Tales of Beige

by BlackAbsol444

Trapped in a foreign world filled with people with soul powers, animal appendages, and robotic limbs who are fighting an endless hoard of soulless monsters while unknowingly being plagued by ghosts and supernatural creatures. But one thing is for certain. Regardless of the world, there will always be a mystery that needs to be solved.

2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the properties within this story. All rights go to the creators and companies of said properties.

Beta by Slothful and Old man of the mountain

Chapter 2: Welcome to My Office

{Beige's P.O.V.}

Kakuya. The mastermind behind the infamous Kakuya Games and the main antagonist of Death Mark: NG. Shit. She's probably one of the three ghosts from [They're Interested]. Fuck. Does that mean I have to deal with Mary and The Departed?

Wait. Would the Departed count as one ghost or two? You usually see it as one ghost in the game, but it is the fusion of a pair of sisters' ghosts. Plus, I might be jumping the gun a bit by assuming the three ghosts have to be the main antagonists from the Spirit Hunter games. It could be a coincidence that Kakuya is one of the ghosts. For all I know, Kayako might be after me.

Still, I can't help but notice Kakuya's appearance. It was her child form and not her adult form. I'm not complaining. If Kakuya were in her adult form, I would be worried for my life and the safety of my penis. Considering what happened to Akira in one of NG's bad endings, it's a valid concern. I don't want fuck something that might as well pop out of a Junji Ito manga.

"BEIGE! DUCK!" Silver cried, and on impulse, I followed her order. I felt the wind whizzing above my head, hearing Kakuya giggle lightly, quickly followed by a loud crunching sound and hearing concrete and stone breaking.

I raised my head, seeing Silver standing between me and the cursed doll, but my eyes were more focused on Silver's tail.

There's a blade at the end of it. The blade reaches up to Silver's shoulders with a single razor edge and three large spikes nearing the base. Where the hell did that come from? Where did Silver hide something like that?

Silver pulls her tail sword out of the ground and swings at Kakuya, who avoids the attack by moving her placement. Kakuya didn't dodge or even move. She just faded into the shadows before popping out at a different spot.

Kakuya's giggles grew, covering her mouth with the sleeve of her high-quality kimono as she laughed at Silver's befuddled expression.

"Nobody has tried that since I played with Akira." Kakuya sounds fondly, but I tell there was some bite in her words. "Now, I'm looking forward to our games. What should we play? Go? Cards? Old Maid?" Kakuya asks herself, pondering what game she wants to play. "Oh. I know. Let's play the 'The Cat Man' game. If you don't play with Kakuya, you two will disappear."

"FUCK THAT!" Silver screams, jumping into the air, doing a forward spin, and swinging her tailblade at Kakuya. The blade's edge was a mere inch away from Kakuya's forehead. But Kakuya made no move to dodge the incoming strick. Kakuya simply giggled at Silver's second attempt to hit her before disappearing from existence, as if she was never there.

And just like that, a new Kakuya Game just started.

I glance at Silver, who is staring at the spot Kakuya was standing mere moments ago, her face twisted into an expression of complete disbelief.

I better break the bad news to her.

{Silver's P.O.V.}

What just happened? Where did the girl go? Did she disappear because of her semblance?

"Hey, Silver," Beige calls out, snapping me out of my thoughts. He behaved strangely a few moments ago, but Beige seems normal again. "I have some bad news. We are now cursed."

What?

"What do you mean by cursed?" I asked.

"That girl… was a ghost. She's a cursed doll who lives in the Realm of the Dead and forces people to play her games." Beige explains as if he was talking about the weather. "I understand you have some questions, but we better leave before cops come. I don't doubt someone called the police after all that noise you made. Perhaps my office would be more suitable for us to discuss what happened."

"B-Beige, what are you saying? Cursed Doll? Ghosts? Wait. You said something about your office. Did you regain some of your memories?" I asked.

"Yes. Now, let's head back to your apartment."

"My apartment? But I thought you said we were going to your office."

"We are. But it would be easier to show you than explain what I'm doing." Beige answered, leaving the park, only to stop and turn to me. "Which way to your apartment?" Beige asks, to which I can only sigh.

