Brightest Lights Cast The Darkest Shadows

by ShadowSteele

Shadow Steele lost his parents in the fall of Mountain Glenn. On that day he vowed to get vengeance against everyone he found to be involved. This eventually leads him to Vale. One night, he is in a dust shop that gets robbed. Somehow the events that follow lead to him getting personally invited to Beacon Academy by its headmaster. (Rated M for language and explicit themes.)

1. Welcome To Beacon

Hey guys… been a while, eh? Well I'm back and hopefully better than ever. This fic will be different from my previous one, which I abandoned a while back. Of course Shadow Steele, will still be the main character, and the RWBY storyline shall remain in tact for the most part. Of course, I will make changes here and there. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! As always, reviews are always welcome. -ShadowSteele

Disclaimer: I do NOT own RWBY. I only own my OC.

"What?" - Speech

'What?' - Thoughts

Chapter I: Welcome to Beacon

I stare at the ceiling, wide awake despite the time being somewhere deep into the evening. The thoughts of the past continue racking my brain.

I sigh loudly, turning onto my side and begin to stare out the nearby window 'Why can't I just forget about this shit and move on? It happened over six years ago..'

Six years ago was the Mountain Glenn Disaster. Hundreds of Humans and Faunus alike were slaughtered by Grimm. Though, it wasn't just some normal Grimm attack. They were lured into the city by theWhite Fang acting on someone else's command, and I have made it my goal to find out who and make sure that they pay for it.

'Six years ago, I lost everyone, my parents, my friends, my life…' I growl lightly and my Faunus ears flatten against my hair and I wrap my tail around my midsection. 'Ever since that day… I've had this just… empty feeling within me. It's as if an integral part of my being was ripped from me.'

My mind then jumps to the White Fang and my brow furrows 'I've been doing what I can to reduce their forces, but it seems as if every base or stronghold I destroy, two more pop up in their place. How are they managing to recruit so fast?'

I sigh again and sit up in my bed, accepting the fact that I won't be able to go to sleep for a while. I walk over to the small closet and grab a few articles of clothing: a silver tight fit pull-over top that has a hood attached to it, black cargo pants, which have durable knee pads and thigh pads sewn into the pants themselves, and finally grab some black combat boots.

Once I have everything on, I sit on the edge of the bed and lace up the boots. Satisfied, I grab a few things off the nightstand; fingerless "gloves" which aren't technically gloves. They come up to my mid forearm and are made of a durable and flexible plastic/rubber-like material. I slide the gloves on then grab my bracers off the nightstand. The bracers are made of a titanium alloy and are mainly used to protect my forearms against hard impacts and most blades. I strap them on then grab my knife sheath and knife. The knife is a black M9 bayonet and like my rifle, is made of a heavy duty osmium-iridium-titanium alloy. Once my sheath is firmly attached to my thigh I make sure that my knife is firmly secured within it. Finally I grab my scroll and drop it into one of the thigh pockets of my cargo pants.

After a once over, I nod in satisfaction and grab my rifle and combat vest from their resting place next to my door. I slip the vest on and tighten it, then grab the rifle and admire its black and silver frame.

'Shadowfire. The one thing that I can count on to be reliable.' I smile at the rifle and slip it over my shoulder and onto my back, tightening the sling in the front. The rifle itself is a skeletonized AR-15 with an EOTech sight, suppressor, angle grip, and adjustable stock.

I look into the mirror above the small table next to the door. My hardened silver eyes stare back at me. My eyes then dart up to my Faunus ears, and a small smile appears on my face, causing my abnormally sharp canine teeth to become visible. I can feel my tail swish back and forth in slight giddiness. I always become anxious when going out, the anticipation of a fight.

I give a nod to my reflection before pulling my hood up and putting on my mask, a cloth half face mask with a skull design on the front, except the canine teeth are more emphasized much like my own. It covers my mouth and nose, but leaves my eyes visible.

I walk out into the hallway, closing and locking the door behind me. I look to see no one else around 'Makes sense. Everyone else are probably getting ready to call it a night.' I muse to myself

I take the stairs down to the lobby and nod to the hotel receptionist before making my way out onto the sidewalk. Surprisingly there are quite a few people still out and about. I do a quick pat-down of my vest to make sure I have enough ammo just in case I run into trouble.

'I have enough to do me for a small firefight, but I'm running low. Should probably pick some up… maybe the local dust shop has the ammo I use?' I ponder

I shrug to myself and begin walking in the direction of "Dust Till Dawn" a small little dust shop near the outer center of Vale. I plug my earbuds into my scroll and hit shuffle on a random playlist. I then shove the scroll back into my pocket and put my hands in my pockets.

I walk for a good half hour before I spot the sign of the dust shop. I take my earbuds out and put them away, and walk into the store. A small bell alerts the shopkeeper that someone else has entered the store.

The shopkeeper himself, who is somewhere between middle-aged and elderly, pauses his polishing of a glass case near the register and looks at me nervously.

'Why is he looking at me like that?' I wonder before a lightbulb goes of in my head and I literally facepalm.

"Sorry." I say, removing my mask, hood, and hand, from my face "I completely forgot I had that on." I smile

The shopkeeper sighs in relief and smiles gently "How can I help you, son?"

"You wouldn't happen to sell regular kinetic ammo, would you?" I inquire

"Indeed we do, what caliber are you looking for?" He asks

"5.56 by 45 millimeter." I state

"Hmm. I think I have some in storage, mind waiting a minute?" He says apologetically

"No worries, I'll just browse while you look." I say with a reassuring smile

He nods then walks to a door near the back of the store. Moments later I notice that I can hear music playing. I strain my ears and locate the source of the sound. 'This Will Be The Day, by Casey Lee Williams. Good choice.' I nod in approval and begin walking in the direction of the music, hoping to start a conversation with whoever is playing said music.

To my surprise I find a young girl clad in red and black attire with her hood up. 'I guess she has headphones on underneath it.'

I hesitate for a moment before shaking my head and tapping her on the shoulder.

The girl turns around and I give her a small smile, she smiles in return and slips her hood and headphones off "Hello." she says. Her voice is just a high enough pitch to still be considered cute, but not annoying.

"Hi. Sorry to bother you, I just couldn't help but notice the music you were listening to with these things." I point to my wolf ears "Casey Lee Williams, right?" I ask

The girl giggles lightly "Yep! You like her music too?" She asks, raising an eyebrow

"Yeah, I got into it a whi- wait. You have silver eyes too?" I ask

"Yeeaaah, why?" The girl replies, eyeing me suspiciously

"No reason, just never met anyone else that had the same eye color that I have." I say with shrug "I also just realized I haven't introduced myself." I shake my head and hold my hand out "Shadow Steele, nice to meet you."

