Jaune wanted help. He seriously did, but he wanted for Pyrrha to have a day off for once more.
He is training by himself in a field, trying to do a long-ranged swing with his sword.
Okay...he thought for what must have been the hundredth time toaday. Step forward, quick swing, step backwards, I can do this. he added unnecesarily.
He in truth stood a small distance away from the dummy he set up for the purpose. Speeding up a bit, he jogged towards the model, stopped, swung-
-And missed his mark.
Again.
Sighing, he started to back up for another try, but he bumped into something behind him that he knew wasn't there before. Thinking a Grimm snuck up to him, he threw his hands up in shock, throwing both sword and shield up into the air.
Turning to face the threat - which by now part of his mind already knew it wasn't, though the other part didn't care - he saw it was only Lucifer.
Before he could so much as breath a sigh of relief, his shield, now in sheath form, came down on his head with a loud CLONK!
Looking up, Lucifer saw his blade was still coming down, and he snatched it out of the air by the handle backwards before it could drive through Jaune's back, exposed as he bent over with pain. Lucifer tossed the sword upwards, catching it by the blade and keeping the edge from his hand, and held it out to Jaune. He took it, saying "Thanks, Lucifer."
"How's the training going?" he asked. Jaune almost said that he was doing fine, thank you, but who was he kidding? Lucifer might have been standing behind him long enough to know how was he doing already. Besides, he might be of some help.
"Bad. I can't seem to get this right."
"Do it again and let me see." he said.
Jaune did, stepping back, jogging forward, stopping, swinging and missing again.
"First things first" said Lucifer "Your swing is too wide. You are only fighting one target at the moment, you need not swing your sword in so wide an arc or you'll expose yourself to a counterattack."
"How about actually hitting my target?" asked Jaune.
"You can try again when you fail. If you don't get cut down by a counterattack from your wide swing. Do it again."
He did, missing again, but reducing the distance he swings his sword. He observes that he can step back quicker if he does so.
"Another reason to keep your swings small. You can be justified to wide swings when your number of targets go somewhere over...oh, say, ten."
Then he stopped.
"Jaune?" he asked.
"Yeah?" Jaune replied.
"Let me see that sword."
"Why?"
"Just" he said in a low, commanding tone "Hand it over."
He did.
Holding the sword close to his eyes, he examined it, looking at the blade, down the pommel towards the tip and every little detail on it.
"Where did you get this blade?" he asked.
"It's a hand-me-down - Ruby calls it a family heirloom and a classic, but it's pretty old in this day and age to be of much use - My great-great-grandfather used it during the war."
Lucifer looked at him "Your-? What's your name?"
"Jaune."
"I know that already, what's your OTHER name?"
"It's...Arc."
"And do you know the role your double-great-granpa played during the war?"
"He was a seargent. All I know."
"Figures" Lucifer looked away from the blade at Jaunce "Jaune, your double-great-granpa was one the most unsung heroes during the war." Turing away from Jaune's puzzled face back towards the sword, he says "He was part of an elite team, the S.A.R.s"
"The...Sirs?"
"No, S-A-R, for Shock and Awe Raiders. And this weapon-" he held it out at arm's length "-was, simply put, a legend in the team."
"But it's just a sword and shield-"
"Don't you call it 'just' a sword and shield, are you not familiar with your family's ... heritage?"
"Besides they were all hearoes?"
"Jaune, the Arc family has a long history of fighters with large amounts of Aura. Certainly you have been told something similar before?"
"...You have a lot of it..." he remembered Pyrrha saying to him "Yeah?"
"Well..." said Lucifer "...This weapon is one of the best weapons in terms of Aura conductivity, period." turning to the trees nearby, he shouts "Don't you agree with me, Pyrrha?"
Pyrrha? thought Jaune, as she jumped down from her hiding place on a branch and walked towards them.
"Impressive. I was up there since he came here to watch how would he do alone. How did you find me?" she asked.
"I can smell you." he said casually "Don't ask what."
"Wait" said Jaune "What about her and Crocea Mors?"
"Well, it's an interesting bit of, ah, deduction, you might say. Seeing Jaune train, I can be sure that his left flank would be open whenever he swings his sword. From my own research and training, I know that an Ursa's attack style would have caught Jaune, and, well, he wouldn't be here. I doubt he was able to see the attack and lift his shield in time to block it like he did, so chancees are that Aura is involved. Cardin was too busy wetting his pants to do it, Ruby's Aura is speed, Weiss's is glyphs, and that leaves Pyrrha as the only person there that might have done something. Your Aura's probably got something to do with metal, but you can tell me what later. Anyway, I'm sure you noticed something as you moved the shield?"
"I...did" she said, recovering from Lucifer's explanation of his truthful conclusion. "The shield moved faster than I expected, but I thought I just used a larger amount of Aura, so I didn't really think much of it."
"There you go" said Lucifer "As I said, your gre'great-granpa was an unsung hero of the war. He often caught opponents off-gaurd by the effectiveness of the weapon. You can imagine how it went- 'Meh. Just a common sword and shield, nothing to worry about.'" he chuckled "Of course, what you can actually do with these are limited, still, however, you can really dish out lots of damage if you do it right."
"Aaaannd...what exactly CAN I do?"
"From what I read - books are such good information sources - The sword can fire a sort of 'cresent cutter',and the shield can blast a sort of shockwave."
"That it?" asked Jaune, somewhat disapointed.
"Don't be greedy, Jaune. Watch this." Lucifer swings the blade at some of the nearby trees, and a black fiery cresent flies from the blade right at the trees. Several severed treetops begin to hit the ground.
"Whoa" said Jaune. Then "Wait, you used Aura? Won't that awake Neimo?"
"I've been training myself..." he said, slyly. Neimo was probably listening, and he couldn't afford the secret of the Aura Arrester in his pocket being revealed to him.
"You know, Lucifer" says Jaune "You haven't YET tald me how to hit my target."
"I can help!" chirps Pyrrha.
"Uh-oh."
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Ok, I haven't been posting for some time, and I apologise for the delay, but...let's just say that I haven't quite figured out how the story goes on from the point where I left off.
Imagine how the story goes as a road, and the way I smooth out the story as building the road, and posting different parts of it as me walking down said road.
The road directly before me has been smoothed out the best i can, and so has the end of it, so I have started to walk down it. Unfortunately, there is a small, but existing, portion of the road that I haven't smoothed out all that good, and now I have my foot stuck in a pit. Or I'm staring up a hill that isn't supposed to be there, I don't know.
The obstruction is somewhat unexpected. I have a vague idea what to do to overcome it, but not a clear idea HOW to do it. It's safe to say I'm thinking how would I connect where I left off to the ending I have already polished over more times than I bothered to count.
It'll take some time. How much, I'm not sure. At most? Several months, I guess. Sorry.
-TheRyderShotgun
Sunday, April 6, 2014
The Unanswered Question
"You said that he was in semi-control?" asked Ozpin.
"Actually, I got that from Lie Ren, but yes." replied Ruby.
Team RWBY and JNPR are sitting in Ozpin's office, discussing the incident that happened on the previous day. Lucifer isn't there because he is still recovering from once again releasing Neimo.
"Hmm...maybe he's getting the hang of this whole..." he pauses "...Half-Grimm usage." but he sounded unconvinced. Maybe even worried, though about what is unclear. "Anything else?"
"Yeah." says Weiss "He spoke."
"Excuse me?"
"I said Neimo spoke to us."
"What did he say?"
"He said, 'Tell Lucifer he owes me one.'"
"Owes him for what?"
"For saving my life." says Blake.
"Are you certain of that? Last time he came out he tried to kill you all." asks Ozpin
"Yes, but...I don't know. He was right behind me. He stopped an attack that was meant for me, and then he killed everyone that posed a threat to me. What happened to the dead White Fang, anyway?"
"You don't need to know" Neimo's rampage at the warehouse was covered up as a police raid gone wrong.
"One other thing" says Jaune "I'm not very sure myself if I'm right, but...Neimo...his Aura seemed somewhat less then it was the last time he was released. It may mean nothing, or maybe that as the cause of Neimo's..." he waved his hand around, as if finding the correct word for it "...decreased viciousness."
"I noticed it, too." says Lie "His Aura was down around twenty-eight percent from the last time he was released, though I don't know if it was that that influenced him, either."
No one was talking about how Neimo laughed like a psychopathic maniac after killing all the White Fang.
"Well" says Ozpin "That'll be all for now. If you have anything else to say, feel free to say it. I'll be here all day today. Dismissed." Both teams filed out the double doors.
Ozpin kept his peace about what was not said. He noticed how Blake said "but...", as if there were something else to him, something that says Neimo didn't do it for her sake, but whatever it was, either no one thought it important enough to be brought up, or they were protecting Neimo for something that he did or something that happened.
Ozpin wondered that, if they were protecting him, if it were a good thing - because he has gained real friends - or a bad thing - because whatever problem it was may manifest into something horrible.
He briefly entertained the thought that bringing in Lucifer, and Neimo with him, might turn out to be another of his mistakes, but he pushed the thought away, knowing that it was safer to keep him here rather than out there, on the streets, where there could be danger to innocent civilians and Lucifer either from Lucifer himself or whoever is trying to capture him.
But keeping Lucifer here with his students, apart from team RWBY and JNPR, and maybe Velvet, oblivious to his true nature, was that a bad thing? Would he find out too late? Would it matter?
Questions, questions, questions...so many questions..."Questions cost lives." murmured Ozpin "quote of a traitorous general, who lost faith in his cause due to questions asked." he sighed.
He hoped it wasn't anything terrible.
"This is terrible." says Ruby "What happened to him? He was laughing like he killed for fun, and was getting a real kick from all that White Fang."
"Why didn't we tell Ozpin, again?" asked Weiss.
"Because he may kick Lucifer out of here if we do." says Ruby.
"He won't" says Pyrrha "He won't throw Lucifer back out onto the street where he may be a danger to himself and others around him."
"However," says Lie "Ozpin won't trust Lucifer as much."
"Yeah..." says Weiss "I guess so..."
"We can only hope that this doesn't go too far." says Pyrrha "Besides that? Not much."
"But there is something else we can do?" asks Jaune.
"Maybe." says Pyrrha "Ask Lucifer how did he manage to decrease his Aura level."
But Lucifer is otherwise occupied at the moment.
- Here we go again...
Lucifer is once again in his mind, awaiting Neimo's arrival.
So he can kick my ass again, thinks Lucifer, and the thought echoes loudly through the landscape, causing his ears to ring painfully.
Of course his thoughts were like boom boxes everywhere, this was his mind.
- Lucifer.
Turning, Lucifer once again sees Neimo.
- What?
- What did you do? I couldn't choose who I wanted to kill. Honestly, those animals were enough, but the cat-girl is still a life I would have otherwise taken.
- Which is why I wouldn't tell what is it I did, no matter what you do to me here.
Neimo growled, his bone-white fangs visible through the light-drowning Aura surrounding him.
- I should kill you.
- You won't. And you can't. Killing me would also kill you. You live in my mind, you work through my body. Killing me will also kill you. Besides, I won't let you.
Neimo scoffed.
