Draco's Various Stories

[DracoStar12]

Chapter 1: New Game Start

Dying sucks. Strong statement to start with and one that's obvious, I know but dying factually does suck. It can suck even more depending on how you exactly die. I've heard all sorts of things about dying. News and media can get creative sometimes. Especially from a show about various ways of dying that have actually happened in real life, not something a kid should be watching but I digress, and know a lot from some personal experience. Not to mention it's something one does not generally think about until they are confronted with it. Of course I have a great amount of personal experience right now because well… I am dying. In some shitty alleyway. After saving someone from being robbed. A cliche Hero Story, I know. Guy sees a crime going down and tries to stop it. Hell I can hear the ambulance but well… they're gonna be late, I know it. Stab wound is particularly deep. I can faintly tell the person I saved is nearby me. You know today was such a nice day too before all of this. Sun was shining, it was a particularly warm day even during this dreadful winter that was going on. Makes the cold feeling that was creeping in even worse frankly. I feel the person shaking me, bringing back some of my focus. Could feel my thoughts getting a bit scattered at a point so it helped. Think my head may have gotten a bad hit when I got slammed into the ground while trying to wrestle away the knife.
"H-Hey! Stay with me man!"
"...I'm not gonna make it. I can already feel myself slipping away at this point."
"T-The ambulance is almost here, we just need to keep applying pressure."
"Listen. There's too much blood lost, the wound is practically impossible to patch. Goddamn serrated knife… heh, would be a Geneva Convention Violation if this was a war."
Faintly, I can see the person look at me with slight anger from my attitude. Can't exactly blame them, my head feels a little fuzzy at this point. Think it's because of the pain. Might be due to the blood-loss. Good chance I did get a concussion. Any one of those things kinda makes sense individually. Though if I'll be frank, it's hard to really focus on much else aside from slowly dying and how my head is swimming a bit. Yet I still try and fight through it. Partially because I do actually still wanna live. Partially because even if I am gonna die? I'm going to at least try and get one last affair in order.
"Why the hell are you being so calm about dying!?!?"
"Shock mostly… hey… I'm… Ash Lowell. F-Find my family… tell them I loved them and my last words are… Memories are the only things that last forever."
I say this as I put my hand onto their shoulder. Honestly I can barely move, my body feels so heavy yet I also feel so weak. For a moment, I feel myself fade before focusing again. That stab really put me at death's footsteps. I can tell they're earnestly trying to keep me alive. I appreciate it but I need them to hopefully do that. It's a lot to ask a stranger but… well, I have to get the message to them somehow. Can't reach for my phone, think it broke during the fight. Knew I should have gotten a case for it. Eh well not like I can regret being cheap about something right now.
"I… please… please hold on."
"Just please do that… okay?"
"O-Okay… I will. I definitely will."
At least I can die knowing that my family will know I loved them till the very end. Not to mention I got to give a pretty nice quote. I feel… so tired… and so cold. My vision blurs as I feel it going dark. I think I'll just… close my eyes for a while. Huh, I can feel myself… drifting away. Generally there's supposed to be a light I'm supposed to see and walk into. Yet it doesn't feel like there's going to be one. I will admit one thing, it's… surprisingly peaceful. No sound, no emotion, just silence. After a few moments, something shifts. I feel a cold wind on my body as it blows in my ears. I can feel my body have a certain solidness once again… yet it also feels lighter then before. Slowly opening my eyes, I see that… there was an endless sky before me. Looking down I see I'm standing at the edge of a tower. Immediately I react as any person would. Jumping back from the edge in shock.
"The hell?!?!" I say, my voice sounding foreign to me for a moment
This… this isn't normal. This isn't in any sort of thing I've read about. This feels like the beginning to some sort of webtoon story or something. Looking down at myself, my body is now made of bright orange light. Sort of reminds me of… what the Novakids look like from Starbound except it was more translucent and wispy. Weird thing to be reminded of, I guess but that does feel similar. I feel like I should be freaking out right now but I do feel a… weird sense of calmness? Thinking about it, where exactly am I? This isn't anywhere in any sort of mythology I can recognize. Not unless this is from something I haven't researched too much into which is… a distinct possibility I guess. Does that mean I'll have to fight something? Because if so, damn is that going to be a massive pain in the ass.
"Calm yourself of those thoughts. You are in a safe place." I hear a voice say
I whip around, eyes searching for the source. Finally looking behind me, I see a mysterious tall man in a dark blue cloak. Most of his face is hidden in the shadows of his hood except for his mouth. Currently, he was standing from what I presume is either the entrance into the Tower or the entrance leading from the roof of this Tower. Looking him over, I try to get any sense of if he's from a particular mythological group or not. Wherever I am, it sure as hell doesn't look like the world I just left behind. That much is clearly obvious to me, especially now.
"I will state that I am not related to the Gods of your world." The man says in a knowing voice
"...You can read my thoughts?" I ask carefully
"Indeed I can… and as you know. You're dead." The man states
I stare at him with a distinct sense of blank emotion before promptly getting annoyed. A jaded frustration rising up within me. Normally, I don't mind people stating the obvious but considering just a few moments ago I was dying of a stab wound? I'm not exactly impressed at someone bringing that information up when I have no idea what's going on.