She shakes my hand with a smile "Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you too, Shadow!"

Ruby then spots the rifle on my back "Ooh, what kind of rifle is that?" She asks, leaning around me to try and get a better look

"It's a skeletonized AR-15, but it's special. The entire frame is made of a super durable osmium-iridium-titanium alloy. I call it Shadowfire." I explain, taking it off my back and holding it in front of me to let her get a better view

"Osmium-iridium-titanium alloy? Osmium and Iridium are two of the most dense metals on the planet… that means your rifle must weigh a ton!" She states, now examining almost every inch of the gun

I smile slyly "It actually weighs around a hundred and fifty pounds."

Her jaw drops "How could you possibly carry that around all day? Let alone handle the recoil?" She asks, shocked

"With practice." I shrug "I may not look it, but I'm pretty strong."

Ruby shakes her head with a disbelieving look on her face "Even Yang's not strong enough to carry that much weight around all day." She mutters

"Who's Yang?" I ask

"Oh! Yang's my sister!" Ruby explains

"Ah, ok." I say reply with a smile "Anyway, what'cha lookin' at?" I ask, pointing to the magazine in her hand

"Oh, this?" Ruby asks, looking down to the item in question "It's just a weapons and dust magazine."

"You sure do like your weapons, don't you?" I ask with a small chuckle

"Of course I do! Every huntsman or huntress has a love of weapons… to a degree." She says, seemingly embarrassed about her weapons obsession

"You're a huntress?" I question, raising an eyebrow

"Well, not exactly. I'm training to become one." She replies, holding her hands behind her back and tilting her weight forwards and backwards on her feet, much like a child would

"What academy do you go to?" I ask, walking over to a nearby counter to lean on

"Signal Academy. I wanna go to Beacon Academy, but I won't be able to for another two years." Ruby says sadly

"Hey, don't sweat it kiddo. I'm sure your sister will be waiting on you at Beacon, it is a four year academy after all." I say in attempt to cheer her up

My attempt works and Ruby begins smiling again "Wanna see my weapon?" She asks

"Sure, whatcha got?" I ask, intrigued

"This," She says, pulling a rectangular metal object from behind her back. It's painted a bright crimson red with black highlights "Is Crescent Rose."

"Crescent Rose? You gave your weapon your own last name?" I ask

"Yeah, so?" She asks, now clutching it protectively to her chest "You can't talk anyway. You named your rifle after yourself!"

"Just thought it was cute." I shrug "Anyway, what is Crescent Rose?"

"Crescent Rose is a scythe with a built in high impact sniper rifle." She says, as if it's nothing "Made her myself."

"You made something like that?" I ask, surprised at the girls skills

'If it functions properly then this girl has one hell of a career as a weaponsmith to fall back on.' I think to myself

Ruby opens her mouth to respond, but before she can someone walks into the shop.

I peek around a shelf to see who had just entered the store and adrenaline begins to fill my veins.

I turn to Ruby and whisper "Ruby, the store is about to get robbed, do me a favor and stay near me, ok?"

Her eyes harden and her expression changes from that of an innocent child, to that of a warrior who wants to protect.

I nod and take my rifle off my back and chamber a round "Okay, there are five of them. Four muscle and one leader. The one in white is the leader. Looks like two of them have energy pistols and the other two have katanas." I inform her

"What? How can you even see them from here?" She whispers

"I can't. But my semblance can. I'll explain later, on my mark I want you to follow me. We have to take them down as quickly as possible as to keep anything from being destroyed or stolen." I say "Oh! And it goes without saying, no kill shots."

She nods and a stock and bolt pops out of Crescent Rose "Try not to hit the red dust." She jokes

I smile in return and walk to the edge of the aisle closest to the center counter and I can hear the leader talking to the shop owner "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a dust shop open this late?"

"Please, just take my lien and leave." The shopkeeper replies

"Calm down. We're not here for your money." He then turns to his henchmen "Grab the dust."

A case being opened can be heard and then the sound of the dust dispensers on the other side of the store being emptied.

I look to my left to see another set of dust dispensers "Shit." I mutter under my breath

I can hear footsteps approaching so I crouch down, put my hood up, and replace my mask. Moments later a man in a black suit is standing in front of me. I move quick and slam my shoulder into him. The resulting force sends us flying out the window. Ruby follows and now the entirety of the heist crew is looking at us from inside the shop.

"Okayy, get them!" The boss commands

The last henchmen carrying a katana rushes Ruby while the two with pistols begin firing at me. I roll my eyes and shoot them both. One round in each knee, all within a second.

Ruby finishes the goon that was attacking her and stares at me "How did you do that? I've never seen someone shoot that fast, that accurately."

"Years of practice, Little Red. There was a time when I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." I joke

She smiles and the boss comes walking out of the store. He looks down at his fallen henchmen "You were worth every cent. Truly you were."

Then he turns his attention to us "Well, Red, Silver, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening." He throws his cigar on the ground and snuffs it out with the end of his cane

"And as much as I'd love to stick around, this" The end of his cane opens up and my eyes widen

'Of fucking course it's a gun!' I mentally scream

"Is where we part ways." The boss finishes, firing a red dust round at Ruby

I manage to shoot the projectile before it hits her. The result is a crater in the middle of the street.

'Not only is it a gun, but it's a dust launcher… great.' I facepalm mentally

After the dust settles it seems as if the man had just disappeared. Ruby and I scan the area and I spot him climbing the ladder to the roof of a nearby building.

"Ruby, take this to the shopkeeper and tell him it's for the damages. After that, meet me on the roof." I say, handing her five, hundred lein bills.

I close my eyes and focus. I channel my aura around my body and latch on to the sight of the shadow being cast across the rooftop the crime boss is now stood upon. When I open my eyes, I'm standing right behind him.

"Yo!" I shout

"How the-?!" He turns around in surprise

"Semblance. Anyway, you know I'm not gonna let you leave here, right?" I taunt

A bullhead then appears out of nowhere "What is this?! Some anime or movie?!" I shout, not believing what I'm seeing

"What? Nevermind. Kid, you couldn't stop me if you tried." The man taunts before jumping into the bullhead

"Wanna bet?" I challenge

Just then, a sniper shot can be heard and seconds later Ruby lands next to me.

