Black Stars

by Aria of Ashes

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

6. Friend or Foe?

"Do you think time is a bind? Like a rhyme? Or just a lie, perhaps?" A towering statue stares down at me. Red light gleams off of his rusted skin. He has one long arm draped over a broken pedestal. Another, much shorter arm, clutches something close to his chest. His voice is booming and deep.

Bind? Maybe it is a dime? For a crime? No. Time is a grind. A farce! It compells us all to forget. I won't forget! Until I do, of course.

"Do you remember the time before the grime? When all was thusly mine?" The statue's yellow eyes peer at me from on high with a knowing look. I nod slowly, raising my arms to the sky.

"Isn't the water of life effervescent? Like transparency! In clarity? Or rarity!" I chuckle at the end of my retort. The scarlet giant brings a finger to his chin as he rests his posture. He hums a jolly tune.

"Mayhaps life is a rifle? A shooting thing - bittersweet in it's execution. Mayhaps time is a token of life's reprieve... And death is a gripe? Ripe? Befell in illusion; we delude ourselves into postoperative thinking." Maybe... Maybe it is. Or maybe life is still. Unchanging, like stone. Or maybe it's like bones. Brittle and prone to breaking.

"I think life is a rife. Full of fruitful things; helpful things. I believe life is a trifle. Ripe with hurtful things - but a life with no strife is no life at all!" I finish my declaration with a smile. The statue rises to his full height as he frowns. He moves his long arm from the pedestal. I hear the sound of metal scraping against metal as he does.

"Hmmmmm... If strife is life's purpose than one must ponder the wondrous nature of death, no? To be dead is to be content." I frown as he turns his back to me. He starts doing something to the pedestal before turning once more to face me. He drops a large mechanism before me. It's oval-shaped with many nozzles and tubes snaking around it and through it. The centerpoint consists of a blinking yellow light surrounded by numerous nozzles and exhaust ports. It warm enough to heat the air around me.

"H-how...? That's not possible...! O-or probable!" I remember this. The machine! Dad's experiment... One of dad's experiments. The last one he was working on before he died. The one his partner took after the foreclosure of the lab...

"What is possible is not often probable. Reality is a fantasy ushered forth by the confused. Are you confused? Or confounded?" I look away. Up towards the red and blue sky. I take in a deep breath as I close my eyes.

"If reality is fantasy... Then is mundanitiy also fundamentality? Where is the line drawn?" The red giant toys with the machine. Twisting it around, eyeing it closely. He sniffs at it before smiling.

"There isn't a line, but a spiral. Circling inwards always, but never outwards. Time is a whirlpool. Like a maelstrom - it cries at unheeded whines. Crying, marring, scarring. It takes as it gives; a rye most dry." I scowl at the giant. I raise a hand to rest against the warm mechanism - letting it burn away the cold within me.

"It was here... Where the dime fell, and I met the grime... Where my time did unwind into spiraling imagination," I lower my gaze to the floor. He died here. Alone. Because of me, "Is this the place of vexing? When dying and living and being and lying are no longer worth the distinction?" I raise my eyes to the red titan. The giant smiles sadly as he lowers his gaze to meet mine.

"Mine or dine. To rule or to duel! To dwell or to befell? Mine is yours; t'was a simple acclamation," I laugh without laughing. I cry without crying. I live without dying, "Do you remember it's gift to you? Do you remember what you did with those hands?" I stare at my empty palms. I remember only... Only Ivory's broken neck. I remember her lifeless orange eyes staring at me...

"It survived the seperation through it's desperation. You failed... Again," I look to the giant. He frowns sadly. He tilts his head questioningly. I look to my hands again. They are covered in drooping red... A red that oozes black when it hits the wooden floor. I remember the cold... The rage... The hunger. The power! The power to make all the wrongs right...

"The power of murder. The power you rejected. Where has this power gone, I ponder? To whom has it latched onto in it's rage? Will they be as strong as you? Strong enough to resist?" They will have to be... I'm done with it! Let it burn for all I care! I HATE IT! IT RUINED MY LIFE!

"Ruination and revelation are often confused. It did not kill her. He did. Not out of rage, or malice, or retribution. But because he wanted too." I fall to my knees. He killed her... Murderer! He is a murderer! A monster... Roses. I remember he smelt like roses.

"T'was the only path available... Remember the pain? The fear? Remember the loneliness? All because you thought you knew better. I remember the dime as it befell our hallow day. The day time did become a spiraling bind! I remember it all too well. Snap, snap, snap..." I clutch at my head tightly. Shut up! SHUT UP! BE QUIET!

"T-th-this is a dream, isn't it!? A-and your... Your my subconscious mind! What are you trying to say!?" Just spit it out! Stop with these ryhmes and these riddles! STOP IT!

"You want the truth? The hard truth? You want to know? Do you really?" I glare at the giant. I point to him.

"TELL ME! STOP THIS! Speak plainly!" He frowns. He pulls his hand away from his chest. He looks at something in his grip before sighing. He nods slowly. He lowers his arm to me, twisting his palm to face me. He opens his fingers wide.

"N-no... No! NO! TAKE IT AWAY! NO!'' Black slime dribbles between his fingers. It oozes towards me. I fall back, crawling away.

"No! NO! NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! STAY BACK!" Tendrils shoot out at me. They wrap around my feet and pull me close. I kick at it to no avail.

"Stop! STOP! HELP ME! SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP ME! GET IT AWAY!" I punch at the liquid to no effect. It oozes over my fists, across my arms. It forces my limbs down - pins me in place as a tendril rises into the air. I scream.

"As fear is to deer, is the deer too meer? Sneer. Sincere." It impales my chest. I feel the freezing ice spreeding into my heart. My scream goes silent. I can't move.

"As pain is too the lame, so is peer too the peerless. Violence is not the answer; but the choice. And you made yours long ago."

---

"Specimen 6. You received a special visitor recently! A most... Ha! 'Apprecitsive' of guests." I stare through it's cell. A glassy orb suspended into the air by Gravity Dust. The orb itself is surrounded by a thin lair of Hardlight Dust to prevent escape. But I suspect we will have to increase security soon. The other Specimens have been growing rowdy since Specimen 1's most... Unfortunate escape. But Specimen 6? It has been especially active recently.

"The others are most ignorant. They think you an animal! Perposterous!" I watch as it forms tendrils with which to pull itself across it's prison. It is silver in coloration. Streaks of red slither across it's form. It pulsates - emitting a shrill whistling sound as it does. Breathing? The others don't breathe. We've contained them in airtight chambers before siphoning the oxygen out. Unless the conpound is proving successful? It better. This latest formula took me seven years to perfect!

I rise to my full height. I walk over to the side of the chamber, over to a nearby teriminal. I lower myself to the keyboard and begin to type. I keep my eyes fixated on the extraterrestrial mass.

"SSSSSRRRRAAAAAAASSSSSS!" Bolts of golden electricity arc into it. It explodes outward to blanket it's prison. It is in such immense pain... But alive. I had hoped the compound would insulate it's cells against the electromagnetic pulses. It appears not. It was more expressive in the early days. Before the injection of the compound.

I was hesitant about the experiment. At first, that is. Then I saw Specimen 1... We only had three of them back then. No designstions, either. One was a seperate species from the other two. Something vaguely human shaped yet it possessed skin like an eel and a face like a squid. It had seven limbs. One had been severed during it's... Eh, let's call it what it was. It's execution. We knew it wouldn't survive. It was the least valauble of the Specimens, anyway.

"SSSSSSRRRRAAAAAAA! SSSSRRRRR!" I up the voltage. It sizzles like grease. It even pops! And smokes, too. It's cries go quiet. It seems to partially harden in response to the electrons. Portions of it bubble and pop and spew out gray smoke. Intriguing... But expected. This is not new behavior.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZSSSSHHHHhhhssszzzzz!" The buzzing of the machine dulls as I lower the voltage to no more than a meager shock. Not even visble to the naked eye. The Specimen seems to regain some sense of control. It pulls itself together as it returns to a mostly liquid state.

I approch the cell. I rest my hand against it. The Specimen uses tendrils to pull itself away form me. It is afraid. This is expected. The Specimens display instinctive behaviors despite their lack of any notable organs. How do they feel despite the lack of a nervous system or a brain? How do they survive? These questions allude me even now after all these years. Angering.

"I know there is more to you. I know you understand me, Specimen 6." I know this one is different. Unique. SR-13, the compound, has had intriguing reactions to this particular Specimen. It is mutating. The General thinks it will die, or become like the Protoype. What a fool! To think he can bend them to his will... Idiot. A useful idiot, though. One day, probably soon, I will have to... Remove him. He is growing suspicious of my true motive.

"He thinks you and I are tools. Servants. But I think we both know better than that, now don't we?" This one is my favorite. Violent. Clever. It almost esacped last week by faking it's own death. If Doctor Jade hadn't decided to addminister another voltage than it would've escaped. I find it ironic that Doctor Jade despises me so. We both have our secrets. He with his obsession over radiation, and I with the Creatures of Grimm. Difference is one is uncontrollable and always lethal. The other is a mere beast to be broken before the alter of Mankind.

"Yes, Docor Jade believes himself clever. Beyond my ability to watch. But I do watch him. Always. He's the best of us at what he does. I cannot allow such talent to be wasted on a foolish obsession!" Not when we gamble with the fate of all Mankind! What use is gamma radiation to us? It cannot heal, or restore, or repair! It is only deadly. Corruptive. He plays with fire, that Doctor Jade. One day he will burn.

