Okay, so first off I am very sorry it has come to this. I know there are a lot of people who liked the original fic. I seemed to have written myself into a corner with it and man just not able to get out. so because of that I am doing this and starting again.

So here is the first chapter…again. The first part is more or less the same, so if you want to just skin over it feels free. It will start to change more when you get to the point where the Gamer System starts to take effect when he hits 4.

The MC will have the same Semblance, just want to let those who read the original know in advance, so people don't ask.

For those that didn't read the original version, welcome. This is a Gamer fic, obviously.

For both new and old readers, I want to make something clear now because it didn't seem to get through to some people before. I also apologise in advance for this little rant.

The main character WILL NOT HAVE MAGIC! I cannot stress this enough. I am trying to keep this getting overly complicated in regard to abilities. The Gamer power will be 'tailored' to the RWBY universe. Yes, I know there are people that have some form of magic like Ozpin and the Maidens, you don't need to tell me this, but the MC will not. I MIGHT, and that is a big might, give him some alternative Aura manipulation skills at some point, but even then I am not sure I want to.

Let me know what you think :)

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Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY :(

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Summary: "Congratulation '?' You Have Gained The Power of 'The Gamer', And Are Being Reincarnated In A New World!" So, I died and ended up in the world of Remnant, with my memories scrambled to the point I don't know my own name and in the body of a baby. This is so weird. SI Gamer Fic. Rewrite.

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Beta Read by: eeveelutionlover2000

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Chapter 1- Let the Game Begin

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I'm floating. There is nothing around me. I can't see or move. I'm not sure if my eyes are open or closed, but there is nothing but darkness around me. My brain felt fuzzy. There is no other way to describe it. Like a physical buzz inside my skull. I can't remember my name, or my family.

I know I had family, a mum and dad, older sister, and brother, but I can't remember their names or faces. Hell, I remember my dog more clearly them my family. He was a Boxer by the way, 8 years old and snored like a lawnmower.

Unfortunately, I also remember the bus that hit me. Literally it is the last thing I remember. I wasn't even crossing the road or anything, I was walking on the footpath when there was a loud bang! I turned around to see what it was and had just enough time to see the double-decker bus swerving towards me, one tire blown out and the driver trying desperately to regain control.

Then the next thing I know I am here. Floating.

So, I am going to assume I am dead. Between the last thing I remember before 'waking up' here being a bus heading towards me, and the fact I can't move or think clearly enough to remember my own name, it is the only conclusion I can make.

Not sure how long I've been here either. Could have been minutes, could have been days. On the plus side I am not in pain, so I have that going for me. However, on the other hand I am monologuing inside my own head as if someone is there to listen to what I am thinking, so there is a distinct possibility that I am slowly going crazy.

Even as I think that I can imagine several people who I can't quite remember properly commenting that I was already crazy before I ended up here.

But what else am I supposed to do? I can't move or see or hear anything. All I can do is think.

I also remember my sister once telling me that it is okay to talk to yourself, so long as nothing talks back. Then you need to be worried. I should add that she told me this after I asked her why she was swearing at her computer and calling it names.

'Bing!'

(!)

Congratulation '?' You Have Gained The Power of 'The Gamer' And Will Be Reincarnated Shortly.

(!)

Of course, it is moments after her advice crosses my mind that something happened. Though, it's not a voice, so I'm not sure if it counts. A blue screen with black writing appeared before me with a 'Bing' to announce its arrival.

It looks familiar.

I remember one of my friends once telling me about a Manga he liked and convincing me to read it so we could talk about it. The Gamer, it was called…okay, this is getting weird.

As if it knew I had read it, three seconds after I was done the message on the screen disappeared and a new one took its place.

(!)

Before the process of reincarnation begins, please wait while the System scans you. This Scan is important to your future development.

(!)

Okay, so I have no idea about this. I'm pretty sure this was never in the manga. Then again the main Character didn't start off dead.

I could almost hear a woman's voice in my head, talking in that forcefully cheerful tone that flight attendants use while explaining the safety rules before take-off.

Once again, three second after I finished reading, the message was wiped clean and replaced with a new one.

(!)

The Scan will begin in a moment.

(!)

With nothing else to do but go along with it, I prepared myself for the 'Scan'. It didn't help. Whatever this scan thing was, it came in the form of a sharp pain stabbing into my brain in different places.

(!)

…

Scan Complete. Please wait a moment while it is being processed.

…

(!)

Thank you for your patience, your Scan has been processed. The results of your Scan will be considered during the Reincarnation Process and may affect aspects of the 'Game' later in your new life.

You are almost done.

Due to the Laws of Reincarnation, there are certain details about your previous life that you will not be able to remember. This is to ease the transition. However, due to the 'Gamer' ability, you will retain most of the knowledge of your previous life. However, your name is not included.

Please choose a name for your new life, (it will be 'given' to you after your birth.)

(!)

Name:

(!)

How am I supposed to choose a name when I don't even know my old one! I don't even know where I am being 'Reincarnated', what if I pick a name that doesn't fit into the world I end up in?

Where do I even start?

