RWBY RWBY Origins: The Grim Mystery

RWBY Origins: The Grim Mystery

Chapter 1

Good afternoon, and welcome to Destrian's Chronicle. A place devoted to the most important aspect of any form of entertainment; the story. I am Destrian, and I have a story to tell. This post is of note as it is the first post that I will be making public. It is a harrowing and adventure filled tale that takes place in the RWBY universe. I can take no credit for much of the creative aspects of this story, as it is set in a world created by Monty Oum, and the people at Roster Teeth.

Our Story could have many beginnings. Do I start with the tale of a lost, abandoned young boy who would become our main character? Do I start with the tale of the eccentric scientist who is trying to answer an important question, and comes to a startling conclusion? How far back so I go. Well perhaps the best place to start is at the beginning; all the way back to where it first began.

It started early, the world was still new. Man had not been around long, and the world in which he had been placed, was wondrous. There was almost nothing to fear. It was an idyllic paradise, for though there was death, and though survival was not guaranteed, man was at the top. No animal could challenge them, they could beat whatever odds were against them and the future of humanity seemed bright and filled with hope. That all changed though, almost overnight, with the arrival of a new kind of creature; the monsters, the creatures of Grim. Mankind fought, but could not overcome them. They were stronger, more powerful, and were wholefully evil; soul-Less, relentless creatures. How man survived is another tale, one that I will let someone else tell. Suffice it to say though, that in the years since. Man has asked one question over and over again about these creatures. Over time the question was forgotten, as man simply came to expect the presence of the monsters. "We got so used to them, that we forgot something; something VERY important" the man said. He is on a stand, and seems to be giving a kind of speech. He was dressed in a gray suit with lime green and dark brown accents, and a badly tied, hideous bow tie. "We forgot…That they were Not..Always..Here!" he slams his hand on the podium with the last syllable.

"Professor Grett," said one of the men in the audience. A rather clean, well dressed, and almost prissy looking man, the kind given to vanity and most of all pride. "Do you honestly mean to contest almost 200 years of systematic study, documentation, and consensus on the origin of the creatures of Grim?" he asked this like one would ask a rhetorical question. "You really expect us to believe you, one exceedingly eccentric scientist, over all that data and the multiple findings of many far more stable, and heh, well if I may be frank…Intelligent scientists." "If you fools will just listen to me…." "SILENCE, the man shouted, we have heard enough of your mad theories Grett." A murmur of approval echoed through the conference hall. "Only you could be so stupid as to challenge one of the most accepted and supported theories in your field!" The man's voice had gradually been rising and by now, he was thoroughly belting each and every word at Professor Grett. He had even made his way on to the stage to better communicate his disdain. "Enough Dr. Mulger" said a man in the front row. He wore a green coat, sported a rather expensive cane, and also used a pair of small spectacles, which rested slightly below his eyes. He was young for someone of his position, though his days of youth were behind him. He said each word with a kind of calm that spoke of respect, control, and most of all, authority. He was the new dean of Beacon, Dr. Ozpin. "You should at least give the man the respect of hearing his theory out before you dismiss it". "Please, finish what you were saying Professor Grett." "Well," said professor grett, adjusting his bow tie and wiping a tinge of sweat from his brow. He was very thankful that Dr. Ozpin had stepped in when he did. "My theory… is that the creatures of grim were not always here." "Their physiology, their behavior, everything about them is so different from anything else that I wondered if they didn't originate somewhere else." "How could they exist in this world, I thought. They have no balance, nothing in existence that can match them." "I'd like to think that the hunters and huntresses we train here do a pretty good job" said Dr. Ozpin. "I am not arguing with you at all sir, they do a splendid job, but consider this?" "Humans were almost wiped out by these creatures once before, it was only when we found the dust did we manage to overcome them." "Your point being?" "Well, my point is that humans are not a natural balance for these creatures, we would easily be destroyed with the rest of the natural world on our own." "Could you imagine what would have happened if we had not found the dust?" "Indeed Dr., now tell us, if your theory were true, how would you propose we act on it." "Well, these creatures have to come from somewhere. They don't reproduce any way we are aware of, and no matter how many we slay, always more appear." "They overrun any area not walled off in a matter of days, hours sometimes, and we are finding new types of monster more and more." "What if they come from a separate place entirely… what if we can send them back and keep them from returning." "Could you imagine a world without these creatures?" "That is quite a theory Dr. Grett, but I'll ask again, what do you propose we do." "Well, I propose we form an elite team, one of seasoned hunters or huntresses, who also are skilled in science and analysis." "They will journey outside the settlements into the wilds for extended periods of time and study the creatures of grim, and the habitats they are in." their goal is to trace them back to wherever they come from and hopefully discover a way to stop them from coming at all." "Is there anyone you have in mind, Dr.?" asked Dr. Ozpin. "Wait; don't tell me that you're seriously considering his proposal?" "Even if he is right, what he is suggesting is impossible, no one can survive in the wilds for very long. The beasts hunt down people relentlessly. They would never make it past their first night." "I disagree, I think with the proper training and knowledge, you could survive out their indefinitely." "I agree with Dr. Grett" said Dr. Ozpin. "We shall assemble a team based on your parameters, come to my office later and we will schedule a time to discuss exactly the kinds of individuals you will require."

