"RRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAA!"
"GGGGRRRRAAAASSSSSKKKKK!"
The super Grimm punches the Deathstalker in it's face. It stumbles back as black smoke spews from it's mouth alonside one of it's mandibles ripping off. The super Grimm takes advantage of this opportunity to grab the Deathstalker's head with both hands and slam it into the ground. Dust shoots up as the overgrown scorpion writhes. The super Grimm raised it's hands to strike.
"GGGGGRRRRRAAASSSSSSSSKKKKK!"
"RRRAAAAHHHHHH! UUUUURRRAARRRAARRRAA!"
The super Grimm stumbles back as a massive white spike impales it in the chest. The Deathstalker's tail quickly pulls back - dragging the super Grimm down to it's knees. The scorpion's claws quickly lunge forward and snap. The left claw clenches around the super Grimm's right arm with the right snapping around it's neck. Mr. Fuck You is scratching at the claws of the Deathstalker.
They struggle with each other. The super Grimm rears back it's left hand and balls it into a fist. It punches the Deathstalker directly in the face. The scorpion stumbles back. But it's claws - which are locked onto Mr. Fuck You - drag the not-quite-a-Beowolf back with it. The larger Grimm - the Deathstalker - is stunned as the taller Grimm - mr. Fuck You - opens it's frothing mouth. It begins belching. I can smell something suspiciously similar to raw sewage.
"Ugggh!" I can hear Yang gagging. I scrunch my nose. Nasty smell... But not the worst I've encountered. Not after spending a whole a month in a sewer it ain't.
"Smells like mom," I look at Gray Man. What the...? W-wh... What? "What?" He simply smirks and chuckles to himself. I turn back to face the Grimm. I shake my head. 'Smells like mom'... What? What kinda mom does he have?
"I-I-I-I... C-can't... Oh, ohhh... Ugh!" I can hear Yang's Princess heaving. I glance back and quickly regret it. I need bleach. For my eyes. And a seven inch needle. For a lobotomy.
"Raaagggg! Raaaaagggg! Rrraaaaaggg!" The super Grimm - I should really give it a name, shouldn't I? - is emitting a choking sound. It's neck is bulging out to the point of bursting. It looks like something is swelling inside of it. Pustules form around it's neck and quickly burst. They spew a bright red liquid. Like blood... Faunus blood. Or human blood, maybe. It smells like blood. I doubt the others—
"Smells like blood..." I look left to see Yang. She's staring off; dazed looking. Like she's lost in thought. She quickly shakes her head and snaps out of it. She can smell that too? From this distance? Isn't she human? She must be accustomed to it then...
"Ughghhhgghhh!" I can hear Weiss having a... 'Pleasant' time behind me. Great... Lovely. This day is quite terrific, no? I focus on the monsters.
The Deathstalker has recovered from it's daze. It pushed forward and pins it's rival onto the ground. It uses it's spidery legs to impale it's enemy's chest and stomach. The super Grimm lets out a choaking roar. It writhes beneath the weight of it's enemy uselessly. The Deathstalker rears it's head back and bites down onto the super Grimm. I can't see the action - my sight is being blocked by the scorpion's left claw - but I can hear the choking screams of Mr. Fuck You.
"Soooo... Any plans?" I hear Yang to my left. She steps in front of me, her back to me, as she hums a tune. I don't recognize the song.
"Hahaha! I wish." I see her hair shaking as she shakes her head. She lets out a 'huh!' in response. Her arms are slack at her side. Never really thought of it before, but what is her Semblance? Guess it doesn't hurt to ask.
"What's your ability? Your Semblance." I glance right to see Gray Man having repositioned himself. He's now adjacent to Weiss. Yang's Princess is still recovering from the smell, and Gray Man is kneeling by her. I can faintly hear them whispering. I can make out a few words like 'Sickening', 'Didn't tell me' and, 'Are you sure?' I can't tell what they're talking about. In truth, I do not care.
"The more damage I take, the more damage I deal. Like steroids, but for the soul!" I nod my head. Soul steroids? That is... A image. I'm now envisioning a very muscular ghost taking her supplements. One pumping iron 24/7.
"Any form of damage? Does your Semblance allow you to absorb any amount of harm? What about energy blasts?" If so, that'd be useful. Very useful right now. Could just send her in alone to kill the monsters then. Doesn't matter if they're stronger if they can't hurt her, eh? Probably not though.
"Ha! I wish," She sounds a little disappointed now, "I wish... No, no. It only works on punches, or bites, or choking... What's yours?" Punches? Choking? Grimm don't typically do either of those... Maybe sparring? Punches will be thrown then. But choking? Who is she training with? Or... Is she... Into that sorta thing?
"E-ehhh... Choking?" She looks to me with a slightly confused expression. She tilts her head at my stare, "N-nothing! Uhmmm... My Semblance? I—"
"RRRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAASSSSSSSKKKKSSSSKKKKSSSKKKSSSSSSSSFFFFFLLLLLOOOO!"
The super Grimm spews out a gout of lime green slime. It drenches the Deathstalker's face - and it's shoulders. Mr. F - Mr. F? Yeah, Mr. F - Mr. F's rival squeals and rises up on it's hind legs. I didn't know Deathstalker's could stand on their hind legs...
Red Girl - I forgot she was there for awhile, honestly. Too busy admiring the monsters killing each other, I suppose - she holds on tightly to the Deathstalker's neck as her legs are flung into the air. She's dangling in the air. This is a good time for improvisation, isn't it?
"Hey, Yang?" I raise my right arm up. I look to my silver bracelet. Specifically I'm looking at a white translucent container filled without about... A quarter or so of sponge-yellow fluid. Web fluid. You'd think the webs would be yellow, too, but they're not. I honestly don't know why... I should look into that when I have the free time available.
"Yeah?" She's admiring the spectacle of the Deathstalker's quickly melting face. It dribbles off and onto the super Grimm. It melts too, when exposed, but not as quite as fast as the Deathstalker. Not immune to it's own acid... Could use that.
"You wanna punch something?" I can probably catch Red Girl, swing outta there, and circle around for an attack of some kind. Probably try and pin Mr. Fuck You with my webs... Maybe not on second thought. That would probably take more web fluid than I currently have available. I could... Use a few webs to force the scorpion's stinger to stab the super Grimm? Or use my webs to pull down some trees on them? Blind them while Yang punches them? I'm not certain yet.