I remember nicknames I had in my previous life, but I doubt 'Hagrid' would fit. If I could remember my old name, I might have just picked that, but there was nothing when I tried to remember what it was. I supposed there was my game handle, it would be ironic in a way. I liked RPG's, I think. I remember playing games called Skyrim, Guild Wars, and Pokémon. Anyway, I always used the same name, with slight variations when needed.

(!)

Name: Grimm

(!)

Name Accepted.

You will be Reincarnated shortly.

Due to the fact you will be a baby, the 'Gamer System' will not become fully active until your '4th' birthday. At that point the 'Gamer System' will activate and the 'Game' will begin. The System will be explained fully at that time.

(!)

Quest Alert!

Survive!

Objective: Don't die before your 4th Birthday.

Bonus Objective: ?

Rewards: Activation of the Gamer Ability, 400exp, and 25sp.

Bonus Rewards: ?

Mandatory Quest: This Quest cannot be refused!

(!)

You will now be Reincarnated. The process may cause some discomfort and disorientation.

(!)

…Ok, so now wh-

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So, as it turns out, there is a reason people don't remember their own births. It is torture. From the perspective of the baby, it is loud, painful, and very confusing. One moment I was floating in nothingness, the next I was crawling through a tight space as it squeezes me from all directions. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see, and everything around me felt slimy.

Then it didn't, I could breathe again. I was still blind, but that was because everything was so bright it hurt too much to look around. It was very cold, the air hitting my slimy body making me shiver. I could hear people talking and moving around, but it was hard to hear around the ringing in my ears.

There was a sharp but short pain around my stomach, large hands passing me around before a blanket was wrapped tightly around my body. I was still cold, but at least not as cold as before. I was passed around a few more times, people were talking but I couldn't focus on what they were saying. Everything was so loud and bright. The sharp ringing in my ears got louder with every sound. The blanket I was wrapped in was too tight and made it even harder to move.

Then finally I was passed off one more time, and I felt the warmth of a body through the blanket. A warmth that reached my bones and warmed my body so that I stopped shivering. The sharp ringing in my ears started to fade into a low, deep humming as I was slowly rocked back and forth. I could feel the vibrations and focused my hearing on it. I didn't recognise the song or whatever was being hummed though.

Slowly things got less confusing, all I could hear was the humming, all I felt was the blanket I was wrapped in, and the warmth of whoever was holding me. I was getting tired, drowsy. But there was something I needed to do first. It was still too bright to open my eyes, but I wanted to see who was holding me.

Fighting between the drowsiness and the bright light, my eyelids slowly started to open little by little. My vision was blurry, colours were mixed together, and I could only see a small distance from my face, but it was enough.

I was being held to the chest of a pale, sweat covered woman that looked exhausted. Her hair was, oddly enough, dark green and long enough that it fell past her shoulders and stuck to her face with sweat. My eyes weren't strong enough to see the details of her face, but there was a green stain under her eyes and over her nose, but my eyes weren't strong enough to see it clearly. However, her eyes, which were looking down into my own with some surprise, were a clear and bright yellow with a thin diamond-shaped pupil.

Her surprise was quickly replaced with a smile as she looked down at me, her lips pulling back just enough for me to make out two long and sharper than normal teeth. "…I'm so happy to finally meet you." She whispered as she pulled me close and kissed my head.

0o0

I never realised how boring being a baby was. F.Y.I, it's very boring!

You can't walk, you can't talk, and you can't control ANYTHING! Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is when you have to let someone change and clean you? Or how awkward it is to breastfeed when you are aware of what is going on? I was so embarrassed I didn't eat for the first three days, until the hunger outweighed said embarrassment.

Then there is the fact that I'm not human anymore.

It took about a month for my eyes to become strong enough to see things with any degree of clarity and the first thing I saw was the face of my 'mother'. It turns out that the green stain I assumed was a smudge were small scales. They melded in with her skin and covered her face both under her eyes and over her nose. At least they would if she had a nose. Where a nose should be was smooth…scales, and two holes. She also had snake-like fangs and a long, forked tongue that was constantly flicking out.

Her name was Jade Reaper, my mother. Making me Grimm Reaper...I am not joking, my name in this life is Grimm Reaper.

My new mother was half-snake half-human, and I quickly realised after seeing this so was I.

Though, to be honest, I really should have noticed sooner. Like my mother, I had a long, forked tongue and scales covering my face under my eyes and over my nose, which, unlike my mother, I do have. They also trailed up the back of my arms from my hands to shoulders and my legs. Though instead of green, mine were black. But that wasn't the biggest clue that I missed. No that was the fact I have a tail…yes, it took me a month to notice the extra limb poking out the bottom of my spine. It wasn't easy, but I was eventually able to get a look at my back and was shocked to see that I had scales down my back over my spine from the back of my head down that led to a small scaly tail.

In my defence, I could barely move my head or limbs at the time. Luckily, we weren't the only animal people. I saw people with cat and dog ears and tails, a man with monkey feet and a tail, and there was even a man with gills and patches of silvery fish scales.

I never met my new father, and my mother never mentioned him. But from the way other people kept talking to her and looking at her sadly, I am assuming he is either dead or had left.

There were even a few humans wandering around. Most of them were angry humans that glared at everyone and shouted at people to 'get back to work!'. Though there were a few that didn't yell and even smiled.

