But that doesn't mean I'm not oblivious when you're in need of an ear or two." His aunt huffed when she heard his comments. Walking forward she pulled him into a hug, holding him against her for a moment. "I mean it, anything that bothers you you can come straight to me. I'm still skeptical about this voice you're talking about, but if you ignore it then it should just move on."
" ...you think that'll work?"
"I'm not completely sure about this plan of mine, but it's worth a try. Now then, just relax for awhile and keep your conscious clean and free. I'll be back with some lemonade to help cool you down."
"O-Okay. Thank you." Oscar smiled, watching as his aunt disappeared into the kitchen not a moment later, and hearing the refrigerator door open and close. Making his way to the couch he leaned back, closed his eyes, and released a held breath he didn't know he was holding. Just as he was about to enjoy the tranquility, the cool breeze from a slightly ajar window tussling his hair, the voice pierced his mind.
You may try and push me away into the deepest corner of your mind. You may try to ignore me out of existence...but let me be absolutely clear. I'm not going anywhere. Sooner or later you're going to have to deal with it. And I'll be here waiting.
Somewhere in the north...
Ruby felt as though her legs were made out of lead, heavy and sluggish. The couple of nights where she stayed up longer than she expected, she spent gazing up at the sky wondering about her teammates and how they were fairing. Sometimes her thoughts were too much for her to handle and she cried herself to sleep, her arms circling around her own body for comfort. Sometimes Jaune would accompany her in star gazing when he himself couldn't sleep, and they would talk about the past a bit just to lighten the mood; more times than not, their conversations usually lead to another sob feast because it brought up memories none of them wished to relive.
"So we're...uhhh, currently here if I read this correctly," The younger of the four was saying as she glances over the map, a finger tracing a path on the parchment. There were bags under her eyes which indicated just how little sleep she got the night beforehand. It's been a running theme which didn't go unnoticed by Nora or Ren, the pair paid extra care to Jaune "And it seems as though there's another village not too far."
"Strange how we haven't come across any animals. Nor have we seen the Grimm that has been plaguing the other village. But since the distance between the new settlement and the last are somewhat close, I have a theory that the Grimm just goes between either one with ease." Jaune noted as he looks over her shoulder, his brows furrowed in thought. As the group's strategist his mind was clogged with any and all scenarios, searching for the optimal one that would reap the most benefits. "Maybe we'll be lucky and find it there."
"Color me surprise. Jaune actually wants to seek out danger?!" Nora teases, her mouth shaped in a small 'O' and both hands placed against her cheeks. Then she chuckles and lightly punched his arm lovingly, "That's our fearless leader we all know and love! It's about time!"
"Hey I can be fearless when I want to be!" The blond scoffed loudly, brushing off the teasing and praying that his cheeks weren't dusted pink with embarrassment. "It's just, sometimes I feel like I need to prepare ahead of time for those moments...you know?"
"Jaune, you're a great leader. You don't have to overly prepare for anything, just be yourself. Ren and I will always be proud of you and support you no matter what happens." Nora assures him, patting his arm reassuringly. Then she said more quietly, "...and I'm sure Pyrrha would be especially proud of how far you've come." Jaune's eyes widened briefly at the mere mention of his partner's name before facing forward, his gaze downcast.
"Yeah...I bet she would be." In his mind he could envision the way Pyrrha's eyes lit up whenever he accomplished any small feat, the way her mouth would turn into the biggest grin as she cheered him on or congratulated him. In her eyes anything he did almost always got a praise out of her, but he was also on the receiving end of her scoldings; honestly Pyrrha was by far the best partner he could have ever hoped for. Tears began to well up in his eyes and he hastily wiped them away before they could fall. "No...I know she'd be proud of me. Just like you and Ren. You guys were always there for me...and I really appreciate it."
"We're never going away." Nora promised, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ren followed up on the blond's other side, placing a hand on his other shoulder. "You can count on that."
Ruby stood silently to the side as she watched the three of them, a somewhat of a smile on her face. However seeing such an emotion scene made her chest hurt, and she took in a shaky breath. Her heart was beating at a fast pace, and images of her own team flashed through her mind like ricocheted bullets; the only images she couldn't conjure up were ones where Weiss was taken away by her father, and Blake running away. Of course she was unconscious when those moments happened, unleashing whatever it was that had been within her all this time for the first time – triggered by a rush of emotions and adrenaline, not to mention a feeling of guilt – took a lot out of her.
