• This section is for roleplays only.
    ALL interest checks/recruiting threads must go in the Recruit Here section.

    Please remember to credit artists when using works not your own.

Grimm Tale - Story Archives

GasMaskie

"Wait and Hope"
Roleplay Availability
Roleplay Type(s)
My Interest Check
A record of previous chapters shall be located here.

Main Thread l Voting/OOC
Chapter I - Awakening <Kava.Ombro>

It plays in your head like a song on repeat.

Color Scene - Kuro.jpg

Shallow breaths part your lips as a harsh, blaring sound echoes in the air around you. The sharp sensation of pain prickles your body as you struggle to keep your eyes open. What you can see through the small slit afforded by your half-closed eyelids is a smooth white surface that are dyed in a red light in time with that awful noise. As your will fails and your eyes close, you realize that you can feel air rushing past you. You're moving. Yet, your body isn't moving - a soft warmth previously unknown to you smothers your frame as you muster up the strength to gaze upwards.

"Just hang on, alright? I'll get you out of here soon..."

It's a strange, unfamiliar voice that addresses you at that moment. The sound of metal scraping against metal forces you to wince, but you feel something. A reassuring touch - a pat on the head. For what seems like the first time in your life, you feel something nice that spreads through your chest. You can't recall a single thing - but you're absolutely certain that what you're feeling now is relief. Ah, that's right, you start to recall that voice once more as you start to stir.

Choices That voice was...
1. A woman's voice, resolute and fearless. The arms that cradled you were full of vigor and strength but her caress was surprisingly gentle. The woman's hair stands out in your mind - they were as red as the morning sky.
2. A man's voice, charming and confident. The air that blew past you rushed by like a storm - this man was fast. And despite his speed, he moved with an undeniable assurance in his own path. The threadbare brown cloak he wore obscured his features.
3. A young woman's voice, firm and quiet. You can remember the young woman's eyes sharp gaze focused on the path ahead of her. What struck you the most, however, were the triangular ears atop her head - they were the same shade of pick as her long hair.


And just like that, the dream ends and that vision fades into a sepia oblivion. You stir softly but refuse to open your eyes. Right now, your body is lying on something soft - further movement confirms that you're lying down in some sort of reclined chair. Your ears pick up on something muffled - engines perhaps? As you remain in your lucid state of half-sleep, you struggle to recall your current situation. You remember parting ways with someone and killing time by eating at some fast food joint - the meal was undeniably terrible (for you and your body). After forcing that down with copious amounts of fountain drinks, you ended up waiting for what seemed like a dull eternity in perhaps the longest line you've ever seen. And even after all that, the line just led to a checkpoint where some uniformed woman checked people for identification and handed them some high-tech gizmo that looked like a pane of glass. Wait, there was something noteworthy about the others who were subject to the same boredom of endless waiting as you were. Oh yeah, they were all wearing the same thing - dark blue blazers and scarlet ties. Slacks if they were guys and skirts if they were girls, obviously. You vaguely remember how they looked like tools.

Then the amusement stops when you recall that you were dressed the same way. You pat down your pocket and feel something rectangular hiding in there. Right, there's that high-tech gizmo - you're too tired to recall just what they were and their function. Then the line split into two different ones after that point - you can remember your confusion as they sorted you into the line with significantly less people. And though they were all in the same clothing as you were, something rubbed you the wrong way about these guys. Like, they were the kind of people you didn't want to run into in a back alley. Your instincts told you to run but you swallowed that trepidation and took your rightful(?) spot in line. The one or two gazes you felt on you made you feel as if you shrank down to the size of an insect. Maybe they were sizing you up? That sounds about right.

After that uncomfortable period of time, the luggage you've been dragging around was taken by a burly guy with big round ears on the top of his head and you were led down a wide passage and into the belly of the beast. Having all but shut off your mind at this point, you groggily picked a seat and random and crashed on it. Getting up early to pack and commute was one thing, waiting in three or four different lines was another. Sleep came quick and the chatter from the stewardess transformed into background noise. That's right. You were taking a flight - and you're a new, first-year student. This was just the start of a new life! Whatever happened next would be decide the rest of your life! This was your future! This was your desti-

Your eyes snap open when you feel a warm breath tickle your nose. There, right in your face, is another face. They've got pale skin that looks like they've never been kissed by the sun's UV rays and sharp features. Black hair frames their face and their eyes are closed shut. Another breath rolls across your nose as you realize how close you are. Aaaaaaand, you freak right out. Your body jolts up as your back slams against the cabin window. Your mouth opens and you let out a scream.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Wha- Aaaaaaaaaah?!"

The two of you make your surprise known in the loudest way possible as his body also backs right up against his seat's arm rest. As you clutch your chest, two tufts on the person's head seem to pop up. Two distinctly large ears stab the air as they take a deep breath and quickly remove something shiny from their pocket. Your immediate response is to bring both hands up because holy shit are they going to shank you? Thankfully, no. The shine came from light reflecting of the lenses of their glasses. As they slip the vision-correcting accessory on, you take a moment to re-examine their person. Upon further inspection, it's a guy. He's fairly lean, though he's certainly taller than you now that you think about it. His eyes open slightly and you can make out two silver orbs gazing right at you.

"O-Oh, my humblest apologies. I didn't know somebody else was sitting here - erm, my bad eyesight means that I've got to rely on my Semblance to get around. I mean, I saw a faint glimmer of light, but I thought it was someone's pet. N-Not that I'm saying that you're lower than someone's house pet or something!" The young man's voice is soft and the tension slowly disappears as he trips over himself trying to apologize to you. And, you see head or two popping down - looks like that outburst didn't go unnoticed. The tone he uses with you almost seems too practiced and polite - but you're also certain that he's completely sincere about this. He's got a small smile plastered on his bespectacled face. You can briefly recall mannerisms like that being fairly common in that one place you visited that one summer.

Oh man, interaction. This is some pretty high level stuff, isn't it? Like, you didn't expect to have to talk to another living being as soon as you woke up. You wonder briefly if you look presentable. Though, you're pretty sure you've got a serious case of bedhead after that little nap time. Damn, how come his hair's all nice and tidy? He was sleeping too wasn't he? Maybe he uses some of those fancy imported haircare products or something. Wait, what's that? Right, you've gotta say something to him because right now you're just staring blankly right back at him.

Choices You respond naturally...
1."Nah, don't sweat it. I've got this condition where I blend into the background like a minor character - you're not the first to mistake me for an empty seat." You respond with a joke - that's always been your go-to when you have to deal with things after all. Though your jokes may can sometimes come off as ill-timed or innocently insensitive. As a whole, you're light-hearted and maybe a little too carefree for your own good. Hopefully, maybe you can get him to lighten up a little. Having a friend would be pretty nice. [JOKER]
2. "...It's alright, just forget about it." You respond brusquely and attempt to bury the issue as fast as possible. After one particular incident, you became more cynical - though you like to call your views 'realistic'. Every smile hides a knife in the dark and it's in our nature to be shifty and deceitful. You want to trust him, but you know better. It's best just to end this as soon as possible.The people who take things at face value are way too naive for the real world. But not you, you've hardened your heart against this harsh world. [JADED]


"Nah, don't sweat it. I've got this condition where I blend into the background like a minor character." For added effect, you lean back in your seat and stare at him with a blank face. The young man claps as if he just saw a magic trick right before his very eyes. Mission accomplished, you suppose. The bespectacled youth offers a small smile and you smile right on back. For a second, you're worried that he's going to ask if your condition is real. But the pause is broken by a curt bow from him as he turns slightly in the seat towards you.

"Introductions are in order then - my name is Ran Kurokage. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He's still speaking with the rigid formality of the East, it seems. Maybe that's just his nature. The bespectacled young man extends a hand to you - and you shake it firmly. As you break away from the contact you roll your neck and get comfortable in your seat.

"Likewise. My name's Niles Xenos." You can feel a few eyes boring into you as you speak your full name casually. Though your own name comes back to you fairly quickly, your mind jolts awake when you recall the full implications of your own name. The thing is, you're the son of a Carnelia Xenos. And apparently, she's quite a famous Huntress - you can recall the ornate golden trophies that adorn her study and several other medals on display. Though she didn't particularly like bragging about them, you do recall that she once lulled you to sleep with a story of how she won this fancy tournament in her youth.

"Oh? Could you perhaps be relat-" You hold a finger to Ran's lips and hush him before he can continue that train of thought.

"Yeah, but well... let's just try and keep that under wraps, please? I'll be honest with you - I don't really like the attention." You can remember being swarmed by your classmates during your first day of Primary Combat School. You were practically stuck in the classroom for an hour as they bombarded you with questions and requests for sparring matches. At times like that, you feel overwhelmed by your mother's reputation. It isn't just that, however. You're well aware of your own inability to match up to her legacy. Being the only family you've ever known, you really don't want others to associate your lame ass with her.

"I see. It must be difficult being related to someone famous like her." Ran's voice has softened into a whisper and you can hear some brief murmurs from some of the other voices in the airship. You gaze around at some of the other faces. Immediately, you catch the red-eyed gaze of a white-haired girl who (I kid you not) makes a squeaking noise and pops down behind the safety of her seat. She's oddly familiar... Though you can't recall where you've seen her before. Remembering things has always been one of your weaknesses. For one, you can't recall anything before the age of 5 - meeting your mother is the start of your recollections. Then there was that one summer...

"Well, if we're talking about families, what're the Kurokages like then?" You turn your attention back to Ran as you briefly recall your mother's training. When you told her you wanted to be a Huntsman like her when you grew up, she gave you the warmest smile... and then dropped you off in the middle of the wilderness for a weekend. 'Suffering builds character Niles!' You were 7 at the time. Needless to say, you've developed a hatred of camping after that particular incident. At 10, you moved onto 'sparring' with her. In all honesty, it was three hours of getting your ass kicked by her weekly. Though she had the best intentions, you were always aware of her own lack of self-restraint and... bloodlust? That sounds about right. Even remembering all of that is enough to make you shudder slightly.

"Hmm... The Kurokage Clan is well... My family plays an integral role in Mistral society. Many of my relatives are Hunters, but I'm the first to attend Arcadia." Ran's tone almost seems hesitant. Perhaps it's a Mistral thing. At the very least, you're thankful that you're not the only student here who's enrolled in Arcadia Academy's normal program who comes from a Hunter family. You gaze at the ears atop his head once more. At this point, you're fairly certain that Ran's a Bat Faunus. Though, they only have one animalistic trait. Perhaps his terrible eyesight is just one of those beautiful coincidences in life. Either way, you don't really have a problem with them - your mother raised you with a tolerant mindset.

"Mistral, huh? I'll be perfectly honest, the only exposure I've had to that Kingdom are the anime and manga that get imported from there." You say it like a joke, but you're being entirely honest. Hell, you spend some nights arguing on image boards over which girl is best in whatever show you've picked up for the season. You figure that Ran will either a) be disgusted with your gaijin ways or b) engage in discussion with you about it."

"Oh? Have you read ピンクダークの少年 then?" He smiles, his face shows some signs of surprise. Looks like it was the second option then. As you talk about the latest chapter of the Mistral comic with him, time passes by quickly. The conversation is also fairly civil - though you jokingly rib him about his apparent 'shit taste' when the discussion moves to some old harem series where the reverse trap won instead of the forgotten childhood friend or the smug heiress. He was apparently rooting for the kooky mad scientist. Ran still doesn't drop that polite formality even when he geeks out with you though. As you start talking about some slice-of-life shows about school clubs, Ran looks as if he's been struck by inspiration.

"That reminds me Niles. Were you thinking about joining any clubs? My father was strict about an allowance, so I was thinking of joining the Textile Club to support myself." Ran pulls out a small sewing kit from the confines of his school uniform. You recall that Arcadia Academy's school clubs were more akin to small-scale corporations. With membership in a club, you were also basically granted a part-time job - part of the club's profits would return to you as a tidy paycheck. You bring a hand to your chin as you begin to recall the choice you made after you were accepted into Arcadia.

Choices You wished to join the...
1. Literature Club. You've always been an avid reader. From what you remember from their recruiting page, the Literature Club also managed Arcadia Academy's official bookstore. Getting a discount on some of your required textbooks would probably save some money. You're also fairly sure that you'd get a chance to work at the docks. The Literature Club is one of Arcadia's biggest importers after all. Hell, you might even learn a thing or two about smuggling from the dockworkers.
2. Confectionary Club. Even from an early age, you've shown a great talent in the art of making desserts and candy. That talent doesn't apply to regular cooking though - it's the Cup Ramen life for you. The Confectionary Club has quite a few shops in Arcadia from what you remember. Their specialties range from Kingdom-based candies and treats to high-end luxury chocolates that take the craft to a whole 'nother level. Membership in a club like this will likely rake in a hefty paycheck and further your own natural talent.
3. Fishing Club. Your mother's favorite pastime was fishing - though that involved copious amounts of explosions. You're sure that fishing in Arcadia's Grimm-infested waters isn't that much safer. However, the Fishing Club's boats are always accompanied by a squad of Arcadia's specialized maritime Hunters. Though you weren't able to follow your own dreams of becoming a Hunstman, maybe you can still learn something useful from watching these older students punching out sea monsters.


"Hmm... It came down to between the Literature Club and the Confectionary Club. I figured I might as well focus on my own strengths so I decided to apply for the latter." Although you're inept as a Huntsman, you've always taken pride in your own skills as a cook. Though, that skill seems to only extend to making sweets, pastries, and desserts of all kinds. It's strange, but you simply can't apply the same amount of competence to other dishes. On top of that, you're ironically not that much of a sweet tooth - having to taste test your own creations have sort of ruined the enjoyment of sugar-laden food for you.

"Ah, that's interesting. I'm sure your teammates will enjoy your cooking as well then." Ran smiles softly and closes his eyes. You're almost paranoid that the Bat Faunus is judging you but you realize that light is emanating from the window behind you. You squint as you press your face against the glass. The clouds that once cloaked the airship have parted now and you catch sight of your new home. Even though you're aware of the island's relatively small size you still can't help but be awed by the sight of the seaborne metropolis. There's the brilliant contrast of stony grey buildings to the elite residential quarter. Arcadia's perimeter is surrounded by a circular bridge that doubles as a massive wall against the Grimm that lurk within the depths of the sea. When you turn your gaze towards the utterly massive relay tower situated in the middle of the city you catch glimpses of the silhouettes of other airships. You wish you had a camera because this is one view you'd like to save forever...

"Wait, did you say teammates Ran?"

"Oh, yes. I believe we should be heading to the initiation site no-"

"I...Initiation?"

"Well, I believe it's customary for Huntsmen Academies Niles. I wouldn't be alarmed though - it should be relatively light. I believe that their intentions are to simply to test the skills we learned at Primary Combat School. It also seems that they determine our teams with this rite of passage."

You blink. And then you stare around at some of the other occupants of the airship - a violet-haired boy wearing a mask, a confident girl with large rabbit ears atop her head. Compared to your own plain, appearance the individuals assembled here all stand out far too much. Your head snaps back to the window as the beautiful view of Arcadia gets farther away from you. With equal amounts of confusion and fear, you press your hands on the glass. You immediately begin to scream internally as you watch the island disappear into the distance with a thousand yard stare.

"...Is everything alright Niles? You look as pale as a ghost."

Slowly, you turn back towards the concerned boy. You can practically hear the creaking of your own joints as your face contorts into an uneasy smile.

"Ran. What program are you enrolled in here?"

"The Huntsmen Program of course. Ah, is this one of your jokes Niles? Remember how they separated the lines for students? This airship was headed towards the Initiation Site."

"Ha. Haha. Right. You totally got me." You chuckle uneasily, like a man whose been caught red-handed. But wait! Maybe you simply got into the wrong line in your half-asleep daze.Your hands move to your pockets quicker than lightning and you retrieve that high-tech gizmo. It's a Scroll - a standard identification device issued by educational institutes. Aside from providing official identification it also boasts connectivity to the CCTS. You tap on the yellow diamond and expand it to its full size. You've handled one before at Primary Combat School, but after flunking out you were forced to return it. A few flicks from your finger bring you to the ID screen. And there it is, right there under your name.


NILES XENOS

HUNTSMEN PROGRAM STUDENT
Your picture is displayed right there as well and you slowly start to reason with yourself. Even if you did enter the wrong line, they checked for identification before handing you the Scroll. The ID data should have also been pre-loaded onto the device. Silently, you close the device and stare directly at the seat in front of you. Ran looks as if he wants to open his mouth but ultimately decides against it. Try as you might, your dead eyes can't reflect anything but the abject fear of impending death in their reflective pools. You're not a Huntsman and you flat out know that you don't have the chops for it. And now, here you are, sitting on an airship headed towards god knows where. One word escapes your lips as a murmur that your animal-eared companion can't even pick up.

"...Fuck."

The rest of the airship ride was spent in silence - though Ran simply smiles and nods at your grim and serious demeanor. It doesn't look like he's actually caught on to your dilemma. It seems that your destination was an abandoned airport - likely on the mainland nearest to Arcadia. The dilapidated runway and the skeletal lattice of broken glass and cracked concrete serve as a constant reminder that no settlement is safe from the Grimm. To the other students, this is what they fight to prevent. You, however, can only focus on the impending death awaiting you. The assembled students are split into groups based on gender. You're basically on auto-pilot as the rest of the male students are led by a handsome man with hair as white as freshly driven snow to a hangar.

Within the wide space are a row of conspicuous lockers - from what your guide tells the group these lockers are equipped with rockets. By using your Scrolls, you can call these rocket-propelled containers to your location for quick access to your gear. He also explains that your gear has already been sorted into the locker - though you're entirely sure that you haven't even packed anything remotely related to combat. At this very moment, you're more concerned with being that one dumbass who forgot to bring all of his stuff to class. You take a brief glance at some of the other students who have already begun retrieving their equipment from the lockers. A black-haired boy slowly draws out two thin razor-like swords from his locker. The silver weapons seem to have some sort of advanced mechanism in the twinned weapons' hilt. A bespectacled student with a stern expression and tanned skin seems to be tinkering with his prosthetic right arm. As you begin to punch in the code given on a slip by your guide, you see the masked boy hefting a lance considerably taller than himself and waiting by your white-haired guide. He must change quickly...

With a sigh, you open your locker and expect to find nothing. So of course, it turns out that your locker actually does have some vital equipment. You first pick up the padded jacket and the threadbare red muffler - you immediately recognize them as the protective clothing you wore during that disastrous first year at Primary Combat School. As you strip out of your uniform and into your old combat attire you root through the darkness of the metal vault and feel something familiar. It's heavier than you remember but you pull it out into the light with a slight trepidation. It's your old weapon, a revolve that you forged a few years earlier. It's name is etched into the barrel's smooth surface - Ocelot. Admittedly, you had no idea what an ocelot was but the word sounded cool enough to be a name. Two clicks on the hammer causes the handgun to quickly transform into a knife.

Feeling somewhat nostalgic, you shift the Ocelot back into its revolver form and twirl it around a finger. You recall actually being great at handling your weapon like this - an inexperienced wielder would have likely shot someone trying to spin the handgun at high speeds like you are. A half-naked Ran stares at your impressive display and claps slightly as you slow the gun down and slip it into its holster on your side. You give a playful bow as the bat faunus slips on black clothing. You take note of the gauntlet attached to his right arm and three identical blade strapped onto his chest. He'd probably fit right in with a bunch of assassins out of some Mistral comic. Though, you notice something peculiar.

"Ran, you're not wearing your glasses?"

"Ah, I'm trained to fight without eyesight. My own Semblance also helps compensate for that as well."

You recall going over Semblances in class. According to your textbook, a Semblance was a manifestation of someone's power as derived from their character. These abilities could manifest in a number of ways that almost seemed supernatural in nature. And honestly, you'd be forgiven for mistaking it for magic because of how outlandish some of these Semblances were. One of the reasons for your own ineptitude as a Huntsman was your own inability to actually awaken a Semlance within yourself - even when placed in direct danger that mysterious power never once made itself apparent in you.

Once everyone is dressed and ready to go, the two groups are reunited on the precarious roof of the main terminal. You can't help but wince as you put on a conspicuously bulky backpack and get directed to stand on a black tile that faces away from the airship. On your left is Ran, who seems to be settling into a stance. Though his eyes are closed shut, he turns to you and gives you a reassuring smile. The person on the right platform is a petite looking girl with light blue chin-length hair. Her small frame is clad in combat fatigues that wouldn't look out of place on a soldier. An assault rifle is also strapped to the flak jacket covering herflat-board of a modest chest. You then immediately freeze up when you realize that she's sizing you up as well - a playful smile appears on her face as you struggle to do anything but freeze up.

"Alright then, here's how this year's initiation is going to work. We pulled this one out of Beacon's playbook - you'll be propelled into the hostile Grimm and bandit infested wilderness. The first student you meet up with will be designated as your partner - the next pair you come across will be the other two members of your team. Afterwards, you'll have to retrieve one of these - empty artillery shells. These artifacts are date back all the way to the Great War - try not to get them dinged up. Once you've got your macguffin, all you need to do is make it back to the airship. I wouldn't recommend taking too long - things tend to get more dangerous when night falls."

The white-haired man speaks with a certain amount of cool and charisma - combined with his good looks he seems like he'd be able to achieve just about anything he put his mind to. You're certain that he's not the Headmaster of Arcadia - apparently he's just a teacher aide filling in for a Professor who refused to show up for the initiation. His surname started with an S... but you can't recall it right now. You silently hope that you land near Ran - it's almost sort of depressing but you wholeheartedly believe that you'll be safe with a blind man watching your back. You look down at the black tile once more... did he say propelle-?

A number of shouts echo through the air as the black tiles spring into action and launch the students into the air. You can feel the skin on your face being peeled back by the wind as you silently soar through the air like a missile - you're so terrified right now that you can't even scream like the others. You've already lost sight of the two students who were on the platforms next to you. It's possible that the force they used to launch freshmen was randomly distributed. And judging by your luck, you ended up on the launching pad with the most tension. The ground is a colorful blur and your hand grips tightly on the handle of the Ocelot.

You recall another aspect of Huntsmen. They are naturally protected an enhanced by a force called an Aura. The textbook definition for an Aura called it a manifestation of one's soul. Though everyone has the potential to use their Aura, its strength is determined by a few factors such as training and innate skill. The only creatures unable to use Aura are the Grimm - apparently these monsters have no souls to speak of. In combat, an Aura will protect a combatant but will slowly degrade with each strike. It's when a Hunter's aura is depleted that they're at their most vulnerable. On a side note, Semblance's are considered to be projections of a person's Aura.

Of course, one of the major reasons you couldn't keep up with Primary Combat School's curriculum was your own unnaturally low Aura. Even with copious amounts of training it barely increased in the slightest. Without a strong Aura, you couldn't project it as a Semblance. And without a Semblance, you were shit out of luck on practicals. After failing your first exam, you came to realize a cruel truth about reality. Hard work didn't matter if you didn't have the talent for it. You recall your academic adviser meeting with you midway through the semester. She showed you a graph of your projected Aura growth over the span of a century. Even if you trained and regularly engaged in combat over those hundred years, your Aura value wouldn't even reach the average of a typical Huntsman. And while you wanted to argue with the facts, you ultimately knew that the data was accurate to a decimal. That's why you dropped out of that academy - that's why you spent the next few years studying in the confines of your room and avoiding going to that normal school as much as you could. You isolated yourself and focused on swiftly catching up on another track.

Yet, here you are, hurtling through the air like a javelin. The ground seems to be approaching you and you attempt to tug on the drawstring of the parachute pack. Nothing happens. You take a deep breath and pull on the emergency ripcord. Nothing happens. Out in the distance, you can hear gunfire and the cries of inhuman beasts. At least you won't get mauled to death by a Grimm at this rate. Slowly, you close your eyes and think back to your mother at home. Fairly soon, you'll hit the ground at high speeds and be mangled into a pulp by the impact.

THUD.
Your body collides with a hard, wooden branch and you can hear something shatter. It isn't a bone, however. Your Scroll starts emitting a muffled alarm from your pocket as you fall to the ground below - more branches break your fall. When you finally land on the pack, the parachute shoots out and you groan. Soreness courses through your body but you're not dead. That alarm is annoying so you pull out your Scroll - it seems like it can detect your current Aura value. You've immediately hit zero on contact with that branch. While you're alive, this also means that an attack by a Grimm or some thug with a pocket knife is enough to seriously injure you. Lovely.

You undo the array of straps on the defective parachute pack and stretch out your admittedly tense body. You pull out the Ocelot and pop open the barrel. Six bullets filled to the brim with a red powder are loaded in. The material contained in each bullet is Dust - a strange material that serves as an ample energy source for much of Remnant's technology. Offensively, Dust can be used to unleash the power of the very elements upon your enemies. The color of Dust corresponds to its elemental affinity - in your case you've got six Fire Dust rounds loaded in. However, this isn't reassuring at all. A Hunter's Aura is used to trigger Dust and the power of these reactions is dependent on their Aura's strength. In your hands, these rounds can do little more than turn into a small flame rivaled by a convenience store lighter. You shake your head as you slam the chamber back in and spin it. Though you've fortunately landed somewhere away from the action, you decide that you need to keep moving if you don't want to turn into Grimm chow.

After about an hour of walking through the forest, the din of battle is little more than a whisper on the wind. You've also managed to avoid encountering Grimm - your own training with your mother has put you into a situation worse than this. Your Aura is still bottomed out at zero - from what you recall it only begins to regenerate while resting.As you continue your solitary trek through the wilderness, you can hear a soft growl from the dense forestry behind you. Along with some rustling. You decide to keep moving forward at a brisk pace - panic only puts the Grimm into a frenzy. Taking a deep breath, you find yourself at a crossroads. The trees and dense forestry seem to split the path in front of your into three. It seems like the presence behind you is getting closer - you listen carefully to try and discern what lies at the end of each path.

Choices You've come across a split in the path - you must advance down one lest you be consumed by the Grimm behind you.
1.You can hear what seem to be the far-off roar of explosions blooming at the end of the left path.
2.For some strange reason, this middle path is eerily silent.
3. On this path, you don't hear the howl of gunfire. Rather, it seems like you can hear a faint melody.


The fear of death strikes your heart when you glance down the silent path and the sounds of explosions blooming on the other suddenly makes you doubt your own ability to avoid being caught up in the crossfire. That leaves you with the path leading towards a distant melody. Of course, the sudden thought that there might be some musically-inclined Grimm crosses your mind but you keep jogging down the path before breaking into a full-out sprint as you hear loud footfalls behind you. While you aren't particularly combat-inclined, you are fortunately good at running. Your mother firing full-auto at you with live ammunition during your training sessions might have instilled that instinct within you. The presence grows farther with each passing second as the trees ahead are parted by the light of a clearing. Almost there... Just a few more steps....

The world suddenly inverts as you take your next step. You can no longer feel the ground under you as your field of vision soon becomes a blur. You then realize that you've tripped on something - either your own foot or some jutting root. For a moment, you wonder just how dirt tastes. Then your mind shifts gears and you find yourself wondering what would happen if a loaf of bread was placed in a hydraulic press. It'd probably make a weird sound like "grrrrraaaaannnnnnnnnnhhhhhhhrshhhhhhhhppppppppppppppppaaaaaaaaaa". Wait, focus Niles. You're currently spiraling through the air like a sports ball. How do you ge-

You groan as your body rolls across the dirt floor. Thankfully, you've learned to keep your mouth shut so as not to dirty that palate of yours with the taste of nature. Your body continues to roll along the leaf covered floor and the feeling of grass tickling your face nearly makes you sneeze. Your momentum finally dies out when you collide with something solid. A brief glance at your side reveals a sandal-clad woman. The sandals are particularly odd looking - they've been carved out of some dark wood and look pretty archaic. Slowly, your gaze travels up the pale, shapely leg to a cloth sash fashioned around an elegant pink kimono. You flip onto your back to continue your eyes' journey. White petals adorn her formalwear in a tasteful pattern. Surprisingly, you manage to resist the urge to ogle her chest - you've already ruined your first impression and you'd be damned if she'd get the honor of adding lecherous onto the list of your many faults. Two red eyes lock onto you. Her wavy white hair frames her small face as she brings her covered right hand to her mouth in surprise.

"Huh? Niles?"

"Oh, uh, hey Squeaks."

You instantly remember her staring at you earlier on the airship. As you stand and brush off your outfit you take a look at the weapon she wields. Her right hand is clad in what seems to be a specialized leather glove; only three of her fingers are actually covered. Though, it's certainly not just for protection - you can see a diamond-shaped container on the glove that holds a mix of white and blue powder. You briefly recall your lessons in Dust - a combination of the blue Water Dust and the white Wind Dust produced Ice Dust. Color coding sure comes in handy, doesn't it? Her left arm is fully covered in the same leather armor that ends with the distinct layered shoulder pads of Mistral armor. There doesn't seem to be a dust container on the five-fingered glove holding her weapon, however. Speaking of that - you intially think that it's some sort of harp. When the shape becomes apparent however, you realize that it's an ornate and rather old looking bow - albeit a bow with at least 5 sets of strings. So some sort of bow-harp? She doesn't seem to have any sort of quiver on her person...

