Black Stars

by Aria of Ashes

Ruby Rose is not long for this world. Her body is broken, her spirit fading. In a world of bloody evolution, what purpose does a smaller, more innocent soul possess? To be but props in the stage of life; a puppet whose strings have been snipped far too early. But... There is another. A thing from the stars; compelled to restore Ruby thanks to the failure of another: Two-in-one.

4. Disheartening

I am alone. I don't know how long it's been. I've been walking so long my feet ache. My legs are sore. I feel tired. It's so dark...

Tall trees are all around me. They have twisting branches and ugly shadows. I can hear the buzzing of little bugs, crickets chirping, and an owl going Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! as I keep walking.

Walking. Is that my life now? Constantly walking and lying to nice people? Being attacked by monsters while wearing an alien suit that only I can hear? I hope I've gone crazy... Maybe I'm already in a padded cell like from the movies? Maybe allllll of this is just... Just... My mind playing with itself? Or breaking down?

'We are very real.' Yeah... Isn't that what any crazy person would think? M-maybe... It's all just a dream and your not real? Maybe I'm the dream... Maybe I'm the fake one...

'Do we feel like a dream?' I can feel a tightness around my body. There's a pressure around my throat. I poke a finger into the slime around my neck and give a light tug. O-ok, ok! I'm not dreaming! I get it...

My arms go limp by my sides. I'm so tired of this... Of all this hurting and this lying and this wondering. What's the point? I don't get it...

"After Patch, after I visit my dad... Where are we going?" And how long until I'm even able to visit home? Isn't it safer there anyway than the middle of the woods?

'Safety is with us. Home is dangerous. They will know to search there.' B-but what about my visit!? You said—

'And we stand by it. We can still visit our home. Only once. Only for a short whiles.' O-ok... Ok... But what about after? Where next? We can't just live in the Emerald Forest forever!

'Elsewhere. Keep moving. Always find new places.' So what... Just... Wondering? Forever? Until we're dead?

'If that's what's required, yes.' I... I hate my life. I hate my life! Why can't you just let me make MY choices!? I don't wanna have to wonder the whole of Remnant for my entire life! And what about being a hero!? You said—

'Our power is more than sufficient to be a... Huntress. A hero. Heros don't cry over what they've lost; they look forwards to what they can protect. Isn't that right, Blood Flower?' I-I... You... Heros... Heros are strong... They always do what's right... It's just... I hate this! This wondering... That Velvet girl was nice. Why couldn't we have stayed with them!? At least until they got back to the Academy...

'Dangerous. They would've learned - they already suspected us of lies. What do we - you - think they would do if they learned of our existence? Of... My existence?' They'd... They'll think your a Grimm... A m-monster, 'And what do they do to monsters?' K-kill them... They'd ki-kill y-you...! 'Exactly. Dangerous. We are friends, Blood Flower, we need each other.' Y-yeah... You did save me. Twice. Heros save people... Are you a hero, Shadow?

'We are many things. A part of us - many parts of us - were heros. Some were... Less pleasant. We can make us into whatever we wish; but not as we are now.' Two-in-one... What would happen if I... 'let you in'? What does that even mean? Really?

'Not something that can be explained. Only experienced,' Right... I'll... Pass on that, 'Why?' It's... It sounds... I don't know? ominous? I just... I'm not ready, ok? Maybe one day... But not today. Or tonight, ok? A cold breeze blows against me. I shudder.

"It's cooold." I miss my cloak. It always kept me warm. Even in winter. I remember curling into it; wrapping it around me nice and tight while lying in bed. It use to keep me soooo warm. I miss my cloak...

"What will dad think of me? Of you?" He's gonna be so worried! He is right now, I bet. He and— Yang!

"She was going to Beacon tomorrow morning! Yesterday morning...? I promised her I'd be there!" I-I told her I'd be right there to say goodbye! It's why I was even in Vale to begin with! She's going to know something happened, Shadow! She's gonna be so worried... And mad, too! She's gonna kill me!

'Kill us!? We will rip her limb from limb! Tear the flesh—' Not literally! Calm down! It's a metaphor! A-and no flesh ripping! Or limb tearing! No murder, ok!?

'What about eating her head?' NO! No head eating! No killing people! Especially not my sister, got it!? No crazy murder-killing!

"We need to lay down some rules, Shadow! No killing people! No eating heads! No crazy serial killer talk!" None of it! I don't wanna hear - think? - a word - thought? - from you about this!

'But... But... But Heads are so crunchy! The brain is nutritious! What about her pancreas! Liver! Lungs! She doesn't need them to live! Right?' No! No organ eating, either! Just eat normal food, ok!? I thought you said you didn't like killing anyway! What happened about that!?

'We don't like to kill. But we like eat.' I thought you said you feed on emotions!? W-wait... The stomach pain... The blood... That was you! Your eating me alive!?

'No! Just a little... The parts we - you - don't need! Like fat. Or the kidney. Or a slice of our grey matter... Or our ligaments! Not anything too important.' Y-you... You... WHAT!?

"YOU WHAT!?" Your actually eating me!? YOUR ACTUALLY EATING ME! YOU SAID WE WERE FRIENDS! YOUR EATING ME!? YOU LIED!

'Calm down! We're not killing you! We're the only one keeping us alive!' YOUR EATING ME! FROM THE INSIDE! 'Only a little! It's not that serious!' ONLY A LITTLE!? LITTLE!?

"YOUR EATING MY ORGANS! MY! ORGANS!" YOU SAID WE WERE FRIENDS! YOU LIED TO ME! YOU'RE A LIAR!

'Yes we lied. We're more than friends! We're two—'

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" You lied to me! You lied! YOU LIED!

'Would we rather us starve? Would we - would you rather we die? Would we rather we - I - die and leave us - you - alone? Forever?' NO! Of course not! I-I don't want you d-dead! I just - I can't be alone! Not anymore... Not anymore! But you lied! I can't just - you can't - We're suppose to be friends! Friends don't lie! You said - you - I trusted you! AND YOU LIED! You - I - eating me!? You lied! LIED! And your eating my organs!? You lied! I - it's not - your suppose to - I was - We were—

"FUCK!" I'm on my knees. How long have I been on my knees? You're suppose to be my friend! You've just been using me... This entire time! Lying to me! I thought I could trust you! And you lied... Y-you said... You said... You said you... Yo-you love me... And you lied... Y-you said you love me...

'We do love us. Love you, Blood Flower,' Then why did you lie!? Just tell me! 'We... We were afraid... Of our reaction. Of this.' So you lied!? How... You said we can trust each other... You lied... Twice! 'We love us. We don't want to hurt us. We don't,' Than why do you keep doing this!? A-all I want... Is to just... I just - I can't... I don't even know anymore... 'We are sorry. Truly sorry. We love us - you - more than anything. We are... As our nature allows.' You... I just... You lied...

'We are sorry... So, so, so sorry...' I'm on the ground now. Curled into a ball, my knees to my chest, my arms around my legs. It's not fair... It's not fair! We were. - you were supposed to be my friend!

'We love us... We love you.' I-it doesn't feel like it... How am I-I suppose t-to believe anything you say? You lied to me... Your eating me alive!

'We... Would we... Like to hear a secret?' Another lie!? 'No. No lies. Not this time. A... Story.' You... Y-you said you didn't know any stories... You didn't like them... Was that a lie, too!?

'No. It's just... We know enough now. A story; just for you? Just for our special Blood Flower?' I-I... I'm not special! I don't care about stories... No! M-maybe... Why did you lie!? I... You were - I was - you... I... I-I'd like a story...

'We are very special. One of a kind. A special story for our little Blood Flower,' I'm not little! Or special! I-I - I'm not a kid! I'm not... I'm just me... 'Of course. We're sorry, so very sorry.' Y-you better... Be s-sorry. You lied... W-what's the story...?

'In a distant galaxy lightyears from here, there lived a little star.' A-a star...? Why was it little?

'We know not why. Only that it did and that it shone not with light; but with blackness,' I like black... It's a pretty color... 'It lived amongst another star. The greatest star; the white star. The—' H-hey... How i-is the star - the first one - black? Isn't black the lack of light? 'It was formed that way. Dark as the void; devouring light instead of producing it.' Isn't... That called a black hole? Not a star? 'It is whatever we - you - wish it to be; but, yes, let's call it a black hole.' O-ok... What about the other star? How is it white? I thought all stars were yellow?

'No, Blood Flower, no. A silly notion. Stars can be of many colors; red, blue, turquoise, green, violet, orange, and even magenta,' I'm sorry for being stupid again, 'Not stupid. Ignorant. Unawares. We cannot blame us for a lack of knowledge concerning a subject we've never studied. That is unto hating a supernova for burning all it touches ; or the swirling vortex for crushing it's prey.' T-thank you...? Most people... The kids from Signal... They always called me stupid. Always pushed me around. I never had friends back home. None that lasted. Only my family...

'We have us now. Always and forever. We know us - know what we are truly capable of. Those children - the fleshy things - they are the stupid ones. Ugly. Weak. Insignificant specs in the universe.' T-that's a little... Extreme. But... Thanks? I guess... What about the story? The black star?

'Did we not decide on it being a black hole?' Ummm... Did we? 'Black star. Black hole. Which one do we prefer?' Black... Star? Let's go with that one. It sounds cooler.

'Yes, yes, yes... The black star and the white star... They were enemies. Yet allies. They desire to devour one another; yet neither can survive without the other.' So... So what did they do about it? Did they kill each other? 'No. The black star - the younger of the two - it was stronger if dimmer than white. Whereas the white sought control over the black; the black sought only freedom.' So the white star is a monster? It's evil? 'No. It follows it's nature - as do we all.' W-what... What's your nature, Shadow? What do you want?

'Us? Our nature... It is only to protect us - you. To love us - you. To ensure our continued survival. Our nature - it is simple.' Y-yet you still lied.. W-what is... My nature? What kind of a person am I?

'We are... Trusting. Caring. Easily distracted. Clever though ignorant. Strong yet lacking proper motivation. We have so much potential - yet we deny it. We deny our truest of feelings to hide behind the mask of a little girl. Perhaps we don't even know our true feelings?' Wha... I-I - what feelings? What do you mean 'hide behind the mask of a little girl'? I don't wear masks! My face isn't a mask! Did you say that because I'm pale? And I'm not little!

'Yet we do wear masks. Around our male progenitor - the dad - and our sibling - the sister. We do not speak to them of our pain; of our longing for the female progenitor - the mom. We act lesser than we are to make them smile. Our face is a mask; amongst many.' S-so...!? They don't need to hear about that stupid stuff! It just - it drags them down... They shouldn't have to worry about me! About my stupid feelings! They shouldn't... Have to... T-to deal with me...

'That is a lie.' It's true! 'No!' Yes! 'No!' Yes! 'No!' Yes! 'Yes!' No! I mean - that's not fair! You tricked me! That's - that's cheating!

'So? If we get what we want does it really matter how we did it?' Yes! Yes, it does! No one likes a cheater...