If only I were faster...if only I were better... She dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands, her dark thoughts slowly emerging from the depths of her subconscious like a slithering snake. Within her mind images of years full of naivety and optimism flowed through, an uncontrollable river. Then the more unwarranted and painful memories appeared: Penny's death, the fall of Beacon, Yang and Blake laying on the ground, Pyrrha's death. Just remembering how happy she was, the smiles she gave...even she couldn't help but feel sicken. Thinking of maintaining the image of purity and holding out hope that everything will be fine in the end, just how naive could she be?
No no no. I shouldn't think like this. She vehemently shook her head in denial, not knowing that she had stopped completely in the middle of the dirt covered road. If I start doubting myself then everything that I have been pining for, everything that I have been striving to be...everything will crumble. If I think everything I've ever done was all for nothing then...what am I'm doing trying to become a huntress? Why am I trying to follow in Mom's footsteps?
"Hey Ruby... Ruby?"
"W-What?" She blinked her eyes quickly and looked up to see Jaune staring at her in confusion.
"I was saying if it would be okay if we consult the map again? I was telling the others that we're probably coming up to a town or something, but I wanted to be certain that I'm not wrong."
"O-Oh sure. Yeah, that's absolutely okay!" Rummaging around her bag Ruby pulled out the folded piece of parchment, and unfurled it. She kept a tight grip just in case the slightest gust of wind rippled through. Because of a lack of shelter they were at the mercy of the elements, including their belongings so they had to be extra careful. The map was the only lead they got navigating the rugged landscape outside of Beacon; sure they have all gone on missions that allowed them to explore various areas of Remnant, they haven't always gotten the chance to comb it thoroughly on their own.
"Hmmm it's all been a straight path so far..."
"Yeah a 'straight' path that happens to be curvy when we go around the bend!"
"Nora, please." Ren chided lightly but still kept the semi-smirk on his face. The bubbly red-head just giggled before skipping along, hands folded behind her head.
"And no Grimm which I find incredibly odd." offered Jaune, ignoring Nora's comment completely.
"You're right, surely this place would be infested with those creatures...but I haven't spotted a single Beowolf tail or Ursa paw print." Ruby made it a point to shift her focus from the map to her surroundings; it is the duty of a leader to stay vigilant at all times after all, even during down time. "Maaan, we would have a good enough reason to hone our skills."
"Yeah we could use the practice. After...you know..." Jaune's voice trailed off, the two of them knowing exactly what the blond was referencing. To be honest out of all their friends, some things left scars that may never actually heal over time. They were so lost in thought that they never noticed the other pair coming to a halt, their legs moving on their own accord.
"Hey guys, if you haven't noticed...we've arrived." Nora spoke up and she didn't sound entirely thrilled about it. Every hair on her body was ready to flee at a moments notice. Ren agreed with her statement with a low grunt, his brows furrowed into an expression of pure disgust and possibly anger. The skeleton remains of houses lay wasted on the ground, cluttered rubble of broken stones left in the middle of the road. The windows were all cracked, and some of them were completely missing. If there was anything sinister of the place is that there was no remains of the people who lived there. Quickly folding up the map and stuffing it back into her bag, Ruby and her friends rushed forward to assess the situation.
"Not really a warm welcome if I'm being honest..." Jaune uttered as he swept his gaze across the gruesome landscape, holding back the feeling of sickness. Then he scratched the back of his neck in haste and added, "...not that I was expecting anything spectacular or whatnot."
"Hmmmm. I don't sense any Grimm here...must have moved on. They wouldn't stay in one place for long." Ren says, his eyebrows knitted together and his mouth formed a frown. "Besides, this also feels like a ghost town of sorts. Not a soul around."
"Let's go a little deeper in, we've only just grazed the surface." Ruby notes, her fingers never leaving Crescent Rose which she had unsheathed as she walks forward. The others also grabbed their weapons – minus Jaune since he left his with the blacksmith back at the previous village. They split off to cover more ground, promising to holler if something were to happen. Since it was a small vicinity they were close enough to offer backup if one needed.
Combing through the wreckage, the younger of the four found nothing but rubbish and debris. She walked one foot in front of the other as she ascended a burnt staircase inside one of the many houses, making sure to watch where she stepped – the second level was littered with holes. Prodding open the doors one by one she hasn't seen anything of use, just the normal furniture and some discarded books burnt to ashes. Outside Ren, Nora, and Jaune didn't fair any better as they all converged to what used to be the center area.
"Nothing on my end."
"All clear too."
"Zero response when I hollered."
"It's just as Ren said, this is a ghost town." Ruby sighs, leaning Crescent Rose against a shoulder. "I found some books but they were not in good shape. Rather, they were burnt by some kind of fire so none of them are left. Wish there was some records left behind so we knew what had happened."
