Chapter 14: Merlot's MasterplanAccomplished? Self-Surpassing Power Unleashed!

You and Raven sprint after the green Grimm that flee the scene. You have no idea if they'll lead you to anything serious, but it's the only clue you have. These Grimm are clearly different, so perhaps they'll lead you back to their nest or breeding ground. In truth, you could just fly or run faster and catch up but that would leave Raven behind. Besides, she's clearly furious at the Grimm. You have to admire her love of life, that she wants to avenge all humanity, even if they're bandits. She's a standout Huntress, no doubt.

"I believe they're slowing down," Raven calmly remarks.

"Wonder why," you reply. "We're still in the middle of the forest."

"We'll observe, just to be safe. Then we'll execute them."

"Jeez," you pout. "What a way to say it."

Raven leaps into a tree and uses them for cover and traversal.

"Hey!" You complain, quickly hopping into a different tree and mimicking her. "Man, this is a lot weirder without my tail," you jump from branch to branch, really wishing you could swing yourself with an invisible limb. You and Raven stop in the same tree, spotting a ruin ahead with large and small clear boxes that... hold Grimm. The green Grimm circle around them, either wanting to attack or taunting their captured siblings. The Grimm captured range from some Creeps and Beowolves to King Taijitu.

"You ever seen something like this?"

Raven remains silent, taking in all the information she can. There's more Grimm here than she assumed. Green Beowolves, Ursai, Creeps, Boarbatusks, and even a significantly large King Taijitu. All the Grimm outside the cages share a green tint replacing the red, and some even have green crystals protruding out of them. You shiver at the sight as you readjust on the branch.

"What do you think?"

"The boxes," Raven notes. "I know that symbol. I believe we have our lead."

"Oh, cool. So can we smack these Grimm now?"

Raven grabs her weapon and begins to unsheathe it. "Yes..."

"Sweet!" You instantly disappear, giving Raven pause.

"What the?"

You appear beside one of the Beowolves and drive your foot right through its head. It disappears into dust as you land beside it. You stretch your neck and crack your knuckles. "Okay, Grimm killing. Haven't done this in a bit... I mean, I did it earlier but, ah whatever."

The King Taijitu slithers towards you, knocking other Grimm out of the way. It stops before you, both heads slithering around you.

"You're pretty big," you lift your hand and release a small yellow blast that collides with its base and pushes it far into the air, giving you and Raven a small show as it gets smaller and smaller. "And now you're not. Hey," you turn to the trees. "You're helping, right?"

Raven burst out from the trees and cuts through an Ursa, killing it as quickly as you and the Beowolf. "We'll kill them all."

"Got it," you look back to the Grimm and smile.

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"Well now," an aged man remarks as he watches the video feed. "So this is who Dr. Gero mentioned," he rubs his beard with a wide grin. Even as his creations are cut down, beat down, or blasted into oblivion, his smile grows each second. "You are the key to making my Grimm unstoppable. But first..." The man inputs commands into his console. "I should relay this information to Gero. I'm sure he'd be interested."

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Dr. Gero is alone, the only source of light being from his dozen monitors all playing different clips of your battle with the Saiyans. The beam struggle, the one-on-one, the group battle, everything that could be analyzed is being analyzed. Not only is he doing it for his own sake, but it's also part of his deal with Dr. Wheelo. His expertise in robotics and bio-engineering is imperative for Gero's android project. If they work together, Atlas could be the founder of the most powerful and effective defenders of Remnant.

One of the monitors changes its display, immediately grasping Gero's attention. A picture of an old man with bushy white eyebrows, a large moustache, and beard along with a full head of silver hair. Gero's almost annoyed at the man's left eye, glowing completely red. He clicks the monitor and continues his work. "What would you like, Merlot?"

"Is this your friend?" Merlot's confident voice asks as he transmits his camera feed.

Gero observes you and Raven swiftly dealing with a hoard of Merlot's Mutated Grimm. "That is the Saiyan, yes."

"The Saiyan, hm... you spoke of acquiring data on him, no?"

"I did not believe you would have a run in with him," Gero leans back in his chair and ponders this recent development. "What do you want, Merlot?"

"Nothing at all, at least for the moment. But working together brings wonders, does it not? Remember the times with Wheelo and Briefs?"

"Of course. In fact... I'm sending something to you, Merlot. Set it up where ever you like, but have the Saiyan be in the room."

Gero can almost hear Merlot's skin shift into a smirk. "Of course, old chum. Anything for a friend."

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Raven obliterates the final Grimm with a flurry of nearly invisible strikes. Well, not invisible to you but just generally very fast. The Grimm disappears into dust, leaving only the Grimm inside the cages. You cross your arms and tilt your head.

"So, you know what this symbol is?"

Raven slowly sheathes her blade and approaches the box, not even acknowledging the Grimm inside, clawing at the box to try and tear out your necks. She drags her fingers down the box and squints.

"Merlot... he used to be Vale's resident scientist."

"Oh, so there's nothing to worry about!"

"No, idiot," Raven scolds. "He was driven out for unethical practices."

"Oh," you chuckle. "Okay, so something to worry about. He was in Vale... think he'd still be in that area?"

"I'm not sure," Raven slowly shakes her head. "He was last situated in Mt. Glenn... his building should still be intact. That's our best lead."

"That's a continent over," you remark. "Alright, lets deal with these Grimm and head over," you raise your hand and release a beam at the cage in front of you, destroying the Grimm inside. You repeat this process with every box, amazing Raven once more.

"Is that your Semblance?" She inquires.

You keep your hand out as you blink a few times. "Uh... nah, not really. I don't have a Semblance," you end with a contagious smile. "Anyway, give me your hand. I'll fly us over."

"Fly?"

"Yeah," you nod. "How do you think I get around?"

Raven can't help but be skeptical at your abilities. Even seeing you in battle – your strength, speed, glowing attacks, and now flight, it's all so much for one person.

"Anyway, how would you want to do it? Ride me?"

"Excuse me?" She crosses her arms.

"What? I go flat and you sit on my back. I could carry you or something. It's all up to you," your feet levitate off the ground as you lift off. You offer your hand to her with a wide smile. "No time to waste, right? Let's find Merlot and figure out what's going on!"

"You're a strange man."

You pout. "That's not nice. Be careful what you say, I might drop you," your smirk becomes more devious.

Raven steps back, even more suspicious of you. With a roll of your eyes, you swoop around her and lift her up by her armpits.

