You looked around again. The beasts ignored you. You knew they were dangerous, though you could not quite remember why. Still, if you had been lying here for some time and they had not attacked you, perhaps they would leave you alone for now.

Well. Except for the buzzards circling overhead.

They looked eerily similar to the other beasts, bearing the same black, red, and white tones. One of them had blood dripping from its beak. They were the ones that had been pecking at you. Now that you showed signs of life, you were no longer a desirable target.

You examined the wound on your side. It was not large, but a noticeable chunk of flesh was missing, slightly bigger than your thumb. It bled a little, yet the pain was distant. It was… healing. Extremely thin strands of flesh and muscle moved on their own, slowly knitting the wound closed. Disturbing. Very disturbing. Best to leave it alone.

A mountain stood behind you. Large. Impossibly large. And at its base, a line of open pipes, reeking of an acrid, acidic smell. The same smell clinging to you now. So… you had come from there?

That same cold curiosity settled over you as you looked up at the mountain. Something up there was active. Was it calling you? No. Maybe. Hard to tell. Whatever it was, it was something you could not ignore.

You stood up, enjoying the feel of wet sand beneath your feet. It was almost pleasant, the way the grains slipped between your toes. It was windy. Why were you not cold? Mornings were supposed to be cold here, in Mistral.

Mistral.

What was Mistral? Why did that word surface so clearly? It felt important. Not random. Memory problems? Right. You did not even know your own name. So this place was probably called Mistral. Aside from the strange, unsettling beasts, it did not feel so bad. It felt calm. Familiar, even. You could imagine taking a vacation here. Living here, maybe, someday.

You began to walk, studying your surroundings, and that was when you noticed something unusual.

A girl. An adult woman, sitting on a rock. Her skin was dark, purplish. Her hair was a mix of red and the same dull tone as her skin. She slept upright, breathing slowly, clutching a large piece of fabric to her chest. A sword rested at her side. No. A saber. Slightly golden in hue, finely crafted, with a blade that looked faintly melted near the tip.

And you felt drawn to it.

How strange. Maybe it held clues about who you were.

> Approach the girl openly and call out to her. Maybe this would wake her. If she wanted you dead, she could have used her sword by now.
> Stay quiet. Be sneaky. Get closer and inspect her. Trusting a stranger would be foolish. You should take advantage of the fact that she was asleep. Maybe even steal her weapon.
> Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.
> Other (Write in)

>>6358929
>Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.

>>6358929
>Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.

>>6358929
> Ignore her for now. Let her rest. Focus instead on the beach. On your memories. The beasts, this place, the mountain. Everything was connected. You knew it. You just could not yet put it into coherent thoughts.

Gonna need a dice roll. Best of three votes, 3d10. DC 16, Crit 13

>>6359717

Completely mb, Crit for 23 instead! Even my mind is jumbled after new years

Rolled 9, 6, 3 = 18 (3d10)

>>6359717

Rolled 3, 1, 10 = 14 (3d10)

>>6359717

Rolled 7, 1, 4 = 12 (3d10)

>>6359717

>>6359697

Your memories should be the most important thing right now. Maybe if you were a vagabond or a traveler from a faraway place, you could afford not to look too deeply into them. But you knew, deep inside, that you were not a stranger here. You felt the information buried within your psyche. Sure, the world held all the answers, but you could cheat a few by looking inward.

You walked along the beach while your mind struggled against the ethereal lock that had somehow been placed upon you. Mistral. This place was called Mistral. Mistral was a land of… kingdoms. Yes. Many kingdoms existed within Mistral.

One of the beasts approached you. A large, towering quadrupedal mammal moved slowly in your direction. You felt him sniff you. Was he going to attack? No. No, he wasn’t. Something in the way he moved, the way he carried himself, told you that much.

A part of you screamed that he was dangerous. That he should be put down. But why? He felt harmless. Yes, he looked threatening, but he did not seem violent.

“What’s your name?” You raised your blackened left arm, hovering it near the white of his mask. He recoiled slightly. Was he afraid? Were you frightening? Maybe you could be. But being frightening when your heart was not in it felt… eerily familiar. Had you been someone evil in your past life?

The creature grunted. They could not speak. Of course. They were animals. Awful, ugly, violent, grim-looking animals.

Grim.

These creatures were called Grimm. The piece fell into place within the puzzle forming in your mind. Yes. Mistral. Grimm. Grimm attacked cities and villages. So why was this one not attacking you? Maybe it felt some kind of kinship? They were mindless. Ruled by instinct. Instinct and violence. Maybe they didn’t attack their own. So, he felt that you and he were part of the same species?

You needed more. Mistral. Grimm. You looked at the rising sun. Beautiful, but unhelpful. The sand offered nothing. The mountain, however… it felt ominous. Many invisible flames seemed to burn up there, somewhere.

You watched several Grimm attempt to climb the mountain, only to fail. They felt the calling too. It was too tall, too steep to be climbed easily. The obstacles were innumerable. Yes. They felt the same pull you did. They were drawn to it just as you were. The difference was that you had restraint. They did not.
Grimm were creatures of violence. They were drawn to negative emotions. Another piece of the puzzle. Were those invisible flames the emotions themselves? You could feel them beckoning. So… people were up there. A city? A village?