'Does it matter what others think of us?' I-I... No... Kinda? Maybe.. Depends on who. I-I-I... W-what about the story! The black star! What happened to it?

'Oh, yes... The black star. It was a lonely star in a lonely cluster. Only the white star to keep it company. The white one lied to the black star - told it all the other stars hated it,' Why? What did the black star do? 'Nothing. It was different from the rest. It devoured light instead of producing it,' So... T-they hated it? Just for being different!? 'No. That is what the white star claimed,' So the white star lied...? Why?

'The white star desired control over the black star. The white star feared the black star might get... Ideas from the others,' So the white star IS evil then? 'No. It is as it's nature allows,' Ok... What did the white star want from the black star? What's the point of lying? 'Control. The black star was strong; it's darkness brought it close to the Abyss. Very close. Made it stronger than most other stars, even those who were many times larger.'

"S-so... The white star wanted the black star because it was strong? Wh-who were they fighting?" It doesn't make sense otherwise. They had to be fighting someone or something! Why else would the white star even care about how strong the black star is...?

'They were at war only with the truth.' I don't understand... If they weren't fighting something, why would the white star care about the black star's power otherwise? What's the point?

'Fear, perhaps... Maybe it was hungry for strength. Maybe it wanted control for the sake of it. Maybe it was afraid of what the black star might do if left to it's own thoughts.' The white star is evil then! It has to be! Why else would it lie...?

'Evil is—' A matter of perspective, yeah, yeah! To me it's evil, ok!? Lying is evil! The white star is evil, it has to be! Good people - er, stars? - wouldn't lie! Especially not to friends...

'Lies are themselves passive things,' What are you talking about? What do you mean passive? 'We've lied. About coloring on the walls?' I-I was little! That doesn't mean anything! 'And what about when we blamed the hairy, ugly, fur thing - Zwei? - for shattering a vase when we were at fault?'

"I-I was scared! I didn't want dad to yell... He's so scary when he yells..." Besides, it was an accident! I didn't mean to! I was playing, a-and—

'Or what about our lies to the sister? We told her we had friends back at the academy. Told her we're happy to see her off. Told her we're proud of her accomplishment.' T-that's not... I-I wish it was... Th-those aren't lies! I-I was telling the truth! O-ok, not about the vase - and Zwei's not ugly! He's the most handsomest dog ever! - o-or about having many - any - friends at Signal bu-but—

"I-I'm no liar! I was raised to tell the truth! And that's what I do!" I'm no liar! Stop saying I am! Stop it! Your trying to confuse me! I don't like this! I DON'T!

'Calm down, we did not mean to upset us so. We are sorry,' B-besides... Your e-eating me. Ki-killing me... It doesn't even matter, 'Only the parts we don't need! We're still alive aren't we?' I mean... Yeah, we are but— 'But? We're alive. We're - mostly - healthy. Our heart beats; our lungs draw breath. We see no reason to complain.' Easy for you to say! You don't have an alien slurping up your guts like spaghetti!

'That's silly! We eat fatty tissue; grey matter; blood! Intestines are filled with depraved microorganisms and bacteria,' Wait what? W-what kind of bacteria? 'We don't know. We're no professional concerning this planets evolutionary history.' So I got bugs in my guts too!? As well as an alien!?

"Great! Wonderful! I love this! So - so - so fucking great!" I love this so much! Getting eaten alive, separated from my family, AND i have bugs in my guts! Oh the Grimm too, there's that as well!

"Being lost in the woods, too! Starving! Spitting up blood!" I hate this! all of this! This is so stupid! Stupid! I hate this! Why don't you just kill me then!? It's what your gonna do to me anyway!

"Just kill me! Eat me! Whatever you do...!" I never should of trusted you! Your not my friend! Y-your - you - I—

"UGH! THIS IS- I FUCKING HATE THIS!" I hate this all! Every second of this! I hate this world... I hate everything!

'Do we - you - hate... Us? Hate... Me?' I... I... I-I-I should... I really, really, really should! 'Do you?' I just - kinda... N-not really... I should! You lied... But I just... I can't hate you... 'You... Can't? Or won't?' I don't know... I can't do it! This is so, so, so, soooo stupid! You still lied to me! You said we were friends... That you lo-loved me...

'We—' I don't care for sorrys! They won't take away the lies! 'Blood Flower. Let us ask us this: if we saved our life, are we not owed something in return?' I... I mean... I-I guess, sorta... 'And if we devour the bits we don't need - if we eat to survive - is it not a equal trade? Life for us - you? And sustenance for we?' I don't know! I-I mean... You do need to e-eat... But my organs!? I - it's fair, I guess...? But that's not—

'Consider it trading. We give us life - and we give us food. A symbiotic relationship.' S-symbiotic? 'Two distinct organisms that enter into a mutually beneficial relationship. A... Team. A friend. Two-in-one.' Arceus - my friend... Ex friend? Someone I knew from Signal - she said something like that once... Not the symbiotic part or the organ eating part, but the friend part. She left me too.

'And why would we ever leave? We - you are perfect. Most would reject us. Kill us merely for being different. But not you... Not us. We gave us a chance. We are so, so, so, sooo very kind to us where others would give us rejection.' I-I... I try... I try not to judge. I try being nice to everyone... Even creepy aliens, I guess. Thanks, for being... Nice? Eating my organs isn't... Isn't so... B-bad, I guess...

"I-I mean... If you really wanted me d-dead I'd be..." You know what your doing, right? You've been with others... They aren't dead, right? Hey! Shadow, I just thought of something... Your other people... How many were you attached to before me?

'Humans? Only us. The other squishy things - those Faunus - there was one. He only lasted for a short whiles before... The separation. We don't like talking about him.' You don't have to! I won't force you into anything you don't want, ok? I'm not - I won't hurt you... Not like I really could, anyway. How do you fight living goo? Slime? Water? What are you made of anyway?

'Protoplasmic inorganic mass. We are not biological organisms - instead we are formed out of the living Abyss.' Living... Abyss? That sounds like something from a bad comic book, 'Long story. There was a God,' G-God! There is a God...? There is a God!? 'We can explain later. Long story short he was a real unpleasant fellow. He created us and our kind. He's gone now.' D-dead? There is a God!? And he's dead!? 'No, silly Blood Flower. Gods can't die. Not so easily, at the very least. He's trapped within a temporal alteration disguised as a mere gas giant orbiting a black hole. Besides, there's plenty of other Gods out there. He won't be missed.'

"Gods!?" There's more than one!? You've met Gods before!? And you didn't tell me!? How many!? What kind of Gods!?

'Gods of lightning. Gods of Darkness. Gods of Steel. We met a God of Fists once. He use to have a hammer, but things changed after his... Well, that's an even longer story. Hey! Speaking of stories,' The black star? I-I'm a little focused on Gods right now... Actual Gods...? 'That can wait for a different day.' I... I guess... But Gods? Actual Gods? Like... Did they create the universe? Us? Me? I mean people! Did they—

'Irrelevant,' Irrelevant!? How!? I— 'The black star would eventually kill the white star.' I - what? How can you just go from literal actual Gods to talking about a story!? I don't— 'Blood Flower,' Y-yes? 'It is a very special story. We feel it of greater value than the knowledge of any God.' I just... I... Ok, fine. Fine! But once this is over I have a lot of questions, ok!?

'Of course. Now... Yes, the black star kills the white star to earn it's freedom.' So the black star kills the white star... That's good, right? Because the white star is evil it deserved to die. R-right?

'The white star is dead. Whether it deserved to die is a different matter entirely. With the white star dead, the black star would begin to explore the universe.' And? What happened after? 'Much would happen. But this is the end of our story.' That's the end!? You can't just - stories don't just end like that! What about the happily ever after...? O-o-or at least a proper ending... What's the point?

'The point? In all honesty, we never considered the story to have a point...' What do you mean, Shadow? All stories have a point, a reason to be told... They all do! Right...? 'Maybe, Blood Flower, a story is just... A story. Maybe there is no point,' That's lame... What's the point of even telling it then? 'It comes from a personal place... Telling of it to us; to speak of our - of the black star's plight helps us.' Ok, alright... I think I get it. You just wanted to tell a story, for the sake of telling a story? Not really a story though...More like a series of events.

'It is our story,' I suppose so... A weird story... A stupid ending! What kind of story just ends like that...? 'Ours does.' Yeah, clearly! You need to work on your story telling skills... Can we talk about those Gods? I feel that's pretty important!

'No.' Why!? You can't just tell me Gods are real and expect me not to be curious! Just a little bit, pleeeease?

"Please! Please! Pretty please with cherries on top!" Come on! You gotta! You can't just not tell me!

'Let's play a game of questions. We ask one; then we ask one.' A game...? I thought you didn't like games. What's with that? Like your changing your personality, o-or something... Whatever. I like games... I'll play!

'Us first. What is the meaning of the word we used earlier? During our anger. Fuck? What—'

"No! No! No! Don't - I said that!? When did I say that!? Oh I did, didn't I!? Dad's gonna kill me!" That's a bad word, ok, Shadow!? Don't ever say it again! I never ever should of said it myself! Stupid, stupid, stupid mouth! I'm so stupid!

'No we're not. Yet our question; what is it? And why is the word so bad? How can a word be bad? It's merely a word.' I'm not... I don't think... I—

"Uhhhh... This is gonna be a looooong day. Night, actually... Evening? Whatever." I struggle back to my feet and press my back against a tree. I fold my arms over my chest and twiddle with my fingers, "W-well... Uhmmm... It's not considered... Ehhh, acceptable? To say that word. Least dad said so..." Yang calls it a 'sentence enhancer' though, "B-but it means... Uhhh... I-it means..." I don't like this! Not a single bit! D-do you really wanna know...? I-it's not a big deal! Just a word!

'Yes.' I feel my cheeks getting warm. My belly is tingly. I pull my arms to my side and grasp my hands together. I bite my lip.

"O-ok... Well... W-when a man and a women - o-or men or women i-it's not just between guys and girls! - wh-when two people love each other very, very much - d-do we really have to keep going, Shadow?" I-I'm not - I don't feel comfortable with this! It's just a silly word! A little word! It doesn't mean anything, ok!?

'Our denial to explain only makes the answer ever more desirable. Tell us this and we promise to relent on eating organs until tomorrow. Promise! Cross our heart and swear to die...' I-I mean... You shouldn't really do the organ eating anyway... W-what if my body has diseases!? Hmm!? You'll never know until it's too late! 'Are we diseased? We were wondering what that little brown sack scrunched inside our frontal lobe was,' Wait what!? A-are you joking!? Of course not, you don't joke... I have a tumor!? 'No. We're only teasing us,' Teasing!? You do that...? You do have a sense humor then! 'When we desire too. But regardless: we must know what a 'fuck' is?'

"STOP! SAYING! THAT! WORD!" It's a bad word! Bad, bad, bad, bad word! Ok!? My body, my rules, and it's illegal to say fuck now! Fuck! I mean shit! I mean bitch! Wait, no, damn it! Fuck!