- 'You won't let me'? Hah! You couldn't even recognize the insides of your own mind last time. What makes you think you have any power over me as long as you're here?
- Because...
Lucifer paused a moment before speaking.
- This is MY mind.
Lucifer awoke from the dream-state rather calmly, as if he were simply closing his eyes to rest them for a moment. He smiled to himself.
He had won his first battle against Neimo.
"Actually, I got that from Lie Ren, but yes." replied Ruby.
Team RWBY and JNPR are sitting in Ozpin's office, discussing the incident that happened on the previous day. Lucifer isn't there because he is still recovering from once again releasing Neimo.
"Hmm...maybe he's getting the hang of this whole..." he pauses "...Half-Grimm usage." but he sounded unconvinced. Maybe even worried, though about what is unclear. "Anything else?"
"Yeah." says Weiss "He spoke."
"Excuse me?"
"I said Neimo spoke to us."
"What did he say?"
"He said, 'Tell Lucifer he owes me one.'"
"Owes him for what?"
"For saving my life." says Blake.
"Are you certain of that? Last time he came out he tried to kill you all." asks Ozpin
"Yes, but...I don't know. He was right behind me. He stopped an attack that was meant for me, and then he killed everyone that posed a threat to me. What happened to the dead White Fang, anyway?"
"You don't need to know" Neimo's rampage at the warehouse was covered up as a police raid gone wrong.
"One other thing" says Jaune "I'm not very sure myself if I'm right, but...Neimo...his Aura seemed somewhat less then it was the last time he was released. It may mean nothing, or maybe that as the cause of Neimo's..." he waved his hand around, as if finding the correct word for it "...decreased viciousness."
"I noticed it, too." says Lie "His Aura was down around twenty-eight percent from the last time he was released, though I don't know if it was that that influenced him, either."
No one was talking about how Neimo laughed like a psychopathic maniac after killing all the White Fang.
"Well" says Ozpin "That'll be all for now. If you have anything else to say, feel free to say it. I'll be here all day today. Dismissed." Both teams filed out the double doors.
Ozpin kept his peace about what was not said. He noticed how Blake said "but...", as if there were something else to him, something that says Neimo didn't do it for her sake, but whatever it was, either no one thought it important enough to be brought up, or they were protecting Neimo for something that he did or something that happened.
Ozpin wondered that, if they were protecting him, if it were a good thing - because he has gained real friends - or a bad thing - because whatever problem it was may manifest into something horrible.
He briefly entertained the thought that bringing in Lucifer, and Neimo with him, might turn out to be another of his mistakes, but he pushed the thought away, knowing that it was safer to keep him here rather than out there, on the streets, where there could be danger to innocent civilians and Lucifer either from Lucifer himself or whoever is trying to capture him.
But keeping Lucifer here with his students, apart from team RWBY and JNPR, and maybe Velvet, oblivious to his true nature, was that a bad thing? Would he find out too late? Would it matter?
Questions, questions, questions...so many questions..."Questions cost lives." murmured Ozpin "quote of a traitorous general, who lost faith in his cause due to questions asked." he sighed.
He hoped it wasn't anything terrible.
"This is terrible." says Ruby "What happened to him? He was laughing like he killed for fun, and was getting a real kick from all that White Fang."
"Why didn't we tell Ozpin, again?" asked Weiss.
"Because he may kick Lucifer out of here if we do." says Ruby.
"He won't" says Pyrrha "He won't throw Lucifer back out onto the street where he may be a danger to himself and others around him."
"However," says Lie "Ozpin won't trust Lucifer as much."
"Yeah..." says Weiss "I guess so..."
"We can only hope that this doesn't go too far." says Pyrrha "Besides that? Not much."
"But there is something else we can do?" asks Jaune.
"Maybe." says Pyrrha "Ask Lucifer how did he manage to decrease his Aura level."
But Lucifer is otherwise occupied at the moment.
- Here we go again...
Lucifer is once again in his mind, awaiting Neimo's arrival.
So he can kick my ass again, thinks Lucifer, and the thought echoes loudly through the landscape, causing his ears to ring painfully.
Of course his thoughts were like boom boxes everywhere, this was his mind.
- Lucifer.
Turning, Lucifer once again sees Neimo.
- What?
- What did you do? I couldn't choose who I wanted to kill. Honestly, those animals were enough, but the cat-girl is still a life I would have otherwise taken.
- Which is why I wouldn't tell what is it I did, no matter what you do to me here.
Neimo growled, his bone-white fangs visible through the light-drowning Aura surrounding him.
- I should kill you.
- You won't. And you can't. Killing me would also kill you. You live in my mind, you work through my body. Killing me will also kill you. Besides, I won't let you.
Neimo scoffed.
- 'You won't let me'? Hah! You couldn't even recognize the insides of your own mind last time. What makes you think you have any power over me as long as you're here?
- Because...
Lucifer paused a moment before speaking.
- This is MY mind.
Lucifer awoke from the dream-state rather calmly, as if he were simply closing his eyes to rest them for a moment. He smiled to himself.
He had won his first battle against Neimo.
Friday, April 4, 2014
The Wingclipped Angel
The shop is empty, but that's nothing new.
There weren't many people looking for hunting gear this part of town, and Jack, the shop owner, has long since gotten used to the quiet atmosphere of his shop named the 'Dust, Guns n' Gear'
Jack is sitting behind the counter, reading a magazine, his feet propped on the counter when the jingling of the bell at the door jolts him and he drops his legs and the magazine to the floor.
Customers were a rare occurrence around here. Jack briefly wonders if he should move his shop somewhere closer to Beacon, there should be more people willing to but equipment there.
"Welcome, how can I help you?" asks Jack.
"The sign out front says 'Dust, Guns n' Gear', but do you have anything for Aura?"
"They're at the back of the shop, sir."
"Thanks."
The customer looked peculiar, to him at least. What the heck, how long has it been since a Huntsman or a Huntress came in here? Does he still remember how they look like? Does it matter? Probably not-
"I said I'm paying." the customer.
Better stop dreaming all day if he wants to keep the business...
That's odd. An Aura Arrester. One shaped like a cross with a jewel on the center and four spikes coming out between the bars of the cross.
"...Are you sure this is what you're looking for? This thing restricts Aura." asks Jack.
"Of course I'm sure."
"Well, okay. That'll be thirty-six in cash."
After paying, the customer went out the door, sticking the cross into his side pocket and the end of the loop of chain around it into his back pocket.
The same chain jingles as Lucifer descends into darkness and Neimo rises to take his place, The jewel at the center of the cross glowing as it does it's job.
FRIEND
Neimo stops the flight of the Shock Baton with his left hand, electricity sparking off his bracer.
With his other hand he reaches around the White Fang's head and pulls, and a snap echoes through the warehouse.
"Lucifer...?" asks Blake, her face falling as she realized Lucifer isn't there.
"My name is not Lucifer." says Neimo "My name is Neimo. Neimo Grimm."
It was odd. He didn't feel like time when the blonde girl first released him, when he felt like he was in complete control. He felt like every other time he came out besides then: only partially in control, and having to do things according to Lucy's wishes. And right now Lucy wants the catgirl safe.
Fair enough.
The White Fang surrounding the two, realizing the man is now a threat bigger than Blake, begin to fire on him, their gunshots making perfect markers for their locations.
Neimo dashes to each White Fang, one after another, crack after crack echoing through the warehouse nearly but not lost in the mess of telltale gunshots.
Suddenly, the warehouse lights are turned on, and RWBY and JNPR are standing in the doorway.
- EARLIER -
*Ba-Bing-a-Ling!*
"What's that?" asks Yang.
"It's my phone, hold on..." says Ruby, pulling her black and red phone from her pocket. "It's Lucifer."
"What does he want?" asks Weiss.
" 'Guys, investigating a bounty on Blake's head. Currently heading to abandoned warehouse downtown. May need backup. Bring JNPR. May get ugly. -Lucifer Grimm'."
"Blake's got a bounty on her head?" asks Yang.
"Apparently." says Ruby "I'll text Jaune. Yang, tell Ozpin."
"Got it, sis."
- PRESENT -
"I-i-is that Neimo?" stammers Jaune.
"Yes." says Blake, getting up "But something's off with him"
"You think?" asks Weiss. Then "Blake, why didn't you tell us you had a bounty on your head?"
She shrugged "Didn't have the chance before."
"Real question is: what do we do now? Neimo was taken out last time by Ozpin, but Ozpin's not here, so what are we going to do?" Asks Ruby.
"Get out of here before he turns his attention to us, maybe?" Asks Jaune.
"Perhaps not. At the present, it wouldn't seem he has any interest in us. I would guess Neimo's acting on Lucifer's will somehow, so he's not attacking us." Says Lie.
"Whatever! If he comes, I'm sure you can knock him around, Lie!" Says Nora.
"I'm glad you think so, because honestly, I'm not as sure. I've seen what Neimo can do from last time he came out, and I'm willing to bet that's not all he can do."
"So we're back to square one," points out Ruby "or maybe two: wait until every White Fang is dead and see what happens."
They wouldn't have to wait long, Neimo is already dropping the last standing White Fang to fall limply to the floor.
Looking down at the bloody carnage around him and at his bloody claws, he stood silent for the longest time.
Then he began to giggle.
Then he began to chuckle.
Then he began to laugh.
Neimo began to laugh and laugh and laugh. A mad cackling the would have scared the birds off branches.
"W-w-w-what's happening now?" stammers Jaune.
Neimo continued his mad laughing until he tired of the exercise or his lungs were exhausted. Slowly, he lowered his head.
Turning to the two teams, he starts towards them. They take their battle stances and await his anticipated attack.
Instead, he walks right up to them.
In a voice belonging to Lucifer and yet not Lucifer's voice, Neimo speaks.
"Tell Lucifer" he says "he owes me one for helping out the catgirl."
Then, the dark Aura around him dissipating and his hair blackening, Lucifer is returned to them, collapsing to the floor, nearly unconscious.
Forcing his eyes open, he murmurs "B-Blake...?"
"I'm here" she replies.
Closing his eyes in a silent prayer of thanks, he says in a whisper "Good ... Really?" Before falling unconscious.
- LATER -
Back in the warehouse, Adam had been, fortunately for him, forgotten in the mass of bloodshed. Now he wakes up from a what might have been a restless sleep.
"Uuuhh..." he moans, lifting his head and looking around "What...HAPPENED here...?" then the answer dawned on him "Oh, no..."
A light like fire lit up from the depths of the warehouse, and a familiar voice speaks.
"Adam, Adam, Adam...you have disappointed us yet again...failing to capture your own former teammate." said Cinder. Adam drew Wilt and Blush.
"Stay away from me, Cinder! I won't be working with you anymore!"
"Relax, we won't want you to work with us, either."
Adam's hopes shot up for a moment, and then fell to his boots. It just went even lower when Cinder continued.
"You'll be working FOR us, now... Oh...do we have BIG plans for you, Adam. You and White Fang..."
There weren't many people looking for hunting gear this part of town, and Jack, the shop owner, has long since gotten used to the quiet atmosphere of his shop named the 'Dust, Guns n' Gear'
Jack is sitting behind the counter, reading a magazine, his feet propped on the counter when the jingling of the bell at the door jolts him and he drops his legs and the magazine to the floor.