You're about to open your mouth when you realize what you called her when she aims that instrument of death right at you. You'd probably be more threatened if she had some sort of arrow nocked on any of those stings. Before you can even react, however, her right hand tugs on those strings with a certain grace. You can see the powdered dust being spread onto the weapon's vibrating strings and suddenly vanishing. There's a loud growl that instills the fear of death in you once more - but it's silenced as a soft melody hangs in the air. It's immediately followed by what sounds like something piercing flesh. You quickly turn on your heel and draw your pistol.

There, right in your face, is a goddamn Ursa. It's a bear-like Grimm whose hideous maw is frozen in a snarl. Though your gun is ready, you hesitate to pull the trigger - and rightfully so because it's already dead. The body is slowly fading away into that distinct black miasma that all Grimm corpses become. It seems that your would-be mauler was skewered by several large spears of ice. From what you can deduce, that squeaking girl can apparently fire on an enemy without hitting someone in-between. And thank god for that - you wince at the thought of a frigid death by oversized icicles.

"...Thanks for the save there - oh hang on. Doesn't this mean we're partners then? Oh, and sorry about calling you Squeaks. If you want, you can call me Klutz or something. "

"A-Ah! Y-Yes it does. My nayme i-is Ouka Moto. I-I don't think I'll take you up on your offer though..."

Her pale cheeks soon give way to a bashful shade of red as she fumbles her own self-introduction - it also seems from the slight scrunching of her face that she managed to bite her tongue. Aside from Ran in his full combat attire, you don't think you've seen anyone more blatantly Mistralian than her. She's definitely got that same overly formal and way too polite tone as him though. You extend an hand out towards her to solidify your new partnership with the Huntress. But this only elicits a surprised squeak from the young woman as she instinctively recoils with a blush. Was hand-holding seriously that lewd? Were all those gags about putting mosaics on sweaty, lovey-dovey hand contact actually not hyperbole. You draw your hand back to your hip but this only turns her face a deeper shade of crimson.

You can feel something welling up within you, though you're not too sure why. By the time Ouka's finally stopped looking at the ground and sort of towards your direction, the bear-like Grimm's corpses has already disappeared. Only the quickly melting ice projectiles remain in its place. For the next few minutes, the awkwardness between the two of you is culpable. You're just not sure how to handle someone who's this shy about everything - you briefly wonder if she was some sort of sheltered aristocrat or something. Thankfully, this awkward pause is cut short by the sound of footsteps as something else enters the clearing a good distance away from where you had emerged.

"Ara? Another pair? How lovely! That makes us a Team then~."

"..."

Two newcomers enter the open space - your eyes are immediately drawn to the rabbit ears atop the tall-white haired Huntress's head. Looks like you've managed to meet a Rabbit Faunus today. Or... didn't you see her earlier today too? Her skin was lightly tanned and her blonde hair seemed to extend all the way down to her ankles. She was also as tall as you - taller if you counted those ears of hers too. On her left arm was a metal buckler and a sheathe hung on her belt. Her attire consisted of an ornate black coat with a gold trim and some thin plate armor on her arms and chest. You couldn't help but feel threatened by her very existence - for some reason you were reminded briefly of your own mother.

Her partner's shorter stature definitely stood out in contrast to her height - you recall seeing him on airship as well. The young man had dark purple hair and a mask that resembled the slitted visor of a knight's helmet. Out of the three of you, he was wearing them most protective gear. The armor was clearly designed to resemble the sort of armor a gallant knight would wear into battle but at the same time it also conveyed its own modernity. If you had to hazard a guess, it was likely something from Atlas - that militaristic kingdom seemed to have a sort of aesthetic with their equipment. You couldn't see the young man's eyes underneath that mask but you could feel the burn of his judgmental gaze as you scratched your cheek. He's wielding an enormous lance taller than him - it also looks like a sort of revolve chamber's been worked into the base of the weapon. The tip looks to be separate from the rest of the lance. Ouka tugs at your sleeve and almost seems to be hiding behind your back. You figure you might as well ake the initiative.

"Yeah, I guess so. I'm Niles Xenos and she's Ouka Moto. We literally just met about a minute ago but here we are. And you two?"

"Xenos... that sounds familiar. I'm Hazel Greyguard, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"...Marche."

Well, at least one of them seems to be friendly. At least things seem to be looking up for you. Within the span of five minutes you've already managed to form a Team. There's safety in numbers and it seems like all that you need to do is find an artillery shell and make your way back to the airport. All in all, it doesn't seem too bad if you've got three other strangers watching your back. Still there's something familiar about Hazel - its a strange sort of recognition in that you're absolutely sure that you've never once met her face to face. You decide to push that to the back of your mind as you begin to speak.

"Well, I guess the only thing left to do now is find tha-"

"Ara, you mean this right? I landed near a Deathstalker's nest - the shell was somehow lodged in its stinger. I suppose that means we can head back now." She flashes a million-volt smile as she triumphantly holds up the worn chunk metal in one hand. You tilt your head - Deathstalkers are large Grimm - from what you know, once those scorpion-like Grimm are considered dangerous rookie killers. Even in a team of four, a Deathstalker still poses an enormous threat with its deadly stinger tail and scythe-like claws. Marche scratches his head as he speaks up.

"...Unfortunately, I met up with Greyguard after the deed was done."

You gulp - it looks like she really did kill one of those monsters on her own. As she stows away the shell behind her back, a flash of recognition hits you like a bolt from the blue. You remember seeing her on a box of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes! Normally, there's no way that a Faunus could make it onto the cover of a breakfast food like that. But the cereal's normal mascot was a rabbit - combined with how the news practically hailed her as a promising and upcoming Huntress, she managed to break racial barriers through a combination of marketability and sheer skill. You feel a lot safer now that you've regurgitated all this information about her.

Marche is a complete mystery - you're not even sure what the deal is with a mask that only covers his eyes like that. You briefly wonder if he's got some mystical mark on his irises or strangely-colored eyes connected to an ancient legacy of warriors or something. In the end, you conclude that he's probably a chuuni or something. There's something bothering you about his voice - it almost seems kind of forced. Like, he's brought it down an octave lower to sound tougher. He probably needs to in order to compensate for that lack of height.

"I-It'sreallygoodtomeetallofyou! I'minyourcare!"

Oh, and it seems like Ouka's finally mustered up the courage to take a step out from the behind you, bow her head, and spit out all those words in a steady stream of continuous fire. While Marche seems indifferent to your partner's awkward outburst, Hazel merely smiles and approaches her. She pats her white-haired head gently. Surprisingly, the head pat manages to ease some of her tension and Ouka looks back at the Faunus with a small smile. Honestly, you're not too sure the same approach would work if you tried that. You'd probably end up short-circuiting her.

"You don't need to worry dear, we're all in this together now. Ara, Niles, has your Aura been depleted?"

"W-Well, yeah. I got nicked pretty bad by a Grimm while I was searching for a partner..." You flinch, making up a lie to cover up the fact that you managed to cripple your own chances of survival before your feet even hit the ground. Thank god that none of these people were there to see your glorious landing. You're a little surprised that she could even tell that just by looking at you. You briefly wonder if that's a sign of the great skill gap between the two of you.

"Hmm, in that case, why don't Marche and I take point then. Miss Moto seems to be a long-ranged fighter judging by that weapon so she can take the rear - it's best to keep you in the middle since you're vulnerable Niles."

Ah, how thoughtful. And convenient for you. You can probably handle landing a few potshots or two but getting focused by Grimm would probably overwhelm you quickly. With the two armored Huntsmen as your shield and Ouka's musical archery backing them up you're certain that you can get through this with minimal effort. Yet, at the same time you're silently frustrated - even if you wanted to, you'd likely be holding the rest of the Team back with your own ineptitude. It's bad enough that you're already been taken out of the fight before it even started but you've really started to feel terrible about being a burden on these people. Regardless, you nod silently. Marche nods once as well as Ouka falls into position with her bow drawn. She looks determined, though your gaze forces a rosy blush on her face. You resist the urge to sigh as your unnamed team plunges back into the woodlands.

Though you've all got your weapons drawn, Hazel with her buckler and estoc, Marche with his heavy lance, you with the Ocelot, and Ouka with her bow-harp, the start of the trek back is surprisingly quiet. It's when Hazel lowers her guard that the rest of you follow in suit. With those ears of hers it's likely that she's also got enhanced hearing. You briefly wonder if humanity feared the Faunus because they were envious of their advantages. In your Primary Combat School, you never really spoke to the handful of Faunus students who were enrolled there. It was a shame, but you never had a good reason to talk to anyone really. It's not like they had Teams for that level of education so you weren't really forced to interact with your peers unless you really wanted to.

You've already decided that you'll take up this erroneous enrollment into the Hunstmen program to the school officials once this Initiation is over. While it'll probably feel bad to suddenly lose a teammate like that, it's not like you were really going to contribute anyways. You couldn't even if you tried. But, despite the futility of it all, you still find yourself wanting to talk with anyone one of these temporary allies. Maybe it's because you don't want the oppressive silence of your journey back to continue. Or maybe it's because you're so hollow and minor that you simply just want to converse with these main character-like existences to hopefully fill yourself in. Regardless of the reasoning, you decide to act.

Choices You decide to strike up a short conversation with one of your temporary teammates.
1. Chat it up with Marche. ["What's with you?"]
2. Ask Hazel about her Pumpkin Pete's endorsement.
3. Talk with your partner, Ouka. [WRITE-IN]


Well, Ouka's your partner so you figure that you'll have plenty of chances to chat her up. As for Hazel, you get this weird sort of death flag-y feeling from her - like she'd be the first major character death the denotes a shift in the story's overall theme and atmosphere. God, you're a fucking nerd for books but you're also a better patisserie. Regardless, you've set your mind up on talking with the other guy on the team - Marche! What sort of secrets does that mask hide? Is it some scar related to their tragic past? Or do their eyes contain some sort of magical power that would make even less sense in a setting primarily dominated by Mistrali assassins? As the trek continues, you subtly move closer to Marche.

"Hey."

"..."

"Marche right?"

A nod.

"What is it?"

"What's with you?"

"...Mm?"

"You know, the mask."

"Wouldn't you like to know..."

"Come on, with a mask like that you've gotta be used to the questions. I mean, what could you possibly hiding with a mask that only covers your eyes like that - is it related to your Semblance or something? Or do you like playing up that mysterious pretty boy image and hope that the mask attracts ladies your way?"

"..."

"A-Actually Marche, it is sort of distracting." Your white-haired partner jumps into the conversation/interrogation as well.

"Tch. Fine."

"Huh? That was actually easier tha-"

He pulls off his mask. There's an identical mask underneath. You're in-between emotions: mad at Marche for actually having the gall to pull a dumb gag like that on your and stupefied that you actually expected a big reveal this early into the semester. To his credit though, Marche remains completely stoic as he places the first mask back on over the second mask. Ouka's clutching her stomach and struggling not to laugh - she nearly trips over a pebble but you catch her mid-fall and help her back up. Hazel stifles a giggle and looks back to you. In any case, the trek continues without a hitch - from the constant sounds of battle in the background you figure that the other newly formed teams are already making their way back and likely attracting more of those beasts through their own panic. None of that is present in your to-be-named team, of course.

As the skies turn orange Hazel brings an arm out in front of Marche and halts the front-line. You follow their lead and crouch down as Hazel leads the group behind a sturdy tree. It doesn't take long for you to realize why everyone's on high alert though - a quick peek out from your vantage point allows you to catch a glimpse at an enormous Grimm's armored back jutting out above the treeline. Instantly, you recall its name: the elephant-like Goliath. With its heavy tusks and enormous girth, the Grimm compensates for its lack of speed with enormous strength and devastating blows. Marches pulls you back when you attempt to gaze out any further. The group arranges itself in a circle as Hazel closes her eyes.


Goliath Herd.png

"...It's not just the Goliath - I can hear some more footsteps. Ara, it might be roaming around with faster Grimm."


"We've managed to make it this far without running into Grimm. How about we try and sneak past it?"


"...We could try. I'd rather exterminate it - we're still good on Dust."


"...Y-Yeah, I think t-that we should take it out..."


"...Alright then. A daring ambush~. Marche, once I give the signal you'll open fire. Ouka, keep a distance and take out the other Grimm. Niles, you and I will take on the Goliath. We'll take up positions in the trees - once the Goliath is down we can regroup and take on the rest of its pack."

"Understood."

"Y-Yes!"

"...Right." Ha. Your hand moves to your holstered weapon as you immediately regret all your decisions up until this point. Hell, you were even beginning to enjoy their company. But it looks like this is one fight you won't be available to avoid. You briefly consider running away - but the determined looks on the rest of your teammate's faces are enough to make you reconsider. As much as you value self-preservation and not getting smashed to bits under a Goliath's foot, you also hate betraying someone else's trust. For a moment, your mother's face flashes in your mind - you remember the hidden disappointment in her face when you returned home after dropping out. You grit your teeth as Hazel leads the group forward.


***

You've put on a brave face but only you know just how completely screwed you are at this very moment. You're currently hidden in some trees and trying not to remember your own less-than-graceful landing. Hazel's taken up a vantage point across from yours while Marche and Ouka have their weapons ready behind a bush. The team has set up around what seems to be a well-treaded road - and the slight shaking of the earth is confirms that the Goliath is slowly making its way towards you. From high above, you can see Marche's lance shifting forms - it seems like it's some sort of heavy ordnance. The tip has also extended outwards - likely some sort of rocket launcher. Ouka's harp/bow is at the ready and her glove is loaded up with Ice Dust. Oddly enough, it seems that Hazel's weapon doesn't have some secondary function. There are still slots for Dust, but it really just seems to be an estoc and buckler combo. You briefly wonder if her status as a Faunus means that she can't afford more modern weaponry but a sharp whistle from Marche forces you to turn your head towards the slowly approaching pack of Grimm.

And as Hazel predicted, the Goliath is flanked on both sides by four Beowolves - werewolf-like Grimm that seem to spring up everywhere. Though they look quite ferocious, Beowolves tend to be all bark and no bite. At least, to trained Huntsmen students like the rest of your teammates. You're not too sure if you'd last that long against one - especially in your Aura-less state. Marche supports his weapon with his shoulder and aims carefully for the Goliath's legs. Hazel's blade wavers in the air as she prepares to give the signal - upon Dust ignition the team will spring into action. You idly check the chamber of the Ocelot one last time before you cock the hammer back and ready yourself for hell.

Combat Phase The ambush begins in earnest when Marche fires the first shot - Hazel's strategy leaves you in a flexible role. While the others are certain in their success, you just want to survive this Initiation and get the hell back to Arcadia. Your eyes narrow as they fall upon the thick hide of the Goliath as the Beowolves circle its feet. As your grip tightens on the barrel, you make up your mind and decide on a plan of attack.
1 .You decide to leap onto the Goliath with the Ocelot configured into knife form. With Hazel doing the same, the Goliath should fall easily. [CRITICAL SUCCESS] (DC: 18)
2. You're no Huntsman, but you're still confident in your own aim. When Hazel leaps onto the Goliath's back, you'll support her from afar with your revolver Ocelot. [ROLL] (DC: 16)


The attack begins when Marche fires the explosive tip of his lance at the Goliath's face. The glowing red tip's supply of Fire Dust is activated by the masked man's Aura and a tremendous explosion engulfs the Goliath's face as you cover your face with an arm. Several hairline cracks form along the contours of the creature's mask as it stops. You hear a faint melody as nearly invisible projectiles - crystalline dust? - neatly slice through the air. The four Beowolves scatter as several of them swerve out of the way to avoid Ouka's sonic arrows - it looks strumming her harp/bow thing allows her to shoot the dust loaded in her glove... though you're still not quite sure how that process works. The pair stand their ground as Hazel signals to you.

Surprisingly, you manage not completely flub it up. Hell, you actually manage to look pretty damn competent when you decide to leap onto the Goliath's back. Even better - you've managed not to impale yourself on the monster's back spikes. As you flew through the air, you pressed down on the trigger of your knife - though the heat hadn't dyed the metal a bright red, it was more than enough for the task at hand. The heated blade slid into the Goliath's thick hide with a surprising lack of resistance - a combination of your own body weight and the Fire Dust saw to that. Your death grip on the knife and your use of the bone spikes as footholds allow you to stay on the Goliath as it senses danger and begins to buck dangerously. The Beowolves avoid being crushed under the Goliath's weight as the rabbit faunus leaps from the trees.

Her form as she soars is almost like a work of art - though you're no expert on combat, something about the bunny eared Huntress's body just screams lethal. Her antique weapon flashes in the air like a beast's fang and her aim is true - the estoc's blade pierces through one of the Goliath's beady red eyes as it thrashes about. You almost lose your footing but manage to hold on to dear life. You glance to the right side of the beast's head as the wound from the Ocelot widens slightly - black miasma begins to pour out of the wound like fog. Hazel carefully grabs onto her sword with both hands and places both feet on the beast's mask. There's a sharp crack that splits the air open - she's dislodged her blade with her leg strength and has left a sizable crack in the beast's covered face. With her momentum, she twists her body and guides her blade into a Beowolf's shoulder on her way down.

The Goliath nearly tramples one of its pack members as you firmly hold onto the Goliath. You ignore the noise in the background as you muster up all of your strength to rip the knife from the Goliath's wound - you've sunk all 8 inches of the blade into the beast but the pain was likely worse than the damage you've actually inflicted. You lick your lips as you inhale the Grimm's flowing essence and quickly transform the Ocelot back into its revolver form with a quick twirl. Cocking the hammer back, you slam the barrel of the gun through the dark cloud and dig into the gash. Tunnel vision settles in as you lick your lips - if you weren't so focused on your task you might have said a pretty corny one liner or two. The gun's chamber spins rapidly as you sink the remaining 5 rounds into the rampaging creature's insides. Though your own Aura barely draws out the full power of the Fire Dust loaded within each bullet, the gun's destructive force allows them to tear through the Grimm's insides with easy. A gust of wind passes your face the Goliath bellows out a final death knell - the strength in its tree trunk legs ceases.

You narrowly avoid getting crushed by the Goliath's body as you leap - memories of combat rolling lessons come in handy as you safely land a short distance away from the Goliath's corpse. It's fallen on its side and a dense cloud of miasma have begun to fill the thicket... it then occurs to you that in the Goliath's frantic thrashing and your own savage attack that you've managed to become separated from the rest of your teammates. Strangely, you're not the least bit worried about that though. You wipe your mouth with a sleeve as you approach the Grimm's rapidly fading mass. You've been drooling - it seems that all that fighting's worked up an appetite. An strange hunter overwhelms you and a strange sensation assaults your body - it hurts for a moment but you don't stop moving forward. Step. Step. step.

its like a meal's been laid bare right before you. your body begins to unravel little by little with each step. when was the last time you've eaten? you can't even remember. your mouth opens wide as the miasma floods into your gaping maw - it's delicious. you can feel yourself becoming whole as you take the beast's essence into you. you lunge forward and your claws sink deeply into the meat. you bite into the dead beast's flesh and tear off chunks of tender meat that slowly fade away into miasma within your grasp. its so good when was the last time you did this? it doesn't matter - you're so damn hungry. each bite makes you more whol-

"N-Niles? A-Are you alright? I-I was calling your name earlier but you were k-kind of bu-" A certain white-haired girl has made her way over to you - and you slowly emerge from the cloud. Just your appearance is enough to derail her train of thought. What was her name? You don't remember - all of them look the same anyways. She falls backwards when she sees your blank, black visage. fear. that ambrosia overwhelms you as you take a step forward with your leg. you almost fall over. but you put one foot in front of the other. step. step. step. your head snaps from one side to another - looks like the other two aren't here. her eyes widen as you approach her and the panic is almost culpable.

she cant scream. you can see yourself reflected in those red eyes of hers. your body naturally twists and contorts as it struggles to stay together. you need to time to digest your meal but your body is already adapting. strength seeps into your joints as you bulk up. the girl's arms shake but she can't move - she won't move because its you. but you dont care. your going to slaughter her right here and now. she drops her weapon when you stare her down. is she pleading with you? why is she staring like she expects the inevitable not to happen?

Incomplete.jpg

"Y-You're Niles aren't you? I-It's still you is-" her quivering voice stops when you lunge for the kill. your claws ready to tear through that pale neck of hers. it's not that you detest humans - its just your nature.

***

Chapter I - Awakening <Kava.Ombro> COMPLETE
 
Last edited:
Chapter II - Beast <Granda.Mamuto>

Color Scene - Kuro.jpg
Beep... Beep... Slowly, the low hum of a machine beckons you back to consciousness - though the oppressive lights situated in front of your face force you to keep your eyes closed for a moment longer. You feel around the surface you're on - it's a particular firm cushion that you're not entirely familiar with. You sigh softly, one of your own personal rules was to never get involved with unfamiliar soft things - though that's certainly not the only tenet of your life that you've broken recently. Although you try to move your left arm, you feel something constraining it - feeling around your forearm allows you to trace the length of a plastic tube. An IV feed. Slowly, your eyelids flutter open as you re-adjust your vision to the vast whiteness of your current surroundings.

You look around the sterile room - there's a billboard with a laminated piece of paper depicting a scale of pain with smiley faces. That's... probably why you assume that you're in some sort of hospital and not currently being dissected. And contrary to what you might have expected, you can vividly recall the events of that disastrous initiation. From your meeting with the Bat Faunus to that strange transformation into something that couldn't be called human anymore. You bring your right hand up to the flourescent lighting and inspect it with a slight amount of fear. Turning it slightly, it doesn't seem like there's anything out of the ordinary with it. Nor do you feel that strange and compelling instinct that drove you to do... something with the Grimm's rapidly decomposing corpse. You fiddle around with your hospital gown and lift up the covers to make sure your legs haven't become masses of black either. All clear there.

One memory, however, makes you absolutely sick to your core. For one reason or another, you looked upon Ouka and couldn't recognize your own partner. Nor did you find anything wrong with killing her just because you felt like it. But what makes it several magnitudes worse is the fact that you had lunged at her with the intent to rip her throat out - to willingly end another person's life. You shiver slightly. Unfortunately, your own recollection of that strange and frightening experience cuts off there. And honestly, putting aside the guilt eating away at your insides, you're surprised that you're sitting in a hospital and not in some prison cell or strapped to a dissection table. Hell, waking up at all was in retrospect a huge miracle. But even then, you're not entirely happy with this turn of events. You sit up and hold your head with your hands.

"Just what am I...?" Ah yes, existential angst. This definitely isn't the first time you've experienced something like this - flunking out of Primary Combat School made you question your own identity and just what you had wanted to do with your own life. But you sobered out and left behind that somberness in order to keep on moving forward. You approached your shattered identity and picked up the pieces. The results of your attempts to mend your shattered psyche are fairly clear - you started to approach things with a light-hearted flippancy that betrayed your own rationality at times. But this was different. You realized that you weren't human - even being a faunus would have been preferable to being a monster.

"Ara ara~, you've finally woken up Niles? We were so worried about you." You'd recognize that voice from a mile away now - especially since she's probably the only individual who actually goes 'ara ara' like it's going out of fashion. You quickly transform the thin frown on your face into a small smile as a uniformed Hazel enters the room with a vase full of flowers. Glancing to a corner of the room, you notice a school bag leaning against a chair. You connect the dots fairly quickly - your teammate's was in the middle of her visit and you awoke when she left the room. Maybe to fill up that vase with water? The bunny-eared student calls over a nurse who runs you through the process of removing the IV and giving you a quick once-over before leaving the room once more. During that short period of time, you caught glimpses of Hazel using her Scroll - a fierce bout of paranoia paralyzes you with fear once the nurse leaves.

Thankfully, a bunch of armored up soldiers don't burst into the room and hold you at gunpoint - Marche enters the room next, also clad in the dark blue blazer and scarlet tie combo that all of Arcadia's students wear. Speaking of which - you glance out the window and take in the small view of the city's skyline. Marche's mask stands out with his attire - along with his short stature. Hazel, who's as tall as you (taller if you count the ears) is a full-head taller than the young man. He clears his throat as he tosses you a notebook. Curious, you open it up and flip through several pages of notes and copied handouts wedged in-between the looseleaf sheets. You can't help but smile at your aloof teammate.

"...You've been out for a day. Hazel asked me to make a copy of the material and what we reviewed on the first day." The masked boy's tone is cold and impersonal, but you catch the faintest hint of a reddening cheek as he covers his mouth with his hand. You decide not to ruin the good feelings by teasing him about it though - you're just grateful that they were worried about you.

"Erm, so just what happened then? I sort of passed out or something in the middle of it all. Not quite cliche soap opera amnesia but yeah."

"Hmm, well to start, we followed the Goliath's path and found you unconscious in a clearing. I carried you back but we managed to avoid anymore encounters with the Grimm. Some first-aid personnel brought you onto their airship along with some other students who weren't as lucky as you were. Ara, what you did was rather spectacular Niles, but you shouldn't over-exert yourself like that. You have a team now so please try to rely on us a little more, okay?"

"Yeah, I understand. I guess I did kind of lose it back there... Oh, damn." Understatement of the year.

"Mm~?"

"I sent in an application for the Confectionery Club a while ago and the scheduled an appointment yesterda-"

"Don't concern yourself with such matters - as a Huntsman student clubs are understanding towards your circumstances. Especially the day after initiation. You should be able to re-schedule once you contact them."

"Ara~, I didn't take you to be the baking type Niles. Perhaps you can treat us to your sweets sometime?"

"W-Well yeah, my mom really liked sweets and I sort of had this natural talent for it. Just don't complain if you get cavities."

The nurse returns and your two teammates stand to the side when she informs you about your current prognosis - you're as fit as a fiddle and your Aura levels have been fully replenished. They also haven't found anything wrong with your body - you're just as surprised as she is about the fact that you managed to get through the Initiation practically scot-free. Of course, for people like Marche and Hazel especially, that isn't out of the ordinary. But for someone like you who couldn't even pass Primary Combat School, that's a mind-blowing feat. Everyone files out of the room soon afterwards and you slip into your own uniform. Before leaving the room, you also find a book wedged under your pillow. It's a particular piece of smut you're familiar with: Ninjas of Love. However, it seems that this is an unauthorized manga version of the infamous story - a doujin. You look around and make sure that no one's watching before slipping the guilty pleasure into your inner suit pocket. The three of you make your way through the hospital and stop by the front desk to finish being discharged from the hospital. After a fair bit of paperwork and a confirmation of your identity via Scroll, you and your teammates head out onto the streets of Arcadia.

It's certainly nothing like you've seen before. Most of the buildings look tastefully antiquated, having been masterfully carved from stone. The sett paved roads are particularly nice looking - seems like Arcadia really takes the time to manage their streets. Well, at least this section of the city. When you pass by an alley on your way back to the dorms that you've been assigned, Hazel mentions the Red-Light District located near the harbor of the city. Apparently, even in a city built around an educational institution, crime still thrives like a bad case of the flu. Hopefully, you'll never have to enter that seedy part of the island. Ha. Ha. You silently dread the foreboding intuition that tells you that you'll probably end up there one way or another.

As you continue your leisurely stroll, you pass by the shopping district. The storefronts may be built into buildings with old-fashioned aesthetics, but some of the high-tech boutiques and electronics stores managed by Arcadia's various student organizations make it clear that you haven't traveled back in time. Likewise, the cars and motorcycles that pass by on the patterned street are just as modern. Though, you only recognize a few of the makes and models that pass by. It seems that the Automotives Club handles the production of a majority of the vehicles here - way to be self-sufficient Arcadia! However, you don't spot any of the Confectionery Club's stands or bakeries as Marche and Hazel lead you forward - the two have also been giving you an abbreviated version of the tour they received after initiation. Eventually, after about a half-hour of leisurely strolling, you find yourself standing in front of a small building in Arcadia's Residential District. It's nestled among taller buildings and situated close to the island's protective walls. Admittedly, it's not too shabby from the outside, but it's definitely not as impressive as the other building around it.

"...We have other business to attend to - you should unpack your bags. Our dorm room is on the second floor, Room 202. The lock will respond to your Scroll - we'll reconvene in the evening and discuss our living situation in full depth."

"Ara~, I should probably stock up on some ingredients for you as well Niles - I really look forward to seeing what you'll make~." She's grinning with her eyes closed - it's fairly clear that this point that Hazel's really looking forward to dinner (read: dessert) tonight.

