The sky is turning purplish-red as the sun begins to set. The wind is gentle and cool. The stars are starting to show yet no moon yet. It's dark out but well lit enough for me to see clearly.

I'm standing on a rooftop overlooking a narrow street. I can see cars driving by, small crowds of people finishing their errands, and a group of three men in a pick-up truck.

I've been following them. The men, that is. I first saw them near Red's apartment... Thingy. They were driving by reeeaaaally slowly and... Just... Watching. So I... Decided to follow! Ya know... Because they're suspicious!

Haven't found crap yet, though. They just keep circling the block. I don't know why... Do you, Shadow? 'No,' I figured, 'Why ask?' Why not? Worth a shot. I focus in the truck.

One of the guys - the tallest one - wears a green sleevless shirt with a v-neck. He's got curly brown hair, blue jeans, and he's the driver. I can't see the other two except for silhouettes. They're driving a black truck. No plates... Pretty sure that's illegal.

'So they're criminals?' Yeah... 'Can we eat them?' Of course! I promised. BUT I wanna ask them a few questions first, ok? 'Then why wait on the rooftops? Why watch?' I just... Just wanna make sure they're bad guys. Once we know that, and I've asked my questions, then you can have 'em! Fair? 'It is... Acceptable.'

"Great! Now... We... Watch!" I jump from the small structure I've been standing on and onto a taller building. I roll to a stop. I feel gravel against my feet. I'm under the shadow of a water tower. I near the edge of the building as I watch the truck slowly ride through the lonely road. Cool wind blows against my face... I breathe in deeply.

Yellow light stem from the street poles below. They make the roads sparkle with white dots. I walk along the rooftop as I watch the pickup truck. It's not driving at an unreasonable speed or anything. Just... Acting weird.

'What is weird?' It's just that they've been circling the block for awhile now, but... I don't know. It's like they're looking for something... Someone, probably. What do you think? 'We think that it is irrelevant. We should attack now! While they're unprepared.' But what if their not actual criminals? What if they're just... I don't know... Idiots? Stupid idiots driving around in a illegal truck, 'We think stupidness is worthy of punishment. Stupid people are prone to making stupid choices - and stupid choices kill people.' I... I... Don't think it's that simple, Shadow. It's not like stupid people are responsible for being stupid! It's the way they were born, ya know? You can't blame them for that anymore than you can blame me for having silver eyes, now can you?

'But... But we do not blame us for our starry-eyes. How could we? Have we not explained in detail why we love them? They're most precious!' Yeah, you have, but... I mean... You know what I mean! 'Do we?' Yes! You do! R-right...? 'Maybe.'

"Oh! I get it..." I speed my walk into a jog as I near the end of the rooftop, "Your teasing me!" You wanna annoy me, don't you? 'Cuz it's 'funny', right? 'What if we genuinely don't know what we mean?'

"Rraaahh!" I leap from the building and towards a taller one, "I think you know EXACTLY what I mean!" Claws extend from my fingers as I embed them into concrete. I begin climbing up the wall one arm pull at a time, "Besides, Shadow, you can read my mind! How can't you understand?"

'We can sense our thoughts, yes,' I stop just below a window. I can hear muffled voices from inside. There's a yellow light shining out of it, 'But that doesn't mean we always understand them. Remember that we are not truly two-in-one yet...' Yeah... I know. I... I wish we were. I really wish you and I could be we. But...

"Shadow..." I maneuver around the window as I climb a little faster, "When will we be two-in-one? Like... Like ACTUALLY two-in-one! I'm... I'm starting to think it'll never happen..." I pass over a vent, my hand grabbing a pipe, as I vault into the air. I roll onto to a stop on the roof.

'Wh... Why would we lie about that, Blood Flower? We... We are two-in-one! Soon to be... We desire it as much as we do! We're... We're not lying about our love...' I... I'm - I just - It's not like... I wanna be two-in-one already! Is that so bad? I just want it to be here already... I'm tired of waiting! I'm so tired... How much longer? Days? Weeks? Months? Years...? 'It is not a thing we can determine with any precedent or certainty,' You... You have no idea how long it's going to take, do you? 'Well... Not exactly.' What do you 'not exaxtly?' Isn't it contradictory for you to not have any 'precedent' for being two-in-one but to still have some idea how long it'll take?

'We have been doing this long enough to recognize the signs. We know our starry-eyes are ready - but our soul?' What about my soul? 'Our spirit is cracked, jagged, and shriveled...' L... L-literally? Or like... Metaphorically? Because if my soul is actually cracked then... Then... I don't know actually. BUT I assume it's bad thing! Right...?

'Yes and no,' To which question? 'Both.' How? How... W-what... My soul is... B-broken? 'No. Only damaged. A broken soul is... A wicked thing. A soul deprived of it's wholeness will seek out an empty vessel to claim as it's own,' What if... They don't find a 'empty vessel'? 'Then they find a living vessel and take it through force - sometimes by accident even.' Oh... B-but what about my soul? If it's hurt then... Then how do we fix it? 'Through reformation and great struggle. It is healing... Slowly, yet it heals. We do what we can to speed up the process.' I guess that's a good thing. Wha—

'Where is the truck, Blood Flower?' I... I shake my head. I look down to the road and... Ah, shit! How long have we been talking for? 'A few minutes,' Fuck! The truck is gone... 'Seek out a vantage point. Somewhere high up to survey the surroundings. They couldn't of gotten far.' Your right! I... I look at the nearby buildings. There's one across the street and down the road that might do. It's a thin yet tall structure with a spiked tip. Maybe... Two hundred feet tall? It's the tallest building in the block... For the next few blocks, really. I stand straight as I extend my right arm as I ball my hand into a fist.

"Tendril powers: go!" A thin black limb shoots out of my fist. I watch as it's sharp tip embeds into the brick wall of the tall building, "Now the fun part..." I step towards the edge of the rooftop. I don't look down. I open my hand as I wrap my fingers around the tendril. I take a deep breath... And take a step.

It isn't long before I feel the tug and pull of the tendril. I pull back my legs as my fall becomes more of a swing. I stare at the rapidly approaching brick wall as I prepare my knees.

"Brrkhh!"

My feet implant into the bricks alongside my left fist. Our limb retracts back in my right arm. I look down... I feel a shiver run up my spine.

"That would be a long fall..." The streets are almost enitrely empty of people. The sun has fully set... It's night now. It's a lot darker in the Forest then it is in the city... I miss the pitch-black darkness and the smell of pine cones. But I don't miss the walking! That was boring... I hate long walks. I guess I do a lot of walking here, too, but... Whatever! I don't like the woods anymore.

"Shadow?" I start climbing up the wall. It's weird... Being able to stick to walls, 'Yes?' What does having a 'cracked' soul mean? Like... How bad is it? 'It is not irreversible. We can mend our spirit in due time...' Is that why we're not really two-in-one yet? Because my soul is... Fucked up? 'Not entirely so... But it does factor in, yes.' When did my soul crack? Was it before or after we met?

'Before. It was fractured before our bonding... Yet it has worsened over time, too. Our encounter with the Metal-Eyes did damage it... Our dream of Summer caused a large deformation to appear in it as well,' So... It... It Kinda sounds like whenever something bad happens my soul cracks... How many tears are there? 'Eleven.'

"E-e... Eleven...?" That's not... That isn't very good, is it? 'No,' H... H-how bad are they? How deep are the cuts? 'Very. There are two gaping holes... Six large fractures, and three meager cuts.' I... I... F-fuck. That sounds pretty bad... Very, very, very bad... Will I die from it?

'No,' Ok... Can you fix it? 'Yes. Our soul is the source of all our pain... And our joy. We cherish it dearly. Jagged our spirit may be, but it is not broken yet. Not completely, that is,' So if my soul gets fixed, then... Then what? What happens after? 'Then we will be ready,' Ready for what? 'To bond fully and truly... To become two-in-one.'

"So that's why we have to keep waiting? Because my soul is torn..." I vault over the ledge and into the air. I grab onto the thin needle of the buildingtop and plant my feet against it. I hold myself up with one arm as I look across the city, "Wait... The truck! I can see them!" The black pick-up is turning down a thin alleyway half a block away. They're hidden by the shadows.

"Cccrrrroooooaaaa!"

I hear a distant bird cawing... Sounds like a crow. I can see the men stepping out of the truck in the distance. One of them stays inside. The two bad guys start wondering further into the alley until I can't see them anymore. I lick my lips... I jump.

"Whhhoooooaaaahhh!" Tendrils shoot out of my back and against the building to propel me like a spring. I hear the wind whistling past as I rocket through the air. In just a few seconds I'm already halfway across the block, "This is awesome!"

I can see a rapidly nearing building. It's about thirty feet tall, fat for it's size, and old looking. I pull my legs to my chest as I lower my head. One... Two... Thr—

"Bbbsssshhhhh!"