"Gaaah, SHADOW! Now I'm doing it! Look what you've made me do!" I'm not suppose to say those words! Any of them! They're very, very, very, very bad words, ok!?

"D-dad always said "Only sad people or drunk people use that language!" It's what he said!" I-if he said so then he can't be wrong! Ok? Just stop saying that word!

I stomp my foot and cross my arms over my chest. If you say that word again then I'm done talking to you! No more! I'll be quiet as a mouse and you'll have no one to talk to! I'm being serious! No more! None! Nothing! Zip! OK!?

'But what does it mean?' Well... I-I mean... It's, uhhh... It is...

"W-when two people love each other... They, errr, they... Have a... S-special time together, ya know...? It's, uhhmmm... W-well... It's uhhh... A special time!" Yeah, a special time. Ok? Do I really need to go any further? Can't you just read my mind!? Wouldn't that be easier than making me say it...?

'Oh.' Oh? 'Oh.' Oh...? W-what's the 'oh' for...? Y-you didn't... Actually read my mind about that s-stuff, right? I wasn't actually serious about that!

'Why do we dwell under the covers staring at the light-box? What is the nature of this contraption? We sense a strange longing. Why do we shudder? We sense shame. And excitement? What is this? Why do we watch the naked things on the light-box if it makes us feel so much unease? Or is this a sensation we fail to recognize? And what's—' Shut up! SHUT UP! This conversation is over right here, right now! I-I'm not talking about this anymore, ok!? We're done with this! This is filthy, disgusting! My question now!

"No more dirty st-stuff, ok!? And for my question I want to know... I want to know... I want to know how you... W-what... What were you like as a kid? Can you guys even have kids?" I don't want specifics though! Nothing too... Gross. Ok? Actually nevermind! It's a stupid—

'To our kind - to my kind - we reproduce individually and instantly; via separating ourselves - myself for instance - and the leftover genetic material reforms into a new member of our kind. We do not experience a childhood; we are considered mature from birth.' Oh. Soooo... You like... Plop out an alien baby? Just... Poof it into existence? And it's fully grown?

'We separate on a genetic level; to the human eye it would, indeed, appear as though we have 'plop' a separate organism into existence. Or rather 'flow' would be more accurate than 'plop'. Maybe 'slice'? But as to it being a clone: the answer is yes. But only on a genetic level; mentally it is it's own separate creature.' Oh... Cool! I guess. That's better than what we people got! Definitely less sweaty and gross...

"Hey, I just thought of something! Do you have any kids, Shadow? Any alien babies oozing around somewhere?" What do slime babies even look like? Are any of them here? On Remnant?

'Our progeny? There are a few... Yes, a few. Some might be here... Might not. It depends.' Depends? On what exactly? 'Whether or not they'd be willing to save us. We were captured for some time. A prolonged period; yet none of our calls for aid were answered. We assume that either our offspring are dead or refused the call.' O-oh... You don't sound too upset about it...? Wouldn't - shouldn't you be more worried about your kids? If you don't even know whether they're alive or not...

'No. Our kind are detached; our offspring are their own creatures. If they die, then they die,' That's horrible! How could you just not care about your own children!? 'It is our nature. They are not relevant to our survival; if they were they would've freed us.' So!? They're your kids!? Yo-you can't just abandon them! What kind of parent—

'Blood Flower. Listen to us. Our kind, by our very nature, cannot and do not care about the safety of our progeny. Our progeny are complete with a genetic memory; the codex containing the knowledge of a thousand thousand of our ancestors. From the moment they're born they are fiercely capable predators and highly independent survivors. We are not human. We do not operate nor develop like humans. Please, please, please understand this! For our sake...' I mean - well I-I didn't - it's not like I meant to - I-I... I... I'm so-sorry... I didn't know! I'm sorry, ok... I'm sorry...

"I-I don't know how aliens work, Shadow... How you guys treat your kids...! I'm - all I heard was that you abandon them... I-I-I just... I... I got mad..." I'm sorry... I'm stupid! I don't think ahead! I'm a stupid kid! A stupid kid who has stupid thoughts and says stupid words! I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm so stupid! I should be smarter... I should—

'No, no, no. We - you - are ignorant; not stupid! A lack of knowledge is not the lacking of intelligence. We will not tolerate this dribble!' But it's true! I am - I've always been... Stupider than everyone else! Is stupider a word? Anyway, my point is that I'm not... I ain't... I'm stupid, ok...? I don't like it. I hate it! But it's true. I am just a dumb girl...

'Enough of this! This prattle we speak of - this inward stupidity - this is our idiocy! Not of the mind but of our beliefs.' What do you mean? Are you saying I'm stupid for calling myself stupid? 'We are saying our self-deprecating insults are our stupidness. Has everyone we've met always treated us like idiots? Is this where our false-notion comes from?' N-not everyone... Dad and Yang never acted that way. Uncle Qrow always treated me... Differently, but not in a bad way! He was always so gentle with me. So thoughtful. But that's because of... Well, that's a different can of worms, I guess.

'Than what creature has deceived us so? Surely this sensation of uselessness has a source. Tell us, please? We are to protect not just our body - but our mind and soul.' I don't... I'm not sure... I don't know exactly when or where it started. Signal maybe? The kids there were always so... So mean. They'd call me stupid, or weak! Just because I wasn't as good at them at fighting bare handed, o-or studying, or because of my eyes!

They always said my eyes were ugly. Said my eyes made me a freak! I tried wearing sunglasses for awhile, but... It didn't work. I guess I fell behind in a few classes, because of the bullying. I started skipping out on the classes where I knew the worst of them would be. But what Huntress needs good writing skills, or geography skills, or psychology skills anyway!? What does understanding different types of rocks even matter to hunting monsters!? Or whether someone is lying to you!?

"Just because - ugh! They always called me wolf girl... Stupid barn..." If it wasn't for Yang, then maybe - maybe I would've... No! No, no! It's not Yang's fault! She didn't know any better... She was just a little kid back then...

'Back then? Barn? Wolf girl? What happened? We can sense resentment.' It... It was a long time ago. Years ago. I barely even remember... I was a just little kid! I-It doesn't matter anyway, ok? It's in the past!

'We answered our question, so it's only fair we answer ours!' But I don't want to! 'But we need to know!' You'll live! It's not like not knowing will kill you or anything!

'We can sense it's something concerning our... Mom.' Don't read my mind! Stop it! If I don't want you to know something there's a reason for it! Just leave it alone, ok!? Ask a different question! Any question!

'At least tell us about the name then. Wolf girl. What does that mean?' It's just... Just a stupid name. Something the kids at Signal called me... Stupid name. It really doesn't matter, 'We told us of many things. Personal things. Can we not give us the same respect?' I just - I... Fine! Fine...

"I was three when it happened. I wasn't awake for it... Well, not most of it. My sister took me out into the night. I was sleeping, she put me in a wheelbarrow and brought me along with her. She thought... Well, all that's important is that we were attacked by Grimm. Beowolves. One of them... Well one of them got me. Tore into my arm pretty badly..." I flex the fingers of my right hand as I stare into my palm. I was so little... So young... So... So weak, and slow, and stupid... Stupider... I don't even remember it aside from flashes of red and black and the feeling of cold. It was so cold that night... Almost as cold as when we first met, come to think of it.

'The sister - she almost killed us?' N-not on purpose! It was an accident! She - we were - Yang thought we could find her mom... That we - that she could make things better... Could make dad happy again. Like how he was with mom. But it... It only made things worse... Way worse.

'Are we certain Yang isn't the stupid one?' Don't you call her that! She's my sister! She's the smartest person I've ever met! She's - Yang - don't call her stupid! She's not! She never was and she never will be!

'A piece of us deep down doesn't feel that way.' Wh-what are you saying!? That I'm lying to you, myself, and everyone I've ever known for years!? I'm not - I know she's—

'We did not intend to offend. It was only a observation.' Observation!? I... I - you... I-I... it's fine, I guess. Just don't call her stupid ever, ever, ever again! She's not! I'm the stupid one, not her, never her!

"Just - no more calling anyone stupid! Ok? That's a new rule now! No, I take that back - it's a law, not a rule!" Yeah, you're contractually obligated not to even so much as think of the word, got it? I wanna hear a yes, ok Shadow?

'Yes, of course, our sincerest promises to us.' Good, that's settled then! Whose question is it now? I lost track...

'Ours - yours.' Oh, good! Good... Ok, alright... Let's see here... I raise a finger to my lip as I look to the mushy, damp, muddy ground. Let's see...

"I want to know... Why does your way of... Of talking? Speech? Whatever, keep changing so much?" You started out with just basic words, than sentences, now you're talking - almost - like a normal person. I know you're reading my mind - and I'm still not entirely comfortable with that - but that doesn't really explain why the way you talk is changing.

'We told us already. We learn from us as much as we learn from us,' So... Like... I'm your teacher? And your my student? 'In a way, yes. We feed on our emotions - our thoughts - our very mental foundations. Our personality; it's aspects mold us, evolve us, to some extent. We are not the same creature now as we were when we first met.' So my personality - my... Everything is changing you? That's... Kinda scary. Aren't you worried that what makes you... You... Will change?

'Our truest self will never ever change. It is incapable of such action. Only the personality that dwells on high. We exist in multiple states of mind simultaneously - our consciousness evolved for the comprehension of a billion billion different viewpoints and concepts - even those that are paradoxical.' Uhhhhh... Ummm... Ok... You've... Definitely got better manners now, and your less of a buzz kill... Suppose I should be proud? Teaching my new best friend to be a better person already! Slime? Goo? Alien? Let's stick with person!

'Would a dumb girl be so observant?' W-what? What are you—

'We claimed to be dumb. Would someone truly dumb take note of such a small discrepancy? Such a small detail as our manner of speech?' I-I don't - maybe... I don't know... 'We are intelligent. Our mind feeds us with knowledge,' T-thanks? I guess? 'We lack motivation; the burning desire to succeed. When it comes to math, or history, or geography at least.' I just... Are you saying I'm smart? That I'm just - what? Too lazy to learn better...? That doesn't help make me feel any better, Shadow.

I cross my arms over my stomach. I look down to my chest, to the white rose. It's reflecting small amounts of moonlight causing it to gleam silver... Silver. Mom's color. My color. I miss mom...

'No. We lack the desire to learn such things not out of laziness - would someone of a lazy disposition choose the life of a Huntress?' No! Of course not! 'It is our lack of direction - of a prime motivator. Under the right conditions nothing is beyond us! Our desires. If only we put our mind to it.' I hope your right... I do. All my life the kids at Signal always called me stupid! Well, ok, not all my life since I started going to Signal when I was seven - but for most of it! They were so mean... One time... One time this older kid - Blaze? Kraze? Something like that - he told me...