"Just letting you know, I'm only good with dessert-ish stuff. If I tried to pour out a bowl of cereal I'd probably set the milk on fire." You fire back with a self-deprecating smirk that earns a soft giggle from the Rabbit Faunus. Though, Marche's slight smile catches you off guard. Maybe he's slowly warming up to you. In the midst of this, you still feel as if there's something that you'd like to know. As comprehensive as the tour was, you feel as if something is missing from all of this but you can't put your finger on it. You decide to seize this opportunity to ask one final question before the three of you part ways.

Choices "Oh yeah, just one more thing..."
1. "Did a black-haired guy stop by? He's uh... tall and near-sighted."

2. "Where's Ouka?"
3. "...actually, never mind. I'll see you guys in a bit."


It's been eating away at you for quite some time. There's been a clear absence - a void in the atmosphere that just can't be filled no matter how much time passes by. And it's not just that - each passing moment of uncertainty continues to burden you with guilt. Although you've been all smiles around your two teammates, you can't help but inquire at this point. After all, you tried to kill her. That's pretty bad way to kick things off - and you're still not sure if she's actually dead. The thought of that girl's mangled corpse soaked in her own blood is enough to make you shudder slightly.

"Where's Ouka?"

"Ara ara~, I knew I forgot to tell you something. She was accepted into the Arcadian Orchestra - I believe her practices are quite long."

You breath a sigh of relief - it seems like you didn't kill her. Though, as Marche and Hazel depart, you mull over the fact that sh had to experience all of that. Just what are you even supposed to do in this sort of situation? You enter the small building and glance around briefly - it's fairly normal. The office situated directly in front of the entrance is manned by two uniformed Arcadian Security personnel who check your Scroll and give you directions to your room. The affair is over with quickly and you find yourself thankful that you missed the first day - the line to get checked in probably would have taken an hour or two. You climb the stairs to the designated floor. Step. Step. Step.

Though the exterior isn't too impressive, it seems that they've put a lot more focus into their interior design. In the center of the floor is a large area separated by glass walls - the small metal plate near the door designates it as the lounge room. Your eyes briefly linger on the soft looking seat cushions before you go around the perimeter of the floor. What catches your attention immediately are the fact that the rooms used by each team have two doors that lead into the shared space - you reason that this building was probably converted into a residence hall when Arcadia became more viable as a fifth option. You pass by the rooms used by Team SPRK and Team ABRN. You're not entirely sure which team your black-haired friend would be in. Or if he'd even be on this room in the first place. Then, on the other side of the floor, you stop at your room. The large letters that adorn both sets of doors read: MGNO. You decide to go through the door labelled 'NO' because it's slightly more amusing that way and tap your compressed Scroll against the electronic lock. There's a click and you enter your room for the next few years of your life.

Light pours through a window and somewhat illuminates the large room. There are four beds situated in each corner of room along with wardrobes integrated into the walls and a small nightstand. Across from the entrance is another door - you decide to enter it first and find utilitarian bathroom - several exotic shampoos have already been stocked. On one side of the room are two sets of stalls and on the other are two private shower booths. You make a mental note to do some shopping of your own for toiletries whenever possible. You return the bedroom now and make your way to the plain looking bed that has a familiar set of luggage. You can't help but grimace, however, when you spot the holstered Ocelot lying on the nightstand. It's definitely served you well but you feel as if its presence in your life only signals the start of misfortunes - the last time you even touched it was back in Primary Combat School after all. Time passes by as you keep yourself busy by storing all your clothing into the wardrobe and setting your own bed with the memory foam insert and pillowcases you ordered directly from Arcadia. You don't bother to check your Scroll for the time when you finally plop down onto the thick comforter of your bed. It's still unfamiliar and you're used to a larger bed so it'll probably take some time to get used to it. Sighing, you decide to keep yourself distracted by reading that doujin tha- Oh, this is some really lewd stuff. You're not too sure what you expected from an adaptation of smut. You stuff the unofficial comic under your pillow.

You hear a beep from one of the door's electronic locks and sit up to see who's coming in - and your heart immediately sinks to the bottom of your stomach when your eyes are immediately drawn to those white locks of hair. Slowly, your mouth creaks open like an old machine but you struggle to say a word when you lock eyes with the girl you nearly murdered during initiation. In Ouka's red eyes you can practically see the fear and confusion reflected in her eyes. Though, you're pretty sure that at this very moment, you're just as scared as she is, even if you currently aren't some strange and incomplete aberration of nature right now. The silence is awkward and it seems that neither party can speak. You want to apologize. And you want to tell her that you're scared and confused by everything that's been happening. You want to tell her that you're way out of your league and that you don't belong here. But you don't say a damn word because you're even more frightened by what she thinks of you. She makes the first move and backs slowly out of the room with her case in hand. As the door closes shut, as if this encounter had never happened in the first place, you find yourself staring down at your human hands. Silence is your only solace before you finally break away from your stupor by wasting time with your Scroll's connective features.

Several videos of dank memes later, you hear a beep from the door's electronic lock once more as Hazel, Marche, and Ouka all enter in. Hazel gazes at you with a small smile as she proudly clutches a large brown bag filled to the brim with food. You resign yourself to your fate as the team's private patisserie. At least with everybody here, you don't feel the pressure from a one-on-one interaction with your partner. You wave as they all file into the room - Ouka and Hazel move to their beds on the opposite side of room from you while Marche loosens his tie slightly as he takes a seat on the bed next to yours. Hazel clears her throat as you brush your hair with a hand - it occurs to you that sleeping in a bed for a day has left you with a bad case of bedhead.

"Ara ara~, now that Niles has finally settled in we can start our first official meeting as Team MGNO. Let's begin with introductions again - I'm Hazel Greyguard and I'm from Vale. I'll also be acting as this team's leader - Marche believed that I deserved the position more. Regardless, I'll do my best to care for you all over the next four years. I hope we can get along~."She's certainly brimming with energy and friendliness - though you still can't shake off that feeling of dread that comes with looking at her. Possibly because you've seen her in action and the fact that her own bubbly personality does absolutely nothing to hide her lethality as a Huntress.

"...It's true. Though I may have been designated as the leader of this team by Arcadia, Greyguard's proven her worth during the initiation. My name is Marche. I hail from Atlas." The young man adjusts the visor-like mask that covers his eyes and brushes a lock of his long violet bangs away from the black slits that allow him to see through the obscuring accessory. You stifle a chuckle - it looks like he's just as cold as the Kingdom he hails from. You're admittedly somewhat surprised that this serious young man willingly abdicated his position to Hazel - though you're ultimately in agreement with his decision.

"I'm Niles Xenos... and I don't really stand out. Like, just look at my skin. Practically transparent, am I right? I mean, I guess my only sort of claim to fame is that I'm Carnelia Xeno's son. But like, I don't get the big deal about that. I can whip up a mean batch of cookies among other things - I guess Hazel really wanted me to make something tonight so I'll get on that soon. Oh, and I'm from somewhere outside of Vale - my mom built a house in the middle of uncharted wilderness for some reason. Our security system is the tops though - I've never woken up to a Grimm staring me down in my own bed. Guess I'm rambling now so I'll pass it on to Ouka." You play it off casually and force a smile that's pretty indistinguishable from your usual one. It occurs to you that you're actually pretty uninformed about your mother and that you should call her like the good son that you are.

"A-Ah... my name is O-Ouka Moto. It'sapleasuretomeetyouall. Erm... I came from Mistral a-and I wanted to become a Huntress so I could m-meet someone again... I-I've also been told that I'm musically inclined too... Please take cayre of me!" The pale-skinned girl bites her tongue at the end of her introduction but otherwise seems to be acting normally among others as well. Well, normal for her at least. You note that she avoided making eye contact with you - just as you did the same when you gave your own introduction. Honestly, you're fine with this sort of distance. Both physical and emotional. It's easier like this, that's what you believe.

"Now that ground rules are out of the way, let's lay down some ground rules. We have the same schedules so if no one has objections then I'll set the alarm for 6:00 AM every morning."


"..As for turns with the bathroom - I'll be going first. Alone. I'm uncomfortable with sharing a bathroom with another person. Niles will go next, then Hazel and Ouka. I take cold showers so don't worry yourselves with our supply of hot water." Weird, but if Marche is that adamant about not sharing the bathroom with you then you decide not to argue against it. Maybe he feels intimidated by your height.

"Mm, it doesn't look like anyone has a problem with that arrangement. I think that it's important to build up a good relationship as a team - let's try and do things together on the weekend whenever possible. It can be anything from training to just watching movies. Ara, sharing meals together would also be great..." Oh man, she's locking onto you. You merely nod back in response as her hungry stare bores straight through your heart like a red spear. Ouka merely smiles and nods as well.

"I-If you don't mind H-Hazel, I can handle our Team's finances... my family's e-education involved a lot of household organization and the like." She tries her hardest and comes up with a small smile and a light blush on her face - try your best Ouka! You're also assailed by a wave of guilt for harming someone who reminds you of a scared little kitten.

The meeting continues on for a little longer as the rest of you share information about your after-school activities. As you learned before, Ouka is part of the Arcadian Orchestra - seems like she also plays that bow of hers as an instrument. Starting tomorrow, you'll likely be busy with Confectionery Club - you silently hope that the senior who'll be supervising you is a sweet, motherly kind of woman. Sort of like Hazel. Too bad Hazel's already devoting most of her free time to keeping up what sounds like an inhuman training regime - the way that she casually details the hellish conditions that she willingly subjects herself to unnerves you. Marche's answer is pretty vague - he's pretty vague but apparently he has his own priorities. The three of you don't bother trying to pry into the mysterious masked boy's circumstances.

When it comes time to dinner, you and Marche are designated as today's cooks. Hazel guides the two of you to the floor's communal kitchen - it's almost completely untouched. Apparently, the other teams on this floor prefer to eat out and explore the rest of Arcadia. You'd be tempted to do the same but your own rationality keeps pointing out that it's easier and probably better for your health if you cook your own meals like this. Though, you're only handling the dessert portion. Marche gets to work quickly - he chops up the vegetables Hazel's bought (there are a lot of carrots) and seems to be preparing them into a stew. At least he seems to know what he's doing - you glance back occasionally and watch as he completes his task with the efficiency of a machine. You tighten the straps on the pink, frilly apron (you accidentally packed your mother's) and adjusts the triangular piece of cloth that keeps your hair back as you get to work baking macarons. It was Hazel's purchase of a set of food coloring that confirmed her own intentions with the ingredients she bought for you. Cooking the confections comes pretty effortlessly to you - you even catch Marche stopping at times to watch as you prepare those sweets like a champ. If only you lived in a world where cooking was the number one concern. Maybe you'd even seduce a cute, blonde-haired tsundere rival.

Once the cooking is done, the two of you bring your prepared dinners back to the room - Ouka provided both the cutlery and dishes. You're somewhat terrified to even handle her dinnerware - partly because it's hers and also because you recognize the brand as a high-quality one. The plate that you've assembled your colored goods into a pyramid on is probably worth more than you. Seeing as how you're the only team on the floor tonight, Team MGNO assembles in the lounge to eat. The stew that Marche prepared looks like something straight out of a cookbook - though the taste is extraordinarily bland. It's definitely nutritious, but it lacks any sort of excitement. Ouka sort of gives up half-way through the stew and swirls it around with a spoon but Hazel downs it all in one go - it's clear that she looks forward to trying out those macarons. And of course, when she's overwhelmed by bliss after taking a bite from one of the sandwich-like confection the other two follow suit. Ouka's cheeks redden when she takes a bite but she keeps her gaze down towards her lap - she won't look at you but she'll still eat your food. Marche covers his face with a hand as he eats - though a silent thumbs-up is enough to make you smirk. Though there's not much small talk at the table, it seems that everyone is in good spirits - though you refrain from eating your own prepared desserts because you've ironically never really liked sweet things that much.

The team returns to the dorm room after dinner and pass the time silently. Marche has earbuds plugged into his Scroll and it appears that Ouka is reading some book - looks like something from Mistral. While Hazel sharpens her estoc, you decide to head up to the roof for some introspection and a quiet study of Marche's notebook. At the very least, you've managed to avoid exposing what happened between you and Ouka. But you're also frustrated by this distance - and yourself for refusing to confront this problem head on. The cool night air envelops your body as you step out onto the wide-open space of the residence hall's rooftop and lean against the safety railing that runs along the perimeter. After a few minutes of ruminating in silence, you hear the door behind you open and glance back. Your bunny-eared leader strolls in and wordlessly takes a position next to you.

"Huh, fancy seeing you here Hazel. Did you want to see the stars or something?"

She shakes her head and pulls out her Scroll. While your instincts are screaming at you to run away, you find yourself frozen in place by the concern that lights up her face when she brings up the Team's status screen on the device.

"...I've been meaning to ask you about this Niles, but I hadn't had the chance until now, Your Aura values are abnormally low, no? It's about a tenth of the average..."

You gulp. It's only now occurred to you that the team's leader would have access to this sort of information. And with Marche giving the position to Hazel...


"...Yeah. To tell you the truth, I'm not really qualified to be a Huntsman. I... I'm not too sure why I'm even enrolled into the Huntsmen Program here - I applied as a normal student. I mean, I went to Primary Combat School once but I washed out. Didn't have the skills for a career in hunting Grimm. I really do enjoy being on a team with you guys, but I think it's for the best if I get this whole mess sorted out - I'm a liability. I just got lucky during that last fight." It's an unstoppable stream of truth. You just can't hold it in after spending the whole day avoiding another issue in your life. And, you don't want to keep on lying to Hazel. Nor do you want to endanger her with your own incompetence.

"Ara, but you still attended Primary Combat School, didn't you? Doesn't that mean that you wanted to be a Huntsman at one point."

"Well, yeah bu-"

"Niles, it's true that you're weak - I saw it in your own movements. You were uncertain in everything you did during the ambush. But, I don't want to part ways with you. Not just because you're good at cooking - but I don't want to lose a teammate like this. When Marche asked me to lead, I decided that I wanted to see all of you graduate with me. You think it's luck that let you keep up with us during the initiation - but I see potential. Sure, you may not have completed your compulsory education, but I don't think you're as terrible as you think yourself to be."

She places a hand on your shoulder and attempts to reassure you.


"You... you really believe in me that much, huh? And you aren't just ribbing me for more food Hazel?" You flash a self-deprecating smirk her way.

"Of course not. Niles, you're an important part of the team whether you want to believe my words or not. I wouldn't trade you away for anything in the world - and neither would your partner. I don't know what's going on between you and Ouka, but it'd be a shame to leave things like this wouldn't it?"

You sigh and lower your gaze. You don't say a word.


"...It may be difficult at first, but with time I'm sure you'll become a fine Huntsman. And... I'm here for you. I may not look like it, but I'm apparently the freshman with the second highest combat aptitude. That's what I've been hearing at least. If you'd like, I can help you train - every night up here we can work on getting your Aura up and making up for lost time." There she goes, flashing that smile at you once again.

You're aware on an unconscious level of her own prowess and skill. After all, she's brazen enough to charge into battle with antiquated equipment and come out victorious. Yet, you're also afraid of turning into that thing and harming her - or possibly being killed while you're just some raving beast. One thing (aside from your desire to touch her fluffy ears) is clear: you're not going to transfer out of the program. It's a combination of the young woman's faith in you and your own desire to do right by Ouka. Like she said, you can't just leave things as they are. You think back to Primary Combat School - as your own failures piled up you found yourself alone and ostracized silently by your peers. But here she is, willing to offer you a hand. To lift you up. Your mind swirls as you think this through.

Choices Hazel has offered to help you train every night to become a better Huntsman - and you've decided to keep going down this path. You need to get good fast.
1. Accept her offer and train with her every night - you're sure you'll grow under her tutelage. And if you turn into a monster... you at least want to die by her hands.
2. Decline her offer and do this alone - with your newfound determination, you've regained some amount of confidence. You're also worried about her own safety.


"...Thanks for the offer Hazel, but I think this is something I have to do myself." You shake your head and catch the briefest hint of disappointment on Hazel's face before she pats you on the shoulder and begins to walk back towards the rooftop's entrance.

"I see... If you're really sure about it, then I'll keep on believing in you. Don't ever forget that you're better than you think you are." The bunny-eared leader of Team MGNO offers you a small parting smile as you stare out into the darkened skyline of the city for just a few more minutes. You rationalize this as a precaution against suddenly trying to kill the woman - it's already hard enough to deal with Ouka as it is right now. Though, you silently dread the prospect of even being on the wrong end of Hazel's blade.

Sighing softly, you spend the next half-hour searching up training routines and attempting to actually perform some of these purported online Aura-enhancing activities. Though, after a bout of muscle soreness brought on by attempting to hold a strange pose that "9 out of 10" Professional Huntsmen apparently do before missions, you start to doubt the validity of some of these exercises. Thus, your first training session comes to a rather disappointing end - you've managed to accomplish absolutely nothing on your own. After a final check of your current Aura with your scroll that confirms a complete lack of change, you decide to call it a night and head back to the dorm room to sleep.

Morning is heralded by the loud blaring of Hazel's alarm and after a brief struggle with yourself you finally leave the warm comfort of your dorm bed to prepare your uniform. Marche exits the room's bathroom promptly and fully dressed and you enjoy a nice, warm shower in one of the shower booths. After dressing and exiting the bathroom, Hazel and Ouka head in - of course you avoid making eye-contact with the white-haired girl on your way out. That awkwardness continues when you and your team leave the dorms together - it's still fairly early so Hazel suggests a stop at a coffee shop to grab some breakfast. You munch on a breakfast sandwich silently as Hazel gushes about some famous Huntress who's in the year above yours. The masked boy takes it in stride, only muttering some brief "...I see." and "Ah..."s in response to the animated faunus. Ouka takes careful sips of her coffee and almost seems ready to bug out every time you make a move - you honestly can't blame her though.

The rest of the trip to Arcadia Academy's Huntsmen building is done on foot. The building itself isn't particularly conspicuous. If there wasn't a sign then you'd easily mistake it for just another building. If anything, it's a far cry from Arcadia's main building that you've only glimpsed on brochures. You recall the intricate Grimm masonry and the old-style construction that makes it look more like a cathedral than an institute of higher learning. You gaze up at the bronze statue of a heroic-looking soldier that towers over incoming students - according to the plaque it's of the island's founder: Klein Koenig. A large sniper rifle rests on his shoulders and his stern, resolute gaze seems to stare at the future hidden somewhere in that far-off horizon. Or something, you break out of that brief bout of prose and quickly enter the building before anyone calls you out for spending a good three minutes checking out a statue of some dead guy.

***

Unlike the normal academic schedule that you had planned for, it seemed that the Huntsmen Program was actually pretty scant on class time. For the first few weeks at least. After three brief classes before lunchtime, your academic duties for the day are over. The Huntsmen History class was interesting, though the white-haired assistant teacher who took over for the absentee professor was a little green behind the ears. Dust Application and Theory managed to keep your attention, though you silently reminded yourself that a majority of these creative approaches to slaying enemies with Dust were far beyond the scope of your current abilities. Grimmology was actually a little unnerving for you - at times you caught yourself drooling when the professor presented pictures of the monsters to the class. Apparently, however, these classes will be put on hold tomorrow - it seems that every first-year team has gotten their first assignments. You briefly recall Hazel receiving a manila envelope from the student aide earlier.


"You know, that wasn't too bad. Those notes really saved me Marche." As you walk out of the main building, you flash a grateful smile at Marche and hand him his notebook. The boy merely adjusts his mask and places the notebook in his rucksack as Hazel and Ouka follow behind you.

"Think nothing of it - it was only my duty as your teammate."

"..."

"Ara ara, look at the time. I have to attend to some business."

"O-Oh! I-I better head to practice then. I-I'll see you all later then."

"...Hmph. I suppose we're parting ways here - if any of you need me, you can reach me through my Scroll."

With those words, your three teammates walk away near the statue at the entrance. Your stomach growls as you check your own Scroll. The appointment with the Confectionery Club won't be happening until later in the day. You scratch your chin and stand there... before something bumps up against you and nearly forces you to the ground. You do a 180 and immediately recognize the perpetrator - black hair, large triangular ears, and shut eyes. You immediately spring to help him up - and you briefly recall seeing him in the halls with his own team. Apparently, your schedules didn't quite line up.


"Ran? Fancy meeting you here." He grabs your hand and you help him onto his feet - for his height, he's lighter than you expected. Or maybe you made some massive gains during that training session. You decide that it's probably the former.

"Oh, it's good to see you again Niles. We haven't met since the Initiation? How are you?"

"Eh, I could be doing better. Ended up passing out though - how'd you do?"

"Well, it's quite a long story bu-"


"Ran, come on! We're going to grab some sandwiches!" An unfamiliar girl with brown hair done-up in a pony-tail waves to your half-blind friend. She's got this slight hint of an accent in her voice and almost seems kind of plain - she doesn't seem to have the same sort of presence as some of your other classmates. Actually, she sort of reminds you of you, strangely enough. He retrieves his spectacles from his blazer's pocket and cleans them off before putting them on.

"I'll be there in a minute Piper!" He shouts back to her before turning to address you once more. "Ah, that was one of my team members - I'm part of Team SPRK."

"Seriously? Small world, man. I ended up on Team MGNO, same floor as you guys... Guess that means I can visit you whenever and borrow some manga."

"Indeed, though they are rendered in their original language Niles. Hmm, what happened to your teammates?"

"They had stuff to do so I was going to go grab some lunch - I gotta meet with the Confectionery Club later. You score that membership with the Textile Club?"

"Oh, yes. The interview went well for me - though one of my senpais advised me to 'take it easy'. I'm still struggling to comprehend that particular comment." The young girl from before yells out Ran's name once more and gestures to the Mistralian to hurry up. You scratch your cheek and sigh under your breath when Ran bows down formally and shouts out an apology back at her. You briefly toy with the notion of devoting an entire weekend to trying to get the tall boy to lighten up through some youthful hijinks that would be right at home in a buddy-comedy movie.

"I'd better go... Actually, how would you like to accompany us to lunch Niles? I was actually hoping for an opportunity to introduce you to my teammates." He flashes a sincere smile and you carefully weigh the possible options on the table. On one hand, you'll get to spend some quality time with your friend - maybe you'll even get to buddy it up with his other teammates. On the other hand... you can eat alone. You make up your mind and answer.

Choices Join Team SPRK for lunch?
1. Hell yeah! Time to build some Social Links (and meet potential waifus?!)!
2. N-No thanks, interacting with (GASP!) other people who aren't in your team is terrifying.


"Sure, why not? It's not like I'm some grouchy edgelord. Probably." There's this old cliche in stories about the power of friendship and how camaraderie always saves the day. For you, however, the importance of teamwork is well-known. Even if you continue to get lucky like the initiation you'd like to have some sort of safety net or back-up plan. And to be honest, you're also sort-of starved for interaction - after all, you spent the last few years in solitary study with only minimum contact with your mother. If you weren't devoted to catching up and education you could have passed as NEET with your hermit-like lifestyle.

"Excellent, then let's be off. I've got so much to tell you Niles!" Ran seems excited to say the least - you resist the urge to touch those large ears atop his head when they practically wiggle around in subdued excitement. The tall boy grabs your sleeve and leads you over to Piper - a few words later and the three of you are strolling down one of the busier streets of Arcadia. Streetcars powered by the same Dust that empowers the defenders of humanity whiz by at high-speeds and you catch sight of the balloon-like airships utilized by Arcadia drifting overhead.

After passing several colorful storefronts, you finally stop outside what looks to be an upscale sandwich shop - an establishment named Rosso's. Ran leads you to a wrought iron table - ornate and a good match for the sandwich shop's rustic aesthetic. You drop your bag on the seat next to Ran's and head in. After filing into a rather long line, you endure the hunger pangs that punctuate each moment of waiting. You come out with a medium-sized sandwich slathered in bacon and ham. On Ran's suggestion, you also ordered one of their milkshakes - though after a taste of the drink you're convinced you could probably do better. You're the first to return to your seat, then Ran returns with a tray and a rather plain looking sandwich. Piper arrives next with a large-sized sub absolutely crammed with meat of all sorts - you can't even fathom what sort of animals all those cuts belong to. A black-haired young man with a confident look on his face arrives next with two medium-sized subs. And the last to arrive is... you recognize her instantly. Light blue hair. She glances briefly at you and smiles - it's that same girl who was on the platform next to you at the initiation.

"Huh? Did we get a new member on the team or something?"

"Introductions are in order - this my friend, Niles. We were seated on the airship together."

"Hey there. Niles of Team MGNO - hope you guys are taking care of my favorite Bat Faunus." You admit that sounded a little suspect but you swear that sounded better when you ran it through your mind. Regardless, you just play off that awkward line with a big, friendly grin. The blue-haired girl extends a dainty hand across the table to you - it's only now that you notice just how petite her frame is. And her fla- modest chest. Get it together Niles, slips of the tongue like that probably earn the scorn of a woman. Even in your own head. Especially in your own head. You pull your gaze away quickly and shake her gloved hand - the white silk feels good on your skin.

"Any friend of my partner is a friend of mine. My name is Pacifica Koenig, it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Her smiles is warm and friendly just as you expected. But, you can't help but feel something off about her behavior. More importantly, however, it seems that you had the misfortune of being on the one platform that shot out far. Or perhaps fortune - Ran's probably the second person you would have been most horrified to nearly kill. There's something else about her that catches your attention, but you realize you're probably past the time limit for acceptable when it comes to handshakes.

"Likewise, I'm just glad to meet someone from another team like this." Piper pipes up with a cheerful tone before sipping some of the soda she bought.

"Mmmph. Yeah, nice to meet you Nils. Name's Cole Schrei." He pauses for a few seconds after saying his name as if he's expecting some sort of reaction from you. Or something, you're not entirely sure because he's already taking a bite out of his sandwich before you can react. He gives you a thumbs-up as his face is currently stuffed with bread, meat, and some fresh slices of vegetables. Maybe a sauce or two. Either way, the others follow in suit when their team's leader starts eating. You actually feel more comfortable when the brown-haired girl works on devouring that sub with gusto - and that black-haired boy is doing the same. Ran takes small nibbles out of his sandwich as if he's taste-testing each morsel and Pacifica actually pulls out a knife and fork for her typical sandwich. You begin to consume the sandwich - though you can't help but feel your own way of eating it is pretty damn generic.

"Oh yeah - how'd your initiation go down? I was pretty much out of it for most of mine - and the pair I bumped into with my partner already found the relic or whatever." Ran dabs his mouth with a napkin and takes a long sip from his glass of water before taking a deep breath and speaking.

"Mmm, where to begin. Well, for starters, when the platforms launched us I ended up landing in the same area with Miss Koenig."

"It was quite a coincidence, wasn't it Ran? Funny how some things just end up like that."

"Quite... Well, we ended up wandering for some time before we came across a shout. We eventually came to the remains of a small village where Piper was fending off some bandits. As she had not met a partner yet, Miss Koenig and I stepped in to rescue her."

"Y-Yeah, I would have been toast if you guys hadn't shown up then and there. I didn't think people would actually be lurking in those ruins..."

" It was certainly a surprise for me as well, but criminals like them can find solace in even the most hostile of bomes. With the three of us united, Miss Koenig believed that we could handle any further ambushes. Not to mention the possibility of a relic being hidden somewhere nearby. We slowly advanced through the town - my own experience with stealth came in handy and allowed us to avoid needless scuffles as we advanced through the deserted town. Unfortunately, we ended up separated when we tripped their alarm. The scoundrels were quick to respond and swarmed us en-masse. Miss Koenig and I managed to escape but Piper ended up getting separated in all the confusion."

"It was pretty rough... they ended up cornering me in an alleyway. There they were staring me down with their weapons drawn and my own Aura depleted and all. I thought I was going to finally be reunited with my cat, Mittens up there in the great beyond. But then, something swooped down from the heavens above - before I knew it they were all sprawled out on the ground. Ah~, he had such a strong back..." The young woman's cheeks redden as she recounts her own part of the story - her eyes briefly shift to the confident looking man who's just now licking his fingers clean. She quickly snaps her gaze down to her lap when he clears his throat and wipes his mouth with a napkin.

"Ah, yeah. It was nothing really - the platform ended up launching me onto a rooftop. I just sort of scouted out the area before I spotted her getting chased into a dead-end. There were five, maybe six of them right Piper? I couldn't exactly stand by and let a girl like you get roughed up by a bunch of brutes. I wouldn't be able to call myself a man otherwise, y'know?" He flashes her a shining grin that only makes her blush harder. Pacifica maintains her calm demeanor as she takes a sip from... is that a teacup? Does she carry that around? Ran nods with a soft smile.

"We met up shortly after Cole saved Piper from certain doom - with the four of us together we became Team SPRK. And apparently, Cole spotted some of the bandits entering a hidden tunnel when he was observing them earlier. Apparently, they were using underground tunnels to quickly travel around the city. We ended up heading down that tunnel and fought off thug after thug before we finally arrived at the heart of their operation. We were definitely outgunned and exhausted - but we couldn't stop there."