That was another thing about my new life. I'm not sure, but there is a distinct possibility that I am a slave. There were no whips and all the humans in charge did was shout at people, but all the animal people were dressed in the same dirty old overalls with missing sleeves and carried pickaxes and shovels. I also noticed that all the non-humans I saw had a tattoo on their right shoulder of a snowflake with a pickaxe behind it. Including my mother.

There were a few humans dressed the same with the tattoo, but they were outnumbered 20-1 by the non-humans and there were no non-humans in charge.

My mother and I lived in a room just big enough for a bed and a sink with no door in a corridor full of identical rooms. It was all very spartan. I was six months old before my mother took me outside for the first time. Before that she would ask someone from the other rooms on our floor to watch me when she left.

We were in the middle of a snow-covered forest, and from the slight incline I guessed it was a mountain area. It was very cold, especially considering all the non-humans only had sleeveless overalls. But then none of them were just standing around, all of them were working.

As it turns out, we lived in a mining town. A short walk from where we slept was a mine, with people coming in and out of different tunnels and pushing around carts of different coloured crystals. I saw teenagers working alongside the adults and even elderly men and women slowly carrying equipment from A to B.

The non-humans like me and my mother were the miners and the humans seemed to be in charge. The humans were also dressed in thick coats and hats to stave off the cold, since they were just standing around instead of working to keep warm.

I didn't know what it was they were mining, but from the way it was moved slowly and stored away from everything else, it wasn't just pretty crystals. They were sorted into different colours before being moved into separate warehouses. That was where the next surprise came for me, the people sorting the crystals were kids and elderly people. The youngest couldn't have been older than five and the oldest more than thirteen.

Like the miners they had the tattoo.

Food was handed out at specific times in groups at the mess hall, a large log cabin full of tables and chairs. The amount of food was always the same and there was very little variety and you ate what you were given. I had seen a few small groups going off into the forest's surrounding the mine and returning a few days later with a deer or boar.

If I had to guess there were about 300 people living and working around the mine, and another 20 humans that were in charge, and another 50 acting as security. So, a total population of around 370.

There seemed to be an odd mix of technology too. I saw people carrying guns and swords, and there were strange helicopter-like machines that would come and collect what was being mined, but they were huge! Several times bigger than anything I can remember from my old life.

There were 11 wooden watchtowers around the mine. Two at the mess hall, one next to the miner's quarters, three next to the building the humans in charge slept and the rest were spaced out around the border of the town/mine. On top of these towers were large…cannons, of some kind. There were at least one guard with each cannon at any one time.

There was a twenty-foot-tall barbwire fence surrounding the site and town, with armed guards patrolling it. However, while humans patrolled in the day, non-humans patrolled at night. So, it wasn't to keep anyone in, but to keep someone or something else out. While it was possible they were worried about bears and mountain lions, that didn't explain the cannon-like guns.

My mother spent the first two weeks after I was born with me before she went back to work in the mine. She worked down the mine 8 hours a day, during which I would stay with one of several other non-humans on our floor.

Usually it was an older woman with tusks that stuck up out of her lower jaw that lived in the room next to ours named Lilly Crow. Lilly was in her 60's and sat in a wheelchair. She was nice, like a grandma. Her hair was grey and her skin wrinkled. She worked as a 'Sorter', one of the older non-humans that were too old to work in the mine, so she helped keep an eye on the kids that sorted the crystals that were mined.

She would take me outside and sit me on her lap while she looks over crystals and told the younger kids where to sort them. First, they were separated into colours, black, red, blue, green, white, etc. Then they were sorted again depending on how dull or how bright the colour was. Lilly mostly dealt with the latter, she had a good eye for quality. At least that is what I assume she was looking for, I still wasn't sure what the crystals were, so I could only guess.

I saw that a lot around the Mine. Parents leaving their children with the older workers who didn't work in the Mine. It was like everyone was one big family, helping everyone else where they could. It was nice, to see so many people working together even if the conditions seemed to force it for survival.

I have a memory of one of my friends in my first life saying something about that. 'If you want to see the best of people, you need a tragedy to bring it out of them.' He believed that you only saw the best of people when something terrible happened, like a natural disaster or terrorist attack.

So, to sum up my new life so far, non-humans were doing almost all the manual labour while the humans bossed them around. Anyone old enough to work did, even children. Most of the food came from small hunting parties. We were in the middle of nowhere, possibly on a mountain and there was something in the area that warranted armed guards and manned cannons 24/7.

If nothing else, this was going to be interesting at least.

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1 Year old

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It wasn't until a week after my 1st birthday that I found out just what that 'something' was.

One minute everything was normal, I was sitting on Grandma Lilly's lap while she looked over the Crystals, wrapped up in a thick blanket from the cold. The next moment a loud siren started wailing all around the site, and people started shouting and running. Someone came up behind Lilly and pushed her towards the Mess Hall where everyone was running towards. The sound of gunfire filled the air along with the shouting, shortly followed by the even louder 'BANG!' and flashes of light from the cannons.

As Lilly was being pushed, she held me close to her chest. I could see over her shoulder, which gave me a decent view of what was happening behind us where the fighting was going on. One look was all it took for me to me to finally realize just where it was I had been Reincarnated. It also explained what I was and what was being mined.