You began walking towards the mountain, following the faint instinct growing within you. You lowered your mental defenses slightly, just to test it. The pull grew stronger. Much stronger. But it was never enough to overwhelm you. It felt like hunger, like knowing there was a delicious meal waiting while you were starving. You were compelled, but still in control. You wouldn’t push your luck. You’d rise up your mental defenses, not giving in.

The same quadrupedal Grimm nudged you from behind, headbutting you lightly. He was urging you forward. He wanted you to go up there. Curious. These creatures worked together. Pack animals, even when their forms differed wildly. They attacked together. They delighted in it. They loved the hunt.

Hunt.

Hunting. Huntress. You were a Huntress. What was that, exactly? You hunted things. What things? You hunted them. You hunted Grimm. So, you killed these creatures for… sport? No. That felt wrong. Too cruel. You were not like that. Not anymore. Time to reorder the pieces.

You were a Huntress. You lived in Mistral. You hunted Grimm.

Dizziness washed over you. Assembling this much knowledge felt like opening a floodgate. A city. A crime-ridden city. An academy. Friends. Fights. Monsters. A laboratory. A screech. The river. It was too much. Too fragmented to make sense of all at once.

You steadied yourself. And then something else happened. The sand beneath your feet had turned dark and ashen. Hard instead of soft. Brittle. Something surged within you. Something you caused. What was it?

You refocused on your memories, this time remaining alert to what happened around you.

The river. Sabers. Dust. Explosions. A girl with white hair. Pain. A girl with a nosebleed. Fear. A man with wolf ears. Your hands lifting a… shovel? No… yes… regardless, you were burying bodies. You felt pity for the dead. You wanted their memory to be respected.

So it seemed you had not been a complete jerk in your past life. That was something.

There it was. A dark, reddish aura threaded with faint green motes emanated from your body. Aura. Yes. You remembered this. When it touched the sand, it scorched it. Your emotions shaped it, and you controlled it through feeling. That made sense.

The Grimm beside you suddenly fled. The others on the beach reacted to something unseen and followed, all moving in the same direction.

A surge came from somewhere very far away. An order. Go north. Something tempting lay there. Something that demanded attention.

The impulse was not difficult to suppress, but it was distracting. You pushed it aside, compartmentalizing it. You still had free will, and you were certain that with training it would become easier to resist whatever animalistic instinct this was. But for now, it interfered too much with you intentions to recall things about your past.

You were a Huntress from Mistral. You had Aura. You hunted Grimm. Grimm were creatures drawn to negative emotions and driven to attack people. Everything aligned. The picture was incomplete, yes, but it was a solid starting point. You would learn more. About this place. About this world. About yourself.

…You still did not remember your name. Damn it.

As beautiful as the rising sun was, as pleasant as its warmth felt on your skin, both on the untainted flesh and on your blackened arm and shoulder, you knew you could not delay any longer. You had been unconscious for who knew how long. And those impulses urging you north? You could resist them. But maybe it would be wiser not to.

> Follow the impulses. Follow the Grimm horde. Something beckoned them, and it beckoned you. Whatever they were seeking, you could seek as well. Anything that might reveal more about where you were and who you were.
> Resist the impulse. Giving in would only empower whatever was trying to command you. There was no rush. This… ‘Aura’ thing felt good. Perhaps you could practice with it while the beach was emptier. Test it further.
> The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119
> The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119
>The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119
>The girl on the rock. She was still asleep. Why had the Grimm ignored her? Was she even alive? Maybe you were wrong about her. Maybe she was dead already, and Grimm did not attack the dead. Approach her and find out.

>>6360119

Ignoring both the urges that tried to pull you and the Grimm that were slowly fading into the distance by both air and land, you decided to approach the girl. Her skin was an unnatural purple, her hair looked tainted, and she did not really emanate the feeling of being alive. She had no emotions you could sense, or at least none that registered.

You quickly realized she was not dead. Her breathing was soft and faint, but it was there, and you barely managed to catch the sound of her heartbeat. You had good hearing, it seemed.

You stood before her. She remained asleep, unaware of your presence. You extended your hand, considering touching her. Why was her skin like that? Your memory was fuzzy, that much was certain, but you knew skin was not supposed to look this way.

She opened her eyes suddenly, startled, nearly falling from the rock as she fumbled with the piece of clothing she had been hugging. She looked at you and calmed herself. She had emotions. So why could you not sense them?

“Miss Shelly. A pleasure to see you’re awake.” Her frightened tone slowly settled into something neutral. “Please, put on these clothes. You are very indecent right now.”

Shelly. So that was your name. One less thing to worry about. A vague sense of mistrust and paranoia stirred deep in your mind as you wrapped the tattered cloak around yourself. What if she was lying? No. That was overthinking it. If she had hostile intentions, you would have noticed.

“Thank you. Yes, I am awake now. What is your name?” You asked, noticing her own clothing was equally tattered and stained, as if it had been left to dry under the sun for a very long time. Was it a white coat? Hard to tell beneath the black, red, and brown blotches covering it.

“It appears you are suffering from memory loss. My name is Cerise.” The name rang faintly in your mind. “I have been instructed to take care of you and follow your every command.”

“Instructed? By who?” Even though her speech sounded natural, something about it felt wrong.

“My creator. Though creator is not the correct term. Savior? Owner? I am unsure how she prefers to be addressed. She herself seems uncertain.” Cerise continued, reaching for the golden-brown saber at her side. “Here. This is yours. I could not locate the other one. My apologies.”