"Either way, one things for sure it seems the Grimm we're trying to hunt down isn't even here. I should know I scoured this place." Nora let out a huff. "We shouldn't stay here, it gives me the willies." She shivered for good measure.
"Then if there's nothing here then I guess we should be on our way." suggests Jaune. "We don't want to overstay our welcome."
"Uggghhhh..."
"Wait, did you hear that? Sounds like someone in pain." Ruby angled her head toward a particular direction, hoping that she'll catch the noise again. Silence for a few minutes before the groan happened again, this time everyone heard it. Turning on her heels and a puff of rose petals, the young huntress soon came across someone lying mangled against a rubble of rocks. They were just outside the town's back walls, most likely an escape route for the townspeople if they needed to make a quick getaway. "A-Are you okay?"
"A-a-ahhhhggg... S-Someone...h-h-help..." The man, upon closer inspection, faded in and out of consciousness. His face was covered in sweat, dirt, and caked blood. His hand was over an abdominal wound, either done by Grimm or other people. Lucky for him he had all his appendages together, unlike all the other unfortunate bodies that were strewn across the town."Please...help..."
"A survivor. I'm surprised." Ren commented as he and his other teammates caught up with Ruby. "I couldn't even sense him...his Aura is probably beyond repair."
"Not to mention he's a huntsman, where's the rest of his team?" Nora asked thoughtfully.
"What happened? Where's your team, and where's the rest of the people who lived here?" Ruby knelt beside the man as she asked him hers and Nora's questions.
"B..B...bandits." The man coughs out, his breath coming out in small pants. "They attacked...outta nowhere. The whole damn tribe...we weren't fast enough...Panic among the people...brought the Grimm. M-my teammates...were killed...bodies everywhere...I don't remember what was going on anymore..." He let out irritated coughs, specks of blood showing up in the palm of his hand.
"We can get him to the next village and find him a doctor." Ruby says, leaving the injured man's side to walk to where the others were waiting. "There's bound to be someone who has been looking after the sick out here."
"Ren and I can take turns carrying him. The road will be bumpy but I'm sure between the two of us we can handle it." Jaune said with approval.
"I don't know if he'll make it." Nora said in a said voice, not wanting to dampen the hope but she wanted to be a voice of reason. "I mean...look at his wounds...how much blood he's already lost...We don't even know how long he's been exposed out here."
"If we hadn't arrived he'd already be Grimm food." Ruby argued back. "If we get going now his chances will be better."
"It's...it's no use." A weak voice spoke up, and they turned to the injured. "I know I don't have long left...but before I go...there's something I want to...get off my chest..."
Please. Please save your breath. Don't strain yourself. Ruby wanted to say, but her lips felt like they were stuck together with adhesive glue. Even Nora, who's really well-known for her bubbly and talkative nature, kept silent and eyes down.
"...the bandit leader...wore a Grimm mask...Hair as...as dark as night. Red...eyes..." with his last dying breath the huntsman fell silent, his arm falling limp to the ground. The group stood there in silence, witnessing another tragic passing. Looks of pain, regret, or sadness appeared on their faces as they looked upon a man they could have saved if they were a little bit faster. But to their knowledge, pining down when and where bandits struck was like finding a needle in a haystack. There's just no way of knowing or plan ahead.
"Should we...bury him?" Nora questions after they held a moment of silence for the fallen. "I mean...I really don't want to leave him out for the scavengers to pick on..."
"There's nothing we can do for him at this point." Ruby answered softly as Ren walked a little further away, most likely looking for any clues the group may have missed. "The best thing was being here until his last moments."
"I'm so tired of losing everything...why isn't anything going as planned?" Jaune comments, feeling a hand on his forearm in comfort. He looked to see that it was Ruby who was trying to comfort him, her own look of sadness. "It's like...ugh, I don't even know how to deal with this...streak of bad luck."
"We should go. It's not safe here." Ren came back, and he didn't look happy. He stormed past the others, even Nora looked hesitant before running after him. She caught up to him while the leaders still stood in their own mourning. The couple came to a halt a few blocks away, Ren's eyes trained on something on the ground. Nora followed his gaze, spotting the single, solitary mark of what appeared to represent a horse's hoof.
Is that...? It can't be...Nora couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her lips, her eyes immediately going to Ren who gave a firm nod. The two of them shared a very knowing look.
"The others can't know about it." uttered Ren, moving forward to cover up the print with dirt before Jaune and Ruby caught up to them. His facial expression was as stoic as ever as he went about his business. "We don't want to stir a panic and get jumped by Grimm."
"...but we have to tell them sooner or later right? It's not right to keep secrets..." Nora said glumly once the evidence had been covered up. Ren didn't answer back.
