The Grimm Lands Chapter 14
Hunting Ground Part 2: A Leaders Trepidation
Pyrrha
Pyrrha felt her heart drop and her nerves buzz unpleasantly. She shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot in an attempt to calm her racing heart. To her side, Ruby looked almost the exact opposite. The young girl was practically overflowing with barely contained excitement. 'I wish I could be so carefree.'
Miss Goodwitch stood in front of their small group, her usual stern expression fixed firmly in place. She had called all team leaders to stay after Combat class had finished for the day. She detailed the newest field exercise that they would be participating in, but Pyrrha couldn't focus. Her thoughts were rattled and disorganized. She often felt this way before a large competition. She felt a thick tension in her veins. It wasn't so much the prospect of a mission that scared her so. 'This is my first time being in charge of something so serious. Oh, what if I mess up and get someone hurt?'
"Miss Nikos." Miss Goodwitch said, breaking Pyrrha from her thoughts.
"Yes ma'am!" Pyrrha squeaked,a blush rose to her cheeks in embarrassment.
"If this is boring then perhaps, we should ask one of your teammates to stand in for you?" Goodwitch's icy green eyes did nothing to quell Pyrrha's fears.
"No, I'm fine. I'm sorry for losing focus. It won't happen again." Pyrrha apologized. That seemed to do little to appease the irate teacher, but she went back to her lecture after a few more seconds of her stern glaring. Ruby looked up concernedly, but Pyrrha waved her off with a smile and a light wave.
"As I was saying, your teams will be dropped off at a designated site above the Emerald Forest. Once you and your team have been dropped, you will be tasked with finding a suitable place to make camp and hold for the night. You will then need to make it to a rendezvous point by noon for full marks. You will be provided with a map detailing forbidden zones and the area for pickup. You will also be given a beacon to be used when you have made camp so that we may track your positions. In the event of an emergency, it can also be used to release an emergency signal. If you find yourself in trouble of any kind that you feel is insurmountable with your current skill level, do not hesitate to activate the beacon and we will provide an immediate evacuation." Goodwitch stopped her lecture and looked around the small group of future Huntsmen. Her eyes lingered on Ruby for a heartbeat. "Recklessness and overt heroic theatrics will not be tolerated. Understood?"
The group grunted and nodded their agreement and then they were dismissed. They had the rest of the day to prepare themselves and their teams and were to be ready the next morning to begin their mission. Pyrrha let her feet guide her out of the classroom, 'Maybe a nice training session to help clear my head. I can do this, no problem. I'm sure it will all be fine. What's the worst that could happen, right?'
She was surprised by the warm figure that shoved into her side. She looked down at the smiling face of Ruby. "Isn't this just the coolest? Our first real mission with our teams!" The young girl exclaimed.
"Yeah, the coolest," Pyrrha said awkwardly.
"What's wrong? Are you nervous?" Ruby asked, Pyrrha nodded. "There's nothing to worry about. It'll be over before you know it."
"How are you so confident? Doesn't your first mission as a leader make you even the tiniest bit scared?" Pyrrha asked.
Ruby simply shrugged. "A little, I guess. But I'm more pumped for it than anything. I've wanted to be a Huntress for as long as I can remember, so to finally get the chance to show my stuff is a dream come true."
"Aren't you worried about messing up?" Pyrrha asked and was taken aback when Ruby laughed.
"Well, kinda? I mean I guess a little. But I've already messed up a bunch. Even so, my team and I are more than ready for anything. I don't think mistakes are a bad thing and even if I do really mess up, I know they'll be there to help me."
Pyrrha nodded, mulling over the girls' words. They helped a little, but the uneasiness still sat unpleasantly within her. She chewed lightly on her bottom lip. An awkward silence settled between the two. Pyrrha raised her head to ask a question lingering in her throat, but she caught herself and couldn't force it out.
Ruby, ever the unstoppable force, smiled kindly and poked Pyrrha in the cheek. Pyrrha raised her head to meet Ruby's gaze. "Just ask them for help. Your team I mean. And ask me. Ask Yang, Weiss, and even Blake. I'm sure one of us can help you figure it out."
"I don't want to trouble anyone." This time Ruby flicked her lightly between the eyes.
"Nope."
"Nope?"
"Yup!"
Ruby caught a mischievous glint in her eye and gripped Pyrrha's wrist firmly in her hand. Still caught in her own head Pyrrha offered no resistance as Ruby pulled her along at a breakneck speed. Petals scattered around the two and Pyrrha struggled to keep her feet in front of her lest she fall. They plowed past students, through the courtyard, upstairs and finally slowed in front of their dorms. Without missing a beat Ruby boldly burst into Team JNPR's room.