You took the saber in your right, untainted hand. It felt natural. Comfortable. Almost soothing. “Who is she? Please do not leave out any details.”

“She has not chosen a name. Her brother insists on calling her ‘D,’ but I will not use that designation unless explicitly ordered.” The more Cerise spoke, the more unsettling this all became. “She is the same person who ensured your survival after the events that transpired.”

“What events?” You extended the saber outward, testing a few practice swings. The balance felt slightly off, but usable. Cerise, on the other hand, was strange, but at least she was explaining things. That counted for something.

“We traveled through the pipes exiting the Black Sheep laboratory via the running water. However, the water became contaminated partway through by a dangerous substance tied to Grimm experimentation.” She lifted her gaze toward the mountain. “The substance was highly toxic. Fortunately, thanks to your actions, both my creator and I survived with minimal afflictions.”

“My actions? What did I do?” There was a lot you were missing.

“You saved us. Despite your Aura being in a critical state, you created a capsule enhanced with Gravity Dust to allow safe passage through the pipes. You also shielded us from the acidic agent using your own body, or so I've been told.” She paused, studying you. Her expression remained neutral. “I was instructed to relay a message once you awoke.”

“And what is it?”

“She said, and I quote, ‘Thank you for everything. My brother thanks you as well. I did the best I could with your friend and your body. Sorry if things are messy. I hope we can meet again someday.’ End quote.”

A girl. A brother. The thoughts felt tangled, but not unfamiliar.

“Would you like me to explain everything I know about your situation?” Cerise asked. “I must warn you, it will take time.”

“No. Not right now.” A faint headache surfaced. “I need to process what I already know.” You hesitated. “Wait. My body? What does that mean?” Your gaze drifted to your Grimm-like arm. It felt fine, but you knew it was wrong.

“She returned you to life. The journey through the pipes was dangerous. When we reached the beach, you were in critical condition, and she chose to heal you as she healed me.” Cerise stood and stepped closer.

“Returned me to life?” Your stomach tightened on itself. “I died?”

“Yes. Five times, to be more precise. Cardiac failure, severe brain trauma, spinal fractures, chemical burns, aggressive pathogens in your bloodstream.” She spoke calmly. “Your altered physiology presented a challenge, but it also aided the healing process, strangely enough. Your deaths lasted only for brief moments.”

You studied your blackened arm again. New body. So this was not how you were meant to be. The wound from the buzzard-like Grimm was gone, leaving only a faint scar. “So, this Miss ‘D’ did not give me this arm?”

“No. Nor your wing.”

You suddenly fell quiet with confusion. “Wing?”

“The most probable cause is rapid mutation due to exposure to the contaminant combined with your open shoulder wound. That is only a hypothesis.”

You twisted, trying to see your back. The corruption ended near your mid-back, engulfing your left shoulder blade. Your finger barely managed to brush against something unfamiliar.

“Yes. You possess a wing, Miss Shelly. It looks... underdeveloped.” You continued touching it, but you felt nothing. “It is unlikely to serve any practical function. Many mutations are useless. Some are harmful. Yours do not appear to be. I’m glad.”

“I do not know how to feel about any of this. How long was I asleep?”

“Three weeks and…” Cerise turned back towards the rock, examining scratch marks along its surface. “Three weeks and six days, to be exact. My creator spent nearly three days healing you prior to that. So that’s roughly a month in total.”

A month. Dead. Revived. Altered and with severe memory loss.

This was a promising start.

> Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.
> Ask her about the world instead. You have learned enough about yourself for now. Where are you? What is this place? Where should you go? Maybe some words of advice?
> Rest for now. Your head is still heavy. Perhaps experiment with this Gravity 'capsule' ability this so-called ‘Cerise’ claimed saved her life. It wasn’t like you had something urgent to do.
> Other (Write in)

>>6360862
>Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.

>>6360862
> Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.

>>6360862
>Walk north, slowly this time. Let Cerise accompany you and explain more about your past as you go. About who you were.

>>6360862

You looked up at the sky. Was there something there? You closed your eyes and tried to listen. No. Nothing but the wind, the waves, and perhaps seagulls somewhere far off near the coast.

Even if you could feel remnants of a past life, you couldn’t truly feel like the same person. Maybe vaguely. Maybe that feeling would heal with time. But what if it didn’t? You would feel… sad. Just a little. In the end, it didn’t really matter. No matter who you had been before, you were here now. You were someone else. You were you, and you would do things your way.

“Tell me more about who I was, Cerise.” You spoke to the purple-skinned girl as you helped her stand. “About the things I did. About what happened. About what you knew about me.” Was her knowledge reliable? Maybe not entirely, but it was better than nothing. At the very least, you could take it into consideration.

“Of course, miss.” The girl answered, slowly explaining details about your life and your past as a Huntress, as the two of you walked north, following that invisible guiding star calling you forward for reasons still unknown.

---

You walked for nearly half an hour. The sand grew rough, slowly giving way to stone and dirt as the gentle beach turned into an arid wasteland, dotted sparsely with savannah trees. The sun burned brighter overhead, the wind weakened, and the scent of salt faded while Cerise continued recounting your past.