"Even if there are two of you. I'm in a bullhead." He states proudly

I lean over and whisper to Ruby while slowly taking my knife out of it's sheath "Ruby, when I throw my knife I want you to hit the spot on the wing that sends fuel to the closest engine of the bullhead." I tell her

She looks at me, confused, but nods regardless.

I hold the knife firmly and use my semblance to attach a chain made of shadows to it. I then throw it with pinpoint precision, hitting my target in the shoulder "Get over here!" I shout before pulling the chain, and the man, out of the bullhead.

At the same time, Ruby shoots and hits her target, causing part of the bullhead engine to explode, sending the bullhead itself into a tailspin. It spins for a bit before crashing into an empty lot.

I recoil a bit "Ooh, I really hope there wasn't anyone over there."

Turning my attention to the man lying at my feet, clutching his shoulder "Now what was that about not being able to stop you?" I taunt

He growls and takes a swing at my leg, only to hit the shin guard and immediately grab his hand in pain "Now that wasn't very smart."

I make the chain attached to my knife disperse and slowly pull the knife out of his shoulder, causing him to hiss in pain.

I then produced the chains again, only this time around the guys torso "Come on, Ruby. Let's get this guy to the VPD."

She nods and folds Crescent Rose back up and paces it behind her. I put Shadowfires' safety on and place it sling it onto my back. I wipe my blade on my pants and place it back into its sheath.

"So, what's your name, dude?" I ask the now defeated crime boss

"Roman Torchwick." He grumbles

"Well, Roman, I'm sorry about your shoulder." I apologize

He huffs and refuses to respond

I place my hand on Torchwick's shoulder "Ruby, give me your hand?" I ask

"Why?" She asks

"Because, to use the teleportation portion of my semblance with more than one person, I have to be in physical contact with them." I explain

"You can teleport?!" She exclaims

"Yep, wanna give it a try?" I ask, holding my hand out

Ruby nods enthusiastically and takes my hand "This may feel odd." I warn

I close my eyes and focus my aura around the three of us. Once it's stable I focus on the spot in front of the nearest Valean Police Department. When my eyes open, we're on the doorsteps.

Ruby releases my hand and shudders "That felt… weird."

I laugh lightly "Yeah, it takes some getting used to."

Even Torchwick seems slightly taken back by the physical sensation of teleporting.

Ruby and I drag Roman into the precinct and explain to the officer in front about what happened. They take Torchwick off somewhere and tell us to wait. A while later an officer takes us to an interrogation room.

"Your weapons, please." He asks

I take my rifle off my back and remove the magazine and eject the round within its chamber. Placing the bullet into the magazine I warn the officer "Careful, the rifle is heavy."

He takes the rifle and nearly drops it immediately and I facepalm 'I wasn't kidding smart guy.'

Ruby then hands over her weapon "Be careful with her please." She pleads

The officer walks out of the room closing the door, our weapons in tow.

I sit in one of the two chairs at the single table within the small room. I lean back, causing the back of the chair to hit the wall behind me.

Removing my mask and hood I look over to Ruby "Gonna sit?"

"Sure." She says nervously before taking a seat next to me

I prop my boots up on the table "You know, there's no need to be worried. If anything they're probably just gonna question us about what happened."

She nods and takes out her scroll and sends a message to someone. I look at her with a raised eyebrow "Sorry, just texting Yang and letting her know where I am."

I chuckle lightly "If she's like most big sisters, won't she freak when she finds out that you're in an interrogation room at a police station in the middle of the night?"

She suddenly has a look that perfectly personifies the phrase "Oh shit".

I laugh and nearly cause my chair to tip over. Ruby gives me a pout.

"Sorry Rubes, but that was just too funny." I apologize halfheartedly

The door to the room then opens and a woman enters. She appears to be a middle-aged woman that has very light-blonde hair tied back in a bun with a curl hanging down the right side of her face. Her eyes are bright green and she wears thin ovular glasses. She has dangling teal earrings that match the hanging pendant on her collar. She wears a white long-sleeved, pleated top that has a wide keyhole neckline and gauntlet cuffs that flare in pleats at the wrist. Her lower body is covered by a black high-waisted pencil skirt with bronze buttons and black-brown stockings. She also wears black boots with bronze heels, and a cape that is purple inside and black on the outside. The cut of the cape is stylized to end in flames and arrows, with a row of diamond-shaped bronze beads on the back. Above this line of beads appears an emblem of a tiara.

The woman gives us a disapproving look before speaking "I hope you realise that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly. You two not only put yourselves in danger, but everyone else in your vicinity!"

"In our defence, those guys were robbing the dust shop we were in. What else were we supposed to do? Nothing?" I ask

"No, of course not, but-" She starts

"But nothing. I understand that the way it was handled was sloppy, messy, and would have resulted in civilian casualties, but that's only if this would've occurred during broad daylight. Trust me, I calculated every moment of that fight." I defend "Even the bullhead. I estimated that once its tailspin had started, the resulting flight path would cause it to crash land in that empty lot. The only person in danger in that situation was the pilot."

She then looks at me with a surprised look, but I can't tell it's surprise that I talked back, or that surprise that I put so much thought into the event.

She then clears her throat before speaking again "If it were up to me you would be sent home with a pat on the back, but there is someone here who wishes to speak with you."

Then the door opens again and a man walks in. The man looks like a middle-aged man with tousled silver hair and thin brown eyes. He has a light complexion and sharp facial features. Interestingly, he has black eyebrows, suggesting that he may have had black hair when he was younger. He wears shaded glass spectacles and a small, purple, cross-shaped pin on the cowl around his neck. His outfit mainly consists of an unzipped black suit over a dark green, buttoned vest and green shirt. He also wears black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants.

He carries with him a mug and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. The smell of the sweets alone makes my mouth water.

"Ruby Rose, Shadow Steele." He starts, placing the plate of cookies on the table "The two of you have silver eyes. How curious."

I take five of the cookies into my hand and begin snacking on them "How so?" I ask

He ignores my question "So. Where did the two of you learn to do this?" He points to a tablet that the woman is now holding

"Signal Academy." Ruby replies nervously

"Several years living outside the kingdoms." I state simply

He looks to Ruby "They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?"

"Well, one teacher in particular." She explains

"I see." He says

Ruby then turns her attention to the cookies and begins literally inhaling them "Hey! Save me one more!" I shout

"It's just that I've only seen one other scythe wielder of that skill before." The man says "A dusty old crow."

Ruby attempts to reply with a mouth full of cookies and fails miserably. She swallows the food and chuckles nervously "hehe, sorry. That's my uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing."

"So I've noticed." The man replies "And what is a girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?"