Doctor Jade is so very meek. Easily intimidated. Controlled. That will be most useful to me very soon. But the General eyes him, too. He follows around the Tin-Man like a mutt. Pitiful. After the General is dealt with, Doctor Jade will be mine! With his intelligence and mechanical knowledge we can complete Project Symbiosis together! After that? He is expendable.

"Yet that still leaves Project Assimilation. Doctor Steel's death was most tragic, indeed. Being constricted by Specimen 1... What a shame." Indeed, it was so very horrible how the Sepcimen mysteriously esacped while she was conveniently the only one present in the lab that night. Such a tragedy... Yet I profited immensely. Her death was essential. The Specimen's escape was a necessary sacrifice. I do wonder how it fairs in the wild. Is it still alive? If so I do not know. The General may but I am not permitted such information... Not while he remains in power.

I walk towards a vial of red liquid. It is suspended by wires and tubing that leads into the cell. SR-13. A glorious development in genetic manipulation. I devised it myself. It took years... Lots of blood, too. Not mine though.

"Summer Rose. Her sacrifice is much appreciated. Ha... Ha... Ha." I do not know how or when she died. Or how they acquired the samples. I do know her blood is the secret. Something lurks within her... Something unlike the rest of us mere mortals. I dare say it's almost... Godly. The effects the blood display when merged with the X Formula are exhilarating. It displays mutagenic capabilites. Transformative... Yet it is toxic to my dear Grimm subjects. A shame.

I have dabbled in what some consider to be the dark sciences. Illegal experimentation. The Creatures of Grimm have always fascniated me. I admire their purity. A survivor... Unclouded by conscience or delusions of morality. Perfected evolution... Almost perfected. I once thought the Grimm were the answer to my species evolutionary stagnation.

Humanity is over three million years old. As a species, of course. But unlike the other creatures of this world we... We do not evolve. We do not change. We stagnat as the others grow and surpass us! I cannont let this be! I... I can not... I will not let my people delude themselves into thinking we are the apex predators! We are not. Far from it! We have so much latent power within us... So much potential! Yet the human body is so fragile and limited as it is.

In terms of total biomass the Grimm outnumber us 1,000 to 1. If they unified we would be crushed! Hopelessly outmatched...

SR-13 is toxic to my Grimm subjects. Yet the Specimen consumes it and grows evermore. I tap the vial a few times. My red optic stares back through the glass. Fascinating... The Specimens dislay a number of similarities to the Grimm I quite fancy. They are drawn to negative emotions - anger or fear most of all. Phsyical pain seems to be a strong lure to them as well. They are deadly. None of the subjects ever survived exposure to the Specimens. Except for G-R-1895. He survived exposure to Specimen 10. The yellow one.

G-R-1895 is in our captivity. He has been for fifteen years now. He is silent. He does not speak, or eat, or sleep. The Specimen changed him. He is not human anymore. He is angry, aggresive... Toxic. He once managed to kill one of our security personnel. He dragged her corpse into his cell and partially devoured her. I kept the woman's skull as a trinket. Teeth marks run along the scalp. I enjoy caressing them when I am alone in the dark.

"G-R-1895 is decidedly... Useless to me. I have attempted to execute him yet the General believes he still holds value. Foolish." G-R-1895 is a threat to our operation. If he escapes... That would cause quite the ruckus, no? Would make our dear General look incompetent... Weak before the Council. Yes, it would... It would be a shame if G-R-1895 was able to escape. I smile.

"They would send Unit U-1-0-9-4-7/A-2 after him. Or the Slayer as my colleagues have taken to calling it. Slayer... Childish name. A fitting one, however. An old name, too. Unit U-1-0-9-4-7/A-2 was developed long ago." During the Great War - slightly before it, actually. There was a man who was certain he could construct a device to prevent global catastrophe. Unit U-1-0-9-4-7/A-2 was created under the impression it would bring global peace. What a fool he was. He is dead now. Assassinated. This was before my time, of course. Before Project Symbiosis or Project Assimilation even existed. Back during the rule of the old General.

Unit U-1-0-9-4-7/A-2 was modified for combat. The Slayer was turned into a machine for war. That's how the old King of Vale ended the Great War, after all. He secreted the Slayer away to an unknown location and used it's prediction abilities to outperform all his foes and rivals. After his death the old General managed to recover the machine yet it had been further modified into a computational powerhouse. A supercomputer in the body of a mere robot. Despite our best attempts we have failed to recreate it. It is too advanced to replicate... Almost alien to some extent. The technology is revolutionary. If only I could learn how to make thar technology serve me...

I believe the surviving notes of the Slayer's construction were used in the development of the Penny machine. The synthetic humanoid android. Pietro thinks his creation his own daughter! Pathetic. Disgusting. A soulless machine is inferior to the flesh of Man! No mere metal or program can match our soul! OUR CREATIVITY! OUR DESIRE TO SURVIVE!

"Idiot! He... He thinks himself a God!" I will be God. Me! I will bring about a new age of Mankind! One where we can transcend into the stars... As we were meant too! The universe is ours for the taking! It belongs to us... To me!

"But they will never understand why my methods are necessary." Death is the cost of progress. Our understanding of the human anatomy required numerous sacrifices, no? Yet thousands of years of technological advancements, of human sacrafice have lead to... Nothing. Weakness. We remain now as we were a thousand years ago. Arrogant, overly confident. Stupid.

The human race has grown weak. Fat. Lazy. It disgusts me. The construction of the Kingdoms, of their great walls, of our machines of death have led to what? Only our continued suffering. I will change this. I am the only one who can! I alone possess the intellect and the will to succeeded! The hardest choices require the strongest wills, after all. And my will - my soul! - is mighty indeed. Even as my body grows old and weak and slow and repulsive. I know they will hate me. They will never understand. They don't need too, anyway. But they will try to stop me. The so-called heros.

"Hahaha! True heros don't wear capes or masks! Hahaha... Heros." There has been a rise in so called 'superheros'. Individuals obsessed with fighting crime, or saving the world! Preposterous. A true hero needs no cape! No Semblances! Only his mind and his will.

One of the first was the dear Captain - a Hunstmen from long ago. He rose to prominence in the Great War. Captian Atlas, they called him. The Snow-Devil was a name he earned during the Month of Darkness. He claimed the lives of innumerable foes. He was the byproduct of the old General's superhuman experiments. He attempted to form a serum that could heighten human attributes - even the power of Aura! Now... Now that is truly marvelous. Sadly the serum died when the Captian disappeared into the icy wastes during his last mission. All attempts to recreate it have produced... Hulking abominations. Or brittle nightmares.

Forumla X is the name given to our iteration of the serum. It is unstable and extremely mutagenic. It is a waste of resources, of course. All subjects either die or become monsters!

Men with crimson flesh, women with diamonds for skin, and Faunus who devolve into half-men! Children in possession of psionic abilities! Deformed freaks with a penchant for blood! Blue-skinned devils with freakish ablities! A man with flesh-hungry maggots inside him... A women who phases through matter! One little boy was subjected to the recreated serum decades ago. When I was a young man. He developed abnormal mutations. Advanced regeneration, augmented senses, and retractable bone claws. He served us as a powerful agent until his escape only a few years ago.

"Weapon X, they called him." Unit U-1-0-9-4-7/A-2 was released to hunt him. Somehow he eluded it. He remains at large to this day. His brother, however, is still ours. Sabertooth is what he calls himself during his lucid moments. He has mentally regressed thanks to the serum. He is an animal now. One who is easily controlled. But he has grown strong... Very strong. He has grown too strong. He could make a viable distraction, perhaps even more than G-R-1895. I will consider this for future use. I might even—

"Ssssssrrraaaa!" I turn to the cell to see Specimen 6 flattening itself against the glass. It is facing me. Silver liquid pulsates as red veins snake through it. It extends tentacles to fondle it's prison. I cock my head.

"What are you doing?" I approach it slowly. It condenses in on itself to form an orb shape. It straightens into a rectangle. What is it doing? Is this a form of communication?

"Ssssss... Ssssrrraaaa! Ssssssssrrrrrraaahhhh." It emits screaches and whistles. I extend my arm and place against the glass so that I am parallel to it. It condenses further down until I see only thin tentacles snaking off. I feel... I feel a sense of longing. I pull my hand away to see it mimicking me. It has assumed the shape of my hand. Tentacles imitate fingers all the way down to the spirals. This... It's telling me something.

"Sssraaahssss... Drrooosssshhhrrrrr..." What is it doing? These sounds... These are new, "Ddddrrroooscchhherrr... Fffssssseeee... Mmmmsssss?" I do not understand. What is attempting to communicate? This is new behavior... I must document this! I must—

"D... Dossssrrrr... Do... Docshshssss... Drocar... Dotarsss!" Doctor... It is saying doctor? To me? Of course me! Why wouldn't it attempt communication with I? I am the greatest of all Mankind. I am superior to all others. I am God...! Or I will be soon enough.

"You speak?" It puslates and slops to the floor of it's cell. Something begins to poke out of it. Black strings that run red towards the tips... Hair? It is growing hair? SR-13! The human genome... It really IS a success! All my theories, all my sacrifices... I am right! I knew it! I AM NOT MAD! I AM NOT CRAZY! I AM GOD! I WILL NEVER BE WRONG!

