3

"I… I don't know…" Ruby nervously added as she touched the tip of her fingers together. "It's… It's just…"

"It's a personal thing, right?" I finished for her, to which she responds with a curt nod. "Alright, I get it. But I really need help with directions here."

"You… You don't know where you are?" Ruby tilted her head, making her whole ensemble even cuter than before. "Like, really, REALLY, don't know?"

Ah shit, here it comes. Quick, think! Excuse, an excuse… You know what, fuck it.

"That's the thing…" I made a frown and hopefully made it very convincing. "I don't know. Like, don't, DON'T know."

"Do you mean?" Ruby's face scrunched up like she was turning the gears in her head into overdrive.

"Yeah, I don't remember." I shook my head. "Not since I woke up in this forest that is. Pretty sure I was in a building somewhere before this, and then poof, I'm waking up here in a forest."

"Oh no!" Ruby, the gullible, naive girl that she is, completely fell for my deception and rushed towards me like a bullet. "I- I don't know… Uh… Um… How can I help?"

After stammering for a few more times, Ruby ended it with a hand extended forwards, metaphorically that is. God, I felt bad for doing this, but hey, needs must when needs must. And not like I didn't lie. It's what happened to me.

"Really, I just need to know where the nearest town or village is." I raised both my arms and gave a calming smile. "Or, you know, you can guide me to it after you meet with your mom."

"Aha… Right…" Ruby rubbed the back of her head as she gave me a bashful smile, before she perked up and exclaimed. "Ah right! I forgot, we didn't introduce ourselves, did we?"

After she ended her question, I hummed. Yes, we didn't, did we. Well, no time like the present then.

"Hm, we didn't. Alright, I'll go first." I faked a cough and proceeded with my introduction. "My name is Jack Alano, a normal dude that found himself in the middle of the forest, and is completely broke, no joke!"

And what a show it was. Ruby looked completely flabbergasted at my introduction. As a troll at heart, I always wanted to do that to someone, unlike some uncivilized apes that think placing buckets over other people's head all of a sudden is a harmless prank.

"Uh… Okay… My name's Ruby. Ruby Rose." Ruby chuckled shyly, still reeling from my grandeur of an introduction, no doubt. "Nice to meet you… I guess?"

"Nice to meet you too." I nodded with a slight flourish, causing my tiny amount of fat to bounce around. "That said, I still need help."

"Oh, right!" Ruby perked up again. I swear, she's like a bipolar teen that switches from timid to energetic in a heartbeat. "Okay… Um, why don't you just follow me… As patrolled as the forest is around Patch, there are still Grimm. So, you might be safer with me."

"Hm, good point." I agreed. Outside I showed her a somewhat normal nod, but inside, my inner Jack was doing hoops. Finally! Civilization, here I come!

[][][]

This is very fucking awkward…

I suppressed the urge to sigh as I silently leaned back against a tree, respecting the space Ruby needed for her talk with her 'mother'.

Which is just a tombstone on the cliff. From what I could gleam from later in the show, there wasn't any body buried underneath there. They weren't able to find a body, after all.

Unless I'm in an AU, in which case, a body could be buried underneath, probably a skeleton now with how much time had passed. But that was just wishful thinking. It could be a lot worse, after all.

Like maybe a Grimm version of Summer Rose could be roaming about the Grimmlands after being turned into one by Salem herself. Or it maybe Summer actually defected and went to Salem's side after hearing the truth…

Okay, time to stop this train of thought. I don't want to jinx my future self. Just pray for canon, and hopefully subvert every bad thing that could happen because I live in this world now, and I like my worlds not being a pile of ash in the vast cosmos, thank you very much.

Plus, that latter situation wasn't really logical. Like hell she would defect. Even if Ozpin, a.k.a. Ozma, was kind of the reason why Salem went batshit insane - like, come on, she was loyal until you betrayed her - she wouldn't side with the witch just because she wants Remnant to implode on itself in an elaborate plot to kermit sudoku.