Behind us, rushing through a hole that had been torn through the barbwire fence, were Creatures of Grimm from the RWBY anime. Beowolf, Ursa and Boarbatusk were flooding in and being cut down by the cannons and guns the guards carried. It was not clean. There was blood, and every time one of the cannons fired another Grimm would explode in a shower of blood and gore.

Ok, so good news, in my first life I loved RWBY. Bad news, before I died I was a little behind on the episodes and just never found the time to watch past…I think it was season 4? Maybe 5? I know Ozpin is a soul parasite, but nothing after that there than fan speculation and the odd Spoiler leaked that I wasn't sure was true or not.

Really wishing I hadn't put off watching the newer episodes now that I am living it!

Wait a moment…my name is Grimm Reaper…in a world where man eating monsters called Grimm were the enemy of mankind! I might have the worst name in the entire world. And I'm a Faunus, in what I now realise is a Schnee Dust Mine…the worst place for a Faunus in Remnant.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Ok, this might not be the best time to be ranting in my head.

We were pushed into the Mess Hall and squeezed in at the edge of the crowd just inside the door before it was closed. A large, heavy wooden beam was then quickly moved into place to keep the doors closed.

I'm not sure how long we stayed huddled up and scared. The sound of gun and cannon fire constantly going off outside mixed with the roars and growls of the monsters. People were crying, both young and old. Most of the younger kids' parents were in the Mine so they sought comfort with the others that helped look after them.

When things finally quieted down day had turned to night, and by the time we were given the all clear to come out the bodies of the Grimm had already disintegrated. At least most of them. That was when I realised that there were inconsistencies from what I knew from the Anime. Because while the Grimm's bodies dissolved, the bone-like armour that grew on them was left behind and being collected up and piled up.

Again, I probably should have realised this sooner considering Faunus were only supposed to have 1 animal feature like ears or a tail, yet everyone I saw looked closer to a blend of the animals they shared their natures with.

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2 Year's Old

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Grandma Lilly was busy, so today Jade left me with a Teenage Dog Faunus named Grey and his girlfriend, a Rabbit Faunus named Willow. They lived three rooms down from ours and both worked the night shift, so they were around to keep an eye on me in the afternoon.

Grey had a slightly bulky body from working in the Mine with unruly brown hair and floppy dog ears that reached his chin, dark grey eyes with bags under them and sharp fang-like teeth. Willow however was slim, short and didn't work down the Mine, her job had something to do with the Dust Crystals after they were sorted. She had white hair with long rabbit ears, a white ball of fluff sticking out of her arse for a tail, and green eyes. She also had a constant cough and her voice always sounded a little rough from a raw throat.

Their room had a slightly larger bed to accommodate them both, which I was currently sitting on while they both stood across from me. My tail, that had grown to be as long as I am tall at this point, lay on the bed next to me. It was surprisingly easy to get used to having a tail, though it might just be because I am a baby. It was basically like having an extra arm…that came out of my butt.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the whispered conversation the two teens were having in front of me.

"I'm telling you it's kind of creepy," Grey whispered, watching me out of the corner of his eye while facing Willow. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest and his right foot kept tapping on the ground nervously.

"Don't say things like that, he's just a baby," Willow scolded him, her own voice barely above a whisper.

"But just look at him, he's just sitting there staring at us and flicking his tongue out. He doesn't move, not even a twitch. For Monty's sake, he hasn't blinked for the last 10 minutes," Grey shot back, turning to face me this time though still not looking right at me.

I decided within the first week of my new life that I would try and act as 'normal' as possible to avoid the wrong kind of attention before I was ready for it. Unfortunately, I have no idea what is and isn't normal. I didn't start talking or walking too soon, not that I could even if I wanted too. My body was that of a baby even if my mind wasn't. My muscles and bones were too weak to walk, and my vocal cords weren't mature enough to talk.

Though I admit, it was fun unnerving people by staring at them while staying completely still. Apparently, there was something about a baby staring at you without blinking that unnerved people. My Snake feature might also have had something to do with that, Natural instinct and all.

"He's a Snake Faunus. I remember your little brother chasing his own tail when he was 3. You know how it is when you're young, instincts are harder to separate and control," Willow said while frowning at Grey, slapping him on his shoulder while leaning against the wall.

"I know…but it's still creepy. I feel like if I look away he's going to lung and bite me…he's not got Venom, right?" Grey shrugged, before looking even more nervous as his eyes moved to the two fangs poking my bottom lip.

"I don't think so…Jade doesn't, she's a Constrictor not Venomous. Even if he did, it wouldn't develop until he's older, at most it would be like a bee sting." Willow shrugged, before frowning again. "And stop stereotyping him for being a Snake Faunus, we get more than enough of that shit from the Humans," she scolded.

"I don't like bees either…ow!" Grey muttered, only to get a slap to the back of his head.

"Stop it, your acting like more of a baby then Grimm is!" she scolded again.

"Exactly! He doesn't act like a baby. Another thing, who names a kid 'Grimm'? That's just asking for trouble," Grey said, giving up on trying to be quiet now and frowning slightly.

