(a Grimm Side Stories) A Test of Power and Fear

[Merchant]

uselessloserinfinty if he wants to of course, and Atom

---

It was another week after all the chaos that was Atom nearly dying. . . Again. And Ivan getting access to his new found powers. Just before Grimm faded away on their last encounter. Atom took a page from Grimm an planted a tracker on him. It took a weak of exhausting travel. Then he finally locates him. As it turns out Grimm just wont sit still revisiting other areas too but never the same place for more than a couple days. From a very complex algorithm Atom managed to pinpoint his next location. Before he arrives too. Finally an effective means to find Grimm. He comes upon a hidden grove in the wastelands that is Wyoming USA. Once inside Atom can feel like he has stepped into another world, but is the same world all the same. inside the grove is beautiful. Like a lush forest. Animals grazing, birds singing, and water is flowing. In the air a fireflies but are glowing bright. When one flies by he can feel the purifying energy around it. In the back of the grove he can see Grimm. Asleep. At peace. A but as peaceful as it seem it looks disturbingly close to death like slumber. The eyes of the mask are closed. Fireflies surrounding him. That is when Atom can feel more energy in the air. Chaos, order, and the attribute energy. Many, many more energy. Some lethal other aren't. All balancing out in this one hidden place from the normal eye. The perfect place for somebody like Grimm to hide. When gets closer he can here something from Grimm.

"Oh Alice my litter sister. Please forgive me. May the light you hold dear guide you. You must now live up to the Hallow name. Achieve something great. May you bring good to this world. I'm so sorry Alice."

[Atom]

I approached silently, both in curiosity and annoyance. "It takes me five days to develop the branch of mathematics I needed and algorithms used with it to find you, and you're asleep and mumbling in your sleep." I thought. I stopped next to him, close enough to hear him talk. "Who's Alice?" I focused for a few seconds, and put his words together. "Little Sister? As far as I knew, Grimm was alone. What is in his history?" I continued to watch him as he slept, listening for more. I then think for a second. "Hold on, if Grimm is here asleep, then where's Serperios?"

[Merchant]

The water is disturbed as Serperios in full released form comes out of the water. Dragging himself to a spot with plenty of sun to dry off and warm up.

"Hello Atom." He says tiredly and without care. He then lays down. Closes his eyes. Then silence. Serperios snaps alert. "Atom!?" The stare down is intense. Both waiting to see what the other does.

[Atom]

I shushed Serperios. "Calm down, we probably don't want to wake him. I care a bit too much about the fate of this entire place to wake him." I looked at Grimm again. "I heard him mumble something about someone named Alice. From what else he said, I can assume she was his little sister, and she died somehow." I looked back at Serperios. "Do you have any idea of who she is? I'm no psychologist, but I'm reasonably sure that normal people don't talk about dead people unless they need closure. And don't take that as me saying Grimm is normal. He's anything but. However, his mind still functions the same way as any other brain. That's all I'm talking about with regards to normal."

[Merchant]

Serperios sighs. He brings his heads closer and whispers on Atom's level. "Alice isn't dead you idiot. Grimm holds regrets. Powerful regrets. Also his family matter does not concern you. Now stop saying her name. You don't even want to be caught dead if he finds out that you are aware of her." Serperios sighs again and talks a bit louder but not enough to disturb Grimm. "You assuming is not like you at all. Are you alright?" The curiosity shown by Serperios is terrifying in it's own right. The guys is usually more on the line of I will tear you limb from limb is you don't shut up. It seems as though Serperios is relaxed for once.

[Atom]

I looked Serperios dead in the eye. "Depression is something I know all too much about. Three friends, a family member, hundreds of people I've met, all with depression. I managed to help a few of them. My friend Azion, he just wasn't exercising his brain enough. My cousin Cassie, she had to take medication to stop from hurting herself. My friend Chaos, well, he had many medical problems. One of them was depression. It wasn't the first one treated, because he had others that were life threatening. Look, the point is, I know depression when I see it, and I always try to help the person, whether friend," I looked at Grimm, "or foe."

[Merchant]

Grimm finally wakes up from his slumber. "Hi Atom." He says as he stands up. Then his face goes to shock. "Atom . . . . . . Serperios am I losing my head?" 

"No, you can't lose something you already lost. Atom is here for something but for what I don't know. Do you want me to tear him limb from limb?" There is the Serperios everybody loves to hates.

"Good Atom. Please tell me how you found me so I can destroy it. And before you ask why. I have a very good and personal reason."