"Doc... Docrrrr... Docccssssrrrrr," A thin line forms across it. The line spilts open to reveal human teeth and a malformed tongue. Muscle spread throughout the mouth-like formation as it attempts to form something resembling a jaw. The muscles are bleeding. It let's out a shakey breath. It is... Beautiful.

"M... Marffsss... Mer... Merlot... Merlot. Merlot. Merlot. Merlot. Merlot. Merlot." It... It knows my name? How? When did it learn? Most intriguing... I walk over to the side of it's cell. It oozes along the glass to follow me. The hairs growing out of are a few inches long now. They coat it, covering it. The mouth forms lashing tongues out of exposed - and very human - muscles. Muscles dripping with blood. The tongues press themselves against it's barriers. Flattening. Oh... Oh... So... So very beautiful!

"You... Are truly awares... And you know me? Me. Me! What is it you want?" It forms a bubbling mass within it's mouth. The mass boils and steams until it bursts. Blood spews out, chunks of bone as well. Within the oozing wound lies a rounded formation. Milky white. The formation squirts out a brownish yellow liquid as it begins to push outward with beautiful ripping sounds. Like tearing paper. The Specimen squirms soundlessly. I lean closer to get a clearer view.

The white bulb develops a black slit in it's center. The slit twists horizontally as it droops down. It expands into a rectangle. The formation begins to darken, whilst gaining a glisten. It begins turning silver.

"S... Shhhhssaaaa... S-saa-saahavvvsss... Saaaassssmmmmm... Yyysssooossshhhh." I tilt my head. What is it saying? What is it attempting too—

"Sssss... Ssssasaammmmmeesss... Yoooouuushhh...!" Save? You? It is telling me something! Clearly. But what? Is it pleading for freedom? Possibly.

"Escape? You want out?" It quivers, shuddering. The eye-like mass begins vibrating, "No. You will never be free, Specimen 6. Remove the foolish notion from your mind. It will make your captivity easier." It goes still. The eye watches me intently. There is no emotion I can gleam from it. It emits a shrill whistle.

"Frrreeerrreeerreeee... Dom? Merlot... Merlot... Merlot, nnnnoorrrrosssshhh. Death." Death? Is that a threat? Or is it asking for death? It's death? Or the death of another? Curious. I must investigate this.

---

"Hey, creep!" He's sitting up, hunched over, hands covering his face. He's sitting on the solid floor. He is wearing a red vest with a blanket covering his legs. His back is to me.

"Uhhhuhh? O-oh... Hi." He lazily waves a hand to me, his head not even moving. I'm ten or so feet behind him. He yawns slowly, his arms shaking. His fingers are shaking, too. He looks pale, and sweaty. He smells like the old gym from Signal. Bitter, and a little acrid. I don't mind the smell. Not after all those late night visits to the gym, I don't.

"Yeah, hi. So what did he say?" His brown hair cakes his skin. It covers his face as he turns to look at me. He has blue eyes... Very blue eyes. Bright blue, like crystals. They almost seem to glow they're so blue! Neat... Useless, but neat. He's a skinny guy, too, and small. Maybe as small as-

Ruby! Gods, I hope she's ok! She's... She better be ok! If anyone even laid a finger on her I will snap them in half! If anyone so much as even thinks of—

"Oh, yeah... Yeah, I think Ozpin lied." I stare into his eyes. Ah, good! So he actually-

"Wait what? Fuck do you mean he lied!?" Creep shrugs apologetically. I glare down at him. Lied!? Why would - about what!? Who cares if he lied! He's going to find my sister, isn't he!?

"La-last night... I saw him. Talked to him. Based off what he said, he had no idea about Ruby's disappearance." Ok... Makes sense, I guess. Where's the lie then? "Then I saw his assistant or whatever... The blonde girl with green eyes. She said the situation was already taken care of. Little odd if he both does and doesn't know about Ruby, right?" I am in front of him now. Only a few feet away. Someone... Wait, how does that... Shit. What does that imply? Is he involved!?

"He's in on it!?" Creep puts a finger to his mouth and goes 'ssssshhhhhh!' He looks around quickly, staring into the empty room.

"Firstly, keep quiet!" He's whisper-yelling, "What if he knows we know? Besides, that doesn't mean he's necessarily involved, does it? And secondly, where is everyone?" Why else would he lie? It doesn't make sense! It doesn't make sense damn it!

"What are you trying to say!? That he just - that my sister - ugh! This is bullshit!" I stomp my foot against the ground. The stone tears and cracks. This is complete bullshit! I clench my fists, taking deep breaths, squeezing my eyes shut. No! No! No! he's suppose to help! Fuck him! I'll find her by myself!

"Creep, come on! We're going!" I grab him by the hand and pull him forward. He falls to his knees, catching himself with his free hand. I hold tightly to his right arm. He looks at me up with angry eyes.

"What're you doing!? I just—"

"You don't have a choice! You promised to help me! Now your going to help, creep!" He pulls on my arm as he stands. He's short. Really short. Maybe shorter than Ruby. But not by much. He's small - should mean he's fast, right? That's good. He can help me catch whichever asshole is behind this!

"Yeah, I did! But we need a place to start looking! And names, or suspects! What about Initiation, too!" Initiation... Ah, shit! Shit! SHIT!

"Let me go! And stop calling me creep!" I let go of his arm, my fingers clenching shut as I do. Shit... Initiation. Ruby... She was... She asked me to record it for her. So she could see it, too, whenever I end up going back home. Damn it...! Where did she go? Where would she go...? Why did it have to be her!?

"Hey, when is Initiation anyway? Where's it suppose to be at?" I ignore him as I lean back against a pillar. Shit... I don't even know where to start looking. She said something about going to get Dust for Crescent Rose last I saw her. And then there's that maniac running around, Torchwick. He's been hitting up the Dust shops, and-

"Hey, creep, do you know anything about this guy named Roman Torchwick?" There's a possibility that... If Ruby saw some asshole strutting around and robbing people she would intervene. She wouldn't be able to stop herself. If he... Fuck.

"The thief? Only what's on the news. Why?" I look over to creep as he stands. He stretches his back and yawns. He's got blue pants on but no shoes. His vest is sleeveless. His arms are lean with thin looking muscles.

"He's been robbing all the Dust shops lately - even the remote ones! My sister said she had to purchase some Dust last we spoke. You don't think there's... That something might've happened, do you?" He lowers his gaze to the ground as his fingers cusp around his chin. He nods to himself and mumbles something I can't hear.

"Ehhh... Maybe." Maybe? Maybe!? I clench my fingers into fists as I grit my teeth. I turn from him and towards the open hall. It's empty. All the other people gone now. Stupid... I was stupid! I shouldn't of let her out of my sight! Damn it! Why did I even...? Fuck! I hope she's ok... I promised her I would always be there. So much for my fucking promise!

I glance back to see that creep slowly walking away, down the hallway that leads further into the Academy. I jog after him.

"Hey, where are you going!?" He glances back and shrugs. I'm just a few feet behind him. Where would I even start to look? To find her? Guess a Dust store... But there's hundreds of those! How am I suppose to know which one she went too? Damn it...! I should've asked... I should've went with her! Fuck! I never should've... Fuck!

Well, maybe if she listened to me this wouldn't of happened! If she did what I said, if she stayed home we would all be fine! I told her to stay back... Why didn't she listen to me!? She never listens! I just - I only want her safe... But she's always throwing herself into danger! I wish she wasn't so—

"Hey, what's with the long face?" I glare at him, "It's only a question." He smiles back. But it's not really a smile - more like a frown pretending to be a smile. I cross my arms over my stomach, "Come on, talk to me! What's the issue? Is it your sister?"

"What do you think, jackass?" He rolls his eyes. He looks straight ahead. He turns left down a corridor. I follow him.

"There's no need to be so rude. If we're gonna be searching for you sister - being partners, essentially - than we should get to know each other." Partners, huh? Fuck that. I don't need a partner! I work better alone... I don't need anyone! Unless they work for me, that is.

"If we're gonna have a relationship of any kind, Creep, I'm gonna be the boss. Got it?" Creep. Yeah, that's a good name for him. Creeping up on me like that last night, how rude! And spewing that crap all over me... He's lucky it didn't hit my hair!

"Firstly, stop calling me creep! My name is Crimson. Secondly, I have no boss. I answer to me, myself, and I!" I pause as we round a right corner. A couple craters in the ground, buckshot lining the roof, and pieces of knightly armor littering the floor. Oh... No one cleaned up the mess, yet?

"This is your stop. I'm gonna go head too—"

"No, no, no. I got all I need! Right here!" Ember Celica cocks, "Enough to take down an army! But you? Where's your junk?" He sighs. He looks down to his hands as he mutters something about 'patience is a virtue.'

"I got my clothes right here. But my Web Shooters are... I got them stored in a special spot. I'd prefer you don't follow me around anymore, either. We have our own business to attend to, ok?" I squint at him. He agreed to help, and he will help! I start pointing at him.

"You said you would—"

"Help? Yeah! I will! But right now we have to go through Initiation! Do that first then we can go to the city! Ok? We can head down there and start asking questions. Maybe try that Junior's guy?" I purse my lips. Ruby... Ruby always wanted me to go to Beacon. She wanted to go, too. She'd hate me if I pass this up. She'd... She'd want me to do this. To go through with this. I hope she's safe...