"Yeah... Yeah!" She sprints forward without another word. I do as well. Mr. F pushes it's rival over, onto it's side. The Deathstalker squeals awkwardly. It desperately writhes and thrashes as it's face begins to simmer. Well, more of a weird skull shaped like a face now than a proper head. Most of it's eyes melted into slimey trails, it's teeth are rounded nubs, it's lower jaw dangling by bubbling strands of black muscle.
"Go for the dog!" Yang shouts, "I'll take the Deathstalker!" I was hoping to take the Deathstalker! Damn... I extend my left arm and shoot a strand of webbing. It connects to a distant tree that I use to pull myself up with. Not quite a Web-zip, not quite a proper swing, but somewhere in-between.
"RRRRAAARRRAAARRRAAARRRAAA!" The super Grimm is standing now. It roars even as it's own jaw is just barely held in place. It's cheeks have been melted by it's own acid revealing white bones twisted and charred black. It's looking down at it's prey. It lowers it's left arm - the one with a hand still - and grabs the scorpion by the back of it's neck. Red Girl managed to hop down after the Deathstalker's initial fall. She's backing away while extending her arm. At least that's one less of a problem to worry about now.
"RRAA... RRAAA! RRRAAAAAARRRAAAARRRAAAA!" Mr. F hoists the Deathstalker clean into the air with a single arm! I'm less than ten feet from it now. I'm closing in fast. I raise my legs to focus my momentum into my feet. I didn't really think about what I would do once I'm close enough to hit it... Shit.
"RRRAAARRRRAAARRRAAA—"
"Hhhaaaaaa!"
"GGGGSSSSRRRRHHHHHAAAGGG!"
Three things happen simultaneously. Yang had made her way to the two monsters. She had delivered a roaring uppercut into the not-quite-a-Beowolf's monster balls. Or where it's balls would be if it had any. I cross my legs, squinting my eyes. I tighten my grip on my web. Ow... Ow. Ow. Just... Ow.
Then, as the wolf-thing looks down upon Yang and snarls, the Deathstalker springs to life. It's tail - positioned behind Mr. F's back - impales it's enemy through the stomach. It's bone-spike rips through the super Grimm like a hot knife through butter. It causes the taller monster to drop the scorpion.
"Haaggh!"
Then I made contact. My feet kick it in the head. I let go of my web and my sheer momentum thrusts the monster's head back violently. I shoot webbing onto it's eyes before jumping. It rakes it's claws against it's snout, blinded, as I'm soaring over it's head and towards the ground.
I hit the ground quickly - landing with my right leg spread out, my left pulled in, and my right hand splayed against the ground for further support - and look up. The Deathstalker fell in front of the super Grimm, it's tail lodged in it's enemy. It is attempting to stand slowly yet keeps collapsing as it does. Mr. F is clawing at the webs covering it's eyes. It had fallen down to it's left knee. It's right foot is planted on the ground still. Both monsters are ignoring each other right now. We could—
"HHHYAAAAGGHH!" Yang roars out as she delivers a powerful series of right and left hooks to the wolf's exposed ankle. The beast screams as it pounds it's fists against the Forest floor. Dust and smoke spits and surges into the air blocking my view. I cover my eyes to prevent myself from being blinded. Come to think of it... Why am I covering my eyes? My Aura will protect me from any actual debris. I remove my hand and see the shapes of the beast as it snarls.
But the super Grimm is now deprived of a foot. Yang snapped it's ankle clean off! It fell to it's right side with a crash. Yang must've dodged between it's legs, because she's standing in front me and behind it. Her fists are pointed to the ground as she lets loose a blast of her shotgun-gaunlets. I should learn their name... If they have a name. Are they simple like my Web-shooters? Or something overly unnecessary? Hmm... I'll ask later.
The Grimm - the zombie one - writhes as it looks down to it's footless leg. It roars and is poorly prepared for Yang's arcing punch to the jaw. It cocks it's head as it's left cheekbone snaps off - ripping black muscle open - causing the lower jaw to dangle to the right side. It's roar becomes a choking snarl.
"Look out!" Yang's still in the air just below the monster's jaw. The Deathstalker's tail whips her with the flat side of it's stinger. She rockets off past the treeline and into the Forest behind me. I hear a distant thumping. Damn... I'm glad that wasn't me.
"Chhhaaa... Chhhhrraaaaa...!" I turn back to face the monsters. The super Grimm is rising up onto its knees as it's silent foe weakly lunges forward. The wolf hurtles back - forcing me to backflip unless I get crushed - and rakes it's claws over it's enemy's half-melted face. The scorpion groans as it's tail whips back and forth. I look past the monsters. My partner is missing and so is Weiss. So much for loyalt—
"CCCRRRAAASSSSHHHH!"
Ice incases the wolf's head and the scorpion's chest together in a oversized icecube. The Deathstalker writhes while the wolf goes still. I look around and see no source for the sudden drop in temperature. Huh... A miracle from the Brothers...?
"Aaarrrgggghh!" I spin around to see Gray Man lunging from above - how'd he get up there? - and bringing his mace against Mr. F's head. The wolf's skull partially caves in as it's body fully collapses. The scorpion collapses forward as well. The ice is quickly melting. Gray Man fell to the ground before the Deathstalker. I should do something, shouldn't I?
"Uggh..." Gray Man groans as I catch the falling monster. From pain or frustration I do not know. My hands are splayed against the freezing ice cube - Gods, that's cold! So cold it burns! - and I push up. The monster and fragmented oversized icecube - which probably weigh a few tons, at least - are forced a solid five foot one inch into the air. Yeah, five foot one. Don't judge me, ehhh... Me?
"Ugggghhh! G-go already!" I grumble back to Gray Man. I can't hold this for much longer! It's taxing my Aura... And my back! I haven't done cardio in weeks!
"Y-yeah..." He crawls to his feet before running off. I stumble back... How am I gonna get outta here without being crushed?
I look around and see Jack and... Oh yeah! His old friend shit. I push up as I groan. Oh, this is starting to hurt my muscles! One cramp and I'm dead.
"Need a hand?" I glance back to see Yang's Princess. She's more dignified looking now that she's not vomiting. I look back to the quickly thawing ice. The Deathstalker is renewing it's struggles now. I push harder.
"N-naaaahhh! I'm good... G-got this covered!" I nod to her. She frowns and glares. Then she smiles. She starts walking off. Shit... I actually do need a hand. Or several. I bite my lip... Life or the loss of dignity? Screw it. I gave up dignity a looong time ago!