"No shit sherlock. How about instead of saying the obvious, you tell me where the hell I am?" I snap
"A realm of my own making. One that will get used to a… few things I plan on giving you." The man explains
"...Cool cool, so you're offering me something? Because I know damn well from that tone you're offering me something." I respond with
"An understandable assumption… tell me… would you like to live a new life in a new world?" The man asks
That's… an interesting offer to say the least. On one hand? Epic adventures in a world filled with magic. On the other hand? High chances for death. I've read a few novels and seen a few anime about this sort of thing. Not to mention the fact that I was a relatively normal young adult at one point. Was one year off of turning twenty-one and being able to drink. Which kinda sucks that I never got that chance to try a beer. Not to mention I wasn't exactly what you'd call athletic. So I might be screwed in this next life. Especially if I end up in someone else's body because boy howdy do I not have any skills from my previous life that could help. After a few more moments of mulling this over, I slowly nod.
"Okay… that's a bit of a shock but uh… why? Why bring me back, of all people, back from the dead to live in a new world?" I question tentatively
"Simple. You have a strong heart. A heroic one even." The figure says, smiling softly
"Tempted to make a My Hero Academia Reference but there's some parts of that series I don't like… tangent, that's a tangent. So my heroic heart is what qualified me?" I ask with a soft snort
"Among other things. Yes." The figure spoke in a steady tone
"...Do I get powers?" I ask after a brief pause
"Indeed you do. Of course you will have to use them to do one particular thing." The man says
Knew there would be a catch to having these powers. If he asks me to genocide an entire world, I'm turning him down. I might not exactly be the most pleasant person sometimes but I'm not gonna kill an entire world because someone offered to bring me back to life. No amount of superpowers will ever make me cross that line. I'd rather take torment in hell over that… then again, being in hell does suck. Eh in either case I'd be in hell, so that's a moot point really. Doing my best to squint at the man, seriously it's really hard to do that when you technically don't have eyes, I look at him with suspicion.
"You're not planning on making me do anything evil with those powers right?" I ask
"I do not plan on making you do anything genocidal. That is up to your discretion really." The man responds with an enigmatic smile
"Right… mind-reading thing. Forgot about that. Okay so if we're not doing anything evil without my choice. What's the thing I have to do? Marry a hundred girls? Kill a God? Create a universe?" I ask blandly
"Actually you just have to kill one great evil. Typical Heroic journey sort of thing, don't you agree?" The man asks with some amusement
"...What are the powers and who am I gonna be killing? I get the feeling there's some info here you're not telling me outright." I say, suspicion arising within me
The man slowly nods before bringing up his hand, appearing over his hand is a… floating menu. One straight out of a video game. Wait, am I being given The Gamer Ability? Awesome- wait no, don't assume yet. If I've learned anything from… reading a few fanfics, Gamer Abilities can either be piss-easy to deal with for a great power fantasy or brutal to the point of feeling bad for the character. It isn't an instant win button and generally it allows for some people to get super strong and have harems. Not interested in Harems personally but that's not exactly the point. Point is: cool superpower could come at a great cost that I'm not exactly ready to deal with.
"So… that menu. That's related to The Gamer Ability right-" "Yes it is related to The Gamer Ability as you have deduced. And do not worry, the difficulty will not be as harsh as you fear."
Neat. That answers that question. So that begs the other question that hasn't been answered. After all, I did ask two things. And the other thing is who am I going to have to face? After all, this could be one of those situations where I am thrown into a piece of media I know. Which is both great and not great. Great because I have foreknowledge to work with, not great because that foreknowledge could easily become useless or just outright be useless.
"For someone who thinks of themselves quite simple. You do tend to think a lot about your decisions before making them." The man says, a smirk tugging at his lips
"Piss off, I'm trying to weigh my options. Now answer my other question on who I'm facing." I say, trying to keep some patience
"Salem. The leader of the Grimm and a Dark Witch you could say." The man says as a smirk grows on his face
"...Hell yeah! I can get a gunblade! Well… if I survive the beginning at least. Still uh… is there… anything else I should worry about?" I ask, immediately realizing I should get back on topic
"Only about what you'll look like. Of course before I send you down there. I will give you some time to get used to having a smaller body and then-"
"Wait, smaller body?" I interrupt with
"Yes, you'll be much younger than you were before. It's the best chance for you to change as many things within the timeline as possible." The man explains
"...Goddammit. Okay, I can deal with that. Not the worst thing to happen, could be. Not sure… eh I'll figure it out." I say with a huff
At least he's giving me a chance to get used to the difference in size. Going from one height to another can mess people up from what I've read. Not to mention some fanfics play around with that concept and I may as well take the win here. The man briefly disappeared before a blank model appeared before me, looking similar to a mannequin. Then a series of options straight out of a character creator appeared in my vision. Well, this'll be a fun thing to do. May as well stick to my old looks at best as possible. I have ash blonde hair, steel blue eyes, and fair skin. Noticing the race option, I look through the selection. Lots of Faunus options… I'll just go with Wolf Faunus since that's fairly generic. And finally, I'll take the name from my last life since it fits the color theme anyway.