Jaune was seated on the floor conducting maintenance on his weapons as was typical for him. Nora was lying flat on her bed listening to music through her headphones, gently kicking her feet to the beat. And Ren was settled primly in meditation upon his bed. All three looked up with a start at the sudden entrance. Ruby's grin widened. "Team meeting in RWBY's dorm, ETA is right about now," Ruby said while staring at her nonexistent watch.
Nora happily flopped off the bed and tossed her earphones off. She strolled by Ruby and Pyrrha with a wave and grin before smashing into Team RWBY's dorm with a bang. Weiss shrieked and Pyrrha couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her. Ren quickly got up and made his way over to the other room, Pyrrha could hear him apologizing for Nora's intrusion.
Jaune as steadily as always continued his maintenance. "Let me finish up here and I'll be over."
"No way mister. We both know that could be another few hours. The meeting time is now so let's go." Ruby went to grab his arm, but Jaune recoiled ever so slightly.
"Just a few minutes." He spoke. Ruby pouted and in a blur of petals, Jaune found his weapon reassembled and shining. Ruby pressed Crocea Mors into his arms. "Meeting now."
Jaune grumbled and got up. Ruby pushed him to go faster and soon the two had left. Pyrrha smiled to herself. 'When did I find such a big band of weirdos? Though I can't say I'm not one as well.' Pyrrha gently shut her team's door and with an added spring made her way into the other room.
Weiss sat ladylike on her bed with her hair wrapped tightly in a towel. Nora had burst in just as Weiss had exited the shower and the heiress was now shooting passive glares at the girl, not that Nora particularly noticed. Yang lay in her bed, nonchalantly flipping through a magazine and seemingly unbothered by the sudden impromptu meeting. Blake was leaning back against the open window frame, a gentle breeze blowing through the room swayed her dark hair.
Team JNPR sat in a semi-circle on the floor all staring up at RWBY who had boldly placed herself in front of the door. The redhead laid out their mission for the next day and excitedly started asking for ideas and opinions. Nora and Ruby were a duo born for disaster, and once Yang threw herself into the mix it turned from a planning meeting into a full-blown festivity.
Pyrrha was surprised to find all her uneasiness had vanished as she laughed and talked freely with the others. It was something new. She had never been involved with friends like these before. 'When was the last time I had been to a party that wasn't a sponsorship or formal celebration? For that matter, when was the last time I had simply hung out with others my own age?'
"What's got you sulking over here?" Pyrrha asked Jaune. She watched with amusement as Weiss tried to corral Nora and Ruby to little effect. Eventually, the heiress grew frustrated and threw her brush at Nora. Nora took it as an invitation and pounced on the poor girl, they wrestled in a heap on the floor.
"It's loud," Jaune grumbled. "We should be preparing for tomorrow." He was cut off as a flying kick from Yang caught him in the face and he went sprawling back. Yang had joined the fight between Weiss and Nora, turning it into a giant free for all. Pyrrha gently checked on him as she tried to catch her breath from laughter.
"I suppose, but isn't this as important as preparation? Building trust and relations?"
"I can think of better ways than kicking me in the face," Jaune said.
"Oh, don't be such a baby Jaune!" Nora shouted; she had somehow caught Yang in a headlock. "It builds character." Jaune just grumbled in response.
Eventually, the groups managed to settle down and some semblance of civility had been reinstated. Ruby cleared her throat as she took her place in front again. "Now then, shall we begin our planning for tomorrow's important mission? I want no funny business here; this is a serious job."
Her supposed seriousness was broken by her less-than-subtle attempt to fix her wrinkled and messy clothes.
"It's just an overnight trip, right?" Blake asked from her perch on the window. The girl had been impassive and steered clear of the chaos from earlier. "It's not that big of a deal, right?"
"We should plan on a worst-case scenario nonetheless." Jaune countered. His steely blue eyes caught Blake's golden ones.
The girl shrugged. "Sure thing."
Jaune pulled a map of the Emerald Forest from his waist pouch and unfolded it on the floor. It was covered in markings and notes in his handwriting. Pyrrha could make out several different colored circles and symbols designating potential Grimm habitats and dangers. "Yeesh. We gotta get you out of the school every now and then. You need to loosen up a bit." Yang commented as she leaned over her sister.
Jaune grunted and pointed out several safe zones he had charted from records and texts he had found in the library. He detailed the potential Grimm threats each area of the map could have. "It's safer nearer the school overall. Though farther East, as we head towards Vale the populations of Grimm should be smaller and less concentrated. Along the foot of Mountain Glenn, we're liable to find more diverse species than the standard Ursa or Beowulf."
"And what's that line there?" Blake asked, leaning down to run her finger across a solid red line that divided a section of the forest.
"It's unknown. None of the senior students I've asked have been around there and there are no records outside of field reports from the Great War. It's impossible to tell what Grimm have taken up territory there. Even Port told me that the area is generally unexplored, and students are forbidden from venturing that far off from school property." Jaune said.