'HHHIIIISSSSSS!'

Both of the teen's faces shot in my direction, eyes wide in shock when they saw my lips pulled back and teeth bared, and eyes narrowed as the 'hiss' filled the room. Neither moved and Grey went very pale as he pressed his back against the wall.

"D-did he just hiss at me? Does he understand what I'm saying!?" Grey asked, looking slightly panicked. Willow just looked at me curiously, leaning forward to get a closer look at me as I let my face fall back into a blank expression even as she poked my left cheek with her finger.

"Hmmm, I'm not sure…" she said, her eyes never leaving my own.

We stared at each other for the next five minutes before she pursed her lips and leaned away again. Frowning to herself Willow stood up and moved to stand next to Grey again.

"Ok, so maybe we should talk to Jade about him. There is something…different, about him. Though it could just be in our heads, maybe this is normal for a Snake Faunus and we're just overreacting," she said.

Okay, so I'm not a very good actor. So much for going unnoticed.

0o0

As was becoming the norm for me, I stared silently and unmoving as the Doctor looked down at me from his clipboard. Though I use the term 'Doctor' loosely. He looked to be over a hundred years old, had more wrinkles and liver spots than skin, and his hands shook so bad he could barely keep hold of the clipboard. The top of his head was bald, with scraggly grey hair on the sides that looked like straw. He also had a giant pair of round glasses that looked like magnifying glasses, making his eyes huge.

He also seemed to start every other sentence with the words 'I think', like he wasn't sure.

'Dr' Whitey was his name, the cheapest Doctor the Schnee Dust Corporation could find to send out here for the Mine.

It turns out Grey and Willow had followed through with talking to my mother, which led her to asking some of the other people that looked after me if they noticed anything odd. Turns out I wasn't being as subtle as I thought, but you try acting like a baby all the time! Anyways, in the end she decided to take me for a full check-up just to be safe.

Dr Whitey took several scans, took blood, skin, and scale samples, and poked around my mouth with a wooden stick and a flashlight. He also checked my eyes, reflexes and reactions to sound and touch. Basically, they were doing every test they could think of.

My mother stood to one side, watching us both and biting her lower lip nervously. She had been forced to miss work to be here, which was never good. From what I was able to learn about how things worked here, Miners were paid based on how many Dust Crystals they dug up. If you didn't work or just didn't find anything, you didn't get paid and if you didn't get paid you didn't eat.

The fact that they barely paid you enough to eat in the first place didn't help either. My mother had to work even harder to feed both of us because I was too young to work. Sorters got paid even less than Miners, but their pay was worked out differently.

This appointment wasn't free either, between not working and the cost for the check-up it would cost three days' worth of pay.

"I think that should do it, my examination is done, Miss Reaper," Dr Whitey said, turning to my mother, and writing one last thing on his clipboard before looking up at her. "The good news is that as far as I can tell, everything is fine. Little Grimm is physically in perfect health, with strong muscles and bones. Though his bones seemed to be very flexible, but I am assuming that is natural considering his heritage. No Venom sacks, thankfully. He is a Constrictor like yourself, at least as far as I can tell anyway. Nothing odd showed up in the blood tests and the x-rays are normal for what he is too. Surprisingly his Eyesight is also perfectly fine, I was worried when you said he stares so much but there doesn't seem to be any bad side effects," he explained, looking back at his notes every few seconds.

For her part, my mother mostly just nodded along, as if expecting everything he had said but still relieved.

"And mentally?" Jade asked when he stopped.

Dr Whitey just gave a shrug. "I'm not a head doctor, so I can't really comment much. The scans showed a surprisingly high level of activity in the brain for someone so young though…he hasn't had any seizures? Spasms or anything of the sort?" he asked.

"No, nothing. I don't think I have ever heard him even cry since the day he was born," she said, sending a slightly worried look over the Doctor's shoulder at me.

"Hmm, not epilepsy then. I'm afraid there isn't much I can do at this point. Maybe when he is older we can do more tests, monitor for any changes. But for now, I can't find anything wrong with him." Dr Whitey said, before leaving the room without another word.

Letting out a tired sigh Jade stepped forward and picked me up, holding me to her chest while my tail moved to wrap around her waist. It wasn't long enough to reach all the way around, but it was enough to take some of the weight off from her arms and make it easier to hold me. After hugging me for a moment, she leaned back and looked me in the eyes.

"What am I going to do with you my little Reaper. What is going through your head right now?" she asked, though it seemed to be more to herself than to me.

0o0

3 Year's Old

0o0

My mother died a week after my 3rd birthday.

Five months before she died, Jade developed a little cough, nothing too bad, but it was noticeable. Not enough to stop working. But it got worse, that little cough turned into loud, hacking coughs with specks of blood by the second month.

That was when she went to see Dr Whitey. He gave her some pills, the cost of them making life even harder as she was forced to work even harder to make up the difference. By the fourth month she was bedridden and unable to afford the medication. That last month was not painless, for anyone. Some of the other Miners chipped in a little of their pay so we could eat but no one had enough to spare for her meds.