Ash Lowell
​

Nodding, I press the confirm button. Making the model disappear. After a moment I feel… smaller, shorter even. Looking down I see a small version of my hand. Yep, seems like it was instant. I miss being tall already. Soon after, the man reappeared in a burst of blue energy. He nods at me as he has to tilt his head to look. Well at least he isn't being smug with the height difference. I can take solace in that fact.
"Now. I will give you some time to run around, exercise, get used to being in this body. Afterward, you'll be sent down into the world of Remnant. Do not worry about the lack of combat experience… you will understand your abilities soon enough." The man said
"Good to know. So what's your name exactly? Because I feel like since you know my name, I may as well know yours… I get the feeling that calling you 'Mr. Freaky Cloaked Dude' would not exactly entertain you." I say
"Oho, I find that quite endearing actually… but yes, I suppose giving you my name shall suffice. I am Chrono." The man says
"Alrighty… Chrono. I'll keep that in mind. Let's get to training, yeah?" I ask
Soon after, I'm guided down into the Tower with the walls being smooth and featureless, lit by an eerie, otherworldly glow. We eventually arrived into a room that is… essentially one of those parkour training rooms. There were ropes, wooden beams, raps, and concrete walls practically made for wall-running across. With a soft sigh, I ready myself before running around the area. Running, jumping, leaping, and rolling across all sorts of areas. Took me a few tries in some regards but after a bit, I managed to get used to being in a smaller body. After a few hours of running, I collapsed onto the floor. Breathing somewhat heavily. Don't have the Gamer Ability yet so stamina is pretty limited as is. Then again I wouldn't be surprised if I was given some form of enhanced stamina just in this room so I have as much time as possible to get used to being like this… oh God I'm gonna have to spend years like this. I mean having the Gamer Ability will help a lot but still, it's gonna be a pain growing up. At least puberty won't be as bad thanks to Gamer's Mind. Soon after, Chrono walked over to me.
"I see you have finished running around. Must admit, you lasted longer than I thought. I figured even with the enhanced stamina, you'd need to take at least one break." He says
"I tend to impress… in weird ways." I pant out
"Regardless… sleep. When you wake next… you will be in that world. Landing will be bumpy however." Chrono says, their voice infused with power
Suddenly I feel entirely too exhausted to stay away… my eyes slowly slide close as I fall asleep. Remnant, here I come- wait what was that last part about a bumpy landing?

---

Suddenly I'm awoken by landing on the ground with a loud thud. After a moment, I drag myself from the ground and wipe the dirt off of my face. Looking around, I see I am… in front of Raven's old house. In a forest… somewhere on Patch… annnnddd it's almost evening. Great. Just great. Slowly getting up, I brush myself off with a grumble. Thank you, Chrono, for MAKING ME LAND LIKE THAT YOU ASSHOLE! THAT FUCKING HURT! Ugh. Some people. Right, well… guess I should open my status. I hum before deciding to do the Sword Art Online menu opening gesture. A menu opens up soon after. Being a weeb for the win! Then again SAO isn't exactly my favorite anime… eh, whatever, I'll take what I can get. I open my status menu first and foremost by selecting the option called… well… Status. The menu reconfigures itself showing a chibi version of me in ragged clothing with my name and stats underneath it.

[{Status}]
[Name: Ash Lowell]
[Class(es): N/A]
[Race: Faunus - Wolf]
[HP (Health Points): 105/105]
[AP (Aura Points): 0/0 {LOCKED}]
[MP (Magic Points): 105/105]
[STR (Strength): 5]
[END (Endurance): 5]
[SPD (Speed): 5]
[INT (Intelligence): 5]
[WIS (Wisdom): 5]
[CHR (Charisma): 5]
[LCK (Luck): 5]

Well… that's quite the interesting thing there. I'll have to get my Aura unlocked later. Let's see… what other things are here? Inventory? Nothing there which is definitely expected. Settings? Apparently there's a BGM Mode. That is useful but I think I'll turn that on later when I'm a bit more prepared. Skills? I haven't developed any so no point looking there. Perks. There we go. Good place to start. Especially considering the fact that I might have some traits I didn't notice. Opening it up, the list is fairly simple and mostly what I'd expect.