"Mmhm, their bandit king guy was wearing the artillery shell as a crown or something. I swear that dude was a total psycho."

"That was almost certainly the case. But, here's probably the wildest part of it all - Cole ended up charging ahead and clearing a path straight to him. Then, he dueled him as we held back the reinforcements. Their clash was almost like something out of a fairy tale - a hero against a tyrant. Their blades clashed like lightning as he matched the boss's unwavering endurance with unparalleled speed. I can recall it so vividly - Cole forced him on the defense and wore him down with a rain of blows from the twin blades he wielded. His black coattails fluttered as he slashed at him like a raging gale... Ah, my apologies for the prose. It truly was something to behold Niles."

"Ah... yes..." Though Pacifica's face has hardly changed, you can detect the slightest bit of dismissal in her tone. She takes another long sip as you bite into your sandwich.

"C-Cole really was dashing! But, I guess we should have expected that from the first-year student with the highest combat aptitude."

"Eh? He's that good?"

"Oh, yeah. They made a big deal about it at the opening ceremony. I guess it's cause I look like one of my ancestors - he was a big deal in Atlas. Apparently though, my performance during the initiation and prior records from the school I came from were enough for the teachers to play it up. I'm really nothing special, honest guys." The young man plays it off with a certain amount of modesty. You briefly recall Hazel mentioning how she was the student with the second highest combat aptitude - but you don't feel as frightened for your life around him. Maybe it's just his sort of personality and that oblivious smile that accompanies his words. The meal continues on normally...

Until two boots land on the table and you recoil back in shock. The other patrons currently eating at Rosso's likewise stop what they're doing and look up at the loud disturbance that's ruined the atmosphere. There, standing on your table, is a short girl with dark purple hair and a look of pure rage on her face. Her weapon, a polearm and rifle combination, is pointed right at Cole. The young man simply takes another bite from his sandwich and looks up - he gives her an incredulous grin and smirks.

"Oh, you ag-"

"Don't you start Cole Schrei! I-I won't forgive you for besmirching my honor like that! Right here and now - we're settling this like huntsmen should! With a duel!" The fire in her eyes is clear and you feel as if you can grasp the pure vitriol in her voice as she twirls the spear over her head and slams the blunt end of the weapon on the table.

"C-Cole, what happened wit-"

"...Remember how I went out for a jog this morning? Well, I ended up catching her ba-"

"T-T-That's enough you moron! T-T-To the death! Now!" Oh boy, looks like the shortstack's going berserk now. You back away from the table as she starts swinging around her weapon randomly - ordinary students have already started making tracks or have taken to hiding in the sandwich shop. Her blush is redder than a ripe strawberry's. You can only guess what sort of hijinks led to this encounter.

"Niles. This seems like an issue for Team SPRK to handle - and I believe you had an interview to attend."

"R-Right, yeah. Good luck with the... duel, I guess." You glance around for any signs of Arcadian Security to no avail. As you begin to stroll away from the scene, you can already see Cole retrieving his razor-like swords from the confines of his uniform and moving towards the now empty street. This definitely isn't your problem though and you try to ignore the almost light novel-ish situation that the hero's found himself in.
***​

"What the bloody fuck is this shite? Are you trying to kill some fucking rats? DO YOU THINK THIS IS A FUCKING CANDY STAND YOU FUCKING HALFWIT?"

The good news is that the interview actually went along swimmingly for you - it was simply you preparing a simple dish for your senior to taste. And according for the senior who was responsible for testing your culinary skills, your croquembroche was excellent in both taste and presentation - though they did mention that you still had some room for improvement. Your skills were fortunately good enough to land you a position in one of their busiest and most lucrative locations in Arcadia - and thankfully it's not too far from the dorms.

The cat faunus girl next to you flinches as your upperclassman goes off on her after sampling her batch of cupcakes. Even if his words aren't directed at you, each word still makes you flinch. Apparently, cooking sweets and shit is serious business around here. She's practically on the verge of tears as he rips her a new one with his verbal assault.

"GOD FUCKING DAMN IT! Every fucking time we get new students they always burn the BLOODY CUPCAKES. For fuck's sake it's literally finger food! How have you managed to fuck it up this bad? YOU CAN'T JUST THROW SHIT IN THE OVEN AND THEN CALL ME OVER AN HOUR LATER WITH A DUMB SMILE LIKE 'Oh, Mr. Dearg, it's all ready tee-hee~!' For fuck's sake, how is it possible that this guy here is the only one who managed to make something that was even remotely fucking acceptable. WHAT THE BLOODY FUCK ARE YOU DOIN- YOU JUST FUCKING LEFT THE EGG SHELLS IN THE BATTER YOU TWAT!" And there goes Mr. Dearg, rampaging like a war god with a mouth fouler than a sailor's, as another unfortunate student's been caught in his crosshairs. Although he's just a normal student in his third year, you honestly find him more intimidating than most of the Huntsmen you've come to know.

As the cat girl curls up on the ground and sobs uncontrollably you find yourself thankful that you've managed not to incur your supervisor's wrath for the time being. Your first shift started almost immediately after the interview - by the time you're finished you've gotten a handle on the kitchen and your boss's rather colorful personality. Though, colorful in this case should be read 'various shades of red'. You take home one of the leftover cakes you baked back to the dorm - Ouka took the liberty of preparing a dinner of traditional Mistralian cuisine for the team. You find yourself struggling during the meal - occasionally your eyes wander to her neck and you struggle to eat the food she's prepared because it's her. As you felt rather tired from your day at the boutique, you skip out on trying to train again and get some rest. Unfortunately, you're plagued by nightmares - of a Goliath goring you with its enormous tusks and pulverizing your body underneath its heavy footfalls. Trumpeting transforms into the sound of a ringing bell as morning arrives.

"Ara Ara~, let's just check our supplies one last time."

"I've got the rations."

"We're good on Dust."

"I-I've got the first aid kit. H-Hopefully we won't need it..."

Today's the day for Team MGNO's first big assignment - a simple patrol in "Freshmen Forest". A dumb name, but an apt one for a particularly dangerous spot of land located in the northern part of Sanus. It's a strip of woodlands that are notorious for its large population of Grimm - apparently Beacon's given up on trying to train students there and Vale ended up outsourcing the task to Arcadia. A few other teams are also patrolling the same general area but based on the information on patrol routes that Hazel received from the faculty it's more than likely that you and your team will be on your own. As you prepare to board the airship bound towards the combat zone you feel the anxiety welling up inside you. Though Hazel's pep talk helped, you're starting to regret all that bravado you spoke with on that rooftop two days ago.

Your primary concern, however, lies with Ouka - though it doesn't seem that she's spoken a word about your little incident to anyone she definitely has been avoiding you as much as possible.The flight is over with surprisingly quick and the three teams assigned to the Freshmen Forest go their separate ways as soon as they land. You lag slightly behind the group - though all your backpacks are the same weight your feeble Aura does little to actually enhance your natural capabilities. For the first hour or so, the patrol route is relatively quiet. But as you penetrate deeper in the forest, over rivers and through dense thickets, you feel thatstrange hunger beginning to build within you. Hazel's ears twitch and she rushes forward to scout ahead. She returns a few moments later and pulls out her Scroll to display a rough map of the terrain.

ursa-png.236294


"...It looks like we've run into a particularly large pack - a lot of Beowolves. There were three Ursas a fair way behind them - one of them was an Ursa Major. Probably their pack leader, though its larger than average size might mean that it's a particularly long-lived Grimm. We'll have to pick them off carefully. Trying to engage all of them at once is just asking for trouble."

"If that's the case then it's probably best if we take out all the smaller ones first - the Ursa Minors will be easier to deal with if we don't have to watch out for Beowolves trying to overwhelm us with numbers."

"Hmm. We'll set up a two-pronged ambush then - Marche and I on one side and Niles with Ouka on the other. It'll make dealing with that horde of Beowolves easier - draw them away with some range and then engage them once they're isolated from the groups. Once each set of Grimm are wiped out we'll meet up again and deal with the Ursas."

Both you and Ouka nod - even if you're not on the best of terms it seems like neither of you want to let down the team with your own personal issues. The slight hint of a smile on Hazel's face seems to suggest some other motives for her strategy, however. It seems like she's trying to force some sort of reconciliation between you two by setting the right conditions. Maybe it's a little clumsy, but even you're aware that this a problem that only the two of you can solve. You put aside the angst for the time being and get into position behind a tree while Ouka keeps her distance from you in a nearby shrubbery. Marche and Hazel have set up their position ahead of yours - they'll be drawing some of the Grimm away first.

You check the chamber of the Ocelot one more time - you've switched out the Fire Dust for Gravity Dust. When applied to projectile rounds, the black and purple mineral essentially makes each bullet heavier and gives their impact some more 'oomph'. Though that's probably the most basic use of Gravity Dust, it's also likely the best application you can manage with your weak Aura. You can hear rustling from the bush as Ouka prepares herself for the coming onslaught. You sigh - you figure that it's as good a time as any.

"Ouka, I-"

An explosion blooms just ahead of your position - a mass of black shapes are already rushing forth into the dense woodlands. You cock the hammer of the Ocelot back and slowly advance forward. A quick peek reveals that the diversion was successful for the most part. A small number of the Beowolves have been lured away - with Marche and Hazel working together they'll probably be done with those beasts fairly quickly. Ouka's head pokes up from the bushes - though she's already diverted her attention to the incoming horde of Grimm that are beginning to pick up speed. That sudden attack has likely left them agitated and on edge. It's at this moment that you realize that you're basically that one idiot who kicks the hornet's nest

Combat Phase
You've been tasked with diverting some of the Beowolves away from the main pack - Hazel and Marche have already thinned their numbers and you and Ouka will now be trying to do the same. You ready yourself behind the tree...
Combat Phase
Try and get in close with the Ocelot in knife mode - slash a Beowolf in the face and run away as fast as you possibly can. Ouka will aid in you audacious escape by laying down cover fire to blanket the Grimm in Ice Dust. [ROLL]
Remain behind the tree and take potshots with the Ocelot - you loaded them with Gravity Dust for a reason. You and Ouka can pick them off as they chase after you from a distance with your ranged weaponry. [ROLL]


It's now or never - the first Beowolf crosses into your effective range. This time, you decide that keeping a distance is probably the safest way to approach this situation. You twirl the Ocelot around as you retrieve it from its holster. Then, as you bring the pistol down to your hip, you twist your elbow on instinct to dampen the recoil. Your eyes narrow as you poke your body out slightly from the tree - and then you start firing into the oncoming mass of black and bone. You tighten your focus and keep a deathgrip on your weapon's handle as three rounds burst forth from the Ocelot's barrel.

The effects of your potshots are immediate - two shots hit an advancing Beowolf square in the chest and a third smashes through its bony mask. It cracks - but even that isn't enough to put down the beast. Its lupine allies join in its frenzied howling as abruptly change directions and start moving towards the source of the gunshots. Of course, pissing them is easy - you glance back to Ouka's position as the sounds of a stampede fill the air. You gnash your teeth slightly - something in your mind commands you to stand your ground. Devour. No. You're not about to go on a rampage and hurt her - the first time came down to a matter of luck. You try to suppress your mental urges as you begin falling back towards Ouka.

"Got 'em! Let's get moving!" You shout out towards Ouka as you run for your life. She stands up from her position in the bushes; keeping a tight grip on her weapon with her uncovered left hand. For a moment, it seems that she's paralyzed by fear at the sight of you. Your heart feels heavier when you catch her fearful gaze. But before you can try and aid her, you watch her eyes drift to the black mass of creatures behind you. The sight of the horde of Grimm is enough to shock her out of her stupor - she jumps back a good distance and immediately begins strumming her bow. Invisible arrows of sound laden with the freezing mineral rain down on the pack of Beowolves. You follow suit and turn slightly to pop off the rest of the chamber as you continue running.

For the most part, your salvo manages to hit their mark. The faster monsters are slowed down when a heavy round smashes into them. You can spot some frost spreading on a few of the werewolf-like creatures from Ouka's arrows. She maintains a good distance from you but otherwise moves in sync with you - her gaze snaps from the path in front of her to the enemies chasing after her. You're slightly more surprised by just how mobile she is in a kimono. From the way things are going, it almost seems like you two just might be able to handle this.

Of course, that's when everything goes horribly wrong.

Combat Phase

Success > Critical Failure

Dice Roll of 19 overridden. Injuries incurred.

2/3 Saves Left

You catch a glimpse of a black blur in your peripheral vision. But before you can even react - the familiar sound of something shattering echoes in your ears. Your Aura's been depleted once again - but this time it isn't from something as trivial as a bad landing. The sky and the earth switch positions as the sheer force of the blow throws you forward. You roll once - maybe twice before stopping. As you frantically scramble to your feet and move to reload the Ocelot you see a blur of white from the corner of your eyes and quickly move to the side. Searing pain surges through your arm as a sharp claw rips through fabric and flesh alike. You recognize your assailant. A bigger, meaner variant of the species - an Alpha Beowolf. It must have blended in with the group when Hazel was scouting it out. You grit your teeth and force your arm to move through the pain - the Alpha Beowolf lets out a ferocious roar as it tries to swipe at you with its enormous claws.

"N-Niles!"

Another white blur enters your field of vision as the claw comes down - your partner's closed the distance and takes the blow for you. Thankfully, her Aura is far more durable - Ouka lets out a grunt but otherwise remains uninjured. This gives you enough time to finish chambering the last round into your revolver. Before the Alpha Beowolf can launch another ferocious attack you raised the pistol and fire off two shots into its shoulder. The monster lurches back slightly as you and Ouka start moving once more. It lets out another roar and crouches down on all fours - the other Beowolves behind it do the same. You start lagging behind Ouka as she fires off more of her invisible arrows into the pack - though it's clear that the blow has lessened the effect of her Dust. Your breathing grows ragged as you force yourself forward - but you stumble in your frantic pace. A Beowolf lunges at you - and Ouka takes blow for you again. Quick swipes from the creature's claws slash at the young Huntress's body - her Aura weakens considerably as she launches a power right hook with her glove. You follow up with a well-placed shot to its face that sends it reeling back. Even as one Beowolf falls, another leaps into the fray and rams right into Ouka - judging by the look on her face that attack was the one that broke the camel's back - her Aura's been depleted. You step forward and quickly shift the Ocelot into its knife form before bringing it down on the Beowolf with the full weight of your body. You yank it out as Ouka starts to move.

It's a well-documented fact that the Grimm respond to negative emotions. The remaining Beowolves become frenzied as you and Ouka continue your flight from the beasts. The Alpha Beowolf is your biggest concern - you find yourself barely able to keep track of the speedy creature as it attempts to flank the two of your several times. You want nothing more than to tear these Grimm apart - but you resist the hunger that wracks your body as you and Ouka trace a twisting path through a field of trees. You hear a sharp yell of pain and immediately glance over to Ouka - she's on the ground and clutching at her ankle. You hear the roars of the beasts as they quickly approach and before she can even say a word - you scoop her up onto your back and start sprinting for your dear life. Adrenaline courses through your body as you keep your arms wrapped around the back of her knees. Up ahead, the grass seems to give way to rocky terrain and there's a clear dip in the ground level up ahead. As you race down your current path, you suddenly feel nothing under one foot and fall. The pack of Grimm surge forth like a wave of darkness.

You fall but manage to land on your feet - though you force yourself to keep your mouth shut as pain lances through each leg. Ouka holds on tightly as you slowly take one step back. Then two. Then three. Darkness covers your body as you take shelter in the small cave. The two of you remain silent as you hear the impact of Beowolf paws above your heads - and then spot the horde land in front of the cave mouth and keep running forward in the same direction. Your shallow breathing begins to level as you calm down - for now, it seems that you've managed to lose them. You move deeper into the small cave and set Ouka down before taking a seat across from her. The young woman silently retrieves a first-aid kit from her pack and uses the light from her Scroll to check her injury - a sprained ankle. You, on the other hand, take the time to reload the Ocelot once more and attempt to send a message to Hazel about your current situation. Of course, you're not getting a signal from inside this cave - you sigh softly and hang your head as you try to ignore the growing hunger pangs.

"...Niles." A soft voice breaks the silence as you close your eyes. You take a deep breath before opening them and looking back at the young woman who's been assigned as your partner. The woman that, just a few days before, came close to getting her throat ripped apart by none other than you.

"...Yeah?"

"I-I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have avoided you all this time... I-I shouldn't have ever doubted for a second that you were still you."

"What? I should be apologizing here Ouka. I mean, I literally turned into a monster and nearly killed you. Hell, I got us into this situation in the first place..."

"W-Well, that is true... A-And you're not much use in a fight..."

"Jeez, you don't have to tell me twice."

"B-But, if you really were a monster, you wouldn't have stopped back then. I-I was frightened at first - but you didn't leave me behind. That was enough proof for me - Niles is still Niles."

"...I stopped back then?"

"Mmhm."

You scratch your head as you go over the memories of that day once more - you moved in for the kill. But your body stopped. You didn't just pass out suddenly - you completely froze. You can recall the mental strain that came from the vestiges of humanity that remained in your feral state - that's what caused you to black out. You shake your head.

"I'm... honestly pretty glad that you're putting your trust in me like this. But at the end of the day I'm still something that can't be called human. I'm not sure about anything anymore and even when we were running I could feel myself almost lapsing back into it. Ouka, I'm a mons-"

"Niles. You're... different. You really have changed. But, the only person who can decide whether or not you're a monster is you. A-All this time, you've tried your hardest to be a Huntsmen, haven't you? You're the only person who can answer that question." She gazes up at you with those soft red eyes and smiles. You take a deep breath and nod - you're a pretty unreliable guy. And you're definitely abnormal. Even now, you're still afraid of that bloodlust reappearing within you. Ouka starts to treat her twisted ankle when you hear some faint howling from the mouth of the cave. The two of you look towards the sole source of light - and you stand up. The young woman attempts to do so as well before you motion for her to stay put. You put a finger to your lips as you creep forward.

You spot several silhouettes in the distance - creatures on all fours occasionally bringing up their elongated faces to sniff at the air. Your blood runs cold - even if the two of you have managed to calm down it seems that you'll be overwhelmed by Grimm. Throb. You bare your teeth and double over as you find yourself being overwhelmed by your desire to eat. you want to grow. you want to ki- You look back at Ouka and steel your resolve. Right now, she's a sitting duck - if those Beowolves get into the cave it'll be game over for her. You step forward.

"N-Niles?"

"They're still out there. And, I'm going to make it up to you Ouka - I'll draw them away from here. Just sit tight and wait for Hazel and Marche."

"But Niles that's- !"

"I know. Honestly, I really would've liked to have been your partner for just a little longer - it was nice being a part of a team for once. Take care Ouka." With those words, you rush forward into the forest once more with the Ocelot drawn. Throb. Your instincts force your eyes forward and at the Beowolves up ahead. Step. Step. Step. You're walking right into hell - but there's a distinct lack of fear that accompanies each step. You lick your lips - there's no stopping it now. Aside from drawing them out, you had one other reason for leaving the cave - you've gotten to the tipping point. As you slowly approach the pack, several Beowolves lift their heads up and snarl at you. Ouka's words echo in your mind.

Choice/Combat Phase
"The only person who can decide whether or not you're a monster is you."
1
. Huntsman. [ROLL]
2. Monster.


Step.

You ignore the wisps of black essence flowing from each footstep - you're dead set on this course of action. You're going to fight. You're going to fight an entire pack of Grimm.

Step.

That insatiable hunger. That bloodlust. You push it all down towards the bottom of your stomach and soldier on. A dark miasma begins to cover every inch of your body as you keep your gaze on the Alpha Beowolf that begins to advance towards you. Your mouth involuntarily curls into a bestial snarl. You can feel every inch of your body tighten up as your body changes shape - a pillar of smoke obscures your form and vanishes just as quickly. You don't bother looking down at your hands - you know that they've been replaced with claws. You've transformed once more - though you feel more... complete this time around. There are no longer gaps in your human-like silhouette of a body. The tight, black material that makes up your body is completely smooth now - it's almost as if you were a walking shadow.

Step.

And yet, you don't succumb to your baser instincts. Power courses through your body - but you muster up the resolve to reject the consequences that come with your new form. You chose this path - you decided that you wouldn't become a monster. No, you'd remain a Huntsman - even if you managed to fail as a human being. Though you don't look back as the pack leader lunges forward, you can feel her presence behind you. The girl in the cave. Your partner. Ouka. You let out a roar of your own as the Beowolf's knife-like claws fly right for your head. Your feet move into position - you recall your past training and basic footwork. You throw out your right hand and turn your head slightly.

Crack. The sounds of bone breaking/ You hear the air shear from the sheer speed of the large monster's strike. Yet, you haven't lost your head. You narrowly avoided the strike - and launched one of your own at the very same moment. The legendary cross counter. You draw your hand back and leap back as the Alpha Beowolf stumbles back and howls in pain. Smoke spills out from the wound you've inflicted on it - you've gouged out one of its eyes and shattered a portion of its mask. As you move to crouch for a follow-up, you watch as the rest of the Beowolves surge forward. Yet, even in the wave of black, white and red, you can still make out the distinctly larger mass of the Grimm's pack leader retreating. The Beowolves approach quickly - but you stand your ground and prepare to engage the rest of the group. With this power you can do it....!

Combat Phase
Critical Failure
Injuries incurred - Grimm reinforcements have arrived.
1/3 Saves Left

Or so you thought. You immediately find yourself overwhelmed by the Beowolves as they form a circle around you and take turns lunging at your with their fangs and claws. With their large numbers and surprising unit cohesion, you find yourself barely able to dodge their strikes. With their speed, you also find it difficult to actually retaliate. As you endure the assault, you grit your teeth - as this engagement continues you feel the urge to simply let loose. You want to forget about your duty - you'd rather just not think about it and trust your instincts to pull through. You hear a howl from one of the creatures as you continue your deadly dance... it's been ten minutes now? You continue to ignore those instincts and attempt to fight to the best of your abilities. Grazes cover your black body - you've managed to avoid any notable damage but you're starting to slowly tire.

You're caught off-guard when the Beowolves suddenly stop taking turns trying to take you down. At first, you consider the notion that your enemies have also begun to succumb to fatigue. But those notions are quickly dashed when you bring both arms up and manage to guard against a sudden blow - it's definitely slower than what you've become accustomed to but the strength behind the attack managed to be even greater than the Alpha Beowolf's. You quickly glance at your opponent - it's a goddamn Ursa. And you spot two more of the bear-like Grimm moving towards you. A Beowolf lunges forward when the Ursa moves back - you're thrown to the ground but manage to drive one your claws through its chest before rolling to the side to avoid another Beowolf who decided that dog-piling onto you would have been a good idea. You leap back onto your feet and take a step back..

But the Ursa advances forward on its rear legs and keeps on forcing you to backstep with its blows. Your inhuman speed and senses allow you to avoid the Beowolves' tactics fairly easily, but you're aware that you'll soon be driven up against the wall with all the ground you're losing to just one of these monsters. You quickly glance behind you - the cave mouth is now a short distance from you. That visual check costs you - the Ursa takes advantage of the momentary opening and manages to rend one of your blackened arms with its claws. You let out a howl of pain as you feel gashes open on your right arm. It isn't blood that flows out from the wound however. Rather, it's the familiar and dreadful miasma that begins to seep out from the fresh injury.

"N-Niles?!" A familiar voice interrupts the din of battle momentarily - Ouka's slowly made her way to the mouth of the cave. She's using her bow as a makeshift crutch and you can see the bandages binding her sprained ankle. It's not surprise or fear in her eyes as she gazes upon your transformed state. It's concern. Time slows down momentarily as your bring your eyeless gaze back to her - you're incapable of properly emoting back with your black, featureless face. That brief moment frozen in time is interrupted by a Beowolf that manages to slice your chest open with a well-timed swipe from its claws. Three gashes open up on your chest and you can practically feel yourself draining away along with the black essence. You fall backwards as the pain from your wounds prevents you from getting up and off your back.

Pitiful. Even when you made up your mind and decided to resort to that taboo-like power that not even you understand, you still managed to cock it up. Now, you're going to die in front of your partners eyes - and the Grimm aren't likely to ignore her now. With concern comes fear - you're sure that they're starting to get worked up in a frenzy because you're experiencing the same thing. But you continue trying to suppress those monstrous tendencies. You answered that question. You'd be a Huntsman. But, you find yourself wondering just why you wanted to become a trained defender of humanity in the first place. Time seems to slow down as you find your life flashing before your eyes - the Ursa is on all fours and is in the middle of lunging towards you in order to maul you to death.


***
Explosions rock the air and your small hands move to cover your ears. Drops of water fall from the sunlit sky. You're out in the middle of a lake on a boat - the other occupant and the source of those explosions is none other than your mother. A fierce-looking woman with a particularly vicious looking smile as dead fish carcasses begin to float to the water's surface.

"Eh? You want to be a Huntsmen like your mom?"

"Y-Yeah!"

"Hmm... that's a path in life that requires a lot of devotion. Along with hard work and guts. Buuuuuuut, you're a resourceful kid Niles, you'll probably be able to handle all of that - I know you can. There's just one thing though - why do you want to be a Huntsman?"

You, no more than seven years old at the time, scratch your head and tilt your head quizzically. But, little by little, you dig into your psyche and find your motivation.

"I wanna be just like you Mom! I-I want to protect people!"

An answer from the bottom of your heart.

***
Just like her. Just like Carnelia Xenos. Even as the Ursa's powerful paw slowly comes down towards your chest to cave it in, you recall how the strength in her arms. To you - she was the very incarnation of the concept of strength. From the way she carried you when you were younger to the harsh training she subjected you - all of it oozed of power. The power needed to protect those you care about. You, a pitiful monster who wanted to be a hero till the very end, couldn't muster up the same strength to protect just one person. An image of the woman flashes through your mind's eye. Golden hair with vivid red streaks. An enormous weapon slung over her shoulder. Arms filled with equal parts strength and gentleness. The paw completes its arc...
You hear the distinct trumpeting of a Goliath in your head - and you're not dead just yet. The Ursa's paw has been stopped in the middle of its trajectory by... a mask? You slide up slightly, as far as your injured body will allow, to take a look at the thing floating in the air. The Ursa immediately rears back on its hind legs. The mask is crafted from bone and covered in red markings. You notice two small tusk-like protrusions near where the mouth would be on the mask. You touch the mask out of curiosity - for a brief moment you feel strength coursing through your limbs. You force yourself upwards and the mask seems to follow you as you stand. The Ursa's paw comes down for another rending attack - but you catch it by the wrist with your uninjured arm. The strength that flowed into your is quickly beginning to drain as your arm begins to quiver under the Ursa's muscles. You grit your teeth and force yourself to grab the floating mask - it's now or never...!

You put the mask upon your featureless black face.

You undergo another transformation.
You shove the Ursa back with newfound strength. The wounds you suffered stitch themselves up as you feel the mask tighten around your face. It slowly extends around your head. The bone extends around your head until the mask has become something more akin to a helmet. The air around you that was once empty now contains armor carved from the bones of a long-dead creature. The pieces rearrange themselves - they lash out at the Grimm around you and prevent them from getting closer before snapping into place on your body. They dig into your blackened body but the discomfort ends very quickly. You briefly glance down - a majority of your body is now covered in the bone armor. You're almost certain that you look far bulkier than before with all this thick armor on. You know your transformation is complete when streaks of red run down both the armor and the exposed parts of your blackened body.

Combat Phase
Saves replenished! 3/3

Grimm Awakening - Goliath Mask

Ability: Ignore 1 Failure per Combat Phase and treat it as a Success.

New Mechanic - Instinct: During every post during the Combat Phase while transformed, a D20 will be rolled. If any roll for the relevant choice is the same as the dice that's been rolled (rolls that aren't part of the first three that are counted), an Instinct Success will occur - even if the value was lower than the value needed to pass it normally and the first three rolls fail to meet the Dice Check.

Two things are immediately clear. The first is that you've become physically stronger - you can feel renewed strength surging through your plated body. The second is that you're a goddamn Grimm - a second glance at your body and then back to the Ursa makes it clear that even if you've retained your human shape you're cut from the same cloth as the bear-like monster who seems just as surprised as you are by your transformation. Of course, this has many implications concerning the state of your soul and your origin - but you decide to push that aside for now. You take a deep breath and one step forward. Then, with all your might, you twist your body as best as you can in your bulky armor and throw a punch at the Ursa with all your weight behind it.

The effects are immediate - the Ursa's mask shatters into thousands of pieces and its head explodes into the dark miasma that you've grown accustomed to. Its headless body falls to the ground as everyone in the immediate vicinity remains shocked - both you and Ouka and the pack of Grimm. The miasma begins to gather around you as you take another step forward. The earth shakes slightly once more. Both fists tighten up as you being your gaze up towards the Grimm. You're immensely strong and likely just as durable with your heavy set of armor. But it seems that you've sacrificed much of your speed and mobility - you lumber forward towards the assembled group of Grimm with the speed and grace of a steamroller. In turn, the werewolf-like beasts surge forward with the Ursa Major and its lesser compatriot behind them.