"Hey!" She screams as you ascend into the air. "Whoa, whoa, hold on! Flying isn't-"

"Calm down," you toss her up and fly under so she lands on your back. "We'll be... oh, wait! Nimbus!" You shout.

"Nimbus?"

Your fluffy yellow friend soars to your side and hovers. "Hey, buddy! I got a passenger for you!" You bump your body and bounce Raven onto the Nimbus.

At least, that's what you hoped. Raven falls right through the cloud and back towards the earth below.

"Oh, snap!" You burst down and grab Raven's hand.

"Are you trying to kill me?" She screams.

"No, I guess I just thought you had a pure heart. Ah well," you shrug. "Looks like I'm carrying you."

"Fine! Whatever! Better than falling!"

You snicker before looking up at your friend. "Sorry, Nimbus, I don't need you right now. Maybe later!"

The cloud acknowledges you and flies away. You hold Raven tight and return her to your back. "Alright, let's go!"

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Raven reluctantly holds on tight the entire flight, even as you approach the dreary city of Mt. Glenn. You can see various species of Grimm skulking around the abandoned city.

"Wow, this place sucks," you bluntly observe. "What happened here?"

"An expansion of Vale... the Grimm clearly didn't like that."

"That's... short and sweet," you cheerfully respond. "Okay, which one is Merlot's building?" You look to the taller ones.

"That one! You recognize the symbol?" She points at a building close to the center.

"Right, I'll bring us to the front," you speak as you fly yourself and Raven into the city. "Maybe I'll come back here later and clear out some of these Grimm."

"There's no point," Raven shakes her head at your pathetic optimism. "People have tried... the Grimm always come back."

"Weird, huh?" You chuckle, lowering yourself to the building's front. "Guess it won't matter until we stop them at the source," you land, allowing Raven to let go of you.

She takes a few steps away and brushes off her clothes. "Many have tried. All have died."

"Creepy," you shiver. "Well, let's go into this abandoned building."

"You're absolutely tone deaf," the woman shakes her head. "Let me lead."

"Alright, I got your back," you let her go in front of you then squint your eyes to spot any threat.

As you enter the building you can only imagine what it was like in its prime. The massive room has mold and dust all over, chairs have been ripped to shreds, desks are split, columns are cracked. Anything that was beautiful is now aging and rusted.

"Think the elevator works?"

"Who cares? You can fly."

"Just making conversation," you cross your arms and saunter around. "So where are we trying to go? Top floor? That's usually where the big boss boy is, right?"

"Big boss..." Raven sighs. "We're looking for research stations," Raven drags her fingers along the desk then kneels to the drawers. "Look for a directory. We need to know what floor is what."

"Okay, that sounds easy."

You fly into the air and reach the slightly elevated floor with more desk, sitting space, doorways, and elevators. You rest your hands behind your head and explore the immediate area.

"No directories... guess they'd have no power... or got smashed. Wonder if one was... hey," you stop between the two elevators where there are two small corners of a poster. "This could've been a directory. Hm..." You lean back and forth, looking around the area. "Hey, you think people made their way into this building before?" You shout.

"Maybe, why?" Raven stands up and approaches another desk.

"Well... if people died here then you'd think there'd be some bodies and stuff. Do the Grimm collect bones?"

Raven pauses her train of thought. "That's... true." She stands up once more an looks around. "Scavengers wouldn't bother with bones... Grimm wouldn't touch them... this place has been cleaned..." Raven takes a deep breath and ponders this. "Is Merlot still in the building?"

"I don't think so," you shake your head and approach the far door. "I can't sense anyone other than us."

"You can sense people?"

"I can sense a lot of things," you knock on the door only for it to fall right off its hinges and fill the entire room with a loud crash. "Hm... Even my hut was sturdier... Did you find anything?"

"No," Raven shakes her head, visible to you as she ascends the short flight of stairs. "That means we do this the hard way."

"Floor by floor?" You ask, to which she nods. "Alright, I'll start with the top and work my way down. What exactly should I be looking for?"

"Research notes, computers, maybe even Grimm samples. Anything that will give us a clue as to where Merlot is and what these Grimm are."

You cross your arms and frown. "Man, this is gonna take a while," you hop into the air and glide towards the entrance. "Alright, I'll head up. Give me a signal if you find anything," you place your hand on the front door.

"Very well," Raven responds while entering the stairwell. "You do the same."

"Got it!"

You push open the door and immediately fly straight up. Reaching the top of the building takes no more than a second, finding a section of shattered glass takes a mere moment. You fly into the top floor where a large desk in quite good condition sits. The chair and even some décor still complete the setup. Bookcases along the sides, pictures of different individuals, everything that would be in a CEO's office. You start scanning the area, examining all the pictures along the walls. They're of an older man with a full head of white hair along with a fairly clean beard and moustache combo.

"Wonder if that's Merlot," you cross your arms and click your tongue. "Do people usually have pictures of themselves? I get family photos or something but... wait," you stop beside the desk as you recognize a person in the small photo. You grab it and examine further, confirming your suspicion. "Is that... Dr. Gero and Dr. Briefs?" The picture is of four scientists, all sharing a typical scientist coat that seems to come with a bright white smile. Each looks happy at... something. Unfortunately, some of the photo appears to be burned so their project, if there was one, can't be identified. "I wonder if those two know anything about him... maybe he's in Atlas. I should grab this, just in case."

You flip the frame over and completely pull it off, allowing you to snatch the picture without issue. You fold it a few times then stash it in your sash.

"Oh yeah, forgot I had a senzu bean," you happily remark, patting your sash. "Okay, I should check the desk and bookshelves for anything before I continue on. Man," you puff your cheeks and cross your arms. "Investigating sure is tough."

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Raven reaches the fifth floor, ignoring pointless PR rooms and yet another floor of waiting rooms. She's more than capable of gathering what will be on a floor by examining the first few rooms. Raven stops in front of the door and sighs. Her emotions are all over the place right now. Merlot's monsters attacking and killing the clan she was the leader of, people who looked up to her, and now she's stuck with you... someone who's bringing back memories of her daughter. It's not like Raven can cut and run. Not only do you both have the common interest of taking down Merlot, but your showings of abilities clearly surpass hers in nearly every regard. There's no way she could get away from you.

"I have no choice but to cross that bridge when I reach it," she finally says aloud. "He hasn't figured it out yet... so I can still leave after we finish this bastard," Raven pushes open the door and starts looking around. "Wish I could fly..."