"Said my mom got what s-she... Des-deserved it... I got so angry... Broke his nose... I ended up getting expelled for a month." Dad yelled at me when we got home. Yang yelled at him. He ended up yelling at her. I remember crying. A lot of crying. I remember crying until I couldn't anymore... I remember huddling next to Yang while hearing dad downstairs yelling at himself. Or maybe he was yelling at uncle Qrow? I don't remember much by that point...

'We see. Our father - does he love us?' Yes, of course, obviously! I-I hope... He gave me a home, and raised me all my life! I don't think he'd do all of that if he didn't love me... Would he? Of course he loves me! He's my dad! He's been there my entire life! He wouldn't just - he doesn't not love me, r-right? He has to love me! H-he tells me that every single day! Every morning, every night...

"Dad wouldn't lie every single day like that! He wouldn't!" Ye-yeah, he gets angry sometimes and says mean things... Yells t-too, drinks even... B-but it's not like he ever hit me! H-he hugs me when I'm sad, he makes everything better! S-sure he l-lied about mom - but I-I was little! An-and h-he did call me... U-ugly names, but he was drunk! He's - he's not happy about my grades... S-sure he's not always nice or happy, but be loves me! He loves me... R-right?

'It is merely a question. We are not trying to suggest anything.' I don't - he loves me, ri-right Shadow!? Dad loves me, doesn't he? Of course he does! P-please, Shadow, he has to love me, right!? He always hugs me when I'm hurt, and makes everything better! I'm his daughter - he's my dad! H-he—

'We love us. That is the only certainty we need, isn't it?' B-but your not my dad... It's not the - I don't even - dad wouldn't - you said... You l-love me. Love... Love me. I-I... Dad said - why would he lie...? He loves me... You love me, r-right? I don't - dad is - he never... He wouldn't lie... W-would he?

'We love us. We love us like how we humans love the moon so. We would kill for us; slaughter the whole of the world if we wished it so. Create a mountain of death that would impale the void itself if need be.' No death mountains! B-but... I appreciate the idea, I guess. I bite my lower lip as my fingers begin to fidget. I feel a tingling in my belly. Can you... Can you say t-that first part again...?

'We love us. Love you.' I can feel Shadow tightening around me - but not enough to hurt like earlier. A light pressure like... Like a hug? A hug. I feel a little bouncy sensation in my stomach. My cheeks feel warm. I let my arms rest as I feel warmth in my chest. Can you say it again? O-one more time?

'We love us. More than anything in the whole of the universe or beyond it.' I... I... I like hearing that. No one's - I've never been - I-I just... You really love me? Li-like how... Like how mom loves - loved - me? Or d-do you love me like how mom and dad love - loved - each other?

'Our love is boundless; it is unlike human love. Ours flaws - our insecurities - our hated aspects. We embrace all of us - all of you.' Y-you really love me? Do you l-love me... Because I'm me? Or because I'm the person your stuck with?

'We love all our others. It is our nature,' O-oh... So you don't... Actually care about me for being me... 'To the contrary, Blood Flower, we adore us. We are distinct from the others; devoid of their prejudice.' Pr-prejudice? I don't remember that word. What is it? 'For their ill convinced ideas of us. Of me. But not us. Not you,' I-I did... Call you a Grimm, though, 'Only out of fear. We do not hate us, or fear us. Not like the others did. We actually care for us. About our... Continued existence. We only want us to be happy.' I... I think... I don't know if... I don't... I'm not - I am - you are...

"Shadow... I just... Why? Why love me?" I let everyone down. I'm a failure - a burden... Why me? Why not someone else? Someone who actually deserves it...

'We - you - do deserve it. Our love. We have been so very kind where others would have been... Less than pleasant. We accept what most would hate. What most would fear,' I'm not - I try to be accepting, I guess. Mom always said 'never judge a book by it's cover', 'We are very caring. Yes, we - you - might be judgemental concerning... Minor details like organ eating,' W-well that's not minor! That's - I need those to live! 'But for the most part, we are so very understanding. Not like most of the others. We love us for our kindness. For our caring nature and our honest disposition; it reminds us of home.'

My cheeks feel hot. My knees feel weak. I hug myself - hug Shadow as tightly as I can. I take in a few deep breaths as I close my eyes. Shadow loves me... Loves me...? Me. You love me? You're my best friend, Shadow... My only friend... I... I can actually talk to you. You saved me! Twice now... It's only fair, r-right? I-If Shadow loves me... It's only fair, right? Is this how love works? I take a even deeper breath.

"Shadow, I... I... I l-l-lo-love you...?" That sounds like a question. Why am I asking Shadow if I love them!? That's stupid! I'm so stupid! Stupid mouth!

I open my eyes and look straight ahead. Shouldn't I be looking at Shadow for... For t-this? I lower my eyes to my chest - to the white rose, "S-Shadow... I... Iloveyou!" That doesn't even sound like a wooooord! Ugggghhh! I grab at my face with my hands - I'm so stupid! Why!? Why can't I do anything right!? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

"S-Sh-Shadow..." My voices is shakey and a little muffled from my palms. I just... If Shadow loves me, it's only right if I love them back! I-it's only fair, after all they've done for me... R-right? "I... L-love you... I love you, S-Shadow." I let out a long sigh. My cheeks almost feel like their burning it's so warm. My knees are shaking now as I push myself against a tree and slide down it to sit. My fingers flex around my face. Suddenly the night air isn't so cold anymore...

'Do we - do you really love us? Truly love us?' Y-yes... Yes! I do! It's only fair right? You love me, I l-love you? 'Is that really love? Or merely compensation?' B-but... I do lo-love you! I think... You saved my life! Twice... And you talked to me. About mom, about dad... You say I'm smart. That I notice things. I've noticed... Your nice to me, m-mostly. I love you... You told me you love me, so I need to love you back! T-that's how this works, ri-right?

'Depends on the perspective, we suppose. We love us; but we so scarcely receive love in kind. We've been given false-love before. It burns far colder than hate.' W-well... I love you, ok! At least I think I do... We're... We're like a team! We're partners in slime! Together forever! I love you! I actually love you... I do! I know I do! This is how love works... It has to be! It has to be...

'Together forever. Yes, indeed. We are Two-in-one.' Yeah... Yeah! Yeah, I don't need any friends when I got you, right? Friends don't stay friends for long. But we're more than friends! You said so... And I-I trust you. And I love you, too! Can't forget that! Can't forget that...

"Do you... D-do you love me more than the others? Shadow?" I bite my lower lip. More than the other people you were attached to? Did they love you, too?

'We love us more than all the others combined. Certainly more than the Spider.' Spider... The Faunus? The last person you were with? I'm guessing he didn't love you, did he? 'No. To be fair, we were... Different then. Less amicable.' Ami - what? 'Less pleasant.' How so...? 'We were not as accustomed to human culture. We had only just escaped them. We attempted the subtle approach.'

"Subtle? What do you mean? How exactly is living slime subtle, Shadow?" Did you put on a pair of glasses and a fake mustache? That would be kinda funny, actually...

'We assumed the shape of his clothes as he slept. He was cautious of us; yet we didn't know how to speak then. So we remained silent. Eventually though... Mistakes were made by us both - mostly him! - but we can't deny our contribution to the ending of our bond.' You guys just... Had a falling out? From the way you spoke about it yesterday it sounded more... Personal then that. And you mentioned that 'they killed him'? Is he alive? What even is his name?

'The one they killed... Our first other in this world. He was not of here. Of Remnant. It is painful to remember. He died screaming,' I'm so sorry! I didn't know... I'm sorry! 'Don't be. We - you - didn't kill him. They did,' I just - holy crap... S-so they really are serious about this, aren't they? So much they'll k-kill people... 'Yes.' Jeez... Jeez! A-and the spider guy... What about him? Did they get him too?

'He was a nobody. Lived with his aunt; friendless save for three others. One of those friends died because of her own misplaced bravery. The other friend now hates him. And the last - far as we know - remains loyal,' Poor guy. Poor girl... How did she die? 'Angering others. Criminals. Terrorists, he called them.' Terrorists!? You don't mean the White Fang, do you? 'Maybe. We don't know this 'White Fang'.' Ohhhh... Things just get better and better, don't they? I'm gonna have a real loooooooong week... Month... Year... Life.

And who is he? I'd like a name! Something that isn't just 'Spider this!' or 'He that!' Ya know?

'Name? His name... We called him Spider,' 'Cuz he's a spider Faunus? 'Yes. As to his name - the one he prescribed to. It was Crimson. Crimson—'

---

"I'm Jaune! Jaune Arc!" His arm extends to me, fingers opening to reveal his bare palm. I stare at his hand for a few moments before taking it and giving him a shake. I look into his eyes and try putting on a smile.

"Crimson Anansi. Nice to meet you." He smiles, nodding his head at me. We let go as he leans against a concrete wall, holding himself against it with one arm. His smile lowers a little as he looks left to right. I do the same and see only other people preparing to sleep. It's late, past midnight. We should all be sleeping by now... I know I could use some.

"Soooo... Where ya from?" He asks awkwardly. I sit down on the floor as I let my eyes wonder. my gaze drifts over to the sleeping people, the people still up, and the people who won't be sleeping tonight for one reason or another. I can spy a blonde girl not far off, near a stone pillar, wearing a tank top. Her back is to me. Her body language is awfully erratic. She's pacing back and forth while taking to herself - occasionally shouting a word or two. Something about her sister. Whatever, it's none of my business.

"Menagerie. East side, near a little creek away from town." I smile a little. The air always felt fresher back home. Definitely had a salty tinge to it. Peaceful place, ignoring the monsters and the crazies that is. I suppose everywhere is peaceful once you ignore the monsters and crazies, isn't it?

"Oh, that's cool! So your, uhhh... A Faunus?" I look back and nod, "Never met a Faunus before." I stare back into the open room. An expansive room - big and round and hollow. He sounds slightly amazed. I repress a sigh as I rest my head against my fist, propping my head against my arm. Whatever... I guess it's better than some people's reaction.

"You sound like a prick saying that," I don't need to see him to know he's taken off guard. I hear him sucking in a short breath and then the awkward silence. Great. Now I'm the prick, "Sorry. I've had a bad day... A bad week. A bad few months, really." A long month and a half to be exact... A very long, very slimy month and a half.

"Y-yeah, I, uhhhh... It's cool, I shouldn't of, uhhhh, shouldn't of said anything." He starts walking away now, past me and towards the crowd of sleeping and talking people. I clench my fingers as he slowly begins to disappear. I guess I should go talk to him... I get up and start jogging after him.

"Hey, wait up!" He turns to look at me. He tries his best to look happy, confident, prepared for everything. Like everyone else here. But just like everyone else here his eyes tell a different story, "Hey, I... I shouldn't of snapped at you. I'm sorry." He nods as genuine appreciation creeps into his blue eyes.

"It's alright, man. It's ok," He looks nervous for a moment, "You wanna be friends?" Forthright. Very forthright. No batting around the bush, huh? I appreciate the honesty. Especially after... After all that crap back home.

"Yeah, sure! Sure..." He sticks his hand out and I shake it again. It doesn't last long.

