RAVN
Raynor leaned nonchalantly against the handrail of the airship, looking out at the landscape below. The fields and villages looked like an enormous patchwork quilt stretched out below them. The ship cruised sedately along in the sky, ferrying its cargo of new students towards beacon academy for huntsmen and huntresses. He gripped the railing in excitement, after years of training and dreaming he was finally going to become what he had always dreamed. A huntsman. The title carried a certain magic with it, a respect a power. And, he admitted, a certain romance. Raynor caught his reflection in the window of the ship. He was of medium height, just pushing five feet and nine inches and had shaggy brown hair with dyed blue streaks framing his face. He wore a close fitting grey leather jacket patterned with lightning. Beneath that a pair of tough, nondescript grey trousers and light combat shoes. Across his back was an odd looking sword, it was five feet long in total, with three feet of the length being blade while the back was a thick metal handle that contained a dust powered gun. Along the curved edge of the blade was inscribed the words: tempeste lamina. Storm blade. He had forged the weapon at signal academy, his tutor had taught him a forging method that had left beautiful, angular lines across the blades edge, while the softer metal in the centre had swirling patterns that resembled storm clouds.
Turning around he surveyed the deck of the ship, and the people milling around on it. They stood in groups or on their own, young men and women of all walks of life, even a large number of faunus he was pleased to see. They tended to maintain a respectful distance from their human counterparts however. He shook his head slowly, generations of hate were a large obstacle. It had been decades since the Faunus had been given equality, but many still viewed them as less than human, as lesser beings unworthy of their place in society. A view,that was unfortunately quite widespread despite the huge leaps being taken by places like beacon.
"Out of my Faunus trash!" came a snarl from astern where a tall, strong young thug with close cropped blond hair and deep facial scars carrying a battleaxe at his hip had knocked a Faunus girl with a cat's tail aside, sending her sprawling to the floor. His three cronies laughed uproariously at the stunned Faunus. Raynor started over to help the poor girl to her feet but was stopped short as a tall figure in a long black trench coat stepped out in front of the axe wielder and stared him down.
"what exactly was that?" His voice was accented, smooth and cultured with a flowing, blended quality. Obviously not from around here.
"Worthless animal got in my way" the axe wielder sneered one hand going over his shoulder to the haft of his weapon, a challenge in his eyes.
"that's a great shame" said the figure, shifting his stance subtly.
Suddenly he whipped his body around and kicked axe boy in the chest sending him flying backwards and crashing to the floor. Before he could even move a three foot long blade extended from the sleeve of the coated figure, and jutted beneath the chin of the axe wielder, pinning him to the floor.
"Because you, as it happens are now in my way"
The coated figure cocked his head and stepped past retracting his blade and straightening his trench coat.
Raynor shook himself out of the his trance and reached down to help the faunus girl to her feet.
She was short, standing at about five feet three inches, she had a slim frame that was obviously well trained for combat. A long cats tail curled out behind her, covered in silky caramel colored fur. Her hair was short, hanging just past her ears where it flared out slightly. She wore a stiff fabric jacket and shirt that was light brown, trimmed with deep black along the sides and collar. Beneath that she wore modest but fairly tight fitting leggings with greaves sewn in to the front. At her belt a pair of long knives hung, the hilts were large-caliber revolvers, eight huge shells lay in snug barrels above the two foot long blades.
"are you alright?" he asked
"fine" she said, slightly dazed.
"I'm Raynor," he said brightly
"astrid" she replied, turning to face him and pulling her jacket straight.
Raynor nodded towards the coated figure, "what do you think of that?" he asked. Slightly shocked himself.
"I don't know, how about we ask him," she said waving the figure over.
The figure looked up at them and walked over, his stride was sure and confident but he walked with a slight limp, as if one leg was slightly stiffer than the other. He leaned against the wall opposite the two and nodded a greeting.
Astrid extended her hand "hello I'm Astrid, thanks for helping me out back there"
"vasren," he replied, shaking her hand. As their hands met Astrid's eyes widened and she looked at him in something approaching fear.
If vasren noticed this however it didn't show and he put his hands in his pockets and tipped his wide brimmed hat slightly.
"no problem, cant stand people like that." He said casting an unsettling glance in the axe wielders direction. As he turned his head back Raynor got his first good look at vasren, he wore a long black trench coat with armoured shoulders and chest, it was covered in gold thread embellishments. On his hands were a pair of heavy leather gloves with armoured wrists and fingers.
Over his face he wore a black cloth that covered his nose and mouth and he had a wide brimmed black and red hat with a slightly triangular shape. His hair was jet black and hung over one eye, leaving only one dark purple eye and pale cheekbone exposed.
"In any case that was some sweet move you pulled there". Raynor said smiling, undeterred by his ominous appearance.
Vasren cocked his head and chuckled, flexing his right leg slightly.
"he is lucky to be wearing armour, if not I would have broken most of his ribs," vasren sneered towards him as the axe wielding thug stood up, glaring back towards the three, vengeance in his eyes.
Raynor chuckled, a nervous edge creeping into the sound.
"Well congratulations, you have just made Thaddeus kobal your mortal enemy" came a voice from behind them, Raynor and vasren turned to see a medium height girl with a curtain of dark brown hair that hung just past her shoulders, framing a stunningly beautiful, but fierce face. She wore a sleek green tunic and shorts, sewn with thick plates of amour on her forearms and shins. Across her back was a pole arm of some sort, a five foot long haft with a two foot green blade. The haft was a sleek black and was veined with green. On the cross-guard was engraved the word: Thorn.