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"Man, I'm no detective," you open a door around the middle of the building. "Or maybe there's just nothing to find... well, I didn't know that computer password, but, well, maybe Raven will know. Where is Raven?" You stop and look back down the dirty white corridor to the door you came from. "I thought she'd be faster than me..." You close your eyes for a moment. "No, she's still here... really far down. Is she in a basement?" You ponder. "I should check up on her. Basements always hold nefarious things, according to Blake and Ruby's books. Now that I think of it," you open your palm and fire a small, yellow blast that makes a human-sized hole all the way down. "Blake's stories always have weird things in the basements."

Your hair and Gi flow as gravity pulls you faster and faster towards the ground floor. Little flashes of each floor are barely recognized by your brain, all of them blending together due to their similar colour schemes. You finally reach the main floor which gives you a momentary sense of calming before landing.

"Farther down? What how'd she get there?"

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Raven stops in the middle of her next room, becoming suspicious at how clean this one is compared to the others. The room is a spotless white with an observation room on the at the other end. On either side of her are tubes that would've held subjects.

"Merlot has been here recently... what have you been doing, you sick bastard."

"That's quite rude, Miss," Merlot's voice coyly. "Is that how you address an old friend?"

Raven quickly slams her hand on her sheathe and readies for battle.

"So you are here. Tell me, were those monsters your doing?"

"My beautiful creations? Of course, though 'monsters' is such a negative way to address them."

"It's the only real way to address them," she retorts, continuing to turn in case something attacks.

"Oh, Raven, you should not be so negative. Why not meet them?"

"I'd rather not."

"Well... you can either meet them... or..." The two exists lockdown with five layers of doors faster than Raven can react. Moments later, a faint sound of gas catches the woman's ear. "You can run out of oxygen." One of the tubes open for Raven, presenting her the choice. "What do you say?"

Raven sneers at her options. She immediately jumps between the two doors, delivering powerful slashes at them to no avail. She slides across the ground and tries cutting through the ceiling and floor. Both lead to nothing.

"There are only two options, dear. Choose wisely."

Raven grinds her teeth as she examines the room. She might be able to find a way out of the room if there wasn't a risk of her suffocating. Raven relaxes her body and tightens her fist. "Damn..."

The woman slowly enters the tube and turns around for the transportation. The tube closes and almost instantly drops her down a massive shaft. She tightens her muscles and waits as she molds to Merlot's plan. Within ten seconds she's dropped into a large, open room with varied levels of terrain. It's clearly a testing zone for different types of Grimm, considering the few trees, bushes, sand patches, and even a corner of snow. Raven flips forward and nails the landing, keeping herself safe. She stands up straight and examines the new situation that she's chosen.

"Fantastic... How do I get out of here?"

"You don't, my dear," Merlot's voice echoes through the large room. "You wished to see my lovely children? Hm? Well... let me introduce you to one of my most precious darlings."

The mechanisms in the wall click before slowly opening up, stealing Raven's attention. The recognizable crackles of a Deathstalker fill her ears and signal her brain.

"What a nui..." Raven takes a few steps as a green glow quickly bursts out of the darkness. It's bigger than any Deathstalker Raven has seen in the past. Like the others, any red the Grimm once had is now green, along with its stinger which is glowing brightest of all. It also has a few extra shining green crystals along the back of its hide.

"Have fun."

Raven hops back and spins her sword around. "A bigger, stronger Grimm. It can die like any other!"

The Deathstalker slams its pincer down on Raven's position, the woman barely rolling out of the way.

"It's fast!"

Raven bounces back and forth, zig-zagging away from the massive stinger. She leaps higher up, reaching the high ground and forcing the Deathstalker to momentarily yield. It whips its stinger back and throws it forward, releasing a wave of green liquid that casts shadows. Raven quickly doubles to the side, avoiding the green substance that melts through the terrain.

"Acidic?" Raven rolls on her shoulder and grinds to a halt. "Can't let that hit me." She dashes forward and slashes at its pincer, quickly hopping over it and cutting away at its hide. On the fifth slice, her blade cracks under the pressure, unable to stay strong against such a strong exterior. Her black blade shatters into bits, leaving the Huntress momentarily shocked. With her feet landing beside its opposite pincer, she quickly jumps back to inspect the damage.

"Nothing?" Raven lands and returns the hilt to her sheath only to pull out a different coloured one. "I'll use something even stronger!"

The Deathstalker wriggles forward, swinging both its pincers and stcinger. Raven weaves away from five attacks with a certain strained grace that only she could pull off. It's clear that the Grimm has nearly all aspects enhanced, including its speed. That means Raven will just have to be faster. As her boot skids across the dirt, she sheathes her blade. There's a second of pause, of concentration, before she bursts forward, knocking small bits of dust and rock out from under her. She dashes past the Deathstalker while attempting to cut through its body. She slides to a halt on the other side then jumps, flipping around so she has a view of her opponent while also getting some distance.

Upon landing, she notices her yellow blade has cracked and the sound of the creature's many legs start to move.

"This thing..." She grinds her teeth. "There has to be a weak point. The eyes can normally be hurt but..." Raven sheathes her blade and brings out a fresh blade. "This won't be quite so easy."

Raven flips to avoid the stinger's attack then jumps forward to land on the hide. Instead of needlessly attacking, she pinpoints any vulnerable points the Grimm may have. With only seconds to accomplish her goal, Raven quickly leaps off the beast and into the air. It spots her and uses the only ranged attack it has. With a flick of the stinger, it throws a wave of acidic liquid at the woman. With no other options, she slashes at the substance to try and split it. Her sword melts on contact, leaving her wide open for the goo. Raven hastily brings out a new blade and uses it to springboard away. The Deathstalker keeps its focus on the woman, approaching her potential landing point. Its stinger starts moving again, this time throwing out glowing green spikes instead of acid. Raven holds her blade in front of her to block a few attacks, but the overwhelming amount of spikes takes a toll on her Aura. She's forced to the ground with the rest of the spikes, taking a moment to catch her breath.

"It's using its stinger for attacks... if I can destroy that then I'll have the advantage."

Raven stays on the ground with her blade in hand. The Grimm slowly comes upon her, knocking over some of the trees making up the environment. The stinger lifts up before coming down as fast as possible. Raven, hearing that, quickly pushes off the ground and twirls in the air. The stinger plunges into the ground, releasing a shockwave pushes her back a few feet, but Raven's agile enough to land and attack instantly with her strongest blade. The Deathstalker attempts to pull its stinger out of the ground, but its too far down. Raven's given enough time to cut the base of the stinger. With her strongest sword and the weakest point, Raven manages to cut the limb off in one slice. She spins around and slides along the ground, watching the Deathstalker wail in pain.