"Sure, whatever... Fine." I turn away from him. I begin walking down the hall. I need her... I need to find her! I just... I told her to stay safe! Not to do anything crazy! Did she listen? I really hope she did. Dad was right. I'm not mom. I'm not like her. I'm not as smart or strong as she was. Mom would've been there for Ruby if she was still alive.

"Fuck..." Mom was a better person than me. Better than all of us. All of us except Ruby. Ruby... She blames herself for it. For what happened to mom. She... She thinks it's her fault. How could a four year old be responsible for that? She's too innocent, too good... She's too naive. I do everything I can to help her, to protect her, but she just... She doesn't trust anyone. I only... I just... I love her! But she pisses me off so fucking much! It's not hard to just listen! To do what I tell her too do! I just - fuck! I only try to help her... But she doesn't see it that way, sometimes.

"Hey, Yang." I turn to see Creep. He's a few feet behind me. Yellow sunlight shines over his face, around his body. His head is lowered.

"What? Whaddya want?" He looks me in the eyes and smiles. A sincere smile. A real one. But a sad one.

"If you ever wanna talk... About Ruby, or your dad, or whatever... I'm always here, ok? I know we're not exactly friends, but I have nothing else to do anyway." I nod slowly. Talk? About what? My stupid emotions? Feelings. Gross... I hate feeling things. Emotions. All of them. I wish I was a robot, or a computer. They don't feel anything.

"Yeah, whatever. I don't need to talk to you or anyone! I'm fine." I turn away. I pick up my pace. Talk? Who does he think I am! A little kid!? That pretentious little shit! I don't need to talk to anyone! I'm just fine the way I am! Talking is for losers... O-or Ruby. She's no loser, though! She's just... She is... She's different. She's not like me. She's always been... Softer. Fragile, I suppose. Not physically, but emotionally. Ever since mom died, at least. She hides it, trys to bottle it all up! One day it's gonna explode out of her, and that... That won't be pretty.

I pick up my pace. I'm suppose to be the stubborn one! The angry one! The dumb one. But Ruby? She's angry, too. A different kind of anger. Less in-the-face, more... More quiet. More cold. She should've been the happy one. She pretends to be. But she isn't. I can see it in her eyes. Always so empty...

What kind of sister am I? It was my fault. I brought her out to the barn. It was my idea. Mom's death hit her hard, but the barn... The barn is where a part of her died, I think. The happy part. The innocent part. She changed after that fucking monster used her like a dog toy! She became quiet, reserved. I didn't see her smile for years after. Not until she got accepted into Signal.

Fucking Signal! That place killed any hope Ruby had left of having a semi-normal life. Those damn brats! The amount of noses I broke for her is beyond counting! Those little shits never learn. As long as I am around they know to keep their mouths shut! But when it's just Ruby? She never tells me! I always learn from someone else. Usually one of the boys. Most of them were nice... Nicer to Ruby than the girls. But I think that's because they thought they had a shot with me if they did so. Ruby always denys that the bullying even happens...

Even when I bring it up to her she defends them! She protects them! Why? They wouldn't do the same for her. Never! She's too soft. She thinks everyone is a good person. She sees black and white when everything's really gray or just black. She's naive. If only she could...

I suppose it is her most admirable quality, I guess. Honesty, and kindness. I'm not honest or kind. I'm a greedy asshole. A bitch. Dad let's me know that every time we talk, though he uses nicer words to say it. But I know what he really means. He wasn't always such a collosal dick. He use to be nice. Never as nice as mom, but nicer then he is now. Her death hit him hard, too. Maybe worse than me. Not nearly as badly as Ruby, though.

At least he has the decency to pick Ruby as his favorite. She needs it more than I do. She always thinks the world is out to get her. That every friendly face is a potential enemy.

I don't get that. It doesn't make sense. She's always protecting others, even those she should hate. But she doesn't trust any of them. She doesn't think of them as friends. Yet she treats them like their her own family whenever I'm about to crack some skulls! I suppose it's her hero complex, isn't it?

She always wanted to be a good guy. A savior, really. She always wanted to be like mom. But she's not mom. She's similar, yeah, very similar. I remember mom having sad eyes, too, and a sadder smile. But mom knew how things were. She wasn't naive, or soft. Not like Ruby. I think... I don't think Ruby ever really grew up after she died. Not deep down. Maybe a part of her still thinks mom will come home one day?

She didn't deserve too hurt so much. I could've done better. I can do better! Next time, after I find her, I won't let her leave my sight ever again! I'll always be with her, to protect her! She's all I got. Her and uncle. And uncle's gonna die of liver failure any day now, I just know it! And dad? He's more a stranger than a parent.

If something happens to my sister... I... I don't know. I'll go crazy! Wild. I need her! My sister... My baby sister! She needs me, too! I know it! I love my sister. My little sister... Who I failed. I always fail!

"No..." No, this is my chance to succeed! I won't fail her! Not this time! Never again! I will find her! I will!

"I promise to find you. I promise, Ruby... On mom's soul, I promise to find you even if it kills me!"

---

"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin's voice is more authoritative then lazy this time. He stands tall next to the Witch and near the edge of a great cliff. We're a mile or two outside of Beacon. The sun is shining, the wind is gentle and cool. The sky is blue and the sun bright.

We are all lined up. Most of the faces I fail to recognize. Yang and I are standing together, myself next to Jaune. He was apparently the first one awake, or so he told me.

"Now I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment. Allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today." Professor Goodwitch speaks more calmly this time. She is displaying a Scroll that I don't care to see. I glance over to Jaune and see him nervously nodding his head as if trying to memorize her words.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone whom you can best work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." Professor Ozpin picks up where Professor Goodwitch left off. He's factual. No ifs or maybes here. Stability. I like that. Order. Certainty. Yeah, I could use that in my life.

"I told you so!" I glance to my left to see an orange haired girl with a pink skirt. She might be the one girl I ran into from last night, come to think of it. She's talking to a tall man with dark hair wearing a green shirt. Are they a couple? Probably, based off how she was holding him last night.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the Forest.You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path or you will die." The headmaster continues after his brief silence. Northern end? Easy. I could stick to the tree tops. I would avoid most of the Grimm that way. But destroy everying in my path? Yeah, sure, but... Does he have to word it that way? Sounds a little questionable like that.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your Initiation. But our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple, at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must chose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" He finally finishes his long speech. Eye contact? That's stupid. Why not implement a pairing system to determine who works best with who? This seems illogical to me. And the relics? What do they even look like?

"Yeah, uhm, sir—"

"Good! Now, take your positions." He orders after silencing Jaune. So much for the questions... The others around me enter into battle stances. I slowly raise my arms into a fighting pose, letting my right leg step forward with my left back. I feel stupid standing around like this. What's even the point of posing like a comic book character? Seems futile.

"Oh, sh-" I cut myself off as the guy to my far left is sent flying into the air, past the cliff, and towards the Forest below.

"Sir, I got a question. So, this landing strategy thing - w-what is it? You like, dropping us off or something?" Three more are catapulted. Jaune is nervous. He doesn't have a stance, either. He's standing normally. He does have a good point, though. Are we suppose to—

"No. You will be falling." Ah, that answers it. Every man for himself then. Two more are sent into the heavens. There's four of us left. I wonder how many people die during the fall on average?

"Oh, I see... So, like, did you hand out parachutes for everyone?" My friend prattles on like the headmaster hasn't already answered his question. He scratches his chin nervously, eyes slightly wide. There goes the girl with a black bow and yellow eyes.

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy." The headmaster clarifies. Jaune looks to his feet. Yang goes flying, too. I feel the rush of wind against my face as she uses her gauntlets to rocket herself off at even greater speeds.

"Uh-huh, yeah." He sounds like someone stabbed him in the back. He scratches his head, looking up to the headmaster. I should ask if—

"WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHH!"

"Shiiiiiiiiiit!" This is a lot more intense than I thought it would be! I'm careening through the air at several hundred miles per hour. Fast enough a normal, non-Aura using person's neck would've snapped. I see dozens of trees racing by below me. Green and brown spikes that threatened to impale me were I to sink lower during this flight.

I feel a powerful wind blowing against me. Pushing my hair down, sending ripples throughout my blue pants. I squeeze my eyes shut to prevent the air from popping them out.

I extend my arms and let my legs drop - orienting me into a more vertical stance. I hold my mouth shut while sucking in as much air as possible through my nose. I can hear the wind whistling by my ears. I tuck my legs in and push my upper body forward.

I am rolling like a human ball. I wrap my arms around my legs to hold them still. I tuck my head down. Maybe I'll roll when I hit the ground? No. Most likely the sheer momentum will embed me into the stone and dirt. I hope I miss the trees or else that'll hurt. Aura or no that will hurt a hell of a lo—

"Brkkkraasshhhh!"

I grit my teeth as I feel my back impact against a tree. The wood explodes outwardly - I presume, my eyes are shut after all - and I feel the softness of dirt after. I lay against the ground for awhile. That stings... It stings a lot. At least I'm alive, though!

"Ahhhh... Another happy landing!" My back feels sore. I prop myself up with my left elbow into a sitting position. I grasp my forehead with my right hand, "Not a comfortable one, though." Yeah, I am going to feel that by morning. That and some other things, too. Mostly outrageous hospital bills.

