Man Or Monster

Self Talk

3rd POV

After prying Ruby off of Qrow they all set up camp for the night. They then gather around the campfire.

Ruby: "Uncle Qrow, why was Tyrian after me?"

Qrow: "If I had to guess it'd have to be because of your eyes."

Ruby: "My eyes?"

Qrow: "Yeah. Silver ones are incredibly rare to have. Since you have and have used them seems to have upset some very bad people."

Ruby: "What's so special about them?"

Qrow: "According to the legends they're extraordinarily powerful. They allow the person with them to defeat Grimm with a simple gaze."

She leans back at the thought of that kind of power.

Y/N: "I have a question as well. Why was Tyrian after me too?"

Qrow: "I don't know kid. I checked his scroll but found next to no clues about his plan."

Ruby: "Don't worry Y/N. I promise nothing bad will happen to you."

She smiles causing him to smile. This doesn't go unnoticed by Qrow.

Qrow: "Why're you being so sweet to him? You like him or something?"

They both blush.

Ruby: "What!? No!! He's a friend!! And I always make sure my friends are kept safe!!"

Y/N: "Yeah, we're just friends."

Everyone looks at them sharing the same thought.

Everyone: *thinking* "They're in love."

Qrow: "That'll have to do for stories. Get plenty of sleep, we have a long day of hiking tomorrow."

They nod heading to sleep. But early the next morning everyone wakes up to hear Y/N coughing up a storm. Ruby looks under his bandages to see Tyrian's poison leaking from his cut.

Qrow: "That's not good."

After making and loading him onto a stretcher they carry him down the road.

Ruby: "Anyone know how much further?"

Ren: "Nope. It'll be hard to tell without the map."

He stops as he and Nora run to a sign.

Ruby: "Well?"

Ren: "Says that our path leads us up through the mountains."

Qrow: "We can't make that kinda climb while carrying him."

Ruby joins them at the sign.

Ruby: "What about here? Kuroyuri?"

Ren: "Nothing remains of that place."

Ruby: "But it's sounding like our best shot."

Ren: "It's no use, we just have to push on."

Qrow: "Let's split up. You two head up the mountains. If you hit Mistral then you can bring back help."

After some debate they part ways. As they search a screech is heard causing all of the heroes to regroup. They then come into contact with a Nuckelavee. After a stare down they all engage in combat. Meanwhile Y/N hears whispering causing him to finally speak.

Y/N: "Who's... there?"

The whispers pile on before finally forming a voice.

Voice: "Hello Y/N."

Y/N: "How... do you know me?"

Y/N2: "It stands to reason that I should know you. For we are one in the same after all."

Y/N: "What... are you?"

Y/N2: "I'm your other half. Your instincts."

Y/N: "How can... I hear you?"

Y/N2: "Because you lost yourself. Gave me strength. Now I'm free."

Y/N: "You won't... be that way for long. I'll... stop you."

Y/N2: "Sweet innocent Y/N. You can't stop yourself. You may run as far as you can. But in the end you can never truly escape. Like a leach I will always be with you. You can't ever run from who you really are. A monster."

Y/N: "I'm not... a monster."

Y/N2: "Please. You were born in a lab. Bred to fight. Prone to violence and destruction. Spawned from the essence of Grimm. You're a monster through and through. It's in your nature."

Y/N: "Nature... doesn't define us. We define... ourselves by the choices we make. We choose... what we wanna become."

Y/N2: "Keep telling yourself that. But one day you'll see it. When you've lost all sense of reason you'll realize your true nature. A predator that destroys everything that falls within its sights."

Y/N shakes his head. He'll always strive to cage the animal. He won't ever be what's in his DNA. He'll never be the monster his creators made him to be. The Nuckelavee roars as it bursts into dust. This makes airships land loading up the heroes. After being flown to Mistral and resting they head to speak with the headmaster of Haven.