The best part? It was treatable. A simple infection, they even caught it while it was still possible for full recovery. But they didn't have access to the Treatment she needed. The medication Dr Whitey had been giving her was only able to slow it down. He tried to order what she needed but the Schnee Company wouldn't send it unless they were 'reimbursed' for the cost of treatment.

I was 'allowed' to stay in our old room…my room now. But even though I was barely three I was put to work, to pay for both my room and food. They put me to work as a Sorter with the other kids and elderly Faunus, though I was paired with someone because they didn't trust me enough to know what I was doing.

The way Sorting worked was that Dust Crystals were sent down several conveyor belts, and Sorters picked Crystals off and placed them in the correct crate. You get paid for every 1000 Crystals you sort, so the faster you worked, the more you get paid.

My 'partner' was a Bear Faunus named Silver Run. She was 6 years old, with small bear ears on top of her head, brown hair, and green eyes. In return for a very slight increase while 'training' me, she was supposed to keep an eye on me and make sure I didn't sort the Dust Crystals wrong. I didn't like her, she was more of a snake than me and I was literally part snake.

It took her less than an hour to realise that despite my age I knew what I was doing and could sort the Crystals without help and she took advantage of it by keeping the fact quiet, so she could keep getting the Trainer fee. Silver also claimed half my work as her own. I didn't say anything, I didn't see the point. But I did stare at her constantly while we were working. She stopped meeting my eye very quickly when I did that, but still didn't stop.

0o0

1 Day Before 4th Birthday

0o0

I was quietly working, sorting through a pile of Dust Crystals twice my size. My tail was now 2 feet long and I used it to help sort the larger Crystals while using my hands for the smaller ones. Sliver was standing next to me, concentrating on her work, and avoiding looking at me as usual.

1 more day. Tomorrow everything was going to change. Tomorrow the Game would start.

I didn't know what most of the Crystals did, other than the obvious. The red one hot to the touch were fire, the white that faded into blue in the centre and cold to the touch were ice. The heavy brown Crystals were earth, blue damp to the touch were water and and the grey ones that didn't have much weight was wind. Then there were black, white, yellow, pink, and every other colour you can think of. The only ones we didn't sort were the sickly green/yellow glowing Crystals which were separated from the rest before even being brought up.

The conveyor we were working on was situated away from the others, Sliver having picked one out of the way so no one would notice how much I was doing. The Mess hall was on the other side of the courtyard while the fence that bordered the Mine Site was only a few feet away on my right. The sun was high in the sky but there was little heat, a thick layer of snow covering the ground.

The siren came without warning. Cutting through the silence like a knife and making everyone flinch. A moment later the gunfire started. There was a second where no one moved, then everyone as one jumped up and started running for the Mess Hall. Silver didn't even spare me a glance, running ahead and leaving me to trail behind her, the gap widening quickly due to my short legs.

Then I saw her, Grandma Lilly, trying to wheel herself to the Mess Hall with little success. It was also at that moment I saw the Beowolf. It had broken through the defensive line and was charging right at her, red eyes glowing and teeth bared.

In my past life I don't think I was an overly brave person, but I also wasn't a coward. I never really got into a situation like this. I remember, vaguely, in a book a quote, 'You never know how you will react until the moment'. My reaction was not something I would have expected of myself, as I changed direction from the Safety of the Mess Hall. I was coming up from behind the Beowolf, it's full attention on Lilly as she closed her eyes, seemingly resigned to her fate.

I don't know how I managed it, but I was able to jump on the Grimm's back. I hit with enough force to knock it off balance, sending it face first into the dirt only a few feet from Lilly, whose eyes shot open in shock and locked on me. Before the Beowolf had time to recover I moved my arms up under it before locking my fingers behind its head. My legs locked over its stomach and my tail moved up and around its neck.

The Beowolf recovered a moment later, getting to its feet and trying to shake me off with little success. I could hear my bones creaking as I fought to keep my grip. Without thinking my grip started getting tighter the more it struggled. In a desperate attempt to get me off it fell on its back, slamming me into the ground.

"AAAAHHHH!" My grip only got stronger, a scream of effort starting to escape my lips. To stop screaming my head shot forward and I sank my teeth into its right shoulder. My mouth was filled with the taste of oil and rotten meat as its black blood filled my mouth, the bristly hair stabbing my gums and tongue like needles. But I didn't stop, my teeth digging deeper.

I felt something inside me 'Snap' into place, something that had been there since my rebirth but hidden too deep to notice. With it came a surge of strength, like the world's strongest Adrenalin rush.

The Beowolf let loose a roar, but I could feel its struggles getting weaker, it couldn't get back up or roll over. I heard several creaks as my grip continued to tighten and felt as several of its bones gave out under the strain. It took several minutes for its struggles to stop completely, though it was another minute before it stopped spasming and fell still, black smoke slowly rising off its body as it started to disintegrate.

I didn't let go until I saw the smoke. My arms, legs and tail felt too heavy to move. My jaw was stiff, and the taste of the Grimm was still in my mouth and almost made me sick.

Rolling off the dead Beowolf and into the ground, my breath coming in pants as I looked up at the sky. I was light headed, my vision getting blurry around the edges and I knew I had seconds before I passed out. The last thing I saw before the darkness covered my vision was Grandma Lilly leaning over me from her wheelchair with a worried expression on her face.