"Sounds like an exciting adventure don't you think?" Ruby asked. "One big mystery for us to figure out?"
Yang cut her sister off with a chop to her head. As Ruby whined and cradled her bruise, Yang spoke up. "Let's not get carried away. We can always explore later when we're older and more experienced. I say we just get through the mission at hand first before we start planning adventures into the woods."
"I have to agree with Yang here. We should prioritize our objectives first and foremost. We can't afford to run around in the forest looking for a fight." Weiss stated calmly at some point she had recovered her brush and was running it through her hair. "Though I must say I don't fancy the idea of sleeping out alone in the woods, it's unbecoming of civilized people."
The comment irked Jaune and before he could muster a response Pyrrha stood up abruptly. She hadn't thought of what she was going to say, and she caught herself in an embarrassed state. She had simply wanted to avoid a fight and now had caught everyone's attention. She was tempted to apologize and sit down, but she felt a tug at her hands and saw Ruby give her an encouraging nod and smile. 'Is this what she meant by having the others back her up if she fails?' Feeling a sense of assuredness, she cleared her throat.
"Regardless of what happens tomorrow, let's each make a promise to come back safely. We'll watch each other's backs, and no one gets left behind. Tomorrow marks our first official mission as Huntsman and Huntresses, so let's do our best!" It was a terrible speech she had to admit but the massive cheer it elicited from the group made her heart melt just a little. She truly felt blessed to be among so many wonderful people.
The morning came faster than Pyrrha would have liked, and she found herself rushing along with all of her team to make it to the loading docks by the required time. Jaune had made sure they all prepared their gear fully the night before. Pyrrha could have hugged him for his forethought. They had all crashed in Team RWBY's dorm that night as they prepared for the next day. They had been awoken suddenly by Weiss's scream that they were late. At some point in the night, Nora had been flaunting her semblance and short-circuited the room. All of the clocks had been reset and their scrolls were uncharged. Jaune had been up early with Ren and had gotten them all breakfast which they scarfed down as they dressed.
This didn't bode well in Pyrrha's mind. 'First day as a real leader and already we're behind schedule!' They arrived at the docks with barely minutes to spare. Team RWBY wasn't far behind. Goodwitch eyed them with her usual calm strictness seemingly unamused at their dramatic timing. "I see you all have finally deigned to grace us with your presence."
They shuffled awkwardly into line. Pyrrha and Ruby were issued a map and a beacon respectively. A final headcount was conducted by the supervising Huntsman that the school had drafted for this training exercise. Before Pyrrha knew it they were seated in a rather cramped cargo ship and in the air.
As Pyrrha checked on her team she found Nora excitedly jumping up and down next to Ren, who for his part looked rather somber. He clenched and unclenched his weapons anxiously. Pyrrha doubted it was the prospect of going into the forest that unnerved him. Nora noticed her staring and waved off her concern. "Don't worry about him, he gets like this before any big event. When we got to Beacon, he was sweating buckets before Initiation. He'll be fine."
Reassured, Pyrrha turned to Jaune who had squatted on the floor, trying desperately to hold down his breakfast. Yang's teasing wasn't helping the boy overcome his motion sickness.
"These are brand new boots Vomit Boy, don't go ruining them before we even make it to the woods." Yang laughed at the weak glare he shot her way. She turned towards her sister, "Where are we touching down anyways?"
"I believe we are supposed to practice our landing strategies at the drop site," Pyrrha interjected and Jaunes face blanched.
The plane jostled and a voice came on over the intercom. They lined up single file in their teams and awaited the drop. As the cargo hatch opened Pyrrha, at the front of the line was blasted with a fierce wind. She squinted through it and felt a hand placed reassuringly against her back, she turned and saw Ren nod to her. The Huntsman in charge of their jump gave the signal to go and Pyrrha leapt into the infinite expanse.
She felt absolutely free as she fell. The world whipped and turned in an endless spiral of the clear blue. Being so high up Pyrrha felt unburdened by the world as if all of the fears and worries that had been plaguing her since she had been named leader were torn away with the wind, blown far and wide. She felt herself laughing freely, in this moment, in this space she was untouchable, she was truly invincible.
The ground was close now, seeming to rise up and crush her. She righted herself and steadied her speeding heart. With careful precision she brandished her shield, in her other hand Milo shifted into its rifle form. In no time at all the ground met her head on, a few feet from certain death Pyrrha fired off a round, and the force sent her sharply back and into a practiced roll. The impact taken by her shield took the brunt of the fall, she spun and flipped as the momentum carried her back. She skidded to a stop and took a breath to watch for her teammates.
Nora had already landed, her large War Hammer had taken the impact and she now stood grinning in a sizable crater. Behind her, Ren stepped through the thick foliage looking no worse for wear. Yet there was no sign of Jaune, she looked to the sky in worry, but he was nowhere.
