"Ever since I was sealed in this place, I have been forced to feed on the ambient, negative emotions of those in the surroundings." Qrow shook his head in disbelief, startled by the sudden info dump. "Whoa whoa whoa... go back a bit. Explain." The great dragon took in a deep breath before acquiescing. "You may have already surmised, but I am old. Far older than even the most ancient human wandering this world. In truth, my life began in a way not too dissimilar to the grimm you know. I was nothing more than a mindless killer." Qrow nodded, patiently expecting the dragon to continue.
"Over time, I grew stronger. Strong enough that no ordinary human could end my malicious existence. The greater the foe they sent my way, the greater my arrogance became when I devoured them." Qrow couldn't help but feel quietly discomforted by the dragon's murderous reminiscence. "Until they arrived. A pair. A man with tanned skin and white hair, accompanied by a light skinned, blonde woman. They each held enormous power but together, they were practically unstoppable." Qrow immediately felt an odd sense of familiarity as the dragon reached this point in the story. As if he had heard snippets of it from another source, yet he still had no clue who the two might have been.
"No matter what either side did, no one was able to grasp the lead. Thanks to the negativity surrounding this place at the time, as well as the emotions forged during the battle itself, I was able to recover from any wound inflicted. They had their own way of doing the same. As a result, we fought for three days and three nights, eventually resulting in the pair opting to seal me away in this place. Even to this very moment, their magic pervades these walls, trapping me in what I once considered an eternal prison." "Once?" Qrow questioned, seeing the light gradually returning to the dragon's crimson eyes.
"Indeed. So much time passed after that. I knew of Grimm who had obtained a modicum of intelligence; the ability to bide their time, for example, yet the moment I spoke my first, human word, I was beside myself. The older I became, the more intelligence I accrued, and the more I realised I would never be able to use any of it. I was trapped not just in this cavern, but within my own mind." The tired dragon's expression slowly softened as his thoughts drifted away from his past and towards the present. "But now, I find myself calling this place home. And it is all thanks to that boy I now call my son."
The dragon lingered on the thought, eternally grateful for the existence he named Ryu. "Believe it or not, that child was the first to show no fear when we met. His laughter, his earnest curiosity, his creativity, the care and affection he shows for me every time we talk, it caused a strange warmth to pervade my very being. It was uncomfortable at first but now... I understand what it is. It's love. I love that boy. My son. My world and my soul." The dragon's warm smile faded as he spoke.
"Unfortunately, a grimm raising a child goes against the natural order and I was... unable to escape the consequences." Realisation dawned on Qrow's face. Age was no issue and he wasn't actually sick either. "So your sickness..." "Yes. Though these years spent with my son have been the most fulfilling in my life. The lack of negative emotions, the influx of positive emotions and the effort it takes to constantly keep the mindless ones at bay... has left me in this state. As things are, even if the world were suddenly flooded with negativity, I would last no more than five more years. Should things stay the same, I have one. Perhaps two if I focused on nothing but my own survival." The dragon's expression looked incredibly grim. He knew that his time with Ryu was leading him to his own demise, yet he carried on all the same.
"What about R-" The sound of rushed footsteps against loose stone forcefully dragged their attention away from the conversation. Their eyes darted to the source of the noise, spotting nothing but darkness but realising exactly what had happened "Ryu." They muttered simultaneously, panic lacing their voices. They knew this news would hit the boy incredibly hard but neither knew what he would do with the knowledge.
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RWBY: Child of Grimm - Reloaded
Fanfiction[Rewrite of Rwby: Child of Grimm. More Info Below] Good and Evil are not so easily defined. Those who see themselves as righteous, are often capable of committing the worst atrocities. Those who are deemed Evil, like the creatures of Grimm? Even the...
