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The Remnant Branches - Negative Chapters

Ch. -4: Despair-Filled Foe

Hazel ends up at The Lost Shrine in a different branch. In this branch, he and Gretel seek out more power first, and happen upon a Hamelin facility. They meet a young boy, and eventually his twin sister. In a dream, they see the past of his sister, and free her from the stone flower that influences her.

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Gretel, are you sure you still want to do this? Hazel asked his shade companion as they stood outside the looming mansion.

Yes. There is a great power here, and it compels me. she answered him.

Our time would be better spent on finding that little murderer and Qrow. Hazel commented with disdain.

You've seen the state of this world. No lone vessel of a child is going to travel far, and where he goes, your target will follow. What is here will help us achieve our goal more quickly. She assured him. Even if it doesn't, you need rest.

… Hmph. Fine.

As much as he would have preferred to continue the search, she was right. Misfortune, Qrow, the grimoire, the foul-mouthed teen, and the man and his son were just strong enough to send them retreating and leave them sure their future attempts would prove unsuccessful as well. As for resting, he was sure he didn't need it, but it wasn't like a day spent floating around would hurt. It gave him time to talk with Gretel. He enjoyed chatting with her.

As they crossed over the gate, they noticed the color drain from the world. It left Hazel in awe. He had seen some of Salem's magical feats, but they were nothing of this sort.

See! It would take a powerful magic to do this! This path is a right one.

What kind of magic causes this, and how? Hazel wondered.

Presumably Hamelin. Hmph. Their reach and power makes it difficult to suspect otherwise. Gretel answered, her voice sombering with the surroundings

You don't like to talk much about them, do you?

No. Like how your academies lured in children with honeyed words, The Hamelin Organization did the same and more. Much more.

Hazel is left only to imagine that in this world, there was something worse than Ozpin, worse than Salem. She had mentioned Hamelin, which later overtook the Leckermaul organization, and The Legion and WCS. Through some of the memories made available to him, he knew of the horrors brought to the world by a grotesque beast and a red dragon. It had made the world what it was now: on the verge of death. But, it wasn't dead yet. There was power that kept it alive this long, and it could perhaps be used to create a new world, and kill Ozpin.

We're here. Gretel stated. Before them was a stone fountain, surrounded by stone people.

Below us?

Most likely. If this is Hamelin, there should be a switch nearby to reveal the passageway, perhaps in the statues or fountain.

Got it.

Carefully, he scrutinized each of the statues from head to toe. Poking and pricing every inch of them yielded no results. Just as they were about to check the fountain, they heard a door behind them open and close. Quickly, they entered the shadows.

Another vessel. Gretel scoffed as the boy hummed. Wait… he is no mere vessel! He holds magic!

Meaning he's human?

Yes. Replicants were given no magic. While unlikely, he could be an android.

"Is… someone there?" They heard the boy ask aloud. They both tensed up, and then calmed themselves. Hazel decided that they would reveal themselves. The boy could likely help them. He lived there after all.

"Yes. Sorry for intruding." Hazel answered as they rose up from the shadow on the ground, stopping to stand rather than float. They could now see that the boy had his eyes covered.

"Whoooa… How'd you do that?" He wondered aloud energetically. It was a glaring contrast to the dull world around them.

"Shade magic, and then some." Gretel answered, their voice changing accordingly.

"Wait… There’s two of you? You're not gonna hurt me, are you? If you are, I'll turn you to stone, I mean it!" He sheepishly said as he backed away. Hazel let out a gentle laugh at how adorable he was.

Gretel would have too, but she knew he was someone not to be taken lightly. She hadn't sensed it prior, but now that it was in front of her, she feared what lay there that was so powerful to drown out the power this child exuded. The stone statues made some sense now. She thought they looked too realistic and out of place.

"No, we won't hurt you. You're human after all."

"So? Shades hurt humans all the time! S-so stay back!" He warned them. The light smile faded from their face.

"Do you not know who you are? Don't you remember? Project Gestalt, Hamelin, WCS, The Legion?" Gretel asked him. The boy slowly relaxed his body, but he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"No. I don't. But somehow… I feel like I should. Please, tell me more. I have to know!" He demanded with fervor.