[{Perks}]
[Gamer's Mind (Max LVL): Allows you to see through tricks and remain calm in most situations {Warning: In cases of severely distressing moments, PTSD can override this Perk. Same with intense moments of emotion}]
[Gamer's Body (Max LVL): Allows for restoration of HP, MP, and AP during rest {Pain Inhibitors will deactivate after a certain point in progression}]
[Enhanced Senses (Max LVL): You can hear footsteps from even a mile away… car alarms are very annoying as a downside]
[Night Vision (Max LVL): Don't need Goggles to see during a moonless night]

Aside from some of the somewhat weird descriptions. It's odd that Gamer's Mind has some downgrades alongside Gamer's Body. Then I realized… it's to make sure I don't lose myself because of the power I have. Very easily I could forget that I am a person to an extent due to having nullified pain and a constant sense of calm even during distressing situations. While yes I'd have emotions, Gamer's Mind could easily quash them but allowing some moments where my mind doesn't need to focus too much on logic could be a boon in its own right… or this could just be a weird downgrade to mess with me. Who's to say? Either way, I wasn't going to let it stop me. I'd adapt, like I always did. For now, though, I needed to figure out my next move. Remnant was waiting. Suddenly a new menu pops up in front of me.

[Class System Activated]

[{Please choose two Classes from the following list}]
​

It then expands into a large list of options. Honestly I didn't even know some of these were classes on their own to begin with. Then again there's a vast array of media I didn't even look into, so it's probably not that surprising. Humming slightly. I decided to take two of my favorite Magical classes from a particular Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy V. The Red Mage and the Spellblade. Red Mage because being able to use damaging magic and healing magic this early would be pretty big. Even in its original game it fell off pretty quickly due to the fact that it can only learn spells up to a certain tier. Hell it was particularly bad in Final Fantasy 1. Spellblade because enchanting my weapons with Elements without the use of Dust is incredibly useful. It'll save money in the long-run and I could easily pass it off as a Semblance in case I don't ever get one. In the event that I can't pass it off, I can bullshit my way around that. In the end, lying is probably gonna become pretty common for a while. Not ideal but I know better than to just be honest all of the time.

[Classes have been chosen]

[|Quest completed|]

[{The Basics}]

[-Explanation: You have gained the power of the Gamer Ability. May as well see what you can do first and foremost before doing anything like saving the world.]

[Rewards: 45 Stat Points, Basic Skills, Bonus Item Pack, Special Ability Package]
​

Those are some nice rewards for completing a random tutorial. Don't mind if I take those for myself hehe~. I'll have to take a look at those other rewards later. I take a moment to assign my stat points in the proper areas. Increasing my HP and MP up to a nice one hundred fifteen and one hundred ten respectively. If I've learned anything it's that having a high HP stat can be pretty useful, especially in Souls-like games. Then again glass cannon builds are viable… wait what am I thinking? That's a bad idea in this situation. Because I can actually die and I do not think I'll be given another chance simply because I died due to focusing on Strength rather than survival. I'm gonna have to hardcore resist that temptation for quite a while. I decided to take a quick look over my current stat spread.

[STR: 10]
[END: 15]
[SPD: 12]
[INT: 10]
[WIS: 10]
[CHR: 15]
[LCK: 8]

Luck doesn't need to be super high at the moment since I am just starting out. Don't think I'll be getting very many drop items I can use at the start anyway. Not to mention the fact that having a fairly good Charisma and Endurance stat will carry me in quite a few situations. Charisma because talking to people is important and Endurance because getting stabbed once was already painful enough. Would like to survive that if possible this time around. In the end, I think I might have a pretty balanced build in all of my other stats aside from Endurance and Charisma. I then hear the sound of wagon wheels creaking behind me, turning around immediately I see… oh shit.
"Uh… hey, who are you?" A young Yang Xiao-Long asks me

 

[DracoStar12]

Alright, well I'm already meeting a canon character at this point. That's great. That's just perfectly fine. Barely even give me a moment to relax before throwing me straight into the wolves… or the Beowolves in this case… 'cause of the Grimm. I can totally deal with that. Sarcasm aside, I'm gonna need to act quick in this situation. Because frankly? I have… no idea how to act in this situation. Don't think most people would be able to but this is especially the case in my situation. I can't blow this otherwise I'm going to look incredibly suspicious for being what… a seven-year-old in the middle of the wilderness? Thinking about it, that already looks suspicious… thoughts for later.
"Uh… I'm uh… my name's Ash." I say in an incredibly awkward way after a moment
Great work me. Totally got it down. Then again if I was working with default Charisma chances are that would have been more awkward and I would have flubbed that situation worse. Still, I'll have to make a mental note to put a good amount of points into Charisma during a few level-ups. Chances are I'll end up talking to Ozpin knowing how things generally go. I'll need every bit of social finesse I can get. The Luck stat being low doesn't help either. Or would it be good luck I ended up catching his attention instead of Salem's considering how she is? That is something to think about later. Hate that I'm being given barely any sort of time to try and adjust to all of this but oh well I guess. Yang is currently looking at me somewhat awkwardly also. Understandable considering she didn't expect to encounter someone like me out here anyway.
"...So uh… this house is abandoned. Gonna say that now. Not sure how I got here but oh well." I say in a somewhat stilted tone
"Really? That means I… I traveled here for nothing." Yang said sadly
Shit, right. I sort of forgot for a moment she was looking for her mom… who is a deadbeat. Thinking about it, yeah I can understand Taiyang's reluctance to mention why Raven left. I'd probably have way more issues if I found out from a young age my own mom didn't want me and left to be a Bandit Queen. Pretty sure that'd mess a lot of people up. Luckily my Charisma was just high enough for me to expose that I know that information through my expression. I hum for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Well… if you want I could help you… maybe find some items in the house she might have left behind?" I ask
"I-I'd appreciate that… it's just me and my sister here." Yang said, looking down
"Pretty dangerous decision to make. I mean the Grimm love prowling these sorts of areas from what I can tell." I say simply
"Oh… oh crap-baskets." Is Yang's only response
Wait I feel like I recognize that from somewhere- my thoughts are promptly interrupted by a low, guttural growl. My body tenses instinctively as a response. Great, seems like we're already being attacked. I don't even have any weapons or any Skills yet. You know I should have expected this but remembering Yang's little backstory about one of the many times she tried to find her mom wasn't exactly at the forefront of my mind. I try to quickly think on my feet… before a menu pops up in front of my face as time freezes.