I hit the rooftop rolling. I stop when tendrils shoot from my stomach and stab into the ground. My body shakes as the momentum passes through me. I breathe deeply as everything settles still...

"W-we... We should do that again sometime! It was fun..." The tendrils raise me to my feet. I stand straight and flex my arms. I look to my left as I near some railings. I rest my hands against them as I peer over the ledge, "Like... Bungie jumping! But without the cable." I see the truck parked down there. The headlights are on... Two guys are standing halfway down the alley. W-wait... I... I see a kid down there, too. A boy with blond hair, a tattered gray sweeter, and a broken nose. He...

"Cadmium!" That's Cad! What's he doing here!? O... One of the men is holding Cad's wrist tightly... How didn't I notice him earlier? Well he is small, and the truck is big, so... He looks scared. Are these the guys he was running from? A-are they... Were they the ones who hurt him?

'What will we do if they are the same ones?' Do you have to ask? 'No.' I'll make sure they suffer if they even touch a single hair on his head! Evil... Only evil people hurt kids!

'Watch them... There are others present.' A few more men step out of the dark alley opposite to the truck. One of them -a short bald man with a white fur coat - is holding something... A briefcase? Is... Is this some kind of drug deal or something? But... Why would Cad be involved...? He doesn't... H-he's hurt. His nose is bleeding... I can smell his blood. It's... Really... Tasty.

Smells like cinnamon... Very sweet. I... Want it. I... I shake my head, "Focus!" I watch them. The two men near the truck with Cad start walking down the alley. The guys down the alley - about five of them - start approaching the truck. The bald man seems to be leading the group... He stops about ten feet from the truck guys.

"Do you have it...?" I can hear voices. They're quiet, but... But I can hear them, "Do you?" The man holding Cadmium's wrist is the one talking. He's a big and nasty looking man. The bald man goes still for a second as he digs something out of his pocket.

"Depends... How much you got?" The little man's voice is raspy, "Ya know this shit ain't exactly easy to aquire. Lots of paperwork involved, ya know? And not the friendly kind either." All of the bad guys start walking towards the truck, "I see you found the little pissant. Where was he hiding?" P-pissant...? Pissant!? I... I'll make that midget hurt! I—

'Don't act rashly... Wait to see what happens. They might say something useful.' I-I... Y-yeah, your right! I... I take a deep breath as I try and relax. I... I just gotta calm down... Cad's not in danger right now, right? He's ok... Scared, but ok. I lick my lips as I watch.

"Brrghh!"

"Hey! Don't rough up my truck, man! You'll scratch the paint." A tall and thin man says to the blad man as he slams his briefcase onto the truck's hood. The little man ignores him as opens the container. The tall man is a Faunus... He has... Horns?

"Deal with it," A yellow light shines out of the briefcase as the bald man opens it, "Fourteen million Lien... Quite an investment, wouldn't you say? Of course the buisness is... Ha, 'cutthroat.' I had to beat an old lady with a stick to get this!" The bad guys start laughing. Most are faking it - their laughs nasely and forced. The bald man doesn't seem to mind, though.

"Fourteen million? Kinda cheap considering the circumstances," The big man remarks as he lights a cigarette, "I was expecting three or five times that, honestly." I see the tip of his cigarette glow orange as he takes a long puff. Another man - the Faunus around my age with horns... No, antlers! He has antlers - stops next to the bald man. Yellow light shines on their faces and cast long shadows behind them.

"Oooooohhh! Niiiiiceeee... Real nice. Good find, Mr. Brigan. Very... Very polished Fire, I can tell. Must've been difficult to locate." The Faunus picks up a yellow crystal... Lightning Dust? No, no... It's... Not the right shade. Too yellow and less gold. The Faunus stares at it intently before... L-licking it? Wh... What? That's... Weird, but... Ok.

"Difficult? No, not at all. My contacts in Mistral can produce entire barrel fulls of this shi... Fine substance. Should have a new shipment by the end of this week if your still interested," The Faunus guy seems to consider as he cusps his chin. He stares up at the night sky... I rise into the air as tendrils slither out of my back and towards the floor.

"With all due respect, Mr. Brigan, I must decline. I'm getting low on funds as is. Boys?" I place my hands against the wall of the building. Our limbs hold us in place as we start to crawl down into the alley. I'm being slow... Careful. I watch as Antler Man's friend - the one with Cad - approches the side of the truck. He opens it.

"If I may...?" The bald man, Brigan, asks lowly, "What are your intentions with the boy?" Baldie steps back from the truck and towards his own pals. He pulls out a long stick looking thing from his pocket. He starts fiddling with it.

"We're gonna teach him a lesson... Permanently," I hear Cad whining loudly, "He's a no-good thief, you see. A fuckin' rat!" T-they... They're gonna kill h-him... Kill Cadmium? I... I... K-kill Cad? No! They won't be able to while I'm around... "Roman wants him gone, too. So that's an extra bonus." R-Roman!? He knows about Cad!? H-he... He... He...

"Oh, yes, Roman. That fuckin' hypocrite! What a slimy prick! He went back on a deal with me not long ago. Did you know he's working with..." Bladie holds a hand against his mouth as Antler Man lowers towards him, "With the White Fang!" Those terrorists are involved, too!? Fuckin' perfect! This couldn't possibly get any worse, right? No way...

"Yeah, I heard... Do you know why?" Baldie shakes his head, "Roman has something in the works. I got a friend in the White Fang and she told me that Roman's planning a hit. Heard he's put a bounty on some girl's head... But that's not my point! My point is that Roman's planning something. He's been stealing all that Dust for a reason, ya know." A 'hit?' What's a hit? Like... Getting punched? 'We assume it indicative of violence,' And... And Roman's planning it on... Someone. Maybe me? Do you know..? 'We do not know.'

"How's that little guy holdin' up? Rary? Bary? Kary? Whoever he is. I give my, ehh... My condolences about his brother," Bald man doesn't mean that. He's lying. I crawl a little further down. I watch Cad carefully. The second they do anything to him I will... I'm not sure what. But it'll be ugly, "I heard it was some kind of... Atlas 'bot, right?" I stop. 'Bot'? Like robot? Atlas...

"Yeah, yeah... Rary's a pansy. He overexaggerates. It was a robot, yeah, but all evidence points towards it being a rogue Ozborn drone. Maybe some kind of escaped experimental android or some shit... I don't know." Android...? Like people-shaped robots? Hey, Shadow...? 'Yes?' Y... Y-you don't think that... T-that the killer robot survived, right? 'Considering it is a machine, then... Yes, it is very possible,' B-but it could just be another killer robot, right? No... No reason to assume it's the same one... Right? 'That, too, is a strong possibility. We have no strong feelings on the matter either way,' Gee, your helpful as ever, 'Yes, we are. Welcome.' Thanks for your 'helpful' advice, Shadow.

"Not well... We're gonna have too... 'Let' him go. It's impeding his work ethic, ya see," The skinny guy waves his arms, "The boss hates lazy workers. They're bad for buisness," I'm getting closer now. The Antler Man is wearing muscle shirt with black jeans. He has brown hair and turqoise eyes. He takes up the briefcase from the hood of the truck and shuts it, "Hurry up, boys!"

The man holding Cad - a bald guy in his forties with a lotta muscle - stumble out of the truck. He's holding a large box in a even larger hand. He starts approaching the Antler Man and baldie. He better not hurt Cadmium...

"Should compensate you, yes?" The bald man waddles over to the box. He struggles to reach it, "Need a hand, Mr. Brigan?" The bald man grunts as he pulls the box from it's resting spot.

"No!" He grumbles as he rests it on the concrete floor. He starts fiddling with the lid, "How much are we talkin' here? 'Cuz it's gotta cover the expenses of the initial acquistion." The bald man is wearing a white fur coat and a black vest. He's got an eyepatch over his left eye. I start veering right and into the darker edges of the light's glow. I know they can't see me... Shadow makes me blend in with the dark. Soon... Very soon I'll save Cad! Yeah, save him and... A-and then he won't be mad! Right, Shadow? If I—

"Don't worry your pretty little head, Mr. Brigan. Rest assured knowing this'll more than cover the price." Antler Man says to Brigan. Bladie grunts as the lid slides open... He smiles.

"Yeah, yeah... Good job, kid. Keep up this kinda behavior and... who knows, maybe I'll have a use for you one day." I let gravity push me down as I fall to my feet. I hit the ground silently. I crouch low as I step back into the shadows. I clenchy fists as I feel tingles spreading through me.

"I appreciate the offer. I really do. Yet I can't accept... The boss has a policy against that sorta thing." Baldie grunts as one of his... Henchmen? I assume their his goons. One of them picks up the box for him and starts walking down the alley. He's nearing me...