Customers were a rare occurrence around here. Jack briefly wonders if he should move his shop somewhere closer to Beacon, there should be more people willing to but equipment there.
"Welcome, how can I help you?" asks Jack.
"The sign out front says 'Dust, Guns n' Gear', but do you have anything for Aura?"
"They're at the back of the shop, sir."
"Thanks."
The customer looked peculiar, to him at least. What the heck, how long has it been since a Huntsman or a Huntress came in here? Does he still remember how they look like? Does it matter? Probably not-
"I said I'm paying." the customer.
Better stop dreaming all day if he wants to keep the business...
That's odd. An Aura Arrester. One shaped like a cross with a jewel on the center and four spikes coming out between the bars of the cross.
"...Are you sure this is what you're looking for? This thing restricts Aura." asks Jack.
"Of course I'm sure."
"Well, okay. That'll be thirty-six in cash."
After paying, the customer went out the door, sticking the cross into his side pocket and the end of the loop of chain around it into his back pocket.
The same chain jingles as Lucifer descends into darkness and Neimo rises to take his place, The jewel at the center of the cross glowing as it does it's job.
FRIEND
Neimo stops the flight of the Shock Baton with his left hand, electricity sparking off his bracer.
With his other hand he reaches around the White Fang's head and pulls, and a snap echoes through the warehouse.
"Lucifer...?" asks Blake, her face falling as she realized Lucifer isn't there.
"My name is not Lucifer." says Neimo "My name is Neimo. Neimo Grimm."
It was odd. He didn't feel like time when the blonde girl first released him, when he felt like he was in complete control. He felt like every other time he came out besides then: only partially in control, and having to do things according to Lucy's wishes. And right now Lucy wants the catgirl safe.
Fair enough.
The White Fang surrounding the two, realizing the man is now a threat bigger than Blake, begin to fire on him, their gunshots making perfect markers for their locations.
Neimo dashes to each White Fang, one after another, crack after crack echoing through the warehouse nearly but not lost in the mess of telltale gunshots.
Suddenly, the warehouse lights are turned on, and RWBY and JNPR are standing in the doorway.
- EARLIER -
*Ba-Bing-a-Ling!*
"What's that?" asks Yang.
"It's my phone, hold on..." says Ruby, pulling her black and red phone from her pocket. "It's Lucifer."
"What does he want?" asks Weiss.
" 'Guys, investigating a bounty on Blake's head. Currently heading to abandoned warehouse downtown. May need backup. Bring JNPR. May get ugly. -Lucifer Grimm'."
"Blake's got a bounty on her head?" asks Yang.
"Apparently." says Ruby "I'll text Jaune. Yang, tell Ozpin."
"Got it, sis."
- PRESENT -
"I-i-is that Neimo?" stammers Jaune.
"Yes." says Blake, getting up "But something's off with him"
"You think?" asks Weiss. Then "Blake, why didn't you tell us you had a bounty on your head?"
She shrugged "Didn't have the chance before."
"Real question is: what do we do now? Neimo was taken out last time by Ozpin, but Ozpin's not here, so what are we going to do?" Asks Ruby.
"Get out of here before he turns his attention to us, maybe?" Asks Jaune.
"Perhaps not. At the present, it wouldn't seem he has any interest in us. I would guess Neimo's acting on Lucifer's will somehow, so he's not attacking us." Says Lie.
"Whatever! If he comes, I'm sure you can knock him around, Lie!" Says Nora.
"I'm glad you think so, because honestly, I'm not as sure. I've seen what Neimo can do from last time he came out, and I'm willing to bet that's not all he can do."
"So we're back to square one," points out Ruby "or maybe two: wait until every White Fang is dead and see what happens."
They wouldn't have to wait long, Neimo is already dropping the last standing White Fang to fall limply to the floor.
Looking down at the bloody carnage around him and at his bloody claws, he stood silent for the longest time.
Then he began to giggle.
Then he began to chuckle.
Then he began to laugh.
Neimo began to laugh and laugh and laugh. A mad cackling the would have scared the birds off branches.
"W-w-w-what's happening now?" stammers Jaune.
Neimo continued his mad laughing until he tired of the exercise or his lungs were exhausted. Slowly, he lowered his head.
Turning to the two teams, he starts towards them. They take their battle stances and await his anticipated attack.
Instead, he walks right up to them.
In a voice belonging to Lucifer and yet not Lucifer's voice, Neimo speaks.
"Tell Lucifer" he says "he owes me one for helping out the catgirl."
Then, the dark Aura around him dissipating and his hair blackening, Lucifer is returned to them, collapsing to the floor, nearly unconscious.
Forcing his eyes open, he murmurs "B-Blake...?"
"I'm here" she replies.
Closing his eyes in a silent prayer of thanks, he says in a whisper "Good ... Really?" Before falling unconscious.
- LATER -
Back in the warehouse, Adam had been, fortunately for him, forgotten in the mass of bloodshed. Now he wakes up from a what might have been a restless sleep.
"Uuuhh..." he moans, lifting his head and looking around "What...HAPPENED here...?" then the answer dawned on him "Oh, no..."
A light like fire lit up from the depths of the warehouse, and a familiar voice speaks.
"Adam, Adam, Adam...you have disappointed us yet again...failing to capture your own former teammate." said Cinder. Adam drew Wilt and Blush.
"Stay away from me, Cinder! I won't be working with you anymore!"
"Relax, we won't want you to work with us, either."
Adam's hopes shot up for a moment, and then fell to his boots. It just went even lower when Cinder continued.
"You'll be working FOR us, now... Oh...do we have BIG plans for you, Adam. You and White Fang..."
Thursday, April 3, 2014
The Devil's Return
- AT AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION -
*VRRM*, *VRRM*
- Huh?
*VRRM*, *VRRM*
- What's that sound?
*VRRM*, *VRRM*
- Oh, it's my-
Adam pulls out his burn phone, the one for the bounty on Blake, and hits the answer key.
"Yes?" says Adam.
"I got the target. Will be going to the warehouse tomorrow at eight in the morning sharp. Do you have the money ready?" he was using a voice changer. Definitely a pro.
"Yeah, I got it. How is she?"
"Out of it for now. The drugs will last until later this evening. She's in chains anyhow. Sent a letter of leave to Beacon."
"Beacon?"
"Yeah, she goes to Beacon for protection, don't you know that?"
He IS a pro.
Too bad.
"Just did. Tomorrow. Warehouse. 25,000 in cash."
"Done."
BEEP
"So" says Adam "Trying to hide it out at Beacon, huh? Bet your friends don't even know you're former White Fang. Maybe they won't miss you if they did." he chuckled to himself. Soon.
"So how did it go?" asks Blake.
"Smooth" says Lucifer "Must be the first time he put a bounty on someone. Asked questions."
"Typical. Wants to know everything." says Blake.
Getting up, she says "Can we go back now?"
"No. I told him you are in my custody. If you are seen in the street, he might be notified."
"So how are Ruby, Yang and the rest supposed to know I'm okay?"
"They already do" says Lucifer "If I read him right, he might want to tell them you are a current White Fang so they won't go around looking for you. He doesn't know they know. Didn't even know you went to Beacon. You did a good job hiding yourself."
"I was with him long enough know how he gets his information. Just needed to keep his sources from knowing to keep him from knowing."
"Hmm. Well, now to plan this out..."
- THE NEXT DAY -
Lucifer pushes open the door to the warehouse. The creak echoes throughout the dark, empty structure. He pulled his mask on and fitted a voice changer into it for this occasion.
"You took your time." came a voice.
Looking at his watch, Lucifer says "Then you have to dial your watch back three minutes and forty-eight seconds, because I am on time and you are early."
Adam huffed "Do you have her?"
"Right here" Lucifer enters the doorway, pushing Blake, gagged and bound in chains, in front of him.
Lucifer notices a gleam of gunmetal somewhere in the dark. Of course he had backup.
"Payment." says Lucifer.
"Of course, just a moment"
Turning, Adam retrieves Blush and fires at Lucifer, point-blank.
Lucifer collapses, jerking the chain he was holding connected to the one around Blake.
"Ah..." says Adam, walking into the light, making him visible "Blake, how long has it been?"
Blake just glared at him.
"Oh, that's right" says Adam "Gag" he says to the dark.
A White Fang emerges from the shadows and unties the rag around Blake's mouth.
Spitting for a while, Blake says "Why are you doing this?"
"Oh, Blake, how we missed you. I just couldn't work as well without my trusty partner. We need you back, Blake." says Adam.
"Go to hell." says Blake.
"Ah." says Adam, walking around her "You've changed somewhat. Get any better at using the Gambol Shroud? Still cut yourself from time to time?"
"You can't hold me for long. When my teammates realize I'm gone-"
"When they realize you're gone" interrupts Adam "They wouldn't care a whit. They would just assume you went back to the White Fang-" He strokes her hair "And they would be right."
"So this is what it's all about?" asks Blake, almost mockingly "Just getting me back into the fold?"
"Well..." says Adam "...yes."
Blake grunted "I expected more. Guess you haven't changed much since I last saw you."
"Aaaw...you remembered...missed me?" He went to stroke her hair again.
"Don't touch me, you!" says Blake.
"Oh? And what's stopping me?" asks Adam.
"Your unpaid Bounty Hunter is what."
"Huh-" turning, he just managed to see a metal plate fly at him before the world descended into darkness.
Lucifer backhanded Adam, catching him with his bracer and knocking him out. Tugging on the chain, he unties her just as the doors behind him closed shut, making the warehouse pitch-black.
Of course, the Faunus have nightvision, they can see me, I can't see them
But they're not the only one here who's a Faunus, and I don't need to see to find them.
Shutting his eyes, he focused on sound, listening for telltale ripples through the air to locate them-
-But the Faunus were also light on their feet, and whatever noise that is made is lost to echoes due to the warehouse's structure.
So much for being the hunter here.
"Blake! I can't sense them! it's up to you now!"
"Got it!"
But it was a losing battle. they were outnumbered thirty to one, and the White Fang were smart enough to know Blake is the bigger threat and go after her first. Blake is skilled with her Gambol Shroud as well as fighting multiple enemies at once, but so are the White Fang around her. Soon, they had her and Lucifer pinned down. Slowly, Lucifer was gaining nightvision. Not as good or as fast as the Faunus', but better than the average human.
He sees a White Fang retrieve a Shock Baton. Unlike the Dust Stun Baton, the Shock Baton is battery-powered, but all Lucifer could see was a metal rod, sparking with electricity, being raised high and about to be brought down on Blake, a friend. A friend.
"Noo..." he didn't manage to finish as everything descended into a black well darker than the insides of the warehouse could ever get.
*VRRM*, *VRRM*
- Huh?
*VRRM*, *VRRM*
- What's that sound?
*VRRM*, *VRRM*
- Oh, it's my-
Adam pulls out his burn phone, the one for the bounty on Blake, and hits the answer key.
"Yes?" says Adam.