_3 Years Later_

The commander woke up as he always had for the past 2 years, groggy and a little sore. It was to be expected, he hadn't slept in a real bed that entire time, and no matter what you used or did to it, the backpacking pad that they used on these trips simply wasn't the same. That was to be expected though, the thing wasn't designed for comfort; it was designed to get you off the ground so you wouldn't freeze to death and to fulfill that function as cheaply as possible. As always, it was two hours before dawn, and as always, he really didn't want to get up. He had to though, sleeping any more was impossible for him, and if he was going to get up, he might as well be productive. After getting dressed, which is something of a challenge in such a small tent, he decided to take a look around the camp. It was a little hard to see as they never camped in the same place as they made their fire, it attracted too many monsters to it, and in spite of the fact that they guarded the camp in shifts, the more uneventful each evening, the better.

He said hello to Thomas, who had been on the last shift that night. "Mornin, Commander Cade. You're up early." It wasn't a surprise, his sleep patterns were well known and that phrase was a running joke. He gave the expected reply, "Yeah, just couldn't sleep for some reason." Thomas Cresh was the team's primary scientist and Grim expert. He was also an expert sniper. He typically had a humble, cheery personality that one would never expect from someone with his skill set and background. He liked sniping as it allowed him to study the enemy before killing them, and was capable of radical changes in mood and behavior depending on what was useful to him at the time. He could shut off his emotions or specific senses as easily as pressing the mute button on a remote. In many ways, his entire personality was adaptable; changing and shifting based on the need. He could be very energetic or aggressive, and moments later, very calm and almost robotic. That was his semblance actually, his aura ability. Known as focus, the ability was quite rare. It allowed him to focus on a single thing or point to the exclusion of all else. This made him an expert sniper and scientist as well, as he could learn a lot from something just by focusing on it. It also made him something of a sociopath. The other team members called him Mech for this reason and he'd taken to the name well, treating it as a compliment.

"Is anyone else up?" he asked Thomas. He had never been one for nicknames, and still thought of the man as Thomas, even if he liked to be called Mech. "Axeman and Werewolf are still asleep, Acrobat's busy finding a tree, and her partner Jade went with her to watch her back." Acrobat and Jade, aka Rachel and Sakuya, were the two female members of the team. Due to the high monster activity in whatever region they went, no one was allowed to do anything without their squad mate nearby in case of a monster attack, and that included using the restroom. While not exactly pleasant, it was an important safety rule that had saved each of their lives multiple times. They were in enemy territory, and while each of them was the equivalent of a small army, the area's they were in were usually teeming with monsters. An individual might do well against anything from two to twenty Monsters, depending on what type they were. They could not fight against hundreds, which would happen more often than not. As such, the team was comprised of 3 two man squads, with Thomas backing the team up as a long range sniper. Some of them had volunteered for this job on their own. Others had volunteered with their team mate; all had chosen to be here.