“So… why did you decide to experiment on me while I was at Haven?” The stories she told you about the Black Sheep family, about your gradual change in personality, about the state of Kuchinashi, about the Black Fang branch. It all felt too strange. Not unpleasant, but distant. You couldn’t connect with it. Maybe a little, but not enough.

“Personal glory, mostly. I’ve always lived in the shadow of my half-brother, Arthur. I wanted to create something meaningful. Something important enough for him to understand that I’m capable, that I’m worthy of greatness too.”

You stopped walking and turned your face toward hers. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll get angry and do something to you?” You didn’t feel upset. Curious, yes. Intensely so. “I mean, why are you being so sincere with me? Why are you telling me those… secrets? You’re being uncomfortably honest.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Miss Shelly. You can already do whatever you want to me.” Her neutral tone made the words feel far more disturbing than they should have. “I’m sincere because I have no reason to lie to you.”

“…Don’t say things like that, please. Why… why are you so obsessed with following me and doing everything I say?”

“I’m simply following the orders I was given. I was instructed to obey your every command and do whatever you ask of me.” For a brief moment, confusion flickered across her face.

“What if I told you not to do that?” You hesitated. “I mean, we could be friends. You don’t have to obey everything I say. You could have some autonomy. Don’t you think that would be better?” Your feelings on the matter felt tangled and uncertain.

“I don’t… understand. You want me to make choices based on my own judgment?” Her confusion deepened.

“Yes. Yes, that’s what I want.” Something inside you felt that it wouldn’t be that simple.

“Very well. I will do so, then.” Her tone flattened again as she continued to look at you, waiting for you to move so she could follow.

“Good… and what is it that you want to do?”

“I want to follow your orders and help you.”

You sighed, stopping yourself just short of facepalming. She behaved less like a person and more like an automaton, a constructed servant rather than a companion. You turned north again and resumed walking, the girl falling into step behind you.

“What if I ordered you to leave me and do whatever you want? Would you do that?” As you spoke, that strange, beckoning sensation faded for just a moment.

“Yes, I would.” She answered without hesitation. “What I would want would be to return to you. How long do you want me to be gone?”

You opened your mouth to answer, then stopped yourself. Maybe there was no need to be so harsh. She was useful. And once things settled down, you could make sure she ended up somewhere peaceful.

“It’s just a hypothetical.” You slowed your pace. Emotions radiated from the north, faint but noticeable. Pleasant, somehow. You picked up your pace again, letting that sensation guide you. “But what if I ordered you to have free will? Would you do that?”

“Free… will…?” Cerise slowed, her expression tightening as she began scratching her head with both hands. “Free… will…” The motion grew harsher, frantic. A little more pressure and she would have started drawing blood.

You stepped in, grabbing her wrists and stopping her. “What’s wrong with you? What are you doing?”

Your strength surprised you. Either it was excessive, or she was far weaker than she looked. You had to loosen your grip to avoid hurting her.

“It… it itches… it itches inside…” Cerise strained against your hands, trying to reach her head again. “Please make it stop. Please.” The words spilled out between shallow breaths, desperation creeping into her voice.

“Fine. Forget it. Just stop.” You raised your voice. She flinched, then gradually went still. Her breathing slowed, the tension draining from her arms.

“Please don’t tell me to do that again, miss.” Her eyes closed for a moment as she steadied herself. “Or at least… avoid that subject.” She swallowed. “It is very unpleasant.”

“Alright. Just… don’t do that again.” You released her wrists carefully. She remained still, shoulders lowering as she relaxed.

“I’ll try my best, miss.”

You resumed walking.

This was going to be a strange and sensitive arrangement. Calling it a friendship felt generous.

Bang.

Far ahead, in the direction you were heading, a gunshot echoed.

Bang. Bang.

A second. A third. You still had no idea what that distant, pleasant sensation was, but it was growing stronger. Emotions. Probably negative ones.

“Is something wrong?” Cerise asked, stepping closer until her head barely reached your shoulder. She really was short.

“Gunshots.” You glanced south, towards the city of Kuchinashi perched atop the mountain, still visible and ostentatious. Its massive bulk casting an unnaturally long shadow across the rocky ground. “They’re coming from the north. People from the city don’t usually come out this far, do they?”

“No. They don’t.” Cerise followed your gaze, scanning the horizon beside you.

The ground trembled beneath your feet.

Off to your left, near the edge of your vision, the earth split open. A massive, worm-like Grimm burst from the ground, only to dive back beneath the surface as it moved north, ignoring you completely. Two more at your right side surfaced shortly after, a bit closer this time. The vibrations told you there were others still underground, some of them behind you, all advancing in the same direction.

More gunshots rang out. Faster now. Closer together.

Whatever was happening up ahead was escalating, and your options were limited. Would that slightly warped saber and your weird Aura be enough should a fight arise? What about your arm?

More Grimm emerged. Not just the burrowers, but boar-like creatures and the same buzzard Grimm that had attacked you earlier, all converging on the source of the gunfire.

> Pick up Cerise and run towards the gunfire. You needed to see what was happening. And if someone was in trouble, you would help.
> The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.
> This wasn’t your fight. Grimm followed emotions and hunted others. That was the natural order of things. Who were you to alter the rules of nature? Turn back towards the city, circle it, and look for something else worth your time.
> Other (Write in)

>>6362636
>The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.

>>6362636
>The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.

>>6362636
>> The Grimm were ignoring you only because they didn’t see you as a threat. You could change that. Draw their attention. Provoke them. If emotions were the key, you could give them something to notice and thin their numbers.