As Raven begins to plan a second attack a small part of the ceiling is pushed out of the way by a body. You fly out and hover in the air, spotting Raven and the green Deathstalker.

"Oh, there you are," you wave before soaring down and landing beside her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she nods. "Just dealing with this thing," she then tilts her head towards it.

"Oh... he's big. Was that his stinger? Shiny," you crack your neck. "Alright, let's finish this thing." You slide your legs to the side and slam your palms together, fingers spread. "Let's take you down!"

"It's hide is tough!" Raven readies herself.

"Then I'll break it and you cut it in half."

You release a flurry coordinated small blasts that batter on the Grimm's hide. The Deathstalker squirms in place upon all the damage it's receiving from your attacks. Raven watches as the armour cracks, as its soft black skin is unraveled. You pull your hands to your sides and glide forward.

"I go down, you go up!" You shout back at your ally.

Raven isn't sure what that entails, but she keeps vigilant to fulfill your plan.

You fly right in front of the Grimm, meeting its beady eyes. You slam your fist right under its eyes and send the beast spinning upwards. You fly around it, hovering near the ceiling, and release even more small blasts at it. Raven realizes you're now above the beast while you're breaking its armour even further. You set your hands aside one last time and plummet down.

"Raven!"

The woman leaps under the beast then grabs her blade. She bends her legs and springs herself up with all the power she can muster while you're simultaneously ready to punch it. Your two attacks connect at the same time, Raven's cutting through the beast while your fist breaks the two halves apart. The massive green Grimm dissipates into dust as soon as it's torn in two. You and Raven land next to each other, triumphant.

"That was cool," you roll your shoulders. "I coulda taken him, though." Raven stares you down with a clearly unamused face. You step back and sigh. "Alright, fine. So, I didn't really find anything. Well, I did, but it was whatever."

"Other than this," Raven gestures around her. "I also spoke with Merlot."

"So you got some answers," you say with wide, bright eyes.

Raven crosses her arms and huffs. "No. You said you found something?"

You pull out the photo from your sash and hand it to her. "Found this. I know a few of those people, so..."

"That's Merlot," Raven points him out. "And the rest of them..."

"That's Gero and Briefs," you point. "We could ask them about Merlot."

Raven adjusts her sheath and takes three steps away. She'd rather not go to Atlas, all things considered. There's no way Merlot is actually there so there's no reason for her to go. Raven turns around with a new plan in mind.

"You go to Atlas and ask around. I'll stay here and see if there's anything else I can find," Raven ends with a smile while flicking the picture back at you.

"Sounds like a plan," you catch the evidence. "I can be there and back really quick. Take care, alright!" You begin lifting into the air and wave. "Don't want my partner to get hurt! Oh! Here," you fish around your sash and pull out a small green bean then toss it at her. Raven catches and examines the object. "It's a senzu bean. It'll get you back to tip-top shape! So if you're in trouble then eat it! Alright, I'm going now!" You turn around and fly right out of the room, causing another hole in the ceiling.

Raven looks around for another exit. "Alright, Merlot, what's down here."

"Come and find out," his devious voice echoes.

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You soar under the clouds, passing by a few transport and military ships. It's always fun to see people in shock when they see you twirling and spinning – just having a good time while flying. This little adventure has been fun, save for the people who were killed.

"This must be what it's like to be a Huntsman! You just find a whole mess of situations and try to solve them all! I wish I had known it would be this fun!" You twirl around once more with a wide smile on your face. "I hope the doctors aren't busy. I'd hate to cut in on their time."

With the wind whipping your body, you quickly approach Atlas territory. Not only does the sun grow darker, but the increase in their ships makes it all too clear that you're there. You just hope they don't see you as a threat. You're just a simple alien boy trying to ask one of their scientists about another scientist who's mutating Grimm. A simple thing, really. You finally come into view of the city that held you captive for a time. At least you know exactly where to go.

You hear a soft sound in the distance that's definitely out of the ordinary. You look down at a small structure with smoke flowing out. "WHOA!" You spin around to avoid a hail of bullets. "That's mean!" You spot and shake your fist. "I'm just- GAH!" You fly left then curve up to avoid the now two guns firing at you. "I guess I should've seen this coming."

You loop around and make a b-line for your target building. There's no way the bullets can catch up with you when you actually try to move. In seconds, you fly over the city and reach the building with no issues. You land in one of their docking bays and slide to a halt, dirtying the once pristine floor.

"Cool, I made it. Now... which floor were the doctors on?" You raise your hand to your chin while you saunter forward.

Of course, nothing is ever that simple. The light goes off while red ones flicker in accordance the alarm going off. "Oh, that sucks," the doors open up for a flood of soldiers both human and robotic. They all surround you with their guns trained on your body, ready to shoot. You twist your mouth to the side in a weak response to the situation.

"Put your hands up!" A soldier shouts.

"No."

There's a moment of confusion from the soldiers. "W-What?"

"No," you shake your head. "I just wanna talk with Dr. Gero and Briefs... if they're free. I can wait, though."

The soldiers look amongst each other, surprised at how apathetic you are in this situation. Murmurs and uncertainty spread through the soldiers as you casually stand before them. "So... can I seem them?"

"No," a commanding voice responds. The soldiers separate to allow James Ironwood to approach without intrusion. "You should have made an appointment."

"I can do that?" You shake your head and chuckle. "I didn't know that. Could I do it now?"

The General sighs, looking down at the floor as he shakes his head. "You... you broke into Atlas territory."

"Did I?" You shrug and leave your hands out. "I just landed in a spot and went about my business."

"He's not wrong, boss."

Ironwood pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. "Why do you need to see them?"

"I'm looking for Dr. Merlot and I think those two might know something."

"Merlot..." Ironwood adjusts his collar. "I see. Haven't heard that name in some time. Why do you want him?"

"I think he's been making some weird, tough green Grimm."

"Green Grimm?" Ironwood scratches his neck. "We have gotten reports of them. Problematic... very well, better you than a platoon. Weapons down," all his soldiers immediately follow the order and stand down. "Come, I'll bring you to Dr. Briefs."

"Is Gero there too?"