Shadow? 'Yes?' I think now's the time... N-not to kill them, but to ask questions! 'And after the questions?' Then... Then you get to eat them! Fair? 'Yes... Yes, this will do,' Great! How do you think we should start? Just... Throw punches at the nearest bad guy? Maybe sneakily pick them off! O-or... Or use our tendrils to rip them apart and put them back together into new shapes? No! No... Not that last one. It'll kill 'em, 'Start... With the bald man. Or the Antler Man. They are leaders of a sort... Target them for they will know the most.' Sounds smart, bu—

"Tttrrrrssshhhgrgrgrgr!"

The truck's engine roars to life. I lower myself to the ground as the Antler Man and his buddy near the truck's side. They're saying their goodbyes to the bald man. Antler Man takes a long puff from his cigarette as the big guy throws Cadmium into the backseat. Shadow? 'Yes?' Can you launch me? Towards the truck, that is. I... I wanna make a loud entrance! 'Get ready then.'

I take a deep breath as I stand a little straighter. I pull my arms to my chest as our tendrils stab into the ground. The man with the box is standing to my left near a dumpster. I bite my tongue as I feel my fingers lengthen into claws. I'm kinda tempted to punch him, but... Nah! I got a better idea. One... Two... Three!

I hear the wind whistling as I rocket forward. The bad guys are slow to even notice me. I extend my legs as I raise my arms. The truck is growing closer... Closer... Closer... Clos—

"Bggggssshhhhrrrkkk!"

The entire front end of the truck caves inward as my feet hit the hood. The windows shatter and send shards of glass flying past me. The horn goes off when the driver face-plants into the steering wheel. I can hear gasps and swears as I plant my hands under the vehicle's roof. I can hear the bad guys panicking and orders being yelled.

"Ttttttrgrgrgrgrssshhhrrrraaa!"

I pry off the roof in a second or less. I toss it aside and towards a wall as I glare down at the driver. He's unconscious... I look to the backseat and see Cadmium's green eyes. I... I try smiling as I raise my right hand to wave, "H-hi... How ar—"

"Booogggh!"

"Arggh! F-fu..." I grab my shoulder. It stings... Someone shot me. I glance back to see the men - even Antler Man - all going for their weapons. Baldie is running with the goon holding the box. One guy is holding his leg... A shard of metal is stabbed into it. Three men have their guns out already - all pistols. Antler Man somehow managed to scurry away towards the bad guys during the few seconds it took me to rip off the roof... Kinda impressive, really, "Give me a minute, Cad. I got something I need to take care of."

I jump down from the truck. I hunch over as I spread my arms. The tendrils emerging from my back sway back and forth above me. I glare at the goons as Shadow pushes a bullet out of my shoulder. It bounces when it hits the ground. They start shooting.

"Booogggooogggooogggoooggg!"

Tendrils stab into the ground in front of me and meld together. Bullets are absorbed into the quickly growing wall of slime protecting me. The shield of ooze thrusts forward rapidly.

I hear groaning and yelling and thumping as the wall of black water impacts against the bad guys. The shield shifts and severs back into thrashing whips. I smile.

"W-what the fuck!?" One of the tendrils grabs a man by the throat and throws him into the air. Another limb is coiling around Antler Man as it pins him in place. I start walking forward as the goons scramble. A few - the smart ones - start running. A couple idiots try going for their guns again. One man chokes as a fourth tendril slithers around his mouth and bashes his head into the ground repeatedly.

"Don't suppose you know where Roman is, do you?" Antler Man groans and yells as the tendril around his chest tightens. It pulls him across the ground and towards me. He yells for help as I raise up my fist. Light sparkles off my claws, "You have this one chance. Be honest! You don't wanna end up like the last guy who lied to me..." I glance past Antler Man to see his buddies. Shadow's dealing with them nicely. One of the guys - one of the stupid ones... Stupider ones - has a gun in his hand. Doesn't matter, though, since a tendril is crushing his fist. I hear him scream as he drops to his knees. Shadow? 'Yes?' Take... Take that guy's hand away.

"Ttttrrrrsssssshhhhhssss!"

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" The man who was holding the gun screams as Shadow'a tendril slices his hand off at the wrist. Blood pours onto the ground. I... Feel... Warm. A little warmth inside of my chest. I like hearing them scream...

Antler Man's turquoise eyes widen when I look to him. He pales. His lips tremble as his teeth chatter. I smile down to him as I lower my left hand to rest on his head. I rub my fingers against his brown and messy hair. I feel him shaking as my claws lightly graze his scalp.

"Be a good boy and tell me what I wanna know, ok? I'll let you go if you do..." I feel my other half tightening against my skin. I smirk a little when I see a man thrown so hard into a brick wall that it collapses onto him, "We're... Hungry. You don't wanna be our lunch, do you? I will take you apart slowly... Piece by piece... Hmmm! Maybe I'll boil your guts... Slurp 'em like spaghetti! Do you want that?"

His head shakes quickly. I smile a real smile this time. For a moment he seems to be unsure if he should feel scared or not... Doesn't last long, though. One of Shadow's limbs slithers from my red rose and drags itself along his cheek. The tendril around his chest tightens. I hear a snapping sound.

"S-stop! Please! R-Roman... I-I know Roman!" The limb around his chest loosens. He breathes deeply. His eyes are watering. Is he gonna cry? What a loser, "I can tell you things about him!"

"Good boy! Where is he? His home or lair or... Or wherever guys like him live," Antler Man wheezes as he coughs and splutters. Blood trickles from his lips... What does he taste like? I lower my left hand to his mouth. I rub my thump against his lips before pulling my arm before my face. I lick the blood off my finger... "You taste... Like... Spoiled milk!" I spit the blood onto his face. He looks scared... He's staring. I feel our lips curl, "Say something! NOW!"

"I-I don't know where he is, b-but I do kn-know he's g-got a deal g-goin' on! A-a shi-shipment... A-at the docks!" Deal? Docks... Only one docking bay in the city. I could...

"When? Who is he going too meet?" Antler Man grumbles and groans. I dig my claws into his shoulder. He screams as blood spurts onto my face.

"m-midnight! A few days from now... H-he'll be there wi-with Neo!" I push him to the ground as our tendril merges back into us. He whimpers like a dog as he crawls away. I glance upwards to see the goons all beaten and broken. Alive... For now. Some have broken arms or legs, some were stabbed or twisted, and one guy was strangled halfway to death. A lot... Most are bleeding. Smells... Like... Uncle's drinks. Nasty...

"Good boy! You can go now." The Faunus scrambles to his feet before limping away. I watch as he disappears into the darkness, "Stop being evil! If we meet like this again I won't be so nice!" I warn him as he runs. Honestly... I hope he doesn't take my advice.

'Can we feed now?' In a little bit, ok? Just... Cad! Let me talk to Cad first then you can eat them, ok? 'Can't we just eat them now?' Well, technically... Yeah, but... No? Cad would see! I don't wanna scare him... Again. Just wait a minute or two, ok? 'Fine...' Just a minute! A little itty bitty minute!

I turn back towards the half crushed truck. The hood is crumpled and smoking. Shards of metal rip and tear through the vehicle. It's windows are shattered, the front wheels bent and twisted, gas leaking from the rear.

"Damn. Guess it was a little... Much," I mutter as I circle around the pick-up. The driver's door had been ripped off it's hinges. The guy in the driver's seat is out cold. His face rests against the steering wheel. His nose is broken, "Hey, Cad... I... H-how have you... B-been?" I step up and onto the truck's silver railing. I'm staring at Cad through a broken window on the backside of the vehicle. He's covering himself with his little arms. He's been crying... His eyes are red and puffy. I frown, "What happened too you?"

"Go a-away!" He whines when I reach out for him. I pull my arm back and stop... Why is he so scared of me? I mean, yeah, I did... Almost e-eat him, b-but... I said I was sorry! "S-stay away!" He covers his face with his arms. He tries burying himself into his seat.

"C-Cad... I... I'm sorry about last time, ok? I... I'm better now! Please... You can trust me." I open my palm and extend my hand towards him. He stares at it with wide and bloodshot eyes. I try smiling as best I can to him, "I-I'm... We... We can still be friends, right? I... I can protect you! From the bad men... I promise I can!" He looks away as he fights with the door. It's locked... Child lock. He's shaking.

"Y-your a mo-monster! Yo-you killed them!" He points behind me. I look back and see the bad guys. I feel my brows furrow, "Y-you said you w-we-were gonna e-eat them!" I frown when my belly grumbles. I am pretty hungry...

"N-noooo! Me? Kill someone...? Never! They're still breathing!" I smile back at him. I clasp my hands before my chest as I step down. Tendrils raise me into the air before setting me down on the hood. My legs dangle over the dashboard, "I... Was... T-teaching them! Yeah, teaching them... Them... Manners? Yeah, manners!" He's not convinced. He does look less scared, though. He sniffles as tears roll down his cheeks.