0o0

4th Birthday

0o0

(!)

You have slept in a bed. AP and HP Have Been Fully Restored!

(!)

Congratulations!

You have made it to your 4th Birthday. The Game will now begin!

Please click [Yes] to begin The Tutorial.

(!)

I blinked…my eyes staring blankly at the blue screen floating in front of my face for a full minute before a smile spread across my lips. A quick look around showed me that I was in my bed. I guess they brought me here after I passed out, I didn't make enough as a Sorter to be sent to Dr Whitey.

It was probably for the best though, as the fact about being healed by sleeping might cause some issues.

Reaching out and pressing [Yes], I leaned back into the bed.

(!)

Tutorial

Please read all information provided as it appears carefully.

(!)

Level: 1 (710-1000) (Note) +3 points to stats on Levelling up. +5 Stat Points on Levelling up.

Title: Little Monster

Name: Grimm Reaper

Health: (200/200) Regain 1hp Per Hour (Note) Health is fixed and cannot be increased.

Aura: (2300/2300) Aura is increased by Levelling and adding points to the Aura Stat. Aura increases by 300 each Level and 100 for each Point in the Aura Stat. (Warning) If Aura hits 0 and is (Broken), Aura Regan is stopped for 12 hours or after sleep.

Aura Regain: 20% Per Hour

Age: 4

Race: Faunus- Snake

Money: 1050L

Semblance: (Locked) (Unlock at Level 10)

Climate: Cold (Note) 'Climate' refers to the conditions of the area you are currently in. This is important as the Climate may affect you and your abilities. Climate conditions are: Cold, Rain, Windy, Normal, Warm, and Hot. (Warning) There is a chance of (Severe Weather): Blizzard, Storm, Hurricane, Heatwave, Etc.

Stats (Note) Stats can be increased by performing actions related to that Stat or by spending Stat Points. (Warning) Severe imbalance in stats may have unforeseen side effects to the Player's abilities. (Warning) Stat Points added will only come into effect after you Sleep.

Strength: 16 (-50%) = 8 (Affects damage dealt with Melee weapons/physical strength)

Dexterity: 16 (-50%) = 8 (Acrobatic ability, Flexibility, Aim, and Reflexes)

Aura: 20 (Affects Aura Level and Regeneration - you can choose which you want to increase when points are added/gained. 1 point = 100 Aura)

Charisma: 4 (Affects Negotiations when making deals, buying/selling, and if people listen to what you say)

Stat Points: 30

Luck Meter: 0 (Affects your luck in games of chance and/or battles) (Warning) Unlike other Stats, the Luck Meter is calculated differently. 0 luck is average with 10 being the highest and -10 being the lowest. Luck is subject to change constantly from situations/effects and cannot be increased with Stat Points. (Warning) If Luck Meter falls below 0, it will affect combat situations, e.g. tripping and malfunction of equipment.

Perks (Note) All abilities found in the 'Perk' section are 'Passive', meaning they are always active and cannot be turned off.

Gamer's Mind: (Passive) Allows the Player to perceive their reality in the form of a Video Game. This gives the Player accesses to (Menu), (Stat Screen), Etc. Also helps you keep calm under stressful situations and gives immunity to 'most' psychological/mental based attacks. (Warning) May be affected by Semblances.

Gamer's Body: (Passive) The Player's Body is changed to simulate that of a Video Game Avatar. The Player is unable to die unless their HP is reduced to 0, regardless of Wounds. All physical injuries heal, up to and including loss of limbs. Both Health and Aura are 100% healed by sleeping in a bed. (Warning) Player is still susceptible to (Fatal Critical), e.g. fatal head wounds or instant kills. (Warning) Certain Status Effects may affect Gamer's Body's ability to Heal.

Gamer's Eyes: (Passive/Active) Allows the player to see the 'Level', Health, Aura, and 'Title' of others. Active allows you to also see their Stats and Perks. (Warning) Gamer's Eyes can only process the information of people up to 20 levels above the player.

Inventory: (Passive/Active) Hammer Space! Your own personal little pocket dimension. 20 slots available. Items Stack. (Note) Items can only stack with the same Item. E.g. Beowolf bones can not stack with Ursa Bones. Dust Grades can only stack with the same Grade.

Passive Racial Skills

Snake Body: (Passive) You are a Snake Faunus. (Buff) +5 stat points to Strength and Dexterity every 10 levels.

Snake Blood: (Passive) You are a Snake Faunus. You are immune to all Poison.

Flexible: (Passive) You look like a snake on the outside and inside. Your bones are both strong and flexible, you are a natural Contortionist.

Cold Blooded: (Passive) You are part Reptile. (Buff) Immune to Negative Effects from 'Hot Climates (Debuff) -50% to Strength and Dexterity when in a 'Cold Climate'.

Skills

Semblance: (Locked) The personal special ability of the Player's Soul. While some may be similar, no two Semblance's are the same. (Note: Semblance currently Locked. Unlock at Level 10).

Bite: Level 2- (Active) You have teeth and know how to use them. Does STR + 10% Damage.

Attack: Level 1- (Active) You have hands, feet and…a tail, and know how to use them. Does STR +5% Damage.