"Unfortunately not. He's doing field research for... an important project," the General quickly dismisses. "However, realizing Dr. Merlot is behind these new Grimm is disturbing. I also hope our doctor has the answers."

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Dr. Briefs steps out of a large circular construct. He lights his cigarette and admires in his creation. The entire room is filled with electronics and part dedicated to this endeavor.

"Nearly done..."

Behind him, the door opens for you and Ironwood. "Doctor! I see you're working on your pet project," Ironwood remarks while you both enter.

You take in the large object in the room. It's a few stories tall with small, retractable legs and a ramp. It's completely white with only three windows to peer out or in from.

"You need more windows."

"Perhaps," Briefs nods. "Do you need anything?" He pets his cat's head for a moment.

"You know Dr. Merlot?" You ask, stepping ahead of the General and handing Briefs the picture.

"My, my, I haven't seen this photo in years," Dr. Briefs rubs his chin in content. "How we've gone our separate ways... why do you ask?"

"Well, I'm looking for Merlot," you cross your arms while still keeping a chipper attitude. "I was wondering if you knew where he was?"

Dr. Briefs wipes his forehead as he exhales. "I'm afraid I can't be of assistance. I haven't seen him in a long time. If only Dr. Gero was around, I believe he keeps tabs on our old friends," the old man hands your picture back.

"Do you know where he went?"

"Unfortunately not, I'm sorry."

"That's okay," you pat his shoulder and smile. "I'll find Merlot some other way. Thanks for your help, doc!" You start running towards the door and waving.

"Wait!" Ironwood shouts.

You stop on one foot and blink at him, waiting for his reason. Ironwood exhales. "Nothing. Just go. Stop Merlot."

You smirk and nod. "Not a problem, sir!"

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You return to the Mt. Glenn, going right back through the hole you created upon leaving. You release a small blast to make traversal easier. You land in the massive room and look around.

"Raven!" You call out. "Raven!" You take a few steps, looking around the room. "Where is she? I can't sense her... Raven? Raven!"

The camera in the corner focuses on you. The growing smirk of the man watching almost forms along the lens.

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One Week Later...

Yang and Ruby burst through the door, seeing their Beacon dorm room once more. The waves of memories flood through the two girls as they run in and jump into their beds.

"We have to set them back up!" Ruby cartoonishly leaps to her feet with her hands on her hips.

"Indeed, leader!" Yang nods.

In a large puff of smoke, the two reconstruct the bunk beds they used last year. When the smoke clears, Ruby and Yang triumphantly stand before their beautifully amateurish creations. "They're perfect," the sisters say in sync.

"Think we should add something to show we're second years?" Ruby looks up at her sister.

"Hm..." Yang taps her jaw. "We should ask Blake and Weiss. I'm actually surprised they're not here," Yang approaches and hopes back into her bed.

"Yeah... Blake feels like she's on his way but Weiss is still in Atlas... I think," Ruby says with her eyes closed. "Ooooh, it's still so cool that we can find our teammates! We'll never get separated again!" Ruby cheerfully cries.

"Yeah, but it's kinda weird. You felt (Y/N) flying around Remnant the past week."

"Maybe he's just exploring," Ruby shrugs. "He beats those nasty Saiyatens-"

"Saiyans?" Yang chuckles.

"I don't think you have to worry!" Ruby seamlessly continues on with her point. "Besides, we can feel if he's in trouble."

Yang slowly starts to nod. "Yeah, you're right. Come on, let's go see if JNPR's here."

"They are here. I feel them," Ruby rubs her hands together.

"Oh boy..."

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You hover in spot over the expansive ocean with arms crossed and your mind stumped. You can't sense Raven. There's no indication of where she went. Given the situation, you don't think she just left you behind. You're worried that Merlot has done something to her while you were gone.

"It's my fault..." You shake your head. "I was distracted... damnit... I have to find her. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened. Where do I go..." You spin around as a measly way of thinking. "I could find Dr. Gero... I could try... no, I can't pinpoint her energy... which means it's somehow being suppressed. Aaaaahh..." You shake your hair while assuming a new stance, crossing your legs like you're sitting. "There has to be something! Think, (Y/N), think! If Raven was at Mt. Glenn... her energy was already difficult to pinpoint, so Merlot must've known... how did he know I could find her that way?" You unintentionally spin upside-down while verbally thinking. "The Mutated Grimm have been showing up around Mistral, so Merlot must be around that area. Unless that's the point and he's actually in Vacuo or something," you spin and flip to a normal stance. "Damnit!" You shout to the skies. "I just need something! Something to follow!"

And someone answered your prayer. Moments later, your scroll lights up with the picture of Dr. Briefs. You grab the scroll and pick up the call.

"Heya, doctor!"

"Ah, (Y/N)! Have you found our friend Merlot?"

"No, sadly," your failure affects your tone.

"Well, I asked Gero and he gave me a testing ground where Merlot performed his more... questionable experiments. I'm sending the location to you now." Your scroll dings with a pinpointed location on a map of Remnant. "I hope this helps. I do hope Merlot isn't responsible. He was a good scientist, once upon a time."

"I'll see what I can do. I'll try to bring him back in one piece. Thanks a lot, Dr. Briefs!"

"Not a problem, I'd say I still owe you and Ozpin."

"Me and Ozpin? For what?"

"Oh," he chuckles across the line. "Nothing, nothing. Go on, now, don't keep him waiting."

"Right. Thanks again!" You hang up the call and place your scroll back in your sash. "Alright, I have an idea where this place is. I just hope Raven's okay!" You curl up before boosting towards the island at maximum speed, thus you reach the island in no time. You stop before it, observing the massive island. There are boats littered around the shoreline, makeshift buildings along the sand, and, farther in, what looks like a refinery.

"I don't think that's natural," you slowly fly towards it. "Looks like Merlot is here after all. Or some other guy, who knows." You reach a point above the refinery, spotting a strange green goo that's being harvested. "What is that stuff... it's glowing... and it stinks, I can smell it from here," you waft your nose. "But it's green... those Grimm had green stuff. I wonder if this stuff's changing the Grimm," you descend to the refinery and land on one of the metal walkways. "Looks like it's all being funneled into pipes... so all I gotta do is follow the pipes!" You jump onto the closest pipe and start walking along it, easily balancing despite the smooth, curved space. "Follow the pipes, find Raven, find Merlot. Follow the pipes, find Raven, find Merlot," you repeat this to yourself over and over to keep yourself somewhat entertained as you march along the pipeline. Unfortunately, you stop when the pipe goes directly down and into the goo.