"I got the target. Will be going to the warehouse tomorrow at eight in the morning sharp. Do you have the money ready?" he was using a voice changer. Definitely a pro.
"Yeah, I got it. How is she?"
"Out of it for now. The drugs will last until later this evening. She's in chains anyhow. Sent a letter of leave to Beacon."
"Beacon?"
"Yeah, she goes to Beacon for protection, don't you know that?"
He IS a pro.
Too bad.
"Just did. Tomorrow. Warehouse. 25,000 in cash."
"Done."
BEEP
"So" says Adam "Trying to hide it out at Beacon, huh? Bet your friends don't even know you're former White Fang. Maybe they won't miss you if they did." he chuckled to himself. Soon.
"So how did it go?" asks Blake.
"Smooth" says Lucifer "Must be the first time he put a bounty on someone. Asked questions."
"Typical. Wants to know everything." says Blake.
Getting up, she says "Can we go back now?"
"No. I told him you are in my custody. If you are seen in the street, he might be notified."
"So how are Ruby, Yang and the rest supposed to know I'm okay?"
"They already do" says Lucifer "If I read him right, he might want to tell them you are a current White Fang so they won't go around looking for you. He doesn't know they know. Didn't even know you went to Beacon. You did a good job hiding yourself."
"I was with him long enough know how he gets his information. Just needed to keep his sources from knowing to keep him from knowing."
"Hmm. Well, now to plan this out..."
- THE NEXT DAY -
Lucifer pushes open the door to the warehouse. The creak echoes throughout the dark, empty structure. He pulled his mask on and fitted a voice changer into it for this occasion.
"You took your time." came a voice.
Looking at his watch, Lucifer says "Then you have to dial your watch back three minutes and forty-eight seconds, because I am on time and you are early."
Adam huffed "Do you have her?"
"Right here" Lucifer enters the doorway, pushing Blake, gagged and bound in chains, in front of him.
Lucifer notices a gleam of gunmetal somewhere in the dark. Of course he had backup.
"Payment." says Lucifer.
"Of course, just a moment"
Turning, Adam retrieves Blush and fires at Lucifer, point-blank.
Lucifer collapses, jerking the chain he was holding connected to the one around Blake.
"Ah..." says Adam, walking into the light, making him visible "Blake, how long has it been?"
Blake just glared at him.
"Oh, that's right" says Adam "Gag" he says to the dark.
A White Fang emerges from the shadows and unties the rag around Blake's mouth.
Spitting for a while, Blake says "Why are you doing this?"
"Oh, Blake, how we missed you. I just couldn't work as well without my trusty partner. We need you back, Blake." says Adam.
"Go to hell." says Blake.
"Ah." says Adam, walking around her "You've changed somewhat. Get any better at using the Gambol Shroud? Still cut yourself from time to time?"
"You can't hold me for long. When my teammates realize I'm gone-"
"When they realize you're gone" interrupts Adam "They wouldn't care a whit. They would just assume you went back to the White Fang-" He strokes her hair "And they would be right."
"So this is what it's all about?" asks Blake, almost mockingly "Just getting me back into the fold?"
"Well..." says Adam "...yes."
Blake grunted "I expected more. Guess you haven't changed much since I last saw you."
"Aaaw...you remembered...missed me?" He went to stroke her hair again.
"Don't touch me, you!" says Blake.
"Oh? And what's stopping me?" asks Adam.
"Your unpaid Bounty Hunter is what."
"Huh-" turning, he just managed to see a metal plate fly at him before the world descended into darkness.
Lucifer backhanded Adam, catching him with his bracer and knocking him out. Tugging on the chain, he unties her just as the doors behind him closed shut, making the warehouse pitch-black.
Of course, the Faunus have nightvision, they can see me, I can't see them
But they're not the only one here who's a Faunus, and I don't need to see to find them.
Shutting his eyes, he focused on sound, listening for telltale ripples through the air to locate them-
-But the Faunus were also light on their feet, and whatever noise that is made is lost to echoes due to the warehouse's structure.
So much for being the hunter here.
"Blake! I can't sense them! it's up to you now!"
"Got it!"
But it was a losing battle. they were outnumbered thirty to one, and the White Fang were smart enough to know Blake is the bigger threat and go after her first. Blake is skilled with her Gambol Shroud as well as fighting multiple enemies at once, but so are the White Fang around her. Soon, they had her and Lucifer pinned down. Slowly, Lucifer was gaining nightvision. Not as good or as fast as the Faunus', but better than the average human.
He sees a White Fang retrieve a Shock Baton. Unlike the Dust Stun Baton, the Shock Baton is battery-powered, but all Lucifer could see was a metal rod, sparking with electricity, being raised high and about to be brought down on Blake, a friend. A friend.
"Noo..." he didn't manage to finish as everything descended into a black well darker than the insides of the warehouse could ever get.
The Triple Agent
"Where's Lucifer?" asked Peter. It wasn't like the Grimm kid to be absent.
"He's, ah, helping out a friend in need." says Ruby.
"Ah." says Peter. He wonders why did he bother asking about the boy. Ozpin had a meeting with all of the teachers the other day, saying how Lucifer is to be treated like any other student, except that he isn't an official student. Ozpin made clear that he is allowed to sit through any and all classes and can choose to do the work provided, but he won't be present during tests, written or otherwise. That his name isn't in the attendance sheets states that he can be in and out of classes whenever he wishes, which is what made Peter's question rhetorical.
- MEANWHILE -
Surprise them.
Lifting his leg, Lucifer kicks the handle of the door in front of him, breaking the lock and opening the door.
Catch them off guard. Watch their eyes.
"I'll give you fellas one chaance to come clean, tell me about a Faunas girl that's a former member of your White Fang with a bounty on her head and I'll let you live!" One Faunas man's eyes flickered.
Once target is found, scare him into submission.
"You've had your chance!" yells Lucifer, grabbing hold of and pulling out both Dicers from their sheaths. pulling the triggers of both, the blade falls out from the handle, trailing two nearly-invisible strands of razor wire behind them.
Lucifer begins to swing around like a madman, seemingly without technique, but actually doing his best at being showy, so he has a better chance to frighten his target enough to talk.
It's actually a lot more complicated than one might imagine. He has to be scared enough to talk, but not so scared he believes he will die anyway and tries something desperate, and not leave enough in him to think he can still win if he fought. It is a carefully calculated decision based on what he gathered from his target in that short amount of time.
Soon, the targeted Faunus is the only one uninjured.
"Last chance, now..." says Lucifer, raising his weapon.
"Wait! Don't! I'll talk!" he whines. Success.
"Well, oh-kay..." says Lucifer, lowering his weapon "I'm listening."
"I don't know very much, but I heard...I heard that one of us left us while out on a mission, a-a-and the guy that was with her was pissed and h-he was the one who placed the bounty, but I don't know more, I swear!" he wails, covering his head as if that would protect him.
Lucifer's face was unreadable, there was a silence punctuated by the Faunus's quiet sobs for a moment, until Lucifer broke the silence, asking "What's his name?"
"Adam" says the Faunus "Adam Taurus"
Looking up, he was surprised to see Lucifer smiling.
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" then, hoisting up one of the White Fang members - this one himself had a bounty on him, any White Fang with a rank does - he says to the Faunus "Go home. Your fight's over." and leaves through the broken-down doorway.
"Adam" says Lucifer, climbing on his bike he named the 'Shadow Pursuit', "Depending on what your old partner, Blake, says, I just might be the death of you, so look out..."
- AT BEACON -
"...one good thing among others about being a student at Beacon" mutters Blake "is unlimited access to the city library." Not that it made much of a difference, 'unlimited access' simply meant open doors to sections of the library otherwise inaccessible, with information on Creatures of Grimm or known criminals throughout Remnant...and a half dozen or so precious old books the library didn't trust with the general public. Blake had two such books.
"Psst! Blake!" came a whisper.
"Aaand...the other shoe drops." she moans "Good thing I brought a bag to keep these..."
She went to the alley where the whisper came from, and , as expected, an arm came round her mouth and she was yanked away.
When they stopped at another unknown place, Blake began to ask questions.
"So what is it? You found the person?"
"Well, technically, no. But I got a name, and I came here to ask you what do you want to be done."
"Okay, lets hear this name."
"You might know this person. His name's Adam."
Blake's face fell
"Adam Taurus." says Lucifer
"Adam? Why would he-? Are you sure?" asks Blake.
"I had to kill a room full of White Fang to get the information, so, yes, I'm sure." said Lucifer, deadpan.
Blake slumps against the wall.
"So" says Lucifer "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. If it were anyone else, I'd probably say 'collect your bounty on him' or something but..." she sighs.
"What? You got a crush on him or something?" asks Lucifer.
"NO!" she yells "I just...I don't understand how he could just put a price tag on my head."
"Actually, he didn't"
"What?"
Pulling out the document of the bounty, Lucifer reads " 'To be brought in alive at whatever cost.', says here to bring you in, unconscious or not and bound, to some abandoned warehouse downtown."
"What do you suggest?" asks Blake, already knowing the answer she might be getting.
"I suggest we go pay him a visit..."
"He's, ah, helping out a friend in need." says Ruby.
"Ah." says Peter. He wonders why did he bother asking about the boy. Ozpin had a meeting with all of the teachers the other day, saying how Lucifer is to be treated like any other student, except that he isn't an official student. Ozpin made clear that he is allowed to sit through any and all classes and can choose to do the work provided, but he won't be present during tests, written or otherwise. That his name isn't in the attendance sheets states that he can be in and out of classes whenever he wishes, which is what made Peter's question rhetorical.
- MEANWHILE -
Surprise them.
Lifting his leg, Lucifer kicks the handle of the door in front of him, breaking the lock and opening the door.
Catch them off guard. Watch their eyes.
"I'll give you fellas one chaance to come clean, tell me about a Faunas girl that's a former member of your White Fang with a bounty on her head and I'll let you live!" One Faunas man's eyes flickered.
Once target is found, scare him into submission.
"You've had your chance!" yells Lucifer, grabbing hold of and pulling out both Dicers from their sheaths. pulling the triggers of both, the blade falls out from the handle, trailing two nearly-invisible strands of razor wire behind them.
Lucifer begins to swing around like a madman, seemingly without technique, but actually doing his best at being showy, so he has a better chance to frighten his target enough to talk.
It's actually a lot more complicated than one might imagine. He has to be scared enough to talk, but not so scared he believes he will die anyway and tries something desperate, and not leave enough in him to think he can still win if he fought. It is a carefully calculated decision based on what he gathered from his target in that short amount of time.
Soon, the targeted Faunus is the only one uninjured.
"Last chance, now..." says Lucifer, raising his weapon.
"Wait! Don't! I'll talk!" he whines. Success.
"Well, oh-kay..." says Lucifer, lowering his weapon "I'm listening."
"I don't know very much, but I heard...I heard that one of us left us while out on a mission, a-a-and the guy that was with her was pissed and h-he was the one who placed the bounty, but I don't know more, I swear!" he wails, covering his head as if that would protect him.
Lucifer's face was unreadable, there was a silence punctuated by the Faunus's quiet sobs for a moment, until Lucifer broke the silence, asking "What's his name?"
