Chapter 3: The Pilot's First Woge and a Grimm's Awakening
The tentative truce between Adam and Wanda was holding, mostly. Wanda was still prone to sudden bursts of grief-fueled silence, and Adam was still prone to incessant, pop-culture-infused commentary. It was a dynamic that felt less like a partnership and more like a very strange, very co-dependent sibling relationship. They had spent the last few hours exploring Portland, or rather, Adam had been dragging Wanda around, pointing out various mundane landmarks while mentally cataloging every subtle shift in the city's supernatural undercurrent.
"See that guy?" Adam murmured, nudging Wanda with his elbow as they walked past a bustling farmers market. "Looks like a normal dude buying organic kale, right? But five minutes ago, he was a Fuchsbau. Basically, a fox-person. Very shifty. Probably trying to haggle over the price of artisanal cheese."
Wanda frowned, her brow furrowed in concentration. She couldn't see the woge, not like Adam could, but she could feel it. A subtle shift in the emotional resonance of the air, a fleeting tremor of primal energy. It was like a faint, unsettling vibration that only she could pick up on. "I feel… something. Like a ripple in the air. A vibration."
"That's the Wesen-y goodness, my friend. Your powers might be suppressed in the Library, but your senses are still picking up on the weirdness. Think of it as your spidey-sense, but for monsters. Less 'danger, danger,' more 'that guy just turned into a badger, probably don't ask him for directions'," Adam explained, making a sarcastic gesture. "It's like suddenly getting X-ray vision, but only for people who are secretly furry. Or scaly. Or feathery. Or… you get the picture. And let me tell you, the lack of an instruction manual for this 'Grimm Vision' is a real oversight. What am I supposed to do, Google 'how to deal with secret monsters'?"
As they continued their aimless wander, a new kind of tension began to permeate the city. Sirens wailed in the distance, growing closer, then fading. Police cars, lights flashing, sped past them. Adam's internal System, usually so polite in its mental notifications, suddenly blared.
[NOTIFICATION: Murder case detected. Serial killer targeting young women. Suspected Wesen involvement. Grimm Nick Burkhardt en route to crime scene. Timeline Event: 'Pilot' episode initiated.]
Adam's eyes widened. "Alright, showtime. Looks like our boy Nick is about to have his world rocked. And by 'rocked,' I mean 'discover he's a monster hunter and his aunt is a dying exposition dump'."
They subtly followed the direction of the police activity, keeping a discreet distance. Adam, with his meta-knowledge, knew the grim details of the case: a serial killer who was, in fact, a Blutbad, driven by primal urges. He also knew this was the catalyst for Nick's true awakening.
Suddenly, another System message flared, accompanied by a more urgent tone.
[CANON EVENT: Aunt Marie Burkhardt's arrival in Portland. Grimm Heritage Revelation imminent. Timeline Event: Confirmed.]
"Marie's here," Adam murmured, a rare note of seriousness in his voice. "This is it. The big reveal. Prepare for existential crisis, Grimm edition."
They found themselves near a hospital, where a flurry of activity suggested something significant was happening. Adam saw Nick Burkhardt, looking overwhelmed and confused, talking to a stern-looking woman who had to be Aunt Marie. He could almost hear the exposition dump happening.
"She's telling him," Wanda whispered, her eyes fixed on the distant figures. "I can feel… a great sadness from the older woman. And confusion, fear, from the man."
"Yup. That's the sound of a normal life going up in smoke, replaced by a lifetime of fighting monsters. Fun times," Adam said, though his sarcasm was tinged with a genuine understanding of Nick's impending struggle. He knew what it was like to have your reality shattered. His own had been shattered by a cheese puff. Nick's was about to be shattered by a family legacy of monster hunting. Fair trade, he supposed.
As they watched, a new, chilling alert flashed in Adam's mind.
[ALERT: Reaper of the Grimm detected. Threat Level: High. Location: St. Joseph's Hospital. Proximity to Grimm Nick Burkhardt and Aunt Marie.]
Adam stiffened. "Reaper. Crap. Marie's in trouble." He knew the Reapers were the Royal Families' enforcers, sent to eliminate Grimms. This wasn't just a random monster; this was a targeted hit.
"What is a Reaper?" Wanda asked, sensing Adam's sudden tension.
"Think of them as the Men in Black, but with scythes and a distinct lack of humor. They're not here to make friends. They're here to make Grimms disappear. Permanently," Adam explained, already formulating a plan. He couldn't directly interfere with Marie's fate – the System had given him warnings about overtly changing major plot points – but he could at least be aware, and maybe, just maybe, subtly influence things later.
They watched, helpless, as a figure, impossibly fast, seemed to blur towards the hospital entrance where Aunt Marie had just entered. A flash of something metallic glinted in the fading light.
[CANON EVENT: Aunt Marie Burkhardt attacked by Hexenbiest Adalind Schade and Reaper of the Grimm. Outcome: Comatose. Timeline integrity maintained.]
Adam winced. "Ouch. Right on schedule. Adalind's already being a pain. And Reapers are just rude." He glanced at Wanda. "See? I told you this world was fun. Now, let's see where Nick's first reluctant ally comes into play."
[NOTIFICATION: Grimm Nick Burkhardt's first encounter with Wesen Monroe (Blutbad). Relationship status: Reluctant Ally. Location: [Approximate location, e.g., 'North Portland Precinct'].]
"There he is. Monroe. The reformed Blutbad," Adam said, a genuine smile touching his lips. "He's basically the Scooby-Doo gang's resident monster expert, but with a clock collection and a penchant for Pilates. And he's about to become Nick's best, most reluctant friend."
He pulled out his phone, pretending to scroll, but mentally accessing the System's market value database. "Alright, let's see… ancient Grimm journals, rare artifacts… I bet Marie's trailer is packed. I could make a killing selling some of this stuff to museums. Tens of thousands for rare items, millions for extinct ones. This transmigration thing might actually pay off. Who knew dying could be so lucrative?"
Wanda watched him, a strange mix of emotions swirling in her eyes. He was flippant, yes, but there was a sharp, calculating mind beneath the sarcasm. He was talking about money, about selling ancient artifacts, even as he acknowledged the terror of the world around them. He was a walking contradiction, and for some reason, that made him… reliable.
"So, we watch this 'Nick Burkhardt'?" Wanda asked, her gaze still distant, processing the new reality.
"We watch. We observe. We subtly nudge the narrative when it needs a little push," Adam replied, a glint in his eye. "Think of us as the universe's most irresponsible stagehands. Making sure the show goes on, but maybe adding a few extra explosions for dramatic effect. Or, you know, just making sure the good guys don't get eaten. Details, details."