I push myself up to my feet. I brush off dirt and specs of wood from my blue sleeveless vest. I shake my head to loosen splinters from my hair. At least my Aura will prevent any real damage, but it sure as hell doesn't cushion any of the pain. I wonder if that's normal? Maybe I have a medical - spiritual? - condition or something. I take a step forward and—

"My baaack!" I press my hands against my lower spine, my front half curving forward. Oh, ohhh... That hurts just nicely. Like someone's fondling my spine with electric gloves. I push down with my hands while straightening my posture.

"Ah! Fuuuu... My back!" I hear a snap as I stand fully straight. The skin on my back stings, "Ugh! My baaaack..." Nothing's broken, my Aura ensures that, but damn... It feels like something did!

"Aaaahhhhh... I need a chiropractor or something." A few hesitant steps turn into a running stride. I sprint forwards before jumping into the air. I shoot a strand of webbing that connects to a nearby treetop. I pull back with my arm to propel myself at intense speeds.

The rush of cool wind meets me as I am sent flying again. This time, however, it's a much more manageable speed and height. I shoot a web with my left arm and pull, my body veering out of the way of a large tree. It whistles past me.

I shoot a web to the ground and pull. My feet hit dirt as I skid to a stop. I covered a good hundred or so feet with just a couple strands of webbing. But full on swinging isn't really viable here. Just the occasional Web-zip. I can't use that too much either before I'm out of Web fluid. And that's expensive to replace. Speaking of expenses, I really need a job. A way to get the money rolling in until I've sorted out this whole Beacon thing. Suppose that can wait until I'm outta here, though.

"Gggggrrrraaahh!" I turn left to see a crouched Beowolf. It's staring at me with a strangely vacant expression. It's snout is dripping in blood and something is clutched in it's claws, "Ggggggrrrr... Ggrraaah!" It drops it's prey to lunge. I duck underneath as it sores past me and into a tree. The wooden titan quakes yet remains tall.

"That's quick." I expected it too take longer before the monsters showed up. Guess that means I can skip to the fun part then!

"GGGGRRAAAHHRR!" It runs on all fours. I leap over it - above and behind it, to be exact - as I shoot a web. The strand connects to the back of its head. I pull hard. I begin my downwards descent with my feet aimed at it's neck. On the other hand, the Grimm's body curves into an angle as it's head is violently forced into an odd angle.

"Rrraa- Uuuhhhrrrr!" The momentum of my dropkick exerts enough energy to pop it's head off it's neck when my attack makes contact. My legs careen into it's upper back - slightly off target, but oh well - causing the impact between the ground and it's body. It's chest caves in as dust particles surround us in a brown haze. I hear strange gurgling noise as black smoke spews from it's neck stump.

I step off of it and onto the grass. I walk forward as I stretch my arms and bend my neck back. Tall treetops and thick branches darken the sky to prevent the stronger rays of sunlight from piercing through, but the weaker rays light up the woodland with a faint yellowish hue.

"My aim needs more practice," I should've hit it square in the neck! Yet I was off by a solid two or three inches. Unacceptable, "Though it is dead anyway, I suppose." Would've been more efficient to hit in the neck.

"Aaaarrrrrooooo!" I hear a loud bellowing houl in the distance. It's probably closer than it sounds. The soundwaves of the howl propagate rapidly in wooded terrain like this. Could also be multiple. Sometimes one howl can synchronize with multiple to create the illusion of an isolated Beowolf. Sometimes the reverse is true as well.

"I wonder though..." I look back to the original spot my attacker had started from. Something distinctly fleshy laid there, underneath the shadow of a great tree. I approach it.

"Please don't be a person..." I've seen enough dismembered limbs in ny life. Back when I wore Something a little... Darker, I had a lot of exposure to mangled bodies. That's something I don't like thinking about. So why am I? I should stop.

"Oh, that's... That's reeeeaaaaal nice." I crouch down as a wall of stink hits me. Like rotting meat grabbed me by the nose and gave me the one-two tap out. I use my left hand to pinch my nostrils shut while extending my right arm. I open my hand and slowly grab the shadowed thing. It vaguely looks like a limb of some sort yet it feels... Sticky to the touch. I slowly pull my arm back with the limb in hand. The light pours over it.

"Oh, shit..." It's a pale arm. A human arm. Extremely pale skinned. Maybe from blood loss? The arm is around eight or ten inches long. The hand and it's digits have been chewed into a rounded stump spewing small spurts of dark blood. The rest of the limb looks largely untouched save small claw marks, "Oh shit."

But it's not necessarily the limb that worries me. Well, it does. A lot. But it's what's wrapped around the arm. In small patches with wiggling, squirming, shiny veins. It's what's currently developing some form of white fungal growth on it. Something currently emitting a strong smell like ozone. Something that I haven't seen in a month and a half.

"Oh shit!" The suit... The gunk! The sl-slime! I-It's alive... And here! W-well, not 'here' here, but HERE here! This stuff looks dead, though. It's not moving aside from small twitches. It's also attached to a dead body part, too. Can it parasitize the dead? Surely it needs a living host... Right? No way it can attach to corpses! R-right? I hope not!

"Oh... Shit! Shit! Shhhii... Shit!" I throw the arm back into the shadow of the tree. If it's here, in the Forest, and that's the limb of whoever it's attached too... "Shit!" Is it going to come after me? Surely not. It's just an animal! But tigers and chimpanzees are intelligent enough to understand the concept of revenge... "SHIT!"

Who did it get? What poor bastard is it parasitizing? The arm didn't display any observable necrosis, so it's gotta be recent! Especially in the hot and bug infested hellhole that is the Emerald Forest. Which means it's probably nearby as well, "Shit..."

"I am soooo screwed...! Maybe I should've stayed home with Turq?" Turq may be stupid - very stupid - but he's always knows where to go to lay low. Shit... Shit! I am so royally screwed if it finds me! "SHIT!"

I don't even have any way to hurt it! No lightning Dust o-or church bells! DAMN IT! B-but that's... That doesn't mean I'll die, right? It's the host whose in control... At first, anyway. The host remains in charge in the beginning. So... Is it's host fresh or... Does it already have control?

"Shit." I look back and forth quickly. I keep my ears sharp. I start walking into the Forest slowly. That Grimm was eating the arm... What if... What if it was infected? What if it's a host to some small piece of it? Surely it's limited to only one host. And human ones at that. But... What if it's not? What if it can spread like a virus? I look back to the Grimm. It's already mostly evaporated into thick clouds of darkness. If it was infected I think I killed it quickly enough to prevent it from being fully parasitized. I hope so...

"I-it's not like it'll rise up as a-a zombie-Grimm?" I hope not! That'll be horrifying... A Grimm that can't die? And has parasite-goo powers!? I should've made sure it died at the church! I shoulda... I should've been more thorough! Damn it... And all this while I'm going through Initiation AND I gotta stress about Yang breathing down my neck about—

"Ruby!" Wait, wait, wait... Ruby. She disappeared a few days ago... Around the same time I arrived here via boat. W-what if... I-it followed me here? The arm I found was small and thin. Like that of a young girl...

"I am so fucking dead." Between Yang, the hypothetical zombie-Grimm, and the parasite? Yeah, I'm fucked. Oh, and the White Fang, too. I'm on their shit list. And the Belladonnas, too. The last ones might not kill me, but after the, ehhh... 'Squid' incident - if you can call that thing a squid - they definitely don't like me.

"Sssshiiit! Ok, let's look at the facts, Crimson!" Ruby disappeared a few days ago. I removed the parasite a month and a half ago. Back home. How could the parasite even get here? It's just an animal! Why would it parasitize Ruby? I don't even know if it chooses who it does or does not attach too...

"Should I tell Yang? The headmaster? What if he already knows?" He lied to me last night about not knowing that kid was missing. Or maybe he didn't lie? Maybe Professor Goodwitch knew but he didn't? Assuming Ruby is parasitized then... Do they know? Maybe that's why they're being tight-lipped. Who else might know?

"And who was the Professor talking about? The person they dispatched to handle this?" Some secret agent crap? A Hunter meant to capture/destroy the parasite? Or what about that fungal growth on the slime patches? Are those... Spores? A form of reproduction?

"Or is it just a normal growth? Decay?" I hope it's not contagious. Shit... Who am I suppose to tell? I gotta let Yang know. But the parasite? What if she tells others or does something stupid? What if that arm doesn't belong to Ruby and I am jumping to conclusions?

"Shit... Shit. Shit. Shit! I—"

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!"

"AARRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAAGGGSSSHHH!"

I hear a scream and a roar. A man's scream. Not sure about the roar, though. It's to the east. I suppose I should investigate, huh? Yeah. Probably. Better than sticking around here until something nasty creeps up on me.

I break into a sprint as I veer left around a large tree. I hear the sounds of something thundering. Like smashing boulders or a rampaging elephant. Probably a big Grimm. How big though? At least a solid two or three tons by the thundering sound. Probably a young Goliath or an old Deathstalker. Maybe, if I'm unlucky, it'll be an ancient Beowolf. One of those giant bastards - the ten foot ones. Those guys, these... Ancient Beowolves are real vicious. The smartest and strongest of their breed. There's an old Faunus legend about one named Fenrir. They say Fenrir battled a God of Thunder in the name of his Serpent Father. They even say Fenrir won the battle, driving the Thunder God into a 'Blue Hell'. Whatever that means.