"As you wish. We should begin with your home, and Hamelin. Tell me, don't you sense the hollowness beneath us?"

"Huh? " With a hard stomp, he waited to see if he would sense it. "… It's faint, but I can tell it's huge. What is it?"

"Something Hamelin. What exactly," she paused, scanning the fountain and soon finding the button, revealing the staircase, "we will find out."

"Alright. I'll stay close to you, if that's alright with you." the boy meekly said.

"That would be best. What's your name?" Hazel asked. He didn't particularly like dragging him along, but she could sense through Gretel that he was more powerful than he seemed. He had a right to know anyways. It was reality after all.

"Emil Grimm. And you? Er, well, you two."

"I am Hazel Rainart."

"And I am just Gretel, a former soldier of Hamelin."

As they trod down the flight of stairs, Emil learned of humanity's past, of the disasters that necessitated child soldiers.

"Do you think… I was one of them, their soldiers?" He questioned as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"That is likely. Only their power and your youth could have allowed a true human to be before me."

"…! Shades! I can sense some nearby." Emil alerted them. Soon after, the beasts revealed themselves. Small things, dwarfed by Hazel and even smaller than Emil.

"These ones… they are too far gone." they said with a saddened voice as they struggled to raise their weapons.

"Isn't there any way we can save them?" he asked the two.

"No. I don't know. Perhaps… Let's just rush them." They finally decided.

With that, they stored the weapons and picked up Emil, placing him on their shoulder. Swiftly, they traveled from shadow to shadow, avoiding the small shades.

"Do you know where we're heading?" the child asked them.

"Do you sense the power we're heading towards? That is where."

"… I don't sense anything."

"You've lived here so long that you don't notice it anymore, probably."

"Oh! Like how you can't smell yourself!"

"Yes, something like that."

"Shades usually smell like blood, I guess I kinda know why now. You smell like blood too, but more like… something sweet, like it'll rot your teeth."

"You're perceptive, huh?" They noted. Hazel guessed he smelled sweet for some reason, and blamed it on a mixture of shade magic and dust. It had been a long time since anyone had described him as sweet. Even then, only his sister had ever done so.

"Mhm. If I'm remembering correctly… I thought you were about eight feet tall, and… in your late twenties to early thirties."

"You're correct." Hazel announced to him. The child's smile was just too adorable.

"Yes!" Emil exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Gretel's mind was focused on their surroundings. She had no doubt this place was Hamelin. The small beds, the security points, the top of the line computers… the play area and small shades. It was all too familiar. She hated it.

"The great power lies up ahead." She announced as they landed at the beginning of a long bridge.

"Say… what do you think it is?" Emil said.

"Knowing Hamelin, it is something that should have never happened, a step too far made in dire times."

They walked across the bridge in solemn silence. As they reached the door, Gretel hesitated.

Is something wrong? Hazel asked her.

No. Just bad memories. Let us continue.

Finally, the doors slid open, revealing a gigantic creature. They were in awe and silent as they walked closer to it. In their awe, they failed to notice that Emil somehow outpaced them.

"I… I remember now. I remember, Gretel."

Emil quietly said. "I was just a normal kid, and then I was taken away. My twin sister too."

The two were taken back by the sudden revelation. They feared the worst had happened to her, that the worst had happened to him too. Just then, the chains that bound the creature began to creak.

"We were together at least. Even when the other orphans started to disappear, we were still together. But then they separated us. They made me a weapon. Number Seven. This is Number Six, my sister."

The bindings broke loose from the walls, Number Six producing a roar of despair that induced fear. It was a fear to rival fear incarnate herself, and glowing red eyes to match.

"She always protected me, even like this. Thank you, Halua." Emil turned around to face Gretel and Hazel. "I know I just met you two, but if I lose myself like the shades, like Halua… you have to kill me. I'm sorry, Hazel, Gretel… Halua." He turned back to her. "Goodbye, Halua."

Suddenly, the beast was free in its entirety, and went straight for Emil. They let out a gasp, and launched themselves towards the boy, saving him from the weapon's maw, and sacrificing themselves.

When they awoke, they found themselves lying on a cold, white tiled floor.

Where… are we? Hazel asked as he got up. He could feel Gretel's presence, but she did not speak. He then felt her rising anxiety, muddled with fear and hatred. It was then he realized that they were in a Hamelin Facility.