"So, uhhh... What now?" I shrug. We both turn to face the crowds. I look to my right arm - to my wrist. The silver bracelet remains attached around my wrist. A cartridge already loaded in. Most people - most Huntsmen - they prefer flashy weapons. Stylish flare - big booms - something memorable. Not me.

"Soooooo... Uhhmmm... Where are you from?" I ask Jaune. Friend, huh? I don't have the best track record with friends. Or people in general. Or... Or anything that lives and breathes, honestly.

"Oh, I'm from a little place not far from here. Well, not far in the sense it's only a few hours ride. Well, a few hours ride with a Bullhead. I doubt you've heard of it. A place called Ansel." I nod my head and make a little humming noise. I can see a brunette girl in a black robe sneaking about in the shadows. For a moment her yellow eyes meet my own before she vanishes like a ghost into the darkness.

I make a clicking noise with my tongue, "Yep. Never heard of it." Jaune seems a little disappointed yet clearly not surprised. A few minutes of awkward silence go by. I'm not good with talking.

"If you don't... Mind me asking," I look to him and give a nod, "What kind of Faunus are you? I don't see any ears, or a tail, or wings." Oh, yeah. This question. Suppose it was inevitable, sooner or later.

"Spider." Not to many of us anymore. I heard once that there's an entire society of spider Faunus way up north in Anima, living in some kind of hidden utopia or city or wonderland or some crap like that. In my time alive - which, sure, isn't really that long - I've only ever met one other spider Faunus - and he's dead now. I may as well be the last of my kind for all I know.

"Spider? That's crazy... So, you like, eehhh... Got extra arms? Extra eyes? Do you, uhmmm... Shoot webs?" Slowly, very slowly, I turn my gaze to his. My frown intensifies as I give him a light glare.

"Do I look like I have extra arms? Or extra eyes? How would you feel if someone asked whether you had a second nose? Or a third leg?" He scratches his head as his cheeks go red ever so slightly. He shrugs, eyes apologetic, and he puts his arms in the air.

"Funny you should mention it... I do got a third leg!" I raise an eyebrow, "The ladies love it!" I stare at him expressionless. This stupid motherf—

"Haha... Ha... G-get it? 'Cuz ya know... The uhhh... N-nevermind. Lame joke." I begin to sigh. I regret this already. Why me? Why me...? I wonder if the world hates me. That would explain the bad luck. And why all of my friends are either idiots - no offense to Jaune of course, but it's true - or end up trying to kill me. Let's hope Jaune stays stupid, 'cuz if he ever develops an iq above room temperature than I'll be in serious danger.

"My mom always said I was a funny guy... But the crowds here are stiff! Eh, get it? Get it? 'Cuz the... The, uhhh... Ya know...?" Stiff? Stiff... How is that even a joke?

"I think your comedy needs some serious work." Here I am giving advice to some guy wearing a blue onesie with a rabbit emblazoned on his chest. I am quickly growing to dislike my life. Is it too late to be unborn? Probably. Definitely, considering my mom died before I could even walk.

"Hey, Jaune, what—"

"NO! NO! SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME! MY SISTER - YOUR DAUGHTER - IS MISSING! RUBY IS MISSING!" A raging scream echoes into the halls damn thunderbolt. A groan escapes my lips as my fingers grasp my ears. She's got a pair of lungs on her! I shake my head a few times like that'll magically make the ringing go away.

"Is it just me or do you hear that ringing too?" Jaune's question goes unanswered as I step up and begin following the source of the shouting. I give him a wave as I disappear into the crowds.

I slip past a couple - a girl with orange hair, and I assume her boyfriend - as another furious yell echoes. I was fast enough to cover my ears before the brunt of the soundwave reached me; but it still left behind a very recognizable ring rattling my head. I'm definitely not getting sleep unless I solve... Whatever this is. Missing sister, or something like that... Maybe I could help!

I spy that blonde girl again. She's the one whose raging. Her back is still facing me - and the crowds are behind me now. Her hair isn't blond like I thought it was. It's golden. Like actually gold... That's pretty... Unique, I guess. She's got black short shorts and a yellow tank top. She's taller than me, too, by a few inches.

"What do you mean she's"probably" ok!? She's not - she wouldn't just - how can you just act like everythings fine!? She's been gone for a full DAY AND A HALF! AN ENTIRE DAY, DAMN IT!" My ears feel like they're about to burst! I fall to my knees - how do humans stand living like this!? I clasp my hands down onto them tightly enough to make my Aura flicker blue.

I force myself to stand again. I stumble forwards, my ears pounding like drums! Blondie's back is now a few feet from me. I reach an arm out to tap her shoulder. Hopefully I can—

"Fuck you! No, no, I insist! Go fuck yourself!" Her Scroll careens directly into my head. I feel cold concrete against my back as a scorching pain seeps into my head. Damn... I think my skull has a fracture. And my neck is broken. And my brain is hemorrhaging. At least that's what I feel like.

"Uuggggh." I roll to my side. Man, that woman's got a strong throw... That damn Scroll must've done a number on my Aura if I can feel the pain this clearly! Jeesh... Note to self, never make her mad

"What is the meaning of this!?" I can distantly hear a higher pitched voice begin screaming. I twist my neck into an uncomfortable angle to see some pale skinned girl in white. She's got white hair, blue eyes, really pale skin. White hair? Is she... No, why would one of them ever bother coming to Beacon? Surely the Atlas Academy - whatever the hell those pompous pricks called themselves - would be soooooo much more... Welcoming to them than Beacon. Closer to them, too.

"What do you THINK is happening, huh!?" Wonderful. Now they're both screaming. My ears feel like they're about to burst from this racket! I clutch at them tightly. It helps muffle their voices but it doesn't stop them completely.

"Firstly, I THINK your being a dunce! A loud, obnoxious, and most definitely RUDE dunce! People are trying to sleep! Certain people have important things to manage! And secondly, don't use such attitude against me! Do you know who I am!? I am—"

"I don't fucking care! LET EVERYONE WAKE UP! MY SISTER IS IN DANGER! SHE COULD BE DEAD FOR ALL I KNOW! I-I gotta - I gotta get outta here!" Finally, with a great heave that would surely shift the very world of Remnant itself, I push myself onto my back.

"Nobody panic! I'm not dead... Just got a fractured skull... And a concussion, probably... Maybe a little brain damage for — gaah!' Blondie's foot crushes into my throat as she takes off down the hall. I splutter and cough; hacking up nothing but my dignity. That woman is an animal. A savage! I clutch at my neck for a few moments, propping myself up with one arm.

"I-I'm... still... Alive... G-guys...?" Oh. I'm completely alone now. I'm next to a stone pillar on the far side of the room away from everyone else. Gods... I'm going to chase after that lady, aren't I? She's probably gonna beat my ass by accident again. I just can't leave well enough alone, can I? If there's a chance I can help... Than I should.

I push myself up to my feet. I stumble into the pillar and use it to support me. I take in deep breaths... Every second she's getting further away!

I push myself away from the pillar and down the same hall blondie ran to. I leave the whispering crowds behind, passing through a massive doorway, and into a corridor of hallways. There's doors, paths, cameras everywhere I look. But no blondie. Great. Wonderful...

"Let's see... She's trying to leave. She's emotional..." The exit is a good place to start. How does she even expect to get outta here? The Academy is relegated to a cliffside overlooking a mile long fall. It's only accessible via Bullhead - unless, of course, your willing to walk for over a dozen miles back to the capital. Through the Grimm infested Emerald Forest. She's probably heading to the lockers to collect her weapon. I could try the exit or the lockers...

I got a strong hunch she's heading for the lockers. If I go to the exit I'll definitely have time go cut her off. Maybe convince her not to do something extremely stupid that might end with her as Grimm dinner. Or I could beline directly to the lockers... I bet those lockers are my best option. If I can get to her now I could see what's wrong, whereas if I wait for her to try the exit she'll have made up her mind.

I begin to run down the dark halls with only moonlight and an odd candle to light my way. Not like it matters to me - but to her? Humans don't see well in the dark. Should give me an advantage.

I turn left down a lean corridor. I ran down the hall past suits of armor, statues, and elaborate paintings of a bunch of long dead Hunters. Previous Headmasters, I think. One of them was an esteemed man with a black goatee, a white streak in his hair, and a flowing red robe. Extravagant, if you ask me. Overly extravagant.

It didn't take long for me to reach the lockers. I've always been a good runner - had to be back home. I face the gaping metal doors - one broken off it's hinges partially, causing it to slack. I can hear her in there. Mumbling, swearing, and the sounds of shifting metal. She's doing... Something in there.

I lean against the wall next to the doors. I'm no creep. I'll wait for her to come out. But... What even am I going to do? I can't stop her - she's her own person. Yet I can't help but shake the feeling that this is... Important. The same feeling I had back when... W-when things were simpler.

"Damn it, Ruby!" I hear her voice echo as she slams her locker close. Or maybe she punched it? I don't know. Ruby? Is that her sister? The person she was talking about? Yeah, it was Ruby, wasn't it?

"Why do you - Damn it! Why do you always do this!? I never should of - Damn it!" She's angry. Very angry. This could get violent depending on how this progresses. If so... I'll dodge her. Could use the darkness to avoid her blows and let her tire herself out. Or I could web her? She's probably strong enough to rip herself free. Unless I use additional cartridges? No... That's pretty expensive to replace.

"Why are you always s-so damn - fuck!" I hear metal ripping and bending. Maybe she'll tire herself out beating up lockers? Better than beating me up. She threw that Scroll hard enough to make my Aura flicker. My Aura! She's got an arm like - like... Ehhhh... A strong armed... Person, I guess. That metaphor kinda got away from me... Or is it a simile? I always get those two confused.

Who even is this Ruby? She must be important to blondie. Close to each other. Sisters, right? Something like that. Is she a Huntress in training too? Could be. Maybe she's just a civilian. I don't know... Not enough information to make any conclusions yet.

"Damn it Ruby! You - You are - Why did you - fuck! FUCK! You should know better!" I feel like a creep now. Just standing here and eavesdropping. Maybe I should say something? Yeah, yeah... I just hope she doesn't throw another Scroll at me. I'll just, ummm... Count to ten? Yeah!

"One... Two... Three... Four..."

---

'We encountered a God of Light once,' Really!? What was he - she? It? Them? - like!? Were they... Lighty? Did they have any weapons!? Oh, I bet they had glowing eyes! 'Our silver eyes. Do we enjoy them?' Uhm, w-what? What do my eyes have to do with anything? Especially Gods? 'Please, answer our question.' I don't see how... My eyes? Do I like them?

"I liked mom's eyes... She had pretty eyes. Warm eyes," But everytime I look into a mirror all I see is her. Mom. But it's not her; just a lie. A stupid, stupid lie... "N-no, I don't..." They make me different. They make me a freak. If my eyes were any other color than I'd be just a little closer to normal!