A terrible crash sounded out. Immediately Pyrrha's mind was drawn to the worst possible outcomes. Her feet pounded against the ground as she ran, fear slicing through her veins like a chilled blade. Ren and Nora were at her sides, she knew Jaune would have scolded such a decision. He would complain a Grimm could be anywhere lying-in wait for a chance opportunity. Pyrrha couldn't bring herself to heed such caution. 'If something were to happen to any of them while I am in charge, I couldn't bear the thought. Please be alright. Please.'
Her fear turned to mirth as she came upon Jaune's failed landing attempt. Somehow, he had caught himself in a tree as he fell, he hung lamely from a branch high up off the ground dangling from his caught belt. The usually broody boy was flush with embarrassment as he hung helplessly high up off the ground. He wiggled himself free and dropped down in an undignified heap.
"Never again." He stated stubbornly.
"Aww come on Jauney, it wasn't that bad. You did better than last time, right?" Nora said. Jaune said nothing as he dusted off his clothes and checked his gear, his ears still tinged pink. Once he had finished, he turned to the group.
"We should head east towards Mountain Glenn. The tree line starts to recede and there'll be fewer places for an ambush." He was back to his steely self.
"I thought we agreed to head nearer Beacon? Team RWBY was going to venture further out near the border of the city." Pyrrha was confused. That had been the original plan they had settled on the previous night. Jaune was never terribly forthright, but he often stuck to plans the team had made.
"I looked over the map last night. Figured this would be the better placement for our teams. There's a branching trail that should take us most of the way to Mountain Glenn. From there we should be able to scout out better places for camp." Jaune had made up his mind. It was clear he meant to pursue this course of action. Pyrrha wasn't quite sure what the flutter in her chest was, but it was wholly unpleasant. He had completely scrapped their thought-out plans in an instant and was now taking over the operation.
She thought for a moment to call him out on it but held herself back. He was the most experienced after all and she was sure he had their best interests at heart. So, she allowed him to lead them through the dense woods. She kept herself quiet and held onto the annoyance bubbling inside herself. She was awfully good at faking a smile. She took her position in the rear, mind half focused on protecting their flank, the other trying to put words to feelings.
It was an awful habit she had picked up during her tournament days. She could never quite find the courage to voice her displeasure and was far more willing to go along with others' wishes than make a scene. It wasn't that she hated conflict, she thrived in it. It was more she was afraid of isolating herself and those around her. She knew herself capable of taking a hit, but loneliness was something else entirely.
They passed over a tree that had been ripped up from the ground itself. The thick trunk had been mangled and twisted like a washcloth rung out of water. Pyrrha had no interest in finding out what had done that kind of damage. They walked for what felt like hours. Past the thick trees, over the uneven bordered paths that erupted from the ground the closer they came to Mountain Glenn. They rested for a moment once they came upon a fresh stream that cut out from the looming Mountain. Pyrrha felt the sweat clinging to her skin and she pulled at her armor as it stuck unpleasantly to her skin.
As she gulped down the cool water, she looked at Jaune. He was frowning as he looked once more at his map. His brows creased deeply. Pyrrha offered him her bottle and the boy jerked back in surprise.
"Thanks," He mumbled, taking long deliberate sips from the bottle.
"How much further are you planning on going?" She couldn't help the annoyance that bubbled forth.
"I just want to scout a little more, closer to the base of Mount Glenn. I can't find any information about local Grimm in school records. Apparently, there's an abandoned cave system that was used during the Great War." He got that glean in his eyes. Whenever it came to the Grimm, he seemed to take on a different personality, he was bolder, and more open. It was a shame he couldn't be that way in normal conversation. "If Grimm took up nests inside then it's possible there could be a whole army inside the mountain."
"Jaune." She placed her hand on his shoulder. This had gone on for long enough today. "We should rest. Nora and Ren are already worn out, and night will be here soon."
Jaune looked down at his map and then back toward the looming mountain. His face was pensive. Pyrrha could see the building tension behind his blue eyes.
She was worried for a moment that he would brush her away but was relieved when after a moment he relaxed.
"Yeah, you're probably right." He said, but Pyrrha knew he was only relenting for her sake. It was the small victories however that she would gladly take.
Pyrrha found herself once more grateful for her teammates. However, that gratefulness came with just the smallest hint of embarrassment. The scent of Ren's cooking drifted through their small camp, and she felt just ever so slightly out of place. Nora had busied herself with collecting wood and berries in all her usual excitement. Jaune had assigned himself to secure their little clearing, checking under every rock, and behind every tree. Pyrrha for her part had little idea of what she should be doing. What should a leader be doing at this moment? Should she be supervising? Assigning roles? Everyone had just naturally fallen into a routine without her having to say a word, making the reality of her situation all the more apparent.