"Follow me." I groan. I just want this day to be over with. Thankfully, the park is right next door to my apartment building. Wait. Now that I think about it. Shouldn't Beige already know that? I decided it was better not to question it. I led Beige back to my apartment, up the flight of stairs, and returned right in front of my apartment's front door. But just as I was about to open the door, Beige pulled out that strange key of his and inserted it into my door's keyhole with a disturbing amount of ease. Could that key be some weird burglary tool?

"I wish to welcome you to my office," Beige said, opening the door and gesturing me to enter.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes and walk in. "My apartment isn't your office…" my voice trails off once I realize something.

I'm not in my apartment. The space inside was more massive than my entire apartment. A large stairway leading up to another floor greets me in place of my filthy living room. As I scanned my surroundings, I noticed several couches and armchairs, all of which were of far better quality than my own (though that isn't hard).

"Let's head to the kitchen. We both could use a drink after our encounter with Kakuya." Beige said, walking past me without a single care.

"B-Beige! What the fuck is this?! Where did all of this come from?!"

"Magic," Beige said, opening several doors before entering one, which I quickly followed; I entered a highly equipped kitchen I would commonly see on cooking shows.

…

"Screw it. It's too late, and I'm too tired to handle it. We'll talk in the morning." I said, opening the fridge and grabbing what seemed to be a wine bottle. The label on the bottle is of a brand I haven't heard of before. But then again, I was never a big wine person. I'm more into hard lemonade. However, what mattered was the bottle contained alcohol because I needed it after the night I just had.

"But we should talk about our plan of action. We need to figure out how we will get more information about the 'Cat Ma-"

"Save it for tomorrow!" I interrupted Beige, popping open the bottle and taking a drink. "I'm going to bed!" I said, leaving the kitchen.

Now, where are the bedrooms?

{Beige's P.O.V.}

That was an unexpected reaction to stating magic was real. You would expect Silver to either deny the existence of magic or something. However, I could simply misunderstand the situation at hand. I figured that magic isn't a thing in this world because of the existence of devices like televisions and fridges are present in this world. Most media don't tend to mix magic with common household appliances as it would ruin the world's foundation. A refrigerator that uses magic instead of technology would produce similar results, but how they get those results would be completely different.

Besides, I haven't been in this world for a full day. Or at least a full day fully conscious. So I shouldn't make bold claims like 'this world has no magic' until I know more about this world. For all I know, magic is a common thing here. Silver is a different species from humans, a common trend in fantasy media, and her tail turning into a blade can be explained by her using magic.

And after thinking about it somewhat, Silver's course of action was better. Well, mostly. I doubt waking up with a hangover would be ideal for our current situation.

My first impulse was to formulate a plan of action to solve Kakuya's game, but we had nowhere to start. All we know is the name of the spirit - 'The Cat Man' - and that's it. There isn't much to go on.

If we go by the logic of the Spirit Hunter games, we need to learn the rumor/story of the ghost before we can begin the investigation. If we don't, we might end up losing our lives over some simple mistake that could have been avoided by learning the ghost's story.

We need to gather as much information as possible to survive Kakuya's game, meaning we need to do this with a clear mind, not one exhausted from lack of sleep and jumping at every shadow.

But even if I can formulate a plan of attack, I could at least go over what I know and do what I can.

Silver is my Watson. I figured that was the case, but that could have been a coincidence. Silver could have been just a random but nice person who happened to come across me. That fact she was cursed by the same ghost doll at the same time as me disproves that theory.

Another thing I know is that Kakuya's existence, while terrible in its own right, is far from the worst outcome. If we were to be cursed by Mary or The Departed, then I would have been worried.

Mary's death mark causes gradual amnesia, a bad to have when you need to investigate to survive, and The Departed killed everyone it targeted in Death Mark 2 without fail. Plus, the time to solve their mysteries is much more strict, as you have one day/night to solve it. Compared to them, Kakuya isn't that bad, especially when she might leave you alone once Kakuya is bored playing with you. Something I doubt will happen to me and Silver, but hey, wishful thinking.

Now that I have gone through what I know about our current situation, I should explore my office/house. Besides, I might gather some clues about the original Beige from it.