"Adam" says the Faunus "Adam Taurus"
Looking up, he was surprised to see Lucifer smiling.
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" then, hoisting up one of the White Fang members - this one himself had a bounty on him, any White Fang with a rank does - he says to the Faunus "Go home. Your fight's over." and leaves through the broken-down doorway.
"Adam" says Lucifer, climbing on his bike he named the 'Shadow Pursuit', "Depending on what your old partner, Blake, says, I just might be the death of you, so look out..."
- AT BEACON -
"...one good thing among others about being a student at Beacon" mutters Blake "is unlimited access to the city library." Not that it made much of a difference, 'unlimited access' simply meant open doors to sections of the library otherwise inaccessible, with information on Creatures of Grimm or known criminals throughout Remnant...and a half dozen or so precious old books the library didn't trust with the general public. Blake had two such books.
"Psst! Blake!" came a whisper.
"Aaand...the other shoe drops." she moans "Good thing I brought a bag to keep these..."
She went to the alley where the whisper came from, and , as expected, an arm came round her mouth and she was yanked away.
When they stopped at another unknown place, Blake began to ask questions.
"So what is it? You found the person?"
"Well, technically, no. But I got a name, and I came here to ask you what do you want to be done."
"Okay, lets hear this name."
"You might know this person. His name's Adam."
Blake's face fell
"Adam Taurus." says Lucifer
"Adam? Why would he-? Are you sure?" asks Blake.
"I had to kill a room full of White Fang to get the information, so, yes, I'm sure." said Lucifer, deadpan.
Blake slumps against the wall.
"So" says Lucifer "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. If it were anyone else, I'd probably say 'collect your bounty on him' or something but..." she sighs.
"What? You got a crush on him or something?" asks Lucifer.
"NO!" she yells "I just...I don't understand how he could just put a price tag on my head."
"Actually, he didn't"
"What?"
Pulling out the document of the bounty, Lucifer reads " 'To be brought in alive at whatever cost.', says here to bring you in, unconscious or not and bound, to some abandoned warehouse downtown."
"What do you suggest?" asks Blake, already knowing the answer she might be getting.
"I suggest we go pay him a visit..."
Saturday, March 29, 2014
The Lost Bounty
- WEEKS LATER -
Lucifer has started on his career as a Bounty Hunter. He is bringing back his most recent capture, a double-murderer from downtown.
"You're good at this!" Says the desk clerk at the Bounty Office "Some of our Bounty Hunters that went after this guy couldn't find any trace of him!"
"Guess I just have a good nose for this job" replies Lucifer, the desk clerk not knowing how true this rising star of a newbie Bounty Hunter's most recent remark is. He's got the nose of a bloodhound, if not a better one.
"Well, I think I've got another bounty here that seems to suit you. A White Fang terrorist. Don't see her handiwork around much, now, but her actions in the past need to be paid for. Fell off the grid and out of sight quite some time ago, never resurfaced since. Here's her picture."
Lucifer took the picture and scanned it, recording it into his memory. Hut he ran into a wall. What? I've already got this face in my memory? That's odd. Looking at the mugshot for real this time, he stared at the face on the photo. The photo was grainy and not of good quality, and is slightly worn, but the face on it is clear as it could get if he were standing in the same room with her.
It was Blake.
"One good thing about being a student at Beacon Academy, among other things, is unlimited access to the city libraries..." Not that she really needed it. Said 'unlimited access' is simply access to information on criminals or Grimm not allowed for the general public, and she just wanted some nice stories-
"Blake."
She stopped.
"Blake!"
Using her heightened senses, she found the direction of the whispers.
"Come over here! It's me, Lucifer!"
She went over.
"Lucifer, what-"
Lucifer grabbed her and bolted away without saying a word.
Some hours later, they stopped in some sort of back alley while Lucifer caught his breath. Blake didn't need to, she didn't run.
"WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!?" She shrieked.
"Had to. Some people may have been watching. Couldn't risk it."
"COULDN'T RISK-" Lucifer put a hand over her mouth.
"Quieter. PLEASE." He let go.
"What's going on?" She asked.
Lucifer showed her the mugshot.
"What? Where did you get this?"
Lucifer showed her the official document stating she had a bounty on her head.
"What? A bounty? On me? Who did this?"
"The identity of the person who put the bounty there is a secret, else I would have told you. I had to grab you because I couldn't risk anyone seeing you. Don't think you are unnoticeable, I found you easily enough. Believe me, if the priority of bringing you in were any higher, you're ass'd been hauled in by now."
"But that is all in the past, I've got nothing to do with White Fang anymore."
"You don't, but you did. That's enough for the authorities."
"What did you do?"
"I told them I was taking the bounty offer, just to make sure no one would go after it for a while, though when they find out I'm not pursuing you, the offer will go back up for grabs."
Blake slumped against the wall.
"And so goes the second time my past involvement with White Fang come back to haunt me." She sighed "So now what?"
"I was going to ask you that question." Said Lucifer.
She sighed, louder this time.
"The White Fang I was involved in did peaceful protests. I went out on a couple of the attacks of the violent White Fang before deciding it just isn't right and left. I thought I left it all behind me until I accidentally busted myself to my team. Thankfully, that got cleared up, but now this..."
"Let's get you back to Beacon first, I'll have to think about this."
"Okay, but...where are we?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." He chuckled "However, my new toy can bring us back no problem."
Blake looked up. Lucifer is standing next to a sleek, black motorbike. It had blood red markings as well as some vents that didn't look like they spewed waste air.
"How much did you pay for this?" She asked.
"Didn't actually paid for nothing." He replied.
"YOU STOLE IT!?"
"Nope. Put it together at the Forge, actually. Best urban transportation of maximum speed and mobility. Perfect for bounty hunting, especially for chases. That and getting from A to B the quickest possible way."
"Something tells me I might regret this." She says, climbing on.
"If you had followed Ruby and Yang into the forest, this would be nothing!" He said, revving the engine before accelerating.
They returned to the dorms to find the rest of RWBY in their dorm room.
"Blake! Where have you been? We looked everywhere for you!" said Ruby.
"Even Weiss thought she said something wrong and fused you to run off again." said Yang.
"I did NOT think that! Hmph!" shouted Weiss.
Lucifer looked at Blake. Should I?
Blake sighed. Might as well.
"Guys...there's something important you guys should know..." began Lucifer.
"What?" asks Yang.
Lucifer paused for a moment before saying "Blake's got a bounty on her head."
There was a short and uneasy silence before Ruby broke it.
"Who? Why?"
"Blake asked those exact same questions. I don't know. I'm not supposed to."
"Can you find out?" asks Yang.
"Maybe. It won't be easy, though." replies Lucifer.
"Do what you have to, within limits, of course." says Blake.
"Tell Ozpin. I'm going out to, uh, help someone in need. Might need a couple of days to get a lead. Another day or more to track down the person where the bounty came from. I'll take until the end of the week at most." says Lucifer.
"I'll get to it" promised Blake.
Lucifer has started on his career as a Bounty Hunter. He is bringing back his most recent capture, a double-murderer from downtown.
"You're good at this!" Says the desk clerk at the Bounty Office "Some of our Bounty Hunters that went after this guy couldn't find any trace of him!"
"Guess I just have a good nose for this job" replies Lucifer, the desk clerk not knowing how true this rising star of a newbie Bounty Hunter's most recent remark is. He's got the nose of a bloodhound, if not a better one.
"Well, I think I've got another bounty here that seems to suit you. A White Fang terrorist. Don't see her handiwork around much, now, but her actions in the past need to be paid for. Fell off the grid and out of sight quite some time ago, never resurfaced since. Here's her picture."
Lucifer took the picture and scanned it, recording it into his memory. Hut he ran into a wall. What? I've already got this face in my memory? That's odd. Looking at the mugshot for real this time, he stared at the face on the photo. The photo was grainy and not of good quality, and is slightly worn, but the face on it is clear as it could get if he were standing in the same room with her.
It was Blake.
"One good thing about being a student at Beacon Academy, among other things, is unlimited access to the city libraries..." Not that she really needed it. Said 'unlimited access' is simply access to information on criminals or Grimm not allowed for the general public, and she just wanted some nice stories-
"Blake."
She stopped.
"Blake!"
Using her heightened senses, she found the direction of the whispers.
"Come over here! It's me, Lucifer!"
She went over.
"Lucifer, what-"
Lucifer grabbed her and bolted away without saying a word.
Some hours later, they stopped in some sort of back alley while Lucifer caught his breath. Blake didn't need to, she didn't run.
"WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!?" She shrieked.
"Had to. Some people may have been watching. Couldn't risk it."
"COULDN'T RISK-" Lucifer put a hand over her mouth.
"Quieter. PLEASE." He let go.
"What's going on?" She asked.
Lucifer showed her the mugshot.
"What? Where did you get this?"
Lucifer showed her the official document stating she had a bounty on her head.
"What? A bounty? On me? Who did this?"
"The identity of the person who put the bounty there is a secret, else I would have told you. I had to grab you because I couldn't risk anyone seeing you. Don't think you are unnoticeable, I found you easily enough. Believe me, if the priority of bringing you in were any higher, you're ass'd been hauled in by now."
"But that is all in the past, I've got nothing to do with White Fang anymore."
"You don't, but you did. That's enough for the authorities."
"What did you do?"
"I told them I was taking the bounty offer, just to make sure no one would go after it for a while, though when they find out I'm not pursuing you, the offer will go back up for grabs."
Blake slumped against the wall.
"And so goes the second time my past involvement with White Fang come back to haunt me." She sighed "So now what?"
"I was going to ask you that question." Said Lucifer.
She sighed, louder this time.
"The White Fang I was involved in did peaceful protests. I went out on a couple of the attacks of the violent White Fang before deciding it just isn't right and left. I thought I left it all behind me until I accidentally busted myself to my team. Thankfully, that got cleared up, but now this..."
"Let's get you back to Beacon first, I'll have to think about this."
"Okay, but...where are we?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." He chuckled "However, my new toy can bring us back no problem."
Blake looked up. Lucifer is standing next to a sleek, black motorbike. It had blood red markings as well as some vents that didn't look like they spewed waste air.
"How much did you pay for this?" She asked.
"Didn't actually paid for nothing." He replied.
"YOU STOLE IT!?"
"Nope. Put it together at the Forge, actually. Best urban transportation of maximum speed and mobility. Perfect for bounty hunting, especially for chases. That and getting from A to B the quickest possible way."
"Something tells me I might regret this." She says, climbing on.
"If you had followed Ruby and Yang into the forest, this would be nothing!" He said, revving the engine before accelerating.
They returned to the dorms to find the rest of RWBY in their dorm room.
"Blake! Where have you been? We looked everywhere for you!" said Ruby.
"Even Weiss thought she said something wrong and fused you to run off again." said Yang.
"I did NOT think that! Hmph!" shouted Weiss.
Lucifer looked at Blake. Should I?
Blake sighed. Might as well.
"Guys...there's something important you guys should know..." began Lucifer.
"What?" asks Yang.
Lucifer paused for a moment before saying "Blake's got a bounty on her head."
There was a short and uneasy silence before Ruby broke it.