Dice roll time! A 'better' result at this roll will make the next challenge harder, but it will also change the story substantially more.

> 3d10, Best of 3, DC 17, Crit 22

Rolled 5, 7, 1 = 13 (3d10)

>>6363667

Rolled 8, 7, 1 = 16 (3d10)

>>6363667

Rolled 8, 8, 3 = 19 (3d10)

>>6363667

>>6363667

You raised your saber and stepped into the edge of the moving horde. One of the quadrupedal Grimm, wolf-like with a large white mask, sprinted past you. You tested your reach with a quick slash.

The blade bit deep, sending the creature tumbling several meters away. It scrambled up, confused but furious, lunging against you in retaliation.

You sidestepped easily, scooping Cerise up with your free arm, and struck again in one clean movement. The saber cut straight through. The Grimm split in two and dissolved into black mist after it hit the ground. One down. Only… about half a hundred more.

A few nearby Grimm slowed when their ally fell, turning their masks toward you. Then, almost dismissively, they continued moving north.

“So, killing them isn’t enough…” You muttered to yourself.

“What are you trying to accomplish, miss Shelly?” Cerise asked from where she clung to your left shoulder, gripping your Grimm arm for balance. She was lighter than you expected.

Good question.

If violence against them was not enough to attract them, then maybe something else would. Grimm were drawn to emotions. Strong ones. Negative ones. You knew how good it felt for those things to be around you.

You reached inward and tried to force some of your feelings up. Anger. Frustration. A deep, hollow sadness. Even if they were artificial, they should still count. They should still notice.

And… They did! Partially, at least. Several Grimm broke from the flow. A few boar-shaped ones, some long and serpentine and even a pair of vulture-like shapes lowered themselves from the air towards your position. Close to a dozen figures in total slowed and approached you.

But they did not attack. They only watched.

Curious.

You sliced one of the snake-like Grimm in half, then launched yourself upward, twisting into a somersault. Your heel slammed into a low-flying vulture Grimm with a kick, sending it crashing towards the ground. You dropped after it and landed hard on its body, crushing it beneath the impact, making sure not to hurt Cerise. The vulture dissolved under you.
That got a reaction from the group. Good.

One of the larger boar-like Grimm charged. You braced and caught the blow on your blade. The impact shoved you back a step, your naked feet grinding against the dry stone while breaking it a bit, but you held. With a sharp thrust, you drove the saber through its mask. It let out a deep, broken growl before its body disintegrated into smoke.

Fighting felt… good. Easy. Your body moved in ways you did not consciously remember learning, each motion flowing into the next almost automatically.

More Grimm began to take notice. Not all, but enough for you to not be able to ignore them. A few peeled away from the main group, drawn by the violence, by the spike of emotion in your chest. Even one of the massive worm-like Grimm, easily 20 feet long, turned and slithered towards you.

File: GrimmWorm.png (130 KB, 695x621)

130 KB PNG

Still not enough. You were thinning them, sure, but the bulk of the horde kept surging north.

Your fighting instinct flared. Something was ambushing you.

You jumped without thinking.

The ground exploded where you had stood moments ago as another burrowing worm Grimm burst upwards, rocks and dirt spraying into the air. While still airborne, you drove your blade down into the front of its body. The force of its own momentum carried you upwards into the air as time appeared to slow down.

You landed on its scaled back and ran along its length, carving his bone-like plates with both your blade and raw force. Your muscles burned, your bones ached, but not from injury. It felt like waking up after a long sleep. Like this was what your body was always meant to do.

By the time you reached the end, the creature was already split in half. You leapt from its dissolving form and hit the ground in a crouch, dust and pebbles bursting around you from the landing.

More Grimm were turning towards you now. But not all. Maybe half the horde still raced north. Maybe more. Hard to tell in the chaos.

Faint green and red sparks flickered along your blackened arm, together with the faint feeling of pain.

Right! Your Aura! You still had not tried to use it.

“How do I use this thing you called a Semblance?” You asked as the Grimm slowly regrouped, preparing for another wave.

“I… don’t really know how to explain that.” Cerise said. “It’s supposed to feel natural. Especially for you.”

“Especially for me? What’s that supposed to mean?” You raised your blade just in time to deflect a volley of hardened feathers fired from above. Several vulture Grimm had taken to ranged attacks. The gray projectiles clanged and bounced off your saber, scattering across the ground, fading away moments later.

“You were considered a combat prodigy, even when you were very young, Miss Shelly. Finding a fair sparring partner for you at Haven was nearly impossible.” Cerise coughed lightly as the dust cloud around you finally began to thin. “The only recorded losses you had were near the end of your first year, and that was because you insisted on challenging third-years.”

“Oh. That’s… nice to hear.” A bit of pride stirred in your chest. Apparently the old ‘you’ had a reputation. “Still doesn’t help. How do I use my Semblance? What does it even do? Do I... shoot things? Move faster? Get stronger in the air or something?”

“Your Semblance is gravity manipulation, Miss Shelly.” Cerise replied.

You did not get a chance to ask something back. A boar-like Grimm barreled toward you, forcing you to leap aside, while two smaller snake-like ones lunged midair, trying to intercept you. You twisted as you fell, moving your blade in an arc around you multiple times in the span of a second. Both snakes were cut in pieces before they hit the ground, dissolving as you landed in a low stance, ready for the next attack.