[Atom]

"Grimm, you should know exactly how I found you. The same way you can find me, naturally. Isn't engineering fun?" My face turned serious. "However, from how you were acting in your sleep, I can tell something's wrong. As I already explained to Serperios, while I might not be a psychologist, I know the signs and symptoms of depression. Fevered mumbling in sleep is one of those symptoms." I quickly remembered what Serperios warned me about. "I wasn't able to make anything out, but from the other sounds you made while mumbling, I can tell it's something big. And when it comes to depression, friend or foe, I try to help them. I've faced people with depression too many times. My own cousin had to go on meds because of hers, and the alternative was hurting herself. I'm not going to let a potential friend do that, nor would I wish it on my worst enemy. Said worst enemy is the Destruction, but that's beside the point. Whatever it is that's got you into this, you need to open up about it, and quickly, before it gets worse." I grabbed the tracer from my pocket, and flipped it on. I heard a beeping from Grimm, telling me that it was active. "When you're ready to open up and let me help you, you know where to find me. I'll even shut off my security system to let you in quietly, so that nobody else knows about it, if you want." I looked at Serperios. "I know you don't like to take orders from others, but please, if it gets worse, tell me, tell someone. Just tell someone, so that Grimm doesn't have to go through what my friends and family have gone through before." I waved my arm to my right, and looked at Grimm. "Get help as soon as possible." I went through the Gate that appeared, and it closed behind me.

[Merchant]

Before Atom goes through the gate Grimm grabs Atom and pulls him back. "Atom." Grimm sounds defeated but relief is also in his voice. "I understand that you are aware of that problem. But do not worry. I regret certain things very much. But please understand when I say that I'm fine on that matter truly believe me. I have many bakugan that can talk with me. Talking about one another's issues helps up keep conflict as low as possible. So we can work better. I however must reward you. As much as I the fact that you found a way to track me. Stay and learn what this place is." Grimm offers his hand in kind gesture.

[Atom]

I didn't grab his hand immediately, and instead raised by right hand in a fist. "Don't find this rude, I'm just checking the current energy levels of Order and Chaos. I'd rather not have a repeat of the last two weeks. Is that fair?" I looked at my Energy Twist Symbol, and took note of how brightly each symbol was glowing. "You know, I've got to hand it to you, you spend more time on making your secret bunkers than I spend defending Realities." The Chaos energy in the area wasn't heavily concentrated, so my genes could handle it without overloading me. I put my right hand down, and grabbed Grimm's hand. "I think I know what you're getting at. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right? In any case, show me around. Help me understand how you plan, at least a little."

[Merchant]

"Good now let me explain. I didn't make this grove alone. But that shouldn't matter for what is next." Grimm closes the portal. Once it is closed The foilage letting sunlight in close. Then everything lights up. The plants are glowing their respective colors and so do the mushrooms. Even the animals have a glow to them in special patters. "This is Titania's Grove. A safe place for certain people. The Grove is magic in nature. But it has rules. Fighting is not allowed in any of the Groves except for certain exceptions. One must not intentionally harm the grove. Lastly the Groves are home to fairies. One must always say thank you for your hospitality before leaving."

"The person who makes the groves can control plant magic. She is gifted. Hallow is more than a name alone. It is also a title that draws forth the true potential in a person. But the name can only be passed by blood." goes Serperios.

"Thank you Serperios. Groves are also connected to each others. You can travel from Grove to Grove. As long as you have visited one in another place before."

[Atom]

"Okay, so it's similar to the Sheikah Slate in the LoZ Reality." I muttered. "I guess that explains why he was able to move to fast." I refocused on him. "So, that's why Serperios didn't attack me right then and there, isn't it? Makes sense now. And fairies, huh? In some Realities, they are willing to help weary travelers, and even travel with them for extended periods of time. I'm guessing the fairies of these groves are different." I took notice of how the glows were placed. "So, it draws heavy influence on the Attributes, huh? Interesting." I looked at Grimm again. "So, anything else that I should know of, particularly about safeties?"

[Merchant]

"No not really I would have to ask my sister about that." Grimm pause for a second then panics a little. "Not like I have one hahahahaha. I have no idea what you are talking about. Hahahahahahahahaha." Grimm continues to fake laugh for a bit.

"Grimm give it up. Or I will tell him. These places mean a lot to you. Or else you wouldn't use them otherwise. Even if it means she will find you."

"Traitor!" Grimm goes with a reaction straight out of a manga.

[Atom]

"Grimm, that laugh was worse than Dan's when he was interviewed by Julie in Bakugan Land. I know you're hiding something. However, because Serperios has warned me not to ask about your family, I will respect those boundaries." I then noticed the silence, and how eerie it was. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone. "Good thing I vouched for unlimited." I turned it on, and pulled up a tab. "I know you guys are probably wondering why I'm doing this, but the fact that I can't hear anything going on in here is unsettling. I'm going to put on some music that fits with this place. It's probably not a music type you're familiar with, but it's called Lost Woods." I pressed play, and the music began ringing out. I hummed the first few notes as they came. "So, anything else you want to talk about?"
(The music I'm talking about)

[Merchant]

dammit Atom it fits perfectly.

---

"Hey while we are here. I want to take my test. I have a gene too and powers to unlock. So I need to take the test. Also one of your bakugan called me a negative shifter. But it felt accurate and not accurate at the same time. What happens to one when they become a negative shifter? Tell me and respect boundaries or not I can tell you more about my sister. Fair exchange after all."