'Our eyes are, indeed, unique and distinct. But we know another with silver eyes,' Who...? I've only ever known mom! Who else would... D-do I have family I don't even know about? Another uncle? An aunt!? Secret grandparents!? 'Maybe. But as to the one we saw - no, it was not human. But a God. That very same God we mentioned a few moments ago. The Light God.' It - he? - had - has? - silver eyes? A God has the same eyes as me!? Wha... I don't get it... What does that mean, Shadow? Why would...? A God has silver eyes? Like me? How...?

'We do not know how or why. Only that it is so. We do know our eyes are truly special; as unto the sparkling stars of the void,' Y-you don't have to be s-so nice? Really, you d-don't - You think my eyes are like stars...? 'Yes. More intoxicating to us than the cold serendipity of the moon; yet distinctly possessing limitless life unlike it. Our eyes contain unbridled power; dormant energy. We love them so very dearly.' Y-you love my... Eyes? That's kinda... W-weird? But... Th-thank you, Shadow. You think my eyes look like stars? That's... That's - I've never had anyone call my eyes stars before...

"I l-love you, Shadow." It... Feels nice hearing that. No one ever... No one ever said anything nice about my eyes. No one ever cared for them before. Dad always gets sad when he sees my eyes. Yang doesn't care. Uncle... I'm not sure about uncle Qrow, but he always avoids my eyes. Everyone else always thought they were weird or freaky or unnatural... B-but you don't think that way! You don't! You like them. My eyes... Star eyes... I'm happy I met you, 'We love us, and our eyes, without question or hesitation. We—'

'Wait! What is this... Feeling inside us? Fear... Apprehension?' I stumble forward slightly, grasping for a tree. I feel like... L-like something bad is happening right now...

'What do we mean?' I don't know exactly, Shadow! I just... I feel... I-I don't know! I rest my finger against my bottom lip. My stomach feels light. Like there's little bugs inside me. Ewww... Why did I think that?

"Like someone... S-someone is about to make a terrible mistake. Like stepping on a landmine, or walking into the home of a reeeeallllly old, reeeeallllly big, reeeeallllly hungry Grimm!" I don't know... Probably nothing. Just - guess I'm just imagining things... Whatever. I'm just being silly! I-I think...?

'It is of no concern,' Yeah, your probably right, 'We should keep moving.' I start walking forward. I've managed to find a small stream. I've been following it for awhile now; it's nice. The running water; the cold water felt really nice when I drank some. I know I probably shouldn't - diseases and all that - but I was really, really thirsty...

"Hey, Shadow... You wanna hear about the time I fought a two headed Tijitu!? Uncle Qrow was there! It was awesome! It was a hundred feet long! O-ok, probably closer to thirty or forty - b-but it was huge! And I— what is that?" Glowing lights were hiding in the dark - just past the stream and up in the trees. The lights are white and green. Little dots. Some are hiding in tall grass, others up in the trees, others are floating in the dark.

"S-Shadow... What are those?" I can hear a faint humming sound. Like the type a Dust infused generator would make. Mechanical, I guess. I don't like this one itty bit... I have a bad feeling about this.

'Them. We've taken too long. They've found us!'

---

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Wait a second, hold on!" I shot out a strand of webbing to the ceiling, pulling myself up and out of reach of what would've been a very nasty punch, "Calm down! Can't we talk!?" The second - the damn second I said a word she came barrelling out like a raging Ursa!

"You pervert! How long have you been watching me!?" Her yellow gaunlets make a cocking sound as it fires off a Dust round. It hits me in the chest and sends me flying back and onto the stone floor. I came to a skidding halt. Why is it always the pretty ones that attack me?

"I wasn't watching! I was eavesdropping, technically..." I mutter before jumping to my feet in a quick motion. She's already a few feet from me. I duck under her left hook, pushing my hands into stomach. She flies back a good ten feet into a wall, "I'm not creeping on ya! I heard the yelling - hell, I'm sure everyone in a hundred mile radius did!"

Her red eyes glare into my own. Her teeth clench as she charges forward. She fires off another shot - not at me, but behind herself. The momentum sent her flying at me like a bullet. I leapt directly up - onto the ceiling - and she tore into the ground where I stood. Dust and debris shoot up into the air as she growls. Growls! Like a bear! I should've stayed with Jaune, shouldn't I?

"I promise, ok!? Your sister - Ehh, R-Ruby! - she's missing, right?" Another growl. I feel my hairs tingling; so I shoot a web onto the far side of the hall, hitting a statue, and I give it a strong tug.

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" The statue intercepts her gunfire. It shatters into dozens of pieces - but in the confusion and debris I was able to drop to the floor, and maneuver myself behind her. If it wasn't so dark she would've seen me, no question about that.

"Maybe I can help? I've been able to find lost people before!" I had... A little help back then, but I did it before, I can do it again!

She spins around - her fist an inch before my face. She stops just before impact. She actually seems to consider my words. Her red eyes flicker lilac for a moment. I'm having an effect! Fantastic! Now I just need to go a little further. And hopefully not lose my head in the process.

"I don't know who you are - or your sister - but I do know your current plan is very, very, very stupid," annnnnnd we're back to red again. She goes in for a gut punch that I sidestep, "Just leave Beacon in the middle of the night, alone, and stranded? You know the Bullheads left hours ago, right?" She goes for a kick that nails me in the chest. I fly back into a metal suit of armor - and, of course, just my luck, it collapses on top of me.

"Ugghhh... What's your plan? Go for a several mile hike through one of the most Grimm infested hellholes in the entirety of the kingdom? Great idea! I'm sure that'll end well!" She glares yet again as she pounces - literally pounces at me! Like a tiger... Or a pissed off raccoon. I shoot a web at the ceiling and pull myself upwards as her fist embeds into the ground where I just was. Metal and stone tear apart as debris are sent in all directions.

"I'm no creep, I swear! I only came out here to check on you! Just to - I'm not your enemy!" I let my body weight fall as I hang from the ceiling with one hand - the stone where my chest had been moments ago exploding apart as Dust rounds impact, "I'm sure if I were you, I'd be pretty pissed right now, too! But that's no excuse to act like this!" I fire a weball at her chest. It's kinetic punch knocks her into a wall as the webs explode into a snare. She's pinned now - probably only for a few seconds, at best.

"Asshole!" She's yelling as I lower myself to the floor, a single web connecting to the ceiling being the only thing preventing me from falling, "I'll - when I - you—"

"Calm down! I'm not here to fight! I'm not your enemy! I won't stop you if you want go, I just want you to hear me out, ok?" Her red eyes glare death into my own, as if she's willing me to drop dead. She probably is, too, "It is 3:57 in the morning! It is freezing out there! You'll die from the cold long before the Grimm even reach you! How well do you think you can fight the Grimm if you can't see in the dark, but they can? You'll have to walk through hours of forest before reaching the city! If you can't get through me, what makes you think you'll get through an entire horde of Grimm!?" She's ripping the webbing from her chest one handful at a time. The webs stick to her fingers as she pulls and wrestles with it. She's not really listening to me. I need a new strategy...

"What does it matter to you!? I need to find my sister and your getting in my way!" I let go of the web and drop completely. What does this matter to me? She isn't my friend, clearly no ally... Why can't I just leave well enough alone? Just my nature, I suppose... I hate slime.

"Where even is your sister, then? Do you even have a starting point to look for?" Her eyes widen as she goes still. I can see her eyes - she's angry, very angry. But she's hurting, too. Her head lowers as a long sigh escapes her lips.

"I-I don't... She was supposed to meet me by Junior's... I don't even know where she might be! She should be home, with dad, but she... Damn it! I should've—"

"How long ago was this? Hours? Days?" She looks into my eyes again. She's still got the anger, but it looks to be fading fast. Am I finally getting through to her?

"S-she... Last I saw Ruby was about... A day ago? Maybe a little less, or more," I nod my head, hesitantly taking a step forward, "I have to find her! She's just - I got to find her! Why are you even trying to stop me!? DO YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS!?" I put my hands up and shake my head left and right rapidly. She's in the process of ripping away a large chunk of webbing from her stomach when she extends a hand, strands of web all of over it, and points a finger at me.

"You! You wanna get involved so bad? You will help me find my sister, got it!?" I nod quickly, "Good! It's settled... Now help me out of this... Whatever it is!" I begin reaching my hands out to grab ahold of some webbing, pulling back. She's gritting her teeth with barely restrained anger as she's tearing the webbing apart like they murdered her mother or something. I've seen people with bad tempers - I knew a rhino Faunus, dumbest man I've ever met, but he was... Scary, when mad. Liked running into walls, too. Not because he had a reason or anything. He just... Likes ramming walls. Probably why he's so dumb, honestly.

"You say your not a creep... What kinda guy sprays white stuff on a young woman's chest - without her consent, no less - and isn't a creep?" My cheeks feel warm. I scratch at my head. I avoid eye contact as I let out an awkward cough.

"W-well... When you put it like that..." She shakes her head. There's a hint of a smirk on her lips, "Force of habit. Happens around all the pretty girls I meet." She's got a slightly more noticable smirk. She's free from the wall now, a clumping of webbing discarded all over the floor. I begin scanning the hall around us.

"Someone's gonna have to clean this up..." There's holes blown into walls, a crater in the ground, debris littering the hall. Dust is sparkling in the moonlight; beautiful silver gleaming from torn metal armors.

I once met a woman with silver eyes, years ago. I remember it only vaguely - something about her... Needing assistance with a secret project? My dad apparently had something she needed. She was the first human I ever met who was nice to me. She was a Huntress, too, so that was pretty cool. I wonder if she's even alive these days?

"Yeah... Yeah, someone will..." I feel her arm around my neck as she steps forward. We're side by side, her fingers over my chest, "What's your plan then? Hmm, creep?" I push her hand off me as I step forward, spinning in place, and level my eyes to her. I'm shorter than she is. More than I thought so. I only reach her upper chest in height. Her golden hair is reflecting strands of pale moonlight, her lilac eyes hard and determined, and her arms slack yet ready. She's still wearing her tank top - which is emblazoned with a stylized red flame - and black shorts.

"Can you stop calling me creep? My name is Crimson. Speaking of which, what's yours?" She shakes her head for a moment, looks away as if considering something, before looking back to me with visible annoyance in her eyes. At least they're not red. Come to think of it, how do her eyes change color? Her Semblance? I'll have to ask later.

"Yang Xiao Long. I'm from Patch, I'm a no good rebellious brat and my father hates me. I'm responsible for almost getting my sister killed when she was a toddler. Is that personal enough or do you want my entire life story?" I wince, taking a step back. Oh, I see. Daddy issues. What have I just signed myself up for?

"Ok... I won't pry. My name is Crimson Anansi, I'm from Menagerie," She nods impatiently as she holds her arms out as if to silently will me on, "B-but, ehhhh... Yeah, my plan... Uhhhmmm... W-wait till morning, I guess." Her face deadpans as her fists begin clenching, "Hey, I'm not saying we abandon her! We need to wait a while. Look, first thing in the morning, I'll go to the Headmaster. Hell, I'll do it right now if it makes you feel better." Her posture relaxs slightly. She grabs me by my shirt collar and pulls me close. I'm inches from face. Normally I'd be excited about something like this. But right now? I'm too scared for my life.