"Aaaarrrrraaaahhhh!" I hear a man's roaring scream. Whoever he is it sounds like he's having a rough time. His scream is louder. So is the thundering. I'm getting close.

I push through a thicket and jump over a rotten log. I Web-zip onto a large tree branch and leap off. I fire another web and zip to my right, then slightly left to angle myself southeast. I hit the ground rolling. I quickly sprint forward.

I smell... Smoke. Fire smoke. Burning trees. That's not good. Not good at all. I can smell burning oak, too. Maybe pine as well. Someone probably got a wee bit carried away, now didn't they?

"Diiiiiiiiieee!"

"AARRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAASSSHHH!"

I jump over a small river as more yells and roars echo. They can't be more than a few hundred feet from me now! I gotta be closing in. I shoot a web and pull myself up. I follow that with another Web-zip that brings me soaring over the tree tops. I shoot a third strand to propel myself forward, and a fourth shot to keep the momentum going.

I see trees racing by below me. I feel air whipping against my skin and blowing my hair. I hear a whistle from all the air pressure, too. I lean back so my feet face the ground. I can see a thick column of smoke in the distance. Maybe a thousand or fifteen hundred feet away. Judging by the amount of smoke I'd wager the flames have been raging for an extended time, too. Hours at least.

My feet collide against the dirt. I skid forward a solid dozen or so feet before stopping. I look around to see broken trees, torn segments of the ground, and deep slashes marring surrounding boulders. I am in a small clearing. In the center of the clearing lies a large, smashed boulder. I can faintly smell roses.

"Heeeey! Over here!" I spin around to see a tall man - well over six foot, that's for sure - clad in gray armor sprinting out of the treeline. His armor is a lot bulkier than Jaune's. He's bulky in general. Wide shoulders, dark reddish brown hair, and blue eyes. He's clutching a mace with his right hand, "I could use some help!" He's yelling as he waves his free hand. I shrug before sprinting over.

"AARRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAA!"

"BBBBBRRRAAAKKKK!"

Trees topple down as the ground rumbles. I start backing up as Gray Man - I don't know his name - picks up speed. He shouts something I miss as he points past me. Behind him, by the treeline, erupts a towering Grimm. It's like a Beowolf but not one.

It's built like a Beowolf. Mostly. Digitigrade leg structure, hunched over front half that's completed by a lupine head. However that is where the similarities end. This Creature of Grimm is big. Twelve or fifteen feet tall while sporting a thick hide formed of leathery skin. It's teeth are needle like with its lips pulled into a permanent smile. It's arms hang down to the ground not unlike a gorilla. But a gorilla is big and bulky whereas this thing is gaunt and thin for it's size. Skeletal formations push against it's hide to form thin silhouettes. There are strange shapes that push against it's skin before disappearing into it's body.

"AAAAARRRAAARRARRARRARRA!" It lacks the traditional bone-like formations of most Grimm. Save for the head covering, of course. It's mouth drips with a green substance that sizzles when it hits the ground. Sharp spines protrude from it's entire back in the dozens. Like a porcupine, except these spikes are a lot thicker. It has no tail but a rounded bump that, in another life, could've been a fifth limb. It's eyes are what draw my attention, however. Milky white orbs with a thin red glowing outline around them in the shape of a horizontal triangles. It's eyes fixate onto Gray Man.

"AAARRAAA!" It takes a step forward as it spreads it's arms out, "AAARRRRRARRARRARRARRA!" It's roar is like a choking laugh. It's long and thin tongue laps at the open air like a starved dog. It lets out barking snarls as green saliva droops from it's long yet thin fangs. It beats it's fists into the ground before huffing. It rises up even higher - sixteen, seventeen, eighteen feet!? - and looks down onto me. H-hey, where'd Gray Man go?

"Ruuuuun! Run! Fucking run you stupid son of a bitch!" I turn my gaze to behind myself and see him disappearing into the treeline heading north. Oh, that answers that.

"AARRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAA!" I don't even bother looking as I break into a sprint. I feel the ground rumbling as I hear it's laborered breathing just a few dozen feet behind me. I Web-zip towards the trees just as I feel a rush of air blowing at my back.

"SSSSHRRRRAAAAGGGKKK!"

I glance back to see chunks of debris flying up where I stood moments ago. The Grimm is standing there with it's fists embedded into dirt and rock. With a hefty pull it frees itself. It's eyes lock onto mine.

"Nope! No! No! Fuck that! Nope!" I hit the ground rolling into a sprint. I duck underneath a tree that had collapsed onto another tree. Seconds after I do so I hear wood being torn apart as that thing chases after me. It's fast... But big. Too big to fully execute any mobility it might have in a wooded environment. I—

"RRRRRAAARRAAARRAAARRAAARRAAA!"

I feel something thin yet sharp graze against my back. I jump up reflexively. I quickly push my hands against a tree to hold myself there. I look down to see the monster barreling through a boulder as it races forward and over the ground I was just standing on. Why would- oh, yeah... Gray Man. Shit.

I jump onto a thick branch. I run along it's length until leaping just before the edge. I soar a good twenty feet forward - about eight feet ahead of Mr. Fuck You - and spin another web. It hits the Grimm as I shoot another strand from my free hand. I quickly combine the webs as the opposite end attaches to a particularly large boulder. One bigger than a house.

"Raaahhh! Haarrah! RUUURRARRARR!" It is violently pulled back. It plows into the ground with a loud thump and a whine. I hit the ground running.

"Heeeeey! Big guy, hold up!" He's twenty or thirty feet ahead of me. He's ducking between thin trees while running through thickets and bushes, "Wait up!"

"And die!?" He doesn't even look back as he says it. He jumps over a boulder the size of a van. I spin a web to launch myself over said boulder at triple the speed he's going. I land on my feet on the other side of the rock. He's behind me now by about ten feet or so.

"Wha...? How did you—"

"GGGGRRRAAASSSS!"

"AAARRARRARRARRARRA!"

The not-quite-Beowolf thing erupts through the boulder like an explosion. Debris shoot forward and into Gray Man - the result ending with him on his face. Prone and defenseless before the tree-sized behemoth. It immediately widens it's jaws as it goes in for a bite. It's neck alone stretches longer than my arm! And it's doing so very fast.

I thrust out my arm to unleash a Web-ball. It hits the thing's eyes - little more than an annoyance, yes - but with my free limb I grab a rock and throw it. The stone is bigger than my head and travels so fast it makes a whistling noise.

"Arrarrarraggg!" It claws at the webbing blinding it. It steps back from Gray Man as said man cralws forward desperately. The monster is totally unprepared as a stone embedds itself in it's stomach. It flies backwards and into the thickets: disappearing into the green. I start running towards Gray Man. I hope he wasn't hurt. His Aura should've protected him from the debris.

"S-sh-shit! I-I almost—"

"Hey, get up!" I crouch and grab his arm. He looks to me with a confused expression, "I al-almost died. I almost died!" I pull him to his feet. He stumbles forward as his breathing picks up pace.

"Holy shit! Holy shit! I-I almost—"

"AAAARRARRARRARRA!" I shove him forward, "We gotta go! Come on!" He nods. We both start running.

"North! North! North!" The relics are at the end of the northern section of the Forest! That's also where the other people should be by now. Just go north, we can all team up, and then we put this not-quite-a-wolf Grimm in the ground! Just gotta make it there first...

"Rrrrrarrrrarrrarrrarrra!" It's roar fades into the distance. It sounds like it's splitting off from us. Neither Gray Man nor I stop running. We sprint between trees, around boulders, through bushes, and over logs. I am in front of Gray Man by a solid four or six feet. I can still hear the monster growling but I can't feel the tremors anymore. So... That's good?

"WELL EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!"

I hear a woman's yell not far from us. A few dozen feet maybe. Sounds like... Yang. Yang! She's strong. Stronger than me, so she should be able to handle the mutt! Hopefully... She also sounds angry again. Angrier than normal. Maybe that's good right now?

"RRAAARRAAARRAAARRAAA!"

"Aaaaahhhhh!"

I turn around to see a thick cloud of smoke. I see a black silhouette vaguely shaped like a wolf... Or a gorilla. It's thrashing it's head back and forth as Gray Man screams. I can see his silhouette in it's jaws as it snarls and thrashes.

"AAAHHHHH! G-GET IT OFF!" I plant my feet into the dirt before extending my arms. I fire both webs directly at the monster's chest. I pull as hard as I can.

"AAAARRARRARRAGGGKKK! RRROOOUUURRARRARRA!" It hunches over so much it's knuckles hit the ground with a loud 'thump!' Gray Man raises his mace before bringing it down across the Wolf-Thing's head. It whimpers yet doesn't release.

"Aaahhhh! Fuck! You!" He swings again and again and again. It snarls as it raises one arm. I pull back again. It lurches forward. So much so Gray Man's thrashing feet hit the ground.

"GGGGRRRARRRARRRARRRA! SSSSHHHRRARRARRARRA!" It hisses almost. It fights my hold as it attempts to leverage it's superior weight. I take a few steps forward, sacrificing a precious few inches of space. It almost seems to smile. I tilt my head slightly to my right. There's a hole behind it - about nine or eleven feet wide. Probably caused by... Whatever it did when it grabbed Gray Man. Can't till how deep it is, but... If it's about ten feet or so then... Yeah, that could work. Especially with how much force it's exerting in our lethal game of tug-in-war.