Combat Phase
Hunt the Grimm. Instinct Roll: 19
1. See if you can conjure up some weapons or something - it'd be boring if you had to wrestle them to death. [ROLL]
2. On second thought, suplexing an Ursa sounds pretty cool. [ROLL]


Your body tenses up when a Beowolf leaps ahead of the pack. Yet, those deadly claws that would have normally killed you, merely bounce off the thick plating of your new armor. Time almost seems to flow twice as slowly as you grab hold of the Beowolf's outstretched arm with both arms - your grip tightens hard enough to actually break apart the spikes that line its forearm. Another of its number rushes for your legs - but you've already started moving. With a grunt, you swing the first Beowolf like a wrecking ball. The makeshift weapon collides with the other monster and sends both flying into a tree. But while you were pre-occupied, the remaining Beowolves have already formed a circle around you once more.

You smirk under the mask. Their tactic had worked wonders the first time - but even their intelligence seemed to have limits. You turn your head slowly and survey their shifting forms - some of them get down on all-fours once more while others seem to emulate a sprinter's stance. You can spot the Ursa Minor trundling forward. Their bestial assault begins with a charge from one of the creatures. Your right arm goes up to block what you believe to be another attempt to shred you with claws - but the Beowolf's maw clamps down on your forearm. For a moment, you can almost see its confusion when it realizes its fangs have done nothing. Its existence is ended a moment later when your other fist crushes its masked face like a hydraulic press crushes bread. Its essence flows into you as you move to address the next attack - the Beowolf who attempts to land a strike on your back eats a shoulder check from your tusk-like pauldrons. Two of them decide on a frontal assault - but you slam a heavy foot into the ground. The earth shakes and your footfall leaves a sizable crater but the sudden localized tremor is enough to trip up the two Beowolves. Two more stomps take out more of the beasts. Another Beowolf leaps forth - but you catch its flying form mid-aid and shatter its back against a knee.

The Ursa Minor is still a fair distance away but the Beowolves are doing a splendid job of keeping you occupied. When an opportunity for a shot opens up after you down another one of the monsters, you reach for the Ocelot... only to realize that you're no longer wearing the holster. As another one of the Grimm begin to gnaw on your head ineffectively, you wonder just what happens to your clothes when something like this happens. It's not as if you feel like you're wearing layers right now. Ultimately, you decide not to think too hard about it. Still, a weapon would certainly make things easier. You survey the area around you. Even with your newfound strength, you doubt you could uproot a tree and swing it around like your mother's staff. Though there are sizable moss-coated rocks around you, they're far too cumbersome to wield effectively. And you really wouldn't want to test the upper limits of your bone armor's durability. An image of your mother and her weapon appears in your mind's eye. You aspire to be like her. Concentrated miasma flows out of the palm of your right hand quickly coalesces into something.

Both hands fly to the mass as it compresses - your strength is just enough to keep it from fallling straight to the ground. In your hands is a macabre warhammer - the long handle seems to be made out of an enormous spine and the hammer's enormous head looks to be modeled after an elephant's skull. You waste no time in putting it to the test. With a grunt and a tightening of your muscles, you swing the deadly mass around yourself. The extra reach afforded from the warhammer allows you to strike at the remaining Beowolves who have encircled you. Their torsos seem to disappear when the heavy weapon smashes into them - its more than likely that the sheer force of impact instantaneously converted their body into the black smog that they seemed to be largely composed of. When the Ursa Minor rears up and attempts to strike you, parry its overhead swing with the warhammer's shaft. It becomes a struggle of strength - the Ursa's strength is completely incomparable to a Beowolf's. You're caught in a momentary stalemate... but you soon notice that the Ursa Major has already flanked you.

Combat Phase

Critical Failure > Instinct Success!

Failure avoided.

You hear faint trumpeting in the back of your mind. And you decide to act on your survival instincts that prioritize dealing with the Ursa Major instead of hoping that your armor holds up against its brutal blows. With a sudden push and a burst of strength, you force the Ursa Minor to take a step back. Then, without missing a beat, you simply pass the warhammer to the bear-like monster. You're slightly amused when it brings its paws down to catch the weapon - but the sheer heft of the weapon causes it to fall to the ground. The spine-like handle keeps it pinned against the ground much like a guy at the gym who's tried to bench press something out of his weight class. Even if you've probably missed the opportunity to suplex an Ursa, you still get the chance to box with one. You quickly turn to face the pack leader and bring both hands up in a boxing stance. Your left arm shoots forward in an explosive hook - but the Ursa manages to block your punch. Your strength causes some of the bony plates on its arm to crack, but it otherwise shows no signs of letting up. A paw slams into your chest - you can feel the impact but your body refuses to budge. Ignoring the soreness in your chest, you trade another blow - you feign a right jab. The Ursa Major takes the bait and attempts to catch your fist but you take one step forward. You curl your arm inward and feel your elbow connect with its chest - the blow forces it back. You follow your instincts - the situation calls for brute, unrelenting force. You take two more sluggish steps forward to close the distance... and smash your armored head against the Ursa's torso. It causes pain to shoot through your head - but you're certain that it's done little to actually harm you aside from some pain. The Ursa Major stumbles back and collapses in a daze.

Perhaps the most astounding part about this fight was your lack of movement - it ultimately came down to the Beowolves throwing themselves ineffectively at you. Their numerical advantage ultimately meant nothing against the defensive power of a Goliath. When you reach the downed Ursa Minor, still pinned under your warhammer, you stomp on the ground near it. The first tremor sends the hammer into the air - you catch it with both hands. A heavy stomp to its black chest caves it in and causes it to burst into smoke - all of which flows into you. You glance around - just one enemy remains. You approach the Ursa Major as fast as you can, that is, what would be normally be the speed of a leisurely stroll for the unarmored you. You've done it - you somehow managed to protect Ouka. You can sense a pair of eyes on your armored bulk - it's likely that she's still watching. You can feel raw power coursing through your body as you gaze at your defeated enemy. It slowly starts to stand on its own two feet once more...

Combat Phase
Grimm End. Instinct Roll: 9
1. Concentrate your power into a single punch. [ROLL]
2. Slam your hammer into the Grimm. [ROLL]


You feel every muscle in your body tighten as you take a deep breath. And... you toss your warhammer to the side. The massive weapon vanishes when it hits the ground, You can feel a pulse of strength reverberate through your body. And slowly but surely, that strength begins to concentrate into your right fist. Covered in bony plate and curled tightly, your hand is like a hammer whose sole purpose is to smash others. You glance down. Your fist is emanates a thick, gray haze and glows a faint red. It isn't all just prose - you seemed to have triggered some sort of special feature. Or something. You're still not quite sure how any of this works. The Ursa Major stirs slightly as you approach - the mask's faceplate retracts and you gnash your teeth menacingly. Step. Step. Step. You listen to your heart - in this moment, it tells you to destroy your enemy. You crack your empowered fist's knuckles as the Ursa finally manages to get a grip and readies a quick swipe from its mauling claws.

"OSU!"

You can't help but cry out as you throw out your coup de grace. Despite your transformed state's bulk, the armor plates shift around and allow you to roll your body as you launch a final, explosive attack. The entire weight of your body is put behind your fist - and at that moment, you're sure that it wouldn't be far-fetched to call yourself destruction in human Grimm form. You hear faint trumpeting in the back of your head as your fist goes through the monster's torso like a bullet through paper. That's probably the best metaphor for the situation - you've buried your arm up to the elbow within the Ursa Major's torso. For a moment, everything is silent - the two of you are frozen in place. Then - a roar echoes through the forest. The pack leader explodes into that foul, black miasma. The wispy smoke swirls in the air around you before funneling straight into your body. And oddly enough, you seem to gain a deeper understanding of Huntsmen. Don't question it, you'll have time to do so later. You take a deep breath and begin the slow trek back to the cave.

Combat Phase

Critical Success!

? Point Earned!

***
"Uwaaa... i-it is kind of strange..."

"I know right? I mean, it's pretty cool but I totally look like some maniac who dresses up as Grimm now."

Ouka greeted your armored form with a smile when you returned - it seemed that she watched your ordeal from her safe haven. You're more relieved by the sight of her smile. There was a time not too long ago when you were worried that the two of you would never reconcile. But here you are. You're definitely not human, but you've still managed to regain her trust. Right now, you've taken a seat next to Ouka. Compared to her, however, you're practically a giant right now. It seems that she's taken to using your arm as a wall to lean on.

"N-Niles?"

"Yeah?"

"T-Two things... when are you going to c-change back? A-And, maybe we should keep this a s-secret just between the two of us..."

"First: I have no idea and I'm honestly starting to panic a little. And second: why?"

"Erm, you look like a Grimm... and you don't have any Aura at all right now. I-I think it's best to hide this for now... I-I believe in you but others might get the wrong idea..."

"Mmm, you do have a point. How's the ankle by the way?"

"It'll heal... once we get back and get some a-actual treatment I should be back to speed."

Then, without warning, the mask on your face and the bony armor that covers your body fades away. Your shadow-like body melts away - you're back to normal. Though, you feel rather exhausted - and a quick check with your Scroll indicates that your Aura reserves are at zero right now. Your combat outfit is a mess right now - though it's nothing that you can't fix (maybe for free from a hook-up from Ran). The Ocelot remains in its holster. For a moment, you're tempted to try and summon out the mask once more. But you're dead tired. You cover your mouth and yawn softly. A glance at the world outside the cave reveals an orange sky - the sun is beginning to set.


"That's good... I think I'll take a quick catnap then - pretty sure that Hazel and Marche'll find us sooner or later." You give her a small smile as you struggle to keep conscious. But, with your heart and mind finally at ease, you let go and drift into slumber. You feel something rub against your arm before doing so.

"Mmm... just like before..."

***

"Greyguard, over here. Some tracks - lots of Grimm passed through here, but these footprints..."

"Ara, ara. I should have accounted for such an uneven split. To think that that was enough to split our team..."

The two students slowly trace the steps left behind - the sky has gotten dark now. The Rabbit Faunus frowns and her ears droop ever so slightly. This wouldn't be the first time a team was divided in Arcadian history - though she hoped that the outcome to this incident would be far less severe than the one she recalled. The boy's mask betrayed no hint of emotion. Though, he was the first to act when she began to worry. The two of them made quick work of their group. In fact, the rest of the time had been spent simply searching for their erstwhile members. She took a step before the young man thrust his arm out in front of her.


"Hold. Depressed ground." He used his Scroll as a flashlight - an illuminating beam of light revealed the lower track of land. Hazel gazed around - no sign of anymore Grimm or other threats, thankfully. Regardless, the two of them brandished their weapons as they made their way through the dense woodlands. After a quick survey, the two of them jumped down. A quick shine from their devices revealed the mouth of a cave. The moss and greenery that surrounded the cavern's entrance draped the opening like a threadbare curtain.

"...Hmm, this seems like as good a place as any to take shelter. Marche, please wait outside - I'll scout ahead."

"Understood."

Team MGNO's leader took careful steps into the dark cave. Aside from the dripping of water somewhere towards the back of the cave system, it was dead silent. Still, this wasn't enough to unnerve her. The training she had gone through under her father's careful eye had been more than enough to prepare her for even the worst scenarios. She kept her Scroll strapped to the front of her buckler as she advanced - for now, this would be an adequate mounting point. And she doubted that she'd be running into any Grimm in this small space anyways. After a few minutes of walking through the dark, she had finally found something.


"Ara ara~" That was all she could muster before breathing out a sigh of relief. There they were - Niles Xenos and Ouka Moto. Their clothes were a mess but the two of them were definitely alive - she could see their chest slowly moving with each breath. The young woman couldn't help but smile at the sight of her white-haired teammate resting her head on the young man's shoulder. To think, just a few days ago the two had been on bad terms. Her eyes shifted to the young woman's wrapped ankle. Nothing too serious at any rate. Despite the hang-up, all of Team MGNO were safe and accounted for.

She met with Marche shortly afterwards. The young man seemed to have just been finishing a call on his Scroll. She explained the situation - and her aloof ally couldn't help but smile. Though, he was confident that she wouldn't be able to see it in the dark. Another call was made for an extraction. They'd all be making it home together.


***

Chapter II - Beast <Granda.Mamuto> COMPLETE

***
"Ara~! It's her!"

"Oh my, to think we'd find each other here~"

"My concerns are mine alone!"

Next Chapter - Coldest Winter
 
Last edited:
Chapter III - Coldest Winter <Fera.Masko>



Color Scene - Murasaki.png


In the midst of the day-to-day doldrums of my childhood that remained under the careful eye of so-called 'guardians of the peace', I passed the time by asking my dear brother questions.

"Brother, is there a fate worse than death?"

He was sitting next to me, momentarily glancing at the cameras that carefully watched every inch of the parlor room. Our house was large and its posh interior surely would have turned eyes. But, all it was all just a particularly gilded cage - I was still young at the time and as such, I was not allowed to leave the premises.

"Hmm... I suppose, if it were me at least, it'd be knowing that a life of loneliness was all that awaited me."

***
"Oh man, I didn't know Arcadia had field trips to Hell!"

You are Niles Xenos, Grimm Huntsman - somehow. You still haven't really figured out anything, though that's because you've neglected to contact your mother over the last few days. You swear it isn't really your fault - immediately after returning from that fateful patrol the teaching staff at Arcadia decided that it was time for Team MGNO's first real test: a posting on the the actual frontlines. Of course, there weren't any actual wars being fought - the Great War was for all intents and purposes the final conflict to occur between sovereign states. And, when Hazel found out, she immediately put Team MGNO on one hell of a training regiment. It's almost sort of funny - you finally made up with Ouka, but ended up getting your ass kicked by her multiple times during the sparring sessions. The image of Marche's contemptuous gaze hidden under that mask of his is burned into your memories - apparently he was the only one unaware of your shortcomings until that point.

"Ara ara, I didn't think you'd be so pessimistic about this Niles. It shouldn't be that bad, if we probably won't be doing much fighting. Besides, it's only one week."

Two rabbit ears twitch slightly as a young woman peeks out from her seat at you. Hazel chimes in with a smile, she and Ouka are sitting in the pair of seats in front of yours. Marche seems to be sleeping in his seat next to you. The short boy's arms are folded and his head leans down slightly. This airship flight's been dragging for the last hour mostly because you can't interact meaningfully with the masked boy. You glance out the window of the airship at the untamed wilderness that humanity hasn't dared venture into for the longest time. From what you remember based on Hazel's briefing, the assignment was situated at a Huntsmen Camp somewhere on one of Sanus's vast mountain ranges that forms the northern border of the kingdom of Vale. As Arcadia is a neutral entity, Huntsmen from the island city have had the unique opportunity to venture across Remnant and fight alongside other Huntsmen of different allegiances.

"Y-Yeah, besides... you can count on all of us. A-Ah! I didn't mean it like that - j-just because training went poorly doesn-"

Two red eyes gaze at you as your partner follows suit and pokes her head out. Ouka Moto, the young woman who you nearly killed before even stepping foot on Arcadia's grounds and the only person privy to your secret nature as a Grimm (you think, you're still not sure). Although she's aware and fine with your strange powers, you never had the opportunity to actually use them in your sparring sessions because the other half of Team MGNO were watching over your matches. Her sprained ankle healed up quickly thanks to Arcadia's excellent medical services (and likely a specialized Semblance or two).

"Hmph. Don't get in our way."

You silently wonder if a week with dealing with Mr. Dearg would be worse as you tune out Hazel chiding your teammate. Actually, scratch that, you actually fly under his radar because all of his rage ends up being funneled into the cat girl. Maybe he's racist or something. Honestly, you never understood why people got so up in arms about people with animal features. From what you remember, people were superstitious and thought they were related to Grimm or something. It's true, some of the Faunus can get pretty strange looking depending on what physical characteristic life gave them, but you've never really bought into the mindset that these people were monsters. While you're on the subject of the Faunus, you're briefly tempted to ask Hazel if you can caress those soft ears. Then, you wonder if that's a faunus faux pas. Would she slap you and call you a pervert if it was, like some sort of Mistral cartoon? Hmm, maybe there's a niche for faunus performers - there's bound to be some fetishes with all that soft fluff some of these peo-

"Ara, is everything alright Niles?"

"Wha- O-Oh yeah, just peachy. Just zoning out, thinking about things."

"W-What sort of things?"

...

"...The war."

"What?"

You feign a dead-eyed, thousand yard stare out the window as the airship begins to make its final descent as even Hazel's confused by your non-sequitur. From the corner of your eye, you swear you saw Marche twitch. Thoughts about touching fluffy tails are put on hold as your team files out of the small vessel. Hazel leads the team out...

***


***

Your greeting comes in the form of cold and bitter winds from the mountains above assaulting you the moment you step out. Then, you get some hollering as some off-duty Huntsmen get some sort of kick out of watching the team file out. You're collectively called 'Beowolf bait' and 'fresh meat' as Hazel nevertheless leads you forward on your walk of shame. Honestly, you're not concerned about it. The Huntsmen that populate the base camp are all veterans or upperclassmen from Arcadia. While some of the rowdier ones engage in some verbal hazing, the others keep to themselves. Some of them barely manage to muster a shellshocked gaze in your direction. Ouka seems the most affected, she almost looks like she's on the verge of tears. You guess that your partner probably just hates all of the attention she's getting.


The ground is uneven and old artillery pieces are laid out around the camp - seems like Vale had to pull out museum pieces to fortify their position here. It occurs to you that the peace brought on by the Great War has greatly stymied development on conventional weaponry for the common man. While Huntsmen are armed with custom weaponry and advanced tactics, they're still not numerous enough to serve as a military force for a kingdom. Arcadia maybe, but not something like Atlas or Vale. Hazel consults her Scroll for a map of the area with some muttered 'Ara's here and there.

"Oh wow, look what the cat dragged in. A bunch of Arcadian freshmen."

"Tch, a bunch of cocky little upstarts. And what's this, a fucking Faunus for a leader? With ears that big all the Grimm'll see you coming a mile away!"

"Heh, look at this one, she looks ready to piss that Mistral fashion. I bet the kid with a mask has some grand delusions going on. Fucking brat."

You grimace as two older Hunstmen emerge from their idle position on a nearby crate of supplies to stand in your way and harass you. Honestly, you've never been good with dealing with people like this so you remain silent and fold your arms as you wait for them to get bored and leave. Ouka does her best to hide behind you and Marche who delivers a silent glare from underneath his mask. For a moment, you wonder if these guys are natural assholes or simply taking out their frustrations of their current position on whoever they can get their hands on. Probably both.

"Yes, yes. If you'll excuse us, we must be on our way..."

"How about I do you a favor and cut off those ears of yours. Stuff like that can get some people here hot and bothered if you know what I mean..."

Your hand flies to the handle of your holstered revolver, Ocelot, as the man moves to grab Hazel's ears. For a moment, you see the faintest hint of anger within Hazel's eyes as her hands tighten into balled-up fists. But before she can move, something impales the ground between the two of them - a spear. From its trajectory, it seemed to have just narrowly missed one of the man's outstretched fingers. The two hunter's immediately recognize the weapons owner and manage to keep their fear bottled in as they take a step back. And then, they bolt out of here. They're long gone amidst the maze of tents that make up the 'living quarters'. You exhale sharply as Hazel scrutinizes the spear's design - it's a simple weapon that doesn't seem to have anything besides a dust socket in the center of the blade and decorative wings at the blade's base.

"...I truly am sorry about that. A lot of us are on edge here, though those two are particularly troublesome. I hope that didn't scare you guys too much."

The next to approach your team is a young Huntress, likely only a year older than you. However, she moves like an experienced warrior - you're not quite sure how to describe it but her very body moves in a way that sets all of your instincts on fire. It's similar to how you felt around Hazel, though her perceived lethality is on an entirely different level. Her red hair is long - it extends to her knees. Two barrettes with wing designs that match the spear grace each side of her head. Her combat attire is fairly light - the armor she wears is definitely Mistralian in design - particularly the shoulderpads. The ornate design initially prevents you from noticing the dust slots on her ankles and side skirts that blend in as simple facets of aesthetics. Without that armor, she'd pretty much be wearing just a dress. Her breastplate is fairly small, though your eyes are drawn to her long legs and the over-the-knee boots that expose just the right amount of skin between her skirt. She carries a proud expression on her face, she's sure of her own strength but there's also a gentleness in her approach. Regardless, it's not love at first sight or anything like that. It's more like a first encounter with death itself for you - you decide to blend into the background in hopes that she doesn't do something crazy like smell the Grimm on you or something.

"Ara~! It's her!"

"Her? Ah. You mentioned her over breakfast."

You munch on a breakfast sandwich silently as Hazel gushes about some famous Huntress who's in the year above yours. The masked boy takes it in stride, only muttering some brief "...I see." and "Ah..."s in response to the animated Faunus.

In hindsight, you really should have paid more attention to that conversation.

"It's -the- Sonnet Walkure! Ara~! To think we'd end up being sent to the same battlefield as her! Miss Walkure, thank you for stepping in like that! It's such a pleasure to meet you in person~!" Hazel's gone full fangirl and Ouka's peeked out from behind the two of you to watch as the bunny-eared leader of your team practically rolls over in front of your upperclassmen. You can only scratch you arm and thank the gods that Hazel's unwittingly playing a good distraction.


"I'm not that big of a deal, honest. I may have been interviewed for a magazine or two, but I'm a little surprised by the fact that I have such a devoted fan. I really am flattered. I heard that some new faces from Arcadia were showing up today and I did intend to meet you at the landing point, but I had some other matters to attend to. I know how rough it can be, and I sincerely apologize." The Huntress goes from a blush as red as her hair to a curt bow immediately afterwards, but you're sharp enough to catch a look of worry briefly appear on her face in-between. She pulls the spear out of the ground as Hazel seems practically gripped on every word that comes out of her mouth.

"You're a big inspiration Miss Walkure, one of the reasons I enrolled at Arcadia was because of you! Oh, but introductions are in order: We're Team MGNO. Marche is the young man in the mask, then there's Niles over there and Ouka behind him. Ara, I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hazel Greyguard."

"H-Hi."

"Mm."

"Sup."


"Team Magnolia? In my culture, that flower means "Natural". Perhaps there was some significance in that anagram being selected. Or perhaps that's the best they could do with your initials. But I digress. We still have some time before the next outing, so how about I make it up to you by showing around camp."

"Yes please!"

And with those words, the Huntress leads your team around the camp where you'll be living in for the next week. The other Huntsmen in the camp stay out of Sonnet's way, likely out of a mix of fear and respect. Her tour points out some key locations: the ammo depot, the officer's tent where the strategists hide themselves away, the large medical tent, and the eating area. You almost feel the need to kick yourself for not bringing ingredients in your bag - even if you do hate sweets they'd probably still be better than whatever slop they serve here. With all of this information in mind, the camp suddenly seems a lot less disorganized. She directs you to cover your ears at one point - apparently they've been shelling the mountains in hopes of scaring off the Grimm that have been attempting to bypass the natural boundary that protects Vale. Somehow, they've managed to organize themselves in an attempt to dig underneath the massive structure - thus, Huntsmen have been posted here to infiltrate their underground network and slay them.

Still, there's something definitely off about Sonnet - aside from the constant threat of death that emanates from her very existence. On occasion, she gazes out towards the mountains with a somber expression on her face. And, now that you think of it, it's somewhat odd that you haven't even encounter her teammates throughout the tour. Nor has she made any mention of them. You glance over to Hazel; she'd usually be just as observant as you are but Sonnet's presence is enough to keep her mind occupied. Marche... doesn't really seem to notice or care and Ouka's simply enjoying the tour for what it is. Maybe you could learn from your partner. As the tour comes to an end after a round trip around the grounds, you decide on your next action with careful consideration.

Choices Sonnet seems preoccupied with something. Maybe you should ask.
1. Stay silent, maybe she'll reveal her problems on her own.
2. "Is something wrong Miss Walkure? You seem concerned."


You choose your next words carefully and turn the smartass dial down to zero as you speak. Getting on Sonnet's bad side will likely lead to swift death in the long run and a miffed Hazel in the short-term. You force a small smile down - you can't help but find yourself amused by your own self-restraint. The look on your face is one of genuine concern - both for Sonnet and your own well-being.

"Is something wrong Miss Walkure? You seem concerned?"


"Mm, so you noticed as well Xenos. You were fixated on the mountains earlier." Contrary to popular belief, it seems that Marche is actually a lot more observant than you give him credit for. Even if he's brusque with his statement, you're sure the masked boy can bare the brunt of anyone's rage with his cold indifference.

A soft sigh escapes the young woman's lips as her gaze passes over your team. For a moment, she seems to be lost in thought before she seems to finally relent. The young woman closes her eyes and begins to speak. You take a side-glance at your leader, Hazel's eyes are focused squarely on the Huntress as if she was watching some Spruce Willis thriller.

"...I suppose there's no use in keeping quiet about it with the rest of you. My... partner, Ray, was lost during an expedition into the tunnels. It's been three days now... I just know that he's not dead." It's then that you start to notice some dark circles under her eyes. You can't even begin to fathom the pain losing a teammate like that might have caused. Silently, you find yourself thankful that you've never had to experience a loss of that magnitude. You're also doubtful about his survival - three days in a Grimm-infested hell is probably one of the worst possible situations a Huntsmen can find themselves in. You're about to voice your own concerns when...


"Ara, the silver-haired man, yes? Miss Walkure, it would be our honor to aid you in rescuing your partner. Worry not; while we may be inexperienced Team MGNO will always get the job done. I swear this upon the Greyguard name." Her fluffy ears twitch slightly as she takes a bow to top off her theatrics. That's right, you don't get to make a choice here because you're not the leader. Though, you're not as distressed about this turn of events like you thought you'd be. If anything, this may be a good chance to test out the full extent of your abilities.

"Really?! The others have already given up but... Oh, I just can't thank you enough! The next excursion is in a few hours - I'll meet you at the ammo depot when it's time!" Sonnet's almost unapproachable facade is shattered by her sudden joy. The sudden mood swing is a little jarring, but you find yourself seriously in awe by how desperate she must have been. You scratch your cheek - it's almost kind of nice to be depended on like this. The spear-wielding Huntress departs shortly afterwards and Hazel clears her throat before leading the team to the supply point.

***
The next few hours pass by quickly and you notice that a lot of the Huntsmen in the camp have steadily been growing on edge with each passing moment. Fully-equipped warriors stand at the camp's fortified steel gate as the constant artillery barrages stop momentarily. Though you're surrounded on all sides by jaded veterans and shell-shocked fighters, Sonnet's accompaniment has given you some room to breathe. Ouka clings to the back of your jacket as Marche and Hazel flank her - it's no surprise that the shy girl is bad with crowds. You mentally go over the preparations laid out by Hazel prior to this assembly.

Based on the information that the team gathered, massive assaults like this were a daily occurrence at this camp. A culling for the Grimm of sorts. Typically, they'll spend a few hours of non-stop fighting within the tunnels before retreating. Among all the Huntsmen assembled here, however, Sonnet is the one individual who consistently manages to penetrate deep into the Grimm's underground labyrinth. In order to cover more ground, Team MGNO will be split into two groups - Hazel and Marche will accompany Sonnet to retrace the path she took that day. Meanwhile, you and Ouka will survey possible paths Ray may have taken in an attempt to return to camp. Though Marche voiced his concerns about your abilities, Ouka vouched for your own skills in the field.

You stand with your hand resting on the Ocelot as a voice crackles on the antique p.a. system that the camp has been forced to resort to. A countdown begins. Five. The gates slowly begin to open. Four. You stand on the tips of your toes to try and get a good look at the path ahead. Three. You can't believe what you see. Two. Ahead of you is what looks like a monochrome sea - you can't even begin to count the Grimm. A few of them turn their heads towards the similarly assembled group of Huntsmen. One. All hell breaks loose.


***
"Whew. How're you holding up Ouka?"

"J-Just fine. Haahh. I-I can sort of understand why everyone is so tired now."

About ten minutes after the initial assault, the two of you managed to enter one of the numerous tunnels that marred the mountain's craggy wall. The fighting was chaotic - you could never line up a shot without someone else getting in the way. Still, as a whole the Huntsmen were superior combatants - the only advantage that the Grimm had were their numbers. You spotted Sonnet leading the charge into one of the mountain's largest tunnels with Hazel and Marche at her side. Meanwhile, you managed to quietly sneak into a tunnel with your partner in tow - fighting would be significantly easier if the only witness was Ouka, after all. The two of you have your Scrolls out and ready as flashlights to illuminate the path ahead.