They wandered around, silently. The facility was silent in turn. There were no other souls there but them, it seemed. The place was reminiscent of a hospital. Gretel knew all too well that it was anything but. Eventually, they heard something come from one of the rooms: the voice of a young girl… and a boy. They almost feared opening the door, but did so anyway. Slowly, the door creaked open, and within were two children, and a woman. They did not seem to notice the shade-possessed human enter, as hard to believe as that was.

“ Are you awake, Halua? ” said the woman in a sterile lab coat.

“ Teacher… ” Halua tiredly groaned.

“ You're covered in sweat. Perhaps it would be a good idea to change into your summer clothes soon. You wake up too Emil, it’s snack time. ”

“ What is it today, teacher? ” Emil asked as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. He looks just as he did when they met him, sans fancy clothes. As for his eyes, they were a pale purple, just like his sister’s. Hazel thought nothing of it, but It elicited a reaction out of Gretel.

Their eyes… what exactly did they do to you two?

“ Biscuits and cocoa. ” their teacher answered.

Again? said a resigned voice belonging to a young girl.

We can hear her thoughts? Gretel wondered.

We are in her head. Hazel rationalized. Right?

Perhaps. Gretel answered. With magic, any sort of thing could happen. It didn’t really matter why or how, just that it was happening.

They watched as their “teacher” set out some alphabet cookies for them with some cocoa. None of it was anything of quality, as Halua noted once more as she remembered her mother’s cookies. Yet, her brother enjoyed them, so she pretended to as well. Reminded that she was her younger brother’s only family left, she felt as if she had to say something big-sisterly to her younger twin brother. It was a feeling Gretel and Hazel understood very well.

“Don’t play with your food.” she scolded. It made the two chuckle such a familiar sight.

“But…” Emil began to protest.

“You've got the spelling wrong, too. You're missing an 'e' here.” she corrected him, sliding him the appropriate cookie. “Look, this is how you spell it.” B-R-O-T-H-E-R, not B-R-O-T-H-R.

“You're such a great big sister, Halua.” Emil smiled. It brought much joy to Halua.

“I’m an only child, so I’m really jealous of you two.” the “teacher” said.

Yeah right. What’s there to be jealous of? We’re suck in this place that isn’t normal. This isn’t an orphanage, isn’t it? Why do our lessons seem more like tests? Why are we alone? Where are the other kids? What’s going to happen to Emil?

“What’s wrong?” the woman in a lab coat asked.

You know what’s wrong. Don’t play dumb. Gretel hissed.

“Mother…” Halua said, and ran to bury her face in the teacher’s back.

“You’re so spoiled, Halua.” she said with a gentle laugh as she comforted Halua.

“That’s not fair! Me too!” Emil shouted, and went to be hugged as well.

“Alright, alright.” she sweetly agreed.

Hey, Teacher. Are you on our side? Can I believe that you're different from the other adults?

"Do you love me?" Halua asked, face sill buried.

"Yes. I love you, Halua. You too, Emil." the woman answered.

Then be on our side. Don't betray us... Protect me. Protect Emil. Protect my brother…

They both wanted to steal the children away, take them somewhere safe. But they knew that it wasn’t possible in a mere dream. With that, they left the room, quietly closing the door behind them.

Poor girl. I feel for her…

Me too. Hazel added.

Sometimes, I think humanity should have perished.

Resorting to this isn’t worth making children suffer.

They continued on, until they stumbled upon another door… the same door as before despite never having turned a corner. Gretel told Hazel not to question it. Inside, the room was dark, but they could see perfectly.

“Are you awake, Emil?”

“Huuuh?”

She reached out and grabbed his hand, holding it in hers, but saying nothing.

Be careful. Don’t trust the adults. she though, hoping he would somehow hear her. They fell back asleep like that, hand in hand, her only family her only comfort in a wretched world.

She is smart. These rooms are under heavy surveillance.

Why? Why do they have to go through this? Hazel demanded to know.

The adults decided that we were an acceptable sacrifice.

Yelling, Hazel slammed his fist against the wall. Even here, in an entirely different world, children were suffering for the mistakes of foolish adults. He had learned of this from Gretel before, but to see it happening firsthand and know the outcome was something else entirely.

