Chapter 2: The Bears Will Be Bears
The scent of fresh-brewed coffee was a comfort, a grounding force in Adam's new, chaotic reality. He was standing in his small coffee shop, the morning sun streaming through the windows, when the door chimed. He looked up to see a man he knew intimately from a television screen: Nick Burkhardt. The detective looked tired, his eyes shadowed with the weight of a world he was only just beginning to understand. He was with Hank Griffin, who looked perfectly normal, completely oblivious to the supernatural world that was tearing his partner's life apart.
"Alright, Adam. Time to go full-on proactive. No more waiting for the plot to happen. You're the new variable in this equation, so you need to introduce yourself. But not too weird. Just… a little weird. You're a long-lost cousin, a long-forgotten Grimm. That sounds believable enough, right? Maybe?"
Adam's dry wit was in full force as he walked over to the two detectives, a friendly smile on his face. He'd decided to go for an approach that was both confident and a little mysterious, just enough to pique Nick's interest without setting off any immediate alarm bells.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" Adam asked, his voice calm and even.
Nick looked up, surprised. "Sorry, we're not here for coffee. We're just... looking into a new lead on a case."
Adam's smile widened. "Oh? I saw the news report. The one about the young woman. A Blutbad, wasn't it?"
Nick's eyes went wide, a flicker of shock and distrust crossing his face. Hank, on the other hand, just looked confused. "A what now?" Hank asked, but Nick didn't even hear him. He was completely focused on Adam.
"How do you know that word?" Nick asked, his voice low and cautious.
Adam chuckled, leaning against the counter. "I'm a Grimm, Detective. My name is Adam Stiels. Our families are... distantly related. I was in town visiting family when I heard about your... discovery. I figured you might need a hand."
Hank still looked completely lost, but Nick's whole body language shifted. He was still wary, but there was a flicker of hope in his eyes. A new Grimm. Not Aunt Marie. Someone his own age, someone who seemed to be just... okay with it all.
"There it is. The hook. He's overwhelmed and needs someone to talk to. Someone who understands. He's not going to fully trust me yet, but he's going to listen. That's all I need for now."
"A Grimm?" Nick repeated, the word sounding foreign and heavy on his tongue.
"A Grimm," Adam confirmed with a nod. "And a pretty potent one, at that. I've been... honing my skills. Now, about this case. The 'Bears Will Be Bears' case. Jägerbär. A ritual sacrifice. It's a bit more complicated than a simple murder."
Nick's jaw dropped. "How… how do you know about that?"
Adam just smirked. "Like I said, I've been honing my skills. And I'm a quick study. I know about the Jägerbär family, the ritual, and how they tend to get... carried away. I can help you find them, and more importantly, I can help you save the kid before they sacrifice him. Your name's Nick, right? Nick Burkhardt. It's a pleasure."
Hank, still in the dark, finally spoke up. "Hold on, Nick, what's he talking about?"
Nick just shook his head, his eyes never leaving Adam's. "I'll explain later, Hank. This is… a lot. You're serious about helping?"
"Absolutely," Adam said, his voice taking on a serious, commanding tone. "The more Grimms, the better. Especially with what's coming. You're going to need all the help you can get. Now, let's go find a couple of bear-obsessed, inbred Wesen and stop them from sacrificing a teenager."
Later that day, Adam found himself in the woods with Nick and a very confused Hank. Adam's knowledge was his greatest weapon. He knew the general location of the Jägerbär family and was able to direct them with an unnerving accuracy, using clues Nick would have otherwise missed. He also knew that the ritual would be happening soon. He kept his Aura of the First Grimm on low, a subtle thrum that kept any Wesen in the vicinity from getting too close, or from noticing them. He felt a deep, profound sense of power in his blood, something he'd never had in his old life, and it was exhilarating.
They found the Jägerbär family in a clearing, the ritual in full swing. A young teenager was tied to a stone altar, terrified. The Jägerbär Wesen, in their woged forms, were dancing and chanting around him. The moment their eyes met Adam's, they stopped, frozen in place. The Aura of the First Grimm was in full effect.
"Alright, Adam. Time to put that fancy voice to good use. No more Mr. Nice Guy. This is for the kid. This is what you were brought here to do. Be a hero. Be the hero you always wanted to be."
Adam's voice boomed across the clearing, a deep, resonant tone that felt like a physical force. "Stop. This ends now."
The Jägerbär were terrified, their woges flickering. They looked at each other, confused, and then back at Adam. The compulsion was too strong to ignore. They immediately obeyed, untying the teenager and stepping away from the altar. Adam walked over, a grim expression on his face, and used a bit of his superior strength to push the biggest Jägerbär against a tree.
"You're a Jägerbär," Adam said, his voice now a low, menacing growl. The compulsion forced the Wesen to nod. "And you were going to sacrifice this boy. You will not do that again. You will pack your bags, and you will leave Portland. You will find another place to live, far away from here. If I ever see you again, I'll be back for your blood. Understand?"
The Jägerbär, terrified, nodded frantically. The compulsion was absolute.
"Y-yes," the Jägerbär stammered. "W-we understand."
Adam released him, and the Jägerbär and his family fled into the woods, leaving the terrified teenager behind. Nick and Hank were speechless. Adam had just stopped a ritual murder with nothing but his voice and a bit of a glare. Adam calmly walked over to the teenager, untied him, and handed him over to Nick. "Take him to a hospital. He's in shock."
He looked at the fleeing Jägerbär, a small smile on his face, and then felt the pull of his system. The Wesen's blood had been spilled in the encounter, and the system was ready to absorb it.
[System] Wesen Defeated. Initiating Blood Extraction. Wesen Type: Jägerbär. Extracting... Alchemical Vial Created: Jägerbär Potion.
[System] The Jägerbär Potion enhances durability and stamina.
Adam just nodded, his mind already spinning. Another vial. Another step closer to becoming a force to be reckoned with. Nick was staring at him, a mixture of awe and fear in his eyes. This was going to be a fun, sarcastic, and very dangerous ride.