The fact I have identification in the form of an ID card is proof enough that Beige existed before I came to this world, and based on the dishes in the sink, he has been living in this office for some time now.

Hopefully, the original Beige has kept a journal I can read. There's so long that I can play the amnesia card for.

I left the kitchen and went exploring, and after some time, I found a room resembling a study, with several large bookcases filled to the brim with books, tables with bizarre items littering about them, and a large desk in the center of the room, with a matching office chair. As I approached the desk, I noticed a picture frame with a photo of a woman awkwardly smiling with her two kids: a tense boy with brown hair and a smiling girl with black twin tails.

The same children from the photo are in my wallet.

A small part of me wonders what Beige's original relationship with his sister and family was like because the fact that he kept photos of them usually means that he cared about them. So why does child Beige always appear uncomfortable in them? Perhaps I'm simply overthinking things. Some people, especially children, don't like having their picture taken. But something tells me that isn't the case.

Turning away from the picture frame, I comb through the desk's contents. It was mainly snacks, instant cup noodles, soda cans, water bottles, and writing tools, but I did discover one interesting item.

A small leather-bound book.

Opening the book confirms my suspicions that it is the original Beige's journal, dating back almost a year.

I better make myself some coffee. I have some reading to do.

{The next day}

"And done," I said, finishing the last book I piled up from last night. I only planned to read the original Beige's journal last night, but I decided I should get as much reading done as possible, mainly history and culture. While my knowledge of this world and its cultures is far from perfect, it's better than last night. And thankfully, since this is an alien culture and history we are discussing, it made the reading more enjoyable than it would otherwise would have been.

I got up from my chair and leaned backward to ease the tension from sitting all night, which caused my spine to pop.

"Morning," Silver said to me with a groggy voice.

I was about to tell my unknowing partner good morning when her state of dress cut me off.

Or rather, her lack of dress, as she was only wearing a white camisole top and blue panties with white polka dots.

I don't know how to feel about the situation.

While a part of me does enjoy the show Silver is giving me, another feels outright insulted by it, feeling as if Silver doesn't see me as a man. However, considering how Silver rag-dolled me last night, that might be the case.

Silver opens the fridge, grabs a water bottle, and chugs down its contents, letting out a loud sigh of relief. As Silver closes the refrigerator door, she glances at me, then to herself.

"Heh. Now is a little awkward." Silver chuckles, scratching behind her head nervously, but still makes no move to cover herself. "I guess my years of being a student in Beacon are still there after retirement."

"You go to a lighthouse for school?"

"No! Beacon is one of the most, if not the most, prestigious academies to train huntsmen and huntresses! How do you not know tha- Oh, right. Amnesia." Silver said, calming down from her initial outburst. "But yeah, in Beacon, we had to share a room with our team for four years before we graduated, and because two of my teammates were guys, you tend to grow a thick skin to decency. I can't tell how often we walked in each other when changing before we decided not to care anymore."

"Understood. But try controlling that habit if we ever bring someone over here. And don't blame me for having a wandering eye when you come out dressed like this in the future." I said.

A slight blush appeared on Silver's cheeks, but her lips quickly turned into a teasing smirk. "Oh~. Then maybe you should take a picture. It would last longer~." Silver teases, only for her eyes to widen when I pull out my phone (or was it scroll) and take a photo.

"If a pretty woman like you offers such a thing, how can I say no?" I fired back, shooting Silver a grin as Silver's widened while her blush deepened. "But as much I want to continue this, we need to talk about last night," I said, causing Silver to groan.

"Are you talking about how we're cursed from last night again? Beige, there are no such things as curses or magic." Silver argues.

"So, you are saying you attacked a little girl with the intent to kill for no reason?" I asked with a blank stare.

"Y-Yeah. I might have gone a little overboard last night. I still don't understand why I reacted the way that I did. However, things like curses, ghosts, and magic are only things you see on television or comic books."

"Then how do you explain this?" I gesture to our surroundings. "Because, last night, we entered your room in your apartment complex, but the interior doesn't match. Hell. The difference in size between your apartment and here is laughable."

"Y-You have a cool semblance?" Silver questions.