[|Quest gained|]

[{A Grimm Meeting}]

[-Explanation: You've arrived in Remnant and have the Gamer Ability. A fine start to a story… except for the part of being mauled by Grimm. Luckily, you have your Class abilities!]

[-Objective 1: Fight off the Grimm until either they are all defeated or until Qrow arrives]

[Rewards: 50 EXP, Relationship Up with Yang, Relationship Up with Ruby, Relationship up with Qrow, Relationship Up with Taiyang, 5 Random Dust Crystals, Aura is Unlocked, Timeline Shifts Positively]

[Failure: Death]
​

Great start I suppose. Wait, I do have the abilities and skills of my Class? Before closing that menu, I opened up another to see my Class Skills. I then give a slight grin at what I have. Jackpot. This'll be pretty useful to have. After all, having some Spells is better than no Spells to use at all. Especially since I don't have a single weapon I can use to defend myself. Of course I get the feeling the names aren't exactly… what I would expect of this Class for some of these Spells if I'm gonna be honest.

[{Skills}]
[Basic Red Magic (LVL 1): Allows for the use of LVL 0 Red Magic]
◆[Singe: Cast a small spark of Fire {Costs 1 MP}]
◆[Frostbite: Cast a magic spike of Ice {Costs 1 MP}]
◆[Spark: Cast bolt of Thunder {Costs 1 MP}]
◆[Mist Spray: Cast spray of Water {Costs 1 MP}]
◇[Mend: Heals minor wounds {Costs 1 MP}]
◇[Cleanse: Heals one Status Effect inflicted {Costs 1 MP}]
[Spellblade (LVL 1): Gives the user the ability to Enchant their weapons with Elements]
⩺[Boosted Blade: Enhance the attack of a weapon by +2 {Costs 10 MP}]

I guess since I'm REALLY starting out. I'm basically getting the barest of Magic Skills. Level zero doesn't exactly sound like anything impressive with names like that. It's better than having nothing I suppose. Breathing out, I close the menu before quickly turning around. Facing the Grimm. I focus the Magical energy inside of me instinctually before sticking a hand out. Barely even thinking about the gesture as I feel the mana gather into my hand.
"CHEW ON THIS INSTEAD! SINGE!" I yell out
A small burst of fire shoots out of my hand and hits the Grimm, doing a good amount of damage. I fire out a few more bursts before dodging away from a strike from its claws. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug considering how I managed to dodge that. I need to do more damage. Wait… what if I? I then use Mist Spray on it, covering it in water. Not enough that it's absolutely drenched but enough that it is quite wet. After that, I follow it up with Spark, electrocuting it as it bellows angrily. If used correctly, even the lowest Tier of Spells can do a lot of damage. Using synergy for a bit over overwhelming power is probably for the best anyway. After all, doing more damage based on comboing spells together is gonna help me a lot more in some situations compared to others.