"Who? Why?"
"Blake asked those exact same questions. I don't know. I'm not supposed to."
"Can you find out?" asks Yang.
"Maybe. It won't be easy, though." replies Lucifer.
"Do what you have to, within limits, of course." says Blake.
"Tell Ozpin. I'm going out to, uh, help someone in need. Might need a couple of days to get a lead. Another day or more to track down the person where the bounty came from. I'll take until the end of the week at most." says Lucifer.
"I'll get to it" promised Blake.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hey guys, this is TheRyderShotgun.
First of all, to whoever's kept with me, thanks to you!
Second of all, that's ten episodes so far. I may manage another tomorrow, but the holiday's ending. I won't be able to upload at the same rate as before, so I'm sorry!
Third, recently, I discovered a site for people to post their own fanfiction. Still deciding wether or not to join it and move this fanfic there. I might not get any replies, but I would like anyone's input on this.
Finally, I recently took to google to see if this blog appears on the results page if I search it, and guess what I found: http://ryderhasablog.tumblr.com/post/66380401590/target-a-terrible-rwby-fanfic-948-words
Jolted me, to be sure.
You can find this blog via google search now, though.
That'll be all for now. RyderShotgun, out.
First of all, to whoever's kept with me, thanks to you!
Second of all, that's ten episodes so far. I may manage another tomorrow, but the holiday's ending. I won't be able to upload at the same rate as before, so I'm sorry!
Third, recently, I discovered a site for people to post their own fanfiction. Still deciding wether or not to join it and move this fanfic there. I might not get any replies, but I would like anyone's input on this.
Finally, I recently took to google to see if this blog appears on the results page if I search it, and guess what I found: http://ryderhasablog.tumblr.com/post/66380401590/target-a-terrible-rwby-fanfic-948-words
Jolted me, to be sure.
You can find this blog via google search now, though.
That'll be all for now. RyderShotgun, out.
Friday, March 28, 2014
The Last Ace
"...Lucifer? Are you okay?" asks Ruby.
Lucifer didm't say anything. He slowly turned from the direction Yang was knocked from his punch to sweep over team RWBY and JNPR, and once more Blake, and the rest, felt the chill down their spine, the feeling of total helplessness, the faint knowledge that they are about to die.
Kicking up another dust clout, White-Haired-Lucifer charged at them with surprising speed, one arm drawn back for a punch.
"Spread out!" yelled Ruby, and the group of 7 became individuals as they went in every direction, making more difficult targets for White-Hair. He stood at the center of the swirl of running people for a second, before he randomly chose a target and charged.
Said target was Jaune, who was terrified at the sight of his approach.
"He's after me!? Why me!?" he was wailing, running as fast as his legs would carry him.
"It's called 'weeding out the weak', Jaune" said Pyrrha, and fired a shot from her weapon, catching him on the side of his face, knocking him off his course, Jaune grateful enough for that he didn't even say anything about her remark. However, White managed to form a mask of Exo for protection at the last minute and prevent any serious damage.
However, anyone could tell he was seriously pissed at the unexpected attack.
He stood erect, and glowered at Pyrrha, sending a mental promise he would be the death of her that chilled her to the bone. She started to run, but he was upon her in an instant, forming Morph Claws and raising them high. In half a minute, she would have be torn into strips, were it not for Ruby, who fired another shot from her weapon blasting him away from Pyrrha.
As he stood up once more, Ruby decided that running won't do it.
She yelled "Keep moving! Don't slow down! And fire on him from every direction, but try not to hit one another!" The effect was immediate, bullets and projectiles came at him, creating huge dust clouds that dissipate as fast as they are formed from all the mini-explosions of Dust ammo.
White turned around aimlessly in the pandemonium of projectiles for some time, before the anger became to much and he roared mightily at the sky, a roar of anger, bloodlust, and hatred, and he chose another target to attack.
He never got the chance, Ozpin appeared right behind him, saying "That would be enough of you, Lucifer." and whacked him on the back of his neck with his cane. Everything became black.
- Where am I?
Lucifer is standing in a place he has never seen before. The sky is black, and the earth is white. And Lucifer is glowing with an odd white light that seemed to pulsate along with his heart.
- What is this place?
- This is your mind, fool. Don't you know your way around your own damn mind?
- Who's that?
It was Lucifer, but it wasn't Lucifer. He is surrounded by darkness, and seemed to drown out all light around him.
- Who are you?
- Who am I?
He smiled, a mad, dangerous smile of someone looking down on a helpless person and wondering how was he going to kill him.
- I am you. I am the rightful owner of this body. I am the more worthy between us of control. I am the one who is better than you.
- The Grimm?
- Yes, that's what I am.
- You are supposed to be behind bars.
- Yes, I was, but when the blonde maiden attacked, the bars were removed.
- Then I'll get you back into the corner and re-erect the bars, Grimm.
White Lucifer formed a Morph Blade and charged...
...And passed right through him.
Black Lucifer laughed and hit White Lucifer on his head, causing him to fall.
- You're trash, Lucy.
- My name's LUCIFER, Grimm!
White Lucifer swung, and the blade went right through him as if he weren't there. Black Lucifer laughed again. He punched White Lucifer, causing him to tumble across the land. White Lucifer didn't get up, he just lay on the ground writhing in pain. The blow rivaled that of a runaway train ... one with explosives on the hood.
Black Lucifer went over and kicked him.
- Trash.
Kick.
- Worthless.
Kick.
- Weakling.
Kick.
- Cowardly.
Kick.
- You would have been much stronger...
Kick.
- ...Avoided much pain...
Kick.
- ...If you would just...
Kick.
- LET.
Kick.
- GO.
- Go to hell, Grimm!
- That's not my name.
Kick.
- You know my name.
Kick.
- My name is...
"NEIMO!!!"
Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaunce, Nora and Pyrrha all flinched at that. Only Lie, Ozpin and Glynda remained indifferent.
"What? What did you say? Who's Neimo?"
Lucifer wasn't listening. He was sitting up and staring straight ahead, as if seeing the door to Hell in front of him and swearing he heard a creak of the door opening, and making sure the door remains closed.
"LUCIFER!" yelled Ruby, knocking him out of whatever thoughts he was having "What are you saying? Who's Neimo?"
"Neimo..." muttered Lucifer "Neimo ... is me."
"What?" says Yang.
"Neimo is the Grimm. He-" he gulped "He is the one within me."
"What?" echoes Weiss.
"Remember what I said about the lab coats simply chasing Him to a corner and erecting bars around him? He said that when Yang attacked, the bars were removed and he was free."
"I would seem" says Ozpin, simply looking on until now "That Lucifer is at least part Human. Surely enough Human to be able to have Aura. I would guess that when Yang attacked with her Aura Semblance, she involuntarily unlocked Lucifer's Aura, and subsequently the mental bars holding this 'Neimo' was removed. I guess its safe to say that whenever Lucifer's Aura is activated, Neimo will emerge."
"So all I need to do I avoid using Aura?"
"Basically, yes."
"What do you man by 'basically'?"
"I mean it's better insurance to, uh, train, the use of your Aura."
"What?"
"Avoiding the problem won't save you forever. It's best for you to face it. If you keep Neimo locked up, He is bound to escape again sometime, and when he does, he'll kill everyone close to you."
"So what do I do?"
"That" says Ozpin "Is a question for you to answer."
The next day, despite the previous day's events, Lucifer was present. Team RWBY and JNPR met up with him during lunch.
"Sooo..." begins Ruby "Any idea what should you do?"
"A vague one, to be sure, but yeah. I'll activate my Aura once in a while in you guys' presence. I want you blast me when I attack, and stop when I do. That may send the message that you mean no harm, but won't hesitate to kill me if I go too far."
"Okay..." says Yang "...Now onto your real plan."
Lucifer stared at her.
"I'm kidding, but really, are you sure that will work?"
"Honestly? No. But Ozpin's right, just locking him up isn't going to work forever. This isn't a card I'm playing because I don't know what else to do, I'm playing this card because this is the ONLY card I have. I don't want to hurt anyone."
The rest of the day passes without incident, and Lucifer says he wants to go to the library after school. "I didn't have all that many reasons to read up on Aura and Semblance back at Signal because I thought I won't be having it, but since I do, might as well look up on everything there is to know about it."
Lucifer returned to his room - actually more like an unused broom closet - later in the day, grinning from ear to ear.
"What's so funny?" asks Yang.
"Check this out." he says, and hands them his rifle.
Holding up the rifle, Yang and the rest try to figure out what was different with the rifle. Then Ruby noticed a glint. "Oh, no. You didn't"
"I did. Engraved it myself."
"What?" asks Weiss, who didn't know what Ruby saw.
Ruby placed a finger on the rifle, just beneath an engraved metal plate. On the plate were the words: 'Justabasic Rifle.'
"Heavens!" chuckled Yang.
"Are you crazy or immature or what?" says Weiss.
"This is stupid." says Blake "You're stupid."
Lucifer laughed. Then he said "Tensions were kinda high after yesterday. It was bad. I...I couldn't feel comfortable, you know? Had to cut the tension somehow. Caught sight of the Forge on the way back from the library. Lightbulb above my head just went 'BLING'!"
He laughed again, and the others joined him.
Lucifer didm't say anything. He slowly turned from the direction Yang was knocked from his punch to sweep over team RWBY and JNPR, and once more Blake, and the rest, felt the chill down their spine, the feeling of total helplessness, the faint knowledge that they are about to die.
Kicking up another dust clout, White-Haired-Lucifer charged at them with surprising speed, one arm drawn back for a punch.
"Spread out!" yelled Ruby, and the group of 7 became individuals as they went in every direction, making more difficult targets for White-Hair. He stood at the center of the swirl of running people for a second, before he randomly chose a target and charged.
Said target was Jaune, who was terrified at the sight of his approach.
"He's after me!? Why me!?" he was wailing, running as fast as his legs would carry him.
"It's called 'weeding out the weak', Jaune" said Pyrrha, and fired a shot from her weapon, catching him on the side of his face, knocking him off his course, Jaune grateful enough for that he didn't even say anything about her remark. However, White managed to form a mask of Exo for protection at the last minute and prevent any serious damage.
However, anyone could tell he was seriously pissed at the unexpected attack.
He stood erect, and glowered at Pyrrha, sending a mental promise he would be the death of her that chilled her to the bone. She started to run, but he was upon her in an instant, forming Morph Claws and raising them high. In half a minute, she would have be torn into strips, were it not for Ruby, who fired another shot from her weapon blasting him away from Pyrrha.
As he stood up once more, Ruby decided that running won't do it.
She yelled "Keep moving! Don't slow down! And fire on him from every direction, but try not to hit one another!" The effect was immediate, bullets and projectiles came at him, creating huge dust clouds that dissipate as fast as they are formed from all the mini-explosions of Dust ammo.
White turned around aimlessly in the pandemonium of projectiles for some time, before the anger became to much and he roared mightily at the sky, a roar of anger, bloodlust, and hatred, and he chose another target to attack.
He never got the chance, Ozpin appeared right behind him, saying "That would be enough of you, Lucifer." and whacked him on the back of his neck with his cane. Everything became black.