"Well, I want to be a huntress." Ruby says, serious

"You want to slay monsters?" The man asks

"Yeah, but more than that I just want to help people who can't help themselves." She replies "I only have two more years of training left at Signal. Then I'm going to apply to Beacon!"

The man then goes silent for a moment "Do you know who I am?" He asks, looking between Ruby and I

Ruby nods "You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster of Beacon Academy."

Ozpin then smiles "Hello."

Ruby smiles back "Nice to meet you."

I simply nod to the man before staring off into one of the corners of the room.

"You want to come to my school?" He asks Ruby

"More than anything." She replies

Almost a full minute passes before I realise it has gone quiet and I look to see Ozpin staring at me "That offer is also being extended to you Mr. Steele."

"Sorry, what offer?" I ask "I kinda zoned out there for a minute."

He simply smiles in understanding "The offer to attend Beacon Academy."

"Sir, I would love to." I say

"Grea-"

"But." I cut him off "I haven't even had the opportunity to finish the equivalent of high school. I would be at an extreme academic disadvantage."

"What? You didn't go to an academy like Signal?" Ruby asks

"Nope." I respond

"Why not?" She asks

'There it is. The question I was hoping no one would ask.' I sigh

"You heard of the Mountain Glenn disaster?" I ask

"Of course. It happened six years ago now? What about it?" Ruby asks

"I lived on Mountain Glenn at the time. I was one of, if not the only, survivor of the attack." I state

Ruby gasps in shock and even the blond woman has a look of sadness on her face.

"I'm so sorry…" Ruby says sadly

I shrug "It's whatever. It was years ago, I've had more than enough time to come to terms with what happened that day."

'But somehow I still haven't been able to.' I finish in my head

"Shadow, please come to Beacon with me." Ruby pleads "I will do anything to help you get caught up with the school stuff."

I look into her eyes, and for a moment I see the same thing in them that I often see in mine: pain. The pain of losing someone, the pain of not having any true friends.

I sigh "Okay. I'll go to Beacon, but headmaster. If it isn't too much to ask, I would ask that you talk to whatever teachers I may get and ask them to be patient with me if my grades end up lacking."

He nods before gesturing to the woman at his side "This is Glynda Goodwitch." He says "The deputy headmistress to Beacon Academy."

"Glynda would it be too much to ask for you to help Mr. Steele with any academic struggles he may encounter?" Ozpin asks

Goodwitch rolls her eyes at him before turning to me "Mr. Steele, if you have any problems I will gladly assist you, just don't expect me to baby you."

"Of course ma'am. Thank you." I respond

"Now, even though you both have been personally been invited by me, that doesn't mean that you're guaranteed entry into Beacon. You, just like the other first years, will have to undergo the entrance exam." Ozpin says

"Entrance exam?" I ask

"Exam is not the correct term, but we have to use it for legal purposes. The "exam" is really a combat evaluation. I can't disclose too much without giving you two an unfair advantage, but the exam will mainly test your battle prowess and your ability to work together with a partner. That is all I'm currently able to disclose to you." He explains

"Okay cool. Shouldn't be too difficult." I murmur to myself

Ruby suddenly looks very excited, but doesn't say anything.

"Well I figure I've grilled you long enough. I'd say it's well overdue for your release from this room. Ms. Goodwitch will explain to you when, and how to get to Beacon." Ozpin says before standing, grabbing his mug, and exiting the room

Ms. Goodwitch then speaks "So, congratulations on your invitation. First things first, please don't refer to me as "headmistress", I much prefer Ms. Goodwitch, or Professor."

Ruby and I nod "So, when is the first day?" I ask

"Your "first day" is tomorrow." She says nonchalantly

"What?!" I nearly shout

Goodwitch smirks but just continues with her spiel "You will report to the Valean Air Transit Depot tomorrow at eight and from there you will be flown to Beacon. Once you arrive you will need to find the amphitheatre. From there Headmaster Ozpin will give a speech to welcome the returning students, as well as the newcomers. You will receive further instructions after. That being said, I wish you good luck and good night." She says before walking out of the room

I process things for a minute and let them sink in before looking over to Ruby "You ate all the cookies, didn't you?"

She smiles shyly and rubs the back of her head "Hehe, sorry."

I give her a fake glare and ruffle her hair "It's fine, I'll just take one of yours next time I see you munching on some."

Ruby pouts in return and I stand to leave "Come on." I encourage, holding my hand out to help her from her chair

She takes my hand and I pull her from her seat "Ready to get our weapons and finally get out of here?" I ask, pulling my scroll from my pocket

"Definitely. By the way, can I ask you a question? Two actually?" Ruby asks

"Yeah sure, what's up?" I turn on my scroll to check the time

'Almost one thirty? How long did all of this take?' I ponder to myself

"That thing you did earlier with your knife, isn't that from a fighting game?" She questions

I can't help but laugh "Yeah actually. I've always wanted to try that. I didn't even know if it would work if I'm being honest." I shrug

Ruby giggles then proceeds to question me about the other thing on her mind "Your knife, what exactly is it made of?"

"It's made of the same alloy as Shadowfire. The knife is obviously modeled after the M9 bayonet, but mine's special of course. It has grooves in it that allow me to use my semblance in tandem with the knife. Also, if the knife get stuck into something, or someone, it can't be removed by anyone, except for me. Unless you cut it out of course." I explain as we walk down the corridor

"Okay, just one last thing. Who made your weapons?" Ruby asks, inquisitively

"Well the originals were mass produced, so I don't know for them, but I made mine from the molds of the original two." I respond

"Originals?" Ruby asks

"Oh right, guess I haven't explained that. My parents got me Shadowfire and Silver Edge for my birthday. For years I had been begging them to let me go to Signal Academy and train to become a huntsman. The only downside is that the same day that I got those gifts, was the same day the city fell." I tell

"Oh." She responds simply

"Yep." I muse

We reach the "lobby" of the police station. Surprisingly there is someone else here. A girl with bright blond hair. She's sitting in one of the chairs reading a magazine. 'Guess she's waiting on someone.'

I walk over to the desk and talk to the officer behind it "Hey, sorry to bother you, but where can my friend and I find our weapons?" I ask

"Names?" He asks, already pulling up some directory in his computer

"Shadow Steele and Ruby Rose." I inform him

"Wait here just one second." The officer says before walking off

"You know Ruby, I never thought you'd be the type that's into bad boys." The blond girl says, lowering her magazine

"Yang?!" Ruby exclaims

"Yang? As in your sister?" I ask

"One and the same." She says, now standing and walking over to me "Yang Xiao Long." She says, extending her hand

"Shadow Steele. Nice to meet you." I introduce myself, returning the handshake

Yang catches me off guard with the handshake. Instead of feeling like a seventeen year old girl is gripping my hand, I feel like an Ursa has my hand caught in it's jaw.