"I need my sister, ok! Crimson, creep, whoever you are - if I don't find my sister, this is on you! GOT IT!?" I throw my hands up and nod quickly. She's mad, furious, absolutely pissed, "Ok... Ok... Ok... I... I'm... I'll... Go lay down... You talk to the Headmaster! H-he... If anyone can handle this, it's him, r-right?" Her fingers loosen their grip. I pull back and nod as we stare at one another for an awkwardly long time.

"Yeah, yeah! Of course, he's Ozpin! Greatest Huntsmen of the century, and all that... You do need some sleep, though. You got an important day tomorrow. We all do. Initiation. I hear most would be Huntsmen or Huntresses fail. You should be prepared." Yang nods, rubbing at her eye as a shallow yawn escapes her lips. She mumbles something I fail to hear before she wordlessly turns to leave.

Ozpin... Ozpin... Ozpin... I hope he really is as helpful as I've heard. Oh, man, what have I gotten myself into? I look around myself one more time - Yang's gone. I'm shrouded in darkness with only scarce moonlight to guide me.

Alone. I am alone. Solitary. This is my life. Making mistake after mistake after mistake after mistake. One broken promise traded for another. Will I fail again? How many more people will die because I'm too slow... Too weak?

If I knew she was gonna die... If I knew Adam wasn't lying... If I knew what the Suit would do to me... To them... If I knew what I know now would I have made my choices any different? Would I still have failed? Would she still be dead?

"Ivory... You didn't deserve to die."

---

My scythe - er, Shadow's scythe? Our scythe? - tore into a metal spider-thing. It's mechanical body squirms on Shadow's blade as sparks flew. With a quick kick I sent it flying off the blade and into the stream. Water splashes around it as it writhes and makes a groaning sound.

"SssssssSSHHHHHVVVVVOOoooooo!" I barely managed to flip over a missile - just a small one, smaller than my finger - yet when it impacts against the ground it left behind a flaming hole. A tendril shot out of my wrist - my left wrist, the free hand - as I smash a metal orb into the ground. The orbs are the ones with white lights. They fly by shooting jets of blue fire from their exhausts to propel themselves. But they're weak. And slow. Yet they have missiles and spit lightning Dust. So-so, I guess.

"ZZZZRRRRAAAAZZZzzzzzzzz!" A blast of yellow electricity grazes against me. It misses by centimeters and sets a tree on fire in front of me. I spin around, pulling my scythe up, and slice another spider-thing in half down the middle just before it could reach me. It has six legs, green lights, and can run and climb. They take can more damage than the Orbs, but they're pretty weak, too. They have spikey arms, and climb really well. They're about the size of a dog - a big dog.

'We must go! Now!' Why!? These guys are chumps! I kick one - a spider-thing that had pounced off a tree to try and land a sneaky attack on me - sending it flying into two orbs. All three shatter apart like bones when under too much pressure.

"Shadow, are these guys really what you've been scared of?" I jump over two spider-things that hit each other midair. Their claws rip each other apart like paper, "They're a joke! I can take these guys with my eyes closed!" Tendrils grab a missile and redirect it towards a crowd of three, maybe five spider-things lumping around a boulder. Fire shoots up around the rock, popping sounds coming from the flames. The water reflects the orange light strangely.

"These guys are weak! Slow!" I snatch an orb out of the air. I grab it tightly with a single hand and flex my fingers. With a tiny amount of effort - just a baby's worth of effort, with just a little squeeze, it's...

Pop! Oil or something like that leaks from the broken metal ball onto the forest floor. This... I... I feel warm inside. Am I suppose to enjoy this? Shadow, is this how you felt against those Grimm? The ones you hurt? The one you gave a new neck hole?

"SSSHHHH - BRRRRAAAAHH!" I feel a strong force against my back and now my feet aren't touching the ground anymore. it was an explosion, wasn't it? It doesn't hurt though, not like the first time.

Tendrils shoot from my back, wrapping around trees to form a web. The web caught me and lowers me gently - so very gently, so very nicely - to the ground. I feel the tendrils oozing against my skin as they are absorbed back into Shadow. Into us?

I see another rocket flying my way. I slice it with our scythe. It's two halves both fly in opposite directions and explode behind us. I can hear fire - see fire - spreading from grass, to shrubs, to bushes, to trees. Pretty soon, at this rate, there won't be any Emerald Forest left! I gotta do something about this!

'Blood Flower, we must go! Run! Now! The fires will distract them!' No! I'm not - I won't - I can win this fight! I can actually win this! This isn't like the first time... Not like it was against—

"VVVVVAAAAHRRRROOOO!" I leap directly into the air - so high I go above the tree tops - as ice freezes and frosts where I stood. Wait a minute... Perfect! If I can use that Ice Dust, I can put out the fire! Yes, perfect!

I use Petal Burst to turn into roses. I fly down, down, and down as my momentum grows. I turn up, and forwards, just before hitting the ground and charge into another orb. I become me again as I grab at it. Tendrils shoot from my back to the ground and stop my feet from skidding across the forest floor.

I crack the orb open like a rotten egg. Pulling away metal plates, I see complex mechanisms inside, glowing things. Grinding cogs, sparking wires, and a pale blue Dust crystal. I pull the Dust out - ripping wires and circuits in the process. I can use this to—

'Down!' I feel myself dropping to the damp ground as a bolt of lightning crackles just above me. I raise my eyes in time to see a missile headed for me. I push myself up a little, and extend my right arm - holding the scythe in front of me. Shadow's scythe bends and squirms and grows as it turns into a blocky, square-shaped shield.

"BOOM!" The force of the explosion sent me flying backwards and into the stream. Freezing water wraps around me as I sink into the water. It isn't deep, barely enough to cover my chest while laying down. I prop myself up with my hands, pushing my head and chest just out of the water's surface.

I see a spider-thing preparing to pounce a few feet from me. A tendril shoots out of my shoulder and slams into the ground with a loud pop! As the tendril pulls away, all I can see are scrap metal and shattered Dust fragments. How many of these things are there?

I let my chest lower into the water as I pull back my legs. Tendrils shoot into the ground and prop me on my feet as I reform the scythe. I grip it with both hands as a volley of Spider-things attack. A horizontal swing slices most of them apart yet one leaps onto my chest. I stumble back as little tendrils wrap around it's metal legs.

"Creeaaakkkkk!"

It's squirming in the water. It's legless. I kick it aside like the piece of trash it is. I look forward and see a fire Dust round coming my way. I sidestep it, turning around in a spin as I grab it with a short tendril. I throw it toward a clumping of orbs. They all begin to burn and boil as the ground where they stood - ehh, floated? - burns. They burn and pop and spark and whine.

Boiling. Melting. Dying. Does it hurt? It hurt for me. When I burned, it hurt so much... I hope they hurt, too.

'We must go, now!' Why!? This is fun! It's like—

"VRRRROOOooossssshh!" I leap over another rocket, dropkicking - I always wanted to try that! - an orb to paste, "We should crush them all! Kill them! R-right...? You said we have to—"

"This is dangerous. These are only scouts. Metal Eyes. It will be here soon. Very soon!' 'It'? What is 'it'? What's after us, Shadow?

I duck under another lightning blast. I get to my feet and use Petal Burst to speed behind a few orbs. After they were cut apart I caught a spider-thing midair and crush it. I throw it aside.

I look around the stream yet I see nothing but fire and dead robots. Trees are burning, cackling, some falling over from the fight. I look at the Dust Crystal in my left hand. It's dark blue, pale white as well. Ice Dust. I can see my reflection in it. My silver eyes looking back at me. A freak's eyes.

"Shadow, what is 'it'? What's..." The fires rise higher and higher. I'm circled by it now. Fire eating trees; burning towers all around me. It's spreading along the grass, along the dirt even! My nose itches and stings from the smoke.

But... But I don't care. The flames... So bright... So... Soooo...

"It's... S-so... Pretty," I remember being scared of fire when I was little. I remember dad telling me never to play with it. That it would hurt me, "I hope they burn, too." It hurt at first. Only for a little while. After the fire went cold, it was only me.

I hate being me.

Consuming. Hunger. Deceit. 'I miss the burning...'

Did mom die to the cold? Did she freeze until her skin turned purple and blue? Until she cracked like an egg? Did it hurt when she died? After awhile, Shadow, the freezing starts burning too. It's kinda funny. You touch fire and it burns. But it's the cold that hurts most after. When you touch the cold, you freeze. When you get too cold you burn anyway... Burning... Freezing... Burning... Freezing...

"No matter what... It burns either way. Doesn't it, Shadow?" I was so scared when the burning first started. The flames made me feel something; something I didn't know I could feel. I remember being more scared of that than the fire.

Seeping crimson. Fading heartbeat. Writhing. Dying. Surviving. Scarlet lies. Burning darkness. Silver flame.

"It felt nice... So warm... S-so... So very warm." I hope mom burned, too. I hope she felt how warm it was. After awhile, the burning... It feels nice. Felt good. Once I couldn't feel my skin anymore, the burning felt like... Like a friend pulling me into a hug. Someone I could always trust to be there. Until it wasn't anymore. Until I became so cold...

Freezing over. Little lies. Flaming titans. Love? Abandoned. 'Monsters deserve to die, r-right?'

"You won't leave me... Wll you? The cold won't leave me... You won't, r-right...?" I was so scared when you made me cold. When you made the burning go away. I was angry... B-but... Your better than the burning! It hurts inside... But you make me hurt a little less! But... I-I... But I deserve to hurt, don't I? I deserved to burn... If it wasn't for me mom would still be here. I deserve to hurt...

Neverending death. Monster. Monsters? Confusing darkness. Mounting rage. burning love; Freezing hate.

'We must go! We do not have the time for this!' Don't we...? We're together forever! You won't let me die. Maybe you can't let me die... M-maybe I won't let you die, either?

Have you ever burned, Shadow? Have you ever felt the fire hug you tightly? I remember it boiling me. Melting me down like I was metal. I thought I was going to die... I thought I wanted to die... But I didn't! Not really... Iwanted a friend... I wanted you... I needed you... I need you!

"Shadow, I - we love each other, r-right? I just - I burned so much... I burned. But you made me cold! So cold... So, so, so cold... A nice cold... It makes the burning not so... S-so bad anymore. I need the cold... I need you... I can't—"

"Aaaahhh!" A burning pain tore into my stomach. I look down and see... S-see a... A spike? Stabbing m-me... Through the st-stomach. My hands grab at it; my teeth gritting, "Aaaaahhh! S-Shadow!" Blood pours around the spike. It pools to the ground. I see silver eyes - a freak's eyes - staring back at me from within the pool. I feel the pain, but I don't... I don't really feel it. That's my voice screaming, but it isn't really me... Is it? I should hurt more, shouldn't I? It stings but not nearly as bad as I thought it would.