"Man, it really must have been rough on Sonnet. I bet the two of them were pretty close after a whole year of doing this sort of stuff."

"Y-Yeah... Hey N-Niles?"

"Hmm?"

"D-Did you notice it too...? I didn't see Miss Walkure with any other teammates and well... it seemed like she had a w-wall around her. I-I'm surprised that Hazel even managed to talk to her at all..."


"I'll admit, that has been bugging me for some time now. I have a feeling Hazel explained this but I wasn't paying attention." You stick out your tongue and shoot out a high-pitched 'tee-hee' as you bring a hand to your head to playfully tap it. A total classic. You hold that pose for a few awkward moments before you realize that Ouka's staring back with her head tilted - you figured it was a cultural thing but it seems like she has no idea what you're trying to do. Slightly embarrassed, you silently continue your trek further into the tunnels.

***
A half-hour passes and the two of you take seats on a conveniently placed rock. You take a deep sip from your canteen before stuffing it back into your backpack with the rest of your supplies. Ouka finishes her boxed lunch and gently dabs her mouth with a napkin. She carefully adjusts her kimono before standing up to continue the search operation. You can hear the muffled din of battle echoing throughout the criss-cross passages dug by the Grimm.

"This is pretty much like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Finding one person in this whole mess is an exercise in patience."

"I-It's not too bad... I forgot to mention this, but my S-Semblance should be useful here."


"Oh, that's right. I never did learn anyone's Semblances... I should really start taking some notes on you guys too." Eventually.

"T-That's no good Niles! B-But, anyways - my Semblance is... well, it basically lets me hear a-and see heartbeats from far away. I-It's not that useful against Grimm, but I-I guess it is rather useful in situations like this. U-Unless he's dead..." Her Aura briefly glows a soft pink and you assume that her Semblance has kicked in. You figure that the two of you have managed to really make some tracks - if she picks up anything on that internal radar it'll probably be him.

"An ability like that must be pretty useful with your choice of weaponry though - you just need to know where your target is since those sound arrows or whatever basically home in on a point. Against actual people, you'd make for a pretty terrifying sniper."

Ouka's cheeks redden slightly as you pick up the pace with your revolve at the ready. It's strange that you've even managed to get this far without bumping into some Grimm like the rest of your comrades. Though, you soon begin to notice something peculiar about the passage - as you delve deeper into its depths, the path becomes wider and wider. A quick inspections seems to indicate that a lot of the digging was fairly recent on that part of the tunnel as well. Trepidation begins to fill your stomach as you slowly advance with Ouka ready to fire her arrows around you. Your confidence in continuing on is bolstered when she informs you that she can hear a faint heartbeat. Apparently, it's not visible to her just yet, but it seems like you're on the right tra-

You can't help but let out a sigh of defeat when the two of you find yourselves in a large chamber - likely deep within the mountain. It was likely a natural cave that has since been expanded by the Grimm. You can spot multiple holes dotting the entirety of the walls - it's likely that this area is some sort of junction or hub for the packs of Grimm to maneuver through the tunnels. You can't help but lick your lips when severalthings emerge from a tunnel. With their bipedal legs and their eyeless maws, their species is immediately identifiable.

creep-png.247890


"Creeps... Hey, Ouka. I'm gonna do that thing again. Erm, Grimm Awakening."

"Y-You're going to transform? R-Right! Let's fight together!"

You consciously reach within yourself and raise one arm to the side. A veil of inky blackness coats your body and solidifies. Then, you draw it out. Memories of the giant in the forest. The image of the Huntress you aspired to follow. It appears without fanfare - a bone mask. You regret not coming up with some cool catchphrase or a fancy pose to accompany this sequence. The Creeps are already closing in fast on your position - but you slam the mask upon your featureless face as soon as the first one leaps towards you. They pile onto you, one after another...

But you throw them off as you stand - clad in thick armor. You glance back at Ouka and reassure her with a thumbs-up. You're a Huntsman. You're Niles. And now, it's time to take out the trash... you cringe slightly at your own thoughts and decide immediately that you'll come up with something better once all of this is said and done.

Combat Phase
Eliminate the Creeps. Instinct Roll: 5
1. Summon your warhammer and start laying into them while Ouka fires on them from afar. Sort of like whack-a-mole but with bloodthirsty lizard-things. [ROLL]
Combat Phase
2. Your stomps make localized tremors. You're surrounded by rocks. Rocks fall and everyone dies (hopefully excluding the two of you). [ROLL]


A faint melody reaches your ears as you wade into the oncoming wave of Creeps. The bipedal creatures crash against your unwavering mass like water against a rock. Dull pain assaults your body; the Creeps have dogpiled you and are gnawing at any part they can get their mouths on. it's nothing you can't handle, however. Especially since Ouka's barrage strikes at the Grimm with pinpoint accuracy. Even if you lack an Aura at the moment, that doesn't mean that you no longer have a function heart - her notes will never pierce you. Her invisible arrows, enhanced by wind dust, slice into her targets. As the fallen Creeps fade into a thick, black haze, you stick both hands out and call for it.

Combat Phase
Success
***



***


And it answers. A grunt escapes your lips as you find the peculiar warhammer in your grasp. You shift your legs and adjust your grip on the warhammer - you've never been one for heavy weapons like your mother, but wielding it comes naturally to you. With your hands shifted to a lower position, you take a step forward and take a nearly full swing around you. There's a sickening crack of bones and the sounds of monsters howling in pain as your swing slays the Creeps who rushed in once more. You can't help but smirk as you switch back to a standard grip and smash the warhammer's enormous shaft against a leaping creature. A sudden swing clears the way in front of you as you press further into the horde of Grimm. Around you, invisible darts trace deadly arcs in the air but you continue fighting because you know you can trust your partner.

As you raise your warhammer up for a particularly flashy overhead swing, you find your arms nearly buckling. At first, you're concerned that your strength has started to give out. But you look up towards the warhammer's head... and you find a familiar, one-eyed gaze staring back at you. The Alpha Beowolf. With its enormous body perched on your weapon, it howls in your face and swipes at your head. You barely have time to move your head out of the way before it leaps off your warhammer and lands in front of you. The lesser creatures keep clear of the wolf-like creature. The Grimm must be more coordinated in this area than you thought. The flames of vengeance that burn within its solitary gaze makes it clear that it remembers you.


"Ouka! Take care of the Creeps, I'll handle this guy!" You note, for a moment, that your voice sounds almost distorted. Had it been anyone other than Ouka or your other teammates, they probably wouldn't be able to recognize you. She doesn't answer back - rather, her response comes in the form of a faint tune. The unfortunate Creeps that were in the young woman's sights have been frozen to the very core - she's switched her Dust. You lower your warhammer and let out a low growl from underneath your mask. As the remaining Creeps begin to funnel towards your partner, the Alpha Beowolf lunges forth in time with your own step forward.

Someone once told you that combat was a lot like dancing. You have to mind your footwork and match your own movements to that of your dance partner's. Unfortunately, with all of your heavy armor, you simply can't match the lupine monster's speed. If you're dancing the waltz then the Beowolf's dancing the quickstep. It throws in feints - when you raise your warhammer to block its claws with the handle, it simply ducks low and tries to chip away at your knees. Forward charges soon become aerial assaults as it vaults off your enormous bulk. Just when you think it'll try to eviscerate you with its claws, the beast takes an extra step forward and slams its arm spikes into your chest. Your armor holds, but as the fight continues the two of you become more aware of the fact that chinks in the armor still remain. Your slow swings, while powerful, merely stall the Alpha Beowolf as it quickly adapts to you. You find minor success when you switch up your fighting and unexpectedly throw a quick gut-punch to the black wolf, but that only affords you a few seconds. You quickly gaze around the room.

Though several of the Creeps have made their way to Ouka now, the musical archer keeps herself one step forward - she's constantly moving and using her Ice Dust to form physical barriers when running will no longer suffice. While you've been locked in a stalemate with the large Grimm, she's thinned their numbers considerably. You even lock eyes with her for the briefest of moments before the Beowolf recovers and kicks you in the head. Your vision shifts to the ceiling and... you come up with an idea. You blindly swing in a wide arc to force the creature back as you silently communicate to your partner with a quick nod. You're almost reluctant to fall back on this tactic, but you figure that it'll be enough to give you the opening you need.

With a sharp exhale, you toss the warhammer forward. The predator has already deftly avoided your airborne weapon as it slams onto the ground - but in that same moment, you've lifted one foot up. You channel your strength into that one foot and bring it down quickly. The immediate area around you quivers and shakes as your armored foot leaves a crater in its wake. The Alpha Beowolf struggles for a moment to regain its footing. The tremor only lasts for a second, but that's enough to dislodge a sizable chunk of rock from the ceiling above. And it falls from the ceiling like a meteor, right where you anticipated the creature would move to. Your gambit is fruitless however, as the Alpha Beowolf recovers faster than you anticipated. With no weapon, the Beowolf lunges forward - you can tell by its gaze that it's going for your unarmored throat.

You're not fighting alone, however. Like the jaws of a bear trap, sparkling specks of light blue suddenly embed themselves in the Alpha Beowolf's sides. The effect is immediate - it's frozen in place by your partner's precise barrage. Frost coats its arms and its legs have been frozen in place. It lets out a furious roar as it struggles to move - but without its speed, you simply take a step back out of its range. Slowly, the ice continues to advance up its body but its hate-filled gaze never relents. You flash a thumbs-up back at Ouka who has finished off the last of the Creeps. All that's left is the cyclopean wolf.

Combat Phase
Grimm End. Instinct Roll: 9
Combat Phase
1. There's nothing better than smashing ice sculptures with a giant hammer. [ROLL]
2. Shatter it with a single punch. [ROLL]


Success

Proceeding to the end of the Combat Phase.

This is almost cathartic for you. Your grip on the bony maul tightens as you feel your body tighten up with explosive power. As if to answer that sensation, the jaw upon your hammer slowly creaks open. Thick smog rolls out of its mouth and you swing the hammer around your body as you approach your immobilized victim. Once. Then twice. You're one step away. The thick bones that cover your mouth retract as you bare your fangs.

The Beowolf Alpha convulses as it attempts to free itself from Ouka's icy prison. Even to the end, it's defiant as you bring down your hammer's open maw down on the beast. What isn't smashed to oblivion is consumed by your weapon as you bring it down like a guillotine. The manic howling is muffled out by the sounds of ice being reduced to slivers by your strike. The miasma that escapes the monster's body that isn't immediately drawn into your warhammer's mouth congeals on you before being absorbed into your body.

You have to take a moment to steady yourself - the entire area shook violently with your final blow. As you feel strength leaving your body and your twisted form returning to something familiar, you look behind you. Ouka looks none the worse for the wear. The few Creeps who were already in the midst of retreating have disappeared into their tunnels - with their unifying leader dead, they've likely fallen back on their survival instincts. As Ouka approaches, you absentmindedly brush some dust off your shoulder.

"That really was a splendid display Niles."

"You weren't too shabby yourself Ouka. We really do make a good team."

Her face reddens at your words, Ouka must be really susceptible to flattery.

"R-Right... now that the Grimm are gone we should head over... there. The heartbeat still hasn't faded." Your gaze follows her outstretched pointer finger to one of the many identical holes that lead out of the area. Without missing a beat, you draw out the Ocelot and take point as the two of you sally forth into the darkness once more.

***
After that display of power and the demise of the Beowolf Alpha, this part of the mountain was as silent as a grave. You doubt that killing one prominent Grimm would completely settle this matter, but it'd at least afford the embattered Huntsmen here a moment's respite before the onslaught begins anew. Really, that's all that you or any other Huntsmen can do. Small steps. The very thought of completely eliminating the Grimm is a childish notion that's been drenched in the honey called hope. But still, you hunt them when you can and maybe make sure that there even is a tomorrow for the backwater village you've been sent to. That's the understanding you've come to...

"Ah, Ni-"

There's an audible click that you recognize instantly - your eyes scan the darkness and you confirm your suspicions. A matte-black handgun is pointed at your chest. A top-of-the-line item, probably Atlesian given its sort of experimental aesthetic.

"...Wait. You're Huntsmen from the camp, aren't you?" You watch the barrel of the gun slowly lower as you bring your Scroll up to illuminate the immediate area in front of you. There, sitting up against the wall and hidden away in a crevice within the excavated passage's wall, is a young man with silver hair. His voice is almost utterly devoid of emotional affect, perhaps this entire ordeal has traumatized him? The huntsman wears a suit coat around his shoulders like a cape and his combat attire seems to consist of some Atlas-style armor - likely the sort you could find off the shelves for cheap.

"Ray, right? We're from Arcadia - we're your underclassmen too. Sonnet asked us to rescue you." Compared to his partner, Ray almost seems sort of plain. You're not sure what to make of him though - for some reason you almost feel some sort of weird connection to him. Ouka pokes her head out from over your shoulder and gives a shy little wave to him. He responds with the same gesture, though the way he does so with a deadpan face is almost kind of amusing.

"Reliable underclassmen at that. I'm grateful for your assistance, and I'm sure that Sonnet will be as well. Though, if I may impose upon you a little further - I sustained damage during my retreat and ended up being unable to move." He pulls up a pant leg and reveals a bandaged ankle - you resist the urge to make a crack about Huntsmen and ankle injuries being super common nowadays.

Still, you help him up and end up carrying him piggy-back style as Ouka leads the three of you back from whence you came. Despite his thin build, he's a lot heavier than you were expecting. Combined with your lack of Aura at the moment, this ends up being a complete slog. While uneventful without any more encounters with the monsters, you find yourself almost wishing that something would show up so that you could put him down.


***
"Ara, there's Ouka and Niles now... and they have Ray with them too!"

"!"

As the three of you cross the proverbial finish line, you find yourself in a temporary staging area. Several injured Huntsmen are being treated. You can't help but avert you gaze when you spot a few person-shaped bags lying on the ground as medical personnel solemnly stand over them. The somber atmosphere punctuated by the cries of pain from the more severely injured is shattered in an instant by a flash of red.

You've already shifted to supporting Ray by acting as a (in)human crutch. One moment, you feel Ray's arm affixed around your shoulder securely and in the next you feel a strong gust of wind smack you in the face. After taking a step back, you can't help but just scratch your cheek awkwardly as Sonnet squeezes her wayward partner like an oversized teddy bear. To the man's credit, he doesn't show the slightest bit of discomfort - his face is just as stoic as it was before.

"Ray! Don't ever scare me like that again! I don't want to be alo-"

"I apologize Sonnet, I was careless back then. Rest assured, I will be taking measures so that this incident does not repeat." He remains perfectly still and you watch the scene for just a little while longer before your bunny-eared leader silently tugs at your shoulder. The three of you leave Team SMRK to their own devices for the time being. When you're a good distance away, you speak up.

"Man, I didn't peg Sonnet to be all huggy like that. Hazel, are they...?"

"Well, they do seem particularly close, but I doubt it. For one, Ray's the only teammate she has left at this point - the other two members of Team SMRK died during their first year. It's only natural that Miss Walkure would cling on both emotionally and physically to him."

"...That would explain why she was alone. What's the other reason?"

"Well, there's been some rumors flying around that Ray's been frequently visiting the residence of a certain teaching assistant - a man. It seems like Ray's been coming and going at night and as discreetly as he can. So, it's possible that he's gay. From what I could tell from our time with Sonnet though, she really does love him."

"Huh, that almost makes my heart ache."

"An unrequited love..."

"...Oh right, where's Marche?" At this point, you've already been getting foreboding feelings when it comes to inquiring about a teammate's absence.

"He just stepped away to place a call... Ah, here he comes now." And right on cue, the short boy approaches. His mask is just as effective at hiding his feelings as Ray is - even if you wanted to, you can't discern the nature of the call he placed just then. His scroll's already hidden away underneath his breastplate as Team MGNO reunites.


***

The terms of our imprisonment were well-known to us. And our father's passing served as an example, nay, a warning of the fate that would befall us should we step out of line. I was quite the worrisome child. I grew to fear that world outside the window. I believed what they had told me.

But my brother sought things beyond the glass. Through some persuasion, he had convinced our overseers to allow him to leave - he said that he wanted to be a huntsman. Looking back on it now, I suppose that they figured that letting him die fighting against the Grimm would be convenient for them.

I was afraid that I'd die of loneliness without him at my side 24/7. But before he left for that far-off institution, he confided with me.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you alone. Just wait, okay? I'll be back before you even know it - and we'll take that first step out together."

***
The rest of the week passes without any further developments nor another chance to use your transformations. You and the rest of your team quickly fell into the exhausting routine of extended skirmishes against the grimm who have now regrouped. The only periods of calm in-between each bloody storm are at meals with Sonnet and Ray and at night when the team files into a small tent. Well, 3/4ths of the team. As each day passed, Marche continued placing more calls on his Scroll - he became even more distant than usual. That's how you see it anyways.

You did make it a point to observe your team's sleeping habits solely because of how dull it got at night though. Ouka tends to turn in early. Hazel, when she isn't gushing about Sonnet or reviewing the team's performance through an impromptu debriefing, types away at her Scroll. It's likely that she's writing up a report but you can't help but imagine if she was actually some best-selling light novel author in disguise. Marche silently slips into the tent about an hour afterwards and falls asleep quickly. As for you, however, you're kept up by a reoccurring nightmare. In it, you're completely helpless as the Beowolf Alpha eviscerates you with its claws and devours your still living body piece by piece. Its howling haunts you when you close your eyes and at most get about 2-3 hours of sleep per night as a result.

Combined with the constant fighting, you're practically a shambling corpse by the end of the week. Dark bags have formed under your eyes and you find yourself struggling to stay awake if you're not keeping yourself busy with something else. At times, you want to yell at your younger self for ever wanting to be a huntsmen but you persist.

And finally, that day comes. You're barely conscious for most of it, but you can distinctly recall Hazel's farewell to your upperclassmen and a promise from Sonnet that they'd return the favor once they were done here. Although the flight is particularly long, turbulent winds assail the airship and you end up being denied a peaceful sleep. It's no wonder that you crash on your bed as soon as Team MGNO returns to its room sometime in the afternoon.


***

And so, I waited by myself in that gilded cage. Each day, I woke early to anticipate the correspondence that my brother would send from the Huntsmen school he had chosen. Though, he was forced to wear a mask. They had told him that just his eyes were enough to incite chaos and strife.

At times, he would send me letters. Other times, I would be allowed a rare phone call. I was amazed by his vivid stories of his school life. Of his teammates. Of the adventures that he embarked upon. He became more than just my brother - he became my hero. He became hope itself for me.

***
Your eyes slowly open as you pull your bedsheets off you - you're still wearing your combat attire. Last night's sleep has been the best in a while and you actually feel ready for the day's classes. Sure, having classes the day after that week in hell seems kind of heartless, but a return to schedule is just what you need. Hell, you're even looking forward to baking some pastries to the tune of Mr. Dearg's verbal assault. But first things first: you have to take a shower. After all that time in the camp with barebones shower facilities, you're looking forward to the warm embrace of a hot shower.

Like a robot, you move forward without hesitation. Without thinking. Maybe if you had taken a moment to look at your Scroll, you would have realized what time it was. But you didn't. That's why you opened the bathroom door so suddenly and without any warning. That's why, you finally saw Marche without that mask.

His face was particularly feminine, and you find yourself gazing back at Marche's violet eyes. He stands there naked like a deer in headlights. But... there's something wrong with that sentence. You get an eyeful of Marche's naked form. Those curves. That supple skin. Rather than blushing, you're completely floored by the revelation.

Marche is a girl. Which would explain her height. And in retrospect, that would explain why 'he' was so adamant about separate shower times. Your mind kicks into high gear as you slowly begin to form out an explanation in your head but it's already too late. The young woman's already closed the gap between you. Even with your Aura up, she throws a mean jab to the face that's enough to disorient you. She follows up on this by shoving you right out of the bathroom. You sit there and all you can wonder what the hell is going on. You're still shocked by this strange turn of events, enough so that you remain there until Marche finally leaves the bathroom fully dressed in 'his' uniform. Even with his mask on, you feel 'his' glare burning a hole through you.

"Don't. Tell. Anyone." Those are the only words that 'he' hisses into your ears before promptly exiting the room - the slam of the dorm's door slowly rouses Ouka from her slumber as you quickly get back up on your feet and march right into the bathroom to take that shower. You wash yourself in silence, as you know that this is something that you'll likely have to to confront.


***

That's why it hurt twice as much. Why it had devastated me as much as it did. Why I continued forth on my lonely path up to this day.

A man in a uniform appeared at the door one day. He looked at me solemnly and spoke those faithful words without any hint of compassion. Those words were enough to completely break my spirit. It's because of those words that I...

"Your brother has been caught colluding with certain individuals in a grand conspiracy. As a result, he has been summarily executed - just as your father had been. This is the fate that befalls those who make an enemy of Atlas."

***
You finish your shower a little earlier than usual and decide to slip out of the room while Ouka and Hazel are still sleeping. You've still got some time before classes so you decide an early morning stroll might help you collect your thoughts. Especially after such a strange light novel like development like this. At the very least, this does explain why Marche wore a mask. But this just invites further questions like: Why did Marche disguise herself as a man? and How did I not catch on to this sooner with an ass like that? You totally weren't checking out 'his' ass and questioning your own sexuality before all of this though. Probably.

You're sure of your own sexuality now.

Normally, you'd be all up for grabbing some food with Ouka and Hazel. But today, you feel like thinking things out by yourself. Namely, how you can fix things with Marche. You figure that you were in the wrong, walking in on 'him' like that but you're conflicted by whether or not you should bring this up with the rest of your teammates. After all, 'his' instructions were pretty clear on the matter. Marche should have had reasons for this situation after all. You ignore the slight hunger pangs as you take in the tranquility of Arcadia's empty streets.

"Oh? Niles?"

You glance back, though you instantly recognized the owner of that voice. It's Ran, who's now jogging lightly towards you. A few steps in, however, the young man trips on air and falls flat on his face. You meet him half-way and help him out, all the while wondering how he manages to survive as a Huntsman. The bat-eared boy is quick to put on his glasses and bows slightly to express his silent gratitude.

"What's up Ran? I was just out for a leisurely stroll. There's nothing quite like taking in that fresh Arcadian sea air, right?"

"Ah, it is nice to slow down and take in the atmosphere, is it not? Though, I did not peg you for the introspective person Niles." You can't deceive that gaze. You're not sure if you're a bad liar or if Ran's just that observant.

"Yeah... you got me. There was a minor incident this morning, probably nothing that a little talking won't fix."

"Mm, I see. Did something occur between you and Lady Moto?"

"You're a chapter late. And did you just sa-"

"Ah, right, you just returned from your posting in Vale, correct? How did that go for your team Niles?"

"Oh man, don't remind me. It was a week in hell, I'm not even sure how the rest of those guys still function with conditions like those. What about you guys? I heard Team SPRK got sent to... Shade, was it?"

"Ah yes, in Vacuo. Arcadia had deemed the matter important enough to send in Team ABRN as well. It was quite an adventure and Cole may have ignited a fierce rivalry with that other team leader."

"Cole huh?"

The two of you continue your walk to class - first-year Huntsmen Program students have the same schedule after all. You're among the first to arrive and end up taking spots somewhere in the middle rows of the lecture hall. Marche is already waiting attentively in a second row seat. Your eyes meet briefly but the masked 'boy' delivers a concealed glare that instills the fear of death within your very soul. Forget Grimm, Marche is the most likely to end your life at this point.

You distract yourself with some idle chatter with Ran. As time passes, the lecture hall slowly fills up. Hazel and Ouka wave to both you and Marche, though the masked 'boy' gives them the cold shoulder. They end up taking seats in your row. Ran's partner takes a seat next to him. More time passes and seats fill up till the only remaining ones are in the front row. Cole and Piper are among the last of the students to arrive and end up taking seats in the front row... Oh, it looks like that girl who challenged him to a duel is in high spirits. Though, from where you're sitting, it looks like she's cheerfully doting on the young man who's already starting to doze off before the lecture even starts.

A presence makes itself known - an old man clears his throat from his desk at the front of the lecture hall. Professor Gin Sazen. A tough, curmudgeonly veteran Huntsman who walks around openly with a katana strapped to his belt. There are rumors abound about him on the message boards, particularly about whether or not he had personally known Klein Koenig. Much of his body is hidden under a dark red cloak - some people have once claimed that it was white at one point. Let that sink in for a bit. What is clear, however, is that even though he's missing an eye and an arm, he's someone you shouldn't fuck with. Your instincts are all screaming at you to run constantly whenever you spot him.

He sits there silently with an unamused expression on his face. You wonder if this is like one of those stories wherein a professor spends half the class in complete silence before asking his unnerved students why people are so uncomfortable with long periods of silence and then launching into a discussion about human nature. But this is a history class. And Sazen likewise doesn't fuck around with his students. The entirety of the class stews in awkward, unspoken silence before the door to the lecture hall slams open.

An exasperated white-haired man in a light blue suit arrives. He's sweating and out of breath, but your professor stares at him with the same sort of contempt that he reserves for the students he dislikes. Actually, it's the sort of contempt that gives everyone. The young man takes a moment to catch his breath before speaking up.

"P-Professor Sazen! I am soooooo sorry about all of this! You see, there was this damn crow that would not stop harassing me this morning an-"

"Just get on with it Schnee. Atlesian history is your specialty."

"R-Right. My apologies..." He practically shrivels up with fear under Sazen's cyclopean gaze. He takes a moment to brush his snow white hair clean of jet-black feathers - it must have been a particularly large crow. You recall that he was also present at your initiation. Kalt Schnee, the scion to the prestigious Schnee family and likely next in line to inherit the Schnee Dust Company responsible for much of Atlas's technological breakthroughs. In essence, he was like that kingdom's informal prince. It's almost jarring to watch him fumble with his scroll and struggle with the projection screen.

"Okay! Onto the lesson then. Today, I'll be covering Atlas during the Post-War period. But first, let me ask you a question. Why are Remnant's four major sovereignties called kingdoms if they're run by councils? The answer is simple: at one point in time, they were in fact ruled by monarchies. And Atlas, or Mantle as it was known at the time, may be best remembered for its particularly infamous rulers: the Tyrian dynasty."

He settles into his role as a teaching assistant incredibly quickly. His voice exudes a sense of coolness even if you're not particularly interested by the subject matter you can't help but be drawn in. It's no wonder that he's popular with a lot of Arcadia's female students, even if those rumors about his secret relationship with Ray are apparently pretty proliferated among the student body.

"I won't be going over the specifics of the Great War, that was covered in your Primary Combat School courses after all. But the long and short of it is this: Mantle, prior to the Great War, had been known for its dependence on slave labor and the abuse of the common people by the patricians and aristocracy. Though the Tyrian dynasty was historically beloved by its people, the change in opinions and a growing hatred of the crown soon soured their relationship with their subjects. And as we all know, the Mantle and Mistral alliance lost the Great War."

Your eyes wander over to Marche who appears to be absorbing this lesson with a certain amount of tension. The presentation then shifts to a slide with what looks to be a portrait of the last generation of Tyrians. What strikes you immediately is that a majority of them have violet eyes that you've seen before.

"The loss of the Great War led to both Vale and Vacuo demanding war reparations from the losing side. While Mistral handled this well, Mantle struggled as their war efforts had led to their economy buckling and their already scarcer supplies becomes scarcer. Immediately following the Great War's conclusion, civil unrest within Mantle was at an all time high. And yet, the last King of Mantle did nothing but hole up with his family within their royal palace. Actually, we have a certain student here who might be able to shed a little light on this. Why don't you speak up?"

You watch as Marche freezes up - for once you've witness something other than indifference or anger from your teammate: fear. If anything, this seems to confirm your suspicions. But before you can respond, you hear some rustling from the front row and follow the Schnee's bemused gaze to the sleeping form of Cole Schrei. Piper hurriedly shakes him awake and whispers something into his ear as he mutters something in his half-awake state.

"Huh? Oh, shit class. Right. So we're talking about the... post-war period in Atlas right? Oh, I see. So we're talking about the downfall of the Tyrian dynasty. Real bastards, am I right? Tyrian tyranny and all that. Well, the common folk were practically rioting in the streets every other week. So a couple of young officers fresh out of Atlas Academy decided that 'enough was enough!' and decided to overthrow those black-hearted villains. Led by my great-great-grandfather, Lowell Schrei, these guys stormed the royal palace and struck a blow for justice by putting the Tyrians to the sword. After that, the capital moved to Atlas Academy and the kingdom's military and government became fused. And that's how Atlas was born."

As if to punctuate this, a picture of Cole in period clothing pops up on screen. No, wait. That's apparently Lowell Schrei. He really is the spitting image of a national hero. And judging by Ran's account, he's got the skills to back it up. If anything, he sort of reminds you of the protagonist of a light novel. Especially with the way that those two girls seem to be affectionate with him.