I let go of the webs suddenly. It stumbles back as it's right leg slips into the hole behind it. I spin another web that hits Gray Man and pull. Simultaneously the monster falls and Gray Man is freed as it reflexively let's him go. It attempts to snatch him mid fall yet I shoot a Web-ball with my free hand. The webs trap it's hand against the ground.

"Aaah! Shit! Fu- Ugh!" He hits the ground hard as the monster tumbles down into the hole. I hear it snarling as it does. It's hand is attached to the hole's edge for a few moments before a nasty crack is heard. It whimpers before going quiet. It's hand goes still.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!" Gray Man is starting to panic. I ignore him as I approach the hole slowly - very slowly. I get within a few feet until I'm at an angle where the hole's depth becomes visible. I see it's hand yet no body. So it fell... How far?

"Holy... Holy shit... Shit! I-I almost—"

"We will both die if we stay here." I turn around - facing Gray Man - and begin a speedy walk. Don't wanna stick around here much longer, now do we?

"H-hey! W-wait for me!" I roll my eyes. He didn't wait for me yet he expects me to wait for him? I speed up my walk into a jog. I hear his metal-clad feet crushing grass behind me. I start sprinting.

"Where did that thing come from!?" I turn my head back to yell to him. He's a good distance behind me. Probably twenty or so feet.

"I don't know! I found it by a ravine!" He's slower than me. Substantially slower. I'm not even running as fast as I can and he's already struggling to keep up. Ha... Guess if that thing comes back I'll be safe. I don't need to be faster than it, just him.

"What was it doing when you found it!?" I focus back onto my front. I duck under a partially fallen tree. I find myself facing a ray of sunlight shining through not-so-distant trees. A clearing? I hope so. I can smell that scent of roses again. Stronger than before yet still quite faint. Probably nothing... But it feels like something.

"It was eating something! A-an animal or something!" Animal? Grimm don't really target animals often, aside from occasional territorial disputes. Even that's pretty rare. It might be connected to the slime. Maybe a zombie-Grimm? Maybe that's actually a possibility... I hope not.

I break through a thicket and past towering trees. Sunlight blinds me. It stings my eyes! I slow to a stop as I raise my hands to block it out.

"Ah, shi—"

"Whoah!"

"Agh!" I feel Gray Man's body colide against my back. I fall forwards and hit the ground hard. His bodyweight crashes unto me.

"Get off!" I elbow him in the stomach. He falls to my left as I quickly push myself onto my feet.

"Watch where your going!" I point to him. Is he blind!? Jackass! He should—

"Don't stop midrun then, idiot!" He pushes himself up in one smooth motion. He towers over me by a solid foot and a half. He steps up to me and pushes me back. I stumble a little yet retain my footing. That little-

I shove him back, too. A lot harder. He falls onto his rear end. He shakes his head before glaring at me. He's on his feet fast and slashing his mace even faster. I duck under the blow and charge into his chest.

"Gah!" He flies back a solid teen or fifteen feet and into a tree. It shakes as several branches break off. He lost his grip over his mace - which now lies halfway between us.

"Try that again! See how it ends!" I glare down at him. He glares up at me. He visibly grits his teeth. He opens his mouth as something that sounds like a mix between several colorful words and a dog's growl comes out. I purse my lips.

"Whatever. Your not worth my time!" I turn from him and towards my front. It is a clearing. I figured so. It's wider than the last one - almost the size of a stadium. No sizable boulders or trees anywhere. I see a ruined structure towards the far end with several pedestals with oversized chess pieces crowning them. The relics? Probably.

Standing before the pedestals are a few people. I recognize the girl with golden hair and lavender eyes. But I don't recognize her outfit. It's a leather jacket with a, uhhmmm... Sizable display of her assets. Below are black short shorts and leather boots. Next to her - and with his palm facing her face - is a man in green. Same guy from before. He has a purple streak in his hair, and gray pants. On the other side of him - with his other palm in her face, too - is a orange haired girl. She wears a white blouse with a pink skirt. She has a oversized hammer in her possession. The thing is twice as long as she is tall! Talk about overcompensation...

"Fuuuuuuck yoooou!" I feel a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. I'm off the ground and suspended mid air. I kick my feet reflexively before a strong force slams into the back of my head.

"Uggh! Damn!" That hurts! I counter with a reverse headbutt yet he barely even stumbles. He applies greater force to my chest as I shoot two webs to the ground. I pull hard.

"You little- Who do you think you are!? Talking to me like that! I'll—" He shuts up as my feet embed into the ground. I hoist him up - his arms still around me - as I give him what might be described as the world's most aggressive piggyback ride. I thrash back and forth trying to shake him off.

He headbutts the back of my head twice. I lurch forward, my knees buckling. Little motherf- Fine! He wants to play rough, let's play rough!

I flex my arms in such a way that my hands slip free. He still has me by the forearm yet I have enough room to pull my limbs back. My hands grab his wrists as I squeeze my fingers into him. He grunts yet doesn't give even as his copperey Aura flickers. I lower my head and bite onto his fingers.

"Gah! What the—" My neck muscles alone are enough to pry his right hand off my left arm. I feel his Aura against my teeth as I use my left hand to grab his right elbow. In a quick motion I bring him off my back and onto the ground. He barely has time to breathe before I stomp onto his neck. He sputters and coughs as I reach down and grab him by the shoulders.

"You don't quit, do ya!?" I hoist him up. Sadly - kinda embarrassingly in truth - I can't lift him off his feet. I'm too short. In fact his legs lay slack as I lift him up.

"No!" He throws a punch that I avoid by tossing him back. He's midair as I spin a web against his back. I pull down with my arms to swing him in a over myself. I let go and send him flying towards the structure. He gets a solid four or five seconds of air time before hitting the ground hard enough to produce smoke clouds. Little stupid prick! I gave him more than his fair share of chances! I can't stand people like that! Assholes, or liars. Maybe this'll teach him—

"Heeeey! Creeep!" Uggggghhhh... I despise her, too! That woman is... Insufferable! Gah, why did I have too—

"Nice throw. Could've used more work, though. Your shoulders were slack and your legs spread too far apart." I see Yang a little more tha twelve feet away. She's yelling, but not screaming yelling. She has a yellow pony clutched in her right hand, and strangely... A joyish smile on her lips. She's about where Gray Man is, though slightly ahead of him and to his right. The dust cloud had already cleared off.

"I... That throw was - whatever, whatever... What's with the smile? I thought you hated those." She gives a mock glare before shrugging. She looks to my left and I follow her gaze to see orange haired lady - let's call her Oranger Girl - and Green Man talking in the distance. She looks back to me.

"Shit happens. You... You said if I wanted to talk you'd be there. Well... Maybe after this, I'd like to take you up on that." I nod. She nods. Gray Man groans as he slowly rises into a sitting position. His face is caked in dirt and his armor looks dented at certain points - primarily the chestplate.

"Yeah... Anytime! Anytime..." She turns around as she motions for me to follow. I do but not before glancing back to the trees behind me.

"Just a heads up: there's like a... Twenty foot super Grimm running around out there. It might come back and try to kill us brutally. Probably slowly, too." She cocks her head to the side without even glancing back.

"Cool. Whose the guy you fought?" I squint at Gray Man as I near him. He's lurching forward, still seated, and breathing deeply. Some of his breaths are gasping wheezes. Shit. I hope I didn't hurt too bad...

"Good question. I have no idea." She let's out a 'huh!' in response. We're little more than twenty feet from the structure. The Orange and Green couple from earlier are wandering off towards the western end of the clearing. She's saying something about a queen and a castle.

"He's gonna be your partner for the next four years, so let's hope he won't be too much of a pain in the ass, eh?" Oh, yeah... We made eye contact... Screw me. That's gonna be an awkward conversation for later.

"Speaking of which, whose your partner?" Ten feet from the structure now. She glances back with a devilish grin. She blinks before looking forward without speaking. Ok... I don't know what that means but I guess it's my answer.

I'm standing before the pedestals now. There's twenty in total. Some of them lie bare yet most retain their pieces. I see pawns, kings, a single queen, and a knight. I glance over to Yang and see her clutching a horse piece. Hmm... Guess I gotta chose one, too. Do both Gray Man and I take a piece? Or is just one of us? I'll assume one.

"Why the horse?" I step up the pedestals as I grip my chin. Knight, queen, king, or pawn... Who am I? I'm no king or queen. Not a knight, either. A pawn? A puppet bound to strings... Yeah, that sounds about right.

"It was cute." My fingers wrap around the black pawn. I raise it up into the sunlight. It's small yet intricately detailed. I wonder if it's always the same relics? Probably not.

"Cute? Never thought you'd describe anything as cute." I turn back to face Yang. She rolls her eyes yet still keeps smiling. She doesn't reply, though. I look over to Gray Man. He's still seated, his head lazily swaying. I should probably go check on him, shouldn't I? Yeah, I should.

I begin walking towards him. He's caked in dust and dirt. His breathing is steady and yet shallow. He's just staring at the ground with his back to me. I purse my lips. I might've flung him a little too hard...

"Are you cognizant?" I tap him on the shoulder. He looks up to me with vacant eyes that quickly shrink into a scowl. His lips curl and his eyebrows wrinkle. He looks like he's about to say something yet he never does. I extend my arm and open my palm to him.