"Ruby said you were strong, but that doesn't quite cover it." I joke

Yang smirks and releases me from her iron grip "So, Shadow, you been getting my baby sister into trouble?" She asks

"I wouldn't say I'm getting her into anything." I chuckle "I understand that what Ruby said to you in her text could be misunderstood as her being here as a suspect. But all that happened is Ruby and I stopped a robbery at a dust shop we were both in at the time."

"You and my sister stopped a store robbery?" She asks in disbelief

"Yep." I say

"Yeah! It was awesome! Shadow even used his knife like the kunai that Scorpion uses." Ruby spouts to her sister

Yang just looks dumbfounded "What? You used a knife like a kunai with a chain attached to it? How does that work?"

"When I get it back, I'll show you." I say "By the way Ruby, don't you have some good news you need to tell her?"

Ruby gasps "Oh yeah! Yang, you're not gonna believe it. After me and Shadow brought the guy that tried to rob the store here, we were taken into the interrogation room, and this scary lady showed up and started questioning us. After that the Headmaster of Beacon showed up and invited us to Beacon!"

"What?! You're going to Beacon too?! When?!" Yang happily questions her younger sister

Ruby smirks "Tomorrow, same as you."

"Today actually." I correct her "It's already one thirty in the morning."

As if on cue, Ruby yawns "Guess that explains why I'm so tired… hehe."

I chuckle and Yang messes with Ruby's hair "So Shadow, you're gonna be going to Beacon too, right?" She asks

"Somehow I let Ruby talk me into it, yes." I joke

"You'll thank me eventually." She pouts

"Did you go to an academy before?" Yang asks

"Nope. Spent the past five years of my life in the wilderness outside the kingdoms." I explain

"Wait, you've lived outside the kingdoms for five years? Why?" Yang asks, her smirk disappearing

"I'm guessing you've heard of the Mountain Glenn Disaster?" I question

"Yeah, who hasn't?" Yang shrugs

"Well I was in the city the day it was attacked. I was one of, if not the only, survivor." I say

"I'm sorry." Is all she says

I simply shrug in return. Just then the officer who went to get our weapons returns, Crescent Rose in one hand, and my knife and rifle in the other.

He hands Ruby her weapon "Here you go, Miss." He then turns to me and struggles to lift Shadowfire "Just what the hell is your rifle made out of, son?"

I laugh lightly and take the rifle from him with one hand and take my knife with the other "It's made of osmium iridium and titanium."

I take the rifle and slam a magazine into the magwell and chamber the round. I make sure the rifle has the safety on before I sling it over my shoulder. I take my knife and secure it in its sheath.

"Well, I think it's about time we all went home for the night. Don't you agree?" I address Ruby and Yang

"Yeah I'm tired." Ruby says

Yang nods, agreeing that she too is tired.

"Alright, well come on, let's head outside and I'll show you how I did that move earlier." I say, walking past the two sisters and holding the door open

Yang nods as thanks and Ruby walks past without a word, her eyes half-lidded.

"So, to explain how I did what I did you need to know what my semblance is." I say as I step onto the sidewalk "I have the ability to control, manipulate, teleport, and even use shadows to see."

"That's actually pretty cool. Is there a limit to what you can do?" Yang asks

"Yes and no." I say, taking my knife from its sheath "I can make anything as long as I have enough aura to do so. I can also only teleport a maximum of five people, me included, at a time without causing physical damage to myself."

Grasping my knife as I did earlier that night "So, the way I did the move was like this. I created a chain of solidified shadows and attached them to the knife through this hole at the bottom of the hilt." I say, creating the chain "Then I just threw it and yanked it back once it had hit Torchwick."

I throw the knife and instantly tug on the chain to prevent it from hitting anyone or anything "Like so."

Yang whistles in appreciation and I make the chain dissipate and shove the knife back into its sheath "Alright, just one last thing. Can I hold your rifle? That cop was having a tough time carrying it and I wanna see if he was just weak, or if that thing actually has some weight behind it." She asks

"Sure." I nod, taking the rifle off my back and handing it over to her

She grasps the grip with one hand and nearly drops it. She quickly grabs the stock with her other hand and looks at me wide-eyed "How the hell can you walk around with this thing all day?"

"Ruby asked me the same thing." I chuckle "Practice. Plus I'm not as weak as I may appear to be."

Yang hands my rifle back and I put it back onto my back "You're crazy." She chuckles "Anyway, guess we'll see you later?"

"Definitely. After all I promised Ruby I would go to Beacon, so why not give it a try?" I shrug

Yang nods with a smile "Later Shadow." She says, before dragging a half asleep Ruby towards a black and yellow sports bike

"Night." I say, turning around and putting my hood and mask on and start walking back to the dust shop

It takes me about twenty minutes to get back, but when I do, I'm glad to see the store is still open.

I remove my hood and mask and walk into the store. The store owner glances nervously towards the door before he notices that it's me and he gives me a gentle smile "I didn't' think I'd see you again until tomorrow at least." He says

I smile in return "Yeah well after taking that guy into the police station, the headmaster of Beacon Academy invited me to attend his school. I accepted and my first day is tomorrow. Anyway, if it isn't too much to ask, could I have that ammo I came to get earlier?"

"Of course." He says, reaching down to grab something. He then lifts up two ammo canisters "Here you go."

"How much will that be?" I ask, reaching into my back pocket to grab my wallet

He waves a hand at me "No need. The money you gave for that window will more than cover it."

I put my wallet back into my pocket "Thank you." I say

"You're more than welcome. If anything I should be thanking you. As much as Huntsman protect us, they hardly ever consider the damage they cause. You on the other hand, are different." He explains

"Well I have my parents to thank for that." I reply "Anyway, goodnight and thank you for the ammo. If there is anything I can ever help you with just let me know." I say, leaving a card on the counter before grabbing the ammo canisters

I grab the canisters and hold them both by the handles in my right hand. I replace my hood and mask with my left. I walk out of the store with one last wave to the store owner.

'It's about time I got back to my hotel and went to sleep' I think to myself as I yawn 'After all. I'm going to Beacon tomorrow… I still can't believe it.' I look up to the stars above 'I hope you guys are proud. I promise I'll find whoever attacked our city and make them pay for taking us from one another.'

