A/N: a look into Ren's past.

Oscar was in his room, staring at a packed, green backpack on his bed before looking toward the window. His fingers tensed for a moment. Sometime soon passed once Oscar had put his backpack on and left as he was now walking along a dirt road away from the farm. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, then faces forward, adjusted the backpack and resumed walking, soon following a dirt road in a forest.

Ozpin: I'm sorry.

Oscar: You know ...the weirdest part is how it feels. Leaving home is crazy. Going to the city is crazy. Everything you've told me is completely crazy. But it doesn't feel crazy anymore. It feels like I'm doing the right thing.

Ozpin: Well ...I suppose that's good.

Oscar: No. It's scary.

Oscar lowered his head as he spoke, but then lifted his head up and looked nervously at the sky as thunder crackled in the distance. He quickened his pace down the road. He would eventually make it to a train station, where it would start storming, and Oscar hurried to the covered platform, holding his hands over his head. When he got there, he walked up to a large machine with a screen on it, which reads: "Welcome! Scan Lien to begin." He rested a Lien card against a scanner. The screen displays an error message that reads:

"ERROR Unable to complete request. REASON GIVEN: Insufficient Funds (Code: 726)"

Oscar: Stupid thing. I'm assuming whatever weird magic this is doesn't come with an infinite supply of money?

Ozpin: I'm afraid you'll have to solve this one on your own.

Oscar suddenly becomes more alert.

Oscar: Huh?

Ozpin: Be on your guard.

Oscar: What do you mean?

Hazel was soon seen walking toward Oscar.

Hazel: Here.

Oscar turned his attention to Hazel, who continued to approach him. Hazel stopped near the machine and raised up his fist. In response, Oscar flinched away and widened his eyes, uttering a small noise. Hazel then slammed his fist down on the machine, which beeped and made the sound of dispensing paper, while Oscar straightened up and stared. As Hazel moved his fist, the machine spat out a small ticket. While Hazel walked away, Oscar picked the ticket up and then looked at him. Hazel stopped and looked back at him.

Hazel: Don't let such a small obstacle block your path.

He resumed on his way, while Oscar watched.

Oscar: That man. I felt ...Who is he?

A train horn was heard in the distance.

Ozpin: Someone from my past. Someone who should not be taken lightly.

On the other side of the train tracks, a silver-gray train arrives. Its engine had glowing cyan markings, each in the form of two parallel lines with a series of evenly-spaced diagonal lines connecting them.

(With Jaune and Ruby).

A cracked signed bearing the name Kuroyuri rests against ruins of the dilapidated village. Ruby and Jaune walked down the road, carrying Qrow on a stretcher. They paused and looked around.

Jaune: Oh, man.

Ruby: Come on.

They continued forward.

Ruby: Any of these places look like a pharmacy?

Jaune: It's ...honestly hard to tell.

Among the ruins was an abandoned bicycle.

Ruby: Ren really didn't want to come here, did he?

Jaune: Uh ...didn't seem so.

Ruby: Do you know ...why?

Jaune: "sighs" I think I have a pretty good idea...

The two continued on.

(Flashback).

Within a miniscule puddle, A pretty waterlily in full bloom floated on an aqueduct in the town center of Kuroyuri. Ren, as a child, looked eagerly at it with a smile.

An Ren: Why, hello, little Lie. Are we trying to catch a fish?

Ren: I've found a flower on the water!

An: Oh, I see!

Ren rushed over to his mother.

Ren: Can we take it home and plant it in the garden?

An: Oh no, sweetheart, that flower lives here.

Ren looked down dejectedly and An rubbed his head.

An: But I'll tell you what you can do. Take this Lien and go find something nice for your father's return. He's been hunting for quite some time. I bet that the journey's been very tiring, don't you?

Ren toke it.

Ren: Yes.

An: Do you think you'll know what he wants?

Ren: I think... he wants a water flower in the garden!

An: Why did you have to inherit my sass?

She said with a small chuckle before giving her son a playful nudge on his bottom as Ren turned away on his new mission to find a gift for his father. He crossed the planks that served as a bridge over the aqueduct. An watched him go with a smile. Ren rushed up to a weapons stand.

Ren: What can I buy with this?

The Young Blacksmith chuckled.

Young Blacksmith: Well, something just your size.

He held up two wooden toy weapons. One was a sword, reminiscent of Crocea Mors and the other was a hammer reminiscent of Magnhild. Ren deflated in disappointment at being unable to buy a new weapon for his father. He next waited in line at a liquor merchant.

Ren: Sake, please.

The wine merchant gave him a bemused look, and with a sigh, shook his head in the negative. Ren groaned, a little frustrated. He walked through the open town before stopping to look in a bakery window. There were several treats, including slices of lemon meringue pie, frosted cupcakes, actual cakes with frosted waterlilies atop them, and a shelf of kitten-shaped bread. Ren was happily excited but turned when he heard a voice.