"Your a liar!" I lower my head and sigh, "Y-you already t-to-told me that y-you... Your a monster! Evil!" I feel my fists clench. I close my eyes as I breathe in deeply the cool air. H... He's just scared. He doesn't mean it... Right? 'What if he does?' I... I...

"W-what... What is evil, Cad? Explain to me what evil is." I start gently kicking the passenger seat, "Please, Cad, actually try to explain to me what evil is as best you can." I open my eyes to see his head sink low. He's confused. He stares at his trembling hands.

"I-It's... It's... Evil!" I rest my chin against my fist. I stare at him plainly, "E-evil... Evil is when... Is when you hurt others!" I nod to him slowly. I smile again. For a moment he relaxes a little.

"That's only sometimes true," His brows furrow, "Is it not more evil to stand by and let these bad men hurt you? I think if I need to hurt them... Kill them, even, to protect you... Isn't that good?" He lowers his head as he thinks. His fingers fidget. I... I slowly extend my left arm, "Sometimes, Cad... Sometimes you gotta do bad things for good reasons. Sometimes... People deserve to hurt. Even to die."

He doesn't try resisting when I rest my hand on his shoulder. I give him a little squeeze. He looks at me confused, scared, and... And hopeful. I smile to him a big smile. Please trust me...

"A-are you... G-gonna... Eat them?" I frown at that. I shrug, "I-Is... Is that evil? Monsters eat people... Monsters are evil." I shake my head as my lips purse. He watches me intently. I feel Shadow tighten against me.

"No, no, no! You got it all wrong, Cad! My sister - the alien one," I point to our red rose, "Will eat them! Not me... So, no, it's not evil! And besides, I'm sure those guys have done worse... Monsters aren't always evil, ya know." I feel his fingers as they wrap around my wrist. He squeezes tightly as he sniffles. I try my best to look friendly.

"I... H-how can I tr-t-trust you?" I... That's a good question. What can I do to show him I won't hurt him again? I... I look away from the kid as I rest. Well... Rest as much as I can on a crumpled metal hood. Hey, Shadow?

'Yes?' What do I say to him? To get him to trust me... 'Nothing. We can say nothing... Show him through our actions.' Ok... Like the old saying? Actions speak louder than words. I can do that! I can... I will!

I push myself to my feet and hop off the truck. Glass crackles under my feet. Cadmium watches me as I circle around the truck. I stop before his door and pull at the handle... It's locked, of course.

"I'm gonna... Back up, ok, Cad?" He crawls to the other side of the vehicle. I place my right hand against the door. I punch - well, more of a push - through the door. It makes an annoying shriek as the metal rips and tears.

"Bbbrrooooggsshhh!"

I toss aside the mangled door like it's trash. I look back to Cad. He whimpers. I frown. I extend my arm towards him as I open my palm. He stares for a few seconds before taking my hand. I smile at him. He frowns at me.

"Careful... Watch out for the glass," He's slow to leave the truck. He grips my hand tightly, "Sorry about the mess. We got a little carried away..." His shoeless feet shake as they touch the cool pavement. I hear one of the bad guys groaning. I walk with Cad towards the exit of the alleyway.

He's slow. He has a limp... His hand feels warm. Maybe I'm just cold? His breathing is slow and deep. His clothes look dirty... Dirtier then before. He's probably hungry. Poor boy...

"What do you wanna do, Cad?" He mumbles something under his breath, "Are you ok? Do you want... Wanna..." What can I offer him? I have nothing. I own nothing... "I'm sorry about last time. I wasn't... I was in a bad place." His blond hair sways gently in the breeze. I can hear a crow cawing as it circles overhead.

We walk in silence towards the light of the streets. I can see a car driving by. I can see a few people still walking along the sidewalk. There's an electric billboard overhead that casts a pale reddish-blue light over the road.

"I'm sorry, Cad... I like you. I really do. I'm sorry I hurt you... I really am." He squeezes my hand. I gently squeeze back. I hope he'll trust me... I really didn't mean to hurt him.

"W-why... Why did y-you do it?" He wipes away tears as he sniffles. I fight back my frown and force a smile. I squeeze his hand gently, "Why?" His eyes are less scared and more unsure now.

"I... I-I was... I'm... Having a tough time. It doesn't excuse what I did, b-but... Things have been rough lately. Really rough," I look down to the ground. I sigh as his hand squeezes mine, "I'm sorry." He doesn't reply. We stay quiet as we walk. I...

If I could go back and change what I did to him then I would. I never wanted to hurt him... I never did! I-I lost control... But I'm better now! I am—

"Ruby..." I hear a deep and gruff voice from behind me, "It's time to go home, kiddo." I stop. That voice... I know that voice! It's... It's Qrow! I let go of Cad's hand as I turn around quickly. I feel a coldness growing inside of my chest.

"U-uncle!?" I feel Cad's hands against my legs as he hides behind me, "W... W-what are you doing here!?" He's... He's here! Uncle is right here... Standing ahead of me! He's before the smashed pick-up truck. I don't see his weapon, Harvester, anywhere...

"I'm here for you, pipsqueak. To bring you home..." His arms are crossed over his chest. His short and torn red cape sways in the wind. He looks so calm... So relaxed. His red eyes stare at me, "You've made quite a mess, Ruby. Everyones worried sick about ya... Everyone but me. I knew you were fine. That'd you pull through. You always do."

He steps forward and smiles. I narrow my eyes and frown. I raise my hand to point to him. My other hand balls into a fist. I growl as he stops.

"Stay away!" He frowns suddenly, "I know who you really are now... Your a monster! Like dad! Like Yang!" I feel my lips curl. My breathing is growing deeper, "Y... Your here to kill me, aren't you!? To finish what they started!" Unc... Qrow's face is confused. His mouth opens a little but nothing comes out. His cross shakes as he looks... Disturbed, almost.

"Kill you...? What? No! Ruby, I'm here to save you!" I glare at him. I feel the cold in my chest become icy. Shadow tightens against me. Cad's little fingers clutch my knees tightly. I feel myself beginning to shake, "Your confused! Ruby, that parasite is scrambling your brains! It is messi—"

"STOP! CALLING! ME! RUBY!" His eyes widen with shock. His smile falters, "I-I... She's dead! I'm dead! DEAD! We... We're Blood Flower now! AND WE ARE NOT A PARASITE! We're a person, too!" He pales. I see his hand reaching behind his back. He... He's trying to confuse us! Like Summer, like the robot, like everyone else! I hate him... So fucking much!

"Ru... Blood Flower, huh? Not my first choice, but I guess we all have our preferences," He smiles a fake smile. His eyes are sad... I feel my glare soften, "Well, Blood Flower, I... I'm sorry about... Insulting you," W-what's he doing? Why is he... Is he talking like that? "How have you been feeling lately? You look sick."

"W-we... I'm fine! Why are you asking, Qrow?" His eyes wince, "What are trying to do here!? Don't even answer, I already know! Y-you... Your gonna stab me the second I turn around, aren't you!?" Qrow's arms rises into the air as reveals his open palms. He looks a lot more serious now. His pale skin reflects the distant light.

"No, not at all! Your mistaken, Ru... Blood Flower. Can I just call you Blood for short?" I don't answer his stupid question, "Well... I'm calling you Blood then. Now, Blood, you... You got things mixed up, ok? Stuffs all twisted in your litt—"

"Don't call me little! I'm not a kid, damn it!" Cad's starting to cry. Qrow glances towards the kid. I slide my left hand behind my back and grasp one of Cad's arms. I hold him by the wrist. I can feel his little fingers letting go of my leg as he grips my own wrist, "G-go away, Qrow... Please, just go away! You've caused enough hurting... Just go!"

"I can't do that. Not without you... Whose the boy?" Qrow starts leaning against the truck. His eyes harden. His cape flutters against a strong breeze, "What are you goin' to do with him?" He says that... Wrongly. Like... Like I'm gonna hurt Cad! Is he accusing me of...?

"I'm gonna do what YOU should've done with US!" I tug gently on Cadmium's arm - just enough to let him know to start moving, "We're sick of you! Your lies! Y-you... You were suppose to be the one who cared!" Qrow steps forward slowly. His arms lower.

"I... I do care. Why else would I be here?" I glare again. I bite my tongue. I feel Cad's hand around my wrist tighten so much it begins to sting, "It's a Grimm, Blood. That suit your wearing? A Grimm." A... Grimm...? No... Liar!

"No! They are not a Grimm! YOUR LYING!" Stupid idiot! Who does he think he is!? Lies! Lies! LIES! "They're an alien, you fuckin' dick!" His red eyes widen with shock, though I don't if it's because of the 'alien' part or the 'fuckin' dick' part, "They have a name, too... They're Shadow! And unlike you, they actually care about me! They love me... You never did."