I feel my eyes begin to burn and I shake my head to clear the thoughts from my head.

-(Time Skip: One Hour)-

I finally walk through the rotating glass door of the hotel and nod to the receptionist.

"Looks like you're stocking up." She says

I smile beneath my mask "Well now that I am officially a student of Beacon Academy, I have to be prepared."

"Oh? How exactly did that happen?" She asks with a raised eyebrow

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Besides I need to get to sleep. I gotta be at the transit station at 8." I say as I begin walking towards the stairs "Goodnight."

"Goodnight to you too." She says

I trudge up the stairs, the two ammo canisters in tow. I finally make it to my room and I reach into my pocket to grab my keys. I unlock the door and walk inside and immediately drop the heavy ammo containers.

I rub my aching arms "Son of a bitch that's gonna hurt in the morning." I mutter to myself

I take Shadowfire off my back and slip off my vest. Placing the vest next to the door, I walk over to my bed and sit the rifle and my knife on top of the blankets. I return to the door and grab one of the ammo canisters and drag it over to my bed. I pop it open and grab a duffle bag of empty magazines out of my closet.

For the next hour I fill up at least twenty magazines before the canister runs dry 'That'll do for now. I need to get a little sleep at least.'

I nod to myself and stand up. I place the bag of now full magazines next to my bed and prop Shadowfire against the wall. I grab my black backpack and begin folding my clothes and placing them into the bag. I place a few notebooks some spare paper and some pencils in the second pouch of the backpack 'Glad I kept those lying around.'

After all of my belongings are packed I pull of my shirt and remove my bracers and gloves. Lying them on the nightstand next to my bed, I remove my knife sheath and place Silver Edge in it. I pull my mask from around my neck and place it on top of the knife. I unlace my boots and remove them. Finally ready to fall asleep, I take my scroll out of my pocket and set an alarm for 6:30.

I use my semblance to flip the lightswitch which is located across the room. Lying down, I can't help but think about the events that occurred earlier in the evening 'I still can't believe all of that happened. Even more unbelievable is the fact that I'm actually gonna be attending Beacon Academy…'

I feel my eyelids growing heavy and I turn over onto my side as I feel myself slip into unconsciousness.

-(Time Skip: Later That Morning)-

I wake to feel my scroll vibrating next to me. I sit up in my bed and stretch. My arms ache and I immediately feel the effects of getting little to no sleep.

Shaking the cobwebs out of my head, I get out of bed and go to take a shower. After drying off well enough, I brush my teeth then walk out of the bathroom and put on a pair of black jeans, socks and my boots as well. Once I have my clothes on, I grab my knife sheath and strap it on. I take Shadowfire and remove the magazine and eject the round that was in it. I put the rifle in the duffle bag of ammo and zip the bag shut. I take my bracers and gloves and shove them into my backpack along side the other clothing I packed. I slip my mask over my head and around my neck.

'All right. I think I got just about everything.' I nod to myself

I walk over to the door and grab my vest. I take the vest and extra ammo canister and put them in my backpack. After a quick check of my room, I make sure I have everything before grabbing the duffle bag and exiting the room.

I walk down to the lobby and turn in my room key, then walk out to the sidewalk. Luckily for me I have a Shadow Anchor at the transit depot so I can just use my semblance to teleport there. I concentrate and focus my aura, causing me to teleport to the transit station.

Even though it's only seven thirty, there are quite a few people already here. Ruby and Yang arrive about fifteen minutes after I do.

Walk over to them "Hey girls, how you doing?" I greet

"Oh, hey Shadow. You excited to be going to Beacon?" Yang asks

"Excited? Yeah, but more still in shock honestly." I explain "What about you, Ruby?"

"I'm really nervous. I'm going to a school two years early, and I don't have any friends here… except you and Yang." She answers

"Well hey, you know that if anyone gives you any trouble, me or Yang will take care of it." I say, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze

Ruby smiles "By the way Shadow, where is your gear?" She asks

"My clothes are in my backpack and Shadowfire is in the duffle bag." I reply "Felt like wearing something comfortable for once."

"Your combat outfit isn't comfortable?" Yang asks

"Well, yes, but I meant wear something more comfortable. Something more casual I guess." I say

Just then the intercom system comes alive and a woman's voice can be heard "The one-way flight to Beacon Academy is now boarding."

I look to the two girls next to me with a smile "Time to get going." I say, before following the massive crowd of people towards a gigantic airship.

Once on board I locate a seat towards the back of the ship. I sit my bags in the seat next to me, and Ruby and Yang sit next to me. Ruby to my immediate left and Yang in the seat next to my bags.

I pull my mask up and my hood over my head.

Ruby looks over at me, confused "Why did you put your mask and hood on?"

"It's a comfort thing. Believe it or not, I have really bad social anxiety." I explain

"I'm the same way. It's why I always wear my cloak." She says

"What do you mean?" I ask

Her expression suddenly changes "My mom disappeared when I was really young. She went on a mission and never came back." She starts "She had a cloak like this one, except it was white on the outside and red on the inside."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." I reply

She gives me a sad smile in return, but nods in thanks.

We go quiet after that and it isn't long before I doze off. The effects of the previous night, on top of the lack of sleep finally getting to me. It feels like only minutes later that I'm being shaken awake by someone.

I open my eyes to see Ruby shaking my shoulders in an attempt to wake me "Come on, Shadow! We're almost there!"

"I'm up! I'm up." I retort groggily

I yawn widely beneath my mask "Hey Shadow? If you don't mind me asking, what kind of Faunus are you? And why do you have extra ears and a tail?" Yang asks

"Wolf, and I don't really know. It's not just my ears and tail either." I say, removing my mask and opening my mouth slightly "My canine teeth are also extremely sharp in comparison to a regular humans."

"That's so cool!" Ruby squeaks

I smile at the redhead "I'm glad you think so."

Just then a holoscreen with a news broadcast being shown grabs my attention "The robbery was lead by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick. According to the authorities, the robbery was stopped by two unidentified persons. A man clad in black and silver, and a girl clad in black and red."

I smile 'Good to see that they didn't disclose our identities.'