[For that deduction, you get +1 WIS]
​

Glad to see that system is still in place. Wouldn't have been surprised if it was purely a system of Skill Points and Level-ups. I notice the Grimm is on its last legs so I fire out another Spark onto it, finally killing it. I breath out for a moment before noticing the sound of thudding footsteps. Rolling forward, I barely dodge the swiping of claws from another Grimm. Reorienting myself, I slowly get up before deciding that I should take a chance to experiment a little more. I fire out three Mist Sprays, doing my best to dodge the attacks before finally casting Frostbite. The spike of ice stabs into the Grimm, steadily freezing a part of it from the water dripping off of it. I cast more Frostbites, making it move slower and slower before it finally freezes. It took a bit of MP but I managed to fend off some of the Grimm. Breathing a little heavily, due to the fact that I've dodged a lot, I look over at a shocked Yang.
"Okay, what are you standing around for? Run into the house! Go go go!" I bark out
"B-But what about-"
"Listen, you and your sister are in danger. I can handle myself pretty well. Just hide." I say
Yang nodded and was about to run… the crisp sound of a scythe slashing through something fills the air. I look over and see him, Qrow Branwen, nonchalantly resting his scythe against his shoulder with a dead Grimm near him. Okay, good. We're safe now. After all, I'm pretty sure that there isn't going to be a lot of enemies from this point on. Or at the very least, enemies that won't be possible for me to handle simply because I just arrived here on Remnant with barely any sort of equipment. I notice him looking over at the two Grimm that haven't disappeared yet before looking at me specifically.
"...Did you kill those Grimm?" He asks
"...I can answer that probably in a safer area." I say in response
Okay, shit. No chance I can reasonably lie my way out of this situation. I could try and lie but that would most likely strain my trust with them. For the sake of future situations? Going to avoid that as much as possible. Qrow nods soon after before Ruby sits up from inside the wagon a bit groggy, did none of the fighting wake her up? That feels like such a protagonist thing to do- wait no, no. Don't think of her like that, she is still young. I am dealing with a person due to my perspective right now, not a fictional character. That is gonna be weird to get used to. I notice Qrow nodding in agreement after a few moments of thinking. Sweet. A menu pops up in the corner of my vision as we begin walking towards Taiyang's place.

[|Quest completed|]

[{A Grimm Meeting}]

[-Explanation: You've arrived in Remnant and have the Gamer Ability. A fine start to a story… except for the part of being mauled by Grimm. Luckily, you have your Class abilities!]

[Rewards gained: 50 EXP, Relationship Up with Yang, Relationship Up with Ruby, Relationship up with Qrow, Relationship Up with Taiyang, 5 Random Dust Crystals, Aura is Unlocked, Timeline Shifts Positively]

[Bonus Objective complete - Damageless: 25 EXP gained, 100 Lien gained]
​

Nice, thank you Dark Souls for reaching me the value of Dodge-rolling away from attacks. As we headed down the path, it was distinctly silent… I can tell Ruby wants to talk about a few things, especially since the 'Fun day out with her Sister' now has Uncle Qrow seemingly looking a little mad with some random kid she hasn't met now walking with them towards their house. Pretty logical reaction all things considered. Gonna avoid thinking about the possible timelines where Yang and Ruby died because Taiyang didn't keep a better eye on the two. Okay, let's use that Charisma stat Ash. Let's use it well because this could do a lot.
"So… I think we could do with a more proper round of introductions. I'm Ash Lowell." I say sheepishly
"Y-Yang. Yang Xiao Long." Yang said, rubbing her arm
"Ruby Rose." Ruby said cheerfully
"...Qrow Branwen. Any particular reason you decided to… involve yourself here?" Qrow asks, immediately interrogating me
"...Yeah I can already tell I'm not gonna convince you I'm just a normal seven-year-old. Look, all I can say for now is… I'm a little… different from most folks. Aside from the Faunus traits." I say
"Fluffy!" Ruby says, pointing at my ears
"Yep, my ears are indeed fluffy." I say with a sage nod
Qrow looks a bit off-put by my maturity and how easily I'm answering questions. Honestly I think it's for the best that I just basically be honest in some regards. Lying was never really my strong suit back in my old life and I think it'll just help me in the long run to be straight-forward. Besides, being straight-forward has helped a lot of situations due to the whole Trope of 'Lack Of Communication Kills'. It didn't take too long for us to arrive back at Taiyang's home. The warm, homey structure came into view just as the forest thinned, Qrow walked over to the door and opened it. Revealing a worried and slightly disheveled Taiyang. Poor man, I can understand why he isn't exactly looking great. His wife died recently and now his daughters were in danger. Not to mention the fact that the latter situation was a little bit of his fault, always had a feeling he was deep in his grief at this point. Upon seeing Yang and Ruby standing at his feet, he gave Qrow a deep grateful hug. I decide to stand nearby and just let them talk. I can already tell he's gonna be saving the scolding for what Yang did later and just tell them that he loves them both deeply. Yang, meanwhile, is probably gonna harbor the need to find her mom for a long while. Just like in canon. Frowning to myself, I think… I should probably have Taiyang tell her the truth at some point. She doesn't need to deal with a deadbeat like that. Nobody should have to try and impress a deadbeat parent frankly. Rarely works out from what I've seen and experienced. Soon after, Qrow gestures over to me saying something in a whisper with the blonde man nodding. Well, it seems like I'm up, I step over with a raised hand.
"Heya there, I'm Ash Lowell. Uh, I know you have questions about how I'm involved in all of this… I presume Qrow told you everything?" I ask
"...When you said he had a good vocabulary, I didn't think you meant he knew words like 'presume." Taiyang says to Qrow bluntly
"Fair. I'm like what, seven?" I say with a shrug
"Speaking of which, so… how did you save my kids? Qrow mentioned not seeing a weapon on you and I doubt you're carrying Dust Crystals." Taiyang questions
"...Look, let's talk about this later tonight. I'm gonna be honest with you? There's a lot and I don't want Ruby or Yang accidentally overhearing this." I explain, glancing idly at the two aforementioned kids
"...Can you at least tell me why you were here?" Taiyang asks
"Simply put? I have… a task of sorts. It's not an easy thing to explain either. I know I'm being enigmatic, I know it doesn't help that I know that large a word at this age, but I need you to put a little trust into me. I promise you I will tell you everything." I say with a truthful voice
Taiyang stares at me for a moment. Looking over my features as I try to give as much honesty as I can. I am being serious when I am promising to tell him about everything he needs to know. I'm not going to tell him everything, obviously but what he absolutely will need to know. Asking him to put trust into me is a lot but I'm hoping that maybe I convinced him just a little? After a few moments… he gives a slow steady nod.
"Alright… alright, I'm putting some trust into you Ash." Taiyang says softly
"I'm grateful for that." I say
"I guess with that uh… have you eaten?" Qrow asks
"No, I haven't. Would love like… a quick snack. Like an apple." I say simply
I know I don't really need to eat all that much but eating food is nice dammit. After that, we head inside. I spent a few hours talking to Yang and Ruby, getting to know them a bit more. Play some games with them since, apparently, they really want to play some board games with another kid their age aside from their Dad. Not too surprised that in some regards they don't hang out very often with other kids outside of school. Feels eerily familiar in that regard I'd say. It's pretty… nice, having a moment of calm like this after facing off against the Grimm.