Rachel Sarn, named acrobat for her very aerodynamic fighting style, was the group expert at fighting groups of monsters. She specialized in taking down a large number of enemies, and would often let her partner handle fights in which she wasn't ridiculously outnumbered. Her semblance was one of the most powerful, if used correctly. Known as Gravitation, She could alter gravity's effect on any object, making it lighter or heavier as a result. She was very skilled at using her semblance in combat. Her partner, Sakuya Tachibana, was the team's resident botanist and dust expert. She volunteered for this team so that she could explore her own theories on the Grim's impact on the environment. She was named Jade for the fact that she is always dressed in a dark emerald green, and when Axman first met her, his first question was, "Are you Chinese?"

The two girls couldn't have been more opposite. Rachel was type A, incredibly skilled with a large streak of overconfidence and pride. She was very hard hearted and tough. A fighter, whose legacy at beacon had been beating the gym instructor in a push up contest. She had joined the team seeking a challenge, as she had come to think that her normal duties as a huntress were too boring for her. It was a running joke that the team had taken to calling her acrobat, as she thought it was something girly, and that was the last thing she wanted others to think of her. She had actually taken to punching the person who called her that during their first month as a team, though she had come to see the name differently. She still wasn't above punching people though, and complementing her beauty or trying to protect her was asking for a bruise. Other than that, she had a strong tendency to give everyone a nickname, and most of the team's codenames were started by her. Oh, and she wore camouflage like it was going out of style. Sakuya on the other hand was quite the opposite. Naturally timid and empathetic, she was primarily a scientist, not a fighter. She could be quite strong when she wanted to be, and could hold her own against the creatures of Grim; but was not one for unnecessary fighting. She was constantly amazed at the beauty of whatever place they went to, and would often stop to observe some plant or flower. She usually argued for whatever option didn't involve a big fight, with Rachel leading the other end of the argument usually. The girls had a tough time at first, but had come to understand, respect, and trust each other. They had even reached a point where they could be called friends, though their friendship was a rather professional one. They would always do separate things in between missions, missions which could run between several weeks, to several months in length.

The other two, Axeman and Werewolf, were the team medic and tracker respectively. Axeman, also known as David Grafton, or Dave, was young, barely in his 20's. The youngest member of the team, he was also the most lighthearted. He had a thing for constantly joking and talking, and only seemed to stop when stealth was a priority. He also had a thing for flirting with any female non-team member he came across. He used to flirt with Rachel and Sakuya, but Rachel beat him up on both counts, not to mention that the he got separate demerits from both commanders. In spite of the fact that he could be something of a clown, he did have a way of keeping everyone's spirits high and energizing the group. Most notably, he was the team's field medic and much of his pack was devoted to emergency medical supplies. There were few things he couldn't treat and fewer injuries he couldn't fix. He was named Axeman due to the massive, double bladed battle ax that he used in combat. I forgot to mention, he is also ridiculously strong.

Werewolf, formally known as Joshua Nightgate, was the team's resident tracker. He was named Werewolf for two distinct reasons. The first was because he was a wolf faunice, the second was because his semblance. It was a semblance unique to the faunice and quite rare even then. Called Animalism, it involved suppressing the more human aspects of his DNA, becoming the physical equivalent of, well, a Werewolf. There were subtle differences between him and Beowulf, which are the wolf like creatures of Grim. However, he was forbidden from using his semblance when there was a chance that the team could run into other hunter/huntress teams due to the possible confusion. His abilities as a faunice however made him an expert tracker and many decisions the team had made had been based solely on his assessment. He and his partner David were the best of friends, and Joshua often joined Dave in whatever joke or shenanigan he was playing.