"In other news." The broadcast continues "This Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted-"

The news gets cut off and a hologram of Professor Goodwich is shown in its place "Hello, and welcome to Beacon. My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy." She drones on "Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future huntsmen and huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage for such a task, and now, it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and training to protect our world." The hologram finishes before fading away

"Woah." I hear Ruby say from next to me

"What is it Ruby?" I ask

She walks over to a nearby window "You can see all of Vale from up here. Even Signal…"

"Indeed. It makes the city seem so small." I say

"I guess home isn't so far away after all." Ruby says

"Beacon's our home now." Yang says, placing an arm around Ruby's shoulder

"That it is." I say, pulling my mask back up

The intercom system then comes to life "All students, we will be landing soon. Please take your seats until the aircraft has come to a complete stop." Professor Goodwitch's voice can be heard

"Come on." I say to Yang and Ruby before walking back to our seats

"By the way, thank you for waking me up." I say to Ruby

"No problem." She responds with a bright smile

"So, Yang." I start "I'm guessing that emblem on your shirt is your unique sigil?"

"Indeed it is. A burning heart. Just like my own." She smirks

"And I'm guessing yours," I say to Ruby "Is that rose you have attached to your belt."

"Yep! It was mom's too." She says with a smile

"What about you Shadow? What's your sigil?" Yang asks

"This is." I say, pointing to the silver flame tattoo on my left arm "Mine is simple. A silver flame. Something doesn't have to be bright for it to shine."

"Didn't know you were a poet." Yang jokes

"Really? I thought I was famous by now." I joke back

Ruby laughs at our antics and Yang smiles at me "Been a while since someone actually made jokes back to me instead of just getting flustered or embarrassed" Yang points out

"Well I think you'll find that I'm not easily embarrassed." I rebuttal

It isn't long before the ship is docked and we're instructed to disembark from the giant vessel. I walk down the ships ramp and into the courtyard "Wow." I can't help but to vocally express my amazement.

'Instead of looking like an academy, this place looks like a damn castle.' I determine

I walk around, my backpack on my back and my duffle bag in hand, taking in the sights of Beacon Academy. I'm walking backwards when I feel the heel of my foot hit something and I lose my footing.

"Oh shit!" I blurt

I land atop intricate looking silver suitcases "What do you think you're doing!?" I hear a girl shout

I stand and turn to the source of the sound "Are these yours? I'm so sorry. I was walking backwards, taking in the sights and wasn't paying attention. Is anything damaged?"

I turn to see a pale-skinned young woman with pale blue eyes and long white hair pulled back into an off-center bun tail on the right side and pinned with an icicle-shaped tiara. A crooked scar runs vertically down her left eye and face. She wears a thigh-length strapless dress with a faint color gradation from white to pale blue at the hem. A small piece of black lace sits in the front of her neckline and the hem of the dress is scalloped and stitched to resemble snowflakes, with layers of white tulle under the skirt. Over this she wears a bell-sleeved bolero with the same color gradation as her dress from shoulder to wrist, lined in red and with a ruffled collar. She also wears a small apple pendant on a silver chain and thin, rectangular silver earrings. Her boots are white, wedged heeled and higher at the back than the front. They have a small silver decoration across the top of the foot and are lined in red. A thin white sash is tied around her waist with a pouch attached to the back.

The girl scoffs "I'm not concerned of just anything being damaged." She says, picking up the suitcase I landed atop "This case contains dust, and not just any dust, fire dust."

"Yeah so? Not like market value fire dust is combustible enough to ignite just because someone landed on it." I retort

'What's this girls problem? I apologized already but she's acting like such a bitch.'

"This isn't just some market value dust. This is extremely potent dust taken straight from the Schnee Dust Quarry." She says

I'm genuinely surprised "How the hell did you manage to get dust of that quality?" I ask

"Being the heiress to the company helps." She responds, seemingly annoyed that I didn't recognize her status "It's not like you could afford a single vial of this anyway." She scoffs

"Excuse me?" I retort, my eyes narrowing

"Someone of your status couldn't possibly afford this quality dust. After all, just look at your clothes." She continues

My blood begins to boil "First of all, what do you mean by "someone of my status"? And second, just because I don't go around wearing suits, doesn't mean that I'm broke either."

"Oh really? I'm willing to bet that my monthly allowance is more than your entire life's savings." She says confidently

I smirk "Oh really?" I ask, fishing my scroll out of my pocket. I go to my banking app and pull up my main account and turn the screen to her.

The girls already pale face becomes even paler "So, what was that about your monthly allowance being higher?" I say cockily

"I-" She stutters

I shake my head in frustration "Listen, I was just trying to be polite after I fell over your stuff. Seriously, that's my bad and I'm sorry. But if I can offer a word of advice, don't judge someone on looks, Faunus or Human." I say

Her mouth opens slightly in shock "What's your name?" She asks, barely audible

"Shadow, Shadow Steele." I say

She goes quiet before speaking nearly a minute later "Does the phrase, "Our only limits are the ones we set for ourselves" mean anything to you?"

My eyes widen "How do you know that?" I ask, confused "My best friend and I used to tell each other that whenever we were defeated."

"I know." She says

My mind then clicks "Weiss?" I ask, shocked

She nods and I rush over to her and scoop her into a hug "Damn girl, what happened to you after all these years? You're so… cold. And not just literally." I joke

"Well, things kind of went downhill after you and your family moved to Vale." She says, a sad smile now evident on her face

"When and how did you get that scar?" I ask, pointing to the blemish "He didn't give it to you, did he?"

"Not directly, no." She says

"You know I'm gonna make you tell me at some point, right?" I say, elbowing her shoulder lightly

"I'll tell you, but only if you tell me what's happened to you." Weiss responds

"What do you mean?" I ask

"Come now Shadow, I can tell that there's something weighing on your mind. Even if you aren't advertising it." She says

I sigh "Do you know about the Mountain Glenn disaster?" I ask

"Yes, but how is that relevant?" She asks, confused

"Around the time we moved to Vale, the White Fang had begun their "recruiting" here. So we moved to Mountain Glenn. My dad worked as a construction worker, and my mom as a nurse." I explain

Weiss expression changes to one of realization "Emma and Elias?" She asks, shocked

"Gone." I respond simply

"I am so sorry." Weiss says, turning to hug me

"Yeah, me too." I respond, numbly "Anyway, what are you doing here at Beacon?" I ask, attempting to change the subject

"I wanted to leave Atlas and forge my own path, instead of the one my father had intended for me." She replies

"Makes sense. You know I never liked that man anyway." I say, folding my arms over my chest

"Yes, I know. I'm not too fond of him either, but he is still my father after all." She sighs

"By the way, why did you never tell me that you were the heiress to the SDC?" I ask

"Shadow, when we were friends we were still children, even I had no idea at the time." She says with a blank look

"Oh, right." I respond, laughing awkwardly

"Well," I say, picking my duffle bag back up and putting Weiss' suitcases back on the cart they were on "Let's get going to the auditorium." I say, walking towards the school

"You know where it is?" She asks, following behind me

"Nope. But I've always trusted my sense of direction." I say, chuckling slightly

I can hear Weiss facepalm from behind me, but she doesn't say anything. Instead she opts to follow me in silence.