She had always been first when it came to combat, especially in close-quarter combat. It was what had always set her apart from her peers, and made her special. Now, however, with nothing to fight, she felt awkward and out of place. She could practically hear her former classmates snickering about the 'Invincible Girl' standing around like an awkward schoolgirl while her teammates busied themselves with all the work. It was so stupid, and all so very annoying.
"Pyrrha, would you mind rounding everyone up?" Ren called out to her. "Dinner is almost ready."
"Sure!" Pyrrha stumbled, eager to be of use. She found Jaune easily enough, his large frame hovered just on the outskirts of their self-made perimeter. His back was to her, his gaze firmly fixed on the endless abyss of thick trees and forest that surrounded their small clearing. He was like a statue, hard and unmoving. He didn't even look at her when she called his name. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword as if waiting for something, anything to rush him from the darkness of the forest.
"I'll eat later." He said and Pyrrha had to force down a groan. She knew he would be stubborn but had hoped their previous talk would have left some kind of an impact.
"Eat now, I can keep watch." She offered, hoping it would be enough to end an argument before it began. She was hardly surprised when he refused to budge.
"I'll be fine." This wasn't going to work. Jaune was stubborn to a fault, she had to try a different way. How had Ruby gotten him to follow her earlier?
"Oh no you don't. You're not going to stand here all-night keeping guard by yourself. We're a team, remember? And that means we have to work together." She gave him a firmer push and this time he moved. "Besides, if you don't eat now, I can't promise you Nora will leave anything after she gets done."
Jaune looked at her for a moment before finally relenting. He opened his mouth to say something before a shriek tore through the forest. It was shrill and familiar.
"Nora!" Jaune shouted, bolting from his position towards the center of camp. Pyrrha trailed after him, mind swelling with memories of their last encounter in these woods. Her heart pounded in worry, and she tried to yell out for her teammate only to bite it back a moment later.
Nora was perfectly fine, giddy even, as she stood animatedly in front of Ren, something clasped firmly in her hands as she waved it in front of his face.
"Look at it!" The girl shouted. "Isn't it cute? Oh, can we keep him? Can we?"
Ren took a step back from Nora as Pyrrha walked closer. She could make out the familiar bony face of Grimm. The small creature was trapped, twisting uselessly in the girl's iron grip.
It was a small Grimm with a single bright green eye moving frantically about. Its small bony appendages scurried wildly, and it made a high-pitched, squealing sound. Its body narrowed near the tail and split off into three fiery green and barbed ends that tried and failed to strike at Nora's hand.
"Sulfur Fish," Jaune commented at her side. He looked confused as he brushed past, he took the Grimm from Nora despite the girl grumbling. He grasped it by its heated tails in his gauntleted fist, the Grimm swiped and bit at him with its bone white, sharpened limbs. Its weak attacks bounced harmlessly off of Jaunes' armor, and he raised it to eye level.
"It's mutated, more than it should be for being in the wrong part of Remnant." He commented, turning the Grimm around in his grip. They're indigenous to the deserts around Vacuo. Why is it so far out here?"
"Migration perhaps?" Ren offered. Jaune shook his head.
"Grimm don't live like regular animals. Sure, they form nests and packs like other creatures, but they don't have to hunt or eat so they can grow. The only reason they would move would be if a massive influx of people and negative emotions were to do so first."
A terrible thought occurred to Pyrrha. "You don't think that people are moving Grimm around the Continent, do you?"
She could see the confirmation in Jaunes eyes before he spoke. "Yeah, I do. It would explain the Beringel that we fought, and it could explain the mutations. If someone is shipping in Grimm in order to experiment on them, then Initiation could have just been the start of something way worse."
"Grimm can't be transported though, right?" Nora asked. "They turn all dusty when you lock them up don't, they?"
Jaune shook his head. "There are precautions and equipment you can use to keep them chained. Keep enough people and negative energy emotions around them and they could be locked up indefinitely. It's how Beacon captures Grimm for class lessons."
Jaune had been spending more time with Professor Port, even outside of his assistant teaching period. He seemed to like the older man well enough, though with Jaune it was hard to tell past his usual stoic attitude.
Pyrrha considered for a long moment before walking over to her bag. She ruffled inside for a moment before pulling out what looked like a thin metal plate. It was a polished gray and had a decent weight. Its smooth surface was unmarred with the exception of a singular button in the middle. It had a protective case to prevent any accident from setting off the device.
"We should contact the school." Pyrrha said, "If this is as dangerous as you say then we have to trust it to the Huntsmen and the Headmaster."
She looked to her teammates trying to confirm their opinions before she continued. Ren simply nodded while Nora gave an eager shrug. Jaune was the only one who looked less than convinced.