"I wonder if that's dangerous? Probably shouldn't test it. Hm... I can sense two people on the island... underground. Well, Raven ended up below the building last time. They're in two separate places..." You look to the left and then ahead. "I think... that one's Raven!" You return to the left. "I'm coming!" You jump forward and start flying.

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Raven's held in a small cell, chained against the wall with her weapons and pouches stripped from her. She's been here for a week and it shows. Her hair, her skin, everything is dry and dirty. She's like an animal being held in a cage as bait for bigger prey. But, unknown to Raven, that prey is here. To her surprise, the chains holding her wrists and ankles unlock. She falls forward, not even able to stop herself from slamming against the ground. She's weak, she's barely been nourished. The door of her cell opens, baiting her to leave. The woman shakily lifts her head to see freedom ahead of her.

"What... what's..." Raven stops wasting her strength on talking and instead attempt to stand. Her arms and legs barely have the strength to lift off the ground and get her to a somewhat stable stance. She quickly falters, shuffling against the wall and using that as a crutch. She has to find her equipment and get out of her as fast as possible.

The cameras watch as she shuffles out of the room. Merlot has purposefully opened and closed certain doors to lead her towards the final act. He knows that you can "sense" people. He just needs Raven in the right position.

Raven uses the wall to walk down the corridor leading further down. It was the only available pathway for her to reach. She can't help but feel like a rat in a maze being lead around by Merlot, but she really had no choice. She refuses to stay in that cell any longer. The downward slope finally ends and leads to a small white room that leads to a larger one. Raven slowly reaches the room, using the door frame to push herself in. There's not much in this room, but it's everything she needs. A monitor with Merlot's symbol stamped on it, a bench for resting on, and Raven's lost equipment resting in an open cabinet. Raven's not stupid. She knows Merlot is planning all this... but she has to follow along. It takes Raven a short amount of time to reattach her weapons and pouches. As she ties the last one on, she remembers what's inside it. Raven moves as quick as she can to open the pouch and grab a small, green bean. Due to her weakness, she drops it on the ground and watches it bounce against the bench. Raven falls to her knees and grabs the small bean as if her life depends on it.

Before she can eat it, you crash through the ceiling of a nearby corridor and start running. Raven hears this and looks to the bigger room, soon seeing you enter it.

"Raven! You're okay!" You start running towards her.

The doors around are instantly shut with a new, clear door that would likely trick someone who didn't see it happen. You slide to a halt and look around for any incoming Grimm or bullets. Instead, the room starts glowing a very dim red.

"I'm so happy to finally have you in my home. Have you enjoyed the accommodations?" Merlot's voice echoes.

"A voice to the name. Could you let my friend go and we can settle things?" You ask... though something feels odd.

"It's an honour for such a powerful individual to want me. Unfortunately, I only want one thing from you."

"Sorry," you raise both your hands, one towards the ceiling and one towards Raven's door. "But I need to get her to safety."

You release a small Ki blast from each hand... which dissipates midair.

"Huh?" You try again only for the same result to occur.

Raven watches with confusion as you slowly drop to one knee, your breathing speeding up.

"Your energy is quite an interesting resource. It's the path to the greatest Grimm."

Your body is rapidly drained of Ki, which you know means your lifeforce is also fading away. You push off the ground and run towards Raven's door, slamming your fist into the glass with no effect. Your eyes shiver as you realize you're absolutely powerless to stop this. You don't even have the energy to use Kaioken or a substantial strike. You stumble and fall back, breathing as deep as you can to keep alive.

The monitors around the room and the one in Raven's room light up to show a massive Mutated Leviathan shackled and chained with tubes lodged inside it. The great beast, standing on two muscular legs that have building sized green spikes along the calves and even more running alongside the spikes it already has. Its gills and red markings on its skull glow a brilliant green. The Ki Merlot drains from you is pumped into the Leviathan, making it shake and howl from the sudden surge. You, Merlot, and Raven watch as the beast grows even bigger and stronger. The amount of power you're feeling from the beast almost matches what yours is at full power.

"It's beautiful! Something that's unparalleled! Go, my child! Prove your superiority!"

The chains holding the beast release and allow the Grimm to break open the massive metal door in front of it which lets in a wave of water, disrupting the camera feed.

"You'll both die here now. Thank you for your assistance," Merlot's voice cuts out.

Raven realizes that your eyes are closed and your breathing is slowing down. The red lights flicker off and the doors open. Raven stops for a moment, thinking about what do to. That Grimm now has all your power on top of being one of the most terrifying ones she knows of. Your power and mutation... what can any Huntsman do? She looks down at the bean in her hand, remembering exactly what you told her. Raven turns away from you and holds the bean close to her mouth. The thought of you dying in this place, the thought of that Grimm terrorizing everything, the thought of Merlot winning... the thought of Yang having to fight it. She tightens her fist as her arm lowers. She groans while twitching her head, quickly turning around and pushing off the door frame to approach you. She falls onto her knees but presses on, crawling with every ounce of strength she has. Her hand lands on your chest to pull herself closer.

"You... need this."

She places the bean in your mouth and forces you to chew. With that done, she falls on her side, mirroring your current stance. Her breathing slows as her eyes close. You, on the other hand, quickly regain your strength and open your eyes. You sit up and rub your head.

"Ah... what the hell happened..." You look around, eyes immediately drawn to Raven. "Raven!" You scramble to your knees and lift the woman's back off the ground. "Raven... you gave me a senzu bean," you chuckle. "Thank you... now," you reach into your sash and grab your pouch of senzu beans... your empty pouch of senzu beans. "Aw, crap! I used them all during the week. Hold on, Raven, I'll get you somewhere safe!" You slip your arm under he knees and fly up to the ceiling.

As your senses come back you freeze up upon feeling the Mutated Leviathan's power. "It's... just like mine. Tsk," you look to one of the blank monitor's with a frustrated gaze. "I have to stop it. It's heading for Mistral! But..." You look down at Raven, pausing for a moment. "I'll save you both! Nobody's dying on my watch!" Your Ki flairs as you fly through the ground and burst out from one of the canyons. As soon as you're a decent altitude, you set your sights on Mistral and go as fast as you can. Your body soon flares up in red which doubles your already incredible speed. With the Kaioken active, you reach the city under siege. The massive Leviathan towers over it all, standing at the edge of the water bed with its spikes large and its roar deafening. You stop over the city and spot Huntsman trying to evacuate the citizens. Without pause, you fly towards the Huntsman Academy and into Leonardo Lionheart's office, breaking down a section of his room.