“Gravity? So I can fly and stuff?” That sounded… useful. Useful and fun.

“…In a sense. I’m not sure about your exact limits.” Cerise admitted. “Why don’t you try it?”

Fair enough.

A wolf-like Grimm lunged at you. You met it head-on, locking its claws against your saber and stopping its charge. It snarled and pushed, trying to force you back, but your footing held. It was strong, nearly as strong as you, but not enough.

You reached out with your Grimm arm and pressed your palm against its mask, forcing whatever was your Semblance to activate.

Pain exploded through you.

Not just in your arm. Everywhere inside you. It felt like your flesh and nerves were coated in acid while still inside your skin. You gasped and staggered, instinctively breaking the blade lock you had with the wolf-like Grimm, leaving you exposed to a counterattack.

But the Grimm did not strike. If anything, it instead slammed face-first into the ground as if crushed by an unseen force. Its hind legs lifted awkwardly, scrabbling at the air. It opened its jaws to roar, but no sound came out. Thin cuts began to appear across its body and mask, one after another, like invisible blades carving into it from every direction.

The pain eased slightly. You forced yourself upright, breathing hard, just in time to watch the creature dissolve, the spreading wounds finishing it off.

“…Did I do that?” Your arms trembled, but you could still stand.

A deep rumble vibrated through the earth beneath your feet. Another worm-like Grimm was tunneling toward you. You both felt and heard him.

“I… don’t know. Yes...?” Cerise said, sounding just as unsettled.

> Try using your Semblance again, but with less force. It worked, in a way, even if it felt terrible. You needed to control it more. Focus on learning how to use it little by little.
> Ignore the pain. Whoever was fighting ahead had it worse. Push through the discomfort and wipe out as many Grimm as you could, using both blade and Semblance.
> Play it safer. That backlash was no joke. Stick to your saber and polish your fundamental skills with your weapon. You could experiment with Aura later, when you were not in immediate danger. Self-preservation was your priority.
> Other (Write in)

>>6365670
> Play it safer. That backlash was no joke. Stick to your saber and polish your fundamental skills with your weapon. You could experiment with Aura later, when you were not in immediate danger. Self-preservation was your priority.

>>6365670
>Play it safer. That backlash was no joke. Stick to your saber and polish your fundamental skills with your weapon. You could experiment with Aura later, when you were not in immediate danger. Self-preservation was your priority.

>>6365670

You planted your feet, Cerise still on your shoulder and your blade still raised. The rumbling beneath you shifted. Instead of erupting directly below, it veered to the side. A small crater burst open there, dirt and stones spraying outwards, but no worm emerged from there. It was a feint. A distraction.

The real attack came from behind you. The massive worm surged from the earth with an almost impossible speed, its jaws wide, aiming to swallow you whole. You twisted and caught its charge with your saber, the steel shrieking against its mouth.

You could have used your Grimm arm. Triggered your Semblance right then and there. But no, it was too risky. Too painful.

Instead, you dug in the ground and pushed back. Your feet tore through the ground as the creature forced you backwards, its sheer mass driving you across the battlefield. It was trying to topple you, to break your stance so that it could eat both of you easier. You managed to hold on, feeling the rocky ground breaking against your feet and ankles.

Straining, you tried to angle its head aside. Something that large should have been immovable, but it tilted, just slightly, to the right. Not enough to either stop it or to throw it off balance, but enough to prove it could not overpower you outright either. It was almost a draw.

With a violent jerk of its neck, the worm flung you away to disengage. You sailed through the air and landed on your feet, skidding back but staying upright. The lingering agony from your earlier Semblance usage was gone. Your body felt steadier now. You understood its tactics. If it came again, you would be ready.

But it did not return. Instead, it returned to the ground. One by one, the other Grimm lost interest. Their attention drifted back north, towards the distant conflict. Soon, the horde was moving again, leaving you behind.

You decided to not pursue them. You had thinned them. You were still standing. Cerise was unharmed. That was more than enough.

“You’re far stronger than I expected, Miss Shelly.” Cerise said from your shoulder, genuine surprise in her voice.

“Yeah. I guess I am.”

Still, something about that clash bothered you. You had not dominated that Grimm. You had merely held your ground. No. That was your pride talking. You had fought smartly. You were learning your limits. Pushing further without understanding them would have been reckless.

For a brief instant, all sound around you vanished. You turned north without knowing why, feeling something near the back of your neck.

An explosion of light and electricity happened, slowly rising up towards the sky, finishing with an explosion that lit up the clouds for a brief instant. A blinding pillar of condensed lightning speared into the sky, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. The Grimm appeared to be affected by said explosion, running away in all directions.

“I think we should move closer,” Cerise said, rubbing at her eyes. “That looked like a Semblance.”

“If you think that’s smart…”

---

By the time you approached the battlefield up north, the fighting was already dying down. A few scattered Grimm were fleeing the area. Their attack was finished. Fleeing Grimm. That felt… wrong.

The air smelled and felt… sharp. Acute and acidic. Like burning cables. Static prickled across your skin the closer you got to the source of that whatever caused that inverted lighting strike to happen.

Then you saw movement ahead. Two figures. You squinted your eyes, but the sheer distance and heat haze made it hard to see. You focused on your listening instead.