And just like that, the lights were on and Emil and Halua were being awoken for a “health check.” They could feel her anxiety rise and rise, but she hid it well.

Please let us go back to our room. Please let us go back to our room. She pleaded, but had the feeling that would not be happening today. Her suspicions were confirmed when they told her to go to the room next door.

No! I don’t want to! Don’t take me away from Emil! Her desires were of no concern to any of the adults, her “teacher” included. Powerless, Hazel and Gretel followed. The room was covered in glyphs, unknown to Hazel. Gretel recognized only some of them as offensive type glyphs. Inside were also a number of people in coats not dissimilar to their “teacher,” and a cold chair in the center.

“Don't get worked up. We discovered during the exam that you have a serious illness.” said one as she was pushed into the chair and strapped down. Out of instinct, Hazel and Gretel lunged at the one who was tying her down.

“Let her go damn it! You monster!” Their fist went through the man, as if they were a ghost. “Don’t do this to her! Stop it!” they screamed. They fell to their knees and began to weep.

“If you don't undergo surgery to remove it immediately, your life is in danger.”

You’re lying!

“Emil! Where are you!?” she cried out. “Emil! Emil! You have to leave! Don’t trust them! Emil!─”

They couldn’t bear to helplessly watch as she was subjected to the torture. They wanted to kill every adult there and make them suffer. Gretel, who had never known the true extent of Hamelin until now, wished the Legion and WCS had been felled humanity the moment it arrived.

With their knees curled to their chest, they looked away, and waited. They heard her every cry for help, for herself, for her brother. The day they first witnessed repeated again, and they only sat there, cold and numb, hatred simmering. They only returned to face her when she realized what she had turned into.

No! No! This isn't my body! They wanted to cry, but had run out of tears since. The scientists talked amongst themselves, as if what they had done was anything but atrocious and cruel. Eventually, Halua realized, and accepted that this was her body. And when she heard that the scientists were going to use Emil next, she turned it against them, killing them all.

I won’t let them make Emil a monster. I’ll kill them all so that never happens. I will protect my brother!

She even killed her “teacher.”

No! You don’t care! I can’t forgive you!

Meanwhile, Gretel and Hazel watched with satisfaction as she made them pay for their sins. They were not ones to enjoy senseless slaughter. But this was not senseless slaughter, so they enjoyed it as she rid the world of monsters.

Eventually, the whole facility lay in ruin. Good riddance.

“Sister?” she heard a voice say. She almost thought it wasn’t Emil’s. She turned to him, and rushed over to him, forgetting what was done to her.

We have to get out of here, Emil, right now. Let's go somewhere far away together.

Yet, her legs did not move. She felt herself begin to petrify, and understood that she had failed.

“Sister, I… I’m sorry.”

Gretel and Hazel looked on sadly as she allowed herself to turn stone. Between her and Emil, lay a stone flower, the color of the scientists’ lab coats, of WCS. Emil called out to his sister, but it was in vain. They saw him run over to her, trip, pick himself back up, and cry as he embraced her.

The world doesn’t deserve to exist. they thought.

The scene changed again, as if the world had glitched. They were back in the experiment chamber. It was in ruins too. Yet, there was Halua in her human form, hovering above the stone flower. Everything that remained appeared as smooth as stone, even her clothes. Now that he noticed it, his clothes were stone too. It was then he noticed that he didn’t feel Gretel’s presence. He quickly looked around, and found her right next to him. Apparently, she noticed at the same time too.

“You’re… younger. Am I?” she asked him as she looked at her arms.

“Yeah.” he answered. They stared at each other. He thought that if he were a girl, he would look like Gretel, except for her red eyes that outshone even Salem’s. Gretel thought that if she were a guy, she might look like Hazel, except for his eyes that were befitting of his name. Yet, there was something about the each of them that reminds them of their lost sibling.

“My brother… Where is my brother?” they heard her say. Her voice was similar to the one they heard her speak prior, but there was something about it that was not right.

“He’s in reality. He’s not here.” Gretel answered.

“My brother… Only I can protect him. He needs me… He can’t protect himself…”

“He’s more capable than you think. He’s waiting for you, you know.” Hazel told her.