That was just a theory, by the way… Or maybe not. Haven't watched the latest episodes.

Anyway, point is, Summer has a zero percent chance of defecting… Actually, why am I proving this to myself again? Fucking mental habit.

Shaking my head, I glanced at Ruby who was still taking her sweet time. Hopefully, my overactive mind's theories doesn't come true. That would just make everything go from worse, to holy shit I want out of here quick.

Anyway, while waiting, I was busy browsing my System and checking if there was anything left to explore. What I found out was surprising.

[][][]

Name: Jack Alano

Title: Unlucky Sunovabitch

Race: Faunus (Tiger [Retractable Claws])

SP = 0

STR: 6

VIT: 9

END: 10

AGI: 6

DEX: 9

INT: 9

WIS: 3

Skills:

Perks:

[Retractable Claws] - Gained from the Faunus Race. Can extend or retract claws at will. Affected by STR, END, and DEX. (Gained from Race: Faunus)

[Night Vision] - Have increased vision in the dark. (Gained from Race: Faunus)

[Iron Belly] - You won't get sick from eating raw food. Still tastes like shit though.

[Good Lookin' - You look good. That's it. People will find you more attractive.]

[][][]

Inventory:

[Pendant] - (?)

[Iron Hatchet]

[][][]

[Quest Log]

[Tutorial: Where's my damn compass!?]

[][][]

And that's everything. Nothing else. Hell, here wasn't even any explanation as to why my System was barebones as is. Where the fuck is my HP bar? My MP bar? Hell, where the fuck are my levels!?

Now that I wasn't panicking as much when I arrived, I just realize these things. What a fucking joke. I pride myself on being an attentive - somewhat - and calm person, but the moment things went to shit, this happens.

Guess I don't know myself that much, huh?

Sighing once more, I contemplate the implications of my System. Since my last quest told me this was just a partial unlock of my System, hopefully, more features will start coming to me the more I progress.

But that was for the future, now, there was a problem.

I can only get stat points, perk points, and item rolls from quests. And as far as I know, in the few hours I've been here, there wasn't anything else that told me otherwise. Which means, the moment I get a Quest, it will be my top priority to finish.

And therein lies the problem. How the fuck do I get quests? Unless wandering around doing random shit is how I got those quests earlier, I have no idea what to do to get more.

But maybe…

Titles:

[Unlucky Sunovabitch] - It's your (un)lucky day! You got the undivided attention of the one, the only, ROB! Have fun being the lapdog of the MAN. Effects: You will always gravitate to the main casts of each universe, and vice versa. (This title is locked and can be equipped with another title)

This is the only hint I can get. Maybe the more I interact with the cast, I get more quests. And if so, there is only one way to do that.

I need to get into Beacon… And as much as I want to not get involved in the plot, I will get dragged in regardless. With how the last episode I saw was foreshadowing about a worldwide scale of attacks, nowhere is safe in the near future…

Yep, Beacon it is.

Finally settled on a plan, I noticed Ruby was headed my way.

"So… About that mother comment earlier…" I rub the back of my head, a sheepish expression on my face. "I'm sorry… And my condolences…"

"It's fine." Ruby wearily grinned. "It happened a long time ago. Anyway, it's time we get going."

And just like a switch, Ruby was back to her happy-go-lucky self. I can't understand how she does that, but hey, less pain for me.

As we were about to move, the bushes rustled and I heard a growl. Before I knew it, I was pushed to the side and bumped my head on a tree.

"Ugh, what the fuck…?" I groaned, my hand coming up to the spot where I bumped my head. Luckily, there wasn't any blood, just a bad bump. But now I was pissed. "What the hell was that about Ru- oh shit…"

And like that, my rage petered out into ice-cold fear.

I didn't know Grimm looked that scary!

The show didn't do the damned monster justice. It fur was as black as tar, and it was as large as a small automobile. The worse part? Those red pinpricks that served as eyes as it glared at me from behind its bone-plated mask.