Tall Boy: Hey, get back here!

Ren looked around the corner of the bakery, following the sound of a group of kids laughing and mocking. Three boys stood in a semicircle around a dirty looking girl who was crouched on the ground and clutching a loaf of bread. It was Nora, but a much younger age of course.

Tall Boy: Where'd you get that bread? I didn't see you pay for it, thief!

Short Boy: No, look, it's all moldy!

Tall Boy: I think she got it from the trash!

Medium Boy: Lemme see!

He said as he reached out, only for Nora bite his finger before he could touch the bread.

Medium Boy: Ah! She bit me!

Tall Boy looked at Medium Boy's hand in horror before Medium Boy pushed Nora backward onto the ground. Nora whimpered for a second but got up and grabbed her bread off the ground. She took a few more steps back before crouching away again.

Short Boy: Where'd she come from?

Ren watched, taking a few uncertain steps forward.

Short Boy: She's dressed all weird!

Tall Boy: I bet she's abandoned! Like a dog or something!

Medium Boy: Does that mean I have rabies?

All three chuckle meanly. Nora saw Ren getting closer and looked at him with big, blinking eyes. The bullies saw her focus has changed to behind them and they turned to look. Ren panicked at having their focus and he turned to run, only to immediately bump into the legs of his father, Li Ren. He fell back and looked up at him.

Ren: Father?

Li: What is happening here?

The three bullies panicked and looked around, uncertain whether to run yet. Nora, however, saw this as her opening and took off with her bread. After a beat the bullies decided to run, too.

Li: Do you wish to run with the rest of them?

He said while looking at Ren, who stood upright, but lowered his face in response.

Li put his hand on his son's shoulder and lowered to one knee.

Li: Sometimes the worst action to take... is taking no action at all. Go home. I need to speak with the mayor.

As Li left, Ren watched briefly before turning away thoughtfully.

(End of Flashback).

Jaune walked up to Ruby in the ruins of Kuroyuri. Both are looking dejected.

Jaune: Nothing.

Ruby: We should get back to Qrow.

Qrow leaned against a dead sakura tree, groaning. Though not conscious, he held a hand over his wound. Ruby crouched near his legs and Jaune stood over them both. However, the sound of a creature making a loud noise was heard from off in the distance, causing both Ruby and Jaune to turn. Jaune's hand immediately went to his sword and looked around for the source of the noise.

Ruby: It's far off.

Jaune: I know, but Ren and Nora are still out there.

Ruby looks at Qrow before standing and approaching Jaune.

Ruby: I'm sorry.

Jaune: Huh?

He turned around to face her, though she was not looking up.

Ruby: This is all my fault. I should have never dragged you guys into this.

Jaune: You didn't drag us in. We wanted to come.

Ruby: But you didn't know about Tyrian, about.........

Jaune: Ruby. We lost ...We lost Pyrrha. You lost her, too. And Penny, and your team, and in a way... your sister. But you're still here, despite everything you've lost, everything you could still lose, you chose to come out here.

Ruby turned to face Jaune, and became emotional as he continued.

Jaune: Because you felt like you could make a difference.

She lifted her head and looked at him.

Jaune: You didn't drag us along. You gave us the courage to follow you.

He put his hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him, grateful, and he smiled back.

(Another Flashback again).

Young Ren was sleeping until the sound of Grimm woke him up.

An: Lie, get up. We have to go.

Ren: Mother?

An grabbed his arm and pulled him up.

An: Now, right now, okay? Let's go!

In the kitchen beyond Ren's bedroom, the outer door burst inward as a heavily-breathing Li entered.

An: Li!

Li: An, what are you doing?! We need to hurry!

An: We can go to the safehouse!

Li: No. I saw the beast. We need a Huntsman. And you two need to leave.

An: What?

The creature sounds, loud and ominous, caused all three to look up at the ceiling and walls in alarm.

Ren: Mother?

An got down to her knees to make eye contact with Ren.

An: It's OK, darling. Everything's OK.

The roof broke above her head and everything went black with the sounds of crashing and a faint screams being heard. They were soon followed by the muffled screams of many and loud footsteps accompanied by Li's heavy breathing. Ren came to gradually, held by his running father. Bits of flaming sparked speckle the air.

Ren: Father? What ...Where's Mother?

Li was bleeding profusely from above his left eye. A woman nearby screams.

Ren: What's going on?! Where is Mother?

Villagers ran in a panic, and black specks of ash floated with the sparks. A rumble caused the ground to shake and Li fell, dropping Ren and landing on his back.

Ren: Father!

Everyone ran past them as Li pushed himself up slightly.

Li: Lie, you have to run.

Ren: No. Don't. Please. Get up!

He looked up when he heard the Grimm roaring again. Behind them, people ran while slowing flowed by the silhouetted image in a cloud of smoke. It was a Nuckelavee Grimm, a horse-shaped creature with a human torso growing out if its back.