"I think we should hold off." He said. "We only have a mutated Grimm and a hunch at best."
"So, what do you think we should do then?" Ren asked.
"Sulfur Fish are social Grimm, they live in groups, and communicate in swarms." The small Grimm thrashed in his closed fist, dangling helplessly in the air. "When you separate one they can find their way back to the swarm, if we let this one guide us we can potentially find the ones responsible for bringing all these Grimm here. We can figure out who they are and what they're doing."
"If that's all true then I think that's all the more reason to contact the school and let them handle this." Pyrrha countered, uncomfortable with the idea of exposing the team to unnecessary danger. "We're still just students after all, and this is only supposed to be a training exercise."
Jaune stepped towards her. Pyrrha had always been taller than average and so it was easy to forget that Jaune was easily able to stand over her, but now as he came close, she had to look up to meet his stare. She saw something in his gaze, something dark and dangerous that shadowed his usual deep blue eyes. The Grimm squealed in his grip, whether from pain or distress, she wasn't sure.
"We have a chance to finally get some information, maybe even do some good. Shouldn't we try to get all the information we can before reporting this? Remember back at Initiation when you said a Huntsman's first priority should be to the safety of the people?"
Pyrrha floundered under his hard stare. That harsh look in his eyes made her skin crawl and she tried to take a step back, only for Jaune to counter with another step forward. Her words choked in her throat and the closeness of his large body felt almost suffocating. Her danger senses flashed, and she had to fight back the instinct to hit him. She could feel her resolve slipping and the temptation to take a swing mounting. If she did that, would Beacon turn into a repeat of her years at Sanctum? She couldn't do that, couldn't bear the thought of three more years of suspicious glares and hushed whispers. The fear kept her rooted in place, indecisive as Jaune tried to pressure her to reconsider.
"That's enough of that!" Nora declared, pushing in between them. She shoved them apart and grabbed the Grimm from Jaunes hand before leveling a finger at his face. "No more being gross. I'm holding onto this little guy for now. Now, Rens stew is getting cold so it's time for dinner, no more talk about Grimm or school. Understood?"
Nora eyed them both with an almost motherly stare and Pyrrha finally caught herself, taking in a deep deliberate breath to calm her buzzing nerves she chanced a look at Jaune as the boy was being dragged away by Nora, the short girl scolding him as they walked to where Ren was already preparing the food. Jaune had the grace to look ashamed and he lowered his head as Nora reprimanded him with all her usual excitement.
Pyrrha looked down at the beacon in her hands. The heavy metal felt cold, like ice burning against her skin. She toyed with the idea for a moment of pressing the button, alerting the school, and letting officials take away this problem that seemed to have landed squarely in their laps. She knew Jaune would hate it, but this wasn't their responsibility, and it was her duty to make sure her team got back safe. Ren and Nora would probably go along with her, but the thought of making Jaune outright hate her, and her decisions brought back more memories and worries than she was willing to accept. With her decision tentatively made she put the beacon back into her pack and resolved to bring it to the school's attention after this mission was over.
As she turned, she thought she caught Jaunes' eyes fixed on her pack. She dismissed the idea and tried to quell the flutter of uncertainty in her stomach. Hopefully, Ren's cooking would put her more at ease.
Night descended without incident. It was almost boring in a way. No surprise Grimm attacks like Initiation, no sudden emergencies, and even Jaune had backed off from his insistent Grimm talk. The whole mission suddenly felt more like a traditional camping trip than training. Ren's makeshift stew had been delicious, and they had been able to set a fire before dusk settled. Nora made for vibrant campfire talk with wild stories and conversations, Ren listening all the while to her long-winded rants.
Jaune had taken up his post again, ever vigilant for potential dangers though Pyrrha knew his gaze was half on their camp and half on their newly acquired Grimm. Nora had made a makeshift cage out of large stones and rocks near her sleeping mat, making sure that the little monster couldn't scuttle off in the night.
The Grimm bothered Pyrrha. Probably not the same way it bothered Jaune, but a nagging feeling pressed at her. They had stumbled onto something big, even she could recognize that. A Grimm mutation, possibly man made, was a terrifying thought and it was far more dangerous than they were prepared to deal with. Jaune had wanted to investigate but this ultimately was her decision. She would leave this to trained Huntsmen and hope for the best, making sure her team made it back safely and in one piece was her only priority. She leaned into the fire, warming her cold hands as Nora started up a new conversation about some wild dream she had been having. Pyrrha tried her best to pay attention and chime in from time to time but her Aura bristled as Jaunes hard stare locked onto her.
Pyrrha pushed her uneasiness down. She had made her mind up and it was final. Jaune would just have to deal with it.