It was like staring at my own demise.

"Jack! Snap out of it!" Ruby's voice snapped me out of my lull and I quickly scrambled to my legs, my aching head not doing any favors to my current predicament.

Gripping the handle of my hatchet tightly, I tried to assume a stance, only to stumble slightly as my head pounded.

Fuck, this is bad.

And lo and behold, a single glance towards the Grimm showed me its maws open wide directly next to my face.

I closed my eyes tight and braced for death, only for a roar of pain and a voice to bring me out of my stupor.

"Are you okay, Jack!?" Ruby's voice was tinged with worry, the blade of her weapon cleanly stabbing through the head of the Grimm. 

"Ah… I'm… I'm fine…" My body shook slightly. This… This wasn't how I pictured fighting monsters was going to go… 

Maybe I'm in way over my head trying to get into Beacon if even facing down a single Grimm was too hard for me… I'm just a normal dude who was forced into this situation. I have no idea how to fight. Hell, my fight experience numbered a few brawls when I was a kid.

But not a fight to the death with a giant monster of nightmares…

Just as I saw Ruby open her mouth again, I heard more growls and out of the bushes came more of them.

Oh shit… This is bad… Very fucking bad… 

I grit my teeth. I wasn't just scared. I was fucking terrified!

Those soulless, red eyes staring back at me from the abyss caused my arms to shake and my breath to hitch.

I can't do this.

"-to me! Jack! Listen!" I was shook out of my stupor literally by Ruby shoving an elbow up my side. "Stay behind me, and whatever you do, just stay put."

I looked at the girl. Where was the joyous but bumbling mess of anxiety earlier? All I saw was a determined teenager ready to face these monsters head on…

I tried to psyche myself up, but looking at the salivating maws of these beasts caused me to tremble uncontrollably…

I really can't do this… Fuck…

I obliged Ruby and moved behind her, only for my eyes to catch something hovering in front of me.

[Quest Received]

[Tutorial: I'm no pussy!]

[Objective: Fight off the Grimm]

[Bonus Objective: Kill at least 3 Beowulves yourself]

[Rewards: 5 stat points, 1 perk point]

[Bonus Rewards: 10 stat points, 2 perk points, 1 item roll, (Redacted)]

Fuck… Fuck… Fuck… Fuck…

Fuck this… Fuck the System… And fuck ROB!

I literally can't do this! Every time I see those gaping maws, I can't help but cower and cry in a corner. What the hell was I thinking? Go to Beacon? Help the cast fight off the end of the world?

I CAN'T EVEN FIGHT WITHOUT TREMBLING LIKE A GODDAMNED FUCKING CHILD!

And as the combat began in earnest I watch as Ruby flew across the battlefield, playing around these Grimm like they were toddlers. She sliced and diced, bisecting the Grimm as she propelled herself using the trees around us.

And as this happened, here I stood, like a damsel in distress, watching the fight continue as I basked in the utter contempt I felt for myself.

Here was a girl younger than me fighting these monsters and winning, and here I was cowering and shaking like a leaf.

"Jack! To your right!"

As I engrossed myself in my thoughts, I didn't notice a Grimm charge at me, until Ruby brought it to my notice. Instinct overcoming my senses, I turned my body, grabbed my hatchet and prepared to hack at the offending monster.

I saw its claws raised and stretched outwards. And with instinct guiding me, I charged forward. I felt its limb connect to my side and I nearly spat out my guts, but it was just a blow. A heavy one, but a blow nonetheless.

And I returned the favor by burying the hatchet in its neck, black mist oozing out of the fatal wound.

The Grimm in question growled one last time before it dropped to the ground and vanished into black mist.

And I, for one, fell to the ground and felt an unbridled amount of pain at my side.

"Oh no, oh no… Jack!" Ruby rushed towards me as I felt my eyes flutter close and open. "I… Don't worry. I'll get help!"

I felt my body leave the ground and the last thing I saw was Ruby's worried face.