"H-hey! I act-actually... Could use a little help," Nothing. She merely waves back without another look, "P-please?" She stops. She tilts her head. Her white hair sparkles from the sunlight. She nods to herself.
"As you wish." She turns and holds her thin rapier up. She narrows her eyes before stabbing it into the ground. A black... Glyph... Forms. Oh... Oh... She is one of them. That's a problem for future me, not current me.
The Glyph encapsulates the Grimm. It freezes in place. I glance to her. She motions to drop it. I do. It doesn't fall. I back away. I quickly run away over to Yang's Princess. Oh, and Gray Man's here as well! Where was he hiding a few seconds ago?
"Thanks," I give a thumbs up to the Schnee. She frowns in response, "That's how you should respond when someone helps you." I point to Gray Man as I spin around to face the Grimm. He glares yet remains silent.
"Bwwaaahhhh! Ssssssrraassssshhhhhhhwwaahhh!"
I hear a sudden hissing as the super Grimm's body lurches upward. It's back arches as it begins convulsing. Weiss pulls her sword from the ground as Gray Man readies his mace. I raise my fists.
"Kkkkrrrkkkkhhhhhaasssss..."
The Deathstalker hisses as it goes still. It begins turning into black smoke. That's one dead at least. I focus on Mr. F as it's stomach forms bubbling pustules and sickening growths. The Schnee takes in a deep breath as she prepares herself. I do too.
"Son of a bitch! I'll- Oh..." I glance back to see Yang. She had just emerged from the treeline covered in bramble and twigs and dirt. Her eyes are blazing red as her hair... Burns... Gold? Weird. I have to ask her about that later.
"Oh... Oh shit..." A dark shadow falls over me. I can see Gray Man stepping back from the corner of my eye. I can hear Weiss gasping. I can see a shocked and almost... Scared expression on Yang. I can smell blood. I can hear popping sounds and the swishing of wind as something fast yet thin whips through the air. I want to look forward, back to the Grimm, but I am too scared. I force myself too anyway. I see—
"Oh... Oh shit..." It's stomach had torn open. Dozens of oily black, reflective, and gooey tentacles tear through. The tentacles vary from short to long and thick to thin. They whip about randomly as a few of the bigger ones impale into the ground and hoist the not-quite-dead-Beowolf-thing into the air by a solid ten feet. It's limbs dangle uselessly.
"I-ice? Weiss? Ice?" I mutter as it towers over us. The longer tentacles develop white spikey protrusion that rupture through the goo. The tentacles begin pointing towards us. We're so, so, so, soooooo dead, aren't we?
"Ssssrrraassssss!" Tentacles lash out at us. I leap over one only for a second to nail me in the chest. It sends me flying to the ground. I roll to my side and look up.
"Uuaaagh!" Gray swipes at a tentacle with his mace. The black limb splatters like wet clay onto the ground. Another wraps around his ankle and pulls him to the ground. Weiss must've been caught off guard because she's lying to my left near a tree. About twenty feet away. She's barely standing on wobbling legs. The monster is focusing solely on Gray Man now.
It has suspended him into the air as several more tentacles begin wrapping around his limbs. He's struggling as they pull him closer and closer to the lifeless corpse the limbs originate from. I push myself onto my knees. I extend my hand and-
"Sss... Sss... Sss..." I'm out of Web fluid. The bracelet hisses yet nothing comes out. I look down to my wrist with wide eyes, "Shit!"
"G-get off me!" I struggle to my feet. That tentacle slap did a number on me... My Aura is flickering blue. I look forward. The monster's corpse is suspended by three large tentacles as the smaller ones attack Gray Man. They've covered his arms and legs and are pulling them in opposite directions. If he didn't have Aura... He's not going to survive long like that. I step forward only to stumble down to one knee. I grasp my chest.
"Ugghh..." I can feel a hot lashing of pain in my abdomen. Maybe something tore... Or a bone fractured? Aura should stop that from happening. But then again Aura doesn't stop ALL damage from getting through, only most. I grit my teeth and fight back a cough as I stand again. I bend my legs and prepare for a leap. I can probably—
"Ssssttrrraasskkk!"
"SSSSSRRRRAAASSSSSSHHHHH!"
"Ahhh!"
A flash of red tears through the tendrils in an instant. Gray Man collapses to the ground covered in oily goo and coughing. Severed tentacles squirm like worms as they writhe. The corpse-Grimm-parasite-thing stumbles backwards as if surprised. Standing in front of Gray Man is Red Girl. She's brandishing her spear - the tip of which is stained in black goo - and hovering over him defensively. So she can fight? Good. We'll need that.
"Get back!" She yells. Gray Man hurriedly picks up his mace - which had been embedded in a severed tentacle - and retreats back to me. We briefly share a look before turning back to face our enemy. Red Girl is stepping back yet doesn't break eye to... Slime? Contact. The monster remains still.
"What's your name?" I ask Gray Man without looking at him. He's standing a foot or two in front of me but a few feet to my right.
"Cardin," I nod to myself. Better than Gray Man, "Yours?"
"Crimson." I faintly see a nod. He doesn't speak after so I don't either. Yang, Weiss, Cardin. Now there's just Red Girl's name. Oh, and Jaune. Where is he? I never did see him.
"Sssssrrraassss!" The corpse-monster lurches forward as new tentacles erupt out of it's chest. They attempt to impale Red Girl yet she dodges them via a backflip - cutting one's tip off, even. I hear rushing steps behind me. I don't have time to look before another volley of tentacles rush out.
This time they split off. Five or so go for Red Girl, attempting the same strategy as before. However the second set of limbs targets myself and Cardin. They speed forward with a whistle. The first one is met with a downward swing of Cardin's mace while the second is met with my punch. That did not go too well for me.
"O-oh! My hand!" My fist is trapped by dozens of small tentacles. They wrap around each other forming the main limb - the limb itself is composed of thousands of these smaller limbs. The slime rushes up my hand and over my fist. It pulls me forward as a second hits me in the head. I'm laying down. I can't breathe! It's covering my face! I try clawing it off with my free hand.
"Braassss!" The limb around my hand snaps as Cardin's mace crushes and tears into it. Goo splatters and the second tentacle - still pressing against my head - is met with the same fate. I crawl back as the severed limb falls onto my lap. It begins losing solidity as the many small limbs that compose it melt into a watery liquid. It smears and stains my pants black.