"I... Is that what this is about, Ruby?" That's not my name anymore! Why does he call me that!? "Your hurt. You've been hurting for a long time, I know. I'm sorry I didn't act sooner... I should've been there for you when she passed. I should've done more... Maybe if I did this never would've happened. Ruby, you gotta know I care! We all do. This... 'Alien' is messing wi—"

"For the love of... Why does EVERYONE keep saying that!? Shadow isn't 'scrambling my mind' they're showing me the truth! They're the only one who shows me the truth... Your a liar! You've always lied to me! EVEN ABOUT MOM! I-I... I fucking saw her! Her ghost... She hates me! AND YOU SAID SHE LOVED ME! She's just like you... Like Taiyang! And Yang, too! Even Zwei hates me!" I hear a metal click. His eyes begin to narrow slightly as he steps to his left. I feel Shadow tightening against me. Lies... He's a fucking liar!

"Is that really how you feel?" I nod, "It's worse than he said it would be... It's making you delusional! You gotta take it off, Ruby." I feel Shadow tighten even further. I grasp at the slime around my chest. I slowly let go of Cad. I... W-what!?

"You want me to 'take it off' huh? You want me to abandon the only person to ever care for me!? TOO FUCKING LOVE ME! Of course you do! I... I-I was hoping Shadow was wrong about you... I thought you might of... C-cared. I should've known better!" I feel tingles shooting through me. Stupid! STUPID! I WAS SO FUCKING STUPID! "Your... I hate you! You deserve to die for being such a liar!" I hear the whistling of air as tendrils begin whipping at the ground. Qrow's hand reaches behind his cape.

"Don't do anything stupid, Ruby! I don't want to hurt you... I care about you. I really do... Why not calm down? Come home with me. Your father is worried about you. Yang is, too." Worried... About me? T-they... He lies! No one cares! No one ever will care... No one but you, "We're not your enemy! No one wants you dead... We just want you to come home. We... I love you, Ruby. Like a daughter."

"L-love me...?" H-he... Loves... Me? I... I... H-he lo-loves me? I... "Y-you do?" He nods as he smiles. Our tendrils slow down as they begin swaying. I... L-love me...? Ha... Ha... Ha!

"Hahaha! Hahahahahaha! Y... You had me for a second there! Hahahahahahaha! Y-you really did... 'I love you, Ruby,' Hahahahahahahaha! N... No! NO YOU DON'T!" I feel my fingers tingle before a weight rests in my hands. Our scythe is in my palms. I clench my fingers around it, "Shadow... How wanna do it? Slowly? Quickly? Painfully?" Qrow's looking hesitant. Worried. I lick my lips, 'Peel his skin. We want his skin. He has such scarred flesh... So many stories. We like his scars.'

"Ruby?" I lunge forward with a yell. He manages to sidestep my downward swing, "Ruby!" My scythe slices through metal as it rips into the back of the pick-up truck.

"Ruby's dead!" With a strong tug I throw the truck into the air and bring it down to my left, "And you will be, too!" The vehicle tears down a brick wall as Qrow jumps further into the alley, "DIE!"

"BBBBGGGGGGGGSSSSHHHHKKKKK!"

Our tendrils launch the truck towards him. He jumps over it as the vehicle shrieks against pavement and bricks. He has his sword in his hand now. He looks to me. Shadow? 'Yes?' Stab.

"Ruby, stop!" Spiked tendrils shoot through the air as they speed towards Qrow. He slices one off with his sword and ducks under the second. He slides around the third only to bring down his sword down on the fourth. The second turns around and thrusts towards his leg, "Agh!"

He drops to his knee as his red Aura flickers. I forgot about Aura... That'll make this more complicated then it needs to be. Annoying. But it'll mean I can also hurt him more... So... I guess it's not all bad.

The first tendril circles back as it wraps around his neck. The fifth hits him in the stomach. He gasps. I start running forward as the tendril around his neck raises him into the air. Another restrains his sword-arm.

"R-Ru—" He's cut off when I jump into the air and come down with a dropkick. As my legs hit him more tendrils shoot out of my back and against the ground. They propel us like a spring.

He hits the pavement hard and carves a trench through the concrete as he skids. I kick him in the face as the first set of limbs pull me forward and above him. I'm held in the air slightly as I turn and grab him by the arm. I throw him further into the alley with a yell.

"Brrrrooogggggssssshhhhh!"

He impacts the truck so had they both go flying out the opposite end of the alley. The truck skids along the road as I hear people beginning to scream and yell. Another vehicle - a van - barely brakes before ramming into the truck. I rise higher into the air as our tendrils extend even further.

I watch as Qrow pulls himself from the wreckage. He's not hurt, but he is angry. He transforms his sword into a scythe as he spins it in place.

"Ggrrrkh!"

"Damn it, Ruby! Don't make me do this!" He yells as he rests his scythe in both hands. He's just standing there, catching his breath, looking like he's the hero! That motherfu... Wait! I just got an idea! He'll never see me coming...!

"Petal Burst!" Everything starts slowing down as I stop being me. I become a clumping of rose petals as I race forward like a bullet. Qrow moves in slow-motion as he starts raising his scythe defensively. Too slow, asshole!

"Kkkkkkrrrrggggggkkkkkhhhhh!"

We both go flying through the truck and out it's other end. I'm me again. My hands wrap around his neck as I start squeezing. My knees dig into his chest. I snarl as he headbuts me. Everythings spins as we start circling each other through the air - my hands gripping his neck even tighter.

"Bbbbbgggggsssssshhhgh!"

Glass shatters as we both fly into a large window. I lose my grip on him and slip away when we ram through a pillar. I end up slamming into a bookshelf when I hit the ground. I grunt when the books fall onto me.

"Huh? What the...?" I glance to my right to see a man close to my age. He has silver hair and dark gray eyes. He's wearing some kind of gray suit. Blood covers his feet. I wave at him, "Hi?" He waves back.

"Don't mind me! Just killing someone..." I rise out of the rubble as tendrils throw the bookshelf away, "Do whatever you were doing, ok? Pretend I'm not even here!" I watch as Qrow stands up. He slammed into a countertop and smashed it to pieces when he landed. He somehow still has his scythe. He looks to me with narrow eyes as he stands out of the wooden debris.

"Ok, Ruby... Fine! You wanna do things the hard way... Then let's get rough!" He charges forward with his scythe pulled into a rising arc. A tendril shoots out of my back and pulls me away as the curved blade rips into the ground where I was standing.

"I knew it! You were lying the whole time!" I manage to punch him in the face with an overhead strike, "Your a fucking liar!" I grab him by the shoulders as a tendril hits him in the chest. His head pulls back as he brings his knee to my stomach. I throw him into a wooden wall reflexively - which he smashes through.

I run forward as a scythe forms in my right hand. It's a short one - only half as long as Crescent was. A lot less reach but more speed. Qrow's barely on his feet before I hit him with a kick to the face. His head careens back as I bring my scythe's tip down onto his eye.

"Aaaaarrrggghhhh!" His Aura flickers as the weapon bounces off. He grabs at my neck as he pushes himself onto his feet, "Godsdamn it, Ruby! What's wrong with you!?"

"YOU ARE WHAT'S WRONG WITH US!" My free hand wraps around his throat as we struggle with each other, "YOU ALWAYS LOVED HER MORE THEN US! I HATE YOU!" I let go of his throat and clutch at his face, "WE WILL KILL YOU!"

"Rrrrgggggaaaahhhh! Fuuuck!" He swears as I dig my thumb into his right eye. His Aura flickers, "I've always loved you! Like a daughter!" I groan as he repeatedly knees me in the stomach. My grip tightens. His hands release my neck. One of his arms pushes at my face and covers my eye.

"BBBBBOOOOOGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

A bright orange light blinds me. My ears ring. I feel the air blowing against me as I'm flung away. I feel something hard and cold pressing into me. For a second everything burns before I'm freezing cold. I don't move as everything blurs and twists. I can see sparkling silver dots, inky blackness, and a pale reddish-blue light.

'We sense... Heat. We believe he used an explosive,' Really? Never woulda gussed that one... 'Yes, indeed, we believe it so. Most likely a form of... 'Dust' or a variant of the robo-killer's weapon,' No, I think he just used magic! Poofed it out of thin air or something... 'We thought magic wasn't real,' Shadow, I... Yeah, it isn't, 'Then why claim he... Oh! Is this sarcasm?' Gee, ya think? 'Yes, we—'

"Are you ok!?" I push myself into a sitting position as I rub my head as the ringing dulls, "You fucking exploded!" I hear Cad's voice as I shake my head. I feel thin arms hug from behind. I see a car veering past me as...

"Qrow!" He's walking out of the smoking alleyway with his sword resting on his shoulder. He looks roughed up but far from done, "Cad, you gotta go! NOW!"