"Where's Izuma". "Oh Sensei, he's just up the ridge. He hasn't gone far, trust me." Izuma Amaya was the co-leader of the team and Cade's partner. He had a habit of going off on his own, and while he was perhaps the best fighter of the team, even he could be overwhelmed. Plus, he never really seemed to act like a leader most of the time anyways, often breaking the same rule he had enforced only minutes ago. He had an obsession with some of the more ancient Asian traditions, specifically Bushido, and stanchly refused to wear heavy armor or carry a modern weapon. He wore no armor other than two heavily reinforced gauntlets and backpacking attire that he wore due to practicality. Any kind of ancient armor was not only a hindrance on a long trek, but would slow him down too much. As for his weapon of choice, he preferred to use a very old, heavily sharpened katana that was named _The Kagenoken_, or The Shadow Blade. The two of them had been team mates and friends since Beacon and he remembered the fuss that Izuma would cause whenever he would slay a monster or beat another student with little more than the katana and his own skill; coupled with his extreme physical conditioning. These days actually, he rarely had to draw the blade at all. His skill at hand to hand combat was good enough that he could wrestle and pummel most creatures into submission and the gauntlets ensured that he could do without breaking a hand. Rachel and Joshua had initially refused to take orders from him due to his combat ethics. He solved this by challenging them to a duel. His hands would be tied behind is back, and if either of them could land a blow, he would concede. They failed to even come within two feet.

"Ugh, did you tell him that I didn't want him wandering off like this anymore?" "Yeah…but he overruled me, it's not like I can order him." "Then stop him by force if you have to." "Pfft, yeah right. I would last a second. In fact, I doubt a hundred Ursa's could stop him, or even slow him down." Cade laughed at this, while Thomas had been exaggerating, he wasn't far off; Izuma had faced odds like that before. He did have one big weakness though, while he did have a semblance, his aura was of an unusual type that was unsuited to defense. He couldn't shield himself. He was an expert at attack, and at evading attack, but he had no defensive ability at all. While he rarely got hit, when he did, it would do a lot more damage to him than it would anyone else. If not for his speed, and his skill at evading attack and defeating the enemy quickly, he wouldn't last long against even a Beorbatusk. The one battle he could never fight was a battle of attrition. None of the other team members knew this however, and Cade himself was sworn to secrecy. He walked the short distance up the hill to where his partner was meditating. He was sitting, back to a tree, with his eyes closed, facing east. He would do this every morning until Cade came up to meet him. It wasn't anything spiritual or religious; it was a kind of mental discipline that had become essential for him over the years. He walked up, sat next to him and waited. Within a minute, Izuma opened his eyes and greeted him. The two of them talked for a while, about the past missions and contacts they had had with the creatures of Grim, about the next few missions and what they would entail, and finally, about each team member under their command and how they were doing, taking into account physical and mental health, strengths and weaknesses, and where each of them would be most effective for the inevitable battle that that day would bring.

They finished right before dawn and returned to find that most of the camp had been packed up. Each member of the team looked at them expectantly. "Alright, listen up" Cade hollered. "As you know, we have been in this region for almost a month." "One of our missions was to clear the forest of any monsters so that the science team could come in and examine the ruins here." "You have all done a splendid job, but our work is not finished yet." David spoke up, "But Sir, I thought we killed all the monsters in this forest" "We did, at least we killed or drove off all the ones we were aware of at the time." Cade replied. "What you don't know, is that Joshua spotted something new and unexpected during his scouting run a few days ago." All eyes were riveted on him now. "We got several images of it and Thomas confirmed that it is a Creature of Grim, and that it is unlike any Monster we are currently familiar with." After a few moments and some murmuring, Sakuya was the one to ask what everyone was thinking "Wait, that means it's a new type right, a new species of Monster." "Yes, that is correct. I just received our orders last night. Our mission is to capture the thing…without killing it." There was some moaning at this, killing a monster was far easier than subduing it. "Joshua will explain what he saw and where the beast is located." Joshua stood up and faced the group "Well, as best as I can tell it's essentially a large, black millipede about the size and length of a small train." "I was scouting a section of the forest near the craggy hills in the east when I heard what I thought were several packs of Beowulf's." "Those many footsteps turned out to be one massive creature." "If I had to guess its capabilities, I'd say the creature could be quite fast, probably has pincers up near the front, can use its feet like large spears, and is probably venomous." "That and its shell looks rather dense, it's probably harder to damage than your simple Deathstalker." "I followed it to a cave at the base of the hills, that'd probably be the best place to find it." "Alright," Cade began. "I want everyone with packs on and weapons stowed… we leave in 5 minutes." He needn't have said a thing, the team was already getting to work, and in less than 3 minutes, they were all ready to head out. "Joshua and David, you take the lead." And with that, they were on the move.


End file.