"By the gods!" He falters back. "You? Is that?"

You set Raven down and grab her sword before turning back to the new door you made. "Take care of her while I take care of that."

Your voice has a deathly serious tone to it. It fits the situation considering almost one hundred people have already been killed.

Without waiting for his response you fly out of the room and straight towards the mutated monstrosity. You grab the blade tightly as you fly by its arm, slashing at it once before springing backward and, upon meeting its arm, you attempt to impale it. The blade's unable to pierce its skin, meaning the Grimm has an immunity to this. You jump off and fly a few feet back, lodging the blade in your sash. The Grimm shifts its attention to you, opening its mouth to build a small collection of energy, it's once green gills adopts a yellow tint right before it fires an attack with that colour scheme. You quickly fly up and around, making sure it doesn't aim for the city.

That power rivals a Kamehameha. If that hits the city... I have to destroy it. I wonder if a Ki-based attack will still hurt it?

You spin around, trailing along the beam as it attempts to hit you. Soon, after you get far enough away, it grows bored and returns its attention to the city. With shocking speed, it swings its arms and decimates an entire section of Mistral, killing all civilians and Huntsman there.

"NO!" You stop flying away and go directly towards the city. "It's speed and strength are even affected! Damnit!"

The beast brings its hand back and opens its mouth. You fly between it and the city, slamming your palms together and moving them to your hip.

"You WON'T destroy Mistral!"

The beast charges the same attack and unleashes upon you and the city. You activate the Kaioken right before you throw your hands forward to fire the Kamehameha. The two attacks clash, resulting in a massive shockwave that knocks everyone not indoors on their backs. With your Kaioken, you manage to overpower the beast and completely envelop it in a blinding blue beam that leaves everyone watching awe, even if it knocked them over.

You keep firing for the longest five seconds of anyone's lives, leaving a massive cloud of smoke where the beast once stood. Your Kaioken wears off, leaving you breathing heavily for a moment.

"It's... wait-" One of its webbed hands reveals itself from the smoke and slams you right down into the peer, bouncing you off the stone and plunging you into the water below. You stare blankly at the water ceiling as you sink deeper and deeper.

It can't be stabbed... beaten... blasted... drowned... what else am I supposed to do?

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Merlot's laugh echoes throughout the room and hallway. "Yes, yes! My beautiful Grimm can't be stopped! Huntsman, alien, nothing! They're perfect beings with no weakness! If I harness even more energy then I can make the ultimate army of genetic superiority! Ahahahahahaha!"

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From his tower, Ozpin looks out of his large window with a drink in his hand. He takes a sip, ever curious as to the result of this encounter.

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Gunships fly around the Leviathan, all trying to bring down the beast. Dust attacks and bullets rain from the streets while some Huntsmen try to draw the Grimm's attention towards the destroyed section as to not cause damage to the others. Any short-range fighters keep moving the citizens to safe zones. The sound of gunfire and screams are all that fills Mistral's once happy city. Inside, the fighters are panicking. You were the only one who managed to make the thing flinch and now you're at the bottom of the ocean. And now... it's all over. The Leviathan finishes playing when it rests its arms to the side and opens its gaping maw. The same collection of energy is made yet again. The Huntsman lower their weapons as the shine illuminates over them. It's a warm embrace before the cold of death.

The Leviathan's attack is charged just in time for you to burst out from below it and slam your fist into its fish-like chin. The force sends the beast out of the water and into the air, his blast completely missing the city and flying off into the sky. You quickly follow up your attack by flying around in a short semicircle and burying your fist between the massive ribcage. The Leviathan howls as its sent flying fair distance away. You hover in the air, water dripping off your soaked clothes and weighed down hair.

"I know how to beat you," your body vibrates before you dash forward to the recovering Leviathan. The moment it gets up you slam your fist into its cheek then duck around, going underwater and knocking it off balance. "I can't slash you, punch you, blast you... you can't drown, I can't drop you from high in the sky," you duck and dodge its slashes as you push it farther and farther away from the city. "But there's one thing that no Grimm has experienced!" You dive underwater again, swimming behind the Grimm to its long tail. You grab it near the end and haul the beast out of the water with you.

People in Mistral watch as you drag the beast into the air by the tail, it firing off smaller blasts in a meager attempt to save itself.

"Incredible... he's carrying it."

"Who is this guy?"

"So I'll throw you high, higher than any Grimm has gone before!" You stop flying and throw the Grimm up, though not far enough to leave the planet. "Kaioken!" Your body is surrounded by a red aura before leaving the same colour trail in your wake. You rapidly beat at its chest, throwing it by the tail, uppercutting its chin. Anything to keep the beast bouncing higher and higher. It attempts to blast and slash you, but your enhanced speed is far too much for this powered up predator. "Nothing can survive the vacuum of space! Not even some green Grimm with my power!" You continue speaking while beating it higher.

You notice the thinning air, signaling you're close. Not to mention that you can see the roundness of your planet at this height. The once massive islands seem so small at this height, though the Grimm is the only one who can see this at the moment. You back up for just a moment then instantly appear in front of it with a devastating kick that could shatter any of the continents into bits. The Leviathan twirls around, screaming while it's sent beyond the planet's atmosphere. You slam your palms together and set them at your side. "I don't want to see you again! You're going even further! Into the darkness of space!" You release your Kamehameha wave, watching it swirl through the empty space until it crashes against the Leviathan. The beast is carried by the blast into deep space, past the moon, away from the sun.

You keep the blast going for a solid twenty seconds before finally releasing it. You take a deep breath, despite the extremely limited air... then curl up. "Ow, ow, ow," your muscles burn you from the inside. "Heh... guess I did overuse the Kaioken, ow!" You stop your flight ability and let yourself fall. "Looks like I still haven't quite perfected the technique... but I guess that's just my next step," you end with a pained smile, trying to ignore the spreading agony. "I'll lay off it for a while... at least I get this view," you look around at the beautiful planet you're swiftly approaching. The clouds covering small bits of land and ocean just paint a wonderful picture that you've never seen before. "I should come here again..."

With Mistral quickly approaching, you flip forward and slow down upon approach. You softly land on the docks and exhale. "Well... guess the city is safe," you look at the smoke billowing above with cries everywhere. "Saving places never feels good," you cross your arms, only to wince and rest them at your side. "Still hurts... I should find Raven."