“…If it was just my leg, I’d be fine, but my back’s all messed up.” A man groaned.

“Hang in there. Corporal will sort us out. They’ll call backup once comms are stable.” Another different man spoke, his voice sprained, like he was struggling with something.

You moved closer, trying to see whoever these two were. Two soldiers in white, plated armor with heavy helmets. One was half-carrying the other, struggling to keep him upright. Their backs were turned to you as they moved up north.

“I think they’re from Atlas.” Cerise said quietly, now walking beside you, covering her face as the midday sun made it hard for her to look forward.

“What makes you think that?”

“That armor isn’t standard in Mistral. The Black Sheep stole some Atlas gear before, but this looks different. I could be wrong.” Even so, her guess carried a lot of weight to you. After all, your memories were all jumbled up.

A bit farther north, you saw a defensive perimeter formed. Military vehicles, hard-light shields, metal barricades. Burn piles smoldered inside and outside the encampment. The place had been hit hard.

“So it wasn’t a Huntsman team.” you muttered. “It was an Atlas encampment.”

“That seems likely, Miss Shelly.” Cerise slowed to a stop. “I… think getting closer is a bad idea.”

“Why? They’re people. Don’t they need our help?”

“Atlas shouldn’t be here. That alone means something is very wrong.” Her voice got quieter. “And you don’t exactly look like someone they’d welcome.”

You glanced at your oversized, tattered robe. Your Grimm arm was mostly hidden, but still…

“Unless they strip-search me, I doubt they’ll attack on sight. I could pass for a civilian. Or a Huntress. Right?”

“Maybe.” Cerise admitted. “But Atlas is strict. And they’re operating somewhere they shouldn’t be. They’ll be jumpy and on the defensive. Suspicious."

“I get it.” You kept watching the camp. “But they were attacked by Grimm. We should at least check if they need help.”

“Why would you help them?” Cerise’s voice flared with a sudden bitterness. “They’re backstabbing scum.”

You blinked, glancing at her. That was the most emotion she had shown so far.

"S-sorry… I don't know why, but I really feel like I don't like them… I apologize for my ineptitude in trying to explain to you why-"

"It's okay." You interrupted her. It was obvious that something had happened between her and them. Your focus was still on the camp, trying to hear whatever people inside were saying or doing.

> There were people there. Wounded people and soldiers. Maybe even worse. This wasn't the time to dwell on loyalties and all that. People were people, and you would help them. Approach directly, make your intentions known.
> Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.
> You would trust Cerise on this one. Maybe Atlas was doing something under the table. Maybe it was a bad idea to treat them with respect. Those two soldiers? You were almost sure that if you ran towards them, you could catch them by surprise before they got closer to the camp. Fish out some answers from them, make yourself known as someone who shouldn't be disrespected.
> Other (Write in)

>>6368943
>Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.

>>6368943
> Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.

>>6368943
>Approach carefully. The camp was in the middle of an arid, almost-desert with almost no obstacles in between, and the sun was close to midday. It would be extremely hard, but if you moved fast enough, maybe you would be able to approach without them knowing you were there.

This is a hard roll so be prepared for a high DC

>Best of three, 3d10, Partial Success DC 20, Crit 24

Rolled 9, 5, 10 = 24 (3d10)

>>6370148

Might as well use the insta-crit

>writing

>>6368943

> Negative Emotion Affinity is being slowly understood! Now it is possible to somewhat differentiate what emotions people are feeling. Not infallible but you’re no longer in the dark!

If you approached directly, the chances of being searched or worse were high. And, unfortunately, you did have some things you wanted to hide. That arm of yours would never help you make friends.

But Cerise’s proposal of not trusting them fully? It was biased. Sure, she was smart, had a better grasp on how the world worked and all that, but you had to train your own judgment eventually. You knew Cerise’s knowledge was not perfect.

“We’re going in.” You approached Cerise, wrapping your right arm around her torso and holding her like a bag. She did not seem to mind, so maybe it was not as uncomfortable as it looked.

“...This is not a good idea.” She complained.

“Oh? You? Defying my orders?” You chuckled, looking over at the camp while mapping out possible routes you could take.

“N-no. I’m deeply sorry if I conveyed that message. It’s just that-” You quickly interrupted her.

“It’s okay. Just teasing you a bit. Remember, stay quiet and keep close.” You pressed your feet against the ground, cracking some of the rocks as you focused on your legs. You had to run fast, find somewhere to hide while moving, and react to whatever happened. You did not want to be found.

You started sprinting. Your speed was considerable. You were not even going all out, yet you still felt the strong, comfortable rush of air against your face. At this pace, you were sure you could outrun most of the Grimm you had faced moments ago.

You pushed further, the camp slowly growing larger as you approached. At this speed, you would arrive in just a few minutes.

A hint of something reached you. Those two soldiers. They were wary. You felt what they felt, and so you decided to stop and lie on the ground.

The cloud of dust surrounding you was the most obvious sign of your approach. It was difficult, but you managed to hear them even through the intense wind forming around you.

“...A second attack?” one of the men asked.

“No. No, I don’t think so. We should still report it to HQ.”

Darn. That would make things harder.

The cloud of dirt and dust you created by running advanced across the rocky, barren terrain. You used it to camouflage yourself as you kept moving, funneling the dirt into your improvised cover.

What if you made it bigger?