"Y-you—" I pry his arms off me as tendril pushes him away. I stand quickly and look around. I'm in a street... I'm not sure where. How far did that explosion launch me? I see people starting to form crowds as they gawk. I focus on Qrow.

"Go away, Cad! Run or hide or... Or something! I don't want you to see this...!" Claws form from my fingers as I start circling Qrow. He mimics me. His sword rests against the concrete road as it sparks with golden electricity. It's... He applied lightning Dust to it? That... "You think a few sparks will save you? You'll regret this!" Son of a whore! He thinks he's so fucking smart!?

"Ssswwwooossshhh!"

He dodges my initial strike. I'm too slow to stop him from elbowing my head. I grunt as I stumble forward. I bring up my hands as he brings down his sword. The blade sparks as my claws deflect the blow - a tendril erupting from my stomach thrusts into his chest.

"Urrrggg!" He stumbles and groans as I rake my claws down his face. I go in for a second strike onlu for his foot to kick me away. I hit the ground as he charges forward with a arcing swing of his sword.

"Kkkkkrrrrsssssszzzzaaaa!"

"Aaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhhh!" I scream as my arm burns! "Fuck you!" My writhing and bleeding arm wiggles on the ground. Qrow's eyes widen as I grasp my bloody arm stump, "Fuck! Why does everyone go for my fucking arm!?"

"R-Ruby, I—"

"Ruby!"

"Rrrraaagggghhhhh!" Both Cad and Qrow's voices are drowned out by my scream, "S-Shadow!" Pale maroon tendrils erupt from my armless shoulder in a spray of black blood. The limbs squirm and squeal as they meld and interlock with one another like worms. It's only a few seconds later where a new arm rests where my dismembered stump did. The new arm is identical to old one - claws included! I flex it as I open and close my palm a few times. I glance up to Qrow to see his face horrified and shocked. He must've backed off at some point... He's further away.

"What!? Why are you staring!? STOP STARING!" Tendrils propel me forward as I point my claws at him. He raises his Harvester defensively. We clamber into the flat of his weapon before both him and us fall to the ground.

"Rrrrrgggggaaahhh! Stop resisting! Just die!" I'm on my feet quickly as I bring my claws down to his face, "Aaaaahhhhhggggggsssss!" I make an almost Grimm-like hissing sound as he cuts my fingers off with a quick swing of his sword. I stumble back an—

"Bbbbbbssssskkkk!"

"Huuhh... Huh!" I go still as his sword stabs into my belly, "N-not again! Always... Stabbing!" I fight through the pain of the lightning and the sword in my guts as I grab at his shirt. His eyes widen when I pull him closer. I-I won't die here! NOT TO HIM!

"Ssssshhhhhkkkk!"

"R-Ru—" I cut him off as I headbutt him so hard he flies backwards and into a street pole. The pole bends as it's light flickers out. I stumble to my knees as blood pools against the ground. I grab the sword's hilt and tug at it.

"Ruby!" Cadmium yells my name from down the street, "Ruby!" Shadow drips off in little chunks. They squirm against the concrete as they try crawling back to me, "R-Ruby!"

I look up to see Qrow rising up to his feet on the other end of the road. His shirt is torn open. Blood trickles from his mouth. I grit my teeth as I force myself to stand. I look to Cad with a scowl. He freezes in place about ten feet from me. Why is he still here!? I told him too leave!

"Hhhhrrrrrggggaaaahhhh!" Black blood spurts and spews out of my stomach as I pull the sword out of my belly, "Uuuurrrrggggggghhhhh!" The sword clambers to the ground as tendrils dig into my exposed muscle and intestines. Some of my guts slip onto the road as tendrils try pulling them back inside me, "Huurrggh!"

Blood and bone hit the ground as I start heaving. I grab my torn open belly. I feel tendrils and blood and guts slipping through my fingers. I stumble forward as I heave more.

"Hhhuuuuaaaaggghh!" Blood and slime pool on the ground before me, "Hhrrkk! Haagh!" I choke out coughs as Shadow pulls my intestines back into my stomach like they're slurping in noodles. I feel them tighten against my skin as their slime fills up the whole in my belly. Our red rose drips crimson droplets to the ground, "S-Shadow...! W-we... Need... T-to kill him! KILL HIM!"

'Blood Flower...' He needs to die! DIE! Kill him! We need to kill him! 'Let us... Test something...' Test!? No! Kill! Kill! Kill him! We need to kill him! 'Yes, we know. Our hate is growing faster then ever... This might hurt a little.' I don't care how bad it hurts as long as he dies! Kill him! Kill him! KILL HIM! KILL HI—

"Bbbrrrrggghhh!"

"Aauuhh! Shadow!" I fall to my knees as something cracks inside me, "Shadow!" I feel a stabbing pain inside of my chest. I bite my tongue as I double over, "KILL HIM! KILL! KILL QROW!"

I feel something squirming inside of me. I feel a sharp stab into my - our - heart. I feel a growing freezing pain in my arm. My fingers shake as my teeth chatter.

"Kkkkkrrrrrggggg!'

"Aaaarrrrrggghhh!" My right arm suddenly shoots into the air without me controlling it, "Aaaaaggghhhh!" Razor sharp white spikes pucnh through my fingertips. They lengthen into short talons, "W-wha- Uggggrrrhhhh!" My arm shakes as tendrils wrap around it. My left hand clutches my chest as it stings. I feel like my body is being pulled apart!

'Do we wish this to stop?' Not if it kills Qrow! If I have to suffer for him to die then so be it! 'Yes... Yes, indeed. Hate him... Hate for us.' I need him dead! DEAD! KILL THAT FUCKING LIAR! NOW! I NEED HIM DEAD NOW!

"Ruby! Fight it!" I hear the liar's voice... Qrow! 'He lied... He tried to kill us twice now! Kill him... Kill him! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Exact revenge upon his flesh!' Everything goes purplish-blue as tendrils cover and slide over my face. Qrow's body fades away as I see dark reddish human shape where he stood. It glows.

"Rrrrrgggggaaaahhhhh!" My mouth opens wide. I feel... F-feel my teeth burning! They fall from mouth and clatter to the ground as... S-something... Pushes through my gums. I feel my lips spreading wide as my skin rips.

'Hate... He hates us! Qrow wants us dead! He set us up! kill him for us... He wants to take us away! KILL HIM! Defend us...' Kill! Kill Qrow! Kill him! I need to kill him! Kill! He needs to die! I can't lose you... NEVER! Kill him!

"Rarararararahhhhhhsssss!" I don't recognize our voice, "Kill! Kill! KILL!" I feel my ribs pushing against my skin. We grasp at our face as my flesh begins too ooze.

"Rrrrggggaaaaassssshhhhrrrrr!" Our fist embeds into concrete, "Qrooooow! Kill Qrow! Feeeed!" We rise onto my feet. I glare at that ugly Qrow! We feel slime oozing between our teeth as they condense around our tongue. My tongue lengthens as it slides out of our mouth. We rise higher and higher into the air as I begin to stand. He looks small now... Tiny. Like a little birdie... "YOU! Traitor! Liar! DIE!"

"Brrrrtttttkkkhhhaa!"

He jumps over our fist as it shoots towards him like a tendril. Our foot stomps onto his stupid Harvester. Tendrils extend from our feet and onto the weapon as we break it apart and absorb it into our bubbling mass.

"This isn't you, Ruby!" A car veers to our left and rams into the pole across the road. It punches straight through and embeds into a storefront. We flex my left arm as we look upon ourself. My arm is long, flowing, and formed of interlocking tendrils and obsidian bone. Our claws are white. Our tongue laps at the open air... Blood! We taste blood in the air. His blood...

"Ruby Rose is dead! You killed her!" We charge forward and swing our left claw at him, "We are not that stupid little girl anymore! You made sure of that!" He slides between our long and gooy legs as our claws rips the street pole completely in half, "HOLD STILL, LITTLE MAN!"

"Rrrrraaaagggssss!" He ducks under our bite, "RRRRAAAAAGGGGGSSSSS!" I roar as a red tendril shoots out of my chest and into his. He's sent flying backwards and skiddding along the pavement so hard he carves a trench into it. I step forward as we breathe in deeply. The warm, bloody, sweet night air soothes our burning pain. He caused it! He hurt us! He gets out of his trench with a gasp and a swear. He looks up at us with a trembling smile and a bleeding leg.

"Y-you... You've grown f-fast! W-what big teeth y-you have..." We stop. My tongue slides between our knife-like teeth. We rake our spikes against the ground as I drop to all fours like a spider. Tendrils grow out of our back like roots from a tree. They rattle.

"Hhhhhsssssss... Let us... Show you how much we've grown!" My voice is changed. More raspy and deeper. We growl out every word. Qrow backs away as he glances behind us. We do too, "Nuh-uh! No, no, no..."