- Where am I?
Lucifer is standing in a place he has never seen before. The sky is black, and the earth is white. And Lucifer is glowing with an odd white light that seemed to pulsate along with his heart.
- What is this place?
- This is your mind, fool. Don't you know your way around your own damn mind?
- Who's that?
It was Lucifer, but it wasn't Lucifer. He is surrounded by darkness, and seemed to drown out all light around him.
- Who are you?
- Who am I?
He smiled, a mad, dangerous smile of someone looking down on a helpless person and wondering how was he going to kill him.
- I am you. I am the rightful owner of this body. I am the more worthy between us of control. I am the one who is better than you.
- The Grimm?
- Yes, that's what I am.
- You are supposed to be behind bars.
- Yes, I was, but when the blonde maiden attacked, the bars were removed.
- Then I'll get you back into the corner and re-erect the bars, Grimm.
White Lucifer formed a Morph Blade and charged...
...And passed right through him.
Black Lucifer laughed and hit White Lucifer on his head, causing him to fall.
- You're trash, Lucy.
- My name's LUCIFER, Grimm!
White Lucifer swung, and the blade went right through him as if he weren't there. Black Lucifer laughed again. He punched White Lucifer, causing him to tumble across the land. White Lucifer didn't get up, he just lay on the ground writhing in pain. The blow rivaled that of a runaway train ... one with explosives on the hood.
Black Lucifer went over and kicked him.
- Trash.
Kick.
- Worthless.
Kick.
- Weakling.
Kick.
- Cowardly.
Kick.
- You would have been much stronger...
Kick.
- ...Avoided much pain...
Kick.
- ...If you would just...
Kick.
- LET.
Kick.
- GO.
- Go to hell, Grimm!
- That's not my name.
Kick.
- You know my name.
Kick.
- My name is...
"NEIMO!!!"
Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaunce, Nora and Pyrrha all flinched at that. Only Lie, Ozpin and Glynda remained indifferent.
"What? What did you say? Who's Neimo?"
Lucifer wasn't listening. He was sitting up and staring straight ahead, as if seeing the door to Hell in front of him and swearing he heard a creak of the door opening, and making sure the door remains closed.
"LUCIFER!" yelled Ruby, knocking him out of whatever thoughts he was having "What are you saying? Who's Neimo?"
"Neimo..." muttered Lucifer "Neimo ... is me."
"What?" says Yang.
"Neimo is the Grimm. He-" he gulped "He is the one within me."
"What?" echoes Weiss.
"Remember what I said about the lab coats simply chasing Him to a corner and erecting bars around him? He said that when Yang attacked, the bars were removed and he was free."
"I would seem" says Ozpin, simply looking on until now "That Lucifer is at least part Human. Surely enough Human to be able to have Aura. I would guess that when Yang attacked with her Aura Semblance, she involuntarily unlocked Lucifer's Aura, and subsequently the mental bars holding this 'Neimo' was removed. I guess its safe to say that whenever Lucifer's Aura is activated, Neimo will emerge."
"So all I need to do I avoid using Aura?"
"Basically, yes."
"What do you man by 'basically'?"
"I mean it's better insurance to, uh, train, the use of your Aura."
"What?"
"Avoiding the problem won't save you forever. It's best for you to face it. If you keep Neimo locked up, He is bound to escape again sometime, and when he does, he'll kill everyone close to you."
"So what do I do?"
"That" says Ozpin "Is a question for you to answer."
The next day, despite the previous day's events, Lucifer was present. Team RWBY and JNPR met up with him during lunch.
"Sooo..." begins Ruby "Any idea what should you do?"
"A vague one, to be sure, but yeah. I'll activate my Aura once in a while in you guys' presence. I want you blast me when I attack, and stop when I do. That may send the message that you mean no harm, but won't hesitate to kill me if I go too far."
"Okay..." says Yang "...Now onto your real plan."
Lucifer stared at her.
"I'm kidding, but really, are you sure that will work?"
"Honestly? No. But Ozpin's right, just locking him up isn't going to work forever. This isn't a card I'm playing because I don't know what else to do, I'm playing this card because this is the ONLY card I have. I don't want to hurt anyone."
The rest of the day passes without incident, and Lucifer says he wants to go to the library after school. "I didn't have all that many reasons to read up on Aura and Semblance back at Signal because I thought I won't be having it, but since I do, might as well look up on everything there is to know about it."
Lucifer returned to his room - actually more like an unused broom closet - later in the day, grinning from ear to ear.
"What's so funny?" asks Yang.
"Check this out." he says, and hands them his rifle.
Holding up the rifle, Yang and the rest try to figure out what was different with the rifle. Then Ruby noticed a glint. "Oh, no. You didn't"
"I did. Engraved it myself."
"What?" asks Weiss, who didn't know what Ruby saw.
Ruby placed a finger on the rifle, just beneath an engraved metal plate. On the plate were the words: 'Justabasic Rifle.'
"Heavens!" chuckled Yang.
"Are you crazy or immature or what?" says Weiss.
"This is stupid." says Blake "You're stupid."
Lucifer laughed. Then he said "Tensions were kinda high after yesterday. It was bad. I...I couldn't feel comfortable, you know? Had to cut the tension somehow. Caught sight of the Forge on the way back from the library. Lightbulb above my head just went 'BLING'!"
He laughed again, and the others joined him.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
The Fighter and The Monster
"So." asks Ruby "Just what can you do with your shapeshifting ability?"
RWBY and Lucifer were chatting in the cafeteria before class starts for the day.
"Actually, I call it a 'Weapon Morphing' ability. I call the black stuff Eve and the White, hard stuff Exo. Not much at this stage. Just a blade."
"But I thought you have a claw as well?" asks Weiss.
"Don't go there. That's His ability. Bad memories associated with it."
"Well, you can't fight with just a big-ass blade, you need more...variety, i guess." says Yang.
"Good point. What say we meet up after school for a training session?"
"Sounds good."
"Wait," says Weiss "We were supposed to meet up with team JNPR after school, too!"
"Oh, right!" says Yang "Now what?"
"Just invite them, then." says Lucifer casually.
"But i thought you can't-" Weiss is cut off by Lucifer.
"Yes, I can't. Tell me, are you friends with this 'Team Juniper'?"
"Actually, it's team J-N-P-R, but yeah, we're friends."
"Do you trust them as allies?"
"Yeah?"
"Then you can trust them not to blow it out to the world."
"I guess. OK, after school, us, you and JNPR, training session."
"Done."
"Aren't you afraid Ozpin will find out?" asks Weiss.
"A little. He'll understand. If he don't like it, too damn bad."
"I like the way you think, man." says Ruby and they laughed.
As their laughter died down, they hear more laughing, and someone wailing.
Hearing those, Lucifer's face suddenly darkened so much you could practically see a shadow on his face. He stonily turned his head around, looking behind him, where the sound was coming from.
Cardin and his group were harassing Velvet again, pulling both her ears like reins on a horse.
"Stop! It hurts!" she wails.
"Mush! Mush, you animal!" he said, and all of them laughed.
Staring straight ahead, Lucifer sees the whole scene, and he doesn't. He sees himself strapped to a metal rack. He sees men in white coats stabbing him with instruments. He sees them burning him with hot pieces of metal. He sees Velvet being harassed by other people.
Lucifer stood up and walked over, standing over their table. Cardin looked up.
"What are you looking at?" he asks.
"What do you think, punk?" replies Lucifer.
"Whoa! Look at this, our little bunny's got a boyfriend!" they laughed.
Lucifer grabbed Cardin's left arm, squeezing it so he released his grip. Cardin stood to his full height, releasing his other arm, dwarfing Lucifer. "So, little bunny's boyfriend wants a fight, huh?"
"I'm not her boyfriend, but-" he twisted Cardin's left arm, causing him to turn, then pinning the hand to Cardin's back, pushed him to land facefirst in his own plate of food. "Doesn't mean I won't kill you if I ever see you within six feet of Velvet ever again. Do I have myself clear?"
"What's with you and lit-"
Lucifer pushed harder on Cardin's arm, causing him to cry out.
"What did i say her name was?"
Cardin wailed "Let me-"
Lucifer pushed harder.
"One last time before you lose an arm. WHAT. DID. I. SAY. HER. NAME. WAS."
"Velvet! Velvet! Her name's Velvet! Velvet Scarlatina!"
"Very good." says Lucifer, and released his grip. Cardin retreated back into his group, on their feet now.
"What the heck, man? What's with you and her?" he wailed.
"She saved my life, if that's what you're wondering." Velvet looked horrified. "Now scram. I ever see you within sight of Velvet again, and I don't need to be there to know it, I'll kill you."
Cardin glared at Lucifer, then he say Lucifer's eyes. It was the eyes of someone who didn't care about killing, probably even relished it. "Let's get out of here!" yelled Cardin, and the four disappeared into the crowd in the cafeteria. Lucifer turned to Velvet.
"You Okay?" he asked.
"Fine, but...you told him?"
"Told who what?"
"That I..."
"Saved my life? Yeah, why?"
"I thought I said not to."
"Didn't hear it."
Velvet turned to RWBY's table. Ruby and Yang shrugged. They forgot to told him.
she sighed "Now they're going me harass me more."
"They won't. I made sure of that."
"They'll come back later."
"If they do," said Lucifer, his voice hardening "Cardin will be the first to go over the cliff. Relax" he said, his voice softening "I'll watch over you. Aah, where are my manners."
Reaching out his hand, he said "My name's Lucifer. Lucifer Grimm. Glad to make your acquaintance."
She shook it weakly "Velvet Scarlatina."
Leaning close, he said "Well, Velvet, now we're even." and returned to his table.
"Wow." said Blake.
"Wow what?" asked Lucifer.
"You helped someone out of the good of your heart."
"Reminded of my own suffering is all. Physical wounds heal. They are slow, but they do heal. Mental wounds take forever to heal, if at all." He took a sip of his drink "Don't need someone suffering at the hands of cowardly fools like those morons. Velvet is a better person than any one of that group ever will be, and she's suffering for it. Someone's got to put a stop to it."
"They can still harass her when you're gone." points out Weiss.
Lucifer smiled. "Weren't you listening, Weiss? I don't have to be there to know they are harassing Velvet."
Then they saw Jaune walk up to their table.
"Hey, uh, what's your name?"
"Lucifer Grimm. And you?"
"Jaune Arc. I saw the whole thing, and I guess I came to say thank you for what you did just now."
"Why thank me? And why didn't you break it up?"
"I was weak. I'm pretty sure I would have worsened the situation somehow in any case."
"Lucifer, this is the team leader of JNPR." says Ruby.
"Well, if the team leader is like this, I'd hate to see the rest of the team." he said, and raised his hand as Jaune started to say something "I know, I know, team leaders aren't chosen based on their skills, but on what the teachers see in them, usually potential." he lowered his hand "You have to live up to that potential, you know. Me and team RWBY here are having a training session after school, why don't you and your team join us? I'm aware you were supposed to meet up today."
"I'll have to ask the rest, first, but thank you for the invitation." said Jaune, and he went back to his table.
"You're good." says Yang.