The newcomer smiled warmly, "you should join the club, we have t-shirts."
Raynor chuckled again and proffered his hand to the newcomer.
"My name is Raynor, this is astrid and… Vasren if I'm not mistaken"
"Natalie" she said, shaking his hand. "in any case way to put that guy in his place, haven't seen someone do that to him far too long"
Raynor raised an eyebrow "old school buddy?" he asked lightly.
Natalie rolled her eyes, "that bastard is one of the most bigoted, malicious guys I have ever come across, he was in my class at signal academy."
Astrid smiled "wait till you meet Howard kidel, that guy makes Thaddeus look like a house cat."
The airship pulled into port and its docking ramps hit the ground, letting the flood of students forwards towards the academy proper, the four walked forwards together still laughing and joking together as they made their way down the main avenue towards the hall for their orientation speech.
A crowd was quickly gathering within the main hall where a large stage was set up, groups of people stood and chatted together while others just mingled. The four took a space at the edge of the crowd. Raynor chatted amiably with Natalie and astrid while vasren stood slightly apart and scanned the crowd.
Up at the stage the shrill sound of a microphone stopped all chatter and drew everyone's eyes to the front of the room, where a tall man with grey hair and odd spectacles stood. Behind him was a blond woman in her thirties with a purple cape in the shape of a flame. The man cleared his throat and looked at each group to make sure he had all of their attention.
"Greetings new students of beacon, I am professor ozpin, headmaster of beacon. You have travelled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and aquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people".
Around the room heads nodded and eyes were captivated by the headmaster, he was speaking their dreams, vocalizing their goals.
"But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge will only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."
Now the mood had dried up, most people were just confused by the change of pace now.
Raynor turned to face the rest of the group, one eyebrow raised incredulously. As the woman who stood behind him gave out her own instructions.
"Pardon me, was that supposed to be an inspiring speech?" Raynor said, prompting laughter from everyone nearby. Natalie was grinning from ear to ear and was desperately attempting to hold back laughter.
Astrid smiled and started doing a surprisingly good impression of professor ozpin, pulling faces and causing even vasren's stoic face to break into a smile.
Later that night the students bedded down in the ballroom, just under a hundred bedrolls were divided down the middle into men and women. Around the room lamps cast a warm golden glow that softened the shapes in the room, lending it a pleasant, cozy atmosphere. All around the four friends students stowed their things and started talking amongst themselves.
Raynor turned towards the girls and gave them a jaunty salute.
"See ya in the morning then ladies!" He said, smiling warmly.
Natalie turned away, waving over her shoulder as she half dragged her Faunus friend with her.
Raynor smiled bemusedly and turned back towards vasren who had staked out a pair of secluded bedrolls and simply given anyone foolish enough to get close his trademarked death glare. Raynor smirked, vasren could level a glare that would stop a bull ursa in its tracks.
Vasren turned in early, leaving Raynor to simply stare at the ceiling, wondering what the future would hold for him at beacon, tomorrow was the initiation after all. He smiled once more as he thought of the teams, so long as Natalie was on his team, he was perfectly fine.
Across the hall astrid had changed to a tank top and shorts for sleeping, Natalie had changed into a set of satin pajamas with patterns of thorns across it. They had been talking quietly together for half an hour already.
"So that Thaddeus guy on the ferry today, you knew him?" Asked astrid
Natalie rolled her eyes. "That guy was in my class at signal. Really unpleasant character I can tell you that much. he has this gang of cronies he keeps around, they used to gang up on loads of the people in our class and just beat on them. No rules, no restraint, just wanted to cause pain. Total psychopath"
Astrid nodded in sympathy, absently wrapping her tail around her wrist and running the tip through her fingers.
"And that's not even the worst of it, he was a creepy bastard as well. One time he pinned one of my friends against the wall and tried to just, straight up grope her!"
Astrid's eyes widened in shock.
"Anyway, me and thorn here had something to say about that. One good swing of the haft and he was on his ass seeing stars." Natalie paused, relishing the memory
"And that's why you said he was your enemy?" Astrid asked
"Well yeah, he was pretty sore that I knocked him out in front of his cronies."
Astrid laughed warmly, brushing her hair out of her eyes with one hand.
Natalie looked back at her, calculating.
"Say, it was pretty cool seeing vasren kick him on his ass though huh."
Astrid chuckled and nodded, replaying the event in her mind's eye.
"What was that face you pulled when you shook his hand though? You looked like you'd seen a ghost".
Astrid blanched slightly and looked around, her eyes furtive. She then leaned closer to her friend and spoke softly.
"You know what a semblance is right?" Natalie nodded affirmative. "Well my semblance is the ability to read the aura of others, everything from its strength to the personality traits they have and what they feel at any given time. It's actually a very useful skill" she took one of Natalie's hands in both of hers. "The only downside is that I have to touch the person I want to read, I can go through clothes and even armour, but I have to have physical contact."
"So what do you see in my aura?" Natalie asked, mystified.
Astrid smiled. "I see that you are fierce, and loyal. You have a semblance that enhances your speed and co-ordination in combat. You are curious and slightly skeptical right now. However I can also tell that you are perhaps a little, over eager to fight, but never for yourself. You only fight to protect people, your friends."
Astrid released her hand gently, breathing a little harder from the effort. Natalie looked at her and smiled, drawing her in for a brief, but warm hug.
"So what scared you about vasren?" Natalie asked, quietly.
Astrid breathed deeply and looked at her hands. She looked up with concern in her dark green eyes.
"He had no aura, only the echoes of one, echoes of pain Natalie, of absolute agony"...