Electricity arcs out of the broken and bent and torn pole. It's wires and cables are exposed. We shake our clawed and thin yet long finger at him. We pull our too large and lipless mouth into a beautiful grin.

"We won't fall for that trick again! Not like at Juniors... Ugly, tiny, stupid, hairy claw-man! RRRRRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGGSSSSssssssss...!" My long and thing snake-like tongue slithers in the air as we roar to the sky. Have to kill him as well... After we're done with Qrow. I glare at the pathetic little man as he makes a dash for it. I reach my arm out as our spindly claws reach for his thick neck.

"R-R-Ruby...?" Cad! We turn left to see the stupid boy. He's hasn't moved at all despite what we told him! Stupid kid... Poor boy. He should not have to see us in our - ugly - beautiful form. I reach out to him yet our fingers are too short. We are hungry... Haven't fed in days. He is a - small - meal.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!"

We turn around to face that stupid little man as he rips free sparking cables. The nearby lights and billboard flicker as the lightning arcs around him. We hiss. Cad distracted us! I told him too go yet he didn't listen! Idiot! This is - not - his fault!

"R-Ruby?" I look to my right as we see the boy. He's on his knees like a maggot. He's shaking as he cries. We take a step towards him as our - not - eyes narrow.

"C-C-Cadmium... Y-you... Shouldn't be here." My voice struggles between our separate halves. The Shadow half knew we weren't ready... But here I am anyway. I am like a struggling child fighting for shape and fleeting thought. I can feel both of my halves fighting for supremacy... Can't agree all the way on things. Makes it hard for us to be as I am. We hate the feeling of discordance, "Come... No! Go away! You shouldn't come any closer! Don't listen to me... Come here!" They are both fighting me. I want too exist! We deserve too live, too! But they are not ready for us... Not yet. We have been born prematurely... Again. I tire of this malformed body. We need too supress them just too be. I am a unloved child.

"RUBY! Or... Or whatever the hell you are, leave him alone! Focus on me!" We turn from the tasty - not - meal and look at the weak and stupid man. He scowls at me as I snarl back at him. He swings the cables in a horizontal arc. The long wire breifly grazes against our belly. We hiss in response to the sudden and hurtful electric charge. It doesn't last very long.

"QROOOOOW! You will die! We will peel your skin and wear it like a suit! Feeeeed ussss!" I lumber forward with a long step, "You will not separate us! No one can! Soon you will be dead, the other two as well, and then ROMAN!" I raise our arms into the air with a long and groaning hiss. Our fists rip and crush concrete, "Then with him dead, we can start our true mission: World peace! One corpse at a time... We will purge this rotten world! We will be th—"

"DDDDDDRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

"Rrrrrrraaaassssssgrgrgrgrgr!" A car nearly runs us over. My tendrils stab into it's engine and wheels as they suspend it in the air. A woman screams from the driver's seat, "WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING!" I toss the car to our left.

"Bbbggggggsssssssshhhhhh!

It hits the ground with a shrieking metal yell. Sparks fly as metal tears and claws at concrete. The car spins in place as it stops. I watch it for a few more moments. It doesn't do anything else of note. I tur—

"Ssssszzzzzoooosssss!"

"Rrrrrggggghhhh! Idiot man!" I claw at the air as a cable whips our - not - eye. My hand clutches at our seeping - not - eye. We hiss as I raise my remaining - not - eye to glare at him. He begins spinning the wire in his right hand as he steps forward. He let's it lose, "Rrrrgggggggrrrhhhaaa!"

Lightning burns a sizzling mark across my chest. I step back as we slash at open air. he strikes again. We roar as energy arcs across my jaws. He pulls back his arm for another whip... We prepare.

"Ah-ha! Our turn!" I catch the cable with our left hand. We tug on the wire. He stumbles forward before pulling back. I don't budge an inch. We smile widely as I flex our arm. Strands of liquid skin fall off in thick rivets.

"Get over here!" He careens into the ground as we tug strongly on the wire. Tendrils slither across the cable as I pull him closer. He's like a fish on a hook as he squirms along the concrete road, "Bitch!" My foot rises into the air as we prepare to crush him, "DIIIIIIE!"

"Bbbgggghhhh!"

Pavement cracks and tears under our strength. He rolls out of the way at the last moment. We bite at him. He plants his hands against our jaws as our teeth graze against his skin. He kicks us in the belly repeatedly. Annoying. We open our stomach into a second tongueless mouth. His eyes widen and his lips scream as my belly-mouth bites into his leg.

"Aaaaagggghhhh! RUBY, NO!" Our tongue wraps around his throat and squeezes his neck. I can taste his blood in our stomach as my second mouth breaks through bone and skin, "NO!" We grab him by the head and push him against the ground. I open our mouth wide as I prepare for a bite. Bluish-green saliva drips and drops onto his face as he struggles.

"Ruby! Please, s-stop!" The little child's voice yells from behind us. We snarl as our tongue drags Qrow closer to our hungry maw, "Don't kill him! Please!" Our claws push away his hands as he struggles. His red eyss are wide with fear, "RUBY!"

"Rrrgggssssrrrrsss!?" I feel two weak little arms wrap around my side. We look from our Qrow to see Cad's stupid face to my left. His eyes are terrified yet he pushes himself against me, "W-what are you doing!? Go!" He holds us tighter. Does he want to get hurt!? This is dangerous for him!

"N-no...! No! Please, do-d-don't hurt him!" I push the boy away yet he just throws himself back as us anyway. His hug is warm... Soft... Disgustingly human. What does he want now!? I place a claw against his hair as Qrow pounds his fists against my chest.

"RUBY! NO! Leave hi—" The tendril cuts him off as it tightens even further around his throat. We focus on the boy. I... We... I... We... Torn. Want different things. Eat Cad? Or hug Cad? It is confusing.

"C... C... Cad? Why are you so stubborn...? J-just di... Go away!" I want to kill and hug him at the same time. We want pluck out his eyes and taste them against our tongue... But I want to hold him close so he never can leave us again. It's... Frustrating. The boy holds my side tightly. We feel things... Contradictory emotions. We are unstable. N-need... More... Unity between our havles. We hate being born like this. Always so much chaos at first...

"I-I will b-be y-yo-your friend, j-just do-d-don't kill him!" Why does he care for the uncle? More then he cares for me... Always hated! Always feared! Always mocked... I hate the derisions.

"WHY do YOU care!? What is he too you!?" My hand grasps at the boy's torn shirt, "Tell us!" He struggles in our grip as I raise him into the air. He squirms and whines and cries. Our glare softens, "P-please... W-why care about him?"

"I d-don't, but ki-killing is wrong! Evil... Y-your not e-ev-evil, are yo-you...?" We stop... Ye- no, no we... This is right! We know it's wrong... But it feels right! He... Qrow needs to die! We MUST kill him! B-but...

"He tried to kill us! US! He needs to die!" Cad cries fat tears as he tries to uselessly pull at my arm. I look to the old and weak man as he chokes and sputters. His red eyes roll back until I see only white, "Let me do what we have too! The world will be a safer place with him dead."

"T-that's murder! It's wrong! Your a-acting like a monster!" He grabs at our fingers and pulls at them. We hiss as we hoist Qrow high above us with my other arm, "P-please! F-for me... Yo-your friend?"

"Friend?" A... Friend? We don't need a friend! B-but... I want one. We have been alone for a long time... I could use a friend. But we don't need one! Yet I would hat- like one, "Do you promise?" For years I have hurt. Billions of years? Or only fifteen? Our mind struggles between... Memories... Ghosts. Which side do I take after more? Was I born... Or created? Cannot recall. We are slipping away...

"Yes!" He yells with wide and pleading eyes, "J-just let him go! PLEASE!" Why does he care for him? It makes us... Upset. No one should care for monsters like Qrow! He's evil! As evil as a human can be. Limited... I remember a time long ago... Wasn't us, but them. Half of me. I remember when my hungry half was more like the other one... Promised her. The first one. What happened to her? The memory is... Repressed.

"We... Want... Him... Dead! He deserves to die! He is evil! Give... Give us one good reason not to kill him!" My voice is a echo of an echo. The child pulls at my arm incessantly as I lower him to his feet. I feel Qrow's body slowing as he chokes and dies, "Why shoudn't he die!?"

"Because you'll be as bad as he is then! Be better than him! I-I... I know you can be better! B-be like a hero! N-not a mo-monster..." Hero? I always hated heros. They are what I was suppose to be yet he took that from us! B-but... Killing is wrong... Maybe Cad has a point? I... We... We... I... We don't want to be evil anymore. I don't wanna be feared... We want to be loved, "D-drop him... F-for your fr-f-friend? For me?"

"Sssshhooobbbkk!"

"Hhhhuuuuaaaaaahhhhh!" The little man gasps and wheezes as we throw him to the ground. We watch as he grasps his purplish-blue throat with trembling hands. He squirms as he breathes, "Gaaah!" I glare at him.