"What are you talking about?" asks Lucifer.
"Picked a perfect time to pop the offer." she says.
"Hey, I'm just a man with a great many skills." he replies.
"ARE you a man?"
It was silent around the table for a moment, but then they all burst out laughing.
For the rest of the day, Lucifer proved himself a proverbial genius in the classes. He quickly caught on to the lessons and read books between periods. When school was over, RWBY, JNPR and Lucifer went for their training session close to the woods, where no one was about. First up against Lucifer was Jaune.
"Ready?" asked Lucifer.
"Ready as ever" says Jaune, and pulled out his sword.
Lucifer didn't take his weapon out, he just charged. Jaune swung his sword at him. Lucifer ducked under the blade. Then, planting both hands to the ground, he kicked with his legs forward, wrapped them around the blade as he tipped over, then pushed himself backwards with his hands, yanking Jaune's blade from his hands and standing back up. The blade fell to the ground after he straightened himself.
Jaune swung his shield at Lucifer, attempting to bash him. He spun around in the same direction the shield was heading, dodging it. Then, reaching out with his left hand, he wrapped it around Jaune's neck. Pulling Jaune against himself, he got into a position to choke him, and he said into his ear "Checkmate." and released him.
"Gods, you're good" said Jaune, coughing.
"Sorry that I can't say the same for you." replied Lucifer.
"I'm up next." says Yang.
Once again, Lucifer was the first to charge. Yang didn't want to give him any chances, and blasted at his direction, only to see she fired into a shield of Exo. It moved aside to reveal a Morph Blade coming at her. She just managed to dodge the attack.
"Good surprise. Too bad your attack didn't hit."
"Did it?" asked Lucifer, holding the blade to his face. A single strand of blonde hair is caught between two of the flat spike-shapes.
"What? You..." Her eyes became red, she seemed to burst into flames, and charged at Lucifer. He lifted his Exo Shield, but she punched straight through it, and grabbed the hand behind it. Shattering it with a blast from her other hand, she fired a blast of Dust and Aura Semblance at Lucifer at point-blank range, and the two vanished in a cloud of dust.
"Sorry, Lucifer" said Yang "You have your tricks, I have mine-"
Suddenly the dust cloud dissipated like an explosion, and a shadow charged at Yang, and a fist is in the air. Yang just managed to block the attack, but she was thrown backwards and tumbled end-over-end over the ground.
"What on earth was that?" asked Yang. Her question was soon answered.
The black shadow turned out to be Aura surrounding a body. As it dissipated somewhat, the person beneath it appeared. It was Lucifer, but it wasn't Lucifer.
His hair was white and spiky, he showed no signs of Yang's previous attack save the marks on his clothing and armor, his eyes spewed bloodlust.
It was the Grimm.
And it had Aura.
RWBY and Lucifer were chatting in the cafeteria before class starts for the day.
"Actually, I call it a 'Weapon Morphing' ability. I call the black stuff Eve and the White, hard stuff Exo. Not much at this stage. Just a blade."
"But I thought you have a claw as well?" asks Weiss.
"Don't go there. That's His ability. Bad memories associated with it."
"Well, you can't fight with just a big-ass blade, you need more...variety, i guess." says Yang.
"Good point. What say we meet up after school for a training session?"
"Sounds good."
"Wait," says Weiss "We were supposed to meet up with team JNPR after school, too!"
"Oh, right!" says Yang "Now what?"
"Just invite them, then." says Lucifer casually.
"But i thought you can't-" Weiss is cut off by Lucifer.
"Yes, I can't. Tell me, are you friends with this 'Team Juniper'?"
"Actually, it's team J-N-P-R, but yeah, we're friends."
"Do you trust them as allies?"
"Yeah?"
"Then you can trust them not to blow it out to the world."
"I guess. OK, after school, us, you and JNPR, training session."
"Done."
"Aren't you afraid Ozpin will find out?" asks Weiss.
"A little. He'll understand. If he don't like it, too damn bad."
"I like the way you think, man." says Ruby and they laughed.
As their laughter died down, they hear more laughing, and someone wailing.
Hearing those, Lucifer's face suddenly darkened so much you could practically see a shadow on his face. He stonily turned his head around, looking behind him, where the sound was coming from.
Cardin and his group were harassing Velvet again, pulling both her ears like reins on a horse.
"Stop! It hurts!" she wails.
"Mush! Mush, you animal!" he said, and all of them laughed.
Staring straight ahead, Lucifer sees the whole scene, and he doesn't. He sees himself strapped to a metal rack. He sees men in white coats stabbing him with instruments. He sees them burning him with hot pieces of metal. He sees Velvet being harassed by other people.
Lucifer stood up and walked over, standing over their table. Cardin looked up.
"What are you looking at?" he asks.
"What do you think, punk?" replies Lucifer.
"Whoa! Look at this, our little bunny's got a boyfriend!" they laughed.
Lucifer grabbed Cardin's left arm, squeezing it so he released his grip. Cardin stood to his full height, releasing his other arm, dwarfing Lucifer. "So, little bunny's boyfriend wants a fight, huh?"
"I'm not her boyfriend, but-" he twisted Cardin's left arm, causing him to turn, then pinning the hand to Cardin's back, pushed him to land facefirst in his own plate of food. "Doesn't mean I won't kill you if I ever see you within six feet of Velvet ever again. Do I have myself clear?"
"What's with you and lit-"
Lucifer pushed harder on Cardin's arm, causing him to cry out.
"What did i say her name was?"
Cardin wailed "Let me-"
Lucifer pushed harder.
"One last time before you lose an arm. WHAT. DID. I. SAY. HER. NAME. WAS."
"Velvet! Velvet! Her name's Velvet! Velvet Scarlatina!"
"Very good." says Lucifer, and released his grip. Cardin retreated back into his group, on their feet now.
"What the heck, man? What's with you and her?" he wailed.
"She saved my life, if that's what you're wondering." Velvet looked horrified. "Now scram. I ever see you within sight of Velvet again, and I don't need to be there to know it, I'll kill you."
Cardin glared at Lucifer, then he say Lucifer's eyes. It was the eyes of someone who didn't care about killing, probably even relished it. "Let's get out of here!" yelled Cardin, and the four disappeared into the crowd in the cafeteria. Lucifer turned to Velvet.
"You Okay?" he asked.
"Fine, but...you told him?"
"Told who what?"
"That I..."
"Saved my life? Yeah, why?"
"I thought I said not to."
"Didn't hear it."
Velvet turned to RWBY's table. Ruby and Yang shrugged. They forgot to told him.
she sighed "Now they're going me harass me more."
"They won't. I made sure of that."
"They'll come back later."
"If they do," said Lucifer, his voice hardening "Cardin will be the first to go over the cliff. Relax" he said, his voice softening "I'll watch over you. Aah, where are my manners."
Reaching out his hand, he said "My name's Lucifer. Lucifer Grimm. Glad to make your acquaintance."
She shook it weakly "Velvet Scarlatina."
Leaning close, he said "Well, Velvet, now we're even." and returned to his table.
"Wow." said Blake.
"Wow what?" asked Lucifer.
"You helped someone out of the good of your heart."
"Reminded of my own suffering is all. Physical wounds heal. They are slow, but they do heal. Mental wounds take forever to heal, if at all." He took a sip of his drink "Don't need someone suffering at the hands of cowardly fools like those morons. Velvet is a better person than any one of that group ever will be, and she's suffering for it. Someone's got to put a stop to it."
"They can still harass her when you're gone." points out Weiss.
Lucifer smiled. "Weren't you listening, Weiss? I don't have to be there to know they are harassing Velvet."
Then they saw Jaune walk up to their table.
"Hey, uh, what's your name?"
"Lucifer Grimm. And you?"
"Jaune Arc. I saw the whole thing, and I guess I came to say thank you for what you did just now."
"Why thank me? And why didn't you break it up?"
"I was weak. I'm pretty sure I would have worsened the situation somehow in any case."
"Lucifer, this is the team leader of JNPR." says Ruby.
"Well, if the team leader is like this, I'd hate to see the rest of the team." he said, and raised his hand as Jaune started to say something "I know, I know, team leaders aren't chosen based on their skills, but on what the teachers see in them, usually potential." he lowered his hand "You have to live up to that potential, you know. Me and team RWBY here are having a training session after school, why don't you and your team join us? I'm aware you were supposed to meet up today."
"I'll have to ask the rest, first, but thank you for the invitation." said Jaune, and he went back to his table.
"You're good." says Yang.
"What are you talking about?" asks Lucifer.
"Picked a perfect time to pop the offer." she says.
"Hey, I'm just a man with a great many skills." he replies.
"ARE you a man?"
It was silent around the table for a moment, but then they all burst out laughing.
For the rest of the day, Lucifer proved himself a proverbial genius in the classes. He quickly caught on to the lessons and read books between periods. When school was over, RWBY, JNPR and Lucifer went for their training session close to the woods, where no one was about. First up against Lucifer was Jaune.
"Ready?" asked Lucifer.
"Ready as ever" says Jaune, and pulled out his sword.
Lucifer didn't take his weapon out, he just charged. Jaune swung his sword at him. Lucifer ducked under the blade. Then, planting both hands to the ground, he kicked with his legs forward, wrapped them around the blade as he tipped over, then pushed himself backwards with his hands, yanking Jaune's blade from his hands and standing back up. The blade fell to the ground after he straightened himself.
Jaune swung his shield at Lucifer, attempting to bash him. He spun around in the same direction the shield was heading, dodging it. Then, reaching out with his left hand, he wrapped it around Jaune's neck. Pulling Jaune against himself, he got into a position to choke him, and he said into his ear "Checkmate." and released him.
"Gods, you're good" said Jaune, coughing.
"Sorry that I can't say the same for you." replied Lucifer.
"I'm up next." says Yang.
Once again, Lucifer was the first to charge. Yang didn't want to give him any chances, and blasted at his direction, only to see she fired into a shield of Exo. It moved aside to reveal a Morph Blade coming at her. She just managed to dodge the attack.
"Good surprise. Too bad your attack didn't hit."
"Did it?" asked Lucifer, holding the blade to his face. A single strand of blonde hair is caught between two of the flat spike-shapes.
"What? You..." Her eyes became red, she seemed to burst into flames, and charged at Lucifer. He lifted his Exo Shield, but she punched straight through it, and grabbed the hand behind it. Shattering it with a blast from her other hand, she fired a blast of Dust and Aura Semblance at Lucifer at point-blank range, and the two vanished in a cloud of dust.
"Sorry, Lucifer" said Yang "You have your tricks, I have mine-"
Suddenly the dust cloud dissipated like an explosion, and a shadow charged at Yang, and a fist is in the air. Yang just managed to block the attack, but she was thrown backwards and tumbled end-over-end over the ground.
"What on earth was that?" asked Yang. Her question was soon answered.
The black shadow turned out to be Aura surrounding a body. As it dissipated somewhat, the person beneath it appeared. It was Lucifer, but it wasn't Lucifer.
His hair was white and spiky, he showed no signs of Yang's previous attack save the marks on his clothing and armor, his eyes spewed bloodlust.
It was the Grimm.
And it had Aura.
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