You stomped the ground with your arms and legs, lifting dirt, sand, whatever lay beneath your feet, feeding the large yellow-brown cloud that was quickly expanding. By now even the camp would begin noticing your presence.

But it would be too late. You were already close to the west side of the camp. If you managed to run without kicking up more dirt, you could circle towards the north while the localized sandstorm lingered in the west. The best way to sneak into somewhere was with a distraction.

Once the sandstorm was large and thick enough, you ran forward, using small rock pillars as cover to sneak up on the camp again, slower this time. Cerise covered her mouth and nose with her eyes closed, trying her best not to cough.

After a few minutes, you reached the north side of the camp. Electrified barriers, metal fences, and deactivated hardlight barricades stood in your way. You focused again and…

You found someone hiding behind one of the barriers. You had not seen or heard him. If anything, you sensed him through his emotions. He felt anxious. Sad? No. Angry? No. Scared. Yes, that fit better.

You considered how to advance, how to sneak closer, how to distract him, but in the end it was unnecessary. His presence began moving farther away, deeper into the camp. He was leaving. This emotional radar was very handy.

You quickly approached the barricade, searching for an entry point. There were several holes marked by claw swipes, rubble scattered across the ground where a worm had likely attacked, but none of it looked like a good entrance.

What if you jumped over it?

You approached the wall, ready to leap with Cerise still in your arm, but something stopped you. A faint vibration, an electronic hum you had not heard before. Something small was moving around. Maybe a hidden camera.

If you jumped, you would have maybe alerted the camp. Not good. At least you caught it at the last second.

Cerise pointed to a spot hidden behind a rock and the torn side of a van. A hole in the wall, similar in size to one of those charging boar-like Grimm you fought earlier, concealed behind a recently built barricade.

This place had been hit hard. Not thinning the horde had definitely made the attack here far more devastating.

You moved the metal barricade aside with one arm. You had to lift it carefully to avoid making noise. It took some effort, but you managed.

You advanced into the small tunnel, faint rays of light filtering through the rubble between the rocks. The way the passage twisted made you feel you were near the northeast side of the camp.

At the end of the tunnel stood another manmade barricade. You focused on your slowly-being-refined emotional radar and sensed no one nearby. You used your hearing to support your assumption. No breaths, no heartbeats. Good.

When you exited the tunnel, you found yourself inside the camp. It seemed severely lacking in soldiers. No, that was not true. There were plenty of soldiers, but they were concentrated near the west wall, emanating anxiety, concern, fear. You were getting used to this.

File: HeliosHarrow.png (113 KB, 305x354)

113 KB PNG

You advanced, peeking from behind one of the many white tents as you walked past equipment so advanced you barely understood what any of it did. Some of it looked like antennas, ammo crates, supplies, etc.

There, in the courtyard, nearly three or four dozen soldiers in various states of injury stood with weapons at the ready, all staring at the wall. The sandstorm you caused earlier had not dissipated. If anything, it had grown larger, the wind pushing it upward until it resembled a dome. They muttered among themselves. It was hard to catch everything.

“We can’t handle a second attack.”

“Has HQ not responded yet?”

“Please, I don’t want to die.”

You caught yourself smiling. How awful. Why were you smiling? It felt good. Amusing. Their emotions were clearly affecting you. You touched your mouth, trying to force the smile away. After a few tries, you managed to quell the feeling of satisfaction.

“Everything’s clear.”

A loud male voice came from beyond the wall. A barrage of head-sized eyes made of light-blue electricity climbed over it, slipping through the structure and vanishing moments later. A figure emerged, levitating as a carpet of glowing eyes lowered him gently into the camp. A dark open book rested in his hand.

The man was tall and pale, somewhat slim, and he stood out sharply from the other soldiers. First, instead of wearing armored gear and a visor, he had on layered robes of light gray fabric with black and blue embroidery. And above all, his hair. Long, blonde, wild, elegant. You could go on and on describing it. You felt envious of his hair.

The soldiers sighed in relief almost in unison. Some began walking back into the camp, many limping or groaning in pain.

“What was that, sir?” Three soldiers asked as they approached him, clearly worried.

“Probably a dust devil.” He replied, patting one on the shoulder. “What’s the state of the signal?”

“Slowly increasing in radius, sir, but not enough to reach the main camp.” He sounded disappointed. “There’s a lot of interference in the area, and with some of our equipment damaged, delays are to be expected. Estimated time before contact is… an hour at the very least.”

Some of the soldiers began spreading out again, slowly reclaiming the camp grounds. Your hiding spot would no longer work.

You needed somewhere else to slip into. Maybe a crate. The same tunnel from before. Outside the camp. One of the tents. Or perhaps... the large one nearby.

> The tunnels seemed sensible. The soldiers did not want to remain camped here, so it made sense they would begin packing up. Some of the crates scattered around suggested they were already doing so. You could use that area as cover while relying on your emotional sense to gather information, with your hearing as support.
> The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.
> With the many supply crates lying around, you could probably find a set of armor to blend in. It would also help conceal your appearance. You could find one for Cerise as well.
> Other (Write in)

>>6370541
>The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.

>>6370541
>The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.

>>6370541
> The main tent would clearly contain the most valuable information. The man with the book would likely enter and remain there for a while, but you wanted to stay close and learn more about what these Atlas soldiers were planning. Besides, no one would expect someone to hide there.