After a few minutes of wandering, we manage to find our destination. As we enter the building, a red blur nearly runs into me "Where have you been?!" Ruby asks

"Sorry, I was just admiring the area and got lost." I say, rubbing the back of my head

"Yang and I were worried." She pouts

"Yes we were, and what did I tell you about using your semblance with this many people around?" Yang says, pulling Ruby's hood over her head. She then notices Weiss "Who's your friend?"

"Ruby, Yang, this is an old friend of mine. Weiss Schnee." I introduce her

"Nice to meet you." She says with a small smile

"Likewise." Yang replies

"Nice to meet you too." Ruby responds

"Anyway, come on. Let's get to a spot where we can actually see the stage." I say, leading the girls through the crowd

Just as we make it to an open spot near the front, Headmaster Ozpin comes on the stage and begins speaking "I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy in need of purpose, direction."

"Wait, what?" I say aloud

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." He finishes his speech

Professor Goodwitch then walks up to the microphone "All returning students are free roam about the campus. As for the first years, you shall remain here to receive your Beacon issued scrolls. Also, you will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed." She says

"Ozpin seemed… kinda off." I say

"Yeah, it's almost as if he wasn't even there." Ruby nods in agreement

As we wait to get our school issued scrolls, which takes nearly an hour, we chat amongst ourselves. Weiss mainly asking Ruby about how she got into Beacon so early, Yang teasing me about my only current friends being girls, and Ruby re-telling the story of how we stopped the dust store robbery.

Before we know it, it's already sunset so we use the map programmed into our scrolls to find the ballroom. There we are each handed a sleeping bag, and our locker numbers and combinations. We each go to our lockers and put our weapons in them and change into our sleepwear.

I change into a pair of shorts and a silver tank top. I give one last look to my weapons before I shut the locker and head back into the ballroom to find Ruby, Weiss, and Yang.

Upon entering the room I notice that the majority of the guys are wearing outfits similar to mine, but the difference is that they are all flexing their muscles, trying to impress the female population.

I shake my head and laugh "Pathetic." I mutter

"What makes you say that?" I hear Yang ask from beside me

"If a guy thinks he has to show off his physique to get a girls attention, then he's a lost cause. And if a girl is looking for nothing more than a guy with muscles, she's just as much of a lost cause." I rant

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Weiss adds

"It's funny that you should say that, Shadow. You've been getting quite the stares." Yang jokes

"Ha ha. Very funny." I say

"I'm serious. Dude I don't know if you've noticed, but you're pretty jacked. And most of the girls around here have definitely noticed." She responds

I shrug "They can stare all they want. Doesn't really matter to me."

"Are you gay?" Yang asks, seemingly out of nowhere

"Yang!?" Ruby nearly shouts, slapping her sister on the shoulder

Weiss even goes wide eyed at the sudden allegation "No, I'm not. What makes you assume that?" I respond

"Well for starters, I know that my outfit can be considered "slutty" just because of my cleavage, but not once have you so much as glanced at my chest. And second, you're acting as if getting female attention means nothing to you." She points out

"Okay, first off, I haven't looked at your chest because I see you as more than just a pair of tits." I say, a serious expression on my face "And second, I don't care about the girls staring at me because all they see is muscles. They have no idea who I am or what I've been through, and probably don't care enough to find out either. So they aren't worth my time."

Yang's mouth hangs open, she was speechless. Ruby laughs at her sister's expression.

"Even after all this time, you're still has humble and respectful as ever." Weiss says

"That's one thing that will never change." I say with a smile, "Hey, I'm gonna go grab a bottle of water from one of the vending machines."

They all nod, and begin quietly amongst themselves.

I walk across the room to a secluded corner which houses two vending machines. I purchase a bottle of water, and a sudden yet familiar feeling washes over me.

I drop the water and grab the arm of the person attempting to attack me. I pull them forwards and grab their shoulder and shoved them into the wall, while twisting their arm behind them.

"First of all, if you are going to attack someone, don't make it so obvious. And two, why the hell are you trying to attack me?" I growl

"Why are you here?" The person speaks

"I beg your pardon?" I ask, releasing them

They turn to face me and instantly I recognize the amber eyes "Why are you here?" She repeats

"Well, Blake, I'm here for the same reason as everyone else. To train to become a huntsman." I say

"You're not here for me?" She asks, confused

"No, why would I be? I had no idea you were even here." I respond

"But I thought you've been tracking me. Ever since that day you fought Adam and I on that Schnee train." She says

"I did for a while, until I saw you disconnect the train Adam wanted to rob after I stopped you the first time." I explain "I knew that you had left the White Fang, so I no longer had a reason to go after you."

Blake nods in embarrassment "I'm sorry for attacking you."

I shrug and pick up my water bottle "It's fine. Anyway, it's not like we can pretend we don't know each other, that's gonna be revealed sooner or later, so you wanna be friends?" I ask

"What?" She deadpans

"Yeah I know it's random, but think about it. You know my secret and I know yours. It would be better for us to be allies than to be foes." I explain

She nods in understanding "Fair enough."

"Friends?" I ask, holding my hand out

"Friends." She nods, shaking my outstretched hand

"Sweet." I say before stifling a yawn "Well, I'm tired so I'm gonna go to bed for the night. After all, I do want to be a hundred percent for the initiation tomorrow." I say

"That you do." Blake says

I turn to walk away "Night."

"Good night." She responds before walking in the opposite direction

I return to where Yang, Ruby, and Weiss are "What took you so long?" Weiss asks

"Ran into a familiar face." I state

She nods and I sit my water bottle next to my sleeping bag as I climb into it "I don't know about you three, but I'm exhausted, so I'm gonna get some sleep." I declare

"I believe I will too." Weiss says "Good night."

"Night." I respond

"Goodnight." Ruby and Yang say

Almost the instant my head hits the pillow, I feel like my body is made of the same material as Shadowfire. My eyes grow incredibly heavy, and all the sounds around me fade, and before I know it, I'm dragged into the realm of unconsciousness.

That's that! The first chapter complete. Almost 11.5k words. Holy shit that felt like it took forever to write. Well, I hope you guys like it and stick around to see where the story goes. Anyway, it's good to be back! I'll see you guys next chapter, as always stay safe and thank you for reading! -ShadowSteele