"Mm, yes. Thank you for that erm... colorful recounting of history. But yes, as the story goes, Lowell Schrei led a coup against the crown that resulted in the reformation of Mantle into Atlas. If I recall correctly, one of my own ancestors was also part of that group. But I digress. This shift was met with great jubilation. Though, that's not to say that the Tyrians were as cartoonishly villainous as many seem to interpret them as. Historical accounts indicate that they were competent rulers - though by the time of the Great War the increasing concessions they made to the patricians resulted in the last king becoming more and more distant from his subjects. I suppose it's a testament to their legacy that every now and then, Monarchist groups pop up and try to reinstall the Tyrians. Usually with someone claiming to be a descendant of the last prince whose body was never recovered during the cop. Ah, but I'm getting sidetracked, aren't I?"

"I don't care, do whatever." It's your job on the line not mine. That's what you can read from his contemptuous look.

"Err, right. Well then, let's move onto Atlesian reconstruction efforts and the role that the Schnee Dust Company played in ushering a new era of communication..."

You begin to zone out at around this point and class ends after what seems to be a thinly-veiled advertisement for the SDC. And of course, he brushes over their strained relationship with the Faunus - though only Hazel seems to be miffed by Kalt. In the fifteen-minute breaks between the rest of the day's classes, Marche seems to disappear only to reappear without you noticing just the minute before class starts.

It's a particularly slow day and you end up eating lunch with Ouka and Hazel - surprise, surprise. Marche declined and only left a message on Hazel's scroll that 'he' was "attending to some private matters." Even though you've grown accustomed to the masked 'boy's aloof nature, he seems even more distant than usual. Something that you feel slightly guilty about. You'd be fine with Marche hating you, but you really don't want 'him' alienating 'himself' from the others.

After that meal, you head over to your part-time job and get front-row seats to Mr. Dearg chewing out that poor cat faunus girl again. You can't help but offer her a cupcake for her troubles, so there's your good deed for the day. You eventually decide that the best way to end the cold war between you and the mysterious, masked Marche is with a cake as a peace-offering. It takes a little convincing, but Mr. Dearg allows you to bake a cake - it helps that he sees you as one of his few competent patissiers after all. You decide to bake the cake yourself, even putting in some considerable effort of your own to ensure that it's one of your best works. N-Not because you like baking sweets like a pussy or anything. Still, you can't help but feel that you're being watched by something or someone. It's a unsettling feeling that tickles your paranoia something fierce but you make it through your shift only slightly unnerved.

You start down the busy street as the sun begins to set and the sky turns orange when you hear the pitter-patter of steps behind you. Your imagined stalker? No, the presence behind you is something distinctly different than that. You turn around.

"My, my. Fancy seeing you out here Mr. Niles." A petite, blue-haired girl. Informal royalty, just like Kalt Schnee. One Miss Pacifica Koenig. A warm and friendly smile is plastered on her face that seems to conceal a hidden edge.

"Just Niles is fine. And uh, good to see you too. Ran isn't around?"

"Ah, he's busy running some errands for me. I must admit it can get a little frightening navigating these streets alone, but it is worth it if I get the opportunity to get closer to you. Perhaps on a more intimate level~." Her smile curls into something that's halfway between adorable and predatory. Let's call it smug.

"Wait, what did you just sa-?"

"Unfortunately, this is neither the time nor the place for such matters. I'll cut straight to the point. Is there something wrong with your teammate, Marche? He seemed to be acting rather strangely throughout today's classes. As someone who represents Arcadia and the Koenig family, it is my duty to do what I can to ease my fellow students."

You gulp. She really is a lot more observant than you took her for. Not to mention that she's already gotten all up in your face - she's standing on the tips of her toes to better look you in the eye but that doesn't detract at all from her almost carnivorous aura. You feel like she's going to swallow you up.

Spilling Marche's secrets to her initially seems like a stupid idea but then again she is the Headmaster's little sister. It's possible that she could actually help you out if it turns out that Marche really is part of some Atlesian Monarchist conspiracy like you suspect. On a side note, it's weird that the lecture was relevant, but you doubt it's anything more than the Law of Great Numbers at work.

Choices
You decide to...
1. Spill the beans to Pacifica about Marche and what happened this morning. She may scare you, but you feel as if you can probably trust you to aid you. Hell, she might be able to use her connections in the city to shed some more light on the matter at hand.
2. Refuse to confide in her. As helpful as she probably could be, you decide that you should probably keep this a closely-guarded secret between you and Marche. Even if you haven't had the smoothest of relationships, you do feel a sort of loyalty to your teammate now.


"...Sorry, but this is a personal matter between two teammates." You decide to keep quiet about the whole situation. It's not because you're afraid of Marche's retribution. For yu, it seems more like a matter of decency to keep this whole thing under the rug. Besides, you have your apology cake - you're fairly certain that this entire situation will be resolved within a day or two without any sort of action nor the acquisition of more masks. Because your life totally isn't episodic, right?

The dainty young woman pouts and steps back. Though she puts on airs and exudes a sort of aura of royalty that hangs heavily in the air, it seems that she's still capable of acting immature. Pacifica folds her arms and takes a deep sigh - if anything, she's looking a bit happier than before. She takes a step forward and gets right in your face - the tips of your noses are almost touching. You almost recoil but she pulls back with a giggle.


"My, I suppose I expected something like this to happen. After all, we've only met once before. Still, I can't help but admire your convictions Niles. Regardless of what you think of me at this moment, just know that I act in the best interests of Arcadia and its students - if you find yourself in trouble, I will be there to render aid."

"You may be related to Arcadia's head honcho, but I do get this sort of shady feeling from you if I'm going to be perfectly honest with you." You can't help but open your mouth at a time like this. A part of you doesn't trust her no matter what honeyed words she says.

"That sort of thinking isn't wrong, especially from where you're standing. Regardless of how you feel at this moment, I'll help you out. That cake is for Marche, is it not? He was last seen heading towards the Red-Light District. Perhaps you'll be able to find some answers of your own there. Boop~." She lightly pokes the tip of your nose as she turns around and begins walking away. Honestly, she seems like the kind of person you can't really handle. You doubt she's some nefarious villain leading you into a deathtrap and this seems like the only possible lead you can get on Marche's whereabouts. After all, 'he' doesn't belong to a club.
***

In every city, there's a dark underbelly full of seedy businesses and even seedier characters. You've only heard about the Red-Light District on message boards and in hushed discussions. Non-sanctioned clubs operate there and the small ward boasts a thriving black market. There are even rumors that the occasional Faunus is smuggled in and sold as a slave. And like a bootlegger's bar, the whole area becomes a ghost town the moment Arcadian Security tries to step in. In the morning, it's nothing more than a collection of derelict buildings with an unused and rundown dock. At night, however, it comes to life in a grand display of neon.

Red-Light District.jpg

It takes you a good hour or two of riding public transportation and walking to get to Red-Light District by consulting your Scroll's map of Arcadia. You can't help but be amazed by the bright neon signs advertising services and businesses that you'd never see in the heart of the city. You keep your head low as you maneuver through the crowds of students who likely frequent this area. The atmosphere is fairly jovial with many of these students stumbling around drunk. You wonder what sort of business Marche may have had here. And that's when you feel someone grab your shoulder. You let out a faint shriek that gets muffled by that person's other hand.

"It's just us Niles, don't cause a scene. I think we all know how dangerous this area can be." You calm down slightly when you realize who's behind you. Ouka steps into view as well as Hazel pulls her hands away from you and the three of you end up standing near a storefront away from the bustle of traffic.

"Jeez, a hello or a Scroll message was too much to ask for? Wait, what are you doing here?"


"Ara~, we could ask you the same as well. Though, this might clear things up." Hazel shows you her Scroll - there's a map and three blips clustered together. You blink and scratch your head.

"You bugged our Scrolls?"

"Well... it's just that I didn't want to go through the same situation as Miss Walkure."

"...I guess I understand, but when did you...?"

"There were lots of opportunities Niles. In any case, we should get moving." Team MGNO's leader drags a finger across the screen until a solitary blip appears on the map. It seems to be some coffee shop not too far from here. Likely one that wasn't sanctioned by the Cooking Club or one that serves alcohol mixed with caffeine to anyone with enough money. Maybe they attract cannibals or something. You begin to wonder if there's some illegal bakery here - they'd probably be able to cater to a niche crowd by combining illicit substances with pastries. Though, that definitely seems like a pretty weird concept - let alone the notion of illegal bakeries.

"Erm... are you alright Niles? We should get going." Ouka tugs at your sleeve as you cease your current train of thought and snap back into reality. Hazel leads the three of you down the street. Though a few people seem to eye Ouka, it seems that Hazel's presence is enough to ward them off. Maybe it's the fact that she's openly carrying her estoc and buckler. The coffee shop actually looks fairly normal - though the storefront itself is pretty trashy looking. There are large cracks and possibly a bullet-hole or two in the window and the lights inside straddle the line between total darkness and gratuitously dim. At least with the low-level of visibility, it's rather hard for anyone to actually see your group enter - aside from the collared Faunus who are at the front counter. Though you can barely see, you can still make out vague shapes in some of the seats. Faint whispers fill the air. You and Ouka put your trust in Hazel's inherent Faunus night vision to navigate to an empty booth... and the three of you remain completely silent as you overhear a conversation from nearby.

"Prince Tyrian, it's good to see you again." You can barely make out the faint silhouette of a young man in a school uniform in the dark. You hear the sound of seat cushions crumpling and porcelain clinking against a tabletop.

"Likewise. Has there been any news from Atlas?" That's definitely your man(?). 'His' voice is as quiet as a whisper and you hear an audible sip escape from the other student's lips. The three of you remain completely silent and still as you eavesdrop on Marche's meeting.

"There's been a recent crackdown on some of our arms suppliers... Negotiations with that group have gone well - it's likely that they'll bolster our current forces once the revolution begins."

"I see. So we're on track then."

"Correct, we should be able to act within a month or so. And before long, both you and Princess Lila will be sitting on Mantle's throne once more. Atlas's coldest winter will soon come to an end. You'll never have to wear that mask again."

"..." Slowly, the gears in your head begin to turn. Still, you keep quiet as you hear a rustling of clothes and a utterance of farewells. Footsteps echo in the darkened air around you and you hear the slam of the door soon afterwards. Hazel's quick to pull out her Scroll and begins to access the tracker once more.

"Ara, to think that Marche was part of some conspiracy..."

"Marche is also a girl."

"W-What?"

"How...?"

"I walked in on her in the bathroom this morning. Believe me, it was totally unintentional! I swear!" You can almost make out their disgusted faces in the darkness. Ouka sighs softly and Hazel lays her Scroll down in the middle of the table.

"P-Pervert."

"Et tu, Ouka? I would have told you guys about it, but Marche was insistent on keeping it a secret.

"D-Did the two of you make a promise about it?" You get the feeling that she probably has some shoujo-esque idea when it comes to secret keeping.

"I got slugged in the face. Her glare was more painful."

"Right, let's keep moving then. It seems like Marche is headed towards the docks."

"Huh, I kinda thought she'd be done after that meeting just now. Does that mean that this rabbit hole goes deeper?" You feel a pinch on your cheek from your less than amused leader. You've been waiting for a chance to say that.

***

You take in the salty sea air... and start to gag a little because it's also mixed in with the stench of motor oil and despair. Right now, the three of you are all hiding within one of the many shipping containers piled in the Red-Light District's docks. Marche is within earshot, but you've managed to evade detection thus far. Your grip on the box containing your hardwork tightens as you press your ear to the cold, rusted metal wall. Right now, you're sort of jealous of Hazel's Faunus features and Ouka's trained ears. As you move to yawn, Ouka covers your mouth and shushes you softly. After a few more minutes of complete silence, you hear faint footsteps.

"Colonel Stark. The Monarchists are still in the midst of preparations as expected."

"Excellent. You've done Atlas a great service - you'd make your brother proud. I'll admit, I was worried that loosening your leash and assigning you to this task was far too risky, but you've certainly proved your worth." You can make out the gaze of that military man from your hiding spot. He looks upon Marche not as a person, but as a thing. For a moment, you feel a wave of déjà vu wash over you. Along with it is an uncomfortable feeling, but you put that aside to focus on your eavesdropping.

"Yes sir."

"Tomorrow, we will launch a direct assault on their headquarters - no survivors. With the number of AK-130s and troops that the general has authorized, you'd think we'd be taking this whole damn island. Tell those teammates of yours that you'll be transferring or something like that - your role as a student of Arcadia will soon come to an end."

"...Y-Yes sir." The hesitation in Marche's voice is nearly impossible to pick up on, but the subtle change in her tone is provides enough context. Regardless of your rocky relationship with the masked girl disguised as a boy, she's come to enjoy being on a Team.

"Good, good. This will also be a good test run for that prototype that the SDC's lent out to us as well..."

You grimace slightly as you pull away from the corrugated iron surface and look to your teammates. Ouka leads you and Hazel out of the harbor - she's rather good at sneaking around undetected. Left to the silence of your own thoughts, the three of you take the long walk back home on foot - you figured that getting a good night's sleep would help you process the number of revelations that you've uncovered in just a few hours of stalking. After storing the cake in the fridge, the three of you quickly finish your nightly rites and slip into bed before Marche arrives. You fall asleep that night to the sound of clothes rustling quietly...

***
"I'm transferring out of Arcadia. Recent developments at home have left me unable to finish my semester here. I wish you good luck in your feature endeavors." Her tone is cold and mechanical - though it's of a different flavor from her usual indifference. Like she's acting. Like she's reciting what her superior told her. By the time everyone was awake and ready for classes, Marche was already standing by with a suitcase full of luggage. It never occurred to you until now, but Marche never really had much to begin with. Perhaps because she knew that her time her would be temporary.

"...F-Familial issues are important, but is it really that serious enough to warrant you dropping out?"

"Yes."

"Ara... to think that our time together has come to an end. Without you, we lose much of our combat potential Marche."

"I... know. But I believe that the team will manage under your leadership Hazel."

"...Is this what you really want Lila?" Your tone turns cold as you stare down the masked Huntress with your arms folded. Hazel and Ouka's passive approach to the issue doesn't really seem to be effective, and at this point you're certain that the Marche you've known is not Marche at all. Your response is enough to make your teammate freeze up on the spot.

"...W-What?"

"We all know what this is all about at this point. The fact that you're being juggled around by two different groups in some wild conspiracy. I'll admit, I don't know you well enough to know what you're thinking or how you feel about this sort of stuff. But what I am certain of is that you don't want to do this. You don't want to leave." You can feel your tone soften slightly and you take a step forward.


"..Sh-Shut up! You... None of you know a damn thing about me! My concerns are mine alone! J-Just forget about me!" She quickly cycles from surprise to anger to... bitter resignation and drops her luggage. You move to catch her by her hand but she's quicker and already out of the room with a slam of the door before you can move. Unfortunately, any shot of tracking her now is shot to hell when Hazel picks Marche's Scroll off her bed.

"I... thought that was going to go better."

"...We couldn't skirt around the issue. It was better just to pull off that bandage."

"Is... Is there anything we can do now then?"

"Umm... Maybe we should skip class and start looking for her then."

"That does sound like the best we can do now, I guess. Huh, hang on." You pull your own Scroll out of your pocket and check the screen for your morning caller. It's a number you don't recognize. You're almost hesitant to answer it - a death threat from that Colonel Stark guy sounds fairly likely.

"Mr. Niles. How are things going with Mr. Marche?" A capricious voice greets you. Pacfica. This seems like a good opportunity to inform her about the whole foreign conspiracy/spy drama that's unfolding in Arcadia. But... you don't trust her. Even if she does bring down the full weight of Arcadia's forces on both groups, what's going to happen to Marche? You decide to keep quiet about the whole thing once more.

"Ah, it's going well - we made up. But, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course."

"Could you tell Professor Sazen that we'll be missing class today? Oh, and if you could get a copy of the notes that'd be pretty great."

"That's two favors, Mr. Niles. I'll have you pay me back double then~."

"...Heh. Right... Well, seeya." You end the call there because Hazel and Ouka are looking at you with a slight amount of suspicion.

"It's just Pacifica. From Team SPRK."

"Ara, she's the headmaster's little sister, correct? To think that you'd be receiving calls from someone like her." Hazel reacts in her typical motherly way. Ouka pouts and you don't know why. With that done, the three of you head out in hopes of finding Marche.

***

And as luck would have it... you have none. By the time you regroup midday for lunch, all three of you have seen neither hide nor hair of your masked teammate. Of course, with Marche's own withdrawn nature, it was difficult to pinpoint a location she'd head to based on prior behavior.

"It's possible that she went to the Monarchist's hideout... though if that's the case then searching for her will prove to be even more daunting."

"What if she already left? If Atlas could sneak in a small army then it's possible that they already had a speedboat or something ready for her right?"

"T-That's doubtful Niles. I think our best course of action is to wait out in the Red-Light District for the attack on the Monarchists. I-I mean, we know that those Atlesians have it slated for today right? And they'd probably want to do it under the cover of night in the already busy and unapproachable Red-Light District just to be certain that Arcadia doesn't interfere."

"I have to agree with Ouka, it seems like that will be our only chance anyways. Besides - even if the Monarchists are potential terrorists, they're still students. I'd rather not live knowing that the deaths of my fellow students could be avoided." You resist the urge to compare her to Pacifica. Still you can't disagree with that sentiment - and if they're students then Arcadia has the right to dole out the punishment anyways.

"Alright, let's do it then. Let me just call my boss..." You freeze up because you know that calling in sick is going to suck.
***
It totally sucked. You almost went deaf in one ear. But that's done and over with. You're currently waiting out in the abandoned residential district of the Red-Light District with Hazel and Ouka. All three of you are dressed in your combat attire and loaded up on Dust. The three of you are standing by in the space between two half-finished apartments. Out here, it's completely quiet - you're hoping that the fighting will be loud enough to pick up on. Hazel tilts her head slightly as you take a breath and shoot yourself in the foot. There's an audible cracking noise from the sound of your Aura shattering from just one shot, but you remain thankfully uninjured as the regular bullet rolls to the floor.

"Right. Don't freak out, I don't know why I can do this but this is likely the only way I'll avoid getting my ass kicked straight to hell when we go in."

"Y-Yeah, Niles will be fine... even if he does look a little erm... Grimm-y." Without any further words, you conjure up that bone mask from thin air. As you take hold of the floating Goliath mask, your body transforms - your existence is dyed the deepest shade of black. Though little more than a silhouette, you avoid putting on the mask for now - getting to the fight is your priority after all.

"Well... how do I look?"

"Ara~ it's a little strange and your voice is a little off, but I don't think it's anything to worry about Niles. If this is how you fight to your full potential, I won't stop you." Hazel only smiles back at your faceless form as you release the mask and return to your human form. It's a little odd, but you've come to notice that you can only transform when your Aura levels are completely drained. That's only a minor trade-off for the amount of power you gain in return and the fact that your own reserves are among the lowest. With another teammate privy to your hidden power you move to lean up against a wall... and hear a faint explosion not too far from here. It's too loud to be a gunshot - Hazel's eyes narrow and Ouka nods. The three of you move in the direction of that explosion.


***

You've arrived at a scene of carnage in what looks to be the suburban part of the residential district. Though it's dark, you can still hear silenced shots and see the arc of tracer rounds flying into what looks to be just another inconspicuous building. Silhouettes move around in the dark, waging their secret way against one another. Hazel points to the occupants of the building - young men and women clad in protective gear. As your eyes adjust to the dark, you spot them. Several soldiers in white and blue uniforms with black visors concealing their eyes. Though... there only seem to be a few of them right now. The unnatural and practiced movements of their mechanized infantry are what catch your attention. Even as one falls to the desperate gunfire of the Monarchists, more seem to just emerge from the darkness to continue their unrelenting assault.

ak-130s-png.289040



"Over there! There's Marche!" Hazel points to a lone figure deep behind the Atlesian army's lines. With her enormous lance, there's no doubt that it's her. With that mask, you're not sure if she watches the battle with guilt or satisfaction. A rocket propelled grenade flies into the mass of AK-130s and blows a few of them away - but it's clear that the Monarchists will be wiped out at this rate. As you pluck the bone mask from mid-air, you and Hazel are already making a beeline straight for Marche - Ouka advances to a vantage point. Even in the dark, you're sure you can count on her support thanks to her Semblance.

Hazel smashes the pommel of her estoc against a soldier's helmet - you hear the body crumple immediately after. Without your Aura, you struggle to keep up with her - that's enough to get a nearby soldier to train his assault rifle on you. As he pulls the trigger, you slam the mask on. The burst of gunfire crumples under the bone armor that soon covers your body. Though you've slowed considerably, you close the distance and execute a lariat on him. He's out cold. Behind you, the faint melody of Ouka's arrows echoes in the dark followed by the air crackling. It seems like she's switched up her Dust loadout for tonight.

Marche immediately brings up her lance as Hazel charges in - at this point, you expected something like this to happen. Though, at least it seems that the Monarchists recognize the fact that you're (technically) on their side. You continue your slow advance towards her... until you instinctively bring your arms up. You hear a loud crack and find yourself pushed back about a meter. A quick glance at your gauntlets reveals the presence of cracks... you're unnerved. The figure that stands before you relaxes his stance and pulls back his arm.

"What's this? A Grimm? This backwater island really is a shithole. I was hoping to test this out on some brats, but it looks like you'll have to do." That voice - Colonel Stark. Admittedly, he doesn't fit your mental image of him. For one - he's clad in what looks to be a sophisticated harness. He's definitely as large as you imagined a career soldier like him to be, but the powered armor he's wearing is something that you didn't think existed outside of science fiction. In his hand is a straight sword that hums slightly; its hilt is some sort of engine. His face remains obscured by the dark glass dome that covers his face.

"Just shut it..." You growl out a few words - and for a moment, he seems surprised. Though, you find yourself sort of frustrated for not being able to come up with something better to spit back. From the corner of your eye, you spot Hazel parrying a heavy blow from Marche's lance - it seems like fighting might be the only way to get through to her.

"A talking Grimm? What kind of game are these Monarchists playing?" The man clad in armor moves. Even if he's not a Huntsman, that armor seems to be enough to put him on an entirely different level. You grit your teeth. Hazel is probably more than enough for Marche - and as her partner she's probably most likely to get through to her. Ouka's busy with supporting the Monarchists. So that leaves you with the good colonel.

Combat Phase
Defeat Stark! Instinct Roll: 13
1. Bring out your hammer - let's see how well that blade fares against your maul. [ROLL]
2.
Bring out your hammer... and toss it to the side! Go for the unexpected and tackle him. [ROLL]


***



***

You decide that now is a good time to start mixing things up. After all, the man before you is a trained combatant. Even if he's not a Huntsman, that powered armor he's strapped into is more than enough to compensate for his lack of Aura. You toss the warhammer to the side and charge forward - there's a loud crash as the bone-like maul creates a small crater in the asphalt.

You immediately regret it.

Combat Phase
Critical Failure!
Sundering Blows - Double damage dealt!
Goliath Mask - 1 Failure blocked
2/3 Saves


While you manage to close the distance, you also realized that your frontal charge was also completely telegraphed. Not to mention your own slowed movements that come with the mask. Mid-charge, the colonel takes a step forward... and scores a direct hit to your armored sides with his enormous blade.

"A Grimm is still just a dumb beast in the end! Behold! ATLESIAN SCIENCE IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD!" He yells out over the awful sound of his sword grinding against your armor. Though the vibrations rattle your body, your armor manages to hold for now. He pushes forward, running its edge against your side as he closes the gap.

It's almost like he's mocking you as he slowly reels back his other arm. You try to move out of the way but his fist is already in flight. The sound of hydraulics fills the air as he slams his fist against your mask. There's an audible crack as metal meets bone - you immediately stumble backwards in a daze.

As you fall to one knee, your face plate retracts and you let out a steady flow of blood from your mouth. You run a hand over your mask - you can feel a wide crack along the length of it from where he punched you. Though you try to stand, the entire world seems to spin around you and prevents you from regaining your balance. Did... did he give you a concussion? Your eyes struggle to focus on the metal giant in front of you as he does... something with his weapon. You can hear an audible click as he brings it level with your head.

***
"Marche!" A flash of silver pierces through the night against an enormous lance. The blade's wielder leaps back as her masked opponent scowls.

"...Greyguard. Do you even know what you're doing? What's at stake?" Marche parried another blow from the Faunus before stepping forward and delivering a piercing strike. Though the Huntress brought her buckler up, the blow still forced her back.

"None of that matters right now! I'd gladly let Atlas burn to the ground if it meant saving you!" Her Aura flared as she encircled her opponent. Another lightning-fast thrust met the base of Marche's lance.

"I don't need saving! I'm doing this because it's my duty!" The masked girl took a step back and quickly shifted her lance into its ranged form. For a slight moment, her finger hovered over the trigger. As soldiers and automatons fell around her, the rocket-propelled ordnance raced towards Hazel.

"Even with that mask, I know you're lying! Your voice gives it away!" That hesitation didn't go unnoticed. She stepped to the side and narrowly avoided the explosive projectile. Then, with narrowed eyes, she tossed the round shield straight at her teammate's face.

"Shut up!" Marche dove low to avoid the buckler as it bounced off against a wall behind her and made its way back to Hazel's clutches. She stood up, slightly shaken but still ready to fight off her for

"Stop trying to push everyone away! Don't you see them? Ouka and Niles are fighting for your sake!"

"..." Hazel made no further moves, and the masked girl brought her gaze to the distant war being waged. The unmistakable kimono-clad figure of Ouka deftly picking off soldier and AK-130s. And... the armored creature on one knee about to get its brains blown out by her superior. Yet, there was something familiar about the Grimm. She shook her head and stood up - though she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

The Faunus's Aura glowed brilliantly as she readied her estoc.

"Acceleration."

***
You tear off your mask and throw yourself to the side as a gunshot rings out in front of you. The Goliath's armor disappears from your body - you're vulnerable once more. But it's better than being dead. Your damaged brain quickly begins to repair itself and your vision refocuses on Stark. The armored man tilts his head slightly before bringing the enormous gun up once more - it looks like his blade has dual functions. You clutch your head, the pain soon disappears. This goes far beyond the plasticity of a human brain, but you don't have time to think about it now.

Even though you've been reduced to your baseline form, you actually have a better time avoiding the armored man's gunfire. By the barest of margins. At most, his heavy caliber bullets graze you as you find yourself trying to circle around him in hopes of finding some sort of chink in his suit of armor. Pain courses through the slight wounds left by those grazed shots - but you grit your teeth and leap forward to strike with your claws.

Stark converts his rifle into a blade and smacks you away with its flat side. After a brief pause where you scramble to your feet, it begins to quietly hum. The most rational thing to do in a situation like this is to retreat. But defeat isn't an option here. You quickly gaze back at the students still pinned down by the Atlesian's superior numbers and at your own partner who's now in a heated gunfight with a squad of soldier.

"Not... yet. I'll... save her..."

"I'm sure the Schnee Dust Company will enjoy dissecting something like you!" You sense a sneer from underneath his helmet. Yet, for some reason, a scene flashes through your head. A certain, red-haired Huntress reuniting with her partner. Even if her love may be unrequited, it was still something that moved you. And just like the rest of Team MGNO, you want to capture that very same moment - you want to bring Marche back.

You stand up, and shake off the pain as you bring out your mask once more... but a second one orbits the untarnished Goliath mask. You reach out for it and flip it around. It bears the lupine visage of a Beowulf. The Goliath's armor and low speed won't help. But you're out of options - you put the mask on.

You hear faint howling through your head as skeletal armor hovers around you before finding their place on your body. It covers far less, but you feel more mobile as a result. Your own claws are now enhanced by the sharpened pieces of bone that fit over your finger tips. You scratch at your neck - the very essence that lies within you has now reshaped itself into an ethereal scarf that trails behind you.

But, in the midst of your transformation, the Atlesian commander was already moving to strike. He brings his blade down... but everything seems so slow. Your body moves with inhuman speed and you find yourself now reloated on the other side of him. You're doubtful about being able to tank a direct hit like before, but you decide to trust in your new power. With a growl, you prepare your counterattack.

Combat Phase
Saves replenished! 3/3
Grimm Awakening - Beowolf Mask

Ability: Roll a 1D4 and add the result to your regular roll. This will not affect Critical Failures. The added bonus will not count for Instinct successes.

"Looks like you've got more tricks up your sleeve, huh? Either way, the end result won't change!"


Combat Phase
Defeat Stark! Instinct Roll: 12
1. Get in close and use your speed to overwhelm him.
2. Manuever around Stark and try to disable his armor somehow.