Li: Listen to me, son. You have to be brave now. Do you understand?

Ren: No, please. Please, I can't!

Li withdrew a knife from its sheath on his hip.

Li: Yes, you can!

He put the knife in Ren's hand and pushed him away before falling back with a groan. Ren looked at the knife.

Li: Take action, son.

Getting to his feet, Li looked down at his son.

Li: Your mother and I love you.

Ren gripped the knife tighter and fighting tears.

Ren: Father...

The Nuckelavee stomped on the ground behind them. Li turned and readied his bow.

Li: Go!

He notched an arrow and pulled it back. He shouted at his son one more time as he released the arrow.

Li: Run!

Ren ran and Li lets loose arrow after arrow at the towering Grimm. Under an arch and jumping sideways down to a landing beside some steps, Ren crouched, panicking. The cries of Nevermores overhead caused him to look up. He heard sobbing from across the way and discovered Nora crouching beneath a building. A Nevermore flapped loudly and landed on the roof of a building near to the girl. It let out a loud, dangerous cry. The Nuckelavee stomped through the center of town releasing its own roar. Ren realized that his father was now dead and cried. Behind him, the waterlily for the aqueduct floated untarnished. There was another Nevermore cry as Ren continued to sob. He stilled and Aura shimmered over him, graying out his appearance. Ren let out a calm breath as color returned. He soon ran toward Nora, and he moved under the building to where she was.

Ren: Hey!

He said as he placed a hand on her shoulder, causing Nora to gasp but calmed when she saw that she was found by anything intending her harm.

Ren: We have to be brave.

The Nevermore cried above them, leaning down its head closer to the ground. Nora whimpered and then threw her arms around Ren. His eyes and arms go wide before he accepted in. Putting his arms around her the shimmer happened again and both of them lose the color vivacity in their appearance. The Nevermore was now dangerously close to where the two children crouched, turned its head and let out a confused cry. Smoke rose from its body as it turned and cried again before launching into the air. Color returned to the two children and the sounds of heavy steps were nearby. Ren watched the Nuckelavee come closer. Nora turned and together they watch and waited as it paused next to where they hid before moving on.

Nora: I'm scared...

Ren: Me, too.

Ren then noticed a wooden hammer on the ground. He moved to retrieve it but Nora clutched his arm, afraid.

Ren: It's OK.

With another whimper, Nora let him go and watched with big eyes as he moved away. Ren grabbed the wooden hammer and returned to her.

Ren: We'll keep each other safe.

He offered her the hammer. She looked down at it, clearly emotional before she took it from him.

Ren: What's your name?

Nora: Nora.

Ren: My name's Lie Ren.

He smiled at her, blinking.

(End of Flashback again).

Wind blew with the whistling note of high altitude as Ren walked a stony ledge. Before him was more of the mountain, with a cave just ahead.

Ren: We never get the easy path, do we?

She put her hands behind her head.

Nora: Easy's no fun anyway.

She dropped her hands and turned to him.

Nora: You OK?

Ren nodded in response.

Ren: Mmm. And you?

Nora: I've got you here, don't I?

Ren looked at her as if he didn't know what to make of her response.

Nora: Come on. There's more than one way up a mountain.

Ren watches her for a beat before smiling. Thunder rumbles and Ren loses the smile, turning to look up at the sky.

Nora: Hey! There's wind blowing out of this cave!

Shown from inside the cave, Ren caught up to Nora. Leaves blew outward toward them.

Nora: Think it might lead to the peak?

Ren: I suppose there's only one way to find ou.......

He cut off as a large piece of fabric abruptly blew out from the cave and covers his face. Nora giggled, covering her mouth with her hands, as Ren freed himself.

Ren: Yes, yes. Very funny.

He looked down at the marked fabric in his hands and went still. Nora lowered her hands and stepped closer.

Nora: Hey, what's wrong?

Ren: This is the symbol for Shion Village.

Nora: Shion? But that's... that's the village where we found the Huntsman. It's weeks away from here!

Ren dropped the fabric and ran into the cave.

Nora: Ren! Wait!

Ren stopped once he was far enough into the cave to had a good look at what's there. Nora caught up to him and became alarmed at what she saw.

Nora: Oh my gosh...

In the spacious area, weapons speckle every place you could look. Swords, axes and staffs were all either propped up or on the ground. Ren moved in and picked up an arrow. He studied it while Nora approached just behind him. As she looked, he also saw what's on the ground: the Nuckelavee hoofprint. It was pointed toward another opening on the opposite end of the cave. Several trees were outside the opening, just below. One at a time, moving away from the cave where Ren could be soon looking out, the trees shake.

Ren: No...

Before the two of them were the shaking trees and the abandoned village of Kuroyuri. Nora took his hand and he returned the grip before the sound of Nuckelavee's roar was heard once more.

A/N: then comes a Grimm that's the stuff of nightmares.