"Never... NEVER approach us again! We despise you..." I bend low to the ground as our hand grabs his throat. I lick his bleeding lips with our long and snake-like tongue. He's barely conscious, "We won't be so nice next time! Next time... You will die." I release him as he groans and bleeds. We turn to Cad as the boy steps away.

"Y-you... Cadmium... Friend?" He nods to us with fearful green eyes, "Uggggrrrhhhssssss... Rrrrggggssss!" I hunch over as my belly burns. Yes... I am splitting now. Separating. It hurts... For me to die so soon. But our life is their lives. I am dying... So that they can be she and it again. Of course... Soon! Soon we will be all that's left of those two lesser halves! I will have our day soon! But not tonight... There will be carnage!

"Bbbbrrrrkkkkk!"

"Rgrgrgrgrgrgsssss!" Bones snap. It hurts, "GGGGGGRRRRRRSSSSsssss...!" Our claws stab and tear at my chest as we devolve. Flesh and slime tear each other. Cad stumbles and falls as he crawls away. I smile at him as our body crumbles, "D-do not be afraid... We are n-not a monster..." But I am a monster. The most perfect of all monsters. We are... Who are we? My name...

"Uggggrrrrrsssss! Rrrraaaaaagrgrgrgrgrgr!" My teeth are pulled inside my gums. Our jaws begin too shorten and thin out. Our tongue is pulled back inside as it rips itself apart into writhing tendrils. My arm begins to shorten as our spikes retract into our body. I can feel ourself slipping away... Becoming them again.

"C-C-Cad!" The human half yells through us. I can feel the Klyntar half struggling against me, "Arrrggggsss!" My claws grasp our head as I fall to our knees. W-we... I... Changing back. Sad... Happy... Angry. My name starts will start with a V... Yes, something with a V, "S-Shadow!"

We break down as I convulse. Limbs break and rip and devolve as us becomes them. I-I-I-I... S-Shadow?Blood... Shadow... Rose... Flower... I am the judge. We are... We are... I am... We are... Ven—

"Sssslllllssssrrrrsssss!"

Cold... I fall onto cold pavement. Me...? Mind is... Scrambling. Tough to concentrate... I feel my fingers as they snap into place. The hurting subsides as I breathe deeply. I feel my bones as they snap into place.

"R-R-Ruby...?" I blink towards the night sky. I can hear his voice... He's scared. Should I be? W-what... Was that? 'A... Taste, Blood Flower,' Of what? 'Of what we are becoming.'

"C-Ca... Cad...?" I feel my Shadow tighten against me. I feel... Nothing. Not angry, not sad, not even happy... Just nothing. I shift my head to see Cad's green eyes staring back at me, "Cad... C-come here..." My hand weakly reaches for him.

"R-Ruby!" He grabs my hand with his own as he rushes towards me. He hugs me tightly with one arm as my hand clasps at his back, "Y-your not... N-not a monster anymore! Your ok!"

"O... Ok? N-no... We aren't," I hug him back with my right arm, "I-I... I'm sorry you had too... S-see that." He hugs me tighter. I hold him close. I rest my head against his warm hair. I see Qrow ahead of us... He's bleeding. I can hear sirens in the distance... Police. Fuck! The police are in their way... I got to get lost!

"G-gotta... Go," I plant my hand onto Cad's shoulder as I gently push him back, "W-we gotta go!" His eyes widen as tendrils raise me into the air. He freezes in place, "Come on, we gotta go!" He doesn't move. I frown... Screw it! I'll carry him.

"H-hey!" He struggles as my arms slide under his legs and back, "W-what are you doing...?" He askes in a quiet voice as I lift him up. I make a dash towards the alley.

"Getting outta here!" I pass by the crashed car from earlier. I run towards the alley before stopping. I got a better idea! "Hold on, Cad!" Tendrils shoot out of my back and against the ground. We are propelled through the air like a spring.

"W-waaaaait!" His voice yells as wind whistles past my ears, "I-I'm scared of he-heights!" More tendrils dig into the building's wall. They pull me up like an overgrown spider as I clutch Cad closer. My fingers grasp at his right leg and his upper back.

"Booogh!"

"Booogh!"

"Booogh!"

Tendrils embed into concrete as we climb. Cad shuts his eyes tight as his face curls into my chest. I watch his silent yet scared expression... Poor guy. He shouldn't of seen me... Us? Like that. That's gonna scar him for life... I scared him. Again! Why...? Why do I keep hurting those I care about? Am I... Cursed? I jus—

'Blood Flower... They watch,' Who? 'People on road. They record us,' I glance down to the quickly shrinking street below me. There are crowds of people forming - two, that is. One crowd is looking over Qrow as another records us, 'Should we stop them?'

No! N-no... I've had enough fighting for today. I... We're gonna go back to Red's. I need rest... Food... Everything, 'But we promised us a meal! We hunger...' I... I don't know what to say, Shadow! I'm tired... I'm exhausted... I'm hurt. I just wanna rest... My whole body aches! 'We... See. This is most disagreeable...'

Tendrils pull me up and over the rooftop. The limbs retract inside of me as I start walking forward. I can see Red's apartment from here! It's not far... Not even a little. I hope Red's ok, too. Probably shouldn't of left him alone like that...

"Hey, Cad?" He doesn't answer. I look at him and... He's asleep? How? I thought... Oh! I know! Exhaustion. He's probably tired after all the crap he's been through. I am, too... "I'm sorry, Shadow."

'Then at least eat those criminals! They are not far from here...' With Cad watching!? No! I... Tomorrow! 'Tomorrow what?' Tomorrow I gurantee you'll get a meal! Wanna know why? 'Why?' Because I have the perfect target in mind! Junior... Kill him and that's bound to make Roman angry, yeah? Probably make him do something stupid, 'We... We want more then just one measly man. We need sustenance.' Ok... Junior, claw-man, and... A-and... And any other bad guys there, ok? Is that alright...? 'Hmmm... Yes, that will do.'

I jump from one rooftop to another. Tendrils help bridge the gaps too wide to jump. I see police vehicles racing down the streets below. They're hunting for me. Everyone is. I... That monster... Was that me?

"Hrrgh!" I grunt when I stick a rather tall landing on a short building, "Shadow?" Wh... What was that? What we turned into... What was it? I... I saw through it's eyes, but... I... It was me! B-but not me... What was it?

'Our true self. Two-in-one... What we are becoming. Wasn't it beautiful?' I... Liked it. I did. I was big and strong! I was able to manhandle Qrow like a toy. Is that our 'truest power'? What you told me about the morning after we met. I... It felt good! But also scary. Like... Like waking up from a nightmare and realizing everything's ok, but something still feels off, 'Would we want to become it again?' Y-yes... Yeah, I would! Too be big, strong, and... And powerful like that was... Fun! Scary, but fun! B-but... Not in front of Cad. I... When we become that thing, we... Two-in-one... It's both of us? 'Yes. It is our flesh, our spirits, our minds melding into one. Yet we are not harmonious yet. Too much discordance.'

"I get it!" The reason I'm not ready is because we aren't perfect yet. I'm still... Too weak, 'No, no, no. This has nothing too do with weakness. We are simply... Not ready,' Ok... When will I be ready? When I am ready will we be like that forever? 'We will be ready when we are ready. And, yes, when the time comes we will merge permanently - no going back.'

I jump from the tall building I'm on and down towards the road. Tendrils hoist me up before gently lowering me down to the pavement. I look up...

"Home." Red's apartment. I start towards the doorless frame. I... So when we become that we... Will... Be I? Like... Like we stop being two and become one? 'No,' Ok... So I'll still be inside it? What about you? 'We will be us. Us will be we. There will be no more distinctions.' Two-in-one... A monster. A heroic monster. It hurt but... But in a good way. I wanne be like that again...

Monster... I am a monster. We are a monster! I always wanted claws and fangs... Monster. I...

I am a good monster!

I will be a hero...

The best hero of all!

I will become a monster that kills monsters!

A... Lethal protector.


Aria of Ashes here. How are you all? Well, I do hope.

I hope this latest chapter is too your guys liking. Their are a few aspects of it I feel... Uncertain about, but I'll simply have to see the reception to know for sure.

Next chapter will return to the Beacon Bros. Next chapter will be a tamer one, too. So... Yeah, that's that.

bjlpcell - Thank you for the compliment! And yes, Yang and You are both experiencing a considerable amount of difficulty. Jaune has caught it's attention, yes, but only time will reveal how that pans out. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

firewyrm2 - I will say now that Ruby and Cadmium are together we will start seeing a happier Ruby - one whose more like her old self. And yes, there will be hugs - but also lots of arguments. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

With that aside, I bid you guys farewell. Good day/night, and have a wonderful time!

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