I stare down at it for a moment before a shadow falls over me. I look up to see Gray Man extending his palm to me. I take it. He helps me stand.
"Thanks." He nods as we turn to face the monster. Red Girl has severed some more limbs but for everyone cut down two more replace it. The monster's body is remaining distant, though...
"HHHHYYYYAAAAAGGGHH!" Yang is like a fiery yellow meteor as she soars overhead. Her body is blazing, her right arm extended for a punch, her legs tucked in. I step back out of surprise.
"SSSSSSSRRRRASSSSSASASASSSSHH!" Her fist embeds into the thing's chest. It is thrusted backwards and sent tumbling. Like a stone against water, it bounces up and down as it skids against the Forest floor. Yang herself hits the ground like a rock. But like a rock, she doesn't let that stop her as she's on her feet and moving in no time. Red Girl stares after Yang before pursuing her.
"Ha... Looks like you pissed yourself." I shake my head as I look to Cardin. He points to my pants. I look down and... Yeah, that black stain isn't flattering, is it?
"W-well... Monster goo, man! It's monster goo..." That sounds even worse, doesn't it? Based off his sleazy smile it certainly does, "Screw you."
I run off and after the girls. I see a fireball race past me - parallel to me - as Yang uppercuts the monster's body into the air. The girls are about forty feet from me. The monster crashed into the structure and flattened it. Only a few pillars remain-
"Braasss!" One of which just collapsed courtesy of Yang's uppercut launching the tentacle-mass into it. Red Girl is slicing off the limbs while Yang focuses on beating it's body to death. Remember that fireball?
"Ssssssrrararararassss!" Yeah it set the monster on fire. Predictably. It's tentacles are whipping at random objects more than attacking the girls now. Pieces of it bubble and burst as it's body begins to break down. Yang picks up a fallen tree and uses it like an overgrown bat to swing the flaming monster away. It crashes halfway between myself and the ruined structure.
"Why are we just standing here?" Cardin's voice is behind me. I hadn't realized I took a few steps until now. I see Weiss running past me before dropping to a knee and stabbing her sword into the ground. The burning wolf-tentacle-monster-thing is encased in solid ice. It's bottom half, that is, while the upper half - the goo half - remains on fire.
"What are we gonna do that they can't? You keep needing saving every five seconds and I'd rather not die." Red Girl's spear cleaves into the frozen bottom. Yang uses the spear like platform to jump into the air before punching into the mass. Bad idea for her as her fist became encased in flaming slime. A firey tentacle wraps around her foot and slams her into the ground with enough force to shake it. I wince.
"I... I don't need saving..." I hear Gray Man mutter, "I'm... I don't need saving!" I simply nod my head and let the conversation end there. I hear him grumbling to himself. I don't care.
"I-I... I don't need to be saved! I-I can prove it!" Oh. There goes Cardin racing towards the monster. Cool. Can't wait to have to save him again. That's really becoming a recurring theme, isn't it? Yeah, yeah... It totally is.
Weiss pulls her sword up from the ground as Gray Man rushes past her. She doesn't seem to give it much though as she shoots a fireball via her Glyph. Huh... The fire Glyph is orange. The ice one is white. There was a black Glyph, too. How many tricks does she have up her sleeve? She better not be holding out on us right now!
"Sssssrrrrassss!"
"Bhhhhk!"
Cardin side steps a tentacle whip. He severs it with him mace as Red Girl uses her Semblance - I presume it to be her Semblance. Could be some kind of Gravity Dust, too - to pull back her spear without touching it. Cardin clocks an attacking tentacle with a upward swing of his mace. Yang's starting to get back up, too.
"Damn..." Yang's shotgun gauntlets rip through a swarm of attacking limb. They splatter but a few get past the hail of shells and thrust into her chest. She's knocked back as another tentacle wraps around neck and another ensnares her fist. It pulls her arm back as the one around her neck raise her into the air. Her Aura flickers yellow from the fires racing across the black limbs and around her skin where they touch.
Red Girl's spear is taken from her after it's impaled in a tentacle she couldn't sever. She stumbles forward as the flaming limb disarms her only to smother her face. It coils around her head in a flaming snare.
Cardin's doing better than I thought he would. He's smashing limbs left and-
"Aaahhh! Fu-" Oh, he's in the air again. The tentacles pull away his weapon and slither over his fingers. They launch him into the ground as they begin taking turns to wail upon him like whips of fire. Almost like something out of Dax's Infernium... But less moral preaching and more people being burned alive by Grimm. Or they would be if not for their Aura.
"Hey, Weiss! You got this!" I cheer as she dodges a tentacle whip. She looks back to me for a second - only a second - to glare and say something pretentious - probably - but a tentacle slams into the back of her head. She falls forward as another circles around her waist. They raise her into the air as she flails her rapier. Sometimes it hits something, but most of the time it hits just air. More tentacles - ones not on fire - sprout from the charred monster corpse and begin attacking Weiss. She cuts a few but they quickly disarm her and immobilize her limbs.
"Well... Shit," Guess it's just me now, "Knew we should've run..." I still could... But I'm no coward. If I die then I'll do so with dignity! What little dignity I have left, anyway.
I look down to my right wrist. No fluid in that bracelet. I look to my left wrist... Maybe about 1/3rd of the way full? Enough for a few tricks at least. I look back up to the monster and my... 'Buddies'. Red Girl is being suffocated by the mass around her head. Cardin's being turned into a landmark courtesy of a tentacle smashing. Weiss is being constricted. Yang's being choked out as tentacles slime into her gauntlets. They plug up the barrels. That's pretty smart. Smarter than a half-dead zombie should be.
I take a deep breath as I raise my head back. I can feel a slight tremble in my knees. I clench my fists. Well... Now or never, eh?
I run forward and jump into the air. I go up by thirty or forty feet - high enough that I can look down at the flaming monster-mass below - and I extend my left arm. I flatten my palm, tilt my wrist down, and pull my middle and index finger back to add pressure on the bracelet. My pointer, pinky, and thumb fingers extend forward. I pull my legs close to my thighs. I'm pointing down to it's chest at a vertical angle.
"Sssswwwiiiissshhh!"
A stream of white liquid shoots into a thin line. It originates from my Web-shooter. It's faster than me. It almost whistles as it zooms towards the target. Everything seems to almost slow. Yang's choking gasps, the sound of rocks splitting as Cardin is beat into the earth, Weiss's scream as she's constricted, and Red Girl's muffled cries. The tentacles seem to stop mid air. The flames go still, too. My web is barely even inching forward. I can feel the hairs on my neck standing on end.