---

"Alright… so, you mind finally explaining what your whole deal is, kid?" Qrow asks bluntly
After Ruby and Yang had gone to bed, we sat down in the living room. I sat on the couch across from Taiyang and Qrow, both of whom were looking at me with scrutiny. Don't exactly blame them for doing that, it's not exactly easy for them to reckon with the idea of a Kid having far more power and knowledge of some things then he should be having. Hell if I were in their shoes I'd probably be having the same reaction, if not more disbelief towards what's going on. Then again my suspension of disbelief was always a little weird… tangent. That's a tangent. I hum for a moment before steadily breathing out, I think this is my best way of going about it. It's not the most optimal way but it's the best way of going about it.
"To put it simply… I'm not exactly… normal as you can tell. Pretty much I ended up dying in my previous life and got reincarnated with some abilities. I know that sounds unbelievable. I understand that. Which is why I will offer you one piece of evidence that will support this argument." I say
"...Yeah, you're right. That does sound unbelievable. But I'm willing to see that piece of evidence since, if I've learned anything, it's that not everything is what it seems." Qrow says, his tone clearly disbelieving
"I agree with that. So… go ahead and present it." Taiyang says with a wary expression
"Alright… so… I need you to hand me an object. Any handheld object like a pen or something." I say
Taiyang soon pulls a pen from his pocket before tossing it to me, I catch it easily before opening my inventory. I have two ways of putting things into my inventory. Instant transportation or physically putting it inside the menu. I slide it into there, making the pen disappear into thin air. To them, it seems like I made it disappear into something. To me, I can just see it in a slot in my inventory. I pull it back out before placing it onto the table. Looking with a serious and calm expression at them as I do so.
"There's my proof." I say, keeping my tone even
"...What the hell was that?" Qrow asks confused
"An ability of mine. I can store things into a separate location. An inventory of sorts. I have more abilities but I don't think you want me creating a fire in your house." I say with some cheekiness
"Heh, okay. I'd rather not have to explain why scorch marks were in the house. Though you better not put me on ice like you did that Grimm." Taiyang says, smirking
"...Tai, oh my Brothers. Why?" Qrow says annoyed
"That'd be pretty cold of me to do." I say simply in response
"Oh we are going to get along WELL." Taiyang says chuckling
Knew my sense of humor would come in clutch here. Though I already know my sense of humor isn't going to be popular with some folks anyway. Ah well, not the end of the world after all. A menu appears in the corner of my vision, making me internally react with surprise as I try to keep my expression schooled. I didn't think this was a system that had existed. Then again, considering what some of the Quest Rewards had implied earlier. This should have been seen from a mile away.