You keep your body low as you use your speed to maneuver around Stark - his armor might be strong but it still restricts his own movements as a result of its sheer bulk. The Atlesian commander's weapon transforms once more as his suit's advanced targeting systems lock onto you. You ignore his swearing as he fires a spray of gunfire that fails to hit you. Anti-materiel rounds, perhaps? Your eyes focus in on the spinal cord-like detailing on the back of Stark's armor - and the fact that it's more lightly armored than his front. You recall the man mentioning that it was a prototype - perhaps this is why Atlas hasn't started fielding them. Regardless, you think that's the best shot of taking out his armor. Your clawed feet slam into the asphalt as you quickly shift your footing and change directions. Though the colonel trains his gun on your quickly advancing form, you trace a zig-zag path towards him. Each bullet kicks up rubble as you charge in at high speeds.

Noticing this, Stark switches back to his blade and decides to meet you half-way by closing the gap. You throw a hand out to the side and call upon the weapon hidden deep within you - it answers. Your grip tightens around something heavy - you're almost caught off-guard by it. It's a broadsword as tall as you are that's been forged from the fang of some giant beast. You end up taking an improvised stance and shifting your other hand to the weapon's long handle in order to properly wield it against Stark's own blade. For a moment, you're terrified - you were expecting something like throwing knives or a short sword. But as Stark swings his own blade towards you, you throw your own weight into the fang. Your blades clash and sparks fly as his weapon fails to grind through the enormous fang. You let out a fierce howl as you bring one hand to the back of the blade and push - it's enough to force Stark to take a step back. As soon as he brings his blade back, you swing once more - that improvised stance allows you to shift your momentum into your own weapon again. You push back even harder this time when the two of you lock blades.

"You! Damn! Monster!" At this point, he's absolutely furious - and now's the time to strike. The raw, negative emotions that can feel emanating from your opponent gives rise to a savage power within you. With a smirk under your mask, you leap back. And then rush in with your broadsword. But instead of trying to slash at his armored chest, you prematurely swing the blade overhead. It crashes into the ground and kicks up rubble - and you rise into the air as it it was a pole vault. You flip over the colonel and land right on his back. You've never been a tech guy, but you're pretty sure that tearing apart the weaker plating and ripping into its internal mechanics will probably do something.

Combat Phase
CRITICAL SUCCESS!
Stark's armor disabled! Proceeding to end of Chapter!

Sharpened claws cut through cables and irreparably break apart circuitry. Though Stark flails around in a desperate attempt to throw you off, his movements begin to dull with each frenzied attack. As his struggling slows to a crawl, you can feel power gathering within you - the same sort that seems to occur whenever a Grimm is close to death. A final coup de grace. A Grimm End. Though you don't want to kill him, you give into the beast howling for blood within you.

Miasma trails out of your foot as you glance around - Stark can no longer turn to see you. The human's tone changes. It almost sounds like he's starting to plead. But you've grown deaf to that noise. Overhead, the shattered fragments of the moon illuminate the area with sparse moonlight. You let out a furious howl as you rush forward and leap into the night sky. And then - your body contorts. You plummet towards Stark as smog trails from your foot - a flying kick. The force of your blow shatters the armor's internal frame and you kick off. There's a muffled scream as the shattered armor's weight gives in and collapses over the colonel.

You take a step forward towards the rest of the battlefield where your teammates are. And almost immediately after your foot makes contact with the ground, pain courses through your entire body - enough to force you on one knee. You cough - you're having trouble breathing now. In an instant, you return to normalcy - and the pain intensifies. Your legs turn to jelly as you attempt to stand up - you fall to the ground. Above all, you're wracked with an indescribable exhaustion. Even if you've managed to defeat their leader, you doubt that fighting will just end like that. Especially not with their superior numbers. You have to get back in. Even if you've been reduced to this sorry state, you still want to do something.

And suddenly, spotlights flood the area you can still see from your low vantage point. You spot men in dark blue uniforms rappelling down from airships barely out of view. The AK-130s that continue their programmed advance fall to a sudden burst of coordinated sniper fire. Some of the soldier who were engaging Ouka suddenly freeze up as their gaze shifts towards the approaching combatants - a few of them immediately throw their own weapons to the ground.

"Niles, are you alright? Hold on, I will escort you to a medic." You don't even get to speak before you're lifted up onto your feet. Turning your head slightly, you find yourself face to face with Ran. Clad in his combat attire, your friend smiles back at you with his eyes closed. You force yourself to look around - Monarchist students and Atlesian soldiers alike are being handcuffed and led away towards a convoy of armored vehicles. Ran leaves you in the care of a field medic bearing the same insignia as the rest of these soldiers. Arcadian Security. A quick check up reveals that there's nothing wrong with you - it's simply a case of overexertion. The medic chides you for pushing yourself so far before joining the rest of his colleagues in retrieving the injured colonel from the wreck of his armor. You take a deep breath as you sit within one of ambulances that have also been brought in to deal with this whole situation.

"I suppose you're surprised." Your body tenses up as you turn your head - suddenly sitting next to you is a certain blue-haired girl. Her combat attire consists of utilitarian body armor with an array of pouches - all rendered in the same shades of blue as the rest of Arcadian Security. An assault rifle is strapped to her back and goggles hang from her neck.[/FONT]

"...You know, at this point, I'm just glad it's all over. I feel like total crap."

"You look pretty good for someone who took on the Atlesian army and won."

"Hazel and Ouka handled most of them - I just tangoed with the big boss."

"...That's still impressive considering Arcadia's records and Hazel's own reports concerning your own skills Niles."

"Yeah, yeah. But anyways, how did you even know this was going on?"

"Ah, I suppose a little denouement is in order. I've been conducting my own private investigation into this whole matter - Mr. Marche is a rather curious individual after all. Arcadian Security was already aware of the Monarchists beforehand - of course, they didn't pose a direct threat to the academy so we were simply content with ignoring them. When we discovered Marche attending their little meetings, I got curious." Pacifica folds her arms and grins smugly as she states all of this in a matter-of-factly tone. You kind of want to bully her - maybe crack a joke about her chest.

"Niles, I'm flattered by your interest in my assets but there's a time and a place for this sort of thing~." She pokes your cheek as you bring your gaze back up to her face. Though dainty, you're wary about being this close to her. What unsettles you the most about this girl is that you can't read her at all - she offers no hints to her true nature or intentions. The only thing you're left to fall on are her words alone.


"I've personally kept an eye on Marche's Scroll activity for the last few days - Atlas's encryption are actually quite weak. From her communications, I learned that she was actually a part of Atlas's anti-Monarchist special operations team - Wolfsmund. Led by Colonel Stark, they're a rather infamous group that Atlas attempts to keep quiet about. Emphasis on attempts. I got around to reviewing Marche's own forged records and cross-referenced it with some... 'liberated' files from Atlas. I'm sure you're already aware of it, but the Marche on your team isn't the real Marche at all. Marche Tyrian died quite some time ago - his death was unreported and suppressed by Wolfsmund. Well, something like this was always going to happen - you should know that there aren't any choices when it comes to my way Niles~."

"So... what happens next then?"

"That's a very good question Niles - Wolfsmund will be sent back to Atlas with their tails between their legs. Of course we won't go public about this shadow war - but this whole incident will give Arcadia some significant leverage against them~. The Monarchists we've rounded up here will remain at the academy - though we will be keeping a close surveillance on them and restricting their own communications. Expelling them would be like leaving them out in the cold for the wolves."

"...And Marche?"

"...I'll be staying here. As a refugee under the protection of Arcadia." It's unmistakably Marche's voice, but it sounds a little softer - more feminine. You bring your gaze up to your teammate as she steps into the ambulance - the purple-haired girl looks pretty roughed up and her own gear is completely wrecked. You can spot Hazel and Ouka behind her and still on the ground. Marche... no, Lila bows her head slightly.

"Niles. I-I apologize for everything that I've put you and the rest of the team through. For trying to keep all of you in the dark about this. Endangering all of you. Punching you in the face. I... saw all of you as means to an end at first. But... I really did want to stay here with all of you - even if I acted cold and indifferent I cherished all the time we spent together. I really am the wors-" Tears start falling onto the ambulances floor as her voice starts to give out. You move to pat her head - that's all you need to do to. A silent affirmation that you've forgiven her like the rest of your teammates who are smiling as well. You still feel like shit, but at least you've managed to sort all of this out. You're not going to pull her in and let her sob out her little heart in your chest though. You're not close enough for that. But maybe, this is a step in the right direction for something like that later down the road.

***

"Man, I'm beat! I didn't think a swarm of those tiny Grimm would be that dangerous!" Team MGNO's sole male member, a young man by the name of Niles Xenos, flops onto his bed.

"Ara~, I didn't think you'd actually put those gun twirling skills to good use." The next to enter the room is my partner and the team's leader, a young woman named Hazel Greyguard.

"A-At least we finished up early today. We should still have some time before the movie starts..." Team MGNO's demure lady of high status, Ouka Moto.


"In that case, I'm in favor of just kicking back in here then."

"That sounds fine with me."

"S-Same."

Three people who are dear to me - though it took so long for me to realize it. It's because of them that I can take off this mask now. In truth, things haven't really changed that much - outside of this room I become Marche. For the longest time, I masqueraded as him. That man had convinced me this was the best way to honor him. He blamed the Monarchists for his death during a raid - though in reality, my brother had allied himself with their cause. My brother had never worked with Wolfsmund as Stark claimed - the legacy I had been set up to inherit was all a lie.

But. All of that is in the past, where it should be. For now, I'll keep on living for myself. Even if I can never return to Atlas, I'm fine living here with them. My friends, my family. It's been such a long time - but I finally feel like I'm home. It's nice to have somewhere to return to.


***

Chapter III - Coldest Winter <Fera.Masko> COMPLETE



***


"M-Mom?!"

"I guess it's about time you learned the truth Niles."
"Nicht. I will eliminate you."

Next Chapter - Duel
 
- Interlude I -
A sneer.

An almost sinister, conceited cousin of the smile was plastered on the man's face. From atop Arcadia's central tower, battered by Arcadia's fierce sea breezes, he could do little more but observe. In his hands was a scroll - the feed from the armor's on-board cameras had cut suddenly. Error messages flooded the small, glass screen. Of course, from his distance, that battlefield was little more than a gathering of fireflies in the shroud of night.

Tower View.jpg

Of course, he held no ill-will towards Stark. After all, they were compatriots of sorts. To the barest definition, at least. His fingers raced across the screen as he strained his eyes to sort through the recorded footage. A black body. Glowing red lines. A mask of bone. In other words, a Grimm. Though, he was privy to its true nature. Even if the cameras could barely focus in on that hazy creature's silhouette, he could still make out its distinctly human shape.

"I wonder... should I count myself lucky in this case? To think that he'd end up on this island as well. Well, I can't say I'm surprised by Stark's defeat - the Atlesian Crusader was merely a trumped up prototype after all. The board of directors won't be please with R&D at this rate... though an even greater prize has revealed itself." He chuckled with an intense coldness that rivaled Atlas's inhospitable climate. He skipped through several more seconds of footage and paused - the appearance of multiple masks. This sort of development wasn't too surprising.

"Hm. They should be returning soon enough. Two Masks is nothing to worry about - I'm sure they'll deal with him soon enough. The Schnee Dust Company's missing asset will soon be stricken from the record." Running a hand through his snow white hair, the man closed his eyes and reveled in the relative silence of the night. Putting aside tonight's developments, the tranquility of the night was something to be sav-

"Heeeeeeeeyyyy Kaaaaaaalllltttttttt~. I'm getting kind of hungry. Let's eat out at that fancy cafe again!"

His eyes shot open - in his monologue he had completely forgotten about her. A short woman tugged at his sleeve as all the tension in the air drained with her chirping interruption. He tilted his head slightly to address his companion. She ran a hand through the jet black feathers that sprouted from her arms as she looked upon the teaching assistant with expectation. Kalt Schnee could do nothing else but pocket his Scroll and sigh.

"Your definition of fancy is completely plebeian - you're referring to that Red-Light District one with all the waiting staff dressed as Servants, aren't you? We just ate out yesterday. Plus, I now have to deal with a formal report an-"

"Boo, the only reason you think that is because that silver spoon spoiled your taste buds. Jeez Kalt, I know I shouldn't have expected much from you, but is this how you treat a woman? Let alone your lover."

"We're not lov-"

"Do you really want to spend the night stuck up here?"

"...Faunus maid cafe it is then."

The man resigned himself to his fate. He would have checked his watch, but he was certain that she had already managed to carefully slip it off his wrist. This would be a long night.

- Interlude I END -​

 
Chapter IV - Duel <Dua.Nulo>


Color Scene - Kuro.jpg
Haah... haah... haah...

You are someone without a name. The wind rushes across your face as you push your small body forward. You don't look behind you - you don't want to look behind you. When you awoke, you found yourself in a strange place with a strange person. And try as you might, you can draw nothing forth from your mind. No memories. No identity. That is why you chose to run. To rush so frantically forward into the unknown wilderness - panic forces you to move forth.

You're clad in a loose gown - your tiny feet are starting to hurt from your mad pace across the bare terrain. At night, the gnarled trees that surround you almost look like wicked creatures ready to grab at you. You want to cry, but your body simply doesn't respond. In this world, you are truly alone...

***

"Ara ara~ that was quite the picture show."

"Y-Yeah, Galaxy Busters is pretty popular in Mistral."

"The special effects were pretty cool - I kinda want to blow my money on toy imports now."

"...The relationship between Xylok and Kite was certainly interesting..."

"I think something's awakening in Lila!"

You are Niles Xenos, a Huntsman student at Arcadia Academy and a member of Team MGNO. It's been a week and a few days since the incident in Wolfsmund in which you came to the aid of one of your teammates, Marche Tyrian - at least when the mask is on. In truth, she is Lila Tyrian - a descendant of Mantle's deposed royal family and a reverse trap. With her schedule free, she's joined a 'specialty' art club. What that means is probably best left to the imagination. Hazel, the team's leader and resident rabbit faunus, leads your group forward as the shy Ouka begins to make small talk with Lila. As it's the weekend, you've all changed into casual clothing... barring Ouka whose wardrobe seems to consist solely of high-end kimonos from her homeland. You're currently strolling down one of Arcadia's busiest streets in search of a place to eat.

The movie was a big-budget blockbuster imported and dubbed over by Arcadia's student-run Cinematography Club. Though comprised of amateurs, you're sure that you'll see some of their names in international show business within a few years time. As for you, you've never really wanted to stand out in the spotlight - that's partially why you maintain a low profile as a patisserie and also why you tend not to give out your surname. For some reason, it seems that your mother is a rather famous Huntress. You remember forgetting to contact her. Maybe you should do that some ti-

"Eh?! M-M-Miss Walku-" Hazel stops mid-squee as a certain red-haired woman brings a finger to her lips and silently shushes her. Lila's eyes widen and she grips onto your arms and hides behind her. Ouka pouts for some reason and you just scratch your cheek as you follow Hazel to shaded table where those two are currently seated at. Sitting across from the second-year Huntress is her partner - the silver-haired Ray. Together, the two of them comprise Team SMRK. Like you, they're wearing casual clothing - though it seems that they're attempting to disguise themselves to some extent. Sonnet is wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Ray is also wearing a pair of dark shades, though the fedora he's chosen to wear is pretty out of place.

"Team MGNO. It's good to see all of you again." The man takes a sip from his tea cup - his voice is oddly flat, but the small smile on his face tells you enough.

"...Oh! Ara, it seems that we're intruding - we should be go-"

"No no, it's perfectly alright Hazel. Actually, this is a good time to sit down and chat - I can't thank you enough for all your help that time."

"I-If you insist..." You end up being the one to push another table closer and carry extra chairs. As for Lila, Hazel introduced her as Marche's twin sister and a non-Huntsmen student. It's said that the best lies have some sort of truth to them. Regardless, they seem to buy it. You take a seat after bringing the last chair over - it seems that Sonnet and Ray attract a lot of attention. Hence the celebrity tier disguises. To others, they probably looked like a cute couple. Though from the rumors you've heard about Ray...

"...Ah, right. I suppose you haven't heard the rumors floating around since you're all first years. Apparently, Arcadia may be hosting and participating in the Vytal Festival." In the midst of their conversation, Sonnet drops this bombshell. At least, that's what you think it is judging by the widening eyes on your teammates' faces. The term definitely sounds familiar, but you can't put your finger on it...

"...Vytal Festival?"

"Y-You don't know about it Niles?"

"Allow me to explain then. The Vytal Festival is a bi-annual event that celebrates the various cultures of Remnant. It was named after the island where the treaty that ended the Great War was signed. Typically, the four Kingdoms take turns hosting it, so Arcadia's involvement is completely unprecedented. For Huntsmen, however, the Vytal Festival hosts a tournament - Huntsmen students from all across the world participate for supremacy. Of course, if the rumors are true, this will also be Arcadia's first chance to prove the quality of their Huntsmen to the world." He takes another sip of tea as he drops some heavy exposition on you.

"And that's why both Ray and I have agreed that we'll begin training you for it. Well, we had always intended to do so, but now seems like a perfect opportunity to start getting ready for it. If that's alright with you, of course."

"Yes! It would be an honor to train under your tutelage Miss Walkure!" Hazel, of course, practically leaps at this opportunity. You nod your head - this seems like a good way to improve your skills as an actual Huntsman. The strange and monstrous abilities you've come to rely on have always been your trump card, but you seriously doubt that you'll have the chance to put them to use in something official like a tournament. Lila and Ouka are onboard as well.

"Mm, it's settled then! We'll begin training this week then - I'll handle you and Marche. Ray, you can take Ouka and Niles. Get ready, we're going to make sure that you live up to our legacy." Sonnet smiles as determination burns within her eyes. She's a Huntress through and through - and that's why you're so damn terrified of her. And despite that, you feel nothing towards Ray. He's always been a strange anomaly that you can't put your finger on.

In the end, your team decides to head to another restaurant out of consideration and because it's a little too pricey for your tastes. And, that obviously leads to another night of cooking - this time you're on duty with Hazel. She ends up whipping together a completely utilitarian vegetable stew while you whip up some pancakes. Why pancakes? Why not. For Huntsmen students, being able to cook is a godsend. It's not only economical, but it also has practical applications during missions as well. After a team meal in the confines of your shared dorm, Hazel leads you through a group-study session. After the incident with Wolfsmund, this sort of close team interaction has become the norm. You can't help but feel the warmth in your heart each day...

***
As the study session concludes, you head up to the dorm building's roof once more for some quality introspection... at least you would have if you didn't suddenly receive a call on your Scroll. This time, you've registered the number - it's Pacifica Koenig. The rather suspicious and perhaps too capricious young woman with considerable sway over Arcadia. She also enjoys... toying with you? You're not sure if it's flirting - you really don't have any experience in that field. Still, she managed to resolve the situation with Atlas and Marche/Lila so you can't help but be a little grateful.

"Niles~" A soft voice coos from your Scroll.

"Pacifica. Something you need?"

"Of course~ You owe me two, you know."

"I thought that was just a joke."

"Oh Niles, you'll know when I'm joking~. Well, there's something I'd like you to check out tonight. A-Sec has apparently received reports of AK-130s roaming around the Red-Light District. Just a few, but it seems like we didn't manage to destroy all of them that night. The entire incident has been swept under the rug, of course, but any survivors pose a threat to public safety and pose a risk to our current position. Thus, I'd like you to run out and smash them up for me ❤."

"Did you just say 'heart'?"

"Yes, isn't that cute?"

"..."

Choices Pacifica has given you a new task - head over to the Red-Light District and check out reports of Wolfsmund's AK-130s still lingering in the area.
1. Head over right away. It's in your best interest and it's not like you were going to do anything else tonight besides sleep.
2. Don't you remember what she said before? Go out and deal with them.


"Well. I guess I don't really have a choice in the matter so I'll get going." You really don't, that much is fairly obvious from your experience with the petite girl. So, you've decided to get it over with. Not that there's anything particularly worrisome about the task - it's beneficial to the welfare and safety of others and a chance to really cut loose with your powers on some scrub-tier robots. Though, you're not particularly keen about the timing.

"Mmhmm~" She coos softly in response. You wonder if she's this affectionate with everyone.

"Just you, Niles."

"...W-Wha-"

"I just assumed you were wondering if I acted this way with others and responded in kind. Ah, but don't take that to be evidence that my Semblance is something outlandish like mind-reading. But you really should get going. I'll be waiting for your call back then~" With those parting words, the call immediately ends and you can't help but sigh in exasperation. You gaze up at the night sky filled with fragments of the moon before heading towards the rooftop entrance.


***

You instinctively reel back as your small face comes close to a creature with a blackened hide and enormous tusks. Four red eyes gaze at you but it remains still, as if it's observing you just as much as you it. Morbid curiosity? It slowly saunters backwards as you glance around your darkened surroundings. You wonder if following your instincts before had been the right choice. To part ways with that stranger as abruptly as possible. You feel a wet tear roll down your eye - did you condemn yourself to loneliness?

The monster gnashes its teeth and snorts out - steam rolls out from its extended snout as it works itself into a frenzy. It charges straight for you - ready to gore you with tusks as large as you are...!

***

"Ugh..." You can't help but audibly groan as you finally finish your trek to the abandoned residential area of the red-light district. Before, the journey wasn't as bad because you had your teammates for companionship - that made the distance seem far shorter than it really was. And, of course, there's a certain amount of eerieness that comes from walking around a deserted area at night. Even if you've got the Ocelot holstered and ready at your hip, the fear of getting jumped is real here. Your feet hurt, it's slightly chilly, and there's been no sign of any of those Atlesian Knights. You really want to go home.

But you can't, you might as well see this through. You've already wasted enough time as it is - you've already given the barest details of your nighttime excursion to your teammates so there's no worry there. As you move through the area and closer towards the Red-Light District's main street, the suburban homes give way to derelict apartments that never were. You're not too sure about the history of the area, but it's possible that they simply closed down because of a lack of students leasing rooms. Or something, you're way too tired to think about something that pointless.

An idea dawns on you though - you may be able to get a better feel for the area if you survey it from a rooftop. Even with their pitch-black armor plating, those mechanical minions still stand out in the darkness because of their red, glowing lines. Well, not unlike you with your own Grimm aesthetic. Looking around, you find yourself drawn to one building in particular - it's almost like your instincts are tugging you by the nose because you sense something there. You figure that you might as well kill two birds with one stone. Though, for some foreboding reason, you feel like this is where you'd save if this were a game.

The doors and electronic locks are non-functional of course so you simply walk into the building. Though, the lack of power also means that any elevators that may have been constructed are non-functioning. And it probably wouldn't be a good idea to enter an elevator that hasn't been inspected in years in anyways. You inaudibly groan at the prospect of taking the stairs to the top - but you do so anyways. The layout of the building is remarkably similar to the student dorms you reside in - it occurs to you that they may have been based on the same sort of template. After quite the climb, you finally reach the last few steps leading to the open rooftop. And... you hear something faint just ahead of the door in front of you. Taking a step closer, you can pick out a low-hum... and scraping metal. You decide not to take chances and transform - your body becomes a featureless shadow and you step outside.

By the time you've arrived, the carnage is over. Fate seems to work in mysterious ways as you've stumbled on your quarry - now reduced to piles of oil and coolant-covered scrap strewn about the wide space. And there, standing in the midst of this former battlefield, is... another Atlesian Knight. No, upon further inspection, it seems that this one is different. Its armor plating is a dull gray and its proportions seem more filled out compared to the AK-130s. It's undoubtedly some sort of automaton - but it's definitely a more advanced model. Did... no, you doubt that Pacifica knew about this even with all of her apparent manipulations and keikakus. You freeze up as it turns its silver-visored face towards you.


"...Scanning. Confirmed. Subject: Nicht. Proceeding with elimination protocol."
That voice... you can't help but feel as if you've heard it before. But it's totally inhuman - there's a mechanical affect to it. You feel a chill run up your spine as it raises its weapon, an advanced looking pistol, and fires. You twitch and narrowly avoid what seems to be some sort of... laser beam? A quick glance back at the wall behind you reveals a small, smoking spot where it impacted the wall. You put aside any questions about what it called you and if it's sentient because you've got a fight on your hands.

Combat Phase Defeat the Automaton! Instinct Roll: 10
1. Put on the Goliath Mask. Time to see if laser beats bone armor and sheer strength. [ROLL]
2. Put on the Beowolf Mask. You took out powered armor with speed, dealing with one robot should be even easier. [ROLL]


You take a deep breath as time around you slows. Your eyes flit between the two masks that have emerged from within you. The sturdy, elephantine mask and the aerodynamic, lupine mask. You're conflicted - you're more used to the Goliath Mask's enormous strength but you also want to get more familiar with the Beowolf Mask's extreme speed. Ultimately, you decide to handle this like a thinking man. You close your eyes and grab one at random. Feeling the cold, bony texture on your fingertips you slam the mask onto your face.

A howl echoes through your head as you surge forward. The automaton keeps its handgun trained on your body. Armor snaps onto your limbs as you continue your forward rush - you're starting to pick up speed. However, your mechanical foe remains undaunted. Time starts to slow once more as its finger jumps to the trigger. As soon as the barrel glows, you quickly shift your body weight to the side. A piercing beam of white-hot energy lances through the air. You're almost certain that it could have melted right through your head in an instant. But even so, your breakneck pace and your instincts push you forward - it's fight time for you.

Throwing one arm out, you call forth that gnarled fang - the greatsword. The tip of the blade nearly makes contact with the rooftop as you begin to encircle the Atlesian Knight. To its credit, it still manages to keep that gun trained on you. Though it lacks a complete 360 degree waist swivel, its surprisingly good at locking onto you. Two more beams of charged particles cut through the air - complete misses now that you've picked up enough speed. You take one more decisive step before shifting all of your momentum towards your foe. Both claws wrap tightly against the greatsword's handle as you bring it down fast like a guillotine.

Combat Phase
Success!
??? 2/3 Saves!

You swear you hear it vocalize a grunt as it narrowly avoids your cleaving strike - the force of the blow leaves a sizable crater as the automaton remains crouched. As you lift the blade back up, a compartment on its thigh opens up. It holsters the handgun and opens up a second compartment on the opposite thigh. The compact handle that it now wields extends into a simple shortsword - featureless and utilitarian. Against your own wishes, you let out a fierce howl as you charge forth. Then, prematurely swinging the blade, you drive it into ground in front of you. Using the length of the blade as a vault, you somersault into the air. Your own momentum lifts your greatsword off the ground - if that robot had eyes you're sure that they'd be wide-open right now.

Then, you bring your greatsword down. To your surprise, that flimsy looking sword that the automaton wields holds out against the blade... for a few seconds longer than you expected. You remain frozen in mid-air for but a moment before the blade snaps. Having anticipated an event like this, the mechanical combatant takes a half-step back as soon as its weapon gives out. Still, that's not enough to account for the length of your fang - it leaves a small but deep gash against the Atlesian's chest. As you leap back and prepare your next strike, it clutches at its damaged chest...


"...Subject: Nicht's parameters are still within tolerable values. Analysis has been completed. Implementing countermeasures." As it tosses its broken blade aside and remains still, you decide to do the same and finish the fight with your claws. Your body becomes a black blur in the night as you lunge forward for the kill. Your natural instincts are focused on its metallic neck and your left hand flies forward... when something hard and metallic smashes straight into your mask. The impact sends you flying back a few feet - the shock outweighed the pain in this case. Immediately, you bring your gaze back towards your enemy to see what sort of hidden weapon it had brought up against you.

"A frontal, telegraphed assault. It seems that even if you did possess human intelligence, you're still naught but a rank amateur Subject Nicht. Your resistance has gone on long enough - you should take pride in forcing me to don my mask." There, in the air around your enemy, are four distinct masks of a design not unlike your own. However, they're crafted from metal and have considerably less natural curvature. Instead, they're geometric and flat like Pacifica's chest. You watch in stunned silence as its cold, metal manipulators select a multi-eyed mask. It slams it atop its visor.

"Initialize, Deathstalker." Sharp, bladed pieces of armor materialize in the air around your mechanical counterpart before slamming into place around its body. Yellow light from its concealed optics now shine through each of the mask's four angular eye slits. A stinger-like ponytail ejects out of the back of its head accompanied by a hiss of smoke. As it calls forth its weapon - an advanced looking glaive, you find yourself taken aback. Gone is that unfamiliar, mechanical presence you initially felt while facing off against this being. Instead, that alien feeling has been replaced by a familiar, foreboding one. Another strange Grimm. Just like you.

Initialization - Deathstalker Mask

Ability: Negate Beowolf Mask abilities.

As your opponent twirls the spear around menacingly and slowly approaches, you wonder if there are any nearby rivers to fall into.

Combat Phase
Survive. Instinct Roll: 17
1. Keep your distance and try and wear it down defensively until you get an opportunity to strike. [ROLL]
2.
All-out attack! Overwhelm it with lightning-fast strikes and end the fight as quickly as possible. [ROLL]


Chapter in Progress
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top