Soulless Puppet

ch. 0 - initiation II

The Grimm came hard and fast, bursting through the treeline in droves. Just how many of these Grimm lived in this Emerald Forest? I let one tackle me to the ground, the thing roaring in my face in a vain attempt to scare me.

"WEISS THERE'S ONE ON HIM!" Was that fear I hear in Miss Rose's tone? I jam my left arm into the Grimm's mouth and activate the flamer. A moment later, the condensed flame bursts out through the back of its neck and it falls on my arm, dead.

I stand to my feet, and another charges me. For its troubles, I slashed out its front paws and then let gravity impale it on my saber. It dies slowly. "Woah..." I hear Miss Rose say. I look over, and Weiss has a similar reaction. I did not understand why they were so in awe.

Killing was my only purpose after all. They should expect me to be good at it.

After it begins to disintegrate, which I still found strange for living creatures to do so, I kick it off the saber, and charge forward into the sea of black that was these Grimm. I grip the saber with both hands, and swing.

One swing sent a Grimm tumbling into another of its brethren, and another smashed a Grimm into the ground, sending up chunks of dirt and chunks of it into the air. I let go with my left hand, and firing my grappling hook, pulling me towards a lone Grimm in the crowd and allowing me to jam my weapon through its eyes.

I hear a Grimm roar right behind me. I turn to see a paw swinging towards my head. 

Is this how I die?

I close my eyes, and expect my paw to take my head off.

Then I hear a gunshot. I open my eyes again, and the Grimm is now missing a hand. I look over to see Miss Rose smiling, her Crescent Rose's barrel smoking.

She... saved me? I twirl my saber around me, and finish off the Grimm with a decapitating strike. The creature slumps down at my feet, dead.

I look over at the rest of the Grimm pack, and they no longer seemed so ready to pounce on me. I take a step forward, and they all collectively move backwards. Another step, and the move, until the third step.

They all bound back into the forest. Perhaps they realized my superiority to them in terms of combat. I lower my weapon, but keep my guard up, should those creatures come back for round 2.

I turn towards Miss Rose and Miss Schnee, one wearing a look of awe and another of nervousness. Both were... understandable reactions, though the first could only be seen on children, the other mostly on adults.

I could tell which of them was acting like which.

"Miss Rose. Miss Schnee." The two stared forward at me. "Don't you two... have a goal to accomplish?"

Ruby looked at me confused for a moment, and then remembers, "Right we have an initiation to finish!" Weiss nods. "I was waiting for you to realize you know." And the two began to walk into the forest.

I walk over "I shall accompany you," I said with finality in my tone.

"W-What?"

"You saved me. I owe you my life. Simple as that, as my Father says." I bow deeply, as I do royalty, "I am at your behest, Miss Rose," I say as I walk ahead of the pair, and I could feel their confused expressions bore holes into my back. I would protect Ruby Rose and her partner from any Grimm we come across, and that is final.

I could hear them talking. "Who is he?" Miss Schnee. "I don't know but he seems nice?" Miss Rose.

However, as we continued our trek, I seemed to have forgotten one minor detail. "Where is your destination, Miss Rose?"