"Sssssssrrrraaassss!'
"Thwip!"
"Bggkggkggkggk!"
My feet hit it in it's chest. They initially sink into the growing, bubbly mass of back. I managed a second web towards the shattered ruins beyond us. A pillar. I pull and it falls back with my feet slipping free. They're stained in slime and writhing little tendrils. I spin around so my back faces the ground and see the monster bent backwards. It's head is twisted limp, it's chest pointing towards me as green goo spews out from a thin slit inside the inky darkness. It's tentacles squirm as t falters. Weiss is dropped, Cardin's left embedded in dirt, and it releases Yang. It takes Red Girl with it as it tumbles down and over itself. It ends up on it's stomach with it's back facing the ground. Red Girl is to it's side. Some of the tentacles are still holding her in place but they released enough for me to see her purple, gasping face. I—
"Ughh!" My back hits the ground hard and I go tumbling. Left and right. I feel shattered rocks hitting my head, sharps stones jabbing my side, and the gentle kiss of concrete against my face as I slide to a stop, "My baaaack...!" I'm gonna have back problems when I get older, ain't I? Damn... I push myself up with my right arm so I'm on my knees. My left hand drifts to a stinging pain in my lower back. My head feels a little fuzzy, too. I see triples of everything. I blink rapidly and now it's only doubles. Is that better?
"AAAARRRRAAAAHHH!" I hear Yang's yell and loud thundering smashes. I can taste something coppery in my mouth. I rise and push myself fully upright - on my knees - and raise my right arm to my mouth. When I pull back my fingers I see some blood. I shake my head and rub it along my pants. Gonna stain, but I don't care. I look left.
"Braagghh!" Yang's pulsing with yellow fire. Each punch sends the beast flying backwards by a dozen feet or so. They're near the edge of the clearing. The monster's missing a few limbs. Some white bones are ripping through it's skin.
"SSSSSRRRAASSSSSS!" The black mass is screeching. Like nails on a chalk board! Or Sub-Maltica's Tarnisher album. Either way, I clutch my ears tightly. I do keep watching. Sometimes the tentacles strike Yang quickly and whip her away. She gets back up like nothing and continues the fight. Sometimes it tries to restrain her. When that happens Weiss either shoots a fireball or Red Girl uses her spear - which she somehow reclaimed - to sever the limb. Otherwise they're playing keep away and letting Yang do all the hard work. I don't think she minds that, though.
"KKKKKRRRAAAAGGGGG!" The monster is sent flying through a few trees. They collapse and begin to burn. The flames travel quickly across the grass and create scorching veins in the dirt. I can see Cardin beginning to slowly stand before collapsing.
I place my hand on my right knee. I try to fully stand only to fall onto the ground. I clench my fists as I taste copper again. I can smell it now. I push my fists against the ground until I am on my hands and knees. I shift my left leg to plant my foot on the ground. I slowly stand and stumble against a pillar. My chest—
"KKKKKRRRRAAAAGGG!" I raise my eyes from the ground up to the clearing. I see a path of collapsed trees leading deeper into the woods. I can hear distant thundering and occasional flashes of blue or orange or yellow light. Red Girl, Yang, and Weiss are absent. Cardin is still lying in his hole.
"I'm tired of being thrown around like a toy," I mutter between shakey breaths, "And I'm tired of running out of web fluid." Last time that happened it almost rendered me a red and blue pancake against a concrete road back in Mistral. I shake my head before pushing myself away from the pillar. I stumble forward without falling this time. I clutch my right shoulder with my left hand. I got some tears along my vest and some cuts running down my pants. There's a few bruises along my arms. I feel... Stiff... And a little sore. Nothings blurry anymore, so... Good?
I slowly make my way from the ruins. I'm sure the girls are fine for now, but Gray Man? He ain't looking swell. He's alive. I can faintly hear breathing, and he is - sometimes - moving. More like shifting, but it still counts.
Eventually my stumbling turns into walking. A slow walk with the occasional misplacement of steps, but... It's walking! I look around further and see flaming trees near the newly formed path leading back into the Forest. The wooden giants are yellow and orange as embers fly from them. Luckily there's little wind so it shouldn't spread fast. BUT unluckily there's little wind, so... Forest fire?
"I remember smelling a fire. And seeing smoke." After the Headmaster sent us off into this death pit. I wonder if that one is still raging? Based off the smoke it seems to have been going for awhile. And there's a real possibility of a second fire now thanks to Weiss and Yang. Probably won't reflect well on their records if they pass the Initation. And if they don't, then... Well, if they don't then any career in hunting monsters is gonna be dead in the water.
"Uu-uhhh..." I can more clearly hear Cardin now. He's groaning and managed to push himself onto his knees. He's coughing up some blood. It's smeared his chin and chest red. His left eye is swollen shut. He's missing a tooth, "Ugg-ggh!" He's spitting up a mix of saliva and blood. I cringe.
"H-hang in there champ," I say as I extend my left arm and show my palm. He stares at my hand before taking it. He's slow to stand - falling a few times - but eventually he's up. He's forced to lean against me for support though. He's laying his right arm on my left shoulder, and I'm using my left hand to help prop him up. He's a little heavier then I thought. Than again my Aura is low, so it's augmentations to my body are dwindling, "Are you still cognizant?" A groan and roll of the eyes is my answer.
"Co... Cog... Cognieez n-nuts!" He's the only one who laughs at that. His brief laughter brings with it more coughing and some blood he spits onto the ground along with a another tooth, "Ya... Y-ya gotta a-ad-admit," He's gasping between words as we walk forward, "Tha-t-that's... Pretty f-fu-funny."
"You gotta admit," I look away from him and towards a large rock. One small enough to not be a boulder yet too big to be 'just' a rock. Perfect, "Your humor is as funny as a pair of shriveled Grimm balls." He does make a hiss at that. Out of pain of anger or whatever I do not know or care to know.
"A-and yo-yours... Is a-any bet-better?" At that I remain silent. It's not, really. Less crass, I like to think, but not that much more sophisticated, "W-who ev-even are y-you? Real-r-really?" I begin shifting him over to my right as we stop. I lower him to the ground so he may rest against the large rock. He sits with his back against it.