[{Relationship Updated}]
[Taiyang Xiao Long: Acquainted]

A relationship system. That's good to know at least. Not to mention useful if I wanna keep track of certain things. Kinda curious how in-depth it is. I refocus myself away from those thoughts, mentally closing that menu soon after. I glance over at Qrow who looks both unamused at the puns but more relieved that I'm not some crazy Kid or some random powerhouse from Salem that just so HAPPENED to be in the area. Then again he probably didn't suspect that. I'm not entirely sure since, in spite of everything, I'm not good at reading people. That's not exactly a skill some people develop after all.
"Qrow… I do wanna say something to you that's pretty important." I say
"Yeah kid?" Qrow asks
"...I wanna make it clear that as long as I'm here. I'm gonna do everything within my power to help around here. I… don't really have anywhere else to go, so I'm hoping to stay here for a bit." I say
"Of course you're welcome here. You helped save my kids, and you're just a kid yourself. It'd be wrong to turn you away.… frankly throwing you out would be a little messed up." Taiyang says
"Yeah… and Ash, I can see you've got potential to be a great Huntsman. I mean you've got… powers like that. If you want, I could help train you sometime?" Qrow asks
"I'd appreciate that. But don't go easy on me. I might be young but I'm not gonna be the type to take it easy in some regards." I say
"...It feels weird to talk to a kid so seriously… eh, I think at the end of the day you'll be interesting to work with." Qrow says, grabbing out a flask
He takes a sip from it as another menu appears saying that Qrow is now Acquainted with me. Nice. That's two good relationships. Here's hoping that I continue improving that because, outside of any idea of rewards, I actually do like making friends. It's important stuff. Afterward, Taiyang showed me to a guest room since well… he did mean it when he was willing to welcome me here. After going inside, I sit down on the guest bed before promptly opening my inventory. Grabbing out those particular rewards I got. Each of them are tokens. One that's blue with a sword symbol on it with the other being a golden token with a plus symbol on it. I snap the blue token first. Making a menu appear in front of me.

[Bonus Items rolled]

[{Please choose one from the list}]

[-COMP: An arm computer that's been modified to work with The Gamer-]

[-Phantom Lantern: A useful lantern good for lighting up spaces, can be used to reveal hidden traps-]

[-Treasure Compass: A compass that points you to Rare items-]

[-Shadowwalk Band: A wristband with an effect that allows you to shift into an Ethereal State… at a cost-]
​

Okay… not a bad list of items. Though I can already tell which one I want the most. The COMP. There's a reason for that. Simply put, I'm not sure how useful Scrolls would be and having an arm computer simply sounds cool. The Phantom Lantern already has limited utility thanks to my Night Vision. The Treasure Compass could be good… if items aren't super far away and I'm not sure how much effort I can use finding those items. The Shadowwalk Band sounds good on paper and in practice it could easily be used in a lot of situations but that cost part is putting me off. So COMP it is. I select it and instantly, the arm computer appears on my arm. I open it up and well… not only does it have a version of the Gamer Menu but it also allows me to call people. So that's neat. Closing it, I place it into my inventory temporarily until I can bullshit me on how I got it. I then snap the other token, making a new menu appear in front of me.

[Abilities rolled]

[{Please choose one from the list}]

[-Tarot Bond: Thou Art I and I Art Thou-]

[-Familiar: A being based on who you are inside (Can be gained later)-]

[-Anime Logic: Exactly what it sounds like-]

[-Future Vision: Bursts of prophecy-]
​

And here comes the harder decisions. The first one sounds pretty interesting, especially since it's given me vibes to a game series I'm pretty familiar with. The Familiar option sounds useful to have now… but I'll have to consider that as a second option in case I change my mind on Tarot Bond. Anime Logic is just a hard no. I'm already dealing with enough as is, I do not need that thank you very much. Not to mention I get the feeling it also uses all sorts of Anime Logic and anything from the Harem Genre will always be a very hard no thank you from me. Future Vision sounds good on paper but in practice will probably not be all that helpful. So… there's only really two good options here. I think, genuinely speaking, Tarot Bond will be the better option and the most interesting one. After tapping it, the menu closes. Suddenly my head hurts briefly, making me hold it. I… thought the Gamer negated pain!
"Thou Art I. And I Art Thou. Your True Power shall manifest through the Bonds you keep. May you be blessed onward during your Journey, Fool."
I pant heavily after the headache fades. Sweat dripped off of me as I collapsed on the bed. So… that was weird. The hell was that all about? I didn't think abilities would do that! Ugh, this version of the Gamer Ability certainly is something else I guess. I sit up from my bed, wiping some of the sweat off of my face. Probably going to need to take a shower later after I rest. Gonna smell. I then notice a new menu next to me. One that definitely surprised me with what was written on it. Especially since the menu has a deeper blue with a golden trim around it.

[{Social Link Rank Up}]
[Taiyang - The Helios Brawler (Enlightenment): 0≫1]
[Qrow - The Dusty Crow (Tower): 0≫1]

Social Links. I unlocked that. Looking through my Menu, it's pretty bare what that section even has. Just telling me what Social Links I have, what Rank they are, and a series of question marks under a category called 'Skills & Spells'. Looks like whatever is involved there is just gonna be something I'll have to figure out another time. Though in all honesty, I was pretty confused at Taiyang's Arcana being Enlightenment. I hum and decide that's another thing to look into later. For now? I think I should relax before doing anything else. I take a moment to look through the settings one last time, turning on the BGM. I then crawl into bed before finally resting. It didn't take much effort considering how the Gamer works. Guess that means no more insomnia unless I want it… hell yeah!