You hop into the air and casually head back to the school. You pass by a large crowd of Huntsmen and civilians alike. They see you and cheer, all shouting different thanks and praise. You'd speak with them or make a friendly motion, but your body just isn't in the mood. Instead you smile and nod at them before continuing on your path. You enter the hole only to find Raven, barely awake, bound up and being held by the two Huntsmen you saw last time you were here with Leo standing proud at the door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," you take a few steps forward. "What're you doing?"

"This woman is a known raider," Leo speaks. "You've brought her in and saved this city. I thank you."

"Thank me by giving her back," you frown.

"What?"

You approach the two Huntsmen, flicking in both directions to knock the men into the far wall. You tear off the bindings on her wrists and ankles before picking her up.

"This is against-"

"You can try to stop me," you stare the lion down. "But let's be real... you can't. Consider this payment for saving Mistral."

You turn and fly back out the window, leaving the Headmaster contemplating what to do.

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Raven's consciousness slowly comes back to her, starting with a clear mind and hazy vision. She sees you kneeling over her with a welcoming smile.

"Raven... you okay?"

Raven slowly lifts herself up and rubs her head. "I feel... perfect..."

"I gave you a senzu bean," you stand up and offer your hand. "I had to grab another one from my special stash. It was my second last one... I ate the last," you say with a wide smile. "I'll have to bother Korin for more." Raven takes your hand and gets back on her feet. Before she can speak, you pull out her sword and hand it to her. "I borrowed this, sorry."

Raven takes it and returns the blade to its home. "I understand... where..." Raven takes in the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Hehe," you rub the back of your head. "Merlot never left the island and I got his Ki signature locked in. He's not getting away."

"Is that so... then why did it take so long to find me," Raven places her hands on her hips and looks down on you.

"That's not my fault! Your signature was so small that I didn't recognize you! Plus, such a small signature is hard to find among the thousands on Remnant."

Raven turns away and starts walking. "Let's just find Merlot."

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"How did he recover!" Merlot shouts at the monitor with Gero on the screen. "It was perfect! Why didn't you tell me?" He slams his fists on the desk.

"I don't know... but clearly, you underestimated him."

"I wasn't given the proper data! Clearly, you're in the wrong here!"

Gero chuckles. "Blaming me for your failures? You haven't changed, Merlot. I have you everything you asked for and still, you failed. At least you gave us more combat data."

All of a sudden the ceiling is broken for you and Raven to land. Gero instantly cuts the feed, keeping his involvement in this ordeal a secret. Merlot falls on his butt and starts scampering away. Raven casually slams her foot down on his leg to prevent him from moving. Merlot screams in pain before speaking. "Please! Please, don't kill me! I didn't kill you!"

"You meant to," Raven shifts her foot around to put more pressure and pain on Merlot, inciting more screams.

"You also killed a lot of people," you add, moving around to his front and squatting to meet his gaze.

"I didn't do it!"

"I... I mean, you're not wrong," you shrug. "But it was your Grimm, so it's your fault," you poke his nose. "Which means we're taking you in!"

"I'd rather kill him," Raven unsheathes her blade.

"No! Please! I'll be good! I'll go to jail! I'll-"

Raven buries her blade into his back, piercing the old man's heart.

"Hey, Raven!" You stand. "What was that?"

"He deserved it," she says before spitting on his corpse.

You sigh and cross your arms. "I guess. I feel kinda dirty about it."

"Don't. You didn't do it," Raven flicks her wrist to whip the blood off her blade before returning it to the sheath.

"Thank you for assisting me in all this," Raven shifts her gaze to you. "I don't believe I could have done it on my own." The woman walks past you. "I'll find my way out."

"Wait," you speak without turning around. "I came out here to find my friend's mom..." Raven stops in place at those words. She closes her eyes and exhales.

"You knew?"

"Of course I did. You two look alike," you turn around. "Please... it would mean a lot to her."

Raven remains silent for nearly thirty seconds. You can hear both your hearts beating, yours in anticipation and hers in nervousness. It's something she was hoping would be avoided... but there's no way she can get away from you at this point.

"Why do you care so much?"

"I don't know," you chuckle a second after. "I just... I lost my entire village, everyone, I cared about... I can't see them again, but you can. If anything happened to Yang or you... I don't think either of you would forget it. It would haunt you... like it haunts me."

There's another moment of silence as she contemplates your offer. "Fine," she turns around. "Take me to her."

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Yang and Ruby watch the news report off their scrolls, both sitting on the ground as they look up at the projected screen. Footage of the massive Leviathan attacking Mistral, your messy battle with it that's hard to follow due to the camera work. As they watch, their door gets knocked.

"I'll get it," Ruby hops off the ground and leaps to the door. As soon as she grabs the handle she recognizes the energy beyond the door. "(Y/N)!" She shouts while opening the door.

You're smiling on the other side, happy at the warm welcome. "Hey, you two!"

"(Y/N)?" Yang gets up and runs to the door. "Where have you been! How did you find that... what happened?"

You nervously chuckle. "Well... I was busy. Actually, I have someone who wants to meet you," as soon as you step to the side Raven enters their field of view.

Yang's jaw drops upon seeing her estranged mother.

"Hello, Yang."

Ruby looks between the two, quickly noticing the resemblance. She doesn't say a word at her revelation. She knows how desperate Yang is to find her mother, and here she is now, at Beacon, brought by you.

"Mom..?" Yang can't believe her eyes.

"I... was told you wanted to talk..." Raven takes a step forward to enter the room, making Yang move back.

You grab Ruby's hand and pull her out of the room. "We'll give you two some privacy," you close the door behind the young girl.

"How did you... what? WHAT?" Ruby frantically waves her arms.

"Let's go for some lunch and I'll tell you all about it. It's been a really fun week."

I thought about using a Hydra again and joking about how easy it would be for Kail to take one down where Slater almost died and needed all of Beacon to kill it... but I didn't want to repeat myself that much. This was a lot of fun... honestly, writing this version of Grimm Eclipse was a lot of fun. Taking liberties, shortening a bit, changing characters motivations and such, I know it's different from the norm but that's kinda the point. There's no way I could've retold GE as well as I did in Crimson Shadow so instead, I combined it with Raven and made something unique. I really enjoyed writing it all and I hope you liked reading it!

More Limitless will come soon. Got a short story centered around Blake coming out that I'll be working on alongside more Crimson Shadow. Plenty of fun stuff coming. Hope you enjoyed and have a great day!

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