"Crimson." He shakes his head as I look towards the firey path. It's almost entirely consumed by fire and smoke with trees collapsing form the mere heat of it. I can no longer hear the thundering or the yells. I should check on Yang...
"I k-kn-know tha-t-that!" I take a few steps away, "H-hey! Wh-where you go-goin'!" He tries shouting as I begin jogging.
"Stay here! Actually don't! Get outta... Here... Shit!" I come to a sudden stop. I can't leave him here, can I? Not in good conscience I can't. Fire, smoke, Grimm, blood loss... Too many threats.
"I-I'm go-going t-to g-go wi-with yo-y-you!" I turn back to face him as he struggles to sit upright. He can't. His hands clutch his chest when he falls back. Shit... Welp, we're doing this the damsel way then.
"Don't say anything about this to anyone!" I point to him as I near the rock. He scowls up at me, "If you do... Just don't, ok!" I command in a voice a little too high pitched for me to be speaking that way. I always wished I had a deeper voice. I don't sound like a girl or anything, and my voice isn't shirll. But it's not... Not desirable.
"Ab-about w-wh-what?" He asks. I ignore him as I scoop him into my arms. He tries to protest but breaks into coughing fits. One arm is under his leg, the other his back. I groan as I lift him up.
"Damn! What did you eat!?" Feels like he weighs a solid ton! But that's probably my aching arms acting up. He doesn't respond. I begin to walk down the forest path. I avoid the flames and duck my head down to avoid the smoke.
"Ugh! Ggh! Gah!" We're both coughing as that oaken stench worms it's way up our nostrils. It's darker here from the smoke yet an orange light ominously guides my way. There are torn tree trunks, trees with holes in them, and trees on fire. I can feel Gray Man squirming in my grasp. I bite my lip as I look around - head still tilted forward - and keep walking. Follow the fire and I'll find good ol' Yang. And her Princess. And Red Girl. Hopefully they'll still be alive by then, too!
"Pu-put me do-down!" He struggles in my grip as I duck under a partially fallen tree, "Th-this is - stop!" He starts pushing his hand into my head. I indulge his request.
"Agh!" He hits the ground with a loud thump. I watch as his now red armor gleams orange in the firelight. I cover my mouth and nose with my now free hand. He sputters and hacks up something I'd rather not describe. I step away and use my other arm to try and swat away the smoke, "A-ass-asshole!" I wonder why he's still stuttering? Maybe an internal injurt? Concussion? Fear?
"Can you walk - hrk! - on your own?" I manage between coughs, "Or am I gonna have - ugh! - H-have to carry your - agh! - ass again?" The stench of stinging smoke is overwhelming. I'm fighting the urge to simply puke my guts out right here and now. I clutch my stomach with the arm I had been using to l swat the smoke away. I feel a little dizzy...
"Y-ye-yeah!" He's grabbing onto a flaming tree. Specifically a low hanging branch yet to catch fire. He pulls himself up before staring at the branch. Despite being so close I'm having a hard time seeing through the black smoke. He's like a gray phantom in the flickering orange light, "H-hold on..."
"Ttwwaapkk!" He snaps the branch off. He uses it like a walking stick. It's up to his chest in height and about as thin as my arm. It does it's job of helping him stand, though. He gives me a nod.
"G-go... I-I'll - uggh!" He starts heaving as he leans onto his stick, "I... I-I can ha-h-hand-handle myself." I stare in him in his eyes. Really now?
"I don't think you could handle a rat's ass, man," His faint expression is hidden by the smoke. I can see a slight tilt of the head, though, "You can hardly stand even with the stick! Either by fire or Grimm, you'll die if I leave you alone!"
"So? Wh... What doe-d-does it - ughrr! - ma-matter to yo-y-you?" I clench my fists. I narrow my eyes. I grit my teeth.
'W-with... With great power...'
"To me? Personally? Not much, really. To what I believe in? My moral sensibilities? Everything!" He's finally realized that covering his mouth might help prevent suffocation via smoke inhalation. I had forgotten that. I raise a hand over my face - fingers extended - and slowly lower it down. Mask... I am a mask.
"I... Wh-w-whatever!" Is all he musters after a short silence. I turn from him, signaling for him to follow, as I jog down the path. So much time wasted... Shit! Yang could be in trouble!
Trouble? Why am I so concerned over her? She hasn't exactly been very friendly with me. I doubt she'd extend the same courtesy were she in my shoes. Hormones, maybe? No. She is... Attractive, yes, on a superficial level. But that's not why I'm acting like this. I'm not some little child controlled by his baser instincts.
It's... I don't know. Strange. I keep finding myself thinking about her. Maybe it's because of her missing sister? Speaking of which; how am I gonna break the news that good ol' Ruby may or may not be parasitized by a horrifying goo monster? Should I break the ice there? Keep it to myself? Maybe. I don't have hard evidence to confirm that limb even was her's to begin with. And if it was then... She might be dead. Or worse. Much worse. That thing... The ooze... It changes you. Slowly, at first, in little ways. But the little changes stack up after awhile.
I cough and circle around a boulder that - somehow - was melted into boiling magma. I look back at Cardin. He's barely keeping pace.
Wearing that suit is like... Before you even know it it's like your watching a movie about yourself. Your the hero! Big, strong, and intimidating! Sexy, even... Large and in charge! Stronger, faster... The ability to produce tendrils. I learned how to make webbing out of the goo. It's what inspired me to create the Web-shooters. Guess some good out of it, after all...
Before you know it, though, that movie? The one where your the hero punishing the bad guys? The one where your wearing that awesome suit? Before you know it... Everyone else in the theater is screaming.
Because your not the hero. You are the monster. And it's no action movie - but a horror flick.
It was a bitch to get rid of it, though. Nearly killed me. The strain on my heart was enough to induce cardiac arrest. I should've died. Or been disabled, at least. I passed out after, but... I woke up at home. In my bed. I don't remember how I got there, or even when. I must've blacked out after the heart attck, and... Sleepwalked my way back home? I don't know. One of the Brothers great mysteries right there, I suppose. I wonder... I wonder if maybe the suit didn—
"Baaagghghhghh...!"
"Rrraarrraarrraarrraasssss!"
I can hear a loud smashing followed by a very familiar laughing roar. How is it roaring? The body was broken! But roar is different now. It hisses towards the end.
"Watch out! It's on the temple!" I can hear Weiss, "Two more incoming!" She's commanding the other two, I believe. Sounds about right, I suppose. For a Schnee.
