//------------------------------// // C2 - Rise of the Grimmfather // Story: Discord Meets Ruby Rose // by Maxes Altho //------------------------------// Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep. I snap awake and hit the alarm. I sit up, and the rest of Team RWBY is already up and about, preparing for today’s classes. As I yawn and stretch, Yang goes over to the curtains to welcome in the morning. She has them about half open when she stops, a worried look on her face. “Uh, guys? Did the weather call for chocolate rain and walruses dancing in the streets?” “Whuh?” Either what she just said makes no sense, or I’m still asleep. I ask Weiss to slap me, which she does gladly. “Come again, Yang?” I ask, stifling another yawn. “Well, Ruby, the weather currently looks like cotton candy clouds, chocolate rain, all the street signs have been turned into candy canes, and there are Grimm running through the streets along with dancing walruses.” Okay, what? I get up, and sure enough, it’s chaos in the streets. Strange, candy-filled chaos. Citizens everywhere running from the Grimm, no law enforcement in sight. No question now I’m fully awake. I start putting on my gear, and see Blake and Weiss have already traded their school uniforms for battle outfits and weapons. We set out from our room, after telling Jaune to ready his team, and head for Ozpin’s office. If anyone had any idea what was going on, it would be him. It’s not easy. Giant Nevermore keep flying Grimm into Beacon. We fight our way through, sometimes glimpsing other teams trying to keep the Grimm out of strategic locations, the dorms, the teacher’s offices, and library. Unfortunately, it looks like a losing battle. We’re about halfway to the spire containing Ozpin’s office, when an enormous, gut-wrenching roar is heard. We turn, and a fifty-foot tall Grimm is making its way into the city. It is a grotesque amalgamation of different Grimm parts, wings of a Nevermore, tusks of a Boarbatusk, skin like a Taijitu, fangs like a Beowulf, claws of an Ursa, tail of a Death Stalker, and several other creatures. We can only stare. Finally, Yang speaks. “Okay, what the actual fuck is that thing?” I’m too shocked to reprimand her for her language. Team RWBY is supposed to remain clean. “The Grimmfather,” a voice sounds behind us. We look, and there stands Ozpin, with an enraged Goodwitch beside him, and several teachers behind. All of them are worried, but Ozpin keeps his calm face on. “A beast of legend, one that hasn’t been seen in over three thousand years. He is the creator of the Grimm. He vanished when we found Dust, and were able to form it into tools to beat back his children.” Blake steps forward. “So how do we stop it?” At that moment, it roars again. I look back, and it’s now flying over the city, straight at Beacon. It lands on top of the spire, and lets out a bone-chilling laugh. Yeah, it’s laughing. “FEAR ME MORTALS! WE ARE THE GRIMMFATHER, RETURNED TO END YOUR MISERABLE LIVES! WE WILL… What?” “No, no killing of the people.” I’m confused. It’s arguing with itself, in two different voices. “WHY? THEY ARE TREMBLING IN OUR GRASP! ONE SWIFT MOVE, AND WE SHALL CLAIM VICTORY!” “Now I can see why this was just a phase. See, I’ve moved beyond victory in the what, three thousand or so years since I’ve been here? It’s much more fun to force them to submit. Why do you think I stayed in Equestria so long?” “What?” This comes from me, RWBY, Ozpin, and Goodwitch. How could an ancient Grimm with a multiple-personality disorder possibly know about the world Rainbow and her friends came from? “NO, DISCORD! WE ARE NOT WEAK! WE WILL CRUSH THOSE WHO OPPOSE US, AND THEN THEY WILL COME, AND WE WILL EAT THEM WHOLE!” It glances down at us. “Would you please excuse me for a moment? I’m afraid I have to give myself a stern talking to.” It then disappears inside the spire. What it said gets our attention. Rainbow told us about Discord, how he forced her and the other Elements to betray their own Element. If he had been freed, then— “I am afraid we may not be able to defeat it, Ms. Belladonna. Even when our ancestors had the tools, they could not touch the Grimmfather. It took two angels from the heavens to force him out. Now, I know you are all probably on the same thought train as me: these angels ousted him, and he moved on to Equestria. He has probably gained even more power since then; it would be suicide to try and oppose him.” “Good thing we’ve dealt with suicide situations before,” Yang says. She’s loading her gauntlets with the highest-yield explosives allowed by the government of Vale. The others are arming themselves in a similar fashion. Professor Goodwitch steps forward. “Girls, this is madness! You can’t hope to take on the creator of the Grimm!” “Professor, if we don’t try, then who would?” I find myself saying. “If we can catch him before he has a chance to dig his hole, we may be able to do some damage. Then, everyone needs to work together to force him out of the city. Professor Ozpin, you need to contact the other Kingdoms, especially Atlas. Get them to send anything and everything they have. Or, in case we fail, tell them to ban anything to do with Vale until we can stop it.” Ozpin looks troubled. “I have never doubted the minds of my students. It would be foolish to stop that trend now. I place my faith in you, Ruby. Good luck.” I nod my thanks, and we head off to the spire. We have a God to face. ---------- Two minutes later, I’m hiding behind a pillar, too scared to move, and praying to anything that might listen that the rest of RWBY doesn’t find me. What happened? Where did our plan go wrong? We made it up the spire alright, and found Discord/the Grimmfather took up residence in Ozpin’s office. I smiled at the irony of it all. He had turned Ozpin’s office into a grand throne room, with a massive throne at one end in which he sat, still arguing with himself. As we entered, Discord appeared to have won, and taken control of the beast. He perks up when we enter. “Ah, so which one of you is Ruby Rose?” I step forward, to the head of my Team. “That would be me. You’re Discord, right? I thought you were supposed to be encased in stone.” He scoffs, something very strange to see a Grimm do. “Time off for good behavior. I had a message for you from one of your friends, now what was it?” Yang interrupts him by flying straight towards his face. He grins, and suddenly she’s trapped in a bubble of energy. “Ah ah ah. Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s inappropriate to aim for the face? I guess you’ll have to be punished for that.” With that, he breathes black fire into the bubble. There’s no way Yang survived. Against all odds, she is unhurt. However, she is changed. I don’t get a good look because Discord turns a stream of fire at the three of us. I feel a glyph form under my feet, and it launches me backwards. “Blake! Weiss!” “Just go! Get out of—” the flame engulfs them. I scramble behind a pillar as Discord speaks to what used to be my friends. “Now girls, don’t you want to go find your friend and tell her why it’s a good thing to be my friend?” “Yes, Father.” I hear Weiss and Blake say simultaneously. That does it. Now I’m running, taking cover behind what I can, trying to get to the door. I’m at the last pillar before the door when my blood runs cold. A voice speaks over my shoulder. “Ah, now I remember.” A massive claw slams down, trapping me between Discord’s fingers. “Fluttershy wishes to say she misses you.” With that, the fire overtakes me, and I fall into a never-ending darkness.