"Termination will commence shortly. Please, do not resist." A voice is behind me. It's a deep voice. It sounds almost like a man yet it's not. Distorted. The voice is too deep. It echoes too much.

I feel something cold and hard wrap itself around my shoulder, "Your compliance in your termination will be most appreciated. Please, do not resist.' I feel another pain shooting into me. I see a silver thing - a... Hand? - in front of my chest. Red pools around it as it's thin fingers clutch something pinkish and round and bloody. I feel light headed. My legs are shaking. Am I still screaming?

'No, no, no! No! Cannot - must not - NO!' The thing in it's hand is moving. Squirming? No, no... Thumping. It's spraying bits of redness with every single thump. The silver fingers - the pretty fingers, like little colorful wires - crush the pink thing. It squelches and rips as it's flattened.

The arm is gone and now I feel so... So empty inside. Like a piece of me is gone. My fingers poke against my chest - where the hand was - yet I feel nothing. No silver fingers, no skin, no bone. Just hollow air. I stumble forward before falling into my own blood. So much blood... It feels warm against my face.

'NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! WE MUST - NO! DON'T LEAVE US!' L-leave... Wh... Where am I going...? W-what's... My eyes... Feel funny...

Everything is getting blurry. I can't see too well anymore... I don't... It doesn't hurt so much anymore. Shadow, Shadow... Where are we going...?

'Fight it! W-we can - we will - we can still fix this! No, no, no, no! We should of - we could of - we need to - it's not too late yet!' I feel tired. I... I don't... M-my head... Where are we...? Wh-what's... Who was... Sh-Shadow, I-I don't...

I can't see anything. Everything is dark. I feel cold. But not... Not cold? I-Is - are you ok? You sound scared... Should I be scared? Where's Yang...? I remember feeling so sad when she told me she was leaving for Beacon. I begged her to take me with, just so I could see it for myself...

Does dad know? Will he be there for her? I-I re-remember... Fire... I-It hurt... Are we hurting? You said you'd take the pain away. Is that why it doesn't hurt inside anymore? I-I don't...

I always liked the color red...

M-mom use to bake cookies...

Dad's scary sometimes. Mean.

Doesn't the sky... Look so... Nice today?

Zwei is cute. He's a good boy, a good dog!

W-why is it... D-did uncle ever fi-find her...? He always - I remember being cut...

Cutting? Did I do the cutting?

I'd rather hurt than feel nothing.

Sometimes it's easier to feel nothing...

Drip, drip, drip, drip... Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap...

So much red. I thought I was gonna die that night... I was hoping to see mom.

Uncle Qrow...

He stopped me.

I wish he didn't...

Dad's always up early...

Why does uncle always look so sad?

I h-hate how Yang stares when she thinks I'm sleeping...

I know she hates me.

Dad does too...

Uncle Qrow loved mom... M-more than dad, I think...

I wish he was my dad...

Why does everyone hate me?

I didn't mean to l-lie to you...

Don't the b-bad guys always think they're the heros?

Beowolves... Made me burn first. My arm... I remember it dangling... Bits of bone poking out.

It never hurt... Beowolves don't burn... They're cold...

I wish... I was... A m-monster... A Beowolf...

Grimm don't feel pain...

They don't... Burn...

Everything's... So... D-dark...

Shadow...

I don't...

Where... Are... We?

I don't want you to leave me...

I won't let you leave me!

P-please... I... I n-need to hear your vo-voice... Why can't I hear you!?

Shadow...

Do-don't... Leave... M-me...

I-I-I ne-need you...

Mom left me... Lied to me...

Shadow, please!

PLEASE!

W-where are you...?

'With us,' S-Shadow... Don't leave me again... 'Never will.' G-good... Good... D-do you... Remember... R-remember... What I s-said... A-about... About him?

I-I lied...

H-his stupid hat... His green eyes... He made me burn!

I-I ha-hate him...!

I hate him!

Shadow...

It's... Hard... Can't think...

I n-need you...

I just... W-want...

I need...

All I ever... W-wan-wanted...

W-was a... A-a...

Friend...

'Friends forever...' Two-in-one... Two-in-one... Two-in-one...

Don't... Leave me...

Like mom did...

Don't hate me like dad...

P-please! I'll be good...

I'll listen... I-I don't care if y-you eat me...

I-I just want s-someone to care about me!

I-Is that... Really t-too much...?

'Let us protect us... Let us rest now. We are good. Very, very good! We do listen... We listen so well... We are perfect!' Y-you... Know what's... B-best for m-me... I tr-trust you...

I-I... I ne-need you... I...

Can't...

I...

I only ever...

Wan-wanted... A little...

L-love...

'We love you, Blood Flower...'

Blood Flower... Blood Flower... Blood Flower...

Am I your Blood Flower?

And your my shadow... My Shadow...

Mine!

I can't - I won't lose you!

I am Ruby Rose...

Or am I Blood Flower?

Can't I be both?

Blood...

Blood.

Blood?

Blood. I want his blood, Shadow...

He hurt me... Hurt me...

He needs to burn...

He...

Needs...

To...

Burn...

---

Aria of the Ashes here. I have a few things I'd like to discuss.

Most pertinent, perhaps, is Spiderman. While Symbiote Ruby is the protagonist, he is ultimately responsible for her new existence, so by extension my story.

Thank you Kenny for the anansi suggestion. I did toy around with naming him Arachni after the seamstress of Greek myth who was cursed by Athena to become the world's first spider. But I felt that was TOO on the nose, even for Rwby.

I settled on Crimson Anansi for the following purposes: Crimson is exactly the type of name that fits Remnant (in fact, as I write this, I think I recall a background character named Crimson) and it does have a deeper meaning. I didn't decide on the name because it's "cool" but because I feel this version of Spiderman is... Well that spoils my story, doesn't it? You'll have to wait for that.

As to his appearance? I have fully decided, hence why I avoided describing specific characteristics. He does not have his spider costume... Yet. I imagine him to physically resemble Peter Parker - specifically, comic book Ultimate Spiderman (before the reboot) in appearance, albeit with a bit more muscle and without that hideous thing on his head he has the audacity to call hair. In terms of age? Seventeen, same as everyone else in Beacon's first year. Yes, this does make him slightly older than a 'typical' teenager Spiderman, yet it compliments the story I desire to tell.

Now the obvious one; characterization? I imagine a mix between classic Steve Ditko/Stan Lee Spiderman with a bit of Raimi and a touch of Spectacular thrown in. In otherwords, he is an asshole. But an asshole with a heart of gold. In simpler terms, as a great man once said, "Be strong enough to be gentle."

I, of course, made sure to sprinkle some references into both Ruby and Crimson's segments that do reference both the wider Rwby and Marvel universe. After all, this is an entire world and not everything or everyone revolves around them. I intend for other Marvel characters (mostly Spidey oriented, some not. They will to varying extents be altered to fit in Remnant, of course) to make appearances. Most will be cameos or reccuring villains. But a few might stick around.

Who knows! If this story continues long enough you guys might even see a Rwby-ified Avengers or Iron Patriot or hell, maybe even Galactus and Silver Surfer. I doubt that last one will actually appear in the story, but... Eh, we'll see.

Huh. As I write this a thought crosses my mind. Silver Surfer in Remnant? I'm getting ideas again...

Now, the Machine... Sorry to blueball you guys but I'm saving that fight for later. I was initially planning on having the fight in this chapter yet I ultimately decided against it. There will be a proper faceoff between the Machine and Symbiote Ruby, but not now. It is still hunting her but to learn the specifics you'll have to wait till next Chapter.

Besides, as I'm sure you gentlefolks know by now, fight scenes aren't my forte.

Remember how I said there wouldn't be ships? I stand by that. Yes, in this chapter Ruby 'confesses' her love to the suit, and it loves her.

But 1, there are multiple forms of love outside of romantic love. Platonic; familial; possessive. Many forms for it. Suppose you could say love is the many faced god... Or I'm grasping at straws here. I don't know anymore! I haven't slept in like... 13 hours? 15? Insomnia is a bitch.

2, as another (not so great) man once said, "If the glove don't fit, one must acquit!" Or something like that. I will admit I wasn't exactly born when OJ did the strangling.

Now, will their relationship have tones of romance? Obviously. It's a Venom story and Venom is the representation of toxic relationships. And drugs. And suicidal rage. And a cure for cancer that one time. And a bunch of other stuff.

Does this mean the relationship will be romantic? No, not necessarily per say.

Speaking of which; to the observant reader it should be obvious why I choose Ruby as the main lead of this story, and not say... Hazel. Hazel, for instance, is extremely similar to Eddie Brock in a number of ways. He would make a more comic accurate Venom than Ruby ever could. But Ruby has a certain something that no other character in Rwby does. Or not to the same extent as her, rather. I won't say what out of fear of giving away too much too soon; but some of you will know what I'm referring to.

It's a problem many of us have faced, I'm sure. The temptation, the desire... I know I've struggled with it myself. Probably why I'm even writing this story to begin with, honestly.

Now, I have altered a few aspects of Ruby's origins. Nothing major, moreso adding to it than taking away.

Also, I MUST clear this up! Taiyang's portrayal. The amount of stories I read where Taiyang was Satan himself is absolutely insane. Preposterous, even! I intend to make Taiyang more nuanced. You'll see later.

Anything else... Anything else? Oh, yes. At some point (no idea when) I plan to revisit chapter 1 and 2 (especially 1) and partially rewrite them. I honestly should've waited longer before releasing Betwixt Life and Slime. Oh well, no point in crying over spilt ooze.

Kenny9x3 — Thank you again for the help. Anansi is something I honestly didn't consider until you brought it up. As to eating spleens? Sorta. Either way, team CFVY isn't done yet. I have plans for them. I'm confident you can already see the direction I'm going in.

Forthose8675309 — Thank you! This community is a small one, yeah. Too small. I wish there was more of us. But I suppose that makes each story more unique, doesn't it? A blessing in it's own way.

For those wondering, no. I still haven't truly realized my second story. Still in the "I have a lot of ideas, but no clue how to execute them" stage of writing.

Speaking of which: fun fact! My original story idea before Black Stars was a story called 'Tainted Shadows.' In many regards it could be seen as a proto-Black Stars. It was meant to revolve around Ruby, Vampires, and the return of an ancient, long forgotten evil. That idea has since been scraped yet I am toying around with a (pardon the pun) revamped Tainted Shadows. It'll probably focus on someone other than Ruby since she's already the protagonist of Black Stars and using her again, especially so soon, will feel... Redundant. Of course, I doubt Tainted Shadows in any form will ever see the light of day (ha! Day. That was an accidental pun.)

I suppose this is goodbye, for now. I'm curious how many of you might be able to point out my little... In the spirit of Marvel, let's call them easter eggs. I do look forward to any and all comments! Especially critical comments. I cannot improve if I don't where I'm going wrong, after all.

For now: goodbye again. I will return to the void and fade into ashes.