"No shit, Princess!" And there's the lovely dear herself, "There's more than two!" A brief argument ensues. Brothers, please shut them up! I'm so fucking tired of arguing...
"Your acting like children! Grow up!" Red Girl's voice echoes. Finally! Someone with common sense. Doubt they'll listen, though. They rarely do in my experience. All one hour or so of my experience with Weiss, and about half a day with Yang. More than enough for me.
"I... Yes, she's right. We BOTH are acting children! Indignant little children. My apologies." I can almost hear them as though they were right next to me. I glance back towards Gray-
"Shit..." He's passed out on the ground. He's not far from me. I double back and pick him up by the waist. I throw him over my shoulder and get back to jogging. I speed up into a run.
"Rrraarrraarrraarrraarrraasssssss!"
"Yang! Punch. Pyrrha! Watch Yang." Pyrrha? Who is... Red Girl? Maybe. Pyrrha... Sounds familiar. I've heard that before. Where have I heard that name? I cannot recall for the life of me. If I forgot then it's probably not very important, then.
"Qqqquuuuaaaaaahhhh!"
What in the name of all that is holy was that!? Sounds like a dying cat, a crow's caw, and a human scream all at once! Nasty. I push through the smoke. I can thin rays of yellow poking through. A little further...!
"Baaasssshhhh!" I can hear... Splashing? Something falling into water, I think. It's followed by a cracking noise and then a swooshing.
I finally push through the smoke and practically collapse onto my knees. Gray Man tumbles forward with a snort. He's splayed on the - thankfully - not on fire grass. I cough and splutter as I choke on the smoke still in my lungs. It burns. I'm lightheaded.
I shake my head back and forth. I feel... Weak. I raise my eyes too see Yang, and Weiss. The Princess is forming a wall of ice before herself to block a boulder thrown by something beyond my sight. Yang is looking back. To me. Her eyes seem to widen. She begins running over to me. She's a solid fifty feet away or so. Her coat looks a little burned, her hair messy, and one of her eyes are red. Flickering red, that is, slowly drifting back to lavender.
I look past her and see the general landscape. A cliff edge is about a hundred feet away or so. There's no trees in sight but there is small thirty foot tower of stone twenty feet from the cliff side. The top of the tower is caved in and currently... Currently... C-currently...
"What the fuck!?" Resting on the tower's head is a massive Nevermore. Bigger than the Deathstalker from earlier. It's wings are torn with massive holes in them and flaming feathers. It's left wing is broken with bones tearing through it's limb. It's stomach has been sliced open and nestled inside is the super Grimm. What's left of it, anyway. A broken and controted body missing large segments is buried deep into the bird. Gooy tentacles worm and burrow into and out of the bird's body. It's... The Nevermore is being used like a meat puppet. It's beak is broken open with tentacles spilling out of it's mouth.
"Creep!" I can hear Yang over the sounds of the fight. Weiss is blasting elements as Pyrrha plays defense. She's protecting the Schnee from spikey feathers and tentacle slashes, "Are you ok!?" Yang's face takes up my vision. Her hands slide under my arms as she lifts up with contemptuous ease. My feet leave the ground. I frown.
"Enough to sta- Ugh!" I look away from her as I cough, "S-stand." I feel my feet hit dirt. Her hands leave me, "W-what's with... That?" I step to side and point towards the living nightmare that will haunt my mind for years to come.
"No! What's with that?" I look to her. She's staring behind yet at me. I furrow my brows.
"What...?" She places a hand on my shoulder. She pulls me towards her slightly - making me tilt forward - as her other arm extends over my head.
"Don't... This'll probably hurt, ok? Try to relax." What is she going on abo—
"Ssslaassh!"
"Sonofawhorebitchmotherfucker!" Ugghhh! A burning pain tears into my back, "Fucking! Fucking! Fuck! Fuck!" I fall to my knees. I would have had Yang not caught me. She's holding me up again. Just enough to stand. One arm pushes my head back down and towards her shoulder. I feel the other arm rubbing my burning shoulder, "D-did... Was that... Necessary?" I feel a light blush. I am much closer than I'd like to be to her, ehmm... 'Assets.' W-well, I-I mean... It's not all bad, I suppose.
"You did have a five inch spike in your back, sooo..." I grumble under my breath. I don't know why she's holding me still. I push my hands against her shoulder to free myself from her grip. For a moment - only a moment - she seems to struggle with letting go.
"We got more important things to worry about than spikes in backs, ok? Like that!" I shove her to the side as a volley of feathery spikes pierce the ground we were standing on moments ago. She falls onto Cardin as I hit dirt. We both look towards the tower. Neither Pyrrha nor Weiss have made much progress against the... Screw it. That thing's a demon! Not a Grimm, not a parasite... It's a full blown demon! Like from Dax's Infernium... There was a passage in that old book. The Tower of Varnay. I read about it's collapse following the confrontation between Dax and his would-be guide, V'arjal. Huh... Falling towers.
"I got an idea! Yang, hold off for a minute." She looks to me curiously yet I ignore the stare. I look to Weiss, "Hey! Princess!" She glares back to me but not before ensuring no attacks are coming her way this time. Good.
"Don't you—"
"Yeah, yeah! Freeze the terror bird in place, ok!? With your black Glyph! Not the ice one! Then when I say so - and ONLY when I say so! - you use that fast Glyph of yours on me!" If she's really a Schnee then she has the Glyph that makes people go faster. I, ehhh... Had personal experience with that one before. During my trip to the Ozborn's Incorporated Pharmaceuticals building in Atlas. Back when dad was alive and I was young.
"Why should I listen to you!?" I scoff. She hasn't exactly been effective on her own, now hasn't she?
"Because I saved your pale, little, ass five minutes ago!" Her scowl evolves into a glare. But she relents with a brisk nod before doing as I instructed. I look to Yang, "When Weiss speeds me up you gotta push the tower, ok? Lift it with all your strength!" She nods her head. I can see the gears spinning behind her lavender eyes. She's starting to understand, I think. I look to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha!" She looks to me with big green eyes, "You... Do whatever it is you do best!" She has a little smile as she looks away. Come to think of it... That last one was a waste of time, wasn't it?
"QQQQUUUUAAAHHRRRR!?" Big Bird - Big Bird? Good enough, I suppose - starts violently thrashing as the Glyph appears beneath it's feet. It caws sickeningly. I narrow my eyes onto it as Yang rushes forward. She charges into the tower shoulder first. It shakes a little. Now or never!