"Ah. Semblances. A superpower given to those who had their auras awakened. I still question how you can weaponize a soul of all things, but that's neither here nor there. What does matter is I can't have a semblance, for I don't have my aura unlocked." I said.

"Or maybe you just have a small aura pool?" Silver asks, sounding more unsure of herself.

"There is another way for me to prove it. The thing about semblances is people only have one semblance, never two, so if I show power on a similar level to us teleporting to my office, then it would prove my claim that magic is real." I said, walking up to Silver and taking her water bottle. "Watch this," I said.

I tip the bottle over, causing the water within to pour out; however, as the water reaches above my hand, it spins around, forming a thin, water-bladed disc.

"See? Magic." I said as I canceled out the water blade, breaking it into small blue diamonds that were absorbed by my arm. "I can do this with wind and fire as well."

"B-But magic can't be real! Because if it was real, then that means what happened last night was real, and that would mean-"

"That we're cursed." I finished.

Silver sighs, makes herself a cup of coffee, and slumps onto a chair. "Tell me, and don't bullshit me, how fucked are we?"

"Honestly? It could be worse. Our situation is terrible, but considering who else could have cursed us, we got pretty lucky. Kakuya has a mind similar to a child's. She wants a playmate, but sadly, she doesn't understand that her games could kill people. And if there is anyone between us who should fear her more, it would be me." I answered.

"And why is that?" Silver asks, sipping her coffee.

"Because she might want to fuck me."

Silver does a spit take, choking on her coffee. "W-Why the fuck would a doll want to fuck you?!"

"It's a long story. The abridged version is this: Kakuya is a cursed doll known as the Kaguya doll that was sealed into the realm of the dead by a family of exorcists that needs to perform a ritual called the Nagoshi no Gi, or as they referred to as NG, and only those of that family can perform the ritual. However, the last living member of said family lost his family's powers, causing him to do Plan B." I explain.

"And Plan B was?"

"To kidnap a little girl, cut off their limbs, and replace them with doll limbs to make them into human dolls to give to Kakuya every ten years," I answered.

"Holy fuck…" Silver whispers in horror.

"The worst part is the guy somehow made the situation worse by kidnapping a girl who was starting to go through puberty, which caused Kakuya to be interested in 'adult games' and learn things like alcohol, cigarettes, and that."

"Oh? Oh! Oh."

"Yeah. It's not looking great for me. Well, I'm not sure Kakuya sees me in that light. But, if she continues to force us into her games, it is bound to happen. The ghosts that I know that are like Kakuya tend to lust or love their target in a psychotic manner."

"There are more?" Silver groans.

"Two," I answered, causing Silver to groan louder.

"Fuck…" Silver groans, leaning back into her chair. "So, why is the plan?"

"First, we need information about 'The Cat Man'. Considering Kakuya's track record, we will deal with a ghost. A ghost that can and will kill us if we mess up. Also, I believe we should consider moving your belongings here."

"My stuff? Why?"

"You're in this mess because of me," I said, and it was true. I forced Silver into this when I made my purchases. I have known Silver for less than a day, but I can tell that she's a good person. She doesn't deserve to be in this mess of my own making. I'm the one who brought Kakuya and possibly the other Spirit Hunter ghosts here. It's the least that I can do. "So, how about it? You won't have to worry about rent or food while you live here. And we can work together to get us out of this situation. Plus, a big place like this feels lonely when you live in it all by yourself." I offered. And the food thing was true. I don't know how, but this place creates foods and drinks that I have seen in my world and what I assume to be in Silver's world based on that cereal of frosted pumpkin flakes.

Silver ponders for a second and shrugs. "Sure. I have meant to move out of that stink hole for ages." Silver smirks.

"Then welcome abroad, roomie," I said, offering my hand, which Silver took.

We can get out of this alive if we put our heads together.

{Cinder's P.O.V.}

"So, today is when we make our move?" Mercury asks, tearing off a piece of jerky.

"Yes. According to my sources, the Fall Maiden should be coming near this town soon to meet up with one of Ozpin's soldiers, a huntsman named Qrow Branwen, to bring her to him. Something that we can't allow to happen." I said. "Thankfully, the Fall Maiden is a gentle soul that can't ignore people who need help. I do hope you remember the plan, Mercury."