They agreed on shifts for guard duty. Unsurprisingly Jaune had offered the first watch. Pyrrha wanted to comment but thought better of it. He was unfathomably stubborn, and it probably wouldn't do much good to keep pushing against him. Slow steps were best. She agreed to take the watch after him and with a small nod of confirmation that he would wake her, she laid down for the night. Nora was the first to drift off, her light snores echoing around them. Ren, ever the silent one, was harder to tell. She struggled to find sleep, the uncertainty of tomorrow looming high above her.
She caught Jaunes rigid form in the firelight. The glow of the flames bounced off his armor like dancing lights in the dark. He was almost like a statue, hard and unflinching, but in this one moment, he seemed brittle as well. She couldn't see his face as he was turned from her, he looked as if he would break if she reached out and touched him.
The thought disappeared as he moved to recheck their perimeter and she finally caught the fleeting relief of sleep. She looked upwards at the bright starry sky and took a long calming breath hoping that tomorrow would bring some peace of mind.
She didn't remember drifting off. She knew she didn't dream as she was stargazing one moment and then the next she was rubbing wearily at her tired eyes, something was beeping and she haphazardly swung her arm out to silence her alarm. All she hit was dirt and with slow recollection, she remembered she wasn't in their dorm. She sat up slowly, the chill of the fresh morning blew against her and she shivered in her sleeping bag.
The beeping continued like a persistent, grating assault against her tired mind. She saw Ren and Nora stirring in their bags and she looked around. The campfire had burned out sometime earlier, leaving only coals and burnt logs behind. The sun had just started rising over the eastern skyline. Saunus winter mornings were far more brutal than Pyrrha was used to.
"Wait, morning?" Her stomach dropped and all at once she bolted upright, panic gripping deep into her body. That couldn't be right. Jaune was supposed to wake her for her guard shift. Had something happened to him?
She looked frantically around their campsite. Her bare feet were frozen and cracked painfully against the frigid ground, but she paid it no mind. She looked around the area, behind trees and rocks but Jaune was nowhere in sight, and that stupid beeping just wouldn't stop.
She whirled around in a fury, eyes dropping next to the long-dead fire to see the metal disc she had placed in her bag the night prior sitting squarely in the center of camp. A simple metal rod had popped up from its smooth surface and a blinking red light indicated it was transmitting, probably back to the school.
How had that gotten there? She had absolutely put it away last night. A staggering thought crossed her mind as everything seemed to finally fall into place. She looked over to Nora's mat, the girl was rubbing angrily at her eyes and stretching out her back, clearly upset about being woken up so early. Yet next to her, the rocks had been removed and the Grimm was gone.
A.N: As it turns out I can't be trusted with timelines. My previous promise of a week has turned into a multi-month project. So, I have decided to just avoid making promises altogether for this story. That being said an update is absolutely deserved by you guys. Chapter 15 is coming. It is also probably going to be the single longest chapter thus far. It's looking to exceed 20,000 words and will tie up this particular arc. Once it's done, we can move on to the real meat and potatoes of the Grimm Lands. I'm excited for what's to come and I want to thank you all for sticking around with my awful scheduling. That being said I am leaving a teaser here for the next chapter, to prove that it is actually being written. I've never done this before and I wonder if its bad form, but I'd feel awful to just leave for months again without at least something. So here you are! Also, again all the credit for this story's continued success and creation belongs to Commissar Art. Please check them out, they have an awesome story coming soon so make sure you don't miss it. Thank you, guys again and please leave a follow and a review, they make all the difference!
The Grimm Lands Chapter 15
The Monsters We Create
7 Years Ago
Jaune didn't wake to the first rock that hit his head or the second. It was only when the third fist-sized rock cracked him across the side of his head that he yelped in pain and rolled out of his cot. He crashed to the floor with a loud cry, something soft and firmly pressed itself over his mouth a figure loomed over him pressing him back against the ground. He thrashed wildly to get the intruder off.
"Shut it you idiot, do you want to wake the whole camp?" It was a girl's voice, Jaune tried to push them off yet again but found himself pinned between the attacker and the cold hard ground. As the fogginess of sleep left and the throbbing headache began, he looked up into the pretty eyes of Lucia Scipio. As he calmed himself, she slowly released him.
"I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't budge. I thought you Hunters were supposed to be alert and ready at a moment's notice. Looks like daddy's getting ripped off." The girl chided as she stood up. She dusted her clothes free from the dirt. She wasn't wearing one of her fancy dresses Jaune often saw when she was trailing her father around their camp. Instead, she wore more casual clothes, jeans, and boots with a heavy jacket much more suited the colder weather settling in around Mantle. Jaune hadn't spoken to the girl since their initial meeting a few weeks ago and now here she was assaulting him in the middle of the night in his and August's tent.