"Please let there be enough for one more web!" I raise my arm and...
"Thhhhwwwwwiiip!" Yes! A strand of webbing cleanly hits the monster's chest. It uselessly flaps it's appendages causing both the tower to shake and myself to be pulled forward. I plant my feet into the ground and pull back. It's wing's plant against the tower's edge as we both struggle in this tug-of-war.
"Uugggghhhaaaahh!" Yang's letting out a groaning scream as her muscular arms ripple. They gleam from sweat as her fingers dig underneath the tower's foundation and pull, "Aaaaggggghh!" She's able to shift it up and back a few feet. Than a few more. The bird is starting to lean back and over the tower's edge and towards the cliff. I take a deep breath.
I let the monster overwhelm me. I let it fling me into the air by dozens of feet. I pull back with my arms and extend my feet. I'm flying up and at an angle towards it's chest. Towards where the black mass is bubbling out in thick rivets.
"UUUAAAAAGGGGHHH!"
"SssstttTTTRRRAAAGGGSSSHHH!"
"QQQQQQQUUUUUAAARRRRSSSSS!" The tower is toppling down towards the edge of the cliff. My feet are sinking past Grimm muscle and into it's slime underneath. Little tentacles are slowly tearing out of its innards and making a dash towards me. My momentum is being exerted now. I smile.
"Wiess!" I see yellow light forming around me as everything speeds up. There's a blur of black, a feeling of cold, and crushing pain around me. It goes away quickly as black blurs green. I can see gray cracks forming in the green and hear a whistling sound. Green completely gives to gray.
"GGGGGRRRAAAAGGGG!"
Things slow down as quickly as they sped up. I'm by the cliff side. The ground is tearing and falling apart. Rips and cracks form within it. I see the monster's head and wings as it falls down the cliff alongside it's roast. I quickly turn back to see Yang, Weiss, and Pyrrha. Pyrrha's by Cardin now with her spear planted in the ground. Yang's running towards me with wide eyes. Weiss is channeling a Glyph, I think.
"I didn't actually think that would work..." I mutter with a smile. I can feel the ground caving beneath me. I take step forward only for rocks to pin my foot in place. I stepped into a crevice, "Oh. Shit."
"BAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!"
"Creep!" Her arm reaches for me. She's a few feet away. I can feel the rocks already giving way. I smile to her. I wave goodbye.
"CRIMSON!"
She actually said my name for once. That's nice.
The sky is blue. I can feel wind whipping against my back. I find myself falling.
I raise my left arm. I lower my wrist, extend my pinky, pointer, and thumb while pulling back my index and middle finger.
"Sss... Sss...Sss..." Nothing comes out of the Web-shooter. This is a pretty bad time for spider-webtile dysfunction, isn't it? Damn. I can feel my momentum growing stronger as I fall. Suppose I should have a look, shouldn't I?
I turn around to face what's below me. I see a lake. A big one. Maybe the ocean. The monster is falling, too, but faster. It's near the water's edge. Guess we'll both die here, eh? Either from the sheer momentum - cuz' from this height the water might as well be concrete considering the sheer speed I'm falling at. And the height. Hundreds of feet. Maybe thousands. Maybe evem a mile or two. Even if we survive the initial fall - which, being realistic here... We're not going to - we'll drown.
I'm not scared of dying. Not like this, at least. I helped people... I saved Cardin, Wiess, Yang, and Pyrrha. I saved a lot of people. I couldn't save Ivory, though... Not her. Or Ruby. Not Yang's little sister. I suppose she's... Just another Ivory. Another person I failed to protect added to the pile.
Ruby... Yang talked about her on the way towards the cliff. The one we were launched from. She sounded like a happy kid. A good kid. Yang told me about how Ruby and her use to draw together. How they use to sing together. How they use to train together. She told me about how Ruby and her found their dog, Zw... Zwe... something with a z! And Ruby killed another dog to protect him. She told me Ruby has silver eyes.
Silver eyes. I met a woman with silver eyes once. When I was young. She helped dad with a project before his death. I saw her at dad's funeral. She was a tall woman. A kind woman...
I hope if anyone has a happy ending in this story we call life, it's Ruby. That kid. No one should lose their mom while they're so young... Or a dad. Or a uncle. Yang told me about-
"Damn..." That water is getting closer and closer. I don't have long before I die, do I? If I'm dying here then so be it. I've done what little I could to make this world a better place. I... I... I...
I close my eyes. I take in a deep breath. I... I still love you, Ivory.
"Swwwasssshhhhh!"
Aira of Ashes here.
Hello everyone! I hope you've all had a wonderful time. There are a few things I want to address: but first the comments!
juab1445 - Gracias! Eres bastante amable.
dhestrya - Thank you again, again! Have a pleasant evening. Or morning. Depends on where you live.
Kenny9x3 - We're getting very close to her vengeance, indeed. After the next chapter, we will see our heroine arrive to the capital city of Vale. And meet a whole cast of new characters. A few originals, plus a special someone from the Venom comics we all love to hate. Some will be friendly, some not so much, some are... A mix. Some will be more ambiguous.
whoeft - There is no need to apologize. It is alright. I, too, suffer from sleeping issues. Insomnia. I can't sleep until my body passes out from sheer exhaustion. Sometimes I'll stay up for days at time. It gets... Rough. Sometimes I get confused about certain things during those times. I wish you luck in overcoming any potential insomnia you may have. It's a more serious condition than most realize.
And now some important things: Chapter 9 (I don't count the AN as a actual chapter despite what this website claims) will be released shortly. Within a few days to a week. I've already started development of Chapter 10!
These past few days I've been struck with creativity. Maybe my writer's soul has been invigorated or something. I don't know. Just yesterday I finished development of Chapter 8 and I've spent the past few days preparing it for it's publication.
Chapter 9 is going to be combat focused, of course. Ruby will have her rematch with the Machine. By Chapter 10 we will FINALLY be free of the Emerald Forest. Yay!
Anything else...? Oh, yes. I recall now. Starting with Chapter 10 I will begin introducing new themes into this story. Darker themes. Something that might make people squeamish. It won't revolve around our dear Rose, but someone she will into contact with.
My ambitions have greatly expanded since Chapter 1. This story was originally going to be only ten or so Chapters long. Can you believe that?
For now; goodbye everyone! I wish you a happy day or night. Whichever you find yourself in.
For now: I will return to the void and fade into ashes.