"Yeah. Yeah. Em will use her semblance to make the Fall Maiden see an injured little girl; we attack her, and you will steal her power. Am I right so far?" Mercury asks, finishing his jerky and moving onto an apple.

"Yes. But remember, Ozpin's crow is an experienced huntsman. He will be coming once he realizes that Amber is running abnormally late. So, no playing around. And remember, don't kill her." I stressed. It would be problematic if the Fall Maiden's powers were to transfer to Emerald, or worse, a random little girl Amber knows before I could take it. That's part of why I'm having this talk with Mercury: to ensure he won't mess up somewhere. I know Mercury is the type to run when he has a chance. He isn't like Emerald, someone who is truly loyal to me, and it would be a shame to dispose of such a valuable piece just because Mercury couldn't follow some simple orders.

But regardless of what will happen, I know I will obtain the Fall Maiden's powers. That foolish little Amber doesn't deserve it. Such power should only be given to those worthy of it, like me.

Yes. Soon, I shall have the Fall Maiden's powers; then Vale will fall. As will the other kingdoms, as I obtain the other Maidens' powers, taking their Relics in the process. I can already see it now.

A knocking on the window snapped me out of my thoughts as Mercury choked on his apple. Why is he overreacting so much? I'm positive it was only a bird.

The knocking continued, causing me to turn to see that it was, in fact, not a bird but a Seer.

Thankfully, it was still early in the morning, so nobody probably noticed the jellyfish Grimm, but I quickly opened the window to allow it inside before anyone could see.

A cold sweat begins to form as the Seer floats into the room. If a Seer were here, that could mean only one thing: Salem wants to tell me something.

And sure enough, the Queen of Grimm appears in the Seer's orb-like body.

"Misstress Salem. Thank you for blessing me with your presence. We were just about to set out to claim the Fall Maiden of her powe-"

"Cinder. You are to return now." Salem interrupts me, but I manage to keep a straight face.

"Certainly, my master. We will claim the Fall Maiden's powers with no time wasted." I said with a small smile.

"I think you misunderstand me, Cinder. When I said you are to return now, I didn't mean in an hour or five minutes; I mean now."

What?

"B-But what about the Fall Maiden?! We need her powers to access the vault to claim the Relic!" I try reasoning with Salem. This can't be happening! I'm so close to gaining such power!

Salem's eyes narrow slightly at me. "Are you questioning my orders, Cinder?"

My heart felt like it was about to stop as my blood turned to pure ice.

"N-NO! I would never do something like that, Misstress! But retrieving the Relic will become more difficult if we let the Fall Maiden slip from our grips now!"

"Oh. You don't have to worry about the Relics anymore. They no longer interest me." Salem said in an uncaring tone. "Cinder, gather your men and return to me immediately. Don't stop for anything. Am I clear?"

I want to protest. All the months spent searching for the Fall Maiden, weeks studying her habits and fighting style, sleepless nights formulating a plan of attack, all for it to be flushed down the drain as if it meant nothing? I want to yell and scream at Salem that this isn't right! To tell Salem that there couldn't possibly be something more important than obtaining the Fall Maiden's powers.

But I can't.

I can't disobey a direct order from Salem. The idea of doing that shakes me to my core.

"Y-Yes, Misstress," I said, squeezing my hand so tight that my nails were drawing blood, or they would if my aura didn't stop it.

"Excellent. I look forward to your return." Salem said before her image disappeared from the Seer's body, which quickly flew out of the open window.

"So… Should I start packing now or?" Mercury asks, causing something inside me to snap; grabbing the nightstand and throwing it at the young assassin.

As my rage boils over, one question runs through my mind.

What caused Salem to give up on the Maidens and Relics?

{Salem's P.O.V.}

One of my greatest regrets was the deaths of my children. It was one of the many reasons I despise Ozma. Yes, I won't deny that I didn't play a role in their deaths. But I mourn over their deaths. Ozma just moved and had another wife and kids.

I no longer care that he had another wife, but I will never forgive how he forgot about our children.