Active Racial Skills

Snake Eyes: Level 1- (Active) Your eyes unnerve people. Stare at the target in the eye for the Timer and cause the Status Effect Daze. If you are 15 or more Levels above target this move will cause the Status Effect (Paralyze) for 00:10 seconds. Timer: 00:03.

Track: Level 1- (Active) The nose knows, and so does the tongue. Using your tongue, you can cross the boundary between smell and taste, allowing you to track smells like a snake. You can use this to track: Animals, Humans/Faunus, and Grimm. (Warning) Level too low to differentiate between individuals. Can also be used to find Dust Crystal. (Warning) Level too Low to Differentiate between types of Dust or Quality.

Strangle: Level 3 (Active) Fall back on your Animal heritage and use your tail for what it was meant for. Grab someone/something with your tail and Squeeze! Wrap your tail around the Targets neck or chest and slowly Strangle them. (Warning) Your strength needs to be at Least 3 STR higher than the opponent for Strangle to work. (Note) If Strangle is held long enough for Timer, this move will cause the Status Effect (Unconscious). Does STR + 10% Damage every 2 seconds. Timer: 01:00. (Note) Can be used with any body part that is wrapped around the opponent, but for Half the damage done with tail.

Crush: Level 2- (Active) (Conditional) Fall back on your Animal heritage and use your tail for what it was meant for. Grab someone/something with your tail and Squeeze! (Warning) This skill can only be used in Conjunction with Strangle. Tighten your grip and Break bones. (Warning) Your strength needs to be at Least 10 STR higher than your targets for Crush to work. (Note) If Successful, this move will cause the Status Effect (Broken Bone). Does STR + 30% Damage. (Note) Can be used with any body part that is wrapped around the opponent.

Titles: (Note) Titles can be earned from completing missions or for Special Actions.

Little Monster: You killed a Grimm with your bare hands as a little kid. +10 to Strength, Dexterity and Aura for earning this Title.

(!)

Please Note that the Game System had been tailored to the world you have been born in.

(!)

Quest Alert!

Survive!

Objective: Don't die before your 4th Birthday.

Bonus Objective: Kill a Grimm before the Game System Activates.

Rewards: Activation of the Gamer Ability, 400exp, and 25sp.

Bonus Rewards: 10sp, 300exp and Title (Little Monster). Unlocked Aura.

Complete!

Bonus Objective: Complete!

(!)

Achievement Alert!

Against all Odds!

You survived against an opponent that should have killed you!

Rewards: 1000L and 5sp

(!)

OK, so good news I have 30sp right off the bat to spend to help get my Stats up, a few decent skills and Perks and a good head start to Level 2 and money. Bad news, the Game System is nerfed, at least compared to the original Manga. My health being fixed is worrying, but I think I understand why.

But what the Hell is with that 'Cold Blooded Perk! -50% STR and DEX just because it's cold?

From looking over the information I have available and what I know of this world, it looks like the Game really is tailored to the RWBY universe. Which would mean with my Aura unlocked, it would basically be another Health Bar. Aura was the main source of power in RWBY, along with Dust and Semblance.

It also looked like Levelling wasn't going to be easy. 1000exp for the first Level? Normally something like this would be set at 100, and it was likely only going to get higher with each Level. I currently have 710exp, 400 for completing the Quest and 300 for the Bonus Objective. Which means the 10exp is probably from killing the Beowolf. Unless all Quests gave that much experience every time, which I doubt, it was going to be slow going.

Also, if killing a Beowolf only gave me 10exp grinding was going to be tedious.

God, less than five minutes and already things were going to shit.

Than there is that Cold Blooded Perk. In my current position, it was going to be a big problem. I live in a Mining site in the middle of a snow-covered mountain. Luckily with the 'Little Monster' title it was balanced out and I have 30 Stat Points; common sense is to save them for when it will be harder to raise my Stats though action. But the problem is that I am 4 years old. I can't raise my Level and get exp unless I have something to build on.

Hating myself for what I was about to do, I mentally called up the Stat screen and started adding points.

Stats

Strength: 16 (21) (-50%) (+5)= 8 (10.5)

Dexterity: 16 (21) (-50%)(+5) = 8 (10.5)

Aura: 20 (+15) (35)

Charisma: 4 (+5) (9)

Stat Points: (30) 0

According to the Tutorial nothing would change until I sleep. So, with nothing else to do until my Stats updated, being fully healed from my 'fight' the day before and a need to do something, I hopped out of bed and made my way outside.

After all, I still needed to work.

0o0

Level: 1 (710-1000)

Title: Little Monster

Name: Grimm Reaper

Health: (200/200) Regain 1hp Per Hour

Aura: (3800/3800) Regain 20% Per Hour

Age: 4

Race: Faunus- Snake

Money: 1050L

Semblance: (Locked) (Unlock at Level 10)

Climate: Cold

Stats

Strength: 21 (-50%) = 10.5

Dexterity: 21 (-50%) = 10.5

Aura: 35

Charisma: 9

Stat Points: 0

Luck Meter: 0

0o0

So that is the first chapter. Like I said a few things have changed already and they will lead to bigger changes.

Anyway, I hope you like it, please let me know what you think. :)