August wasn't there tonight. He had taken up Jaunes guard duty. Jaune had protested but the older man refused to listen, saying the boy was growing and needed his rest. At this rate, Jaune felt he would never make his place in the camp. He trusted August without a doubt, but sometimes the man smothered him just a bit too much. Jaune wanted to prove he was ready to handle himself, that he could fight but August seemed ready to dismiss him at every turn, always saying he wasn't ready yet.
Jaune reached up and touched the stinging wound on his head, blood dripped down the side of his face and he recoiled as the wound stung. It was far from the worst injury he had ever had but it still ached and throbbed uncontrollably.
"You people sure have weird ideas of how to wake someone up." He commented dryly.
Lucia stepped close and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket. She pressed it gently to Jaunes head and he almost recoiled at the contact. "Stop moving around so much, it'll make it worse. You're so boneheaded I was sure it would bounce right off. Seems like I overestimated you."
He winced as she pulled away and took bandages from the pouch around her waist. With gentle care she rinsed and bandaged his head, scolding him if he moved too much. "I can't tell if you're a good person or not." He said as she checked her handiwork.
"I don't see why I can't be both. You are an idiot for certain, can't even overcome a gentle and graceful lady such as myself."
"You ambushed me in my sleep!" He complained. But Lucia simply shook her head in disappointment.
"A test of your skills. You said you wanted to be a hero, right? And yet the damsel had to wake you up before your quest." She loudly sighed, a look of mock disdain plastered on her face.
"You're more like the big monster than the damsel." He yelped as she smacked him across his wounded head. "What do you even want anyways?"
Her sly grin spread across her lips. "I want to see the stars. And I want a guide to help me get there."
"Can't you just ask one of your guards? I'm sure they'd be willing to take you right? Besides you can see them from here after all. This sounds like a massive pain." Jaune said.
"Those stupid guards are under Daddy's orders to keep me away from here, they won't let me do anything without Daddy's permission and there's no way he'd let me wander out at night to see the stars. There's a spot just outside of camp, up on a hill. I saw it when we came down. I bet the view is amazing." It was the most honest he had heard her be. Her eyes were excited, and her cheeks flushed in excitement.
"No way. Going outside of camp means Grimm and there's no way the two of us can handle something like that." He countered calmly. The whole idea sounded absurd, but he could tell Lucia wasn't willing to let it go that easily.
"We won't go that far and besides I thought you were going to be a big fighter someday. Don't tell me a few Grimm is enough to scare you." She said poking him in the chest. Jaune bit his lip as the memories flooded back. Those terrifying moments as his home burned, his ribs cracked and shattered as he was slammed into a wall by a Grimm. Those awful red eyes and wide hungry grin, the smoke and screams blending into a symphony of death.
His body tensed and he shook ever so slightly. "I will beat them someday. But we should follow the rules and stay here. I'm not going."
Lucia stood still and eyed him with clear disbelief. In amount, the playfulness in her voice was gone and he could swear he saw a look of complete loneliness flash across her face, but it was gone in an instant replaced by levelheaded coldness. "Fine then, do what you want. I'm going."
With that, she stormed out of his tent and he was suddenly all alone. He could hear the light prattle of rain hit against the roof of the tent and the light flicker of the candle he had forgotten to put out illuminated the long shadows all around him. Jaune huffed and plopped himself back on his cot. 'I'm not going. If she wants to be an idiot, then let her.' His foot tapped restlessly against the ground. 'I'm not playing along with her stupid games.' He remembered his sisters' terrified gazes as the house caught aflame and the beams came crashing down. "Damn it."
He grabbed Crocea Mors before he bolted out of the tent.
Theanimemaster9000: Hey it's great to hear from you! Deciding to focus on Ilia was a real hassle of a decision. I knew I needed a "villain" POV and just couldn't decide who would be best to focus on, but I think she gives me enough leeway and insight into the others. Also, Gesehen is German for saw and I thought it was fitting seeing as Schnee is also German and this version of the Lieutenant was originally from Atlas. Regardless thank you as always for your support and I hope you liked this chapter!
Kabuto S. Inferno: Your comments are awesome and really help me put into perspective several of the aspects of this story. Deciding on Ilia was a tough choice. I originally wanted it to be Adam, but he was too privy to certain information and I need a more sympathetic "villain" to help set up the Faunus side of the story as well as the White Fang. Plus her dynamic with Blake is so interesting to me, especially with the duality of ideologies tearing at her from Blake and Adam. Oh, I can't wait to just ruin Ilia's day, it's going to be great. The story really got away from me and expanded into something massive. It's actually why there have been so many delays. There is such a huge scope I want to cover and it's going to be a ton of work to get there. Also, I have watched an abhorrent amount of Gundam and that has not helped me in my writing time at all. I want to keep this response short because I am planning to have the next chapter out soon and I'm excited to hear your thoughts. I always appreciate your in-depth analysis and your opinions they really help in the long term and it's always a blast to read. Take care until next time!