He stares at my hand like it's some kind of attacking animal. A visible look of disgust spreads over his features as he slaps my hand away. I retract my limb with a sigh. He's going to be stubborn, isn't he? I suspect many fights are too come between us.

He places his hands against the ground as he struggles to his feet. His movements are slow yet clearly cautious. I turn from him as he leans unto knee to help steady himself. I settle my gaze back onto Yang.

She's leaning against a pillar near the structure. She's taking to someone with her arms outspread and her hair swaying. Her side is to me. Whoever she's talking to is shadowed by a tree yet I can hear the person's voice. Another girl with a much shriller tone. An authoritative one. It sounds vaguely familiar.

I glance back to Gray Man. He's standing now as he brushes off dirt from his chest and shoulders. He's mumbling something about 'garbage' and 'monsters' and 'lies'. I don't really care enough to know. He's alive and moving and talking - so I'm in the clear! No manslaughter charges yet.

I start jogging towards Yang. As annoying as she is - and don't get me wrong, ehhhh... Me? but she's very annoying! - yet I kinda wish she would've been my partner over Gray Man. Her or Jaune, maybe. Jaune? I take that one back actually. He's too stupid. I can't stand the stupid people. They're great and all, probably some of the nicest people I've ever met were stupid, but... I can't stand it. Does that make me an asshole? Yes. Yes it does.

But I'm sure Jaune's a good guy and all. I doubt he's as much of a punk as Gray Man is. Probably more tolerable in that sense. But Jaune... He just feels out of place here, really. He was the only one in a onesie last night, and that... That means something. What exactly I don't know... But something. And that joke about his 'third' leg? Really? That's the best he can do? Stiff crowd. How is that even—

"Hey, Creep! Come 'ere!" I raise my gaze from my feet to my front. I see Yang facing me now. A smaller girl is standing to her left with a king piece in hand. The smaller girl is white haired, blue eyed. She has scar running over her right eye. She's wearing a white blouse pale blue skirt that's red on the inside. She's got her arms folded over her chest and an angry expression about her. Isn't she that girl from the other night who argued with Yang? Maybe...

"Stop calling... What?" Creep!? One time! One time! It was one time! And I wasn't even - ugggh! I do my best to keep my face clear of any trace of emotion. I am a mask... My face is a mask. Let it be still like one...

"Icequeen over here—"

"My name is Weiss!"

"— My partner over here says we should pick the king because it's "Powerful and emblematic of control" or some crap. Can you help explain why that makes her sound like a stuck up bi—"

"Watch your mouth! I will not tolerate—"

"'I will not tolerate!'" Yang raises her arm as she mimes Weiss movements and words in a obnoxiously high pitched voice. Weiss - who I now realize is even shorter than me - glares at the back of Yang's head silently. Her cheeks flush red and her eyes are beady. Her fists clench as she grits her teeth.

"Ok, ok, ok! Yang - stop acting like a little kid. It's embarrassing," She scowls at me as her lips curl, "Weiss... Stop being stuck up or whatever." I turn away before even seeing her reaction. I can hear it though. Something about 'respecting your betters' or some crap like that. I do not care.

I hear Yang and her beginning to bicker again. Who cares if it's a king or horse. It's ultimately irrelevant as long as you chose one. It's all a matter of clashing egos; cults of personality. I've met enough colorful figures in my life to be content. I don't need this right now.

"GGGRRRAAAAASSSKKKKKK!"

"Oh, great!" I spin towards the western edge of the clearing as I hear a clicking roar. Like an overgrown insect. Yang and Weiss's voices fall silent behind me. I see Gray Man from the corner of my vision. He straightens his stance as he hurriedly looks for his mace. I raise my fists up. What now!?

"GGGGGRRRRRAAAAAAAKKKKKKSSSSKKK!"

The trees begin violently swaying as the ground rumbles again. Emerging from the treeline is a redheaded girl wearing golden armor. She's running at full speed as she spares a glance behind her shoulder.

"Hey, isn't that—"

"AAAAARRRAAAGGGGGSSSSKKKKSSSKKK!"

Yang was cut off as a giant scorpion thing erupts from the trees. Entire wooden towers are sent hurdling through the air as it snaps at Red Girl. She manages to block the attack as she yells a name I can't hear. The scorpion - a Deathstalker - attempts to impale her with it's stinger. She manages to sidestep that before her shield turns into a spear. She throws into one of it's beady eyes.

"RRRRRAAAAASSSSKKKKK! KKKKRRRRAAAGGGG!"

It only gets angrier as it attempts to eat her whole. She jumps over it's head as it bites into the ground. She's on it's neck by the time it realizes it missed. It starts snarling before red glowing eyes settle on me. It's side is to us, it's head turning left. It slams it's claws as it begins sprinting forward.

"Form a defensive line!" I hear Weiss yell from behind me. I take a few steps back and glance towards Yang. She's looking pretty caviler as she punches her right fist into her left palm. She looks excited.

"Bbbbbbrrruuuukkkkkssshhhh!"

The Deathstalker halts as the ground between us shutters. About a hundred feet out - halfway across the clearing and between the Grimm and myself - a thick cloud of dust spews into the air. I see human-sized rocks and boulders flying up before they violently careen into the ground. The smoke cloud grows until the Grimm is hidden from my eyes. Who now? WHAT now!?

"RRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAASSSSHHH!"

Oh shit! It's the Zombie-Grimm-Slime-Thing! It's left arm shoots out of the newly formed hole as it's hunched back emerges from the smoke cloud. It's ugly short snout is seeping with a green liquid as it laughs-roars again. It's right hand is missing, and a few spikes along its back are broken. Yet it still looks to be in fighting condition.

"What is—"

"Oh shit! It's back!" Gray Man interrupts Weiss. He's to my right and behind me. He reclaimed his mace. He looks scared yet the fear quickly gives way to anger as he brings his mace to rest against his shoulder. He's adjacent to the structure.

"Back!?" I hear Weiss's shrill voice, "What do you mean it's back!?" I start backing away as the smoke clears out. Both Grimm stand parallel to one another. They are both silent and staring.

"Yeah, didn't I tell you? No, that was Yang I told... Well, there's a... Super Grimm running around. Obviously." I mutter without looking back. I doubt my webs or fists alone can take them. Well, we are in a group... We could work together. I wonder where Orange Girl and Green Man went? Could use as much as possible right now.

"Why wouldn't - super Grimm!? What even is—"

"RRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAA!"

"GGGGRRRRAAAAKKKKKSSSSHHHKKKK!"

The two monsters begin circling each other as they roar. The Deathstalker slams it's claws as Mr. Fuck You rakes it's own claws against it's own face. Black smoke spews of out of it's new wounds as it froths.

"W-well I think they're about to—"

"RRRAARRRAARRRAARRRAA - GGGHHHRRR!"

The two giants clash. The Deathstalker's stinger embeds into it's rival's chest. It growls yet immediately snaps at the tail. Red Girl is hugging the Deathstalker's neck for dear life as it lunges forward. It rams into the super Grimm with such force both tumble to the ground.

"Shit. This is a predicament." It buys us time, I suppose. But what about the girl? She's in danger! Hell, we're all in danger! We gotta formulate a plan or something! Uhhmmm... We don't need to kill the Grimm. Only get Red Girl out of the danger zone. So... I have no idea.

I'll do what I always do! Imrpovise!

---

Aria of Ashes here. Hello again. How are you all? Safe and sound I hope. Sorry about the delay - it was not intentional. I will admit to... Slightly procrastinating for the first few weeks since the release of Chapter 5: Change of Heart. Though I have stepped up my game and made writing my primary priority these past couple of days.

Part of the reason it took so long is I've been focusing on Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 simultaneously. They both occur side by side from a chronological perspective, with 6 following the Beacon Bros and 7 following the Symbote Duo. As of the time of writing Chapter 7 is nearly done but not completely. That'll take a few days to a week, most likely.

In other news, I will work on Chapters 8 and 9 simultaneously as well. So probably no new updates for another month or so. Both Chapters will have intense action and Chapter 9 in particular will be a big turning point in my story so far. So be excited for that!

Kenny9x3 - Thank you for the compliment! I'm very much a character driven author and I try my best to justify the character's actions from a logical perspective. Well, something that is logical from their perspective, anyway. Ruby and Roman will meet again, I promise that! It will be a very revealing moment for all parties involved, honestly. Yes, the Carnage/Gwyn clone from the comics. I did not intend the parallel between it/her and Specimen 6. There is a later character I will introduce who is more directly inspired by that storyline. But that character hasn't been bioengineered yet. I will say I do take a lot of influence from Ultimate's visual presentation and overall science-y way of explaining things yet I try marrying them to the origins of the mainline series while grounding them in Remnant.

Dhestrya - Thank you!

Forthose8675309 - As long as you keep producing great stories, then I'll keep giving more compliments! I'll gladly take any help you'll offer though I'll confess to never having had help before. I'm not entirely certain of what to do going forward. In regards to your second story, I'm not the most familiar with JoJo. I know the basics - Stands, Vampires, Stone Masks, Kars, Pillar Men, Dio. But the finer details elude me. Avatar though? I am pretty familiar with that if a little rusty. As to me primarily focusing on one story? Yeah, I didn't always. I use to be rash and post several at once while not having a main focus. I burned myself out. Part of the reason I stopped writing for awhile. But, anyway, thanks for the compliment!

Goodbye for now. I will hopefully see you all again. For now: I will return to the void and fade into ashes.