“ I have to protect him. I have to protect him. No one will ever hurt him…”

They both looked at each other, and nodded. Slowly, they walked towards her. They each grabbed an arm, and lowered her down, pulling her into a hug.

“We know what you’re feeling.”

“It’s not easy to have to be the more mature one.”

“Neither you,”

“Or your brother, ”

“Deserved what happened to you two.”

“But know that he still loves you.”

“More than anything.”

“So please.”

“For him,”

“For yourself,”

“Wake up.” they finished in unison.

“I will protect my brother…” she muttered. “He needs me to protect him.”

“If I can't protect him, I’m nothing.” said another Halua that appeared behind them, scaring them.

“If he doesn’t need me to protect him, I’m nothing.” said another.

“I’ll be nothing.”

“Be nothing.”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you two have each other.” Hazel responded.

“You’re more than just his protector, you’re his sister. You still have a life of your own.”

“What do you know?” A Halua that manifested in front of them demanded to know. She was replaced by a screen. On it was Gretel in the shrine, next to her defeated brother..

“Just eave me alone!” she yelled at a group of small shades that was bothering her. “I did not protect Grimoire Weiss… or my brother. My life is meaningless now.”

The image changed, this time to Hazel. It was just a time lapse of him, sleeping, drinking, doing nothing, barely even thinking about anything.

They were stunned. They had no room to speak of such things to her. When their siblings died, their lives had become meaningless. They hinged themselves on being the protector of their sibling. And here they were, asking Halua to give up her life’s meaning. She was right.

“Stay.” Halua offered. Before them, a door opened. They opened the door, to reveal their sibling.

“Gretel, there you are! Listen, I need you to cover for me while sneak into the kitchen. Are you down?” And let him risk being caught by Ms. Leckermaul?

“Oh, Hazel! I was wondering where you were. I was just about to go gather some fresh berries in the forest. Did you want to come with me?” And let her risk being caught alone by some Grimm?

It was so tempting. Under a stone filter, they could live a perfect life, one where they could always be there for their sibling, where they would never die. Hazel was about to walk in, when he heard the door next to him close.

“No. I have things to live for. I have to avenge my brother. He is dead, and I will not let it be in vain. And more than that, I must unite Gestalt and Replicant! Humanity will live on!” Gretel announced.

Hazel faltered. He could have his sister again, but…

“No.” he answered as he shut the door. “Ozpin will pay for what he did, to me, to my sister! I still have to make the world a place where no one has to go through what we went through! I will make a better world!”

“You still have your brother!”

“So return to him! You’ve had your revenge!”

“Now live your life with him! Let him be there for you!”

“Be there for each other!”

“I─ I─ I must protect my brother. He needs me to protect him…” she began to cry as she descended to the ground. “I am nothing if he doesn’t need me!” she cried out in despair. They went towards her, and comforted her as she wept. Around them, the ruined experiment room of stone began to crumble, and the stone flower wilted.

Gretel and Hazel could feel themselves beginning to merge once more. Back to their human-shade form and no longer children, they helped Halua up and held her hand. Before them, a portal of red and black appeared, and they calmly walked through it.

Emil lay on the floor, battered from defending against his sister. Then suddenly, he felt her mass disappear, replaced by a sphere of magic. From it emerged Hazel and Gretel. Behind them, he could sense… a girl… about the same age and height as himself.

“… Halua?”

“Hi, Emil.” she meekly responded.

“Halua!” he yelped with joy. He ran towards her, running past Hazel and Gretel. “Oh Halua! You’re back! You're back!” He rejoiced, spinning her around. Meanwhile, Gretel and Hazel warmly gazed at their heartwarming reunion.

“I’m sorry, Emil.” she said as she cried. “I’m sorry…”

“Huh? Oh Halua…” he softly said as he wiped away her tears. “You don’t have to be sorry. Everything’s alright now. We have each other again.”

Meanwhile, Hazel and Gretel cried tears of joy for the heartfelt reunion. This was something they were fighting for: love.

#Nier #rwby #hazel rainart #emil (nier)#gretel (nier)#Halua (nier)#The Remnant Branches #Negative Chapters #Back to posting fics #side note: having all these twins in nier and rwby and drakengard is fun

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