I almost want to send every Grimm to Ozma and his precious school to tear it, and him, into shards, but I manage to keep myself calm.

I can't kill them now. It would be a waste of good souls.

I can't help but laugh as I roll the little trinket in my hand.

To bring back someone from the dead, something that is impossible for the Relics, which the God of Light made, could be done by something that could fit in the palm of my hand. And all it costs is some souls.

Granted, I could only kill other curse users—I believe there are eight—and that would be enough soul dregs for me to complete the Rite of Resurrection. Still, I need to complete the process four times, plus several more if they die again from old age if I don't find a method to give them eternal life. And that means I need to create more curse bearers, or I could kill a mountain of people.

I might need to hold back from having my Grimm attack random villages in the future so the number of souls can build up.

You have to love irony. Remnant will probably see the biggest climb in population growth ever seen, all because I need more souls to sacrifice.

How will Ozma react to seeing my daughters alive and happy? I can't wait.

{Ozpin's P.O.V.}

As someone who has lived multiple lifetimes, few things would surprise me. However, this is one of those few times.

"What did you just say, sir?" Glynda asks.

"I said that I was cursed last night by a ghost, or rather, I became a bearer of its curse," I repeated. "Last night, while I was taking a stroll through Beacon's garden, I encountered a strange keychain, and I figured I should place it in the lost and found, only for a spirit with a broken neck, its tongue hanging out, telling me to kill all those that deceive me. It also taught me about a ritual called The Rite of Resurrection, which could become problematic if the wrong people learn about its existence."

"Ozpin, my friend, you told us this already, but we need to say something; what you are saying is entirely…" Ironwood trails off, who is on a video call, trying to find the right word.

"Ludicrous?" Glynda offers.

"Insane?" Qrow added as well, who, like Ironwood, is on a video phone call.

"I was going to say impossible, but those work." Ironwood agrees.

"I understand your doubts. You can't see the ghost floating next to me right now, but I assure you, I'm telling the truth. To prove it, I will demonstrate the curse's powers. One is quite helpful, as it informs me whenever someone tells me a lie. Glynda, tell me how you see Qrow."

"Qrow is a skilled huntsman worthy of trust, someone who I would be honored to fight alongside against the forces of Grimm," Glynda answers professionally.

Kill the deceiver!

The ghost's message roars inside my head, but I don't follow it.

"That was a lie. Now, tell me how you actually see Qrow."

"He is a filthy drunk that is only good for fighting," Glynda answers bluntly.

"Aw~ Love you too, Goodwitch," Qrow smirked, clearly not giving a damn about Glynda's insult.

"Ozpin, anybody that knows them even somewhat could tell that was a lie," Ironwood argues.

Okay. Maybe that wasn't the best way to prove that a ghost that hates liars cursed me.

"True, but I have another way to prove my claim," I said. "But, be warned, it might be unpleasant to watch."

I walk over to my desk and push a button, causing a hole to open in the middle of my floor, which brings up a bound and gagged man.

"Opzin. We don't need to know what you like to do in the bedroom." Qrow jokes, but his tone shows how uncomfortable he is about this situation.

"This man's name is Charles Blue, and he has killed his wife. And his six previous wives as well. And he has recently been put to death." I said as I moved up to Charles. "Now, Mr. Blue, mind telling me one thing? Do you regret your actions? Just a simple yes or no is enough." I reach around and remove the gag.

"Y-Yes! Of course, I regret what I have done!" Blue screams.

Kill the deceiver!

And this time, I listened.

"Ozpin, what is the point of thi-" Ironwood was interrupted as a tree grew out of my floor, a vine wrapping around Blue's neck and violently snapping it as it hung Blue, his body dangling like a freshly caught fish.

I turn to the members of my inner circle, all staring at me in disbelief.

"I see that you all now believe what I was saying. Good, because we have much to discuss."

Author's Note

Beige has saved Amber without knowing it.

And all it took was adding ghosts and people with killing curses.

I'm also part of the SGO server, so if you want to join and chat, here is a link

/wd3tUYWVCd

I also started my server for anyone who wants to ask me about my fics or to hang out.

/DYqC3uNfbt